Note 98 — Chapter II
David Shea translation
Sandhya. The Brahman must offer up many prayers; pour out water to different gods; repeat certain forms of prayer in honor of the sun, which he must worship; and repeat the Gáyatrí; then take up water with his Kosha (small copper cup), and pour it out to his deceased ancestors; after which he must return home and read some part of the Veda—(Ward, vol. II. p. 31-32).
The Gáyatrí here means a sacred verse from the Vedas, to be recited only mentally: this is usually personified and considered as a goddess, the metaphorical mother of the three first classes, in their capacity of twice-born; investiture with the sacred and distinguishing string, viz.: being regarded as a new birth. There is but one Gayatri of the Vedas; but, according to the system of the Tantricas, a number of mystical verses are called Gáyatrís, each deity having one in particular. From Gaya, “who sings;” and Trai, “to preserve.”—D. S.