Here is the complete, simplified rewrite of the Gayatri by Raja Rammohan Roy. It is written in clear, modern English, and I have made sure to keep every single argument, detail, and footnote from the original text .
The Gayatri
The words Bhuvah and Swuh (Earth, Space, and Heaven) are considered the physical body of the Supreme Intelligence. Because of this, these three words are collectively called "the Defined."
Those who believe the theological doctrine that the entire universe is the physical body of the Supreme Spirit base their opinion on the following six considerations:
There are countless millions of physical bodies (or, more accurately, worlds) existing within the infinity of space.
These worlds move while mutually maintaining their regular distances from one another. They support each other by producing primary and secondary effects, in the exact same way that the different limbs and organs of a physical body support each other.
When viewed collectively, all these separate bodies are considered one single entity. This is just like how the individual parts of an animal's body, or the gears of a machine, come together to form one complete whole.
Any physical body whose parts move methodically and support each other enough to preserve the whole must be driven by something. It must be activated either by an internal guiding power (called a soul) or by an external guiding power (an outside impulse).
It is argued that physical matter (body) is just as infinite as space itself. This is because we find physical matter existing in space as far as our perception can possibly penetrate, whether with the naked eye or with the help of scientific instruments.
If physical matter is as infinite as space, then the power that guides its moving parts must be internal (and therefore called the SOUL), rather than external. This is because it is impossible—even in our imagination—to think of an existence without the idea of a location, and nothing can be located "outside" of infinity.
Therefore, this religious sect believes that the Supreme, all-pervading power is the actual soul of the universe, and that both the soul and the universe have existed from eternity to eternity. They believe that this Supreme Power influences the universe in much the same way that an individual human soul influences an individual human body.
They further argue that the more excellently a physical body is constructed, the more excellent its internal, directing soul must be. Therefore, since the universe is infinite in its extent and is arranged with infinite skill, the soul that animates it must be infinite in every possible perfection.
Interpretations of the Gayatri
The sage Yajnavalkya expounds on the meaning of the Gayatri Mantra in three passages:
"We, the adorers of the Most High, meditate on the supreme and omnipresent internal Spirit of this splendid Sun. We meditate on this same Supreme Spirit—who is earnestly sought by those who dread being reborn into another mortal life. This Spirit resides in every physical body as the all-pervading soul and controller of the mind. He constantly directs our intellect and all our mental operations toward the acquisition of virtue, wealth, physical enjoyment, and ultimate, final happiness (beatitude)."
At the end of the Gayatri, the worshipper is commanded to pronounce the sacred letter "Om." This is supported by a sacred passage cited by Guna-Vishnu: "A Brahmin must always pronounce 'Om' at both the beginning and the end of his prayers. If the letter 'Om' does not come before the prayer, the desired consequence will fail; and if it does not come after the prayer, the result will not be retained for long."
The Veda testifies that the letter "Om," spoken at the beginning and end of the Gayatri, specifically represents the Most High God: "Thus, through the help of Om, you contemplate the Supreme Spirit." (Mundaka Upanishad).
Manu also reminds us of this same truth: "The physical rituals required by the Veda, such as sacrificing to the fire and making solemn offerings, will eventually pass away. But the letter 'Om' is considered eternal and never passes away, because it is the supreme symbol of the Most High, the Lord of all created beings. Simply by repeatedly reciting 'Om' and the Gayatri, a Brahmin can undoubtedly achieve ultimate happiness. Whether he performs any other religious rituals or not, as long as he is a friend to all living creatures, he is styled a 'knower of God.'"
The yogi Yajnavalkya also says: "God is declared to be the actual object being described, and 'Om' is the word used to describe Him. Simply by knowing the symbol 'Om,' God becomes favorable to the worshipper."
In the Bhagavad Gita, it is written: "'Om' (the cause), 'Tat' (that), and 'Sat' (existing) are considered the three ways to describe the Supreme Being."*
(Footnote on the three terms):
Om implies the Being on whom all visible and invisible objects depend for their formation, their continued existence, and their change.
Tat (That) implies the Being that cannot be defined by any specific definition, but can only be pointed to using the demonstrative pronoun "that."
Sat (Existing) implies that which "truly exists" in one pure state, completely independent of anything else.
Collectively, these three terms mean that the object we contemplate when we say "Om" can only be described as "That which is existing."
The first term, "Om," bears a striking similarity in both sound and application to the Greek participle "ων" (on) from the verb "ειμι" (eimi, to be). Therefore, it is not highly improbable that one of these words originated from the other. The similarity in sound is too obvious to require further illustration. A reference to the Greek Septuagint translation of the Bible (Exodus 3:14) shows that "ων"—just like "Om"—is applied directly to Jehovah, the ever-existing God: "Εγω ειμι ὁ ων" (I am the existing one) and "Ὁ ων απεσταλκε με προς ὑμας" (The existing one has sent me to you).
Commentaries by Ancient and Modern Scholars
In the concluding part of his commentary on the Gayatri, the ancient scholar Bhatta Guna-Vishnu briefly summarizes the meaning of the passage:
"The Spirit who is described here is the one who guides us. He is the soul of the three mansions (Earth, Space, and Heaven); He is the soul of water, light, and moisture; He is the individual soul of all moving and fixed objects; and He is the soul of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the Sun, and all the various other gods. The Most High God illuminates the seven mansions like a brilliant lamp. He carries my individual soul—as a spirit—up to the seventh heaven, which is the True Mansion where the worshippers of God and Brahma reside. There, through His divine spirit, He absorbs my soul directly into His own divine essence. The worshipper must reflect on this while repeating the Gayatri."
