The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the RigVeda, dedicated to Savitri, the deity of five elements. is the name of the Goddess of the Vedic Mantra in which the verse is composed. Its recitation is traditionally preceded by ' and the formula ', known as the , or "great utterance". Maharshi Vishvamitra had created the Gayatri mantra. The Gayatri mantra is cited widely in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, such as the mantra listings of the Śrauta liturgy, and classical Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, Harivamsa, and Manusmṛti. The mantra and its associated metric form was known by the Buddha, and in one sutra the Buddha is described as "expressing their appreciation" for the mantra. The mantra is an important part of the upanayana ceremony for young males in Hinduism, and has long been recited by dvija men as part of their daily rituals. Modern Hindu reform movements spread the practice of the mantra to include women and all castes and its use is now very widespread.
Text
The main mantra appears in the hymn RV 3.62.10. During its recitation, the hymn is preceded by ' and the formula '. This prefixing of the mantra is properly described in the Taittiriya Aranyaka, which states that it should be chanted with the syllable ', followed by the three Vyahrtis and the Gayatri verse. Whereas in principle the gāyatrī mantra specifies three pādas of eight syllables each, the text of the verse as preserved in the Samhita is one short, seven instead of eight. Metrical restoration would emend the attested tri-syllabic ' with a tetra-syllabic . The Gayatri mantra is, in Devanagari: In IAST:
Dedication
The Gāyatrī mantra is dedicated to Savitṛ, a Vedic Sun deity. However many monotheistic sects of Hinduism such as Arya Samaj hold that the Gayatri mantra is in praise of One Supreme Creator known by the name AUM as mentioned in the Yajur Veda, 40:17.
Translations
The Gayatri mantra has been translated in many ways. Quite literal translations include:
Swami Vivekananda: "We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds."
Monier Monier-Williams : "Let us meditate on that excellent glory of the divine vivifying Sun, May he enlighten our understandings."
Ralph T.H. Griffith : "May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the god: So may he stimulate our prayers."
S. Radhakrishnan:
Sri Aurobindo: "We choose the Supreme Light of the divine Sun; we aspire that it may impel our minds." Sri Aurobindo further elaborates: "The Sun is the symbol of divine Light that is coming down and Gayatri gives expression to the aspiration asking that divine Light to come down and give impulsion to all the activities of the mind."
More interpretative translations include:
Shriram Sharma : Om, the Brahm, the Universal Divine Energy, vital spiritual energy, the essence of our life existence, Positivity, destroyer of sufferings, the happiness, that is bright, luminous like the Sun, best, destroyer of evil thoughts, the divinity who grants happiness may imbibe its Divinity and Brilliance within us which may purify us and guide our righteous wisdom on the right path.
Sir William Jones : "Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun, the god-head who illuminates all, who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understandings right in our progress toward his holy seat."
William Quan Judge : "Unveil, O Thou who givest sustenance to the Universe, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, that face of the True Sun now hidden by a vase of golden light, that we may see the truth and do our whole duty on our journey to thy sacred seat."
Sivanath Sastri : "We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens, and who directs our understanding."
Swami Sivananda: "Let us meditate on Isvara and His Glory who has created the Universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect."
; Bhur - Bhuloka ; Bhuvah - Antariksha ; Svah - Svarga Loka ; Tat - Paramatma ; Savitur - Isvara ; Varenyam - Fit to be worshipped; Bhargo - Remover of sins and ignorance; Devasya - Glory ; Dheemahi - We meditate; Dhiyo - Buddhi ; Yo - Which; Nah - Our; Prachodayat - Enlighten.)
Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati : "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."
Kirpal Singh: "Muttering the sacred syllable 'Aum' rise above the three regions, And turn thy attention to the All-Absorbing Sun within. Accepting its influence be thou absorbed in the Sun, And it shall in its own likeness make thee All-Luminous."
Meaning and significance
Gayatri mantra recommends meditating upon causation across the multiple translations to believe in the purifying direction of Divine insight, direction of the senses, inspire understanding and intellect, progress, journey to the sacred seat, choosing the right path for us, visualize the sun within ourselves because as above it exists below. Gayatri mantra suggests Bhoor, this implies existence, and signifies Prana, life, or life breath. The mantra suggests tat, meaning "that", offer of praise to the Him is to expect that no such praise or personal benefits are offered in return or expectation of gain. This word tat and prayer indicates a selfless belief and practice, the mantra as well as the holy word "Om", is given to God with pure direction. Savitur indicates God's existence as a fountain, which springs forth all life and all things, which we go from and go back to. Bhargo is the purifying of the intellect, as ore is refined in the flames, we too are purified by the words, destroying all sins and afflictions, we are cleansed by His grace and are in unity and oneness with Him. Oneness with Him is free from impurities in thought.
