Gayatri Devi - Gayathri Mantra

Gayatri Mantra - Chant & Invocation Of Gayathri

OM BHUR BHUVAH SWAH
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAT

Meaning Of The Gayatri Mantra

Om: The primeval sound
Bhur: The physical world
Bhuvah: The mental world
Swah: The celestial, spiritual world
Tat: That; God; Transcendental Paramatma
Savitur: The Sun, Creator, Preserver
Varenyam: Most adorable, Enchanting
Bhargo: Luster, Effulgence
Devasya: Resplendent, Supreme Lord
Dheemahi: We meditate upon
Dhiyo: The intellect, Understanding
Yo: May this light
Nah: Our
Prachodayat: Enlighten, Guide, Inspire

Sathya Sai Baba: About Gayatri

“Gayatri is known as Panchamukhi, meaning she has five faces. What are they? Aum is the first face; ‘Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha’ is the second; ‘Tat Savitur Varenyam’ is the third; ‘Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi’ is the fourth; ‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat’ is the fifth. The Gayatri has three parts: 1. Praise, 2. Meditation, and 3. Prayer. First, the Divine is praised, then it is meditated upon in reverence and lastly, an appeal is made to the Divine to dispel the darkness of ignorance and to awaken and strengthen the intellect. ‘Dheemahi’ is related to the meditative aspect. ‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat’ relates to the aspect of prayer. Chanting of the Gayatri Mantra purifies the mind and confers devotion, detachment and wisdom. Young men must necessarily chant the Gayatri Mantra. Today we find people getting initiated into the Gayatri Mantra in the advanced stages of their youth. Intellect will blossom and shine forth in all its splendor only after initiation into the Gayatri Mantra. That is why it is essential that Upanayanam be done at the age of eight. One who is initiated into the Gayatri Mantra at an early age will become highly intelligent. Chanting of the Gayatri Mantra will sanctify man’s life.”

Sathya Sai Baba: Three Potencies In Man

“The first line in the Gayathri Manthra is Om Bhurbhuvassuvah. This manthra is assumed to refer to three worlds: the earth, the middle world and heaven (or Swarga, the land of the gods). Bhu refers to the body. It is made up of the five elements (Pancha Bhutas). These five elements constitute nature (Prakriti). There is an intimate relationship between the body and nature. The same five elements that are in nature are also in the body. Bhuvah is the life force that animates the body (Praana Sakthi). Even if the life force exists, without Jnana (Awareness) the body will be of no use. It is on this account that the Vedas declared: Prajnaanam Brahma (Constant Integrated Awareness is Brahmam). It is by the presence of Prajnaana that the life force is able to animate the body. The body represents inert matter. The life force operates in the body as a vibration. This vibration derives its power from Prajnaana, which finds expression in radiation.

Therefore, the body, the life force and the Prajnaana are all within man. The entire cosmos is present in miniature within man. lt is because of these three constituents that we are able to see the cosmos and experience many other things. Every potency is within us. The external is a reflection of the inner being.

It follows from this that true humanness (maanavathvam) is divinity itself (Daivathvam). Hence, the Vedas declared that the divine appears in human form. Every human being is inherently divine, but owing to his attachment to the body he considers himself a mere man.

How did this human body get animated by the life force? Whence has this life force come? It is from the Atma Sakthi (the power of the Self). Making use of this power of the Self, the life force carries out all activities.”

Sathya Sai Baba: Triple Aspects Of Gayatri

“Who is Gaayathri? Gaayathri is not a Goddess. Gaayathri is the mother of the Vedas (Gaayathri Chandasaam maathaa). Gaayantham thraayathe ithi Gaayathri. Gaayathri is that which redeems the chanter of the manthra. Gaayathri is present wherever the manthra is chanted.

Gaayathri, however, has three names: Gaayathri, Saavitri, Saraswathi. These three are present in everyone. Gaayathri represents the senses. It is the master of the senses. Savitri is the master of the life force (Praana). Many Bharatiyas are familiar with the story of Saavitri who brought back to life her dead husband, Sathyavaan. Saavitri signifies truth. Saraswathi is the presiding deity of speech (Vaak). The three represent purity in thought, word and deed (Thrikarana Suddhi). Although Gaayathri has three names, all the three are in each of us as the senses (Gaayathri), the power of speech (Saraswathi) and the life force, (Saavithri).

Gaayathri is said to have five face and hence is called Panchamukhi. Is there anybody in the world with five faces? No. In the Ramayana, Ravana is said to have ten heads. If really he had ten heads, how would he be able to lie in his bed or move about? This is not the inner meaning of this description. He is said to be ten headed because he was the master of the four Vedas and the six Sastras. Likewise, Gaayathri is described as five faced. The five faces are: Om (the Pranava) is the first face. The Pranava principle represents the eight different forms of wealth (Ashta Aiswarya). The second face is: Bhurbhuvas-suvaha. The third is: Thath-Savitur-varenyam. The fourth is: Bhargo Devasya dheemahi. Dheeyo yo nah prachodayaath is the fifth face. When the Gaayathri mantra is understood in this way, it will be realised that all the five aspects of Gaayathri are within each of us.”

