The Gayatri Mantra- Vedic Mantra for Happiness and Prosperity
The most sacred, celebrated prayer-Mantra from Rig Veda is Gayatri Mantra given by Sage Vishwamitra. It is the smallest, 24 letters Mantra and is known as Metre. It is also known as Savitri Mantra and Guru Mantra. Gayatri Mantra as it appears in Rig Veda, "Tat Savitur Vaarenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo yo Nah Prachodayat.”
-Rig Veda 3/62/1 0; Sam Veda 1 462, Yajur Veda 3/35, 22/9, 30/2, 36/3 (May Almighty illuminate our intellect and inspire us towards the righteous path)
In Yajur Veda, Gayatri Mantra appears along with the first three great mystic syllables called Vyabrites. Thus, the complete Mantra is;
"AUM BHUR- BHUVAH- SUVAHA TAT- SAVITUR- VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT’’
"Oh Protector, All Pervading Supreme God, Dispenser of miseries, Bestower of Comfort, we meditate on Your Supreme effulgence and surrender to you. You keep our intellect off evil deeds and put it on right path.”
AUM Almighty God
BHOOR Embodiment of vital or spiritual energy BHUVAHA Destroyer of suffering SWAHA - Embodiment of Happiness TAT - That (indicating God)
SAVITUR - Bright, Luminous, like sun VARENYAM - Supreme, Best BHARGO - Destroyer of Sins DEVASYA - Divine DHEEMAHI - May receive DHEEYO - Intellect YO - Who NAH - Our
PRACHODAYAT - May inspire
The Atharva Veda incorporates a prayer (19/1/71) in praise of Gayatri stating it grants longevity, energy, power, fame, wealth and divine brilliance (Brahmin Tej).
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna "Among the Vedic hymns I am the hymn known as Gayatri.” Manu also says that the ‘Gayatri Mantra’ leads one to the peak of spiritual splendor, wisdom and longevity. Worshipping Maha Gayatri can always enlighten Sadhak and make him righteous in thought and deed.
Gayatri is the root of our religious tree, Vedas are its branches and religious acts are its leaves. The secret of the supernatural impact of ‘Gayatri Mantra’ in the physical domains of life lies in its unique configuration of the specific syllables—the seed of Shabda, which is derived from the esoteric depths of the absolute science of Shabda Brahmin—Nada Brahmin
SI. LETTER GLAND POWER
01. Tat tapini success
02. Sa saphalata bravery
03. Vi vishwa perseverance
04. Tur tustu Welfare
05. Va varada Yoga
06. Re revati Love
07. Ni sukshma wealth, money
08. Yam gyan Brilliance
09. Bhar bharga protection
10. Go gomati intellect
11. De devika subjugation
12. Va varahi devotion
13. Sya simhani determination
14. Dhee dhyana Life force
15. Ma marayad self restraint
16. Hi sphuta penance
17. Dhi medha farsightedness
18. Yo yogamaya awakening
19. Yo yogini production
20. Naha dharini sweetness
21. Pra prabhav ideal
22. Cho ushma courage
23. Da drishya wisdom
24. Yat niranjana service, unselfishness
Being the source of ultimate evolution and beatified salvation of Prana, the Adi Shakti is called Gayatri. The Vedic scripture Aitareya Brahmana describes this meaning as, ‘Gayan Trayate Sa Gayatri; meaning, ‘That, which protects the gaya (prana) is Gayatri’. Shankaracharya Bhashya, further explains the Gayatri as “GiyateTatva Manaya Gayatri’, meaning; ‘the discerning, pure intellect’-- Ritambhara Pragya, which unfolds the ultimate truth and absolute knowledge, is Gayatri.
Gayatri-Upasana, is the devotion of the eternal mother for spiritual elevation.
Even Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, when they trod on earth, regularly practiced the Gayatri—Upasana.
The Gayatri- Shakti encompasses three supernatural virtues; Hrim--divine intelligence, Srim--divine prosperity, K/im--divine might. The Gayatri-Shakti is a spiritual confluence of the absolute power of the trinity Gods; Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali. Vedmata, Devmata and Viswamata are three eternal manifestations of Gayatri. The Hrim, Srim and K/im powers of the Gayatri are the eternal sources of righteous intellect, prosperity and might. These eliminate all ignorance, infirmities and scarcities from the Sadhaka’s life and expunge his sufferings, Sorrows and burdens forever.
