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A Mantra is a special set of words through
only that particular deity could be summoned. If I write or
speak in Chinese you won't be able to understand and my words
will not produce any effect. But if I speak the language you
know its effect shall be with doubt. Praying to these deities
in one's language won't help much but if one uses the words
that they can understand the result shall be instant.
These words are the Mantras evolved by Rishis
and Yogis who actually prepared them and used them to prove
their worth. Over the ages these have helped thousands of Sadhaks
achieve even that which appeared impossible to them. Within
doubt that whose chanting fulfills one's wish is a Mantra
The Use of Mantra:
A mantra is an invocation, containing a sacred syllable or set
of syllables. When a mantra is uttered with specific rhythm,
with sincerity of devotion and purity of thought and action,
and with phonetic and grammatical accuracy, in a manner prescribed
by the scriptural injunctions of the Vedas or some authoritative
scripture, it is believed to invoke a particular deity and compel
the deity to assist the invoker to achieve a desired end. It
is interesting to note that according to Hindu beliefs, if a
mantra is pronounced correctly the deity to whom it is addressed
has no choice but to respond to the invoker automatically and
help him.
When a complicated ritual such as a soma sacrifice
or some other yajna is performed, not one but many deities are
invoked simultaneously by groups of priests chanting various
mantras. Their chanting creates the necessary vibrations in
the atmosphere to awaken the deities and facilitates their descent
to the place of worship.
The sound that is generated by the chanting
of the mantras is very important, but is is not the only requirement
for the yajna to be successful. The remaining requirements are
the appropriate use of tantra and yantra, which will be explained
later.
It is believed that hidden in each mantra
is the energy of a particular deity which remains normally latent,
but becomes active the moment the mantra is pronounced accurately
in the manner prescribed by the shastras. The divinity awakens
only if the vibrations generated by the chanting matches with
its basic frequency. Besides this, as we have already noted,
the appropriate use of tantra and yantra must fit in the overall
purpose of the worship and remain in harmony with the expectations
of the divinity to whom they are directed.
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