Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 In a message dated 3/23/2001 9:56:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, isawhney_21 writes: > Gayatri Links on this site: > - ShantiMayi speaks on the Gayatri Mantra > - Descending the Gayatri Mantra, a potent meditation. > - You can also listen to the Gayatryi Here > Dear Inder Jit Sahni, Hi, thank you for getting this to the gjlist! I may have missed something, & I would like to go to the site, listen to the Gayatri Mantra, & hear more. Could you print the website address, please? Thank you. Namaste, Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 Dear List Members, This webpage is for the benefit of all, Inder Jit Sahni [ Home ] [ Chapter One Contents ] [ Contact ] Om Bhoor Bhuvah Svah Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayaat. ShantiMayi's New Book on the Gayatri Mantra Gayatri Mantra Pronunciation Gayatri Links on this site: - ShantiMayi speaks on the Gayatri Mantra - Descending the Gayatri Mantra, a potent meditation. - You can also listen to the Gayatryi Here. The Gayatri Mantra is not only being chanted around ShantiMayi, but people all over the world are also chanting this deeply moving prayer at the very same time. The Gayatri Mantra is one of the keynotes to the transformation of consciousness and is an identical vibration to the vital force in nature. It is one of the oldest prayers known to humanity, being as ancient as light and also the vital force itself. The Mantra is chanted in the Sanskrit language and is most effective chanted in original Sanskrit. This prayer appeals to the highest wisdom; to the brilliance of the cosmos to illumine an understanding of our true nature. The appeal requests that we become subtle and receptive to the divine wisdom that pervades the experience of life and is the essence of our very Self. To chant the Gayatri Mantra purifies the chanter. To listen to the Gayatri Mantra purifies the listener It is said that this sacred prayer spirals through the entire universe from the heart of the chanter, appealing for peace and divine wisdom for all. Notes on the Gayatri Mantra. Savitur is radiant brilliance shinning forth from nowhere. Savitur must not be regarded as only the light of the solar sun. Often our solar sun is said to symbolizes Savitur, the illuminator of existence. The light of the solar sun may be a symbol for Savitur however the sun can not actually be Savitur. Let us examine the Mantra. Here is how it starts: It is "Tat Savitur" with which the Mantra begins. It is "Tat Savitur" which is the body of the Mantra. Also the appeal of the Mantra is directed to "Tat Savitur". ShantiMayi's explanation: Tat Savitur is "The essential Illuminator" The brilliance inherent in cognition, in perception. "That" which illuminates the three worlds. The three worlds: 1.Existence (the imaginary, the apparent, material, physical and all that it contains). 2. Consciousness (the field of cognition, infinity and eternity and all that may occur within it). 3.Totality (the incomprehensible, un-dividable, Absolute, Potential.) The Solar Sun is perceived by the power of Tat Savitur. It is not Tat Savitur. When all the stars and solar systems in space have died away, Tat Savitur will again be the illuminator of what may, what can, be experienced, forever. If it were not so, the mantra would not appeal for the Enlightened Awareness for all. It is Enlightenment, which empties out every last trace of appearance or concept that may be perceived. Including the Solar Sun and all that it nurtures. This mantra speaks of a power that is itself beyond (and immanently saturates) the perceivable and im-perceivable cosmos. Life as it is experienced. The Gayatri Mantra is extremely powerful and its divine implications are not easily comprehended. The Mantras power is so universal in scope that we can not confine it to actually understanding it's subtle nuances. The language of the mantra is a more symbolic and metaphysical one. It is similar to Enlightenment, Impossible to understand and yet so very intimately present. The Gayatri is a 24-syllable hymn from the Rig Veda (III, 62, 10). The phrase Om Bhoor Bhuvah Svah is generally added when the mantra is recited. The Sanskrit word Gayatri is formed by two words, ganat (or gayanath), which means "that which is sung," and trayate, which means "that which delivers." In other words, the Gayatri is a song of deliverance. It is the most renowned mantra of the Vedas. It is addressed to the divine life-giver as supreme God, symbolized in Savitri, the Sun. For this reason this prayer is also called Savitri. The words from the Gayatri can be interpreted as follows: Sanskrit Translation English