anahata nada, omkara, gayatri mantra, their inter-relatedness and significance

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The anahata nada is in fact known by all. Those who are unaware of it - are

only unaware as they have not accustomed themselves to the practice of inward

mouna and the focusing of the attention inwards (via meditation). It is a

rahasya (secret) only in that without initiation/recognition, you will likely

miss it entirely, especially in the midst of so many other distracting external

influences. It is like running around in a forest looking for a diamond, never

having seen a diamond before, only to come out of the forest and being shown

that that you are wearing a diamond around your neck. Ordinarily, the noise of

the world overpowers the this subtle anahata nada, and one is deafened to it -

but it is in fact quite continuous like an infinitely long but fine thread.

This sacred thread is ever fresh in that one cannot distinguish its beginning

nor its end. This thread runs through all the worlds - and is venerated in the

sacred gayathri manthra

(short form) in which one mentions the three key worlds of our usual experience

(1. bhur, 2. bhuvah, 3. suvaha) corresponding to jagrat (awake), swapna (dream),

and sushupthi (deep sleep).

 

The meaning of the Gayathri is this:

 

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Suvah, Tat Savitur Varaenyam, BhargoO Devasya Dheemahi,

DheeyoYoNah PrachOdaYaaAthu.

" Om to the Great Savitr (Sun God) who transcends the three worlds

(Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvaha) who art fit to be worshipped, we pray that you

illumine/impel/motivate our Intellect, that may we attain to that glorious godly

effulgence that radiates from within. "

 

The word Savitur though translated as Great Sun God refers in fact to the Omkara

- whose external manifestation is analogous to the solar sun of our regular

experience. To distinguish the external sun from this internal sun, the phrase

" who art fit to be worshipped " is appended. The external sun is a ball of gas -

an inert object as such. The internal sun is the sun of consciousness, and is

indeed " fit " to be worshipped as God. The path and means to the Omkara, are the

Omkara itself, so we are requesting the unknown/unheard Omkara to make itself

known to our intellects. In the same way as the solar sun sheds its rays in all

directions, so does the Omkara shine forth in all directions, as the very source

of Consciousness. By offering Gayathri, we are asking the great god Savitur

(i.e., the internal Sun of consciousness) to initiate us into the awareness of

the Omkara such that we are able to hear it resounding from within, just as we

are able to see

the Sun itself in broad daylight, whether we want to or not. When the Omkara

illumines the intellect, it pulls the attention inwards into deep concentration,

absorbing the chitta (mind stuff) into its source. When once one becomes aware

of this sound, the scriptures say that one is considered a " twice born "

(Hinduism) or " born again " (Christianity) - as this is a tangible sign that the

awareness has been expanded and purified. The very hearing of the Omkara,

either through verbal repetition, or through the actual sound of Omkara itself,

is purifying and mind expanding.

 

The word Gu-Ru as clarified before means " One who Illumines " or " Remover of

Darkness " . Therefore, the Gayatri Mantra is nothing but the Guru mantra,

requesting the SatGuru to illumine our intellects from within, so that we may

attain to His state.

 

In the Bhagavad Gita, Jagat-Guru Lord Krishna says:

 

Pranavah sarva-vedeshu: " I am the syllable OM in the Vedic mantras. "

 

Jaya Guru Datta. Jaya Guru Datta. Jaya Guru Datta.

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Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?

Sarva Kartha, Sarva Dhartha, Sarva Hartha, Mangalam!

Satchidananda, Satchidananda, Satchidananda Mangalam!