Devibhagavatapurana 11.17: saptadaśo'dhyāyaḥ | sandhyādikṛtyavarṇanam

11.17.1

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca |
bhinnapādā tu gāyatrī brahmahatyāpraṇāśinī |
abhinnapādā gāyatrī brahmahatyāṃ prayacchati ||

11.17.2

acchinnapādāgāyatrījapaṃ kurvanti ye dvijāḥ |
athomukhāśca tiṣṭhanti kalpakoṭiśatāni ca ||

11.17.3

sampuṭaikā ṣaḍoṅkārā gāyatrī vividhā matā |
dharmaśāstrapurāṇeṣu itihāseṣu suvrata ||

11.17.4

pañcapraṇavasaṃyuktāṃ japedityanuśāsanam |
japasaṅkhyāṣṭabhāgānte pādo japyasturīyakaḥ ||

11.17.5

sa dvijaḥ paramo jñeyaḥ paraṃ sāyujyamāpnuyāt |
anyathā prajapedyastu sa japo viphalo bhavet ||

11.17.6

sampuṭaikā ṣaḍoṅkārā bhavetsā ūrdhvaretasām |
gṛhastho brahmacārī vā mokṣārthī turīyāṃ japet ||

Those householders who affix Om to the Gâyatrî do not get the increase of their families.

11.17.7

turīyapādo gāyatryāḥ parorajase sāvadom |
dhyānamasya pravakṣyāmi japasāṅgaphalapradam ||

The Turîya pâda (foot) of Gâyatrî is the mantra “Parorajase Sâvodomâ prâpat.” (Brihad. up. v.14.7). Salutation to Thy beautiful Fourth Foot which is above the Trilokî (Râjas). This cannot obtain that. The presiding deity of this mantra is Brahmâ. I am now speaking of the full Dhyânam (meditation) of this Brahmâ so that the full fruit of the Japam (recitation) may be obtained. There is a full blown lotus in the heart; its form is like the Moon, Sun, and the Spark of Fire; i.e., of the nature of pranava and nothing else. This is the seat of the inconceivable Brahmâ. Think thus. Now on that seat is seated well the steady constant subtle Light, the essence of Akâs’a, the everlasting existence, intelligence and bliss, the Brahmâ. May He increase my happiness (see page 107 the daily practice of the Hindus by R. B. Sris Chandra Basu, on the Invocation of the Gâyatrî).
Note:-- Aum! Gâyatryasyekapadî dvîpadî, tripadî, chatuspadasi, nahi padyase namaste turyâya dars’ atâya padâya parorajase, sâvado mâprâpat O Gâyatrî! Thou art of one foot (in the farm of Trilokî), of two feet (the Trayî vidyâ from Thy second foot) of three feet all Prâna, etc., are Thy third foot and of four feet (as the Purusa). Thou art without foot because Thou art not obtained. Salutation to Thy beautiful fourth foot which is above the Trilokî (Râjas). This cannot obtain that.

11.17.8

hṛdi vikasitapadmaṃ sārkasomāgnibimbaṃ praṇavamayamacintyaṃ yasya pītaṃ prakalpyam |
acalaparamasūkṣmaṃ jyotirākāśasāraṃ bhavatu mama mude'sau saccidānandarūpaḥ ||

11.17.9

triśūlayonī surabhimakṣamālāṃ ca liṅgakam |
ambujaṃ ca mahāmudrāmiti sapta pradarśayet ||

Now I am speaking of the Mudrâ of the Turîyâ Gâyatrî:-- (1) Tris’ûla, (2) Yoni, (3) Surabhi, (4) Aksamâlâ, (5) Linga, (6) Padma and (7) Mahâmudrâ. These seven Mudrâs are to be shewn.

11.17.10

yā sandhyā saiva gāyatrī saccidānandarūpiṇī |
bhaktyā tāṃ brāhmaṇo nityaṃ pūjayecca namettataḥ ||

What is Sandhyâ, that is Gâyatrî; there is no difference whatsoever between the two. The two are one and the same. Both are of the nature of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. The Brâhmanas would daily worship Her and bow down before Her with greatest devotion and reverence. After the Dhyânam, first worship Her with five upachâras or offerings. Thus:--
Om lam prithivyâtmane gandham, arpayâmi namo namah. Om Ham âkâs’âtmane puspam arpayâmi namo namah. Om ram Vahnyâtmane dîpam arpayâmi namo namah. Aum vam amritâtmane naivedyam arpayâmi namo namah. Om yam ram lam vam ham puspânjalim arpayâmi namo namah. Thus worshipping with five upachâras, you must shew Mudrâs to the Devî.

