Why can’t we chant gayatri mantra?
Posted by Rewa Smriti on February 14, 2009
The story I am about to tell you is true. Actually my office time is 6:30am since I work according to Korea time. Sometimes I listen bhajan in office using my headphone. One day, one of my colleagues came to me as she had to see some documents. She asked me that “Rewa, what song you are listening right now?” She put my headphone on her ear…but suddenly, she kept the headphone on my desk. I asked her, what happend? She told me that “girls are not supposed to listen this!” She said, ”we shouldn’t chant this mantra”. She also said that in her family ladies are not allowed to chant this. I was shocked at that time.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥ – Meaning of mantra
I was listening Gayatri Mantra! Then I asked her, “who told you that we should not listen this?” She replied me saying “we girls are not allowed to listen this mantra.” She also added “only guys are allowed to chant and listen the gayatri mantra”! I asked her that could you please tell me “why girls are not allowed to chant the Gayatri Mantra?” She said, “the Gayatri Mantra has the power and it may create some problem for others!
However, I always follow my heart and mind, so I didn’t stop listening it. She again asked me, “Didn’t anybody stop you?” I replied her, in my home since childhood we use to do pujas and chant Gayatri Mantras, and nobody stopped us. I also said that as I remembered when I was a child, “we all sisters and brothers have been taught to have breakfast only after taking bath and performing prayer (chanting gayatri mantra and surya mantra) at our home.” And I still try my best to follow the same routine. This time she was surprised!
After coming from office I discussed the same with one of my friend on chat and we reached to the conclusion “भगवान सबके लिए एक बराबर हैं, इसलिए सभी को अपनी इच्छानुसार पूजा व मंत्रोच्चारण करनी चाहिए!” By the way, anybody can chant gayatri mantra as it is considered a very powerful Mantra!
Anyway, her statement made me to think that why people even is forbidden from chanting gayatri mantra? Why can’t women chant “Gayatri Mantra or all Vaidik Mantras”?
Shashwat said
There are few restrictions imposed by Dharma, but we should see it with an open mind, these restrictions are not to suppress women.
Regarding Gayatri mantra, there is no restriction at all!! Rather it is said, only “ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः” is enough for them, it is having same effect, as of full mantra!!
Vinod said
You are definitely right. All can chant Gayathri Mantra irrespective of gender or creed. But to notice is we should have a clean body and mind before reciting these mantras,and there are certain times as well for reciting these mantras.And I believe you dont take non veg food, which should be strictly avoided by any one who recites these powerful mantras daily.
mehek said
aare sabhi ko pur hak hai mantra ucharan ka,ab jara thandi ho jayiye aur palash par pyar bhari kavita likhiye,bahut dino se milwaya nahi aapne palash se,ishq ke mausam mein ye jhagdewali post naaaaaahiiiiiiii:(,
Nidhi said
ny person,watver his/her caste,creed or colour cn chant nd listen d Gayatri mantra.
woman cn bcome a Priest too.
Vijay Sastri said
Can ladies chant the Gayatri Mantra???? Since it is a prayer seeking stimulation for higher mental power, the answer is definitely “yes”. There should not be any doubt about it. But to be more effective they should be first initiated to chant but fortunately or unfortunately during the post Vedic period, ladies were deprived of having upanayanams and thereby they have lost for ever the right to receive the mantra. Still it is better if they know what this mantra stands for. In the upanayanam ceremony the Mother has a very big role to play as she is preparing her son to go to gurukula to receive the formal education when she herself was the first teacher to the child after the birth. Therefore she has every right to know what the child is going to learn. Then at least for two valid reasons the ladies are entitled to know the mantra. Firstly a married lady will sit as a partner of her husband during all the religious ceremonies except the ones associated with the funeral rites and rituals. Secondly, they as custodians of our culture can inspire the children to chant that mantra of mantras Gayatri, if they know its significance.
Nidhi said
@vinod,
i eat non veg bt i chnt gayatri mantra evrydy.i thnk many peple doing so.
Ranjeeta said
Anyone can chant gayatri mantra. I think for simply being vegearian or non vegetarian doesn’t necessarily make a person spiritual.
Kiran said
There are many rules and regulations. You would have seen and heard people have habits of eating non-vegetarian food but they do chant gayatri mantra.
No matter how simple or complex,if she wish she would make a place vegeterian version.if anyone want to be a vegetarian you can make an appointment with her.Rewa wil be proud and happy for that.
vinod said
hey nidhi
you have totally got wrong on this.
Dont think i am advising you but its true that you should avoid non veg food totally if you chant mantras daily.Mantras makes certain vibrations in our body and generates power in our body.But if v dont live the right way ,surely the opposite will happen.There are people who have gone mad by not living the right way while chanting mantras.
We all can pray god when ever v want or who ever v are no probs.But mantras are only for people who lead a strict life.
