RE: Gayatri Mantra

[Guest guest]

>

> Here is a nice talk by Swami ParamArthAnanda of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

> http://www.yogamalika.org/newaudio/smarthagayathri.ram

>

> Savithri

 

Respected Sister:

 

Thanks for providing this link. It is a very nice presentation.

 

Besided this Swamiji has a wonderful 10-cassette series on sandhya vandana.

In that he explains (in English) each and every mantra of sandhya vandana in

simple language. I hope they will add it to their web page soon. I was

fortunate to receive a copy of this from Aravind. It is a great treasure.

 

With love and respects,

 

Ravi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

I now recollect, Couple of years ago gAyatri Mantra was chanted as inaugural

invocation on the occation of their attaining indipendance / parliament by an

Arifican nation thus justifying the stand taken by our Supreme Court.I do not

remember the details of the specific nation which I am refering to

 

I am in Mumbai and next month (MAY 2004)will witness a massive progarmme of

Chanting of gYatri mantra and Gayatri Puja by large number of devotees men and

women for three days. The responce is much more that expected as such a bigger

venue has been chosen.

To-day may of the barriers errected earlier based on sex are no longer relevant.

As long as the goal is for Jana Kalayan It should be accepted and encouraged and

participation of men and women is volentary not termed as Nitya Karma.

 

As long as the participant get the mental satisfaction that he /she has

participated in any activity for the GOOD of Self / society I feel we should not

object.

 

I am not saying that What HH Maha periavar stated is not correct.

 

View expressed are purely personal which I feel is rational.

 

GTD

 

 

Moderator's note : *Please* avoid excessive quoting from previous posts.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I was incited by the argument on Gayathri and thought

I will speak out my 2 cents.

 

Women do not have the right to vaidika mantras unless

it is in the course of a yajna or aupasana, where

women are deemed to have certain rights by virtue of

the husband having taken up agni.

 

In fact the vast portions of Grihya Sutras or

Grihyagni in case of the aupasana and garhapatya in

Agni hotra are derived from the word "Gruha" or house.

 

The next question is what makes a "Gruha"? Gruhini

Gruham Uchyate is the explanation. It is the lady of

the house who constitutes "Gruha" and all the

associated rituals in a gruha or house including

grihyagni or aupasana.

 

Patni samvaajya and other rituals are mandatory in

agni hotra karma too.

 

However, all vaidik rituals and mantras which can be

carried on by a woman are as per the dictate of the

shastras.

 

Gayathri mantra is unfortunately not a part of the

permissible portion of the vedas which can be chanted

by non-dvijas and women. While, this seems to be like

a castist and chauvnistic argument it has to be

accepted if one follows the vedas and the allied

vedangas as the same vedas and vedangas prescribe this

qualification. One cannot interpret or follow the

Vedas or the vedangas to the extent that suits their

individual fancies. Vedas and vedangas are to be

followed by the letter and if it is not possible for

some one. one should at the bare minimum stop doing

what has been prohibited in the vedas.

 

I will now go about to explain why woman and

non-dvija's cannot say the gayathri mantra as per the

shastras.

 

The smritis and vedangas clearly state that a person

who is uninitiated or whose brahmopadesham is not

performed cannot recite the vedas. It therefore

follows that even gayathri manta cannot be recited.

 

A person who is initiated and does not perform

sandyavandanam for a period of 3 days continuously

other than reasons of permitted exingencies like teetu

or vriddi (Jata ashoucha and mruta ashoucha)or extreme

illness becomes a karmavakirni. An avakirni is a

person who breaks a vow.

 

Such a person no longer remains a dwija and the

prayaschitta for the same is punarupanyana or doing

brahmopadesham again.

 

Manu says in a punarupanayana the following are not

required:

 

Mekhala aajinam dandam bhaikshacharyam vratani cha

Nivartate dvijaatinaam punahsamskara karmani

 

The mekhala or braid of kusha tied around the waist,

the skin of a black antelope, the palasha danda or

staff, bhikshacharya are not mandatory in case of

re-initiation. The re-initiation is doneby way of

Savitri Mantra and not gayathri.

 

The above mentioned rule of punarupanayana is

prescribed for a dvija who is guilty of the

mahapatakas, upon karagruha pravesha (Jail!!), upon

completion of one's svashakha adhyayana and beginning

of atharva veda adhyayana etc.

 

Following this logic, women are unable to recite

gayathri mantras for a period of 3 days due to

impurity in a month. Therefore, if initiated a woman

will have to go through punarupanayana every month!!

 

Since the same is not practical and against the

shastras (Maximum number of punarupanayana is 3)women

have been accorded a high position in the sutras and

vedas as being the very basis for karma except for the

qualificatory rituals which needs unbroken anushtana

as a part of the ritual.

 

As regards other people reciting the gayathri mantra,

I am sure people have heard the story of the Mlechha

King and his brahmin minister. A certain Mlechha King

impressed by what he had heard about gayathri mantra

was keen on learning it. He started pestering his

brahmin minister to teach him the same, much against

the advise from the minister. One day the minister

shouted to a guard in the presence of the Mlechha King

to arrest the king and put him behind bars, the guard

did not move from his place. The Mlechha King was

agitated to see this, he shouted at the minister and

the guard and ordered the guard to throw the minister

behind bars which the guard promptly did.

 

The minister smiled and explained that is efficacy and

the difference in his chanting the gayathri mantra and

those uninitiated saying the mantra. The King

understood the logic and remained silent.

 

I hope this story drives home the logic behind the

same too.

 

Sri. Chandrasekhara Bharati Swamigal of the Sringeri

Mutt was questioned by a certain devotee as to the

veracity of the act of Sri. Ramanujacharya, the

Sri-Vaishnavite Guru in shouting the narayana

ashtakshari from the top of a pillar much against the

instruction from his guru.

 

Sri. Chandrasekhara Bharathi Swamigal replied that

what Sri. Ramanujacharya did was to call out the name

of the lord which was to be kept a secret aloud. He

definitely did not initiate any person by shouting the

mantra aloud. Unless, duly initiated any mantra is as

good as syllabi which has no power.

 

GP

 

 

 

 

--- Gadiyaram Tulasidas <gadiyaramtulasi

wrote:

> Dear Members,

>

> I now recollect, Couple of years ago gAyatri Mantra

> was chanted as inaugural invocation on the occation

> of their attaining indipendance / parliament by an

> Arifican nation thus justifying the stand taken by

> our Supreme Court.I do not remember the details of

> the specific nation which I am refering to

>

> I am in Mumbai and next month (MAY 2004)will witness

> a massive progarmme of Chanting of gYatri mantra and

> Gayatri Puja by large number of devotees men and

> women for three days. The responce is much more that

> expected as such a bigger venue has been chosen.

> To-day may of the barriers errected earlier based on

> sex are no longer relevant. As long as the goal is

> for Jana Kalayan It should be accepted and

> encouraged and participation of men and women is

> volentary not termed as Nitya Karma.

>

> As long as the participant get the mental

> satisfaction that he /she has participated in any

> activity for the GOOD of Self / society I feel we

> should not object.

>

> I am not saying that What HH Maha periavar stated is

> not correct.

>

> View expressed are purely personal which I feel is

> rational.

>

> GTD

>

>

> Moderator's note : *Please* avoid excessive quoting

> from previous posts.

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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