2014 01 09 Immortality - the Asatoma Sadgamaya mantra

I am working on a theory that there are three Sanskrit mantras that teach the core beliefs held by every spiritual tradition; One is Om Purnam which teaches Oneness (See Om Purnam post of 1.1.2014), Two is Asatoma Sadgayama which teaches Immortality.

The third mantra, the Gayatri Mantra, is the teaching of and vehicle to Enlightenment to realize the other two. I'll write later about the Gayatri.

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Meaning behind the prayer - "Asato ma sadgamaya"
Author: Shyam
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/143844-Meaning-behind-prayer-Asato-ma-sadgamaya.aspx
The prayer in Sanskrit

Asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrtyorma amrtam gamaya

-Taken from Brhadaranyaka Upanishad — I.III.28.

Each line in English

Lead, me from LIE to TRUTH
Lead, me from DARKNESS to LIGHT
Lead, me from DEATH to IMMORTALTIY

Truth, existence and reality are one and the same, according to Advaita, In Indian philosophy the truth has been successfully dissected by its concept. Advaita says that in all the three periods if the truth exist means it is a real truth. If it is not existed in any of the form in any of the period means it is not an ultimate real.

The first line explains the same to us. Always we should remember to know ourselves. Ultimate goal is to attain the knowledge to know the reality in life. Once you are far away from all the un-realistic things like daily needs. So this is not a prayer asking money, shelter, food, fame, cloth, success, health etc.

So we have to decide which is true.

Pure bliss, pure consciousness and pure existence is said to be as reality.

The second line explains how to lead the life towards knowledge from ignorance which obscures our mind to understand the reality. As our body keeps generating the cells, our Universe with a constant flux, and the earth with constant distance at every moment of time with other astral bodies, we have to travel from darkness to light and death to life. It is also a constant change. Nothing in this world is constant. You feel happy, tomorrow you may be sad, yesterday you might have cried for something. These things are not at all real and constant. As like the universe is a constant change, we should be too.

As we know already that energy nor created or destroyed like soul. We shouldn't be very keen to love this body. It is unreal. Our soul is real. That's a constant change. This is the meaning given in the third line of the prayer.

We are leading life journey of knowledge. To know what is self, and to know what we misunderstood from what is truly "I" .

What the mantras really means is "God, please lead me to the understanding that I am not the limited body, mind and intellect, but I am, was and always will be that eternal, absolute, blissful consciousness that serves as their substratum."

-With the help of Vedanta.

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The translation, in short:

Mantra: Om Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
http://www.spiritvoyage.com/mantra/Asato-Ma-Sad-Gamaya/MAN-000348.aspx

Complete Mantra:
Om Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
Tamasoma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Translation:
Lead me from the unreal to the real
Lead from the darkness to the light
Lead me from death to immortality
Let there be peace peace and peacefulness


The Asatoma mantras:
Ten videos play for 64 minutes
The last selection is from "The Matrix" and is very loud....watch your volume!!!


1 - Asato Ma Sad Gamaya - Shiva Mantras from Music for Deep Meditation [Vidura Barrios, Kim Engler, Nate Morgan] 6:04

2 - ASATOMA SADGAMAYA [Satya Sai Baba] 5:48

3 - Deva Premal & Miten with Manose and Friends - Om Asatoma Live (originally on The Essence) 4:27

4 - Sacred Songs from the Medicine Circle: Om Asatoma/Om Asato [Darpan & Maureen] 7:59

5 - Hindisongs. Asato Ma Sadgamaya. Hindisongs for Free! 4:02

6 - asatoma sadgamaya (Indian vocalist) 2:01

7 - sato Ma sad gamaya [Sonia Casado]  12:07

8 - asatoma-mantras del alma [Paula Ferrari and Claudio Maria Dominguez] 4:29

9 - Sharanam - Om Asatoma. Live @ Natural High Healing Festival 2013 7:54

[BEWARE -  VERY LOUD!]
10 - The Matrix Soundtrack - Om Asatoma Sadgamaya - 480 P.mp4 9:00

Playlist url:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMfUhVEjYQBYs-0ZWU9gT-cB

2014 01 01 Only Wholeness Is - the Om Purnam mantra

Oneness in all it's parts: the Om Purnam mantra seems most appropriate for beginnings, a New Year and a Full Moon together on this January 1, 2014.

