The Power of Gayatri Expounded

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.12.2.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । वर्णानां शक्तयः काश्च ताः शृणुष्व महामुने । वामदेवी प्रिया सत्या विश्वा भद्रविलासिनी

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca varṇānāṁ śaktayaḥ kāśca tāḥ śṛṇuṣva mahāmune vāmadevī priyā satyā viśvā bhadravilāsinī

Shri Narayana said: Now hear, O great sage, what the shaktis (powers) of the syllables are — Vamadevi, Priya, Satya, Vishva, Bhadravilasini,

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.12.2.2)

प्रभावती जया शान्ता कान्ता दुर्गा सरस्वती । विद्रुमा च विशालेशा व्यापिनी विमला तथा

prabhāvatī jayā śāntā kāntā durgā sarasvatī vidrumā ca viśāleśā vyāpinī vimalā tathā

Prabhavati, Jaya, Shanta, Kanta, Durga, Sarasvati, Vidruma, Vishalesha, Vyapini, and likewise Vimala,

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.12.2.3)

तमोऽपहारिणी सूक्ष्मा विश्वयोनिर्जया वशा । पद्मालया परा शोभा भद्रा च त्रिपदा स्मृता

tamo'pahāriṇī sūkṣmā viśvayonirjayā vaśā padmālayā parā śobhā bhadrā ca tripadā smṛtā

Tamopaharini, Sukshma, Vishvayoni, Jaya, Vasha, Padmalaya, Para, Shobha, Bhadra, and Tripada — thus these have been remembered.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.12.2.4)

चतुर्विंशतिवर्णानां शक्तयः समुदाहृताः । अतः परं वर्णवर्णान्व्याहरामि यथातथम्

caturviṁśativarṇānāṁ śaktayaḥ samudāhṛtāḥ ataḥ paraṁ varṇavarṇānvyāharāmi yathātatham

Thus have the shaktis of the twenty-four syllables been fully declared. Now beyond this, I shall describe accurately the colors of each syllable.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.12.2.5)

चम्पका अतसीपुष्पसन्निभं विद्रुमं तथा । स्फटिकाकारकं चैव पद्मपुष्पसमप्रभम्

campakā atasīpuṣpasannibhaṁ vidrumaṁ tathā sphaṭikākārakaṁ caiva padmapuṣpasamaprabham

Like the champaka flower, like the flax flower, and likewise like coral, like crystal in form, and like the radiance of the lotus flower,

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.12.2.6)

तरुणादित्यसङ्काशं शङ्खकुन्देन्दुसन्निभम् । प्रवालपद्यपत्राभं पद्मरागसमप्रभम्

taruṇādityasaṅkāśaṁ śaṅkhakundendusannibham pravālapadyapatrābhaṁ padmarāgasamaprabham

Like the rising sun, like the conch, the jasmine, and the moon, like the sheen of coral or a lotus petal, and like the radiance of the ruby (padmaraga),

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.12.2.7)

इन्द्रनीलमणिप्रख्यं मौक्तिकं कुङ्कुमप्रभम् । अञ्जनाभं च रक्तं च वैदूर्यं क्षौद्रसन्निभम्

indranīlamaṇiprakhyaṁ mauktikaṁ kuṅkumaprabham añjanābhaṁ ca raktaṁ ca vaidūryaṁ kṣaudrasannibham

Like the sapphire (indranila) gem, like a pearl, like the radiance of saffron, like collyrium, like the color red, like beryl (vaidurya), and like honey,

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.12.2.8)

हारिद्रं कुन्ददुग्धाभं रविकान्तिसमप्रभम् । शुकपुच्छनिभं तद्वच्छतपत्रनिभं तथा

hāridraṁ kundadugdhābhaṁ ravikāntisamaprabham śukapucchanibhaṁ tadvacchatapatranibhaṁ tathā

Like turmeric, like the radiance of jasmine or milk, like the splendor of the sun, like a parrot's tail, and likewise like a hundred-petalled lotus,

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.12.2.9)

केतकीपुष्पसङ्काशं मल्लिकाकुसुमप्रभम् । करवीरश्च इत्येते क्रमेण परिकीर्तिताः

ketakīpuṣpasaṅkāśaṁ mallikākusumaprabham karavīraśca ityete krameṇa parikīrtitāḥ

Like the ketaki flower, like the radiance of the mallika blossom, and like the oleander flower — these have been declared, each in its order.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.12.2.10)

