Guest guest Posted April 12, 2002 Report Share Posted April 12, 2002 As for me personally, i go on with the Guru Gayatri Mantra i started with on the occasion of Sri Shankaramanchi Sharma´s Japa. As you may know Sri Swamiji had appeared to Sri Shankaramanchi Sharma in a dream and had told him to start the Japa and ask devotees to join. I had enrolled properly and called the Priest and asked to be taught proper pronunciation. But i´m afraid i´m repeating myself, i had written all this before already ... Now i´m just going on with that same Mantra, not with any other form of the Gayatri. And Sri Swamiji knows me to do that. Yet as far as other persons and other forms of the Gayatri Mantra are concerned, i don´t know. Nor did i try any other form of the Gayatri, although i asked about it. Whether in general there is any danger in doing Gayatri wrongly? If it were so dangerous, why should Shringeri Swami recommend it? Has Sri Swamiji given any comment on this topic? i think somewhere i´ve read that He said that pronunciation was important. But i haven´t read anything about any danger. As i said, Sri Swamij knows me to do the Japa, and if one day i miss out on it, i feel worse than on days when i did it. Can anyone else give a quote by Sri Swamiji concerning this matter? i can only quote from Bhakti Mala March 2002, Drops of Nectar, p. 4: "...There aren´t many Sadhanas!! There is only one Sadhana. That which brings about positive transformation alone is your Sadhana. The rest are not at all Sadhanas as far as you are concerned!!" Sri Guru Datta Carolin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2002 Report Share Posted April 12, 2002 Jaya Guru Deva Datta! A few days ago, Gayanthri Manthra (shown below) was posted here by Mr.Mahesh Grossman towards an inquiry by Ms.Caroline Heiss. However, here is a word of caution for those who might start practicing Gayathri by taking it from here: It is true that Gayathri Mantra is very powerful, and it is true that one should do Gayathri for one's spiritual progress. However, from what I know, it has to be practiced after taking it (getting initiated) from a Sadguru or a preceptor or someone of that level. It is because, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY/CHANT EACH WORD OF THE GAYATHRI WITH THE RIGHT PRONUNCIATION/INTONATION. From what I learned, from a personal story of one of my friends, IMPROPER INTONATION/CHANTING can bring harmful effects, physically as well as psychologically. It is not like if you don't do it right, you simply don't get the benefits of it and that is the end of story. It can actually harm you, if you DO IT IMPROPERLY. PROPERLY DOING involves proper intonation, at appropriate times of the day, healthy number (repetition) to begin with, healthy pace at which you increase the number as you practice, etc., etc., etc. When a Guru/preceptor gives this Gayathri to somebody, the Guru/preceptor makes sure that he/she practices it under Him till the person gets the intonation right, before letting the person loose with this MOST SACRED AND MOST POWERFUL tool. It is a powerful/good medicine to cure a lot of the ailments (spiritually speaking), but it has to be noted that, especially, because it is powerful, it has to be taken the right way, under the guidance of a good doctor! AND, another aspect to keep in mind is that there are a lot of other Gayathris (on each God), lots of other Mantras, lots of other things that are suggested by a lot of Saints, Pundits scholars. We come across these things in our everyday life as we read books, browse through inernet or listen to somebody speak...like Srungari Mahasaya (as in our case, here). All of them could be right. All of them could be valid (no debate on that). But then..., what is it that we should follow? What is good for us? Here is where a Sadguru comes into picture. He knows "what" is good for you "when" and "how much" of it. Since a devotee is under constant diagnosis (and protection) of his/her Sadguru, the Sadguru figures out what medicine should be given to whom, when and how much. All medicines are good, yet only some can be appropriate to some! This is yet one other reason why one should take heed, and start practicing Gayathri ONLY upon initiation from his/her Sadguru! It might serve well, if, those of you, who want to practice this manthra, get some advice from Ashrama. This mail is being copied to Dr.Prakasa Rao (head of DYC USA). The interested people might send your queries/questions to Dr.Prakasa Rao. His email address