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The Gayatri Mantra

Om
Bhur Bhuvah Svah
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dheeyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

 

The Gayatri is among the oldest of Hindu mantras, revered as the Universal Prayer. It comes from the Rigveda and is thought to have been gifted to mankind by the great sage Viswamitra. The Gayatri is a powerful mantra; chanting it every day is believed to quicken the intellect and give the chanter insight into the nature of reality. Those who chant it with faith will be bestowed with happiness and fulfillment. The essence of the Gayatri is the foundation of the Vedas; hence it is also known as Veda-Mata, Mother of the Vedas.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna, when he reveals his true self to Arjuna, says, “Among the mantras, I am the Gayatri.” Indeed, the mantra is addressed to the Supreme Being and incorporates within it, the three aspects of worship – adoration, contemplation and prayer.

Om
Bhur Bhuvah Svah
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dheeyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

Om is the primordial sound of the Universe.

Bhur Bhuvah Svah refer respectively to the material world, the middle world and the heavens. These words also represent triads like earth/atmosphere/outer space and past/present/future.

Tat is That or Brahman, the Ultimate Reality that is beyond description.

Savitur refers to the dynamic energy from which everything is born

Varenium is “worthy of adoration”

Bhargo is the radiant sun of wisdom, or effulgence of the Spirit.

Devasya is Divine Grace

Dheemahi: we meditate upon

Dhiyo is intellect

Yo is “who”

Nah is “ours”

Prachodayat: awaken

The Gayatri Mantra has been translated by many eminent personalities. Swami Vivekananda, the renowned intellectual interpreted it as:

We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds.

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The power of mantras in Hinduism

 

 

The chanting of mantras is an intrinsic aspect of ancient religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. A mantra can be a single sound syllable, a word or a group of words, which, when repeated over, set off vibrations with positive effects on one’s physical and psychological functions. Mantra in Sanskrit combines two syllables, “man” (“mind”) and “tra” (“tool”); essentially, it is an instrument that attunes the mind to the vibrations of the cosmos.

Mantras can be written, chanted or silently repeated – whatever the method chosen, they bring tremendous benefits to the body and mind. The ancients believed that the chanting stimulated the subtle energy centers known as chakras lying along the spine. There is now enough scientific evidence to prove that chanting mantras during meditation does reduce stress levels, even when the individual is unaware of the meaning of the mantra.

AUM is the Pranava Mantra, the fountainhead of all mantras. Every mantra and prayer typically begins and ends with AUM. Chanting the all-powerful Gayatri Mantra harmonizes every aspect of life, sharpens the intellect, dispels ignorance and promotes spiritual growth. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna, while revealing His limitless, cosmic self to Arjuna says, “Among the mantras, I am the Gayatri”.

According to some, every individual has a specific beej (“seed”) mantra, consisting of three parts – AUM, a monosyllable derived from a person’s horoscope, and the word namah, a sort of thanksgiving to the power of the mantra. Hindu astrologers say that a person may have up to seven beej mantras for varied purposes like harmonizing health and relationships, acquiring wealth and spiritual progress. Chanting these mantras attunes one to corresponding vibrations in the cosmos. Importantly, mantras should be chanted with complete faith in order to realize their power in one’s life.

 

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