GayatriMantra

The Sound of Divine Light

Aja

Gayatri Mantra

The Sound of Divine Light

Aja

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Gayatri MantraThe Sound of Divine Light

© 2002 Atma Institute

A note on transliteration: Many of the words used in this bookare Sanskrit, which when transliterated into Roman (or En-glish) letters requires the use of diacritical markings. Thus,Gayatri would actually be written GAyatrI. However, for easeof reading and writing, we have left off the diacritical marks, inmost case, with the exception of the words in the Gayatri man-tra itself. For exact pronunciation of the Sanskrit of Gayatri,see the pronunciation guide at the end.

The picture on the cover is of Gayatri Devi, theGoddess who personifies the Gayatri Mantra.

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Portland, OR 97231(503) 690-9513

www.ATMAinstitute.org

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Table of Contents

What is Mantra? ............................................ 4

What is Gayatri?............................................ 5

Meaning of Gayatri ....................................... 7

Why Chant Gayatri Mantra? ..................... 10

Who should chant Gayatri? ........................ 12

When to Chant Gayatri and How Much ... 15

How to Chant Gayatri ................................. 19

Gayatri - The All Purpose Mantra ............. 20

Where to chant Gayatri .............................. 22

Quotes on Gayatri ........................................ 24

Pronunciation of Sanskrit ........................... 28

Additional Resources ................................... 29

About the Author ......................................... 30

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What is Mantra?

First, we should consider the nature of mantra itself.The word Mantra comes from two roots: Man,referring to the mind or thinking process; and tra, toprotect. Thus a mantra is a particular sound vibrationor combination of sound vibrations which whenrepeated or meditated upon, utilizing the thinkingprocess, creates a certain resonance which protectsthe mind from its incessant ramblings. In other words,through the use of a particular vibratory formula, themind is brought to one pointedness. If you observethe mind for a moment, you will find that it is constantlymoving, pulling us one way or another, and arises asinnumerable desires pulling you in every directionaccording to the whims of the senses. The BhagavadGita states: “Above the objects of the senses is themind; above the mind is the buddhi or intelligence;and above the intelligence is ‘He’, meaning either theindividual Self or Supreme Self.” The mind is thusattached to the senses. But through wisdom orintelligence, it can be controlled by use of mantra.Secondly, the very vibrations of these ancient mantrashave a particular effect. Everyone knows the differencebetween sound vibrations. The sweet sound of asymphony has a very different effect from the soundof fingernails on a blackboard. Even a single instrumentlike the violin can have a very soothing effect or anannoying one, depending upon whose hands hold and

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play it. Similarly, the sounds of speech and particularlymantra have a very powerful effect. Those mantraswhich have been given for the healing, purification,and enlightenment of humanity have a supremelybeneficial effect on all levels of consciousness.

What is Gayatri?

The Sanskrit word Gayatri, like ‘mantra’, comes fromtwo roots: gaya, and tra. Gaya means to sing, and traor tri (feminine form) is that which protects. So Gayatrimeans that which protects or saves the singer.

Gayatri mantra is the most well known and used man-tra of all time. It is known by various names includingSavitri (referring to the sun), Vedamata (Mother ofthe Vedas), and the Guru mantra, as it is traditionallygiven at the time of initiation. It is also one of theoldest mantras and originally appears in both the RigVeda and Yajur Veda.

Besides being a particular verse, Gayatri is also a meterof 24 syllables in which hundreds of verses may befound, generally to the various manifestations of theGods and Goddesses. Thus you will find various ShivaGayatris, Ganesh Gayatris, Lakshmi Gayatris, VishnuGayatris, etc. But for our purposes, we will bespeaking of the original Gayatri or Savitri Gayatri.

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A somewhat unique aspect of Gayatri is that it is botha mantra and a prayer. Generally speaking, a mantramay not have inherent meaning, that is, it is a uniquecombination of sound vibrations which when recitedcreate a particular resonance and thus have particulareffects. This is also the case with Gayatri, however,Gayatri is also a prayer, having a meaning which canbe understood by the reciter. It is in fact a prayer tothe Divine to enlighten us. Thus, Gayatri is both aninvocation to, and vibrationally resonates as the DivineLight of the Absolute!

