GAYATRI MANTRA STEPS

 

                                                    STEP TWENTY-NINE

                            NOW, IT'S TIME TO FREE ALL THE ENERGIES YOU MAY HAVE INVOKED DURING YOUR JAPA. I HAVE SIMPLIFIED THE GAYATHRI SADHANA SO WE ARE NOT INVOKING SI MANY ENERGIES. IN ADVANCED MANTRA SADHANAS, YOU INIVITE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENERGIES TO BE THERE WHILE YOU ARE DOING YOUR JAPA, BECAUSE YOU ARE INVITING DEVI, AND YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO INVITE HER ON HER OWN. FREEING ALL THE ENERGIES IS CALLED VISARJANA, SO WE GRATEFULLY AND GRACEFULLY SEE THEM OFF, AND THEY CAN GO WHERE THEY WISH. YOU CAN SIMPLY FOLD YOUR HANDS AND SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WHOEVER CAME HERE, PLEASE BE WITH ME NEXT TIME, OR YOU CAN CHANT THIS SIMPLE SHLOKA.

                              GACCHA GACCHA PARAM STHANAM SVASTHANAM PARAMESVARI,

                               PUJARADHANAKALE CA PUNARAGAMANAYA CA.

                    MAY YOU ALL RETURN TO YOUR ADODE, I HUMBLY REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE BE HERE WHEN I CALL UPON YOU ONCE AGAIN TO OFFER MY PRAYERS TO YOU.

                               TISTHA TISTHA PARASTHANE SVASTHANE PARAMESVARI,

                                YATRA BRAHMADAYO DEVAH SARVE TISTHANTI ME HRDI

                            LET EVERYBODY GO TO YOUR ADODE AND BE SETTLED THERE. MAY ALL THE POSITIVE ENERGIES, ALL THE GOODNESS, FOREVER REMAIN IN MY HEART. LET THOSE I NEED NOT GO FROM HERE.

                          THERE ARE ENERGIES THAT SIMPLY HELP YOU FULFILL YOUR MATERIAL GOALS, BUT THEN THERE ARE ENERGIES THAT THE PART OF YOUR PURIFICATION THAT SHOULD REMAIN WITH YOU TO HELP YOU PROGRESS ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH. LET THOSE POSITIVE ENERGIES  STAY INSIDE ME, IN MY HEART - THAT'S WHAT THIS VERSE MEANS.

                                                           STEP THIRTY

                           STEP THIRTY 30 IS TO SAY SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES YOU MIGHT HAVE MADE WHILE CHANTING, WHETHER THAT'S YAWNING, LOSING FOCUS, FEELING ANGRY OR NEGATIVE OR EVEN THINKING ILL OF PEOPLE, AND SO ON. THESE ARE ALL ERRORS OF COMMISSIONS - YOU KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN COMMITTED. SEEKING FORGIVENESS IS IMPERATIVE, SO WE DO A LITTLE KSHAMA PRARTHANA, A REQUEST FOR PARDON AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU CAN EITHER READ THE TRANSLATION ON PAGE 157 OR YOU CAN JUST SAY SORRY IN ANY LANGUAGE AND WORDS THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. HERE'S THE STOTRA AGAIN WITH MEANING FOR YOUR READY REFERENCE:

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•  APARADHASAHASTRANI KRIYANTESHARNISAM MAYA,
• DASOSYAMITI MAM MATVA KSAMASVA PARAMESRVARI,
• AVAHANAM NA JANAMI KSAMYATAM PARAMESRVARI,
• PUJAM CAIVA NA JANAMI KSAMYATAM PARAMESRVARI,
• MANTRAHINAM KRIYAHINAM BHAKTIHINAM SURESRVARI,'
• YATPUJITAM MAYA DEVI PARIPURNA TADASTU ME.                                               

                                                          👀👀👀👀👀

                               

                         THIS MEANS, I HAVE MADE COUNTLESS MISTAKES, PLEASE LOOK UPON ME AS YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT AND FORGIVE ME. I DON'T KNOW THE MANTRAS, I DON'T KNOW THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION, I AM AN IGNORANT PERSON, AND YET I HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PRAY TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE EVER MERCIFUL, YOU STILL FULFILL MY WISHES.

                                                       STEP THIRTY-ONE

                             NOW IT'S TIME TO PERFORM YAJNA, THE FIRE OFFERINGS. THE TENPERCENT PRINCIPLE (DASHANSH) APPLIES HERE. WHICH MEANS, IF YOU HAVE CHANTED 3000 TIMES, YOU WILL MAKE 300 FIRE OFFERINGS. ONCE AGAIN, I'VE GIVEN A CHAPTER ON FIRE OFFERINGS IN THE APPENDIX.

                           THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DO ELABORATE YAJNAS, BUT PERHAPS PERFORM THE SIMPLEST ONE. THERE IS NOT MUCH TO BE DONE. IF YOU CANNOT DO FIRE OFEERINGS, SIMPLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF CHANTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU CHANTED 1000 TIMES THAT DAY, THIS MEANS YOU WOULD MAKE 100 OBLATIONS TO THE FIRE. IF YOU CANNOT DO A YAJNA, SIMPLY CHANT AN ADDITIONAL 200 TIMES, OVER AND ABOVE YOUR 1000 MANTRA CHANTING, TO COMPENSATE FOR NOT DOING THE YAJNA.

