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Maha Mritunjaya Mantra

 

6. What is the lomvilom samput?

Lom Vilom samput is chanting the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra with " Om

Jum sah Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah " added before the mantra , and the

reverse " Svah Bhuvah Bhur Om Sah Jum Om " at the end of the mantra.

 

7. What are the meanings of the words in the lom-vilom samput?

Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah - Om the Gross body, subtle body and causal body

Om - The infinite beyond conception

Jum -Infinite Consciousness

Sah - Manifested Nature

 

8. Could you please tell us the benefit that the Lom Vilom adds to

the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra?

No, not in words. But Lom grants creation and Vilom indicates

dissolution. And you already understand the meaning of each syllable

and word of the mantra. Lom-vilom samput paths are used for

emphasis, to enhance the energy of evolution and involution into a

particular mantra shakti.

 

9. Can you please tell us what lom-vilom stands for?

It means forwards and backwards.

 

10. I really enjoyed chanting the Maha Mrtyunjaya mantra with the

samputs. It feels even more powerful that way. Is it appropriate

to always chant it with the samputs?

You will understand when or in which circumstances it will be most

appropriate.

 

11. Can you please advise on how we can chant the Maha Mritunjaya

Mantra with pranayam?

Inhale for the length of " Om Namah Shivaya " or your Guru mantra if

you have one. While exhaling, chant one or half or more verses of

the MM mantra. Keep the number of verses chanted consistent for the

duration of the chanting.

 

12. I would like to do the Maha Mrtyunjaya Japa with Nyasams and

Dhyanam. Is this possible ?

You can do the Kara and Anga Nyasa with Na-ma-si-va-ya as described

in the Shiva Puja books. You can meditate on " Dhyayen Nityam

Mahesham ...trinetram. " Do the meditation followed by the Nyasa and

then 21 times (or your sankalpa) of the MM mantra.

 

13. How does the meaning of the Maha Mritunjaya mantra apply to

situations and circumstances such as strength, healing, and

devotion? When I have tried to " feel " the mantra in a different way,

the impression I receive is one of letting go, or of the snake

shedding its skin. Anything you have to say that will help clarify

this for me would be greatly appreciated.

Letting go, freeing ourselves from attachment is the greatest

healing, brings about the greatest devotion. Every invocation for

Lord Shiva to intercede in our lives is appropriate. There is never

an inappropriate time to call upon God. Mantra to accompany holy

river immersion

• Mantras when taking dip in Holy river.

 

14. During Kumbha mela and other festivals, we observe the practice

of taking a dip in the holy river. Often immerse ourselves three

times holding the nose. What is the proper methodology of taking dip

in the holy river and what are the accompanying mantras. Is offering

of arghya and reciting Ganga Stotram done in this process as well?

The most important is the Gayatri mantra.

 

• Sam and Aim Bijas

15. I have always read that a simple mantric invocation of Saraswati

was " Om Aing Saraswatyai Namah. " This uses the Seed of

Wisdom, " Aing, " which is also used to invoke the Guru. " Sang " is an

unfamiliar Bija to me. What is it called, and how does it differ

from " Aing " ?

Sang or sam

Sa akshara Saraswati

akara shrishti arambha

anusvara iti sampurnam

Sam bijam iti jnanprakash

The letter sa is Sarasvati, the Goddess of Knowledge and the

embodiment of one's own ocean of experience. The letter a means the

commencement of creation. The meaning of anusvara is full and

complete and perfect. The bija sam means the illumination of wisdom.

 

• Bija for Kubera and Saraswati Mantras

 

16. Isn't Kubera's bija of " Sam " also used for Saraswati? What is

the nature of the relationship between the Treasurer of the Gods and

the Shakti of Creativity?

 

Yes, they share the same bija. S means equilibrium, A is creation, M

is perfection. She who grants knowledge brings perfect equilibrium

to creation. He who accounts for all progress towards the attainment

of our goals brings perfect equilibrium to creation.

 

• Prasvapa

 

17. What is " prasvapa " mantra ?

It is a mantra by which you can put others to sleep.

• Brahmarpanam - replacing Brahma with Chandi

 

18. In the verse,

" Om Brahmarpanam Brahma Havih Brahmagnau Brahmana hutam

Brahmaiva Tena Gandhavyam Brahma Karma Samadhinah "

Is it permissible to change the name " Brahma " in this prayer

to " Chandi? "

Brahma here refers to the Supreme Divinity. While it is a good idea

to mentally offer to our beloved deity, it is preferable that we

keep to the verses that have been originated by Rishis. It means

Chandi to us, but let us call Her Brahma.

 

• Order in mantra japa

 

19. I do Mantra japa in the following order:

1. Sankalpa 2. Nyasams 3. Dhyanam 4. Upachara 5. Mantra

Does it differ in other Sampradhyas?

We do the Dhyanam before the Nyas and the Mantra before and after

the upachara or offering. It does differ in various sampradayas and

gurukuls.

 

• Mantra for Bhumi Devi

 

20. I don't know anything about Bhumi, except she is a wife of

Vishnu, and Mother Earth. I found a mantra for Bhumi (but that's

about it) and wonder if anyone can add any information about her.

Bhumi is a name for Mother Earth. Mars is called Bhumi suta, the son

of the Earth. There are so many stories about Her: like when She did

tapasya for Vishnu to incarnate, because She could no longer bear

the insensitive nature of humanity and the atrocities of Ravan.

