Rising above the darkness of ignorance, we perceive the Higher Light. Ascending further, we attain the Divine Presence, the Illuminator of all luminous bodies, the Highest Light (Jyotir-Uttamam).

रवि-रश्मिके रमैया! पावन प्रभा दिखा दो।
अज्ञानकी तमिस्रा भूलोकसे मिटा दो ॥
देवों के देव ! अनुदिन हो दिव्य दृष्टि प्यारी।
श्रुति-गानको न भूले रसना कभी हमारी ॥

Ravi rashmi ke ramaiyyaa! Paawan prabhaa dikhaa do
Ajyaan kee tamisraa bhoo-lok se miṭaa do
Devo ke deva anudin ho divya driṣhti pyaaree
Shruti gaan o na bhoole ras-naa kabhee hamaaree

May I obtain the Glorious God of Light
The wisest God of Bliss and Lord Supreme
The sun that keeps the souls of mortals bright
And forms my humble prayer’s sacred theme.

उत् good वयम् we तमसः (Darkness) Ignorance and misery परि beyond स्वः source of happiness पश्यन्त (Seeing): Realizing/Perceiving ज्योतिः उत्तरम् (Higher Light): Moving from the gross world to the subtle world. देवम् bestower of happiness, God, highest order of existence देवत्रा (Godliest of Gods) Supreme One सूर्यम् (The Illuminator): God (not the physical sun) Driving force of the universe अगन्म may achieve ज्योतिः उत्तमम् (The Highest Light): The ultimate state of Bliss (Moksha).

Just as rays of light reveal the sun, the Laws of Nature (Ketavah) reveal the presence of the Knower of All Beings (Jatavedasam). They carry the knowledge of the Divine so that all conscious beings may see the Truth.

सुंदर सुपथ दिखाया, मद-मोह-लोभ टारा।
अज्ञान-ताम मिटाया, वर वेद-ज्ञान द्वारा ॥
जीवनमें ज्योति प्राणोंमें प्रेरणा तुम्हीं हो।
मनमें मनन, बदनमें बल-साधना तुम्हीं हो ॥

Sundar supath dikhaayaa mad moha lobha ṭaaraa
Ajyaan tam miṭaayaa var veda jyaan dwaaraa
Jeewan me jyoti praaṇo me prerṇaa tumhee ho
Man me manan, badan me bal-saadhanaa tumhee ho.

The various objects of this wondrous earth
Are beacon flags to guide us on to know
The Glorious Sun of Life Who gave us birth
And sent His Veda the righteous path to show.

उत् well/good, उ with certainty/certainly, त्यम् Him जातवेदसम् Revealer of the Vedas; Jaataveda is the Giver of Pure Knowledge. (Jaataveda refers for whom the Vedas are given) also जाता infers ‘who is born’. He is the Source of all life. वेदः ‘for the Vedas’ देवम् bestower of happiness, God, highest order of existence वहन्ति establish केतवः distinctive attributes, These are the Laws of Nature and Matter -Just as sunbeams carry the sun’s presence to us, the Laws of Nature carry the proof of God’s existence to our intellect. दृशे विश्वाय So that all may see/realize. सूर्यम् Soul (driving force) of the universe

Our adoration to the Almighty God. We recognize that wonderful indescribable super-natural force that is the epicenter of the universe that sees everything (perceives everything) and is the source of strength; the lord of all that is the friend to everyone, the source of all light and energy, the pervading force of all space and heaven and earth, the driving force of the universe and the supreme soul of all animate and inanimate.

आश्चर्यमय अलौकिक अद्भुत अपूर्व करनी।
है आपमें अवस्थित अधि-अंतरिक्ष अवनी ॥
माया-मृषा मिटाकर मन्तव्य मग दिखाओ।
भव-बन्धनों से भगवन्! इस भक्तको छुड़ाओ ॥

Aash-charya-mai alaukik adbhut apoorva karnee
Hai aap-me awas-thit adhi antariksha awanee
Maayaa mriṣhaa miṭaakar mantavya mag dikhaa-o
Bhav bandhano se bhagavan! Is bhakta ko chhuraawo.

