Vairagya

          Vairagya is one of the most important values for spiritual life. As a matter of fact, no spiritual life is ever possible without it. In his Yoga Sutras Patanjali considers is, along with abhyasa, as a mighty weapon for the control of thought waves.¹ It is also one of the sadhana chatushtaya or four basic qualifications for an adhikari, a person competent for Self-knowledge. Of these four qualifications, Shankaracharya considers Vairagya or renunciation, and mumukshatva or desire for liberation, as most.² One entire first canto of Vairagya Prakarana forms a very important beginning of the opus magnum, Yoga Vasishtha or Vasistha Ramayana. In it is described the spirit of renunciation of Lord Rama. Again, the royal sage, Bharthrihari of Ujjayanai city has written 100 verses on renunciation, which are famous by the name “Vairagya Shatakam”.

         

          Although vairagya is an important value, in most of the people of the world, vairagya never arises. In fact, many of them are scared of it!!  They are like the man in Tolstoy’s parable, who, while passing through a forest accidentally fell into a well but luckily grabbed the branch of a tree just above it. Below, in the well a python was awaiting him to fall. Two rats were trying to cut the branch and an elephant was shaking the tree’s roots. Just then he found drops of honey dripping from a honey comb above. And, in spite of the imminent sure fall and death, he stretched out his tongue to catch a drop of the dribbling honey!” In spite of much eulogy of vairagya in religious literature, it is unfortunate that even many spiritual aspirants do not pay as much attention to it as it should be. They meditate, pray, chant the name of God, but due to lack of vairagya, hey don’t gain anything, like water flowing out through rat holes, instead of going into the fields.

What is Vairagya?

         

          The Sanskrit word vairagya is translated variously. Swami Vivekananda translates it as non-attachment. Swami Turiyananda in his translation of Vivekachudamani has equated it with renunciation. The other meaning is dispassion. Sri Ramakrishna preferred the word tyaga, which means renunciation. He qualified it with two more words and gave his favourite phrase kamini-kanchan tyag or ‘renunciation of woman and gold.’

          In Vedantasar, vairagya is defined as: Ihamutra-phalabhoga-viraaga.³  This has been explained in detail by the author, Sadananda, in the 17^th sutra thus: 'The objects of enjoyment, hereafter, such as immortality, etc., being as transitory as the enjoyment of such earthly objects as a garland of flowers, sandal paste, and sex-pleasures, which are transitory, being results of action—an utter disregard for all of them is renunciation of all enjoyment of fruits of action in this world and hereafter.' In the modern hedonistic world with technical advancements, newer, subtler objects of enjoyment are being presented by materialistic science. Disregard for all these also forms a part of true vairagya. 

          According to Shankaracharya, the desire to give up objects―from the physical body to Brahmalok, the sphere of Brahma―knowing them as impermanent is vairagya.⁴  When a spiritual aspirant thinks of the impermanence and illusory nature of the objects of the world, they then appear  as worthless, unreal and detestable. This feeling is true vairagya.

          Patanjali defines it as Dristanusharavic visgaya vitrishnasya vashikaara samgyaa vairagyam.⁵  'To have absolute disgust for seen or heard-of objects of sense enjoyment'. In the commentary on this sutra, it is pointed out that there are four grades of vairagya. In the first, yataman, the aspirant attempts to give up objects of enjoyment. In the second, vyatireka, he succeeds in giving up some. In the third, ekendrita, he attains a stage where except for slight mental impression of enjoyment, the external objects are given up.  The fourth and the final grade is called vashikara, that means complete mastery, or never to be affected in the slightest degree even in the presence of the objects of enjoyment  or  temptations.

          It is obvious from this analysis of the various definitions of vairagya that it is basically a mental state of disgust, lack of interest and non-attachment. It may or may not be associated with external renunciation. Someone may give up everything outwardly but may not have internal renunciation. A beggar who has nothing, may not have the spirit of renunciation, while another person might be living in luxury may be completely detached inwards.

