Gayatri-mantra ( Skt. गायत्री मन्त्र , Gāyatrī Mantra IAST ) - Vedic mantra in Vedic Sanskrit , which is of great importance in Hinduism . The mantra is dedicated to the deity Savitar and has the poetic size of Gayatri (hence its name). It consists of 24 syllables taken from the hymn of the Rigveda (3.62.10), the authorship of which is attributed to the rishis of Vishwamitra . The reading of the mantra is preceded by the syllable ॐ “ Om ” and the formula भूर्भुवः स्वः bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ IAST , known as maha-vyahrti - a great saying - “a great mystical phrase”. This is prescribed in the Taittiriya- aranyaka (2.11.1-8), which states that the reading of the scriptures should be preceded by the chanting of “ Om ”, the three Vyahrti and Gayatri. [one]
Since Savitar is mentioned in the mantra, the mantra is also called Savitri by his name. Some Hindus consider the goddess Gayatri to be the embodiment of this mantra. The Gayatri Mantra is glorified in several Hindu scriptures , including the Manu-smriti , Harivansha , and Bhagavad Gita . The benefits of chanting the mantra are described as wisdom, insight, and enlightenment . [2] [3] [4] The chanting of the mantra is an important part of the Upanayana ceremony , and has long been part of the daily Brahmin rituals. Reform movements in Hinduism extended the practice of repeating the mantra to women and all castes , and its use is now widespread. [2] [5]
Text
At Devanagari :
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः।
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥
On IAST :
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇ (i) yaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
The poetic size of the gayatri requires three lines of eight syllables each, but in the surviving texts only seven syllables are written in the first line of the passage from the Rig Veda, so for the word vareṇyaṃ , the reading of vareṇyaṇ is restored according to the Sievers law .
The literal word-for-word translation of the Gayatri Mantra is as follows:
Om! Oh, Earth, Sky, Swarg!
(O) that Savitarov best
Divine radiance, make sense
Those thoughts of ours (He) (yes) will inspire!
Translation by T. Ya. Elizarenkova from the Rig-Veda , III.62.10:
“We want to meet this coveted
The splendor of the god Savitar,
Which should encourage our poetic thoughts! ” [6]
The literal translation of the formula maha-vyahriti भूर्भुवः स्वः bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ IAST sounds like “oh, earth, air, heaven!”, Which is the first three of the seven higher worlds in the cosmology of Hinduism - the appeal, in the vocative case, to the Earth (Bhu-loka, Bhumi, the Earthly world), Heaven (Bhuvar-loka, Heavenly / Astral world) and the Highest sky (Svarga-loka / Svarga, the Divine world).
Brahmin Use
The Gayatri Mantra is attributed to the Rishis of Vishwamitra from verse 3.62.10 of the Rig Vedas, written by a 24-syllable Vedic verse called Gayatri. It is addressed to God as a divine life- giver , symbolized by Saviter (the sun), and is most often read at sunrise and sunset. [7]
The mantra is often associated with external ritual offerings, but it can be read (recited) to oneself and without ritualism. [8] Several Hindu writings glorify the Gayatri Mantra. The Manu-smriti says that “there is nothing higher than Savitri” (Manu-smriti II, 83). [9] In Harivamsa , she is called the “mother of the Vedas.” [10] In the Bhagavad-gita , Krishna says: “Gayatri among the meters of verse I” (10.35). [eleven]
The mantra plays an important role in a traditional ceremony for young Hindus called upanayana (initiation, that is, receiving the sacred cord of the upavites). S. Radhakrishnan described the transmission of the Gayatri Mantra as the essence of the Upanayana ceremony, [3] which is sometimes called the “Gayatri- diksa ” (initiation into the Gayatri Mantra). [12] Upanayana marks the beginning of the study of the Vedas , and the mantra is used to direct thoughts in the direction of gaining wisdom.
