What is Gäyatré ?

Gäyatré

Kåñëa bahirmukhta (turning our back to the Lord Çré Kåñëa) is the sole reason for our miseries, our distresses. Alternatively, Kåñëa unmukhta (turning ourselves towards Lord Çré Kåñëa) is the means to Happiness…How to actually become happy? How can bhakti actually become ‘susukhaà kartum avyayaà’ ?? How to actually worship the Lord??

When the Lord bestows His mercy on the conditioned living entities, He brings the living entity under the shelter of Bonafide Spiritual Master. Then, Çré Gurudeva mercifully establishes the connection of the jéva with the Supreme Lord via Initiation (Mantra Dékñä). Since Gäyatré Mantras are given by Gurudeva at the time of Initiation (which is considered to be the second birth), Äcäryas compare Gurudeva to Father and Gäyatré Mantras to Mother.

Every Viñëu tattva like Lord Nåsiàha, Lord Varäha, Lord Räma etc. have their individual Mantra and Gäyatré exclusively meant for Their worship. One does Gäyatré Mantra of ONLY his/her own Iñöa Deva (Worshippable Deity).

Gäyatré Mantras of ONLY one’s Iñöa Deva-

Since the Iñöa Deva of Gauòéya Vaiñëavas are Païca Tattva and Rädhä Kåñëa simultaneously, so they are given ONLY Their Gäyatré Mantras viz Rädhä Mantra, Rädhä Gäyatré, Kåñëa Mantra and Gäyatré (Käma Béja and Käma Gäyatré) and their Chief Sakhé’s and Maïjaré’s Mantras (20+ Mantras). Neither Nåsiàha Mantras nor Räma Mantra, Gäyatré are given in Gauòéya tradition.

Likewise, to worship Deities of Lord Nåsiàha, Sétä Räma Lakñmaëa Hanumän, one has to take shelter of some Lord Nåsiàha’s Paramparä and Lord Räma’s Paramparä respectively.

  • With Nåsiàha Mantra and Gäyatré, only Lord Nåsiàha is to be worshipped, not Lord Kåñëa, Lord Räma etc.
  • With Räma Mantra and Gäyatré, only Lord Räma is to be worshipped, not Lord Kåñëa, Lord Nrsiàha, Lord Varäha etc.
  • With Gaura Mantra and Gäyatré, Kåñëa Mantra and Gäyatré, only Lord Gauräìga, Lord Kåñëa can be worshipped, not Lord Räma or Lord Nrsiàha.

The practitioner of the mantra establishes a special relationship with the Lord and vice-versa. When the devotee practices his mantras with attachment, he will surely attain the service of that form of the Lord he was constantly hankering for, he was chanting mantras of.

Käma Béja, Käma Gäyatré-

Lord Çré Kåñëa is the Personification of Happiness. In Caitanya Caritämåta, Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, who is Kastüré Maïjaré (one of the eight chief Maïjarés of Çrématé Rädhäräné), explains how to do upäsanä of Lord Çré Kåñëa/Happiness Personified-

vṛndāvane ‘aprākṛta navīna madana’
kāma-gāyatrī kāma-bīje yāṅra upāsana
(CC Madhya 8.138)

The Transcendental Youthful Cupid of Våndävana Kåñëa is worshipped through Käma Béja and Käma Gäyatré Mantras ! He, who makes the devotees forget the material world, and who maddens them with His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes is the Transcendental Youthful Cupid, and on Him, we meditate (dhémahi).

A follower /devotee of the Lord Räma, Lord Nåsiàha would never chant –Käma Béja and Käma Gäyatré, Rädhä Mantra etc. It is not that the devotees of Lord Nåsiàha, Lord Räma, Lord Kåñëa- all are given same initiation mantras of Käma Béja, Käma Gäyatré. All the Béja Mantras have their own presiding Deities.

The Mantras, Käma Béja and Käma Gäyatré – all are only meant for the worship of Kåñëa- the Youthful Cupid of Våndävana. These mantras are meant exclusively for the worship of Kåñëa, not for any other form of Godhead.

Käma Gäyatré Mantras enable us to relish the flavours of Rädhä-Kåñëa’s Pastimes. These mantras are not for the worship of aiçvaryamayé Lord Nåsiàha, Lord Näräyaëa, Lord Varäha or Lord Räma.

kāma-gāyatrī-mantra-rūpa, haya kṛṣṇera svarūpa,
sārdha-cabbiśa akṣara tāra haya
(C C Madhya 21.125)

Kāma-gāyatrī-mantra is the svarūpa of Kṛṣṇa.

Meaning of Gäyatré Mantra and the way to meditate-

All Mantras, Gäyatrés have very very deep meaning in relation to Them. Through Gäyatré, a sädhaka surrenders himself (svähä) and prays to the Presiding Deity of the Mantra to engage him in His service (tanno pracodayät).

These Mantras are not to be recited loudly; they are only to be meditated while sitting on an äsana.

Power of Gäyatré Mantras-

Gäyatré Mantras are the means to establish the eternal connection of the jéva with the Lord i.e., with his Iñöa Deva (Worshippable Deity).

Gäyatré Mantras are very powerful as they carry the potency of that Bhäva… the entire Guru Paramparä is worshipping the Lord with. Because in that bhäva only, one gets perfection upon doing the requisite sädhanä. When these Mantras are meditated, bodily consciousness also fades away.

But it should be clearly understood that Gäyatré Mantras if not received through the channel of unbroken Bonafide Lineage from a parivära, will be fruitless (niñphala).