Sri Aurobindos Gayatri
Monday June 20 2005 08:43 IST
By Karmayogi
Orthodox people repeat mantras, of which Gayatri is outstanding and universal. The Vedas are recited on important occasions. Stotras are mostly for ladies. Those who are in touch with spiritual literature have a bright face. We call it tejas.
These mantras have the power to convert the physical, vital energies of man into spiritual energies, tejas. Hence the brightness or brilliance on the face. Gayatri is a mantra of Jnana yoga. Its plane is mind. Mind is seated in the brain. The power of Gayatri makes the mind bright. This is known as Viswamitra Gayatri.
Duraisami Aiyer was a tall patriot and a leading lawyer. Chittaranjan Doss asked Duraisami to see Sri Aurobindo. Doss was His lawyer in the Alipore case. Having seen Him, Aiyar gave up his practice and stayed in the Ashram. His sons upanayanam came. Duraisami asked Sri Aurobindo for a mantra.
The mantra Sri Aurobindo wrote for Duraisamis son is known as Sri Aurobindos Gayatri. One can find it in His book, On Himself. Sri Aurobindos yoga embraces all parts of our being, whereas Jnana yoga limits itself to the Mind.
Reciting the Gayatri mantra written by Sri Aurobindo, one finds his whole being – mind, vital, body – filled with light. The extension from Mind to the whole being is characteristic of His yoga in all its aspects.
Asana belongs to Hatha yoga, a yoga of the body. Asana gives the body a health and energy which are perfect. It gives a tone to the health. The very skin glows. Sri Aurobindo disregards asana, advocates surrender. One surrenders ones speech which is vital.
Surrendering ones thought is mental. Surrendering ones acts is physical, as it is the body that works. Surrender means one gives up his own initiative and waits upon the Divine to initiate. That act of surrender starts with the thought in the Mind, feelings in the vital and ends with the sensation of the body.
Surrender of ones acts brings the Force through it to his body. Its effect includes the effects of asana, a bodily exercise. Asana gives health. Surrender brings the Force to the body and the body thrills at its touch. Chanting of Gayatri has its power over the movements of the sun. It increases the heat of the atmosphere. One who chants it with feeling makes Gayatri his friend.
The mantra has a personality of its own. In the initial stages, the words of the mantra will be repeating in the Mind. Later, the words die down and one sees a light. In the final stages, a Sun is seen in the heart. HE says Mother and Sri Aurobindo are more powerful than Gayatri. Their names stand for the Power they have brought on earth.