Chanting of the name

[nanda chandran]

An advice from the Manusmriti regarding chanting :

Chanting aloud is good. Chanting silently is better. Chanting mentally is
the best.

The translation is not exact - but that's the message of the smriti
regarding chanting mantras.

If I may make a suggestion : chant the mantra very slowly and develop the
habit to chant mentally.

The psycho/physical being is driven to action. If in the morning you sit
down to chant 108 gayatri, there'll be an instinct within you to get it over
with - so normally people would chant fast and finish it quickly. But such
chanting is useless.

Action is the diametrically opposed to jnaana. Let go of the effort - let go
of the will to act. Do not use beads - because not only will your mind will
be divided between counting and chanting, it will also mean action. At the
highest level of japa, chanting should be effortless - there should not be
any action at all!

Chant very slowly - spell out each word clearly. Approximately it takes 20
minutes to chant 108 gayatris slowly. You can use a timer or alarm clock if
you want.

Mantra japa if done properly will take you down to your innermost level
where your humanness (for want of a better word) whose basis is action,
rests. Proper practice will teach you to subdue the instinct to act (which
indirectly means moving away from your psycho/physical self).

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