The Holy Gayatri Mantra

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Dear All

 

Can the respected members let me know your thoughts on the holy Gayatri

mantra.

I try to practise this mantra every day and have experienced certain

helpful results

from the same. Eager to know about the thoughts of fellow practitioners

of this great mantra.

Also, if there are Vaishna texts that interpret the Gayatri, can the

respected members

enlighten me on the same.

 

regards,

Hari

--

Harihara Krishnan

harih13

 

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Krishna, Sri Krishna Sharanamma), does not have this effect. We can recall the

life of Sri Ramanuja, when he was given the Astakshari mantra (namo

Narayanaya), we went to a temple tower ad loudly anounced it to all devotees as

every human is permited to chant this maha mantra, However Sri Ramanuja did not

announce the Gayathri in the same way. Jai Sri KrishnaHari R

<harih13 (AT) jetemail (DOT) net> wrote: Dear All Can the respected members let me know

your thoughts on the holy Gayatrimantra.I try to practise this mantra every day

and have experienced certainhelpful resultsfrom the same. Eager to know about

the thoughts of fellow practitionersof this great mantra.Also, if there are

Vaishna texts that interpret the Gayatri, can therespected membersenlighten me

on the

same.regards,Hari -- Harihara Krishnan harih13 (AT) jetemail (DOT) net--

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-adiyEn.pritesh patel <tesh_tel (AT) (DOT) co.uk> wrote: Jai Sri Krishna. As

far as i am aware only the devotees who are given initaition by a Bonfide Guru

can chant the Gayathri mantra. I myself is un-initated therefore i am only

elegible to chant the Namo Narayanaya (without the Pranava (om) prefix). I

dont know what the view is by Srivaishanvas, but a Gaudiya vaishnava devotee

told me that the Gayathri Mantra is very confidential and has great power thus

only those who have proper Knowledge given by a Guru should chant it. Today

the Gayathri mantra is recorded on tape and listened and chanted by everyone,

but according to the scriptures this is not permited as it should be

confidentialy taught to a trained

person. As this mantra is a Great Vedic mantra, one can incure more sin by

chanting it in a incorrect way. However the Mantra where the Lords Name is

directly chanted (such as Namo Narayanaya, Hare Krishna, Sri Krishna

Sharanamma), does not have this effect. We can recall the life of Sri

Ramanuja, when he was given the Astakshari mantra (namo Narayanaya), we went to

a temple tower ad loudly anounced it to all devotees as every human is permited

to chant this maha mantra, However Sri Ramanuja did not announce the Gayathri

in the same way. Jai Sri KrishnaHari R <harih13 (AT) jetemail (DOT) net> wrote: Dear All

Can the respected members let me know your thoughts on the holy Gayatrimantra.I

try to practise this mantra every day and have experienced

certainhelpful resultsfrom the same. Eager to know about the thoughts of fellow

practitionersof this great mantra.Also, if there are Vaishna texts that

interpret the Gayatri, can therespected membersenlighten me on the

same.regards,Hari -- Harihara Krishnan harih13 (AT) jetemail (DOT) net--

http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software

or over the web To help you stay safe and secure online, we've

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[Guest guest]

Manthra. Is it true and if so what is the reason behind it?

Srivatsan Sundaravaradan

[Guest guest]

For prapannAs the best solution is to recite irAmAnuja nootrandAdi (known as

prapanna gAyatri ) which is much more than gAyatri mantra.

 

rAmAnuja dAsi

On 1/5/06, Srivatsan Sundaravaradan <srivatsan.varadan > wrote:

I remember my grand mother saying that women should not recite the Gayathri

Manthra. Is it true and if so what is the reason behind it?

Srivatsan Sundaravaradan Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam

http://www.vedics.net

 

Bhagavad gita

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Jai Sriman Narayana,

 

I wish to share my thoughts on Gayatri Mantra.

 

The word Gayatri, here, refers to a metre. It is known as

the "Gayatri Chandas". The Gayatri Mantra is set to this metre.

Hence the name "Gayatri Mantra".

 

The literal meaning of this holy Mantra can be obtained from a vast

multitude of books. They all say the same thing.

But for Sri Vaishnavas, this Mantra is said to be of primacy.

Although it literally translates to "...Lead kindly light", it has a

much deeper meaning hidden in it.

It corresponds to the Mantra Ratna or the Dwayam that Sri Vaishnavas

adore. Thus it is considered among Sri Vaishnavas as one of the

prime Mantras.

 

Krishna declares that He is Gayatri among metrics.

"Gayatri chandasaam aham" (Bhagavad Geetha-10:35)

This very point is sufficient to drive home the sanctity of this

Mantra.

 

Although it is very easy to chant, it is capable of confering

infinite fruits.

