Guest guest Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Mantra may be recited loudly, quietly, or silently ~ the last being most auspicious. Silent repetition of mantra at any time certainly qualifies as japa. Concentration on the mantra being applied is certainly preferable during japa. Counting is not required during japa, and generally speaking, the more the better; although certain numbers (counted in one set or sitting) are more auspicious. 108 times, or any multiple or fraction of that amount (e.g. 27, 54, 108, 216, 1008, 21600, etc.) is generally considered most auspicious. Japa is not really measurable in human terms. Although number of repetitions and time spent may give some indication, the degree of effect and speed of progress depends on many factors that are different for each individual. The fruit of japa is tapas, the fire which burns all karma, and each individual has a different debt of past karma to overcome before "liberation" is a possibility. With devotion and determined effort, and the grace of the Guru, the goal may be achieved sooner ~ perhaps in this life, perhaps in the next, or maybe even tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 27, 2004 Report Share Posted November 27, 2004 I have found that doing japa definitely has an effect, and it helps if one has an emotional connection to the mantra itself. If you love Ganesha, for instance, then doing regular japa of Ganesha (Aum Gang Ganapataye Namaha)will bring spiritual benefit. Japa is a good thing to fill those moments when you would normally be sitting still occupied with mundane thoughts, such as on public transit. It also serves as protection, at least that's what I noticed. I once had to walk some distance through a seedy part of town dressed in a manner that would normally tend to draw undesirable attention, but I was doing my Ganesha japa and prayed to him as Lord of the Ganas to walk behind me the whole time, and it was as though I was invisible..no one even glanced my way even though I walked right past them, and I arrived unharassed at my destination! I was VERY relieved, and very thankful!! Lilith M. --- kesava Prasaad <keshavaprasadkh wrote: > > > Japa is an act of sowing the seed so as to cultivate > new habit in our > subconsious. In the begining days of starting Japa, > we find that our > mind is not stable ,we will be thinking of other > external things.But > after sometime (monnths or years) we will be > thinking of Japa when we > are doing other things. It is a signal that devine > has taken root in > us. > > Keshava > > > > , "omprem" > <omprem> wrote: > > > > The Woodcutter and the Geni > > > > There once was a tired, old woodcutter. Every day > he cut and > > gathered wood, carried it into town and sold it. > He earned just > > enough to sustain himself. But as the years > passed, the > > woodcutter's strength began to fade and he was > afraid of not > > being able to carry on his work and chores and to > support > > himself. > > > > The woodcutter had been a deeply religious man all > of his life > > and he finally decided to ask his God for one > favour. He prayed > > that his God might help him to continue his work > by sending him > > a helper. He prayed many times without success > but never felt > > abandoned and remained true to his God. One day > God > > answered the woodcutter and said, "My humble > servant, your > > wish shall be granted. I will give you a genie > who will do all > that > > you ask. He is capable of doing anything. You > must, however, > > keep him busy all the time. If you do not, the > genie will destroy > > you. Do you accept this genie?" > > > > The woodcutter replied eagerly, "Oh, thank you, > Lord. Yes, I > > accept your gift and will keep the genie busy all > the time." The > > woodcutter then proceeded to put the genie to > work. "Clean my > > house, genie", he ordered. > > "Yes, master", the genie replied and in 15 minutes > had the > > woodcutter's shack spotless. > > > > "Very good work", observed the woodcutter. "Now, > tidy the > > garden. Pull out the weeds and fix the fences". > > > > Again the genie simply replied, "Yes, master" and > went to work. > > In half an hour the garden was beautiful and the > fences were like > > new. > > > > "How wonderful", thought the woodcutter. "Now my > life will be so > > much easier". The genie was next sent to the town > some ten > > miles away to buy some rice. "That should keep > him busy for a > > while", thought the woodcutter. > > > > But within one hour the genie was back with the > rice and asking > > for something to do. The woodcutter asked the > genie to cut and > > gather a day's supply of wood and take to town and > sell it. Soon > > the genie was back asking for more instructions. > But the > > woodcutter was slow to reply and the genie > advanced > > threateningly toward him. The woodcutter finally > told the genie to > > cut and gather more wood and then more and more > wood. The > > poor woodcutter was now beginning to panic for > there was less > > and less wood left to cut and he was barely able > to keep up to > > the genie's demands for work. > > > > In desperation, the woodcutter ordered the geni to > accompany > > him to a local sage. The woodcutter explained his > predicament > > to the sage and pleaded for a solution. The sage > pondered for a > > while and at last replied, "Ask your genie to > bring the tallest > tree > > that he can find in the country. Within an hour > the genie returned > > bearing a mighty tree. "Now", instructed the > sage, "Tell him to > > plant that tree in your backyard and to climb up > to the top and > > then to climb down to the bottom of the tree. > Tell him to continue > > to do that until you tell him to stop and perform > another chore for > > you. When he has finished the chore, simply tell > him to continue > > climbing up and down the tree until such time as > you need him > > again." > > > > Upon receiving these orders, the genie obeyed them > and > > climbed up and down the tree endlessly, stopping > only to > > perform chores for the woodcutter. After some > time, the genie > > accepted the futility of his position and fell on > his knees before > > the woodcutter. "Master", he cried, "Please free > me from this > > endless task. I promise not to threaten or > destroy you and will > > continue meet your every wish." The woodcutter > gladly agreed > > and resumed his life as freer and wiser man. > > > > The woodcutter, of course, represents Man. The > genie is the > > Unsteady Mind, that constantly disturbs the > tranquilty of Man. > > The tree is your Mala and climbing up and down the > tree is Japa. > > Through Japa, the unsteady mind is controlled and > finally gives > > up resistance, accepts a new reality and becomes > an active ally > > in the meditator's quest for spiritual > reaalization. As the mind > > and man become increasingly tranquil, the objects > of the > > senses become less important until finally > spiritual recognition > > occurs. > > > > > > Omprem > > > > Mail - You care about security. So do we. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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