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Meaning of Gayatri

So, let’s look at Gayatri mantra itself. The mosttraditional way of chanting Gayatri is as follows:

`-U-uRv> Sv>

tTsivtuvRre{y<-gaeR devSy xImih

ixyae yae n> àcaedyat!om

bh¨r bhuva× sva×tat savitur vareõyaÕ

bhargo devasya dhŸmahidhiyo yo na× pracoday˜t

What follows is a very brief description of each word.Sanskrit is such that nearly every word has multiplemeanings and a literal translation, although possible,falls far short of the true depth and beauty of the actualmeaning.

(For exact pronunciation seeSanskrit Pronunciation Guide on page 28.)

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om God, the primordial sound

from which all originates,

bh¨× The earthly plane,

bhuva× The heavenly plane,

sva× The causal plane,

tat The Absolute. Or “That”,

savitu× Traditionally ‘Of the Sun’,

but also ‘Of God’, the

Source of all,

vareõyaÕ Worshippable,

bharga× The Divine Light; that which

is ever expanding,

devasya Of God, Of the Divine,

dhŸmahi Let us meditate upon,

dhiya× Our wisdom, intelligence

(buddhi), our meditation,

ya× Who,

na× us,

pracoday˜t Enlightens, enthuses,

awakens, quickens

(The Sanskrit words of Gayatri above are shown intheir grammatically original forms, not necessarily asthey appear in the mantra.)

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The first three words after OM, (i.e. bh¨r bhuva×sva×) are called ‘Mahavyahriti’, and in their mostsimplistic definition refer to three states of existence:earthly, astral, causal. However, sometimes the mantrais expanded to include a full seven levels of existence:bhur bhuvah svah maha jana tapa satyam, which aresequentially higher and subtler states of existence. Thegeneral idea is that the Lord is present in and as, andoversees all states of existence. Thus a generaltranslation for Gayatri as prayer is:

Om, let us meditate upon that SupremeLord of all existence, the WorshippableDivine Effulgence and Source of all that is,that He may enliven, awaken and enlightenour intelligence.

(Although I’ve used the masculine ‘He’, Gayatri mantraitself is deified as a female energy or Shakti. In fact,one of the beauties of Gayatri is that everyone chantsit. It belongs to no particular sect or group. Anyone ofany spiritual tradition can benefit by chanting it. It isused by followers of Shiva, Vishnu, various tantriktraditions, shaktas, bhaktas, everyone. In fact, since itis non-specific, there would be nothing wrong withChristians, Jews, Muslims, or anyone else takingadvantage of it.)

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Why Chant Gayatri Mantra?

This is perhaps the key question. There are so manypossible paths that one may take for both material andspiritual success. Why should one choose to chant anymantra at all and particularly Gayatri mantra? Asmentioned before, the mind’s nature is restless andunsteady. Its tendency is to go outward toward thevarious sense objects, as well as to dwell oninnumerable concepts. The Gita says that the mind ofthe resolute is one-pointed, while the mind of others ismany branched. Mantra brings that focus. Gayatriparticularly brings that focus. Moreover, Gayatri bringsstrength and stamina. In this regard there is a storyconcerning Gayatri mantra:

Manu (one of the fathers of mankind) wished to learnall of the Vedas without studying. With this end in mindhe began to worship Lord Indra, the king of heaven.Finally, Lord Indra appeared and asked what Manuwanted. Manu explained that he wished to know allthe Vedas but without studying them. Indra laughed athis request and told Manu it was impossible.Undaunted, Manu continued and even deepened hisausterities until Indra appeared again, stated his requestonce more, and once more was told it was impossible.The next day, as Manu walked along the beach, hesaw a man throwing rocks into the sea. After sometime, he asked the man what his purpose was. The

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man replied that he was trying to fill up the sea. Manulaughed at the man and asked, “Is it possible to fill upthe sea by throwing small stones into it?” To whichthe man replied, “Certainly it is as possible as knowingall the Vedas without reading them!” Manuimmediately realized that this was Indra and finallyunderstood that his request was not possible. However,he asked Indra if there was some technique by whichhe could more easily learn the Vedas. Indra replied,“Yes. If you wish to have the knowledge of the Vedas,then first chant Gayatri mantra. It will wipe away yourlaziness, give you enthusiasm, sharpen your intellectand make you cheerful all the time. Within a few daysyou will be a new person, and by its power you willquickly learn the Vedas.”

