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The Divine Mother-Father, Gaytri,
Spiritual and Virtual Reality
Picture courtesy:
Sai Ram
Website
Light and Love
Below is an attempt to contemplate about God - Divine
Mother as a Central Power of Creation, about God - Divine Father
as an Absolute with many aspects, Gayatri Mantra, Swami's
conclusions concern to the mentioned qualities and general
spiritual science as a higher knowledge, the latest scientific
discoveries and personal insights, conclusions.
As we all, so I am too a seeker of my own Self. Some
approaches from different aspects of human spiritual culture
from Vedas to modern science are easily understandable when they
have entwined with Swami's Teaching as today's source of general
spiritual enlightenment.
(This story telling is not a reproduction of indicated
below sites. However, the materials from them have used as
references. Maybe my thoughts and conclusions need in some
correction, as I’m not a professional of Vedas. I am thankful
for them to all such kind notes).
Lord Krishna declares:
"I am the Father- of this Universe. I am the Mother of this
universe, and the Creator- of all. I am the Highest to be known,
the Purifier, the holy OM, and the three Vedas" (Bhagawad Gita
9.17).
Through the ages, the doctrine of the Motherhood of God has
established a root in Hinduism. The Divine Mother is expressed
as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ambika, Uma.
To worship God as the Divine Mother, is easier to attribute
motherly traits to the Lord, such as tenderness and
forgivingness. The natural love between a mother and her child
is the best expression of the Lord’s unconditional love for
divine creatures includes human beings.
By Vedas the Universe is the manifestation of the creative
power (Shakti) of Brahman (Atman) whose essence is absolute
existence, consciousness, and bliss (in Sanskrit,
Sat-Chit-Ananda). Since all created forms proceed from the womb
of the mother, the creative power Shakti) of God is as the
female principle or the motherly aspect of nature - all are
children of the Divine Mother.
The motherly aspect of God in nature is full of beauty,
gentleness, kindness, and tenderness, compassion, forgiveness.
When a devotee worships God as Divine Mother, he/she appeals to
Her tenderness and unconditional love. The Divine Mother is the
first manifestation of Divine Energy. With her name comes the
idea of energy, omnipotence, omnipresence, love, intelligence,
wisdom.
The position of women in the Hindu religion is dignified
because each woman is considered a manifestation of the Divine
Mother. Through the worship of God in the form of Mother there
is a unique reverence to womanhood. Man and woman are as the two
wings of the same bird. Thus, a man is considered incomplete
without a woman. By Vivekananda it is not possible for a bird to
fly on only one wing.
By Hinduism exist several Gods or deities, as different
aspects of only one God, the Supreme. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva
are not three independent and separate deities, but three
different aspects of the same Supreme God, while engaged in the
processes of creation, sustenance and destruction of the
universe, in that order. Other deities too have considered as
different aspects of the Supreme God, manifesting themselves for
specific purposes.
The powers of these deities, which are inseparable from them
- just as the power of fire to burn, cannot be separated from
fire itself. This power is conceived in the form of their
consorts, Saraswati, Parvati (or Sakti), Lakshmi. They all are
different modes and aspects of Paramatman, the Supreme Self or
God.
Besides Vedas and worship God as the Divine Mother ancient
Bharat has gifted to mankind Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (563 -
483 BC), the great spiritual teacher of mankind. Buddha's
spiritual and moral forces have strengthened and enriched
Hinduism and helped to wean it from perversions, which had set
in at that time. (By glossary Buddhism is non-orthodox form of
Vedic\Aryan teaching founded by the Buddha or enlightened one).
Buddha himself has revered as a ninth Avatar of Lord
Vishnu. Through it, Buddha (buddhism) has connected with the
different modes and aspects of the Supreme God and His creative
powers in Hinduism. (It is a good example of unity the different
religions).
"There is a Creator for this marvelous and beautiful
cosmos, consisting of moving and unmoving objects. He is
Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. He has been worshipped
as God by many names and in many forms by various people. Unity,
fellow-feeling and devotion are essential for every human being.