I m not saying that people who recite mantras are the only spiritual heroes but its meant only for those people….
and ranjeeta, forget abt spirituality, no merciful pearson can eat an animal’s flesh.No one can avoid meat so all say that its not a prob.Review your policies!
Sushant Singhal said
I have never heard in my life from any quarters that Gayatri Mantra or any other mantra is for men only. Since your friend has disclosed this prohibition in her home, it must be some personal whim of some of her elders/forefathers. This reminded me of a story which goes like this: A child asked her mother as to why she cut the head and the tail of fish while preparing the dish. Mother told that her own mother used to do like this. The child asked her nanny the same question and got the same answer. By chance, the child had her grand nanny also living. When she visited her in summer vacations, she posed the same question to her too. The grand nanny replied, “The pan in my kitchen was small and therefore I had to cut the head and the tail of the fish!”
This story tells us how we follow ways of doing things from our parents without even examining the logic behind them. Some archic ways of doing things continue sine die just because we do not care to examine their relevance today.
Anyone interested should read the book “I’m OK. You’re OK.” by Thomas A. Harris, M.D.
Sushant Singhal said
As regards veg. and non-veg. debate, even though I am an orthodox vegetarian and can’t even think of taking something non-veg. but it is just a matter of chance because I was born to vegetarian parents. Had I been born in a butcher’s family, I might have been selling meat with same easiness that a fruit-seller sells fruits!
My son visited U.K. three-four months before and he found it easier to survive there in -5 degree celcius temperature by taking non-veg. food which his colleagues-cum-roommates were cooking in the kitchen. I don’t find the fact of my son taking non-veg food or my younger son dissecting human bodies as a medical student appalling. It has nothing to do with spirituality or religion. Circumstances decide what is wrong and what is right.
Sushant Singhal
http://www.sushantsinghal.blogspot.com
Nidhi said
“There are people who have gone mad by not living the right way while chanting mantras.”
@vinod
i dnt blive dis.
ur cmnt is gud.i dnt criticize it.
i dnt thnk non vegetarian fud hav ny rlation wid gaytri mantra.cn u explain me wts d relation to d mantra?
i agree wid mr.Sushant Singhal views.
Vinod said
Hi,
Agree with Sushant partly.You said that you cant even think of taking non-veg food because you being born to parents who don’t take non-veg food and you goes on saying that “Circumstances decide what is wrong and what is right”.Then why your son ate meat even if his father is a vegetarian.Circumstanced didn’t let him do so.It was his wish to have meat.The point is we have the right to choose our way of life.Circumstances will have influences upon us but to choose right from the wrong depends on us and it leads to success.
Vinod said
Hi,
There are some people that don’t even bother the problems associated with taking non-veg food,some criticize vegetarians, some know its not fair but they are not willing to suppress the taste of non-veg foods.Forget about mantras,tantras and divinity,think before you eat a piece of meat, that its from an animal that has been struggled,strangulated and horrendously butchered till its death just to become a meal before you.Try to perceive the pain the animal could have experienced, try to understand its mental feelings,its also has father,mother and children.Common,we are not animals right! We have the ability to think that animals don’t have.
“Leave non-veg food, let animals live”.They too have equal right to live in this world as we have,and try to understand that animals are not created for us to eat.
Ranjeeta said
hi People
Happy Holi.
It’s important to eat only that food which suits the body, thats the religion of food. However, veg food is a good habit by which physical and mental conditions remain healthy and excellent.
Shahrukh KHan said
Why can’t we chant gayatri mantra?
…
…
…
….However, veg food is a good habit by which physical and mental conditions remain healthy and excellent.
??
Ranjeeta said
Shahrukh KHan
It’s just personal observations based on medical viewpoint. I think one can chant mantra that is not related with food.
Vinod
Even still, ‘Bali pratha’ strongly related to the culture and traditions of the Hindu religion? Does the Hindu religion permit this?
vinod said
Bali or killing animals as offerings to god is strictly against “satvik” rituals.Its a different kind of ritual that still exist on all parts of India.I personally is completely against killing animals as offerings to god even if it would bring good things for me.
And why should we keep on finding bad things in a society.There are lots of good things in Hinduism to find and follow.
Shahrukh KHan said
..And why should we keep on finding bad things in a society??
(from above post)
Good Question…!!
ramachandran said
Dear Ladies,
The aim of restricting you to chant this mantra is..
- Basically This mantra will increase the blood flow, heat inside the body.so chanting regularly will create some heat diseases & women related problems..
So our elders had restricted ladies to chant this mantra.
mike said
I literally have no idea what you are talking about. Have you ever heard of Two Tigers Looking at Each Other? That is my mantra!!!
Rewa Smriti said
@Mr. Ramachandran,
This is something to be verified. If this is the case then this should be affecting the body of children even more. Isn’t it? Do we chant this mantra for our body or for our mind that is “I”??… and “I” is the same for men and women. So for the benifit of “I” this mantra should be equally valuable to men, women and child. I think the main purpose of gayatri mantra is to benifit the “I” not the body, which is even conveyed by its meaning.