is dycusa <dycusa . He will in turn summarize your emails, present them to Ashrama, get appropriate answers and post them to this Group. This will avoid A FLOOD OF emails going to Ashrama. The Siva Ganas are very busy these days, making preparations to Lord Siva's 60th birthday, coming up in July!! We should look after their welfare!!! Sri Guru Deva Datta! Srinivas Chundu New Jersey Mahesh Grossman [sMTP:mahesh] Thursday, April 04, 2002 1:13 PM CarolinHeiss; JAIGURUDATTA Re: dattapeetham.com/india/latest/2002/april/sringeri/report.htm This is from the website: http://dalsabzi.tripod.com/Wisdom_Scrip/gayatri.htm <http://dalsabzi.tripod.com/Wisdom_Scrip/gayatri.htm> You can find many pages devoted to the Gayatri mantra if you do a search under Gayatri mantra. There is more info on the web page, but here is the traditional standard Gayatri mantra. The Guru Gayatri, Dattatreya Gayatri, Ganapathi Gayatri, Surya, Shiva, Vishnu Gayatris, etc, are variations on this mantra that follow a similar format, with lines ending in dheemahi and prachodayaat (usually the first line ends in vidmahe. At least this is what it looks like to me.) Om Bhur bhuvah svahah Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo Devasya dheemahi Dheeyo yonah prachodayaat Word by Word Translation of the Gayatri Mantra Translating the word 'Love' From English to Spanish cannot impart the experience of 'Love'. hence one must understand that substituting one word for another does not necessarily impart its meaning. The Gayatri Mantra is the essence of the three Vedas. It is the Vedas simplified. The more one contemplates and meditates upon the Gayatri, the more complexities are revealed to one. AUM Supreme Lord BHUR Protector of the earth, the material sheath, The Life breath of the Universe. From the feet to the navel center. BHUVAH One of the meanings is the sky. The Lord who pervades and eliminates all miseries. From the navel to the throat center. SVAHAH One of the meanings is the heavens. He is all Bliss and blesses His devotees with happiness. From above the throat center to the thousand petaled lotus. TAT That (That Thou Art) SAVITUR The SUN, Creator, Preserver and Self Luminous, the central mantra of the Solar Science. VARENYAM Most fit to be worshipped. Most choice worthy. BHARGO The burning splendor of the Sun that dispels ignorance, and therefore sorrows and miseries. DEVASYA The 'Deva', The God, He who is All Bliss, The Joyful One, The Shining One, The Revealer of All Glory DHEEMAHI We meditate upon Him DHEEYO YO NA Who our intelligence and Wisdom PRACHODAYAAT Inspires Jaya Guru Datta, Mahesh Latest News and Additions http://www.dattapeetham.com/additions/new.html <http://www.dattapeetham.com/additions/new.html> Upcomming events at Datta Temple and Hall of Trinity, Baton Rouge, LA http://www.dattatemple.com/uevents.htm <http://www.dattatemple.com/uevents.htm> Post message: JAIGURUDATTA Subscribe: JAIGURUDATTA- Un: JAIGURUDATTA Terms of Service <> . 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Guest guest Posted April 13, 2002 Report Share Posted April 13, 2002 Win has sent me a good link: SGD, Carolin Fri, 12 Apr 2002 14:13:48 -0700 (PDT) Winand Abhelakh dhiyoyonahprachodayat Re: Re: Gayanthri Manthra -- A word of caution CarolinHeiss In-110.107d6bd0.29e88d1f Q - Does chanting or Japa of Mantra without understanding it’s meaning or without concentration bring any benefit? It is just not physical exercise of mouth and tongue?A - There is the benefit of the repetition of Beejakshara - which is a self-energized letter. But this type of chanting without concentration brings only 20% benefit. If you do Japa with concentration and devotion you get 80% benefit. The day you become fully silent you get 100% benefit. Doing Japa without concentration is a drama. I permit this type of drama with the hope that one day it brings change. While singing Bhajans bend your head a little or close your eyes. It helps you to reach the other plane. Q - Those of us who are not initiated by you, can we still consider you as Sadguru?A- Yes. Why not? Ekalavya is an example. You all are initiated today. Even singing Bhajans with Swamiji is a simple initiation. It is indirect initiation. Singing along with Swamiji is no ordinary event. Here is the link: http://www.dattapeetham.com/india/bhaktimala/oct2000/sadguru_removes_ego.html You can post it to the list if you want... Greetings JGD, Win. Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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