Based on teachings of the founders of different faiths,
having regard to the requirements of the time and circumstance
of particular countries, and keeping in view the specific needs
of the people concerned, certain rules and regulations were laid
down. On this account, one faith should not be considered
superior and another inferior." (Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS.
Vol. 23. Chapter 36).
The Goddess - Divine Mother and Gayatri (by glossary the
Vedic chant for awakening spiritual enlightenment, for attaining
self-realization) is closely interconnected. The last is one of
the most important and known Vedic hymns consisting of
twenty-four syllables. At first, this hymn was addressed to Lord
Surya (Sun) as the supreme generative force.
However, later Gayatri had personified as a Goddess.
Gayatri Devi (Gaayathree Dhevee) is the presiding deity of the
Gayatri Mantra. She is shown as having five heads and is usually
seated within a lotus. The four heads of Gayatri represent the
four Vedas and the fifth one represents Almighty God. In her ten
hands, she holds all the symbols of Lord Vishnu.
By sacred texts Gayatri is Brahma, Gayatri is Vishnu,
Gayatri is Shiva, the Gayatri is Vedas.
"Gaaythri is pervading everywhere. It consists of three
deities, Gaayathri, Saavithri and Sarasvathi. Of these the first
is the master of senses. The second is the teacher of truth and
the third is the master of speech. Hence it is Trinity of the
senses, the mind and speech. Gaayathri is hailed as Chandhasaam
maathah (the Mother of all Vedhas)." (Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba.
SSS, Vol. 28. Chapter 11. The spelling of quotation is not
changed).
Clear explanation the essence
and significance of Gayatri mantra has given by Swami in:
Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol.5. Chapter 7 "Recruits for my
Army." There He mentions that Gayatri Mantra is the first step
towards the ultimate realization of the Self and explains how
practically to perform it.
Historic evidences show the greatness of the Gayatri
Mantra. All the yogis and the rishis in India have experienced
Gayatri Mantra since the Vedic times. They were endowed with
super mental powers and were the true winners of immortal glory
on every front of life. Below is a compilation using some
excerpts from:
http://www.akhandjyoti.org/ArticlesJulAug03/GayatriMantra-II.htm.
When Alexander the Great came to conquer India, he had a
curiosity to meet the spiritual masters of this land. On his way
towards the northwest, he found a Himalayan yogi lying on the
ground, blocking the march of his army. Alexander was unable to
push this avadhuta (one who has shaken off himself from the
worldly attachments and obligations) off the path and asked him
to demand whatever he wanted. The avadhuta calmly asked whether
Alexander could shift sunrise (from the East) to the West? If
not, the avadhuta continued, “Then don’t disturb me; let me
enjoy the sunlight from the East…”
When the divine force of the Gayatri Mantra fills the
heart of a person it clears all shadows of darkness and
illuminates the inner self with divine light. It transforms the
personality completely. It is this transmutation, which
metamorphosed the royal dancer Amrapali into a devoted disciple
of Lord Buddha. When Amrapali went to Lord Buddha she prayed and
asked whether an impure, debauched and depraved person like her
could also get shelter under his divine grace and enlighten her
life. The Buddha asked her too devotedly start the sadhana of a
specific mantra. Gautam Buddha inspired a luxury-intoxicated
beauty queen, a sex trader Amrapali. She transformed into a
great disciple of the Buddha. She spread the divine message of
“Bhuddham Sharanam Gacchami, Sangham Sharanam Gacchami, Dhammam
Sharanam Gacchami” amongst millions of people across the globe
and was instrumental in uplifting their lives.
The divine force of the Gayatri Mantra transforms an
ordinary mortal being into a great, enlightened, angelic saint.
Many live examples of the past and present evince and illustrate
this fact.
Madhavacharya was a saint living in Vrandavan. He performed
the upasana of Gayatri for twelve years but lost patience
thereafter, as he did not get the desired divine benefits. He
left the sadhana of the Gayatri Mantra and began worshiping
Bhairav on the advice of a tantrika. In less than a year's time
he succeeded in the sadhana of Bhairav. The celestial body of
Bhairav appeared but stood at his back and asked him to demand
what he wanted to be blessed with. Madhavacharya said; “If you
are the real Bhairav, please appear before my eyes”. Bhairav
said : “I can't appear in front of you, because the brilliance
of Gayatri- Shakti infused in you will burn me”. The devotee was
surprised and inquired that if Gayatri sadhana was so powerful,
why couldn't he get the desired benefits for such a long time?
