Gayatri

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By chanting the gayatri mantra, mother of the vedas, one worships Visnu

alone. The Agni Purana says that omkara refers to the master of the saktis

of creation, maintenance, and destruction of this material world. The

supreme Lord is indicated by om. Visnu, the cause of creation, maintenance,

and destruction of the universe, is effulgent. This is told in the Agni

Purana.

 

Bhuh bhuvah and svah, the receptacles (for the light), are called vyahrtis.

Prakrti, purusa and kala are represented by Brahma, Visnu and Rudra. Savita

is not manifest through anyone else's assistance. He is self effulgent. He

is superior, varenya, to any other effulgent being. Being supreme he is

eternally pure and conscious, without material waking or sleeping states.

But the worshipable object of savita is the transcendental fourth lord,

turiya. That Lord can be seen by meditation on the sun. That paramatma

within the sun is brilliant, without any sin. He is not an eternally

conditioned jiva, or a devata conditioned by karma. He is infinite, the

origin of all, the object of meditation. Bharga means spiritual, non

different from Visnu, and refers to bhagavan. He is supremely effulgent. He

is the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. He is

Visnu, the objection of meditation of the mind eager for service (bhargo

devasya dhimahi). Being the object of meditation, by his mercy, he inspires

our intelligence (dhiyo yo nah pracodayat).

 

The Srimad Bhagavata, which glorifies bhagavan sri krsna the son of Nanda,

and is the direct commentary on the brahma sutras, and the most dear object

of the vaisnavas, takes support of the gayatri at the beginning of the work.

Thus gayatri, giving liberation from material bondage, embodying all the

vedas, glorifies only Visnu. The Padma Purana says that the beginingless

gayatri first of all appeared as gayatri the mother of the vedas. Then after

reviewing all the upanisads and performing sadhana she was born in Vraja

along with the Gopala Tapani Upanisad (as kama gayatri), attaining thereby

the association of Krsna. Though she took the form of kama gaytari she still

remains in the form of the vedic gayatri eternally.

 

Those who chant and remember the mahamantra alone with devotion surpassing

the varnas and asramas, do not need to chant the gayatri or perform sandhya

vandana, because in the mahamantra the brahma gayatri and kama gayatri are

included. But for those who do not chant the pure name or worship the lord

purely, chant the brahma gayatri while remaining within varnasrama, though

they also chant the mahamantra.

 

Gayatri and upavita

 

Those who have taken pancaratriki diksa from a supreme vaisnava guru perform

worship of the Lord while taking shelter of daiva varnasrama dharma. They

worship Visnu through the brahma gayatri and are required to wear the

symbols of Visnu diksa such as tulasi mala and upavita. Those beyond

varnasrama, paramahamsa vaisnavas, do not depend on arcana, varnasrama etc.,

and do not need to wear the upavita. But often ignorant people cannot

understand the transcendental state of the paramahamsa vaisnava beyond

varnasrama, and think that the vaisnava is a sudra. Therefore the

paramahamsas accept the symbols of daiva varnasrama and preach the worship

of guru. This is an act of humility for the paramahamsa, and an act of mercy

towards the ignorant.

 

(By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura)

 

(Translated by HH Bhanu Swami)