Bhaktaneal Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Hari bol! Please accept my obiences! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I was wondering about the sacred thread and what is chanted on it. Is it the Gayatri matra? Are there variations of it given when it is whispered to an initiate? Or is it the same always? and...Is the thread actualy used when chanting? Please forive my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 The Gayatri mantra is to be recited in the right ear of the brahmachari, by his father. The father covers himself and his son with a white vastram, and recites the mantra. The gayatri mantra recited during upanayanam is always the same, and the brahmachari has to be attentive enough to grasp it. Its a sacred and magical moment, whcih words cannot descrobe, when you hear the mother of all mantras and get initiated. I dont know about the ISCKON version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 put spiritual master at the placeof the father Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 It is Kama Gayatri which is used in ISKCON. Not the common one which is recited by most of the people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhaktaneal Posted November 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 PAMHO AGTSP Thank you for the replies... what about the thread itself? Is it used like a Japa mala? Or is the mantra just chanted without engaging the touch sense, etc.... Thank you again for the info on the Kama Gayatri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 The thread is not japa mala. Usually, brahmacharis will wear pieces of deer skin along with the sacred thread. The thread has to be held between your thumb and the palm of the right hand, and covered, before chanting the Gayatri mantra, there are lot of salutations to the mantra itself and the rishis. The thread is worn from the left shoulder to right hip. Counting is by passing the thumb of the left hand over the joints of the fingers of the left hand... and there is a procedure for counting ( which cannot be explained .... I mean, I donno how to explain)... HOpe this clarifies your question. Please post in case you have more questions. I will be too eager to answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krishnadasa Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Hare krsna Actually the thread consists of three strings and the each of them represent Brahma , Visnu and Maheshwara. Once can see a node wherein all the strinsg are tied together, this node is espcially when we are chanting should be held as said by the other replies and by holding do we re givin respect to the trimurthis at once hope this makes things more clear hari bol vikram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 when i go to the Hare Krsihna temple often ladies are chanting the Gayatri mantra, what do they chant on and since when have ladies chanted the mantra? i mean i am a woman myself and like many 'hindu's' i chant the Gayatri mantra like everyone does but the Kama Gayatri i thought was specifically for twice born and who were male disciples. it really confuses me. Haribol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krishnadasa Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 hare krsna, Well the manthra is not reserved to men ( as far as I know) , it could be chanted by women as well - in olden days it was restricted to men only (bcse men dont have any periods which women normally have) and one supposed to be pure when one chants this manthra ( well nowadays u dont find pure men as well he he /images/graemlins/smile.gif ) . But the process i explained will normally be done during the time of sandhyavandana (mornings and evens). There can be different ways to chant Gayathri , the method listed is jut one among them . As we know the founder of gayathri manthra Vishwamithra muni chanted this by standing on one leg. Hope that makes it more clear hari bol viks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhaktaneal Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Hari bol! Please accept my humble obeinces! All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga! What interesting replies. I am now wondering about the deer skin... I mean, how is it obtained without a reaction for murdering the deer... is the deer sacrificed? Are there special places to get special deer skin? ...Interesting... And I am eager to hear about women and the Gayatri. Am I understanding that women do not receive a thread? Please continue with the informative replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 "but the Kama Gayatri i thought was specifically for twice born and who were male disciples. " now we are in kali yuga... there's no differences between men and women, so it is right to give brahminical initiation also to matajis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 "And I am eager to hear about women and the Gayatri. Am I understanding that women do not receive a thread?" no thread because it is considered offensive to touch brahminical thread with breasts, but the female brahmanas can chant counting on fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 why is an offence to touch tread with breast? i mean the reason why women do not offer postrated pranams (dont touch their brests and wombs) to the floor when offerin obeisences is cos those 2 organs are pure. so instead women offer half postration. why is it then impure for the tread to touch the brests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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