The Gayatri Rite

Verse 1 (garuda.1.37.1)

।।हरिरुवाच । गायत्त्री परमा देवी भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा च ताम् । यो जपेत्तस्य पापानिविनश्यंति महांत्यपि

hariruvāca gāyattrī paramā devī bhuktimuktipradā ca tām yo japettasya pāpānivinaśyaṁti mahāṁtyapi

Hari said: Gayatri is the supreme goddess, granting both enjoyment and liberation. Whoever recites her, even his great sins are destroyed.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.37.2)

गायत्त्रीकल्पमाख्यास्ये भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं च तत् । अष्टोत्तरं सहस्त्रं वा अथवाष्टशतं जपेत्

gāyattrīkalpamākhyāsye bhuktimuktipradaṁ ca tat aṣṭottaraṁ sahastraṁ vā athavāṣṭaśataṁ japet

I shall declare the Gayatri-kalpa, which grants both enjoyment and liberation. One should recite it one thousand and eight times, or one hundred and eight times.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.37.3)

त्रिसन्ध्यं ब्रह्मलोकीस्याच्छतं जप्त्वा जलं पिबेत् । संध्यायां सर्वपापघ्नीं देवीमावाह्य पूजयेत्

trisandhyaṁ brahmalokīsyācchataṁ japtvā jalaṁ pibet saṁdhyāyāṁ sarvapāpaghnīṁ devīmāvāhya pūjayet

By reciting it at the three twilights in this way, one becomes a dweller of Brahmaloka; having recited it a hundred times, one should drink water. At twilight, one should invoke and worship the goddess who destroys all sin.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.37.4)

भूर्भुवः स्वः स्वमन्त्रेण युतां द्वादशनामभिः । गायत्र्यै नमः ।। सावित्र्यै सरस्वत्यै नमोनमः

bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ svamantreṇa yutāṁ dvādaśanāmabhiḥ gāyatryai namaḥ sāvitryai sarasvatyai namonamaḥ

Joined with the mantra "Bhur bhuvah svah" and its own form, with twelve names — "Salutation to Gayatri. Salutation again and again to Savitri and Sarasvati."

Verse 5 (garuda.1.37.5)

वेदमात्रे च सांकृत्यै ब्रह्माणी कौशिकी क्रमात् । साध्व्यै सर्वार्थसाधिन्यै सहस्त्राक्ष्यै च भूर्भुवः

vedamātre ca sāṁkṛtyai brahmāṇī kauśikī kramāt sādhvyai sarvārthasādhinyai sahastrākṣyai ca bhūrbhuvaḥ

"To the Mother of the Vedas, to Sankriti, to Brahmani and Kaushiki in order, to the virtuous one, to the accomplisher of every aim, to the thousand-eyed one, to Bhur-bhuvah."

Verse 6 (garuda.1.37.6)

स्वरेवं जुहुया दग्नौ समिदाज्यं हविष्यकम् । अष्टोत्तरसहस्त्रं वाप्यथवाष्टशंत घृतम्

svarevaṁ juhuyā dagnau samidājyaṁ haviṣyakam aṣṭottarasahastraṁ vāpyathavāṣṭaśaṁta ghṛtam

"Svah" — thus one should offer sacred kindling, ghee, and the oblation into the fire. One should offer ghee one thousand and eight times, or one hundred and eight times.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.37.7)

धर्मकामादिसिद्ध्यर्थं जुहुयात्सर्वकर्मसु । प्रतिमां चन्दनस्वर्णनिर्मितां प्रतिपूज्य च

dharmakāmādisiddhyarthaṁ juhuyātsarvakarmasu pratimāṁ candanasvarṇanirmitāṁ pratipūjya ca

For the accomplishment of dharma, desire, and the rest, one should offer oblation in all rites. Having duly worshipped an image made of sandalwood or gold,

Verse 8 (garuda.1.37.8)

यथा लक्षं तु जप्तव्यं पयोमूलफलार्शनैः । अयुतद्वयहोमेन सर्वकामानवाप्नुयात्

yathā lakṣaṁ tu japtavyaṁ payomūlaphalārśanaiḥ ayutadvayahomena sarvakāmānavāpnuyāt

living on milk and roots and fruits, one should recite it a hundred thousand times. Through a fire-offering of twenty thousand oblations, one obtains every desire.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.37.9)

उत्तरे शिखरे जाता भूम्यां पर्वत वासिनी । ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञाता गच्छ देवि यथासुखम्

uttare śikhare jātā bhūmyāṁ parvata vāsinī brahmaṇā samanujñātā gaccha devi yathāsukham

Born upon the northern peak, dwelling upon the mountain of the earth, permitted by Brahma — one says to the goddess at her leave-taking: "O goddess, go now in happiness."