by Goddess Gayatri is an important deity in Hinduism. Gayatri mata is the incarnation of goddess Saraswati, who is Lord Brahma’s consort. She is symbolic of Dev (knowledge) and Shakti (strength). She is the patroness of arts since she is a musician, composer and poetess. Being blessed by Lord Brahma, it is believed that she presented the four Vedas to the world.
Ved Mata Gayatri
The most popular image of the Goddess Gayatri is that of sitting on a lotus. She is picturized with five faces: standing for Panch Vayus (five winds) and Panch Pranas (five lives). The five faces also symbolize five tatwas (five elements) which are air, water, earth, sky and fire. She also wields five weapons (Ayudhas) in her ten hands.
She is also picturised sitting beside a white swan, holding a book to symbolize knowledge and to be recognized as a Goddess of education. Maa Gayatri is associated with the famous Gayatri Mantra along with Goddesses Saraswati and Savitri. The mantra is chanted thrice a day: morning, afternoon and evening.
Goddess Gayatri is the ruling deity for morning prayers and presides over the Garhapatya fire and the Rig Veda. All householders keep 3 or 5 sacred fires in his home as per Vedic rituals.
In Sanskrit language, there exist particular rules that regulate meter and rhyme in poetry. The Gayatri Mantra consists of 24 syllables of Vedic meter. The Gayatri Mantra is regarded as the most scared Mantra or chant in Hindu faith.
Reciting the Gayatri Mantra is believed to expiate the sins which one commits in life. The Mantra goes as follows:
Om bhoor Bhuva Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dheeyo yonah Prachodaya
The Gayatri Mantra invokes the Supreme God. It is used by spiritually minded persons. But the wise persons recommend that one must be balanced in qualities of goodness before chanting the Gayatri Mantra. The mantra is considered as the sonic incarnation of Lord Brahman. It has great importance in the Vedic culture.
It is first mentioned in the Rig Veda written in Sanskrit around 2000 to 3000 years ago. It is the second most sacred mantra in Hinduism, after the chant-‘Om’. It is regarded as Mula Mantra (root mantra) or as the central Mantra of the Hindu faith (Dharma).
The Gayatri Mantra has unlimited spiritual energy & power and a profound prayer for both personal and universal enlightenment. The regular chanting of Gayatri Mantra gives greater wisdom in every circumstance. There is no circumstance in life in which it is inappropriate to pray for greater wisdom. Worshiping Mata Gayatri brings us inner lighting, which bears mental clarity and reveals great Wisdom. All over the world, Hindu temples conduct Gayatri Havan (sacrifice) at regular intervals to propitiate the Lord. All are seated around the scared fire add Ghee to the homa (fire).
Goddess Gayatri is considered as mother of all Gods and a combination of Parvati, Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati. By worshiping Goddess Gayatri, one is believed to grant inner illumination that grants clarity of mind and grants great wisdom.
She is commonly depicted seated on a red lotus, indicating wealth. She is seen with five heads with ten eyes focusing on 8 directions in addition to sky and earth. Her ten arms hold all weapons of Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu.
She is a form of Adi Shakti and contains Rajasi Guna, which is the source of power of Lord Brahma. Brahma is unable to create without her powers. By worshiping her, one is able to propitiate all the Panch Matas (five mother goddesses).