Part of the daily ritual in the traditional practice of brahmanas is the reading of the Gayatri Mantra at dawn every morning. [2] [13] Practitioners believe that chanting the mantra grants wisdom and enlightenment through the manifested Sun (Savitra), which expresses the source and inspiration of the universe. [3]
In modern Hinduism
At the end of the 19th century, during the reforms in Hinduism, the practice of reading the Gayatri Mantra went beyond caste and gender restrictions. In 1898, Swami Vivekananda began to devote non-Brahmins to the Upanayana ceremony and the Gayatri Mantra. He justified this with an interpretation of the Vedas and Bhagavad-gita , indicating that the status of a brahman should be well-deserved, not hereditary. [14] The reform movement, founded by Dayananda Saraswati , to a large extent contributed to the spread of the teaching that the mantra is allowed not only to men, but also to women, who can also be taught the Vedas. [15] [16] In his writings, S. Radhakrishnan encouraged the teaching of the Gayatri Mantra of men and women of all castes. [17]
In popular culture
The Gayatri Mantra is used as the title track in the title screen saver of the science fiction series Star Cruiser Galaxy (2003, 2004-2009) [18] , as well as the final composition of the miniseries Star Cruiser Galaxy: Chrome and Blood ( 2012) [19] [20] As Ber McCreeery, composer of the aforementioned television series, remarked: " I wanted music that would revive the cradle of life: really ancient sounds of the Old World. And there is nothing older than drums and vocals " [21] . In 2016, the song "Gayatri Mantra" was included in the album of the singer Oonagh Märchen enden gut [22] [23] .
Interpretations
- An early interpretation by philologist William Jones :
"Oh, we will bow before the true divine sun, the supreme god, illuminating everything from whom everything emanates, to whom everything should return, whom we urge to direct our mind in our progress to its holy feet." [24]
Original text"Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun, the god-head who illuminates all, who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understandings aright in our progress toward his holy seat. "
- Interpretation of the Brahmo Samaj :
“We meditate on the venerable power and glory of Him who created the earth, the lower world and heaven (that is, the universe), and who directs our mind” [25]
Original text"We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (ie the universe), and who directs our understanding."
- Interpretation of Arya-Samaj founded by Saraswati Dayananda :
“Oh, the Most High, the Giver of Life, the Eliminator of all pain and suffering, the Giver of happiness, the Creator of the Universe! You are the highest, sins destroying Light. We meditate on You to inspire, enlighten and guide our mind in the right direction. ” [26]
Original text"O God! Giver of life, Remover of all pain and sorrows, Bestower of happiness, the Creator of the Universe, Thou art most luminous, adorable and destroyer of sins. We meditate upon thee. May thou inspire, enlighten and guide our intellect in the right direction. "
- Free translation of Swami Vivekanada :
“We meditate on the glory of the Existence that created this universe; May It enlighten our minds ” [4]
Original text"We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds."
- Interpretation of S. Radhakrishnan :
“We meditate on the radiant glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our mind ” [3]
Original text"We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding."
- Interpretation of Sri Chinmoy :
“We meditate on the transcendental Glory of the Most High Deity, which abides in the heart of the earth, in the life of heaven and in the soul of Heaven. May It inspire and enlighten Our minds. ” [27]
Original text"We meditate on the transcendental glory of the Deity Supreme, who is inside the heart of the earth, inside the life of the sky, and inside the soul of the heaven. May He stimulate and illumine our minds. ” [28]
See also
- Gayatri Sahasranama
Links
- Matvitseva E.V. Genre modulation of the Gayatri Mantra in Europe at the border of the millennia // East and West: history, society, culture. (unavailable link) Collection of scientific materials of the I International Correspondence Scientific and Practical Conference October 15, 2012 - Krasnoyarsk, 2012. p. 39-41
- Zagorulko, B. A. Gayatri and Sai Gayatri Mantra. - Kherson, 1997.
