संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters

Chapter 36 — Code of Brahmin's Daily Rituals

Literal. A Brahmin in Ganagapur refuses to dine at others' houses; his wife is excluded from invitations as a result. She breaks his vow by attending a feast on his behalf. Shri Guru tells her: she is forgiven; tells him to relax the vow appropriately. The chapter then transitions to a long discourse on the daily rituals of a Brahmin — the precise procedures for waking (Brahma-muhurta, two hours before sunrise), excretion (southwest, away from people), tooth-cleaning (datoon stick from babul, karanj, palm, aghada, audumbar, or rui — disposed southwest), bathing (variants for grahastha, vanaprastha, sanyasi, brahmachari), sandhya (with specific Gayatri appearances by time of day — Kumari in morning, young woman at midday, old woman in evening), worship (16 upchars, panchamrit, Sukta recitations), and dining (specific ablutions, mouna during meals).

Symbolic. Daily life is itself ritualized; nothing is outside the protocol. The chapter is functionally a liturgical handbook.

Structural. Seven deities at the Brahmin's right ear (Fire, Water, Vedas, Sun, Moon, Wind, plus). 108 times daily Gayatri for grahastha, 1000 times for vanaprastha. Three Gayatri appearances by time of day. 24 mudras named.

Verse by verse

श्रीगणेशाय नमः । शिष्योत्तम नामकरणी । लागे सिद्धाचे चरणी । विनवीतसे कर जोडोनि । भक्तिभावे करूनिया ॥१॥

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ | śiṣyottama nāmakaraṇī | lāge siddhāce caraṇī | vinavītase kara joḍoni | bhaktibhāve karūniyā ||1||

Salutations to Śrī Gaṇeśa. Nāmdharak, foremost of disciples, clasps the feet of Siddha, entreating him with joined palms, in devotion.

The chapter opens with the invocation to Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles) before Nāmdharak again bows to his teacher — beginning any teaching with humility and reverence clears the way for it to be received.

Begin any important undertaking with a moment of humble invocation, not a rush into words.

जय जयाजी सिद्ध मुनि । तूचि तारक भवार्णी । तूचि होसी ब्रह्मज्ञानी । अविद्यातिमिरभास्कर ॥२॥

jaya jayājī siddha muni | tūci tāraka bhavārṇī | tūci hosī brahmajñānī | avidyātimirabhāskara ||2||

Victory, victory to you, Siddha sage; you alone are the one who ferries us across the ocean of worldly existence; you alone are the knower of Brahman, the sun that dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Nāmdharak praises Siddha as bhavārṇī tāraka — one who carries across the ocean of saṁsāra — and as the sun (bhāskara) that burns away the night of avidyā (ignorance), the classic image of the guru as light-bringer.

Turn to a trusted teacher or elder when you feel lost in confusion; let their clarity be your sunrise.

मायामोहरजनीत । होतो आपण निद्रिस्त । कृपासागर श्रीगुरुनाथ । जागृत केले आम्हांसी ॥३॥

māyāmoharajanīta | hoto āpaṇa nidrista | kṛpāsāgara śrīgurunātha | jāgṛta kele āmhāmsī ||3||

In the night of illusion and attachment I lay asleep; the ocean of compassion, the lord Śrīguru, has awakened me.

Ignorance is described as sleep in the night of māyā (illusion) and moha (attachment); the guru's grace (kṛpā) is what rouses the sleeper into awareness.

Welcome the friend or teacher who wakes you from complacency, even if the waking is uncomfortable.

तिमिरहरण भास्करु । मज भेटलासी गुरु । कडे केले भवसागरु । चिन्मयात्मा सिद्ध मुनि ॥४॥

timiraharaṇa bhāskaru | maja bheṭalāsī guru | kaḍe kele bhavasāgaru | cinmayātmā siddha muni ||4||

O sun that removes darkness, you, my guru, have met me; you have carried me across the ocean of existence, O Siddha sage whose self is pure consciousness.

Nāmdharak again calls the guru cinmayātmā — one whose very being is consciousness (cit) — crediting him with having already ferried him across the bhavasāgara (ocean of becoming).

Give credit where it is due: acknowledge the people who have already helped carry you through hard times.

ऐसे म्हणोनि सिद्धासी । विनवी भावभक्तीसी । गुरुमूर्ति संतोषी । अभयकर देतसे ॥५॥

aise mhaṇoni siddhāsī | vinavī bhāvabhaktīsī | gurumūrti samtoṣī | abhayakara detase ||5||

Saying this to Siddha, he entreats him with heartfelt devotion; the guru-form, pleased, grants him the gesture of fearlessness.

The abhayamudrā (fearlessness gesture) is the guru's silent reassurance that devoted asking will be answered — sincerity in the seeker draws out generosity in the teacher.

Ask sincerely for what you need; sincerity itself often earns reassurance before the answer even arrives.

पुढे चरित्र केवी झाले । विस्तारावे स्वामी वहिले । आमुते स्वामी कृतार्थ केले । ज्ञानामृत प्राशवून ॥६॥

puḍhe caritra kevī jhāle | vistārāve svāmī vahile | āmute svāmī kṛtārtha kele | jñānāmṛta prāśavūna ||6||

How did the story continue further? Please expand it quickly, master; you have made us fulfilled by having us drink the nectar of knowledge.

Nāmdharak calls the ongoing teaching jñānāmṛta — nectar of knowledge — the traditional image for wisdom that satisfies like drink satisfies thirst.

Treat real learning as nourishment, not a chore — ask for more of it the way you'd ask for water when thirsty.

कथामृत ऐकता श्रवणी । तृप्ति न होय अंतःकरणी । निरोपावे विस्तारोनि म्हणोनि चरणी लागला ॥७॥

kathāmṛta aikatā śravaṇī | tṛpti na hoya amtaḥkaraṇī | niropāve vistāroni mhaṇoni caraṇī lāgalā ||7||

Hearing the nectar-story with the ears, the heart does not become satisfied; 'please tell it at length,' saying this he clasped his feet.

Genuine spiritual hunger is tṛpti-rahita — never fully sated — the more one hears of the guru's deeds, the more one wants to hear, which is itself a sign of real engagement.

When something truly nourishes you, don't stop at a taste — keep returning to it.

सिद्ध म्हणे नामधारका । पुढील कथा झाली निका । एकचित्ते तुम्ही ऐका । ज्ञान होय समस्तांसी ॥८॥

siddha mhaṇe nāmadhārakā | puḍhīla kathā jhālī nikā | ekacitte tumhī aikā | jñāna hoya samastāmsī ||8||

Siddha says to Nāmdharak: the next story has turned out well; listen with one-pointed mind, so that knowledge comes to all.

Siddha stresses ekacitta — single-pointed attention — as the condition for a story to actually become knowledge (jñāna) rather than mere entertainment.

Give your full, undivided attention when someone is trying to teach you something worthwhile.

गाणगापुरी असता श्रीगुरु । महिमा वाढली अपरंपारु । बोलता असे विस्तारु । तावन्मात्र सांगतसो ॥९॥

gāṇagāpurī asatā śrīguru | mahimā vāḍhalī aparampāru | bolatā ase vistāru | tāvanmātra sāmgataso ||9||

While Śrīguru was residing at Gāṇagāpura, his glory grew boundless; speaking of it would take great length, so I tell only that much.

The narrator signals scale — Śrīguru's fame at Gāṇagāpura (a tīrtha, pilgrimage town) was immense — while modestly limiting himself to a portion of it, a common storytelling humility device.

When sharing good news about someone, be generous in praise but don't feel you must exhaust every detail.

महिमा एकेक सांगता । विस्तार होईल बहु कथा । अवतार श्रीहरी साक्षाता । कवण शके वर्णावया ॥१०॥

mahimā ekeka sāmgatā | vistāra hoīla bahu kathā | avatāra śrīharī sākṣātā | kavaṇa śake varṇāvayā ||10||

Telling the glories one by one would make the story too vast; who indeed can describe an avatāra of Śrī Hari himself?

The sage is identified as a direct avatāra (descent) of Viṣṇu/Hari, whose full greatness is beyond any narrator's capacity to exhaust.

Accept that some goodness in a person or teacher is beyond full description — admire it without needing to catalogue it completely.

तया गाणगापुरात । होता विप्र वेदरत । विरक्त असे बहुश्रुत । कर्ममार्गे वर्ततसे ॥११॥

tayā gāṇagāpurāta | hotā vipra vedarata | virakta ase bahuśruta | karmamārge vartatase ||11||

In that Gāṇagāpura there lived a brahmin devoted to the Vedas, detached and widely learned, who lived by the path of ritual duty (karma-mārga).

The story's protagonist is introduced: a virakta (dispassionate) and bahuśruta (well-read) brahmin who strictly follows karma-mārga, the path of prescribed ritual action, setting up the coming test of his vow.

Commit to a disciplined daily practice, even a modest one, rather than chasing after comfort.

न घेतला प्रतिग्रह त्याणे । परान्नासी न वचे नेणे । मिथ्या वाचे नेणे । अनुवाद आपण न करीच ॥१२॥

na ghetalā pratigraha tyāṇe | parānnāsī na vace neṇe | mithyā vāce neṇe | anuvāda āpaṇa na karīca ||12||

He never accepted charitable gifts (pratigraha); he never went to eat another's food; he never spoke a false word; he never engaged in gossip.

Four self-imposed restraints define his integrity: refusing unearned gifts, refusing others' cooked food, truthful speech, and avoiding idle talk — a portrait of austere self-reliance.

Hold yourself to a few clear, simple standards of honesty and self-sufficiency, and keep them even when it costs you comfort.

नित्य शुष्क भिक्षा करी । तेणे आपुले उदर भरी । तयाची नारी असे घरी । क्रोधवंत परियेसा ॥१३॥

nitya śuṣka bhikṣā karī | teṇe āpule udara bharī | tayācī nārī ase gharī | krodhavamta pariyesā ||13||

Daily he begged only dry alms, and with that he filled his stomach; his wife at home, listen, was a woman of quick temper.

His austerity (śuṣka bhikṣā — plain, unseasoned begged food) contrasts with his wife's krodha (irritability), planting the domestic tension that drives the plot.

Recognize that your own contentment with little may not be shared by those who depend on you — be patient with their struggle.

याचकवृत्ति तो ब्राह्मण । कंठी संसार सामान्यपणे । अतीत- अभ्यागताविणे । न घेई अन्न प्रत्यही ॥१४॥

yācakavṛtti to brāhmaṇa | kamṭhī samsāra sāmānyapaṇe | atīta- abhyāgatāviṇe | na gheī anna pratyahī ||14||

That brahmin lived by begging, sustaining his household in an ordinary way; without a guest or wayfarer present, he would not eat food every day.

He follows the rule of atithi-abhyāgata — never eating until a guest or traveler has been fed first — an ancient discipline of hospitality placed above one's own hunger.

Before serving yourself, make sure any guest at your table has been served first.

तया ग्रामी प्रतिदिवसी । विप्र येती समाराधनेसी । सहस्त्र संख्या ब्राह्मणांसी । मिष्टान्न घालिती परियेसा ॥१५॥

tayā grāmī pratidivasī | vipra yetī samārādhanesī | sahastra samkhyā brāhmaṇāmsī | miṣṭānna ghālitī pariyesā ||15||

In that village, every day, brahmins would come to feasts; a thousand brahmins at a time were served sweet delicacies, listen.

The village is shown as prosperous, hosting mass communal feasts (samārādhana) — the backdrop against which this one poor household's hunger will stand out.

Notice the abundance around you and let it prompt gratitude rather than only envy.

समस्त जावोनि भोजन करिती । तया विप्रवनितेप्रती । येऊनि गृही स्तुति करिती । अनेक परीची पक्वान्ने ॥१६॥

samasta jāvoni bhojana karitī | tayā vipravanitepratī | yeūni gṛhī stuti karitī | aneka parīcī pakvānne ||16||

All would go and eat there, then come to that brahmin-wife's house and praise, describing the many kinds of delicacies.

Neighbors returning from the feast unwittingly needle her by praising the food she never gets to taste — an ordinary, human source of envy is being set up carefully.

Be mindful before describing a good meal or good fortune to someone who may be going without — praise less, kindness more.

ऐकोनि तया विप्रनारी । नानापरी दुःख करी । परमेश्वरा श्रीहरी । म्हणोनि चिंती मनात ॥१७॥

aikoni tayā vipranārī | nānāparī duḥkha karī | parameśvarā śrīharī | mhaṇoni cimtī manāta ||17||

Hearing this, that brahmin-wife grieved in many ways; 'O Lord, O Śrī Hari,' she lamented in her mind.

Her sorrow turns naturally into a cry to God (Śrī Hari) — even complaint, when addressed to the divine, is a form of prayer.

When you are troubled, turn your complaint into a prayer rather than letting it curdle into bitterness.

कैसे दैव आपुले हीन । नेणे स्वप्नी ऐसे अन्न । दरिद्री पतीसी वरून । सदा कष्ट भोगितसे ॥१८॥

kaise daiva āpule hīna | neṇe svapnī aise anna | daridrī patīsī varūna | sadā kaṣṭa bhogitase ||18||

How poor is my fate — even in a dream I have not known such food; having married a poor husband I constantly suffer hardship.

Her lament voices the common human tendency to read hardship purely as bad daiva (fate/luck) rather than as part of a larger discipline being lived out.

When comparing your lot to others', pause before concluding it is only misfortune — ask what steadier purpose it might be serving.

पूर्वजन्मीचे आराधन । तैसा आपणासी पति हीन । सदा पाहे दरिद्रपण । वर्ततसो देवराया ॥१९॥

pūrvajanmīce ārādhana | taisā āpaṇāsī pati hīna | sadā pāhe daridrapaṇa | vartataso devarāyā ||19||

As was the worship of my past life, so is my husband lowly; I constantly see poverty — thus it goes, O Lord.

She reaches for the doctrine of pūrvajanma (past-life karma) to explain present suffering, a standard way this literature frames misfortune as the fruit of prior deeds rather than random injustice.

When facing hardship, look for the lesson in it rather than only assigning blame to fate.

समस्त विप्र स्त्रियांसहित । नित्य परान्नभोजन करीत । पूर्वजन्मीचे सुकृत । केले होते समस्ती ॥२०॥

samasta vipra striyāmsahita | nitya parānnabhojana karīta | pūrvajanmīce sukṛta | kele hote samastī ||20||

All the other brahmins, together with their wives, ate others' food daily; it was the good deeds (sukṛta) of their past lives that had made this so.

The text credits their prosperity to accumulated sukṛta (past merit), reinforcing the same karmic logic she has just applied to her own condition.

Attribute others' good fortune to their earlier effort and merit rather than resentment — it keeps envy from taking root.

आपुला पति दैवहीन । कदा नेणे परान्नभोजन । काय करावे नारायण । म्हणोनि चिंती मनात ॥२१॥

āpulā pati daivahīna | kadā neṇe parānnabhojana | kāya karāve nārāyaṇa | mhaṇoni cimtī manāta ||21||

My husband, unlucky in fate, never once eats another's food; what should I do, O Nārāyaṇa? — so she pondered in her mind.

Her question to Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu) shows she still turns to God even amid complaint — the impulse to pray persists beneath the frustration.

Let your worry drive you toward prayer or counsel, not toward silent resentment.

वर्तता ऐसे तया स्थानी । आला विप्र महाधनी । अपरपक्ष करणे मनी । म्हणोनि आला परियेसी ॥२२॥

vartatā aise tayā sthānī | ālā vipra mahādhanī | aparapakṣa karaṇe manī | mhaṇoni ālā pariyesī ||22||

While things stood thus in that place, a very wealthy brahmin arrived, intending in his mind to perform the rites for the departed (apara-pakṣa), and so he came, listen.

The plot device appears: a rich man arrives to host a memorial feast (apara-pakṣa, rites for ancestors), the very occasion that will test the poor couple's vow.

Recognize opportunities that arrive unannounced as possible turning points, and pay attention when they come.

तया स्थानी विप्रासी । क्षण दिले परियेसी । सवे त्यांच्या स्त्रियांसी । आवंतिले तिही परियेसा ॥२३॥

tayā sthānī viprāsī | kṣaṇa dile pariyesī | save tyāmcyā striyāmsī | āvamtile tihī pariyesā ||23||

In that place he gave invitations to the brahmins, listen; along with their wives he too invited them, listen.

The invitation extends to wives as well — the wealthy host's feast is meant to be a full-household affair, which is precisely what draws the poor wife's attention.

When you host generosity, extend it to whole families, not just individuals — inclusion matters.

देखोनि ते विप्रवनिता । पतीजवळी आली त्वरिता । सांगती झाली विस्तारता । आमंत्रण ब्राह्मणाचे ॥२४॥

dekhoni te vipravanitā | patījavaḷī ālī tvaritā | sāmgatī jhālī vistāratā | āmamtraṇa brāhmaṇāce ||24||

Seeing this, that brahmin-wife came quickly to her husband and told him at length about the brahmin's invitation.

Her eagerness (tvaritā — hurriedly) shows how much this ordinary chance means to her, in contrast to her husband's habitual restraint.

Share good news with your spouse or family promptly rather than sitting on it.

अनेक परीची पक्वान्ने । देताती वस्त्रे परिधाने । अपार दक्षिणाद्रव्यदाने । देताती ऐके प्राणेश्वरा ॥२५॥

aneka parīcī pakvānne | detātī vastre paridhāne | apāra dakṣiṇādravyadāne | detātī aike prāṇeśvarā ||25||

They give many kinds of delicacies, they give garments to wear, they give abundant gifts of money as dakṣiṇā — listen, my beloved.

She lists the tangible allure of the feast — food, clothing, and cash gifts (dakṣiṇā) — the ordinary temptations of ease set against her husband's vow of restraint.

Name plainly what you actually want instead of hinting — clear requests are easier to answer.

याते स्वामी अंगीकारणे । अथवा आपण निरोप देणे । कांक्षा करिते माझे मन । अपूर्व अन्न जेवावे ॥२६॥

yāte svāmī amgīkāraṇe | athavā āpaṇa niropa deṇe | kāmkṣā karite mājhe mana | apūrva anna jevāve ||26||

Please accept this, lord, or else give me your permission; my mind longs to eat this rare, wonderful food.

She frames her longing honestly as kāmkṣā — desire — rather than pretending indifference, a small but important act of truthfulness within the marriage.

State your desires honestly to those close to you rather than disguising them.

ऐकोनि तियेचे वचन । निरोप देत ब्राह्मण । सुखे जावे करी भोजन । आपणा न घडे म्हणतसे ॥२७॥

aikoni tiyece vacana | niropa deta brāhmaṇa | sukhe jāve karī bhojana | āpaṇā na ghaḍe mhaṇatase ||27||

Hearing her words, the brahmin gives permission: 'go happily and eat; it is not proper for me to go.'

He grants her freedom to enjoy what his vow denies him — respecting her wish even while holding his own discipline, rather than forcing his restraint onto her.

Let loved ones follow their own conscience even when it differs from your personal discipline.

निरोप घेउनी तये वेळी । गेली तया गृहस्थाजवळी । आपण येऊ भोजनकाळी । म्हणोनि पुसे तयासी ॥२८॥

niropa gheunī taye veḷī | gelī tayā gṛhasthājavaḷī | āpaṇa yeū bhojanakāḷī | mhaṇoni puse tayāsī ||28||

Taking his permission at that moment, she went to that householder and asked him, 'shall I come alone at mealtime?'

Her practical follow-up shows she is trying to honor both her husband's absence and the host's expectations at once.

When plans change, communicate clearly with the host or the people affected rather than assuming.

विप्र म्हणे तियेसी । आम्ही सांगू दंपतीसी । बोलावी आपुल्या पतीसी । तरीच आमुच्या गृहा यावे ॥२९॥

vipra mhaṇe tiyesī | āmhī sāmgū dampatīsī | bolāvī āpulyā patīsī | tarīca āmucyā gṛhā yāve ||29||

The brahmin says to her: 'we invite couples together; call your own husband — only then should you come to our house.'

The host's custom of inviting couples as a unit reflects the value placed on marital wholeness in ritual hospitality — she cannot simply attend alone.

Respect the customs of a host, even when they complicate your own plans.

ऐकोनि तयाचे वचन । झाली नारी खेदे खिन्न । विचार करी आपुले मन । काय करावे म्हणोनिया ॥३०॥

aikoni tayāce vacana | jhālī nārī khede khinna | vicāra karī āpule mana | kāya karāve mhaṇoniyā ||30||

Hearing his words, the woman became sorrowful and dejected; her mind pondered, 'what should I do?'

Her sadness deepens as the obstacle (her husband's vow) stands squarely between her and the invitation.

When stuck between duty and desire, take a moment to think it through rather than reacting hastily.

म्हणे आता काय करणे । कैसे दैव आपुले उणे । बरवे अन्न स्वप्नी नेणे । पतीकरिता आपणासी ॥३१॥

mhaṇe ātā kāya karaṇe | kaise daiva āpule uṇe | barave anna svapnī neṇe | patīkaritā āpaṇāsī ||31||

She says, 'what should I do now — how deficient is my fate; because of my husband I do not even know good food in a dream.'

Her repeated lament shows the depth of her frustration, but it also sets up the resolution: she will seek help rather than simply suffer silently.

Turn frustration into action — seek help instead of only repeating the complaint.

विचारोनि मानसी । आली नृसिंहगुरूपासी । नमन करी साष्टांगेसी । अनेकापरी विनवीतसे ॥३२॥

vicāroni mānasī | ālī nṛsimhagurūpāsī | namana karī sāṣṭāmgesī | anekāparī vinavītase ||32||

Thinking it over in her mind, she came to Nṛsiṁha Guru, bowed full-length before him (sāṣṭāṅga), and entreated him in many ways.

She takes the wise course — bringing her domestic difficulty to the guru rather than nursing it alone or forcing her husband's hand.

Bring your genuine difficulties to a trusted guide rather than trying to resolve them by yourself in silence.

म्हणे स्वामी काय करणे । बरवे अन्न कधी नेणे । आपुले पतीसी सांगणे । आवंतणे बरवे येतसे ॥३३॥

mhaṇe svāmī kāya karaṇe | barave anna kadhī neṇe | āpule patīsī sāmgaṇe | āvamtaṇe barave yetase ||33||

She says, 'master, what should I do — I never get to know good food; please tell my husband, for a good invitation has come.'

She asks the guru to intercede directly with her husband, trusting his authority to move where her own pleading could not.

Ask someone whose word carries weight to help when your own words aren't being heard.

सांगू म्हणती दंपतीसी । माझा पति नायके वचनासी । न वचे कधी परान्नासी । काय करू म्हणतसे ॥३४॥

sāmgū mhaṇatī dampatīsī | mājhā pati nāyake vacanāsī | na vace kadhī parānnāsī | kāya karū mhaṇatase ||34||

'They say to tell the couple,' she says; 'my husband will not heed words, he never goes to eat another's food — what should I do,' she says.

She reiterates her husband's stubborn vow, underlining just how firm his self-discipline is and how much intervention it will take to bend it.

Be honest about how deep-set someone's habits are before expecting a quick change.

स्वामी आता कृपा करणे । माझ्या पतीते सांगणे । बरवी येताती आमंत्रणे । अन्नवस्त्र देताती ॥३५॥

svāmī ātā kṛpā karaṇe | mājhyā patīte sāmgaṇe | baravī yetātī āmamtraṇe | annavastra detātī ||35||

'Master, now show grace; tell my husband — good invitations are coming, they give food and clothing.'

Her plea culminates in a direct request for the guru's kṛpā (grace) to intervene, trusting that his word alone can settle what argument could not.

When you've done what you can, ask openly for help rather than struggling on pride alone.

ऐकोनि तियेचे वचन । श्रीगुरुमूर्ति हास्यवदन । बोलावूनिया तत्क्षण । सांगती तया द्विजासी ॥३६॥

aikoni tiyece vacana | śrīgurumūrti hāsyavadana | bolāvūniyā tatkṣaṇa | sāmgatī tayā dvijāsī ||36||

Hearing her words, Śrīguru, with a smiling face, called the brahmin at once and spoke to him.

The guru's smile (hāsyavadana) signals gentle amusement rather than severity — he is about to grant a small, human request with warmth, not rebuke.

Meet a person's small human need with warmth rather than judgment when they come asking for help.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती तयासी । जावे तुम्ही आवंतणेसी । तुझे स्त्रियेचे मानसी । असे मिष्टान्न जेवावे ॥३७॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī tayāsī | jāve tumhī āvamtaṇesī | tujhe striyece mānasī | ase miṣṭānna jevāve ||37||

Śrīguru says to him: 'go to the invitation; your wife's heart wishes to eat this sweet food.'

The guru instructs him plainly to set aside his personal vow for his wife's sake — a guru's word can override even a self-made restriction when compassion calls for it.

Be willing to bend a personal rule, with guidance, when it stands between you and a loved one's simple happiness.

तिचे मनींची वासना जाण । तुवा पुरवावी कारण । सदा दुश्चित अंतःकरण । कुलस्त्रियेचे असो नये ॥३८॥

tice manīmcī vāsanā jāṇa | tuvā puravāvī kāraṇa | sadā duścita amtaḥkaraṇa | kulastriyece aso naye ||38||

Know her heart's wish and fulfill it, for a good wife's heart should never remain troubled.

The guru names the principle directly: a kulastrī (woman of good family/virtue) should not be left with a discontented heart — her husband's duty includes her contentment, not only his own austerity.

Make sure the discipline you keep for yourself doesn't come at the cost of your family's peace of mind.

ऐकोनि श्रीगुरूचे वचन । नमन करी तो ब्राह्मण । विनवीतसे कर जोडून । परान्न आपणा नेम असे ॥३९॥

aikoni śrīgurūce vacana | namana karī to brāhmaṇa | vinavītase kara joḍūna | parānna āpaṇā nema ase ||39||

Hearing Śrīguru's words, the brahmin bows and, with joined palms, entreats: 'not eating another's food is my vow.'

He respectfully voices his objection even to the guru — true reverence includes honest disclosure, not silent, resentful compliance.

Speak your honest reservations even to someone you respect greatly, rather than agreeing silently against your conscience.

गुरुवचन जो न करी । तोचि पडे रौरवघोरी । निरोप तुमचा माझ्या शिरी । जाईन त्वरित म्हणतसे ॥४०॥

guruvacana jo na karī | toci paḍe rauravaghorī | niropa tumacā mājhyā śirī | jāīna tvarita mhaṇatase ||40||

'Whoever does not follow the guru's word falls into terrible Raurava hell; your command is upon my head — I will go at once,' he says.

Despite his objection, he submits fully once the guru insists, showing that in this tradition guru-obedience outranks even a personal vow, once genuinely tested.

Once you've voiced your concern honestly, trust the guidance of someone wiser and follow through.

पुसोनिया श्रीगुरूसी । आले दंपत्य आवंतणेसी । आनंद झाला बहुवसी । तया विप्रस्त्रियेते ॥४१॥

pusoniyā śrīgurūsī | āle dampatya āvamtaṇesī | ānamda jhālā bahuvasī | tayā viprastriyete ||41||

Taking leave of Śrīguru, the couple came to the invitation; great joy arose in the brahmin-wife.

Her long-awaited wish is finally being fulfilled, and the narrative pauses to note her simple, human happiness.

Let yourself feel genuine joy in small, long-awaited pleasures when they finally arrive.

पितृनाम उच्चारोन । संकल्प करी तो ब्राह्मण । अनेक परीचे मिष्टान्न । वाढिती तया दंपतीसी ॥४२॥

pitṛnāma uccārona | samkalpa karī to brāhmaṇa | aneka parīce miṣṭānna | vāḍhitī tayā dampatīsī ||42||

Uttering the ancestors' names, the brahmin makes his ritual resolve (saṅkalpa); many kinds of sweets are served to the couple.

The saṅkalpa names the ancestors being honored — the whole feast is framed as an act of ancestor-worship (śrāddha), not mere indulgence.

Remember to connect even festive occasions to gratitude for those who came before you.

भोजन करिता समयासी । दिसे विपरीत तियेसी । श्वान सूकर येउनी हर्षी । समागमे जेविताती ॥४३॥

bhojana karitā samayāsī | dise viparīta tiyesī | śvāna sūkara yeunī harṣī | samāgame jevitātī ||43||

As the meal was being eaten, something strange appeared to her: dogs and pigs came joyfully and ate alongside them.

This is a symbolic vision — a dṛṣṭānta — testing whether outward abundance is worth compromising principle, since defiled food (touched by dogs/pigs) is ritually the most impure imaginable.

When something you longed for turns out disappointing or unsettling once you have it, pay attention to what that reveals rather than pushing through blindly.

कंटाळले तिचे मन । उठली आपण त्यजुनी अन्न । जे जेवीत होते ब्राह्मण । तया समस्तांसी सांगतसे ॥४४॥

kamṭāḷale tice mana | uṭhalī āpaṇa tyajunī anna | je jevīta hote brāhmaṇa | tayā samastāmsī sāmgatase ||44||

Her mind grew disgusted; she got up, abandoning the food, and told all the brahmins who were eating there.

Her disgust (kaṁṭāḷā) overrides her earlier longing instantly — the vision has done its work, turning craving into aversion.

Trust your gut reaction when something suddenly feels wrong, even after you had wanted it badly.

ऐसेपरी पतीसहित । आली नारी चिंताक्रांत । पतीस सांगे वृत्तान्त । श्वानउच्छिष्ट जेविलेती ॥४५॥

aiseparī patīsahita | ālī nārī cimtākrāmta | patīsa sāmge vṛttānta | śvānaucchiṣṭa jeviletī ||45||

In this way, along with her husband, the anxious woman came and told him the account: 'we have eaten the leavings of dogs.'

She confesses the seeming disaster to her husband directly, without hiding it — accepting the consequence of the choice she had pushed for.

Own up honestly to a mistake or misjudgment rather than concealing it from those it affects.

स्त्रियेसी म्हणे तो ब्राह्मण । तुझे नि आपुले दैव हीन । घडले आपणासी परान्न । उच्छिष्ट श्वानसूकरांचे ॥४६॥

striyesī mhaṇe to brāhmaṇa | tujhe ni āpule daiva hīna | ghaḍale āpaṇāsī parānna | ucchiṣṭa śvānasūkarāmce ||46||

The brahmin says to his wife: 'your fate and mine are both poor — we have come to eat another's food, the leavings of dogs and pigs.'

He reads the event as confirmation of his original fear about breaking his vow, framing it once more in terms of daiva (fate) rather than blame.

Resist the urge to say 'I told you so' even when a fear you voiced turns out justified — go solve the problem instead.

ऐसे म्हणोनि स्त्रियेसी । आली दोघे श्रीगुरुपासी । नमन केले परियेसी । ऐका श्रोते एकचित्ते ॥४७॥

aise mhaṇoni striyesī | ālī doghe śrīgurupāsī | namana kele pariyesī | aikā śrote ekacitte ||47||

Saying this to his wife, both of them came to Śrīguru and bowed — listen, O listeners, with one-pointed mind.

The couple return together to the same guru who sent them, showing they still trust his authority to make sense of what happened.

When a decision you were guided toward goes sideways, return to the same trusted source rather than abandoning it.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती तियेसी । कैसे सुख परान्नासी । सदा दुखविसी पतीसी । पुरले तुझे मनोरथ ॥४८॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī tiyesī | kaise sukha parānnāsī | sadā dukhavisī patīsī | purale tujhe manoratha ||48||

Śrīguru says to her: 'what happiness is there in another's food? You constantly trouble your husband — has your heart's desire now been fulfilled?'

The guru's gentle rebuke exposes the deeper lesson: chasing another's plenty brings no real satisfaction, only trouble for those who love you.

Ask yourself honestly whether a craving, once satisfied, was truly worth the trouble it caused others.

ऐसे वचन ऐकोनि । लागे नारी श्रीगुरुचरणी । विनवीतसे कर जोडूनि । क्षमा करणे स्वामिया ॥४९॥

aise vacana aikoni | lāge nārī śrīgurucaraṇī | vinavītase kara joḍūni | kṣamā karaṇe svāmiyā ||49||

Hearing these words, the woman clasped Śrīguru's feet, entreating with joined palms, 'forgive me, master.'

Her immediate humility — falling at his feet and asking forgiveness — shows genuine remorse rather than defensiveness.

When corrected, respond with humility and a readiness to be forgiven rather than with excuses.

मंदमति आपणासी । दोष घडविले पतीसी । नेले आपण परान्नासी । क्षमा करणे स्वामिया ॥५०॥

mamdamati āpaṇāsī | doṣa ghaḍavile patīsī | nele āpaṇa parānnāsī | kṣamā karaṇe svāmiyā ||50||

'Being of dull mind, I caused fault to fall on my husband; I took him to eat another's food — forgive me, master.'

She takes full responsibility (mandamati — dull-minded, a humble self-description) for having led her husband into the situation, rather than blaming circumstance.

Take responsibility for the part you played in a shared mistake, even if it began with a small, human wish.

चिंता करी द्विजवरू । म्हणे स्वामी काय करू । दोष घडला अपारू । व्रतभंग झाला म्हणोनि ॥५१॥

cimtā karī dvijavarū | mhaṇe svāmī kāya karū | doṣa ghaḍalā apārū | vratabhamga jhālā mhaṇoni ||51||

The excellent brahmin worried, saying, 'master, what shall I do — an immense fault has occurred, for my vow has been broken.'

He voices the technical religious anxiety: has his vrata (vow) been nullified by this incident, a serious matter in ritual law.

When you fear you've broken a commitment, bring the worry into the open with someone who can help you see clearly, rather than stewing alone.

परान्न न घ्यावे म्हणोनि । संकल्प होता माझे मनी । मिळाली सती वैरिणी । दोष आपणा घडविला ॥५२॥

parānna na ghyāve mhaṇoni | samkalpa hotā mājhe manī | miḷālī satī vairiṇī | doṣa āpaṇā ghaḍavilā ||52||

'Not to take another's food was the resolve in my mind; I got a wife who acted as an adversary, and thus fault fell upon me.'

He briefly, humanly, casts blame on his wife (vairiṇī — adversary) even amid his own confession, showing the friction that real intimacy sometimes carries.

Notice when frustration tempts you to blame a loved one, and catch yourself before the words land.

ऐकोनि तयाचे वचन । श्रीगुरु म्हणती हासोन । पुरविली स्त्रियेची वासना । आता तिचे मन धाले ॥५३॥

aikoni tayāce vacana | śrīguru mhaṇatī hāsona | puravilī striyecī vāsanā | ātā tice mana dhāle ||53||

Hearing his words, Śrīguru said, smiling, 'your wife's desire has now been fulfilled; her mind is now satisfied.'

The guru's smile again signals reassurance — what looked like disaster was, in his view, simply the necessary fulfilling and settling of a small desire.

Trust that a wise elder's calm reaction to your 'disaster' may be showing you it wasn't one.

कधी न वचे परान्नासी । वर्तेल तुझ्या वाक्यासरसी । न करी चिंता मानसी । दोष तुज नाही जाण ॥५४॥

kadhī na vace parānnāsī | vartela tujhyā vākyāsarasī | na karī cimtā mānasī | doṣa tuja nāhī jāṇa ||54||

'She will never again go to eat another's food; it will happen according to your own word — do not worry in your mind, know that there is no fault upon you.'

The guru absolves him outright: the vow stands unbroken because it was undertaken on the guru's own instruction, and the outcome (her craving now satisfied) resolves the matter for good.

Let go of guilt once a trustworthy authority has genuinely reassured you that you did no wrong.

आणिक एक सांगे तुज । जेणे धर्म घडती सहज । अडला असेल एखादा द्विज । देवपितृकर्माविणे ॥५५॥

āṇika eka sāmge tuja | jeṇe dharma ghaḍatī sahaja | aḍalā asela ekhādā dvija | devapitṛkarmāviṇe ||55||

'I tell you one more thing, by which duty is easily accomplished: if some brahmin is stuck without help for the rites of gods and ancestors—'

The guru moves from the personal incident to a general teaching on when eating at another's home is actually obligatory rather than forbidden.

Learn the exceptions to your own rules, not just the rules themselves, so you can act rightly in unusual situations.

कोणी न मिळती विप्र त्यासी । जावे तेथे भोजनासी । जरी तेथे तू न जासी । अनंत दोष असे जाण ॥५६॥

koṇī na miḷatī vipra tyāsī | jāve tethe bhojanāsī | jarī tethe tū na jāsī | anamta doṣa ase jāṇa ||56||

'—if no brahmins can be found to help him, one should go there to eat; if you do not go there, know that there is infinite fault.'

Refusing to help complete another's essential ritual, when no one else is available, becomes itself the greater sin — obligation to community can outrank personal austerity.

Set aside a personal preference when someone genuinely needs your presence and no one else can fill in.

श्रीगुरूचे वचन ऐकोन । साष्टांगी करी नमन । विनवीतसे कर जोडून । विनंति माझी परियेसा ॥५७॥

śrīgurūce vacana aikona | sāṣṭāmgī karī namana | vinavītase kara joḍūna | vinamti mājhī pariyesā ||57||

Hearing Śrīguru's words, he bowed full-length, entreating with joined palms, 'hear my request, listen.'

He responds with continued reverence, preparing to ask a follow-up question — the humble posture of a sincere student.

Follow up with respectful questions when you want to understand a teaching more fully.

अन्न घ्यावे कवणा घरी । घडतील दोष कवणेपरी । जाऊ नये कवणा घरी । निरोपावे स्वामिया ॥५८॥

anna ghyāve kavaṇā gharī | ghaḍatīla doṣa kavaṇeparī | jāū naye kavaṇā gharī | niropāve svāmiyā ||58||

'At whose house should food be taken? In what ways does fault arise? At whose house should one not go? Please instruct, master.'

His three-part question — where to eat, how sin arises, where not to eat — sets up the long ethical catalogue that follows for the rest of the chapter.

Ask for clear, practical guidance rather than settling for vague principles when you need to act rightly.

विप्रवचन ऐकोन । श्रीगुरु सांगती विस्तारोन । सावधान करून मन । ऐका श्रोते सकळिक ॥५९॥

vipravacana aikona | śrīguru sāmgatī vistārona | sāvadhāna karūna mana | aikā śrote sakaḷika ||59||

Hearing the brahmin's words, Śrīguru begins to explain at length; with mind alert, listen, all you listeners.

The narrator signals a shift into extended didactic teaching, calling on the audience's full attention.

When someone is about to give you detailed practical guidance, set aside distractions and listen closely.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती विप्रासी । अन्न घ्यावया घरे पुससी । गुरुभुवनादिकी हर्षी । जेवावे शिष्यवर्गा घरी ॥६०॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī viprāsī | anna ghyāvayā ghare pusasī | gurubhuvanādikī harṣī | jevāve śiṣyavargā gharī ||60||

Śrīguru says to the brahmin: 'you ask about houses where food may be taken — one may gladly eat at the guru's house and the like, or at the homes of fellow disciples.'

The first safe category is community bound by shared teaching — the guru's household and one's guru-siblings (śiṣya-varga) — food shared within a spiritual family.

Feel free to lean on the community of people who share your values and practice — that support is meant to be used.

वैदिकादि विद्वज्जन । मातुळ आपुला श्वशुर जाण । सहोदरादि साधुजन । तया घरि जेवावे ॥६१॥

vaidikādi vidvajjana | mātuḷa āpulā śvaśura jāṇa | sahodarādi sādhujana | tayā ghari jevāve ||61||

Vedic scholars and learned people, one's own maternal uncle and father-in-law, one's own siblings and virtuous people — at their homes one should eat.

The second safe category is close, trustworthy kin and the genuinely learned or virtuous (sādhujana) — relationships bound by blood or proven character.

Accept help and hospitality readily from close family and people of demonstrated good character.

अडला विप्र ब्राह्मणाविण । त्याचे घरी घ्यावे अन्न । करावे गायत्रीजपन । दोष जाती अवधारा ॥६२॥

aḍalā vipra brāhmaṇāviṇa | tyāce gharī ghyāve anna | karāve gāyatrījapana | doṣa jātī avadhārā ||62||

If a brahmin is stuck without another brahmin's help, food may be taken at his house; one should chant the Gāyatrī, and the fault will depart, know this.

Even outside the safe categories, necessity plus a remedial practice — reciting the Gāyatrī mantra — purifies the act, showing the tradition allows for practical accommodation with spiritual counter-measure.

When circumstance forces a compromise, pair it with a deliberate act that restores your sense of integrity.

विप्र म्हणे श्रीगुरूसी । विनंत माझी परियेसी । निषिद्ध अन्न आम्हासी । कवण्या घरी जेवू नये ॥६३॥

vipra mhaṇe śrīgurūsī | vinamta mājhī pariyesī | niṣiddha anna āmhāsī | kavaṇyā gharī jevū naye ||63||

The brahmin says to Śrīguru: 'hear my request — at whose houses is food forbidden to us? Where should we not eat?'

The question now turns from the permitted to the forbidden, opening the long list that follows of households to avoid.

Learn not just what to embrace but what to avoid — clarity about boundaries protects your integrity.

श्रीगुरु सांगती ब्राह्मणासी । अन्नवर्जित घरे ऐसी । अपार असे स्मृति चंद्रिकेसी । ऋषिसंमते सांगेन ॥६४॥

śrīguru sāmgatī brāhmaṇāsī | annavarjita ghare aisī | apāra ase smṛti camdrikesī | ṛṣisammate sāmgena ||64||

Śrīguru tells the brahmin: 'such food-forbidden houses are countless in the Smṛticandrikā (a legal text); I will tell you according to the sages' consensus.'

The guru grounds his teaching in an established textual authority, the Smṛticandrikā, and the collective judgment of the sages, not personal opinion.

When giving important guidance, root it in established wisdom rather than mere personal preference.

नित्य मातापितयांसी । सेवा घेती अतिदोषी । जाऊ नये तया घरांसी । धनलोभिष्ठ द्विजांघरी ॥६५॥

nitya mātāpitayāmsī | sevā ghetī atidoṣī | jāū naye tayā gharāmsī | dhanalobhiṣṭha dvijāmgharī ||65||

Those who daily take service from their parents without caring for them are greatly at fault — one should not go to such houses, nor to the houses of brahmins greedy for wealth.

The first forbidden houses are those where filial duty is inverted — parents exploited rather than honored — and where greed for money rules the household.

Steer clear of situations that reward exploiting your own parents or chasing money over duty.

कलत्र पुत्र कष्टवोनि । धर्म करी विप्रालागोनि । अन्ननिषेध तया भुवनी । दोष घडती जेविल्या ॥६६॥

kalatra putra kaṣṭavoni | dharma karī viprālāgoni | annaniṣedha tayā bhuvanī | doṣa ghaḍatī jevilyā ||66||

One who overworks his wife and son to perform charity for brahmins — in that house food is forbidden; fault arises if one eats there.

Charity built on the suffering of one's own family is hollow generosity; the tradition refuses to bless food that comes at such a cost.

Never fund your generosity to others by neglecting or overburdening your own family.

गर्विष्ठ चित्रक शस्त्रधारी । विप्र जाण मल्लयुद्ध करी । वीणा वाद्य ज्याचे घरी । न घ्यावे अन्न ब्राह्मणाने ॥६७॥

garviṣṭha citraka śastradhārī | vipra jāṇa mallayuddha karī | vīṇā vādya jyāce gharī | na ghyāve anna brāhmaṇāne ||67||

Know that a proud, weapon-bearing brahmin who wrestles, or one at whose house there is a lute and musical instruments used frivolously — a brahmin should not take food there.

Pride, martial display, and indulgent entertainment are marked as inconsistent with a brahmin's dedicated, disciplined vocation.

Be wary of associating your discipline too closely with places built around vanity or indulgence.

बहिष्कारी विप्राघरी । याचकवृत्तीने उदर भरी । अन्न वर्जावे तया घरी । आत्मस्तुति परनिंदक ॥६८॥

bahiṣkārī viprāgharī | yācakavṛttīne udara bharī | anna varjāve tayā gharī | ātmastuti paranimdaka ||68||

At the house of an outcast brahmin, or one who fills his belly purely by begging habit, food should be avoided; likewise avoid the house of one who praises himself and criticizes others.

