Gayatri Mantra
The Gayatri Mantra, Rigveda 3.62.10: a prayer to Savitr, the Sun's divine light, to inspire and illumine our understanding.
Verses
We meditate on the glorious light of the divine Sun (Savitr); may it illuminate our intellect and guide our understanding.
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Sunday (Raviwar)
Sunrise (Pratahkal) & Brahma Muhurta
Arghya (water in copper vessel), Red flowers (Hibiscus), Sandalwood & Akshat
- Vitality, radiant health (Arogya), and eye strength
- Removal of planetary afflictions (Surya Dosha) and career obstacles
Background
The Gayatri Mantra is a single verse of the Rigveda, Mandala 3, hymn 62, verse 10 (3.62.10). Tradition attributes the hymn to the seer Vishvamitra. Its deity is Savitr, the divine impeller, who is the Sun as the power that sets the world and the mind in motion each dawn. The verse is in the Gayatri metre, of three lines of eight syllables, and this gives the mantra its name. In the Rigveda the verse stands alone, and verses 11 and 12 of the same hymn go on to praise Savitr. For recitation it is preceded by Om and the three vyahritis, bhur, bhuvah and svah, as it appears on this page. Hindu families say it at sandhya, the prayer at dawn, noon and dusk, and it is traditionally the first mantra a boy is taught at the upanayana, the sacred-thread ceremony. It is a prayer for clear understanding, and it asks for nothing else.
Story & Significance
Composed in the 24-syllable Gayatri meter and drawn from Rigveda 3.62.10, this mantra invokes the radiant light of Savitur to awaken higher intellect.
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Word by word
Tat savitur varenyam means that excellent (Savitr), and bhargo devasya is the radiance of the god. Dhimahi means we meditate. In the last line dhiyo is our thoughts or understanding, and yo nah pracodayat asks that he stir and guide them.
Savitr, the impeller
The name Savitr comes from the root su, to set in motion. The prayer does not ask for wealth or victory. It asks that the same light that wakes the world should wake the understanding.
Twenty-four syllables
Each of the three lines has eight syllables, when varenyam is read with its old four-syllable value. The Gayatri metre gives the mantra its name and is one of the oldest Vedic metres.
Om and the vyahritis
The Rigveda verse begins at tat savitur. The prefix Om bhur bhuvah svah is added in recitation, and the three words are traditionally explained as earth, the space between, and heaven.
The first mantra of the sacred thread
At the upanayana, the Gayatri is the first mantra whispered to the boy by his teacher. Traditional households say it at the three sandhyas of the day, and it is often called the mother of the Vedas.
Surya
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