Singing Mantras to Kids: Gayatri Part 1

The 5-faced and 10-armed
Goddess Gayatri who rules
over the five senses and
protects the sense of those
 who chant her mantra

Sing mantras to your little ones before bed. If it comes from your heart it may just replay itself through their dreams and show up unexpectedly.

Today I caught my 4-yr-old sweetly singing the gayatri mantra as he played by himself (and also heard him singing it while he pooped)!

The Gayatri Mantra:

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA,

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM

BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI

DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT.

Meaning:
Gayatri Mantra is known to be the foremost mantra in hinduism and hindu beliefs, and is known for inspiring wisdom. This mantra is based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda (3.62.10). Gayatri is a Sanskrit word, where Ga means to sing, Yatri means protection.

The meaning can be translated as,
"O thou existence Absolute, Creator of the three dimensions,
we contemplate upon thy divine light.
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light.
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction."


Om: The primeval sound
Bhur: the physical world
Bhuvah: the mental world
Suvah: the celestial, spiritual world
Thath: That; God; transcendental Paramatma
Savithur: the Sun, Creator, Preserver
Varenyam: most adorable, enchanting
Bhargo: luster, effulgence
Devasya: resplendent,supreme Lord
Dheemahi: we meditate upon
Dhiyo: the intellect,understanding
Yo: May this light
Nah: our
Prachodayath: enlighten,guide,inspire


Who is Gayatri?
The Goddness Gayatri is a consort of the God Brahma and the goddess of learning. Gayatri, the five-faced Goddess, is said to have domain over the five senses or pranas, and protects these five life-forces of those who chant the Gayatri Mantra.

Here is a beautiful version of the version of the Gayatri Mantra sung in the traditional fashion in North India: