Friday, June 23, 2006

Shabda and mantra

> Dear Narasimha,
>
> I have a basic doubt. We say that the effet of mantras
> is caused by the vibration they generate (or due to
> the sound energy). And yet we say that the mantras are
> less effective when chanted lound.
>
> Why is this?
>
> Please clarify.
>
> Regards,
> Krishna

From: Narasimha P.V.R. Rao
Date: Jun 23, 2006 12:40 AM
Subject: [sohamsa] Shabda and mantra (Re: Kavachas...Mental Chanting)

Dear Krishna,
Fantastic question and I am glad you asked!
The Sanskrit word for sound is "shabda". However, the concept of shabda is far more subtle than the modern definition of sound. The modern definition of sound is a vibration of the gross matter that is meant to be "heard" by the ears. We put too much emphasis on the external senses, which can only perceive the gross matter of this universe. In the Hindu philosophy, the gross matter is just a small part of the universe and there is something subtle behind everything gross and it cannot be perceived by the external senses.
In Hindu philosophy, any shabda manifests at 4 different levels - para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari. Of these, para is the subtlest level and vaikhari is the grossest level. The vaikhari level of a shabda manifests grossly (through vibration of gross matter) and one can hear it with normal sense organs (ears). The subtler levels of a shabda manifest as vibration of subtler levels of matter and they cannot be heard by ears.
The vaikhari level of shabda is audible only for small distances. The para level of a shabda I make when I say a mantra can be perceived by an advanced yogi who may be thousands of miles away! Thus, grosser levels are easier to hear but have space and time limitations, whereas subtler levels are more difficult to hear but have no space and time limitations.
If you say a mantra, it is true that the result of the mantra is through the shabda brahma or sound/vibration energy. But don't be under the false impression that we are talking about vibration of gross matter near you. That is far less significant to have any considerable impact. On the other hand, at the subtlest level, the entire universe is within you and you can cause vibrations on the super-subtle matter of the mahakarana sareera and THAT can have tremendous impact on the entire universe.
The goal of a sadhaka is to create more energy at the subtler levels of the shabda when saying mantras. It is not easy. But, limiting the energy *wasted* on creating the vaikhari level of shabda is a good starting point!
I hope it is a little clearer now...
Sarvam SreeKrishnaarpanamastu,
Narasimha
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Black Magic

From: dakshinastrologer
Reply-To: vedic-astrology@yahoogroups.com

Dear Shri. Haresh Nathani:

Performance of Black Magic Rites is a powerful "Kriyaamaan karma". These people willfully destroy the good in the lives of people due to their jealousy or hatred. In this process, they are shortwiring the powerful forces of Karma which will definitely unleash their fury sooner or later.

Black Magicians "seem" to flourish....But, the actual truth is any black magician or for that matter, any person who gets the help of black magic to advance oneself in material life does so at the cost of their soul which is doomed to endless vicious cycles of future births making it very difficult to attain liberation.

Even in this current life, I have personal experience of relatives of
black magicians approaching me for help when the magician is on his
death-bed.....Death does not come to them easily, giving them many
harrowing experiences and nightmares......They experience such torture
of mind and soul in their death-bed that no one who knows about these
will ever try black-magic at all! Unfortunately, the apparent "power",
"confidence", and "seeming string of material success" are the things
that are obvious to the common people. Of course, there are rare
occasions when genuinely harassed persons might resort to black-magic
to take revenge on powerful persons who cannot be touched by ordinary
means due to their power and status in life. But, even this, though
justifiable to some extent, is ultimately not good for the person. It
is better to let the wheels of karma grind themselves. WE should
restrict ourselves to prayers invoking Divine protection and also take
practical steps to save ourselves instead of resorting to Black magic
practices on any pretext.

A highly evolved spiritual person - may- at times indulge in certain
occult practices to eliminate certain person for the good of the
world. Many siddhaas display such tendencies....But, this is entirely
different from the usual black-magic practices in that the
practitioner does not enjoy any benefit for his self in this....The
act is done out of necessity to ensure the common good. Such maturity
is never found in a black-magician who will happily destroy others'
lives for a pittance! If these black-magicians can use their abundant
mental prowess (practising black-magic also requires great mental
concentration and courage!) for Divine Contemplation and practices,
they might have risen high above the mundane crowd and might be
venerated even as Saints. Unfortunately, these people invoke bad
karmaas while in reality they could have risen above their karmas by
doing something good. These karmas drag a person deeper and deeper
into the pit of sin which will ultimately overwhelm their souls....it
is not uncommon for black-magic practitioners to be harassed by the
very Devils which they command once their power is gone due to any
reason whatsoever.

Sincere prayers have effected more miracles in the lives of many than
magical practices. Let us conclude saying that those who practice
black-magic do so out of ignorance. Neither this world nor the Higher
states of existence are for them. That is why, I feel, they are
appropriately classified as "Dark Arts" - "the arts of persons who are
steeped ignorant about the ways of the Eternal Soul and Divine
Living".

