अतः परं सर्वभावैर्हित्वा गर्वं तु देहजम् । मामेव शरणं यात सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणीम्
Therefore, abandoning all bodily pride in every way, take refuge in me alone, who am of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्या च महादेवी मूलप्रकृतिरीश्वरी । अन्तर्धानं गता सद्यो भक्त्या देवैरभिष्टुता
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus, the great goddess, the primal nature, the sovereign, at once disappeared, praised by the gods with devotion.
ततः सर्वे स्वगर्वं तु विहाय पदपङ्कजम् । सम्यगाराधयामासुर्भगवत्याः परात्परम्
Then all, abandoning their pride, properly worshipped the lotus feet of the supreme goddess, who is beyond the highest.
त्रिसन्ध्यं सर्वदा सर्वे गायत्रीजपतत्पराः । यज्ञभागादिभिः सर्वे देवीं नित्यं सिषेविरे
All of them, always intent on reciting the Gāyatrī at the three junctions of the day, continually served the goddess with offerings and other rites.
एवं सत्ययुगे सर्वे गायत्रीजपतत्पराः । तारहृल्लेखयोश्चापि जपे निष्णातमानसाः
Thus, in the Satya Yuga, all were devoted to reciting the Gayatri; their minds were deeply skilled in the repetition of the Tara and Hrillekha as well.
न विष्णूपासना नित्या वेदेनोक्ता तु कुत्रचित् । न विष्णुदीक्षा नित्यास्ति शिवस्यापि तथैव च
Worship of Vishnu was not constant, nor prescribed anywhere in the Vedas; initiation into Vishnu was not perpetual, and the same applies to Shiva.
गायत्र्युपासना नित्या सर्ववेदैः समीरिता । यया विना त्वधःपातो ब्राह्मणस्यास्ति सर्वथा
Gayatri worship alone is eternal, declared by all the Vedas; without it, a Brahmin inevitably falls from his status.
तावता कृतकृत्यत्वं नान्यापेक्षा द्विजस्य हि । गायत्रीमात्रनिष्णातो द्विजो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात्
By this alone, a Brahmin fulfills his duty, needing nothing else; one who is deeply versed in Gayatri attains liberation.
कुर्यादन्यन्न वा कुर्यादिति प्राह मनुः स्वयम् । विहाय तां तु गायत्रीं विष्णूपास्तिपरायणः
Manu himself said: 'One may do other things or not'; but abandoning Gayatri for devotion to Vishnu,
शिवोपास्तिरतो विप्रो नरकं याति सर्वथा । तस्मादाद्ययुगे राजन् गायत्रीजपतत्पराः । देवीपदाम्बुजरता आसन्सर्वे द्विजोत्तमाः
or for worship of Shiva, a Brahmin certainly goes to hell; therefore, O King, in the first age, all eminent Brahmins were devoted to reciting Gayatri and absorbed in the lotus feet of the Goddess.
ब्राह्मणादीनां गायत्रीभिन्नान्यदेवोपासनाश्रद्धाहेतुनिरूपणम् व्यास उवाच कदाचिदथ काले तु दशपञ्चसमा विभो । प्राणिनां कर्मवशतो न ववर्ष शतक्रतुः
Vyasa said: Once, after ten and fifteen years, O mighty one, due to the actions of beings, Indra did not send rain.
अनावृष्ट्यातिदुर्भिक्षमभवत्क्षयकारकम् । गहे गृहे शवानां तु संख्या कर्तुं न शक्यते
Because of the drought, a severe famine arose, causing destruction; in every house, the number of corpses could not be counted.
केचिदश्वान्वराहान्वा भक्षयन्ति क्षुधार्दिताः । शवानि च मनुष्याणां भक्षयन्त्यपरे जनाः
Some, driven by hunger, ate horses or boars; others consumed the corpses of humans.
बालकं बालजननी स्त्रियं पुरुष एव च । भक्षितुं चलिताः सर्वे क्षुधया पीडिता नराः
All, afflicted by hunger, set out to eat children, mothers of children, women, and even men.
ब्राह्मणा बहवस्तत्र विचारं चक्रुरुत्तमम् । तपोधनो गौतमोऽस्ति स नः खेदं हरिष्यति
Many Brahmins there deliberated deeply; 'There is the ascetic Gautama, he will relieve our distress.'
