Sri Gayathri Maha Manthra Mahimai
Glory of Sri Gayatri Maha Mantra
( Mukkur Sri Lakshmi Narasimhachariyar)
गायन्तं पुरुषं त्रायते इति गायत्री
(Gayantam purusham trAyatE iti Gayatri)
ब्राह्मण धनं गायत्री
(BrAhmana Dhanam Gayatri) Once upon a time, a person used to perform shraddham, only when a renowned person having all the traits of Salakshana GhanapAti (having a very high level of proficiency in Vedas and mastery in recitation of Vedic verses in Ghana form), Nitya agnihotri (performing yagna on a daily basis and keeping the sacred fire alive all the time) and an embodiment of knowledge and anushtanam, was available as Bhokta. Otherwise he would not perform the ritual.
One day, a mahAn (महान् a great scholar) visited his home. On seeing him the person thought that the mahAn fulfilled the abovesaid traits and decided to perform the shraddham with that mahAn as Bhokta. Accordingly, the shraddham was commenced and was going on well.
At the near end of the ceremony, the KartA had to offer tharpanam on the piNDam ( ball of rice/ flour offered to the pitrus or deceased ancestors) with water and sesame seeds through his right hand thumb by reciting the mantra “bhoomau dattEna piNDEna truptAyAm tu parAngatam (भूमौ दत्तेन पिण्डेन तृप्तायां तु पराङ्गतम् )” .
Accordingly, when the Karta took some sesame seeds in his wet right hand thumb and was about to offer the same on the piNDam by adding water from a vessel on the sesame seeds, the MahAn, who was the Bhokta, saw the water and signaled to it. Then to the utter surprise of the Karta, when he tilted the vessel, the water was not coming out of it. The water had changed from the liquid form to solid form..!
Despite his tilting the vessel again and again, no water was coming out. He was completely puzzled. Then only he understood that the person who had come as Bhokta was, in fact, a very great saintly person.
He politely asked the MahAn “ Swami, the water is not coming out of the vessel. Why it is happening so?”
The MahAn replied “You always want to perform shraddham only when a person with the traits of knowledge and anushtAnam as desired by you is available as Bhokta. Whether such person would always be available to you ? Is it not essential for you to understand the principles/ concepts of Dharma? Why cannot you perform shraddham with the MahAn, who is always meditating upon the divine Gayatri Mantra, as Bhokta ?”
“Don’t you know that each and every thing in this World is embedded in the Gayatri Mantra itself. It is wrong if the chanting of Gayatri Mantra is not done. Gayatri Mantra is the real wealth of Brahmins. The chanting/ meditation of such a glorious Gayatri Mantra confers the astounding benefits of reciting all the Vedas.”
“I have come to your home only to impress upon you to have as Bhokta the person who is constantly meditating upon the holy Gayatri Mantra, instead of waiting for the person with the traits desired by you.”
After saying this, the Bhokta again signaled to the water and then the water started to flow out of the vessel. The MahAn, who had come as Bhokta for the above shraddham was Apasthamba Maharishi. In Sanskrit, Apa: (आप: ) means “water”. As he stalled the water and prevented it from flowing out of the vessel, he is named as “ Apasthamba : ”.
“Gayatri” means “the essence of all the Vedas”. The following real incident stands as a testimony for the authority of this glory of Gayatri Mantra.
There is a place called “ PitApuram” near KakinAda. In the erstwhile periods, PitApuram Raja SamasthAnam used to enjoy an exalted position. Upto the period ending about twenty five years ago, “Vidwad Sadas”, gathering of renowned vedic scholars used to be held for a period of ten days for discussion in all the vedic scriptures.
During the period of PitApuram Raja SamasthAnam, the King had one day arranged for a grand function for performing his child’s PuNyaahavAcana (पुण्याहवाचन the proclaiming or blessing an auspicious day ). At the invitation of the king, large groups of renowned vedic scholars from various parts of Andhra Desam, Tamil Nadu and other nearby places had gathered for the function.
A large number of people were waiting for the grand feast to be offered at the end of the function. The offering of the blessings to the child by the vedic scholars was yet to take place.
At that time in the din and bustle of the function, the child, which was left all alone, unfortunately fell into the nearly water tub and met with an untimely death. No one except the Queen was aware of this unfortunate incident.
