Hari Om.
This article aims to provide some general guidance for anyone considering a mantra purascharana (also written by some as 'purushcharana'). These writings are based on the teachings of my Guru Swami Sivananda (of the Divine Life Society, Rishikeh).
What is a purascharana?
A purascharana is primarily an extended mantra recitation practice. It involves recitation of a mantra as many lakhs (100,000) times as there are syllables in the mantra.
E.g. A five syllable mantra such as Om Namah Shivaya requires 5 lakh japa (5 x 100,000).
A 24 syllable mantra such as the Gayatri mantra requires 24 lakh japa (24 x 100,000)
The four traditional components of purascharana are:
1. Japa - as many lakh recitations as there are syllables in the mantra being chanted (as described above)
2. Havan/Homam - fire offering with mantra. Number of mantra recitation needs to be 1/10th the number of japa.
3. Tarpana- water offering with mantra. Number of mantra recitation needs to be 1/10th the number of that done with havan
4. Marjana- water sprinking. Number of mantra recitation is 1/10th the number done with tarpana
After these four steps, feeding of the poor and charitable actions are traditionally undertaken.
Swami Sivananda and other Gurus say that if havan, tarpana and marjana cannot be undertaken in the required amount due to circumstances or other constraints, extra 10% japa of the original purascharana can be undertaken instead- and then charitable actions can be done.
Purpose of purascharana:
This can be undertaken for spiritual progress or a specific material purpose. Spiritual purposes are regarded as best- the result of such purascharana is to develop bhakti and feel the presence of God at all times. This enables one to attain the final goal of life- liberation, one-ness with God, freedom from the pains of samsara and eternal peace, wisdom and bliss.
Rules and purascharana:
One usually needs to follow some rules as far as possible when undertaking purascharana- these relate to diet, conduct and so on (see below).
One should not avoid doing purascharana because one cannot follow every rule. This is very important. The name of God is immensely purifying and can be taken in any state, pure or impure. As Sivananda says, there is gain and gain alone in doing japa. If you cannot follow the rules regarding diet etc, do not worry. Just start the japa in whatever way possible, and the rest will naturally follow in time.
How many purascharanas?
It is worth starting with one at least. After that one can decide how one feels about doing more. In general one may have to do several purascharanas to attain God, as per Sivananda. This is because much purification of mind is needed through the mantra recitation. All negative emotions such as anger, greed, lust, pride, jealousy etc have to be gradually eradicated and the opposite virtues cultivated. Only a pure mind can attain God. Hence prolonged practice is required. The Gurus say a sincere seeker can achieve this in one lifetime however. In fact, they command us to utilise our precious human life, which is very difficult to get, to achieve the goal in one lifetime.
General tips for purascharana:
This is a simple basic set of guidelines for anyone considering a purascharana. They are based on the teachings of Gurus such as Sivananda and others.
1. Attempt to follow the yamas and niyamas (or yogic ethics) to the best of your ability. Without trying to practice these, one can make no progress on the spiritual path. This is the foundation of yoga. Your sadhana will help you get better and better at practicing yama and niyama so do not worry if you cannot practice these perfectly. Perfect practice of Ahimsa, Satya etc is only possible for the Self Realised anyway. One should make a valiant attempt to practice these, however, even as a beginner on the spiritual path.This shows at least that one accepts and commits to developing these ideal virtues.
For a description of yama and niyama, see my article dated May 1, 2018 (link below)
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/yama-and-niyama-ethical-foundation-for.html
2. Obtain a mala (most have 108 beads), or a watch, to keep count of mantra recitations. Purascharana requires exact precise recording of mantra done. Keep a diary- write down daily how many recitations of the mantra were done using watch/mala. Pronounce the mantra clearly, and not-too-slow and not-too-fast (For instance, it takes me 5 minutes on average to do one mala comfortably. I keep a diary of how many malas were done daily).
3. Decide how many recitations/malas of the mantra you will do per day. Decide over what period of time you will complete the purascharana. (For example it takes me two years on average to do one purascharana of my mantra).
