Bhagavan Manu wishes for us happiness in this life and immortality in the hereafter. इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा परलोकेऽमृतं व्रजेत् . I don't want to live a life of sorrow. I want to make this life also joyous. It is everyone's birthright to receive happiness. Therefore if one expects happiness, that is not wrong. Bhagavan Manu exhorts us - इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा परलोकेऽमृतं व्रजेत् - having gained joy in this world,may one gain immortality in the hereafter. May I gain happiness in this life - I will gain my own happiness, happiness from family and happiness from society. Together with this, may my antahkarana be so free of the hold of impressions, may my antahkarana be so mature that desires melt from it, and consequently, may moksha take place effortlessly, naturally.
May yajna based actions be in keeping with scriptural injunctions
However, the yajnas that we do for the purpose of gaining this happiness, are dependent upon certain rules. The Lord draws attention to those rules by saying :
विधिहिनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनं अदक्षिनम्।
श्रद्धा विरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते।।
The Lord, through this sloka, points out that yajnas performed without heed to the stipulated rules, would make it difficult to gain the full result of the yajna.
What are the injunctions involved in different types of yajnas? We should know these things, some of which are general, like the purity of the materials, the proper time, purity of the place where yajna is being conducted, purity of the body, purity of mantras. When all these aspects are there together, then the yajna is complete. Just by sitting down somewhere and offering some things into the fire does not constitute a yajna.
The land where yajna is to take place should be pure. For that the land should be properly selected. There are certain samskaras pertaining to the land. The materials being used for the yajna also influence the yajna. The yajaman is the one who has initiated the yajna. His own punya (accrued unseen merit) will also influence the yajna. Thus all these matters influence the yajna.
In the Shrimad Bhagavat, there is a small description of an incident, in which a miracle took place in Parikshit's yajna, which did not take place in Yudhisthira's yajna. When the priests invoked the devatas in the ashwamedha yagya conducted by King Parikshit,verily the devatas would manifest themselves there. This had never happened before, at any time. It did not happen at the time of King Yudhisthira's yajna either.
So, a question was raised, as to why did this not happen? The answer given was that it was the result of the yajamana's punya. King Parikshit's punya was responsible. The purity of his mind, the purity of his body, the purity of his intention, all these had influenced the yajna.
When I perform a yajna, the purity of the land, the purity of the materials being used, my body's purity, the disciplines that I follow etc. all are important. Along with that another important matter is there- the purity of the life of the acharya through whom I am getting this yajna done, as well as the purity of the mantras being uttered by them.
If the right time is not chosen for performance of yajna, it will not be a good yajna. Our traditions give a lot of importance to the aspect of time. If the time is not favourable, then in spite of all our efforts, the yajna will not be successful. Therefore we should understand the principle of time. We should understand what the purity of time means. Astrology that is centred around yajna was created only for the sake of knowing which yajna should be performed at which time.
When we do any scientific process, following the necessary steps, in the sequence prescribed, then automatically the expected result accrues. Similarly, for example, if yajna for increasing wealth is done by a competent person, with the proper chanting of the appropriate mantras and required number of offerings into the fire, at the proper time, then definitely the expected result of increase in wealth will take place.
Traditionally, our Kings used to perform these kind of yajnas. Even the public used to perform these yajnas. Thus there was a continuous flow of efforts which gained the grace of the devatas, which resulted in a continuous flow of success in life.
The Lord himself says, that the full result will not accrue for yajnas in which the scriptural injunctions are not followed. Some result may accrue, but it will be diminished.
असृष्टान्नं - the yajna in which there is is no distribution of food, will not be a successful yajna. Distribution of food is an integral part of yajna. The distribution of food is in proportion to the number of offerings made. When this is ensured along with other stipulations, the yajna will be successful.
The importance of the injunctions with reference to mantras.
After that the Lord says - मन्त्रहीनं. Has the yajna been performed using proper mantras, chanted at the right time properly, by trained scholars? Yajna is scriptural activity whose primary basis is the knowledge of mantras. Our tradition is replete with philosophies that do not believe in God. Even then the Rishies acknowledged those philosophies. In the Nyaya-vaisheshikas, the Vaisheshikas philosophy does not believe in Ishvara. In the Shankya-Yoga philosophies, the Sankhya philosophy does not consider Ishvara to be necessary. Amongst the Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamasa, the Purva Mimamsakaras do not consider Ishvara to be necessary. Out of the six respected philosophies of Sanatana Dharma, three do not consider Ishvara necessary.
Let us pay attention to this. Even though three philosophies of Sanatana Dharma do not consider Ishvara necessary, why are they not still considered as 'aastika' (believer)? This is because they accept the Vedas.
We do not define 'aastika' on the basis of acceptance of Ishvara. Accepting Vedas or not accepting Vedas, is the basis for being called as 'aastika' or 'naastika' philosophy. Even though, the Rishis who propounded these philosophies do not consider Ishvara as necessary, still because they accept the Vedas, they are accepted as Rishis. By saying that Ishvara is not necessary, they tried to draw our attention to the importance of the Vedic mantras, as these mantras are quite capable of giving the desired results by themselves.
Analysis of the Veda mantras takes place in different ways. One is that the Veda mantras are analysed in a general manner and their word meaning is taken in the form of teaching. We get different type of lessons from the Veda mantras. For example 'मा हिंस्यात् सर्वा भूतानि।, संगच्छध्वं सः वदध्वं।' - these are primarily mantras that teach something. In these mantras, lessons are there for the public, with reference to their conduct, their thought processes. This is the first use of the Veda. No matter in which way you write and speak these mantras, you will still derive some lessons from it.
The second point, is the effect of vibrations generated from the proper chanting of the mantras. The whole universe is pervaded by vibrations - it is nothing but vibrations. Therefore, let us choose specific mantras, whose vibrations are beneficial in our life, which are favourable to our life. Thus those Veda mantras should be selected, by whose continuous chanting our life automatically becomes joyous.
You people must have heard about the greatness of the effect of vibrations. Music, which is properly played, which may not even have any words to it, but which is harmonious, and soothing influences our mind - this is something we have all experienced. Many incurable diseases have been cured through the medium of music. Music has been used to cure the sick successfully. In America, I have seen a hospital where arrangements for special music are made for patients. These arrangements for music were made so as to keep the patients in a particular mood. It was found that if the patients experience a specific mood, then the health benefits are speeded up. So even though we may not use words, the vibrations caused by the use of music does influence our life and change the state of our mind. We can use those vibrations and bring about favourable progress in our lives. The Vedic mantras have this kind of immense power to propel us towards success. These Vedic vibrations have been greatly used in foreign countries. In olden times, it was famous here, in Bharat, too.
The Power of Mantras
There is also a third aspect. Specific mantras have specific applications. Every mantra is accompanied by it's seer ( Rishi), meter( chandas), deity (devata), application (viniyoga). We should know these four aspects. Without knowing the rishi, devata, chandas and viniyoga of the mantra, it cannot be used for a specific purpose. Every mantra is accompanied by it's Rishi, devata, chandas and viniyoga. Saying that I am using this mantra for this purpose, when one uses the mantra in a proper manner, then specific siddhis ( specials powers) are gained through the grace of the mantra devatas. This knowledge was with our Rishies, and it was based on this knowledge that King Vishvamitra also had to say धिक् बलं क्षत्रिय बलं ब्रह्मतेजोबलं बलं । King Vishwamitra tried very hard to defeat Muni Vasishtha. He used the entire army, but Sage Vasishtha was not defeated. Sage Vasishtha's cow named Kamadhenu prevented any defeat. After that Vishvamitraa acquired divine weapons and again tried to defeat Sage Vasishtha. He used those divine weapons on Vasishtha. Vasishtha simply placed a blade of dry grass in front of them. Even greatest of divine weapons would return back from that blade of grass. They were unable to proceed forward. At last Vishwamitra had to concede ' धिक् बलं क्षत्रिय बलं ब्रह्मतेजोबलं बलं । Oh! The real power in this universe is the brilliant power of the Vedas. The mantras of the Veda are the real power and therefore I will gain knowledge of that'. Saying this the king renounced his kingdom and went away to become a Brahmarishi. King Vishwamitra had physical power. Sage Vasishtha had mantra power. King Vishwamitra's physical power was totally overpowered and powerless in front of Vasishtha's mantra power. Vishwamitra was totally overthrown. So in this way, Sage Vasishtha used mantra power.