11.17.11

dhyātasya pūjāṃ kurvīta pañcabhiścopacārakaiḥ |
laṃ pṛthivyātmane gandhamarpayāmi namo namaḥ ||

11.17.12

hamākāśātmane puṣpaṃ cārpayāmi namo namaḥ |
yaṃ ca vāyvātmane dhūpaṃ cārpayāmi tato vadet ||

11.17.13

raṃ ca vahnyātmane dīpamarpayāmi tato vadet |
vamamṛtātmane tasmai naivedyamapi cārpayet ||

11.17.14

yaṃ raṃ laṃ vaṃ hamiti ca puṣpāñjalimathārpayet |
evaṃ pūjāṃ vidhāyātha cānte mudrāḥ pradarśayet ||

11.17.15

dhyāyettu manasā devīṃ mantramuccārayecchanaiḥ |
na kampayecchiro grīvā dantānnaiva prakāśayet ||

Then meditate on the Form of the Gâyatrî mentally and slowly repeat the Gâyatrî. Do not shake head, neck and while making japam, do not show your teeth. According to due rules repeat the Gâyatrî one hundred and eight times, or twenty-eight times. When unable, repeat ten times; not less than that.

11.17.16

vidhināṣṭottaraśatamaṣṭāviṃśatireva vā |
daśavāramaśakto vā nāto nyūnaṃ kadācana ||

11.17.17

tata udvāsayeddevīmuttametyanuvākataḥ |
na gāyatrīṃ japedvidvāñjalamadhye kathañcana ||

Then raise the Gâyatrî placed before on the heart (seat) by the mantra “Gâyatrasyai kapadî Dvîpadî, etc., and then bid farewell to Her after bowing down to Her and repeating the mantra “Omuttame S’ikhare Devî bhûmyâm parvata mûrdhani Brâhmana ebhyobhya anujñâtâ Gachcha Devî yathâsukham” on the highest top of the mountain summit in earth (i.e., on the Meru mountain) dwells the goddess Gâyatrî. Being pleased with Thy worshippers go back, O Devî! to Thy abode as it pleaseth Thee.” (See page 110, The Daily Practices of the Hindus.)
The wise men never mutter nor recite the Gâyatrî mantra within the water. For the Maharsis say that the Gâyatrî is fire-faced (agnimukhî). After the farewell shew again the following mudrâs:-- Surabhi Jñân, Sûrpa, Kûrma, Yoni, Padma, Linga and Nirvâna Mudrâs.
Then address thus:-- “O Devî! O Thou who speakest pleasant to Kas’yapa! O Gâyatrî! Whatever syllables I have missed to utter in making Japam, whatever vowels and consonants are incorrectly pronounced, I ask Thy pardon for all my above faults.” O Nârada! Next one ought to give peace offerings to the Gâyatrî Devî.

11.17.18

yataḥ sāgnimukhī proktetyāhuḥ kecinmaharṣayaḥ |
surabhirjñānaśūrpaṃ ca kūrmo yoniśca paṅkajam ||

11.17.19

liṅgaṃ nirvāṇakaṃ caiva japānte'ṣṭau pradarśayet |
yadakṣarapadabhraṣṭaṃ svaravyañjanavarjitam ||

11.17.20

tatsarvaṃ kṣamyatāṃ devi kaśyapapriyavādini |
gāyatrītarpaṇaṃ cātaḥ karaṇīyaṃ mahāmune ||

11.17.21

gāyatrī chanda ākhyātaṃ viśvāmitraṛṣiḥ smṛtaḥ |
savitā devatā proktā viniyogaśca tarpaṇe ||

