Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu .... - A Beautiful All-Faith Prayer Explained and Elaborated in English

Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu ... is a beautiful all-faith prayer, which was a part of Mahatma Gandhi's prayer sessions. It is sung regularly in many schools/institutions all over India, spreading message and vibrations of harmony and peace. Here, the essence of its verses is elaborated in English.

Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu .... - A Beautiful All-Faith Prayer

Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu, Purushottam Guru Tu,

Siddha Buddha Tu, Skanda Vinayak Savita Paavak Tu,

Brahama Mazda Tu, Yahva Shakti Tu, Ishu Pitaa Prabhu Tu,

Rudra Vishnu Tu, Raama Krishna Tu, Rahim Tao Tu,

Vasudev Go Vishwa Roopa Tu, Chidananda Hari Tu,

Advitiya Tu, Akaala Nirbhay, Aatmalinga Shiva Tu !!

Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu, Purushottam Guru Tu,

Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu !!

Translation : The word Tu translates to Thou art.

The rest are different names of the Almighty - the Universe - the Omnipresent - the Absolute Truth, whatever we choose to call ....

Hence, the literal translation would be ....

Thou art THAT, Thou art TRUTH, Thou art Shree Narayan, Thou art Purushottam Guru,

Thou art Siddha Buddha, (Thou art) Skanda Vinayaka, Thou art Savita Paavak,

Thou art Brahma Mazda, Thou art Yahva Shakti, Thou art Ishu Pitaa Prabhu,

Thou art Rudra Vishnu, Thou art Raama Krishna, Thou art Rahim Tao,

Thou art Vasudev Go Vishwaroopa, Thou art Chidanada Hari,

Thou art Advitiya Akaal Nirbhay, Thou art Aatmalinga Shiva !!

Thou art THAT, Thou art TRUTH, Thou art Shree Narayan, Thou art Purushottam Guru,

Thou art THAT, Thou art TRUTH, Thou art Shree Narayan !!

Elaborations of the meanings are given below :

Elaborating the Essence of the Prayer ....

Hindi	English	Word Meanings / Explanations / References
Om Tat Sat Shree Narayan Tu	Thou art THAT, Thou art TRUTH, Thou art Shree Narayan	Shree : represents Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity, prefixed as a symbol of honour before the names of respectable / revered men; Narayan : The Omnipresent God
Purushottam Guru Tu	Thou art Purushottam Guru	Purushottam : The best among men
Siddha Buddha Tu	Thou art Siddha Buddha	Siddha : An accomplished / enlightened seeker - in Hindu and Jain philosophies
Skanda Vinayak	(Thou art) Skanda Vinayaka	Skanda : literally means, the Leaper / the Attacker - Lord Kartikeya - the Warrior God, the first son of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati, the destroyer of evil; Vinayak : literally means one who bestows Vinaya, i.e. courtesy / discretion / wisdom, refers to Lord Ganesha - the second son of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati, the Hindu Deity of Wisdom, Pure Intelligence and Collectivity, the Remover of obstacles
Savita Paavak Tu	Thou art Savita Paavak	Savita : literally means, the best in the universe, refers to the energy of the Sun; Paavak : that which nurtures and nourishes
Brahma Mazda Tu	Thou art Brahma Mazda	Brahma : as per the Hindu philosophy, highest Universal Principle of Existence - the Ultimate Truth; Mazda : comes from Ahura Mazda - the name of the Zoroastrian God and stands for the God of Harmony, Intelligence and Wisdom
Yahva Shakti Tu	Thou art Yahva Shakti	Yahva : youngest, newest, always young or fresh; Shakti : Energy
Ishu Pitaa Prabhu Tu	Thou art Ishu Pitaa Prabhu	Isha : One who Protects - in the Hindu philosophy; Ishu - comes from Yeshu meaning Jesus Christ; Pitaa : Father; Prabhu : Lord / God
Rudra Vishnu Tu	Thou art Rudra Vishnu	Rudra : literally means "the roarer" or the "howler", a name of Lord Shiva in the Hindu philosophy, meaning the mighty God of storm, lightning and thunder, the Purifier; Vishnu : the Omnipresent - the all-pervasive, the Protector and the Preserver of Universe, the Hindu Deity of Sustainability of Universe
Raama Krishna Tu	Thou art Raama Krishna	Raama and Krishna are incarnations of Lord Vishnu - the Hindu Deity of Protection and Sustainability
Rahim Tao Tu	Thou art Rahim Tao	Rahim : one of the names of Allah in Islam, meaning "Merciful"; Tao : literally means "way", in Chinese philosophy, refers to the Absolute Principle underlying the Universe, combining within itself the principles of Yin (the Feminine power) and Yang (the Masculine power) and signifying the way, or code of behaviour, that is in harmony with the natural order.
Vasude Go Vishwaroopa Tu	Thou art Vasudev Go Vishwaroopa	Vasudev : Shree Krishna - the Universal Divinity; Go Vishwaroopa : the Almighty God - Lord Krishna - who has the universe as His body.
Chidananda Hari Tu	Thou art Chidanada Hari	Chidananda : one with a conscious mind immersed in total bliss; Hari : the Savior, a name of Lord Vishnu, the one who removes darkness and illusion.
Advitiya Tu Akaal Nirbhay	Thou art Advitiya Akaal Nirbhay	Advitiya : one without a second, unparalleled, only One; Akaal : beyond Time; Nirbhay : Fearless
Aatmalinga Shiva Tu	Thou art Aatmalinga Shiva	Aatmalinga : pure soul manifesting the formless as a form; Shiva : literally means "the Auspicious one", referring to Lord Shiva

