[Advaita-l] Chanting Gayatri overseas

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Mon, 2 Oct 2017, Vēdānta Study Group via Advaita-l wrote:

> Svadharma is very specific to desha (place) and kAla (time).

No, for the most part it is not.

> *However, the single most important factor for dharma is the dharmi, the
> individual who embodies dharma. And should a Dharmi travel overseas, then
> most certainly he takes dharma along with him and inspires others to do so
> as well. *
>

This I do agree with however I must say you and many others in this
conversation have only offered opinions.  We need facts first and then
only opinions based on those facts.

The fact is Bharatakhanda of Jambudvipa is the only karmabhumi and only 
there are mantras effective.  See for example 5th skandha of Bhagavata 
Purana.  I do not disagree though I did bring up the point that it is not 
a simple task to equate puranic geography with the current state of the 
world.

Rather I am making a different argument altogether.  As Advaitins we know
that only the sannyasi can be completely free of karma.  I along with 99%
of the readers are not sannyasis.  For us the shastras have prescribed a
different path, karmayoga.  Karmayoga consists of following ones svadharma
diligently as an offering to the Lord without heed to the results.

For a Brahmana grhastha such as myself or a brahmachari such as my son, 
the recitation of Gayatri in sandhyavandana is imperative. Case closed. 
End of discussion.  So we shall do it.  Whether or not it will result in 
punya we leave to Bhagavan to decide.


There were two  conceptually different dharmic topics that were raised. 
The propriety of samudrayana ("crossing the ocean") and yuga dharma which 
I will also address in separate posts.

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>