topics: |  india | religion | hinduism | vedas | philosophy

A beautiful coffee-table book with large full page images and one mantra
from the RV on each page.   My copy is a bit weatherbitten and flea-eaten
in the two dozen years that I have had it... but it's still a pleasure to
flip the pages and discover some new nugget...

Excerpts

gAyatri mantra p.4

	तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
	भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि,
	धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

tat-savitur-vareNyam
bhargo devasya dhImahi
dhiyo yo-naH prachodayAt || [III.62.10], p.

Let us bring our minds to rest in
The glory of the Divine Truth
May truth inspire our reflection.  (tr. by Jean Mee)

usually prefixed with "ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व:" - the three-fold mahA vyAhriti,
is not part of the shloka proper.


---
A word-by-word gloss (from sanskrit.org):

 	tat 		: that (God)
	savitur 	: of the sun [savitri = sun; more associated w dawn and dusk]
 	vareNyam 	: the best, [fit to be worshipped]
	bhargo   	: light, illumination [root: bhargas]
	devasya 	: [of-the] divine
	dhImahi 	: let us meditate (verb)
	dhiyo   	: thought(s) [root: dhiyah]
	yo (yah) 	: which
	nah 		: of us, our
	pracodayAt 	: May it push, inspire (verb)



[from http://www.dalsabzi.com/Mantras/gayatri_mantra.htm

O Lord! You are the all pervading Source of Light, Sustainer, Protector and
Bestower of Happiness, Kindle, Enlighten and inspire our Intelligence to
possess Eternal Qualities.

aum
bhur          earth                           feet to the navel center.
bhuvah        sky [one interpretation]        navel to the throat center.
svah          heavens [one meaning]           from above the throat center to the thousand petaled lotus.

tat           that (That thou art)
savitur       sun
vareNyam      fit to be worshipped
bhargo        radiance
devasya       of the devas, of the divine
dhImahi       we meditate
dhiyo yo-na   who our wisdom
prachodayAt   inspires ]



[the name "gAyatri" refers to its meter.
gAyatri = 8-syllable meter of sanskrit verse.
	each stanza = 3 pAdas of 8 syllables = 24 syllables ]
	however, my count gives 23 for this mantra:
		tat|sa|vi|tur|va|ren|yam| = 7
		bhar|go|de|vas|ya|dhi|ma|hi = 8
		dhi|yo|yo|na|pra|cho|da|yat = 8

some gurus seem to agree:

	Gayatri chandas should have 23 letters only and not 24. Hence it
	should be vareNyam not vareNiiyam. Only during homam the 24
	syllable-mantra is used.  (does not elaborate)
]

there are gAyatri mantras for ganesha, shiva, durga, viShnu,
lakShmI, and so on.  this is the oldest, and it is addressed to savitri the
sun.  in chanting, it is often preceded by the prefatory line (vyAhriti)
om bhur bhuvah svah  [bhur=earth; bhuvah = sky; svah = space;
may be interpreted here as "the light that shines on earth, sky and space"]

Origin of the Gods RV 10.72 p.7

devAnAM nu vayaM jAnA pra vocAma vipanyayA |
uktheSushasyamAneSu yaH pashyAduttare yuge || 10.72

	the origins of all the Gods
	we shall now joyfully proclaim
	for future ages to behold
	when these verses are recited  (tr. Mee)


What strikes me about this verse every time i encounter it is that here
is someone, living four thousand years back, who is talking about his
verses being recited in the future.  this is at a time when the very idea
of reciting verses was in its infancy.

and here we are today, reciting those verses and celebrating the grandeur
of this vision.

Here is Wendy Doniger's version of this whole hymn.

Wendy Doniger: Hymn X.72 : aditi and the birth of the gods

this creation hymn poses several different and paradoxical answers to the
riddle of origins.   it is evident from the tone of the very first verse that
the poet regards creation as a mysterious subject, and a desperate series of
eclectic hypotheses (perhaps quoted from various sources) tumbles out right
away:
	- the 'craftsman'image (thepriest, brhamanaaspati or br^haspati, lord
		of inspired speech;
	- the philosophical paradox of non-existence
	- the paradox ofmutual creation [diti and dakSa, the female principle
		of creation or infinity and the male principle of virile
		efficacy, creating one another.
	- contradiction -the earth born from the crouching divinity and then
		born from the quarters of the sky.



		देवानां नु वयं जाना प्र वोचाम विपन्यया ।
		उक्थेषु शस्यमानेषु यः पश्यादुत्तरे युगे ॥१॥
	devAnAM nu vayaM jAnA pra vochAma vipanyayA |
	uktheShu shasyamAneShu yaH pashyAduttare yuge || 01

1. Let us now speak with wonder of the births of the gods -- so that
   someone may see them when the hymns are chanted at a later age.

