Gayatri Mantra - Meaning and Translation

[Ramacchandran]

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Oflate I found change in my sacred thread. When I get vatha, pitha and Kabha it shows the reaction in our mind and warns. Have a thought how a thread filters oils send the filtered oil in the form of gas that glows, the same way, the sun sends the rays in to our body and the sacred thread filters the Sun's rays and send to our left where the heart is, The left shoulder is more powerful than that of right and when a man matures the first hair growth on the shoulder appears on the left.
Some one said Yagnobhaveedam was worn by ladies too. I doubt on this as ladies are more emotional and cry often or weep often. The man with sound mind can alone get full benefit on every mantra he chants and the person with wavering mind. Once you go in to the mantra you will be a spectator alone who will watch your surroundings and will not mix with the society. You feel the person around you like children and just enjoy their activities. At this time you will find solutions to the problems you are facing and as well as the problems faced by the others. This stage is called Yogi, from where you get Gnani and then Siddhar.
A Gnani and Siddhar will not reveal that he is a gnani and siddhar whereas a yogi will tell every one that he is a gnani. But after some time he will keep quite and just digest the mistakes that others commit as he know a sand bag can not control a Tsunami.

 

[sureshn]

Just now joined the community.

congrats to the one who started the same

at a time when Brahminism is down... it is necessary to support and start one like this

i am proud to be a member.

i will contribute whatever I can to the community

suresh

 

[ts balasundaranathan]

MANTRAMS - NOT MANTRAS- are very powerful, highly potent and effective and these are gifts from Rishis. Must be learnt from Guru so that chanting is done appropriately in the right metre/chandas etc. as "prescribed" (place/time of the day/within oneself, or lip movement only seen outside, or in low volume or a little audible to those present around but never ever thru loudspeaker). Our holy mantrams can never be truly translated always, meaning is indeed goodam & guptam and not discernible sometimes even to the scholastic. We should concentrate on the swaram, varnam, ucharanam with clarity and modulity (?) and never ever do it unless we are pious in mind and clean in body. This is why munis are mounam. V r told just by sitting in the presence of holy individuals or visiting holy places, v all get enlightened. Remember the story of Dakshina Moorthy and how through silence HE imparts cream of knowledge! Dont go for verbatim translations.

 

[saidevo]

Here is a comprehensive--but not exhaustive--compilation of the text, meaning and mahiman--greatness/power of the gAyatrI mantra.

It should be remembered that from the time the gAyatrI was first listed in Rg veda 3.62.10, the mantra has evolved in a rich tradition of satsangha from our gurus, for specific requirements of japa homa dhyAna, and that no interpretation can fully express its potency, which is realized in varying degrees of spiritual advancement and benefits, by people who chant the mantra with shraddha--sincerity and faith.

Three popular invocations

The gAyatrI mantra has three popular invocations: gAyatrI proper, gAyatrI popular and gAyatrI in prANAyAma.

• The gAyatrI proper has the text:

तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

tat savitur vareNyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi |
dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt ||

• Chanted with the three mahA vyAhRutis--manifest worlds, the gAyatrI becomes (which is the popular version):

ॐ भूर् भुव सुवः ।
तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यम् ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥ ॐ ॥

oum bhUr bhuva suvaH |
tat savitur vareNyam |
bhargo devasya dhImahi |
dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt || oum ||
--Baraha transliteration

• Chanted with the sapta vyAhRutis--seven manifest worlds, the gAyatrI becomes (which is used in prANAyAma):

ॐ भूः । ॐ भुवः । ओँ सुवः । ॐ महः ।
ॐ जनः । ॐ तपः । ओँ सत्यम् ।
ॐ तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यम्
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो न प्रचोदयात् ॥
ओमापो-ज्योती-रसोऽमृतं-ब्रह्म भूर्भुवस्सुवरॊम् ॥

oum bhUH | oum bhuvaH | o~M suvaH | oum mahaH |
oum janaH | oum tapaH | o~M satyam |
oum tat savitur vareNyam
bhargo devasya dhImahi |
dhiyo yo na prachodayAt ||
omApo-jyotI-raso&mRutaM-brahma bhUrbhuvassuvarOm ||
--Baraha transliteration

Three popular interpretations

The three invocations of the gAyatrI are usually interpreted as follows:

• gAyatrI proper

tat savitur vareNyam:
That (tat or Brahmam) which creates and vivifies everything (savitur) is the best for worship (vareNyam).

bhargo devasya dhImahi:
light (bhargo) of the divine (devasya), let us meditate on (dhImahi).

dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt:
that which (yo) kindles and inspires (prachodayAt) our (na) intellect (dhiyo)

• gAyatrI popular

That which remains as AUM, the praNava mantra, and as the three worlds (bhuH, bhuvaH and suvaH), kindles our intellect (buddhi). It is the divine light (as of the sun) of tat (Brahmam) which creates and vivifies everything, and is the best for us to worship (vareNyam). Let us meditate (dhImahi) on this divine light.

• gAyatrI in prANAyAma

The seven worlds are only Brahman, denoted by AUM. We meditate on the excellent light of Ishvara who kindles from inside our intellectual actions, in order that the right wisdom arises in us. That same Brahman denoted by AUM is what appears as water, light, taste and nectar. The three words, namely this earth, astral world and the heavens are indeed Brahman, denoted by AUM.

• Agastya maharShi has given the common meaning of gAyatrI thus:

यो देवः सवितास्माकं धियो धर्मादिजोचराः ।
प्रेरयेत् तस्य यद्भर्गः तत्वरेण्यम् उपास्महे ॥

yo devaH savitAsmAkaM dhiyo dharmAdijocharAH |
prerayet tasya yadbhargaH tatvareNyam upAsmahe ||

We meditate on the excellent light of the deva called SavitA who directs our intellect towards the ways of dharma.

Chanting gAyatrI

1. The gAyatrI should be chanted as five parts, with four passes, thus:
AUM | bhUr bhuva suvaH | tat savitur vareNyam | bhargo devasya dhImahi | dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt AUM ||

2. Specific care should be taken to follow the svara marks in the Sanskrit version of the mantra. Here is an image of the mantra with the svara notations:
gayatrIwithsvara.gif
Here is an audio version of the mantra chanted with svaras:
gAyatrIwith svara.mp3

3. When doing gAyatrI japam, the meaning of the mantra should be contemplated. The japam must be preceded by a saMkalpam and a count is always maintained, either using a japamAla or the knuckles of the right hand. The person in gAyatrI japam should sit erect and still and should not let the mind wander outside the scope of the mantra.

4. The gAyatrI proper should never be chanted in isolation in gAyatrI japam. It is ordained that the gAyatrI should be chanted with the praNavam and the vyAhRutis, and that the chanting should be done in nitya-karma--daily religious routine and in prAyashchittam--atonement.

(to continue...)

 

[saidevo]

gAyatrI in our shAstras

With VishvAmitra maharShi as the mantra dRShTa--seer of the mantra, gAyatrI first occurs as below in Rg veda 3.62.10:

तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

tat savitur vareNyaM (1) bhargo devasya dhImahi | (2)
dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt || (3)

Prof.R.L.Kashyap in his translation of the Rg veda (SAKSI publication), offers the following translation and explanations about the gAyatrI here and in other Vedic texts.

