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Saṁsāra-sāraṁ-bhujagendra-hāraṁ sādhava-sānte hṛdayāra-vinde bhāvaṁ-bhāvanī-sahitaṁ namāmi bhāvaṁ-bhāvanī-sahitaṁ namāmi. This mantra is known as the Kapūra Āratī, or it is the opening part of the Śrī Pārvatī Stuti. In India, in Hindu temples, this mantra is very often chanted during the initial pūjā, before the āratī itself. Tonight, I would like to speak a little about the chanting of mantras and Sanskrit ślokas. With my reverence to Lord Śiva and our Holy Guru Lineage, I also greet Swāmī Jasrājpurījī, who is not in the ashram. He was kind enough to inform me around twelve o'clock that he would not be here, giving me some time to prepare. For an average person, speaking to the public in front of a camera and microphone is not an easy task. One feels more self-confident with time to gather one's thoughts. It is like preparing for a school exam; you know what you are going to say. So, this is just a lecture. But what Swāmī Jasrājpurījī does in his spiritual talks is different. For the last three to four weeks, since Swāmījī left the ashram, he has been conducting true satsaṅg. He very rarely comes with a clear, pre-planned vision of what he will speak. He may have an idea, but during the satsaṅg itself, it develops and blossoms. We witness how divine inspiration flows from the Master through the disciple. Moreover, what he preaches, he lives in his daily life. His regularity in early morning sādhanā is not out of obligation but out of love and passion. Similarly, he spoke a few days ago about steadiness and stillness within daily life. He is busy from early morning until evening, yet he is always calm and peaceful. Am I right? Am I speaking the truth? Thank you. I see everyone agrees. It is a pity you cannot see. Yesterday he mentioned that he got upset, but perhaps only inwardly; outwardly he always behaves peacefully. He is always an example of spirituality and a giver. Many times during the day when he meets us, he gives his time to listen—to what we want to share, to our problems. He not only listens but also understands and acts accordingly. All these things show the sort of spiritual advancement developed in him and why Swāmījī made him a Mahāmaṇḍaleśvar. A Mahāmaṇḍaleśvar is the guardian of the Satsaṅg Dharma, the one who protects and spreads the teachings of Ādi Guru Śaṅkarācārya. We are all thankful to our Gurudev, to Swāmījī, for giving us such a big brother who guides and inspires us daily. I had to use the opportunity that Jasrāj is not here, as he might have stopped me from speaking such things. Now, coming to today's topic: mantras and Sanskrit ślokas. Mantras originate from the Vedas, from the Sanskrit language. Actually, they do not originate in the Vedas; they are first recorded there. They come from the universe. It was the ṛṣis and munis who gained knowledge of mantras in meditation and wrote them down in the scriptures. There is a special reason they are in Sanskrit: it is the language of the cosmos. As Swāmījī has said, Sanskrit is the only language that develops the right and left hemispheres of the brain equally. Wherever we go in the world or in this cosmos, Sanskrit is a valid language. By repeating Sanskrit mantras and ślokas, we can achieve our aim anywhere. For comparison, if we speak German, life is easier in Germany and Austria, but getting a loaf of bread in Mongolia would be trouble. Mantras can take the form of a single sound or syllables. A syllable combines consonants and vowels, like Oṁ, Raṁ, Vaṁ, Laṁ, and so on. They can be words, like Śānti, Karuṇā, Hṛdaya. Or they can be a group of words: Satyam, Śivam, Sundaram. Perhaps a functional definition is better: mantras are powerful vibrations capable of transforming energy. How does this work? The entire physical world we see is nothing but vibrations. When we dismantle physical matter beyond the level of molecules, atoms, electrons, protons, leptons, and quarks, what remains are properly ordered, organized vibrations. Mantras are also vibrations, so they influence the very essence of matter. Many mantras have specific meanings locked in their mantra-śakti. When we chant them, we add nāda-śakti, the power of sound. There are mantras for curing diseases, attaining health, obtaining property and wealth, removing negative influences, fostering friendship, or removing obstacles. The chanting of mantras is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world—in the West since the 60s and 70s, and in Australia, America, France, Germany, and Italy. There are places where people learn to chant particular mantras for specific purposes. In India, it is part of the general knowledge of the population. Let us consider a practical example. Suppose an engineer from Jaipur is going to Pali for work. He starts in the morning and arrives after six hours. He negotiates and purchases equipment for three to four hours. At 5 PM, he starts back to Jaipur, hoping the road will be clear and he will arrive in another six hours. He hopes the railway crossing gates after Pali will be open and that there is no diversion near Biavar causing a ten-kilometer detour. To make his wishes more powerful, he remembers Lord Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles. While driving, he