mantra

THE universe has emerged from the indestructible sound. It is the vibration of the sound which has project this universe. Thus universe is controlled by sound. Whosoever controls this sound could control the universe. The Cosmic Mind is propitiated by the sound. But it is a definite thought formula, and it has intonation. This thought formula is called the mantra. It releases its power and reveals its truth to those who meditate on it repeatedly. This repetition of the holy incantation or the mantra is what is called japa.

In the BHAGAVAD GITA, Lord Krishna says, "Among yajnas I am the Japa Yajna." Yajna means sacrifice. The whole universe and the truth is established in the yajna. There is "vishi yajna" which is the ritualistic sacrifice; a munificent gift is "dhana yajna"; imparting of wisdom is "jnana yajna" and various austerities, through which the truth is realized constitute "tapa yajna." Even though there are so many yajnas, how is it that Lord Krishna gave importance to japa yajna? The reason, according to LINGA PURANA, is that in all the other yajnas, some sort of injury is involved. Japa yajna, alone, is pure and simple, especially when the repetition of mantra is mental. Hence its glory. Secondly, the purpose of all yajna is the realization of God. But most of the yajnas are performed for obtaining worldly or heavenly happiness. Thus it is for the fulfillment of desires. But the purpose of japa yoga is desirelessness and the attainment of enlightenment, which is attained successfully in mental repetition or repeated meditation on the mantra.

The definition of Japa according to AGNI PURANA runs thus:

JAKARO JANMAVICCHEDA PAKARO PAPANASHAKAH TASMAT JAPA ITHI PROKTA JANMA PAPA VINASHAKAH

"The syllable 'ja' destroys the birth and death cycle and the syllable 'pa' destroys all sins. Thus, that with destroys all the sins and puts end to the birth-death cycle and liberates souls from bondage is japa."

Mainly there are two forms of japa. One is "vachika," or oral; another is "manasika," or mental. In vachika, there are two divisions. One is "upamshu," or the mantra that is repeated with the movement of the lips without making any sound. Another is oral where movement of the lips is accompanied with the sound. In mental japa, there are two methods. One is mental, repetition, another is the meditation on the breath, which is called ajapajapa. Vachika or oral japa is defined thus:

"When the mantra is uttered very clearly at the hearing of others, it is called oral japa."

Again:

"When the man who repeats alone hears and the one who is sitting very near hears not, when the lips alone are moving, such japa is called upamshu."

The mental repetition is described thus:

"Meditation on the spirit of the mantra and the meaning of the sacred Word, without the movement of the tongue or the lips, is manasika or mental japa."

Among the various methods of repetition of mantra, this type of mental repetition is considered highest. Manu declares:

"The oral japa is ten times more meritorious than the ritualistic sacrifice. Upamshu japa is a hundred times better, and mental japa is a thousand times greater."

For a beginner, mental japa is very difficult. It requires the necessary qualification. For the destruction of tamo guna, or inertia, one should repeat loudly or have the vachika japa. To purify one's self from rajo guna, or passion, one should cultivate upamshu. One whose mind is tranquil or filled with sattva guna, he alone becomes fit to have the manasika or mental japa. Of course a man who attained perfection can use any one of these methods to reach humanity, but for beginners, these disciplines are taught.

Japa yajna cannot be compared with any other form of sacrifice. The other sacrifices and the ritual in which pouring of oblations is mainly observed, like the "jyothisthtoma," "rajasuya," are of 1/16 merit of that japa yajna. This is the opinion of Manu. Mergence in thought power is one of the great characteristics of japa.

In the LINGA PURANA, Shiva says to His dazzling spouse, Parvathi, "Devi, in all the other yajnas some form of injury is done, either through thought, word or deed, but in japa yajna there is no such injury. That is why Japa Yajna is greatest of all." Demigods, demons, goblins, fiends, and ghosts cannot approach or come near the man who repeats the holy mantra. Japa destroys the accumulated results of actions (karma). Japa bestows all happiness and it delivers one from bondage and brings salvation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ENVIRONMENT IN JAPA

According to Tantrasara: "Mental japa can be done in any place at all times."The LINGA PURANA gives a great significance to certain environments which bring more merit than other places. It says: "When you do japa in your home, the merit will be only as much as the count of japa; whereas the same, if chanted in a cowpen, the merit is a hundred-fold greater. If the same japa is done on the bank of a holy river, the merit will be a hundred thousand times more than the previous two. The same japa done in front of the holy image of God, its merit can never be counted.

"On the shores of an ocean, in mountains, temples, hermitages, the japa brings untold merits. The japa done in front of God's image or by gazing at the pole star and the sun god are very efficacious. The japa done in front of a flame, fire, and cow are meritorious; likewise the holy mantra and japa done in front of the guru, the spiritual preceptor."

