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Thread: The Gayatri Mantra

  1. #1

    The Gayatri Mantra

    I have a question about the pronunciation of one of the words in the Gayatri Mantra. On the wikipedia article for the Gayatri Mantra I've heard it pronounced as svah but a google search also shows swaha. So is it svah or swaha or are both acceptable? Also in svah is the "v" actually pronounced as a "w"?
    "Everything starts with love, remember; love is the ultimate law. Then prayer, mercy, grace, follow of their own accord."- Osho

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  2. #2

    Re: The Gayatri Mantra

    Quote Originally Posted by jnana777 View Post
    I have a question about the pronunciation of one of the words in the Gayatri Mantra. On the wikipedia article for the Gayatri Mantra I've heard it pronounced as svah but a google search also shows swaha. So is it svah or swaha or are both acceptable? Also in svah is the "v" actually pronounced as a "w"?
    Namaste
    It is svah: i.e. "referring to sva" i.e. "to svarga" -- the three worlds -- bhu (prithvI) , bhuva (astral) , sva[rga]
    The first line "om bhur bhuva svah" is not really part of the core Gayatri. It is appended to the One addressed -- tat savitur vareNyam , tat -- that, Whom? To the One, Om, Who makes up the three worlds. So the brightest One Who is represented by OnkAra (Om) and the three worlds, hence they are addressed.


    svAhA is chanted while giving ahUtI (oblation) into the yadnya (vedic sacrificial fire) to agnI which ultimately reaches Lord Yadnya i.e. Lord of Yadnya i.e. VishNu
    Therefore, svAhA is the consort of agnI. [SvAhA actually wanted to wed Lord KRshNa but He said "Priye, remain as Agni's consort for now, and you shall be Mine later -- Bramha-vaivarta purAN].

  3. #3

    Re: The Gayatri Mantra

    Quote Originally Posted by smaranam View Post
    Namaste
    It is svah: i.e. "referring to sva" i.e. "to svarga" -- the three worlds -- bhu (prithvI) , bhuva (astral) , sva[rga]
    bhu -- prithvI (earth) --- element earth --- gross
    bhuva -- astral -- mind -- subtle
    sva -- svarga --- causal
    om --- transcendental to material universe -- nirguN principle, AtmA

  4. #4

    Re: The Gayatri Mantra

    Quote Originally Posted by jnana777 View Post
    So is it svah or swaha or are both acceptable? Also in svah is the "v" actually pronounced as a "w"?
    Namaste,
    It is really swah:
    You are right, the 'v' in svah is actually pronounced as 'w' as in water and not 'v' as in verify which has some amount of 'h' in it.
    Perhaps we will have to re-write all transliteration this way -- but as long as you understand.

    I am going to write w now on for this reason.

    [In my previous post above -- post # 2, my focus was more on distinguishing sw
    ah: (in GAyatri) from swAhA
    chanted during vedic yadnya. I was ignoring the 'v' versus 'w' point of yours.]



    om namo bhagawate wAsudewAya

    Last edited by smaranam; 31 May 2015 at 09:25 AM.

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    Re: The Gayatri Mantra

    Quote Originally Posted by jnana777 View Post
    I have a question about the pronunciation of one of the words in the Gayatri Mantra. On the wikipedia article for the Gayatri Mantra I've heard it pronounced as svah but a google search also shows swaha. So is it svah or swaha or are both acceptable? Also in svah is the "v" actually pronounced as a "w"?
    Namaskar jnana777,

    Both are acceptable, it just depends on how you pronounce words. Most of the time it is actually pronounced as "swaha", but "svah" is okay too. If you notice some people say "Bhagawan" instead of "Bhagavan" or "Wed Wyas" instead of "Ved Vyas". The "w" and the "v" in Sanskrit are sometimes interchangeable because they sound so similar. However, not every Sanskrit word with a "v" should be pronounced like a "w".
    ॐ मृत्युंजयाय रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय शम्भवे l
    अमृतेशाय शर्वाय महादेवाय ते नम: ll

    Sanātana Dharma Worldwide

  6. #6

    Re: The Gayatri Mantra

    Namaste Learned all
    I was taught to recite it as “sUvah“. South Indian style.

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