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In the Vedic hymn-prayer,
Asato má sadgamaya tamaso má jyotirgamaya;
Mrtyormá amrtaḿ gamaya ávirávirmayaedhi,
the proper spirit should be to request the Supreme Self to guide the mind. That is, the mind should be goaded to the path of bliss. It should be properly guided. When the thoughts are purified everything is purified. So one may ask only one thing. That is, “O Lord, remove my mental impurities and justify my psychic base”.
I also said that one could ask for the same thing in the Gayatrii Mantra. It is incorrectly called Gáyatrii Mantra. Its actual name is “Savitr Rk”. The Rk Veda, the oldest scripture in the world, is divided into several portions, and each and every portion is known as a mańd́ala and each and every mańd́ala is subdivided into several “súktas”. Each and every súkta is further divided into “rks”. That is, each and every shloka of the Rk Veda is known as “rk”. That is why the Veda is known as the “Rk Veda”. This particular mantra, which is commonly known as the “Gáyatrii Mantra”, is a rk of the third mańd́ala, sixty-second súkta, tenth rk. In the Rk Veda, the rk is named by the word used in the rk for addressing the Supreme Entity. In this rk the Supreme Entity is addressed as “Savitá”. That is why it is known as the “Savitá” or “Savitr Rk”, “the rk for Savitá”.
During the time of the Vedas people could not write. Scripts were not known to them. The guru would speak and disciples would listen. The ear is called “shruti” in Saḿskrta – That is why one of the names of the Vedas is “Shruti”. The disciples could not read because there was no script. The Saḿskrta language has no script of its own. It has been written in different local scripts throughout the ages.
In the Savitr Rk it has been said.
Oṋḿ bhúr bhuvah svah
Oṋḿ tat saviturvareńyaḿ
Bhargo devasya dhiimahi
Dhiyo yo nah pracodayát oṋḿ.
It is composed in a particular rhythm known as the gáyatrii rhythm. In the Vedas there are seven recognized rhythms - gáyatrii, uśńika, triśt́upa, anuśt́apa, brhati, jagatii and paunkti. In gayatrii rhythm there should be three lines, and there must be eight syllables in each and every line. The rśi who composed that mantra is known as the “rśi of the mantra”. The rhythm in which it was composed is known as the “chant of the mantra”. This is the original mantra. The first portion is a later addition. It has been taken from the Atharva Veda, and is not a part of the original mantra. The three lines are:
There should be eight syllables in each and every line. Now the first line, “Tatsavitur vareńyam”, has seven syllables. As per rule there should be eight syllables. In the Vedic system whenever there is any clash between grammar and rhythm the rhythm is to be supported and not the grammar. Here, for the sake of rhythm, the correct pronunciation should be, “Tatsavitur vareńi-yam”. It has been cut into two portions.
In this mantra what is the prayer for? “O Lord, guide my mind, guide my thoughts towards bliss.” This is the main idea, the central idea of this prayer.
“Oṋḿ bhuh bhuvah svah oṋḿ tatsavitur vareńyam.” The mantra starts with “oṋm”. What is “oṋm”? Whenever there is an expression, whenever you do something, there is a cosmic expression. If you are walking, you are moving, the sound “khat-khat” is created, so there is a cosmic expression. If you are laughing, the sound “ha-ha-ha” is created. Wherever there is any action or any actional expression, there must be an acoustic manifestation.
The Supreme Entity creates. To create is also an action, it is also work. During creation He creates with His mind. He creates nothing externally. He creates everything internally, because nothing is external for Him – everything is internal. This quinquelemental world, which is something external for us, is purely an internal phenomenon for him. Not phenomena, not the plural, because for him it is a singular expression. That sound is “a-a-a-a-a-a”.
Here “a” is the first letter of the Tantric alphabetical order. The first letter is “a”. The first letter is “alpha”. The first letter is “a”, the “a” sound.
Then after expression you have to preserve it – nourish it. The actional expression to preserve something is “u”. The sound is “u”. It is the acoustic expressions of preservation and nourishment. Hence “u” is the sound.
After creating anything in your mind, what do you finally do? You withdraw these mental expressions or mental panoramas within yourself. This process of supreme withdrawal by Parama Puruśa is represented by the consonant “ma”.
A-U-Ma therefore represents creation, preservation and destruction. Hence this mantra, this incantation, starts with the sound “aum”, “om”. He as Creator or Generator creates the sound “a”. He as Operator creates the sound “u” and He as Destroyer creates the sound “ma”. Generator, Operator, Destroyer; G-0-D - “God”.
These expressions are septilineal, arranged in seven strata, seven layers. Broadly speaking they may be classified within the groups of three layers – the physical, psychic and astral worlds. The Cosmic Creator, Cosmic Generator, is the creator of the three, that is, the physical, psychic and astral worlds. He is the creator. Now who is the creator of the human body? He is the creator. Who is the creator of the human brain? He is the creator. So He is Savitá. “Savitá” means “creator”; “savitá” means “father”. For this little planet earth, the sun is savitá. The sun is the father. And for all these planetary systems, all the stars with their own planetary systems, He is the creator. The Cosmic Nucleus is the Father, Supreme Father.
We meditate on the divine effulgence of that Supreme Cosmic Father who created these physical, psychic and astral worlds. And why do we meditate on His divine effulgence? So that He may guide our intellect unto the path of bliss.
So before one gets initiation one may make a request before the Cosmic Father like this, “O Lord, guide my intellect, goad my intellect unto the path of bliss, so that I may do something in this universe.” And when one gets iśt́a mantra, gets initiation, then he is to do as per rules. He need not pray for anything else, because he has gotten initiation.
Every entity is effulgent because of Him.
He brings about the recreation of His progeny.
All cometh from Him and goeth unto Him.
Why do we meditate on Him? So that He may guide our intellect on the right path.