how to do japa/chanting~2

हरे कृष्ण 

गोपाल..

shriradharamanji.vrindavan.

 virtues of  The Mantra

swami shivananda woul say:" a mantra is a mysterious divine formula,which,if repeated,will ultimately lead to divine consciousness.a mantra is a collection of letters scientifically arranged and energised by constant repetition.these symbols were handed down through the technique of  initiation to
 qualified recipieents,who,in turn, through their purified will, firm faith and determination, re-live that experience that their sage guru had lived to ultimately become one with sat-chit-ananda.

all about japa

elaborating upon the tool for japa,the japamala,bhagavad ratan sri mridul krishna goswami of vrindavan,who hails from the illustrious lineage of swami haridas and who has performed bhagavad sapthaha more than a thounsand times in india and abroad says,"Japa, one of the vital vehicles of spritual sadhana,is intenden to evolve a sadhak in his ekagrahatha or single-minded focus, and in connecting him with the supreme.the japamala's physical and metaphysical attributes are the mana or beads as the self,the thread being that of bhakti or devotion, the 109th sumeru being one's gurudev and the phundana,the thread bunch atop the mala is one's aradhya or ishta devta,your chosen god.it is essential to sit in anusthan and complete atleast one full japamala and thereafter,the name should be an incessant  occurrence in one's heart as japa never fails to turn an individual inward."
shri guru ji elaborates that while one attempts japa,images from millions of our past living on the canvas of our consciousness begin to get ruffled since japa acts as cleanser.it is like sweeping garbage.this is bound to rake up bad and impure thoughts.initially your thoughts will run wild.but keep at it and the dust will soon settle down.japa is however,a constant process and initially needs to be performed at a fixed hour.once the rhythm sets in, the mind will catch up with the continous chanting.

three main points

japa vidhan,as guruji cites, has three basic constituents:ek mantra,ek murti and ek mala at all times.by this.he means,keep one form of the god constant as your aradhya,one mantra(ideally guru mantra) and one mala that suits the deity of your worship.while for the vaishans,the tulsi bead mala is prescribed,the shaivites use the rudarksha.those who invoke lakshmi or durga prefer malas made of kamalgatta or lotus-seed,haldi(turmeric) or sphatika.





text 2011, copyright © bhaktiprachar.in

How to do japa/chanting ?~1

हरे कृष्ण 

गोपाल..

hints for japa-

1.the most effective time is early  dawn and dusk when sattva or purity Is predominant.

2.regulariy is vital and while doing the japa, you  must have the bhava or emotion that Atma,Ishvar,Devta and mantra are one.

3.dyring japa of any mantra,visualize your ishta devata,chosen deity,looking at you with compassion.

4.when the mind wander too much, do verbal japa.as the mind becomes steady,do mantal japa.

5.a beginner should use a japamala.later, he can take recourse to manasik japa or mental repetition.

6.use only the middle finger and thumb of right hand for rolling the beads.do not use the index finger.

7.do not cross the meru or crown or head of the mala while rolling the beads.turn back when you come to this point.

Japa generates heat in the body.hence an asana is important for a serious sadhak.use a woolen or kusha grass mat to sit on.

8.sattvik food is essential for generating purity of thought. As you eat,so you think.eat light.

The final frontier of all sadhana or meditation is constant remembrance of your aradhya, the Divine.the best vehicles to get you there are japa or chanting and smaran or repetition of God’s names.japa is one of the most effective means to turn inwards, as it helps to silence the thought process.intense practice of the incessant repetition of the lord’s name has the power to pulverize all karmic residues that hinder the ultimate goal of attainment of the divine abode.

Japa is the repetition of a mantra, the name of God which is a manifestation of the divine in the form of shabda,word or sound.by chanting the guru mantra, you invoke God in a tangible way.chanting purifies and quietens the mind without which it is impossible to attain the ultimate.japa leads the sadhak or seeker to a deeper understanding of his own divine nature.and japa protects.

text 2011, copyright © bhaktiprachar.in