Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 61

Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice and the Manifestation of Sarasvatī

with Tīrtha-Merit Teachings

Devanagari script

गायत्री दुर्गतरणी वाणी सप्तविधा तथा । अक्षराणि च सर्वाणि नक्षत्राणि तथैव च

Transliteration

gāyatrī durgataraṇī vāṇī saptavidhā tathā | akṣarāṇi ca sarvāṇi nakṣatrāṇi tathaiva ca

Translation

Si Gāyatrī, ang tumatawid sa mga kahirapan; ang Vāṇī, ang Pananalita sa pitong anyo; ang lahat ng mga titik; at gayundin ang lahat ng mga nakṣatra, ang mga konstelasyong pangbuwan.

Word by Word

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुर्गतरणी: hard to cross / ferrying across difficulties
• दुर्गतरणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग + तरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दुर्गं तरति इति/दुर्गस्य तरणी = difficult-to-cross/crossing the difficult)

• वाणी: speech
• वाणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सप्तविधा: sevenfold
• सप्तविधा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (सप्त विधाः यस्याः/या = sevenfold)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adv)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/so)

• अक्षराणि: syllables/letters
• अक्षराणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• नक्षत्राणि: constellations
• नक्षत्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adv)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/so)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: तथैव = तथा + एव.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Vāṇī (Sarasvatī)

FAQs

What does this verse say about Gāyatrī in the Padma Purāṇa?

It characterizes Gāyatrī as “durgataraṇī,” the power or deity/mantra that helps one cross over adversity, placing her among foundational cosmic and linguistic principles.

What is meant by “sevenfold speech” (vāṇī saptavidhā) here?

It refers to speech conceived in seven modes or divisions; in Purāṇic/Vedic thought, speech is not only human language but a structured cosmic principle with layered forms.

Why are letters (akṣaras) and nakṣatras mentioned together?

The pairing links linguistic order (letters/syllables as building blocks of mantra and knowledge) with cosmic order (nakṣatras as celestial divisions), suggesting a universe structured through both sound and astronomy.