All experienced people proclaim one truth only viz. God is one and that to experience him there is only one path which involves understanding God’s teachings and imbibing them in one’s daily life. Yet in the gross, material world one sees something entirely different. We see differences as far as various names and forms of this world are concerned. Because of this visual difference different opinions are put forth which ultimately lead to bitter fights and strifes. Definitely we will have to accept that those who fight are totally ignorant of the true nature of God. Else it could also mean that these quarrelsome people have not found a true preceptor (Guru) who will help one overcome this differential viewpoint and reinstate us in that absolute principle of truth that is God wherein there is only oneness and no differences. It could further mean that if we have not met a preceptor in this material world we can attain our god via Gayatri Mahamantra which is the Guru-Mantra manifest. This helps a spiritual seeker to overcome differences based on names, form, various methods of worship so as to attain the divine wisdom of one soul (God) pervading the entire cosmos. We all are aware of this. According to the Gayatri Mahamantra : Where is God? The answer is “Om Bhur Bhuva Sva” meaning God pervades the earth, sky and cosmic space. What do you call him? He is beyond the difference of sexes i.e. he is neither a male nor a female. He is beyond all names and forms. What is his nature and how do you attain him? (Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahee). He is divine light and is easily attainable. What is our relationship with him? (Tat Dheemahi) Imbibe him as divine radiance in your psyche. What is its use – prayer? (Dheeyo Yona Prachodayat). May God induce our intellects to walk on the path of greatness.

Any capable Guru can endeavour to lead us towards divinity (God) with the help of this lucid aphorism. Thus the Gayatri Mantra too gives us this divine inspiration and along with this those who truly make efforts in this direction are given divine powers just like those possessed by a preceptor. As a result right since ancient times it goes beyond all sectarian differences and is hence established as a Guru-Mantra.

ANOTHER POINT TO NOTE

Gayatri is made up of 2 parts viz. Gaay (vital force) + Tri (protection). Gayatri is that which protects our vital force. The question arises as to when does one seek protection? It is very clear that when a devotee is involved in a major problem he seeks protection via prayers. What are those problems that one is forced to seek protection? When does one seek protection from Gayatri which is the primordial energy of divine consciousness? When consciousness flows in the sense organs made of the 5 elements it gets the power of mobility. No doubt the conscious flow of energy in our sense organs induces mobility in them yet one prays that the sense organs instead of moving in the direction of vileness should flow on the path of sacredness. Because the sense organs are inert in nature, they tend to stray in all directions. The soul in our body forgets that true joy is present in the life force itself. This joy tends to believe that the sense organs are its servants and instead of controlling what it had set out to control, it itself gets controlled by it. This is that very problem as a result of which our vital force gets agitated while seeking protection.

Gayatri science protects us from this illusion. Ratnakar, Dhruv, Prahlad, Angulimal radiated intense vital force. The preceptor gave a proper direction to these souls who were otherwise straying in a wrong direction or it can also be said that from the beginning itself their delusion was warded off. Adi Shankaracharya always visualizes the preceptor in this manner. And hence by calling such a preceptor “Always as Gayatri manifest”, Shankaracharya humbly bows down to the preceptor.

OUR GOOD FATE

If we witness it in the light of truth then we will realize that we are those extraordinarily fortunate people who have attained the Guru (Preceptor) as Gayatri and Gayatri as a Guru Mantra.

By itself spiritual seekers could avail of the Gayatri Mantra just like any other Mantra. But in this era it is only our revered Gurudeva i.e. Yuga Rishi Shriram Sharma Acharya who has made it easy for us to relate to God via an all-encompassing precept. Thus it is our good fortune that we have got the Guru Mantra in the form of the Gayatri Mantra.

In the same way Gayatri who is our preceptor too, is easily attainable by one and all. The members of the Gayatri Parivar know fully well that the great devotee of Gayatri viz. Mahatma Anand Swami would always stress that our revered preceptor is inseparable from Gayatri. Meaning both Gayatri and our preceptor are one both within and without. Swami Anand was a member of the Arya Samaj. He was highly revered in the Arya Samaj. Swami Anand was senior to our Gurudeva by 25 years. Yet he would always bow down to our Gurudeva (Shriram Sharma Acharya) who was not only younger in age but was also a householder and not a Sanyasi (mendicant). No doubt Swami Karpatri a revered figure of Sanatana Dharma disapproved of the Gayatri Mantra being given to one and all, yet he had told one of the Gayatri Parivar members that Shriram Sharma Acharya is the father of Gayatri in this era. In fact for his entire life he worked according to the precepts of Gayatri and when he gave up his mortal coil on the day of Gayatri Jayanti he merged into Gayatri. Hence it is indeed our great fortune to be associated with such a great exponent of Gayatri.

