Recently came across a link that exactly says what a Samyama is.
Anto Rocked!
14 years ago
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Monday, September 08, 2008
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.
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.
Prayer and its Meaning
Before Pranayama/Before Food
Aum… Aum… Aum…
Sahana vavatu sahanou bhunaktu
Sahaveeryam karavavahai
Tejasvinavadhitamastu
Mavid Visha vahai hi
Aum Shanthi… Aum Shanthi… Aum Shanthi…
Let us be together. Let us eat together.
Let us produce the energy together.
Let there be no limit to our energies.
Let there be no ill feeling among us.
Aum… Peace, Peace, Peace.
After Pranayama
Aum… Aum… Aum…
Asatoma sadgamaya
Tamasoma jyotirgamaya
Mrutyorma amrutangamaya
Aum Shanthi… Aum Shanthi… Aum Shanthi…
From Untruth to Truth. From Darkness to Light
(From Ignorance to Enlightenment).
From Mortality to Immortality.
May I be lead.
Aum… Peace, Peace, Peace.
bhO shambhO - Meaning of this Ecstatic song
bhO shambhO
raagam: rEvati
2 ratnaangi janya
Aa: S R1 M1 P N2 S
Av: S N2 P M1 R1 S
taaLam: aadi
Composer: Dayaananda Saraswati
Language: Sanskrit
pallavi
bhO shambhO shiva shambhO svayambhO
anupallavi
gangAdhara shankara karuNAkara mAmava bhavasAgara tAraka
caraNam 1
nirguNa parabrahma svarUpa gamAgama bhUta prapanca rahita
nija guhanihita nitAnta ananta Ananda atishaya akSayalinga
caraNam 2
dhimita dhimita dhimi dhimikiTa kiTatOm tOm tOm tarikiTa tarikiTakiTa tOm
matanga munivara vandita Isha sarva digambara vESTita vESa Isha sabEsha sarvEsha
Meaning:by Suhasini Jayakumar
pallavi: Hail , oh Lord Shambhu, one who "self appeared"
anupallavi: Source of Ganges, Shankara, oh merciful lord who redeems me from this ocean of sorrow, samsAra
caraNam 1: without gunas, one who is beyond time, past, present and future
truth beyond gunas(?), beyond all things finite, oh infinite, blissful, wondrous, ever the same lingA
caraNam 2: This is just the rhythm of the dance of creation and destruction
Other information:
Lyrics contributed by Lakshman Ragde.
Song performed for karnATik by Prithi Narasimhan
Citation : http://www.karnatik.com/c2437.shtml
Shiva is the destroyer among the trinity
Shiva is the destroyer among the trinity.
The holy word chant to worship him is made of five letters and is popularly called Panchakshara- “Na Ma
In this popular mantra each of these letters is considered as him and he is praised for his great qualities.)
Nagendra haraya Trilochanaya,
Basmanga ragaya maheswaraya,
Nithyaya shudhaya digambaraya,
Tasmai nakaraya namashivaya. 1
My salutations to the letter “Na” , which is Shiva,
Who wears as garland the king of snakes.
Who has three eyes,
Who wears ash all over Him,
Who is the greatest Lord,
Who is forever,
Who is the cleanest,
And who wears the directions themselves as dress
Mandakini salila chandana charchithaya,
Nandeeswara pramadha nadha maheswaraya,
Mandra pushpa bahu pushpa supoojithaya,
Tasmai makaraya namashivaya. 2
My salutations to the letter “Ma” , which is Shiva,
Who is bathed by waters of ganges,
Who applies sandal paste all over him,
Who has Lord Nandi as his chiefton,
Who is the greatest lord,
And who is worshipped by Mandhara and many other flowers.
Shivaaya gowri vadanara vinda,
Sooryaya daksha dwara naasakaya,
Sri neela kantaya vrisha dwajaya,
Tasmai sikaraya namashivaya. 3
My salutations to the letter “Si” , which is Shiva,
Who is peace personified,
Who is like Sun to the Lotus face of Gowri.
Who destroyed the fire sacrifice of Daksha.
Who has a blue neck,
And who has a bull in his flag.
Vasishta kumbhodhbhava gowthamadhi.
Munendra devarchitha shekaraya,
Chandrarka vaiswanara lochanaya,
Tasmai vakaraya namashivaya. 4
My salutations to the letter “Va” , which is Shiva,
Who is worshipped by great sages like,
Vasishta, Agasthya and Gowthama ,
As also the devas,
And who has sun , moon and fire as his three eyes.
Yaksha swaroopaya jada dharaya,
Pinaka hasthathaya sanathanaya,
Divyaya devaaya digambaraya,
Tasmai yakaraya namashivaya. 5
My salutations to the letter “Ya” , which is Shiva,
Who takes the form of Yaksha,
Who has a tufted hair,
Who is armed with spear,
Who is forever filled with peace,
Who is godly,
Who is the great God,
And who wears the directions themselves as dress.
Phalasruthi
Panchaksharamidham punyam,
Ya padeth Shiva sannidhou,
Shivaloka maapnothi,
Shive na saha modathe.
Those who read these holy five letters great,
In the
Would go to the world of Shiva,
And be forever happy with Him.
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