Gayatri Mantra:

Aum

Bhur Bhuvah Swavah

Tat Savitur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi

Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat

Meaning:

We meditate (Dhimahi) on the Supreme Brightness (Bhargo) of that adorable Divine (Varenyam Devasya), the source (Savitur) of the three planes- the Gross (Bhuh- the physical world), the subtle (Bhuvah- in between the earth and the heaven) and the potential (Savah- the heavenly plane). May That Supreme Divine (Tat) stimulate (Prachodayat) our (Nah) intelligence (Dhiyah), so that we may realize the Supreme Truth.

Comments:

God is worshipped in an image (Murti) by many, yet God is beyond any form (otherwise God will be limited). Here the devotee is encouraged to meditate on God as dazzling light which has no form. Most devotees worship God in Father image (Krishna, Rama, Shiva…) or in Mother image (Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati…). Gayatri mantra reminds the devotees that God is beyond any concept of gender. Thus God is referred here as “That” (Tat).

Since God is the source of all, God is referred here as Savita (originates from the word “Prasavita”- the one who gives birth). Since the earth is believed to have originated from the sun, the Sun is commonly referred as “Savita”. Here Savita is not the sun, but the source of everything, including the sun (In Isha Upanishad, for example, the devotee prays to the sun to withdraw its bright rays so that the devotee can behold the One who is behind the sun. The source of the sun is God; the sun is merely an instrument.).

With Gayatri mantra, one prays for intellect and knowledge (the knowledge that leads to God realization), and nothing else. One is encouraged to recite Gayatri mantra many times (10 times, 108 times and more, according to capacity), so that the mind is focused on the Ultimate Goal of life- Knowledge of the Supreme- rather than on the fleeting mundane world.

Gayatri mantra is non-sectarian and without any dogma. It belongs to the humanity. Man and woman of any country belonging to any race or religion can recite it. It is meant to transform an ordinary human to a superhuman through perseverance, devotion, forbearance and realization.