                           ONE ESSENTIAL POINT ON FIRE OFFERINGS. WHENVER YOU OFFER ANYTHING TO THE FIRE OF THE YAGNA, MAKE SURE YOU END IT WITH THE WORDS "OM SVAHA".

                          FOR EXAMPLE, TO MAKE A FIRE OFFERING WITH GAYATRI MANTRA, YOU WILL SAY,

                        "OM BHURBHUVAH SVAHA TATSAVITURVARENYAMA BHARGO

                           DEVASYA, DHIMAHI, DHIYO NAH PRACODAYATA, OM SVAHA".

                                                                STEP THIRTY-TWO

                                    AFTER THE YAJNA, WE DO TARPAN OR LIBATIONS. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF TARPAN- BRAHMA TARPAN, PITRA TARPAN, DEVA TARPAN AND SO ON. THE TARPAN WE ARE DOING HERE IS DEVA TARPAN, THAT WE ARE OFFERING TO THE DEITY. WHEN YOU OFFER SOMEBODY FOOD, YOU OFFER HER SOME WATER AS WELL, BECAUSE WATER COMPLETES THE MEAL. I AM TELLING YOU  THE SIMPLEST METHOD OF TARPAN.

                                 IF CAN BE DONE WITH WATER MIXED WITH SESAME SEEDS AND SO ON, BUT THIS SIMPLE TARPAN IS DONW WITH JUST WATER. YOU CAN USE THAT LITTLE POT THAT YOU USED TO DO ACHAMANA, AND COMPLETE THE LIBERATION IN ANY OF THESE TWO WAYS: YOU CAN TAKE SOME WATER FROM THE POT WITH A LITTLE SPOON AND AS YOU CHANT YOUR MANTRA, "OM BHURBHUVAH SVAH TATSAVITURVARENAYAMA BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NAH PRACODOYATA, OM TARPAYAMI".

                            LIKE WE APPEND "OM SVAHA" IN A FIRE OFFERING, WE ADD, "OM TARPYAMAI" WHILE PERFORMING LIBERATIONS.

                           THIS IS THE RECOMMENDED METHOD. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SPOON, YOU CAN JOIN YOUR RING FINGER AND THUMB AND DIP THEM IN THE POT. THE NUMBER OF LIBERATIONS IS ALWAYS TEN PERCENT OF YOUR FIRE OFFERINGS. SO, IF YOU DID 1000 TIMES CHANTING, YOU'LL MAKE 100 FIRE OFFERINGS AND 10 LIBERATIONS.

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THREE FORMS OF MANTRA SADHANA

 

                                                       MANTRA SADHANA

                              ALL MANTRA SADHANAS FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES. THE FIRST IS CALLED NITYA KARMA. NITYA MEANS SOMETHING THAT'S DONE ROUTINELY. NITYA KARMA IS LIKE ATTENDING SCHOOK, YOU PUT ON A UNIFORM, GO THERE AND MARK YOUR PRESENCE. THOUGH IN ITSELF THIS HAS SOME RELEVANCE, IT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH PER SE. BUT YOU GO TO SCHOOL, GET FAMILIAR WITH THE LEARNING ENVIRONEMNT, SEE OTHER CHILDREN, AND SO ON.

                          NITYA KARMA IS WHAT A SEEKER DOES ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT IS REFRESHING YOUR MIND, PRACTICING WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, EVERY DAY.

                        RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHANSA HAD THREE GURUS, ONE OF HIS GURUS WAS NAGA SAINT NAMED TOTAPURI.

                       RAMAKRISHNA ONCE ASKED HIM, YOU HAVE ATTAINED NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI, THAT RARE AND ARGUABLY THE HIGHEST FORM OR EMANCIPATION. WHY, THEN, DO YOU STILL MEDITATE?

                       YOU SEE THAT WATER POT? TOTAPURI POINTED TO HIS WATER POT, WHICH WAS MADE OF BRASS, AND SAID, IF YOU DON'T WASH IT DAILY, IT GATHERS STAINS AND SPOTS. THEREFORE, I MEDITATE A LITTLE EVERY DAY TO SUSTAIN THE PURIFICATION THAT I HAVE DONE WITH INTENSE SADHANA.

                      YOU SHOULD MAKE WHAT YOU DO SITTING IN FRONR OF AN ALTAR PART OF YOUR ROUTINE, MAKE IT YOUR DAILY DISCIPLINE SO THAT YOU REFRESH WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW. THAT, HOWEVER, DOES NOT USUALLY GIVE YOU THE POWER YOU MAY NEED FROM MANTRAS FOR CERTAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

                FOR THAT, THERE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF A SADHANA CALLED NAIMITTIKA KARMA. AND IT IS WHAT REALLY DIFFERENTIATES AN ASCETIC, AN ADEPT FROM AN AVERAGE SEEKER. 

                NAIMITTIKA KARMA IS SOMETHING THAT IS DONE WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE IN MIND. DOING NAIMITTIKA KARMA ENTAILS DEVOTING A CERTAIN TIME FOR YOUR SADHANA. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD SAY, I AM GOING TO CHANT THIS MANTRA OVER THE NEXT 40 DAYS, 1,25,000 TIMES, OR I AM GOING TO CHANT IT 2,00,000 TIMES OR 40,000 TIMES, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. IT IS LIKE A FIXED DEPOSIT IN YOUR SPIRITUAL BANK ACCOUNT. WHAT YOU DO DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME IS WHAT YOU ACCUMULATE FOR FUTURE USE.

