Gayatri Mantra – The Glimpse of Divinity

Reciting a mantra is an old tradition used as a tool to focus the mind and body. It originated in India early in history when people told stories through poetry and song that were often passed down from generation to generation. A Sanskrit mantra is usually chanted before a yoga class or while meditating to tune the body with sound. Many of these mantras have their origins in the Vedas, a large collection of texts documenting sacred practices from ancient India. It is said, the power of reciting a Sanskrit Mantra lies within each letter itself, which vibrates at its own unique frequency, stimulating a different part of the body every time one letter is added to another. Once all letters are combined to mould into words, their sounds create healing energy that protects and heals all parts of the individual’s body upon hearing it.   

Many believe, there is no dearth of divine energies that pervade our life entirely. Thus, if we introspect deeply, divinity is present in every walk of our lives. The Gayatri Mantra is one such divine entity that gives us a glimpse of divinity itself. The practice of reciting this mystical chant every day is said to grant health, wealth, prosperity, and happiness. 

Gayatri mantra is a beautiful mantra consisting of 24 syllables as salutations to the divine and primeval force, believed to be responsible for the creation of the universe. It is known to remove the effects of past and present karma and bring about positive changes in one’s life. It also helps bring peace as it is thought to purify one’s consciousness, thus, allowing people to experience reality as it is in actuality.  

Read this blog to know the origin of Gayatri Mantra, its benefits, the correct way to chant it, and a lot more. 

What are the 24 letters in Gayatri Mantra?  

Gayatri mantra has 24 letters including, tat, sa, vi, tur, va, re, ni, yam, bhar, go, de, va, sya, dhi, ma, hi, dhi, yo, yo, nah, pra, cho, da, and yat. 

ओम भूर्भव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।    

भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात्।।  

(or)  

Om bhur bhuvaha svaha  

Tat savitur varenyam  

Bhargo devasya dhimahi  

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat  

Uttering the Gayatri Mantra has the following purposes

1. First, to thank the sun for giving us its light, warmth, and energy, allowing us to carry on with our daily lives without hassle. Its importance in our lives has been told of many times, and the vulnerable often lean on it, to put it poetically. 
2. Second, to find wisdom, enlightenment, and inner peace by meditating with a focus on the sun. One may gain energy to seek wisdom through meditation and gain perspective on one’s connection with the universe. 
3. Third, to express gratitude for the world we are living in that is full of all resources we need to live happily. Therefore, you express gratitude to mother nature, earth, and the universe.

Mythological Origin of The Gayatri Mantra  

Goddess Gayatri has been given great importance in the religious scriptures of Sanatan culture. It is believed by the scriptures that by simply understanding the Gayatri Mantra, one attains the knowledge of the four Vedas. For this reason, the Gayatri Mantra is also considered the essence of the Vedas. It is believed that the virtuous fruit that a human gets after acquiring the knowledge of the four Vedas, they get also by understanding the Gayatri Mantra alone. Gayatri Mantra is also considered the birth mother of Sanatan culture.   

It is believed that Goddess Gayatri is the mother of four Vedas, Shastras, and Shrutis. She is also called Vedmata, the mother of Vedas. She is also considered to be an adored goddess of Tridev Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, so Goddess Gayatri is also a deity along with being Vedmata. Gayatri Mata is the second wife of Brahma, she is also believed to be an incarnation of Parvati, Saraswati, and Lakshmi. Worshipping Goddess Gayatri is believed to fulfill all wishes and help attain salvation. 

This Mantra was apparently revealed to Lord Brahma at the beginning of the creation of the universe. After this, with the grace of Goddess Gayatri, Brahma Ji interpreted the Gayatri Mantra in the form of four Vedas from his four faces. Initially, this powerful mantra was only for the deities. Later, Maharishi Vishwamitra, through his rigorous penance, took the Gayatri Mantra to the common people. 

What is the meaning of the Gayatri Mantra?  

The Gayatri Mantra is a sacred mantra found in Hinduism. It was first written down in the Rig Veda, which is one of the oldest Vedic texts written around 2500 BCE. It appears again in the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, where it is explained and promoted as a tool for uniting oneself with The Divine. Furthermore, it is mentioned in many other ancient texts as ‘Gayatri Japah’. A pledge for creating life on Earth, its ultimate presence within us means that it can free us from ignorance and help us reach divinity. 

Word-to-word meaning of the Gayatri Mantra   

Om –The Lord, the sustainer of this world, who is a source of all blessings.  

bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ – What is Om? It is the occurrence in which all things have come into existence. It has taken the form of everything – the earth, our home amongst time and space, as well as higher forms of existence that we cannot comprehend.  

Om is bhuh (earth), Om is bhuvah (above the earth) and Om is svah (all that is beyond the scope of human perception). Divine exists in the form of all these words; Om pervades, sustains, and permeates. The Lord exists in everything.   

Tat vareṇyam – That Om, tat, who is vareṇyam; it means that the most worshipful one to be invoked, and his blessing is to be sought.  

