GAYATHRI MANTRA AS EXPLAINED BY THE DIVINITY ITSELF

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GAYATHRI MANTRA AS EXPLAINED BY THE DIVINITY ITSELF

 

Om Bhur Buvaha Suvaha

Thath Savithur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayath

 

We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds:

gross, subtle, and causal.

I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine

grace of universal intelligence.

We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.

 

MEANING OF THE INDIVIDUAL WORDS

 

Om: The primeval sound

Bhur: the physical world

Bhuvah: the mental world

Suvah: the celestial, spiritual world

Thath: That; God; transcendental Paramatma

Savithur: the Sun, Creator, Preserver

Varenyam: most adorable, enchanting

Bhargo: luster, effulgence

Devasya: resplendent, supreme Lord

Dheemahi: we meditate upon

Dhiyo: the intellect, understanding

Yo: May this light

Nah: our

Prachodayath: enlighten, guide, inspire

 

THE POWER OF GAYATHRI - Dharma Vahini, Chapter VII

 

All that is visible shines as Gayathri, for speech (vak) is Gayathri

and all objects are speech, are indicated by speech, and are subsumed

in speech. It is speech that describes them, declares them, and

denotes them. All objects are also of the world. Nothing can go

beyond it. This world is the body of mankind; one can't leap out of

the body. The breath (prana) that sustains a person is inside the

heart (hridaya), and it cannot move outside and beyond the heart.

The Gayathri has four feet and six categories. The categories are

speech, objects, world, body, breath, and heart (vak, butha, prithvi,

sarira, prana, and hridaya). The Supreme Being that is extolled by

this Gayathri is indeed exalted, sacred, glorious. As has been said,

all this objective multiplicity is but a fraction of His body. The

number and nature, the measure and meaning of the objects are beyond

understanding; yet all this is but a quarter of His magnificence. The

other three quarters are His effulgent immortal form.

 

It is impossible to grasp the mystery of that splendor filled form.

This Supreme Being indicated by the Gayathri is indeed referred to as

Brahman. He is the sky (akasa), beyond the comprehension of a person;

He is spoken of as "outside the personality of people (bahirardhaa

purushakashah)" --this is the mark of the waking stage. The Supreme

Being is the sky, inside the personality (anthah purushaakaashah) --

this is the mark of the "dream stage". He is the sky inside the heart

of a person; He fills and fulfils it --this is the "deep-sleep

stage". Whoever knows this truth attains fullness and Brahman. That

is, the one who knows the three states of wakefulness, dream, and

deep sleep (jagrath, swapna, and sushupti) are themselves Brahman.

How ridiculous it is that a person, known as a divine being and

bearing the name of this embodiment of the Atma, should become the

repository of egotism and consequent impurity, busy in the unholy

pursuit of injustice! How calamitous! At least for being known even

today as a "divine being", one should try to practice the path that

will endow one with an atom of that glory.

 

Then what should we say of dharma for people? How can people who have

not cared to earn even the infinitesimal glory of the Primal Supreme

Being be expected to practice dharma for people? Not even the most

diligent search will now reveal a fraction of it! As the ancient sage

(Rishi) said, The twice-born who gives up the morning-evening

(Sandhya) worship falls into perdition. Those who neglect the morning-

evening worship have no right for any other type of ritual:

 

Samdhyaa heeno suchirnithyam, anarhah sarva karmasu

Yadh anyath kuruthe karmano thasya phala bhaagbhaveth.

 

So say all the authoritative traditions (smrithis) and Vedas. It is

because the sages of ancient times performed the morning-evening

worship for many years that they acquired long life, fame, glory,

wisdom, and the splendor of divinity; this is mentioned by Manu also.

Therefore, from whatever point of view we consider, the Brahmin who

does not meditate on the Gayathri does not deserve that status.

 

Of course what is meant by Brahmin in this context is the one who has

realized the Brahman principle (Brahma Tathwa) and who has purified

himself by the practice of the ceaseless contemplation of Brahman.

This has nothing to do with caste or even religion. Nevertheless,

those who have inherited the name Brahmin have a special

responsibility to adhere to the morning-evening worship and the

Gayathri.

 

THE FOUR DUTIES OF PEOPLE

 

What exactly is Sandhya? San means well and dhya is derived from

Dhyana, so Sandhya refers to proper or intense meditation (Dhyana) on

the Lord. It means concentration on the Godhead. To fix the mind on

God, the activities have to be controlled. For success in that

process of control, one should overcome the handicaps of the

qualities (Gunas), the pure, passionate, and dull (sathwa, rajas, and

thamas). When these forces of natural impulse predominate and try to

direct along their channels, one must pray to God to negate their

pull. That is the first duty of the one who strives toward God. The

rule of nature is that the morning is the period of pure (sathwic)

quality, the noon of passionate (rajasic) quality, and the evening

hour of dusk of dull (thamasic) quality. At dawn, the mind is

awakened from the comfort of sleep liberated from agitations and

depressions, so the mind is calm and clear. At that time, in that

mental condition, meditation of the Lord is very fruitful, as

everyone knows. This is why dawn worship (praathah-sandhya) is

prescribed. But, ignorant of the significance, people continue doing

the ritual in a blind mechanical way, simply because the ancients

laid down the rule. The second duty is to perform the dawn worship,

after realizing the inner and the deeper meaning of the same.

As day progresses, one is infused with the passionate quality

(rajoguna), the active effortful nature, and one enters the field of

daily work and toil. Before one takes the midday food, one is

directed to meditate on the Lord again and to dedicate the work, as

well as the fruit derived through it, to the Lord Himself. One can

start eating only after this act of devotion and grateful

remembrance. This is the meaning of the noontime (maadhyamika)

worship. By observing this ritual, passion is kept in check and is

overpowered by the pure (sathwa) nature. This is the third duty of

all people.

 

Then, people are possessed by a third nature, the dull (thamas). When

evening descends, one hurries home, eats one's fill, and is

overpowered by sleep. But a duty still remains. To eat and sleep is

the fate of idlers and drones. When the worst of the qualities

(Gunas), the dull (thamas), threatens to rule, one must make a

special effort to escape its coils by resorting to prayer in the

company of those who extol the Lord, reading about the glory of God,

the cultivation of good virtues, and the purposeful nursing of good

rules of conduct. This is the prescribed evening worship

(sandhyavandana).

 

Therefore, the mind that emerges from the vacancy of sleep has to be

properly trained and counseled; it must be made to feel that the

bliss of meditation and the joy of being unaware of the outer world

are much grander and more lasting than the comfort one gets by means

of the daily dose of physical sleep. This bliss, this joy, can be

felt and realized by all; discrimination will bring this home to you.

This is the fourth duty of people.

 

People who, as long as they have life in them, observe the thrice-a-

day worship are indeed of the highest type; they are ever glorious

and attain all that is desired. Above all, they are liberated, even

while alive (jivan-muktha).

 

Cultivate the soul-force

 

Care must be taken to see that the morning-evening prayers are not

taken as a routine ritual, one among many laid down for observance.

This is to be carried out while one is aware of the significance and

dwelling on the inner meaning. One should clearly grasp the sense of

the Gayathri Mantra. It is necessary to feel the identity between the

effulgent Being (Atma-swarupa) mentioned therein and oneself. Only

those who are ignorant of its meaning will neglect the Gayathri.

Manu lays special stress on just this; he has declared the Gayathri

to be the very life-breath of the Brahmin. It is not only his

declaration: it is the truth. What is more efficient for spiritual

uplift than meditation on the effulgence that illumines and feeds the

intellect? What is more vitally fruitful than the prayer that pleads

for saving the mind from sinward tendencies?

 

For a person, there is no better armor than the cultivation of

virtues. Manu states that Brahmins won't lose status as long as they

hold on to the Gayathri and are inspired by its meaning; Manu says

that if they are too weak to pursue the study of the Vedas, then they

must at least recite the Gayathri and adhere to it till the very end.

The authoritative tradition (smrithi) also says that there is no

treasure richer than the Gayathri.

 

Soul-force can accomplish all the tasks of the world; and, since the

Gayathri confers inner strength, to foster that force the Gayathri

has to be cultivated with care at the right moment, without neglect.