How wondrous is this Lord of Holy Light
The Sun’s Support, the God of Moon, the Source
Of shining bodies, the Lord of fire bright,
The heaven’s Lord, the King of earth, the Force
That made the sky and countless kinds of things
That move and do not move. O Lord of might,
My humble heart Thy sacred prayer sings
To let me think, speak and act right.

चित्रम् indescribable, marvelous, wonderful – The mysterious, amazing nature of God देवानाम् with supernatural qualities, of superior intelligence उत् अगात् is ever shining in the heart/centre अनीकम् strength – The collective power of divine attributes. चक्षुः omniscient, one who sees/perceives everything मित्रस्य free from hatred, of friendly nature वरुणस्य righteous; lord of the wideness expanses अग्नेः progressive persons/energetic आप्रा pervading द्यावापृथिवी atmosphere and earth; space and earth द्यावा heaven, atmosphere पृथिवी earth (also refers द्यावा space and पृथिवी planets) अंतरिक्षम् space सूर्य impeller/driving force of universe/galaxy आत्मा soul जगतः of animate तस्थुषः inanimate च and स्वाहा so it shall be

That Supreme Eye, the Benefactor of the learned, is eternally present before us. May we see for a hundred years. May we live (with vitality) for a hundred years. May we hear (learn) for a hundred years. May we speak (preach truth) for a hundred years. May we remain independent (Adinah) for a hundred years. And even beyond a hundred years.

विधना! विनय यही है, मैं वीरवर कहाऊँ।
होकर शतायु, स्वामिन्! तुमसे लगन लगाऊँ ॥
सौ साल तक हमारी आँखें हो ज्योतिधारी।
हों श्रोत श्रव्यशाली सक्षम सदा सुखारी ॥
वाणी, विराट विभुकी, विरदावली सुनावे।
परतंत्रता है पातक स्वातंत्र्य-मंत्र गावे ॥
सौ वर्ष से अधिक भी जीवित रहें करारी।
सर्वाङ्गकी क्रियाएँ स्थिर रहें हमारी ॥

Vidhnaa vinai yahee hai, mai veer-var kahaa-oo
Hokar shataayu swaamin, tumse lagan lagaa-oo
Sau saal tak hamaaree aakhe ho jyoti-dhaaree
Ho shrot shravya-shaalee sak-sham sadaa sukhaaree
Vaaṇee viraaṭ vibhu kee virdaa-walee sunaawe
Par-tantra-taa hai paatak svaa-tan-tra mantra gaave
Sau varṣha se adhik bhee jeevit rahe karaa-ree
Sarvaaṅg kee kriyaaye ye sthir rahe hamaaree.

That Ever-wakeful Eye, Eternal, Pure
That watches close the deeds of right and wrong
Whose Holy Grace the learned souls secure
May bless in life my prayer’s sacred song.
And may we live and see a hundred years,
A hundred autumns hear His Holy Name,
And sing His Glory free from human fears
That close attend the heels of earthly fame.
And if we live for more than a hundred years,
The same delight attend us all the days
We live, and bring us all the sacred cheers
For which the heart to gracious heaven prays.

तत् He/that चक्षुः seer/perceiver of all देवहितम् benefactor of the righteous people पुरस्तात् before creation (time immemorial) शुच्छुक्रम् (शुद्ध) pious उच्चरत् continuously omnipotent पश्येम may we see शरदः years शतम् hundred – The 100 years denotes more than just the number, it represents fullness in life time जीवेम जीवेम breathe/breath श्रृणुयाम hear, perceive, mental processing प्रब्रवाम speak, Communicate, cohabit अदीनाः independent स्याम may we be भूयः more च and शरदः years शतात् hundred (lifetime).