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Here I'll present selected passages on Repetitive Chanting or Japa from various Hindu traditions. Here theistic jargon is inevitable. But that should'nt deter a non-theistic reader. Just observe the practice techniques, perseverance, results etc, and try to implement those which you like. Even if you don't have theistic faith, if you practise, your own mind will give results.
Almost all the current Hindu teachers or organisations emphasise Japa either in itself or as a beginning step. Generally the aspirant receives the sacred word from a teacher by a formal initiation procedure. (However some mantras like : 'Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare', 'Om' are in 'public-domain', so to say! That is you can chant them without formal initiation procedure.). Generally the sacred word is a 'Name of God' (e.g. Rama, Krishna, Siva etc.) or a 'Seed syllable' or Bijakshara (e.g. Om, Klim, Aim, Hrim, etc.) which signifies a deity, or a combination of both (e.g. Om Namah Sivaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram, Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Vasudevaya), or longer prayers like Gayatri Mantra, Maha Mritunjya Mantra etc. The renunciates (brahmacharis, sannyasis) might have 'Om' or Vedantic mantras like 'Aham Brahmasmi' for their repetition. At the time of initiaion, the teacher will suggest the mode of repetition. Typically the aspirant will be required to chant the sacred word atleast 108 times a day, or in its higher multiples. The counting may be done with hand, or a rosary (most common are tulasi, rudraksha or spatika beads). The teacher may prescribe some rituals which need to be done before/after the japa, like waving lights, burning incense, prayers, some purificatory rituals etc. During the repetition the aspirant may be asked to just focus on the sound or accompany sound with visualisation of the deity (rupa dhyana). Generally the aspirant will be instructed to focus in the middle of the chest (Heart-space) or between the eye-brows. For some, focussing in between the eye-brows causes head-ache. So focussing at the Heart-space is considered safe. The Name of God is considered as equivalent to God. Hence the Name and its repetition is considered sacred. At times the teacher may prescribe a 'purificatory ceremony' (purascharana) where the aspirant is required to finish about a few lakhs or a crore of repetition within a fixed period of time (a few weeks or months), before he embarks on his regular daily repetitions.
As of now, we have quotations from:
Swami Sivananda of Divine Life Society
Sri Ramana Maharshi
Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Sarada Devi
The direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna
Swami Sivananda of Divine Life Society on Japa:
Swami Sivananda of Divine Life Society has written a treatise 'Japa
Yoga'. It is a book with good coverage. Excerpts from his book are
available in the following links:
Swami Sivananda
of Divine Life Society on Japa
Swami Sivananda
on Bijaksharas .
These gives some of the bijaksharas / mantras used for Hindu deities. Some religious groups are making millions of dollars by 'selling' these bijaksharas, in the name of secret initiation ceremony! These are available free at the above site.
Swami Sivananda is a votary of Writing-Japa or Likhita Japa - here the aspirant writes a few pages of the sacred word every day. It is more 'involving' than even oral repetition of the sacred word, because even the body is roped into the practice. Even now, some people have the habit of writing mantras like 'Sri Ramajayam' etc. Children find this very interesting!
The main path prescribed by Sri Ramana Maharshi is Self-Enquiry. However, some of his followers were already practising japa, pranayama etc. So he answered their queries regarding those techniques. He approved japa or pranayama as a preparatory or supplementary step to Self-Enquiry. He also explained how they lead automatically to Self-Enquiry. Here we collect his teachings on Japa. While speaking on japa he frequently quoted a small work of Saint Namdev, 'The Philosophy of the Divine Name'.
If one watches whence the notion 'I' arises, the mind is absorbed into That; that is tapas. When a mantra is repeated, if one watches the Source from which the mantra sound is produced the mind is absorbed in That; that is tapas. - Sri Ramana Maharshi to Ganapati Muni.
Source: 'Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self Knowledge', Authur Osborne, Sri Ramasramam, Tiruvannamali, Pg . 108.
When the japa becomes continuous, all other thoughts cease and one is in one's real nature, which is japa or dhyana. We turn our mind outwards on things of the worlds and are therefore not aware of our real nature being always japa. When by conscious effort of japa or dhyana, as we call it, we prevent our mind from thinking of other things, then what remains is our real nature, which is japa.
