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How to chant manthras/namam

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DEAR FRIENDS,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE HAVE TO CHANT (FOR EXAMPLE VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM). wHEN VADHYAR CHANTS HE CHANTS WITH UPS AND DOWNS IN TONE AND GIVING STRESS SOME PLACES . ALSO SMT. SUBBALAKSHMI HAS CHANTED IN THE SAME WAY.
WHEREAS WHEN I AM CHANTING I DONOT KNOW WHHERE TO EMPHASISWORDS AND GO ON CHANTING TILL THE END. S IT DOSHA.

I CAME TO KNOW THAT IN SANSKRIT SOME WORDS GET OPPOSITE MEANING IF THEY ARE PAIRED WITH NEARBY MANTHRA. FOR EXAMPLE IN GAYATRI JAPA DIYO YONA PRAJODAYAT DIFFERES WHEN CHANTED AS DIYO YO NAPRAJODAYAT.
KINDLY GUIDE
 
I also require the inputs from our esteemed members on this subject. I know it is correct and appropriate to chant correctly with right swaram and pronounciations. If done otherwise unintentionally or unknowingly or so, are we inviting trouble?.Pure bhakthi suppose if inundated by wrongly pronunced hymns/ mantras>> is not right and not acceptable? I request other learned members to share please.
 
DEAR FRIENDS,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE HAVE TO CHANT (FOR EXAMPLE VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM). wHEN VADHYAR CHANTS HE CHANTS WITH UPS AND DOWNS IN TONE AND GIVING STRESS SOME PLACES . ALSO SMT. SUBBALAKSHMI HAS CHANTED IN THE SAME WAY.
WHEREAS WHEN I AM CHANTING I DONOT KNOW WHHERE TO EMPHASISWORDS AND GO ON CHANTING TILL THE END. S IT DOSHA.

I CAME TO KNOW THAT IN SANSKRIT SOME WORDS GET OPPOSITE MEANING IF THEY ARE PAIRED WITH NEARBY MANTHRA. FOR EXAMPLE IN GAYATRI JAPA DIYO YONA PRAJODAYAT DIFFERES WHEN CHANTED AS DIYO YO NAPRAJODAYAT.
KINDLY GUIDE


Dear KRSubraJi,
i am no expert but the ups and downs and stress you are mentioning are Vedic Accents.
i find it hard to explain it but listen to Ganapati Prarthana well.
Most of the accents are there.
i have attached a copy of it for you to read.

click on this you tube link.
simple and slow and accents are heard well.
You will understand the accents after hearing it.

YouTube - Ganapati Prarthana

Just a slight correction.
Prachodayat.(not Prajodayat)
no harm knowing correct pronouciation but bhakti overrides even the best of reciters.

renuka
 

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Dear KRSubraJi,
i am no expert but the ups and downs and stress you are mentioning are Vedic Accents.
i find it hard to explain it but listen to Ganapati Prarthana well.
Most of the accents are there.
i have attached a copy of it for you to read.

click on this you tube link.
simple and slow and accents are heard well.
You will understand the accents after hearing it.

YouTube - Ganapati Prarthana

Just a slight correction.
Prachodayat.(not Prajodayat)
no harm knowing correct pronouciation but bhakti overrides even the best of reciters.

renuka
Smt Renuka, well done and timely sample selection. I was also airing my view whether Bhakthi will override during inadverdent mistakes while pronouncing or rhyming. Because we have heard that Lord Siva was offered meat[pork's] as Neivedhyam by erstwhile Kannapa Nayanar and Lord happily accepted it and blessed him appreciating his focussed Bhakthi. I stand to be corrected if wrong. Thanks and best
wishes
 
Namassadhasae.

Vishnu Sahasranamam is not veda manthram and hence no swarams. MS pronounciation of Vishnu Sahasranam. This has got only chandas
(meter). This need not be strictly followed. But this metered ucharippu will be most respected in a sadas where Sahasranamam is chanted. Even there are certain sukthams which are not veda mantras and hence no swaram. Ayushya suktham, Sri Suktham etc. By anushtAnam, a specific meter (chandas) is used commonly.

