Gayatri Mantra Unfold
AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAH,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NA PRACHODAYAT
This mantra is also called “Surya Gayatri” or “Savitri Mantra” . This mantra is found in Rig
Veda (iii, 62, 10)
During the period of Rigveda in oral tradition in Gurukulas, there was no religion of any form.The Rishies of Rigveda were searchers for truth. All through the Rigveda poem, the Rishisanticipated a God whom they did not know. The agony and cry of such saints could be found inmany stages of Rigveda.
The mantra became pivotal in daily worships and rituals among Brahmins & Prohits. Especially this mantra is sung in Yajna Poojas and in the morning prayers after holy bath. Before the holy bath, one has to say Prartha Snana Mantra:
“Papokam Papakanmokam Papatma
Papasambhava – Thrahimam Pundarikaksha
Surva pap Hari Hare”
Papasambhava = I am born in sin
Papakanmokam = I an doer of sin
Papatma = I am a sinful self
Papokam = I am a sinner
Pundari Kaksha = the one who is in the bosom of my heart
Thrahimam = I am unable to get rid of the sin
Surva pap = all sins
(Surva pap can be by
Manasa = thinking
Vasa = words
Hastapyam = look
Dehinam = body)
Hari = God
Hare = forgive me
After saying this mantra, the devotee takes one to three dips in water and return to his pooja room to recite the Gayatri mantra - most of the times without knowing the meaning. Traditionally, the mantras are memorized to get virtue, prosperity or deliverance. But, most of the mantras are simple in meaning and difficult to assimilate and comprehend. Hence, to be in the routine ritual and to follow the traditional way of doing the things, we would not be daring to know the meaning or entering into research to know the truth behind the mantras. But, knowing the truth will be a permanent solution for liberation and deliverance. The true meaning of human form is to know the truth and seek for the truth relentlessly. Therefore, we have taken time to bring the original meaning of Gayatri Mantra in simple English for the truth seekers around the World.
The Mantra starts with “Om” which has 16 implicit attributes of God and disseminated word form as “A-U-M” (pronunciation: A – and, U – woo and M – him). A means Creator, U means Savior and M means protector or sustainer as 3 attributes. This means that God the Creator is the Savior and the Protector.
13 other attributes:
Ardh = The substance
Nadh = The voice
Bindh = The seed
Kale = The power
Kaladeeth = The giver of power
Shanthi = The peace
Shantiadeeth = The giver of peace
Unmani(woonmani) = Who resides in us
Manonmani = Who resides in our mind
Puri = Who ascends and descends
Madhyamai = The mediator
Patchyanti = The impartial
Parai = who declares
This means that there is only one God who has all the attributes and created
Bur = Earth (Bhoomi)
Buvah = Universe (puvar lokha)
Swah = Heaven (swarg lokha)
The Gayatri Mantra further states that
Tat = that
Savithur = God
Varenyam = to be praised
Burgo = light
Devasya = radiant
Dimahi = meditate
Diyo = knowledge
Yo = who
Na = Our
Prosodhyat = induces
For poetical reasons, the words are scattered in the mantra. But the meaning is that God (Om) who created the Earth, the Heaven and the Universe is the radiant light and who induces our knowledge has to be praised – let us meditate upon Him. As in the prartha snana mantra, the man who born in sin and doer of sin can’t know or understand God unless God induces his knowledge and make him to know God. That God who induces can shine in his soul as radiant light and the devotee start meditate upon Him provided if he knew the God – the radiant Light. How can a man know the radiant Light when living in a life of darkness & bondage and when telling the mantra for a short while? This bondage can be cancelled neither by weapons, nor by wind, fire or millions of deeds. Only the wonderful sword of knowledge that comes of discrimination, sharpened by the grace of the Lard, can destroy it.”
-- Viveka Ch.147
Unless the grace of God reveals to him, his self is in helpless state to know the radiant light. “This Self is not attained through teaching, nor through intellect or much listening. Whom the
Self chooses, by him the Self is attained, as He reveals Himself to His chosen.”
-- Mundaka Up. 3.2.3
-- Katha Up. 1.2.23
The Light is not belong to any religion or country or culture or sect or community as very fact of mantra is universal and longing of Rishis to find the Light and the Truth. In ancient days, it is mystery for the Rishis to know the God – the Para Brahma in Saguna Brahma. But God untied the mystery by revealing Himself to the mankind and answered the longing of the Rishis. Who is that God?
For particulars:
Nimmadhi Nilayam
P.O Box. 8659
Chennai – 600 041
Tamilnadu, India.
“From unreality lead me unto the Reality,
From darkness lead me into Light;
And from death lead me unto Life Eternal”
-- Br. Ar. Up. 1.3.28