
Gayatri Mantra
Om Bhur Bhuvaha Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat
Literal meaning of the gayatri Mantra:
O God! You are Omnipresent and Almighty. You are all Light. You are all Knowledge and Bliss. You are Destroyer of fear, You are Creator of this Universe, You are the Greatest of all. We bow and meditate upon Your light. You guide our intellect in the right direction.
Word-to-word meaning of the gayatri Mantra
Om - The primordial sound; Brahman
Bhur - Earth or the physical realm
Bhuvah - The mental realm
Svah - The celestial realm
Tat - That (referring to the Divine)
Savitur - The sun God or divine light, the source of all life
Varenyam - Adorable, fit to be worshipped
Bhargo - Divine light, spiritual radiance, effulgence
Devasya - The divine being or God
Dheemahi - We meditate upon
Dhiyo - The intellect
Yo - Who, that which
Nah - Our, of us
Prachodayat - May inspire, Enlighten
When to chant the Mantra?
Gayatri mantra is devoted to the Vedic solar deity gayatri and is regarded as a maha Mantra. Three distinct periods of the day are typically designated for its chanting.
Morning—Before and During Sunrise: Chanting the gayatri Mantra in the early morning, right before sunrise, is the first and most crucial period. Chanting should start just before sunrise and last till the sun comes up.
Afternoon: Since the sun is at its zenith in the afternoon, this is the second suggested time.
Evening: Before and During Sunset: The third time, the mantra should be said in the evening, beginning just before sunset and continuing until a little after it has passed.
In addition to these three repetitions, the gayatri Mantra should be sung in silence. It is not appropriate to chant mantras loudly.