Despite her immense and unbearable grief over the untimely death of her dear child, the Queen was also deeply concerned over the consequences of this very sad untoward incident becoming known to other people at this juncture. She thought that if the incident came to the knowledge of the renowned vedic scholars who had gathered for the function, they would not take part in the feast and would leave the place with hunger and other people would also follow suit. To avoid these, the Queen did not tell this sad unforeseen incident to anyone.
In the grand gathering organized for the Asheervacana (आशीर्वचन the blessing of the child by the vedic scholars), the Queen, completely hiding her enormous grief) was sitting beside the King, fully covering the child and keeping it on her lap and embracing it and pretending as if the child is still alive.
There was a well established tradition in Andhra Desam. In such functions, each VidwAn / Vedic scholar would get up from his seat and go near the couple and place akshathA (अक्षता sacred rice) on the heads of the couple and recite AsheervAda Mantras (अशीर्वाद मन्त्र benediction mantras) and bless the couple and then he would come back and sit in his seat. There is no practice of the VidwAns/ Vedic scholars putting the AkshathA from the places in which they are seated. We can observe this tradition being followed even now.
Similarly, for honouring the Vedic scholars/ VidwAns attending such functions, the couple would get up from their seats and go and honour each and every Vedic scholar/ VidwAn at their respective places wherein they are seated. This practice is being followed even now.
Accordingly, one by one each Vedic scholar started to go to the place where the King and Queen were seated alongwith the child and placed akshathA on their heads and recited AsheervAda Mantras and blessed them.
One Vedic scholar blessed them by saying “ आयुष्मन्तम् ! वर्चस्वन्तम् ! (Ayushmantam ! varchasvantam!). Another came and blessed ” आयुरसि विश्वायुरसि सर्वायुरसि सर्वमायुरसि (Ayurasi vishvAyurasi sarvAyurasi sarvamAyurasi) ” and the next one came and blessed saying “ अमृतं वै हिरण्यम् …….अमृतगुं स्वर्गो लोका .. अमृत एव स्वर्गे लोके प्रतितिष्ठति | शतमानं भवति ´ (amrutam vai hiraNyam….amrutagum svargO lOkA…..amruta eva svargE lokE pratitiSThati | shatamanam bhavati)“.
What happened when all the Vedic scholars were offering their benediction as stated above..? The child, which was thought to have died, showed the signs of survival by starting to move its legs, roll its eyeballs and move its hands..! On seeing this, the surprise and bliss of the Queen knew no bounds..!!
This unbelievable survival of a dead child is wholly due to the power of the benedictions of the renowned Vedic scholars. All the Vedic scholars who had come for the above function were MahAns who were constantly reciting and meditating upon the divine Gayatri Mantra. The dead child survived when they blessed it with their holy hands.
Later on, it was understood that this amazing incident occurred only due to the greatness of the Gayatri Mantra. All these facts have been put in writing in the records of the PitApuram Raja SamasthAnam. Hence the survival of the child was only due to the strength of the benedictions of the MahAns.
On hearing the above story, one person asked ” Why can’t we ourselves take a handful of Akshata and place it on our heads by reciting “ शतमानं भवति shatamAnam bhavati , which means “ Let you live for hundred years” ? Why the MahAn alone can do it ? “ The answer to this is that only the MahAn has the authority/ right to do so because only he, who is well versed in Vedas and is a nitya agnihotri, can offer such powerful blessings..!
For instance, let us take the case of a cow. The cow eats grass, oil cakes and bran and gives us the highly nutritious milk, which is useful to one and all in this World and is rightfully eulogized as “Sarvopa Jeevium” which literally means “ Universal Life” ..!
Assuming that we consume all these grass, oil cakes and bran, whether we can give milk just as the cow gives..? It is impossible. We have to rely only upon the cow for the milk.
Similarly, the ability to confer such immense benefits ( अनुग्रह anugraha ) rests solely on the amazing power of the benedictions of the MahAns, who are constantly meditating upon the divine Gayatri Mantra. Undoubtedly the blessings of such MahAns have the glory inbuilt in them..!
The people who attended the PuNyaahavAcana function at PitApuram were fortunate to directly witness the divine and magnificent powers of the blessings of the MahAns, who are embodiments of all the Vedas. Hence in this place the BhagavAn Himself is in the form of Gayatri Mantra.
