Religious Articles
GAYATRI MANTRA	Return to Articles Index
Our ancient Rishis have clearly understood the significance of Gãyatri Mantra in cognizing the relation between a jeeva, the universe and the Reality which underlies both. They have perceived that the Ãtma (Self) in a jeeva is enveloped by the pancha košas (five sheaths) and because of the impurities in these košas, the Reality of the Self is not revealed when the Self expresses Itself through the body-mind equipment, just like light passing through a medium is distorted by the impurities in the medium. It is their observation that Gãyatri Mantra has the potency to remove these impurities and the Self reveals Itself through the viveka buddhi (discriminating intellect) of such a purified being, known as jeevanmukta. Since one who is thus purified by chanting this Mantra, is “saved” from the calamity born out of ignorance (of Reality), this Mantra is called “Gãyatri” (Gãyantam Trãyate Iti Gãyatri). This Mantra appears in all the four vedas and is made part of the daily sandhya worship performed immediately before sunrise and sunset. The first part of the Mantra (Om Bhuh Bhuvah Suvah) is an invocation to the pranava and the Mahã Vyãhritis (physical, mental and astral planes) in which we live. The middle part of the Mantra (Tat savituh varenyam; Bhargo devasya dheemahe) is an invocation to Savita (Sun), the presiding Deity of our solar system and means - “we meditate on the brilliant effulgence of Savita, the Sun god”. And the last part of the Mantra (Dhiyo yo nah prachodayãt) is a prayer to the Deity and means “please give us the viveka buddhi through which we shall be Enlightened” This Mantra is chanted in the meter, known as “Gãyatri Chandas”, from which all other meters are derived - Gãyatri Chandasãm Mãtã. Also, as Lord Krishna says in the Gita, He manifests Himself in this meter (Gãyatri Chandasãm Aham). Further, the Rishis have prescribed silent chanting (japa) of this Mantra because such chanting is the most efficacious, since the Lord manifests Himself in a japa as declared by Lord Krishna in the Gita - Yajnãnãm japa yajnosmi. Thus, this is a very sacred and potent Mantra, by chanting which alone one can attain Self-Realization or Liberation. There are Gãyatri Mantras invoking other Deities as well, all in the same meter as the primary mantra described above.
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