In our country we have vast detailed knowledge about the appropriate application and use of different types of mantras. This knowledge of mantras has been blessing the people. They fulfill the desires of people. Keeping in mind, the kind of lack felt by someone, the appropriate mantra is applied, with the aim of removing that lack and attaining fulfillment. When there is a deficiency of any vitamin in the body we have to to take the vitamin. Similarly in keeping with each person's destiny there is some deficiency or lack in the life, and in keeping with that, appropriate mantra can be used to remove that deficiency. In this way the Rishis brought about a prosperous and healthy society.
The law of mantras is such that, as long as the proper mantras are not used, the success of the yajna is doubtful.Therefore the Lord says विधिहिनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनं. It is important to see if the mantras have been properly used in a yajna.
Discipline and Austerity are required
It is important to note that the use of mantras is not meant to be undertaken by merely reading books. It's not enough to just repeat them two or three times. The use of mantras should be accompanied by purity of the body.
Let us revisit a particular episode in the story of Lord Rama. King Dasaratha went to Maharishi Vasishtha. He requested blessings for begetting a son. Maharishi Vasishtha said 'King! You will definitely get a son, I know that. However for removing the obstacles for those, two yajnas need to be performed'. King Dasaratha told Vasishtha to please go ahead and perform them. Maharishi Vasishtha said 'No. For that, you will have to invite an excellent Rishi whose name is Rshysrnga'. King Dasaratha asked that 'why is it necessary that we should call only him?' Maharishi Vasishtha said 'it is indeed rare to find anybody with mantra-siddhi (the capacity to manifest the powers of a mantra) like him.'
The same mantra can be chanted by any Rishi or it can be chanted by Sage Rshyashrnga. What is the difference? The mantra is chanted properly by the other also. But Maharishi Vasishtha said that call Rshyasringa only. Therefore we will have to consider the life of Sage Rshyasringa. Maharishi Vashisht placed great faith in Sage Rishyasringa because Rshyashringa's entire life was one of sacrifice, austerity. He lived the life of a solitary sage. His father had arranged that from his childhood he had never in come in contact with any lady. He had no idea what the female species was. The Valmiki Ramayana has a long description of this.
Our scriptural teachers have said that the powers which are there within the human being are scattered (wastefully) into many different avenues. So if anybody desires to unfold the powers of a mantra, they should protect themselves from three things.
जिह्वा दग्धा परान्नेन हस्तौ दग्धौ परिग्रहात्। नेत्रौ दग्धौ परस्त्रीभिः मन्त्रसिद्धिः कथं भवेत्?
If tongue is ruined by eating food supplied by others, hands are burnt by accumulating wealth, eyes are burnt by desiring other women, how mantra siddhi would happen?
These three things are to be avoided. I have studied mantra with pure heart. I can chant the mantra. However if the body that is chanting the mantra, as well as it's vital energies are not in proper condition, then the chanting of the mantra will be without any power. That mantra will devoid of life. Therefore that mantra will no more be as useful as it could be.
Maharishi Rshyashringa was free of these defects. Therefore in childhood itself, he had become an excellent siddha (the one who wielded different powers). Excellent Brahmins who have aggrandized much, who have accepted whatever was offered to them, fall in their stature. The scriptural teachers do not consider them to be excellent. जिह्वा दग्धा परान्नेन - a Brahmin who always accepts the food given by others cannot be considered excellent. He will not be able to properly protect the knowledge of mantra within himself.
The one who lives by his own effort considering, the food given by others as not to be eaten, the one who uses his discrimination at the time of accepting charity carefully considering what am I accepting, for what purpose am I accepting, how much am I accepting, that person's mantra power can remain protected. But a person who thinks that let these things keep coming, he may acquire many things, but he loses everything inside.
