9. श्री गायत्री महामन्त्र जप

Names of जप are गायत्री and सावित्री. This मंत्र occurs in all the three वेद (ऋग्वेद, यजुर्वेद and सामवेद) with slight स्वर difference. Source is ऋग्वेद only and others have borrowed. 

Morning	108 times	Face east in a standing position (for ब्रह्मचारी) and standing/ sitting position for a गृहस्थ. Further, the hand used for counting must be located near navel
Noon	32 times	Face east in a standing or sitting position – hand used for counting must be located near हृदय
Evening	64 times	Face west before sunset and east after sunset in a sitting position – hand used for counting must be located near the nose

While the right hand is counting, the left hand should not touch any part of the body below the navel.  

ॐ भूर्भुवस्सुव: तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि| धियो यो न: प्रचोदयाSत् |

After the entire chanting is over, chant – ॐ तत् सत् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु

Glory of मंत्र as per the शास्त्र – this is glorified as the essence of the वेद. All three parts of the गायत्री मंत्र are expressed as essence (or सार) of each of the three वेद. The details are given below:

Part of वेद	ॐ	व्याहृति	गायत्री
ऋग्वेद सार	अकार	भू:	तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम्
यजुर्वेद सार	उकार	भुव:	भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
सामवेद सार	मकार	सुव:	धियो यो न: प्रचोदयाSत्

Just as honey is taken from flowers, ghee from milk and essence from food, गायत्री is expressed as being the essence of the वेद. Best मंत्र for शुद्धि प्राप्ति and अशुद्धि निवृत्ति. When a person is sick, other person can do सन्ध्या as per शास्त्र. गायत्री is also prescribed as a कवचम्, an armour that will protect him against all negative forces.

One additional important point must be noted here. In the न्यास given earlier, there is usage of the words निचृत् गायत्री छन्दः – how is निचृत् गायत्री छन्दः different from गायत्री छन्दः? निचृत् गायत्री छन्दः has one अक्षरम् lesser than the standard of 24 अक्षरम् for any गायत्री छन्द. When तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् is used, the छन्द is referred to as निचृत् गायत्री छन्दः (since it has one letter less) while when तत्सवितुर्वरेणियम् is used, the छन्द becomes the 24 अक्षरम् गायत्री मंत्र. As per tradition, तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् is to be used during प्राणायाम, during अर्घ्य, during जप and during दान. However, when गायत्री होम, etc is undertaken, then तत्सवितुर्वरेणियम् is to be used. 

जप विधि 

गायत्री जप has five stops (or pauses) (पञ्चावसान) as given here – ॐ | भूर्भुवस्सुव: | तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् | भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि | धियो यो न: प्रचोदयाSत्.| जप is of three types – उच्च, मंद and मानसम् जप: (loudly chanted, mildly chanted and mental chanting with lip movements not audible to people around) – mental जप is the best among all (and most difficult too). Further, during जप, visualization of देवी is difficult; therefore, visualization is done before the जप. Next, chanting can be शब्द प्रधान or अर्थ प्रधान. जप is usually शब्द प्रधान. 

 ॐ भूर्भुवस्सुव: is not part of गायत्री but a prefix given to the गायत्री मंत्र. It is a मंत्र with 24 letters and 3 पाद (or lines). Any मंत्र in गायत्री छन्द has three पाद and 24 अक्षर. ॐ is known as प्रणव मंत्र and भू, भुव:, upto तप: is the व्याहृति मंत्र and rest is गायत्री मंत्र. 

गायत्री अर्थ (meaning)

1. प्रणव मंत्र ॐ – ॐ sound itself is purifying. ब्रह्म used ॐ at the time of creation. ॐकार is the best name of ईश्वर. ॐ, तत् and सत् are the three names of भगवान्. प्रणव:  means a name which is ideal for ईश्वर and as to why it is an ideal name, two reasons are given here:

1. ॐ is an एक अक्षर शब्द and ईश्वर is also one.
   1. ॐकार is an अक्षर (single syllable) while ईश्वर is अक्षरम् (indestructible)

There are many other reasons that can be found in the उपनिषद् – माण्डूक्य in particular dwells on this topic in detail. ॐ is derived from औ रक्षणे – अवती रक्षती इति ॐ – the one which protects is ॐ (and this therefore applies to ॐ, to any मंत्र as well as ईश्वर). 