3.62.10: We meditate on the divine splendour (bhargaH)(2), of SavitRu, who is supremely desirable (vareNya) and is That One (tat)(1). May he activate our thoughts towards wisdom (3).

• Mantras RV 3.62.10 to 3.62.12 are addressed to the deva SavitRu, the spiritual Sun: SavitRu is not the physical Sun seen in the sky, but the supreme Effulgence in the highest firmament above, beyond the lower triple creation.

• The physical Sun is taken as the image of the Truth-Sun, the Centre of all Knowledge and radiating Power. It is the radiance issuing from the Supreme Source in which is massed all the creative movement of the Uncreate that is the ultimate root of all movements in the creation. Let that light motivate and energize our thought-movements, says the RShi.

*****

Variants of the gAyatrI mantra
a. The Savitar mantra in the Yajur veda: VS(36.3), KYTS(4.1.11.1)

While the last three lines of the mantra here are the same as those in the vishvAmitra gAyatrI of the Rg veda, the first line is:

भूर्भुवः स्वः

bhUrbhuvaH svaH

• With 27 syllables in the entire mantra here, the metre becomes uShNik, not gAyatrI.

• The meaning of the first (additional) line is:
"May we become aware of the three planes in us."

• The three worlds bhUH, bhuvaH and svaH in this line are the three worlds/planes of consciousness in each one of us: bhUH the plane of physical matter, bhuvaH the plane of life-energies or prANa and svar or svaH the plane of mental energies and the higher spiritual intelligence.

• One should become aware or conscious of these three plances in ourselves at first. Then the other three lines, beginning with tat savitur vareNyaM are chanted.

*****

b. Variants of the main mantra

• Some persons of KRShNa Yajur veda school, replace the word svaH by suvaH, so the first line becomes:

ॐ भूर्भुवः सुवः

oum bhUrbhuvaH suvaH

• In some booklets, the word vareNyam is replaced by vareNiyam, to make, with that modification, the gAyatrI proper beginning with tat savitur to have exactly 24 syllables.

• But the Rg veda samhitA states that the metre is nichRut gAyatrI, that is, the gAyatrI metre with less than 24 syllables.

• But all the elaborate error-correcting methods of chanting the Rg veda (3.62.10), called aShTa-vikRtis declare that the correct word is vareNyam.

*****

c. Extended mantra used in prANAyAmam

ॐ भूः । ॐ भुवः । ओँ सुवः । ॐ महः ।
ॐ जनः । ॐ तपः । ओँ सत्यम् ।
ॐ तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यम्
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो न प्रचोदयात् ॥
ओमापो-ज्योती-रसोऽमृतं-ब्रह्म भूर्भुवस्सुवरॊम् ॥

oum bhUH | oum bhuvaH | o~M suvaH | oum mahaH | (1)
oum janaH | oum tapaH | o~M satyam | (2)
oum tat savitur vareNyam
bhargo devasya dhImahi | (3)
dhiyo yo na prachodayAt || (4)
omApo-jyotI-raso&mRutaM-brahma bhUrbhuvassuvarOm || (5)
--Baraha transliteration

Om Earth, Om mid world, Om Heaven, Om the realm of supermind (1), Om Ananda world, Om the world of askesis, Om Truth (2). Om we meditate on the Adorable Light of that Divine Generator (3), who energizes our thoughts (4). Om, He is water, light, flavour, ambrosia and also the three worlds. He who is denoted by praNava is all these (5).

[This mantra is a prayer for activation of intelligence. How should the devotee use this power is the subject matter of the next two mantrAs.]

*****
(to continue...)

 

[saidevo]

The greatness of the sUrya-savitRu: RV 5.81.1

Although the deity of the gAyatrI mantra in RV 3.62.10 is sUrya-savitri, this manDala does not gives more details on this deity.

• However, Rg veda has 8 complete sUkatas dedicated to SavitRu:
1.35, 4.53, 4.54, 5,81, 5.82, 6.71, 7.45, 10.139 and 10.149. One can use the epithets in these sUktas for meditating on the deity SavitRu.

• SUrya--Sun, is closely reltated to SavitRu. Whereas SUrya represents the static elements of creation, SavitRu represents the dynamical elements. About 65 mantras in RV are dedicated to SUrya. Among them are complete sUktas, namely, 1.50, 1.115, 10.37, 10.139, 10.158 and 10.170. Other manDalas have some mantras. In the 3rd manDala (where the gAyatri mantra occurs) there are no mantras to SUrya.

• Seer VashiShTha maharShi in RV 7.45.1 says:

आ देवो यातु सविता सुरत्नोऽन्तरिक्षप्रा वहमानो अश्वैः ।
हस्ते दधानो नर्या पुरूणि निवेशयञ्च प्रसुवञ्च भूम ॥ ७.०४५.०१ ॥

A devo yAtu savitA suratno&ntarikShaprA vahamAno ashvaiH |
haste dadhAno naryA purUNi niveshaya~jcha prasuva~jcha bhUma || 7.045.01 ||

7.045.01: SavitRu comes holding in his hand many human fulfilments, brings forth and establishes here the fullness of being.

• In RV 7.45.4 he says:

इमा गिरः सवितारं सुजिह्वं पूर्णगभस्तिमीळते सुपाणिम् ।
चित्रं वयो बृहदस्मे दधातु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥ ७.०४५.०४ ॥

imA giraH savitAraM sujihvaM pUrNagabhastimILate supANim |
chitraM vayo bRuhadasme dadhAtu yUyaM pAta svastibhiH sadA naH || 7.045.04 ||

7.045.04: May he establish for us a vast manifestation of being rich in content. May he always protect us with happy states of being.

• In RV 7.038.02 he says:

उदु तिष्ठ सवितः श्रुध्यस्य हिरण्यपाणे प्रभृतावृतस्य ।
व्युर्वीं पृथ्वीममतिं सृजान आ नृभ्यो मर्तभोजनं सुवानः ॥ ७.०३८.०२ ॥

udu tiShTha savitaH shrudhyasya hiraNyapANe prabhRutAvRutasya |
vyurvIM pRuthvImamatiM sRujAna A nRubhyo martabhojanaM suvAnaH || 7.038.02 ||

7.038.02: Rise up, O SavitRu, you are releasing the splendour over the wide earth. May you grant mortal enjoyments in men.

• The seer of RV 5.081.01 is RShi ShyAvAkShva Atraya, a son of the well known RShi Atri. This mantra is in jagati metre with 4 lines of 12 letters each. This mantra is quoted by shvetAshvatara upaniShad 2.2.

युञ्जते मन उत युञ्जते धियो विप्रा विप्रस्य बृहतो विपश्चितः ।
वि होत्रा दधे वयुनाविदेक इन्मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः ॥ ५.०८१.०१ ॥

yu~jjate mana uta yu~jjate dhiyo viprA (1) viprasya bRuhato vipashchitaH | (2)
vi hotrA dadhe vayunAvideka (3) inmahI devasya savituH pariShTutiH || 5.081.01 || (4)

The illumined yoke their mind and they yoke their thoughts (1), to the the illumined godhead, to the vast, to the luminous consciousness (2).

