oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ | tat savitur vareṇyaṃ | bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt | oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
“Om. Earth, atmosphere, heaven. We meditate on the excellent glory of the divine Savitri (Sun). May he illuminate our minds. Om, peace, peace, peace.”
What This Means:
This is the Gayatri Mantra with the vyāhṛtis (bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ = earth, atmosphere, heaven) and peace invocation. The most sacred Vedic mantra, it is a prayer to the sun god (Savitri) to illuminate the intellect (dhī).
Going Deeper:
The Gayatri is both a peace invocation and the central mantra of Vedic practice. "Bhargo" (radiance/glory) of the "deva" (divine/shining one) is meditated upon (dhīmahi). The prayer is for "dhī" (intellect/insight) to be "pracodayāt" (stimulated/illuminated).
How To Apply This:
Recite the Gayatri at dawn and dusk, facing the sun. Ask for mental illumination, not just peace. The highest peace comes through wisdom. Let your intellect be lit by divine light.
Key Sanskrit Terms: