Gayatri/Savitri mantra – my analysis

 In the Rigveda (RV 2.1), Agni is mentioned as Indra, Vishnu, Varuna, the lord of truth, Mitra, Aryama, Bhaga, Aditi, Bharati, Saraswati and Agni is everything. The Rigveda says that Agni is the savitR (सवितुः).

He (the Sun), having divided himself into three, abides in these worlds, causing all the gods in due order to rest in his rays.  This (being) which, in the form of fire, abides in three forms in the worlds that have come into being, the seers adore with songs as manifested under three names.

In this world he is extolled by seers with praises as being Agni, in the middle (world) he is praised as Jātavedas - जातवेद, heaven he is praised as Vaiśvānara (वैश्वानर).

Agni in this World, Indra and Vayu in the middle, Surya in heaven, are here to be recognised as the three deities.

Of what is and has been and is to be, and of what moves and is stationary, - of all this some regard the Sun alone to be the origin and cause of dissolution.

It is called sāvitrī because it comes from savitrR.

Riks related to savitrR are found in Chandas like Trishtup, Jagati, Gayatri etc.

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The Rik at Rig Veda 3.62.10, composed by Sage Viswamitra and dedicated to savitā,  is known today as the Gayatri/Savitri mantra.

tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||

However, this Rik is not preceded by Omkara and Vyahrutis.

Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah  are vyAhrutis.  

 

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This Savita mantra with Omkara and vyahruta appears in the Taittiriya Aranyakama (10.35.1).

Om Bhuur-Bhuvah Svah

tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||

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This Savita Mantra is found in Yajurveda, Chapter 36, 3rd Mantra.  However, Omkara is absent, but Vyahrutis are present.

Bhuur-Bhuvah Svah

tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||

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The Gayatri mantra is depicted in a woman form. 

However, savitā indicates a Male , but not a female .

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Shatapatha Brahmana 11.5.4.1 – 11.5.4.13 deals with how a guru educates a new student.

Initiating with Indra, Agni, Prajapati and sāvitrī, water, trees, earth and sky, all living beings, the Savitri mantra is taught to the student (Shatapatha Brahmana 11.5.4.6).

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athāsmai sāvitrīmanvāha tāṃ ha smaitām purā saṃvatsare'nvāhuḥ 

saṃvatsarasammitā vai garbhāḥ prajāyante jāta evāsmiṃstadvācaṃ dadhma iti

English translation:

He then recites to him (teaches him) the Savitri;—formerly, indeed, they taught this (verse) at the end of a year, thinking, “Children, indeed, are born after being fashioned for a year: thus we lay speech (voice) into this one as soon as he has been born.”

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Shatapatha Brahmana 11.5.4.13 says that the Guru should not tell the disciple sāvitrī in the Anushtup chandas (meter), but Savitri in the Gayatri chandas (meter). 

tāṃ haitāmeke sāvitrīmanuṣṭubhamanvāhurvāgvā anuṣṭuptadasminvācaṃ dadhma iti na tathā kuryādyo hainaṃ 

tatra brūyādā nvā ayamasya vācamadita mūko bhaviṣyatītīśvaro ha tathaiva syāttasmādetāṃ gāyatrīmeva sāvitrīmanubrūyāt

English translation:

Now some teach an Anushtubh Savitri, saying, “The Anushtubh is speech: we thus lay speech into him.” But let him not do so; for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, “Surely, this (student) has taken away his (the teacher”s) speech: he will become dumb;' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass: let him therefore teach him that Gayatri Savitri.

 

However,  it did not say about any specific Rik in Rigveda which is related to sāvitrī, which is in Gayatri chandas (meter).

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The Rigveda contains Rik of sāvitrī in the Gayatri chandas (meter), not only that of Sage Vishwamitra (tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||) but  the Riks of Sage Atri (5.82.2 to 5.82.9) also.

The Rik (tat savitur vareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi | dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||),  which was composed by sage Vishwamitra became popular.

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According to Manusmriti 2.78, this Savitri mantra consisting of Pranava and Vyahritis should be chanted by dwijas in 2 twilight times every day.

etadakṣarametāṃ ca japan vyāhṛtipūrvikām |

sandhyayorvedavid vipro vedapuṇyena yujyate || 78 ||

English translation:

Reciting, at the two twilights, this syllable and this verse, preceded by the Vyāhṛtis, the Brāhmaṇa, learned in the Veda, becomes endowed with Vedic merit.—(78)

 

And it is not known as to how the rule of chanting Savitri mantra, consisting of Pranava and Vyahrutis, 3 times a day, came into existence.

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It was not mentioned in Rigveda that this mantra is only for dwijas, ie., Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.