For the growth and development of the body, pure (sathwic) food is

necessary, isn't it? So too, the effulgence of the Sun has to be

drawn, to reinforce the inner effulgence in the form of creative

thought (bhavana).

 

When soul-force waxes, the senses are activated and directed along

fruitful lines. When it wanes, the senses fail and fail you. So, if

the solar energy is drawn at that very juncture, it will be as seeds

planted in season, and the harvest is assured. Can darkness hide and

confuse when the sun has risen and bathed the earth in splendor? Can

sorrow prevail when one has infused oneself with that effulgence? How

can one be devoid of strength, the strength derived from the very

fountainhead of Brahman? The technique of this process has been laid

down by the ancients, for the benefit of all aspirants. Learn and

practice it, and, by your own experience, you will be able to witness

the truth of their path.

 

Of what purpose is the sacred thread (upanayana) sacrament? Which

mantra are you initiated into that day? Why was that mantra alone

taught then? Why are other mystic formulae not given equal

prominence? Reflect on these matters, and you will find that the

Gayathri is the mother of mantras. You will also find the rituals

shining with a new meaning, the rules and restrictions will be full

of purpose; the deeds and activities of the ancients will seem

worthwhile. If you do not try to know their significance, you will

interpret them as your fancy leads and land yourselves in tricks and

stratagems to escape the obligations of life. You will be caught in

injustice and negation (anyaya and a-dharma).

 

The real meaning of Gayathri

 

Well, what is the real meaning of the word Gayathri? Does anyone try

to know it today? The word is taken to mean either a Goddess or a

formula. Gayathri is that which protects (thra) the life breaths

(gayas or pranas) or the senses (indriyas), beginning with speech.

Besides, it is said, That which saves those who sing it, revere it,

repeat it, or meditate on it is called Gayathri. Gaayantham

thraayathe yasmaath Gayathri, thena kathyathe. That is to say, it is

this sacred mantra that transformed a royal sage (rajarshi) like

Viswamitra into a brahmanical sage (brahmarshi). The mother that is

the Veda (Vedamatha) will confer all boons on all those who worship

Her. That Goddess is described in glorious terms in the Brahmanas and

in the texts on dharma (dharma-sutras); if you understand these

clearly, you can realize it, unaided.

 

Dharma, imbued with such deep mysteries, is today rationalized and

interpreted willfully in various paltry senses. That is why the

decline of dharma has come about. So, it is imperative to revive the

eternal religion (Sanathana dharma) and the principles of

interpretation natural to the Atmic truth, which is the basis of

dharma. Otherwise, the meaning will be changed out of all

recognition, and the whims of individuals will prevail. Every act

will be stamped as dharma, whatever its nature!

 

23 August 1995 - Divine Discourse

 

Unique potency of the Gayathri mantra

 

Man today spends his life fully preoccupied with worldly concerns.

Owing to attachment to the body, he forgets his true nature, is

immersed in the affairs of the world, and involves himself in misery.

He regards the body as permanent and makes bodily comforts his goal

in life. These are the things which every individual experiences in

daily life.

 

If anybody accosts a person and asks him, "Who are you?", out of his

identification with the body he gives his name in reply. In answer to

further questions he introduces himself as a doctor, a farmer,

student, or the like. When the enquiry goes further, he identifies

himself with his nationality as an American, an Indian, a Pakistani,

or so on. When you examine these answers deeply, you will find that

none of them gives the truth. He got his name from his parents. It

did not belong to him at birth. His identification with one or other

of his professions is not true because he is not the profession.

Body, Jiva, and Atma

 

What, then, is the truth about him? "I am the Atma. That is my true

Self." That is the truth. But people identify themselves with their

names, professions, and nationality and do not base their lives on

the Atma. No driver of a car identifies himself with the car.

Likewise, the body is a car and the Atma is the driver. Forgetting

one's true role as a driver, one is identifying one's self with the

body, which is only a vehicle.

 

This truth is emphatically brought out by the Gayathri Mantra.

Dehabudhyath daasoham --in the context of the body, I am an

instrument, a servant. Jivabudhyath Thadamsah --in the context of the

Jiva (individual soul), I am a spark of That (the Divine).

Atmabudhyath Thvamevaham --In terms of the Atma I am you. When one

views one's self from the Atmic standpoint, one is identical with the

Divine. I am you and you are me.

 

Three-storied mansion

 

Every man has thus three aspects. Our life itself is a three-storied

mansion. The brahmacharya (celibate) stage is the foundation of this

mansion. After that, the stage of grihastha (householder) is the

first floor. Then you have the vanaprastha (retirement from the life

of a householder) stage as the second floor. Finally, there's the

stage of the sanyasa (renunciant) , constituting the third floor.

Thus, brahmacharya is the foundation for the other three stages of

life. The safety and security of the other three floors depend on the

strength of the foundation (viz. brahmacharya). Hence, brahmacharya

is the basic foundation.

 

But, unfortunately this vital fact has been forgotten by people. They

feel happy on seeing the super structure. But the whole edifice may

collapse at any time if the foundation is weak. When you feel happy

at the sight of a tree and its flowers and fruits, you must be

concerned about its roots. The unseen foundation is the basis for the

visible mansion. The invisible roots are the basis for the visible

tree. Likewise, the invisible vital force (prana) is the basis for

the visible body. Prana has no form, while the body has a form. There

is, however, the Atmic principle, which confers all the potencies for

the life force (prana). It is because of the power imparted by the

Atma that the life force is able to activate the body. The body

inherently is inert. It is made up of different kinds of material

substances.

 

Three potencies in man

 

The first line in the Gayathri Mantra is Om Bhurbhuvassuvah. This

mantra is assumed to refer to three worlds: the earth, the middle

world and heaven (or swarga, the land of the gods). Bhu refers to the

body. It is made up of the five elements (pancha bhutas). These five

elements constitute nature (prakriti). There is an intimate

relationship between the body and nature. The same five elements that

are in nature are also in the body. Bhuvah is the life force that

animates the body (prana sakthi). Even if the life force exists,

without jnana (Awareness) the body will be of no use. It is on this

account that the Vedas declared: Prajnanam Brahma (Constant

Integrated Awareness is Brahmam). It is by the presence of prajnana

that the life force is able to animate the body. The body represents

inert matter. The life force operates in the body as a vibration.

This vibration derives its power from prajnana, which finds

expression in radiation.

 

Therefore, the body, the life force and the prajnana are all within

man. The entire cosmos is present in miniature within man. lt is

because of these three constituents that we are able to see the

cosmos and experience many other things. Every potency is within us.

The external is a reflection of the inner being.

 

It follows from this that true humanness (maanavathvam) is divinity

itself (Daivathvam). Hence, the Vedas declared that the divine

appears in human form. Every human being is inherently divine, but

owing to his attachment to the body he considers himself a mere man.

How did this human body get animated by the life force? Whence has

this life force come? It is from the Atma Shakthi (the power of the

Self). Making use of this power of the Self, the life force carries

out all activities.

 

Triple aspects of Gayathri

 

Who is Gayathri? Gayathri is not a Goddess. Gayathri is the mother of

the Vedas (Gayathri Chandasam matha). Gayantham thrayathe ithi

Gayathri. Gayathri is that which redeems the chanter of the mantra.

Gayathri is present wherever the Mantra is chanted.

 

Gayathri, however, has three names: Gayathri, Savitri, Saraswati.

These three are present in everyone. Gayathri represents the senses.

It is the master of the senses. Savitri is the master of the life

force (prana). Many Bharatiyas (Indians) are familiar with the story

of Savitri, who brought back to life her dead husband, Sathyavan.

Savitri signifies truth. Saraswati is the presiding deity of speech

(vak). The three represent purity in thought, word, and deed

(Thrikarana suddhi). Although Gayathri has three names, all three are

in each of us as the senses (Gayathri), the power of speech

(Saraswati) and the life force (Savitri).

 

Gayathri is said to have five face and hence is called Panchamukhi.

