The Devi Bhagavata Purana

by Swami Vijñanananda | 1921 | 545,801 words | ISBN-10: 8121505917 | ISBN-13: 9788121505918

The English translation of the Devi Bhagavata Purana. This Sanskrit work describes the Devi (Divine), the Goddess, as the foundation of the world and as identical with Brahman, the Supreme Being. The Devi Bhagavata Purana is one of the most important works in Shaktism, a branch of Hinduism focusing on the veneration of the divine feminine, along w...

Chapter 20 - On the description of Brahmā Yajñā, Sandhyās, etc.

1-25. The twice born (Brāhmaṇa) is firstly to sip three times (make Ācamana); then to make the mārjana (sprinkle water) twice; he is to touch the water by the right hand and sprinkle water on his two feet. Next, he is to sprinkle with water his head, eyes, nose, ears, heart, and head thoroughly. Then speaking out the Deśa and Kāla (place and time) he should commence the Brahmā Yajñā. Next for the destruction of all the sins and for getting liberation, he should have the Darbha (sacrificial grass, and the Kuśa grasses), two on his right hand, three on his left hand, one grass each on his seat, sacrificial thread, his tuft, and his heels. No sin can now remain in his body.

“I am performing this Brahmā Yajñā for the satisfaction of the Devatā according to the Sūtra,” thus thinking he is to repeat the Gāyatrī thrice.

Then he is to recite the following mantras :-- “Agnimīle purohitam, etc.

,” “Yadamgeti” “Agnirvai,” “Mahāvratañcaiva panthā,” “Athātaḥ Śamhitāyāśca vidāmaghavat,” “Mahāvratasya,” “Īṣetvorjetvā,” “Agna āyāhi” “Śanno Devī rabbīsṭaye,” “Tasya Samāmnāyo” “Briddairādaich” “Śikṣām pravakṣyāmi,” “Pañca Samvatsareti,” “Mayarasatajabhetyeva,” “Gaurgmā,” also he is to recite the two following Sūtras :-- “Athāto Dharma Jijñāsā,” “Athāto Brahmā Jijñāsa.” Next he is to recite the mantra “Tacamyoḥ” and also the mantra “Namo Brāhmaṇe namo stvagnaye namaḥ prithivyai nama Osadhībhyoḥ namaḥ”. (These mantras are the famous mantras of the Rig Veda).

Next perform the Deva-tarpaṇam, thus :-- “Om Prajāpati stripyatu”, “Om Brahmā stripyatu”, “Om Vedās tripyantu,” “Om Ṛṣayastri pyantu”, “ Om Devāstripantu,” “Om Sarvaṇi candāmsi tripyantu”, “Om Om Kāra stripyatu”, “Om Vaṣaṭ Kāra stripyatu”, “Om Vyārhitayas tripyantu”, Om Sāvitrī tripyatu”, “Om Gāyatrī tripyatu”, “Om Yajñā stripyantu,” Om Dyāvā prithivyau tripyatām. Om antarīkṣam tripyatu, Om Ahorātrāni tripyantu, Om Sāmkkyā stripyantu, Om Siddhā stripyantu, Om Samudrā stripyantu, Om Nadyās tripyantu, Om girayas tripyantu, Om Ksettrauṣ adhivana spati gandharvā Psarasas tripyantu, Om nāgā vayāmsi gāvasca sādhyā viprāsta thaiva ca, yakṣā rakṣāṇsi bhutanī tyeva mantāni tripyantu.

Next, suspending the sacrificial thread from the neck, perform the Ṛṣi tarpaṇam, thus :-- Om Śatarcinas tripyantu, Om mādhyamās tripyantu,

Om Gritsamada stripyatu, Om Viśvāmitra stripyantu, Om Vāmadeva stripyantu, Om Atri stripyatu, Om Bharadvājastripyatu, Om Vaśiṣṭhastripyatu, Om Pragāthastripyatu, Pāvamānyastripyantu.

Next, holding the sacrificial thread over the right shoulder and under the left arm, perform the Tarpaṇam, thus :--

Om Kṣudrasūktā stripyantu.

Om Mahāsūktāstripyantu.

Om Sanaka stripyatu.

Om Sananda stripyatu.

Om Sanātana stripyatu.

Om Sanat Kumāra stripyatu.

Om Kapila stripyatu.

Om Āsuristripyatu,

Om Vohalistripyatu.

Om Pañcaśikha stripyatu.

Om Sumantu Jaimini Vaiśampāyana Paila Sūtra Bhāṣya bhārata Mahā Bhārata Dharmācāryah stripyantu.

Om Jānantīvāha vigārgya Gautama Śākalya vābhravya Māndavya Māndūkeyā stripyantu.

Om Gārgī Vācakṇavī tripyatu.

Om Vadavā prātitheyī tripyatu.

Om Sulabhā maitreyī tripyatu.

Om Kahola stripyatu.

Om Kauṣītaka stripyatu.

Om Mahā Kauṣitaka stripyatu.

Om Bhāradvāja stripyatu,

Om Paimga stripyatu.

Om Mahāpaimga stripyatu.

Om Sujajñā stripyatu.

Om Sāmkhyāyana stripyatu.

Om Aitareya stripyatu.

Om Mahaitareya stripyatu.

Om Vāskala stripyatu.

Om Sākala stripyatu.

Om Sujāta vaktra stripyatu.

Om Audavāhi stripyatu.

