[Advaita-l] Sadhana?

[Boris Nikiforov]

Dear Group members,

Again, thank you for your replies.

In ISKCON, I was given the Hare Krishna Shodashakshari mantra which is not
a secret one. There are three initiations in ISKCON, Harinama, Diksha and
Sannyasa. The secret mantras are given during the second and the third
initiations, and I don't have the Diksha initiation (and, of course, I am
not a sannyasi). I had received only Hare Krishna Shodashakshari mantra, no
secret mantras. As far as I can understand from your kind explanations, I
can stick to chanting this mantra which is very good for preparing my mind
to accept Vedanta knowledge, and also I can chant Pranava and Mahavakyas.

I understand the importance of Guru (e.g. the famous verse "tad vidhi
pranipatena pariprashnena sevaya..." from Gita) and I know that some
Advaitin Maths/Ashrams in India do accept the disciples that were not born
in Bharata Varsha. Unfortunately, I am not able to travel to India in the
nearest future to receive proper initiation but I don't want to waste my
time. So I asked what can I do in my situation.

One more time, I would like to thank all the Group members who kindly
helped me.

~
Boris



2015-09-28 19:20 GMT+03:00 Sunil Bhattacharjya <
sunil_bhattacharjya at yahoo.com>:

> Dear friends,
>
> As regards initiation it appears that Mr. Boris has already been initiated
> and the Shodashakshari mantra has been given to him. I will like to inform
> him that the mantra received from the guru is considered by many to be
> personal and one is not supposed to reveal it to others, even though the
> others may also receive the same mantra. Sometimes some gurus look at the
> natal horoscope of the native and select a name of the Ishtadevata, which
> which is astrologically compatible with  the native.
>
> Regards,
> Sunil KB
>
>
>
> On Sunday, September 27, 2015 9:57 PM, H S Chandramouli via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
>
> Dear Boris,
>
> Just a suggestion. Performance of Japam is most effecive only when the Japa
> Mantra is  administered ( upadesha )  to the sadhaka in the prescribed
> shastraic pocedure by a competent Guru. Since you are prepared to spend so
> much time and effort in performance of Japam regularly , I would suggest
> you approach a Guru in this regard . He will also guide you on the specific
> Japam appropriate for you .
>
> Best wishes for the success of your sadhana.
>
> Regards
>
> Chandramouli
>
> On Sun, Sep 27, 2015 at 8:45 PM, Boris Nikiforov via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Thank you very much.
> >
> > The replies are very good and helpful indeed. I understand the importance
> > of the early hours before the dawn. As far as I know, there is a special
> > time, Brahmamuhurta. Wiki says it starts 1h 36mins before sunrise.
> > Probably, I should arrange my life in such a way that I could do japa and
> > study Vedanta during Brahmamuhurta and before sleeping. Sadhana Panchakam
> > by Sri Shankaracarya is just great. Thanks a lot.
> >
> > ~
> > Boris
> >
> > 2015-09-27 17:57 GMT+03:00 Sunil Bhattacharjya <
> > sunil_bhattacharjya at yahoo.com>:
> >
> > > Dear Boris,
> > >
> > > It was nice that you got good replies from our fellow members. If I may
> > > add, please look at you own situation and necessities. In the olden
> days
> > in
> > > India, devout people used to get up early in the morning before Sunrise
> > and
> > > offer the daily prayers and meditate and then only start the day. So
> also
> > > around the Sunset the people said their prayers. That is not all.
> People
> > > offered prayers in the bed in the morning immediately after waking up
> and
> > > before leaving the bed and so also people prayed in the bed before
> > > sleeping. There has also been the practice of praying at at any time of
> > the
> > > day and that is called Ajapa japa and some say this to be the best
> japa,
> > as
> > > that is spontaneous.
> > >
> > > Secondly, sleep well. may be 7 hours a day or more as your body needs
> > > depending on the physical exertions during the day and do not sacrifice
> > the
> > > sleep in order to get up early in the morning to pray. Sleeping early,
> if
> > > possible, may be the best way to accommodate good sleep and early
> morning
> > > prayer.
> > >
> > > Best wishes,
> > > Sunil KB
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sunday, September 27, 2015 3:05 AM, Venkatraghavan S <
> > > agnimile at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Sri Boris, you have received good answers from the group to your
> queries.
