Gayathri Upasana
The main deity of the Brahmadarsana is Gayatri. Gayatri is the Mother of Vedas- Vedamata. Though Gayatri stands for Thrimurthis or Pancha Brahmas, Brahma the creator is closely connected with Gayathri mantra. Any mantra can be used as ashtra also. The deity of the astra form of Gayatri is Brahma-the creator. Brahmasthra, Brahma Danda and Brahma Sirsha are constituted by Thripada Gayatri, Thuriyapada of Gayatri and the Gayatri Siras containing vyahruthis.
There was a time when the majority of our society was entitled to the worship of Gayatri. By upanayana samskara one becomes Dwija (twice born) obtaining eligibility to worship Gayatri. Teaching, Protection and money making were the professions of the majority of the society. Only those who were not inclined for any of the above were engaged in service. Many of the people in the present day society, deprived of Gayatri-or for that matter-upanayana samskara, are none other than the various broken forms of kshatriyas or vaisyas. The purusha sukta Hymn where we come across for the first time reference to chaturvarnya refers only to the cosmic purusha, whose different limbs are the people of four fold classification. Head stands for education, arms for protection, thigh for bearing or sustenance of money power and the leg for service.
The worship of Gayatri comes under Nityakarma. No special benefit was attached to those performing it but those who do not perform it are condemned.
It was ordained as a duty on every dwija (twice born) to perform sandhyavandana. Sandyavandana, though includes Gayatri japas also, its main aspect is arghya-pradana. Arghya pradana is not to please any deity. We are in the solar system. Each day when the sun rises it is being attacked by the negative or evil forces. In order to keep the system free from such evil influence the adepts in using Gayatri as asthra were giving arghya. The Agneyastra combined Brahmastra by the first arghya. Vayavyasthra combined Brahmadanda by the second arghya were being performed. The asthras by their inscrutable power used to destroy the evil forces and throw them in the Mandeharuna Dweepa thereby freeing the world we live in from the evil influence. Doing Gayatri japa for the sake of Mantra Sidhi is like the japa of any other Mantra. Unfortunately the tradition of mastering the Gayatri and its various asthras were broken due to so much of social upheaval. What we have today is only the skeleton form of the once powerful practice.
No mantra is superior to Gayatri. It is the most powerful mantra to rouse our consciousness. Rousing of consciousness is rousing the kundalini or chitsakthi present in every individual. It is therefore said that without Gayatri japa no mantra will become effective.
When the great king Viswamitra failed to inflict the great Brahmarishi Vasishta with his Kshatra sakthi he realised the greatness of Brahmatejas and strove to obtain it by severe penance and succeeded. He saw in his vision Gayatri mantra the subtle form of the deity Gayatri. Viswamitra was recognized as seer of Gayatri. He obtained power to create another Indra or even to do away with Indrahood from the world.
The secrecy maintained with regard to mantras was mainly to prevent misuse of power which can be derived by the japa of the potent mantras. Keelakas are used to safeguard the circuit of energy generated by the mantra japa. Indiscriminate chanting may harm the individual doing the japa as well as the environment. Therefore besides Keelaka some mantras are subjected to the so called sapa of curse by sages. Gayatri was subjected to the curses or sapas of Viswamitra, Vasishta and Goutama. Until and unless the sapa or curse is not counter acted by sapavimochana mantras, Gayatri japa may not generate sufficient energy which may become a source of threat in the hands of unworthy persons. Sapa or curse acts like a sheath or covert the mantra preventing it from generating energy.
It is true that a society which had so much leisure at its disposal could allot so much time for sandhya and other sadhanas. But in a complex and industrial society fully engrossed in eking out their livelihood with little leisure it may not be possible to spare much time for such elaborate rituals.
Every ritual has essential and non-essential things fused together. If we are convinced about the efficacy and utility of a particular performance or ritual it is prudent to perform atleast the essential part of the ritual than totally omitting it under the pretext of want of time.
