Eleven Paths of Bhakti (Devotion)

mentioned in Bhagavata Purana

Bhagavata Purana mentions Eleven types/ paths of Devotion/ Bhakti. These are the ways
one can achieveSalvation/ Moksha. Listed below are the ways and famous people who have
attained salvation from each path of Devotion.

Path of Devotion

Best example

1) Through Hearing about God

King Parikshit
2) Through Chanting of Devotional songs Devarshi Narada
3) Through Remembrane of the Lord
Prahlad
4) Through Attending to Lord's feet
Godess Lakshmi
5) Through Worship and offering
King Prithu
6) Through Singing in Praise of the Lord Boliraj
7) Through Service to Lord
Lord Hanuman, through his service to Lord
Rama
8) Through Divine friendship
Arjuna, through his friendship to Lord
Krishna
9) Through self surrender to the Lord
Karna
10) Through Meditation and concentration Lord Mahadeva
11) Through Love and longing
Radha, through her longing for Lord
Krishna
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Monday, July 7, 2014

Om Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu

Lyrics in
Sanskrit

Lyrics transliterated to English

Meaning

Meaning of the words

Sarvem Svastir Bhavatu
Sarvem Shntir Bhavatu
Sarvem Prnam Bhavatu
Sarvem Man galam Bhavatu
May there be happiness in all
May there be peace in all
May there be completeness
in all
May there be success in all
Sarva=everything;

Sarveshamall/everything;
svastir=health/well-being;
bhavatu=let be, may there
be Shanti=peace
Prnam=completeness/
perfection/fulfillment
Mangalam=success
(spiritual success)/
auspiciousness/prosperity
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Interesting Hinduism Facts

Word Hinduism is derived from the

river Sindhu which was pronounced by Persians
as Hindu, The region of the Indus valley is
called Hindustan, and thus the religion of the Indus
valley is called Hinduism.
2.
Goal of life: To attain self-realization
3.
All beings have a soul. advanced souls take bodies
with higher abilities like that of humans. All souls evolve
up the ladder
4.
God is called SatChidAnanda: Ever existing, Ever
conscious, Ever new bliss
1.

There has been no known founder of Hinduism,

Hinduism derives its practices form ancient sages to
today's saints, there has been a tradition of sages and
saints from thousands of years, at least for last 10,000
years
6.
Hinduism is the oldest religion among the existing
larger religions
7.
Hinduism believes in one god, then why are there
so many gods? Hinduism believes in one god many
forms. People chose the form through which they wanted
to seek god, thus there are so many gods
8.
Hindus worship many gods; Shiva, Krishna, Rama,
Durga, Kali are among the most worshiped forms of god
9.
Hinduism is the world's 3rd largest religion with more
than 900,000,000 followers
10.
Hinduism originated in India
11.
There is no specific higher authority or governing
body that is responsible for the religion
12.
Countries where most of the Hindu population is
concentrated are India, Nepal, Bangladesh,Indonesia, Sri
Lanka and Pakistan
13.
God is considered both male and female, or as
the one who has no sex or both.
14.
Scriptures are divided into Shrutis (those which were
heard by sages in deep meditation) and smritis (those
which were recorded or memorized)
15.
Vedas are the known ancient Hindu scriptures. Other
famous scriptures are Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita,
Agamas, puranas.
5.

