Mantra and Japa1

by Swami Ritajananda

In Hindu thought, meditation according to Vedanta is the repetition of a sacred formula-a mantra. In this repetition one should put all one's love, one's thought and one's will. One will gradually enter into a state of concentration such that all consciousness of the external world is excluded-an intense concentration which little by little can take the form of Jesus' commandment to love the Lord: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind."

Thus japa is not a mechanical activity, but a very intense activity with profound concentration. This can clearly be hard to start with, but with practice this becomes easier and more natural. One must repeat the mantra softly with concentration so as to lead the mind to pass beyond everything that is connected with the domain of thought. One should try to reach the spiritual domain where even thought is not allowed to enter. The mind must be perfectly calm, as though it no longer existed.

If it is well done, japa can be compared to the regular, continuous flow of oil from one jar into another. A strong relationship will thus be established between oneself and God. But the goal to be attained is to transcend all names, all forms and all attributes.

The mantra

Omkaram bindu samyuktam
     nityam dhyayanti yoginah
Kama-dam moksha-dam chaiva
     Omkaraya namo namah

"The yogis meditate constantly on the syllable Om composed of the sounds O and M. This Om fulfils all our desires and leads to liberation. Salutations again and again to this syllable Om!"

It cannot be said how long ago the power of the mantra was discovered. It has always been there, recognized as the most effective means among the Hindu religious disciplines.

The Hindus believe that one can purify oneself from sin by meditation on the mantra, be liberated and attain bliss. This is salvation. So a person who can learn the mantra will have everything.

Mantra is a word composed of two syllables: "man," the mental activity of meditation, and "tra," that which saves, which gives salvation, liberation. In itself the word therefore means that salvation is certain for him who meditates on the mantra. When reading or writing a mantra, one does not obtain its benefit, because all its value resides in the sound.

A word, such as is used in conversation, is composed of letters. Each letter is the symbol of a sound. In pronouncing letters one hears the sounds, one remembers a word and one understands it. The mantra is something else. Even mantras which are simple in their form produce different effects, because a mantra is composed of certain letters arranged in a particular order to produce a certain combination of sounds. Sometimes the terms in a mantra can have a meaning: at other times it is not like that and only the sound is important. The letters only represent symbols. The effect of the mantra is not produced at the level of reason. The knowledge acquired by the repetition of the mantra extends far beyond the level of reason. In India they say that it is in the depths of consciousness.

It may be asked why such great value is attributed to the sound. Vedanta teaches us that the sole reality, Brahman, is behind the whole universe. Brahman had the idea of creating the world; that is what we say to explain it. Everything we wish to do we first of all think, and then it becomes action. Thought is linked to the word, and the word to sound. Before Nataraja, Shiva dancing creation, there was Shabda-Brahman, described as sound. This idea strongly supports that of creation by sound. Shabda is the sound. Nataraja, the dancing Shiva, has a little drum in his hand. The drum produces a much stronger sound than a piano or other musical instrument. The drum in Nataraja's hand means sound, creation. This image represents the Creator, Protector and Destroyer. It is the Lord.

The sound Om is very important for Hindus. Sri Aurobindo has given an interesting explanation of it, saying that the Divine Shepherd, i.e. God, Himself becomes the mantra Om.

When thought, being directed towards God, becomes effective, the light of being is expressed by itself. It is That which reveals the splendor in the word, the secret in the thought and which conserves rhythm. Man repeats the rhythm of the Eternal! That which illumines is God Himself. The scriptures say: This is what is learned through the Vedas.

The mantra of divine consciousness brings the light of revelation. The mantra of divine power brings the power to realize. The mantra of bliss--ananda-brings the fulfillment of the spiritual joy of existence.

All words and all thoughts proceed from the flow of vibrations from the great sound Om which is Brahman, the Eternal.

Behind the manifestation of forms and sense objects, behind the continual play of that which is conceived within itself, of which the forms of objects are figures, behind the manifestation of supraconsciousness and the power of the Infinite is Om-the sovereign source of seeds and matrixes, of things and ideas, of names and forms. Om is itself totally the Supreme Unity, intangible and original, existing through itself, outside all manifestations.

The Vedas have been considered as mantras and even certain parts of the Vedas are called mantras. This means that they must be repeated; the mantra does not depend so much on its meaning as on the sound it produces by repetition.