• Let us now turn to व्याहृति मंत्र viz भूर्भुवस्सुव: – it is auspicious owing to its very sound itself. व्याहृति is auspicious since this has been uttered by ब्रह्मा Himself at the time of सृष्टि. व्याहृति has the  capability of removing all पाप when uttered by any person. Essentially, one is remembering ईश्वर who has manifested (or become व्यक्त) in the form of three लोक viz भू, भुव: and सुव:. Further, from a वेदान्त level, ॐ represents निर्गुण ब्रह्म while भूर्भुवस्सुव represents सगुण विश्व, तैजस and प्राज्ञ and therefore, represents ब्रह्म with four parts (or legs) or चतुष्पाद ब्रह्म. Simply put, वेदान्त states that it is the निर्गुण ब्रह्म who becomes व्यक्त as सगुण विराट (विश्व), सगुण हिरण्यगर्भ (तैजस) and सगुण ईश्वर (प्राज्ञ). भू, भुव: and सुव: may also be seen as ब्रह्मा ग्रंथि, विष्णु ग्रंथि and रुद्र ग्रंथि (those familiar with ललिता सहस्रनाम will recognize these) and one has to cross these three to reach the state of तत् or परब्रह्म. 
• आदि शंकर has stated that भू signifies existence (भव or सत्ता) and therefore भू signifies सत्. भुव: signifies तजस् and therefore conveys चित् aspect of परब्रह्म while सुव: means that which is likeable and therefore signifies आनन्द aspect of परब्रह्म.  
• Let us now turn to the third part viz गायत्री मंत्र. General meaning of मंत्र – it is an invocation of सूर्य देवता. According to this, we do ध्यान upon (धीमहि ) sacred/ auspicious (वरेण्यम्) brilliance/ effulgence (भर्ग:) of सूर्य देवता (देवस्य सवितुर्) whose effulgence or energy alone enlivens/ energizes/ activates (प्रचोदयाSत्) our बुद्धि (धिय:). 15th chapter of the Gita can be referred to connect with this अर्थ given here. What is the वेदान्त अर्थ? We do ध्यान upon the सत् चित् आनन्द स्वरूप of ईश्वर. सवितु: means that which procreates the universe (the root सु means to procreate or give birth to) and this सविता thus can be explained as the material cause of the universe (सविता thus becomes the उपादान कारण); Similarly, देवस्य means that which is चेतना स्वरूप (this thus becomes the intelligent cause or निमित्त कारण). तत् refers to the सत् aspect of ईश्वर, भर्ग: refers to that which is effulgent and removes darkness and is taken to mean चित् or चैतन्य aspect of ईश्वर. The third word is वरेण्यम् which means that which is worth choosing by all and आनन्द is the only one that all choose. Last, this चैतन्य स्वरूप illumines the बुद्धि of all as आत्मा (धियोय:). All of this taken together – the गायत्री मंत्र therefore refers to doing ध्यान on ईश्वर who is both the निमित्त and उपादान कारण of the entire ब्रह्माण्ड and who bears the स्वरूप of सत्, चित् and आनन्द and which illumines the बुद्धि of all as साक्षी चैतन्य.  We thus do ध्यान on the आत्मा चैतन्य which is nothing other than ब्रह्म चैतन्य (अभेद between both). 

पर ब्रह्म is not expressible – hence, It is तत्, It is सृष्टि कर्ता – hence it is सविता, पर ब्रह्म is the best/highest/ greatest – hence, It is वरेण्यम् and in Its presence, all दु:ख & अज्ञान  is set aside, hence it is भर्ग:. Another interesting aspect – if we say that we are doing उपासना of the तजस् aspect viz भर्ग: and this is done to gain वरेण्यम् (that is आनन्द), we are collectively doing उपासना of शिव (as भर्ग:) and विष्णु (as वरेण्यम्). 

