The Gayatri Mantra

Part 2: Inner Meaning & Analysis

By Shri Gyan Rajhans

Parts of this Article  • What is Gayatri Mantra? • Meaning & Analysis

Related Resources • Mantra Chanting • All About OM • Why & How to Pray • What is Yantra? • What is Tantra? • Books: Mantra, Tantra...

Goddess Gayatri

Let us take each word of the Gayatri Mantra and try to understand its inherent meaning.

The First Word Om (Aum)
It is also called Pranav because its sound emanates from the Prana (vital vibration), which feels the Universe. The scripture says "Aum Iti Ek Akshara Brahman" (Aum that one syllable is Brahman).

When you pronounce AUM:
A - emerges from the throat, originating in the region of the navel
U - rolls over the tongue
M - ends on the lips
A - waking, U - dreaming, M - sleeping
It is the sum and substance of all the words that can emanate from the human throat. It is the primordial fundamental sound symbolic of the Universal Absolute.

The "Vyahrities": Bhuh, Bhuvah & Svah
The above three words of the Gayatri are called Vyahrities. Vyahriti is that which gives knowledge of entire cosmos or "ahriti". The scripture says: "Visheshenh Aahritih sarva viraat, praahlaanam prakashokaranh vyahritih".

Now, let us understand the different meanings of these words given in the scriptures:

Bhuh Bhuvah Svah Earth Atmosphere Beyond Atmosphere Past Present Future Morning Noon Evening Tamas Rajas Sattwa Gross Subtle Causal

Thus, by uttering these three words, the chanter contemplates the Glory of God that illumines the three worlds or the regions of experience.

The Remaining Words
Tat simply means "that" because it defies description through speech or language, the "Ultimate Reality."
Savitur means "Divine Sun" (the ultimate light of wisdom) not to be confused with the ordinary sun.
Varenium means " adore"
Bhargo means "illumination"
Devasya means "Divine Grace"
Dheemahi means "we contemplate"
Dhi means intellect
Yo means "who"
Nah means "ours"
Prachodayat means "requesting / urging / praying"

The last five words constitute the prayer for final liberation through the awakening of our true intelligence.

See Also > The Power of Mantra Chanting

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gyan Rajhans, M.Sc. (Eng.), P.Eng, CIH, ROH, is a pioneering scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Health, Canada. He is also the producer/broadcaster of Vedic Religion Radio Program since 1981 on CJMR 1320 AM every Sunday (6:30 pm - 7:30 pm). He partakes in volunteer work for the Hindu community every weekend, and delivers discourses on prayer and meditation every Sunday at various temples.