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Mantra Practice
Practice of mantra in meditation acts as a magnet for spiritual energy and gradually the higher self, seen as having been dormant or asleep, is awakened. Only then can the soul understand what was enunciated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal, India 500 years ago as "achintya bheda bheda tattva" or "simultaneous oneness with and difference from God". Mantras coming from an unbroken chain of spiritual masters in disciplic succession (called a "parampara"), act to gradually purify the practitioner of contamination from eons of association with matter and link the disciple to the guru in a special relationship in which the teacher can impart wisdom to the aspiring disciple according to their ability.
In one Vedic scripture called "Mahajana-karika" it is said, "Transcendental knowledge", which is received through the system of ´parampara´, beginning with Brahma, the creator and which is embodied in the Sruti is known as amnayaha, or the authorised sacred tradition". Students must be astute to understand who is qualified to be guru. A verse from "Vayu-Purana" states qualification as "An acharya is one who fully understands the conclusions of the revealed scriptures and whose behaviour reflects his deep realisation. He is a living example for he teaches the meaning of the scriptures both by word and deed".
In practice generally "japa-mala" or japa beads are used. They are a strand of beads craved form the sacred tulasi tree (always used by devotees of Lord Krishna or Vishnu), or other woods, or seeds such as the Rudraksha beads used in Shaivism. Other materials such as crystal, jewels, gold or silver are also used but these are generally for mantras to gain material wealth.The strand contains 108 beads as 108 is a holy number. The 1 symbolises the Supreme energy, or godhead. 0 symbolises completeness as God´s creation is perfect and complete and the 8 symbolises eternity. (Mantras for material gain will use strands with fewer beads, for example a wealth mantra has 30 beads in the strand.)
At the top of the strand is a unique bead,craved differently from the rest, called the "Krishna bead" or "Mount Meru",. This bead is not fingered during chanting, Beginning from the first bead the bead is gently rolled between the thumb and middle finger while the mantra is bing repaeated. One repetition on each bead is chanted until reaching the "Krishna bead". This bead is not rolled between the ingersas the rest but when reaching it the process is to then go back in the opposite direction. completing 108 mantras once (the number of beads on the strand) constitutes one "round" of mantra, or a round of "japa". Different devotees make different vows, according to the instructions of their guru, as to the number of rounds of mantra completed daily. Using beads helps the concentration and also helps to dissipate nervous energy. These beads become infused with spiritual energy coming from within the devotee and should be considered sacred, to be kept in a special place and never to be left on the ground.
It is best to find a quiet time and place to chant. Better to chant attentively for 5 minutes, fully concentrating on the mantra, than to chant for an hour when the mind and senses are too disturbed by unnecessary stimuli. Bathe, then create a spiritually conducive atmosphere by lighting incense and doing some deep breathing to relax the mind and body. If chanting mantras for spiritual liberation, sit facing the north and if the mantras are for fulfilment of material desires, sit facing the east.
Sit down cross-legged, if possible, but if this is difficult simply find a comfortable position that can be maintained for at least a short while. Its no good getting into a "lotus post" if your mind is screaming from the physical discomfort. However, if this pose is comfortoble, there is no better position for meditation.
Hold the beads at the level of the heart chakra, which represents devotion and the desire to transcend the "lower" self. Generally the beads are kept "hidden" by keeping them in a specially made "bead bag" which has a hole to put your hand and a convenient smaller hole opposite the hand hole where the forefinger can stick out. This makes it easier to chant using the thumb and middle finger. Then try to realx and forget about all daily mundane thoughts or activities for a while. Begin to repeat the mantra while rolling each individual bead between your thumb and middle (third)finger. breathe deeply and regularly and allow the mantra to wash over your mind. Allow it to enter the earholes by careful listening and to dance on your tongue by the attentive chanting.
After some time you will feel often a great release for pent-up emotions and feeling. There may be tears, there may be so many thoughts of wasted time in this life (and may be other lives). Just keep bringing yourself back by conentrating on hearing and chanting. If you begin to fall asleep, then assume another position or stop your chanting for the time being. Remember that regular practice is necessary and it will take a little time to begin to realise the benefits on the spiritual, emotional and even physical levels. Anything worth attaining is worth the patience and fortitude. If you want something cheap there are any number of charlatans waiting to cheat you with so-called spiritual processes to "make you God". God never "becomes God". He is eternally the Supreme Godhead. We, as individual souls (atma), are part and parcel of God endowed with all qualities of God but not in the same quantity, just as drops of water from the ocean are no different in content than the entire ocean, other than their quantity. If you really want truth and self-realisaton and ultimately God-realisation you must develop patience and humility. There´s no short cut or "new-age" way of minimising the process you undergo in the search for spiritual liberation. On the contrary this very "old-age" process of mantra meditatoin will infuse you with spiritual enerty and remembrance of knowledge gained forgotten over the millennia of time.
When an aspiring disciple has attained firm faith, and the spiritual master feels the disciple ready, he may offer "diksha", or spiritual initiation. It is of utmost importance to find a realised teacher eventually in order to make real spirtiual advancement. In the "Narada Pancaratra, Bharadvajasamita 2.34" the following is written, "When the guru gives the mantra to his disciple according to the rules and regulations of pancaratrika-viddhi then, by the influence of that mantra, the disciple never takes birth again. A humble disciple conducts himself with great respect for his spiritual master as if he is a son of the guru. To such a humble disciple, who has been purified by the appropriate samskaras (riituals), the guru teaches the meaning of the mantra. This is the way that spiritual initiation is performed according to the rules and regulations of scripture". Therefore we also see from this verse that the first important quality of a sincere disciple is humility. Without humility it is not possible to rise above the false ego "I" and "mine" or to speak of engaging in spiritual practice under a bona-fide teacher.
From this verse we can understand that only one who can save his disciple from repeated birth and death in the material planetary systems should become a spiritual master, or guru.
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