The Lakshmi-Narayana bank

 Hari Aum.

For those of us who are householders especially, one cannot avoid the tedious subject of finance. One has to have a job and a steady income to run a household. The yogis would say this is all very well, but it should be done with dharma as the foundation; the earning of wealth must never be at the expense of dharma but rather, based upon it. 

They say one should never sell the soul for money, because the soul is our essence, it is priceless (one Swami, who is one of my main spiritual mentors, told me many years ago at the beginning of my spiritual life, 'Remember Faustus, the mistake he made. Never be like him. Never sell your soul, never compromise on dharma'. 

She is of course absolutely right-- the imperishable cannot be sacrificed for the perishable). While pursuing worldly goals, running a household, providing for children and so on, one should keep dharma as the basis -- the spiritual goal should never be sacrificed for the material (as far as possible).

On the other hand, there is one bank where the yogis and Gurus encourage us to be very greedy about! That bank, they playfully call, the 'Lakshmi-Narayana' bank. This is the spiritual bank-account and the most important and vital bank account we have in life. All other accounts have their basis in this account alone; all good fortune in life stems from this account alone. 

Once at a satsang some months ago, the spiritual teacher told the listening audience, 'Your various bank accounts and investments may fail one day, you may lose money in these material banks. However, whatever spiritual practices such as japa, kirtan etc, you put into the Lakshmi-Narayana bank will never fail you! This can never be lost, it will remain with you forever. Unlike your material wealth which must be left behind when you leave the planet, your wealth in the Lakshmi-Narayana bank will follow you when you leave!". So both here and hereafter, spiritual wealth is the everlasting wealth, the imperishable wealth of the soul (and not the material).

How then are we to become 'mantra millionaires' as the Gurus advise?! It is all very well to aim to have a decent material income to be able to perform our duties as householders towards our families and society at large. But, while doing this, how are we to ensure that we create and invest great wealth in the Lakshmi-Narayana spiritual bank?

The answer, obviously, is a daily spiritual practice. Just as many people save some part of their income every month, it is vital to assess one's 'spiritual savings' on a regular basis.

Not a single day should pass without mantra japa according to Sivananda and the Gurus. As the sun rises and sets, a portion of our life goes away. We do not know how many more sunrises and sunsets we will see-- life is inherently unpredictable (particularly in the times we live in today).

At any time, we may be dispatched and sent away from here. Not a single coin or note of our material wealth will follow. But, every single mantra recitation, every single spiritual song that was sung, every act of karma yoga/service of God, will follow-- this is the emphatic declaration of all Gurus of all spiritual traditions.

In many countries, the financial year begins in April and various people draw up savings plans and make budgets and so on. They eagerly consider how to maximise their material wealth in the coming year. In the same manner, we spiritual aspirants should eagerly consider how we are going to maximise our spiritual wealth.

March-April is the time when the Vedic New Year begins (based upon the lunar calendar). This year, the Vedic New Year begins on March 30 (with the festival known as 'Ugadi', 'Gudi padwa' etc in various parts of India).

So, as we approach the end of this spiritual financial year, and prepare for the arrival of the next one, let us carefully consider what 'spiritual savings, investments and interest' we wish to generate in the coming year. Let us be extremely vigilant and diligent about our spiritual savings. (By the way, giving in charity of course counts as a spiritual saving even though it may be seen as a material expenditure!)

Let us chalk out a clear programme to maximise our spiritual growth, be careful about investing our time in spiritual pursuits and be intent upon amassing as much spiritual wealth as possible. 

The yogis say 'Direct all the impurities of the mind towards God. If you must be greedy, be greedy about spiritual wealth. If you must be angry, be angry if the mind does not turn Godward. If you have to be proud, be proud of the good qualities of the deity you worship. If you must have desire, direct this towards God. Whatever purity and impurity exists in the mind, turn it all Godwards, give it to God. In this way, you will find the mind transforms from impure to pure and you will receive the grace of God'.

So, as the Gurus advise, let us aim to be 'mantra millionaires' this year. It is not good to boast about sadhana, about the japa we do. But let us quietly, diligently and seriously, pursue the spiritual path in the coming spiritual financial year and make sure that we have a very healthy spiritual savings account at the end of it. 

Let our spiritual wealth increase substantially year on year as long as we remain in this Earthly realm. Our Lakshmi-Narayana bank account should always receive regular (preferably daily) deposits of mantra, kirtan, svadhyaya, karma yoga and so on.

In my case, I am steadily plodding on with my sixth purascharana at the rate of seven malas per day. I also do some additional chanting of mantras of the Divine Mother when I feel like and some random bhajan. I am glad to say that, by the grace of God, the daily mantra japa continues, along with medical work, family/societal duties and spiritual study. I continue to practice the 'integral yoga' advised by my Guru, Sivananda as far as possible.

For those who have not yet opened their Lakshmi-Narayana spiritual bank account, I would strongly encourage you to consider this as soon as possible-- as there is gain and gain alone in doing so. 

May Lakshmi-Narayana bless us all with immense spiritual wealth and success in our spiritual lives.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. Devotion to God is a great spiritual wealth that can be generated through mantra japa, kirtan, spiritual study, service of God and so on.

Siddhis or 'spiritual powers'/psychic abilities are a serious menace and distraction on the spiritual path. These are not at all a form of spiritual wealth and should never be sought after. Mantra japa should certainly not be wasted on acquiring these worthless powers (as some Gurus and people seem to suggest).

The purpose of mantra japa is the attainment of the highest and most valuable goal of Realisation of our true nature as being one with God, and the peace and bliss that results from that experience.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Kartika and Radha mantra sadhana

 Hari Aum.

We are currently in an especially auspicious and sacred lunar month known as 'Kartika'. This began a week ago and will end on November 15 which is a full moon day; this final full-moon day of this month is known as 'Kartika purnima' and is excellent for spiritual practices.

This month is strongly associated with Lord Krishna and is a time when His devotees take up additional spiritual practices as these are said to yield greater benefits. In ancient times, when the Krishna avatar was physically present on Earth, the gopis of Vrindavana, including Radha, conducted a special sadhana dedicated to the Goddess Katyayani (a form of Mother Parvati) during this month. The purpose of their sadhana was to acquire Krishna as their 'husband' and they achieved their goal (this later led to the well-known 'rasa lila' dances).

I admit that, while I have been an enthusiastic Krishna worshipper over the years, I never really felt a deep bond with Mother Radha in the past. I certainly felt a very close bond to other forms of the Divine Mother, especially Durga, and also Lakshmi. However, I greatly respected Radha and worshipped Her along with Krishna (mainly because She was associated with Him). 

There was no deep love in my heart for Radha however; in fact, I will honestly admit that I was actually a tiny bit jealous of Her initially (despite my not wanting to feel this way!). 

However, as I saw Her and Durga as One, and felt a deep love for Durga, I hoped She would pardon me (and I have had the impression that She had; in fact, She Herself is famous for being in a virtually perpetual state of jealousy-- of a spiritual nature (!)-- of any lady who remotely approached Lord Krishna!).

Anyway, the situation has changed and I find myself currently to be more of a Radha devotee than a Krishna one (they are One of course). This transformation occurred around ten days ago, when I found myself in bed with a particularly unpleasant migraine which lasted a couple of days. During this experience during which I felt very unwell, I had the feeling (completely out-of-the-blue) that Mother Radha's energy was the solution. I therefore spent some time thinking deeply about Her for the first time in my life.

Two days later, after I had recovered from the migraine, I was tidying and de-cluttering a bookcase and by coincidence (perhaps not really a coincidence but rather, divine grace) came across a book known as the 'Narada Pancharatra' (In Sanskrit, 'pancha' means 'five' and 'ratra' means 'night'). 

I had purchased this book (it is actually printed in two volumes) quite some years ago as it is known to be a valuable resource for devotional practices and mantras related to Radha and Krishna. I had found the book interesting at the time, but did not feel particularly connected to any of the spiritual practices or mantras described and did not feel the need to take any of them up previously.

However, around ten days ago, after my migraine and interest in Mother Radha, I found myself drawn to this book and spent some time reading certain sections. I will not describe the entire book in detail here (might do this in another post sometime) but essentially, it consists of a wonderful conversation between Lord Shiva and sage Narada on the subject of devotion, and the worship of Radha-Krishna/Narayana (Shiva is Narada's Guru here) in particular.

There is one major section in particular dedicated to the worship of Mother Radha. Within this, there is a description of certain mantras related to Her worship; I read this section mainly last week. 

(After reading this, I wondered if I should share these mantras on this site and feel I received a sign from my Guru that I should, and hence the reason for this post.)

In this section, Lord Shiva outlines four key mantras for Sri Radha. He greatly praises these, declaring that (like other mantras of the Divine), they grant great spiritual and material blessings (including true devotion and spiritual liberation)

I will outline these mantras here. They contain 'bija' (seed) syllables, and in accordance to my Guru Sivananda's advice, should be chanted in large numbers only under the guidance of a suitable Guru. 

(Note- extensive chanting of bija mantras can awaken the kundalini energy rapidly which can be harmful to the unprepared spiritual seeker; the guidance of a Guru is essential therefore. One should never chant bija mantras for prolonged periods and in large numbers without a true Guru).

