Saturday 6 August 2016

Origin of Gaayatri Mantra




ORIGIN
OF
GAAYATHREE MANTRAM

GAAYATHREE MANTRAM

THE SACRED HYMN OF GAAYATHREE


भूर्भुवः सुवः
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् 



OM BHOOR BHUVAH SUVAH

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM

BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI

DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT   



OM

EARTH SKY AND HEAVEN,

THE MOST SUPREME LIGHT OF DIVINITY!

I MEDITATE ON THE SOURCE OF THESE!

LET THAT BESTOW ON US THE COMPREHENSION.







1


The impenetrable forest…
a grove of beautiful trees…

A Sage sat in meditation.
He was not meditating on the ‘SELF’, the Aatman, the Reality-essence…
He was always ‘THAT’ (Brahman).
He needed no separate hours set for the contemplation of the SELF!

He was worried;
not about himself.
but
about the world;
about the beings in the world;
about their lack of knowledge;
about their lack of self- enquiry.

He was worried about the abundance of ignorance in the world.
He wanted to give the world an easy path ‘up’.
He wanted all beings to realize THE TRUTH, irrespective of caste, creed or gender.
HE was worried about the world.

He was the FRIEND of the world.
He was VISHVAAMITRA.
[vishva+aa+ mitra] a complete friend of the world.
He was an ‘Ocean of compassion’.

2

SHIVALOKA
The world beyond time and space;
sportive world of Shiva;
‘space-less space’ filled with snowy mountains;
and seated near him was His beloved Queen UMAA.
and on her lap played -
the Crimson Princess;
the beloved daughter of Shiva and Shakti;
the beloved daughter of ‘Auspiciousness’ and ‘Power –Supreme’.

TAIJASAA

Daughter of Tejaa!

THE LUSTROUS ONE;
spouse of LORD BAIRAVA;
beloved of LORD NAARAAYANA.

This crimson flower, the form of Supreme Beauty was -
the Supreme Power of the Mind.

TAIJASAA
is wedded to Lord Bairava, the Supreme form of ADI SHESHA,
as the BLISS PRINCIPLE;

TAIJASAA is wedded to Lord Vishnu, by the name of PADMAAVATI
as the KNOWLEDGE PRINCIPLE.

TAIJASAA is the Supreme Essence of ‘innocence and purity’ competing in guilelessness with the sacred Ganges flowing down the locks of the ‘THREE EYED ONE’.

TAIJASAA is also the Supreme Ocean of Compassion.

AND TAIJASAA HEARD THE CALL…

3


The Sage was meditating...

Crimson light appeared before him, and looked at him with compassion!
Showered by the nectar of bliss, the Sage pleaded for the ‘enlightenment’ for the whole world.
The Supreme Goddess smiled, and revealed the Supreme Form of
‘EMPRESS TRIPURAA DEVI’.

The combined form of –

TEJAA, SATYAA, AND TAIJASAA…
DURGAA, SARASVATI, AND LAKSHMI…
POWER, KNOWLEDGE AND BEAUTY…
CHIT, BHUDDHI, AND MANAS…
SAT CHIT AANANDA

MAAYAA, BHRAMAA, and MOHAA are -
the Supreme Powers of TRIPURAA -THE EMPRESS SUPREME.

TRIPURAA is the combined forms of - 
PAVITRI, GAAYATRI, and SAAVITRI

PAVITRI is the form of PURITY.
GAAYATRI is the form of COMPASSION,
SAAVITRI is the form of KNOWLEDGE.

These are the three ‘form less’ forms of
TRIPURAA DEVI- The SUPREME EMPRESS.

The Great Goddess TRIPURAA plays around with countless Creations every second in her ‘timeless’ TRIPURAA LOKA.


4


The Sage saw the supreme dance of the three colors -
TEJAA, TAIJASAA and SATYAA.

He saw all the three colors –
Green, Red, and Blue hues, merging into ONE shining lustrous form!

The Supreme formless state of BRAHMAN descended in front of the Sage in a supreme form of power, intelligence and beauty.

The compassionate Sage was surrounded by the reddish hue of dispassion.

His eyes became the sources of blissful waters.

The sacred hymn was revealed to him.
and - he offered it to the world...

May we salute the great Sage VISHVAAMITRA for his compassionate gift!


5

GAAYATRI, the SUPREME GODDESS OF LOVE is the beloved daughter of Shiva and Paarvati.
SHE is the sister of Vinaayaka and Kaartikeya.
SHE is the form of Purity.
SHE is the Beauty unsurpassed.
SHE is the Supreme GODDESS of DHARMA.
SHE is the Supreme MOTHER ‘KALKI’.
SHE is the daughter of MOTHER KAALI;
SHE is the ‘crimson flower’ adorning the blue neck of LORD NAARAAYANA as PADMAAVATI.
SHE is the innocent ‘Child-Goddess’ embracing the neck of LORD BAIRAVA as TAIJASAA.
SHE is the Eternal Spouse of both NARA and NAARAAYANA.
SHE is the Supreme Creatrix, GODDESS GAAYATRI.