This is one of my favorite songs. (I say that about all the songs, though!)

OM Purnam-ada purnam-idam

Purnaat purnam udachyathe

purnasaya purnam-adaya

purnam-eva vashishyathe

The translation I am most familiar with from our Bend, Oregon, Kirtan Community gatherings is:

THAT is infinite, THIS is infinite;

From That, This comes.
THIS added or removed from THAT,

the Infinite remains as Infinite.

although I like this one, too:

Wholeness produces wholeness

Only wholeness come out of wholeness

Only wholeness is.

Here is an Osho quote on the meaning of this mantra:

http://www.oshonews.com/2010/09/om-purnam-mantra/

"[Om Purnam] is one of the most significant statements ever made anywhere on the earth at any time. It contains the whole secret of the mystic approach towards life. This small sutra contains the essence of the Upanishadic vision. Neither before nor afterwards has the vision been transcended; it still remains the Everest of human consciousness. And there seems to be no possibility of going beyond it.

"The Upanishadic vision is that the universe is a totality, indivisible; it is an organic whole. The parts are not separate, we are all existing in a togetherness: the trees, the mountains, the people, the birds, the stars, howsoever far away they may appear – don’t be deceived by the appearance – they are all interlinked, all bridged. Even the smallest blade of grass is connected to the farthest star, and it is as significant as the greatest sun.

"Nothing is insignificant, nothing is smaller than anything else. The part represents the whole just as the seed contains the whole."

This site offers a wide variety of translations which have a slightly different slant and meaning.

Purna: The Full, Infinite, Whole, Complete

From the Isha Upanishad

http://www.swamij.com/upanishad-isha-purna.htm

Om Purnamadah Purnamidam - in sanskrit with meaning - mantra from [Isha] Upanishad

http://www.greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/vedas-om_purnamadah_purnamidam.php

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते

पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate

Puurnnashya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

1: Om, That is Full, This also is Full, From Fullness comes that Fullness,

2: Taking Fullness from Fullness, Fullness Indeed Remains.

3: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

See the complete Sri Isha Upanishad here:

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/sri_isha_upanishad.htm

The Om Purnam playlist includes 14 versions by different artists, 15 videos because one is a “repeat” with different graphics that I happen to love. Plays for 76 minutes.

1 Om Purnam 6:06

Sung by Satyaa & Pari. Cd Garden of Peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIpnzw0V2Qw

2 George Harrison ~ Om Purnam 4:00

Sloka 1 of Sri Isopanishad performed by The London Radha Krsna Temple produced and featuring George Harrison of Beatles fame.

3 Jaya Lakshmi - Om Purnam 5:50

4 Shantala -"Purnamadah" 6:11

5 OM PURNAM 3:46

MUSIC: "OM PURNAM" BY KESAVA ACHARYA DAS

6 Karnamrta Devi Dasi ~ Om Purnam 4:54

Om Purnam is performed by bhakti bhajan artist Karnamrta Devi Dasi.

7 Deva Premal - Om Purnam I 3:57

8 Gaura-Shakti - Om Purnam 7:44

9 Om Purnam Adah Purnam Idam - Naradi Devi 4:37

Sat Sanga Kirtan Band with band members - Balabhadra Prabhu, Naradi Devi & Hasyagrami Prabhu - March 5, 2011 - NS - DVD 66 appearance at Chantlanta gathering.

10 om purnamadah purnamidam / La ilaha illallah 3:51

om purnam adah purnam idam // this is one and that is one

purnat purnam udacyate // from one the one has come

purnasya purnam adaya // if from one you take out one

purnam evavasisyate // one alone remains

"La ilaha illallah" there is no god except god

11 Sivali Shanti - Om Purnamidam 4:16

Mooji Satsang in Rishikesh, India, 3 March 2013

12 Shanti People (Russian) - OM PURNAM 2:30

13 Om Purnam 6:23 (a second version of this song)

Sang by Satyaa & Pari. Cd Garden of Peace.