If you have any doubt you can share.
rgds.
Rewa Smriti said
@Vinod,
I do agree with you. If you ask me I will not ask for sacrifice of any animals for my wellbeing or for the wellbeing of anybody else. And I hope gods have much more virtues and qualities than me. If it is not acceptable to me, how can gods and goddess accept such things?
rgds.
Ranjeeta said
Dear ramachandran
In the early vedic age however, women did not have the right to study the Vedas. I suppose the men did not want women to chant or even hear the gayatri Mantra. Now this mantra can be chanted by men and women of all castes and creeds.
Hindu Religion said
It is a tradition that when reciting gayatri mantra one should be in topless body. That is why women are not allowed to recite this. Hence there is no question of any discrimination.
Lucky said
==> i eat non veg bt i chnt gayatri mantra evrydy.i thnk many peple doing so.
Really ??? Y dont u try to make “Prasadam ” of chicken Masala ……I think it will be an exciting stuff
Lucky said
==>I think for simply being vegearian or non vegetarian doesn’t necessarily make a person spiritual.
Ravan bhi spiritual tha madam ….Bhagwan Ram aiwe hi mar diye usne …….
Nidhi said
I m back!!
hey lucky,hv u evr tasted it?wil try to make it dis sat at hom nd wil let u knw.it wil b an amazing experience
Lucky said
@Nidhi
Back???
Being a brahmin …….its a constraint !!! But I can share if it is prepared by u
Nidhi said
it dsn’t matter to me at al whether one is brahmin or non brahmin.i hav seen mny brahmins eating non veg.nobdy is frcing me nt to eat non-veg fud.its my choice nd my preference.
come to d topic y sud women nt chant Gayatri Mantra.
Lucky said
@Nidhi
Those who eat….let them eat!! I m not against them …ppl are eating human meat also ….. Nothing matters for me !!! I was talking for myself …..
@Topic
Mantras need to be chanted by common people(including women) in an extremely careful manner so that they do not get harmed by the high level of energy generated in the process of chanting them………..Women by their very nature get impure for some period every month and remain under its influence for quite some time thereafter. Further their nature clashes with the properties of certain mantras. Our aim in life is to achieve Moksha and not chanting mantras. So whatever are the rules according to Varna and ashram of an individual he must follow them and do so sadhana also.
……. plz dont chant Gayatri Mantra ….
women are already symbol of shakti …So we men dont want to acheive them more energy
Nidhi said
Simple and Effective daily practice of Gayatri
Gayatri-Upasana can be performed mentally at any time in any circumstance. It is doubtlessly beneficial in every condition. Nevertheless, performing it regularly and religiously has greater significance and spiritual impact. Any experiment or task if conducted systematically with due concentration and punctuality assures completion and comprehensive output. The same is true of devotional practices. The rituals associated with the daily upasana of Gayatri are devised to help desired mental and emotional conditioning of the sadhaka. These are simple and could be practised by every one. It should be noted that these are not mere customs or mechanical acts. Rather, these are derived from in-depth understanding of the spiritual nature of human self. For adept performance of daily upasana it is important to note the implications and sentiments associated with them as highlighted below.
http://gayatri.awgp.org/?SimpleandEffectivedailypracticeofGayatri/
Nidhi said
Women’s right to do gayatri sadhana
http://gayatri.awgp.org/?ImportanceofGayatri/Womensrighttodogayatrisadhana/
Nidhi said
God does not discriminate between a son and a daughter. Only persons of crude mentality do so. Women should refuse to listen to the biased views of any person who says that women have no right to do Gayatri Sadhana. They can worship it and also perform Yagya.
Regular Jap should be suspended during the period of menses. Mental Jap can, however, be performed in all circumstances. Women who put on Yagyopaveet should replace it by a new one after the period of menstruation.
http://gayatri.awgp.org/?GayatriSadhana/GayatriSadhanaforhousewives/
Nidhi said
Women have the same right as men in respect of worship of Vedmata Gayatri. To convert inertia into momentum two objects of opposite qualities which attract each other are required. Electricity is generated by attraction and repulsion of negative and positive currents. Electrons and protons of an atom get activated on account of their mutual give and take. This conscious creation has been divided into male and female forms to make the eternal animate creation alive, otherwise this universe would have remained enveloped in inconscience. Union of rayi and Pran energies results in chaitanya. If there is no union of male and female elements, consciousness, pleasure, pulsation, speed, activity, growth etc. will all disappear and inconscience will reign supreme in the Universe.
Special Sadhanas for women – http://gayatri.awgp.org/?GayatriSadhana/SpecialSadhanasforwomen/
@rewa,
thankuji fr providing such links to me.links r gr8.
