Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.45
तस्योष्णिगासील्लोमभ्यो गायत्री च त्वचो विभो: ।
त्रिष्टुम्मांसात्स्नुतोऽनुष्टुब्जगत्यस्थ्न: प्रजापते: ॥ ४५ ॥
tasyoṣṇig āsīl lomabhyo
[tasyoshnig aaseel lomabhyo]
gāyatrī ca tvaco vibhoḥ
[gaayatree cha tvacho vibhoh]
triṣṭum māṁsāt snuto ’nuṣṭub
[trishtum maamsaat snuto ’nushtub]
jagaty asthnaḥ prajāpateḥ
[jagaty asthnah prajaapateh]
Word-for-word
tasya
—
his
uṣṇik
—
one of the Vedic meters
āsīt
—
generated
lomabhyaḥ
—
from the hairs on the body
gāyatrī
—
the principal Vedic hymn
ca
—
also
tvacaḥ
—
from the skin
vibhoḥ
—
of the Lord
triṣṭup
—
a particular type of poetic meter
māṁsāt
—
from the flesh
snutaḥ
—
from the sinews
anuṣṭup
—
another type of poetic meter
jagatī
—
another type of poetic meter
asthnaḥ
—
from the bones
prajāpateḥ
—
of the father of the living entities.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasyoṣṇig āsīl lomabhyo
tasya
his
gāyatrī ca tvaco vibhoḥ
triṣṭum māṁsāt snuto ’nuṣṭub
uṣṇik
one of the Vedic meters
jagaty asthnaḥ prajāpateḥ
āsīt
generated
lomabhyaḥ
from the hairs on the body
gāyatrī
the principal Vedic hymn
ca
also
tvacaḥ
from the skin
vibhoḥ
of the Lord
triṣṭup
a particular type of poetic meter
māṁsāt
from the flesh
snutaḥ
from the sinews
anuṣṭup
another type of poetic meter
jagatī
another type of poetic meter
asthnaḥ
from the bones
prajāpateḥ
of the father of the living entities.
Thereafter the art of literary expression, uṣṇik, was generated from the hairs on the body of the almighty Prajāpati. The principal Vedic hymn, gāyatrī, was generated from the skin, triṣṭup from the flesh, anuṣṭup from the veins, and jagatī from the bones of the lord of the living entities.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Uṣṇik (28 syllables) arose from Brahmā’s body hairs. Gāyatrī (24 syllables) arose from his skin. Triṣṭup (44 syllables) arose from his muscles. Anuṣṭup (32 syllables) arose from his veins. Jagatī (48 syllables) arose from Brahmā’s bones.
This verse describes the origin of the Vedic meters. Snutaḥ means the veins which spread out all over the body. Śruti says anuṣṭup snāvān: the anuṣṭup meter arose from the veins.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Uṣṇik came from Brahmā's body hair, gāyatrī from his skin, triṣṭup from flesh, anuṣṭup from veins, jagatī from bones. Every layer of his body gave birth to a meter. Even the densest parts of us can give rise to song.
Reflection Questions
- Which 'layer' of me — body, breath, mind — is asking to give birth to a kind of song?
- How might creative expression emerge from parts of myself I've considered merely physical?
My note
Source: vedabase.io