Sathya Sai Baba: Power Of Gayathri Manthra

“The Gaayathri manthra has all the three elements which figure in the adoration of God : description, meditation and prayer. The first nine words of the mantra represent the attributes of the divine, Om Bhur-Bhuvas-Suvah Thath Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya. Dheemahi pertains to dhyaana (meditation). Dheeyo yo nah Prachodayaath is the prayer to the Lord. The mantra is thus a prayer to God to confer all powers and talents.

Sarvaroganivaarini Gaayathri: Gaayathri is the reliever of all diseases. Sarvaduhkha parivaarini Gaayathri: Gaayathri wards off all misery. Sarvavaancha phalasri Gaayathri: Gaayathri is the fulfiller of all desires. Gaayathri is the bestower of all that is beneficial. If the mantra is chanted, various kinds of powers will emerge in one.

Hence the Gaayathri mantra should not be treated casually. In our respiration process the sound of Gaayathri is imbedded. That sound is a reminder of our true form. In the breathing process, there is inhalation and exhalation. In the Yoga Sastra inhalation is termed Poorakam and the exhalation is called Rechakam. Holding the breath is called Kumbhakam. When air is inhaled, the sound that is produced is So-o-o. When it is exhaled the sound is Ham-m-m. So-ham, So-ham (Bhagavan demonstrated how this happens while breathing in and out). So is That. Ham is I. I am That. I am Divine. Every breath proclaims this. The Vedas declared the same thing in the pronouncements: Thath Thvam Asi (That thou art), Aham Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman), Ayam Atma Brahma (This Atma is Brahman).

Don’t imagine God is somewhere remote from you. He is within you . You are God. People want to see God. Sathyam Jnaanam Anantham Brahma say the scriptures. Truth is God. Wisdom is God. Both these are present everywhere. They transcend the categories of time and place. Truth is that which is valid at all times past, present an future. That truth is Gaayathri.

Gaayathri is thus the indweller in the heart (Hridaya). Hridaya contains the word Daya meaning compassion. There is compassion in every heart. But to what extent is it shown in real life? Very little. All the while only anger, jealousy, pride and hatred are displayed. These evil qualities are not natural to man. They are opposed to human nature.

Well, what is the real meaning of the word Gayathri? Does any one try to know it today? The word is taken to mean either a Goddess or a formula. Gayathri is that which protects (Thra) the Gaya-s, or Pranas or the Indriyas, beginning with Vaak. Besides, it is said, ‘Gaayantham thraayathe yasmaad gayathri, thena thathyathe’. That is to say that which saves those who sing it, or revere it and repeat it or meditate on it is called Gayathri. It is this sacred Manthra that transformed a Rajarshi like Viswamithra into Brahmarshi. The Vedamaatha, the mother that is the Veda, will confer all boons on all those who worship Her. That Goddess is described in glorious terms in Brahmanas and in the Dharmasuthras: if you understand these clearly, you can realize it, unaided.”

Other Types Of Gayatris

Gayatri of Ganesha:
OM Ekadantaya Vidmahe Vakkratundaya Dheemahi, Tanno Danti Prachodayat

Gayatri of Vishnu:
OM Narayanaya Vidmahe Vasudevaya Dheemahi, Tanno Vishnuh Prachodayat

Gayatri of Siva:
OM Tatpurshaya Vidmahe Sahasrakshaya Mahadevaya Dheemahi, Tanno Rudrah Prachodayat

Gayatri of Rama:
OM Dasarathaye Vidnahe Sitavallabhaya Dheemahi, Tanno Ramah Prachodayat

Gayatri of Krishna:
OM Devakinandanaya Vidnahe Vasudevaya Dheemahi, Tannah Krishnah Prachodayat

Gayatri of Durga:
OM Katyayanyai Vidmahe Kanyakumaryai Dheemahi, Tanno Durga Prachodayat

Gayatri of Lakshmi:
OM Mahadevyai Cha Vidmahe Vishnupatnyai Cha Dheemai Tanno Lakshmih Prachodayat

Gayatri of Saraswati:
OM Vagdevyai Cha Vidnahe Kamarajaya Dheemai Tanno Devi Prachodayat

Gayatri of Shakti, Cosmic Power:
OM Sarvasammohinyai Vidmahe Visvajananayai Dheemai Tannah Shaktih Prachodayat

Gayatri of the Guru:
OM Gurudevaya Vidmahe parabrahmane Dheemai Tanno Guru Prachodayat

Gayatri of Surya, the Sun:
OM Bhaskaraya Vidmahe Mahadyutikaraya Dheemai Tanno Adityah Prachodayat

Phonetic Spellings: guyatree guyatre guyatri guyathri giyatri giyathri gayathri gayatree gayatre guyahtre guyahtree guyahtri guyahthri