gayatri mantra

[praveen]

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This is the Gayatri Mantra. It has a Vedic meter of 24 syllables.

OM BHOOR BHUVAHA SWAAHAA
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAAT​

This Mantra was constructed by Muni Vishwaamitra Jee. It is said in Shree Mad Bhaagvat Puraan that only the twice-born Braahman can do its Jaap or can pronounce it, but many people see it differently. They say that since it is to worship Soorya Dev (Sun), and anybody can worship Soorya Dev, so anybody can pronounce it.

​

The 24 Letters of Gayatri Mantra and Significance of Each Letter
The following table gives the 24 letters of the Gayatri spell and its relation to the power.
1. 'tat' - tapini - fruitfulness
2 'sa' - saphaltaa - valor
3 'vi' - vishwa - perseverance
4 'tur' - tushti - welfare
5 'va' - varad - yoga
6 're' - revatee - love
7 'ni' - sookshm - wealth
8 'yam' - gyaan - luster
9 'bhar' - bharga - protection
10 'go' - gomatee - wisdom
11 'de' - devikaa - subjugation
12 'va' - varahi - allegiance
13 'sya' - sinhanee - determination
14 'dhi' - dhyaan - life
15 'ma' - maryaadaa - time
16 'hi' - sphutaa - penance
17 'dhi' - medhaa - forecast
18 'yo' - yogamaayaa - alertness
19 'yo' - yoginee - production
20 'nah' - dhanin - protection
21 'pra' - prabhaav - idealism
22 'cho' - ooshmaa - adventure
23 'da' - drishya - discrimination
24 'at' - niranjan - service.
The 24 powers of Gayatri mentioned above awaken certain qualities, and along with this awakening one starts getting success and prosperity i.e., Siddhi. Many feel that these benefits are showered by some God or Goddess. But in reality the development of the subtle force is within themselves. If they are able to know the subtle force working in them, they will realize that such benefits do not accrue of their own accord and that all of them are the results of the interplay of spiritual forces in them. Gayatri Saadhanaa and Upaasanaa is not blind faith, but a scientific process whose development and progress are sure to yield the desired fruits.

 

[bagya]

Can women chant Gayathri Mantra?

Sir
I read somewhere that Gayathri Mantra should not be recited by women. Is this true?

Nandriyudan,
Bagya

 

[venkatraj_hr]

In today's scenario, the restriction on women should not be insisted

 

[maruti]

Sir
I read somewhere that Gayathri Mantra should not be recited by women. Is this true?

Nandriyudan,
Bagya

Yes, according to Sanatana Dharma, women and Shudras are not supposed to study veda or recite Gayatri Mantra. While this may appear discriminatory, it actually makes sadhana easier for both of them, because all they have to do is study Itihaasas and puranas, perform their duties according to varnashrama dharma, doing which they attain mukti. Sadhana, therefore, is very simple for women and shudras. For Brahmins, it's not so easy and they have to follow rules and regs, failing which they incur sin.

 

[NARAS]

sir - it is a tradition that when reciting gayathi mantha (or any mantra) you should be in topless attire. that is why women are not allowed to recite this. hence there is no question of any discrimination.

 

[NARAS]

sirs- mantras should be recited properly with certain sounds so that they give correct meaning. i understand if you recite mantras wrongly, you may even end up asking from god for something wrong or bad for you! that is why, perhaps restrictions have been placed on reciting these mantras.

 

[ssiyer]

Excellent and thankyou very much for meaning in every letters of mantra

 

[GGR]

Praveen, Please state your source (book, websites) for this translation. Couple of books I have and read, have totally different meaning and view points.
Thanks

-GGR

 

[kspv]

Rajiv,

Gayathri Mantra does have multiple and varying interpretations. It is generally agreed amongst the believers that the meaning of the Gayathri Mantra is layered.

The simplest meaning, which is a prayer for light, occurs when the words of the poem are transliterated into Sanskrit.

Secondary layer depends upon what you think this 'light' is, and whether you would want to imagine the supreme truth as light, Brahman, or the personified Goddess Gayathri. If you have an Ishta Devatha (favourite God / Goddess), you can even imagine Him /Her to be the 'light' while chanting the Gayathri Mantra. No problem in that!

Tertiary interpretations are by those who believe in Bijaksharas and the effect those Bijaksharas would have upon correctly pronouncing them. Each letter of Gayathri is given a meaning in this culture, which is what Praveen has probably done. Nevertheless, me too is interested to know his source.

In some scriptures, the Gayathri Mantra is given with an additional stanza as follows:

O Mapo Raso Amritam
Brahma Bhurbhuvassuvarom

This is how for a long time I used to chant it.

I prefer the simple meaning of Gayathri Mantra to the complex ones -an earnest prayer by a humble man for some light in his life- and I see this 'light' as wisdom, prosperity, health and peace.

I guess anybody, male or female, any one who is spiritually inclined, under calm surroundings and when one is in peace with one self, can recite it.