 6

By repeating the sacred hymn of GAAYATRI -
one is blessed by MOTHER GAAYATRI.


SHE takes the one repeating this hymn as her child.


SHE graces him / her with knowledge.


By HER ‘grace’ - the child effortlessly realizes the Supreme State.


Through the proper meditation on the meaning of GAAYATRI MANTRA,
through the proper recitation of GAAYATRI MANTRA,
sins of countless births are destroyed by the power of the hymn.

Seeds of desires lurking in the deep bowels of the mind are destroyed by
the power of the hymn.

The desire for ‘Self-Knowledge’ arises naturally.
The desire for liberation arises effortlessly.
The mind merges into the contemplation of SELF easily,
And one realizes the SUPREME STATE by the ‘grace’ of TRIPURAA!!!

7



GAAYATRI is encompassed in the meter ‘Gaayatri’.
SHE is named so, because. SHE saves the organs.
Or,
SHE sings and saves..!!!

SHE is four-footed.
The one foot encompassing the three worlds-
waking, dream and the Deep sleep;  Earth, Sky, and Heaven.

The second foot is the ‘Triple Vedic Knowledge’, RK, YAJUR, SAAMA.

The Third foot is the ‘Totality’ of all beings.

Her fourth foot is the Highest State.

The Fourth One is -
the State of SAVITR; Supreme Light; Sun; One above all activities; and Lord of all!


8


He who knows these four feet of GAAYATRI-
  has nothing more to gain.
 has nothing more to know.
  has nothing more to realize.

OM SHAANTIHI OM SHAANTIHI OM SHAANTIHI



SALUTATIONS TO TRIPURAA DEVI






Saturday 18 August 2012

Gaayatri Mantra with ShankaraBhaashya

  
गायत्रीमन्त्रम्

तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्व:

तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं

भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

ॐ भू:  ॐ भुव: ॐ स्व: ॐ मह:

ॐ जन:  ॐ तप:  ॐ सत्यं

ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं

भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि

धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात्

आपो ज्योति रसोमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः

स्वरोम्





COMPLETE GAAYATRI MANTRA


TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI


DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT●


OM BHOOR-BHUVAH SVAHA


TAT-SAVITUR-VARENYAM


BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI


DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT●


OM BHOOHU ● OM BHUVAHA ● OM SVAHA ● OM MAHAHA●


OM JANAHA● OM TAPAHA● OM SATYAM●


OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM


BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI


DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAAT●


AAPO JYOTI RASOMRTAM BRAHMA BHOOR BHUVAH

SVAROM●

GAAYATREE PRAANAAYAAMAM

गायत्री- प्राणायामं

Holding the breath one should repeat the above mentioned गायत्री मन्त्रं (GAYATRI CHANT) completely thrice at ब्रह्म मुहूर्त (BRAHMA MUHURTA).

1 मुहूर्त (MUHURTA) = 48 minutes. 

ब्रह्म मुहूर्त  (BRAHMA MUHURTA)-  is the 2nd last मुहूर्त (MUHURTA) 
(1 hr 36 min) before sunrise

This is called गायत्री प्राणायामं (GAAYATRI PRAANAAYAAMAM)

The above mentioned गायत्री महा मन्त्रं (GAAYATRI MAHAA MANTRA) is the essence of all the Vedas.

गायत्री मन्त्रं (GAYATRI CHANT) reveals the existence of the Supreme Self or परमात्मन् (PARAMAATMAN) in every existing object - living or non living, as its very essence.

गायत्री मन्त्र उपासनं (GAYATRI MANTRA UPAASANA ) (Practice of the Gaayatri Chant) consists of chanting the complete Mantra as given above, loudly, with perfect phonetic intonations.

If there is not the perfect phonetic expression of sound, the Mantra may not have the required effect.

The Mantra is mainly intended for personal usage. Unless one is physically handicapped, the Mantra is to be chanted by the aspirant himself. (Listening to the Mantra in a cassette is of no use.)

The उपासनं (UPAASANA) of गायत्री मन्त्रं (GAAYATRI MANTRAM) is to be performed with an effort by the साधक (ASPIRANT) himself.

Regular गायत्री प्राणायाम साधन (GAYATRI MANTRA PRACTICE) leads one to Self-Knowledge; bestows liberation and Siddhis (Higher powers of higher Knowledge levels).

- OMKARA is also known as प्रणवं (PRANAVA).