Gayatri mantra is considered the Mother of all theVedas, and that they are all contained within theGayatri. The vibrational resonance of Gayatri purifiesthe chanter in his body, mind, and consciousness. Itawakens Divine enthusiasm. Over many millions oflifetimes we have accumulated innumerable samskarasand vasanas or desires and tendencies. Chanting ofGayatri helps to eliminate these accumulated impuri-ties, known as karmas.

In addition, Gayatri is said to give second birth. Thefirst birth is when one is born into the material body.The second birth (dvija), is the spiritual birth byinitiation into Gayatri mantra by which one is said to

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be qualified to study the spiritual scriptures and beginthe spiritual path in earnest. By chanting the Gayatrimantra, the mind turns toward the Divine. Like amirror, the mind and intelligence is wiped clean andthe Absolute can shine in its purity.

The Gayatri is also a mantra for all purposes. Firstand foremost it is a mantra for illuminating andenlightening. But Gayatri is also considered to be ofimmense benefit for physical healing, protection,material advancement, and wisdom. Indeed, there isno one who would not benefit by the regular chantingof Gayatri mantra with love and faith.

Who should chant Gayatri?

Overall, everyone should chant Gayatri, as it bringsbenefit not only to the chanter, but to those aroundthem, and even the environment. Traditionally, in India,the child is given Gayatri initiation when they are at acertain age, depending on their family background,anywhere from the age of 7 years upward, as they begintheir education. It should be understood that in theancient Vedic tradition, education was understood tobe both spiritual and material as learning to read, forinstance, incorporated reading the scriptures.However, it is never to late to begin chanting Gayatri

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One of the biggest questions that arises regarding thechanting of mantra is whether one can chant a mantrawithout being properly initiated into it. Initiation (ordiksha) is when the mantra is given to the candidateby someone who is qualified or an adept in the mantra- generally a spiritual teacher or guru.

Nowadays, particularly in the West, the whole principleof accepting a guru is either misunderstood or lookedupon with mistrust. Because of our independentnatures (which is what got us in trouble in the firstplace) we feel that we can do everything ourselveswithout any help. But in what field of endeavor canone make progress without the help of someone whohas been there? Whether one wants to become anartisan, a lawyer, doctor, homemaker, farmer - justabout anything - the wisdom of someone deeplyexperienced in that field is appreciated if not absolutelymandatory. How much more then in an area that isactually beyond the mind’s concepts. The spiritual pathis compared to a razor’s edge, because it is a slenderpath with many obstacles, and one slip can meandisaster. The assistance of a teacher who has treadthe path should not be undervalued!

In addition, when it comes to mantra, there are severalmore things to take into consideration. First, is theactual pronunciation. Mantra is a science of sound,and just like anyone can pick up the violin, what soundemanates from that violin is a result of understanding,

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good instruction, and practice. Mispronunciation ofmantra can be disastrous. Of course, the mostimportant thing is chanting it with faith and love, whichcan overcome many mispronciations. However, if onecan chant it with faith and love, and pronounce itcorrectly as well, how much greater the benefit.

Secondly, the spiritual teacher comes in a lineage whichis invested with spiritual power. It is compared to anelectric current. You can plug an appliance into anyoutlet, but if that outlet is not connected to the electricalcurrent, it won’t do you much good. Through the factthat the teacher has been initiated into that mantra,has practiced it and recognized the Absolute nature ofit themselves, they can give not only the words, butthe Shakti or energy of the mantra as well. Often thestudent will give their mala (chanting beads) to theteacher to chant the mantra on, thus energizing themwith spiritual shakti as well.

