GAYATRI JAPA DAY

TO BRING to one’s mind repeatedly the inspiring lives of great personalities, the wise men
of all the ancient religions had set apart particular days in the year, as specially sacred and
auspicious on their account. On these days, nations and races glorify these lofty personalities, they
re-live the spirit of the great events to perpetuate the memory of these great men. Thus we find that
the calendar of the Hindus is marked by birthdays of divine incarnations, saints and sages, the Gita
Jayanthi, Guru Purnima, Shivaratri, Vaikunta Ekadashi, and many more auspicious occasions. The
Gayatri Japa Day is one such very holy and glorious day intended to remind all of the greatest and
most glorious of all Mantras, the sacred Gayatri Mantra.
The Gayatri is the life and support of every true Hindu. It is the impregnable spiritual
armour, the veritable fortress, that guards and protects its votary. In fact, that is the very meaning of
the word Gayatri—”that which protects one who sings it”.
12
DURGA PUJA OR NAVARATRI
The Gayatri is the divine power that transforms the human into the Divine and blesses man
with the brilliant light of the highest spiritual illumination. Whoever may be one’s favourite Deity,
the regular repetition of a few malas (rosary of a hundred and eight beads) of Gayatri Japa every day
will shower upon one incalculable benefits and blessings. It is universally applicable, being purely
an earnest prayer for light addressed to the Almighty Supreme Spirit. The Para Brahma Gayatri
Mantra is the most important of all Mantras. For every Brahmin of any creed or order of life, this has
been prescribed as being the sole transcendental guiding light. The Brahmachari or celibate, the
Grihastha or householder, and the Vanaprastha or one who is retired, must repeat this Mantra every
day; the Sannyasin or renunciate is asked to repeat Om instead of this Mantra.
The nature of the Gayatri Mantra is such that you can repeat it while meditating on any form
you like. It is generally conceived of as a female Deity by the majority of devotees. One who
worships God as Mother adheres to this belief. But, in its true light, the Gayatri never speaks of a
female at all. You cannot find a single word in the entire Gayatri Mantra, which speaks of a female.
The feminine form of the word “Gayatri” cannot make its Deity a female. It is only the name of its
metre and not the Deity.
Some people think that the Gayatri Mantra is presided over by the sun. In fact, even this idea
is to be modified a little. The sun that it speaks of is not that which shines over this earth before our
physical eyes, but tat savituh or “that Sun”, the great Sun which this sun or moon does not illumine,
and which is the impersonal, absolute Brahman.
Therefore, this is the greatest of all Mantras as its presiding Deity is none other than Para
Brahman Himself. Hence, why hanker after other Mantras? The Gayatri itself is the crest-jewel or
the king of all Mantras. It is the most powerful of all Mantras. Na gayatryah paro mantrah—”There
is no Mantra greater than the Gayatri”.
Each word, each letter of the Gayatri bears on its head the highest Vedantic concept of the
absolute, supreme Truth. Do Japa of the Gayatri—it will give you the most excellent fruit, the fruit
of immortality! The Mantra is as follows:
Om bhur bhuvah svah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dheemahi
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat.
Om: symbol of Para Brahman.
Bhuh: Bhu Loka or the physical plane.
Bhuvah: the astral plane.
Svah: the celestial plane.
Tat: That; the transcendental Paramatma; God.
Savituh: the Creator.
Varenyam: fit to be worshipped.
Bhargah: remover of sins and ignorance; glory, effulgence.
Devasya: resplendent, shining.
Dheemahi: we meditate.
13
HINDU FASTS & FESTIVALS
Dhiyah: the intellect, understanding.
Yo: who.
Nah: our.
Prachodayaat: enlighten, guide, impel.
MEANING: “We meditate on the glory of the Creator who has created the universe, who is fit to be
worshipped, who is the embodiment of knowledge and light, who is the remover of all sins and
ignorance. May He enlighten our intellect!”
Herein there are five parts: Om is the first part; Bhur bhuvah svah is the second; Tat savitur
varenyam is the third; Bhargo devasya dheemahi is the fourth; and Dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat is
the last. While chanting the Mantra you should pause after every part.
This rare and most precious divine treasure of the Gayatri Mantra is neglected by the youth
of the present day. This is a very serious lapse indeed. Open your eyes now on this sacred day and
start in right earnest the Japa of the Gayatri. Repeat it at least 108 times (1,008 is better!) on the
Gayatri Japa day. Then continue it (at least 108 times daily) without missing even a single day.
May the whole world be made Gayatri-conscious through the inspiration of the auspicious
Gayatri Japa Day! May you all be thrice blessed by taking the vow of daily Gayatri Japa right from
this very moment! May you realise the inner Truth of the Gayatri Mantra!
Gayatri Japa is observed on the day after the Raksha Bandhan or Avani Avittam
(July-August).