उत्तराङ्ग
Now we enter उत्तराङ्ग and this part is also known as गायत्री जप:. Ideally, this कर्म should be done at a secluded or sacred place where mind is at peace. Choose a sacred place at home.
- गायत्री आवाहनम्
We now enter into मंत्र that is also referred to as गायत्री हृदय.
ओमित्येकाक्ष॑र-म्ब्र॒ह्म । अग्निर्देवता ब्रह्म॑ इत्या॒र्षम् । गायत्र-ञ्छन्द-म्परमात्मं॑ सरू॒पम् । सायुज्यं-विँ॑नियो॒ग॒म् ॥ (तै. अर. 10. 33)
(above provides स्वरूप of the प्रणव viz ॐ) The single अक्षरम् viz ॐ is परब्रह्म (not only via ॐ can one know ब्रह्म, ॐ and ब्रह्म are non-different). The देवता of ॐ is अग्नि. When परमात्मा became व्यक्त, She expressed Herself first as अग्नि – also अग्नि is the देवता of वाक् and therefore, when ॐ is expressed as the primal sound, the देवता becomes अग्नि. Who is the ऋषि? ऋषि is the one who accessed ॐ first and the one who accessed ॐ first and brought this therefore into the वेद is the ऋषि – who is ब्रह्मा in this case (some commentators have stated here that परब्रह्म may be seen as the ऋषि here as againt ब्रह्मा). The छन्द of प्रणव is गायत्री and the स्वरूप of ॐ is परमात्मा. And what is the purpose or benefit one attains from this मंत्र? One attains सायुज्यं meaning one attains one-ness with परमात्मा.
आया॑तु॒ वर॑दा दे॒वी॒ अ॒क्षर॑-म्ब्रह्म॒सम्मि॒तम् । गा॒य॒त्री॓॑-ञ्छन्द॑सा-म्मा॒तेद-म्ब्र॑ह्म जु॒षस्व॑ मे । यदह्ना॓॑-त्कुरु॑ते पा॒प॒-न्तदह्ना॓॑-त्प्रति॒मुच्य॑ते । यद्रात्रिया॓॑-त्कुरु॑ते पा॒प॒-न्तद्रात्रिया॓॑-त्प्रति॒मुच्य॑ते । सर्व॑ व॒र्णे म॑हादे॒वि॒ स॒न्ध्यावि॑द्ये स॒रस्व॑ति ॥
ओजो॑-ऽसि॒ सहो॑-ऽसि॒ बल॑मसि॒ भ्राजो॑-ऽसि दे॒वाना॒-न्धाम॒नामा॑सि॒ विश्व॑मसि वि॒श्वायु॒-स्सर्व॑मसि स॒र्वायु-रभिभूरोम् । गायत्री-मावा॑हया॒मि॒ सावित्री-मावा॑हया॒मि॒ सरस्वती-मावा॑हया॒मि॒ छन्दर्षी-नावा॑हया॒मि॒ श्रिय-मावाह॑या॒मि॒ गायत्रिया गायत्री च्छन्दो विश्वामित्रऋषि स्सविता देवता-ऽग्निर्मुख-म्ब्रह्मा शिरो विष्णुर्हृदयग्ं रुद्र-श्शिखा पृथिवी योनिः प्राणापान व्यानोदान समाना सप्राणा श्वेतवर्णा साङ्ख्यायन सगोत्रा गायत्री चतुर्विग्ं शत्यक्षरा त्रिपदा॑ षट्कु॒क्षिः॒ पञ्च-शीर्षोपनयने वि॑नियो॒गः॒ ।
(While chanting the above, when आवाहयामि is uttered, let both palms be open, facing up and adjacent to each other and draw these palms towards oneself as if we are indeed inviting the देवता into ourselves)
| मंत्र | अर्थ |
| आयातु वरदा देवी अक्षरं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् | | May गायत्री come and take Her seat in my हृदय. वरदा is one who gives वर, देवी means स्वप्रकाश रूप or चैतन्य स्वरूप, She is equal to अक्षरम् ब्रह्म viz indestructible or imperishable truth. What entire वेद is collectively conveying in a clear manner, the स्वरूप of this is गायत्री |
| गायत्रीं छन्दसां मातेदं ब्रह्म जुषस्व न: || | छन्दसां माता means one who is the mother is all वेद मंत्र, ब्रह्म here means स्तोत्र or स्तुति – this स्तोत्र of ours may You accept. What स्तोत्र is this? This is given below |
| यदह्ना॓॑-त्कुरु॑ते पा॒प॒-न्तदह्ना॓॑-त्प्रति॒मुच्य॑ते। यद्रात्रिया॓॑ -त्कुरु॑ते पा॒प॒-न्तद्रात्रिया’’-त्प्रति॒मुच्य॑ते। | Let पाप done in the morning be rid of in the morning itself – let पाप done at the night-time get rid of in the night-time itself (note that पाप is the biggest impediment for ज्ञान) |
