Gayatri mantra (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"gayatri mantra" |"gayatri mantras" |"gayatri-mantra"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 14, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: Where is the origin of this image of the sun? Where is the origin of this image of the sun? Is this a Vedic śāstric explanation?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is śāstric information. He is incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, Sūrya-nārāyaṇa. He is powerful. He is driving in four horses. He has got chariot of four horses and very powerful. Yac cakṣur eśa savita. Savita, his name is Savita. The Gāyatrī mantra is oṁ bhur bhuvaḥ svāḥ tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi. That is worshiping the sun-god.

Allen Ginsberg: Do you use Gāyatrī mantra also?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Allen Ginsberg: I know some of it. Oṁ bhur...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oṁ bhur bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt. This Gāyatrī, this is called.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 14, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, "Among poetic meters, I am Gāyatrī."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Gāyatrī is the origin of Vedic knowledge. Without Gāyatrī, nobody is accepted as competent to study. That is the beginning, spiritual master, dvija, second birth. First birth by the father and mother, second birth by the spiritual master, father, and mother, Gāyatrī.

Allen Ginsberg: Do you teach Gāyatrī mantra to your disciples also?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not in the beginning. When they are little advanced.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 1, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is asking you that "You realize Me." "No, I cannot see You." "No, why cannot see you? Here is water. You are drinking water." "Yes." "I am water, I am the taste of the water. Why don't you see Me?" Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunshine." So who is not seeing the sunshine? Why the rascals says, "I do not see God"? God says, "I am here." But he says, "I do not see." Liar. If you are in my front, if I say, "Here I am," if you say, "No, sir, I don't see you," what is this? Similarly, God is before you in the form of sunshine. Don't you see the sunshine? Why do you say that I do not see God? Who has not seen the sunshine? In the morning, very early in the morning, you see God. That is Gāyatrī mantra. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya. That is the obeisances to the sun. Savitṛ. Savitṛ means, savitā means sun. In the very beginning we see God by the sunshine, and then think of the sunshine, how much potential it is, how everything is being produced by the sunshine. As soon as there is no sunshine, we become disturbed, so many business become disturbed. So why don't you understand that without God's presence, we cannot do anything. Where is the difficulty? Does it require any very big philosophical speculation? The rascal will not admit as directed in the Vedic literature. That is their fault. Otherwise where is the difficulty? No difficulty. What is the explanation of these scientists of the sunshine?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Professor: How many levels of initiation do you have?

Prabhupāda: Two.

Professor: Two. The first...

Prabhupāda: First initiation, experimental...

Professor: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Then, as he practices, becomes more purified, then second initiation. Gāyatrī. Gāyatrī-mantra. But the first initiation, according to Jīva Gosvāmī, that is sufficient. Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is sufficient. But still, to purify them more, the second initiation, Gāyatrī, is given. So we are creating brāhmaṇas in the western countries. Yes.

Professor: Yes. I know. Don't you think it's against the dharma-śāstra?

Prabhupāda: No.

Professor: No. Tell me why?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Upa means "near," nayanam, "to bring." Upanayana-saṁskāra. And the sacred thread means that he has been accepted by the spiritual master by bringing him near to spiritual consciousness.

Professor: So at the time of initiation, you not only give the Gāyatrī-mantra, but also the sacred thread.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Professor: Oh, I see.

Prabhupāda: Just we have given Gāyatrī-mantra... You have got that paper? Yes. Show him. Give him.

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles:

Nara-nārāyaṇa: The śūdra mentality does not know how to correct the situation. They try to make liberty for themselves without instituting real religion again. (break)

Prabhupāda: This idea also. Now there should be examination whether so-called brāhmaṇas, they are actually following the brāhmaṇa regulative principle and chanting the mantra regularly. Otherwise they should be converted again śūdra. If we become safe simply by having a thread and do not do properly, then what is this? This should be examined. Every individual should be asked, "Now chant this Gāyatrī-mantra." He must. Are they doing properly?

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then it is all right. Otherwise, simply by name, so-called sacred thread holder will not do. Then again the same brahminical class as in India. (break) ...Paraśurāma. You know Paraśurāma?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 15, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: Thank you. (break) ...savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Gāyatrī mantra is worshiping the sun. Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ, unlimitedly powerful, unlimitedly heated. Aśeṣa, how much heat is there, your brain cannot accommodate. And therefore it is said, aśeṣa-tejāḥ: "without any limit." This is God's creation. Where is the scientist who can create a small sun? How this water is going there? Where is the pipe? You rascal, if you want to pump your water in the skyscraper building, you require pumping and pipe and so many things, but where is the pipe? And where is the pumping station or pumping machine? But you'll find so much water. How the water is transferred there? What is their explanation? They'll use simply some bogus jugglery of words. That's all. But produce it, without pipe, without pump. Let the water go up, up. "Yes, we are trying. In future we shall do it." And what about of the present? Who is that scientist?

Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So He's not a stone. Just like some philosopher says there was a chunk and creation came from that. So here Bhāgavata says, "No. The origin of creation, He's a person—abhijñaḥ. And He knows everything, directly and indirectly." Directly, I know this is my body, but indirectly, I do not know what is going on in this body. Therefore we go to physician that: "Please tell me what is the ailments in my body." So I do not know what is the cause. But the original Absolute Truth, He knows everything, directly and indirectly. Therefore He is abhijñaḥ. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). In this way, concludes: satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi.

