You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - May 2003

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00130 May 2003

 
May 2003 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


--- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, sukumar <sukumar@xxxx> wrote:
> Sri Krishnaya Namah!
> 
> Respected Bhagavathas,
> 
> I have few clarifications as below, to seek from your goodself:
> 
> 1. What is Gayatri Manthra - is it more to do with the Lord 
(Surya/Vishnu 
> or whoever we pray) when we do Sandhyavandanam or is it Gayatri - a 
lady 
> whom Lord Brahma married when Saraswathi was not there while 
performing a 
> Yagna.

Dear SrImAn Sukumar,

As some bhAgavatas have clarified, it is only meter (chandas). 
however, some people visualize gAyatrI as a female deity wielding 
kapAlam (skull) etc. this deity is not Mrs brahmA but the mother of 
evrybody including nArAyaNa!

> 
> 2. What is the significance of this manthra. Why is it accorded 
so much 
> importance that even Ashtakari manthra has to be chanted only after 
this 
> manthra japam.

ashtAksharI mantra japam most of our AchAryas do not prescribe. 
even gAyatrI mantra japam is not from sampradAyam point of view but 
we are supposed to chant it since it is a prescribed duty for us i.e. 
brAhmaNas. SrImad ashtAksharI mahA mantra is far above gAyatrI 
according to AchArya hrudayam. 

we are supposed to chant ashtAksharI only once during guru paramparA 
dhyAnam.

gAyatrI mantra is given a beautiful explanation by one of our 
AchAryas in his sanskrit commentary on rAmAyaNa 
called "gOvindarAjIyam". This explanation hints that He is the cause 
of our thoughts and actions and we do not have any freedom. this is 
in accordance with SrI bhattar's ashtaSlOkI vyAkhyAnam.

rAmAnuja dAsan
Vishnu 

> 
> Sri Krishnaparabrahmane Namah!





[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list