Gayatri is one of the most ancient of Hindu goddesses, known to have been worshipped as “the Mother of the Vedas.” She is extremely powerful and is depicted with five heads (for the five elements of creation: earth, water, fire, air, and ether) and ten arms. In Hinduism goddesses are important because they represent the power (shakti) of their male counterparts.
The mantra dedicated to Gayatri is said to be the most potent of all mantras. It is a 14-word prayer for enlightenment and is also spoken whenever a devotee is endangered. Because of its power, the Gayatri mantra should not be treated casually.
Psychologically, Gayatri and her mantra can be beneficial for twenty-first-century spiritual feminists both as a feminine god image and as a source for prayer and/or meditation.
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Nikhilananda, S. (Ed., & Trans.). (1956). The Upanishads (Vol. 3). New York: Ramakrishna-Vivikananda Center.
Swami ‘M’. (n.d.). Gayatri mantra (trans: Malhotra, A. K.). Bangalore: Print Park.
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Halligan, F.R. (2020). Gayatri. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_257
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_257
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