                   WHEN YOU DO NAIMITTIKA KARMA, YOU WILL GAIN SOME ENERGY FROM YOUR CHANTING. ONE OF THE COMMON MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE MAKE WITH MANTRA SADHANA IS THAT THEY BECOME EAGER TO USE IT. I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, I WASN'T THINKING OF CITING IT EARLIER, BUT IT IS SURELY RELEVANT.

                   IN 1999, I INITIATED A VERY NICE PERSON, A HOUSEHOLDER, INTO A SPECIFIC MANTRA. LET'S CALL HIM TARUN.

                    SOMEWHERE, I SAID TO HIM, I'M TAKING A RISK BY INITIATING YOU IN THIS MANTRA. THE ONLY THING I ASK OF YOU IS THAT PLEASE DON'T USE IT WITHOUT CONSULTING ME. THERE IS A REASON I AM TELLING YOU THIS, BECAUSE ONE DAY YOU WILL NEED IF FOR SOMETHING IN YOUR FAMILY, FOR ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN.

                    YES, BUT WE'LL NEED THE ENERGY OF THIS MANTRA.

                    ABOUT EIGHT YEARS LATER, ONE OF HIS COUSIN'S UNCLES, AN OLD MAN, FELL GRAVELY ILL. TARUN WENT TO SEE HIM AT THE HOSPITAL AND COULDN'T BEAR TO SEE HIM SUFFERING. HE ASKED ME IF HE COULD USE THE MANTRA TO HELP THE OLD MAN, SO HE COULD LEAVE THIS WORLD PEACEFULLY.

                   THIS SOUL'S DEPARTURE IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, I REPLIED,SAVE THIS POWER, YOU WILL NEED IT, BUT HE COULDN'T CONTAIN HIMSELF. IN HIS NEXT VISIT, HE SAW HIS COUSIN CRYING, AND THE UNCLE IN GREAT PAIN AND HE SAT THERE AND APPLIED THE MANTRA. THIS WAS IN THE MORNING.

                  AT AROUND 3 PM, THE SAME DAY, HIS UNCLE LEFT HIS BODY. I AM SORRY, TARUN SAID TO ME OVER THE PHONE, BUT I COULD NOT RESIST USING THE MANTRA. SINCE I DID NOT USE IF FOR MY OWN BENEFIT- AFTER ALL, I HELPED SOMEBODY - SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE ALL RIGHT.

                 WHILE IT IS NOT UNTRUE THAT YOU USED THE ENERGY OF THE MANTRA FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, IT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE EITHER, BECAUSE YOU USED IT OUT OF SENSE OF ATTACHMENT, I CONTENDED. THERE WERE OTHER PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL. YOU DID NOT GO TO THEM AND SAY, I AM LIBERATING YOU. YOU HELPED SOMEBODY TO WHOM YOU WERE ATTACHED, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. SO WHILE THAT IS COMMENDABLE, IT WAS NOT ENTIRELY SELFLESS. YOUR EMOTIONS GOT THE BETTER OF YOU, AND YOU USED YOUR ENERGT JUST LIKE THAT.

                    FAST-FORWARD A FEW YEARS, AND A YOUNG PERSON IN HIS FAMILY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. FORTUNATELY, WITH THE RIGHT MEDICAL AND SPIRITUAL INTERVENTION, THIS STORM PASSED. 

                      WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. UNCLE BEN IN SPIDERMAN SAID THAT - ONE WISE FELLOW.

                     IF YOU ARE GOING TO ACCUMULATE ENERGY, YOU ALSO HAVE A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT USE IT JUST FOR YOURSELF. IT WOULD BE IDEAL ALSO SO CONFINE YOURSELF TO USING IT FOR THOSE TO WHOM YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED, OR AT LEAST USE IT FOR THOSE TO WHOM YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED, OR ATLEAST USE IT FOR SOME PEOPLE WHOM YOU DO NOT KNOW. THIS REQUIRES GREAT MINDFULLNESS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND, EVERYBODY IS DISTURBED OR IN PAIN IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. EVERYONE IS IN NEED. HOW YOU INTERVENE MAKES A GREAT IDEAL OF DIFFERENCE TO YOURS AS WELL AS THAT PERSON'S LIFE, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE TO YOURS AS WELL AS THAT PERSON'S LIFE BECAUSE IF YOU ARE INTERFERING IN THE PLAY OF NATURE, SOMEWHERE, YOU MUST PAY THE PRICE. YOUR INTERVENTION HAS TO BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATURE, WHICH IS PART OF NAIMITTIKA KARMA.

                 UNDER NAIMITTIKA KARMA IS A CONCEPT CALLED PURUSHCHARANA. PURUSHCHARANA IS INVOKING A MANTRA AND SAVING ITS ENERGY FOR FUTURE USE. IT IS ALWAYS DONE OVER A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME, AND LATER IN THIS BOOK, I SHARE THE STEPS OF PURUSHCHARANA. ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THE PURUSHCHARANA, YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED THE NECESSARY SPIRITUAL WEALTH. THEN, THE THIRD STEP IS KAMYA PRAYOGA.