Is there anybody in the world with five faces? No. In the Ramayana,

Ravana is said to have ten heads. If really he had ten heads, how

would he be able to lie in his bed or move about? This is not the

inner meaning of this description. He is said to be ten headed

because he was the master of the four Vedas and the six Sastras.

Likewise, Gayatri is described as five faced. The five faces are:

Om (the pranava) is the first face. The pranava principle represents

the eight different forms of wealth (ashta aiswarya).

The second face is: Bhurbhuvas-suvaha.

The third is: Thath-Savitur-varenyam.

The fourth is: Bhargo Devasya dheemahi.

The fifth is: Dheeyo yo nah prachodayath.

 

When the Gayathri mantra is understood in this way, it will be

realised that all the five aspects of Gayathri are within each of us.

Power of Gayathri mantra

 

The Gayathri Mantra has all the three elements which figure in the

adoration of God : description, meditation, and prayer. The first

nine words of the mantra represent the attributes of the divine,

Om Bhur-Bhuvas-Suvah Thath Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya.

 

Dheemahi pertains to dhyana (meditation). Dheeyo yo nah Prachodayath

is the prayer to the Lord. The mantra is thus a prayer to God to

confer all powers and talents.

 

Sarvaroganivaarini Gayathri (Gayathri is the reliever of all

diseases). Sarvaduhkha parivaarini Gayatri (Gayathri wards off all

misery). Sarvavaancha phalasri Gayathri (Gayathri is the fulfiller of

all desires). Gayathri is the bestower of all that is beneficial. If

the mantra is chanted, various kinds of powers will emerge in one.

Hence the Gayatri mantra should not be treated casually. In our

respiration process the sound of Gayatri is imbedded. That sound is a

reminder of our true form. In the breathing process, there is

inhalation and exhalation. In the Yoga Sastra, inhalation is termed

purakam and the exhalation is called rechakam. Holding the breath is

called kumbhakam. When air is inhaled, the sound that is produced is

So-o-o. When it is exhaled the sound is Ham-m-m. So-ham, So-ham

(Bhagawan demonstrated how this happens while breathing in and out).

So is Thath. Ham is I. I am Thath. I am Divine. Every breath

proclaims this. The Vedas declared the same thing in the

pronouncements:

 

Thath Thwam Asi (That thou art),

Aham Brahmaasmi (I am Brahman),

Ayam Atma Brahma (This Atma is Brahman).

 

Don't imagine God is somewhere remote from you. He is within you .

You are God. People want to see God. Sathyam Jnaanam Anantham Brahma,

say the scriptures. Truth is God. Wisdom is God. Both these are

present everywhere. They transcend the categories of time and place.

Truth is that which is valid at all times past, present, an future.

That truth is Gayathri.

 

Gayathri is thus the indweller in the heart (hridaya). Hridaya

contains the word daya meaning compassion. There is compassion in

every heart. But to what extent is it shown in real life? Very

little. All the while, only anger, jealousy, pride, and hatred are

displayed. These evil qualities are not natural to man. They are

opposed to human nature.

 

It has been declared that one who bases himself entirely on the mind

is a demon. One who bases himself on body is an animal. One who

follows Atma (the Self) is divinely endowed. One who relies on the

body, the mind and Atma is a human being. Humanness is the

combination of the body, mind, and Atma. Man should strive to ascend

to the divine and not descend to the demonic or animal nature.

Parent's duty

 

>From today onward parents should teach their children stories with

morals. You all know in what a chaotic condition the world is today.

Disorder and violence are rampant everywhere. Peace and security are

not to be found anywhere. Where is peace to be found? It is within

us. Security is also within us. How is insecurity to be removed and

security secured? It is by giving up desires. In the language of the

ancient Bharatiyas (Indians), this was termed vairagya (giving up

attachment). This does not mean giving up home and family and

retiring into the forest. It is reduction of wants. As a householder

limit your desires to the needs of the family. As a student, stick to

your studies. As a professional, adhere to the duties of your

profession. Do not indulge in excesses of any kind.

 

In the practice of the Gayathri mantra, one should realise that

everything is within one and thereby develop confidence in the Self.

Man today is racked by numerous troubles because he has no confidence

in the Self. The aspirant on the spiritual path is he bound to face

the troubles caused by the six enemies --lust, anger, greed,

infatuation, pride, and envy. He has to he overcome them.

Call to students

 

Students! On an auspicious occasion like this, you should consider

how you can lead an ideal life. Through faith in God you have to

sanctify the body. Without the body, you cannot experience the mind

and the intellect. To achieve your ideals, the body is the

instrument. It should be kept in proper condition. While the body is

a instrument, the user of the instrument is the Self. All sense

organs function because of the Atma. The Atma is the witness to

everything. It is also known as conscience. The conscience derives

its sanction from the divine. It is a fragment of the divine.

 

Every human being is a spark of the divine, as declared in the Gita.

The human being is essentially divine, but it tends to forget his

divine origin. The Gayathri mantra is enough to protect the person

who chants it, because Gayathri embodies all the divine potencies. It

is an essential requisite for the young because it ensures a bright

and auspicious future for them. The young students are the citizens

and leaders of tomorrow. Hence, they should develop pure and noble

thoughts. The parents also should foster such a development.

Nearness to God

 

The Upanayanam ceremony is over. The Gayathri mantra has been

imparted to you. You are wearing the sacred thread with three strands

tied in one knot. The three strands represent Brahma, Vishnu, and

Maheswara. They also represent the past, present, and future.

Upanayanam means being near to God. Nearness to God will enable you

to get rid of your bad qualities and acquire virtues.

 

The Vedas have emphasised three duties: Esteem the mother as God, the

father as God, and the preceptor as God. Bear this injunction in

mind. Gratitude to your parents is your foremost duty. This is the

lesson taught by Sri Rama.

 

Love your parents and remember God. When you please your parents and

make them happy, your entire life will be filled with happiness.

Chant the Gayathri as often as possible. If you chant it while you

take a bath, your bath gets sanctified. Likewise, chant it before

taking your food. The food becomes an offering to the divine. Develop

heartfelt devotion to God.

 

The Gayathri path to God

 

Out of action arises the bondage of delusion;

>From delusion grows a perverted mind;

Mental perversion leads to perverse deeds;

Such deeds again result in rebirth.

 

Young embodiments of the Divine! The grand mansion of Hindu thought

has been raised on the four walls of karma (action), janma (birth),

dharma (righteousness), and Brahman (Supreme Self or God). These four

are interdependent. No one can escape the consequences of one's

action, whether good or bad. No action goes in vain. Karma is the

primary cause of one's birth.

 

The jivi (individual soul) is born in karma, he grows through karma,

he ceases in karma. Karma is the cause of happiness and misery.

It has been well said that "The body indeed is the basis for the

pursuit of dharma (Sariramadhyam khaIu dharma sadhanam)." It is by

the pursuit of dharma that Brahman is realized. The Gita has declared

that whenever dharma declines the advent of the Avatar (Divine

incarnation) occurs. This implies that the object of human existence

is to uphold dharma. Since creation is a projection of the Divine

Will, the aim of every human being should be to live in harmony with

that Will. One's life should be dedicated not for promoting one's

selfish interests or to serve the interests of other fellow-beings

but in the service of the Divine. Whatever is done to anyone, if it

is done as an offering to the Divine, it will reach the Divine. Man

should consecrate every action by regarding it as an offering to the

Divine.

 

Gayathri initiation gives one the second birth

 

>From the moment of issuing from the mother's womb, one is involved in

action. This natural state is common to all and may be described as

shudhrathwam (the state of the sudra, that is, one who is not subject

to any regimen). After one receives the Gayathri initiation, he is

born again and becomes a dwija (a twice-born). The Gayathri is

described as "Chandhasam mathah'--the mother of all the Vedas

(ancient sacred scriptures). One meaning of Gayathri is that it is a

mantra (sacred formula) that protects or fosters the "Gayas" or jivis

(individual beings).