Bhargo dhīmahi – It means we pray to invoke. The prayer done is in the first-person plural form. Why? Because our well-being and happiness as individuals depend on the people around us. So this prayer includes all of the people around us.  

devasya savituḥ – devasya means an effulgent being and savituh means which is free from darkness. Devasya is also a form of savituh, the sun. Here, the sun stands for the solar system with extension to stars, quasars, galaxies, black holes, and the entire cosmos.                

Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat – The one who shines brightly, who disperses darkness and confusion, may He enlighten our minds.  

The greatness of Gayatri Mantra is that there is no prayer for self-gain. It does not seek to empower itself, because it aims higher to enlighten every being so that all the Lord’s creation feels empowered. The mantra has more than what appears at first glance; each word is a prayer on its own, and it transcends the boundaries between all religions, castes, and ethnicities. At its center lies the cycle of life itself—the divine will—and the entire universe needs to be in synchrony to function properly. Hence, by implication, it is a request for peace and divine wisdom for everyone.  

What are the benefits of chanting Gayatri Mantra?  

Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to illuminating our intellect and proving immense knowledge. Gayatri Mantra –     

1. Improves learning and concentration 

This mantra has a vibration that works with all three of your body’s main chakra points. These three areas, the crown, throat, and third eye are related to concentration and removing distractions in life – making meditation easier to achieve. 

2. Cleans Toxins from the body 

While mantra chanting is currently associated mainly with religion, anyone can enjoy the benefits of mantras if they are chanted in the right tone. The vibration of the mantras not only activates certain points providing more oxygen to the body and flushing out toxins but also adds immense positivity and peace to mind, body, and soul.  

  3. Improves Immunity 

The right Gayatri Mantra chanting technique activates the hypothalamus in your brain, which plays an important role in keeping you healthy by regulating immunity. The different parts of your body stay resistant to various illnesses, and this will help keep them from making you feel overwhelmed with the disease. Those who overindulge themselves in the pleasures of life are sure to fall ill very often, so it is essential that one takes care of his body through daily ritualistic behavior like meditation, and chanting Gayatri Mantra. 

4. Improved Breathing 

It is highly recommended that before chanting, one should practice Pranayama (breathing exercises) to open up the breathing pathways. In addition to this, breathe deeply while reciting this mantra and expand your lungs to their maximum to improve breathing.   

5. Takes care of the heart  

Chanting while in sync with your breathing is a great way to get the blood flowing and regulate it as well. Not only will this help you feel more relaxed, but it can also keep your heart healthy and sound, thus keeping your blood pressure level at a good pace.   

6. Improves Nervous System 

While chanting Gayatri Mantra, you put pressure on your lips, tongue, throat, lungs, and mouth. This pressure altogether creates different vibrations that stimulate a response from the brain. This response stimulates neurotransmitters to release to perform better and actively.

7. Helps in Reducing Asthma Symptoms 

While meditating, a short-term suspension of your breathing helps in strengthening the respiratory muscles. After regular chanting of this mantra, the symptoms begin to dissipate slowly.  

  8. Provides peace of mind 

Regular chanting of this mantra provides immense clarity. The clarity helps to unwind and destress, and it also releases multiple good hormones like dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and others. As a result, you feel happier and calmer.  

  9. Reduce Anxiety and Stress 

The recitation of this mantra itself can also help to bring down anxiety as well as depression. This is very important for stressful times. In the current times of fast-paced and demanding life where stress has become an unavoidable part of our existence, chanting the Gayatri mantra is a very effective way to ease anxiety and keep the mind calm.

10. Contributes to Prosperity and Development 

According to Hindu mythology, the goddess Gayatri is the female embodiment of kindness and prosperity. The Gayatri mantra is often accepted as one of the most powerful mantras in Hindu philosophy and has been recited by many saints, monks, and even modern-day devotees to help reach enlightenment. The Gayatri mantra can be used for several different reasons: to alleviate poverty and increase adaptability to life’s hardships, for healing purposes such as curing diseases or depression, or even to invoke divine blessings upon you since your intentions are pure and righteous. 

How to chant Gayatri Mantra?  

To get the best results, the Gayatri Mantra should be recited in a soft and calm voice, with a relaxed mind, in peaceful surroundings. It is recommended to chant this mantra after Pranayama while facing the sun. The most important part about reciting the Gayatri Mantra is knowing the meaning of each word and pronouncing it correctly. It is best to meditate on the mantra in a secluded spot without any distractions such as cell phones and gadgets. By meditating on the Gayatri Mantra, you may feel united with the entire cosmos and feel a perfect alignment between your mind, body, and soul. 

When to chant Gayatri Mantra?  

The best time to chant the Gayatri Mantra is around 4:00 to 5:30 am. However, one can chant it at any time. Furthermore, chanting this mantra on Fridays has its own significance and religious benefits. Besides this, it is generally advised to repeat the mantra at least three times a day.     

Table of Gayatri Mantra in Different Languages

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