वर्णाः प्रोक्ताश्च वर्णानां महापापविशोधनाः । पृथिव्यापस्तथा तेजो वायुराकाश एव च

varṇāḥ proktāśca varṇānāṁ mahāpāpaviśodhanāḥ pṛthivyāpastathā tejo vāyurākāśa eva ca

Thus the colors of the syllables have been declared, purifiers of great sins. Now hear their governing principles: earth, water, and likewise fire, air, and ether,

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.12.2.11)

गन्धो रसश्च रूपं च शब्दः स्पर्शस्तथैव च । उपस्थं पायुपादं च पाणी वागपि च क्रमात्

gandho rasaśca rūpaṁ ca śabdaḥ sparśastathaiva ca upasthaṁ pāyupādaṁ ca pāṇī vāgapi ca kramāt

Smell, taste, form, sound, and likewise touch; and the organ of generation, the organ of excretion, the feet, the hands, and speech — in that order.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.12.2.12)

प्राणं जिह्वा च चक्षुश्च त्वक्श्रोत्रं च ततः परम् । प्राणोऽपानस्तथा व्यानः समानश्च ततः परम्

prāṇaṁ jihvā ca cakṣuśca tvakśrotraṁ ca tataḥ param prāṇo'pānastathā vyānaḥ samānaśca tataḥ param

The nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin, and then the ear; and the vital breaths — prana, apana, likewise vyana, and then samana —

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.12.2.13)

तत्त्वान्येतानि वर्णानां क्रमशः कीर्तितानि तु । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि वर्णमुद्राः कमेण तु

tattvānyetāni varṇānāṁ kramaśaḥ kīrtitāni tu ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi varṇamudrāḥ kameṇa tu

These are the governing principles (tattvas) of the syllables, declared in order. Now, beyond this, I shall describe the mudras of the syllables in sequence.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.12.2.14)

सुमुखं सम्पुटं चैव विततं विस्मृतं तथा । द्विमुखं त्रिमुखं चैव चतुःपञ्चमुखं तथा

sumukhaṁ sampuṭaṁ caiva vitataṁ vismṛtaṁ tathā dvimukhaṁ trimukhaṁ caiva catuḥpañcamukhaṁ tathā

The mudras named Sumukha, and likewise Samputa, Vitata, and Vismrita, Dvimukha, Trimukha, and likewise Chatuh-Pancha-mukha,

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.12.2.15)

षण्मुखाधोमुखं चैव व्यापकाज्जलिकं तथा । शकटं यमपाशं च ग्रथितं सन्मुखोन्मुखम्

ṣaṇmukhādhomukhaṁ caiva vyāpakājjalikaṁ tathā śakaṭaṁ yamapāśaṁ ca grathitaṁ sanmukhonmukham

Shanmukha, Adhomukha, and likewise Vyapaka, Anjalika, Shakata, Yamapasha, Grathita, and Sanmukhonmukha,

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.12.2.16)

विलम्बं मुष्टिकं चैव मत्स्यं कूर्मं वराहकम् । सिंहाक्रान्तं महाक्रान्तं मुद्गरं पल्लवं तथा

vilambaṁ muṣṭikaṁ caiva matsyaṁ kūrmaṁ varāhakam siṁhākrāntaṁ mahākrāntaṁ mudgaraṁ pallavaṁ tathā

Vilamba, and likewise Mushtika, Matsya, Kurma, Varahaka, Simhakranta, Mahakranta, Mudgara, and likewise Pallava,

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.12.2.17)

त्रिशूलयोनी सुरभिश्चाक्षमाला च लिङ्गकम् । अम्बुजं च महामुद्रास्तुर्यरूपाः प्रकीर्तिताः

triśūlayonī surabhiścākṣamālā ca liṅgakam ambujaṁ ca mahāmudrāsturyarūpāḥ prakīrtitāḥ

Trishula, Yoni, Surabhi, Akshamala, Lingaka, and Ambuja — these have been proclaimed as the great mudras, of transcendent form.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.12.2.18)

इत्येताः कीर्तिता मुद्रा वर्णानां ते महामुने । महापापक्षयकराः कीर्तिदाः कान्तिदा मुने

ityetāḥ kīrtitā mudrā varṇānāṁ te mahāmune mahāpāpakṣayakarāḥ kīrtidāḥ kāntidā mune

O great sage, thus have these mudras of the syllables been declared; they destroy great sins and bestow fame and radiance, O sage.