ABSTRACT: The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most sacred and powerful mantra for seekers. This article gives a scientific meaning of the mantra. This mantra should not be chanted anywhere but only during your meditation at the place of meditation.

===================== Editor's notes ==========================================

The Gayatri mantra is a vedic (RV 3.62.10) meter of 24 letters.

You cannot read the Gayatri mantra, given below, in Sanskrit

unless you download and install our free DevaNagari font 
on your computer.
 


or download Gayatri mantra in pdf



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ö B=UB=*uv=/ sv=/
ö t=ts=iv=t=uv=*re[y=] 
B=g==e* dev=sy= Q=Im=ih
iQ=y==e y==e n=/ p=>c==edy==t=<
-------------------------------
jy==eit={==m=< aip= t=j=< jy==eit=s=<  t=m=s=/ p=rm=< Wcy=t=e +
N=n=] Ney=] N=n=g=my=]  Åid s=v=*sy= iv=i{@t=m=< ++g=It== âà-âë++

This mantra is accepted by all the seers of the Truth, including Lord Krishna 
Himself, as the greatest mantra for meditation. In India, specially among 
orthodox Hindus, it is never chanted publicly, for it is the most sacred mantra.
The main reason for such secrecy is that people who lack purity of mind and 
do not practice any spiritual discipline may misuse this mantra that is meant 
for spiritual illumination.

The source of light mentioned here is generally interpreted as the Sun by some commentators, but 
if one reads Gita verses 10.35, 13.17, and 15.12 we can see a deeper meaning of 
this most powerful mantra.

I am Brihatsaama among the Saama hymns. I am Gaayatri among the Vedic mantras. 
I am November-December among the months; I am spring among the seasons. (10.35)


ParaBrahma, the Supreme Person, is the source of all light and life. 
He is said to be beyond darkness (of ignorance or Maya). He is the Self-knowledge, 
the object of Self-knowledge, and seated in the inner psyche (or the causal heart as 
consciousness (See verse 18.61)) of all beings, He is to be realized by Self-knowledge 
(See also 15.06 and 15.12, and MuU 3.01.07, ShU 3.08) (13.17)

Know that light energy to be Mine that comes from the sun and illumines 
the whole world and is in the moon, and in fire. (See also 13.17 and 15.06) (15.12).
Gita verse 10.35 says: g==y=F=I %nds==m=hm=< 

ö B=UB=*uv=/ sv=/ 
ö t=ts=iv=t=uv=*re[y=] 
B=g==e* dev=sy= Q=Im=ih
iQ=y==e y==e n=/ p=>c==edy==t=<

ö B=UB=*uv=/ sv=/ 
AUM bhoor bhuvah svah

AUM is the primeval cosmic sound energy of Para Brahm Paramatma (Shri Krishna) that 
created everything: the earth (B=U/ bhooh), the planets (B=uv=/ bhuvah), and the 
galaxies (sv=/ svah).

ö t=ts=iv=t=urv=re[y=]  
Tat savitur varenyam

That (t=t=< tat) Supreme being who creates everything (s=iv=t=& savitri) is worthy 
of our solicitation and respect (v=re[y=] varenyam).

B=g==e* dev=sy= Q=Im=ih     
Bhargo devasya dheemahi

Let us contemplate (Q=Im=ih dheemahi) on the glory/light (B=g=*/ bhargah) of that 
Divine Being (dev=sy= devasya).


iQ=y==e y==e n=/ p=>c==edy==t=<   
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat
May He (y=/ yah) enlighten/invigorate/purify or guide(p=>c==edy==t=< prachodayaat)  
our (n=/ nah) intellect (Q=I/ dheeh) in the right direction.  

Doret Kollerer put it this way:

AUM is the Cosmic Creative Sound
God who created everything deserves our respect.
Let us Meditate on His glory.
May He guide our intellect in the right direction.


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This mantra was revealed to sage Vishvaamitra by Maharishi Vasishtha when 
Vishvaamitra conquered all the enemies: lust, anger, greed, attachment, 
arrogance, and jealousy one by one through austerities and meditation and 
attained cosmic consciousness. One may fall many times, as it happened
to the sage, in one's spiritual journey, but must never give up until the 
Supreme is attained as done by Vishvaamitra. It is said that sage Vidyaranya 
did 24 lakhs (24,00000) of Gayatri japa and Goddess Gayatri appeared before him. 
The sage asked Mother to bless our land with timely rain, bumper harvest, 
prosperity, and peace. He did not ask anything for himself!! This is the 
lesson of selfless service, given in the Gita, that we should learn and practice.

