Gayatri Mantra

॥ Jaap ॥

Om bhu-bhurva sva tat-savitur-varenya
bhargo devsya dhimahi
diyo yo na prachodayat ॥

Meaning

You the eternal one, the physical one, the source of life
oh adorable Sun God the brightest of all, clean my soul and purify me
enlighten me, inspire me and lead me to the right path of life

Note

You can recite Gayatri Mantra three times in a day. It is best recommended to recite it early in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening just before the sunset.

What is Gayatri Mantra?

Gayatri Mantra is meant to invoke Savitr, the sun deity or the Sun God and is considered to be the supreme of all mantras. The mantra has a very simple meaning; asking the Sun God to cleanse your body, mind, soul and to enlighten yourself. Gayatri Mantra is found in Vedas written in Sanskrit. Gayatri Mantra is one of the most popular mantras.

When and how many times should I recite Gayatri Mantra?

It is recommended to recite Gayatri mantra at least 3 times a day; morning after taking a bath, afternoon and in the evening before the sunset. As it is a very small mantra many people tend to chant it 108 times a day or recite it throughout the day whenever they get time.

Can I recite Gayatri Mantra after sunset?

No. You cannot recite Gayatri Mantra after sunset as the mantra itself is meant to invoke the Sun God and hence reciting it after sunset simply makes no sense.

Can women recite Gayatri Mantra?

No. Vibrations generated by Gayatri Mantra are not good for women and hence women cannot recite Gayatri Mantra or 'Sundara Kanda' of Ramanayan as it has Gayatri Mantra in it. It is said that reciting Gayatri Mantra can create hormonal imbalance in females, produce lesser milk in lactating mother or can disturb women's menstrual cycle. It is believed that if a women recites Gayatri Mantra regularly she may lose her feminineness and can become manly.

Should I chant Gayatri Mantra loudly?

No. Gayatri mantra has to be recited in a normal voice with calm mind. It is best to join your hands doing a namanskar in front of your home temple or the rising sun & then recite the mantra with complete devotion.