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This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 71) as defining the ‘Brahmamukha’, which has been declared by Nārāyaṇa to be the formula for the Ācamana; — in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 522), as laying down the beginning of study; — in the same work again (Āhnika, p. 253), where it is explained as meaning that the name ‘sandhyā’ (Twilight Prayers) is applied to all those acts that are performed with the formula herein specified; — also on p. 321, along with the next three verses.

This first line of this verse is quoted in Aparārka, (p. 1290).

The verse is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 50), which explains ‘tisraḥ’ as ‘Bhūḥ-bhuvaḥ-svaḥ’ and ‘brahmaṇo mukham’ as ‘to be pronounced at the beginning of Vedic reading — and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 135), which notes — ‘om bhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ’ are the three Vyāhṛtis, — tatsavituḥ &c., is the Sāvitrī; all this forms the ‘mukha’, i.e. beginning, of ‘Brahman’, i.e. the Veda.

Comparative notes by various authors:

(verses 81-82)

Āpastamba (Parāśaramādhava, p. 284). — ‘Seated upon kuśa, holding kuśa and water in his hand, facing the East, one shall repeat the Gāyatrī a thousand times, or a hundred times, or without any limit.’

Yogi- Yājñavalkya (Do., 283). — ‘The Religious Student and the Agnihotrin should repeat the Gāyatrī 108 times: the Hermit and the Renunciate, more than 1,000 times,

Yama (Parāśaramādhava, p. 286). — ‘There is nothing superior to the Gāyatrī for purposes of Japa; there is no penance higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no meditation higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no Homa higher than the Viṣṇusmṛti, 55. 15-16 — [reproduces the words of Manu].

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 429). — ‘He who acquires the three Vyāhṛtis preceded by the syllable om, and the Sāvitrī, Brahmacharya and is called Śrotriya.’

Laugākṣi (Do.). — ‘Having pronounced om bhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ, he pronounces the Sāvitrī verse beginning with Tat savituḥ.’

‘Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 2. 4. 21. — ‘The Brāhmaṇa who daily, at all junctures, meditates upon this, becomes purified to Brahmaṇa and merged in Brāhmaṇ; following the scriptures, he wins the Brahmic regions.’

Vyāsa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 285). — ‘By repeating the Gāyatrī ten times one becomes absolved from all little sins committed during the day; repeated a hundred times, she destroys a host of sins; repeated a thousand times, she destroys all minor sins; by repeating it a lakh of times, all the most heinous sins are destroyed; by repeating it a crore of times, one obtains all that is desired.’

Saṃvarta (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 522). — ‘One should utter the Praṇava first: after that, the Vyāhṛtis; and then the Sāvitrī.’

Yogi-Yāmavalkya (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 258). — ‘Gāvatrī is Brahmā and Sāvitrī is Rudra.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 321, also Parāśaramadhava, p. 284). — ‘One should daily repeat the Gāyatrī, which is destructive of all sins, a thousand times, or a hundred times, or at least ten times; the Lord put the Gāyatrī in one pan and the Vedas along with the subsidiary sciences in the other pan of the scale; and the two were found equal.’

Aṅgiras (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 322) — ‘One who is intent upon the Praṇava, the seven Vyāhṛtis, and the three-footed Gāyatrī has no fear anywhere.’

Hārīta (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 323). — ‘The Praṇava, the Vyāhṛtis the Sāvitrī verse, — these constitute the Sāvitra, whereby one becomes absolved from sins; by hundred repetitions, from sins of thought; by thousand repetitions, from sins of word; and by ten thousand repetitions, from all sins, and has his soul perfectly pure.’

VERSE 2.82

Section XVII - Rules of Study

योऽधीतेऽहन्यहन्येतां त्रीणि वर्षाण्यतन्द्रितः ।
स ब्रह्म परमभ्येति वायुभूतः खमूर्तिमान् ॥८२॥

yo'dhīte'hanyahanyetāṃ trīṇi varṣāṇyatandritaḥ |
sa brahma paramabhyeti vāyubhūtaḥ khamūrtimān ||82||

He who, untired, recites this, day after day, for three years, turns into air, and becoming transfigured into Ākāśa, reaches the supreme brahman. — (82)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

He becomes omnipresent, all-pervading, like Ākāśa.

‘Transfigured into Ākāśa’ — means that he acquires the nature of Ākāśa. ‘Mūrti,’ ‘Figure,’ does not stand here for the Body; as Ākāśa has no ‘body’ at all.

“What is this ‘Brahman’ into whose form the man is said to become merged?”

