The Pratilomagāyatrī:

Gāyatrīmantra Chanted in Reverse Order and Koṭihoma

Abstract

The hymn known as sāvitrī or gāyatrī (RV 3.62.10) is the most sacred and popular mantra from the Vedas. The mantra is also considered a kind of white magical spell for good luck or removal of all sin and impurity. However, in the Atharvavedapariśiṣṭa (AVP) chap. 31 “anulomakalpa” and chap. 34 “koṭihoma” (a tranquil rite), there is a topic concerning “pratilomagāyatrī” (PG) chanted in reverse order and used to kill enemies as black magic.

Correlating AVP and the description of PG in the R̥gvidhāna (Rgvidh), PG’s curse effect in Rgvidh is harsher than in AVP, and AVP teaches us rules of chanting and rites specifically.

While the Agnipurāṇa and the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa (VDUP) have a chapter titled “R̥gvidhāna,” there is no adoption in regards to the topic about PG. In VDUP 1.165 there is a description for the reverse gāyatrī against enemies.

In Tantric literature, the Vīṇāśikhatantra, a reverse mantra other than the gāyatrī is described. In a tale from the Kathāsaritsāgara, we can find evidence of a supernatural force (divyavidyā) named pratiloma-anuloma chanting, but which spells those entail is not clear.

PG could be used temporarily and koṭihoma also might have been replaced by the “grahayajña” (a rite for planets), as a tranquil rite, with the rise of astrology. However, the reverse chanting method was likely considered to having the effect of magic.