[Advaita-l] Re: Advaita-l Digest, Vol 33, Issue 23

mwadhwa at uwm.edu mwadhwa at uwm.edu
Wed Jan 25 09:35:04 CST 2006


Hi Santosh,

     The only thing I have to say is not to worry about anything. Your saying
this thing as to if you can do anything "to reverse the negative effects" makes
you fearful. I will say that those who have said that mantras have any side
effects or this or that then don't get frightened, there is no point in that.
Fear is in the first hand the greatest enemy. The intention in your heart
determines everything. There are endless mantras and hence endless techniques.
Your intention is to realize god then who is going to stop you from that. On
the spiritual path there are endless things and confusions and you may find it
hard at times. The only thing is to keep going in that direction and not to
stop. If you are doing mantras not for your spiritual upliftment and for some
other gains in your mind then it is better to have negative effects so that we
may stop doing it for any other thing except for spiritual growth.

    Also let me tell you about the whole reason to do japa and mantras. It is
only to make your mind calm and attain its purity. All else is mere talk and
other mantras for worldly gains are not going to do any good to you. Sticking
to one mantra or japa has this thought behind it that it tries to throw away
all other thoughts that arise in your mind when you do some kind of japa. Also
it maintains devotion in you and also tries to bring surreneder.

    Japa is helpful to that extent where it may bring to your own inner depths
and tries to calm down the turbulent thoughts that arise in mind. The whole
story is of the mind and to calm it down to the extent where the water of mind
is not disturbed so that you may see beyond it at your own Self. Mind is the
only adjunct beyond which everyone will have to reach to have self realization.
So don't be afraid of anything, whatever is done is done, no fear, no worries,
no one is going to punish you for anything. My suggestion is, if you really
like japa, then stick to one japa of any deity or guru you have enshrined in
your heart. There are no side effects. Is there any side effects of taking the
name of God! Tell me if there is any logic and think for yourself! Mind is very
useful in subsiding mind itself. Taking God's name has a side effect, isn't it a
foolish thought. So remain pure at heart and do your japa whatever you feel like
with all your purity of thought. What else is needed, whom to ask and where to
go. Your own self will lead you to the supreme. The Self is the guru and the
external guru if there is any is also your own Self.
        If you are studying advaita then it will negate everything slowly and
finally accept everything, and that is the way. What else is needed. Keep going
and don't worry about anything. Self is the witness of everything, then where
are side effects brother.

I feel this email maybe of some use.

Pranaam,
Manish Wadhwa





Quoting Santhosh  Nair <santhosh_twin at rediffmail.com>:

** Also, could you please let me know whether there is anythign I could do to
** reverse the negative effects of mantra chanting, if any, that has affected
** me?
**
**
** On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 advaita-l-request at lists.advaita-vedanta.org wrote :
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** >Today's Topics:
** >
** >    1. New Member Introduction: Sri Ravi Kumar G S (Ravisankar Mayavaram)
** >    2. Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation (Santhosh  Nair)
** >    3. RE: Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** >       (Neelakanta, Nataraja)
** >    4. RE: Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation (Krunal Makwana)
** >
** >
** >----------------------------------------------------------------------
** >
** >Message: 1
** >Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 16:55:37 -0600
** > From: Ravisankar Mayavaram <abhayambika at gmail.com>
** >Subject: [Advaita-l] New Member Introduction: Sri Ravi Kumar G S
** >To: advaita-vedAnta List <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
** >Message-ID:
** > 	<fb2619990601231455g3ebc9cc3j18546cf4f9ad8e0a at mail.gmail.com>
** >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
** >
** >---------- Forwarded message ----------
** > From: Ravi Kumar G S <ravikumar.gs at gmail.com>
** >Date: Jan 23, 2006 8:15 AM
** >Subject: Re: Please Send Your Introduction to Join Advaita-L
** >To: Ravisankar Mayavaram <abhayambika at gmail.com>
** >
** >
** >Dear Sir,
** >
** >I am a grahasta from Smartha Mulukunadu (Munikulanadu) brahmin family
** >of Yajurveda Apastamba sutra and Kashyapa gothra, and  based at
** >Singapore for the past three years. My name is Ravi Seshadri and I am
** >32 years old. I have been doing adhyayan of vedanta philosophy as an
** >amateur and seek the guidance and support of an organization like this
** >mailing list.
** >
** >I humbly request you to include me in the mailing list.
** >
** >With warm regards
** >SAIRAM
** >
** >Ravi Seshadri
** >
** >
** >------------------------------
** >
** >Message: 2
** >Date: 24 Jan 2006 11:07:57 -0000
** > From: "Santhosh  Nair" <santhosh_twin at rediffmail.com>
** >Subject: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** >To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** >Message-ID: <20060124110757.30736.qmail at webmail26.rediffmail.com>
** >Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=iso-8859-1
** >
** >Hi,
** >I have a doubt about mantra recitiations. Some people say that if someone
** pronounces the words in a mantra incorrectly, it could bring adverse
** effects. Is this true? I used to chant mantras (Gayatri, Mahamrityunjaya,
** etc.) And I think I did this in an incorrect manner (including the position,
** diretion i faced, and the timing. If it has any ill-effects, is there
** somethiig I can do to correct it? Currently I chang only Vishnusahasranama
** and Narayaneeyam (3dasakas/day), at 7 am.
** >Please do let me know because now I am suffering from various physical
** problems.
** >
** >Thank you.
** >
** >------------------------------
** >
** >Message: 3
** >Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:43:58 +0530
** > From: "Neelakanta, Nataraja" <nataraja.neelakanta at sap.com>
** >Subject: RE: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** >To: "Santhosh Nair" <santhosh_twin at rediffmail.com>,	"A discussion
** > 	group for Advaita Vedanta"	<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
** >Message-ID:
** > 	<B244143AC07FE74D8218D9F6E0EDF44A8F1870 at inblrle40.blrl.sap.corp>
** >Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
** >
** >Dear Mr Santhosh,
** >
** >Its true that wrong chanting of mantras will bring in adverse effects.
** >Its definitely true with upadesha mantras that are to be done on a daily
** >basis. Mantras from Samhita are also very powerful. One has to be very
** >very cautious about chanting of mantras. Direction and timing do not
** >matter. To cite an example, during the wish for birth of a person who
** >can kill Indra (Vritrasura), mantra was incorrectly chanted. The meaning
** >got changed to wish for birth of a person who can be killed by Indra.
** >
** >Be careful while chanting mantras, concentrate on swara, take your own
** >time to do so. After a practice, one can chant without any issues.
** >
** >BR,
** >nattu
** >-----Original Message-----
** > From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** >[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org] On Behalf Of
** >Santhosh Nair
** >Sent: Tuesday, 24 January 2006 4:38 PM
** >To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** >Subject: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** >
** >Hi,
** >I have a doubt about mantra recitiations. Some people say that if
** >someone pronounces the words in a mantra incorrectly, it could bring
** >adverse effects. Is this true? I used to chant mantras (Gayatri,
** >Mahamrityunjaya, etc.) And I think I did this in an incorrect manner
** >(including the position, diretion i faced, and the timing. If it has any
** >ill-effects, is there somethiig I can do to correct it? Currently I
** >chang only Vishnusahasranama and Narayaneeyam (3dasakas/day), at 7 am.
** >Please do let me know because now I am suffering from various physical
** >problems.
** >
** >Thank you.
