Chapter 215 - Mode of reciting Gāyatrī and its greatness

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1-3. One who knows the syllable oṃ is verily a yogin and (the lord) Hari. Hence one should practise the syllable oṃ, that is the essence of all sacred syllables, and the giver of all things. The praṇava (oṃ) is known to be the first in the application of all the sacred syllables. Hence the act which becomes complete with that, will not get completed with any other (syllable). There are three great unmutilating vyāhṛtis (syllables) which are preceded by the syllable oṃ. The three-footed sāvitrī (gāyatrī) should be known as the face of (lord) Brahmā.

4. One who unweariedly repeats these everyday for three years, reaches the supreme brahman becoming the wind and embodying the sky.

5. The one syllable is the supreme brahman and prāṇāyāma (control of the birth) in the supreme penance. There is nothing greater than sāvitrī. Truthfulness excels silence.

6-7. The repetition (of gāyatrī) seven times would destroy one’s sins and ten times would convey (the person) to heaven. That goddess repeated twenty times would convey him to the abode of (lord) Īśvara (Śiva). One would cross the ocean of mundane existence by repeating it hundred and eight times. The Gāyatrī excels the repetition of Rudra and Kūṣmāṇḍa (mantras) in its merit.

8-9. There is nothing excelling Gāyatrī for repetition. There is nothing equal to vyāhṛtis for doing oblations. A quarter of the hymn or a half of it or half the hymn or the whole hymn being repeated purifies one of the sins such as the killing of a brahmin, drinking of wine, stealing of gold and cohabiting the preceptor’s wife.

10. On having committed a sin it is said that one should do oblations with sesamum repeating Gāyatrī. After repetition of Gāyatrī a thousand times and fasting one gets rid of his sin.

11-12. The killer of a cow, the patricide, the matricide, the killer of a brahmin, the defiler of the bed of preceptor, the person who has stolen gold and the drunkard get purified after repetition (of the mantra) a lakh number of times. Otherwise one should bathe and repeat hundred times remaining in the water. One would get rid of his sin by drinking water (consecrated by the repetition) of Gāyatrī hundred times.

13. The Gāyatrī repeated hundred times is remembered to destroy one’s sins. That goddess repeated a thousand times would destroy the minor offences.

14-21. The repetition a crore times would yield the desired benefits and lead one to godhead and sovereignty. After having uttered the syllable oṃ first and (the syllables) bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ (the earth, sky and heaven) then, and the praṇava (oṃ) and Gāyatrī at the end is said to be (the mode) for repetition. Viśvāmitra is the sage, gāyatrī the metre and Savitā (Sun) the god (for the mantra) when it is used for appeasement (of gods), for repetition and for offering oblation. The gods who preside over different letters constituting the mantra are the Fire god, Wind god, Sun, Lightning, God of Death, lord of the water (ocean), Jupiter, God of rain, Indra, Gandharva, Pūṣan, Mitra, Varuṇa, Tvaṣṭṛ, Vasus, Maruts, Moon, Aṅgiras, Viśve (devas), Nāsatya (Aśvins), Ka, Rudra, Brahmā and Viṣṇu respectively who are said to destroy sins at the time of repetition of Gāyatrī. (They respectively protect) the toes, ankles, legs, knees, shanks, the male organ of generation, testicles, hip, navel, belly, breasts, heart, neck, face, cheek, nostrils, eyes, the centre of the eye-brows, forehead, front part of the face, the two sides on the right and left, head and the mouth in order.

22-24. Yellow, blue, tawny, green, colour of the fire, the golden colour of lightning, smoky, black, red, white, colour of the sapphire, crystal coloured, golden, white, red, all the lustre, golden, smoky, blood red, blue red, golden, white, dark green are the colours of Gāyatrī. It destroys sins at the time of repetition and confers all desires when used to offer oblation.

25-28. Oblations made with sesamum and Gāyatrī would destroy all sins. One who desires to appease should do with barley. One who desires life should do with ghee. For success in one’s work (one should do) with white mustard. (One should do) with milk for spiritual splendour, with curd if one wishes to have children, with sāli (grains) if one desires to get grains. One (should do oblation) with twigs of kṣīri (milky) trees for the appeasement of affliction due to planets. Then one desiring for wealth (should do) with bilva (a kind of tree) and desiring for fortune (should do) with lotuses. (One should do) with dūrvā (a kind of grass) if he desires for health and the same if portents (are met with). (One should do) with guggulu (gum-resin) aspiring for prosperity and with sweet porridge if seeking knowledge.