          Vairagya is a negative value. It must be combined with devotion, self-knowledge and abhyasa, practice of controlling the mind. Otherwise, it might lead to depression or abnormal dryness of life as Lord Rama experienced in the initial period of his life; this condition of his is described  in  the Yoga Vashishtha.

How to cultivate vairagya?

         

          How does one cultivate vairagya? In some great souls like the Buddha, Lalbaba of Bengal, Guru Nanak, and Saint Tulasidas, vairagya might arise all of a sudden and remain for the rest of the life. But most acquire it gradually after many bitter experiences in life. And then they have to keep it up by constant  discrimination  and sustained effort.

          To begin with, it is important to impress deeply on one’s mind the supreme, absolute necessity of vairagya for spiritual life. No compromise is possible in this regard. There had never been and nor would ever be a path to God without total renunciation of all gross and subtle desires and attachments. No one can cross the river straddling two boats. Our mind might present arguments to make compromises. And they might present arguments to make compromises and they might appear necessary in the initial stages. But one must always remember that ultimately, we will have  to give up everything for the sake of God. Tulsidas has rightly said:

Jaha kama taha Rama nahi; Jaha Ram taha nahi Kama.

Tulasi  kabahu na hot  hai  ravi  rajani ek tham.  

'Rama cannot be there where there is desire for enjoyment; and desire cannot be in him be in him who has Rama in his heart. Like sun and night, Tulsi says,  they can’t stay together.”

Life of great saints

          One of the most effective means of vairagya is to study the life of saints full of renunciation. The Christian saint, St. Francis, for example, disowned even the cloths he was wearing; he had received it from his father. Sri Ramakrishna could not, even unknowingly touch metal or coin. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was not only a great devote of God, he was full of tremendous renunciation. There are scores of such examples scattered in the life of saints.

Study of Religious Books

          Study of religious books also helps greatly in developing disgust for the world and its objects. For example, in the celebrated Christian book The Imitation of Christ  it is said:  'It is vanity then to seek after, and to trust in, the riches that shall perish. It is vanity, too, to covet honors, and to lift up ourselves on high. It is vanity to follow the desires of the flesh      and be led by them, for this shall bring misery at the last. It is vanity to desire a long life, and to have little care for a good life. It is vanity  to  take  thought  only  for  the  life  which now is, and not to look forward to the things which shall be hereafter. It is vanity to love that which quickly  passes away, and not to hasten where eternal joy abides.⁶

Love of God

          

           Vairagya, as has been said, is a negative value. Its positive counterpart is love for God. If this be intense, vairagya for the world naturally arises in the heart. But, alas, it is not so easy to have such burning all-consuming love for God. Non-the-less, constant remembrance of God, chanting His name and singing His glories must be continued.

          A Sufi saint had a vision: He saw that Allah, after creating the human beings, presented to them the enjoyments of the world. 90% humans were attracted. To the remaining, he showed the pleasures of heaven. Again 90% of these were tempted. To the remaining he showed the horrors of hell. 90% were afraid and ran away. To the remaining few, he asked what they aspired for? These rare few, who were nor attracted by worldly and heavenly pleasures, nor were afraid of hellfire, out of humility lowered their eyes and modestly said: 'You already know what we want!'

          A gradual external renunciation of objects of enjoyment also helps in developing the spirit of renunciation. It may be easy to give up attachment for things like a wrist watch, or a fountain pen, and even the desire for wealth. But it is difficult to give away attachment to parents, wife and children. Jesus Christ has said some very bold words: 'If any one comes to me and hates not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brother and sister, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.'⁷

          At times, means of spiritual advancements like singing devotional song, study of scriptures, service of the poor, turn into vasanas, or obsessions. Even those who have renounced the things of the world,  are, according to sages, seen to fall into the trap of three types of desires: a desire for name and fame, power, position and social prestige; desire for more and more study of scriptures, art and music, or desire to engage in the rituals described in the scriptures; and giving too much importance to the upkeep of the physical body; these are called: Loka-vasana; shastra-vasana; deha-vasana.⁸  All these subtle or gross desires have to be renounced by keen discrimination, which is described in books like Jivanmukti-viveka. Even the spiritual joy granted by God to a spiritual aspirant has to be ultimately renounced by him. While this may not be a problem in the initial stages, an aspirant must at least keep this in mind.

