Importance of chanting

Question: What is the importance of chanting (mentally repeating) Guru Siyag’s mantra?

All the major religions in the world, despite their intrinsic mutual differences, hold a unanimous view that the entire universe with its animate and inanimate parts was created out of a divine word. The Hindu or Vedic religion is no exception to this concept of God being the divine word of our origin. It acknowledges Om as the sacred syllable — the divine sound out of which God created this universe. Out of this divine word evolved variations of potent vibratory sounds capable of connecting with specific planes of consciousness on the subtle level. Each of these sacred vibratory sounds was called ‘Mantra’ in the scriptures with instructions on specific ways of pronouncing the divine word to achieve specific results. The mantras therefore form the very basis of Indian spiritual discipline.

Under spiritual discipline, a mantra is potent only when it is given by a Guru to someone who he has accepted as a disciple. Guru Siyag chanted powerful mantras before he attained enlightenment, and thus has the authority and the ability to initiate seekers. He says, “When an enlightened guru utters a mantra (while initiating seekers), it is His voice that charges the mantra with divine power. When I utter the mantra, the sound of my voice emanates, not from an ordinary body, but from an enlightened body. Someone who has never chanted God’s name should not preach about God. I chanted the mantra out of necessity. Circumstances forced me to chant, and that has brought me here today (as a Guru).” This is the reason why the mantra carries the power to transform the disciple’s life. Mere reading of a mantra from a text, such as the ‘Vedas’ or ‘Geeta’, would be an exercise in futility as the word would lack potency, and cannot therefore yield desired results. The mental repetition of the mantra, called Japa, results in full utilization of its potential.

Guru Siyag often refers to his mantra as the ‘Sanjeevani  Mantra’. He says, “The mantra that I give during Diksha is a Sanjeevani  Mantra. Let me first explain what the Sanjeevani  is. In the mythological epic ‘Ramayana’, Lakshamana was struck by a poisonous arrow and became unconscious (nearly dead). Hanuman brought the Sanjeevani  herb. When the herb was administered to Lakshamana he regained consciousness. The Sanjeevani worked only because Lakshamana had life left in him. Whatever disease you may have – whether it is AIDS, Cancer, Hepatitis B, Leukemia etc., and if medical science has said that it is incurable – once you receive this mantra you will not die. The Sanjeevani Mantra is part of the tradition of Shaktipat Diksha. The mantra that I give has the divine power of Radha and Krishna. It is Krishna’s  Shakti  (divine energy) that gives you life. Krishna is a complete Avatar (incarnation of God). Nothing is impossible for him.”

Gurudev’s explanation of the Sanjeevani Mantra can be interpreted as an allegory for ‘coming to consciousness’. The very purpose of spirituality is to ascend from the unconscious to the conscious. In the spiritual sphere, a life lived in ignorance of the divine is regarded as a ‘near-dead’ one. Legends of Nath yogis (the sect of ascetics that Guru Siyag’s Guru belonged to) are filled with stories of how Gurus startled their ‘sleeping’ disciples into a state of ‘wakefulness’. By chanting Guru Siyag’s ‘life-giving’  Sanjeevani Mantra round-the-clock, the disciple aspires to be freed from the clutches of ignorance (sleep / death) and be released into the light of consciousness. Sri Aurobindo has said that the mantra given by a Siddha Guru has the ability to give the disciple an inner vision, “The Mantras, always secret, and given to the disciple by his Guru, are of all kinds… This type of magic, or chemistry of vibrations, simply proceeds from the conscious handling of vibrations on higher planes of consciousness. This is poetry, music, the spiritual mantras of the Upanishads and the Vedas, the mantras a Guru gives his disciple to help him consciously make direct contact with this or that plane of consciousness, this or that force or divine being. Here, the sound holds in itself the power of the experience and realization – it is a sound that makes us see.”

The vibrations produced by Guru Siyag’s mantra resonate in the crown of the head and then descend downwards. This means that the vibrations of Guru Siyag’s mantra latch on to the higher planes of consciousness and affect a transformation that descends and then manifests in every atom of the being. The unconscious practitioner is fettered to his world of relations, ambitions, possessions, emotions etc. by Maya (illusion of duality), and always lives in a state of suffering. By chanting Gurudev’s mantra, the disciple begins to wake and ‘see’ the falsehood that he lives in and thus aspires to attain liberation from this endless cycle.

Japa Practice

How to chant effectively

Question: What does Guru Siyag have to say about Japa practice? Does he have any specific suggestions for disciples on how the chanting should be done?