The Sandhyavandana ritual can be abridged without losing its efficacy. Self purification by achamana, prokshana and prasana and arghyapradana as a substitute of ashtraprayoga are one aspect. The other aspect is Gayatri japa as any other mantra japa. Keeping the main mantras or important mantras other duplications or elaborations can certainly be abridged. Of late some modern reformist institutions have attempted to inspire the people in this direction. There is some newfound enthusiasm in some quarters to revive vedic performances. Constitution of Gayatri temples and performance of Gayatri homas are gaining popularity in some places.
If we carefully read the description of Lanka in the Ramayana or of the Kingdom of Thripurasura in the Sivapurana we can understand how the inhabitants of those cities were steeped in the vedic lore and practice and still perished. No one can surpass Ravana or Thripurasura in their anushtanas. But the cause of their downfall was their motive. Their philosophy was negative. Their understanding of the laws of creation, purpose of creation were negative. Hence they were ruined.
With correct understanding of the laws of creation, the purpose of creation, the nature of the world as described in the vedas if one worships Gayatri mantra,Gayatri or any other devata, any sukta or sukta devata, one can certainly overcome all difficulties facing the individual or the society.
All dwijas are Saktas as they worship Gayatri. Their appearance or professing may be different, still all of them knowingly or unknowingly worship Sakthi. Siva is Brahman, Vishnu is Brahman, Sakthi is Brahman. By Gayatri upasana one will realise Brahman. The initiation into Gayatri called upanayana is rightly called Brahmopadesa. Gyayatri, Savitri and Saraswati are the three aspects associated with three Sandhyas respectively. However Gayatri is the name of the deity with five faces and ten hands bearing vara and abhaya mudras and eight ayudhas generally considered as the combination of the three aspects of deities Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswathi.
Gayatri or Gayatri mantra existed even before Viswamitra. Still Viswamitra is considered as the seer or Rishi of Gayatri mantra. It only means Viswamitra had visualised the sthula rupa of the deity Gayatri as well as the sound sequence of Gayatri mantra in the Samadhi Statue and hence associated with that mantra so that by remembering and invoking him on the head, the sahdaka can draw inspiration and guidance from him.
The different between asthra and sastra is that the former is manthra pradhana and the latter only an instrument of warfare. Brahmastra Brahmadanda and Brahmaseersha are only the mantra sakthis obtained by the upasana of Gayatri, Turiyapada and Gayatri siras. These saktis are to be obtained by the upasana of the corresponding mantras and used in the specific manner by the adepts for the welfare of the universe. They are not to be used for the narrow selfish purpose.
All dwijas are adhikaris for Gayatri upasana. Since by birth no one is adhikari, only by samskara one becomes dwija and becomes adhikari. Anyone serious about doing the upasana of Gayatri can become dwija and do Gayatri upasana. The tremendous social upheaval in the past might have been made the present social system a rigid one bearing many deserving persons from taking to Gayatri upasana. Still spiritually speaking all those who seriously aspire to do Gayatri upasana are eligible to do so. The people earnestly desirous of doing Gayatri upasana who do not undergo upanayana Samskara as a matter of birth-right are to be given upanayana Samskara or initiated into Gayatri mantra as into any other moolamantra on the agamic or Tantric line. If the case of vedic panchakshara agamic initiation is valid in the case of a serious seeker, then the same will be applicable for Gayatri upasana also. By obtaining Gayatrimantra one qualifies to become a votary of Brahmadarsana. Sincerely following the principles and practices of Brahmadarsana one gets bhukti and mukti power; power and peace; wisdom and happiness.
The main objective of all the Vedas is Agni worship. Agni worship is not the worship of the physical fire. Agni is Chidagni. Chidagni is the totality of gods. Nomantra can equal Gayatri in rousing Chidagni. There are many works describing the details of Gayatri upasana. Pujyasri Devinatha to whom this Mission owes its origin was the greatest authority and exponent of the Vedas, Agamas and Tantras. He greatly appreciated the spiritual attainments through Gayatri upasana of a Valluvan who connected with Agastiar temple in Madras. Without any differentiation he always directed sincere seekers to devote GAYATRI UPASANA for a healthy and Prosperous life for themselves, for the Prosperity of our nation and through our nation the Prosperity of the world.