The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 12)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jul_Aug/v1.SignificanceGayatriMantra)

The effects of the Gayatri sadhana are indeed miraculous. Once the Indian emperor Akbar called his prime minister Mansingh, and told him to look for some extraordinary means to protect the construction of his fort in Prayag, which, despite the best of efforts and all precautionary measures, had mysteriously collapsed eighteen times in the initial stages of construction. Mansingh also was puzzled about this mishap. He went to Prayag and stayed there with a bleak hope of getting some clue from somewhere. One day, when he was strolling in the forests by the banks of the holy Ganga, he saw a saintly yogi engrossed in meditation.

Suddenly he noticed a boa around the yogi, which was trying to entrap the latter into its fold and gulp him. Amazingly, neither the boa was able to tighten its grip around the yogi, nor its poisonous breath able to have any effect. He stood stunned for a few minutes. Meanwhile, the yogi opened his eyes, and effortlessly threw off the python by the power of his yoga. Mansingh could not believe his own eyes; he had vividly and concretely witnessed the supernatural strength of spirituality. His head was on the feet of the seer. This saint was known as Devmurari Baba. Mansingh narrated the mysterious riddle of the fort before the Baba. He said - "We don't know what kind of a curse it is that the construction of the fort has been ruined eighteen times". The yogi went into deep meditation for some time and then kept a dry flower of basil (manjari) on Mansingh's hand. He said - "Put this beneath the foundation of the fort, then there will be no problem". Devmurari Baba was a siddha sadhaka of Gayatri, and was renowned and revered for his extraordinary powers. He used to give a manjari, empowered by his spiritual energy, to everyone who would come to him seeking some help. That used to have miraculous effects. The manjari given to Mansingh also proved the invisible, indefinable, omnipotence of the Gayatri Mantra by providing stout foundation and support to the mighty fort.

Friends! The power of mantra is indeed real and immense. That of the Gayatri Mantra is indeed supreme, astonishing and infinite.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 11)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jul_Aug/v1.SignificanceGayatriMantra) 

Madhavacharya was a saint living in Vrandavan. He performed the upasana of Gayatri for twelve years, but lost patience thereafter, as he did not get the desired divine benefits. He was quite distressed at that time. He left the sadhana of the Gayatri Mantra and began worshiping Bhairav on the advice of a tantrika. In less than a year’s time he succeeded in the sadhana of Bhairav. The celestial body of Bhairav appeared, but stood at his back, and asked him to demand what he wanted to be blessed with. Madhavacharya said - "If you are the real Bhairav, please appear before my eyes".

Bhairav said - "I can’t appear in front of you, because the brilliance of Gayatri-Shakti infused in you will burn me". The devotee was surprised and inquired that if Gayatri sadhana was so powerful, why couldn’t he get the desired benefits for such a long time? Then Bhairav explained to him how his Gayatri sadhana up till then had destroyed his sins, and burnt the evils accumulated during his past lives, and that it was only after this purification that he would have deserved realization and attainment of the divine boons of the mantra. Now there was no doubt left in Madhava's mind. He restarted the sadhana of the Gayatri Mantra and was soon blessed with divine boons. With the awakening of inner intelligence and acumen, he wrote the "Madhav Nidan", which remains till date, a crucial treatise for the education and expert practice of the Ayurvedic System of Medicine.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 10)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jul_Aug/v1.SignificanceGayatriMantra)

Even today, everyone including those deprived of everything, living in the filth of immorality, those shrouded by ignorance, infirmity or the challenges of circumstances, rise gracefully out of the clutches of misery with the grace of the Gayatri Mantra. Indeed, many are doing so, and marching towards noble and righteous living.

Sure, there could be, and will be, a variation in the time and degree of manifestation of its marvelous effects, depending upon our present level of consciousness, but the elevation begins right from the first day.

Mantras can't instantly and magically grow trees on the palm of the hand. However, there is nothing illusive or unscientific about their effects; there should be no doubt about this. The spiritual evolution induced by the Gayatri Mantra progresses gradually and steadily - but certainly, with the progress in sadhana. Many live examples of the past and present illustrate this fact.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 09)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jul_Aug/v1.SignificanceGayatriMantra)

My children! This is the grace of the divine force of the Gayatri Mantra that transforms an ordinary mortal being into a great, enlightened, angelic saint. The mantra enjoins us as to what should be our devotional sentiments, our prayers through the heart while performing the japa of this mantra.

