| Abstract: The Gayatri occurs in the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas. It is a prayer to the sun, supposed to be recited ritualistically at dawn, midday and dusk. Even though the Mantra is known as the Gayatri, its real name is Savitri Mantra. There are thousands of Mantras in the Vedas set to Gayatri Chandas. However, the Savitri Mantra is so famous that it has come to be associated with the Chandas itself. Here in this report I have tried to provide a bird's eye-view of the subject. This work gives a brief summary of the various aspects of Gayatri Mantra. The report starts with a brief description of Mantra yoga and japa, which includes Gayatri Mantra as japa. This is followed by the description of the Gayatri as personal mother and its inner meaning. Then the story of Vinvamitra is mentioned who was the rishi to whom Gayatri was first revealed. The most basic of all samskaras namely upanayana and the significance of the sacred thread is given in detail. The use of Gayatri Mantra in the form of meditation and as the greatest step towards illumination is included in this report. Then comes the Gayatri sadhana and how one can practice Gayatri meditation and the technique of japa with the beauty of the powerful kriya while chanting the Gayatri Mantra. The report closes with the benefits of the Gayatri Mantra in various aspects such as psychological, physical, spiritual etc. and tells us the way to get rid of our general problems. An attempt has been made in this report to cover most of the major aspects of Gayatri Mantra and the different types of Gayatris to help in different ways. Still I believe since it is a very vast subject I must have left some aspects of the greatest Mantra Gayatri, but it gives almost everything in brief about our earliest and traditional Mantra ie. Gayatri Mantra and sandhya vandana. |