Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Namah Shivaya, Lutz... You are such a wonderful devotee to know of...every single one of your posts has been a pleasure and an inspiration to read... Now that I've embarrassed you, I just wanted to say that your post re: Mantra Diksha made me realize that Amma DID change my mantra, and in doing, changed a part I was having difficulty with! I did not realize the significance till I read your post...I hadn't even acknowledged it to myself, much less to Her! Truly, she is always working to smooth wrinkles we were not even aware of... By the way, what is a health mantra? Thank you for your insights.. Usha Om Amriteswaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Namaste, Dear Usha -- Fascinating. Under what circumstances did Amma change your mantra? Was this her decision, or did you request it? When I took mantra diksha from Ammachi, many years ago, she asked me who my <ishtadevata> was. I knew I was some form of Shakta, but I was surprised when I blurted out "Sarasvati." Amma's brahmacharyin assistants were surprised, too. They had computer-printed slips for most of the commonly asked for mantras, but admitted that Sarasvati was rarely asked for, and had to hand-write the slip for me. After several years of working with my mantra, I began to hear strange comments from other Western devotees who learned who my chosen deity was (I knew enough <not> to tell them my specific mantra!). Sarasvati grants creative inspiration, but no financial success, because Lakshmi always fights with her, said some. Sarasvati can't grant moksha, said others, at best she can make you eloquent enough to convince one of the other maha-devas to grant you moksha. And I began to doubt the power of my ishtadevata. Next time I had darshan of Ammachi, I joined the line of devotees requesting a mantra. I didn't want to <change> my mantra, I wanted to add one -- linking a Ganesha mantra to my Sarasvati one would remove obstacles to <artha> and <moksha>, and (as the murthi for Divali indicates) when Ganesha and Sarasvati pair up, Lakshmi always appears with them. But the devotee preparing the mantra-seekers asked, "Has anyone taken a mantra from Amma before?" and a couple of us raised our hands. She shook her head disapprovingly, and said sternly, "Amma only gives you a mantra once. That mantra is supposed to last you your entire life. If you have any questions, talk to one of the brahmacharyins." I explained my situation, and the brahmacharyin smiled compassionately. He said: "When you chant a mantra to Sarasvati, do you think Ganesha doesn't hear? All the devas are part of Brahman -- that's why sectarians who refuse to worship this deity because they only love that one are foolish. Be assured that when you pray to your ishta, Ganesha and all the other devas hear and respond with compassion. They are all facets of the same jewel of Brahman." So I never changed my mantra. When I sit for my <sadhana>, I chant verses to the Guru, visualizing Ammachi giving her grace, and verses to Ganesha to remove obstacles, and then to my ishtadevata, Sarasvati -- who is claimed as Shakti to the entire Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. <Ya brahmaachutya shankara prabhritibhir devai sada pujita> (To that one --Sarasvati-- who Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and all the gods make offerings to) -- Len/ Kalipadma On Fri, 22 Feb 2002 10:10:20 EST DJUM writes: > I just wanted to say that your post re: Mantra > Diksha made me realize that Amma DID change my mantra, and in doing, > changed a part I was having difficulty with! I did not realize the > significance till > I read your post...I hadn't even acknowledged it to myself, much > less to Her! > Truly, she is always working to smooth wrinkles we were not even > aware of... > ______________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 On Fri, 22 Feb 2002 16:55:04 -0800 Fe Langdon <flangdon writes: > > Amma told my daughter to go up and get a mantra. > I accompanied her. My daughter asked for an Amma mantra, but when > the Swami told my daughter how to pronounce the mantra, I overheard. I was > surprised that the mantra she received was different and much simpler than > mine even though we both asked for an Amma mantra. The difference between being given a mantra by a mahatma (okay, particularly when it's given by Amma), and taking a mantra out of a book to use, is that I am convinced that when Amma gives you a mantra, she probes into your psychic depths and modifies the mantra to suit your needs. Perhaps your daughter's mantra is simpler simply because she is still a child? Many of the mantras have <bijas> or one-syllable "seed" mantras within them, but Amma tends not to use the seed-syllables that one would find in a book. She chooses one with special significance for the devotee. I had a friend who took darshan of Amma at Devi Bhava, and decided to go for mantra initiation. She knew absolutely