GAAYATHREE MANTHRAM
Dr. Vakkalanka Seshagiri Rao
Though many people
perform the Gaayathree Manthra Japam, they do it without knowing the meaning
and the benefits obtained by performing the Manthra Japam. I am giving this
brief introduction to those who have the desire to know some thing about the
Manthram.
The Gaayathree
Manthram seems to have been given to the Hindoos ages ago. Valmeeki, the first
great epic poet and Rushy composed Raamaayanam, the biography of Rama,
in twenty four thousand Slokas. {24000}
The Gaayathree Manthram also has twenty
four letters. (Note-not syllables.). From the beginning of the epic to its end,
Valmeeki used the letters of the Gaayathree Manthram, one at the beginning of
each 1000 Slokaas, commencing with the letter “Tha” in the first Slokam of the
first Sarga, or first chapter of Baala Kaandam, to show to the world the
greatness of the Manthram.
At the time of the
composition of the epic Raamayanam by Valmeeki, Viswaamithra challenged
Vasishttha of his attainments, and had to face several failures before he
himself could become a Brahmarshi. Finally he could realise that unless one
conquers one’s internal enemies namely, - Kaama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and
Maastharya, one could never attain Brahma Jnaanam. The main object of
Gaayathree Manthra Japam, is to obtain the “Supreme Knowledge,” or Brahma
Jnaanam. In the Gaayathree Manthram, the entire universe is taken into its
concept.
The Manthram has five
Praanaas, or Vaayou’s, or winds which give movement. One should not take the
term Vaayou, in the literal sense of wind, but should understand it as the
impulse responsible for the movement of organs of the body. They are, - Pranna
Vaayou, Apanna Vaayou, Vyaana Vaayou and Udaana Vaayou and Samaana Vaayou.
Hence the name given is, Praan-Aapaana Vyaa Nodaana Samaanah(:), sa
Praanaah(:). Now a little explanation is required for these terms. Praana
Vaayou is the movement associated with the movement of the diaphragm, for the
lungs to inhale and exhale the breath. This movement is associated with the
intake of oxygen and release of carbon-dioxide during the Process of metabolism.
The breath is partly voluntary and mostly in-voluntary. One who does Yogaabhyaasam
is advised to gain control over the breath so that one can gain control over
the involuntary system also called autonomic nervous system in medical
terminology. A trained yogi can go into suspended animation without breathing
and also go into the state of Samaadhi, when the Soul within, loses the body consciousness.
Hence Praanaa-Yaamam is taught for students of Yoga. Praana in a general sense
can be taken as the one which drives the entire universe with movement, the Sun,
Planets, Stars, Galaxies and so on. Even the gravitational force and the
electronic forces that make the electrons, revolve round the nucleus of an
atom, also come under Praana Sakthi. Next comes Apaana Vaayou, which is
associated with the peristaltic movements of the intestines and colon, by which
wind is expelled through the anus. Vyaana Vaayou means the motor impulses that
come from the brain to the voluntary system of the body by which the various
organs of the body move due to muscular contraction. Udaana Vaayou is
associated with the passage of sensory impulses from the body into the brain.
The last point to be
said about the Manthram is - “Pancha
Seershopa Nayanei Viniyogah(:).” Which
means, - Let it be the means by which the upper eye or, Upa-Nayanam or the
sixth sense of vision be opened by Brahma Jnaanam given. We have already got
the five special senses in our head and let us get the sixth sense also by this
Manthra Japam. By the – Upa-Nayanam ceremony, one is initiated into the higher
order of life and is supposed to get a second life or, Dwi-Janma.
Now, the Manthram is
as follows:
Om, Bhoor-Bhuva-Ssuvah(:), 1.
Thath Savithur, Vareiniyam
(Vareinyam) 2.
Bhargo Deivasya
Dheemahi, 3.
Dhiyo Yo Nah(:) Pra-chodayaath. 4.
The first line of the
Manthram does not go into the formation of the twenty four letters of the
Manthram. It is just an invocation to Sun God with the following meaning. Om
[AUM]:- This is the Symbol of Cosmos from which the entire Universe, which is
Visible, Audible, Palapable, (tactile) Olfactive and Tastable, (gustatory) has
come into existence. Pranavam is the other name given to it. There is no
Manthram without the utterance of this Pranavam in the beginning.
Booh(:) + Bhuvah(:) + Suvah(:) = Bhoor-bhuva - Ssuvah(:)
Booh(:) = This is the Bhoo Loka or Mother Earth, in which the animate and inanimate
world exists.
Bhuvah(:) = This can be interpreted as Sun and his planetary family.
Suvah(:) = This can be interpreted as the extent of Sun, visible in space as a
Star. The Sun is supposed to be a medium sized star according to modern
scientific thought. The Sun came into existence some 5- billions of years ago
(500 - crores), according to the “Big Bang” theory and will be throwing out
energy like this for another
5-billion of years and then will become a Red Giant expanding to the region of
Earth devouring all the near by planets. The Sun will remain like this for
another one million years and then will become a White Dwarf. Billions of Stars
like this Sun are present in this Universe. Some are binary stars and some Nebulae, and some Super Novae. Black
Holes are also found in this Universe, which devour any object coming near.
The Aksharaas or the letters of the Manthram are now given below which make the number twenty four:-
Thath, sa, vi, thu,
rva, rei, ni, yam........8.
Bha, rgo, dei, va,
sya, dhee, ma, hi.......8.
Dhi, yo, yo, nah(:)
pra, cho, da, yaath...8.
As already mentioned,
the Gaayathree Manthram has three feet or Pedes and this is shown above. The
letters going into the formation of the Manthram are, 24. That is why, the
Manthram is called - Chathur – Vimsa – thyaksharaah(:). It must be noted that
the metrical nature of the Manthram is not dependent on syllables as in poetry.
It is based on letters only. Hence the Chhandas is called Akshara Baddha
Chhandas, but not Maathrra Baddha Chhandas.
The full meaning of
“Gaaythree Manthram” - We are meditating upon the great Deity giving light,
heat and other forms of energy, so that, our intellectual faculties develop and
illumination dawns on our mind. The “Gaayathree Manthram” is primarily intended
to charge the human body with Sun’s energy. All are advised to perform the
Manthra Japam at the time of Dawn and Sun-set. Probably during this time, the
atmosphere is fully charged with ions which give beneficial results.
If anyone performs
this Manthra Japam with the vision of the Sun on the mental screen hearing the
sound of the Manthram in the ears and understanding the meaning of the Manthram
in one’s Ego or, Aham, one would get several benefits. This type of Manthra Japam
is called Prathyaahaara.
Health and longevity
are the two assets one would get by performing this Manthra Japam. When one has
both of them, there is no question of suffering from poverty. The purpose of
life is to give happiness to others, to enjoy all that one gets from this world
without craving for more and more. One should transfer one’s good energy of all
forms to others and make this world a happy place to live in.
The ultimate truth to
be seen and known is about one’s own self, or aathma Jnaanam or how your
soul has been passing through several bodies, gutting one and
taking a new one. And finally to get release from these cycle of birth and
death to reach the Universal Soul, of Supreme Bliss of Adwaitha, with the
dictum propounded by Aadi Sankara, -- “Chidaananda Roopo, Sivo-ham Sivo-ham.”
The Hindu concept of
life is:
Jeevaama Sarda-Ssatham
= which means, let us live for a hundred autumns, or a hundred
years.
Nandaama Sarada-Ssatham
= let us live a happy life without suffering from
disease and poverty for a hundred years.
Modaama Sarda-Ssatham = let us make all people happy as long as we live, or for a hundred years.