Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.8.7
करन्यासं तत: कुर्याद् द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया ।
प्रणवादियकारान्तमङ्गुल्यङ्गुष्ठपर्वसु ॥ ७ ॥
kara-nyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryād
[kara-nyaasam tatah kuryaad]
dvādaśākṣara-vidyayā
[dvaadashaakshara-vidyayaa]
praṇavādi-ya-kārāntam
[pranavaadi-ya-kaaraantam]
aṅguly-aṅguṣṭha-parvasu
[anguly-angushtha-parvasu]
Word-for-word
kara-nyāsam
—
the ritual known as kara-nyāsa, which assigns the syllables of the mantra to the fingers
tataḥ
—
thereafter
kuryāt
—
should execute
dvādaśa-akṣara
—
composed of twelve syllables
vidyayā
—
with the mantra
praṇava-ādi
—
beginning with the oṁkāra
ya-kāra-antam
—
ending with the syllable ya
aṅguli
—
on the fingers, beginning with the index finger
aṅguṣṭha-parvasu
—
to the joints of the thumbs.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kara-nyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryād
kara-nyāsam
the ritual known as kara-nyāsa, which assigns the syllables of the mantra to the fingers
tataḥ
thereafter
kuryāt
should execute
dvādaśākṣara-vidyayā
dvādaśa-akṣara
composed of twelve syllables
vidyayā
with the mantra
praṇavādi-ya-kārāntam
praṇava-ādi
beginning with the oṁkāra
ya-kāra-antam
ending with the syllable ya
aṅguli
on the fingers, beginning with the index finger
aṅguly-aṅguṣṭha-parvasu
aṅguṣṭha-parvasu
to the joints of the thumbs.
Then one should chant the mantra composed of twelve syllables [oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya]. Preceding each syllable by the oṁkāra, one should place the syllables of the mantra on the tips of his fingers, beginning with the index finger of the right hand and concluding with the index finger of the left. The four remaining syllables should be placed on the joints of the thumbs.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
One should then perform kara-nyāsa using the twelve-syllable mantra beginning with oṁ and ending with ya (oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya), placing the syllables on the fingers and on the joints of the thumbs.
Taking each syllable preceded and followed by oṁ, one should place the first eight syllables on the fingers starting with the right finger and ending with the left forefinger. One should place the remaining syllables on the first and last joints of the right and left thumbs.
Personal Guidance
Chant the twelve-syllable mantra (oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya), placing each syllable on the fingers beginning with the index. The body becomes the keyboard on which the name is played.
Reflection Questions
- Do I treat my fingers as ornaments or as instruments of mantra?
- What would change in my day if my hands carried the name?
My note
Source: vedabase.io