VEDA GYAN - 10

CHANTING OF MANTRAS

Vedas are full of Mantras that are to be chanted for various reasons.  There are our ritualistic Mantras which one has to chant daily as a daily routine, Mantras chanted to please Gods to receive special boons and blessings, Mantras chanted for removing our sins, Mantras chanted for special occasions such as birth, death, birthday, marriage, cleansing etc.  Mantras are also categorized into many – such as Ugra (powerful) Manthra, Beeja (the life giving seed) Mantra, Slokas, Stotras, Namavalis (Chanting of various names), Gayatri Mantra etc.

Learning the Mantras from a learned Guru is the only way of receiving it properly.  This is called Mantra Upadesha.  Mantras can also be studied by a person himself, if he has received the Deeksh (blessings) from a Guru belonging to the divine line of tradition like from Sankaracharya Mutts, Madavacharya etc. for self learning of the Mantras.  Generally Gurus give such Deeksha to his pupil only after he fully teaches the prelims of the Vedas, which takes a few years (takes normally around 7 to 10 years of regular learning)

There are many rules for learning and chanting Mantras.

1.    Mantras are to be learned from a proper Guru face to face.  Learning it from books, cassettes, internet etc. will render no effect on chanting.  A Guru will know how to cleanse the sins of his disciple before teaching any Mantra.
2.    Mantras has to be learned by following the austerities living like a Brahmin.  Eating any for of non vegetarian food is mainly and strictly prohibited for the person, who chant Mantras.
3.    Ladies are prohibited from chanting Mantras other than Soundrya Lahari, Lalitha Sahasranaman, Kaliyuga Taraka Mantra, Mahishaasura Mardini Stotram,, Sri Saraswati Vidyaramba Mantra, Sri Sakthi Ayur Vardana Mantra and Sri Lakshmi Daridrya Samani Mantra.  Other than these, ladies are not expected to chant any other Mantras, and such chanting will render no effect also.
4.    Gayatri Mantras of different Gods, Mula Mantras, Beeja Mantras, Upanishads, Suktas, and all other Vedic Mantras are to be chanted only by a person who has received it as a Upadesh from a learned Guru face to face.
5.    Kaliyuga Taraka Mantra can be learned through any means like books, cassettes etc., by assuming Lord Krishna as the Guru.  The person chanting this Mantra will have the full benefits if he learns it thus.
6.    Soundrya Lahari, Lalitha Sahasranaman and Mahishaasura Mardini Stotram can be learned through books, cassettes etc., assuming Jagad Guru Adi Sankaracharya as the Guru.  It will also give full effects on chanting, if it is learned thus.
7.    Mantras has to be chanted from properly, as per the notations given in the Vedas.  Just saying the words of Mantras as any one likes or like a song, render it sinful.  The words has to be properly spelt and the notations to be fully followed for a person to derive the full effects of chanting.
8.    If any mistake is committed by error of wrong pronunciation or notations unknowingly and unwinfully, Kshamapana (asking of forgiveness) Mantra is to be chanted always at the end of the daily prayers.  This forgiveness is only for the mistakes and errors and not for one where the person has chanted in the wrong way after learning it from a book or a cassette. There is no forgiveness for such actions as it is like a person who does not know driving and who does not possess a valid driving license, drives a car and involves in an accident.  There is no pardon in such a case, and the driver is punished.
9.    Mantras has to be chanted as per the scriptures and requirements.  There are Manasa Japas (chanting in the mind), there are Upanyasa (chanting it loud so others can also listen and understand it) and there are Japas (chanting it little loud so that others present can also join the Japa).  Those Mantras that are to be chanted like the Surya Gayatri, Kaliyuga Taraka Mantra etc are to be done as a Manasa Japa. Upanashids, Srimad Bagawat Gita etc., chanting has to chanted as Upanyasa and other Mantras are to be chanted as Japas.  The Mantras in Japa category constitute the major category of Mantras chanted for regular pujas in the homes and temples.
10.    Mantras should not be shouted or sung a as a song or accompanied by any musical instruments.
11.    Mantras should always chanted with love and devotion to God.  There should be a feeling that God is present in front of you and listening to your chanting.  It should not be broken for any purpose in the midway.  The passage or the line that is being chanted should not be broken.  There should not be any talking or laughing while chanting any Mantra by an individual.  This is treated as a total disrespect to the Deity.

There are many more rules to chant any Mantra.  A river is said to flow with its full force, if there are no obstacles in its flow.  Similarly, the effects of a Mantra will flow properly in its full force, it is chanted as per the Vedic Scriptures.  No chanting can be proper, so all prayers should be followed by the Kshemapana Mantra chanting at the end.  Avoid chanting Mantras if you have not learned it from a proper Guru, as it can also be counter effective.  Ultimately, even if everything is proper, but the Chanting is not done with love and devotion to the God, it may not be accepted by God, the results of such chanting can be very minimal.

Hari Om !!