                KAMYA MEANS DESIRED OR DESIRABLE AND PRAYOGA MEANS APPLICATION. WHEN YOU USE A MANTRA FOR A CERTAIN APPLICATION, THAT IS KAMYA PRAYOGA. OF THESE THREE ASPECTS OF MANTRA SCIENCE, THE SECOND, NAIMITTIKA KARMA, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS BOOK.

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GAYATRI MANTRA STEPS

 

                                                      STEP TWENTY-EIGHT

                 THIS STEP IS CALLED JAPA SAMARPANA WHICH MEANS OFFERING YOUR CHANTING YOU JUST DID. WE HAVE TO OFFER THE JAPA BACK TO THE DEITY WE HAVE BEEN PRAYING TO, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS JAPA FOR US FOR THE WALFARE OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS. THIS HIGHER SENSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS REQUIRED SO YOU DON'T JUST FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BECOME THE OBJECT OF YOUR WORSHIP BUT ALSO BEHAVE LIKE ONE IN THE TRUEST SENSE OF THE WORD.

                                    I DON'T DENY THAT WHENEVER MOST OF US DO SADHANA, WE DO IT BECAUSE SOMEHOW WE WANT TO BENEFIT FROM IT. YES, I AS A INDIVIDUAL WANT TO BENEFIT FROM MY CHANTING, BUT REMEMBER THAT AT A SOUL LEVEL, WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED. THE MORE YOU FLOURISH, THE MORE I WILL GAIN - THAT'S THE PRECEPT UNDER WHICH WE FUNCTION. THE MORE EVERYBODY IS ENJOYING THEMSELVES, THE MORE I WILL ENJOY MYSELF.

                                I DO THAT BECAUSE IT BENEFIT ME.

                                HOW CAN IT BENEFIT YOU?

                                YOU SEE, HE REPLIED, WHEN BIRDS, BEES AND OTHER INSECTS CARRY POLLEN, THEY WILL ALWAYS CARRY POLLEN FROM ADJOINING FIELDS. IF THE FIELDS AROUND ME HAVE HEALTHY CORN, THEN THE CORN IN THE FIELDS AROUND ME IS UNHEALTHY, IF IT IS INFESTED WITH PESTS AND SO ON, THEN I GIVE THEM GOOD SEEDS, IT HELPS ME DIRECTLY.

                           IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE ALL AFFECTED BY KARMIC CROSS                                           POLLINATION.

                          MOST OF OUR ACTIONS ARE USUALLY PERFORMED FOR SELFISH REASONS, THAT EVERYTHING IS GEARED TOWARDS MY HAPPINESS, MY FULFILLMENT, MY DESIRES, MY GOALS AND MY AMBITIONS. THIS ONE KARMA OF CHANTING, OF CALLING OUT TO THE DIVINE, LET THIS NOT BE FOR ME. FOR ONCE, LET ME UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS FOR THE WELFARE OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM MY ACTIONS, THEN, CLEARLY, I WILL BENEFIT TOO.

                       WITH THAT IN MIND, WE VISUALIZE THE DEITY, VEDMATA GAYATRI, MENTALLY OFFER YOUR CHANTING IN THE LEFT HAND OF DEVI, VISUALIZE THAT DEVI, MOTHER GAYATRI, MOTHER DIVINE IS THERE, AND YOU HAVE OFFERED IT IN THE LEFT HAND OF DEVI. YOU CAN SIMPLY SAY, I HEREBY OFFE YOU ALL MY JAPA. IT'S AS IF YOU ARE A CHILD WHO HAS EARNED SOMETHING, AND ARE GIVING IT TO YOUR PARENTS FOR SAFEKEEPING- PLEASE, PUT IT IN A FIXED DEPOSIT, OR THE LIKE. NOW, CHANT.

                               ABHISHTA SIDDHIM ME DEHI

                               SHARANAGATA VATSALE BHAKTYA

                               SAMARPAYE TUBHYAM

                               JAPAMEVARCANAM

                           THAT, O DEVI, I HAVE DONE THIS JAPA WITH A PURE INTENTION, LET THAT INTENTION MANIFEST, I AM OFFERING YOU ALL MY JAPA, IN THIS WAY YOU VERY SMARTLY REINFORCE WHY YOU DID THE JAPA IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND YOU HAVE DEVOTED ALL YOUR JAPA TO YOUR DEITY. THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP. I ALWAYS TELL THOSE WHOM I INITIATE THAT IF YOU MISS THIS STEP, I ALWAYS TELL THOSE WHOM I INITIATE THAT IF YOU MISS THIS STEP, YOUR PURUSHCHARANA IS KHANDIT - IT'S BROKEN.

                      ONE WAY TO ENSURE THAT YOU REMEMBER THIS STEP IS TO MAKE NOTES (ONE OF MY PERSONAL PRACTICES, I ALWAYS MAKE NOTES) I DON'T RELY ENTIRELY ON MY MEMORY. I HAVE A SMALL LIST WHERE I WRITE DOWN STEP ONE, STEP TWO, STEP THREE, ETCETERA. AND I ALWAYS HAVE THAT LIST SITTING BESIDE ME DURING MY SADHANA. IF YOU DO YOUR JAPA CORRECTLY, YOU MAY ENTER A DIFFERENT STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, AND YOU MAY FORGET A STEP OR TWO. UNDER THOSE CIRCUSTANCES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE STEPS OF YOUR JAPA WRITTEN DOWN.