chants, "Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ, Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ," and so on. He is lucky to arrive in Jaipur at 11 PM. But that is not the end. The next morning, he must see his boss and present a project that has been half-ready on his table for three days. He needs to finish it, but at eleven o'clock he is very tired. His Icchā Śakti (willpower) is present, but his Kriyā Śakti (power of action) and Jñāna Śakti (power of knowledge) are not available. He seems to have no power to unload the car, carry things into the room, or switch on the computer. Moreover, he has no inspiration on how to continue the project. Before, he chanted the basic Gaṇeśa mantra to remove external obstacles. Now, he chants the same mantra to collect himself, to harmonize his Icchā Śakti, Jñāna Śakti, and Kriyā Śakti. I would like to request your support to make this a common practice. For a moment, let us all become that driver. If we previously chanted the mantra four times as one round, let us now chant five rounds, totaling twenty mantras. Since the auspicious number is 21, we will add one more at the end. Please take a comfortable seat, sit a little straighter, close your eyes, and imagine that situation. You need to invoke the special power of Lord Gaṇeśa within yourself. The secret power of Gaṇeśa lies in the syllable Gaṁ. Now, sit peacefully, close your eyes, relax. Imagine a small statue of Lord Gaṇeśa and place it wherever you find suitable, either in the Anāhata or Ājñā Cakra. Keep 10% of your attention on the outside so we chant together, and turn 90% inside yourself. Feel the divine vibration and the presence of Lord Gaṇeśa. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ.... Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Can you feel it within yourself? Now imagine that as disciples, we do not perform this japa with the Gaṇeśa mantra but with our guru mantra. The best mantras are the adhyātmik mantras, those guiding us toward attaining spiritual consciousness. This is the best remedy if a disciple is in trouble, facing problems, feeling desperate, not knowing the next step, caught in a dilemma, or overwhelmed by emotions. The best course is to hide in a quiet place for five to ten minutes and chant your guru mantra in a melody you prefer, or do one full mālā. Through the guru mantra, we strengthen our connection with our Master. The Guru is the source of all knowledge in the universe and the solution to every problem. Connecting to him brings solutions through that channel. The next structure involves ślokas. Typically, a śloka consists of two verses, each with 16 syllables, totaling 32 syllables. This is the structure of the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, and Yogavāsiṣṭha. More or less, all scriptures are in this form. You may know that Swāmījī often wanted us to learn the 12th and 15th chapters of the Bhagavad Gītā by heart. We chant and practice them. Knowing the meaning of the ślokas is important because, through the meaning, jñāna-śakti is invoked in us alongside mantra-śakti and nāda-śakti, making it an even stronger spiritual technique. Another use of ślokas is in the composition of stotras. Stotras are Sanskrit prayers usually addressed to a particular deity, singing about the glory of that Cosmic Tattva. They are very uplifting for the mind. With regular chanting, we gain a spiritual experience that comes not through intellectual understanding but through a transcendental process. Consciousness is lifted, the mind becomes peaceful, and the intellect becomes sharp. It is hard to explain through intellectual argument, but it works and is worth trying. I would like to sing one Śiva Stotra called the Bilva Aṣṭakam. You may know the bilva leaf from the tree of the same name. Swāmījī often tells us before Mahāśivarātri the story of the hunter who worshipped the liṅgam in the forest at night. To stay awake, he unconsciously dropped bilva leaves on the liṅgam. Lord Śiva was so pleased that by morning He appeared and granted him darśana. An Aṣṭakam is a form of Sanskrit poetry with eight ślokas. Usually, the ninth śloka is the phalaśruti, explaining the benefits of chanting. The bilva tree, botanically Aegle marmelos, is native to India and Southeast Asia but planted worldwide near Śiva Mandirs. It is highly valued in Āyurveda for calming Vāta and Kapha and treating dysentery, diarrhea, diabetes, and more. Its main benefit is that it is a sacred tree, described in the Vedas and kept as a symbol of Lord Śiva Himself, often worshipped as Śiva. Śiva-pūjāṁ kariṣyāmi eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Akhaṇḍa-belva-patreṇa pūjite Nandikeśvare, śudhyanti sarva-pāpebhyo eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Śāligrāṁ śilāmekāṁ viprāṇāṁ jāṭucarpaṇāt. Somayājña-mahāpuṇyaṁ eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Dantikoṭi. Sahastrāṇi, Vājapeya Śatāni Ca Koṭi Kanyā Mahādānam, Eka Bilvaṁ Śivarpaṇam, Lakṣmīāḥ Stanata Utpannam, Mahādevasya Capriyam, Bilvavṛkṣaṁ Prayacchāmi, Eka Bilvaṁ Śivarpaṇam, Darśanaṁ Bilvavṛkṣasya, Sparśanaṁ Pāpanāśanam. Aghora pāpa-samhāraṁ eka-belvaṁ śivārpaṇaṁ. Mūlato brahma-rūpāya, madhyato viṣṇu-rūpiṇī, agrataḥ śiva-rūpāya eka-belvaṁ śivārpaṇaṁ. Belvāṣṭakaṁ idaṁ puṇyaṁ yāpate