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Do scriptures mention any sort of prayaschitta for people who have chanted the Gayatri Mantra without initiation?

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    @Surya Kanta Bose Chowdhury first of all which scriptures is there smritis ofcourse they can be but god is one and for intance do rigveda where gayatri mantra first occoured give such a rule the rules in old days have gone if someone gonna teach manners to a girl like old now so there is no saying that he can be said 'stupid' :)
    – Fierce lord
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 4:27
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    Yes, read in this site at many places about having an initiation before chanting a Mantra. But not sure if it applies in modern times when there is a lack of a genuine Guru, who determines disciple's worthiness & then selflessly initiates that disciple or rejects that disciple. In modern times one's own conscience is the most trustworthy Guru. Hence whether to chant a Mantra or not, has to be decided by oneself. When baba Ramdev came to our city, he mass initiated all fellows in Gayatri Mantra followed by Yogasana. Now who will decide if it's valid or not? Ppl will give only personal opinions.
    – iammilind
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 4:28
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    Does Gayatri Mantra need initiation, in first place? --- Gayatri initiation is the Vedic initiation.. A student gets the right to study the Vedas only after this initiation.. @iammilind
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:55
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    @Rickross i did not said i love rigveda i love all veda but among them sama as lord krishna favored it in geeta and rigveda are liked afterthat you are right the transversion occured between two consciosness but if two are god and human inspite of guru and human. If god is one's lord then everything created by him belongs to him like a father and a small child he needs no permision to enter in house. It is like same relation between guru abd shishya even when God=guru. Its my thinking ofcourse you can do what you want it is not needed everything match in everybody right :)
    – Fierce lord
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 9:00
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    If god is one's lord then everything created by him belongs to him like a father and a small child he needs no permision to enter in house.--- God himself has created this system.. Otherwise why did Krishna Rama etc all took Guru Diksha? Why did not they follow ur way? Which scriptures allow chanting mantras without Diksha? Which saints/rishis did not follow this system? So, on what basis you're feeling that your thinking is correct? Anyways, after joining this forum i found out people have very less or no idea about the very core of Hinduism viz-Diksha.. @Fiercelord
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 12:02

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In the language of the Smritis, one who's not initiated into the Gayatri is a Sudra or a Vratya and both are equal as far as rights regarding rituals, chanting Vedic Mantras are concerned.

But, i have read in a book (which is not a scripture but based on them), that if a Sudra (basically take it to mean an uninitiated person and not something derogatory) recites certain Vedic Mantras OMkara, Swaha, Savitri, Vashat etc then he becomes an outcaste immediately. So, this would suggest, that he can remedy that by some easy means.

But, the verses i find in the Smritis are not saying the same. They say the Sudra needs to be punished severely by the king. So, in short, i could not find any expiation measures as such.

By following his own religion even a S'udra enjoys the celestial region. Another's religion should be renounced like the most beautiful wife of another person. (18)

The S'udra, who engages in the recitation [of the Gayatri and the offering of oblations to the Sacred Fire, should be killed by the king ; for by that he becomes the destroyer of the kingdom as the water is of fire. (19)

Recitation [of the Gayatri austerity, and journeys. to sacred places, adoption of a Sannyasa-lite, practice of Mantrams and adoration of Deities, these six bring about the fall of women and S'udras. (135)

Atri Smriti

Something similar says the Gautama Smriti:

If a Sudra uses abusive language or 18 n.), the part of his body used for the crime should be chopped off. 2 If he has sex with an Arya woman, his penis should be cut off and all his property confiscated; 3 if the woman had a guardian, then, in addition to the above, he shall be executed. 4And if he listens in on a vedic recitation, his ears shall be filled with molten tin or lac; 5if he repeats it, his tongue shall be cut off; 6if he commits it to memory, his body shall be split asunder

Gautama Smriti 11.31.

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  • Therefore I should be killed...
    – user9969
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:06
  • I personally do not believe in such extreme instructions.. but that said, initiation into a mantra is without doubt important.. without Diksha, no Purascharana, and without Purascharana no Mantra Siddhi..those might have been just said to frighten people from indulging in the act. @SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:24
  • But why frighten?
    – user9969
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:55
  • That act might have some bad effect which are unseen to us.. that's why may be..but i do not believe in the punishments.. @SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury
    – Rickross
    Commented Feb 9, 2018 at 7:56

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