Effect of Gayatri Mantra Chanting on Attention, Memory, Anxiety and Mental State in Young Athletes: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: The Gayatri Mantra (GM) is one of the oldest available divine hymns in ancient vedic literature, a mantra of physical, emotional, mental healing and spiritual awakening or self-realization. GM is a standard, validated, empowerment tool aiding in effective behavioral changes leading to optimal and healthy lifestyle. Effect of vedic chanting on consciousness and mental state has been long researched and has been documented in ancient religious literatures. However, due to its religious connotations, its scientific scrutiny and validation has been not popularized. The present study tried to assess the effect of GM chanting on attention, memory, anxiety and mental state on healthy young athletes. Methodology: The present study was a prospective one which included 45 athletes who were divided into three different study arms of 15 each – two arms were undertaking normal meditation with or without an add on GM Chanting while meditation, while one was control group. All subjects were evaluated (at baseline and 3 months) for attention (using 6 letter cancellation, digit letter substitution), memory [using digit span test (forward, backward), multiple choice apparatus], anxiety (using state trait anxiety inventory), and mental state using MMSE. Results were statistically analyzed. Results: Subjects with GM chanting showed significant improvement in attention and memory domain. Less failed attempts and prompt response to audio and visual stimuli for multiple choice apparatus was noted for the GM group. Sustained visual attention, scanning without distraction and better concentration are required for the digit cancellation test. Marked improvements in both state and trait anxiety was noted for the GM chanters. Improved mental state was observed for both meditating group compared with the control. Conclusion: GM chanting plays a significant role in the well being of the people. GM chanting has significant effects in attention, memory, anxiety and mental state. Regular chanting of GM shall improve learning power, concentration, prosperity, eternal power, peace and improves quality of life.

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eISSN: 2523-6709
pISSN: 2523-6695
DOI: 10.31878/ijcrpp.2020.43.02
© Authors; 2020. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted
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ovided the original work is properly cited.
International Journal of Cyrrent Reseach in Physiology and Pharmacology
Vol 4, Issue 3, 2020.
Sumathi Publications
Original Article
Gayatri Mantra Chanting and its Eect on
Attention, Memory, Anxiety and Mental State in
Young Athletes: A Prospective Study
Shambo Samrat Samajdar1, Shatavisa Mukherjee1, Anushka Ghosh1, Shashank Joshi2,
Santanu Kumar Tripathi1
1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, India.
2. Senior Consultant – Joshi Clinic, Lilavati Hospital, and Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
Abstract
Introduction: The Gayatri Mantra (GM) is one of the oldest available divine hymns in ancient Vedic literature, a
mantra of physical, emotional, mental healing, and spiritual awakening or self-realization. GM is a standard, validated,

chanting on consciousness and mental state has been long researched. It has been documented in ancient religious


young athletes. Methodology: The present study was a prospective one, which included 45 athletes who were divided
        
Chanting while meditation, while one was a control group. All subjects were evaluated at baseline and three months for

          
             
memory domain. Less failed attempts and prompt response to audio and visual stimuli for multiple-choice apparatus
  
  
chanters. The improved mental state was observed for both meditating groups compared with the control. Conclusion:
    
  
eternal power, peace, and improves the quality of life.

IntroductIon
The Sanskrit word ‘Mantra’ is a paradox,
which is the combination of two roots. One
roots means repetition, the other means
freedom. While repetition symbolizes discipline,
freedom denotes empowerment. The word itself
implies a denite structure of syllables and
vowels, which work as an excellent spiritual tool
to liberate the mind from ignorance, illusion and
delusion. It ignites the potential to achieve state
of “mindfulness” or “calm”. Researchers have also
postulated that yogic mantras and chants gives
positive inuence, vibration on physiological
and psychological functions of the body.[1] The
Gayatri Mantra(GM) is one of the oldest available
divine hymns in ancient vedic literature which is
more than 10,000 years old. Gayatri is a mantra
of physical, emotional, mental healing and
spiritual awakening or self-realization.GM is a
CorrespoCorrespondence:ndence:
Shatavisa Mukherjee, Department of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology, Shatavisa Mukherjee, Department of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology,
School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India. E-mail: School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India. E-mail: shatavisa100@gmail.comshatavisa100@gmail.com