It says - "Oh Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent God! May Thy supreme radiance be embodied in our souls. May it inspire our intellect towards the enlightened, righteous path". Since the time, this cosmic mantra, the boon of Lord Brahma, was manifested in the Vedic Age, it lead to the dawn of the divine culture on this earth. Those who practiced its devotional japa, and adopted its inspirations in life, received immense peace, blissful contentment, moral dignity, selfless love and amicable cooperation in every phase of life. Even today, everyone, including those deprived of everything, living in the filth of immorality, those shrouded by ignorance, infirmity or the challenges of circumstances, rise gracefully out of the clutches of misery with the grace of the Gayatri Mantra.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 08)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/Jul_Aug/v1.SignificanceGayatriMantra)

Historic evidences show the greatness of the Gayatri Mantra. All the yogis and the rishis in India have taken the shelter of Gayatri Sadhana since the Vedic times. They were endowed with extraordinary powers and were the true winners of immortal glory on every front of life.

When Alexander the Great came to conquer India, he had a curiosity to meet the spiritual masters of this land. On his way towards the northwest, he found a Himalayan yogi lying on the ground, blocking the march of his army. Alexander was unable to push this avadhuta (one who has shaken off himself from the worldly attachments and obligations) off the path, and asked him to demand whatever he wanted. The avadhuta calmly asked whether Alexander could shift sunrise (from the East) to the West? If not, the avadhuta continued, "Then don't disturb me, let me enjoy the sunlight from the East". My children, this was the inner strength, the divine courage induced by the Gayatri Mantra by which a saint could so easily put to shame the conqueror of the world.

When the divine force of the Gayatri Mantra fills the heart (the emotional core) of a person, it clears all shadows of darkness, and illuminates the inner self with divine light. It transforms the personality completely.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 07)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/May_Jun/v1.SupremeSignificanceGayatri)

The Sanskrit word "upasana" means  "sitting nearby". Upasana of God means sitting in contemplation of divine attributes.
If a calf will not cling to its mother cow, how will it get the milk?
How will an iron piece be converted into gold without touching the Philosopher's Stone?
How will the soul be strengthened without a conscious awareness of God?
Upasana and devotion enable this linkage. The sublime contact with God is as essential and important for the awakening of our souls, as the pranic energy is for the existence and sustenance of life in our gross bodies. A person whose soul is not spiritually awakened, lives like a corpse or an animal in human form.

When the inner self of the devotee comes in contact with God's inspirations (during Gayatri Upasana), he opens his heart before Him and lays all his worries and problems before him. God listens to him, pacifies his agitations and fulfills his deserving aspirations. The Almighty also loosens the grip of the ego centered cravings, and instead, bestows grace and blessing on the sincere devotee. Divine blessings bestowed upon a sadhaka (spiritual seeker who sincerely performs spiritual practices for self-refinement - sadhana) include virtues like courage, contentment, alleviation and eventual elimination of mental weaknesses, removal of adversities and complexities, happy family life, social esteem and benevolence.

Most importantly, the vibrations and inspirations of the Gayatri Mantra also refine the mental and emotional domains of the sadhaka, and inculcate divine sentiments like altruistic love and compassion, and endow him with virtuous tendencies. This spiritual elevation gradually results in divine transformation of the sadhaka's personality.

The Supreme Significance of the Gayatri Mantra (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 06)

(Source: http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2003/May_Jun/v1.SupremeSignificanceGayatri)

The Gayatri Mantra is given paramount recognition in the Vedic science of spirituality. The sadhana (devout spiritual endeavor aimed at inner refinement and elevation) of this mantra illuminates and opens up the inner treasure of intelligence. It has the ability to inspire the human self towards great ideals, and eventually elevate and transmute it into divine self. Each syllable of the Gayatri Mantra enfolds tremendous energies of spiritual knowledge, enlightenment and wisdom.

The Vedas, Upanishads, Darshanas, Smritis, Gita, Ramayana, and other Vedic Scriptures are all derived from it, and are, so to say, detailed commentaries on this mantra.

Gayatri is said to be the Mother (origin) of the Vedas. The scriptures describe that the commentary of the four segments of the Gayatri Mantra through the four mouths of Lord Brahma has been compiled into four Vedas as indicated below:
The segment of Gayatri Mantra and the Veda generated from it:
Om Bhur Bhuvah Swaha - The Rig Veda
Tatsaviturvarenyam - The Yajur Veda
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi - The Sama Veda
Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat - The Atharva Veda

Later on, the in-depth understanding, detailed explanation of and discussions on the Vedas by the Rishis gave rise to the six Darshanas, ten Aranyakas, hundred and eight Upanishads, eighteen Puranas, twenty Smritis, etc.

The microscopic sperm and ovum contain the complete genetic blueprint of a human being. A seed possesses the information (DNA) for the development of a tree. Similarly, each letter of the Gayatri Mantra comprises all the elements of knowledge, sciences and philosophies. Be that the knowledge of the visible or the invisible world, that of making gold, or that of the divine empowerment of life, all is subliminally present in this mantra.

Gayatri Mantra also provides the supreme method for the upasana (worship) of God, as its meaning is a universal prayer for the enlightenment of the human intellect towards the righteous path. The awakening of this pure intelligence brings boons for the spiritual as well as worldly progress of life.