In the Valmiki Ramayana there is a very beautiful adjective used while describing the brahmanas- संयताश्च परिग्रहे। The one who hesitates to take anything. The wealth that one receives comes with its own defects. And whoever receives the wealth gets associated with those defects. Therefore, earlier,people would think a lot before accepting any wealth. The people who have protected their life's spiritual brilliance by refraining from accepting such wealth, can use (unleash a mantra's potential) a mantra successfully. The use of mantra is not about just reading a few verses. नेत्रौ दग्धौ परस्त्रीभिः। If one does not lead a life of discipline, one cannot be successful in invoking the power of mantras. Thus it is only by following all these restrictions and having a regular, consistent daily practice of chanting a chosen mantra, a set number of times, as a result of which the individuality is transformed and the whole body is vibrant with the power of the mantra, that a person can invoke the mantra's power.
The power of purity of the body
Is everybody's body the same? Is the body of of any person and the body of Shree Bhagavan Ramkrishna (Thakur) the same? The state of the consciousness within that body and the influence of that consciousness on it's goal are all different matters. Outwardly we may look the same, however the state of the vital energies are different. When Thakur undertook any spiritual discipline (anushthana), then in how many days did he achieve success in that? In just three days. If he undertook any spiritual discipline, on the third day it would be successful. Why? Because his mind was extremely pure. He did not require any external purity.
For those who have complete nadi-shuddhi, the success of any anushthana or other spiritual discipline is not far off. Thakur had undertaken the sadhana of Islam, the sadhana of Christianity, the sadhana of madhura bhakti, the sadhana of loving devotion (vaatsalya bhakti). He had worshipped the Lord looking upon himself as a servant of the Lord. He had needed only three or four days, at the maximum a week, in which he attained perfection in that sadhana. This was because his body was fully qualified. His vital energies were such that he could accomplish any sadhana in a few days. In this way, until one's entire life is not made into a laboratory, till then our capacity for invoking the power of mantra will not be as great, as those of our Rishies and acharyas. Therefore mantra siddhi is not a matter for just reading about or teaching.
There is difference between chanting of a mantra by a layman, and chanting of a mantra by a scholar who has committed his life to spiritual practices and who has undertaken an anushthana of the mantra to complete a prescribed number of repeations of the mantra (called a purascharana) and through that who has purified the body and made it fit.
What is the difference? Suppose you take out the bullets from a pistol and throw them. Will it have any effect? It will have no effect at all. Suppose the bullets are the same, and you release those bullets through the pistol, then its effect is quite different. This is because, behind that action, there is now a power driving the bullets, because of which they are released with speed. The scriptural authors have revealed this very matter. The capacity to invoke the power of a mantra is there in life for one whose body, vital energies, behaviour, wealth, daily food - all these are disciplined. When a mantra is uttered by such a person then just one word works wonders.
Therefore Patanjali wrote in his Mahabhashyam एक शब्दः सम्यक् ज्ञातः संप्रयुक्तः स्वर्गे लोके च कामधुग्भवति। Just know one word in your life. Do anushthana of one word. However सम्यक् ज्ञातः संप्रयुक्तः - understand it well and use it. How should you use it in your life? Becoming one with the word, learn about how to use this body-machine to make it fit for the mantra. Then use that one word.
That one word will be the wish-fulfilling cow, both in this world and in the hereafter. Just one word. All the Vedas are also not required. Neither is the entire body of knowledge of mantras required. But for this it is necessary to keep the body pure. This body machine needs to be maintained in excellent condition. Many defects spoil this body machine.
What is required in life, to be free of those defects? The shastras say that for this yajna is necessary. महायज्ञैश्च यज्ञैश्च ब्राह्मीं क्रियते तनुः। If this personality is to rendered eligible for knowledge of Brahman', then worship through mahayajna and yajna is necessary.