nothing about Hindu deities and their qualities, so when Amma asked my friend who her chosen deity was, my friend said, "I'll let you choose." Although I warned my friend that traditionally, you should not reveal your mantra to another person, she wanted to know what it meant, and told me. To my surprise, it was a string of <bijas>, some of which I recognized (<Gam> for Ganesha, <Shrim> for Lakshmi) and others I was unfamiliar with. Unlike most mantras, it did not end with <namah> (I bow to You), or with <svaha> (I make offering to You). It was very peculiar! > I'm not sure why Amma gave me a new mantra. I know someone else who > wanted to changer her mantra from "Jesus" to "Amma" but Amma told her no. > I guess Amma felt that Jesus was a more appropriate object of devotion for your friend than the Guru. I know someone else who went up for mantra diksha, and said, "My chosen deity is Nataraja, the dancing Shiva. I want a mantra for Nataraja, not the usual <Om namah Shivaya>." The brahmacharyins spent a long time discussing amongst themselves, leaving my friend to bask blissfully in Amma's aura. Eventually they said, "We haven't brought the various scriptures with us to look up exactly how to phrase a mantra to Nataraja," they said. So my friend had to settle for just plain Shiva, but says that the mantra Amma gave him was somewhat different from "om namah Shivaya." -- Len/ Kalipadma ______________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 Dear Len, Thanks for sharing your story. However, whotold you that Mother Saraswati cannot give moksha? Mother Saraswati is THE ppresiding deity for Knowledge- and if you read Yoga Vashishta you find that it is Sri Saraswati who imparts Atma Jnana to a disciple. It is by Mother Saraswati's grace that illusion is dispelled and knowledge of the Self shines. It is Mother Saraswati to whom the famous Gayatri mantra is addressed in a fervent prayer for inner illumination- in the morning we meditate on the sun's orb thinking of Gayatroi, in the noon it is Savitri and in the evening Saraswati . All forms are forms of The Mother alone. As the brahmacharin rightly told you, all deities are aspects of Brahman, and itis the Single Force that is The Divine Mother that becoms Durgs, Lakshmi, Saraswati or Kali. Regardless of what some stories may say, these forces ofthe Mother dont act against eachother . If you read Sri Aurobindo, you will find that He has described how these aspects of the Mother act in harmony with each other . And above all- our own Amma is verily the same Saraswati - who will bestow knwoledge and Realization on all Her worthy children. so dont listen to anyone who tells you Saraswati cant give you moksha or any such thing . They are all the same.. bala --- Len Black Lotus Rosenberg <kalipadma wrote: > Namaste, Dear Usha -- > > Fascinating. Under what circumstances did Amma > change your mantra? Was > this her decision, or did you request it? > > When I took mantra diksha from Ammachi, many years > ago, she asked me who > my <ishtadevata> was. I knew I was some form of > Shakta, but I was > surprised when I blurted out "Sarasvati." > > Amma's brahmacharyin assistants were surprised, too. > They had > computer-printed slips for most of the commonly > asked for mantras, but > admitted that Sarasvati was rarely asked for, and > had to hand-write the > slip for me. > > After several years of working with my mantra, I > began to hear strange > comments from other Western devotees who learned who > my chosen deity was > (I knew enough <not> to tell them my specific > mantra!). Sarasvati grants > creative inspiration, but no financial success, > because Lakshmi always > fights with her, said some. Sarasvati can't grant > moksha, said others, > at best she can make you eloquent enough to convince > one of the other > maha-devas to grant you moksha. And I began to > doubt the power of my > ishtadevata. > > Next time I had darshan of Ammachi, I joined the > line of devotees > requesting a mantra. I didn't want to <change> my > mantra, I wanted to > add one -- linking a Ganesha mantra to my Sarasvati > one would remove > obstacles to <artha> and <moksha>, and (as the > murthi for Divali > indicates) when Ganesha and Sarasvati pair up, > Lakshmi always appears > with them. > > But the devotee preparing the mantra-seekers asked, > "Has anyone taken a > mantra from Amma before?" and a couple of us raised > our hands. She shook > her head disapprovingly, and said sternly, "Amma > only gives you a mantra > once. That mantra is supposed to last you your > entire life. If you have > any questions, talk to one of the brahmacharyins." > > I explained my situation, and the brahmacharyin > smiled compassionately. > He said: "When you chant a mantra to Sarasvati, do > you think Ganesha > doesn't hear? All the devas are part of Brahman -- > that's why sectarians > who refuse to worship this deity because they only > love that one are > foolish. Be assured that when