The Placement of the Gayatri

Verse 1 (garuda.1.35.1)

।।हरिरुवाच । न्यासादिकं प्रवक्ष्यामि गायत्र्याः शृणु शङ्कर । विश्वामित्रऋषिश्चैव सविता चाथ देवता

hariruvāca nyāsādikaṁ pravakṣyāmi gāyatryāḥ śṛṇu śaṅkara viśvāmitraṛṣiścaiva savitā cātha devatā

Hari said: I shall declare the placement and the rest pertaining to the Gayatri; O Shankara, listen. Vishvamitra is its sage, and Savita is its deity.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.35.2)

ब्रह्मशीर्षा रुद्रशिखा विष्णोर्हृदयसंश्रिता । विनियोगैकनयना कात्यायनसगोत्रजा

brahmaśīrṣā rudraśikhā viṣṇorhṛdayasaṁśritā viniyogaikanayanā kātyāyanasagotrajā

Brahma is its head, Rudra its crest; it is enshrined in the heart of Vishnu. In its application it has a single eye; it is born of the Katyayana lineage.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.35.3)

त्रैलोक्यचरणा ज्ञेया पृथिवीकुक्षिसंस्थिता । एवं ज्ञात्वा तु गायत्त्रीं जपेद्द्वादशलक्षकम्

trailokyacaraṇā jñeyā pṛthivīkukṣisaṁsthitā evaṁ jñātvā tu gāyattrīṁ japeddvādaśalakṣakam

It should be known as having the three worlds for its feet, and as abiding in the belly of the earth. Having thus known it, one should recite the Gayatri twelve hundred thousand times.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.35.4)

त्रिपदाष्टाक्षरा ज्ञेया चतुष्पादा षडक्षरा । जेप च त्रिपदा प्रोक्ता अर्चने च चतुष्पदा

tripadāṣṭākṣarā jñeyā catuṣpādā ṣaḍakṣarā jepa ca tripadā proktā arcane ca catuṣpadā

It should be known as having three feet and eight syllables, or, alternatively, four feet and six syllables. In recitation it is declared to be three-footed, and in worship, four-footed.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.35.5)

न्यासे जपे तथा ध्याने अग्निकार्य्ये तथार्चने । गायत्त्रीं विन्यसेन्नित्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम्

nyāse jape tathā dhyāne agnikāryye tathārcane gāyattrīṁ vinyasennityaṁ sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm

In placement, in recitation, in meditation, in the fire-offering, and in worship, one should always place the Gayatri, the destroyer of all sin.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.35.6)

पादाङ्गुष्ठे गुल्फमध्ये जङ्घयोर्विद्धि जानुनोः । ऊर्वोर्गुह्ये च वृषणे नाड्यां नाभौ तनूदरे

pādāṅguṣṭhe gulphamadhye jaṅghayorviddhi jānunoḥ ūrvorguhye ca vṛṣaṇe nāḍyāṁ nābhau tanūdare

Know that the placement should be at the big toe, at the middle of the ankle, at both shins, both knees, both thighs, the secret place, the testes, the channel, the navel, and the belly.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.35.7)

स्तनयोर्हृदि कण्ठौष्ठमुखे तालुनि चांसयोः । नेत्रे भुवार्ललाटे च पूर्वस्यां दक्षिणोत्तरे

stanayorhṛdi kaṇṭhauṣṭhamukhe tāluni cāṁsayoḥ netre bhuvārlalāṭe ca pūrvasyāṁ dakṣiṇottare

at both breasts, the heart, the throat, the lips, the mouth, the palate, both shoulders, both eyes, the eyebrows, the forehead, and in the eastern, southern, and northern directions —

Verse 8 (garuda.1.35.8)

पश्चमे मूर्ध्नि चाकारं न्यसेद्वर्णान्वदाम्यहम् । इन्द्रनीलं च वह्निं च पीतं श्यामं च कापिलम्

paścame mūrdhni cākāraṁ nyasedvarṇānvadāmyaham indranīlaṁ ca vahniṁ ca pītaṁ śyāmaṁ ca kāpilam

in the west, and, on the crown, one should place the sound "a" and the rest — I shall state their colors: sapphire-blue, fire-red, yellow, dark, tawny-brown,

Verse 9 (garuda.1.35.9)

श्वेतं विद्युत्प्रभं तारं कृष्णं रक्तं क्रमेण तत् । श्यामं शुक्लं तथा पीतं श्वेतं वै पद्मरागवत्

śvetaṁ vidyutprabhaṁ tāraṁ kṛṣṇaṁ raktaṁ krameṇa tat śyāmaṁ śuklaṁ tathā pītaṁ śvetaṁ vai padmarāgavat

white, bright as lightning, star-like, black, and red — in this order; dark, white, yellow, white, and red as a ruby,

Verse 10 (garuda.1.35.10)

शङ्खवर्णं पाण्डुरं च रक्तं चासवसन्निभम् । अर्कवर्णसमं सौम्यं शङ्खाभं श्वेतमेव च

śaṅkhavarṇaṁ pāṇḍuraṁ ca raktaṁ cāsavasannibham arkavarṇasamaṁ saumyaṁ śaṅkhābhaṁ śvetameva ca

conch-colored, pale, red, ruddy as wine, colored like the sun, gentle, radiant as the conch, and white as well.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.35.11)

यद्यत्स्पृशति हस्तेन यच्च पश्यति चक्षुषा । पूतं भवति तत्सर्वं गायत्त्र्या न परं विदुः

yadyatspṛśati hastena yacca paśyati cakṣuṣā pūtaṁ bhavati tatsarvaṁ gāyattryā na paraṁ viduḥ

Whatever one touches with the hand, and whatever one sees with the eye, all of that becomes purified. They know nothing higher than the Gayatri.