Gayatri Mantra | Traditional Meaning

 

Mantra Artha Initiative   

Presents 

Gayatri Mantra

Rishi Vishvamitras mantra to inspire the Mind & Actions

 

 A set of 3 Videos  explaining the Mantra based on 

Traditional commentary of Acharya Sayana (14th CE). 

This is the most popular and oft used mantra in domestic rituals and also spiritual practices in Hindu tradition.  ṛgveda is considered to be the oldest source of this Mantra. This mantra forms part of the 62nd sūkta of the 3rd maṇḍalaof ṛgveda . The Mantradraṣḥṭā for this sūkta is Viśvāmitra. This sūkta has 18 mantras and this mantra is the tenth. The 18 mantras of this sūkta are divided into 6 tṛcas. As you rightly guessed tṛca is a term used to indicate set of three "ṛks". The 6 tṛchas of the sūkta are addressed to the deities indrāvaruṇā, bṝhaspati, pūṣan, savitā, soma and mitrāvaruṇā respectively. The first three mantras of the sūkta are in triṣṭup chandas (meter) and the rest fifteen mantras are in Gāyatrī meter.  

A short list of important Vedic rituals, in which this mantra is used include - upanayana (initiation into Vedic way of life), anupravacanīya-homa (ritual for the formal commencement of Vedic study), brahma-yajñya (a ritual for daily recitation of at at least a small portion of the Vedas), upākarma (the bi-yearly ritual of taking up and suspending the study of the Vedas), sandhayā-vandana (this does not need explanation,  I hope :-)). (This is apart from innumerable vedic rituals like daśarātra etc)

 

Sāyaṇācārya (a 14th Century commentator of the Vedas  who lived in Karnataka) while commenting upon this mantra gives four different interpretations to this mantra. 

These interpretations are discussed in this set of Videos. 

 

The videos can be accessed by transferring an access fee. 

 

 

||Gayatri Mantra ||

 

ॐ । भूर्भु॑व॒सुवः॑।  

 

तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॑ण्यम्। भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि।। 

 

धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॒॑त्।।

 

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