सर्वैर्मिलित्वा गन्तव्यं गौतमस्याश्रमेऽधुना । गायत्रीजपसंसक्तगौतमस्याश्रमेऽधुना
All agreed to go now to Gautama's hermitage, where Gautama is absorbed in Gayatri recitation.
सुभिक्षं श्रूयते तत्र प्राणिनो बहवो गताः । एवं विमृश्य भूदेवाः साग्निहोत्राः कुटुम्बिनः
It is heard that there is abundance there, and many beings have gone; thus, the Brahmins, householders with sacred fires,
सगोधनाः सदासाश्च गौतमस्याश्रमं ययुः । पूर्वदेशाद्ययुः केचित्केचिद्दक्षिणदेशतः
with cows and servants, went to Gautama's hermitage; some came from the east, others from the south.
पाश्चात्या औत्तराहाश्च नानादिग्भ्यः समाययुः । दृष्ट्वा समाजं विप्राणां प्रणनाम स गौतमः
Those from the west and north also arrived from various directions; seeing the assembly of Brahmins, Gautama offered his respects.
आसनाद्युपचारैश्च पूजयामास वाडवान् । चकार कुशलप्रश्नं ततश्चागमकारणम्
He honored them with seats and proper offerings, inquired about their well-being, and then asked the reason for their arrival.
ते सर्वे स्वस्ववृत्तान्तं कथयामासुरुत्स्मयाः । दृष्ट्वा तान्दुःखितान्विप्रानभयं दत्तवान्मुनिः
They all narrated their circumstances with sorrow; seeing the distressed Brahmins, the sage gave them assurance.
युष्माकमेतत्सदनं भवद्दासोऽस्मि सर्वथा । का चिन्ता भवतां विप्रा मयि दासे विराजति
This dwelling is yours; I am your servant in every way. What worry is there for you, O Brahmins, when I, your servant, am present?
धन्योऽहमस्मिन्समये यूयं सर्वे तपोधनाः । येषां दर्शनमात्रेण दुष्कृतं सुकृतायते
I am blessed at this moment, O ascetics rich in austerity, for by merely seeing you, evil deeds are transformed into virtuous ones.
ते सर्वे पादरजसा पावयन्ति गृहं मम । को मदन्यो भवेद्धन्यो भवतां समनुग्रहात्
All of you sanctify my house with the dust of your feet; who else but I could be so fortunate, by your gracious presence?
स्थेयं सर्वैः सुखेनैव सन्ध्याजपपरायणैः । व्यास उवाच इति सर्वान्ममाश्वास्य गौतमो मुनिराट् ततः
Let all remain here happily, devoted to the recitation of the Sandhya prayers; Vyasa said: Thus, after comforting everyone, the sage Gautama then—
गायत्रीं प्रार्थयामास भक्तिसन्नतकन्धरः । नमो देवि महाविद्ये वेदमातः परात्परे
With devotion and bowed head, he began to pray to Gayatri: Salutations to you, O Goddess, great wisdom, Mother of the Vedas, supreme among the supreme.
व्याहृत्यादिमहामन्त्ररूपे प्रणवरूपिणि । साम्यावस्थात्मिके मातर्नमो ह्रींकाररूपिणि
Embodiment of the Vyahritis and the great mantras, form of the sacred syllable Om, essence of the state of equilibrium, Mother, I bow to you, who are the form of the syllable Hrim.
स्वाहास्वधास्वरूपे त्वां नमामि सकलार्थदाम् । भक्तकल्पलतां देवीमवस्थात्रयसाक्षिणीम्
O you who are the forms of Svaha and Svadha, I bow to you, bestower of all desires; Goddess, wish-fulfilling creeper for devotees, witness of the three states of consciousness.
तुर्यातीतस्वरूपां च सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणीम् । सर्ववेदान्तसंवेद्यां सूर्यमण्डलवासिनीम्
And who is beyond the fourth state, whose nature is existence, consciousness, and bliss; who is realized through all Vedanta, and who dwells in the orb of the sun.
प्रातर्बालां रक्तवर्णां मध्याह्ने युवतीं पराम् । सायाह्ने कृष्णवर्णां तां वृद्धां नित्यं नमाम्यहम्
In the morning, I bow to you as the child, red in hue; at midday, as the supreme young woman; in the evening, as the dark-hued one; and always as the aged one.