• SUrya, with illuminations of Truth, enlightens the human mind, since he is vipra--the illumined.

• He delivers human mind from its limited consciousness of self and world, and enlarges the limited movement imposed thereby. So he is bRhat--the Large.

• It is not a vague light--his illumination. Nor does his largeness is realized by any confused and dissolved view of self and object. His illumination holds in itself a clear discernment of things, parts and relations in totality. So he is viprashchit--clear in the perception.

• Soon after they begin to receive something of this solar illlumination, men strive to yoke their mentality and thoughts to the conscious existence of the divine SUrya in them. In other words, they apply their obscure mind and erring thoughts to the light of their inner Sun, which clears the obscurity and puts truths in perspective. This yoking (yunjate) becomes their Yoga.

• Knowing all phenomena (vayunAvit) he orders, sole, the Energies of the sacrifice (3). Great is the praise of Savitri, the creating Godhead (4).

• The Lord of the Truth then orders all human energies offered to him and becomes in man a sole and sovereign Power that governs all knowledge and action.

• With no conflicting agencies to interfere, he governs perfectly, for he knows all manifestations, comprehends their Causes, contains their law and process and compels their right result.

• Seven are the sacrificial energies (hotras) in the human being, with one to one correspondence to the seven constituents of his psychological existence: body, life, mind, supermind, bliss, will and essential being.

• Their erring actions and wrong relations caused by a Mind with obscured knowledge, is the source of all stumbling and unhappiness. SUrya puts each of them in its right place in the Sacrifice. 'Knower of the phenomena, sole, he arranges the sacrificial energies.'

Man thus arrives at a vast and all-embracing affirmation in himself of this divine Creator, which in turn, brings about a right and happy creation.

[For more information on SavitRu, check Essentials of Rig Veda (SAKSi).]


(to continue...)

 

[saidevo]

Meditation using the gAyatrI mantra: Hints of Brh.U.5.14

The gAyatrI mantra as given in RV 3.62.10 is the most popular in Vedic literature, which people often want to use in dhyAna--meditation.

• dhyAna is the investment of thought or intelligence (dhI). The anuvAka in bRhadAraNyaka upaniShad (5.14) gives some hints:

• Recalling the three pAdas--feet, of the gAyatrI, the first pAda is: tat savitur vareNyaM--That-one-SavitRu-adorable. Brh.U.5.14.1 states (Translations from the book published by Sri Ramakrishna Math]:

भूमिरन्तरिक्षं द्यौरित्यष्टावक्षराणि;
अष्टाक्शरं ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदम्,
एतदु हैवास्या एतत्;
स यावदेषु त्रिषु लोकेषु
तावद्ध जयति योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ॥ ५.१४.१ ॥

bhUmirantarikShaM dyaurityaShTAvakSharANi;
aShTAksharaM ha vA ekaM gAyatryai padam,
etadu haivAsyA etat;
sa yAvadeShu triShu lokeShu
tAvaddha jayati yo&syA etadevaM padaM veda || 5.14.1 ||

5.14.1: bhUmi--earth, antarikSha--sky/mid-world, and dhyaus--heaven together make eight syllables. The first foot of the gAyatrI (also) has verily eight syllables. Hence the first foot of the gAyatrI consists of these three worlds. He who knows the first foot of the gAyatrI as above wins whatever there is in these three worlds.

• As to why the triplet bhUH--earth, antarikSha--mid-world and dyauH--heaven, together have 8 syllables like the first pAda:

A part of the reason is in Brh.U.5.5.3. Imagine tat--That-one as the being in the solar orb, the spiritual Sun as we call it. Imagine bhUH as his head, bhuvar as the two arms, and svar as his feet.

Note that in the Brh.U. bhuvaH is the same as mid-world, and dyauH is the same as svar. Such an image can be sustained in mind for a very long time.

Brh.U.5.14.1 declares that this meditation wins all the three worlds because you are invoking simultaneously the spiritual Sun.

• The second pAda is: bhargo devasya dhImahi--we meditate on the splendour of the deity of SavitRu. Brh.U.5.14.2 states:

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानीत्यष्टावक्षराणि;
अष्टाक्षरं ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदम् ।
एतदु हैवास्या एतत्
स यावतीयं त्रयी विद्या
तावद्ध जयति
योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ॥ ५.१४.२ ॥

Rucho yajUMShi sAmAnItyaShTAvakSharANi;
aShTAkSharaM ha vA ekaM gAyatryai padam |
etadu haivAsyA etat
sa yAvatIyaM trayI vidyA
tAvaddha jayati
yo&syA etadevaM padaM veda || 5.14.2 ||

5.14.2: RuchaH, yajUMShi and sAmAni*--these together make eight syllables. The second foot of the gAyatrI (also) has verily eight syllables. Hence this foot of the gAyatrI consists of those three Vedas. He who knows this foot of the gAyatrI as above wins as far as the knowledge represented by the three Vedas extends.
[*plural forms of the names of the three Vedas.]

• This mantra effectively states: 'meditate on the sound and meanings of the epithets of SavitRu given in the Rik mantras, Yajus mantras and SAma mantras'. We can pick up any epithet or a combination that we like.

• The third pAda states: dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt--May the deity SavitRu impel our thoughts towards the Supreme. We can imagine the thoughts coming out of the spiritual Sun having all light and power. Brh.U.5.14.2 states:

प्राणोऽपानो व्यान इत्यष्टावक्षराणि;
अष्टाक्शरं ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदम्;
एतदु हैवास्या एतत्;
स यावदिदं प्राणि
तावद्ध जयति
योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद;
अथास्या एतदेव तुरीयं दर्शतं पदं परोरजा य एष तपति;
यद्वै चतुर्थं तत्तुरीयम्;
दर्शतं पदमिति
ददृश इव ह्येषः;
परोरजा इति
सर्वमु ह्येवैष रज उपर्युपरि तपति
एवं हैव श्रिया यशसा तपति
योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ॥ ५.१४.३ ॥

prANo&pAno vyAna ityaShTAvakSharANi;
aShTAksharaM ha vA ekaM gAyatryai padam;
etadu haivAsyA etat;
sa yAvadidaM prANi
tAvaddha jayati
yo&syA etadevaM padaM veda;
athAsyA etadeva turIyaM darshataM padaM parorajA ya eSha tapati;
yadvai chaturthaM tatturIyam;
darshataM padamiti
dadRusha iva hyeShaH;
parorajA iti
sarvamu hyevaiSha raja uparyupari tapati
evaM haiva shriyA yashasA tapati
yo&syA etadevaM padaM veda || 5.14.3 ||

5.14.3: prANa, apAna and vyAna*1--these together make eight syllables. The third foot of the gAyatrI (also) has verily eight syllables. Hence the third foot of the gAyatrI consists of these three forms of the vital force. He who knows the third foot of the gAyatrI as above wins all creatures that exist in the universe. Now its quaternary, (seemingly) visible, supermundane foot is indeed this--this (sun) that shines. That which is fourth is called turIya--quaternary. (Seemingly) 'visible foot' because the solar being is visualized, as it were, (by Yogins). 'Supermundane' because he alone verily shines on the entire universe*2 from on high*3. He who knows this foot of the gAyatrI as above shines just like that with magnificence and fame.