It is the Supreme Soul, of the nature of Bliss; He of whom all these embodied souls are mere inodes, just as waves are of the ocean perturbed by the force of wind. And just as when the ocean becomes calm, the waves become merged into it, in the same manner the embodied souls become transformed and merged into the Supreme Soul. All this is going to be described in detail in Discourse 12.

What is enjoined in the present context is the mere reciting and study of the Gāyatrī verse, not its Japa, repetition; this is shown by the fact that the number of repetitions is not stated.

‘Untired’; — this denotes that the recitation is to be carried out again and again; as a single recitation can never tire a person.

What is enjoined here pertains to persons seeking for Final Release. — (82)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha:

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āḥnika, p. 321), which supplies the following Explanatory notes: —

‘Vāyubhūtaḥ’ — as quick- moving as the wind, or ‘encased in the Subtle Body’ — as explained in Kalpataru; — ‘Khamūrtimān’ — becoming as all-pervading as the Ākāśa, becomes the Supreme Self.,

It is quoted also in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 286) as eulogising the japa of the Gāyatrī mantra; — and in Saṃskāraratnamālā (p. 236).

Comparative notes by various authors:

(verses 81-82)

See Comparative notes for Verse 2.81.

VERSE 2.83

Section XVII - Rules of Study

एकाक्षरं परं ब्रह्म प्राणायामः परं तपः ।
सावित्र्यास्तु परं नास्ति मौनात् सत्यं विशिष्यते ॥८३॥

ekākṣaraṃ paraṃ brahma prāṇāyāmaḥ paraṃ tapaḥ |
sāvitryāstu paraṃ nāsti maunāt satyaṃ viśiṣyate ||83||

The mono-syllable is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspensions are the highest austerity; nothing is higher than the Sāvitrī verse; truth is better than Silence. — (83)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘monosyllable’ is the syllable ‘om.’ — It is the ‘Supreme Brahman,’ in the sense that it is the means of reaching Brahman. This assertion is based upon the fact that Brahman is attained by the ‘repeating,’ and ‘the meditation upon the signification,’ of the syllable (as mentioned in Yogasūtra 1.28). ‘Om’ is a name of Brahman; as says the Yogasūtra (1.23) — ‘The Praṇava is expressive of Him (God).’

“In comparison with what is this the highest?”

It is higher than all other forms of Brahman-meditation. The meditation upon the syllable ‘om’ as Brahman is superior to all the several forms of meditation mentioned in such texts as ‘One should meditate upon food as Brahman’ (Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 2.2.1), ‘The teaching is that the Sun is Brahman’ (Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 3.19.1); and this for the simple reason that the attainment of Brahman has been described as proceeding from the mere recitation of that syllable; and also because the word itself has been described as ‘Brahman,’ in such passages as — ‘One who is well versed in Brahman in the form of Word attains the supreme Brahman.’ (Maitry upaniṣad, 6.22). Nothing is beyond the reach of words, and of' all words the syllable ‘om’ is the very source: as says the Śruti — ‘Just as the needle pierces through all the leaves, so in the same manner is all speech pierced by om, all this is om itself’ (Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 2.23.4). The ‘piercing’ spoken of in this passage means ‘pervasion,’ ‘becoming the receptacle.’ “But in what manner is all speech pierced by om?”

Well, as regards the word of the Veda, it has already been pointed out (in verse 74) that its source lies in the syllable ‘om’ As regards the words of secular speech, it has been declared by Āpastamba (1.4.13.9) that ‘All sentences should be preceded by om.’

The above passage (from the Chāndogya) has been explained differently in the Upaniṣad-bhāṣya; we are not reproducing that explanation here, as it has no bearing on the present context.

The term ‘breath-suspension’ here stands for the act of suspending the breath along with the entire procedure beginning with the sipping of water.

‘Highest austerity — i.e., an austerity higher than the Cāndrāvaṇa and the rest.

“What is the superiority here (meant by the epithet ‘highest’)?”

It is purely figurative.

‘There is nothing higher than the Sāvitrī’; — i.e., no other mantra.

In praise of all this we have the next expression — ‘Truth is better than silence’ ‘Silence’ is control of speech. And the result accruing from the telling of truth is superior to that resulting from the control of speech. Since the telling of truth implies the acting up to a positive injunction, while in silence there is observance of the mere prohibition of telling lies.

This verse is purely valedictory. — (83)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha:

Medhātithi (P. 114, 1. 12) — ‘Āpastamba vacanāt’ — This refers to Āpastamba’s Dharmasūtra 1.4.13.9, the whole of which reads as follows —

loke ca bhūtikarmasvetadīnyeca vākyāni syuryathā pupyāhaṃ svassyṛddhimiti

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 321), where the same verse is attributed to Yama also.

