All World
Gayatri Pariwar

There are only two fundamental elements in this creation – the conscious (chetan) and the non-conscious (jada). The principles and forces working within the non-conscious are discovered and utilized by vijnana, the scientific knowledge. To understand the nature and tendency of thoughts, ideas and sentiments that flow within the conscious, one has to take the help of jnana, the spiritual knowledge. The root source, from which both these streams of knowledge – the spiritual and the scientific - spring like Ganga and Yamuna descending from the Himalaya, is called Gayatri Mahamantra. The jnana aspect of Gayatri is tattva-darshan (essence) of Brahmavidya i.e. glimpse of the ultimate Reality, while its vijnana aspect consists of practices of sadhana. Jnana or spiritual knowledge leads to moksha or salvation. Vijnana or science forms the basis of physical / material progress. These two are called riddhi and siddhi respectively. One name of Gayatri is Jagaddhatri (upholder of the cosmos). It is therefore appropriate that the Supreme power, which upholds this cosmos, be called Âdyashakti, the Primordial Energy. The seers while assigning supreme importance to the use and symbols of shikha, s¿tra, mahamantra, gurumantra etc., have sung paeans of praise to the glory of this Brahmishakti, the creative energy. Gayatri is revered as Vedmata (origin of the Vedas), Devamata (mother of the gods) and Vishwamata (mother of the universe) because she holds in her bosom, in seed form, all the major and minor streams of the spiritual and the scientific knowledge. Shruti (the revealed texts) says: “In this world, nothing is loftier than Gayatri”.

The science of Gayatri is extremely subtle and elaborate. The key to understand the essence of this science has been incorporated in seed form in the composition of its word-structure. The adepts of Gayatri sadhana have underlined the sanctity of its 24 letters by comparing them with the 24 basic divine energies. The scriptures contain references to the 24 attributes of Gayatri corresponding to 24 avatars, 24 deities, 24 riÌis, 24 yogas, 24 tapas (austerities), 24 chakras (extra-sensory energy centers), 24 s¿tras, etc.

Gayatri mahamantra has three parts and hence Gayatri has also been named as Tripada. Since it is composed of three segments of eight syllables each, Pingalashatra calls it Gayatri chhanda (metrical composition). Tripada is triveñi, the confluence of three rivers. The three streams are called theism, spirituality and religiousness. The triads of sat-chit-anand (existence, consciousness and bliss); satyam-shivam-sundaram (truth, goodness and beauty); satwa-rajas-tamas (purity, kinetism, and ignorance); amrit-paras-kalpav—iksha (elixir, philosopher’s stone, and wish-fulfilling celestial tree); Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh; Saraswati-Lakshmi-Kali; bhakti-shakti-shanti (devotion, power, and serenity); etc. are associated with the three parts of Gayatri. This is also reflected in the three forms of trikala sandhya (prayer-rituals of morning, noon and evening).

There are nine words in Gayatri mahamantra.  Each of these contains the blueprint of divine virtues for individual and social well-being. Imbibing these virtues an individual can rise from pettiness to greatness and transform himself from an ordinary mortal (nara) into godhead (narayana). Virtues are indeed countless but, upon classification, they can be reduced to nine in number. Similarly, the innumerable strands of the moral code, which are required to uplift the society, can also be grouped in nine categories. This nine-fold grouping is symbolically represented by the nine threads of yagyopavita (sacred thread). The devotional method to integrate this process into the scheme of life is navadha-bhakti (nine-fold devotion). Mostly, it is the nine words of Gayatri whose simulative and rhetoric interpretations form the core-substance of navadurgas, nine planets, navadweepas, navanidhis, etc. Navadurgas are mentioned in the unorthodox tantric practices. Their external forms or images are well known. In the orthodox yoga-sadhana, there is a description of navadevis (nine goddesses). Durgas represent material powers and abundance, and devis, spiritual forces. The two are not antithetical; they complement each other. It is only by combining the material and the spiritual that knowledge becomes complete. The wise sages of yore had kept physical and metaphysical knowledge as complementary to each other. But today, one-sided and narrow material pursuits have become everything. Not only should Durgas be worshipped, but the worship of navadevis, which represent spiritual radiance, should also be restored to their original sanctity.

