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.
सर्वभूतारणे देवि क्षमस्व परमेश्वरि । इति स्तुता जगन्माता प्रत्यक्षं दर्शनं ददौ
O Goddess, refuge of all beings, forgive, O Supreme Lady; thus praised, the Mother of the universe granted a direct vision.
पूर्णपात्रं ददौ तस्मै येन स्यात्सर्वपोषणम् । उवाच मुनिमम्बा सा यं यं कामं त्वमिच्छसि
She gave him a full vessel, by which all nourishment would be obtained; the Mother said to the sage, 'Whatever desire you wish for—'
तस्य पूर्तिकरं पात्रं मया दत्तं भविष्यति । इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवी गायत्री परमा कला
'This vessel, which fulfills all, I have given to you.' Having said this, the supreme power, Gayatri, disappeared.
अन्नानां राशयस्तस्मानिर्गताः पर्वतोपमाः । षड्रसा विविधा राजंस्तृणानि विविधानि च
From that vessel emerged heaps of food, like mountains, of various kinds and six tastes, O King, and also various kinds of grasses.
भूषणानि च दिव्यानि क्षौमानि वसनानि च । यज्ञानां च समारम्भाः पात्राणि विविधानि च
And divine ornaments, fine garments, and the beginnings of sacrifices, and various vessels as well.
यद्यदिष्टमभूद्राजन् मुनेस्तस्य महात्मनः । तत्सर्वं निर्गतं तस्माद्गायत्रीपूर्णपात्रतः
Whatever was desired, O King, by that great sage, all of it emerged from that full vessel of Gayatri.
अथाहूय मुनीन्सर्वान्मुनिराड् गौतमस्तदा । धनं धान्यं भूषणानि वसनानि ददौ मुदा
Then the sage Gautama summoned all the sages and joyfully gave them wealth, grain, ornaments, and garments.
गोमहिष्यादिपशवो निर्गताः पूर्णपात्रतः । निर्गतान्यज्ञसम्भारान्स्रुक्स्रुवप्रभृतीन्ददौ
From the full vessel came forth cows, buffaloes, and other animals; he gave the materials for sacrifice, including ladles and other implements.
ते सर्वे मिलिता यज्ञांश्चक्रिरे मुनिवाक्यतः । स्थानं तदेव भूयिष्ठमभवत्स्वर्गसन्निभम्
All of them, united, performed the sacrifice as instructed by the sage; that place became exceedingly splendid, like heaven.
यत्किञ्चित् त्रिषु लोकेषु सुन्दरं वस्तु दृश्यते । तत्सर्वं तत्र निष्पन्नं गायत्रीदत्तपात्रतः
Whatever beautiful thing is seen in the three worlds, all of that was manifested there from the vessel given by Gayatri.