Self-praise and habitual disparagement of others (ātmastuti paranindaka) mark a corrupted character whose hospitality the tradition asks one to decline.

Be cautious of accepting favors from people who constantly boast of themselves and belittle others.

बहुजन एक अन्न करिती । पृथक्‌ वैश्वदेव न करिती । वर्जावी अन्ने विप्रजाती । महादोष बोलिजे ॥६९॥

bahujana eka anna karitī | pṛthak‌ vaiśvadeva na karitī | varjāvī anne viprajātī | mahādoṣa bolije ||69||

Where many people cook one common meal without each performing the separate vaiśvadeva offering, brahmins should avoid that food — it is called a great fault.

Vaiśvadeva is the small daily offering to all gods before eating; skipping this basic ritual courtesy in a shared kitchen renders the food unfit.

Don't skip the small preparatory courtesies — of gratitude or acknowledgment — before sharing a communal meal.

गुरु म्हणोनि समस्तांसी । आपण मंत्र उपदेशी । शिष्य रहाटे दुर्वृत्तींसी । त्या गुरुघरी जेवू नये ॥७०॥

guru mhaṇoni samastāmsī | āpaṇa mamtra upadeśī | śiṣya rahāṭe durvṛttīmsī | tyā gurugharī jevū naye ||70||

One who calls himself guru to everyone and gives mantra-initiation to all, whose disciples behave with bad conduct — at that guru's house one should not eat.

A teacher is judged by the fruit in his students; if the disciples are corrupt, the guru's own household hospitality is suspect too.

Judge a teacher's worth partly by the character of the people they've trained.

क्रोधवंत ब्राह्मण असे । अन्न न घ्यावे त्या गृही ऐसे । स्त्रियेसी वर्जिता पुरुष असे । जेवू नये तया घरी ॥७१॥

krodhavamta brāhmaṇa ase | anna na ghyāve tyā gṛhī aise | striyesī varjitā puruṣa ase | jevū naye tayā gharī ||71||

There is a brahmin of angry temperament — food should not be taken at such a house; likewise, at the house of a man who has abandoned his wife, one should not eat.

Chronic anger and abandonment of a spouse are named as household failings serious enough to disqualify one's hospitality.

Keep your temper in check at home — an angry household is one others rightly hesitate to draw close to.

धनगर्वी तामसाघरी । कृपण निर्द्रव्य व्यभिचारी । दांभिक दुराचारी विप्राघरी । अन्न तुम्ही वर्जावे ॥७२॥

dhanagarvī tāmasāgharī | kṛpaṇa nirdravya vyabhicārī | dāmbhika durācārī viprāgharī | anna tumhī varjāve ||72||

At the house of one proud of wealth and dull with tamas, of a miser without means, of an adulterer, of a hypocrite of bad conduct — you should avoid food.

This verse strings together several vices — arrogance, miserliness, infidelity, hypocrisy — under a single warning against sharing their table.

Guard your closest associations against arrogance, stinginess, infidelity, and hypocrisy in others.

पुत्रा पतीते सोडोनि । वेगळी असे जे ब्राह्मणी । वर्जावे अन्न साधुजनी । महादोष बोलिजे ॥७३॥

putrā patīte soḍoni | vegaḷī ase je brāhmaṇī | varjāve anna sādhujanī | mahādoṣa bolije ||73||

A brahmin woman who has left her son and husband and lives apart — good people should avoid food from her house; it is called a great fault.

The verse addresses the flip side of household duty: a woman who abandons her family obligations is likewise excluded from ritual hospitality, reflecting the era's emphasis on domestic constancy.

Honor your commitments to your own household before extending yourself elsewhere.

स्त्रीजित असे एखादा जरी । विप्र सुवर्णाकार करी । सदा बहु याचक जरी । तया घरी न जेवावे ॥७४॥

strījita ase ekhādā jarī | vipra suvarṇākāra karī | sadā bahu yācaka jarī | tayā gharī na jevāve ||74||

If some brahmin is wife-dominated, or works as a goldsmith, or is one who constantly begs excessively, one should not eat at his house.

The list continues with men who have surrendered their proper role in the household, taken up a trade seen as impure for a brahmin, or made begging a way of life beyond genuine need.

Take ownership of your responsibilities rather than letting circumstance or habit erode your role.

खळ राजसेवकाघरी । लोह काष्ठ छेदन करी । वस्त्रधुत्या रजकाघरी । दान विप्रे घेऊ नये ॥७५॥

khaḷa rājasevakāgharī | loha kāṣṭha chedana karī | vastradhutyā rajakāgharī | dāna vipre gheū naye ||75||

At the house of a wicked servant of the king, of one who cuts iron and wood as a smith or woodcutter, of a washerman who washes clothes — a brahmin should not accept gifts.

Trades and offices associated with harshness or servitude to worldly power are marked as unfit sources of a brahmin's sustenance.

Be selective about whose money or gifts you accept, especially from those whose position rests on harshness.

मद्यपान नराघरी । याचने उदरपूर्ति करी । वेश्मी सहजार असे नारी । दान विप्रे न घ्यावे ॥७६॥

madyapāna narāgharī | yācane udarapūrti karī | veśmī sahajāra ase nārī | dāna vipre na ghyāve ||76||

At the house of a man who drinks liquor, of one who fills his belly purely by begging, of one whose home keeps a woman of ill repute — a brahmin should not accept gifts.

Intemperance, idle begging, and sexual impropriety in a household are again cited as reasons to withhold one's presence there.

Avoid deepening ties with households defined by intoxication or impropriety.

तस्करविद्या असे ज्यासी । द्वारपाळकाघरी परियेसी । न घ्यावे अन्न कुटिलासी । महादोष बोलिजे ॥७७॥

taskaravidyā ase jyāsī | dvārapāḷakāgharī pariyesī | na ghyāve anna kuṭilāsī | mahādoṣa bolije ||77||

One skilled in the art of thievery, or at the house of a gatekeeper, listen — food should not be taken from the crooked; it is called a great fault.

Association with thievery or with deceitful, crooked character (kuṭila) is flatly disqualifying, regardless of the person's outward station.

Keep clear distance from anyone whose livelihood or character is built on dishonesty.

द्रव्य घेउनी शूद्राकरी । अध्ययन सांगे द्विजवरी । अन्न वर्जावे तया घरी । घोडी विकी जो ब्राह्मण ॥७८॥

dravya gheunī śūdrākarī | adhyayana sāmge dvijavarī | anna varjāve tayā gharī | ghoḍī vikī jo brāhmaṇa ||78||

A brahmin who takes money from a śūdra to teach him Vedic study, or who sells horses for a living — food should be avoided at his house.

Two specific breaches of proper brahmin vocation — commercializing sacred teaching, or trading in horses — are called out as disqualifying.

Don't sell what should be freely taught or shared out of principle.

भागवतकीर्तन नाही घरी । द्यूतकर्मी अतिनिष्ठुरी । स्नानावीण भोजन करी । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥७९॥

bhāgavatakīrtana nāhī gharī | dyūtakarmī atiniṣṭhurī | snānāvīṇa bhojana karī | tayā gharī jevū naye ||79||

A house where there is no Bhāgavata-kīrtana (devotional recitation), one who is a hardened gambler, one who eats food without bathing first — one should not eat at that house.

Absence of devotional practice, addiction to gambling, and neglect of basic ritual purity (bathing before meals) all mark a household as spiritually unfit to host.

Keep a basic daily rhythm of cleanliness and devotion in your own home before offering it to others.

न करी संध्या सायंकाळी । दान न करी कदा काळी । पितृकर्म वर्जिता कुळी । तया घरी न जेवावे ॥८०॥

na karī samdhyā sāyamkāḷī | dāna na karī kadā kāḷī | pitṛkarma varjitā kuḷī | tayā gharī na jevāve ||80||

One who does not perform evening sandhyā (twilight prayer), who never gives charity, whose family neglects rites for the ancestors — one should not eat at that house.

Three core daily and periodic duties — prayer, charity, ancestor rites — are the minimum markers of a functioning spiritual household; their absence disqualifies hospitality.

Keep up your own small daily disciplines of prayer and giving, even when life gets busy.

दंभार्थाने जो जप करी । अथवा कापट्यरूपे जरी । द्रव्य घेवोनि जप करी । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥८१॥

dambhārthāne jo japa karī | athavā kāpaṭyarūpe jarī | dravya ghevoni japa karī | tayā gharī jevū naye ||81||

One who chants japa out of pride or in a deceitful manner, or who chants japa for money — one should not eat at that house.

The verse targets spiritual hypocrisy — turning sacred practice into a display or a paid performance.

Practice your spiritual discipline sincerely, not as performance for others' approval or reward.

ऋण देऊन एखाद्यासी । उपकार दावी परियेसी । द्रव्य सांची कलत्रेसी । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥८२॥

ṛṇa deūna ekhādyāsī | upakāra dāvī pariyesī | dravya sāmcī kalatresī | tayā gharī jevū naye ||82||

One who gives a loan to someone and then flaunts it as a favor, listen, or who hoards wealth for his wife alone — one should not eat at that house.

Generosity turned into leverage over others, or wealth hoarded selfishly within one's immediate family alone, both fail the test of true giving.

Give help without holding it over the person you helped, and don't hoard resources only for your immediate circle.

विश्वासघातकी नराघरी । अनीति पक्षपात करी । स्वधर्म सांडी दुराचारी । पूर्वजमार्ग सोडिल्या घरी ॥८३॥

viśvāsaghātakī narāgharī | anīti pakṣapāta karī | svadharma sāmḍī durācārī | pūrvajamārga soḍilyā gharī ||83||

At the house of a treacherous man, of one who practices injustice and favoritism, of one of bad conduct who has abandoned his own dharma, of one who has left the path of his ancestors — one should not eat.

Betrayal of trust, injustice, and abandonment of one's inherited path are grouped as fundamental breaches worth avoiding.

Be wary of building close ties with people known for betrayal or abandoning their own principles.

विद्वज्जन ब्राह्मण साधूसी । एखादा करी अति द्वेषी । अन्न वर्जावे तुम्ही हर्षी । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥८४॥

vidvajjana brāhmaṇa sādhūsī | ekhādā karī ati dveṣī | anna varjāve tumhī harṣī | tayā gharī jevū naye ||84||

One who bears intense hatred toward learned brahmins and saints — you should gladly avoid food; one should not eat at that house.

Hostility toward the learned and holy marks a household as unfit, since such enmity undermines the very culture the code protects.

Notice how someone treats teachers and the wise — it reveals their true character.

कुळदैवत माता पिता । सोडोनि जाय जो परता । आपुलाले गुरूसी निंदिता । जेवू नये तया घरी ॥८५॥

kuḷadaivata mātā pitā | soḍoni jāya jo paratā | āpulāle gurūsī nimditā | jevū naye tayā gharī ||85||

One who abandons his family deity, his mother and father, and turns away, and who reviles his own guru — one should not eat at that house.

Contempt for one's family deity, parents, and guru together represent the total collapse of the reverence the tradition asks of a person.

Guard your own reverence for family, roots, and teachers, since neglecting them corrodes everything else.

गोब्राह्मणवध करी । स्त्रीवधु नर असे जरी । अन्न घेता दोष भारी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती विप्रासी ॥८६॥

gobrāhmaṇavadha karī | strīvadhu nara ase jarī | anna ghetā doṣa bhārī | śrīguru mhaṇatī viprāsī ||86||

One who kills a cow or a brahmin, or a man who is a wife-killer — taking food from him brings heavy fault, Śrīguru tells the brahmin.

The gravest crimes named in this tradition — cow-slaying, brahmin-slaying, wife-killing — put a household entirely beyond the pale of hospitality.

Draw a hard, non-negotiable line against association with violence toward the vulnerable.

आशाबद्ध सदा नरु । धरूनि राहे एका द्वारु । दान देता वर्जी जरु । जेवू नये तया घरी ॥८७॥

āśābaddha sadā naru | dharūni rāhe ekā dvāru | dāna detā varjī jaru | jevū naye tayā gharī ||87||

A man who is always bound by greed, who stations himself at one doorway begging endlessly, who withholds when it is time to give — one should not eat at that house.

Chronic greed and stinginess toward others, even while demanding from them, disqualify a household's food.

Be as ready to give as you are to ask; don't let greed become a fixed posture.

समस्त जातीस करी शरण । तोचि चांडाळ होय जाण । घेऊ नये त्याचे अन्न । नमन न करी विप्रासी ॥८८॥

samasta jātīsa karī śaraṇa | toci cāmḍāḷa hoya jāṇa | gheū naye tyāce anna | namana na karī viprāsī ||88||

One who bows in submission indiscriminately to every caste for gain, know that he becomes like an outcast; do not take his food — he does not show respect to brahmins.

Indiscriminate self-abasement for advantage, and disrespect toward the learned, together mark a debased character regardless of birth.

Keep your self-respect intact even while being humble; don't bow indiscriminately for personal gain.

आपुल्या कन्याजामातेसी । क्रोधे करून सदा दूषी । न घ्यावे अन्न त्या घरासी । निपुत्राचे घरी देखा ॥८९॥

āpulyā kanyājāmātesī | krodhe karūna sadā dūṣī | na ghyāve anna tyā gharāsī | niputrāce gharī dekhā ||89||

One who constantly abuses his own daughter and son-in-law in anger — food should not be taken at that house; likewise see, at the house of one who is sonless.

Habitual anger toward one's own daughter's family, and the special caution regarding a sonless household (whose ritual continuity is considered incomplete), both appear here.

Guard against letting anger poison your relationship with your children's spouses.

पंचमहायज्ञ करी आपण । जेवी आणिकाचे घरी अन्न । परपाक करी तया नाम जाण । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥९०॥

pamcamahāyajña karī āpaṇa | jevī āṇikāce gharī anna | parapāka karī tayā nāma jāṇa | tayā gharī jevū naye ||90||

One who himself performs the five great sacrifices yet eats food cooked at another's house — know that he is called parapāka (one who lives off others' cooking); one should not eat at his house.

Even a ritually correct man loses his standing if he habitually eats elsewhere instead of relying on his own household's offerings — outward ritual without inward self-sufficiency rings hollow.

Match your outward observances with genuine self-reliance at home, not just public performance.

विवाह झाला असता आपण । पंचमहायज्ञ न करी ब्राह्मण । स्थालीपाकनिवृत्ति नव जाणे । न जेवावे तया घरी ॥९१॥

vivāha jhālā asatā āpaṇa | pamcamahāyajña na karī brāhmaṇa | sthālīpākanivṛtti nava jāṇe | na jevāve tayā gharī ||91||

A brahmin who, though married, does not perform the five great sacrifices, and does not know the discipline of the household hearth-offering (sthālīpāka) — one should not eat at that house.

Marriage in this tradition brings the duty of maintaining daily household rites; neglecting them, even out of ignorance, disqualifies the home.

Learn the basic responsibilities that come with a new role or commitment before taking it on.

घरचे अन्न दूषण करी । परान्नाची स्तुति करी । अन्न वर्जावे तया घरी । श्वपच नाम तयाचे ॥९२॥

gharace anna dūṣaṇa karī | parānnācī stuti karī | anna varjāve tayā gharī | śvapaca nāma tayāce ||92||

One who criticizes the food of his own house and praises another's food — food should be avoided at his house; his very name becomes śvapaca (dog-cooker, an outcaste term).

Chronic dissatisfaction with what is one's own, paired with envy of others', earns the harshest possible label in this text — a striking rebuke of ingratitude.

Practice contentment with what your own household provides rather than constantly praising what belongs to others.

भाणसपणे उदर भरी । अन्न घेता तया घरी । डोळे जाती अवधारी । आंधळा होय अल्पायुषी ॥९३॥

bhāṇasapaṇe udara bharī | anna ghetā tayā gharī | ḍoḷe jātī avadhārī | āmdhaḷā hoya alpāyuṣī ||93||

One who fills his belly by cooking for hire — taking food at his house, know that one's eyes are lost; one becomes blind and short-lived.

A hyperbolic warning attached to accepting food from someone who cooks purely as a paid trade, showing how seriously commercialized food is treated in this code.

Be mindful of where your food and sustenance ultimately come from, not just its convenience.

बधिर होय शरीरहीन । स्मृतिमेघा जाय जाण । धृतिशक्ति जाय जाण । माणसाचे घरी जेवू नये ॥९४॥

badhira hoya śarīrahīna | smṛtimeghā jāya jāṇa | dhṛtiśakti jāya jāṇa | māṇasāce gharī jevū naye ||94||

One becomes deaf and weak in body, memory clouds over and departs, the power of steadfastness departs — one should not eat at such a person's house.

The dire consequences continue as poetic exaggeration meant to impress the seriousness of dietary discernment on the listener, not literal medical fact.

Take seriously how your surroundings and company can quietly erode your clarity and resolve over time.

गृहस्थधर्मे असे आपण । दानधर्म न करी जाण । अद्वैतशास्त्र बोलू जाणे । तया घरी जेवू नये ॥९५॥

gṛhasthadharme ase āpaṇa | dānadharma na karī jāṇa | advaitaśāstra bolū jāṇe | tayā gharī jevū naye ||95||

One who, though a householder, knows not how to practice charity, yet knows how to talk of non-dual (Advaita) philosophy — one should not eat at that house.

The verse warns against hollow intellectualism: reciting high philosophy while failing basic charity is called out as a form of hypocrisy.

Match your fine words about wisdom with concrete acts of generosity.

परगृही वास आपण । परान्न जेवी जो ब्राह्मण । त्याचे जितुके असे पुण्य । यजमानासी जाय देखा ॥९६॥

paragṛhī vāsa āpaṇa | parānna jevī jo brāhmaṇa | tyāce jituke ase puṇya | yajamānāsī jāya dekhā ||96||

A brahmin who lives at another's house and eats another's food — whatever merit (puṇya) he possesses passes, see, to the host (yajamāna).

A striking teaching on spiritual economics: the guest's accumulated merit transfers to the host who feeds him, explaining why hospitality is so highly prized in this tradition.

Recognize that hosting and feeding someone in need is itself a form of earning merit, not just spending resources.

तया यजमानाचे दोष । लागती त्वरित भोजनस्पर्श । त्याचिकारणे निषिद्ध असे । परान्न तुम्ही वर्जावे ॥९७॥

tayā yajamānāce doṣa | lāgatī tvarita bhojanasparśa | tyācikāraṇe niṣiddha ase | parānna tumhī varjāve ||97||

The host's own faults, too, quickly attach through the touch of the meal — for this reason another's food is forbidden; you should avoid it.

The transfer runs both ways: along with merit, the host's faults can pass to the guest through the shared meal, which is exactly why the code is so cautious about whose table one sits at.

Be mindful that the company and influences you regularly share your table with can rub off on you, for better or worse.

भूदान गोदान सुवर्णदान । गजवाजीरत्‍नदान । घेता नाही महादूषण । अन्नदाना अतिदोष असे ॥९८॥

bhūdāna godāna suvarṇadāna | gajavājīrat‍nadāna | ghetā nāhī mahādūṣaṇa | annadānā atidoṣa ase ||98||

Accepting a gift of land, a cow, gold, an elephant, a horse, or a jewel does not carry great fault; but the gift of food carries an even greater risk of fault.

Food, uniquely among gifts, is said to carry moral risk in both directions because it is consumed and becomes part of the recipient — hence the elaborate caution around annadāna (food-gift).

Be more careful about whose hospitality and daily influence you accept than about occasional material gifts.

समस्त दुष्कृत परान्नासी । घडती देखा ब्राह्मणासी । तैसेचि जाणा परस्त्रियेसी । संग केलिया नरक होय ॥९९॥

samasta duṣkṛta parānnāsī | ghaḍatī dekhā brāhmaṇāsī | taiseci jāṇā parastriyesī | samga keliyā naraka hoya ||99||

All manner of misdeeds attach to a brahmin through another's food, see; know likewise that consorting with another's wife leads to hell.

The text places careless acceptance of others' food on the same moral register as adultery — both are treated as serious, hell-bringing violations of boundary.

Guard the boundaries of your household — food and fidelity alike — with equal seriousness.

परगृही वास करिता । जाय आपुली लक्ष्मी त्वरिता । अमावास्येसी परान्न जेविता । मासपुण्य जाय देखा ॥१००॥

paragṛhī vāsa karitā | jāya āpulī lakṣmī tvaritā | amāvāsyesī parānna jevitā | māsapuṇya jāya dekhā ||100||

Dwelling at another's house, one's own prosperity (Lakṣmī) quickly departs; eating another's food on the new-moon day, one loses, see, a whole month's merit.

Dependence on others' hospitality is shown to erode one's own prosperity over time, and specific inauspicious days (amāvāsyā, new moon) sharpen the penalty.

Build and protect your own self-sufficiency rather than habitually leaning on others' resources.

अगत्य जाणे परान्नासी । न बोलाविता जाय संतोषी । जाता होती महादोषी । शूद्रे बोलाविता जाऊ नये ॥१॥

agatya jāṇe parānnāsī | na bolāvitā jāya samtoṣī | jātā hotī mahādoṣī | śūdre bolāvitā jāū naye ||1||

One should go to another's food only out of genuine necessity; going gladly without being invited brings great fault; one should not go if invited by a śūdra.

The passage restates the underlying rule of restraint — never presume upon others' hospitality unless truly needed, and honor caste-appropriate boundaries of invitation.

Wait to be genuinely invited rather than inserting yourself uninvited into others' generosity.

आपुल्या कन्येच्या घरासी । जाऊ नये भोजनासी । पुत्र झालिया कन्येसी । सुखे जावे अवधारा ॥२॥

āpulyā kanyecyā gharāsī | jāū naye bhojanāsī | putra jhāliyā kanyesī | sukhe jāve avadhārā ||2||

One should not go to one's own daughter's house for a meal; but once the daughter has borne a son, one may go there happily, mark this.

A specific exception softens the general rule: once a daughter has her own son, ensuring the family line and household stability, her father may freely accept her hospitality.

Recognize the moments when a milestone in a loved one's life removes an old restraint and allows closer connection.

सूर्यचंद्रग्रहणेसी । दान घेऊ नये परियेसी । जात अथवा मृतसूतकेसी । जाऊ नये परियेसा ॥३॥

sūryacamdragrahaṇesī | dāna gheū naye pariyesī | jāta athavā mṛtasūtakesī | jāū naye pariyesā ||3||

During a solar or lunar eclipse, one should not accept gifts, listen; nor should one go where there is birth-impurity or death-impurity (sūtaka), listen.

Astronomical and life-cycle impurity periods (sūtaka around birth and death, and eclipses) are marked as times to withdraw from ordinary social exchange.

Recognize seasons of grief or major transition in others' lives as times to give space rather than intrude.

ब्राह्मणपणाचा आचार । कवण रहाटे द्विजवर । तैसे जरी करिती नर । त्यासी कैचे दैन्य असे ॥४॥

brāhmaṇapaṇācā ācāra | kavaṇa rahāṭe dvijavara | taise jarī karitī nara | tyāsī kaice dainya ase ||4||

Who indeed lives out the true conduct proper to a brahmin? If a person truly practiced it as described, how could poverty ever touch him?

The teaching turns reflective: proper conduct, faithfully lived, is itself said to be the guarantee against real poverty, whatever one's material circumstance looks like.

Trust that living by sound, disciplined principles is itself a form of wealth, regardless of your bank balance.

समस्त देव त्याचे होती । अष्ट महासिद्धि साधती । ब्राह्मणकर्मै आचरती । कामधेनु तया घरी ॥५॥

samasta deva tyāce hotī | aṣṭa mahāsiddhi sādhatī | brāhmaṇakarmai ācaratī | kāmadhenu tayā gharī ||5||

All the gods become his; the eight great powers (aṣṭa-siddhi) are attained; if he practices his brahmin duties properly, the wish-fulfilling cow (Kāmadhenu) dwells in his house.

Faithful practice of one's proper duty (svadharma) is described as drawing in every form of blessing, symbolized by the mythic Kāmadhenu, giver of all one desires.

Keep faithfully to your proper responsibilities, and trust that abundance follows discipline, even if invisibly.

विप्र मदांधे व्यापिले । आचारकर्मे सांडिले । याचिकारणे दरिद्री झाले । स्वधर्म नष्ट होऊनिया ॥६॥

vipra madāmdhe vyāpile | ācārakarme sāmḍile | yācikāraṇe daridrī jhāle | svadharma naṣṭa hoūniyā ||6||

Brahmins have been overtaken by blind pride and have abandoned their proper conduct; for this reason they have become poor, their own dharma destroyed.

The guru diagnoses present-day poverty among brahmins as self-inflicted — the loss of svadharma (one's own proper duty) through arrogance, not an external curse.

When things go wrong, first examine whether you've drifted from your own basic discipline before blaming outside forces.

विप्र विनवी स्वामीसी । आमुची विनंति परियेसी । सकळ आचारधर्मासी । निरोपावे दातारा ॥७॥

vipra vinavī svāmīsī | āmucī vinamti pariyesī | sakaḷa ācāradharmāsī | niropāve dātārā ||7||

The brahmin entreats the master: 'hear our request — please instruct us fully in the entire code of proper conduct, O giver.'

Having heard the diagnosis, the disciple now asks for the complete cure — the full code of conduct, not just fragments.

Once you understand a problem's root cause, ask for the whole remedy, not just a partial fix.

श्रीगुरुमूर्ति कृपासागरु । त्रिमूर्तीच्या अवतारु । भक्तजनांच्या आधारु । निरोपावे आचार ब्राह्मणाचे ॥८॥

śrīgurumūrti kṛpāsāgaru | trimūrtīcyā avatāru | bhaktajanāmcyā ādhāru | niropāve ācāra brāhmaṇāce ||8||

O Śrīguru, ocean of compassion, incarnation of the Trinity, support of devotees — please instruct us in the conduct proper to brahmins.

The request is framed with full reverence, invoking the guru's identity as an incarnation of the Trimūrti (Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Maheśa) and refuge of devotees.

Approach a teacher's guidance with reverence, recognizing the weight of what you're being given.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती तयासी । ब्राह्मणाचा आचार पुससी । सांगेन ऐक विस्तारेसी । पूर्वी ऋषि आचरले जे ॥९॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī tayāsī | brāhmaṇācā ācāra pusasī | sāmgena aika vistāresī | pūrvī ṛṣi ācarale je ||9||

Śrīguru says to him: 'you ask about the conduct proper to a brahmin; I will tell it at length — listen to what the ancient sages practiced.'

The guru anchors his coming teaching in the practice of the ancient sages (ṛṣi), not invention, giving it the weight of tradition.

When teaching something important, root it in tested tradition rather than presenting it as your own novel idea.

नैमिषारण्यी समस्त ऋषि । तप करिती बहु दिवसी । आला पराशर ऋषि । म्हणोनि समस्त वंदिती ॥११०॥

naimiṣāraṇyī samasta ṛṣi | tapa karitī bahu divasī | ālā parāśara ṛṣi | mhaṇoni samasta vamditī ||110||

In the forest of Naimiṣa, all the sages were performing austerities for many days; the sage Parāśara arrived, and so all bowed to him.

A story-within-a-story begins: the setting shifts to the legendary forest hermitage of Naimiṣāraṇya, where sage Parāśara, revered by his peers, will now speak.

Recognize and honor genuine expertise when it arrives among a group, even a group of accomplished peers.

समस्त ऋषि मिळोन । विनविताती कर जोडून । ब्राह्मणाचे आचरण । केवी करावे म्हणती ते ॥११॥

samasta ṛṣi miḷona | vinavitātī kara joḍūna | brāhmaṇāce ācaraṇa | kevī karāve mhaṇatī te ||11||

All the sages gathered together and entreated with joined palms, asking, 'how should the conduct of a brahmin be carried out?'

Even accomplished sages, gathered together, humbly ask a senior authority for guidance — a model of communal humility before expertise.

Don't let accomplishment stop you from asking basic, humble questions when clarity is needed.

आता आम्ही आचार करितो । तेणे संशय मनी येतो । ब्रह्मऋषि तुम्ही म्हणूनि पुसतो । तुमचा उपदेश आम्हा व्हावा ॥१२॥

ātā āmhī ācāra karito | teṇe samśaya manī yeto | brahmaṛṣi tumhī mhaṇūni pusato | tumacā upadeśa āmhā vhāvā ||12||

'We now practice our conduct, yet doubt arises in our minds; since you are a brahmaṛṣi we ask you — let your teaching come to us.'

Their doubt (saṁśaya) about whether their own practice is correct is itself framed as valuable — honest uncertainty that seeks correction rather than complacent assumption.

Voice your uncertainty about whether you're doing something right, rather than assuming you already know.

गुरुमुखेवीण मंत्र । ग्राह्य नव्हे हो पवित्र । तैसा श्रीगुरु तू सत्पात्र । आचार आम्हा सांगावे ॥१३॥

gurumukhevīṇa mamtra | grāhya navhe ho pavitra | taisā śrīguru tū satpātra | ācāra āmhā sāmgāve ||13||

Without the guru's mouth, a mantra is not acceptable, however sacred; just so, you, Śrīguru, are the worthy vessel — please tell us the conduct.

The principle that a mantra received directly from a qualified teacher's mouth (guru-mukha) alone is valid explains why the sages insist on Parāśara personally, not a written text.

Seek instruction directly from someone qualified, rather than relying only on secondhand or written accounts.

पराशर म्हणे ऋषींसी । सांगेन आचार तुम्हासी । जेणे होय अप्रयासी । सर्व सिद्धि पावती ॥१४॥

parāśara mhaṇe ṛṣīmsī | sāmgena ācāra tumhāsī | jeṇe hoya aprayāsī | sarva siddhi pāvatī ||14||

Parāśara says to the sages: 'I will tell you the conduct by which, without effort, all attainments (siddhi) are reached.'

Parāśara promises that right conduct, properly followed, leads to accomplishment aprayāsī — effortlessly — because discipline internalized no longer feels like strain.

Trust that consistent, correct daily habits eventually make achievement feel effortless rather than forced.

ब्राह्ममुहूर्ती उठोनि । श्रीगुरुस्मरण करोनि । मग ध्याव्या मूर्ति तिन्ही । ब्रह्माविष्णुमहेश्वर ॥१५॥

brāhmamuhūrtī uṭhoni | śrīgurusmaraṇa karoni | maga dhyāvyā mūrti tinhī | brahmāviṣṇumaheśvara ||15||

Rising at the brahma-muhūrta (the pre-dawn hour), one should remember Śrīguru, then meditate on the three forms: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara.

The daily code begins at its natural starting point — the auspicious pre-dawn hour — with remembrance of guru and the Trinity, setting the day's tone before any action.

Start your day with a quiet moment of remembrance or gratitude before diving into tasks.

मग स्मरावे नवग्रह । सूर्यादि केतूसह । सनत्कुमार-सनक-सनंदन-सह । स्मरावे तये वेळी ॥१६॥

maga smarāve navagraha | sūryādi ketūsaha | sanatkumāra-sanaka-sanamdana-saha | smarāve taye veḷī ||16||

Then one should remember the nine planets, from the Sun through Ketu, along with Sanatkumāra, Sanaka, and Sanandana; remember them at that time.

The morning remembrance extends to the navagraha (nine celestial bodies) and the eternally-youthful sage-boys Sanaka and his brothers, weaving cosmic and sagely order into the day's opening thought.

Widen your morning gratitude beyond yourself to include the larger order and wisdom you rely on.

सह-नारद तुंबरु देखा । स्मरावे सिद्ध योगी देखा । सप्त समुद्र असती जे का । स्मरावे सप्त पितृदेवता ॥१७॥

saha-nārada tumbaru dekhā | smarāve siddha yogī dekhā | sapta samudra asatī je kā | smarāve sapta pitṛdevatā ||17||

Along with Nārada and Tumburu, see, one should remember the accomplished yogis; the seven seas that exist, and the seven ancestral deities should be remembered.

The remembrance list continues to widen — divine musicians, perfected yogis, the great seas, and the ancestors — binding the individual's day to the whole cosmos and lineage.

Remember those who came before you — family and mentors alike — as part of your daily grounding.

सप्त ऋषीते स्मरोनि । सप्त द्वीपे सप्त भुवनी । समस्त नामे घेऊनि । ऐसे म्हणावे प्रातःस्मरण ॥१८॥

sapta ṛṣīte smaroni | sapta dvīpe sapta bhuvanī | samasta nāme gheūni | aise mhaṇāve prātaḥsmaraṇa ||18||

Remembering the seven sages, the seven continents, the seven worlds, taking all these names — this is what should be called the morning remembrance (prātaḥsmaraṇa).

The full sequence — guru, Trinity, planets, sages, seas, ancestors, worlds — together constitutes prātaḥsmaraṇa, a complete cosmic orientation practice before the day's business begins.

Build a brief but complete morning ritual that orients your whole perspective before the day's demands take over.

मग उठावे शयनस्थानी । आचमन करोनि दोनी । लघुशंकेसी जाऊनि । शौचाचमन करावे ॥१९॥

maga uṭhāve śayanasthānī | ācamana karoni donī | laghuśamkesī jāūni | śaucācamana karāve ||19||

Then one should rise from the sleeping place, perform ācamana (ritual sipping) twice, go to relieve oneself, and then perform the purificatory ācamana again.

The teaching becomes concretely physical: the small ritual of sipping water (ācamana) punctuates ordinary bodily acts, turning even waking and relieving oneself into structured, mindful practice.

Attach a small mindful pause to your first ordinary acts of the morning instead of rushing through them unconsciously.

पराशर म्हणे ऋषींसी । ऐका आचमनविधीसी । सांगतसे विस्तारेसी । जे जे समयी करणे ऐका ॥१२०॥

parāśara mhaṇe ṛṣīmsī | aikā ācamanavidhīsī | sāmgatase vistāresī | je je samayī karaṇe aikā ||120||

Parāśara says to the sages: 'listen to the rule of ācamana; I will explain it in detail — listen to when it must be performed on each occasion.'

Parāśara now signals a focused sub-teaching on the specific occasions requiring the water-sipping purification rite.

When teaching a practice, be specific about exactly when and how often it applies.

स्नानापूर्वी अपर दोनी । उदक प्राशिता येणेचि गुणी । निजता उठता समयी दोनी । आचमने करावी ॥२१॥

snānāpūrvī apara donī | udaka prāśitā yeṇeci guṇī | nijatā uṭhatā samayī donī | ācamane karāvī ||21||

Before bathing, two more ācamanas; likewise when drinking water; upon lying down and upon rising, two ācamanas each time should be performed.

The rite is woven into the most basic rhythms of the body — bathing, drinking, sleeping, waking — each bracketed by this small act of purification.

Bracket your basic daily transitions — waking, resting, eating — with a small deliberate act of mindfulness.

अधोवायुशब्द झालिया । वोखटे दृष्टी देखिलिया । दोन्ही वेळा आचमूनिया । शुचि व्हावे परियेसा ॥२२॥

adhovāyuśabda jhāliyā | vokhaṭe dṛṣṭī dekhiliyā | donhī veḷā ācamūniyā | śuci vhāve pariyesā ||22||

If the sound of passing wind occurs, or if something unclean is seen by the eyes, on both occasions one should perform ācamana and become pure, listen.

Even involuntary bodily events or accidental sights are treated as needing a small restorative gesture — the practice is meant to keep one continually recentered.

When something small throws you off center, have a quick, simple way to reset yourself rather than letting it linger.

भोजनापूर्वी अपर दोनी । जांभई आलिया शिंकलिया दोनी । लघुशंकाशौची दोनी । आचमन करावे ॥२३॥

bhojanāpūrvī apara donī | jāmbhaī āliyā śimkaliyā donī | laghuśamkāśaucī donī | ācamana karāve ||23||

Before a meal, two more; after yawning or sneezing, two; after urination and defecation, two — ācamana should be performed.

The list of triggers for this small purification continues to expand across ordinary bodily events, underlining how thoroughly this discipline threads through daily life.

Build small resets into your routine after every minor bodily interruption, rather than only at big milestones.

जवळी उदक नसेल जरी । श्रोत्राचमन करा निर्धारी । स्पर्श करावा अक्ष श्रोत्री । येणे पवित्र परियेसा ॥२४॥

javaḷī udaka nasela jarī | śrotrācamana karā nirdhārī | sparśa karāvā akṣa śrotrī | yeṇe pavitra pariyesā ||24||

If water is not nearby, perform śrotrācamana (ear-touching purification) with resolve; touch the eye and ear — by this one becomes pure, listen.

The tradition builds in a practical accommodation: when water is unavailable, a symbolic gesture of touching the ear substitutes, showing that the outward form can flex while the inward intent remains.

When you can't do a practice in its ideal form, find the simplest honest substitute rather than skipping it entirely.

ब्राह्मणाचे उजवे कानी । सप्त देवता असती निर्गुणी । त्यासी स्पर्शिता तत्क्षणी । आचमनफळ असे देखा ॥२५॥

brāhmaṇāce ujave kānī | sapta devatā asatī nirguṇī | tyāsī sparśitā tatkṣaṇī | ācamanaphaḷa ase dekhā ||25||

In a brahmin's right ear reside seven formless deities; touching it instantly grants the fruit of ācamana, see.

The right ear is held to be a permanent seat of seven deities, so touching it is treated as spiritually equivalent to the full water rite — an accessible substitute always literally at hand.

Remember that some form of the sacred is always within reach, even without special materials or perfect conditions.

श्लोक । अग्निरापश्च चंद्रश्च वरुणार्कैद्रवायवः । विप्रस्य दक्षिणे कर्णे नित्यं तिष्ठन्ति देवताः ॥२६॥

śloka | agnirāpaśca camdraśca varuṇārkaidravāyavaḥ | viprasya dakṣiṇe karṇe nityam tiṣṭhanti devatāḥ ||26||

Verse (Sanskrit): Agni, water, and moon, Varuṇa, the sun, and Vāyu — these deities always dwell in the right ear of the brahmin.

A Sanskrit śloka is quoted directly to give scriptural authority to the previous teaching about the seven deities residing in the right ear.

When making an important claim, be ready to cite the source behind it, as this teaching does.

टीका । त्या देवतांची नावे ऐका । सांगेन ऋषि सकळिका । अग्नि आप वरुणार्का । वायु इंद्र चंद्र असती ॥२७॥

ṭīkā | tyā devatāmcī nāve aikā | sāmgena ṛṣi sakaḷikā | agni āpa varuṇārkā | vāyu imdra camdra asatī ||27||

Commentary: hear the names of those deities — I will tell all the sages: Agni, water, Varuṇa, Sun, Vāyu, Indra, and Moon are present.

A prose-verse commentary (ṭīkā) unpacks the compressed Sanskrit śloka into its seven named deities, making the teaching accessible to the assembled sages.

Take time to unpack dense wisdom into plain terms for those you're sharing it with.

लघुशंकाचमन करोनि । तूष्णीम स्नान करा सुमनी । बैसावे शुचि आसनी । अरुणोदय होय तव ॥२८॥

laghuśamkācamana karoni | tūṣṇīma snāna karā sumanī | baisāve śuci āsanī | aruṇodaya hoya tava ||28||

Having done ācamana after urination, bathe in silence with a good mind, then sit on a clean seat as dawn is breaking.

The sequence of the morning routine continues in order — purification, silent bathing, and settling onto a clean seat right as the sun rises, aligning inner and outer readiness with the natural light.

Match the pace of your morning routine to a natural rhythm — quiet, unhurried, in step with the day's actual start.

गायत्रीमंत्रजपाव्यतिरिक्त । वरकड जपावे पवित्र । प्रगट होता अरुणोदित । बहिर्भूमीसी जाईजे ॥२९॥

gāyatrīmamtrajapāvyatirikta | varakaḍa japāve pavitra | pragaṭa hotā aruṇodita | bahirbhūmīsī jāīje ||29||

Apart from the Gāyatrī-mantra japa, other pure mantras should also be chanted; once the dawn has fully appeared, one should go out to the fields to relieve oneself.

The sacred recitations (japa) are placed before the day's first practical necessity, ordering priorities so worship precedes even bodily need once light has come.

Put your most important spiritual or personal practice first thing, before the day's practical demands take over.

यज्ञोपवीत कानी ठेवोनि । डोईल पालव घालूनि । नैऋत्य दिशे जाऊनि । अधोमुखी बैसावे ॥१३०॥

yajñopavīta kānī ṭhevoni | ḍoīla pālava ghālūni | naiṛtya diśe jāūni | adhomukhī baisāve ||130||

Placing the sacred thread over the ear, covering the head with the cloth's end, going toward the southwest direction, one should sit facing downward.

Specific practical instructions follow for the act of relieving oneself with dignity — protecting the sacred thread, covering the head, choosing a proper direction, and a modest posture.

Even in the most mundane necessary tasks, keep a measure of order and self-respect.

दिवसा बसावे उत्तरमुखी । रात्री बैसावे दक्षिणमुखी । मौन असावे विवेकी । चहूकडे पाहू नये ॥३१॥

divasā basāve uttaramukhī | rātrī baisāve dakṣiṇamukhī | mauna asāve vivekī | cahūkaḍe pāhū naye ||31||

By day one should sit facing north, by night facing south; one should keep silence with discernment, and not look around in all directions.

The instructions continue with directional orientation by time of day and an emphasis on silence and restrained attention even during this private, mundane act.

Practice restraint and quiet focus even in your most private, unglamorous moments — discipline isn't only for public occasions.

सूर्यचंद्रनक्षत्रांसी । पाहू नये नदी-आकाशी । स्त्रीजन लोक परियेसी । पाहू नये कवणाते ॥३२॥

sūryacamdranakṣatrāmsī | pāhū naye nadī-ākāśī | strījana loka pariyesī | pāhū naye kavaṇāte ||32||

One should not look at the sun, moon, or stars, nor at a river or the sky; one should not look, listen, at any woman or other people.

The rule of averted gaze protects both propriety (not gazing at women or people) and reverence (not directing an impure moment's gaze at sacred natural bodies).

Show basic modesty and respect for others' presence even during ordinary, private necessities.

शौचाविणे कांस घाली । कांस न काढी लघुशंकाकाळी । त्यासी होय यमपुरी अढळी । नरक भोगी अवधारा ॥३३॥

śaucāviṇe kāmsa ghālī | kāmsa na kāḍhī laghuśamkākāḷī | tyāsī hoya yamapurī aḍhaḷī | naraka bhogī avadhārā ||33||

One who tucks his cloth without purification, or who does not loosen his garment properly at the time of urination — for him there is unwavering dwelling in Yama's city; he suffers hell, mark this.

The warning is stern and hyperbolic, in the style of this genre, to impress upon listeners the seriousness of even small hygienic-ritual carelessness.

Don't dismiss small habits of cleanliness and order as unimportant — sloppiness in small things tends to spread.

अगत्य घडे उदकावीण । करूनिया गंगास्मरण । मृत्तिकेने शौच करणे । भक्षणादि वर्जावे ॥३४॥

agatya ghaḍe udakāvīṇa | karūniyā gamgāsmaraṇa | mṛttikene śauca karaṇe | bhakṣaṇādi varjāve ||34||

If it truly happens without water available, one should remember the Ganges and purify with earth or clay; eating and the like should be avoided until purified.

Again a practical accommodation appears — when water is unavailable, remembering the sacred Gaṅgā and using clean earth serves as a valid substitute, showing intent matters as much as material.

When you lack the ideal means to do something right, use what's available with the same sincere intent.

बर्हिर्भूमि जावयासी । ठाऊ कैसा परियेसी । ऐका समस्त तत्परेसी । म्हणे पराशर सर्वाते ॥३५॥

barhirbhūmi jāvayāsī | ṭhāū kaisā pariyesī | aikā samasta tatparesī | mhaṇe parāśara sarvāte ||35||

As to knowing the proper place to go for relieving oneself, listen — hear this, all of you, with full attention, says Parāśara to everyone.

Parāśara signals yet another specific sub-topic — the choice of proper location — continuing his methodical, exhaustive style of instruction.

When instructing someone thoroughly, don't skip the seemingly small practical details — they matter in practice.

न बैसावे भूमीवरी । बैसिजे पानगवतावरी । हिरवी पर्णे करावी दुरी । वाळल्या पानी बैसावे ॥३६॥

na baisāve bhūmīvarī | baisije pānagavatāvarī | hiravī parṇe karāvī durī | vāḷalyā pānī baisāve ||36||

One should not sit directly on the bare ground; one should sit upon grass; green leaves should be kept away — one should sit upon dried leaves.

A simple hygienic-ritual rule: avoid bare earth and living green growth, sit only on what is already dried and no longer living.

Choose the option that causes least harm to living things, even in small everyday choices.

जे ब्राह्मण उभ्या मुतती । त्यांसी ऐका कवण गति । त्यांचे रोमे अंगी किती । तावत्काळ वर्षे नरकी पडती ॥३७॥

je brāhmaṇa ubhyā mutatī | tyāmsī aikā kavaṇa gati | tyāmce rome amgī kitī | tāvatkāḷa varṣe narakī paḍatī ||37||

Brahmins who urinate standing — hear what fate is theirs: for as many hairs as are on their body, for that many years they fall into hell.

A vivid, deliberately exaggerated warning closes this stretch of the teaching, using hyperbole (one year of hell per body-hair) to drive home the seriousness of basic bodily discipline.

Don't excuse small breaches of self-discipline as trivial — treat even minor habits of the body with real care.

मळविसर्जन करूनि । उठावे हाती शिश्न धरूनि । जळपात्रापासी जाऊनि । शौच करावे परियेसा ॥३८॥

maḷavisarjana karūni | uṭhāve hātī śiśna dharūni | jaḷapātrāpāsī jāūni | śauca karāve pariyesā ||38||

After voiding excrement, one should rise holding the organ with the hand, go to the water vessel, and perform the purification (shaucha), listen well.

The guru begins the daily-conduct code with the humblest bodily act — śauca (post-elimination purification) — teaching that no act, however lowly, falls outside sacred discipline.

Bring the same care to your smallest, most private routines as to your visible ones.

मृत्तिकाशौच करावयासी । मृत्तिका आणावी तुम्ही ऐसी । वारुळ मूषकगृह परियेसी । नदीमधील आणु नये ॥३९॥

mṛttikāśauca karāvayāsī | mṛttikā āṇāvī tumhī aisī | vāruḷa mūṣakagṛha pariyesī | nadīmadhīla āṇu naye ||39||

To perform purification with clay, gather clay of this kind: from an anthill or a mouse's burrow, listen well — do not take it from within a river.

Even the clay used for cleansing is chosen with discernment — mṛttikā-śauca (clay-purification) — showing that purity is pursued through right means, not merely right intention.

Choose your tools and materials thoughtfully, not just any that come to hand.

ज्या मार्गी लोक चालती । अथवा वृक्षाखालील माती । देवालय क्षेत्रतीर्थी । मृत्तिका आपण वर्जावी ॥१४०॥

jyā mārgī loka cālatī | athavā vṛkṣākhālīla mātī | devālaya kṣetratīrthī | mṛttikā āpaṇa varjāvī ||140||

Avoid clay from a path where people walk, or from beneath a tree, or from a temple, pilgrimage site, or holy water — one should refrain from taking it there.

Certain sources are set apart as unfit even for a humble task, teaching respect for shared and sacred spaces.

Do not take from common or sacred resources what is meant for everyone's use.

वापी कूप तडागात । मृत्तिका आणिता पुण्य बहुत । उदक करी घेऊनि प्रोक्षित । मृत्तिका घ्यावी शौचासी ॥४१॥

vāpī kūpa taḍāgāta | mṛttikā āṇitā puṇya bahuta | udaka karī gheūni prokṣita | mṛttikā ghyāvī śaucāsī ||41||

From a stepwell, well, or pond, taking the clay brings much merit; take water in hand, sprinkle it, and then take the clay for purification.

A small preparatory rite — sprinkling water before gathering — turns an ordinary act into a mindful one.

Pause and prepare before even routine tasks; a moment's mindfulness changes the doing.

आवळ्याएवढे गोळे करावे । लिंगस्थानी एक लावावे । अपानद्वारी पाच स्वभावे । एकैका हस्तासी तीन सप्ते ॥४२॥

āvaḷyāevaḍhe goḷe karāve | limgasthānī eka lāvāve | apānadvārī pāca svabhāve | ekaikā hastāsī tīna sapte ||42||

Make balls of clay the size of an amla fruit; apply one at the organ, five by nature at the anus, and three each, seven times, to each hand.

The counted, graded application of clay reflects the shastric love of precise measure in every bodily discipline.

Follow through a task to its proper completeness rather than stopping halfway.

एकैक पायासी सात वेळ । मृत्तिका लावावी सकळ । आणिक सांगेन समय केवळ । ऋषि समस्त परियेसा ॥४३॥

ekaika pāyāsī sāta veḷa | mṛttikā lāvāvī sakaḷa | āṇika sāmgena samaya kevaḷa | ṛṣi samasta pariyesā ||43||

Apply the clay seven times to each foot as well; I will further explain the occasions for this, listen, all you sages.

The guru signals he will now give the underlying principle, not just the mechanics — teaching that rules exist for reasons, not by rote.

Ask why a discipline exists, not only how to perform it.

या मृत्तिका शौचविधान । मूत्रशंकेसी एक गुण । बहुर्भूमीसी द्विगुण । मैथुनाअंती त्रिगुण देखा ॥४४॥

yā mṛttikā śaucavidhāna | mūtraśamkesī eka guṇa | bahurbhūmīsī dviguṇa | maithunāamtī triguṇa dekhā ||44||

In this code of clay-purification: one measure after urination, double after defecation, and triple after intercourse, know this.

The scale of purification matches the weight of the act — a reminder that not all actions call for equal discipline.

Match the seriousness of your self-correction to the seriousness of the act.

आणिक प्रकार असे देखा । करावे येणेप्रमाणे ऐका । जितुके करणे गृहस्थ लोका । द्विगुण करावे ब्रह्मचारी ॥४५॥

āṇika prakāra ase dekhā | karāve yeṇepramāṇe aikā | jituke karaṇe gṛhastha lokā | dviguṇa karāve brahmacārī ||45||

There is another rule, listen and act accordingly: whatever a householder must do, the celibate student must do double.

Greater discipline is asked of those still in training — the brahmacārī (student) — since foundational habits are being formed.

Hold yourself to a stricter standard while you are still learning a discipline.

त्रिगुण करावे वानप्रस्थे । चतुर्गुण करावे यती समस्ते । न्यून पूर्ण करावे यापरते । धर्मसिद्धि होय देखा ॥४६॥

triguṇa karāve vānaprasthe | caturguṇa karāve yatī samaste | nyūna pūrṇa karāve yāparate | dharmasiddhi hoya dekhā ||46||

The forest-dweller should do it triple, the renunciant fourfold; falling short of this should be made up, for thus dharma is accomplished.

As one advances through life's stages toward renunciation, the standard of inner discipline rises rather than relaxes.

As your commitment deepens, raise your standards rather than coast on old habits.

येणे प्रकारे करा दिवसी । रात्री याच्या अर्धैसी । संकटसमयी या अर्धैसी । मार्गस्थे अर्ध त्याहुनी ॥४७॥

yeṇe prakāre karā divasī | rātrī yācyā ardhaisī | samkaṭasamayī yā ardhaisī | mārgasthe ardha tyāhunī ||47||

Do it this way by day; by night, half of that; in times of difficulty, half of that again; while traveling, half of that.

The law bends its outer form to circumstance while keeping its spirit — an early lesson in adapting discipline without abandoning it.

When conditions are hard, scale a practice down rather than drop it entirely.

व्रतबंध झालिया ब्राह्मणासी । हाच आचार परियेसी । हाचि उपदेश चहू वर्णासी । शौचविधि बोलिला ॥४८॥

vratabamdha jhāliyā brāhmaṇāsī | hāca ācāra pariyesī | hāci upadeśa cahū varṇāsī | śaucavidhi bolilā ||48||

For a Brahmin after the sacred-thread rite, this is the conduct, listen; this same teaching on purification is given to all four social classes.

Closing the topic, the guru affirms the teaching's universality — good conduct is common ground beneath social distinction.

Recognize the basic disciplines you share with everyone, whatever your station.

शौच केलियानंतरी । चूळ भरावे परिकरी । ब्राह्मणे आठ भरी । क्षत्रिये सहा परियेसा ॥४९॥

śauca keliyānamtarī | cūḷa bharāve parikarī | brāhmaṇe āṭha bharī | kṣatriye sahā pariyesā ||49||

After the purification is done, rinse the mouth accordingly: a Brahmin rinses eight times, a Kshatriya six, listen.

Ācamana (ritual mouth-rinsing) follows purification, sealing the outer cleansing with an inner one.

Follow every act of cleansing with a settling, inward gesture — even one breath of pause.

वैश्ये चार शूद्रे दोनी वेळ । येणे विधि भरा चूळ । अधिक न करावे केवळ । म्हणे पराशर ऋषि ॥१५०॥

vaiśye cāra śūdre donī veḷa | yeṇe vidhi bharā cūḷa | adhika na karāve kevaḷa | mhaṇe parāśara ṛṣi ||150||

A Vaishya four times, a Shudra twice; rinse by this rule, and do no more than this, says sage Parashara.

Even ritual has an upper bound — excess is not virtue, only what is prescribed.

Do not mistake doing more for doing better; stop where the task is complete.

चूळ भरावे आठ वेळा । आचमावे तीन वेळा । शुचिस्थानी बैसून निर्मळा । कुळदेवता स्मरावी ॥५१॥

cūḷa bharāve āṭha veḷā | ācamāve tīna veḷā | śucisthānī baisūna nirmaḷā | kuḷadevatā smarāvī ||51||

Rinse the mouth eight times, sip water three times, sit in a clean place free of impurity, and remember the family deity.

The sequence ends with remembrance — bodily cleansing is completed by turning the mind toward the divine.

Let a moment of remembrance follow your daily cleansing rituals, however brief.

तूष्णीम्‍ आचमन करावे । नाम घेता चोवीस ठावे । आतळावे पुनः आचमावे । त्याचा विधी सांगेन ॥५२॥

tūṣṇīm‍ ācamana karāve | nāma ghetā covīsa ṭhāve | ātaḷāve punaḥ ācamāve | tyācā vidhī sāmgena ||52||

Sip water silently, invoking twenty-four names in their places; if touched by something impure, sip again — I will explain that rule.

Repetition after contact with impurity teaches that discipline is renewed each time it is broken, not abandoned.

If a good habit slips, simply restart it rather than giving it up.

विप्रदक्षिणतळहाती । पाच तीर्थे विख्यात असती । जे बोलिले असे श्रुती । सांगेन तीर्थ अवधारा ॥५३॥

vipradakṣiṇataḷahātī | pāca tīrthe vikhyāta asatī | je bolile ase śrutī | sāmgena tīrtha avadhārā ||53||

On a Brahmin's right palm, five sacred spots (tīrthas) are known, as spoken of in scripture; I will explain these tīrthas, listen well.

The hand itself is mapped as a field of sacred points — tīrtha (crossing place) here meaning not a river but a place on the body reserved for sanctity.

Treat your own hands and daily gestures as capable of carrying reverence.

अंगुष्ठमूळ तळहातेसी । अग्निब्रह्मतीर्थ परियेसी । तर्जनी अंगुष्ठ मध्यदेशी । पितृतीर्थ असे जाण ॥५४॥

amguṣṭhamūḷa taḷahātesī | agnibrahmatīrtha pariyesī | tarjanī amguṣṭha madhyadeśī | pitṛtīrtha ase jāṇa ||54||

At the base of the thumb on the palm is the Agni-Brahma-tīrtha; between forefinger and thumb is the Pitṛ-tīrtha (ancestors' spot), know this.

Different areas of the hand are assigned to fire and divinity, and to the ancestors, so that a single gesture of the hand can honor multiple realms.

Let one simple gesture of respect stand in for gratitude to many — teacher, ancestors, and the divine together.

चतुर्थ अंगुलीचे वरी । देवतीर्थ अवधारी । कनिष्ठिका भागोत्तरी । ऋषितीर्थ परियेसा ॥५५॥

caturtha amgulīce varī | devatīrtha avadhārī | kaniṣṭhikā bhāgottarī | ṛṣitīrtha pariyesā ||55||

Above the fourth finger is the Deva-tīrtha (gods' spot); beyond the little finger is the Ṛṣi-tīrtha (sages' spot), listen well.

The mapping continues — gods and sages each given their place on the hand — completing a small cosmos held in the palm.

Notice how much reverence can be folded into an ordinary part of the body or day.

तर्पण देवापितृऋषि । जे स्थानी तीर्थै करावी हर्षी । आचमन ब्रह्मतीर्थेसी । करा ब्राह्मण विद्वज्जन ॥५६॥

tarpaṇa devāpitṛṛṣi | je sthānī tīrthai karāvī harṣī | ācamana brahmatīrthesī | karā brāhmaṇa vidvajjana ||56||

Offer libations to gods, ancestors, and sages at the tīrtha proper to each, gladly; sip water at the Brahma-tīrtha, learned Brahmins, do this.

Tarpaṇa (offering water) directs gratitude outward to three classes of beings owed remembrance: divine, ancestral, and wise.

Set aside a moment to remember, in turn, those above you, those who came before you, and those who taught you.

ब्रह्मतीर्थे आचमने तिन्ही । केशव नारायण माधव म्हणोनि । देवतीर्थ उदक सांडोनि । गोविंद नाम उच्चारावे ॥५७॥

brahmatīrthe ācamane tinhī | keśava nārāyaṇa mādhava mhaṇoni | devatīrtha udaka sāmḍoni | govimda nāma uccārāve ||57||

At the Brahma-tīrtha, take three sips saying Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava; pour water at the Deva-tīrtha uttering the name Govinda.

Each sip is bound to a name of Viṣṇu, turning the mechanical act of sipping into an unbroken chain of remembrance.

Attach a word of gratitude or intention to a repeated daily action so it never becomes empty motion.

विष्णु मधुसूदन हस्त धुवोनि दोन्ही । त्रिविक्रम वामन गाला स्पर्शोनि । बिंबोष्ठ तळहस्ते स्पर्शोनि । श्रीधर नाम उच्चारावे ॥५८॥

viṣṇu madhusūdana hasta dhuvoni donhī | trivikrama vāmana gālā sparśoni | bimboṣṭha taḷahaste sparśoni | śrīdhara nāma uccārāve ||58||

Wash both hands saying Viṣṇu and Madhusūdana; touch the cheeks saying Trivikrama and Vāmana; touch the lips with the palm saying Śrīdhara.

The naming continues down the body, each part of the washing ritual carrying a divine name, so the whole body becomes a site of remembrance.

Turn ordinary self-care — washing, touching your face — into small, repeated acts of gratitude.

पुनरपि हस्त ह्रषीकेशी । पद्मनाभ पादद्वय स्पर्शी । सव्य हस्त पंचांगुलीसी । दामोदर शिखास्थानी ॥५९॥

punarapi hasta hraṣīkeśī | padmanābha pādadvaya sparśī | savya hasta pamcāmgulīsī | dāmodara śikhāsthānī ||59||

Again touch the hands saying Hṛṣīkeśa; touch both feet saying Padmanābha; touch the crown-lock with the five fingers of the right hand saying Dāmodara.

The list continues its careful mapping of names to body parts, teaching total, unbroken mindfulness through a routine act.

Bring full attention to a routine from start to finish rather than doing it absent-mindedly.

चतुरंगुलि पृष्ठदेशी । संकर्षण घ्राणेसी । तर्जनी आणि अंगुष्ठेसी । म्हणावा वासुदेव प्रद्युम्न ॥१६०॥

caturamguli pṛṣṭhadeśī | samkarṣaṇa ghrāṇesī | tarjanī āṇi amguṣṭhesī | mhaṇāvā vāsudeva pradyumna ||160||

Touch the back with four fingers saying Saṅkarṣaṇa; touch the nose; say Vāsudeva and Pradyumna with forefinger and thumb.

The names of Viṣṇu's family forms — Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna — thread through the smallest bodily gestures.

Let no part of your body or day be considered too minor for mindful attention.

अंगुष्ठ अनामिकेसी । नेत्रस्पर्श श्रोत्रेसी । कनिष्ठिका अंगुष्ठेसी । अच्युत नाभी म्हणावे ॥६१॥

amguṣṭha anāmikesī | netrasparśa śrotresī | kaniṣṭhikā amguṣṭhesī | acyuta nābhī mhaṇāve ||61||

Touch thumb and ring finger, touch the eyes and ears, touch little finger to thumb, and say Acyuta while touching the navel.

The litany nears completion, having covered eyes, ears, and navel — the whole sensory and vital frame consecrated.

Consecrate your senses each day by using them first for something reverent.

पंचांगुली उपेंद्र देखा । हरी श्रीकृष्ण भुजा एका । पाच अंगुली विधिपूर्वका । येणे विधी स्पर्शावे ॥६२॥

pamcāmgulī upemdra dekhā | harī śrīkṛṣṇa bhujā ekā | pāca amgulī vidhipūrvakā | yeṇe vidhī sparśāve ||62||

With five fingers, touch and say Upendra; say Hari and Śrī Kṛṣṇa on one arm; touch all five fingers according to this rule.

The list of twenty-four names concludes here, its purpose being to make remembrance of the divine as habitual as breathing.

Build small, repeated cues into your day that quietly redirect your mind toward what matters most.

विधी संध्याकाळी । आणिक करावे वेळोवेळी । अशौच अथवा संकटकाळी । असती विधाने ती ऐका ॥६३॥

vidhī samdhyākāḷī | āṇika karāve veḷoveḷī | aśauca athavā samkaṭakāḷī | asatī vidhāne tī aikā ||63||

This rite is done at evening and repeated at other times too; there are also rules for times of impurity or hardship — listen to these.

The teaching now turns to exceptions, acknowledging that life includes disruption and impurity, and that discipline must have contingencies.

Have a simplified version of your good habits ready for the hard days, not just the easy ones.

देवतीर्थे तिन्ही घ्यावे । हस्त प्रक्षाळा गोविंद नावे । मुख प्रक्षाळोनि मंत्र म्हणावे । संध्याव्यतिरिक्त येणेपरी ॥६४॥

devatīrthe tinhī ghyāve | hasta prakṣāḷā govimda nāve | mukha prakṣāḷoni mamtra mhaṇāve | samdhyāvyatirikta yeṇeparī ||64||

Take the three sips at the Deva-tīrtha, wash the hands saying Govinda's name, wash the face and recite the mantra — this is the way apart from the twilight rite.

A shorter form of the same rite is given for ordinary times outside the formal twilight prayer, showing flexibility within structure.

Keep a quick version of your core discipline for moments when the full form isn't possible.

विधान आणिक सांगेन । देवतीर्थे तिनी घेऊन । गोविंदनामे हस्त धुवून । चक्षु श्रोत्र स्पर्शावे ॥६५॥

vidhāna āṇika sāmgena | devatīrthe tinī gheūna | govimdanāme hasta dhuvūna | cakṣu śrotra sparśāve ||65||

I will tell yet another rule: take the three Deva-tīrtha sips, wash the hands with Govinda's name, and touch the eyes and ears.

Variants of the same rite are offered, teaching that there is more than one right way to hold to a discipline.

Allow yourself more than one acceptable way to keep a good habit, rather than an all-or-nothing standard.

शूद्रादि ओवाळियासी । स्पर्श होता परियेसी । आचमनविधि ऐसी । गुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणाते ॥६६॥

śūdrādi ovāḷiyāsī | sparśa hotā pariyesī | ācamanavidhi aisī | guru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāte ||66||

If touched after being waved with a lamp by a shudra or such, this is the rule for sipping water again, the guru tells the Brahmins.

Contact across social boundaries in that era called for renewed purification — a historical social norm embedded in the text, not a timeless teaching.

Notice which of your old boundaries still serve you and which are worth quietly outgrowing.

भिजोनि आलिया पाउसात । द्विराचमने होय पुनीत । स्नान भोजनी निश्चित । द्विराचमन करावे ॥६७॥

bhijoni āliyā pāusāta | dvirācamane hoya punīta | snāna bhojanī niścita | dvirācamana karāve ||67||

If one gets soaked coming in the rain, one becomes pure by sipping water twice; after bathing and after eating, one should certainly sip twice.

A double sip closes the loop after ordinary events like getting wet or eating, keeping the day's discipline continuous.

Return to your center with a small deliberate gesture after any interruption to your routine.

फलाहार भक्षण करिता । अथवा आपण उदक घेता । आला असेल स्मशानी हिंडता द्विराचमने शुद्ध होय ॥६८॥

phalāhāra bhakṣaṇa karitā | athavā āpaṇa udaka ghetā | ālā asela smaśānī himḍatā dvirācamane śuddha hoya ||68||

After eating fruit, or after drinking water, or after having wandered near a cremation ground, one becomes pure by sipping twice.

Even a brush with death and impurity — the cremation ground — is met not with fear but with a simple restorative rite.

Have a simple ritual to steady yourself after encountering something unsettling, rather than carrying its weight all day.

उदक नसे जवळी जरी । श्रोत्राचमन करा निर्धारी । आणिक असे एक परी । तूष्णीम आचमन करावे ॥६९॥

udaka nase javaḷī jarī | śrotrācamana karā nirdhārī | āṇika ase eka parī | tūṣṇīma ācamana karāve ||69||

If water is not at hand, perform the ear-touch sipping-substitute with resolve; there is also another way — silent sipping may be done.

The rite adapts to real scarcity, showing that intention and gesture can stand in when the material means are lacking.

When you lack the exact means for a good practice, use a simplified symbolic version rather than skipping it.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी । आचमनविधि आहे ऐसी । जे करिती भक्तीसी । दैन्य कैचे तया घरी ॥१७०॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī | ācamanavidhi āhe aisī | je karitī bhaktīsī | dainya kaice tayā gharī ||170||

Śrī Guru tells the Brahmins: such is the rite of sipping water; for those who perform it with devotion, how can poverty ever enter their home?

The section on ācamana closes with a promise: discipline done in devotion, not mere mechanics, is what wards off want.

Do your daily disciplines with heartfelt intention, not just for the sake of ticking a box.

आता सांगेन विधान । करावया दंतधावन । समस्त पर्वणी त्यजून । प्रतिपदा षष्ठी वर्जावी ॥७१॥

ātā sāmgena vidhāna | karāvayā damtadhāvana | samasta parvaṇī tyajūna | pratipadā ṣaṣṭhī varjāvī ||71||

Now I will explain the rule for cleaning the teeth: avoid all festival days, and also avoid the first and sixth lunar days.

Even the twig used for brushing teeth is governed by calendar rules, teaching that discipline extends to the smallest daily habits.

Notice that even your most mundane habits can be done with more or less care.

न करावे नवमीद्वादशीसी । शनयर्कमंगळवारेसी । श्राद्धकाळी विवाहदिवसी । करू नये दंतधावन ॥७२॥

na karāve navamīdvādaśīsī | śanayarkamamgaḷavāresī | śrāddhakāḷī vivāhadivasī | karū naye damtadhāvana ||72||

Do not clean the teeth on the ninth or twelfth lunar day, nor on Saturday, Sunday, or Tuesday, nor during ancestral rites or on a wedding day.

The forbidden days cluster around occasions of ritual solemnity, when a routine grooming act would be out of place.

Read the mood of an occasion before doing routine things that might feel out of place there.

कंटकवृक्षशाखेसी । ताडमाडकेतकीसी । खर्जूरनारिकेलशाखेसी । केलिया जन्म चांडाळयोनी ॥७३॥

kamṭakavṛkṣaśākhesī | tāḍamāḍaketakīsī | kharjūranārikelaśākhesī | keliyā janma cāmḍāḷayonī ||73||

Using a twig from a thorny tree, or from palm, screw-pine, date, or coconut branches, is said to bring rebirth in a low outcast womb.

Severe consequences are attached even to the choice of twig, an exaggeration typical of the genre meant to instill careful attention, not a literal caste judgment to be taken at face value today.

Take small choices seriously, since habits of carelessness in small things tend to spread to larger ones.

खदिरकरंजाआघाडेसी । औदुंबरार्कवटशाखेसी । अथवा वृक्ष करवंदेसी । पुण्य वृक्ष ऐका तुम्ही ॥७४॥

khadirakaramjāāghāḍesī | audumbarārkavaṭaśākhesī | athavā vṛkṣa karavamdesī | puṇya vṛkṣa aikā tumhī ||74||

From khadira, karanja, aghada, or from udumbara, arka, or banyan branches, or from the karvanda shrub — these are the meritorious trees, listen.

Certain trees are held sacred and beneficial, continuing the theme that nature itself is treated as a partner in daily discipline.

Choose natural, wholesome materials for your daily routines when you have the choice.

विप्रे द्वादशांगुलेसी । नवांगुले क्षत्रियासी । षडांगुले वैश्यशूद्रांसी । दंतधावन काष्ठ आणावे ॥७५॥

vipre dvādaśāmgulesī | navāmgule kṣatriyāsī | ṣaḍāmgule vaiśyaśūdrāmsī | damtadhāvana kāṣṭha āṇāve ||75||

A Brahmin should bring a tooth-twig twelve finger-widths long, a Kshatriya nine, and a Vaishya or Shudra six.

Even the length of a small twig is precisely graded by social role, reflecting the text's love of exact measure in every act.

Bring precision and care to routines, however small the object.

दंतधावन काष्ठेसी । तोडिता म्हणावे मंत्रासी । आयुः प्रज्ञा नाम परियेसी । म्हणोनि काष्ठ तोडावे ॥७६॥

damtadhāvana kāṣṭhesī | toḍitā mhaṇāve mamtrāsī | āyuḥ prajñā nāma pariyesī | mhaṇoni kāṣṭha toḍāve ||76||

While breaking the tooth-twig, recite the mantra invoking Longevity and Wisdom by name; break the twig while saying this.

Even snapping a twig is accompanied by a prayer for long life and clarity of mind — nothing is done without an accompanying intention.

Pair a small physical action with a word of intention so it becomes more than a reflex.

दंतधावन करोनि ऐसे । काष्ठ टाकावे नैऋत्य दिशे । चूळ भरोनि द्वादश । द्विराचमन करावे ॥७७॥

damtadhāvana karoni aise | kāṣṭha ṭākāve naiṛtya diśe | cūḷa bharoni dvādaśa | dvirācamana karāve ||77||

After cleaning the teeth this way, discard the twig toward the southwest, rinse the mouth twelve times, and sip water twice.

The rite closes with disposal and rinsing, a complete small cycle of beginning, use, and clean ending.

Finish a task properly, including its cleanup, rather than leaving loose ends.

मग करावे प्रातःस्नान । तेणे होय सर्व साधन । तेजोबलाआयुष्यवर्धन । प्रातःस्नान केलिया ॥७८॥

maga karāve prātaḥsnāna | teṇe hoya sarva sādhana | tejobalāāyuṣyavardhana | prātaḥsnāna keliyā ||78||

Then one should take the morning bath; by this all spiritual practice is accomplished, and vigor, strength, and life-span increase from the morning bath.

The morning bath, prātaḥ-snāna, is praised as the foundation on which the rest of the day's practice rests.

Start your day with one grounding act of care for the body — it sets the tone for everything after.

प्रज्ञा वाढे दुःस्वप्ननाश । सकळ दैवते होती वश । सौभाग्य सुख होती हर्ष । प्रातःस्नान केलिया ॥७९॥

prajñā vāḍhe duḥsvapnanāśa | sakaḷa daivate hotī vaśa | saubhāgya sukha hotī harṣa | prātaḥsnāna keliyā ||79||

Wisdom grows, bad dreams are dispelled, all deities become favorable, and good fortune, happiness, and joy come from the morning bath.

Physical and spiritual benefits are named together, showing the old view that cleanliness of body supports clarity of mind.

Trust that caring for your body each morning also steadies your mind for the day.

यती तापसी संन्यासी । त्रिकाळ करावे स्नानासी । ब्रह्मचारी विधींसी । एक वेळ करावे ॥१८०॥

yatī tāpasī samnyāsī | trikāḷa karāve snānāsī | brahmacārī vidhīmsī | eka veḷa karāve ||180||

Ascetics, penitents, and renunciants should bathe three times a day; the celibate student, by the rules, should bathe once.

The frequency of a discipline is matched to one's stage and vocation in life, not applied uniformly to everyone.

Set the intensity of a practice according to your own stage of life and commitment, not by comparing to others.

नित्य केलिया पापनाश असे । करावे याचि कारणे हर्षे । गृहस्थे वानप्रस्थे विशेषे । प्रातर्मध्याह्नी करावे ॥८१॥

nitya keliyā pāpanāśa ase | karāve yāci kāraṇe harṣe | gṛhasthe vānaprasthe viśeṣe | prātarmadhyāhnī karāve ||81||

Doing it daily destroys sin; do it gladly for this reason; householders and forest-dwellers especially should bathe at dawn and midday.

Regularity, not intensity, is what the text prizes — the daily repetition is what purifies over time.

Trust the cumulative power of a small daily practice over an occasional grand one.

अशक्य संकट आले जरी । अथवा न मिळे निर्मल वारि । स्नान करावयाचि परी । सांगेन ऐका ब्राह्मणहो ॥८२॥

aśakya samkaṭa āle jarī | athavā na miḷe nirmala vāri | snāna karāvayāci parī | sāmgena aikā brāhmaṇaho ||82||

If it becomes impossible due to hardship, or clean water cannot be found, I will explain a way to bathe nonetheless — listen, Brahmins.

Once again the teaching provides for hardship, refusing to let circumstance excuse the abandonment of discipline entirely.

Find a workaround for your practice when the usual means are unavailable, rather than skipping it.

अग्निस्नान भस्मस्नान । अथवा करावे वायुस्नान । करा विधीने मंत्रस्नान । आपोहिष्ठा मंत्राने ॥८३॥

agnisnāna bhasmasnāna | athavā karāve vāyusnāna | karā vidhīne mamtrasnāna | āpohiṣṭhā mamtrāne ||83||

One may perform a fire-bath, an ash-bath, or an air-bath, or a mantra-bath done properly with the Āpo-hiṣṭhā verses.

Symbolic substitutes for water — fire, ash, wind, mantra — show that inner intention can stand in for the outer element when necessary.

When the literal means for a good practice are missing, its symbolic or intentional form can still carry real value.

आणिक स्नानफळे असती । ज्यास असेल भावभक्ति । गुरुदेवता दर्शनमात्री । तीर्थस्नानफळ असे ॥८४॥

āṇika snānaphaḷe asatī | jyāsa asela bhāvabhakti | gurudevatā darśanamātrī | tīrthasnānaphaḷa ase ||84||

There are other fruits of bathing: for one who has love and devotion, merely seeing the guru or the deity carries the fruit of a bath in sacred waters.

The text elevates devotion above ritual mechanics — heartfelt darśana (seeing the sacred) can equal the merit of the outward rite.

Let sincere devotion, not just outward form, be what you trust to purify and steady you.

अथवा दर्शन मातापिता । चरणतीर्थ भक्तीने घेता । अंगावरी प्रोक्षिता । तीर्थस्नानफळ असे ॥८५॥

athavā darśana mātāpitā | caraṇatīrtha bhaktīne ghetā | amgāvarī prokṣitā | tīrthasnānaphaḷa ase ||85||

Or, seeing one's parents and taking the water that has touched their feet with devotion, sprinkling it on the body, also carries the fruit of a sacred bath.

Reverence for parents is placed on par with pilgrimage — ordinary family devotion becomes a form of sacred practice.

Honor your parents with the same devotion you would bring to a holy place.

अथवा भिजेल पर्जन्यांत । उभा राहोनि वारा घेत । किंवा बैसावे गोधुळीत । स्नानफळ असे देखा ॥८६॥

athavā bhijela parjanyāmta | ubhā rāhoni vārā gheta | kimvā baisāve godhuḷīta | snānaphaḷa ase dekhā ||86||

Or, standing and getting wet in the rain, taking in the wind, or sitting in the dust raised by cattle at dusk — these too carry the fruit of a bath, know this.

Natural, everyday moments — rain, wind, dust — are recognized as carrying their own quiet purity.

Find the sacred in ordinary encounters with nature rather than only in formal rites.

स्पर्श चांडाळा होता । जलस्नाने होय शुचिता । शूद्राचा स्पर्श होता । उपस्नान करावे ॥८७॥

sparśa cāmḍāḷā hotā | jalasnāne hoya śucitā | śūdrācā sparśa hotā | upasnāna karāve ||87||

If touched by an outcaste, purity comes through a water bath; if touched by a shudra, a lesser rinsing bath should be performed.

This verse reflects the caste hierarchy of its historical time and place; read it as social history rather than as guidance to follow today.

Recognize which inherited social attitudes from old texts are historical artifacts, not standards to carry forward.

दृढ असे तनु आपुले । स्नान मुख्य करावे जले । संधि-विग्रह-साकडे पडले । उषःस्नान करावे ॥८८॥

dṛḍha ase tanu āpule | snāna mukhya karāve jale | samdhi-vigraha-sākaḍe paḍale | uṣaḥsnāna karāve ||88||

If one's body is strong, the main bath should be done with water; if beset by conflict, illness, or hardship, a dawn (light) bath will suffice.

The rule again bends to actual bodily condition, showing that outward practice should serve the person, not the reverse.

Scale your effort to your actual strength that day rather than forcing the same routine regardless of condition.

प्रातःस्नान करावयासी । शीतोदक उत्तम परियेसी । अशक्तता असेल देहासी । उष्णोदके करावे ॥८९॥

prātaḥsnāna karāvayāsī | śītodaka uttama pariyesī | aśaktatā asela dehāsī | uṣṇodake karāve ||89||

For the morning bath, cold water is best, listen; if the body is weak, it should be done with warm water.

Even the ideal has a practical exception built in for the weak or ill — compassion is written into the rule itself.

Build compassionate flexibility into your own standards for days when you are simply not at full strength.

स्वभावे पवित्र असे उदक । वरी झालिया अग्निसंपर्क । पवित्र झाले उदक अधिक । गृहस्थासी मुख्य असे ॥१९०॥

svabhāve pavitra ase udaka | varī jhāliyā agnisamparka | pavitra jhāle udaka adhika | gṛhasthāsī mukhya ase ||190||

Water is pure by its own nature; once touched by fire, it becomes even more purified — this heated water is what a householder should mainly use.

The verse gives a small natural-philosophy note: purification can be added to a thing already pure, teaching cumulative refinement.

Keep refining something that is already good rather than assuming it cannot be improved.

उष्णोदके स्नान करिता । शीतोदक करा मिश्रित । मध्ये करावे आचमन तत्त्वता । संकल्प तेथे म्हणावा ॥९१॥

uṣṇodake snāna karitā | śītodaka karā miśrita | madhye karāve ācamana tattvatā | samkalpa tethe mhaṇāvā ||91||

When bathing with warm water, mix in cold water; in the midst of it perform the sipping rite, and there state one's resolve (saṅkalpa).

The saṅkalpa (statement of intention) placed mid-bath shows that even a physical act is anchored by a clear inward vow.

State your intention clearly before or during a task so the action serves a purpose, not just a habit.

घरी स्नान करिता देखा । अघमर्षण तर्पण नव्हे निका । वस्त्रे पिळू नये ऐका । आपुले हस्ते करूनिया ॥९२॥

gharī snāna karitā dekhā | aghamarṣaṇa tarpaṇa navhe nikā | vastre piḷū naye aikā | āpule haste karūniyā ||92||

When bathing at home, know that the full purification chant and ancestor-offering are not proper to do there; also, do not wring out one's own clothes with one's own hands, listen.

Certain elements of the rite belong only to sacred waters, showing an awareness that context changes what is fitting.

Recognize that not every practice belongs in every setting; adapt what you do to where you are.

पुत्रोत्साह संक्रांतीसी । श्राद्धकाळ मृतदिवसी । न करावे स्नान उष्णोदकेसी । अमावास्या पौर्णिमा ॥९३॥

putrotsāha samkrāmtīsī | śrāddhakāḷa mṛtadivasī | na karāve snāna uṣṇodakesī | amāvāsyā paurṇimā ||93||

On the joy of a son's birth, on the solstice, during ancestral rites, on the day of a death, and on the new-moon or full-moon day, do not bathe with warm water.

Certain solemn or auspicious days call for the unadorned form of a practice, cold water standing for austerity and equality before ritual moments.

On days of special significance, choose the plainer, more austere version of your habits.

स्नान करिता बांधा शिखा । दर्भहस्ती सूर्याभिमुखा । मौन असावे विवेका । कवणासवे न बोलावे ॥९४॥

snāna karitā bāmdhā śikhā | darbhahastī sūryābhimukhā | mauna asāve vivekā | kavaṇāsave na bolāve ||94||

While bathing, tie up the topknot, hold sacred kusha grass in hand, face the sun, and stay silent with discernment — speak with no one.

Silence during a sacred act, mauna, protects its focus; speech would scatter what stillness gathers.

Keep silence during your most meaningful daily rituals rather than filling them with chatter.

आपोहिष्ठा मंत्रेसी । गायत्री तीन म्हणा सुरसी । येणेपरी स्नानोदकासी । अभिमंत्रावे ब्राह्मणे ॥९५॥

āpohiṣṭhā mamtresī | gāyatrī tīna mhaṇā surasī | yeṇeparī snānodakāsī | abhimamtrāve brāhmaṇe ||95||

With the Āpo-hiṣṭhā mantra, recite the Gāyatrī three times in a good voice; in this way the Brahmin should consecrate the bathing water.

Sacred sound is used to charge the water itself — the mantra transforms an ordinary substance into a vehicle of blessing.

Bring focused, spoken intention to the ordinary substances and tools you use each day.

प्रथम शीतोदक घेऊनि । पश्चात उष्णोदक मिळवोनि । स्नान करावे प्रतिदिनी । गृहस्थांनी घरी देखा ॥९६॥

prathama śītodaka gheūni | paścāta uṣṇodaka miḷavoni | snāna karāve pratidinī | gṛhasthāmnī gharī dekhā ||96||

First take cold water, then mix in warm water, and bathe daily in this way — householders should do this at home, know this.

A simple daily sequence is given for ordinary householders, distinct from the more elaborate rites of ascetics.

Keep a simple, repeatable version of a good habit for daily life rather than always needing the elaborate form.

अवधूत मंत्र म्हणत । वस्त्र उकलावे त्वरित । उद्यंत मंत्र जपत । वस्त्र सूर्यासी दाखवावे ॥९७॥

avadhūta mamtra mhaṇata | vastra ukalāve tvarita | udyamta mamtra japata | vastra sūryāsī dākhavāve ||97||

Reciting the Avadhūta mantra, quickly remove the wet garment; reciting the Udyantam mantra, show the dry garment to the sun.

Changing clothes after the bath is itself wrapped in mantra, so that even undressing and dressing become sacred acts.

Notice how a moment of transition — changing, dressing — can also be a moment of quiet intention.

आचमन करूनि आपण देवस्यत्व मंत्र जपोन । धूत वस्त्र नेसून । आणिक मंत्र जपावे ॥९८॥

ācamana karūni āpaṇa devasyatva mamtra japona | dhūta vastra nesūna | āṇika mamtra japāve ||98||

Having sipped water, recite the Devasya-tvā mantra, put on the washed garment, and recite yet another mantra.

The layering of mantra upon mantra shows a mind trained to keep returning to sacred words through every small step.

Anchor each step of a routine with a brief return to your guiding intention.

आवहंती वितन्वती मंत्रे । वस्त्रे नेसावी पवित्र । द्विराचमन करावे तंत्रे । वस्त्र पिळोनि आचमन कीजे ॥९९॥

āvahamtī vitanvatī mamtre | vastre nesāvī pavitra | dvirācamana karāve tamtre | vastra piḷoni ācamana kīje ||99||

With the Āvahantī-Vitanvatī mantra, put on the pure garment; by rule, sip water twice, wringing the cloth, and perform the sipping.

The garment-changing rite closes with a final double sipping, completing the cycle begun at the bath.

Bring a routine full circle with a small closing gesture rather than trailing off unfinished.

आता मंत्रस्नान करणे । सांगेन त्याची विधाने । आपोहिष्ठादि मंत्राने । प्रोक्षावे शरीरावरी ॥२००॥

ātā mamtrasnāna karaṇe | sāmgena tyācī vidhāne | āpohiṣṭhādi mamtrāne | prokṣāve śarīrāvarī ||200||

Now I will explain the rules for performing the mantra-bath: with the Āpo-hiṣṭhā and other mantras, sprinkle water upon the body.

A whole alternate bath done purely by mantra and sprinkling is introduced, again for when a full bath is not possible.

Have a stripped-down, symbolic version of a good practice ready for constrained days.

पाद मुर्ध्नी ह्रदयस्थानी । मूर्ध्नीं ह्रदय पाद प्रोक्षोनि । करावे तुम्ही मार्जनी । आपोहिष्ठा मंत्रेसी ॥१॥

pāda murdhnī hradayasthānī | mūrdhnīm hradaya pāda prokṣoni | karāve tumhī mārjanī | āpohiṣṭhā mamtresī ||1||

Sprinkle the feet, the crown of the head, and the heart; sprinkling crown, heart, and feet, perform the purification-sprinkling with the Āpo-hiṣṭhā mantra.

Three key points of the body — feet, heart, head — are touched by the sprinkled water, symbolically consecrating the whole person from base to crown.

When time is short, focus your attention on a few key points rather than trying to do everything.

ऐसे स्नान करोनि । पुनः आचमन करोनि । मानसस्नान विधींनी । करावे ऐका भक्तीने ॥२॥

aise snāna karoni | punaḥ ācamana karoni | mānasasnāna vidhīmnī | karāve aikā bhaktīne ||2||

Having bathed in this way, sip water again, and then perform the mental bath (mānasa-snāna) according to its rules, with devotion, listen.

Beyond the physical and mantra baths lies a purely mental bath, showing that the highest form of the rite happens entirely within the mind.

Practice an inward version of your discipline — a moment of mental cleansing — even when no outer form is possible.

नारायण विष्णूमूर्तीसी । स्नान करावे भक्तीसी । चतुर्भुज अलंकारेसी । ध्यान केलिया मानसन्मान ॥३॥

nārāyaṇa viṣṇūmūrtīsī | snāna karāve bhaktīsī | caturbhuja alamkāresī | dhyāna keliyā mānasanmāna ||3||

One should bathe, in devotion, the form of Nārāyaṇa-Viṣṇu; by meditating on his four-armed, ornamented form, one attains the mental bath's honor.

The mental bath is an act of visualization — bathing the deity in the mind's eye replaces bathing the body with water.

Use visualization to hold a worthy image in your mind when outer action isn't possible.

अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा । येणे मंत्रे हरि ध्यावा । उदके देहे प्रोक्षावा । स्नानफळ अवधारा ॥४॥

apavitraḥ pavitro vā | yeṇe mamtre hari dhyāvā | udake dehe prokṣāvā | snānaphaḷa avadhārā ||4||

'Whether impure or pure' — with this mantra, meditate on Hari, sprinkle the body with water, and the fruit of the bath will be attained, take heed.

The famous verse 'apavitraḥ pavitro vā' teaches that remembrance of the divine can purify regardless of one's actual outer state.

Trust that sincere inward turning toward the good can restore you even when circumstances are imperfect.

मंगलस्नानविधा । सांगेन ऐका ब्राह्मण । रविवारी निषेध जाण । ज्वर होय अंगासी ॥५॥

mamgalasnānavidhā | sāmgena aikā brāhmaṇa | ravivārī niṣedha jāṇa | jvara hoya amgāsī ||5||

I will tell the rule for an auspicious bath, listen Brahmins: it is forbidden on Sunday, know that fever will come to the body.

