Gayatri Mantra: Meaning

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1. Verse 1

   ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

   oṁ bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ॥

   ॐ	oṁ	the sacred syllable Om
   भूः	bhūḥ	the earth
   भुवः	bhuvaḥ	the middle region, the sky
   स्वः	svaḥ	heaven
   तत्	tat	that
   सवितुः	savituḥ	of Savitr, the impelling sun
   वरेण्यम्	vareṇyam	most excellent, worthy to be chosen
   भर्गः	bhargaḥ	radiance, purifying light
   देवस्य	devasya	of the god, the shining one
   धीमहि	dhīmahi	we meditate on
   धियः	dhiyaḥ	thoughts, understanding
   यः	yaḥ	who
   नः	naḥ	our
   प्रचोदयात्	pracodayāt	may he inspire, set in motion

   ॐ। भूः, भुवः, स्वः (पृथ्वी, अंतरिक्ष, स्वर्ग)। हम सविता देव के उस श्रेष्ठ, दिव्य तेज का ध्यान करते हैं; वे हमारी बुद्धि को प्रेरित करें।

   Om. Earth, atmosphere, heaven. We meditate on the most excellent radiance of the divine Savitr; may he inspire our understanding.

   Om, bhur bhuvah svah: Om is the sacred syllable that opens Vedic recitation. The three words that follow (the vyahritis) name the earth, the middle region of air, and heaven; together they mean "all the worlds". They are not part of the Rigvedic verse itself but are joined to it in daily practice.

   Tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi: "We meditate on that most excellent radiance of the divine Savitr." Savitr is the Vedic god of the sun as the power that impels and enlivens. Bhargas, "radiance", is read by commentators both as the physical light of the sun and as the light of consciousness that burns away ignorance.

   Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat: "May he inspire (or set in motion) our thoughts." The prayer does not ask for wealth or success; it asks for the right working of the mind. This is why the mantra has long been seen as a prayer for understanding.

   Interpretive note: Vedantic readings take Savitr as Brahman, the one reality behind the sun; ritual readings keep the solar sense. Both are traditional.