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Victory to Śrīdīt Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Victory to Śrīdīt Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān... I do not know if any Upaniṣad was composed in Salzburg, but for the Western world, the film from Salzburg, The Sound of Music, is very well known. In that film, there is a very beautiful song. A song is not a song until you sing it. A bell is not a bell until you ring it. And the love in your heart was not given to remain closed there. Love is not love until you give it away. That is the Salzburg Upaniṣad. Today we will talk about the Gāyatrī Mantra. Before we come to the theory of the Gāyatrī mantra, let us sing it three times so that we can attune ourselves to it a little. The translation of the word Gāyatrī is not entirely straightforward. It can mean to protect, to guard, or to liberate; it is the word trā, derived from the word tra, as we know from the word mantra. Gāya means life. So we can translate or explain it as a mantra protecting life. Or it can be derived from the word gāya, which means to sing, to celebrate, or to praise. Another translation is a mantra that protects the one who chants it. Gāyatrī is one of the oldest mantras. It is from the Ṛgveda, the oldest book in the world. It is from the third book of the Ṛgveda, presented without the first line. It is also mentioned in all the Vedas and in the Upaniṣads. The Gāyatrī mantra has been recited continuously for thousands of years. It has not only the inner strength within itself, but also the power of how people have sung it with faith and love—actually, millions of people. The Gāyatrī mantra is addressed to the sun as a symbol of light. It is a prayer for our consciousness to come from darkness into the world. The Gāyatrī mantra is also a prayer; it therefore has the power of vibration like a mantra and also the power of prayer. The Gāyatrī mantra is considered one of the most important, well-known, and significant Indian mantras, which has the power to overcome darkness, no matter at what level it may be, and to summon the light. The Gāyatrī mantra is also said to protect the earth. It gives life and nourishes. In ancient times, there were many mantras chanted to protect the earth. They paid homage to the earth, strengthening within it the power and divine light. Today, when the earth is suffering so much, perhaps it is a form of help to the earth to sing the Gāyatrī mantra. The word Gāyatrī originally denotes a meter or verse. It is a meter that has 24 syllables: three lines, and each line has eight syllables. Vedic verses were composed in various metrical forms, and they had certain fixed rules. Gāyatrī is the most well-known designation for such a verse. So, the word Gāyatrī originally referred to this metrical form. This form of verse is also used in the celebration of, for example, Śiva, Viṣṇu, Gaṇeśa, or Goddess Durgā. The Gāyatrī mantra is addressed to the sun, to its aspect Savitṛ, which embodiment is the cherished being. Originally, it was called the Savitṛ mantra in the meter Gāyatrī. It is also said that this is the first mantra written in this meter, which is perhaps proof of its great antiquity. And only then, later, the worship of the goddess Gāyatrī was also used. The enlightened one of the Gāyatrī meter told a story from the Vedas. He says that once God was asked about the meter of the Gāyatrī to transform into a bird and bring to God the nectar of immortality. And it succeeded. The story, as well as the symbolic meaning, shows that the mantra is so powerful that it has the strength to grant us immortality. It is, of course, a symbol in this story that shows that the mantra is so powerful that it can bring us liberation. The mantra was revealed to the ṛṣi Viśvāmitra. In the Purāṇas, it is recounted about the ṛṣi Viśvāmitra, whose story we know: how he was originally a king, then performed austerities and thereby became a rājaṛṣi. For me, those were precisely the other ṛṣis Viśvāmitra, which was even earlier. The Gāyatrī mantra therefore has 24 syllables. It is said that within it lies the power of 24 deities and gods. The sacred texts declare that the correct recitation of the Gāyatrī mantra removes obstacles from the body and mind, creates enthusiasm and positive activity, awakens noble thoughts, improves judgment, gives self-confidence, patience, compassion, peacefulness, and contentment. It also grants physical strength and the sweetness of surrender. And it is a great aid on the spiritual path. The Gāyatrī mantra is considered the best mantra for dissolving negative karma. It also protects from all troubles and from sudden death as well. It is a luminous mantra filled with light. With that light, it purifies our mind. It purifies the intellect and leads to enlightenment. Chanting harmonizes our personality and removes diseases. In the Purāṇas, it is stated that Brahmā, as the creator, first recited this mantra and then created the world from this mantra. And so that the Gāyatrī