THE HOLY MANTRA -- GAAYATRI
By Dr. Krishna M. Gutala
(Summary of a talk at ICC Cupertino, on 21st March 2016)
1. INTRODUCTION
Mantra is a Sanskrit poetic format, short or long, conveying deep meaning, or even just an invocation. What does a Mantra mean? It has been stated: “Mananaat Traayatay Iti Mantra”. “Mantra is that which, when we delve deep into, and reflect upon it, it protects us”. It directs us in the right way, and illumines the mind. It envelopes the one who recites, from head to toe, and builds up around one an ethereal shield as it were.
In this vast creation, it is humans alone that can think and reflect. Our founding father is ‘Manu’, which means one who can ‘manutay’ i.e., think and imagine (do ‘mananam’). Being descendants of Manu, we are called ‘manuja’ and also ‘maanava’. The equipment we have for such ‘mananam’ (reflection) is our mind (‘manas’). It can do so from the sphere of material and mundane, to that of highly spiritual, a vast potential of incredible range. God’s most precious gift to humans. However, its weak and strong points are, it can entangle one with endless material desires and suffocate, or, can also enlighten one, leading to Liberation. It is said: “Manasyva Manushyaa-naam Kaaranam Bandha Moakshayeh”, meaning ‘it is mind alone that is the cause of either bondage or Liberation’. It would be good if it operates in the right direction, being able to comprehend Truth and pursue towards it. But unfortunately, mostly it does not do so, being ‘asamskrita’ i.e., unrefined. It has mainly two defects. Either it cannot comprehend at all, or, may comprehend wrongly, mistaking one for the other. These two ‘guna-s’ (qualities) are called ‘Tamoe guna’ and ‘Rajoe guna’. The former makes one lazy and dull, and the latter resulting in distraction and diversion. Such minds need purification, to make them ‘Saatvik’ i.e., acquire the desirable ‘guna’. Such a refinement is possible thru the medium of ‘Mantra’.
All Mantra-s that we normally chant, are from the ‘Veda-s’, the most ancient literature of the world, that thrived in ‘Aaryaavarta’ (much later called ‘India’), believed to be a few millennia prior to Christian era. Each Veda has four sections: Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka, and Upanishad. The Upanishad that comes in the end, is called ‘Vedanta’, that which comes at the end of the Veda. All Upanishads belong to some Veda or other. All the Manthra-s that are frequently recited, have for their source either an Upanishad, or some other portion of some Veda or other. For example:
1. ‘Maatru Devoe Bhava Pitru Devoe Bhava..’ Taittireeya Upanishad.
2. ‘Asatoama Sudgamayaa…’ Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad.
3. ‘Sahanaa Vavatu Sahanou Bhunaktu…’ Taittireeya Upanishad.
4. ‘Poorna Madaha Poorna Midam..’ Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad.
5. ‘Gaayatri Mantra’ Rig Veda.
6. ‘Triambakam Yajaamaheh Sugandhim…’ Rig Veda.
And so on, other Chants.
There are innumerable ‘Japa’ Mantra-s (recited during daily worship) from one to twenty-four syllables, from ‘Om’ to ‘Gaayatri’. To name a few: Panchaakshaari: ‘Namassivaaya’, Ashtaakshari: ‘Om Namo Narayanaaya’, Dwaadasaakshari: ‘Om Namo Bhagavateh Vaasudevaaya’ etc. The four objectives of life for which a devotee aspires, called ‘Purushaardha-s’, are: Ardha and Kaama (wealth and desire-fulfillment), and, Dharma and Moaksha (religious and spiritual objectives). The former two are designated ‘Aihika’, and the latter two ‘Aamushmika’. Many of the Mantra-s are of the Aihika category, but the Gaayatri Mantra fulfills both. Hence is it said:
‘Na Gaayatriyaa Paroe Mantra Na Maatuhu Paradaivatam’
‘No other Mantra superior to Gaayatri, no other Goddess other than mother’.
In general, every Mantra has some essential characteristics, such as: 1.Having a specific Deity (Devata), 2. A particular Rishi, 3. A characteristic meter (Chhandus), 4. A Sakti (Power, Capability), and 5. A Siddhi (Fulfil-ment). For the Gaayatri Mantra, the Deity is ‘Savita’ (Sun-God). The Rishi, who first intuitively had a comprehensive vision of the Mantra, to reveal it to the others, is Viswamitra (meaning ‘friend of the universe’). The meter format is ‘Gaayatri’ meter itself. The Sakti is, mental purification. The Siddhi is Liberation itself (Moaksha), from the bondage of ‘samsaara’.
The meaning of the word ‘Gaayatri’ is: ‘Gaayati Traayateh Iti Gaayatri’. ‘That which descends singing, and protects us’. The full Gaayatri Mantra has three components: 1. The facial component (called ‘Vyaahriti’), 2. The core component (Mantra Garbha), to be recited and meditated upon, and, 3. The concluding Siroe Mantra.
Facial component: “ Om Bhoo, Om Bhuvaha, Om Suvaha, Om Mahaha, Om Janaha, Om Tapaha, Om Satyam”. However this, for recitation, has been condensed to “ Om Bhoor Bhu Vassuvaha”.
The Core component (Mantra Garbha):
“ Tut Savitur Varenyam
Bhargoe Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyoe Yoanaha Prachoadayaat ”.
The conclusive (Siroe) component:
“ Om Aapoe Jyoati Rasoamritam
Brahma Bhoor Bhu Vassuvaroam ” .
(Note that the full Mantra begins and ends with ‘Om’. So also are most of the Mantra-s).
One thing to be noted in reciting these Mantra-s. There is a specific style, a specific intonation, a musical format, in reciting them. It is all the more incumbent, a must, in the case of the Gaayatri Mantra. This should be recited in the format of three tones: upper, middle and lower. The upper and lower tones are indicated by bars above and below the respective akshara-s (alphabets).
The Gaayatri Mantra (the condensed form of the facial component i.e., ‘Om Bhoor Bhu Vassuvaha’ plus the core component) is recited for 108 times, using a ‘Japa Maala’ (rosary) for the count. Under inevitable time constraints, it could be reduced to half that number, or a minimum of at least eighteen times.
Explanation of the Gaayatri Mantra:
At this stage, a classification could be considered for three categories of aspirants, depending on their comprehensive ability and earlier exposure.
Category 1: Not so receptive, as also reluctant to persevere in knowing the deeper meaning. Content with the obvious external meaning, ‘Baahyaardha’, and prone to plunge into mechanical recitation and ritual. This category is termed as ‘Adhi Bhoutika’.
Category 2: Those who would approach a Preceptor, and strive with dedication and concentration, to know the deeper meaning, ‘Antaraardha’. This category is termed as ‘Aadhyaatmika’.
Category 3: Those, by virtue of their learning and background, can mostly grasp on their own, with self-study and reflection, and persevere till knowing the core meaning, the very ‘Paramaardha’. This group is termed ‘Adhi Dyvika’. Those with ‘Kusaagra Buddhi’ i.e., super sharp intellect.
Meanings under the three categories will now be briefly given.
2. BAAHYAARDHA (Adhi-Bhoutika Meaning)
(a) The Facial Component:
‘Om Bhoo Om Bhuvaha Om Suvaha Om Mahaha Om Janaha Om Tapaha Om Satyam’.
The first five are the ‘Pancha Bhoota-s’, the five basic elements, viz., earth, water, fire or effulgence, wind and the sky (ether). The sixth ‘Tapaha’ is ‘reflection’ upon the seventh i.e., ‘Satyam’ (Truth). Om is all these. This sequence is the reverse gear from Creation to the Creator, from the grossest to the Subtlest, from the end product to the very Basic Source, the Eternal Truth, the Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (Sut-Chit-Aananda).
The implication is, the Supreme Reality, during Its ‘Avaroahana’ i.e., ‘Descent’, through Its own ‘Maaya Sakti’ seemed to have transformed Itself, through all these stages, into this vexatious cauldron of ‘Samsaara’. Hence, it is incumbent on us that we have to ‘right-about-turn’, and persevere in the ‘Aaroahana’ (Ascent), to the Original Divine State, towards Which, Om is beckoning us. Hence we have to meditate upon Om. This is tantamount to meditation upon the Gaayatri Mantra itself. In a way, it can be said that the condensed form of Gaayatri Mantra is Om, and, the expanded, projected version of Om is the Gaayatri Mantra. To put it picturesquely, if all the Vedic Japa Mantra-s were to be arranged in a circle, beginning with the smallest one, the single-syllable ‘Om’, and proceeding around the circle with Mantra-s of gradually increasing syllables, we can see that, by the time we reach the end of the circle, with the Gaayatri Mantra of maximum syllables (twenty four), it coincides with the starting point ‘Om’ ! Thus, one is identical with the other. Thus, Om is symbolic of the Supreme Divinity. This is what is implied in Bhagavad Geeta wherein it is enunciated that “ Om Ith Ekaaksharam Brahma”. Here, the word ‘Brahma’ is not the One of Trinity (Brahma-Vishnu-Maheswara), but the ‘Brahmam’, the Supreme Omnipresent Eternal Truth.
Amplification of ‘Om’ :
The Source of one interpretation is ‘Soahum’. This is ‘So-Aham’, meaning, ‘That I am’. This is the fundamental Concept of all Upanishads, and their quintessence Bhagavad Geeta. To eradicate all ambiguity, the two statements are: ‘That I am’ and ‘I am That’ (Aham Brahmaasmi), which emphasize the total identity of both, the same implied in Bhagavad Geeta which says “Whoso discerneth Me in all, and all in Me”. Coming back to the point, if one repeats ‘Soahum’ faster and faster, it seems to end up with ‘Om’ ! Looking from another angle, ‘Om’ is said to consist of three alphabets ‘ A U M’. The first of them is the sound that emanates when we open the mouth. The last one ‘M’ is the sound heard when we close the mouth. This is said to be symbolic of ‘Srishti – Sthhiti – Laya’ i.e., Creation, Sustenance, and Dissolution, that form a trinity. Actually, ‘Om’ is said to represent many a trinity such as: ‘Avasthhaa Traya’(wakefulness, dream and deep-sleep), ‘Tri-Guna-s’ (satwa, rujus and tamas), ‘Tri-Roopa’ (Satyam, Sivam and Sundaram), ‘Tri-Swaroopa’(Jeeva, Jagat and Eeswara), and ‘Tri-Kaala’ (past, present and future). Om is all these. In the sound of bells, is the echo of Om. The waves of Om spread out in ever-widening circles, enveloping everything. All is Om.
