All World
Gayatri Pariwar

[In the earlier part of this discourse, Revered Gurudev had highlighted the importance of divine- worship and devotional practices (p¿j3-up3san3); he had also eloquently pointed out their true meaning and purpose. He explained that Yoga and Tapa are essential prerequisites and supports for self-development and worthy progress in life. Here we continue with his consecutive discussion on how to give a righteous direction to the intellect.]

Friends, The Gayatri Mantra awakens, illuminates, and guides the intellect towards righteousness. There is no magic or any such thing in a Mantra or in the act of simply chanting it. What accounts mainly for its miraculous effects on the mind (and intellect) is its japa-s3dhan3 — continuous meditative chanting at a consistent pace with deep emotional engrossment in its divine meaning and teachings (see [1-4] for details). While japa (meditative chanting) could only be for a fixed period of time every day, its enlightenment, insight, inspirations and elevating positiveness should remain fresh in your mind throughout the day. Its ‘divine inspiration’ should reflect in your feelings, aspirations, and thoughts. For this, you will have to first understand the importance of thoughts (and emotions) and train your mind accordingly.

You can experience the magical power of thoughts on every front of your life. For example, if you change your attitude of always looking at your scarcities and comparing them with others with higher possessions to an outlook of a giver, a philanthropist, you will suddenly become happy and feel strong. Instead of being driven by cravings, or instead of desiring to acquire more and more (worldly comforts, status etc), if you start learning to care for what you already have and pay attention to making best use of that, you will feel contented, comfortable and happy with the same thing. If instead of extrovert thinking, you start searching for the power within, you will find that there is a source of enormous strength, energy, and unalloyed joy hidden inside you. In fact, as I have explained in my earlier discourses (of this s3dhan3 course), your outlook and your thoughts hold the key to your real development and progress; spirituality mainly deals with the enlightenment and virtuous transmutation of thoughts. Today I would like to discuss some other aspects of spirituality.

Spirituality pertains to awakening of the divinity indwelling in the inner-self. P¿j3-up3san3, prayers, to devat3s (gods, divine powers) are only some means to feel the beatifying proximity of divine virtues. But, many people, including many of you, wrongly confuse spirituality as confined to these activities and rituals. Not only that, many of you seem to have all kinds of illusions and misconceptions about devat3s. For many of you gods are some ‘extra-terrestrial’ or super-powerful human beings, which look like what their idols or pictures show. That way, some deities are shown riding some animals, or even tiny birds. Do you think it is possible for any human being to do that? Moreover, do you think gods would be so imprudent that they would fulfill all your wishes in return of your chants of some prayers or rituals of worship? Do you think they would have no work but to keep roaming around on their ‘animal or bird’ vehicles? This all sounds so absurd. The earlier you get rid of all such illusions and arbitrary imaginations, the better for your spiritual progress. Please note that idols or images of deities are designed mainly as symbols of certain divine virtues and power; praying before these symbols or meditating upon these during devotional practices might ease your emotional conditioning and help focus your mind.

Don’t Become Ignorant:

Don’t let any ignorance or blind-faith ride over your “belief” in divinity. Please note there is no place in spirituality for blind-faith, superstition, ignorance, and illusion. Indeed spirituality leads to ultimate enlightenment and absolute truth. I think the main cause of your illusion is the wrong impressions and misinterpretations of the allegoric descriptions of gods in some religious scriptures and mythology. Please see the truth behind those allegoric or rhetoric representations. As I said, they actually symbolize divine qualities, powers and virtues. For example, an image or idol of a Goddess riding on a lion symbolizes that divine potential and powers can be attained only by those who are intrepid, who have immense courage and strength. ‘Blessings’ of gods descend only on those who have virtues associated with their mythological descriptions. ‘Blessings’ of gods imply awakening or activation of supernatural talent or divine potential (siddhis) indwelling in the pure inner-self, in the conscience (the ‘soul’ god).