Discrimination

      

      The most important means for developing disgust is viveka or discrimination. In Sri Ramakrishna’s life and teachings we find some very striking examples of these. He was of the view that minor desires could be given up with discrimination with a little enjoyment, while major ones should be given up only with the help of discrimination, without taking the risk of enjoying them. He once had a desire to put on a costly robe and eat a specific sweet-dish. He did don the robe while discriminating about the evil effects of that act, so also with the sweet. He, after discriminating that fundamentally a silver coin was nothing more than a lump of clay, threw the coin into the Ganga and thus renounced it forever.  Likewise, he discriminated and renounced from his already pure mind all possible attraction for a woman’s body.

          Viveka or discrimination could be of various types.

          1. Consideration of Fear: Bhratihari beautifully describes this in the Vairagya Shatakma: 'In enjoyment there is fear of disease; in social position, fear of falling-off, in wealth, fear of hostile kings; in honour the fear of humiliation, in power the fear of foemen; in beauty the fear of old age; in scriptural erudition, the fear of opponents; in virtue, the fear of traducers;  in body the fear of death. All things of the world pertaining to men are attended with fear. Renunciation alone stands for fearlessness.'⁹

          2. Consideration of Suffering behind everything: According to Patanjali, for a person of discrimination, everything is attached with suffering. The wise see suffering in all experience, whether from the anguish of impermanence, or from latent impressions laden with suffering, or from incessant conflict as the fundamental qualities of nature vie for ascendancy.¹⁰

          3. Asuchi or Consideration of Impurity of the body: The seeds of the physical body, its location in mother’s womb and its ingredients are impure; impure matter oozes out of its pores, it needs constant cleaning, and at death is considered impure. For these reasons the physical body is considered impure by the wise.¹¹

          4. Feeing of Disgust or Remorse. A person may get vairagya by the feeling  of disgust or remorse or repentance,  considering the sinful, evil or  careless, life led so far by him or her. 

          Thus there could be many discriminative considerations. These discriminative exercises are called anupreksha¹² or bhavanas in Jainism. Each has been explained in detail in Jain scriptures with the help of stories.

          Let us not be afraid of vairagya. There cannot be true freedom without vairagya.

            References

          1.  Yoga Sutras, I:12

            2.   Vivekachudamani. 29

            3.   Vedantasara. 15

            4.   Vivekachudamani. 21

            5.   Yoga Sutras. I:15

            6.   The Imitation of Christ. Book I, Chapter 1

            7.   Luke. 14:26

            8.   Viveakchudamani. 271

            9.   Vairya Shatakam. 31

            10.  Yoga Sutras. II:15

            11.  Ibid. Commentary on II. 5

 12. Jain Anuprekshas: www.jainworld.com

Understanding Samvega

I

          After describing two principal means of controlling the thought waves, abhyasa, practice, and vairagya, renunciation, Patanjali states that success is speedy for those who are extremely energetic and have great intensity or yearning.¹

          He is more pragmatic when he says that there are aspirants with three grades of yearning: manda, madhyama and adhimatra, i.e., mild, moderate or great.²  This could  apply to both practice and renunciation. Some may be intense in their practice, but their renunciation might be mild. Others may have great renunciation, but may not be so intense in their practice. Thus, Vyas in his commentary mentions that there could be various degrees and combinations.

          Intensity or yearning for God-realization is also one of the most important teachings of Sri Ramakrishna. When ‘M’ asked Sri Ramakrishna, ‘Under what condition does one see God?’ he answered: ‘Cry to God with an intensively yearning heart and you will certainly see Him. People shed a whole jug of tears for wife and children. They swim in tears for money. But, who weeps for God? Cry to Him with a real cry.’³

          Sri Ramakrishna gives various illustrations to explain the meaning of yearning:

As the drowning man pants hard for breath, so must one’s heart yearn for the Lord, before one can find Him.⁴

