Q.1. How does the ‘Gayatri Mantra’ as a Vedmantra differ from other ‘Laukik mantras’?
Ans. Gayatri Mantra is the primordial Mantra self-manifested by the projection of the will (sankalp) of Omnipotent Divine to bring into existence the present cycle of creation (Varah Kalpa). According to Hindu mythology there are infinite cosmic cycles of expansion and contraction known as Shrishti and Pralaya. At the time of Mahapralaya or Doom’s Day, all matter and energy present in the cosmos gets contracted into elementary ‘Akash’ and ‘Pran”. In the succeeding cycle, these expand to constitute the multitude of energies and forces which operate on the elemental Akash to produce animate and inanimate objects of the ‘Creation’.
Vedas, in which Gayatri Mantra is mentioned several times (Rig veda 3.62.10, Yajur veda 3.35.22.9, 36.3, Sam veda 462) are considered divine revelation (Apaurusheya). The Laukik Mantras, are, on the other hand, composition of rishis – i.e. they are man-made (Paurusheya). Hence the supremacy of Gayatri Mantra .