Ramayana and Mahabharata are considered as

the documentation of the history of India during the times
ofRama and Krishna respectively.
17.
Bhagavad Gita is considered by most as the holy
book of Hindus. however it is not considered as the only
book.
18.
Dharma, Karma and Reincarnation are the most
discussed among hindu topics
19.
AUM is considered as the holy sound, because it is
believed that consciousness manifested itself as form
through the sound AUM
20.
There are three foremost deities: Brahma, Vishnu and
Maheshwara, who are considered the parts of one and only
god (parabrahman) responsible for the creation,
preservation and destruction of the worlds. three letters of
the word 'AUM' are considered to represent them.
21.
Temples are the places where hindus worship the
deities, many people have altars/ rooms in their houses for
worship.
22.
Rama and Krishna are the most celebrated historic
persons who are well known for their adherence to dharma
even at difficult times.
23.
Places that are considered holy by the hindus are
Varanasi, Allahabad (prayag), Haridwar, Rishikesh,
Ayodya, Dwaraka, badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri,
Nashik, Ujjaini, Puri, Rameshwaram
24.
Popular festivals are: Diwali, Maha
Shivaratri, Holi, Ram Navami, Krishna
Janmastami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Ugadi. Different groups
give importance to different festivals
16.

There are three sects in Hinduism: Shaiva, Vaishnava

and shakti. But they are not definite sects, person of one
sect may follow the philosophy of the other sect. Though
all sects worship all gods primary importance is mostly
given to one's own sect.
26.
Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation, Vastu, Jyotish, Tantra,
Astrology are the main contributions of Hindu system to
the modern world
27.
word AUM is the main symbol of Hinduism
28.
Sanskrit is the mother language of all indian
languages. Most of the scriptures of hinduism are in
Sanskrit
29.
Rigveda is the one of the oldest literatures
30.
Knowledge is transferred from enlightened guru to
disciple
31.
Varanasi is the oldest city of India and also considered
as the most holy of the places
32.
After death people are either cremated or buried
33.
Wedding has been in practice from 1000s of years
34.
Monogamy is the most practiced way. polygamy and
polyandry are also practiced though rarely. Vedas suggest
that one may marry as many as one can satisfy (materially,
providing all necessities) and equal to other spouses
35.
If one believes, one can worship idols
36.
Manu smriti is the first book written on Codes of good
conduct. Some of the codes from this are followed even
today (mostly because they are relevant even today and
good codes are often relevant all the time)
25.

Mahabharatha the most revered book of India is 10

times larger than Iliad and Odyssey combined together
38.
Kumbhamela (spiritual gathering of both
householders and renunciates) which occurs every 3 years
is the largest gathering of humans on the earth
39.
Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism originated from
Hinduism, all these religions share lots of common
philosophies
40.
Cow, elephant, snake peacock are closely associated
with the religion
41.
Fully blossomed Lotus flower is used a symbol of
enlightenment, also as the symbol of open heart (full of
love)
42.
All books that contain knowledge are considered
sacred
43.
Number 12 is considered special, Poorna kumbha
mela is celebrated every 12 years, it is believed that
spiritual progress happens in practitioners in the cycle of
12 years. i.e it takes 12 years of disciplined practice to
change a habit. Mantras, Japas and pranayama's are
practiced in multiples of 12
44.
Touching water is accepted as spiritual, it is believed
that the water has positive vibrations and also the ability
to pass it on.
37.

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Friday, June 27, 2014

The Upnishads

Meaning of 'Upanishad'
The term 'Upanishad' literally means, "sitting down near"
or "sitting close to", and implies listening closely to the
mystic doctrines of a guru or a spiritual teacher, who has
cognized the fundamental truths of the universe. It points
to a period in time when groups of pupils sat near the
teacher and learnt from him the secret teachings in the
quietude of forest 'ashrams' or hermitages. In another
sense of the term, 'Upanishad' means 'brahma-knowledge'
by which ignorance is annihilated. Some other possible
meanings of the compound word 'Upanishad' are "placing
side by side" (equivalence or correlation), a "near
approach" (to the Absolute Being), "secret wisdom" or
even "sitting near the enlightened".
Time of Composition
Historians and Indologists have put the date of
composition of the Upanishads from around 800 - 400
B.C., though many of the verse versions may have been
written much later. In fact, they were written over a very
long period of time and do not represent a coherent body
of information or one particular system of belief. However,
there is a commonality of thought and approach.
The Main Books
Although there are more than 200 Upanishads, only
thirteen have been identified out as presenting the core
teachings. They are the:

1.