		ब्रह्मणस्पतिरेता सं कर्मार इवाधमत् ।
		देवानां पूर्व्ये युगेऽसतः सदजायत ॥२॥
	brahmaNaspatiretA saM karmAra ivAdhamat |
	devAnAM pUrvye yuge.asataH sadajAyata || 02

2. The lord of sacred speech, like a smith, fanned them together.
   [FN. "them" = heaven and earth]
   In the earliest age of tthe gods, existence was born out of
   non-existence.

		देवानां युगे प्रथमेऽसतः सदजायत ।
		तदाशा अन्वजायन्त तदुत्तानपदस्परि ॥३॥
	devAnAM yuge prathame.asataH sadajAyata |
	tadAshA anvajAyanta taduttAnapadaspari || 03

3. In the earliest age of tthe gods, existence was born out of
   non-existence. After this the quarters of the sky were born from her
   who crouched with legs spread.

		भूर्जज्ञ उत्तानपदो भुव आशा अजायन्त ।
		अदितेर्दक्षो अजायत दक्षाद्वदितिः परि ॥४॥
	bhUrjaj~na uttAnapado bhuva AshA ajAyanta |
	aditerdakSho ajAyata dakShAdvaditiH pari || 04

4. the earth was born from her who crouched with legs spread, and from
   the earth the quarters of the sky were born.  from aditi, dakSa was
   born, and from dakSa aditi was born.

		अदितिर्ह्यजनिष्ट दक्ष या दुहिता तव ।
		तां देवा अन्वजायन्त भद्रा अमृतबन्धवः ॥५॥
	aditirhyajaniShTa dakSha yA duhitA tava |
	tAM devA anvajAyanta bhadrA amR^itabandhavaH || 05

5. for aditi was born as your daughter, o dakSa and after her were born the
   blessed gods, the kinsmen of immortality.

		यद्देवा अदः सलिले सुसंरब्धा अतिष्ठत ।
		अत्रा वो नृत्यतामिव तीव्रो रेणुरपायत ॥६॥
	yaddevA adaH salile susaMrabdhA atiShThata |
	atrA vo nR^ityatAmiva tIvro reNurapAyata || 06

6. when you gods took your places there in the water with your hands joined
   together,  a thick cloud of mist arose from you like dust from dancers.

		यद्देवा यतयो यथा भुवनान्यपिन्वत ।
		अत्रा समुद्र आ गूळ्हमा सूर्यमजभर्तन ॥७॥
	yaddevA yatayo yathA bhuvanAnyapinvata |
	atrA samudra A gULhamA sUryamajabhartana || 07

7. when you gods like magicians caused the worlds to swell, you drew forth
   the sun that was hidden in the ocean.

		अष्टौ पुत्रासो अदितेर्ये जातास्तन्वस्परि ।
		देवाँ उप प्रैत्सप्तभिः परा मार्ताण्डमास्यत् ॥८॥
	aShTau putrAso aditerye jAtAstanvaspari |
	devA.N upa praitsaptabhiH parA mArtANDamAsyat || 08

8. eight eons there are of aditi, who were born of her body.  with seven she
   went forth among the gods, but she throw mArtANDa, the sun, aside.

		सप्तभिः पुत्रैरदितिरुप प्रैत्पूर्व्यं युगम् ।
		प्रजायै मृत्यवे त्वत्पुनर्मार्ताण्डमाभरत् ॥९॥
	saptabhiH putrairaditirupa praitpUrvyaM yugam |
	prajAyai mR^ityave tvatpunarmArtANDamAbharat || 09

8. with seven sons aditi went forth into the earliest age. but she bore
   mArtANDa so that he would in turn beget offspring and soon die.


Translation Ralph T.H. Griffith, [1896]:

1. Let us with tuneful skill proclaim these generations of the Gods,
   That one may see them when these hymns are chanted in a future age.

2. These Brahmanaspati produced with blast and smelting, like a Smith,
   Existence, in an earlier age of Gods, from Non-existence sprang.

3. Existence, in the earliest age of Gods, from Non-existence sprang.
   Thereafter were the regions born. This sprang from the Productive Power.

4. Earth sprang from the Productive Power the regions from the earth were born.
   Daksa was born of Aditi, and Aditi was Daksa's Child.

5. For Aditi, O Daksa, she who is thy Daughter, was brought forth.
   After her were the blessed Gods born sharers of immortal life.

6. When ye, O Gods, in yonder deep closeclasping one another stood,
   Thence, as of dancers, from your feet a thickening cloud of dust arose.

7. When, O ye Gods, like Yatis, ye caused all existing things to grow,
   Then ye brought Surya forward who was lying hidden in the sea.

8. Eight are the Sons of Adid who from her body sprang to life.
   With seven she went to meet the Gods she cast Martanda far away.

9. So with her Seven Sons Aditi went forth to meet the earlier age.
   She brought Martanda thitherward to spring to life and die again.

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