अर्धमात्रास्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः। त्वमेव सन्ध्या सावित्री त्वं देवि जननी परा ॥ ३ ॥
ardhamātrāsthitā nityā yānuccāryā viśēṣataḥ | tvamēva sandhyā sāvitrī tvaṁ dēvi jananī parā || 3 ||
Translation
You are the eternal half-measure beyond them, which cannot be uttered distinctly. You alone are Sandhyā and Sāvitrī; O Goddess, you are the supreme mother.
Word by word
- ardhamātrāsthitā
- abiding as the half-measure
- nityā
- eternal
- yā
- which
- anuccāryā
- not to be uttered
- viśēṣataḥ
- distinctly, in particular
- tvam ēva
- you alone
- sandhyā
- Sandhyā, the twilight prayer
- sāvitrī
- Sāvitrī, the Gāyatrī mantra
- dēvi
- O Goddess
- jananī
- mother
- parā
- supreme
Meaning
After the three sounds of Om comes the half-measure: the silence in which the syllable fades, beyond waking, dream and sleep. It cannot be spoken, only reached. The Goddess is that silence, and she is also the twilight prayer (Sandhyā) and the Gāyatrī mantra (Sāvitrī) recited at it.