Om, Bhuh Bhuvah Swah, Om Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat, Om.

ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः । ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात॥ ॐ

This is the form of Gayatri Mantra that I use for my jaap. The basic form of the mantra can be used in different ways for manifesting different things. This form is used by sadhaks/ aspirants of the spiritual path, who desire ultimate Illumination. Gayatri is like the Kalp-Vriksh/ the wish fulfilling tree, whatever you desire, it will manifest. You can add other specific beej mantras before and after it (samputit) if your Guru has told you to do so.

Gayatri Mantra is formally mentioned in the Rg ved 10:16:3. But it is embedded in the fabric of the Universe itself. In fact if you do your Dhyan long enough, you can hear it. (You first hear your chakras making their individual sounds, often mistaken as ‘ringing of the ears’).

I dont think most Hindus (Sanatan Dharma followers) even know the full form of the mantra which is this ॐ भूः ॐ भुवः ॐ स्वःॐ महः ॐ जनः ॐ तपः ॐ गुं सत्यम । ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात ।ॐ आपोज्योति रसोमृतं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवः स्वरोम ॥ However this is not for those who live the householder’s life, it is used by sanyasis and genuine sadhaks, its effects are very intense and pull very strongly.

There are several ways in which this mantra can be understood. But the truest experience is when the energies get linked as below. As always Mantras depend on your Intention and Will. Just like using a hammer on a nail, if you swing it with full force and focus you will finish your work faster. Mantras are the tools, the hammers, it is now upto you, how you want to use them. Now,

1. First all the energies of all the manifested planes of existences are linked to the energies of the Om-the ultimate. All the forms of ‘space/dimensions’ are linked to Om. ( ॐ भूः ॐ भुवः ॐ स्वःॐ महः ॐ जनः ॐ तपः ॐ गुं सत्यम  or ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः as per the form you are using)
   • The pranav mantra Om, is the real nature of reality and your true name.
   • The 7 Vyrhutis are the names and the purest descriptions of the planes of existence.
2. Then the energies of the present Moment, the past/present/future/parallel existences are invoked and thus ‘time’ in all its ways is linked to Om. (ॐ तत्) In reality there is just this one Moment. All spiritual texts and philosophies always stress on the importance of being in the present Moment.
   • This Akshar grants Success.
3. The conscious energies of the inner sun, the seed of the illumination, the ultimate which is seen at your third eye are described (सवितुः). When you utter this Mantra you can feel the Ultimate looking back at you.
   • The Akshar of this word grant bravery, balance and overall well-being.
4. Then वरेण्यम, here you express your desire, your wish, for the experience, the intelligence and understanding of that Supreme Bliss. You want to experience It so deeply so as to become It.
   • The Akshar of this word grant union with yourself, deep love, all forms of prosperity and brilliance.
5. The illumination seen during mediation is so beyond description that it is simply expressed as भर्गः, the splendour, radiance, effulgence and glory of the Self that can be only experienced. This experience is so powerful that all karma, all baggage, all doubts vanish as if they never existed in the first place.
   • These Akshar of this word protect, defend and confer intelligence.
6. Now देवस्य , this means ‘of the Light’, and is of the light of the internal Sun. Here the intention is that, may the ‘one who grants wishes’ give skill, fortune, ability, solidarity, solitude etc so that the ultimate destination of the soul can be achieved.
   • These Akshar of देवस्य grant self-restraint and control along with devotion and the power to retain what will be granted.
7. धीमहि is a verb in the present imperfect tense. धी/ Dhi is Intelligence. Here this word indicates that Intelligence is never a stagnant closed end, it is in continuous motion even if it is in the present Moment. You are asking the Supreme to grant you that ever-evolving Intelligence of the present Moment. You are asking for the pure essence of Intelligence.
   • These Akshar of this word grant the fortitude necessary to learn how to control pran, and later the power to control the vital energies/pran.
8. धियो is related to the perfection of the thoughts and the mental processes. This word also refers to the purity and the highest levels of the flame of light.
   • This Akshar and this word’s energy is linked to the Jagruti state and also means awakening and sight, seeing everything.
9. यो is most desirable and perfect action and also refers again to the present ‘This’.
   • This Akshar produces action.
10. नः represents the ultimate creative energy and also the power to accept and receive Infinity. It allows the seeker to focus on the infinite, thus become infinite himself.
    • This Akshar is the ability to taste sweetness.
11. प्रचोदयात is to incite, inspire, urge, demand, excite, summon, proclaim, request, impel. In short you are asking the Divine to by any means of action make all this as above experience.
    • The Akshar of this word indicate the ideal, the courage, the wisdom and gain/fruit.

