History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.118

v2.c24.s1.118

The sacred Gāyatrī verse is Ṛg. III. 62. 10 and occurs in the other Vedas also. It is addressed to Savitṛ (the sun) and may also be interpreted as a prayer to the Source and Inspirer of everything. It literally means 'we contemplate that esteemed (longed for) refulgence (glory) of the divine Savitṛ who may inspire our intellects (or actions)'. Some gṛhya sūtras prescribe the same verse for all students, whether brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas or vaiśyas. But others say that for brāhmaṇa the Sāvitrī verse is the Gāyatrī, but for kṣatriyas and vaiśyas, a sāvitrī (verse addressed to Savitṛ) in the *Triṣṭubh* (having 11 syllables in each quarter) or *Jagatī* (12 syllables in each quarter) should be the proper one. Here again there is difference. According to the commentators on the Kāṭhaka gṛ. (41. 20), the verse 'adabdhebhiḥ savitā' (Kāṭhakam IV. 10) and the verse 'Viśvā rūpāṇi' (Kāṭhakam XVI. 8) are cited as the Sāvitrī for a kṣatriya and a vaiśya respectively; while the commentator on Śāṅ. gṛ. (II. 5. 4-6) says that the Triṣṭubh which is to be taught as the Sāvitrī to the kṣatriya students is 'ā kṛṣṇena rajasā' Ṛg. I. 35. 2) and the Jagatī Sāvitrī for the vaiśya is 'Hiraṇyapāṇiḥ savitā' (Ṛg. I. 35. 9) or 'haṁsaḥ śuciṣad' (Ṛg. IV. 40. 5). According to the Vārāhagṛhya (5) 'devo yāti savitā' and 'yuñjate manaḥ' (Ṛg. V. 81. 1) are the Triṣṭubh and Jagatī meant as Sāvitrī for the kṣatriya and vaiśya respectively. According to Śātātapa quoted in the Madanapārijāta (p. 23) the verse 'Deva savitaḥ' (Tai. S. I. 7. 7. 1, Kāṭhakam XIII. 14) is the sāvitrī for the kṣatriya. According to Medhātithi on Manu II. 38 'ā kṛṣṇena (Ṛg. I. 35. 2) and 'viśvā rūpāṇi' (Kāṭhakam XVI. 8)