Sathya Sai Baba - Gayatri Mantra Booklet Page 1 of 4

Gayatri Mantra Booklet

Gayatri Mantra

OM BHUR BHUVAH SUVAHA We meditate upon the

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM glorious splendor of
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI the Vivifier Divine.
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT May He Himself illumine our minds!

The ancient mansion of Hindu tradition and custom is built on the four walls of Karma, Janma,
Dharma and Brahma.Regardless of its size, a house needs four supporting walls. It follows
therefore that in the huge mansion of ancient Hindu thought, customs and traditions should have a
point of meeting together somewhere. It is not possible for anyone to escape from the
consequences of what one does knowingly or otherwise. You have to face up to the consequences
of all your actions, whether good or bad. Clearly, therefore, the doctrine of Karma stands as a
cardinal principle that governs a person's life. One has to live and die with this principle. It is this
Karma which determines one's joys and sorrows. And it is through Karma that you are endowed
with this life itself What is the secret of this Janma? This body has been given to you so that you
could undertake your Karma and therein lies the point- that through the body you have to uphold
Dharma. When you conduct yourself in keeping with Dharma, you qualify to attain Brahma. The
Gita proclaims that when Dharma declines God incarnates as an Avatar. Truly, what you see in the
form of a body is nothing but a manifestation of God himself. God takes the form of a human being
to restore Dharma. What you call 'creation' is a manifestation of the Cosmic Principle. We also refer
to it as nature. Whoever is born in this nature will certainly have the same atribute of this nature.
Man who has the same qualities of this Cosmic Principle, this creation, this nature, is offering all
that is embedded in this creation to someone for some purpose. To whom is he offering it? Is it for
the sake of one's own selfish ends? Or is it for the benefit of the fellow beings around him? It is not
right to act that way. Whatever you do and whatever you may perform, if you were to be inspired
by the feeling that it is for the Ananda of God, then it is bound to reach him. Therefore, the abiding
feeling in you should be that whatever you do, you are doing it as worship of the Lord. This
principle contains the very essence of Karma.

CHANTING OF GAYATRI

When an individual is first born from the mother's womb, this is the natural type of birth. This is
the natural state. This is the first birth as such. After you have been given the Gayatri Manthra, the
dawn of a second birth emerges in your life. What is this Gayatri Mantra? It is the very
quintessence of the Vedas. Verily it is the mother of the Vedas. The meaning of the syllable "Ga" is
Jiva. Gayatri is that which protects and fosters all life forms. You must realise therefore that on
being given this Gayatri Manthra, you have been given a second birth. When you start chanting this
Manthra in conformity with certain rules and code of conduct, you will certainly be able to reach a
state in fulfillment of this Manthra. You arrive at a new stage, the third stage, which is called the
Vipra. At this stage you begin to chant the Vedas. Even as you try and understand and chant the
Manthras in the Vedas, you must realise their significance end start practicing the underlying
principle and thus live the Vedas every second of your life. In this way you will certainly succeed in
attaining Brahma. It is only when you understand this Brahma Thathwa and perform your actions
in accordance with this understanding can one be called a Brahmana. It is not by birth alone that
one becomes a Brahmana. It is necessary that one's actions should correspond to this
understanding. We really deserve to be called a Brahmana only when we understand the Brahma
Thathwa.

TIME FOR CHANTING

It has been laid down that this Gayatri Mantra has to be chanted three times every day: during the
sandhyas of early morning, afternoon and evening. Sandhya means the conjunction of two stages
of time. Pratah Sandhya is the time when transition from the night to the day takes place. Likewise
evening sandhya is the time when the day slides into the night. Madhyanna Sandhya is the time
when the morning and afternoon are connected. Man is the embodiment of three Gunas. These
three attributes are not confined to man as such; even time has these attributes. Time also has
Sathwa, Raja and Thamo Gunas. What do we mean by time having Sathwa guna? All these three
attributes have 24 hours to go by in a day. Each of these three Gunas takes up 8 hours by itself i.e,
Sathwa has 8 hours, Rajasik has 8 hours and Thamasik has 8 hours. What are these 8 hours of
Sathwik time? When you designate the period from 4 a m to 8 a m the intervening 4 hours are
Sathwik. In like manner, the time between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. is also Sathwik. These two stretches
of 4 hours apiece are Sathwik hours. The time from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.is Rajasik. It is during this time
that all lifeforms keep doing whatever has to be done by them. Not only men, but also animals and
the like do what is expected of them during these 8 hours. The factory worker, the farmer, the
agriculturist and anybody that on can think of has to work during these 8 hours of Rajasik time. So

http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/gayatribooklet.htm 10/20/2009
Sathya Sai Baba - Gayatri Mantra Booklet Page 2 of 4

