Rishis have selected the words of various Mantras and arranged them in such a way
that they not only convey some meaning but their chanting also creates specific
energies. Gayatri is a mantra which inspires righteous wisdom. It means that the
Almighty God may illuminate our intellect, which may lead us on the righteous path.
This is the most important prayer. All the problems of a person are solved if he
is endowed with righteous wisdom. Having far-sighted wisdom, a man is neither entangled
in avoidable calamity nor does he tread a wrong path. A wise man intuitively finds
solutions to his problems. Those who lack this clear-sightedness find themselves
always facing problems and ever living from crisis it crises. The worship of Gayatri
mantra bestows the boon of righteous wisdom. The teachings of and the powers incorporated
in Gayatri mantra fulfil this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging as soon
as Jap of this mantra is taken up as a Sadhana.
Om Bhuh Bhuvah Swah Tat Savituh Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat.
Om! Brahma or Almighty God
Bhuh embodiment of vital spiritual energy (Pran)
bhuvah destroyer of sufferings
swah embodiment of happiness
tat that
savituh bright, luminous like the Sun
varenyam best, most exalted
bhargo destroyer of sins
devasya divine
dhimahi may imbibe
dhiyo intellect
yo who
nah our
prachodayat may inspire
In short it is a prayer to the Almighty Supreme God, the Creator of entire cosmos,
the essence of our life existence, who removes all our pains and sufferings and
grants happiness beseeching His divine grace to imbibe within us His Divinity and
Brilliance which may purify us and guide our righteous wisdom on the right path.
A man gets imbued with divine qualities contemplating and meditating on this meaning
of Gayatri. One should contemplate on these feelings daily and regularly. Three
prayer-filled meditations are given here which should be silently recited and projected
on the mental screen through imagination.
- “The Almighty God, who is known as pranav pervades all the three Lokas, viz, Bhooha-lok,
Bhuvaha-lok and Swaha-lok. He is Omnipresent. The cosmos is physical manifestation
of God who pervades its each and every particle. I am seeing Him everywhere. I would
always refrain from evil thoughts and evil deeds and perform true worship of God
by extending cooperation in promoting happiness, peace and beauty in this universe
which is His creation”.
- “This (tat) God is extremely bright (savitur), most exalted (varenyam), devoid of
sin (bhargo) and divine (devasya). I visualise this Divinity within me, in my soul.
By such contemplation, I am becoming illumined, virtues are growing in all the layers
of my being. I am being saturated with these virtues, these characteristics, of
God.”
- “That God may inspire (prachodayat) our (naha) intellect, wisdom (dhiyo) and lead
us on righteous path. May our intellect, the intellects of our family members and
of all of us, be purified and may He lead us on the righteous path. On getting righteous
wisdom, which is the greatest achievement and is the source of all the happiness
in this world, we may be able to enjoy celestial bliss in this life and make our
human life purposeful.”
We should contemplate and meditate on these three prayer-filled meditations slowly
and pausing for a moment on each word and an imaginary picture of that word should
be drawn in the mind.
While contemplating upon the first meditation, it should be imagined that God pervades
all the three Lokas, the earth, heaven and Patal (nethermost world). God should
be visualised pervading these Lokas in the form of light, heat and electricity,
life force (Pran) etc. This vast universe is the living physical image of God. The
Sadhak should try to visualise in his imagination a glimpse of the All-pervading
Omni-present God just as was given to Arjun by Lord Krishna. He should imagine that
God is all around him and he is sitting in God’s lap. It should be pondered how
evil thoughts and evil actions could remain lodged in his mind and body in the presence
of the Omni-potent Divinity. He should imagine that each and every manifestation
of this universal Godhead is adorable and that well being lies in selfless service
of this universe, this vast humanity and in beautifying God’s creation.
While reflecting on the second meditation, one should imagine the extremely bright
and luminous, supremely exalted God adorned with all divine qualities, seated on
the throne of Sadhak’s heart. God can be also visualised in the form of Virat Purush.
(2) Ram, Krishna, Vishnu, Gayatri, Sarsvati etc. and (3) in the flame of a lamp.
God can be meditated upon in male or in mother’s form according to one’s own sentiments.
God is female as well as male. Gayatri Sadhaks prefer to meditate on the Almighty
God in the form of Gayatri Mata. Brilliance, supreme excellence, utmost piety, purity
and divine righteousness should be visualised in the beautiful image of Gayatri
Mata. It should be imagined that such a beautiful and virtuous divine power permanently
dwells in the sadhak’s heart and permeates all the pores of his body.
While thinking on the third meditation, it should be felt that the divine power
of Gayatri has caught the intellect and feelings of our head and heart and is guiding
them on the path of righteousness. We are pure, concerted and enthusiastic and are
getting attained to move in the direction of righteousness with the grace of Gayatri
Mata.
These three kinds of prayer filled meditations embodied in Gayatri are symbolic
of Gyan-yog, Bhakti -yog and karma-yog. In fact, contemplation of the meaning of
Gayatri amounts to immersion in the Triveni of these three kinds of yog.
By such contemplation, the meaning of Gayatri Mantra is fully assimilated in the
heart of the Sadhak. The result is that in a short time his mind gets diverted from
evil thoughts and evil deeds and he starts taking enthusiastic joy in righteous
thinking and good actions. Howsoever little this tendency may be in the beginning
it is almost certain that if the practice persists, the inner-self of the Sadhak
becomes more and more awakened and the ultimate aim of life draws closer and closer.