Anonymous: Pranam Guruji. I am very happy to receive your email. I want to know more about Vedas. I want to share something about myself. I am a kind-hearted person. I love my parents and they are my first God. I believe in God too. I try to give 100% in my work. I want to ensure that the name of my family is high. Sometimes I lose confidence, especially when it comes to giving suggestions about improvement. I always try to control my anger.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. You are welcome, please. To know more about the Vedas, I would advise you to read some of my Vedic books which will give you lot of knowledge about Vedas. List of books is available on the website.

I appreciate that you love your parents and hope you have been serving them whole-heartedly. This is also the preach of Vedas that we must first start serving mother, father, atithi and acharya. God is Almighty, Omnipresent and Formless Who creates, nurses and destroys universe. So, we must listen to Vedas and its preach should be adopted in life to make future bright. So, God is separate and parents are separate please. But, both are adorable.

Your pious deeds and good character automatically shall bring laurels for your parents. So, please do the same.

Confidence should never be lost because it’s first pious sign of Dharma. So, face every problem bravely to get success. Whatever you tell to your seniors is your faithfulness and even duty but you see Yogeshwar Sri Krishan Maharaj also says in Bhagwad Geeta that one should always do hard work but should never think about its return. So, you should follow Vedic preach and you should not think about the result of your pious deeds. I mean to say, this is only your duty to put forth your grievances or your good ideas before your seniors but if they do not accept it then no question of being angry.

If somebody tells lie then why should we worry because punishment is awarded by God to those who tell lies etc., but if we also become angry then it will also be harmful for us.

Everybody has power to do good for himself as well as for society, office etc. so, use your energy to always do pious deeds. God has given us freedom to do either right or wrong i.e., to do pious deeds or sins but result in the shape of happiness and sorrows respectively is awarded by God. When you will try to study my books, you’ll get knowledge and feel peace. I would advise you to listen to some of my spiritual CDs. Again, my blessings to you.

S: Pranam Guru ji, Guru ji people say one should pursue his future in the stuff he finds interest but in my case that aim is too uncertain and nearly zero chance to clear it (IAS). So this thing makes me feel very very weak. So should I try for something else? Please guide me.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. Yes, people rightly state that one should pursue one’s career in his/her field of interest but only learned state that to achieve the motto, the hard work is also required. So, mere interest or mere prayer to God will do nothing until it is supported by hard work, dedication, devotion, concentration, forgetting other worldly affairs. So, please try to understand said Vedic views and go ahead. You will always get success. In addition, bad deeds which also produce obstacles to make the future bright, God states in Vedas that the person should do daily worship. So, I would advise you to do the following-

GAYATRI MANTRA

Please, start the day by chanting Gayatri mantra in the early morning sitting on suitable asan like Sukhasan, Siddhasan or Padmasan etc. concentrate on the point between two eyebrows which is called “Agyachakra”. The Gayatri mantra should be chanted along with its meaning both times. Also, please try to perform daily hawan even with Gayatri mantra. Then try to study any of my books daily and put up question if any.

After 15 days chant the Gayatri mantra only thrice thereafter do the name jaap of Almighty God-“Om”. The jaap must be done daily by heart and not orally.

The Gayatri mantra is as follows —

OM BHURBHUVAHA SWAHA TATA SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGODEVASYA

DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT

Meaning of Gayatri mantra stating each word is as follows. Its meaning is based on Vedas and Sanskrit grammar. Grammatical hints are in short please.

Om has three Hindi words. Aa, Uu AND Ma. Aa is meant for Aakaar from which three names of God are built, Viraat, Agni, and Vishwadi. From Uu = uukar from which Hirannyagarbha, Vayu and Tejas names occur and Ma = makaar from which Ishwar, Aditya and Praajyan aadi, holy names of God occur. Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 says God is one but His names are several. But here OM the holy name of God is only being explained.

VIRAAT = Viraat word is made from dhatu ‘Rajrideeptau’ i.e., manifest. Therefore Viraat means He who manifests the universe. As God manifests the universe, thus Viraat is the name of God. Rigveda mandal 10, sukta 129 states that like potter makes pot from clay, similarly God creates universe from non-alive matter prakriti. Prakriti is unseen matter. From unseen matter, the whole universe is created in the visible form. Science also says that matter is never destroyed but changes its form. Suppose a paper is burnt, paper changes its form into ashes. Then ashes are crushed and thrown in air. At this moment, the paper changed into ashes becomes invisible but was never destroyed. Similarly the whole universe at the time of final destruction is turned into prakriti i.e., into unseen form.

AGNI = From dhatu, “ANCHU GATI POOJANAYOHO” the word “AGNI is made. Its meaning is: He who is a form of wisdom. “SARVAJAYEN” i.e., Omniscient. That is, knows each and every atom of universe and even beyond universe. He who is to be known, to be gained and is worshipful. So Agni is the name of God.

VISHWA = Vishwa word is made from dhatu, “VISHPRAVESHANE”. Its meaning is He in whom the universe is entering or He who is entering the universe. So being omnipresent, Vishwa is the name of God.

HIRANNYAGARBHA = i.e., ” JYOTIRVAYIHIRANYAM”. Its meaning is, who is the base of all sun, etc., luminous lokas or He who is the living place of all luminous lokas.

VAYU = from dhatu, “VA GATIGANDHANYOHO”, vayu word is made. Its meaning is He who holds, gives life and destroys and is the mightiest amongst all. So the name of God is Vayu.

TEJ = from dhatu, “TIJA NISHANE”, the word Tej is made meaning He who is self made and self-enlightened and gives light to sun, moon, stars etc. God does not take light from anywhere but gives light to sun, moon, stars, etc. so the unbroken, unobstructed/unproduced and eternal form of light is Almighty God and not sun, moon etc. So the name of God is Tej.

ISHWAR = from dhatu, “ISH ASHWERIYE”, the word Ishwar is made. Its meaning is whose knowledge is thoughtful and true and He who has unlimited wealth, fortune and glory etc. Therefore the name of God is Ishwar. Here it is not out of place to mention that soul (man/woman) has limited qualities and are dependent whereas God is independent and has unlimited qualities that is why He is God.

ADITYA = from dhatu, “DO AVAKHANDANE”, Aditya word is made. Its meaning is the one who cannot be broken into pieces and thus cannot be destroyed. So God’s name is Aditya.

PRAJAYEN (PRAGYA) = from dhatu, “JYEN AVABODHANE”, Prajayen word is made meaning whose wisdom is totally without any misunderstanding and thus he who knows every matter and behavior of whole universe without misunderstanding. So God’s name is Prajayen. So here also it is not out of place to mention that illusion can never attack on God and God is totally free from illusion.

BHUHU = “BHUHU ITI VAYEE PRANAHA” i.e., He who is the base of lives of universe, is most beloved, even more than Prann i.e., breath. So Bhuhu is the name of God.

BHUVAHA= “BHUVAHA ITI APANAHA” i.e., He who is totally free from any sorrow, and the soul removes his own all sorrows after coming in contact with Him. So the name of God is Bhuvaha.

SWAHA = i.e., “SWAHA ITI VYANAHE” who is omnipresent in the universe and is holding the same. So the name of God is Swaha.

SAVITUHU = He who creates the universe. So the name of God is Savituhu.

DEVSYA= who gives all pleasure/merriment, so the name of God is Dev.

VARENNYAM = He who is the most supreme and acceptable. God is most supreme and acceptable for worship.

BHARGAHA = the purest entity (though God is formless, but finding no suitable English word of Sanskrit word, “SHUDH SWARUPAM” the word entity has been used.)

TAT = i.e., the God i.e., of the purest entity.

DHIMAHI = i.e., we must hold (sort of meditation) because

YAHA = the God

NAHA = our,

DHIYAHA = mind(i.e., in our minds)

PRACHODYAT = by inspiration (fulfil the mind with wisdom)

MEANING
“We meditate the God who is the base of lives’ of universe, totally free from any sorrow, omnipresent, creates the universe, gives all pleasure/merriment, most supreme and acceptable, purest entity; May the God enlighten our minds with wisdom by His inspiration”.

Here it is not out of place to mention that idea of a (one) Ved mantra is based on ideas of several Ved mantras. So in the above Gayatri mantra, there are three things —-
Bhuhu, Bhuvaha, Swaha, Savituhu, Bhargaha, Devsya are some qualities amongst unlimited qualities of God. These are called Stuti i.e., to say about God with His real qualities and not self made etc.

Secondly Dhimahi means meditation i.e., one should always sit in meditation and do hard and pious deeds for which he will have to study Vedas in full, while discharging moral duties towards family and nation.

Third and last is DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT. It is a prayer to God explanation of which is cited above.

How to do havan

Please sit in the morning to perform havan. Havan must be in sunlight then it is more beneficial. Then half a bowl of fresh water with a tablespoon must be with you with small twigs especially of mango tree if possible, havan samagri, ghee, camphor and match box must be there with you. Please sit on sukh asan on four times folded blanket and blanket must be on mat.

Sukh asan i.e., sit on duly folded feet in comfortable position. Then first close your eyes and concentrate between two eyebrows and chant Gayatri mantra three times within heart and not by mouth. Then open your eyes.

Take one spoon of water in right palm. Chant this mantra, OM AMRITO UPASTRANMASI SWAHA and drink the water which you have put in your palm. Then again take the spoon of water in right palm then chant the next mantra, OM AMRITA APIDHANMASI SWAHA, and drink the water. Then again take the water in right palm and chant the mantra, OM SATYAM YASHAH SHRI MAYI SHRI SHRAYTAAM SWAHA, and drink the water. Then wash the right palm while sitting, with the same water kept in bowl.

Then put the twigs into havan kund with one piece of camphor and burn it. During this process chant the Gayatri mantra again and again till such time the fire is lighted sufficiently. Then chant the Gayatri mantra and at the last add the word Swaha and offer ghee with tablespoon, quantity equivalent to 4 to 5 drops. And if you are alone then also offer in fire pinch of havan samagri from your right hand’s finger and thumb avoiding forefinger. So this offering may be of 11 times, 21 times or 51 times as the time suits. It is the simplest way and I have not quoted the complete method of Yajyen. The havan with Ved mantras are always offered as the best worship of God only please. Do havan daily and both times