Semi-cursive script
15" x 27"
40 x 69 cm
Private collection
Mantras
Mantra is a holy syllable we chant or we pray with. With use of mantras we can
come nearer the Gods we worship.
SARASWATI NAMASTHUBHYAM
VARADE KAMARUPINI
VIDHYARAMBAM KARISHYAMI
SIDDHIR BAVATHUME SADHA
Ganesha mantra
jaya ganeśa jaya ganeśa jaya ganeśa deva
mata jaki parvati pita mahadeva
Shakti mantras
There is a famous prayer in Sanskrit that first appears in the Rig Veda (iii /62/10) called the
gayatri mantra that almost every Hindu knows. In roman letters it is as follows:
1. tat-savitur varenyam.
2. bhargo devasya dhimahi, and
3. dhiyo yo nah pracodayat
Here is a word-for-word breakdown of the gayatri mantra that most Hindus know.
tat–that (God)
savitur–of the sun
varenyam–the best
bhargo (bhargas)–light, illumination
devasya–divine
dhimahi–let us meditate (a verb)
dhiyo (dhiyah)–thought(s)
yo (yah)–which
nah–of us, our
pracodayat–May it push, inspire (a verb)
The most important word in the gayatri mantra is the word, “tat,” which is a neuter pronoun
meaning “that.” It is a reference to “that One," God. According to the metaphor mentioned
above, the sun, which is the source of illumination, heat, food and so many other things in our
life, can naturally be seen as the “representative” or symbol of God in this world. There are
two verbs in the gayatri mantra, dhimahi and prachodayat. Dhimahi means, “let us
meditate.“ So, “let us meditate on the light (bhargo) of the sun which represents God.” This
is the basic meaning of the first part of the gayatri mantra.
The second part is also straight forward. The verb prachodayat literally means , “it should
push,” but in more poetic language we can translate it as “let it inspire.” Dhiyah is
“thoughts,” so dhiyo yo nah prachodayat means, “may our thoughts be inspired” So the most
literal meaning of the gayatri mantra is, “Let us meditate on the light of the sun which
represents God, and may our thoughts be inspired by that divine light.”
The first part of the gayatri mantra, om bhur bhuvah svah, which we mentioned at the
beginning as not part of the mantra, is called vyahriti or the “great utterance.” This mantra is
repeated not only in conjunction with the gayatri mantra, but also separately during havans or
fire ceremonies. The word om is a auspicious sound made at the beginning of many prayers.
The expression bhur bhuvah and svah is technical, but a simple way to think of it is as a “call
to creation,” that the light of the sun (the light of God) shines on the earth (bhur), in the sky
(bhuvah), and in space (svah), and therefore the implication is, “let that light also shine on
me.”
The technical explanation vyahriti has to do with subtle practices of meditational yoga. This
earth is simply one of many planes of existence. In fact, above this earth are six higher
planes, heavens as it were. Including this earth, there are seven planes up (heavens) and seven
planes down, or hells below this earth. The earth is in the middle. If you have ever heard the
expression, “he is in seventh heaven” you should understand that this is a reference to the
Hindu idea of heavens. The seventh heaven is the highest heaven. The first three of these
planes starting with the earth are called bhur, bhuvah and svah. The utterance bhur bhuvah
svah, therefore, refers to the first three subtle planes of existence that may be reached in
meditation by a yogi.