It is said in the Tantrasara that japa done in a garden of tulasi (basil plants) or bilva tree is dear to Shiva. The holy fig tree and such holy trees bring perfection and spiritual powers very soon. On top of a mountain, bank of a river, foot of the bilva tree, cowpen, the temple surroundings, tulasi garden, pilgrimage centers, or near the Guru, the mind is controlled very easily and repetition of the mantra shall certainly bring perfection and the attainment of spiritual joy.

THE ROSARY IN JAPA

Just as there is efficacy in the environment in japa, similarly the various powers of various types of beads are described. Tantrasara describes:

"Counting the japa through the fingers by the tip of the thumb brings eight-fold merit; the bead prepared by the seed of a holy tree called Putrajeeva brings ten-fold merit. The beads prepared by the conch shell bring hundred-fold; that which is counted by the beads prepared by the shining stones brings thousand-fold merit; the beads made up of jewels, if used to count, bring ten-thousand-fold merit. Crystal beads are also similar, whereas pearl beads bring hundred-thousand-fold merit. And the rosary of lotus beads is ten times more than the previous one. The gold rosary brings million-fold merits. More than all these, knots of the kusha grass, tulasi beads, and the holy rudraksha brings infinite results."

Worshipers of Vishnu use the rosary of the tulasi beads. For Worshipers of Ganesha, the rosary of the beads prepared through the tusk of an elephant is auspicious. Worshipers of the Goddess Kali use sandalwood beads or rudraksha.

In the KALIKA PURANA, for the fulfillment of desires, certain rosaries are considered as auspicious. The rosary of putrajeeva beads is auspicious for bestowing children; and the rosary of crystals fulfills all desires. Coral brings wealth. It is clearly stated that the same rosary should not contain all sorts of beads.

In the SANATKUMARA SAMHITA, the thread and its color over which the beads are woven is also stated. Cotton thread fulfills four types of pursuit. That is dharma (law divine), artha (prosperity), kama (desire and enjoyment), and moksha (liberation). White thread is to gain peace, red to attract people, yellow for selfish purposes, black for wealth, worldly and spiritual. Sometimes the color is selected according to the order in society. Thus white thread for the brahmin (priests), yellow for the warrior class, black for business persons. Red thread for a rosary is for all the four varnas or orders in society.

The "mala" (rosary) should look like the cow-tail or like a coiled serpent. It has to be purified by the sacred liquid of the combination of five liquids like milk, honey, curd, sugar, and water, and this is called "panchagavya." The guru, purifying the mala, chants the holy mantra called the "sadyojata mantra."Sadyojata is a mantra which gives a new birth into spiritual life. Therefore it is prayed in the mantra to bring salvation to the chanter. Then the rosary is worshipped by invoking the creative energy in it. In VARAHI TANTRA the mantra to invoke Devi is stated:

"O divine rosary, you are of the form of all wisdom. You confer on me all joy and peace here and hereafter and bless me to attain perfection."

In another great book called YOGINI HRIDAYA the prayer to the rosary is stated thus:

"O Divine Rosary, You are bringing me the blessings of all the gods. By your power I shall attain the Truth. O Mother, to Thee I make obeisance."

With such great reverence, the rosary should be worshipped and used in repeating the holy mantra.

If the rosary falls down or breaks, it is considered as inauspicious. Then one has to chant "Hrim" to purify the mala and chant 108 times the holy name of God.

Sit in the lotus posture or free lotus posture. Hold the mala in your right hand, hanging it over the three fingers: the middle finger, ring finger, and the little finger. Count the beads by pushing them one by one by the thumb and the middle finger, but as a rule, the index finger is avoided in japa. The reason is that the index represents the individual ego which differentiates. So the scriptures say that the index finger is avoided during the japa. When you have finished your japa 108 times, do not cross the meru bead (the bead that distinguishes all the other beads). Instead reverse the counting to complete your sadhana. Mantra and bead counting should go together until you have transcended body consciousness, where you make the breath or the thoughts of the mind itself the beads. May God bless you to reach the summit experience in this very life through spiritual sadhana!!

Raja yoga locates the Nada Brahman or Shabda Brahman in the anahata chakra, or the heart's lotus. Mystics hear the voice of God from this chakra. The rishis have recognized thirty-three species (koti) or thirty-three crores (i.e., 330 million) of devatas or divine beings of various lokas or spheres. Each devata or celestial being has a name or mantra for which it is the presiding deity. Therefore when one chants certain mantras, certain devatas are called upon and they respond according to the intensity of the meditation upon them. If you receive a mantra of a devata or deity from a guru and sincerely practice that mantra with worship and meditation, that deity will appear before you either physically or in your meditation to fulfill your desires. The mind, occupied in contemplation of such a deity, takes the shape of that deity and becomes as powerful and pure as that deity. Through the mantra you can possess the devata who will fulfill your desires.