If you understand this, you will realize that without s3dhan3 — sincere endeavors of self-discipline, self-refinement, self-improvement, and self- development, you cannot ‘harvest’ anything from the ‘farm-field’ of spirituality. Yoga and Tapa are like water and natural fertilizers for this ‘field’. If you succeed in these spiritual endeavors (of yoga and tapa) I can assure you that your devotion, your chanting of God’s names and mantras will certainly prove miraculous. Spirituality is Not a Fantasy or Child’s Play: What most people, the so-called religious devotees and even so-called seekers of spiritual progress (including many of you) do is like a child’s toy- play. You might have seen little girls playing with their dolls. In their own way they ‘organize’ the doll’s wedding. On small table or a corner of the house they make their ‘home’; keep their tiny set of toy-utensils and dolls etc there. Sing and shout and celebrate the doll’s wedding as a play. In their innocent imaginations small pieces of puffed rice or popcorns (or whatever their mothers might have given them) would become varieties of sweets and other dishes. They would happily distribute these ‘preparations’ to everyone around, and so on. You also do something similar! You ‘decorate’ your Puja table with idols of different deities (Ganesh ji, Siva ji, Ram-Sita ji, Hanumaan ji, Durga Devi ji, Gayatri Maata, etc, etc...). You worship them with water, sandal-wood powder, rice, flowers, etc. Offer some sugar or piece of sweets as “bhoga” (which you will later on eat as Pras3da). You also light a diy3 (lamp), agarbatti (incense stick) and utter some mantras or prayers, and chant or sing some things in their praise.

Your chants of mantras, no matter how many counts of rosary-beads, are so mechanical! (Your mind keeps wandering in your worldly interests and activities while the tongue keeps chanting the mantra). Your prayers are mostly like putting up your demands or wish-list or simply crying before the deity. And you expect great boons and miracles in return!! This is like making a mockery of devotion and spiritual endeavors.

Little ones could carry out toy wedding with no resources or with one or two penny. But you, the adults, the parents, know what efforts and how many resources are required in the wedding of a daughter or son! Is it so easy like a doll’s wedding? “No, not at all”, you would respond. Then why do you expect that most precious accomplishments of human life — such as spiritual enlightenment, could be achieved simply by some ritualistic activities and superficial devotional practices? Many devotees lose faith in spirituality, as they don’t get any expected results. You might also doubt — “Can thorough spiritual endeavors lead to spiritual progress? Is spirituality really so precious? Is there any power in it?” My clear response will be — “Yes, indeed”. I have experienced its miracles in so many ways. All my life, it has been my main objective to disseminate the knowledge, the divine light of spirituality. Our scriptures (the Vedic texts) are full of paeans signifying spirituality. You can see my life as a testimony of truth in what they describe? You May Examine My Life:

You may study every facet of my life; you may examine what I have been able to do, to verify it yourself whether spirituality can make someone powerful? Can spirituality awaken extraordinary faculties and talents? Can it help one eliminate the adversities of not only his life, but also of others’ lives? Can it enable one to uplift the lives of many? The list of what all it can do is too long. I can’t talk about all this here. You may read my autobiography; you may thoroughly review every page of it to see that what appears impossible for an ordinary person could be astonishingly accomplished by the grace of divine guidance and help. You would also see that one indeed gets blessed by miraculous potentials by devout up3san3 - s3dhan3 of the Gayatri Mantra.

While reviewing the journey of my life [5-6], you will get to know many important instances and experiences of spiritual awakening and ascent. You read about the vast knowledge and illumined wisdom (vidy3) I acquired. Read about how I have dedicated myself to the service of humanity and what I have been able to contribute to help towards others’ well-being and upliftment. Read about how my life progressed and reached the realms that appear to you as glorious, majestic, and, divine. Read about the kind guidance and support I have got from spiritual saints, sages and other great personalities. Read about how the Almighty and the divine forces have blessed me in so many ways.

