Ramanisblog

Tag: Gayatri Mantra meaning

  • Bhogar Explains Gayatri Mantra New Approach

    The interpretation of the Gayatri Mantra depends on one’s spiritual status and his enlightenment level.

    I have written a few articles on the meaning of the Gayatri Mantra, including the explanation by Adi Shankaracharya.

    The interpretation  depends on one’s system of Philosophy/Faith.

    Whatever the interpretation  is the core meaning and the power of Gayatri remains unchanged.

    Siddhas are Realized souls who are timeless.

    Gayatri Mantra.jpg
    The Gayatri Mantra.

    Their interpretation of the Gayatri Mantra provides a different and novel Perspective.

    One might notice that no deity is mentioned in the Gayatri mantra.

    This is like the Ganesha Mantra,

    suklambratharam vishnum sasi varnam chatur bhujam,

    prasanna vadnam dhyayeeth sarva vignopasanthaye.

    The term Vishnu means the one who supports.

    Siddhas refer to Reality the Brahman as Nirguna, Without Attributes.

    And the mention Siva  mostly in the sense of attribute-less reality as auspicious.

    Siva means auspiciousness.

    An interesting explanation of the Gayatri Mantra is provided by Bhogar,a Siddha on par with sage Agastya.

    He occupies the second list of Siddhas after Siva and is among the top of the eighteen Sidddhas.

    Bhogar explains,

    The sound ‘o’ expanded by an explosion into the sounds of ‘A’,’U’ and ‘M’

    These three sound became the Motion.

    This in turn expanded into the Five Elements,

    Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.

    These in turn combined to form four different wombs and seven births.

    This expands as the Universe.

    This power is in many Forms

    This Power Impels our Mind to function.

    Let us Pray to Light the most potent of this Power .

    Seven births indicate the number of births one has to undergo.

    As to four wombs (Yonis) one explanation can be the three genders,Male, Female and Neuter.

    In this case what does Bhogar indicate?

    The other explanation is the essence of Saiva Siddhantha.

    Pasu, ( Jivatma, individual soul)

    Pathi (Paramatma, the Brahman, Universal Soul without Attributes.

    Paasam, the bond akin to Maya/Avidya of Advaita.

    I am trying to get clarification on this

     

    ‘ஓ என்ற புள்ளியாகிய இறைவன் ஓம் என்ற பிரணவமாக பெரு வெடிப்பானான் . இந்த பிரணவம் அகார உகார மகார என்ற சக்தியாக விரிவானது . இந்த ஓங்காரம் விரிவடைந்து அகார உகார , மகர நாத விந்து சக்தியானது . . இது பஞ்ச வித்தாக , பஞ்ச பூதமாக விரிவானது . பஞ்ச பூதங்கள் நால்வகை யோனி எழுவகை பிறப்பாக இப்பிர பஞ்சமாக விரிவானது . இந்த பஞ்சபூத இறை சக்தி நமது புத்தியை செயல் படவைக்கிறது. இந்த இறை சக்தி பல வடிவாக இந்த பிரபஞ்சதில் உள்ளது அவற்றுள் மிக சிறந்த வடிவான ஒளி வடிவத்தில் இறைவனை தியானிப்போம் . இந்த விளக்கத்தில் காயத்திரியும் இல்லை சூரியனும் இல்லை

    Reference and citation

    http://www.siddharyogam.com/siddharphilosopies/gayathrimanthra

  • Adi Shankaracharya Explains Gayatri Mantra

    Some time back there was a  question about the number of Letters in the Gayatri.

     

    I had explained  the answer with Adi Sankaracharya’s Explanation.

     

    Gayatri Mantra.jpg
    The Gayatri Mantra.

     

    Now I am quoting Jagad Guru Shankaracharya’s commentary on the Gayatri Mantra.

     

    OM :- Pranava – The word that is God the Almighty
    BHUH :- God who is eternal,     Embodiment of vital or spiritual energy 
    BHUVAHA :- God who is the creator,     Destroyer of suffering
    SVAHA :- God who is Independent,     Embodiment of happiness
    OM TAT :- That eternal God
    SAVITHUR :- That creative principle of light manifested through Sun
    VARENYAM :- That Supreme God propitiated by the highest Gods
    BHARGO :- That light that bestows wisdom, bliss and everlasting life
    DHEVASYA :- The light of that effulgent God
    DHEEMAHI :- we mediate
    DHIYO :- May our intellect
    YO NAHA :- Be directed by that lord
    PRACHODAYAT :- Towards Illumination