| सर्व॑ व॒र्णे म॑हादे॒वि॒ स॒न्ध्यावि॑द्ये स॒रस्व॑ति ॥ | In all the वर्ण (50 अक्षरम् in संस्कृत भाषा), She is situated in सहस्रार चक्र with all 50 अक्षरम्, in मूलाधार चक्र She is situated as 4 अक्षरम्, in स्वाधिष्ठान चक्र, She is situated as 6 अक्षरम्, in मणिपुर चक्र as 10 अक्षरम्, in अनाहत चक्र as 12 अक्षरम्, in विशुद्ध चक्र as 16 अक्षरम्, and in आज्ञा as 2 अक्षरम् – here, She may be seen as कुण्डलिनी रूपिणी You are महा देवी (the highest स्वयं प्रकाश स्वरूपिणी) and O सरस्वती!!! Your विद्या is संध्या विद्या |
| ओजोSसि सहोSसि बलमसि भ्राजोSसि देवानां धाम नामासि विश्वमसि विश्वायुः सर्वमसि सर्वायु: अभिभुरों | You are इंद्रिय शक्ति viz power in the sense organs, (ओजोSसि) (at a universal level, ओज refers to संपूर्ण परमेश्वर शक्ति – such a शक्ति or बल that is not weighed by or carries the दोष of काम & राग and such शक्ति has the capability to bear the burden of everything within entire ब्रह्माण्ड), सह: means मनस् शक्ति – You are मनस् शक्ति (at universal level, also means to tolerate as well as ability to control or defeat negative forces)(Note: ओज & सह: together are referred as वषट् as in निरुक्त viz also one of the नाम of विष्णु in विष्णु सहस्रनाम) बल refers to शरीर शक्ति present within all, You are bright or a brilliant one (भ्राजोSसि), You are the abode of all देवता (देवानां धाम), You are all the नाम(because all forms belong to you) (नामासि), You are the whole विश्व (विश्वमसि), You are the very life or sustaining principle of the whole universe, you are सर्वम् (सर्वमसि), You are the life of everything or sustaining principle of every thing or being (विश्वायुः), You are omnipresent (अभिभु:) or You are one who is ever victorious – so please give me all of what you are to me also. You are ॐकारा स्वरूपिणी |
| गायत्रीं आवाहयामि | सावित्रीं आवाहयामि | सरस्वतीं आवाहयामि| | गायत्री word has three meanings – first, it is the name of a Vedic meter or छन्द (arrangement in which words are placed in any काव्य). Second, a particular मंत्र in गायत्री छन्द is also called as गायत्री. Even though there are many मंत्र in गायत्री छन्द, this particular मंत्र being very important is called as गायत्री मंत्र. Third, गायत्री देवता (सन्ध्या देवी) who is invoked through the गायत्री मंत्र – She is also called as गायत्री देवी. The derivation of the word is गायन्तम् त्रायते इति गायत्री (that which protects the devotees is गायत्री). सावित्री has two meanings – first, सावित्री is a मंत्र viz this मंत्र itself. Second meaning is सावित्री देवता which सन्ध्या देवी invoked through this मंत्र. सवितृ संबंधिनी इति सावित्री (that which is connected with सविता viz the सूर्य). सूर्य मंडल संबंधित्वात् इति सावित्री (one who is invoked within the सूर्य देवता). सरस्वती means the one who is the embodiment of wisdom born out of the वेद. सरस् means a lake and here the वेद are compared to a lake and सरस्वती is like a lotus born out of the lake which means wisdom out of the Vedic words – she is thus also विद्या देवी and therefore an expression of सन्ध्या देवी. सविता also means सृष्टि कर्ता as well as शक्ति that encourages/ inspires (प्रेरणा शक्ति). सविता also has a derived अर्थ from सवम् which means यज्ञ and सविता thus becomes a यज्ञ स्वरूप (note that when सवम् becomes प्रसवम्, this means giving birth and when सवम् becomes उत्सवम् which means a यज्ञ that is undertaken in an elaborate and grand manner, it is understood as उत्सवम्). स्त्री रूप of सविता is सावित्री. सरस्वती means the one who is the embodiment of wisdom born out of the वेद. सरस् means a lake and here the वेद are compared to a lake and सरस्वती is like a lotus born out of the lake which means wisdom out of the Vedic words – she is thus also विद्या देवी and therefore an expression of सन्ध्या देवी. |
