pranayamagayatrivyahritisandhyavandana

Pranayama Mantra (Gayatri with Vyahritis and Shiras)

प्राणायाम मन्त्र in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At the three Sandhyas — dawn, midday and dusk — and before any meditation or puja·📜 Yajurveda / Taittiriya tradition (Sandhyavandana ritual); Gayatri verse from Rigveda 3.62.10

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This is the Gayatri Mantra recited in its fullest ritual form — preceded by the seven Vyahritis (Bhuh through Satyam, naming the seven worlds) and followed by the Gayatri-Shiras ('Apo Jyoti…'). It is the mantra used during Pranayama in the daily Sandhyavandana: the worshipper controls the breath through Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka while mentally reciting it once. Saying it joins the breath, the mind and the cosmos in a single act of meditation on the divine solar light.

Origin & Story

Yajurveda / Taittiriya tradition (Sandhyavandana ritual); Gayatri verse from Rigveda 3.62.10 · Sage Vishvamitra (the Gayatri verse); the Vyahritis and Shiras from Vedic ritual · Vedic

The central verse is the celebrated Gayatri Mantra revealed to Rishi Vishvamitra in the Rigveda. For ritual use in the thrice-daily Sandhyavandana, the Vedic tradition frames it with the seven Vyahritis — born, says the Taittiriya Aranyaka, when Prajapati brooded upon the worlds — and crowns it with the Gayatri-Shiras. In this complete form it became the mantra of Pranayama, uniting controlled breath with the meditation on Savitr's light that opens every Brahmin's day.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally held that Pranayama performed with this mantra burns away the impurities of the breath and senses, just as fire purifies gold; the Manusmriti declares that the sins of the senses are consumed by Pranayama joined to the Vyahritis and the Pranava. Sages say that one who steadies the breath upon the Gayatri sees the inner solar light dawn within the heart.

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The Mantra

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Om Bhuh. Om Bhuvah. Om Suvah. Om Mahah. Om Janah. Om Tapah. Om Satyam. Om Tat-Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi. Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat. Om Apo Jyoti Raso-mritam Brahma Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvar-Om.

Meaning:Om, the earth. Om, the mid-region. Om, the heavens. Om, the great realm. Om, the realm of creation. Om, the realm of austerity. Om, the realm of truth. We meditate upon that most adorable, divine, sin-dispelling effulgence of the radiant Savitr (the Sun-god); may He inspire and illumine our intellects. Om — the waters, the light, the essence, the immortal nectar, Brahman — earth, mid-region and heaven, sealed by Om. (The seven Vyahritis name the seven worlds; the central line is the Gayatri Mantra; the final line is its 'Shiras' or crown, recited during ritual breath-control.)

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Om🔊The primordial sound, the Pranava, brahman itself — uttered before each Vyahriti

Bhuh🔊The earth plane — the first Vyahriti (gross physical world)

Bhuvah🔊The mid-region / atmosphere — the second Vyahriti

Suvah🔊The heavenly realm — the third Vyahriti (also pronounced 'Svah')

Mahah🔊The realm of greatness / Mahar-loka — the fourth Vyahriti

Janah🔊Jana-loka, the realm of creation — the fifth Vyahriti

Tapah🔊Tapo-loka, the realm of austerity — the sixth Vyahriti

Satyam🔊Satya-loka, the realm of truth — the seventh Vyahriti, abode of Brahma

Tat-Savituh🔊That (supreme), of Savitr — the radiant solar Source of all

Varenyam🔊Most adorable, supremely worthy of being sought

Bhargo Devasya🔊The divine, sin-dispelling effulgence (Bharga) of that god

Dhimahi🔊We meditate upon, we contemplate

Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat🔊May He inspire and illumine our intellects (buddhi)

Apo Jyoti🔊The waters and the light (the sustaining and illuminating principles)

Raso-mritam🔊The essence (rasa) and the immortal nectar (amrita)

Brahma🔊Brahman, the Absolute

Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvar-Om🔊The three worlds sealed by Om — the Shiras (head) of the Gayatri

Benefits of Chanting प्राणायाम मन्त्र

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The prescribed mantra for Pranayama in the daily Sandhyavandana ritual

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Joins breath-control with meditation on the Gayatri, steadying body and mind together

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The seven Vyahritis consecrate the seven worlds, expanding awareness from earth to Satya-loka

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Invokes the illuminating grace of Savitr to purify and inspire the intellect (Prachodayat)

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The Shiras ('Apo Jyoti…') affirms the unity of water, light, essence, nectar and Brahman

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Cultivates calm, focus and pranic balance before japa, puja or meditation

How to Chant प्राणायाम मन्त्र

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt the three Sandhyas — dawn, midday and dusk — and before any meditation or puja

Sit erect facing east (or north). Close the right nostril with the thumb and inhale slowly through the left (Puraka) while mentally reciting the whole mantra once. Hold the breath (Kumbhaka), closing both nostrils, reciting it a second time. Then release through the right nostril (Rechaka), reciting it a third time. This is one round of Pranayama; three rounds are commonly done. Keep the spine straight and the mind fixed on the solar effulgence of Savitr throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete प्राणायाम मन्त्र written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

The ordinary Gayatri is the single verse 'Om Tat Savitur Varenyam…'. For Pranayama and Sandhyavandana it is recited in its expanded form: first the Pranava 'Om', then the seven Vyahritis (Bhuh, Bhuvah, Suvah, Mahah, Janah, Tapah, Satyam), then the Gayatri verse, and finally the Gayatri-Shiras ('Om Apo Jyoti Raso-mritam Brahma Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvar-Om').

The Vyahritis are sacred utterances naming the seven cosmic worlds (lokas): Bhuh (earth), Bhuvah (mid-region), Suvah/Svah (heaven), Mahah, Janah, Tapah and Satyam. The first three are the 'Maha-Vyahritis' and are the most commonly used; all seven appear in the full Pranayama form.

The Shiras ('head' or crown) is the line 'Om Apo Jyoti Raso-mritam Brahma Bhur-Bhuvah-Suvar-Om' appended after the Gayatri. It identifies the divine light with the waters, the essence, the immortal nectar and Brahman, and seals the meditation. It is used specifically in ritual Pranayama.

Traditionally the Gayatri in this ritual form is received through Upanayana/Gayatri initiation and used in Sandhyavandana. Many teachers, however, encourage devotees to use the simple Gayatri verse for breath-awareness and meditation with reverence and a clean, calm seat.