The practice of mantra japa has been one of the most enduring spiritual disciplines since ancient times. When done with faith and vigour, it quietens the mind and turns it inward. A point may come when japa ripens into effortless remembrance – or the mind may dissolve altogether into stillness and bliss. What follows are valuable pointers to deepen your sadhana and avail the true joy of mantra japa.
A Mantra Can Lead You to Samadhi
On the path of devotion, the mantra acts as the bridge between you and divinity. Take the chant “Om namah shivaya”, for example. Om is the absolute truth, namah means “I prostrate,” and shivaya is the embodiment of bliss – limitless and infinite. I do my pranam to Shiva.
When you recite the mantra, the sound waves created have the power to arrest the wavering of your mind. A point comes when the mind and the mantra sync and become one, and the beauty unfolds. You might even lose awareness of the body. The mind itself becomes the mantra, and it takes a dip into shivatvam – the essence of Shiva. Thus, a mantra alone can lead your mind into samadhi. If you wish, do this.
Importance of Anushthana
See, the mind is always forming habits. Right from childhood, you were trained that tea is refreshing and tasty. Soon, your mind becomes so habituated to tea that whenever you have a headache, you drink a cup and the headache is gone! Now, train yourself that “When I do mantra, my mind will find joy. It can go into total absorption and samadhi.”
That is why doing anushthana once in a while is important. Anushthana means to resolve to do a set number of malas daily for a fixed period – for example, 21 malas daily for forty days. Fix a time in the morning and evening, and don’t compromise that schedule. Take a bath, wear fresh clothes, keep a picture of your Guru or deity, light a diya and incense. Sit down on your asana and don’t get up until the count is completed. Some day, in some session, the magic will happen.
Woefully, many people say that they don’t have time. I am reminded of what Swami Bua ji would say to such folk: “Then go and die in your sleep.” It might seem harsh, but that’s how he was. Once I asked him, “Swamiji, why in sleep?” He said, “That would be painless.” He was still being compassionate.
From Japa to Sumiran
Someone asked: How can we have sumiran with every breath? According to our sages, the process of sumiran begins with regular mantra japa. As you keep practising, you start feeling the joy of it. One day, the mantra will settle so deeply in your mind that it keeps repeating itself throughout the day. You may be preparing food, walking or sitting on the bus, but inside, the mantra continues. That is called sumiran with every breath. It is not something you actively do; it happens. It is a matter of practice done with a one-pointed (ekagra) mind that joins with the mantra.
The mantra may be anything, whatever you have chosen, but the process and technique must be correct. It needs complete faith, keeping the body firm and the breathing deep. If you recite it with full attention, your mind will move into meditativeness and go quiet, except for the mantra. When this experience arises one day, then what used to be a matter of doing starts coming by itself without effort. This effortless repetition of the mantra is called sumiran.
Sumiran – Divine Remembrance
The word sumiran comes from smaran, to remember. That maturity of japa is called sumiran, remembrance. Now, you are not doing the mantra; its remembrance happens. Do you actively remember your loved ones, or does their memory come to mind? Further, words are not necessarily involved in this remembrance. Say, if you think of your father, you don't need to picture his face or repeat his name, “Girdhar Lal, Girdhar Lal…” – but a feeling for him arises in your mind. Similarly, the remembrance of God is called simran in scriptures such as the Sukhmani Sahib.
Do you have to recall your name every day, sitting and repeating “My name is Rosy, my name is Rosy…?” You would be sent to the asylum! You know your name. Similarly, the day a devotee comes to know God, the memory remains. Tell me, in which posture must one sit to remember the fact that you are? For japa, you need to sit in an asana with the head straight and eyes closed, but for sumiran, even that is not necessary.
First Work On Japa
First, improve your japa so it becomes an enjoyable process. There’s a saying, “Japo ta eko nama, avar niraphal kama,” “Just chant the Lord’s name, everything else is worthless.” There is so much joy in that!
The problem is, japa is not happening properly for most people. They do it while their minds are caught up in worldly thoughts, or their body starts aching. Preoccupations like work, shopping, or entertaining guests further compromise the practice. Some people who don’t want to do japa sadhana claim to be doing simran. But before having mastered mantra chanting, simran is not possible. Japa is important; do it according to the right method, and a day may come when you are no longer doing it – it happens.
Taking The Plunge Into Silence
Scriptures and mahatmas have said that we should do sumiran of God’s name. Most people have understood this as picking one name or mantra and continuously repeating it – “Ram Ram Ram Ram…” Walking, talking, shopping, they repeat the mantra. In some sects, they say you have to do it 5000 times; that’s a rule. The truth is, the so-called religious folk chanting God’s name are often the most unholy people. They chant these names, thinking they are doing a great worship. If only your tongue moves but your mind is thinking about the world, you are not doing any worship. The tongue is saying Ram, but the mind is thinking a million things – that’s not fair, not true.
One verse in the Guru Granth Sahib says, “If only you knew how to take naam, once is enough.” Only one stroke is necessary, and the mind plunges into Paramananda! See, a person standing in a river can talk so long as the face is out of the water. Can they talk once they take the plunge underwater? You can keep saying Ram only as long as your mind is away from God. The day it takes the dip, it will go silent. I am not saying that you should not chant. But if you do not reach the point where the mind is in Paramananda, you are not doing it correctly. If you do it correctly, it should take you there.
Just Be Still
To arrive at that point, you need to stay in that state where the mind is inward and calm, not thinking about anything. I often see in guided meditation sessions that the moment the audio track stops, people’s eyes pop open – some rubbing their hands vigorously and placing them over their eyes. You use a mantra to internalise your mind and make it quiet. When you stop saying the mantra, shouldn't you check whether the mind is now inward and silent? That can only happen if you stay in that very state. But if you open your eyes right away, it is like cooking pudding for hours, and you leave just when it is ready to eat. What’s the use of cooking the pudding then?
When the mantra chanting stops, that is the time to just be; quiet and still. If you do half an hour of mantra, keep sitting silently for another half an hour, or at least twenty minutes. If you have just half an hour, do twenty minutes of mantra and keep sitting at least ten minutes; allow the mantra’s effect to work upon you. If you open your eyes immediately, it is just a waste of time.
If you are not relishing it, not staying with it and being silent, you are not gaining anything. Being in silence after the practice is very important. Allow it to sink in, allow the mind to feel the vibes of the mantra. Don’t be in a rush to open your eyes. Sometimes, what did not happen in that half an hour of chanting can happen just then – such mysterious ways! Do it attentively, and when you stop, comes the crucial time when the mind might take the plunge, just as the mouth can’t speak once submerged in the river. Taking that dip is very important. This applies to mantra, pranayama, and even reading a book (swadhaya). After reading a few pages, close your eyes and sit. Relish that, and allow it to seep in.
Just as a filter coffee takes time to brew, the mantra must be brewed, too. With the right method, you fill the funnel of your mind with the mantra. And then shut all the orifices – eyes, nose, mouth and ears – moving all energies inwards and let the mantra brew. That will give you a taste of something. It is very subtle and deep.
Just be in that very poignant moment, simply still. After some time, you may feel like getting up – “Today no plunge happened, I will try next time.” You sit again, until that beautiful moment comes, when all modifications of mind have gone silent. It is a beautiful and intoxicating moment. So whenever you sit, don’t be in a rush to come out. Everything can wait, not this. Keep waiting and waiting – who knows when the Beloved arrives with His magic?