| छन्दर्षी-नावा॑हया॒मि॒ श्रिय-मावाह॑या॒मि॒ | छन्द means वेद मंत्र and we are inviting the multiple ऋषि who has had दर्शन of the वेद मंत्र. श्रिय means wealth, prosperity, abundance and this too is being invited as a part of this मंत्र. |
| गायत्रिया गायत्री च्छन्दो विश्वामित्रऋषि स्सविता देवता-ऽग्निर्मुख-म्ब्रह्मा शिरो विष्णुर्हृदयग्ं रुद्र-श्शिखा पृथिवी योनिः प्राणापान व्यानोदान समाना सप्राणा श्वेतवर्णा | The छन्द of गायत्री मंत्र is also called as गायत्री. विश्वामित्र is the ऋषि सविता is the देवता – सविता means सूर्य. सविता also means the तजस् that is responsible for सृष्टि, स्थिति and लय and present within सूर्य. The face of this देवता is अग्नि and in any यज्ञ also, अग्नि therefore becomes the representative or symbol to whom we make offerings (meaning that we effectively are making offerings to the तजस् present within सूर्य Itself). For this मंत्र, ब्रह्मा is the शिर (or head). विष्णु is the हृदय and शिखा of this मंत्र is रुद्र. The place from where गायत्री emerges from is पृथ्वी (as we know during यज्ञ too, अग्नि is located on पृथ्वी and offering made to अग्नि is possible since पृथ्वी is providing the base for अग्नि to be situated there). It does not mean that गायत्री was born from पृथ्वी but that we are able to access the गायत्री शक्ति by being situated on पृथ्वी. She is the पञ्च प्राण स्वरूपिणी or प्राण शक्ति (viz प्राण, अपान, व्यान, उदान and समान) – the life force that emerges from शिव is गायत्री Herself. Though She has five faces having different colours, Her स्वरूप is श्वेतवर्णा (meaning that She has no colour). |
| साङ्ख्यायन सगोत्रा गायत्री चतुर्विग्ं शत्यक्षरा त्रिपदा॑ षट्कु॒क्षिः॒ पञ्च-शीर्षोपनयने वि॑नियो॒गः॒ । | Her गोत्रा is साङ्ख्यायन (She became known by a ऋषि whose name is साङ्ख्यायन). She has 24 अक्षरम्; has three पद and has six stomachs (षट्कु॒क्षिः) (meaning four directions plus up & down – She is present or available in all these six directions or we can say that all these directions that represents the whole is present within Her only). Since Her ज्ञान is present in the four वेद and entire पुराण corpus, these five are collectively referred to पञ्च-शीर्ष as viz गायत्री only. Another meaning is that within us, we have five locations of ज्ञान viz मनस्, चित्त, बुद्धि, अहंकार and प्रज्ञ and all these five aspects of wisdom within all are an expression of तजस् of गायत्री For all these forces conveyed above, we are doing their जप as a part of उपनयन कर्म. |
Next, the अक्षरम् and related action is given below:
| अक्षरम् | कर्म |
| अग्निर्मुख | close your face/ मुख with both hands |
| ब्रह्मा शिरो | right hand must touch the top of the heard |
| विष्णुर्हृदयग्ं | right hand must touch the हृदय |
| रुद्र-श्शिखा | touch where one’s शिखा is located |
| पृथिवी योनिः | touch पृथ्वी |
| प्राणापान till गायत्री | touch the lower back with right hand and then wash the right hand with जल which is poured into the plate |