Do you know what kind of love is required for gaining the Lord? Just as a dog with a bruised head runs restlessly, so must one become distressed for His sake.⁵

This yearning is like the state of mind of a man who has some one ill in the family. His mind is in a state of perpetual restlessness . . . Or again, one should feel a yearning for God like the yearning of a man who has lost his job and is wandering from one office to another in search of work. If he is rejected at a certain place which has no vacancy, he goes there for the next day and inquires, ‘Is there any vacancy today?’⁶

One must be restless for God. If a son clamors persistently for his share of the property, his parents consult each other and give it to him even though he is a minor.⁷

Or when the child demands some pice from his mother and says over and over again, ‘mother, give me a couple of pice, I beg you on my knees’, then the mother, seeing his earnestness, and unable to bear it any more, tosses the money over to him.⁸

Can you weep for Him with intense longing of heart? . . . So long as the child remains engrossed with its toys, the mother looks after her cooking and other household duties. But when the child no longer relishes the toys, it throws them aside and yells for its mother. Then the mother takes the rice-pot down from the hearth, runs in haste, and takes the child in her arms.⁹

A guru took a disciple to a lake and both of them got into the water. Suddenly the teacher pressed the disciple’s head under the water. After a few minutes, he released him and the disciple raised his head and stood up. The guru, asked him, ‘How did you feel?’ The disciple said, ‘Oh! I thought I should die. I was panting for breath.’ The teacher said, ‘When you feel like that for God, then you will know you haven’t long to wait for His vision.’¹⁰

          While commenting upon the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra I.21, dealing with intensity, Hariharananda Aranya, the well-known commentator on Yoga Sutras, gives two very apt examples: Just as a whipped horse moves faster and just as man hurries his steps at the approaching night in a forest for fear of wild animals which would come out at night, so should one become intense in search for God.

          Swami Vivekananda has given yet another example:

A great sage used to say, ‘Suppose there is a thief in a room and somehow he comes to know that there is a vast mass of gold in the next room, and that there is only a thin partition between the two rooms, what would be the condition of that thief? He would be sleepless, he would be unable to eat or do anything.’¹¹

          To these can be added the illustration given by Adi Shankaracharaya of a person who runs with haste towards water if fire were put on his head. With such intensity, should one approach the Guru for help and guidance for attaining liberation.

II

          We have, thus, many illustrations of yearning for God: a drowning man panting for air, a dog with a bruised head, the state of mind of one who has someone ill at home, a person who has lost a job, a son clamoring for his share of parental property, a child demanding a penny from the mother, a child crying for mother throwing away toys, a whipped horse, a man in forest hurrying his steps as night approaches, a man with fire on head, and a thief near a treasure of  gold.

          On analysis, these illustrations point broadly to three situations: (i) a person in agony and getting restless to get over it, (ii) although not in discomfort, seeking something more pleasing or desirable, and (iii) trying to avoid or escape an imminent danger. A dog, with bruised head, a disciple with fire on the head, a person who has lost his job or is having someone ill in the family, a person drowning or pressed under water, and a horse whipped, fall under the first category. A child crying for the mother, or asking a penny from her, and a thief anxious to get the  treasure close by, are the illustrations of the second type; and to avoid being caught at night in the forest is of the third type.

          While all in the world are familiar with these three types of experiences mentioned above, they are relevant in the context of this article and its theme only if they could be utilized for increasing one’s yearning for God, or for intensifying the practice and renunciation to achieve control of thought waves. But this does not generally happen.

         

          Most of us are busy with ‘toys’, one after the other, and never get bored by them, nor throw them away and call on God, our Real Mother. Warning against such callousness, the sages say: ‘If one has realized It (one’s real nature) here in this life, then there is true life. If It is not realized, there is great destruction.’¹²

          All get whips—mild or hard every day— in family, office or worldly situation and yet try to ‘adjust’ with them rather than hastening our steps towards God. Even though getting old and getting closer to death day by day, we never become conscious of the imminent danger that we are in the world-forest and would be caught in the dark night. The divine golden treasure is just within our hearts, but we don’t get restless like a thief. None has probably told us that a great treasure is indeed stored within us only—it is so close. Even if  Sri Ramakrishna tells us that the treasure, the Divine Mother is so close, we probably don’t trust or accept his words and become restless.

