Swara Practice Tip (Gayatri Mantra: Text...)

[Guest guest]

Dear Neeraj,

 

I am giving my feedback if you are interested. If you were not looking for my feedback, kindly skip this mail now.

 

Apart from intonation, your pronunciation is not crisp. As for intonation, you are 40% of the way there.

 

In general, there is a problem in pronouncing anudaatta swaras (letters with underline in the Rigvedic notation). When pronouncing "dheemahi", you added swara that was not there. The "yaat" at the end is also not right.

 

I taught the Gayatri mantra to several people who formally received it earlier and forgot. I used written text and humming of the intonation to get them started. Several of them did worse than you when they started, but they can read it almost perfectly now. Practice makes one perfect.

 

* * *

 

Those who feel the accents (swara) of Vedic mantras are not important and can be ignored may kindly ignore what I am going to say. Skip this mail NOW.

 

Vedic mantras are unlike other mantras and shlokas. When read perfectly, they are really potent.

 

If you want to practice swaras of Vedic mantras, it is a good idea to do the following:

 

(1) Download audio of Narayana Sooktam or Purusha Sooktam or Sree Sooktam or Mantrapushpam read by Vedic scholars. There are mp3 files with correct swara/intonation/accents by Vedic scholars on the internet.

 

For example, you can hear "Sree Sooktam" with swara at

 

http://www.vedamantram.com/audio/shrImusic.mp3

 

This is not perfect, but good enough. I remember hearing a perfect rendering on the internet sometime back, but can't locate the site now.

 

(2) Download the text with intonation markings from the internet.

 

For example, you can view "Sri Sooktam" text with swara marked at

 

http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/pancha_suktam_sans2.pdf

 

(3) Listen carefully and notice how the gentleman is accentuating syllables marked with different accent marks.

 

If you practice, you can get it right. The meaning of various accent marks is the same in Sri Sooktam and in Gayatri mantram. If you understand one, you understand the other!

 

Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,

Narasimha

-------------------------------

Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net

Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.org

Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

-------------------------------

 

> ~ Om Namo Narayanaya ~

>

> Dear Narasimha and other learned members,

>

> I have uploaded two voice recordings of Gayatri Mantra

> at the following web site:

>

> http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri.wav

> http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri-neeraj.wav

>

> I request you to kindly let me know my flaws in

> intonation and proununciation, so that I can improve

> on that and can produce correct gayatri mantra for all

> the group members.

>

> Regards,

>

> Neeraj

>

> --- "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr wrote:

>

> > Dear Srivastava ji,

> >

> > > 3. I wonder how about millions of devotee of

> > Gyatri parivar

> > > and followers of Arya samaj whose whole life

> > spent in faith

> > > prayers and in reciting of Gyatri in form of

> > Divine Mother and

> > > as sun god in later case of Arya samaj.Did they

> > all lost their

> > > labours and mantra did not work for they did not

> > chant it as

> > > per pronunciation advocated now as per secret

> > parampara.

> >

> > The intonation in the humming mp3 I uploaded is not

> > from a "secret parampara" as written above. The

> > mantra is from the Rigveda and the intonation is

> > clearly marked in Rigveda.

> >

> > If you get any copy of Rigveda that has the

> > intonation markings or get "Mantrapushpam" book by

> > Ramakrishna Mutt (which has a lot of useful Vedic

> > chants with the intonation marked), you should find

> > the intonation marked (the horizontal lines under

> > letters, the single/double vertical lines above the

> > letters).

> >

> > There are different schools that interpret the

> > intonation marks slightly differently. However,

> > there are also people who do not follow any school

> > at all and read Vedic mantras by totally ignoring

> > the intonation markings. They just sing. In fact,

> > this is the popular style these days (i.e. ignoring

> > the intonation marks). However, priests learned in

> > Vedas, especially in south India, never ignore the

> > intonation marks.

> >

> > Whether those who ignore the intonation markings get

> > any results or not, I do not know. More important

> > question is whether they get the *fullest* results

> > or not.

> >

> > Those who were taught a different style of reading

> > Gayatri and are happy/confident with it may kindly

> > ignore my writings in this matter!

> >

> > I gave the text and humming MP3 to clarify the

> > intonation, for the benefit of those who are not

> > sure and are looking for direction in restarting

> > Gayatri mantra sadhana.

> >

> > Bottomline: I am not here on a crusade to divert

> > those who already found a path. I am only trying to

> > show the path that I found useful to those who are

> > looking for a path.

