Recitation of the Gayatri Mantra is preceded by oṃ and the formula bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ known as the mahāvyāhṛti. This prefixing of the mantra proper is described in the Taittiriya Aranyakam which states that scriptural recitation was always to begin with the chanting of the syllable oṃ, followed by the three Vyahrtis and the Gayatri verse.

A literal translation of the Gayatri verse proper can be given as:
“May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the god: So may he stimulate our prayers.” (The Hymns of the Rigveda)

In traditional Brahmin practice the Gayatri Mantra is addressed to God as the divine life-giver, symbolized by Savitr (the sun), and is most often recited at sunrise and sunset. It is believed by practitioners that reciting the mantra bestows wisdom and enlightenment, through the vehicle of the Sun (Savitr), who represents the source and inspiration of the universe.

In the later 19th century, Hindu reform movements extended the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra beyond caste and gender limitations. In 1898, Swami Vivekananda began initiating non-Brahmins with the sacred thread ceremony and the Gayatri Mantra.

The word Gâyatrî is a combination of Sanskrit words, although there is some disagreement in various texts about the exact derivation.