Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 21
Sourceगायत्रीपुरश्चरणविधिकथनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच अथातः श्रूयतां ब्रह्मन् गायत्र्या पापनाशनम् । पुरश्चरणकं पुण्यं यथैष्टफलदायकम् ॥ १ ॥ पर्वताग्रे नदीतीरे बिल्वमूले जलाशये । गोष्ठे देवालयेऽश्वत्थे उद्याने तुलसीवने ॥ २ ॥ पुण्यक्षेत्रे गुरोः पार्श्वे चित्तैकाग्र्यस्थलेऽपि च । पुरश्चरणकृन्मन्त्री सिध्यत्येव न संशयः ॥ ३ ॥ यस्य कस्यापि मन्त्रस्य पुरश्चरणमारभेत् । व्याहृतित्रयसंयुक्तां गायत्रीं चायुतं जपेत् ॥ ४ ॥ नृसिंहार्कवराहाणां तान्त्रिकं वैदिकं तथा । विना जप्त्वा तु गायत्रीं तत्सर्वं निष्कलं भवेत् ॥ ५ ॥ सर्वे शाक्ता द्विजाः प्रोक्ता न शैवा न च वैष्णवाः । आदिशक्तिमुपासन्ते गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् ॥ ६ ॥ मन्त्रं संशोध्य यत्नेन पुरश्चरणतत्परः । मन्त्रशोधनपूर्वाङ्गमात्मशोधनमुत्तमम् ॥ ७ ॥ आत्मतत्त्वशोधनाय त्रिलक्षं प्रजपेद्बुधः । अथवा चैकलक्षं तु श्रुतिप्रोक्तेन वर्त्मना ॥ ८ ॥ आत्मशुद्धिं विना कर्तुर्जपहोमादिकाः क्रियाः । निष्फलास्तास्तु विज्ञेयाः कारणं श्रुतिचोदितम् ॥ ९ ॥ तपसा तापयेद्देहं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । तपसा स्वर्गमाप्नोति तपसा विन्दते महत् ॥ १० ॥ क्षत्रियो बाहुवीर्येण तरेदापद आत्मनः । धनेन वैश्यः शूद्रस्तु जपहोमैर्द्विजोत्तमः ॥ ११ अतएव तु विप्रेन्द्र तपः कुर्यात्प्रयत्नतः । शरीरशोषणं प्राहुस्तापसास्तप उत्तमम् ॥ १२ शोधयेद्विधिमार्गेण कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादिभिः । अथान्नशुद्धिकरणं वक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद ॥ १३ अयाचितोञ्छशुक्लाख्यभिक्षावृत्तिचतुष्टयम् । तान्त्रिकैर्वैदिकैश्चैवं प्रोक्तान्नस्य विशुद्धता ॥ १४ भिक्षान्नं शुद्धमानीय कृत्वा भागचतुष्टयम् । एकं भागं द्विजेभ्यस्तु गोग्रासस्तु द्वितीयकः ॥ १५ अतिथिभ्यस्तृतीयस्तु तदूर्ध्वं तु स्वभार्ययोः । आश्रमस्य यथा यस्य कृत्वा ग्रासविधिं क्रमात् ॥ १६ आदौ क्षिप्त्वा तु गोमूत्रं यथाशक्ति यथाक्रमम् । तदूर्ध्वं ग्राससंख्या स्याद्वानप्रस्थगृहस्थयोः ॥ १७ कुक्कुटाण्डप्रमाणं तु ग्रासमानं विधीयते । अष्टौ ग्रासा गृहस्थस्य वनस्थस्य तदर्धकम् ॥ १८ ब्रह्मचारी यथेष्टं च गोमूत्रं विधिपूर्वकम् । प्रोक्षणं नववारं च षड्वारं च त्रिवारकम् ॥ १९ निश्छिद्रं च करं कृत्वा सावित्रीं च तदित्यृचम् । मन्त्रमुच्चार्य मनसा प्रोक्षणे विधिरुच्यते ॥ २० चौरो वा यदि चाण्डालो वैश्यः क्षत्रस्तथैव च । अन्नं दद्यात्तु यः कश्चिदधमो विधिरुच्यते ॥ २१ शूद्रान्नं शूद्रसम्पर्कं शूद्रेण च सहाशनम् । ते यान्ति नरकं घोरं यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ ॥ २२ गायत्रीच्छन्दो मन्त्रस्य यथासंख्याक्षराणि च । तावल्लक्षाणि कर्तव्यं पुरश्चरणकं तथा ॥ २३ द्वात्रिंशल्लक्षमानं तु विश्वामित्रमतं तथा । जीवहीनो यथा देहः सर्वकर्मसु न क्षमः ॥ २४ पुरश्चरणहीनस्तु तथा मन्त्रः प्रकीर्तितः । ज्येष्ठाषाढौ भाद्रपदं पौषं तु मलमासकम् ॥ २५ अङ्गारं शनिवारं च व्यतीपातं च वैधृतिम् । अष्टमीं नवमीं षष्ठीं चतुर्थीं च त्रयोदशीम् ॥ २६ चतुर्दशीममावास्यां प्रदोषं च तथा निशाम् । यमाग्निरुद्रसर्पेन्द्रवसुश्रवणजन्मभम् ॥ २७ मेषकर्कतुलाकुम्भान्मकरं चैव वर्जयेत् । सर्वाण्येतानि वर्ज्यानि पुरश्चरणकर्मणि ॥ २८ चन्द्रतारानुकूले च शुक्लपक्षे विशेषतः । पुरश्चरणकं कुर्यान्मन्त्रसिद्धिः प्रजायते ॥ २९ स्वस्तिवाचनकं कुर्यान्नान्दीश्राद्धं यथाविधि । विप्रान्सन्तर्प्य यत्नेन भोजनाच्छादनादिभिः ॥ ३० आरभेत्तु ततः पश्चादनुज्ञानपुरःसरम् । प्रत्यङ्मुखः शिवस्थाने द्विजश्चान्यतमे जपेत् ॥ ३१ काशीपुरी च केदारो महाकालोऽथ नासिकम् । त्र्यम्बकं च महाक्षेत्रं पञ्च दीपा इमे भुवि ॥ ३२ सर्वत्रैव हि दीपस्तु कूर्मासनमिति स्मृतम् । प्रारम्भदिनमारभ्य समाप्तिदिवसावधि ॥ ३३ न न्यूनं नातिरिक्तं च जपं कुर्याद्दिने दिने । नैरन्तर्येण कुर्वन्ति पुरश्चर्यां मुनीश्वराः ॥ ३४ प्रातरारभ्य विधिवज्जपेन्मध्यदिनावधि । मनःसंहरणं शौचं ध्यानं मन्त्रार्थचिन्तनम् ॥ ३५ गायत्रीच्छन्दो मन्त्रस्य यथासंख्याक्षराणि च । तावल्लक्षाणि कर्तव्यं पुरश्चरणकं तथा ॥ ३६ जुहुयात्तद्दशांशेन सघृतेन पयोऽन्धसा । तिलैः पत्रैः प्रसूनैश्च यवैश्च मधुरान्वितैः ॥ ३७ कुर्याद्दशांशतो होमं ततः सिद्धो भवेन्मनुः । गायत्री चैव संसेव्या धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदा ॥ ३८ नित्ये नैमित्तिके काम्ये त्रितये तु परायणः । गायत्र्यास्तु परं नास्ति इह लोके परत्र च ॥ ३९ मध्याह्नमितभुङ् मौनी त्रिःस्नानार्चनतत्परः । जले लक्षत्रयं धीमाननन्यमानसक्रियः ॥ ४० कर्मणा यो जपेत्पश्चात्कर्मभिः स्वेच्छयापि वा । यावत्कार्यं न सिध्येत्तु तावत्कुर्याज्जपादिकम् ॥ ४१ सामान्यकाम्यकर्मादौ यथावद्विधिरुच्यते । आदित्यस्योदये स्नात्वा सहस्रं प्रत्यहं जपेत् ॥ ४२ आयुरारोग्यमैश्वर्यं धनं च लभते ध्रुवम् । षण्मासं वा त्रिमासं वा वर्षान्ते सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् ॥ ४३ पद्मानां लक्षहोमेन घृताक्तानां हुताशने । प्राप्नोति निखिलं मोक्षं सिध्यत्येव न संशयः ॥ ४४ मन्त्रसिद्धिं विना कर्तुर्जपहोमादिकाः क्रियाः । काम्यं वा यदि वा मोक्षः सर्वं तनिष्फलं भवेत् ॥ ४५ पञ्चविंशतिलक्षेण दध्ना क्षीरेण वा हुतात् । स्वदेहे सिध्यते जन्तुर्महर्षीणां मतं तथा ॥ ४६ अष्टाङ्गयोगसिद्ध्या च नरः प्राप्नोति यत्फलम् । तत्फलं सिद्धिमाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ४७ शक्तो वापि त्वशक्तो वा आहारं नियतं चरेत् । षण्मासात्तस्य सिद्धिः स्याद्गुरुभक्तिरतः सदा ॥ ४८ एकाहं पञ्चगव्याशी चैकाहं मारुताशनः । एकाहं ब्राह्मणान्नाशी गायत्रीजपकृद्भवेत् ॥ ४९ स्नात्वा गङ्गादितीर्थेषु शतमन्तर्जले जपेत् । शतेनापस्ततः पीत्वा सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ ५० चान्द्रायणादिकृच्छ्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोति निश्चितम् । राजा वा यदि वा विप्रस्तपः कुर्यात्स्वके गृहे ॥ ५१ गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी वा वानप्रस्थोऽथवापि च । अधिकारपरत्वेन फलं यज्ञादिपूर्वकम् ॥ ५२ श्रौतस्मार्तादिकं कर्म क्रियते मोक्षकाङ्क्षिभिः । साग्निकश्च सदाचारो विद्वद्भिश्च सुशिक्षितः ॥ ५३ ततः कुर्यात्प्रयत्नेन फलमूलोदकादिभिः । भिक्षान्नं शुद्धमश्नीयादष्टौ ग्रासान्स्वयं भुजेत् ॥ ५४ एवं पुरश्चरणकं कृत्वा मन्त्रसिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् । देवर्षे यदनुष्ठानाद्दारिद्र्यं विलयं व्रजेत् । यच्छ्रुत्वापि च पुण्यानां महतीं सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् ॥ ५५
gāyatrīpuraścaraṇavidhikathanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca athātaḥ śrūyatāṃ brahman gāyatryā pāpanāśanam | puraścaraṇakaṃ puṇyaṃ yathaiṣṭaphaladāyakam || 1 || parvatāgre nadītīre bilvamūle jalāśaye | goṣṭhe devālaye'śvatthe udyāne tulasīvane || 2 || puṇyakṣetre guroḥ pārśve cittaikāgryasthale'pi ca | puraścaraṇakṛnmantrī sidhyatyeva na saṃśayaḥ || 3 || yasya kasyāpi mantrasya puraścaraṇamārabhet | vyāhṛtitrayasaṃyuktāṃ gāyatrīṃ cāyutaṃ japet || 4 || nṛsiṃhārkavarāhāṇāṃ tāntrikaṃ vaidikaṃ tathā | vinā japtvā tu gāyatrīṃ tatsarvaṃ niṣkalaṃ bhavet || 5 || sarve śāktā dvijāḥ proktā na śaivā na ca vaiṣṇavāḥ | ādiśaktimupāsante gāyatrīṃ vedamātaram || 6 || mantraṃ saṃśodhya yatnena puraścaraṇatatparaḥ | mantraśodhanapūrvāṅgamātmaśodhanamuttamam || 7 || ātmatattvaśodhanāya trilakṣaṃ prajapedbudhaḥ | athavā caikalakṣaṃ tu śrutiproktena vartmanā || 8 || ātmaśuddhiṃ vinā karturjapahomādikāḥ kriyāḥ | niṣphalāstāstu vijñeyāḥ kāraṇaṃ śruticoditam || 9 || tapasā tāpayeddehaṃ pitṛdevāṃśca tarpayet | tapasā svargamāpnoti tapasā vindate mahat || 10 || kṣatriyo bāhuvīryeṇa taredāpada ātmanaḥ | dhanena vaiśyaḥ śūdrastu japahomairdvijottamaḥ || 11 ataeva tu viprendra tapaḥ kuryātprayatnataḥ | śarīraśoṣaṇaṃ prāhustāpasāstapa uttamam || 12 śodhayedvidhimārgeṇa kṛcchracāndrāyaṇādibhiḥ | athānnaśuddhikaraṇaṃ vakṣyāmi śṛṇu nārada || 13 ayācitoñchaśuklākhyabhikṣāvṛtticatuṣṭayam | tāntrikairvaidikaiścaivaṃ proktānnasya viśuddhatā || 14 bhikṣānnaṃ śuddhamānīya kṛtvā bhāgacatuṣṭayam | ekaṃ bhāgaṃ dvijebhyastu gogrāsastu dvitīyakaḥ || 15 atithibhyastṛtīyastu tadūrdhvaṃ tu svabhāryayoḥ | āśramasya yathā yasya kṛtvā grāsavidhiṃ kramāt || 16 ādau kṣiptvā tu gomūtraṃ yathāśakti yathākramam | tadūrdhvaṃ grāsasaṃkhyā syādvānaprasthagṛhasthayoḥ || 17 kukkuṭāṇḍapramāṇaṃ tu grāsamānaṃ vidhīyate | aṣṭau grāsā gṛhasthasya vanasthasya tadardhakam || 18 brahmacārī yatheṣṭaṃ ca gomūtraṃ vidhipūrvakam | prokṣaṇaṃ navavāraṃ ca ṣaḍvāraṃ ca trivārakam || 19 niśchidraṃ ca karaṃ kṛtvā sāvitrīṃ ca tadityṛcam | mantramuccārya manasā prokṣaṇe vidhirucyate || 20 cauro vā yadi cāṇḍālo vaiśyaḥ kṣatrastathaiva ca | annaṃ dadyāttu yaḥ kaścidadhamo vidhirucyate || 21 śūdrānnaṃ śūdrasamparkaṃ śūdreṇa ca sahāśanam | te yānti narakaṃ ghoraṃ yāvaccandradivākarau || 22 gāyatrīcchando mantrasya yathāsaṃkhyākṣarāṇi ca | tāvallakṣāṇi kartavyaṃ puraścaraṇakaṃ tathā || 23 dvātriṃśallakṣamānaṃ tu viśvāmitramataṃ tathā | jīvahīno yathā dehaḥ sarvakarmasu na kṣamaḥ || 24 puraścaraṇahīnastu tathā mantraḥ prakīrtitaḥ | jyeṣṭhāṣāḍhau bhādrapadaṃ pauṣaṃ tu malamāsakam || 25 aṅgāraṃ śanivāraṃ ca vyatīpātaṃ ca vaidhṛtim | aṣṭamīṃ navamīṃ ṣaṣṭhīṃ caturthīṃ ca trayodaśīm || 26 caturdaśīmamāvāsyāṃ pradoṣaṃ ca tathā niśām | yamāgnirudrasarpendravasuśravaṇajanmabham || 27 meṣakarkatulākumbhānmakaraṃ caiva varjayet | sarvāṇyetāni varjyāni puraścaraṇakarmaṇi || 28 candratārānukūle ca śuklapakṣe viśeṣataḥ | puraścaraṇakaṃ kuryānmantrasiddhiḥ prajāyate || 29 svastivācanakaṃ kuryānnāndīśrāddhaṃ yathāvidhi | viprānsantarpya yatnena bhojanācchādanādibhiḥ || 30 ārabhettu tataḥ paścādanujñānapuraḥsaram | pratyaṅmukhaḥ śivasthāne dvijaścānyatame japet || 31 kāśīpurī ca kedāro mahākālo'tha nāsikam | tryambakaṃ ca mahākṣetraṃ pañca dīpā ime bhuvi || 32 sarvatraiva hi dīpastu kūrmāsanamiti smṛtam | prārambhadinamārabhya samāptidivasāvadhi || 33 na nyūnaṃ nātiriktaṃ ca japaṃ kuryāddine dine | nairantaryeṇa kurvanti puraścaryāṃ munīśvarāḥ || 34 prātarārabhya vidhivajjapenmadhyadināvadhi | manaḥsaṃharaṇaṃ śaucaṃ dhyānaṃ mantrārthacintanam || 35 gāyatrīcchando mantrasya yathāsaṃkhyākṣarāṇi ca | tāvallakṣāṇi kartavyaṃ puraścaraṇakaṃ tathā || 36 juhuyāttaddaśāṃśena saghṛtena payo'ndhasā | tilaiḥ patraiḥ prasūnaiśca yavaiśca madhurānvitaiḥ || 37 kuryāddaśāṃśato homaṃ tataḥ siddho bhavenmanuḥ | gāyatrī caiva saṃsevyā dharmakāmārthamokṣadā || 38 nitye naimittike kāmye tritaye tu parāyaṇaḥ | gāyatryāstu paraṃ nāsti iha loke paratra ca || 39 madhyāhnamitabhuṅ maunī triḥsnānārcanatatparaḥ | jale lakṣatrayaṃ dhīmānananyamānasakriyaḥ || 40 karmaṇā yo japetpaścātkarmabhiḥ svecchayāpi vā | yāvatkāryaṃ na sidhyettu tāvatkuryājjapādikam || 41 sāmānyakāmyakarmādau yathāvadvidhirucyate | ādityasyodaye snātvā sahasraṃ pratyahaṃ japet || 42 āyurārogyamaiśvaryaṃ dhanaṃ ca labhate dhruvam | ṣaṇmāsaṃ vā trimāsaṃ vā varṣānte siddhimāpnuyāt || 43 padmānāṃ lakṣahomena ghṛtāktānāṃ hutāśane | prāpnoti nikhilaṃ mokṣaṃ sidhyatyeva na saṃśayaḥ || 44 mantrasiddhiṃ vinā karturjapahomādikāḥ kriyāḥ | kāmyaṃ vā