Dr. Jai Narayan Vyas
You must have heard the word 'Man Tr'. Some individuals have a spiritual master. Some of them blow mantras in their ears. This process is called 'mantradiksha'. What is this 'mantra'? According to me, the human mind is like a snake. He is constantly jumping around with one idea or another. Sometimes those poor people want to get something, sometimes there are jealous and egotistical thoughts of letting someone down. 'He didn't even look at me among so many people, how much did he do?' The thought so freaks them out that sleep is elusive and you toss and turn in bed. Many other such examples can be given. It is said that a mother is very eager to marry her son, but after marriage, it becomes a matter of concern that the son does not become a son-in-law. There is a formula in the Ishopanishad, 'Ten tyakaten bhunjitha:' means renunciation and indulgence, 'I want nothing', if you cultivate that sense of detachment in your mind, you will be happy. That's what we do, right? After a little bend, we start to see the defects of the material. Just like the old camel was looking for a 'crooked area' wherever 'the beak of a heron is crooked, the beak of a parrot is crooked and the tail of a dog is crooked', so we too become guilty. Then there is no fox roaming around to tell us, 'Others have one bend, yours is eighteen!' In this context I tried to understand the word 'mantra'. Akho heard, 'Such a habit of a fool, a stone worships God so much.' And I remembered Akha's own words: 'Trepan vahyaan than Tilak, the nose of the rosary went away.' Some also make holy pilgrimages. Be it Ganga, Yamuna or one of the five sacred lakes of the country. Why? Do they want virtue? Peace of mind after all, right? Many people chant or recite mantras and also rotate garlands as the branches of the world burst open saying 'Nas Manka, Manko Aya'. Is mantra worship a Sadhana? Who is really a worshiper who sits in a secluded corner of a temple, parks his lap in that corner, and chants with his mouth filled with the storms of the world? I thought a lot and then my limited understanding answered me, 'Mantra means Yantra!' Another question immediately shot out of my mind like a gunshot: 'What machine?' 'Visayantra, Sriyantra, whose yantra?' I was a bit upset. With a smile he replied, 'No brother, no. Not one of these machines.' The question came from the front, 'So?' Mantra is a device to stabilize the mind. A mantra that gives freedom from thoughts, prepares the mind to walk in such a way that there is no room for anger in the mind. Sometimes there is a mistake in it, but if the devotion is true, it will bear fruit. Naradji asked the Walia robber to chant Ramnaam. Naradji said 'Narayan! Narayan!' took off ahead of That parent forgot the mantra. He started chanting, 'Die, die, die…' but he saved Valia. The old 'Mara' resurrected itself and became 'Rama'. A mantra is a device that stabilizes the mind. If this is done, we will be freed from jealousy. 'He didn't call me' or 'He frowned when he saw me' disappear. One who has a steady mind will see the good or bad events with equanimity. When devotee Narsainya was given the news of his wife's death, his reply was, 'Bhloon hoo Bhangi Janjal; Sukhe bhajashun Srigopal..' We go to buy vegetables. We choose well and buy. So why look for vices in man? Man is a package of various qualities or vices. Forget its vices, then there will be no bitterness, no jealousy, you will be able to sleep peacefully. This instinct is the mantra. A mind stilling machine. Today man's diseases originate from head, thinking too much is like removing curds from milk, those thoughts will not let you sleep, will cause stress. Blood pressure, diabetes or paralysis will come as a costly guest. The reason behind all this happening is your thoughts, mind, fix it. You have no bigger enemy than yourself and that is why today's diseases are called 'Lifestyle Diseases'. Keep the mind still in every situation. May you find that mantra to keep the mind still.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
