japA

[Guest guest]

Dear Sowmya Ma,

Thankyou very much for your kind words.

Iam giving below 26 directives regarding japa given by swAmI sivAnandA of risikes'h:

 

PRACTICAL AIDS TO JAPA

 

Select any Mantra or Name of God, preferably that given to you by your Guru, and repeat it from 108 to 1,080 times daily (one to ten malas).

Always keep your Guru-Mantra a secret. Never disclose it to anyone.

It is better to stick to one Mantra only. See Lord Krishna in Rama, Shiva, Durga, Gayatri and in everyone.

Get up at 4a.m. and do Japa for two hours. The early morning period (Brahmamuhurta) and dusk is the most favourable time for Japa and meditation. This is when Sattva (purity or steadiness) is predominant.

Take a bath or wash your hands, feet, face and mouth before sitting for Japa in the morning. At other times this is not absolutely necessary. Do Japa whenever you have leisure, at the three junctions of the day - morning, noon and evening - and before going to bed.

Face east or north during the practice. This enhances the efficacy of the Japa. Sit on a deer skin or rug. Spread a piece of cloth over it. This conserves body-electricity. Sit in a separate meditation room or in any suitable place, such as a temple, on a river bank or under a banyan or peepul tree.

Maintain a steady pose. Attain mastery of the posture. You must be able to sit in Padmasana, Siddhasana or Sukhasana for three hours at a strech.

Reslove to complete a certain minimum number of malas before leaving your seat.

Recite some prayers before starting the Japa.

A rosary is a whip to goad the mind towards God. Use a rudraksha or tulsi mala of 108 beads.

Do not allow the mala to hang below the navel. Keep the hand near the heart or the nose.

The mala must not be visible to you or to others. Cover it with a towel or handkerchief, which must be clean and washed daily.

Use the middle finger and the thumb of the right to roll the beads. The use of the index finger is prohibited.

Do not cross the meru while rolling the beads. Turn back when you come to it.

Sometimes do the Japa without a mala. Use a watch.

Do mental Japa for a time. When the mind wanders, do the Japa aloud, or whisper the Mantra for some time and come back to mental Japa again as soon as possible.

When you repeat the Mantra, have the feeling or mental attitude that the Lord is seated in your heart, that purity or Sattva is flowing from the Lord into your mind, that the Mantra is purifying your heart, destroying desires, cravings and evil thoughts.

Do not do the Japa in a hurried manner, like a contractor who tries to finish his work in a short time. Do it slowly with feeling, one-pointedness of mind and single-minded devotion.

Pronounce the Mantra distinctly and without any mistakes. Repeat it neither too slowly nor too fast. Increase the speed only when the mind wanders.

Be vigilant and alert during Japa. Stand up when sleep tries to overpower you.

Try to associate the Japa with the rhythm of the breath and meditate in the form of your Deity. Keep a picture or idol of the Deity in front of you. Think of the meaning of the Mantra while repeating it.

Regularity in Japa Sadhana is most essential if success is to be achieved. Sit in the same place and at the same time every day.

Do not beg for any worldly objects from God while doing Japa. Feel that your heart is being purified and that the mind is becoming steady by the power of the Mantra and the Grace of the Lord.

Observe silence and avoid distractions, calls and engagements.

It is important not to leave the place at once after the Japa is over and mix with everyone or plunge into worldly activity. Sit very quietly for at least ten minutes, humming some prayer, remembering the Lord and reflecting upon His infinite love. Then, after devout prostration, leave the place and commence your routine duties and activities. In this way the spiritual vibrations will remain intact.

Continue the current of Japa mentally at all times, whatever be the activity in which you are engaged. Carry on your Sadhana with tenacity and perseverance, without a break. Realize the glorious goal of life and enjoy supreme bliss.

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Now coming to your question:

 

If you are living like me in USA. Iam sure you can find flowers in Walmart and other stores. If you are living in Gulf, then too you will be able to find flowers in some shops. However, the cost is a factor to be reckoned. I would advice you to use flowers made out of gold(you can get it from some jewellery shop in India) and worship with it. The number can be 108 small flowers. Even silver flowers plated with gold are ok for worship. After each worship, you can wash them and use them again. This is approved by shAstrAs.

Alternatively, you can do like how my sister does here(NY,USA), buy flower seeds and plant them in home itself(or backyard, if you have a facility). I however advice her regarding the vAstU to be followed regarding these. For example: Flowers like roses which have thorns should not be inside the home as the thorns create a negative vibration.(Some people even plant cactii for decorative purposes but that is not good unless one knows to talk with the plants, assure them and make them open their thorns and flower them! like how Dr. Burbank used to do).However, you can plant thronless hybrid variety of roses, jasmine, parijatha,etc and take proper care of them. Do not make these plants grow on the south-west side. East side facing the sun is best. Greenery inside the home also encourages positive thoughts and makes the house look beautiful and "young".

