इळा सरस्वती मही तिस्रो देवीर्मयोभुवः ।
बर्हिः सीदन्त्वस्रिधः ॥ ९ ॥

Ila Sarasvati Mahi Tisro Devir Mayobhuvah
Barhih Sidantv Asridah ॥ 9 ॥

Meaning

इळा (Ila): Ila Devi; sweet speech; speech that gives welfare. According to the interpretation of the mantra, “Ila” is not understood merely as the name of a deity. The sweet speech that arises as a result of Prana practice, speech that is pleasant and beneficial, is described as “Ila”. When a person’s speech becomes free from harshness, anger and bitterness and becomes filled with love and balance, it is regarded as the grace of Ila. Pleasant speech improves social relationships and reduces suffering and conflicts among people.

सरस्वती (Sarasvati): Sarasvati; knowledge; philosophical knowledge; the power of flowing knowledge. “Sarasvati” here does not refer only to the goddess of learning. The intense intellect and philosophical wisdom obtained through Prana practice are explained as Sarasvati. When the mind becomes clear, the intellect becomes sharp and the ability to understand the true nature of things develops, this is regarded as the grace of Sarasvati. This knowledge enables a person to see nature and the world with proper understanding and gives the wisdom to use them for the welfare of all.

मही (Mahi): Mahi; greatness; worship of the Divine; devotion to the Supreme Being. The root “Mah” indicates worship and greatness. Here “Mahi” refers to the attitude of devotion that unites one with the Divine. In the Vedas it is also associated with the name “Bharati”. “Bharati” carries the sense of supporting and nourishing. Therefore, true worship of the Divine is not confined to temple rituals; it also means living for the welfare of the world and caring for and nurturing others. Such worship directed towards universal welfare is “Mahi”.

तिस्रः (Tisrah): Three. This word refers to three divine forces: Ila (sweet speech), Sarasvati (knowledge), and Mahi (devotion to the Divine). They are the three fundamental spiritual qualities necessary for the complete development of a human being.

देवीः (Devih): Divine powers; luminous forms of grace. “Devi” here does not refer only to deities having particular forms. It refers to the divine inner qualities that elevate human life. Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi are regarded as divine powers that blossom as light within the human being.

मयोभुवः (Mayobhuvah): Those that give happiness and welfare; those that create well being. “Mayas” refers to happiness, welfare and comfort, while “Bhuvah” means those that create or bring forth. These three divine qualities work for the complete welfare of human life.

Ila removes social suffering.
Sarasvati gives knowledge and right understanding.
Mahi makes a person endowed with immeasurable strength and nearness to the Divine.

Therefore, they are “Mayobhuvah”, the sources of welfare.

बर्हिः (Barhih): Seat; pure heart; the inner being where the Divine sits. In Vedic Yajnas, “Barhih” is the sacred seat prepared for the Devas. Here it refers to the human heart. A heart purified from impurity, evil thoughts and ego is the place where Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi can dwell.

सीदन्तु (Sidantu): May they sit; may they dwell; may they become firmly established. The mantra prays that these three divine forces should not remain temporarily, but should become permanently established in our heart. Sweet speech, knowledge and devotion to the Divine should not remain as thoughts that are soon forgotten; they should become permanent foundations of life.

अस्रिधः (Asridah): Undecaying; free from exhaustion and depletion; those that protect from destruction. “Asridah” indicates the quality of protecting from decay, weariness and inner dryness. The divine qualities of Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi protect a person from discouragement, moral decline and spiritual deterioration. One who follows and cultivates these qualities is protected from inner destruction.

Explanation:

This mantra is a profound Vedic prayer expressing the inner spiritual development of human life. Although it is expressed in the language of an external Yajna ritual, its inner purpose is to transform the human heart into a pure seat where divine qualities can dwell. The three Devis, “इळा सरस्वती मही (Ila Sarasvati Mahi)”, are explained here not merely as separate divine forms, but as three fundamental divine powers that elevate human life.

The first, Ila, represents pleasant and beneficial speech. The Vedic teaching explains that human speech is transformed through the practice of Prana. Anger, harshness, bitterness and words that hurt others decrease, and sweet speech filled with love and balance develops. Such pleasant speech is called “Ila”. Many of the sufferings and conflicts in human relationships arise from harsh words. Therefore, the grace of Ila becomes a force that promotes social harmony and peace of mind.

