“Asatoma Sadgamaya” is a phrase from a Hindu prayer known as the “Shanti Mantra,” which is often recited for peace and enlightenment. The full verse is:
“Asatoma sadgamaya, tamasoma jyotirgamaya, mrityorma amritam gamaya.”
The meanings of each part are as follows:
Thus, “Asatoma Sadgamaya” can be translated as “Lead me from the unreal to the real.”
This invocation seeks guidance from ignorance and illusion toward knowledge and truth. It reflects a deep spiritual yearning for understanding and enlightenment, emphasizing the transition from a state of confusion or falsehood to one of clarity and reality.
The other parts of the mantra further elaborate on this journey:
- Tamasoma: From darkness (Tamas).
Jyotirgamaya: Lead me to light (Jyoti).
Mrityorma: From death (Mrityor).
- Amritam gamaya: Lead me to immortality (Amrit).
Overall, the mantra expresses a profound desire for spiritual awakening and liberation, urging the seeker to move from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality, and from illusion to truth.