Goddess Gayathri is considered as the veda mata , the mother of all Vedas and also the personification of the all - pervading Prabrahman. Gayatri Devi is an incarnation of Saraswati Devi, consort of Lord Brahma, symbolising the "shakti" (strength) and "dev" (quality) of Knowledge, Purity and Virtue. Gayatri Devi, with the blessings of Lord Brahma, she is believed to have given the four Vedas to mankind.
Gayatri is depicted seated on a lotus. She is depicted with five faces representing the pancha pranas, Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Sky (prithvi, jala, vayu, teja, aakasha). She has 10 hands carrying the five ayudhas. Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati are three goddesses representing the presiding deities of the famous Gayatri mantra chanted thrice a day.
Gayatri mantra is meant for realization of God and is regarded as representing the Supreme Lord. Success in chanting it enables one to enter the transcendental position of the Lord.
Legend : Once Lord Brahma decided to conduct an Yagna. He selected the place Pushkar,in Rajasthan which had a pond near by. He invited all Gods and Godesses ,devas and maharashis for the function. On a certain day the ritiual was proposed to be conducted. Everyone gathered there. But Goddess Saraswathi, Brahma's wife did not come on time. The auspicious time was only for a short period and time running short. So Brahma asked Indra to find a girl and to bring her there. The girl was brought and purified by making her to enter the mouth of Kamadenu a divine cow and exit by its tail. Brahma then married that purified girl and named her Gayathri. Then the yagna was conducted peacefully. Soon goddess Saraswati came and got rage seeing her husband remarrying another girl. She cursed Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu that they will suffer seperation from Goddess Parvathy and Goddess Lakshmi. Brahma will not have many Temple. Pushkar will be the only major place of worship for him.
Brahma gave that place to our earth by throwing a lotus in that pond, which later on became the famous Pushkarnithirtha., a famous pilgrim place. That girl Gayathri became the famous Goddess Gayathri whose mantra has become so popular. Pilgrims take bath in that pond and chant Gayathri mantras there for attaining moksha.
In Hindu Brahmins families, the thread ceremony is conducted for the sons at the ages from5 to 11 years. During that mukurtham time father of that son preaches this Gayathri Mantra in his hear thrice in the midst of Gurusastry and the mother of the child by closing themselves with a cloth. Tthat is known as Brahmopadesam .He thus becomes brahmachari. There after he performs the sandhya’ vathanam daily.
Gayathri Mantra :
"Om Bhoor Bhuvaha Swaha
Tat Savitur Vareniyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat"
This posting is a combined work by me and Sharada . Thanks to her for giving us the information.)
Gayatri is depicted seated on a lotus. She is depicted with five faces representing the pancha pranas, Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Sky (prithvi, jala, vayu, teja, aakasha). She has 10 hands carrying the five ayudhas. Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati are three goddesses representing the presiding deities of the famous Gayatri mantra chanted thrice a day.
Gayatri mantra is meant for realization of God and is regarded as representing the Supreme Lord. Success in chanting it enables one to enter the transcendental position of the Lord.
Legend : Once Lord Brahma decided to conduct an Yagna. He selected the place Pushkar,in Rajasthan which had a pond near by. He invited all Gods and Godesses ,devas and maharashis for the function. On a certain day the ritiual was proposed to be conducted. Everyone gathered there. But Goddess Saraswathi, Brahma's wife did not come on time. The auspicious time was only for a short period and time running short. So Brahma asked Indra to find a girl and to bring her there. The girl was brought and purified by making her to enter the mouth of Kamadenu a divine cow and exit by its tail. Brahma then married that purified girl and named her Gayathri. Then the yagna was conducted peacefully. Soon goddess Saraswati came and got rage seeing her husband remarrying another girl. She cursed Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu that they will suffer seperation from Goddess Parvathy and Goddess Lakshmi. Brahma will not have many Temple. Pushkar will be the only major place of worship for him.
Brahma gave that place to our earth by throwing a lotus in that pond, which later on became the famous Pushkarnithirtha., a famous pilgrim place. That girl Gayathri became the famous Goddess Gayathri whose mantra has become so popular. Pilgrims take bath in that pond and chant Gayathri mantras there for attaining moksha.
In Hindu Brahmins families, the thread ceremony is conducted for the sons at the ages from5 to 11 years. During that mukurtham time father of that son preaches this Gayathri Mantra in his hear thrice in the midst of Gurusastry and the mother of the child by closing themselves with a cloth. Tthat is known as Brahmopadesam .He thus becomes brahmachari. There after he performs the sandhya’ vathanam daily.
Gayathri Mantra :
"Om Bhoor Bhuvaha Swaha
Tat Savitur Vareniyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yo Naha Prachodayat"
This posting is a combined work by me and Sharada . Thanks to her for giving us the information.)
