Recently I came across information that the Gayatri Mantra, the Mother of all mantras, is incorrect as it is practised to- day.
Gayatri Mantra, I was asked earlier, seems to be incorrect, as it contained the 24 letters as it is known to contain.
I have written a detailed article on this and explained how this view is incorrect.
Now based on Sanskrit Grammar, both old and Classical, an article has appeared and has gained wide acceptability.
It states that the Gayatri Mantra, as is being practised to day violates the Chandas or loosely translated as Prosody.
Chandas is a Metre.
Gayatri is more of a Metre than mere mantra text.
Gayatri is described as the Mother of all Metres,
‘Gayatrim Chandasam Matha Itham Brahma Jushasvana”
Gayatri Mantra is set to Anushtup Chandas.
But the present Gayatri Mantra is not Anuhstup Chandas.
By removing the first two lines the Gayatri Mantra adheres to Anushtup Chandas.
This seems to be a correct interpretation.
Is it?
Vedas are grasped from the Ether by the Rishis in the form of Sound by intuition.
They are mystical y locked sounds that provide specific results.
No human being composed this ,applying the rules of Grammar.
Again the the sounds in the form of Mantras were/are not mean to be written down.
The Vedas were transmitted vocally for over 5000 years.
Even now the system is being followed.
The manuscript form came much later.
Please read my post on this,’Where are Veda manuscripts?’
When one writes down sounds, the letters to represent them may be inadequate.
The Gayatri Mantra is meant for recitation , not for academic analysis.
When intoned the Gayatri Mantra in its present form adheres to the Anushtup Chandas.
When one writes it down, it does not come Anushtup Chandas.
As the Mantras are meant to be recited and as the Gayatri Mantra sticks to Anushtup Chandas, the present form, which incidentally is the one from the Rig Veda, is correct.
About a year back there was a communication from a Vaishnavaite Scholar that the Naalayira Divya Prabhandam by the Azhwars , sung in praise of Lord Vishnu contained some grammatical error.
A poem by an Azhwar did not follow the rule applicable to the Grammar of Andhaadi, a rule of Tamil Grammar.
Under this rule, the ending word or the letter of the verse must be he same as the one contained in the verse preceding it.
I posted an article that the great Saints did not refer to Grammar books, some of them were illiterate even, but, expressed themselves in ecstasy on the Bliss experienced in contemplation or on seeing the form of God.
So looking for Grammar in these is like looking for a piece of hair in an Egg shell( the Proverb in Tami in this connection is more damaging,those who know Tamil, especially the Brahmin house holds know the meanings of this).
The present Gayatri Mantra is correct not withstanding the interpretation of some self styled enlightened western Hindus, who rely on western translations, the paper which says that the present Gayatri mantra incorrect does the same, by quoting a westerner.
” If I ask you to tell me what the gayatri mantra is, you will probably tell me the following. This isn’t incorrect. But you may, or may not, know that ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः is not really part of the gayatri mantra, as given in Rig Veda, 3.62.10. It is a separate matter that ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः is often prefixed to the gayatri mantra. Bhu is the earth, bhuvah is the firmament and svah is heaven. Do I really have to give you a translation? I have told you earlier that I like Ralph Griffith’s translation of the Rig Veda. Here is the Griffiths translation. “May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the god: So may he stimulate our prayers.”..
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्
Gayatri is not just a mantra. It is a metre too. Let’s break up our gayatri mantra in accordance with syllables. We have 3 padas, with aksharas 7, 8 and 8 respectively. This doesn’t fit at all. The classical gayatri metre is supposed to consist of 3 padas with 8 aksharas in each pada. In other words, our gayatri mantra deviates from the pattern. That’s quite possible, because in those days, things were heard and memorized, not written down. Therefore, there is a rectified version of the gayatri mantra with varenyam replaced by vareniyam. The first pada now has 8 syllables, not 7, and fits the metre. However, everyone still follows the so-called deviant mantra, not the rectified one.
Tat sa vi tur va ren yam
Bhar ga de va sya dhi ma hi
Dhi yo yo nah pra cho da yat
Citation.
http://themotherindia.com/2012/10/31/sanskrit-tidbits-13an-introduction-to-vedangas/
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