Raghunandan Bhattacharya, a modern legal scholar in the region of Gour, explains the passage starting with "Pranava Vyahritibhyam" (see page 101):
"A person must perform the worship of God and enjoy His grace by pronouncing 'Om', the three Vyahritis ('Bhooh, Bhuvah, Swuh'), and the Gayatri. All of these signify the Most High, and the worshipper must reflect deeply on their meaning."
The Maha Nirvana Tantra also says:
"Among all sacred texts, the Gayatri is declared to be the most excellent. The worshipper must repeat it while remaining inwardly pure, reflecting on its meaning. If the Gayatri is repeated along with 'Om' and the Vyahritis (Bhooh, Bhuvah, Swuh), it excels all other theological knowledge in producing immediate bliss.
"Whoever repeats it in the morning, in the evening, or during the night, while meditating on the Supreme Being, will be freed from all past sins and will not be inclined to act unrighteously. The worshipper should first pronounce 'Om', then the three Vyahritis, then the three lines of the Gayatri, and finish it with the term 'Om'.
"The meaning is: 'We meditate on Him from whom the continuation, perishing, and production of all things proceed; who spreads over the three mansions; that eternal Spirit who inwardly rules the sun and all living creatures; who is most desirable and all-pervading; and who resides in the intellect, directing the operations of the intellectual power of all of us material beings.'
"By repeating these three texts expressing this meaning every day, a worshipper attains all desirable objects without needing to perform any other religious observance or austerity. The doctrine that God is 'One only without a second' is maintained by all the Upanishads, and that imperishable, incomprehensible Being is exactly what is understood through these three texts. Whoever repeats them—whether once, ten times, or a hundred times; whether alone or with many others—attains bliss in a proportionate degree.
"After finishing the repetition, the worshipper must again meditate on Him who is 'One only without a second' and who pervades everything. By doing this, all religious observances will have been virtually performed, even if they were not actually performed. Anyone—whether a householder or not, and whether a Brahmin or not—has an equal right to use these texts as they are found in the Tantra."
The Three Parts of the Prayer
Om: First, "Om" signifies the Supreme Being who is the sole cause of the continuation, perishing, and production of all worlds. The revered Shankaracharya quoted a text from the Veda in his commentary on the first text of the Vedanta Darshana: "The Supreme Being, whom you seek to know, is the one from whom all these creatures are produced, by whom they exist, and to whom they return after death."
Bhoor Bhuvah Swuh: Because a doubt might arise about whether the Creator (signified by "Om") exists separately from His physical effects (the creation), the second text, Bhoor Bhuvah Swuh, is read. This explains that God, the sole cause, eternally exists and pervades the entire universe. The Mundaka Upanishad says: "Glorious, invisible, perfect, unbegotten, pervading all, internally and externally, is He the Supreme Spirit."
The Gayatri: Because it might still be doubted whether living creatures large and small act independently of that sole cause, the Gayatri is read as the third part: "Tat Savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat." This means: We meditate on that indescribable Spirit inwardly ruling the splendid Sun, the express object of worship. He does not only inwardly rule the sun; He—the Spirit residing in and inwardly ruling all of us material beings—directs our mental operations toward their objects. The Chhandogya Upanishad says: "He who inwardly rules the sun is the same immortal Spirit who inwardly rules thee." The Bhagavad Gita confirms: "God resides in the heart of all creatures."
Because the object signified by all three of these texts is one and the same, we are commanded to repeat them collectively. Their brief meaning is: "We meditate on the cause of all, who pervades all, and internally rules all material objects, from the sun down to us and others."
(Translation Note): A literal translation of the Gayatri into English idiom is: "We meditate on that Supreme Spirit of the splendid sun who directs our understandings." However, the passage can be translated somewhat differently by transferring the demonstrative pronoun "that" from the words "Supreme Spirit" to the words "splendid sun." But doing this does not appear to fully correspond with Yajnavalkya's interpretation given above.
Sir William Jones' Translation
While translating this essay on the Gayatri, I deemed it proper to refer to the meaning of the text as given by Sir William Jones. His talents, acquisitions, virtuous life, and impartial research have made his memory an object of love and veneration to all. I feel so much delighted by the excellence of the translation, or rather the paraphrase, given by that illustrious character, that I take the liberty of quoting it here in order to connect his name and his explanation of the passage with this humble treatise.
His interpretation is as follows:
"THE GAYATRI, OR HOLIEST VERSE OF THE VEDAS."
"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.
"What the sun and light are to this visible world, that are the Supreme good and truth to the intellectual and invisible universe; and, as our corporeal eyes have a distinct perception of objects enlightened by the sun, thus our souls acquire certain knowledge, by meditating on the light of truth, which emanates from the Being of beings: that is the light by which alone our minds can be directed in the path to beatitude."
(Footnotes on Jones' translation):
divine sun: This is opposed to the ordinary, visible luminary in the sky.
god-head: The original word is "Bhargas," which consists of three consonants derived from the root words "bha" (to shine), "ram" (to delight), and "gam" (to move).
Comments
Post a Comment