Then Bhairav explained to him how his Gayatri sadhana up till
then had destroyed his sins and burnt out the evils accumulated
during his past lives and that it was only after this
purification that he would have deserved realization and
attainment of the divine boons of the mantra. Now there was no
doubt left in Madhava’s mind. He restarted the sadhana of the
Gayatri Mantra and was soon blessed with divine boons. With the
awakening of inner intelligence and acumen, he wrote the “Madhav
Nidan”, which remains till date, a crucial treatise for the
education and expert practice of the Ayurvedic System of
Medicine.
Another story from history is following. One day Emperior's
Akbar prime minister Mansingh when he was strolling in the
forests by the banks of the holy Ganga, he saw a saintly yogi
engrossed in meditation. Suddenly he noticed a boa around the
yogi, which was trying to entrap the latter into its fold and
gulp him. Amazingly, the dragon-folds of the boa were not able
to tighten around the yogi, nor his poisonous breath able to
have any effect. He stood stunned for a few minutes. Meanwhile,
the yogi opened his eyes and effortlessly threw off the python
by the power of his yoga. Mansingh could not believe his own
eyes; he was vividly and concretely witnessed the supernatural
strength of spirituality.
Since the time, this cosmic mantra, the boon of Lord
Brahma, was beatified in the Vedic Age, there awakened the dawn
of the divine culture on this earth. Those who practiced its
devotional japa, and adopted its inspirations in life received
immense peace, blissful contentment, moral dignity, selfless
love and amicable cooperation in every phase of life. There is
nothing illusive or unscientific about their effects; there
should be no doubt whatever about this. The spiritual evolution
induced by the Gayatri Mantra progresses gradually and steadily
- but certainly, with the progress in sadhana.
The sublime force generated by its japa sadhana can vibrate
in the subtle as well as the external world. Its immediate
benefit of purification and enlightenment of the intellect is
the key to spiritual refinement and evolution of personality.
Gayatri Mantra is as an integral part of life-style. The
vibrations of this universal mantra can spread this invisible
Atmic light to the other people near or far. Its collective
sadhana can arouse collective consciousness and progress in the
world together with the spiritual upliftment of humanity.
However, for that the purity of heart and faith to Almighty,
Swami, Swami's Cosmic form is needed. Nothing can be achieved
without developing the necessary abilities and eligibility. It
is more essential for the invaluable attainment of divine
blessings.
Blossoming of divine realization also is not possible
without the immersion of the identity of the individual self in
the cosmic self.
Below is a general conclusion by Swami in form of a tiny
compilation from: Bhagawan Sathya Sai baba. SSS. Vol. 13.
Chapter 34. (The spelling of excerpts are not changed).
"The Gaayathri (Vedic prayer to illuminate the intellect)
prayer enshrined in the Vedas, the most ancient scriptures of
man. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcedent Divine.
First the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in
reverence and finally an appel is made to the Divine to awaken
and strenghten the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man.
The Gaayathri is considered as 'the essence of Vedas.'
The Gaaythri is usually repeated at dawn, midnoon and dusk.
It can be repeated always and everywhere, only one has to ensure
that the mind is pure.
Your two eyes cannot reveal to you the magnificence and the
majesty of the realm of the spirit. So the Gaayathri manthra
has been given to you as a third eye to reveal to you that inner
vision by which you may realize Brahman.
Never give up the Gaayathri. It will protect you from harm
wherever you are - travelling, working or at home. Vesterns have
investigated the vibrations produced by this manthra and have
found that when it is recited with the correct accent as laid
down in the Vedhas, the atmosphere around becomes visibly
illuminated."
Real effects even from virtual reality to human health have
described in the article by Hunter G. Hoffman ”Virtual-Reality
Therapy."
