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Articles: Philosophy | GAYATRI MANTRA - BENEFIT AND SIGNIFICANCE IN HINDUISM
- Amrapaali
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Gayathri, Savitri and Saraswati are three goddesses representing the presiding deities of the famous Gayathri mantra chanted thrice a day.
Gayathri is the presiding deity of the morning prayer and rules over the Rig-Veda and the garhapatya fire. Every grihasta (householder)was expected to keep 5 or 3 sacred fires(Five fires: ahavaneeya, dakshagni, garhapatya, sawta, aavasadha.) in his house to perform Vedic rituals.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry: rhyme and meter are not written whimsically. The Gayathri Mantra has a Vedic metre of 24 syllables. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gayathri mantra, chanted by properly qualified persons, is the most prominent. The Gayathri mantra is mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Great sins are said to be expiated by a pious recitation of this Gayathri verse which reads as follows:
Om bhoor bhuvassuvaha,
Tatsa Vitur varenyam,
Bhargo devasya dheemahi,
Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat
Gayathri mantra is meant for realization of God and is regarded as representing the Supreme Lord. It is meant for spiritually advanced people. Success in chanting it enables one to enter the
transcendental position of the Lord. But,in order to chant the
Gayathri mantra, it is necessary for one to first acquire the
qualities of the perfectly balanced person in terms of the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature. The Gayathri mantra is considered to be the sonic incarnation of Brahman and is regarded as very important in Vedic civilization. In Bhagavad-Gita...
(Ch. 10. 35), Lord Krishna states:
Brihat saama latha saamnaam
Gayathri chandasaam aham
Maasaanam maarga sirshoham
Ritunaam kusumaakaraha
Among the hymns, I am the Brihat saama sung to Lord Indra,
Of the poetry, I am the Gayathri verse sung daily by the initiated, Of all the nuwsas (months), I am the margasira (November- December) Among all the ritus (seasons), I am the flower bearing - spring.
Gayathri is depicted seated on a lotus. She is depicted with five faces representing the pancha pranas /pancha vayus(five lives/winds):prana, apana, vyana, udana, samana, of the five principles/ elements (pancha tatwas) earth, water, air, fire, sky (prithvi, jala, vayu, teja, aakasha). She has 10 hands carrying the five ayudhas: shankha; chakra, kamala, varada, abhaya, kasha, ankusha, ujjwala utensil,rudrakshi mala.
Hindu Temples across the world perform Gayathri havan (homam)
periodically to propitiate the Lord. Ghee (rectified butter) is
applied during the homa by all the participants seated around the homa-kunda.
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