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The Healing Nature of Respect: The Gayatri Mantra

  • Writer: Bella Leilani
    Bella Leilani
  • Nov 20, 2024
  • 6 min read

I am currently studying at Ayurved Sadhana to become an Advanced Ayurvedic Practitioner (AAP). The first class we had was on the history of Ayurveda. One of our assignments was to write a paper on a topic of interest, and I chose the Gayatri Mantra. I have completely fallen in love with this beautiful, thousands years old mantra that venerates wisdom and so much truth. Below is the paper I wrote. I hope it serves as a sparker of curiosity too look more into the Gayatri Mantra and all the bauty it holds.


Introduction

During the Vedic time period, both the feminine and masculine energies were treated with mutual respect. The Vedic time period produced the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas. It is in the Rig Veda that the Gayatri Mantra first made its appearance in written word. The Gayatri Mantra directly translates to, “Body/Earth, Mind/Sky, Spirit/Heaven, that God of the Sun, we venerate light, divine, we meditate energy intellect to inspire us” (Vaidya, n.d.). The Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to Goddess Gayatri, manifestation of Saraswati, who is connected with the sun. The goddess Gayatri is married to Lord Brahma. In Hindu Mythology it is suggested that Lord Brahma was the first one to bring the Gayatri Mantra to sage Vishwamitra, a mantra dedicated to his wife Goddess Gayatri. The heart of this Mantra is about honoring the body, mind, and soul, and in turn the earth, sky, and heavens. Each of these emanate a feminine and masculine aspect, and the mutual respect that was held during the vedic times. 


The Vedic Time Period

The Vedic time period is one of great debate. It is argued between historians of the Vedas being as young as 3,200 years old or 10,000+ years old due to the tradition of oral storytelling (Vaidya, 2009-2021). During the Vedic time period, four vedas were written. According to Hindu Mythology, the world was created by the trimurti (having three forms) that consists of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. According to Sushruta, Brahma is the true creator of the Vedas, passing on the knowledge to the sages who inscribed the wisdom. It is also said that the mother of Vedas is Goddess Gayatri, Brahma’s wife. In Vedic times, gods weren’t the only ones treated with respect and honored in Ceremony, goddesses were too. There was a mutual respect for women and men that made room for peace in their communities to come to be. The Vedic Culture was not perfect, and there are stories of war, there was a focus on peace, and the Vedas wrote about this peace and the important embodiment practices, such as mantra. 


The Gayatri Mantra & Its Ayurvedic Importance

The Gayatri Mantra is considered to be one of the oldest and most powerful mantras within Vedic culture and was first written about in the Rig Veda (3.62.10). The mantras written in the Rig Veda really came to popularity during the time of Atharva Veda, the Veda that mentions the most about the healing science of Ayurveda (Dr. Bharat Vaidya). The Gayatri Mantra in particular emanates the divine intellect, the knowledge and life of which everything comes from. Ayurveda literally translates to the “wisdom / science of life”. What is life without wisdom? Ayurveda’s beauty lies in its respect towards life and preventing disease. In order to do that we need intellect, we need respect.


Goddess Gayatri & God Brahma

Goddess Gayatri is the embodiment of the Gayatri Mantra. The Gayatri Mantra is addressed to the sun Goddess Savitri, otherwise known as Saraswati, and Gayatri. She is known to be the “feminine expression of the light of the sun, the light of wisdom” (Learn the Worship of Hindu Goddess Gayatri - Sanskrit and English, n.d.). She is depicted as having five heads, 10 arms, sitting on a lotus as she holds items of importance. Each head represents one of the five elements. She is depicted holding “ weapons of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva in her hands”, a Shankh (conch), a Chakra (discus), a small lotus flowers, goad, the noose, and “two of the hands of Goddess Gayatri are shown in Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra” (Goddess Gayatri | Veda Mata Gayatri, n.d). She is the manifestation of Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge who is often depicted near or holding the vedas. There are different stories surrounding Goddess Gayatri. One Hindu story depicts Gayatri as a random town woman that was brought to Brahma to be wed in place of Saraswati, since Saraswati was late to the sacrificial ceremony taking place. Saraswati then arrived to discover her husband wed to Gayatri and through her anger, cursed everyone present. Gayatri is said to have used her wisdom to modify the curses to be beneficial to anyone worshiping Brahma. Later in the story, Gayatri falls to Saraswati's feet and asks for kindness and protection and the three go on to live together peacefully (Brahma and Gayatri Story With Moral in English | Interesting Stories for Kids, n.d.). This story is odd considering in other stories she is said to be a manifestation of goddess Saraswati (Goddess Gayatri | Veda Mata Gayatri, n.d.), and is also said to be a manifestation of the trimurti, Shri Laksmi, Shri Parvati, and Shri Saraswati (Sharma, 2023). Overall the general consensus appears to be that Goddess Gayatri is a manifestation of Goddess Saraswati, mother of the Vedas. She is the embodiment of a fierce protector and wise woman. 