[Notes: 1. The word vyAna should be read three syllables to make up the number.
2. Called 'rajas' in the text, because it is the product of activity.
3. That is, as its lord.]

• This mantra effectively states, 'relate the third pAda to the three aspects of the life energy, prANa, apAna and vyAna'.

• Thoughts are intimately connected with the life energy. prANa refers to all positive qualities which takes us to higher and higher states, the all-round perfection. apAna is that which takes us down, i.e., apAna takes away all negative forces and ideas from us. vyAna means that which pervades around our body and all bodies. The UpaniShad declares that by this meditation with the third pAda, the person wins all creatures that exist in the universe.

*****
(to continue...)

 

[saidevo]

gAyatrI mantra and rejuvenation: Brh.U.6.3.6

bRhadAraNyaka upaniShad 6.3.6 suggests a chant interspersing the three pAdas--feet, of the gAyatrI mantra in RV 3.62.10 with the three madhu mantrAs (1.90.6-8) and the three vyAhRtis bhUH, bhuvaH, svaH.

तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यं (१),
मधु वाता ऋतायते मधु क्षरन्ति सिन्धवः ।
माध्वीर्नः सन्त्वोषधीः ॥ (२)
भुवः स्वाहा (३), भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि (४),
मधु नक्तमुतोषसो मधुमत्पार्थिवं रजः ।
मधु द्यौरस्तु नः पिता ॥ (५)
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् (७)
मधुमान्नो वनस्पतिर् मधुमान् अस्तु सूर्यः ।,
माध्वीः गावो भवन्तु नः ॥ (८)
स्वः स्वाहा (९)

tat savitur vareNyaM (1),
madhu vAtA RutAyate madhu kSharanti sindhavaH |
mAdhvIrnaH santvoShadhIH || (2)
bhuvaH svAhA (3), bhargo devasya dhImahi (4),
madhu naktamutoShaso madhumatpArthivaM rajaH |
madhu dyaurastu naH pitA || (5)
dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt (7)
madhumAnno vanaspatir madhumAn astu sUryaH |,
mAdhvIH gAvo bhavantu naH || (8)
svaH svAhA (9)

Rg Veda 1.90.6 states:

मधु वाता ऋतायते मधु क्षरन्ति सिन्धवः ।
माध्वीर्नः सन्त्वोषधीः ॥ १.०९०.०६ ॥

madhu vAtA RutAyate madhu kSharanti sindhavaH |
mAdhvIrnaH santvoShadhIH || 1.090.06 ||

RV 1.90.6: Sweetness in the winds of life to the truth-seeker,
Sweet flow for him the rivers of being,
Sweet for us be its growths (or plants).

[Winds of life: actual actions of prANa in us, which controls our emotions, sentiments, loves and hates, our interpersonal interactions, and many other things. All of them are designed by the creator to be harmonious. The truth-seeker recognises this bliss and harmony in all aspects of prANa.

Rivers of being: currents of energies flowing in us, maintaining our health and providing us with energy for our actions. We should also recognise the bliss inherent in all Nature--the trees, bushes, flowers, ferns, hills, anthills, sandhills, etc.]

Rg Veda 1.90.7 states:

मधु नक्तमुतोषसो मधुमत्पार्थिवं रजः ।
मधु द्यौरस्तु नः पिता ॥ १.०९०.०७ ॥

madhu naktamutoShaso madhumatpArthivaM rajaH |
madhu dyaurastu naH pitA || 1.090.07 ||

RV 1.90.7: May the nights be sweet for us and also the dawns;
may the Earth and its associated regions be sweet;
May the Father-Heaven be sweet.

[Dawn: all uplifting experiences. Nights: periods in our life when we digest the experiences. Earth: all activities connected with matter, and most of our daily activities. Heaven: all our mental activities. The prayer is that we recognise the bliss while performing all actions, physical or mental and also during the periods of rest and repose.
uShaH--dawn, the beginning of spiritual life; rajaH--a synonym of loka--world. pArthivaM rajaH--the collectivity of the physical world, vital world, mental world, etc.]

Rg Veda 1.90.8 states:

मधुमान्नो वनस्पतिर् मधुमान् अस्तु सूर्यः ।
माध्वीः गावो भवन्तु नः ॥ १.०९०.०८ ॥

madhumAnno vanaspatir madhumAn astu sUryaH |
mAdhvIH gAvo bhavantu naH ||

RV 1.90.8: Full of sweetness to us be the lord of bliss;
full of sweetness be SUrya, the luminous;
Sweet become to us the herds of his rays.

[Lord of bliss: Soma, symbolised by the creeper of his name. Just us the Soma juice is released by crushing the creeper, the Soma delight is released by the effort involved in all actions. By recognising that the release of bliss--Ananda is not caused by us but is part of the Divine plan, we feel the bliss, although we are too busy to notice it in our daily work. SUrya, the physical Sun, gives the bliss by his rays. The spiritual Sun creates new illuminations in us.]

The three vyAhRtis, bhUH, bhuva, svaH are already explained above. The UpaniShad mantra 6.3.6 suggests the following ritual with the chant:

a. Perform Achamanam: sip the water, symbolising the divine dynamical energies.
b. Perform the interspersed chant of the 9 lines.
c. Then repeat the gAyatrI mantra and the madhu mantras (1.90.6-8).

d. Declare:
अहमेव इदम् सर्वं भूयासम्, भूर्भुवः स्वः स्वाहा ।
ahameva idam sarvaM bhUyAsam, bhUrbhuvaH svaH svAhA |
'May I myself be all this; This is the earth, mid-world and heven, svAhA.'

• The symbolic intake of prANa indicated by the mantra is said to rejuvenate the person. This is the prANa vidyA:

अपि य एनं शुष्के स्थानौ निषिञ्चेत्, जयेरञ् शाखाः;
प्ररोहेयुः पलाशानि इति ॥

api ya enaM shuShke sthAnau niShi~jchet, jayera~j shAkhAH;
praroheyuH palAshAni iti ||--Brh.U.3.6.7 (part)

3.6.7: ...Even if any one sprinkles it on a dry stump, branches would grow and leaves spring forth.

• In this practice, prANa vidyA, prANa does not mean merely the life-energy. It means the force of consciousness--chit-shakti. If one were to come into contact with the chit-shakti, one would indeed get the power of rejuvenation.

• The line of teachers is: UddAlaka, YAjnavalkya, Madhuka, Chuta, JAnaki, SatyakAma.

[For more on prANa vidyA, see the Lights on the UpaniShads pp.47-66, by T.V.KapAli SAstri (SAKSI).]