                    ONCE YOU HAVE DEVOTED YOUR JAPA TO YOUR DEITY, YOU CAN THEN PRAY FOR EVERYBODY'S WELFARE. THERE IS A LITTLE SHLOKA, A LITTLE MANTRA, WHICH IS, SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINA, SARVE SANTU NIRAMAYA, SARVE BHADRANI PASCHYANTI, MAA KASCHIDA DUKHA BHAGA BHAVET. IN CASE YOU CAN'T REMEMBER THIS, JUST PRAY, WITH YOUR HANDS FOLDED. MAY EVERYBODY BE AT PEACE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

                                                   STEP TWENTY  -NINE

                                    NOW, IT'S TIME TO FREE ALL THE ENERGIES YOU MAY HAVE INVOKED DURING YOUR JAPA. I HAVE SIMPLIFIED THE GAYATRI SADHANA SO WE ARE NOT INVOKING SO MANY ENERGIES. IN ADVANCED MANTRA SADHANAS,  YOU INVITE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENERGIESTO BE THERE WHILE YOU ARE DOING YOUR JAPA, BECAUSE YOU ARE INVITING DEVI, AND YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO INVITE HER ON HER OWN. FREEING ALL THE ENERGIES IS CALLED VISARJANA, SO WE GRATEFULLY AND GRACEFULLY SEE THEM OFF, AND THEY CAN GO WHERE THEY WISH. YOU CAN SIMPLY FOLD YOUR HANDS AND SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WHOEVER CAME HERE, PLEASE BE WITH ME NEXT TIME, OR YOU CAN CHANT THIS SIMPLE SHLOKA:

                        GACCHA GACCHA PARAM STHANAM SVASTHANAM PARAMESVARI,

                         PUJARADHANAKALE CA PUNARAGAMANAYA CA.

                       MAY YOU ALL RETURN TO YOUR ABODE, I HUMBLE REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE BE HERE WHEN I CALL UPON YOU ONCE AGAIN TO OFFER MY PRAYERS TO YOU.

                               TISTHA TISTHA PARASTHANE SVASTHANA PARAMESVARI,

                                YATRA BRAHMADAYA DEVAH SARVE TISTHANTI ME HRDI

                               LET EVERYBODY TO TO YOUR ABODE AND BE SETTLED THERE. MAY ALL THE POSITIVE ENERGIES, ALL THE GOODNESS, FOREVER REMAIN IN MY HEART. LET THOSE I NEED TO GROM HERE.

                             THERE ARE ENERGIES THAT SIMPLY HELP YOU FULFILL YOUR MATERIALS GOALS, BUT THEN THERE ARE ENERGIES THAT ARE PART OF YOUR PURIFICATION THAT SHOULD REMAIN WITH YOU TO HELP YOU PROGRESS ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH. LET THOSE POSITIVE ENERGIES STAY INSIDE ME, IN MY HEART - THAT'S WHAT THIS VERSE MEANS.

                                                                      ❤❤❤❤❤❤

GAYATRI MANTRA STEPS

 

                                                 ❤ STEP TWENTY-FOUR ❤

                            IN THIS STEP, WE PERFORM MANTRA SAMSKARA. THERE IS NO REAL EQUIVALENT OF THE WORD SAMSKARA IN ENGLISH. BROADLY TRANSLATED, IT COULD MEAN COULD MEAN CULTURAL VALUES, UPBRINGING OR AN ACT MARKING TRANFORMATION. IN SANATANA DHARMA, THERE ARE 16 SAMSKARAS, IMPORTANT MILESTONES, IN THE LIFE OF A PERSON'S LIFE. THE SAME COURTESY IS EXTENDED OT THE LIVING ENERGY OF ANY MANTRA WE INVOKE. GAYATRI IS NO EXCEPTION.

                      THE MANTRA OF GAYATRI WAS CURSED BY BRAHMA, VASISHTHA AND VISHWAMITRA. SO THE PRIMARY SAMSKARA OF GAYATRI MANTRA IS TO ABSOLVE IF FROM THE CURSE OF THE SAGES (SHAAP VIMOCHANA). TO DO SO, CHANT THE SHAAP VIMOCHANA MANTRA OF BRAHMA, VASISHTHA AND VISHWAMITRA SEVEN TIMES EACH. IF YOU CANNOT DO SEVEN TIMES EACH, DOING IT THRICE EACH WILL ALSO DO, BUT THAT'S THE BARE MINIMUM. THE MANTRAS ARE PROVIDED IN THE APPENDIX.

                    PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT INITIATED. IF YOU ARE INITIATED INTO GAYATRI MANTRA, YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO MANTRA SAMSKARA BASED ON WHAT YOUR GURU TELLS YOU. USUALLY, IT'S DONE ONLY ON THE FIRST DAY - SOMETIMES NOT EVEN ON THE FIRST DAY. BUT BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SADHANA. IF YOU ARE NOT INITIATED INTO THE GAYATRI MANTRA, YOU'D HAVE TO DO IT EVERY DAY.

