om bhur
bhuva sva tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya
dhimahi dhiyo yo na pracodayat om
om - the seed
mantra which contains everything within it; bhur
- the physical world; bhuva - the mental world;
sva - the intellectual world; tat - that, the
three planes of experience; savituh - the soul;
varenyam - worshipable, venerable; bhargo - the
supersubjective area, the svarupa-sakti; devasya
- who is beautiful and playful, Krsna, Reality
the Beautiful; dhimahi - come meditate; dhiyah
- of meditation, of service; yo - who; na - us;
pracodayat - enthuses our capacity;
Translation
"Above the
three planes of mundane experience, bhu, bhuvah,
svah is the soul, savitur, who shows us everything
just like the sun. Above the soul is the supersubjective
plane which is varenyam, most venerated and worshipable.
That worshipable plane of existence is called
bhargo, brilliant and illuminating. The supersubjective
area, bhargo, is the plane known as the svarupa-sakti
which is the internal pleasure potency of deva,
Krishna, Reality the Beautiful. That bhargo is
His own divine potency Srimati Radharani. Let
us meditate upon the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani,
whose extended self and essential nature, mahabhava,
is the svarupa-sakti, and who enthuses our capacity
of devotional service. Let us surrender unto Her
divine service."
Introduction
The meaning of
the brahma gayatri must bring us to the conclusion
of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The gayatri mantra and the
Srimad-Bhagavatam are one and the same. It is
the very gist of the Vedanta-sutra. Srimad-Bhagavatam
is the elaborate commentary of gayatri:
artho 'yam brahma-sutranam
bharatartha-vinirnay
gayatri-bhasya-rupo 'sau vedartha-parivrmhita
"The meaning
of the Vedanta-sutra is present in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
The full purport of the Mahabharata is also there.
The commentary of the brahma-gayatri is also there
and fully expanded with all Vedic knowledge."
(Garuda Purana )
The meaning of
the gayatri mantra must be in the line of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
If we analyze how this is possible, we shall uncover
the steps leading the gayatri mantra, to the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
What is the meaning
of gayatri ? The word gayatri is a combination
of two Sanskrit words: ganat (what is sung) and
trayate (gives deliverance). This means, "A
kind of song by which we can get our salvation,
relief, emancipation. Gayatri is known as veda-mata,
the mother of the Veda. If we examine the Vedic
conclusion from it's most condensed aphorism to
its most extensive expression, we shall find that
it begins with omkara : the Vedic symbol OM. That
truth is expressed as the gayatri mantra, then
it appears in the form of the Vedas, and then
as the Vedanta-sutra. Finally, the Vedic conclusion
is given its fullest expression in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Since the meaning, the purpose of Vedic knowledge
progresses in this line, the gayatri mantra must
contain within it the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam
---that is, that the Krsna conception of Godhead
is the highest. This must be the meaning of the
gayatri mantra, but the problem is how to extract
Srimad-Bhagavatam-----the Krsna conception------
from within the womb of gayatri. I heard that
Jiva Goswami has given such an interpretation,
but I could not find where it is written. I heard
that he has given the meaning of gayatri leading
to Krsna consciousness. Anyhow, the tendency awakened
in me to draw the meaning to the Krsna conception.
The general meaning
of gayatri is "that song which grants liberation."
Liberation must have some positive meaning. Liberation
means not freedom from the negative side, but
positive attainment. This is the definition given
in Srimad-Bhagavatam : muktir hitvanyatha rupam
svarupena--- unless and until we attain the highest
possible positive position, real mukti, real salvation,
has not been effected. Mere withdrawal from the
negative plane cannot be called liberation. Hegal
has said that the object of our life is self-determination.
We must determine our normal function in the organic
whole---not mere emancipation in a positive function
in the domain of service. This is considered to
be the highest attainment of life. This is the
real meaning of gayatri.
The word gayatri
comes from two Sanskrit roots: ganat and trayate.
Trayate means positive attainment to the final
stage (sva-rupena vyavashitih ). And ganat means
not mere sound, but musical sound. That musical
sound which grants us the highest positive deliverance
indicates the sankirtana of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
and the flute song of Sri Krsna.
Brahma-Gayatri-Bhasya
bhvades-tat savitur-vavarenya-vihitam
ksetrajna-sevaya-arthakam
bhargo vai vrsabhanuja-atma-vibhava-eka-aradhana
sri-puram
bhargo jyotir-acintya-lilana-sudha-eka-aradhana-sri-puram
bhargo dhama-taraga-khelana-sudha-eka-aradhana-sri-puram
bhargo dhama-sada nirasta kuhakam prajnana lila-puram
devasya-amrta-rupa-lila-rasa-dheraradha-dhi-prerina
devasya-amrta-rupa-lila-purusasyaradha-dhi-preyasina
devasya dyutisundara-eka-purusasyaradhaya-dhi-preyasina
gayatri-muralisÝa-kirtana-dhanam radhapadam
dhimahi
gayatri-gaditam mahaprabhu-matam radhapadam dhimahi
dhir-aradhanam eva nanyad-iti-tad-radhapadam dhimahi
srila sri-bhaktiraksaka sridhara deva-gosvami
maharaja
Purport
The purport of
the brahma-gayatri is as follows: The first word
is OM. Om is the seed mantra which contains everything
within it. The next word is bhur. Bhur is where
we are--Bhu-loka-- the world of our experience.