*****
(to continue...)

 

[saidevo]

gAyatrI mantra for bhaga Savitri (5.82.1)

"The goal of the journey in the Veda is the illimitable joy of the truth, of the infinity of our being. Bhaga is the godhead who brings this joy and supreme felicity into the human consciousness. He is the divine enjoyer in man."
--The Secret of the Veda by Sri Aurobindo

• Bhaga is one of the four guardians of light in RV, the other three being Mitra, VaruNa and AryamaN.

• All enjoyment, mortal and divine, comes from Bhaga. The Vedic ideal is the inclusion of all life and joy, divine and human, the wideness and plenty of earth, the vastness and abundance of heaven, the treasures of mental, vital (or prAnic) and physical existence purified and perfected in the divine truth. It is this all-including felicity that is the gift of the Bhaga as stated in RV 5.82.3.

• Note that bhagavantaH, the popular word for the supreme god in purANa, occurs in RV (7.41.4,5) meaning possessor of divine enjoyment: उत इदानीम् भगवन्तः स्याम--uta idAnIm bhagavantaH syAma.

• The RV mantra 5.82.1 is also known as the gAyatrI mantra in the anuShTubh metre. The RV mantra 3.62.10 is known as the gAyatrI mantra in the gAyatrI metre.

तत्सवितुर्वृणीमहे (१), वयं देवस्य भोजनम् (२)।
श्रेष्ठं सर्वधातमं (३), तुरं भगस्य धीमहि (४)॥ ५.८२.१ ॥

tatsaviturvRuNImahe (1), vayaM devasya bhojanam (2)|
shreShThaM sarvadhAtamaM (3), turaM bhagasya dhImahi (4)|| 5.82.1 ||

5.82.1: O Savitri divine (1), we embrace that (tat) enjoying (2), that which is the best, rightly disposes all (3), and which reaches the goal, of Bhaga, we hold that by the thought (4).

[bhojanam--enjoying, dhImahi--hold by thought, meditate; vRuNImahe--embrace.]

• This human capacity for the divine and the right enjoyment belongs to Bhaga whose name and form represent the divine creator. When he is embraced by the human mind, heart and vital forces and physical being, when this divine form is received into himself by man, then the Ananda of the world manifests itself.

• By this Ananda we can arrive at the right and truth of all things. Thus this Ananda carries man to his goal. See also RV 5.82.6, which mentions, 'holding all the things of delight (vAmAni) by thought': सर्वे विश्वा वामानि धीमहि--sarve vishvA vAmAni dhImahi

• According to the anukramaNi, there are no sUkta completely dedicated to Bhaga. However, the sUkta RV 5.82.1 due to SavitRu also deals with Bhaga.

For more information on Bhaga, see the entire sUkta with the translation and commentary given in the SAKSI book, Divinizing Life: The Path of Atri RiShi; translation of all 727 mantras of RV maNDala 5.

• The mantra in RV 5.82.is is mentioned in the ChAndogya upaniShad 5.2.7. It is next to the famous prayer in prose (5.2.6), giving support to it. Both of these mantras are given as a part of the famous upAsana called prANa vidyA.

• The prayer (5.2.6) mentions the Supreme One who is most senior and excellent. The devotee prays for the share and enjoyment in His supremacy and overlordship. All existence is for the enjoyment of the Supreme One. The devotee prays for a share in this enjoyment. This verse should put to rest the false notion that 'enjoyment' has no place in the UpaniShad thought.

*****
(to continue)

 

[saidevo]

gAyatrI mahimA: greatness of the gAyatrI mantra
by shrI Abhinava VidyAtIrtha mahAsvAmigaL,
35th jagadguru of the dakShiNAmnaya shringagiri shri shAradA pITham

Here is a paraphrase about the greatness of the gAyatrI mantra from the teachings of shrI Abhinava VidyAtIrtha mahAsvAmigaL, in the Tamizh book on sandhyAvandanam, published shrI VidyAtIrtha Foundation, Chennai.

• Everyone born in this world lives with a certain desire. Even the one who has no desire on objects loves the Atman very much. Therefore, NIlakaNTha dIkShitar says:

भुक्ता बहवो दारा लब्धाः पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च ।
नीतं शतम् अपि आयुः सत्यम् वद मर्तुम् अस्ति मनः ॥

bhuktA bahavo dArA labdhAH putrAScha pautrAScha |
nItaM shatam api AyuH satyam vada martum asti manaH ||

"After enjoying many wives, having lots of children and grand children,
having lived over hundred years-–tell me the truth: are you now ready to die?"

• The desires that arises in people can be classified into those for the shreyas--supreme benefit, and those for the preyas--worldly pleasures. Everyone is bound to one of these in some way or other. The kaThopaniShad explains:

अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँ सिनीतः ।
तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयो वॄणीते ॥ १.२.१ ॥

anyachChreyo&nyadutaiva preyaste ubhe nAnArthe puruSha~M sinItaH |
tayoH shreya aadadaanasya saadhu bhavati hIyate&rthAdya u preyo vRUNIte || 1.2.1 ||

"There are two things in this world, and people pursue either this or that. These two may be regarded as the path of the pleasant, and the path of the good. Most people choose the former, and not the good. The pleasant is pleasing, but passing, and ends in pain. It is different from the good. But while the good need not necessarily be pleasant, the pleasant is not good."--tr. svAmi KRShNAnanda

• The pAmara--ignorant populace, since they are attached to laukika vastus--worldly objects, live bound by them. Those who obtained shAstra jnAnam--scriptural knowledge, by sampradAyika AchAra--traditional regulations, and guru upadesha--teachings of a guru, although they have laukika AshAs--worldly desires, since they also desire the paraloka sukha--pleasures of the other world, remain bound by both types of desires.

• Since these two types of people desire preyas, they must be called saMsAris--worldly people.

अन्नं धान्यं वसु वसुमतीत्युत्तरेणोत्तरेण
व्याकृष्यन्ते परमकृपणाः पामरा यद्वदित्थम् ।
भूमिः स्वं द्यौर्द्रुहिणगृहमित्युत्तरेणोत्तरेण
व्यामुह्यन्ते विमलमतयोऽप्यस्थिरेणैव धाम्ना ॥

annaM dhAnyaM vasu vasumatItyuttareNottareNa
vyAkRuShyante paramakRupaNAH pAmarA yadvadittham |
bhUmiH svaM dyaurdruhiNagRuhamityuttareNottareNa
vyAmuhyante vimalamatayo&pyasthireNaiva dhAmnA ||

"In the same way the lowly people who deserve utter compassion, have much attachment towards AhAram--food, dhAnyam--grains, danam--wealth, and bhUmi--land, the people with shuddha manas--pure mind, attain mokSha--liberation, in kramam--stages, through the finite world, AkAsha--space, svargam--heaven and brahmalokam--BrahmA's world."

• We also come across those who are desireless and call them saMnyAsis--ascetics. Since we see them in this way, it should occur to us that the abhiprAyam--opinion, "everyone has some desire or other" should be wrong. The bRuhadAranyaka upaniShad calls saMnyAsis, 'those who have renounced desires.'