     

    Nah – asmakam Dheeyah – Buddhi Prachodayat- prerayet
    Sarvabudhi samgnanthah karana prkashakah sarva sakshi prethyagathma iti uccyathe
    Thusya prachodayatu sabdanistasya atmanah
    Swarupabhutam param brahma tat savitur ityati padayh nirdisyateh
    Atra tat subdena prthyagbhutam swatah siddham param bramhma uccayathe
    “Savituriti” srustistitilayam lakshnasya sarvaprpanjasya dwaitabhavasya adistanam lakshyate
    “varenyamiti” sarvaraneyam niradhshayaandarupam
    “bharga iti” aviyatidosabharjanatmakam gyanaikavishayathwatu
    “devasya iti” sarvathyadhothanathmakaakandachitekarasam
    savitudevasya ityatra sastayarchi rahoha shirovatu oupacarikaha
    bhdhyati sarva dhrisyasya sakshilakshanan
    yanme swarupam thath sarvadhristanarupam paramanandam
    nirastasamasthanardharupam swaprkashachitatmakam brahma ityevam
    dhimahe – dhiyayeth
    evam sathi praytyagatmanaha brahmana saha thatahtmarupamekatvam bhavathi
    thayaa sarvathmakabrahmabhodakosyam gayatrimantraha sampatyate
    atah saptavyahritinam ayamarthah

     

    I pray,my Buddhi ( beyond Intellect shines forth),

    (Nah – asmakam Dheeyah – Buddhi Prachodayat- prerayet)

     

    By praying, chanting the Gayatri, all the inner organs,Gnanedriyas, Mans, Buddhi, Chitta and the Para Brahman in the Form of Witness reveal themselves,the first four being cleaned by the Gayathri.

     

    ( Sarvabudhi samgnanthah karana prkashakah sarva sakshi prethyagathma iti uccyathe)

     

    by chanting , praying the Savitri.

     

    The Sound of Savitri ,-all the gross elements get submerged in the Brahman, which is the embodiment of Sabda, the primordial Sound.

     

    (Thusya prachodayatu sabdanistasya atmanah
    Swarupabhutam param brahma tat savitur ityati padayh nirdisyateh
    Atra tat subdena prthyagbhutam swatah siddham param bramhma uccayathe)

     

    Savitri is the Creation, Sustenance and dissolution,the differentiation of being two as Jivatman and Paramatman gets obliterated.

    (srustistitilayam lakshnasya sarvaprpanjasya dwaitabhavasya adistanam lakshyate)

     

    Varenyam stands for the Ananda Rupa of the Brahman.

    (“varenyamiti” sarvaraneyam niradhshayaandarupam)

     

    By chanting Varenyam one the impurities of the Mind, and Chitta are removed and Knowledge shines forth.


    (“bharga iti” aviyatidosabharjanatmakam gyanaikavishayathwatu)

     

    Chanting of  Devasya Iti’ is the the culmination of worshiping all the Devatas, the Meditation and merges one in the Aakasa roopa of Brahman, that is from the Gross to the subtle.

    (devasya iti” sarvathyadhothanathmakaakandachitekarasam)

     

    Thus the Savitri is the chief among the Obeisance and Oblations offered to the Devathas and is the culmination of all Perception.

    (savitudevasya ityatra sastayarchi rahoha shirovatu oupacarikaha
    bhdhyati sarva dhrisyasya sakshilakshanan)

     

    This is the essence of all the Siddhantas about the Para Brahman.
    (yanme swarupam thath sarvadhristanarupam paramanandam)

     

    It is the Unsullied Form of  the Reality  Brahman that shines forth
    (nirastasamasthanardharupam swaprkashachitatmakam brahma ityevam
    dhimahe – dhiyayeth)

     

    By chanting ,praying this/thus,the duality is vanishes and the One Reality dawns.
    (evam sathi praytyagatmanaha brahmana saha thatahtmarupamekatvam bhavathi)

     

    This is explanation and the results  of the Seven Vyahrutis of the Gaytri,

     

    And this is my (Shankaracharya) explanation.
    thayaa sarvathmakabrahmabhodakosyam gayatrimantraha sampatyate
    atah saptavyahritinam ayamarthah

     

    * There  might be errors in my translation.

     

    Scholars in Sanskrit are requeted to send in corrections as this, I consider to be the best explanation of the Gaytri Mantra and the essence of the Vedas