Chandogya,

2.

Kena,

3.

Aitareya,

4.

Kaushitaki,

5.

Katha,

6.

Mundaka,

7.

Taittriyaka,

8.

Brihadaranyaka,

9.

Svetasvatara,

10.

Isa,

11.

Prasna,

12.

Mandukya and the

13.

Maitri

One of the oldest and longest of the Upanishads, the

Brihadaranyaka says:
"From the unreal lead me to the real!
From darkness lead me to light!
From death lead me to immortality!"

The crux of the Upanishads is that this can be achieved by

meditating with the awareness that one's soul ('atman') is
one with all things, and that 'one' is 'Brahman', which
becomes the 'all'
.
Who wrote the Upanishads?
The authors of the Upanishads were many, but they were
not solely from the priestly caste. They were poets prone
to flashes of spiritual wisdom, and their aim was to guide a
few chosen pupils to the point of liberation, which they
themselves had attained. According to some scholars, the
main figure in the Upanishads is Yajnavalkya, the great
sage who propounded the doctrine of 'neti-neti', the view
that "truth can be found only through the negation of all
thoughts about it". Other important Upanishadic sages are
Uddalaka Aruni, Shwetaketu, Shandilya, Aitareya,
Pippalada, Sanat Kumara. Many earlier Vedic teachers
like Manu, Brihaspati, Ayasya and Narada are also found
in the Upanishads.
The human being is the central mystery of the universe
holding the key to all other mysteries. Indeed, human
beings are our own greatest enigma. As the famous
physicist Niels Bohr once said, "We are both spectators
and actors in the great drama of existence." Hence the
importance of developing of what is known as the "science
of human possibilities." It was such a science that India
sought and found in the Upanishads in an attempt to
unravel the mystery of human beings.

Science of the Self

Today, we see a growing urge in everyone to realize the
'true self'. We are keenly feeling the need to make our
knowledge flower into wisdom. A strange yearning to know
about the infinite and the eternal disturbs us. It is against
this background of modern thought and aspirations that
the contributions of the Upanishads to the human cultural
legacy become significant.
The purpose of the Vedas was to ensure the true welfare
of all beings, worldly as well as spiritually. Before such a
synthesis could be achieved, there was a need to
penetrate the inner worlds to its depth. This is what the
Upanishads did with precision and gave us the science of
the self, which helps man leave behind the body, the
senses, the ego and all other non-self elements, which are
perishable. The Upanishads tell us the great saga of this
discovery of the divine in the heart of man.
The Inside Story!
Very early in the development of the Indian civilization,
man became aware of a strange new field of human
experience the within of nature as revealed in man, and
in his consciousness and his ego. It gathered volume and
power as years rolled on until in the Upanishads it became
a deluge issuing in a systematic, objective and scientific
pursuit of truth in the depth of experience. It conveys to us
an impression of the tremendous fascination that this new
field of inquiry held for the contemporary mind.

These Indian thinkers were not satisfied with their

intellectual speculations. They discovered that the
universe remained a mystery and the mystery only
deepened with the advance of such knowledge, and one
of the important components of that deepening mystery is
the mystery of man himself. The Upanishads became
aware of this truth, which modern science now
emphasizes.
The Principal Upanishads
In the Upanishads we get a glimpse into the workings of
the minds of the great Indian thinkers who were
unhampered by the tyranny of religious dogma, political
authority, pressure of public opinion, seeking truth with
single-minded devotion, rare in the history of thought. As
Max Muller has pointed out, "None of our philosophers,
not accepting Heraclitus, Plato, Kant, or Hegel has
ventured to erect such a spire, never frightened by storm
or lightning."
Bertrand Russell rightly said: "Unless men increase in
wisdom as much as in knowledge, increase in knowledge
will be increase in sorrow." While the Greeks and the
others specialized in the subject of man in society, India
specialized in man in depth, man as the individual, as
Swami Ranganathananda puts it. This was one ruling
passion of the Indo-Aryans in the Upanishads. The great
sages of the Upanishads were concerned with man above
and beyond his political or social dimensions. It was an