mantra is better explained, that is why Brahmā created the four Vedas. And that is why the Gāyatrī is called the mother of the Vedas. It is said that the chanting of the Gāyatrī mantra is equivalent to the knowledge of all the Vedas. Gāyatrī, a mantra like any other proper mantra, actually begins with the seed syllable Oṃ. In fact, the sacred syllable Oṃ represents the entire universe. It is actually the subtlest form of energy—God in the form of sound. As Svāmījī often repeats, Nādarūpa Parabrahma. The form of the highest is sound. That Oṃ is the primordial vibration from which the universe arises. And from Oṃ everything was created and to Oṃ it will return again. And when we repeat the sacred chant of Oṃ, we connect to this stronger force. And when we do that, we become mutually... mutually... mutually represented by Śiva and that syllable M. It is said that the entire philosophy of Vedānta, which is essentially the philosophy of the Upaniṣads, is essentially an explanation of the syllable Oṃ. So much could be said about the syllable Oṃ. This is actually a topic for many lifetimes. Here, I will only quote from the Upaniṣads. It is from the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad. For example, the doctor of the Saviors. In truth, Brahma has a dual form: embodied, meaning having form; and disembodied, without form. That, when embodied, is untrue. That, when disembodied, is true. That is Brahma, that is light. That light is the sun. It became ātman. And this ātman was divided into three parts. For Oṃ consists of three parts: A, U, M. From these, all of this is woven and upon them it is established. For thus it has been said. For so it was said. Meditate on the sun as Oṃ and thus connect with Him. So after the initial syllable Oṃ comes Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ. It is said that Brahmā, the creator, at the beginning of creation uttered these syllables. These three syllables represent the three lokas, or the three worlds. There are 52 different lokas of worlds, which correspond to the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, and the fourteen principal ones. The Earth is in the middle, and there are seven lower worlds and seven upper worlds. So these three words encompass three realms: the Earth, the atmospheric sphere, and the heavens. The names of these three in that mantra function as bīja-mantras. And the word Bhūḥ, that Earth, and Bhuvaḥ, that atmosphere, are based on the samavāya. And the vowel U represents the energy of Viṣṇu, essentially the sustaining aspect, as we have in AUM. Actually, the power that sustains the world. The syllable Bha, clearly it is Bhu and Bhuva, which is again connected with light and signifies creation and manifestation, which is sung with the world and represents manifestation or creation. I would like to give you more details about the lokas. So when you sing it, you gain better knowledge. The word Bhūḥ is inserted into existence within the realm of time and space. A represents the God of the year, that is, our Earth. Here we are also reminded of a rule in sandhi, in Sanskrit. Because Bhūḥ is not Bhūḥ just for that reason alone, since Sanskrit also includes the sandhyā rules. When two words meet, the last letter and the first letter transform. Not just sometimes, but always. It is quite logical because we imagine that every word has a certain vibration, a certain energy, and when those vibrations or those energies meet, so the original energy is actually no longer the same; it’s as if something new is being created there. I think in Czech we also have some kind of residue. Can you create the same thing in the Czech language? Perhaps it is the same in other languages, but I know it from the Czech language. We have the creation of d, t, and n. And when we add a soft nasal sound, it becomes dě, mě, tě; and when we add a hard one, it becomes dě, tě, mě, tě. So that is a remnant from that Sanskrit. So the Bhūrloka, our earth, comes from the word Bhu, which means to be or to become. And it is the place where living beings reside. And that is the name of the land of Bhūmi. It is the material sphere, the physical level. The coarse material world. We perceive it through the five senses. It is also the mṛta loka, the realm of mortals. And there is a law that whoever comes here must leave. This is the place of karma, where we can actually perform karma and receive its fruits. According to the Vedas, what is in the human body is in the universe, and what is in the universe is also in the human body. So, we have the sphere of Bhūrloka in the Mūlādhāra. The boundaries of Bhūrloka according to the Purāṇa extend as far as the rays of the sun and the moon reach. Then the next word is Bhuvaḥ. And it relates to the atmosphere, to the intermediate space. It is the astral sphere. And it actually corresponds to its own sacred realm. It is the transition between the earthly and the heavenly realms. The sphere of dream and fantasy. Pretaloka is part of Bhuvarloka. So who is actually the one who has