Verse 2.81

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

ओङ्कारपूर्विकास्तिस्रो महाव्याहृतयोऽव्ययाः ।
त्रिपदा चैव सावित्री विज्ञेयं ब्रह्मणो मुखम् ॥ ८१ ॥

oṅkārapūrvikāstisro mahāvyāhṛtayo'vyayāḥ |
tripadā caiva sāvitrī vijñeyaṃ brahmaṇo mukham || 81 ||

The three imperishable Mahāvyāhṛtis preceded by the syllable ‘oṃ,’ and the three-footed Sāvitrī,—these should be regarded as the ‘Mouth of Brahman.’—(81)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

“Preceded by the syllable Oṃ”—in the beginning of which the syllable ‘Oṃ’ occurs.—‘Mahāvyāhṛtis’;—this refers to the three syllables ‘bhūḥ—bhuvaḥ—svaḥ,’ which form the subject-matter of the present context.

‘Imperishable’;—the syllables are so called in view of the fact that the results proceeding from their repetition are longstanding. If this were not meant, then the qualification would be superfluous, as all words are equally imperishable, eternal.

Three-footed Sāvitrī;—the verse ‘tat savituḥ, etc.’

‘The mouth of Brahman.’—These are called ‘mouth’ in the sense that they form its opening. Hence this verse is to be regarded as the valedictory supplement of the Injunction that these should be recited at the beginning of Vedic Study.

Or ‘mouth’ may mean portal, the means;—the sense being that union with Brahman is reached by this means. This is what is described in the next verse.—(81)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Brahmaṇo mukham—“Literally, the mouth of Brahman is meant to convey the double sense (of leading to, and leading to union with, Brahman). Both interpretations are given by Medhātithi, Kullūka. and Rāghavānanda; while Govindarāja, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana explain it merely as the beginning or portal of the Veda.”—Buhler.

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 71) as defining the ‘Brahmamukha’, which has been declared by Nārāyaṇa to be the formula for the Ācamana;—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 522), as laying down the beginning of study;—in the same work again (Āhnika, p. 253), where it is explained as meaning that the name ‘sandhyā’ (Twilight Prayers) is applied to all those acts that are performed with the formula herein specified;—also on p. 321, along with the next three verses.

This first line of this verse is quoted in Aparārka, (p. 1290).

The verse is quoted in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 50), which explains ‘tisraḥ’ as ‘Bhūḥ-bhuvaḥ-svaḥ’ and ‘brahmaṇo mukham’ as ‘to be pronounced at the beginning of Vedic reading—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 135), which notes—‘om bhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ’ are the three Vyāhṛtis,—tatsavituḥ &c., is the Sāvitrī; all this forms the ‘mukha’, i.e. beginning, of ‘Brahman’, i.e. the Veda.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 81-82)

Āpastamba (Parāśaramādhava, p. 284).—‘Seated upon kuśa, holding kuśa and water in his hand, facing the East, one shall repeat the Gāyatrī a thousand times, or a hundred times, or without any limit.’

Yogi- Yājñavalkya (Do., 283).—‘The Religious Student and the Agnihotrin should repeat the Gāyatrī 108 times: the Hermit and the Renunciate, more than 1,000 times,

Yama (Parāśaramādhava, p. 286).—‘There is nothing superior to the Gāyatrī for purposes of Japa; there is no penance higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no meditation higher than the Gāyatrī; there is no Homa higher than the Viṣṇusmṛti, 55. 15-16—[reproduces the words of Manu].

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 429).—‘He who acquires the three Vyāhṛtis preceded by the syllable om, and the Sāvitrī, Brahmacharya and is called Śrotriya.’

Laugākṣi (Do.).—‘Having pronounced om bhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ, he pronounces the Sāvitrī verse beginning with Tat savituḥ.’

‘Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra, 2. 4. 21.—‘The Brāhmaṇa who daily, at all junctures, meditates upon this, becomes purified to Brahmaṇa and merged in Brāhmaṇ; following the scriptures, he wins the Brahmic regions.’

Vyāsa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 285).—‘By repeating the Gāyatrī ten times one becomes absolved from all little sins committed during the day; repeated a hundred times, she destroys a host of sins; repeated a thousand times, she destroys all minor sins; by repeating it a lakh of times, all the most heinous sins are destroyed; by repeating it a crore of times, one obtains all that is desired.’

Saṃvarta (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 522).—‘One should utter the Praṇava first: after that, the Vyāhṛtis; and then the Sāvitrī.’

Yogi-Yāmavalkya (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 258).—‘Gāvatrī is Brahmā and Sāvitrī is Rudra.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 321, also Parāśaramadhava, p. 284).—‘One should daily repeat the Gāyatrī, which is destructive of all sins, a thousand times, or a hundred times, or at least ten times; the Lord put the Gāyatrī in one pan and the Vedas along with the subsidiary sciences in the other pan of the scale; and the two were found equal.’

Aṅgiras (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 322)—‘One who is intent upon the Praṇava, the seven Vyāhṛtis, and the three-footed Gāyatrī has no fear anywhere.’

Hārīta (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 323).—‘The Praṇava, the Vyāhṛtis the Sāvitrī verse,—these constitute the Sāvitra, whereby one becomes absolved from sins; by hundred repetitions, from sins of thought; by thousand repetitions, from sins of word; and by ten thousand repetitions, from all sins, and has his soul perfectly pure.’