My Pilgrimage to Gayatri Mantra

Dr. Manohar Abhay The death of my mother is one of the most shocking experiences I have ever had. Only three days back, I had come back to Mumbai after staying with her for about a fortnight. Though weak and feeble, due to age, she was responding to the treatment and her condition was stable. The news of her sad demise left me totally still. Heavily shivering and perspiring, I was crying like an infant. Even at the cremation ground, I was inconsolable amidst hundreds of friends and relatives who had gathered to console us. Suddenly, I was reminded of the mantra which Ihave been chanting over the years. My recitation of the mantra was unintrupted. I don't know how long it continued, but it gave me miraculous strength to bear the grief. As if I was treading in tranquility. My thirst started subsiding, in spite of the fact that it was hot summer and I had not taken a single drop of water for more than twenty-four hours. My Exposure I was exposed to gayatri-mantra at the age of 12. It is said to be the mother of Vedas. The manu smriti equates it with the Mouth of God (see M S 2/81). The other day, when I was chanting the mantra, I was reminded of the story of Ushasti Chakrayana given in Chandogyopnishad. The essence of the story is that one should know the meaning of the mantras before the chanting for invoking deities.(taam Cheda vidvaanudgaasyasi murdha te vipatisyatii -ChAndogya IV-i.10). This took me to a pleasant sojourn to get an insight into the meaning of themantra. Gayatri in the Vedas The gayatri mantra is one of the most popular Vedic hymns. It is a poetic meter (RigVeda, tenth mantra in the 62nd sutra of the third mandal). The meter consists of 24 syllables (letters), three lines of eight syllables each. Any hymn composed in this meter is called gayatri. The meter is also found in other Vedas though originally contained in Rig-Veda.(see Yajurveda-22/9, 30/2,36/3;Samveda 1462) Meaning of Gayatri The word gayatri is drived from gAyantam-trAyate(gAyat+tra +ka +yangip); gaya that which is sung, given in praise, trayate (root trai ) that which preserves/protects/ gives deliverance/grants liberation. The gayatri therefore, means that- which is adoration or praise of that which protects/preserves/grants liberation. Here -that- stands for the mantra or the song. The word gaya also stands for vital energies. Thus, gAyatrI may be deemed as a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies and grants liberation. The mantra is said to have been composed and developed by sage Vishwamitra. Its Vedic name is Savitri, as the hymn is addressed

to Savitur (the sun). Nowhere the word gayatri is mentioned in the body of the mantra.Savitur stands for bright, luminous, sun like inner power of spiritual light or the one that brings to self-realization. Thus, through Savitur the prayer is addressed to the light of lights which exists in the inner most sheath of golden hue without stain and without parts (hiranmaye pare ko`se virajam brahma niShkalam, tachubhram jyotisam jyotih -tad yadatma- vido viduh - Mundak-II-2-9). Three Dimensions The mantra has three dimensions: praise, meditation, and prayer. The praise is of the bestower of happiness, the embodiment of knowledge and light. The meditation is of the glory of the lord who is the remover of darkness, of ignorance, pains, and of sorrows. The prayer finally is to the lord of light, the most adorable, worthy of our solicitation and respect, to reflect light so that our intellect is sharpened and all our ignorance is destroyed. Original Mantra The mantra originally contained in Rig-Veda, having 24 syllables, reads as: Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhurgo Devasya Dheemahi Dheeyo Yo Na Prachodayat Word to Word Meaning The word to word meaning of the original mantra is as follows: Tat=That; Savitur=Bright, luminous like sun; Varenyam=Best, choicest, the excellent one, most adorable, fit to be worshipped, worthy of being so ught, venerable; Bhargo= Destroyer of sins, or glory, radiance, effulgence, splendour (that light which bestows intelligence); Devasya= Of the deity or divine ;Dheemahi=Meditate upon; Dheeyo=Intellect, noble thoughts, intuition, understanding of reality ;Yo=He who, the one who; Na= Our, of us; Prachodayat =May inspire, stimulate, sharpen, direct, guide, unfold or he who energizes. The literal meaning of the mantra is: " We meditate upon (dheemahi) the splendour or the glory (bhargo) of the most adorable (varenyam) Supreme-Divine- Being (devasya) from which Savitur (the centre of light) is born. Who (yo) may stimulate or sharpen (prachdayat) our (na) intellect (dheeyo)" Use of Pre-fix Before each offering in sacrifice (yaj~na) or before commencing any spiritual ceremony, as part of invocat ion, all mantras are chanted with the pre-fix: Aum Bhur Bhuvaha Svah, as per practice described in Yajurveda. Therefore, the Savitri or the gayatri mantra, as it is popularly known, is also chanted with the pre-fix of seven syllables of Aum, Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah . Here AUM is the naad Brahman (primeval

