Gayatri Mantra - All You Need To Know About Highly Revered Mantra

                   The Gāyatrī Mantra is considered not to have an author, and like all other Vedic mantras, is believed to have been revealed to Brahmarshi Vishvamitra. It is a verse from a sukta of the Rigveda. Gāyatrī is the name of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. The Gayatri mantra is repeated and cited very widely in Vedic literature and praised in several classical Hindu texts.

In Sanskrit

                        ॐ भूर्भुवः॒ स्वः ।तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरेण्यं॒भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि । धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त् ॥

In English

                          Om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥtát savitúr váreṇ(i)yaṃbhárgo devásya dhīmahi
                                                          dhíyo yó naḥ prachodayat

Summary of the Gayatri Mantra

                 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.

                  Gayatri, the five-faced Goddess, is said to have domain over the five senses or pranas, and protects these five life-forces of those who chant the Gayatri Mantra. In her role as the protector, Gayatri is referred to as Savitri.

Origin of the Gayatri Mantra

                  The Vedas are widely considered to be the source of all true knowledge, the word "Veda" itself meaning "Knowledge". 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".

Chanting of the Gayatri Mantra

                  The Vedas say:- 

                             To chant the Gayatri Mantra 

                                            purifies the chanter.
                        To listen to the Gayatri Mantra
                                            purifies the listener.

                  

                  The ideal times for chanting the mantra are three times a day - at dawn, mid-day, and at dusk. These times are known as the threesandhyas - morning, mid-day and evening. The maximum benefit of chanting the mantra is said to be obtained by chanting it 108 times. However, one may chant it for 3, 9, or 18 times when pressed for time.

                   Rishis selected the words of the Gayatri Mantra and arranged them so that they not only convey meaning but also create specific power of righteous wisdom through their utterance. Chanting of Gayatri Mantra removes all obstacles in our path to increased wisdom and spiritual growth and development. The teachings and powers incorporated in the Gayatri Mantra fulfill this purpose. Righteous wisdom starts emerging soon after Jap(recitation) of the Gayatri Mantra is performed.