Several recorded versions of this prayer are available online.

A couple of links are given below.

I had learnt this prayer during my childhood, regularly sung in the beginning of my dance class sessions. It has remained in my heart ever since. I can still see Ms. Hazarika, our beautiful, elegant dance teacher standing with her hands folded with us, singing this prayer, in the beginning of our sessions.

Was / is this or any other All-Faith Prayer regularly sung in your School / Institute / Organization ?

• 85% Yes
• 0% No
• 15% I would love to have it

20 people have voted in this poll.

© 2020 Vanita Thakkar

Consolations - Poem

Plight Of Womanhood .... Continued Refusal To Learn From Past, To Change For Good ....How Long, How Far .... ??!!

CONSOLATIONS

“Well, well, dear !!

This world didn’t spare

The divine Sita,

Purity embodied

And the dazzling Draupadi,

Blazing Womanhood,

Who are you and I ? ….”

Thus go consolations,

Sometimes soothing,

While at times piercing

The perpetually bleeding

Sores of Time,

Wailing wordlessly

At stagnated sensitivity

And vicious wiliness,

Regressing Manliness.

- Vanita Thakkar (17-03-2015)

We often hear such gratifications / consolations when there are talks about injustice to women ....

Sometimes, they are also used to caution / discourage a successful lady, steadily progressing on her chosen path, urging her to be "satisfied" with her share of achievements .... The reasons behind such discouragements can be very many that may even be too difficult to decipher immediately, but there is a clear, definite oversight to the sense of duty, commitment or necessity that prompts the lady to work towards perfection / excellence and resulting success ....

Plight Of Womanhood ....

Continued Refusal To Learn From Past,

To Change For Good ....

How Long, How Far .... ??!!

The Plight Of Sita .... ".... Prove Yourself ...."

Draupadi's Ordeal .... The Worst Insult Of Womanhood Right In Front Of Elders And Distinguished, Respected Courtiers ....

 

© 2020 Vanita Thakkar

THE QUEST : Some Thoughtlets, Thought Waves ....

Perceptions Steer Relationships - In Professional As Well As Personal Life .... Clarity; Focus On Merits, Principles And Objectives Of Common, Higher Interests Is Essential ....

Perceptions Steer Relationships - In Professional As Well As Personal Life .... Clarity And Focus On Merits, Principles And Objectives Of Common, Higher Interests Is Essential ....

- Vanita Thakkar (29-07-2020)

The Quest ....

Whatever I see of you in you

Is but an image of myself,

Because even though my eyes look outwards,

I am continuously searching myself all round.

Short-comings of the other person

As seen by me –

They may be my beliefs

Or may be a proof of my short-sightedness.

How to know that

Someone is proud, jealous .... ?

It may be our doubt.

What is the need of judging others ?

Why bother about others’ short-comings ?

From all that I have seen of myself and others,

Judgments have more to do with the person who judges

Than with the person who is being judged.

Sometimes, the shortcomings or drawbacks

Which we think others have

Are the reflections of

Our own drawbacks in them.

So, whenever, one feels that

The other person lacks so and so,

Instead of worrying about that person,

One should check one’s own self first.

- Vanita Thakkar (04-06-1991 - from my old diary)

Superimposition of one's own fault on someone else to justify one's possessiveness to one's preferences, is an example of one of the "Klesha"s (afflictions) described in the Patanjal Yoga Sutra (classical text on Yoga by Sage Patanjali), which creates havoc in administrative systems as well as relationships ....

In administrative systems, focus on Merits and Principles is essential and in relationships, Love is the essence.

- Vanita Thakkar (21-08-2017)

Life begins as a quest of the child for the man, and ends as a journey by the man to rediscover the child.

- Sam Ewing.

