“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:
- Asatoma: From the unreal or false (Asat).
- Sadgamaya: Lead me to the real or truth (Sat).
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.