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

(Post 16)

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

Spiritual development can’t begin without purifying the body, the mind, the sentiments, and adopting a moral conduct. The gamut of ascetic disciplines and yoga sadhanas, etc., were devised and practiced by the rishis for this noble purpose. They had accomplished absolute self-refinement and moral elevation through Gayatri Sadhana. They had conquered the ego and desires. They wanted to work for the welfare of all beings. A seed cannot germinate and grow into a fructifying tree without dissolving itself in the soil and water; it is only after breaking and softening that it can absorb the fertilizing substances. Blossoming of divine realization is also not possible without the immersion of the identity of the individual self in the cosmic self.

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

(Post 15)

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


The Puranas describe so many instances of global well being through such efforts.

It was rare in the ancient times that the Indian land suffered a calamitous famine. It happened once due to a near total drought across the country. All the ponds and wells dried up. Cattle, birds and even humans began to die of starvation. Panicked savants went to Rishi Gautam for support and relief. Rishi Gautam was a great, accomplished sadhaka of Gayatri those days. He was moved after hearing the agony of the masses; he gave them the akshaya patra (a celestial pot that offers food and water without any limit and is never emptied), which was a boon the divine force of Gayatri had blessed him with.

Yes, the siddhas of Gayatri Mantra do have such miraculous powers, but they use them judiciously, and only for deserving cases.

Don’t be under the delusive impression that doing japa, aushthana, havan, etc. under my guidance, during your stay here, will magically endow you with extraordinary powers. Nothing can be achieved without developing the necessary abilities and eligibility. It is all the more essential for the invaluable attainment of divine blessings.

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

(Post 14)

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

Cleansing of your inner core is essential so that the new, virtuous tendencies can be cultivated there. You should adopt the japa - sadhana of Gayatri Mantra as an integral part of your daily life. It is the mantra for the welfare of every being. You should also inspire your friends, acquaintances and family members to perform the japa of this universal mantra, and spread this light to the people in your neighborhood, colony, city, and so on. Its collective sadhana can arouse collective consciousness, and bestow all-round happiness and progress in the world, together with the spiritual upliftment of mankind.

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

(Post 13)

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

The sublime force generated by its japa sadhana can vibrate in the subtle as well as the external world. Nothing remains unattained or unaccomplished after receiving the blessings of its divine powers. Its immediate benefits of purification and enlightenment of the intellect is the key to spiritual refinement and evolution of personality. Its sadhana can transform an ordinary man or woman into a great saint, yogi or rishi, having angelic potentials. I invite you here and guide you to perform the Anushthana (sadhana) of the Gayatri Mantra, so that the untoward tendencies and vices accumulated during your past lives can be erased, and you begin to rise towards the sunlit path.

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.