So long as you think you are name and form, you can't escape name and form in japa also. When you realise you are not name and form, then name and form will drop of themselves. No other effort is necessary. Japa or dhyana will naturally and as a matter of course lead to it. What is now regarded as the means, japa, will then be found to be the goal. Name and God are not different. This is clearly shown in the teachings of Namdev.
'The Philosophy of the Divine Name' by Namdev
1. The Name permeates densely the sky and the lowest regions and the entire universe. Who can tell to what depths in the nether regions and to what height in the heavens it extends. The ignorant undergo the 84 lakhs of species of births, not knowing the essence of things. Namdev says the Name is immortal. Forms are innumerable, but the Name is all that.
2. The Name itself is Form. There is no distinction between Name and Form. God became manifest and assumed Name and Form. Hence the Name, the Vedas established. Beware there is no mantra beyond the Name. Those who say otherwise are ignorant. Namdev says the Name is Keshava[God] Himself. This is known only to the loving devotees of the Lord.
3. The all-pervading nature of the Name can only be understood when one recognises one's own 'I'. When one's own name is not recognised, it is impossible to get the all-pervading Name. When one knows oneself, then one finds the Name everywhere. To see the Name as different from the Named creates illusion. Namdev says, 'Ask the Saints'.
4. No one can realise the Name by practice of knowledge, meditation or austerity. Surrender yourself first at the feet of the Guru and learn to know that 'I' myself is that Name. After finding the source of that 'I' merge your individuality in that oneness which is self-existent and devoid of all duality. That which pervades beyond dvaita [duality] and dvaitatita [that which is beyond duality], that Name has come into the three worlds. The Name is Parabrahman itself where there is no action arising out of duality.
The same idea is also found in the Bible: 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God'.
Question: How long should I do japa for? Should I also concentrate
on an image of God at the same time?
Maharshi: Japa is more important than external form. It must
be done until it beocmes natural. It starts with effort and is continued
until it proceeds of itself. When natural it is called realisation. / Japa
may be done even while engaged in other work. That which is, is the one
reality. It may be represented by a form, a japa, mantra, vichara, or any
kind of attempt to reach reality. All of them, finally resolve themselves
into that one single reality. Bhakti, vichara and japa are only different
forms of our efforts to keep out the unreality. The unreality is an obsession
at present but our true nature is reality. We are wrongly persisting in
unreality, that is, attachment to thoughts and worldly activities. Cessation
of these will reveal the truth. Our attempts are directed towards keeping
them out and this is done by thinking of the reality only. Although it
is our true nature it looks as if we are thinking of it while doing these
practices. What we do really amounts to the removal of obstacles for the
revelation of our true being.
Japa is our real nature. When we realise the Self then japa goes on without effort. What is the means at one stage becomes the goal at another. When effortless constant japa goes on, it is realisation.
Q: I am not learned in the scriptures and I find the method of
self-enquiry too hard for me. I am a woman with seven children and a lot
of household cares and it leaves me little time for meditation. I request
Bhagavan to give me some simpler and easier method.
Maharshi: No learning or knowledge of scriptures is necessary
to know the Self, as no man requires a mirror to see himself. All knowledge
is required only to be given up eventually as not-Self. Nor is household
work or cares with children necessarily an obstacle. If you can do nothing
more at least continue saying 'I,I' to yourself mentally as advised in
'Who am I?' (A booklet containing his instructions on Self-Enquiry),
'... if one incessantly thinks "I, I", it will lead to that state [the
Self].' Continue to repeat it whatever work you may be doing, whether you
are sitting, standing or walking. 'I' is the name
of God. It is the first and greatest of all mantras. Even Om is second
to it.
Q: For controlling the mind, which of the two is better performing
japa of the ajapa [unspoken] mantra or of omkar [the sound of om]?
