Question about mantra

[Ettenna]

What is the soul damage that I am doing when I chant --OM Namah Narayana-- especially when Iam not an initiate and do not have a clear view of an avatar of the form of Absolute Truth. I mean no disrespect to anyone or this forum. I know that an answer will guide my direction.
Most grateful
Om
Ettenna

[simex]

namaste,

While I'm hardly an authority on anything, I use the Om namo Narayanaya mantra frequently to calm my mind before entering deeper meditation, or to calm myself in general. As yet I have not noticed any detrimental effects, and have only noticed benefits.

I even had a dream where the mantra transformed me into a giant, blue-skinned, mace wielding manifestation of the lord.

Far be it from me to dissuade anyone from repeating the lord's name.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

What is the soul damage that I am doing when I chant --OM Namah Narayana-- especially when Iam not an initiate and do not have a clear view of an avatar of the form of Absolute Truth. I mean no disrespect to anyone or this forum. I know that an answer will guide my direction. Most grateful Om Ettenna

Namasté Ettenna

Where can there be damage in repeating the name of the Supreme (anuttara)? This mantra you chant is considered prasiddha¹ mantra or a well known mantra.

The only suggestion I would make is on the number of syllables - I would recommend 8 syllables. This then stimulates the 8th house within ones janma kundali (birth chart).

Why the 8th house (rāśi). ? It is a natural mokṣa house and is the realm of yoga, tantra and siddhi (aṣṭa-siddhi or 8 siddhi-s).
Some call these 3 areas (collectively) para-jñāna. Learning is associated with the 5th house (a dharma house) , hence higher then
that (para-jñāna) we go to 8th house. We also note the 8 fold yoga practice called out in to Patañjali’s Yogadarśana¹ , a higher learning.

What then are these 8 syllables?

oṁ namo nārāyaṇaya - ॐ नमो नारायणय
Lets count the syllables (phonemes or akṣara&#185

oṁ__na-mo__ nā-rā-ya-ṇa-ya
_1___2 - 3 __ _4- 5- 6 -7 - 8

praṇām

words

• nārāyaṇa नारायण - the son of the original Man - He is identified with brahmā , with viṣṇu or kṛṣṇa
• prasiddha प्रसिद्ध- well known , accomplished.
• Additional (recent) HDF Posts: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=26588&postcount=35
  http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=26550&postcount=30
  http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=26522&postcount=17
• akṣara अक्षर -imperishable ; as a noun it means a syllable,sound.

[Ettenna]

Gratitude.
Most humble appreciation.
I will make the directed changes immediately. I also find it a most calming chant.
Respectfully,
Ettenna

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


I wrote above

The only suggestion I would make is on the number of syllables - I would recommend 8 syllables. This then stimulates the 8th house within ones janma kundali (birth chart).

Why the 8th house (rāśi). ? It is a natural mokṣa house and is the realm of yoga, tantra and siddhi (aṣṭa-siddhi or 8 siddhi-s).
Some call these 3 areas (collectively) para-jñāna. Learning is associated with the 5th house (a dharma house) , hence higher then
that (para-jñāna) we go to 8th house. We also note the 8 fold yoga practice called out in to Patañjali’s Yogadarśana¹ , a higher learning.

What then are these 8 syllables?

oṁ namo nārāyaṇaya - ॐ नमो नारायणय
Lets count the syllables (phonemes or akṣara&#185

oṁ__na-mo__ nā-rā-ya-ṇa-ya
_1___2 - 3 __ _4- 5- 6 -7 - 8

I wish to add a few ideas on this prasiddha¹ mantra. This mantra is discussed in the nārāyaṇopaniṣad (nārāyaṇa upaniṣad).
It is called the aṣṭāṣara¹ of nārāyaṇa or the melodious flow of bīja's¹ found in the word form of nārāyaṇa.

nā +rā +ya+ṇa +ya ( these are the bīja's I have looked up or researched in other upaniṣad-s e.g. the yogatattva upaniṣad; I offer the 'lite' version for this particular post)

• nā - (3rd derivative) is knowledge; it is also 'unbroken' ; a jewel; welfare; it is another name for gaṇeśa
• rā - is brightness, splendor; it is the bījākṣara of agni. We find this sound in rāma defined as pleasing , pleasant , charming , lovely , beautiful
• ya - ( 4th derivative ) is meditation; it is also light, attaining; it is also a name of lakṣmī.
• ṇa - is also knowledge and also defined as gift. It is also a name for śiva
• ya - now 'ya' at the end can be defined as 'joining'.

So we see the beauty of this word-sound as I view it - this jewel ( nā) of unbroken knowledge that is brightness and splendor (rā), given as a gift (ṇa) that is approriate for meditation ( ya), which invokes/joins gaṇeśa ( nā), agni (rā) and lakṣmī (ya).

praṇām

words

• nārāyaṇa नारायण identified with brahmā , with viṣṇu or kṛṣṇa , yet in the bīja's we also see gaṇeśa , agni, and lakṣmī .
• akṣara - a syllable; also defined as imparishable, unalterable
• prasiddha - well known, celebrated; prá = brought about , accomplished rooted ( √ ) in pṝ or prā meaning filling , fulfilling
• aṣṭāsara - aṣṭan or aṣṭau or aṣṭā or aṣṭa - all meaning '8' + sara meaning water-fall, cascade - from √ sṛ a fluid , liquid.
  So aṣṭāsara is the 'fluid flow' of these sounds fount in this mantra - melodious.
• bīja - sound/ root syllable's which forms the essential part of the mantra of any deity ; any germ , element , primary cause or principle , source , origin
  • sometimes this is written vīja or vījā ( femine gender) meaning seed of plants , semen of men and animals , seed-corn , grain.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

oṁ namo nārāyaṇaya - ॐ नमो नारायणय

The last post reviewed nārāyaṇa's bījākṣara's ( seed syllables) . Yet there is another view regarding this word that is most delightful to consider.
If we view nārāyaṇa as nāra + ayaṇa , some additional knowledge comes out.

• nāra = relating to men , a man or human ; humanity ; fyi nārī = a woman
• ayaṇa = ayana = path, way, advancing

Hence nārāyaṇa is the path for humanity. Yet we can also see this, nāra is another name for water. And ayana is a place or refuge; some call ayana 'abode' . Now we have nārāyaṇa and His 'abode in the water' . What is this water? It is the symbol for Conciousness.

Yet one more view if you continue to use 'place or refuge'. We now again attach it to humanity and nārāyaṇa is the resting place, the refuge, for humanity.



praṇām