Mantra Japa Guide

Learn Type of Japa and How to do the Japa

By Mantra Quest

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Copyright © 2018 By Mantra Quest, All Right Reserved

Reproduction, distribution, republication, and/or retransmission of material contained within this book
are prohibited unless the prior written permission of Mantra Quest has been obtained

The information in this book is solely education purpose. Mantra Quest writes what he learns and read
from scriptural books and Vedas

However, I have to warn you about something. Sometimes, people think or feel that the benefits from
Mantras come easily or instantly. It doesn’t.
What is Mantra Japa
Mantra Japa is an art of chanting or singing a mantra continuously. Mantra Japa is
very powerful and if recited properly they have an ability to radically change your
life in a positive direction.

Each and every mantra is unique and interpretation of a mantra depends on every
individual’s faith and belief. For instance, if a man thinks that a particular mantra
will give him peace and prosperity and chants it with complete faith, then the
mantra will bring him exactly that.

Each mantra is a combination of different words which when chanted together

creates unique vibrations. These unique vibrations awakens your inner sub-
conscious and also attracts positive outer vibrations which helps in fulfilling your
dreams.

In Hinduism every God/Goddess has their own mantras and to impress a certain
God you should chant his specific mantras. For example Devi Lakshmi is the
Goddess of wealth and prosperity. By chanting specific Lakshmi mantras you will
invoke her blessings andbecome rich and prosperous.

For a mantra to work you need to recite it or chant it in a particular way. For
example, the power of certain mantras grows depending on the number of times
you have chanted the mantra. The ‘Mantra of abundance’ follows the rule “The
more the better”.

Similarly the way a mantra Japa is done also has an impact on its power and
benefits. Below are certain types of Mantra Japa which you can follow as per your
need. These Japas are mentioned in our scriptures and the effect of each Mantra
Japa changes from one type to another:
Types of Mantra Japa

Nitya Japa:
In this type of Japa, the mantra is chanted regularly, a fixed routine is followed
depending on the number of times the mantra is chanted, how it is chanted and
when you need to chant the mantra.

For example, chanting a particular mantra for a fixed number of times, early in the
morning and while sitting in the same place every day.

Naimittik Japa:
In this type of Japa you chant the mantra for someone else’s sake. For example,
you chant a mantra for the sake of your husband’s wellbeing or your wife’s good
health.

Kamya Japa:
Each individual have loads of desires and dreams to accomplish in his or her life.
When you are chanting a mantra to fulfill a desire then this kind of Japa is called
Kamya Japa. For example, if you are chanting a mantra for buying your own
house, then it is called Kamya Japa.

Nisidh Japa:
Chanting a particular mantra for harming someone else is called Nisidh Japa. Also
if you are chanting a mantra with bad pronunciation, wrong tone and bad
temperament then the Japa is Nisidh Japa and will have no effect or power.

Chanting a mantra in this way is futile. For example if you are chanting a mantra
in a bad mood, keeping negative thoughts for someone else in your mind then the
chant is useless and will have no effect.
Prayschit Japa:
In simple words this chanting can also be called repentance chanting, which
means chanting a mantra for forgiveness of a crime. We all believe in the logic of
karma. We will get what we will do.

So if you have done a sin and are sorry about it and you seek forgiveness then
chanting a mantra for penance is called Prayschit Japa.

Achal Japa:
This is one of the most difficult way of Japa. In this type of chanting, you
continuously chant the mantra in your mind without moving any of your limbs.
You are as good as a statue, without any facial expression or body movements.

Chal Japa:
This is the most common way of Japa and can also be called on-the-move Japa. In
this type of chanting you are chanting your mantra while walking, running, sitting
or sleeping. Anytime and anywhere.

You move your lips and your tongue while chanting the mantra and if you are
using beads then you can see the movement of the beads too.

Vachik Japa:
Chanting a mantra loudly and clearly is called Vachik Japa. By loudly chanting a
mantra, it becomes very powerful and can have great benefits.

Manas Japa:
Chanting a mantra only in your mind without any movement of lips and tongue is
called Manas Japa. High level of concentration and a very good meditation
practice is required to achieve great level of benefit from this Japa. Once Manas
Japa is perfected it can create miracles for the chanter.