Lucky said
http://gayatri.awgp.org/?ImportanceofGayatri/Womensrighttodogayatrisadhana/
Taken some lines from the source u provided ……..
The effect of this influx of righteousness (satogun) in the body and mind is amazing. This is not visible to the naked eye nor can it be understood from purely physical point of view. But those who are endowed with the occult knowledge of the working of the inner being know it well that decrease in the elements of tam and raj and increase in sat.
Should I tell that wat things increases the Tamogun( If u want refer Geeta’s 9 chapter) …..This is the answer that why non-vegy r not supposed to do Gayatri mantra ….one side u r inhancing tamogun by eating meat and otherside u want to decrese it by doing Gayatri Mantra…total waste of time ..leave it .
Ranjeeta said
Nidhi
Thanks for the information you have provided. Very well! So it is clear that both men and women have equal rights to chant gayatri mantra.
The problem comes when people interpreting the Gita incorrectly, because they are filled with so many wrong desires.
Lucky said
I dont care the comments of ppl who giv comments just to criticize !!!
n I dont have any proude abt my knowledge on Bhagvad Geeta …. n I m not here to force u ppl to accept my idology …..plz make a distance !!!
Ranjeeta said
Who cares?
Was the above comment(on my comment) useful to you? Why didn’t you post a comment on Rewa’s post? Before posting your comment, be sure that you post a comment on the topic rather than criticising others. Not all criticism is valid, but we can still learn something.
PK said
How can anybody be deprived of chanting the mantra?
Gayatri is known as mother and again mother is for everyone, therefore Gayatri is for every child of God.
Dr.Abhay Kumar said
Dear all ,
Happy Ramnavami to all of you. . . . .
May almighty fulfill all your desires. . . . .
Maya said
I wonder whether mr.ramachandran’s views written on 27th March is true or false? Any answers?
Rishibala said
Hi all
i just wanna say that i belong to gayatri pariwar n from my childhood i recite gayatri manrta.nobody has prevented me from saying it. also there’s a slogan of gayatri pariwaar that “nar aur nari ek samaan(equal), aaj ki shakti naari shaktietc. “. wen this institution itself says that women are equal then who else can prevent women from chanting this mantra. moreover wen gayatri maa ( the goddess)is herself a women then hw can she prevent her daughter from chanting her mane or mantra.
S.Muthiah said
Do you have to be a Vegetarian to recide Gayathri Mantra?
Neri said
Can the all powerfull Gayatri help heal man woman relationship?
and by wanting to heal relationship does it take away my devotion
to God?
nihar said
I agree fully with Rishibala as Maa Gayatri is herself a woman and then how she can let other women be deprived of the Gayatri Mantra. Its as simple as that. There is no discrimination at all for chanting the all powerful Gayatri Mantra and girls can recite it without any issues.
@ Muthiah- There is no compulsion of being a vegetarian to recite the Mantra. You can chant it absolutely without any problem.
The only thing is that the Mantra is more effective in case of a vegatarian. But nonetheless you will see the results of chanting the mantra, your life will be better than it is now.
@ Neri- Offcourse the Mantra can heal relationships and in no way your devotion to God will decrease. Moreover your devotion to God will increase as you are trying to mend a relationship which is like doing a service to God of spreading love and happiness in each others lives. Good going Neri, just recite the Mantra with full faith and belief and you will see the results for yourself.
The All powerful Mantra can be recited for the well being of others also.
You can visit the website for further info-
http://gayatri.awgp.org/?home/
I am also a member of the All World Gayatri Parivar(AWGP) and for any other queries or discussions, please reach out to me at-
nihar.routray85@gmail.com
nihar said
Om Bhur Bhuvah Swah Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayath
The essence of the Mantra can be stated as follows – ‘Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life, Remover of pain and sorrow, The Bestower of happiness, Oh! Creator of the Universe, May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light, May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.’
The Gâyatrî Mantra is first recorded in the Rig Veda (iii, 62, 10) which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and by some reports, the mantra may have been chanted for many generations before that.
This Mantra can be chanted by anyone irrespective of their religion, caste, creed etc. It is one of the oldest mantras, and generally thought of as being amongst the highest and most powerful mantras of all. This mantra is therefore often referred to as “the Mother of the Vedas”. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna had proclaimed to Arjuna – “Among all the mantras, I am the Gayatri”.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches that- The Gayatri Mantra will protect you from harm wherever you are, make your intellect shine, improve your power of speech and dispel the darkness of ignorance.
Considered to be the essence of the Vedas, Gayatri Mantra fosters and hones the knowledge-yielding faculty of a person.
The Upanisads of Hinduism contain several references to the Gayatri Mantra.
