Chanting of Mantras
If I am correct Chanting of Mantras can be done by people after taking proper training
from a Guru. As regards Gayathri Mantra, it can be chanted by anyone. It is a prayer
towards Sun God. Sun God is for everyone including for all creatures in the world. The
actual essence of the Gayathri Mantra is that Sun God may grant wisdom to all. Accent
and pronounciation should be correct while chanting. Before you chant the Gayathri,
one has to kindly ensure that they are physically clean and occupy a good and neat place.
Please stop at the hyphanated place and has to be chanted in four steps.
Gayathri Japam
OmBoor Buvassuvaha - Thatsavithur varenyam -
Burgo Devasya dheemahi - Deeyo yonaha prachodayaat
As regards other Mantras, I am not very clear. If I am correct for chanting Vedas, one
has to undergo rigorous training. In some temples, some Pujaris chant simple Mantras to
invoke the God to seek the blessing. If I am correct, if some one desires to chant Mantras,
they have to be chanted in an extremely careful way with full dedication and devotion,
so that the person who chants does not get harmed or affected by the very high level
of energy that gets generated in the process of chanting holy divine bliss precious mantras.
If not properly chanted, sometimes it gives bad effect. Even people who learn properly and
do practice chanting, end it with a humble statement to the God as mentioned herein.
"Mantraheenam Krayaaheenam Bakthiheenam Sureswari
Yathboojitham Mayadevi Paripoornam Thathusthume"
In the nutshell, the person who chants the Mantras makes an absolute surrender to
the God that he he may be forgiven or excused for not chanting the mantras properly
or chanting wrongly or he has falted in his deeds or bakthi, etc, so as to get a
positive result. Therefore, training is must from a Guru.
Balasubramanian
Ambattur