guNa or gada

[Guest guest]

There was question about gAyatrI dhyAnam verse "mukta ...".

 

1) Both guNa and gada are correct. Such text difference are known as

paaTha bhedam. It is OK to use what you were taught.

 

2) gada is mace and guNa is bow-string (or rope).

 

3) My suggestion would be to visualize on gAyatri devi's vara and

abhaya hands (instead of the weapons) and the feet. It is not only

easy, but isn't it what we all want?

 

4) The book I have says, even though it is common to meditate on HER

in the samashhTi form. It is better to use specific dhyAna verses

(gAyatrI in the morning, sAvitrI in the afternoon and saraswatI in

the evening).

 

Some side comments:

 

5) Typically what happens is we invoke gAyatri saying please come.

And then when we start meditating on HER mantra, we think about

everything but HER. Think of it, you invite God to your house, and

ask HER to come to the living room and sit on the couch. But then you

go out talk to some passerby. Probably, you would not do that if you

invited your advisor or boss to your house. Bad habits! Sometimes I

think I need a fresh new and pure birth. But what will that do? I

have correct myself here and now.

 

6) Probably, instead of focussing on gAyatrI directly, you can think

of your guru sitting in front of you right beside gAyatrI or in HER

place. That will be easy to meditate and you would not possibly

(mentally) walk away to chat with someone else.

 

7) One way to keep concentration is to say it quickly with not a long

pause between two gayatri-s (however you will have to pause

distinctly four times inside the mantra so that you do not smudge it

all together) . Other way is to keep attention (even though you chant

mentally) on the svara-s and more importantly on the meaning. What I

do is once is a while, I say in my Tamil translation (say 1/20 or

1/10). Because, when I say in Tamil, the gap between words and

meaning is almost close to zero. That reinforces the idea.

 

 

Please note whenever I am writing, I am actually LOUDLY giving advise

to myself. These are not really for you, but for me. Writing kind of

reinforces my convictions (helps me to put to practise). For

instance, today and for next few days (hopefully) I will remember

these guidelines :-)).

 

That is how I view all that I write.

 

 

Ravi