Gayathri Mantra – Misconceptions!

“I am told that Gayathri Mantra has miraculous power and if we recite daily we will become wealthy and powerful…”Rajesh Iyer, a reader in Palakkad said.

“I guess this is a misconception. There is no such specific Mantra as Gayathri Mantra. And those people under poverty line, especially Brahmin community, have been reciting Mantras for more than 5000 years and they didn’t turn wealthy and powerful…”

“Udayji, how can you say there is no such Mantra? Gayathri Mantra is considered as mother of all Mantras and it is acclaimed as the most powerful one….”

“Gayathri is NOT a Mantra. It is a Chandus (poetic meter). There are many Hymns set in the Chandus of Gayathri – all those Hymns can be called as Gayathri Mantras.”

“During the Upanayana (the sacred thread – yajnopavita – ceremony), what was the Mantra that your father whispered in your ears? Do you recite that Mantra, Udayji?”

“He initiated Savithri Mantra set in Gayathri Chandus…Yes, I recite it at least 108 times every day…”

“Aha…what was the Mantra?”

“Om Bhuh Bhuvah Suvah| Tat Savituh Varenyam|Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi| Dhiyo yo Nah Prachodayat. However, the first part (Om Bhuh Bhuvah Suvah) is NOT the part of the Mantra.”

“Yes, yes – that’s the Mantra…”

“This is the most popular 24-syllabled Mantra in Gayathri Chandus. Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says, amongst poetic meters I am the Gayathri….Rajesh, I understand that Savithri Mantra is popularly known as Gayathri Mantra. But I wanted to clarify your misconception so that you don’t propagate wrong things. Let’s call it Gayathri Mantra, I don’t have any problems…”I smiled.

“Yes…yes…The internationally renowned scientist Dr.Howard Steingeril of Hamburg university in USA has proven in a research study the miraculous power of Gayathri Mantra, oh sorry, Savithri Mantra!”
“Rajesh, Hamburg University is in Germany…..I can’t find any records in Hamburg University site that says it did some research on Gayathri Mantra. However, I have read those articles you are mentioning here and found it as a super hoax. Nobody appears to know Dr.Howard Steingeril!”

“But what about the findings?”

“The story is a cooked-up one – a humbug. It says Gayathri Mantra produces sound frequency of 66 MHz! It’s super blunder! Since the Mantra can be heard by human ear, the sound frequency is clearly less than 20 KHz. I have learned Physics up to my graduation. To best of my knowledge, there are no instruments or non-human elements to the sound produced by this chanting, so if this were to be true, the same source (human voice) has to be producing sound at two distinct frequencies at the same time. That is also a scientific impossibility.”

“Oh, I believed that study as genuine and forwarded to hundreds of people!”

“This is the biggest mistake all Hindus do. They do not cross-check, verify or at least try to learn our science. Instead they propagate fake science floated by people with vested interest! There are Hindu-haters who cleverly plant few theories as scientifically true! These are Trojan horses. There are two ulterior motives here: (1) To make mockery of Hindu literature. (2) To divert Hindus from the real science of Vedic scriptures. When our ancestors have clearly proven science of Savithri or Gayathri Mantra, why should we seek support of fake sciences?”

“Okay. But is it true that Gayathri will elevate you as a person and soul? Gurus say that the resulting positive energy vibrations of the Mantra can make you healthy, wealthy and what not?” Rajesh asked.
“Rajesh, no wonder our youngsters, students and progressive thinkers are moving away from Hinduism. Both Vedic science and modern science do not approve things like soul (http://udaypai.in/soulmates-souls-and-other-funny-thin…/) or positive energy (http://udaypai.in/positive-and-negative-energy-your-co…/). Energy is neither positive nor negative. Either you should follow our Vedic scriptures or modern science. Don’t follow beliefs. Why do you want to get teased from the scientific community?”

“You mean to say Gayathri Mantra is useless?”

“On the contrary, Gayathri Mantra is a very special and everybody in this universe MUST recite and practice it for its real meaning and significance…If it is useless, why would I recite it?”
“Udayji, can you explain about it with a scientific temperament?”

“Gayathri Mantra is NOT a prayer to any God and doesn’t belong to any cult, caste or religion. It is a universal Mantra and everyone must practice it…”

“Yeah, you already told that…What is its real meaning?”

“Gayathri Mantra is for seeking and gaining INTUTIONAL and INSPIRATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. The intuitional and inspirational intelligence will tell you what to do when you don’t know what to do!!!”

“Wow – Really, how come?”

“When you face a life-time crisis, the knowledge you develop from schools and colleges won’t help you. In a life crisis, higher mathematical formula or physics derivation won’t come for rescue. All the knowledge you gained will remain stored as information in your brain. It won’t transform you. You need something to protect you when you are in crisis…”

“What can protect us?”

