Shirdi Sai baba was a great man, much revered as a Saint who is even worshipped as a divine incarnation in several parts of India. His life and achievements were mentioned in detail in the work Sai Satcharitra.
In chapter 27 of Sai Satcharita there is a reference to Shirdi Sai Baba emphatically advising his disciple to read Vishnu Sahasranama...."Oh Shama, this book is very valuable and efficacious, so I present it to you, you read it. Once I suffered intensely and My heart began to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it gave me! I thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I give this to you, read it slowly, little by little, read daily one name at least and it will do you good."
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sathya Sai Baba on the exalted Gayatri mantra
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 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 protects you from harm wherever you are - traveling, working, ot 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 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. Gayatri is Annapurna, the Mother, the Sakthi that animates life. So do not neglect it.
- Excerpts from Discourse by Sathya Sai Baba, Upanayanam Day, Brindavan, 6-20-77
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 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 protects you from harm wherever you are - traveling, working, ot 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 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. Gayatri is Annapurna, the Mother, the Sakthi that animates life. So do not neglect it.
- Excerpts from Discourse by Sathya Sai Baba, Upanayanam Day, Brindavan, 6-20-77
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Why do I feel so much about the holy Gayatri mantra?
One reason is that, despite the great variety in the various religions, sects and practices that are together called Hinduism, and despite the great conflict between many of them, they all continue to pay homage to this short, simple mantram. Probably it's the one, and only one point in which the various sects of Hinduism agree! To the greatness of this exalted mantra!
Another reason is that, despite the vicissitudes over several millenia, it has remained part of the glorious tradition of Sandhya Vandanam that is an integral part of ancient Vedic culture, medieval Puranic and Tantric culture, as well as of today's Hindu culture.
It finds mention in the Vedas, which even conservative estimates place between 3000-2000 BCE, and it finds mention in the Upanishads(circa 1000 - 500 BCE), as well as in the teachings of lord Buddha (6th Cent BCE), in the Grihya, Srouta Sutras of Apastamba, Baudhayana et al (8th Cent BCE), in the Manu, Yajnavalkya and many other Smriti works (uncertain date, but earlier than 4th-2nd BCE) as well as in the works of Kalidasa (circa 1st Cent BCE). So does it find mention with great vigour in the works of Banabhatta (7th Cent CE) as well as in that of Thyagaraja (17th Cent CE). And it is still being recited by countless people throughout the world. In this context, the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, Saint Dayananda Saraswati(of Arya Samaj) and of Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya(All World Gayatri Parivar) in popularizing this holy mantra among people belonging to all religions, all castes, needs special mention.
Another reason is that, despite the vicissitudes over several millenia, it has remained part of the glorious tradition of Sandhya Vandanam that is an integral part of ancient Vedic culture, medieval Puranic and Tantric culture, as well as of today's Hindu culture.
It finds mention in the Vedas, which even conservative estimates place between 3000-2000 BCE, and it finds mention in the Upanishads(circa 1000 - 500 BCE), as well as in the teachings of lord Buddha (6th Cent BCE), in the Grihya, Srouta Sutras of Apastamba, Baudhayana et al (8th Cent BCE), in the Manu, Yajnavalkya and many other Smriti works (uncertain date, but earlier than 4th-2nd BCE) as well as in the works of Kalidasa (circa 1st Cent BCE). So does it find mention with great vigour in the works of Banabhatta (7th Cent CE) as well as in that of Thyagaraja (17th Cent CE). And it is still being recited by countless people throughout the world. In this context, the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, Saint Dayananda Saraswati(of Arya Samaj) and of Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya(All World Gayatri Parivar) in popularizing this holy mantra among people belonging to all religions, all castes, needs special mention.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Greatness of Gayatri - A Story from Akbar Nama
An interesting episode is seen mentioned in an Islamic book "Akbar nama", the biography of Emperor Akbar.
When Akbar was ruling India, Birbal was his minister. Akbar and Birbal would often travel incognito to collect first hand information about the various happenings in the country. On one occasion, they noticed a brahmin going begging from house to house. Akbar pointed this out to Birbal. Birbal noticed the beggar and kept quiet. After reaching home he sent word for the brahmin to meet him.
When the brahmin called on Birbal, Birbal said, "O Brahmin - You collect your daily earnings through begging from me every day. However, in lieu of begging please chant Gayatri Japam during the three sandhya periods 108 times everyday". The brahmin agreed and after collecting the money from Birbal, started chanting Gayatri Mantra regularly. After a few days, he thought, why not increase the chanting to 1008 times, since he had a lot of time. Very soon, people started giving him charity in the form of food and cash. In this way the brahmin stopped going to Birbal's house for begging. His daily meditation earnt him the power to acquire knowledge, acquire an attractive personality and soon he transformed into a good expounder of knowledge. More and more people started coming to him and he became a well known personality. Birbal also heard about him. One day Birbal visited the brahmin and asked him why he had stopped coming to his house. The brahmin profusely thanked Birbal for putting him on the right path by guiding him at the right time.
One day Birbal mentioned to Akbar that a saintly person had come to town and Akbar promptly invited the person and honoured him. Birbal then asked Akbar whether he remembered this saintly person but Akbar could not recollect. Birbal then reminded Akbar about the brahmin beggar episode. Akbar after hearing this exclaimed " Oh! what a Change!" This episode appears in the Akbar Nama and brings out the virtue and greatness of the Gayatri Mantra.
When Akbar was ruling India, Birbal was his minister. Akbar and Birbal would often travel incognito to collect first hand information about the various happenings in the country. On one occasion, they noticed a brahmin going begging from house to house. Akbar pointed this out to Birbal. Birbal noticed the beggar and kept quiet. After reaching home he sent word for the brahmin to meet him.
When the brahmin called on Birbal, Birbal said, "O Brahmin - You collect your daily earnings through begging from me every day. However, in lieu of begging please chant Gayatri Japam during the three sandhya periods 108 times everyday". The brahmin agreed and after collecting the money from Birbal, started chanting Gayatri Mantra regularly. After a few days, he thought, why not increase the chanting to 1008 times, since he had a lot of time. Very soon, people started giving him charity in the form of food and cash. In this way the brahmin stopped going to Birbal's house for begging. His daily meditation earnt him the power to acquire knowledge, acquire an attractive personality and soon he transformed into a good expounder of knowledge. More and more people started coming to him and he became a well known personality. Birbal also heard about him. One day Birbal visited the brahmin and asked him why he had stopped coming to his house. The brahmin profusely thanked Birbal for putting him on the right path by guiding him at the right time.
One day Birbal mentioned to Akbar that a saintly person had come to town and Akbar promptly invited the person and honoured him. Birbal then asked Akbar whether he remembered this saintly person but Akbar could not recollect. Birbal then reminded Akbar about the brahmin beggar episode. Akbar after hearing this exclaimed " Oh! what a Change!" This episode appears in the Akbar Nama and brings out the virtue and greatness of the Gayatri Mantra.
Kanchi Periyaval teaches Brahmins the power of Gayatri Mantra
Once over forty brahmins from the area Vanniya Teynampet in Chennai came to have darshan of Maha Periyavaa. After their obeisance to the sage, they expressed their common mental agony: that brahmins were not able to go around in the area with respect as some atheists made fun and showed animosity whenever they came across the hair-tufts, sacred threads, and Vaishnavite marks that adorned the body of a brahmin. As he heard this, Periyavaa asked them, "Do you people do the Gayatri Japam every day?" There was silence. He advised them, "Continue to do the Gayatri Japam daily. Everything will be all right."
As advised, they started doing did Gayatri Japam daily. Within two months the situation changed to their complete satisfaction. They met Periyavaa happily and conveyed the news. Periyavaa said, "all the problems are due to your giving up Gayatri mantra. The power of Gayatri mantra is immeasurable."
(from the book Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL (part1, page 263), published by Vanathi Padhippaham)
As advised, they started doing did Gayatri Japam daily. Within two months the situation changed to their complete satisfaction. They met Periyavaa happily and conveyed the news. Periyavaa said, "all the problems are due to your giving up Gayatri mantra. The power of Gayatri mantra is immeasurable."
(from the book Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL (part1, page 263), published by Vanathi Padhippaham)
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