Nadir sha, the King of Iran heard about the golden treasures of India and suddenly he decided to invade India. He attacked Delhi with all his might. Mohemmed sha, the then ruler of Delhi gave a fitting reply in the battle field. Nadir sha was defeated. He returned to Iran with disappointment. Mohemmed sha had written a letter to Nadir sha stating that he was informed by a sage about Nadir Shas invasion and was advised to prepare himself for the fight. Hence he was able to defeat him easily. Nadir sha was wonderstruck. He wanted to see the sage. Mohemmed sha obliged. Nadir sha prostrated before the sage Guru Charandas and asked him how he knew that he would attack Delhi, for he himself did not conceive the very idea six months back. Charandas replied that through Gayatri Mantra everything is possible.

Even today in the village of Sukradal, Uttarpradesh, India he is being remembered every year during the festival of Gayatri Jayanthi or Birthday festival of Gayatri.

The power of Gayatri Mantra is indescribable and beyond words. The definition of Gayatri itself indicates the tremendous power of this prayer: Gayantam traete iti Gayatri or that which saves on chanting. The mantra protects the chanter of Gayatri. The Gayatri mantra was discovered by the great sage Viswamitra. The mantra is given below:
Om
Bhur Bhuva Svaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo yonah Prachodayat

The mantra may be translated as follows:
Om. We meditate upon the spiritual effulgence of THAT Adorable supreme Divine Reality the Source of the physical, the Astral and the Heavenly Spheres of Existence.
May THAT supreme Divine Being enlighten which our Intellect .
The mantra consists of 24 syllables.
First line: ta, sa, vi, tu, va, re, ny, ya -8
Second line: Bha, go, de, va, ya, dhee, ma, hi-8
Third line: Dhi, yo,yo, nah, ra, cho, da, ya -8

------

Total 24

------

24 rishis or sages are associated with each syllable. Similarly each syllable is associated with 24 special powers and 24 flowers. The power of Gayatri mantra cannot be seen. It can only be inferred. Automatically the chanter will get all the benefits and all round success. Each syllable bestows a particular Siddhi or power.

The pronunciation is very important. One can learn this as the Gayatri cassettes are available throughout the world. The mysterious powers of the 24 syllables will be explained in a future article.