In ancient times, the Maharishis churned the Rig Veda, which contains very difficult musical notes or svara (स्वर ) such as “तस्मात् विविते तस्मात् तस्मात् विविते वीरुते विविते वीरुते विविते तस्मात् “ ( tasmAt vivitE tasmAt tasmAt vivitE veerutE vivitE veerutE vivitE tasmAt ). After constant churning, the essence of all the mantras in Rig Veda came out in the best summarized form of eight aksharAs or letters..!
In the same manner, the very difficult Veda is Yajur Veda, which contains very difficult musical notes such as “देवीर् अग्रे बुवो ……..अग्रे गुवो देवीर् …… देवीर् अग्रे बुवो……..अग्रे अग्रे गुवो अग्रे बुव …………..” ( dEveer agrE buvO………agrE guvO dEveer………dEveer agrE buvO……..AgrE guvO agrE buva……..). When such very difficult Yajur Veda was churned by the Maharishis, eight aksharAs / letters emerged..!
Next SAma Veda is in the form of songs, such as “हा …….या ………की …………………हाया…..आवाहा………….” ( hA…………yA………..kee………hAyA…………….AvAhA……..). “गान्धार षड्जम: ऋषभादि समस्त ( GAndhAra shadjama: rushabhAdi )..!
All those things which are considered as the source for Sangeetha Sastra are available only in SAma Veda. The glorious song in SAma Veda “श्रीयङ्गवी तत् रुद्रो घादुका रुद्रङ्गवी है …….हा ……..हाया …….ही ………” ( sriyangavee tat rudrO ghadukA rudrangavee hai………hA……..hAyA……..hee……….”) is very dear to Sri Rudra. Like this, there are many songs such as ratantaram, Arjikam and sthOpam.
“अरङ्गे गेयं …………. ग्रामे गेयं “ ( arrangE gEyam…………..grAmE gEyam). The song should be sung in one manner in the forest. In village or city, the same song should be sung in a different manner. BhagawAn is in the form of forest. ParamAtma says “वेदानां साम वेदोस्मि “ ( vedAnAm sAma vedOsmi ) which means “ Among the Vedas, I am in the form of SAma Veda”. When such a glorious SAma Veda was churned by the Maharishis, eight akshrAs / letters emerged..!
Now the question arises “ Whether AtharvaNa Veda was also churned ? “. The answer is “No”. The reason for this is that churning of the three Vedas ( Rig, Yajur and SAma Vedas) tantamount to churning of AtharvaNa Veda also. If we want to understand this in the common man’s language ( which is also known as “ laukika’ (लौकिक ) or “worldly” language). If we take the three Vedas as “ theory ”, then AtharvaNa Veda may be considered as “ practical ”..!
AtharvaNa Veda practically proves whatever we read in the other three Vedas. AtharvaNa Veda says only what is stated in the other three Vedas, but it proves all that is said in the other Vedas. Hence if we say three Vedas, it includes AtharvaNa Veda also.
Thus the churning of the three Vedas resulted in the emergence of three eight akshrAs. If we add the three eight aksharAs, we get twenty four aksharAs..!
These twenty four aksharAs took the form of a Mantra and that Mantra is Gayatri, which is also known as “ त्रिपदा गायत्री “ ( TripadA Gatyatri) अष्टाक्षर गायत्री ( AstAkshara Gayatri ) and “ चतुर्विंशति गायत्री “ ( CaturviMshati Gayatri ). The Gayatri Mantra has twenty four aksharAs. One pAda has eight aksharAs. As Gayatri Mantra is “ त्रिपदा गायत्री “, it has three padAs of eight aksharAs each, totaling twenty four aksharAs. Hence it is called “ चतुर्विंशति गायत्री “..!
The Maharishis further summarized the Vedas. AtharvaNa Veda says this in the following sloka “ऋक् वेदात् भू : जायता | यजुर वेदात् भुव : | साम वेदात् स्व : |´ ( ruk vEdAt bhoo: jayatA | yajur vEdAt bhuva: sAma vEdat suva: | ). Three padAs (पदा word) appeared from the three Vedas, भू : (bhoo:) from Rig Veda, भुव : ( bhuva : ) from Yajur Veda and स्व : ( suva) from SAma Veda. When these three words are joined together and pronounced, it became the Mantra “भूर्भुवस्सुव : “ ( bhoorbhuvassuva:). The name of this Mantra is “व्याह्रुति मन्त्र: ( vyAhruti mantra: )..!
Maharishis further shortened this. In this process, three aksharAs ( letters) emerged from the above three padAs ( words), the letter “अ “ (a) from the first word, the letter “ उ “ (u) from the second word and the letter “म “ (m) from the third word.
When these three letters were joined together, it resulted in the emergence of the sacred syllable ओम् (Om) , named as “प्रणवम् “ ( PraNavam). This cannot be further shortened. It is the vital knot. Hence it is considered the seed/ source of all the Vedas..!!
When we elaborate Pranavam, we get VyAhruti . When we elaborate VyAhruti, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get all the Veda Mantras. Thus all the Veda Mantras are encompassed in Gayatri. Gayatri is encompassed in VyAhruti and VyAhruti is encompassed in PraNavam.
There is nothing equivalent to the glory of the Gayatri Mantra, which is neither too elaborate as all the Vedas nor very short as the PraNavam, but is in between these two. ShAstra declares “गायत्र्यां परो मन्त्र : न मातुर्दैवतं परम् “ ( gayatryAm parO mantra: na mAturdaivatam param ). “ There is no Mantra, which is more glorious than the Gayatri Mantra and no deity is more glorious than the mother.” ..!
“ऋक् वेदम् उच्चारयन्तीं रक्त वर्णांबरधराम् “ ( ruk vEdam vuchchArayanteem rakta varNAbaradharAm ) In early morning (प्रात : prAta: ), “Gayatri” is bedecked in red silk attire and reciting Rig Veda.
In the afternoon, she is known as “ SAvitri” . At that time, she is bedecked in white attire and is reciting Yajur Veda.
In the evening, she is known as “ Saraswati”. At that time, to eradicate our ignorance, she is wearing black dress and is reciting SAma Veda. Thus within the time periods of the day, she completes the recitation of all the three Vedas.
Now whether it is humanly possible for us to sit and complete the PArAyaNam ( reciting from the beginning to the end ) of all the three Vedas within one day..?
Gayatri, who is the Mother of all of us, completes the PArAyanam of all the three Vedas in one day. She is having the divine power, in its entirety, to complete this task. Understanding our difficulties, Gayatri, out of her unlimited motherly compassion, tells us “ I shall complete the PArAyanam of all the three Vedas on your behalf. You recite only me”.
Hence by merely reciting the Gayatri Mantra, we can easily reap the immense benefits that would accrue due to the recitation of all the Veda Mantras..!!
Gayatri Mantra is also eulogized as “पन्चावदान गायत्री महा बाधक नाशिनी“ (PanchAvadAna Gayatri mahA badhaka Nashinee). This means that Gayatri Mantra, having five portions/ parts, destroys all sins.
Each section/ part should be recited in one breath. First the PraNavam should be recited and after a pause the VyAhruti mantra should be recited. After another pause, the remaining three parts should be recited in the order in which they are given above, ensuring that a pause is given after the recitation of each of these parts. This is the proper and correct way of reciting the Gayatri Mantra.
If a person, with the intention of finishing the recitation of Gayatri Mantra quickly, recites the Mantra speedily without giving pauses as stated above, then he would not reap any benefit.
´ तेजो वा गायत्री ´ ( tEjO vA gAyatree). The Gayatri Mantra, when recited correctly with dedication and understanding, is capable of bestowing तेजस् (tEjas glory), कान्ति ( kAnti grace/ splendor) and बल (bala stamina or physical and mental strength).
‘ Tejo vai Gayatri’ (तेजो वै गायत्री) . The Gayatri Mantra, when recited correctly with dedication and understanding, is capable of bestowing Tejas (glory), Kanti (grace/splendor), and Bala (physical and mental stamina).
Without reciting Gayatri and without performing Sandhyavandanam, if somebody says they are observing a Vratam, doing Laksharchana, or performing a Yajna, will they reap any benefit? No. The Shastras categorically declare:
“ Sandhyaa heenah ashuchihi nityam anarhaha sarva karmasu ”
(संध्याहीनः अशुचिः नित्यम् अनर्हः सर्वकर्मसु)
Without performing Sandhyavandanam, a person remains impure and has no eligibility to perform any other sacred acts. Sandhyavandanam must be done on time, and only then should other acts follow.
As we discussed earlier, the Shastra proclaims:
“ Vruthaa theertham vruthaa dhaanam vruthaa yagnyam vruthaa hutham | Yasya maathaa upekshithaa ”
(वृथा तीर्थं वृथा दानं वृथा यज्ञं वृथा हुतम् । यस्य माता उपेक्षिता ॥)
Imagine a person who refuses to buy a saree for his mother but daily donates clothes to ten outsiders. Or one who starves his mother but does Annadaanam. Or one who doesn’t revere his mother (the Pratyaksha Devata visible to us) but boasts about visiting 106 Divya Desams. Will his thousands of “excellent deeds” bear fruit? No, they are all in vain (Vruthaa).
Similarly, if we abandon the Gayatri Mantra, which is the Mother of all Mantras , chanting thousands of other mantras will yield no benefit. The deities worshipped through other mantras will not bestow their blessings if Gayatri is ignored.
The Story of the Discarded Idols
A man was reeling under abject, generational poverty. Despite this, he sincerely worshipped his ancestral deities every day with flowers. One day, a visitor told him, “Your idols haven’t cured your poverty. Throw them away and worship this new idol I am giving you; you will become prosperous.”
Convinced, the poor man packed up the sacred idols his ancestors had worshipped for 400 years and threw them away. He started praying to the new idol. However, his poverty only worsened! Why didn’t the new deity bless him..?
The deity thought, “He casually discarded the deities his family worshipped for four centuries. If someone else advises him tomorrow, he will throw me away too! Better not give him anything.”
Lessons for us:
Who are we to judge which deity is powerful? The Vedas strictly warn us about abandoning our designated worship:
” Yo vaa ayathaadevatam yajnamupacharati | Aa devataabhyo vruschyate | Paapiyaan bhavati |
Yo yathaadevatam | Na devataabhya aavruschyate | Vaseeyaan bhavati || “
(यो वा अयथादेवतं यज्ञमुपचरति । आ देवताभ्यो वृश्च्यते । पापीयान् भवति । यो यथादेवतम् । न देवताभ्य आवृश्च्यते । वसीयान् भवति ॥)
Meaning: He who performs worship not in accordance with his designated deity gets cut off from the deities and becomes impoverished. But he who worships exactly in accordance with his deity is not cut off from the deities and becomes highly prosperous!
We must faithfully continue the duties assigned to our lineage. In misery, we should humbly think, “I am suffering due to my past sins.” In happiness, we should say, “I am happy due to the virtuous deeds of my ancestors.” This attitude alone attracts Bhagavan’s divine blessings.
Therefore, we must recite other mantras only after Gayatri. Giving up Gayatri is tantamount to abandoning one’s own mother.
As the sloka beautifully describes:
अर्कमण्डलमध्यस्थं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् । ब्रह्मादिसेव्यपादाब्जं नौमि ब्रह्म रमासखम् ॥
Arkamandala madhyastham sooryakoti samaprabham |
Brahmaadhi sevya paadaabjam naumi brahma ramaasakham ||
Bhagavan, shining with the brilliance of crores of suns, resides in the center of the Surya Mandalam as Surya Narayana.
If the Sun vanishes for a month, can any living being survive..? He is our Pratyaksha Devata (visibly present deity). Yet, people only obsess over their houses, jobs, and relatives. How many fold their hands and worship the brilliantly shining Sun..? Very few.
The Shastras say one should not eat without doing Surya Namaskaram or seeing the Sun. Those who eat without seeing the Sun are compared to ” ” आसटिकाः कृमय इव ” (Aasatikaah krumaya iva )— like the worms born in dry cow dung! In ancient times, Mahans would fast for days if the sky was cloudy, eating only when they finally had Darshan of Surya Bhagavan.
” आरोग्यं भास्करात् इच्छेत्” (Aarogyam Bhaaskaraath iccheth ). Perfect health must be sought from the Sun. He destroys diseases of the skin, heart, eyes, and breath. Since the Gayatri Maha Mantra is essentially a meditation upon Surya Narayana, it is supreme among all mantras .