Akhand Japa:
Continuous chanting of mantra without caring of time and place is called Akhand
Japa. For example, if you need to chant a particular mantra 11,000 times, then
without caring about anything you keep chanting the mantra till the number of
times is completed.

Ajapa Japa:
When you are continuously chanting a mantra without any conscious effort then
the Japa is called Ajapa Japa. Just like breathing is a spontaneous activity your
body is trained to do, similarly chanting a mantra without any effort and is as
spontaneous as breathing in and out is called Ajapa Japa.

This Japa can only be achieved with a lot of practice and only gurus and
maharishis have achieved success in this type of Japa.

Upanshu Japa:
In this type of chanting both the lips are moving but the words cannot be heard.
Like in Manas Japa there is no movement of lips in this Japa lips are moving but
we cannot hear the words.

Bhamar Japa:
In this type of mantra chanting, you make a humming sound similar to the sound
of a bumble bee. No words can be heard just a continuous hum.
Pradakshina Japa:
In this type of Japa you are chanting a mantra while doing pradakshina in a
temple. For example chanting “Om Gum Ganapatayei Namah” while doing
pradakshina of Lord Ganesh idol in a temple. Please note following this kind of
Japa is also very rewarding.

According to Vedas a mantra is 10 times powerful when you chant it in Vachik

Japa style, 100 times powerful when you follow Upanshu Japa and 1000 times
more powerful when Manas Japa is followed.

Whichever type of Japa you follow, remember that each and every Japa has loads
and loads of benefits on your mind, body and soul. Some are listed below
Effects of Mantra Japa on Mind:

Helps in relieving stress

Our life can be very difficult at times. You may face many situations where you
need to take decisions regarding, work, home, children or even your parents or a
combination of everything at the same time.

If you cannot handle these situations properly then our life can be very stressful
and you may lose your reasons of being happy. Certain events can also be very
stressful like death of a loved one, or failing in an exam or losing a job.

In such situations, chanting a mantra can be very helpful. Mantra Japa will help
your mind focus on something good in life and hence you will stop thinking of
situations troubling you and start believing in good and happy things.

Improves positive thoughts

Mantra Japa is a good habit for people who tends to be pessimistic and are always
surrounded by negative thoughts. Many scholars and gurus preach that you will
get what you believe in. For example if you keep believing that you are a coward
and unsuccessful in your life then that is exactly what you will get.

To change this negative thought and your overall negative perspective, mantra
Japa is very effective. By using self-affirmative mantras you will believe in yourself
and the entire universe.

These mantras will help you realize your dream and help them become a reality.
For instance chanting a very simple mantra “I am successful” continuously will
help you become calm and powerful and eventually successful and more focused
in life.
Purity of mind
Purity is a very important aspect of every religion be it Hinduism, Christianity,
Buddhism or Islam. Every religion states that no good can be achieved with a bad
mind.

If you are impure and pervert from inside, you cannot get good and fruitful things
in life. Mantra Japa will help you achieve purity of mind and removal of ignorance
and sinful thoughts. A very simple yet powerful Surya Mantra for purity is

ॐ घणृ िः सर्
ू यार्नमिः

Om Ghruni Suryaya Namah

The above mantra if chanted early every morning in front of Sun will help you
purify your mind with good and positive thoughts.

Peace of mind
Mantra Japa is a very good source of achieving peace of mind. There are many
powerful mantras that will help you achieve your peace. Focus on any quality you
want in your life and mantra Japa will help you achieve that quality.

For example if you want calmness and mental strength then chanting a related
mantra will help you achieve that. The below Ganapati mantra is a very good
mantra for achieving mental strength.

ॐ गंग पतर्ै नमिः

Om Gum Ganapataye Namah

Improving power of intuition
With the help of Mantra Japa you can become more intuitive. Mantra Japa helps
you remain focused and receive signals from other parts of the body. You will also
become more focused of your surroundings.

Every time you do Mantra Japa the tongue hits the palate awakening certain
signals called hypothalamus and sending these positive signals to different part of
the body and mind.

Continuous mantra Japa will awaken the subconscious and unconscious parts of
your brain which in turn will increase your awareness of the environment.