Additional गायत्री (for even those who have not gone through उपनयन)

While the above गायत्री मंत्र is received via a गुरु during उपनयन संस्कार, the पुराण have given three additional मंत्र/ श्लोक that can be chanted by anyone. While those have received the मंत्र during उपनयन may chant this additionally, those did not go through उपनयन may chant any of these during संध्या times. These three are given below:

यो देव: सविताsस्माकम् धियो धर्मादि गोचरा: | प्रेरयेत् तस्य यद्भर्ग: तद् वरेण्यम् उपास्महे ||

नमो भगवते तुभ्यम् वासुदेवाय धीमहि | प्रद्युम्नाय अनिरुद्धाय नम: सञ्कर्षणाय च ॥

सर्व चैतन्य रूपान्ताम् आद्याम् विद्याम् च धीमहि बुद्धिं या न: प्रचोदयात् ||

Additional points to add on गायत्री जप

1. मंत्र means a sound that is chanted in a certain specific manner with the intent to invoke (or create a connection) with a particular देवता. 
2. First, there are three types of संध्या वन्दनम् – उत्तम, मध्यम and अधम. ध्यान must be done externally on सूर्य and internally in our हृदय. Three aspects are relevant for the जप – 
3. If गायत्री जप is chanted within one’s own mind with no sound manifesting outside, it will said to be उत्तम जप 
4. If गायत्री जप is chanted in a manner that the sound remains within the lips in a mild manner but the manifestation outside remains low, such a chanting is referred to as मध्यम जप
5. When गायत्री जप manifests outside loudly, it is referred to as अधम जप 
6. साधक must wear अंग वस्त्रम् while doing the जप. वस्त्रम् must be clean  and should not be crumpled, वस्त्रम् must not be saffron in colour (for ब्रह्मचारी, गृहस्थ and वानप्रस्थ) and वस्त्रम् must not be wet
7. जप must not be done wearing wet clothes. However, if one is in a river, तर्पणम् and आचमनम् and जप can be done in the river. However, when one reaches उपस्थानम्, one needs to come out of the river, change to dry clothes and perform the उपस्थानम्on the banks of the river. To add, even प्रदक्षिणा must not be performed in the river. 
8. While doing गायत्री जप, कर-माला must be used as against a जप-माला. 
9. Ideally, the efficacy of गायत्री मंत्र will fructify if one’s body and mind acquires the necessary capability by living a life as per शास्त्र. However, in कलियुग, people will not possess such a capability and one may therefore worry whether performance of गायत्री is giving them any benefit at all. For such people, even if their capability is sub-optimal, if they perform the क्रिया with necessary भावना as per the commentary conveyed here, performance with भावना will help them attain the benefits of performing this कर्म. And therefore, one must do संध्या कर्म at an appropriate pace that enables one to do भावना on the अर्थ adequately – if one performs the क्रिया too quickly, one may not be able to get one’s mind to dwell on the अर्थ appropriately – hence, one must be mindful of the pace at which one is undertaking this क्रिया. 
10. Further in कलियुग, it is strongly recommended that in addition to संध्या वन्दनम्, a साधक must ADDITIONALLY chant additional श्लोक (whichever they may obtain from their गुरु or based on their affinity to any देवता) as given in various पुराण (e.g., विष्णु सहस्रनाम, ललिता सहस्रनाम, etc) as a part of their नित्य क्रिया. 
11. Since the गायत्री मंत्र has three पाद (तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् is one पाद, भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि is the second one and धियो यो न: प्रचोदयाSत् is the third one) – be mindful that one pauses between each पाद and does not chant the entire मंत्र continuously without pausing between each पाद. 

10. अङ्गन्यासः

आचम्य

मम उपात्त समस्त दुरितक्षयद्वारा श्री परमेश्वर प्रीत्यर्थं प्रात: संध्याङ्ग गायत्री महामंत्रावसानम् करिष्ये

ॐ तथ्स॑वि॒तु: ब्रह्मात्मने हृदयाय नमः ।

वरे॓॑ण्यं॒ विष्णवात्मने शिरसे स्वाहा ।

भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ रुद्रात्मने शिखायै वषट् ।

धीमहि सत्यात्मने कवचाय हुम् ।

धियो॒ यो नः॑ ज्ञानात्मने नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ।

प्रचोदया॓॑-थ्सर्वात्मने अस्त्रायफट् ।

ॐ भूर्भुव॒स्सुव॒रोमिति दिग्विमोक:        ।

11. अष्टमुद्रा प्रदर्शनं

सुरभिर्ज्ञान चक्रे च योनिः कूर्मो-ऽथ पङ्कजम् । [सुरभिर्ज्ञान नेत्र-ञ्च]