Chandogya Upanisad 4.17.1-6 (Origin of Bhur Bhuvah Svah)
Brahadaranyaka Upanisad 5.14.4 (Gayatri as the Protector) :
The Gayatri Mantra is based on truth. For truth is based on strength. Strength is breath, and is based on breath. So, Gayatri protects (tra) the wealth (gaya) (the breath!) of those who speak it with earnestness and devotion. When one recites Gayatri on behalf of someone, it protects that person’s breath too!
The individual words and characters of the Mantra have a meaning of their own than can be defined as follows:
Om: The primeval sound that represents God,
Bhur: The physical world that embodies the vital spiritual energy or ‘Pran’,
Bhuvah: The mental world and destroyer of all sufferings,
Swaha: The celestial and spiritual world that embodies happiness,
Tat: That or God, referring to transcendental Paramatma (Ultimate Spirit),
Savithur: The Bright Sun or the Creator and Preserver of World,
Varenyam: Best or most adorable,
Bhargo: Destroyer of all sins,
Devasya: Divine Deity or Supreme Lord,
Dheemahi: We meditate upon and take in,
Dhiyo: The Intellect,
Yo: The Light,
Nah: Our,
Prachodayath: Inspire or Enlighten.
It is said to have power to protect one from any possible harm. Even the science-minded Westerners have found that the correct recitation of Gayatri Mantra in the right accent as described in the Vedas produce certain vibrations that make the surrounding atmosphere visibly illumined, which is described as the ‘Brahmaprakasha’ or Effulgence of the Divine by more staunch believers. As prescribed by the Vedas, Gayatri mantra must be chanted at least three times a day. However, it is best to recite Gayatri period during the ‘Satwik’ or ‘pure and serene’ period during the day from 4 am to 8 am and 4 pm to 8 pm. The Gayatri Mantra should be recited while meditating upon the fact that everything is within oneself and thus, we should keep and develop confidence in the Self.
Kiran said
@Nidhi,
Thanks for putting all the facts down. It’s a very male dominated religion. The bias in religion is the woman is not allowed to perform any rites or cermonies by herself. I think people now can understand the role of woman in hindu religion.
Ami Jha said
ye sab pata nahi kin logo ne bana diya hai ki gayatri mantra aurat nahi bol sakte. Khud gayatri devi ek maa ka roop hai, phir uski vandana istri kyun nahi kar sakti….
I chant everyday this mantra and feel peace and calmness in mind and heart.
Venkat said
It is widely believed that some of the Vedic Versus vibrations are so powerful in nature. Once a woman starts chanting these versus regularly, she is likely to lose her female-hood character and get manly tendencies developed in physical appearance . In majority of cases, it might cause hormone disturbances in the body’s physical mechanism and disturb their menstrual cycle. In rare cases, a woman who chants these slokhas and versus frequently, even develops masculine character which allows growth of hair in their face & mustache! Imagine, if every woman developed such growth!
It is a fact that to keep women in their natural glory and beauty, the ancient scholars did not allow them to chant or recite these versus. They knew precisely all the effects and side effects of what they did. However, they were allowed to do so once they cross their menopause stage, then the chances of disturbances in their body mechanism were minimal. Also the Gland functional in their body stops, at certain age – any further physical growth is minimal. Certainly it was not for any discriminations but purely on the aforesaid reasons and points.
I hope that this clarification stands valid even in this scientifically developed age. Every ritual and practice of this Great Hindu religion has a valuable hidden meaning. Unfortunately these were not carried on to the next generation that caused some imbalances in the society. Had it been given in full meaning, we very well could have avoided fanatics & half learnt scholars who now dictate and discriminate women on so many counts
I this this may be the reason.
satyavir said
Anyone can chant Gayatri Mantra. Male and female all are equal to God.
Venkat said
Hi,
This is just a case of cultural difference………
The only two main organizations which started to give Gayatri mantra deeksha to women in modern times are the Arya Samaj and Gayatri pariwar….Both of them are based in North India…..
Before about say 50-60 yrs ago (before Gayatri Pariwar) only male Brahmins , Kshatriyas and Vaishyas after Upnayan used to chant Gayatri mantra…….usually……(I am not talking about Vedic Period)
In South India, especially Brahmins are more orthodox, therefore Women in South Indian Brahmin families are more resistant to break the custom and chant Veda mantras……I bet your friend was a South Indian Brahmin gal……its just a cultural issue !!!….But girls and boys in DAV School in Chennai do !!( As it is founded by Arya Samaj)!!
Kumar said
Any mantra is to be initiated by a Guru . In sanskrit just by pronouncing wrongly we may not get the desired result.Ladies since getting periods not giventhe sacred thread and initiation. Any one can possess gun and the one who is trained only can shoot properly.It is clubbed with breath control ( Pranayama) Everyones inhaling and exhaling style varies . It is better to get it properly initiated thro a guru and then practice.When you chant “Manasa” it gives 9 times more than the one uttered openly.
YAJNAVALKYA said
Please chant the mantra. But ask yourself some questions of the following genre:
1.Do I know what the Vedas are and their significance?
