SB 12.6.42 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.6.42

तस्य ह्यासंस्त्रयो वर्णा अकाराद्या भृगूद्वह । धार्यन्ते यैस्त्रयो भावा गुणनामार्थवृत्तय: ॥ ४२ ॥

tasya hy āsaṁs trayo varṇā

[tasya hy aasams trayo varnaa]

a-kārādyā bhṛgūdvaha

[a-kaaraadyaa bhrigoodvaha]

dhāryante yais trayo bhāvā

[dhaaryante yais trayo bhaavaa]

guṇa-nāmārtha-vṛttayaḥ

[guna-naamaartha-vrittayah]

Word-for-word

tasya — of that oṁkāra hi — indeed āsan — came into being trayaḥ — three varṇāḥ — sounds of the alphabet a-kāra-ādyāḥ — beginning with the letter a bhṛgu-udvaha — O most eminent of the descendants of Bhṛgu dhāryante — are sustained yaiḥ — by which three sounds trayaḥ — the threefold bhāvāḥ — states of existence guṇa — the qualities of nature nāma — names artha — goals vṛttayaḥ — and states of consciousness.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

tasya hy āsaṁs trayo varṇā

tasya

of that oṁkāra

indeed

āsan

came into being

trayaḥ

three

varṇāḥ

sounds of the alphabet

a-kāra-ādyāḥ

beginning with the letter a

a-kārādyā bhṛgūdvaha

bhṛgu-udvaha

O most eminent of the descendants of Bhṛgu

dhāryante yais trayo bhāvā

dhāryante

are sustained

yaiḥ

by which three sounds

trayaḥ

the threefold

bhāvāḥ

states of existence

guṇa-nāmārtha-vṛttayaḥ

guṇa

the qualities of nature

nāma

names

artha

goals

vṛttayaḥ

and states of consciousness.

Oṁkāra exhibited the three original sounds of the alphabet — A, U and M. These three, O most eminent descendant of Bhṛgu, sustain all the different threefold aspects of material existence, including the three modes of nature, the names of the Ṛg, Yajur and Sāma Vedas, the goals known as the Bhūr, Bhuvar and Svar planetary systems, and the three functional platforms called waking consciousness, sleep and deep sleep.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

O eminent descendant of Bhṛgu! Oṁ has the three syllables by which the three Vedas are sustained. The three Vedas sustain the qualities, words, gender and meaning of words. This verse shows how oṁ is the cause. Oṁ has three syllables a, u and m by which the three Vedas are sustained. By the three Vedas, qualities, names, gender and meaning are manifested. Guṇa refers things like the power or clarity of sound. Nāma refers to words. Artha refers to indications of gender of words. Vṛtti refers to the meaning of words. Oṁ is like a seed. The banyan tree comes from the seed, and the trunk, branches, flowers and fruit come from the banyan tree.

Personal Guidance

Oṁkara contains A, U and M — the three sounds sustaining all things that have a name. The simplest sounds organize the greatest realities. Spiritual life often hides in the smallest, most repeatable units.

Reflection Questions

Which 'small unit' of practice am I overlooking as too simple to matter?
What might happen if I gave it my fullest attention this week?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io