To propitiate a deity, mantra, kriya (action in the form of worship, either external or internal) and bhakti (devotion), are all essential. If a man chants a mantra without bhakti or devotion, it becomes mechanical, and the deity will not be pleased. Or if a man chants or meditates upon the mantra devotionally, but offers neither external form of worship with knowledge of its esoteric meaning nor internal worship such as sacrificing the ego or burning the desires, etc., then also the result will not be full. But when mantra, kriya, and bhakti are all combined, the result is beneficial. Therefore, after chanting, meditation, or worship, the practicant should pray:

"God, all that I have done has been done in an imperfect way. Be pleased with my devotion and pour Thy grace upon me." This was the method of the ancient seers. God will forgive the seeker for his imperfections, for He is pleased with a guileless heart and devotion and will bestow boons upon such a devotee. Thus, mantra without bhakti and kriya will not yield results, depending upon the motives with which they are chanted. Mantra is an incantation which, when uttered with correct intonation, yields results through the forces of nature, deities, or angels whom one propitiates, whose hymn one utters or chants. Mantra is a word power which could be used for spiritual realization or material desires; or it could be utilized for one's own welfare or destruction. It is like atomic energy. It is a power; make it or mar it; the choice is for the man who uses it.

Mantra Vidya is really the science of thought. The world has come from the thought of God. It has emerged into gross form by the projection of His thought into the Word or OM. OM is Veda or knowledge of God. It is nada or sound. Thus, one can see that mantra, nada and Veda are all interlinked. The Vedas are full of mantras or great thought powers which have come from nada or sound. Thus every mantra has a particular nada or sound intonation. If the intonation is not known, the mantra may not yield the full result. Therefore, students of the VEDAS know that the mantras of the RIG VEDA are chanted differently from the mantras of the SAMA VEDA. At the same time, it is not enough that one knows only the sounds, but one should also know the words, without which the results will not be the same. There are examples in the Vedas where opposite results accrued failure by uttering the words of the mantra incorrectly. Therefore, Mantra Vidya or Mantra Yoga is a great thought science which should be practiced under a competent teacher.

Its proper use is elevating; its misuse is dangerous. Such a powerful word or mantra can express itself either as a written or spoken word. The written word, or "varnatmaka shabda," contains syllables, words or sentences, whereas the spoken word, or "dhvanyatmaka shabda," is nada or manifestation of thought through certain sounds. It could be either mere sounds or words spoken, chanted or sung through such sounds. Each type is used according to the necessity, capacity, and motive of the practicant.

VARIETIES OF MANTRAS

There are various kinds of mantras. They can be divided broadly into Vedic mantras, tantric mantras, and Puranic mantras. Then all these mantras could be again subdivided into sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic mantras. Mantras which are chanted for illumination, light, wisdom, supreme divine love, compassion, and the realization of God are sattvic mantras. Those chanted for progeny and worldly prosperity are rajasic mantras; while those chanted to propitiate evil spirits, to destroy or harm others, or for vicious deeds are tamasic mantras. Among these, the last method is sinful and such intent is called "vamamarga," left-handed or black magic. Rajasic mantras will give worldly success and prosperity, but in order to enjoy the result of this good karma, men are born again and again. The sattvic mantras, however, destroy all karma and lead to final beatitude after death and tranquility and equanimity while living.

Mantras for Daily Recitation--a selection of Prayers for the Day

GURU AND DISCIPLE

A mantra should be received from a Guru who should be a realized soul. The Guru should be pure and sinless; he should practice what He preaches and should have answers for all the spiritual problems of humanity. He should know the spirit of the sacred scriptures and should be compassionate. He should be full of divine love to impart divine wisdom to the qualified disciple or qualify him if he surrenders unconditionally.

The disciple should be inquisitive and pure. It is not enough that he be curious, but he should be serious in practice of spiritual disciplines. He should please the Guru through loving service, reverence, devotion and dedication. Whenever there has been such a combination, there was a wonderful result. Patience and perseverance are the main characteristics of a disciple.

Pleased with service and great qualities, and seeing the right time, the Guru should teach the disciple the relationship between God, the soul, and nature. He should guide him, guard him, and lead him to the goal of realization. Surrender on the part of the disciple and protection on the part of the Guru are both necessary.

PRACTICE

One should have a separate worship room or meditation room. A photo, image or symbol of the chosen deity (Ishta Devata) or of the great masters and Guru should be placed there. Flowers and incense create an atmosphere. The room should be simple and clean and should not be used for any other purpose except worship and meditation. After the bath or washing of one's limbs and face, one should enter the meditation room. The rosary of tulasi or rudraksha or any holy beads will be very helpful for japa or the repetition of the holy mantra. Sitting in the lotus posture or any easy posture, holding the back, chest and chin straight, one should gaze at the symbol, image or light, and then close the eyes and meditate on it. Sitting over a deer skin or tiger skin is auspicious, because it severs one from the earth's vibrations and disturbances. Where they are not available, one could use a thick cloth to sit upon.