The specialty of the ‘Gayatri Mantra’ is that it contains the essence of ‘Gyana Yoga’, ‘Bhakti Yoga’ and ‘Karma Yoga’. It is the essence of ‘Gyana Yoga’ because we are no longer subject to the primal ‘An nana’ (ignorance) of preferring our own transitory desires to the purposes of the Supreme Spirit. It is the essence of ‘Bhakti Yoga’ because we willingly surrender ourselves to Supreme Lord. It is the essence of ‘Karma Yoga’ because we are to be prompted in all our activities not Yoga by self-will, but by the will of Supreme Lord. The ‘Gayatri Mantra’ thus contains in a nutshell the highest religious philosophy of the Hindus.
In ‘Gayatri Mantra’, two words have great significance; ‘Bhargah’ means the light of sun, which symbolizes Divine Consciousness and ‘Dhiyah’ means phases of individual consciousness. Therefore, the meditation on Consciousness, we pray in the ‘Gayatri’, ‘Kindly direct my intellect towards Gayatri Mantra, helps individual consciousness to grow into Divine Thee.’
Gayatri Mantra beautifies our intellect and this helps intellect seek the right path. Spiritual tradition in India considers Gayatri as the most powerful medium for invocation of Savita, the omnipresent cosmic energy of God operating the natural functions in the animate beings (flora and fauna) and in the inanimate objects (e.g. as fission and fusion, magnetism and gravity in planets and stars). Since this energy is manifestly (visibly) received all over this planet through solar (and invisible stellar) radiations, it is logical to consider the Sun as the representative of Savita.
According to ‘Devi Bhagavatam’ —‘Gayatri’ is the essence of all Vedas. Gods like Brahma chant and meditate on ‘Gayatri’ at Sandhya time.
‘Sankha Smriti’ says, ‘Gayatri’ is the mother of the Vedas and destroyer of all sins. ‘Gayatri’ bestows all desires. ‘Samvarta Smriti’ insists, to cleanse from the sins, there is nothing above ‘Gayatri’. It should be chanted along with ‘Mahavyahrtis’ and the ‘Pranava’. “Therefore the excellent ‘Gayatri-Upasana’ should be practiced daily as an obligatory duty.
According to Veda Vyasa, one of the greatest seers, who compiled the four Vedas, authored eighteen Puranas including the great Mahabharata, SrIMAD BHAGAVATAM, Adadhyatma Ramayana and many more, has recorded importance of the Gayatri- Upasana in following words; “The Dwija (twice-born) is the stem of the tree (of religion), Sandhyavandana (i.e,Gayatri-Upasana) is its roots, Vedas are its branches and religious acts are its leaves; therefore the root must be protected (i.e, Gayatri-Upasana should be practiced) at all costs.”
The Dwija (twice-born} so-called, who neglects this duty is not qualified to perform any other religious act.” Devi Bhagavata.
In Samyutta Nikaya 111, Majjhima Nikaya 92 and Vinaya i 246 of the Pali Canon, the Buddha praises the Agnihotra as the foremost sacrifice and the Gayatri mantra as the foremost meter: aggihuttamukha yanna savitti chandaso mukham.
Sacrifices have the agnihotra as foremost; of meter the foremost is the Savitri.
Rishi Bhardwaj says that, “Even God Brahma performs the Japa of the Gayatri Mantra. It leads to ultimate realization of the Brahman.”
Rishi Vashishtha says “persons who are dull, way-ward and fickle-minded become highly intelligent and steadfast and rise to great heights in worldly and spiritual pursuits by Gayatri Sadhana. Those who worship Gayatri steadfastly and piously attain self¬realisation.”
According to Sri Adi Shankara, rightous intelligence through which that Being, that Reality, can be known is ‘Gayatri’. Gayatri acts as divine light and gives spiritual and mental bliss. It grants righteous knowledge and wisdom to attain self-awakening. He further describes, “It is beyond human competence to describe the glory of Gayatri. Nothing is more important in the world than to attain spiritual wisdom, which is inspired by Gayatri Sadhana. ’Gayatri’ is the primordial ‘Mantra’. Its ‘Sadhana’ destroys all sins and inculcates divine virtues.”
Devarshi Narad adds,” Gayatri is devotion personified. Wherever there is Gayatri in th e form of devotion, God un-doubtfully resides there.”
In the words of Atri Muni,“All the deep-rooted defects and vices are cleansed out by the divine power of Gayatri. Nothing else remains to be attained in this world by one who fully understands the substance of Gayatri.”
According to Maharishi Vishwamitra, there is no other Mantra like the Gayatri Mantra. All the Vedas, Yagyas, Tapas, charities together are not equivalent even to a small fraction of the supreme potency of the Gayatri Mantra.
Maharishi Vyas adds, “Just as honey is the essence of flowers, ghrit of the milk, in the same way Gayatri is the essence of all Vedas. It is like Kamadhenu for the one who acquired mastery in its true knowledge”.
Yogiraj Yagyavalkya says, “Gayatri and all the Vedas were weighed in a balance. The scale was found tipped in favour of Gayatri.”