inquiry, which challenged not only life but also death and
resulted in the discovery of the immortal and the divine
self of man.
Shaping the Indian Culture
The Upanishads gave a permanent orientation to Indian
culture by their emphasis on inner penetration and their
wholehearted advocacy of what the Greeks later
formulated in the dictum "man, know thyself." All
subsequent developments of Indian culture were
powerfully conditioned by this Upanishadic legacy.
The Upanishads reveal an age characterized by a
remarkable fervent of thought and inspiration. The physical
and mental climate that made it possible is the land of
plenty that was India. The entire social milieu of the IndoAryans was ripe with great potentialities. They had found
leisure to think and ask questions. They had the choice to
utilize the leisure either to conquer the outer world or the
inner. With their mental gifts, they had turned their mental
energies to the conquest of the inner world rather than of
the world of matter and life at the sensate level.
Universal & Impersonal
The Upanishads have given us a body of insights that
have a universal quality about them and this universality
derives from their impersonality. The sages who
discovered them had depersonalized themselves in the
search for truth. They wanted to go beyond nature and

realize the transcendental nature of man. They dared to

take up this challenge and the Upanishads are the unique
record of the methods they adopted, the struggles they
undertook and the victory they achieved in this astonishing
adventure of human spirit. And this is conveyed to us in
passages of great power and poetic charm. In seeking the
immortal, the sages conferred the immortality upon the
literature that conveyed it.
In the Upanishads we can study the graceful conflict of
thought with thought, the emergence of more satisfactory
thought and the rejection of inadequate ideas. Hypotheses
were advanced and rejected on the touchstone of
experience and not at the dictate of a creed. Thus thought
forged ahead to unravel the mystery of the world in which
we live. Let's have a quick look at the 13 principal
Upanishads:
Chandogya Upanishad
The Chandogya Upanishad is the Upanishad that belongs
to the followers of the Sama Veda. It is actually the last
eight chapters of the ten-chapter Chandogya Brahmana,
and it emphasizes the importance of chanting the sacred
Aum, and recommends a religious life, which constitutes
sacrifice, austerity, charity, and the study of the Vedas,
while living in the house of a guru. This Upanishad
contains the doctrine of reincarnation as an ethical
consequence of karma. It also lists and explains the value
of human attributes like speech, will, thought, meditation,
understanding, strength memory and hope.

Kena Upanishad
The Kena Upanishad derives its name from the word
'Kena', meaning 'by whom'. It has four sections, the first
two in verse and the other two in prose. The metrical
portion deals with the Supreme Unqualified Brahman, the
absolute principle underlying the world of phenomenon,
and the prose part deals with the Supreme as God,
'Isvara'. The Kena Upanishad concludes, as Sandersen
Beck puts it, that austerity, restraint, and work are the
foundation of the mystical doctrine; the Vedas are its
limbs, and truth is its home. The one who knows it strikes
off evil and becomes established in the most excellent,
infinite, heavenly world.
Aitareya Upanishad
The Aitareya Upanishad belongs to the Rig Veda. It is the
purpose of this Upanishad to lead the mind of the
sacrificer away from the outer ceremonial to its inner
meaning. It deals with the genesis of the universe and the
creation of life, the senses, the organs and the organisms.
It also tries to delve into the identity of the intelligence that
allows us to see, speak, smell, hear and know.
Kaushitaki Upanishad
The Kaushitaki Upanishad explores the question whether
there is an end to the cycle of reincarnation, and upholds