Posting in this type of threads matters involving transliteration from Sanskrit (there are 4 pronounciations for each alphabet and transliteration is a very tough job.

Similarly, no question of marking swarams is also possible. It is not possible to mark ", ' _ similarly dash up (this cannot be shown by symbol), these four swarams. Net result we cannot deal with vedic sabdhams in this type of thread. Even transliteration is difficult. Even persons competent in Samskrit, cannot do this kind of transliteration. But swaras marking is possible in writing, printing, but not in composing for these types of threads.

Late Anna Subramania Iyer (popularly known as Anna) popularised a special kind of printing in his books, while doing transliterations from Samskrit to Tamil, by writing 2, 3 or 4, above one alphabet, as per the original pronounciation. Hope some persons may come forward in future to overcome this deficiency in composing.

In typewriter, marking of swarams was possible by using 'variable line spacer'. I think it is not possible to mark swarams while composing.

As far as Vishnu sahasranam is concerned, no swaram is necessary, in fact. But in usage it is universally practised with a specific chandas. Hope I am clear.

Kindly excuse for giving a very elaborate reply.

"அவரவர் இச்சையில் எவை எவை உற்றவை அவை தருவித்தருள் பெருமாளே!"
_ திருவக்கரை திருப்புகழ்
 
yes.I.also heard that uchcharam is very important while chanting any slokas&mantras.If somebodycan givesomelight on this subject,it will be of immense help to lage section of our socity.Thanks.-Kalyanaraman
 
Dear friends,
One more doubt please. Taking example of Vishnu sahasranamam, after the 1008 namas we start to say benefits of saying the above sahasranamam (starts with ITHEETHUM KEERTHEENYASYA KESAVASYA...) i DOUBT WHETHER IT IS NECESSARY TO CHANT THE RESULT/BENEFIT OF CHANTING MANTHARAM/JAPAM /SLOKAM ALONG WITH THE SLOKAM AND THAT ALSO TO THE GOD. OR ARE WE JUST REMINDING HIM OF BENEFITS HE HAS TO GIVE.
ONE MORE QUESTION. THERE ALSO WE SAY CASTE WISE BENEFITS TO BE RECEIVED. BRAHMINS-KNOWLEDGE=KSHATHRIYA-SUCCESS=VYSYA-WEALTH.
ANY TO GUIDE?
 
benefits are there for those who want it.
Best would be to dedicate prayer to God and not think of fruits of our recital action.

Karmanyevadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadacana
Ma Karmaphala heturbhurma te Sangostvakarmani

I would like to answer caste benefits based on Gunas.
when dominant guna is sattva--- one seeks knowledge
when sattva mixed with rajas---- one seeks power/sucess
when rajas mixed with tamas---- one seeks wealth
when dominant guna is tamas---- one is attached to inaction.
 
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As per my opinion, pronunciation and meter are very important for rituals. Rituals can produce mystical power if it is done correctly.

There is no formal rules are required for bhakti. You can pick up any nama or simple slogam for your prayer. Rama accepted Shabari’s fruit because she offered with pure bhakti. Same way Rangamannar accepted garland from Andal. God sees only pure bhakti.

Krishna said in Gita “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it”
 
DEAR FRIENDS,
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE HAVE TO CHANT (FOR EXAMPLE VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM). wHEN VADHYAR CHANTS HE CHANTS WITH UPS AND DOWNS IN TONE AND GIVING STRESS SOME PLACES . ALSO SMT. SUBBALAKSHMI HAS CHANTED IN THE SAME WAY.
WHEREAS WHEN I AM CHANTING I DONOT KNOW WHHERE TO EMPHASISWORDS AND GO ON CHANTING TILL THE END. S IT DOSHA.

I CAME TO KNOW THAT IN SANSKRIT SOME WORDS GET OPPOSITE MEANING IF THEY ARE PAIRED WITH NEARBY MANTHRA. FOR EXAMPLE IN GAYATRI JAPA DIYO YONA PRAJODAYAT DIFFERES WHEN CHANTED AS DIYO YO NAPRAJODAYAT.
KINDLY GUIDE

The title itself gives the answer.