Dr. Patel: Dhīmahi. Yes. Krishna Shankara Shastri has written hundred pages on this and explained it. And I got lost in it, on this one single śloka. He has, about the last dhīmahi, is also a part of Gāyatrī-mantra.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: What this kuhakam, kuhakam?

Prabhupāda: Kuhakam means this material world is kuhakam.

Dr. Patel: Kuhakam.

Prabhupāda: No, kuhakam means illusion, magic. Something magician showing. So much money. Just like your this, one bābā, what is...? Satya...? He creates some gold.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 7, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Mountains. (pause) ...it is said that sun is the source of everything within this universe. Maintenance of all living entities. The source within the universe is the sun. Therefore this Gāyatrī mantra is worshiping the sun, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi.

Gaṇeśa: Does that mean that Vivasvān is more powerful than Lord Brahmā?

Prabhupāda: No. Vivasvān was begotten by Brahmā.

Morning Walk -- October 12, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: (wind blowing) Pranair arthair dhiya vacaḥ śreya acaraṇam... (break) ...by words, by intelligence, everyone should serve Kṛṣṇa, then life is successful. Pranair arthair dhiya vacaḥ.

Indian man (1): What of meetings, religious meetings, especially here in South Africa?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Indian man (1): In South Africa here especially, number of religious meetings, they start off with the Gāyatrī mantra three times, and at the end of the meeting they have a ṣantipat. Now is there any real necessity for a religious meeting to start off with the Gāyatrī mantra and end with santipat?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's not bad.

Indian man (1): But I don't see that being practiced in the...

Prabhupāda: We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That includes everything. It is called mahā-mantra. It includes all mantras. Gāyatrī mantra is not to be chanted in the public loudly. That is not the system.

Indian man (1): Not to be chanted.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In the public loudly.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:

Madhudviṣa: ...Bhāgavatam you say that we should greet the sun with the verse from Gāyatrī mantra. Does that means we should wait for sunrise to say our Gāyatrī? Just as the sun is rising, we should say the Gāyatrī.

Prabhupāda: No. Early in the morning. (Gurukula boys in background)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we take bath before sunrise and put on tilaka. Should the mantra be said at that time, after putting on tilaka? Or should we wait and then say it...

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...when the sun rises? After tilaka?

Prabhupāda: No, no, tilaka should be done after bathing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then when should the Gāyatrī be said? Right after...

Prabhupāda: After tilaka. Gāyatrī mantra is description of the sun. (break) ...our land?

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: It seems that as a country, India's got the best chances for becoming fully Kṛṣṇa conscious again.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere chance. Kṛṣṇa does not say for India.

Jayapatākā: But first.

Prabhupāda: No. That is not... You are making better progress, Western countries. Kṛṣṇa is not limited anywhere. But in India they have got the facilities. But they are becoming rascals, so they are not taking the facility. The facility is there. That is everywhere, especially in India. You see everywhere, every day, the sunrise, so beautiful. In Western country, some places, sometimes. But here you'll find every day. That is the facility. This is Gāyatrī mantra. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. This facility is in here. You get sufficient sunlight, and in sunlight you keep very healthy and happy. That facility is here.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's all. Śva-viḍ-varāha. They have been described in the Bhāgavata as dogs, camels, asses and hogs. Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. (break) The leader of hogs, dogs, camels and asses. Our civilization is brahminical, brāhmaṇa. That is wanted.

Mr. Koshi: Is that good or bad?

Prabhupāda: That is good. Unless you become brāhmaṇa, real brāhmaṇa, śama, dama, titikṣā, how you will understand? We are not for the hogs, dogs, cats. Therefore it is sometimes said that without becoming brāhmaṇa, nobody should try to understand Vedas. What he will understand? Paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Dhīmahi. This word is used because it is meant for the brāhmaṇas. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ... dhīmahi. Dhīmahi. Dhīmahi is gāyatrī-mantra. It is chanted by the brāhmaṇas. That word is used in Bhāgavatam also.

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Take this daṇḍa. Then... Hm. Come on. (Bengali) ...Prema-bhakti Swami... (Bengali) ...Bhakti-prema Swami. (Bengali) Bhakti-caitanya Swami. Thik hai? Tomāra nāma habe... (Bengali) Bhakti-caru Swami... So what is your name?

Bhakti-caitanya: Bhakti-caitanya Swami.

Prabhupāda: Your?

Prema-bhakti: Prema-bhakti Swami.

Prabhupāda: And your?

Bhakti-caru: Bhakti-caru Swami.

Prabhupāda: So now you can go attend the, yes, sacrifice. Then, conveniently, you have to take the gāyatrī-mantra, and he has to take the gāyatrī-mantra. Then it will be all right.

Bhakti-caitanya: So come again to take that...

Prabhupāda: Yes, after initiation. And here is...

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he... Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhakti-prema Swami wants to know if he can get the gāyatrī now, if you want to give him gāyatrī...

Prabhupāda: No, first of all attend.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. (break)

Prabhupāda: Where is the gāyatrī-mantra sheet?

Indian devotee (3): Where is gāyatrī-mantra? Thread?

Prabhupāda: Gāyatrī-mantra sheet? Let the... (indistinct) All right, finish this business. Finish up. (Bengali) All together, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (kīrtana begins) Loudly. (break) (maṅgalācaraṇa)

kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī

dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau

śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau

vande rūpa-sanātanau...

Devotees: Raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau.

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Devotees: Jaya. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki jaya! (break)

Prabhupāda: So now you can disperse. I'll give him.

Hari-śauri: Gāyatrī-mantra.