प्राजापत्यस्य कृच्छ्रस्य तथा सान्तपनस्य च । पराकस्य च कृच्छ्रस्य विधिश्चान्द्रायणस्य च
The rules for the Prājāpatya expiation, the Sāntapana, the Parāka expiation, and the Cāndrāyana are thus given.
पञ्चभिः पातकैः सर्वैर्दुष्कृतैश्च प्रमुच्यते । तप्तकृच्छ्रेण सर्वाणि पापानि दहति क्षणात्
By the Taptakṛcchra expiation, one is freed from all five sins and misdeeds; it burns away all sins in an instant.
त्रिभिश्चान्द्रायणैः पूतो ब्रह्मलोकं समश्नुते । अष्टभिर्देवताः साक्षात्पश्येत वरदास्तदा
By three Cāndrāyana rites, one becomes purified and attains the world of Brahma; by eight, one directly sees the deities, who then grant boons.
छन्दांसि दशभिर्ज्ञात्वा सर्वान्कामान्समश्नुते । त्र्यहं प्रातस्त्र्यहं सायं त्र्यहमद्यादयाचितम्
By knowing ten meters, one enjoys all desires; three days in the morning, three days in the evening, and three days with food obtained on the day.
त्र्यहं परं च नाश्नीयात्प्राजापत्यं चरेद्द्विजः । गोमूत्रं गोमयं क्षीरं दधि सर्पिः कुशोदकम्
For three days or more, a twice-born should not eat, following the Prajapatya vow, subsisting on cow urine, cow dung, milk, curd, ghee, and water touched by kuśa grass.
एकरात्रोपवासश्च कृच्छ्रं सान्तपनं स्मृतम् । एकैकं ग्रासमश्नीयादहानि त्रीणि पूर्ववत्
A single night of fasting is called the Kṛcchra Sāntapana; for three days, as before, one should eat only a single mouthful each day.
त्र्यहं चोपवसेदित्थमतिकृच्छ्रं चरेद्द्विजः । एवमेव त्रिभिर्युक्तं महासान्तपनं स्मृतम्
In this way, fasting for three days is called Atikṛcchra; similarly, when performed three times, it is known as Mahāsāntapana.
तप्तकृच्छ्रं चरन्विप्रो जलक्षीरघृतानिलान् । प्रतित्र्यहं पिबेदुष्णान्सकृत्स्नायी समाहितः
A brāhmaṇa practicing the Taptakṛcchra should drink, each for three days, hot water, hot milk, hot ghee, and hot air, bathing once daily with concentration.
नियतस्तु पिबेदापः प्राजापत्यविधिः स्मृतः । यतात्मनोऽप्रमत्तस्य द्वादशाहमभोजनम्
With self-control, one should drink only water; this is known as the Prajapatya rite, where, with a disciplined mind and vigilance, one abstains from food for twelve days.
पराको नाम कृच्छ्रोऽयं सर्वपापप्रणोदनः । एकैकं तु ग्रसेत्पिण्डं कृष्णे शुक्ले च वर्धयेत्
This Kṛcchra is called Parāka, which dispels all sins; one should eat a single lump of food, increasing it during the dark and bright fortnights.
अमावास्यां न भुञ्जीत एवं चान्द्रायणे विधिः । उपस्पृश्य त्रिषवणमेतच्चान्द्रायणं स्मृतम्
On the new moon day, one should not eat; thus is the rule for the Cāndrāyaṇa vow, performed with three daily ablutions, and this is known as the Cāndrāyaṇa.
चतुरः प्रातरश्नीयाद्विप्रः पिण्डात्कृताह्निकः । चतुरोऽस्तमिते सूर्ये शिशुचान्द्रायणं स्मृतम्
A brāhmaṇa, having performed his daily rites, should eat four lumps of food in the morning and four at sunset; this is called the Śiśu Cāndrāyaṇa.
अष्टावष्टौ समश्नीयात्पिण्डान्मध्यन्दिने स्थिते । नियतात्मा हविष्यस्य यतिचान्द्रायणं व्रतम्
One should eat eight lumps of food at midday, with self-restraint, using sacrificial food; this is the Yati Cāndrāyaṇa vow.
एतद्रुद्रास्तथादित्या वसवश्च चरन्ति हि । सर्वे कुशलिनो देवा मरुतश्च भुवा सह
The Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, and all the auspicious gods, along with the Maruts and beings of earth, practice these vows.
एकैकं सप्तरात्रेण पुनाति विधिवत्कृतम् । त्वगसृक्पिशितास्थीनि मेदोमज्जावसास्तथा
Each vow, when performed according to rule for seven nights, purifies the skin, blood, flesh, bones, fat, marrow, and also the body’s oils.
