What is the Meaning of the Gayatri Mantra?

The Gayatri Mantra is a universal, non-personal prayer beseeching the Almighty to lead all beings onto the righteous path and bless us with enlightenment and realization of the Supreme Truth. It is a prayer addressed to the symbolic representation of the Supreme Divinity, believed to reside in the sun. The mantra's meaning and significance is very vast in scope and takes most people years of meditation and practice to internalize.

Identification

What is most commonly referred to as the Gayatri Mantra is in fact the Savitri Mantra, which is the most powerful and significant among a family of Gayatri Mantras. Gayatri is the name of the Vedic poetic meter made up of 24 syllables. It occurs in the Rig Veda (one of the four Vedas) and addresses the Sun or Source of the Universe, referred to as Savita (Savitur--Brightness). Thus the name Savitri Mantra. The Gayatri Mantra is considered to be the essence of the Vedas--the most ancient written texts, dating to the earliest civilizations in India. They are believed to have been passed on orally for over 100,000 years before they were recorded as written texts. It is believed that the Vedas and the Gayatri Mantra, which is central to them, revealed themselves to ancient Rishis or sages and have been existent since the beginning of time. They are considered the words or vibrations emanating from the Supreme Being and are thus universal, all-pervasive and time-encompassing.

Features

The following is the nearest representation of the Gayatri Mantra text using English alphabets :
Om Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvah
Tat-Savitur-Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

Translation

According to Svami Mukhyananda, author of the book "Om Gayatri and Sandhya," published by Sri Ramakrishna Matt, Chennai, India, the syllables and words in the Gayatri Mantra translate as follows:

Om--An auditory symbol that represents the essence of the four planes of the Supreme Infinite or the Absolute
Bhur/ Bhuh--Physical plane or waking state
Bhuvah--Subtle or Psychical plane, dream state
Suvah--Causal plane, formless, objectless, pure, dreamless, deep-sleep state
Tat--That (Supreme Being)
Savitr/Savitur--The source of the three phenomenal worldly planes
Turiya /Tur--The Fourth plane that stands for the Absolute, when the mind merges with its source
Varenyam Devasya--the Adorable Supreme Divine Reality
Bhargo/Bhargas--Spiritual Radiance
Dhiimahi--We meditate
Dhiyo Yo / Dhiyah Nah--Our Intelligence
Prachodayat--Stimulate, Inspire

The purport of the Gayatri Mantra is:

Om, we meditate (Dhiimahi) on the Spiritual Radiance (Bhargas) of that adorable Supreme Divine Reality (Varenyam Devasya), the Source (Savitr) of the three phenomenal world-planes--the physical (Bhuh), the subtle or psychical (Bhuvah), and the potential or causal (Suvah), both macrocosmically and microcosmically. May that Supreme Divine Being (Tat) stimulate (Prachodayat) our (Nah) intelligence (Dhiyah), so that we may realize the Supreme Truth.

Considerations

The power of the Gayatri Mantra, like the rest of the Vedas, lies in its meaning and its accurate pronunciation. It is important to learn to pronounce each syllable correctly from a Guru. Knowledge of Sanskrit is helpful but not mandatory in ensuring that one learns the right way to pronounce the Mantra. Normally, the Gayatri Mantra is officially imparted during the traditional initiation ceremony (Upanayanam). Before attempting to learn to pronounce the Mantra, it is recommended that one at least listen to its correct rendition.

Misconceptions

Commonly mistaken to be a prayer of Hindu Brahmins, the Gayatri Mantra, in fact, does not have reference to any religion, deity, country, race or sex. It is a universal prayer that can be used by any person who chooses to. Purity of intention and thought are the only criteria necessary to use this prayer Mantra.

Resources

• Om Gayatri and Sandhya; Svami Mukhyananda; 2001