Ceremony Honoring The Gayatri Mantra: Forming Respect

Upnayan Samskra (Upanayana) is a ceremony for young men and boys that marks the beginning of studying the Vedas and marks the “entrance upon the life of a student” (Upanayana | Sacred Thread, Vedic Rituals & Brahmins, n.d.). Upanayan means “to bring closer to the Guru or Divine” and it “is an initiation process to learn the sacred Gayatri Mantra” (Upanayan Samskara - Sacred Thread Ceremony, n.d.). The ceremony is usually performed for ages between five and twenty-four. Yajnopavitam is performed during this ceremony, which involves taking “one thread folded three times and tied together, each consisting of three strands”. According to Dr. Bharat Vaidya, the three threads represent Goddess Gayatri (Goddess of mind), Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of word), and Goddess Savitri (Goddess of deed)”. Dr. Bharat Vaidya wrote, “The three folds denote that one who wears the sacred thread should be pure in his thought, word and deed”. During Upnayan Samskra “the great Gayatri Mantra is enounced to Brachmachari as it is considered as the greatest of all teachings”(Upanayana |Sacred Thread, Vedic Rituals & Brahmins, n.d). This ceremony is especially remarkable and notable because of its teaching of respect of the divine intellect. There is a sense of respecting oneself during the ceremony and also respecting the trimurti Goddess, the divine feminine. 


Conclusion

The Gayatri Mantra is a thousands year old mantra that has been spoken from the tongue of ancient peoples to the tongues of those in modern day. This Mantra has been celebrated through ceremonies like Upnayan Samskra, and has been overall honored since the Vedic time period. The benevolent beauty of the Gayatri Mantra lies in the respect of intellect, respecting both the feminine and the masculine energies. It carries a reminder of a time of peace and veneration. Though those times may seem a distant memory, the vibration still carries forward through our tongue, our written texts, and our hearts. 


References

Brahma and Gayatri Story with Moral in English | Interesting Stories for Kids. (n.d.). Vedantu. 

Goddess Gayatri | Veda Mata Gayatri. (n.d.). Drik Panchang. Retrieved October 3, 2024, from    

Learn the Worship of Hindu Goddess Gayatri - Sanskrit and English. (n.d.). Devi Mandir. 

Retrieved October 3, 2024, from https://shreemaa.org/worship-of-goddess-gayatri/

 Sharma, M. (2023, May 31). Gayatri Jayanti: Gayatri Jayanti 2023: Date, Timings, Puja Vidhi 

Upanayana | Sacred Thread, Vedic Rituals & Brahmins. (n.d.). Britannica. Retrieved October 3, 

Upanayan Samskara - Sacred Thread Ceremony. (n.d.). Vaidic Dharma Sansthan. Retrieved 

October 3, 2024, from https://vaidicpujas.org/upanayanam/ 

Vaidya, B. (2009-2021). A Journey of Significance: The History of Ayurveda. Retrieved 

Vaidya, B. (n.d.). Gayatri Mantra. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from 

Vaidya, B. (2024, June 8). YAGNOPAVITAM OR UPNAYAN SAMSKRA OF MINE- 

BHIKSHANDEHI. Instagram. Retrieved September 25, 2024, from https://www.instagram.com/p/C7-PdDehjsE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==




 
 
 

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