215 - Mode of reciting gayatri and its greatness

Agni said:

1-3. One who knows the syllable or is verily a yogin and (the lord) Hari. Hence oneshould practise the syllable om, that is the essence of all sacred syllables, and the giver of all things. The pranava (om) 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 vyährutis (syllables) which are preceded by the syllable om. The three-footed såvitri (gayatri)should be known as the face of (lord) Brahma. 

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 pränāyāma (control of the birth) in the supreme penance. There is nothing greater than sävitri. Truthfulness excels silence. 

6-7. The repetition (of gåyatri) 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) Iśhvara (Siva). One would cross the ocean of mundane existence by repeating it hundred and eight times. The Gayatri excels the repetition of Rudra and Kūshmånda (mantras) in its merit. 

8-9. There is nothing excelling Gayatri for repetition. There is nothing equal to vyährutis 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 oneshould do oblations with sesamum repeating Gayatri. After repetition of Gåyatri 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 oneshould bathe and repeat hundred times remaining in the water. One would get rid of his sin by drinking water (consecrated by the repetition) of Gayatri hundred times. 

13. The Gayatri 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 om first and the syllables) bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ (the earth, sky and heaven) then, and the praṇava (om) and Gayatri at the end is said to be (the mode) for repetition. Visvämitra is the sage, gayatri the metre and Savità (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, Pūshan, Mitra, Varuna, Tvastr, Vasus, Maruts, Moon, Angiras, Viśve (devas), Nāsatya (Aśvins),Ka, Rudra, Brahmå and Vishnu respectively who are said to destroy sins at the time of repetition of Gayatri. (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 Gåyatri. It destroys sins at the time of repetition and confers all desires when used to offer oblation. 

25-28. Oblations made with sesamum and Gayatri would destroy all sins. One who desires to appeaseshould do with barley. One who desires lifeshould do with ghee. For success in one's work (oneshould do) with white mustard. (Oneshould do) with milk for spiritual splendour, with curd if one wishes to have children, with såli (grains) if one desires to get grains. One (should do oblation) with twigs of kshiri (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. (Oneshould do) with dūrvå (a kind of grass) if he desires for health and the same if portents (are met with). (Oneshould 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 Hariand the elevator of the family with (oblations done) crore times. 

30-31. Oneshould invoke Gayatrī at the commencement of oblations done for propitiating the planets or the one for ten thousand times or any other sacrifices. Then heshould meditate on the syllablc oṁ. After having remembered the syllable om oneshould tie up the tuft with the Gayatri. Then after having sipped (three drops of water) oneshould touch the heart, navel andshoulders. 

32. The sage is Brahma, the metre is gāyatri and the god is the Fire god for the praṇava (om). It is the Suprenie soul and itshould be associated in all acts. 

33-34. (Sheshould be contemplated as) possessing white complexion, having fire as the mouth, divine, born in the gotra of Katyayana, encircling the three worlds, associated with the support of the earth, wearing the rosary, the goddess seated in the padmasana (posture of sitting with legs crossed) and auspicious (with the following words): "Om! 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. Om! to the earth. O Goddess! Bestower of boon! You come! The one to be repeated! You be present before me!" 

35-37. Prajapati is the sage for all vyährutis (the syllables bhū etc.). (They are used) separately and collectively with the letter oṁ of Brahma. The sages (of the vyährutis are) Viśvamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Atri, Vasishtha and Kaśyapa in order. Fire god, Wind god, Sun, Jupiter, Varuņa, Indra, Vishņu are the (presiding) deities of vyähịtis in order. 

38. Gayatrī, Ushņik, Aņushtubh, Brhati, Pankti, Trishţubh, and Jagati are said to be metres (of these) respectively. 

39-40. It is remembered that eight drops of watershould be thrown upwards with the hymn apo hi shtha¹ or drupadat² or hiranyavarņām³ or pāvamāni⁴ at the end in the use of the vyährutis, in the prānāyāma and in oblation. It destroys the sin done since the birth. 

1. RV.10.9.1.

2. AV, 6.115.3.

3. This is Srisukta, RVkh. 5.87.1.

4. Designation of RV. 9.1.1 ff

41. Oneshould recite (the hymn) rtam ca⁵, the destroyer of sins, thrice in the water. Sindhudvipa is the sage for the hymn apo hi stha. 

5. RV.10.190. 1.

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

43. Aghamarshaņa is the sage for this aghamarshana hymn. Anushtubh would be the metre. Bhåvavrutta is the deity. 

44-49. (The mantra) apo jyoti raso⁶ is remembered to be the head of Gayatri. Prajapati (Brahma) 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 oneshould rinse. It moves within beings, cavity and universal gods. The syllable vashat is the sacrifice in the form of penance. Water is the lustrous sap of nectar. The sage of the hymn udu tyam jätavedasam is said to be Praskanna (?): Gayatri is stated to be the metre and Sun the deity. It is used in the atirātra (sacrifice) and the agnistoma is the employer. Kautsa is stated to be the sage for the hymn citram devänām. Trishtubh is. said to be the metre for this (hymn) and Sun the deity. 

6. RV.10.9. 216.1-10 

1. RV.1.50. 1.

2. RV.1.115. 1.