Here’s a clear, step-by-step Smṛti (Dvādaśa-nāma) Āchamanam with Sanskrit, Malayalam transliteration, and Latin (IAST) transliteration. I kept the ritual actions simple and widely used (safe for daily practice). If you want a strict Śrauta / Vedic version later, I can give that too.

Dvādaśa-nāma (12 names of Viṣṇu)

Sanskrit (IAST) — Malayalam transliteration — (literal short meaning)

1. Keśava — കേശവ — (Keshava) — “One with beautiful hair / slayer of Keśa”


2. Nārāyaṇa — നാരായണ — (Nārāyaṇa) — “Refuge of beings / the supreme being”


3. Mādhava — മാധവ — (Mādhava) — “Belonging to the Madhu family / consort of Ma”


4. Govinda — ഗോവിന്ദ — (Govinda) — “Protector of cows / one who gives pleasure to the senses”


5. Viṣṇu — വിഷ്ണു — (Viṣṇu) — “The pervader / preserver”


6. Madhusūdana — മധുസൂദന — (Madhusūdana) — “Slayer of the demon Madhu”


7. Trivikrama — ത്രിവിക്രമ — (Trivikrama) — “He of the three strides (Vāmana form)”


8. Vāmana — വാമന — (Vāmana) — “Dwarf (incarnation who measured the worlds)”


9. Śrīdhara (Śrīdhar) — ശ്രീധര — (Śrīdhara) — “Bearer of Śrī (wealth/blessings)”


10. Hṛṣīkeśa — ഹൃഷീകേശ — (Hṛṣīkeśa) — “Controller of the senses”


11. Padmanābha — പദ്മനാഭ — (Padmanābha) — “One with a lotus-navel”


12. Dāmodara — ദാമോദര — (Dāmodara) — “Bound by the cord around the belly (childhood pastime)”




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Simple Smṛti Āchamanam — Step-by-step (with transliteration lines)

Preparation

Sit facing east or north if possible. Keep a small cup or your right palm (cupped) with clean water.

Keep a small towel or cloth handy to dry hands afterwards.


Step 1 — Sankalpa (optional short resolve)
(You may silently make a sankalpa — e.g., “I perform āchamanam for my purification and for doing the worship properly.”)

Step 2 — Dvādaśa-nāma recitation
Hold the water in the right palm (or a small lota). Recite the 12 names slowly and mindfully. You can say each name once in sequence, or repeat each name once while focusing on purification.

Give each name clearly (one after another). Here are the names in Sanskrit with Malayalam and IAST — say any one of these forms as you prefer:

Sanskrit (IAST) line (you can recite this exact sequence):

Keśavaḥ, Nārāyaṇaḥ, Mādhavaḥ, Govindaḥ, Viṣṇuḥ, Madhusūdanaḥ, Trivikramaḥ, Vāmanaḥ, Śrīdharaḥ, Hṛṣīkeśaḥ, Padmanābhaḥ, Dāmodaraḥ

Malayalam transliteration you can speak:

കേശവ, നാരായണ, മാധവ, ഗോവിന്ദ, വിഷ్ణു, മധുസൂദന, ത്രിവിക്രമ, വാമന, ശ്രീധര, ഹൃഷീകേശ, പദ്മനാഭ, ദാമോദര

(Recite slowly and with awareness.)

Step 3 — Sipping water (three sips)
After the 12 names are recited, bring the right hand (with water) to the mouth and sip a small amount of water three times — each sip silently offering it to the Lord and thinking: “May this cleanse my speech, mind and body.”
(You do not need to gulp — only small sips.)

Step 4 — Washing / touching (optional short cleansing)
Rub a few drops of the remaining water over the fingertips of the right hand and gently touch the eyes, ears and top of the head or simply wash your palms — a symbolic external cleansing.

Step 5 — Mantra of completion (optional)
You may say quietly:

Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

or

Om Viṣṇave Namaḥ

and then dry your hands.


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Short Example (everything put together — quick script you can learn)

1. (Sankalpa silently)


2. Hold water in right palm. Recite:
“Keśavaḥ, Nārāyaṇaḥ, Mādhavaḥ, Govindaḥ, Viṣṇuḥ, Madhusūdanaḥ, Trivikramaḥ, Vāmanaḥ, Śrīdharaḥ, Hṛṣīkeśaḥ, Padmanābhaḥ, Dāmodaraḥ.”


3. Sip water 3 times mindfully.


4. Rub remaining water on fingertips and touch eyes/ears/top of head or wash palms.


5. Say “Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ” (or “Om Viṣṇave Namaḥ”) and dry hands.




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If you want, I can now give any of these follow-ups (pick one):

The exact Malayalam script line-by-line to copy and use as a printable card.

The full Śrauta / Vedic āchamanam (3-sip Achyuta/Ananta/Govinda + 21-name marjanam) with stepwise transliteration and body-touch mapping.