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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:I want to work with more than one mantra at a time, because I want to work on several things at once. Is this a good thing to do?

A:For your first experiment with mantras, I recommend you work with only one mantra for a full forty-eight day discipline. After that, work with any combination that makes sense to you. Remember, mantras work with energy - both yours and what you bring in from the universe - so if you work on more than one thing, try to keep them at least in the same general area.Here We have given some Powerfull mantras

Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha
Om Dum Durgayei Namaha
Om Sri Dhanvantre Namaha

Q: I sometimes say mantras silently when I am around other people. Is this OK?

A:Ultimately, saying mantras silently is the most powerful way to say them. The silent repetition stimulates the corresponding petals of the chakras so that energy is brought into the subtle body.

Q:I have heard that one must receive a mantra from a guru for it to work. Is this true?

A:Those who have unwrapped the power of a mantra through many repetitions achieve something called "Mantra Siddhi." This means that they have attained some measure of power and proficiency with the mantra. At this point, they may give a mantra to others "with power," meaning that the recipient will achieve results faster than doing it without having received it "with power." However, Sanskrit mantras are your spiritual birthright since they are directly linked to the chakras. They will work even if you read them from a book and begin practice.
The minimum number of repetitions to achieve Mantra Siddhi is generally recognized as 125,000.

Q:I want to do a mantra on behalf of another person. Is this OK?

A:Praying for another person is a good thing to do for anybody at any time. However, Sanskrit Mantra is not exactly prayer because it is pro active and specific, whereas prayer leaves the mechanism of an answer up to Divine authority. Therefore, I recommend that wherever possible you ask permission from a person to undertake mantra work on their behalf. If this is not possible, then start with a prayer that this energy be used for their highest good and begin. I also recommend that you begin with the declaration that while you are performing this mantra on someone's behalf (state their name) that you are by no means taking their karma.
Parents have an automatic right as well as responsibility to perform mantra work on behalf of their children.

Q:When we repeat durga ashtottaram for example can we have the image of baalaa , or lalitaa or kaali in our mind or do we need to have only the form of durga in our mind.Can we recite durga satanaama as addressed to lalitaambika.

A:The shastras say that "Aaavahitha devathaa anyath devabhi na archayet". i.e, we should not worship the gods with anyother mantras, other than the ones meant for the invoked god. However, this rule takes a backseat, when we say Lalitha sahsranamam, and worship any female god, or Vishnu saharanama for any form of vishnu.

Q: Can we have the image of lord shiva while repeating any devi ashTottara and image of devi while repeating shiva ashTottara , in our mind.

A: There is no harm to have the image of shiva or shakthi, while worshipping either of them or another. again the shaastraas say that "Aavayorantharam naasthi candracandrikayoriva....." . There is no difference between them(devi(lalitaa,baalaa,miinaakshi, durga),lord shiva) like moon and moonlight.

Q: How efficient are mantras, and is it a problem if we recite them less than perfectly?

A: A learned Brahmin, from Guntur who was a ghanaapaaThigal, went to the acharya of sringeri and poured out his woes. He said that he married 3 times till then, but some how all his three wives died soon after marriage, and he being a grahastha into yagnas and yagas, could not be without a wife , as a wife had certain important functions in a yajna. He told the acharyal, that he recited the sapthashathi daily, in addition to his japas and pooja. The acharyal, an unparallel Srividyopasaka, went about and divined the problem. He asked the ghanaapaaThigal to repeat the kavacha of sapthashathi. The ghanaapaaThigal, told the same and acharyal, pointed out the reason for his wives death. GhanaapaaThi sundara shastri avadhanigal, was telling "baaryaam bhakshathu bhairavii"... instead of "rakshathu bhairavii", which lead to the wives death. I hope this illustration gives us a picture of mantra shastra and its importance. Likewise when saptashatii is learnt from a sat guru and if recited properly it is equally capable of bestowing bhogaa and moksha.

Q: Is Shrividya of Vedic origin? Are there any references to the devis lalitaa , baalaa , tripura , sundari in the vedas. atleast in the atharvana veda? Are there vedic references to shrii vidyaa?

A: Regarding lalitha, bala, tripura etc.... The vedas including Rig and Yajur have so many references, you cannot even conceive. There are upanishads in the atharvana , like tripuropanishad, tripurataapinupanishad, etc.... The aruna prashna, speaks volumes of Lalitha. Vedic reference to Baala, is found in Rigveda, in the khila bhaaga of srisuktha,sudhaa suktha, etc tripura and sundari, in atharvana veda, yajur veda, etc.. Tripura appears some 70 times in the vedas." Regarding the origin of shrii vidyaa, the rigvedic hymn, "Chatvaari vak parimita....." etc, gives details of srividya mantra and its esoteric meaning. Reference to srividya and its mantra derivatives, have been made atleast in 20 places through out the vedas. Especially Yajur and Rig veda. Srividya, originates from three mantras of the vedas. 1. jatavedase rik. from durga suktha yajur veda 2. gayathri mantra, rig veda 3. mrityunjaya mantra, yajur veda These three together are known as shatakshara vidya or shatakshara gayathri, as they have a 100 letters in them. This is the basis of srividya. " These are only some of the references quoted. There are many references.It is thus very clear that shrii vidya is totally vedic in origin .I also heard that the above three mantraas are said to represent the very essence of vedaas. so there should be no doubt about the vedic origins of shrii vidya however hard some western tantrics may try to argue. Moreover what is available to us of the Vedas now is only about 10% of what was available in the remote past! Some sections may still be 'secret' in some families. I remember seeing a book many years ago, of Shri Ganapati Muni's 'finding' sections of Rig Veda while in deep meditation in Gokarna.

Q: I almost meet with the insistence that a guru must initiate us in order that we may perform some of the devi poojas. With most of the traditional gurus being people of a particular community who guard these upaasana know-hows with utmost secrecy, I am feeling discouraged as I get the feeling that low castes will never get initiated.OR is there a way out?

A: A good Guru should not divide Shishyas by caste or sex. No where in vedas it is taught that mantras are not to be used by low caste people. Hindu system has formulated caste by the practice of profession and not merely by birth. Every hindu has the right to learn the sastras and mantras. If the disciple is true and devoted the Almighty will send a Guru for him to learn the mantras and sastras. So, for a start,
let us be true,
let us be devoted,
let us have love for the universe,
let us respect the elders
let us not speak ill of our neighbours
Rest assured is that JagadambA will jump to embrace you in a way that you can see for yourself, because She is "avyAja karuNA" - Honest compassion.