The Rule of Sandhya (Twilight Worship)

Verse 1 (garuda.1.217.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । अथ सन्ध्याविधं वक्ष्ये द्विजातीनां समासतः । अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा

brahmovāca atha sandhyāvidhaṁ vakṣye dvijātīnāṁ samāsataḥ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato'pi vā

Brahma said: Now I shall briefly describe the rule of sandhya (twilight worship) for the twice-born. Whether impure or pure, or in whatever state one may be —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.217.2)

यः स्मरेत्पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः

yaḥ smaretpuṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ

— he who remembers the Lotus-eyed One becomes pure, both outwardly and inwardly.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.217.3)

गायत्त्रीच्छन्दो विश्वामित्र ऋषिस्त्रिपात् । समुद्राः कुक्षिश्चन्द्रादित्यौ लोचनौ । अग्निर्मुखम् । विष्णुर्हृदयम् । ब्रह्मरुद्रौ शिरः । रुद्रः शिखा । उपनय ने विनियोगः । ओं भूः पादे । भुवः जानुति । स्वः हृदये । महः शिरसि । जनः शिखायाम् । तपः कण्ठे । सत्यं ललाटे । ओं हृदयाय नमः । ओं भूः शिरसे स्वाहा । ओं भुवः शिखायै वौषट् । ओं स्वः कवचाय हुं । ओं भूर्भुवः स्वः अस्त्राय फट्

gāyattrīcchando viśvāmitra ṛṣistripāt samudrāḥ kukṣiścandrādityau locanau agnirmukham viṣṇurhṛdayam brahmarudrau śiraḥ rudraḥ śikhā upanaya ne viniyogaḥ oṁ bhūḥ pāde bhuvaḥ jānuti svaḥ hṛdaye mahaḥ śirasi janaḥ śikhāyām tapaḥ kaṇṭhe satyaṁ lalāṭe oṁ hṛdayāya namaḥ oṁ bhūḥ śirase svāhā oṁ bhuvaḥ śikhāyai vauṣaṭ oṁ svaḥ kavacāya huṁ oṁ bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ astrāya phaṭ

The Gayatri's meter is Gayatri, its sage is Vishvamitra, with three feet; the ocean is its belly, sun and moon its eyes, Agni its mouth, Vishnu its heart, Brahma and Rudra its head, Rudra its topknot. It is applied in the sacred-thread rite. One places Bhuh at the foot, Bhuvah at the knee, Svah at the heart, Mahah at the head, Janah at the topknot, Tapah at the throat, and Satyam at the forehead; and likewise places the mantra in turn at the heart, head, topknot, armor, and weapon.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.217.4)

ओं भूः ओं भुवः ओं स्वः ओं महः ओं जनः ओं तपः ओं सत्यं तत्स्त्रिपदा । ओं आपो ज्योऽती रसोऽमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः स्वरोम् । ओं सूर्यश्चेत्यादि । ओं आपः पुनन्त्वित्यादि । ओं अग्निश्चेत्यादि

oṁ bhūḥ oṁ bhuvaḥ oṁ svaḥ oṁ mahaḥ oṁ janaḥ oṁ tapaḥ oṁ satyaṁ tatstripadā oṁ āpo jyo'tī raso'mṛtaṁ brahma bhūrbhuvaḥ svarom oṁ sūryaścetyādi oṁ āpaḥ punantvityādi oṁ agniścetyādi

Om Bhuh, Om Bhuvah, Om Svah, Om Mahah, Om Janah, Om Tapah, Om Satyam — these are its threefold feet. One utters mantras invoking water, light, essence, immortality, Brahman, and Bhur-Bhuvah-Svah; and the mantras concerning the sun, the purification of water, and Agni are likewise recited in turn.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.217.5)

ओं आयातु वरदे देवि ! पूर्वाह्ने ब्रह्मदेवता । गायत्त्री नाम या सन्ध्या रक्ताङ्गी रक्तवाससा । वरहंससमारूढा श्रीमत्पुष्करसंस्थिता

oṁ āyātu varade devi ! pūrvāhne brahmadevatā gāyattrī nāma yā sandhyā raktāṅgī raktavāsasā varahaṁsasamārūḍhā śrīmatpuṣkarasaṁsthitā