A folk-astrological caution about certain days is given for a special festive bath — reflecting old beliefs about days and bodily fortune.

Be mindful of timing when undertaking something special, while not being ruled by superstition.

नदीतीरी असे नरु । अशक्त असे शरीरु । गंगास्मरणे निर्धारु । आर्द्रवस्त्रे अंग पुसावे ॥६॥

nadītīrī ase naru | aśakta ase śarīru | gamgāsmaraṇe nirdhāru | ārdravastre amga pusāve ||6||

If a man is by a riverbank but his body is weak, by resolutely remembering the Ganges, he may wipe his body with a wet cloth.

Once again, remembrance substitutes for the literal act when the body cannot manage it — devotion completing what strength cannot.

When you cannot do the full version of something good, let sincere intention complete it.

कांतिहानि सोमवारासी । मंगळवारी मृत्यु परियेसी । लक्ष्मी पावे बुधवारेसी । धनहानि गुरुवारी ॥७॥

kāmtihāni somavārāsī | mamgaḷavārī mṛtyu pariyesī | lakṣmī pāve budhavāresī | dhanahāni guruvārī ||7||

Loss of radiance on Monday, death on Tuesday (listen), Lakṣmī is attained on Wednesday, loss of wealth on Thursday.

This lists the traditional astrological ill-effects tied to the day chosen for the special festive bath — a piece of folk belief, not a spiritual principle.

Do not let superstition about timing keep you from doing something good; check your intention rather than the calendar.

शुक्रवारी पुत्रघात । शनिवारी अखिल संपत । जाणा ऐसे निश्चित । मंगलस्नान करावे ॥८॥

śukravārī putraghāta | śanivārī akhila sampata | jāṇā aise niścita | mamgalasnāna karāve ||8||

On Friday, harm to one's son; on Saturday, all manner of prosperity — know this for certain, and perform the auspicious bath accordingly.

The list concludes, finishing a folk-calendar of days good and ill for the festive bath, again reflecting local custom of the era.

Weigh custom and convention thoughtfully rather than either dismissing or blindly obeying it.

नदीस्नान प्रवाहमुखी । घरी प्रातःसूर्याभिमुखी । संध्याकाळी पश्चिममुखी । स्नान करावे अवधारा ॥९॥

nadīsnāna pravāhamukhī | gharī prātaḥsūryābhimukhī | samdhyākāḷī paścimamukhī | snāna karāve avadhārā ||9||

Bathe in a river facing the current; at home in the morning face the sun; in the evening face west — bathe accordingly, take heed.

Orientation itself becomes part of the discipline, aligning the body with the natural direction of sun and water.

Orient your daily practices toward something larger than yourself — the sun, the flow of a river, a guiding value.

स्नान करिता नदीसी । अघमर्षण करावे परियेसी । नमोऽग्नयेऽप्सुमते मंत्रेसी । नदीस्नान करावे ॥२१०॥

snāna karitā nadīsī | aghamarṣaṇa karāve pariyesī | namo'gnaye'psumate mamtresī | nadīsnāna karāve ||210||

When bathing in a river, perform the full sin-cleansing chant (aghamarṣaṇa), listen; bathe in the river with the mantra 'namo'gnaye'psumate'.

The strongest purification mantra is reserved for river-bathing, showing that flowing sacred water is treated as the most potent setting.

Save your fullest effort and focus for the moments that matter most, not every routine occasion equally.

यदपांक्रूर मत्रेंसी । उदक लोटावे द्विहस्तेसी । तीन वेळा लोटोनि हर्षी । इमं मे गंगे जपावे ॥११॥

yadapāmkrūra matremsī | udaka loṭāve dvihastesī | tīna veḷā loṭoni harṣī | imam me gamge japāve ||11||

With the 'yad apāṁ krūram' mantra, push the water away with both hands; having done so three times gladly, recite 'imaṁ me gaṅge'.

The rite continues its layered structure of gesture and word, teaching sustained, joyful attentiveness through the whole act.

Bring gladness, not mere obligation, to a repeated practice.

ऋतं च सत्यं च मंत्र जपत । स्नान करावे गंगेत । नदीस्नानविधि ख्यात । करा तुम्ही विप्रवर्ग ॥१२॥

ṛtam ca satyam ca mamtra japata | snāna karāve gamgeta | nadīsnānavidhi khyāta | karā tumhī vipravarga ||12||

Reciting the 'ṛtaṁ ca satyaṁ ca' mantra, bathe in the Ganges; this well-known river-bathing rite you Brahmins should perform.

The river-bathing sequence closes on a note of truth and cosmic order (ṛta and satya), tying the physical act back to universal principles.

Let your daily disciplines connect you, even briefly, to a sense of truth and order larger than yourself.

रोदनांती वमनांती । मैथुनदुःस्वप्नदर्शनांती । स्नानावेगळे शुद्ध न होती । स्नान करावे अवधारा ॥१३॥

rodanāmtī vamanāmtī | maithunaduḥsvapnadarśanāmtī | snānāvegaḷe śuddha na hotī | snāna karāve avadhārā ||13||

After weeping, after vomiting, after intercourse, and after a bad dream, one is not made pure without bathing — bathe, take heed.

The bath is prescribed after strong bodily or emotional disturbances, treating disruption of body or mind as something to be washed clean.

After an emotionally or physically upsetting event, use a simple physical reset — washing your face, a walk — to steady yourself.

आता वस्त्रावे विधान । सांगेन ऐका ऋषिजन । ओले वस्त्रे कासेवीण । नेसू नये गृहस्थाने ॥१४॥

ātā vastrāve vidhāna | sāmgena aikā ṛṣijana | ole vastre kāsevīṇa | nesū naye gṛhasthāne ||14||

Now I will tell the rule about clothing, listen you sages: a householder should not wear wet clothes without properly tucking them.

The topic shifts to clothing, with even a simple detail like tucking a wet garment treated as worth codifying.

Dress and present yourself with basic decorum, even in casual or private moments.

रक्तादि वस्त्र जीर्ण धोत्र । नेसूनि जे जन जप करीत । ते पुण्य जाय राक्षसांप्रत । एक धोत्र असलिया ॥१५॥

raktādi vastra jīrṇa dhotra | nesūni je jana japa karīta | te puṇya jāya rākṣasāmprata | eka dhotra asaliyā ||15||

Those who recite prayers wearing a blood-stained or worn-out garment, having only one such cloth, have their merit go to demons instead.

The care taken over dress before prayer teaches that outward respect and inward devotion are meant to reinforce each other.

Prepare yourself properly, inside and out, before something you consider sacred or important.

श्वेतवस्त्र ब्राह्मणासी । मुख्य असे परियेसी । उपवस्त्र वहिर्वासी । उत्तरवस्त्र म्हणिजे तया ॥१६॥

śvetavastra brāhmaṇāsī | mukhya ase pariyesī | upavastra vahirvāsī | uttaravastra mhaṇije tayā ||16||

White cloth is the main garment for a Brahmin, listen; the undergarment is called the inner cloth, and the covering cloth the outer garment.

Simple terminology for dress is given, part of the text's habit of naming and defining even the ordinary.

Value simplicity and plainness in your own dress and habits over ostentation.

धोत्र नेसलिया नंतरी । विभूति लावावी परिकरी । मंत्रविधान-पुरःसरी । भस्म धारण करावे ॥१७॥

dhotra nesaliyā namtarī | vibhūti lāvāvī parikarī | mamtravidhāna-puraḥsarī | bhasma dhāraṇa karāve ||17||

After putting on the garment, apply sacred ash properly; wear the ash preceded by the prescribed mantra.

Vibhūti (sacred ash) marks the body as set apart for the day's devotion, applied only after mantra, word and act joined together.

Mark the start of your focused time with a small deliberate sign, even just to yourself.

भस्म शुद्ध न मिळे जरी । गोपीचंदन लावावे परी । द्वारावती मुख्य धरी । वरकड मृत्तिका अग्राह्य ॥१८॥

bhasma śuddha na miḷe jarī | gopīcamdana lāvāve parī | dvārāvatī mukhya dharī | varakaḍa mṛttikā agrāhya ||18||

If pure ash cannot be found, one may apply gopīcandana (sacred clay) instead; clay from Dvārakā is the principal choice — other clay is not acceptable.

A substitute is offered again for scarcity, but even the substitute has its own standard of purity, not just any material will do.

When substituting for what you lack, still choose the best available option rather than the merely convenient one.

न मिळे द्वारावती देखा । करा धारण गंगामृत्तिका । ऊर्ध्वपुंड्र असे निका । विष्णुसायुज्य होय तया ॥१९॥

na miḷe dvārāvatī dekhā | karā dhāraṇa gamgāmṛttikā | ūrdhvapumḍra ase nikā | viṣṇusāyujya hoya tayā ||19||

If Dvārakā clay cannot be found, know that one may use Ganges clay; the vertical mark (ūrdhvapuṇḍra) properly applied grants union with Viṣṇu.

The promised fruit — union with the divine — is tied not to the exact material but to sincere, proper practice within available means.

Trust that sincerity within your actual means matters more than having the ideal materials.

पुष्टिकाम असे ज्यासी । लावावे तेणे अंगुष्ठेसी । ज्यासी काम असे आयुधी । मध्यांगुली लावावे ॥२२०॥

puṣṭikāma ase jyāsī | lāvāve teṇe amguṣṭhesī | jyāsī kāma ase āyudhī | madhyāmgulī lāvāve ||220||

One who desires prosperity should apply the mark with the thumb; one who desires strength in weapons should apply it with the middle finger.

Different desires are matched to different fingers used in applying the sacred mark, showing the granular symbolism of the tradition.

Be clear about your actual intention before beginning a practice; the goal shapes how you approach it.

अन्नकाम अनामिएसी । तर्जनी काम्य मुक्तीसी । जे लाविती नखेसी । महापातक घडे तया ॥२१॥

annakāma anāmiesī | tarjanī kāmya muktīsī | je lāvitī nakhesī | mahāpātaka ghaḍe tayā ||21||

One who desires food should use the ring finger; one who desires liberation should use the forefinger; those who apply it with a fingernail commit a great sin.

Even the wrong tool — a fingernail instead of a fingertip — carries symbolic weight; means are not neutral to ends in this worldview.

Use the right tool and method for a task rather than a careless shortcut, even when the shortcut seems to work.

उत्तम रुंदी दशांगुली । मध्यम नव आष्ट अंगुली । सप्त सहा पंचागुली । शूर्पाकार लावावे ॥२२॥

uttama rumdī daśāmgulī | madhyama nava āṣṭa amgulī | sapta sahā pamcāgulī | śūrpākāra lāvāve ||22||

The best width is ten finger-widths, the middling is nine or eight, the lesser is seven, six, or five — apply it winnowing-fan-shaped.

A graded scale of excellence, middling, and lesser practice is given, acknowledging that not everyone can achieve the ideal.

Aim for the best form of a practice, but accept a lesser form as still worthwhile.

चतुर्थ त्रीणि द्वयांगुली । अधम पक्ष असे बोली । द्वादश नामे करा भली । विष्णुनाम उच्चारित ॥२३॥

caturtha trīṇi dvayāmgulī | adhama pakṣa ase bolī | dvādaśa nāme karā bhalī | viṣṇunāma uccārita ||23||

Four, three, or two finger-widths is called the lowest grade; recite the twelve good names of Viṣṇu while marking.

Even the lowest grade of practice is named and accepted, not condemned, so long as it is joined to the recitation of holy names.

A modest, minimal version of a good practice still counts, as long as your heart is in it.

केशव म्हणावे ललाटस्थानी । नाभी नारायण म्हणोनि । माधवनामे ह्रदयस्थानी । कमळपुष्पाकार देखा ॥२४॥

keśava mhaṇāve lalāṭasthānī | nābhī nārāyaṇa mhaṇoni | mādhavanāme hradayasthānī | kamaḷapuṣpākāra dekhā ||24||

Say Keśava while marking the forehead, Nārāyaṇa at the navel, Mādhava at the heart, shaped like a lotus flower.

The twelve-name recitation while marking the body begins here, each name assigned to a specific body part.

Let a repeated word or phrase accompany your daily preparation to keep your mind anchored.

गोविंदनामे कंठेसी । विष्णुनामे कटिप्रदेशी । दक्षिणभुजा मधुसूदनेसी । नाभी उत्तर त्रिविक्रम ॥२५॥

govimdanāme kamṭhesī | viṣṇunāme kaṭipradeśī | dakṣiṇabhujā madhusūdanesī | nābhī uttara trivikrama ||25||

Say Govinda at the throat, Viṣṇu at the waist, Madhusūdana on the right arm, and Trivikrama above the navel.

The naming sequence proceeds methodically down and across the body, consecrating it point by point.

Complete a routine methodically, point by point, rather than skipping around.

वामन नामे बाहु देखा । श्रीधर दक्षिणकर्णिका । ह्रषीकेश वामकर्णिका । पद्मनाभ दक्षिणकटी ॥२६॥

vāmana nāme bāhu dekhā | śrīdhara dakṣiṇakarṇikā | hraṣīkeśa vāmakarṇikā | padmanābha dakṣiṇakaṭī ||26||

Say Vāmana at the arm, Śrīdhara at the right ear, Hṛṣīkeśa at the left ear, Padmanābha at the right hip.

The list continues, weaving devotion through every limb, so no part of the body is left unmarked by sacred remembrance.

Extend a spirit of care to every part of a task, not just the visible or central parts.

दामोदर शिरस्थान । ऐका ऊर्ध्वपुंड्रविधान । पापे जाती जळोन । गोपीचंदन लाविता ॥२७॥

dāmodara śirasthāna | aikā ūrdhvapumḍravidhāna | pāpe jātī jaḷona | gopīcamdana lāvitā ||27||

Say Dāmodara at the head — listen, this is the rule for the vertical mark — sins are burned away when the sacred clay is applied.

The full sequence of twelve names ends at the head, and the whole rite is said to burn away past faults, like fire consuming what came before.

Let the completion of a mindful practice feel like a real release, not a rote finish.

द्वारावती लावोनि । लावा भस्म त्रिपुंड्रांनी । हरिहर संतोषोनि । साधे भुक्ति मुक्ति देखा ॥२८॥

dvārāvatī lāvoni | lāvā bhasma tripumḍrāmnī | harihara samtoṣoni | sādhe bhukti mukti dekhā ||28||

Having applied the Dvārakā clay, also apply ash in the three-line mark; Hari and Hara are pleased, and both worldly enjoyment and liberation are attained.

Both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva marks are honored together, teaching a spirit of inclusiveness rather than sectarian exclusivity.

Hold different valid traditions with respect rather than treating your own as the only right one.

विवाहादि शोभन दिवसी । देवताकृत्य श्राद्धदिवसी । अभ्यंगानंतर सूतकेसी । गोपीचंदन वर्जावे ॥२९॥

vivāhādi śobhana divasī | devatākṛtya śrāddhadivasī | abhyamgānamtara sūtakesī | gopīcamdana varjāve ||29||

On auspicious days like weddings, on days of deity-worship, on ancestral-rite days, after an oil-massage, and during ritual impurity, avoid the sacred clay mark.

Even a devotional mark has days when it is set aside, showing sensitivity to different ritual contexts rather than blanket application.

Know when to set aside even a good habit because the occasion calls for something different.

ब्रह्मयज्ञतर्पणासी । कुश सांगेन विस्तारेसी । आहेत दश प्रकारेसी । नामे सांगेन विख्यात ॥२३०॥

brahmayajñatarpaṇāsī | kuśa sāmgena vistāresī | āheta daśa prakāresī | nāme sāmgena vikhyāta ||230||

For the Brahma-yajña offering, I will explain kusha grass in detail; there are ten kinds, and I will tell their well-known names.

The topic moves to sacred grass used in ritual — a plant elevated to sacramental status through prescribed use.

Notice how ordinary natural materials can be given deep meaning through the intention brought to them.

दूर्वा उशीर कुश काश । सकुद गोधूम व्रीहि मौजीष । नागरमोथा दर्भ परियेसा । दश दर्भ मुख्य असती ॥३१॥

dūrvā uśīra kuśa kāśa | sakuda godhūma vrīhi maujīṣa | nāgaramothā darbha pariyesā | daśa darbha mukhya asatī ||31||

Dūrvā grass, khus root, kusha, kāśa reed, sakud, wheat, rice, muñja grass, nāgaramothā, and darbha — these ten grasses are the main ones, listen.

A simple botanical list is given, part of the text's habit of cataloguing the natural materials tied to ritual.

Learn the specific tools and materials of your own craft or practice well, rather than treating them as interchangeable.

नित्य आणावे दूर्वैसी । जरी न साधे आपणासी । श्रावण भाद्रपदमासी । संग्रह संवत्सरी करावा ॥३२॥

nitya āṇāve dūrvaisī | jarī na sādhe āpaṇāsī | śrāvaṇa bhādrapadamāsī | samgraha samvatsarī karāvā ||32||

Dūrvā grass should be gathered daily; if that is not possible, one should gather a year's supply during the months of Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada.

A practical accommodation is made for daily impossibility — stockpiling in season is allowed to sustain a year-long practice.

When you cannot maintain a daily practice perfectly, prepare in advance during times of plenty to sustain it through leaner times.

चारी दूर्वा विप्रासी । त्रीणि क्षत्रिय-वैश्यासी । एक नेमिली शूद्रासी । चतुर्वर्णी धरावे ॥३३॥

cārī dūrvā viprāsī | trīṇi kṣatriya-vaiśyāsī | eka nemilī śūdrāsī | caturvarṇī dharāve ||33||

Four blades of dūrvā grass for a Brahmin, three for a Kshatriya or Vaishya, one prescribed for a Shudra — the four social classes should hold accordingly.

The quantity again scales with social role, a historical convention of the text's era rather than a spiritual absolute.

Recognize inherited social hierarchies embedded in old texts as history, not as guidance to reproduce today.

या दूर्वेची महिमा । सांगता असे अनुपमा । अग्रस्थानी असे ब्रह्मा । मूळी रुद्र मध्ये हरि ॥३४॥

yā dūrvecī mahimā | sāmgatā ase anupamā | agrasthānī ase brahmā | mūḷī rudra madhye hari ||34||

The glory of this dūrvā grass is beyond compare to describe: Brahmā resides at its tip, Rudra at its root, and Hari in its middle.

A humble blade of grass is said to hold the entire trinity of gods within it, teaching that greatness can be hidden in the smallest things.

Look for the significance hidden in small, easily overlooked things around you.

अग्रभागी चतुरंगुल । ग्रंथी मूळी द्वयांगुल । धारण करावे ब्रह्मकुळे । याची महिमा थोर असे ॥३५॥

agrabhāgī caturamgula | gramthī mūḷī dvayāmgula | dhāraṇa karāve brahmakuḷe | yācī mahimā thora ase ||35||

The tip should be four finger-widths, the knot at the root two finger-widths; Brahmin families should hold it thus — its glory is very great.

Precise proportions continue to matter even for something as simple as a blade of grass, reinforcing the theme of care in small details.

Bring the same precision to small preparatory tasks as to the main event.

चक्र धरोनि विष्णु देखा । दैत्य पराभवी ऐका । ईश्वर त्रिशूल धरिता देखा । राक्षसांतक केवी होय ॥३६॥

cakra dharoni viṣṇu dekhā | daitya parābhavī aikā | īśvara triśūla dharitā dekhā | rākṣasāmtaka kevī hoya ||36||

See how Viṣṇu, holding the discus, defeats demons; see how Śiva, holding the trident, becomes the destroyer of demons.

The gods' great weapons are invoked as a comparison, setting up the coming point that even a blade of grass can carry similar power in devoted hands.

Recall stories of strength overcoming difficulty to encourage yourself before a hard task.

इंद्र वज्रायुध धरिता । दैत्यगिरी विभांडी तत्त्वता । तैसे ब्राह्मण दूर्वा धरिता । पापदुरिते पराभवती ॥३७॥

imdra vajrāyudha dharitā | daityagirī vibhāmḍī tattvatā | taise brāhmaṇa dūrvā dharitā | pāpadurite parābhavatī ||37||

As Indra, holding the thunderbolt, truly shatters the demons' mountain, so a Brahmin holding dūrvā grass overcomes sin and misfortune.

The comparison completes: what the gods' weapons do to demons, a humble blade of grass does to sin in a devotee's hand — power lies in devotion, not size.

Believe that a small, humble tool used with real devotion can overcome a big problem.

जैसे तृणाचे बणवीसी । अग्निस्पर्श होता नाशी । तेवी आलिया पापराशि । दर्भस्पर्शै जळती देखा ॥३८॥

jaise tṛṇāce baṇavīsī | agnisparśa hotā nāśī | tevī āliyā pāparāśi | darbhasparśai jaḷatī dekhā ||38||

Just as a haystack of grass is destroyed at the touch of fire, so heaps of accumulated sin are burned away at the touch of the sacred kusha grass, know this.

The imagery of fire consuming grass is reversed — the grass itself becomes fire-like, consuming sin instead of being consumed.

Let a small, consistent good practice quietly consume accumulated bad habits over time.

ब्रह्मयज्ञ जपसमयी । ग्रंथि बांधावी कुशाग्री । वर्तुळाकार भोजनसमयी । धरावी ब्राह्मणे भक्तीने ॥३९॥

brahmayajña japasamayī | gramthi bāmdhāvī kuśāgrī | vartuḷākāra bhojanasamayī | dharāvī brāhmaṇe bhaktīne ||39||

At the time of the Brahma-yajña recitation, tie a knot at the tip of the kusha grass; at mealtime, a Brahmin should hold it in a circular ring with devotion.

The shape of the grass ring changes with its use — knotted for recitation, circular for meals — showing that even form is attentive to purpose.

Adapt the small forms of your practice to fit the specific activity at hand.

कर्म आचरता दूर्वैसी । ग्रंथि बांधावी परियेसी । अग्निस्पर्श कर्पूराशी । पाप नाशी येणेपरी ॥२४०॥

karma ācaratā dūrvaisī | gramthi bāmdhāvī pariyesī | agnisparśa karpūrāśī | pāpa nāśī yeṇeparī ||240||

While performing a rite with dūrvā grass, tie the knot, listen; just as fire's touch destroys a heap of camphor, sin is destroyed in this way.

Camphor, which vanishes completely when burned leaving no residue, is the image chosen for how thoroughly sin is meant to be dissolved by the rite.

Aim for complete follow-through in your good practices rather than a partial, half-done effort.

एकादशांगुल प्रादेशमात्र । द्विदल असावे पवित्र । नित्य-कर्मासी हेच पवित्र । द्विदल जाणा मुख्य असे ॥४१॥

ekādaśāmgula prādeśamātra | dvidala asāve pavitra | nitya-karmāsī heca pavitra | dvidala jāṇā mukhya ase ||41||

Eleven finger-widths, a hand-span's measure — the two-bladed grass-ring should be pure; know this two-bladed ring as the principal one for daily rites.

The double-bladed grass ring is singled out as the standard for everyday practice, distinct from more elaborate special-occasion forms.

Have one simple, standard version of your daily practice that you return to without overthinking it.

जपहोमादि दानासी । स्वाध्याय पितृकर्मासी । सुवर्णरजतमुद्रिकेसी । कुशावेगळे न करावे ॥४२॥

japahomādi dānāsī | svādhyāya pitṛkarmāsī | suvarṇarajatamudrikesī | kuśāvegaḷe na karāve ||42||

For recitation, fire-offering, charity, self-study, and rites for ancestors — even wearing a gold or silver ring, one should not perform these without the kusha grass ring.

Wealth and status, symbolized by gold and silver, do not exempt one from the humble grass ring — the discipline applies regardless of means.

Do not let status or resources exempt you from the basic disciplines everyone else must keep.

देवपितृकर्मासी देख । रजत करावे सुवर्णयुक्त । तर्जनीस्थानी रौप्यमुद्रिका । सुवर्ण धरावे अनामिकेसी ॥४३॥

devapitṛkarmāsī dekha | rajata karāve suvarṇayukta | tarjanīsthānī raupyamudrikā | suvarṇa dharāve anāmikesī ||43||

For rites to gods and ancestors, know that silver should be combined with gold; wear the silver ring on the forefinger, and hold gold on the ring finger.

Precise placement of gold and silver rings by finger continues the pattern of exact, meaningful detail in ritual dress.

Put thought into where and how you place even small accessories or tools for a purposeful occasion.

मुद्रिका असावी खड्‍गपात्री । कनिष्ठिकांगुली पवित्री । ग्राह्य नव्हे जीवंतपित्री । तर्जनांगुली मुद्रिका ॥४४॥

mudrikā asāvī khaḍ‍gapātrī | kaniṣṭhikāmgulī pavitrī | grāhya navhe jīvamtapitrī | tarjanāmgulī mudrikā ||44||

The ring should have a blade-like leaf shape; the little finger holds the pavitrī (purifying grass ring); a ring on the forefinger is not acceptable while one's parents are still living.

A specific taboo — no forefinger ring while parents live — reflects filial reverence encoded into a seemingly minor ornament.

Let respect for your living elders shape even small personal choices.

योगपट उत्तरी देखा । तर्जनीस्थानी रौप्यमुद्रिका । पायी न घालाव्या पादुका । गयाश्राद्ध न करावे ॥४५॥

yogapaṭa uttarī dekhā | tarjanīsthānī raupyamudrikā | pāyī na ghālāvyā pādukā | gayāśrāddha na karāve ||45||

Know that the meditation-strap belongs to the north; a silver ring may be worn on the forefinger; do not wear sandals, and do not perform the Gayā ancestral rite (at these times).

A cluster of specific restrictions closes the ring-and-dress section, showing the density of small rules governing ritual dress.

Accept that mastering any tradition or discipline well involves learning many small, specific rules over time.

नवर‍त्‍न मुद्रिका ज्याचे हाती । पापे त्यासी न लागती । एखादे रत्‍न असता हाती । मुद्रिका पवित्र ब्राह्मणासी ॥४६॥

navara‍t‍na mudrikā jyāce hātī | pāpe tyāsī na lāgatī | ekhāde rat‍na asatā hātī | mudrikā pavitra brāhmaṇāsī ||46||

One who wears a ring of nine gems is untouched by sin; even a ring with a single gem is a pure ring for a Brahmin.

Even a single humble gem is said to suffice — the ideal (nine gems) is honored, but a modest version is fully valid too.

A modest version of something valuable is still worthwhile; you need not wait for the ideal to begin.

प्रातःसंध्येच विधान । सांगेन ऐका ऋषिजन । नक्षत्र असतांचि प्रारंभून । अर्घ्य सूर्योदयी द्यावे ॥४७॥

prātaḥsamdhyeca vidhāna | sāmgena aikā ṛṣijana | nakṣatra asatāmci prārambhūna | arghya sūryodayī dyāve ||47||

Now I will tell the rule for the morning twilight rite, listen you sages: begin while the stars are still out, and offer the water-oblation (arghya) at sunrise.

The great daily rite of sandhyā (twilight worship) is introduced, requiring one to be ready before the sun even rises.

Prepare for your most important daily commitment before the moment actually arrives, not scrambling at the last second.

सूर्योदय होय तव । जप करीत उभे असावे । उदयसमयी अर्घ्य द्यावे । तत्पूर्वी देणे सर्व व्यर्थ ॥४८॥

sūryodaya hoya tava | japa karīta ubhe asāve | udayasamayī arghya dyāve | tatpūrvī deṇe sarva vyartha ||48||

As the sun rises, one should be standing, reciting; offer the water-oblation exactly at sunrise — offering it earlier is entirely wasted.

Timing itself carries meaning here; devotion offered too early misses its mark, teaching precision and attentiveness to the right moment.

Time your efforts to the actual moment they matter, not just whenever is convenient for you.

ऋषि पुसती पराशरासी । संध्या करावया विधि कैसी । विस्तारोनि आम्हांसी । सांगावे जी स्वामिया ॥४९॥

ṛṣi pusatī parāśarāsī | samdhyā karāvayā vidhi kaisī | vistāroni āmhāmsī | sāmgāve jī svāmiyā ||49||

The sages ask Parāśara: what is the procedure for performing the twilight rite? Please explain it to us in detail, O master.

The narrative frame reappears — sages, hungry for exact guidance, ask their teacher to lay out the rite in full.

Ask a teacher or mentor for the fuller detail when you sense there is more to learn beneath the surface.

श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी । सांगेन संध्याविधिसी । ऐका तुम्ही तत्परेसी । पराशरस्मृतीसी असे ॥२५०॥

śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī | sāmgena samdhyāvidhisī | aikā tumhī tatparesī | parāśarasmṛtīsī ase ||250||

Śrī Guru tells the Brahmins: I will explain the twilight-rite procedure; listen attentively, as it is found in the Parāśara-smṛti.

The guru grounds his teaching in scriptural authority, the Parāśara-smṛti, showing that even living instruction rests on received tradition.

Root your own guidance in trustworthy tradition rather than inventing rules from scratch.

गायत्रीमंत्र जप करिता । शिखा बांधावी तत्त्वता । आसन घालावे निरुता । दर्भपाणि होउनी ॥५१॥

gāyatrīmamtra japa karitā | śikhā bāmdhāvī tattvatā | āsana ghālāve nirutā | darbhapāṇi hounī ||51||

When reciting the Gāyatrī mantra, tie up the topknot properly; lay out a seat firmly, holding kusha grass in hand.

Preparatory steps — tying the hair, laying a seat, holding grass — precede the mantra itself, teaching that readiness matters before practice begins.

Set up your physical space deliberately before beginning a focused practice, rather than rushing straight in.

देवतीर्थे द्विराचमन । विष्णुनाम स्मरोन । प्राणायाम विस्तारोन । न्यासपूर्वक करावे ॥५२॥

devatīrthe dvirācamana | viṣṇunāma smarona | prāṇāyāma vistārona | nyāsapūrvaka karāve ||52||

Sip water twice at the Deva-tīrtha, remembering the name of Viṣṇu, then perform breath-control (prāṇāyāma) at length, along with ritual placement (nyāsa).

The rite moves inward now, from body and hand gestures toward breath and mind — prāṇāyāma and nyāsa work directly on inner awareness.

Move from outer preparation to inner focus as your practice deepens through the day.

प्रणवाचा परब्रह्म ऋषि । गायत्री नाम छंदासी । परमात्मा देवता परियेसी । म्हणा प्राणायामे विनियोगः ॥५३॥

praṇavācā parabrahma ṛṣi | gāyatrī nāma chamdāsī | paramātmā devatā pariyesī | mhaṇā prāṇāyāme viniyogaḥ ||53||

The seer of the sacred syllable Om is the Supreme Brahman; its meter is called Gāyatrī; its deity is the Supreme Self — recite this as the application-formula (viniyoga) for prāṇāyāma.

Reciting the seer, meter, and deity of a mantra before using it, viniyoga, is a way of consciously invoking its lineage and power.

Know and honor the source and lineage of a practice you follow, not just its outward steps.

ॐ व्याह्रति सत्यज्ञानिया । नाभि ह्रदय मूर्ध्नी स्पर्शावया । व्याह्रति सप्त अतिशया । प्रत्येक देवता ऋषि सांगेन ॥५४॥

oṁ vyāhrati satyajñāniyā | nābhi hradaya mūrdhnī sparśāvayā | vyāhrati sapta atiśayā | pratyeka devatā ṛṣi sāmgena ||54||

Om — with the vyāhṛtis of truth and knowledge, touch the navel, heart, and crown; there are seven exalted vyāhṛtis, and I will tell the deity and seer of each.

The seven vyāhṛtis (sacred utterances naming cosmic realms) are introduced, each to be matched with its own deity and seer.

Take time to understand the deeper structure behind a practice, not just its surface repetition.

व्याह्रति सप्तस्थानासी । ऐका असे प्रजापति ऋषि । प्रत्येक देवता परियेसी । सप्त नामे देवांची ॥५५॥

vyāhrati saptasthānāsī | aikā ase prajāpati ṛṣi | pratyeka devatā pariyesī | sapta nāme devāmcī ||55||

For the seven places of the vyāhṛtis, listen: the seer is Prajāpati; listen to the deity of each — the seven names of the gods.

The teaching methodically assigns a seer and deity to each of the seven cosmic utterances, building a complete map of correspondences.

Learn a subject methodically and completely rather than only picking up scattered fragments.

अग्निर्वायु गुरुः सूर्य । वरुणेंद्र विश्वदेव । सप्त व्याह्रति सप्त देव । छंद सप्त सांगेन ॥५६॥

agnirvāyu guruḥ sūrya | varuṇemdra viśvadeva | sapta vyāhrati sapta deva | chamda sapta sāmgena ||56||

Agni, Vāyu, Bṛhaspati (the guru), Sūrya, Varuṇa, Indra, and the Viśvadevas — these are the seven deities of the seven vyāhṛtis; I will also tell the seven meters.

The seven-fold structure of the universe — fire, wind, wisdom, sun, water, power, and the collective divine — is invoked in a single breath.

See how many essential forces of life can be honored together in one brief, unified act of attention.

गायत्री आणि उष्णिका । अनुष्टुप्‍ बृहती पंक्ति पंचम ऐका । त्रिष्टुप्‍ जगती छंद विशेखा । प्राणायामे विनियोगः ॥५७॥

gāyatrī āṇi uṣṇikā | anuṣṭup‍ bṛhatī pamkti pamcama aikā | triṣṭup‍ jagatī chamda viśekhā | prāṇāyāme viniyogaḥ ||57||

Gāyatrī, Uṣṇik, Anuṣṭup, Bṛhatī, and Paṅkti as the fifth — listen — Triṣṭup and Jagatī are the further meters; recite this as the application for prāṇāyāma.

The seven Vedic meters are named in full, part of completing the technical scaffolding of the breath-control rite.

Master the full technical vocabulary of a discipline you take seriously, not just a simplified version.

ॐ भूः पादन्यास । ॐ भुवः जानु स्वः गुह्य । ॐ महः नाभि स्थान स्पर्शा । जनो ह्रदय तपो कंठ ॥॥५८॥॥

oṁ bhūḥ pādanyāsa | oṁ bhuvaḥ jānu svaḥ guhya | oṁ mahaḥ nābhi sthāna sparśā | jano hradaya tapo kamṭha ||||58||||

Om Bhūḥ — touch the feet; Om Bhuvaḥ — the knee; Svaḥ — the groin; Om Mahaḥ — touch the navel; Janaḥ — the heart; Tapaḥ — the throat.

This is the body-placement (nyāsa) of the seven cosmic realms onto the practitioner's own body, from feet to throat, mapping cosmos onto self.

See your own body and daily routine as a small reflection of a larger, ordered whole.

ॐ भू र्ह्रदयाय नम इति । ॐ भुवः शिरसे स्वाहेति । ॐ स्वः शिखायै वषडिति । ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं कवचाय हुं ॥२६०॥

oṁ bhū rhradayāya nama iti | oṁ bhuvaḥ śirase svāheti | oṁ svaḥ śikhāyai vaṣaḍiti | oṁ tatsaviturvareṇyam kavacāya hum ||260||

Om Bhūḥ — 'salutation to the heart'; Om Bhuvaḥ — 'to the head, svāhā'; Om Svaḥ — 'to the topknot, vaṣaṭ'; Om Tat Savitur Vareṇyaṃ — 'to the armor, hum'.

The Gāyatrī mantra itself begins to be woven into the body-placement rite, each phrase sealing a different part of the body like protective armor.

Build in small, repeated words of protection or intention as you move through your day.

ॐ भर्गोदेवस्य धीमहि नेत्रत्रयाय वोषट्‍ । धियोयोनः प्रचोदयात्‍ अस्त्राय फट्‍ । ॐ भूर्भु०इति दिग्बंधः । ऐसे षडंग करावे ॥६१॥

oṁ bhargodevasya dhīmahi netratrayāya voṣaṭ‍ | dhiyoyonaḥ pracodayāt‍ astrāya phaṭ‍ | oṁ bhūrbhu0iti digbamdhaḥ | aise ṣaḍamga karāve ||61||

'Bhargo devasya dhīmahi' — to the three eyes, voṣaṭ; 'dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt' — to the weapon, phaṭ; Om Bhūr-Bhuvaḥ (and so on) forms the binding of the directions — perform these six limbs (ṣaḍaṅga) thus.

The full Gāyatrī is completed and used to bind the six limbs and the directions themselves — the practitioner becomes surrounded by protective sacred sound.

Build a complete routine that protects your focus from every side, not leaving gaps for distraction.

प्राणायामे विनियोगः म्हणुनि । आपोस्तन स्पर्शोनि । ज्योतिर्नेत्रस्पर्शस्थानी । रसो जिव्हामृतललाटे ॥६२॥

prāṇāyāme viniyogaḥ mhaṇuni | āpostana sparśoni | jyotirnetrasparśasthānī | raso jivhāmṛtalalāṭe ||62||

Saying 'this is for the application of prāṇāyāma,' touch the water/heart region; touch the eyes for light; touch the tongue for taste and the forehead for nectar.

Sensory faculties — sight, taste — are each consecrated in turn, extending the rite's reach across the whole perceiving body.

Bring conscious care to how you use your senses each day, not just your hands or feet.

प्राणायाम करावयासी । प्रजापति म्हणती ऋषि । देवतानामे परियेसी । ब्रह्माग्निवायु सूर्य असे ॥६३॥

prāṇāyāma karāvayāsī | prajāpati mhaṇatī ṛṣi | devatānāme pariyesī | brahmāgnivāyu sūrya ase ||63||

For performing prāṇāyāma, the seer is said to be Prajāpati; listen to the deity names: Brahmā, Agni, Vāyu, and Sūrya.

The seer and deities of breath-control are again named, part of the meticulous scaffolding surrounding even the act of breathing.

Approach even your breathing and basic bodily rhythms as worthy of mindful attention.

ब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वः म्हणुनि । प्राणायाम करा तिन्ही । त्रिपदा गायत्री जप कोणी । जपणारासी सर्व सिद्धि ॥६४॥

brahmabhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ mhaṇuni | prāṇāyāma karā tinhī | tripadā gāyatrī japa koṇī | japaṇārāsī sarva siddhi ||64||

Saying 'Brahma Bhūr-Bhuvaḥ-Svaḥ,' perform the three rounds of breath-control; whoever recites the three-versed Gāyatrī attains all accomplishment.

A bold promise is attached to steady practice of the Gāyatrī — all attainment follows from this one disciplined, repeated recitation.

Trust that mastering one core daily discipline deeply can open the door to many other kinds of growth.

गायत्रीची अधिदेवता । ब्रह्माग्निवायु सविता । ऋषि ब्रह्मा असे ख्याता । सप्त लोकन्यास सांगेन ॥६५॥

gāyatrīcī adhidevatā | brahmāgnivāyu savitā | ṛṣi brahmā ase khyātā | sapta lokanyāsa sāmgena ||65||

The presiding deities of the Gāyatrī are Brahmā, Agni, Vāyu, and Savitṛ; its seer is renowned as Brahmā; now I will explain the placement of the seven worlds (on the body).

Having placed the mantra's power into the body, the teaching now extends that placement outward to the seven cosmic worlds.

Let a grounded daily discipline expand your sense of connection to the wider world, not shrink your focus inward only.

पादन्यास भुर्लोक । भुवः जानु अतिविशेख । स्वः गुह्य असे लोक । नाभिन्यास महर्लोक ॥६६॥

pādanyāsa bhurloka | bhuvaḥ jānu ativiśekha | svaḥ guhya ase loka | nābhinyāsa maharloka ||66||

Placement at the feet is the earthly realm (Bhūrloka); at the knee, especially, is Bhuvarloka; at the groin is Svarloka; placement at the navel is Maharloka.

The cosmic map continues downward-to-upward on the body, each world assigned a bodily location from feet to navel.

See yourself as connected, foot to crown, to realms and concerns larger than your immediate self.

जनो ह्रदय तपो ग्रीवे । भ्रुवोर्ललाटे सत्यलोक म्हणावे । ऐसे शिरस्थान बरवे । सत्यलोक म्हणती तयासी ॥६७॥

jano hradaya tapo grīve | bhruvorlalāṭe satyaloka mhaṇāve | aise śirasthāna barave | satyaloka mhaṇatī tayāsī ||67||

Janaloka at the heart, Tapoloka at the neck, and Satyaloka should be said at the eyebrows and forehead — this excellent placement at the head is called Satyaloka.

The seven-world map completes at the head with Satyaloka, the highest realm of truth, crowning the whole body with cosmic order.

Let your highest values sit, quite literally, at the forefront of your mind as you go about your day.

गायत्रीची प्रार्थना करूनि । प्राणायाम करा विधींनी । ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थानी । पंचांगुली धरा परमेष्ठी ॥६८॥

gāyatrīcī prārthanā karūni | prāṇāyāma karā vidhīmnī | brahmacārī gṛhasthānī | pamcāmgulī dharā parameṣṭhī ||68||

Having prayed to the Gāyatrī, perform prāṇāyāma according to the rules; celibate students and householders should hold the hand in the five-fingered 'Parameṣṭhī' gesture.

Specific hand postures (mudrā) are prescribed by life-stage, again matching outer form to one's stage of life.

Adapt the specific form of a practice to your actual role and stage in life.

वानप्रस्थ संन्यासी यती । अनामिकाकनिष्ठिकांगुष्ठेसी । ओंकारादि वायुपूरकेसी । दक्षिणनासापुटे चढवावे ॥६९॥

vānaprastha samnyāsī yatī | anāmikākaniṣṭhikāmguṣṭhesī | omkārādi vāyupūrakesī | dakṣiṇanāsāpuṭe caḍhavāve ||69||

Forest-dwellers, renunciants, and ascetics should use the ring finger, little finger, and thumb; reciting Om and so on, draw the breath in through the right nostril.

The breath-control technique becomes technically precise — specific fingers, specific nostril — for those furthest along the renunciant path.

Expect the technical demands of a discipline to increase as your own commitment to it deepens.

वामनासापुटी विसर्जोनि । करा प्राणायाम तिन्ही । येणेचि विधी करा मुनि । त्रिकालसंध्या कर्मै ॥२७०॥

vāmanāsāpuṭī visarjoni | karā prāṇāyāma tinhī | yeṇeci vidhī karā muni | trikālasamdhyā karmai ||270||

Release the breath through the left nostril; perform the three rounds of prāṇāyāma in this way; sages should perform this same rite for the three daily twilight rituals.

The complete breath cycle — in through one side, out the other — is prescribed for use at all three daily junctures of the day.

Anchor a full, complete practice — not a partial one — at the key turning points of your day.

आता करावे मार्जनेसी । सांगेन ऐका समस्त ऋषि । जैसे अति स्मृतिचंद्रिकेसी । तेणे विधी सांगतो ॥७१॥

ātā karāve mārjanesī | sāmgena aikā samasta ṛṣi | jaise ati smṛticamdrikesī | teṇe vidhī sāmgato ||71||

Now I will tell how to perform the sprinkling-purification (mārjana), listen all you sages; I explain it just as it is given in the Smṛticandrikā (an authoritative text).

Another named authority, the Smṛticandrikā, is cited, reinforcing that this is received, verifiable tradition rather than personal invention.

Cite and trust reliable sources when you pass on guidance to others.

आपोहिष्ठेति सूक्तेसी । सिंधुद्वीप ऋषि गायत्री छंदेसी । आपोदेवता मार्जनासी । हा म्हणावा विनियोग ॥७२॥

āpohiṣṭheti sūktesī | simdhudvīpa ṛṣi gāyatrī chamdesī | āpodevatā mārjanāsī | hā mhaṇāvā viniyoga ||72||

With the Āpo-hiṣṭha hymn, whose seer is Sindhudvīpa and meter is Gāyatrī, and whose deity is the waters — recite this as the application for the sprinkling rite.

Each mantra used continues to be introduced with its full lineage — seer, meter, deity — before being put to use.

Understand where your tools and words come from before you put them to use.