                                                        ❤  STEP TWENTY-FIVE ❤

                                 THE 25TH STEP MANTRA DHYANAM. NOW SOMETIMES, IN SOME SADHANAS YOU HAVE WHAT WE CALL A DHYANA SHLOKA, WHICH IS USUALLY A VERSE THAT DEPICTS THE DEVI - THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOUR OBJECT OF WORSHIP LOOKS, WHAT IMPLEMENTS SHE CARRIES, WHAT KIND OF FACE SHE HAS, HER PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, SO YOU CAN MEDITATE ON THAT FORM. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT VERY SIMPLE, JUST CHANT YOUR GAYRATRI MANTRA AND LET THAT BE YOUR DHYAM SHLOKA. OR YOU CAN GO ONLINE, WHERE YOU CAN FIND A MYRIAD OF IMAGES OF VEDMATA GAYATRI. PICK THE ONE THAT APPEALS TO YOU, AND MEDITATE ON THAT FORM IN THE BEGINNING. IF YOU ARE KEEN ON USING ON THE DHYANA SHLOKA, I'VE PROVIDED THAT IN THE APPENDIX.

                                                    ❤    STEP TWENTY-SIX ❤

                            NOW THE GOOD NEWS, YOU ARE READY TO DO THE CHANTING, MOOL MANTRA JAPA, STEP NUMBER 26, WHERE YOU WILL PICK UP YOUR BEADS AND START CHANTING. YOU WILL CHANT BASED ON THE SAMKALPA YOU HAVE TAKEN, SO IF YOU HAD SAID, I AM GOING TO CHANT "X" NUMBER OF TIMES A DAY, THAT WHAT YOU WILL DO. IF YOU HAD SAID, I AM, ONLY GOING TO CHANT "X" NUMBER OF MINUTES A DAY, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU WILL DO.

                           I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT CONSISTENCY IN CHANTING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

                                                  ❤STEP TWENTY-SEVEN❤

                                         

                            ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THE CHANTING, WE SHOW UTTARA MUDRA OR POST-JAPA HANDLOCKS. A COUPLE OF THEM MAY SEEM A BIT COMPLICATED, BUT THEY AREN'T. EIGHT HANDLOCKS ARE SHOWN IN THIS STEP. THEY ARE DHENU, GYANAM, VAIRAGYA, YONI, SHANKARA, PANKAJA, SAMHARA, LINGAM AND NIRVANA MUDRA (ALSO KNOWN AS SAMHARA MUDRA)

                               IN THE OLDEN DAYS, TEACHERS WOULD MAKE THEIR STUDENTS SLOG FOR YEARS BEFORE THEY WOULD TEACH MUDRAS, SOMETIMES. A DISCIPLE WOULD TRAIN FOR 12 YEARS, YET THE TEACHER WOULD NOT INSTRUCT THEM ON MUDRAS AT ALL. WHEN WE GET SOMETHING AFTER MUCH TIME, EFFORT AND ENERGY, WE USUALLY VALUE IT. I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE MUDRAS FREELY, BUT PLEASE DON'T THINK THAT THESE MUDRAS ARE CASUAL GESTURES. MUDRAS REPRESENT A POWERFUL METHOD TO AID THE FLOW OF ENERGY.

                        ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THESE, YOU JUST DO THE NAMASTE MUDRA ALSO KNOWN AS ANJALI MUDRA. IT IS DONE IN THE STANDARD NAMASTE POSTURE BY JOINING BOTH HANDS AND BRINGING THEM TO YOUR CHEST.

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GAYATHRI MANTRA STEP TWENTY - ONE

 

                                                        STEP TWENTY-ONE

                          THIS STEP IS CALLED PURVA MANTRA JAPA OR PRELIMINARY MANTRA CHANTING AND IS DONE BEFORE YOU PERFORM THE MANTRAS (THE NEXT STEP). YOU USUALLY HAVE TO DO THE PRELIMINARY MANTRA CHANTING ABOUT 21 TIMES. THAT WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT. IF YOU CAN'T CHANT 21 TIMES, DO IT 7 TIMES - THOUGH I DON'T SEE WHY YOU CAN'T CHANT 21 TIMES.

                        WHILE WE ARE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS, YOU MAY THINK, WHY BE SO ELABORATE? OR, DOES THIS REALLY HAVE ANY MEANING? OR, WOULD MANTRAS  REALLY BENEFIT ME IN ANY WAY? I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING. WHEN YOU CHANT WITH DEVOTION. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH MANTRA YOU CHANT- WITHOUT A DOUBT, YOU ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT DIMENTION OF YOURSELF.

                     

                                                     STEP TWENTY-TWO

                   THE OTHER MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN BE AT ONE WITH THE OBJECT OF OUR WORSHIP IS MUDRAS. AS I WAS EXPLAINING BEFORE, WHEN YOU CAN'T HEAR SOMEBODY, YOU CAN WERE AT HIM AND HE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU. MORE THAN THAT, WE DO THE MUDRAS OF THE DEVI OR ANY DEVATA, FEMALE DEITY OR MALE DEITY, WE BECOME THAT DEITY. AND IT HAS BEEN MY UNFAILING EXPERIENCE THAT THE MOMENT I DO THE MANDRAS, SOMETHING HAPPENS. YOU COULD SAY IT IS PURELY PSYCHOLOGICAL, BUT MY WHOLE CONSCIOUSNESS ELEVATES TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL, I EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT FLOW OF ENERGY IN MY BODY.

