Gayatri Mantra - Universal Prayer
THE Gaayathri (Vedhic prayer to illuminate the intellect) is the Universal prayer enshrined in the Vedhas (Divine Knowledge), the most ancient scriptures of man. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divine which has been given the name 'Savitha,' meaning 'that from which all this is born.' The Gaayathri may be considered as having three parts--- (i) Praise (ii) Meditation (iii)Prayer First the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in reverence and finally an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man. The Gaayathri is considered as Vedhasaara---"the essence of the Vedhas." Vedha means knowledge, and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty. As a matter of fact the four Mahaavaakyas or 'core-declarations' enshrined in the four Vedhas are implied...