you pray to your > ishta, Ganesha and all > the other devas hear and respond with compassion. > They are all facets of > the same jewel of Brahman." > > So I never changed my mantra. When I sit for my > <sadhana>, I chant > verses to the Guru, visualizing Ammachi giving her > grace, and verses to > Ganesha to remove obstacles, and then to my > ishtadevata, Sarasvati -- who > is claimed as Shakti to the entire Trimurti: Brahma, > Vishnu, and Shiva. > > <Ya brahmaachutya shankara prabhritibhir devai sada > pujita> > (To that one --Sarasvati-- who Brahma, Vishnu, > Shiva, and all the gods > make offerings to) > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > > > > > On Fri, 22 Feb 2002 10:10:20 EST DJUM > writes: > > I just wanted to say that your post re: Mantra > > Diksha made me realize that Amma DID change my > mantra, and in doing, > > changed a part I was having difficulty with! I > did not realize the > > significance till > > I read your post...I hadn't even acknowledged it > to myself, much > > less to Her! > > Truly, she is always working to smooth wrinkles > we were not even > > aware of... > > > ______________ > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for > less! > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. > Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games http://sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2002 Report Share Posted February 22, 2002 > > But the devotee preparing the mantra-seekers asked, "Has anyone taken a > mantra from Amma before?" and a couple of us raised our hands. She shook > her head disapprovingly, and said sternly, "Amma only gives you a mantra > once. That mantra is supposed to last you your entire life. If you have > any questions, talk to one of the brahmacharyins." > Dear Len/Kalipadma, I received a mantra from Amma the first summer I met her. Not knowing anything, I didn't really know what it meant to get a mantra from Amma, except that someone told me it helps one feel closer to Amma when she is physically away. When asked in what form that I felt closest to God, I said "formless", so Amma gave me a "formless" mantra. I was afraid Amma wasn't going to give me a mantra, because I noticed the woman who was ahead of me in the mantra line had been waiting for at least half an hour. I was wondering if I was the cause for the delay so I had a little anxiety. All the other people only had to wait about 5 minutes. I'm not sure if this woman that was ahead of me in line lost patience or just changed her mind about getting a mantra, but she just got up and left without getting a mantra. After a year of using my formless mantra, I noticed it was hard to meditate on "formless". I found I really just wanted to hold Amma's image in my mind, so the following year I asked Amma if I could change my mantra. She said yes, so I received an Amma mantra. The following year my oldest daughter (then 10 years old) wanted to get a mantra. She asked Amma if it was okay to get a mantra during Devi Bhava. Amma said yes, but when it came time to get a mantra, Amma told all the children that wanted mantras that they needed to wait until they were older to get a mantra. My daughter was disappointed, but she asked Amma another time if she could get a mantra and Amma said yes. During Devi Bhava, one of the mantra line monitors told my daughter she was too young to get a mantra, but this woman went up to Amma just to doublecheck. Amma told my daughter to go up and get a mantra. I accompanied her. My daughter asked for an Amma mantra, but when the Swami told my daughter how to pronounce the mantra, I overheard. I was surprised that the mantra she received was different and much simpler than mine even though we both asked for an Amma mantra. I'm not sure why Amma gave me a new mantra. I know someone else who wanted to changer her mantra from "Jesus" to "Amma" but Amma told her no. Aum Amriteshvaryai Namaha Fe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2002 Report Share Posted February 23, 2002 Dear Len/Kalipadma, > The difference between being given a mantra by a mahatma (okay, > particularly when it's given by Amma), and taking a mantra out of a book > to use, is that I am convinced that when Amma gives you a mantra, she > probes into your psychic depths and modifies the mantra to suit your > needs. Perhaps your daughter's mantra is simpler simply because she is > still a child? Many of the mantras have <bijas> or one-syllable "seed" > mantras within them, but Amma tends not to use the seed-syllables that > one would find in a book. She chooses one with special significance for > the devotee. Now I remember how my daughter was worried she wouldn't be able to pronounce the mantra and hoped that it would be an easy one. She was relieved that it was. Thanks for sharing the other stories on mantra diksha! Aum Amriteshvaryai Namaha Fe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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