SECTION CL "Yudhishthira said, 'O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art conversant with all ranches

of !nowledge, what is that su "ect of silent recitation # reciting which ever# da# one ma# ac$uire the merit of righteousness in a large measure% &hat is that 'antra for recitation which estows success if recited on the occasion of setting out on a "ourne# or in entering a new uilding, or at the commencement of an# underta!ing, or on the occasion of sacrifices in honour of the deities or of the (itris% It ehoveth thee to tell me what indeed, what 'antra it is, which )ro)itiates all malevolent influences, or leads to )ros)erit# or growth, or )rotection from evil, or the destruction of foes, or the dis)elling of fears, and which, at the same time, is consistent with the *edas+' ",hishma said, '-ear, O !ing, with concentrated, attention, what that 'antra is which was declared # *#asa+ It was ordained # Savitri and is )ossessed of great e.cellence+ It is ca)a le of cleansing a )erson immediatel# of all his sins+ -ear, O sinless one, as I recite to thee the ordinances in res)ect of that 'antra+ Indeed, O chief of the )+ /01 sons of (andu, # listening to those ordinances, one ecomes cleansed of all one's sins+ One who recites this 'antra da# and night ecomes never stained # sin+ I shall now declare it to thee what that 'antra is+ 2o thou listen with concentrated attention+ Indeed, the man that hears it ecomes endued with long life, O )rince, and attaining to the fruition of all his wishes, s)orts in felicit# oth here and hereafter+ This 'antra, O !ing, was dail# recited # the foremost of ro#al sages devoted to the )ractice to 3shatri#a duties and steadil# o servant of the vow of truth+ Indeed, O tiger among !ings, those monarchs who, with restrained senses and tran$uil soul, recite this 'antra ever# da#, succeed in ac$uiring unrivalled )ros)erit#44Salutations to *asishtha of high vows after having owed with reverence unto (arasara, that Ocean of the *edas5 Salutations to the great sna!e 6nanta, and salutations to all those who are crowned with success, and who are of unfading glor#5 Salutations to the 7ishis, and unto -im that is the -ighest of the -igh, the god of gods, and the giver of oons unto all those that are foremost+ Salutations unto -im of a thousand heads, -im that is most aus)icious, -im that has a thousand names, vi8+, 9anardana5 6"a+ E!a)ada, 6hivradhna, the unvan$uished (ina!in, 7ita (itriru)a, the three4e#ed 'aheswara, *risha!a)i, Sam hu, -avana, and Iswara44these are the cele rated 7udras, eleven in num er, who are the lords of all the worlds+ Even these eleven high4souled ones have een mentioned as a hundred in the Satarudra :of the *edas;+ 6nsa, ,haga, 'itra, *aruna the lord of waters, 2hatri, 6r#aman, 9a#anta, ,has!ara, Tvashtri, (ushan, Indra and *ishnu, are said to com)rise a tale of twelve+ These twelve are called 6dit#as and the# are the sons of 3as#a)a as the Sruti declares+ 2hara, 2hruva, Some, Savitra+ 6nila, 6nala, (rat#usha, and (ra hava, are the eight *asus named in the scri)tures, Nasata#a and 2asra are said to e the two 6swins+ The# are the sons of 'artanda orn of his s)ouse Sam"na, from whose nostrils the# came out+ 6fter this I shall recite the names of those who are the witnesses of all acts in the worlds+ The# ta!e note of all sacrifices, of all gifts, of all good acts+ Those lords among the deities ehold ever#thing although the# are invisi le+ Indeed, the# ehold all the good