- Musical performance of the Gayatri Mantra with explanations in Hindi on YouTube
Notes
- ↑ Carpenter, David Bailey; Whicher, Ian (2003). Yoga: the Indian tradition . London: Routledge . p. 31. ISBN 0-7007-1288-7 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Rinehart, Robin (2004). Contemporary Hinduism . ABC-CLIO . p. 127. ISBN 978-1-57607-905-8 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (2007). Religion and Society . READ Books. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-4067-4895-6 .
- ↑ 1 2 Vivekananda, Swami (1915). The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda . Advaita Ashram. pp. 211.
- ↑ Lipner, Julius (1994). Hindus: their religious beliefs and practices . Routledge p. 53. ISBN 978-0-415-05181-1 .
- ↑ Rigveda III.62.10
- ↑ Panikkar, Raimundo (2001). The Vedic Experience: Mantramañjarī . Motilal Banarsidass Publ .. pp. 38. ISBN 9788120812802 .
- ↑ Panikkar, Raimundo (2001). The Vedic Experience: Mantramañjarī . Motilal Banarsidass Publ .. p. 40. ISBN 9788120812802 .
- ↑ Laws of Manu Archival copy of October 16, 2009 on the Wayback Machine translated by S. D. Elmanovich
- ↑ Griffith, Ralph TH; TB Griffith, Paul Tice (2003). The Vedas: With Illustrative Extracts. The Book Tree. pp. 15-16. ISBN 978-1-58509-223-9 .
- ↑ Bhagavad-gita translated from Sanskrit by V. S. Sementsov . Chapter 10 verse 35
- ↑ Wayman, Alex. "Climactic Times in Indian Mythology and Religion . " History of Religions (The University of Chicago Press ) 4 (2): 315.
- ↑ Panikkar, Raimundo (2001). The Vedic Experience: Mantramañjarī . Motilal Banarsidass Publ .. p. 42. ISBN 9788120812802 .
- ↑ Mitra, SS Bengal's Renaissance . Academic Publishers. pp. 71. ISBN 9788187504184 .
- ↑ Pruthi, Raj (2004). Arya Samaj and Indian civilization. Discovery Publishing House. pp. 36. ISBN 9788171417803
- ↑ Bakhle, Janaki (2005). Two men and music: nationalism in the making of an Indian classical tradition . Oxford University Press . pp. 293. ISBN 978-0-19-516610-1 .
- ↑ Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (2007). Religion and Society . READ Books. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-4067-4895-6 .
- ↑ Battlestar Galactica Opening - with subtitles
- ↑ BSG Orchestra - Apocalypse (Live)
- ↑ Battlestar Galactica 'Apocalypse Blood and Chrome'
- ↑ Daniel Schweiger. Bear McCrear: Scoring Battlestar Galactica's brave new world . Film Music Magazine (January, 2007). - Interview with Ber McCriry about the music of the series Star Cruiser Galaxy. Date of treatment January 30, 2011. Archived on February 21, 2012.
- ↑ Oonagh - Märchen enden gut (German) .
- ↑ OONAGH ¦ Musik, Videos, News, Bilder und Konzerttermine (German) . universal-music.de.
- ↑ Jones, William (1807). The works of Sir William Jones . 13. J. Stockdale and J. Walker. pp. 367.
- ↑ The word Savitr in Sanskrit can be interpreted in two ways: as the sun and as the creator or creator. Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Maharshi Debendranath Tagore used this word in the second meaning. If you interpret the word in this sense, then you can also interpret and translate the entire mantra. Appendix “C”, Sivanath Sastri “History of the Brahmo Samaj” 1911/1912 1st edn. page XVI, publ. Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, 211 Cornwallis St. Calcutta
- ↑ "Gayatri Mantra - The celestial chant . " Arya Samaj Bangalore. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ↑ The Upanishads: The Crown of the Soul of India
- ↑ "The Upanishads: The Crown Of India's Soul . "