Mantra: Yajur Veda 36.3
Om BhuuH BhuvaH svaH tat saviturvarENyam bhargO dEvasya Dhiimahi |
DhiyO yO naH prachOdayaat ||
Synopsis:
BhuurBhuvaH = BhuuH + BhuvaH
saviturvarENyam = savituH + varENyam
savitRu is the dEvatA for this mantra so it is actually Savitri Mantra. But he chandas (meter) for this mantra in the Gayathri family so it is well known as Gayathri Mantra.
God has no form and no gender
Many people have understood Gayathri as a goddess with a form. Such a thing is not there. God is formless. God is above gender.
The word Gayathri is feminine. The gender is for the word and not God.
The photographs that we see called Gayathri is human imagination. God called by any name is that one single God. Agni, Vayu, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara are all names for that one single God sacchidaananda.
Om
Om is used as the beginning of almost every Mantra.
Derived from root called ava
Om
Root: ava (<there are 19 meanings of ava. Covered below>)
From ava, Om is derived.
Meanings of root called ava
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rakshana
To secure. To protect. To save.
The one who is the protector of the whole universe is that sacchidaananda.
How is this protection given/ We have to see it in the broad sense. In the narrow sense, we expect God to interfere in day to day affairs and protect us. That is not the case. So how is the protection given? A whole big system is given. For the whole universe. The whole system is running according to rules and regulations. Within that system we have some freedom (freedom = kartum akartum anyatA kartum shaktiH).
Example: Birth and Death Cycle is protection
The cycle of birth and death. How are we protected if there is death? Death and birth is also for our protection. That is the system. The cycle of birth and death is running continuously.
What is life between birth and death? It is when we the soul are given the shariira indriya manas as a tool. With this shariira indriya manas, we work, we function. Because the shariira indria manas is made up of inert things (sat), its nature is to become work and torn after some time. Anything made up of the pancha bhuutaas will not work forever.
Any tool will not work forever. On use it will become worn and torn. At one point it becomes unusable
Same way - the shariira indriya manas become dilapidated over time and unusable. Then, the real protection for us is to get rid of it because we cannot carry on with the unusable tool. Operator (the soul) is there but the apparatus (tool) is old. So we have to get rid of it. That act of getting rid of it itself is a protection for me (my soul). So that is death. What do I get after getting rid of it? A new body. A new mind. New senses. This is new. I get a new apparatus. This is for my protection. This is rakshaNa.
Example 2: The system itself is a protection.
If I work in accordance with the system, I can get bliss, be happy, etc. If I do not tune myself with the rules and regulations, I’ll be in trouble and be in chaos. What to select is my choice. But if my choice is right, I am very well protected and I am given strength and purity of the soul. It is assured. No one can prevent it. This is assured.
Example 3: Food, water, etc.
Everything is provided to nourish the apparatus (body)
Example 4: Knowledge
The knowledge to use the sharrira indria manas is given
Example 5: Ozone Layer
This whole earth, globe has a protective layer over it (ozone layer). So many radiations come from everywhere. If they reach the earth, life cannot exist. Those harmful radiations and filtered by the system called ozone layer. Such a wonderful work is done by the system - the science - called the ozone layer. However, we human beings are so foolish that we are harming the protective layer.
That sacchidaananda who is the ultimate protector of the whole universe is referred to in this Om. We should feel that sacchidaananda when we chant Om. We should feel protected and comfortable.
Freedom is ours. If we take the right decision, we will be rewarded. If we don’t take the right decision, we will be punished. That whole system is there. THis whole system is the protection. This whole system is a kaarya kshEtra. For me to work. What work? I have to work for the upliftment of the soul. To become spiritually strong and pure.
When I say Om, I should feel that protection - in every inch around me.
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gati
Movement. Change.
This whole universe from micro to macro level is moving and changing. Nothing is stagnant. Nothing is still. Either something moves, or something changes or does both.
What is this movement or change? It is the effect of time. Without movement I cannot assess or understand movement or change.
When we say gati, time also gets in.
When we say gati, space also gets in.
This is what is referred to as time space continuum.
Who handles the whole system of space and time? Om. sacchidaananda. He is responsible of this whole space / time / movement and change.
Omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Under His control, the whole space time movement and change functions.
sacchidaananda is the cause of time. He is beyond time.
This Om or sacchidaananda, is the cause for all movement and changes. But it doesn’t undergo any change or movement.
Tat yEjati (He is responsible for all movement and change but does not undergo any change or movement).
God is also known as praNava = that which is fresh always. pra + Nava (new)
kaalaatiita = kaala + atiita = He who is beyond time.
So, I cannot measure sacchidaananda in terms of space or time. He occupies the entire universe, so we cannot measure it in the term of space.
When I chant Om, I remember that He is the cause of all space, time, movement and change.
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kaanti
Light. Brightness. Physical as well as spiritual.
In the physical space, he is the cause of all light in the universe. Closes light is the Sun. It is not the only source of light. There are countless stars, galaxies. There is so much light in this system.
Effulgence.
Spiritual Light = In the form of knowledge.
Knowledge throws light on reality. It makes us realize truth. Not through eyes but through our understanding.
Om = one who is the cause of all physical light and knowledge is kaanti
When we chant Om, we can never be in the dark. We have to feel the physical and spiritual light all around us. We cannot feel in dark. The light is always there. Everything is crystal clear.
To see anything in its right way, we need light. In darkness we cannot see things clearly. When there is light (knowledge), we are not in dilemma or confusion.
Sun is light. One who gives light to the sun is Om (sacchidaananda). The sun shines because of the light given to it by sacchidaananda. He is the light of lights.
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trupti
Satisfaction. Contentment.
Where all our wants ceases. The one who is the cause for contentment is Om.
We have so many wants. Physical. Mental. Spiritual. Once we reach our wants, all wants ceases. Sacchidaananda is that highest place. After reaching there, there is nothing else to want. All our needs end with the realization of sacchidaananda. Why? Because that sacchidaananda is peace and bliss. Once we reach that peace and bliss, there is nothing left for us to search for or gain. What we have to gain, we have gained (peace and bliss). We reach trupti.
Everyone of us is searching for that state. It is called mOksha, mukhti, salvation. We won’t get this easily. We have to work for it. We have to increase the purity and strength of the soul. Once we increase it we will feel that ananada. Who grants this bliss? Om.
Until we get the peace and bliss, no matter what we get, we will not be satisfied. We will feel that our search is still on. Millions of dollars will not satisfy us. Possessions, luxury will not satisfy us. Why? Because our ultimate search os that peace and bliss.
Once we experience the peace and bliss, everything else becomes minor and we will know that we have reached our goal.
Trupti = The feeling we get when we achieve that peace and bliss. We may reach it in this life or another life. But once we get there we will be completely in trupti.
We can realize this only by experiencing sacchidaananda = sat + chit + aananda. The source of the aananda we are searching for is that Om.
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avagama
Realization of truth. Knowing things as they are. As it is. gnAna = avagama. The whole source of knowledge is that Om. There is no other source who is equivalent to it.
Vedas is the source of right knowledge for all people, at all places and at all times. Some people who have not properly learnt the vedas may say that it is not for everyone. It is not for certain castes, etc. They are talking in blindness. Knowledge is for all. No one is prohibited from getting it. We have seen so many verses of Vedas. It holds for all times, for all people and at all places. It is free. It is abundant. It is pure knowledge.
Is this to be believed? No. verify. Check. Investigate. Discover. If you are convinced, then take it. There is no question for forcing this on anyone. It is open for investigation and verification.
All the inputs and knowledge to make this world the better place is given to us by that Om. No terms and conditions. The knowledge is open for all. But the choice is ours. How to take the right decisions? That is also available. That is also knowledge. Freely given. If we want to know the real truth, take the course to Om (sacchidaananda). Take rescoucerse to the teachings of that sacchidaananda. Full clarity will be there. That is the real knowledge.
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priiti
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pravEsha
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swaami
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shravaNa
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arthayaachana
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kriyaa
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icchA
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diipti
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avaapti
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aalingana
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himsaa
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aadaana
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bhaaga
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vRuddhi
There are many words that are derived from ava. Not all words consider all 19 meanings. But All 19 meanings fit Om. That is the speciality of Om.