Mantram is something that is repeated for effect and result. "Mananam seyvathu- mantram" i.e is( mentally) repeating is mantram. marupadiyum marupadiyum solvathu mananam.

Mananam seyya mudivathaal Manithan.

Any word repeated with constant concentration becomes a mantram- It can be a mundane word like "Verkadalai' or some high sounding word.

(Sometimes, a mantram is kept secret for getting a particular siddhi. In that case it is directly taken from a Guru- and that mantra will be specific only for that Guru-Shishya.)

"Hare Rama hare rama ,Rama Rama Hare Hare" can be a mantra for one if repeated by one indefinitely.

Naamam as the word goes is just name. Rama,Krishna, Amman, Karthiyaayani, Mookambika, Vadivelan or any thing like that .

Repeating a naama(name) is called Naama Japam.

In general use there is not much difference.

A string of names chanted repeatedly becomes a naama mantram. Usually this is easy for a person .This can be done even while doing any other jobs, as it is only a mental exercise.In Kalyugam, it is belived that, Naama Japam is very effective, it can bring even moksha.

Hence it is obvious that Mantram and Naama does not need special way f doing or special sound.Do as it comes to one.

Ask any little child to chant any mantra or sloka or even a naama-- it will repeat with is own lisping and childish way. It is enjoyable to adults. (Similarly God will also relish our chanting if i is sincere and innocent).

But we cannot remain infant for ever.The same child learns more and then pronounces same word correctly later.

So for us Naama japam and short mantram are the early stages. By learning more we have to graduate. Then comes the Veda Ghosham,Ghanam--where there are uccharanama(pronounciations) sthanams( places and positions long and short (just like musical notes ).

As Renuka karthikeyan correctly said Bhakti counts.

God accepts Bhakti of innocent and devoted over Vibhakti(grammar)

Greetings.
 
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Dear renukaji, Let me try to explain my question taking example of vishnu sahasranamam. If we are doing 1008 nama archanai we stop at the 1008th nama whereas starting from (starts with ITHEETHUM KEERTHEENYASYA KESAVASYA.. we go upto ANANNYA CHINTHAYAM THO MAM wherein bRAHMA, pARVATHY, sIVA aRJUNA, kRISHNA everybody gives their opinion. MY question is that is it necesary to chant these talks also along.
 
Dear Sir,
You are talking about the Phalashruthi portion of The Vishnu Sahasranamam.
I guess there is no harm to recite it if there is time.
Maybe someone else more learned should answer this.
i put the phala shruti below so others will understand what you are talking about

PHALASHRUTHI



Itidam keerthanasya kesavasya mahatmana,
Namnam sahasram diwyanamaseshesna prakeerthitham. 1

Thus was told,
All the holy thousand names,
Of Kesava who is great.

Ya tdam srunyuan nityam yaschapi parikeerthayed,
Nasubham prapunayad kinchid Soamuthre ha cha manava. 2
He who hears or sings,
It all without fail,
In all days of the year,
Will never get in to bad,
In this life and after.


Vedantago brahmana syad kshatriyo vijayi bhaved,
Vaisyo dhana samruddha syachyutha sugapnuyad. 3
The Brahmin will get knowledge,
The kshatriya will get victory,
The vaisya will get wealth,
The shudra will get pleasures,
By reading these.


Dharmarthi prapnuyad dharmam, artharthi cha arthamapnuyad,
Kamanvapnuyad kami, prajarthi chapnuyad prajam. 4
He who seeks Dharma,
He who seeks wealth,
He who seeks pleasures,
He who seeks children,
Will all without fail,
Get what they want.



Bhakthiman ya sadaothaya, suchistad gatha manasa,
Sahasram vasudevasya namnamedat prakeerthayed. 5
Yasa prapnodhi vipulam yadi pradanya meva cha,
Achalam sriyamapnodhi sryaprapnothyanuttamam. 6
Na bhayam kwachidapnodhi veerya tejascha vindhati,
Bhavatyarogo dyuthiman bala roopa gunanvidha. 7
Rogartho muchayade rogat, bhaddo muchyathe bandanath,
Bhayan muchyathe bheedasthu, muchyadepanna apada. 8
He who sings the thousand names of Vasudeva,
With utmost devotion,
After he rises in the morn,
With a mind tied in Him always,
Will get fame without fail,
Will be first in what he does,
Will get riches that last,
Would attain salvation from these bonds,
Will never be afraid of anything,
Will be bubbling with vim and valour,
Will not get any ills,
Will be handsome forever,
Will have all the virtues in this wide world,
And he who is ill will get cured,
He who is bound will be free,
He who is afraid, will get rid of fear,
He who is in danger, will be safe.

