Gayatri of Sri Venkateswara Swamy:

"Venkatesaya Vidmahe
Tripathinathaya Dheemahi
Tanno Srinivaso Prachodayat"

This can also be heard in vedic chants and audio streaming (TTD's) atop sacred Hills of Tirumala.

Meaning of the Gayatri mantram:

May we assemble & parley ourselves with Venkatesa and concentrate & meditate on Tripathinatha; May that Srinivasa inspire & direct us towards the great goal.

Another meaning is like this: May we extol glory of Venkatesa, meditate on Tripathinatha and contemplate on Srinivasa with His inspiration.

Lord Venkateswara is pronounced in three names in this Gayathri, namely, Venkatesa, Tripathinatha and Srinivasa. The meaning of these names are provided here.


VENKATESA:

The word "Venkateshwara" or "Venkatesa" is a combination of three words, namely,
(1) VEM meaning 'sin' or 'papam'
(2) KATA meaning 'destroy' or 'wash away'
(3) ISA OR ISHWARA meaning 'GOD' or 'Lord'.
Thus, the word Venkateswara or Venkatesa means 'God who destroys sins of His devotees'.


TRIPATHINATHA:

The word "Tripathinatha" is again a combination of three words, namely,
(1) TRI meaning 'Three'
(2) PATHI (pati) meaning 'the one who takes care of'
(3) NATHA meaning 'the (last) alternative' or 'protector'.

With respect to the meaning of the name of the Lord as appelled by "Tripathinatha": The Lord is believed to be "SHIVA" by Shivites; "VISHNU" by Vaishnavites; "SHAKTI" by Shaakteyas or Shaktiites. For Kaliyuga, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Venkateswara is for protection of all devotees; it is an incarnation of the three dieities as ONE; the Swaroopam of three Dieties.

This can be further explained in relation to the name the town 'TIRUPATI' got itself - over a long period of time. The Diety in Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple is Lord Vishnu. Here, one can also find Lord Brahma. In Tirupati itself, Lord Shiva is the main diety in Sri Kapileshwara Swamy Temple, at Kapila theertham. The three dieties: Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are in the same town; thus the town was named 'tripati' which later got settled to 'Tirupati'. Lord Venkateswara is also called the Lord of Tripati or Tirupati. It may be seen that, at times, the words PATHI and NATHA are used alternatively or for one another and may mean the same.

SRINIVASA:

Like Lord Shiva, Sri Venkateswara too respected women. While He held Mata Vakula Devi as a garland on Himself, His Vakshasthala (chest) has been the abode of Sri Maha Lakshmi. The Lord is known as Sri-nivasa meaning the 'abode' of 'Sri Mahalakshmi'. In South India, one finds a striking example of the use of the word 'Srinivasa' for their homes, like Srinivasa Nilayam ~ meaning the Lord who held Sri Mahalaxmi on His chest is dwelling there.

Om Namo Venkatesaya!