Significance of chanting mantras

What is the significance of chanting mantras? Logical minds have a problem with mantras. A logical mind asks: "What can a simple sound do to me?" All mantras are not for higher levels of freedom. There are many mantras that you can chant for getting material benefits or to even ward off negativity. Day-to-day matters can effectively be handled by such mantras. Very few mantras lead to spiritual well-being. If any mantra, God or religion supports your greed, fear or limitation, it would be of no significance. Maybe your immediate purpose will be served because you destroyed your neighbor with your mantra or you made the necessary money that you wanted. 

Why do some people make fun of those chanting mantras? A jnana yogi uses his intelligence to realise his ultimate nature. Usually jnana yogis have absolute disdain for all other systems, because they consider everything other than jnana as being stupid or idiotic. They laugh at bhaktas; they make fun of kriya yogis and karma yogis. Once a jnana yogi went to Shiva and said, "All your bhaktas keep chanting mantras? All they are doing is just adding to the noise pollution. If you want to transcend, you must have the consciousness to look beyond. Just by shouting mantras, where will they go? Why don't you tell them to stop this nonsense?" 

Pointing to a worm crawling on the floor Shiva said, "Just go close to that worm and utter the mantra, Shiva Shambho''. The jnana yogi shrugged with disdain and went close to the worm and uttered Shiva Shambho. The worm died. The jnana yogi was shocked. He said, "What is this? I just uttered the mantra, and the worm died". Shiva smiled and pointing to a butterfly said: "Focus on that butterfly and say, Shiva Shambho''. The jnana yogi said, "No, I don't want to kill the 
butterfly". Shiva said, "Try". The jnana yogi looked at the butterfly and said, Shiva Shambho. The butterfly too died. 

The jnana yogi was taken aback and said, "If this is what the mantra does, why would anyone want to utter it?" Shiva continued to smile and again pointing to a spotted deer romping around said: "Focus on the deer and say Shiva Shambho". The jnana yogi said, "No, I don't want to kill the deer. Shiva said, "It doesn't matter; say it''. So the jnana yogi said, Shiva Shambho; the deer fell dead. Aghast, the jnana yogi asked: "What is the purpose of this mantra? It is just killing every being". 

Soon after a mother came with her newborn child, seeking Shiva's blessings. Shiva looked at the jnana yogi and said, "Why don't you utter the mantra for this child?" He replied, "No, I don't want to kill the child". Shiva said: "Try". The jnana yogi, with great apprehension, approached the child and said, Shiva Shambho. The child sat up and spoke. He said, "I was just a worm; with one mantra you transformed me into a butterfly. With another mantra you made me into a deer. With yet another mantra you made me into a human being. Just utter the mantra once more; I want to attain divinity". 

Modern science has now conclusively proven that the whole of existence is just a vibration of energies. Where there is vibration there is bound to be a sound. So in yoga we say the whole existence is just a sound. This is known as nada brahman. The entire creation is a complex amalgamation of sounds. Among this complex web of sounds there are a few sounds which are key sounds. These key sounds are referred to as the mantra.