येणे मंत्रे म्हणोन । कुशपवित्रे करा मार्जन । यस्य क्षयाय मंत्रे जाण । आपुले पाद प्रोक्षावे ॥७३॥

yeṇe mamtre mhaṇona | kuśapavitre karā mārjana | yasya kṣayāya mamtre jāṇa | āpule pāda prokṣāve ||73||

Reciting this mantra, perform the sprinkling with the kusha-grass ring; with the 'yasya kṣayāya' mantra, sprinkle water on one's own feet.

The sprinkling rite works its way methodically up the body once more, beginning again at the feet.

Begin grounding practices from the feet up, literally and figuratively starting from a stable base.

आपोजनयथा मंत्रेसी । प्रोक्षावे आपुल्या शिरसी । सूर्यश्चेति मंत्रेसी । उदक प्राशन करावे ॥७४॥

āpojanayathā mamtresī | prokṣāve āpulyā śirasī | sūryaśceti mamtresī | udaka prāśana karāve ||74||

With the 'āpo janayathā' mantra, sprinkle water on one's own head; with the 'sūryaśca' mantra, sip the water.

The sprinkling rite reaches the head and concludes with sipping, completing the body's purification from feet to crown to mouth.

Let a grounding practice move all the way from your base to your thoughts and words, not stop halfway.

हिरण्यवर्णसूक्तेसी । मार्जन करावे परियेसी । द्रुपदादिवेति मंत्रेसी । घ्राणोनि उदक सोडावे ॥७५॥

hiraṇyavarṇasūktesī | mārjana karāve pariyesī | drupadādiveti mamtresī | ghrāṇoni udaka soḍāve ||75||

With the Hiraṇyavarṇa hymn, perform the sprinkling, listen; with the 'drupadādiva' mantra, smell the water and then release it.

This mantra sequence continues the sandhyā rite's meticulous purification, closing this passage with yet another named Vedic hymn tied to a precise bodily gesture.

Bring the same unbroken attentiveness to the final small steps of a task as you did to its beginning.

आचमने करोनि दोन । मार्जनविधान सांगेन । वामहस्ती पात्र धरून । मार्जन करा विशेषी ॥७६॥

ācamane karoni dona | mārjanavidhāna sāmgena | vāmahastī pātra dharūna | mārjana karā viśeṣī ||76||

After performing two sipping-purifications (ācamana), I shall tell the rule for mārjana (ritual sprinkling); holding the vessel in the left hand, perform the mārjana with care.

The daily rite moves from inner purification (ācamana, sipping water) to outer purification (mārjana, sprinkling water) — precise bodily conduct is treated as inseparable from prayer.

Prepare your body and surroundings with the same care you give your words before you begin something sacred.

औदुंबर सुवर्ण रजत । काष्ठाचेही असे पवित्र । ऐसे असे निर्मळ पात्र । वामहस्ती उदक बरवे ॥७७॥

audumbara suvarṇa rajata | kāṣṭhācehī ase pavitra | aise ase nirmaḷa pātra | vāmahastī udaka barave ||77||

A vessel of audumbara (fig-wood), gold, or silver, or of plain wood, is pure; such a clean vessel — hold water well in the left hand.

Even the choice of vessel is specified — audumbara (a wood sacred in this tradition) or precious metal — because ritual purity extends to every object touched in worship.

Keep the tools of your daily discipline clean and dedicated, not borrowed carelessly from other uses.

मृण्मय अथवा द्विमुख पात्र । भिन्न पात्र ते जाण अपवित्र । ते अग्राह्य देवपितरा । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥७८॥

mṛṇmaya athavā dvimukha pātra | bhinna pātra te jāṇa apavitra | te agrāhya devapitarā | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||78||

An earthen vessel or one with two mouths, or any cracked vessel, know to be impure; it is unacceptable to gods and ancestors — so Śrī Guru tells the brāhmaṇas.

Śrī Guru specifies which vessels are unfit for offerings — gods and ancestors will not accept what is broken or improper, teaching that ritual attentiveness is a form of respect.

Do not offer your best effort in a broken or half-hearted form; what you give in devotion should be whole.

मार्जनसंख्या सांगेन ऐका । शिरसी अष्ट पादे नवका । यस्य क्षयाय स्नान भुमिका । येणेपरी मार्जन ॥७९॥

mārjanasamkhyā sāmgena aikā | śirasī aṣṭa pāde navakā | yasya kṣayāya snāna bhumikā | yeṇeparī mārjana ||79||

Listen, I shall tell the count of mārjana: eight times on the head, nine on the feet; with the mantra 'yasya kṣayāya,' bathing the ground — in this way perform the sprinkling.

Even the number of sprinklings is fixed by tradition, showing that in this discipline attention to detail is itself a form of devotion, not mere formality.

Follow through a practice completely, in its small details, rather than doing it approximately.

आपः पुनन्तु मंत्रेसी । प्राशनोदक माध्याह्नेसी । अग्निश्चेति मंत्रेसी । सायंसंध्या करावी ॥२८०॥

āpaḥ punantu mamtresī | prāśanodaka mādhyāhnesī | agniśceti mamtresī | sāyamsamdhyā karāvī ||280||

With the mantra 'āpaḥ punantu,' sip the water at midday; with the mantra 'agniśca,' perform the evening prayer.

Each of the three daily prayer-times — morning, noon, evening — has its own mantra, marking how a day rightly lived is bracketed by remembrance of the sacred.

Mark the turning points of your day — morning, midday, evening — with a brief pause for gratitude.

प्राशनांती तुम्ही ऐका । द्विराचमन करा निका । आघ्राण करुनी सांडिजे ऐका । एक आचमन करावे ॥८१॥

prāśanāmtī tumhī aikā | dvirācamana karā nikā | āghrāṇa karunī sāmḍije aikā | eka ācamana karāve ||81||

After sipping, listen: perform ācamana twice properly; smell the water and pour it away, then take one more sip.

Every gesture of the rite — sip, smell, pour — is prescribed, teaching that mindfulness is practiced through the body, not only the mind.

Let ordinary actions like eating or drinking be done attentively, not on autopilot.

अर्घ्य द्यावयाचे विधान । सांगेन ऐका ऋषिजन । गोश्रृंगाइतुके आकारोन । अर्घ्य द्यावे मनोभावे ॥८२॥

arghya dyāvayāce vidhāna | sāmgena aikā ṛṣijana | gośrṛmgāituke ākārona | arghya dyāve manobhāve ||82||

O sages, listen, I shall tell the rule for offering arghya (water-oblation): shape the hands like a cow's horn and offer the water with a devoted mind.

The offering of water to the sun, cupped in hands shaped like a cow's horn, begins here — arghya (respectful water offering) turns a simple gesture into an act of reverence.

Offer even a small daily gift — water, a greeting, a kindness — with full attention rather than distraction.

गायत्रीमंत्र जपोनि । सायंप्रातर्द्यावी तिन्ही । हंसःशुचिषेति माध्याह्नी । अर्घ्य द्यावे अवधारा ॥८३॥

gāyatrīmamtra japoni | sāyamprātardyāvī tinhī | hamsaḥśuciṣeti mādhyāhnī | arghya dyāve avadhārā ||83||

Chanting the Gāyatrī mantra, offer the three arghyas at evening and morning; at midday offer arghya with the mantra 'haṁsaḥ śuciṣa.'

The Gāyatrī mantra — the seed-prayer of this devotional discipline — accompanies each of the three water offerings, binding sound and gesture into one act of worship.

Let your words and your actions move together — pray with the same sincerity you act with.

प्रातर्माध्याह्नी उभे बरवे । सायं अर्घ्य बैसोनि द्यावे । आचमन त्रिवारी करावे । करी प्रदक्षिणा असावादित्य ॥८४॥

prātarmādhyāhnī ubhe barave | sāyam arghya baisoni dyāve | ācamana trivārī karāve | karī pradakṣiṇā asāvāditya ||84||

In the morning and at midday offer arghya standing; in the evening offer it seated; sip water three times, and circle around, saying 'asāvāditya' (this is the sun).

The changing posture through the day — standing, then seated — mirrors the sun's own arc from rising to setting, tying the worshipper's body to the movement of the cosmos.

Adjust your practice to the rhythm of the day rather than forcing one posture on every hour.

अर्घ्य द्यावयाचे कारण । सांगेन कथा विस्तारोन । राक्षस मंदेह दारुण । तीस कोटि आहेती देखा ॥८५॥

arghya dyāvayāce kāraṇa | sāmgena kathā vistārona | rākṣasa mamdeha dāruṇa | tīsa koṭi āhetī dekhā ||85||

I shall tell at length the reason for offering arghya: there are thirty crore fearsome demons called Mandeha.

Śrī Guru now explains the myth behind the rite: the terrible Mandeha demons who assail the sun each day — ritual is grounded in a story that gives it meaning, not left as bare rule.

Understand the reason behind a practice you keep, so that repetition does not turn into empty habit.

सूर्यासवे युद्धासी। नित्य येतीपरियेसी । संदेह पडे देवांसी । सूर्या होईल अपजय ॥८६॥

sūryāsave yuddhāsī| nitya yetīpariyesī | samdeha paḍe devāmsī | sūryā hoīla apajaya ||86||

Listen: they come daily to fight with the sun, and the gods fall into doubt whether the sun will be defeated.

Even the sun's daily rising is pictured as a battle won anew — a reminder that light and order must be sustained by effort, not taken for granted.

Treat each day's good beginning as something to be renewed by effort, not assumed automatically.

अपजय येता सूर्यासी । उदयास्तमान न होय परियेसी । कर्मै न चालती ब्राह्मणांसी । स्वाहास्वधाकार न चाले ॥८७॥

apajaya yetā sūryāsī | udayāstamāna na hoya pariyesī | karmai na cālatī brāhmaṇāmsī | svāhāsvadhākāra na cāle ||87||

If the sun were defeated, sunrise and sunset would not occur, the rites of brāhmaṇas could not proceed, and the offerings of svāhā and svadhā could not be made.

The myth ties cosmic order (the sun's rising) to human ritual order (daily offerings) — one sustains the other, showing worship as participation in keeping the world running.

See your small daily disciplines as connected to a larger good, not isolated private habits.

स्वाहास्वधाकार रहाती । समस्त देवांस उपवास होती । सृष्टि राहिली न होय उत्पत्ति । म्हणोनि उपाय रचियेला ॥८८॥

svāhāsvadhākāra rahātī | samasta devāmsa upavāsa hotī | sṛṣṭi rāhilī na hoya utpatti | mhaṇoni upāya raciyelā ||88||

The offerings would cease, all the gods would go hungry, creation would halt and nothing new would arise — therefore a remedy was devised.

Facing this cosmic crisis, a solution was found — showing that ritual customs often arise as practical responses to real dangers within the tradition's own worldview.

When something important is at risk, look for a workable remedy rather than despairing.

याचि कारणे अर्घ्य देती । तीचि वज्रायुधे होती । जावोनि दैत्यांसी लागती । पराभविती प्रतिदिवसी ॥८९॥

yāci kāraṇe arghya detī | tīci vajrāyudhe hotī | jāvoni daityāmsī lāgatī | parābhavitī pratidivasī ||89||

For this reason they offer arghya; that water becomes like a thunderbolt weapon, goes and strikes the demons, and defeats them every day.

The humble handful of water offered by a devotee is imagined as a weapon fighting cosmic darkness — an ordinary act charged with extraordinary power in this telling.

Do not underestimate a small, faithful daily act; consistency can accomplish what force cannot.

दैत्य असती ब्रह्मवंश । त्यांसी वधिलिया घडती दोष । प्रदक्षिणा करिता होय नाश । असावादित्य म्हणोनिया ॥२९०॥

daitya asatī brahmavamśa | tyāmsī vadhiliyā ghaḍatī doṣa | pradakṣiṇā karitā hoya nāśa | asāvāditya mhaṇoniyā ||290||

Since the demons are of brahmin lineage, killing them incurs sin; so by circumambulating and saying 'asāvāditya,' their destruction happens without that fault.

Even the destruction of a demonic force must be reconciled with a deeper rule against harming the pious lineage — the story insists that even necessary victories be won without moral compromise.

Pursue even a needed victory in a way that keeps your conscience and conduct clean.

ब्रह्महत्येचिया पातकासी । भूमिप्रदक्षिणा दोष नाशी । चार पावले फिरता कैसी । भूमिप्रदक्षिणा पुण्य असे ॥९१॥

brahmahatyeciyā pātakāsī | bhūmipradakṣiṇā doṣa nāśī | cāra pāvale phiratā kaisī | bhūmipradakṣiṇā puṇya ase ||91||

For the sin of killing a brahmin, circumambulating the earth destroys the fault; walking just four steps around is itself meritorious circumambulation.

A small circling gesture is treated as equal to circling the whole earth — showing that in this tradition sincere symbolic action carries the weight of the larger deed it represents.

Let a brief, sincere gesture of atonement or respect stand in for what you cannot do in full — intention completes the act.

संध्या करावयाचे स्थान । सांगेन ऐका फलविधान । घरी करिता प्रतिदिन । एकचि फळ अवधारा ॥९२॥

samdhyā karāvayāce sthāna | sāmgena aikā phalavidhāna | gharī karitā pratidina | ekaci phaḷa avadhārā ||92||

I shall tell you the places for performing sandhyā and the merit of each; done daily at home, understand, it yields one unit of merit.

The setting of one's practice matters — done at home it bears the base merit, setting up the following verses that scale reward by location.

Practice your discipline at home consistently even when you cannot go somewhere special for it.

दश फळ ग्रामाबाहेर देखा । नदीस केलिया शताधिका । पुष्करतीरी सहस्त्र ऐका । गंगासुरनदी कोटिफल ॥९३॥

daśa phaḷa grāmābāhera dekhā | nadīsa keliyā śatādhikā | puṣkaratīrī sahastra aikā | gamgāsuranadī koṭiphala ||93||

Outside the village it yields tenfold merit; done by a river, more than a hundredfold; on the bank of Puṣkara, a thousandfold; by the Gaṅgā or a sacred river, a crore-fold.

The scaling merit by sacred setting — village edge, river, tīrtha — reflects the belief that certain places amplify the power of practice, though the practice itself remains the same.

Seek out settings — quiet, natural, sacred to you — that deepen your own practice when you have the chance.

सुरापान दिवा मैथुन । अनृतादि वाक्ये पापे जाण । संध्या बाहेर करिता क्षण । जळती दोष तात्काळी ॥९४॥

surāpāna divā maithuna | anṛtādi vākye pāpe jāṇa | samdhyā bāhera karitā kṣaṇa | jaḷatī doṣa tātkāḷī ||94||

Drinking liquor, daytime intercourse, lying speech — know these as sins; if done outside of sandhyā's time, they are burned away in that very instant.

Sandhyā practice is credited with the power to instantly consume even serious moral faults, underscoring how central this discipline was believed to be for purification.

Let a regular practice of prayer or reflection be the place where you honestly reckon with your own faults.

स्थाने असती जप करावयासी । विस्तारे सांगेन तुम्हासी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी । एकचित्ते परियेसा ॥९५॥

sthāne asatī japa karāvayāsī | vistāre sāmgena tumhāsī | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī | ekacitte pariyesā ||95||

There are various places for chanting (japa); I shall describe them at length — so Śrī Guru tells the brāhmaṇas — listen with one-pointed attention.

Śrī Guru now turns from sandhyā's locations to japa's, teaching that undivided attention (ekacitta) is the real precondition for any of this to bear fruit.

Whatever you practice, give it your full, undivided attention rather than a distracted mind.

जप केलिया घरी ऐका । एकचि फल असे देखा । बाहेर द्विगुणी फल अधिका । नदीतीरी त्रिगुण फल ॥९६॥

japa keliyā gharī aikā | ekaci phala ase dekhā | bāhera dviguṇī phala adhikā | nadītīrī triguṇa phala ||96||

Listen: chanting done at home yields one unit of merit; outside, double; on a riverbank, triple.

As with sandhyā, japa's merit scales with setting, reinforcing that a sacred environment is held to support, not replace, one's inner discipline.

Choose a calmer setting for your practice when you can, knowing the practice itself still counts wherever you are.

गोस्थळ वृंदावन देखा । दशगुण फल अधिका । अग्निहोत्रस्थानी निका । शतगुणफल अधिक असे ॥९७॥

gosthaḷa vṛmdāvana dekhā | daśaguṇa phala adhikā | agnihotrasthānī nikā | śataguṇaphala adhika ase ||97||

In a cow-pen or a tulasī-courtyard, tenfold merit; at a place of the sacred fire-rite, a hundredfold.

The escalating list of sacred sites — cow-shelter, tulasī-shrine, fire-altar — reflects a worldview where different holy things concentrate different degrees of power.

Recognize the small sacred corners of your own life — a garden, a family shrine — as worthy places to pause and pray.

तीर्थदेवता सन्निधानी । सहस्त्रफल असे निर्गुणी । शतकोटि फल हरिसन्निधानी । ईश्वरसंनिधानी अनंत फल ॥९८॥

tīrthadevatā sannidhānī | sahastraphala ase nirguṇī | śatakoṭi phala harisannidhānī | īśvarasamnidhānī anamta phala ||98||

In the presence of a holy site's deity, a thousandfold merit, undisputed; in Hari's presence, a hundred-crore-fold; in God's own presence, infinite merit.

The list climaxes in the infinite — nearness to the divine itself outweighs any external location, gently hinting that the true multiplier is closeness to God, not geography.

Cultivate a felt sense of God's presence in your practice; that inward nearness matters more than the place.

जप करिता आसनासी । विधिनिषेध आहे परियेसी । सांगेन ऐका तत्परेसी । पुण्य पाप बोलिले असे ॥९९॥

japa karitā āsanāsī | vidhiniṣedha āhe pariyesī | sāmgena aikā tatparesī | puṇya pāpa bolile ase ||99||

There are rules of what to do and avoid regarding the seat used for chanting; listen attentively, I shall tell what is said to be meritorious and what sinful.

Even the mundane detail of what one sits on while praying is given moral weight, teaching that the physical conditions of practice are not indifferent to its spiritual result.

Pay attention to your surroundings and posture when you sit to pray or reflect, not just the words you say.

काष्ठासनी बैसोनि जरी । जप करिता मनोहरी । दुःख भोगी निरंतरी । अभागी पुरुष तो होय ॥३००॥

kāṣṭhāsanī baisoni jarī | japa karitā manoharī | duḥkha bhogī niramtarī | abhāgī puruṣa to hoya ||300||

If one sits on a plain wooden seat and chants, however pleasing it seems, one suffers endlessly and becomes an unfortunate person.

The text warns that an unsuitable seat can turn devotion counterproductive — a caution that outward form does matter, not only inward feeling.

Do not be careless about the basic conditions you set up for a practice meant to bring you peace.

पल्लवशाखांसी बसता । सदा होय दुश्चिता । वस्त्रासनी दरिद्रता । पाषाणासनी व्याधि होय ॥१॥

pallavaśākhāmsī basatā | sadā hoya duścitā | vastrāsanī daridratā | pāṣāṇāsanī vyādhi hoya ||1||

Sitting on leaves and branches brings constant distraction of mind; on a cloth seat, poverty; on a stone seat, disease.

Each unsuitable seat is paired with a specific misfortune, a mnemonic device as much as a rule, driving home that details are believed to have consequences.

If a habit consistently unsettles or drains you, examine what small condition around it might need to change.

भस्मासनी व्याधिनाश । कंबलासनी सुखसंतोष । कृष्णाजिनी ज्ञानप्रकाश । व्याघ्रचर्मी मोक्षश्री ॥२॥

bhasmāsanī vyādhināśa | kambalāsanī sukhasamtoṣa | kṛṣṇājinī jñānaprakāśa | vyāghracarmī mokṣaśrī ||2||

A seat of sacred ash destroys disease; a woolen blanket seat brings happiness and contentment; a black antelope skin brings the light of knowledge; a tiger skin brings the glory of liberation.

The text turns to auspicious seats, with each material said to confer a specific blessing, culminating in the tiger-skin seat associated with the highest goal, liberation (mokṣa).

Choose the tools and settings of your practice thoughtfully, matching them to what you hope to cultivate.

कुशासनी वशीकरण । सर्व रोगांचे उपहरण । पापे जाती पळोन । आयुःप्रज्ञा अधिक होय ॥३॥

kuśāsanī vaśīkaraṇa | sarva rogāmce upaharaṇa | pāpe jātī paḷona | āyuḥprajñā adhika hoya ||3||

A seat of kuśa grass grants mastery over the senses, removes all illness, drives away sins, and increases lifespan and wisdom.

Kuśa grass, used across Vedic ritual, is praised here as the most complete seat — its many benefits summing up why it remains a staple of Hindu worship to this day.

Return to simple, time-tested supports for your practice rather than chasing novelty.

ओ इत्येक्षारकमंत्री । जपावा तुम्ही पवित्री । ध्यान करावे गायत्री । समस्त पापे हरती देखा ॥४॥

o ityekṣārakamamtrī | japāvā tumhī pavitrī | dhyāna karāve gāyatrī | samasta pāpe haratī dekhā ||4||

Chant the single-syllable mantra 'oṁ' with purity, and meditate on Gāyatrī; know that all sins are then removed.

Having covered posture and seat, the teaching now turns to the mantra itself — oṁ, the primal syllable, paired with Gāyatrī meditation as the true purifier.

Anchor your practice in one simple, repeated phrase that you return to whenever your mind wanders.

गायत्रीचे स्वरूप आता । अभिवन असे वर्णिता । रक्तांगी वास रक्ता । हंस वाहन असे देखा ॥५॥

gāyatrīce svarūpa ātā | abhivana ase varṇitā | raktāmgī vāsa raktā | hamsa vāhana ase dekhā ||5||

Now I describe the wondrous form of Gāyatrī: her body red, clothed in red, riding upon a swan.

The text now visualizes Gāyatrī as a goddess — red-bodied, swan-mounted — giving the abstract mantra a devotional form to hold in meditation.

Give your prayer a vivid, personal image to focus on if bare words feel too abstract to hold your attention.

अकार ब्रह्मा अधिदेवता । चतुर्भुजा चतुर्वक्त्रा । कमंडलु अक्षसूत्रा । चाटु धरिला असे करी ॥६॥

akāra brahmā adhidevatā | caturbhujā caturvaktrā | kamamḍalu akṣasūtrā | cāṭu dharilā ase karī ||6||

The syllable 'a' has Brahmā as its presiding deity; she is four-armed, four-faced, holding a water-pot, prayer beads, and a whip in her hands.

Each part of the sacred syllable is mapped to a deity and an iconographic detail — a meditative technique in which every sound becomes a doorway to a specific divine image.

Notice how even small, familiar words can open into deeper meaning when you pay real attention to them.

ऋग्वेद असे समागमी । अग्निहोत्रफल आवाहयामि । मग आयातु वरदा देवी । म्हणावे ऐका ब्राह्मणाने ॥७॥

ṛgveda ase samāgamī | agnihotraphala āvāhayāmi | maga āyātu varadā devī | mhaṇāve aikā brāhmaṇāne ||7||

She is accompanied by the Ṛgveda and grants the merit of the fire-sacrifice; then say, 'Come, boon-giving goddess' — let the brāhmaṇa recite this.

The invocation ('come, granting goddess') formally calls the deity into the rite, the moment where inner visualization becomes an act of address.

When you pray, actually address the presence you're seeking, not just recite words at it.

त्या मंत्रासी ऋषि देवता । गायत्रीसदृश असे ख्याता । प्रातःसंध्या तुम्ही करिता । विधि तुम्हा सांगेन ॥८॥

tyā mamtrāsī ṛṣi devatā | gāyatrīsadṛśa ase khyātā | prātaḥsamdhyā tumhī karitā | vidhi tumhā sāmgena ||8||

That mantra's sage and deity are known to be like Gāyatrī's own; when you perform the morning prayer, I shall tell you its procedure.

The teaching now moves specifically into the morning-prayer procedure, having established the general pattern with the preceding mantra.

Learn the full form of a practice properly before improvising your own shortcuts.

गायत्री देवता गायत्री अनुष्टुप छंदः । ॐ आदित्य देवता देवा । हे प्रातःसंध्या म्हणता भेद । गायत्री देवता गायत्री छंदः ॥९॥

gāyatrī devatā gāyatrī anuṣṭupa chamdaḥ | oṁ āditya devatā devā | he prātaḥsamdhyā mhaṇatā bheda | gāyatrī devatā gāyatrī chamdaḥ ||9||

The deity is Gāyatrī, the meter is Gāyatrī/Anuṣṭubh; the deity invoked as Āditya (the sun) — when reciting the morning prayer this distinction is made; deity Gāyatrī, meter Gāyatrī.

Vedic-style recitation always names the meter, sage, and deity of a mantra — this technical formula appears repeatedly through the chapter as the required preamble to correct chanting.

Understand the framework behind a tradition you practice, not just its outward motions.

गायत्री आवाहने विनियोगः । ही माध्याह्नसंध्या म्हणावी । सविता देवता गायत्री छंदः । सरस्वती आवाहने विनियोगः ॥३१०॥

gāyatrī āvāhane viniyogaḥ | hī mādhyāhnasamdhyā mhaṇāvī | savitā devatā gāyatrī chamdaḥ | sarasvatī āvāhane viniyogaḥ ||310||

This is the application for invoking Gāyatrī; recite it at midday prayer; the deity is Savitā, the meter Gāyatrī, applied for invoking Sarasvatī.

The midday prayer shifts its named deity to Savitā (the sun as vivifying power) while keeping the meter constant, showing how the same mantra structure serves different times of day with small variations.

Let your practice flex to fit the moment while keeping its core steady.

प्रातःसंध्येचे ध्यान । सांगेन ऐका तुम्ही गहन । रक्तांगी रक्तवसन । हंसासनी आरूढ असे ॥११॥

prātaḥsamdhyece dhyāna | sāmgena aikā tumhī gahana | raktāmgī raktavasana | hamsāsanī ārūḍha ase ||11||

I shall tell the meditation for the morning prayer, listen carefully: red-bodied, red-clad, seated upon a swan.

The morning form of the goddess — youthful, red, swan-borne — matches sunrise's own color, aligning the meditator's inner image with the visible dawn.

Let the mood of your morning practice match the freshness of the morning itself.

चतुर्बाहु चतुर्मुखी । कमंडलु धरिला विशेखी । अक्षसूत्र चाटु हस्तकी । ऋग्वेदसहित अग्निहोत्र ॥१२॥

caturbāhu caturmukhī | kamamḍalu dharilā viśekhī | akṣasūtra cāṭu hastakī | ṛgvedasahita agnihotra ||12||

Four-armed, four-faced, holding a water-pot distinctly, prayer beads and a whip in hand, accompanied by the Ṛgveda and the fire-sacrifice.

The detailed iconography continues, reinforcing that visualization in this tradition is precise, not vague — every implement in the goddess's hands has meaning.

Be specific and concrete in what you focus your mind on, rather than leaving your attention vague.

ऐसे ध्यान करोनि । मग म्हणावे अक्षरज्ञानी । एकचित्ते असा ध्यानी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥१३॥

aise dhyāna karoni | maga mhaṇāve akṣarajñānī | ekacitte asā dhyānī | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||13||

Having done this meditation, then the wise in letters should recite; be one-pointed in meditation — so Śrī Guru tells the brāhmaṇas.

Śrī Guru again stresses single-pointed attention (ekacitta) as the necessary state of mind before the mantra proper is spoken.

Settle your mind before you begin, rather than starting a practice while still scattered.

ओंकार शिखामावाहयामि । छंदऋषीनावाहयामी । श्रियमावाहयामि । बलमावाहयामि ॥१४॥

omkāra śikhāmāvāhayāmi | chamdaṛṣīnāvāhayāmī | śriyamāvāhayāmi | balamāvāhayāmi ||14||

'I invoke Om at the crown; I invoke the meter and the sage; I invoke glory; I invoke strength.'

This is the literal invocation formula recited during the rite — calling forth sacred sound, tradition, prosperity, and strength into the practitioner's own body.

When you begin something important, consciously invite in the qualities you most need for it.

ऐसे म्हणोनि प्रातःकाळी । संध्या करावी सुवेळी । आता सांगेन माध्याह्नकाळी । ध्यान आवाहनपूर्वक ॥१५॥

aise mhaṇoni prātaḥkāḷī | samdhyā karāvī suveḷī | ātā sāmgena mādhyāhnakāḷī | dhyāna āvāhanapūrvaka ||15||

Having said this, perform the morning prayer at its proper hour; now I shall tell the midday meditation with its invocation.

The text moves from morning to midday practice, underscoring that timeliness — the proper hour — itself matters as much as the words used.

Do your practice at its proper time rather than whenever convenient, so that discipline shapes your day.

अभिभुरो सावित्रीध्यान । यौवनस्था माध्याह्न । सांगेन ऐका ऋषिजन । एकचित्ते परियेसा ॥१६॥

abhibhuro sāvitrīdhyāna | yauvanasthā mādhyāhna | sāmgena aikā ṛṣijana | ekacitte pariyesā ||16||

Listen, O sages, with one-pointed mind: I shall tell the midday meditation on Sāvitrī, who at noon is in her youthful form.

The goddess is imagined aging through the day — youthful at noon — a poetic device mapping the sun's life-stages onto the hours of daily prayer.

Recognize that your own energy and mood shift through the day, and let your practice honor that rhythm.

श्वेतांगी श्वेतवस्त्र । वाहन असे वृषभ पवित्र । उकार रुद्रगण दैवत । पंचमुखा असे देखा ॥१७॥

śvetāmgī śvetavastra | vāhana ase vṛṣabha pavitra | ukāra rudragaṇa daivata | pamcamukhā ase dekhā ||17||

White-bodied, white-clad, her mount the sacred bull; the syllable 'u' belongs to Rudra's host, and she has five faces.

At midday she takes on Śiva's associations — white, bull-mounted, five-faced — matching noon's fierce brightness to Rudra's fiery aspect.

Match the intensity of your practice to the intensity of the moment — quiet dawn, strong midday.

वरद अभयहस्त देखा । रुद्राक्षमाळा त्रिशूलधारका । यजुर्वेद असे देखा । अग्निष्टोम फल जाणा ॥१८॥

varada abhayahasta dekhā | rudrākṣamāḷā triśūladhārakā | yajurveda ase dekhā | agniṣṭoma phala jāṇā ||18||

Her hands show the boon-giving and fear-dispelling gestures; she holds a rudrākṣa rosary and a trident; she is accompanied by the Yajurveda and grants the merit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.

The reassuring hand-gestures paired with a trident show the goddess as both fierce protector and generous giver at once.

Let strength and kindness sit together in how you carry yourself, rather than choosing one over the other.

ओंकारशिखामावाहयामि । छंदऋषीनावाहयामि । श्रियमावाहयामि । ह्रियमावाहयामि ॥१९॥

omkāraśikhāmāvāhayāmi | chamdaṛṣīnāvāhayāmi | śriyamāvāhayāmi | hriyamāvāhayāmi ||19||

'I invoke Om at the crown; I invoke the meter and the sage; I invoke glory; I invoke modesty.'

The midday invocation adds modesty to the qualities called forth, alongside glory — a reminder that spiritual power should be tempered by humility.

As you gain confidence or strength, keep humility close beside it.

आता सायंसंध्या ध्यान । सांगेन ऐका विधान । एकचित्ते ऐका वचन । ध्यानपूर्वक सांगेन ॥३२०॥

ātā sāyamsamdhyā dhyāna | sāmgena aikā vidhāna | ekacitte aikā vacana | dhyānapūrvaka sāmgena ||320||

Now I shall tell the rule for evening-prayer meditation; listen to these words attentively, I shall explain it with due meditation.

The teaching turns finally to the evening prayer, completing the threefold daily cycle of morning, noon, and evening.

Close your day, as you opened it, with a moment of deliberate reflection.

अभिभूरो सरस्वती वृद्धा । जाणावी तुम्ही सायंसंध्या । कृष्णांगी कृष्णवस्त्रपरिधाना । गरुडवाहन असे देखा ॥२१॥

abhibhūro sarasvatī vṛddhā | jāṇāvī tumhī sāyamsamdhyā | kṛṣṇāmgī kṛṣṇavastraparidhānā | garuḍavāhana ase dekhā ||21||

Know the evening prayer as Sarasvatī in her aged form: dark-bodied, dark-clad, mounted upon Garuḍa.

At evening the goddess becomes elderly and dark-hued like the dimming sky, riding Garuḍa — associating dusk with wisdom's maturity rather than decline.

See the winding-down of your day not as loss but as a different, valuable kind of maturity and stillness.

मकार विष्णुदेवता । चतुर्भुज शंखचक्रधृता । गदापद्मधारणहस्ता । सामवेदसहित जाणा ॥२२॥

makāra viṣṇudevatā | caturbhuja śamkhacakradhṛtā | gadāpadmadhāraṇahastā | sāmavedasahita jāṇā ||22||

The syllable 'ma' belongs to Viṣṇu; four-armed, holding conch and discus, mace and lotus in her hands, accompanied by the Sāmaveda.

Evening's form takes on Viṣṇu's attributes — the preserver's emblems — fitting for a prayer that closes and safeguards the day.

End your day with an act that feels protective and settling, sealing what the day has held.

वाजपेयफल जाण । सायंसंध्या असे ध्यान । करावे ऐका तुम्ही ब्राह्मण । म्हणोनि सांगती श्रीगुरु ॥२३॥

vājapeyaphala jāṇa | sāyamsamdhyā ase dhyāna | karāve aikā tumhī brāhmaṇa | mhaṇoni sāmgatī śrīguru ||23||

Know that this evening meditation bears the merit of the Vājapeya sacrifice; perform it, O brāhmaṇas — thus says Śrī Guru.

Each of the three meditations is matched to one of the great ancient sacrifices, elevating simple daily prayer to the stature of the grandest ancient rites.

Do not undervalue a small daily discipline; sustained faithfully, it can carry as much weight as a rare grand effort.

ओंकारशिखामावाहयामि । छंदऋषीनावाहयामि । श्रियमावाहयामि । बलमावाहयामि ॥२४॥

omkāraśikhāmāvāhayāmi | chamdaṛṣīnāvāhayāmi | śriyamāvāhayāmi | balamāvāhayāmi ||24||

'I invoke Om at the crown; I invoke the meter and the sage; I invoke glory; I invoke strength.'

The invocation formula repeats to close the evening rite, the same words returning to complete the day's threefold cycle.

Use a familiar, repeated phrase to bookend your day, giving it a felt beginning and end.

पंचशीर्षोपनयने विनियोगः । प्रणवस्य परब्रह्म ऋषिः । परमात्मा देवता । गायत्री छंदः ॥२५॥

pamcaśīrṣopanayane viniyogaḥ | praṇavasya parabrahma ṛṣiḥ | paramātmā devatā | gāyatrī chamdaḥ ||25||

This is the application for the five-headed upanayana rite: the sage of the praṇava (Om) is Parabrahma, its deity the Supreme Self, its meter Gāyatrī.

The text now shifts into a denser technical passage on the sacred-thread initiation formula, naming Om's own sage as the ultimate reality itself.

Trace even your smallest habits back to the largest truth they serve, so the routine keeps its meaning.

उदात्तस्वरित स्वरः अग्निर्वायुः सूर्यदेवता । गायत्री त्रिष्टुप्‍ जगती छंदः । ब्रह्माविष्णुमहेश्वरादेवताः । ऋग्यजुःसामानि स्वरूपाणि ॥२६॥

udāttasvarita svaraḥ agnirvāyuḥ sūryadevatā | gāyatrī triṣṭup‍ jagatī chamdaḥ | brahmāviṣṇumaheśvarādevatāḥ | ṛgyajuḥsāmāni svarūpāṇi ||26||

Its tones are udātta and svarita; its deities are Agni, Vāyu, and Sūrya; its meters are Gāyatrī, Triṣṭubh, and Jagatī; its deities are Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara; its forms are the three Vedas.

This dense catalog binds the syllable Om to the whole sacred order — three tones, three gods, three meters, three scriptures — showing a single sound understood to contain the entire universe in miniature.

See in a single small practice a reflection of the larger order you belong to, not an isolated act.

आहवनीयाग्निगार्हपत्य । दक्षिणाग्निउपस्थानानि । पृथिव्यंतरिक्षं द्यौस्तत्त्वानि । उदात्तानुदात्तस्वरितस्वराः ॥२७॥

āhavanīyāgnigārhapatya | dakṣiṇāgniupasthānāni | pṛthivyamtarikṣam dyaustattvāni | udāttānudāttasvaritasvarāḥ ||27||

Its seats are the three sacred fires; its elements are earth, sky, and heaven; its tones are udātta, anudātta, and svarita.

The catalog continues, mapping the syllable onto the three sacred fires of ancient ritual and the three worlds, deepening the sense that this single sound is a total cosmogram.

Let a daily habit stand for something larger — home, sky, heaven — so it carries more than its literal action.

पीतविद्युतश्वेतवर्णी । प्रातर्मध्याह्नतृतीयसवनानि । विश्वतजसप्राज्ञस्वरूपिणी । जागृतीस्वपन्सुषुप्त्यवस्था ॥२८॥

pītavidyutaśvetavarṇī | prātarmadhyāhnatṛtīyasavanāni | viśvatajasaprājñasvarūpiṇī | jāgṛtīsvapansuṣuptyavasthā ||28||

Its colors are yellow, lightning-hued, and white; its libations are morning, midday, and third pressing; its forms are Viśva, Taijasa, and Prājña; its states are waking, dream, and deep sleep.

The correspondence widens further to the states of consciousness themselves — waking, dreaming, deep sleep — suggesting the mantra touches every level of a person's inner experience, not only outer ritual.

Bring your whole self — active, imaginative, and restful — into a practice, not just your waking attention.

ऐसे त्रिपदा गायत्रीसी । सांगितले त्रिविध ध्यानासी । आता विधान जपासी । सांगेन ऐका एकचित्ते ॥२९॥

aise tripadā gāyatrīsī | sāmgitale trividha dhyānāsī | ātā vidhāna japāsī | sāmgena aikā ekacitte ||29||

Thus I have told the threefold meditation for the three-footed Gāyatrī; now I shall tell the rule for its chanting — listen with one-pointed mind.

Having finished the three meditations, the teaching now turns to the practical instructions for the chanting itself — theory giving way to practice.

After understanding the reasons behind a practice, move on to actually doing it.

ममोपात्तदुरितक्षयद्वारा । श्रीपरमेश्वरप्रीत्यर्थं जपे विनियोगः । ॐ अं नाभौ । वं ह्रदये मं कंठे ॥३३०॥

mamopāttaduritakṣayadvārā | śrīparameśvaraprītyartham jape viniyogaḥ | oṁ am nābhau | vam hradaye mam kamṭhe ||330||

'Through this let my accumulated faults be destroyed, for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord' — this is the resolve for chanting: Om at the navel, vaṁ at the heart, maṁ at the throat.

The formal resolve states plainly why the mantra is chanted — to dissolve one's faults and please God — before the body-placement of sacred syllables begins.

State clearly to yourself the purpose behind a practice before you begin it, so it isn't done by rote.

भूः अक्षरमंत्रासी । गायत्री असे छंदेसी । अग्निर्देवता परिएय्सी । विश्वामित्र ऋषि देखा ॥३१॥

bhūḥ akṣaramamtrāsī | gāyatrī ase chamdesī | agnirdevatā parieysī | viśvāmitra ṛṣi dekhā ||31||

For the syllable 'bhūḥ,' the meter is Gāyatrī, the deity is Agni, know — the sage is Viśvāmitra.

The formal attribution of meter, deity, and sage now begins for each of the seven sacred utterances, starting with 'bhūḥ' (earth).

Learn the roots of a tradition, not just its surface, so your practice is grounded rather than superficial.

षड्‍ज स्वर श्वेत वर्ण । पादस्पर्श उच्चारोन । प्राणायामे विनियोगून । दुसरी व्याह्रति म्हणावी ॥३२॥

ṣaḍ‍ja svara śveta varṇa | pādasparśa uccārona | prāṇāyāme viniyogūna | dusarī vyāhrati mhaṇāvī ||32||

Its tone is ṣaḍja, its color white; touch the feet while reciting it; it is applied in prāṇāyāma; then say the second sacred utterance.

Bodily touch accompanies sound at each step — sacred syllables are placed onto specific limbs, a practice that consecrates the whole body through the mantra.

Let a spiritual practice engage your whole body, not only your voice or thoughts.

भुवः अक्षरमंत्रासी । उष्णिक्‍ नाम छंदासी । वायुर्देवता परियेसी । भृगु ऋषि असे जाण ॥३३॥

bhuvaḥ akṣaramamtrāsī | uṣṇik‍ nāma chamdāsī | vāyurdevatā pariyesī | bhṛgu ṛṣi ase jāṇa ||33||

For the syllable 'bhuvaḥ,' the meter is called Uṣṇik, the deity Vāyu; know the sage to be Bhṛgu.

The second sacred utterance, 'bhuvaḥ' (the atmosphere), continues the same attribution pattern, its own sage and deity distinct from the first.

Give each part of your practice its due attention rather than treating them all as identical.

असे रूप श्यामवर्ण । पादस्पर्श रूप उच्चारोन । करा तुम्ही ऐसे ध्यान । जानूमध्ये न्यासावे ॥३४॥

ase rūpa śyāmavarṇa | pādasparśa rūpa uccārona | karā tumhī aise dhyāna | jānūmadhye nyāsāve ||34||

Its color is dark; reciting its form, touch the feet; do this meditation, and place it upon the knees.

The body-placement continues moving upward, from feet to knees, tracing the mantra's syllables like a map across the practitioner's own frame.

Move through a practice step by step, in order, rather than skipping around.

प्राणायाम विनियोग म्हणोनि । न्यास करावे भक्तिभावनी । स्वः व्याह्रति म्हणोनि । ध्यान करा भक्तीने ॥३५॥

prāṇāyāma viniyoga mhaṇoni | nyāsa karāve bhaktibhāvanī | svaḥ vyāhrati mhaṇoni | dhyāna karā bhaktīne ||35||

Saying it is applied in prāṇāyāma, perform the placement with devoted feeling; saying the sacred utterance 'svaḥ,' meditate with devotion.

The refrain 'do it with devotion' recurs throughout these technical verses, insisting that precision of form must be joined to sincerity of heart.

Don't let correct technique replace genuine feeling — do the outward steps, but mean them.

स्वः व्याह्रतिमंत्रासी । म्हणा अनुष्टुप्‍ छंदासी । सविता देवता परियेसी । भारद्वाज ऋषि जाण ॥३६॥

svaḥ vyāhratimamtrāsī | mhaṇā anuṣṭup‍ chamdāsī | savitā devatā pariyesī | bhāradvāja ṛṣi jāṇa ||36||

For the utterance 'svaḥ,' say the meter is Anuṣṭubh; know the deity to be Savitā, the sage Bhāradvāja.

The third sacred utterance, 'svaḥ' (heaven), receives its own meter, deity, and sage, completing the base triad before four further utterances are added.

Build a practice on solid, complete foundations before adding further layers.

स्वर गांधार पीतवर्णा । कंठी स्पर्शोन मंत्र म्हणा । प्राणायामे विनियोग जाणा । तृतीय व्याह्रतिमंत्रासी ॥३७॥

svara gāmdhāra pītavarṇā | kamṭhī sparśona mamtra mhaṇā | prāṇāyāme viniyoga jāṇā | tṛtīya vyāhratimamtrāsī ||37||

Its tone is gāndhāra, its color yellow; touch the throat while reciting the mantra; know it is applied in prāṇāyāma — for the third sacred utterance.

The body-placement now reaches the throat, continuing its upward path with each new sacred syllable given a color, musical note, and bodily seat.

Notice how breath and voice are linked in your own practice — where you speak from matters.