The mantras for Radha mentioned in the Narada Pancharatra are (in the order that they appear in the book):

1. Shreem Radhayai Svaha: known as the 'shadakshara' or six-syllabled mantra. 

Lord Shiva explains to Narada that this mantra originates from the Sama Veda and grants true devotion. He praises it greatly, saying that it is very dear to Lord Krishna/Narayana Himself and grants all spiritual and material blessings. 

He states that chanting this mantra during the full moon of the month of Kartika in particular is highly auspicious (destroys negative karma and grants spiritual liberation). 

2. Om Hreem Shreem Shreem Aim Krishna Pranadhikayai Svaha: known as the 'fourteen syllabled mantra'. 

Lord Shiva explains that this mantra was chanted by the great sages known as the Sanat Kumara in ancient times. 

3. Om Shreem Hreem Aim Krishnapriyayai Svaha: the 'eleven syllabled' mantra

This mantra was chanted by Goddess Ganga.

4. Om Shreem Shreem Aim Sarvadyayai Svaha. 

This mantra was chanted by Goddess Tulasi.

Lord Shiva praises all four mantras greatly, declaring that they each grant the four goals of human life (dharma, artha, kama and moksha) along with bhakti (devotion).

Note:

'Shreem' and 'Hreem' are bija mantras for Mother Lakshmi (Radha is Her manifestation)

'Aim' is the bija mantra for Sarasvati 

'Svaha' is the energy associated with Agni, the deity associated with fire.

After reading this section of the Narada Pancharatra related to the worship of Mother Radha, I was drawn to the six syllabled mantra in particular. 

I decided to do a small sadhana with this mantra during this auspicious month of Kartika to acquire the grace of Mother Radha (1 mala a day for 40 days, in addition to the usual ashtakshara chanting; I feel I received a sign from my Guru Sivananda that I could chant this and am currently in the midst of this sadhana). 

One week after chanting this mantra daily, I felt some significant benefits in terms of general wellbeing. The energy associated with Mother Radha is healing and also love, particularly unconditional love.

Prior to chanting this mantra, I offered Mother Radha an apology for not being able to feel a better connection with Her in the past. Based on my experience of chanting Her mantra, I feel She is an extremely forgiving, compassionate, nurturing and gentle form of the Divine Mother.

She is exactly what exhausted spiritual seekers require to heal and recover from the ordeal of the spiritual journey. I also feel that She has a special role to play for twin souls who are in a painful separation phase. I feel Her worship holds the key to twin souls achieving inner peace and wellbeing.

Based on my experience, and if one's Guru/intuition permits, I would recommend chanting the shadakshara mantra of Mother Radha daily (for example, either a 'mini mala' of 27 recitations, or a full mala of 108 recitations) during this sacred month of Kartika. 

I pray to Mother Radha to heal and protect all beings (including all twin souls) generally on this planet who are undergoing various ordeals and challenges (especially in this complex time of various conflicts in the world). 

May the Grace of Mother Radha protect us all, may She bless us all with unconditional love and healing.

I wish all of you a spiritually fulfilling month of Kartika. May Radha-Krishna bless us all.

Om Sri Radha-Krishnabhyam Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Maximising the effectiveness of mantra japa

 Hari Aum.

This post has been inspired by some of the messages that I have recently received from readers regarding their frustration at the lack of spiritual progress (a common concern, and one that I can also certainly relate to!).

Much has been written about mantra japa both here and on various other sites. In my view, based upon my experiences of spiritual life till date, I would say that the effectiveness of mantra japa requires the following:

1. Regular spiritual practice -- one needs to practice every day. Ideally, for the same amount of time (same number of malas of japa), in the same place, and the same mantra. And it helps to keep a diary to record the daily practice.

2. Yogic diet-- healthy, fresh food. Fruits, vegetables, lentils/pulses, wheat/rice. The Gurus advise that these foods help meditation (as they are sattvic) and help us maintain good health (needed to meditate). 

They also advise avoiding foods that disturb the mind (by creating rajas/tamas), namely, meat and alcohol (these should be completely avoided according to the Gurus). Other foods such as onion and garlic are also to be avoided or minimised as far as possible as these are also unhelpful. 

3. Ethics-- it goes without saying that mantra japa cannot yield good results without a commitment to practice the yogic ethics as far as possible. The chief amongst these are ahimsa (non-violence/ kindness/ compassion) and truthfulness. One should also try to gently control the senses. 

Life will create situations that test the seeker's ability to practice these ethics but one will have to keep trying to the best of one's ability. There is simply no other way. The grace of God is vital here, which brings me to the next point.

4. Devotion-- this is the key. One has to develop this, somehow or the other. Japa, prayers, kirtan, diet, charity, voluntary work etc help in the cultivation of devotion.

5. Work- some sort of service to society is essential and helps the mantra to manifest its effects more. Whether it is our regular, paid work, or voluntary work, it needs to be done with the attitude of worship of God. As the Gurus say, work is worship. Work and mantra japa go together.

So, these are some of the key practices that I feel have helped my mantra sadhana over the years, and which I continue to work upon to keep progressing in spiritual life. 

There are also certain things that the Gurus advise avoiding, particularly on the path of mantra japa as these hinder the spiritual progress of the seeker. 

Sivananda and other Gurus call them the 'offenses' or 'sins' against the mantra or name of God. These are described in Sivananda's book, 'Japa Yoga'. There are ten that he mentions and I will describe them briefly here  (in the order mentioned in the book):

Ten things that prevent us from benefitting fully from our mantra japa and thus slow our spiritual progress (according to Sivananda):

1. "Vilification of saints and devotees": one should avoid speaking/thinking ill about the devotion of others, particularly the saints (of one's own and other spiritual traditions).

2. "Differentiation amongst Divine names": one should avoid feeling that one name or mantra of God is superior or inferior to any other of His/Her names or mantras.

Japa yogis are permitted to feel a greater love for their chosen mantra or form of God above all others. This is even helpful and recommended on the path of devotion/bhakti. 

But this should not mean that the yogi feels that their chosen mantra/form of God is superior to those chosen by other devotees. The Gurus advise us to recognise that all names and forms of God are equal and to revere all (needless to say, therefore, any form of conflict between the followers of various religions, or between the various sects within a religion, goes completely against this principle. Those who fight in the name of God cannot expect to receive His grace based upon this advice of the Gurus).  

3. Irreverence towards the Guru (spiritual teacher): not revering the Guru includes a variety of behaviours, ranging from being actively disrespectful, to being neglectful and careless when it comes to following their teachings.

One chooses the Guru oneself (no true Guru ever forces him/herself on to a seeker). Having chosen the Guru oneself, the seeker is then expected to adhere sincerely to the teachings of the Guru to benefit from their guidance and from spiritual practices such as mantra japa.

For example, Sivananda has provided '20 important spiritual instructions' for his students, and has said that 'obedience is better than reverence'. Therefore, he would naturally expect his students to attempt to sincerely follow these instructions throughout their lives; based upon his writings, this would be regarded by him as true reverence (not merely praising him and then ignoring his advice).

4. "Speaking lightly of the scriptures": the scriptures are said to originate from God Him/Herself either directly via an avatar (such as Krishna who gave humanity the Bhagavad Gita) or via saints/Gurus (such as the seers/rishis of the Upanishads).

If one takes the scriptures lightly, one is unlikely to read them or truly benefit from them (even if one does read them). The scriptures of every religion contain spiritual teachings that help us live according to divine laws. Ignoring divine laws (such as the law of karma, the principles of dharma and so on), inevitably takes us away from the path of ethics and thus deprives us of the grace of God.

5. "Treating the glory of the name as nothing but exaggerated praise": the yogis clearly state that God and His/Her names and mantras are one. Refusing to heed them, treating their experience of this truth with doubt and disbelief, shows a lack of faith and devotion both in the saints and in the name/mantra of God. 

Nobody expects perfect, unwavering faith and devotion at all times from spiritual beginners like us (if we had that, we would be saints/enlightened beings already). But, we are expected to regularly and consciously remind ourselves of the power and glory of the name or mantra of God that we chant and have appropriate reverence for this. 

6. "Commission of sins under cover of the name": The yogis say that a single recitation of the name or mantra of God destroys the negative karma associated with countless sins and strengthens the dharmic/divine qualities within us.

The knowledge of this may tempt the seeker to compensate for a lack of ethics by chanting the name as a cover (in the hope that this will save them from the negative consequences of their actions). 

Unknowingly committing a sin or lapse in practice of dharma is one thing, but knowingly doing this is another. Accidental slip-ups by the spiritual seeker, followed by sincere remorse and attempts to atone, including with mantra japa, will draw the grace and forgiveness of God according to the Gurus. However, deliberately breaking the code of dharma, will not be pardoned according to them. 

Sincerity is the key they say.

7. "Ranking the Name with other virtues and practising fasting, charity, sacrifices, etc., thinking that the Name by itself is insufficient.":

The name or mantra is supreme, according to the yogis. There is no other spiritual practice equal to it. 