Adi Shankaracharya who looked upon Gayatri as an eternal preceptor always bowed down to Her. Eternal means that which cannot be limited by body, place and time. Even our revered Gurudeva spoke about himself thus. He opined that those who look upon me as divine energy and not a limited human body will attain the proximity of my true nature. Hence he also said do not make a statue of my body. Instead re-instate a flame torch which represents intense faith in God and a radiant, divine intellect. He further proclaimed that no one shall take up the position of a Guru (Preceptor) in the Gayatri Parivar after I give up my mortal coil. Those who will initiate others into the Gayatri Mantra and those who will perform those rites will only do so as my representatives. All this proves that he wished to re-instate Gayatri as divine energy and not as a limited image of name and form.

Our revered Gurudeva Yuga Rishi Shriram Acharya was Gayatri incarnate. Mother Gayatri who is Savita God’s divine energy pervaded every pore of his being. All his life he helped innumerable devotees to walk on the path of greatness. He was a master of Tantra Science. Yet he never had faith in exhibiting miraculous powers for name and fame. In fact as far as a true saint is concerned these miracles take place via his body as per God’s wish and whoever experiences it truly feels blessed. Our revered Gurudeva has taken many physical forms at various places with the help of his divine subtle body so as to be of help to his beloved devotees. A devotee attained his protection as per his individual destiny. If one’s destiny is very dire, a Guru definitely helps such a person to lighten his burden and by inducing the devotee to undergo minor pain, he is helped to attain salvation. We have the examples of innumerable individuals wherein more than 1 lakh people have challenged that in those days when the Guru did not meet anyone, they have met the Guru and for about 1-2 hours they sat in the presence of our revered Guru. These experiences could be true but if we try to find proof of it in the gross world we would fail miserably. For the lay public he was unavailable yet for his unswerving followers he made himself available.

THE SACRED SPEECH OF REVERED YUGA RISHI SHRIRAM SHARMA ACHARYA

In the silent cave of our minds echoes the divine speech of our Gurudeva Shriram Sharma Acharya. The sacred voice says – I am always with you. You may go anywhere, yet I will appear in your midst. I live only for you. I shall give you the fruits of my divine experiences. You are the wealth of my heart. You are the stars of my eyes. We are all one (merged) in God. I always experience oneness of soul with all of you. I never fear forcing you to enter the blazing fire of harsh struggles. This is because I am fully aware of your inner strength. I help you to experience one situation after another and yet my inner eyes are always watching you. Whatever is done by you is possible only in my hallowed presence.

Look intently for my wishes in my thoughts and in my literature. Imbibe those holy teachings in your daily life, because they were first given to me by my preceptor which I am faithfully passing on to you all. Visualize only that which is One. Only then will you experience that oneness in greater measure which can be experienced with infinite bodies of mine. You can only be my true disciple if you are alert, steadfast and devoted to my way of thinking. Between us all exists an infinite ocean of love. The bond between a Guru and his disciple is more firm than a thunderbolt. It is more powerful than death too. Never trust your wayward sense organs. This is because they always get agitated when faced with joy and sorrow. Go beyond all these dualities. While experiencing this truth O child, always remember that the sense organs always work against the direction of the soul. Hence always remain alert. You are the soul and not the body and hence an inseparable part of my very being. The body can vanish any moment. Truly, who knows this moment? Hence always visualize your goal. Fill your entire psyche with my way of thinking. Not at the time of death but in your moments of living, liberate and purify your mind. Hence even if death approaches you suddenly, you are ready for it with calmness. Hence live your life as though this very moment death is about to engulf you. Only then can you live a true life. Time is fast running away. If you immerse your mind in the thoughts of eternity and immortality, only then can you convert running time into eternity.

Everyone has to face a lot of struggle while walking on the path of ideals. Hence you too should bravely face all tests and calamities. Live a life of protection of God. If you truly depend on God, all your fears will vanish. You all are my children. Wherever you go, be it life or death, joy or sorrow, good or bad I shall always remain by your side. I always protect all of you. I love all of you because I am bound to you by your devotion. My love for God makes me one with you. I am your very soul, child! Your heart us my true residence. Hence why do you fear anything? Be brave and fearless.