'O boon-granting Goddess, come' — in the forenoon, the deity of Brahma named Gayatri, of red limbs, clad in red, mounted on the finest swan, seated upon a glorious lotus —

Verse 6 (garuda.1.217.6)

कमण्डलुधरा शान्ता अक्षमालाविधारिणी । आयातु वरदा देवी मध्याह्ने श्वेतरूपिणी

kamaṇḍaludharā śāntā akṣamālāvidhāriṇī āyātu varadā devī madhyāhne śvetarūpiṇī

— holding a water-pot, tranquil, bearing a rosary. 'O boon-granting Goddess, come' — at noon, of white form,

Verse 7 (garuda.1.217.7)

माहेश्वरी च सावित्री शुक्लवस्त्रादिमण्डिता । वृषस्कन्धसमारूढा त्रिशूलवरधारिणी

māheśvarī ca sāvitrī śuklavastrādimaṇḍitā vṛṣaskandhasamārūḍhā triśūlavaradhāriṇī

— Maheshvari and Savitri, adorned in white garments, mounted upon the bull's shoulder, holding the excellent trident.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.217.8)

आयातु वरदा देवी अपराह्ने सरस्वती । अतसीकुसुमप्रख्या वैष्णवी गरुडासना

āyātu varadā devī aparāhne sarasvatī atasīkusumaprakhyā vaiṣṇavī garuḍāsanā

'O boon-granting Goddess, come' — in the afternoon as Sarasvati, hued like the flax-flower, Vaishnavi, seated upon Garuda,

Verse 9 (garuda.1.217.9)

पीतवस्त्रा शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मसमन्विता । श्वेतवर्णा समुद्दिष्टा रविमण्डलसंस्थिता

pītavastrā śaṅkhacakragadāpadmasamanvitā śvetavarṇā samuddiṣṭā ravimaṇḍalasaṁsthitā

— clad in yellow, bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, declared white in hue, abiding within the sun's orb,

Verse 10 (garuda.1.217.10)

श्वेतपद्मसनासीना श्वेतपुष्पोपशोभिता । ओं आपो हिष्ठा मयो भुवस्ता न उर्जे दधात नः

śvetapadmasanāsīnā śvetapuṣpopaśobhitā oṁ āpo hiṣṭhā mayo bhuvastā na urje dadhāta naḥ

— seated on a white lotus-seat, adorned with white flowers. Om — 'apo hi shtha mayo bhuvah, ta na urje dadhata' — 'O waters, you are the source of happiness; grant us strength' —

Verse 11 (garuda.1.217.11)

महेरणाय चक्षुसे । ओं यो वः शिवतमो रसः । तस्य भाजयेतेह नः । अशतीरिव मातरः । ओं तस्मा अरङ्गमाम वो यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ । आपो जन यथा च नः । ओं सुमित्रिया न आप ओषधयः सन्तु ओं दुर्मित्रियास्तस्मै सन्तु योऽस्मान् द्वेष्टि यञ्च वयं द्विष्मः । ओं द्रुपदादिवमुमुचानः स्विन्नः स्नातो मलादिव । पूतं पवित्रेणेवाज्यमापः शुन्धन्तु मैनसः । ओं ऋतं च सत्यं चाभीद्धात्तपसोऽध्यजायत । ततोरात्र्यजायत । ततः समुद्रोर्ऽणवः समुद्रादर्णवादधिसंवत्सरो अजायत । अहौरात्राणि विदधद्विश्वस्य मिषतो वशी । सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ धाता यथापूर्वमकल्पयत् । दिवं च पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षमथो स्वः

maheraṇāya cakṣuse oṁ yo vaḥ śivatamo rasaḥ tasya bhājayeteha naḥ aśatīriva mātaraḥ oṁ tasmā araṅgamāma vo yasya kṣayāya jinvatha āpo jana yathā ca naḥ oṁ sumitriyā na āpa oṣadhayaḥ santu oṁ durmitriyāstasmai santu yo'smān dveṣṭi yañca vayaṁ dviṣmaḥ oṁ drupadādivamumucānaḥ svinnaḥ snāto malādiva pūtaṁ pavitreṇevājyamāpaḥ śundhantu mainasaḥ oṁ ṛtaṁ ca satyaṁ cābhīddhāttapaso'dhyajāyata tatorātryajāyata tataḥ samudror'ṇavaḥ samudrādarṇavādadhisaṁvatsaro ajāyata ahaurātrāṇi vidadhadviśvasya miṣato vaśī sūryācandramasau dhātā yathāpūrvamakalpayat divaṁ ca pṛthivīṁ cāntarikṣamatho svaḥ