                  IN GAYATRI SADHANA, THERE ARE TWO SETS OF MUDRAS. ONE SET OF 24 MUDRAS IS PERFORMED BEFORE THE CHANTING IS DONE, AND 8 MUDRAS ARE DONE AFTER THE CHANTING. THE 24 PREMILIMINARY MUDRAS ARE SAMUKHAM, CHATURMUKHAM, PANCHMUKHAM, SHANMUKHAM, ADHOMUKHAM, VYAPAKANJALIM, SHAKATAM, YAMAPASHAM, GRANTHIM, UNMUKHONMUKHAM, PRALAMBAM, MUSHITIKAM, MATSYA, KURMA, VARAHAM, SIMHAKRANTAM, MAHAKRANTAM, MUDGARAM AND PALLAVAM.

                               I'VE EXPLAINED THESE MUDRAS WITH PICTURES IN THE                                                      APPENDIX.

                                                    STEP TWENTY-THREE

                         UPCHARAS ARE DEVOTIONAL OFFERINGS. YOU CAN MAKE 16 OR 5 OFFERINGS. OFFERINGS ARE USUALLY MADE OF WATER A LITTLE HONEY, SOME RICE AND OTHER SUCH INGREDIENTS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT PURE, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR AND OFFERING, YOU CAN JUST DO AN OFFERING MENTALLY. WHEN I WAS IN THE WOODS, THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD OFFER ALL THESE INGREDIENTS TO MOTHER DIVINE. SOURCING THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN WOULD HAVVE EATEN THEM ANYWAY, SO I DID THE OFFERINGS MENTALLY.

                      THE USUALLY CONVENTION IS TO ADD, AT THE BEGINNING FOLLOWED BY THE NAME OF THE INGREDIENT AND THEN "SAMARPYAMI" IN THE END. SAMARPYAMI MEANS, I'M OFFERING THIS TO YOU. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE OFFERING INCENSE TO THE DEITY, JUST SAY, "OM DHOOPAM SMARPYAMI". PANCHAOPCHARA -FIVE OFFERINGS - IS NORMALLY THE LEAST YOU CAN DO. THE CONVENTIONAL FIVE OFFERINGS ARE :

                       DHOOPAM (INCENSE), DEEPAM (LAMP), NAIVAEDYAM (ANYTHING EDIBLE LIKE A SWEETMEAT, A FRUIT, ETC. IT CAN ALSO BE A PLATE FULL OF FOOD), TAMBULAM (BETEL LEAVES ) AND PUNGIPHALAM (SUPARI - COMMONLY KNOWN AS BETEL LEAVES) AND PUNGIPHALAM (SUPARI - COMMONLY KNOWN AS BETEL NUT OR ARECA NUT). SO WHILE OFFERING THESE, YOUR MANTRAS WILL BECOME.

•   OM DHOOPAM SAMARPYAMI
•   OM DEEPAM DARSHYAMI

                    

                        (HERE "DARSHYAMI" IS USED RATHER THAN "SAMARPYAMI" TO INDICATE THAT I'M SHOWING THE LAMP, AS OPPOSED TO OFFERING THE LAMP)

•    OM NAIVEDYAM SAMARPYAMI
•    OM TAMBULAM SAMARPYAMI
•    OM PUNGIPHALAM SAMARPYAMI

                       WHEN YOU MAKE MENTAL OFFERINGS, YOU CAN SIMPLY SAY, "OM DHOOPAM, DEEPAM, NAIVEDYAM, TAMBULAM, PUNGIPHALAM SAMARPYAMI"

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FEW STEPS TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS

                        SUGGESTING STEPS TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS

                                                    

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                                 HILL : WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST AS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD GAINING SUCH CONTROL OVER OUR EMOTIONS, MR.CARNEGIE?

                                CARNEGIE : THE FIRST STEP IS TO IDENTIFY THE EMOTIONS SO WE WILL RECOGNIZE THEM, AND TO AID US IN THIS TASK A NOTED PSYCHOLOGIST HAS PREPARED A LIST OT THE MOST COMMON EMOTIONS EXPRESSED IN OUR DAILY LIVES. THERE ARED SEVEN POSITIVE EMOTIONS AND SEVEN NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. I SHALL GIVE YOU THE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS FIRST.

                           THE SEVEN NEGATIVE EMOTIONS ARE :

• FEAR (THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT FORMS OF FEAR, WHICH WE SHALL DISCUSS LATER)
• JEALOUSY
• HATRED AND ENVY
• REVENGE AND MALICE
• GREED
• SUPERSTITION AND DISTRICT
• ANGER                      

                      NOW FOR THE SEVEN POSITIVE EMOTIONS, WHICH ARE

• LOVE
• SEX
• HOPE
• FAITH
• DESIRE
• OPTIMISM
• LOYALTY

                                IN THESE FOURTEEN EMOTIONS ONE MAY FIND THE LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET OF A LANGUAGE THAT SPELLS EITHER SUCCESS OR FAILURE! THESE FOURTEEN WORDS LITERALLY REPRESENT THE KEYBOARD OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF LIFE, ON WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL PLAYS THE CHORDS DISCORDS OF UNHAPPINESS THAT LEAD TO MISERY AND BOSCURITY.

