Manava Dharmashastra 2.77

2.77

atha "tatsaviturvareṇyam" ityetasyāḥ gāyatryā utpattyarthavādo vidhānārthaḥ | pūrvaśloke cāryavādādeva vyāhṛtīnāmapi vidhānam | kramastu pāṭhāvagamyaḥ | vakṣyati ca---"etadakṣarametāṃ ca japanvyāhṛtipūrvikām" iti | adūduhaduddhṛtavāniti | yadyapi tadityetatpratīkena 'tatsaviturvṛṇīmaha' iti vā śakyate lakṣayitum | na tu sā tripadeti | tripadā ca grāhyā | tripadā caiva sāvitrīti | kaśyapādayo'pi prajāpatayaḥ santyato viśinaṣṭi parameṣṭhīti hiraṇyagarbhaḥ | sa hi parame sthāne'nāvṛttilakṣaṇe sthitaḥ | ādarātiśayārthaṃ caitatsābitryāḥ | sākṣātkileyaṃ sarvamukhyena prajāpatinā vedebhyaḥ samuddhṛteti |

Out of the three Vedas again, the Supreme Prajāpati milked each foot of the Sāvitrī verse beginning with ‘tat.’—(77)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The present verse is a valedictory description of the origin of the Gāyatrī -verse beginning with the words ‘tat savitur vareṇyam,’ which serves the purpose of introducing the coming injunction. As for the injunction of the Vyāhṛtis, this is to be deduced from the valedictory description contained in the preceding verse. As for the actual order in which the several syllables have to be pronounced, that is ascertained from the order in which they are found mentioned in tho text. The author is also going to lay down in the next verse—‘They should pronounce this syllable (om), and this verse (‘tat savitur, etc.’), preceded by the Vyāhṛtis.’

‘Milked’—churned out.

“Beginning with ‘tat’;”—though this being all that the text says, it might refer to an altogether different verse—‘tat savitur vṛṇimahe, etc.’ (Ṛgveda, 5. 82. 1), which is not three-footed,—yet it is the three-footed verse that should he taken as referred to here; and it is the ‘Sāvitrī’ verse that is three-footed.

In as much as Kaśyapa and other sagos are also called ‘Prajāpati,’ the text has added the qualification ‘Supreme’; so that it is Hiraṇyagarbha that becomes specified; as it is He who dwells on, the highest spot, from where there is no reversion (to worldliness).

This has been added with a view to show the extreme importance of the Sāvitrī verse;—it was churned by the highest of all Prajāpatis, out of the Vedas.—(77)

Hopkins—“This verse is one of the most famous in literature, Whitney has discussed it in Vol. I., pp. 111-112 of the new edition of Colebrook’s Essays. His translation runs as follows—‘Of Savitar, the heavenly, that longed-for glory may we win, and may himself inspire our prayers.’

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Prāyaścitta, p. 52), as supporting the view that the gāyatrīmantra, is ‘born of the Veda’ par excellence-,—also in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 338).

Comparative notes by various authors
Viṣṇu-Smṛti, 50.11.—[Reproduces the words of Manu.]

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra, 1. 1. 1-10.—‘By all the Vedas, is the Sāvitrī expounded,—so says the Brāhmaṇa-text.’