 

You must note that today you have all got a second birth by receiving

the Gayathri mantra (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence). By

observing the disciplines of the brahmachari (celibate) stage, you

will qualify yourselves for the study of the Vedas. When one begins

to study the Vedas he is known as "vipra" (Brahmin). This is a third

birth, as it were. At this stage, by the study and understanding of

the Vedas and living up to their precepts, one gets the opportunity

to understand Brahman (Supreme Being). Once the Brahman principle is

understood, one merges in Brahman. It is only when there is awareness

of Brahman can one claim to be a real Brahman. It is not birth alone,

but the realization of Brahman, which confers real Brahmanathwa

(Brahmin-hood) on a person.

 

Gayathri mantra is the embodiment of all deities The Gayathri mantra

has to be recited three times a day: in the morning at sunrise, at

noon, and at sunset. These are called "sandhya kalam" --the time of

coming together of night and day, of morning and evening, and of day

and night. Time, like man, has three qualities: sathwa, rajas, and

thamas (poised or serenity, passion, and inertia). The day is divided

into three parts. The four hours between 4 and 8 a.m. in the morning

and between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the evening have the sathwa

(equanimous) quality. The eight hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. are

rajasic (passionate). The eight hours between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.,

which are mainly used, for sleep, are thamasic (inactive, lethargic).

The eight hours of the day (from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) are employed by

all beings, including animals and birds, in the discharge of their

day to day duties and are regarded as rajasic (active pursuit).

When the four sathwic hours of the morning (4 a.m. to 8 a.m.) are

used for engaging oneself in good actions like worship, virtuous

deeds, keeping good company, one is sure to raise, himself from the

human to the Divine level. It is during the sathwic period (from 4

a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) the Gayathri mantra should be

recited. This mantra is the embodiment of all deities. It is not

related to any particular sect, caste, idol, or institution. It is

said to embody nine "colours":

 

(1) Om

(2) Bhuh

(3) Bhuvah

(4) Suvah

(5) Thath

(6) Savitur (powers)

(7) Varenyam

(8) Bhargah

(9) Dhevasya.

 

Dheemahi is related to the meditative aspect. Dhiyo-yo-nah

prachodayath relates to the aspect of prayer. The mantra as a whole

thus contains three aspects descriptive, meditational, and prayer.

Discover the unity that underlies the diversity

 

On the basis of differences in behavior, the antahkarana (inner-

psyche) has been accorded four names. When it is concerned with

thoughts, it is called manas (mind). When it is restless and

wavering, it is called chiththa (consciousness). When it is concerned

with enquiry and understanding, it is called buddhi (intellect). When

it is associated with the sense of "mine" (possessiveness), it is

called ahamkara (egotism). Why are four different names and

attributes given to one and the same entity (the antahkarana)? The

mind is preoccupied with distinctions and differences. The (intellect

is concerned with oneness and reveals the unity that underlies the

diversity. Ail our efforts must be directed toward discovering the

unity that underlies the diversity rather than seeking to divide the

One into the many.

 

The Gayathri mantra (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence) is

a sacred mantra, which demonstrates the unity that underlies

manifoldness in creation. It is through the recognition of this unity

that we can understand the multiplicity. Clay is one and the same

thing, though pots of different shapes and sizes can be made from it.

Gold is one, though gold ornaments can be multifarious. The Atma

(Divine Self) is one, though the embodied forms in which it resides

may be many. Whatever the color of the cow, the milk is white always.

There is no object in the world, which does not have a form and a

name. The cosmos is made up of things with forms and names. While the

forms are subject to constant change, the names remain unchanged. The

form may change and even completely disappear but the name remains.

Once we know the name, we can recognize what or whom it represents.

In a large gathering, it will not be easy to trace a person merely

from the description of his features. But when his name is called, he

immediately responds and can be identified. Likewise, through the

name of the Lord, the form of the Lord can be visualized.

 

Five faces, three deities

 

Gayathri is described as having five faces.

The first is Om.

The second is Bhurbhuvassuva.

The third is Thathsavitur Varenyam.

The fourth is Bhargo Dhevasya Dheemahi.

The fifth is Dhiyo-yo nah Prachodhayath.

 

Gayathri represents in these five faces the five pranas (life

forces). Gayathri is the protector of the five pranas in

man. "Gayantham thrayathe ithi Gayathri (because it protects the one

who recites it, it is called Gayathri)." When Gayathri acts as

protector of the life-forces, she is known as Savitri. Savitri is

known in the puranic story as the devoted wife who brought back to

life her husband, Sathyavan. Savitri is the presiding deity of the

five pranas. She protects those who lead a life of Truth. This is the

inner meaning.

 

When one's intelligence and intuition are developed by the recitation

of the mantra, the activating deity is Gayathri. When the life-forces

are protected, the guardian deity is called Savitri. When one's

speech is protected, the deity is called Saraswati. Because of the

protective roles of Savitri, Saraswati and Gayathri in relation to

life, speech, and the intellect, Gayathri is described as

Sarvadevatha-swarupini, the embodiment of all goddesses.

 

It is essential to recite the Gayathri mantra at least three times

during morning, noon and evening. This will serve to reduce the

effects of the wrong acts one does every day. It is like buying goods

for cash, instead of getting them on credit. There is no accumulation

of karmic (result of action) debt, as each day's karma (action) is

atoned for that day itself by reciting the Gayathri mantra.

Redemptive power of the Gayathri mantra

 

The plea that one cannot find time for reciting the Gayathri thrice a

day is specious and untenable. People waste so much of their time in

worthless activities that they can easily find a few moments for

reciting the Gayathri when they wake up from bed and before they go

to sleep, if only they have the will. The Gayathri can be recited

even when one is taking his bath. It will mean also offering

ablutions to the goddess. At noon, if the Gayathri is recited before

taking one's meal, the food will get sanctified and become an

offering to the deity.

 

The brahmacharis (celibates/religious students) should realize the

redemptive power of the Gayathri mantra. Through the Brahmopadhesam

(initiation into sacred knowledge), the young boys have had a second

birth. It is only when they have achieved the purposes of this second

birth will they be qualified to enter on the sacred third stage

of "viprathvam" (Brahmana-hood), which leads to the realization of

Brahman.

 

"One who is aware of Brahman becomes one with Brahman" is the Vedic

saying. To recognize the Brahman principle, one has to understand

one's own true nature. There is a story to illustrate how one can see

whether one is qualified to realize Brahman. An unmarried girl

acquires the right to a half-share in a man's property after she is

married to him and he ties the mangalasutra (the auspicious marriage

thread) round her neck. It is this sacred thread that confers the

fight on her. Likewise, one remains remote from God as long as one

has not acquired the thread of "surrender to the Divine"

(sharanagathi thathwa). The moment one wears the sutra (thread) of

sharanagathi (total surrender), one acquires the right to a half

share in the energy and authority of the Divine. We must strive

earnestly to pursue the path of submission to the Divine Will and

offering everything to the Divine.

 

The attitude of surrender will grow in us as we recite regularly the

Gayathri mantra. This is the reason why boys are initiated into the

mantra at an early age. There is also another reason for this early

initiation. Boys, who have been indolent or dull before getting the

Brahmopadhesam, have been able to develop their intelligence and be

more diligent in their studies after they have received the Gayathri

mantra. This is a matter of proven experience. Like sunrise after the

night, the Gayathri mantra dispels the darkness of ignorance: Dhiyo-

yo-nah prachodayaath The rays of the Gayathri mantra illumine the

mind and intelligence and promote knowledge, wisdom and

discrimination.

 

I bless the young vatus (boys who have been initiated) so that from

today they recite the Gayathri regularly, lead exemplary lives and

grow into good, god-fearing, educated, and enlightened citizens of

Bharath (India)

 

Gayathri mantra is the royal road to Divinity

 

Young people should realize the connection between food and the state

of one's mind. For much of the demoniac qualities prevalent among men

today, the primary cause is the food they consume. One will develop

good qualities if one takes sathwic food, which is wholesome and

moderate in quantity. It should not involve causing pain to others.

And all that is eaten should be regarded as an offering to God. This

is the inner significance of the sandhaya vandana mantras. When

uttering the different names of Vishnu, Kesava, Narayana, etc., one

should bear in mind the meaning of each name. Narayana, for instance,

means that He is the Lord of the five elements. If the name is

recited, bearing in mind what it signifies, the full benefit of

reciting the mantra will be got.

