Inquiries Into the Absolute: Digest 109, Qualification for chanting

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Digest 109, January 12th, 2005

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

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Qualification for chanting the Gayatri-mantra

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Question:

 

I have grown up chanting the Gayatri Mantra but since joining Krishna

consciousness movement, I was told that we can not do it until we are

brahmana-initiated. Why is that?

 

Answer:

 

 

According to Vedic injunction, "sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah"

i.e. unless one is initiated in the mantra by a bona fide spiritual master,

coming in disciplic succession, the mantra will not be effective or will not

give the desired result.

 

The Gayatri mantra, in particular, is meant for spiritually trained persons who

are perfectly situated in the mode of goodness. Unlike the Hare Krishna

Maha-mantra, there are certain rules and standards to be upheld in chanting the

Gayatri mantra, such as specific times when it should be chanted, certain

circumstances in which it should not be uttered and so on. When chanted by a

duly qualified and properly trained brahmana, with proper purity and without

offenses, then one can attain success in chanting Gayatri mantra which has the

potency to immediately bring one to the transcendental realm. When the

spiritual master sees that the disciple has reached the necessary standard and

spiritual advancement for chanting the Gayatri mantra, he then awards

brahminical initiation to the disciple.

 

In contrast, there are no such rules and regulations in the chanting of Hare

Krishna maha-mantra. It is the yuga-dharma for the age, and by the mercy of

Lord Caitanya, it can be chanted by anyone, at any time and under any

circumstances without consideration of qualifications. This, indeed, is our

principal sadhana, and simply by perfectly chanting the maha-mantra one can

attain full spiritual perfection. Chanting the Gayatri mantra and other such

pancaratriki system of activities (such as worshiping the Deities etc),

however, offer further purification and impetus for the devotee to quickly come

to the stage of perfection in chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra.

 

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