| Gayatri | |
|---|---|
| Member ofPancha Prakriti[2] | |
 Illustration byRaja Ravi Verma. In illustrations, the goddess often sits on alotus flower and appears with five heads and five pairs of hands. | |
| Other names | Saraswati, Savitri, Vedamata |
| Devanagari | गायत्री |
| Sanskrit transliteration | gāyatrī |
| Affiliation | Devi,Saraswati,Parvati,Lakshmi,Mahadevi |
| Abode | Satyaloka,Manidvipa |
| Mantra | Gayatri Mantra |
| Symbol | Vedas |
| Mount | Hamsa |
| Festivals | Gayatri Jayanti, Saraswati Puja |
| Consort | Brahma; Sadashiva (according toShaivism)[3][4] |
Gayatri (Sanskrit: गायत्री,IAST: Gāyatrī) is the personified form of theGayatri Mantra, a popular hymn fromVedic texts.[5] She is also known asSavitri, and holds the title ofVedamata ('mother of the Vedas'). Gayatri is the manifestation ofSaraswati and is often associated withSavitṛ, a solardeity in the Vedas, and her consort in thePuranas is the creator godBrahma.[6][7][8]Gayatri is also an epithet for the various goddesses and she is also identified as "Supreme pure consciousness".[9]
Gayatri was the name initially applied to a metre of theRig Veda consisting of 24 syllables.[10] In particular, it refers to theGayatri Mantra and the Goddess Gāyatrī as thatmantra personified. The Gayatri mantra composed in this triplet form is the most famous. Most of the scholars identify Gayatri as the feminine form of Gayatra, another name of the Vedic Solar god which is also one of the synonyms of Savitri andSavitṛ.[11]
Early bronze images of Gayatri appear in theHimachal Pradesh, where she was revered as the consort ofSadasiva.[12] Some of these forms are terrific in nature. One of the bronze images of Gayatri dated back to 10th century CE was obtained fromChampa region and now preserved in Delhi museum. It appears with five faces and ten hands holding, sword, lotus, trident, disc, skull, Varada in left and goad, noose, a manuscript, thejar of ambrosia and Abhaya in right.[13] She resides in the mountNandi. Modern depictions illustratesswan as her mount. Old iconography of Shaivite Manonmani Gayatri was misunderstood as the same of Brahmanic Gayatri later and paintings of Gayatri appears from 18th century CE in which she is often portrayed with third eye, crescent moon and five heads with five different colors same like Sadasiva.
The well known form of Gayatri with the Saivite influence appears having five heads (Mukta, Vidruma, Hema, Neela, Dhavala) with the ten eyes looking in eight directions plus the earth and sky, and ten arms holding various types of weapons attributed toShiva,Vishnu, andBrahma. Another recent depiction is accompanied by a whiteswan holding a book to portray knowledge in one hand and a cure in the other, as the goddess of learning.[14] She is also depicted four-armed, seated on a swan, holding weapons symbolising theTrimurti: TheVedas ofBrahma, thediscus of Vishnu, thetrident of Shiva, andVarada mudra.
She also has an fearsome three-faced depiction; two faces look like that of goddessKali and one calm one and holding weapons like the deityMahakali. She is shown mounted on alotus holding lotus, noose, trident, Scimitar and vard mudra in right whereas conch, discus, bow-arrow, goad and abhaya mudra in left.
