Gayatri Mantra is highly revered mantra from Rig veda dedicated to the vedic solar deity savitr. It's recitation is traditionally preceded by OM and then bhur bhuvah suah ,tath savito varaniyam bargo devas, dee mahe devo yoona prachoo daya . It is known as a great mystical utterance. The mantra is an important part of the Upnayana ceremony for the young males in Hinduism.
It means ,
We meditate on the glory of the creator ,
Who has created the universe ,
Who is worthy of worship,
Who is embodiment of knowledge and light,
Who is remover of all sin and ignorance ,
May he enlighten our intellect.
It is believed that by chanting Gayatri mantra ,we achieve success and happiness in our life . With regular chanting of Gayatri mantra one can firmly establish and stabilise the mind. The mantra is a declaration of appreciation , to both the nurturing sun and divine.
Actually Gaytri is the personification of Gayatri mantra .She is also known as Savitri and Vedmata (Mother of Vedas). Gayatri is often associated with savitr, a solar deity in the Vedas. According to many texts like skanda Purana , Gayatri is another name of Saraswati or her form and is the consort of Lord Bramha .However saivite texts identify Mahagaytri as the consort of Vishwakarma Shiva , in his highest form of Sadashiva with five heads and ten hands .
Shaivism sees gayatri as the consort of eternal blissful absolute Parashiva , who manifests in the form of sun , Shivasurya. He is omnipotent , omnipresent Sadashiva , whose name is Bharga . Sadashiva's consort is none other than the mantra form of Gayatri ,who possesses the power of her husband Bharga, within her. The popular form of Gayatri with five heads and ten arms was initially found in Shavite iconographies of Manmohini in North India beginning from 10th century CE. Shavite view on Gayatri seems a later development from the combination of vedic practice of Gayatri reverence and it's Shavite inclusion as a manifestation of Shakti . This could be the root for the terrific aspect of Gayatri explained in the later puranas as the killer of demon Vetra identifying her with Adi parashakti.
I will hereby like to reproduce the copy of the wonderful painting of Mahagaytri , painted and presented to me by Sh. Lokesh Narayan Dhar , a very good artist ,who has been successful in personifying this great mantra to a large extent.
