Need spiritual help

[Viraja]

Namaste,

For gaining wealth, we have great stothras like Kanakadhaara stotra.... and prayers to ma Lakshmi.

For health, we have great prayers like Narayaneeyam and Aditya Hridayam.... and worship Narayana and Shri Rama.

For gaining courage and valor, we recite Hanuman Chalisa... and worship Hanuman ji.

Like that,

who do I worship for gaining personality benefits.... like getting rid of jealousy and egotism?

which stotra is especially tailored for reaping these personality boons....?

Thanks,

Viraja

[Mystical Soul]

Hello
I would start with Lord Ganesha. He is our aid in new adventures. A personality remake is that of sorts. I ask him to assist me in my personal weakness of which there are many. I also call upon Lord Shiva who I feel is the master of self control. I am sure others will have deepes answers but hope this helps a little

Sincerely

[Viraja]

Hello
I would start with Lord Ganesha. He is our aid in new adventures. A personality remake is that of sorts. I ask him to assist me in my personal weakness of which there are many. I also call upon Lord Shiva who I feel is the master of self control. I am sure others will have deepes answers but hope this helps a little

Sincerely

Sure, thank you very much MS ji!

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Namaste Viraj,

This may sound as though it comes across as a bit harsh, when in fact its not. Its a very worthy insight and most crucial to see the hindrances to self realization, jealousy and ego being some of the prime ones. Mantras and stotras do work, I have felt it and recite them often, mostly though they seem to be more tantric or mantras that have the most effect if one is in some state of samadhi or deep dhayna, not as something that in and of itself will take away the hindrances, if it was that easy then all we would need to do is listen to a few hours of that sound vibration, I see the mantras and the invocations mostly at the initial level is raising of vibration, they lift the vibration of the mind to a more clear state or a calm state or more positive, stable state for deeper contemplation, but that is not the end, there would still be work to be done, the mantra or verses then become one of deeper contemplation within that raised vibration field which it would have created by sound vibration sabda.

What would accompany this is insight into the nature of the hindrances, some type of contemplation of what happens when these attributes arise in the mind, seeing the conditions that make these rise and the conditions that abate and help reduce and finally eliminate them for good, its a battle of wits and intelligence with a strongly raised energy level and concentrated will, this for me is where mantra comes in, to raise the levels of energy and a certain type of concentration, mantra alone has never really done all the work, it needs more, some type of consciousness skill.

My take on this is that even if someone gave the magic mantra, the secret formula, the right words that hits the note, if there is no insight into the nature of the hindrances then they wont shift. What I am noticing more is that in Kali Yuga times, everything is external, go to temple give donation get rich, say some prayers and it fixes my conditions and I live more happy with better conditions in this life, all is temporary and external. The temporal nature or phenomena weather good or bad is uncertain and will ultimately let us down, there is no refuge in the conditions, they are too unstable, that flux is absolute, it wont change, if we see this then nothing to jealous of, if we are jealous that someone else is doing better than us, then whats the point, the conditions of that success can change in an instant then that person may become an object of ones compassion if they fail, I think the word ego is very detrimental in the way its used in modern language, as if we are not supposed to have one or its bad, it just means identity, that identity can be positive and can aspire to the highest state where the state of individual self just drops off naturally, I have concluded that the ego drops off naturally when the vibration is higher and consciousness finds its real source, why would it hold onto a shadow and less illumined limited condition.

Sorry I did not add any magic formula, but for the magic formula to work there has to be a a certain quality of consciousness to receive, and that comes via insight into the nature of phenomena or the nature of the hindrances, once they are seen clearly then they drop by themself and replaced with what is worthy.

[Viraja]

MD ji,

I understand your point - as you have stated thoroughly, perceiving the root cause of our pitfalls and trying to counter those thoughts is important.

But, other than that, I respectfully disagree that mantras cannot do magic.

See, mother Mahalakshmi has been termed as 'sthuthi priyai' (one who cherishes mantras recited on her name) -- This reference is from Lakshmi Narayana Hridayam that I am reciting everyday.

Lord Shiva has been termed 'abhisheka priyan' (one who cherishes ritualistic baths).

Lord Vishnu has been termed 'alangaara priyan' (one who cherishes being decorated).

So, as you see, different behavior pleases even the supreme godhead and we definitely can earn their blessings to counter our negatives by doing activities that pleases them, is it not?

Also, secondly, there are very powerful 'bija' or 'seed mantras' attuned to the worship of each deity that bring about what you have stated in essence - a powerful vibrational and magnetic field that can bring about major changes in us over time. Similarly, certain stothras are termed 'rahasya' (secret and sacred) which once we recite, can bring tremendous changes in ourselves in all ways!!

I agree we need to approach scientifically too to tackle a problem, but not everything is confined within science! This is my humble take on it.