There is a story about a king who asks his guru abouta particular mantra saying that he has heard about itfrom another source and should he chant it. The gurusays this is fine, but that it lacks potency unless receivedfrom the proper source. When the king asks, “Howcan that be? The mantra is the mantra. Why would itmatter where it comes from?”

At this point the guru yelled to the king’s guards andordered them to arrest and imprison the king. The

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king sat stupified, and of course the guards did nothing,just staring at the guru. The guru again yelled at theguards to arrest the king. Now the king became angryand himself yelled at the guards to arrest the guru,which they immediately did. The guru immediatelystarted laughing and said to the king, “My Lord, hereis the answer to your question. We both gave the sameinstruction to the guards, using the same words.However, when I spoke them, they had no potency,whereas when you spoke, they immediately had aneffect. The same is true with mantra!”

So, although one can learn to chant the mantra throughbooks and tapes, one should not overlook theopportunity to receive it from a teacher who hassimilarly received it in lineage, recognized its shaktiand can pass that along.

When to Chant Gayatri and How Much

The simple answer to this question is always and asmuch as possible. The more one can meditate andchant on Gayatri, the more effect it will have. In fact,some scriptures give various numbers, saying that onemantra will relieve immediate karma; 108 mantras willrelieve the sins of the day; 1000 all the sins of the month,and so forth, up to so many will eradicate all the sinsof all the accumulated lifetimes.

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However, with that in mind, there are certain timesthat are considered more efficacious than others. Thereare three times of the day that are especiallyadvantageous: early morning (that is right before andaround dawn); noon; and the time around sunset. Theearly morning is especially considered beneficial. Thistime from about 45 minutes prior to and up to dawn iscalled Brahma Muhurta, and is considered the mostauspicious time for spiritual practice. At this time,everything is quiet, the world is not yet moving, andone can dive deeply into their practice.

As far as the number of times one chants it, that is upto the practitioner. Obviously, the minimum numberis once a day. Some say 10 times per sitting. For most,the minimum is considered to be one mala.

A mala is a rosary of 108 beads plus a 109th bead(which isn’t chanted upon). One begins on one of thebeads on either side of the 109th bead (often called ahead bead, guru bead, or meru bead) and chants onemantra on each bead until they have completed thecircle of 108. Then if one is going to continue, onewould turn the beads around and go back. It isconsidered inauspicious to use the index finger, so thebeads are generally rolled between the thumb andmiddle finger. One can make these beads themselves(often they are knotted between each bead), or onecan purchase premade malas of sandalwood, lotus

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seeds, rudraksha beads, tulsiwood, rosewood, crystal,etc. Each material has a particular vibration and isoften associated with a particular intention, result orjust a particular school of thought.

Chanting Gayatri for one mala (108 times) takesanywhere from about 10 to 30 minutes, depending onthe speed. Of course, the idea is not to get them overwith, but to deeply meditate on the sound and meaning.However, naturally as one becomes familiar with themantra, one can chant more quickly, without losingconcentration. Often times this becomes an issue ifone is wanting to do anusthana or purascharana, whichis chanting the mantra a specific number of times. Forinstance, it is often considered that one achieves siddhior perfection of the Gayatri by chanting it 125,000times, or some say one lakh of mantras per syllable inthe mantra. A lakh is 100,000. Gayatri has 24 syllables,so it would be 24 x 100,000 or 2,400,000. By chantingthe Gayatri 10 malas per day (about 1-1/2 to 3 hoursworth), this can be achieved much quicker. Somesources say that if you cant 1000 GAyatrIs daily (10malas) for 40 days, one becomes radiant. However,in the beginning it is best to start with a number onecan handle and gradually work up. So most peoplecan handle doing one mala a day. They should stick tothis strictly, and then perhaps add one mala in theevening. Gradually increase to two malas, and so forth.Between those specific times, throughout the day onecan chant mentally while doing anything else and

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bringing the consciousness back to the Absolute.