29. There would be the indicated success with (oblation done) ten thousand times and the mentally desired (benefit) with a lakh times. One would be released from (the sin accrued) by killing a brahmin, be lord Hari and the elevator of the family with (oblations done) crore times.

30-31. One should invoke Gāyatrī at the commencement of oblations done for propitiating the planets or the one for ten thousand times or any other sacrifices. Then he should meditate on the syllable oṃ. After having remembered the syllable oṃ one should tie up the tuft with the Gāyatrī. Then after having sipped (three drops of water) one should touch the heart, navel and shoulders.

32. The sage is Brahmā, the metre is gāyatrī and the god is the Fire god for the praṇava (oṃ). It is the Supreme soul and it should be associated in all acts.

33-34. (She should be contemplated as) possessing white complexion, having fire as the mouth, divine, born in the gotra of Kātyāyana, encircling the three worlds, associated with the support of the earth, wearing the rosary, the goddess seated in the padmāsana (posture of sitting with legs crossed) and auspicious (with the following words): “Oṃ! You are the lustre, the sacrifice, the strength, one of the seven Suns, the abode of the gods, the universe, the life of the universe, all beings and the life of all beings. Oṃ! to the earth. O Goddess! Bestower of boon! You come! The one to be repeated! You be present before me!”

35-37. Prajāpati is the sage for all vyāhṛtis (the syllables bhū etc.). (They are used) separately and collectively with the letter oṃ of Brahmā. The sages (of the vyāhṛtis are) Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvāja, Gautama, Atri, Vasiṣṭha and Kaśyapa in order. Fire god, Wind god, Sun, Jupiter, Varuṇa, Indra, Viṣṇu are the (presiding) deities of vyāhṛtis in order.

38. Gāyatrī, Uṣṇik, Anuṣṭubh, Bṛhatī, Paṅkti, Triṣṭubh, and Jagatī are said to be metres (of these) respectively.

39-40. It is remembered that eight drops of water should be thrown upwards with the hymn āpo hi ṣṭhā^[1] or drupadāt^[2] or hiraṇyavarṇāṃ^[3] or pāvamānī^[4] at the end in the use of the vyāhṛtis, in the prāṇāyāma and in oblation. It destroys the sin done since the birth.

41. One should recite (the hymn) ṛtaṃ ca^[5], the destroyer of sins, thrice in the water. Sindhudvīpa is the sage for the hymn āpo hi ṣṭhā.

42. The metre is gāyatrī and deity water for this (hymn) for brahmasnāna (bathing to get rid of sin). It should be used for sprinkling water on the body or at the time of bathing at the conclusion of a sacrifice.

43. Aghamarṣaṇa is the sage for this aghamarṣaṇa hymn. Anuṣṭubh would be the metre. Bhāvavṛtta is the deity.

44-49. (The mantra) āpo jyotī raso^[6] is remembered to be the head of Gāyatrī. Prajāpati (Brahmā) is the sage for that because the yajur (mantras) are not metrical. Brahmā, Fire god, Wind god and Sun are said to be deities. The wind is generated from the suppression of breath. Fire is produced from wind. Water (is produced) from fire and then purity. Then one should rinse. It moves within beings, cavity and universal gods. The syllable vaṣaṭ is the sacrifice in the form of penance. Water is the lustrous sap of nectar. The sage of the hymn udu tyam jātavedasaṃ^[7] is said to be Praskanna (?): Gāyatrī is stated to be the metre and Sun the deity. It is used in the atirātra (sacrifice) and the agniṣṭoma is the employer. Kautsa is stated to be the sage for the hymn citraṃ devānām^[8]. Triṣṭubh is said to be the metre for this (hymn) and Sun the deity.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ṚV. 10.9.1.

[2]:

AV. 6.115.3.

[3]:

This is Śrīsūkta, ṚVkh. 5.87.1.

[4]:

Designation of ṚV. 9.1.1ff

[5]:

ṚV. 10.190.1.

[6]:

ṚV. 10.9.

[7]:

ṚV. 1.50.1.

[8]:

ṚV. 1.115.1.