14 Sri Vasudeva- OM PURNAM  9:54

15 Om Purnamadah Purnamidam Purnat Purnamudachyate 2:04 (as a mantra chant)

Playlist url

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMddSC5YAdPtGkQhx0ug5Hp-

Ravi Shankar Tribute

Ravi Shankar, (7 April 1920 - 11 December 2012) often referred to by the title Pandit, was an Indian musician and composer who played the sitar. He has been described as the best-known contemporary Indian musician and credited for bringing Indian music to the West. This tribute contains a wide range of videos from the early to the later years.

9 videos play for 60 minutes

Ravi Shankar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Shankar

Ravi Shankar, (7 April 1920 - 11 December 2012), often referred to by the title Pandit, was an Indian musician and composer who played the sitar. He has been described as the best-known contemporary Indian musician.[2]

Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent his youth touring Europe and India with the dance group of his brother Uday Shankar. He gave up dancing in 1938 to study sitar playing under court musician Allauddin Khan. After finishing his studies in 1944, Shankar worked as a composer, creating the music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, and was music director of All India Radio, New Delhi, from 1949 to 1956.

In 1956, he began to tour Europe and the Americas playing Indian classical music and increased its popularity there in the 1960s through teaching, performance, and his association with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and rock artist George Harrison of the Beatles. Shankar engaged Western music by writing concerti for sitar and orchestra and toured the world in the 1970s and 1980s. From 1986 to 1992 he served as a nominated member of Rajya Sabha, the upper chamber of the Parliament of India. Shankar was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999, and received three Grammy Awards. He continued to perform in the 2000s, sometimes with his younger daughter, Anoushka. He was posthumously awarded two Grammy awards in 2013, one for lifetime achievement, another for The Living Room Sessions Part 1 in the world music category.

1 Best Sitar/Tabla piece ever Ravi Shankar & Chatur Lal Raga Mishra Piloo In Thumri Style (1963)  10:46

2 George Harrison - sitar lesson with Ravi Shankar 1:42

3 Evening Raga - Ravi Shankar & Alla Rakha (Live at Woodstock) (August 15, 1969)  3:54

4 Ravi Shankar on the Dick Cavett Show (November 23, 1971) 4:46

5 Pandit Ravi Shankar clip (1983) 5:21

6 As part of India & Pakistan's Golden Jubilee celebrations, Pandit Ravi Shankar, accompanied by his daughter Anoushka Shankar, perform live for the BBC at The Symphony Hall, Birmingham. (1997) 11:11

7 Ravi Shankar, Alla Rakha - Tabla Solo in Jhaptal (no date) 8:24

8 Pt Ravi Shankar at the Taj Mahal 9:02
with his daughter, Anoushka. (June 22, 2005 ?)

9 Master Class with Ravi Shankar, Paris [2008]  4:56




Playlist url
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMf5GH9SIYFh7jGE3f418UaP

2013 12 08 Gayatri Mantras for Meditation and Illumination

Gayatri Mantras for Meditation and Illumination: Sun, Ganesha, Brahma, Saraswati, Vishnu, L:akshmi, Shiva, Durga, Kali, Krishna, Radha, Ram, Sita, and Hanuman.

(Check out 10 Reasons to chant...the benefits of mantra meditation.)

Below you'll find information on the Gayatri Mantras as well as lyrics and translations.

Today's playlist includes 14 videos that play for 59 minutes.

Gayatri Mantra
http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Hindu%20Primer/gayatri.html

"Om bhur bhuvah svah
"tat-savitur varenyam
"bhargo devasya dhimahi
"dhiyo yo nah pracodayat

"Gayatri is actually the name for a Sanskrit poetical meter that contains three lines of eight syllables each. There are, therefore, many gayatri mantras, but this particular one is the oldest and most well known of all gayatri mantras. In Hinduism all Gods and Goddesses have a gayatri mantra associated with them. There is a gayatri for Ganesha, one for Shiva, one for Durga, one for Vishnu, one for Lakshmi, and so on. Most people are unaware of this fact and when Hindus talk about the gayatri mantra they mean thee gayatri mantra shown above, which is addressed to Savitri, the sun. The first line: om bhur bhuvah svah that you see above is not actually part of a gayatri mantra. It is a special utterance called vyahriti that has been added to the beginning of this famous gayatri .