and ad acts of all eings+ The# are 'rit#u, 3ala, the *iswedevas, the (itris endued with forms, the great 7ishis )ossessed of wealth of )enances, the 'unis, and others crowned with success and devoted to )enances and emanci)ation+ These of sweet smiles, estow diverse enefits u)on those men that recite their names+ *eril#, endued with celestial energ#, the# estow diverse regions of felicit# created # the <randsire u)on such men+ The# reside in all the worlds and attentivel# note all acts+ ,# reciting the names of those lords of all living creatures, one alwa#s ecomes endued with righteousness and wealth and en"o#ments in co)ious measure+ One ac$uires hereafter diverse regions of aus)iciousness and felicit# created # the Lord of the universe+ These three and thirt# deities, who are the lords of all eings )+ /0= as also Nandiswara of huge od#, and that )re4eminent one who has the ull for the device on his anner, and those masters of all the worlds, vi8+, the followers and associates of him called <aneswara, and those called Saum#as, and called the 7udras, and those called the Yogas, and those that are !nown as the ,hutas, and the luminaries in the firmament, the 7ivers, the s!#, the )rince of irds :vi8+, <aruda;, all those )ersons on earth who have ecome crowned with success in conse$uence of their )enances and who are e.isting in an immo ile or mo ile form, the -imavat, all the mountains, the four Oceans, the followers and associates of ,hava who are )ossessed of )rowess e$ual to that of ,hava himself, the illustrious and ever4victorious *ishnu, and S!anda, and 6m i!a,44 these are the great souls # reciting whose name with restrained senses, one ecomes cleansed of all sins+ 6fter this I shall recite the names of those foremost 7ishis who are !nown as 'anavas+ The# are Yava!rita, and 7ai h#a, and 6rvavasu, and (aravasu, and 6ushi"a, and 3a!shivat, and *ala the son of 6ngiras+ Then comes 3anwa the son of the 7ishi 'edhatithi, and *arishada+ 6ll these are endued with the energ# of ,rahma and have een s)o!en of :in the scri)tures; as creators of the universe+ The# have s)rung from 7udra and 6nala and the *asus+ ,# reciting their names )eo)le o tain great enefits+ Indeed, # doing good deeds on earth, )eo)le s)ort in "o# in heaven, with the deities+ These 7ishis are the )riests of Indra+ The# live in the east+ That man who, with ra)t attention, recites the names of these 7ishis, succeeds in ascending to the regions of Indra and o taining great honours there+ >nmachu, (ramchu, Swast#atre#a of great energ#, 2ridhav#a, >rdhvavahu, Trinasoma, 6ngiras, and 6gast#a of great energ#, the son of 'itravaruna,44these seven are the 7itwi!s of Yama the !ing of the dead, and dwell in the southern $uarter+ 2ridhe#u and 7ite#u, and (ari#adha of great fame, and E!ata, and 2wita, and Trita44the last three endued with s)lendour li!e that of the sun,44and 6tri's son of righteous soul, vi8+, the 7ishi Saraswata,44these seven who had acted as 7itwi!s in the great sacrifice of *aruna44have ta!en u) their a odes in the western $uarter+ 6tri, the illustrious *asishtha, the great 7ishi 3as#a)a, <otama, ,haradwa"a, *iswamitra, the son of 3usi!a, and 7ichi!a's fierce son 9amadagni of great energ#,44these seven are the 7itwi!s of the Lord of treasures and dwell in the northern $uarter+ There are seven other 7ishis that live in all directions without eing confined to an# )articular one+ The#, it is, who are the inducers of fame and of all this eneficial to men, and the# have een sung as the creators of the worlds+ 2harma, 3ama, 3ala, *asu, *asu!i, 6nanta, and 3a)ila,44 these seven are the u)holders of the world+ 7ama, *#asa, 2rona's son 6swatthaman, are

the other 7ishis :that are regarded as the foremost;+ These are the great 7ishis as distri uted into seven grou)s, each grou) consisting of seven+ The# are the creators of that )eace and good that men en"o#+ The# are said to e )+ /0? the 7egents of the several )oints of the com)ass+ One should turn one's face to that direction in which one of these 7ishis live if one wishes to worshi) him+ Those 7ishis are the creators of all creatures and have een regarded as the cleansers of all+ Samvarta, 'erusavarna, the righteous 'ar!ande#a, and San!h#a and Yoga, and Narada and the great 7ishi 2urvasa,44these are endued with severe )enance and great self4restraint, and