by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 59
January 2006

 


  Atma
 Knowledge
 Creation
 God
 Spiritualism
 Sanatan

 Questions
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MANAH, MANTRAH, MAUNATVAM- PART II , Some discussions on mind, mantra and silence of mind.

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

(For Part 1 please refer AHWAN December 2005 issue)

Mantra when chanted not merely benefits us in bringing in a mental discipline or a physical feeling of well being, but indeed triggers in us a process of transformation raising us from planes to plane, higher and higher in our spiritual journey. It is no exaggeration to say that people who even rely on mantras even in a limited way by practicing daily exute a positive frame of mind compared to those who do not put their faith in mantras. Of course it goes without saying that one should go about the whole thing with as much correctness as possible.

The text being the spirit of a mantra, the sanatan philosophy firmly believes that it is unacceptable when the text of a mantra is twisted or altered. The sanskrt language has already ensured this to a large extent. We remember Sri Aurobindo’s words again here: He says about what our seers felt ‘It was not only the actual etymological sense or the actual sense in use but the suggestions of the sound and syllables of the words which attracted them; for they found that by dwelling on them new and deep truths arose into their understandings’. So who in his right senses would like to tinker with the text?

For better effects, one must proceed to chant a mantra after learning the correct text. It is light heartedly said that if mantra is considered as the sanglApa or dialogue between the aspirant and his Lord a mantra with wrong text is surely nothing but pralApa or blabbering of an insane.

Once the words of a mantra are etched in the mind, it now is the job of speech to release so to say, the vibrations all around. Mantra has to be chanted.

While logical reasoning and realization of a mantra are imperative steps, the process of releasing its power by throwing out the right vibrations was considered by our seers as equally important. We have the Rk Veda with its Rk mantras which give expression of all human aspirations. And we also have the Sama Veda which establishes the most effective way to release these vibrations when the same Rk mantras are set to the right chandas or meters. Rk and Sama together constitute the philosophy of the mantras.

For reasons explained earlier, right vibrations are to be released lest they interfere with the divine principles with which this creation is sustained. If you do, you create disharmony and disharmony leads to chaos.

There is a strict order and correct way of chanting a mantra for this very reason. Although the knowledge of as to in what manner the sound produced by each alphabet, word, their conjunction, the intermediary pauses, how the chanda or meter etc work, is now lost to us, yet the strong belief of their beneficial influence is part of our spiritual faith.

The vibrations produced by right chanting of the mantras is not directed only to our external environment. It engulfs the entire universe. Thus logically it works both without and within ourselves constantly transforming us, raising us from one plane to the next higher. The text itself, its understanding, and its articulation work as a powerful force on our psyche. One does not find any one who, if he regularly chants mantras, fails to feel calm, rested and good after a practice of mantra chanting.

We may not have the full knowledge as to how it works, but we know that it works. It does bring changes in our attitude and behaviour. That is the spiritual approach to life as our ancient wisdom dictates and was part of our very way of life once upon a time.

This change of behaviour and attitude comes progressively with regular chanting of mantras. Chanting invariably leads to an urge to contemplate the meaning. When the speech delivers, the mind also works supporting the process with understanding. When a sadhak begins his practice at the outset the full meaning of a mantra may not get revealed to him. But as he goes on with shraddha and sincerity, deeper and newer meanings unfold before him.

One can test this in real practice. The Bhagavad Gita is the most read and chanted scripture by Indians. If one has been reading and reciting the slokas again and again over the years, the depth of understanding one had years back would surely not be same today. Mantras have this unique character. Navo navo bhavati. They keep revealing newer and newer facets with every contemplation. With each newer and deeper understanding the soul moves with more acquired knowledge towards its destination. They say the Brahman descends within you progressively assisting you to rise from ignorance and proceed towards the state of gnosis. As the lord Yama told to Nachiketa: ‘Yesha atma vivrnate tanum svam’ . The Brahman goes on revealing itself more and more.

We have a saying about mantras.

MananAt trAyati iti mantra. When contemplated, mantra protects you. A poor translation of this statement made by people often is that reciting a mantra protects you from fear, physical harm, a misfortune or a disease etc. Although some positive strengthening of mind does happen from a psychological point of view, the spiritual view about this statement is more esoteric. Regular engagement in mantra chanting is like an ascending staircase or ladder that takes us progressively towards knowledge and more knowledge. It is a powerful ingredient in the very evolutionary process of the soul. Therefore mantra practice helps the soul to move up. What the above statement says is, the mantra practice will protect the aspirant from slipping down the ladder and fall again into the dark pit of ignorance. The protection is against ignorance, the cause of all our miseries. Mantra raises the aspirant nearer to satchidananda, the ultimate truth, its realization and the bliss that flows from this realization and holds you from a fall back into ignorance.

On this question of mantra chanting one or two misconceptions need to be cleared here. While correctness of the text, correct pronunciation of the words and the right way of chanting is very important, what happens when a mistake is committed out of ignorance in memorizing the text? What happens to those with strong regional accents and those with insufficient knowledge of sanskrt, can not deliver a mantra in its purest form?