"The Great Utterance

"The first part of the gayatri mantra, om bhur bhuvah svah, which we mentioned at the beginning as not part of the mantra, is called vyahriti or the "great utterance." This mantra is repeated not only in conjunction with the gayatri mantra, but also separately during havans or fire ceremonies. The word om is a auspicious sound made at the beginning of many prayers. The expression bhur bhuvah and svah is technical, but a simple way to think of it is as a “call to creation,” that the light of the sun (the light of God) shines on the earth (bhur), in the sky (bhuvah), and in space (svah), and therefore the implication is, "let that light also shine on me."

"The technical explanation vyahriti has to do with subtle practices of meditational yoga. This earth is simply one of many planes of existence. In fact, above this earth are six higher planes, heavens as it were. Including this earth, there are seven planes up (heavens) and seven planes down, or hells below this earth. The earth is in the middle. If you have ever heard the expression, “he is in seventh heaven” you should understand that this is a reference to the Hindu idea of heavens. The seventh heaven is the highest heaven. The first three of these planes starting with the earth are called bhur, bhuvah and svah. The utterance bhur bhuvah svah, therefore, refers to the first three subtle planes of existence that may be reached in meditation by a yogi."


Lyrics and translations for Brahma Gayatri, Hanuman Gayatri, Saraswati Gayatri,
Translations for Krishna Gayatri, Vishnu Gayatri, Radha Gayatri, came from:
Gayatri mantras of Several Gods
Translated by P. R. Ramachander
http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Gayatri_mantras_of_Several_Gods


The Gayatris Playlist:

1 Ravi Shankar Gayatri Chants#A3C23 3:30
Ravi Shankar and George Harrison
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyo yonah Prachodayat

Om, in each of the 3 planes of existence
We worship That Ultimate Reality
the vivifying power within the Sun
We contemplate the Divine Radiance
May our intellect be so illumined, we pray.


2 Ganesha Gayathri Mantra  2:28
OM Ekadantaaya Viddhamahe,
VakratunDaaya DhImahi,
Tanno danti prachodayaat.

Translation: We pray to the one with the single-tusked elephant tooth (ekadantāya) who is omnipresent (viddhamahe).
We meditate upon and pray for greater intellect (dhīmahi) to the Lord with the curved, elephant-shaped trunk (vakratunḍāya).
We bow before the one with the single-tusked elephant tooth (tanno danti) to illuminate our minds with wisdom (pracodayāt).



3 Brahma Gayatri Mantra Gayathri Mantram of Lord Brahma Deva x264  1:14
Om Vedathmanaya vidmahe,
Hiranya Garbhaya Dheemahi,
Thanno Brahma prachodayath

Om, Let me meditate on The God who is the soul of Vedas,
Oh God, who holds the entire world within you, give me higher intellect,
And let the Lord Brahma illuminate my mind.



4 Vedic Mantras to Improve Education & Memory - Sri Saraswati Gayathri 4:14
Om Vakdeviyai cha Vidhmahe
Virinji Pathniyai cha Dheemahe
Thanno Vani Prachodayath.

Om, Let me meditate on the goddess of speech,
Oh, wife of Lord Brahma, give me higher intellect,
And let Goddess Vani illuminate my mind.



5 Vishnu Gayatri Mantra 5:09
om namoh namaha
om narayanaya vidmahe
vasudevaya dhimahi
tam no vishnu prachodayat

Om, Let me meditate on Lord Narayana,
Oh, Lord Vasudeva, give me higher intellect,
And let Lord Vishnu illuminate my mind.



6 Lakshmi (Laxmi) Gayatri for Spiritual Wealth and Luxuries 3:20
Om Mahalakshmyai cha vidmahe
Vishnu patnyai cha dhimahi
Tanno Lakshmihi prachodayat

Translation: "Om. Let us meditate on the Great Goddess Sri Lakshmi,
the consort of Sri Maha Vishnu.
May that effulgent Maha Lakshmi Devi inspire and illuminate our mind with understanding."