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InMahanarayana Upanishad[a] of KrishnaYajurveda, Gayatri is described as white-colored (Sanskrit:श्वेतवर्णा,śvetavarṇā), having thegotra of sageViswamitra (Sanskrit:सान्ख्यायनस गोत्रा,sānkhyāyanasa gotrā), composed of 24 letters (Sanskrit:चतुर्विंशत्यक्षरा,caturviṃśatyakṣarā), three-footed (Sanskrit:त्रिपदा,tripadā), six-bellied (Sanskrit:षट्कुक्षिः,ṣaṭkukṣiḥ), five-headed (Sanskrit:पञ्चशीर्षः,pañcaśīrṣaḥ) and the one used inUpanayana ofdvijas (Sanskrit:उपनयने विनियोगः,upanayane viniyogaḥ).[15]
As mentioned in Taittiriya Sandhya Bhashyam, the three feet of Gayatri is supposed to represent the first 3 vedas (Ṛk, Yajus, Sāma). The six bellies are supposed to represent 4 cardinal directions, along with the two more directions, Ūrdhva (Zenith) and Adhara (Nadir). The five heads represent 5 among theVedangas, namely,vyākaraṇa,śikṣā,kalpa,nirukta andjyotiṣa.[16]
By citing fromGayatri Tantra, the textMantramahārṇava gives the significance of Gayatri's 24 letters and its representation that are given below.[17]
Gayatri mantra has 24 letters. That is why it called as gāyatrī caturviṃśatyakṣarā (Sanskrit: गायत्री चतुर्विंशत्यक्षरा). They are 1.tat, 2.sa, 3.vi, 4.tur, 5.va, 6.re, 7.ṇi, 8.yaṃ, 9.bhar, 10,go, 11.de, 12.va, 13.sya, 14.dhī, 15.ma, 16.hi, 17.dhi, 18.yo, 19.yo, 20.naḥ, 21.pra, 22.cho 23.da and 24.yāt.
When counting the letters, the wordvareṇyam is treated asvareṇiyam. But, while chanting, it ought to be chanted asvareṇyam only.
The 24 Letters of Gayatri mantra represents 24 Vedic Rishis. They are: 1.vāmadeva, 2.atri, 3.vaśiṣṭha, 4.śukra, 5.kaṇva, 6.parāśara, 7.viśvāmitra, 8.kapila, 9.śaunaka, 10.yājñavalkya, 11.bharadwāja, 12.jamadagni, 13.gautama, 14.mudgala, 15.vyāsa, 16.lomasa, 17.agastya, 18.kauśika, 19.vatsa, 20.pulastya, 21.manḍūka, 22.dūrvāsa, 23.nārada, and 24.kaśyapa.
The 24 Letters of Gayatri mantra represent 24 Vedic Meters (i.e.Chandas). They are: 1.gāyatri, 2.uṣnik, 3.anuṣṭubh, 4.bṛhati, 5.paṃkti, 6.triṣṭubh, 7.jagati, 8.atijagati, 9.śakvari, 10.atiśakvari, 11.dhṛti, 12.atidhṛti, 13.virāṭ, 14.prastārapaṃkti, 15.kṛti, 16.prakṛti, 17.akṛti, 18.vikṛti, 19.saṃskṛti, 20.akṣarapaṃkti, 21.bhūḥ, 22.bhuvaḥ, 23.swaḥ, 24.jyotiṣmati.
The 24 Letters of Gayatri mantra represent 24 Vedic Devatas. They are: 1.agni, 2.prajāpati, 3.soma, 4.īśāna, 5.savitā, 6.āditya, 7.bṛhaspati, 8. maitrāvaruṇa 9.bhaga, 10.āryamaan, 11.gaṇeśa, 12.tvaṣṭā, 13.pūṣā, 14. indrāgni, 15.vāyu, 16.vāmadeva, 17.maitrāvaruṇi 18. viśvedevā, 19. mātṛkā, 20.viṣṇu, 21.vasu, 22.rudra, 23.kubera and 24.aśvins
ThePadmapurana (in Sṛṣṭi Kānḍa) mentions 24 Adhi-Devatas (presiding deities) for each of the 24 letters ofGayatri mantra. They are 1.agni, 2.vāyu, 3.sūrya, 4.ākāśa, 5.yama, 6.varuṇa, 7.bṛhaspati, 8.parjanya, 9.indra, 10.gandharva, 11.pūṣā, 12.mitra, 13.tvaṣṭā, 14.vasu, 15.marut, 16.soma, 17.āṅgiras, 18.viśvedevā, 19.aśvins, 20.prajāpati, 21.akṣara (tattva), 22.rudra, 23.brahma and 24.viṣṇu.[18]
TheYoga yājñavalkya mentions 24 Devatas for each of the 24 letters ofGayatri mantra. They are 1.agni, 2.vāyu, 3.sūrya, 4.īśāna, 5.āditya, 6.āṅgiras, 7.pitri, 8.bharga, 9.āryamān, 10.gandharva, 11.pūṣā, 12. maitrāvaruṇa, 13.tvaṣṭā, 14.vasu, 15.vāmadeva, 16.maitrāvaruṇi, 17.jñeya, 18.viśvedevā, 19.viṣṇu, 20.prajāpati, 21.sarvadevā, 22.kubera, 23.aśvins and 24.brahma.[19]
The 24 Letters of Gayatri mantra represent 24Śaktis. They are: 1.vāmadevī, 2.priyā, 3.satyā, 4.viśwabhadrā,[b] 5.vilāsinī,[c] 6.prabhāvatī, 7.jayā, 8.śantā, 9.kāntā, 10.durgā, 11.saraswatī, 12.vidrumā, 13.viśālesā,[d] 14.vyāpinī, 15.vimalā, 16.tamopahārini, 17.sūkṣmā, 18.viśwayoni 19.jayā,[e] 20.vaśā, 21.padmālayā, 22.parāśobhā,[f] 23.bhadrā, and 24. tripadā.