 

The Gayathri mantra is the royal road to Divinity. There is no fixed

time or regulation for reciting it. Nevertheless, the young

brahmacharis (celibates) would do well to recite it during the

morning Sandhya and evening Sandhya (worship during dawn and twilight

hours) to derive the greatest benefit. However because the Divine is

beyond time and space, any time, any place is appropriate for

repeating God's name. The Bhagavatha declares: "Sarvadhaa, sarvathra,

sarvakaaleshu Harichintanam (Contemplate on God always, at all places

and at all times)." You must learn to think of God in whatever you

see whatever you do and whatever you touch. You must realize that you

are playing temporary roles on the cosmic stage. You must get back to

your true Divine Selves when the play is over. By regularly reciting

the Gayathri, you must purify your lives and be an example to the

world in righteous living. This is my benediction for you.

 

26 June 1981 - Occasion: Upanayana Ceremony - Divine Discourse

The Gayathri

 

The Gayathri mantra has in it the validity of the Vedas. It contains

the essence of Vedic teachings. Each of the four Vedas has a core

axiom (mahavakya) enclosed in it:

Thath Thwam Asi (That thou art),

Prajnanam Brahma (Consciousness is Brahma),

Ayam Atma Brahma (This Self is Brahma), and

Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman).

 

When all these are synthesized, the Gayathri emerges.

Gayathri is all Gods in One: The triple stranded Yagnopaveetham

(Sacrificial strand of thread) is to be worn by every one who is

initiated into Gayathri recital, for he has to perform the three

Sandhya rites when the sun rises and sets, as well as when the Sun is

at the zenith. The rites are in adoration of the Trinity: Brahma,

Vishnu, and Shiva. The purpose of the rites is to invoke the Gods to

bless the novitiate to lead a good life at all times (past, present,

and future), in all places (heaven, earth, and nether region). The

Gayatri divinises the five elements; it represents the presiding

deities of all the five. Gayatri is worshipped as a Five-Faced

Goddess:

 

Om is the first,

Bhoor-bhuvahssuvah is the second,

Thath Savitur Varenyam is the third,

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi is the fourth, and

Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayath is the fifth face.

 

Through meditation on the Gayathri, one can become aware of the inner

motivating principle of the five elements, the five vital airs in the

human body, and the five sheaths, which encase the Atma. Just as

there are three basic energies that govern man --the physical,

metaphysical, and psychical, the Adhi-bhauthik, the Adhi-daivik, and

the Adhi-atmic, the Gayathri has three facets: Gayathri, Savitri, and

Saraswati. Gayathri fosters the metaphysical; Savitri, the physical;

and Saraswati, the psychical. These three karanas (instruments) have

to be cleansed and sublimated so that man can realize the goal of

life. Through the recital of the Gayathri ra and meditation thereon,

this great task can be achieved.

 

20 June 1977 - Occasion: Upanayana Ceremony - Place: Brindavan -

Divine Discourse

 

The Universal prayer

Om Bhoorbhuvaha Swaha

Thath Savithur Varenyam

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayath

 

The Gayathri is the universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas, the most

ancient scriptures of man. It is addressed to the Immanent and

Transcendent Divine, which has been given the name 'Savitha',

meaning 'that from which all this is born'. The Gayathri may be

considered as having three parts: (i) praise, (ii) meditation, (iii)

prayer. First, the Divine is praised, then it is meditated upon in

reverence, and finally an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and

strengthen the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man.

The Gayathri is considered as the essence of the Vedas. Veda means

knowledge, and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-

yielding faculty. As a matter of fact, the four core-declarations

enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayathri mantra

(chant).

 

The Gayathri is usually repeated at dawn, noon, and dusk. But since

God is beyond time, it is a result of our limitations that we talk of

dawn and dusk. When we move away from the sun, it is dusk; when we

move into the light of the sun, it is dawn. So you need not be bound

by the three points of time to recite the prayer. It can be repeated

always and everywhere, only one must ensure that the mind is pure. I

would advise you young people to recite the Gayathri when you take

your bath. Do not sing cheap and defiling film songs; recite the

Gayathri. When you bathe, the body is being cleansed; let your mind

and intellect also be cleansed. Make it a point to repeat it when you

bathe as well as before every meal, when you wake from sleep, and

when you go to bed. And also repeat Shanthi (peace) thrice at the

end, for that repetition will give Shanthi to three entities in you:

body, mind, and soul.

 

Every human being has four birthdays. The first is when he emerges

from his mother's womb and, being neither holy nor unholy, craves

only food and shelter. The second is when he begins his spiritual

study to lead him from darkness to light. The third is when he has

gained wisdom, having mastered the disciplines propounded by the

sages for achieving self-realization. The fourth and last is when he

realizes his true identity and merges with Brahman.

 

The sacred thread (yajnopavitham) is a symbol of purity, which is

necessary if you wish to participate in the ritual of living. Life is

a continuous series of sacrifices of the lower for the sake of the

higher, of the tiny in favor of the vast. Upanayana, the word that

has been given to this ceremony of initiation, means the conferment

of another eye. Your two eyes cannot reveal to you the magnificence

and the majesty of the realm of the spirit. They are focused towards

the objective world and its transient attractions. So the Gayathri

mantra has been given to you as a third eye to reveal to you that

inner vision by which you may realize Brahman.

 

Gayathri is a treasure you must guard throughout your lives. If you

have not caught the sounds of the mantra correctly now, learn it from

your parents or from your family priest. Perhaps they may not know

the Gayathri themselves, or they might have forgotten it through

culpable neglect. Then I would ask them to learn it from you.

Never give up the Gayathri; you may give up or ignore any other

mantra, but you should recite the Gayathri at least a few times a

day. It will protect you from harm wherever you are travelling,

working, or at home. Westerners have investigated the vibrations

produced by this mantra and have found that when it is recited with

the correct accent as laid down in the Vedas, the atmosphere around

becomes visibly illumined. So the effulgence of Brahma will descend

on you and illumine your intellect and light your path when this

mantra is chanted. Gayathri is the mother, the force that animates

all life. So do not neglect it.

 

Elders and priests, the custodians of this mantra, have given it the

go-by. But you, as inheritors and guardians of the great culture of

this country, have a great responsibility in preserving it and

demonstrating its efficacy and worth.

 

26 April 1965 - Divine Discourse

 

The basic hypocrisy

 

This day as well as yesterday, pundits spoke to you about Sanathana

Dharma (the Eternal Religion, Eternal Righteousness) and its

greatness. I too shall speak only about that, for, there is nothing

more important than that dharma for material and spiritual happiness.

Sanathana Dharma calls on you to revere the acharya (teacher), for he

is seeking to save you from disaster, the flood of birth and death

into which you are slipping, through ignorance. Eetha, or swimming,

you have to learn to escape from the swollen river; the Gita or the

Lord's Teaching you have to learn to escape from the swirling torrent

of birth death. The guru points out the guri (goal) to you; he

reveals the Atmathathwam (the Atma Principle). A man struggling in a

bog cannot be saved by another who is also caught in its slime. Only

one standing on firm ground can pull him out. So the guru must have a

secure footing, above and beyond the slush of samsara (objective

world). The Rishis (sages) struggled with themselves and elevated

themselves into the purer regions of thought, to discover their own

truth. They felt the thrill of that discovery and sang of the freedom

they gained. These songs serve as signposts and all who derive

benefit therefrom have to acknowledge the debt. How to repay the

rishi-rna, the debt of the Rishis? By study, by reflection on what

they have sung of their liberation, by practicing the Sadhana

(spiritual exercises) they adopted, by proving them right out of your

own experience.

 

There are also three other rnas, or debts, mentioned in the

scriptures: pithr-rna, mathr-rna and Deva-rna, the debt of the

father, of the mother, and of the Gods. Once there was a great sage

named Uddalaka, famous for his scholarship. He had a son,

Swethakethu, and a daughter, Sujatha. Among his disciples was

Kahodaka, a young man who was well behaved, virtuous, devoted to the

teacher, and earnest in his studies. Bu he could not keep pace with

the other bright lads, so became the target for taunts. The guru

loved him all the more on account of this. Sympathy with his lot grew

into grace; grace resulted in the guru offering his own daughter in

marriage to Kahodaka! While Sujatha was enceinte, Kahodaka recited

the Vedas as laid down in the disciplinary rules, but within hearing

of the child growing in the womb. It heard the recitation but, since

it was already aware of the correct pronunciation of every syllable,

whenever Kahodaka spelt a syllable wrong, it squirmed in distress.