The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge.

- Thomas C. Foster

Spiritual Intelligence - Poem - With Reflections on the Challenges and the Quest for Solutions on Spiritual Path

 

Spiritual Intelligence

“You are such

That anybody

Would feel jealous

Of you ….”

She remarked,

Philosophically,

With a pensive,

Penetrating gaze ….

She was a Sadhvi,

Who wanted to

Learn Music from me,

But was finding it

Too difficult to

Stop analyzing me ….

I couldn’t doubt

Her appreciation of

My singing,

But, her inclination

To learning

Was absolutely lacking.

I have taught

And trained

Hundreds in Music,

This Sadhviji being

The most inattentive

Of all.

My silent surprise

Brooded over

Her ignorance

Or her carelessness –

Whatever be the case –

Towards

Her sympathies

With those

Feeling jealous of me,

Overshadowing

Her appreciation

Towards me ….

Behind her aspiration

To learn Music

Was some other

More intense motive,

More important concern,

That just could not

Help peeping

And prowling ….

I left,

Wondering and pondering ....

"Oh Krishna !!

What priorities

Do these

Undisclosable desperations

Of saint robed,

Seeker guised,

All knowing minds

Dictate, that

Validate such means

For desired ends,

That are

More important and

More Imperative

Than Truth and Trust ??!!"

- Vanita Thakkar (09^th November, 2019)

Reflections ....

Minds driven by mundane, materialistic compulsions suffer from deviations that are most unfortunate and sad to encounter.

The incident narrated here shows that even those who have dedicated their lives to eternal quest can loose track of the very fundamentals ....

It reminds of the dialogue from a very acclaimed Hindi movie titled Baavarchi - "It is so simple to be happy, but it is so difficult to be simple !!"

This incident, which took place in 2005, is also indicative of the fact that the abnormalities related to administrative malpractices prevalent in organizations are widespread. We may not come across exceptions even in religious and social work organizations. This is also true for domains of relationships and interactions in the society.

The role of the leader or the person whose priorities dictate a given situation as well as the individual strengths of those who support him and rely on him - both are extremely important in creating an overall atmosphere of progress, justice, love, harmony, peace and well-being.

Individuals have to be aware of their roles in the collective strength of groups, whether as a part of an organization or as a unit of human society. Truth is the path as well as the destination.

“When the lamp of truth is lit, darkness vanishes by itself. Stand up men and women, dare to believe in the truth, dare to practice the truth!”

– Swami Vivekananda

One more array of observations and incidents / experiences, where difficulties in discerning social and religious aspects of spirituality came forth, is narrated in another poem, written in October, 2021.

We come across many a narrations / experiences or news regarding difficulties / discrepancies in religious and social work organizations. Labels may be different.

As commoners, we have to be careful. Everything is not wrong everywhere. Right decisions regarding priorities are necessary.

May the Grace of Almighty bestow faith in goodness and love among all !! May Peace, Harmony and Well-being prevail everywhere !!

The Monk Who Lost His Way ....

A renounced man,

A revered man ….

Overall,

Affectionate and caring ….

Yet, so illogical,

So unreasonable,

In expressions

And expectations !! ….

Messing up on –

Excellence and Expertise,

Dedication and Devotion,

Professionalism and Volunteering,

Womanhood and Versatility,

Sponsorships and Grants ....

Complaining ….

Provoking complains ….

Unanswered concerns,

Unreplied queries

About what

Is troubling ….

What is it ??!!

The same old

Morbid mis-firings

Of ideals ??!!

Another (inadvertent ??!!)

Representative of

Blame gaming guilt-mongers

Weaving snares of

Identities and loyalties,

Inclusivities and exclusivities ??!!

Why ??!! ….

Perhaps,

A wrong turn of

Convictions ….

Misdirected administrations ….

From giving to extracting ….

Misled him

And he lost his way ….

So said Bharthrihari,

The essence of Sevaa,

Which means service,

Is deep and inscrutable,

The path, elusive ….

Very rare and blessed

Are those, who can

Discern it

And live up to it …. !!

Almighty !!

May the surge of Faith within

And the light of Hope in it

Be strong enough

To dispel the heavy gloom

Of piercing sore possibilities

Such facts bring along !!

May the bounty of

Your unfailing Grace

Steer the course of happenings

To the enlightened path

Of Realization and Integration !!

- Vanita Thakkar (October, 2021)

“The world contains a mixture of truth and untruth. Discard the untruth and take the truth. Even those engaged in worldly activities, such as office work or business, should hold on to the truth. Truthfulness alone is the spiritual discipline in the Kaliyuga. Dwell in the truth and you will certainly realize God.”

– Sri Ramakrishna