The Chchhanda of Gâyatrî Tarpanam (peace offerings to Gâyatrî) is Gâyatrî; the Risi is Vis’vâmitra; Savitâ is the Devatâ; its application (Niyoga) is in the peace offerings.
“Om Bhûhrigvedapurusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvah Yajurvedapurusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svah Sâmaveda purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Mahah Atharvaveda purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Janah Itihâsapurâna purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Tapah Sarvâgama purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Satyam Satyaloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûh bhûrloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvah bhuvoloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svah svarloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûh rekapadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvo dvîtîyapadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svastripadâm Gâyatrim tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûrbhûvah Svas’chatuspadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
Pronouncing these, offer the Tarpanams. Next add the word Tarpayâmi to each of the following words “Ûsasîm, Gâyatrîm, Sâvitrîm, Sarasvatim Vedamâtaram, Prithvîm, Ajâm, Kaus’îkîm, Sâmkritîm, Savajitîm, etc.,” and offer Tarpanams. After the Tarpanam is over, offer the peace-chantings, (S’ântivâri) repeating the following mantras.
“Om Jâta vedase sunavâma romam, etc.”
“Om Mânastoka, etc.”
“Om Tryamvakam Yajâmahe, etc.”
“Om Tachchhamyoh, etc.”
Then touch all the parts of your bodies, repeating the two mantra, “Om atodeva, etc.” And reciting the mantram “Svonâ Prithivî,” bow down to the earth, after repeating one’s name, Gotra, etc.

11.17.22

bhūrityuktvā ca ṛgvedapuruṣaṃ tarpayāmi ca |
bhuva ityetaduktvā ca yajurvedamatho vadet ||

11.17.23

svarvyāhṛtiṃ samuktvā ca sāmavedaṃ samuccaret |
maha ityetaduktvānte'tharvavedaṃ ca tarpayet ||

11.17.24

janaḥ padānta itihāsapurāṇamitīrayet |
tapaḥ sarvāgamaṃ caiva puruṣaṃ tarpayāmi ca ||

11.17.25

satyaṃ ca satyalokākhyapuruṣaṃ tarpayāmi ca |
oṃ bhūrbhūrlokapuruṣaṃ tarpayāmi tato vadet ||

11.17.26

bhuvaśceti bhuvarlokapuruṣaṃ tarpayāmi ca |
svaḥ svargalokapuruṣaṃ tarpayāmi tataḥ param ||

11.17.27

ombhūrekapadā nāma gāyatrīṃ tarpayāmi ca |
bhuvo dvipadāṃ gāyatrīṃ tarpayāmīti kīrtayet ||

11.17.28

svaśca tripadāṃ gāyatrīṃ tarpayāmi tato vadet |
ombhūrbhuvaḥ svaśceti tathā gāyatrīṃ ca catuṣpadām ||

11.17.29

uṣasīṃ caiva gāyatrīṃ sāvitrīṃ ca sarasvatīm |
vedānāṃ mātaraṃ pṛthvīmajāṃ caiva tu kauśikīm ||

11.17.30

sāṅkṛtiṃ vai sārvajitiṃ gāyatrīṃ tarpaṇe vadet |
tarpaṇānte ca śāntyarthaṃ jātavedasamīrayet ||

11.17.31

mānastoketi mantraṃ ca śāntyarthaṃ prajapetsudhīḥ |
tato'pi tryambako mantraḥ śāntyarthaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ||

11.17.32

tacchaṃyoriti mantraṃ ca japecchāntyarthameva tu |
ato devā iti dvābhyāṃ sarvāṅgasparśanaṃ caret ||

11.17.33

syonāpṛthivimantreṇa bhūmyai kuryātpraṇāmakam |
yathāvidhi ca gotrādīnuccareddvijasattamaḥ ||

11.17.34

evaṃ vidhānaṃ sandhyāyāḥ prātaḥkāle prakīrtitam |
sandhyākarma samāpyānte'pyagnihotraṃ svayaṃ hunet ||