are cele rated over the three worlds+ There are others who are e$ual to 7udra himself+ The# live in the region of ,rahman+ ,# naming them with reverence a sonless man o tains a son, and a )ool man o tains wealth+ Indeed, # naming them, one ac$uires success in religion, and wealth and )leasure+ One should also ta!e the name of that cele rated !ing who was Em)eror of all the earth and e$ual to a (ra"a)ati, vi8+, that foremost of monarchs, (rithu, the son of *ena+ The earth ecame his daughter :from love and affection;+ One should also name (ururavas of the Solar race and e$ual unto 'ahendra himself in )rowess+ -e was the son of Ila and cele rated over the three worlds+ One should, indeed, ta!e the name of that dear son of *udha+ One should also ta!e the name of ,harata, that hero cele rated over the three worlds+ -e also who in the 3rita age adored the gods in a grand <omedha sacrifice, vi8+, 7antideva of great s)lendour, who was e$ual unto 'ahadeva himself, should e named+ Endued with )enances, )ossessed of ever# aus)icious mar!, the source of ever# !ind of enefit to the world, he was the con$ueror of the universes+ One should also ta!e the name of the ro#al sage Sweta of illustrious fame+ -e had gratified the great 'ahadeva and it was for his sa!e that 6ndha!a was slain+ One should also ta!e the name of the ro#al sage ,hagiratha of great fame, who, through the grace of 'ahadeva, succeeded in ringing down the sacred river from heaven :for flowing over the earth and cleansing all human eings of their sins;+ It was ,hagiratha who caused the ashes of the si.t# thousand sons of Sagara to e overflowed with the sacred waters of <anga and there # rescued them from their sin+ Indeed, one should ta!e the names of all these that were endued with the la8ing effulgence of fire, great eaut# of )erson, and high energ#+ Some of them were of awe4 ins)iring forms and great might+ *eril#, one should ta!e the names of these deities and 7ishis and !ings, those lords of the universe,44who are enhancers of fame+ San!h#a, and Yoga which is highest of the high, and -av#a and 3av#a and that refuge of all the Srutis, vi8+, Su)reme ,rahma, have een declared to e the sources of great enefit to all creatures+ These are sacred and sin4cleansing and have een s)o!en of ver# highl#+ These are the foremost of medicines for alla#ing all diseases, and are the inducers of the success in res)ect of all deeds+ 7estraining one's senses, one should, O ,harata, ta!e the names of these, morning and evening+ It is these that )rotect+ It is these that shower rain+ It is these that shine and give light and heat+ It is these that low+ It is these that create all things+ These are regarded )+ /0/

as the foremost of all, as the leaders of the universe, as highl# clever in the accom)lishment of all things, as endued with forgiveness, as com)lete masters of the senses+ Indeed, it has een said that the# dis)el all the evils to which human eings are su "ect+ These high4souled ones are the witnesses of all good and ad deeds+ 7ising u) in the morning one should ta!e their names, for # this, one is sure to ac$uire all that is good+ -e who ta!es the names of them ecomes freed from the fear of fires and of thieves+ Such a man never finds his wa# o structed # an# im)ediment+ ,# ta!ing the names of these high4souled ones, one ecomes free from ad dreams of ever# !ind+ Cleared from ever# sin, such men ta!e irth in aus)icious families+ That regenerate )erson who, with restrained senses, recites these names on the occasions of )erforming the initiator# rites of sacrifices and other religious o servances, ecomes, as the conse$uence thereof, endued with righteousness, devoted to the stud# of the soul, )ossessed of forgiveness and self4restraint, and free from malice+ If a man that is afflicted with disease recites them, he ecomes freed from his sin in the form of disease+ ,# reciting them within a house, all evils