Śrīmad Devi Bhāgavatam | Book 12 Chapter 1
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the description of Gāyatrī
1-7. Nārada said:
O Deva! The rules of Sadāchāra (right ways of living) and the all- sin-destroying unequalled Glories of the Devī Bhagavatī have been described by Thee. And I, too, have heard the nectar of the Glories of the Devī from Thy lotus mouth.
The Chāndrāyaṇa and other Vratas; described by Thee, are very difficult to practise. So they are impracticable with the ordinary persons.
Therefore, O Lord! Kindly describe those actions which can easily be carried out by common persons, at the same time, the Devī's Grace and Siddhis can be obtained by those practices.
Again what thou hast described about the Gāyatrī in connection with Sadāchāra kindly say which are the chief and foremost as well as those that are more meritorious.
O Best of the Munis! Thou hast told that there are the twenty-four syllables in the Gāyatrī. Kindly describe now their Riṣis, Chhandas, Devatās and other things that should be known regarding them and thus satisfy my longings.
8-27. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said:
O Nārada! The twice-born would have done what they ought to do if they be engaged in repeating their Gāyatrī only, whether they be able or not able to practise the Chāndrāyaṇa and the other vratas.
Whichever Brahmin repeats the Gāyatrī three thousand times and offers Arghya to the Sun in the three Sandhya times, the Devas worship him; what to speak of other ordinary persons!
Whether he practises Nyasa or not, if anybody sincerely repeats the Gāyatrī Devī, Whose Nature is Existence, Intelligence, and Bliss and meditates on Her, even if he attains siddhi in one syllable even, then as a result of that, he can vie with the best of the Brāhmaṇas, the Moon, and the Sun; nay, with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Mahēśvara even!
O Nārada! Now I will tell in due order the Riṣis, Chhandas, and the Devatās of the twenty-four syllables of the Gayatri.
The Riṣis, in due order, are:
(1) Vāma Deva, (2) Attri, (3) Vaṣiṣṭha, (4) Śukra, (5) Kanyā, (6) Parāsara, (7) the very fiery Viśvāmitra, (8) Kapila, (9) Śauṇaka, (10) Yājñyavalkya, (11) Bhāradvāja, (12) the ascetic Jamadagni, (13) Gautama, (14) Mudgala, (15) Vēda Vyāsa, (16) Lomaśa, (17) Agastya, (18) Kauśika, (19) Vatsya, (20) Pulastya, (21) Māṇḍuka, (22) the ascetic in chief Durvāsā, (23) Nārada and (24) Kaśyapa.
Now about the chhandas:
(1) Gāyatrī, (2) Uṣṇik, (3) Anuṣṭup, (4) Brihatī, (5) Pankti, (6) Triṣṇup, (7) Jagatī, (8) Atijagatī, (9) Śakkarī, (10) Ati Śakkarī, (11) Dhriti, (12) Ati Dhriti, (13) Virāt, (14) Prastārapankti, (15) Kṛiti, (16) Prākriti, (17) Ākriti, (18) Vikṛiti, (19) Samkṛiti, (20) Akṣarapankti, (21) Bhuḥ, (22) Bhuvaḥ, (23) Svaḥ and (24) Jyotiṣmatī.
The Devatās of the several letters in due order, are:
(1) Agni, (2)Prajāpati, (3) Soma, (4) Īśāna, (5) Savitā, (6) Āditya, (7) Brihaspati, (8) Mitrāvaruṇa, (9) Bhagadeva, (10) Aryamā, (11) Gaṇeśa, (12) Tvaṣṭrā, (13) Pūṣā, (14) Indrāgnī, (15) Vāyu, (16) Vāmadēva, (17) Maitra Vāruṇī (18) Viśvadeva, (19) Mātrikā, (20) Viṣṇu, (21) Vasu, (22) Rudra Deva, (23) Kubera, and (24) the twin Aśvīni Kumāras.
O Nārada! Thus I have described to you about the Devatās of the twenty-four syllables.
The hearing of this destroys all sins and yields the full results of repeating the mantra Gāyatrī.
(Note: The Devatās, mentioned in the Gāyatrī Brahmā Kalpa are different from those mentioned here.)
Here ends the first Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of Gāyatrī in the Mahāpurāṇam Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahāṛṣi Veda Vyāsa.