The second, Sarasvati, goes beyond the external meaning of the goddess of learning and refers to the intense intellect, knowledge and philosophical vision that arise through Prana practice. When the mind becomes clear and the ability to perceive truth develops, a person sees the world with a new understanding. One perceives not merely the external form of things but also their inner truth. This knowledge provides the wisdom to use nature and the resources of the world for beneficial purposes. Therefore, Sarasvati is presented in this mantra as the power of flowing knowledge and as the divine wisdom that illuminates the inner being.

The third, Mahi, is a word carrying the ideas of greatness, worship and devotion. In the Vedas it is also associated with the name “Bharati”. “Bharati” carries the meaning of supporting and nourishing. Therefore, Mahi is not confined to worship in a temple or through ritual alone. It also means living for the welfare of the world, caring for and protecting others, and conducting life with an attitude of devotion that connects it with the Divine. True devotion does not end with individual liberation; it should manifest as welfare for the world. This is what Mahi conveys.

These three powers together are called “तिस्रः देवीः (Tisrah Devih)”, the three divine forms of grace. They represent three dimensions necessary for the complete development of a human being: sweet speech, knowledge and devotion to the Divine. They are not merely ethical qualities; they are called “Devis” because they are divine powers that illuminate the human heart.

The mantra praises them as “मयोभुवः (Mayobhuvah)”. “Mayas” means happiness, welfare and well being, while “Bhuvah” means those that create or bring forth. Therefore, these three powers create welfare and happiness in human life. Ila reduces social suffering and divisions of the mind; Sarasvati gives knowledge and right understanding; Mahi gives a person nearness to the Divine and broad compassion. When these three become integrated, human life becomes prosperous both inwardly and outwardly.

The word “बर्हिः (Barhih)” in the mantra refers to the sacred seat upon which the Devas sit in Vedic Yajnas. But its inner meaning is the human heart. A heart purified from ego, evil thoughts, jealousy and selfishness is the seat where divine qualities can dwell. The mantra teaches that purifying the inner being is more important than merely preparing an external seat; this inner purification itself is the true Yajna.

The following word “सीदन्तु (Sidantu)” expresses the prayer, “May they sit” and “May they become firmly established”. Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi should not remain merely as momentary spiritual experiences; they should become permanent foundations of our life. Sweet speech should not appear only occasionally, knowledge should not remain merely as intellectual ability at certain moments, and devotion to the Divine should not be limited to ritual occasions. These qualities should become firmly rooted as permanent characteristics of life.

Finally, “अस्रिधः (Asridah)” expresses the quality of being undecaying, free from deterioration and protective against inner dryness. Discouragement, moral decline and spiritual dryness can often attack a human being from within. But when the divine powers of Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi become firmly established in the heart, they protect the person from inner destruction and enable him to live with spiritual strength and vitality.

Therefore, the overall meaning of this mantra should not be understood merely as a Yajna prayer invoking external deities. It is also a spiritual prayer for establishing divine life within the human being. Its essence is: “May Ila, the sweet and beneficial speech; Sarasvati, knowledge; and Mahi, devotion to the Divine, the three divine powers that bestow welfare, become firmly seated in my pure heart without decay or exhaustion, and make my life filled with happiness and divine light.”

Conclusion:

This mantra serves as a comprehensive guide to the spiritual, ethical and inner development of human life. The three Devis mentioned here, Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi, are not understood merely as external divine forms; they are explained as divine qualities that should blossom within the human being. Ila develops sweet and beneficial speech, creating social harmony and peace of mind; Sarasvati gives knowledge, clarity and philosophical vision, developing the ability to understand truth; Mahi establishes devotion to the Divine, concern for universal welfare and a nourishing purpose in life. Together, these three divine powers are praised as “Mayobhuvah”, those that bring happiness, welfare and well being to human life.

The mantra regards the human heart itself as the sacred seat called “बर्हिः (Barhih)”, and prays that these divine qualities should “सीदन्तु (Sidantu)”, become firmly established within a heart purified from ego and impurities. The purpose is that they should not remain temporary experiences, but should become permanent foundations of life. The word “अस्रिधः (Asridah)” further conveys that these qualities protect a person from discouragement, moral decline and spiritual dryness, giving inner strength and freedom from spiritual deterioration.

Therefore, this mantra is a profound Vedic prayer that sweet speech, knowledge and nearness to the Divine, the three divine powers, may become firmly established in the pure heart and transform human life into a divine life filled with welfare and happiness.