yadi vā mokṣaḥ sarvaṃ taniṣphalaṃ bhavet || 45 pañcaviṃśatilakṣeṇa dadhnā kṣīreṇa vā hutāt | svadehe sidhyate janturmaharṣīṇāṃ mataṃ tathā || 46 aṣṭāṅgayogasiddhyā ca naraḥ prāpnoti yatphalam | tatphalaṃ siddhimāpnoti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 47 śakto vāpi tvaśakto vā āhāraṃ niyataṃ caret | ṣaṇmāsāttasya siddhiḥ syādgurubhaktirataḥ sadā || 48 ekāhaṃ pañcagavyāśī caikāhaṃ mārutāśanaḥ | ekāhaṃ brāhmaṇānnāśī gāyatrījapakṛdbhavet || 49 snātvā gaṅgāditīrtheṣu śatamantarjale japet | śatenāpastataḥ pītvā sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate || 50 cāndrāyaṇādikṛcchrasya phalaṃ prāpnoti niścitam | rājā vā yadi vā viprastapaḥ kuryātsvake gṛhe || 51 gṛhastho brahmacārī vā vānaprastho'thavāpi ca | adhikāraparatvena phalaṃ yajñādipūrvakam || 52 śrautasmārtādikaṃ karma kriyate mokṣakāṅkṣibhiḥ | sāgnikaśca sadācāro vidvadbhiśca suśikṣitaḥ || 53 tataḥ kuryātprayatnena phalamūlodakādibhiḥ | bhikṣānnaṃ śuddhamaśnīyādaṣṭau grāsānsvayaṃ bhujet || 54 evaṃ puraścaraṇakaṃ kṛtvā mantrasiddhimavāpnuyāt | devarṣe yadanuṣṭhānāddāridryaṃ vilayaṃ vrajet | yacchrutvāpi ca puṇyānāṃ mahatīṃ siddhimāpnuyāt || 55
English translation
1-55. Narayana said Now I shall speak of the Gayatri- puras’charanam. Hear. By its performance all the desires are obtained and all the sins are destroyed. On the tops of mountains, on the banks of the rivers, on the roots of Bel trees, on the edges of tanks, within the enclosures of the cows (cow-stalls), in temples, on the root of AsVattha trees, in gardens, in the Tulasi groves, in the Punya Ksetrams (holy places), before one’s Guru, or wherever the mind feels exalted and cheerful, and gets strength, the Puras’charanam if performed, lead to a speedy success. Before commencing the Puras’charanam of a mantra (the Puras’charanam means repetition of the name of a deity or of a mantra attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.,) first Prayas’chitta (penance) is done in the shape of repeating one million times the Gayatri with the Vyarhitis. In any Vaidic Karma or in making Puras’charanam of the mantra of the Devatas Nrisinha, Surya, Varaha, etc., the first thing done is to repeat the Gayatri. Without the japam of Gayatri, no action is attended with success. The reason is this Every Brahman is a S’akta (a follower of S’akti); he cannot be a Vaisnava or S’aiva; for he is the worshipper of the Prime Force Vedamata Gayatri. Therefore obtain first the Grace of one’s own Ista Devata Gayatri by Her Japam. Then worship the other Deities.