The chanting of bestows liberation. Those who are spiritually inclined should chant the in an elongated form, combining it with प्राणायामं (BREATH CONTROL).

Others who want to have worldly benefits should chant the in an ordinary way, in a short time.
But in ‘Gaayatri Mantra Chanting’, since the whole passage is to be repeated in one single breath - three times without a break, the Omkaara repetition can be short.


MEANING OF THE MANTRA

तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥


TATSAVITURVARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACODAYAAT


तत्  TAT : That

सवितुः  SAVITUH : of the Sun

वरेण्यं VARENYAM :  Supremely Great

भर्गः BHARGAH : Shining one or the lustrous one

देवस्य DEVASYA : of the God or of the shining form

धीमहि DHEEMAHI : We will meditate

धियः DHIYAH :  Discriminating faculty or the Buddhi or the Intelligence.

यः YAH : Who

नः  NAH : of us

प्रचोदयात्  PRACODAYAAT :  Inspire or provoke




Let us meditate upon (and stay as the identity of) the supremely great luster
of that Sun God (witness state).
 Let that inspire our intelligence
(to realize the essence of Reality that is us and all this.)



DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE WORDS


SAVITR - SUN
SAVITUH - OF THE SUN

Sun in the Advaitic texts does not refer to the star-sun which burns in the sky above us lighting up our planet. The word Sun always suggests the witness state or the Self state.
As the Star sun by its very presence makes the earthly dealings go on, the Self by its very presence allows the perceived world to appear.
Self (Aatman) is not the form with a name; but the inner essence of Reality which exists as this perceived world. Anyone who is attached and identified with the form of the body, gains no benefit from the Mantra.

BHARGA -

Luster or shine does not mean the light or shine as observed to emerge out of light sources or diamonds or gold objects. Awareness alone, as the understanding nature of any perceiver shines as the perceived world. This is the luster of the Self (Aatman) or Brahman.
The terms Aatman and Brahman denote the same nameless formless non thinking reality-state.
If Brahman can be compared to the expanse of sunlight, Aatman is the sunlight channelized through the mind-window.

DEVA -

The word DEVA does not refer to a God or Ishvara. DEVA means that which shines.
As this shine of awareness makes the entire world appear in an instant, Brahman or Atman is a Deva, the Supreme Lord who creates the worlds in an instant.

DHEE -

means intellect or the Discriminating faculty as apart from the Mind or MANAS.
Mind is just a data-collector of sense perceptions.
Intellect or DHEE is the faculty that analyzes all the data collected by the mind and decides what to keep and what to throw away.


 


CONCEALED MEANING

परमात्मन् AND जीवात्मन्

(SUPREME SELF AND THE INDIVIDUAL SELF)


Though the Mantra appears to refer to the Sun shining above the earth, it is actually intended towards the परब्रह्मन् (PARA BRAHMAN) and teaches us the identity of the आत्मन् (INDIVIDUAL SELF) and the परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF).

परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) is the Sun, the shining one.
He shines as our own self.
He is the साक्षी ‘Witness Consciousness’ in us.

AATMAN or Self is not a light-streak or a ghost but the very thing you know as the ‘I’.

 This ‘I’ (ego-sense) - which everyone knows as himself or herself is - परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF).

The SUN which is परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) is your own Self which is felt as the ‘I’ - which is the Shining one.

‘He’ is the very awareness you have.
You are aware of objects outside. So the objects exist.
Your body is there because you are aware of it.
You are the light by which you see other lights like Sun, Moon etc.
You are the ‘Awareness’ - ‘The Light’.
This Awareness is called चित् CHIT - (CONSCIOUSNESS).
This Awareness is परब्रह्मन् - PARABRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF).
This Awareness is the real ‘YOU’.




ADI SHANKARA SAYS

गायत्री मन्त्रं (GAAYATRI CHANT) is the essence of Vedas.
Vedas proclaim the oneness of जीवात्मन् and परमात्मन् (INDIVIDUAL SELF AND THE SUPREME SELF).
गायत्री मन्त्रं also aims at this oneness only.

 EXPLANATION OF THE MANTRA BY SHANKARA


परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF)  is सवितृ  - SAVITR -  SUN.

परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) is  देवः - DEVA - the Shining one.
He is the light by which we see other lights.

परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) is वरेण्यं - VARENYAM  - Greatest, because he is well known to everybody as their very Self, as their ‘I’.

परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) is भर्गः -  BHARGA - the lustrous one, because He destroys the ignorance in everyone.

We meditate on THAT परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) who is referred to by the words - सवितृ   देवः भर्गः and रेण्यं.