Durganyadarthyasu purusha purushottamam,
Stuvan nama sahasrena nityam bhakthi samanvida. 9
He who chants these holy thousand names,
With devotion to Purushottama,
Will cross the miseries,
That cannot be crossed
Without fail.

Vasudevasryo marthyo vasudeva parayana,
Sarva papa vishudhatma yati brahma sanathanam. 10
The man who nears Vasudeva,
The man who takes Him as shelter,
Would get rid of all sins,
And become purer than the pure,
And will reach Brahmam,
Which existed forever.

Na vasudevabhaktanamasubham vidyate kwachit
Janma nrutyu jara vyadhi bhayam naivopa jayade. 11
The devotees of Vasudeva the great,
Never fall into days that are difficult,
And never forever suffer,
Of birth, death, old age and fear.

Imam stavamaddeyana sraddha bhakthi samanvidha,
Yujyedathma sukha kshanthi sri dhrithi smrithi keerthibhi. 12
He who sings these names with devotion,
And with Bhakthi,
Will get pleasure the great,
Patience to allure,
Wealth to attract,
Bravery and memory to excel.

Na krodho na cha matsarya na shubha mati,
Bhavanthi kritha punyanam bhakthanam puroshottame. 13
The devotee of the Lord Purushottama,
Has neither anger nor fear,
Nor avarice and nor bad thoughts.

Dhyau sachandrarka nakshatra kham diso bhur mahadathi.
Vasudevasya veeryena vidhrithani mahatmana. 14
All this world of sun and stars,
Moon and sky, Sea and the directions,
Are but borne by valour the great,
Of the great god Vasudeva.

Sasurasura gandharwa, sayakshoraga rahshasam,
Jagaddese vartatedam krishnasya sacharacharam. 15
All this world,
Which moves and moves not,
And which has devas, rakshasas and Gandharwas,
And also asuras and nagas,
Is with Lord Krishna without fail.

Indriyani mano bhuddhi satvam tejo bala dhruti.
Vasudevatmakanyahu kshetram ksheragna eve cha. 16
The learned ones say,
That all the limbs,
Mind, wisdom, and thought,
And also strength, bravery, body and the soul,
Are full of Vasudeva.

Sarvagamanamachara pradamm parikalpathe,
Achara prabhavo dharma dharmasya prabhurachyutha. 17
Rule of life was first born
And from it came Dharma,
And from it came Achyutha the Lord.

Hrishaya pitaro deva mahabhootani dhatava,
Jangamajangamam chedam jagannarayanodbhavam. 18
All the sages,
All the ancestors,
All the devas,
All the five elements,
All the pleasures,
All the luck,
All that moves,
All that does not move,
All came only,
From the great Narayana.

Yogo gnanan thada sankhyam vidhya shilpadhi karma cha
Veda shastradi vignanam death sravam janardhanath. 19
The art of Yoga
And the science of Sankhya.
The treasure of knowledge.
The divine art of sculpture.
And all Vedas and sciences,
All these came from Janardhana.

Eko vishnu mahadbhutham pradag bhutanyanekasa,
Treem lokan vyapya bhutatma bhungte viswabhugavyaya. 20
Vishnu is many,
But He is one,
And he divides himself,
And exists in all beings,
That is in three worlds,
And rules all of them,
Without death and decay.

Imam stavam bhagavatho vishnur vyasena keerthitham,
Padedya icched purusha sreys prapthum sukhani cha. 21
He who desires fame and pleasure,
Should chant these verses, sung by Vyasa,
Of this great stotra of Vishnu without fail.

