The Gāyatrī Mantra

Discussion in 'Mantra' started by Aum, Sep 22, 2015.

  1. Aum

    Aum New Member

    The Gāyatrī Mantra is the mother of the Vedas. It is the foremost mantra in Vedic beliefs, inspires wisdom. It is based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rig-Veda. This mantra has also been termed as Savitri and Ved-Mata.
    oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ

    tat savitur vareṇyaṃ

    bhargo devasya dhīmahi

    dhiyo yó naḥ pracodayāt

    Rig-Veda [3.62.10]

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    OM: The Supreme Power

    Bhur: The earth

    Bhuvah: The planets (solar family)

    Svaha: The Galaxy.

    Tat: That God

    Savitur: The sun (star)

    Varenyam: Worthy of bowing or respect.

    Bhargo: The light

    Devasya: Of the deity

    Dheemahi: We should meditate.

    Dhiyo: Intellect

    Yo: Who

    Nah: We all

    Prachodayat: Guide to right Direction.



    Full scientific interpretation of the Mantra: The earth (bhur), the planets (bhuvah), and the galaxies (svaha) are moving at a very great velocity, the sound produced is Om, (the name of formless God).



    That God (tat), who manifests Himself in the form of light of suns (savitur) is worthy of bowing/respect (varenyam). We all, therefore, should meditate (dheemahi) upon the light (bhargo) of that deity (devasya) and also do chanting of Om. May He (yo) guide in right direction (prachodayat) our (nah) intellect dhiyo.



    Translation by Swami Vivekananda:

    "We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds."



    Two interpretations by S. Radhakrishnan:

    "We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding."

    "We meditate on the adorable glory of the radiant sun; may he inspire our intelligence."



    The Arya Samaj interpretation:

    "O God ! Giver of life, Remover of all pain and sorrows, Bestower of happiness, the Creator of the Universe, Thou art most luminous, adorable and destroyer of sins. We meditate upon thee. May thou inspire, enlighten and guide our intellect in the right direction."



    The Brahmo Samaj interpretation:

    "We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (i.e. the universe), and who directs our understanding."



    The Robert Fox interpretation:

    "O Effulgent Light of creation! Let the Sun of Truth illuminate my divinity. And meditation allows my thoughts to be inspired by Thee."



    Interpretation by William Quan Judge in his commentary on the Gāyatrī Mantra:

    "Unveil, O Thou who givest sustenance to the Universe, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, that face of the True Sun now hidden by a vase of golden light, that we may see the truth and do our whole duty on our journey to thy sacred seat."



    A paraphrase by Sir William Jones:

    "Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun, the god-head who illuminates all, who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understandings aright in our progress toward his holy seat."



    Common man's prayer:

    "Whoever produced me and the one recites this mantra, let Him save both of us from sinning against each other."
     

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