| त्रिपदा॑ षट्कु॒क्षिः॒ | let the right-hand circle the top of one’s head, come to the front and then hit the left hand |
| पञ्च-शीर्षोपनयने वि॑नियो॒गः॒ | touch the five शिखा that were made when the संध्या was undertaken |
2. आचमनम्
ॐ आचम्य
| 1. ॐ केशवाय स्वाहा (sip) 2. ॐ नारायणाय स्वाहा (sip) 3. ॐ माधवाय स्वाहा (sip) (take जल in right palm and pour जल into the अर्घ्य plate) 4. ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः (rub right hand over the left hand) 5. ॐ विँष्णवे नमः (rub left hand over the right hand) 6. ॐ मधुसूदनाय नमः (rub thumb from below left lip towards right lip) 7. ॐ त्रिविक्रमाय नमः (rub thumb from below right lip towards left lip)8. 8. ॐ वामनाय नमः (close mouth with three middle fingers without touching the mouth) 9. ॐ श्रीधराय नमः (right land over the head as if it is spraying something on top) 10. ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः (same as above) 11. ॐ पद्मनाभाय नमः (tap left thigh with right hand) 12. ॐ दामोदराय नमः (tap right thigh with right hand) | 13. ॐ सङ्कर्षणाय नमः (touch throat with middle three fingers) 14. ॐ वाँसुदेवाय नमः (touch right nostril with middle finger and thumb) 15. ॐ प्रद्युम्नाय नमः (touch left nostril with middle finger and thumb) 16. ॐ अनिरुद्धाय नमः (touch middle finger and thumb to right side of right eye) 17. ॐ पुरुषोत्तमाय नमः (touch middle finger and thumb to left side of left eye) 18. ॐ अधोक्षजाय नमः (join little finger and thumb of right hand and touch right ear) 19. ॐ नारसिंहाय नमः (join little finger and thumb of right hand and touch left ear) 20. ॐ अच्युताय नमः (place the right hand on the navel) 21. ॐ जनार्धनाय नमः (place the right hand on the हृदय) 22. ॐ उपेन्द्राय नमः (place the right hand on top of the head) 23. ॐ हरये नमः (place the right hand on top of right shoulder) 24. ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नम: (place the right hand on top of left shoulder) |
ॐ श्रीकृष्ण परब्रह्मणे नमो नमः (do नमस्कार while chanting this)
3. प्राणाणाम्य
उत्तिष्ठन्तु उग्रभूतपिशाचाद्या: ये च वै भूमिधारका: | एतेषामविरोधेन ब्रह्मकर्म समारभे ||
ॐ भू: । ॐ भुवः । ओग्ं सुवः । ॐ महः । ॐ जनः । ॐ तप: । ओग्ं स॒त्यम् । ॐ तथ्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि । धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचोदया॓॑त् ॥ ओमापो॒ ज्योती॒ रसो॒-ऽमृत॒-म्ब्रह्म॒ भू-र्भुव॒-स्सुव॒रोम् ॥ ॥ (महानारायण उपनिषत्)
तथ्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ स्वाहा: – Sip जल
भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि स्वाहा: – Sip जल
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचोदया॓॑त् स्वाहा: – Sip जल
4. जप सङ्कल्प
पूर्वोक्त एवङ्गुण विशेषण विशिष्ठायां शुभतिथौ ममोपात्त दुरित क्षयद्वारा श्री परमेश्वर मुद्दिस्य श्री परमेश्वर प्रीत्यर्थं प्रात: सन्ध्याङ्ग यथाशक्ति गायत्री महामन्त्र जप-ङ्करिष्ये ॥
(Take जल using उद्धरणि from the left hand and pour into the plate via the right hand)
5. करन्यासः (remembering the ऋषि, छन्द and देवता is न्यासः)
Essentially, what seeks करन्यासः to achieve is that the power of the मंत्र is invoked to enter the fingers/ hand. Once this is done, these fingers are used in the next stage viz अङ्गन्यासः by pointing to different parts of the body which will ensure that the power of the मंत्र reaches those relevant parts of the body.