the supremacy of the soul ('atman'), which is ultimately

responsible for everything it experiences.
Katha Upanishad
Katha Upanishad, which belongs to the Yajur Veda,
consists of two chapters, each of which has three
sections. It employs an ancient story from the Rig Veda
about a father who gives his son to death (Yama), while
bringing out some of the highest teachings of mystical
spirituality. There are some passages common to the Gita
and Katha Upanishad. Psychology is explained here by
using the analogy of a chariot. The soul is the lord of the
chariot, which is the body; the intuition is the chariot-driver,
the mind the reins, the senses the horses, and the objects
of the senses the paths. Those whose minds are
undisciplined never reach their goal, and go on to
reincarnate. The wise and the disciplined, it says, obtain
their goal and are freed from the cycle of rebirth.
Mundaka Upanishad
The Mundaka Upanishad belongs to the Atharva Veda and
has three chapters, each of which has two sections. The
name is derived from the root 'mund' (to shave) as he that
comprehends the teaching of the Upanishad is shaved or
liberated from error and ignorance. The Upanishad clearly
states the distinction between the higher knowledge of the
Supreme Brahman and the lower knowledge of the
empirical world the six 'Vedangas' of phonetics, ritual,
grammar, definition, metrics, and astrology. It is by this

higher wisdom and not by sacrifices or worship, which are

here considered 'unsafe boats', that one can reach the
Brahman. Like the Katha, the Mundaka Upanishad warns
against "the ignorance of thinking oneself learned and
going around deluded like the blind leading the blind".
Only an ascetic ('sanyasi') who has given up everything
can obtain the highest knowledge.
Taittiriya Upanishad
The Taittiriya Upanishad is also part of the Yajur Veda. It is
divided into three sections: The first deals with the science
of phonetics and pronunciation, the second and the third
deal with the knowledge of the Supreme Self
('Paramatmajnana'). Once again, here, Aum is
emphasized as peace of the soul, and the prayers end
with Aum and the chanting of peace ('Shanti') thrice, often
preceded by the thought, "May we never hate." There is a
debate regarding the relative importance of seeking the
truth, going through austerity and studying the Vedas. One
teacher says truth is first, another austerity, and a third
claims that study and teaching of the Veda is first,
because it includes austerity and discipline. Finally, it says
that the highest goal is to know the Brahman, for that is
truth.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is generally
recognized to be the most important of the Upanishads,
consists of three sections ('Kandas'), the Madhu Kanda

which expounds the teachings of the basic identity of the

individual and the Universal Self, the Muni Kanda which
provides the philosophical justification of the teaching and
the Khila Kanda, which deals with certain modes of
worship and meditation, ('upasana'), hearing the
'upadesha' or the teaching ('sravana'), logical reflection
('manana'), and contemplative meditation ('nididhyasana').
TS Eliot's landmark work The Waste Land ends with the
reiteration of the three cardinal virtues from this
Upanishad: 'Damyata' (restraint), 'Datta' (charity) and
'Dayadhvam' (compassion) followed by the blessing
'Shantih shantih shantih', that Eliot himself translated as
"the peace that passeth understanding."
Svetasvatara Upanishad
The Svetasvatara Upanishad derives its name from the
sage who taught it. It is theistic in character and identifies
the Supreme Brahman with Rudra (Shiva) who is
conceived as the author of the world, its protector and
guide. The emphasis is not on Brahman the Absolute,
whose complete perfection does not admit of any change
or evolution, but on the personal 'Isvara', omniscient and
omnipotent who is the manifested Brahma. This
Upanishad teaches the unity of the souls and world in the
one Supreme Reality. It is an attempt to reconcile the
different philosophical and religious views, which prevailed
at the time of its composition.