Says Vivekananda:

As soon as a man begins to believe there is a God, he becomes mad with longing to get to Him. Others may go their way but as soon as a man is sure that there is a much higher life than that which he is leading here, as soon as he feels sure that the senses are not all, that this limited material body is as nothing compared with the immortal, eternal, undying bliss of the self, he becomes mad until he finds out this bliss for himself. And this madness, this thirst, this mania, is what is called the ‘awakening’ to religion . . .¹³

          A true yogi, an awakened soul is never lured by transitory joys and pleasures of life. His mind is extremely sensitive—like the cornea. Like the Buddha, he never rests until he has found final solution to the problem of suffering. According to Patanjali, a yogi finds/sees pain and suffering even in the apparently pleasant.¹⁴  Such was the Buddha.

          Although he never experienced pain and suffering in his royal home, he was so sensitive that the very sight of three scenes of old age, disease and death brought home to him so strongly these imminent dangers that he left everything and struggled till he attained Nirvana total extinction of suffering.

          We have already seen that there could be grades of such yearning or intensity. It could be mild, moderate or intense.¹⁵  Sri Ramakrishna too  says that one could reach God even within three days if one has intense yearning and weeps for Him. The task before all spiritual aspirants is to go on increasing the yearning for God in whichever way they can.

References

1. Teevra Samvegaanaam aasannah, (Patanjali YogaSutra I, 21)

2. Patanjali Yoga Sutra, I, 22

3. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p. 83

4. Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math,Chennai, 620

5. Ibid, 627

6. The Gospel, p.96

7. Ibid, p.384

8. Ibid, p.97

9. Ibid, p.149

10. The Gospel, p.674

11. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati. Vol. II p.46

12. Kena Upanishad, II, 5

13. The Complete Works, Vol. II p.46

14. Patanjali Yoga Sutra, II.15

15. Patanjali Yoga Sutra, I-22

Japa

Japa or chanting the name of God is given great importance in all the religions of the world. It is not only an integral part of all devotional spiritual practices, even Sage Patanjali has  given an important place to it in his Yoga system. Patanjali recommends repetition of Om with thinking of its meaning as an effective means of control of mind: Tajjapah tadartha bhavanam (1.28)

Relation between God and His Name

After describing the characteristics of Ishvara in three sutras, Patanjali  mentions Om as  the indicator, vaachaka, or name  of Ishvara. Tasya vaachakah pranavah.(1.27) In Katha Upanishad too, Om is mentioned as supreme or best alambana or support or means.(1.2.17). However, in the just preceding shloka it is equated with akshara brahma or the Supreme Spirit. In the Mandukya Kaarika, it is said that Om is no other than the Lower as well as the Supreme Brahman, without beginning; and also the beginning, middle and the end of all,  unique and changeless. (I,12, 27-29)  We also get the proof of this attitude in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna in Sri Ramakrishna’s conversation with a devotee from Dakshineshwar village. Initially Sri Ramakrishna expresses the view that there must be something indicated by the Word.  However when the contending devotee said that the Eternal Word itself is Brahman, the Master agreed with him. (p.188)

According to the third view of the devotees, the name of God is greater than God. They quote two charming examples. Hanuman jumped across the ocean chanting the name of Rama, where as Rama himself had to build a bridge to cross it! Once Krishna was being weighed. All the available gold and gems etc, were insufficient, and Sri Krishna continued to remain seated in the lower of the pans of the balance. But when His name written on a tulasi leaf was placed on the other pan, the  pan with the Lord on it became lighter!

The meaning of the mantra

Since the Name of God must be repeated with thinking of its meaning, it is important that before chanting, the meaning is well understood. This again depends upon knowledge. The meaning of a gentleman named Mohan will be very much different for his mother and for a causal acquaintance. Hence it is often suggested that we must try to gain from various books and scriptures as much knowledge as possible about our chosen ideal,  whose name we shall be chanting.