ॐ महः मंत्रासी । बृहती छंदासी । बृहस्पति देवता परियेसी । वसिष्ठ ऋषि निर्धारे ॥३८॥

oṁ mahaḥ mamtrāsī | bṛhatī chamdāsī | bṛhaspati devatā pariyesī | vasiṣṭha ṛṣi nirdhāre ||38||

For the mantra 'Oṁ mahaḥ,' the meter is Bṛhatī; know the deity to be Bṛhaspati, the sage certainly Vasiṣṭha.

The fourth sacred utterance, 'mahaḥ' (the world of glory), is given the sage Vasiṣṭha and the guru of the gods, Bṛhaspati, as its presiding figures.

Draw on the wisdom of trusted teachers as you build your own practice, rather than working it out alone.

मध्यम स्वर पिशंग वर्ण । ऐसे करा तुम्ही ध्यान । वेगे म्हणा नाभी स्पर्शोन । प्राणायामे विनियोगः ॥३९॥

madhyama svara piśamga varṇa | aise karā tumhī dhyāna | vege mhaṇā nābhī sparśona | prāṇāyāme viniyogaḥ ||39||

Its tone is madhyama, its color tawny; do this meditation, and quickly recite it while touching the navel; it is applied in prāṇāyāma.

The placement returns to the navel for this syllable, showing the pattern is not a single straight line up the body but a deliberate sequence touching different centers.

Return, when needed, to your center — your gut sense — before moving forward again.

जन मंत्र उच्चारासी । म्हणा पंक्ति छंदासी । वरुण देवता गौतम ऋषि । पंचम स्वर असे जाण ॥३४०॥

jana mamtra uccārāsī | mhaṇā pamkti chamdāsī | varuṇa devatā gautama ṛṣi | pamcama svara ase jāṇa ||340||

For reciting the mantra 'janaḥ,' say the meter is Paṅkti; the deity is Varuṇa, the sage Gautama; know its tone is the fifth (pañcama).

The fifth sacred utterance, 'janaḥ' (the world of created beings), brings in Varuṇa, guardian of cosmic and moral order, and the sage Gautama.

Let a sense of moral order — of being answerable to something larger — guide your daily conduct.

रूप असे नीलवर्ण । करा न्यास ह्रदयस्थान । प्राणायामे विनियोगून । जनः पंच न्यास ऐसे ॥४१॥

rūpa ase nīlavarṇa | karā nyāsa hradayasthāna | prāṇāyāme viniyogūna | janaḥ pamca nyāsa aise ||41||

Its color is blue; place it at the heart; it is applied in prāṇāyāma — thus is the fifth placement, 'janaḥ.'

The heart becomes the seat for this fifth utterance, continuing the careful mapping of sacred sound onto the body's centers.

Let matters of the heart — compassion, feeling — have their own dedicated place in your daily practice.

तपः मंत्र न्यासासी । त्रिष्टुप्‍ छंद परियेसी । ईश्वर देवता कश्यप ऋषि । धैवत स्वर परियेसा ॥४२॥

tapaḥ mamtra nyāsāsī | triṣṭup‍ chamda pariyesī | īśvara devatā kaśyapa ṛṣi | dhaivata svara pariyesā ||42||

For the placement of the mantra 'tapaḥ,' know the meter to be Triṣṭubh; the deity Īśvara, the sage Kaśyapa; the tone is dhaivata.

The sixth sacred utterance, 'tapaḥ' (the realm of austerity), is linked to Īśvara as ruler and the great sage Kaśyapa, father-figure of many lineages.

Give a place in your life to disciplined effort, not only comfort and ease.

असे आपण लोहवर्ण । स्पर्श करावे कंठस्थान । प्राणायामे विनियोगून । न्यास करावा ब्राह्मणहो ॥४३॥

ase āpaṇa lohavarṇa | sparśa karāve kamṭhasthāna | prāṇāyāme viniyogūna | nyāsa karāvā brāhmaṇaho ||43||

Its color is iron-gray; touch the throat; it is applied in prāṇāyāma — perform this placement, O brāhmaṇas.

The placement returns once more to the throat, the color now iron-gray, evoking the hardness and steadiness that austerity demands.

Let discipline feel sturdy and steady in you, like iron, rather than brittle.

सत्यं म्हणतसे मंत्रासी । करावे जगती छंदासी । विश्वेदेव अंगिरस ऋषि । निषाद स्वर जाणावा ॥४४॥

satyam mhaṇatase mamtrāsī | karāve jagatī chamdāsī | viśvedeva amgirasa ṛṣi | niṣāda svara jāṇāvā ||44||

For the mantra called 'satyam,' use the meter Jagatī; the deity is the Viśvedevas, the sage Aṅgiras; know its tone as niṣāda.

The seventh and final sacred utterance, 'satyam' (truth), completes the sevenfold set of worlds from earth up to the realm of truth itself.

Let truthfulness be the capstone value that everything else in your conduct ultimately serves.

रूप असे कनकवर्ण । भ्रुवोर्ललाटा स्पर्शून । प्राणायामे विनियोगून । न्यास करावा भक्तीने ॥४५॥

rūpa ase kanakavarṇa | bhruvorlalāṭā sparśūna | prāṇāyāme viniyogūna | nyāsa karāvā bhaktīne ||45||

Its color is golden; touch between the eyebrows and forehead; it is applied in prāṇāyāma — perform this placement with devotion.

The final placement reaches the forehead, the seat traditionally associated with insight, completing the sevenfold ascent of sacred syllables up the body.

Let your highest values — truth, insight — occupy the forefront of your mind, quite literally where your attention lives.

इतुके न्यास करोनि । हस्त ठेवा शिरस्थानी । ध्यान करा विधानी । सांगेन ऐका ब्राह्मणहो ॥४६॥

ituke nyāsa karoni | hasta ṭhevā śirasthānī | dhyāna karā vidhānī | sāmgena aikā brāhmaṇaho ||46||

Having made all these placements, put the hand upon the head; meditate according to the rule — listen, O brāhmaṇas, I shall tell it.

The sevenfold placement concludes with the hand resting on the crown, a natural gesture of completion before the text moves to the twenty-four-syllable Gāyatrī mantra itself.

Bring a practice to a clear close, marking the moment when one stage is finished before the next begins.

शिरस्थान स्पर्शासी । म्हणा अनुष्टुप्‍ छंदासी । उच्चार प्रजापति ऋषि । परमात्मा देवता जाण ॥४७॥

śirasthāna sparśāsī | mhaṇā anuṣṭup‍ chamdāsī | uccāra prajāpati ṛṣi | paramātmā devatā jāṇa ||47||

For touching the crown of the head, say the meter is Anuṣṭubh; the sage of this recitation is Prajāpati; know the deity to be the Supreme Self.

The crown-touch, too, is given its formal attribution before the Gāyatrī visualization proper begins.

Treat the closing gesture of a practice with the same care as its opening.

प्राणायामे विनियोगून । मग करावे गायत्रीध्यान । ॐ आपोज्योति म्हणोन । मंत्र म्हणा भक्तीने ॥४८॥

prāṇāyāme viniyogūna | maga karāve gāyatrīdhyāna | oṁ āpojyoti mhaṇona | mamtra mhaṇā bhaktīne ||48||

Applied in prāṇāyāma, then perform the meditation on Gāyatrī; saying 'Oṁ āpo jyoti,' recite the mantra with devotion.

The mantra 'water, light, essence, nectar, the absolute' is one of the most famous invocatory formulas in this devotional tradition, marking a high point of the rite.

Let a few beloved, familiar words carry your devotion when you don't have new words to offer.

ॐ आपोज्योतिरसोमृतं । ब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वरो । शिरसी येणे विधी । अंगन्यास करावे ॥४९॥

oṁ āpojyotirasomṛtam | brahmabhūrbhuvaḥsvaro | śirasī yeṇe vidhī | amganyāsa karāve ||49||

'Oṁ, water, light, essence, nectar, the absolute, bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ' — recite this at the head; by this rule, perform the placement on the limbs.

This mantra, recited at the crown, becomes the gateway into the detailed limb-by-limb placement of the twenty-four syllables that follow.

Let one grounding phrase open the door to a longer, more detailed practice.

चोवीस अक्षरे मंत्रासी । न्यास सांगेन एकाएकासी । एकचित्ते परियेसी । म्हणे पराशर ऋषि तो ॥३५०॥

covīsa akṣare mamtrāsī | nyāsa sāmgena ekāekāsī | ekacitte pariyesī | mhaṇe parāśara ṛṣi to ||350||

I shall tell the placement for each of the twenty-four syllables of the mantra, one by one; listen with a single mind — thus speaks the sage Parāśara.

The Gāyatrī mantra's twenty-four syllables are now to be treated one at a time — an intensely detailed contemplative practice attributed here to the sage Parāśara.

Break a large task into its smallest parts and give each one full attention in turn.

या त्रिपदा गायत्रीसी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । देवी गायत्री छंदेसी । वर्ण देवता सांगेन ॥५१॥

yā tripadā gāyatrīsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | devī gāyatrī chamdesī | varṇa devatā sāmgena ||51||

Of this three-footed Gāyatrī, the sage is Viśvāmitra; the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī herself; I shall tell the syllables and deities.

Viśvāmitra, traditionally credited with receiving the Gāyatrī mantra, is named as its sage before the syllable-by-syllable exposition formally begins.

Honor the source of a teaching you rely on, even as you make it your own daily practice.

ऐसे त्रिपदा गायत्रीमंत्रासी । चोवीस अक्षरे परियेसी । पृथक्‍ न्यास परियेसी । सांगेन ऐक द्विजोत्तमा ॥५२॥

aise tripadā gāyatrīmamtrāsī | covīsa akṣare pariyesī | pṛthak‍ nyāsa pariyesī | sāmgena aika dvijottamā ||52||

Thus of the three-footed Gāyatrī mantra, know its twenty-four syllables; know the separate placement for each; listen, O best of the twice-born.

The introduction closes and the syllable-by-syllable list begins, each pair of verses giving one syllable's body-placement, color, and benefit, then its meter, deity, and sage.

Treat each unit of a long practice as worthy of individual care, not just part of a blur.

तवर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । अग्नि देवता परियेसी गायत्री छंद म्हणावा ॥५३॥

tavarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | agni devatā pariyesī gāyatrī chamda mhaṇāvā ||53||

For the syllable 'ta,' know the sage to be Viśvāmitra; the deity Agni; the meter is called Gāyatrī.

The first of the twenty-four syllables begins the detailed sequence, fixed to fire as its presiding deity.

Let the very first step of any discipline be marked with real intention, since it sets the tone for what follows.

अतसीपुष्पे वर्णै जैसी । तद्रूप वर्ण असे परियेसी । वायव्य कोण स्थान त्यासी । गुल्फन्यास करावा ॥५४॥

atasīpuṣpe varṇai jaisī | tadrūpa varṇa ase pariyesī | vāyavya koṇa sthāna tyāsī | gulphanyāsa karāvā ||54||

Like the color of the flax flower, such is this syllable's hue; its direction is the northwest corner; place it at the ankle.

The body-placement now begins at the ankle and will climb steadily upward syllable by syllable, each mapped also to a compass direction and a flower-like color.

Build any big undertaking from the ground up, starting with a firm and modest first step.

त्सवर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । वायुदेवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥५५॥

tsavarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | vāyudevatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||55||

For the syllable 'tsa,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity is Vāyu; know the meter to be the goddess Gāyatrī.

The second syllable is now tied to Vāyu, the wind, following the same formulaic attribution.

Keep a steady rhythm through a long task, treating each step with the same consistent care.

जंघस्थानी असे न्यास । सौम्यरूप पिवळे सुरस । सर्व पापे दहती परियेस । त्सवर्णाचे लक्षण ॥५६॥

jamghasthānī ase nyāsa | saumyarūpa pivaḷe surasa | sarva pāpe dahatī pariyesa | tsavarṇāce lakṣaṇa ||56||

Its placement is at the calf; its form gentle, its color a lovely yellow; know that this syllable's nature burns away all sins.

The placement moves from ankle to calf, each syllable now credited with the power to consume sin — the whole sequence functioning as a body-wide purification.

Trust that consistent small practices, done step by step, gradually clear away old faults.

विवर्णनाम अक्षरासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । सोमदेवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥५७॥

vivarṇanāma akṣarāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | somadevatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||57||

For the syllable named 'vi,' know the sage to be Viśvāmitra; the deity Soma; know the meter to be the goddess Gāyatrī.

The third syllable is tied to Soma, the moon-deity of nourishment and inspiration.

Let moments of quiet inspiration have their place alongside effort and discipline.

न्यास करावया जानुस्थान । इंद्रनील विद्युद्वर्ण । ऐसे अक्षरविधान । महारोग हरती देखा ॥५८॥

nyāsa karāvayā jānusthāna | imdranīla vidyudvarṇa | aise akṣaravidhāna | mahāroga haratī dekhā ||58||

Perform the placement at the knee; its color is sapphire, like lightning; know that this syllable's rule removes serious disease.

The placement reaches the knee, its lightning-blue color and disease-removing power continuing the pattern of vivid color plus specific benefit for each syllable.

Take seriously even minor bodily and mental ailments as things a steady practice can help heal.

तुवर्ण नाम अक्षरासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । विद्युद्देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥५९॥

tuvarṇa nāma akṣarāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | vidyuddevatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||59||

For the syllable named 'tu,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity is Lightning; know the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

The fourth syllable is tied to lightning, a fitting deity for the mantra's central word for divine radiance.

Let flashes of insight in your life be honored, not just steady routine.

न्यास करा जानुस्थानी । दीप्ति असे जैसा वह्नि । रूप असे सौम्यपणी । भ्रूणहत्यापाप नाशी ॥३६०॥

nyāsa karā jānusthānī | dīpti ase jaisā vahni | rūpa ase saumyapaṇī | bhrūṇahatyāpāpa nāśī ||360||

Perform the placement at the knee; its brilliance is like fire, yet its form is gentle; it destroys the sin of harming the unborn.

The syllable's paradoxical nature — fiery brilliance yet gentle form — matched with a grave sin it is said to dissolve, shows the mantra addressing even the most serious moral failings.

Believe that sincere repentance and disciplined practice can address even your gravest regrets.

र्ववर्ण अक्षरासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । सोम देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥६१॥

rvavarṇa akṣarāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | soma devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||61||

For the syllable 'rva,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity Soma; the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

Another syllable is now attributed to Soma again, continuing the syllable-by-syllable analysis.

Persevere through repetitive stretches of a discipline, trusting each part still matters.

सुवर्णस्फटिककांति । गुह्यस्थानी न्यास बोलती । समस्त अघौघ नाशती । रूपार्ववर्णस्थाना उत्तम ॥६२॥

suvarṇasphaṭikakāmti | guhyasthānī nyāsa bolatī | samasta aghaugha nāśatī | rūpārvavarṇasthānā uttama ||62||

With the radiance of gold and crystal, its placement is said to be at the pelvis; it destroys the whole flood of sins; this syllable's placement is supreme.

The placement reaches the pelvis, described as destroying an entire flood of accumulated sin — the language intensifying as the sequence nears its midpoint.

Do not assume old, accumulated faults are beyond a steady practice's power to clear.

रेवर्ण नाम अक्षरमंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । वरुण देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥६३॥

revarṇa nāma akṣaramamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | varuṇa devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||63||

For the syllable named 're,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity is Varuṇa; the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Varuṇa, upholder of cosmic and moral law, echoing his earlier appearance among the sacred utterances.

Let the sense of an unseen moral order steady you through repetitive daily effort.

णिकार वृषणस्थान जाणा । विद्युत्प्रकाशरूपधारणा । बार्हस्पत्यनाम खुणा । अभक्ष्यपापक्षालन ॥६४॥

ṇikāra vṛṣaṇasthāna jāṇā | vidyutprakāśarūpadhāraṇā | bārhaspatyanāma khuṇā | abhakṣyapāpakṣālana ||64||

Know the syllable 'ṇi' placed at the groin, its form like the brilliance of lightning, its mark that of Bṛhaspati; it washes away the sin of forbidden food.

Even dietary transgression — a common practical concern — is named among the sins this mantra is believed to cleanse, showing the rite's scope extending into ordinary daily conduct.

Be mindful about what you consume, treating it as part of your larger discipline, not separate from it.

णिवर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । बृहस्पति देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥६५॥

ṇivarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | bṛhaspati devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||65||

For the syllable 'ṇi,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Bṛhaspati; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Bṛhaspati, teacher of the gods, matching wisdom to the placement just described.

Seek wise counsel as part of your own ongoing discipline, not only self-reliance.

यं कटिस्थान शांताकारवर्ण । देहहत्यापापज्वलन । न्यास करावे सगुण । विद्वज्जन ब्राह्मणा ॥६६॥

yam kaṭisthāna śāmtākāravarṇa | dehahatyāpāpajvalana | nyāsa karāve saguṇa | vidvajjana brāhmaṇā ||66||

The syllable 'yaṁ' is placed at the waist, its color peaceful; it burns away the sin of harming the body; perform this placement well, O learned brāhmaṇas.

The placement reaches the waist, addressing bodily self-harm specifically — the mantra's remedial power framed as extending even to how one treats one's own body.

Take care of your own body as part of your spiritual discipline, not as something separate from it.

यं अक्षर म्हणावयासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । तारका दैवत परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद असे ॥६७॥

yam akṣara mhaṇāvayāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | tārakā daivata pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda ase ||67||

For reciting the syllable 'yaṁ,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity is the constellation of stars; the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to the stars themselves, widening the mantra's cosmic reach to the night sky.

Let a sense of wonder at the vastness of the sky accompany your quiet moments of practice.

भकारा नाभी करा न्यास । कृष्णमेघवर्ण सुरस । पर्जन्य देवता संकाश । गुरुहत्यापाप नाशी ॥६८॥

bhakārā nābhī karā nyāsa | kṛṣṇameghavarṇa surasa | parjanya devatā samkāśa | guruhatyāpāpa nāśī ||68||

Place the syllable 'bha' at the navel, its color like a dark rain-cloud; its deity is Parjanya, the rain-god; it destroys the sin of harming a guru.

Even the grave sin of harming one's teacher is named as something this practice is believed to address, underlining how seriously the guru-disciple bond is held in this tradition.

Guard the trust and respect owed to your teachers and mentors as one of your most serious responsibilities.

भवर्ण नाम अक्षरासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । पर्जन्य देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥६९॥

bhavarṇa nāma akṣarāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | parjanya devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||69||

For the syllable named 'bha,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity is Parjanya; know the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied again to Parjanya, the rain-god, continuing the syllable-by-syllable pattern.

Let the nourishing, life-giving qualities of rain remind you of the quiet, sustaining value of steady practice.

र्गो अक्षरा उदर न्यास । ध्यान रक्तवर्ण सुरस । इंद्र देवता परियेस । गोहत्येचे पाप जाय ॥३७०॥

rgo akṣarā udara nyāsa | dhyāna raktavarṇa surasa | imdra devatā pariyesa | gohatyece pāpa jāya ||370||

Place the syllable 'rgo' at the belly; meditate on its lovely red color; its deity is Indra; it removes the sin of harming a cow.

The cow, held sacred in this tradition, has its harm listed among grave sins this practice is believed to remedy, reflecting the reverence for cattle central to the culture the text speaks from.

Extend your ethical care to the creatures who serve and sustain human life, not just to people.

गोवर्ण नाम अक्षरासी । जाणावा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । इंद्र देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥७१॥

govarṇa nāma akṣarāsī | jāṇāvā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | imdra devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||71||

For the syllable named 'go,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Indra; know the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Indra, chief of the gods, continuing the same formulaic pattern.

Bring the same disciplined attention to a familiar step as you would to a new one.

देकारन्यास स्तनासी । गंधर्व नाम देव परियेसी । स्त्रीहत्यापाप नाशी । एकचित्ते परियेसा ॥७२॥

dekāranyāsa stanāsī | gamdharva nāma deva pariyesī | strīhatyāpāpa nāśī | ekacitte pariyesā ||72||

Place the syllable 'de' at the chest; its deity is the Gandharva; it destroys the sin of harming a woman; listen with a single mind.

The list of grave sins the practice is said to cleanse now includes harm to women, again naming a serious wrong within the moral universe the text assumes.

Hold the safety and dignity of women as a matter of serious moral weight, not a minor concern.

देवर्ण नाम अक्षरासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । गंधर्व देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद देखा ॥७३॥

devarṇa nāma akṣarāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | gamdharva devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda dekhā ||73||

For the syllable named 'de,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity the Gandharva; the meter is the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to the Gandharvas, celestial musicians, associating beauty and art with this stage of the mantra.

Let beauty and art have a legitimate place within your spiritual life, not as a distraction from it.

वकार ह्रदयस्थानन्यास । शुक्ल रूप वर्ण परियेस । पूषा देवता असे त्यास । वाणीजातपाप नाशी ॥७४॥

vakāra hradayasthānanyāsa | śukla rūpa varṇa pariyesa | pūṣā devatā ase tyāsa | vāṇījātapāpa nāśī ||74||

Place the syllable 'va' at the heart; its color pure white; its deity is Pūṣā; it destroys sins born of speech.

The mantra now addresses faults of speech specifically, placed at the heart — the traditional seat of sincerity, from which honest words are meant to arise.

Guard your speech as carefully as your actions; unkind or false words are their own kind of harm.

ववर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । जाणावा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । रुद्र देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥७५॥

vavarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | jāṇāvā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | rudra devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||75||

For the syllable 'va,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Rudra; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable now takes Rudra as its deity, continuing the formulaic attributions through the mantra's second half.

Let a touch of fierce discipline temper the gentler parts of your daily practice.

स्य अक्षरा कंठन्यास । कांचनवर्ण रूप सुरस । मित्र देवता परियेस । मार्जारकुक्कुटपाप जाय ॥७६॥

sya akṣarā kamṭhanyāsa | kāmcanavarṇa rūpa surasa | mitra devatā pariyesa | mārjārakukkuṭapāpa jāya ||76||

Place the syllable 'sya' at the throat, its color golden; its deity is Mitra; it removes the sin of harming a cat or a rooster.

Even the harming of small household animals like cats and roosters is listed among sins addressed here, extending ethical concern down to the humblest creatures.

Extend basic kindness even to the small, unremarkable animals around your own home.

स्यवर्ण अक्षर मंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । मित्र देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥७७॥

syavarṇa akṣara mamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | mitra devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||77||

For the syllable 'sya,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity Mitra; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Mitra, the god of friendship and contracts, fitting a syllable about binding oneself to steady practice.

Treat your commitment to a discipline like a friendship — something to honor faithfully.

धीकाराक्षरमंत्र दंती न्यास । शुक्लकुमुदसंकाश । त्वष्टा देवता परियेस । पितृहत्यापाप जाय ॥७८॥

dhīkārākṣaramamtra damtī nyāsa | śuklakumudasamkāśa | tvaṣṭā devatā pariyesa | pitṛhatyāpāpa jāya ||78||

Place the syllable 'dhī' at the teeth, its brightness like a white lotus; its deity is Tvaṣṭā; it removes the sin of harming an ancestor.

Respect for one's ancestors and forebears is named here as another grave concern the practice addresses, reflecting how central ancestor-reverence is in this tradition.

Honor your family's elders and the memory of those who came before you as part of your daily values.

धीवर्ण नाम अक्षरासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । विष्णु देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाण ॥७९॥

dhīvarṇa nāma akṣarāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | viṣṇu devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇa ||79||

For the syllable named 'dhī,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Viṣṇu; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This final syllable of the mantra's second segment is tied to Viṣṇu, the preserver, as the mantra approaches its concluding word.

Let your clearest thinking be devoted to what preserves and sustains good in your life.

मकारन्यास तालुस्थान । पद्म तेजोमय जाण । वासुदेव असे खूण । सर्वजन्मपाप जाय ॥३८०॥

makāranyāsa tālusthāna | padma tejomaya jāṇa | vāsudeva ase khūṇa | sarvajanmapāpa jāya ||380||

Place the syllable 'ma' at the palate; know it lotus-formed and radiant; its mark is Vāsudeva; it removes the sins of all one's births.

This syllable is now said to remove sin accumulated across many lifetimes, marking one of the mantra's most sweeping claims of purification.

Trust that sincere effort now can help release burdens carried from far in your past, not just recent mistakes.

मकार वर्णाक्षरमंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । वासुदेव देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥८१॥

makāra varṇākṣaramamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | vāsudeva devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||81||

For the syllable 'ma,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity Vāsudeva; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

The syllable is tied to Vāsudeva, a name of the all-pervading divine, continuing the mantra's roll call of deities.

Let your practice remind you of a presence bigger than any single moment of difficulty.

हिकार नासिकी करा न्यास । शंखवर्ण असे त्यास । वासुदेव देवता परियेस । सर्व पाप हरण होय ॥८२॥

hikāra nāsikī karā nyāsa | śamkhavarṇa ase tyāsa | vāsudeva devatā pariyesa | sarva pāpa haraṇa hoya ||82||

Place the syllable 'hi' at the nose, its color like a conch shell; its deity is Vāsudeva; all sin is thereby removed.

This placement, at the nose (linked to breath and life itself), claims to remove sin altogether, a summarizing verse near the mantra's end.

Let your breath itself become a quiet reminder of the values you are trying to live by.

हिवर्ण नाम मंत्रासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । मेरु देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥८३॥

hivarṇa nāma mamtrāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | meru devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||83||

For the syllable named 'hi,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Mount Meru; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is linked to Mount Meru, the mythic world-axis, a striking image of steadfastness attached to a single breath-syllable.

Aspire to a settled, unshakeable steadiness in your own conduct, like a mountain.

धिकारा नेत्रस्थानी न्यास । पांडुरभास संकाश । सोम देवता परियेस । पाणिग्रहणपाप नाशी ॥८४॥

dhikārā netrasthānī nyāsa | pāmḍurabhāsa samkāśa | soma devatā pariyesa | pāṇigrahaṇapāpa nāśī ||84||

Place the syllable 'dhi' at the eyes, pale and luminous in appearance; its deity is Soma; it destroys sin connected with marriage.

Faults connected with marriage are named among the sins this practice addresses, showing the rite's concern reaching into the household and family sphere.

Conduct the responsibilities of family and marriage with the same care you bring to formal worship.

धिवर्ण नाम मंत्रासी । तोचि विश्वामित्र ऋषि । सोमदेवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥८५॥

dhivarṇa nāma mamtrāsī | toci viśvāmitra ṛṣi | somadevatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||85||

For the syllable named 'dhi,' the sage is that same Viśvāmitra; the deity Soma; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

The syllable again ties to Soma, continuing the near-final stretch of the twenty-four-syllable sequence.

Stay patient through the last stretch of a long discipline; the ending still deserves care.

योकाराक्षर मंत्रासी । भुवोर्मध्ये न्यासिजे त्यासी । रक्तगौरवर्ण रूपेसी । प्राणिवधपाप जाय ॥८६॥

yokārākṣara mamtrāsī | bhuvormadhye nyāsije tyāsī | raktagauravarṇa rūpesī | prāṇivadhapāpa jāya ||86||

For the syllable 'yo,' place it between the eyebrows; its color a fair red; it removes the sin of killing a living being.

Placed at the point between the eyebrows — the seat of inner insight — this syllable is credited with removing the sin of taking life, one of the gravest wrongs named in the sequence.

Let care for living beings, including a resistance to needless harm, be central to your ethical outlook.

योकाराक्षर नामाक्षरासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । यमदेवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥८७॥

yokārākṣara nāmākṣarāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | yamadevatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||87||

For the syllable 'yo,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Yama; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Yama, the god of death and justice, fittingly, given the preceding verse's concern with the taking of life.

Let awareness of mortality sharpen, rather than dull, your commitment to living rightly.

योकार ललाटस्थानी न्यास । रूप रुक्मांभसंकाश । सर्व पाप होय नाश । भक्तिपूर्वक न्यासावे ॥८८॥

yokāra lalāṭasthānī nyāsa | rūpa rukmāmbhasamkāśa | sarva pāpa hoya nāśa | bhaktipūrvaka nyāsāve ||88||

Place the syllable 'yo' at the forehead, its form like radiant gold; all sin is thereby destroyed; perform this placement with devotion.

The placements now reach the forehead, the traditional seat of inner sight, nearing full completion of the body-consecration.

Bring devotion, not just mechanical repetition, to the very last steps of any long undertaking.

योवर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । तोचि विश्वामित्र ऋषि । विश्वे देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥८९॥

yovarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | toci viśvāmitra ṛṣi | viśve devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||89||

For the syllable 'yo,' the sage is that same Viśvāmitra; the deity the Viśvedevas; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to the Viśvedevas, the 'all-gods,' a fitting universal deity as the specific syllable-by-syllable sequence draws toward its close.

As you near the completion of a task, let your attention widen back out to the whole, not just the last detail.

नकारा उदित प्राङ्‌मुखा । सूर्यासमान तेज देखा । आश्विनौ देवता असे निका । विराजमान परियेसा ॥३९०॥

nakārā udita prāṅ‌mukhā | sūryāsamāna teja dekhā | āśvinau devatā ase nikā | virājamāna pariyesā ||390||

The syllable 'na,' facing east at sunrise, has a brilliance equal to the sun; its deity is the twin Aśvins, seated in glory.

This penultimate syllable is imagined facing the rising sun itself, its radiance matched to dawn — a vivid image as the sequence nears its final steps.

Let your final efforts in a task shine as brightly as your first, undiminished by fatigue.

नकाराक्षर वर्णासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । अश्विनौ देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥९१॥

nakārākṣara varṇāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | aśvinau devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||91||

For the syllable 'na,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity the twin Aśvins; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

The Aśvins, the divine healer-twins, preside over this near-final syllable, associating the mantra's closing stretch with healing.

Let healing — of body or mind — be part of what you seek from a sustained daily discipline.

प्रकाराक्षरन्यास करोनि दक्षिणे । रूप असे नीलवर्ण । प्रजापति देवता जाण । विष्णुसायुज्य पाविजे ॥९२॥

prakārākṣaranyāsa karoni dakṣiṇe | rūpa ase nīlavarṇa | prajāpati devatā jāṇa | viṣṇusāyujya pāvije ||92||

Performing the placement of the syllable 'pra' on the right side, its color blue; its deity is Prajāpati; thereby one attains union with Viṣṇu.

This near-final syllable is now credited with the mantra's ultimate reward — union with the divine — marking the sequence's climax as it heads toward its close.

Keep the highest goal of your practice in view, especially as you approach its completion.

प्रवर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । प्रजापति देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥९३॥

pravarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | prajāpati devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||93||

For the syllable 'pra,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity Prajāpati; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable is tied to Prajāpati, the creator, an apt deity for a word about inspiration and creative impulse.

Ask, in whatever you undertake, to be genuinely inspired, not merely to go through the motions.

चोकार वर्ण मंत्रासी । न्यासिजे तया पश्चिम भागासी । कुंकुमरूपवर्ण त्यासी । सर्वदेवपदवी पाविजे ॥९४॥

cokāra varṇa mamtrāsī | nyāsije tayā paścima bhāgāsī | kumkumarūpavarṇa tyāsī | sarvadevapadavī pāvije ||94||

The syllable 'co' is placed on the western side, its color like vermilion; through it one attains the rank of all the gods.

Another dramatic promised reward — reaching the very rank of the gods — is offered for this near-final syllable, the language reaching its most exalted claims as the mantra closes.

Aim high in what a disciplined life can make of you, without losing sight of humble daily steps.

चोकार वर्ण मंत्राक्षरासी । जाणावा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । सर्व देवता परियेसी । गायत्री देवी छंद जाणा ॥९५॥

cokāra varṇa mamtrākṣarāsī | jāṇāvā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | sarva devatā pariyesī | gāyatrī devī chamda jāṇā ||95||

For the syllable 'co,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity all the gods together; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This syllable now takes 'all deities' collectively, gathering the mantra's many earlier individual gods into one final unity.

Let separate efforts and disciplines come together into one unified purpose in your life.

दकाराक्षराचा उत्तरे न्यास । शुक्लवर्ण रूप सुरस । करावे तुम्ही ऐसे न्यास । कैलासपद पाविजे ॥९६॥

dakārākṣarācā uttare nyāsa | śuklavarṇa rūpa surasa | karāve tumhī aise nyāsa | kailāsapada pāvije ||96||

Place the syllable 'da' on the northern side, its color pure white; perform this placement, and thereby attain the abode of Kailāsa.

The reward now named is Śiva's own abode, Kailāsa, matching this syllable's white color to Śiva's traditional iconography.

Let a demanding practice promise you, and eventually deliver, real peace as its reward.

दकाराक्षर मंत्रासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । रुद्र देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥९७॥

dakārākṣara mamtrāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | rudra devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||97||

For the syllable 'da,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Rudra; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This penultimate syllable is tied to Rudra, matching the preceding verse's reference to Kailāsa, Rudra-Śiva's mountain abode.

Let reverence and awe accompany you as you near the completion of a demanding task.

याकार मूर्धास्थानी न्यास । सुवर्णरूप सुरस । ब्रह्मस्थाना होय वास । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥९८॥

yākāra mūrdhāsthānī nyāsa | suvarṇarūpa surasa | brahmasthānā hoya vāsa | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||98||

Place the syllable 'ya' at the crown of the head, its form golden; one then dwells in the abode of Brahmā — so Śrī Guru tells the brāhmaṇas.

The mantra's final syllable reaches the crown of the head, promising the highest heaven, Brahmaloka, as its culminating reward.

Let the very last step of a discipline be the one you invest the most care in, since it completes the whole.

यावर्णाक्षर मंत्रासी । असे विश्वामित्र ऋषि । ब्रह्म देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥९९॥

yāvarṇākṣara mamtrāsī | ase viśvāmitra ṛṣi | brahma devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||99||

For the syllable 'yā,' the sage is Viśvāmitra; the deity Brahmā; the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

The twenty-four-syllable sequence closes with Brahmā, the creator, as fitting final deity for the mantra's concluding word.

Let the end of your effort circle back to its true source and purpose.

तकार न्यास शिखास्थानी । निरुपम वैष्णवभुवनी । विष्णुरूप धरोनि । वैकुंठवास होय जाणा ॥४००॥

takāra nyāsa śikhāsthānī | nirupama vaiṣṇavabhuvanī | viṣṇurūpa dharoni | vaikumṭhavāsa hoya jāṇā ||400||

Place the syllable 'ta' at the tuft of hair on the crown; it grants the incomparable realm of Viṣṇu; taking Viṣṇu's own form, one dwells in Vaikuṇṭha.

Now beyond the twenty-four syllables proper, an additional summarizing placement promises Vaikuṇṭha, Viṣṇu's own heaven, as reward for the whole completed sequence.

Let the goal you're working toward be a genuinely worthy one, not a small or petty ambition.

तकार वर्णाक्षरमंत्रासी । जाणा विश्वामित्र ऋषि । विष्णु देवता परियेसी । देवी गायत्री छंद जाणा ॥१॥

takāra varṇākṣaramamtrāsī | jāṇā viśvāmitra ṛṣi | viṣṇu devatā pariyesī | devī gāyatrī chamda jāṇā ||1||

For the syllable 'ta,' know the sage Viśvāmitra; the deity Viṣṇu; know the meter the goddess Gāyatrī.

This closing syllable is fixed to Viṣṇu, matching the preceding verse's promise of his heaven, Vaikuṇṭha.

Keep faith and effort aligned toward the same goal, so they reinforce rather than scatter each other.

ऐसे चोवीस अक्षरमंत्रासी । न्यास करावे विधींसी । हस्त ठेवोनिया शिरासी । आणिक न्यास करावे ॥२॥

aise covīsa akṣaramamtrāsī | nyāsa karāve vidhīmsī | hasta ṭhevoniyā śirāsī | āṇika nyāsa karāve ||2||

Thus the placement should be done for the twenty-four-syllable mantra according to rule; after resting the hand upon the head, further placements should be made.

The twenty-four-syllable sequence is now formally concluded, with a hand-on-head gesture marking the transition into the remaining hand and finger placements.

Mark clear milestones in a long task so you know when one stage ends and the next begins.

शिरस्थानी न्यासासी । म्हणावे अनुष्टुप्‍ छंदासी । ख्याति प्रजापति ऋषि । परमात्मा देवता जाणा ॥३॥

śirasthānī nyāsāsī | mhaṇāve anuṣṭup‍ chamdāsī | khyāti prajāpati ṛṣi | paramātmā devatā jāṇā ||3||

For the placement at the crown, recite it in the Anuṣṭubh meter; the celebrated sage is Prajāpati; know the deity to be the Supreme Self.

This closing placement again invokes the Supreme Self directly, echoing the very first placement of the whole rite and bringing the sequence full circle.

Let your practice's ending return you to the same reverence you began with.

प्राणायामे विनियोग म्हणोनि । ओं आपोस्तन स्पर्शोनि । ज्योतिर्नेत्र स्पर्शोनि । रसोजिह्वा न्यासावे ॥४॥

prāṇāyāme viniyoga mhaṇoni | om āpostana sparśoni | jyotirnetra sparśoni | rasojihvā nyāsāve ||4||

Saying it is applied in prāṇāyāma, touch the breast saying 'Oṁ āpaḥ,' touch the eyes saying 'jyotiḥ,' and place 'rasaḥ' at the tongue.

A further set of body-placements now maps the elements — water, light, essence — onto the breast, eyes, and tongue, reprising the earlier mantra in condensed form.

Let your senses — sight, taste, feeling — each carry a portion of your devotion, not just your mind.

अमृतेति ललाटेसी । मूर्घ्नि स्पर्शोनि ऐसी । ब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वरोमासी । न्यास करा येणे विधी ॥५॥

amṛteti lalāṭesī | mūrghni sparśoni aisī | brahmabhūrbhuvaḥsvaromāsī | nyāsa karā yeṇe vidhī ||5||

Saying 'amṛtam' at the forehead, and touching the crown of the head, place 'brahma bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ oṁ' by this method.

The remaining elements — nectar and the sacred syllable itself — are placed at forehead and crown, completing this condensed second pass of body-consecration.

Return, near the end of a practice, to touch again the places you began with, tying the whole together.

इतुके न्यास करोनि । गायत्री त्रिवार म्हणोनि । व्यापक न्यास करोनि । करशुद्धि करा तीन वेळा ॥६॥

ituke nyāsa karoni | gāyatrī trivāra mhaṇoni | vyāpaka nyāsa karoni | karaśuddhi karā tīna veḷā ||6||

Having made all these placements, recite Gāyatrī three times; perform the pervasive placement, and purify the hands three times.

The mantra is now recited a full three times as a whole, with a final threefold purification of the hands closing this stage of the rite.

Repeat something meaningful more than once — a single pass rarely settles it as deeply as a few.

भुः० स्वः० विन्यसोनि । गायत्रीच्या दश पदांनी । दशांगुली न्यासोनि । पादप्रमाण करावे ॥७॥

bhuḥ0 svaḥ0 vinyasoni | gāyatrīcyā daśa padāmnī | daśāmgulī nyāsoni | pādapramāṇa karāve ||7||

Placing 'bhūḥ' and 'svaḥ,' using the Gāyatrī's ten feet (metrical units), place them upon the ten fingers, measuring by the syllabic feet.

A finer level of detail now emerges: the mantra's own metrical structure is mapped onto the ten fingers of the hands.

Find ways to make an abstract practice tangible in your own hands and body, not only in your mind.

अंगुष्ठमूल धरोनि । कनिष्ठिका स्पर्शोनि । उभय हस्त न्यासोनि । दशपादांगुली न्यासावे ॥८॥

amguṣṭhamūla dharoni | kaniṣṭhikā sparśoni | ubhaya hasta nyāsoni | daśapādāmgulī nyāsāve ||8||

Holding the base of the thumb, touching the little finger, placing both hands, the ten metrical feet should be placed on the fingers.

The finger-placement is described precisely, thumb to little finger, both hands — the sort of concrete instruction that lets this practice be learned and transmitted exactly.

Learn the exact form of an inherited practice carefully, so you can pass it on faithfully.

चोवीस अक्षरमंत्रासी । अंगुलिन्यास करा हर्षी । तर्जनीमूलादारभ्येसी । कनिष्ठिकापर्यंत ॥९॥

covīsa akṣaramamtrāsī | amgulinyāsa karā harṣī | tarjanīmūlādārabhyesī | kaniṣṭhikāparyamta ||9||

For the twenty-four-syllable mantra, perform the finger-placement joyfully, beginning at the base of the forefinger and continuing to the little finger.

The word 'joyfully' stands out here — even this most technical, minute instruction is to be carried out with genuine gladness, not mere obligation.

Bring a spirit of joy even to the most technical or repetitive parts of a discipline you keep.

द्वादशाक्षरी अकैक हस्त । करावे न्यास सुनिश्चित । षडंगन्यास समस्त । प्रणवासहित करावे ॥४१०॥

dvādaśākṣarī akaika hasta | karāve nyāsa suniścita | ṣaḍamganyāsa samasta | praṇavāsahita karāve ||410||

For the twelve-syllable mantra, one hand each should be used; perform this placement with certainty; perform the complete sixfold body-placement together with the sacred syllable Om.

The rite now moves to a twelve-syllable formula and its own sixfold placement, the classical scheme of consecrating six parts of the body.

Approach each new stage of a discipline with the same certainty and care as the ones before it.

ॐ भूः हिरण्यात्मने । अंगुष्ठाभ्यां नमः । ॐ भुवः प्रजापत्यात्मने । तर्जनीभ्यां नमः ॥११॥

oṁ bhūḥ hiraṇyātmane | amguṣṭhābhyām namaḥ | oṁ bhuvaḥ prajāpatyātmane | tarjanībhyām namaḥ ||11||

'Oṁ, bhūḥ, to the golden-souled one, salutation to the thumbs. Oṁ, bhuvaḥ, to the self of Prajāpati, salutation to the forefingers.'

This is the literal wording of the sixfold hand-placement formula, addressing each finger pair to a different name and aspect of the divine.

Let even your hands, in small deliberate gestures, become part of how you express reverence.

ॐ स्वः सूर्यात्मने मध्यमाभ्यां नमः । ॐ महः ब्रह्मात्मने अनामिकाभ्यां नमः ।

oṁ svaḥ sūryātmane madhyamābhyām namaḥ | oṁ mahaḥ brahmātmane anāmikābhyām namaḥ |

'Oṁ, svaḥ, to the self of the Sun, salutation to the middle fingers. Oṁ, mahaḥ, to the self of Brahmā, salutation to the ring fingers.'

The sixfold hand-placement formula continues, naming the sun and Brahmā for the middle and ring fingers, with the sequence still incomplete as the ovī ends mid-list.

Even in the middle of a long, unfinished task, keep offering your full and careful attention to the step in front of you.

ॐ जनः, ॐ तपः ॐ सत्यं, कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नमः । प्रचोदयात्‍ करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः ॥१२॥

oṁ janaḥ, oṁ tapaḥ oṁ satyam, kaniṣṭhikābhyām namaḥ | pracodayāt‍ karatalakarapṛṣṭhābhyām namaḥ ||12||

Om janah, Om tapah, Om satyam are placed upon the little fingers with 'namah'; pracodayat is placed upon the palms and backs of both hands with 'namah'.

The final syllables of the gayatri mantra are set upon the fingers and hands in nyasa (ritual placement) — the seeker touches the mantra into the very hands that will perform the day's worship.

Let the words you speak first touch your own hands and actions before you offer them outward.

ॐ तत्सवितुः अंगुष्ठाभ्यां ह्रदयाय नमः । वरेण्यं तर्जनीभ्यां शिरसे स्वाहा ।

oṁ tatsavituḥ amguṣṭhābhyām hradayāya namaḥ | vareṇyam tarjanībhyām śirase svāhā |

'Om tatsaviture' is set upon the thumbs, saying 'hridayaya namah'; 'varenyam' upon the forefingers, saying 'shirase svaha'.

Each syllable of the gayatri is bound to a finger and a body-part — thumb to heart, forefinger to head — so that thought (mantra), body, and intention become one gesture.

