Mantra of wisdom and finding harmony with the world. One of the most famous mantras, preserved to our times in ancient scriptures. Regular repetition of the Gayatri mantra with faith, sincerity, devotion and concentration leads to purification of the mind and body, grants wisdom, prosperity, peace, enlightenment, removes all obstacles on the path, relieves fears, dangers, purifies karma, blesses with liberation, and also leads to development of the spiritual mind.
The Gayatri mantra first appeared in the Rigveda, an early Vedic text written between 1800 and 1500 BCE. It is also mentioned as an important ritual in the Bhagavad Gita. This mantra is dedicated to Savitur, the sun god. The sun is both physical and spiritual, it illuminates the way for people and bestows harmony with the world.
Gayatri is the Mother of all Sacred Vedas (Gayatri Chandhasam matha), she has three names: Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati. Gayatri – personifies the senses and is the mistress of the senses. Savitri – personifies the truth and is the mistress of Prana (Life Force). Saraswati is responsible for speech (waak). These three goddesses represent purity in thought, word and deed and are present in each of us.
Text and translation of the Gayatri Mantra
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayaat
We meditate on the Divine Light of spiritual consciousness
Creator of the universe and worthy of worship
Giver of knowledge and remover of all sins and ignorance
May it enlighten our minds
OM – Primordial sound vibration underlying Creation; Brahman; Spirit; Primal Light
BHUR – Bhur loka (physical plane; Earth plane of existence; material world or Prakriti – Nature)
BHUVA – Bhuva loka (middle world; subtle world); Also, Bhuva is Prana Shakti – all-pervading energy
SVAHA – Svarga loka (Heavenly plane of existence – the land of the Gods or the heavenly spheres)
TAT – That, That (demonstrative pronoun); Supreme Reality, inexpressible in words
SAVITUR – That from which all this is born; from which everything emerges
VARENYAM – Worthy of worship, reverence; desired
BHARGO – Radiance, Spiritual Effulgence; Light that gives Wisdom
DEVASYA – Divine Reality
DHIMAHI – We meditate (dhyana – meditation, the seventh step of yoga); contemplate
DHIYO – Buddhi, spiritual intelligence
YO – Which
NAH – Our
PRACHODAYAT – Enlighten; let it shine!