The Asatoma Prayer is a humble request directed at your Higher Self, the Guru within you. Patanjali (author of the first written document about yoga specifically, the “Yoga Sutras,” from several thousand years ago) refers to the Guru within as the Witness or Seer beyond time.
Gurudev (Amrit Desai) calls this the Guru, Source, Higher Self, or Divine-Within.
Sanskrit
Asatoma Sadgamaya
Tamasoma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityorma Amritam Gamaya
English
Lead me from the unreal to the real
Lead me from darkness to light
Lead me from time-bound consciousness to the timeless state of be-ing
By reciting The Guru Mantra with a sincere heart, you will see the power that enlightens is all around and within you at all times. This mantra honors the energies within each of us that allows for creating, sustaining, and transforming.
Sanskrit
Guru Brahma
Guru Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshvarah
Guru Saakshaat
Param Brahma
Tasmai Shri Guruve Namaha
OM, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
English
The Guru is Brahma, the force of creation
The Guru is Vishnu, the force of preservation with us throughout our life
The Guru is Shiva, the force of Destruction and Transformation
The Guru is the Supreme Absolute that alludes description
I make my offering (tasmai) to the beautiful (shri) remover of my darkness,
my ignorance (Guru) it is to you I bow (namah).
OM, Peace, Peace, Peace