The Gayatri mantra is the most important Hindu Mantra. It is also called ‘Savitri Mantra” and is derived from the word “Savita” which means “that from which all is born.”
It was discovered by Sage Viswamitra who also revealed its many benefits.
As claimed by Sage Viswamitra, Gayatri Mantra helps establish the mind and if people chant this Mantra daily and carry on with his/her life and do the work they are destined to, then their life will be full of joy and happiness.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात॥
Om Bhurbhuva Swaha Tatsavitur Varenyam Bhargo
Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat
Gayatri Mantra first appeared in Rig Veda which was written around 1100 to 1700 BC. It is also called the ‘poem of divine’ in Bhagwat Gita.
For better understanding of the mantra, below is a word to word meaning:
ॐ - The Original sound;
भूर्भुवः - the physical body or the life source;
स्वः - the soul;
तत् - God;
सवितुर् - the Sun, Creator (source of all life);
वरेण्यम - adore;
भर्गो - effulgence (divine light);
देवस्य - superior Lord;
धीमहि - meditate;
धियो - the intellect;
यो - May this light;
नः - our;
प्रचोदयात - illumine/inspire
The last five words constitute the prayer for final liberation through the awakening of our true intelligence.
The three main words, Bhur, Bhuvah, Swaha has a number of meanings like Earth, past, morning; Atmosphere, present, noon; Beyond atmosphere, future, evening respectively.
True understanding of the Mantra completely depends on the worshipper.
Gayatri is the mother of all Vedas or Scriptures. She is present everywhere and whenever her name is chanted she comes to bless you.
She is very powerful. She is everyone’s mother and nourishes each and every individual being.
Anyone who worships her are blessed with pure thoughts. She is the embodiment of all Goddesses. She has three names, Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati.
She has five faces, they are the five life principles. She has nine descriptions, they are ‘Om, Bhur, Bhuvah, Swah, Tat, Savitur, Vareñyaṃ, Bhargo, Devasya’.
Mother nourishes and protects every being and she channelizes our senses in the proper direction. ‘Dhimahi’ means meditation. We pray to her to inspire us with good intelligence.
‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat’ - We beseech her to bestow on us everything we need. Thus Gayatri is a complete prayer for protection, nourishment and finally, liberation.
There are numerous benefits of chanting Gayatri Mantra, some of the positive effects are:
Correct chanting of Gayatri Mantra is very beneficial and it is highly advisable to follow certain rules while chanting:
In short, This is the ultimate Mantra and a very simple way of attaining inner peace and satisfaction.