I am not a very religious person in the ’strictest’ sense of the word. But I am a proud Hindu and consider all religions to be equal. I am a staunch beleiver of HETHAY [HETHE] Amma. I pray to Her everyday.Recently I came across ‘GAYATRI CHALISA’, supposed to be the most powerful 40 verses of prayer along with GAYATRI MANTRA. It is in Sanskrit and I do not understand most of them.The English translation makes a lot more sense.

he similarities of HETHAY AMMA and GAYATRI MATA are striking and too numerous to list, elaborate and explain. For one, BOTH are clad in spotless white and formless.

GAYATRI CHALISA

HRIM SHRIM KLIM MADHYA PRABHAA
JEEVANA JYOTI PRACHAND
SHAANTI, KRANTI, JAGRUTA, PRAGATI,
RACHANAA, SHAKTI AKHAND

Oh holy Mother Gayatri, you are the first to relieve pain, the first to satisfy and the first to bestow bliss. You are the super-intelligent, bright light of life. You are peace, awakening change, progress and incessant creative power.

JAGAT JANANI MANGAL KARANI
GAYATRI SUKHDHAAM,
PRANAVOM SAVITRI SWADHAA
SWAHAA PURANA KAAM

Gayatri is the Mother all creation. She is benevolent and abode of bliss. She is Pranava i.e. AUMKARA, origin of all, destroyer of evils. She brings self – content and fulfills desires.

AUM BHUR BHUVAH SWAH YUTA JANAI
GAYATRI NITA KALIMALA DAHANI.
AKSHAR CHAUBIS PARAMA PUNITAA
INMEN BASEN SHASTRA SHRUTI GEETAA.

Holy mother Gayatri, accompanied by AUM is the creator of the three worlds – Bhur Bhuvah and Swah. She is the remover of all impurities of the dark age. The twenty four letters of the “ Gayatri Mantra” are supremely holy. In them are embodied all the scriptures,the Vedas[shrutis] and the Geeta.

SHAASHWATA SATOGUNI SATAROOPAA
SATYA SANATANA SUDHA ANOOPAA.
HAMSAAROODHA SITAAMBER DHAARI
SWARNA KAANTI SHUCHI GAGANA BIHAARI.

Having a swan as her vahana [carrier] Holy Mother Gayatri is clad in spotless white. Her lustrous form dazzles like gold. Betaker of the heavenly route, O Mother, you are the embodiment of everlasting ‘satwa guna’ [noble qualities] as well as truth incarnate [noble form] and dispenser of unique nectar like bliss.

PUSTAKA PUSHPA KAMANDALU MAALAA
SHUBHRA VARNA TANU NAYANA VISHALAA.
DHAYANA DHARATA PULKITA HIYA HO
SUKHA UPAJATA DOOHKH DURMATI KHOI.

The book of Vedas, a lotus, a gourd and a rosary adorn each of the four hands of Mother Gayatri. Her form is white and her eyes are large. One who meditates upon such a form of Mother Gayatri, experiences a rare thrill and bliss and is filled with happiness and all the evil intentions cease.

KAAMDHENU TUM SUR TARU CHHAAYA
NIRAAKAAR KI ADBHUTA MAYAA
TUMAHARI SHARAN GAHAI JO KOi
TARAI SAKAL SANKATA SON SOI .

O Gayatri! You are like the celestial cow – Kamdhenu that fulfills all desires. You are the shade of the divine tree, Kalpataru that gives protection from all difficulties and fulfills all aspirations. O Mother, though you are formless, your ‘maya’ is amazing. Anyone who surrenders to you is freed from all troubles.

SARASWATI LAKSHMI TUM KALI
DIPAI TUMHARI JYOTI NIRAALI.
TUMHARI MAHIMAA PAARA NA PAVAI
JO SHARADA SHATA MUKH GOONA GAVAI

O Mother Gayatri, you are the embodiment of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Maha Kali, and have splendor which is uniquely resplendent. Your prowess is limitless. Even if Goddess Saraswati (Sharada) were to extol your qualities with her hundred mouths, she would not be able to do so properly.

CHAARA VEDA KI MAATU PUNITA
TUMA BRAHMANI GAURI GITA.
MAHAA MANTRA JITANAY JAGA MAAHIN
KO-U GAAYATRI SAMA NAHIN.

