The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara interprets Savitṛ as the guide who unites one with the highest Self. With his assent and a composed mind, the practitioner is to undertake the meditation that leads to 'heaven'. Here this heaven means the highest Self as the origin and fulfilment of all happiness.
Śaṅkarānanda has the seers of the mantras vow to employ the mind empowered by Savitṛ for liberation. For him, 'heaven' is not merely a world beyond, but the end of ignorance. The power of the self-luminous creator of the world enables the mind to attain this goal.
Nārāyaṇa initially reads the verse ritually: Savitṛ gives the body and strength for actions that lead to heaven and, through purification of the mind, to liberation. In his second, yogic reading, Savitṛ's empowerment admits the practitioner to the yoga sacrifice and directs them onto the path of light towards highest realisation.
Vijñānabhagavat makes Savitṛ's assent a condition of one-pointedness. Śama, Dama and the other prerequisites arise from divine grace; with the power likewise bestowed, the seeker practises hearing and the other means of knowledge through which the boundless bliss denoted by 'heaven' is revealed.
śakti*yā conj. ed. ] śaktyā LV1958
Or
We have been created by the Self-Luminous Creator, so that, with our mind controlled and (equipped with) power, (we may reach) Heaven.
<1: The second verse is from Taitt. Samh. IV, 1, 1, 1, 3; Vāg. Samh. XI, 2. The Vāgasaneyi-text has svargyāya for svargeyāya, and saktyā for saktyai. Saṅkara explains: “With a mind that has been joined by Savitri to the Highest Self, we, with the sanction of that Savitri, devote ourselves to the work of meditation, which leads to the obtainment of Svarga, according to our power.” He explains Svarga by Paramātman. Sāyana in his commentary on the Taittirīya-samhitā explains svargeyāya by svargaloke gīyamānasyāgneh sampādanāya; Saṅkara, by svargaprāptihetubhūtāya dhyānakarmane. Saktyai is explained by Saṅkara by yathāsāmarthyam; by Sāyana, by saktā bhūyāsma. Mahīdhara explains saktyā by svasāmarthyena. I believe that the original reading was svargyāya saktyai, and that we must take saktyai as an infinitive, like ityai, construed with a dative, like drisaye sūryāya, for the seeing of the sun. The two attracted datives would be governed by save, “we are under the command of Savitri,” svargyāya saktyai, “that we may obtain svargya, life in Svarga or blessedness.”>
The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara calls the mind and senses 'gods'. Savitṛ is to turn them away from their objects and lead them inwards, so that they reveal not sense objects but the great light of perfect Brahman. Knowledge thus appears as a reversal of the entire direction of perception.
Śaṅkarānanda understands the 'gods' as the senses, which ordinarily strive for enjoyment and cause objects to appear. When, however, all appearances are recognised as the effect of Savitṛ, this outward movement loses its independent basis. The senses are no longer produced and ruled by objects, but are gathered into their source.
In the ritual interpretation, Nārāyaṇa explains that the mind directs the vital forces towards the sacrifice that strengthens the sun as the great light. Yogically, Savitṛ leads the purified senses and the buddhi along the path of light: they are to reveal the light of the Self and bring the practitioner through Brahmaloka to knowledge of the Self.
Vijñānabhagavat reads the 'gods' as Indra and the other powers of cognition. In the one-pointed, inwardly directed mind, they reveal the non-dual light of consciousness through the insight 'I am Brahman'. Even the gods, he says, attained this perfection only through the grace of the highest Lord.
Or
Having employed, with (a controlled) mind, the Gods, Indra, &c., who go to Brahm, the abode of bliss, and who manifest, by their insight or wisdom, the Light (of) the Self-Luminous Brahm, the Creator commands those gods.
<1: The third verse is from Taitt. Samh. IV, 1, 1, 1, 2; Vāg. Samh. XI, 3. The Taittirīyas read yuktvāya manasā; the Vāgasaneyins, yuktvāya savitā. Saṅkara translates: “Again he prays that Savitri, having directed the devas, i.e. the senses, which are moving towards Brahman, and which by knowledge are going to brighten up the heavenly light of Brahman, may order them to do so; that is, he prays that, by the favour of Savitri, our senses should be turned away from outward things to Brahman or the Self.” Taking the hymn as addressed to Savitri, I have translated deva by gods, not by senses, suvaryatah by rising to the sky, namely, in the morning. The opposition between manasā and dhiyā is the same here as in verse 1, and again in verse 4.>
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