> >

> > > 1.How come that "Gyatri mantra picture

> > uploaded of TEXT" is without first pada of Eight.

> > That is " OM Bhur Bhuavah Swah " is missing.

> >

> > That is not the "first pada of Eight". Gayatri

> > mantra given in Rigveda starts with "tatsavitur.."

> > and ends with "prachodayaat". What you wrote is

> > added to the actual mantra. I referred to the

> > prefixes and suffixes in the explanation. But, let

> > us be clear the the Vedic Gayatri mantra itself

> > starts with "tatsavitur" and ends with

> > "prachodayaat".

> >

> > Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,

> > Narasimha

[Guest guest]

~ Om Namo Narayanaya ~

 

Dear Narasimha,

 

Kindly let me know the exact text of the gayatri

mantra thay you hummed. Asking this, as I generally

start the mantra with OM and end with OM. Also, some

people chant gayatri mantra with Rigveda i.e. without

om bhur bhuva svah.

 

This will help me in understanding the intonation to

some extent.

 

Regards,

 

Neeraj

 

--- "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr (AT) charter (DOT) net> wrote:

 

> Dear Neeraj,

>

> I am giving my feedback if you are interested. If

> you were not looking for my feedback, kindly skip

> this mail now.

>

> Apart from intonation, your pronunciation is not

> crisp. As for intonation, you are 40% of the way

> there.

>

> In general, there is a problem in pronouncing

> anudaatta swaras (letters with underline in the

> Rigvedic notation). When pronouncing "dheemahi", you

> added swara that was not there. The "yaat" at the

> end is also not right.

>

> I taught the Gayatri mantra to several people who

> formally received it earlier and forgot. I used

> written text and humming of the intonation to get

> them started. Several of them did worse than you

> when they started, but they can read it almost

> perfectly now. Practice makes one perfect.

>

> * * *

>

> Those who feel the accents (swara) of Vedic mantras

> are not important and can be ignored may kindly

> ignore what I am going to say. Skip this mail NOW.

>

> Vedic mantras are unlike other mantras and shlokas.

> When read perfectly, they are really potent.

>

> If you want to practice swaras of Vedic mantras, it

> is a good idea to do the following:

>

> (1) Download audio of Narayana Sooktam or Purusha

> Sooktam or Sree Sooktam or Mantrapushpam read by

> Vedic scholars. There are mp3 files with correct

> swara/intonation/accents by Vedic scholars on the

> internet.

>

> For example, you can hear "Sree Sooktam" with swara

> at

>

> http://www.vedamantram.com/audio/shrImusic.mp3

>

> This is not perfect, but good enough. I remember

> hearing a perfect rendering on the internet sometime

> back, but can't locate the site now.

>

> (2) Download the text with intonation markings from

> the internet.

>

> For example, you can view "Sri Sooktam" text with

> swara marked at

>

>

http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/pancha_suktam_sans2.pdf

>

> (3) Listen carefully and notice how the gentleman is

> accentuating syllables marked with different accent

> marks.

>

> If you practice, you can get it right. The meaning

> of various accent marks is the same in Sri Sooktam

> and in Gayatri mantram. If you understand one, you

> understand the other!

>

> Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,

> Narasimha

>

-------------------------------

> Free Jyotish lessons (MP3):

> http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net

> Free Jyotish software (Windows):

> http://www.VedicAstrologer.org

> Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website:

> http://www.SriJagannath.org

>

-------------------------------

>

> > ~ Om Namo Narayanaya ~

> >

> > Dear Narasimha and other learned members,

> >

> > I have uploaded two voice recordings of Gayatri

> Mantra

> > at the following web site:

> >

> > http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri.wav

> > http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri-neeraj.wav

> >

> > I request you to kindly let me know my flaws in

> > intonation and proununciation, so that I can

> improve

> > on that and can produce correct gayatri mantra for

> all

> > the group members.

> >

> > Regards,

> >

> > Neeraj

> >

> > --- "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr wrote:

> >

> > > Dear Srivastava ji,

> > >

> > > > 3. I wonder how about millions of devotee

> of

> > > Gyatri parivar

> > > > and followers of Arya samaj whose whole life

> > > spent in faith

> > > > prayers and in reciting of Gyatri in form of

> > > Divine Mother and

> > > > as sun god in later case of Arya samaj.Did

> they

> > > all lost their

> > > > labours and mantra did not work for they did

> not

> > > chant it as

> > > > per pronunciation advocated now as per secret

> > > parampara.