Isavasya Upanishad
The Isavasya Upanishad derives its name from the
opening word of the text 'Isavasya' or 'Isa', meaning 'Lord'
that encloses all that moves in the world. Greatly revered,
this short Upanishad is often put at the beginning of the
Upanishads, and marks the trend toward monotheism in
the Upanishads. Its main purpose is to teach the essential
unity of God and the world, being and becoming. It is
interested not so much in the Absolute in itself
('Parabrahman') as in the Absolute in relation to the world
('Paramesvara'). It says that renouncing the world and not
coveting the possessions of others can bring joy. The Isha
Upanishad concludes with a prayer to Surya (sun) and
Agni (fire).
Prasna Upanishad
The Prashna Upanishad belongs to the Atharva Veda and
has six sections dealing with six questions or 'Prashna' put
to a sage by his disciples. The questions are: From where
are all the creatures born? How many angels support and
illumine a creature and which is supreme? What is the
relationship between the life-breath and the soul? What
are sleep, waking, and dreams? What is the result of
meditating on the word Aum? What are the sixteen parts
of the Spirit? This Upanishad answers all these six vital
questions.
Mandukya Upanishad

The Mandukya Upanishad belongs to the Atharva Veda

and is an exposition of the principle of Aum as consisting
of three elements, a, u, m, which may be used to
experience the soul itself. It contains twelve verses that
delineate four levels of consciousness: waking, dreaming,
deep sleep, and a fourth mystical state of being one with
the soul. This Upanishad by itself, it is said, is enough to
lead one to liberation.
Maitri Upanishad
The Maitri Upanishad is the last of what are known as the
principal Upanishads. It recommends meditation upon the
soul ('atman') and life ('prana'). It says that the body is like
a chariot without intelligence but it is driven by an
intelligent being, who is pure, tranquil, breathless, selfless,
undying, unborn, steadfast, independent and endless. The
charioteer is the mind, the reins are the five organs of
perception, the horses are the organs of action, and the
soul is unmanifest, imperceptible, incomprehensible,
selfless, steadfast, stainless and self-abiding. It also tells
the story of a king, Brihadratha, who realized that his body
is not eternal, and went into the forest to practice austerity,
and sought liberation from reincarnating existence.
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Monday, June 2, 2014

The Gayatri Mantra

In Devanagari:

()

In English:

AUM bhoor bhuvah svah

tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dheemahi
dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat
Translation:
Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah ( : :)
1. AUM (), the Supreme name of God. BHUR BHUVAH SWAH. These three words
collectively are known as the "Mahavyahriti". They express the nature of God, and demonstrate
his inherent qualities.
2. BHUR ()
Firstly, the word Bhur implies existence. God is self-existent and independent of all. He is eternal
and unchanging. Without beginning and without end, God exists as a continuous, permanent,
constant entity.
3. BHUVAH ( :)
Bhuvah describes the absolute Consciousness of God. God is self-Conscious as well as being
Conscious of all else, and thus is able to control and govern the Universe. Also, the word Bhuvah
relates to God's relationship with the celestial world. It denotes God's greatness - greater than the
sky and space, He is boundless and unlimited. Finally, Bhuvah is also indicative of God's role as
the remover of all pain and sufferings (Apaana).
4. SWAH (:)
Swah indicates the all-pervading nature of God. He is omnipresent and pervades the entire multiformed Universe. Without Form Himself, He is able to manifest Himself through the medium of
the physical world, and is thus present in each and every physical entity. Also, Swah symbolizes
God's bliss. All but God experience pain, suffering and sorrow. Devoid of all such things, God
alone is able to experience supreme bliss.

Tat Savitur Varenyam ( )

5. TAT ( s.1)
Literally, this word means "that", being used in Sanskrit to denote the third person. Tat is used
here in the Gayatri Mantra to indicate that the worshipper is referring to [that] God, and that the

praise being offered to God in the prayer is purely directed towards Him, without thought of
gaining any personal benefit from that praise.
6. SA-VI-TUR ( s.2-4)
Savita, from which Savitur is derived, is another name of God, this being the reason that the
Gayatri Mantra is often known as the Savitri Mantra. The implication of Savita is of God's status
as the fountain, the source of all things. It is through His Divine Grace that the Universe exists,
and so this word sums up the Mahavyahriti, by describing God's ability to create the Universe
and sustain it, as well as, at the right time, bring about its dissolution.
7. VA-RE-NY-AM ( s.5-8)
Varenyam signifies our acceptance of God, and can be translated as meaning "Who is worthy".
Ever ready to obtain all the material riches of the world, more often than not, they are a
disappointment once they have been achieved. God however is the one who, once realized and
achieved, has the ability to truly satisfy. We therefore accept Him as the Highest reality, and it is
to Him that we dedicate our efforts.