This is not to say that one should not practice other techniques; many Gurus very much do recommend fasting, charity, selfless service etc as valuable and essential aids to mantra japa. 

But they say that the name or mantra, being equal to God Him/Herself, still stands above the rest. In fact, they say, this practice purifies the consciousness over time and enables us to perform other practices with greater devotion and sincerity.

8.  "Recommending the practice of Name to irreverent and ungodly persons who are not prepared to hear such advice."

When we walk the spiritual path, and begin to feel some of its benefits (both materially and spiritually), it can be natural to want to share this with others, particularly those we love, such as within our close circles of family and friends. Naturally, if we feel the benefit, we may feel our loved ones should be allowed to feel this too.

However, this is not necessarily true, say the yogis. Not everybody is interested in spiritual life. And, of those who are, not everyone is drawn to the path of mantra japa (they may prefer other paths, in accordance with the will of God).

A love for the mantra or name of God is a great blessing according to the yogis. If one has this love, one should certainly make the most of it by oneself practicing mantra japa as much as one can. If one member of a family practices, the whole family, society and even world at large, benefit. So say the yogis and Gurus.

But, the yogi is advised to avoid forcing, pressuring or urging those who are disinclined, disinterested or downright disrespectful to take up this practice.

The yogi is expected to respect the right of others to live as they please. 

In medicine, we say that unwise decisions by a patient regarding whether or not they wish to accept medical advice from doctors do not indicate that they lack the capacity to make decisions. Patients ultimately have the right to make their own decisions (and accept the consequences) regardless of the opinion of their doctors. This very much applies in spiritual life too.

The yogi may feel it is unwise to live without the blessings and protection that come from daily contact with the name or mantra of God. But, they cannot compel their loved ones or others to take up this practice. 

It is up to each soul to progress at their own pace in accordance with the will of God. The yogi is expected to respect the will of God in this and all matters.

9. "Want of love for the Name even after hearing its glory": 

The yogi who walks the path of devotion is expected to practice the name of God with love and trust/faith. 

The Gurus say that spiritual obstacles such as a loss of love or faith can and will occur periodically in the life of a seeker after God, but, at times like that, perseverance is key. 

The perseverance becomes the mark of devotion in these situations. One cannot stop on the spiritual path; one needs to keep going until the spiritual goal of God/Self-realisation is reached.

10. "Emphasis of 'I' and 'mine' and attachment to objects of enjoyment":

This pertains to excessive egoism, to excessive selfish desires, and putting one's needs constantly above those of others. One is expected to take the approach 'Do as you would be done by'.

Equally, the modern saying related to safety on aeroplanes, 'Put on your own oxygen mask before putting on those of others' also applies here. One cannot help others if one is low on oxygen oneself, if one does not care at all for one's own wellbeing. 

On this note, many people say that they find it difficult to look after their own needs. In these situations, it can help to consider what advice one would give to a good friend who is in the same position as oneself. Many of us find it easier to give other people sensible advice than to take our own!

 A great deal of common sense is therefore required on the spiritual path (and one needs to find a healthy balance between one's own reasonable needs and those of others).

  

So, that, in summary, is a description of some of the key things to do and avoid doing when embarking upon the path of devotion, and mantra japa in particular.

Sivananda adds, in his book, that if one sometimes fails to practice any of the above, the remedy is to repeat the name or mantra of God with sincere remorse, and to resolve to try one's best to improve in the future. 

The practice of sincerity and honesty as much as possible is the very heart and soul of spiritual life and of spiritual success-- so say the Gurus and yogis.

I hope this is helpful for the readers of this blog who are considering taking up, or who have already taken up, mantra japa.

May God bless us all with the ability to practice the above tenets and progress well in our spiritual lives.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. 

Just to add, some of the messages that I have recently received also pertain to concerns about dealing with bad karma, struggling with negative energies/entities and so on. 

The Gurus tell us that bad karma/negative energies etc are an inevitable part of the challenges of spiritual life. They say that, when these occur, we just need to stick to our daily spiritual practice, come hell or high water. These issues will then eventually resolve with time by the grace of God. Of this, we can be certain they say.

Before I conclude, I also want to apologise for the delay in replying to your posts and messages. I am working through these steadily; it is currently taking me around 4-6 weeks to reply due to my other commitments (thank you for your patience). 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Purascharanas-- experiences and reflections

 Hari Aum.

I was reflecting recently upon my experience of doing mantra japa and purascharanas (particularly the current one).

I started off with my first purascharana in January 2012 filled with enthusiasm and complete uncertainty as to where the mantra would lead me. Would I see any spiritual results? Would I be able to experience anything that previous mantra yogis had experienced? Or would it all be a waste of time, a mere delusion? Was it worth the effort? Would God really listen, was He truly accessible through the mantra? All these and more questions were present in my mind as I set off on my mantra journey-- filled with hope and optimism and with very little experience of this subject. 

It has been over ten years since I began, and as I look back at this journey, I would like to share some of my experiences of doing this practice.

The first thing to say is that I have discovered that the mantra clearly works. And yes, it grants experiences (will come to this again later). It is absolutely one with God, it definitely draws the grace of God upon the reciter. It undoubtedly transforms the inner nature. All that the yogis have said about mantras is spot on, they are completely right. That has been my experience so far (I have a lot more to learn regarding this subject but what I have learned so far fits with what I have read and heard of the experiences of mantra yogis of the past and present).

Speaking of spiritual experiences, these can be categorised into those that are joyful and pleasing and those which are painful and upsetting. Both types are essential for the development of the soul. Indeed, the second category of painful spiritual experiences are regarded by many as particularly important.

When a yogi signs up for spiritual life, one signs up for both types of spiritual experiences. Some of these are ordinary, some of these will be unusual or extraordinary. Something or the other will definitely happen if one repeats a mantra regularly for an extended time-- of this there is absolutely no doubt.

So, coming back to the purascharanas, let me summarise the effects or results that I have experienced below:

Purascharana 1: Beginning the spiritual journey

2012-2013

This purascharana involved my first serious commitment to spiritual practice, the spiritual journey (although I had been dabbling in spirituality and started the practice of meditation in the year 2000 aged 17, my spiritual practice had been relatively sporadic until this stage. This was the first time that I decided to commit to an extended spiritual practice such as purascharana that involved daily, regular meditation). 

This involved:

-developing a discipline of repeating the mantra daily

-making a firm commitment to practice yogic ethics as far as possible

-combining mantra japa with karma yoga (as a doctor; I still follow this formula) which felt cleansing for the mind and heart. 

-training the mind to remember that God exists in all. 

-practicing the presence of God.

-doing some puja, homam and spiritual reading along with the mantra japa and karma yoga.

This was a difficult purascharana (due to doing it along with medical training, exams and working unsocial hours) but still doable. It was satisfying to complete this. It created an appetite for more.

There were spiritual experiences in the sense of feeling the presence of God in my life, developing a connection with God. 

Purascharana 2: Continuing the journey

2014-2015

This one built upon the previous one and involved broadly the same experiences. There were some significant challenges in terms of temporary health issues and family issues. However the purascharana continued. I got married during this time and then went on a pilgrimage to India. The pilgrimage was a wonderful experience.

I also started doing manasik puja along with mantra japa during this purascharana (started during Navaratri in 2014 and then just continued). This helped create better concentration upon the deity during japa.

Purascharana 3: Becoming more self-aware (particularly of thoughts, and inner flaws)

2016-2017

In this purascharana, the practices and experiences included those of the previous two. There was an ongoing building of a connection with the deity; an ongoing attempt to continue with japa and other spiritual disciplines. 

However, one additional factor is that I felt I was more aware of my thoughts, I could 'see them' as they arose, more objectively, as a witness. I became more aware of undesirable thoughts when they arose, such as anger, pride etc. I felt more able to consciously reject such thoughts and replace them with the opposite positive ones. I became more aware of the inner battle between the higher and lower mind and positive and negative thoughts.

Purascharana 4: A turning point, specific spiritual experiences

2017-2020

This purascharana was a turning point in many ways. For the first time, I had direct experience of the effects of the mantra that were out of what is regarded as ordinary. I began to have some dream experiences of future events, and also received some guidance from my Guru in dream. I also began to dream more vividly of God (some of these have been described in previous posts). 

I felt encouraged by these experiences, I felt the mantra had created some significant inner transformation (though there was clearly still a long way to go).

I also had my first experience of major spiritual obstacles during this purascharana. Along with the encouraging dreams and positive experiences, came some challenges. The first serious challenge was the spiritual depression in late 2018-early 2019. This was completely out-of-the-blue. I wondered how I went from someone who really enjoyed spiritual practices and mantra japa to somebody who had no taste for these things at all. I wondered if this had to do with pregnancy hormones (I was in my first trimester then and had a bad time with the nausea which did not help my mood). This situation gradually improved but not entirely. 

I also started reading about the life of Lord Krishna (from beginning to end in the Bhagavatam; had read condensed versions previously) in 2017 and felt a strong urge to write about Him too. I ended up writing a series of four books about His life as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (I did not want to leave out any part of His Lila so it ended up being four books though it is still a condensed version in the sense of leaving out some repetitions found in the original!). I had no plans to write any spiritual books so the strong urge to write this was a bit of a surprise for me but I felt I had no option but to do it-- it felt like an important sadhana for me, an offering to Krishna (my favourite form of Narayana, the deity I worship).