एतद्ध स्म वै तत्पूर्वे विद्वांसः प्रजां न कामयन्ते
किं प्रजया करिष्यामो येषां नोऽयमात्माऽयं लोक इति ।
ते ह स्म पुत्रैषणायाश्च वित्तैषणायाश्च लोकैषणायाश्च
व्युत्थायाऽथ भिक्षाचर्यं चरन्ति ।

etaddha sma vai tatpUrve vidvAMsaH prajAM na kAmayante
kiM prajayA kariShyAmo yeShAM no&yamAtmA&yaM loka iti |
te ha sma putraiShaNAyAshcha vittaiShaNAyAshcha lokaiShaNAyAshcha
vyutthAyA&tha bhikShAcharyaM charanti | (4.4.22)

"Our ancestors who knew the Atman and have attained the Atmalokam--world of Brahman, considering that they don't need to attain anything through the prajA--family, did not aspire for prajA; renouncing the desires of having putrA--children, wealth and heaven, they go about their lives of saMnAysam--asceticism."

• It would seem thus, if looked at in-sAmAynam--ordinarily. Let us consider it with a little sUkShma--subtle, look. Why did they observe vratas--vows, that were kaShTa--severe/difficult? There must have been some prayojanam--use, for the vratas. What does the shAstram referred to earlier say? It says, "our balam--strength, is the Atmalokam". From this it is known clearly that they had desire for Atma darshanam--realization of the Self.

• This same shruti--upaniShad, earlier said:

एतमेव प्रव्राजिनो लोकमिच्छन्तः प्रव्रजन्ति

etameva pravrAjino lokamichChantaH pravrajanti (4.4.22)

"Only desiring this Atman do the saMnyAsis renounce their home."

Therfore, we do-nirNayam--come to a decision, that every man lives with a certain desire.

(to continue...)

 

[renuka]

Can anyone help me out with this meaning of this Gayatri

Om Tanma Heshaaya Vidmahe
Vaagnishuddhaya Dheemahi
Tanna Shiva Pracodayat

(from Shri Ganapathi Navakunda Pancakunda Poojakrama)


I am not sure of the meaning of Tanma Heshaaya.
Can anyone tell me please?

The word Hesha I had seen before in the Hayagriva Stotram where its means Neighing of a Horse.
But does this carry the same meaning cos this is a Shiva Gayatri and how does a horse fit in here?
Need some expert opinion here.

 

[sangom]

Can anyone help me out with this meaning of this Gayatri

Om Tanma Heshaaya Vidmahe
Vaagnishuddhaya Dheemahi
Tanna Shiva Pracodayat

(from Shri Ganapathi Navakunda Pancakunda Poojakrama)


I am not sure of the meaning of Tanma Heshaaya.
Can anyone tell me please?

The word Hesha I had seen before in the Hayagriva Stotram where its means Neighing of a Horse.
But does this carry the same meaning cos this is a Shiva Gayatri and how does a horse fit in here?
Need some expert opinion here.

It looks to me to be तन्महॆशाय विद्महे वह्निशुद्धाय धीमहि

tanmaheśāya vidmahe vahniśuddhāya dhīmahi || But it (as given in the post) falls short of the gaayatree chhandas and is therefore defective imho. It should be tannah Siva pracodayaat, I think.

 

[renuka]

It looks to me to be तन्महॆशाय विद्महे वह्निशुद्धाय धीमहि

tanmaheśāya vidmahe vahniśuddhāya dhīmahi || But it (as given in the post) falls short of the gaayatree chhandas and is therefore defective imho. It should be tannah Siva pracodayaat, I think.

dear Sangom Ji,

i dont have devanagari font to type but its not वह्नि( i am copying your post) but its Vaagni, this whole book is full of mantras with the word Vaagni.

Its tannah only, i missed out the Visarga when i typed just now.

Ok I get it now its a error may be in the way its written here in the book..cos there is some distance in the way its written.

it was written as तन्म हॆशाय विद्महे...so i guess its the error of the printing in the book..the way you wrote it makes perfect sense.

cos Tat becomes Tan when followed by M kara hence तन्महॆशाय

But the other word is Vaagni only now I wonder is this book having errors cos
वह्नि is usually used when denoting agni(fire).

Thanks a lot Sangom Ji.

 

[sangom]

dear Sangom Ji,

i dont have devanagari font to type but its not वह्नि( i am copying your post) but its Vaagni, this whole book is full of mantras with the word Vaagni.

Its tannah only, i missed out the Visarga when i typed just now.

Ok I get it now its a error may be in the way its written here in the book..cos there is some distance in the way its written.

it was written as तन्म हॆशाय विद्महे...so i guess its the error of the printing in the book..the way you wrote it makes perfect sense.

cos Tat becomes Tan when followed by M kara hence तन्महॆशाय

But the other word is Vaagni only now I wonder is this book having errors cos
वह्नि is usually used when denoting agni(fire).

Thanks a lot Sangom Ji.

Sow Renuka,

There was one mistake in what I have written before; it should be "tannah sivah pracodayaat" and I forgot the visarga after siva.

If the book is in Tamil or Malay (which I don't know), is there a possibility that the word "vahni" has been uniformly read and presented as "vaagni"? I say so because in some very old Tamil books I have seen similar misrepresentations throughout. Vaagni does not sound relevant to Siva to me.

 

[renuka]

Sow Renuka,

There was one mistake in what I have written before; it should be "tannah sivah pracodayaat" and I forgot the visarga after siva.

If the book is in Tamil or Malay (which I don't know), is there a possibility that the word "vahni" has been uniformly read and presented as "vaagni"? I say so because in some very old Tamil books I have seen similar misrepresentations throughout. Vaagni does not sound relevant to Siva to me.

The whole book is Devanagari only not even 1 word is in English here.
Its printed by Shri Venkatesha Veda Vishvavidyalaayah Tirupati.

I wish I had Devanagari font to type it here.It says Vaagni only.

The book editors are:
Chief Editorrof S.Sudarsana Sarma
Editor: Dr M Sitarama Sastry

 

[padmanabhan_2654]

If the whole mantra is translated at one stretch, there will be divergent translations from different scholars.

If the meaning of each of the words are analysed then the mantra can be understood without much difficulty - and of course, it will lead to the same net effect expressed in different combination or set of words.

Aum (OM) – Supreme Name of God
Bhur – Existence or Earth
Bhuvah – Absolute Consciousness of God
Swah – All pervading nature of God
Tat – That - God
Savitur – Another name of God
Varenyam – Our acceptance of God
Bhargo – God’s love and power
Devasya – All functions, roles and attributes of God
Dhimahi – Meditate and focus our mind on God
Dhiyo - Intellect
Yo – Who or That
Nah - Ours
Prachodayat – Request from God in which we ask Him for Guidance and Inspiration

And the Basic Translation is :

Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction.

The above meanings are taken from the following source :

Hinduism at Eaglespace - Spiritual Pagesgayatribywords.php

 

[renuka]

Dear Sangom Ji,

Can you please tell me the meaning of the word Hum Phat.

for example in this line Om Goom Gaum Goom Ganapataye Hum Phat.

