Re: Gayatri Mahatmya
page 15
gAyatrI mahiman: greatness of the gAyatrI
01. ChAndogya upaniShad says:
गायत्री वा इदँ सर्वं भूतं यदिदं किञ्च वाग्वै गायत्री वाग्वा
इदँ सर्वं भूतं गायति च त्रायते च ॥३.१२.१॥
या वै सा गायत्रीयं वाव सा येयं पृथिव्यस्याँ
हीदँ सर्वं भूतं प्रतिष्ठतमेतामेव नातिशीयते ॥३.१२.२॥
या वै सा पृथिवीयं वाव सा यदिदमस्मिन्पुरुषे
शरीरमस्मिन्हीमे प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयन्ते ॥३.१२.३॥
यद्वै तत्पुरुषे शरीरमिदं वाव तद्यदिदमस्मिन्नन्तः
पुरुषे हृदयमस्मिन्हीमे प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयन्ते ॥३.१२.४॥
सैषा चतुष्पदा षड्विधा गायत्री तदेतदृचाभ्यनूक्तम् ॥३.१२.५॥
तावानस्य महिमा ततो ज्यायाँश्च पूरुषः ।
पादोऽस्य सर्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिविइति ॥३.१२.६॥
gAyatrI vA ida~M sarvaM bhUtaM yadidaM ki~jcha vAgvai gAyatrI vAgvA
ida~M sarvaM bhUtaM gAyati cha trAyate cha ||3.12.1||
yA vai sA gAyatrIyaM vAva sA yeyaM pRuthivyasyA~M
hIda~M sarvaM bhUtaM pratiShThatametAmeva nAtishIyate ||3.12.2||
yA vai sA pRuthivIyaM vAva sA yadidamasminpuruShe
sharIramasminhIme prANAH pratiShThitA etadeva nAtishIyante ||3.12.3||
yadvai tatpuruShe sharIramidaM vAva tadyadidamasminnantaH
puruShe hRudayamasminhIme prANAH pratiShThitA etadeva nAtishIyante ||3.12.4||
saiShA chatuShpadA ShaDvidhA gAyatrI tadetadRuchAbhyanUktam ||3.12.5||
tAvAnasya mahimA tato jyAyA~Mshcha pUruShaH |
pAdo&sya sarvA bhUtAni tripAdasyAmRutaM diviiti ||3.12.6||
Tr: svAmi SvAhAnanda (RK Mission publication):
3.12.1: gAyatrI indeed is all this, whatever being exists. Speech indeed is gAyatrI, for speech indeed sings and removes fear of all this that exists.
3.12.2: That which is this gAyatrI, even that is this earth; for on this earth are all the beings established and they do not transcend it.
3.12.3: That which is this earth (as gAyatrI), even that is this, i.e., this body in respect of this person; for these senses are indeed established in this body and they do not transcend it.
3.12.4: That which is the body in respect of a person, even that is (identical with) the heart within the body; for these senses are indeed established in it and they do not transcend it.
3.12.5: This well-known gAyatrI is four-footed and sixfold. This gAyatrI Brahman is thus expressed in the following Rk.
[The gAyatrI is sixfold in the shape of speech, beings, earth, body, heart and prANa. Though speech and prANa are mentioned to show the relation of gAyatrI and the heart with all beings, it is taken as a form of the gAyatrI. The four feet of the gAyatrI are beings, earth, body and heart. This also is stated for the purpose of meditation.]
3.12.6: Such is the greatness of this (Brahman called gAyatrI). The PuruSha--Person, is even greater than this. All this world is a quarter in Him, the other three quarters of His (constitute) immortality in heaven.
[There is no division in Brahman; but to make it clear that compared to the phenomenal world Brahman is infinite, the parts are assumed and it is said that Brahman emanates only in only one part whereas in the other parts It is immortal or unchangeable.]
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02. Shankara bhAShya of sage VyAsa's brahma-sUtra says:
Tr: svAmi SivAnanda:
1.1.25: If it be said that Brahman is not denoted on account of the metre gAyatrI being denoted, we reply not so, because thus i.e. by means of the metre the application of the mind on Brahman is declared; because thus it is seen (in other passages also).
Brahman is meditated upon as gAyatrI. By this explanation all become consistent. If gAyatrI meant metre then it would be impossible to say of it that "gAyatrI is everything whatsoever here exists" because certainly the metre is not everything. Therefore the Sutra says "tatha hi darshnam"-—so we see. By such an explanation only the above passage gives a consistent meaning.
The direction of the mind is declared in the text 'gAyatrI is all this'. The passage instructs that by means of the metre gAyatrI the mind is to be directed on Brahman which is connected with that metre.
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03. manusmRti says:
ओंकारपूर्विकास्तिस्रो महाव्याहृतयोऽव्ययाः ।
त्रिपदा चैव सावित्री विज्ञेयं ब्रह्मणो मुखम् ॥२.८१॥
यो अधीते अहन्यहन्येतां त्रीणि वर्षाण्यतन्द्रितः ।
स ब्रह्म परमभ्येति वायुभूतः खमूर्तिमान् ॥२.८२॥
oMkArapUrvikAstisro mahAvyaahRutayo&vyayAH |
tripadA chaiva sAvitrI vij~jeyaM brahmaNo mukham ||2.81||
yo adhIte ahanyahanyetAM trINi varShANyatandritaH |
sa brahma paramabhyeti vaayubhUtaH khamUrtimAn ||2.82||
2.81: Know that three imperishable mahAvyAhRutis, preceded by the syllable AUM, and (followed) by the three-footed SAvitrI are the portal of the Veda and the gate leading to (union with) Brahman.
2.82: He who daily recites that (verse), untired, during three years, will enter (after death) the highest Brahman, move as free as air, and assume an ethereal form.
• Manu (about the gAyatrI mahimA) says:
manuSmRti also says:
सहस्रकृत्वस्त्वभ्यस्य बहिरेतत्त्रिकं द्विजः ।
महतोऽप्येनसो मासात्त्वचैवाहिर्विमुच्यते ॥
sahasrakRutvastvabhyasya bahiretattrikaM dvijaH |
mahato&pyenaso maasAttvachaivAhirvimuchyate ||2.79||
"If a man does japam--litany of the gAyatrI mantra for a month at one thousand times per day (in places such as the river banks or jungles), with the praNava (AUM) and the vyAhRtutis (bhUrbhuvasvaH), he will be freed from his great sins, like a snake from its slough."
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04. shrI KRShNa says in his bhagavad gItA:
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥१०.३५॥
bRuhatsAma tathA sAmnAM gAyatrI ChandasAmaham |
mAsAnAM mArgashIrSho&hamRutUnAM kusumAkaraH ||10.35||
10.35: Further, I am BRhatsAma, the Great Chant, of the chants. I am gAyatrI of the metres. I am mArgashIrSha of the months. I am spring of the seasons.
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(to continue...)
रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥
To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.
--viShNu purANam
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