“The word meaning of Gayathri is “Gayantaam traayate iti Gayathri” = that which protects its singer. Effectively, Gayathri is something that protects those who seek deluge in it.”

“How is it possible?”

“Let’s analyze the Mantra. Before reciting Gayathri Mantra, you say “Om Bhuh Bhuvah Suvah”. Bhuv is earthly, means body related. Bhuva is in semi-conscious state, meaning dreaming state. Suvah is sukham (happy) that is in Sushupti (deep sleep). Om is crossing over of all these three states to a fourth state which in Sanskrit is known as Thuriya. The fourth state is crossing-over the mind.”

“Udayji, you always give different meaning, totally different from what we are normally taught…”

“I need logic. Our ancestors or sages were rational thinkers. It’s all in the scriptures. So why should I follow some Godmen’s teachings which are coined to exploit the followers? According to learnt scholars the true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how to behave when we don’t know what to do. This, exactly, is what Gayathri chanting provides you”

“OK, please continue to explain in your own way, Udayji…”

“Now, everybody knows that Om has 64 meanings – so I don’t have to explain that here. When we say, Aum Bhuh Bhuvah Suvah, we are addressing the real life energy – the cosmic intelligence – which is present in all four states. Now come to the Mantra. Tat means that. That energy which is inside you is everywhere. In Sanskrit the whole, all inclusive energy was called Brahmam. We don’t know or we can’t define Brahmam. So, to make it simple, our ancestors have shown us the clear and present representative of that energy – Sun! The Hymns says, that source which inspires and illuminates everything, let it inspire our intellect too….There is no Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Buddha is involved. Gayathri mantra is seeking the inspirational intuitional intelligence from the cosmic energy. The 24 Syllables of it is the WIFI code to get connected to the network called cosmic consciousness.”

“But everybody can’t approve it…”

“Even rationalists and scientists now support the theory that there is a cosmic consciousness. We are just praying to it to enlighten our Buddhi (intellect)! At least, while reciting, we accept that our intelligence can be inspired, it kills our ego and develop humbleness in us…For those who believe Sun or any God (being), they can translate the Mantra in this way: We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may it enlighten our minds. Here, please note that, like all Vedic Mantras, this is NOT a singular selfish prayer. When we pray, we pray for all…”

“Most of the people consider it as a prayer to Sun. Hence it is known as Surya Gayathri…”
“Yes, it is addressed to the visible Sun, internally it is also directed at the absolute reality of which we are all sparks.”

“What are the benefits of Gayathri Mantra?”

“For me, it kills my ego. I have just useless intellect and I need the source to inspire it. It also proves that I am connected. What more I need? According to people who are experimenting with it, like all Mantras, Gayathri has neuro-linguistic effects on us. I have discussed about it in various articles (See my website http://udaypai.in/). With proper meter and pronunciation, the sound activates some parts of the limbic system in the brain. The moment we go beyond brain (aka mind) it gets us connected to a higher conscious state. This is something we cannot describe or define. It’s just an experience. And that experience varies from person to person hence cannot be taken as empirical evidence in the realm of science. So you have to experience the experience of it by reciting the mantra in a proper way in a proper time.”

“Okay. I understand that various cults, Gurus and Godmen misused this Mantra for their tangible benefits. According to our ancestors, what was the real purpose of reciting Gayathri?”

“Prathyaksha Para Bramha Rishihi, Devi Gaythri Chandhah Asana Pranayame Viniyogaha – meaning when a person practices this Mantra in proper Yoga-Asana with Pranayama (breath control), he/she cannot only understand the Bramhan, but can also become the Brahmam.”

“Beautiful explanation, is there any restriction – gender or caste wise – in reciting this Mantra?”

“It’s a foolish question. Vedic scriptures NEVER discriminates human being on ANY basis. Anyone and everyone can say it. However, the best time to chant it is sunrise, but if that is not possible, any time before sunset is also appropriate. It’s because Sun is the visible source of all energy. So it would be easier for ordinary people like us to relate with or get connected to. That doesn’t mean you can’t recite it in night. Anyone can recite it anytime. However, the different timings provide different experience.”

“How much time should I recite it?”

“I usually recite 108 times. It will yield better result if you recite at least for 24 minutes. The logic is simple – The actual Gayathri consists of 24 Syllables as follows: Each line consists 8 syllables. 3 x 8 = 24. You can’t recite it repeatedly 108 times within 24 seconds. And you can’t continue reciting for 24 hours too. Hence make it 24 minutes! However, there are no hard and fast rules here. It’s up to you to decide.”