2.Am I honest, merciful and feel unity with the world?
3.Is it that I want to chant it out of rebellion spirit?
4.Have I read basic books of Indian philosophy?
More questions will crop up in your intellect. If you have the answers- go ahead.
Remember all the Vedas or Upanishads teach is FEARLESSNESS.
Kiran said
Do all priests know the vedas by heart? Most people do not know what hinduism is. Is all Indian philosophy analytic? Everything depends on MEN and their willingness to do their part and it fails only because men are not willing to do their part.
Read the links posted by Nidhi.
umesh said
what rubbish people say that ladies cannot chant gayatri mantra.
who says that ladies cannt chant gayatri mantra
Does soul is a male or a female ?
Is only male have monopoly of becoming enlightened?
Is Ma gayatri who is a personification of allmighty God in female form will ever like the distinction between male and female”
have we not read Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s word that Ladies have full freedom in chanting vedic hymns and particulry gayatri mantra?
Dont we know about Sri Ram Sharma acharya whose whole life was dedicated in doing reasech of Gayatri Mantra and who founded All vishwa Gayatri Pariwar and Shantikunj.His said on many occasion that woman are ful;ly eligible to chant Gayatri mantra and their worship is acceted more eaisliy because they devot themself more truly,more honestly.
Dont anyone read vedic hymns which are named after women rishis like maitreye,gargi and many more.
Havent we heard that In a house where women are praised ,there lies God,Then How can we even think of such old mediveal orthodox thing.Rather i will call it a Talibani thinking of not allowing women to cahnt The Gayatri Mantra
We all take birth from our mother who bears pain for nine months
and for whole life she sacrifices for us.Then How can we restrict her from attaining God in a manner she likes.Really its shame on us that we have put restriction on her
umesh said
what rubbish people say that ladies cannot chant gayatri mantra.
who says that ladies cannt chant gayatri mantra
Does soul is a male or a female ?
Is only male have monopoly of becoming enlightened?
Is Ma gayatri who is a personification of allmighty God in female form will ever like the distinction between male and female”
have we not read Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s word that Ladies have full freedom in chanting vedic hymns and particulry gayatri mantra?
Dont we know about Sri Ram Sharma acharya whose whole life was dedicated in doing reasech of Gayatri Mantra and who founded All vishwa Gayatri Pariwar and Shantikunj.His said on many occasion that woman are ful;ly eligible to chant Gayatri mantra and their worship is acceted more eaisliy because they devot themself more truly,more honestly.
Dont anyone read vedic hymns which are named after women rishis like maitreye,gargi and many more.
Havent we heard that In a house where women are praised ,there lies God,Then How can we even think of such old mediveal orthodox thing.Rather i will call it a Talibani thinking of not allowing women to cahnt The Gayatri Mantra
We all take birth from our mother who bears pain for nine months
and for whole life she sacrifices for us.Then How can we restrict her from attaining God in a manner she likes.Really its shame on us that we have put restriction on her
Yajnavalkya said
Dayanand Saraswati is not an absolute auth on this. He was defeated in Kashi in Shastrartha on vedic interpretation.
SANTHANAM said
CAN GAYATHRI MANTRA BE CHANTED BY NON BRAHMINS ALSO.
IS THERE ANY SUCH RESTRICTION PLACED
Ranjeeta said
The Gayatri Mantra and any other mantra can be chanted by anyone, without restriction.
M Venugopal said
Purity of body is just symbolic but purity of interior and soul is more vital.
hari said
Hi,
This is an oft debated topic. Gayatri is Agnimukhi. It can make a tremendous amount of heat generated in your body. You should remember that mantras are words with power. This power works in various ways, which were experiemented with by the Rishis, before they revealed the mantras. Traditionally, women are not advised to chant Gayatri mantra or any Surya mantra because the Rishis have found out that the excess heat will result in certain adverse results with respect to breast milk and vaginal fluid. So extreme caution is advised, and mantras certainly are not meant to be treated as a word like ‘Hello’ or ‘Hi’. Of course, ladies are certainly advised to chant the Gayatri mantra as many number of times as possible, IF they are SANNYASINIS. Householder Ladies who still do not believe this, may AT THEIR OWN RISK experiment chanting the Gayatri mantra for 4-5 hours or more continuously, for about a month. When you do that intensively, the results will be more pronounced immediately, and you will easily see the effects I mentioned above. Also, the Gayatri is actually a chandas, the mantra you refer to has it’s deity Savitru who is not a female deity. Not that it makes any big difference, as all God forms ultimately lead to the same, just thought of clarifying this common misconception.
Best wishes,
Hari
hari said
@ Vinod,
Non-veg is not forbidden, if you chant the Gayatri mantra first and sincerely offer the food to God, before partaking it as prasadam. Nevertheless, it’s always always better to eat veg food, if you aim for spiritual upliftment.
