Author: Sri Swami Shivananda
Dedicated to Bhagavan Vyasa and Lord Krishna Avatara of Lord Vishnu Flute-Bearer of Vrindavana Joy of Devaki, Beloved of Radho Redeemer of the Fallen
Chapter 11: The sacred Gītā Kara-nyāsa and related Nyāsa rites
Verse #1
श्रीगीताकारादिन्यासः |
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥ श्रीगोपालकृष्णाय नमः ॥ |
ॐ अस्य श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतामालामन्त्रस्य भगवान्वेदव्यास ऋषिः । |
अनुष्टुप्छन्दः । श्रीकृष्णः परमात्मा देवता ॥ |
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे इति बीजम् । |
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज इति शक्तिः ॥ |
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः इति कीलकम् ॥ |
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः |
इत्यङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां नमः ॥ |
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः |
इति तर्जनीभ्यां नमः ॥ |
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च |
इति मध्यमाभ्यां नमः ॥ |
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः |
इत्यनामिकाभ्यां नमः ॥ |
पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः |
इति कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नमः ॥ |
नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च |
इति करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः ॥ |
इति करन्यासः ॥ |
अथ हृदयादिन्यासः ॥ |
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः |
इति हृदयाय नमः ॥ |
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः |
इति शिरसे स्वाहा ॥ |
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च |
इति शिखायै वषट् ॥ |
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः |
इति कवचाय हुं ॥ |
पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः |
इति नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ॥ |
नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च |
इत्यस्त्राय फट् ॥ |
श्रीकृष्णप्रीत्यर्थे पाठे विनियोगः ॥ ||
श्रीगीताकारादिन्यासः | श्रीगणेशाय namaḥ ॥ श्रीगोपालकृष्णाय namaḥ ॥ | oṃ asya श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतामालामन्त्रस्य भगवान्वेदव्यास ṛṣiḥ । | अनुष्टुप्छन्दः । श्रीकृष्णः paramātmā devatā ॥ | अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च bhāṣase bījam । | सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं śaraṇaṃ vraja śaktiḥ ॥ | ahaṃ tvā सर्वपापेभ्यो mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ कीलकम् ॥ | नैनं chindanti śastrāṇi नैनं dahati pāvakaḥ | इत्यङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | na चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो na śoṣayati mārutaḥ | तर्जनीभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य eva ca | मध्यमाभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | nityaḥ sarvagataḥ स्थाणुरचलोऽयं sanātanaḥ | इत्यनामिकाभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi शतशोऽथ sahasraśaḥ | कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni ca | करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां namaḥ ॥ | करन्यासः ॥ | atha हृदयादिन्यासः ॥ | नैनं chindanti śastrāṇi नैनं dahati pāvakaḥ | हृदयाय namaḥ ॥ | na चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो na śoṣayati mārutaḥ | शिरसे svāhā ॥ | अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य eva ca | शिखायै vaṣaṭ ॥ | nityaḥ sarvagataḥ स्थाणुरचलोऽयं sanātanaḥ | कवचाय हुं ॥ | paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi शतशोऽथ sahasraśaḥ | नेत्रत्रयाय vauṣaṭ ॥ | nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni ca | इत्यस्त्राय phaṭ ॥ | श्रीकृष्णप्रीत्यर्थे पाठे viniyogaḥ ॥ ||
ShaRaGaTaKaRaThaNaYaSa | ShaRaGaNaeShaYa nama ShaRaGaPaLKaShhaNaeYa nama | o asya ShaRaMaThaBhaGaVaThaGaTaMaLMaNaTaRaSaYa BhaGaVaNaVaThaVaYaSa si . | aNaShhaTaPaChhaNaTha . ShaRaKaShhaNae paramatma devata | aShaCaYaNaNaVaShaCaSaTaVa PaRaJaNiaVaThaShaCa bhasase bijam . | SaRaVaThhaRaMaNaPaRaTaYaJaYa MaMaKa sarana vraja sakti | aha tva SaRaVaPaPaBhaYa moksayisyami ma suca KaLKaMa | NaNa chindanti sastrani NaNa dahati pavaka | iTaYaNaGaShhaThaBhaYa nama | na CaNa KaLThaYaNaTaYaPa na sosayati maruta | TaRaJaNaBhaYa nama | aCaChhaThaYaYaMaThaHaYaYaMaKaLThaYaShaShhaYa eva ca | MaThhaYaMaBhaYa nama | nitya sarvagata SaThaNaeRaCaLYa sanatana | iTaYaNaMaKaBhaYa nama | pasya me partha rupani ShaTaShaTha sahasrasa | KaNaShhaThaKaBhaYa nama | nanavidhani divyani nanavarnaktini ca | KaRaTaLKaRaPaShhaThaBhaYa nama | KaRaNaYaSa | atha HaThaYaThaNaYaSa | NaNa chindanti sastrani NaNa dahati pavaka | HaThaYaYa nama | na CaNa KaLThaYaNaTaYaPa na sosayati maruta | ShaRaSa svaha | aCaChhaThaYaYaMaThaHaYaYaMaKaLThaYaShaShhaYa eva ca | ShaKhaYa vasat | nitya sarvagata SaThaNaeRaCaLYa sanatana | KaVaCaYa Ha | pasya me partha rupani ShaTaShaTha sahasrasa | NaTaRaTaRaYaYa vausat | nanavidhani divyani nanavarnaktini ca | iTaYaSaTaRaYa phat | ShaRaKaShhaNaePaRaTaYaRaTha PaTha viniyoga ||
Śrī Gītā Kara-ādi Nyāsaḥ
(The Ritual Placement of the Bhagavad Gītā Mantra on the Hands and Body)
Salutations to Ganesha.