7 Shiva Gayatri 2:51
Om Tat Purushaya Vidmahe
Mahadevaya Deemahe
Thanno Rudra Prachodayath

"Aum. Let us invoke the superlative (-tad) male (-purusha) and omniscient lord (-vidvamahe).
Let us meditate and focus upon (-dheemahi) the supreme (-maha) lord (-devaaya).
Let us ask Shiva (-rudra) to provide us inspiration and guidance (-prachodayaat) in our spiritual journeys."



8 Durga Gayatri Mantra - with English lyrics 6:47
Om Girijayai Vidmahe,
Shiva Priyayai Dhimahi,
Tanno Durga Prachodaya



9 Remove+Fear+-+Kali+Gayatri+Mantra.flv 3:13
om kaalikaayai vidmahe
shmashaana vaasinyai dhimahi
tanno kaalee  prachodayat



10 Krishna Gayatri (Recite) 4:28
Om Dhamodharaya Vidhmahe
Rukmani Vallabhay Dheemahe
Thanno Krishna Prachodayath.

Om, Let me meditate on the god whose belly was tied by a rope,
Oh, consort of Rukhmani, give me higher intellect,
And let God Krishna illuminate my mind.


11 Radha Gayatri Mantra 8:50
Om Vrishbhaanujayei Vidmahe
Krishnpriyayei Dhimahi
Tanno Radha Prachodayat

Om, Let me meditate on the daughter of Vrishabhanu,
Oh, darling of Krishna, give me higher intellect,
And let Radha illuminate my mind.



12 Sri Rama Gayathri Mantra 5:59
Om Daserathaya Vidhmahe
Sita Vallabhaya Dheemahe
Thanno Rama Prachodayath.

Om, Let me meditate on the son of Dasaratha,
Oh, consort of Sita, give me higher intellect,
And let God Rama illuminate my mind.



13 Gayatri Mantra of Sita 2:52
Om Janaka Nandinye Vidmahe
Bhumijayai Dheemahe
Thanno Sita Prachodayath



14 Hanuman Gayathiri Mantram 4:25
This matches the chant:
Aum Aanjaneyaaya Vidmahe
Vayu-puthraaya Dhimahee
Thanno Hanuman Prachodayath

Middle line does not match the chant, but this goes with the translation:
Om Aanjaneya Vidhmahe
Maha balaya Dheemahe
Thanno Hanuman Prachodayath.

Om, Let me meditate on the son of Anjana,
Oh, Very strong one, give me higher intellect,
And let Hanuman illuminate my mind.

Playlist url:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMdX9M2ZGkYtUb2jYttDX1RS 

2013 10 04 Maha Navratri Festival

Celebrating the Nine Nights of the three Divine Mothers, Kali/Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati with chalisas, bhajans, and aartis.

14 videos play for 1 hour 50 minutes

Gayatri Mantra - Om Bhur Buvaha Suvaha - Sankrit Latest Chant 5:45

"Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva"- Lord Ganesh Aarti 4:33

Durga Chalisa (sing along)  8:27

Kali Kali Mahakali [Full Song] - Kali Mahakali  10:00 (performance art)

(NEW) Durga Maa Bhajan By Sonu Nigam (Sherawali Maa) (NEW)  5:49

AARTI - KALI MAA AARTI (WITH REAL AARTI FLAME!)  6:25

lakshmi chalisa 14:56

Bhajan Navratri_Maha Lakshmi Mata Ashtakam 4:23

"Jai Lakshmi Ramana Aarti" by Hari Om Sharan - With Lyrics - Satyanarayan Swami Aarti - Sing Along  12:50

Saraswati Chalisa 9:30

Saraswati Vandana 5:57

Om Jai Saraswati Mata [Full Song] Aarti by Arpita Bobade 7:44

Om Namah Shivaya (DHUN) ( a must listen ) 8:10

Om Trayambakam Yajamahe - Popular Mahamrityunjaya Mantra  5:48




Playlist url
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMeUqPMxvNauDP_TYT6turX0