Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas (Gayatri Chandhasam matha) Gayatri, however,has three names:Gayatri, Savitri,and Saraswathi.These three are present in everyone.Gayatri represents the senses;it is the master of the senses.Savithri is the master of Prana (Life Force).She is depicted with five faces representing the pancha pranas /pancha vayus(five lives/winds):prana, apana,vyana, udana, samana, of the five principles/ elements (pancha tatwas)earth,water,air,fire,sky (prithvi,jala, vayu, teja, aakasha).She has 10 hands carrying the five ayudhas:shankha; chakra kamala,varada,abhaya,kasha,ankusha,ujjwala utensil,rudrakshi mala.
The Gayatri is considered as Vedasara --"the essence of the Vedas." Veda means knowledge,and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty. As a matter of fact, the four mahavakyas or 'core-declarations' enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayatri mantra.Gayatri mantra is meant for realization of God and is regarded as representing the Supreme Lord.It is meant for spiritually advanced people.Success in chanting it enables one to enter the transcendental position of the Lord.
Design: Made in heavy shining brass.
Brass is well known for its grasping capacity.It grasps the divine spirit upto 30%, when compared to other metals.The spiritual vibrations are attracted towards these shining idols easily.
Dimensions: 9.4 inches (H) x 7.25 inches (L) x 3 inches (W)
Weight: 4 kgs
Importance of Idol worship: Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors,but shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though the image is worshipped,the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it and pours out his devotion unto it.Regular worship,Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it.This is truly a wonder and a miracle.The picture comes to life.The idol speaks.It will answer your questions and solve your problems.The God in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol.The lives of Mirabai, Sant Tukaram, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Shri Yogananda are a few instances to prove the point.They proved beyond doubt that idol worship has its own brighter side and through simple faith and intense devotion one can realize God through it.
Idols are the "finite representation of the Infinite". As per Vishnu Samhita (ch 29,v55-7),persuasively endorses the use of imagery (idols) and puts it: "Without a form how can God be mediated upon? If (He is) without any form, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to,it will slip away from meditation or will glide into a state of slumber.Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering,however,that the form is a superimposition and not a reality."