[markandeya 108 dasa]

Namaste Viraj

I agree with everything you have said, I didnt touch to much on the divine powers that these scared mantras do have, but I was more pointing to that its the quality of consciousness that will support the true power of these mantras and not asking them to do the work for us, how would that align with nishkam karm, there is a subtle and rational side too, that makes these practices less abstract, what would be the result of the practice or stotra, it would be insight, if the nature of jealously and ego is seen with insight, or illumined knowing then they loose power, this insight is gained in meditation, why would not one of the stotras and Kavachas not have enough power in themselves, why so many, when the truth can be understood even by one or two syllables, these are just questions, when that natural insight arises then wouldnt it make these chants more divine more empowering, not just for ridding the lower conditions that bind us but to enliven our essence, I see the whole of Sanatana Dharma culture as a pure ancient culture of one of Prakash, Deva, Surya, Dharshan, , forgive my illiteracy, its all illuminating things of cosmic grandeur all in light of experience, which ultimately shows the Absolute, where can jealously and ego stand/ Guru Gorak Ji says that the the yogis abode is only the the constant unfoldment of prakash, so I see these strotras and shastra as Prakash and that in itself will deal with the kilesha.

I would not consider that the names of Krsna, Vishnu and Shiva are any different from their Being. I fully approach all related shastras as Sabda Brahma, but there is a junction of seeing them as profits for external conditions rather than going deeper into self realization. The power of the Deity would give rise to a faculty of consciousness and that should hold some natural insight, then from that further growth.

I think this area is a touchy subject, I understand the divinity in the external worship, I do it myself, and also as something that deeply transforms, its just maybe a little slow to work on me.

If you go on youtube they can have mantras for all sorts of things, it becomes commercial and gradually looses its true divinity, not saying to go to youtube just generally speaking.

[Indialover]

Hari Om

Just want to share this verse from Kulasekara Alwar‘s Mukunda Mala with you.

Mantra which kills all enemies,
Mantra which is worshipped by each and every word of Upanishads,
Mantra which cuts the bonds of the world,
Mantra which drives away the darkness of ignorance,
Mantra which helps in attaining all riches,
Mantra which cures the snake bite of worldly worries is the name of Sri Krishna.
And so tongue, always chant it and get deliverance from life.

Hare Krishna

[Viraja]

Thanks for everyone who participated in this thread!

Even if not clarificatory, it arises pertinent questions we may want to check with the learned.

@Believer ji: Thank you so much! I take it as a compliment that you mentioned about my faith in such a positive note! I feel very happy.

@MD ji: You have asked, why should we not worship the same Ananthapadmanaabha and get rid of personality defects. I choose to answer you via 2 points:

1. Why do people pray to mother Lakshmi for wealth? Is Narayana incapable of giving wealth? Why should we pray to Hanuman for courage, strength and valor? Why cannot Narayana alone give them all?

The way I see it, yes, Narayana can give them all. But, once we know there are 'specialists', we can check with them, atleast casually, if we have the means to, is it not? Maybe it can give us quicker results, maybe this is the reason why they chose to manifest themselves as 'specialists' in the first place!!

2. Why cannot I recite Narayana mantra and take to devotion to him, and get rid of my personality flaws?

By no means I said anywhere, that I am not praying to Narayana for these benefits currently. I am doing that, quite infact, for a very long time... It just so happens that I am in search of a specialist and a special remedial mantra 'in addition' to what I am currently doing, because ultimately it gives me satisfaction, that I am taking all possible measures and having overlooked that if there is some stothra and a prayers attuned to my needs, I am also doing that subsequently. To an onlooker, this step might be like a placebo, but in spirituality, nothing is a placebo. If Narayaneeyam can cure stomach ailment, there is nothing wrong with a sick man inflicted with pain, to look out for it and procure it!

@IndiaLover: I am not saying your point is incorrect, but to my belief, that I have read from many sources, certain mantras and stothras can act very beneficial for certain purposes. You might have heard that siksha gurus give out "particular" mantra, individually tailored to each aspirant! Why should he give special mantra, that is to be kept sacred in the first place? Is not one "Hare Krishna" or "one Narayana mantra" be effective by itself, when chanted numerous times with faith and devotion? My answer to this question is that, maybe there is something special indeed about that siksha mantra, that the guru is capable of redeeming the aspirant faster with it than not. And my search is similar to this.

So, you can see, such a search gives me satisfaction at many levels - that I am doing the right thing, and that I am doing it in addition to what can be done without it.

Thanks,

Viraja

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

Your being one of faith and believing in God, may I suggest praying to Guru for guidance and delivery? Quite honestly, He has all power and your faith in Him is the answer to all that ills.

Perhaps you are not graced with Guru?

Om

[Viraja]

Namaste C.Smith,

By Guru, do you mean Medha Dakshinamoorthy? No, I haven't tried that. But, I pray everyday to Shri Hanuman whom I reckon as a form of a Guru.

They say that as per Ramayana, Shri Hanuman is the bringer of the 'token' of ring to Sita (troubled soul) from Rama (paramatman) and many equate this event with the 'mantra' a guru would give to a disciple. Therefore my prayers to Shri Hanuman.