nArAyaNa gAyatri

[Ravi Mayavaram]

On Thu, 19 Feb 1998, Ram Chandran wrote:

> Ravi Mayavaram <msr at REDDY20.TAMU.EDU> writes:
>
> > Can someone give a detailed meaning of nArAyaNa gayatri.......
>
> Greetings Ravi:
>
> nArAyaNa gAyatri is in praise of Maha Vishnu and a rigorous explanation
> comes after reading the Essence of gAyatri Mahamantra. Giri's Homepage
> at the WEB Address: http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/1415/ contains
> the meaning of gaYatri mantra in greater detail.  A quick outline of the
> meaning of gAyatri mantra is given below.


namaskaaram

The term vidmahe which is often seen in the gAyatris addressed towards
deities, is not in the sAvitri mantra which we chant during sandhya
vandanam. I have pondered on the meaning on the sAvitri mantra and
have a feel for that.

In fact the word "savitur" I would like
translate as source and not as sun. In fact the same root occurs in
words like prasavam etc. Lalita sahasranaamam celebrates shrii maata
as prasavitri.

OM is indeed bhuH (gross: sthula) , bhuvaH (sUkShma, subtle) and
suvaH (kAraNa, causal) planes ( or bodies or shariram).  I adore that
which is the source of all these and meditate on that effulgent being.
May my thinking faculty be awakened (to attain aatma jnanam).

Since my ishhTa deivam is shakti, I have translated in tamizh with
bias as and I did not stick to the original too closely (ofcourse this
is for my own personal needs).

OMkaara oli vadivE
mupuraththai thannagaththE thORRuviththa thoNmaiyaLe
paramporulE arumporuLE pORRuththaRkuriyavaLE
eNNi thuthikkinREn ninnoLI pErazhagai
ennil unnai uNarum aatma jnaanam thaa

My original question has to do with shrii nArAyaNa gAyatri. I dont
understand the vidmahe term well. Should it be interpreted as "known
as".  The format of the gAyatri addressed to deities are very similar
and it is distinctly different from sAvitri mantra

like
AUM kAtyAyanAya vidmahe kanyakumAri dhImahI
tanno durgi prachodayat.

Unlike the sAvitri mantra, these gAyatris do not make the deity under
consideration as source of all and  the term prachodyat is like stand
alone. What is being awakened or kindled? My knowledge of sanksrit
tends to zero ;-), that is why I asked a detailed explanation.

Thanks

Ravi