So, when the baby was born, it had eight bends, crooked in eight

places, in fact! Naturally, he was named eight bends, or Ashtavakra.

When Ashtavakra was still in the womb, Sujatha had persuaded her

husband to seek some monetary help from King Janaka to relieve their

dire poverty, and when Kahodaka went to Mithila, in the midst of a

big yaga (sacrifice) that the king was celebrating, he had to stay on

till it finished; later, he was forced by circumstances to join a

competitive disputation with a celebrated scholar called Vaandena and

accept the terms laid down by the challenger, namely, whoever gets

defeated in argument was to be thrown into the sea.

 

Meanwhile, Ashtavakra, in spite of his physical deformity, became an

erudite pundit, full of intricate scholarship, even while in his

teens. His father's fate was kept from the lad by both Sujatha and

Swethakethu for many years, but, one day, he was taunted by someone

as one who was ignorant of his father's fate, and the sad tale was

revealed to the son. Immediately, he proceeded to Mithila and sought

entrance into the audience-hall of King Janaka. The guards laughed

when he wanted them to report to the King that a Vedic scholar eager

for disputation with the court pundits had come. They slighted him

for his tender age, but he said that age was no criterion. At last,

he pleaded that his deformity, at least, entitled him to hospitality

and sympathy.

 

Janaka was struck by the boy's persistence and courage; he ordered

him to be admitted and arranged the disputation the boy sought! If I

start telling you the absurd questions that the court pundits teased

him with and the replies with which Ashtavakra sparred them with, it

will take so much time that perhaps we will have to sit beyond

Sivarathri even! Janaka tried his best to dissuade him; he told him

that he was too young to risk death in the sea. But Ashtavakra argued

that Atmavidya (knowledge of Atma) does not take account the

dehathathwam, the physical principle of the body. Vaandeena entered

the fray with the deformed lad resplendent with spiritual

scholarship; to the great astonishment of all, the boy gained the

upper hand; the aged pundit squirmed under the questions; he failed;

he had to be thrown into the sea; the deformed son of Kahodaka had

triumphed over the victor who had consigned his father to the waves.

The mother was delighted that her son had discharged the debt and

retrieved the honor of the line.

 

The father must encourage the son by example more than precept.

Prahlada told his father that only the parent who directs his progeny

to God deserves obedience and respect. All others are, so far the

sons are concerned, human ogres like Hiranyakasipu. Some parents are

sorry that their sons are coming to Puttaparthy and dread that they

would start doing puja (worship) or japam (soft prayer) or

namasmarana (repetition of God's name) and give up the habits of

smoking or drinking or gambling, which they have learnt from their

fathers! Such do not know the value of sathsanga (company of the

good), for peace and happiness. They fail to equip their children or

themselves with armor against the blows of fate or fortune.

 

The Gayathri mantra develops the dhee sakthi, or power of

discrimination, so its consequence will be the giving up of evil

company and the seeking of kindred souls. If sathsang is not

available, you can keep company with your own higher impulses and

noble thoughts. Dive deep into your own divinity. The crocodile is

happy and unharmed, it is undefeatable in the depths of the lake or

river. Once it sprawls on land, it becomes the plaything of man, an

easy target for death. The depths: they are your refuge, the source

of your strength. Do not stray into the shallows or the sands. You

know that the garuda bird feeds on snakes. Well, once the garuda went

to Kailasa Mount to pay respects to Siva, who wears snakes on His

head, arms, wrists, neck, waist, and ankles. When the snakes saw

garuda, they were unafraid; they even dared put out their forked

tongues at garuda and challenged it to come near them. That was the

extent of the courage lent to them by the place where they had

established themselves, So, establish yourselves in the Atma; no

worry or grief or pride can harm you then.

 

Several types of Prema (love) were spoken about today, but, all types

are based on the 'I' feeling; it is like a drama in a film story, a

plot within a plot. You must feel that all this is just a passing

show, that you are the central figure, the only figure, the entire

figure. Thathwam asi (that thou art). That is this. The external

world is fundamental. One is really Brahmam, appearing as many. Thwam

is you, yourself. And, what does the experience of all the sages tell

them? What is the profound discovery embodied in the wisdom of the

Vedas? Thath is thwam, thwam is Thath; there is no second, there is

only One.

 

If you act or feel or talk contrary to your nature you demean

yourself, you deny your reality. The Brahmathathwam (Brahman

Principle) is vimalam (pure), achalam (unshakable); be pure and

unshakable. It is thrigunarahitham, devoid of qualities (dull active

or balanced); it is pure consciousness. You too must not be agitated

by the storms of feeling or the fog of dullness and sloth. Play your

role, as a puppet does; the unseen Director unfolds the drama, which

He has willed.

 

Once it happened that a village drama, Harischandra, was put on

boards, with Harischandra and his son, Lohithaksha, selected from one

of the two rival fractions and Chandramathi being acted by a man from

the other! Lohithaksha fell dead, bitten by a cobra, as required by

the drama, and Chandramathi, the mother, had to wail. Everyone

expected the actor to do that very realistically; but, since the boy

belonged to the rival party, Chandramathi refused to weep! This led

to a minor riot; the 'puppets' had deluded themselves into

attachment. They had failed to remember that they were

acting 'roles'. This is the basic hypocrisy; claiming to be a

character in the play but not speaking the lines, not exhibiting

emotions, not going through the movements, and not making the role a

success. Many pandits claim to be exponents of the Vedas and Sastras,

but it is not what they teach that tells but how they live. Many sing

the glory of the Lord, but few live in His constant Presence and in

the constant awareness of that glory that fills the Universe. "Udipi

Krishna", they sing --but they don't make their hearts Udipi, so that

Krishna may come and be installed therein.

 

There are certain special hours when you have to perform Sandhya and

repeat the Gayathri. This is very good discipline. Just before the

sun rises, the morning rite has to be gone through. Jonnalagadda

Sathyanarayanamurthy described very poetically the calmness, the

color, the eloquent silence of those hours, the waking birds and

flowers, the earth that thrills to the touch of dew--that is the time

when you too should acclaim the rising sun with the Gayathri.

 

Yesterday, one speaker described the Gayatri as equal to Ramanama;

today, another Sastry said it was the elaboration of Krishnanama and

the Bhagavatha; I ask you to fix your mind on any name of the Lord

that brings up into your consciousness the Glory and the Grace of the

Lord. Also, train your hands to do acts that serve the Lord, which

shines in every being. All men are He; He shaves as the barber, He

makes pots as the potter; He starches and irons clothes as the dhobi

(washerman). He prompts, He inspires, He devises, He fulfils. You

take a sheet of paper on which My Form is printed, as Myself; you

revere It; you fall to the ground before It in reverence; why cannot

you then revere all human beings, believing that I am in each of

them, in an even clearer Form?

 

The Gayathri is a prayer for the development of your intellect, so

that you might reach this Vision. So let Me advise the elders who are

here, this. You have brought your sons or grandsons or wards here, to

My presence, for Upanayanam and Gayathri-upadesam. You are happy at

their fortune; but they will repeat the mantra only if you also

repeat it, sincerely. And it is good for you also. Repent, therefore,

that you have given up taking that priceless drug; start the

sandhyavandanam (morning, noon, and evening prayers) from today.

Learn it from your son or grandson, keeping aside your sense of

superiority. When you have the royal road to reach the Goal, why

scramble through thorny jungle tracks? Do the Sandhya as prescribed,

and you will find a calm descending inside you, a calm that will not

be shaken by any storm. You need not flee to a Himalayan valley; you

can make your heart that Valley, by the discipline of the Sandhya.

