The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Gayathri mantra, the essence of Vedas

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Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Gayathri mantra, the essence of Vedas

CHENNAI, MARCH 16. Our hoary tradition springs from the Vedas, mankind's most precious gift. The wherewithal for moral and spiritual code is to be found within these revelations. They are enduring commands for mankind, to shape and mould one's spiritual and moral character. Handed down in the traditional scholar teacher-disciple format to successive generations over millennia, they delineate a way of life best suited for man's uplift and true solace. As such they need to be preserved.

The watering down of time-honed rituals or absolute spurning of the same are subjects of deep debate among spiritualists. Citing the fluidity of Hinduism, which lends itself to change some may feel that skipping the mandatory daily rituals need not cause concern. A few others, unaware of the enshrined spiritual truths may want tangible proof of the benefits accruing from embracing such practices.

In his discourse, Sri K. Narasimhan said tradition needed to be preserved and any changes wrought should fall within the purview of the Vedic recommendations. For instance, saint Madhwacharya pioneered a sattvic tradition when he displaced the tamasic tradition of animal sacrifice by substituting the livestock traditionally used in yagnas with an `animal' made from flour.

Likewise, only three-year-old rice grains were used in the homa, going by the recommendation that old grains when sown will not sprout.

Can something similar be done with regard to daily rituals such as sandhyavandana? Men of wisdom point out that the recitation of the `Gayathri mantra' is the minimum self-exertion required of an aspirant and should never be forsaken by one for any reason whatsoever. It is the essence of the Vedas, encapsulating as it does the primordial `aum'. From a practical view point, the chant lends itself to daily practice, since it takes no more than eight minutes to chant a of these.

Ironically, while not questioning how they indulge their time in vacuous pursuits, some people demand to be shown proof of the merits of undertaking a disciplined approach in their daily lives, which requires minimal effort.

As long as one refrains from selfish needs, the daily rituals are a protective armour against sins.

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