Hari
Om
Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation
For the next stage of our investigation on
meditation, we are going to study - and practice! - japa as a means to tame the
mind and we shall investigate the Gayatri Mantra.
For
a further insight as to the meaning and intent of the Gayatri Mantra, we find a
story in the Taittiriiya aarranyaka about the arghya - the water offering to
the sun; in an island called Arunam ('of the dawn'), a tribe of devils called
Mana-dehas live. These devils each morning, in hoards, conquer space and reash
almost near the sun, threatening to destry Him. Then the water thrown by the
gaayatrii japists becomes like lighting in its strength and the devils get
struck by that, retreating into their island home. This happens every morning.
Such
a story seems like a fairytale to our modern thinking. However, as with all
good fairytales, analogies are to be drawn. Mind (mana) and body (deha) are the
sources of our activities and they, with their likes and dislikes, emotions and
appetites, passions and cravings, bring out from us a host of passionate animal
instincts which try to conquer and destroy the spiritual essence within us… the
Brahman, the Sun in us. The essential brilliance of the human intellect thus
gets clouded by the approaching instincts. It is the Gaayatrii-japa which helps
to keep them at bay!
There
was a time when only this mantra was chanted in the morning. As the history
progressed and more authors came along, the addition of suutras and aagamas
were added to morning ritual in order to honour various devatas, not least
being the triputi, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Each of these also had gayatri
mantras. What is more, there came a time when it was put forward that The
Gayatri, the great prayer, was actually to the goddess, Mother of Vedas, and
there is a belief among some that the chanting of this Gayatri means they have,
to all intents and purposes, chanted the whole of the Vedas.
As
happens in society, over the years many interesting, if somewhat irrational,
beliefs have arisen in regard to the mantra and its efficacy. Indeed, what is
said about this or that mantra is often a claim close the medicinal. For
example, if scared of the dark, chant the Gayatri to bring inner light to
conquer the fright. If one is on the bed sick, others chanting around one will
bring a blanket of health; if one is embarking on a new venture, chant eleven
times - if an obstacle met, chant another sixteen times… such things as this
are not unsurprising as the very meaning of 'gayatri' is "protects him who
chants it".
Many
and varied are the claims made. It is this which has caused mantras to be
considered as 'spells'. However, one must not be disparaging; whilst the direct
claims such as these may be filled with creative delusion, the simple and
proven fact is that japa of the gayatri brings a sense of calm and focus and
that has to be a good thing. In calm and focused balance we find that we cope
better and handle situations more dextrously and in general life is better. The
specific claims may be a bit daft, but the essence of purpose and place for the
mantra is deeply significant and to be embraced fully.
