Gayatri Mahima

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Q.3. Do Brahmans have a special privilege to do Gayatri Sadhana?

 

Ans. The professed proprietary right of Brahmans (by birth) on Gayatri worship

is ridiculous. Credit for embodiment and elaboration of mysticism of Mahamantra

Gayatri goes to rishi Vishwamitra, who belonged to Kshatriya caste by birth.

Thus, even if the caste is considered essential for Gayatri worship, the

Kshatriyas should have priority over other castes.The concept of Brahmanism has

an entirely different connotation. A Brahman is one who conforms to the wisdom

of Brahma (Brahmaparayan) and has an exemplary character. Only such persons of

refined character can derive maximum advantage from Gayatri worship. It has been

said that Gayatri is Kamdhenu of Brahmans. In several Sanskrit couplets, Dwijs

alone have been described as entitled to worship Gayatri. Traditionally, the

words Dwij and Brahman have been considered as synonymous. In this way each Dwij

or Brahman was supposed to have the exclusive privilege of worship of Gayatri.

Does it mean that individuals belonging to other castes were scripturally

prohibited from worshipping Gayatri?

 

The confusion has arisen because of misunderstanding of the meanings of words

like Brahman, Dwij and caste, which are being misconstrued as hereditary

distinctions conferred by God on various classes of society. Nothing can be more

absurd than considering the Creator as discriminative and partial, making people

take birth in a family of high or low caste.

 

When scriptures declare that Gayatri is kamdhenu of Brahmans i.e. Gayatri

fulfils all desires of a Brahman, they mean that any human being who diligently

aspires to be a Brahman by following righteousness in thoughts, words and deeds

gets an access to the benefits of Gayatri. That is to say, Brahmanism is a

pre-requisite for Gayatri worship.

 

As regards the world Dwij it literally means `born again'. The initiation to

Gayatri is the spiritual birth of a person, who has otherwise taken birth as any

other animal. This initiation or Diksha is like `Baptism' amongst the Christians

and is akin to admission in the primary class of the school of spirituality. The

concept of caste has been grossly distorted, misunderstood and misappropriated

by vested interests. In Vedic times, division of civic responsibilities into

four classes of people who were given education and training pertaining to their

respective assignments was considered expedient. Each of this class was referred

to as a varna. In course of time, when successive generations began to follow

the same profession varnas got ossified into `castes'. With the change in social

environment, certain castes assumed greater prominence in the society and in

order to retain their supremacy propagated the concept of caste by birth as a

God-given status.