O Mother Gayatri! You are the mother of four vedas. You are the manifestations of Bramani [the wife of Brahma], Gauri [the wife of Lord Shiva] and Sita [wife of Lord Rama]. Of all the existing mantras in the universe, there is none that can be on par with this great Gayatri Mantra.

SUMIRATA HIYA MEIN GYANA PRAKASHAAI
AALASA PAAPA AVIDYAA NASAI.
SRISHTI BEEHJA JAGA BHAWAANI
KAALA RAATARI VARADAA KALYAANI.

Thus the chanting of this Gayatri Mantra gives rise to great enlightenment in the hearts. At the same time, idleness, sins and wickedness are dispelled. O universal Mother Bhawani, You are the primary fountain spring of the whole creation. You stand as the original propagating seed of the universal existence. O Mother, You are the dark night of destruction too. But at the same time, you are the benevolent Mother showering bliss on one and all.

BRAHMA VISHNU RUDRA SURA JAY TAY
TUM SON PAVEN SURATAA TAT TAY.
TUM BHAKTANAKI BHAKTA TUMHAREN
JANANIHIN PUTRA TAY PYAARAY.

O pristinely sanctifying Mother, the godliness that is there in Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra (Shiva / Mahesha) has been attained by them through your grace. You are the sole Mother of the devotees who are your children – one and all. To a mother children are even dearer than life..

MAHIMA APARAMPAARA TUMHARI
JAYA JAYA TRIPADAA BHAYAHAARI.
POORITA SAKALA GYAANNA VIGYAANAA
TUM SAMA ADHIKA NA JAGAMEIN AANAA.

O Mother! Your power and greatness are infinite. Victory, victory, victory be to you. O tripada Gayatri, you are the dispeller of all fears; the fountain spring of all knowledge and sciences. Nothing in the world is greater than you.

TUMAHIN JAANI KACHHU RAHAI NA SHESHAA
TUMAHIN PAAYA KACHHU RAHAI NA KALESAA.
JAANATA TUMAHIN TUMAHIN HAN JAAI
PAARASA RARISA KUDHATU SUHAI.

O blessed Mother! Nothing else remains to be known by those who have known you. No grief or trouble exists for those who have been fortunate enough to have come under your sight. Just as base metal –iron turns to gold at the touch of paras (philosopher’s stone), in the same way one who knows you, becomes fully identified with you.

TUMHAARI SHAKTI DIPAI SABA THAI
MAATAA TUMA SABA THORA SAMAI.
GRAHA NAKSHATRA BHRAMANDA GHANAYRAY
SUBA GATIVAANA TUMHARAY PRERAY.

O Mother! You are omnipresent and your sway and energy pervade everywhere. O Mother, the heavenly bodies such as the planets, the constellations and infinite universe are inspired by you to remain in constant motion.

SAKALA SRISHTIKI PRANA VIDHAATA
PAALAKA POSHAKA NAASHAKA TRATAA.
MAATESHWARI DAYAA VARTA DHAARI
TUM SANA TARAY PAATAKI BHAARI.

O Mother! You are the creator and sustainer of all creations. you protect, maintain, nourish, save and finally destroy all that have been created. O Divine mother, you have taken a vow of compassion and to be merciful. Even the worst sinners committing the most heinous crimes are absolved due to your grace. Thus being freed from all sins, they become sanctified and redeemed.

JAAPARA KRIPAA TUMHAARI HO

TAAPARA KRIPA KAREN SABA KO.
MANDA BUDDHI TAY BUDDHI BALA PAAVAY
ROGI ROGA RAHIGTA HO JAAVAY.

O Mother Gayatri! All are merciful to the one on whom you are merciful. Receiving your favour even a dull person gains sharp intelligence and the diseased one is cured of all ailments.

DAARIDRA MITAI KATAI SUBA PIRAA
NAASHAI DUHKH HARAI BHAYA PHIRAA.
GRIHA KALESHA CHITTA CHINTAA BHAARI
NAASAI GAAYATRI BHAYA HAARI.

O Gayatri! Due to your grace, utter poverty is gotten rid off, all worries miseries and fear are removed. All domestic tribulations and anxieties are mitigated because you are the redeemer.

SANTATI HEENA SUSANTATI PAAVEN
SUKHA SAMPATI YUTA MODA MANAVAY.
BHOOTA PISHAACHA SABAI BHAYA KHAAVEN
YAMA KAY DOOTA NIKATA NAHIN AAVAY.

