Salvation,Self Realization is made possible by disciplining the Mind.
Unlike western philosophy, Indian philosophy considers Mind as an organ like Eyes,Ears,Nose,Mouth and Body( Panchendriyas,the Five Organs).
The difference between Mind and other organs is that Mind is Subtler and more powerful than the other organs.
It controls other organs.
To realize Self or Reality,Mind has to be stilled,by a process of regulation.
What we perceive initially,when we come into contact with objects, is a jumble of various inputs conveyed to us by various organs like Eyes,Ears…
This reaches the Mind as unconnected stimulii
At this level,Mind just collects information , without collating them,categorising them.
The next level of Mind,Buddhi collates the information,categorises them,tags them as correct or incorrect from a factual point of view and also passed value judgements like Good or Bad.
Why a particular event is designated as Good or Bad,or why amidst multitudes of stimulii being present around us and are being received by Mind as raw information,only a specific event or fact is taken cognisance of,forms a different and exhaustive study.
To put it simply,Buddhi selects event/s at any given point of time,as directed by Chitta,the higher plane,which exists,to understand the concept,one may say,than the Mind.
Consciousness ,one of the Attributes of the Soul is Realized by stilling the projections made by the Chitta when it comes into contact with objects of senses.
One of the methods to regulate the Mind is Mantra.
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मननात् त्रायते इति मंत्र: ।’ manan means bringing only one thought to one’s mind repeatedly and trayate means to protect. In other words mantra refers to that which when thought of repeatedly protects oneself and also that which protects one from the mind or that which helps to bring about the dissolution of the mind. At a further stage Mantrayoga also means that state in which contemplation (manan) stops during chanting, there is dissolution of the mind, cessation of the mantra, dissolution of the triad (triputi) that is, of the mantra, the one chanting the mantra and the act of chanting and the seeker attains the state of dissolution (layavastha).
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B. ‘Mantra refers to the collection of letters which assists in acquisition of the favourable and the vanquishing of obstacles. The word mantra is derived from mantri, a Sanskrut word which means secret speeches (guhyabhashane). It has various meanings like acquisition of secret objectives, acquisition of secret meanings, invoking a deity for a specific cause, etc. Philosophically it means that by contemplation (manan) of which, knowledge about the oneness of the entire world, that is the embodied soul (jiva), Brahman and the universe is bestowed upon oneself and that by which the embodied soul acquires Liberation (Mukti) from worldly bondages and <span class=”glossary” title=”Practicing Dharma i.e. Dharmacharan”>Righteousness (Dharma), wealth (artha) and desire (kama) are achieved in this world.
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C. “मंत्रा: मननात् ।” means a mantra is that on which one contemplates (manan) and from which one acquires the knowledge about sacrificial fires (yadnya), God and the soul (Nirukta 7.12).
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D. मकारो मननं प्राह त्रकारस्त्राणमुच्यते ।
मननत्राणसंयुक्तो मंत्र इत्यभिधीयते ।।The meaning: In the word mantra ‘ma’ (म) refers to contemplation (manan) and ‘tra’ (त्र) to protection (tran). Thus that which consists of contemplation (manan) and protection is called a mantra.’ (1)
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E. The word mantra is derived from ‘man’ (मन्) and ‘tra’ (त्र). ‘Man’ refers to the mind and ‘tra’ to vital energy (pran). That which is done with the fusion of the mind and vital energy is called a mantra.
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F. According to the science of Tantra: ‘According to the sorcerers (tantriks) sound (nad or dhvani) being the fundamental frequency of creation appears foremost in the origin of the universe. Sound is a subtle part of the divine energy (chit shakti) of the embodied soul (jiva). Just as sound waves are produced in the atmosphere due to air currents, so also in the body of the embodied soul sound waves are generated due to flow of a type of vital energy (pranvayu). A word is generated from this sound. Later, a mantra originates from it. The energy contained in a mantra is beyond one’s imagination.'(Source. https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-a-bijamantra.html#1https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-a-bijamantra.html#1)
Reality is One,but it appears to be many.(Advaita)
- The world of Name and Form has only relative existence.
- Once Knowledge dawns, differentiation disappears.
When one perceives,three things are needed.
The Perceiver,
The Perceived and the process of
Perception.
By Mantra,one can discipline the Mind and the differentiation between the Three,The Perceiver,Perceived and the process of Perception is dissolved and one becomes a part of Reality.
As an empirical spinoff,one gets his wishes granted and obstacles removed.
Will write on the effects not Mantras,the process and composition.