Comparative notes by various authors:

Vasiṣṭha-smṛti, 5-6. — ‘The one syllable is Brahman Supreme; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; alms-begging is superior to fasting; and compassion is superior to charity.’

Viṣṇu-smṛti, 55 17 — [reproduces the words of Manu].

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 321). — ‘The syllable om is the highest Brahman; Breath-suspension is the highest penance; there is nothing superior to the Sāvitrī; Truth is superior to silence; — all Vedic acts may dwindle away, but the syllable should be recognised as never dwindling; — the highest Brahman in the shape of the single syllable has been declared

to be the best purifier; there is nothing superior to the Gāyatri; Truth is superior to silence. Daily one should repeat the Gāyatrī, 1,000 or 100 or at least 10 times, as destructive of all sins.’

VERSE 2.84

Section XVII - Rules of Study

क्षरन्ति सर्वा वैदिक्यो जुहोतियजतिक्रियाः ।
अक्षरं दुष्करं ज्ञेयं ब्रह्म चैव प्रजापतिः ॥८४॥

kṣaranti sarvā vaidikyo juhotiyajatikriyāḥ |
akṣaraṃ duṣkaraṃ jñeyaṃ brahma caiva prajāpatiḥ ||84||

All vedic acts of oblation and sacrifice pass away; while this syllable (om) is to be regarded as imperishable; and it is Brahman, and also Prajāpati — (84)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

All acts laid down in the Veda — ‘oblations’ in the form of Agnihotra and the rest, — as also ‘sacrifices’ in the form of Jyotiṣṭoma and the rest, — ‘pass away’; i.e., either they never bring about their results in their entirety, or even when brought about, those results perish quickly.

‘This syllable’ — ‘om’ — is to be known as ‘imperishable,’ i.e., bringing about imperishable results; since for one who has become merged into Brahman, there is no return to worldly existence. Thus leading to an imperishable result, the syllable is itself called ‘imperishable.’ One of the two terms ‘akṣara,’ one is a noun, which forms the subject of the sentence, while the other, is the predicate, and is taken in its literal sense.

That same syllable is also Brahman, and Prajāpati.

This also is purely valedictory.

The expression ‘juhoti-yajati’ mentions two verbal roots; and the term ‘kriyā’ stands for the actions of (oblation) and Yāga (sacrifice) — as denoted by the two roots. The plural number is due to the multiplicity of the acts. Or, the two verbal roots may be taken as standing for the acts of Homa and Yāga themselves, while ' kriyā’ stands for the other acts of charity and the like. The whole is a copulative compound — made up of the three terms ‘juhoti,’ and ‘kriyā’ — the acts of H oma and Yāga being separately mentioned by reason of their importance.

Some people have held that this praise of the syllable ‘om’ by itself (as apart from the and the verse) is meant to enjoin the repetition of the syllable; and they argue that this cannot be taken as merely supplementary to the foregoing injunction of the reciting of the Sāvitrî along with ‘om,’ etc., as no reference to this latter is made in the present verse; as there is in the case of the sacrifice, in connection with which we find two passages — (a) ‘Yadaṣṭākapalo bhavati gāyat chainam brahmavarchasena punāti,’ and (b) ‘Yannavakapalastṛvṝtaivāsmimstejo daḍhāii,’ — where reference is distinctly made to a foregoing injunction; so that so long as it is found possible (on the basis of this reference) to connect the injunctions syntactically (and treat them as a single injunction), there can be no justification for splitting them up into two distinct injunctions. In the present instance, on the other hand, when it is said that ‘this should be regarded as imperishable,’ there is no reference to any thing that has gone before; nor is there any reference made to the Sāvitrī, etc. Por these reasons, the present text is to be taken as a self-contained injunction, and not as supplementary to something else. Further, the verbal affix in ‘jñeyaḥ’ ‘(should be regarded)’ is purely injunctive. And this, taken along with the word ‘brahma,’ gives the sense that ‘this should he regarded — i.e., meditated upon — as Brahman’; and this ‘meditation’ stands for the mental process of repeating the syllable. — (84)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha:

‘Kṣaranti’ — ‘Pass away — do not bring about their complete results, or their results disappear quickly’ — (Medhātithi, Govindarāja, Kullūka and Nārāyaṇa); — ‘Perish — as far as their form and results are concerned’ — (Nandana).