Scientific American.com. July 26, (http://cl.extm.us/?fe871c77706000797d-fe2d1670736004747d1574
for subscribers).
Before the very brief description of this 'virtual-reality
therapy' some insights concern to faith, rituals, mantras,
especially Gayatri and 'Om.' It is the same not so virtual as
spiritual reality what leads a human being towards his/her real
Self. The healing power of spiritual reality when a person has a
deep faith and belief described by Swami and Vedas would be
thousands times stronger than virtual reality of technical
world. There are so many practical examples of healing influence
of spiritual reality. The forms of spiritual reality maybe
different but the results are evident when to follow Swami's
Omnipresent Cosmic Form and His advices:
"In this world which is impermanent and ever transforming,
the immanent power of the Lord is the only permanent and fixed
entity. In order to realize the eternal and the true, one has
perforce to attach oneself to that source and sustenance. There
is no escape form this path. It is the destiny of one and all,
irrespective of age or scholarship, clime or caste, sex or
status." (Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. Divine Discourse: "God as
Guide".Guru Pournami, 1 Aug 1956. Prasanthi Nilayam; also:
http://beaskund.helloyou.ws/askbaba/discourses/d1956/d19560801-1.htm).
Let's return briefly to
'playground' of researches of modern medicine by article,
mentioned above.
The author with the research team from declares that
patients can get relief from pain or overcome their phobias by
immersing themselves in computer-generated worlds.
Researchers are finding that virtual reality can ease pain,
both physical and psychological. The researchers found that
severely burned patients, who often face unbearable pain, can
relieve their discomfort by engaging in a virtual-reality
program during wound treatment. The results have been so
promising that a few hospitals are now preparing to explore the
use of virtual reality as a tool for pain control. By the other
experiments, virtual-reality applications are capable to help
phobic patients overcome their different kind of irrational
fears. The conclusions have made by pain-related brain activity
using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
The Virtual Reality Medical Center, a chain of clinics in
California was organized. There has successfully treated more
than 300 patients suffering from phobias and anxiety disorders.
It seems clear that virtual therapy can reduce the amount
of pain-related brain activity. Pain has a strong psychological
component. The same incoming pain signal can be interpreted as
more or less painful depending on what the patient is thinking.
In addition to influencing the way patients interpret such
signals, psychological factors can even influence the amount of
pain signals allowed to enter the brain's cortex.
Neurophysiologists Ronald Melzack and Patrick D. Wall
developed this "gate control" theory of pain in the 1960s ("The
Tragedy of Needless Pain," by Ronald Melzack; Scientific
American, February 1990).
The tests were carried out with teenage boys who had
suffered gasoline burns and showed the positive result by using
certain virtual programs.
Research that is more recent has shown the benefits of
virtual-reality therapy are not limited to burn patients. The
team conducted a study involving 22 healthy volunteers, each of
whom had a blood pressure cuff tightly wrapped around one arm
for 10 minutes. Improving the quality of the virtual-reality
system increases the amount of pain reduction. A significant
positive correlation between the potency of the illusion - how
strongly the subjects felt they were immersed in the virtual
world - and the alleviation of their pain.
Virtual-reality analgesia also has the potential to reduce
patient discomfort during other medical procedures. Bruce Thomas
and Emily Steele of the University of South Australia have found
that virtual reality can alleviate pain in cerebral palsy
patients during physical therapy after muscle and tendon
surgery. (Aimed at improving the patient's ability to walk, this
therapy involves exercises to stretch and strengthen the leg
muscles.) Authors’ team at the University of Washington is
exploring the clinical use of virtual reality during a painful
urological procedure called a rigid cystoscopy.
As even technical 'virtual-reality therapy' has a real
positive results then the results of 'spiritual-reality therapy'
should be much more significantly powerful. I call the chanting
Gayatri and Its modifications (especially Sai Gayatri) the
'spiritual -reality therapy'. It influence is significant even
by listening to them from CD performed by Swami.
References:
http://hindunet.org/god/concept/index.htm
http://hindunet.org/god/Goddesses/index.htm
Namaste - Reet
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