Gayathri Mantra-Query-Part 3

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Dear Varun,

 

Last posting we saw what Periyawal had to say regarding Gayathri Mantra.

 

Now last email I had given my thoughts on what Ramana Maharshi had said.

 

In a similar vein Idaikadu siddhar had something too.This Siddha used to graze cattle.

 

 

Idaikaattu Siddhar

 

He said: "Kanamar konamar kandu kodu adugan pohutu par. " (This is Sandhyabhashai-Twilight language which these reluctant masters used to speak in)

 

 

 

"Kanamal/r" means before you see the sun rise and "konamal/r" means when the sun is overhead and "kandu" is when you see the sun before sunset. These are the three times when you ought to offer arghya. "adu" means "niradu", bathe in the Ganga. "kan" here means "visit Setu" or have " have darsana of Setu". "Pohutu par"- by bathing in the Ganga and by visiting Setu your sins will be washed away. Here is mentioned the custom of going to Kasi, collecting Ganga water there and going to (Setu) Ramesvaram to perform the abhiseka of RamanathaSwami(Lord Shiva) there.

 

The actual Ganga lies in our Sahasrara(Kasi) and the actual Rameshwaram is our Mooladhara Chakra.This is a kundalini exercise wherein the Naadisanchalana is done from top to bottom and then up again.Naadi-shuddi is thus affected by the practice of Sandhyavandana.

 

There are different areas where to concentrate the Gayathri Mantra during Sandhyavandana. Sandhyavandana is nothing without Gayathri Mantra.

 

 

 

 

 

Normally when Gayatri Mantra is practiced it takes years before a Sadhaka notices any real effects.The Tantric method of practicing this mantra does accelerate the result.It includes rituals,meditation on a specific Gayatri Yantra,meditation on the chakras, recitation of auxilliary mantras,pranayama Practices and ultimately, a fire offering by way of Gayatri-Homa(Havana)

 

 

 

In Tantra Gayatri mantra can be used in several ways to achieve wordly objectives, to overcome specific obstacles or to advance spiritually.

 

For example:

 

 

(Nerium Indicum flowers-Karaveera flowers)

 

1. Offering an admixture of honey,sugar,ghee,coconut and Kaner flowers(Nerium Indicum) into fire while repeating Gayathri Mantra will cure physical and psychosomatic problems.

 

2. Offering Lotuses into fire similarly brings propserity

 

3. Offering fruits,leaves and sticks/barks from Bilva tree brings in both peace and prosperity

Karanja shrub

4. Offering Karanja fruit(Pongamia Pinnata) is a Tantric cure for phobia and schizophrenia

 

 

Palasha

5. Palash (Butea monospermia) sticks brings in retentive power and clarity of mind

 

 

 

The main purpose of Gayatri mantra and Sandhyavandana is to bring about a clarity of mind, illumination of mind and sharpening of intellect.Without this the doors of higher practices do not open.To this day, I enjoy my repetions of Gayatri mantra daily, whatever be my condition or station of my life.It provides me the required sthairya to face life situations.

 

Om,Earth, atmosphere and sky

May we contemplate the desirable radiance of God Savitur;

May He impel our thoughts

(Rig Veda III 62,10-Free English translation of the mantra)

 

Each limb of Gayatri has been distilled out from each Veda.Thus the tri-pada Gayathri mantra(three vedas as in Rig,Yajur and Sama) or Chatushpada(Rig,Yajur,Sama and Atharvana vedas) is popular.

 

 

 

There was one interesting book by name Gayathri-Rahasya. His Holiness Shri Prabhu Ashrit Swamiji had compiled this book in Urdu in Nairobi in British East Africa in the year 1929-30. J.Krishna Choudry has translated this book into English.I do not know whether it is still available in the market, if it is, buy it and read it, it is a classic piece on the mantra and its greatness.

 

 

I quote from his book, for your benefit, an interesting snippet:

 

" Wherefrom did Rishi Virjanand obtain the wits to turn out a disciple who shook the world. Recall the life of Swami Dayanand. You will find Swami Virjanand stricken with small pox lost his eyes at the age of five. After the death of his parents, his brother looked after him for some time. He had no formal schooling. Troubled and teased by his brother’s wife he left home. For three long years he performed the Gayatri Jap, standing in the Ganga at Rishikesh. What a severe penance! Divine Grace dawned on him at last. One night it was revealed to him in a dream. Immediately he initiated himself into Sanyas. But it was a unique dream. The dreams of the yogins are not phantasms. They are oracles. Dreams bring to the mind. Mind is the abode of God. The words “the would-be is done and you should go,” heard by Swami Virjanand in the dream were those of the God in him. You may interpret these words as you

like. But pause for a moment on these words. You will understand what was the ‘would-be’ and ‘what had been done’. Swami Virjanand was a great visionary. Grieved at the death of his preceptor, Swami Dayanand himself said: “Alas, the sun of Ashtadhyaee has set.” This was undoubtedly the influence of the Gayatri. Swami Virjanand’s intellect and memory had grown so sharp that even without proper schooling he could use the Ashtadhyaee in interpreting the Vedic texts. It is said that one day Swami Virjanand was sitting on the bank of the Yamuna when Brahmin from the South came there for a bath. After having his dip in the river, the Brahmin began to recite the Ashtadhyaee loudly. The recitation attracted him. He called the Brahmin and learned from him the glory of Ashtadhyaee and requested him to read it out for him. The Brahmin consented. Having heard it once, the Swami repeated it without a mistake. This is the

influence of the Gayatri. This is the power and the glory of this sacred mantra. It will be a waste of your time to give you further details about Swami Virjanand. A disciple of Swami Virjanand is the great Swami Dayanand who stirred the whole of India, taught against hypocrisy and fanaticism and brought about the renaissance of the Vedas. Who in the world is unaware of his name, the one who protected the cows, the orphan and the widow? The name of Swami Dayanand, in some form or other, is impressed in the mind of every Indian."

 

 

 

 

I also ask the women in the house to chant the Gayatri mantra if they have been initiated into it while cooking as it sanctifies the food of the household.This has far-reaching impact on the psyche of those who consume such food.

 

Gayatri mantra is also used for repration of harms done to others and also cleansing of sinful acts.Dharma Sutras by Gautama and Vashishta can be quoted for this.

 

You must be aware of the Gayathri mantra's 24 syllables and the significance thereof: 5 senses of perception, 5 organs of action, 5 vital airs-Prana,apana,vyana,udana and samana, 5 subtle elements and 4 antakaranas(Manas,chitta,buddhi and Ahamkara).

 

 

 

Also, the Sushumna Naadi which this mantra impacts during sandhyavandana has 24 segments: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic and 5 lumbar. This mantra purifies all the 24 segments and ups the minor current and transforms into urdhvaretas.

 

There are 3 recognized stages to Gayathri mantra repetition:

 

Stage-1: Repetition, being aware of the sounds from the mantra and in the proper chandas and pronunciatory manner.--Mind-body matrix

 

Stage-2: Understanding the meaning of every word--Left brain matrix

 

Stage-3: Grasping the idea of the mantra as a whole leaving the words in the background--Right brain matrix

 

Beyond Stage-3 one gains Samadhi after certain number of repetitions based on one's karma and purity.

 

There is tonnes of information on Gayathri and Sandhyavandana and thus let me extend this thread to one more posting and stop, even then I would have barely scratched the surface of the Gnana-Bhandara.

 

Yours Yogically,

 

 

 

Shreeram Balijepalli

Hreem Rajarajeshwari Paradevatha!

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

 

 

 

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