ॐ तथ्स॑वि॒तु: ब्रह्मात्मने अङ्गुष्टाभ्या-न्नमः । वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ विष्णवात्मने तर्जनीभ्या-न्नमः । भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ रुद्रात्मने मध्यमाभ्या-न्नमः।
धीमहि सत्यात्मने अनामिकाभ्या-न्नमः । धियो॒ यो नः॑ ज्ञानात्मने कनिष्टिकाभ्या-न्नमः । प्रचोदया॓॑-थ्सर्वात्मने करतल करपृष्टाभ्या-न्नमः ।
| मंत्र | कर्म |
| ओ-न्तथ्स॑वि॒तुः ब्रह्मात्मने अङ्गुष्टाभ्या-न्नमः । | Fold the pointing finger to touch the base of the thumb and as this मंत्र is chanted, let this finger glide through to the top of the thumb |
| वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ विष्णवात्मने तर्जनीभ्या-न्नमः । | Fold the thumb to touch the base of the pointing finger and as this मंत्र is chanted, let this finger glide through to the top of the pointing finger |
| भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ रुद्रात्मने मध्यमाभ्या-न्नमः । | Fold the thumb to touch the base of the middle finger and as this मंत्र is chanted, let this finger glide through to the top of the middle finger |
| धीमहि सत्यात्मने अनामिकाभ्या-न्नमः । | Fold the thumb to touch the base of the ring finger and as this मंत्र is chanted, let this finger glide through to the top of the ring finger |
| धियो॒ यो नः॑ ज्ञानात्मने कनिष्टिकाभ्या-न्नमः । | Fold the thumb to touch the base of the little finger and as this मंत्र is chanted, let this finger glide through to the top of the little finger |
| प्रचोदया’’-थ्सर्वात्मने करतल करपृष्टाभ्या-न्नमः । | Open both palmsLet right palm glide below the left palm, then left palm over the right palm and right palm over the left palm again. Then touch the lower part of the back with right hand and then wash hands and pour water into the plate. |
6. अङ्गन्यासः
ॐ तथ्स॑वि॒तु: ब्रह्मात्मने हृदयाय नमः । वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ विष्णवात्मने शिरसे स्वाहा । भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ रुद्रात्मने शिखायै वषट् ।
धीमहि सत्यात्मने कवचाय हुम् । धियो॒ यो नः॑ ज्ञानात्मने नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् । प्रचोदया॓॑-थ्सर्वात्मने अस्त्रायफट् ।
ॐ भूर्भुव॒स्सुव॒रोमिति दिग्भन्धः ।
| मंत्र | मुद्रा |
| ओ-न्तथ्स॑वि॒तुः ब्रह्मात्मने हृदयाय नमः । | Touch the हृदय |
| वरे’’ण्यं॒ विष्णवात्मने शिरसे स्वाहा । | Touch the शिरस् |
| भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ रुद्रात्मने शिखायै वषट् । | Touch the शिखा with the right hand and bring the right hand in front and hit the left palm |
| धीमहि सत्यात्मने कवचाय हुम् । | Open both palms, touch both hands and move both palms towards oneself and cross hands with left hand touching the right shoulder and right touching the left shoulder |
| धियो॒ यो नः॑ ज्ञानात्मने नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् । | Pointing finger and ring finger touch both eyes and middle finger touching आज्ञा चक्र – then the right-hand circle the top of the head and bring in front to hit the left palm |
| प्रचोदया’’-थ्सर्वात्मने अस्त्रायफट् । | Snap fingers in front of the eyes, then the right-hand circle the top of the head and bring in front to hit the left palm |
| ओ-म्भूर्भुव॒स्सुव॒रोमिति दिग्भन्धः । | Let the right middle finger lock into the left middle finger and hold both hands in front |
7. ध्यानम्
मुक्ता विद्रुम हेम नील धवलच्छायै: मुखैस्त्रीक्षणै: युक्ताम् इन्दुकलानिबद्ध रत्नमकुटाम् तत्वार्थ वर्णात्मिकम् |
गायत्रीं वरदाभयांकुशकशा: शुभ्रं कपालं गदां शंखम् चक्रम् अथारविन्दयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्तीम् भजे ||
Here, भावना on गायत्री form is undertaken assigning ten hands to Her. Interesting to note here is that the देवता of the मंत्र is गायत्री while the देवता for whom this मंत्र is being uttered is परब्रह्म. She has पञ्च-मुख with four मुख arranged as a circle with the fifth मुख looking up towards the sky. Her real वर्ण is शुद्ध-स्फटिक meaning colour-less while each of Her मुख has a different colour – मुक्ता means off-white (creamish shade), विद्रुम means red, हेम means golden, नील means black and धवल means crystal white. Each of these मुख has three eyes and each of these मुख also sports a crown that has चंद्र (इन्दुकलानिबद्ध रत्नमुकुटाम्). Her स्वरूप is akin to तत्वार्थ वर्णात्मिकम् – गायत्री मंत्र has 24 अक्षरम् (or वर्ण) and as per सांख्य, there are 24 तत्व and therefore, if all 24 तत्व have a रूप, such a रूप is the स्वरूप of गायत्री (one should know that all रूप of any देवता or देवी is nothing but a form given to the related मंत्र). One may therefore say that the चैतन्य of the देवी is spread out across all the 24 तत्वs or or may say that the शुद्ध चैतन्य of गायत्री is the base or foundation from which all diversity in the form of 24 तत्वs have emerged – गायत्री is none else but परब्रह्म or the 24 अक्षरम् are collectively conveying about none else but परब्रह्म only.
