Shloka 158
Slaying of Andhaka; Hymn to the Sun; Glory of Brahmins; Gayatri Nyasa and Pranayama
तेषां न्यासं तथांगेषु वद तात यथाक्रमम् । ब्रह्मोवाच । गुददेशेत्वपानस्याद्धृदि प्राणोस्ति देहिनः
teṣāṃ nyāsaṃ tathāṃgeṣu vada tāta yathākramam | brahmovāca | gudadeśetvapānasyāddhṛdi prāṇosti dehinaḥ
“ลูกเอ๋ย จงบอกนยาสะของพลังลมปราณเหล่านั้นลงสู่อวัยวะตามลำดับแก่เราเถิด” พรหมาตรัสว่า: “ที่ทวารหนักเป็นอปานะ; ในดวงหทัยของผู้มีร่างกายมีปราณสถิตอยู่”
Brahmā
Concept: Nyāsa is a sanctifying technology: by placing awareness of vāyus in their seats (apāna in guda, prāṇa in hṛd), the practitioner aligns microcosm with cosmic order, stabilizing mantra efficacy.
Application: During breath practice, gently anchor attention: feel grounding (apāna) below and uplift (prāṇa) at the heart; keep posture steady and mind non-violent, using the mapping as a mindfulness scaffold.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Brahmā, four-faced and serene, gestures as if teaching a subtle anatomy lesson. A translucent human figure appears beside him like a crystal silhouette, with two glowing centers: a deep red ember at the pelvic base labeled ‘Apāna’ and a golden lotus at the heart labeled ‘Prāṇa’, connected by a gentle vertical current.","primary_figures":["Brahmā","a translucent embodied being (dehin) as diagram"],"setting":"celestial teaching hall with lotus pillars and floating manuscripts, or a luminous inner-space classroom","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["radiant gold","crystal white","deep vermilion","emerald green","midnight blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Brahmā with heavy gold-leaf halo teaching beside a stylized human silhouette inlaid with gem-like chakric lights; apāna as vermilion jewel at the base, prāṇa as golden lotus at the heart; ornate lotus-pillared backdrop, rich reds/greens, embossed detailing and traditional iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Brahmā seated on a lotus dais, delicate translucent figure with softly painted glowing points; refined calligraphy labels, cool blues and gentle golds, airy celestial architecture with fine brushwork.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Brahmā with characteristic eyes and crown, the body-diagram rendered as a patterned figure with two prominent colored nodes; red-yellow-green palette, temple-wall composition with ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Brahmā centered within a lotus mandala, the body-diagram as a symmetrical motif with heart-lotus and base-flame; intricate floral borders, deep blue background with gold highlights, devotional geometry and repeating lotus patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft bell punctuations","low humming (bhrāmarī-like)","subtle wind","silence after key terms (apāna, prāṇa)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथांगेषु = तथा + अङ्गेषु; ब्रह्मोवाच = ब्रह्मा + उवाच; गुददेशेत्वपानस्यात् = गुददेशे + तु + अपानस्य + स्यात्; प्राणोस्ति = प्राणः + अस्ति
FAQs
Nyāsa refers to a ritual “placement” or mental installation—assigning sacred powers (here, vital airs like Prāṇa and Apāna) to specific bodily locations as part of meditation or worship practice.
The verse reflects a traditional subtle-body mapping: Prāṇa is associated with the heart/chest as the sustaining life-force, while Apāna is linked to the lower region governing downward functions and elimination.
It encourages disciplined awareness of the body and life-force—using ordered contemplation (yathākramam) to cultivate steadiness, purity, and mindful self-regulation in spiritual practice.