एकैकं सप्तरात्रेण शुध्यत्येव न संशयः । एभिर्व्रतैर्विपूतात्मा कर्म कुर्वीत नित्यशः
Each vow, in seven nights, certainly brings purification—there is no doubt; with these vows, having purified himself, one should always perform his duties.
एवं शुद्धस्य कर्माणि सिध्यन्त्येव न संशयः । शुद्धात्मा कर्म कुर्वीत सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः
Thus, for one who is purified, actions surely succeed—there is no doubt; with a pure mind, one should act, speaking truth and mastering the senses.
इष्टान्कामांस्ततः सर्वान्सम्प्राप्नोति न संशयः । त्रिरात्रमेवोपवसेद्रहितः सर्वकर्मणा
Then, all desired wishes are attained—there is no doubt; one should fast for three nights, abstaining from all actions.
त्रीणि नक्तानि वा कुर्यात्ततः कर्म समारभेत् । एवं विधानं कथितं पुरश्चर्याफलप्रदम्
Or, one may perform three nights of fasting, eating only at night, and then begin the rites; thus, the procedure has been described which yields the fruits of preparation.
गायत्र्याश्च पुरश्चर्यां सर्वकामप्रदायिनी । कथिता तव देवर्षे महापापविनाशिनी
The procedure for the preparation of the Gāyatrī, which grants all desires and destroys great sins, has been explained to you, O divine sage.
आदौ कुर्याद्व्रतं मन्त्री देहशोधनकारकम् । पुरश्चर्यां ततः कुर्यात्समस्तफलभाग्भवेत्
First, the practitioner should undertake a vow that purifies the body; then, he should perform the preparation, thereby obtaining all results.
इति ते कथितं गुह्यं पुरश्चर्याविधानकम् । एतत्परस्मै नो वाच्यं श्रुतिसारं यतः स्मृतम्
Thus, the secret procedure for preparation has been told to you; this essence of the scriptures should not be spoken to anyone else.
प्रातश्चिन्तनम् नारद उवाच नारायण महाभाग गायत्र्यास्तु समासतः । शान्त्यादिकान्प्रयोगांस्तु वदस्व करुणानिधे
Nārada said: O Nārāyaṇa, greatly fortunate one, ocean of compassion, please briefly describe the applications of the Gāyatrī for peace and other purposes.
श्रीनारायण उवाच अतिगुह्यमिदं पृष्टं त्वया ब्रह्यतनूद्भव । न कस्यापि च वक्तव्यं दुष्टाय पिशुनाय च
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: You have asked about this most secret matter, O one born from the body of Brahmā; it must not be spoken to anyone wicked or deceitful.
अथ शान्तिः पयोऽक्ताभिः समिद्भिर्जुहुयाद् द्विजः । शमीसमिद्भिः शाम्यन्ति भूतरोगग्रहादयः
Now, for peace, a twice-born should offer oblations with the prescribed milk-wood sticks; with śamī wood sticks, afflictions from spirits, diseases, and planets are pacified.
आर्द्राभिः क्षीरवृक्षस्य समिद्भिर्जुहुयाद् द्विजः । जुहुयाच्छकलैर्वापि भूतरोगादिशान्तये
A twice-born should offer oblations with moist sticks of a milk-yielding tree, or with their pieces, for the pacification of afflictions from spirits and diseases.
जलेन तर्पयेत्सूर्यं पाणिभ्यां शान्तिमाप्नुयात् । जानुदघ्ने जले जप्त्वा सर्वान्दोषाञ्छमं नयेत्
By offering water to the Sun with his hands, one attains peace; by reciting in water up to the knees, one removes all faults.
कण्ठदघ्ने जले जप्त्वा मुच्येत्प्राणान्तिकाद्भयात् । सर्वेभ्यः शान्तिकर्मभ्यो निमज्याप्सु जपः स्मृतः
By reciting in water up to the throat, one is freed from the fear of death; among all rites for peace, recitation while immersed in water is prescribed.
सौवर्णे राजते वापि पात्रे ताम्रमयेऽपि वा । क्षीरवृक्षमये वापि निर्व्रणे मृण्मयेऽपि वा
In a vessel of gold, silver, copper, or even in a flawless earthen vessel made from a milk-yielding tree, one should perform the rite.
सहस्रं पञ्चगव्येन हुत्वा सुज्वलितेऽनले । क्षीरवृक्षमयैः काष्ठैः शेषं सम्पादयेच्छनैः
Having offered a thousand oblations with pañcagavya in a well-kindled fire, using sticks from milk-yielding trees, one should complete the rest slowly.