Shloka 69

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

त्रिपदां वाथ सावित्रीं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् / आवर्तयेद् वा प्रणवं देवं वा संस्मरेद्धरिम्

Transliteration

tripadāṃ vātha sāvitrīṃ tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam / āvartayed vā praṇavaṃ devaṃ vā saṃsmareddharim

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ത്രിപദ സാവിത്രി (ഗായത്രി)— ‘തദ്വിഷ്ണോഃ പരമം പദം’— പാരായണം ചെയ്യണം. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പ്രണവം (ഓം) ആവർത്തിക്കണം, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ദേവനായ ഹരിയെ സ്മരിച്ചു ധ്യാനിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• त्रिपदाम्: the three-pada (Gāyatrī)
• त्रिपदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) → त्रिपदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; ‘three-footed (Gāyatrī)’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावक-अव्यय (then/now)

• सावित्रीम्: Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as deictic with padam (tad…padam)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् पदम्

• पदम्: the (supreme) abode/step
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; ‘place/step/word’

• आवर्तयेत्: should repeat
• आवर्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should repeat/recite’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; ‘Oṃ’

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; object of remembrance

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• संस्मरेत्: should remember
• संस्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should remember’

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; apposition to देवम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the seeker (as part of the Purana’s sadhana discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Savitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Viṣṇu (Hari)
• Praṇava (Oṁ)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It points to the Supreme as realizable through inner recollection: the ‘supreme padam of Viṣṇu’ is approached by mantra-recitation and sustained remembrance, implying that the highest reality is accessed by inwardly stabilized consciousness rather than external ritual alone.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-yoga through japa of the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) or Praṇava (Oṁ), together with dhyāna/smṛti—continuous contemplation and remembrance of Hari—as a direct sādhanā for mental purification and one-pointedness.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Though naming Hari/Viṣṇu, the verse models a Purāṇic synthesis: the highest goal is reached by yogic means (japa–dhyāna) shared across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions, presenting the Supreme as approachable through universally recognized mantras and contemplative discipline.