24. JAPA

D: Should one performing a mantra-japa know the ṛṣi (seer), chandas (metre) and devatā (propitiated deity), of the mantra?

A: Yes.

D: Should one do the nyāsa-s before and after the japa? (Nyāsa-s involve the sanctification of parts of the body.)

A: Yes, one should.

D: Is it good, when doing japa, to meditate on the form described in the dhyāna-śloka?

A: Yes; that is the normal procedure. However, if the Guru granting initiation instructs that contemplation be performed in some other way, that instruction should be carried out.

D: Is there any restriction in doing japa mentally?

A: No.

D: How many times should the japa be done?

A: Japa brings good to us to the extent that we do it. If we get accustomed to it by practice, it effortlessly continues even without our being aware of it. In course of time, it continues into the dream state also.

D: When performing gāyatrī-japa mentally, is it necessary to pay attention to the svara-s (intonations) of that mantra?

A: Svara-s must be correct if japa is performed with the lips moving; but if the gāyatrī-mantra is chanted mentally with one-pointed concentration, importance need not be given to the svara-s. It is sufficient to do just the japa.

D: Will performance of the japa without concentration yield fruits?

A: Japa always yields results. It produces better effects if done with the mind one-pointed. Otherwise, the effect will be less.

D: Should the Veda be necessarily chanted with proper svara-s? Will sin accrue from mispronunciations?

A: Yes. We should chant with the exact svara-s.

D: Can one learn vedamantra-s by oneself?

A: No. Vedamantra-s must be learnt from a Guru. It is therefore that Śrī Kumārila Bhatta said:

(SV, I.1.7.366) (All study of Veda is preceded by learning from a Guru.)

D: What purpose is served by the exact chanting of vedamantra-s?

A: Our mind becomes pure and sins get washed away.

D: Many Upaniṣad-s, such as the Kaṭha Upaniṣad of the Yajur Veda, are without svara-s. Why?

A: Svara-s should have been there for these Upaniṣad-s, as they are parts of the Veda. However, with the passage of time, knowledge of the svara-s has been lost.

D: Then, how should one chant such Upaniṣad-s?

A: There is no necessity to observe svara-restrictions in chanting those Upaniṣad-s for which svara-s are unknown. No sin will accrue on that account.

D: What, according to Acharyal, are the vedamantra-s to be learnt by all competent persons?

A: All eligible persons should definitely learn the Rudram, Camakam and the Sūkta-s that are chanted during pūjā.

D: In some portions of the Rudram, there are prayers for material benefits. Similar is the case of the Camakam too.

A: So what?

D: Can a person who desires mokṣa alone chant these mantra-s? After all he is not interested in the material benefits prayed for.

A: The śāstra-s say that even saṁnyāsin-s can chant the Rudram. It is well known that saṁnyāsin-s should not desire material objects.

D: How are they allowed to chant the Rudram?

A: Whenever one chants vedamantra-s, it does not mean that one has to desire the objects mentioned there. Mantra-s, such as the Rudram, are very sacred. If the mind does not long for what is prayed for, purity of the mind and the grace of Īśvara are obtained. Further, the objects concerned are not thrust upon one by virtue of the chant. So saṁnyāsin-s also can definitely chant the Rudram and be benefited.

D: Have some portions of the Veda been lost in the process of passing on from Guru to śiṣya?

A: Yes. We know that there were a century of śākhā-s (branches) of the Yajur Veda, but only a few are available now. Similar is the case of the other Veda-s.

D: It is said that the śāstra-s should not be studied during anadhyayana. Is this the opinion of Acharyal also?

(Anadhyayana days are there every fortnight.)

A: Yes. Traditional classes should not be conducted during anadhyayana.

D: Does it then mean that on such days one should neither chant portions of the Veda-s already learnt nor read the scriptural texts by oneself?

A: No, it does not. I only said that no traditional classes should be held.

★ ★ ★ ★

❑ Incidents from Acharyal's Life

In His pūrvaśrama, Acharyal used to perform His nityakarma (scripture-ordained religious observances to be practised regularly) with meticulous care. Acharyal has said, “I felt a great fondness for the gāyatrī-mantra and started chanting it mentally whenever I could, right from the day of My upanayana. In about a month’s time, I was able to do so even while engaged in My regular activities. I was happy to find that I soon mentally repeated the Gāyatrī during My dreams too. I did not disclose My practice to anyone.”

★ ★ ★ ★

❑ Experiences of Devotees

My ailing grandmother was in her nineties when Acharyal graced my house in Tirunelveli. Compassionately addressing her, He said, “Chant the name of Rāma continuously.” My grandmother replied that she would do so. Acharyal did not leave the matter at that. “Saying that you will do it is insufficient. You must actually do it. Now repeat after Me.” He then chanted the sacred mantra and she chanted after Him. How fortunate was she to have received initiation at that age and that too unasked and further, with the Guru Himself coming to her! She proceeded to chant the Rāma-nāma continuously. Some months passed and her condition became serious. Under these conditions there was every chance that her mental chanting would get interrupted. Strange are the ways in which the grace of our Guru acts. Unexpectedly, a group arranged for akhaṇḍa (unbroken) chanting of Rāma-nāma. The place of chant being nearby, the divine name reverberated in my home day and night. Shortly thereafter, my grandmother breathed her last. Thus till her last days, an opportunity had been provided for her to be sanctified by the holy name of Śrī Rāma. [Sri Ramasubramania Iyer]

★ ★ ★ ★

On many an occasion Acharyal has spoken about the potency of the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma. Here is an instance.

