प्रतिमाङ्गे न्यासादिInstalling the image: its baths and nyāsas
Verse 288
षडङ्गमातृकान्यासं प्रतिमाङ्गे प्रविन्यसन् । षड्दीर्घभाजा मूलेन षडङ्गन्यासमाचरेत् ॥ २८८ ॥
ṣaḍaṅgamātṛkānyāsaṁ pratimāṅgē pravinyasan | ṣaḍdīrghabhājā mūlēna ṣaḍaṅganyāsamācarēt || 288 ||
Translation
Placing the six-limbed mātṛkā nyāsa on the limbs of the image, he should perform the six-limbed nyāsa with the root mantra joined to the six long vowels.
Word by word
- ṣaḍaṅga
- six-limbed
- mātṛkā
- mātṛkā
- nyāsaṁ
- the nyāsa
- pratimā
- of the image
- aṅgē
- on the limbs
- pravinyasan
- placing
- ṣaḍ
- (ṣaṭ) six
- dīrgha
- long vowels
- bhājā
- joined to
- mūlēna
- with the root mantra
- nyāsam
- nyāsa
- ācarēt
- he should perform
Meaning
Nyāsa, "placing", sets letters and mantras on the limbs to make the body divine; here it is done on the image. The mātṛkā letters and then the root mantra with ā, ī, ū, ai, au, aḥ are placed on heart, head, crown, arms, eyes and hands.
Commentary
Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated
"Ṣaḍaṅga" and the rest. Then, placing the six-limbed mātṛkā nyāsa on the limbs of the image by the rite told before, the sādhaka should also perform the six-limbed nyāsa (ṣaḍaṅganyāsa) on the limbs of the image with the root mantra joined to the six long vowels.