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Quark23
28 July 2011, 02:36 AM
Hi everyone,

Please accept my humble apologies if my knowledge seems very little on these subject matters. I am truly a neophyte.

My question or pondering is this - I have been chanting for some years now the Maha Mantra or "Hare Krishna" Mantra on Tulsi Japa beads.

As you would well know within the structure of the Mantra there is a beautiful evolving repetition of the words Hare, Krishna and Rama.

Are there any other Mantras you could help me with that have a similar repetitive, evolving structure where the primary words are repeated in different combination?

Also - if I chant other Mantra's focused on other deity's such as Shiva or Ganesha on my Tulsi beads, will this be problematic?

Do I need to source, say Rudraksha beads for Shiva Mantra's or other similar corresponding substances for other deity's?

I find the repetitive and evolving aspect of the Hare Krishna Mantra very soothing - but I want to branch out to other forms of Japa meditation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated in this.

Respectfully yours.

- Rahasya :Cool:

WTyler
28 July 2011, 11:15 AM
Hm. Interesting question.

The mahamantra is one of the more "longer" mantras. As you probably know a lot of them are a bit shorter, so I guess there isn't much room for "evolving" as you put it. You can try to Gayatri mantra, or even a shorter prayer or bhajan. I've done japa with Govinda Jaya Jaya and other bhajans.

As for the second part, there are people that will say yes and there will be others who say no. Personally, I have one tulsi wood mala. It's all I own so I do all my japa on it, I don't think God would be mad at that.

However, it is considered by some to be inauspicious to offer tulsi to Ganesh, but you aren't technically offering, you are just using the mala as a tool.

ramrarama.

Ekoham
08 August 2011, 12:43 PM
Hi everyone,...................


Do I need to source, say Rudraksha beads for Shiva Mantra's or other similar corresponding substances for other deity's?

I find the repetitive and evolving aspect of the Hare Krishna Mantra very soothing - but I want to branch out to other forms of Japa meditation.....


Respectfully yours.

- Rahasya :Cool:

Namaste Quark23,

Yes, you need Rudraksha beads for Shiva and as a general rule, Tulasi beads are used for Vishnu/ Rama/ Krishna... Similarly different deity's have different beads (also many have same too.)

One thing I don't understand when you enjoy "Hare Krishna.." mantra as you have mentioned above, now what is the reason you want to branch out to so called other forms of japa meditation....

If the mantra is given to you by your guru then this question shouldn't be there.
Also one must understand the main purpose of mantra japa meditation, and why this attempt to please different deity, for what.. aren't all expansion of one.

There is beautiful saying..
Ek sadhe sab sadhe
Sab sadhe sab jaay

Meaning-- When we worship or meditate on one we get the blessings of all
But when we run behind all leaving one after another for other we get nothing

One can also say-- "By concentrating fully on one subject one can control everything".

Any sadhna or practice is futile/ worthless if it does not contain the most important ingredient called FAITH.

My dear friend in the path of spirituality one can reach nowhere without complete faith and devotion.
SO HAVE FAITH AND BE DEVOTED COMPLETELY TO WHAT YOU DO.

Pranam

Ekoham

Jainarayan
08 August 2011, 02:01 PM
I'd like to ask a question here wrt to japa v. special prayers.

Japa, as I understand is to bring one closer to God, in whatever form we choose as our Ishtadeva. I do japa with OM Namo Baghavate Vasudevaya or OM Sri Krishnaya Namaha; Sri Krishna is my Ishtadeva.

But if I'm experiencing a particular problem... let's say lots of negativity from people or situations around me, and I want to invoke Maa Kali or Maa Durga to help me fight this; or during tough finances I want to invoke Maa Lakshmi to help; or some other obstacle, and invoke Lord Ganesha, would I use japa with their mantras during those times, or would I say a different kind of prayer? Shlokas don't seem to be right, as they seem to be hymns of praise, not supplication.

Ekoham
09 August 2011, 11:17 AM
I'd like to ask a question here wrt to japa v. special prayers.

Japa, as I understand is to bring one closer to God, in whatever form we choose as our Ishtadeva. I do japa with OM Namo Baghavate Vasudevaya or OM Sri Krishnaya Namaha; Sri Krishna is my Ishtadeva.

But if I'm experiencing a particular problem... let's say lots of negativity from people or situations around me, and I want to invoke Maa Kali or Maa Durga to help me fight this; or during tough finances I want to invoke Maa Lakshmi to help; or some other obstacle, and invoke Lord Ganesha, would I use japa with their mantras during those times, or would I say a different kind of prayer? Shlokas don't seem to be right, as they seem to be hymns of praise, not supplication.

Namaste TBTL,

What you are doing is just perfect, the question arose because you haven't understood Krishna yet, that's why you say, you want to worship so many deity's.

"SARV DEVO NAMASKARAH KESHAVAM PRATI GACHCHATI"
salutations to all deity's eventually reach Lord Keshava (krishna).

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CHANT MANTRA (DO JAPA) THE PURIFICATION PROCESS STARTS,
"FIRST THE PURIFICATION OF BODY AND THEN THE PURIFICATION OF MIND". OUR BODY IS SO FULL OF IMPURITIES (VASANA'S) THAT WHEN WE START DOING JAPA THESE IMPURITIES GET PUSHED OUT AND MANY OF US EXPERIENCE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS (as underlined above in your post).

THEY ALL WILL GO, ITS A PROCESS THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
CONTINUE WITH YOUR JAPA and have FAITH in your Ishtdeva LORD KRISHNA (THE ONE DWELLING IN ALL HEARTS) and you will see the result.

LOVE THE LORD FOR THE SAKE OF LOVING AND YOU BECOME LORD YOURSELF.

Ask KRISHNA "THE SUPREME BRAHMAN" for whatever you want he himself is more than capable to fulfill your desires, but aim of Krishna Naam Japa is not materialstic gain, can never be, it will sound too cheap, to ask Krishna for such favours. It will be something like, standing in front of the Emperor and begging for a Penny. (its only an example, Krishna is Incomparable).

Hare Krishna

Ekoham

Jainarayan
09 August 2011, 12:51 PM
Namaste Ekoham, thank you. :)


Namaste TBTL,

What you are doing is just perfect, the question arose because you haven't understood Krishna yet, that's why you say, you want to worship so many deity's.

"SARV DEVO NAMASKARAH KESHAVAM PRATI GACHCHATI"
salutations to all deity's eventually reach Lord Keshava (krishna).


Well, it wasn't so much wanting to worship the other deities, rather, appealing to their aspects for certain effects. But I think I see the difference between "worshipping" and giving salutations. And I read (I think a verse from Bhagavad Gita, or someone else said it too) that salutations and prayers to all deities reach Lord Krishna. As my Ishtadeva, it is Sri Krishna I should want to meditate on with japa, to bring Him into my heart and soul, and I closer to Him.

During daily puja to Lord Krishna, for example, I offer prayers to Lord Ganesha (to make it go smoothly); to Maa Saraswati (as my gruhadevata); to Lord Shiva ("I salute the Lord of the Southern direction... " prayer); then the prayers and offerings to Sri Krishna, the circumambulation, arati and the "Thou alone art my mother and father..." prayer. This all came from a book How To Conduct Puja To Sri Krishna.


WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CHANT MANTRA (DO JAPA) THE PURIFICATION PROCESS STARTS,
"FIRST THE PURIFICATION OF BODY AND THEN THE PURIFICATION OF MIND". OUR BODY IS SO FULL OF IMPURITIES (VASANA'S) THAT WHEN WE START DOING JAPA THESE IMPURITIES GET PUSHED OUT AND MANY OF US EXPERIENCE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS (as underlined above in your post).

I did japa last night on the Maha Mantra to Sri Krishna. It took a lot out of me, but I completed it. I fell into a deep sleep after that. Maybe that's why such a powerful mantra as the Maha Mantra took so much out of me. But not in any negative way at all, it may be the beginning of that cleansing process.


THEY ALL WILL GO, ITS A PROCESS THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE.
CONTINUE WITH YOUR JAPA and have FAITH in your Ishtdeva LORD KRISHNA (THE ONE DWELLING IN ALL HEARTS) and you will see the result.

LOVE THE LORD FOR THE SAKE OF LOVING AND YOU BECOME LORD YOURSELF.

Yes, I'm encouraged now. I think of Him all the time, something I never thought possible of myself. I think I had a little "slip of faith" as we were talking to Scarlet Rose about.

I wouldn't ask for anything material. That's just plain wrong.

Quark23
07 September 2011, 02:46 AM
Hi everyone,

Wow! - that provoked quite a response :o

I'm unsure as to how to respond here - as I haven't been initiated into any tradition.

- Rahasya :Cool:

heather.s
18 September 2011, 08:46 AM
Ekoham, are you saying that one would pray to many dieties because someone who does that doesn't know the true way to Krishna yet?

Just making sure I understand what you're saying...