Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra
- SS Malik
- Apr 26
- 3 min read
Awakening the Eye of the Seer
The inner eye of the seer is the seat of perception, which remains unwakened for most people. The lack of perception is also known as 'Avidya'.
The cosmos has a law called the law of intent. If one intends to know about something and seeks that power, it is given to him provided the intentions are good. There are many uni-verses in the cosmos. Each galaxy is a universe which is controlled by the central dark star (known as a black hole by the modern scientists); for the Milky Way, that star is Sagittarius A*.
There is a mantra which holds the key; understanding the message of this mantra is more helpful than merely chanting it.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॑ण्यं॒ भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि। धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त्॥
Auṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt – Ṛgveda 03.062.10.
Its composition in the Gayatri meter, a specific 24-syllable structure. A word-by-word meaning is given below.
A word-by-word meaning is given below:
Om: The primal sound, representing the universal consciousness.
Bhur: The physical realm (earth).
Bhuvah: The mental realm (atmosphere).
Swaha: The spiritual realm (heavens).
Tat: That.
Savitur: Of Savitur, the Sagittarius or divine light.
Varenyam: Worthy of worship.
Bhargo: Radiance, effulgence.
Devasya: Of the divine.
Dheemahi: We meditate upon.
Dhiyo: Intellects.
Yo: Who.
Nah: Our.
Prachodayat: May inspire or enlighten.
From Earth to the heavens, that Savitur is worthy of worship, who is radiant and divine. We meditate upon him who inspires our intellects.
This translation emphasises the mantra’s invocation of the divine light of the inner sun to illuminate and guide our intellects across all realms of existence—physical, mental, and spiritual.
In this translation the key is Savitur (Sagitarious), who should be chosen to focus upon. The Savitur is represented by the internal Sun, which we can gaze upon in the middle of the forehead after closing the eyes. Chanting of Aum in that light helps it stabilise and brighten.
The following song, 'Eye of the Seer', reveals that meaning.
To awaken the eye of the seer,
One needs to be true and clear.
Break the bondage, brave the fear,
follow the light; don’t veer.
ॐ
The primal vibration, the sound of the Aum,
it pervades the cosmos, reminding us of home.
By chanting it, the seer becomes prime,
transcending both space and time.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
On Earth, where we live on her clay,
through the space where the spirits play,
To the heavens where divine realms lay,
we seek the light that never fades away.
तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॑ण्यं॒
From the centre of the galaxy, Savita flows,
where Savitur reigns and wisdom glows.
As the ‘good’ brings the truth to sight,
making the Forms show up in the light.
भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि।
The source of our spirits and anchor of grace,
Savitur is seen within us with a radiant face.
Destroyer of sins and of unfortunate plight,
mind the light, which is effulgent and bright.
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त्॥
Meditation on it makes the spirit whole,
Sagittarius illuminates knowledge in the soul.
The intellect awakens by divine grace,
the light is a reflection of the Creator's face.
To awaken the eye of the seer,
One needs to be true and clear.
Break the bondage, brave the fear,
follow the light; don’t veer.
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