21. May I ask please what is the gayatri and the bija mantra for

Bhumi?

Gayatri Mantra:

Om Vasundharaya vidmahe

Bhutadhatraya dhimahi

Tanno Bhumih prachodayat

Bija Mantra:

Om hrim shrim klim Vasundharayai svaha

• Mantra for Radha

22. What is the gayatri and mantra for Radha?

Om hrim Radhikayai vidhmahe Vrindaban vasinyai dhimahe tanno Radhah

prachodayat.

• Radha Krishna Mantra

23. Is there a gayatri and mantra for Radha and Krishna together?

No, we recite their individual Gayatris and then offer them each a

flower, at the end of which comes Radha-Krishnabhyam namah, which is

to both of them together.

• Meaning of Damodara

24. What is the meaning of the name Damodara?

Dama is a rope or something that binds; dara means who holds it.

Damodara is a name for Mayapati, Holder of Maya or the Lord of Maya,

for whom Maya is a servant which binds all upon His command.

• Fire Sacrifice for Krishna

25. If I were to adapt the fire sacrifice for Krishna which mantra

would I use and where would I substitute it?

You would use the respective Gayatri mantras:

Om Krishnaya vidhmahe Dhamodaraya dhi mahe Tanno Krishna prachodayat

Om Krim Krishnaya Swaha

• Initiation to Mantra

26. I listened to your online class on the Lalita Trisati. Should

one be initiated to use the Lalita mantra?

No, practice the mantra according to the teachings. Initiation will

follow when appropriate.

• Mantras from other teachers

27. Some of us have had initiations from some not-so-

ethical 'teachers' and were given mantras by those teachers. I

understand that those mantras actually call to that teacher and

contain a link with a teacher that we no longer desire to have. Is

it best to just not use it or can it be cleansed so it no longer

links us with that person? Is there any other sadhana to do, to make

sure that we have ended the inner relationship with that person, so

they can no longer influence us or drain us?

Read Chapter 12 of the Chandi both in Sanskrit and English, and

offer appreciation to whoever gave you the first mantra which

brought you closer to Her.

• Gayatri Mantra

The Beginner Shiva Puja Workbook refers to the puja's fourth verse

(om bhur bhuvah svah ...) as a gayatri mantra. This verse seems to

have more than 24 syllables, but don't Gayatri mantras typically

have 24 syllables?

Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah are not counted in the meter. They are called

Vyahritis - Beatitudes - and are used to designate the Infinite

beyond conception, the gross body, subtle body, and causal body.

• Mala to use for Kushandika

28. Page 14 of the Rudri mentions a rosary of rudraksa. Is it

improper to use a tulsi mala as an aid when chanting the Kushandika? "

Not improper. Just not as proper. But no problem. The Rudri can be

chanted for Vishnu as well as Shiva.

• Types of Malas

29. Which is the superior " Shakti " mala (or mala for chanting Shakti

mantras) or are the following, red chandam mala, red coral mala,

crystal mala, all equal? Also what is a red chandam mala?

Actually we use rudraksha. You can use red chandan and coral malas

for Kali. Crystal is used for Lakshmi. Shwet(white) chandan for

Saraswati. Rudraksha for everyone. Chandan or Chandam means sandal

wood.

• Others touching one's mala

30. I heard that it is not good for our mala to be touched by

another person. What do we do when this happens?

They are attracted to the mala because of the pure energy that you

have been putting into it. The damage has already been done, so

there is no need to make greater damage by getting angry. First

thing to do is to politely explain that this is not only a beautiful

piece of jewelry for adornment, but also it is a rosary of

religious significance, and you prefer to keep its energy pure.

Please don't touch, but let me show it to you. When you get home in

the evening puja, you can wash the mala in a small bowl with a

little milk, and if you like to dip the mala in oil scented with

sandal. Then make japa of your guru mantra or Chandi mantra 108

times. The mala will be cleansed and will shine, and fragrantly

scented, and everything will be fine.

• Wearing mala around one's neck

31. I have heard that the mala one uses for japa should not be worn

around the neck, but used only for mantra repetition. I've never

understood the reason why.

I have never heard such a prescription.

• Doing Japa without mala

32. Is it ok to do japa without a mala? Am I missing out on some

intangible power by not using a mala?

It is OK to perform japa without a mala. We often use a kara mala,

counting on the digits of the fingers. There are many situations

where a mala will be necessary, and many where it is not. So you

will find what works for you, and that is how you may decide.

• Removing Mala during unholy time

33. Recently I started wearing a " Panchamukhi " Rudraksha in my

neck. As I am not a brahmachari, I would like to know whether

should I remove it during the 'unholy time'.

There is nothing that you would want to do that you would not like

Shiva to see. Make your actions a holy offering.

• Using same mala for different mantras

34. Can you use the one rudraksh mala for more than one mantra such

as Shiva, Chandi, Ganesh, Vishnu mantras using the same mala?

Yes, absolutely.

• Wearing ornaments in a secular world

35. Have you any thoughts on how a person who is living in our

secular world and wishes to transition our hearts outwards

accomplish this? Does it begin in a small way, like wearing a locket

or 108 threaded beads under one's shirt?

The real change is within, after which we can wear any uniform. But

in the beginning all the little ornaments, tokens, reminders, we can

find, will be of help.