Savitri Mantra

[Ravi]

On Thu, 6 Feb 2003 15:42:37 -0500, Shrinivas Gadkari
<sgadkari2001 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

>On Thu, 6 Feb 2003 10:22:37 +0530, Rajesh Sarin <Rajesh_Sarin at RIL.COM>
>wrote:
>
>>Pranam,
>>
>>Can you please enlighten me on the below mentioned aspects :
>>
>>1     Can you please send the text of Savitri Mantra ?
>>2     What is the significance & importance of this Mantra in Daily Life ?
>>3     Meaning of this Mantra ?
>>4     How, when, for whom and where is it recommended to be recited ?
>>
>>regards - Sarin Rajesh
>
>Namaste,
>
>As Jaldhar pointed out, sAvitrI mantra is nothing but the famous gAyatrI
>mantra. Look at the archives for the related information.
>

AFAIK:

The [correct] name of that mantra is sAvitrI mantra. That is how it is
referred to in r^ishhi nyAsa

saavitryaa R^ishhiH vishvaamitraH
nichR^it gaayatrii chhandaH
savitaa devataa

Even in upanayana ceremony, the disciple asks for initiation into sAvitrI
mantra. However, this is popularly known as gAyatrI mantra. Probably, the
reason for this is the devataa's name we use in dhyAna and aavaahanam.

Traditionally, devataa associated with this mantraa in dhyAna is gaayatrii
in morning, saavitrii in noon and sarasvatii in evening sandhya.

For most part, only the combined (samashhTi) form of these three devataa-s,
is used in dhyAna. This collective form is also known by the name gaayatrI.
(mukta vidruma ... gaayatriiM varadaam ... bhaje). Even if one says the
dhyAna for the specific form, he should *also* include the dhyAna of
samashhTi form.


nichrit gaayatri is one syllable short (only 23) of the traditional
gaayatrii chhandas. There is a version of the same mantra in the
traditional full gaayatri chhandas, This achieved by modifying vareNyam to
vareNiyam.  This version of mantra which has gaayatri chandas is used only
for homa/yaj~na.

As it was pointed out the "savitaa" has various interpretation.  It can be
interpreted on ambaa or lord shiva (especially considering the word
bhargaH) or narAyaNa. In any case, you meditate on the deity as it is in
the suurya maNDala -- yo devaH savitaasmakam ..., savitRi maNDala
madhyavartii -- so on.

And interstingly the ratha sapthami (shukla paxa sapthami of mAgha maasa),
a famous day of worship for Lord suurya is tomorrow (check your local
pancangam for accurate date). According to some, this entire maagha maasa
is special for Lord suurya.



My 2c. Corrections are welcome.

Ravi

bhAnu maNDala madhyasthaayai namo namaH