There are a few other times at which it is beneficial tochant. Some recommend chanting while showering orbathing. Traditionally, it is not uncommon to see sadhusin India chanting Gayatri while semi-submerged in ariver. There are a number of types of baths and waterbath is one and mental bath is another. Mental bath isperformed by chanting mantras, so if one is bathingwith mantra while bathing with water they are purifyingthemselves both inside and out.

Before one eats or drinks it is very effective to chantGayatri mantra several times. Holding the hands eitherin prayerful mood (with palms together) or on eitherside of the food, one can chant the mantra while lettingthe vibrations of the mantra spiritualize the food. Infact, holding a glass of water and chanting Gayatrimantra over it makes it a potent medicine and purifyingagent.

Finally, if one hasn’t been chanting it the rest of theday anyway, as one retires for the evening it can beespecially powerful to recite Gayatri as you take yourrest, allowing the vibrations to carry you into sleep.

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How to Chant Gayatri

Basically, there are 3 ways to chant Gayatri: loudly,quietly (just under the breath), and mentally. Somesources say that chanting Gayatri as japa (quietly, underthe breath) is 10 times more potent than chantingloudly, and that chanting mentally is 1000 times greaterthan that. However, chanting with faith and devotionis greatest of all, at whatever volume one chants. Thereis a story of a saint who received a mantra from hisguru and was told not to speak it aloud or tell anyoneas it would grant liberation. The saint immediately wentoutside and started yelling the mantra to everyone andtelling them to chant it. When the guru angrily cameout and insisted on knowing what he was doing, thesaint said that since the mantra granted liberation, hewanted everyone to have it. The guru was very pleasedby his new disciples deeper understanding.

In addition to the volume of chanting, or lack thereofwhen chanting mentally, one can also direct the mantra,or in other words, chant it in various locations inconsciousness. Shantimayi suggests a method called“Descending the Mantra” whereby one starts bychanting it at the tip of the tongue, then in the throat,thirdly at the heart, and finally at the solar plexus,chanting the same number at each place beforecontinuing to the next. Another method is to focusthe mantra in the chakras or subtle centers of the body

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going up, from the root chakra up to the crown of thehead. This is similar to a kriya yoga technique. Orone could simply focus at the third eye or in the heartand hold the attention there.

If one is chanting for a long period, particularly in themorning, it can be helpful to sometimes speed up orslow down. If one is beginning to feel sleepy, then speedup and chant quickly and more vigously for some time.Also, if one is chanting it mentally and beginning todrift, chant it out loud for some time. However, if oneis chanting out loud, and notice that their thoughts arebeginning to wander even though chanting, try mentallychanting the mantra, as that tends to take more mentaleffort and helps to eradicate extraneous thoughts.

Gayatri - The All Purpose Mantra

First and foremost, Gayatri is meant to remove karmas,cleanse and purify the mind, and awaken us to ourtrue transcendental nature. However, due to itsinherent power it has other benefits as well. Wheneverthere is a true need, one would do well to turn first toGayatri mantra as a remedial measure. It can be usedfor health, awakening, prosperity and all around generalwell being.

For the benefit of oneself, it can be chanted in the ways

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mentioned above (quietly, loudly, etc.). For others, itmay also be chanted in the same way, either in thepresence of that person, or keeping the person withinyour awareness as you chant, or by chanting in frontof a photo or some possession of theirs.

For specific purposes, often the addition of certain bIjaor seed mantras are added at the end. For instance:For wealth and general prosperity chant the Gayatrias usual but add at the end the seed mantra forprosperity three times: çréà çréà çréà

For general health, add at the end the phrase: aiàoà hüm namaùFor diseases relating to kapha or pitta problems add:aiàFor disease related to vAta problems add: hümFor increased memory and intelligence add: aiàFor increased sense of peace, add: çaà

Gayatri HomaA homa is a particular kind of Vedic fire ceremony,wherein ghee, grains and cow dung are burnt in aspecial vessel known as a homa kunda. There are awide variety of mantras used in such homas, but oneof the most powerful for spiritual awakening, andespecially for the purification of the participants andthe environment is Gayatri Homa. This Gayatri Homais not particularly difficult. Once a small fire has beenstarted using small pieces of cow dung dipped in ghee,then the Gayatri mantra is chanted, followed each timeby the word svAhA, accompanied

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by the offering of either a spoonful of pure ghee, orrice (and/or other grains mixed) with ghee. This maybe done 108 times (one mala), or can be continued fora specific amount of time - one hour, 4 hours, all day,etc. This is a particularly potent ritual to do on fullmoon days, new moon days, during eclipses, equinoxesand solstices, or other special astrological andastronomical occurences. It is also an exceptionallybeneficial ceremony to do for healing. An added benefitis that the ash from the homa, if collected and kept ina bottle, can be used for healing (rub it on the bodywhile chanting Gayatri; bites from snakes, etc.; todispel spirits; and on plants and in the garden toimprove the soil and strengthen the plants.

Where to chant Gayatri

Although chanting Gayatri is always beneficial, thereare said to be certain times and places where it is morebeneficial. Everyone is aware that spiritual aspirantshave traditionally gone to forests, hermitages temples,and so forth to perform their practices. This is in largepart because these places are already more peacefulor in the mode of goodness (satva). In the Vedicteachings there are three modes or qualities of nature:satva (goodness) characterized by lightness, purity,happiness and wisdom; rajas (passion) characterizedby strong desire, movement, expectations, fiery nature,etc.;

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and tamas (darkness) characterized by lethargy,darkness, and ignorance. All places are in one or moreof these modes. Thus it is easier to perform spiritualpractice in some place which is in the mode of goodness(the forest or mountains), than in a place which is fullof passion and movement (the downtown of a majorcity for instance). When you are chanting in a placethat is characterized by the modes of passion orignorance, you’re already fighting those lower qualities.It’ s a little like trying to light a fire while someone isdripping (or pouring) water on it. So, the scriptureshave said that there is a greater amount of benefitderived by chanting in a particular place. It goessomething like this:(The units are sort of an arbitrary unit)

At Home 1 unitNear a river 2 unitsWhere cows are taken care of 10 unitsWhere Agnihotra is performed 100 unitsWhere Sages have achievedj]Ana or siddhi (perfection) 100,000 or

10,000,000 unitsIn Temples or Places of God According to

the merit ofthe place

In front of God UnlimitedWhen done on Rudraksha RosaryUnlimited

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Quotes on Gayatri

“Of the many methods of yoga one of the most potentis the yoga of Gayatri mantra. Mantras have powersto endow one with remarkable abilities. The Gayatrimantra gives the devotees spiritual as well as materialbenefits.” — Ramana Maharshi

“The way honey is the essence of flowers, and butterof milk, in the same manner Gayatri is the essence ofall the Vedas. Gayatri when realized is verily theKamadhenu - the celestial wish-fulfilling cow. Gangacleanses the sins of this worldly body; Gayatri purifiesthe soul. The worship of god bereft of Gayatri is likegoing out to beg food leaving the meals laid out be-fore you. Gayatri is the greatest means of extendingyour spiritual powers and successful accomplishmentof good ends. There is nothing greater than Gayatrifor this purpose..” — Veda Vyasa

“Even divinities like Brahma pray to Gayatri becauseGayatri makes possible the realization of Brahman.Gayatri removes from you the propensity to evil ac-tions.” — Rishi Bharadwaja

“Even fools, criminals and men with unstable mindsare

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able to attain enlightenment by the power of Gayatri.When that is so, then the worship of Gayatri by thefirm and pure minded persons will surely lead them toself knowledge and self-realisation.” — Sage Vashishtha

“It is not possible for us to describe the greatness ofGayatri. It is not possible to act in this world benefi-cently without purity of mind. This purity of mind whichbrings in enlightenment leading to self-realisation isthe result of the inspiration received from Gayatri. Theavatara of Gayatri has occurred to aid us in the eradi-cation of evil and to help increase the good.” — Jagadguru Sankaracharya

