Gayatri Mantra Meaning, Origin and Folklore

The Gayatri Mantra or the Savitri Mantra is one of the most powerful & sacred mantras from the Rig Veda that is devoted to Savitri, the goddess of 5 elements.

The verse is composed as per the ancient Vedic metre termed as Gayatri. The Mantra starts with OM and then ends with the great mystical utterance or the Mahavyahṛti i.e. bhur bhuvaḥ svaḥ.

It is believed that frequent recitation of the Mantra will bring happiness to your lives.

The Mantra – Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10)

The Gayatri Mantra as per the Rig Veda;

Aum

Bhuh Bhuvah Svah

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

The Gayatri mantra in Devanagari:

ॐ भूर् भुवः सुवः ।

तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं

भर्गो॑ देवस्यधीमहि ।

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Origin and History

The term “Gayatri” is originated from a Sanskrit phrase “Gayantam Triyate iti” which defines that the mantra will rescue the chanter from all the adversity and will lead the person towards the path of morality and wisdom.

The Gayatri mantra was composed by Vishvamitra and the name has been cited in various Hindu texts and religious books like;

1. The Bhagavad Gita
2. The Srauta Liturgy
3. Harivamsa
4. Manusmṛti

It often related to Goddess Gayatri that is also called as the Veda Mata which means the mother of all the Hindu Vedas.

The 4 Hindu Vedas that form the basis of reality between the true and the cognitive world.

The Gayatri mantra is composed of a metre also known as tripadhi, which have been given the name as the Gayatri Chhanda or the Gayatri Metre.

This ancient Vedic metre consists of 24 syllables that are arranged in a triplet of eight syllables each.

Buddha described the mantra and its association with the Vedic Metre as “expressing their appreciation” for the mantra.

In Hinduism, the mantra holds a special place for young males during the upanayana ceremony.

As per the traditional Hindu books and texts the Dvija men used this mantra since ages for their daily rituals.

In the 21^st century, the use of this mantra is quite widespread as the practice has involved women and people from all the castes.

Meaning and Symbolism

The true meaning of the Mantra is captured in the following lines i.e.

“O thou existence Absolute, Creator of the three dimensions, we contemplate upon thy divine light.

May He stimulate our intellect and bestow upon us true knowledge.”

This could also be simply translated into the following words i.e.

“O Divine mother, our hearts are filled with darkness. Please make this darkness distant from us and promote illumination within us.”

The 1^st word is Om or Aum is also called Pranav because its sound gets produced from the vital vibration or the Prana of humans.

The ancient Vedic books and text say that the one-syllable is Brahman i.e. Aum Iti Ek Akshara Brahman.

Letter	Pronunciation	Meaning
A	Originates from the navel region and emerges from the throat.	waking
U	Originates by rolling over the tongue softly.	dreaming
M	The terms originate and end on the lips of humans.	sleeping

It is the primitive vital sound symbolizes the Universal Absolute and it is the absolute sum and substance of the words that can be produced from the human throat.

Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Svah also called the “Vyahrities” are derived from 3 words i.e. the past, the present and the future. It is the one that gives the knowledge and wisdom to the entire cosmos also known as Ahriti.

As per the ancient texts just by saying these 3 words one contemplates the Glory of God and enriches their experience of life. It is written as below;

“Visheshenh Aahritih Sarva viraat, praahlaanam prakashokaranh vyahritih”.

Now below is the meaning and the interpretation of all the words of the Hindu Hymn Gayatri Mantra i.e.

Word	Meaning	Hindi Version
Om	The Universal Absolute	ॐ
Bhur	The physical world	भूर्
Bhuvah	The mental world	भुवः
Svaha	The celestial or the spiritual world	स्वः
Tat	The Transcendental Paramatma	तत्
Savitur	Divine Sun	सवितुर
Varenium	Adore	वरेण्यं
Bhargo	Illumination	भर्गो
Devasya	Divine Grace	देवस्य
Dheemahi	We contemplate	धीमहि
Dhi	Intellect	धियो
Yo	Who or understanding	यो
Nah	Ours	नः
Prachodayat	Request, enlighten or guide	प्रचोदयात्

Usage of Gayatri Mantra

The mantra has found its usage even in the 21^st century and is still the basis of many religious and technical findings.

Here we have listed some of the religious usages of the Mantra;

Usage	Significance
Brahmo Samaj	The first divine workshop of the Brahmo Samaj used Gayatri mantra.
Hindu Revivalism	It spread due to various Hindu reforms in the 19th century.
Indonesian Hinduism	It is uttered 3 times a day as per their culture and traditions.
Mantra Recitation	It has been used as a popular method in various Tantric prayers and ceremonies.
Upanayana Ritual	It marks the beginning of the study of ancient Vedas by young Hindu men.

Conclusion

Gayatri Mantra has enormous power, can be sung at any time and any place for peace, wisdom and happiness. The Savitri Mantra is one of the most influential and holy mantras from the Rig Veda.

It is devoted to Savitri, the deity of 5 ultimate elements. It is believed that recurrent recital of the Mantra will bring pleasure and joy to your lives.

Let us know in the comment, what are your views about this Hindu Hymn.

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