The next word is buvah. Buvarloka is the world
of mental acquisition. It is the support, the
background of our experience. Our present position
of experience is the effect of our mental acquisition.
That we are here in the world of experience is
not an accident; we have acquired this position
by our previous karma. The physical sphere, this
present world of experience, is only the product,
the outcome of our previous mental impulses. And
the subtle world of previous karma, the mental
sphere, is known as Bhuvarloka.
The next word
in the mantra is svah. Above Bhuvaloka is Sva-loka.
The mental world (Bhuvarloka) means acceptance
and rejection: what to do and what not to do--"I
like this, I don't like that." Sva-loka,
however, is the plane of decision, the world of
intelligence (Buddiloka). Our intelligence tells
us, "You may like this, but you don't do
that, for then you will be the loser." That
plane, the plane of reason, is known as Sva-loka.
In this way, this material world is composed of
three general layers, bhur, the physical world,
bhuvah, the mental world, and svah, the intellectual
world.
Of course, a more
detailed analysis will reveal seven layers: Bhur,
Bhuvah Svah, Maha, Jana, Tapa, and Satyaloka.
This has been dealt with in detail by Sanatana
Goswami in his Brhad-Bhagavatamrtam. Here, these
seven strata have been summarized in three planes
of existence: physical, mental, and intellectual.
And these three planes of experience have been
summarized in a word, tat.
The next word
in the brahma-gayatri is savitur. Savitur generally
means surya, the sun. And the sun means, figuratively,
that which shows or illuminates; that by which
we can see. The three gross and subtle strata
within this world are shown to us by a particular
thing, savitur. What it that? The soul. Actually,
the world is not shown to us by the sun, but by
the soul. What really gives us perception and
allows us to see gross things? It is not actually
the sun that helps us to see; we see with the
help of the soul. This is found in Bhagavad-gita
(yatha prakasayaty ekah krtsnam lokam imam ravih).
The soul reveals this world to us just as the
sun does. The sun can show color to our eyes,
the ear can reveal the sound world, and the hand
can reveal the touch world. But really in the
center is the soul. It is the soul who gives light
to this world, who gives us an understanding of
the environment, the world of perception. All
perception is possible only because of the soul.
Here, the word savitur, which generally means
sun, can only mean soul, like the sun, shows us
everything.
All seven strata
of our existence-represented by bhur, the physical
plane, bhuvah, the mental plane, and svah, the
intellectual plane-have here been reduced to one
entity: tat-"that." "That"
is shown by the sun which in this context indicates
the soul. Here soul means individual soul. The
individual soul is the cause of his world. Not
that the mind is in the world, but the world is
in the mind. Berkeley has said that the world
is in the mind. Here it is being expressed that
everything is seen with the help of the sun. If
there is no sun, everything is dark- nothing can
be seen. So without light, nothing can be seen.
And in a higher sense, light means the soul. The
soul is the subject and the soul's object is the
seven planes of experience within this world.
The next word
in the gayatri mantra is varenyam. Varenyam means
puja: worshipable, venerable. This indicates that
although within this plane--the objective world--the
is the subject, there is another domain which
is to be venerated and worshipped by the soul.
That is the Supersoul area.
That worshipable
plane of existence is known as bhargo. Bhargo
means the super subjective area, the area of the
Supersoul. This is mentioned in the first verse
of Srimad-Bhagavatam: dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam
satyam param dhimahi. Srila Vysadeva says that
here he is going to deal with another world whose
pristine glory is so great that by its own ray,
all misconceptions are brushed aside. The subject
is the soul, and its object is all these worlds
of experience. And the super subject, is the venerable
area which is superior to the subject, the soul--
that is the super subjective area.
The word bhargo
means"more subtle than the soul," and
"holding a more important position than the
soul." So this means the Supersoul, the Paramatma.
In general, of course, the word bhargo ordinarily
means light. Just as an X-ray can show us what
the ordinary eye cannot see, bhargo is svarupa-sakti:
higher, more powerful light that can reveal the
soul. And that energy--bhargo--belongs to whom?
It belongs to deva. What is the meaning of the
word deva? Deva means "who is beautiful an
playful," that is, Sri Krsna: Reality the
beautiful. He is not a nondifferentiated substance,
but is full of lila, pastimes. Deva means pastimes
and beauty combined and this is Krsna.
His domain is
bhargo, brilliant, and it is varenyam, to venerated
by the jiva soul. What is the nature of the svarupa-sakti?
It is the vaibava, the extend body of Srimati
Radharani. She holds the full service responsibility
and the energy to serve Krsna. bhargo is no less
than the vaibava, the extended body of Srimati
Radharani, which contains everything for the service
of Krsna. Bhargo represents Mahabava, the predominated
moiety, and deva, Krsna, is Rasaraja, the predominating
moiety.
In the gayatri
mantra, we are requested, bhargo devasya dhimahi:
"come meditate". What sort of meditation
is possible in that plane of dedication? Not abstract
meditation, but service cultivation, krsnanusilanam.
Dhimahi means " to participate in the spontaneous
flow, the current of devotion in Vrndavana."
And what will be the result (dhiyo yo nah pracodayat)?
The capacity of our cultivation will be increased.
As we serve, a greater capacity and willingness
to serve will be given to us in remuneration--
just as interest is added to capital in the bank(dasa
kari' vetana more deha prema-dhana). In this way,
our dedicating principle will be increased again
and again. Dhimahi means aradhana, worship. It
cannot but be explained in terms of aradhana,
puja, seva-- worship, adoration, loving service.
The word buddhi means that which we cultivate
with the help of our intelligence. But here, dhi
is a reference to that venerable intelligence
which descends into this plane to help us cultivate
service. So dhimahi does not mean abstract meditation,
but devotional service. This is the underlying
meaning of the gayatri mantra.
Gayatri, the song
of deliverance, also means sankirtana. Kirtana
is also sung, and it also improves us towards
the highest goal. The sankirtana of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu also reinstates us in out highest serving
position. So brahma-gayatri in connection with
Mahaprabhu comes to mean krsna-kirtana. Then it
reaches Vrndavana and the flute-kirtana. And when
we enter Vrndavana, we shall find that the sweet
sound of Krsna's flute helps to engage all the
Lords servants in their respective duties. When
the flute is sounded, the gopis and others are
adjusted in their respective duties. At night,
the gopis, hearing the sound of the flute will
run to the Yamuna, thinking, "Oh, Krsna's
is there." And when Yasoda hears the song
of Krsna's flute, she thinks, "My son is
there. He is coming home soon." In this way,
the sound of the flute engages all the servants
of the Lord in their respective positions and
inspires them to be mindful of their service.
In my Sanskrit
commentary on the gayatri mantra, I have written
dhiraradhanam eva nanyaditi tad radha-padam dhimahi
: All other services are represented fully in
Radhika. Like branches they are all part of her.
Madhura rasa is the chief or mukhya-rasa, the
combination of all rasas. Srimati Radharani is
Mahabhava--she represents the entire serving attitude.
The flute-song
of Sri Krsna, expressed as the gayatri mantra,
is reminding us and engaging us in our service.
And what is our service? Our service must be to
surrender ourselves in the service of Srimati
Radharani-to accept the suggestion of Radharani.
The gayatri mantra will excite us to be mindful
about Srimati Radharani's lotus feet, to obey
her orders. She is mainly representing the whole
service area. So to try to engage ourselves in
her service, under her order- to accept her direction
and to obey her- that is the service of Sri Radha.
In this way, the meaning of the gayatri mantra
has been drawn to radha-dasyam, self-determination
(svarupena vyavasthitih ).
In the meantime,
the partial representations in vatsalya and sakhya
rasa are also part and parcel of the original
mellow of conjugal love, madhura rasa. The vatsalya
rasa devotees will serve Nanda and Yasoda, the
sakhya rasa devotee will serve Sridama and Sudama,
but ultimately, the whole system in one conception
is included in Radharani.
Radha-dasyam,
the service of Srimati Radharani, is the ultimate
meaning to be extracted from the gayatri mantra.
That is the supreme end of our life. It cannot
but be so. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ultimate or
full-fledged theism to be extracted from the Vedas,
Upanisads, and so many scriptures. All the revealed
truth rises to its acme, to its highest position,
in the conception given by Srimad-Bhagavatam.
And Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches us that the highest
realization, self-determination, is the service
of Srimati Radharani-that under her guidance we
may serve Sri Krsna. We aspire for a direct connection
with her service.
What, then, is
the inner meaning or purport of the word bhargo?
Bhargo means the sum, or "who shows us by
light." Radharani is the daughter of Vrsabhanu.
I have selected the word bhanu. To represent her
personal extended self, I have given the word
vaibhava. Vaibhava means, "what comes out,"
or "extended self." Prabhava is the
central representation and vaibhava is the outer
extension. The very gist of svarupa-sakti is Srimati
Radharani, and the whole svarupa-sakti is her
extended self. The town of her beautiful service
is the whole svarupa-sakti.
Just as rays of
light extend from the sun, the whole internal
potency is an extension of Mahabhava, Sri Radhika.
She has developed herself into such a beautiful
area of brilliance, of internal energy, and thereby
she serves her Lord. All these necessary things
have sprung from her. To help her in serving her
Lord, they all come out. When the entire internal
energy is condensed in a concise form, it is Mahabhava,
Radharani. And when Radharani wants to serve,
she extends herself in limitless different ways.
And with some contribution from Baladeva and Yogamaya,
the whole spiritual world, including Vrndavana,
Mathura, and Vaikuntha, evolves to assist Srimati
Radharani in the service of Sri Krsna.