sound) emanating from the Supreme at the time of creation. The remaining three words of Bhur, Bhuvah Suvah represent the earth (matter), atmosphere and the space as symbols of gross, subtle and casual or sat, chit annanda (truth, beauty and bliss ). In the context of human body, these represent the three important parts of the body: from feet to the navel centre is bhur (the earth), from navel to throat centre is bhuva (the atmosphere), and from above the throat to mind (braham randh) is svaha (the space). Enveloped byaakaas (the space), there are seven realms (lokas) of existence viz: (1) bhu=earth, the physical realm, the realm of being or food (matter);(2 )bhuvah=atmosphere, the vital plane, the realm of becoming or prana (breath); (3) suvah= space or heaven, the mental plane, the realm of illumination; (4) maha=cosmic mind, the realm of dharma;(5) janah=bliss, the realm of creation;(6)tapah=force, the realm of consciousness; (7) satyam=truth, the realm of absolute reality. Meaning With the Use of Pre-Fix With the pre-fix of four words, the mantra is comprised of four parts (1) Aum, Bhur Bhuvah, Suvah,(2) Tat Savitur Veranyam,(3) Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, (4) Dheeyo Yo Nah Prachodayat. By chanting the first part, one contemplates, to invoke certain powers, on the glory of the light that illumines the three worlds namely; earth, atmosphere and space or the gross, subtle and casual or the three realms of waking, dreaming, and sleep or the three part s of the body (from feet to navel, navel to throat, throat to mind). This prepares the ground for effective functioning of the second, third and the fourth part o f the mantra. This is also an invocation to pay reverence to the planes of our existence (the planes of our ordinary life- the physical, astral and mental) and to invite their presiding deities to support and help us. These three parts are in praise of the glory, the splendour that flows from the light. It is an invocation to Savitur (the centre of light) for granting more light. Indirectly, it is the SupremeConscious- Being within the cosmic sun or light of lights, the creator of all forces, which is praised here. Taking together all the four important parts of the mantra, its meaning reads as follows: We meditate (dheemahi) on the spiritual effulgence or glory (bhargo) of that adorable supreme divine reality (varenyam devasya), the source or projector (savitur) of the three phenomenal realms of the gross (bhur), the subtle or the psychical (bhuvah) and the potential or casual(svah). May that(tat)Supreme-DivineBeing stimulate (prachdayat) our (na) intellect (dheeo). Expanded Form of AUM The gayatri mantra is considered as an expanded form of AUM The syllable used in the beginning and at the end of the mantra gives it a reinforcing effect. This syllable