Maharshi: What is your idea of unspoken and involuntary japa
[ajapa]? Will it be ajapa if you go on repeating with the mouth 'soham,
soham' ['I am He, I am He']? Ajapa really means to know that japa which
goes on involuntarily without being uttered through the mouth. Without
knowing this real meaning people think that it means repeating with the
mouth the words 'sohan, soham' hundreds of thousands of times, counting
them on the finges or on a string of beads. / Before beginning a japa breath
control is prescribed. That means, first do pranayama [regualting of breath]
and then begin repeating the mantra. Pranayama means first closing the
mouth does'nt it? If, by stopping the breath, the five elements in the
body are bound down and controlled, what remains is the real Self. That
Self will by itself be repeating always 'aham, aham'
['I, I']. That is ajapa. Knowing this, how could that which is repeated
by mouth be ajapa? The vision of the real Self which performs japa of its
own accord involuntarily and in a never-ending stream, like the flowing
down continuously of oil, is ajapa, gayatri and everything. / If
you know who it is that is doing japa you will know what japa is. If you
search and try to find out who it is that is doing japa, that japa itself
becomes the Self.
The Self is the greatest of all mantras - it goes on automatically and eternally. If you are not aware of this internal mantra, you should take to it consciously as japa, which is attended with efford, to ward off all other thoughts. By constant attention to it, you will eventually become aware of the internal mantra which is the state of realisation and is effortless. Firmness in this awareness will keep you continually and effortlessly in the current, however much you may be engaged in other activities. / By repetition of mantras, the mind gets controlled. Then the mantra becomes one with the mind and also with the prana [ the energy that sustains the body]. / When the syllables of the mantra become one with the prana, it is termed dhyana, and when dhyana becomes deep and firm it leads to sahaja sthiti [the natural state].
The object of mantra japa is to realise that the same japa is already going on in oneself even without effort. The oral japa becomes mental and the mental japa finally reveals itself as being eternal. That mantra is the person's real nature. That is also the state of realisation.
The japa becomes mental and finally reveals itself as the Self. That is samadhi.
Q: How should I carry on japa?
Maharshi:One should not use the name of God mechanically and
superficially without the feeling of devotion.
Q: Is there no benefit at all in doing japa with the mouth?
Maharshi: Who said there is no benefit? Such japa will be the
means for chitta suddhi [purifying the mind]. As the japa is done repeatedly
the effort ripens and sooner or later leads to the right path. Good or
bad, whatever is done never goes to waste. Only the differences and the
merits and demerits of each will have to be told, looking to the stage
of development of the person concerned.
Q: Is not mental japa better than oral japa?
Maharshi: Oral japa consists of sounds. The sounds arise from
thoughts, for one must think before one expresses the thoughts in words.
The thoughts form the mind. Therefore mental japa is better than oral japa.
Q: So mechanical repetition is unproductive?
Maharshi: Acute diseases will not be cured merely by repeating
the name of the medicine but only by drinking the medicine. Similarly,
the bonds of birth and death will not cease merely by doing many repetition
of mahavakyas such as 'I am Siva'. Instead of wandering about repeating
'I am the Supreme', abide as the Supreme yourself. The misery of birth
and death will not cease by vocally repeating countless times 'I am That',
but only by abiding as That.
Japa becoming mental becomes contemplation. Dhyana, contemplation and mental japa are the same. When thoughts cease to be promiscuous and one thought persists to the exclusion of all others, it is said to be contemplation. The object of japa or dhayna is the exclusion of several thoughts and confining oneself to one single thought. Then that thought too vanishes into its source--absolute consciousness. The Self, the mind egages in japa and then sinks into its own source.
Japa helps to fix the mind on a single thought. All other thoughts are first subordinated until they disappear. When it becomes mental it is called dhyana. Dhyana is your true nature. It is however called dhyana because it is made with effort. Effort is necessary so long as thoughts are promiscuous. Because you are with other thoughts, you call the continuity of a single thought meditation or dhyana. If that dhyana becomes effortless it will be found to be your real nature.
Q: People give some names to God and say that the name is sacred
and that repetitions of the name bestow merit on the individual. Can it
be true?
