Gayatri Mantra – Detailed info

Gayatri Mantra is regarded as the most important mantra in Hinduism. This sacred mantra is highly venerated according to Hindu scriptures and beliefs. Gayathri Mantra is considered the mother of all Vedas and is believed to impart knowledge and wisdom. This sacred mantra literally means “May the Almighty God illuminate our intellect to lead us along the righteous path”. The mantra is also a tribute to the Sun God who is considered the source of light and life in this universe.

Understand the meaning of every word of the Gayatri Mantra 

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life,
Remover of pain and sorrow,
The Bestower of happiness,
Oh! Creator of the Universe,
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

Goddess Gayatri is a five-faced deity who is said to control the five basic senses or pranas of a person. She is believed to protect these five main senses of those who chant the Gayathri Mantra. Devi Gayatri is also called Goddess Savitri, since she plays the role of a protector.

Origin of the Gayatri Mantra

According to Hinduism, the four main Vedas, namely the Rig, Yajur, Sama and the Atharvana are the complete source of true knowledge. The word “Veda” itself in fact means “Knowledge”. Goddess Gayatri has bestowed this sacred “Gayatri Mantra”, which is one of the oldest mantras and most powerful mantras in the world. This divine mantra is also known as the “Guru Mantra” or the “Savitri Mantra”. Bhagavad Gita which is the most venerated Hindu text, mentions that Lord Krishna himself had proclaimed to Arjuna that among all the sacred mantras, he is the Gayatri matra. This stands proof to the reverence that Gayatri Mantra holds in Hinduism.

Chanting of the Gayatri Mantra

Ideally, Gayathri Mantra can be chanted three times a day – at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These three times of the day are traditionally referred as the three sandhyas. One can receive the maximum benefit of chanting this holy mantra by chanting it 108 times. However, a person can also chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times due to time constraints.

It is said that great Rishis had selected certain words for the Gayatri Mantra and had rearranged them in such a way that it not only conveys the intended meaning but also creates the power of righteous wisdom when uttered. Chanting of Gayatri Mantra is believed to remove all the impending obstacles from our lives and is aimed at imparting knowledge and wisdom. Righteous wisdom is bestowed as soon as we commence the Gayatri mantra Jap (recitation).

The syllables of this mantra are known to positively influence all the chakras (energy centres) present in a human body. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to pronounce and enunciate this scared mantra properly. According to the renowned religious saint Sri Sathya Sai Baba  “Gayatri Mantra will protect you from harm wherever you are, make your intellect shine, improve your power of speech, and dispel the darkness of ignorance (Dhiyoyonah prachodayaath)”.

Significance of Gayatri Mantra as Prayer

The Gayatri Mantra holds a unique place among all the known mantras in this world. This mantra is so special that it possesses both the power of mantra (Mantra Shakthi) and of prayer ( Prathana Shakthi). A mantra could be recited articulate or inarticulate, separately or along with the Pranava mantra “AUM”. However be it recited, every mantra carries an inherent power, known as “Mantra shakti”. This Mantra Shakthi makes a positive influence on the person chanting it, simply because of its utterance and not by understanding its philosophical meaning. Whereas, this revered Gayatri mantra is said to bestow both the “mantra shakti” and “prathana shakthi” on its reciter through its mere utterance and by understanding its core philosophical meaning respectively. Thus regular and correct recitation of the Gayatri Mantra together with proper understanding of its meaning, is believed to abundantly benefit a person.

Gayatri Mantra takes various forms when worshipping different deities. The Gayatri Mantra is also known as the Savitri Mantra, which is invoked as a salutation to the Sun. Rudra Gayathri mantra is chanted to pray to Lord Shiva and Vishnu Gaythri for worshipping Lord Vishnu. Similarly, the Ganesha Gayatri mantra is meant for Lord Ganesha while the Hanuman Gayatri for Lord Hanuman. Saraswati Gayatri Mantra is chanted when offering prayers to Goddess Saraswati.

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