The method of adoration of Goddess Savitri
Narada said—О Lord, I have listened to the nectar-like sweet story of Tulasi. Now you kindly tell me the story of Savitri.
The goddess Savitri is the mother of the Vedas, according to the general belief. How was this goddess bom earlier and who adored her first of all?
Narayana said—О sage, the mother of the Vedas was adored by Brahma first of all. Thereafter the other gods adored her.
In the land of Bharata the King Asvapati adored her first of all. Thereafter all the four varnas adored her.
Narada said—О Brahman, who was this Asvapati and how did he adore Savitri? You kindly tell me.
Narayana said—О Sage, Asvapati had been the king of Madradesa; he was the destroyer of these enemies with his prowess and always removed the miseries of his friends.
His queen was quite chaste and was known by the name of Malati she appeared graceful with the king in the same way as Lakshmi remained with Lord Vishnu.
О Narada, the chaste queen adored the goddess Savitri at the advice of the sage Vasistha.
But the goddess neither appeared before her nor was any message communicated to her. With a painful heart, she returned to her abode.
Finding her so painful at heart, the king tried to make her understand in various ways and in order to adore the goddess Savitrl herself with great devotion, he went to Puskara region.
He performed tapas with great devotion for a hundred years. Still the Goddess did not appear before him. A message however was received from her.
О Narada, the king had the divine voice from the sky at the same time which said: “You recite the Gayatrl mantra ten lakh times.” In the meantime the sage Parasara arrived there. The king bowed before him in reverence. Thereafter the sage spoke to the king.
Parasara said—By reciting the name of Gayatri a person is relieved of all the sins earned during the day and by reciting it ten times the sin committed during the day and the night disappear.
By reciting the mantra of Gayatri a hundred times, the sins committed by a person during a month vanish and by reciting the same mantra a thousand times a person is relieved of the sins committed by him during one year.
By reciting the mantra for a lakh of times, the sins committed during the entire life disappear and by reciting the same mantra ten lakh times, the sins committed during three births disappear. Similarly by reciting the mantra one thousand lakh times, the sins committed during all the lives disappear.
By reciting the mantra ten times more the Brahmanas achieve salvation. A Brahmana should get himself seated facing the east. He should turn his hands like the serpents hood. Raising the hands he should remain in that position.
Then he should be tilted a little. He should then start the recitation from the lowest mark of the little finger and moving on the lower side turning to the left, should move to the lower part of the fore-finger and then touch the thumb. This is the method of the recitation of the mantra with hands.
О king, one should make a rosary of the seeds of the white lotus or the beads of the crystal stone and seated in a temple or a sacred place, one should perform the recitation.
Prior to that, one should place the rosary on the seven leaves of a pipala tree and the fragrance paste should be applied to it. Thereafter reciting the hymn of Gayatri, the rosary should be washed. Then one should recite the hymn of Gayatri a hundred times appropriately.
Alternatively by offering the Panchagavya and the water of the Ganga, the rosary gets consecrated.
О royal sage, the hymn of Gayatri should be recited ten lakh times which removes the sins of all the three births after which you will surely have an audience with Savitri.
Thus, you should repeat the recitation of Gayatri hymn thrice a day in the morning, noon and evening getting yourself purified.
Because without performing sandhya. one remains unclean and is therefore considered to be unfit form performing any religious acts. The one who performs and whatever he performs during the day, he does not get the reward for it.
Such of the Brahmanas who do not perform sandhyd during the morning as well as the evening, are considered to be excommunicated from the rites performed by the Brahmanas. Such of the Brahmanas who perform sandhya during all the three times a day get the glory of the sun and shine like him.
The earth gets purified with the dust of the feet of such Brahmanas. Such Brahmanas who get purified with the reciting of Gayatrl hymn, achieve great glory and are freed from human life. With their very touch all the sacred places get purified. All their sins at once disappear in the same way as the serpents disappear at the sight of a Garuda.
The one who does not perform sandhya thrice a day and conducts himself according to his own will, the Gods do not accept the offering made by him and the manes do not accept the pindas offered by him.
The one who is deprived of mantra of Visnu, fails to perform sandhya thrice a day, does not fast on the eleventh day of moon, such a Brahmana becomes like a serpent without its poison.
The one who takes food without first offering it to the lord, the one who rides a bull, the one who eats the food of Sudras, he is compared with a snake having no poison.
The one who burns the bodies of the Siidras, takes a Sudra as his wife and eats with them, such a Brahmana is considered to be a serpent without poison.
The one who receives charity from Sudras, performs yajiia for them and makes a living by means of his sword or conducts like a revenue officer, such a Brahmana is considered to be a serpent without poison.
The one who consumes food from a widow having no son, the women in period and the one earning his livelihood by forcing his wife on evil path such a Brahmana and the money-lender are considered to be snakes without poison.
О king, the one who sells aw ay his daughter, sells away the figures of gods, the Brahmana who sells away knowledge, he is considered to be a serpent without poison.
One who takes food twice at dawn, the one who consumes fish, one who does not perform pilja of Salagrama, such a Brahmana is considered to be a serpent without poison.
Thus speaking the best of the sages made the king aware of the correct method of the adoration of Savitrl, her dhyanam and other details. Thus making the king aware of all the details about adoration the sage left for his place. Thereafter the king adoring Savitrl achieved a boon from her.
Narada said—What is the method of the adoration of Savitri, what is her dhyanam, stotra and mantra which was given by the sage Parasara to the king?
How did the king Asvapati adore Savitri, the mother of the Vedas and what type of boon could he get from her? You kindly tell me.
Narayana said—One should perform vrata on the thirteenth or fourteenth day of the black fortnight of the month of Jyestha. A devotee should perform the pujcl of Savitri.
