om bhur bhuvah svah
tat savitur varenyam
bhargo devasya dhimahi
dhiyo yo nah pracodayat
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
Om — earth, atmosphere, heaven. We meditate on the adorable radiance of the divine Savitr (the Sun); may that light inspire and guide our understanding.
bhuh — earth · bhuvah — mid-realm · svah — heaven
savituh — of Savitr, the Sun · varenyam — most worthy
bhargah — radiance · dhimahi — we meditate upon
dhiyah — intellects · pracodayat — may he inspire
bhūḥ — earth · bhuvaḥ — mid-realm · svaḥ — heaven
savituḥ — of Savitr, the Sun · vareṇyaṃ — most worthy
bhargaḥ — radiance · dhīmahi — we meditate upon
dhiyaḥ — intellects · pracodayāt — may he inspire
Each word unfolds the prayer: across the three worlds, we hold in meditation the supreme radiance of the Sun, asking that it set our minds in motion toward truth.
When it is recited: Traditionally recited at the three sandhyas — dawn, noon and dusk — and before study or any auspicious beginning. Widely chanted 108 times with a mala.
Traditional significance: Called the mother of the Vedas, the Gayatri is both a prayer and a meditation: it asks not for wealth or protection but for an awakened, rightly-guided intelligence. It is the central mantra of the daily sandhya-vandana.
Questions
How many times should the Gayatri Mantra be chanted?
Traditionally 10, 28 or 108 times at each sandhya (dawn, noon, dusk). Even three unhurried, attentive repetitions are considered worthwhile — attention matters more than count.
Can anyone recite the Gayatri Mantra?
Practices vary by tradition. Many contemporary teachers encourage everyone to recite it with respect; some lineages reserve formal initiation (upadesha) for it. Follow your family or guru tradition.