we find that every individual has an experience of this Rajasik time Then we have the time from 8
p.m. to 4 a.m. during the night. This is the Thamasik time. That it is indeed Thamasik we know
from our experience. The chief quality that is associated with this time is sleep. Sleep is being
equated to Thamasik in this analysis. It is during the Sathwik time viz., from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m and
from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. that we should undertake our sacred and noble duties. This will sanctify our
life. We should understand and appreciate how time has been divided for various activities and only
then can we realise the true nature of our existence. This Gayatri Manthra has to be taken up for
chanting at any time during the period of from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., and then at any time between 4
p.m. and 8 p.m. lt is absolutely necessary that you chant this Gayatri Manthra either in the early
hours of the morning or in the evening hours. During the mid-day also it can be taken up for
chanting, but for certain purposes. When you look upon it as a Sadhana, it is the morning and
evening hours which are sacred for chanting. You should chant this Manthra at least three times in
the morning hours and three times in the evening time. When you do this, you can certainly free
yourselves from the fruits of your Karma. It is said that a day's chanting takes care of all the ill
effects of the day's Karma. To illustrate this point, let me cite an example. When you go and buy a
certain thing on loan, not only does the loan amount increase, but also the interest on it goes up.
On the other hand, if you were to barter something for the item at the shop, there is no loan to be
cleared, nor is there any interest to be paid. When you have borrowed something on loan, then you
find that whatever you have earned has to be given for repayment of the loan, and the interest
thereof. So, when you try and clear your debts as and when you buy a certain thing, then there is
no loan nor is there any interest to be paid back. In the same manner, chanting Gayatri three times
in the morning and three times in the evening hours before you go to bed would take care of all
your errors in the form of loan and interest to be cleared off. By chanting this Manthra with this
feeling you can certainly transcend Your Karma, you can even reach the state of Nishkama Karma.
You can sanctify your life in this manner. Therefore, in order that you may understand the
significance and reap the benefits of chanting Gayatri, you should know the significance of the
morning and evening hours. There are those who feel that they do not have the time either in the
morning or in the evening, to chant Gayatri. You do have the time indeed! Where there is a will,
there is a way, it is said. We do fritter away a lot of our time. A fraction of your time that you
waste, if directed to chanting Gayatri, can purify your life. You do have a bath every day. So, even
as you bathe, if you chant this Manthra, you are not only chanting this Manthra and deriving the
benefits thereof, but it becomes a form of worship. So also, in the afternoon, if you were to chant
this Manthra as you eat your food, the meal becomes sanctified- the food becomes a Naivedya. You
may or you may not chant any other Manthra, but do remember that chanting the Gayatri is
beneficial and you can experience this yourself.

EXPLANATION OF THE MANTHRA

Gayatri is the embodiment of all forms of Godhead- "Sarva Devatha Swaroopam."

Gayatri does not belong to any caste, to any sect or to any religion as such.
It is universal in its scope.

Gayatri has nine important attributes. These are:

1. Aum Sound as the basis of Creation,

Brahman.
2. Bhuh The Earth, the gross.
3. Bhuvah The Atmosphere, the Ether, the Subtle.
4. Suvah Heaven, the region beyond Bhuvah the
Causal.
5. Tat Stands for That. The Ultimate Reality
is simply referred to as That because
it defies description through speech or
language.
6. Savitur Stands for Divine Savitri, equated
with the vivifying power contained
within the Sun.
7. Varenyum Adore.
8. Bhargo Radiance, Lustre, Illumination.
9. Devasya Divine Radiance or Grace.

"Dheemahi" signifies worship of or meditation on the Lord. "Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat" as the last
syllable, is a prayer. Therefore, in the Gayatri, there is Varnam, Dhyanam and Prathana
(description, meditation and a prayer) these aspects converge in the Manthra.

GAYATRI AND ADVAITHA

What goes on within you, depending upon the circumstances, are classified as follows - we talk of

http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/gayatribooklet.htm 10/20/2009
Sathya Sai Baba - Gayatri Mantra Booklet Page 3 of 4

Sankalpa and for this we use the "manas" or the mind. When we talk of the aspect of "wavering"
we have the "Chithha." When you think of discrimination, "Vicharana," we use the tern "Buddhi",
the intellect. When you have the motive of selfishness, you talk of "Ahamkara" or ego. What you
have to understand is that basically one entity is described as mind, chithha, intellect and ego. We
will do well to understand the basic difference between the mind on the one hand and the
intelligence on the other. Mind is something that has got in its nature a divisive tendency. The
intellect is beyond such divisions. Therefore this intellect is associated with the principle of
"Adwaitha". When there is a division taking place in understanding the phenomena, we are assailed
by the "Dwaitha" bhava. When you have this divisiveness in you, when you tend to see more than
one thing, it is the mind that perceives this duality. The intellect tries to see the one among the
many. What you should try and do is see the underlying unity in the diversity and not the other
way around. This Gayatri is a sacred Manthra which tells you about this underlying unity in the
diversity of things. It is through this vision on unity that we can perceive divinity and sanctify our
lives. In this world we have mud or clay in one form or another. This clay can be one but the forms
that it can take are multifarious. Likewise, gold is one, but the ornaments could be many. Milk is
one, but the cows can be many in description. So also the Atma is one, but the forms that it
indwells are many. In the world around you, beyond the names and forms, there is no third entity.
This world is nothing but the convergence of name and forms. One form, one name. Between these
two viz., the name and form- is the form that changes continually, something which withers away
and fades away and finally disappears. Though the form disappears, though the form undergoes
change, the name as such remains the same at all times (Nithya Sathya); it remains changeless.
For example, you have given the name cow to an animal. Tho cow, the animal, will disappear with
the passage of time. But the name will remain. Forms will disappear but the name will last forever.