Below is an excerpt from Guru Siyag’s discourse. Here he talks about the importance of Japa and how to do it effectively:

“The methods of spiritual practice in each Yuga (epoch) are determined by the general capacity or ability of people in that age to withstand the rigors of spiritual practice. This is the underlying principle of our (Vedic) Dharma and its philosophy. Spiritual practices differed in all the four Yugas, including Kali Yuga (Age of Falsehood), which is the present Age in which we live. Many religious leaders today exhort their followers to emulate the methods of spiritual practice followed by Dhruv and Pralhad (two prominent examples of child devotees mentioned in Hindu mythology who underwent most testing self-imposed methods to invoke God). When the followers say that in today’s conditions they are simply not capable of following those two most difficult examples from the Treta(age of three-quarters truth) and Dwapar Yugas (age of half truth), they are told that they cannot find and experience God.

“Is God hiding that you have to go looking for him? God dwells in each living being; so how can He go into hiding? In this Kali Yuga, it is only by chanting the name of God that a devotee finds resolution to all his material problems. In the ‘Geeta’, Lord Krishna has described Naam Japa (chanting of the divine name) as the best form of Yagya (lighting of sacred fire to offer prayers). In the 10^th chapter of the ‘Geeta’, Krishna describes the various forms He assumes and in stanza 25 He says that among all the forms of Yagyas he assumes, Japa Yagya is supreme.

“So, Nam Japa is the best Yagya. In the epic ‘Mahabharata’, it is said that Nam Japa is the only form of Yagya which does not involve killing of any kind. The Mahabharata war led to a horrific bloodbath. The generations that followed this war, abhorred any kind of violence and killing. Nam Japa entails no killing. Even today, if you light up the ritual sacred fire, it will lead to some kind of violence because the bacteria in the atmosphere will be killed, albeit on a miniscule level. But chanting does not lead to violence of any kind. Manu has said in his edicts called ‘Manusmruti’ that Japa Yagya is a thousand times more beneficial than the ritualistic Yagya.

“Saint Goswami Tulsidas has said, “Chanting the name of God relentlessly is the only secure way to survive in this Kali Yuga; it helps man across turbulent waters.” So Nam Japa is the only method of spiritual practice that yields us desired results. Religious rituals, which are extraneous processes, are nothing but an exercise in futility.

“There are three ways to chant a mantra: One involves uttering the mantra loudly. In the second, the tongue and lips do move but chanting is silent. In the third method, even the tongue and lips are not used; the chanting is strictly done mentally. It is similar to reading a book without using your tongue or lips or uttering the words you are reading.

“You have to chant the mantra that I give you mentally (without moving lips and tongue) for 24 hours. You may wonder how anyone can chant the mantra for 24 hours. In the ‘Japa Vigyan’ (science of chanting) — yes, chanting has a science behind it — there is term called ‘AjapaJapa’. People from older generations know what the term ‘AjapaJapa’ means; today’s kids don’t. Saint Rohidas’ ode explains well what this term means. That is why I often cite a stanza from it. Says Rohidas, “Ab Kaise Chhute, Naam Rut Laagi (How do I quit chanting? It has assumed a rhythm of its own).” This refers to a particular episode: Rohidas’ Guru initiated him into spirituality as a disciple by giving him a divine mantra to chant relentlessly. Rohidas did as directed by the Guru. After a few days, Rohidas realized that he no longer needed to make an effort to chant the mantra because the chanting had become involuntary. He tried to stop the chanting but it wouldn’t stop. He then exclaimed excitedly, “How do I quit chanting? It has assumed a rhythm of its own!” (This is called Ajapa Japa — chanting that occurs on its own without  any conscious effort on the seeker’s part).”

“When you relentlessly chant the mantra I have given, you will realize after 15 to 20 days that the chanting has become involuntary. You can’t then stop the chanting even if you try to. Even when you wake from sleep, you will find that the mantra is being chanted within you. You will then feel as if ‘someone’ in your inner being has assumed the duty of chanting; freeing you from the effort of chanting.”

“Some over-smart people make additions or alterations to the divine mantra. Some people put the word “Om” before the mantra or add the word “Namah” at the end. Never do that. There are two distinctly different spiritual paths:  Pravritti  (positive detachment) and  Nivritti  (negative detachment). When you alter the mantra I give, it results in mixing these paths together. When you do this, the mantra-chanting would be futile; it won’t yield desired results.”

“In the form of yoga that I initiate you into, you do not have to give up or undertake activity. All you need do with conscious effort is start chanting the mantra relentlessly. During the day, check five to seven times to ensure that you are chanting the mantra. And meditate regularly. You are not required to do anything else; you are free to continue your life-style as before without any change. There is nothing good or bad; or good food or forbidden food. Just continue the Nam Japa, and transformation of the personality will happen of its own accord.”