Thus one should purify one’s japya mantra (the mantra that is to be repeated) by first repeating one million times the Gayatri; then one is to commence Puras’charanam. Again before purifying the mantra, one is to purify one’s Atman (Self). In this purification of one’s Atman three lakh times, in case of inability, one lakh times Gayatri is to be repeated without one’s Atman’s purification, the Japam, Homa and other actions all become useless. This is specially noted in the Vedas. By Tapas e.g., Japam, Chandrayana and Vrata, (asceticism) mortify your body. By offering Tarpanam (peace-offerings) to the
Fathers and the Devas, one can get self purification. If you want to get the Heavens and if you want to become great, practise Tapasya. There is no other way. Tapasya is the intent calling of the Mother, That Call which penetrates through and through the Brahmanda. The Ksattriyas should cross difficulties and dangers by force of arms; the Vais’yas, by wealth; the S’udras, by serving the twice born; and the Brahmanas should cross difficulties and dangers, by Tapasya,
Homa, Japam, etc. So the Brahmanas should always be cheerful and in prompt readiness to do Tapasya. Of all sorts of tapasyas, mortifying the body by observing vows and fastings is the best. So say the Risis. (This mortification of the body gives self-reliance and self intuition more surely and speedily than all the other studies and other practices.) The Brahmanas should purify themselves by following duly Krichhra Chandrayana vratas, etc., O Narada! Now I am speaking of the purification of food. Hear. The following four occupations of the Brahmanas are the bestAyachita, (without begging or asking for anything), Unchha, (the gathering in of handfuls of the corn left by the reapers), S’ukla (the maintenance derived by a Brahmana from other Brahmanas; a pure mode of life). And Bhiksu (begging). Whether according to the Tantras or according to the Vedas, the food obtained by the above four means is pure. What is earned by Bhiksa (begging) is divided into four parts one part is given to the Brahmanas; the second part is given to the cows; the third part is given to the guests, the fourth part is to be taken by him and his wife. Whatever is fixed for taking (swallowing) mouthfuls of food, that is to be taken on a tray or a platter. First throw a little cow-urine over that and count duly the number of mouthfuls. The mouthfuls are to be of the size of an egg; the house-holders are to take eight such mouthfuls and the Vanaprasthis are to take four such mouthfuls. The Brahmacharins can sprinkle their food with cow- urine nine times, six times, or three times as they like; while sprinkling, the fingers are to remain intact. The Gayatri is to be repeated also. The food offered by a thief, Chandala, Ksattriya or Vais’ya is very inferior. The food of a S’udra, or the companion with a S’udra or taking food in the same line with a S’udra leads one to suffer in the terrible hells as long as there are the Sun and Moon.
The Puras’charanam of Gayatn is repeating this twenty four lakh times (i.e., as many lakh times as there are syllables in the Gayatri). But, according to VisVamitra, repeating thirty two lakh times is the Puras’charanam of Gayatri. As the body becomes useless when the soul leaves the body, so the mantra without Puras’charanam is useless. The Puras’charanam is prohibited in the months of Jyaistha, Asadha, Pausa and Mala (dirty) months. Also on Tuesday, Saturday; in the Vyatipata and Vaidhriti Yogas; also in Astami (eighth), Navami (ninth), Sasthi (sixth), Chaturthi (fourth) Trayodas’i (thirteenth), Chaturdasi (fourteenth) and Amavasya (New Moon), Tithis (lunar days); in the evening twilight and in the night; while the star Bharani, Krittika, Ardra, As’lesa, Jyestha, Dhanistha, S’ravana, or the Janma naksatra (Birth time star) is with the Moon; while the signs Mesa, Karkata, Tula, Kumbha, and Makara are the Lagnas (signs in the ascendant). When the moon and the start are auspicious, especially in the bright fortnight, the Puras’charanam performed, gives the Mantra Siddhi. First of all repeat Svasti vachan and perform duly the Nandi mukha S’raddha and give food and clothing to the Brahmanas. Take the permission of the Brahmanas and begin the Puras’charanam. Where the S’iva Lingam exists, facing west, or in any S’iva temple, commence repeating the mantra. The other S’iva Ksettrams are Kas’i, Kedara, Maha Kala, S’ri Ksettra, and Tryamvakam. These five are the Great Ksettrams, known widely on this earth, for the fructification and the siddhis of the Mantras. At all other places than these, the Karma Chakra is to be drawn according to the principles of the Tantra. And then they will be fit for Puras’charanam. The number of times that the Puras’charanam (the repeating of the mantra) is done on the first day, the same number is to be continued every day until completion; not greater nor less than that and also no intermission or stoppage should occur in the interval.
