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Introduction |
GAYATRI-SADHANA
PHILOSOPHY OF GAYATRI-SADHANA
OF ALL MANTRA-S, the supreme and the most potent power of power is the great, glorious Gayatri-mantra.
It is the support of very seeker after Truth who believes in its efficacy, power and glory, be he of any caste, creed, clime, or sect. It is only one's faith and purity of heart that really count. Indeed, Gayatri is an impregnable spiritual armour, a veritable fortress, that guards and protects its votary, that transforms him into the divine, and blesses him with the brilliant light of the highest spiritual illumination. Whatever your Ista-devata may be, the regular repetition of a few mala-s of Gayatri every day will bestow upon you all that is auspicious and benevolent, herein and hereafter.
It is wrong to conceive of the notion that Gayatri is solely meant for the chosen orthodox Brahmin class. It is universally applicable, for it is nothing but an earnest prayer of light, addressed to the Almighty Supreme Spirit. It is verily the sole transcendental guide-light to humanity. This is the greatest of all mantra-s and its presiding deity is the Parabrahman itself. Yet it is acceptable to all types of aspirants, for it is conceived as worship of Devi, of Lord Hari, of Aditya or the sun, and also as pure Nirguna worship of Brahman.
The Tejas of the brahmacari (celibate) lies in his Gayatri-japa. The support and prosperity of the Grhastha (householder) is again the Gayatri; strength and solace of the Vanaprastha (recluse) is again the Gayatri. Thus from the moment of the young student's Upanayanam (investiture with the sacred thread), until the moment when he enters the glorious state of Sannyasa (monkhood), throughout his life the Gayatri mantra is his constant guide, support, and strength. To him, the Gayatri-mantra is the summum bonum of life.
If you start regular daily Gayatri-japa you will feel the wondrous power that you derive from it. Fix a particular time for the japa and stick to it permanently. At least one mala of japa must be done daily without break. It will guard you from all dangers, give you infinite strength to overcome all obstacles, and take you to the pinnacle of splendour, power, peace, and bliss.
PRACTICE OF GAYATRI-SADHANA
Brahma milked out, as it were, from the Vedas, the letter A, the letter U, and the letter M, and formed by their coalition three trilateral monosyllables, together with three mysterious words- Bhur, Bhuvah and Svah, or earth, sky, and heaven. From the three Veda-s also the Lord of creatures incomprehensibly exalted and successfully milked out the three measures of that ineffable text, beginning with the word Tat and entitled Savitri or Gayatri.
Thus came:
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah;
Tat Savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi;
Dhiyo yo nah pracodayat.
Let us meditate on Isvara and His glory, who has created the universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect.
The Lord says in the Veda-s "samano mantrah" , let one mantra be common to all, and the mantra is the Gayatri. The secret lore of the Upanisad-s is that essence of the four Veda-s, while the Gayatri with the three vyathrti-s is the essence of the Upanisad-s.
Gavatri is the mother of the Veda-s and the destroyer of all sins. The monosyllable Om is an emblem of the Supreme. There is nothing more purifying on earth than the Gayatri. The japa of Gayatri brings the same fruit as the recitation of all the Veda-s with the Anga-s. This single mantra, repeated sincerely and with clear conscience, brings the supreme good.
PRAYER TO GAYATRI
Ya sandhyamandalagata ya trimurti-svarupini/
Sarasvati ya Savitri tam vande veda-mataram//
The Goddess in the solar orb, who is of the form of the Trinity, who is both Sarasvati and Savitri - I bow to (that Gayatri), Mother of the Veda-s.
Ya visva-janani devi ya trimurti-svarupini/
Gayatri-rupini ya hi tam vande sapta-matrkam//
The Goddess who is the Mother of the worlds, who is of the form of the Trinity and who is of the form of Gayatri-I bow to that form of the Seven Mothers. |
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