Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Namaste. This is a question on a shloka whose full form I don't know but it begins with "na gAyatryAH param mantraM". I vaguely remember it as follows: na gAyatryAH param mantram na mAtuH para-devatA / na guroH paramam brahma naikAdashyAH param vrataM // Is this the correct version? Where does it occur? Are there other versions? praNAms to all those whose respect the GAyatrI profvk ===== Prof. V. Krishnamurthy My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/ You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site. Also see the webpages on Paramacharya's Soundaryalahari : http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/DPDS.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 professorji, is this the version you were looking for? Na Gayatrayah: Paramantrah: Na Matuhu: Para Daivatam Na Kasyah: Paramam Tirtham Na Ekaadasyah: Samam Vratam There is no mantram superior to Gayatri mantram, there is no God superior to one's mother; there is no sacred place superior to Benares (Kasi); and there is no Vrata which is equal to the Ekaadasi Vrata. saadar pranaams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 advaitin, "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk> wrote: > Namaste. > > This is a question on a shloka whose full form I don't know > but it begins with "na gAyatryAH param mantraM". I vaguely > remember it as follows: > Namaste, The following sites have excellent information on different versions: http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/mar96/0017.html Na Annodhakath Param Dhanam Na Dwadhashyat Param Vratam Na Gayathrayat Param Mantram Na Maata Para Devatha ------------------------------ http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/may97/0088.html sudhdam BhagavathAsyaannam suddham Bhageerathi jalam I suddham VishNupadha dhyAnam suddham EKAADASI VRATHAM II (MEANING) : The food partaken at a BhakthA's house is superior and pure . At he same level of holiness are the intake of GangA theertham , VishNu DhyAnam and the observance of EkAdasi vratham . --- http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/may97/0092.html "GanGA GItA cha GAyatrI api cha tulasikA GopikA-chandanam tat SALaGrAmAbhipoojA, para-purusha, tathaikAdaSee nAmavarNAh EtAnyashtAn-ayatnAn-yayi kali-samayE tvat-prasAda-pravrddhyA kshipram mukti-pradAnee-tyabhidadhu(h) rshayah tEshu mAm sajjayethAh!" [Narayaneeyam] -- Mahabharata, Padma Purana and Bhagavata are given as references also for Ekadasi Mahatmya. Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Namaste Sunderji: I am glad to see that you brought this important reference providing information about various versions. Here is a version I found in article published by the Ganesh temple of Nashville, Tennesee. In addtion, I have also added some additional perceptions based on my understanding. ===================================== Source: Ganesh Temple Website with the URL: http://www.ganeshatemple.org/articles.jsp Na Gayatrayah: Paramantrah: Na Matuhu: Para Daivatam Na Kasyah: Paramam Tirtham Na Ekaadasyah: Samam Vratam There is no mantram superior to Gayatri mantram, there is no God superior to one's mother; there is no sacred place superior to Benares (Kasi); and there is no vratam superior to ekaadasi ===================================== I believe that these are recently constructed sayings to convey our preferences. Consequently several other variations of these saying may exist. This is part of our tradition to remember the glorious heritage through poems. For example Gita dhyanasloka (Parthaya pradi bodhidham .….) is compiled by assembling verses composed by different authors in praise of Gita, Lord Krishna and Sage Vyasa. For example we can easily add some additional sayings such as: Na Gitasyah: Param Upanishad Na Guroh: Paramam Brahman, Na Sankarah: Paramam Guru Na advaitasyah: Samam Vedantam Finally one needs to be careful while interpreting the above sayings: In Vedic traditions, the very first learning of mantras always starts with `Gayatri' as the first and foremost. Similarly worshiping a god starts with one's mother because it is through her, our existence became a reality. Similarly early Vedic education was centered around Banaras and for those who want to initiate their education Banaras was their first choice. The Ekadasi Vratam refers to `fasting' on 11th day from Amavasya (New moon day) and this is one of the most popular vratams adopted by the Hindus. Every religious and cultural tradition has expressed its preferences many ways and the Vedic tradition is not unique on this aspect. Warmest regards, Ram Chandran advaitin, "Sunder Hattangadi" <sunderh> wrote: > The following sites have excellent information on different > versions: > > http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/mar96/0017.html > > Na Annodhakath Param Dhanam > Na Dwadhashyat Param Vratam > Na Gayathrayat Param Mantram > Na Maata Para Devatha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 thank you sunderji for additional quotes and references ... here are two more, variations of the same theme ... Adi Shankara Bhagvadapada says Gitasaastram is sarvasaastrasvarupam; Haribhagavaan is sarvadevasvarupAM Gangaa is sarvatirthasvarupam; Govinda-Gaayatri mantra is sarvavedamayam. Among all the shastras, gita is the most superior. Among all the deities, Hari is supreme . Among all the pilgrimages, Ganga is the supermost. Among all the chants, gayatri and govinda are the best chants ... i am quoting from memory. Members are welcome to give the correct version. in another stotra in Baja govindam , Adi shankara says geyam giitaa naama sahasram dhyeyam shriipati ruupamajasram neyam sajjana sange chittam deyam diinajanaaya cha vittam Regularly recite from the Gita, meditate on Govinda (Vishnu) in your heart, and chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy! so on and so forth! prannams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <RamChandran@a...> wrote: > > > I am glad to see that you brought this important reference providing > information about various versions. Namaste, Considering Mahabharata as the oldest text, the following verse may be the prototype for all subsequent variants: http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_giitaa/doc_giitaa.html [287 - 2] pitA para.n daivataM mAnavAnAM mAturvishiShTaM pitara.n vadanti . GYAnasya lAbhaM parama.n vadanti jitendriyArthAH paramApnuvanti || (This section is known as Parashara Gita. I have misplaced the ref. to the Parva). Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 > > http://sanskrit.gde.to/doc_giitaa/doc_giitaa.html [287 - 2] > > pitA para.n daivataM mAnavAnAM > mAturvishiShTaM pitara.n vadanti . > GYAnasya lAbhaM parama.n vadanti > jitendriyArthAH paramApnuvanti || > > > (This section is known as Parashara Gita. I have misplaced the ref. > to the Parva). Namaste, This is in Shanti Parva [12:287:2] Regards, Sunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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