Purascharana 5: Increasing spiritual experiences and very significant spiritual challenges

2020- ongoing (due to finish this year, God willing)

This purascharana has been the most rewarding and by far, the most difficult. It is still ongoing (will hopefully be completed by the end of the year at the latest).

Rewarding because it has shown me that God is very much there for me as He/She is for every one of us. I feel I can reach out to Him for help, any time, anywhere and that He responds. 

There have been ongoing encouraging dreams of Guru and God. (I have written about these in previous posts.) In good times and bad, I feel they are watching over me, that they are protecting me. I am extremely grateful for this blessing.

My connection with my Guru Swami Sivananda feels stronger than ever before. My connection with God, as Mother and Father, feels more alive than ever before. I feel that I wish to be their instrument more than ever before. I am more willing to give up personal desires and wants, and more accepting of the Will of God (though this process of self-surrender is still very much an ongoing process).

And yet, despite all this, the challenges have kept coming (mainly from within me, but from outside too). And they have been pretty terrible.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the suffering during this purascharana has been unbelievable. I know we have all been through the pandemic and that was horrendous. However, that has merely provided a backdrop for the other challenges in my life. Every aspect of my existence has been disturbed during this purascharana-- health, personal life, professional life, spiritual life. Nothing has been spared. It is my karma no doubt (based on Vedic astrology), but it feels like this is something  beyond that. It feels like an extremely intense spiritual test.

The worst part of this purascharana has been an immensely painful and still ongoing battle between the higher and lower mind. 

The mystic, Paul Brunton's words in his article 'The Dark Night of the Soul' again come to mind (please see below for the link, and also the quotation at the end of this post). He describes a stage where the lower mind wakes up and puts up a terrible fight. The lower mind demonstrates a refusal to submit before the Will of God, a refusal to continue with spiritual life, a powerful insistence on continuing with a mundane sensual existence. This experience comes at some stage to every spiritual seeker.

https://paulbrunton.org/notebooks/23/3

One has to experience this suffering to really understand what it is. Day-in-day-out, week-in-week-out, month-in-month-out, even year-in-year-out, every second, day and night, there is this inner battle within the mind. It is unbelievably exhausting. One just wants to throw in the towel and give up, but one cannot, because one knows that that will lead to self-destruction. One has to continue the fight despite it all. 

At this stage, there arises a feeling of incredible helplessness. One realises that one is completely at the mercy of God. That the lower mind is so powerful in its full manifestation that nothing and nobody except God Himself can vanquish it. 

It feels like every negative samskara (thought impression stored within the deeper subconscious layers of one's mind) from current and past lives is re-surfacing, one after the other and sometimes together. At times, the will can feel very very weak. One feels like one is hanging on to spiritual life by a mere thread; that thread is the grace of God. Like a very small infant, one only feels capable of calling for protection from the Divine Parent, one feels completely incapable of defending oneself against the onslaught of the lower mind.

It becomes clear that all spiritual practices, all spiritual thoughts and experiences, everything, is due to the grace of God alone. One realises that one is not capable of anything without God. That all spiritual practices have happened because of Him, not due to one's efforts. 

It becomes clear that He alone is one's support, one's shelter, one's refuge. It is He alone who protects one's ethics, one's dharma, one's karma, one's material life, one's spiritual life, one's everything.

This purascharana has taught me to let go (the other side of the coin of surrendering to the Will of God). That I cannot insist on anything going the way I want in my life, whether material or spiritual, before God. I have been forced to recognise that it is not in my hands. 

In a very real, tangible way, I have learned that I have no option but to say to God "Thy Will be done". It is clear that nothing in my life is going according to 'my will be done'. I realise, more than ever, that 'man proposes and God disposes'. That the Will of God is higher, wiser and better for us that any of our little wills. That the Will of God is both wonderful and also terrible at times (due to the resistance from the lower self, the inability to let go). 

Ultimately, there is a sense that God alone exists and this entire world and we are a part of His very, very mysterious Divine Play or Lila. One merely says "Please allow me to perform my part well in this Divine Play". That is all.

That is where I am currently in terms of my spiritual life, in terms of my existence. Happy in a way, knowing that God and Guru are there for me, protecting me and protecting all. And yet, terrified because of the ongoing inner battle that seems to have no end in sight, terrified of a spiritual downfall, and sometimes confusion as to what dharma (righteousness, truthfulness) involves in my specific circumstances. 

I always come back to one thing though-- the mantra (the ashtakshara mantra or my Guru mantra of which I have been doing the purascharanas). I mentioned in my previous post on the 'Dark Night of the Soul' from 2019, that the mantra is my light even in the midst of dense darkness. And that is how I feel today. 

Despite all the challenges, all the suffering, all the numerous and never-ending problems and confusions that arise in this experience called human life, I feel the mantra of God is the light. It shows the way. As long as we hang on to this, we will be safe, no matter what (this applies to all mantras and names of God from all spiritual traditions). This will guide us, this will protect us. The name and mantra of God is none other than God Him/Herself.

I will conclude on that hopeful note. 'Onward and Godward' as the yogis say. 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. This is a quotation from Paul Brunton (from the article/link mentioned above) that relates to some of the points that I have discussed in this post:

"During the "dark night of the soul," as it is called by Spanish mystics, the abrupt yet brief joy of the first awakening to existence of a diviner life is succeeded and thrown into vivid contrast by the long melancholy years of its loss. There will come to him terrible periods when the quest will seem to have been lost, when his personal shortcomings will magnify themselves formidably before his eyes, and when meditation will be dry sterile and even distasteful."

"Not only will it seem that the Divine is saddeningly remote, but also that it is impossible of access. Let him know this and be forewarned, know that even its seeming loss is actually a part of the quest's usual course. Hope must sustain him during such dark periods, and time will show it to be neither a groundless nor an unfulfilled feeling. Those years may be bitter indeed for the ego, may even seem wasted ones, but they have their meaning. First, they bring up to the surface and into kinetic activity all hidden faults, all potential weaknesses, all latent evil, so that they may be exposed for what they are and got rid of--often after their resultant sufferings."

"All the aspirant's latent wickedness (as well as virtue) is actualized by degrees; all of his dormant tempting passions are aroused in turn; all of his animal propensities are brought into play against his worthier ideals; all his insincerities and greeds, untruthfulnesses and vanities sprout quickly from the seed stage into full-grown plants."

"The good qualities show themselves too at the same time, so that there is a terrible struggle within him, a struggle which the laws of the quest ordain he shall endure and complete alone. He becomes a dual personality. No master and no God may interfere with this momentous testing of a human soul at this critical stage of its evolution when the relation between the lower and higher selves is sought to be entirely changed. For it may not pass over into the new and higher life forever unless and until it is really ready for such life. All this happens through events and circumstances both ordinary and extraordinary by a natural law which governs all efforts to rend the mystic veil."

P.P.S This fifth purascharana was to have been completed at the end of last year (usually takes  me around two years to complete one). However, I had to reduce the number of malas to around 7 a day about a year ago due to health and other issues. 

As a result, I will hopefully be able to finish it in the next month or two (health and life permitting!). Frankly, at this stage in my life, I am just grateful to God that I have a daily japa practice and can complete a purascharana at all! 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Mantra writing

 Hari Aum.

Swami Sivananda used to strongly encourage his students to practice mantra writing (likhita japa) as a form of meditation. He used to recommend practicing silence (mauna) while writing the mantra and concentrating the mind on its sound, the letters and its meaning. He used to say this is a very potent way to develop good concentration and meditate on the mantra.

I used to practice this a long time time ago and recently decided to take it up again as it adds some much-needed variety to my practice. Sivananda used to say that books that are filled with the mantras or names of God have a certain positive energy associated with them. He used to recommend keeping these books near one's altar or meditation place as he said this would create a sacred atmosphere. 

While any notebook can be used for mantra writing, I feel it can help to have a special notebook set aside for this purpose. To help create a sense of joy and interest when doing this practice, I recently purchased a sturdy notebook with a rather pretty and inspiring cover and also purchased a special set of pens of different colours to write (it can get a bit tedious to write pages and pages in a single black/blue colour sometimes in my view). I started this practice about a week ago and find that I really look forward to it now. I do about 1-2 pages of writing the mantra (around 65-120 times) and find that it brings me peace.

I conducted a puja at home for Lakshmi and Narayana recently and placed some of the flowers that had been offered to the deities into the notebook (as I like pressed flowers)-- somehow this makes the notebook feel even more special. 

I plan to keep up this practice in the coming months and try to do the mantra writing at least 4-5 times a week for 15-20 minutes at a time. I will hopefully be able to build up to 30 minutes a day over time.

Sivananda says the following on mantra writing or likhita japa:

"Likhita Japa or Mantra-writing is a sharp goad to direct the mind towards God. Fix the mind on the Lord. Think of His attributes when you write the Mantra. Forget the environments. Forget everything. Remain alone with your Ishta Devata. Daily write the Mantra in a notebook with ink for at least half an hour, observe Mouna. You can write the Mantra in any language. Stick to one Mantra, your Guru Mantra or Mantra of your Ishta Devata."