says kathopnishad, is indeed Brahman; indeed the highest; (III-1-3). It is the best support. He who knows this support becomes great in the world of Brahma (III-1-4) As stated earlier, AUM is the eternal sound emanated at the time of creation. It is composed of three syllables viz: A U M. The mind has three important states: waking, dreaming, and sleeping. The word A, U, M represents all the three states: A=waking, U=dreaming, M=sleeping. The last syllable M, when pronounced, is followed by a deep silence and that is the fourth state of mind known a s turiya. By chanting AUM the mind transcends from three states of waking, dreaming, and sleeping to the fourth state of turya and experiences silence. When the mind goes deep into the depths of this silence, it hears the cosmic sound of AUM. This emanates from the prana (vital vibration) which fills the universe. The scientists call this eternal sound as "BigBang". Tracing its scientific basis Dr Trucit Vora says: The sound produced due to the fast moving earth, planets and galaxies is tremendous. Our galaxy called Milky Way or Akash- ganga contains approximately 1, 00,000 millions of stars, each star is like our sun having its own planet system. We know that the moon moves round the earth and the earth moves round the sun along with the moon. All planets move around the sun, each of the above bodies, revolves round at its axis as well. Our sun along with its family takes one round of the galactic centre in 250 million years. All galaxies, includi ng ours, are moving away at a terrific velocity of 20,000 miles per second. We observe that an ordinary fan makes noise when it moves with a speed of 900 RPM (Rotation per minute). What a great noise therefore, would be created when the galaxies move with a speed of 20,000 miles per second. The sound produced due to the fast-moving earth, planets and galaxies is AUM, Dr Vora endorses. He also observes that the infinite mass of galaxies, moving with a velocity of 20,000 miles per second, generate a kinetic energy = 1/2 mv2 and this is balancing the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Thus, the syllable AUM also represent energy and it is called pranavah which means the body (vapu ) or store house of energy (prana). Recitation of gayatri mantra attracts only PRAN and in the largest amount, one atom of prana is capable of holding 4845 tons of weight. According to Professor Alishagrgy, Prana travels 4,000 to 80,000 billion miles per second. T hus, by chanting AUM along with the mantra, both in the beginning and at the end, we invoke the energy to energies our intellect. In her new book on gayatri mantra, Saadhvi Shanti Mayi says that all energy and rejuvenating centers are activated by the sound of the gayatri mantra. It stimulates and facilitates insightfulness and awakening to the Truth within all. She further says that the mantra works in a multitude of ways, which align the energies, magnetic currents, biochemistry and brain wave patterns on a very subtle level. Our energy centers, levels and rhythms are activated by the measure of breaths that are drawn in through the nostrils and released during recitation of the gayatri mantra, (even during silent repetition). This balances electro-magnetic rhythm and energy currents in the body with prana. During recitation, all elements of

the mantra are in use. The breath, voice, meditation and intention efficiently and effortles sly function (like the sun shines). It all works together. It also happens when the syllable AUM is chanted, whether loudly or silently. In fact, the syllable AUM represents that Power which (1) is omniscient; (2) rules over the entire universe; (3) protects one from the evils of life; and, (4) destroys ignorance and gives enlightenment. Scientific Meaning Against the above backdrop, the scientific interpretation done by Dr. Trucit Vora reads as follows: The Earth (bhur), the planets (bhuvah), and the galaxies (svah) are moving at a very great Velocity, the sound produced is AUM, (the name of formless god). That god (tat) who manifests Himself in the form of light of sun (savitur) is worthy of our bowing / respect and most adorable (varenyam). We therefore, meditate (dheemahi ) upon the light (bhargo) of that deity (devasya) And also do chanting of AUM. May he (yo) enlighten and inspire (prachodayat) our (na) intellect (dheeo). Personification A number of spiritual scholars have personified the mantra. It is portrayed as the goddess seated on a red lotus, having five heads, ten eyes, ten arms equipped with all weapons. The goddess is also shown as accompanied by a swan and having a book in one hand while conch in the other. Indeed a beautiful projection well decorated with multiple meaningful symbols. Many a learned scholars have also suggested that while chanting the mantra one should wear yellow clothes and sit on a yellow mat facing east. On a covered wooden seat make a mound of rice grains dyed yellow. On the mount, place a coconut and tie a sacred red- thread around the latter. Also apply a mark of red vermilion. On the right side, place red rose- petals, a lamp (Deepak) and a conch (shankh). Place on it incense, Ghrit Deepak (lamp filled with clarified butter), flowers, rice- grains, vermilion etc. Thereafter, start chanting the mantra and all your wishes wou ld be fulfilled. All your desires for worldly possessions, wealth and material benefits would be realized and you would overcome all of your ailments and diseases. In Quest of the Reality The aforesaid process of worship appears to be very good. But, there lies a latent danger of limiting the chanters' sojourn to certain rituals, practices and simply to idol worship for limited gains. His entire attention is likely to be focused on the personified form of the mantra rather than on invoking its inner power. There are four important aspects of the mantra which need to be recollected viz: ((1) tat vareNyam (that adorable); (2) bhargo devasya (glory of God, the destroyer of obstacles ;(3) dheemahi (we meditate); (4) dheeo yo na prachodayat who may stimulate/ sharpen our intellect). The entire emphasis of the mantra is on meditation.