                            OM TAT SAT

Swami Krishnan of Bangalore, India, wrote on Gayatri Mantram:

(A) AUM bhoor bhuvah swah: Bhur the earth, bhuvah the planets (solar family), swah the Galaxy. We observe that when an ordinary fan with a speed of 900 RPM (Rotations Per Minute) moves, it makes noise. Then, one can imagine, what great noise would be created when the galaxies move with a speed of 20,000 miles per second. This is what this portion of the mantra explains that the sound produced due to the fast-moving earth, planets and galaxies is AUM. The sound was heard during meditation by Rishi Vishvamitra, who mentioned it to other colleagues. All of them, then unanimously decided to call this sound AUM the name of God, because this sound is available in all the three periods of time, hence it is sat (permanent). Therefore, it was the first ever revolutionary idea to identify formless God with a specific title (form) called upadhi. Until that time, everybody recognized God as formless and nobody was prepared to accept this new idea. In the Gita also, it is said, "AUM ity ekaksharam brahma", meaning that the name of the Supreme is AUM, which contains only one syllable (Gita 8.13). This sound AUM heard during samadhi was called by all the seers nada-brahma (a very great noise), but not a noise that is normally beyond a specific amplitude and limits of decibels suited to human hearing. Hence the rishis called this sound Udgith musical sound of the above, i.e., heaven. They also noticed that the infinite mass of galaxies moving with a velocity of 20,000 miles/second was generating a kinetic energy = 0.5 MV² and this was balancing the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence they named it Pranavah, which means the body (vapu) or store house of energy (prana).

(B) Tat savitur varenyam: Tat that (God), savitur the sun (star), varenyam worthy of bowing or respect. Once the form of a person along with the name is known to us, we may locate the specific person. Hence the two titles (upadhi) provide the solid ground to identify the formless God, Vishvamitra suggested. He told us that we could know (realize) the unknowable formless God through the known factors, viz., sound AUM and light of suns (stars). A mathematician can solve an equation x²+y²=4; if x=2; then y can be known and so on. An engineer can measure the width of a river even by standing at the river bank just by drawing a triangle. So was the scientific method suggested by Vishvamitra in the mantra in the next portion as under:

(C) Bhargo devasya dheemahi: Bhargo the light, devasya of the deity, dheemahi we should meditate. The rishi instructs us to meditate upon the available form (light of suns) to discover the formless Creator (God). Also he wants us to do japa of the word AUM (this is understood in the Mantra). This is how the sage wants us to proceed, but there is a great problem to realise it, as the human mind is so shaky and restless that without the grace of the Supreme (Brahma) it cannot be controlled. Hence Vishvamitra suggests the way to pray Him as under:

(D) Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat: Dhiyo intellect, yo who, nah we all, prachodayat guide to right direction. O God! Deploy our intellect on the right path. Full scientific interpretation of the Mantra: The earth (bhur), the planets (bhuvah), and the galaxies (swah) are moving at a very great velocity, the sound produced is AUM, (the name of formless God.) That God (tat), who manifests Himself in the form of light of suns (savitur) is worthy of bowing/respect (varenyam). We all, therefore, should meditate (dheemahi) upon the light (bhargo) of that deity (devasya) and also do chanting of AUM. May He (yo) guide in right direction (prachodayat) our (nah) intellect (dhiyo). So we notice that the important points hinted in the mantra are:

(1) The total kinetic energy generated by the movement of galaxies acts as umbrella and balances the total energy consumption of the cosmos. Hence it was named as the Pranavah (body of energy). This is equal to 0.5MV² (Mass of galaxies x Velocity²).

(2) Realizing the great importance of the syllable AUM, the other later date religions adopted this word with a slight change in accent, viz., amen and ameen.

(3) The God could be realized through the saguna (gross) upasana (method) by:

(a) chanting the name of the supreme as AUM and

(b) meditating upon the light emitted by stars (suns).