See link here for the full article: 

https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=428

The coming weekend is that of Narasimha Jayanti, the celebration of the day when the man-lion avatar of Narayana is said to have manifested to protect the child, Prahlada. There is also a lunar eclipse on the coming Sunday/Monday (depending upon where you live). This is a good period to spend some additional time on spiritual practices and staying grounded. According to the yogis, eclipses can create some mental/physical disturbances in people and spiritual practices can help. 

A single recitation of a mantra of God recited during an eclipse is said to have 100 or 1000 times the effect of it being recited at other times. Needless to say, the yogis say that this is therefore a wonderful time for doing some extra mantra practice including mantra writing that spiritual seekers should not miss.

On an astrological note, this lunar eclipse takes place in the sign of Scorpio and involves the south node of the moon (Ketu in jyotisha). This is an interesting combination. The moon representing the mind is debilitated (weakened) in the sign of Scorpio, which is quite an intense sign representing deep hidden and complex karmas. Ketu is a volatile and unpredictable entity in Vedic astrology representing sudden events and changes in our lives as well as past life karmas. The combination of these two intense and volatile factors, Scorpio and Ketu, is likely to pose a challenge on some level for most of us.

This eclipse will have different effects based on our zodiac sign i.e. ascendant and moon signs (I find the effects seem particularly accurate when seen from the ascendant sign) and various karmas can suddenly manifest. Therefore, it is generally regarded as wise to avoid making any important decisions about any aspect of one's life during the period in the few days before and after an eclipse due to the risk of cloudy thinking and poor judgement. The best advice during this time is to engage the mind in spiritual practices, keep worldly activities (including travel, new projects etc) to an absolute minimum and generally be patient and wait for this to this tricky period to pass. 

On that note, I will conclude by wishing all of you a pleasant weekend, a joyful Narasimha jayanti and a spiritually productive lunar eclipse with hopefully some enjoyable mantra-writing. 

Hari Aum Tat Sat

  

Faith in the name of Narayana

Hari Aum.

It takes faith in the name or mantra of God to continue this practice day after day, month after month, year after year. For some, the faith comes naturally and one takes to mantra practice like a fish to water. For others, the mantra may appear in one's life due to some crisis- after which faith and trust in it develops.

Whatever the manner in which it comes, faith is undoubtedly important. Faith is a sort of trust, a hope- and in the end, it is replaced by experience. Faith is only needed initially, it helps one continue a practice until when gets one's own experience.

In my case, the mantra sort of barged its way into my life through some events. I reflect upon these from time to time, especially when I feel sluggish on the spiritual path. Remembering these events, kindles my motivation and keeps me going.

I am going to write about these events here. Because they showed me the mantra is more than an ordinary sound. I hope this will be inspirational to others also walking the path of mantra japa.

I am not one of those people who worshipped God from childhood. I grew up in a modern family filled with professionals. There was no time for any spiritual talk- all discussion at home was related to material subjects. I was encouraged to study modern subjects and had no real exposure to any philosophy.

I also had zero interest in spiritual matters myself as a child and found temples very boring (only went when dragged by some relative and eating 'prasad' was the only thing I enjoyed while there).

Years later, while I was in my early teens in Delhi, my grandparents came to stay for some years. They had the habit of saying "Narayana, Narayana" periodically (a habit common among people of their generation in Kerala). I used to find this odd but thought it was probably a learned habit.

This was the first time that the name of Narayana regularly fell upon my ears. I took little notice and did not give it any importance. Thus, while I lived in India, I had no interest whatsoever in spiritual matters.

Then, at the age of 16, I left India for good and moved to Europe with my family. Here I focussed on studying hard at school in order to be able to study medicine at university. Things were generally going well from a material perspective.

God continued to have no place in my life, until one day, I had to go to hospital for some invasive tests. While I was in hospital, a trainee nurse injected a sharp needle into the wrong part of my arm and probably hit a nerve instead of a vessel. As a result, I felt the most excruciating pain and blacked out (a common response to pain).

This is when the mantra made a grand entry into my life. When I blacked out, it wasn't just like a 'normal' black-out, when one doesn't remember anything. This is where it will probably sound a bit odd but it happened, what can I say.

This world disappeared completely and there was no memory of it (like a dream vanishes). Even worse, there was no me. No 16 year-old girl, no family, no name, no place, no nothing. It was very frightening. Not least because I felt that I was dying. Obviously I was not (the doctors later said it was an atypical faint). But that was the feeling. My mother, who saw this, said I went stiff, eyes rolling and stopped breathing, there was almost no pulse either. I was, however, not aware of any of this.

The only thing I was aware of was a roaring blackness, huge, fast, moving at tremendous speed. And I was in this black state, feeling utterly helpless. I could not snap out of this state back to the familiar world I know and like. There was a strong yearning to come back.

In this state, of utter fear, in this ghastly void beyond all description, there came the sound "Narayana". I don't know where it came from. I didn't say "Narayana" in my mind. Because my mind did not exist. The person I am now, did not exist.

So this person could not have said "Narayana". Anyway, there was consciousness of this sound. (Maybe it went deep into my consciousness somehow because of hearing my grandparents say this years ago, and it surfaced now, I don't know.)

A while later, I regained consciousness, but not calmly. I came around in the hospital, screaming "Narayana, Narayana" at the top of my lungs (was also crying due to feeling fear due to the feeling of dying). I had never called upon Narayana so desperately in my life until then.

The poor doctor and nurse had no idea what I was saying. My mother was also puzzled by my calling Narayana, as I had certainly never voluntarily called Him ever before up to that point.

After that, the memory of that experience stayed with me. A change came about in me. I gradually became more interested in spiritual matters. I started reading spiritual books instead of fiction. And developed an attachment to Krishna in particular. I later discovered my Guru in 2004 and became very interested in spiritual life and mantras in particular. I became a spiritual seeker.

I had the same scary experience a few more times, the latest being in May 2011- that was probably one of the worst. That time, the words "Keshava, please help me" arose in my consciousness while I was blacked out and went stiff. I then came around undignifiedly shouting "Keshava, Keshava" and woke up the entire household with the name of God - it happened at night and they were all asleep. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how one looks at it), they all heard the name of God loud and clear that night, a name they were not used to hearing!

After reflecting upon that occasion in 2011, I decided I must have a daily mantra practice (my mantra practice had become very sporadic at this stage due to being busy with my medical training). Some months later, I started a very regular daily practice in November 2011 doing just 1 mala a day, and began the first purascharana in January 2012. And from then till the present, I have continued a daily practice without missing a single day of reciting His names. His name remains a priority even when life is very busy with work and other activities.

I have not had the scary experiences since 2011. No idea if they will happen again (and privately, I hope they do not, unless God wants them to). While the memory of these events creates awe and fear in me, I am forever grateful to God for them. In the form of His name, He barged into my life in this way.

These scary experiences taught me two valuable lessons:

1. The name or mantra of God is powerful and protects. My experience of this is the reason I repeat it daily with reverence. I now understand the words of my Guru Sivandana, in his book 'Japa yoga', when he says "In the darkest hour of your trial, only the name of God will save you".
In this kali yuga, where the name of God is the primary sadhana advised in the scriptures, I feel very blessed to have been given strong faith in the name of God as a result of these experiences.

2. He is the real doer (for everyone). Me, my name, my personality, can be erased as easily as a piece of software can be deleted off a computer. My mind, my being is very, very temporary. I know this now- by my own experience.
I don't dare to say "I", my personality, had this scary experience. Because my current personality was not there to experience it. It was deleted, albeit temporarily.
 I am grateful to God, that He allowed me to understand that my personality is fragile and can evaporate at any moment. That He is the underlying basis of my existence, as He is for everyone.

So, when I say "Narayana" in this waking state, I say this name with reverence. I remember that this name alone existed when nothing else in the world did.

I respect this name more than I respect anything else in this world. This name is my true Guru (Sivananda is an embodiment of this name for me), this name is my God. And God willing, I will never let it go. I've seen its power myself and nobody can persuade me otherwise. This name is precious. It is not a 'normal' sound, it exists where no other sound can exist. I feel it it is the key to my spiritual discovery.

After I discovered Sivananda and had to pick my mantra for initiation in 2005, it was no surprise that I chose "Om Namo Narayanaya".

I trust that this mantra will continue to reveal its secrets to me little by little as I continue the practice. I have no doubt that your mantra will also do the same for you if you have a regular, daily practice.

So in summary, faith is indeed important in spiritual life. And the mantra is a very precious gift.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

How to pronounce the ashtakshara mantra of Vishnu

Hari Aum.

While devotion when chanting a mantra is extremely important for spiritual progress, correct pronunciation (as far as one is able) is also very useful. God knows when we are calling Him/Her via mantra chanting, and will respond even if the pronunciation is not perfect, if we do it with love and sincerity.

