Video details
The Five Stages of Mantra Practice
Mantra practice unfolds through five distinct stages. The first stage is Likhita, the written mantra, which requires correct form to preserve meaning. The second is Vācika, the vocalized pronunciation of that written form. The third stage is Upāṁśika, where the mantra is articulated by the tongue without audible sound. The fourth is Mānasika, a mental repetition without any physical movement. The fifth and final stage is Ajapa, where the mantra resonates spontaneously throughout the entire being without any effort. This progression internalizes the sacred sound until it becomes one's inherent nature. The practice must be received from and dedicated to the master. Correct foundational practice prevents deviation, yet the guru-given mantra itself is paramount beyond form. The ultimate goal is for the mantra to permeate one's entire existence, leading to realization.
"Likhita means writing."
"Ajapa means that which is not japa, that which happens without japa."
Filming location: Salzburg, Austria
This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.
The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:
- Yoga in Daily Life - The System
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2000. ISBN 978-3-85052-000-3 - The Hidden Power in Humans - Chakras and Kundalini
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2004. ISBN 978-3-85052-197-0 - Lila Amrit - The Divine Life of Sri Mahaprabhuji
Paramhans Swami Madhavananda. Int. Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship, Vienna, 1998. ISBN 3-85052-104-4
