The Gayatri Mantra

Part 1: What You Need To Know

By Shri Gyan Rajhans

Parts of this Article  • What's Gayatri Mantra? • Meaning & Analysis

Related Resources • Mantra Chanting • All About OM • Why & How to Pray • What is Yantra? • What is Tantra? • Books: Mantra, Tantra...

Goddess Gayatri

The Gayatri mantra is one of the oldest and most powerful of Sanskrit mantras. It is believed that by chanting the Gayatri mantra and firmly establishing it in the mind, if you carry on your life and do the work that is ordained for you, your life will be full of 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."

The Mantra

Aum
Bhuh Bhuvah Svah
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yo nah Prachodayat

~ The Rig Veda (10:16:3)

The Meaning
"O thou existence Absolute, Creator of the three dimensions, we contemplate upon thy divine light. May He stimulate our intellect and bestow upon us true knowledge."

Or simply,

"O Divine mother, our hearts are filled with darkness. Please make this darkness distant from us and promote illumination within us."

Next page > Inner Meaning & Analysis > Page 1, 2