Thought One
Just like the Sun annihilates darkness, so does the Gayatri mantra destroy ignorance.
The Gayatri Mantra invokes the power and radiance of the Sun to energize all earthly life, to destroy our sins and to reveal the Supreme Self to us. The 21st of June is the longest day of the year, the Sun will be with us for a little longer. Therefore tomorrow is specially significant in reciting the Gayatri mantra.
Krishna in the Bhagvad Geeta says: ” Amongst the mantras, I am the Gayatri”
In a loose translation that cannot possibly do justice to the original it implores: OM, O Lord! You are the all pervading Source of Light, Sustainer, Protector and Bestower of Happiness, Kindle, Enlighten and inspire our Intelligence to possess Eternal Qualities.
For the more ambitious ones, will you recite with me in Sanskrit ?
Om Bhur bhuvah svah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo Devasya dheemahi
Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat
Thank You! If you would like to have the translation of each word, see below.
Thought Two
Since I have been doing some extra reading on the ‘ Gayatri Mantra’ I thought that I would share the information with those of you who requested for the word to word translation.
The story goes that once the Devas, the shining ones wanted to learn the secrets of the Universe. Since learning about the Scientific aspect ‘atoms’ etc. did not quite work out, they went to the Lord. The Lord gave them the Rig Veda, The Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda to study. After a couple of eons of study, the Devas lost their patience and wanted to quit. The Lord urged them not to give up and decided to teach the essence of the 3 Vedas in 3 fragments.
Essence of Rig Veda Tat Savitur Varenyam
Essence of Yajur Veda Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Essence of Sama Veda Dheeyo Yonah Prachodayaat
The more the Devas practiced and contemplated upon the Gayatri, the more complexities were revealed to them. So they lost patience again and went to the Lord to make it simpler still. So the Lord gave them the essence of the 3 segments, in the 3 words:
Bhur, Bhuvaha, Svah
The Devas spent a a few cycles of Creation, probably a quadrillion human years pondering upon the ‘maha vyahritis’ i.e. ‘Utterances of the Lord’ but became impatient again and urged the Lord to make it simpler yet. So He Said “All right I’ll make it simpler”
And He taught them AUM
Word by Word Translation of the Gayatri Mantra
Translating the word ‘Love’ From English to Spanish cannot impart the experience of ‘Love’. hence one must understand that substituting one word for another does not necessarily impart its meaning.
The Gayatri Mantra is the essence of the three Vedas. It is the Vedas simplified. The more one contemplates and meditates upon the Gayatri, the more complexities are revealed to one.
| AUM | Supreme Lord |
| BHUR | Protector of the earth, the material sheath, The Life breath of the Universe. From the feet to the navel center. |
| BHUVAH | One of the meanings is the sky. The Lord who pervades and eliminates all miseries. From the navel to the throat center. |
| SVAH | One of the meanings is the heavens. Also the atmosphere. He is all Bliss and blesses His devotees with happiness. From above the throat center to the thousand petalled lotus. |
| TAT That | (That Thou Art) |
| SAVITUR | The SUN, Creator, Preserver and Self Luminous, the central mantra of the Solar Science. |
| VARENYAM | Most fit to be worshipped. Most choice worthy. |
| BHARGO | The burning splendor of the Sun that dispels ignorance, and therefore sorrows and miseries. |
| DEVASYA | The ‘Deva’, The God, He who is All Bliss, The Joyful One, The Shining One, The Revealer of All Glory |
| DHEEMAHI | We meditate upon Him |
| DHEEYO YO NA | Who our intelligence and Wisdom |
| PRACHODAYAAT | Inspires |
Shakun Kimatrai 