The 24 Letters of Gayatri mantra represent 24 Tattvas.[20] They are
However, in classical definition of 24 tattvas, the last four are theantahkaranas (i.e. sense organs), namely, manas (mind), buddhi (intellect), citta (state of mind) and ahaṅkāra (ego).
The Gayatri mantra represents some mahāmudras (great hand gestures). They are 1. sumukha,[g] 2. sampuṭa, 3. vitata, 4. visṛta, 5. dvimukha, 6. trimukha, 7. catuḥ, 8. pañcamukha, 9. ṣaṇmukha, 10. adhomukha, 11. vyāpakāñjali, 12. śakaṭa, 13. yamapāśa, 14. grathita, 15. sanmukhonmukha, 16. vilamba,[h] 17. muṣtika, 18. matsya, 19. kūrmah 20. varāhaka, 21. simhākrānta, 22. mahākrānta, 23. mudgara, 24. pallava, 25. triśūla, 26. yoni, 27. surabhi, 28. akṣamāla, 29. linga, 30. ambuja.[clarification needed]
Since, the first 24 are used before Gayatri Japa, they are traditionally referred as Pūrva Mudras.
In some Puranas, Gayatri is said to be the other names ofSarasvati, the wife of Brahma.[21] According to theMatsya Purana,Brahma's left half emerged as a female, who is celebrated under the names of Sarasvati, Savitri, and Gayatri.[22] The three represent purity in thought, word, and deed (thrikarana shuddhi). Although Gayatri has three names, all three are in each of us as the senses (Gayatri), the power of speech (Saraswathi), and the life force (Savitri). InKurma Purana, Gautama rishi was blessed by Goddess Gayatri and able to eliminate the obstacles he faced in his life. TheSkanda Purana writes that Gayatri is married to Brahma, making her a form ofSaraswati.[23]
According to some texts, Brahma's first wife is Savitri, and Gayatri is the second. The story goes that Savitri became angry knowing the wedding of Gayatri with Brahma, and cursed all the gods and goddesses engaged in the event.[24][10]
However, the Padma Purana narrates the same story with some modifications. After Savitri was appeased byBrahma,Vishnu, andLakshmi, She accepts Gayatri as her sister happily.[25][26]
Gayatri further developed into a fierce goddess who could even slay a demon. According toVaraha Purana andMahabharata, Goddess Gayatri slew the demon Vetrasura, the son ofVritra and riverVetravati, on aNavami day.[27][28]
Shaivism sees Gayatri as the consort of eternal blissful absoluteParashiva who manifests in the form of Sadasiva.[29][30][failed verification] Sadashiva's consort Manonmani is none other than the mantra form of Gayatri, who possess the power of her husband Bharga, within her.[31][32] The popular form of Gayatri with five heads and ten arms was initially found in Saivite iconographies of Manonmani in North India beginning from 10th century CE.[33][12] The Saivite view on Gayatri seems a later development from the combination of vedic practice of Gayatri reverence and its Saivite inclusion as a manifestation of Shakti. This could be the root for the sublime aspect of Gayatri explained in the later puranas as the killer of demon Vetra identifying her withAdi Parashakti.[34]
Media related toGayatri at Wikimedia Commons