Hence mantra Japa will help you calm and focus your mind and make you more
intuitive of the surrounding.
Effects of Mantra Japa on Body

Improvement of the immune system

One of the best effect of mantra Japa is improvement of immune system. A better
immune system gives a person a better chance to fight diseases and infections.
Mantra Japa sends healthy and positive vibes to the body and these vibes
improve the overall mood of a person.

With a good mood a person remains calm and happy, they will maintain a stable
mind even in stressful situation.

A stable and happy person tends to sleep better and eat well. All these factors
indirectly help in strengthening the immune system.

A happy mind is a sign of a happy body. Another reason of building a strong

immune system is breathing exercises practiced during Mantra Japa.

These breathing exercises improve your overall health and helps in better
circulation of blood to all the organs. Hence, directly improving your immune
system.

Relief from chronic pain and addiction

Mantra Japa helps you manage all kinds of pain in a natural way. Mantras along
with meditation divert your mind from pain and soothe your mind from any
discomfort.

Mantra Japa also help to avoid pleasures of intoxication. Many mantras put your
mind to ease and help you get rid of problem eventually leaving no reason of
getting drunk and escaping your problems.

ॐ में मंगलयर् नमिः

Om mein mangalaya namah

The above mantra is a powerful short mantra for relief from pain. It is advisable to
concentrate on Ajna center (located a little above from the space in the middle of
your eyebrows) while chanting this mantra. The above mantra can be used to
improve your overall health, mood and concentration.

Helps relief from anxiety

Mantra Japa not only helps reduce stress but also helps in reducing anxiety. In
today’s world, almost everyone is anxious and so busy that they stop appreciating
little pleasures of life.

We are always concerned about things which we do not have and stop enjoying
things which we have. For example in a hurry of reaching your office/place of
work you don’t embrace a hug given to you by your child or a good bye kiss from
your wife.

With the help of mantra Japa you can control your mind and body. You will
approach your problem with a clear mind which will directly help you combat
your anxiety.

These mantras will help you enjoy smaller things in life which matters.

रोगयनशेषयनपहं सस तुष्टय स्वयहय

Roganasheshanapahansi tushta swaha

The above mantra is a perfect anxiety reliever mantra. This mantra will help you
bring peace to mind and body, hence providing immediate relief.

Depression
If you are using antidepressant medicine and still do not feel happy about
anything around you then chanting mantras is probably the best thing you could
do to your mind and body.
Many antidepressant drugs are not only expensive but also addictive. These drugs
make you dependent on them and if not taken can deteriorate your mental
health.

First, pickup any mantra which appeals to you from this article or from any other
source then start chanting this mantra focusing on getting rid of depression. Soon
you will notice that your mood is improving and all your negative thoughts are
getting replaced by positive ones.

Mantra Japa works in many ways to help you get rid of depression. The tone and
your breathing rhythm while chanting a mantra will send positive signals
throughout your mind and body.

This signal will prevent releasing certain chemical compounds in your body which
causes anxiety and depression.

ॐ ह्रं नमिः

Om Hrim Namah

A very short yet powerful mantra which can be chanted anywhere, anytime and
any number of times.
Effects of Mantra Japa on Soul

Helps in Meditation
It is very difficult to meditate if you have lots of things to do in life. Using a mantra
while meditating will help you focus on your meditation and stop your mind from
wandering.

Without the chanting of mantra it will not be possible for meditators to reach the
deepest level of their being. Mantras are also called a raft or a bridge which helps
the meditators to reach the highest level of inner consciousness.

ॐ, pronounced as Aum is considered to be the best beej mantra while

meditating.

Correct mantra meditation will open many doors of success and help you achieve
your dreams.

Spiritual connection with the Supreme Being

The power of faith in the supreme-being cannot be under estimated. There are
many examples in which the intervention of supreme-being has performed many
miracles.

This connection with your spirituality gives you courage to go through difficult
situations in life.

Many people believe that connecting with supreme-being and attaining moksha is
the final journey of our life.

