Shri Gayatri Chalisa

Shri Gayatri Chalisa is a devotional hymn to Goddess Gayatri, the Mother of the Vedas and the power behind the Gayatri Mantra. It is signed by a poet who calls himself Daas, and it is a different text from the Gayatri Chalisa 2, which begins with the seed sounds Hreem, Shreem and Kleem. The opening doha hails the Goddess as the holder of Brahma-knowledge in the heart and the first power served by the gods.

The first part praises her. It says that Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh meditate on her and gain peace, that she holds Brahma-knowledge, carries beings across the world and spreads the path of liberation, and that she removes trouble, ghosts and evil spirits, fills life with joy, lives in every heart, lights up the intellect, and is a mine of perfect knowledge and the giver of all siddhis. The verses add that she takes away fear, pride, desire, anger, attachment and envy.

The second part is the heart of this Chalisa, and it explains the Gayatri Mantra word by word. The mantra is a Vedic prayer from the Rigveda, traditionally ascribed to Vishwamitra, that goes "Om Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat." The Chalisa takes it piece by piece. Om is the formless element, and Bhuh is the earth in a four-petalled form, Bhuvah protects the worlds, and Swah gives protection with a sixteen-petalled form. It says Tat is the form of the one who sustains and Savitur is the joy of Brahma''s own self, and that Varenyam is the dear one of Brahma. Bhargo takes away the suffering of body and mind of those who meditate with love on Devasya, the divine. Dhimahi means holding that light steadily in the heart, Dhiyo gives a pure mind and strength of intellect, and Prachodayat destroys the heap of sin and lets knowledge and devotion enter. In the usual rendering, the mantra means "We meditate on the radiant light of the divine Savitr; may it inspire our understanding."

The Chalisa also says that whoever does not know the meaning of the mantra, who has not even heard the words, has the human body but not its real fruit, like holding a philosopher''s stone without making gold, and that knowledge is delayed until Brahma''s grace comes. It calls the Goddess the great Vyahriti, with many names, and gives each syllable a role of its own, which is why many students use it to understand the mantra.

The last verses identify her with Sri Ram, Radhika and Sita, Sri Krishna and the Gita, Adi Shakti, Durga, Uma and Rama, and the mother of all (see the Durga Chalisa and the Saraswati Chalisa). It says that of all mantras in the world none equals Gayatri, and that even a great sin such as brahma-hatya is destroyed by her japa. The closing doha says that one who recites it joyfully crosses easily over sin, is not caught again in the net of worldly life, and sees Lakshmi come to the home. These are matters of faith, and the benefit most readers notice is clearer, calmer thought.