Devi Bhagavat

On the description of the S’aktis, etc., of the syllables of Gâyatrî

Translation Sanskrit Accessible

THE TWELFTH BOOK

Chapter II

On the description of the S’aktis, etc., of the syllables of Gâyatrî

p. 1140

1-18. Nârâya n a said :— O Nârada! O Great Muni! Now hear which are the S’aktis in due order of the twenty four syllables of the Gâyatrî Devî:—

(1) Vâma Devî, (2) Priyâ, (3) Satyâ, (4) Vis’vâ, (5) Bhadravilâsinî, (6) Prabhâ Vatî, (7) Jayâ, (8) S’ântâ, (9) Kântâ, (10) Durgâ, (11) Sarasvatî, (12) Vidrumâ, (13) Vis’âle’sâ, (14) Vyâpinî, (15) Vimalâ, (16) Tamopahâri n î, (17) Sûk s mâ, (18) Vis’vayoni, (19) Jayâ, (20) Vas’â, (21) Padmâlayâ, (22) Parâs’obhâ, (23) Bhadrâ, and (24) Tripadâ.

Now hear the respective colours of the several syllables of the Gâyatrî Devî :— (1) like Champaka and Atasî flowers, (2) like Vidruma, (3) like crystal, (4) like lotus; (5) like the Rising Sun; (6) white like conchshell; (7) white like Ku nd a flower; (8) like Prabâla and lotus leaves; (9) like Padmarâga, (10) like Indranîlama n i; (11) like pearls; (12) like Saffron; (13) like the black collyrium of the eye; (14) red; (15) like the Vaidûrya ma n i; (16) like Ksaudra (Champaka tree, honey, water); (17) like turmeric; (18) like Ku nd a flower; and the milk (19) like the rays of the Sun; (20) like the tail of the bird S’uka; (21) like S’atapatra; (22) like Ketakî flower; (23) like Mallikâ flower; (24) like Karavîra flower.

Now about their Tattvas :— (1) earth; (2) water; (3) fire; (4) air; (5) Âkâs’a (ether); (6) smell; (7) taste; (8) form; (9) sound; (10)

p. 1141

touch; (11) male generative organ; (12) anus; (13) legs, (14) hands; (15) speech; (16) Prâ n a (vital breath); (17) tongue; (18) eyes; (19) skin; (20) ears; (21) Prâ n a (up going breath); (22) Apâna; (23) Vyâna, (24) Sâmâna.

Now about the Mudrâs of the syllables:— (l) Sammukha; (2) Sampu t a; (3) Vitata; (4) Vist r ita; (5) Dvimukha, (6) Trimukha; (7) Chaturmukha; (8) Pañchamukha; (9) S a n mukha; (10) Adhomukha; (11) Vyâpakânjali (12) S’aka t a; (13) Yamapâs’a; (14) Grathita; (15) Sanmukhon mukha (16) Vilamba; (17) Mu st ika; (18) Matsya; (19) Kûrma; (20) Varâhaka; (21) Simhâkrânta, (22) Mahâkrânta; (23) Mudgara, and (24) Pallava.

The Mahâmudrâs of the fourth foot of Gâyatrî are (1) Trisûlayonî (2) Surabhi; (3) Ak s a mâlâ; (4) Li n ga; and (5) Ambuja. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you all about the Mudras, etc., of the several syllables of the Gâyatrî. If during Japam, one thinks all these and at the same time repeats, all his sins are destroyed and his wealth gets increase and the fame attends on him.

Here ends the Second Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of the S’aktis, etc., of the syllables of Gâyatrî in the Mahâpurâ n am S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 Verses by Mahar s i Veda Vyâsa.


Translation by Swami Vijñānananda (1921–22) · Sacred Texts