The repeating of the Mantra is to be commenced in the morning and should be done up to midday. While doing this, the mind is to be kept
free from other subjects, and it is to be kept pure; one is to meditate on one’s own Deity and on the meaning of the mantra and one should be particularly careful that no inaccuracies nor omissions should occur in the Gayatri, Chhandas and in the repetition of the Mantra. One tenth of the total number of Puras’charanams that are repeated is to be used for the Homa purpose. The Charu is to be prepared with ghee, til, the Bel leaves, flowers, jaya grain, honey and sugar; all mixed, are to be offered as oblations to the fire in the Homa. Then the success in the Mantra comes (i.e., mantra siddhi is obtained or the Mantra becomes manifested). After the Puras’charanam one should do properly the daily and occasional duties and worship the Gayatri that brings in dharma, wealth, objects of desire and liberation. There is nothing superior an object of worship to this Gayatri, whether in this world or in the next. The devotee, engaged in the Puras’charanam, should eat moderately, observe silence, bathe thrice in the three Sandhya times, should be engaged in worshipping one’s Deity, should not he unmindful and should not do any other work. He is to remain, while in water, to repeat the Gayatri three lakhs of times. In case the devotee repeats the mantra for achieving success in any other desired work (kamya karma), then he should willingly stick to it until the desired success is attained. Now is being told how to get success in ordinary Kamya karmas. When the sun is rising, repeat the Purascharanam mantra daily thousand times. Then one’s life will be lengthened, no disease will occur, and wealth and prosperity will be obtained. If it be done this way, success is surely attained within three months, six months or at the end of one year. If the Homa (offering oblations to the fire) be offered one lakh times with lotuses besmeared with ghee (clarified butter), Moksa (liberation) is attained. If, before the Mantra- Siddhi, or the success in realising the Mantra, is attained, one performs Japam or Homam for Kamya Siddhi (to get certain desires) or moksa, then all his actions become useless. If anybody performs twenty-five lakh Homas by curd and milk, be gets success (Siddhi) in this very birth. So all the Maharsis say. By this the same result is attained that is got by the aforesaid means, i.e., by the eight-limbed Yoga, whereby the Yogis become perfect.
He will attain Siddhi if he be devoted to his Guru and keep hinnself under restraint for six months only (i.e., practise Samyama) as regards taking food, etc., whether he be incapable or his mind be attached to other sensual objects. One should drink Pahcha gavya (cow-urine, cow-dung, milk, curd, ghee) one day, fast one day, take Brahmana’s food one day and be mindful in repeating the Gayatri. First bathe in the Ganges or in other sacred places and while in water repeat one hundred Gayatris. If one drinks water on which one hundred Gayatris are repeated, one is freed from all one’s sins. He gets the fruit of performing the Krichhra vrata, the Chandrayana vrata and others. Be he a Ksattriya King, or a Brahmana, if he is to remain in his own house, hold As’rama and be engaged in performing Tapasya then he will be certainly freed of all his sins. Be he a house holder or a Brahmachari or Vanaprasthi, he should perform sacrifices, etc., according to his Adhikara (or his rights) and he will get fruits according to his desires. The Sagnik man (who keeps the Holy Fire) and other persons of good conduct and of learning and of good education should perform actions as prescribed in the Vedas and Smritis with a desire to attain Moksa. Thus one should eat fruits and vegetables and and water or take eight mouthfuls of Bhiksanna (the food got by begging). If the Puras’charanam be performed this way, then the Mantra Siddhi is obtained. O Narada! If the Puras’charanam be done with the mantra thus, his poverty is removed entirely. What more shall I say than this that if anybody hears this simply, his merits get increased and he attains great success.
Here ends the Twenty First Chapter of the Eleventh Book on Gayatri Puras’charanam in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24047, revision 84664 (2016-10-07T17:34:45Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk11ch21.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.