Gayathri Japam Day, SvabhAnu Samvathsaram: Part I

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear Gayathri Manthra UpaasakAs:

 

Today is the special day for Gaayathri Japam.

Let us therefore focus on Gayathri Devi , Her Manthram

and Japa Vidhi for that ancient , Vedic manthram.

 

We will stay away from the esoteric aspects , which

may not be appropriate from the perspective of

a wider audience with different information needs.

Much of these have to be learnt also from

KaalakshEpam and UpadEsam route from One's

AchAryan and/or Family elders.We will highlight

what might be of general interest to advance

the performance of SandhyA Vandhanam in general and

Gaayathri Japam in particular.

 

Sources

********

There are many Ahnika Granthams that one can draw from

and AchArya Upadesams and family traditions . Some of

the Ahnika Granthams relevant for detailed study

on this topic are:

 

1. Ahnika Grantham : HH Current SrImath Azhagiya Singar, 1990

Pages: 230-301. Extensive coverage and an excellent

summary of PoorvAchAryA's and Commentator's granthams.

A Must for one's library for reference.

 

2. Thirukkudanthai Desikan"s Ahnikam , Released by

UtthamUr Swamy's Ubhya VedAntha Grantha Malai

Committee , 1995

 

3. GAyathrI Kalpam

 

4. VaidhyanAtheeyam

 

5. Prapanna Dharma Saara Samucchayam

 

6. Saccharithra SudhA Nidhi

 

7. Mumukshu TarpaNa VyAkhyAnam

 

8. VaishNava SathAchAra Sura-dhrumam: HH the 42nd

Azhagiya Singar ( HH InjimEttu Azhagiya Singar)

 

9. Meaning of Gaayathri manthram : SrI RangarAja Sthavam

of Swamy ParAsara Bhattar ( tEja: param tath

SavithurvarEnyam--)and Swamy Desikan in Satha DhUshaNi

(SamvinnAnAthvAnumAna bhanga vAdham).

 

10. Swamy Desikan's PaancharAthra Rakshai ( Conduct

during Japam , when interrupted by the accidental

arrival of AchAryAs and Learned ones deserving respect

duirng Japam)

 

11. ThurIya Gaayathri or Chathush Paadha Gaayathri

Manthram (Smruthi RathnAkaram & Prapanna Dharma

Saara Samucchayam): When and How to recite ?

How is ThurIya Gayathri different from Dheerga

Gayathri? When should Dheerga Gaayathri to be recited?

 

12. PanchakAla PrakriyA Dheepam ( About AshtAkshara

Manthra japam that should follow the Gaayathri Manthra

Japam )

 

13. Yajur Veda SandhyAvandhanam: SrI U.Ve.Kotthimangalam

Gopala ChakravathyAcchAr Swamy, SrImath PoundarIkapuram

Aasramam release, 1999: Publisher : SrIman MaadhavakkaNNan

 

14. Rg-Yajur-Saama SandhyAvandhanam: relaese by Sri ThillaisThAnam

Swamy Kaimkarya SabhA , Bangalore, 1995.

 

15. Others on Gaayathri Devi's Roopam and description of

Her Five faces and weapons and hastha MudhrAs.DhyAna

SlOkams for Gaayathri Devi during the three SandhyAs .

Svaram for the Gaayathri Manthram.

 

Thus there are a wealth of information of a traditional

kind passed on by our PoorvAchAryaas as a part of

the SandhyA Vandhana Kramam in general and Gaayathri

Japam in particular.

 

The deeper anushtAnam aspects may not be of wide interest

to efvery one .Hence I will not cover them in the open forums.

Those who are intersted in specific details are requested to

send me personal mail so that I could try to respond to them .

 

(To Be continued)

 

SrImath Azhagiya Singar TiruvadigaLE SaraNam,

Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan