INITIATION

February 5, 2007

INITIATION

Source: Spiritual Stories told by Sri Ramana Maharshi

A devotee asked, " Can anyone get any benefit by

repeating sacred syllables (mantras) picked up casually? "

Sri Bhagavan replied, " No. He must be competent and

initiated in such mantras. " To illustrate this he told the

following story.

A KING VISITED his minister in his residence. There he was

told that the minister was engaged in repetition of sacred syllables

(japa). The king waited for him and, on meeting him, asked

what the japa was. The minister said that it was the holiest of all,

Gayatri. The king desired to be initiated by the minister but the

minister confessed his inability to initiate him. Therefore the

king learned it from someone else, and meeting the minister

later he repeated the Gayatri and wanted to know if it was right.

The minister said that the mantra was correct, but it was not

proper for him to say it. When pressed for an explanation the

minister called to a page close by and ordered him to take hold

of the king. The order was not obeyed. The order was often

repeated, and still not obeyed. The king flew into a rage and

ordered the same man to hold the minister, and it was

immediately done. The minister laughed and said that the

incident was the explanation required by the king. " How? " asked

the king. The minister replied, " The order was the same and

the executor also, but the authority was different. When I

ordered, the effect was nil whereas, when you ordered, there

was immediate effect. Similarly with mantras. "

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