Version OM All of existence. Perceptive vibration of the cosmos. The Almighty. Life. Throughout the experience of Life BHOOR Coming. The physical world. Vital energy. BHUVAH Going. The mental world. Destroyer of suffering. SVAH Balance. The intellectual world. Embodiment of happiness. TAT That; indicates the three planes of experience, isness, pure being, God. That essential nature SAVITUR Radiant brilliance shinning forth from nowhere. Bright, luminous, like the sun. Knowledge. Male principle. illuminating existence VARENYAM Adorable. Venerable. Supreme. is the adorable BHARGO Permeated with Magnificence. The destroyer of sins. One. DEVASYA Divine. Intrinsically pure and brilliant. DHEEMAHI Meditation-focused, absorbed. Receiving. DHIYO Intellect. May all beings perceive through subtle and meditative intellect YO Who NAH Us (Out of one into many; Yo-Nah: Female principle.) PRACHODAYAAT Inspire, enlighten and ignite. the brilliance of enlightened awareness. The information on this page has been revised, increased and published in: ShantiMayi's New Book on the Gayatri Mantra Gayatri Mantra Pronunciation or You can listen to the Gayatryi Here. A very detailed exposé of the Gayatri can be found in the preface of The Vedic Experience: Hinduism's Contemporary Holy Bible, by Professor Raimon Panikkar. See also the article by Srila Sridhara Maharaj. ShantiMayi © 2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2001 Report Share Posted March 23, 2001 Hello Robin, Below is the link for listening the Gayantri Mantra http://shantimayi.com/listen.html#gayatri With best wishes, Inder Jit Sahni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2001 Report Share Posted March 24, 2001 > Thank you, Inder Jit Sahni > > I put the file of ShantiMayi singing the Gayatri Mantra on the Desktop > of the computer, and bookmarked the site. There seems to be layers of > meaning and a lot to absorb! Sometimes I feel like this golden retriever > dog on the Island where I live; he loves to sit outside a church & listen > to the service! He doesn't try to go in, he just wants to hear the love > and caring in the voice of his owner, the priest. > Sadly, some mean old stingy members complained about the dog, and he's not > allowed to sit outside and listen anymore. I would rather sit outside with > the dog and listen than sit inside with the stingies. Luckily, we can > listen to the devotion in ShantiMayi's voice and try to understand. Isn't > there a beautiful story about the Pandava (?) brothers and their dog? I 'm > going to go look it up for inspiration. Namaste, Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2001 Report Share Posted March 24, 2001 > > > >Om Bhoor Bhuvah Svah >Tat Savitur Varenyam >Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi >Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayaat. Dear Listmembers, Does anyone know if there is a site that has an actual wave or sound file that can be downloaded to give the exact pronunciations for this chant? Thanks in advance marcia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2001 Report Share Posted March 24, 2001 gjlist, Marcia <marcia@n...> wrote: > >Om Bhoor Bhuvah Svah > >Tat Savitur Varenyam > >Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi > >Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayaat. > > > Dear Listmembers, > Does anyone know if there is a site that has an actual wave or sound file > that can be downloaded to give the exact pronunciations for this chant? > Thanks in advance > marcia Om Amrtesvaryai Namah!! Namaste dear sister Kalika!! i saw your question, re: Gayatri Mantra, and was reminded of some advice given by some of my "mentors" who said that one should be "extremely careful" in using the Gayatri Mantra, as it could result in TOO MUCH of that HOT Sun energy, affecting one's body, just like the solar nadi opening up...and "burning you up".... Also it is a mantra which should ONLY be recited after being initiated in it by a teacher, or Guru....and i understand that it is a mantra which was really meant for the "golden age" many many ages ago... if you have a mantra from Amma, i would suggest that you just use that one....if you really feel drawn to the Gayatri Mantra, DON'T OVERDO IT!!!...and i would most STRONGLY suggest that you ask Mother if it is ok for you to say this Mantra...She will give you the best advice in this department...and Her Swami translator would be able to give you the exact pronunciation if you asked....maybe Mother would even initiate you into it, if She felt it to be good for you.... She does initiate people into Gayatri when they all go swimming....on their road trips in India...they'll stand in the water, and Amma