Having said that, a mantra is a special sound energy, it is the body of the deity in sound form. It is said to be the deity Him/Herself. It is a transforming vibration. Correct pronunciation of a sattvic pure mantra elevates and transforms the mind and body, even without any knowledge of its meaning- so say the Gurus/saints.

Therefore I will write a little here about the correct pronunciation of the ashtakshara mantra of Vishnu, namely Om Namo Narayanaya (based on my understanding of this). This mantra is a famous moksha mantra - it can grant everything, both material and spiritual. One can recite it to fulfill any desire, material or spiritual. The Gurus of course say that spiritual goals of everlasting peace, wisdom and bliss are the best.

In Sanskrit, there are long and short vowels. For example the short "a" and the long "aa". The "a" is pronounced as in "around". The "aa" is pronounced as in "far". The duration of pronunciation of a long vowel "aa" is supposed to be roughly twice as long as the short vowel "a" (in practice, we do not measure this precisely of course. But we say it in a way that sounds about right).

The Om Namo Narayanaya mantra contains three short "a"s and three long "aa"s. When written in Sanskrit, it is perfectly clear where the short and long "a" sounds are. It is less obvious in the usual way in which this mantra is written in English, namely Om Namo Narayanaya.

Let me therefore write this mantra in such a way as to reflect the short and long "a" vowels:

Om Namo Naaraayanaaya.

Namo is said with a short "a".
Naaraayanaaya is said with two long "aa"s followed by a short "a", then another long "aa" followed by a final short "a".

Whether chanting the mantra slowly or quickly, whether it is said mentally or vebally, the ratio of the short to long vowels needs to be about 1: 2. i.e. the long "aa" should last about twice as long as the short "a". 

Some common errors in chanting the Om Namo Naaraayanaaya mantra:

1. Chanting all the "a"s the same way.

2. Elongating the short "a" at the end of the mantra into a long "aa". i.e. saying Naaraayanaayaa (incorrect) instead of Naaraayanaaya (correct).

2. Deleting the short "a" at the end of the mantra entirely i.e. saying "Naaraayanaay" (incorrect) instead of Naaraayanaaya.

3. Some people even accidentally forget to say the final "ya" sound altogether and say Naaraayana instead of Naaraayanaaya. (This is incorrect- the "ya" at the end of Narayana, means 'to Narayana'. The mantra means salutations/namo to Narayana).

4. Chanting all the "na" sounds the same way. There are two types of "na" in Sanskrit. One is the usual "na" like in English, e.g. when you say "Number". The tongue is placed just behind the teeth when making this sound. Let's call this a 'soft na'.

The second type of Na is pronounced by the tip of the tongue hitting the roof of the mouth (the centre of the hard palate)- the tongue has to curl in the process of making this sound. Let's call this sound the harder "Na".

There are two soft "na"s and one hard "Na" in the mantra.

Let's write it to highlight these:

Om namo narayaNaya.

"namo" is said with a soft "na".
"narayaNaya" is said with a soft "na" followed by a hard "Na".


5. One final point,- the "o" at the end of "namo" is pronounced as an elongated "oo" (like the English "Oh", not as in "moo"). It's like saying "Oh" (h is silent of course) with a little elongation (similar length as the long "aa").

If we write the entire mantra again with the correct "a" and "na" sounds, it looks something like this:

Om namo naaraayaNaaya.

I would not recommend worrying too much about the various sounds in the mantra if one is not familiar with this and this causes stress. As far as possible, one can try and apply the above rules of pronunciation. But if it affects the joy of chanting, then don't worry about it. Narayana knows who you are calling when you chant this mantra, even if the pronunciation is incorrect.

If one can chant as perfectly as possible (completely perfect pronunciation is virtually impossible anyway) though, while keeping the devotional feelings intact, then that would be wonderful and very effective.

Here is a video from YouTube (see link below) of monks and disciples chanting the Om Namo Naaraayanaaya mantra at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh (they chant this daily for one hour for world peace and the welfare of all beings). They nicely demonstrate the correct pronunciation of this mantra in accordance with the above rules of chanting. (Don't worry if you can't easily tell apart the two "na" sounds, this is more subtle. The two "a" sounds are of course easy to tell apart though).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igw2ALIiEW4


Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

The Narayana upanishad and the ashtakshara mantra

Hari Aum.

I was reading the Narayana Upanishad recently and wanted to write about it here. This upanishad is from the Krishna Yajur Veda. It speaks of the greatness of Narayana and also of the glory of the ashtakshara mantra Om Namo Narayanaya.

I will share the main points mentioned in this upanishad and include a link (see below) to the Sanskrit slokas with English translation.

The Narayana Upanishad says:

Narayana is the creator, the maintainer and the dissolver of all creation. All creation emerges from Narayana by His will, remains in Him and then dissolves back into Him in accordance with His will.

All the demigods, humans and other living beings, the soul, mind, senses, air, water, fire, earth and space emerge from Narayana. He is space, He is time. He gives birth, He gives death.

He is the origin, the middle and the end of all things. He is everywhere, within and without.

Narayana resides in the heart of all beings.

In summary, all is Narayana.


Ashtakshara mantra of Narayana:  Om Namo Narayanaya

The Narayana upanishad talks about the greatness of the ashtakshara (eight syllabled) mantra of Lord Vishnu - Om Namo Narayanaya.

(Note- unfortunately this mantra is incorrectly written in many places including some temples, as Om Namo Narayana - missing the last syllable 'ya'.)

The Narayana upanishad says the following about the ashtakshara mantra:

-This mantra is most sacred. It is the king of all mantras

-When recited, it gives health, long life, prosperity and attainment of Vaikuntha (the abode of Vishnu, supreme consciousness)
-Recitation of this mantra grants liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

-One who recites this mantra in the morning becomes free of sins committed at night.
-One who chants this mantra at noon becomes free of the five great sins
-One who recites this at night becomes free of sins committed during the day.

-One who chants this mantra acquires the merit of studying all the Vedas

-One who recites this mantra attains oneness with Narayana

My Guru  Sivananda says that the recitation of a mantra creates the form of the deity associated with it. He says recitation of Om Namo Narayanaya creates the form of Narayana or Vishnu in the higher planes. Prolonged recitation of this mantra according to him, grants the darshan or vision of Lord Narayana.

My Guru says that all people are free to chant the Om Namo Narayanaya and gain the benefits. There is absolutely no restriction based on caste, gender, race or anything else. 

It is sad that some spiritual traditions restrict women and certain castes from chanting this mantra. The great sage Ramanuja climbed on top of a temple tower and loudly proclaimed this mantra to all, regardless of caste, creed or gender. Sadly some of the followers of this great liberal Guru now contradict his teaching and say that women and Hari-jans cannot chant this mantra. This is the result of the terrible ignorance of this kali yuga.

Once again, all great Gurus who attained God praised this mantra and said it can be chanted by anybody and will grant liberation to all.

Also, just to mention, every mantra has six parts that are described as follows as per my Guru Sivananda:

1. Rishi who first 'saw' the mantra (mantras are 'seen' in meditation, not created). The Rishi of the ashtakshara mantra of Vishnu is the rishi Narayana (one of the twin rishis Nara-Narayana).
2. Chandas or metre- the intonation in which the mantra is chanted. The metre of the ashtakshara mantra is Gayatri.
3. Devata, deity of the mantra: the deity of ashtakshara is MahaVishnu or Narayana
4. Beeja, seed syllable or essence of the mantra
5. Shakti- the shakti or power of the deity/mantra
6.  Kilaka- the 'pin' that plugs the 'mantra chaitanya' hidden in the mantra. Prolonged recitation of the mantra removs the kilaka or 'pin' and grants darshan of the ishta devata, the deity. Recitation of ashtakshara grants darshan of Lord Narayana.

Here is a link with recitation of the Om Namo Narayanaya mantra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IospxT7xl-I

See below for a link to the Narayana upanishad in Sanskrit with translation.

http://www.sathyasaiottawa.org/pdf/Vedam/Narayana_Upanishad.pdf

Hari Aum Tat Sat

How to choose a mantra to attain God

Hari Aum.

According to yogis, the great purpose of life is God realisation. Various traditions describe this state as a state of ineffable peace, bliss, wisdom, devotion to God and so on.

One of the great methods to attain God is though the practice of mantra recitation or japa. The first step is the selection of a suitable mantra. I will discuss this topic here. My views are based on that of my Guru Swami Sivananda.

The first thing to say is that a mantra itself is the deity. Mantra is devata. Therefore a mantra should be treated with the same respect as the deity it signifies. One should not casually start a little mantra practice, then discard the mantra and take up another, and keep changing mantras.  This shows an unstable mind and a disrespectful attitude to sadhana. One needs to approach the mantra with appropriate respect, understanding of its greatness and devotion. This is the key to success.

When it comes to attaining God through mantra japa, the Gurus say one should stick to one mantra alone. One should therefore ensure that one chooses the right mantra for oneself.

I have outlined some ways of selecting the right mantra for oneself below based on the Sivananda tradition.

Spiritual tradition:

The first question is whether or not one's spiritual tradition allows one to select one's mantra.

In some spiritual traditions, the Guru selects the mantra for the disciple. The disciple is not allowed to choose his/her mantra here. For example, this is the case in the Ramakrishna tradition.

