Part of the Matheson Trust Sacred Audio Collection

The Gayatri Mantra is recited by most Hindus as part of their daily rituals, and is an important part of the upanayanam or coming of age ceremony for young males. As part of the Rigveda Samhita (3.62.10), it is one of the world’s oldest religious texts in continued use, dating from approximately 1500 BC. Its recitation is traditionally preceded by the sacred syllable Om and the formula bhur bhuvah svah, known as the mahavyahriti (“great utterance”). The Gayatri Mantra is repeated and cited very widely in Vedic literature, and praised in several well-known classical Hindu texts such as Manusmriti (the “Laws of Manu”) and the Bhagavad Gita.

Gayatri Mantra (108 times)

Chanted in Sanskrit by Pandit Jasraj.

Om bhur bhuvah svah
Om
Tát savitúr várenyam
bhárgo devásya dhimahi
dhíyo yó nah pracodáyat

(For several translations, follow this link)