The Power of the Mantra

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
For the householder, the path of the Ashtang yoga would be difficult to tread as he would be unable to comply with its stringent demands. The great yoga entails celibacy and penance, among other taxing observances. The renunciant inhabits an entirely different world. Lay disciples, who have worldly duties to discharge, are advised by Baba to recite continuously the mantra given to them at the moment of initiation, and to direct their thoughts to their ishta deva or personal deity, even as they continue to lead normal worldly lives. Like an infant who must learn to walk, before he can run, the sincere aspirant, by assiduous observance of the gurus injunctions, may eventually be able to focus his mind uninterruptedly on the Nirakaar Brahma, the undifferentiated aspect of the Supreme. This is the gateway to the final realization. The process of diksha by the guru signifies that the seeker has embarked on a new, spiritual course, whose objective is the attainment of God. It is a second birth for the initiate, with the guru assuming responsibility for the disciples well being and progress. The compulsions of his former life gradually become irrelevant. Clearly, only a qualified master can undertake the onerous task of guiding the initiate through lifes pitfalls, to the final post. Hans Babas counsel to disciples is to surrender wholly to him. The master had said: Child, now that you are aboard my boat, lay down, too, this bundle of wordly preoccupations from your head. Do not disturb yourself by continuing to keep it on your head. The world is the ocean that the guru helps the disciple to cross over safely in his boat. This imagery recurs frequently in devotional Hindu literature. Bhavasagar is the term used to describe the phenomenal world: the sea of illusion. The bestowal of the guru mantra is an act of grace; since not all aspirants are deemed fit to be accepted as disciples. Since times past, the potency of sound has been known to man. The mantra is a mystical combination of words of great power, whose correct enunciation is essential to realize its effect, which could either be positive or negative. The mantra given by an exalted guru is meant to expedite the initiates evolution by inducing a radical change in consciousness. The guru mantra is the phonetic representation of the form of devotion best suited to the aspirants sanskaras or proclivities, divined by the master.

Here, Lord Krishna in the Gita is referred to as Jagadguru, or teacher of the world. Jaap of Gods name purifies the mind and body, being the spiritual practice best suited to the present age of feeble beings. The devotee is advised bodily cleanliness before beginning jaap. However, to ensure the efficacy of the mantra during recitation, achaar, vichaar, vyavachaar and sattvik ahaar are of utmost importance. It is the pure mind, free of longings and the ensuing restlessness that can most easily attain its objective. Hans Baba normally gives a mantra either of Rama or Krishna to initiates. The Rama mantra denotes rigorous discipline. The name of Rama has immense significance. The syllable, Ra, is in the Sahasrar, the lotus with a thousand petals at the top of the scalp, which is the door to the infinite. Ma is contained in the Kanth chakra, located in the throat. Ra signifies the Paramatma tatva or supreme principle, and Ma, the jiva tatva or life principle. Rama is a compound of the two, and symbolizes the link between the Paramatma tatva and the jiva tatva. The enunciation of the word is related to the anahad NAD, the cosmic sound that is heard in meditation. The body, as the microcosm, mirrors the processes of the macrocosm. Intensive recitation of the Rama mantra is thus most effective in awakening the consciousness of Tattvam asi: That thou art. When the aspirant moves from the outer to the inner world, from the finite to the infinite, the distinction between the self and God disappears. Rama, therefore, is not just the hero of the epic, Ramayan, son of King Dashrath of Ayodhya. His name contains the promise of liberation, enunciating the supreme principle, in which we realize the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Courtesy: The Journey of a Yogi by Dr. Ram Naresh Tripathi

When the yogi concentrates on the name, that is the same as Rama. Shakti Paat The transmission of energy by the guru is an act of grace. The aspirant on the path to the Supreme is obstructed by the impulses of the mind. The masters observation in this regard was that the mana being extremely unstable, only the knowledge of Brahma could help one control it.

The mind is just like a carefree elephant. The knowledge of Brahma alone can control it. Eventually, one must reach the state, in which the mind is able to dwell on the undifferentiated Absolute. Yogiraj used to recommend worship of God without form, as sadhana of a high order.

One must worship God, who is without form, without lines, without speech, without a point, unseen. When the tendencies of the mind get erased through Shakti paat, realisation shines forth spontaneously. It is a condition that is free of thought. Light can manifest only after the darkness of the mind disappears. This happens when the disciple, holding nothing back, surrenders wholly to the guru who, then, wills the transformation. The term, guru, means dispeller (ru) of darkness (gu), one who shows the light. Two incidents from the scriptures beautifully illustrate the power of devotion. The first is from the Ramayan. During his 14-year exile in the forest, Rama came across Sabari, a destitute woman, who was gathering wild berries for her lord, Rama. Tasting them to ascertain their sweetness, she would throw away those which were sour. On spying him, she gave him the fruit, which he gladly accepted in acknowledgment of the fullness of her heart, even though food that is rendered impure by having been tasted is not offered to God or ones chosen deity. She thus became blessed. The second incident occurs in Srimad Bhagwatam. Trivakra or Kubja, the hunchback woman, was carrying sandalwood paste for Kansa, Krishnas diabolical maternal uncle, who was destined to be killed by his nephew. Accosting her, Krishna asked her for the paste. Overwhelmed by the sight of the Lord, on whom she lavished her devotion, and not fearing the repercussions, she handed him the paste. He then caught her below the chin and with a jerk, pulled her up to her full height, dispelling her bodily ugliness and turning her into a beautiful woman. I once said to Devraha Baba that it was difficult to find a guru who could raise his disciples to his own level. He replied: Such disciples are also rare, who could be so elevated. Yet, for the perpetuation of his tradition, a master needs a worthy successor. Ramakrishna Paramahans chose Vivekanand to complete his mission, with the help of other disciples. The aspirant who attains his goal, in turn, pays lavish tribute to his guru. In the words of the mystic poet, Kabir: Guru and God are both before me. Whose feet should I first touch? I shall salute my guru first for disclosing to me the knowledge of God.

Courtesy: The Journey of a Yogi by Dr. Ram Naresh Tripathi