What do Her hands express?
वरदाभयांकुशकशा: शुभ्रं कपालं गदां शंखम् चक्रम् अथारविन्दयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्तीम् भजे
- Left hand carries वरद मुद्रा means giver or granter of wishes while right hand carries an अभय मुद्रा
- Left hand carries an अंकुश (leash) while right hand carries कशा (whip) (दुर्गा – and others too)
- Left hand carries a शुभ्रं कपालं (skull as well as यज्ञ पात्र) while right hand carries गदा (शिव & विष्णु)
- Left hand carries a शंखम् while right hand carries चक्रम् (कृष्ण)
- Left hand as well as right hand carries अथारविन्दयुगलं (पद्म) (लक्ष्मी)
8. चतुर्विंशति मुद्रा प्रदर्शनं
सुमुखं सम्पुटञ्चैव विततं-विँस्तृत-न्तथा । द्विमुख-न्त्रिमुखञ्चैव चतुः पञ्च मुख-न्तथा ।
षण्मुखो-ऽथो मुख-ञ्चैव व्यापकाञ्जलिक-न्तथा । शकटं-यँमपाश-ञ्च ग्रथितं सम्मुखोन्मुखम् ।
प्रलम्ब-म्मुष्टिक-ञ्चैव मत्स्यः कूर्मो वराहकम् । सिंहाक्रान्त-म्महाक्रान्त-म्मुद्गर-म्पल्लव-न्तथा ।
The 24 मुद्रा are detailed below with all मुद्रा aligned to the 24 अक्षरम् of the गायत्री मंत्र:
| मंत्र | मुद्रा | चित्र |
| सुमुखं | Bend both thumbs, bring palms close and do a नमस्कार |  |
| सम्पुटिञ्चैव | Open both palms touching each other while keeping thumbs as above |  |
| विततं | Touch top of the little finger and ring finger of both the hands |  |
| विँस्तृत-न्तथा । | Open up both palms with only little finger touching each other |  |
| द्विमुखम् | Touch little and ring finger of both palms to each other |  |
| त्रिमुखञ्चैव | Touch three fingers – little, ring and middle finger of both palms |  |
| चतुः | Continuing the above, touch ring finger |  |
| पञ्च मुख-न्तथा । | Continuing the above, thumb to each other followed by नमस्कार |  |
| षण्मुखो | Touch both palms like a नमस्कार and move both palms over the left shoulder |  |
| अथोमुख-ञ्चैव | Let both palms in the नमस्कार position be reversed and point to the ground in front of the साधक |  |
| व्यापकाञ्जलिक-न्तथा | Bring up and open-up both palms facing up and touching each other followed by the folding the pointing finger to touch the base of the thumb |  |
| शकटं | Continuing from above, reverse both palms and let three open fingers of right hand be placed over three open fingers of the left hand |  |
| यँमपाश-ञ्च | Lock the middle fingers of both hands with each other |  |
| ग्रथितं | The top side of all fingers of both hands face & touch each other |  |
| सम्मुखोन्मुखम् । | Keeping the above position, make a wave movement of both the palms |  |
| प्रलम्बम् | Open-up both palms facing the front on both sides |  |
| मुष्टिक-ञ्चैव | Keep the above position and fold all fingers |  |
| मत्स्यः | Bring both palms together and place right palm over the left plan but both thumbs sticking out thus creating a fish position |  |
| कूर्मो | Keep the above position but bend down the wrist and fingers |  |
| वराहकम् । | Continuing the above position, open and bring up the forefinger and little finger of both hands touching each other (keeping all other fingers in the previous position) |  |
| सिंहाक्रान्तम् | Let all fingers of both hands facing and touching each other but the palm is not flat but folded |  |
| महाक्रान्तम् | Continuing from the previous position, keep the base of both palms to continue to touch each other but open-up all other fingers |  |
| मुद्गर | Close the right palm to make a fist position, raise the right hand with fist facing up and let the left hand hold the right elbow from below |  |
| पल्लव-न्तथा | Continue the above position and just raise up the forefinger of the right hand |  |
चतुर्विंशति मुद्रा वै गायत्र्यां सुप्रतिष्ठिताः । इतिमुद्रा न जानाति गायत्री निष्फला भवेत् ॥
यो देव स्सविता-ऽस्माक-न्धियो धर्मादिगोचराः । प्रेरयेत्तस्य यद्भर्गस्त द्वरेण्य मुपास्महे ॥
(To be continued….)
Adhyatma Writings 