Shloka 37

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

त्रयः कालास्तथावस्थाः पितरोऽहर्निशादयः ।

एतन्मात्रात्रयं देवि ! तव रूपं सरस्वति ॥

Transliteration

trayaḥ kālās tathāvasthāḥ pitaro 'har-niśādayaḥ | etan mātrā-trayaṃ devi, tava rūpaṃ sarasvatī ||

Translation

時は三つ、また状態も三つであり、祖霊（Pitṛs）や昼夜などもそのうちに包摂される。まさにこの三つのマートラー（mātrā）こそ、女神よ—サラスヴァティー（Sarasvatī）としてのあなたの御姿である。

Word by Word

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• कालाः: times; periods
• कालाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/तुल्यतासूचक (adverb: likewise/also)

• अवस्थाः: states; conditions
• अवस्थाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पितरः: the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; पितृ-शब्द (ṛ-stem)

• अहर्निशादयः: day-and-night and the like
• अहर्निशादयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहर्निशा-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—अहः+निशा (द्वन्द्व-समाहार/युग्म) + आदयः (आदि-शब्देन ‘and the rest’); समस्तपदं ‘अहर्निशा’ इत्यादि-समूहः

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• मात्रात्रयम्: the triad of measures (mātrās)
• मात्रात्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (numerical compound): ‘three मात्रās’

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (2nd person)

• रूपम्: form; nature
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• सरस्वति: O Sarasvatī
• सरस्वति: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (नाम)

Speakers

• Hymn addressed to Devi

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Devi (Mahadevi)
• Sarasvatī

Shakti Aspects

• Sarasvatī aspect (speech/knowledge) identified with Praṇava’s mātrās

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Mantra (AUM)
• Time theory
• States of consciousness
• Pitṛ-related cosmology
• Sarasvatī/Vāk

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Knowledge (Sarasvatī) is not separate from ultimate reality: the same Om-structure that orders time and experience is the Goddess as speech and wisdom. Practically, it elevates study, recitation, and mindful speech into worship.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily 'Dharma' (through Vedic recitation/knowledge) and 'Sarga' (ordering of time and experiential states), framed as Devi-theology.

What is the esoteric significance?

By linking mātrātraya with avasthās (states), the verse hints at Upaniṣadic/Tantric contemplations of A-U-M across waking/dream/sleep, culminating in the Goddess as the fourth (implicit) transcendence.