The Ancient Science of Mantras: Wisdom of the Sages

by Om Swami

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Exactness, inflexibility

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Aim Hreem Shreem for all feminine (devi) mantras Kha sa phrem for all masculine mantras (devata) mantras Om bhram jam sam for all neutral (napunsaka) mantras If you know the class of your deity, you can then also use the table below to be more specific: Type of Sadhana Crowning Mantra 1. Shaiva (all mantras where Shiva is the deity) Om Haraum 2. Shakta (all mantras where Devi is the deity) Aim Hreem Shreem 3. Vaishnava (all mantras where Vishnu is the deity) Om Namo Narayanaya 4. Saur (all mantras where Sun is the deity) Om Ashvatejasya Swaha 5. Ganpatya (all mantras where Ganesha is the deity) Om Gam Jram Namah Just to reiterate, when crowning your deity, simply touch the crown of your head and chant your main mantra three times. Thereafter, chant the crowning mantra seven times. Keep touching the crown of your head throughout.

So, when bridging your mantra, touch your throat and chant your main mantra three times. Thereafter, chant the bridging mantra seven times. Keep touching your throat throughout. For your bridging mantra, simply refer to the table under point number three above. Your bridging mantra is the same as the crowning mantra.

The protective shield is created by chanting the shield mantra a total of 400 times.

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For example, if your mantra is ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’, you need to chant ‘Hamsa Om Namaha Shivaya SoHam’ one thousand times. Deepan samskara signifies your desire and intention to bring the mantra into your own world (like one day the child leaves the womb and enters your world).

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To do bodhan samskara, you need to enclose the mantra with the seed syllable ‘hroom’ and chant your mantra five thousand times. For example, if your mantra is ‘Om Namaha Shivaya’, chant ‘Hroom Om Namaha Shivaya Hroom’ five thousand times.

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Tadan is done by enclosing the mantra with the seed syllable ‘phat’ and by chanting it one thousand times. For example: Phat Om Namah Shivaya Phat.

coronation.

To do abhishekam, you need to scribble the mantra on bhojpatra. Take a small vessel of water and chant ‘Om Hansa Om’ on the water. Now take a leaf of peepul, bilva or bahera tree and pour it on the bhojpatra 108 times, chanting the mantra alongside. Chant your mantra, take water in the leaf and pour it on the bhojapatra. Do it 108 times. If you can’t procure peepul, bilva or bahera tree leaves, then simply join your ring finger and thumb, dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the bhojpatra.

Vimalikaran is done by enclosing your mantra with ‘Om Trom Vashat’ and chanting it 1000 times. For example, the mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ will become ‘Om Trom Vashat Om Namah Shivaya Vashat Trom Om’

To do jeevan samskara, enclose the mantra with ‘svadha vashat’ by prefixing and suffixing it to your mantra. Therefore, the mantra will become ‘Svadha Vashat Om Namah Shivaya Vashat Svadha’.

Take half a cup of cow’s milk, half a cup of water and a few drops of ghee. Chant your mantra 100 times while doing libations in the same vessel. This is how tarpan samskara is performed.

Gopan samskara is performed by enclosing your mantra with the seed syllable of ‘hreem’ and chanting it 1000 times. For example, the mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ will become ‘Hreem Om Namah Shivaya Hreem’.

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Apyaayan samskara is done by enclosing the mantra with the seed syllable ‘hrom’. Therefore, the mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ will become

‘Hrom Om Namah Shivaya Hrom’.

Generally, the intention behind invoking a mantra is to not only attain a certain benefit from it but to be able to do so repeatedly. A mantra invoked by purushcharana is like seedless fruit. It’s tasty, nutritious and ripe, but you can only eat it once. When you awaken the mantra by doing various samskaras that require seed syllables, essentially what you are getting is a seeded fruit. Which means that not only do you enjoy the fruit but with the seed you have, you can plant a tree reaping the same fruit repeatedly and in abundance.

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Bhaur bhooli khasam ke bahut kiya vibichar, Satguru aani bataya poorbala bartar. Like a promiscuous one, I went around my beloved’s back and sought pleasures from other partners (This means, I lost faith in my deity and went around praying to other gods thinking they were more powerful). But, when my guru entered into my life, he helped me stay focused and pray to the one I’d been praying to in all my lifetimes.

One step at a time, one mantra at a time, one word, one letter at a time. With patience, discipline and truthfulness, you keep walking. Results most definitely come through for such an aspirant. For, if not for a sincere seeker then for who else would the deity manifest, who else would be more qualified to reap the rewards?

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Different beads have different results. In all mantra sadhanas of Ganapati, Devi, Shiva and other energies, rosary made of aksha nuts — commonly known as rudraksha — or elaeocarpus seeds is most auspicious. In all mantra sadhanas of Vishnu and Krishna, tulasi mala — rosary made from tulasi beads is most suitable. For spiritual progress, use Rama tulasi (white beads) and Krishna tulasi (dark beads) for material endeavors. Rosary made of sandalwood beads is universally good for any sadhana. Once again, shweta chandan (white sandalwood) for spiritual progress and rakta chandan (red sandalwood) for material progress. Further, in all Devi sadhanas, if you choose sandalwood beads, you are better off using red sandalwood. Rosary made from the beads of treated mercury is used in some tantric mantras of Shiva. For siddhi in the mantra of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, best results come from using the rosary made from kamal gatta (lotus beads). For specific sadhanas leading to an expansion of consciousness through mantra yoga, sphatika (crystal) is most efficacious. In many sadhanas of lower forms of masculine energy (demi-gods) moonga (coral) beads have a definitive effect. For peace of mind, longevity and fame, a rosary made from white pearls is useful.

Rosary of gold beads is used in rituals intended to worship the ancestors or with a view to attaining a desired material outcome. Beads of silver or copper are used in sadhanas done with a view to attaining victory in the battlefield. Many sadhanas of lower forms of energies (like yakshinis) use beads made of tin. Lead beads, especially in some tantric sadhanas, are used in mastery over even lower forms of energies like rakshas and pisachis. Rosary made from the beads of turmeric can be used by a householder to ward off evil spirits. Bell-metal beads are used in mastery over vampire spirits (vetala). Brass beads are used in chanting of mantras, especially a special class of mantras called Sabra Mantras, to gain control of serpents and reptile. For great wisdom, beads of topaz (red topaz) either strung or studded in silver are used. There are other types of beads and rosaries made from sapphire, bones, siyar singi, claws of owl or lion, clay, charcoal, wood obtained from gular (cluster fig tree) or shami tree (Prosopis cineraria) that are used in many tantric sadhanas, generally with a view to harm someone. I do not wish to expound on them publicly nor have I any practical insight into these beads for I’ve never used them. I have, however, personally experimented with at least nine different types of rosaries in many sadhanas over two decades and I can tell you that the selection of beads does have a noticeable impact on the quality of your sadhana, and therefore, the outcome.

Touch the beads on your forehead and chant the mantra of Ganesha, Guru, Astra, Gayatri and Sadhana mantra one more time. Only once each.

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Place your thumbs at the root of your little fingers and join your hands together. This is called the avahani mudra. Chant the mantra of your deity and add the words ‘avahyami’ in the end and display the avahani mudra.

Direct the avahani mudra towards the ground and open your palms. This is called the sthapani mudra. Chant the mantra of your deity and add the words, ‘sthapyami’, in the end and show the sthapani mudra.

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Make a fist with each hand, join those two fists together and raise the thumbs. This is the sannidhapini mudra.

Chant your mantra and add ‘sannidhim kuru’ in the end and display the sannidhapini mudra.