There are three things to be considered in a mantra, the Chhanda or metre, the Rishi or the Mantradrsta, the Deity to whom it is addressed.
Both mantras have the Gayatri as their metre but, without going into technical details, Sri Aurobindo’s Gayatri is more complete in terms of its metrical quality.
The Deity of both the mantras is Surya. But Surya itself has several aspects. The traditional Gayatri invokes the Light of Surya whereas Sri Aurobindo’s Gayatri invokes ‘the most auspicious’ aspect, that is to say, the highest aspect of the Sun, the material symbol of the Supramental Truth.
The action also is different. Traditional Gayatri is to illumine the mind whereas Sri Aurobindo’s Gayatri is to change our entire consciousness into the mould of the higher consciousness.
Most important is that the mantradrsta of the New Gayatri is the trikaldarshi Yogi and the Avatar of the future, Sri Aurobindo. Therefore the mantra automatically carries something of the power of Sri Aurobindo’s consciousness and brings us in contact with him through the mantra.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