The sanctity of the name needs to be understood properly. It will be difficult for you to try and
identify a person in a crowd by means of his form. However even in a huge congregation of people,
if you were to call out the name of an individual, he would respond to your call. Through this name,
therefore you can recognise the individual. In the same way if you take up the Lord's name as the
basis, you can understand that forms in various hues and sizes have taken that name. If you know
the name of the station, you can ask for a ticket for that station and undertake your journey. When
you are not aware of the name of the station, how can you possibly proceed on the journey?
Therefore it is the name that is important, and not the form as such. When you understand the full
efficacy and the significance of this Gayatri, you will be in a position to understand the true nature,
the underlying unity, the Atmic principle dwelling in all different forms.

ITS GREAT BENEFICIAL EFFECTS

Who is this Gayatri? She is the personified unity of the triumvirate divinity - Gayatri, Savitri and
Saraswathi. Gayatri is also known as the five-faced divinity. The first face signifies Om. The second
is Bhur Bhuvah Svah. Thath Savithur Varenyam is the third face. Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi is the
fourth face. Dheeyo Yo Nah Prachodayath is the fifth face. This is the Pancha Mukhi Swaroopam,
the five-faced divinity. From these five faces emanate the five life forces, Pancha Pranas. These five
life forces are fostered and protected by Gayatri and therefore She is called the benefactor and the
protector. During the time She is protecting thus, She is called "Savitri." You may have read about
the story in the epics that Savitri protected Satyavan. Who is this Savitri? She is the Pancha Prana
Swaroopini. This truly means that Savitri protects and guides those who lead a life of truthfulness.
When She tries to improve your qualities, She is called Gayatri; when She protects and fosters your
word, She is called Saraswati. Therefore, this Goddess protects the intellect, the life force and the
word, and thus in every way She protects the individual at all times. Today you have been given
this Gayatri Manthra. It is verily a day when you are having your second birth. Purify and sanctify
your second life and then you become eligible for the third stage of Viprathwa. From there you will
proceed to the stage of attaining Brahma. "Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavathi" - how do you attain
this state? You can attain in only when you have understood your own nature. When you ask the
question, `when do we become deserving to attain the state of Brahma?' then can you understand
this. Before being married, a girl would be an ordinary person. After the marriage, she has the
privilege of claiming half of whatever her husband has, as a matter or right. What is it that marks
out from the earlier stage of being an alien and the latter stage of married life when she can claim
something by right? That right is conferred on her by a sacred thread tied to her neck, the Mangal
Sutra. In the same manner, so long as you have not reached the state of surrender, you are an
alien to the Lord. Once you have put the thread of surrender around your neck, you become One
with Him, and you have earned the right to, and can demand from God, half of whatever He has.
Therefore, through your own efforts you should try and reach the state of surrender to GOD. How
is it possible, you might ask, by chanting this Gayatri continuously, to reach the state of fulfillment
and sense of feeling that you have received something? There is an inner meaning in giving this
Gayatri Mantra to young people. We have in this Mantra the concluding words, Dheeyo yo nah
Prachodayat. The meaning is this: Before you were given this Mantra, you may have been
backward intellectually, or were a bit lazy. But now that you have been given this Mantra, you
become sharper in intellect, become more zealous, more enthusiastic, and certainly become more
qualified for scaling greater heights in acquiring knowledge.

http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/gayatribooklet.htm 10/20/2009
Sathya Sai Baba - Gayatri Mantra Booklet Page 4 of 4

CONCLUSION

Before the sun rises, everything is enveloped in darkness. Even as the rays of the Sun dispel this
darkness, so also the chanting of this Gayatri dispels all darkness and ignorance. The rays of this
Sun dispels the area of darkness. Darkness has no place where the rays of the sun reach out. So
also once your intellect blossoms forth by virtue of your having been given this Manthra, your
intellectual rays will dispel the ignorance which has been persisting in you, will drive away all
darkness and endow you with intelligence.

http://www.saibaba.ws/teachings/gayatribooklet.htm 10/20/2009