"alpaayasa sadhyam, analpa phalam".

But our elders are of the opinion that ladies are not supposed to

chant this Mantra as it is a Veda Mantra. Hence, today the right to

chant this Mantra is reserved to formally initiated boys only.

 

I apologise for all my mistakes in this mail. I request you all to

kindly correct those mistakes for me.

 

Forever at His service,

Srinivasa Rajan Ramanuja Dasan.

[Guest guest]

PraNaams to all members,

 

Just one other point of different between the Sri and Gaudiya

traditions on the gaayatri mantra: I understand that in the Gaudiya

tradition the gaayatri initiation usually takes place after

initiation as a Vaishnava. In most Iyengar families today, the

initiation into gaayatri is performed before at the upanayanam

ceremony, and initiation as a Vaishnava (samashrayanam) probably

takes place later (although I don't know if it has to be done this

way, it just seems to be traditional to do it this way round from

what I've seen).

 

My guess is that since Sri Vaishnavam tends to be viewed from the

more traditional Indian caste context than Gaudiya Vaishnavam,

initiation as a brahmin is seen as very important at a young age

(perhaps for social reasons, also according to dharmashaastras it is

best to perform upanayanam for brahmin 'born' children between 7 and

16 years). ISKCON on the other hand follow the policy of allowing

gaayatri initiation to those who show the requisite brahminical

qualities, after sufficiently testing their commitment (I know a

Gaudiya devotee who is waiting to undergo his gaayatri initiation -

he follows a very strict lifestyle indeed).

 

In many ways I feel that had if I had been asked to follow such

strict restrictions before gaayatri initiation as my Gaudiya friend

is following, I would have failed dismally! It does seem a bit sad

that some 'Iyengars by name' (myself being the worst culprit) in our

families almost get gaayatri initiation "for free", regardless of

whether they then perform sandhyaavandanam or not, just because of

social customs - whereas it is treated with deadly seriousness in

Gaudiya Vaishnavism, despite not being restricted to 'birth

brahmins'. Certainly I feel that we, the Shri Vaishnava community,

owe a great deal of respect to the Gaudiyas for reminding us of the

importance of gaayatri in this context.

 

namO nArAyaNAya

aaNDaaL tiruvaDigaLe sharaNam

 

with praNAmams,

Ranjan

 

ramanuja, pritesh patel <tesh_tel> wrote:

>

> Jai Sri Krishna.

>

> As far as i am aware only the devotees who are given initaition

by a Bonfide Guru can chant the Gayathri mantra. I myself is un-

initated therefore i am only elegible to chant the Namo Narayanaya

(without the Pranava (om) prefix). I dont know what the view is by

Srivaishanvas, but a Gaudiya vaishnava devotee told me that the

Gayathri Mantra is very confidential and has great power thus only

those who have proper Knowledge given by a Guru should chant it.

>

> Today the Gayathri mantra is recorded on tape and listened and

chanted by everyone, but according to the scriptures this is not

permited as it should be confidentialy taught to a trained person.

As this mantra is a Great Vedic mantra, one can incure more sin by

chanting it in a incorrect way. However the Mantra where the Lords

Name is directly chanted (such as Namo Narayanaya, Hare Krishna, Sri

Krishna Sharanamma), does not have this effect. We can recall the

life of Sri Ramanuja, when he was given the Astakshari mantra (namo

Narayanaya), we went to a temple tower ad loudly anounced it to all

devotees as every human is permited to chant this maha mantra,

However Sri Ramanuja did not announce the Gayathri in the same way.

>

> Jai Sri Krishna

> Hari R <harih13@j...> wrote:

> Dear All

>

> Can the respected members let me know your thoughts on the holy

Gayatri

> mantra.

> I try to practise this mantra every day and have experienced

certain

> helpful results

> from the same. Eager to know about the thoughts of fellow

practitioners

> of this great mantra.

> Also, if there are Vaishna texts that interpret the Gayatri, can

the

> respected members

> enlighten me on the same.

>

> regards,

> Hari

> --

> Harihara Krishnan

> harih13@j...

>

> --

> http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software

> or over the web

>

>

>

>

>

> Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam

> http://www.vedics.net

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Bhagavad gita Culture Thirumalai Ways of

Successor Sri

>

>

>

>

>

> Visit your group "ramanuja" on the web.

>

>

> ramanuja

>

> Terms of

Service.

>

>

>

> To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all

new Security Centre.

>

[Guest guest]

Dear devotees,

 

While I certainly appreciate the efforts on the parts of the individuals

involved to try and understand the role of Gayatri mantra in Vaishnava

culture, there seem to be a lot of misconceptions here that I personally

feel need to be clarified.

 

The foremost is that the Gayatri mantra has some Vaishnava significance

to it. While some authors, such as Sri Satyamurthy Ayyangar and others,

have made a concerted effort to try and establish some Vaishnava

understanding to the performance of Gayatri, it required some "poetic

license" to put it in light of the Azhwars' teachings. In actuality,

the performance of Sandhya Vandanam and the subsequent recitation of

Gayatri mantra is - according to the Vedas - a birth-based obligation

afforded to only male members of the upper three castes as a

requirement for learning the Vedas. Since the Kshatriyas and Vaishyas

have, for the most part, forsaken Vedic responsibilities, the only

people who have continued the practice are the handful of Brahmin males

who continue to recognize the importance of living a Vedic life.

 

The mantra has a two-fold purpose: 1) in serving as a way to bring power

to the Sun in its sojourn across the sky and 2) providing this same

spiritual strength as a side benefit to the devotee who performs the

Sandhya Vandanam and recites the Gayatri mantra in a proper way.

Additional slokas and mantras have been recited by the respective

followers of Vaishnavam, Saivam and Smartha Brahminism to pay homage to

their respective concept of the Supreme Spirit as residing in the orb of

the sun and in all living beings.

 

As far as Samasrayanam goes, this sacrament has nothing at all to do

with caste, gender, or any other qualification. It serves as a

metaphor, a symbolic gesture, of a devotees's recognition that he/she in

body, mind, and spirit belongs wholeheartedly for the purpose serving as

an instrument to God. Since such knowledge really only comes through

learning under an Acharya, it is the Acharya who is called upon to

perform this sacrament to the aspirant such that he/she will awaken to

this truth.

 

I am not sure how or why the Gayatri mantra found its way into ISKCON,

since most of its members are not Brahmin by birth, and therefore have

no burden of responsibility to uphold in reciting it. I personally feel

that the very recitation of the Holy Name is far more efficacious and

important to a Vaishnava than the caste-based ritualism that Brahminism

- and its associated egotism - continue to hold over our society, and

have always appreciated the followers of ISKCON for serving as models of

this for the other Vaishnava schools of thought.

 

adiyen

Mohan

[Guest guest]

to be understood. For a simple saying even sankara says ' satsangathve

nissangathvam ...." This is echoed as far as Kabir and sufi's. I would like

the moderator to post messages for the reasons for each of the sampradayams we

have. Hope that will solve some of these non-clear positions. Dasan/raghavan

Mohan Sagar <madhuriandmohan (AT) toast (DOT) net> wrote: Dear devotees,While I certainly

appreciate the efforts on the parts of the individuals involved to try and

understand the role of Gayatri mantra in Vaishnava culture, there seem to be a

lot of misconceptions here that I personally feel need to be clarified.The

foremost is that the Gayatri mantra has some Vaishnava significance to it.

While

some authors, such as Sri Satyamurthy Ayyangar and others, have made a concerted

effort to try and establish some Vaishnava understanding to the performance of

Gayatri, it required some "poetic license" to put it in light of the Azhwars'

teachings. In actuality, the performance of Sandhya Vandanam and the

subsequent recitation of Gayatri mantra is - according to the Vedas - a

birth-based obligation afforded to only male members of the upper three castes

as a requirement for learning the Vedas. Since the Kshatriyas and Vaishyas

have, for the most part, forsaken Vedic responsibilities, the only people who

have continued the practice are the handful of Brahmin males who continue to

recognize the importance of living a Vedic life. The mantra has a two-fold

purpose: 1) in serving as a way to bring power to the Sun in its sojourn across

the sky and 2) providing this same spiritual strength as a side benefit to

the devotee who performs the Sandhya Vandanam and recites the Gayatri mantra in

a proper way. Additional slokas and mantras have been recited by the

respective followers of Vaishnavam, Saivam and Smartha Brahminism to pay homage

to their respective concept of the Supreme Spirit as residing in the orb of the

sun and in all living beings.As far as Samasrayanam goes, this sacrament has

nothing at all to do with caste, gender, or any other qualification. It serves

as a metaphor, a symbolic gesture, of a devotees's recognition that he/she in

body, mind, and spirit belongs wholeheartedly for the purpose serving as an

instrument to God. Since such knowledge really only comes through learning

under an Acharya, it is the Acharya who is called upon to perform this

sacrament to the aspirant such that he/she will awaken to this truth.I am not

sure how or why the Gayatri mantra found its way into ISKCON, since

most of its members are not Brahmin by birth, and therefore have no burden of

responsibility to uphold in reciting it. I personally feel that the very

recitation of the Holy Name is far more efficacious and important to a

Vaishnava than the caste-based ritualism that Brahminism - and its associated

egotism - continue to hold over our society, and have always appreciated the

followers of ISKCON for serving as models of this for the other Vaishnava

schools of thought.adiyenMohan

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