(ī́), f. an ancient metre of twenty-four syllables (variously arranged, but generally as a triplet of eight syllables each), any hymn composed in the Gāyatrī metre, [RV. x, 14, 16] & [130, 4]; [VS.]; [AV.] &c.
the Gāyatrī (i.e. [RV. iii, 62, 10]; tát savitúr váreṇyam bhárgo devásya dhīmahi dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt, [ŚBr. xiv]; [ŚāṅkhGṛ.]; [MBh.] &c.; this is a very sacred verse repeated by every Brāhman at his morning and evening devotions; from being addressed to Savitṛ or the Sun as generator, it is also called Sāvitrī; cf. [RTL. pp. 19]; [342]; [361]; [403]; the Gāyatrī verse is personified as a goddess, the wife of Brahmā and mother of the four Vedas, [Hariv. 11666 ff.]; it is often mentioned in connection with the Amṛta, both together constituting as it were the essence and type of sacred hymns in general, [AV.]; the Gāyatrī personified is also considered as the mother of the first three classes in their capacity of twice-born, [W.]; cf. [RTL. pp. 200 f.]; some other verse [perhaps, [RV. x, 9, 1]] is denoted by Gāyatrī, [Suśr. vi, 28, 7]; with Tāntrikas a number of mystical verses are called Gāyatrīs, and each deity has one in particular)
N. of Durgā, [MatsyaP.]; [Kathās. liii, 172]
Acacia Catechu, [L.]
gāyatrī́ f. of °trá, q.v.
gāya°trī́ &c. See [ib.]