The kindness of the Lord to whom all mantras are addressed is so overwhelming that, if the sincerity of purpose and devotion is strong, then there is no mal-effects of such mistakes to either the aspirant or the outside world. Purity and correctness ensures maximization or optimization of the effect and therefore the aspirant must always seek guidance to correct himself. But the assuring thing about mantras is such that it may not produce the best results but it can never produce any harmful effect. It has no negative side effects. As you go on correcting yourself you only go on reaping benefits and more benefits.

Another fear about mantra sadhana, mostly associated with tantric practices is that evil people use mantras with malevolent intentions towards others, and can bring down death, destruction and misery. Logical arguement is that, if mantra has power, it can produce good and evil both depending upon its usage. However it is not really as it is made out to be.

Firstly, as we have discussed often, no one can cause harm to me unless I myself have been a contributing factor too. Apart from the effects of praravdha karma ( which is indeed my own creation), misery and misfortune strike a man only when he has deviated far away from the righteous path (dharma), and his trust and faith in the Lord has all but evaporated. Whether I have been a victim of someone else’s evil ways or I have invited the situation myself is a moot point. Enemies take advantage when you are weak and your confidence level is low, when you have strayed away from your strongest ally- the Lord himself. Sanatan philosophy always believes that all misfortunes are indeed messages from the Lord, to make the prodigal return to the path of dharma. Reaffirm your faith, return to dharma, and soon the misfortunes settle down and do not overpower you. There lies no alternative to dharma for a soul’s journey. Sooner we understand it the better.

As we do not expect someone to harbour ill-will towards us, so also it is imperative that any trace of ill-will towards any one should ever tarnish the purity of our soul. Ill-will is an acid that may or may not harm others, but it certainly corrodes the insides of the evil people. One must pity them and pray for them because they themselves do not know how deep they have fallen. More miseries are in store for them than what they want to inflict on someone else.

Some people often wonder, ‘which mantra is best for me? There is no dearth of mantras in our scriptures. Which one shall I select? There is a simple to answer to it. All mantras are directed to that one single entity or any specific concept representing that same entity- the God or the Brahman. Whenever you are in need, you cry out to Him with a mantra. In the Vedas and other scriptures we have mantras that address to every single situation that arises in our entire journey towards the destination. Physical and material needs have been addressed as well as the spiritual needs of the soul have also been addressed. Normally in whatever situation you are, so becomes your expression of the need. Normally people – materialistic and devoid of true knowledge as most of us are – cry out for material fulfillment. But this is not considered wise and mature and is somewhat like a child crying out for a mere candy as if that is the end all of his needs.

But as the mind acquires progressively the enlightenment of knowledge, and maya is comprehended, the need shifts to spiritual. The theme of all the cries from the aspirant centers around Brahman, realizing that whatever is truly good for him (the shreya and not the preya), He will know and provide.

Therefore mantras that simply eulogize the Lord, are expressions of the aspirant’s reverence and devotion to Him or a simple declaration of unconditional surrender are always considered higher mantras. These are not tainted by material desires.

We have discussed the importance of ‘text’ in a mantra, we have also discussed about the power of chanting, now let us understand the most important aspect of mantra sadhana which is its understanding and realization of the meaning.

Swami Gambhirananda of Advaita Ashram very aptly had said“ To our forebears no philosophy had any claim to recognition unless it had some bearing on life…. The chanting of the Vedas was a daily duty of students of those days. But lest it should degenerate into a mechanical process, the students were encouraged to add a little reflection in the form of Upasana to this routine work.”

The word Upasana is not explained by the english word ‘understanding’. It is more understood when we talk of ‘realisation’. Understanding depends mostly on logic and reasoning. Realisation lights up the knowledge by adding faith and conviction to this logic and reasoning. To achieve this, the absolute purity of the mantras are to be maintained all the time. The use of sanskrt language has already strengthened its unalterable character of the text. In addition its sacrosancy is imparted by dedicating each mantra to the divine and the divine attributes and also associating the name of a seer (rishi) on whose wisdom and veracity we have faith, to vouch for it. Mantras begin with invocation of a deity or simply with ‘Om’. This is an essential requirement. When Om is chanted it must take one’s mind and soul to the feet of the Divine. Remember here the Mundaka Upanishad:

Pranavah dhanuh sharah hi Atma Brahma tat lakshyam ucyate

The ‘Om’kara is the bow. The arrow is our own Atma which is propelled by this bow of the mantra. The target in front of us is Brahman.

Some mantras begin with the name of a deity. The deities being expressions of particular divine qualities of the same Brahman, their names again are supposed to arouse in the meditator’s mind these qualities and attributes of the same Brahman

When done in the right manner, the Rishis have seen that the effect is inevitable.

The Chandogya Upanishad reiterates:

Yasyamrci ( on whom the Rk mantra is established), tam rcam yat Arseyam (the name of the Rsi associated with the mantra) yAm devatAm abhistosyan syAt ( the deity associated in the prayer), upadhAvet (one should contemplate upon).

The Lord or Brahman has to be contemplated upon whenever one does mantra sadhana. Mere mechanical chanting brings very little benefit until the mind hitched to Brahman, draws out, so to say, the meaning of the mantra and its power.

Mantra sadhana is an essential part of yogic exercise. Its realization takes the aspirant nearer to the Lord. Then what?

They say then there is silence.

That we shall discuss next

TO BE CONTINUED