There are many specific mantras for attaining moksha and when chanted with
complete faith will help you take the final journey without any difficulties.
 ॐ श्रं श्रं श्रं मोक्षप्रयप्तर ससद्धर श्रं श्रं श्रं

Om Shrim shrim shrim mokshaprapti siddhi shrim shrim shrim

Mantra Japa is a science, an art and is a way to life. If followed correctly and
faithfully the results are many and huge.
How to Japa

“Mantra Japa gives Happiness and prosperity and is capable of removing all kinds
of bad situations.”

With the passing of 9 planets in 12 zodiac signs, 108 types of auspicious or

inauspicious conditions are created, which affect every human.

Every human wishes that they encounter only good situations but it is not
possible because with good comes the bad or vice versa. With the help of Mantra
Japa the bad situations cannot be avoided but its effect can be reduced so that
the loss is minimal.

The advantage of living in the present time is that only with Mantra Japa you can
get the benefit of great ascetic rituals. And if the mantra is given by your guru
then it is all the more beneficial. If a siddh mantra is passed on to you then it is
capable of helping you to attain moksha.

The mantra associated with Sadhguru is called the 'Sabeej mantra' because it
contains the power to experience God. Mantra chant creates a wave, which
makes the mind move upward.

Just as water always flows downwards, the mind always moves towards the fall if
it does not get the strength of mantra Japa.

Many people criticize and argue that if we want something from someone, do we
take his/her name repeatedly and fulfill our wishes?

The answer is no, they are naïve and unaware of the magic of mantra Japa and of
the wave science behind it. The effect of Mantra chant is subtle but deeper.

When Lakshmanji chanted a mantra and pulled a line on the ground around
Sitaji's cottage, the great leader Ravana could not cross the Lakshman line.
Ravana was knowledgeable of the elusive Vidya but as soon as he wanted to cross
the line, he felt his whole body burning.

This is the power of mantra with which even great warriors can be defeated. With
the help of mantra Japa all your old worries will disappear and a spiritual force
will grow inside you.

Mantra Japa will remove sadness, anxiety, fear, mourning and disease from your
life. You will achieve happiness and prosperity.

Just like sound waves goes far and wide, the sound waves created by mantra goes
deep into our consciousness and erases all the sins of our past many lives. The
Japa starts manifesting power in us and wisdom begins to develop.

By continuous mantra Japa you can even achieve powers like time travelling or
virtual eyesight.

Another important thing while doing mantra Japa is keeping a count of number
of mantra chanted. In general chanting beads are used to count the mantras.

These beads can be either basil, rosary, rudraksh, rhinestone or pearl beads. Each
mala contains 108 beads. The number 108 is very significant in mantra Japa
because of the following reasons:

According to chowdhami upanishad, 108 beads has been approved based on the
number of breaths of human beings. It is believed that in 24 hours a person
breaths for 21,600 times and out of the 24 hours 12 hours are reserved for Lord’s
worship which is approximately 10,800 breaths.

In today’s time it is not possible to meditate for 12 hours every day and hence of
the total 10,800 breaths only 108 breaths (by removing the last two zeroes) are
reserved for Lord’s worship.

Another reason of 108 beads is based on the turns of the Sun. It is believed that
the Sun turns 2 lakhs 16 thousand times in one year.
Because the Sun is Uttarayan and Dakshinaayan every six months, the total turn
of the Sun is 1,08,000 (considering only Uttarayan position). Hence the number
108 is sacred again.

Counting of mantras is very important as according to great pandits and scholars

uncounted mantras are demonic chant and do not produce auspicious results.

Even if you do not have beads follow the below mentioned method for counting
mantras.

• If you observe there are three compartments in each finger of your hand.
Start counting from the middle compartment of the middle finger of right
hand and then move towards ring finger, then little finger and 2
compartments of index finger. In total you will cover 10 compartments (2 –
middle finger, 3 – ring finger, 3 – little finger and 2 – index finger).

• Do not count one compartment of middle finger and one of index finger.

• In the same way consider 10 compartments of the left hand. As you as you
finish 10 compartments in the right hand, count one compartment in the
left hand.

• Once you are done with 10 compartments of the left hand you have
finished chanting 100 mantras.

• For the last eight chants, again, on the right hand, count from the middle
part of the middle finger and end with the little finger.

This way even without beads or mala you can finish your mantra Japa anywhere
and at any time.

