Commentary on the Rigveda text “Surya Savitar”
“Surya Savitar. The creator and nurturer.
The illumined thinkers yoke their mind, harness their thoughts to him who is illumination, vastness, and clear understanding. Knowing all that is manifested, he alone apportions the energies in the sacrifice. Great is the all-embracing affirmation of Savitar, the divine creator. He clothes himself in all forms, the seer, and from them creates that which is beneficial for twofold and fourfold existence. The creator, the most blessed, he manifests the whole of heaven; he floods everything with his light, following in the footsteps of the dawn. Following his advance, the other gods, through his power, attain the greatness of divinity. He has measured the realm of earthly light with his might, the dazzling divine creator. And you attain, O Savitar, the three radiant heavens, and through the rays of the sun you are wholly expressed, and from both sides you encompass the night, and by the law of your actions you become the lord of love, O god! And you are filled with power for every creation, and through your movements you become the nurturer, O god! And you wholly illumine this entire world of becomings. Shyavashva has attained the affirmation of you, O Savitar!”
Rigveda V.81
When we recite the mantra “Om Bhur Bhuvah Svaha Tat Savitur Varenyam,” it is very important to understand what these mysterious words—Tat, Savitur—mean. What is Savitar? What are Bhur-loka, Bhuvar-loka, and Svar-loka? We address Savitar.
Savitar is the sun god; his other name is Surya. Why do we address him in the Gayatri Mantra? Why not, for example, the moon god? What is Savitar? It translates as “may he illumine our mind, may he illumine our buddhi.” Savitar personifies the principle of vijnanamaya, the illumined mind, intuitive consciousness (buddhi). We address him because this is a very important energy. Savitar is represented within our body. We are part of his energy when we engage buddhi (spiritual intelligence, intuitive consciousness). It is buddhi that translates the light of the Atman into the relative dimension, distributes it throughout the mental body and the astral body, and brings it down into the physical; that is why it is so important to us.
When we practice contemplation, we activate this consciousness. All our insights, spiritual experiences, and awareness come through it. One whose inner Savitar has awakened always shines like the sun. Such a person is always a source of spiritual, intuitive light. Such people can always be recognized by their awakened state. Such a person is always filled with clarity, intuition, and inspiration, and is energetic in service.
Do you think such a person dwells on the desires of their ego or on what a neighbor said about them? No, they burn with the desire to serve, to transmit the darshan of the guru, the darshan of the gods and saints. They think of others and feel compassion for others. All this is the function of Savitar, the function of Surya, the spiritual sun.
When we contemplate, it is very important for us to kindle the inner sun. One whose inner sun has not been kindled is an unsuccessful sadhaka. Sometimes such a person acts through mental will, sometimes through ahamkara, through intellectual understanding; that is, they act through the wrong energies. And when you assess such a person as a sadhaka, you think: “No, this is not it. This has not yet awakened within them; they need to awaken it.”
But when Surya Savitar is kindled within, that person truly becomes illumined. Everything within them falls into place and gradually begins to blossom.
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