Padhyamala Shloka – 15, 16, and 17

Ringing the Bell – Gantavadana

ಆಗಮಾರ್ಥಂ ತು ದೆವನಾಂ ಗಮನಾರ್ಥಂ ತು ರಕ್ಷಸಾಮ್
ಕುರುಘಂಟಾರವಂ ತತ್ರ ದೇವತಾಹ್ವಾನಲಾಂಛನಮ್ – 15

ಅಙ್ಜ್ಞಾನಾಙ್ಜ್ಞಾತೋವಾಽಪಿ ಕಾಂಸ್ಯಘಂಟಾಂ ನ ವಾದಯೇತ್
ರಾಕ್ಷಸಾನಾಂ ಪಿಶಾಚಾನಾಂ ತದ್ಧೇಶೇ ವಸತಿರ್ಭವೇತ್ – 16

ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಸರ್ವಪ್ರಯತ್ನೇನ ಘಂಟಾಮಾವಾದಯೇತ್ ತತಃ – 17

AgamArthaM tu devanAM gamanArthaM tu rakShasAm
kuruGaMTAravaM tatra dEvatAhvAnalAMChanam

a~gj~jAnA~gj~jAtOvA&pi kAMsyaGaMTAM na vAdayEt
rAkShasAnAM piSAchAnAM taddhESE vasatirBavEt

tasmAt sarvaprayatnEna GaMTAmAvAdayEt tataH||

One should ring the bell to indicate arrival of devatas (demi-gods) and exit of rakshas.

1. One should not ring the bell that is made of Bronze. If one  ring the bell made of bronze then in that location there will be the presence of rakshasas and pisachas.
2. When ringing, one should think of the abhimani devathas of the bell.  The abhimani devathas: for the  Bell’s edge it is brahma, for the stem it is garuda, for the swara it is sesha, and for the nada it is saraswathi.
3. When to ring bell? Ringing the bell is ordained during Abhishek, Dhooparathi, Deeparathi, Naivaidya, Shayanotsaya, Pravachana, and alankara
4. Benefits of ringing the bell: Bell has the power of all vadyas, it is most dearest to Sri Hari. One would earn the punya of performing crores of yagas
5. Doing Pooja without gantavadana  is prohibited.

Ghanta Devatas:

Crown of the bell (GanTa Kirita) – Brahma Devaru

Swara of the bell (GanTa Swara) – Brahma, Sesha, Garuda, and Saraswati

Stem of the bell (GanTa Danda) – Garuda

Face of the bell (GanTa Mukula) – Rudra Devaru

Bell (GanTa) – Brahma Devaru

Sound of the Bell (Ganta Nada) –  Brahma Devaru (prajapati)

Rule or Formula for the bell –  Sesha Devaru (Maha Naga).