After performing the vrata for fourteen years the naivedyas, flowers, essence, clothes, yajnopavita and eatables should be offered. Thereafter fruits and fresh leaves should be consecrated followed by the adoration of Ganesa, Silrya, Agni, Visnu, Siva and Parvatl. He should invoke the presence of his family goddess over the vase.
О sage, according the Madhyandinl- sakha of Yajurveda, the dhyanam and the stotra of Savitrl should be recited besides performing piija. I am now speaking put the mantra of the goddess which brings about success to all.
The goddess has the complexion of molten gold, having the lustre of Brahman and the glory exceeding thousands of suns of the summer season at noon, wearing a smile on her face, adorned with all the ornaments, clad in the clothes purified by the god of fire and the one who always remains eager to shower her grace over her devotees.
She is the bestower of pleasures and salvation. She is peaceful and is the wife of the creator of the universe. She is the form of all the treasures, a bestower of wealth, the goddess of the Vedas. I serve the mother of the Vedas.
Thus meditating upon her the perfonner should place the flowers on her head and should invoke the goddess in the vase. Thereafter, reciting the Vedic hymns one should adore the goddess in sixteen ways, offering her prayers and salutations.
Thereafter, he should provide a bath, besides offering padya, arghya and water for bathing besides the paste, the essence, the lamp, naivedya, betel, cool water, the cloth, the ornaments, rosary, sandal-paste, sipping of water and the beautiful bed. These are the sixteen types of offerings.
One should offer sixteen things by reciting the sixteen mantras. A wooden seat or the seat made of gold which should be suitable for the seating of the gods, I am offering for the Gods.
I offer with devotion the water of the sacred places for washing the feet, which is quite pure and is suitable for performing piija. I offer the sacred arghya which consists of Ditrvd-grass, flowers and rice. Besides the sacred water poured with conch is offered by me.
I am offering the fragrant oil of myrobalan which increases beauty, for the purpose of bathing. You kindly accept it. I offer the sandal- paste, which is grown in Malayacala, increases the beauty of the body, is fragrant and bestows pleasure.
I offer with devotion the fragrant and sacred essence which may kindly be accepted. I am offering to you the lamp which illumines the universe and helps the sight, is the cause of light and is the remover of darkness.
I offer the Naivedya which provides satisfaction, growth, love and removes hunger beside being tasteful and graceful.
You kindly accept it. I am offering you the best of betels which is quite charming, is filled with camphor, fragrant and provides satisfaction and growth. I am offering the water which is quite cool, fragrant, is the remover of thirst besides being the life of the universe. You kindly accept it.
I am offering the cotton and silken cloth which increases the chann of the body and glory of the body in the assembly. You kindly accept it.
I am offering the divine ornaments made of gold and other metals which are beautiful to look at, which are the cause of glory and quite pleasant. You kindly accept them.
I am offering the garland of flowers and creepers with extremely shining, which increase love and gives righteous. You kindly accept it.
I am offering you the fragrant essence which is the form of all welfare; it is the bestower of welfare, the best and meritorious. You kindly accept it. I am offering you the clean water which removes dirt and helps in keeping one clean, is quite adorable and fit for sipping. You kindly accept it.
I am offering you a meritorious and beautiful bed which is made of the essence of the gems and is adorned with flowers and sandal. You kindly accept it.
I am offering you fruits of several keAiend efo trees which are quite sweet and tasteful. You kindly accept them.
I am offering you the saffron which is the best, beautful, increases the beauty of one’s forehead and is a substitute for ornament; kindly accept it. I am offering you the sanctified yajhopavlta with pure knots and is made of divine Siidras and purified by the Vedic hymn. You kindly accept it.
Thus all the articles should be offered reciting the Mula mantra and thereafter the intelligent people should recite the stotra. Then after bowing before her, the daksina should be given over to the Brahmanas.
By adding the prefixes of ‘ aff fi ЧётГ to LaksmI, Maya and Kama, together with the fourth form of Savitrl (uiLi?4) and further adding the word Svaha as a suffix, the mantra ‘ ff q#’
is formed. This eight letter mantra has been called the basic or the seed-mantra by the intellectuals.
Now you listen to the mantra of Savitrl which fulfils all the desires according to Madhyandinl- sakha and is the life line for the Brahmanas. You listen to it.
О Narada— Lord Sri Krishna had initially given away Savitrl to Brahma but she did not agree to go with Brahmana to the Brahmaloka. Thereafter at the command of lord Krsna when Brahma adored the mother of the Vedas, then the chaste lady agreed to accompany Brahma.
Brahma said—О goddess, you have the form of Narayana and are called NarayanI as well as Sanatani. You have emerged from lord Narayana. О beautiful one, you be pleased with me.
You possess extreme lustre and are quite blissful. О beautiful one, you are of the caste of Brahmanas and you be pleased with me.
О Goddess, you are eternal, are always loved and are blissful. You bestow all the welfare on all and therefore be pleased.
О Goddess, you are everything for the Brahmanas, the essence of the mantras and are the best of the best. О beautiful one, you bestow pleasure and redemption; you be pleased with me
О Goddess, you are like a fire flame for the burning of the sins of the Brahmanas and you bestow the glory of Brahmanas. О beautiful one, you be pleased.
Whatever sins are committed by the Brahmana by his speech or deed, are washed away by the mere reciting of your name.
Brahma the creator of the universe kept quiet after thus speaking. Thereafter, Savitri went to Brahmaloka accompanied by Brahma. The king Asvapati adored Savitri with the same stotra. Savitri then appeared before him and gave him the desired boon.
Whosoever recites the same stotra thrice a day, he surely achieves the merit of reciting all the four Vedas.