Let THAT परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) give us the power to meditate on Him as our own self.
Let THAT परब्रह्मन् (SUPREME SELF) inspire our thoughts to comprehend the truth of the oneness of जीवात्मन् AND परमात्मन् (INDIVIDUAL SELF AND THE SUPREME SELF).

[Para Brahman is not an entity or person with intelligence or mind.
Para Brahman is not a God.
Para Brahman is all that exists as known and understood.
Para Brahman is the state of Reality beyond the reach of senses and mind and intellect.
We can not understand Para Brahman with our intellect; but can know that we are just the flashing unreal waves rising from the Reality-state.]


तत् सत् (OM TAT SAT)


These three words form the essence of Vedas.

is the common word in this statement and the  गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant).

तत्  is also a common word in both.

In the गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant) the word तत् (TAT) is given a detailed explanation.

तत् (TAT) in गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant) refers to सवितृ देवः भर्गः and वरेण्यं. (SAVITR, DEVA, BHARGA and VARENYAM)

सत् (SAT) means the Pure Existence or the Awareness in you.
You are the सत् (SAT) the Principle of Existence the Brahman, because of which all other things like your body, mind etc. exist.

तत् सत्  (OM TAT SAT) means the oneness of  जीवात्मन् AND परमात्मन् 
( INDIVIDUAL SELF AND THE SUPREME SELF).

तत् सत्  (OM TAT SAT) means ‘THAT IS EXISTENCE’.

गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant) means:

“THAT PARABRAHMAN, THAT LUSTROUS SHINING SUN - EXISTS - AS YOU!”


MEANING OF गायत्रीमन्त्रम्  

भू:   - BHOOH  -  EXISTENCE

भुव:  -  BHUVAH - CONSCIOUSNESS

स्व:  - SVAH  - BLISS

मह:   - MAHAH - GREAT

जन:  - JANAH  - CAUSE

तप:   -  TAPAH  - LUSTRE

सत्यं  -  SATYAM - UNAFFECTED

All these words mentioned in the गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant) refer to the परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF)

आपः   -  AAPAH - ALL PERVADING OR EXTENDING OR SPREADING OUT

ज्योति -  JYOTI - SHINING LIGHT

रसः -  RASAH - ESSENCE

अमृतं - AMRITAM - NECTAR


परब्रह्मन्  PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF)

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) is everything that exists.  

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF)  is everywhere.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) pervades everything that exists.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) is the SELF.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF)  is the AATMAN.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF)  is the Essence of everything.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) is immortal.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) is eternal.

परब्रह्मन् PARA BRAHMAN (SUPREME SELF) is free from Death.


MEDITATION

Let us meditate like this, when we chant the complete गायत्री मन्त्रं (Gaayatri Chant)

“I am the Supreme Para Brahman.

I am the witness of the actions of my body, mind and intellect.

These are the instruments given to me for experiencing the world.

I need no other support for my existence.

I am ‘THAT’ (Brahman)
which is referred to in the GAAYATRI MANTRA,
as
SAVITR, BHARGA, DEVA and VARENYAM.

I am BHOO, BHUVA, SVAHA,
MAHAHA, JANAHA, TAPAHA, and SATYAM.

I am AAPA, I am JYOTI. I am RASA. I am AMRITAM. I am BRAHMAN.

I am EVERYTHING.
I am SAT-CHIT-AANANDA.
I am Existence. I am Awareness. I am Bliss. I AM THAT”


 ADI SHAMKARA SAYS


ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is All pervading
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is Self shining
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is Different from Everything
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is the Self
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is Eternal
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is Existence, Consciousness, Bliss
ब्रह्मन्  (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is denoted by the  प्रणव PRANAVA - (OMKAARA)
The other name of ब्रह्मन् (BRAHMAN) SUPREME PRINCIPLE is (AUM)

अहं ब्रह्मास्मि अहं ब्रह्मास्मि अहं ब्रह्मास्मि

AHAM BRAHMAASMI - AHAM BRAHMAASMI - AHAM BRAHMAASMI

I AM THAT BRAHMAN -I AM THAT BRAHMAN- I AM THAT BRAHMAN


Let that Supreme Self inspire our intellects
to meditate upon the Truth.
I am the Supreme Self.

OM


This is the meaning of
गायत्री महा मन्त्रं (GAAYATRI MANTRA )
according to आदिशंकरभगवद्पाद (AADI SHANKARA BHAGAVATPAADA)

तत् सत्
(OM TAT SAT)



श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानामालयं करुणालयं
नमामि भगवत्पादशङ्करं लोकशङ्करं ||

I salute the compassionate abode of the Vedas, Smritis and Puraanas
known as Shankara BhagavatPaada,
who bestows auspiciousness to one and all.



OFFERED AT THE LOTUS FEET OF ADI SHANKARA