But, upon whom to meditate: why to meditate; what purpose the meditation would serve. Many si milar questions arise at this stage. On revisiting the mantra, it would be observed that the meditation is of the glory of 'that' (tat) which is most adorable and the purpose is to get the intellect stimulated/sharpened. Again there arise two very vital questions: who is 'that' and why to get the intellect stimulated. Prior to meditation comes concentration-- concentration of mind. Because that most adorable can be realized by the mind alone (katho. VI-ii-8) in the highest state of meditation when the five instruments of knowledge stand still together with the mind and the intellect itself does not stir (katho. VII-ii-6) The mind has two important layers: one, the outer layer which receives reflections/impulses from the world of objects through the gates of knowledge, the five senses. The second is the inner layer which reacts to the reflections received by the outer layer. The former is known as manah or manas (mind) and the latter one as buddhi (intellect). Both the layers, the mind and the intellect, should work in unison. But, it seldom happens: chanachalam hi manah krisna, says Geeta(see ChapterVI/34). The mind verily is restless, it is turbulent, strong and obstinate. It moves along with the objects which it likes and stays back from what it dislikes. Sense organs reflect the impulses received from the world of object and our motor organs act according to the directives given by the mind. If the mind and the intellect are in unison correct directives would be provided. Otherwise, the turbulent mind would lead to the pathways where it wants to go. The senses should reflect the object which brings the subtle body closer to the supreme goal of life. This needs to set in motion a process where the senses are centered in the mind and the latter is rooted in the sharp intellect which is centered in the cosmic intellect(chittah). The next higher stage is the union of chittah with the PeacefulBeing (Shant Aatman) known as Isvara. This long journey is more subtle than concentrating on a personified figure and making offerings of material things in abundance. Only those who wish worldly success or satisfaction from sense-objects make sacrifice to gods because satisfaction is quickly obtained from actions in the world -of -objects, says Geeta(kaankshantah karmaam siddhim yajanta iha devataah. IV/12).But, those who are on a pilgrimage passing through gross to subtler than the subtle islands of higher knowledge do not indulge in practicing rituals only or performing outworldly actions. Their voyage is to gain wisdom which is enveloped by ignorance (ajanaanenaa vritam janaanam | Geeta:V/15). Effective Meditation There are five fundamentals for an effective meditation viz: (1) the goal ;(2) sensory withdrawal; (3) concentration; (4) breath control; (5) and the mantra. Elaborating these five elements,Acharya Pranakrishnanda Avadhut of the Anand Marg says: a mantra when chanted internally resonate with the individuals initiative rhythm and

gradually transforms it into the infinite straight line of supreme peace. He further says, by the repetition of the proper acoustic vibration following the breath with sentimental understanding of the meaning, the power of the mantra awakens the spiritual potentiality in the mind and body and it brings the ego in the union with the Supreme. Concentration therefore, should be on the mantra rather than on any worldly object or an idol. The meditation, on the other hand, needs to be on the glory of the most adorable whose radiance shines in the savitur. In vedic literature, Savitur is known by multiple names (pushanney karshey yama surya prajapatya-Isa-16). It is pusha as it nourishes the world, a sole seer because it commands or moves alone. It is controller of all, as it is yama (lord of death). It is surya, because its rays absorb prana (vital force) and rasa (juice). Here the prayer is not made simply to the lord of light, the sun that we behold in the space but to "that"("tat") who is here in man and who is yonder in the sun (sa yasachaayamam purushye yschaa saa vaaditye -Taittriya V(III-10). Who is pure and like the light within the body (antah-saeerye jyotir-mayo hi subhroMundakV--III-1).Who is inside of all this and (also) outside of all this (tadantrasya savasya tadu sarv syaasy bahyatah -Isha.5).Whose face, in the centre of the radiance, is covered with the golden disc(hiraNmayen pAtreNa satya syaapihitam mukham Isha 15) and most propitious is His face (tejoyate rupam kalyaantam tatte pashyaami yo asaa vasau puruShah so.ahamasmi-- Isha-16). The prayer thus, is to discover the truth, the Absolute Reality, through Savitur (tattuam pushann paavrnu satyadharmaay drastye--Isa--15 Thus the purpose of the meditation is to realize the Absolute Reality-to see the Selfindwelling who is seen by the subtle seers through their sharp and subtle intellect alone (drashytye tuavyayaa budhayaa sukchma yaa sukcham darshiarbhi:katho. III-22). The emphasis is on subtle and sharp intellect He is not seen or gained by the weak nor by the insincere nor by those practising penances or austerities but by wise men who strive with vigour, attention and prosperity (naayam aatmaa bala-hinena labhyo-mundaka III .ii-4). With weak intellect one can not realize the Self - indwelling. By means of the light of the intellect, says shruti, one should know the truth of the aatman (see Mundak III-i-9). He is seen repeats upanishads, neither by following certain rituals nor by practicing penance but by meditating upon that most adorable when the intellect becomes calm and refined (na-anyair-devaistapasaa-karmanaa vaa - Mundak III-i-8). Mantra and Worldly Wealth While there are many mantras where the divine power is prayed to provide material comforts, in gayatri mantra, as has been said earlier, an appeal is made to foster and sharpen the knowledge yielding faculty, the intellect or the discriminating power. When one is endowed with sharp intellect, the material things are not far beyond his reach. And also, `for who's indeed is wealth`(kashyas dhanam), says upan ishada (Isa