So with this very brief background of the Gayatri Mantra, here is the answer to a question I received on ‘Ojas’.

Our Sanskrit has layers of meanings. See, the human physical body is composed of 3 types of ‘tendencies’/prakriti, Kapha, Pitta and Vaat. These tendencies and their balance/imbalance lead to the physical health or illness in the body, all this is a part of Ayurved. Ayurved also discusses the food that we eat. (I would recommend books by Dr.Vasant Lad on this topic.) So when these 3 ‘tendencies’ of the body reach their perfect balance they get converted to their energy components called Ojas, Tejas and Varchas (brilliance, vigour and vitality). The easiest way to increase Ojas is to eat 10 almonds with milk with one spoon pure ghee made from desi cow milk everyday. If you feel like it do it for 21 days and see for yourself.

Now, the second part of the question, the body uses this Ojas to generate reproductive cells in both men and women. This requires tremendous amounts of Ojas. The ‘vitality’ of the food you eat is first allocated to this production. As you do your sadhana, Dhyan, pranayam etc regularly your physical body responds by shutting this down, it does not waste Ojas in building ova and sperm. If you have started your Sadhana early in life, (brahmins – boys start at the age of 6yrs, and women after the age of 16yrs), women will get menopause very early at 35-40yrs of age and in men too the sperm production will get suppressed. This is the meaning of converting ‘sexual’ energy to Ojas. I had mentioned earlier that there are a few on the fast-track to spirituality, they finish everything fast.

If you have read my other posts on astrology, I have repeatedly said that the 5th house represents creativity and divine intelligence, this can be in the gross form or in the subtle form. If you analyse the charts of the real spiritual Gurus (not the media-hungry fashion icon ‘gurus’), you will find an extraordinary 5th house. The energy of this house is being used to channelise the Divine not the mundane. If you use the power of the 5th to channelise your spiritual growth your physical reproductive creativity will soon shut down. If you start very early in life you might even take Sanyas and leave this materialistic world. If you start in your middle age, you might continue living a householders life outwardly but you will not indulge in physical relations anymore. And even if you have produced your children by then, your real children will be the children of your soul not of your DNA.

So what has this got to do with the Gayatri? The Gayatri has the potential to create how much ever Ojas, Tejas and Varchas you want. It balances everything, your body, your mind, your emotions and finally shows your your Soul.

A bit on the practical side, the Gayatri mantra that I have mentioned at the start of the post, has 3 Om’s.

ॐ भूः भुवः स्वः । ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात॥ This much you will recite 1/3/27/54 or best would be 108 times and end the entire jaap with a final ॐ.

Every Jaap must start and end with Om. You are encasing the energy of the mantra in Om, making it samputit with Om, increasing its Satvik qualities. OM is the pranav-mantra, the king of all mantra, the origin of all creation and also the route to its dissolution, ie Moksh.

In this mantra the भूः भुवः स्वः is the three Vhyrutis, at the simplest these are the three planes of existence, Bhuh, Bhuvah, Swah.

ॐ तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् । is the body of the Gayatri. We add an Om here to make the mantra fit the Gayatri Chhand. As you know the Chhand, ie the meter of prosody are the key to reciting mantra. Gayatri chhand has 8 syllables in 3 rows. So the mantra has to have twenty-four akshar ie chaturvimshatyakshar, arranged in three lines ie tripaad and each paad having eight akshar ie ashtaaksharatmakapaad. So this is how the akshar would be written in the 8×3=24 format.

• Om tat sa vi tuh va ren yam
• bhar go de va sya dhi ma hi
• dhi yo yo nah pra cho da yat
• ॐ तत् स वि तुः व रेण् यं
• भर् गो दे वस् य धी म हि
• धि यः यो नः प्र चो द यात्

So in my personal experience, this form of Gayatri is most suitable for recitation. This is the adiomkarsahitashtakshar Gayatri mantra.

Gayatri mantra is very sublime and there are several ways of using it, ie an entire Gayatri tantra is written on its use, several reference books, several Rishis have written on it. It is the Ved-mata, the creator of the universe itself. The light of the internal Sun, it has the energy of the entire creation embedded in it.

And the best for the last, this is the Ghanapath and the full form of the Gayatri Mantra. Close your eyes and listen to it, let it’s rhythm enter your soul.