Om Swami - The Ancient Science of Mantras: Wisdom of the Sages

Published in India by Jaico Publishing House

Worldwide publishing rights: Black Lotus Press

Copyright Om Swami 2017

ISBN: 978-93-86348-71-5

Om Swami asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

www.omswami.com

The views and opinions expressed in this book are the authors own and the facts are as reported by him, and the publishers are not in any way liable for the same.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Contents

PREFACE

W ords can turn our world upside down. They can build it or raze it to the ground.

Everything we do and feel in our lives is dependent on the maze of words that constantly surrounds us. Words of encouragement, when spoken to a child, at the right time, can be a lifelong inspiration, propelling her to be a better individual as she grows older. Some words of recognition uttered to a fellow worker can instill confidence in him and prod him to go the extra mile. At the same time, the damage done by unkind words filled with animosity can haunt you for a lifetime. Hurtful words can destroy a lifelong relationship within moments as if nothing had ever existed between two people.

Forget about spoken words, even our own thoughts, when they play as conversations in our heads, completely change the way we feel about ourselves and others. Our mind is under a constant siege of words, both positive and negative. The compelling hold of words, their immense potential, ability to influence our lives, were not lost to the seekers of truth. The sages of yore recognized the hidden power held in the nucleus of a word. The birth of the ancient science of mantras was no accident.

For, it recognized our intricate connection with words. They are our link to the world within and without. Its the energy of the sound that bonds us, with the universal energy around us. Every living entity responds to words spoken with love.

Even when you call out to a dog with love, it knows and it wags its tail. When you scold in anger, it cowers in fear.

The universe too is a body, a living body, made up of billions of entities. Each planet is a cell in the universal body. However tiny it may be, every entity matters, for if you start to take away one grain at a time from a heap of sand, one day it will cease to be the heap. The presence of a grain is the existence of the heap.

In other words, the energy of the mantras is aimed at calling upon the universal energy, a way of drawing its attention towards us. Mantra yoga is a path to strengthen your bond with the universal energy around you, so you may realize your own potential and use the kinetic energy latent in you that can be used for creative pursuits designed to attain the highest goal.

The science of mantra believes that if you can use the right words to train your mind, to sharpen its focus and to channelize the divinity in the universe, you can rise above every negative tendency that holds you back and go past the shackles of your limited conscious mind. You can cut through lifes myriad problems like how a sharp sword cuts through grass. Above all, you can attain liberation, moksha, nirvana.

INTRODUCTION

I n the past, Ive always shied away from speaking much on the science of mantras. Mostly because awakening a mantra is a very personal affair. Invoking a mantra to attain a desirable outcome is entirely dependent on the training, mindset and calibre of the adept. No doubt that mantra yoga is a scientific framework comprising of methods, techniques and immense benefits operating on a cause-and-effect principle, much of that, however, depends on the temperament, determination and quality of the practitioner honing it into an art as well.

Like any other stream of science, like any other art, the sonic science of mantras, too, can be examined, explored, practiced and mastered. Its precise methods and promised rewards have reassured me repeatedly over the last two and a half decades.

I have met seekers from all walks of life who are willing to put in the effort to benefit from what is arguably the most ancient science in the world.

The first question they ask me is whether a guru is necessary, if yes, where to find a good guru. The answer is, yes, its absolutely critical to have a preceptor guide you and, theres no set way of finding a good guru. Having said that, the absence of a guru does not mean that you cant succeed on this path. Ultimately, individual effort is the key. While diksha (initiation) makes it easy and it can be transformational, it is not a substitute for individual practice.

Ive written this book for serious aspirants based on the assumption that you dont have a guru who can impart to you the knowledge and secrets of invoking and awakening a mantra and the benefits you can expect from its correct practice. By following the steps enumerated for various sadhanas in this book, you can awaken your inner guru, The Guru.

This text alone will act as your guide in the absence of an enlightened master. If you patiently build a strong theoretical foundation as explained in this book and diligently follow the process, you will succeed with or without a guru. Even if you have nothing else but this book, an intense longing, unrelenting discipline and time to pour into your sadhana (spiritual practice), you will unlock a whole new world of consciousness and mystical excellence. Its like going from a GPRS/Edge mobile data network to a much faster 4G network. You dont see any changes in the sky, but suddenly you can tap into a frequency offering you much higher bandwidth and speed. Prolonged and sincere practice of mantras offers you that spiritual upgrade from a draggy GPRS to a complete 4G network. Its like setting up your personal cellular network, complete with your own satellites hovering in the space.

The most ancient tradition of mantra yoga has been passed on orally from a guru to a disciple. Its been forbidden to publicly expound on this science. For, we dont know to what purpose the recipient may use it. Its like selling nuclear weapons without knowing whos buying them and for what. Ive broken away from the norm and bared all the essentials and fundamentals of the super science of mantras in this book.

You need to know why Ive taken this risk after sitting on it for years. Firstly, even though Ive compared the power of mantras to a nuclear weapon, the truth is that besides an intense effort, it takes certain inner purity and strength, to invoke a mantra. Someone with malefic intentions cant benefit from mantras in the long term, let alone use them to harm others. In other words, a spiritual terrorist cant reap the rewards of mantra science. Secondly, this powerful and ancient system of knowledge is fast disappearing. I hope this book inspires at least a handful to take it up again and use it for their own as well as the worlds welfare.