24 Letters of Gayatri mantra
Gayatri mantra has 24 letters. They are 1.tat, 2.sa, 3.vi, 4.tur, 5.va, 6.re, 7.ṇi, 8.yaṃ, 9.bhar, 10,go, 11.de, 12.va, 13.sya, 14.dhī, 15.ma, 16.hi, 17.dhi, 18.yo, 19.yo, 20.naḥ, 21.pra, 22.cho 23.da and 24.yāt. When counting the letters, the wordvareṇyam is treated as vareṇiyam. But, while chanting, it ought to be chanted as vareṇyam only.
Textual appearances
Vedic and Vedantic literature
The Gayatri mantra is cited widely in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, such as the mantra listings of the Śrauta liturgy, and cited several times in the Brahmanas and the Srauta-sutras. It is also cited in a number of grhyasutras, mostly in connection with the upanayana ceremony in which it has a significant role. The Gayatri mantra is the subject of esoteric treatment and explanation in some major Upanishads, including Mukhya Upanishads such as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad and the Maitrayaniya Upanishad; as well as other well-known works such as the Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana. The text also appears in minor Upanishads, such as the Surya Upanishad. The Gayatri mantra is the apparent inspiration for derivative "gāyatrī" stanzas dedicated to other deities. Those derivations are patterned on the formula, and have been interpolated into some recensions of the Shatarudriya litany. Gāyatrīs of this form are also found in the Mahanarayana Upanishad. The Gayatri mantra is also repeated and cited widely in classical Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, Harivamsa, and Manusmṛti.
Buddhist corpus
In Majjhima Nikaya 92, the Buddha refers to the Sāvitri mantra as the foremost meter, in the same sense as the king is foremost among humans, or the sun is foremost among lights: In Sutta Nipata 3.4, the Buddha uses the Sāvitri mantra as a paradigmatic indicator of Brahmanic knowledge:
Usage
Upanayana ceremony
Imparting the Gayatri mantra to young Hindu men is an important part of the traditional upanayana ceremony, which marks the beginning of study of the Vedas. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan described this as the essence of the ceremony, which is sometimes called "Gayatri diksha", i.e. initiation into the Gayatri mantra. However, traditionally, the stanza RV.3.62.10 is imparted only to Brahmin boys. Other Gayatri verses are used in the upanayana ceremony for non-Brahmins: RV.1.35.2, in the tristubh meter, for a kshatriya and either RV.1.35.9 or RV.4.40.5 in the jagati meter for a Vaishya.
Mantra-recitation
Gayatri japa is used as a method of prāyaścitta. It is believed by practitioners that reciting the mantra bestows wisdom and enlightenment, through the vehicle of the Sun, who represents the source and inspiration of the universe.
In 1827 Ram Mohan Roy published a dissertation on the Gayatri mantra that analysed it in the context of various Upanishads. Roy prescribed a Brahmin to always pronounce omat the beginning and end of the Gayatri mantra. From 1830, the Gayatri mantra was used for private devotion of Brahmos. In 1843, the First Covenant of Brahmo Samaj required Gayatri mantra for Divine Worship. From 1848-1850 with the rejection of Vedas, the Adi Dharma Brahmins use the Gayatri mantra in their private devotions.
Hindu revivalism
In the later 19th century, Hindu reform movements spread the chanting of the Gayatri mantra. In 1898 for example, Swami Vivekananda claimed that, according to the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, a person became Brahmin through learning from his Guru, and not because of birth. He administered the sacred thread ceremony and the Gayatri mantra to non-Brahmins in Ramakrishna Mission. This Hindu mantra has been popularized to the masses, outside of Brahminic culture through pendants, audio recordings and mock scrolls. Various Gayatri yajñas organised by All World Gayatri Pariwar at small and large scales in late twentieth century also helped spread Gayatri mantra to the mass.
Indonesian Hinduism
The Gayatri Mantra forms the first of seven sections of the Trisandhyā Puja, a prayer used by the Balinese Hindus and many Hindus in Indonesia. It is uttered three times each day: 6 am at morning, noon, and 6 pm at evening.
Popular culture
A version of the Gayatri mantra is featured in the opening theme song of the TV seriesBattlestar Galactica. A variation on the William Quan Judge translation is also used as the introduction to Kate Bush's song "Lily" on her 1993 album, The Red Shoes. In her the singer/actress Cher sang Gayatri mantra while riding a mechanical elephant. She later reprised the performance during her Classic Cher tour. The Swiss avantgardeblack metal bandSchammasch adapted the mantra as the outro in their song "The Empyrean" on their last album "Triangle" as a Gregorian chant.
