Vyāhṛti Mantras – The Sacred Syllables of Time

The Vyāhṛti Mantras are a set of primordial utterances (ब्रह्म व्याहृति, Brahma-Vyāhṛti) found in the Vedas, particularly in the Taittirīya Upanishad (Krishna Yajurveda) and associated with cosmology, timekeeping, and meditation. They were used in daily rituals, especially for tracking time in shorter units like breaths and moments.

What Are the Vyāhṛti Mantras?

There are traditionally seven Vyāhṛtis, but the most common three are:

1. भूः (Bhūḥ) – Earth
2. भुवः (Bhuvaḥ) – Atmosphere (Sky)
3. स्वः (Svaḥ) – Heaven

These are often recited before the Gāyatrī Mantra and serve as an invocation to cosmic order.

Expanded Versions (Additional Vyāhṛtis)

Later texts added four more Vyāhṛtis to the original three:

1. महः (Mahaḥ) – The Great Beyond (Mahat, Cosmic Intelligence)
2. जनः (Janaḥ) – The Realm of Birth & Rebirth
3. तपः (Tapaḥ) – The Realm of Austerity (Meditative Fire)
4. सत्यम् (Satyam) – The Absolute Truth (Ultimate Reality)

These seven Vyāhṛtis represent seven cosmic planes (Lokas) in Hindu cosmology, mapping to different levels of existence.