Follow the principles of Feng-shui(Chinese vAstu) and our own vedic vAstu.

 

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Regarding incense sticks: I too thought I faced a problem when I saw the smoke alarms here but then our smoke alarm is not so sensitive luckily! I have seen some of my friends put a cover to the smoke alarm and tape it while doing some fire-ceremony or even remove it temporarily and then fix it back once the ceremony is done.

 

I would advice you to light just one agarbatthi(as opposed to a bunch) and that too which emnates gentle dhoopa without much smoke. I use nAga-champA/jasmine/Sandal-wood/rose fragrances which can be bought online too.

Lighting an agarbathi not only makes the atmosphere conducive for worship by clearing your mind of unnecessary distractions but also invite the yoginIs if you are doing ambA worship.(especially on sri-chakrA)

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You can do ajapA-japa for which niyamAs need not be adhered, even while in the loo, it can be done. For God is to be thought all the time! While taking bath, chant gayatrI, if you have been initiated into it.(Better than singing film songs!).

When your heart and mind concentrates on ambA inside your heart, you need not worry about the shoes which adorn your feet. Let them be there. You remain in your heart with Mother!

What you say is right toward the end: God has no form....

But one small correction: When God has no form, you should not even appellate it as "She".

The formless can be and should be achieved only through a worship of the form. From sagunA to nirgunA.

Even those who claim that they have been into nirgunA from birth must have done some serious sagunOpasanA in their previous births.(Iam talking of some yOgis which some foolish people try to emulate).

Infact the very process of using any mantra is also embracing a form. Please think deeply. God/Goddess, is beyond this too, form means anything not just pictorial representation. It encompasses word(shabda-brAhman), concepts,etc.

Advaita Vedanta philosophy says that for human eyes Nirguna Brahman is viewed as Saguna Brahman, or Brahman with personal attributes, and is commonly worshipped as Vishnu, Shiva or Devi by Hindus. While this is a beginners' stage, the Nirguna aspect of the Absolute is realized by Yogis or Jnanis, when they transcend the personal consciousness, which gives the false idea of individuality.

Yours yogically,

Shreeram Balijepalli

 

Appendix:

Nirguna Manasa Puja – Worship of the Attributeless Spiritby Shankaracharya.[transl. By Sw. Yogananda Sarasvati. Publ. In Tattvaloka – Apr.-May 1992](http://www.geocities.com/advaitavedant/nirgunapuja.htm)

The disciple said: 1. In the indivisible Satchidananda whose nature is only unconditioned, and which is also the non-dual state, how is worship prescribed? 2. Where is the invocation (avahana) of the Fullness, and the seat (asana) of the All-supporting How is there washing of the feet (padya), offering of water (arghya) and sipping (achamana) for the limpid and Pure One? 3. How is there bathing (snana) for the Immaculate, and clothing (vasa) for the womb of the universe? How is there a sacred thread (upavita) for Him who is without lineage and caste? 4. How is there sandal paste (gandha) for the Unattached, and flowers (pushpa) for the Odorless? What is the jewel (bhusha) of the Undifferentiated? What ornament (alamkara) for the Formless? 5. What use of incense (dhupa) for the Spotless, or of lamps (dipa) for the Witness of everything? What is here the food-offering (naivedyam) for Him who is satiated only with His own bliss? 6-7. How does one prepare betel (tambula) for the Rejoicer of the universe? He whose nature is self-luminous consciousness, that Illuminator of the sun and other stars, who is sung by `shrutis', how is there for Him the light- waving ceremony (nirajana) What circumambulation (pradakshina) for the Infinite? What prostration (pranama) for the non-dual Reality? 8. For Him who is unknowable by the words of the Vedas, what praise (stotra) is prescribed? How is there the ceremony of dismissal (udavasana) for Him who is established inside and outside?

