प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

I, B] UPANAYANA RITUAL 279 The prayer made to the sun in this Mantra is quite appropriate for the student to whom it was first taught. For a successful and brilliant career, what is most essential for the student is the possession of an efficient intellect. Health, wealth, good memory are all desirable, but more important than them all is an energetic and stimulating intellect; it is the power conferred by the latter that has enabled man to establish his supremacy over the Nature. It is therefore quite appropriate that the prayer offered by every Aryan, morning and evening, should urge the sun to endow him with a brilliant intellect, and also to give a proper stimulus to it. Mere intellect is not (Continued from the last page) युंजते मन उत युंजते धियः विप्रा विप्रस्य बृहतो विपश्चितः । वि होत्रा दधे वयुनाविदेक इन्मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः ॥ (According to Aś. Gr. S., III. 7 and Vā. Gr. S., 6) हंसः शुचिषद्वसुरन्तरिक्षसद्धोता वेदिषदतिथिर्दुरोणसत् । नृषद्वरसद्दतसद्व्योमसदब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजा ऋतम् ॥ (According to Nārāyaṇa on Manu, II. 38)

1. We have seen above how the Gāyatrī Mantra is naturally very appropriate for the student and the householder. It was later regarded as the very essence of the Vedas, and so quite mysterious meaning began to be read in it. Compare for instance the view of Bṛihat-Parāśara, IV 77-77 :— तत्प्रकृतिः स स्वांतं विकारो बुद्धिरेव च । तुरित्येतदहंकारं वशब्दं विद्धि पापहम् ॥ रेश्पर्शं तु णि रूपं च यं रसं गंधमत्र भम् । गो श्रोत्रं दे त्वचं वै त्र' चक्षुः स्य रसता तथा ॥ र्धी नासा च म वाचा च हि हस्तौ धि च पादद्वयम् । यो उपस्थ मुखं योऽन्यो नः खं प्रकारमारुतम् ॥ चो। तेजो द् जलं याक्ष्मा गायत्र्यास्तत्त्वचिंतनम् ॥ So also about the significance of the Vyāhṛiti letters, Kūrmapurāna, uttarārdha, 14, 53 and Ādi-Purāna, Adi, 53. 54-5 maintain that they denote Pradhāna, Purusha and Kāla ; or Vishṇu, Brahmā and Maheśa; or Satva, Rajas and Tamas respectively. Cf. प्रधानं पुरुषः कालो विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा महेश्वरः । सत्वं रजस्तमस्तिस्रः क्रमाद् व्याहृतयः स्मृताः ।