— 'for the great vision. Om, may your most auspicious essence, O waters, reach us here, as mothers give to their children. Om, we come to your shelter, O waters; engender us as before. Om, may the waters and plants be friendly to us, and unfriendly to him who hates us and whom we hate. Om, as one freed from bondage, as one bathed clean of dirt, pure as strained ghee — O waters, cleanse me of sin. Om, from blazing austerity arose cosmic order and truth; then arose night; then arose the ocean; from the ocean arose the year, which ordains day and night and rules over all that blinks; the Ordainer fashioned the sun and moon, and the sky, earth, atmosphere, and heaven, as before.'

Verse 12 (garuda.1.217.12)

गायत्त्र्या विश्वामित्र ऋषिर्गायत्त्रीछन्दः । सविता देवता जपे विनियोगः । ओं उदुत्यं जातवेदसं देवं वहन्ति केतवः । दृशे विश्वाय सूर्यम् । ओं चित्रं देवानामुदगादनीकं चक्षुर्मित्रस्य वरुणस्याग्नेः । आप्रा द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरिक्षं सूर्य आत्मा जगतस्तस्थुषश्च । ओं तच्चक्षर्देवहितं पुरस्ताच्छुक्रमुच्चरत् । पश्येम शरदः शतं जीवेम शरदः शतम् । शृणुयाम शरदः शतम् । ओं विश्वतश्चक्षुरुत विश्वतोमुखोविश्वतो बाहुरुत विश्वतस्पात् । संबाहुभ्यां धमति संपत्रैद्यार्वाभूमी जनयन्देव एकः । देवा गातुविदो नाङ्गविद्वानाद्भमितमनसस्पत इमं देवयज्ञं स्वाहा वातेधाः जपेत्

gāyattryā viśvāmitra ṛṣirgāyattrīchandaḥ savitā devatā jape viniyogaḥ oṁ udutyaṁ jātavedasaṁ devaṁ vahanti ketavaḥ dṛśe viśvāya sūryam oṁ citraṁ devānāmudagādanīkaṁ cakṣurmitrasya varuṇasyāgneḥ āprā dyāvāpṛthivī antarikṣaṁ sūrya ātmā jagatastasthuṣaśca oṁ taccakṣardevahitaṁ purastācchukramuccarat paśyema śaradaḥ śataṁ jīvema śaradaḥ śatam śṛṇuyāma śaradaḥ śatam oṁ viśvataścakṣuruta viśvatomukhoviśvato bāhuruta viśvataspāt saṁbāhubhyāṁ dhamati saṁpatraidyārvābhūmī janayandeva ekaḥ devā gātuvido nāṅgavidvānādbhamitamanasaspata imaṁ devayajñaṁ svāhā vātedhāḥ japet

The Gayatri's sage is Vishvamitra, its meter Gayatri, its deity Savita, applied in recitation. Om — 'the rays bear upward the god Jatavedas, the sun, that all may behold him.' Om — 'the wondrous splendor of the gods has arisen, the eye of Mitra, Varuna, and Agni; it has filled heaven, earth, and the atmosphere — the sun alone is the soul of the whole moving and unmoving world.' Om — 'that eye, set by the gods, rises pure in the east; may we see a hundred autumns, live a hundred autumns, hear a hundred autumns.' Om — 'that god, whose eye, face, arm, and foot are everywhere, breathes with both his arms; joining heaven and earth with his wings, he engenders them; may the path-knowing gods not deprive the mind's protector of this divine sacrifice' — svaha — this mantra should be recited together with the wind.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.217.13)

उत्तरे शिखरे जाते भूम्यां पर्वतवासिनी । ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञाता गच्छ देवि ! यथासुखम्

uttare śikhare jāte bhūmyāṁ parvatavāsinī brahmaṇā samanujñātā gaccha devi ! yathāsukham

To that goddess who dwells upon the mountain-peak of the earth, having arisen there, permitted by Brahma, one says in dismissal: 'Go, O Goddess, as you please.'