Sanskrit word – “Gayatri” (pronounce “Gaayatree”), made up with combination of two different words - "Gaa" and "Yatree".
"Gaa" means to resonate and "Yatree" means guard. So, “Gayatri” means those who "worship her, or sing her praise, get protected".
Maa Gayatri is not a new or independent divinity. She is the ultimate power (“Shakti”) of Lord Brahmaa, Vishnu, Shiva, Raam and Krishna .
Lord Raam who came on this Earth in “Tretaa Yuga”, took the Deekshaa of Gayatri Mantra from Yogi Shri Vishwaamitra.
Lord Krishna, who came on this Earth in “Dwaapar Yug”, took the Deekshaa of Gayatri Mantra with his friend Shree Sudaamaa from their Guru Shri Sandeepan.
Even the Godhead Lord Shri Krishna says in the Holy Geetaa - "Among all the Mantra I am the Gayatri Mantra".
"Gayatri Mantra"
ll Om - Bhur Bhuvah Svahah Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dheeyo Yo Nah Prachodayaat ll
Here is the defined meaning of Devine Gayatri Mantra,h
AUM / Om = Supreme Power
BHUR = defender of the earth, the material casing, The Life breath of the Cosmos. From the feet to the navel.
BHUVAH = One of the meanings is the sky. The Lord who pervades and eliminates all miseries. From the navel to the throat center.
SVAHAH = One of the meanings is the heavens. He is all Bliss and blesses His devotees with happiness. From above the throat center to the thousand petaled lotus.
TAT = That (That Thou Art)
SAVITUR = The SUN, Creator, Preserver and Self Luminous, the central mantra of the Solar Science.
VARENYAM = Most fit to be worshipped. Most choice worthy.
BHARGO = The burning splendor of the Sun that dispels ignorance, and therefore sorrows and miseries.
DEVASYA = The 'Deva', The God, He who is All Bliss, The Joyful One, The Shining One, The Revealer of All Glory
DHEEMAHI = We meditate upon Him
DHEEYO YO NA = Who our intelligence and Wisdom
PRACHODAYAAT = Inspires
Among all the meaning of the individual words become a supreme powerful mantra,The Gayatri Mantra
Just like the Sun remove darkness, so does the Gayatri Mantra destroy ignorance and negativity. The Gayatri Maha Mantra invokes the power and radiance of the Sun to energize all earthly life, to destroy our sins and to reveal the Supreme Self to us.
Bhagvan Krishna in the Bhagvad Geeta says: " Amongst the Mantras, I am the Gayatri"
Translation that cannot possibly do justice to the original it implores: OM , O Lord! You are the all pervading Source of Light, Sustainers, Protector and Bestowed of Happiness, Kindle, Enlighten and inspire our Intelligence to possess Eternal Qualities.
The Gayatri Mantra is the core of the three ancient “Vedas”. It is the “Vedas “simplified. The more one contemplates and meditates upon the Gayatri, the more complexity - revealed to one.
The story goes that once the Devas, the Shining Ones wanted to learn the secrets of the Universe. Since learning about the Scientific aspect 'atoms' etc. did not quite work out, they went to the Lord. The Lord gave them “the Rig Veda”, “The Yajur Veda” and “the Sama Veda” to study. After a couple of eons of learn, the Devas lost their patience and wanted to quit. The Lord urged them not to give up and decided to teach the essence of the 3 Vedas in 3 fragments:
Essence of “Rig Veda” Tat Savitur Varenyam
Essence of “Yajur Veda” Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Essence of “Sama Veda” Dheeyo Yonah Prachodayaat
The more the Devas practiced and contemplated upon the Gayatri, the more complexities were revealed to them. So they lost patience again and went to the Lord to make it simpler still. So the Lord gave them the essence of the 3 segments, in the 3 words:
Bhur, Bhuvaha, Svaha
The Devas spent a a few cycles of Creation, probably a quadrillion human years pondering upon the 'maha vyahritis' ie 'Utterances of the Lord' but became impatient again and urged the Lord to make it simpler yet. So He Said "All right I'll make it simpler"
And He taught them AUM
- Jai Maa Gayatri