‘Brahma’ — The neuter form is accepted by Medhātithi, Govindarāja, Kullūka and Rāghavānanda. Nārāyaṇa and Nandana read the masculine form ‘brahmā’, and explain the phrase as ‘just like Brahmā, the Prajāpati.’

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Ācāra, p. 321), where it is explained that — ‘akṣaram’ stands for the syllable ‘om’, — and this is ‘akṣara’ in the sense that its effect in the form Final Release ‘never perishes’ (na-kṣarati); — and that the syllable ‘om’ is to be regarded as ‘Prajāpati’ on the ground of its being expressive of that deity. Here again this same verse is attributed to Yama also.

Medhātithi’s remarks on p. 115,11. 1-8 are based upon Mīmāṃsā-Sūtra 1. 4. 17-22.

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Paribhāṣā, p. 79), which reads ‘Akṣaram śreṣṭham’ for ‘duṣkaram jñeyam’ and explains it as ‘Brahma-praṇava.’

Comparative notes by various authors:

Viṣṇu-smṛti, 55.18 — [reproduces Manu].

Vasiṣṭhasmṛti, 25.11. — ‘The one syllable winch is the highest Brahman, lias been declared to be the best purifier.’

Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 7. 2. 13. — ‘One should equip himself with the syllable.’

Yama [see preceding verse].

VERSE 2.85

Section XVII - Rules of Study

विधियज्ञाज् जपयज्ञो विशिष्टो दशभिर्गुणैः ।
उपांशुः स्यात्शतगुणः साहस्रो मानसः स्मृतः ॥८५॥

vidhiyajñāj japayajño viśiṣṭo daśabhirguṇaiḥ |
upāṃśuḥ syātśataguṇaḥ sāhasro mānasaḥ smṛtaḥ ||85||

The offering that consists in the repeating of mantras excels the enjoined (ritualistic) offering ten times; the inaudible (repeating) excels this latter a hundred times; and the Mental (repeating) excels it a thousandfold. — (85)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The ‘enjoined offering’ is that which forms the subject of injunctions; such as Jyotiṣṭoma and the rest; such acts are called ‘enjoined offering,’ as they have been enjoined by words like ‘should offer’ and the rest, and are performed by means of external acts, and with the full accompaniment of priests and other innumerable details.

The Japa, ‘ Repeating of Mantras’ is not an ‘offering’; but with a view to eulogise it, it has been spoken as an ‘offering’ only figuratively; consequently this cannot be included under the term ‘enjoined offering.’

This latter ‘excels,’ — is a better, superior, offering than the Jyotiṣṭoma and the rest, — ‘ten times’.

What is meant here is that the Repeating of Mantras is highly efficacious; the meaning being that the results proceeding from the Repetition are the same, but larger, as those proceeding from the Ritualistic Offerings. It is not meant that the Repeating of Mantras actually brings about results larger than those brought about by the ritualistic sacrifices; for if it were really so, who ‘would ever undertake the performance of the latter, which involve much physical hardship and the expenditure of much wealth? For these reasons it is clear that what is said here is a mere praise (of the Repeating of Mantras); just like the assertion that ‘One attains all desirable ends by the

Final Oblation.’ All that is meant is that from this act also the same results follow, in the shape of Heaven and the rest; but the difference iu the amount of human effort involved leads to the difference in the degree of the result. And as the text does not specify any particular result, it should be taken to mean that by the Repeating of Mantras one obtains the same results — in the shape of heaven, landed property, children and cattle — as those proceeding from sacrificial performances.

‘The Inaudible, a hundred times’ — That repeating of Mantras is called Inaudible which is not heard by any other person, however near he may be.

‘A thousand times — the Mental.’ — That in which the Mantra in meditated upon by a mere mental operation.

The ‘Inaudible’ and other qualifications pertain to all kinds of Repeating Mantras (and not only to the repeating of the Gāyatrī, etc.); the continuity of the context, starting from verse 82, having been broken. Hence, whenever there is repetition of Mantras — in the course of either Expiatory Rites, or the rites performed for the allaying of portents, or those intended to bring about prosperity, — the said qualifications become applicable.

The term ‘sāhasra’ literally means that which has a thousand; and since the noun spoken of is ‘guṇa,’ ‘times,’ ‘fold,’ the term means ‘thousand-fold’; the term ‘fold’ standing for part. That this refers to the excess of results is clear from the connection of the entire sentence. — (85)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha:

Medhātithi (P. 115,1. 16) — ‘Pūrṇahutyā &c.’ — See in this connection Sāyaṇa-Ṛgvedhbhāṣya — Upodghāta (Introduction).