Maharshi: Why not? You bear a name to which you answer. But
your body was not born with that name written on it, nor did it say to
anyone that it bore such and such a name. And yet a name is given to you
and you answer to that name, because you have identified yourself with
the name. Therefore the name signifies something and it is not a mere fiction.
Similarly, God's name is effective. Repetition of the name is remembrance
of what it signifies. Hence its merit.
Q: While making japa for an hour or more I fall into a state
like sleep. On waking up I recollect that my japa has been interrupted.
So I try again.
Maharshi: 'Like sleep', that is right. It is the natural state.
Because you are now associated with the ego, you consider that the natural
state is something which interrupts your work. So you must have the experience
repeated until you realise that it is your natural state. You will then
find that japa is extraneous but still it will go on automatically. Your
present doubt is due to that false identity, namely of identifying yourself
with the mind that does the japa. Japa means clinging to one thought to
the exclusion of all other thoughts. That is its purpose. It leads to dhyana
which ends in Self-realisation or jnana.
Source: 'Be As You Are - The Teachings of Sri
Ramana Maharshi', Ed. David Goodman, Penguin Books, 1992, Pg. 120
- 126.
Sri Ramakrishna on Japa (or) Repetition of Divine Names:
Japa means repeating the Name of the Lord silently, sitting in a quiet place. If one continues the repetition with concentration and devotion, one is sure to be blessed with Divine visions ultimately--one is sure to have God-realisation. Suppose a big log of wood is immersed in the Ganges with one end attached to a chain, which is fixed on the bank. Following the chain, link by link, you can dive into the water and gradually trace your way to the log. In the same manner, if you become absorbed in the repetition of His holy Name, you will eventually realise Him.
Sing with Bhakti the hallowed Name of the Lord, and the mountain of your sins will vanish, just as a mountain of cotton will burn to ashes and disappear if but a spark of fire falls on it.
Chant the Name of Hari (God) morning and evening, clapping your hands all the while; all your sins and afflictions will then leave you. If you clap your hands standing under a treee, the birds perching on it will fly away. So if you chant the Name of Hari clappping your hands at the same time, the birds of evil thoughts will fly away from the tree of your body.
Take His Name constantly. This will cleanse all sin, lust, and anger and all desire for the pleasures of the body will vanish.
Take the Name of the Lord always, but pray to Him at the same time that you may gain love for Hi, and that your attachment to money, fame and physical comforts--all transient things--may grow less and less.
If you wish to see God, have firm faith in the efficacy of repeating the Name of Hari and try to discriminate the real from the unreal.
Knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, in whatever state of mind a man utters God's Name, he acquires the merit of such utterance. A man who voluntarily goes to a river and bathes therein gets the benefit of the bath; so does he also who has been pushed into the water by another, or who, when sleeping soundly, has water thrown upon him.
In whatever way one falls, whether consciously or unconsciously, into the lake of immortality, one becomes immortal by the mere immersion. Whoever utters the Name of God, and utters it whether voluntarily or involuntarily and pronounces it howsoever, attains immortality, in the end.
The devotional practices of the worldly-minded are all for the time being. They leave no lasting impression behind. But those who are devoted solely to God chant His Name with every breath. Some chant "Om Ram Om" constantly within themselves. The votaries of the path of Knowledge chant "So-ham". Of some, again, the tongue moves constantly (i.e., utters prayers or some Mantra).
Sri Chaitanya has said: "Very powerful indeed is the Lord's Name. It may not bring about immediate results, but is must one day bear fruit, just as we find that a seed left long ago on the cornice of a building at last reaches the ground, germinates, grows into a tree, and bears fruit, when perhaps the building cracks and is demolished."
He and His Name are not different. Satyabhama failed to balance the Lord (Krishna) with gold and jewels. But Rukmini succeeded when she placed a Tulasi leaf and the Name of Krishan in the other pan of the balance.
Source: 'Saying of Sri Ramakrishna', Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, Pg 105 - 108.
Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi on Japa:
As wind removes the cloud, so the Name of God destroys the cloud of worldliness.
The Mantra purifies the body. Man becomes pure by repeating the Mantra of God.