are dis)elled from the inmates+ ,# reciting them within a field, the growth is hel)ed of all !inds of cro)s+ 7eciting them at the time of setting out on a "ourne#, or while one is awa# from one's home, one meets with good fortune+ These names lead to the )rotection of one's own self, of one's children and s)ouses, of one's wealth, and of one's seeds, and )lants+ The 3shatri#a who recites these names at the time of "oining a attle sees destruction overta!e his foes and good fortune crown him and his )art#+ The man who recites these names on the occasions of )erforming the rites in honour of the deities or the (itris, hel)s the (itris and deities eat the sacrificial -av#a and 3av#a+ The man that recites them ecomes freed from fear of diseases and easts of )re#, of ele)hants and thieves+ -is load of an.iet# ecomes lightened, and he ecomes freed from ever# sin+ ,# reciting these e.cellent Savitri 'antras on oard a vessel, or in a vehicle, or in the courts of !ings, one attains to high success+ There where these 'antras are recited, fire does not urn wood+ There children do not die, nor sna!es dwell+ Indeed, at such )laces, there can e no fear of the !ing, nor of (isachas and 7a!shasas+ = *eril#, the man who recites these 'antras ceases to have an# fear of fire or water or wind or easts of )re#+ These Savitri 'antras, recited dul#, contri ute to the )eace and well4 eing of all the four orders+ Those men who recite them with reverence ecome freed from ever# sorrow and at last attain to a high end+ Even these are the results achieved # them that recite these Savitri 'antras which are of the form of ,rahma+ That man who recites these 'antras in the midst of !ine sees his !ine ecome fruitful+ &hether when setting )+ /0@ out on a "ourne#, or entering a house on coming ac!, one should recite these 'antras on ever# occasion+ These 'antras constitute a great m#ster# of the 7ishis and are the ver# highest of those which the# silentl# recite+ Even such are these 'antras unto them who )ractise the dut# of recitation and )our li ations on the sacrificial fire+ This that I have said unto thee is the e.cellent o)inion of (arasara+ It was recited in former da#s unto Sa!ra himself+ 7e)resenting as it does Truth or Eternal ,rahman+ I have declared it in full to thee+ It constitutes that heart of all creatures, and is the highest Sruti+ 6ll the )rinces of the race of Soma and of Sur#a, vi8+, the 7aghavas and the 3auravas, recite these 'antras

ever# da# after having )urified themselves, These constitute the highest end of human creatures+ There is rescue from ever# trou le and calamit# in the dail# recitation of the names of the deities of the seven 7ishis, and of 2hruva+ Indeed, such recitation s)eedil# frees one from distress+ The sages of olden times, vi8+, 3as#a)a, <otama, and others, and ,hrigu 6ngiras and 6tri and others, and Su!ra, 6gast#a, and *rihas)ati, and others, all of whom are regenerate 7ishis, have adored these 'antras+ 6))roved of # the son of ,haradwa"a, these 'antras were attained # the sons of 7ichi!a+ *eril#, having ac$uired them again from *asishtha, Sa!ra and the *asus went forth to attle and succeeded in su "ugating the 2anavas+ That man who ma!es a )resent of a hundred !ine with their horns covered with )lates of gold unto a ,rahmana )ossessed of much learning and well4 conversant with the *edas, and he who causes the e.cellent ,harata stor# to e recited in his house ever# da#, are said to ac$uire e$ual merits+ ,# reciting the name of ,hrigu one's righteousness ecomes enhanced+ ,# owing to *asishtha one's energ# ecome enhanced+ ,# owing unto 7aghu, one ecomes victorious in attle+ ,# reciting the )raises of the 6swins, one ecomes freed from diseases+ I have thus, O !ing, told thee of the Savitri 'antras which are identical with eternal ,rahman+ If thou wishest to $uestion me on an# other to)ic thou ma#st do so+ I shall, O ,harata, answer thee+A