Gayatri Mantra - गायत्री मंत्र
Gayatri (gaayatree) mantra is the most important and popular verse (shlok/a) of the Vedas (ved/s). Hindus love to chant this sacred religious shlok as mantra (maNtra). It is sometimes called 'Maha Mantra'. Maha (mahaa) means 'great'.
In DevaNagari script :
ॐ भूर्भुवः॒ स्वः॒
तत्स॑वितुर्वरे॑ण्यम्
भ॒र्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि।
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त्॥
Without Stress Marks & Halant:
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात॥
Transliteration of Gayatri Mantra
In Roman alphabet (using xNagari transliteration):
Om bhoor-bhuvaH svaH,
tat-savitur-vareNNyam,
bhargo devasya dheemahi,
dhiyo yo naH pracho-dayaat.
ॐ (ओ३म्) = Om or Aum
भूर्भुवः (भूर्-भुवः) = bhoor-bhuvaH
स्वः = svaH
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम्
(तत्-सवितुर्-वरेण्यम्) = tat-savitur-vareNNyam
भर्गो (भर्-गो) = bhargo
देवस्य = devasya
धीमहि = dheemahi
धियो = dhiyo
यो = yo
नः = naH
प्रचोदयात (प्रचोदयात) = pracho-dayaat
Interpretations of Gayatri Mantra
There are variations/differences in the interpretations of the Gayatri Mantra by various scholars. But every one agrees that it is a great prayer.
By Max Muller :
Let us obtain (meditate on) the adorable splendour of Savitri (Sun God), may He arouse our minds.
By Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati :
'O God, You are the giver of life, the remover of pain & sorrow, the bestower of happiness; O Creator of the Universe, may we receive Your supreme sin-destroying light; may You guide our intellect in the right direction.'
![[Gayatri Mantra in Devanagari]](gayatri.gif)
Meaning of Words in The Mantra
Om = pranav mantra = a word related to the God
bhoo(r) = bhooH = the earth
bhuvaH = bhuvarloka, the air (vaayu-maNdal)
svaH = svarga, heaven
tat = that
savit(ur) = savit = Sun, God
vareNNya(m) = adopt(able), follow
bhargo = energy (sin destroying power)
devasya = of the deity
dheemahi = meditate or imbibe
dhiyo = plural of dhee = mind, the intellect
yo = Who (God)
naH = our
prachodayat = inspire, awaken
Excuse me for writing the (following) translations of the mahaa maNtra...
भू:, भुव: और स्व: के उस वरण करने योग्य (सूर्य) देवता,,, की (बुराईयों का नाश करने वाली) शक्तियों (देवता की) का ध्यान करें (करते हैं),,, वह (जो) हमारी बुद्धि को प्रेरित/जाग्रत करे (करेगा/करता है)।
Simply :
तीनों लोकों के उस वरण करने योग्य देवता की शक्तियों का ध्यान करते हैं, वह हमारी बुद्धि को प्रेरित करे।
The God (Sun) of the Earth, Atmosphere and Heaven, that who is to be followed, we meditate on his power, may He inspire (guide) our intellect/minds (consciousness).
The main difference in the various interpretations seems to be in the first stanza!
According to Dayanand Saraswati (dayaanand sarasvatee)
bhooH (bhoor) = praNNaadhaar (basis of life)
bhuvaH = remover of sorrow
svaH = giver of happyness
Download Gayatri Mantra PDF File
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![[Gayatri Mantra: small text]](gayatri_64.gif)