O Nârada! Thus the rules of the morning Sandhyâ are prescribed. Doing works so far, bid farewell to the above-mentioned Gâyatrî. Next finishing the Agnihotra Homa sacrifice, worship the five Devatâs, S’ivâ, S’iva, Ganes’a, Sûrya and Visnu. Worship by the Purusa Sûkta mantra, or by Hrîm mantra, or by Vyahriti mantra or by S’rischate Laksmîs’cha, etc., place Bhavanî in the centre; Visnu in the north east corner, S’iva in the south-east corner; Ganes’a in the south-west corner, and the Sun in the north-west corner; and then worship them. While offering worship with the sixteen offerings, worship by repeating sixteen mantras. As there is no other act more merit-giving than the worship of the Devî, so the Devî should first of all be worshipped. Then worship in due order the five Devatâs placed in five positions. As the worship of the Devî is the chief object, so in the three Sandhyâs, the worship of the Sandhyâ Devî is approved of by the S’rutis. Never worship Visnu with rice; Ganes’a with Tulasî leaves; the Devî Durgâ with Durba grass and S’iva with Ketakî flower. The under-mentioned flowers are pleasing to the Devî:-- Mallikâ, Jâti, Kutaja, Panasa, Palâsa, Vakula, Lodha, Karavîra, S’ins’apa, Aparâjitâ, Bandhûka, Vaka, Madanta, Sindhuvâra, Palâs’a, Durbhâ, S’allakî, Mâdhavî, Arka, Mandâra, Ketakî, Karnikâra, Kadamba, Lotus, Champaka, Yûthikâ, Tagara, etc.

11.17.35

pañcāyatanapūjāṃ ca tataḥ kuryātsamāhitaḥ |
śivāṃ śivaṃ gaṇapatiṃ sūryaṃ viṣṇuṃ tathārcayet ||

11.17.36

pauruṣeṇa tu sūktena vyāhṛtyā vā samāhitaḥ |
mūlamantreṇa vā kuryāddhrīśca te iti mantrataḥ ||

11.17.37

bhavānīṃ tu yajenmadhye tathaiśānyāṃ tu mādhavam |
āgneyyāṃ girijānāthaṃ gaṇeśaṃ rakṣasāṃ diśi ||

11.17.38

vāyavyāmarcayetsūryamiti devasthitikramaḥ |
ṣoḍaśānupacārāṃśca ṣoḍaśargbhirharennaraḥ ||

11.17.39

devīmabhyarcya purato yajedanyānanukramāt |
na devīpūjanātpuṇyamadhikaṃ kvacidīkṣyate ||

11.17.40

ata eva tu sandhyāsu sandhyopāstiḥ śrutīritā |
nākṣatairarcayerdviṣṇuṃ na tulasyā gaṇeśvaram ||

11.17.41

dūrvābhirnārcayeddurgāṃ ketakairna maheśvaram |
mallikājātikusumaṃ kuṭajaṃ panasaṃ tathā ||

11.17.42

kiṃśukaṃ bakulaṃ kundaṃ lodhraṃ tu karavīrakam |
śiṃśapā'parājitāpuṣpaṃ babdhūkāgastyapuṣpake ||

11.17.43

madantaṃ sinduvāraṃ ca pālāśakusumaṃ tathā |
dūrvāṅkuraṃ bilvadalaṃ kuśamañjarikāṃ tathā ||

11.17.44

śallakīmādhavīpuṣpamarkamandārapuṣpakam |
ketakīṃ karṇikāraṃ ca kadambakusumaṃ tathā ||

11.17.45

punnāgaścampakastadvadyūthikātagarau tathā |
evamādīni puṣpāṇi devīpriyakarāṇi ca ||

11.17.46

guggulasya bhaveddhūpo dīpaḥ syāttilatailataḥ |
kṛtvetthaṃ devatāpūjāṃ tato mūlamanuṃ japet ||

Offer incenses Guggul, Dhûpa and the light of the Til oil and finish the worship. Then repeat the principal (male) mantra (make Japam). Thus finishing the work, study the Vedas in the second quarter of the next day; and in the third quarter of that day feed father, mother and other dependent relatives, with money earned by one’s own self according to the traditions of one’s family.
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of Sandhyâ and other daily practices in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

11.17.47

evaṃ pūjāṃ samāpyaiva vedābhyāsaṃ caredbudhaḥ |
tataḥ svavṛttyā kurvīta poṣyavargārthasādhanam |
tṛtīyadinabhāge tu niyamena vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

11.17.47.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmekādaśaskandhe sandhyādikṛtyavarṇanaṃ nāma saptadaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||