The Guru said: 9. I worship the symbol of the Self (atmalinga) shining like a jewel and situated in the heart-lotus within the city of illusion, with the ablutions (abhisheka) of the unsullied mind from the river of faith, always, with the flowers of samadhi, for the sake of non-rebirth. 10. `I am the One, the Ultimate'. Thus one should invoke (avahayet) Lord Siva. Then one should prepare the seat (asana) , that is thinking of the self-established Self. 11. `I have no contact with the dust of virtue and sin.' Thus should the wise one offer washing of the fet (padya), that is such knowledge destroying all sins. 12. One should pour forth tha handful of water which is the root- ignorance held from time without beginning. This is verily the water- offering (arghya) of the symbol of the Self. 13. `Indra and other beings drink only the tiny fraction of a drop from the waves of the bliss ocean of Brahman.' That meditation is considered as the sipping (achamana). 14. `All the worlds are bathed verily by the water of Brahma's bliss which is indivisible.' That meditation is the ablution (abhishechana) of the Self. 15. `I am the light of Consciousness without any veil'. This thinking is the holy cloth (sad vastram) of the symbol of the Self. Thus should think the wise one. 16. `I am the thread of the garland of all the worlds which are in the nature of the three gunas'. This conviction is verily considered here as the highest sacred thread (upavIta). 17. `This manifold world mingled with numerous impressions is supported by me, and by no other'. This meditation is the sandal paste (chandana) of the Self. 18. With the sesamum-flowers in the form of renunciation of the activity of sattva, rajas, and tamas, one should always worship (yajet) the symbol of the Self, for attaing liberation while living. 19. With the non-dual Bel leaves devoid of the triple distinction between the Lord, the guru, and the Self, one should worship (yajet) Lord Siva that is symbol of the Self. 20. One should think of His incense (dhupa) as the giving up of all impressions. The wise one should show the lamp (dipa) that is the realization of the luminous Self. 21. The food-offering (naivedyam) of the symbol of the Self is the big rice pudding known as the egg-universe of Brahma. Do drink the sweet nectar of bliss that is the delightful beverage (upasechana) of Mrityu or Lord Siva. 22. One should remember that cleansing the remnants of ignorance with the water of knowledge, is the washing of hands (hasta prakshalana) of the pure symbol of the Self. 23. Giving up the use of the objects of passion, this is the chewing of betel (tambula) of Lord Siva, the supreme Self who is devoid of the attributes beginning with passion. 24. Knowledge on one's own nature of Brahman, most shining, and burning to destruction the darkness of ignorance, that is here the waving of lights (nirajana) of the Self. 25. The vision of the manifold Brahman is the ornament (alamkritam) with garlands. Then one should remember the vision of the all- blissful nature of the Self, as the handful of flowers. (pushpanjali). 26. `Thousands of Brahma's mundane eggs revolve in me, the Lord, whose nature is immovable and steady like a heap.' This meditation is the circumambulation (pradakshina). 27. `I am verily worthy of a universal salutation. Apart from my true Self, none is so worthy of salutation.' This reflection is verily here the salutation (vandana) of the symbol of one's own Self. 28. The idea of the unreality of duties is termed as the saintly act (sat kriya) of the Self. Thinking of the Self as being beyond names and forms, this is the praise of his name (nama kirtana). 29. The hearing (shravana) of that God is the thought of the unreality of things to be heard of. The reflection (manana) of the symbol of the Self is the thought of the unreality of things to be reflected on. 30-31. Knowledge of the unreality of things to be contemplated upon, is the deep meditation (nididhyasana) of the Self. Devotedness to the Self by the absence of all delusion and distraction, is named the perfect steadiness (samadhi) of the Self; and not delusion of one whose mind rests on something else. This is called the eternal reposeof the mind (chitta vishranti) in Brahman itself. 32-33. Thus performing till death or even for a moment this worship of the symbols of one's own Self, which is expounded according to Vedanta, one who is well concentrated should give up the illusion of all bad impressions, as dust from the feet. Having shaken off the mass of ignorance and pain, one attains the bliss of liberation

-------XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX---------Rajarajeshwari_Kalpataru , sowmya ram <sowmyarmohan wrote:>> Hello Sir, > > I am so Happy to find this Group, I basically had requested few informations regarding "Bala TripuraSundari", the immediate Reply i get and the pain you take in collecting the information with the right appropriate pictures is very precious. To be very honest you can get any other information from anywhere from anyone , but these delicate information cant just blindly be accepted. I feel so fortunate to have found the right person in this Group.> I Would like to clear my confusion which has allways puzzled me up. > I firstly want to know are there any strict rules to do the Japam, The reason why i am asking this is I am living in Oversea's and Cant find flowers to offer everyday , thought there are beautiful roses around ,cant be plucked , as i have seen people making faces at me !! and all i can do is just light the Deepam's and do japam. at times i wont be in a position to even light the Incense Sticks for the fear of my fire Alarm. So during early morning though i chant very minimal manthra, while travelling or even while i am at work i keep chanting ....Can i do this ? Coz at times i feel very concious of the footwear i will be wearing. > Can i request you to please explain ...what are do's and dont's for performing Japam ?> > I also Strongly trust, that God has no form or shape, she is even more beautiful and even more powerfull than we all can imagine. and also no matter how we pray the devotion or the involvement we show has more weightage ... > > Waiting for your reply,> > Sowmya.> >