Gayatri Mantra Meaning and Significance:

Gayatri mantra recommends meditating upon causation across the multiple translations to believe in the purifying direction of Divine insight, direction of the senses, inspire understanding and intellect, progress, journey to the sacred seat, choosing the right path for us, visualize the sun within ourselves because as above it exists below. Gayatri mantra suggests Bhoor, this implies existence, and signifies Prana, life, or life breath. The mantra suggests tat, meaning "that", offer of praise to the Him is to expect that no such praise or personal benefits are offered in return or expectation of gain. This word tat and prayer indicates a selfless belief and practice, the mantra as well as the holy word "Om", is given to God with pure direction. Savitur indicates God's existence as a fountain, which springs forth all life and all things, which we go from and go back to. Bhargo is the purifying of the intellect, as ore is refined in the flames, we to are purified by the words, destroying all sins and afflictions, we are cleansed by His grace and are in unity and oneness with Him. Oneness with Him is free from impurities in thought.

The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to Savitri, the deity of five elements. Gāyatrī is the name of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. Its recitation is traditionally preceded by oṃ and the formula bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, known as the mahāvyāhṛti, or "great (mystical) utterance". Vishvamitra had created the Gayatri mantra. The Gayatri mantra is cited widely in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, such as the mantra listings of the Śrauta liturgy, and classical Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, Harivamsa, and Manusmṛti. The mantra and its associated metric form was known by the Buddha, and in one sutra the Buddha is described as "expressing their appreciation" for the mantra. The mantra is an important part of the upanayana ceremony for young males in Hinduism, and has long been recited by dvija men as part of their daily rituals. Modern Hindu reform movements spread the practice of the mantra to include women and all castes and its use is now very widespread.

The main mantra appears in the hymn RV 3.62.10. During its recitation, the hymn is preceded by oṃ (ॐ) and the formula bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ (भूर् भुवः स्वः). This prefixing of the mantra is properly described in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (2.11.1-8), which states that it should be chanted with the syllable oṃ, followed by the three Vyahrtis and the Gayatri verse. Whereas in principle the gāyatrī mantra specifies three pādas of eight syllables each, the text of the verse as preserved in the Samhita is one short, seven instead of eight. Metrical restoration would emend the attested tri-syllabic vareṇyaṃ with a tetra-syllabic vareṇiyaṃ.

The Gayatri mantra is, in Devanagari:

ॐ भूर् भुवः सुवः ।
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो॑ देवस्यधीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

In IAST:

oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥ
tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasyadhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt
– Rigveda 3.62.10

The Gāyatrī mantra is dedicated to Savitṛ, a Vedic Sun deity. However many monotheistic sects of Hinduism such as Arya Samaj hold that the Gayatri mantra is in praise of One Supreme Creator known by the name AUM (ओउ्म् ) as mentioned in the Yajur Veda, 40:17.


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