departed from this world? It is therefore the loka of souls who have left the physical plane of our Earth but still are somehow bound to the Earth. And it will not allow you to go further. It is also important, when someone dies, to detach from that soul and let it go. They do not return her. Souls of people also come to Pretaloka, who, during their time on earth, came to quench the thirst of their senses. So actually, these desires that they carry within themselves and have not processed, there they suffer. They would like to be satisfied. But they cannot, because they do not have a physical body; they leave that on the ground. Those desires have their roots in the senses and in the mind. And they are in the Manomāyakośa. And in fact, they still actually carry the soul with them. So they cannot free themselves from these desires. Funeral rites greatly help these suffering souls. Then there are the śrāddha rituals, which unfortunately we do not know. And these rituals help them to actually direct themselves into those higher lokas. During the rituals, certain mantras are combined, which have special vibrations. And these vibrations help the soul to free itself from its attachments. So we are not familiar with those rituals. But we will definitely help those souls. For example, when we chant Oṃ Tryambakam for them, or perhaps offer something on the praśād, or make any kind of donation to charity in the name of that person, we perform a meritorious or charitable act in their name. We will pray to him and so forth. If we do not want to end up in pretaloka ourselves, so it is important here on earth to definitely control your senses. Cultivate wisdom. Live with discipline and renounce insatiability. What Svāmījī teaches us. Then this area also includes Pitraloka. Pitṛ is the father or ancestor. And from them come souls that are bound by the laws of karma and desires. It is like a lower heaven. These souls perform some beneficial works for themselves selfishly. But they are bound by some karma or desires. After the prāṇas are exhausted, they return to the earth again. It is also said among us that the soul takes a pre-taste of union with the Moon. The realm of Bhuvarloka includes the realms of the Sun, the Moon, and the Planets. The planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and then there are the stars. Then we have the third loka. That is the Svaḥ. Perhaps some might confuse Svaḥ with Svāhā, which is the longer one. That is Svāhā, the long one, we chant during yajñas. And Svāhā is the wife of Agni, the god of fire. And it is actually his energy, his śakti, that allows him to burn. And that is why it is actually invoked during the Yajña. And this Svaḥ is brief. And this word relates to the light and to the sky. It represents Svargaloka. It is actually the heavenly realm, known as Indraloka, the world of Indra. Indra is the one who controls his Indras, his senses. So whoever masters their senses could reach Svargaloka. It is a period of Christian heaven. But the difference here is that the stay is actually temporary. So, after the merits have expired, the soul actually returns to the cycle of rebirth. The Śāstras declare that true immortality can be attained only here on earth by knowing our self, our essence. Therefore, the yogī does not long for Svargaloka, because here the souls do not have the knowledge of ātman. In Bhajanu Rajadhena, I ask neither for heaven nor for the world. In the gross body, it is Maṇipūra. People come to Svargaloka who have lived a positive way of life in the wood of their duty. In Svargaloka, those who live a righteous life, who live a righteous life,... who have self-control and harbor no resentment towards anyone. They were in control and held no resentment towards anyone. They were in control and held no resentment towards anyone. Svargaloka is the space between the sun and the Pole Star. And from the Pole Star, those higher worlds fell asleep. And they are for those who have freed themselves from the bonds of the material world. The words Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ are spoken of in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad. And he describes how Prajāpati, Prajāpati meaning the creator, the lord of creation, and it is a name for Brahmā in the sense of the creative aspect. So it describes how Prajāpati created the world. And how from one thing he created another. Such a beautiful evolutionary creation. How the three worlds came into being. I will read it, again translated by Doctor Zbavitel. Prajāpati meditated on the worlds. And as he meditated on them, He drew out their essence. Fire from the earth. Between space the wind and from the sky the sun. He meditated on these three deities. And how did he meditate? He drew from their essence. From the fire the Ṛgveda verses, from the wind, the sacrificial formula, from the sun, the sāmans, the hymns of praise. From the wind, the sacrificial formula, from the wind, the sacrificial formula, from the sacred song. He meditated on these three