Bhargo Devasaya Dhimahi ( )

This triplet is a further description of the attributes and qualities of God - His functional and
instrumental qualities, rather than intrinsic qualities - and through those qualities, His
relationship to us.
8. BHAR-GO ( s.1,2)
Bhargo is taken to signify the Glorious Light that is God's love and power. It indicates His
complete purity - being absolutely pure Himself, God also has the ability to purify those that
come into contact with Him. Thus, Bhargo is indicative of God's power to purify, and to destroy
all sins and afflictions. In the same way as a metal ore placed into a fire will yield the pure metal,
by merging with God, by realizing His Divine Form and establishing unity and oneness with
Him, we can cleanse ourselves and be made pure by His Grace.

9. DE-VAS-YA ( s.3-5)
The word Deva, from which this word is derived, has been translated by different people in many
different ways. It is generally thought of as meaning simply "God". However, its meaning is
more complex than that.
Deva, which forms the root of the words "Devata" and "Devi", means "quality" or "attribute",
and can be thought of as another word for "Guna". Thus, the various forms of God are given this
name, as each of those forms is related to a specific quality and function (for example, Brahma
has the quality of Creation, Kamadeva has the quality of love, etc.). Also, Deva is thus used to
describe anyone who is considered to possess a special quality.
Thus, Deva is indicative of the various multifaceted entity that is the absolute Personality of
God. It describes in one word all the functions, roles and different attributes of God, and
symbolizes therefore his absolutely essential nature - without God, nothing can exist.
10. DHI-MA-HI ( s.6-8)

Meaning to meditate and focus our mind on God. Meditation on God implies that we remove all
other thoughts from our mind, since thoughts of the world render our mind impure, and thus we
are unable to conceptualize the absolute purity of God. We must be able to concentrate, and
direct our mental energies towards the task in hand - which is communion with God.

Dhjiyo Yo Na Prachodayat

( : )

Prayer is carried out for four main reasons:

to praise and glorify God;

to thank God;
to ask forgiveness from God;
or to make a request from God.
Having carried out the other three parts (praise of His greatness, thanks for His generosity in
Creation and maintaining us through our lives, and forgiveness by demonstrating our awareness
of our own impurity, which we have realized is present and must be cleansed through contact
with God), this part is now our request from God.
11. DHI-YO ( s.1,2)
Sanskrit for "intellect", this is the essence of this part of the Gayatri Mantra. Having firmly set
God in our hearts, we now must try to emphasize His presence and influence on our mind and
intellect.
12. YO ( s.3)
Meaning "Who" or "That", Yo signifies yet again that it is not to anyone else that we direct these
prayers, but to God alone. Only God is worthy of the highest adoration, only God is perfect and
free from all defects. It is That God to Whom we offer these prayers.
13. NAH (: s.4)
Nah means "Ours", and signifies the selflessness of the request we make of God in this part of
the Gayatri Mantra. We offer this prayer, and make the request of God, not simply for ourselves,
but for the whole of humanity.
14. PRA-CHO-DA-YAT ( s.5-8)
Prachodayat, the final word of the Gayatri Mantra, rounds off the whole mantra, and completes
the request we make of God in this final part. This word is a request from God, in which we ask
Him for Guidance, and Inspiration. We ask that, by showing us His Divine and Glorious Light
(cf. BHARGO), He remove the darkness of Maya from our paths, that we are able to see the way,
and in this manner, we ask Him to direct our energies in the right way, guiding us through the
chaos of this world, to find sanctuary in the tranquility and peace of God Himself, the root of all
Happiness, and the source of true Bliss.
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