The Gayatri mantra, also known as the cardinal mantra, is the Mahan Mantra (the great mantra) of the Vedic tradition. It contains all the elements of the most complete mantra known to date. It consists of pure sounds, wordless sounds, seed-syllables, pregnant impressions (idea entities), elements of prayer, elements of resolve and an invocation to the surrender of the self. It has been described as a masterful stroke of applied-psychology genius ever devised in the annals of human history.
The ancient gurus composed the Gayatri in three parts, each part sets the stage for certain subtle psychological forces to come into play, without which the succeeding part will not be effective. It is therefore self-initiating and self-sustaining in its effectiveness for the savant. In the first part, Om bhur bhawa swaha, the seed-sounds representing the three solitudes of the savant - Physical-mental, Astral-emotional and Spiritual - are invoked to harmonize the vehicles of the savant. The essence of the three seeds is represented by the syllable Om. The middle part of the mantra saturates the mind of the chela (pupil) with an assertion of WILL, in preparation for the realization of the yoga (union) of the individual Consciousness with the Superconsciousness. The third part expresses complete self-surrender and an advocacy of mercy at the hands of the Pranic forces, the object of the prayer component of the mantra.
The literal meaning of the middle part is, 'we meditate upon the effulgent Light of the Divine Consciousness that unfolds our Buddhis (intuitive wisdom).' In order to de-emphasize the Empirical Ego, the pronoun 'I' is not used, all verbs ending in the plural form. The Ego is brought to the surface by an assertion of the collective WILL and it is neutralized through self-surrender, thus wiping out, in stages, the last vestiges of false pride in the disciple. Thus the disciple is prepared for the union (liberation).
A certain pleading tone and a certain rhythm have to be learnt, cultivated and internalized with the mantra in three stages of uttering softly, repeating silently and concentrating mentally of the recitation. The subtle elements of prayer initiate the emotional earnestness (devotion) which is progressively developed by the chela at his own pace. The self-initiating and self-sustaining forces are also fed by the earnestness applied by the savant.
Because of the complex psychological principles inherent in the working of the Gayatri, it is important to learn the correct procedure from a qualified guru in person.
The four-step training program offered in the Creativity Consciousness Town Hall includes the Gayatri mantra.
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Essence of Gita. Lord Krishna
S H I V A revealing Bhagavada Gita to Arjun by speech