Sri Gaayathri dEvi: Vedic Significance

[Guest guest]

Dear anushtAthAs :

 

There was a question in another net about

the multiple devis invoked in SandhyA Vandhana

manthrams (i-e) , Gaayathri , Saavithri and Sarasvathi .

Here is some background information on it .Veda manthrams

have to be looked at many levels and planes beyond the most superficial .

When we evoke Saavithri and Sarasvathi , we have to keep this in mind

and not link it with smarthAs and VaishNavAs and along those channels

of reasoning . I agree with a bhagavathA's observation that we are

all "smaarthAs" from the point of followers of Smruthis .

I will comment on " the three Devis " , who can be

understood as one Devi .

 

GaayathrI

*********

 

Gaayathri is considered as the essence of the Vedaas .

Gaayathri ,the triple hymn with three times eight

syllables in each of its three paadhams , is also

the name for a Vedic metre .This three-paadha Gaayathri

Manthram is what one uses during the worship of the sandhyAs .

This manthram is also considered as the Mother of VedAs .

Gaayathri is also called Saavithri (hymn to the Sun ,

Savithru, the seven of the DwAdasa AadithyAs ).

There is also a chathur Paadha ( Four-legged )

Gaayathri Manthram with 32 syallables . It is powerful

and is rarely recited , since it needs special initiation

and a high degree of spiritual realization .

 

Gaayathri , the hymn to the Sun (Sriman NaarAyaNan

in the middle of the orb of the Sun ) is revered as

Gaayathri at dawn ( prAtha: SandhyA ) , Saavithri

at mid-day ( maadhyAhnikam ) and Sarasvathi at Saayam SandhyA .

 

Gaayathri manthram is housed in Rg Veda samhithai

( Rg Veda : 3.62.10). It is recited to attain the

four goals of life (PurushArthams ) through contemplation

of the meanings of PraNavam and AkAra Vaachyan , Sriman

NaarAyaNan and the sesha -sEshi relationship to SaraNya

Dampathis .

 

BrahadAraNyaka Upanishad (5.14.4, 5.15 )and ChAndhOgya

Upanishad (3.12-13) salute Gaayathri as the protector

of Vital Energies . ChAndhOyga passages elaborate

on Gaayathri Brahma VidhyA and its relation to

Moksha Saadhanam by contemplating Brahman as made up

of the 24 syallables ( 6 times 4 ).The six refers to

the 6 of " the guNAs of Brahman " for meditation and the four

refer to the four paadhams (quarters or feet ).This

upanishidhic passage connects Gayathri's one paadham

to be in prithvI (on Earth ) and the the remianing in

Sri Vaikuntam as referred to in Purusha Sooktham.

The attributes of the other three paadhams are elaborated

in this section of ChAndhOgya Upanishad .

 

Sarasvathi

***********

In an earlier posting , I have covered the Vedic

meanings of Sarasvathi as the Vedic Speech .DevarAja

Yasvan, the noted commentator of YaskA's Niruktham has

derived the word Sarasvathi as "Sara: PrasaraNamasyAsthIthi "

or One whose expanse is this entire creation or One in

whom such knowledge is sustained .It refers thus again to

Vedic Speech .

 

In Gaayathri manthram , the last section prays:

>" dhiyO ---prachOdhayAth ". We can see the echo

of the above two words in two Rg veda manthrams

(I.3.11 & 12 ):

 

chOdhayathri sUnruthAnAm chEthanthi sumathInAm

************

yaj~nam dhadhE Sarasvathi

 

(meaning ): Sarasvathi , who inspires those delighting

in truth ,(who is) the AchAryan of the right-minded , has

graciously accepted our Yaj~nam ( Havis/offering ).

 

mahO arNa: Sarasvathi prachEthayathi kEthunA

dhiyO visvA virAjathi

*****

 

(Meaning ): Sarasvathi manifests by Her acts as

a mighty river and (in Her own form ) enlightens all

understandings (provides illuminating meanings ).

 

Saavithri

**********

Her name translates in to " belonging to the Sun ".

his Sun or Aadithyan is SavithA , the 7th among

he DwAdasa AadhityAs .

If Gayathri is "triple hymn " , Saavithri is

the "solar hymn ".These hymns to the Sun is as mentioned

before are visualized as Gaayathri at dawn , Saavithri at midday

and Sarasvathi at saayam sandhyA .

 

V.Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

Sriman Sadagopan Swamin encouraged me to share the following

observations with the list.

>>Sri:

>>

>>Dear Sadagopan,

>>

Thanks for a wonderful summary of Gayathri, Savitri and Saraswati.

The deep roots of these three from the Vedas have been brought out

beautifully in your note.The term Gayathri Mantram itself means that

which protects one who recites it. According to U.Ve. Sri Mukkur

Lakshminarasimhachariar Swamin, Gayathri Devi is clad in white colored

silk in the morning (Pratah Sandya), and recites the Rg Vedam. In the

afternoon (Madhyahnikam), robed in red colored silk garments She recites

the Yajur Vedam. In the evening (Saayam Sandyavandanam) she adorns black

colored silk while reciting the Saama Vedam. Thus,

merely contemplating upon her at the appropriate Sandhya periods confers

the benefit of worshipping the Lord through the recitation of Rg, Yajus,

and Saama Vedam. Sri Mukkur Swamin states that Gayathri Devi makes our

life simple!

 

Best Wishes,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

>>

 

Sri KrishNArpaNamastu,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

 

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