Shatavisa Mukherjee et al. Eect of Gayatri Mantra Chanting on Attention, Memory, Anxiety and Mental State
Int. J. Curr. Res. Physiol. Pharmacol. 2020;4(3):5-7 6
standard, validated, empowerment tool aiding in
effective behavioral changes leading to optimal
and healthy lifestyle. Effect of vedic chanting
on consciousness and mental state has been
long researched and has been documented in
ancient religious literatures.[2] However, due to
its religious connotations, its scientic scrutiny
and validation has been not popularized. The
present study uses modern scientic approaches
to probe this hypothesis. The present study was
carried out to assess the effect of GM chanting
on attention, memory, anxiety and mental state
on healthy young athletes
MaterIals and Methods
The present study was a prospective one
which included 45 athletes by convenience
sampling who were divided into three different
study arms (15 each) –
Group 1: Those undertaking normal meditation
(15 minutes) with an add on GM Chanting while
meditation
Group 2: Those undertaking normal meditation
(15 minutes) without chanting any mantra
Group 3: Control group (without any meditation)
All willing and consenting athletes were
included for the study. Those already diagnosed
with depression and anxiety, or any other
disease which could impact the psychometric
assessments was excluded. All subjects were
evaluated (at baseline and 3 months) for
attention (using 6 letter cancellation, digit
letter substitution), memory (using digit span
test (forward , backward), multiple choice
apparatus), anxiety (using state trait anxiety
inventory), and mental state using Mini Mental
State Examination (MMSE) inventory. Results
were statistically analyzed. A p value of less than
0.05 was considered statistically signicant.
results
The mean age of the subjects was 21.60 ± 1.84
years. Subjects with GM chanting showed
signicant improvement in attention parameters,
with increased responses in 6 letter cancellation
and digit letter substitution. (Table 1).
Signicant improvement in memory domain
was noted with higher responses for digit span
test compared to the other two arms. Less failed
attempts and prompt response to audio and
visual stimuli for multiple choice apparatus was
noted for the GM group.
Marked improvements in both state and trait
anxiety was noted for the GM chant group with
lesser improvement for only meditation group.
Improved mental state was observed for both
meditating group compared with the control.
dIscussIon
Vedic mantras have been a part of the Indian
tradition since ages. The sacred GM, also
called savitr mantra (since pertaining to sun) was
initially explained by Vishwamitra maharishi in
Table 1. Eect of GM Chanting on Attention, Memory, Anxiety parameters

Shatavisa Mukherjee et al. Eect of Gayatri Mantra Chanting on Attention, Memory, Anxiety and Mental State
Int. J. Curr. Res. Physiol. Pharmacol. 2020;4(3):5-7 7
Rig Veda. Since time immemorial, such mantras
have been a part and parcel of Indian lives.
Gayatri mantra consist twenty four letters, with
every letters providing subtle conscious energy
eld and magnetic eld around our body. The
super natural impact of gayatri mantra is in
the physical life due to some specic syllables
of mantra.[3] The mantra as a whole stimulates
the subliminal power centers in the subtle
body. Repeated pressures on tongue, lips, vocal
cords, palate and connecting region in the brain
generated by continuous recitation of the 24
syllables of GM creates a resonance in the nerve
and nadis in the body. It creates the magnetic
force or electromagnetic wave around the body
that attracts the vital current of deity SUN.
Since thought to have positive inuences on
intelligence, students were advised to chant these
mantras before the formal studies. Present day
researches has boosted these ancient theories
conrming positive impact of these mantras on
both physiological and psychological functioning
of the body.[4] Vedic chanting are thought
to enhance the attention and recallability.
Chanting further increases blood supply to
the brain areas which are concerned with the
memory, thus increasing memory organizability.
Studies have demonstrated medial frontal gyrus
activation attributing to increased concentration
and visuospatial attention during chanting of
mantras. Activation of left lateral middle frontal
gyrus, the right angular gyrus, and the right
supramarginal gyrus has also been noted which
contributes to visuospatial attention.[5]While
there are several studies assessing interventions
like asana, pranayama, forms of meditation
etc, studies assessing impact of vedic chanting
on memory and associated parameters are
comparatively less. Hence, the present study was
undertaken to provide further scientic evidence
for benecial effect of GM chanting on cognitive
functions in young adults and adolescents. In
the present study, we have observed signicant
improvement in the spatial and verbal memory
scores followed by the chanting GM. This is in
similarity with another study analyzing effect of
GM chanting in school children. [6]
The present study showed that subjects with
GM chanting showed signicant improvement
in attention parameters, with increased
responses in 6 letter cancellation and digit
letter substitution. Results were observed to be
similar with a study conducted in Maharashtra.
[7] Signicant improvement in memory domain
was noted with higher responses for digit span
test compared to the other two arms. Less
failed attempts and prompt response to audio
and visual stimuli was noted for the GM group.
Sustained visual attention, scanning without
distraction, and better concentration are
required for the digit cancellation test. Better
verbal and spatial scorings and decrease in
total time taken; reduction in total errors could
be related to the fact that reduced anxiety may
have improved performance on tasks requiring
learning and memory. Marked improvements
in both state and trait anxiety was noted for
the GM chant group with lesser improvement
for only meditation group. Improved mental
state was observed for both meditating group
compared with the control. Decreased anxiety
state and persistent calmness of mind combined
with active cells due to rhythmic vedic mantra
chanting could have attributed to improved
memory, mental concentration and sustained
attention.
However, our study had certain limitations. The
study was of a short duration one and should
involve larger sample size to generalize the result
in future.GM chanting may be implemented in
school setting to help raise the concentration of
the students thus aiding in improved academic
ability along with all round development. Future
research may consider including different
age groups of students with different levels
of attention, assessment methods to check
physiological changes. This can be repeated
irrespective of any religions.
conclusIon
GM chanting plays a signicant role in the well
being of the people. GM chanting has signicant
effects in attention, memory, anxiety and mental
state. Regular chanting of GM shall improve
learning power, concentration, prosperity,
eternal power, peace and improves quality of life.
Source of Support: Nil
Conict of Interest: None Declared
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