gāyatryaṣṭakaṃ (gayatrī aṣṭakaṃ)

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who is the fruition of Sage Vishwamitra’s penance, ever dear to all, served by the assembly of sages, and the bestower of the wisdom to distinguish between the eternal and the transient. With a smiling face adorned by the crescent moon, lips reddened by betel leaves, residing at the center of the Sun, beloved of Lord Vishnu, three-eyed, and five-faced, I worship Her.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, whose lotus-like feet are worshipped with jasmine, lotus, ketaki, and water-lily flowers. She embodies the essence of the sacred letters of the Truth and grants the wisdom to understand that Truth. Served by the wise who are devoted to the practice of breath control (Pranayama), the auspicious and three-eyed Goddess, beloved of Vishnu and five-faced, I worship Her.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who enhances the beauty of the entire universe with the rhythmic sounds of Her anklets, who is earth-born, and whose presence wards off demonic forces for those who seek refuge in Her. She removes the sins of those who chant Her name, Her complexion glows like the Japa flower, and She is brilliantly adorned by the Hamsa (swan). I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who is adorned with a golden waist-belt and garments, who is the embodiment of Shiva, and who carries auspicious garlands. She is the Supreme Goddess, the bestower of refuge, who dispels the darkness of delusion from the intellect. She is the foundation of the three worlds (Bhur, Bhuvar, and Svar), the Mother of the three realms, and the essence of spiritual knowledge. I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who removes the suffering of the cycle of birth for those who contemplate Her. She is the embodiment of the Sama Veda, the singer of the Sama hymns, worshiped at twilight, the essence of musical notes, and dark-hued like the blade of green grass. Radiating splendor and beloved of the Lord of the Devas, I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who is served by noble sages adorned in garments as colorful as the twilight sky. She is decorated with garlands of pearls and stars, and shines within a vessel of radiant gems. With a face as beautiful as the full moon, praised by the consort of Lakshmi (Vishnu), and holding auspicious implements like the conch in Her hands, I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, who is always beautified by bees buzzing around the garlands in Her braided hair, and who acts like a queen bee wandering through the nectar-filled palace of divine knowledge on the tongues of the wise. With the rays of the pearl adorning Her nose dispelling the darkness of evening, I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

I meditate upon Goddess Gayatri, whose forehead is radiant with the vermillion dust of Her lotus feet. She delights in witnessing the dance of the Apsaras (such as Rambha) and grants the wisdom of Vedanta. Listening to the celestial music of the Veena, flute, Mridanga, and drums played by the Devas, I worship this three-eyed, five-faced, and beloved of Vishnu.

Those learned Brahmanas who, with focused minds, chant this hymn of the Mother of the Vedas—Gayatri—during the twilight sandhyas, find their sins—which are as heavy and insurmountable as mountains, including the taking of life, consumption of intoxicants, theft of gold, and betrayal of the Guru—destroyed as if by the radiance of the Sun. By chanting this mantra of the Goddess, they attain the supreme state.