On the Sandhyavandanam, part 2

This is in continuation with the earlier post.

In this post I want to share the broad meaning of the gaayatri mantra. I will not even attempt to go into the multiple meanings. I am not aware of them, and I am sure there are many. An interesting thing about Vedic mantras is the layers of meanings that come with most if not all of them. Vedic knowledge is also referred to as trayee vidya (त्रयी विद्या). One reason for this is the three layers of meanings present in these slokas. These are referred to as adhibhautika (अधिभौतिक​), adhidaivika (अधिदैविक​) and aadhyaatmika (आध्यात्मिक​). These correspond to aspects pertaining to living beings, cosmic forces and our own body.

Also related to this is why shaanti mantras end with shaantih, shaantih, shaantih (शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः). We are said to have three types of troubles - taapatraya (तापत्रय​), pertaining to the points mentioned above - those caused due to living beings (infections, bites etc.), due to cosmic/natural forces (earthquakes, floods etc.) and those that generate in our body itself (allergies, diseases etc.).

Now coming to the gaayatri. One meaning of the mantra which is commonly referred to as the gaayatri is the following:

We meditate upon that ultimate/superior radiance of Lord Savita, which energises our intelligence.

Now coming to the gaayatri that I mentioned everybody can chant (sarva chaitanyaroopaam...)

We meditate upon that primordial knowledge, she who is the embodiment of all consciousness/energy, she who energises our intellect.

If you notice, both have a similar meaning. It is not, "I pray", but "we pray". I had mentioned earlier, that a person who has had the upanayana samskaara (sacred thread ceremony) must perform sandhyavandanam for the sake of all creation. This is an illustration of that. Further, if we notice both the public gaayatri (sarva chaitanyaroopaam..) and the received (from a guru, today the purohita performing the ceremony) gaayatri  carry similar meanings. Let me reiterate that the received gaayatri must NOT be chanted by all, but by only those who wear the sacred thread. The public version is literally free-for-all.

Now what does it actually mean? We will analyse it in phases. I will talk about the general version.

1. The mantra extols the intelligence/consciousness/energy behind ALL creation. In this mantra we refer to the deity in the feminine gender. A sidenote for all the feminists out there. This is an example of the exalted position actually given to women in Hinduism. This deity is also referred to as vidyaa (विद्या), which is the opposite of avidyaa (ignorance). Now these two terms are related to maayaa, which I will talk about later. For now, let us simply say that we are referring to the deity as the ultimate knowledge. The mantra also refers to the deity as aadhyaa (आद्या). This is because the deity is the origin of all that was, is and will ever be in the entire creation.
2. Now, why should this ultimate consciousness energise our intellect? It actually means to energise the intellect to move in the right direction. To guide us onto the right path. It is only by our intellect/mind that we decide which path we take. Unless one is a psycopath or someone like that, an average human being has a well-functioning conscience which points out what is felt to be right or wrong. This is irrespective of what we ultimately end up doing. Via the mantra the practitioner or upaasaka (उपासक​) asks for his intellect to be guided such that he always chooses what is morally right and beneficial to him.

I will end this post here. In the coming posts, I will share my thoughts around concepts like karma and maayaa.

References: 

http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Adhibhautika,_adhidaivika,_%C4%81dhy%C4%81tmika
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri_Mantra

On the Sandhyavandanam

In an earlier post, I had talked about how Hinduism is actually a monotheistic religion, as it considers all Gods representations of the One Truth, Parabrahma. The basic end objective of a follower of sanaatana dharma is not heaven, but moksha or liberation. I will talk about this in another blog post.

Now, as part of life man is supposed to have broadly three kinds of devotional activities - nitya (नित्य), naimittika (नैमित्तिक) and kaamya (काम्य) - those which are to be followed daily, on special occasions (festivals for example) and for fulfillment of desires respectively.

Of these the nitya karma component includes basic pooja, the sandhyaavandanam and many other activities, which are today followed as an exception rather than as the rule (I know a few names - agnihotram, brahmayagnyam, vaiswadevam et al).

The most basic practice of a Hindu's life is the sandhyaavandanam. I want to focus on this in this post. Everbody knows about namaaz, and how Muslims religiously follow it. Many Christians compulsorily go to church every Sunday. Many, if not most are not even aware of the Vedic sandhyaavandanam, or have major misconceptions around it. And I am talking about Hindus themselves.

This practice takes primacy over any other ritual activity. According to the Vedic scriptures, a person that does not do the sandhyaavandanam becomes unclean and unfit to do any other pooja or ritual or vratam. Thus, without doing this basic practice no benefits will accrue via going on pilgrimages or doing any other ritual - vratam, yagnyam or abhishekam. 

Another important point to be noted is that one's varna does not matter. There is a misconception that only Brahmins, or maybe those who wear the sacred thread can do the sandhyaavandanam. Wrong, EVERY Hindu MUST do the sandhyaavandanam ideally thrice a day. The difference is in the methodology. Those who wear the sacred thread have a prescribed format in which they must do it. Those who do not can actually chant a specific mantra at least thrice, or for that matter recite anything of their choice at the prescribed times. Further, it is said that those who wear the sacred thread must do it not only for their sake, but for the sake of everyone's welfare. The Vedas constantly talk not just about personal welfare. They go beyond that, and talk about humanity's welfare and that of all living creatures and the universe itself. Various shaanti mantraas talk about peace across the universe, and not for just the person chanting the mantra.

Another example of this is borne out by the plural (not singular, as in for the worshipper) term used in the gaayatri mantra. This is the core/heart of sandhyaavandanam. Again, there are many misconceptions and erroneous practices around this. 

1. What does gaayatri actually mean? Crudely, it means that which protects the praanas in us (गयान् त्रायते इति गायत्री). It also means that which protects the person that chants it, in the prescribed method (गातारम् त्रायते इति गायत्री).
2. Mantra means that which protects by continuous contemplation/chanting (मननात् त्रायते इति मन्त्रः).
3. So, one thing that must be followed, is that a mantra must NOT be said out aloud. So there is no way, it should be recorded and broadcast on loudspeakers.
4. What is commonly referred to as the gaayatri is not meant for everyone. Each varna can have its own gaayatri. What people commonly think of as the gaayatri is actually to be chanted only by Brahmins (and maybe by those who wear the sacred thread). Those who do not wear it can chant the following mantra thrice. The meaning is the same as that of any gaayatri. They can also recite anything of their choice at the prescribed times.

sarvachaitanyaroopaam taam

aadhyaam vidhyaam cha dheemahi

buddhim yaa nah prachodayaat

सर्वचैतन्यरूपाम् ताम्
आद्याम् विद्याम् च धीमहि
बुद्धिम् या नः प्रचोदयात्

It is the chanting of the gaayatri that is heart of the ritual. Parabrahma is invoked in the form of gaayatri. This is an example of how the feminine aspect is given the highest respect in Hinduism. Gaayatri is called the veda maata (वेदमाता). 

For those who wear the sacred thread, the ritual, when done in entirety has three components. 

1. Purification of oneself and invitation to gaayatri to enter the practitioner - shuddhi and aavaahanam (शुद्धिक्रिया, आवाहनम्​)

2. Chanting of the gaayatri mantra - mantra japam (मन्त्रजपम्)

3. Bidding farewell to gaayatri - upasthaanam (उपस्थानम्)

The broad meaning of the gaayatri (any version) and other topics will be covered in the next post.

Reference: Speech by Sri Samavedam Shanmukha Sarma (Telugu video): Link here.

Sanskrit keyboard from: https://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/sanskrit_devanagari.htm