Reciting spiritual formulas (mantra) and the name of God is important to everyone. Mantras serve to soothe the mind and direct the mind away from “outside” to “inside” back to the source of one’s own nature.
Mantras – Sound of vibrations that permeate every cell of our being and allow your mind to dissolve and rest. But, what are they? What do they mean? Where do they come from? There are so many questions regarding these ancestral syllables. Speaking of Mantras is the revelation of ancestral secrets that have been preserved as sacred for many generations, secrets that continue to benefit humanity in their circumstances.
What does “mantra” mean?
“Ma” comes from “manana” – that means “contemplation” – and “tra” is “save.” “Mantra” means, “that which can save you, if you ponder it.” Repeating such a “mantras” will prevent you from becoming involved in the worldly life that brings about visitation through death, suffering, and pain. Mantras help the seeker to rise above the illusion and the ego in order to gain self-knowledge.
In every moment and by the slightest disturbance sounds are produced. You may not be able to hear them because your hearing is limited. The eyelid that falls causes a noise, as does the dew when it settles on the petal. The slightest disturbance, which disturbs the silence, must inevitably produce a sound. The first disturbance of silence through the self-developed principle of deception (maya) that veils the absolute (brahman) created a vibration and this is the “OM”.
Importance of chanting mantras
Mantras are impulses or rhythms of consciousness. They create vibrations in the spirit. Its effects, influence, method and way of functioning are all a mystery.
In Sanskrit, it is defined as Manana trayate iti mantra. Mantra is that something which guards you by its reprise. A repetitive thought is a concern. Mantras help you free from your worries. We often ask ourselves why we sing some sounds without understanding their meaning? Is it possible that something beyond understanding helps us?
The meaning of each mantra is infinite. It is a sound of vibration beyond the knowledge of the mind. When the mind fails to recognize something, it simply dissolves and moves into a meditative space.
What is Gayatri Mantra?
The sacred Gayatri mantra is considered the most important prayer of India and the primary mantra of the Vedic tradition. It is one of the most powerful “Moksha Mantras” with the ability to guide the seeker to liberation from the eternal cycle of rebirths.
The Gayatri mantra consists of three parts – praise, meditation, and prayer. The Gayatri mantra calms and purifies the restless mind of the seeker and thus helps to achieve higher states of being. Those who have grasped the importance of Gayatri mantra in its entire splendor are on the path to becoming one with God.
The singer is purified by the mantra and transformed into a sage (vipraha). The mind is cleansed of all impurities. Thus, the Gayatri mantra is a sacred tool for self-discovery and is used in starting meditation.
Gayatri Mantra – A Universal Prayer – Meaning & Significance
The Gayatri mantra is the universal prayer carefully preserved in the Vedas, the oldest writings of humanity, and is the name of the holiest verse of the Rigveda (3.62.10). It is addressed to the immanent and transcendent Divine, which has been given the name “savitâ,” meaning, “That from which all this was born.”
Since ancient times, the Gayatri mantra has been passed on in the tradition of Hinduism and Yoga from generation to generation only in secret. It has always been reserved for the upper caste and is thus a typical example of misuse of power by the elite with the help of spiritual knowledge. For some decades, the Gayatri Mantra (to the regret of the Orthodox forces) is no longer top secret. The Gayatri mantra is especially popular in the West, partly because it unfolds such a strongly noticeable energy, fairly because it is more intend at the impersonal Divine Light.
Origin of the Gayatri mantra
The Gayatri mantra is based on the verse of Rigveda 3.62.10, although the source text may be intentionally missing a syllable. A part of the mantra is also found in Yajurveda, Harivamsa, ManuSmriti and Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.11.1-8).
The Chandogya and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are the oldest Upanishads and they are about 2800 years old, so at least since this time, this mantra is so important. The Gayatri Mantra is especially important for the members of the Priest Caste. The so-called Brahmins have been protecting and preserving the knowledge since the Vedic period of Hinduism (before the birth of Christ) and have also used it to consolidate the balance of power. The Brahmins are also referred to as “twice-born” because the initiation into the Gayatri mantra as part of the initiation (Upayana) in the priest caste is considered a second birth.
Gayatri Mantra Benefits | Meaning and Power of Gayatri Mantra
Of all the mantras, the supreme and most powerful mantra is the Gayatri mantra. It is the support of every seeker of truth. The one who believes in its efficiency, power, and glory; be of any caste, creed, climate, or sect. It is only one’s faith and purity of heart that really counts. They must do at least one bad daily (a bad one consists in repeating the Gayatri mantra 108 times) without interruption. It will keep you from all danger, it will give you infinite strength to overcome all obstacles and take you to the true pinnacle of splendor, power, peace, and blessing.
Benefits
It is one of the most revered and powerful prayers of Vedic wisdom. It is recited mentally moments before sunrise and during sunset. It is said that it helps in the intellectual development and to overcome the obstacles for the evolution. It is attributed to the sage Vishmamitra. It is said to have the following benefits:
- It sharpens the intellectual capacity and acquiring knowledge
- Relieves diseases
- Avoid all miseries
- It protects us from all danger
- Provide the state of fullness
- Ensures a bright future
- It provides you with inexhaustible strength to overcome all obstacles
- Clean the mind
- Give wisdom, prosperity, purity and liberation
- Destroy karma
Om Bhurbhuvas Swaha (Gayatri Mantra)
The Gâyatrî mantra can be considered as three parts:
Gayathri – A Praise, Meditation, Prayer
First, the divine is praised, then it is meditated in awe, and finally the divine is appealed to awaken and strengthen the intellect, which is the discernment of man.
The first section consists of:
OM bhur bhuva svaha: In it, the singer immerses himself in the glory of light that enlightens the three worlds or realms of experience.
The second section paints the glory, the splendor, and the grace that emanate from that light: tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi
The third section is a plea for final release through the awakening of innate intelligence that fills the universe as light: dhiyo yo nah prachodayat
Considerations for correct reading of mantra
The sound of a Mantra is as valuable as its meaning. There are four pauses in the repetition of the Gayatri Mantra.
After pronouncing the OM, the first break must be made; after saying BHUR BHUVA SUVAHA the second pause must be made, then pronounced TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM a third interval is left, then BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI is said, and the fourth pause is made and then pronounced DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT.
We should not rush to repeat it, since the sound must be internalized as well as its meaning and this is possible in the silence of the pauses. Finally, a final pause is left and the OM Mantra is sung followed by three repetitions of Shanti with a brief intermission between repetitions. This will ensure that Peace is with each one, at the level of the three bodies, the physical, the mental and the spiritual.
Final words:
The Gayatri mantra should be sung to purify the mind, and like the sunbeams, it will dispel the darkness from within you. Open your hearts and repeat the mantra and you will be successful in life. Just as the trunk gives support to a tree, so does the Gayatri mantra support the human system, and without it the tree of life would be lifeless. If you sing the mantra and worship your parents as God, then the effects will be these two merge and have a strong impact on your life by giving you splendor and shine.