> > >

> > > The intonation in the humming mp3 I uploaded is

> not

> > > from a "secret parampara" as written above. The

> > > mantra is from the Rigveda and the intonation is

> > > clearly marked in Rigveda.

> > >

> > > If you get any copy of Rigveda that has the

> > > intonation markings or get "Mantrapushpam" book

> by

> > > Ramakrishna Mutt (which has a lot of useful

> Vedic

> > > chants with the intonation marked), you should

> find

> > > the intonation marked (the horizontal lines

> under

> > > letters, the single/double vertical lines above

> the

> > > letters).

> > >

> > > There are different schools that interpret the

> > > intonation marks slightly differently. However,

> > > there are also people who do not follow any

> school

> > > at all and read Vedic mantras by totally

> ignoring

> > > the intonation markings. They just sing. In

> fact,

> > > this is the popular style these days (i.e.

> ignoring

> > > the intonation marks). However, priests learned

> in

> > > Vedas, especially in south India, never ignore

> the

> > > intonation marks.

> > >

> > > Whether those who ignore the intonation markings

> get

> > > any results or not, I do not know. More

> important

> > > question is whether they get the *fullest*

> results

> > > or not.

> > >

> > > Those who were taught a different style of

> reading

> > > Gayatri and are happy/confident with it may

> kindly

> > > ignore my writings in this matter!

> > >

> > > I gave the text and humming MP3 to clarify the

> > > intonation, for the benefit of those who are not

> > > sure and are looking for direction in restarting

> > > Gayatri mantra sadhana.

> > >

> > > Bottomline: I am not here on a crusade to divert

> > > those who already found a path. I am only trying

> to

> > > show the path that I found useful to those who

> are

> > > looking for a path.

> > >

> > > > 1.How come that "Gyatri mantra picture

> > > uploaded of TEXT" is without first pada of

> Eight.

> > > That is " OM Bhur Bhuavah Swah " is missing.

> > >

> > > That is not the "first pada of Eight". Gayatri

> > > mantra given in Rigveda starts with

> "tatsavitur.."

> > > and ends with "prachodayaat". What you wrote is

> > > added to the actual mantra. I referred to the

> > > prefixes and suffixes in the explanation. But,

> let

> > > us be clear the the Vedic Gayatri mantra itself

> > > starts with "tatsavitur" and ends with

> > > "prachodayaat".

> > >

> > > Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,

> > > Narasimha

>

>

>

=== message truncated ===

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Sridhar,

 

I know the words. Actually, there are couple of small

variations in Gayatri Mantra.

 

What I chant is

 

Om Bhur Bhuva Svah Tatsavitur-Varenyam Bhargodevsya

Dheemahi Dhiyo yoh nah prachodayaat Om

 

{ I start with Om and end with Om }

 

The other is without Om in the end:

 

Om Bhur Bhuva Svah Tatsavitur-Varenyam Bhargodevsya

Dheemahi Dhiyo yoh nah prachodayaat

 

The one I heard on cassette of Gayatri mantra is:

 

Om Bhur Bhuva Svah Om Tatsavitur-Varenyam Bhargodevsya

Dheemahi Dhiyo yoh nah prachodayaat

 

(NOTE: Om Tatsavitur-Varenyam )

 

The one given in Rigveda is:

 

Om Tatsavitur-Varenyam Bhargodevsya Dheemahi Dhiyo yoh

nah prachodayaat

 

So I asked Narasimha to kindly let me know the exact

text of humming, as in humming, it is bit difficult to

make out words especially and hence I requested for

the text, so that I can hear to humming again and

again (with following the text) and can learn the

correct intonation.

 

Regards,

 

Neeraj

 

 

 

--- sridhar k <kopparsa > wrote:

 

> The gayatri Mantra is a title song of one of the

> Marathi Soaps in India. So one can have the

> tune/words by listening to this TV programme in

> Marathi

> This is just for information.

>

>

> Neeraj Gupta <gupta_neeraj_2000 > wrote:

> ~ Om Namo Narayanaya ~

>

> Dear Narasimha,

>

> Kindly let me know the exact text of the gayatri

> mantra thay you hummed. Asking this, as I generally

> start the mantra with OM and end with OM. Also,

> some

> people chant gayatri mantra with Rigveda i.e.

> without

> om bhur bhuva svah.

>

> This will help me in understanding the intonation

> to

> some extent.

>

> Regards,

>

> Neeraj

>

> --- "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr (AT) charter (DOT) net> wrote:

>

> > Dear Neeraj,

> >

> > I am giving my feedback if you are interested. If

> > you were not looking for my feedback, kindly skip

> > this mail now.

