48 - The different varieties of Gayatri

Suta said:

1-2. I shall mention the installation of all Devas in detail. The Yagakundas of Devas shall be fixed with their respective mantra and Devas installed and worshipped after the celebration of festivities in accordance with the injunctions. The worship of the sun shall be performed with five or twelve sacred fires.

3-4. O sages of good holy rites, the Kundas shall be circular in the form of a lotus; the Kunda of Amba shall be triangular. Only one Vardhani is ordained for all together. In all the rites relating to the Shaktis the Kunda shall be triangular in shape. The.Gayatri of Shiva shall be used assiduously for all other deities since all of them are born out of the parts of Rudra. I shall mention them briefly to you.

5-26. “We know Tatpurusha. We meditate on Vagvishuddha (one purified by speech). Hence, may Shiva urge and guide us”

 “We know Ganambika. We meditate on Karmasiddhi (achievement of the benefit of the rite). Hence, may Gauri urge and guide us.”

 “We know Tatpurusha. We meditate on Mahadeva. Hence, may Rudra urge and guide us.”

“We know that Tatpurusha. We meditate on Vakratunda (lord Ganapati of curved snout). Hence, may Dantin (lord with elephantine face) urge and guide us.”

“We know Mahasena. We meditate on Vagvishuddha. May thus, Skanda urge and guide us.”

“We know Tikshnasrunga (one with sharp painted horns). We meditate on Vedapada (one with the Vedas for feet). Hence, may Vrusha (virtue, bull) urge and guide us.”

“We know Harivaktra (one with the face of a monkey). We meditate on Rudravaktra (one with a terrible face). Hence, may Nandin urge and guide us.”

“We know Narayana. We meditate on Vasudeva. Hence, may Vishnu urge and guide us.”

“We know Mahambika (great mother). We meditate on Karmasiddhi (the achievement of the benefit of the holy rites). Hence, may Lakshmi urge and guide us.”

“We meditate upon and we know one who has been redeemed by Vishnu alone. Hence, may Radha urge and guide us.”

‘We know Vainateya (son of Vinata). We meditate upon the golden-winged one. Hence, may Garuda urge and guide us”

“We know the lotus-born. We meditate on Vedavaktra (in whose mouth the Vedas reside). Hence, may the creator Brahma urge and guide us.”

“We know Shivasyaja (one originating from the face of Shiva). We meditate on Devarupa (one having divine form). Hence, may Vacha (speech) urge and guide us.”

“We know the king of Devas. We meditate on Vajrahasta (one armed with the thunderbolt). Hence, may Indra urge and guide us.”

“We know the eye of Rudra. We meditate on one armed with Shakti. Hence, may Agni urge and guide us.”

“We know the son of Vivasvat. We meditate on one armed with a staff. Hence, may Yama urge and guide us.”

“We know Nishachara (the Demon). We meditate on one armed with the sword. Hence, may Nirruti urge and guide us.

“We know Shuddhahasta (one whose hands are pure). We meditate on one who is armed with the noose. Hence, may Varuna urge and guide us.’

“We know the vital airs of all. We meditate on one armed with a stick. Hence, may Vayu urge and guide us.”

“We know the ruler of the Yakshas.301 We meditate on one armed with the iron club. Hence, may Yaksha urge and guide us.”

301. yaksheshvaraya — to the lord of yakshas, i.e. Kubera.

         “We know the lord of all. We meditate on one armed with the trident. Hence, may Rudra urge and guide us.”

         “We know Katyayani. We meditate on Kanyakumari. Hence, may Durga urge and guide us.”

27. Thus, Gayatri shall be differentiated according to the deities; they shall be installed and worshipped. Their seat shall be Pranava.

28-30. Or the devotee shall install the incomparable Vishnu by reciting Purushasukta. The devotee shall conceive of Vishnu, Mahavishnu and Sadavishnu in due order and install them duly by reciting Deva Gayatri. Vasudeva is the chief deity. Samkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the different forms 302 of the lord. His forms are many due to the curse of Bhrugu.