(b) The Core Component (Mantra Garbha):
In this Component, the all-embracing ‘Om’ is represented, symbolized by the key word ‘Savita’ meaning, that which delivers (causes birth of) or creates. In this “Adhi-Bhoutika (Baahyaardha)” interpretation, this ‘Savita’ is the Sun-God, easily comprehensible by our senses, and not abstract. Our lives are so dependant on Sun. We are blessed with His radiance, externally and internally. The warmth in our body is caused by Him. Then, by interaction with earth and water, He is making available our food, and nurturing us. In every way Sun, through His rays (bhargoe), is safeguarding and protecting us. One thing, when we say ‘Savita’, it is not the mere physical globe of Sun, but the ‘Deva’ the latent Divinity within. This Core Component dwells upon this Savita:
“ Tut Savitur Varenyam
Bhargoe Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyoe Yoanaha Prachoadayaath ”.
Offering our salutations to, and meditating upon that ‘Savita’ is the core content of this Mantra Garbha, at the physical level. ‘Varenyam Bhargoe’ refers to the Benevolent Luminescence of the rays of Sun-God, which are ‘Devasya’ i.e., Divine. If we meditate upon That, and fill our mind with That, then the fruit of labor would be ‘ Dhiyoe Yoanaha Prachoadayaath’. Our minds and intellects would be activated, propelled and enlivened.
(c) The Siroe Mantra Component :
“ Aapoe Jyoati Rasoamritam Brahma Bhoor Bhu Vassuvaha Om ”.
This is in essence a re-affirmation of the Facial Component which enunciates that all is indeed ‘Om’.
2. ANTARAARDHHA (Aadhyaatmika Meaning)
In this explanation, we have to orient our reflection so that ‘Savita’ gets linked to our ‘inner being’, our ‘inner faculty’ (Aadhyaatmika), rather than an external entity like Sun-God. Further reflection on the Mantra would lead to our linking ‘Savita’ to our own Intellect which alone has self-awareness as its very nature, and supplies the same to sense organs. That indeed is ‘Devasya’. It transmits ‘Dhiyaha’, thought vibrations, which however are of three types, the three ‘guna-s’ (saatwik, rajasik and tamasik). The ‘Varenyam Bhargaha’ of the Mantra, are the soothing and refined saatwik thoughts, which we must ‘Dheemahi’ i.e., meditate upon, and fill our minds with. That would ‘prachoadayaath’ (discard, drive away) the undesirable rajasik and tamasik ‘Dheeyaha’, and lead us on the right path. (Note that the meaning of the word ‘prachoadayaath’ has totally changed here). This alone is the basic difference from the previous interpretation. The rest is about the same.
3. PARAMAARDHHA (Adhi-Dyvika Meaning)
In the final analysis at the deepest level, our sole aim should be how to break the shackles of this problematic ‘Samsaara’. Thinking deeper, we would realize that Intellect also is not by itself self-luminous, but a Higher Agency imparts the illumination to it, just as the electric current does to the filaments of the bulbs. The purpose of creation is to provide a means to help us realize that, all ‘this’ (what we observe) is nothing but ‘That’, the ‘Tut’ the Divine Principle. The crux of the Upanishadic Wisdom is, the Supreme Divine Consciousness alone exists, and all that is observed is merely Its own Expression (Vibhooti), Its own ‘Projection’. It transformed Itself into all ‘this’. Thus, at this level of reflection of the Gaayatri Mantra, the ‘Savituhu Devasya’, is the Divine Awareness Itself which is the ‘Varenyam Bhargaha’ of the Mantra. That ‘Tut’ is designated as ‘Sut-Chit-Saamaanya’, the ‘Generalized Existence-Consciousness’, unseen within the cloak of the ‘Sut-Chit-Visesha-s’(the ever-changing qualities, attributes, ‘naama roopa-s’ i.e., names and forms, ideas and things, the magic oven by the ‘Maaya Sakti’ the Dynamic Aspect of the Supreme Self. It is the radiance of that Sut-Chit-Saamaanya, which we must ‘Dheemahi’ i.e., meditate upon, and fill our minds with, and, ‘prachoadayaath’ i.e., totally dispel our obsession with Sut-Chit-Visesha-s, to realize the life’s supreme objective of Liberation.
Harihi Om
Om Santi Santi Santihi
Source material :
Discourses of Advaita Siroamani Late Sri. Yellamraju Srinivasa Rao
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