> >

> > Apart from intonation, your pronunciation is not

> > crisp. As for intonation, you are 40% of the way

> > there.

> >

> > In general, there is a problem in pronouncing

> > anudaatta swaras (letters with underline in the

> > Rigvedic notation). When pronouncing "dheemahi",

> you

> > added swara that was not there. The "yaat" at the

> > end is also not right.

> >

> > I taught the Gayatri mantra to several people who

> > formally received it earlier and forgot. I used

> > written text and humming of the intonation to get

> > them started. Several of them did worse than you

> > when they started, but they can read it almost

> > perfectly now. Practice makes one perfect.

> >

> > * * *

> >

> > Those who feel the accents (swara) of Vedic

> mantras

> > are not important and can be ignored may kindly

> > ignore what I am going to say. Skip this mail

> NOW.

> >

> > Vedic mantras are unlike other mantras and

> shlokas.

> > When read perfectly, they are really potent.

> >

> > If you want to practice swaras of Vedic mantras,

> it

> > is a good idea to do the following:

> >

> > (1) Download audio of Narayana Sooktam or Purusha

> > Sooktam or Sree Sooktam or Mantrapushpam read by

> > Vedic scholars. There are mp3 files with correct

> > swara/intonation/accents by Vedic scholars on the

> > internet.

> >

> > For example, you can hear "Sree Sooktam" with

> swara

> > at

> >

> > http://www.vedamantram.com/audio/shrImusic.mp3

> >

> > This is not perfect, but good enough. I remember

> > hearing a perfect rendering on the internet

> sometime

> > back, but can't locate the site now.

> >

> > (2) Download the text with intonation markings

> from

> > the internet.

> >

> > For example, you can view "Sri Sooktam" text with

> > swara marked at

> >

> >

>

>

http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/pancha_suktam_sans2.pdf

> >

> > (3) Listen carefully and notice how the gentleman

> is

> > accentuating syllables marked with different

> accent

> > marks.

> >

> > If you practice, you can get it right. The

> meaning

> > of various accent marks is the same in Sri

> Sooktam

> > and in Gayatri mantram. If you understand one,

> you

> > understand the other!

> >

> > Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,

> > Narasimha

> >

>

>

-------------------------

> > Free Jyotish lessons (MP3):

> > http://vedicastro.home.comcast.net

> > Free Jyotish software (Windows):

> > http://www.VedicAstrologer.org

> > Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website:

> > http://www.SriJagannath.org

> >

>

>

-------------------------

> >

> > > ~ Om Namo Narayanaya ~

> > >

> > > Dear Narasimha and other learned members,

> > >

> > > I have uploaded two voice recordings of Gayatri

> > Mantra

> > > at the following web site:

> > >

> > > http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri.wav

> > > http://www.neerajgupta.com/gayatri-neeraj.wav

> > >

> > > I request you to kindly let me know my flaws in

> > > intonation and proununciation, so that I can

> > improve

> > > on that and can produce correct gayatri mantra

> for

> > all

> > > the group members.

> > >

> > > Regards,

> > >

> > > Neeraj

> > >

> > > --- "Narasimha P.V.R. Rao" <pvr wrote:

> > >

> > > > Dear Srivastava ji,

> > > >

> > > > > 3. I wonder how about millions of

> devotee

> > of

> > > > Gyatri parivar

> > > > > and followers of Arya samaj whose whole

> life

> > > > spent in faith

> > > > > prayers and in reciting of Gyatri in form

> of

> > > > Divine Mother and

> > > > > as sun god in later case of Arya samaj.Did

> > they

> > > > all lost their

> > > > > labours and mantra did not work for they

> did

> > not

> > > > chant it as

> > > > > per pronunciation advocated now as per

> secret

> > > > parampara.

> > > >

> > > > The intonation in the humming mp3 I uploaded

> is

> > not

> > > > from a "secret parampara" as written above.

> The

> > > > mantra is from the Rigveda and the intonation

> is

> > > > clearly marked in Rigveda.

> > > >

> > > > If you get any copy of Rigveda that has the

> > > > intonation markings or get "Mantrapushpam"

> book

> > by

> > > > Ramakrishna Mutt (which has a lot of useful

> > Vedic

> > > > chants with the intonation marked), you

> should

> > find

> > > > the intonation marked (the horizontal lines

> > under

> > > > letters, the single/double vertical lines

> above

> > the

> > > > letters).

> > > >

> > > > There are different schools that interpret

> the

>

=== message truncated ===