In the narvaratris of ashwin and chaitra months, only the worship of navadurgas has been holding primary importance, because of pre-eminence given to power and pelf (siddhis). However, the orthodox devi - worship, in one form or the other, has continued in a subdued way. Ram-lila, Rass-lila, Ramayana-parayaña, navahanna-yagya, gañagaur and other such religious traditions are performed during navaratri itself, and they are different from the regular Durga-p¿ja, as they, by and large, represent the prayerful yearning of the Soul for upliftment towards its source.

It has been mentioned earlier that the nine words of Gayatri appear in nine-fold classifications depending on different perspectives. In the Ramayana, they have been called “Navaguna param punit tumhare” (your nine attributes are the most pious). These nine attributes are symbolized as navadevis and can be viewed as the sublime inspirations inherent in the nine words of Gayatri.

These nine energies may also be called basic divine potentialities of human consciousness. They lie in a dormant state within every human being. If the right endeavor is made to awaken them, they will endow the sadhak with the divine powers, which are called riddhi-sidhi. These achievements are termed as ‘going forward’ and ‘rising high’. ‘Going forward’ means to become endowed with prosperity and glory. ‘Rising high’ means to become evolved and cultured. Divine potentialities and noble dispositions are present in everyone in seed form. The seed encapsules the potential of the whole tree, but this is normally not visible. Only when the seed is duly planted in rich soil and nurtured, does it germinate and finally grow into the giant tree. It is the divine energies and noble tendencies that are the Durgas and the devis. By sadhana, they are awakened and cultivated. Awakened inner-power (atma-bal) is kalpavriksa. The virtues and noble traits are its fruits. Persons endowed with creative inner-power are able to achieve grand successes and perform historic deeds. This is not the result of their mere physical and intellectual prowess but that of their spiritual eminence. In terms of spirituality, it is called divine grace. To become the medium of such miracles, it requires cultivation of the inner soul through sadhana. Sadhana means focused effort towards refinement and transmutation of one’s raw and base mental and physical tendencies (kusanskars) into noble and altruistic thoughts, emotions and deeds (susanskars) as integral parts of the personality.

The three parts of Gayatri propound respectively (a) theism, i.e., firm faith in the Divine; (b) spirituality, i.e., awareness of a Supreme Intelligence at the base of creation; and (c) religiousness, i.e. sincere performance of one’s duties. That is why it is called Tripada. From each of these three spring three currents making it an aggregate of nine. The three main strands of yagyopavita, each consisting of three threads, are a pointer to the transmutation of the three into nine. The three parts of Gayatri have three words each representing the trilateral functioning of tridha. Navadha bhakti (nine-fold devotion) is also an expansion of this very Brahmavidya. These divine emanations of Gayatri are known as nine devis or goddesses. Their worship leads to integrated spiritual growth and synthesis of matter and spirit.

The Gayatri Shaktipeethas have nine goddesses. They are: (1) Adyashakti, (2) Savitri, (3) Kundalini, (4) Vedamata, (5) Devamata, (6) Vishwamata, (7) Saraswati, (8) Lakshmi and (9) Durga. This navaratna (nine-gem) family of Gayatri encompasses all that is good, beneficial and joyful for the individual and the society. 

******************************************************************

Once a destitute approached Hazrat Ibrahim and pleaded for some monetary help. The Hazarat said, “If you possess any articles, bring them to me”. The poor man owned a plate, a lota (water-pot) and two blankets. Barring one blanket, the Hazrat got the other articles auctioned. Handing him over two dirhams, which the auction had fetched, Hazrat advised the poor man, “Buy flour with one dirham and an axe with the other. Satisfy your hunger with the flour, and use the axe to cut wood and sell it in the market.” The man acted accordingly, and when he came back after a fortnight, he had with him ten dirhams as savings. The Hazarat said, “If one is able-bodied, one should seek the help of one’s own limbs. This is the wise way”.

*****************************************************************