 

[sangom]

Hum Phat, Hum Phat swaahaa, etc., as also the many "beejaaksharas", do not have any literal meaning. They are probably sound forms used from very primitive times of the people to express certain ideas and emotions. In our scriptures we have their nearest equivalents in the "stobhas" of Sama singing where similar (apparently) meaningless sounds like Hābu hābu hābu hā ū hā ū hā ū| kāhvāhvāhvāhvāhvā, etc., are used.

This type of usage reaches its maximum in the Tantric mantras.

Though these mantras are literally meaningless, it has always been the practice to provide them with symbolic interpretations. For those who subscribe to a particular belief system like tantric groups, such symbolic interpretations are more than sufficient to believe in the efficacy of these mantras which are representative of an era when mantras were believed to bring about almost any result desired.

Sage Kautsa who preceded the nirukta, reportedly opined that the vedas were meaningless and one of the reasons adduced by him was these meaningless sounds.

 

[renuka]

Dear Sangom Ji,

I had read one article which I am pasting here that the "beejaaksharas" are the sound produced by the Vibration of each Chakra.

Is this true?

http://mysticbeats.com/chakra-sounds.pdf

 

[sangom]

Dear Sangom Ji,

I had read one article which I am pasting here that the "beejaaksharas" are the sound produced by the Vibration of each Chakra.

Is this true?

http://mysticbeats.com/chakra-sounds.pdf

As you probably know, I am unable to accept the notion of the "chakras", kundalini, etc. Hence the table which you have given seems to me to be one which falls within the exercise of the symbolic meanings which different groups assign to these things. If anyone is able to prove for instance that the crown (I think this corresponds to "sahasraara") vibrates at the frequency of the B note in music (here itself, as you well know any frequency can be B depending on which is the C selected.) in a large sample of human beings at all times, then there may be some sense to this. Till then to me these are all not convincing.

One very austere, religious brahmin friend once told me that Dakshinaamurthy is the deity situated in the Moolaadhaara and that is why he is placed in the south (the lower part of the body conforms to the south in a Map, you see!). Such absurd "divine truths" can also be circulating among the "believers". I asked him where he got this funny and absurd idea and he said it is in an old Tamil book on tantra; but he has yet to show that book to me despite my repeated requests.

That is why D.D. Kosambi stated "The whole Krishna saga is a magnificent example of what a true believer can manage to swallow." I will say 'there is no limit to what a true believer can be made to swallow.'

 

[saidevo]

gAyatrI upadesha: shrI abhinava vidyAtIrtha (cont.)
pages 23-25

Man uses his body, mind and life to get the desired. The fulfilment of laukika AshAs can only be through the parIkShas--examinations, of anvaya and vyatireka.

• When there is a kAraNam--cause, behind a kAryam, it is anvaya. For example, the clay is the cause for its effect in the form of a pot.

• When there is no kAraNam, there would be no kAryam: this is vyatireka. There would be no pot if there were no clay.

• When there is no relationship of anvaya-vyatireka, one thing cannot be said as the cause of another. Thus, the thread cannot be the cause of a pot.

• Worldly desires would be removed if the things related to them are obtained. But then there should be the laukika anvaya-vyatireka (relationship between the cause and effect) of those things.

• But then it cannot be said that the anvaya-vyatireka are enough for all desires. These laukika parikShas are not useful for (the desires related to) the viShaya--subjects, of svarga--heaven and Atman--Self. Since we cannot know about the svarga and Atman by our senses, how can we do the laukika anvaya vyatireka parikShas for them?

*****

Vedas came out of Ishvara, in order to give Ananda--happiness, to man and let him get immersed in the sea of happiness. We can have all our desires fulfilled through the karmopAsana--worship by rites and rituals, and jnAnam--knowledge, prescribed in the Vedas.

प्रत्यक्षेणानुमित्या वा यस्तूपायो न बुध्यते ।
एनं विदन्ति वेदेन तस्माद्वेदस्य वेदता ॥

pratyakSheNAnumityA vA yastUpAyo na budhyate |
enaM vidanti vedena tasmAdvedasya vedatA ||
--Adi Shankara, in his commentary on bRuhadAraNyaka Upanishad

"That sAdhanam--goal/truth, which cannot be understood by pratyakSham--direct vision, or anumAnam--inference, is known through the Vedas. This is why the Veda has the sthAnam--supreme position, as 'veda'."

• The Veda which has ordained as 'He who desires good dRShTa--vision, let him do-upAsana-of--worship with, the sUrya mantra. He who desires svarga--heaven, let him perform the darshapUrNamAsa yajnas'--thus ordaining karmas--ritual actions, yajnas and upAsanas for the phalas--fruits, we desire,

that very Veda has done us the upadesha--teaching, of the gAyatrI mantra, which is capable of destroying pApas--sins, sAdhana--means, for the worldly desires of svargam--heaven, and gives the phala of saguNa-nirguNa upAsana.

Explanation of the term 'mantra'

The meaning of the (Sanskrit) term mantra is

मन्तारं त्रायत इति मन्त्रः

mantAraM trAyata iti mantraH
"That which protects the one who chants or contemplates it is mantra."

• It is sahaja--normal/traditional to say that there are seven crore mantras. If the mahA-mantras themselves are in the order of seven crores, it is not sAdhyam--possible to get to know the count of upa-mantras--secondary mantras, and bAShA--language mantras.

• Of these mantras, some are for worldly uses, some for svarga lAbha--attaining heaven, and some for brahma upAsana--worshipping/contemplating Brahman.

• The mantras are divided into veda mantras and tantra mantras. Those taught by the Vedas are Veda mantras. An example for this is the saura-aShTAkSharI mantra. Mantras taught in the tantra-granthas--tantra texts, are tantra mantras.

• Every word is a mantra in itself.

अमन्त्रमक्षरं नास्ति, नास्ति मूलम् अनौषधम् ।
अयुक्तः पुरुषो नास्ति, योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः ॥

amantramakSharaM nAsti, nAsti mUlam anauShadham |
ayuktaH puruSho nAsti, yojakastatra durlabhaH ||

"There is no syllable from which a mantra cannot be made. There is no herb from which a medicine cannot be made. There is no person who is incapable. Who is rare is the one who can organize them."

This is why it is difficult to get the man who knows the RShi, chandas and devatas of mantras.

• The reason our mantras are not effective is our ajnAnam--ignorance about them. There is absolutely no shortfall in the devata--deity, or the mantra. It is taught:

नो देवतासु जडिमा जडिमा मनुष्ये

no devatAsu jaDimA jaDimA manuShye
The inertness is not in the deities, only in man.


(to continue...)

 

[sangom]

Can anyone help me out with this meaning of this Gayatri

Om Tanma Heshaaya Vidmahe
Vaagnishuddhaya Dheemahi
Tanna Shiva Pracodayat

(from Shri Ganapathi Navakunda Pancakunda Poojakrama)


I am not sure of the meaning of Tanma Heshaaya.
Can anyone tell me please?

