What Sanskrit verse has been chanted each day for almost 4,000 years and entered into popular culture by the Battlestar Galactica sequence and Cher? In the event you answered the Gayatri mantra, acquainted to yogis and followers of kirtan singer Deva Premal, you’d be proper. This mantra is alleged to include all of the data of the universe, so clearly its fullest which means and correct invocation takes time, devotion, and observe to know and grasp. If you’re a fan of mantra chanting, then it’s value exploring this verse in additional element to study its which means, advantages, and historical past.
What’s the Gayatri Mantra?
The Gayatri Mantra is a Sanskrit mantra that has been chanted for hundreds of years. It was written down throughout the Vedic interval (1500-500 BCE) and is taken into account to be one of many oldest identified and strongest mantras. It’s stated to include all of the data of the universe.
The mantra is an expression of gratitude and reward to the powers of transformation, inside development, and self realization supplied by the radiant gentle of the divine. Meditating on this non secular gentle purifies the guts chakra and opens it as much as obtain greater vibrations of affection, knowledge, and bliss.
The Gayatri mantra
The Gayatri has 24 syllables, and is listed beneath with phonetic pronunciation in brackets:
Om bhuh, bhuvah, swaha (Aumm Bhoor Bhoo-va Su-va-ha)
Tat savitur varenyam (Tat Sa-vee-toor Var-ayn-yam)
Bhargo devasya dhimahi (Bar-go Day-vas-ya Dhee-ma-hee)
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat (Dhee-yo Yo Nah Pra-cho-da-yaat)
The which means of the Gayatri Mantra
A normal translation of the mantra is:
O Divine mom, might your pure divine gentle illuminate all realms (bodily, psychological and non secular) of our being. Please expel any darkness from our hearts and bestow upon us the true data.
Translations range, however Vyaas Houston’s is among the many most accessible : “Earth, environment, heavens. We meditate on the sacred gentle of the effulgent supply. Let that encourage our ideas.” Caught on the phrase “effulgent”? Merriam-Webster’s defines it as “radiant splendor,” however in a yogic sense, it refers back to the all-pervading gentle of the celestial realms.
A word-for-word translation is:
- Om: The primeval sound
- Bhur: The human physique, earth, bodily realm, existence
- Bhuvah: The important energies, heaven, consciousness
- Suvah: The soul, inside area, non secular realm, bliss
- Tat: That
- Savitur: The Solar, photo voltaic powers
- Varenyam: To decide on, the very best, adore
- Bhargo: Effulgence, self-luminous, divine gentle
- Devasya: The divine, radiant
- Dhimahi Dhiyo: the mind
- Yo: Which
- Nah: Our, of us
- Prachodayat: Illuminate, encourage
A mantra of energy, data and lightweight
Throughout cultures and all through time, the solar symbolized non secular gentle. The phrase “savitur” refers to Savitri, the Vedic solar deity . The mantra, thought-about the essence of all mantras, is personified because the resplendent Gayatri, the facility behind the solar and the mom of the universe. As we chant her mantra, we tune into the frequencies of common gentle and produce it all the way down to the earth airplane (bhuh) and ourselves.
The mantra is personified by the goddess Gayatri Devi, who’s the bestower of information and is known as “the mom of the Vedas.” She is commonly depicted as having 5 heads and 10 arms, and she or he rides upon a swan. The 5 faces symbolize the 5 pranas and the 5 parts of the universe. Gayatri Devi represents the mixed energy of the three Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kali. Her divine powers are safety, knowledge, and energy.
Historical past of the Gayatri mantra
How the common mantra got here to be chanted right here on earth is a wealthy story of anger, envy, lust, and forgiveness. It begins in historic occasions, when King Vishwamitra and his military visited Sage Vashista , who was in a position to feed their numbers because of a wish-fulfilling cow. Vishwamitra wished to take the cow with him, and Vashista’s refusal angered the king a lot that he vowed to undertake austerities and meditate till his non secular powers surpassed the sage’s. Every time Vishwamitra believed he was nearing success, nonetheless, he failed one other check of ego.
When Vishwatmitra eventually acknowledged his shortcomings and begged Vashista’s forgiveness, he skilled spontaneous Samadhi and the gods gifted him with the phrases of the Gayatri. (The poses Vashistasana and Vishwamitrasana honor these sages.) Vishwamitra is among the many authors of the Rig Veda , the oldest identified supply of the Gayatri. His story teaches that enlightenment is feasible for anybody who practices with dedication, and the Gayatri is really helpful as a observe suited to individuals from all walks of life.
Advantages of chanting the Gayatri
It’s stated that by usually chanting the Gayatri mantra , you accumulate non secular gentle, and that you’ll not solely elevate your individual vibratory degree but additionally the degrees of these round you your loved ones and associates, your circle of acquaintances, the whole world group.
The sound of the Gayatri mantra brings us again to our personal true nature, which is pure consciousness itself. It reminds us that we’re already excellent beings, and that we now have been given every thing we have to manifest our highest potential. Once we observe the Gayatri, we keep in mind that we’re divinely related to the universe, and that we’re blessed by its abundance.
An everyday meditation observe utilizing this mantra can convey peace, pleasure, grace, and happiness prosperity. It’s also stated to strengthen focus, heal the bodily physique, and defend in opposition to negativity, worry, anger, jealousy, hatred, greed, and envy. The traditional texts declare that chanting the Gayatri 10 occasions per day removes the dangerous karma on this lifetime, and chanting 108 occasions each day will dissolve the karma from earlier lives.
The way to chant the Gayatri mantra
Though it may be chanted at any time of the day, it’s advisable to chant the mantra each early within the morning and at evening earlier than sleeping. Preserve your thoughts centered on every phrase as you chant the mantra. Discover the place you are feeling the vibration of the sacred sound in your head and chest. It’s possible you’ll must maintain your eyes open to learn the mantra at first, however ultimately work on memorizing it so you may observe together with your eyes closed.
It will likely be strongest to chant the mantra silently. When reciting the Gayatri Mantra, visualize the solar’s gentle because it enters your coronary heart, radiating outward to bless the world.
Listed below are the 9 steps to chanting the Gayatri mantra:
- Sit comfortably in a quiet place the place there may be little distraction.
- Shut your eyes and take just a few gradual deep breaths.
- Focus in your breath because it enters and leaves your nostrils.
- Say the mantra out loud whereas focusing in your respiration.
- Repeat it the second time with a whisper whereas persevering with to focus in your respiration.
- Repeat it the third time silently in your head.
- Proceed to repeat the mantra so long as you’d like.
- When you’ve gotten completed reciting the mantra take just a few deep breaths to really feel the consequences of the mantra in your physique, thoughts and coronary heart.
- Proceed to repeat the mantra each day till you are feeling its optimistic currents of power flowing into your coronary heart.