** >_______________________________________________
** >Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
** >
** >To unsubscribe or change your options:
** >http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
** >
** >For assistance, contact:
** >listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
** >
** >
** >------------------------------
** >
** >Message: 4
** >Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:21:28 +0000
** > From: "Krunal Makwana" <krunalmakwana at hotmail.com>
** >Subject: RE: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** >To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** >Message-ID: <BAY102-F2439270239549FBF41D918BE130 at phx.gbl>
** >Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
** >
** >namo nArAyan
** >
** >Dear Santoshbhai,
** >
** >It is correct that by chanting a mantra incorrectly can lead to adverse
** >effects. This is why vedic suktams and etc were not available to anyone and
** >everyone. The verses were passed down from generation to generation from
** >GUrU to adhIkAri SISya. The knowldge of the Veda is and should be imparted
** >on the masses of people but at the same time to keep the authenticity of
** the
** >Vedas, the vedas have to be kept safe from people who try and abuse it. For
** >this reason Veda vyAsji mAhArAj gave the world the pUrAnas and ItIhAs for
** >everyone to read.
** >
** >If i am not mistaken while a pupil is learning sanskrit, he comes across
** >vedANga, the six limbs of the Vedas, namely:
** >
** >sikSa
** >vyAkarana
** >nirUkta
** >chhanda
** >kalpa
** >jyotiSa
** >
** >According to mundaka upaniSad these have to be studied by a student of
** >vedas. Even mistakes may take place not just on the pronunciation but also
** >on the beat of the mantras (chhanda) and etc which would still lead to an
** >adverse effect.
** >
** >All of the above have to be given high regard when chanting Vedic mantras
** >especially. I may be wrong here and the members may correct me, but once
** >when i was at an ashram and discussing vedic mantras' i was told that if
** the
** >pronunciation or other aspects of chanting were incorrect than you commit
** >the sin of killing a cow due to the mistake commited in chanting. I
** >personally have not found a citation of that but if the members could
** >enlightment me if that is correct or not.
** >
** >My opinion and i stress this is my opinions, is that if mistakes are made
** in
** >reading stotras, pUrAnas, ItIhAs or other smR^iti texts that is fine BUT
** >mistakes should not be made while chanting Vedic suktams or what have you.
** >
** >I hope this clarifies things for you, if i have said anything that goes
** >against the grain i hope the learned members will enlighten me as to where
** i
** >went wrong and shower the true meaning. After all, life is a big learning
** >process.
** >
** >Warm regards,
** >
** >Krunal
** >
** > >From: "Neelakanta, Nataraja" <nataraja.neelakanta at sap.com>
** > >Reply-To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
** > ><advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
** > >To: "Santhosh Nair" <santhosh_twin at rediffmail.com>,"A discussion group
** for
** > >Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
** > >Subject: RE: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** > >Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:43:58 +0530
** > >
** > >Dear Mr Santhosh,
** > >
** > >Its true that wrong chanting of mantras will bring in adverse effects.
** > >Its definitely true with upadesha mantras that are to be done on a daily
** > >basis. Mantras from Samhita are also very powerful. One has to be very
** > >very cautious about chanting of mantras. Direction and timing do not
** > >matter. To cite an example, during the wish for birth of a person who
** > >can kill Indra (Vritrasura), mantra was incorrectly chanted. The meaning
** > >got changed to wish for birth of a person who can be killed by Indra.
** > >
** > >Be careful while chanting mantras, concentrate on swara, take your own
** > >time to do so. After a practice, one can chant without any issues.
** > >
** > >BR,
** > >nattu
** > >-----Original Message-----
** > >From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** > >[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org] On Behalf Of
** > >Santhosh Nair
** > >Sent: Tuesday, 24 January 2006 4:38 PM
** > >To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
** > >Subject: [Advaita-l] Effects of incorrect Mantra Pronunciation
** > >
** > >Hi,
** > >I have a doubt about mantra recitiations. Some people say that if
** > >someone pronounces the words in a mantra incorrectly, it could bring
** > >adverse effects. Is this true? I used to chant mantras (Gayatri,
** > >Mahamrityunjaya, etc.) And I think I did this in an incorrect manner
** > >(including the position, diretion i faced, and the timing. If it has any
** > >ill-effects, is there somethiig I can do to correct it? Currently I
** > >chang only Vishnusahasranama and Narayaneeyam (3dasakas/day), at 7 am.
** > >Please do let me know because now I am suffering from various physical
** > >problems.
** > >
** > >Thank you.
** > >_______________________________________________
** > >Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
** > >
** > >To unsubscribe or change your options:
** > >http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
** > >
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** > >listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
** > >_______________________________________________
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** >------------------------------
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** >End of Advaita-l Digest, Vol 33, Issue 23
** >*****************************************
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