Mantra Siddhi
I remember a certain incident. This is something which happened in Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra, there is a place called Nizamabad. Once, Sant Samarth Ramdas was travelling through that place. When he arrived there walking, some scholars saw him. They were overwhelmed and thrilled by his darshan.They told him 'Maharaj, we are in great trouble. How can we come out of this?'. Swami Ramdas enquired as to what was the matter? They said that 'One emperor has made us prisoner here. It has been around 10 to 12 years since it has rained here. The emperor has told us to do anushthana properly and produce rain. He has said that if our anushthana does not result in rain, then we will not be permitted to return to our homes. The emperor said 'I give you a maximum period of 6 months. If within that period, if there is no rain inspite of your anushthana, I will never permit you to return to your homes.' 'We are here since years. Please bless us. We are unable to accomplish this work. We are doing anushthana as per the rules. We are following all necessary disciplines. Yet we are not meeting with any success'
Swami Ramdas said 'never mind. Do your anushthana now.' He saw a big stone. He placed his garment over the stone and then invoked Hanumanji there with mantras. Then he asked them to commence abhishekam on that stone. There was no idol there, only a stone. Those scholars commenced abhishekam on that stone. As the abhishekam was nearing the end, it began to rain. The rain clouds gathered and it rained. When those Brahmins lifted the cloth off the stone, they found that an idol of Hanumanji had manifested there.
Amazing! How did that happen?
Sant Ramdas had sat there, looking at that stone and invoking Hanumanji in his mind, had projected Hanumanji on the stone. The image in our thoughts can be so powerful, that if with a focussed mind, we wish to imprint it somewhere, then it's imprint has to materialize there. Now, I want to bring to your attention to the fact that inspite of so many pandits performing so much anushthana, they were unsuccessful. However one Samarth Swami appeared there and made the anshthanam successful. Why? That was the effect of the purified personility. It was the effect of the repeated chanting of the name of Lord Rama over many many years. Samarth Ramdas Swami had undertaken purascharana of Gayatri mantra three times, following strict disciplines. All this has an influence on one's speech. Therefore now when he invoked the mantra, then automatically the power of the mantra was unleashed. The devatas had to appear there. They had to bless him.
महायज्ञैश्च यज्ञैश्च ब्राह्मीं क्रियते तनुः।
After making this body- mind complex fit, when mantras are invoked, then their anushthana becomes successful. Then yajnas become successful. Lord has pointed out that, if such use of mantras is not made in yajnas, then the result of the yajna is reduced.
विधिहिनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनं अदक्षिणम्। The Lord declares that yajna to be tamasic, if anushthanam of the yajna is done, but no dakshina is given to please the Brahmins who performed the yajna. The Lord also mentions श्रद्धा विरहितं यज्ञं - the yajna that is done without reverential faith in it's capacity to produce result is tamasic. If the yajna is performed merely for show, or was performed for some other reason, or I had no faith but my wife wanted it to be performed- in this way yajna was performed for some other reason, without faith, then Lord says that it is as good as not performing. Therefore shraddha must also be there. Otherwise the result of the yajna will be reduced. The Lord, through this statement,has drawn our attention towards the shortcomings in performance of Vedic yajnas.
The Lord has also revealed how better yajnas may be performed. He said that if a yajna is performed keeping some goal or desire in mind, or it is performed merely for show, yet it's performance is done adhering to all other mentioned stipulations, then that yajna is a rajasic yajna. The Lord said that a yajna performed, with the attitude that 'performing yajna is my duty' is the best one. The scriptures have ordained that 'may you perform yajna as wealth has increased so much... therefore I must perform yajna.' Thinking thus, when yajna is performed in keeping with all stipulations, with a pleased mind imbued with shraddha, that yajna is called as a satvic yajna.
In this way, Lord has given us a vision of yajna, whereby avoiding the shortcomings of tamas and rajas yajnas, when there is performance of satvic yajnas in our life, then those yajnas give us two types of results. One is, it gives us fulfillment of all our worldly desires and the other is it grants us antahkarna shuddhi. Through antahkarana shuddhi we gain purity in life. It is only through the medium of chitta-shuddhi that I can climb the steps leading to spiritual progress.
Om Tat Sat
Translated from book Yajnamaya Jivan