In other traditions, such as that of my Guru Sivananda, the disciple can choose their mantra if they wish. But if they do not want to choose their own mantra, they can request the Guru to choose this for them.
Generally however, in the Sivananda tradition, the disciple chooses the mantra and then requests initiation into this.

So, if one does not yet have a Guru, or one belongs to a tradition where one can choose one's mantra, the following steps can be followed to choose a suitable mantra:

Two types of moksha mantras:

There are two broad types of moksha mantras. Those to God without form (nirguna) or with form (saguna). Both are equally effective and lead to the same goal.

A full list of nirguna and saguna mantras suitable for attainment of moksha is given at the end of this page (this list is as per my Guru Sivananda).

The first step to choose a mantra for attainment of moksha or God-realisation is to ask yourself which of these two aspects of God you prefer- nirguna or saguna.

Nirguna mantras:

If you prefer to worship the formless God, then suitable nirguna mantras for meditation include:

1. Om Soham (Soham means I am He)
2.  Om Tat Tvam Asi (Tat Tvam Asi means That Thou Art- is from the Upanisads)
3. Om Aham Brahma Asmi (Aham Brahma Asmi means I am Brahman)

Om is the Universal mantra. Its meaning cannot be described. It represents everything the mind can imagine and beyond. It is the essence of Brahman.

Saguna mantras:

 If you prefer saguna mantras, then before you can choose your mantra, you need to choose the deity. To identify the deity, follow the following steps:

1. The easiest way is to ask yourself who your favourite deity is. Is there a form of God that you like the most? If yes, choose a mantra of this form. See below on how to select a specific mantra.

2. If you do not have a favourite form, consider which form of God you appeal to when in distress. My Guru says this gives a clue as to which form of the Divine you worshipped in past lifetimes.  For example, when you are in pain and distress, if you say "Shiva" , this tells you that you probably worshipped Him in past lifetimes and His mantra will be suitable for you.

3. If neither of the above two options apply to you, then there are two further options:

i) Consult an astrologer who can tell you your 'ishta devata' from your birth chart. The ishta devata, is the form of God whose worship can take one to moksha. It is possible to see this from the birth chart.

ii) If you have a Guru in whom you have absolute faith and trust, you can consult them and ask them to select your mantra for you.

The sound of the mantra:

Now that you have chosen whether you want to worship the nirguna or saguna God, the next step is simple.

Basically, you have to find a mantra of the aspect of God you have chosen whose sound you really like.

You need a mantra whose sound you could be happy repeating all day every day. Because the key to success in mantra sadhana is regularity. Mantra japa is a direct path to God, especially for kali yuga, but it still takes time (not a day or two). It can take years of regular practice to attain God. And you will be spending a lot of time with your mantra to attain God through it.

Therefore you need a mantra that you can fall in love with, whose sound makes you joyful, whose sound evokes certain spiritual feelings in you, whose sound you will never get tired of hearing.

So this is the key: you should really like the sound of the mantra you choose.

Every deity has many mantras. E.g. For Krishna there is 'Om Sri Krishnaya Namah', 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya', or 'Om Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah', and the famous maha mantra- Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.

So for example, if you have decided you want a Krishna mantra, you should find some suitable mantras of His such as those described above, and then say each one aloud a few times. See which one feels the best for you to say.

If one mantra does not immediately stand out as your favourite, then take a few weeks or even months, to identify your favourite mantra.
Spend time doing a few malas of japa of some mantras and work out which one feels most natural, makes you most happy when repeating it. Then go for that mantra.


Mantra initiation or mantra diksha:

Once you decide you love a particular mantra, you should consider taking mantra initiation from a Guru. Guru is a very important requirement on the spiritual path. A true Guru is one who has attained God and will be your guide on your journey to God. He/She is a manifestation of God.

Mantra initiation is a very important step. My Guru says that an indescribable change happens deep inside the person who is initiated, whether or not they are aware of it.

But you should only take mantra initiation once you are absolutely sure about your commitment to the Guru and the mantra. Because initiation creates a deep and eternal link between you, your Guru, the mantra and the deity of the mantra.

At the time of initiation, your Guru sows the mantra in you, transmits a part of his/her shakti to you.

After initiation, it is said you are holding a chain which is the mantra- at one end is you, at the other end is God. This 'chain' of mantra, will lead you to God. It is to be revered. This link between you and the mantra and Guru is for lifetimes until you attain God. It is not for one lifetime only.

Once you choose your Guru and your mantra, and take initiation in the mantra from the Guru, you should never abandon the Guru or the mantra. This is the secret of success in spiritual life.

Abandoning recitation of a mantra after initiation is tantamount to insulting the mantra and the deity- this should not be done. If you are not sure about the mantra, do not get initiated, but just repeat it for a while without initiation and see how things go. Later if you feel sure about the mantra, you can take initiation.

So take your time in selecting the deity, the mantra and the Guru. All these three play a vital role in your attainment of moksha or God-realisation. It is therefore essential that you make the right choice for yourself.

If you have not yet found a Guru you have absolute faith in, you can simply start repeating the mantra without initiation. This also has a tremendous effect. When the time is right, the Guru will appear in your life and you will be able to get initiation in your chosen mantra.

Mantra purascharana:

Once you have chosen a mantra, and obtained initiation or diksha, traditionally the Guru asks that you perform a purascharana to 'activate' or establish the mantra in your being.

In practical terms, a purascharana is an extended mantra practice, so by doing this, you learn to integrate the mantra into your daily life.

You develop a habit of repeating the mantra daily. A certain amount of purification of character and spiritual development also takes place with the completion of purascharana.

More important than reaching a certain number of recitations, is the devotional feeling and concentration of mind with which it is done.

See the article on 'How to do mantra purascharana ' for further details on this practice.


Some final points:

My Guru Sivananda says that:
-Bija mantras should not be repeated unless one is advised to by a Guru.
-Sri Vidya mantras such as panchadashakshara and shodashakshara should be learned from a Guru and recited under their guidance only. One should never start reciting these on one's own without a Guru.

Most deity mantras will not cause harm even if mispronounced (see below). However bija and Sri Vidya mantras can cause harm if mispronounced. Furthermore, these mantras can rapidly awaken energies in one's being that one is not ready to handle, before one has reached the necessary purity of character. This can cause significant mental and physical health issues.

-Mantras such as Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Sri Durgayai Namah etc can be chanted safely with or without a Guru. These mantras cause no harm even if mispronounced. Although devotional feeling is more important than perfect pronunciation, one should learn to pronounce the mantra correctly as far as possible as this maximises the benefits of chanting.

A complete list of moksha mantras advised by my Guru Sivananda: 

These mantras are moksha mantras that lead to God realisation. (They can also be chanted for material gain if that is what one wishes). As per my Guru, these are perfectly safe to chant even if one has not yet found one's Guru. Mispronunciation of these mantras will do no harm. Recitation of these mantras creates spiritual merit, cleanses body and mind, destroys negative karma, develops devotion and takes one to God:

• Lord Krishna:
  • Maha-Mantra :
    Hare Rama Hare Rama
    Rama Rama Hare Hare
    Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
    Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
  • Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
  • Om Sri Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijana Vallabhaya Namah
  • Om Sri Krishnaya Namah 

• Sri Devi:
  • Om Sri Durgayai Namah 
   
• Lord Ganapati:
  • Om Sri Ganapataye Namah 
   
• Sri Hanuman:
  • Om Sri Hanumate Namah 
   
• Lord Hari:
  • Om Namo Narayanaya (Ashtakshara)
  • Hari Om
  • Hari Om Tat Sat 
   
• Jugal (Combined) Mantra:
  • Sita Ram
  • Radhe Shyam
  • Radhe Krishna
   
• Sri Kalika:
  • Om Sri Kalikayai Namah
   
• Sri Lakshmi:
  • Om Sri Maha-Lakshmyai Namah
   
• Lord Shiva:
  • Maha-Mrityunjaya Mantra:
    Om tryambakam yajamahe
    sugandhim pushtivardhanam
    uurvarukamiva bandhanaan
    mrityor mukshiya maamritaat. 
  • Om Namah Shivaya (Panchakshara)
   

• Lord Rama:
  • Om Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram
  • Om Sri Ramaya Namah
  • Sri Rama Rama Rameti,
    Rame Rame Manorame
    Sahasranama Tattulyam Rama Nama Varanane
  • Om Sri Sita-Ramachandradhyam Namah
  • Sri Ram
   
• Sri Saraswathi:
  • Om Sri Sarasvatyai Namah
   
• Lord Subramanya, Kartikeya:
  • Om Sri Saravanabhavaya Namah
   
• Sharangati Mantra (for surrender):
  • Om Sri Ramah Sharanam Mama
  • Om Sri Krishnah Sharanam Mama
  • Om Sri Sita-Ramah Sharanam Mama
   
• Sharada:
  • Om Sri Bala-Parameshvaryai Namah
   
• Tripurasundari:
  • Om Sri Tripura-Sundaryai Namah
   
• Vedantic Formulae:
  • Om Soham
  • Om Tat Tvam Asi
  • Om Aham Brahma Asmi

See below for a link to my Guru Sivananda's book called 'Japa yoga'. It has every detail needed for mantra japa practice. It has an even more detailed list of mantras for moksha than that provided above (see pages 54-55 for mantras in Sanskrit, and pages 59-60 for the same mantras written in English).

http://gurudevsivananda.org/japa.pdf

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Mantra: the philosopher's stone

Hari Aum.