@Vijay Shastri,
Your contention that, since it is a prayer seeking stimulation of mental powers, it could be chanted by all, is incorrect. That is just a modern half-understood conception. There are ample Puranic mantras with the same meaning, which could be chanted by Ladies.
@Kiran,
You hear many people doing many things. In the Gita, Lord Sri Krishna mentions about 2 kinds of worship. The Sattvika worship is by following the Sastras and done with a sense of duty without attachment to results, while Tamasic worship is in utter disregard of the injunctions of the Sastras, and in doing something just because ‘you feel like doing so and nowadays, it’s your right to do anything’. Both kinds of worship will give their own results in time.
@Sushant Singhal,
If you see a missile, depending on your knowledge, you would believe it to be a piece of metal or a sophisticated weapon. If you chant mantras, it must mean you have a certain belief in their efficacy, their powers. Now if you are planning to chant mantras, having such great powers as the Gayatri, it’s advisable to put in some effort to learn about the injunctions concerned with the mantra. That will help you in not getting yourself blown up by the mantra-missile.
@Rewa Smriti,
The body is called Sthuula Sharira and the mind, the sookshma Sharira. Essentially the mantra work on both aspects. I will tell you this, if you do regular sadhana of the Gayatri mantra for several hours daily, and be regular in the practice for a few months at least, and simultaneously, to the maximum extent possible, follow the Yama, Niyama rules established by Patanjali Rishis in Yoga Sutras, there would be a great change in your body. It will be shining. It is true and YOU can go ahead and practise what I say, BUT be prepared to live the life of a Sannyasini for the reasons mentioned above.
@ Nidhi,
“God does not discriminate between a son and a daughter”
If I may say so, you are perceiving an imaginary enemy. The injunctions of the Sastras are only for your own benefit. Whether you follow it or not, you will get appropriate results (happiness or hell) in this world. All this is given clearly in Bhagavad Gita. Your contention does not apply to reason also. Do you think God created his son and daughter alike? There are certain things that are meant for man, and certain other things for women. Man’s generative and other organs are built so as to maintain the heat of the mantra while it’s the opposite for women. There are certain other mantras ideally suited for women, but should not be chanted by men unless they need to do ‘kama Jaya’ and take to spiritual path. Does this mean, God discriminates against men w.r.t these mantras?
@Nihar,
The deity of Gayatri mantra is Savita and not a Maa Gayatri. That is a later Tantric interpretation. The source of the Gayatri mantra is the Vedas which also talk extensively about who Savita is.
@ Umesh,
To say that it is a ‘Talibanic’ thinking to advise women not to chant Gayatri mantra is extreme hyperbole. Probably an ignorance both of what the Taliban really did to their women and an ignorance of what our pure-hearted Rishis advised for the benefit of our flowers.
Partha said
Hi Folks
The goddess Gāyatrī is considered the veda mata(Female), the mother of all Vedas and also the personification of the all-pervading Parabrahman, the ultimate unchanging reality that lies behind all phenomena. Gayatri Veda Mata is seen by many Hindus to be not just a Goddess, but a portrayal of Brahman himself, in the feminine form. Essentially, the Goddess is seen to combine all the phenomenal attributes of Brahman, including Past, Present and Future as well as the three realms of existence.
I think, each and every soul (reflection of Almighty God or Goddess) has the right/ super natural power to chant the Gāyatrī mantra regardless of male and female…..
nidhi said
today my grandfather told me dat nowhre in d vedas,it is said dat women cnt chant gaytri mantra nor ny other mantra.u said dat it causes too much heat in d body,bt ur answers r unacceptable.wat u said is al abt brahmanvad.women cnt chant d gayatri mantra is totally baseless.i hav to say dat dis rstriction is mostly propagated by a handful of priests nd brahmin pandits.
i hav also givn d links 4 reference.if u cn find d time,u better try 2 go through d links.
nidhi said
@hari
today my grandfather told me dat nowhre in d vedas,it is said dat women cnt chant gaytri mantra nor ny other mantra.u said dat it causes too much heat in d body,bt ur answers r unacceptable.wat u said is al abt brahmanvad.women cnt chant d gayatri mantra is totally baseless.i hav to say dat dis rstriction is mostly propagated by a handful of priests nd brahmin pandits.
i hav also givn d links 4 reference.if u cn find d time,u better try 2 go through d links.
hari said
@Nidhi,
What is brahmanvad? This is the first time I’m hearing the Bhagavad Gita equated with brahmanvad. With due respects to your grandfather, the Savitru Gayatri is in 3 Vedas in 3 different forms, and nowhere in the Vedas proper is anything mentioned about chanting the mantra, how the Swaras have to be pronounced, or which one form or whether all three forms are suited for chanting, or for that matter any other instruction on how/when to chant. The Vedas are just meant to be a collection of hymns. Saama Gayatri is meant for singing outloud which is not the same as the Yajurveda Gayatri. Where do you find such details? In the Rig Vidhanam and other related works. There you find the other instructions too. Anyway, that’s all beside the point. I never said that women cannot chant Gayatri mantra. I just pointed out some of the likely effects so you are better aware of what you are going into. All the best
PS. I am aware of the links you gave and I deeply respect the saint who is behind the Gayatri Pariwar. I don’t find anything in the links that is contradictory to what I mentioned.