As far as possible, aim to do the same number of malas/recitations every day, not more, not less. This creates a good habit in the mind and helps long-term commitment to do mantra. If there is a crisis/some reason why the number of malas cannot be done, do not worry- but do at least one mala on that day or even a few recitations. If there is an ongoing problem, one can reduce the number of daily malas and increase again once the issue has resolved. However, once the purascharana begins, no day should pass without recitation of the mantra even if just a few times. No break in daily japa should take place as far as possible.
4. Try to eat a sattvic clean diet- reduce or eliminate meat/eggs/rajasic foods as much as possible. Favour sattvic foods- vegetables (not fried), fruits, grains, lentils. dairy. Do not be too extreme with this or the mind will rebel, but do not be too lax either or the mind will take undue advantage.
5. As far as possible, try to do japa at the same place and same time daily. If not possible, do not worry. Do sadhana anywhere, at any time, but do sadhana.
6. Decide whether you wish to repeat the mantra mentally, whisperingly (lips moving, no audible sound) or verbally. Doing one or a mixture of these is acceptable- whatever feels natural and comfortable.
7. Select a concentration point to focus on when repeating the mantra verbally or as a whisper. When you do mental japa, your mind focuses on the sound alone, there is no room for visualisation. Mental japa is considered more powerful that audible/whispering, but the key here is concentration. If you can hear the mantra better verbally compared to mentally, then repeat the mantra verbally. Ability to repeat the mantra clearly mentally will come as the mind becomes purified. (I personally repeat the mantra verbally- I like doing this alongside visualising the form of my Ishta Devata and sometimes doing manasik puja alongside).
Choose as your concentration point either the point between the eyebrows (ajna chakra) or the centre of the chest (anahata heart chakra). Here, visualise either light or the form of the deity whose mantra you are repeating (eg Narayana/Shiva/Durga etc)– or something that represents the Divine to you. If you do not like visualising, that is fine- simply repeat the mantra and focus on the sound alone. Sit in a suitable asana – sukhasana or other – and keep the spine relaxed but straight when doing the practice.
8. Before starting any japa session, recite some slokas. Include a mantra or short invocation to Ganesh and Guru (Teaching Principle of God; may not may not involve a human form, depending on whether or not you have chosen a Guru for yourself), and then repeat some prayer verses to the deity whose mantra you are repeating for the purascharana.
This article aims to provide some general guidance for anyone considering a mantra purascharana (also written by some as 'purushcharana'). These writings are based on the teachings of my Guru Swami Sivananda (of the Divine Life Society, Rishikeh).
What is a purascharana?
A purascharana is primarily an extended mantra recitation practice. It involves recitation of a mantra as many lakhs (100,000) times as there are syllables in the mantra.
E.g. A five syllable mantra such as Om Namah Shivaya requires 5 lakh japa (5 x 100,000).
A 24 syllable mantra such as the Gayatri mantra requires 24 lakh japa (24 x 100,000)
The four traditional components of purascharana are:
1. Japa - as many lakh recitations as there are syllables in the mantra being chanted (as described above)
2. Havan/Homam - fire offering with mantra. Number of mantra recitation needs to be 1/10th the number of japa.
3. Tarpana- water offering with mantra. Number of mantra recitation needs to be 1/10th the number of that done with havan
4. Marjana- water sprinking. Number of mantra recitation is 1/10th the number done with tarpana
After these four steps, feeding of the poor and charitable actions are traditionally undertaken.
Swami Sivananda and other Gurus say that if havan, tarpana and marjana cannot be undertaken in the required amount due to circumstances or other constraints, extra 10% japa of the original purascharana can be undertaken instead- and then charitable actions can be done.
Purpose of purascharana:
This can be undertaken for spiritual progress or a specific material purpose. Spiritual purposes are regarded as best- the result of such purascharana is to develop bhakti and feel the presence of God at all times. This enables one to attain the final goal of life- liberation, one-ness with God, freedom from the pains of samsara and eternal peace, wisdom and bliss.
Rules and purascharana:
One usually needs to follow some rules as far as possible when undertaking purascharana- these relate to diet, conduct and so on (see below).