> > > Hope this helps you get started. The important thing to note is not
> focus
> > > on what others are doing, but to focus inward on yourself. Each person
> is
> > > at a different point in the path, so the specifics of what works for
> one
> > > person are not relevant to someone else.
> > > In general though, one should be regular and timely in the performance
> of
> > > japa - that is, settle on a time of the day and duration of japa that
> you
> > > are comfortable with and stick to it daily. As you get settled into a
> > > routine, you will start observing how your mind operates, how long it
> is
> > > able to repeat the mantra, how often it gets distracted halfway through
> > the
> > > mantra with some other passing thought. Don't worry or feel frustrated
> if
> > > the mind gets distracted - that is the mind's nature - gently bring it
> > back
> > > to the words of the mantra.
> > > Remember, don't get caught in achieving a specific outcome from the
> japa,
> > > the idea is to let the process "prepare your mind" over time to be
> ready
> > > for vedAnta. A goal-oriented approach (sa-kAma karma) may lead you to
> > > achieve the goal, but that only serves to perpetuate samsAra. Instead,
> > what
> > > we want is to do is prepare our mind to be able to accept and
> assimilate
> > > VedAnta, and that only happens through the performance of a
> > > process-oriented nishkAma karma for some time.
> > > Just my 2c worth.
> > > Regards
> > > Venkatraghavan
> > > On 26 Sep 2015 20:01, "Boris Nikiforov" <boris108 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Thank you very much for your kind answers.
> > >
> > > My spiritual level is low, I'm just a beginner.
> > >
> > > As far as I can understand, mantra japa is an important step to Advaita
> > > and is very helpful. So probably I can continue chanting Hare Krishna
> > > mantra, Pranava, and Mahavakyas. Also, vedAnta shravaNam, mananam, and
> > > nidhidhyAsanam are very important parts of sadhana. Do I understand
> > > correctly?
> > >
> > > How much time do you usually spend for mantra japa every day?
> > >
> > > ~
> > > Boris
> > >
> > > 2015-09-26 20:38 GMT+03:00 Venkatraghavan S <agnimile at gmail.com>:
> > >
> > > I would qualify your statement and say that it depends on the level of
> > > spiritual maturity of the aspirant. Within advaita tradition, mantra
> japa
> > > would fall under upAsana, and is an accepted preparatory step required
> to
> > > earn the qualifications necessary to commence vedAnta shravaNam,
> mananam
> > > and nidhidhyAsanam.
> > > In answer to Sri Boris' question, hare krishna mantrA is a great mantrA
> > > and if chanted with sincerity and devotion, will greatly advance you in
> > > your spiritual quest.
> > > Regards,
> > > Venkatraghavan
> > > On 26 Sep 2015 18:24, "Sunil Bhattacharjya via Advaita-l" <
> > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > Namaste,
> > > For an advaitin the Mahavakyas are the mantras.
> > > Regards,Sunil KB
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      On Saturday, September 26, 2015 9:24 AM, Boris Nikiforov via
> > > Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >  Pranams,
> > >
> > > I have a question on sadhana (the regular spiritual practice) for
> > > advaitins.
> > >
> > > Back in 1990s, I spent two years in Hare Krsna movement (ISKCON). We
> > > chanted 16 rounds of japa daily, we followed so called "4 regulative
> > > principles" (no meat, no alcohol etc.), and studied some books like
> > > "Bhagavad Gita."
> > >
> > > These days I have a great interest in Advaita, especially
> Shankaracarya's
> > > teaching and I read regularly some books in English (Shankara's
> bhashyas,
> > > translation of Brahma Sutras by Swami Sivananda, translation of
> > Upainshads
> > > by Swami Nikhilananda) but I would like to have some sadhana too like
> > japa.
> > > What is the common traditional sadhana which can be adopted by a white
> > > married middle aged man like me? I love to do some japa regularly but I
> > > don't know a mantra I can chant without diksha. Back in ISKCON, I would
> > > chant "Hare Krsna mantra." Are there any other mantras I could chant
> > > without a diksha? Some years ago, one of the senior members of
> > Advaita-List
> > > kindly explained me that Advaita means a world view. I do my best to
> > > understand Advaita world view studying books but this question is about
> > > practice.
> > >
> > > I would be thankful for any recommendations.
> > >
> > > ~
> > > Boris
> > > _______________________________________________
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