Comparative notes by various authors:

Viṣṇu-smṛti, 55.19. — [reproduces Manu’s words.]

Vasiṣṭha-smṛti, 26.10 — [the same as Manu, with the exception that for ‘vidhi’ it reads ‘ārambha’].

VERSE 2.86

Section XVII - Rules of Study

ये पाकयज्ञाः चत्वारो विधियज्ञसमन्विताः ।
सर्वे ते जपयज्ञस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ॥८६॥

ye pākayajñāḥ catvāro vidhiyajñasamanvitāḥ |
sarve te japayajñasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm ||86||

The four cooked offerings, along with the enjoined sacrifices, — all these are not worth the sixteenth part of the offering that consists in the repeating of mantras. — (86)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The five ‘great sacrifices,’ leaving off the are what are meant by the ‘four cooked offerings.’

‘Enjoined sacrifices’ — those already described (under the preceding verse); along with these latter, the former (four) ‘are not worth the sixteenth part’ — i.e., are not equal to the sixteenth part.

Or, the root ‘arha’ may be taken in the sense of the price paid for the obtaining of a certain thing. The root ‘arha’ with the Present-Tense-ending ‘tip’ gives the form ‘arhanti.’ — (86)

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha:

‘Pākayajñāḥ’ — This term stands for the last four of the five ‘Mahāyajña’ —

Brahmayajña (Vedic study),

Devayajña (the Vaiśvadeva offerings),

Pitṛyajña (daily Śrāddha offerings),

Bhūtayajña (Bali offerings)

and Manuṣyayajña (Feeding of guests),

according to Medhātithi, Kullūka, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana.

According to Govindarāja and Rāghvānanda, it stands for all Śrauta and Smārta offerings.

The main classification of sacrifices is based upon the difference in the substances offered. On this basis they have been classified as under: —

(l) Haviryajñas, also called ‘Iṣti’, consisting in the offering of such substances as milk, butter, rice, barley and other grains; — the principal representatives of this class are (a) the Darśapūrṇamāsa, which is described in detail in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (I and II); and its six ectypes — (b) the Agnyādhāna, (c) the Agnihotra (d) the Āgrahāyaṇeṣṭi (e) the Cāturmāsya, (f) the Paśubandha and (g) the Sautrāmaṇi; all these are offered into fire specially consecrated by the Agnyādhāna rite, which serving as it does only the purpose of preparing the fire for other sacrifices, is not a sacrifice in the strict sense of the term, — as has been remarked by Karka in his commentary on Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtra.

(2) Pākayajñas consisting of the offering of cooked substances, not in the consecrated fire, but in the domestic fire and other receptacles. The seven principal sacrifices included under this category are — the five ‘great sacrifices’ (described in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 10-5.7 and in Manu, 3.70), the Aṣṭakās, the Pārvaṇa offerings, the Śrāvaṇī, the Āgrahāyaṇī, the Caitrī and the Āśvāyujī. These are described in the Gṛhya — not Śrauta — Sūtras. Though the substances offered in these are not very different from those in the Iṣṭis on Haviryajñas, yet they are classed separately, on the ground that the receptacle of the offerings in their case is not the consecrated fire.

(3) Somayajñas in which the substance offered is the Soma-juice; it includes the following seven sacrifices — (a) Agniṣṭoma, (b) Atyagniṣṭoma, (c) Ukthya, (d) Śoḍaśin (e) Vājapeya, (f) Atirātra and (g) Āptoryamā. Almost all Somayajñas involve the killing of an animal, hence the Animal-sacrifices, Paśuyāgas, have been included by older writers under this category; though later writers have drawn a distinction between the Somayāga and the Paśuyāga. The very elaborate sacrifices, such as the Aśvamedha, the Rājasūya, the Pauṇḍarīka and the Gosava (according to Devala) — are generally classed apart, under the generic name of Mahāyajñakratu’.

(See in this connection, Prābhākara-Mīmāṃsā, pp. 251-253).

Comparative notes by various authors:

Viṣṇu-smṛti, 55.20 and Vasiṣṭha, 26.11 — [reproduce the Words of Manu].

Bhagavadgītā. — ‘Among sacrifices, I am the Japa-offering.’

VERSE 2.87

Section XVII - Rules of Study

जप्येनैव तु संसिध्येद् ब्राह्मणो नात्र संशयः ।
कुर्यादन्यन्न वा कुर्यान् मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते ॥८७॥

japyenaiva tu saṃsidhyed brāhmaṇo nātra saṃśayaḥ |
kuryādanyanna vā kuryān maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate ||87||

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