Why is the mantra chanted mentally

The mind is in a constant state of turmoil. Hundreds of thoughts rush through the mind no matter how hard one tries to still it. The harder the practitioner tries to control the mind, the more thoughts the mind produces, and that too with a vengeance. Just as the stomach’s job is to digest food, the mind’s job is to think. To ask it to stop thinking is akin to asking the stomach to stop digesting for a little while. Then how does one quiet the mind enough to meditate? Guru Siyag suggests that when the practitioner chants the mantra, the Guru “arrests” the mind. This means that when the mantra is chanted, the mind latches on to the rhythm and vibrations of the Japa and suspends thought for a while. This process can be understood with the following example: Say a glass of water has dirt in it which obscures the clarity of the water. The surest and fastest way of clearing the water is to let the water to sit for a while and allow the dirt to settle. Much in the same way, Japa allows the mind to settle down enough for the practitioner to meditate in quietude. When the mantra is chanted all day long while going about routine activities and chores like eating, bathing, driving, walking etc. the mind gradually grows quieter.

Guru Siyag says, “The entire universe is within you. So, the solution to all your problems exists within you as well.” By chanting the mantra mentally (as opposed to out loud or in a whisper) at all times, the disciple consciously forges a connection to the Guru within. Moreover, if a mantra has to be chanted out loud or in a whisper, the practitioner has to set aside specific times of the day to do so. Some Japa practices also require the practitioner to perform rituals along with the verbal chanting. Guru Siyag’s mantra’s mental Japa on the other hand can be done round-the-clock without interrupting one’s routine or scheduling in time for the practice. Through mental Japa the disciple is constantly aware of the divine’s presence within.  In the light of this, mental Japa is the most easy, effective and effortless method of realizing the self.

How to chant effectively

Chant round-the-clock: In his discourses, you may have heard Guru Siyag exhort practitioners to chant his divine mantra round-the-clock. Now what exactly does this mean? How is it possible to chant something 24 hours a day? How do you sleep if you are chanting or how do you chant when asleep? The answer is, you chant as much as possible during waking hours while going about your daily chores and activities such as eating, bathing, driving, walking, exercising, commuting to work, and even when resting or lounging. If you chant sincerely and consistently during waking hours, after a few days or weeks, the mantra chanting becomes involuntary. Guru Siyag says, “When you relentlessly chant the mantra I have given, you will realise after 15-20 days that the chanting has become involuntary. Even when you wake up in the middle of the night, you will find that the mantra is being chanted within you. You will feel as if ‘someone’ within has taken the responsibility of chanting for you and freed you from the effort.

How to Chant While Working: The main problem that most practitioners seem to face is the difficulty of chanting while at work. The mind becomes occupied by the task at hand — working on the computer, writing a project, doing accounts, talking to people, teaching students etc — and forgets to chant. Since at least 8 hours a day are spent at work, college or school, and 8 hours in sleep, how can a practitioner chant effectively in the time left? In the 8 hours that the practitioner has on hand (when not working or sleeping), effort must be made to chant the mantra wholeheartedly without forgetting. When the mantra is chanted sincerely during free, waking hours, the chanting becomes, as Guru Siyag says above, involuntary. The disciple has to put in this kind of sustained effort for only about two weeks, after that chanting becomes effortless and goes on even when the practitioner is working. About this Guru Siyag says, “After 15-20 days the Japa becomes effortless. During the day check 5-7 times to see if you are chanting and you will find that it is going on of its own accord.”

Movement of Lips and Tongue: The mantra must be chanted silently and mentally without moving lips and tongue. When reading a book or newspaper silently, only the eyes move over the words but the lips and tongue remain unmoving. The mantra too should be chanted in a similar manner. It is perfectly normal to experience a slight vibration of the tongue; that is absolutely fine and allowed. Chant the mantra at a medium pace — not too fast or too slow. If you chant the mantra too fast, the words will be jumbled up and if you chant it too slow your mind may wander off.

The Guru’s Voice: Something Guru Siyag has said in one of his discourses has confused a number of disciples. He says “मेरी आवाज़ साथ रखो (always remember my voice).” A number of seekers have taken this to mean that the chanting has to be done in Guru Siyag’s voice; in other words a constant mental remembrance of Guru Siyag’s voice chanting the mantra. This interpretation is incorrect because it unnecessarily complicates a spiritual practice that is centered around being simple and effortless. Guru Siyag’s instruction merely means that when a new seeker wants to receive the mantra, it should be given only in Guru Siyag’s voice. Instead of the instructor saying the mantra out loud, an audio or video recording of Guru Siyag saying the mantra should be played.

Tips to remember chanting

• If spirituality or being healed holistically through GSY is a priority for you, you will not forget to chant. However if it is not a priority, then you will have to make it one and place all other activities secondary. For instance, a number of people watch TV or play videos or games or chat on whatsapp or other social media during their free hours and forget to chant all together. Chanting can be prioritised by cutting back on these activities for a few days and utilizing that time to meditate and chant.
• Set reminders or alarms on your phone at different times of the day notifying you to chant.
• Have people around you ask you every now and then if you are chanting.
• Select a small object or piece of jewelry and mentally identifying it as your “personal reminder” and wear or carry it at all times or place it in a way that you frequently look at it. This object will serve as reminder that you need to chant. 5) The above is only an example, work out some personal method that reminds you to chant.