will show them how to do the Mantra with offering water and such.....i have never had the luck to be there though...so i can't give any details, i just remember reading on the Amma lists how She did this.....so ASK AMMA...there's probably a reason for Her doing the initiating when in a river.... i have a version of Gayatri sung by Vyaas Houston from his American Sanskrit Institute, which is sung properly (i think)...it was recommended by the group around Mother Meera...and very beautiful, and then later when i came into contact with more of the Tantric teachings, i found that Harish Johari has a book called "Tools for Tantra", and a double-cassette tape set that goes with it, with him singing the mantras...as far as i know Gayatri Mantra is on that set of tapes... BUT>>>i have seen in more than one place that Gayatri is not really meant for these days, as we are mostly not "pure" enough for it....it is meant for the Brahmins...the twice-born, and they repeat it every day at sunrise and sunset....however they are INITIATED into it...i don't think it's necessarily safe to just start doing it on your own without a teacher's guidance.... far safer to just chant the mantra that Amma gave you....you have been initiated into that...(if you have a mantra that is!)....and that is the one that Amma felt that you should have...if She had thought you should have the Gayatri Mantra, She would have given you that one... So just more stuff to ponder here for you dear sister....we should be careful with Mantras....even if correctly pronounced. Better to not chant any, than to chant the wrong one for us!! In Amma's Divine Love, and in Her Service as ever, Your Own Self, visvanathan Om Amrtesvaryai Namah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 27, 2001 Report Share Posted March 27, 2001 kasi_visvanath wrote: > i saw your question, re: Gayatri Mantra, and was reminded of some > advice given by some of my "mentors" who said that one should be > "extremely careful" in using the Gayatri Mantra, as it could result in > TOO MUCH of that HOT Sun energy, affecting one's body, just like the > solar nadi opening up...and "burning you up".... > > Also it is a mantra which should ONLY be recited after being initiated > in it by a teacher, or Guru....and i understand that it is a mantra > which was really meant for the "golden age" many many ages ago... > Dear KV and Inder Jit, Both have written great mail, but in one point I do not quite agree with KV. The Gaytri mantra is NOT a prayer to the Sun as Graha. InderJit has given a detailed translation of the words - literal and sybolic - but not given a cogent final result. The Gayatri is in very ancient sanskrit, the syntax and grammar are not straightforward. The general meaning, by supplying some missing but implied words would be: "May THAT (HE or SHE) on which we meditate, which rules over the three "worlds", whose glory we see manifested in the Sun, ingnite in our intellect a spark of that glory." It is a prayer to the Supreme Being and expresses a legitimate wish! It can be chanted without initiation - Sri Sai Baba sings it with the crowd. It is usually taught to children during Upanayana, the "confirmation" or "communion". This is not a special initiation, but an introduction of the playing child into adulthood and more earnest religion, regular praying and observation of religious activities, No Guru is needed, the child becomes its own priest! Its power can be perhaps enhanced by correct pronunciation and metre: the metre calls for a certain intonation and number of syllables in each line. The second line is short of one syllable and the last word "varenyam" is usually adjusted to suit, either as "vae-enyam" or "varenyam-m". It can be recited without fear. It is like "Om Krishnaye namaha". The Bijaakshara and other tantra Mantras should not be chanted without having learned them properly, for they are mainly vibratory and a wrong vibration can be harmful. Some are very simple and hve a good effect anyhow: Like chanting the name of Rama. Actually Valmiki was told to chant "Ma-ra", the name of the Supreme Deity as "Mother-Glory". "Ma" is practically universally the first syllable a child lears to utter, which it applies to its mother! And "ra" has in all cultures the meaning of "glory". >So rather than going to the servants, this child suggests that you >should just go directly to your Divine Mother. 400 years ago the poet and preacher John Donne, referring to the prayers to angels and saints for "intercession", wrote: "Why should I go to servant, when I can go to the master?" regards Mani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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