 

                           EACH OF THE FOURTEEN EMOTIONS IS RELATED TO MENTAL ATTITUDE. THIS IS WHY I HAVE STRESSED IS RELATED OF MENTAL ATTITUDE. THESE FOURTEEN EMOTIONS REPRESENT NOTHING EXCEPT MENTAL ATTITUDE. THEY ARE NOTHING BUT FEELINGS, OR STATES OF MIND. MORE IMPORTANT STILL, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO ORGANISM, GUIDANCE AND COMPLETE CONTROL BY ANY NORMAL PERSON. HERE IS KEYBOARD OF LIFE, ON WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL MAY COMPOSE THE TUNE THAT HIS SOULD WILL SING ALL THROUGH LIFE.

               

                             HILL : IN WHAT WAY HAS THE CREATOR GIVEN MAN CONTROL OVER THIS GRAND SCORE FOR THE SYMPHONY OF LIFE, MR. CARNEGIE?

                          CARNEGIE : BY GIVING MAN CONTROL OVER HIS POWERS OF THOUGHT. THE ONLY THING INDIVIDUALS HAS TO DO IS TO TAKE CHARGE OF HIS OWN MIND AND EXERCISE THIS CONTROL. THAT IS SOMETHING HE CANNOT NEGLECT OR AVOID, WITHOUT CONDEMNING HIS ENTIRE LIFE TO THE STRAY WINDS OF CHANCE!

                          REMEMBER, BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS SUBJECT, THAT THE POINT AT WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL BEGINS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THIS OWN MIND- AND THIS INCLUDES EMOTIONS OF COURSE - IS WHEN HE ADOPTS A DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE.

                      DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE IS THE STARTING POINT OF ALL ACHIEVEMENT. YOU SEE, THEREFORE, HOW DEFINITELY SUCCESS AND FAILURE ARE RELATED TO FAILURE. THE OTHER HALF SUCCESS BUILDERS.

                      HILL : I DARE SAY, MR. CARNEGIE, THAT ANYONE WHO SECURES A COPY OF THIS LIST OF THE FOURTEEN EMOTIONS AND WHO CAREFULLY EXAMINES HIMSELF IN CONNECTION WITH EACH OF THEM ON THE BASIS OF A DEFINITE SCHEDULE, WILL MAKE TREMENDOUS STRIDES TOWARD GAINING CONTROL OF  HIS EMOTIONS.

                    CARNEGIE : LET US CALL IT ALERTNESS OF INTEREST IN PERSONS, PLACES AND THINGS. WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO FIX ONE'S INTEREST AT WILL ON ANY SUBJECT OR PERSON AND HOLD IT THERE FOR WHATEVER TIME THE OCCASION REQUIRES NO PERSON WILL HAVE AN ATTRACTIVE PERSONALLITY. YOU CAN PAY ANOTHER PERSON NO GREATER COMPLIMENT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAN THAT OF CONCENTRATING YOUR ATTENTION UPON HIM WHEN HE DESIRES YOUR ATTENTION. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT IT IS A GREATER ACCOMPLISHMENT TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN WELL, THAN IT IS TO BE ABLE TO TALK WELL.

                    THIS IS ONE WAY IN WHICH A PERSON MAY PLEASE OTHERS AND AT THE SAME TIME ACQUIRE USABLE KNOWLEDGE. THE HABIT OF LOOKING IN SOME OTHER DIRECTION, OF FIDGETING WITH SOME POCKET GADGET WHEN OTHERS ARE TALKING, OF FIDGETING WITH SOME POCKET GADGET WHEN OTHERS ARE TALKING, IS AMONG THE WORST FORMS OF EFFRONTERY. THE HABIT OF INTERTING WHEN OTHERS ARE SPEAKING IS AN UNPARDONABLE INSULT! STRONG LANGUAGE, PERHAPS, BUT ACCURATELY DESCRIPTIVE OF AN IMPORTANT FACT.

                 HILL : ARE YOU IMPLYING, MR.CARNEGIE, THAT LACK OF OBSERVATION OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND ONE, AND FAILURE TO NOTICE DETAILS, IS AN ALL TOO COMMON WEAKNESS?

             

                CARNEGIE : PRECISELY THAT. IT IS A COMMON WEAKNESS THAT COSTS PEOPLE A TREMENDOUS PRICE. IF ONE WILL MAKE A CAREFUL STUDY OF ONE'S SELF, WHEN CONVERSING WITH OTHERS, HE MAY DISCOVER THAT HE CAN ADD SUBSTANTIALLY TO HIS OWN PERSONALITY BY TAKING A KEENER INTEREST IN THE OTHER FELLOW'S PERSONALITY.

                I HAVE OFTEN SUGGESTED TO SOME OF THE YOUNG MEN WHO WORKED WITH US, THAT IF THEY WOULD BECOME AS ALERTLY INTERESTED IN THE ASSOCIATES WITH WHOM THEY WORK, AND IN THEIR JOBS, AS THEY DO WHEN TALKING TO THEIR SWEETHEARTS, THE RESULTS WOULD SHOW A HEALTHY CHANGE IN THEIR PAY ENVELOPS.

                 ALERTNESS OF INTEREST IN OTHER PEOPLE NOT ONLY SERVES TO PLEASE THEM, BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES ONE WITH AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW PEOPLE BY OBSERVING THEIR MANNERISM. ONE MAY LEARN VALUABLE LESSONS BY OBSERVING THE FAULTS AS WELL AS THE VIRTUES OF OTHER PEOPLE, AS THIS HABIT CAUSES ONE TO TAKE MORE ACCURATE INVENTORY OF HIMSELF, TO MAKE SURE HE DOES NOT DISPLAY THE SAME FAULTS.

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