Do you know the significance of Japa and other spiritual practices? By these, the power of the sense-organs is subdued.
A devotee took a tiny banyan seed and said to Mother, "Look, Mother, it is tinier even than the tiniest seed we know. From this will spring a giant tree! How strange!", "Indeed, it will.", Mother replied, "See what a tiny seed is the Name of God. From it in time come divine moods, devotion, love and spiritual consummation."
Just see the power of habit. By the law of habit man attains realization by continuous practice of Japa.
A devotee asked her, "Mother, what is the secret?". She pointed to a small timepiece in a niche and said, "As that timepiece is ticking, so also go on repeating God's Name. That will bring you everything. Nothing more need be done."
A disciple had written "I cannot calm my mind and concentrate" and so on. Mother became agitated at these words and said, "It can be done if one repeates the Name fifteen or twenty thousand times each day. I have seen it actually happen. Let him do that first and talk afterwards if it fails. One must put one's mind to it. But no, no one will do that. They only complain 'Why does nothing come of it?'. "
Disciple: "I practise Japa, but I cannot concentrate my
mind."
Mother: "Repeat the Name of God, whether your mind is
concentrated or not. It will be good for you if you can repeat the Name
of God for a fixed number of times daily."
Disciple: "Mother, shall I practise the repetition of the
holy Name having in mind a fixed number of repetitions?"
Mother: "If you repeat with an eye to number, your
mind may be concentrated on the number alone. Therefore I would advise
you to repeat the Name of God without being particular about the number."
Once a devotee forgot how to count the repetitions of the Mantra on his fingers. Mother said, "What does it matter? The purpose of all this is to direct the mind towards God."
Repeating the Name of God a fixed number of times, telling the rosary or counting on fingers, is calculated to direct the mind to God. The natural tendency of the mind is to run this way and that way. Through these means it is attracted to God. While repeating the name of God, if one sees His form and becomes absorbed in Him, one's Japa stops. One gets everything when one suceeds in meditation.
While performing Japa, take the Name of God with utmost love, sincereity, and self-surrender. Before commencing your meditation daily, first think of your utter helplessness in this world and then slowly being the practice of Sadhana as directed by your Guru.
One should meditate on one's chosen Deity as one goes on making Japa. In meditation the face of the chosen Deity of course comes first; but one should meditate on the whole figure, starting from the feet upward.
Disciple: "Why is it that our mind is not absorbed in God when
we repeat His Name?"
Mother: "It will come about in due course. Even if the mind
is not concentrated, do no give up the repetition of the holy Word. You
do your duty. While repeating the Name, the mind will get fixed of itself
on the ideal, like a candle flame in a place protected from the wind. It
is the wind alone that makes the flame flicker. In the same way, our fancies
and desires make our mind restless."
When a devotee complained that the impurities of his mind were not being removed in spite of his Japa and meditation, Mother said, "Through the practice of Japa they will go. How can one afford to do without these practices?"
Repeating the Name of God once, with the mind controlled, is equivalent to a million repetititons with the mind away from God. You may repeat the Name for the whole day, but if the mind is elsewhere, that does not produce much result. The repetition must be accompanied by concentration. Then alone one gets the grace of God.
The Kundalini will be gradually awakened. You will realize everything by the repetition of God's Name. Even if the mind is not quiet, still you can sit and repeat the holy Name a million times.
The conjuction of day and night is the most auspicious time for calling on God. The mind remains pure at this time.
True it is that there is no hard and fast rule about the time of Japa, yet morning and evening are the favourable periods. Whatever the time be, you must do Japa every day. It is not good to forgo it any day.
Source: 'Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi', Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, Pg 38 - 52.
The direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna on Japa:
Swami Brahmananda:
Japam-Japam-Japam! Even while you work practise Japam. Keep the Name of the Lord spinning in midst of all your activities. If you can do this, all the burning of the heart will be soothed. Many sinners have become pure and free and divine by taking refuge in the Name of the God. Have intense faith in God, and in His Name, know that they are not different.
Source: 'Eternal Companion', Sri Ramakrishna
Math, Chennai, Pg 297.