Mantras should be
learnt in childhood
The mind of an individual
is constantly subject to two powerful influences. On the one hand,
he is lured by baser instincts, which involve him in committing
misdeeds resulting in his treading the path of vice. On the other
hand, by Divine grace, he may choose the company of saintly souls
and God’s representatives whose teachings will enable him to devote
his entire attention on God and practise Dharma. These spiritual
leaders will prescribe him the simplest recipe to visualize the
Almighty-through Mantras and meditation. By chanting the glorious
names of the Supreme Being, the pious individual will be able to
overcome lust, anger, malice, avarice, ego and jealousy, the six
main evils, which corrupt a person. How to conquer them is explained
through a parable, citing the fight between a viper and a mongoose.
As and when the snake attempted to sting its enemy, the latter
rushed to a nearby tree, burrowed a hole at the root, chewed a bit
of it and came back. Ultimately, the reptile exhausted all its venom
when the mongoose, which had developed immunity by taking the drug,
overpowered it. Esoterically this dins into us that we can escape
the impact of the six strong forces by developing resistance through
the chief remedy – recitation of God’s names. This habit, however,
should be cultivated from one’s formative period for when one
becomes old, his failing faculties will refuse to obey his wishes.
The Mantras learnt during boyhood will provide the aspirant with the
ability to concentrate. The lives of Prahlada and Dhruva, both
children, stand as symbols of pure devotion.
Sri V. S. Venkataramana
Rao in a discourse said Prahlada the child-devotee, braved all
hazards he was subjected to by his father, by chanting the Lord’s
name in faith.
September 21, 1977
Why worship in
temples is necessary
God permeates the entire
universe, but skeptics ask for a proof about His existence. He
cannot be seen by us but He witnesses all our acts. An unscrupulous
man, relying on his sagacity, may presume that if he commits a
misdeed within the four walls no one will know about it. The
incident may go unnoticed by human beings, but the Almighty will be
aware of it. A ruler once announced a valuable gift to any one who
revealed God’s presence to him. While everyone stood baffled, a
little girl told him: “I shall offer 12 gifts if you can tell me
where He is not present”.
Likewise, the grand old
poet-evangelist, Avvaiyar, on her pilgrimage, once took rest in a
dilapidated temple and stretched her legs towards the deity.
Parvathi (in Heaven) was annoyed at her attitude, as She mistook it
for defiant attitude. Despite Lord Siva’s explanation that it could
not be intentional, Parvati appeared before her and asked how she
could show disrespect to the Lord. Her reply was: “Please indicate a
place where God does not pervade and I shall stretch my legs in that
direction”.
Sri Kripanandavariar, in a
discourse, referred to the usual question of why devotees should
congregate in a temple. If God is everywhere, is it not enough for
one to sit in his house and offer worship? The temples are abodes of
God. The Sun’s heat does not burn a cloth but only dries it. By
focusing the Sun’s rays through lens, the cloth can be set ablaze.
At the converging point, the heart is great. Likewise, within the
temple, the consecrated idol reveals its powers directly and helps a
devotee to meditate.
Nayanmars and Azhwars had
sung God’s praise in their hymns and had made images talk. The
devotional outpourings of great saints are in Sanskrit and Tamil.
These are the eyes of our religion. They lay emphasis on charity and
people are asked to donate liberally and instantaneously for causes
like temple construction. The sacred hymns, like Thevaam, should be
kept alive by honouring the experts who recite them, and inviting
them to sing on occasions like marriages.
August 29, 1980
The power of mantras
is enormous
A
mystical energy encased in a sound structure and containing within
its vibrations a certain power is termed the “mantra”. Upon
concentration and repetition of a prescribed mantra, its energy is
elicited and takes form. Each mantra is constructed from a
combination of sounds, which have a definite and predictable effect
on the human psyche and body. An obvious example is the difference
between classical and rock music: the former tends to be relaxing
while the other is inclined to excite the senses. On a more subtle
level mantras are applied for specified
purposes.
There are different types
of mantras but more common is the one in which a specific form with
attributes is visualized, along with the repetition of the sound. A
family man, for instance, whose ideal is to be a loving and
responsible husband might meditate on the name Rama. Visualisation
of deities is only an aid to focus the mind. Repeating the mantras,
which are the names of deities, internalizes the power of vibrations
contained in them. As Divine power manifests itself in sound, the
mantra itself is the subtle body of the deity. By chanting the
syllables with accuracy and devotion, the form of the mantra’s
presiding deity will be invoked.