The word Hesha I had seen before in the Hayagriva Stotram where its means Neighing of a Horse.
But does this carry the same meaning cos this is a Shiva Gayatri and how does a horse fit in here?
Need some expert opinion here.

Smt. Renuka,

I tried to see if the book is available anywhere (including the DLI) but even google does not bring any result. Will you be able to get a few initial pages scanned and sent to me (by PM) or as attachment? I am intrigued by this word.

 

[lakshman_rg]

I have seen quite a few books that gayatri mantra should be recited atleast thrice daily and there is no restriction, in fact on the no-of-times. It can be many times also if we have time.

However I have read conflicting reviews on the no-of-inhales, and no-of-exhales. For example, I have listened to CDs where they pronounce very slowly. On some CD's or some books,they have said that there be 5 exhales and 5 inhales and in each exhale, one sentence should be pronounced. Some say that first exhale should be "Om BHur Bhuva Swah", and some say first exhale should be "OM" and second exhale should be " Bhur Bhuva Swah". In fact I have read one book where the scholar says we should recite the mantra within our mind without making any sound, and our breath should actually come out with the pronounciaion in silence.

Please advise if silent / chanting is correct and also how many exhales should be put to use.?

 

[saidevo]

pages 25-28
gAyatrI mahima

Of the countless mantras, the one that remains as the most distinguished is the gAyatrI mantra.

Through this shAstra upadesham--scriptural teaching

भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः ।
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे ॥

bhidyate hRudayagranthishChidyante sarvasaMshayAH |
kShIyante chAsya karmANi tasmindRuShTe parAvare ||
--muNDaka upaniShad 2.2.8

[2.2.8: When that Self, which is both the high and the low, is realized, the knot of the heart gets united, all doubts become solved, and all one’s actions become dissipated.]

"When that (Self which is paramporuL--(tam)supreme entity) which remains as the param--supreme, through its kAraNa-rUpam--form of cause, and (also) as aparam--of lower/later status, through its kArya-rUpam--form of effect, is seen/realized, the knots of the heart (of the seer) are sundered. All doubts become solved; and the puNya-pAma-karmas--positive and negative karmas, too are destroyed."

and by the gItOpadesham--teaching of the GItA

मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दुःखालयमशास्वतम् ।
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥ ८.१५ ॥

mAmupetya punarjanma duHkhAlayamashAsvatam |
nApnuvanti mahAtmAnaH saMsiddhiM paramAM gatAH || 8.15 ||

[8.15: The great-souled ones who have reached the highest complete accomplishment, having come to me, do not undergo rebirth, which is the transient abode of suffering.]

"The mahAtma who have attained me get parama siddhi. They are not reborn in this place (world) which is the abode of suffering."

it is known that

only when the jIvAtma--individual soul, attains Atma-sAkShAtkAram--Self-realization and gets to know the Atman,--only then--he completes his efforts of getting his saMsAra--worldly life, destroyed to its root, and receiving the Ananda--bliss, and release from rebirth.

The veda-vAkya--Vedic statement

तं त्वौपनिषदं पुरुषं पृच्छामि

taM tvaupaniShadaM puruShaM pRuchChAmi--bRuhadAraNyaka upaniShad 3.9.26

"I ask you about the (parama) puruSha, who is sung in the upaniShads..."

informs with certainty that the Atman could only be known through the upaniShads.

• In order to know the meaning of the upadesha--teaching, of the Vedas, it is very necessary to do-adhyayanam--study the Vedas.

• It is not necessary to state that he who has no yajnopavItam--sacred thread, since he gets no eligibility to do veda-adhyayanam, there is no adhikAram--authority/privilege, for him to do adhyayanam of the Vedanta (which are the upaniShads).

The smRtis--texts of memory, written by the munivaras--sages, do-upadesham--teach, that the upanayanam--sacred-thread investiture ceremony, should only be done with the sAvitrI mantropadesham (that is the gAyatrI).

• (Thus the abhiprAyam--opinion, is that there will be upanayanam only if there is sAvitrI upadesham; only after the upanayanam can the teachings of the Vedanta be studied; and only if the parampoRuL--Brahman, taught in them is known, would there be release from the samsAram--worldly life.)

• gautama dharma sUtram says:

प्रागुपनयनात् कामाचारकामवादकामभक्षः ।
न ब्रह्माभिव्याहरेत्

prAgupanayanAt kAmAchArakAmavAdakAmabhakShaH |
na brahmAbhivyAharet--gautama dharma sUtra 1.2.1

"Before the upanayanam, one can do what he likes, talk what he likes and eat what he likes. At that time, he should not recite the Vedas."

• Manu says that only upon the sAvitrI upadesham a different birth ensues.

आचार्यस्त्वस्य यां जातिं विधिवद्वेदपारगः । २.१४८ ।
...
तत्रास्य माता सावित्री पिता त्वाचार्य उच्यते ॥ २.१७० ।

AchAryastvasya yAM jAtiM vidhivadvedapAragaH | 2.148 |
...
tatrAsya mAtA sAvitrI pitA tvAchArya uchyate || 2.170 |

It is mentioned (in the manu smRti), "What birth the guru who knows the Vedas well, causes (his shiShya--pupil), in that birth (for that pupil) only SAvitrI is the mother and the guru is the father."

This is why the trivarNikas--men of the three classes (viz. brAhmaNa, kShatriya, vaishya) are called dvijas--twice-born.

• The Veda itself proclaims that GAyatrI is the vedamAtA--mother of the Vedas.

गायत्रीं चन्दसां माता

gAyatrIM chandasAM mAtA

"Only GAyatrI is the mother of the Vedas (or Chandas)." [Chandas means the Vedas here.--KAnchi ParamAchArya]

• In the Puranas (kAshI khaNDam of skanda purANam?) it is stated:

गायत्री वेदजननी गायत्रि ब्रह्मणः प्रसूः ।
गायन्तं त्रायते यस्माद्गायत्रीति प्रगीयते ॥

gAyatrI vedajananI gAyatri brahmaNaH prasUH |
gAyantaM trAyate yasmAdgAyatrIti pragIyate ||

"GAyatrI is the mother of the Vedas. GAyatrI is one who gives birth to a brAhmaNa. Since she protects the man who does japam of the mantra, she has the name GAyatrI."

• Manu (about the gAyatrI mahimA) says:

सहस्रकृत्वस्त्वभ्यस्य बहिरेतत्त्रिकं द्विजः ।
महतोऽप्येनसो मासात्त्वचैवाहिर्विमुच्यते ॥

sahasrakRutvastvabhyasya bahiretattrikaM dvijaH |
mahato&pyenaso maasAttvachaivAhirvimuchyate ||
--manu smRti 2.79

"If a man does japam--litany of the gAyatrI mantra for a month at one thousand times per day (in places such as the river banks or jungles), with the praNava (AUM) and the vyAhRtutis (bhUrbhuvasvaH), he will be freed from his great sins, like a snake from its slough."

(to coninue...)

 

[saidevo]

namaste shrI RG Lakshman.

In regard to your post #48, you might find this link helpful, but I am yet to peruse it:
Gayatari Mantra