Mantra Japa has great power and it is advised to start chanting at least 1 mantra,
108 times every day for peace and happiness.
Number of Days to Japa a mantra
Once you have decided which mantra to chant, the sitting position you are most
comfortable in, the sitting mat, direction and all the other small details the next
big decision is the number of days you will chant the mantras.

The thumb rule of mantra chanting is 108 times for 40 days. 40 days??

Sounds scary and a long time, right?

But trust me once you start chanting a mantra, the mantra will give you power to
complete your sankalp.

In ancient times, yogis chanted mantras for entire day and for many number of
days at a stretch. I agree, in the current age of technology, chanting mantra
throughout the day is next to impossible. We have bills to pay, work to do and
food to cook.

We have loads and loads responsibility and neither time nor patience to just keep
chanting a mantra for a month, week or even a single day.

So how does it work, how do we know how many times and number of days we
need to chant a mantra?

There is a very simple calculation for this and it depends on the mantra you select.
As per Hindu and Buddhist scriptures the number of times a mantra needs to be
chanted depends on the number of letters in your mantra. Each letter represents
100,000 japas. For example your mantra is “ॐ नमिः सशवयर्” In Sanskrit this is 5
letters (not counting Om), so chant this mantra for 500,000 times.

After deciding the number of times we need to chant a mantra, the next step is
calculating the number of days. Always remember, only commit to number of
days you are most comfortable with. Just assuming that you can easily chant for
100 days or 200 days does not work. It is easy said that done. Because the
moment you miss a day of chanting you need to start all over again.
So Before starting mantra japa we will take a sankalp of number of days you will
chant a mantra and number of times each day. This phase usually takes 108 days
with 41 malas of 108 japa every day.

If you think you are not comfortable with 41 malas each day, then you can
increase the number of days of Japa, say for example from 41 malas to 31 malas
every day for 154 days.

This can be done vice versa, i.e. you can increase the malas every day and
decrease the number of days of chant. The below table is just an example of how
you can divide your time as per your convenience and this program is to help you
achieve that target:

Mantra : ॐ नमिः सशवयर् Number of chants required: 500,000

Number of malas each day (each mala
Number of Days
contains 108 beads)
40 116
51 91
71 66
91 51
108 42
125 37
150 31

Always remember there is no hard and fast rule on having a fixed number of days
and japa. But once you take a sankalp you need to stick to the days and japa. Only
then you will get the required results. If you miss even a single day you need to
start all over again.

Also, keep in mind “the more the better”. Your mantra will become more
powerful with more and more repetitions. So don’t limit yourself to the number
above, if you feel you can chant more than the sankalp number, do so. This will
only increase the power of your mantra and bring more joy and peace to you.
Number of times to Japa a mantra
Every time you decide to chant a mantra, the first number that comes to your
mind or given by a guru is mostly 108 repetition. So, why 108 times? What is so
great about that number? I am sure this thought must have crossed your mind at
some point or another. I will help you understand the logic behind the
significance of this number.

As per Hindu scriptures, the number 108 depicts:

1 = God or the divine Power (One and only one)

0 = Emptiness or completeness

8 = infinity or eternity.

The vibration created by 108 chants will fill in the emptiness within us with an
infinite amount of divine power.

The second logic of the number 108 is that there are in total 54 letters in Sanskrit
language, each alphabet has a masculine and a feminine quality – also known as
Shiva and Shakti. Hence 54 × 2 = 108 (both the qualities of each letter).

Third logic, there are 108 upanishads in Hinduisms and Buddhism. Upanishads are
ancient texts and are highly revered by gurus and yogis.One chant for each
Upanishad.

From the yogic point of view, the chakras in our body are energy lines that start
from the root of our body and travel up to the crown or our head.

It is believed that in total there are 108 energy lines that form the heart chakra,
Anahata. Each mantra repetition will activate one chakra and finally 108
repetitions will activate the heart chakra.
Now that we know why 108 chants is important, let me also add that your chants
need not be minimum 108 times, it can be any number but more than 7.

108 times is definitely most powerful and any Japa should be done in sets of 108
times but as per gurus and yogis, chant your mantras any number of times you
are comfortable with as long as you do with full concentration and devotion. A
half-hearted attempt will have no results. .