Rishi Valmiki, the composer of the Ramayana, composed of 24000 Shlokas in Sanskrit. The first letter of every 1000th Shloka of Ramayana together makes up the Gayatri Mantra! There are 24 letters in the Gayatri Mantra and there are 24,000 Shlokas in the Valmiki Ramayana. The first letter of every 1000th Shloka together of the Ramayana forms the Gayatri Mantra, making this revered mantra the essence of the epic. While the Gayatri Mantra has been actually first mentioned in the Rig Veda, it has gained great significance from the Ramayana.
Similar views have been expressed by almost all other great Rishis and intelectuals; Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans had affirmed the astonishing power of Gayatri Mantra and he used to guide his disciples to perform simple Gayatri Sadhana rather than arduous, complicated Sadhans. In his views, all the Siddhis are attainable by Gayatri Mantra.
Swami Ramtirth describes, "The purpose of Gayatri Mantra is to remove intellect’s craving for sensuous pleasures and inculcate in it deep interest for God. He alone can realize the true knowledge whose intellect is so pure and stable.”
Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, was a staunch worshiper of Gayatri. He preached Gayatri as the paramount Guru Mantra of all the Vedas.
Swami Vivekananda used to regard this Mantra of Saad Buddhi as the pre-eminent crown of all Mantras.
Maharishi Raman preached that of all masteries, the mastery of a Mantra is extremely powerful. Marvelous results are achieved by the power of Mantras. Gayatri is such a Mantra, which bestows both material as well as spiritual benefits.
Sri Aurobindo has also advocated Gayatri Mantra. According to him, Gayatri has super¬normal potency to accomplish great and noble aims.
The great Indian poet Ravindranath Tagore says, "The Mantra that can awaken India is so simple that it could be uttered in a single breath. It is the Gayatri Mantra”.
According to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, "Gayatri Mantra is the most precious gem, which has been given to us by the Rishis. It purifies the intellect and enlightens the soul with the light of God.”
Lokmanaya Tilak believed that, "Political freedom alone will not liberate Indian people from the bonds of slavery. For this, the inner soul should be enlightened. The great Gayatri Mantra is endowed with this supreme power.”
Even Vaidraj Charak, prescribed recitation of Gayatri Mantra for longevity of life span.
A meaning of the Gayatri mantra, published in 1882AD by Monier Monier-Williams, is as follows: Let us meditate on that excellent glory of the divine vivifying Sun,
May he enlighten our understandings.
Sir William Jones (1807); "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 aright in our progress toward his holy seat."
William Quan Judge(1893AD);"Unveil, O Thou who gives 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.
Swami Vivekananda further adds; "We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds."
Sivanath Sastri(Brahmo Samaj, 1911 );"We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (i.e. the universe), and who directs our understanding."
Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1947, 1953);" We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding."
"We meditate on the adorable glory of the radiant sun; may he inspire our intelligence." Sathya Sai Baba says; if you chant the Gayatri mantra wholeheartedly, you will never face difficulties or hardships in life. Chant the divine name incessantly.
According to Sri Sri Ravishankar, Gayatri is said to be the power that can destroy and overcome all sins and sorrows, and the chanting of which helps us overcome adversity. Ga-ya-tri - there are three types of misery. We have three bodies, the gross body, the subtle and the causal body. And in all the three levels there is misery. The human life has to cross-over all the three, and that is what Gayatri means. One, who sings it, sails over the ocean of misery to go to bliss. And so we pray to that Divine Power and Supreme Consciousness which is present everywhere to dispel and destroy all our sins, and guide and inspire our intellect on the path of righteousness.
Gayatri mantra can be chanted by men and women of all climes and creeds.
Gayatri Mantra should be chanted facing north or east. Start Japa and meditation of Gayatri sitting in Padmasana, Siddhasana, Virasana or sit at ease.
Gayatri Mantra should be chanted facing north or east.
Gayatri Japa should at least done 108 times daily.
The explanation for 1o8 times is that, there are nine planets and twelve constellations. When nine planets revolve around the twelve constellations, it brings 108 kinds of changes. If there is anything wrong in these changes, it can be rectified with the positive energy of the mantras especially Gayatri Mantra.
Gayatri Japa should be done during Brahma--muhurt, or fix a particular time for the Japa and stick to it permanently.
In nutshell, Gayatri Mantra is considered the most potent means of invoking the divine brilliance or energies, latent in the deeper layers of consciousness, for the realization, refinement, upliftment and wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole.
Interestingly, in a significant judgment, the Tamil Naidu High Court in 1992, upheld, that Gayatri Mantra had stood well above the barrier of religion i.e. as universal and secular.
. (COMPILED BY CHAMAN LAL GADOO)