Every divine personality has three aspects: an external form, divine qualities, and the indwelling divine spirit of which He or She is the embodiment. The mantra represents all the three. A devotee, when he begins chanting the name of his chosen ideal, first thinks of the holy form. This for him is the artha-bhavanam. As he proceeds, he finds more and more divine qualities in his Ishta, and he now meditated on them. This is the second stage of artha-bhavnam.  Finally, as he proceeds, he realizes that his Ishta is not merely a body, or a collection of divine attributes, but the supreme Spirit Itself. Thus the meaning of the Mantra evolves and matures as the aspirants continues with chanting.

Beginning with mechanical Japa

The conditions just mentioned, though simple, are not easy to fulfil. Most of the aspirants begin  japa mechanically for a fixed number of times. And the minimum number is generally fixed as 108. The Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi used to do one lakh japa every day.  And for those who complained to her of restlessness of mind, she would recommend 20,000 japa a day. Even this mechanical japa done without concentration has its value. Whether one takes bath in the Ganga knowingly, or slips into it or is pushed by someone into it, the result is the same. Suppose a person goes on chanting “rupee, rupee’, 10,000 times every day, will it not affect his psyche? His mind will get filled with the thought of money, he will start aspiring for it, will struggle to get it, and finally get it too, with all its good and bad consequences. If someone chooses to chant the word ‘war’ he is sure to start fighting with others within six months!

Throughout the day, consciously or unconsciously, we listen to  so many sounds of various types and these leave some effect on our mind. Why not then allow the music of japa to continue always? Swami Brahmananda used to say that the cycle of Japa must always be flowing. As many times as we think of the world, so many times must the name be chanted to counteract the worldly thoughts. This can be done loudly if necessary, or can be combined with breathing. It is no wonder, then, that in the Kalisantaranopanishad  just a mechanical chanting of the mantra: 'Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare; Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna  Krishna  Hare Hare'  has been considered the sole effective means of escaping from the clutches of the Kali Yuga, the Iron Age.(1-2)

           It is not always necessary that with Japa, thinking of the meaning of the word must be done. Like the images of Rama and Krishna, their names Rama and Krishna too are the symbols of the supreme Spirit. Just as by constant meditation on a specific form of God, it becomes conscious, chaitanya, ie., the divinity behind it manifests, similarly,  one of the important methods is to LISTEN  to the mantra mentally at a specific centre of consciousness like the heart or the centre between the eye-brows.

Conditions for Japa

Apart from thinking of the meaning, Patanjali has not given any other instructions for the repetition in his sutras. However, Sri Ramakrishna has given some important instructions:

'Japa means silently repeating God’s name in solitude. When you chant his name with single-minded devotion (ekamone), you can see God’s form and realize Him.'(Gospel, p.878)  'There is no doubt about the sanctity of God’s name. But can a mere name achieve anything, without yearning love of the devotee behind it? One should feel great restlessness of soul for the vision of God.'(Gospel, p.190)

Thus the four conditions laid down by Sri Ramakrishna are: 1.Chanting must be done silently, 2. in solitude 3. with single-mindedness  and  4. with yearning love and restlessness.

The first condition for Japa is to do it silently. Japa can be done loudly (vachika); silently but with lips moving (upanshu) and mentally (manasika). Of course mental japa is the best, but we generally start with loud vocal japa. Sometimes, if the mind is too restless or agitated, loud vocal japa may help. Otherwise it must be done in such a way that others cannot hear,

The second condition is, it should be done in solitude. While giving instructions about meditation also, Sri Ramakrishna emphasizes this condition by saying that it should be done in the mind, in the forest or in a secluded corner. Serious spiritual aspirants do japa and meditation in forests or caves. In the absence of such a possibility, Sri Ramakrishna recommends creating solitude in one’s own house, in a shrine made in a corner. The need for such seclusion is obvious; unless external sounds and disturbances are cut down at lease to some extent, mind can’t be concentrated in japa or meditation.  In solitude when external sense-stimuli subside, only internal mental modifications remain which can be controlled by japa and meditation. It is therefore advised to do japa at night in cities when all are asleep.

