Universal
Samudra Vasane — greeting the Earth
समुद्रवसने देवि पर्वतस्तनमण्डले । विष्णुपत्नि नमस्तुभ्यं पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्व मे ॥
Samudra-vasane devi parvata-stana-maṇḍale, viṣṇu-patni namas tubhyaṁ pāda-sparśaṁ kṣamasva me
Simple reading: Sa-mud-ra va-sa-ne de-vi, par-va-ta sta-na man-da-le, vish-nu pat-ni na-mas tubh-yam, paa-da spar-sham ksha-mas-va me
About this mantra
Said before the feet first touch the ground each morning — asking Mother Earth, robed in oceans, to forgive the touch of our feet.
Meaning
O Goddess robed in oceans, whose form bears the mountains, consort of Vishnu — salutations to you; forgive the touch of my feet. It is the tradition's ecology in a single gesture: the planet addressed as a person — robed, living — on whose body we cannot avoid standing. The apology is not guilt but manners: the day begins by acknowledging whose hospitality it uses.
When to recite it
Immediately after the palm verse, as the feet first touch the ground — morning's second habit; also before ploughing, digging, or building upon the earth.
Word by word
- समुद्रवसने देविsamudra-vasane devi
- O Goddess robed in oceans
- पर्वतस्तनमण्डलेparvata-stana-maṇḍale
- whose form bears the mountains
- विष्णुपत्निviṣṇu-patni
- consort of Vishnu
- पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्व मेpāda-sparśaṁ kṣamasva me
- forgive the touch of my feet
Source: Traditional prātaḥ-smaraṇa verse