Om Saujāmi stripyatu,

Om Śaunaka stripyatu,

Om Āśvalāyana stripyatu.

26-54. Let all the other Ācāryas be satisfied. “Om Ye Ke cāsmaṭ kule Jātā aputrā gotriṇo mritāh. te grihṇantu mayā dattam vastraniṣpīḍi to dakam.” Saying thus offer water squeezed out of a cloth. O Nārada! Thus I have spoken to you of the rules of Brahmā Yajñā. Whoever performs thus the Brahmā Yajñā gets the fruits of studying all the Vedas. Then performing, in due order, the Vaiśva deva, Homa, Śrāddha, serving the guests, and feeding the cows, the devotee is to take his meals during the fifth part of the day along with the other Brāhmaṇas. Then the sixth and the seventh parts of the day he is to spend in reading histories and the Purāṇas. Then the eighth part of the day he is to devote in seeing the relatives, talking with them and receiving visits from other persons; then he will be prepared to perform the evening Sandhyā. O Nārada! I am now talking of the evening Sandhyā. Listen. Śrī Bhagavatī is pleased very quickly with him who performs the evening Sandhyā. First make the Ācaman and make the Vāyu (air) in the body steady. With heart tranquilled and with the seat Baddha Padmāsana, be calm and quiet while engaged in performing the Sandhyā. At the commencement of all actions prescribed in the Śrutis and Smritis, first perform the Sagarbha Prāṇāyama. In other words recite the mantra mentally for the due number of moments and make the Prānāyama. Simply meditating is called Agarbha Prāṇāyama. Here no mantra is necessary to be recited. Then have the Bhutaśuddhi (have the purifications of the elements) and make the Saṅkalpa. First of all, the purification of elements, etc., are to be done first; one becomes, then, entitled to do other actions. While doing Pūraka (inhaling), Kumbhaka (retaining) and Rechaka (exhaling) in Praṇāyāma, meditate on the Deity stated duly.

In the evening time meditate on the Bhagavatī Sandhyā Devī thus :-- The name of the then Gāyatrī Devī is Sarasvatī. She is old, of black colour, wearing ordinary clothes; in her hands are seen conch shell, disc, club and lotus. On Her feet the anklets are making sweet tinkling sounds; on Her loins there is the golden thread; decked with various ornaments. She is sitting on Garuḍa. On Her head the invaluable jewel crown is seen; on Her neck, the necklaces of stars; Her forehead is shining with a brilliant lustre emitting from the pearl and jewel Tātamka ornaments. She has put on yellow clothes; Her nature is eternal knowledge and ever-bliss. She is uttering Sāma Veda. She resides in the Heavens and daily She goes in the path of the Sun. I invoke the Devī from the Solar Orb. O Nārada! Meditate on the Devī thus and perform the Sandhyā. Then perform the Mārjanam by the mantra “Āpohiṣṭhā” and next by the mantra

 “Agniśca mā manyuśca.” The remaining actions are the same as before. Next, repeat the Gāyatrī and offer, with a pure heart, the offering of Arghya to the Sun for the satisfaction of Nārāyaṇa. While offering this Arghya, keep the two legs level and similar and take water in folded palms and meditating on the Devatā within the Solar Orb, throw it towards Him. The fool that offers Sūryārghya in the water, out of ignorance, disregarding the injunctions of the Śrutis, will have to perform Prāyaścitta for that sin. Next, worship the Sun by the Sūrya mantra. Then taking one’s seat, meditate on the Devī and repeat the Gāyatrī. One thousand times or five hundred times the Gāyatrī is to be repeated. The worship, etc., in the evening is the same as in the morning. Now I am speaking of the Tarpaṇam in the Evening Sandhyā. Hear. Vaśiṣṭha is the Ṛṣi of the aforesaid Sarasvatī. Viṣṇu in the form of Sarasvatī is the Devatā; Gāyatrī is the Chanda; its application is in the Evening Sandhyā Tarpaṇam.

Now the Tarpaṇam of the Sandhyāṅga (the adjunct of Sandhyā) runs as follows :--

“Om Svaḥ Puruṣam Tarpayāmi.”

“Om Sāmavedam Tarpayāmi.”

“Om Sūryamaṇḍalam tarpayāmi.”

“Om Hiraṇyagarbham tarpayāmi.”

“Om Paramātmānam tarpayāmi.”

“Om Sarasvatīm tarpayāmi.”

“Om Devamātaram tarpayāmi.”

“Om Samkritim tarpayāmi.”

“Om Vriddhām Sandhyām tarpayāmi

“Om Viṣṇu rūpinīm Usasīm tarpayāmi.”

“Om Nirmrijīm tarpayāmi.”

“Om Sarvasiddhi kāriṇīm tarpayāmi.”

“Om Sarvamantrā dhipatikām tarpayami.”

“Om Bhurbhuvaḥ Svaḥ Puruṣam tarpayāmi.”

Thus perform the Vaidik Tarpaṇam. O Nārada! Thus have been described the rules of the sin destroying evening Sandhyā. By this evening Sandhyā, all sorts of pains and afflictions and diseases are removed. And ultimately the Mokṣa is obtained. What more than this that you should know this Sandhyā Bandaṇam as the principal thing amongst the good conduct and right ways of living. Therefore Śrī Bhagavatī fructifies all the desires of the Bhaktas who perform this Sandhyā Vandaṇam.

Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of Brahmā Yajñā, Sandhyās, etc., in the Mahāpurāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.

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