The Vedha Maatha : Holy Gayathri

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Gayathri has served as a sacred form of prayer from times immemorial and its essence has been extolled in the Vedas and Upanishads. It has a unique place in our daily life. This is also known as 'guru manthra'- this is to be initiated into by an acharya and the first 'upadesha' comes to the vatu through his own father. It is hoped that the father is saathvic enough to initiate his son into the Gayathri manthra which will be recited three times a day for the rest of one's life.

The Lord, the creator of the universe, is directly addressed to, to direct one's energy and intellect to saathvic karmas so that the individual develops into a noble personality (Dhiyo yo nah prachodhayaath).

It was maharshi Agasthya who explained to the Lord Himself(!), that is, Sri Rama, the greatness of worshipping the Sun (Adithya). During the Sandhyavandanam, there is a step during which we utter "Asaavaadhithyo Brahma"- this means that one should think that the sun god outside and the sun inside you, are one and the same (Lord in the orb of the Sun and in our Antharyaami).

Sun's other name before sunrise is Savithr. Inspiring the people of the whole world he moves in the golden chariot towards us. He has the complexion of gold and a dazzling personality. Savithr forms part of the Gayathri manthra- we meditate on his 'tejas'.

Chandhogya upanishad glorifies the worship of the sun through Gayathri manthra - all that exists here is Gayathri; speech is Gayathri; Gayathri is verily the Prithvi.

'Argyas' offered through Gayathri free Adithya from being attacked by demons (Mandeharuna) and the 'argyas' secure us with Sun God's blessings. Surya is the son of Heaven, says Rig veda, who is the far-seeing eye of knowledge born of gods.

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