But you seem to be more interested in simply knowing about how many times I used to chant the (Gayatri) Mantra and for how long every day? Yes I have been doing Gayatri Up3san3. This has been a great support, like the support of a stick while climbing up the Himalayas. It is true that a stick provides support, but one has to climb up to the top of a mountain on one’s own feet.

Do you think one would climb up the Himalayas only with the help of a stick without using his/her legs? is part of such practices and they regard that harder the postures or exercises of yoga, greater would be its spiritual effects.

What Spirituality sans Yoga and Tapa? Friends, the point I am trying to make here is that puja-up3san3 can only lend you a support in spiritual progress in terms of conditioning your mind, reminding yourself of the divine Nature of the soul. But you can’t rise on the path of spirituality sans devout spiritual endeavors. Tapa and Yoga are prominent among these endeavors. (In fact, these are also essential for proper puja-up3san3). Now ask yourself what do you understand by “tapa” and “yoga”? Most of you think these are activities of the physical body only.

As I had already explained, tapa pertains to self- discipline and self-refinement. I will further guide you on this aspect of s3dhan3 (spiritual endeavors) later. First we should discuss about yoga — its meaning, purpose and multiple aspects.

As such, the term “yoga” (pronounced as “yog3” by the western world) has become quite popular these days as a means of physical fitness and health. For most people, yoga is confined to the physical body exercises, postures and breathing practices taught in their yoga classes or camps. Many people don’t even know that it has some connection with spirituality. Many others find it difficult to think of life and self-existence beyond the physical body and related experiences of the sensory organs and the conscious (extrovert) mind; their perceptions of spirituality too revolve within the periphery of the body and worldly domains; they think spiritual endeavors are also some kinds of exercises or practices of the physical body, or some intellectual activities and imaginations of the mind. For them, yoga I have seen many people who regard that highest kind of yoga is to be able to do the difficult yoga-exercises such as — hold the breath for exceptionally longtime, pass a long thread through the nostrils; enter a thin rope in the stomach through the mouth and then pull it out with ease; do ïors3sana (stand straight on the head with legs held straight upwards), etc. Friends, whatever be the benefits of such difficult practices, they pertain only to (training of) the physical body and some mental concentration. But spirituality deals with the inner-self; it belongs to the unbounded realms of consciousness. Thus every facet, every endeavor, every practice of spirituality will certainly concern with the refinement and divine illumination of the thoughts, emotions, and intrinsic tendencies.

Without any spiritual discipline, bathing in the holy Ganges is simply an activity of the body and chanting of god’s names or prayers is nothing but an activity of the tongue and the vocal cord. Similarly the physical postures and exercises — including deep and rhythmic breathing exercises of the yoga (called “Yoga Âsan3s” and “Yoga Kriy3s”) are only physical activities. No doubt, with sincere practice and regularity coupled with necessary disciplines of food and eating habits, these exercises of yoga offer significant health benefits. But these are only like a tip of the ice- berg. The true meaning and domain of yoga is far more deep and vast. “Yoga” being a discipline of spirituality, in its complete sense, also pertains to awakening and evolution of consciousness.

(To be continued in the next issue) References:

1. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2014): Gayatri Mahavigyan. (40 th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2015): Super Science of Gayatri (8 th print). Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. 2. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2014): Japa, Tap aur Dhyan. (10 th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2014): Jap, Tap, Dhyan – The Triple Path of Sadhana (6 th print). Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. 3. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2015): Gayatri ka Vaigyanik Adhara. (21 st print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. 4. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2000): Ïabda Brah®, N3da Brah®. “Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya Samagra Vangmay” Vol. 18, Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura. [English translation of the Chapter on Mantra Vigyan: Eternity of Sound and the Science of Mantra (4 th print; 2013). Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura]. 5. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2015): Hamari Vasiyat aur Virasat (28 th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2016): My Life — Its Legacy & Message (8 th print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar. 6. Pandya Pranav and Jyotirmaya (2014): Chetana Ki Shikhar Yatra, Vols. I, II, III (4 th print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar; English Translation (2013): Odyssey of The Enlightened (2 nd print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar.