Section 3: Ra Ma Da Sa - Healing and the Siri Gayatri Mantra:

Healing and the Siri Gayatri Mantra:

The Cultivation of Vital Essences in Ayurveda

This is the third and final section of the blog on the Mantra, Ra Ma Da Sa as taught by Yogi Bhajan.  Part one explores So Hung in light of the Upanishads and common grammar variations as well as other topics.

Part two digs into how the syllable in the Ra Ma Da Sa Mantra relate and don't relate to the Sanskrit alphabet and the mystical meaning of the syllables.

In the third part of the blog, we explore healing and the Ra Ma Da Sa mantras. As you probably know 3HO and Yogi Bhajan refer to Ra, Ma, Da, Sa as a healing mantra. Below we will explore how this claim relates to Ayurveda and the larger yoga tradition. 

Like in blog number one, we will start at the end of the mantra, before going to the beginning.

According to Yoga and Ayurveda, the deepest healing comes from a genuine direct experience of our unconditioned Self. In some cases the experience of our unconditioned Self can literal transform the body.  In other cases the physical body could still be inflected with suffering due to karmic imprints, but after the experience of unconditioned bliss the relationship to the physical body drastically changes so that there is deeper peace even in physical suffering. 

This play of the healing of the individual self with the Cosmic Self is expressed in the mantra So Hung, I am spirit. When we truly and deeply experience our selves to be one with spirit the body can undergo spontaneous healing. I had a powerful healing of lyme disease after going into extreme ecstasy via mantra practice.  I had suffered from Lyme disease for around 3 years.  Lyme's disease spontaneously left my body after a powerful experience of God Intoxication. Many have claimed to have had their physical suffering removed via spiritual healing.  

Chanting with love and intention, and feeling we are One with All, literally aligns the meaning of the Ra Ma Da Sa Mantra. 

Ra-Sun, Ma-Moon, Da-Earth, and Sa- Infinity and So Hung- we are thou, is truly a declaration of our whole and healed self. We could say that the Ra Ma Da Sa Mantra is a positive affirmation of our higher Self.

Mantra Therapy is used in Ayurveda. Each part of the Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung Mantra, is used in Ayurveda for healing, but not in the order that YB teaches it.  The use of seed mantras like the Sanskrit alphabet, is an important part of Ayurveda. In Ayurveda mantras are chanted on various anatomical location on and, in the body.  Ayurveda uses mantra on the energy points or acupuncture points (marma chikitsa) and on chakras petals as sound meditation.  The Sanskrit alphabet is chanted in various locations on the body. The So Hum mantra is also used in various locations on the body.  The entirety of the Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung Mantra is found in Nyasa practices for self healing.   

In the Ayurvedic use of mantra, each Sanskrit letter is connected to the cultivation of our vital energies. In this case, Ra increases and balances Tejas, relating to the fire element. Ma Da Sa are more nurturing and build Ojas. 

In short, many connections can be made to the Siri Gayatri Mantra aka Ra Ma Da Sa, and healing energies.

The mudras or various hand positions that Yoga Bhajan taught to use while chanting this mantra is not my intended scope of this blog.  In short, placing hands in certain positions is well explained by understanding the vayus and their movement of energies.  Holding the hands upwards towards the sky at a 45 degree angle to heart would increase upward moving energy and open the flow of prana at its primary seat in the heart center. Generally speaking holding our arms and hands in this way would have healing benefits especially when mixed with the breathing pattern found in the mantra. That being said, the questions then arises, does one need to increase upward moving energy or not?

Sometimes yes and, sometimes no. 

The need for more upward moving energy or not can be assessed by a skilled practitioner of Ayurveda. Too much upward moving energy can cause one to be ungrounded and scattered.  Too much upward moving energy happens both in vocalist and people who do too much mantra without seated meditation to harmonize the mantras powerful energy inward. 

Upward moving energy can also be very useful when aiming to increase spiritual energy or transcendental experiences.  Out of balanced upward moving energy can also cause spiritual bypassing and emotional disassociating. 

Gurmukhi & Rama Dasa in light of the Path of Devotion

When I began pulling all of my various thoughts together on the Siri Gayatri Mantra I talked with a close friend who studies Gurmukhi. Since I don’t read Gurmukhi, I reached out to consult with him about the Gurmukhi script of the Sikh Gurus and how he saw Ra Ma Da Sa mantra. 

He pointed out the obvious, which I had overlooked.  While his observation is simple and profound it didn’t help me clear up the Siri Gayatri mantra in light of Gurmukhi. I choose not to explore the Gurmukhi perspective in great detail for this article, as the focus is on Sanskrit. While many may feel that it is sort sighted to not take Gurmukhi into account, I would pose the counter-question.  Why did YB not teach the mantra to the students in Gurmukhi?  Why are teachers not trained by KRI to understand this mantra in light of Punjabi, Gurmukhi or Sanskrit for a clearer understanding?  Since 3HO has not taught Ra Ma Da Sa in light of an Indian dialect or Gurmukhi script, why not look at it from a Sanskrit view?  It certainly isn't an English mantra!

My friends observation is that Ra and Ma connected creates the word Rama. Rama is the full version of the shortened version Ram.  Rama the incarnation of Vishnu who is often chanted to in the many popular mantras, for example, Jaya Sita Ram Ram Ram Ram, and Rama Bolo, Rama Bolo, Bolo Bolo Ram.

Rama’s life is the primary focus of the popular Hindu epic the Ramayana, which is taught in many of the devotional schools of Hinduism.  Rama represents the Supreme Lord, his other half is Sita Devi.  Hanuman is another well-known personality from the Ramayana. Since Hanuman is the son of Vayu, lord of the Winds, he has the power of air element. He is also considered the greatest Bhakta to Lord Ram and Sita.

Da and Sa combined equals Dasa which means servant like the shortened version of Das often found in spiritual names in the Vaishnava Vedanta traditions like the Hare Krishnas or the students of Neem Karoli Baba, like Krishna Das, Ram Das, and Bhagavan Das. 

Dass or Dasa means servant. Ram Dass means servant of the Lord and is a popular name not only of the fourth Sikh Guru but also the spiritual name of the famous LSD-inspired counter-cultural figure Richard Alpert. Simply chanting Ram has been popularized by Ram Das and Krishna Das.

Rama and Dasa are full Sanskrit versions of very important words in the devotional path of Bhakti Yoga.

We can see that Rama Dasa is also like a long version of Ram Das.  Often the letter a is added or dropped at the end of words as they move from Sanskrit to other Indian dialects.  A common example of this is asana (Sanskrit) turning into asan (Gujarti as one of many examples). Or Pranayama becomes pranayam.

In short, we can say:

Rama = God or the incarnation of Vishnu

Dasa = Servant

Sa Se So Hung = I am That infinite consciousness 

The theological implications of this translation are profound from a Vaishnava perspective where often individual souls, aka you, me, and every human to have lived, highest purpose is to be one with the Divine by being of service to God's Divine energy. 

If we look at the mantra as letters in the Sanskrit alphabet as explored in part two of the blog the theological view is more in alignment with Non Dual Vedanta which can include Shivaite or Shakta Tantric perspectives. 

According to most Western scholars the Vedic system is considered to be the more ancient tradition while Tantra, is more recent.  This is not universally agreed upon.  Naturally, scholars have various dissenting views on this point.  Regardless all of the above mentioned schools are unique traditions that are intrinsically intertwined.  Powerful Tantric seed (bija) mantras are used in Tibetan Buddhism and Hindu traditions.  These mantras share much in common.  There are a variety of bija mantras. Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism associate the seed mantras with various deities, energetics, and healing capacities. These Buddhist and Hindu mantra practices are a full system of meditation, and healing systems that have the potential to lead to Self-Realization.

LAM, VAM, RAM, YUM, HUM, and Om are often chanted on the chakras and are the most well-known Tantric seed mantras in the Western Yoga communities.

There are many lesser-known seed mantras.  Two of them that are of interest are Haum and Hom.  

These mantras are hybrids bringing a unique prana to Om and Aum.  The Ha sound is said to bring power and strength.  

“Om is the prime mantra of the Purusha, the Cosmic Being, the Atman or Higher Self.  As such, it attunes us with our true nature and higher reality”. 

Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound page 94 Dr. David Frawley 

So Hung is an energized form of the mantra so hum or hum sau.  As stated in part 1 of the blog all the variations of So Hung refer to I or the individual and Hung spirit or Universal self joining in union.

Why does Yogi Bhajan Call it the Siri Gayatri Mantra?

Simply stated, I have no idea! It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Perhaps others have good explanations? 

While I have admitted defeat in regard to Yogi Bhajan's view, I will share about the traditional view on Gayatri Mantras below.

The word Gayatri is most well known in what we call the Gayatri Mantra from the Rig Veda. 

oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥtat savitur vareṇyaṃbhargo devasya dhīmahidhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt– Rigveda 3.62.10

While we call the above mantra the Gayatri there are actually lots of Gayatri Mantras. Gayatri is a meter in Vedic chanting named after the Goddess Gayatri, which you may have noticed is a common female name in India.  Gayatri Meter is 24 beats.  It is the most common meter in the Vedas.  I was wondering if Ra Ma Da Sa has the 24 beats to be a Gayatri mantra. As I understand it, it does not.  

Many deities have Gayatri Mantras. In truth there is not only one Gayatri mantra. 

Durga Gayatri: 

Om Kaatyaayanaaya vidmahe

Kanyaakumaari dhiimahi

Tanno durgih pracodayaat

 

Hanuman Gayatri:

Om Anjaneya Vidhmahe

Maha balaya Dheemahe

Thanno Hamuman Prachodayath 

Shiva Gayatri: 

Om Mahadevaya Vidmahe

Rudramurtaye Dhimahi

Tannah Shivah Prachodayat॥

The list of Gayatri Mantras is rather long!  You can check out some of theme here.   Since Gayatri is a meter there are also more than one Gayatri mantra per deity as they vary from tradition to tradition.  

I am not claiming to be the definitive source on the Ra Ma Da Sa mantra. If anyone has any info about how the Ra Ma Da Sa mantra connects to what Gayatri usually means I would love to learn about it. 

Closing Thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read through this technical explanation and I hope you found it useful and supportive to your practice. 

Yogi Bhajan is a controversial personality.  Many people want to claim Yogi Bhajan is an innocent man whose been framed! Others claim that abuse from the teacher is always a blessing in disguise. I do not believe either of these views. I do think some of the Yoga that YB taught has useful applications. It can also create extreme imbalances. In my blog about Kriya I explore some of these topics in light of Ayurveda and Modern Yoga Therapy.  Check it out to learn more.  I also explore YB's teachings and how they relate and don't relate to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. You can learn more about that here.

I also offered over 5 hours of teachings on the Hatha Yoga and Kundalini practices you can learn more or purchase that course here. 

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