Bring your whole body, not just your mind, into whatever you devote yourself to today.

भर्गोदेवस्य मध्यमाभ्यां शिखायै वषट्‍ । धीमहि अनामिकाभ्यां कवचाय हुं ॥१३॥

bhargodevasya madhyamābhyām śikhāyai vaṣaṭ‍ | dhīmahi anāmikābhyām kavacāya hum ||13||

'Bhargo devasya' is set upon the middle fingers, saying 'shikhayai vashat'; 'dhimahi' upon the ring fingers, saying 'kavacaya hum'.

The placement continues down the crown-lock and the armor points of the body — the kavaca (protective sheath) — binding protection to every syllable chanted.

Build a quiet inner armor of good habit before you step into the day's demands.

धियोयोनः कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्‍ । प्रचोदयात्‍ करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां अस्त्राय फट्‍ । उभयहस्तांगुलिन्यासं कुर्यात्‍ । अथ षडंगन्यासः ॥१४॥

dhiyoyonaḥ kaniṣṭhikābhyām netratrayāya vauṣaṭ‍ | pracodayāt‍ karatalakarapṛṣṭhābhyām astrāya phaṭ‍ | ubhayahastāmgulinyāsam kuryāt‍ | atha ṣaḍamganyāsaḥ ||14||

'Dhiyo yonah' is placed on the little fingers, saying 'netratrayaya vaushat'; 'pracodayat' upon palm and back of both hands, saying 'astraya phat'. Thus the finger-placement is done with both hands; next comes the six-limb placement.

Having sealed the fingers with the third eye and the protective weapon-syllable, the practitioner moves to shadanga-nyasa — placing the mantra on the six major limbs of the body.

Finish one discipline fully before beginning the next; do not rush the sequence of your practice.

ॐ भूः हिरण्यात्मने ह्रदयाय नमः । ॐ भुवः प्रजापत्यात्मने शिरसे स्वाहा । ॐ स्वः सूर्यात्मने शिखायै वौषट्‍ । ॐ महः ब्रह्मात्मने कवचाय हुं ॥१५॥

oṁ bhūḥ hiraṇyātmane hradayāya namaḥ | oṁ bhuvaḥ prajāpatyātmane śirase svāhā | oṁ svaḥ sūryātmane śikhāyai vauṣaṭ‍ | oṁ mahaḥ brahmātmane kavacāya hum ||15||

'Om bhuh, to the golden self, heart, namah. Om bhuvah, to the self of Prajapati, head, svaha. Om svah, to the solar self, crown-lock, vaushat. Om mahah, to the self of Brahma, armor, hum.'

The seven cosmic realms (vyahritis — bhuh, bhuvah, svah...) are matched to divine forms and set upon the heart, head, crown, and body, weaving cosmos and self together in the same gesture.

See your own body as sacred ground worth caring for, not a mere instrument.

ॐ जनः, ॐ तपः, ॐ सत्यं, सोमात्मने । नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्‍ । प्रचोदयात सर्वात्मने अस्त्राय फट्‍ । ॐ तत्स० ह्रदयाय नमः ॥१६॥

oṁ janaḥ, oṁ tapaḥ, oṁ satyam, somātmane | netratrayāya vauṣaṭ‍ | pracodayāta sarvātmane astrāya phaṭ‍ | oṁ tatsa0 hradayāya namaḥ ||16||

'Om janah, Om tapah, Om satyam, to the self of the moon, the three eyes, vaushat; pracodayat, to the self of all, weapon, phat; Om tatsa[vitur], heart, namah.'

The remaining realms are joined to the moon and to the all-pervading self, closing the circuit of the six limbs before the sequence begins again from the heart.

Return, again and again, to the same steady center whenever a practice feels scattered.

ॐ वरेण्यं शिरसे स्वाहा ।भर्गोदेवस्य शिखायै वौषट्‍ । धीमहि कवचाय हुं । धियोयोनः नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्‍ । प्रचोदयात अस्त्राय फट्‍ ॥१७॥

oṁ vareṇyam śirase svāhā |bhargodevasya śikhāyai vauṣaṭ‍ | dhīmahi kavacāya hum | dhiyoyonaḥ netratrayāya vauṣaṭ‍ | pracodayāta astrāya phaṭ‍ ||17||

'Om varenyam, head, svaha; bhargo devasya, crown-lock, vaushat; dhimahi, armor, hum; dhiyo yonah, three eyes, vaushat; pracodayat, weapon, phat.'

The full gayatri is now mapped a second time onto the six limbs — heart, head, crown, armor, eyes, and weapon — completing the six-limb placement.

Repeat a good practice until it becomes as natural as breath, not just a single gesture.

षडंगन्यास करोनि । अंगन्यास दशस्थानी । त्यांची नावे सांगेन कानी । एकचित्ते अवधारा ॥१८॥

ṣaḍamganyāsa karoni | amganyāsa daśasthānī | tyāmcī nāve sāmgena kānī | ekacitte avadhārā ||18||

Having done the six-limb placement, next hear of the limb-placement at ten places; I shall tell you their names — listen with one-pointed mind.

Siddha now expands the nyasa from six limbs to ten, promising to name each location so the disciple can follow with full attention.

When learning something layered, ask your teacher to lay out the whole map before diving into details.

पादजानुकटिस्थानी । नाभिह्रदयकंठभुवनी । तालुनेत्र स्पर्शोनि । ललाटशिरी दशस्थान ॥१९॥

pādajānukaṭisthānī | nābhihradayakamṭhabhuvanī | tālunetra sparśoni | lalāṭaśirī daśasthāna ||19||

The ten places are: feet, knees, hips; navel, heart, throat; touching the palate and eyes; forehead and head.

The ten stations run from the feet upward to the crown — the whole body, top to bottom, is drawn into the mantra's field.

Let your discipline touch your whole life, not just the parts that are easy to reach.

गायत्रीमंत्राच्या दहा पदांसी । दशस्थान अंगन्यासासी । तत्सवितुर्वरेण्येसी । भर्गोदेवस्य पंचम स्थान ॥४२०॥

gāyatrīmamtrācyā dahā padāmsī | daśasthāna amganyāsāsī | tatsaviturvareṇyesī | bhargodevasya pamcama sthāna ||420||

To the ten words of the gayatri mantra correspond the ten places of limb-placement: 'tat savitur varenyam' takes the first four places, 'bhargo devasya' is the fifth place.

Each word of the twenty-four-syllable gayatri is now assigned, in order, to one of the ten body-stations, word by word up the body.

Give each part of a task its own proper place instead of blurring everything together.

धीमहि म्हणजे षष्ठ स्थान । धियो सप्तम स्थान जाण । योकारो अष्टम अंगन्यास पूर्ण । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥२१॥

dhīmahi mhaṇaje ṣaṣṭha sthāna | dhiyo saptama sthāna jāṇa | yokāro aṣṭama amganyāsa pūrṇa | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||21||

'Dhimahi' is the sixth place; know 'dhiyo' as the seventh; 'yo' completes the eighth limb-placement — so Shri Guru tells the brahmin.

The Guru continues counting off the body-stations word by word, teaching with patient enumeration rather than abstraction.

Teach step by step, in order, so a learner never loses the thread.

नकार नवम मंत्रस्थान । प्रचोदयात्‍ दहावे जाण । अंगन्यास येणे गुण । करा तुम्ही द्विजोत्तमा ॥२२॥

nakāra navama mamtrasthāna | pracodayāt‍ dahāve jāṇa | amganyāsa yeṇe guṇa | karā tumhī dvijottamā ||22||

'Na' is the ninth mantra-place; know 'pracodayat' as the tenth. Perform the limb-placement in this manner, O best of the twice-born.

With the tenth station reached, the full gayatri has now been laid, word by word, over the ten places of the body.

Carry a task through to its final, tenth step rather than stopping short.

चतुर्विशति अक्षरांसी । करावे अंगन्यासासी । पादांगुष्ठस्पर्श हर्षी । शिखादारभ्य न्यासावे ॥२३॥

caturviśati akṣarāmsī | karāve amganyāsāsī | pādāmguṣṭhasparśa harṣī | śikhādārabhya nyāsāve ||23||

With the twenty-four syllables of the gayatri, one should perform limb-placement: touch the big toe with joy, then place beginning from the crown-lock.

Now the finer-grained placement begins — each of the twenty-four syllables set on its own point of the body, from toe to crown and crown to toe.

Approach even small, repetitive duties with the same joy you'd bring to a grand one.

अंगुष्ठाभ्यां नमः । त्सं गुल्फयोर्नमः । विं जंघर्योर्नमः । तुं जानुभ्यां नमः ॥२४॥

amguṣṭhābhyām namaḥ | tsam gulphayornamaḥ | vim jamgharyornamaḥ | tum jānubhyām namaḥ ||24||

'Ta' upon the toes, namah; 'tsa' upon the ankles, namah; 'vi' upon the calves, namah; 'tu' upon the knees, namah.

Syllable by syllable, the sacred word 'tatsavitur' is laid from toe to knee, the mantra literally walking up the body.

Build any big effort from the ground up, one small, deliberate step at a time.

व ऊरुभ्यां नमः । रें गुह्याय नमः । णीं वृषणाय नमः । यं कटिभ्यां नमः ॥२५॥

va ūrubhyām namaḥ | rem guhyāya namaḥ | ṇīm vṛṣaṇāya namaḥ | yam kaṭibhyām namaḥ ||25||

'Va' upon the thighs, namah; 're' upon the private part, namah; 'ni' upon the testes, namah; 'ya' upon the hips, namah.

The placement does not shy from any part of the body — sanctity is understood to cover the whole person, not a chosen few 'clean' parts.

Do not exempt any part of your life from the standards you hold for the rest of it.

भं नाभ्यै नमः । र्गौ उदराय नमः । दें स्तनाभ्यां नमः । वं ह्रदयाय नमः ॥२६॥

bham nābhyai namaḥ | rgau udarāya namaḥ | dem stanābhyām namaḥ | vam hradayāya namaḥ ||26||

'Bha' upon the navel, namah; 'rgau' upon the belly, namah; 'de' upon the chest, namah; 'va' upon the heart, namah.

The ascent reaches the heart — the mantra now rests where feeling and intention are said to live.

Let your inner intention, not just your outer performance, be where your practice finally settles.

स्यं कंठाय नमः । धीं दंतेभ्यो नमः । मं तालवे नमः । हिं नासिकायै नमः ॥२७॥

syam kamṭhāya namaḥ | dhīm damtebhyo namaḥ | mam tālave namaḥ | him nāsikāyai namaḥ ||27||

'Sya' upon the throat, namah; 'dhi' upon the teeth, namah; 'ma' upon the palate, namah; 'hi' upon the nose, namah.

The placement now reaches speech and breath — throat, teeth, palate, nose — the very organs by which the mantra itself will be spoken.

Guard your speech and breath as carefully as you guard your thoughts.

धिं नेत्राभ्यां नमः । यों भ्रुवोर्मध्याय नमः । यों ललाटाय नमः । नः प्राङ्‍मुखाय नमः ॥२८॥

dhim netrābhyām namaḥ | yom bhruvormadhyāya namaḥ | yom lalāṭāya namaḥ | naḥ prāṅ‍mukhāya namaḥ ||28||

'Dhi' upon the eyes, namah; 'yo' upon the space between the brows, namah; 'yo' upon the forehead, namah; 'na' upon the face turned east, namah.

The syllables reach the eyes and brow — the seat, in yogic understanding, of inner vision — while the body itself faces east toward the rising sun.

Orient yourself, literally and figuratively, toward the light before you begin your day's work.

प्रं दक्षिणमुखाय नमः । चों पश्चिममुखाय नमः । दं उत्तरमुखाय नमः । यां मूर्ध्ने नमः । तं शिखायै वषट्‍ ॥२९॥

pram dakṣiṇamukhāya namaḥ | com paścimamukhāya namaḥ | dam uttaramukhāya namaḥ | yām mūrdhne namaḥ | tam śikhāyai vaṣaṭ‍ ||29||

'Pra' upon the face turned south, namah; 'co' upon the face turned west, namah; 'da' upon the face turned north, namah; 'ya' upon the crown, namah; 'ta' upon the crown-lock, vashat.

The syllables sweep through all four directions before resting at the crown — the mantra is made to fill every direction the body can face.

Let your good intentions extend in every direction, not only toward the people directly in front of you.

ऐसे न्यास करोनि । पुनः पादांगुष्ठ धरोनि । कटिपर्यंत न्यासोनि । ऊर्ध्वन्यास करावे ॥४३०॥

aise nyāsa karoni | punaḥ pādāmguṣṭha dharoni | kaṭiparyamta nyāsoni | ūrdhvanyāsa karāve ||430||

Having done the placement thus, again hold the big toe and, placing up to the hips, one should do the upward placement.

The whole sequence is now repeated, this time working steadily upward from toe to hip, reinforcing the mantra's hold on the body.

Revisit and reinforce your foundations rather than assuming one pass is ever enough.

तकारा अंगुष्ठस्थान । त्सकार गुल्फ असे स्थान । विकार जंघास्थान । ऐका ब्राह्मणा म्हणती गुरु ॥३१॥

takārā amguṣṭhasthāna | tsakāra gulpha ase sthāna | vikāra jamghāsthāna | aikā brāhmaṇā mhaṇatī guru ||31||

'Ta' has its place at the toe; 'tsa' has its place at the ankle; 'vi' has its place at the calf — so the Guru tells the brahmins, listen.

The Guru restates, in plainer terms, which syllable belongs to which limb, so nothing is left ambiguous for the learner.

When teaching something exacting, be willing to repeat it in simpler words until it is clear.

तुकार जानूर्वकार ऊरवे । वकार गुह्यपूर्वक स्पर्श । णिकारा वुषणस्थान बरवे । तुकार कटिस्थान न्यास ॥३२॥

tukāra jānūrvakāra ūrave | vakāra guhyapūrvaka sparśa | ṇikārā vuṣaṇasthāna barave | tukāra kaṭisthāna nyāsa ||32||

'Tu' at the knee, 'u' at the thigh; 'va' touches before the private part; 'ni' rightly at the place of the testes; 'tu' again for the placement at the hip.

The syllable-to-body mapping continues methodically, sparing no anatomical detail in its thoroughness.

Do not let embarrassment make you skip the unglamorous parts of a task done properly.

शिखा धरोनि पादपर्यंत । करावे न्यास उतरत । त्याते सांगेन आदिअंत । एकचित्ते परियेसा ॥३३॥

śikhā dharoni pādaparyamta | karāve nyāsa utarata | tyāte sāmgena ādiamta | ekacitte pariyesā ||33||

Holding from the crown-lock down to the feet, one should perform the placement descending; I shall tell it from beginning to end — listen with one-pointed mind.

Having gone upward, the Guru now announces the downward pass, from crown to feet, completing the circuit in both directions.

Finish what you start by returning to where you began, closing the loop completely.

तं नमः शिकायै विन्यस्य । यां नमः मुर्ध्नि विन्यस्य । दं नमः उत्तरशिखायां न्यस्य । चो नमः पश्चिमशिखायां ॥३४॥

tam namaḥ śikāyai vinyasya | yām namaḥ murdhni vinyasya | dam namaḥ uttaraśikhāyām nyasya | co namaḥ paścimaśikhāyām ||34||

'Ta', namah, placed at the crown-lock; 'ya', namah, placed at the crown; 'da', namah, placed at the northern crown-lock; 'co', namah, at the western crown-lock.

The downward placement begins at the very crown of the head, marking its four sides before descending further.

Start any careful work from its highest, clearest point before working down into detail.

प्रं नमः दक्षिणशिखायां । नं नमः प्राङ्‍मुखे । यो नमः ललाटे । यो नमः भ्रुवोर्मध्यी ॥३५॥

pram namaḥ dakṣiṇaśikhāyām | nam namaḥ prāṅ‍mukhe | yo namaḥ lalāṭe | yo namaḥ bhruvormadhyī ||35||

'Pra', namah, at the southern crown-lock; 'na', namah, at the eastern face; 'yo', namah, at the forehead; 'yo', namah, between the brows.

The placement moves down from the crown to the forehead and the brow-center, the traditional seat of concentrated attention.

Keep your attention gathered at one still point even as your work moves in many directions.

धिं नमः नेत्रत्रये । हिं नमः नासिकयोः । मं नमः तालौ । धी नमः दंतेषु ॥३६॥

dhim namaḥ netratraye | him namaḥ nāsikayoḥ | mam namaḥ tālau | dhī namaḥ damteṣu ||36||

'Dhi', namah, at the three eyes; 'hi', namah, at the nostrils; 'ma', namah, at the palate; 'dhi', namah, at the teeth.

The descent continues through the organs of sight, breath, and speech, binding perception and utterance to the sacred word.

Let what you see, breathe, and say all serve the same good purpose.

स्यं नमः कंठे । वं नमः ह्र्दये । दें नमः स्तनयोः । र्गौ नमः उदरे । भं नमः नाभौ ॥३७॥

syam namaḥ kamṭhe | vam namaḥ hrdaye | dem namaḥ stanayoḥ | rgau namaḥ udare | bham namaḥ nābhau ||37||

'Sya', namah, at the throat; 'va', namah, at the heart; 'de', namah, at the chest; 'rgau', namah, at the belly; 'bha', namah, at the navel.

The syllables descend through throat, heart, chest, and belly, tracing the very seat of breath and feeling down to the navel, the body's root center.

Root even your most public actions in a settled, private center.

प्रणवादि नमोत न्यास करावे । आकार नाभी उकार ह्रदये । मकार मुखे नकार ललाटे । मकर शिरसि हस्तेन नमस्कृत्वा ॥३८॥

praṇavādi namota nyāsa karāve | ākāra nābhī ukāra hradaye | makāra mukhe nakāra lalāṭe | makara śirasi hastena namaskṛtvā ||38||

One should also do the placement of pranava (Om) preceded by namah: the sound 'a' at the navel, 'u' at the heart, 'ma' at the mouth, 'na' at the forehead, and 'ma' at the head — bowing there with the hand.

Even the syllable Om itself is broken into its component sounds — a-u-m — and set upon the body, closing the entire nyasa sequence with a final bow of the hand.

Let even your smallest, most basic habits carry the same care as your grandest efforts.

अथ मुद्रासंपुटप्रकारी । चतुर्विशति अवधारी । सांगेन त्यांचा विस्तार परी । ऐका ब्राह्मण एकचित्ते ॥३९॥

atha mudrāsampuṭaprakārī | caturviśati avadhārī | sāmgena tyāmcā vistāra parī | aikā brāhmaṇa ekacitte ||39||

Now, as to the manner of the hand-gesture seals: know there are twenty-four; I shall tell their detail — listen, O brahmins, with one-pointed mind.

Having finished the nyasa (bodily placement), the Guru turns to mudra — the twenty-four hand gestures that accompany japa.

When you master one discipline, be ready to take up the next with the same attention.

श्लोक । सुमुखं संपुटं चैव विततं विस्तृतं तथा । द्विमुखं त्रिमुखं चैव चतुःपंचमुखं तथा ॥४४०॥

śloka | sumukham sampuṭam caiva vitatam vistṛtam tathā | dvimukham trimukham caiva catuḥpamcamukham tathā ||440||

Verse: 'Sumukha, sampuṭa, and also vitata and vistṛta; dvimukha and trimukha, and catuh-panchamukha likewise.'

A Sanskrit verse lists the mudra names by their poetic descriptions — 'fair-faced', 'sealed', 'two-faced', 'three-faced' and so on — a mnemonic catalogue for the disciple to memorize.

Learn the names and forms of your craft's tools before you try to use them.

षण्मुखाधोमुखं चैव व्यापकांजलिकं तथा । शकटं यमपाशं च ग्रंथितं चोल्मुकोल्मुकम ॥४१॥

ṣaṇmukhādhomukham caiva vyāpakāmjalikam tathā | śakaṭam yamapāśam ca gramthitam colmukolmukama ||41||

'Shanmukha and adhomukha, and vyapakanjalika likewise; shakata and yamapasha, and granthita and colmukolmuka.'

The mnemonic verse continues through more mudra names — six-faced, downward-faced, all-pervading joined-palms, cart, noose of Yama, knotted, and torch-like — each a distinct hand-shape.

Trust that mastery is built from many small, precisely-named parts, not one vague gesture.

प्रलंबं मुष्टिकं चैव मत्स्यकूर्मो वराहकम्‍ । सिंहाक्रांतं महाक्रांतं मुद्गरं पल्लवं तथा ॥४२॥

pralambam muṣṭikam caiva matsyakūrmo varāhakam‍ | simhākrāmtam mahākrāmtam mudgaram pallavam tathā ||42||

'Pralamba and mushtika likewise; fish, tortoise, and boar; lion-strider, great-strider, mace, and leaf likewise.'

The mudra names now echo the ten avataras — fish, tortoise, boar, lion — reminding the practitioner that the hands, in worship, mirror the divine forms themselves.

Let your everyday gestures echo the values you most admire.

एता मुद्रा न जानाति गायत्री निष्फला भवेत्‍ । एता मुद्रास्तु कर्तव्या गायत्री सुप्रतिष्ठिता ॥४३॥

etā mudrā na jānāti gāyatrī niṣphalā bhavet‍ | etā mudrāstu kartavyā gāyatrī supratiṣṭhitā ||43||

'One who does not know these mudras — the gayatri japa becomes fruitless for him; these mudras should be performed, then the gayatri is well established.'

The verse states plainly that without the proper mudras the chanting bears no fruit — form and inner devotion are treated as inseparable in this tradition.

Do not assume good intention alone is enough; match it with correct, careful form.

अस्यार्थः । सुमुखं ॥१॥ संपुटं ॥२॥ विततं ॥३॥ विस्तृतं ॥४॥ द्विमुखं ॥५॥ त्रिमुखं ॥६॥

asyārthaḥ | sumukham ||1|| sampuṭam ||2|| vitatam ||3|| vistṛtam ||4|| dvimukham ||5|| trimukham ||6||

Its meaning: sumukha (1), sampuṭa (2), vitata (3), vistṛta (4), dvimukha (5), trimukha (6).

The Marathi gloss now numbers the mudras one by one, turning the Sanskrit verse into a clear, countable list for practice.

Turn a poetic ideal into a concrete checklist so you can actually practice it.

चतुर्मुखं ॥७॥ पंचमुखं ॥८॥ षण्मुखं ॥९॥ अधोमुखं ॥१०॥ व्यापकांजलिकं ॥११॥

caturmukham ||7|| pamcamukham ||8|| ṣaṇmukham ||9|| adhomukham ||10|| vyāpakāmjalikam ||11||

Caturmukha (7), pancamukha (8), shanmukha (9), adhomukha (10), vyapakanjalika (11).

The numbering continues through the middle of the list of twenty-four mudras.

Keep counting steadily through a long task rather than losing track partway.

शकटं ॥१२॥ यमपाशं च ॥१३॥ ग्रंथितं ॥१४॥ चोल्मुकोल्मुकं ॥१५॥ प्रलंबं ॥१६॥

śakaṭam ||12|| yamapāśam ca ||13|| gramthitam ||14|| colmukolmukam ||15|| pralambam ||16||

Shakata (12), yamapasha (13), granthita (14), colmukolmuka (15), pralamba (16).

The enumeration reaches its two-thirds mark, still naming mudra after mudra in strict order.

Trust the process even when a long list feels tedious — completeness matters.

मुष्टिकं ॥१७॥ मत्स्यः ॥१८॥ कूर्मः ॥१९॥ वराहः ॥२०॥

muṣṭikam ||17|| matsyaḥ ||18|| kūrmaḥ ||19|| varāhaḥ ||20||

Mushtika (17), matsya (18), kurma (19), varaha (20).

The count nears its end, naming the fish, tortoise, and boar mudras among the last four.

Near the end of a task, keep the same care you had at the start.

सिंहाक्रांतं ॥२१॥ महाक्रांतं ॥२२॥ मुद्गरं ॥२३॥ पल्लवं ॥२४॥

simhākrāmtam ||21|| mahākrāmtam ||22|| mudgaram ||23|| pallavam ||24||

Simhakranta (21), mahakranta (22), mudgara (23), pallava (24).

The list of twenty-four mudras is completed, closing the naming with 'pallava' (leaf/shoot).

Finish what you were counting; a task named in full is a task truly learned.

मुद्राविण गायत्रीमंत्र । जप करितां सर्व व्यर्थ । या कारणे करावे पात्र । मुद्रापूर्वक जप करावा ॥४४॥

mudrāviṇa gāyatrīmamtra | japa karitām sarva vyartha | yā kāraṇe karāve pātra | mudrāpūrvaka japa karāvā ||44||

Chanting the gayatri mantra without the mudra — all such japa is in vain; for this reason one should become fit for it and do the japa preceded by the mudra.

The Guru repeats the warning in plain terms: form without mudra voids the practice, so the disciple must first make himself a worthy vessel.

Prepare yourself properly before undertaking something you consider sacred or important.

गौप्प्य करावा मुद्रायुक्त । प्राणायाम करा निश्चित । समस्त पापक्षयार्थ । म्हणोनि अष्टोत्तरीय संकल्पावे ॥४५॥

gauppya karāvā mudrāyukta | prāṇāyāma karā niścita | samasta pāpakṣayārtha | mhaṇoni aṣṭottarīya samkalpāve ||45||

One should do it secretly, joined with the mudra; certainly perform pranayama (breath control), for the destruction of all sin; therefore resolve upon a hundred-and-eight repetitions.

The mudra is to be kept discreet rather than displayed, paired with controlled breathing, and the practitioner formally resolves on 108 repetitions as an act of purification.

Practice your discipline quietly, without performing it for an audience.

या गायत्रीप्रथमपादासी । म्हणा ऋग्वेद असे ऋषि । भूमितत्त्व परियेसी । ब्रह्मा देवता त्रिष्टुप्‍ छंद ॥४६॥

yā gāyatrīprathamapādāsī | mhaṇā ṛgveda ase ṛṣi | bhūmitattva pariyesī | brahmā devatā triṣṭup‍ chamda ||46||

For this first quarter of the gayatri, say: its rishi is of the Rigveda, its element is Earth, its deity is Brahma, its meter is trishtup.

Each quarter of the gayatri mantra is given its own viniyoga — seer, element, deity, and meter — a formal declaration made before chanting that pada.

Know the source and purpose of your practice before you perform it, not merely its outward form.

द्वितीयपाद गायत्रीसी । यजुर्वेद असे ऋषि । रुद्रदेवता प्राणापानव्यालतत्त्वेसी । जगती म्हणा अहर्निशी ॥४७॥

dvitīyapāda gāyatrīsī | yajurveda ase ṛṣi | rudradevatā prāṇāpānavyālatattvesī | jagatī mhaṇā aharniśī ||47||

For the second quarter of the gayatri, its rishi is of the Yajurveda, its deity is Rudra, its element is the serpent-force of prana and apana (in/out-breath), its meter is jagati — recite it day and night.

The second quarter is tied to breath itself — prana and apana — linking the mantra directly to the practitioner's own living rhythm.

Let your daily breathing itself become part of your devotion, not separate from it.

गायत्री तृतीयपादासी । ऋग्यजुः सामतत्त्व परियेसी । विष्णु देवता त्रिष्टुप छंदेसी । समस्तपापक्षयार्थ विनियोग ॥४८॥

gāyatrī tṛtīyapādāsī | ṛgyajuḥ sāmatattva pariyesī | viṣṇu devatā triṣṭupa chamdesī | samastapāpakṣayārtha viniyoga ||48||

For the third quarter of the gayatri, its elements are the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas, its deity is Vishnu, its meter is trishtup, and its declared purpose is the destruction of all sin.

The third and final quarter draws together all three Vedas under Vishnu, with the stated aim being the removal of every kind of sin.

Aim every practice, in the end, at becoming a cleaner, better version of yourself.

भूमिस्तंभ परियेसी । गायत्री छंदासी । म्हणावे ब्रह्मपदासी । ब्रह्मा दैवत जाणावे ॥४९॥

bhūmistambha pariyesī | gāyatrī chamdāsī | mhaṇāve brahmapadāsī | brahmā daivata jāṇāve ||49||

Know that the closing verse has Earth as its support; for the gayatri meter, one should say 'brahmapada'; know Brahma as its deity.

A closing formula is added, again anchored to Brahma and to the earth itself, rounding off the ritual declaration.

End what you begin with the same grounded care you started it with.

गायत्रीचे ध्यान । सांगेन तुम्हा विधान । एकचित्ते करा पठण । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥४५०॥

gāyatrīce dhyāna | sāmgena tumhā vidhāna | ekacitte karā paṭhaṇa | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||450||

The meditation-image of gayatri — I shall tell you its prescribed form; recite it with one-pointed mind, says Shri Guru to the brahmins.

Having covered the technical placements, the Guru now offers the dhyana — the visualized form of Gayatri as goddess — for the mind to hold while chanting.

Give your mind a clear, beautiful image to hold onto during any long discipline.

श्लोक । मुक्ताविदुमहेमनीलधवलच्छायैर्मुखैस्त्रीक्षणैर्युक्तामिंदुकलानिबद्धमुकुटां तत्त्वार्थवर्णात्मिकाम्‍ ।

śloka | muktāvidumahemanīladhavalacchāyairmukhaistrīkṣaṇairyuktāmimdukalānibaddhamukuṭām tattvārthavarṇātmikām‍ |

Verse: 'I meditate on her whose faces bear the hues of pearl, coral, gold, sapphire, and white, each with three eyes, whose crown is bound with the crescent moon, who is the very embodiment of the essential meaning and letters of the Veda.'

Gayatri is envisioned as a five-faced goddess of shimmering colors, crowned with the moon — the mantra given a living, luminous form to love, not just recite.

Let beauty draw you toward discipline, not only duty.

गायत्री वरदाभयांकुशकशां शुभ्रं कपालं गदां शंखं चक्रमथारविदयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्ती भजे ॥५१॥

gāyatrī varadābhayāmkuśakaśām śubhram kapālam gadām śamkham cakramathāravidayugalam hastairvahantī bhaje ||51||

I worship Gayatri, who bears in her hands the gestures of boon-giving and fearlessness, a goad and a whip, a white skull-bowl, a mace, a conch, a discus, and a pair of lotuses.

Her many hands hold both weapons of discipline (goad, whip) and gifts of grace (boon, fearlessness, lotus) — the goddess embodies both the rigor and the mercy of the practice just taught.

Hold both firmness and kindness together in whatever you are disciplined about.

ऐसे ध्यान करोनि । जप करावा नासिकाग्रनयनी । अंती षडंग न्यासोनि । जप करा येणेपरी ॥५२॥

aise dhyāna karoni | japa karāvā nāsikāgranayanī | amtī ṣaḍamga nyāsoni | japa karā yeṇeparī ||52||

Having meditated thus, one should do the japa with the eyes fixed on the tip of the nose; at the end, having done the six-limb placement, do the japa in this manner.

The visualization is followed by chanting with steady, inward-fixed eyes, and the sequence closes exactly as it began — with the six-limb placement.

Let your gaze stay steady and inward when your mind is tempted to wander.

गायत्रीमंत्राची प्रशंसा । एकचित्ते परियेसा । मंत्रनाम असे विशेषा । अक्षरे दोनी पाप हरे ॥५३॥

gāyatrīmamtrācī praśamsā | ekacitte pariyesā | mamtranāma ase viśeṣā | akṣare donī pāpa hare ||53||

Hear now, with one-pointed mind, the praise of the gayatri mantra: its very name is special — its two syllables ('man-tra') remove sin.

The Guru now explains the mantra's own name syllable by syllable, teaching that even the word 'mantra' itself carries a hidden meaning of protection and purification.

Look for the deeper meaning behind the ordinary words you use every day.

मकार म्हणजे आपुले मन । त्रकार नाम आपुला प्राण । मन प्राण एकवटोन । जप करावा एकचित्ते ॥५४॥

makāra mhaṇaje āpule mana | trakāra nāma āpulā prāṇa | mana prāṇa ekavaṭona | japa karāvā ekacitte ||54||

'Ma' means one's own mind; the sound 'tra' means one's own life-breath; uniting mind and breath together, one should do the japa with one-pointed mind.

The syllable 'mantra' is unpacked as 'mind' plus 'breath' — chanting is defined here as the union of thought and breath into a single act.

Bring your full mind and your full breath to a task, not a distracted half of each.

जप म्हणजे अक्षरे दोनी । प्रख्यात असती त्रिभुवनी । जकार जन्म विच्छेदोनि । पकारे जन्मपाप दुरी ॥५५॥

japa mhaṇaje akṣare donī | prakhyāta asatī tribhuvanī | jakāra janma vicchedoni | pakāre janmapāpa durī ||55||

'Japa' too has two syllables, renowned in all three worlds: 'ja' cuts off the cycle of birth, and 'pa' drives away the sin of birth.

As with 'mantra', the word 'japa' (repetition) is itself given a symbolic meaning — cutting the chain of rebirth and driving away inherited sin.

Let the small, repeated act you choose to do daily carry a larger purpose in your mind.

चारी वेदांस मूळ एका । गायत्रीनाम नाशी पातका । याचि कारणे करावा निका । वेदपठणफळ असे ॥५६॥

cārī vedāmsa mūḷa ekā | gāyatrīnāma nāśī pātakā | yāci kāraṇe karāvā nikā | vedapaṭhaṇaphaḷa ase ||56||

The one root of all four Vedas is the name Gayatri, which destroys sin; for this very reason one should perform it purely — it carries the fruit of reciting the whole Veda.

Gayatri is presented as the seed from which all four Vedas grow, so that chanting it well is said to equal the merit of Vedic study itself.

Trust that one small, well-done practice can carry the weight of a much larger discipline.

ऐसा मंत्र न जरी जपे नर । वृथा जन्म जैसा सूकर । जप करा हो निर्धार । चिंतिले फल पाविजे ॥५७॥

aisā mamtra na jarī jape nara | vṛthā janma jaisā sūkara | japa karā ho nirdhāra | cimtile phala pāvije ||57||

If a man does not chant such a mantra, his birth is as futile as a pig's; resolve firmly to do the japa — the fruit one has wished for is obtained.

A blunt warning follows — a human life spent without such disciplined practice is likened to an animal's — meant to spur resolve rather than shame.

Let a sharp warning move you to firmer resolve, not to despair.

न करावा उदकी बैसोन । त्वरित होय प्रज्ञाहीन । याचि कारणे सांगेन विस्तारोन । अग्नि तीनि विप्रमुखी ॥५८॥

na karāvā udakī baisona | tvarita hoya prajñāhīna | yāci kāraṇe sāmgena vistārona | agni tīni vipramukhī ||58||

One should not do it seated in water; it quickly leads to loss of wisdom; for this reason I shall explain at length — a brahmin's foremost fires are three.

A practical caution against chanting while sitting in water leads the Guru into the topic of the three sacred household fires a brahmin must tend.

Choose the right setting for a practice, since even a good discipline can be undermined by the wrong conditions.

आहवनीय गार्हपत्य । दक्षिणाग्नि तिसरा विख्यात । अग्निउदकसंपर्कै त्वरित । तेजत्व जाय अग्नीचे ॥५९॥

āhavanīya gārhapatya | dakṣiṇāgni tisarā vikhyāta | agniudakasamparkai tvarita | tejatva jāya agnīce ||59||

The ahavaniya, the garhapatya, and the third, well-known as the dakshinagni — by contact of fire and water, the fire's brilliance quickly departs.

The three sacred fires are named, and the reasoning behind the earlier caution is made explicit: water quenches fire's radiance, so the two must be kept apart even symbolically during japa.

Keep incompatible things — habits, moods, commitments — properly separated so neither one is diminished.

या कारणे उदक वर्जोनि । बैसिजे उत्तम आसनी । हस्तस्पर्शी नाभिस्थानी । जपावा माळ धरोनिया ॥४६०॥

yā kāraṇe udaka varjoni | baisije uttama āsanī | hastasparśī nābhisthānī | japāvā māḷa dharoniyā ||460||

For this reason, avoiding water, one should sit on a good seat; with the hand touching the navel, one should do the japa holding the rosary.

The practical instruction resolves: chant on dry ground, on a proper seat, hand resting at the navel, rosary in hand — a settled, grounded posture.

Give yourself a proper, settled seat — literal or figurative — before beginning serious work.

उभेनी जपावा प्रातःकाळी । बैसोनि कीजे माध्याह्नकाळी । अथवा उभा ठाकोनि । उभय पक्षी करावा ॥६१॥

ubhenī japāvā prātaḥkāḷī | baisoni kīje mādhyāhnakāḷī | athavā ubhā ṭhākoni | ubhaya pakṣī karāvā ||61||

One should do the japa standing in the morning; do it seated at midday; or, standing, one may do it either way.

The posture for japa changes with the time of day — standing at dawn, seated at noon — matching the body's stance to the sun's own movement.

Let your posture and energy match the natural rhythm of the hour, rather than forcing one mode all day.

माध्याह्नी ह्रदयस्थानी । जपावा माळ धरोनि । हस्त मुखे स्पर्शोनि । सायंकाळी जपावा ॥६२॥

mādhyāhnī hradayasthānī | japāvā māḷa dharoni | hasta mukhe sparśoni | sāyamkāḷī japāvā ||62||

At midday, holding the rosary at the heart, one should do the japa; touching hand to face, one should do the japa in the evening.

Midday practice centers on the heart; evening practice brings the hand to the face — each time of day given its own bodily gesture.

Vary the outward form of a habit through the day while keeping its inner purpose constant.

बैसोनि जपावा सायंकाळी । पहावा वृक्ष निर्मळी । जरी वृक्ष नसे जवळी । नासाग्रानयनी जपावा ॥६३॥

baisoni japāvā sāyamkāḷī | pahāvā vṛkṣa nirmaḷī | jarī vṛkṣa nase javaḷī | nāsāgrānayanī japāvā ||63||

One should do the japa seated in the evening, looking toward a clean tree; if no tree is nearby, one should do the japa with eyes fixed on the tip of the nose.

Even the direction of one's gaze during evening chanting is specified, defaulting to inward focus when no natural object is available.

When the ideal setting isn't available, adapt sensibly rather than abandoning the practice.

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थासी । जप नेमिला अष्टोत्तरेसी । वानप्रस्थ संन्यासी यासी । सहस्त्र मुख्य करावा ॥६४॥

brahmacārī gṛhasthāsī | japa nemilā aṣṭottaresī | vānaprastha samnyāsī yāsī | sahastra mukhya karāvā ||64||

For the celibate student and the householder, the prescribed japa is a hundred and eight; for the forest-dweller and the renunciate, a thousand is the chief count.

The required number of repetitions grows with one's stage of life — less for the busy householder, far more for those who have renounced worldly ties.

Expect more discipline of yourself as your responsibilities and freedom to focus increase.

संधिविग्रह होय जरी । अष्टाविंशति तरी करी । अशक्ति होय जरी । दहा वेळ जपावा ॥६५॥

samdhivigraha hoya jarī | aṣṭāvimśati tarī karī | aśakti hoya jarī | dahā veḷa japāvā ||65||

If a crisis or emergency occurs, one should still do at least twenty-eight; if one is too weak, one should do it ten times.

Even under duress or illness a minimum count is preserved — the Guru builds in graceful allowance rather than an all-or-nothing rule.

Set yourself a minimum you can keep even on your worst days, rather than skipping entirely.

उत्तम पक्ष मानसी । मध्यम गौप्य सुमुखेसी । अक्षरे प्रगट वाक्येसी । कनिष्ठ पुकार परियेसा ॥६६॥

uttama pakṣa mānasī | madhyama gaupya sumukhesī | akṣare pragaṭa vākyesī | kaniṣṭha pukāra pariyesā ||66||

The best mode is mental (silent); the middling is a soft, whispered murmur; when the syllables are spoken aloud, that is the lowest, a mere calling out.

Three grades of chanting are ranked — silent mental repetition is prized highest, a loud voice is ranked lowest — inwardness valued over display.

Prefer quiet, inward sincerity over loud, outward display in your own good habits.

त्रिपाद असती गायत्रीसी । मिळोनि न म्हणावी परियेसी । म्हणता होय महादोषी । महानरक अवधारा ॥६७॥

tripāda asatī gāyatrīsī | miḷoni na mhaṇāvī pariyesī | mhaṇatā hoya mahādoṣī | mahānaraka avadhārā ||67||

The gayatri has three quarters; they should not be recited joined together; one who does so incurs a great fault, and great hell awaits, know this.

A precise rule of pronunciation is given — the three parts of the mantra must stay distinct — treating even the mechanics of recitation as morally weighty.

Respect the exact form of a discipline your teacher hands you, not just its general spirit.

पृथक करोनि त्रिपदासी । जपा मंत्र अतिहर्षी । ब्रह्महत्यादि पापे नाशी । अनंत पुण्य लाधिजे ॥६८॥

pṛthaka karoni tripadāsī | japā mamtra atiharṣī | brahmahatyādi pāpe nāśī | anamta puṇya lādhije ||68||

Keeping the three quarters separate, chant the mantra with great joy; it destroys sins beginning with the killing of a brahmin, and infinite merit is obtained.

Done correctly and joyfully, the mantra is said to erase even the gravest sins, showing how much weight this tradition places on both form and heart together.

Bring genuine joy, not grim duty, to the disciplines you have chosen to keep.

अंगुष्ठजपे एक पुण्य । पर्वांगुलीने दशगुण । शंखमणीने होय शतगुण । प्रवालमाला सहस्त्रफळ ॥६९॥

amguṣṭhajape eka puṇya | parvāmgulīne daśaguṇa | śamkhamaṇīne hoya śataguṇa | pravālamālā sahastraphaḷa ||69||

Japa counted on the thumb yields one merit; counted on the finger-joints, tenfold; on a conch-shell rosary, a hundredfold; on a coral rosary, a thousandfold fruit.

Different counting methods and rosary materials are ranked by their traditional merit-multiplier, a teaching device to encourage using proper tools.

Invest in the right tools for a practice you care about — they are not mere decoration.

स्फटिकमणि दहासहस्त्र । मौक्तिके पुण्य लक्षाधिक । पद्माक्षी निर्गुण जप । दशलक्ष पुण्य असे ॥४७०॥

sphaṭikamaṇi dahāsahastra | mauktike puṇya lakṣādhika | padmākṣī nirguṇa japa | daśalakṣa puṇya ase ||470||

On crystal beads, ten thousandfold; on pearl, more than a hundred thousandfold; japa without attachment to fruit on a lotus-seed rosary yields ten million-fold merit.

The scale of merit climbs further, but the phrase 'without attachment to fruit' quietly outranks the material multipliers themselves.

Practice for its own sake; letting go of the reward is worth more than chasing it.

कोटुगुणे सुवर्णमाला । कुश रुद्राक्ष अनंतफला । जप करा नित्य काळा । गौप्यमाला धरोनिया ॥७१॥

koṭuguṇe suvarṇamālā | kuśa rudrākṣa anamtaphalā | japa karā nitya kāḷā | gaupyamālā dharoniyā ||71||

On a golden rosary, a hundred-million-fold; on kusha grass or rudraksha, infinite fruit; do the japa every day, holding the rosary discreetly.

The scale tops out at 'infinite' with rudraksha, but the closing instruction — do it daily, and discreetly — is the real point beneath the escalating numbers.

Do not let the size of a reward distract you from the simple instruction to practice daily and without fanfare.

गौप्यमाला करकमळी । जप करा निश्चली । सौख्य पावे अनंत फळी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणाते ॥७२॥

gaupyamālā karakamaḷī | japa karā niścalī | saukhya pāve anamta phaḷī | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāte ||72||

With the rosary held concealed in the lotus of the hand, do the japa steadily; one attains happiness of endless fruit — so Shri Guru tells the brahmins.

The rosary is kept hidden within the folded hand, a small gesture of humility that closes this section on how to count the chant.

Keep your private disciplines private; let steadiness, not show, be the proof of your devotion.

