Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 356

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
ality (being an embodiment of the fornis of the sun, is performed as a part of the the three gols of the Hindu Trinity, sandhya. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvar)-the Of the days of the week, Ravivar, or Suncmbodiment of the three Vedas, the giver day is the most suitable for Sun worship of happiness and the abode of God,
Persons wishing to secure wealth, goodAfter his toilet a high-caste Hindu should health and a happy progeny, especially take a bath and offer morning prayers and
people suffering from disorders caused by arghyas to the sun." The Trikala.Sandhya
heat and from diseases of the eyes, barren is enjoined by the Shastras on every
women, and men anxious for victory on the Brahman, i.e., every Brahman should perform
battlefield, weekly observe vows in honour of the Sandhya thrice during the day: in the
the sun, and the day on which the vow is to morning, at mid-day and in the evening.
be kept is Sunday, 11 It is left to the deThe Sandhya is the prayer a Brahman offers,
votee to fix the number of Sundays on which sitting in divine meditation, when he offers
he will observe the urat, and he may choose three arghyas to the sun and recites the
to observe all the Sundays of the year. 12 Gayatri mantra 108 times,
On sucht days the devotees undergo ceremoThe arghya is an offering of water in a
nial purifications by nieans of baths and the spoon half filled with harley seeds, sesamum
putting on of clean garments, occupy a seeds, sandal ointment, rice, and white
reserved clean seat, light a ghi-lamp and reflowers. In offering the arghya the right
cite the Aditya-hridaya-patha, which is the foot is folded below the left, the spoon is
prescribed mantra for Sun worship.13 Then lifted to the forehead and is emptied to
follows the Nyasa, (ZA) in the recitation wards the sun after reciting the Gayatri
of which the devotee has to make certain mantra. If water is not available for
gestures (or to perform physical ceremooffering the arghyas, sand may serve the
nials). First the tips of all the four fingers purpose. But the sun must not be deprived
are made to touch the thumb as is done of his arghyas."
in counting. Then the tips of the fingers are The Gayatri is the most sacred mantra in
made to touch the palm of the other hand, honour of the sun, containing, as it does,
Then one hand is laid over the other. Then the highest laudations of him." A Brah
the fingers are made to touch the heart, the man ought to recite this mantra 324 times
head, the eyes, and the hair in regular order. every day. Otherwise he incurs a sin as
The right hand is then put round the lead great as the slaughter of a cow. Acoord
and made to smite the left.13 An ashtadala ingly & Rudrakshmalā, or a rosary of 108
or eight-cornered figure is drawn in gulal, Rudraksh beads, is used in connecting the number of Gayatris recited. It is exclusively the right of the twice-born to recite the Gayatri. None else is authorised to recite or even to hear a word of it. Neither females nor Shūdras ought to catch an echo of even a single syllable of the Gayatri mantra
A ceremony, called Süryopasthan, in which a man has to stand facing the sun with his hands stretched upwards at an angle towards 1 Mr. N. M. Dave, Sanka.
1 The Deputy Educational Inspector, Gobelwad. * Mr. K. D. Desai.
Mr. Jethalal Anupram, Schoolmaster, Aman. • The Deputy Educational Inspector, Gohelwad. Mr. K. D. Desai. * Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpara,
Mr. K. D. Desai. • Mr. M. D. Vyas, Shastri, Bhayavadur. 16 Mr.K. P. Joshi, Limbdi, and L. D. Mehta, Mota Devalia. 11 Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpara, and Mr. B, K, Dave, Kotda-Sangani. " Mr. B. K. Dave, Kotda-Sangani. 13 Mr. Nandlal Kalidas, Schoolmaster, Chhatrasa