I was blessed to drive Acharyal’s car on many occasions. Every time, I would receive one or the other valuable piece of information from His Holiness. During one journey, I was following a conversation going on between His Holiness and a devotee who also accompanied us in the car. Efficacy of mantra-s was the topic of discussion and the devotee was listing a number of mantra-s and the diseases that each such mantra was meant to cure. As there was a slight pause in their conversation I stepped in and asked His Holiness, ‘‘Is it possible to know all of them?” His Holiness said, “First of all there is no need to know all of them. Viṣṇu-sahasranāma alone is enough. It is a remedy for all diseases. There is no problem that cannot be solved by it!” I learnt a new lesson that day!

Subsequently too, when I sought His Holiness’ blessings for my friend ailing from cardiac problems, His Holiness was quick to say, “Ask your friend to chant Viṣṇu-sahasranāma.” [Sri K.Niranjan Kumar]

★ ★ ★ ★

During a navarātri festival at Mumbai, Acharyal was using a book while performing the Lalitā-sahasranāma-arcana to Goddess Śāradāmbā. A devotee who noticed this wondered why Acharyal would require a book in order to chant the Lalitā-sahasranāma. He later asked Acharyal about this.

Acharyal clarified, “Pūjā-vidhāna (set of rules for worship) requires that not even a small deviation should occur in the course of the chanting. That is why I made sure that I followed the book.”

Acharyal used to be extremely particular, as seen here, about correct adherence to the śāstra-s and used to follow the dictates of the scripture and tradition meticulously. [Dr.H.C.Visvesvaraya]

★ ★ ★ ★

Once, Acharyal was scheduled to visit a town and stay in a devotee’s house. The devotee’s friend, who did not belong to the Brahmin community, was occupying one of the rooms in his house. Now that His Holiness was to visit his house, the devotee had a doubt if it would be in order if his friend continued to stay there. With great hesitation, the devotee conveyed his predicament to his friend who readily appreciated the situation and vacated the place. The devotee kept that room locked. Acharyal’s accommodation had been arranged in the ground floor.

His Holiness visited the house and instead of entering the room meant for His stay, went around the house. When He saw the locked room, He came near it and said, “I shall stay in this room!” The devotee was surprised. Nonetheless, he saw to it that the room was prepared for Acharyal’s stay.

When the devotee had Acharyal’s darśana later in the day, His Holiness asked him, “Was anyone staying in this room before?” The devotee became concerned that he had committed a mistake in not informing Acharyal apriori about his friend who was the occupant of that room. The disciple hesitantly replied that his friend, who belonged to a different community, was staying there. He need not have worried at all for Acharyal compassionately said, “I want to see your friend. Where is he now?”

When the disciple's friend had the darśana of Acharyal, He asked him if he was practising any spiritual sādhanā in that room. That gentleman politely replied, “No Swamiji, I merely chant Bhagavān’s nāma-japa repeatedly and, as such, don’t know any spiritual sādhanā. Nor do I feel I am competent to practise any sādhanā.”

Acharyal was pleased with his humility and said, “Performing nāma-japa with sincerity is itself a great sādhanā. While I was staying in your room, I could feel that the entire place was charged with a divine power and that is why I queried if you were doing any spiritual sādhanā.” Acharyal then blessed him. [Sri K.Suresh Chandar]

When I had the privilege of beholding Acharyal for the first time, He directed me to sit by His side and compassionately asked me what I wished. “Will Acharyal give me mantropadeśa?” was my spontaneous reply, much to my own surprise; I had not expected myself to make the request I did. Acharyal graciously asked me to come the next day morning for initiation.

The next morning, I was asked to go to the room where Acharyal had just then finished His anuṣṭhāna. Acharyal asked me to sit close to Him. I was in a daze throughout the initiation and felt His grace possessing me. Even after I reached home, I found myself continuously repeating the Śiva-mantra, which He had initiated me into. The mental chanting was spontaneous and linked with the outgoing breath. As the day wore on, an intense desire to meditate gripped me. When I closed my eyelids, the mantra rumbled on but slowly faded away. The mind became increasingly calm and in a few minutes, I lost all awareness of the body and surroundings. An hour had lapsed in this state. This experience used to repeat every time I sat for meditation. I knew beyond doubt that Acharyal had graced me in abundance and that my excursions to ecstasy were exclusively due to Him. Months later, of His own accord, Acharyal spoke to me about my initiation and informed me that by the will of Īśvara a transfer of spiritual power had occurred during the mantropadeśa. [A disciple]

★★★★