1). None can be satisfied with the wealth, replied Nachiketa when he was offered, by yama, wealth and long life, herds of cattle, gold and horses and fair maidens with their chariot and musical instrument. All this, Nachiketa said, is transient and wear out the vigour of all the senses (shvuabhaavaa mataraya sya yadant kait tatsarvye indryaanaam jaryanti teja--Katho-I i-24). Therefore, one should pray that intellect which brings him closer to tejas--the splendour rather than thin gs which are transient. By getting sharp intellect one can gain knowledge and by right knowledge that Self is gained . When the intellect is purified by the serene light of knowledge, through meditation, he can see Him who is without parts (gyaan prasaaden vishudh satva isatastu tam pasyantye niskalam dhaayamaanah-Mundak -V-III-8). All the doors and windows of prosperity are opened. He is neither trapped in the worldly problems nor does he tread a wrong path. The sharp and righteous intellect provides righteous solutions to his problems. The wisdom of Bhrigu (Taattriy V-III-5) tells us that the spirit in men manifests itself as intellect and perfect bliss is Brahman (vigyaanam brhamyeti vayjaanaat vigyaanaadh yeav khalivemaani bhutaani jaayantye). Starting from annam, men's quest for perfect bliss passes through prana (vital breath), manas (consciousness), vijnana (intellect).yetam vijaan mya maatamaana mupasaynakramya-Tattriy a V(III-1). Then he proceeds to the Self which consists of understanding/intellect and then to the Self which consist of bliss and goes up and down the worlds eating the food he desires and assuming the form he desires. He who knows this becomes rich in food . He becomes great in offspring and cattle and in the splendour of sacred knowledge and great in fame (mahaanbhavapti prajyaa pashubhiarbrahman varchsen mahaankeertya-Taittiri V-III-10). Verily, it is not for the sake of the wealth that wealth is dear, said Yajnavalkya (Brihadaranyak IV-II-1-9), when his wife enquired: ' Would I be immortal through it, if the entire earth filled with wealth was mine.' 'For the sake of the Self is the wealth dear, said the Seer'. It is the Self that should be discovered or realized, not the material wealth. The sharpening of intellect in essence, is illumination of our subtle world of consciousness. In our inner world savitur, the bestower of light is aatman . As the entire solar system moves around the sun, in the same way, the entire subtle world of our senses, mind, intellect, and ego revolves around aatamn (the spirit or the soul). Without this centres of radiance all other physical elements, the body, senses, mind intellect are all dead or meaningless, as the universe is dark and dead without the savitur. Light of Lights By getting the intellect sharpened, the gayatri mantra invokes our voyage to selfrealization. However, getting the intellect sharpened or stimulated is not an end in itself. It is the brilliance, the intelligence or the thinker behind that needs to be explored. The intellect is just an instrument, a means to move further, it is a pathway,

a by lane that leads to the end of the tunnel where shines a very pleasing, pleasant, soothing and cool light. When the intellect is stimulated or purified or sharpened, the Self shines forth in its own resplendency (see Mundak-III- i-9: esoanuraatmacheats veditavyo). The subtle truth of the aatman within the body is revealed only with the backup of a purified intellect. The bondage of the non-Self, says Adi Shankara in his famous treatisevivekachUDAmaNI, springs from ignorance. This bondage can be destroyed neither by weapons nor by wind, nor by fire, nor by millions of acts (desireful acts or rituals enjoined by the scriptures) except the wonderful sword of knowledge that comes of discrimination (vivekachUDAmaNI147). Dr Manohar Abhay, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, manohar_abhay at yahoo.co.in