“I tell people that due to the sadhana of Gayatri hardausteries have been rendered unnecessary. The great-est of siddhis can be obtained by the japa of Gayatri.The Gayatri mantra is small but its powers immeasur-able.” — Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

“Gayatri purifies the mind. Without the purity of mindour life is of no use. Gayatri is the producer of thispurity of mind.” — Swami Vidyananda

“Of the many invaluable treasures given to us by ourrishis, Gayatri is the incomparable one. Gayatri makesmind pure and gives the light of god to the soul and

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that light releases innumerable souls from the world’sbondage. Gayatri makes man god-loving while free-ing him from worldly wants.” — Pandit Madanmohan Malaviya

“The great mantra of Gayatri has a unique contribu-tion to make in the impending new age. Its impact onthe moral and ethical renaissance of this new scien-tific-intellectual age will be unequalled, unparalleledand extraordinary.”

— Sriram Sharma Acharya

“Gayatri meditation is the highest form of meditationknown in the Vedas.” Gayatri is chanted for theattainment of universal consciousness and for theawakening of intuitive powers. (It) removes allfears...is the best cure for all ills...destroys karma andblesses us with liberation...brings healing to anysickness, be they physical, mental, emotional orspiritual.”

— Sant Keshavadas

The Gayatri mantra is central to Yoga, Vedanta,Ayurveda and Vedic astrology. For Yoga it sets inmotion the Divine will toward transformation,stimulating the Kundalini force. For Vedanta it grantsSelf-knowledge, knowledge of the solar Self. ForAyurveda it gives the power of the cosmic prana that

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is born of the sun. For Jyotish it gives knowledge ofthe movements of the heavenly bodies ruled by thecosmic sun.

— Vama Shashtri (David Frawley)

Pronunciation of Sanskrit

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Vowelsa like in butä like in fatheri like in piné like in peeku like in putü like in poolå like in trickè like in treee like in hayai like in aisleo like in hopeau like in house

aà nasalized closing of mouthaù a slight breathy echoing of the precedingvowel

ConsonantsMost consonants are pronounced as in English.However, consonants have an aspirated and nonaspirated form. The non-aspirated is said withminimal breath, while the aspirated with muchbreath.ka is pronounced like cupca is pronounced like chumta, tha, da, dha, and na are pronounced with thetongue at the teeth whileTa, Tha, Da, Dha and Na are pronounced withthe tongue curled slightly back about 1/2 inchfrom the teeth.

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ça is pronounced like sh as in the German wordsprechenxa is pronounced like the English shut

ì is pronounced like singï is pronounced like ny

jïa is pronounced like gya

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Additional Resources:

Mantra - the Power of Soundby AjaBooklet and 60 minute TapeWith mantras in original sanskrit, transliteration, andtranslation. Covers pronunciation of Sanskrit,invocational mantra, healing mantras, gayatri mantras,mahamrtyunjaya mantra, planetary mantras, and more.$20.00 Postpaid within the United States and Canada(Add $5.00 elsewhere)

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About the AuthorAja has been a student, explorerand teacher in the areas of body,mind and consciousness for overtwenty years. After intensive study,he was ordained as a Vedic Priestin India in 1975, in the BrahmaMadhva Gaudiya Vaishnava

sampradaya or lineage - an unbroken line of teachersgoing back to Lord Krishna. In addition, Aja has re-ceived a Doctorate of Naturopathy Degree from theInternational University in 1984, and in 1990 receivedthe title of Sanskrit Adhyapaka (Teacher of Sanskrit)from the American Sanskrit Institute. Over the yearshe has extensively researched both Eastern and West-ern teachings on spirituality, religion and transcen-dence, personally explored the realms of conscious-ness and awakening and authored several books onhealth, spirituality and consciousness. In 1990, throughself inquiry, he experienced a permanent shift in hisperception of reality, recognizing that Self of Abso-lute Consciousness from which all arises, and whichpermeates all things.

For additional information or to bring Aja to yourarea, contact:

ATMA Institute10235 NW Cornelius Pass Rd.

Portland, Oregon 97231(503) 690-9513

www.ATMAinstitute.org

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