I was reflecting on the power of mantra recently. What mantra has achieved for humanity from time immemorial to current times. As per our scriptures and sages, mantra is the energy of God, in fact it is God. A moksha mantra is the key to revealing our true nature as one with God. Okay we've all heard the theory. We know all this. We've read this time and again in different books. What about our experience of mantra? What has mantra done for us personally? To know this one has to repeat a mantra for a little while. It's like going to the gym to get fit. It's no good going once or twice and then standing in front of the mirror checking to see if one's biceps look bigger or one's tummy looks more toned. No - it takes weeks, months, may be a few years to get that fit toned physical body. Same thing with the mantra. It takes weeks, months, may be a few years to get that fit toned mantra mind. No point saying the mantra for 1-2 days and hoping for the spiritual biceps to immediately look bigger. That ain't going to happen. All good things come with time. And not necessarily after millennia as some despondent spiritual aspirants say - mantra is about speeding up God realisation. What would have taken millennia can take place in a lifetime or even part of a lifetime as per our sages. What is required is dogged determination and regular daily practice. We need to work those spiritual biceps every day with the mantra.

Anyway. I was reflecting how mantra is the be-all and end-all in a sense in spiritual life (on the mantra yoga path- there are of course other valid paths to God too- but the mantra is one of the most powerful).
Great yogis became great (or rather discovered their inherent greatness that was always there) with the help of the mantra. It would be reasonable in fact to say, that it was the mantra that revealed the extraordinary nature of the ordinary human being that took refuge in it. In other words, that the mantra is truly the philosopher's stone. It transforms the crude human rock into pristine divine gold.

It is important for us to recognise this as seekers in order to keep up our motivation and our practice. It is strange how people treat Gurus in one of two ways. Ignorant people dismiss true spiritual Gurus as fake, as frauds. Such people are to be pitied, but one day, they too will embrace a Guru- it is simply a matter of time and their evolution (this is the Lila of God that such persons exist).

Equally, and just as worryingly, genuine seekers eulogise the Guru's personality and refuse to believe the Guru when he/she says that our nature is the same as the Guru, the same as God. For example a mantra yogi Guru declares to the disciple "My friend, I gained whatever I did in spiritual life, by taking refuge in the mantra. I recited this so so often, virtually constantly. Pleased by my devotion to mantra, the deity of the mantra revealed Himself/Herself to me and I attained the Supreme Being. You too can do the same."

The last sentence is the critical part that we find hard to accept "You too can do the same". "No no" we say to the Guru. "You are great, you were born for greatness, you were a great yogi in the last xyz number of lifetimes- that is why you attained God in your one lifetime. I am a poor miserable soul, drowned in samsara- what hope is there for me- I will have to do sadhana for millions of lifetimes." With these thoughts apathy sets in- one subconsciously feels- "What is the rush- it'll take a few million lifetimes anyway".
The intensity of sadhana drops with this sort of negative thinking. This is also a way of disrespecting the mantra. The mantra is the ultimate transforming energy of God- how can one say that it will work so slowly on us? Are we saying that even God cannot transform us, though it transformed so many others?
It is foolish to have such faith in the lowness of our own character, and so much doubt in the mantra. How about reversing the situation? Let us have faith in the divine transforming power of the mantra, and let us doubt our the reality of our weaknesses (this is not to say we don't have weaknesses- this is to say the mantra is stronger than any weakness in us). In reality, let us remember, we are children of the Divine after all.

To emphasise the greatness of the mantra, I would like to say that as per our own sages, the mantra is everything, and the yogi himself/herself is and was nothing without the mantra.

Some examples from the Puranas and more recent times of great yogis who attained God through mantra:

1. Ratnakar was nothing before Rama mantra. He was a scoundrel, a criminal. Recitation of Rama mantra (repeated backwards as "Mara Mara") transformed the scoundrel into the great saint Valmiki, the one who told the story of Sri Rama in the form of the beautiful Ramayana.

Just to emphasise this point, I am expressing this view in the form of an equation:

Ratnakar + Rama mantra =  Saint Valmiki.

Ratnakar - Rama mantra = Nothing, utter scoundrel

2. Ajamila was nothing before uttering the name of Narayana. He was a miserable fallen man. Recitation of the Name of Narayana instantly purified and uplifted him to new spiritual heights. He became a great devotee of the Lord though the mere utterance of His Name

Ajamila + Name of Narayana = Saintly person
Ajamila - Name of Narayana= Fallen miserable man

3. Gopaler Ma  (great disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa) was nothing before she took to reciting the Gopala mantra. The mantra washed off her false personality and revealed the Divine within. She saw Gopala alone everywhere, she realised her oneness with the Divine.

Gopaler Ma + Gopala mantra = Extraordinary saintly lady
Gopaler Ma - Gopala mantra = Very ordinary lady


4. Dr Kuppuswami (later Swami Sivananda) was a doctor. A kind man. A good man. But not a sage until he started repeating the mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaya". He recited this mantra incessantly and frequently- for years. He developed his spiritual biceps patiently for years. The mantra removed from this the wrong notion that he was Dr Kuppuswami or Swami Sivananda. It revealed to him that he was one with Lord Vasudeva Himself. Great was Dr Kuppuswami's delight on realising this - as he himself expressed in his poems about realising God. The doctor became Swami Sivananda to the world, but in reality, within himself, he was none other than Vasudeva.

Dr Kuppuswami + Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya mantra = Swami Sivananda, God Realised saint and great world teacher
Dr Kuppuswami - Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya mantra = Ordinary human doctor

5. Sridhar Rao was a noble gentle being. A great disciple of Sivananda. He was given the monastic name Swami Chidananda. He did kind deeds, he was gentle and compassionate. He took seriously to recitation of a Rama mantra. Day in day out he recited this mantra and remembered Lord Rama.
The Rama mantra transformed Sridhar Rao or Swami Chidananda completely. It showed him that he was neither Mr Rao, nor Swami Chidananda. It showed him that he was one with Sri Rama Himself. 

In other words,

Sridhar Rao + Rama mantra = Swami Chidananda, great saint and God Realised soul
Sridhar Rao - Rama mantra = Ordinary kind human being

The point I am making here is that it is the mantra that gives everything to the yogi. The mantra gives purity, sattva, sadhana shakti, faith, devotion, conviction, surrender, protection, determination, perseverance, transformation and God Realisation. In the highest sense, the yogi does nothing, the mantra does everything.

Yogis are not born. They are primarily made. Yes some great yogis have done yoga sadhana in previous lifetimes. But they are not born perfect (like their disciples write in the biographies). No they were not born perfect. Many of them were like us initially. They had similar failings as us. They rose from strength to strength through sadhana. And they told us we can too.

This is the key point here.
They told us this is our birthright in fact. Sivananda states that God Realisation is our birthright. It is neither a fancy fictitious goal. Nor it is so impossibly high and pure a goal that it is beyond our reach. No- it is not too low nor too high a goal.
It is simply our birthright. That is all. Simply by being born human, we have a right to strive for this goal. We have a right to ask God for this goal. But we have to ask. Then God will give. As Jesus said "Ask and it shall be given to you". As Krishna said "Give up all dharmas and seek refuge in Me alone". We have to recognise that this is something we want. And then ask.
Recitation of the mantra is simply asking. Asking for devotion, asking for knowledge, asking for liberation. These are the things the Guru asks us to ask God for. We ask through mantra recitation.

If you are a mantra yogi, create your own equations above. We have to know that our destiny, as children of the divine, is to return to the divine. Being one with God is natural to us, it is our very nature. Being God Realised is not some supercool state where everyone admires us. It's just a state where we stop feeling that there are others and us (there is no us to be admired). It is a state where we see God and God alone everywhere, within us and without us. This is a state that cannot be described, we have to each experience it ourselves, and we will one day. There is no doubt about this.

Your equation:

You + your mantra = God Realised Being (of the future, assuming you are on your way but not yet there :)
You- your mantra= Ordinary human being

I am going to write my equation to motivate myself too:

Vishnupriya + Om Namo Narayanaya mantra = God Realised Being (of the future - not there yet ;)
Vishnupriya - Om Namo Narayanaya mantra = Nothing, ordinary human being


Let us dare to do it. Let us dare to believe it. As the ordinary people before us did. If we don't believe in ourselves, nobody else will. Let us doubt our doubts and have faith in the mantra, Guru and God. Let us take refuge in our mantras like never before. We have the same tools, the mantras, as the yogis before us. We are the yogis of today, we walk in the footsteps of the yogis of the past. The mantra will ensure our success in spiritual life as it did for the yogis before us.

As the Upanisads say "Arise. Awake. And stop not till the Goal is reached".
Let us keep up that mantra practice until that Goal is reached.

Hari Aum Tat Sat