Variations on a Bedic Theme

The Divine Names in the Gayatri Mantra

Abstract

This paper explores the remarkable adaptability and enduring significance of the Gayatri Mantra across the evolution of Hindu religious traditions. Originating in the Vedic corpus as a hymn of illumination dedicated to the solar deity Savitṛ, the Gayatri has been subject to numerous sectarian adaptations within post-Vedic Hinduism. Guy L. Beck traces how various traditions—particularly Śaiva, Śākta, and Vaiṣṇava—have appropriated and reinterpreted the mantra by inserting the names of their chosen deities (iṣṭa-devatā), transforming it into a theologically charged vehicle for sectarian devotion and soteriological aspiration. These modified Gayatris retain the structural essence of the original while aligning with the metaphysical and ritual needs of specific traditions. Drawing on textual sources such as the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka and Āgamic literature, the paper examines notable variants including the Śiva-Gayatri, Kālī-Gayatri, and Kāma-Gayatri, highlighting how they function within broader frameworks of brahmanization, sanskritization, and tantric ritualism. Beck ultimately argues that the Gayatri Mantra, despite its many transformations, continues to operate as a “unitary sonic icon” that bridges Vedic orthodoxy and sectarian innovation, maintaining a central role in Hindu devotional and liturgical life.