Ranjeeta said
Hari
It is highly likely that this rule about women not being allowed to chant gayatri mantra was created to preserve male dominance in the brahminical priesthood traditions. Rules such as this were made more to preserve the political and honored status of brahmins in hindu society and have nothing to do with the gayatri mantra. Stop putting all these rules for women.
nidhi said
“nowhere in the Vedas proper is anything mentioned about chanting the mantra, how the Swaras have to be pronounced, or which one form or whether all three forms are suited for chanting, or for that matter any other instruction on how/when to chant.”
@hari
den y r u making so mny rules?who r u peple to make d rules fr women?koi janm se sikh ke nai aya hai.hw is it again dan d gaytri mantra cn’t b chanted by women?makes no sense.dre is just no logical nd religious reason dat cn support ur myth.
Shashwat said
Bhaiya Hari,
Can you please quote references to support your view. Where its written that Gayatri Mantra is forbidden for women.
hari said
@ Shashwat & Nidhi,
Request you to please re-read my messages once again.
@ Ranjeeta,
There are 2 thoughts in your message. 1) Preservation of the political and honored status of brahmins in hindu society 2) Male dominance within the brahminical priesthood ie (1).
Historically, there’s some truth in both your ideas. But the question is how much relevant they are with respect to the matter under discussion. Now ponder on these four other ideas
1) Historically, everyone who wore the sacred thread, belonging to all castes, used to chant the Gayatri mantra.
2) A majority of the chanters of the Gayatri mantra were/are ordinary householders, NOT priests.
3) The Gayatri mantra is traditionally passed from father to son (not from a priest to a householder)
4) Not all brahmins (not even a majority) are priests.
If you have any doubts on the above ideas, let me know.
nidhi said
“Householder Ladies who still do not believe this, may AT THEIR OWN RISK experiment chanting the Gayatri mantra for 4-5 hours or more continuously, for about a month.”
u can’t fool d public.wat u hav said is totaly wrong.ur thughts sud b sensible.if v look deeply into d past v see dat discrimination oftn plys a role.
Yajnavalkya said
Dear Hari,
I sincerely agree and admire your thoughts. Nevertheless I wish to know the source of the ‘risks’ involved with chanting by householder ladies.
Also such debates (b/w you and Nidhi) are endless, for a logical debate is only possible between equally informed opponents.
Kiran said
@Hari
This is the most ridiculous. What do you think? Does it make sense to keep women out because of meaningless reason in this day and age? Don’t assume that you know everything and whatever you say is all right. If men can be grandly welcomed to chant gayatri mantra, why can’t women? However, it need not be a “must do” kind of thing. What grounds do the men say no to devotees when the Goddess gayatri herself hasn’t said anything on such matter?
I think, not just women,anybody who wishes to chant gayatri mantra they can chant. Goddess gayatri will be with all the women wherever and whenever they chant.
hari said
@ Kiran,
I hope, in addition to writing in English, you can also read what’s written in English. Kindly spend some time to patiently read what I have written above.
@ Yajnavalkya,
But this will be my last post as this is merely a blog. I don’t want to further a discussion in which the blog owner himself/herself does not participate.
in fact, I was replying to several people, not anyone in particular
@ those who think it’s all a Brahminical conspiracy,
Here is the actual conspiracy. Even Rig Veda by itself contains over 10,000 verses. But the Brahmins, for their devious aims, have conspired together to project only the Savitru Gayatri. By this, they have successfully diverted popular attention from all those other 9999+ Rigvedic verses, right! I am a south Indian belonging to the Brahmin caste. So I have inside information. I am planning to write a book soon a la Dan Brown to expose the truth. Wait till then.
nidhi said
it is an age old misconcept nw.
BRAHMAN- no one,im sure.according to d vedas d whole human socity is lacking nw a brahman.
kiran said
“You hear many people doing many things. In the Gita, Lord Sri Krishna mentions about 2 kinds of worship. The Sattvika worship is by following the Sastras and done with a sense of duty without attachment to results, while Tamasic worship is in utter disregard of the injunctions of the Sastras, and in doing something just because ‘you feel like doing so and nowadays, it’s your right to do anything’. Both kinds of worship will give their own results in time.”
@hari,
Do yourself a favor and just take the time to read what you have written.
Women have never been permitted to chant the gayatri mantra because of hindu traditions and priests. Men and women from all walks of life should chant the Gayatri Mantra.