The Gayatri Mantra is a highly revered mantra in Hinduism, second only to the mantra Om. It consists of the prefix :o? bhur bhuva? sva???, a formula taken from the Yajurveda, and the verse 3.62.10 of the Rigveda(which is an example of the Gayatri mantra). Since all the other three Vedas contain much material rearranged from the Rig Veda, the Gayatri mantra is found in all the four Vedas. The deva invoked in this mantra is Savitr, and hence the mantra is also called Savitri. By many Hindus, the Gayatri is seen as a Divine awakening of the mind and soul, and within it a way to reach the most Supreme form of existence, and the way to Union with Brahman. Understanding, and purely loving the essence of the Gayatri Mantra is seen by many to be one, if not the most powerful ways to attain God.
Text See Sanskrit for details of pronunciation. In IAST
? bhur bhuva? sva?
(a) tát savitúr váreniya?
(b) bhárgo devásya dhimahi
(c) dhíyo yó na? pracodáyat
Translation**Word-by-word explanation:-
om* The sacred sound, see Om.
bhu’earth’
bhuvas’atmosphere’
svar’light, heaven, space’
tat’that’
savitúr of Savitr the god’(genitives of savitr-, ’stimulator, rouser; name of a sun-deity’ and deva- ’god’ or’demi-god’)
varenyam’Fit to be worshipped’ varenya-’desirable, excellent’
bhargo’Glory Effulgence’(radiance, lustre, splendour, glory)
devasya’of God’
dhimahi’may we attain’(1st person plural middle optative of dha-’set, bring, fix’ etc.)
dhíya? na?’our prayers’(accusative plural of *dhi-’thought, meditation, devotion, prayer’ and na? enclitic personal pronoun)
yá? pracodáyat’who may stimulate’(nominative singular of relative pronoun *yad- causative 3rd person of pra-cud-’set in motion, drive on, urge, impel’)Goddess Originally the personification of the mantra, the goddess Gayatri is considered the veda mata, the mother of all Vedas and the consort of the God Brahma and also the personification of the all-pervading Parabrahman, the ultimate unchanging reality that lies behind all phenomena. Gayatri Veda Mata is seen by many Hindus to be not just a Goddess, but a portrayal of Brahman himself, in the feminine form.[citation needed] Essentially, the Goddess is seen to combine all the phenomenal attributes of Brahman, including Past, Present and Future as well as the three realms of existence.[citation needed] Goddess Gayatri is also worshipped as the Hindu Trimurti combined as one. In Hindu mythology, there is only one creation who can withstand the brilliance of Aditya and that is Gayatri. Gayatri is typically portrayed as seated on a red lotus, signifying wealth. She appears in either of these forms:
Having five heads with the ten eyes looking in the eight directions plus the earth and sky, and ten arms holding all the weapons of Vishnu, symbolizing all her reincarnations.
Accompanied by a white swan, holding a book to portray knowledge in one hand and a cure in the other, as the goddess of Education