Gazing between the eyebrows or at the tip of the nose is also practiced by yogis. One can close the eyes and meditate at a point between the eyebrows (bhrumadhya), the heart's lotus (hrit padma) or the thousand-petaled lotus (sahasrara chakra). One can meditate on light (jyothi) or on sound (nada). A little breathing exercise before beginning and again on closing the meditation is very healthy. To prepare the mind for such concentration, one should read certain verses from the holy scriptures and then begin; or one can sing the Divine Names of God or the song of a saint which elevates the mind and makes one enter into meditation.

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

THERE are many prayer mantras or hymns praising God which are very powerful. Sometimes these prayers are more powerful than meditation because they make God with attributes to appear before you, or you may have a mystic vision of your personal God. In such cases, it is not prayers or kirtan that lead towards meditation, but rather the meditation has become a means for such a spontaneous flow of kirtan which brings the direct perception of Reality. It is only prayerful meditation that makes one realize God. Prayer springs from the heart. Meditation without prayer may lead to sloth and sleep, just as prayer without meditation may become mere lip service. Then there are prayers or kirtans which emerge when one is face to face with God. Such prayers are very powerful and can move the whole world. It is such hymns which emerge from the heart of a seer or a saint after the rich experience of meditation, of the perception of God, that one finds in the Vedas.

For example, the greatest of all mantras is the "Gayatri mantra," a prayer which was cognized by Sage Vishwamitra after a transcendental experience in meditation. Such prayers are whispers of cosmic consciousness. All the Upanishads begin with a prayer and end in prayer. If there is a prayer before meditation, then there is a prayer after meditation. For example, "Lead us from untruth towards the Truth; from darkness towards the light; from death towards immortality," is the greatest prayer mantra. It is invariably chanted by all the sages; it is a universal mantra. Sincere prayer without words is meditation. Sincere meditation with words is prayer. In other words, silent prayer is meditation; meditational song is prayer.

Some of the important sattvic mantras, which the sages used to chant for illumination, wisdom, and God-realization follow. One can read them, but unless initiated by a spiritual master and practiced under guidance of such a Guru, they will not be effective. Just as paper by the stamp of the government becomes money, similarly mantras with the spiritual power of a Guru lead to realization.

AUM--CHANTED AS "OM"

This is the primal sound. This is the name of Brahman or God. Aum stands for Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer). It stands for the whole universe made up of trigunas or triple modifications of nature. They are sattva guna or tranquility, rajo guna or passionate activity, and tamo guna or inactivity. Esoterically, Aum stands for our physical, astral and causal bodies and indicates Atma which is beyond the three. A is guttural, U is middle, and M is the labial or end of the vocal cord. In short, Aum stands for all that is manifested and unmanifested. It is the word from which everything has come. It is the Nada Brahman or Shabda (sound Brahman). It is the bija or seed mantra and is usually prefixed to all the other mantras. The heart is the seat of Atma, and from the heart spring 108 nerves (nadis). So it is interesting to note that the minimum number of mantras to be chanted is 108. Therefore, also, the beads on a rosary are generally 108 in number.

GAYATRI MANTRA

This mantra has been accepted by all the sages of the Himalayas as the greatest mantra. In India, especially among orthodox sections of Hindus, it is never chanted publicly, for it is the most sacred mantra. Also, in India, women do not chant this mantra. The Gayatri is imparted to the son by the father at the time of investiture of the sacred thread ceremony (upanayanam). All the great monks in the Vedic religion invariably repeat this mantra. The main reason for such secrecy is that people who lack discrimination, who do not practice spiritual discipline, misuse such mantras, which are meant for spiritual illumination. This Gayatri Mantra contains every power of God. Imparted by the father to his son or from the Guru to disciple, traditionally this was kept secret because it was the most sacred. And presently, even though many read this mantra from books, it works and reveals God only by very strict celibacy, observance of diet, spiritual discipline, and yoga practice. This mantra, if properly received from the Guru and practiced regularly, bestows all blessedness, power, brilliance, illumination, and the highest wisdom. The text reads thus:

OM BHUR BHUVA SVAHA

OM TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM

BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI

DHIYOYONAHA PRACHODAYAT

"O Effulgent light who has given birth to all the lokas, or spheres and planes of consciousness. O God, who appears through the shining sun, illumine our intellect."

This is the surface meaning. This mantra contains all the important bija mantras. O man, take to the path of righteousness. Practice self-discipline; serve the Guru; receive the holy mantra; chant and meditate; you will be irresistible and immortal.