One should not avoid doing purascharana because one cannot follow every rule. This is very important. The name of God is immensely purifying and can be taken in any state, pure or impure. As Sivananda says, there is gain and gain alone in doing japa. If you cannot follow the rules regarding diet etc, do not worry. Just start the japa in whatever way possible, and the rest will naturally follow in time.
How many purascharanas?
It is worth starting with one at least. After that one can decide how one feels about doing more. In general one may have to do several purascharanas to attain God, as per Sivananda. This is because much purification of mind is needed through the mantra recitation. All negative emotions such as anger, greed, lust, pride, jealousy etc have to be gradually eradicated and the opposite virtues cultivated. Only a pure mind can attain God. Hence prolonged practice is required. The Gurus say a sincere seeker can achieve this in one lifetime however. In fact, they command us to utilise our precious human life, which is very difficult to get, to achieve the goal in one lifetime.
General tips for purascharana:
This is a simple basic set of guidelines for anyone considering a purascharana. They are based on the teachings of Gurus such as Sivananda and others.
1. Attempt to follow the yamas and niyamas (or yogic ethics) to the best of your ability. Without trying to practice these, one can make no progress on the spiritual path. This is the foundation of yoga. Your sadhana will help you get better and better at practicing yama and niyama so do not worry if you cannot practice these perfectly. Perfect practice of Ahimsa, Satya etc is only possible for the Self Realised anyway. One should make a valiant attempt to practice these, however, even as a beginner on the spiritual path.This shows at least that one accepts and commits to developing these ideal virtues.
For a description of yama and niyama, see my article dated May 1, 2018 (link below)
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/yama-and-niyama-ethical-foundation-for.html
2. Obtain a mala (most have 108 beads), or a watch, to keep count of mantra recitations. Purascharana requires exact precise recording of mantra done. Keep a diary- write down daily how many recitations of the mantra were done using watch/mala. Pronounce the mantra clearly, and not-too-slow and not-too-fast (For instance, it takes me 5 minutes on average to do one mala comfortably. I keep a diary of how many malas were done daily).
3. Decide how many recitations/malas of the mantra you will do per day. Decide over what period of time you will complete the purascharana. (For example it takes me two years on average to do one purascharana of my mantra).
As far as possible, aim to do the same number of malas/recitations every day, not more, not less. This creates a good habit in the mind and helps long-term commitment to do mantra. If there is a crisis/some reason why the number of malas cannot be done, do not worry- but do at least one mala on that day or even a few recitations. If there is an ongoing problem, one can reduce the number of daily malas and increase again once the issue has resolved. However, once the purascharana begins, no day should pass without recitation of the mantra even if just a few times. No break in daily japa should take place as far as possible.
4. Try to eat a sattvic clean diet- reduce or eliminate meat/eggs/rajasic foods as much as possible. Favour sattvic foods- vegetables (not fried), fruits, grains, lentils. dairy. Do not be too extreme with this or the mind will rebel, but do not be too lax either or the mind will take undue advantage.
5. As far as possible, try to do japa at the same place and same time daily. If not possible, do not worry. Do sadhana anywhere, at any time, but do sadhana.
6. Decide whether you wish to repeat the mantra mentally, whisperingly (lips moving, no audible sound) or verbally. Doing one or a mixture of these is acceptable- whatever feels natural and comfortable.
7. Select a concentration point to focus on when repeating the mantra verbally or as a whisper. When you do mental japa, your mind focuses on the sound alone, there is no room for visualisation. Mental japa is considered more powerful that audible/whispering, but the key here is concentration. If you can hear the mantra better verbally compared to mentally, then repeat the mantra verbally. Ability to repeat the mantra clearly mentally will come as the mind becomes purified. (I personally repeat the mantra verbally- I like doing this alongside visualising the form of my Ishta Devata and sometimes doing manasik puja alongside).
Choose as your concentration point either the point between the eyebrows (ajna chakra) or the centre of the chest (anahata heart chakra). Here, visualise either light or the form of the deity whose mantra you are repeating (eg Narayana/Shiva/Durga etc)– or something that represents the Divine to you. If you do not like visualising, that is fine- simply repeat the mantra and focus on the sound alone. Sit in a suitable asana – sukhasana or other – and keep the spine relaxed but straight when doing the practice.