O Gayatri! A childless persons, who remember you, get excellent issues and thus favoured pass their days in a rich and blissful state. All the fears of ghosts and evil spirits, are removed. The agents of Yama, the god of death, don’t approach the one who worships you

JO SADHAVAA SUMIRAI CHITA LAAI
AKSHAYA SUHAGA SADAA SUKHADA.
GHARA VARA SUKH PRADA LAHAI KUMARI
VIDHAVAA RAHAY SATYA VRATA DHAARAI.

If a married woman remembers Gayatri Devi with devotion she will have happy married life till the end. An unmarried girl will get a good husband and blissful home; and a widow, remembering you always, will maintain her vows of truth and good faith.

JAYATI JAYATI JAGADAMBA BHAVAANI
TUM SAMA AUR DAYAALU NA DAANI.
JO SADGURU SON DIKSHAA PAAVEN
SO SAADHANA KO SAFALA BANAAVEN.

O mother of the universe Bhavani, victory be to you surely. None is as merciful and charitable as you are. If a person is initiated by a true preceptor or guru with Gayatri Mantra, and performs the worshipful sadhana of mother Gayatri, will accomplish the attainment one’s aims and be successful.

SUMIRANA KARAY SURUCHI BADABHAAGI
LAHAI MANORATHA GRAHI VIRAAGI.
ASHTA SIDDDHI NAVA NIDHI KE DAATA
SABA SAMARATHA GAAYATRI MAATA.

If a fortunate person remembers Mother Gayatri with love and devotion, all the desires will be fulfilled and yet wouldn’t be tied to them. Omnipotent mother Gayatri whose prowess surpasses all other gods and goddesses, bestows all the eight miraculous powers and all the nine types of treasures.

RISHI MUNI JATI TAPASVI JOGI
AARATA ARTHI CHINTITA BHOGI.
JO JO SHARANA TUMAARI AAVEN
SO SO MANA VAANCHHITA FALA PAAVEN.

O merciful Mother, you fulfill all the desires and grant all wishes / expectations of those who surrender themselves to you. Be it a sage, an ascetic, a saint, a performer of penance, a yogi, or one wishing to enjoy all the worldly pleasures or hankering riddance from anxieties will have the wishes granted.

BALA BUDDHI VIDYAA SHEELA SWABHAU
DHANA VAIBHAVA YASHA TEJA UCHHAU.
SAKALA BADHEN UPAJAY SUKHA NAANAA
JO YAHA PAATHA KARAI DHARI DHYAANAA.

He who recites this forty verses of Gayatri Chalisa daily, with rapt attention and full concentration will have increased strength, intellect, knowledge, good character / nature, prosperity, wealth, and many types of multiplied happiness.

YAHA CHALISA BHAKTI YUTA
PAATHA KARAY JO KOY
TAA PAR KRIPAA PRASANNATAA
GAYATRI KI HOYE

The person who recites these forty verses with devotion, obtains the grace of Mother Gayatri!

~*~*~*~*~*~

But when you listen to Gayatri Chalisa and Mantra, they have a divine, calming effect on you.

So, listen to Gayatri Chalisa here

Gayatri Mantra

AUM BHOOR BHUWAH SWAHA
TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM |
BHARGO DEVASAYA DHEEMAHI |
DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODAYAT ||

ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: तत्सवितुर्वरेन्यं ।

भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि, धीयो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ।।

ஓம் பூர் புவ ஸவ

தத் ஸவிதூர் வரேண்யம் |

பர்கோ தேவச்ய தீமஹி |

தியோ யோன பிரசோதயத் ||

[Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life, Remover of pain and sorrow, The Bestower of happiness, Oh! Creator of the Universe, May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light, May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction]

Gayatri Mantra, the most  important prayer, inspires wisdom and is also a prayer to the “giver of light and life” – the sun (savitur),’Hothu’ in Badaga.

Aum = Ohm [Brahma]
bhoor = embodiment of vital spiritual energy(pran) ;
bhuwah = destroyer of sufferings ;
swaha = embodiment of happiness ;
tat = that ;
savitur = bright like sun ;
varenyam = best choicest ;
bhargo = destroyer of sins ;
devasya = divine ;
dheemahi = may imbibe ;
dhiyo = intellect ;
yo = who ;
naha = our ;
prachodayat = may inspire!

Listen to Gayatri Mantra here

Or a different version here

Most of the information has been taken from the net and may Goddess Gayatri bless all those authors. I will try and explain the similarities and attempt to make a HETHAY Chalisa [Prayer to Hethay] soon.