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.