Visweswaramajam devam jagatha prabhumavyayam,
Bhajanthi ye pushkaraksham na te yanthi parabhavam
Na te yanthi parabhava om na ithi. 22
He will never fail,
Who sings the praise of the Lord,
Of this universe,
Who does not have birth,
Who is always stable,
And who shines and sparkles,
And has lotus eyes.
Om Nama He will not fail.
 
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Dear Kr.Subrahmanyan,
You have raised a very pertinent question which arises in most enlightened minds and Ms. Renukartikeyan and Sri. Suryakasyapa have clarified it admirably.
I have tried to answer some of these questions in my booklet on The Glory of Vishnusahasranama, which is shortly being posted in this website.
Briefly,the epilogue or Uttarabhaga or Phalasruti is, in modern management jargon, " The Marketing Technique" of Vishnusahasranama.
If you follow the meanings of the stotra carefully, Vishnu is initially worshipped as Sangraha, one shorn of rituals etc, but later on as Achyuta. " Sarvaagamaanaam Aachaarah pratamam parikalpate-----". " For all Agamasastras, Achara, discipline, has been determined as the foremost requirement. Dharma, the self ordained duty is born out of this Dharma and the Lord of Dharma is Achyuta. While elucidating this further in chapter 3 on Karmayoga, slokas 25 and 26, of Bhagavad Geeta, the Lord explains, "Doing duty for duty's sake, devoid of any desire is too high a philosophy for the common man. Working for results is far superior to remaining lazy. Teaching disinterested service to him will serve only a negative purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to keep him active first at all costs. The Lord, then, takes the devotee to the higher and higher formsof yoga from ritualistic and action born to sanyasa.
The references to Parvati, Arjuna, Krishna etc is again a deliberate attempt to drive home a point. Ishwara says unequivocally that Rama is the name that can be easily chanted and that would be equivalent to all the thousand names listed in the Vishnusahasranama and this statement is made in presence of Lord Krishna. In the world of "Mukhastuti", this is taken as sacrilegious by an earthly person like Sanjaya and Sri Krishna's reply from Geeta (Ananyas chintayantomam---) is deliberately quoted, apparently rather discordant and self agnostic, so as to keep the devotee tied down to devotion and not run away from it., driving home the point that, whether you call Him, Rama, Krishna, Govinda, Achyuta or Vishnu or by any other name,they are verily the same immutable self and , therefore worthy of worship. This Uttarabhaga or phalasruti is a reminder to the reader of this fact and hence read as a part of the whole stotra, to keep him constantly reminded of this fact.
Reg . Pronounciation, I have elaborated in an appendix to the above book, dealing with Vedas and Gayatri, and it will make this reply too lengthy and boring.
If you are interested, I can email my bookto you; but, it is about 150 pages and not light reading material.
Ramanathan.
 
Sri. KR Subramanian,

If you are performing Vishnu sahasra Nama Archanai, For each nama you may be reciting 'Om Namo ......(Nama) namaha'. Archanai is done reciting each nama seperately and ofering flower or Tulasi for each nama. I have not done pala Sruti at the end if I perform Archanai. If it is just a recital, then pala sruti is optional (I seldom do it). In reality, recitals, poojas are one's personal choices; one may do it as one pleases. I don't think there can be any hard fast rule for these procedures.

Cheers!
 
Respected Renuka ji

Thanks

Respected Subramanian ji

I go with Raghy ji. There is no need for phalashruthi when doing archana. Also I think though it states Vishnu sahasranama, there are more than 1000 namas in that...

Pranams
 
Namaskarams,
Vishnu Sahasranamam do have swarams. If you go to a learned Guru to learn the Vishnu Sahasranamam, he will teach you alongwith the swarams only. For the benefit of the ordinary men, the Vishnu Sahasranama is being recited without swarams as a sthotram. As also the Purusha Suktham also have swarams. But we can also recite the purusha suktham as a sthotram without swaras. As per the teachings of Brahmashri Mukkoor Lakshmi Nrusimhachariyar, the Vishnu Sahasranamam itself is a vedam. So it should be recited with proper swarams. As it is being recited as a sthotram swaras are not important. During recitation, you can stop at the end of the sthotram and avoid the phalasruthi - no harm.
Regards
Raaghavan
 
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