Salutations to Gopāla Kṛṣṇa.
Om.
For this garland-mantra of the Bhagavad Gītā, the sage is the divine Vedavyāsa.
The metre is Anuṣṭubh.
The deity is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self.
“You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom” — this is the seed (bīja).
“Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone” — this is the power (śakti).
“I shall liberate you from all sins; do not grieve” — this is the pin/key (kīlaka).
Kara-nyāsa (Placement upon the Fingers and Hands)
“Weapons do not cut this Self, nor does fire burn It” —
thus, obeisance to the thumbs.
“Water does not wet It, nor does the wind dry It” —
thus, obeisance to the index fingers.
“This Self cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot be wetted, and cannot be dried” —
thus, obeisance to the middle fingers.
“It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and everlasting” —
thus, obeisance to the ring fingers.
“Behold, O Partha, My forms by the hundreds and by the thousands” —
thus, obeisance to the little fingers.
“Various divine forms of many colours and shapes” —
thus, obeisance to the front and back of the hands.
Thus ends the Kara-nyāsa.
Hṛdayādi-nyāsa (Placement upon the Heart and Other Parts)
“Weapons do not cut this Self, nor does fire burn It” —
thus, obeisance to the heart.
“Water does not wet It, nor does the wind dry It” —
thus, offering unto the head.
“This Self cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot be wetted, and cannot be dried” —
thus, offering unto the crown tuft (śikhā).
“It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and everlasting” —
thus, offering unto the protective armour (kavaca).
“Behold, O Pārtha, My forms by the hundreds and by the thousands” —
thus, offering unto the three eyes.
“Various divine forms of many colours and shapes” —
thus, as the missile/weapon of protection (astra) — phaṭ!
Note:
This text is not a continuous prose prayer — it is a tantric/vaidika preparatory nyāsa, where verses from the Bhagavad Gītā are ritually assigned to:
the fingers,
palms,
heart,
head,
crown,
armour,
eyes,
and astric protection.
The practitioner symbolically installs the teaching of the Gītā into the body before recitation.
(The Ritual Placement of the Bhagavad Gītā Mantra on the Hands and Body)
Salutations to Ganesha.
Salutations to Gopāla Kṛṣṇa.
Om.
For this garland-mantra of the Bhagavad Gītā, the sage is the divine Vedavyāsa.
The metre is Anuṣṭubh.
The deity is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Self.
“You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom” — this is the seed (bīja).
“Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone” — this is the power (śakti).
“I shall liberate you from all sins; do not grieve” — this is the pin/key (kīlaka).
Kara-nyāsa (Placement upon the Fingers and Hands)
“Weapons do not cut this Self, nor does fire burn It” —
thus, obeisance to the thumbs.
“Water does not wet It, nor does the wind dry It” —
thus, obeisance to the index fingers.
“This Self cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot be wetted, and cannot be dried” —
thus, obeisance to the middle fingers.
“It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and everlasting” —
thus, obeisance to the ring fingers.
“Behold, O Partha, My forms by the hundreds and by the thousands” —
thus, obeisance to the little fingers.
“Various divine forms of many colours and shapes” —
thus, obeisance to the front and back of the hands.
Thus ends the Kara-nyāsa.
Hṛdayādi-nyāsa (Placement upon the Heart and Other Parts)
“Weapons do not cut this Self, nor does fire burn It” —
thus, obeisance to the heart.
“Water does not wet It, nor does the wind dry It” —
thus, offering unto the head.
“This Self cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot be wetted, and cannot be dried” —
thus, offering unto the crown tuft (śikhā).
“It is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and everlasting” —
thus, offering unto the protective armour (kavaca).
“Behold, O Pārtha, My forms by the hundreds and by the thousands” —
thus, offering unto the three eyes.
“Various divine forms of many colours and shapes” —
thus, as the missile/weapon of protection (astra) — phaṭ!
Note:
This text is not a continuous prose prayer — it is a tantric/vaidika preparatory nyāsa, where verses from the Bhagavad Gītā are ritually assigned to:
the fingers,
palms,
heart,
head,
crown,
armour,
eyes,
and astric protection.
The practitioner symbolically installs the teaching of the Gītā into the body before recitation.