Japa yoga benefits

Hari Aum.

The recitation of any name or mantra of God is called japa. This can be done verbally or mentally. I would like to outline the benefits of japa as described by my Guru, Swami Sivananda.

Sivananda says the following in his book 'Japa Yoga' (see link at end of page for the book):

"Sweeter than all sweet things, more auspicious than all good things, purer than all pure things, is the Name of the Lord."

"The Name of God chanted correctly or incorrectly, knowingly or unknowingly, carefully or carelessly, is sure to give the desired result."

"The glory of the Name of God cannot be established through reasoning and intellect. It can certainly be experienced or realised, only through devotion, faith and constant repetition."

"Just as burning quality is natural to and inherent in fire, so also the power of destroying sins with their very root and branch, and bringing the aspirant into blissful union with the Lord through Bhava-Samadhi is natural to and inherent in the Name of God."

"O Man! Take refuge in the Name, Nami and Nama are inseparable. Sing the Lord's Name incessantly, Remember the Name of the Lord with every incoming and outgoing breath. In this iron age Nama-Smarana or Japa is the easiest, quickest, safest and surest way to reach god and attain immortality and perennial Joy. Glory to the Lord! Glory to His Name!"

"Do not do the Japa in a hurried manner, as a contractor tries to finish his work in a hurried way. Do it slowly with Bhava, one-pointedness of mind and single-minded devotion."

"Pronounce the Mantra distinctly and without mistakes. Do not repeat it too fast or too slow."

"How sweet is Hari's Name! How powerful is the Name of the Lord! How much joy, peace and
strength His Name brings to one who repeats it! Blessed indeed are those who repeat God's Name, for they will be free from the wheel of birth and death and will attain Immortality!"

"During Japa all the divine qualities steadily flow into your mind from the Lord, just as oil flows from one vessel to another vessel. Japa transforms the nature of the mind. It fills the mind with Sattva."

"Japa changes the mental substance from passion to purity, from Rajas to Sattva. It calms and strengthens the mind. It makes the mind introspective. It checks the out-going tendencies of the mind. It eradicates all kinds of evil thoughts and inclinations. It induces determination and austerity. Eventually it leads to the direct Darsana of God, the Ishta Devata, or tutelary Deity, or to
God-realisation."


He has also written the following short paragraphs and poems about japa in his book:

"Japa purifies the heart.
Japa steadies the mind.
Japa destroys the Shadripus (six enemies).
Japa destroys birth and death.
Japa burns sins.
Japa scorches Samskaras.
Japa annihilates attachment."

"Japa induces Vairagya.
Japa roots out all desires.
Japa makes one fearless.
Japa removes delusion.
Japa gives supreme Peace.
Japa develops Prema.
Japa unites the devotee with the Lord.
Japa gives health, wealth, strength and long life.
Japa brings God-consciousness.
Japa bestows Eternal Bliss.
Japa awakens the Kundalini."

"Japa gives a nice, refreshing, exhilarating, spiritual bath.
It wonderfully washes the subtle body or Linga Sarira or astral body.
Japa is a marvellous divine soap for the mind.
It cleanses it of its various kinds of impurities.
If you are not able to form the image of your Ishta Devata,
If you are not able to fix the mind on your tutelary Deity,
You may try to hear the sound of the Mantra repeated by you,
Or think of the letters of the Mantra in order.
This will stop mind-wandering."

"At any moment death will snatch you away.
For eating and drinking this life is not meant.
Very difficult it is to get a human birth,
O friend, wake up, do Japa of Hari Om or Sri Rama.
There is no better healer in this iron age
Than the Japa of the Mantra of God.
Japa keeps Lord Yama away.
Japa destroys the five afflictions and three Taapas.
Just as fire burns cotton,
So does Japa burn all Karmas,
Just as the Ganga purifies a dirty cloth,
So does Japa purify the dirty mind.
The eager aspirant thirsting for God's Darsana
Punctually gets up at Brahmamuhurta,
With crossed legs in Padmasana he sits.
With Bhava and Prema the beads he rolls,
Silent Japa does he sometimes,
Whispers or hums he at other times,
Though near, his neighbour can't hear."

"Sometimes loud Japa does he when the mind wanders.
Anushthana he performs on the banks of the Ganga,
Lives on milk and fruits or fasts sometimes,
Finishes Purascharana of Japa of lakhs,
Gets peace of mind and divine experiences.
Havan he does when Purascharana is over,
The Brahmins, the Sadhus, the poor he feeds.
Thus pleases he the Lord and gets His Grace,
And attains Bliss, Perfection and immortality!
The fire of Japa imparts divine splendour to his face.
The Japa-Yogi now shines more resplendent than the Sun,
Through Japa alone all Siddhis and Riddhis he attains,
Even Adi-Sesha cannot now describe his splendour and glory."

He further says:

"In the Kali-Yuga, as the mind of men are naturally prone to greater distractions, meditation, worship and performance of sacrifices are not possible. Therefore, loud chanting of Divine Name of Kirtan or Namasmarana (remembrance of Lord's Name) has been recommended as the principal Sadhana for God-realisation."

"God's Name is your boat, Sankirtan is your raft. Cross this ocean of Samsara with this boat and raft."

"No one obtains liberation without the Name of the Lord. Your highest duty is to repeat His Name always. Name is the greatest Treasure of treasures."

http://gurudevsivananda.org/japa.pdf

Hari Aum Tat Sat