the Power of Chanting a Mantra.

Dear All,

 

I would like to share this info about the Power of Chanting a Mantra.

 

 

Mantras are sacred words. Man means 'by repetition' (mananaat). Tra means 'saves' (traayate). It means that which saves one by being repeated mentally. Mantras, repeated mentally, saves one. Mantras are from the Vedas, the most ancient sacred works of India. They may be just one or two words, or they may be running into several words, in a string form. They are in praise of God or Goddess. They are the most powerful words or syllables. Full of potency, they can have either good or bad effects on the person who recites them.

 

The use of Mantras or the sacred syllables is an important and potent means for achieving Siddhis, or attainments of various powers. Such a power is of the highest order. The second chapter of 'Siva Sutra', a sacred Yoga book, explains the significance of Mantras. It says that the divine power works through the agency of Nada or primoridal sound or vibration.

 

The very first sutra or aphorism of this chapter says, Cittam mantrah, meaning 'mind is based on Mantra'. Mantra is a particular combination of letters. Its power resides not in the letters themselves, but in the specific vibrations which they produce by their chaning or repetition. Each alphabet, therefore, represents a sound, a vibration. They are 'Aksharas', imperishables. There are several Mantras. There are Mantras for the common man and the seeker. The most powerful of them all is 'Om', the promordial sound. It is called the Pranava Mantra. The most popular and practised is the Gayathri hymn mantra. Pranava and Gayathri bring about unfoldment of the consciousness. Meditated upon them, there is no limit to such an unfoldment.

 

 

There is also the powerful Panchakshari, the five-syllabled Mantra addressed to God Siva, prefixed by Om.

The Shiva Panchakshari Mantra (AUM Na . mah. Shi. va. ya)

 

Om namaha Shivaya (ॐ नम: शिवाय ।). The five lettered (panchakshari) mantra: 'Namaha Shivaya (नम: शिवाय ।)' is the five lettered mantra of Shiva. In a subdivision of the Yajurveda the Rudradhyay begins with these words. The mantra is taken from here. When it is prefixed with a pranav it becomes Om namaha Shivaya, the six lettered (shadakshari) mantra. The spiritual meaning of each letter of the five lettered mantra is as follows:

n (न)	= The foremost deity of all the regions (lokas)
m (म)	= The bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge     (dnyan) and destroyer of the greatest sins
Shi (शि)	= Benevolent, serene and responsible for the initiation     by Lord Shiva
va (वा)	= The representation of a bull as the vehicle and the     Vasuki and Vamangi energies (Shakti)
y (य)	= The auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and Lord     Shiva

Hence obeisance (namaskar) to these five letters.

The above five letters also have a correlation with the tandav dance of Nataraj Shiva which is as follows:

n (न)	= The hand beholding fire (agni)
m (म)	= The foot pressing the demon Mulayak
Shi (शि)	= The hand holding a small hourglass shaped drum     (damaru)
va (वा)	= The outstretched hand
y (य)	= The hand bestowing protection.

These five letters are also said to be indicative of God (Ishvar), Energy (Shakti), the soul principle, the unmanifest one (antardhan) and vanquishing of sins.' ⁽²⁾

 

Similarly there is also the eight-syllable Ashtakshari, addressed to Narayana or Vishnu. ॐ नमो नारायणाय ।

 

While the word Narayana is general reference to God, it is used mostly to refer to Vishnu and His forms. While most of the names of the Lord are descriptive of Him, the name Narayana is descriptive of what He is to those who worship Him. Naaraayana is a compound of "nara" (man or in general the jiva) and "ayana" (path), and means the culmination of man's path of evolution. He is the goal of evolution, the ultimate abode. This is indicated through various sayings like "Vishnu parama pada is the ultimate destination" and that realized souls "see" His abode as if we see objects in day light (tad vishnoh paramam padagm sada pasyanti surayaH, diveeva cakshuraatatam).

Nara-Naaraayana is the famous jiva-para symbolism. Arjuna-Krishna of Mahabharata are said to be the subsequent lives of Nara and Narayana rishis, and also represent this symbolism.

Narayana Astakshari or the famous eight lettered nama mantra is not only chanted as a nama mantra but also practiced as a mantra Vidya.

It is also said Devi Shakthi is Mantra Priya. Different Mantras are used for worship of different deities. There are sacred hymns for specific purposes, for attainment of particular objectives. They should be used as per directions of a Guru or teacher, with total faith in them. They should be recited correctly so that correct vibrations are produced for attaining the desired objective.Indestructible sound caused the emergence of the universe. It emerged in the rhythmic form during the process of the evolution of universe. This rhythmic sound controls the universe, setting a pattern to it. There is a set pattern to everything, in every branch of creation.

 

 

The first sound that emerged during the evolution is the most sacred 'Om'. It is the first sound with three letters, A U M. Om is the most potential of all the Mantras .

 

 

It is the most powerful Beejakshara.The Vedas also describe how the universe came into existence. The evolution of the universe is described in the most beautiful and interesting manner in these sacred works. The universe emerged with the coming together of the two powerful units, Purusha and Prakruthi. During this creation, vibrations that arose became the most powerful resonance. Even music and art is attributed to this basic principle of vibration. It is this nada which produced the alphabets. It is this rhythmic sound which keeps life going in the set pattern. The correct chanting of these Mantras can lead the utterer to derive his objective. Correct chanting is a must for setting a correct rhythmic pattern, nada.

