The gayatri mantra is one of the oldest prayers to be inscribed in the world. It was written down in the Rig Veda the first of the sacred books in Hinduism; somewhere between 2500 and 3500 years ago. Though the mantra was most likely transmitted orally long before that. The origin story of the mantra is that the sage Vishwamitra was given the mantra by God as a reward for his many years of penance and meditation. The words of the mantra are written in a poetic line format which itself is actually called gayatri, the mantra is the gayatri Savitur mantra. Most deities have their own gayatri mantra however this is the first one recorded. The mantra transliterated into English follows: Om buhr bhuva swaha, Om tat savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dheemahi, Dhiyo yohaha prachodayat. The mantra as seen below in its original sanskrit is a prayer to the goddess Savitur to bring enlightenment to all. (Shekar)
Source: http://paramapadasopanam.blogspot.com
The problem is when it comes to transliteration that letters in sanskrit represents specific sounds made with a particular part of the mouth. Some of these sounds are never used in English, resulting in poor pronunciations. Since the transliteration is an approximation the reader has to attempt to imitate the sounds, by guess or imitating recordings. This causes one to miss on some of the vibrations that result from correct pronunciation. These vibrations are what bring about the positive benefits of any mantra. (Bachman)
I first experienced this mantra in a yoga class, in which I heard it on a CD. Afterwards I researched it and began trying to learn to recite it. The main difficulty one would have with this mantra is it's length as well as complexity. Many of the common mantras are two to ten words long, as opposed to the fourteen words some of which are quite complicated. As well if the mantra was to be used with a mala, reciting the mantra 108 times takes around fifteen minutes if going at a fluid pace. If someone is still struggling to pronounce the mantra this could take up to an hour for the full 108 recitations. By this time most people would find themselves uncomfortable physically from sitting so long, as well as mentally wondering off.
I have noticed with this mantra is as I chant it more, is that it seems to draw me in deeper. Each time builds on the last. I feel a settling of my mind as well as an expansion of my heart; each time faster then the last. I do not know if this is due to my prolonged practice with it or the mantra itself. With a prayer this old a structure for its practice has been created over time. A period of forty days is considered an auspicious number for beginners to practice, doing one round of mala each day. Another auspicious number as I mention in my blog on malas beading a path through my mind is 125,000 repetitions or 1,250 rounds on a mala. Taking 42 months to complete if one recites one round of the mantra a day. Completing the daunting task is said to bring about a mastery over the power of the mantra. (Bharati)
The benefits ascribed to continued recitation of this mantra are: an opening of all energy centers major and minor, strengthening of the immune system, a sharpening of the mind, and an opening of the heart. The power of this mantra can be felt whether spoken, thought or listened to. (Shekar) That being said I invite the reader to listen to the track below, sung by Deva Premal another notable musician who is trying to share with the world this powerful mantra. The video below contains a live performance of the mantra, all you have to do is listen, and feel what you feel.
Work cited
Bachman, Nicolai. About Sanskrit. Sanskrit Sounds. 2013. Web 13, Oct. 2013
Bharati, Swami Jnaneshvara. Traditional Yoga and Meditation of the Himalayan Masters. Abhyasa Ashram. n.d. Web. 13, Oct. 2013
Shekar, Chandra. The Magic of the Gayatri. 2007. Web 13, Oct. 2013
Great post! This may seem like an aside, but what is the significance of the number 108? I've seen it in multiple posts of yours, and I wonder if I've heard of the number in other traditions?
ReplyDeleteThe 108 is considered a sacred number in most religions of region; Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism. When I have researched it I have come up with over 30 different reasons, though none of this came from scholastic sources. The one that seems the simplest is that it has to do with some form of numerology. 3 is considered to be a powerful number. 3 multiplied by itself is 9. There are smaller malas usually 27, and 54, both multiples of 9.
DeleteThere is a reoccurrence with 108 throughout the hindu religion: the number of energy points in the body, the number of Upanishads (a set of holy texts), 108 paths to god, 108 desires to overcome, 108 delusions. In the end there doesn't seem like a definite answer to be found, with numbers if someone is looking for a number they will find it anywhere and everywhere.