Vedas, and as he meditated on them, he extracted their essence. From the Rigvedic verses, Bhūḥ; from the sacrificial formulas, Bhuvaḥ; and from the Sāman, Svaḥ. And I have another similar quote. This was unspoken at the beginning. Prajāpati, the truth, pronounced it while performing austerities. That is indeed the most solid body of Prajāpati. The form of his world, the form of his level, his loka. The Svaḥ, heaven, is his head. Between the space, Bhuvaḥ, is the navel. The in-between space, the Bhuvaḥ, it is his trunk. The earth, Bhūḥ, are the legs. And the earth, the Bhūḥ, is his legs. The suns are the eyes of this world, of this body. Therefore, it is necessary to worship with the words Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ. For this is how this Prajāpati is worshiped. Ātman of all, the sight of all. For thus it has been said: This is indeed the all-bearing body of Prajāpati. It is contained within it all. And it is contained within everything. Therefore, honor them. That was a bit longer for the first line. Here comes the second line. There is Tat Savitur Vareṇyam. That Tat means that. And when it is neuter like that, it means in that philosophical system it signifies Brahma, the absolute. We know it from the Mahāvākya, Tat Tvam Asi, you are that. The next word is Savitur. Sometimes it is said as Savitār or Savitṛ. And there the root Sū means to stimulate, enliven, encourage. Savitur is the Vedic sun god. He is the giver of life energy. It represents the source of life. And it also represents that world-knowledge which dispels the darkness of ignorance. He is known as the one who inspires the intellect that worships. That God Savitar is actually an aspect of the Sun God. It represents the life of the giver, the revitalizer. And because the mantra is addressed to that Savitar, it is also called the Sāvitrī Mantra. Sāvitrī is also a prototype of the evolution of the human mind. Sāvitrī is the movement from darkness to light. The Upaniṣads speak of Savitar, specifically the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad. And here he also somewhat explains the Gāyatrī mantra. On the longed-for radiance of Savitara. Savitar is indeed the sun itself. Let those who long for the Ātman choose it. How the true Brahma is to be known. And further, let us meditate on the radiance of God. Here is Savitar, the Divine. And so I contemplate what is called his radiance. How to truly know Brahma. And furthermore, to inspire deep thoughts within us. Deep thoughts are manifestations of intelligence. Let Him inspire us. As the knower of Brahman says. And as for that radiance, radiance, which I call the one that merely shies away in that sun or the pupil in the eye. It is called radiance, for it moves with rays. And the last syllable of that line is Vareṇyam. It means worthy of worship. So we could translate that as Tat Savitur Vareṇyam. This being, which is the source of life, is worthy of worship. Translation is not easy at all, because whenever you look into any book, it is somewhat different. So it’s best to absorb it all and then choose what suits each of you best. So it is important to you how to express it, how to express it. And the other main word is Bhargo. And that is the radiance to the world, and it becomes connected to that Savitar. And it is about the word Bhargo that the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad probably speaks. And he speaks about the syllables that are in this word. And it says, Bha means that it illuminates these worlds. Ra means that it blesses these beings. Ga means that these beings enter into it and emerge from it. And because of this Bha, Ra, and Ga, there is Bhargo. And because it is constantly being created. It is Sūrya, and because it is under something, it is Savitar. When there is Devasya, that is... Devasya comes from the word Deva, meaning God, thus divine. A Dhīmahi, let us meditate or we meditate. The fact is that the word is actually in the plural form, indicating that the mantra is intended for everyone, without distinction. And that it actually brings benefit to all. So altogether we could say, Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi, we meditate on the divine radiance. Then the last ones, Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Pracodayāt. The word Dhiyo actually comes from the word Dhī. Dhī is translated as intellect, buddhi, understanding. Translating Sanskrit words is not simple at all. Because words have many meanings, there are many synonyms. Many ways, many opinions on the explanation. Jan Gonda dedicated an entire book to accurately capturing the correct translation of this word Dhī. I will conclude by saying that the word Dhī expresses intuition, divinely inspired knowledge. Such knowledge is not based on the senses or on reason. Then it is Yo, which means who, which. Which one? Who? Yo means which one or the one. Naḥ is ours. Naḥ means ours. A Pracodayāt means to stimulate, to inspire, to enlighten, to awaken. A Pracodayāt means to enlighten. So that Dhiyo Yo Naḥ Pracodayāt, where it could be, may it illuminate our intellect. And so it can mean may our intellect or may our intellect be enlightened. There are many translations and interpretations. Here, I have taken the interpretation from Holigurujī’s book Śiṣāmidipveprakāśa, which explains the Gāyatrī mantra. He is the root of all knowledge. He is the form of Parabrahma. It is the fundamental mantra. It is the seed of the universe. That is precisely the highest name. And the ocean of compassion. O God, protect us with Your kindness. It is you who are the sole foundation of our life. By giving to the devotee, you grant all happiness. You free them from suffering. You are the highest. The most glorious. The most magnificent. You are always pure. You are the embodiment of sacred knowledge. From you alone, the entire world arises. You are the treasury of all virtues. We constantly meditate upon you, We worship you and pray to you. Grant us the gift of discernment, concentration, memory, and sound judgment. And here is also a translation from Swāmījī Sivananda. We meditate on the glory of the Lord who created this universe. Who is worthy of worship. Who is the embodiment of knowledge and light. Which removes all sins and ignorance. May it illuminate our intellect. It is added that advanced yogī disciples may accept this meaning. I am the highest light of lights, which gives light to the intellect. When we chant the mantra, there are five pauses where we should take a designated break. When we chant the mantra, there are five ways or intervals that we should create. The first Oṃ, that is the independent Oṃ. The first Oṃ should be slightly separated, as if it naturally is. Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ. Then this one. The third is Tat Savitur Vareṇyam. Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi. May the Supreme Consciousness inspire our intellect. It is said that the Gāyatrī Mantra contains the essence of all the Vedas. It should be repeated in the morning at sunrise, at the time when the sun is at its zenith at noon, and at sunset. And in the morning and evening, it is truly good to observe the time of the sandhyā, when day and night change. The Gāyatrī mantra is also part of the morning ritual when the devotee takes water in their hands and actually recites the Gāyatrī mantra at the same time. And there is an ancient story that once demons were performing austerities; they wanted to overcome functions. And the command was successful; indeed, the sun truly lost its power. The Brahmāṇīs tried to assist the sun. And so they chanted the Gāyatrī mantra and held that water in their hands. And then they offered the water. And it really worked. And the sun regained its strength once again, and the demons were defeated. This is a demonstration of the power of the Gāyatrī Mantra. The Gāyatrī Mantra is also recited during the sacred thread ceremony. It is actually the time when children begin their studies. It is the first mantra into which brahmin boys are initiated. The Gāyatrī mantra can also be used during japa or prāṇāyāma. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Gītā, Among mantras, I am the Gāyatrī Mantra. It again actually shows the importance of the Gāyatrī Mantra. If we were to speak of Gāyatrī as a goddess, she is often depicted sitting on a lotus, frequently with five heads, which is actually connected to the Gāyatrī mantra. One head is Oṃ, the second head is Bhūḥ Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ, the third is Tat Savitur Vareṇyam, and so on. So, in fact, all those lines are the heads. It is said that just as the Upaniṣads are the essence of the three Vedas, so the Gāyatrī Mantra, with those sacred sacred syllables Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ, is the essence of the Upaniṣads. When I was preparing this talk, I realized once again all that Svāmījī gives us, the immense techniques and treasures he bestows upon us. And what profound teaching. And the Gāyatrī mantra is also one of these treasures. And I would like to thank Svāmījī himself for that. I am very grateful, Svāmījī. I would like to show you all the books and the heart. At that time, I did not know the encyclopedia. In Czech, Mantra Yoga Čapa was published. In the Czech title, it is Mantra Yoga Čapa, by Svāmī Sivananda, it is a very good book. In English, it is called Chāpa yoga. We have the Upaniṣads translated by Dr. Zbavitel, and they are also beautiful. He translates directly from Sanskrit and refers to our Śaṅkarācārya and others. That represents too much Sanskrit with reference to Śaṅkarācārya and so on. There is a book by Guruji, I should say. Then from Swami Sivananda, what happens to the soul after death. Here I gathered knowledge about Pitraloka and the like. A TTVC, a good book, Hindu Rites, Rituals, Customs and Traditions. Here is a good book called Hindu Ceremonies, Rituals, Customs, and Traditions. I am like before, but I think it is very good. I think it’s a very, very resourceful book. That’s about all. That’s it.