My Spiritual Experience of Chanting Lineage Mantra

My palm twisted and twitched!

When I was deeply immersed in the chanting of the lineage mantra a couple of days back, all of a sudden I felt a surge of energy moving through my left hand, a force so strong that it involuntarily closed and opened my fist. Though, my mind was fully focused on the repetition of powerful words even then the movement could not go unnoticed.

As I continued my chanting, it gradually spread through my arm until my whole hand became heavy and numb. I was surprised to notice that the energy was flowing solely in my left side from fingertips to shoulder whereas my right arm was unaffected, and I could not feel any additional flow of energy in that limb.

Recalling the words of Om Swamiji, who had often spoken about the feminine energy residing in the left side of His body. I pondered if this could be a possible reason for the intense energy that I just experienced in my left arm. Was this an indication of the Divine Feminine Energy manifesting, revealing itself in powerful as well as mysterious way?

Later when I reflected on this incidence, I felt a deep sense of awe. I wondered at vast presence of sacred Divine Energy. I was astonished as well as admired the profound mysteries that one can explore while performing spiritual practices, the infinite potential that lies within each of us to explore the Universal Energy and Universal Consciousness.

Pic - Unsplash

My Spiritual Experience of Chanting Siddha Surya Mantra in Sadhana App

 

O' My God! It was 7:42 a.m. I was already late to start the japa.

Today, the auspicious time to do the chanting of Siddha Surya Mantra was from sunrise to 7:50 a.m. I woke up at 1:45 a.m. still I could not manage to find time to remember God Sun. I had a tight schedule with my usual prayers and meditation which kept me busy like a bee till sunrise. After that I prepared food for stray animals and fed them. As today was Saturday, I did some extra charity. And because I had just completed one of my sadhanas, I distributed the prasadam of mango fruits to housekeeping and security staff. My mind was so occupied in all these activities that I hardly noticed that auspicious time for chanting was slowly slipping away.

I was left with only eight minutes to chant the mantra before the auspicious window of opportunity closed. Determined to make the most of this limited time, I began the 10-minute japa of Siddha Surya mantra in Sadhana App with intense focus, my mind fully engaged in the sacred repetition of the mantra. With each repetition, my heart opened wider, and I felt a deep sense of devotion and gratitude welling up inside me. Tears of joy and grace began to flow from my eyes, a testament to the power of the Surya mantra, the sacred blessings of the lineage and the divine presence of Lord Surya Narayana. As I was chanting the mantra while sitting on my balcony, the rising sun bathed me with its golden glow and immense grace. I was fully drenched!

Today was a day unlike any other, for as soon as I began my meditation, my mind became fully concentrated, and I experienced a special kind of power that filled me with a sense of peace and calmness. I couldn't help but wonder if this was due to the extraordinary time period that I had shared with others the day before. Perhaps Universal energies were supportive during this time, and I was able to tap into something deeper and more profound than I had ever experienced before.

As the sun continued to rise, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and clarity, grateful for the opportunity to connect with the divine in such a powerful way. And as I immersed myself into the schedule of my day, I carried with me the impression of that unusual moment, knowing that the power of the Surya mantra would continue to guide and motivate me on my spiritual path.

RAK Without Any Expectation of Reward!

Why was he rotating his head like a mad man?

When I looked out of my car window at a red light stop, I found a man standing close by and moving his head in a circular motion. He was wearing a weird cap somewhat like a joker's conical hat but it had a small ball attached to it with a long thread. As he was moving his head, the ball was rotating in a similar fashion above his head. He was also playing a small dholak, a musical instrument. My eyes traveled down towards the ground and I found a small kid of 3-4 years imitating the adult. The young boy as well was rotating his head wearing a similar but a smaller cap on his head. I had never seen such an act of entertainment ever before. Instead of begging, the duo was going near each vehicle and were rotating their heads to get some food or some coins whatever one offered. My heart ached about what acts one has to perform to earn one's bread and how difficult it is to make money. Maya Angelou words echoed in my head, "Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." 

I hurriedly opened my bag and gave some bananas and oranges to them as a token of appreciation of their hard work. The father's eyes crinkled in a show of appreciation, and the child beamed elatedly. 

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward. - Princess Diana

Pic - Pexels

Kindness in Giving Creates Love.

 

I felt a pang of sympathy!

Scorching sun, clouds of dust, puffs of black smoke emitted from the train of vehicles and the rejection by various car passengers had made her look very feeble even in the morning hours. I was surprised to notice that there was no early morning brightness on her face. I noticed this frail woman going from one car to another selling car window shades on a toll tax plaza.

Her sickly appearance and poor quality product didn't seem to be attracting any customers, and I felt a twinge of empathy for her plight.

How can I help her?
Without a second delay, I searched into my bag and took out some of the fresh fruits that I had brought along. I pulled down the window pane of my car and signalled her to come near. As I handed the small packet to her, I could see the appreciation in her eyes. Her face lit up with happiness like an electric bulb. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude which was palpable. In that moment, I knew that my small act of kindness had made a significant difference in her day.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. - Lao Tzu

Pic - Unsplash

Immersing Myself in Bhakti of Lord Krishna in Sadhana App

Yesterday morning, I felt tired of chanting long, difficult and boring Sanskrit mantras after doing my routine prayers. To relax for some time, I tapped the Sadhana App icon on my iPhone. I went into Gokula, the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. When I clicked the 'Abhishekam' option, it showed the three options: Krishna Ashtakama (4 min), Devotional Chant (7 min), and Sahasranama (30 min). As I was in the mood to do something light, I chose the 'Devotional Chant', which was only 7 minutes long. I settled down on my mat, and with utmost devotion I started playing the bhajan. As I performed the Abhishekam of Lord Krishna, the divine chant 'Jaya Radha Madhava' was sung by Manish Vyas which was played in the background  Diving deep in ecstasy of devotional love with his silvery voice, I offered various ingredients like gangajal, water, milk, yogurt, fragrant oil, gold, red cloth, red garland, incense, dhoop, betel nuts, paan, small pot, ghee lamp, gemstones, flowers, dry fruits, handheld lamp, and handheld bell to my beloved deity. With each ingredient, I offered my pure love and selfless devotion, feeling that my connection with my Lord was growing stronger.

As I chanted, my every cell moved with the rhythm of his gentle voice. His sacred voice is like a river of bliss - serene and calm! I just wanted to flow with the current of tranquility. What an incredible voice Manish Vyas has!

 
"(jaya) rādhā-mādhava (jaya) kuñja-bihārī *3
(jaya) gopī-jana-vallabha (jaya) giri-vara-dhārī * 3
(jaya) rādhā-mādhava (jaya) kuñja-bihārī *3
yaśodā-nandana, braja-jana-rañjana, *2
yamuna-tīra-vana-cārī *2
(jaya) rādhā-mādhava (jaya) kuñja-bihārī *2
muralī manoharā karuna sāger *4
(jaya) goverdhān dhari *2
(jaya) rādhā-mādhava (jaya) kuñja-bihārī *6" in my mind.

A sense of joy and peace filled me, as I continued to do Abhishekam with total surrender to Murlimanohar. I closed my eyes, I felt a shift in my consciousness, I was no more here, rather I was transported to the serene and calm environment of Vrindavana, where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. The whole atmosphere was filled with love, devotion, and a sense of peace that I had never experienced before. For a few moments, I was away from the hustle and bustle of the modern city that I live in. I realized that the devotional practice had elevated my Krishna consciousness. I felt a sense of gratitude and fulfillment. I bowed down to Lord Krishna, feeling His divine presence everywhere - inside and outside me, and said loudly, "Jaya Radha Madhav!" I opened my closed eyes somewhat forcefully to glance at 'Chitchor'. His benevolent smile stole my heart, mind and soul. And what an easy chant to connect with the Divine! 

P.S. - If any patient suffering from chronic disease or who had recently met an fatal accident continuously hears this spiritual chant then his chances of recovering multiplies. 

Chanting of Dashakshai Mantra in Lord Shiva Temple in Sadhana App

Today was a boring Monday morning! 

As usual I did the same monotonous routine prayers. To make my life interesting, I decided to try something new, something alluring, something unusual and something engrossing. Monday is considered auspicious to worship Lord Shiva so I tapped the Kalasha option in the Sadhana App. In the Japa section, there were three mantras: Panchakshari Mantra, Dashakshari Mantra (Ten- lettered Mantra) and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. I have done the japa of Panchakshari Mantra (Five- lettered Mantra - Om Namah Shivaya) and mahamrityunjaya mantra with or without the Sadhana App many times. I wanted to do something different!

I started the five minutes japa of Dashakshari Mantra – 'Om Namo Bhagavate Rudraya'. It is the ten-lettered powerful mantra of Lord Shiva. It is a widely revered chant in Hinduism because mere chanting of this mantra with devotion can elevate the consciousness of a devotee to new heights. While focusing on the mantra, I silently prayed, 'As You have practiced austerity, please give me strength so that I can also practice austerity with the same intensity.' Soon, I felt a wave of blissful sensations on my heart chakra. My heart was filled with gratitude and reverence for the deity. I was astonished with Lord Shiva's generous blessings as He is very easily pleased even with small acts of devotion. Afterall, He is Bholenath (A Simple One)! :)

Book Review : The Trees of Dehra by Ruskin Bond

                         

'The Trees of Dehra' by Ruskin Bond, is a collection of short stories woven in Dehra, a beautiful hill station in India now known as Dehradun. It vividly portrays the natural beauty and peaceful life of the hills. The author's love for bountiful flora is reflected in each and every story, as he shares anecdotes and memories from his childhood days. The mentionable trees are willow, pines, coconut tree, oaks, maplewoods, chestnut tree, rhododendrons, coral tree, jackfruit tree, sal, banyan tree, deodars, the cherry tree etc. He gives the humane touch to these soft leafy colossuses as he talks about the walking trees as well as friendly trees.

This book is an interesting read as it highlights the benevolent nature in the form of gentle giants. A must read/ listen for a nature lover.