Uttishto Uttishta Govinda

This is a verse from the Sri Venkateswara Suprabatham. This shloka is a prayer calling upon Lord Vishnu (Govinda) to rise and bring auspiciousness to the three worlds—heaven, earth, and the underworld. By addressing Vishnu with different epithets such as Govinda, Garuḍadhvaja (bearer of the Garuda emblem), and Kamalākānta (beloved of Lakshmi), the verse highlights various aspects of his divine role as the preserver of the universe, protector of wealth and well-being, and the force of righteousness.

For devotees, chanting this verse, especially upon waking in the morning, serves as a reminder, first to the devotee to awaken their own awareness of the divine Lord, and also to invoke Lord Vishnu’s grace for the protection and prosperity of all beings in all three realms. The repetition of Uttiṣṭha (arise) expresses urgency and earnestness, highlighting the devotee’s intense desire for the Lord’s active intervention in bringing peace and auspiciousness to the three worlds. It reflects the recognition of Vishnu as the ultimate source of harmony and well-being for all of creation.

For contemplation
The question might arise: Why is the devotee waking up the Lord? Isn’t the Lord ever-awake, ever-present, omni-potent, Consciousness itself? Then where is the question of sleep and waking up for the Lord?

The “God” being awakened symbolizes the divine presence within us. Just as the deity is “woken up,” this verse reminds the devotee to awaken their own awareness of the divine. It is a call to oneself to recognize God’s presence and become attuned to His guidance and grace. The devotee, in all earnestness wants to engage with Him and feel His divine presence. Then there is also the devotee’s desire for cosmic well-being. In that sense, the act of “waking Him up” symbolizes invoking the Lord’s active presence and intervention in the world. It is a way of asking the Supreme Lord Vishnu to direct His divine energies toward the protection, preservation, or prosperity of the universe.

Trailokyaṃ
There are a few interpretations of the phrase Trailokyaṃ:

Heaven (Svarga): The abode of gods (e.g., Indra’s Svarga).
Earth (Bhūmi): The realm of humans and other beings.
Netherworld (Pātāla): The domain of asuras (demons) and serpents (nāgas).

In a symbolic sense, the three worlds represent different levels of consciousness:

Earth (Bhūmi): The physical plane or waking state (jāgrat), where we engage with the material world.
Heaven (Svarga): The mental or dream state (svapna), representing the realm of thoughts and imagination.
Netherworld (Pātāla): The subconscious or deep sleep state (suṣupti), which lies beneath the surface of awareness.
Together, these point to the transcendence of all dualities in the fourth state (turīya), where the Self (Ātman) is realized as one with Brahman.

From a non-dual Vedantic view, the three worlds can be seen as projections of Māyā (illusion). They represent:

The gross (sthūla), subtle (sūkṣma), and causal (kāraṇa) planes of existence.
Realizing the unity of the Self as Brahman transcends these apparent distinctions, uniting the “three worlds” into one undivided reality.

For a full audio of the Sri Venkateswara Suprabatham, click here to download