Section 5.14

5.14.1 The words bhumir antariksham dyauh—"earth, midair, heaven"—have eight syllables. One foot of Gayatri has eight syllables. This is that foot of hers. Whoever knows this foot of hers in this way wins all that lies within these three worlds.

5.14.2 The words richo yajumshi samani—"verses, sacrificial formulas, chants"—have eight syllables. One foot of Gayatri has eight syllables. This is that foot of hers. Whoever knows this foot of hers in this way wins the full extent of this threefold knowledge.

5.14.3 The words prano apano vyana—"the inward breath, the downward breath, the diffused breath"—have eight syllables. One foot of Gayatri has eight syllables. This is that foot of hers. Whoever knows this foot of hers in this way wins all that breathes here.

Now her fourth foot, the visible one beyond the world, is the one that shines up there. What is fourth is called turiya. It is called the visible foot because it is, as it were, seen. It is called "beyond the world" because it shines above and above this whole expanse. Whoever knows this foot of hers in this way shines just so with splendor and renown.

5.14.4 This Gayatri rests upon that fourth foot, the visible one beyond the world. That foot rests upon truth. The eye is truth. The eye is indeed truth. So if two people now came disputing, one saying, "I saw it," and the other, "I heard it," we would trust the one who said, "I saw it."

That truth rests upon strength. Breath is strength. Truth rests upon breath. That is why people say, "Strength is mightier than truth." In this way Gayatri rests within oneself.

She protected the gayas. The vital breaths are the gayas: she protected the vital breaths. Because she protected the gayas, her name is Gayatri. She is that very Savitri which a teacher recites to a pupil. She protects the vital breaths of the one to whom he recites her.

5.14.5 Some recite this Savitri in the Anushtubh meter, saying, "Speech is Anushtubh; in this way we teach speech." One should not do so. One should recite the Savitri in the Gayatri meter alone. Even if someone who knows this accepts what seems a great deal in gifts, it does not equal even one foot of Gayatri.

5.14.6 If he were to accept these three worlds in their fullness, he would gain the equivalent of her first foot. If he were to accept as much as the full extent of this threefold knowledge, he would gain the equivalent of her second foot. If he were to accept as much as all that breathes here, he would gain the equivalent of her third foot. But her fourth foot, the visible one beyond the world, the one that shines up there, cannot be gained by anything at all. How could anyone accept that much in gifts?

5.14.7 This is the prayer addressed to her:

"Gayatri, you have one foot, two feet, three feet, four feet.You are without feet,for you cannot be reached.Homage to your fourth foot, the visible one beyond the world."

Concerning someone he hates, he may add, "May that person not attain that," or, "May this desire not be fulfilled for him." That desire is not fulfilled for the person against whom he addresses her in this way. Or he may say, "May I attain that."

5.14.8 This is what Janaka of Videha said to Budila Ashvatarashvi: "You said you knew Gayatri. How, then, have you become an elephant, carrying loads?"

"Your Majesty, I did not know her mouth," he replied.

Fire alone is her mouth. Even if a great deal is laid upon the fire, it burns it all. In just this way, even if one who knows this does much evil, he devours it all and becomes clean, purified, ageless, immortal.

5.14.1 Bhumir antariksham dyauh—earth, the space between heaven and earth, and heaven—has eight syllables.One line of the Gayatri has eight syllables.This is that line of the Gayatri.Anyone who knows this line in this way wins everything in these three worlds.

5.14.2 Richo yajumshi samani—Rig verses, Yajus formulas, and Saman chants—has eight syllables.One line of the Gayatri has eight syllables.This is that line of the Gayatri.Anyone who knows this line in this way wins all that is covered by this threefold knowledge.

5.14.3 Prano apano vyanah—inward breath, downward breath, and the breath that spreads through the body—has eight syllables.One line of the Gayatri has eight syllables.This is that line of the Gayatri.Anyone who knows this line in this way wins everything that breathes.Its fourth, visible line, beyond the world, is the one who shines up there.What is fourth is called turiya, the fourth.It is called the visible line because this one can be seen.It is called "beyond the world" because it shines high above the whole world.Anyone who knows this line in this way shines with prosperity and glory.

5.14.4 This Gayatri rests on that fourth, visible line beyond the world.That line rests on truth.Sight is truth.Sight really is truth.That is why, if two people came now disputing, one saying, "I saw it," and the other, "I heard it,"we would believe the one who said,"I saw it."That truth rests on strength.Breath is strength.So it rests on breath.That is why people say that strength is more powerful than truth.In this way the Gayatri rests within the individual self.It protected the gayas.The vital breaths are the gayas.So it protected the vital breaths.Because it protected, trai, the gayas, it is called Gayatri.The Savitri verse that a teacher recites to a student is this Gayatri.It protects the vital breaths of the person to whom the teacher recites it.

5.14.5 Some recite this Savitri in the Anushtubh meter.They say, "Speech is Anushtubh.We are reciting speech."A teacher should not do that.They should recite the Savitri in the Gayatri meter.Even if someone who knows this accepts what seems a great deal in gifts, it does not equal even one line of the Gayatri.

5.14.6 If someone accepted these three worlds in their entirety, that would equal its first line.If someone accepted everything covered by this threefold knowledge, that would equal its second line.If someone accepted everything that breathes, that would equal its third line.But its fourth, visible line beyond the world is the one who shines up there.It cannot be obtained through anything.How could anyone accept that much in gifts?

5.14.7 This is the prayer addressed to it:"Gayatri, you have one foot, two feet, three feet, four feet.You have no feet,because you cannot be reached.I bow to your fourth, visible foot beyond the world."A person may add, "May that man not obtain that," about someone they hate, or, "May that desire of his not succeed."That desire does not succeed for the person against whom this prayer is addressed.Or the person may add, "May I obtain that."

5.14.8 Janaka of Videha once said to Budila Ashvatarashvi, "You said you knew the Gayatri.Then how is it that you have become an elephant and carry loads?"He answered, "Your Majesty, I did not know its mouth."Fire is its mouth.Even if people put what seems a great deal into a fire, it burns all of it.In the same way, even if someone who knows this does what seems a great deal of evil, they consume it all and become clean, purified, free from aging, and immortal.