36. Bhagawan taught the Gayatri Mantra and its importance to Sri Fanibunda. What are the main points in Bhagawan's Teaching?
Bhagawan's Teachings to Sri Fanibunda are given in his book "Vision of the Divine". The main points are -

1. If the Gayatri Mantra is not recited correctly, it has the adverse effect of enveloping the person in darkness. But, if we recite it with Love, God will accept it.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba chanting Gayatri Mantra:
1.Without chorus: gayatri.wav (18 seconds, 191 KB, WinPCM)
2. With chorus: gayatri.mp3, (32 seconds, 125 KB, MPEG 1.0 layer 3)

2. Baba advises that each word should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, without undue haste or hurry.

3. Gayatri is at the very basis of the Vedas, and merits the name Veda Mata or The Mother of the Vedas. The Gayatri Mantra is all-pervasive throughout the manifest Cosmos.

4. Gayatri is "That which preserves, protects and rescues the chanter from mortality".

5. The Gayatri Mantra is a Universal Prayer, which asks for a clear Intellect so that the Truth may be reflected therein without distortion.

6. Bhagawan has said that the Gayatri Mantra can be chanted by men and women of all climes and creeds. It calls upon the Glorious Power that pervades the Sun and the Three Worlds to arouse, awaken and strengthen the Intelligence, so that it may lead us through intense Sadhana to success.

7. The heart needs to be cleansed thrice a day - dawn, noon and dusk. Besides these times, Bhagawan has said that the Gayatri Mantra can be repeated anywhere at any time, including night time.

8. The Gayatri Mantra is synonymous with Divinity and has therefore to be approached with humility, reverence, faith and love towards the Mantra.

9. The Vedas are the very breath of God and the Gayatri Mantra is at the very basis of the Vedas.

10. Bhagawan is the Vedapurusha and is therefore the Supreme Authority on the Vedas.

11. Love and reverence for the Mantra and faith in its promised results are far more important than mere mechanical repetition while the mind wanders.

12. This prayer is directed to the Divine Mother -
"O Divine Mother, our hearts are filled with darkness. Please make this darkness distant from us and promote Illumination within us".

13. Full faith in the power and potency of the Gayatri Mantra will be generated only when the seeker has developed the requisite degree of enthusiasm, reverence and love towards this Mantra.

14. The more one chants the Gayatri Mantra, the greater the benefit to the one who chants it.