Gayatri Mantra
tatsaviturvareNyaM
bhargo devasya dhiimahi
dhiyo yonaH pracodayaat .
The Rig Veda (10:16:3)
OM - the Infinite beyond Conception, Brahman, Supreme Lord and State
of Being
bhuur - Protector of the earth, the material sheath, The Life breath
of the Universe. From the feet to the navel center.
bhuvaH - the Mental Worlds One of the meanings is the sky. The Lord
who pervades and eliminates all miseries. From the navel to the
throat center.
svaH - I AM ONE WITH GOD - the Spiritual Worlds, One of the other
meanings is the heavens. He is all Bliss and blesses His devotees
with happiness. From above the throat center to the thousand petaled
lotus.
tat - That (That Thou Art)
savitur - The SUN, Creator, Preserver and Self Luminous, the central
mantra of the Solar Science.
vareNyaM - Most fit to be worshipped. Most choice worthy - most
adorable, enchanting.
bhargo - The burning splendor of the Sun that dispels ignorance, and
therefore sorrows and miseries.
devasya - The 'Deva', The God, He who is All Bliss, The Joyful One,
The Shining One, The Revealer of All Glory
dhiimahi - We meditate upon Him
dhiyo - Bhuddi, intelligence, Wisdom
yo - which
naH - our
pracodayaat - Inspires, enlightens, illumns
This is one of the oldest and most powerful of all known mantras. You
should chant this mantra and firmly establish it in your mind, as
your spiritual ideal. If so, you will be able to do the work alotted
to you, your life will be one of light and happiness.
The word "Gayatri" itself explains the reason for the existence of
this mantra. It has its origin in the Sanskrit phrase Gayantam
Triyate iti, and refers to that mantra which rescues the chanter from
all adverse situations that may lead to mortality.
Goddess Gayatri is also called "Veda-Mata" or the Mother of the
Vedas — Rig, Yajur, Saam and Atharva — because it is the very basis
of the Vedas. It is the basis, the reality behind the experienced and
the cognized universe.
The Gayatri mantra is composed of a metre consisting of 24
syllables —
generally arranged in a triplet of eight syllables each. Therefore,
this particular meter (tripadhi) is also known as the Gayatri Meter
or "Gayatri Chhanda."
Just like the Sun annihilates darkness, so does the Gayatri Mantra
destroy ignorance. The Gayatri Mantra invokes the power and radiance
of the Sun to energize all earthly life, to destroy our sins and to
reveal the Supreme Self to us.
Amongst the Mantras, I am the Gayatri"
In a loose translation that cannot possibly do justice to the
original it implores:
Light, Sustainer, Protector and Bestower of Happiness, Kindle,
Enlighten and inspire our Intelligence to possess Eternal Qualities.
The Gayatri Mantra is the essence of the three Vedas. It is the Vedas
simplified. The more one contemplates and meditates upon the Gayatri,
the more complexities are revealed to one.
The story goes that once the Devas, the Shining Ones wanted to learn
the secrets of the Universe. Since learning about the Scientific
aspect 'atoms' etc. did not quite work out, they went to the Lord.
The Lord gave them the Rig Veda, The Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda to
study. After a couple of eons of study, the Devas lost their patience
and wanted to quit. The Lord urged them not to give up and decided to
teach the essence of the 3 Vedas in 3 fragments:
Essence of Rig Veda Tat Savitur Varenyam
Essence of Yajur Veda Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Essence of Sama Veda Dheeyo Yonah Prachodayaat
The more the Devas practiced and contemplated upon the Gayatri, the
more complexities were revealed to them. So they lost patience again
and went to the Lord to make it simpler still. So the Lord gave them
the essence of the 3 segments, in the 3 words:
Bhur, Bhuvaha, Svaha
The Devas spent a a few cycles of Creation, probably a quadrillion
human years pondering upon the 'maha vyahritis' ie 'Utterances of the
Lord' but became impatient again and urged the Lord to make it
simpler yet. So He Said "All right I'll make it simpler"
And He taught them AUM
The great western thinker, Arthur Koestler, had once said that the
Gayatri Mantra has the power of a thousand atomic bombs! and the
famous scientists
J.B.S. Haldana wrote: "The Gayatri Mantra should be carved on the
doors of every laboratory of the world".
The Gayatri with the Mahavyahritis is uttered as-
svah tat Savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah
prachodayat This mantra is believed to have been composed by Sage
Vishvamitra. According to others, however, it is so ancient that the
four Vedas were born of it.
Initially, this mantra was a simple invocation to the Sun to bless
all on earth. Gradually it came to be regarded as a mystic formula of
universal power. This was probably due to its simplicity and its
power to evolve the idealistic notion of a world that originated from
an all-pervading Intelligence.
According to the Skanda Purana, nothing in the Vedas is superior to
the Gayatri. No invocation is equal to it just as no city is equal to
Kashi . The Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas, it
contains the essence of all the Vedas and of the Brahmanas, for the
Gayatri is believed to embody Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the Vedas.
According to the Aitareya Brahmana, those who desire
to go to heaven should recite this mantra a thousand times. The
Gayatri Mantra must be recited by all 'twice-born'
Hindus, Gayatri Mantra especially the Brahmins, who are expected to
recite it every morning and evening. This mantra was however not
allowed be reciting or even hearing by a Shudra or a woman. In the
early Vedic age however, the status of women was considerably higher
than in the later Vedic age. Rishinis or women rishis like Gargi and
Lopamudra are said to have undergone the Upanayanam and the former
indeed, engaged in debate none less than the law giver, Yajnavalkya.
Later, when this mantra became exclusive to 'twice-born' males, care
was taken not to recite it loudly.
The Gayatri Mantra is also recited at various rituals pertaining to
divine worship and the ritual of the manes. It is said
that the recitation of the Gayatri five times a day is as effective
as performing the panchamahayagya.
This mantra is taught for the first time during the Upanayanam
ceremony when the guru whispers it into the ears of the newly
Recitation of the Pupil (brahmopadesham) . Thereafter the pupil is
expected to recite it every morning and evening throughout his life
It should ideally be recited 16 times a day. To keep track, the right
hand is used. When the mantra is recited the first time, the thumb is
placed on the third joint of the ring finger and is held there till
the mantra is complete. With each completion, the thumb moves one
more joints, down the ring finger, up the little finger, over the
tips, down the index finger, up the middle finger and the sixteenth
recitation is completed on the third joint of the middle finger. When
reciting the Gayatri Mantra, the sacred thread is
held across the thumb of the right hand.
