Question: I have read in an article that brahma-gayatri worships Srimati Radharani. Where does this conception have its origin?
Answer: The origin of gayatri is Krsna Himself and therefore the conception of gayatri worshiping Srimati Radharani finds its primeval origin in Krsna. The meaning of brahma-gayatri is self-effulgent; "Above the three planes of mundane experience, bhur, bhuvah, svah, is the soul, savitur, who shows us everything just like the sun. Above the soul is the super-subjective plane which is varenyam, most venerated and worshipable. That worshipable plane of existence is called bhargo, brilliant and illuminating. The super-subjective area, bhargo, is the plane known as the svarupa-sakti which is the internal pleasure potency of deva, Krsna, Reality the Beautiful. That bhargo is His own divine potency, Srimati Radharani. Let us meditate upon the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, whose extended self and essential nature, maha-bhava, is the svarupa-sakti, and who enthuses our capacity of devotional service. Let us surrender unto Her divine service."
Gayatri springs from the flute of Krsna. Gayatri-muralista kirtana danam radha-padam dhimahe - the flute song of Krsna only sings the glories of Srimati Radharani.
I once quoted this portion of a verse to a learned scholar who sarcastically remarked, "That is found in many places." Why this gentleman said like that I do not know, but the fact is that since the universe began until now the clear and pristine explanation of gayatri as Krishna's flute glorification of Srimati Radharani can only be found in one place and one place only, the Gayatri-Nigudhartha by Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja.
The Gayatri-Nigudhartha is a realized explanation of brahma-gayatri that manifested in the heart of Srila Sridhara Maharaja by the divine grace of his Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Srila Sridhara Maharaja wrote the Gayatri Nigudhartha in 1974 and it was published in his Matha's journal with a limited distribution. Later in the early 1980's many western devotees took shelter of Srila Sridhara Maharaja after the departure of our Guru Maharaja, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. At that time the Gayatri-Nigudhartha began to receive a much wider circulation, being printed in several of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's books.
Srila Sridhara Maharaja has mentioned that Jiva Gosvami has drawn the conception of gayatri to Krsna but that he (Sridhara Maharaja) felt the tendency within to show that brahma-gayatri worshiped Srimati Radharani. Thus he wrote Gayatri-Nigudhartha in Sanskrit.
These days some unscrupulous persons are trying to present themselves as the revealers of the hidden meaning of gayatri but due to envy they do not quote the Gayatri-Nigudhartha or give credit to Srila Sridhara Maharaja for his spiritual genius. Thus they are not able to give us more than the general explanation that, "Yes, gayatri worships Radhika."
In Gayatri-Nigudhartha Srila Sridhara Maharaja gives a most detailed meaning of brahma-gayatri and draws its ultimate meaning to the worship of Srimati Radharani. Without taking this line of approach, as shown by Srila Sridhara Maharaja in Gayatri-Nigudhartha, it is not possible for anyone to demonstrate to us how gayatri actually worships Radharani.
Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Maharaja has described the Gayatri Nigudhartha as follows: "The explanation of brahma-gayatri, the mother of all Vedas, signifying devotional worship unto Srimati Radharani, sri radhanudhyana-para, explanation which was revealed in the depth of realization of Pujyapada Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja, possessed with the divine grace of Paramaradhya Sri Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) upon his head - is deeply appreciated by those fortunate, intelligent devotees who are aware of the relishable beauty of pure devotional service."
Srila Sridhara Maharaja has said, that OM is the seed mantra which contains everything within it. Bhur is where we are, bhu-loka, the world of our experience. Bhuvah (Bhuvarloka) is the world of mental acquisition, the background of our experience. The mental world (Bhuvarloka) means acceptance and rejection. Svah (Svaloka) is the plane of decision, the world of intelligence. In this way the material world is composed of three general layers, bhu, the physical world, bhuvah, the mental world, and svah, the intellectual world. These three planes of experience have been summarized in a word, tat.
Savitur generally means surya, the Sun - that which shows or illuminates, that by which we can see. But actually the world is not shown to us by the Sun, but by the soul. The Sun can show color to our eyes, the ear can reveal the sound world, and the hand can reveal the touch world. But really, in the center is the soul. It is the soul who gives light to this world. All perception is possible only because of the soul. So savitur can only mean soul, like the Sun, which shows us everything.
Varenyam means puja: worshipable, venerable. This indicates that although within this plane (the objective world) the soul is the subject, there is another domain that is to be venerated and worshiped by the soul. That is the Supersoul area.
That worshipable plane of existence is known as bhargo. Bhargo means the subjective area, the area of the Supersoul. Bhargo is svarupa-shakti. Bhargo belongs to whom? It belongs to Deva, to Krsna.
Deva (devasya) means who is beautiful and playful, that is Krsna, Reality the Beautiful. He is full of lila, pastimes and beauty combined. His domain is bhargo, brilliant and it is varenyam, to be venerated by the soul. Svarupa-sakti is the extension of Srimati Radharani. She holds the full energy to serve Krsna. Bhargo is no less than the extended body of Srimati Radharani. Bhargo means Radharani and Deva means Krsna.
Dhimahi, come to meditate. Dhimahi means to participate in the spontaneous flow, the current of devotion in Vrndavana. Dhiyo yo nah pracodayat, the capacity to serve will increase within us. That is the remuneration of prema. The result of prema (divine love) will be that we are given more energy to serve.
Gayatri is the song of deliverance that also means sankirtana. The sankirtana of Mahaprabhu improves us toward the highest goal and reinstates us in our highest serving position. Gayatri (and thus kirtana) in connection to Mahaprabhu will always excite us to be mindful about Srimati Radharani's lotus feet and to obey Her orders.
For a clear and detailed understanding of what Srila Sridhara Maharaja has revealed in brahma-gayatri it is recommended that one study the Gayatri-Nigudhartha which can be found in Sri Gayatri Mantrartha Dipika, a chapter summary and excerpts with purport published by Sri Narasingha Caitanya Matha.
Sri Gayatri Nigudhartha
bhvades-tat savitur-varenya-vihitam ksetra-jna-sevyarthakam
bhargo vai vrsabhanu-jatma-vibhavaikaradhana sri-puram
bhargo jyotir-acintya-lilana-sudhaikaradhana- sri-puram
bhargo dhama-taranga-khelana- sudhaikaradhana- sri-puram
bhargo dhama-sada nirasta kuhakam prajnana-lila-puram
devasyamrta-rupa-lila-rasadheraradha-dhih-prerinah
devasyamrta-rupa-lila-purusasyaradha-dhih-presinah
devasya-dyuti-sundaraika-purusas-yaradhya-dhih-presinah
gayatri-muralista-kirtana-dhanam radha-padam dhimahi
gayatri-gaditam mahaprabhu-matam radha-padam dhimahi
dhir-aradhanam eva nanyad-iti-tad- radha-padam dhimahi
"With all of your thoughts and heart's desire, fully engage yourself in the pure devotional service and worship of bhargo, the supreme goddess Srimati Radharani, who is the unlimited origin and possessor of the svarupa-sakti of Krsna, the Supreme Beautiful Godhead (deva). Being the ultimate and all harmonizing potency of Krsna, She remains His eternally unexcelled beloved servitor. In order to fully enrich and promote His lila-vilasa, She manifests Herself in variegated congenial forms. It is She Who manifests Herself as dhama (Goloka) the abode of Krsna, in the form of beautiful effulgence (saundarya-jyoti) and opulence (vaibhava), adorning and glorifying Him all around. It is She who extends Herself as lila-sakti (the potency principle which promotes the bliss giving pastimes of Sri Krsna in variegated colorful, tasteful, mystically opulent and beautiful ways). She is the unlimited ocean of love of Krsna personified (mahabhava-svarupini). Therefore adore Her as the supreme goal of life, Who gives venerable, blessed intelligence, realization and taste of enhanced loving worship towards Her and Her eternal beloved deva, Sri Krsna, the all fulfillment of life. The sound of gayatri is none other than the divine flute song of Krsna. This flute song is naturally filled with Radha prema and dedicated to serve pleasure unto Her. What is the special characteristic of this all-attractive flute song in the life of devotional aspirants? It deeply attracts all souls to the unending beauty, glories and qualities of His eternal beloved Srimati Radharani, and situates them correctly in their own respective positions in Her eternal ecstatic service. Krsna's flute song thus deeply inspires the devotees to embrace an artist-servitor in the divine service-concert of His eternal consort Srimati Radharani through harmonious service performance. The innermost meaning of this flute song for all devotees is radha-padam dhimahi which means to wholeheartedly embrace and engage yourself in the service of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani with all devotional love. The highest and innermost instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is radha-padam dhimahi."
(Note: Video footage of Srila Sridhara Maharaja explaining gayatri is available for watching and downloading on gosai.)