8. Before starting any japa session, recite some slokas. Include a mantra or short invocation to Ganesh and Guru (Teaching Principle of God; may not may not involve a human form, depending on whether or not you have chosen a Guru for yourself), and then repeat some prayer verses to the deity whose mantra you are repeating for the purascharana.
For example, I say “Om Gum Ganapataye Namah.
Om Dum Durgayai Namah. Om Hreem MahaLakshmyai Namah. Om Aim Sarasvatyai Namah.
Om Shri Gurave Namah. Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya. Om Samastah Gurubhyo
Namah. Om Namah Sivaya. Om Sri Ramaya Namah. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya. Om
Narayanaya Vidmahe, Vasudevaya Dhimahi, Tanno Vishnu Prachodayat. This may sound a bit long/odd, but it suits me, takes
about 2 minutes and focuses my mind. So select some prayers that you like and repeat them.
9. Decide clearly the purpose of your purascharana. It is good to have some goal in mind. Spiritual goals are best, ideally, acquisition of true love for God/bhakti, knowledge of God/jnana and mukti/liberation from the ego/attainment of God consciousness. Also dedicate this practice to world peace and the welfare of all. You are one with God, and God is all, so ultimately this means you are dedicating your sadhana to your true self which is all.
10. For help to choose a suitable mantra for purascharana, see the article dated August 14, 2017 (link below).
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/how-to-choose-mantra-to-attain-god.html
11. For help to choose an auspicious day to start the purascharana, see the article dated August 13, 2017 (link below).
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/choosing-muhurtha-to-start-sadhana.html
12. For some practical advice on how to successfully complete a purascharana, see the article dated May 8, 2018 (link below).
https://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/practical-tips-to-successfully-complete.html
13. For some information on doing manasik puja (mental worship of the deity) along with verbal japa, see the article dated October 21, 2018 (link below).
https://mantrayoga.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-do-manasik-puja.html
14. Finally check out these links which give good advice on japa yoga and purascharana as per my Guru Sivananda:
Japa yoga book by Sivananda- wonderful book with detailed information on every aspect of mantra japa including purascharana:
http://gurudevsivananda.org/japa.pdf
Sivananda websites on japa yoga
9. Decide clearly the purpose of your purascharana. It is good to have some goal in mind. Spiritual goals are best, ideally, acquisition of true love for God/bhakti, knowledge of God/jnana and mukti/liberation from the ego/attainment of God consciousness. Also dedicate this practice to world peace and the welfare of all. You are one with God, and God is all, so ultimately this means you are dedicating your sadhana to your true self which is all.
10. For help to choose a suitable mantra for purascharana, see the article dated August 14, 2017 (link below).
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/how-to-choose-mantra-to-attain-god.html
11. For help to choose an auspicious day to start the purascharana, see the article dated August 13, 2017 (link below).
http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/choosing-muhurtha-to-start-sadhana.html
12. For some practical advice on how to successfully complete a purascharana, see the article dated May 8, 2018 (link below).
https://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/practical-tips-to-successfully-complete.html
13. For some information on doing manasik puja (mental worship of the deity) along with verbal japa, see the article dated October 21, 2018 (link below).
https://mantrayoga.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-do-manasik-puja.html
14. Finally check out these links which give good advice on japa yoga and purascharana as per my Guru Sivananda:
Japa yoga book by Sivananda- wonderful book with detailed information on every aspect of mantra japa including purascharana:
http://gurudevsivananda.org/japa.pdf
Sivananda websites on japa yoga
HI Vishnupriya,
ReplyDeleteThank You so much for the guidelines... :)
You are very welcome Dharmesh, can't tell you how pleased I am that you've said you plan to do one... :)
DeleteHi,
DeleteWishing you a very Happy Diwali ..:)
God's blessings may come as a surprise and how much you receive depends on how much your heart can believe... May you be blessed beyond what you expect.
I've started my puruscharana..Thank you for your help n would be looking forward to your help n support in future also and if I may take the liberty of saying this then I would say that your blog would be a place where I would post my progress and growth. ..with your permission of course. .
Thank you. .Have a great day :)
Hi,
DeleteWishing you a very Happy Diwali ..:)
God's blessings may come as a surprise and how much you receive depends on how much your heart can believe... May you be blessed beyond what you expect.
I've started my puruscharana..Thank you for your help n would be looking forward to your help n support in future also and if I may take the liberty of saying this then I would say that your blog would be a place where I would post my progress and growth. ..with your permission of course. .
Thank you. .Have a great day :)
A very happy Diwali to you too!
DeleteGlad you have started the purascharana....I feel this will be good for promoting the cause of world peace (important in the current turbulent times we live in) aside from the spiritual benefit to you, so that is really excellent....
Yes please do post updates on your progress on this blog...would very much like to hear how you are doing...
Take care, and may the blessings of God and all Gurus be upon you. :)
Hari Om Sister.
ReplyDelete1) I was just wondering what you do during your menses . Do you take a break from the mala/asana for a few days and just do mental/verbal japa? Do you count these recitations as part of your formal calculations? Or do you just continue regardless?
2) When counting the syllables of your mantra, do you include om? I am confused because om namah sivaya is considered pancaksari but has 6 if you include om and om namah bhagavate vasudevaya is dvadasaksari but has 12 only if om is included.
3) How do you complete the purascaran? I am confused about the methadology for homam, tarpan etc and am not sure I can do all that. I would appreciate guidance as my Gurudev has left his earthly body and I don't know whom to ask.
Thank you for your inspiring blog. Happy Diwali and many many blessings. Hari Om.
Hari Om sister,
DeleteI continue japa as normal during my menses. I count this towards my formal japa. As long as one bathes as normal, and remains in a clean state, I see no reason why japa cannot be done on these days. I feel God would be more upset if I used physical 'impurity' as an excuse to stop my japa sadhana for mental purification.
I really don't believe God cares too much about these types of externals- whether or not you cover your head, wear this or that dress etc. I believe God cares whether or not we are trying to be good human beings. Anyway that is my take on this issue of externalities.
'Om' is counted depending on the mantra. As you say, in some mantras the 'Om' is included in the syllable count of the mantra and in others it is not. I honestly don't know why this is.
However I simply follow tradition when it comes to these issues, i.e. I consider Om Namah Sivaya as 5-syllables and Om Namo Narayanaya as 8 syllables though the former excludes the 'Om' while the latter includes it.
My Guru Sivananda advised that if one cannot do homam/tarpanam etc in the amounts recommended at the end of a purascharana, then one can make up for this by simply doing more japa- 1/10th of the amount of the purascharana.
As I plan to start the next purascharana within 1-2 months of finishing the current one, I will count the japa done in between the two as the 'extra japa'. I also take the help of a priest to perform small homams with ahutis offered with the mantra at regular intervals during the purascharana and see these as a part of the process.
I feel the main thing is to do the purascharana practice without worrying too much about the minute details, though as far as possible, one can try to observe these.
Hope this helps. Thank you for the kind comments on the blog. I hope you are considering doing a purascharana too...it would be a blessing for the world honestly....we need more japa yogis to bring about peace everywhere. A very happy Diwali to you too. :) May God and Gurus ever bless you.
Hello vishnupriya g,
DeletePlease tell us about the outcomes of the puruscharnas done by you ?
Namaste
DeleteSorry only just seen your comment. The main effect of the purascharanas is more faith in God and feeling His presence in my life. This is the experience of all who do japa even spiritual beginners like me.
Best wishes
I was looking for guidance on purascharanas..Thank you soo much for this treasure.
ReplyDeleteWill start it today :-)
Periyava dasan
Hi Periyava,
DeleteThanks for the kind words. Delighted to hear you are starting a purascharana today- wish you the very best with this. May God bless you with successful completion.
Best regards,
Vishnupriy
Hi again Vishnupriya
ReplyDeleteI was reading through your comment regarding om not being counted in the panchakshari mantra but counted in the ashtakshari mantra and I thought I might add my two cents worth. This is because om the primordial sound refers to lord shiva anyway so counting it in the shiv mantra is redundant, this applies to the Mahamrityunjaya mantra too. Cheers.