śiva-sānidhau. Sarva-pāpavināra-muktaḥ śivalokaṁ avāpnuyā. This is a beautiful śloka from Ādiguru Śaṅkarācārya. He is a spiritual evergreen. Most Śiva stotras are by Ādiguru Śaṅkarācārya; there are hundreds. Modern pop and rock hits, like those from the Beatles, may last 30 or 40 years, but current hits have a shelf life of a few months. Such stotras retain their greatness for centuries. Let me briefly explain the meaning. "Trigalam," having three leaves or branches. "Trigunākaraṁ," that which is behind the three guṇas: rajas, sattva, and tamas. Lord Śiva created the guṇas and is behind all māyā śakti and creation. "Three netraṇa," having three eyes: one for the moon, one for the sun, and the middle eye for Agni, the eye of wisdom. When the Lord opens it, everything negative is burned, destroying sins accumulated over many lives. "Eka Bilvam Śivarpaṇam," I offer one cluster of bilva leaves to Lord Śiva. "Trishakir Bilvapatrischa," I give one cluster of three leaves that are unbroken, perfect, tender, and soft. I perform my Śiva pūjā with these leaves. Again, I offer one cluster of three bilva leaves on the altar of Lord Śiva. "Akhanda Bilva Patrena," I offer three unbroken leaves. I wondered about the significance of unbroken leaves and found a personal meaning: they symbolize our life in the ashram, with the most important aspects being bhakti, tyāga, and sādhanā. Without bhakti, none of us would stay long; it is the love and devotion to the Master that binds us. In the ashram, we often receive what we do not like and lose what we do like. To overcome this, we need tyāga (renunciation). Life here has many external ups and downs; to balance this, we need regular sādhanā. This recipe applies to everyone in the world, not just in the ashram. The leaf symbolizes our spiritual life. Through this offering, I purify all my sins through spiritual life. It speaks of "Śāligrām," a special spherical, usually blackish stone, a fossil of an ammonite, a prehistoric mollusk. It is found in particular places in India and is held as a symbol of Lord Viṣṇu. There are strict rules: Śāligrāma Śilā cannot be bought or sold; it can only be inherited or received as a gift. Giving such a stone to a Brāhmaṇa well-versed in scriptures and close to achieving ātmajñāna is considered highly meritorious. "Soma Yagya Mahāpuṇyam," performing a Soma Yagya sacrifice, is equally beneficial as offering one bilva leaf on the Śiva Liṅgam. True humbleness of heart is essential. "Dantikoṭi Sahasrāṇi," if you give thousands of elephants, perform thousands of Vājapeya sacrifices, or give a thousand unmarried girls for marriage—this last refers to the tradition where a man, after completing Brahmacarya āśram in a Gurukul, enters the householder life to practice his knowledge. He needs a pure woman to marry, so giving a daughter in marriage is considered a great act. All these acts are equal to walking the spiritual path in our life. As Swāmījī often says, a gram of practice equals tons of theory. According to mythology, the bilva tree was born from the right hand of Lakṣmījī. "I offer the whole tree." If the tree symbolizes Lord Śiva, what does it symbolize for us, spiritual disciples? It symbolizes the Master. Therefore, I would translate it as: I offer myself to the bilva tree, to Lord Śiva, to the Master. This gives meaning to the next śloka: "Darśaṇam Bilvavṛkṣasya," by the darśan of the bilva tree, by the darśan of the Gurudeva. "Sparśanaṁ pāpanāśanam," by touching him, by coming into contact with Lord Śiva or the Master, sins are purified. "Aghora Pāpa-saṁhāra," even the most heinous sins can be purified through sincere spiritual sādhanā. "Mūlato Brahma Rūpāya," the tree at the bottom represents Lord Brahmā. "Madhyato viṣṇu rūpiṇī," in the middle, it has the form of Lord Viṣṇu. "Agrataḥ śiva rūpāya," at the top, it is Lord Śiva. This conveys the same as the mantra: "Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devo Maheśvaraḥ." I worship these three in the Gurū Dev. Then comes the Phalaśruti, describing the benefits of chanting this śloka. Whoever sings this stotra near Lord Śiva—in a Śiva Mandir, next to the Śiva Liṅgam, or through Mānasik Pūjā within the heart—becomes "Sarvapāpavinarmukta," freed from all sins, and "Śiva-lokaṁ āpnoti," attains Śiva-loka. Lord Śiva is very merciful; He is a destroyer, but His mercy destroys all that is negative within us and elevates us to Śiva-loka. In the first śloka, I forgot one word: "with three weapons"—the triśūla, the bow, and the mace. This is an important aspect: Lord Śiva is ready to rescue every devotee who sincerely calls from the heart. The same holds for the Master and disciple. I invite everyone to practice chanting mantras and ślokas. It is a truly uplifting spiritual practice that works on a special level. Tomorrow, December 5th, according to the Western calendar, we celebrate the Mahāsamādhi day of Śrī Mahāprabhujī. We have the great opportunity to stay the whole day tomorrow, remember his līlās, mercy, and blessings, and chant his divine name. It is very good that when this webcast is repeated on another date, it will remain valid for every day. We should celebrate the name of the Master, that holy mantra, not only on Guru Pūrṇimā, his birthday, or his Mahāsamādhi, but every day of our life.