Another truth about black magic is that the effects of black magic and
hexes can be more easily removed than is commonly believed. Invoking
them is more difficult than exorcising them. The mere sight or
presence of a Saintly Soul can nullify those effects. An yearly visit
to powerful kshetraas or bathing in Holy Rivers, etc. can easily wipe
off negavities arising from black-magic easily. So, black-magic is
one thing we need not care about at all if we lead highly ethical and
systematic lives in which the material plane is balanced appropriately
with spiritual practices. Members will remember that I have written
about Devi Pratiyangiraa Devi in an earlier post whose worship ensures
that these black-magic effects are returned to the doer himself!
WE should all aspire to become Living Embodiments of Divine. Let
Divine Grace steep us in its Mercy and eradicate the darkness of
ignorance which leads people into misuse of their mental powers
creating misery for their fellow beings and in the process also
acquiring hard-to-nullify sanchita karmaas.

Blessed be.
Pandit. R.DAKSHINAMOORTHI.

From: dakshinastrologer <dakshinastrologer@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Jun 20, 2006 1:02 AM
Subject: [vedic-astrology] Re: Black Magic
To: vedic-astrology@yahoogroups.com

Dear Sunitaaji:

There are some standard symptoms that indicate the possibility of
affliction due to black-magic:

1) The appearance of eye of the native will change markedly (There
will be a charcteristic "ugra" that is unearthly).

2) Strong odours may emnate from the body of the person spontaneously
when they are in a frenzy....this may indicate possession by demi-
beings.

3) Cows will get tense and mow piteously when the person is in the
viscinity.

4) The smell of stale meat may emnate from the person's mouth (even
if they are vegetarians!) if the person is afflicted by "idu marunthu"
(black-magic items mixed with food with the aim of bringing the person
under one's control).

5) The person will be afflicted by severe depression, suicidal
tendencies, and all the efforts of the person will face severe
obstacles. This may happen even in other cases due to temporary
malefic influence of planets and some innocent persons get tensed due
to this.....Actually, the effects due to Black-magic will be of a
marked intensity and any intuitive person will be able to identify
whether this is a normal life course event, or a circumstance brought
about by black-magic.

There are also some dramatic events at times which are not always
manifest unless the "krityaa" (black-magic effect) is very strong.
These include spontaneous fires in the presence of the afflicted
person, extinguishing of pooja lamp when the person looks at the lamp
(this will be marked and you can clearly distinguish it from the
natural phenomena when lamps get extinguished by a strong gush of
wind; in black-magic cases, the extinguishing will be consistent),
feats of superhuman strength like lifting away of heavy stones or
objects and throwing them, smashing rocks with bare breast, etc.

Generally elephants are very powerful in removing the effects of
black-magic. That is why kings of ancient days used elephants for
their daily rounds around the important places in their capital while
giving darshan to their subjects.

Black-magic does not severely affect a person unless there are strong
astrological indicators in the horoscope itself that the person can
become a victim of black-magic. If such a condition is not there,
then black-magic effects will at worst be very marginal and will lose
their potency within weeks even without any mantrik intervention!
Again, those persons who do their sandhya worship (as their tradition
ordains them to do!) regularly, those who regularly offer oblations to
their Pitrus (deceased ancestors) during amaavasya days (new Moon
days), those who regularly keep Ekaadasi fasts, and those who offer
special pooja or pay a visit to Shiva temple/ Narasimha temple during
Pradosham will not be affected at all by black magic effects.
Devotees of Goddess Pratiyangiraa are never afflicted by black magic;
what is more, the person who does black magic to them will get a taste
of his own medicine administered PERSONALLY by the Goddess! There is
actually nothing as such to fear about black magic unless the person
who had done it is really powerful and has real command over the demi-
gods and semi-Divine elementals. The Grace of God and the Glance of
Holy Souls are enough to overcome all these negativities in life. A
person who leads a Dharmic life is generally not troubled by these
things at all. Dharma is the best armour!

In many cases, people mistake normal psycopathy for black-magic
effects and become gullible victims of unscrupulous persons who fleece
them monetarily and otherwise using their innocence and naivete.
EVeryone should remember that prayer is the best remedy for all such
occult disturbance. If the other family members are patient and
courageous, and pray sincerely without reacting to the abnormality of
the afflicted person, the malady will get cured automatically - be it
psycopathical or mantrik......

If exorcism is really required due to the severity of the problem, it
is best to approach only trusted persons whose nobility of thought and
purpose are beyond question.

Blessed be.
Pandit. R.DAKSHINAMOORTHI.

Brihaspati Gayatri, Vishwamitra/Gaathina Rishi Rig Veda 6.62.6