Warmly
Suchi
Hi Suchi,
DeleteThank you for sharing your views- you may well be right about this. Interestingly however, in the Sivananda tradition, Om is regarded as an eternal sound of the Divine that represents God in all forms- Siva, Durga, Vishnu, Jesus, Allah, everything. Mantras of many deities therefore begin with Om. So it is a bit mysterious as to why Om is counted for working out the number of japa needed purascharana purposes in some mantras and not in others. Anyway, regardless of this mystery, I guess the key is to keep doing sadhana which will ultimately solve all mysteries! Hope you are keeping well.
Warm regards,
Vishnupriya
Hi..
ReplyDeleteI have a small question on purascharana..
As written above,
purascharana is primarily an extended mantra recitation practice. It involves recitation of a mantra as many lakhs (100,000) times as there are syllables in the mantra.
E.g. A five syllable mantra such as Om Namah Shivaya requires 5 lakh japa (5 x 100,000).
And panchakshari mantra can be chanted anytime throughout the day..
So the chantings which we do in between work,travel and so on..Will those be counted to complete 5lakhs count of the mantra?
Or is it that we need to sit and pray every day at the same place and time and with a fixed number of count for a fixed number of days and make the count as 5 lakhs?
It's a very stupid question may be.
But please guide on the same.. would be helpful..
Thanks in advance!
Hi,
DeleteIt depends on why you are doing the purascharana.
If the purpose is fulfillment of a material desire, then yes, the rules should be followed as strictly as possible. In this case, japa should be done in a formal seated manner at the same place/time.
If the purpose is spiritual, i.e. to please God and attain His/Her grace, to attain self-realisation, then the rules are less important and feeling/devotion is the key. In this case too, one should try to sit and do japa at the same place/time. But, if this is not possible sometimes due to circumstances, then japa done anytime anywhere can also be counted in my opinion.
Japa done with devotion while walking is better than japa done while seated with mind wandering. The key is all cases is the bhava or feeling experienced while doing japa. It may not be possible to experience the same intense devotional bhava/feeling all the time, but this will improve as the japa continues.
Hope this helps. Wish you the best with your sadhana.
Vishnupriya
Thanks a lot..:)
DeletePranaam! _/\_ :)
You are very welcome :)
DeleteHi there! I'm starting (tomorrow 26/10/18) a 125.000 gayatri mantra practice.
ReplyDeleteI first say a little prayer to Ganapati, 27 times, and then 108 times Gayatri mantra, I do this in the morning and repeat it in the afternoon.
Should I do a "Sloka" before doing the Gayatri?
Open to hear any comments from you, thanks!
Sorry I've only just seen this comment (had issues with the site).
DeleteSlokas for Ganesha before doing any worship including Gayatri japa is an excellent idea.
Hope your sadhana is going well.
Best wishes
Hi, I would like to start Hare Krishna maha manthra purascharana.please advice how letters it is? How many do I need to Commit.
ReplyDeleteHi, the Hare Krishna mahamantra has 32 syllables (present within the 16 words/names of God). Therefore a purascharana involves chanting 32 x 100,000 = 32,00,000 recitations. Wish you the best with your sadhana.
DeleteVishnupriya
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteInspired to begin the Purascharan of Shadakshari mantra ��.
Would like to begin from 7.10.21, the first day of Navratri. Seeking your advice on any particular time & manner in which to begin. Thank you
��
Hari Om,
DeleteStarting a purascharana during Navaratri is a very good time. I wish you the very best with your sadhana. May the Divine Mother bless you.
Vishnupriya
Hari Om,
ReplyDeleteActually without knowing anything about the term "Purascharan", I have been reciting "Nirvana Shatakam" (4 times) every night in my pooja room for the past 11 months. I am glad to know this type of practise of japa is called "Purascharan". I completely agree that it helps in feeling more and more bhava for one's Ishta Deva/Devi. Since last Navratri, I also started chanting "Sri Lalita Ashtothram" as a prayer to Devi. I am so glad I started doing both these japas as as I think more about God than before and feel it has helped my spiritual sadhana immensely. Thanks once again for posting this blog about "Purascharan". It has reaffirmed the path I have taken for my spritual sadhana and am sure will help guide other new beginners too.
