Columns | Indian Accents

The Power of Prayer

How devotees can benefit from the Panchakshara mantra

Bibek Debroy Bibek Debroy | 10 Mar, 2023

(Illustration: Saurabh Singh)

FROM THE SHIVA PURANA, I have been narrating what Shiva told Devi. In this column, I will speak about the Panchakshara mantra, ‘Namah Shivaya’, which I had mentioned towards the end of the last column too.

Ishvara said, “One should approach a guru, a Brahmana acharya who knows the truth. He must possess virtuous qualities and must be devoted to japa, dhyana and yoga. Showing him favours, the guru will follow the norms and bestow jnana on him. Extremely pleased in his mind, the guru will utter the letters carefully, with the right sound. Having uttered, he will ask the shishya to follow and repeat the excellent mantra. In this way, having bestowed the mantra on him, the guru will issue the subsequent instructions.”

“Having received the mantra and the permission from the guru, he will control himself. Stating the mantra first, he will take a sankalpa to perform japa every day. As long as he lives, every day, he will perform japa one thousand and eight times. If a person is single-minded in this way and does not pursue anything else, he attains the supreme objective. If a person lovingly performs japa four hundred thousand times and restrains himself, eating only at night, he is known as a pourashcharanika. [Purashcharana is the repeated recitation of a mantra, undertaken to obtain siddhi through a mantra. Pourashcharanika is a person who does this.] Having completed purashcharana, if a person continues to perform japa everyday, there is no one on earth who is his equal. Having become a siddha, he bestows siddhi on others. Having bathed, he must sit down in an auspicious spot, binding his mind to pleasant subjects. In his heart, he will think of you and me. He will think of his own guru. When he sits down, he will face the north or the east. He will be single-minded and silent. He will perform nyasa with the mantra and make his body successful. He will control his prana and apana breath and perform dhyana on our two images. He will remember the learning—the respective place, the form, the rishi, the chhanda, the devata, the bija-shakti and the expression. Remembering these, he will perform japa with the Panchakshara mantra. Those who are accomplished about the meanings of the Agama texts say that japa in the mind is the best. That done in an inaudible voice is middling. When the words are spoken out, that is the worst. The best devata is Rudra, Vishnu is middling and Brahma is the worst as a devata. This is described as the order. When the aksharas are uttered in high, low or medium pitches, clearly articulated or not articulated, the words of the mantra are spoken out aloud. This is described as japa with the words spoken out. When the tongue throbs and there is a slight utterance, which may or may not be heard by others, this is spoken of as an inaudible voice. When the array of aksharas is only in the mind and one thinks about the meanings of letters and words, this is known as japa done in the mind. When the words are spoken out, if the quality is one, the quality of japa with an inaudible voice is one hundred and the quality of japa performed in the mind is said to be one thousand. When it is sagarbha [Pranayama with a mantra is known as sagarbha. Without a mantra, pranayama is vigarbha], the benefits become one hundred times more. Japa with pranayama is said to be sagarbha. In the beginning, or at the end, even agarbha pranayama is praised. After performing pranayama 40 times, he must understand the meaning of the mantra and remember it. If he is unable to do it that many times, he will perform japa as many times as he can. He can perform pranayama five or three times, agarbha or sagarbha. But sagarbha is praised. Japa with dhyana is said to be one thousand times better than sagarbha.”

As long as he lives, every day, he will perform japa one thousand and eight times. If a person is single-minded in this way and does not pursue anything else, he attains the supreme objective

“There are many ways of counting the number of times japa has been done. Using the fingers is one. It is known that eight times that number can be counted by lines, ten times that number by sons who are alive, one hundred times that number by using conch-shells or jewels, one thousand times that number by using coral, ten thousand times by using crystal, one hundred thousand times that number by using pearls, one million times that number by using the seeds of lotuses and one crore times that number by using gold pieces. However, by using knots of kusha grass or rudraksha, it is said that one can count an infinite number of times. When japa is performed with a string of rudraskhas that has 30 beads, wealth is obtained; with 27 beads, nourishment is obtained; with 25 beads, emancipation is obtained; and 15 beads bestow the fruits of abhichara. When the thumb is used to count, this bestows emancipation; it should be known that the index finger destroys enemies; the middle finger bestows wealth; and the ring finger ensures peace. If there are 108 beads, the string is supreme among all those that are excellent. A string with 100 beads is excellent, 50 makes it middling. Fifty-four rudraksha beads are also described as best. In an act of japa, the little finger is said to be inauspicious and should be avoided. For japa, the thumb must be used, in combination with the other fingers. If japa is performed without the thumb, it is fruitless. Compared to japa performed at home, it is known that japa performed in a cow-pen is one hundred times more efficacious. In a sacred forest or garden, the efficacy is one thousand times more. On a sacred mountain, it is ten thousand times more; and along the banks of a river, it is said to be one hundred thousand times more effective. In a temple, it said to be one crore times more; and in my presence, it is infinitely more efficacious. Japa is praised in the presence of the sun, the fire, the guru, the moon, a lamp, near water and in the presence of the Bahmanas and cattle. Facing the east is desirable. Facing the south is for those practising abhichara. If one faces the west, wealth is obtained. If one faces the north, it is known there will be peace. When the mantra is uttered in the presence of the sun, the fire, Brahmanas, devas, gurus or others, one must not turn one’s face away from them. One should not wear a head-dress or a jacket. One must be humble. The hair must not be dishevelled and the throat should not be covered. One must never perform japa when one is lamenting, or when one is impure and has not purified oneself. Anger, intoxication and sneezing—these three must be avoided. One should not spit or yawn. The task of japa must not be performed when dogs, or those who are inferior, can see. After performing achamana, you and I must be remembered. He can also look at the stellar bodies and perform pranayama. Japa must not be performed without a seat, while lying down, while walking or standing up, on the road, in an inauspicious spot, or in the dark. It must not be done astride a vehicle or a bed, nor when one is overcome by worries. If he is capable, he should perform many japas. If incapable, he should perform as many japas as he can.”

“A pure person with good conduct obtains benefit through japa and dhyana. Good conduct is supreme dharma. Good conduct is supreme wealth. Good conduct is supreme learning. Good conduct is the supreme destination. A man devoid of good conduct is censured in the world. He is not happy in the world hereafter. Therefore, good conduct must be followed. The foundation of good conduct is said to be belief. If a person is distracted and does not believe, he will deviate from good conduct. A person who constantly believes will never be censured. Therefore, one should believe. Belief is said to represent the view that happiness and misery are respectively obtained through good and bad deeds, in this world and in the next one. I will tell you about another secret that should be kept a secret. In Kali Yuga, other than the Panchakshara mantra, there is nothing that can save. For this mantra, one should not pay too much of attention to lagna, tithi, nakshatra, day of the week and conjunctions. This is always awake, never asleep. This great mantra never harms anyone. This mantra is susiddha, siddha or sadhya. [In this context, siddha means perfected, established or successful. Susiddha makes it even more so. Sadhya is something that can become perfected, established or successful, but is in the realm of the potential.] When instructed by a guru who is a siddha, it becomes susiddha. When instructed by a guru who is not a siddha, it is merely siddha or Sadhya. However, even if it has been instructed by a guru who is not a siddha, if there is great devotion towards me, both the mantra and the guru become siddha.”