Gayatri Mantra

Gayatri Mantra

One of the oldest and most powerful of Hindu hymns that has its origin in the Rig Vedas the Gayatri Mantra which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, The word mantra is Sanskrit and it means: syllable(s) or sacred word(s). Mantras are vibrational formulas that are recited silently within, or spoken, or sung outwardly.The Vedas are widely considered to be the source of all true knowledge, the word "Veda" itself meaning "Knowledge".

The Gayathri manthra takes the form of the four vedas.It contains the essence of vedic teachings and the universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas,This Mantra is a highly revered mantra in Hinduism, second only to the mantra Om.. The deva invoked in this mantra is Savitr, and hence the mantra is also called Savitri.

Gayatri Devi also gave to mankind the "Gayatri Mantra", also known as the "Guru Mantra" or the "Savitri Mantra". It is one of the oldest mantras, and generally thought of as being amongst the highest and most powerful mantras of all. This mantra is therefore often referred to as "the Mother of the Vedas". In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna had proclaimed to Arjuna - "Among all the mantras, I am the Gayatri.

Gayatri is typically portrayed as seated on a red lotus, signifying wealth. She appears in either of these forms:

Having five heads with the ten eyes looking in the eight directions plus the earth and sky, and ten arms holding all the weapons of Vishnu, symbolizing all her reincarnations.

Accompanied by a white swan, holding a book to portray knowledge in one hand and a cure in the other, as the goddess of Education.

The Gayathri divinises the five elements; it represents the presiding deities of all the five. Gayathri is worshipped as a five faced goddess;

Om is the first,

Bhoor – bhuvahssuvah is the second,

Thath savitur varnyam is the third,

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi is the fourth, and

Dhiyo yonah Prachodayath is the fifth face

The Gayatri Mantra:

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

[Word Meaning: Aum: The primeval sound (from which all sounds emerge); Dheemahi: We meditate upon; Varenyam: the most adorable, most desirable or most enchanting; Bhargo: luster or effulgence; Tat: of that; Devasya: supreme (Lord); Savitur: from whom all creations emerge (also means the Sun God who is our life source); Bhur: who is our inspirer; Bhuvah: who is our creator; Suvaha: who is the abode of supreme joy; [Bhur, Bhuvah and Suvaha are also considered to mean three lokaas or worlds namely Heaven, earth and lower worlds]. Yo: May this light; Prachodayaat: inspire/illumine; Naha: our; Dhiyo: intellect (activities of the intellect)]

I used this image from this site- http://gayatrimantrameditation.googlepages.com/home Thank you.

Gayathri Manthra : Long Invocation points to the seven worlds or lokas.

The seven lokas, may be briefly described as:

bhuhu - earth, the physical world

bhuvaha - astral/desire/breath, the world of becoming

suvaha - mental, the world of thinking

mahaha - causal, silent mind, the world of emotion

janaha - world of creative generation

tapaha - world of intuition

satyaM - world of Absolute Truth

The most popular is the mantra chanted during Sandhyavandhanam, and it invokes the resplendant being in the sun - Surya Narayana. This is revealed in the Sandhya Vandanam literally means either “Salutation to the goddess of Dawn and dusk” or the prayers done during dawn and dusk.”

To know more about Gayathri Mantra & its significance visit:

http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/gayatribywords.php#savitur

http://www.sathyasai.org/devotion/prayers/gayatri.html#whatitis