Regards,
Satish
Hari Om,
DeleteVery glad to hear you are doing regular sadhana and feeling the benefits. That is wonderful.
Yes, purascharana is when one aims to do 100,000 times japa for each syllable in the mantra. I wish you well with your practice. May God bless you.
Vishnupriya
Two mantra meditation techniques to feel peace and joy all the time:
ReplyDelete1st technique. Please write or type the mantra (Gayatri Mantra is the most effective among all mantras) and do simultaneous Upanshu chanting (meaning chant from the mouth but without producing any sound) for 15 min at a stretch - when the mind gets distracted, do mantra writing or typing along with loud chanting and simultaneously hear the sound for the remaining part of the mantra and 1 more mantra. Such a mantra is in effect equivalent to 10 mantra chanted just from mouth or mentally. Mantra writing or typing along with simultaneous Upanshu chanting is the best method of chanting as per my own experience and at least 100 times more effective than chanting on mala or Vipassana or self-enquiry or other meditation techniques - hence just 15 min practice of this technique is enough. Your focus in this technique only increases with time and within few days you will start enjoying great peace and joy all the time.
2nd technique to remove unwanted thoughts during day time. Whenever any unwanted thought comes in the mind, chant the mantra loudly 3 times and focus the mind on hearing it. Then unwanted thought will go away from the mind.
Being a physical technique above 2 mantra meditation techniques will suit everyone. Please practice yourself and spread them as much as possible to create a world full of peace and joy.
Namaste,
DeleteI am glad you have found these methods beneficial. Mantra writing for good concentration is recommended in many spiritual traditions including that of my Guru Sivananda. I agree this will be useful for some.
My Guru used to say that different spiritual methods suit different people based on their unique nature-- there is no superior or inferior spiritual practice, it all depends upon the individual.
I wish you well with your sadhana.
Vishnupriya
Namaste Vishnupriya ji,
ReplyDeleteHope you are well.
Wishes on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shiva Ratri..
I opened up your blog and got into this purascharne post through reading various things.
Been doing Panchakshari since morning and thought it’s a sign for me to get into Purascharne of Panchakshari after seeing this post.
Did Sankalpa as per your posts and hope the will of God would remove any obstacles and bring fervour to accomplish this task.
Many thanks for your wonderful posts. You are indeed a blessing to so many beginners like me.
- P
Namaste,
DeleteIt is wonderful to hear that you have taken up purascharana of the panchakshari mantra. I am very glad that this post was helpful to you.
Thank you for your kind words and the MahaShivaratri greetings. I hope you had a wonderful celebration too.
May Lord Shiva bless you with every success in your sadhana.
Vishnupriya
Hello, this is very good information and thanks for sharing it, i have one question, you mentioned - Swami Sivananda and other Gurus say that if havan, tarpana and marjana cannot be undertaken in the required amount due to circumstances or other constraints, extra 10% japa of the original purascharana can be undertaken instead- and then charitable actions can be done. SO 10%FOR each havan, tarpana and marjan or total 10% mantras to be added extra if not able to do these 3 havan, tarpana and marjana,
ReplyDeleteNamaste 🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteI'm planning to do a purusharan of a mantra I have been doing for a while. It would be great if you can please help me with some guide or document on tarpan and marjan.
I have found something for Homa, would be great if you have something for the same.
I have tried finding at my end but not able to find anything relevant.
Please help 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Jai Bhairava Baba 🙏🏼
Namaste,
DeleteI am glad to hear that you are contemplating doing a purascharana. Regarding tarpana and marjana, there is a detailed description on this in Om Swami's book called "The Ancient Science of Mantras". You may wish to read this.
He also explains how to do a homam. Regarding this, you can also check Sri Narasimha Rao's page (link below) - I have found this very useful to do homams myself. https://www.vedicastrologer.org/homa/download.htm
I hope this is helpful and wish you the very best with your sadhana. May God bless you.
Om shanti
Vishnupriya