An important condition for Japa laid down by Sri Ramakrishna is single-mindedness. Mind acts in various ways: thought, imagination, memory, fantasy, resolve, desire etc. If we desire to do japa but thoughts are different and imagination is running elsewhere, we cannot claim to have one mind or one-pointed mind. Mind is restless by nature, running in various directions, constantly changing its resolve and vacillating between opposite desires. All these various functions of the mind must be one-pointed. In the popular Christian book, The Way of the Pilgrim this has been very beautifully expressed: 'Prayer must be done always constantly, uninterruptedly, with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart, forming a mental picture of His presence and imploring His grace.'

The next condition for success in Japa is ‘yearning love and restlessness.’ The name and the Named one, God, are the same, nay God’s Name is even greater than God—we must have such faith. One does not get joy in japa initially. Hence, initially japa must be done with firm faith. The devotee will not leave japa once he starts getting joy in it. But  till then faith, determination and dedication are necessary.

But the most important is yearning. Imagine a person is drowning and he shouts 'Help'―just one word! As soon as any passer-by would listen to this earnest cry, he is bound to run to help. What  great yearning, restlessness and utter helplessness is stored in that one word! Such was the single-word cry of the drowning Gajendra, or of Draupadi in the court of Kauravas when Dushasana was trying to de-robe her. And the result was that in both the cases the Lord virtually ran to protect them. Or take the case of a baby playing with its toys. At times he does remember and call 'maa', but mother does not come. But when in the end, he throws away the toys and shouts loudly 'MAA' the mother immediately comes running. Japa also is like the words Help, or Maa, chanted with great yearning and earnestness. This of course does not mean that we shout at the top of our voice. What is important is the yearning of the heart. If there is yearning, the Lord would listen even if we do not open our mouth.

Benefits of Japa

Japa and meditation are interrelated. Japa leads to meditation. It is like placing dots in one line: meditation is like joining those dots. Inversely, interrupted meditation is nothing but japa.  We begin with vocal japa, then comes internal, mental japa which becomes meditation or an unbroken mental flow of thought towards God. Later even this stops and only the artha or the meaning of the word remains. Thus japa leads to meditation and Samadhi.

According to Patanjali there are two more benefits of japa: 'Tatah prakchetan-adhigamo-pynataraaya-abhaavashcha.;(1.29) 'From that is gained  introspection  and  destruction  of  obstacles.

Sri Ramakrishna has very succinctly defined the introspective mode of mind  when he said: 'Sandhya merges into Gayatri and Gayatri merges into Om.'  Introspection is essentially a process of concentration and turning within. When japa is done with concentration, all other words get merged into the one mantra being chanted, and when this is practiced for a long time, without break and with dedication, mind becomes controlled, indrawn and peaceful. What one gets is described as the vyavasayika buddhi (Gita,2:41) by Sri Krishna in the Gita. One gets inner joy. In fact there is no joy outside. All joys are a mere reflection  of  the  joy  within  which  is experienced  by  japa.

The destruction of obstacles to the path of Yoga is another benefit of japa. Patanjali enumerates nine such obstructions most of which are tamasic and mental. Vyadhi-styana-sanshaya-pramada-aasasya-avirati-bhrantidarsana-alabhadha-bhumikatva-anavasthitatvani.(1.30) 'Disease, languor, doubt, carelessness, laziness, lack of detachment, wrong notions, inability to ascend to higher spiritual levels and to get established there are the obstructions.'

The first one is disease, and interestingly and significantly, even physical illness gets reduced and may even be cured by japa. Doubts disappear, undue attachments get weakened, and one gets a clear understanding of the spiritual path. And a serious aspirant who persists with japa ascends to higher levels on the spiritual ladder and gets established there.  According to Patanjali, pain, depression, trembling of the body and irregular respiration may accompany the above mentioned obstructions.(1.31)  These also are cured by japa.

Conclusion

         

          There is a large literature available on the subject of mantra and japa in all religious traditions. Here we have presented in short the subject on the basis of the Patanjai’s Yoga Sutras and the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna  stressing  the  practical aspect.