गायत्री मन्त्र
Gāyatrī Mantra
Deity
gayatri
Verses
1
Recitation
~1 min
Best Day
Daily — especially Sunday
The Gayatri Mantra is from the Rig Veda (Mandala 3.62.10), composed by the sage Vishvamitra. The mantra is *addressed to* Savitr (the inner light, the impeller) — yet the mantra itself is personified as the Goddess Gayatri, also called Vedamata (Mother of the Vedas) and Savitri. She is depicted as five-faced, seated on a lotus, holding the Vedas — the divine feminine principle of all sacred knowledge.
It is traditionally chanted at sandhya — sunrise, noon, and sunset. The mantra asks the supreme effulgence to illumine our intellects (dhi). It is the gateway mantra of Vedic practice, given to a student at Upanayana (sacred-thread initiation).
Mantra 1
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः । तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं । भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि । धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
English meaning
Om — the three worlds: earth, atmosphere, heaven. On that supreme effulgence of the divine Savitr (Sun) we meditate — that radiance of the deity — may it illumine our intellects.
Sources verified against
When should I recite Gayatri Mantra?
Best days: Daily — especially Sunday. Best time: pre-dawn.
What language is this stotra in?
The original is in Sanskrit (or Awadhi for the Hanuman Chalisa). We provide it in Devanagari script, IAST transliteration for pronunciation, and English meaning for understanding.
How accurate is the text?
Each stotra is cross-validated against multiple published authoritative sources, listed on this page under "Sources verified against". If you spot any discrepancy from your tradition, please let us know.
How long does it take to recite?
Approximately 1 minute at a steady, devotional pace.