लिङ्ग-न्निर्याण मुद्रा चेत्यष्ट मुद्राः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥

ओ-न्तत्सद्ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु ।

The मुद्रा against each मंत्र:

मंत्र	मुद्रा	चित्र
सुरभि	Touch middle finger of the right hand with forefinger of the left hand and middle finger of the left hand with forefinger of the right handTouch ring finger of the right hand with little finger of the left hand and little finger of the right-hand with ring finger of the left hand
र्ज्ञान	Rest both hands of the respective thigh with open palms and thumb & forefinger forming a circle
चक्रे च	Right palm over the left palm with both palms touching each other in front and turning the palms like a चक्र
योनिः	First brings both palms adjacent to each other facing up. Next, lift both middle fingers up. Next, let two ring fingers cross each other. Next, use both forefingers to pull both the ring fingers inside. Next, bring both little fingers from the bottom to the front of the hand and last, touch the thumb to the middle of the little fingers – THIS IS TOUGH BUT DOABLE
कूर्मो	Same as Kurma मुद्रा done earlier
अथ पङ्कजम्	Close the fist of the right hand with thumb jutting out and place the first on the left hand followed by नमस्कार
लिङ्ग	Close the fist of the right hand with thumb jutting out and place the first on the left hand
न्निर्याण मुद्रा चेत्	Let palm of left-hand face down – right hand palm facing up must be placed on top of the left hand. Let fingers of both hands enter each other, then turn both palms up in a manner that the folded hands come in front of the face with two forefingers touching each other facing up.

यो देव: सविताSस्माकम् धियो धर्मादि गोचर: प्रेरयेत् तस्य यद्भर्गम् तद्वरेण्यम् उपास्महे

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुरविष्णु गुरुर्देवो महेश्वर: | गुरु: साक्षात् परब्रह्म् तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ||

तत् सत् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु

12. आचमनम्

ॐ आचम्य 

1. ॐ केशवाय स्वाहा  (sip)  2. ॐ नारायणाय स्वाहा (sip) 3.     ॐ माधवाय स्वाहा (sip) (take जल in right palm and pour जल into the अर्घ्य plate)  4.     ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः (rub right hand over the left hand) 5. ॐ विँष्णवे नमः (rub left hand over the right hand) 6.     ॐ मधुसूदनाय नमः (rub thumb from below left lip towards right lip) 7. ॐ त्रिविक्रमाय नमः (rub thumb from below right lip towards left lip) 8.     ॐ वामनाय नमः (close mouth with three middle fingers without touching the mouth) 9. ॐ श्रीधराय नमः (right land over the head as if it is spraying something on top) 10.  ॐ हृषीकेशाय नमः (same as above) 11.  ॐ पद्मनाभाय नमः (tap left thigh with right hand) 12.  ॐ दामोदराय नमः (tap right thigh with right hand)

13.  ॐ सङ्कर्​षणाय नमः (touch throat with middle three fingers) 14.  ॐ वाँसुदेवाय नमः (touch right nostril with middle finger and thumb) 15.  ॐ प्रद्युम्नाय नमः (touch left nostril with middle finger and thumb) 16. ॐ अनिरुद्धाय नमः (touch middle finger and thumb to right side of right eye) 17. ॐ पुरुषोत्तमाय नमः (touch middle finger and thumb to left side of left eye) 18. ॐ अधोक्षजाय नमः (join little finger and thumb of right hand and touch right ear) 19.  ॐ नारसिंहाय नमः (join little finger and thumb of right hand and touch left ear) 20.  ॐ अच्युताय नमः (place the right hand on the navel) 21.  ॐ जनार्धनाय नमः (place the right hand on the हृदय) 22.  ॐ उपेन्द्राय नमः (place the right hand on top of the head) 23.  ॐ हरये नमः (place the right hand on top of right shoulder) 24.  ॐ श्रीकृष्णाय नम: (place the right hand on top of left shoulder)

ॐ श्रीकृष्ण परब्रह्मणे नमो नमः (do नमस्कार while chanting this)

(To be continued…..)