 

[pazhani]

hi naras,kspv

this depends as to the yardstick through which you see the things.

in thaithriya upanishad you would find

"gAyatri chaturvi(g)m satyaksharA tripadA"

which means the mantra comprises of 24 aksharas and 3 parts.

in what you call orthodox or traditional viewpoint, the mantra is allowed for thraivarnikas viz., brahmana, kshathriya and vaishya. even a brahmin lady is not allowed to chant. and tradition is always guhyam. the nuances of traditions is known from traditional sources "tad viddi pranipadena pariprashnena sevaya".

then the chanting. in the traditional chanting it is strictly chanted within swarabanda of udAtam, anudAtam, svaritam and dIrgasvaritam.

but what is said above is a glimpse of tradition.

this is a free for all world. there are as many swamijis as many matas as many institutions with differing views. and there are as many sincere followers of these institution where irrespective of caste, creed or even religion what they call gayathri manthrya is taught. all people are initiated.

svarabandam is traditional. now you can purchase gayathri bhajans casettes sponsored by these institutions. and even liberated reformist brahmins like gayathri bhajans very much!

in the fast changing world everything has become subjective.

so its all how you view it.

an offshoot of modernism is calling traditionalists backward looking.

backward or forward, in the society there is space for every sort of belief

and those beliefs which have the will to survive, naturally survive against any odds.

Cheers

 

[ramakrishnan]

Dear Friends,

As far as I know, Gayatri Mantra can be intrepreted as follows; (Please correct me if there is any mistake)

OM - Pranavam
BHOOR BHUVAHA SWAAHAA - 3 Vedangalukku Aadhaaramaagiya (Rig,Yazur & Sama)

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAAT - Sooriyamandalathil irundhukondu, Indha ulagathil vaazum anaithu uyirgalaiyum iyakkubavalaakiya Unnai Dhyaanam Seikiren

Gayatri Mantra to be recited as follows;

OM
BHOOR BHUVAHA SWAAHAA
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHEEMAHI
DHIYO YONAHA PRACHODAYAAT

 

[viswanathswamy.page.tl]

''according to Sanatana Dharma, women and Shudras are not supposed to study veda or recite Gayatri Mantra''.

in the present context or say in the 21st century who is a sudra or who could be defined as a shudra??

 

[hariharan1972]

Let us not dwelve into the past !

''according to Sanatana Dharma, women and Shudras are not supposed to study veda or recite Gayatri Mantra''.

in the present context or say in the 21st century who is a sudra or who could be defined as a shudra??

Viswanathswamy,

This is such a waste of time. Digging always into the past is what the KKK parties are doing & let us not repeat the mistake.

Today such classifications / restrictions have no relevance. Anyone who has necessary devotion & aptitude can study veda or recite GM.

If you insist my definition of who is a Sudra would be : Anyone who cannot look at himself in the mirror every morning & not be ashamed of anything that he did the previous day.

 

[navy-eswaran]

dear hari sir,
great all the religious teachings/scripts are available on the net now without restriction.
let us learn all the good things from all the religions.
regards
eswaran

 

[viswanathswamy.page.tl]

hari sir,
its a wonderful answer.
thankyou.

 

[NARAS]

sirs - any person who is a non vegetarian (even if he is a bramin) is an untouchable i.e. sudra, as per orthodoxy. hindu orthodoxy considers killing of animals as against nature and any human performing such anti-natural acts as an infidel. but the punishment for this infidelity is not death as in abrahamic religions. the punishment is banishing that infidel from all religious activities, so that he or she repents.

since holy mantras are always chanted by persons only in topless attire, women are prevented from reciting them. there is no discrimination here.

 

[NARAS]

sirs- there is another school of thought in orthodox hinduism which says that the 4 varnas represent 4 stages of a man's life. every person when born in this world is a sudra. because no child will have any knowledge about his or her culture upto a certain age. then he or she is a vaishya and a kshatriya for rest of his or her life, concentrating on wealth and security of his family. then when old age comes, he turns a brahmin as he completely pays attention to religous matters , after retiring from his profession. so if somebody says that shudra means all children in the world, do not be surprised!!

 

[viswanathswamy.page.tl]

G.Mantra

since holy mantras are always chanted by persons only in topless attire, women are prevented from reciting them. there is no discrimination here. [/quote]

sir, i find this claim a bit unconvincing for there are about 400 Rishis in the Rig Veda of whom atleast 25 are women. i would like to mention some of the names and the mantras revealed to them.

Aditi 4.18
Aditirdakshayani 10.72
Agastyasvasa 10.60.6
Indrani 10.86,10.145
Gosha Kakshivati 10.39, 10.40
Lopa mudra 1.179

should we assume that these Rshikas dwelled topless in their hermitages? or this idea is an interpolation?

thanks
viswanath swamy

 

[NARAS]

sirs - orthodox hinduism is as old as the hills. we do not know when exactly the practice of compulsorily reciting mantras in topless attire started. IMHO, it is quite possible that the female rishis who have been mentioned should have been imparted vedhic mantras before this custom of topless attire recitation started.

 

[Neemani]

The syllables when pronounced in vedic meter, usually all words their sounds in Samskrit are onamotopic ...like 'rustle' of the the leaves... the string of syllables in gayatri has so evovled (as discovered by Vishwa mitra) incidentally it comprises all the 24 bijaaksharas... a beast prays for a meal, a miser prays for money... an enlightment seeking aspirant ought to pray the supreme light that illumines/(light stiumulates photosynthesis on the physical world) the three worlds bhuh - gross, bhuvah- subtle - suvah - casual ... to stiumulate his intellect (which makes sense) which when properly enthroned on the top of Mind and the sense and action organs, will lead one to atma jnana. Beejakhsharas and their proper recitation will bestow corresponding benfit that rises out of nada vibration on the subtle body. When coupled with pranayama Anulom Vilom, the recitation would be triply benificial. Aditya hridaym bestowed by Agastyar to Rama is an elaboration of Gayatri itself. This is what some literature from RK. mission proclaims.. but whatever the theories behind the practice is vital in ones life.

 

[navy-eswaran]

dear sir, can anyone pl tell me where i can download "indrakshi kavacham". also tell me whether indrakshi kavacham and stotram are same.
regards
eswaran