GAYATRI MANTRA -ITS MEANING

 

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

 

Summary of the Mantra

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life, Remover of pain and sorrow, The Bestower of happiness, Oh! Creator of the Universe, May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light, May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

Word for Word Meaning of the Mantra

Aum = Brahma ; bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ; bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ; swaha = embodiment of happiness ; tat = that ; savitur = bright like sun ; varenyam = best choicest ; bhargo = destroyer of sins ; devasya = divine ; dheemahi = may imbibe ; dhiyo = intellect ; yo = who ; naha = our ; prachodayat = may inspire ;

 

Sanskrit

Translation

English Version

OM

All of existence. Perceptive vibration of the cosmos. The Almighty. Life.

Throughout the experience of Life

BHOOR

Coming. The physical world. Vital energy.

BHUVAH

Going. The mental world. Destroyer of suffering.

SVAH

Balance. The intellectual world. Embodiment of happiness.

TAT

That; indicates the three planes of experience, isness, pure being, God.

That essential nature

SAVITUR

Radiant brilliance shinning forth from nowhere. Bright, luminous, like the sun. Knowledge. Male principle.

illuminating existence

VARENYAM

Adorable. Venerable. Supreme.

is the adorable

BHARGO

Permeated with Magnificence. The destroyer of sins.

One.

DEVASYA

Divine. Intrinsically pure and brilliant.

DHEEMAHI

Meditation-focused, absorbed. Receiving.

 

DHIYO

Intellect.

May all beings perceive through subtle and meditative intellect

YO

Who

NAH

Us (Out of one into many; Yo-Nah: Female principle.)

PRACHODAYAAT 

Inspire, enlighten and ignite.

the brilliance of enlightened awareness.

 

Gayatri Mantra given above is dedicated to the Sun.
Being a solar mantra, it generates a lot of heat in the aspirant if recited correctly.  For this reason, it was to be recited whilst standing in a river / lake – ie this was to keep the devotee’s temperature in balance.

According to some, the true Gayatri is still hidden from the masses.
It contains the formulae for creation, via the solar energy.   Those who understand the real Gayatri, understand the secrets of creation and have power to create and destroy the universe we live in.  Hence, it is not revealed to all.  Not even all the rishis and munis know it in its entirety.

 

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