1. History of the Gayatri Mantra
The Gayatri mantra first appeared in the Rig Veda, an early Vedic text written between 1800 and 1500 BCE.It is mentioned in the Upanishads as an important ritual and in the Bhagavad Gita as the poem of the Divine. The Gayatri is the most sacred phrase uttered in the Vedas. It doesn’t get more ancient, more sacred, than this. “It’s an ecstatic poetic moment.”The mantra is a hymn to Savitur, the sun god.The sun in the mantra represents both the physical sun and the Divine in all things. TheVedic mind doesn’t separate the physical presence of the sun from its spiritual or symbolic meaning.
2. Gayatri Mantra in Sanskrit :
Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
3. Gayatri Mantra in English Translation :
The eternal, earth, air, heaven
That glory, that resplendence of the sun
May we contemplate the brilliance of that light
May the sun inspire our minds.
4. Meaning of The Gayatri Mantra
Om, that (Divine Illumination) which Pervades the Bhu Loka (Physical Plane), Bhuvar Loka ( the Astral Plane)
and Suvar Loka ( the Celestial Plane),
That Savitr (Divine Illumination) which is the Most Adorable,
On that Divine Radiance we Meditate,
May that Enlighten Our Intellect and Awaken our Spiritual Wisdom.
5. Wordwise Meaning of The Gayatri Mantra
The three words of the Gayatri (Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Svah), which literally means “past,” “present,” and “future,” are called Vyahrities.
Vyahriti is that which gives knowledge of entire cosmos or “ahriti”.
Tat simply means “that” because it defies description through speech or language, the “Ultimate Reality.”
Savitur means “Divine Sun” (the ultimate light of wisdom) not to be confused with the ordinary sun.
Varenium means “adore”
Bhargo means “illumination”
Devasya means “Divine Grace”
Dheemahi means “we contemplate”
Dhi means intellect
Yo means “who”
Nah means “ours”
Prachodayat means “requesting / urging / praying”
The last five words constitute the prayer for final liberation through the awakening of our true intelligence.