 

25 Feb 1965 - Divine Discourse

 

Recruits for My army

 

The samskara (purification ceremony) of Upanayanam (sacred thread

ceremony)is beneficial not only to the boys who were initiated but,

for every one of you who witnessed it and drew inspiration from it.

The learned pandit from Delhi spoke to you now of the meaning of this

samskara; it has made all these lads, "twiceborndwithiyam

mounjibandhanaath" he said. The belt of munja grass has given them

that status, he said. The Upanayanam or the ceremony of leading the

lad to the teacher and the recital by the initiate of the Gayathri

mantra, which prays for clear Intelligence, are the first steps

towards the ultimate Realization of the Reality. Pandit Ramasaran

explained how the Gayathri is the essence of the Rig, Yajur, and Sama

Vedas and how the traditional conception of the Gayathri Devata

embodies an harmonious blending of the Five Gods Vishnu, Surya,

Maheswari, Ganapathy, and Easwara, representing the Five Elements,

and how prayer to Gayathri confers the material and spiritual needs

of man.

 

Every man is burdened with one body and four births! He is born a

sudra (labourer, the fourth caste); for, as a child, he has no sense

of cleanliness or definite ideas of right and wrong. By the rite of

initiation into spiritual life, that is to say, when he is taken as a

pupil by a guru, who takes up the responsibility of leading him to

the Goal of Human Life, he becomes dwija, twice-born, entering into

the second chapter of his human career. When he has finished the

spiritual disciplines and studied the scriptures, he becomes a vipra;

at last, when as a result of those practices and experiences, he

visualizes Brahmam as immanent in all, he is a Brahmin. A vipra

attains Brahmajnanam and becomes a Brahmin. This is therefore the

first step, but the most important step, in the process of self-

realization.

 

The parents endow you with the material body (the deha); the guru

points out to you the Dweller within the body (the Dehi). So, you are

entitled to be honored as a God, says the Vedas. Mathru Devo-bhava:

Pithruu Devo Bhava; Aachaarya Devo Bhava. To make gold more amenable

to the operations attendent on ornament making, it is alloyed by the

addition of a little silver or copper; so too, in order to manifest

the multiple variety of nature, the Brahmathathwam (Brahma Principle)

is converted into an alloy, with the addition of a little egoism or

mamakaaram; the guru teaches you to regain the pure unalloyed Brahmam

by the processes of sravanam mananam and nididhyasa in the crucible

of the intellect. The jivathathwam and the Brahmathathwam are then

clearly understood as facets of the same entity.

 

The aim of all human effort is to achieve this One, Ekam, that lies

behind all this plurality. Without achieving it, man can have no

peace, within or without; no amount of repetition of the santhi

(peace) mantra is capable of granting him that. The guru reveals to

the disciple the invisible current that activates the many seemingly

distinct instruments, like the bulb, the mike, the fan, the

refrigerator, the tape-recorder, the stove, etc. He deserves your

gratitude. He is like the stranger who entered the cottage of a poor

man and announced that underneath the floor of that hovel there lies

hidden a precious treasure, which he can take and own, by a few

minutes of digging! The sage Viswamithra devised the Gayatri mantra

as a fine drug for the spiritual aspirant; he is also to be revered,

for the drug awakens your buddhi (intellect) and confers upon you

viveka (discrimination), vichakshana (discriminating intellect) and

vairagyam (detachment) --the three distinguishing marks of humans,

elevating them far above other animals.

 

Samskara (purification ceremony) involves double actions: removing

dirt and applying paint, when the word is used with reference to a

house. This Gayathri has the subtle power of removing evil tendencies

and implanting virtuous habits, so the Upanayanam is a unique

samskara. Man is Divine; he has the Lord dwelling in his heart, but

yet he is bound, miserable, limited, weak, agitated. Why? He is

ignorant of his reality. He imagines himself weak, limited, bound,

and he is so shaped by the mind, which is the source of that

imagination. How then can you be freed? How are you to overcome this

bhrama (delusion)? If you desire to overtake a train, you must speed

in a car or board a plane. No vehicle slower than the train will

help. So too, if you intend to overcome the delusion you must

establish yourself in God; the bhrama of manavasakthi (human

strength) can be overcome only by the attainment of Daivisakthi (God

strength). The Gayathri promotes the acquisition of Daivisakthi.

Gayathri means 'that which saves, when repeated'! It is the torch of

jnana (spiritual wisdom) , given into the hands of these lads

venturing into the regions of intellectual inquiry and sensory

restrictions. As paddy is treated to a process of pestling and

winnowing and cleaning in order to get rice, that can be cooked and

eaten, these boys have to de-husk the individual, discover the Atma

hiding inside the five sheaths, of annamaya (food sheath), pranamaya

(subtle sheath), manomaya (mental sheath), vijnanamaya (intellect

sheath), and anandamaya (bliss sheath). The Sandhyavandana rite they

are enjoined to do, three times a day, from this very day, is part of

this process of de-husking. Time must be found, time can be found,

provided they have the will and they get encouragement from the

elders. Supplying the calories for the spirit is as necessary a

process for happy living as supplying calories for the body;

breakfast, lunch and dinner, prathahsandhyaa, maadhyaanhika and

saayamsandhyaa --all six are equally essential. You miss any one of

the six at your peril.

 

Dear boys, you have today got the Gayathri, the milk from the four

teats called four Vedas of the udder of the cow that is Godhead; it

has in it the sustenance that will make you shine with spiritual

health. You must now carefully use it for your good; do not spill it

or spoil; boil it, make curds out of it, churn it, and get the butter

that is immanent in it. It will become curds by means of your

contemplation on the Lord, Bhagavath-chinthana; with the churning-rod

of discipline, collect the butter of Ananda (bliss). You were

initiated in this holy Presence, remember, the Presence that so many

thousands covet; so, you have a special responsibility to fulfill

your brahmacharya, the path that leads to Brahmajnana. The body is

fundamentally unclean, and yet it craves to achieve both cleanliness

and Godliness, because, its nature is Purity and Holiness.

 

Inner cleanliness should be your first aim. Which do you cleanse more

in a drinking vessel? The interior or the exterior? You may have fine

vegetables, excellent tamarind juice, chilies, salt, dal; the cook

may be a master of the art; the oven may be the perfect type; but, if

the copper vessel, is not tinned, the 'saambaar' will be turned into

dangerous stuff, that cannot be eaten. It will act as poison to those

that eat it. Sathkarma (virtuous deeds) sadaachaara (beneficial

habits) these act to protect the 'saambaar from contact with copper.

For you the Gayathri and the Sandhya rites three times a day will act

as the 'tin' for the hridayapathra, the heart-vessel, where emotions

impulses and instincts are cooking. The discipline of Sandhya will

tame all instincts even as the mahout's good subdues the might of the

elephant and trains it to perform tricks in the circus ring. Do not

fail to make the best of this chance.

 

As many as 450 boys have had this chance today. Some persons at

Prashanthi Nilayam felt that, this being the examination season for

schoolboys, many may not be able to come and get initiated in this

sacred presence; but, see how, on account of strikes and consequent

disturbances, schools were closed, examinations were postponed and

almost all who had written about their desire to come are here before

Me! This is another reminder of the efficacy of unseen merit; the

rain fails on barren land and all the seeds hidden underneath the

land sprout, making a green carpet to cover the area! No one knew,

except Myself, that there were these seeds of earned merit awaiting

the showers of Grace in the heritage of these boys.

 

For the revival of Sanathana Dharma (eternal religion) these boys

will be efficient instruments. They will replenish the glory of

Bharathavarsha. They are today recruited into My army. I am achieving

the re-establishment of dharma, the restoration of the Vedas, and it

is with that in view that I am initiating in My Presence every year

boys from all parts of India. This samskara (ceremony) is fast losing

its significance; the recital of the Gayathri and, the performance of

the Sandhya rite are both being neglected; so, they have to be

restored to their pristine glory. This is an important step. Until

you see the akshara, the unchanging, you must practice the kshara,

the changing, which helps you to transcend it. When once you are able

to pronounce 'cat,' you can give up reading the word 'c-a-t'. The

Gayatri will help you to reach the akshara; practice it, three times

a day, in the Sandhya rite. The deha-matha (the mother who bore the

body), the Lokamatha (the Mother who sustains the Universe) and the

Gayathri matha (the Mother who saves you from bondage and ignorance)

all three, deserve your devotion and worship.

