Gayatri Mantra

[Ashish Chandra]

On Fri, 17 May 2002 13:12:34 +0900, Somik Raha <somik at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

>
>Besides- it seems to me so shocking that the Gayatri matra - written by a
>woman - should not be recited by women! The mantra is so beautiful - it
>talks about universal brotherhood and harmony - how can it destroy
>motherhood in a woman ?
>

Ok. Check your facts first. You quoted Swami Vivekananda as having
consulted Sri Ramakrishna before he set out for America whether he could
eat beef (1893). But Sri Ramakrishna had died 7 years ago (1886). I had
asked you to give a reference and you haven't even responded to that.

The Gayatri mantra does not talk of universal brotherhood and harmony. The
Gayatri Mantra was not written by a woman, not by a man, not even Bhagawan.
It is eternal, like the rest of the Veda Mantras, and like them, has a
specific power and Devata associated with it. It should be taken from a
Guru, usually at the time of Upanayan (janeu), and should be recited daily
by a Dvija male for the rest of his karmic life. The mantra beseeches the
Lord of the Universe, as manifested in the Sun, to make our intellects
shine (for the purpose of knowing Him). Mantra has a power and it should
not be randomly recited. You would not randomly eat fruits from a tree you
know nothing about, would you.

ashish