302. murtibhedah — this refers to the group of four called Chaturvuhamurti, comprising Vamadeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.

31-32. The forms are conducive to the welfare of worlds. They occur at every cycle of yugas 808 viz. — Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Rama (of solar race), Rama (Parashurama), Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. There are other forms 304 of lord Vishnu due to the curse of Bhrugu.

303. sharvavarteshu — in all cycles of yugas.

304. It refers to the other incarnations of Vishnu, such as Kapila, Dattatreya, etc.

33-35. The Gayatris too of these forms shall be evolved, the deities shall be installed and worshipped. Perfect knowledge, yantras, mantras and the Upanishads (esoteric doctrines) are the secret of Vishnu, Narayana the lord of Devas. Born of the five Brahmangas 305 they are identical with the five Bhutas. The mantra of Vishnu viz., “Namo Narayanaya” prefixed with the Pranava is highly auspicious. It consists of eight syllables.

305. panchabrahmangajani, such as Sadyojata, Ishana, Tatpurusha, etc.

36. There are other mantras too, viz. — Om Namo Vasudevaya, Om Namah Shankarshanaya, Om Namah Pradyumnaya, Om Namah Pradhanaya, Orii Namah Aniruddhaya.

37-38. Similarly, he shall install Parameshvara with a single mantra. The idols of lord Shiva, Parameshthin shall also be installed and worshipped like the Linga, O excellent sages. The sacred auspicious threads along with the fixing of the jewels shall also be duly performed for Vishnu, as for the Linga.

39. Every rite shall be performed in the immovable linga. In the movable ones also, the rites shall be performed in accordance with the shastraic injunctions. O sages of good holy rites, he shall cause eyes to open by means of the mantras of the eyes.

40. The circumambulation of the shrine, park and the city as well as the rite of keeping it in the water shall be performed as before.

41-42. The erection of the Mandapa, the digging of the Kundas and keeping the deity lying down — these are the rites prescribed. The installation of the deity shall be performed after the Homa in the nine Kundas with nine sacred fires, or five Kundas or in the chief Kunda alone. Thus the splendid rite of installation has been recounted as handed down traditionally.

43. The Jaladhivasana rite is mentioned in regard to all rockcut idols and picture-like306 carvings. This is also recommended for Nandin the leading bull.

306. chitrabhasasya — according to ST. the lord of bulls (Nandin) shall be bathed in the idol of stone but not in the painted picture. This is the logical interpretation of the verse offered by ST.

44-46. The installation of the parts of the palace is at the time of the installation of the palace in the same way as that of the parts of the body. The following shall be assiduously installed by reciting Gayatri duly — the Vrusha (bull, virtue), Agni, the mothers, Vighnesha, Kumara, the goddess Durga and Chandi. The excellent eightfold covering of the lord shall be installed beginning with the east. The guardians of the quarters, Ganesha and others shall be fixed in regard to him.

47-50. The following shall be worshipped in the north, 307 in due order — Uma, Chandi, Nandin, Mahakala, Mahamuni, Vigneshvara, Mahabhrungi and Skanda. He shall fix Indra and others in their respective places; Brahma, Vishnu and the lord of the shrine in the north-east. 308 Ananta and others and Vidyeshas shall be installed in thrones in due order with Pranava alone. The private parts 309 etc. shall be installed in the lotus. Thus, the, installation of the mobile Devas and goddesses has been mentioned to you in brief.

307. saumyaditah — uttaradigaditah ST. beginning with the northern direction.

308. Isha-gochare — lshanadigbhage ST. in the north-eastern direction.

309. guhyangadini — dharmadini ST. Dharma, etc.

but the text is wanting in the negative particle ‘na’ to be construed with ‘Chitrabhasasya’.