 

16 May 1964 - Divine Discourse

Upanayanam

 

Today is Sankara Jayanthi --the day commemorating the advent of

Sankaracharya, who came to restore dharma; it is also the day on

which Brahmopadesam was given here for the boys sitting on this dais,

who have come from Bengal, Bombay, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. The

Sankara Jayanthi Day was chosen by Me for their initiation into the

higher adhyatmic life, for Sankara is an inspiration even today for

millions of sadhakas (spiritual aspirants) all over the world, who

seek to know the Reality of the Universe and its fundamental Unity.

They had this lucky chance of getting initiated here in My Presence

by Me, as a result of their own good fortune.

 

The ceremony of Brahmopadesam is Upanayanam because the word

means, "taking near", taking the young aspirant near Brahman, that is

to say, introducing him to Brahmajijnasa, the path of Brahma. It is

one of the samskaras, that is, rites which reconstruct the

personality, reform the mind, purify it, and rebuild it. It makes the

person receiving it a dwija, a twice-born! The boy is born first into

the world; now, he is born into the sadhaka world. He becomes a

brahmachari, a person who walks towards Brahmam. So, it is a very

significant day in the lives of these people, a day they must long

remember with joy and thankfulness. It is the day when their hearts

were turned toward God; and they should try not to run away from God,

hereafter; that is a great responsibility.

 

The initiation was done by the Upadesam of the Gayatri mantra. The

mantra is a universal prayer that can be used by men of all climes

and creeds, for, it calls upon the glorious power that pervades the

Sun and the three words to arouse, awaken, and strengthen the

intelligence, so that it may lead to intense sadhana (spiritual

discipline) and that sadhana may lead to success.

 

Every little moment or incident results in sound; only, you may not

be able to hear, because the range of your ear is limited. The

falling of an eyelid over the eye makes a sound, the dropping of dew

on a petal makes a sound. Any little agitation disturbing the calm is

bound to produce sound. The sound caused by the primal movement that

resulted in the enveloping of Brahman by self evolved Maya is the

Pranavasabda or Om. The Gayathri is the elaboration of that Pranava,

so it is now held so venerable and valuable that initiation into

adhyatmic life is achieved by its contemplation.

 

The sound of a mantra is as valuable as its meaning. Even a poisonous

cobra is quietened by music; naadam, sound, has that allaying

property. The child in the cradle stops wailing as soon as the

lullaby is sung; it may not carry any meaning; it may be a

nonsensical rhyme or just a jungle, but, it quietens, soothes the

nerves, and induces sleep. In the case of the Gayathri, the meaning

too is easy and profound. It does not ask for mercy or pardon; it

asks for a clear intellect, so that the Truth may be reflected

therein, correctly, without any disfigurement.

 

The brahmachari has vowed himself into a life of Sadhana (spiritual

discipline). Now, what are the requisites for Sadhana?

First, Faith --faith that can stand the ridicule of the ignorant, the

caviling by the worldly, the laughter of the low minded. When someone

ridicules, you should argue like this within yourself: Is he

ridiculing my body? Well, he is doing what I myself would wish to do;

for I, too, want to escape out of this attachment to this body. Is he

ridiculing the Atma? Well, he is doing the impossible, for, the Atma

is beyond the reach of words or thought; it is unaffected by praise

or blame. Say to yourself, "My Atmathathwa is Nischala, it is

Nirmala," and carry on.

 

Second: Do not worry about ups and downs, loss or gain, joy or grief.

You are yourself the maker of the ups and downs. If you but care, it

can all be one smooth level. You label something as loss and

something else as gain. You crave for a thing and when you get it,

you call it joy; when you don't, you call it grief. Cut the craving

off, and there will be no more swinging from joy to grief.

 

Third: Reason out and get convinced of the truth, Sarvam Brahmamayam.

You know there are 5 elements or bhuthas, which constitute by their

permutations and combinations, the world called Prapancham, the "Five-

constituted". Prithivi, the earth-element, has 5 qualities, the

maximum, so it is the grossest. It has its own special characteristic

of gandha (smell) as well as the characteristic of the other four,

namely, sparsa (touch), rasa (taste), rupa (form), and sabda (sound).

The next one, jala, the water-element, has only four, its own special

one rasa---and rupa, and sabda. So it is subtler than the earth-

element. Agni (fire) is subtler still, because apart from its special

characteristic of rupa (form), it has only two others, sparsa and

sabda. Vayu, the air-element, has sparsa as its special quality and

one more quality, sabda. Finally, the lightest and subtlest of all

the five, akasa --the Sky-element-- has only one characteristic, its

own, namely sabda. Now, God is subtler than even akasa, so He is all-

pervading, even more than ether or anything more pervasive than that.

His nature is beyond all human vocabulary, beyond all human

mathematics. Have this conviction well stabilized in your buddhi

(intelligence).

 

Fourth: Be steady in Sadhana (spiritual discipline), and never

hesitate once you have decided on it. When the bus is moving on, the

dust will be floating behind as a cloud; it is only when it stops

with a jerk that the dust will envelop the faces of the passengers.

So, keep moving, keep, steadily engaged in Sadhana. Then, the cloudy

dust of the objective world will not cover your face.

 

Sankaracharya came for the work of sharmasthapana, but he did not

wage a war against the narrow sectarians or the wild theologians who

opposed him or the critics who condemned him as a pseudo-Buddhist. He

won them over by argument, persuasion, and preaching. He spoke

softly, but with conviction. He gave his opponents fair chances to

present their cases to the best of their ability and sometimes he

even helped them to clarify their own points of view. Through bodha

(teaching, understanding) alone can dharma be saved in the modern

Kali age. That is why I am engaged in bodha, in this task of re-

constructing through Upadesa (teaching).

 

When you scatter seeds on the surface of the soil, they do not

germinate. You have to keep them inside the soil. So too, bodha, if

it is scattered on the surface it will not germinate, grow into the

tree of knowledge, and yield the fruit of wisdom. Plant it in the

heart, water the plant with prema (love), manure it with faith and

courage, keep off pests with the insecticides of bhajana (devotional

singing) and sathsanga (company of the good), so that you can benefit

in the end. You have not yet got started in sadhana; still, you

demand Shanthi (peace); you demand Grace. How is it ever possible?

Start! Then, everything will be added unto you.

 

God gives you whatever you pray for; so, take care. Ask for the right

things. There was a man who had four wives; he happened to go to

Bombay on some work connected with his business. From there, he wrote

to all of them that he was prepared to bring home whatever each of

them wanted. So, they all wrote to him giving a list of the things

they wanted. The first wife asked for some nice tonics for her

health, and rugs and woolen clothing, to be of service whenever she

fell ill. The second wife wanted some saris of the latest style,

choli pieces, jewelry of the Bombay type, and such other sundry

decorative stuff. The third asked him to select for her some

religious books, the Jnaneswari, abhangs, Bhakthivijaya, etc.

available in Bombay book-shops, as well as pictures of Pandarinath,

Bhavani, Sai Baba, etc. The fourth wife had no list at all; she

simply wrote, "If you return soon and safe, that is enough for me".

She got nothing but his love. The others got big packets containing

whatever they had written for. So, think well, discriminate clearly,

before you ask, before you pray.

 

I know how systematic you are all in eating and drinking. You take

pretty good care of the body. I do not condemn it; I only want that

you should take equally good care of the needs of the spirit also.

Take a dose of dhyanam (meditation) and japam (repetition of theName)

as the morning breakfast, puja (worship) and archana (worship,

adoration) as lunch at noon, some sathsanga or sath-chinthana or

sath-granthaparayana or namalikhitha as afternoon tea and snacks, an

hour of Bhajan (devotional singing) as dinner and a small ten-minute

manana (reflection, meditation) as the cup of milk before going to

bed, that dietary is enough to keep your inner being happy and

healthy. That is My advice to you today.

 

With Sai love from Sai brothers – `'

Source: http://www.sathyasai.org/