So Let's Chant the exalted Gayatri Mantra!

Gayatri mantra is often respectfully and adoringly called Veda Janani, the mother of Vedas. Vedas are supersensuous knowledge, beyond mortal senses, revealed to Rishis who saw them as Truths through Jnana-chakshus, ie divine eyes powered by knowledge. The aim of the chanter of the Gayatri is to reveal this divine knowledge to him and to his group, which might as well refer to the entire human race. This knowledge is hidden to his senses, hence he needs divine aid to perceive the knowledge.

The fact that this knowledge exists and is hidden to normal human senses, is attested to by several Vedic references. The Purusha Sooktam which proclaims the grandeur of the Supreme Purusha, in it's very first verse states... "that Purusha, after encompassing the entire universe...extends still beyond". The Rishi of the Purusha Sooktam states "I have seen this Supreme Purusha, radiant like the Sun, and entirely beyond all darkness". So this Purusha exists and could be perceived, provided one has the means to see Him. Those who are able to see this transcendental truth, become Rishis. They express the truths they perceive, through divine poetry which has come to us in the form of Vedas, Upanishads and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and the Puranas. Even such poetic stalwarts like Kalidasa are great examples of what Rishis divine inspiration can create.

Sri Krishna in the 11th Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita reveals his Supreme form to Arjuna. He enables Arjuna with Divyam Jnana Chakshusham, to help him see the divine God. The God's splendour is shown incomparable. It is mightier than a thousand Suns blazing together.

So we humans could not perceive this ever-existent Lord through the senses available with us. Still, we do perceive the Sun radiating his light regularly and unceasingly, benefitting the entire universe. And the Sun as pervaded by the Supreme Lord, is the best guiding light we have for us, the best indicator of the glories of the Lord. So, even as we meditate on the Sun's divine rays, we seek to address that light which makes the Sun shine, to reveal to us the divine truth that is, however, beyond the material Sun.

The Katha, Mundaka and Swetaswatara Upanishad repeats "Where that divine light shines in it's glory, there the Sun does not shine, nor the moon or the stars, nor the fire. One who sees that divine light, also sees it as pervading and activating the entire universe. There is nothing in this material universe that does not owe it's energy to this divine light.

In the Ishavasya Upanishad, the Rishi says - the face of Truth is hidden by a Golden Covering, the material Sun. He beseeches to the Lord to reveal the Truth to him, by removing the outer covering. This is for "satyadharmaya dhrishtaye" - to understand divine Truth and Dharma.

The way to to address the divine Lord is to surrender ourselves fully to Him and make ourselves open towards receiving His divine grace. To pray to That Supreme Lord with a full heart, to meditate on His sin-dispelling divine rays, as the Gayatri mantra advises us. The Gita says, even if one is the worst of sinners, this path would surely help him perceive the Truth too.

As the Mundaka upanishad says, the relation between the chanter of the mantra and the divinity (Savita) is like between two birds, always inseparable, and adorning the same tree. Their only difference lies in the fact that the divine One does not immerse himself in worldly activities, instead he is immersed in his own supreme glory... "like a great emperor" according to Sankaracharya.

So why should we know this supersensuous Truth, the glory of the emperor? The Upanishadic Rishis praise the benefits one accrues when he perceives the Truth. The most significant benefit is the crossing over of Death. One becomes immortal since one becomes united with the divine. And one becomes fearless. One significant verse says "Na bibhethi kadachaneti". Even the heaviest danger or sorrow becomes like child's play to him who has, by God's grace, perceived this Divine Truth.

The Bhagavad Gita concurs "yam labdhva chaparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate". Once he has perceived that Truth, then established in it, he does not see any other thing as as a better gain than that, and thus established in that truth, he remains unruffled, even when faced with the heaviest of sorrows.

Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsa chanooramardhanam
Devakee paramanandam Krishnam Vande JagadGurum

Sandhya Worship

Sandhya Vandanam is a complete package for enhancing our physical, mental and spiritual well being.

Offering water to the Sun helps in diluting our sins. When properly done it ensures that the beneficial rays from the early morning Sun fall on key parts (marmas) of our body.

Chanting Gayatri mantram gives spiritual insight. On a mental/social level it gives one the fortitude to withstand heavy sorrows/disasters and motivates us to continue living. Gayatri Japam is not to be discontinued even on days when a death has occurred in the house. It is a great purifier.

Doing mudras while chanting mantra helps in enhancing physical health. Mudras are powerful in their own right, but when combined with mantras their potential is awesome.

(Additionally, fasting on the day before one does a Sahasra Avritti Gayatri Japam enhances it's benefits manifold)

Doing Surya Namaskaram helps one in overall physical health and also provides a lot of energy and a glowing skin.

Worshipping darkness (Yama Raaja) regularly at a prescribed time helps in overcoming all kinds of fear.

Worshipping the 4 directions as shining Brahman (see Chandogya Upanishad for the details of this Upasana) helps one gain eminence and excellence.

Worshipping Bhagavan Krishna as Keshava helps in diluting our sins, and in winning his grace, enhancing humility in us and in motivating us to do work as Karma Yoga.

The opening sloka
"Namo Brahmanya Devaaya Go-brahmana-hitaaya cha
Jagat-hithaaya Krishnaya Govindaya Namo Namah"
is very insightful. To understand the deeper meaning of it, one has to read the introductory chapters of the Bhagavad-gita Bhashyam by Adi Shankaracharya.

Interpreting the holy Gayatri mantra

Gayatri mantra is a chant often used as a prayer for universal peace and enlightenment. In my experience, whenever I used to sit at a quiet place, and chant this mantram mentally for 20-30 minutes, at the end of it I felt happier, mentally uplifted and occasionally I have found answers to the questions/problems I was facing at that I point of time. Oftentimes, various interpretations for the mantra come to my mind. Only recently did I think about writing these thoughts in a blog, as it would be interesting to read them later, say many years from now.

Here is one such interpretation.
The exalted Gayatri mantra is a prayer for the Supreme wisdom, for elevating us in all ways from this mundane life, for giving us a peep into the reality that is pervading the entire universe. When we begin a mantra chant, say for 108 times, it will be helpful to focus on praying for mental strength, energy and fortitude, the first few times you chant the exalted Gayatri mantra. This mental strength is most needed for us to sustain our sincerity in religious practice. When we meditate on the glory of the Supreme Savita, we seek to burn our sins, and of sins we all, human beings, plants, animals, all the Jeevajalas of the universe, have our own quota to burn. We need a sustained campaign to destroy these sins, individually and collectively. Only when these sins are burnt up, do we become pure enough to be able to see the ultimate reality, the Supreme Self shining everywhere, including our own selves, which is the ultimate goal of chanting the exalted Gayatri mantra. So, with mental strength and fortitude we are able to overcome the weakness caused by the bonds tying us to this world, and we are able to devote our time to sincere prayer to the divine for enlightenment. And as we progress in our prayer, we move closer and closer to our better selves, better in all ways.