The idea of the sound Om expressing the Supreme Brahman is also to be found in the Mandukya Upanishad, the fairly short text of which has received a long karika (commentary) written by the philosopher Gaupada, and on which Sri Shankaracharya has composed some very well known commentaries. This Upanishad explains how Om represents All, i.e. how the repetition of Om is the great mantra.

The Katha Upanishad, the Mundaka Upanishad and other texts say that one should concentrate on Om. Sri Aurobindo has explained how Om represents all the Vedas, all of creation and God Himself. Having this knowledge, knowing that Om represents God, meditating on Om, one can attain the superconscious state, the state of direct realization and communion with the Lord.

Swami Vivekananda spoke at length on meditation on Om in Bhakti Yoga and still more exhaustively in Raja Yoga. He explained that the Pranava (mystic syllable), Om, represents all words and all that exists in the universe. We thus move from the creation to the Creator; this is the way followed by devotees.

It is not easy for us to meditate on God without form, whose nature is so diverse, eternal and infinite; those of us who are not ascetics have a sort of attraction which attaches us to the world; the mantra helps us a lot in meditation. It is more effective. For a fervent worshipper and for a rishi [a seer] the mantra is the deity itself. This is the power of the mantra. We shall be in the presence of the divine. At that moment, it is said, the mantra becomes illuminative, i.e. it can give illumination.

We can ask a lot of questions when we hear someone talking about such a little-known subject. One must above all have the will to follow the disciplines and experience it. The vibration of the mantric sounds only seems to be that of physical sounds, in ordinary language, which seems of little importance. But for the convinced devotees and adepts, the sounds of the mantra are the mantra itself, identified with the Divine and capable of giving illumination. To attain this state, it is necessary to pursue the constant practice of japa, the goal of which is to transform the ordinary sounds of a mantra into a source of illumination.

The mantra's source of illumination is full of conscious energy, it possesses extraordinary powers. This is the case with the Om mantra, which goes back to the most ancient times. Om is the first mantra in the Vedas and the Upanishads. There is no other word so full of meaning. Om is the Pranava. Chants begin with the Pranava.

An internal change is progressively produced by the influence of the mantra. It is said that it becomes living and powerful. It is the power of the mantra which produces the change. This is the case with the mantra, Shabda-Brahman, eternal Brahman. The scriptures say that the sound is eternal. Om is identified with Brahman.

We thus penetrate deeper into the importance attributed to the mantra in the Hindu religion. It is by the vibrations of the sound of the mantra that the right vibration is formed in the disciple to lead him to that of the Supreme. This is the explanation. We have said that behind all that exists is Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. Brahman is in us and around us, sole and unique. There is nothing else.

Before creation there was the sound, Shabda-Brahman. Creation is preceded by thought. Thought cannot exist without words. Words cannot exist without sounds. The sound, Shabda-Brahman, is therefore absolutely necessary. When we meditate on the aspect of Brahman which is sound, we follow through sound the path that leads to Brahman itself.

While in Vedanta Brahman represents the Single Ultimate Reality one calls the Absolute, it is divided into two different aspects. One of these two aspects is called Chit. This is the static aspect, infinitely subtle and illuminated. The other aspect, more gross, is called Shakti. The latter is the dynamic aspect which is the source of all creation, in its form of primordial vibration. All we see around us, beings, objects and material things are external manifestations of the vibrations. Shakti is thus the gross aspect and Chit the subtle aspect of the primordial energy.

Shakti is also called Nada, Shabda or Prana.

Nada, sound, can be considered as the soul of the universe, and it is said that creation began with a sound. This is Shabda-Brahman, the Supreme manifested in sound.

Prana represents the breath which animates all living beings. But we must remember that Nada, Shabda and Prana are not separate from Chit. Chit and Shakti are not different. They are two aspects of the same Reality, and Chit, in a subtle state, is found hidden in Shakti manifested in the gross elements. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that Brahman and Shakti are inseparable and indissoluble, just like fire and its power to burn. This is also the case with Chit and Shakti.

Chit therefore exists in everything that is manifested in the world in subtle and gross forms. It can only be said that in subtle forms Chit is predominant, while in gross forms it is less so, and then it is Shakti that predominates, as Nada, Prana or Shabda. We must therefore understand that in all the manifestations of Nada, Shabda or Prana, Chit is present in a subtle state. Chit is present in all creation.

Nada, sound, is considered as one of the less gross elements in the manifestation of Shakti. It is therefore by using Nada that Chit can be attained more easily. And so we use sound, which is a subtle vibration, to arrive at Chit. By this means Chit will be awakened more easily than by means of material and gross objects.

Let us remember that Chit is Illumination, and in the course of sadhana one must reach Chit in order to attain realization. We thus use sound, the subtle vibrations which compose the mantra, to awaken Chit. By using the dynamic aspect, Shakti, in its less gross form, that of sound (Nada), the meditator will arrive at Chit, which is the goal to be attained, Illumination.

The mantra, by the vibration of sound, is therefore the least gross material expression, and consequently the nearest to Chit. The repetition of the mantra will facilitate this approach.

This explains why japa should be done and how one should meditate on the mantra.

Learned men recognize that this discovery of the repetition of the mantra is a really important contribution made by the sages of India. It shows us the very close relationship that exists between Nada and Chit, i.e. between "sound" and "Illumination," and it explains that the two are not other than cosmic energy, Shakti.

Japa

Let us see how it is possible to practise japa in spiritual life. What is its meaning?

We must understand the value of the mantra. Let us take an example from everyday life. To communicate with others, we use words. When we hear a word, we immediately see a picture it evokes. The mind seizes that picture. It thus happens that a single word can evoke a whole memory. Here is an example:

If a mother has lost her only son, every time she hears his name she will think of him. He was her all in all. This name not only means the appearance of his face, his body and his character, but all that he did. The name brings back to her all her memories. The mother does not say: "Now I am going to think of my son, of all he was for me, of the well-beloved son we all loved and who has gone." As soon as she hears his name, her son is at once there. His name has awakened in her mother's heart all her son represented for her, and she is greatly moved by it in her deepest feelings.

It has already been stated that there is no difference between the name and the subject, i.e. between the name and the person. When I say "Om," Brahman and Om are identical. The Name of the Lord [Om] and the fact of repeating it with faith ensure that the devotee attains all he is searching for.

The name of the Lord is thus not only a word, but something very strong which touches us completely. The holy Name of the Lord has for his devotees this great power and all this merit. The repetition of the holy name can be aloud, when one is alone, or in silence, or mentally, or even moving the lips a little bit. It is considered that this mental repetition is the most effective when one thinks of the meaning of the mantra.

The tradition of repeating the mantra is to be found even in the Patanjali school of yoga, which does not call it japa, but swadhyaya. The saints have practised the repetition of a mantra.

In order to do japa or the repetition of the mantra well, the mind must be sustained by the nature of the divinity, by its power, its beauty and by the attraction it exercises over us.

The devotee can also have devotion for what is expressed in the mantra and for everything associated with it.

Japa can be performed with the certitude that the mantra is effective. You must have that certitude. Then you can continue japa until the point is reached when the mantra's vibrations make you feel its power. The mantra transforms you. It begins as an ordinary sound, later it becomes in you the power of the mantra, it transforms you.

The best japa is that repeated by a mind which is completely calm and at rest.

Why repeat japa? It is in order to master the habitual tendency of being conscious only of the outside world; it seems to us that the ephemeral world is reality, although we know in theory that the manifestation derives from the ether (akasha), which is the first manifestation of Brahman. However, in daily life our consciousness remains in touch with the tangible and we neglect the spiritual. We are not living in Brahman, the Supreme. We stay with our thoughts of ordinary life. This is why the rishis say: In order to reach Brahman take something tangible, such as a sound, and arrive at the source of sound which is none else than Brahman.

How can japa produce good results and how do we know that? Japa can be practiced under any conditions: when one is walking, standing or sitting, giving or receiving, lying down or doing any of the things we do in everyday life, whatever the situation in which you find yourself. There is no restriction, rule or limit.

When one repeats japa with faith and respect, one certainly arrives at a happy state. One will be freed from worry in this life, one will find joy, one will escape many sufferings. He who repeats the holy Name of the Lord will always be protected by God.

Summarizing what has just been said, let us stress that japa is the focal point of spiritual life and practice. It is impossible to realize the Supreme without having spiritual experience. In order to obtain this experience, the best method is intense concentration to the point of forgetting the outside world. One attains the supreme goal by japa. One will therefore attain success by repeating the simple mantra, and saying it with faith and confidence. The important thing is to do japa with love, with all one's heart.

He who thus repeats japa will see that the sound of the mantra, which begins by being ordinary sound, will little by little become more powerful in him. It will become transformed, and the person repeating the japa will be transformed. It is thus that the yogis practise their religion-by repeating the mantra.

The mantra is the sound symbol of the Supreme Lord.

1) This is an abridgment of chapter nine of The Practice of Meditation by Swami Ritajananda. [Go back]