In a discourse Swami
Vishnu Devananda said using sound vibrations (japa) for meditation
is a method of channeling one’s consciousness from the lowest to the
highest level of pure thought. Uttered verbally or mentally, a
mantra lifts one into the telepathic stage and beyond to the
transcendental. The power of sound is enormous and tremendous. In
addition to image and form, it can generate ideas, emotions and
experiences. Chanting removes the impurities in the mind.
Concentration on the meaning of the mantra and on the attributes of
a particular deity will fetch God-realisation quickly. In the state
of meditation, the flow of inner thought-wave is intensified. The
deeper the meditation, the greater the effect.
March 5, 1987
Daily rituals
underline equality
It may surprise us that
socialism in principle and practice in the religious domain was
advocated even centuries ago by our seers, through a specific rite
(among various others). This spirit of equality was inculcated even
while boys grew up. The Vedic injunctions to carry out certain tasks
by a group of people were intended for the prosperity of entire
humanity. The individual upholder of these directives may enjoy
peace within but the exercises in general were to benefit mankind by
invoking timely rain helping crops to prosper.
In the specific religious
ceremony, the youngsters, after being taught the mother of the
mantras, are to seek alms from the public. The food so collected was
to be pooled and then redistributed to the boys. Rich or poor they
should partake the same type of food, thus removing the feeling of
distinctions, if any.
The scriptures ask every
man to observe this basic duty, thrice every day, without fail. Even
if circumstances force him to give up other tasks like conducting
worship at home, reciting hymns and visiting temples, this rite
should not be given up. All the spiritual exercises will be
purposeless if one fails to perform this basic offering to God. It
is simple and may take little time even when a person is in a
hurry.
What benefit will this
compulsory duty fetch? Being mandatory, there is no need to specify
the outcome but the discipline when observed, the main mantra with
its spiritual potency when chanted as prescribed and the submission
made to God will result in the person acquiring poise, depending on
his endeavour. The best illustration will be a pothole in a road; a
cyclist will get hurt by being thrown away; a scooterist may just
avoid it in time: a car may not feel the impact at all. If the
pothole is likened to grief, non-believers in God will be affected,
those who seek God’s help only when in distress will be spared,
those who respect Divine Law will share it with God while those who
totally obey Him will not experience at all. Sri B. Sundar Kumar in
a discourse explained how God took an incarnation as the diminutive
Vamana, went through the ceremony.
March 31, 1992
Relevance of rites
eternal
Modern youth question the
rationale behind the religious rites and sacraments. What is the
purpose of the ceremonies, why should they be observed at all and of
what relevance are they, many ask. There are certain procedures and
exercises prescribed by ancient wisdom after being tested over the
years. May be some of them defy proper explanation but certain facts
in the scriptures are to be accepted with the belief that they are
for our enlightenment and are authoritative and beneficial. Valid
elucidation is possible for most of these
observances.
Even today, people follow
a set pattern while taking lunch or dinner. Why not a change be
effected in that order? Did anyone feel it unnecessary to wear a
particular type of dress during convocations? Has anyone thought of
altering this practice? Even now, in State functions, dignitaries go
in procession in horse-drawn chariots. Cannot these animals be
replaced by bullocks?
Regulations insisted by
foreign rulers are being blindly followed even now. Why not then the
valid statements in the Vedas and our holy books be adopted? The
Vedic revelations have sanctity and if the directives therein are
upheld, there will be discipline and order in society. The spiritual
commands provide us with moral strength to pursue the path of
devotion. A student has to complete schooling before seeking entry
into the portals of universities. These religious Do’s are in the
nature of prayers to invoke Divine grace and can never be considered
a waste or futile exercise. The mantras when chanted as part of
these religious duties, will sharpen people’s intellectual acumen,
develop the power to grasp quickly and that of retentivity of
knowledge acquired, and inculcate a sense of
discipline.
The Ahobila Math Jeeyar
Swami, in a discourse, said that even as an intending traveler would
specify his destination before purchasing a railway ticket from the
counter or a person entering a shop is conscious of the monetary
limit while purchasing an article, a man should first be aware of
the goal of his life. If he decides to reach God’s kingdom then he
should know about his Self and that this body of his is totally
different from the soul. The complexion of various people may vary
but their souls are the same.
February 26, 1994