 

 

Like Om, there are other Beejaksharas, which are very potent and powerful, the silent recitation and meditation on which can result in different powers. The seven such Beejaksharas represent the seven Matrkas or Saptha Matrkas (seven young maidens). They represent goddesses like Lalitha, Mahalakshmi, and Saraswathi.

 

 

They also represent the seven colours. Similarly, there are 24 letters in the Gayathri Mantra. The Panchadakshari has 15 letters.These are similar to other Beejaksharas or group of words, which are potent with powers and hence sacred. They represent various tatwas.

 

 

The seven swaras in the classical Indian music are known as Saptha Swaras. The seven letters, Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni form the core of Indian music. They create the Nada Brahma. They are the creators of Nada. The 24 houses in the classical and ancient Indian musical instrument Veena, represent the powers of the Saptha Matrkas or the seven goddesses.

 

 

The recitation of such Beejaksharas leads to Mokasha, liberation from the cycle of life and death. Nada has the power to liberate man from the worldly attachments and enable him to obtain enlightenment, evolve himself into an elevated human being.

Mantras can lead to both spiritual realization or material benefits. It can help in the process of achieving enlightenment. Regular recitation, constant repetition will help soothen the troublesome mind.

 

 

One should understand the meaning and significance of the sacred words, before venturing into their recitation, before using them for contemplation or meditation. He should choose the appropriate Mantra for achieving his desired objective. But there are common set of Mantras which can be generally used by the ordinary. By their usage, the disturbed mind can be brought under control. It can ease tensions, help relax body and mind, and thus improve the health of the reciter. Mantras are word powers.

 

 

Either they could be used spiritual realisation or material desires. They could be used for one's own welfare or destruction. It is like atomic energy. The energy from the atom can be either used for production of more energy (power), for good or destruction. Its creative or destructive power depends upon the devotion of the man who uses it. One can find Mantras not only in Hinduism, but in various other religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam though they have different names. They are corresponding words to Mantras.

 

 

We can get Mantropadesha from our Guru and discover the potency in us by constant practice.

  

 

Mantra As A Tool To Overcome Identities

Manish Pandit

Mantra is a Sanskrit word derived from two roots: manasa or mind and tarana or save. Mantra is something that saves, which uplifts. Who we are today is based on what we identify with. If i identify with the body or the mind then i am a finite person limited by my own finite identification. What is needed is a tool which chips away at this finite identification and helps us become infinite in our awareness and capabilities. Mantra is one such tool. 

 

A mantra contains a string of syllables, set to a meter. The mantra is chanted in a certain set way to get results. Mantras and their sound conceal an image of the deity they represent. When chanted, they produce a specific form of that deity, so a Rama mantra will produce a specific image of Rama, within the consciousness of the one who chants. But initially, this image will form only for the duration of time that the person repeats the mantra. Later on, as the mantra becomes more potent within our consciousness in terms of its ability to produce an actual form of the deity, this image remains with us for longer periods. 

 

We are eventually led to the point where the deity actually becomes present within the sadhaka. This may sound somewhat fantastic, but Ramakrishna Paramhansa, it is said, could see the divine Mother Kali whenever he wanted and eventually his identification with his body had been destroyed that only God was present there. His ability to go into superconscious states is well known. 

 

Mantra sadhana is ideally done in private, where the practitioner feels safe, in a clean and dry place after the sadhaka has bathed and ampleted ablutions. No food should be eaten at least two hours before the practice is undertaken. The body must remain as still as possible. If you are trying to achieve a goal, then don't publicise your sadhana. 

 

Most Vedic mantras require specific intonation of specific syllables, which may be impossible for you to master correctly. A Vedic mantra incorrectly recited is unlikely to yield result. 

 

Mantras can be repeated in three major ways, the most common with your oral speech or vaikhari. This may destroy tamas in the practitioner, but still relies on oral speech and if your Sanskrit is not good then there is a danger that you may not get any result. Furthermore, the problem is that you are unlikely to remain still during recitation.

 

Upamsu or using your lips is another method, but produces no sound. Finally comes the manasika method that is recitation of the mantra in the mind. This method is best for achieving concentration and mental peace and it should eventually lead to the start of severing the identification of the practitioner with the self. Identification with the deity follows eventually. 
 

 

Counting of mantra numbers may be useful in the beginning for the first few years and can be done on a rosary of 108 beads. Later on as mantra recitation becomes a daily practice and the need for a rosary diminishes quite significantly.

 

 

Eventually the identification of the self with the body may so diminish that the practitioner may enter a state of divine bliss in which one may forget to chant the mantra itself, so overpowering is the silence of divine bliss. 
 

The writer is a consultant & a nuclear medicine physician in the UK, an astrologer, author and a film-maker.

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Love & Regards
 
Sachin Shenoy
 
 
 

"There is only one happiness in life, To Love and be Loved"

Creator's work is acknowledged and appreciated.