Jala

Jala

"water"

It can also mean the tattva of water – jala-tattva. In Hindi, it is pronounced as "jal". It is common to use "gangajal" – water brought from the sacred river Ganga (stored and sold in India in special closed jugs).

Nathas pay great attention to water – it cleanses (both physically and energetically), gives coolness and life, calms the senses. Water is almost always available, so it is actively used in various simple rituals of sadhus, hermits, ascetics. Nathas have various mantras for water, for example, jala-gayatri, alila-gayatri – they are recited on water, which is then used for snana, puja or arati.

Jala-gayatri:

sat namo ādeś | gurujī ko ādeś | oṁ gurujī |
jal manjan jal devatā guru manjan guru jñān | hāth manjan dhartrī alaṣ puruṣ kā dhyān | pānī pānī mahāpānī sotī kāyā amar kar jānī | ure na haṁsa bikhre na kāyā śiva śakti ne dhyān agāyā | oṁ alīl ādi alīl alīl puruṣ kī mātā kvārī pitā yatī nityayogī dhare dhīr nirog ho kāyā vajr ho śarīr | jhare pārā pīve yogī ure kāyā | alakh niranjan terī māyā | jal bimbāya vidmeh nīl puruṣāya dhīmahī tanno alīl pracodayāt |
itanā jal gāyatrī jāp sampūrṇa | śrī nāthajī gurujī ādeś | ādeś |

May the will of the Supreme being be realized! Adesh Guruji! Greetings to Guru! Ablution with water, divine water, is ablution with the knowledge of Guru. To attain immortality, perform dhyana by sprinkling the motionless earth. Water, water, great water is the source (of life) of the body. By directing attention to Shiva-Shakti, Hamsa does not fly away, the body does not decay.
I greet water, the primordial water, the immaculate mother and father of the hermit, the eternal yogi, who has a healthy and perfect body. The yogi's body evaporates like falling mercury, thanks to the adherence to Alakh Niranjan. May I comprehend the Spirit of the Universe by meditating on the reflection in the blue water.
This is the end of jala gayatri. Sri Nathaji Guruji Adesh! Adesh!