जप करिता नुल्लंघिजे मेरु । उल्लंघिता पाप बोलिले अपारु । प्राणायाम केलिया त्रिवारु । मेरुलंघनपाप जाय ॥७३॥

japa karitā nullamghije meru | ullamghitā pāpa bolile apāru | prāṇāyāma keliyā trivāru | merulamghanapāpa jāya ||73||

While doing japa, the meru (head) bead must not be crossed over; crossing it is said to be a boundless sin; if one performs pranayama three times, the sin of crossing the meru departs.

The 'meru' bead marking the rosary's start and end must not be skipped past when reversing direction — a small rule of respect, with a built-in remedy if broken unknowingly.

Know where the boundaries of a practice lie, and have a way to make amends when you cross one by mistake.

गायत्रीजप तीन दिवस । प्रत्यही करावा एकादश । सर्व पातके होती नाश । त्रिरात्रीचे पाप जाय ॥७४॥

gāyatrījapa tīna divasa | pratyahī karāvā ekādaśa | sarva pātake hotī nāśa | trirātrīce pāpa jāya ||74||

Chanting gayatri for three days, doing eleven rounds each day — all sins are destroyed, and the sin of three nights departs.

A specific three-day regimen of eleven rounds daily is prescribed as an intensive remedy for accumulated fault.

When you have fallen short, take on a short, focused, disciplined effort to set yourself right again.

अष्टोत्तरशत जप करिता । अघोर पातक जाय त्वरिता । करोनि सहस्त्र जप एकाग्रता । उपपातके नासती ॥७५॥

aṣṭottaraśata japa karitā | aghora pātaka jāya tvaritā | karoni sahastra japa ekāgratā | upapātake nāsatī ||75||

Doing a hundred and eight japas, even a terrible sin quickly departs; doing a thousand japas with one-pointed focus, minor sins are destroyed.

The intensity of practice is again scaled to the gravity of the fault, with sustained one-pointed focus doing the deeper work.

Match the intensity of your effort to the seriousness of the problem you are trying to correct.

महापातकादि दोषासी । कोटि जप करावा परियेसी । जे जे कर्म इच्छिसी । त्वरित होय अवधारा ॥७६॥

mahāpātakādi doṣāsī | koṭi japa karāvā pariyesī | je je karma icchisī | tvarita hoya avadhārā ||76||

For the gravest sins, one should do ten million japas, understand; whatever action you desire to accomplish, it comes about swiftly, know this.

The scale reaches its extreme for the gravest faults, while the same intense practice is also said to swiftly grant any sincere wish — effort scales with both remedy and aspiration.

Do not be daunted by how much effort real change requires; commit to it anyway.

जप करावा मन दृढे । न पहावे मागे पुढे । शूद्रादिक यातीकडे । संभाषण न करावे ॥७७॥

japa karāvā mana dṛḍhe | na pahāve māge puḍhe | śūdrādika yātīkaḍe | sambhāṣaṇa na karāve ||77||

One should do the japa with a firm mind, not looking behind or ahead; one should not converse with people of low standing while doing so.

Focus and social restraint are prescribed together — the mind must not wander, and conversation with others must be avoided during the practice, reflecting the social norms of the text's own era.

Guard your concentration by removing the small distractions and interruptions around you while you work.

द्रव्य घेवोनि एखाद्यासी । जपता होय अनंतदोषी । चांडाळयोनीत भरवसी । जन्म पावे परियेसा ॥७८॥

dravya ghevoni ekhādyāsī | japatā hoya anamtadoṣī | cāmḍāḷayonīta bharavasī | janma pāve pariyesā ||78||

If one accepts payment from someone and does the japa for them, one incurs endless fault; one is assured, understand, of a degraded rebirth.

Chanting for hire is condemned outright — the text insists the practice cannot be commercialized without corrupting it, and gives a severe traditional warning.

Do not sell what should be given freely from sincerity — keep your integrity out of the marketplace.

कंडू नये शरीर आपुले । नेणता जरी इतुके घडले । श्रोत्राचमन करा वहिले । दोष नाही अवधारा ॥७९॥

kamḍū naye śarīra āpule | neṇatā jarī ituke ghaḍale | śrotrācamana karā vahile | doṣa nāhī avadhārā ||79||

One should not scratch one's own body; if this happens unknowingly, quickly do the ear-touching sipping of water — then there is no fault, understand.

Even an unconscious lapse like scratching oneself during japa has a simple remedy — a quick ritual sip of water — showing the tradition's practical mercy for small human slips.

When you slip in a small, unintended way, correct it simply and move on without excessive guilt.

ब्राह्मणाचे दक्षिणकर्णी । सप्त देवता ऐका निर्गुणी । स्पर्श करिता तत्क्षणी । पापे जाती परियेसा ॥४८०॥

brāhmaṇāce dakṣiṇakarṇī | sapta devatā aikā nirguṇī | sparśa karitā tatkṣaṇī | pāpe jātī pariyesā ||480||

In the brahmin's right ear dwell seven formless deities, understand; touching it at that very moment, sins depart, know this.

The right ear is held to house seven subtle deities, so touching it is taught as an instant purifying gesture — a small act always within reach.

Keep a small, always-available gesture ready for the moments you need to quickly reset yourself.

दृष्टी पडता चांडाळासी । द्विराचमने शुद्ध होसी । संभाषण झालिया पतितासी । आचमनस्नान करावे ॥८१॥

dṛṣṭī paḍatā cāmḍāḷāsī | dvirācamane śuddha hosī | sambhāṣaṇa jhāliyā patitāsī | ācamanasnāna karāve ||81||

If your gaze falls upon a degraded person, you become pure by sipping water twice; if conversation happens with such a person, one should do the sipping and bathing.

Graduated remedies are given for accidental contact with those regarded, by the social norms of the era, as impure — the text's hierarchy is dated, but its underlying instinct is that unintended lapses call for a proportionate, not excessive, response.

Match your correction to the size of the slip — small mistakes need small remedies, not overreaction.

जपता निद्रा येई जरी । अधोवायु जांभई आलियावरी । क्रोधरूपे जपता जरी । पापरूपे अवधारा ॥८२॥

japatā nidrā yeī jarī | adhovāyu jāmbhaī āliyāvarī | krodharūpe japatā jarī | pāparūpe avadhārā ||82||

If sleep comes while chanting, or flatulence, or a yawn occurs, or if one chants in a state of anger — know these as taking the form of sin.

Drowsiness, bodily lapses, and above all anger are all named as states that corrupt the chanting, anger being placed alongside physical lapses as equally disruptive.

Notice when fatigue or irritation has crept into your practice, and pause to reset rather than pushing through in that state.

मौन्य करावे हे उत्तमी । अगत्ये बोलिजे संधिविषयी । तद्विष्णो मंत्र जपता कर्मीं । पापे जाती सकळिक ॥८३॥

maunya karāve he uttamī | agatye bolije samdhiviṣayī | tadviṣṇo mamtra japatā karmīm | pāpe jātī sakaḷika ||83||

It is best to keep silence; if speech is unavoidable, let it concern the ritual matter itself; while chanting the 'tad vishnoh' mantra during the rite, all sins depart.

Silence is again ranked highest, with a narrow exception for necessary ritual speech, and a specific Vishnu-mantra is offered as a further remedy for any lapse.

Default to silence in focused work, speaking only when truly necessary to the task at hand.

नेणता घडे इतुके जरी । आचमन करावे श्रोत्री । अग्नि सूर्यधेनुदर्शन करी । विष्णुमंत्र जपावा ॥८४॥

neṇatā ghaḍe ituke jarī | ācamana karāve śrotrī | agni sūryadhenudarśana karī | viṣṇumamtra japāvā ||84||

If even this happens unknowingly, the learned one should sip water; let him behold fire, the sun, or a cow, and chant the Vishnu-mantra.

A further remedy is offered for unwitting lapses — sipping water and gazing on fire, sun, or cow, three traditional symbols of purity — paired with a mantra.

Keep a few trusted, simple resets on hand for whenever your discipline slips despite your best care.

ऐसा जप करावा विधीने । मनकामना होय पूर्ण । ऐकती समस्त ऋषिजन । म्हणोनि सांगे पराशर ॥८५॥

aisā japa karāvā vidhīne | manakāmanā hoya pūrṇa | aikatī samasta ṛṣijana | mhaṇoni sāmge parāśara ||85||

One should do the japa in this proper manner; one's heart's desire is fulfilled; all the assembled sages listened, and so Parashara spoke.

The long teaching on japa closes with the promise of fulfilled aspiration, and the narrative frame briefly surfaces — this is Parashara's own teaching, being retold by Siddha.

Trust that a long, patiently followed discipline does eventually bear fruit.

गायत्री जपावी ऐशी । प्रातःकाळी म्हणा मित्रस्य ऋषि । उदुत्यं मंत्र माध्याह्नेसी । इमं मे वरुण सायंकाळी ॥८६॥

gāyatrī japāvī aiśī | prātaḥkāḷī mhaṇā mitrasya ṛṣi | udutyam mamtra mādhyāhnesī | imam me varuṇa sāyamkāḷī ||86||

Gayatri should be chanted thus: in the morning recite with Mitra as its rishi; the 'udutyam' mantra at midday; 'imam me varuna' in the evening.

Different supplementary mantras are matched to morning, noon, and evening, each with its own presiding deity — Mitra, and then Varuna — mapping worship onto the sun's daily arc.

Let different moments of your day carry their own distinct, appropriate practice rather than one blanket routine.

शाखापरत्वे मंत्र असती । म्हणावे विधि जैसे असती । गोत्र प्रवर म्हणा भक्ती । वृद्धाचाराप्रमाणे ॥८७॥

śākhāparatve mamtra asatī | mhaṇāve vidhi jaise asatī | gotra pravara mhaṇā bhaktī | vṛddhācārāpramāṇe ||87||

The mantras vary by Vedic branch; one should recite the rites as they exist in one's own branch; declare one's gotra and pravara with devotion, according to the practice of one's elders.

Local and lineage variation is explicitly honored — there is no single rigid form, only fidelity to one's own tradition and elders.

Honor the particular tradition you were raised in rather than forcing it into someone else's mold.

चारी दिशा नमोनि । प्रदक्षिणा करावी सगुणी । गोत्र प्रवर उच्चारोनि । नमस्कार करा परियेसा ॥८८॥

cārī diśā namoni | pradakṣiṇā karāvī saguṇī | gotra pravara uccāroni | namaskāra karā pariyesā ||88||

Bowing to the four directions, one should devoutly circumambulate; having uttered one's gotra and pravara, offer namaskara, understand.

The morning rite closes with bows to the four directions and a formal circumambulation, the lineage-declaration sealed with a final prostration.

Close a period of focused practice with a clear, deliberate gesture of completion and gratitude.

ऐसी संध्या करून । मग करावे औपासन । सांगेन त्याचे विधान । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥८९॥

aisī samdhyā karūna | maga karāve aupāsana | sāmgena tyāce vidhāna | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||89||

Having performed the sandhya (twilight worship) thus, one should then perform the aupasana (fire-tending rite); I shall tell its procedure, says Shri Guru to the brahmins.

The narrative moves from sandhya (gayatri worship) to aupasana, the household fire ritual — one discipline completed, the next begun in due order.

Move from one discipline to the next in its proper sequence, not all at once.

साय्म्प्रातवेला दोन्ही । औपासन करावे सगुणी । मिळोनि न करावे द्विजजनी । सर्वांनी पृथक्‍ पृथक्‍ हेचि जाणा ॥४९०॥

sāymprātavelā donhī | aupāsana karāve saguṇī | miḷoni na karāve dvijajanī | sarvāmnī pṛthak‍ pṛthak‍ heci jāṇā ||490||

At both morning and evening times, one should devoutly perform aupasana; the twice-born should not do it together, but each one separately — know this.

The fire ritual is to be done individually by each household member, twice a day, resisting the temptation to merge it into a group affair.

Keep your own personal practice your own, even when others around you share the same discipline.

न करावे वेळणी आळंद्यात । भूमीवरी न करा नित्य । स्थंडिली करावे विहित । अथवा उदके सारवावे ॥९१॥

na karāve veḷaṇī āḷamdyāta | bhūmīvarī na karā nitya | sthamḍilī karāve vihita | athavā udake sāravāve ||91||

It should not be done in a courtyard corner or veranda; do not do it daily directly on bare ground; a proper altar-mound should be made, or the ground plastered with water.

Even the physical setting for the fire is regulated — a proper, prepared altar rather than a careless spot, showing that sacredness is built through deliberate preparation, not assumed.

Prepare your workspace properly before beginning something you consider important.

कुंडी स्थापोनि अग्नीसी । करावे नित्य उपासनेसी । वारा घालो नये त्यासी । हाते पर्णी आणि सुपे ॥९२॥

kumḍī sthāponi agnīsī | karāve nitya upāsanesī | vārā ghālo naye tyāsī | hāte parṇī āṇi supe ||92||

Establishing the fire in a fire-pit, one should perform the daily worship; one should not fan it with the hand, with a leaf-fan, or with a winnowing basket.

Specific tools for fanning the fire are forbidden, a rule whose reasoning follows in the next verses.

Learn not just what to do but what specifically to avoid in a discipline, and trust that the restriction has its reasons.

व्याधिष्ठ पर्णवाते होय । सुपे दरित्र धनक्षय । मुखे फुंकिलिया आयुष्य जाय । हस्तमूली होय मृत्यु ॥९३॥

vyādhiṣṭha parṇavāte hoya | supe daritra dhanakṣaya | mukhe phumkiliyā āyuṣya jāya | hastamūlī hoya mṛtyu ||93||

Fanning with a leaf-fan brings disease; with a winnowing basket, poverty and loss of wealth; blowing with the mouth shortens life; fanning by hand brings death.

Each forbidden method of tending the fire is matched to a specific misfortune, a mnemonic device impressing on the disciple why the earlier rule must be kept exactly.

Take seriously the specific reasons behind a rule, even one that seems arbitrary at first.

फुंकणी अथवा विंझण्यासी । वायु घालावा अग्नीसी । काष्ठे समृद्धि परियेसी । ज्वलित असावा अग्नि देखा ॥९४॥

phumkaṇī athavā vimjhaṇyāsī | vāyu ghālāvā agnīsī | kāṣṭhe samṛddhi pariyesī | jvalita asāvā agni dekhā ||94||

One should give air to the fire with a blow-pipe or a hand-fan; with an abundance of firewood, understand, the fire should be kept burning.

Having ruled out improper methods, the correct tools — a blow-pipe or proper fan — and the need for ample fuel to keep the fire alive are now given.

Once you know what not to do, learn the right tool for the job and use it generously.

ज्वाला निघती जये स्थानी । आहुति घालावी तया वदनी । समिधा आणाव्या ब्राह्मणी । शूद्रहस्ते घेऊ नये ॥९५॥

jvālā nighatī jaye sthānī | āhuti ghālāvī tayā vadanī | samidhā āṇāvyā brāhmaṇī | śūdrahaste gheū naye ||95||

Wherever the flame arises, the oblation should be offered into that very mouth of the fire; the sacred kindling-wood should be brought by brahmins — it should not be taken from another's hand.

The offering must meet the flame exactly where it rises, and the firewood's source is restricted by the social hierarchy of the text's own time.

Be precise about where and how you place your offering of effort — aim it exactly where it is needed.

समिधा पुष्पे दूर्वा देखा । आणो नये शूद्रे ऐका । होमद्रव्ये होती विशेखा । सांगेन नावे परियेसा ॥९६॥

samidhā puṣpe dūrvā dekhā | āṇo naye śūdre aikā | homadravye hotī viśekhā | sāmgena nāve pariyesā ||96||

Kindling-wood, flowers, and durva grass — these should not be brought by another's hand, hear; the offering-materials are of particular kinds; I shall tell their names, listen.

The restriction on materials is repeated, and the Guru now turns to naming the specific grains used as oblation.

Care about the quality and source of the materials you use in something sacred to you.

साळी सावे नीवार । तंदुल असती मनोहर । गोधूम जव निर्धार । यावनाळ मुख्य असे ॥९७॥

sāḷī sāve nīvāra | tamdula asatī manohara | godhūma java nirdhāra | yāvanāḷa mukhya ase ||97||

Rice, save millet, wild rice — these grains are lovely; wheat and barley, certainly; sorghum is chief among them.

A list of grains suitable for the fire-offering is given, ordinary grains elevated to sacred materials by their careful, intentional use.

Elevate ordinary, everyday materials into something meaningful through the intention you bring to them.

साठी दाणे मिति प्रमाण । आहुति मुख्य कारण । अधिक न कीजे अथवा न्यून । घृतसंपर्क करावे ॥९८॥

sāṭhī dāṇe miti pramāṇa | āhuti mukhya kāraṇa | adhika na kīje athavā nyūna | ghṛtasamparka karāve ||98||

Sixty grains is the measured quantity, the chief requirement for the oblation; one should not make it more or less; contact with ghee should be made.

Even the exact count of grains is specified, along with the requirement of ghee — precision down to the grain, not vague generosity.

Aim for exact, disciplined measure in your practice rather than careless excess or shortfall.

घृत नसेल समयासी । तिल पवित्र होमासी । तिळांचे तैल परियेसी । तेही पवित्र असे देखा ॥९९॥

ghṛta nasela samayāsī | tila pavitra homāsī | tiḷāmce taila pariyesī | tehī pavitra ase dekhā ||99||

If ghee is not available at the time, sesame is pure for the offering; sesame oil too, understand, is likewise pure.

A sensible substitute is allowed when the ideal material is unavailable, showing the tradition's built-in flexibility.

Have a good substitute ready for when your ideal resource isn't available, so the practice need not stop.

औपासन केलियावरी । ब्रह्मयज्ञ तर्पण करी । सांगेन विधि अवधारी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥५००॥

aupāsana keliyāvarī | brahmayajña tarpaṇa karī | sāmgena vidhi avadhārī | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||500||

After performing aupasana, one does the brahma-yajna and tarpana (water-offering); I shall tell the procedure, understand — so Shri Guru tells the brahmins.

The teaching moves to its next stage: brahma-yajna (worship of the Veda) followed by tarpana, the ritual offering of water to gods, sages, and ancestors.

After tending your own fire of discipline, turn outward to honor those who came before you.

मुख्य सकळ प्रातःकर्म सारोनि । ब्रह्मयज्ञ करावा माध्याह्नी । उपासनादि कर्मै करोनि । मग करावा ब्रह्मयज्ञ ॥१॥

mukhya sakaḷa prātaḥkarma sāroni | brahmayajña karāvā mādhyāhnī | upāsanādi karmai karoni | maga karāvā brahmayajña ||1||

Having finished all the main morning rites, the brahma-yajna should be done at midday; having performed the aupasana and other rites, one should then perform the brahma-yajna.

A clear sequence of the day's rites is laid out — morning duties, then aupasana, then brahma-yajna at midday — nothing is left to improvisation.

Keep your daily practices in a settled order so nothing important gets skipped.

उदकसन्निध मुख्य स्थानी । करावे तर्पण ब्राह्मणी । प्राणायाम तीन करोनि । विद्युदसि मंत्र जपावा ॥२॥

udakasannidha mukhya sthānī | karāve tarpaṇa brāhmaṇī | prāṇāyāma tīna karoni | vidyudasi mamtra japāvā ||2||

Near water, in the chief place, the brahmin should perform tarpana; having done pranayama three times, one should chant the 'vidyud asi' mantra.

Tarpana must be done at a water source, framed by controlled breathing and a specific opening mantra invoking the lightning-swift power of water.

Approach an act of gratitude with the same calm, prepared breath you'd bring to any serious practice.

दूर्वा घेऊनि दक्षिण करी । पूर्वमुख अथवा उत्तरी । बसावे वाम पादावरी । दक्षिण पाद ठेवोनि ॥३॥

dūrvā gheūni dakṣiṇa karī | pūrvamukha athavā uttarī | basāve vāma pādāvarī | dakṣiṇa pāda ṭhevoni ||3||

Taking durva grass in the right hand, facing east or north, one should sit on the left foot, placing the right foot upon the left knee.

A precise posture and orientation are given for tarpana, the body arranged as carefully as the words that will be spoken.

Let your posture, not just your words, express the seriousness of what you are doing.

उभयहास्तसंपुटेसी । ठेवावे दक्षिण जानुवासी । म्हणावे तीन प्रणवांसी । मग म्हणावे ऋचाक्षर ॥४॥

ubhayahāstasampuṭesī | ṭhevāve dakṣiṇa jānuvāsī | mhaṇāve tīna praṇavāmsī | maga mhaṇāve ṛcākṣara ||4||

With both hands cupped together, one should hold them at the right knee; one should recite the three pranavas (Om), then recite the syllable of the verse.

The cupped hands become the vessel for the offering, opened first with the sacred syllable Om repeated three times.

Begin any solemn act with a moment of stillness before the words come.

ॐ भू० ऐसे म्हणोनि । त्रिपदा गायत्री उच्चारोनि । तत्स० म्हणोनि । मग जपावी दश वेळा ॥५॥

oṁ bhū0 aise mhaṇoni | tripadā gāyatrī uccāroni | tatsa0 mhaṇoni | maga japāvī daśa veḷā ||5||

Saying 'Om bhuh' thus, uttering the three-footed gayatri, saying 'tatsa[vitur]', one should then chant it ten times.

The gayatri returns once more, now as part of the tarpana sequence, to be repeated tenfold before the water-offering proper begins.

Let your most trusted practice anchor every new discipline you take up.

स्वाध्याय दिवसासी । म्हणा वेद शक्तीसी । अनध्याय होय तया दिवसी । एक ऋचा म्हणा पन्नासा ॥६॥

svādhyāya divasāsī | mhaṇā veda śaktīsī | anadhyāya hoya tayā divasī | eka ṛcā mhaṇā pannāsā ||6||

On a day for Vedic study, recite the Veda according to one's ability; on a day when study is forbidden, recite one verse fifty times.

The tradition builds in an adjustment for restricted days — the substance of study is preserved through repetition even when direct recitation of new text is not allowed.

When circumstances prevent your usual practice, find an equivalent way to keep faith with it.

तोही नये एखाद्यासी । मंत्र म्हणावा विशेषी । नमो ब्रह्मणे मंत्रासी । तीन वेळा जपावा ॥७॥

tohī naye ekhādyāsī | mamtra mhaṇāvā viśeṣī | namo brahmaṇe mamtrāsī | tīna veḷā japāvā ||7||

If even that is not possible for someone, a particular mantra should be said instead: the 'namo brahmane' mantra should be chanted three times.

A further fallback is offered — when even fifty repetitions aren't feasible, a short mantra repeated three times suffices, ensuring no one is left with no path at all.

Always keep a minimal, achievable version of your practice ready as a last resort.

वृष्टिरासि मंत्रासी । जपोनि स्पर्शावे उदकासी । तर्पण करावे परियेसी । ऐक ब्राह्मणा एकचित्ते ॥८॥

vṛṣṭirāsi mamtrāsī | japoni sparśāve udakāsī | tarpaṇa karāve pariyesī | aika brāhmaṇā ekacitte ||8||

Chanting the 'vrishti rasi' mantra, one should touch the water; then tarpana should be performed — listen, O brahmin, with one-pointed mind.

A final mantra is chanted while touching the water itself, immediately before the actual offering of tarpana begins.

Let a moment of focused intention precede the actual giving, not just accompany it.

ब्रह्मयज्ञ करावयासी । द्रव्य दर्भ परियेसी । वसुरुद्रआदित्यांसी । तृप्त समस्त देव पितर ॥९॥

brahmayajña karāvayāsī | dravya darbha pariyesī | vasurudraādityāmsī | tṛpta samasta deva pitara ||9||

For performing brahma-yajna, the material is darbha grass, understand; through it, the Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas, and all the gods and ancestors, become satisfied.

Darbha grass, humble in itself, is said to satisfy the entire pantheon and all ancestors when used with proper devotion — the material is simple, the effect vast.

Don't underestimate how far a simple, sincerely offered gesture can reach.

एखादे दिवसी न घडे जरी । अथवा होय समय रात्री । जप करावा गायत्री । वेदपठण फल असे ॥५१०॥

ekhāde divasī na ghaḍe jarī | athavā hoya samaya rātrī | japa karāvā gāyatrī | vedapaṭhaṇa phala ase ||510||

If on some day it cannot be done, or if the time for it falls at night, one should do the gayatri japa — it carries the fruit of Vedic recitation.

Once again, gayatri japa is offered as the universal fallback whenever the fuller rite is impossible, reinforcing its status as the tradition's essential core practice.

Identify the one core practice you can always fall back on when your ideal routine isn't possible.

देवतर्पण कुशाग्रेसी । मध्यस्थाने तृप्त ऋषि । मुळे पितृवर्गासी । तर्पण करावे परियेसा ॥११॥

devatarpaṇa kuśāgresī | madhyasthāne tṛpta ṛṣi | muḷe pitṛvargāsī | tarpaṇa karāve pariyesā ||11||

The offering to the gods is made at the tip of the kusha grass; sages are satisfied at its middle; ancestors are satisfied through its root — tarpana should be done accordingly.

A single blade of kusha grass is divided symbolically into three zones — tip, middle, root — each channeling the offering to a different order of being.

Recognize that a single simple gesture can honor several different relationships at once, if done with the right care.

न करावे तर्पण पात्रात । करावे आपण उदकात । भूमीवरी घरी नित्य । निषिद्ध असे करू नये ॥१२॥

na karāve tarpaṇa pātrāta | karāve āpaṇa udakāta | bhūmīvarī gharī nitya | niṣiddha ase karū naye ||12||

Tarpana should not be done in a vessel; one should do it oneself in the water; doing it daily on bare ground at home is forbidden — do not do it.

The offering must go directly into a water source, not a container, and the ground substitute used elsewhere is explicitly restricted for daily home practice.

Give your gratitude directly to its true object rather than through a convenient but hollow substitute.

दर्भ ठेवोनि भूमीवरी । तर्पण करावे अवधारी । विधियुक्त भक्तिपुरःसरी । श्रीगुरु म्हणती ब्राह्मणासी ॥१३॥

darbha ṭhevoni bhūmīvarī | tarpaṇa karāve avadhārī | vidhiyukta bhaktipuraḥsarī | śrīguru mhaṇatī brāhmaṇāsī ||13||

Placing darbha grass upon the ground, tarpana should be performed, understand, according to rite and led first by devotion — so Shri Guru tells the brahmins.

The Guru clarifies the proper technique — darbha grass laid on the ground as the ritual base — while insisting devotion must lead the form, not merely follow it.

Let sincerity come first in your practice, with correct form serving that sincerity, not replacing it.

तीळ धरोनि आपुल्या करी । तर्पण करावे अवधारी । ठेवो नये शिळेवरी । भूमी काष्ठपात्री देखा ॥१४॥

tīḷa dharoni āpulyā karī | tarpaṇa karāve avadhārī | ṭhevo naye śiḷevarī | bhūmī kāṣṭhapātrī dekhā ||14||

Holding sesame seeds in one's own hand, tarpana should be performed, understand; they should not be placed upon a stone, the bare ground, or a wooden vessel.

Sesame seeds, central to the ancestor-offering, must stay in the hand and touch only water — never stone, earth, or wood — a rule whose reasoning follows next.

Be exact about what touches what in a practice that matters to you; small contacts carry meaning.

रोमकूपादि स्थानी देखा । तीळ ठेविता पावती दुःखा । तीळ होती कृमि ऐका । निषिद्ध बोलली स्थाने पाच ॥१५॥

romakūpādi sthānī dekhā | tīḷa ṭhevitā pāvatī duḥkhā | tīḷa hotī kṛmi aikā | niṣiddha bolalī sthāne pāca ||15||

If sesame seeds are placed at such spots, one incurs suffering, understand; the seeds become worms, hear; five places are declared forbidden.

The consequence of misplacing the sesame is spelled out vividly, and the count of forbidden surfaces is fixed at five.

Understand the real consequences behind a rule, not just the rule itself, so you keep it willingly.

घरी तर्पण करावयासी । तीळ अग्राह्य परियेसी । करावे आपण उदकासी । ऐका समस्त ऋषिजन ॥१६॥

gharī tarpaṇa karāvayāsī | tīḷa agrāhya pariyesī | karāve āpaṇa udakāsī | aikā samasta ṛṣijana ||16||

For performing tarpana at home, sesame is not to be used, understand; it should be done with water alone — hear this, all you assembled sages.

At home, without proper ritual ground, sesame is set aside entirely in favor of plain water, a simplified form suited to the domestic setting.

Simplify a practice sensibly when you're outside its ideal setting, rather than performing it badly in full.

श्वेत तीळ देवांसी । धूम्रवर्ण ऋषिजनांसी । कृष्णवर्ण पितरांसी । तीळतर्पण करावे ॥१७॥

śveta tīḷa devāmsī | dhūmravarṇa ṛṣijanāmsī | kṛṣṇavarṇa pitarāmsī | tīḷatarpaṇa karāve ||17||

White sesame is for the gods; smoke-colored sesame for the sages; black sesame for the ancestors — with these, sesame-tarpana should be performed.

Each of the three orders of being receives a differently-colored sesame seed, colors chosen to symbolically match their nature — bright gods, hazy sages, dark ancestors.

Give each relationship in your life the particular form of attention that actually suits it.

यज्ञोपवीती सव्ये देवांसी । निवीती करावी ऋषींसी । अपसव्य पितरांसी । तर्पण करावे येणे रीती ॥१८॥

yajñopavītī savye devāmsī | nivītī karāvī ṛṣīmsī | apasavya pitarāmsī | tarpaṇa karāve yeṇe rītī ||18||

The sacred thread worn over the left shoulder is for the gods; worn around the neck like a garland is for the sages; worn over the right shoulder is for the ancestors — tarpana should be done in this manner.

The way the sacred thread is worn shifts with each category of recipient — the smallest details of the body's arrangement are made to speak.

Let even small physical habits — how you stand, how you dress — express who or what you are honoring in the moment.

देवासी अंजुलि एक । ऋषींसी अंजुलिद्वय सम्यक । पितरांसी अंजुलि त्रिक । तर्पण ऐसे करावे ॥१९॥

devāsī amjuli eka | ṛṣīmsī amjulidvaya samyaka | pitarāmsī amjuli trika | tarpaṇa aise karāve ||19||

One handful of water for the gods; rightly, two handfuls for the sages; three handfuls for the ancestors — tarpana should be done thus.

The quantity of water offered increases from gods to sages to ancestors, the ancestors — closest to the living family — receiving the most.

Give the most, not the least, of your attention to those closest to you by blood and memory.

स्त्रियांसी अंजुलि एक देखा । व्यतिरिक्त बंधूसी एक । सपत्‍नी आचार्य नामिका । द्वयांजुलि करावे ॥५२०॥

striyāmsī amjuli eka dekhā | vyatirikta bamdhūsī eka | sapat‍nī ācārya nāmikā | dvayāmjuli karāve ||520||

For deceased women ancestors, one handful, understand; for a brother without offspring, one; for a co-wife or a named teacher, two handfuls should be given.

The tarpana list widens to include female ancestors, a childless brother, a co-wife, and one's teacher, each assigned their due measure of water.

Remember the less obvious people in your life who also deserve your gratitude, not only the most prominent ones.

देवब्रह्मऋषीश्वरांसी । अक्षता मुख्य तर्पणासी । कृष्णतिलतर्पण पितरांसी । अनंत पुण्ये परियेसा ॥२१॥

devabrahmaṛṣīśvarāmsī | akṣatā mukhya tarpaṇāsī | kṛṣṇatilatarpaṇa pitarāmsī | anamta puṇye pariyesā ||21||

For the gods, Brahma, and the great sages, unbroken rice grains are the chief offering; black-sesame tarpana is for the ancestors; it brings infinite merit, understand.

Rice for the celestial, sesame for the ancestral — the two material offerings are here summarized together with the promise of great merit.

Match your gift to its recipient — what honors one relationship well may not be right for another.

आदित्य शुक्रवारेसी । प्रतिपदा मघा नक्षत्रासी । षष्ठी नवमी एकादशीसी । तिलतर्पण करू नये ॥२२॥

āditya śukravāresī | pratipadā maghā nakṣatrāsī | ṣaṣṭhī navamī ekādaśīsī | tilatarpaṇa karū naye ||22||

On Sunday and Friday, on the first lunar day, on the Magha lunar mansion, on the sixth, ninth, and eleventh lunar days — sesame-tarpana should not be done.

A list of specific days on the sacred calendar is given when sesame-offerings are set aside, a rhythm of restraint built into the ritual timetable.

Accept that even good practices have appropriate seasons for rest, not only for action.

अथवा विवाह उपनयनासी । जन्मनक्षत्र जन्मदिवसी । आपुल्या घरी शुभदिवसी । तिलतर्पण करू नये ॥२३॥

athavā vivāha upanayanāsī | janmanakṣatra janmadivasī | āpulyā gharī śubhadivasī | tilatarpaṇa karū naye ||23||

Also, on a wedding or thread-ceremony, on one's birth-star day or birthday, on an auspicious day in one's own household — sesame-tarpana should not be done.

Joyful family occasions are likewise exempted from the mourning-toned sesame offering, keeping celebration and remembrance of the dead properly separate.

Know when to set grief-toned duties aside so joyful occasions can be fully, unmixedly celebrated.

जधी न करी तिलतर्पण । उदके मुख्य करा जाण । मुद्रिका हस्ती सुवर्ण । दर्भपवित्रे करावे ॥२४॥

jadhī na karī tilatarpaṇa | udake mukhya karā jāṇa | mudrikā hastī suvarṇa | darbhapavitre karāve ||24||

When one does not perform sesame-tarpana, one should do it chiefly with water alone; a gold ring should be worn on the hand, made into a darbha-grass purifier.

On the exempted days, plain water replaces sesame, worn with a small gold ring wrapped in darbha grass as a token purifier.

Keep a simplified version of a duty ready for the days when the full form isn't appropriate.

पाय न धुता मंगलस्नान । तिलावीण करिता तर्पण । श्राद्ध करी दक्षिणेविण । निष्फल असे अवधारी ॥२५॥

pāya na dhutā mamgalasnāna | tilāvīṇa karitā tarpaṇa | śrāddha karī dakṣiṇeviṇa | niṣphala ase avadhārī ||25||

An auspicious bath without washing the feet, tarpana done without sesame on days it is required, or a shraddha (ancestor-rite) performed without a gift to the priest — all these are fruitless, understand.

Three ways a ritual can be rendered empty are listed together — incomplete bathing, missing sesame, and withheld generosity — each undermining the rite's purpose.

Do not shortchange the essential elements of a practice while going through its outward motions.

निषिद्ध बोलिले ज्या दिवसी । तर्पण करावे उदकेसी । दिपवाळी चतुर्दशीसी । करावे तर्पण परियेसा ॥२६॥

niṣiddha bolile jyā divasī | tarpaṇa karāve udakesī | dipavāḷī caturdaśīsī | karāve tarpaṇa pariyesā ||26||

On the days declared forbidden, tarpana should be done with water alone; on the fourteenth day of Dipavali, tarpana should be performed, understand.

An exception within the exceptions is named — the fourteenth of Dipavali, Naraka Chaturdashi, calls for tarpana regardless of the general restriction.

Recognize the few days that call for special remembrance even amid your normal rhythm of restraint.

अंगारक कृष्ण चतुर्दशीसी । करावे तर्पण परियेसी । यमाचे नावे विधींसी । यज्ञोपवीत सव्याने ॥२७॥

amgāraka kṛṣṇa caturdaśīsī | karāve tarpaṇa pariyesī | yamāce nāve vidhīmsī | yajñopavīta savyāne ||27||

On a Tuesday falling on the dark-fortnight fourteenth, tarpana should be performed, understand, in the names of Yama, with the sacred thread worn normally over the left shoulder.

This particular day is devoted specifically to Yama, the god of death, with the sacred thread worn in its ordinary position rather than reversed.

Set aside a specific occasion each year to consciously reflect on mortality and what truly matters.

एकेक तीळ घेऊनि । त्रिवार अंजुलि देऊनि । यमाचे नाव उच्चारोनि । तर्पण करावे भक्तीने ॥२८॥

ekeka tīḷa gheūni | trivāra amjuli deūni | yamāce nāva uccāroni | tarpaṇa karāve bhaktīne ||28||

Taking one sesame seed at a time, giving three handfuls, uttering the name of Yama, tarpana should be performed with devotion.

The offering to Yama is done name by name, handful by handful, with devotion emphasized as the animating spirit of the rite.

Let devotion, not mechanical repetition, be what carries you through a long, detailed ritual.

यमाची नावे त्रयोदशी । सांगेन ऐका विस्तारेसी । यम धर्मराजा परियेसी । मृत्यु अंतक चौथा जाणा ॥२९॥

yamācī nāve trayodaśī | sāmgena aikā vistāresī | yama dharmarājā pariyesī | mṛtyu amtaka cauthā jāṇā ||29||

The names of Yama are thirteen; I shall tell them in full detail, listen: Yama, Dharmaraja, understand; Mrityu, and Antaka the fourth, know this.

Thirteen names of Yama begin to be enumerated, each name representing a different aspect of death and justice.

See that even something as singular as death has many faces, each worth understanding rather than fearing blindly.

वैवस्वत काल देखा । सर्वभूतक्षय ऐका । आठवा औदुंबरनामिका । नीलाय परमेष्ठी दहा जाणा ॥५३०॥

vaivasvata kāla dekhā | sarvabhūtakṣaya aikā | āṭhavā audumbaranāmikā | nīlāya parameṣṭhī dahā jāṇā ||530||

Vaivasvata, and Kala, understand; Sarvabhutakshaya, hear; the eighth is named Audumbara; Nilaya, and Parameshthi the tenth, know this.

The list of Yama's names continues through its middle names, each drawn from a different aspect of time, dissolution, or sovereignty.

Keep working steadily through a long list of duties even when the individual items feel abstract.

वृकोदर चित्ररेखा । चित्रगुप्त त्रयोदशिका । प्रत्येक नामे म्हणोनि एकेका । नदीत द्यावे परियेसा ॥३१॥

vṛkodara citrarekhā | citragupta trayodaśikā | pratyeka nāme mhaṇoni ekekā | nadīta dyāve pariyesā ||31||

Vrikodara, Citrarekha, and Citragupta the thirteenth; uttering each name one by one, the offering should be given into the river, understand.

The thirteenth and final name, Citragupta — the recorder of deeds — completes the list, and each name is offered individually into flowing water.

Give a full, complete accounting of your name-by-name debts and gratitudes rather than a vague, general one.

समस्त पातके नासती । रोगराई न पीडिती । अपमृत्यु कधी न येती । ग्रहपीडा न बाधे ॥३२॥

samasta pātake nāsatī | rogarāī na pīḍitī | apamṛtyu kadhī na yetī | grahapīḍā na bādhe ||32||

All sins are destroyed; disease does not afflict; untimely death never comes; misfortune does not trouble one.

The fruits of this thirteen-name tarpana are enumerated — protection from sin, illness, untimely death, and misfortune — the reward matching the care taken in the rite.

Trust that consistent, careful practice offers real protection over time, even when its results aren't immediately visible.

शुक्लपक्षी माघमासी । तर्पण करावे अष्टमीसी । भीष्मनामे परियेसी । वर्षपातके परिहरती ॥३३॥

śuklapakṣī māghamāsī | tarpaṇa karāve aṣṭamīsī | bhīṣmanāme pariyesī | varṣapātake pariharatī ||33||

In the bright fortnight of the month of Magha, tarpana should be performed on the eighth day; in the name of Bhishma, understand, a whole year's faults are removed.

A yearly tarpana in Bhishma's name, tied to a fixed day on the sacred calendar, is offered as a once-a-year reset for the accumulated faults of an entire year.

Set aside at least one day each year for a deliberate reckoning and reset of the past twelve months.

ऐसे तर्पण करोनि । सूर्यनामे अर्घ्यै तिन्ही । द्यावी समस्त द्विजजनी । म्हणे नृसिंहसरस्वती ॥३४॥

aise tarpaṇa karoni | sūryanāme arghyai tinhī | dyāvī samasta dvijajanī | mhaṇe nṛsimhasarasvatī ||34||

Having performed tarpana thus, all the twice-born should offer the three arghyas in the name of the Sun — so says Nrisimha Sarasvati.

The teaching closes its long ritual sequence with the offering of arghya (water) to the Sun three times, the speaker now named directly as Nrisimha Sarasvati.

Close a long period of disciplined work by turning your gratitude, once more, toward the source of all light and life.

सिद्ध म्हणे नामधारकासी । कृपामूर्ति स्वामी कर्मविधिसी । सांगता झाला ब्राह्मणासी । येणेपरी विहिताचार ॥३५॥

siddha mhaṇe nāmadhārakāsī | kṛpāmūrti svāmī karmavidhisī | sāmgatā jhālā brāhmaṇāsī | yeṇeparī vihitācāra ||35||

Siddha says to Namdharak: thus the compassionate Master finished telling the brahmins the code of ritual conduct in this manner — the prescribed practice.

The frame narrative returns — Siddha reminds Namdharak that all this detail was itself Nrisimha Sarasvati's own teaching to the brahmins, now handed on to him.

Remember that the wisdom you receive was itself once passed down carefully by someone before you; pass it on with the same care.

म्हणे सरस्वतीगंगाधर । ऐसा ब्राह्मणांचा आचार । वर्तता होय मनोहर । सर्वाभीष्टे साधतील ॥३६॥

mhaṇe sarasvatīgamgādhara | aisā brāhmaṇāmcā ācāra | vartatā hoya manohara | sarvābhīṣṭe sādhatīla ||36||

Sarasvati Gangadhar says: such is the proper conduct of brahmins; living by it becomes beautiful, and all one's desires are accomplished.

The chapter's author steps forward in his own voice to close the teaching, promising that a life lived by this code becomes both beautiful and fruitful.

Believe that a life built on careful, consistent discipline becomes genuinely beautiful, not merely dutiful.

इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रामृत । नामधारक शिष्य संवादत । वेदोपनिषदमतितार्थ । आचारनिरूपणाध्याय हा ॥५३७॥

iti śrīgurucaritrāmṛta | nāmadhāraka śiṣya samvādata | vedopaniṣadamatitārtha | ācāranirūpaṇādhyāya hā ||537||

Thus, in the nectar of the Shri Gurucaritra, in the dialogue with the disciple Namdharak, expounding the deepest meaning of the Vedas and Upanishads, this is the chapter expounding right conduct.

The formal colophon closes the chapter, naming it as the exposition of proper conduct (achara) drawn from the essence of Vedic and Upanishadic teaching.

Recognize that daily conduct, properly understood, carries the same depth as any lofty philosophy.

इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रपरमकथाकल्पतरौ श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिद्धनामधारकसंवादे आह्निकनिरूपणं नाम षट्‍त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥३६॥

iti śrīgurucaritraparamakathākalpatarau śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne siddhanāmadhārakasamvāde āhnikanirūpaṇam nāma ṣaṭ‍trimśo'dhyāyaḥ ||36||

Thus, in the wish-fulfilling tree of the supreme story of the Shri Gurucaritra, in the narrative of Shri Nrisimha Sarasvati, in the dialogue of Siddha and Namdharak, this is called the thirty-sixth chapter, the exposition of daily rites.

The formal Sanskrit colophon repeats the chapter's title and number, marking the close of this section of the Gurucaritra as it was traditionally transmitted.

Give proper closure and acknowledgment to a body of learning once it is complete.

श्रीगुरुदत्तात्रेयार्पितमस्तु ।

śrīgurudattātreyārpitamastu |

May this be offered to Shri Guru Dattatreya.

The chapter ends, as is traditional, with a simple dedication of the whole teaching back to the guru-deity from whom it is understood to originate.

Dedicate the fruit of your effort back to whatever source first inspired it.

(ओवीसंख्या ५३७)

(ovīsamkhyā 537)

(Ovi count: 537)

A scribal note recording the traditional count of verses in this chapter, appended as a manuscript convention rather than part of the narrative itself.

Keep an honest record of your work's scope; counting what you've done is itself a form of care.