Mata Gayatri is regarded as our Veda Mata and is worshipped as the mother of the four Vedas. She is the one who guides us through all states of mind and body and helps us overcome the darkness of mind. Hence, her chanting is done through the most powerful and the important mantra of our Sanatana Dharma which is the Gayatri Mantra. The Vedic deity of this Mantra is Mata Savitri, and hence this is also known as the Savitri mantra.
Rishi Vishwamitr was the creator of this chant and it is recorded in the hymns of the Rig Veda. The mantra is a twenty four syllable mantra. Prefixed by the sacred Om, it is recited as Om bhuur bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṃ II bhargo devasya dheemahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayaat II (Rigveda 3.62.10) which means let our mind before illuminated and glorified by your existence and eliminated from all darkness. While paying salutations to the creator this mantra is worship to the Supreme Being who is the embodiment of all knowledge and the remover of ignorance. The mantra is also a combination of the power of the Vishnu and the Shiva Tatva, which is the combined energy of the entire cosmos.
In the mantra, Traya means three, and there are three states through which it takes a man’s mind which are the Jagrut (waking) , Sushupt ( deep sleep ) and Swapna ( dream) and fills these states with stability. When concentrated and sung in a musical rendition, the mantra removes the ailments which affect a human both physically and mentally. The negativity and the restlessness of the soul and the physical discomfort of the body, both are removed by the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra. The Gayatri Mantra brightens the intellect of the brain too. It is natural that a human mind gathers lots of thoughts which get accumulated in the mind as toxin. The Gayatri mantra acts a toxin remover where it deep cleanses the mind of all useless thoughts and guides our mind to think in a positive way.
For the significance it carries, the Gayatri Mantra is the first mantra which is taught to a child as a student. For men, the Upanayana ceremony marks the start of the journey of knowledge, and hence the men are initiated into this mantra during their Upanayana. This is also called as the Gayatri Deeksha. Even women are eligible to recite and chant this mantra.
The mantra is highly beneficial when chanted during the early hours of the morning and the transitory hours of night. These timings are called the Satva times, where in the quality of the time is totally pure and enriching. Hence, these times are considered the best for the mind not to slip into a delusion and be firm and maintain it in an energised state so that the knowledge is properly received and channelized. The chanting of the Gayatri Mantra calms the mind and de stresses the body, thus giving a healthy body and an active mind. The benefit of the mantra is so great that not only the one who recites it is benefitted, but also the one who listens to it too receives the same energy and positivity to mark a new day and a new beginning.