Chanting Vedic Mantras
My conclusion now after years of using and observing the effects of Vedic Mantras is that for the most part, the process of chanting is a complete waste of time. It is mostly ineffectual and inefficient as far as the ability of chanting to curb the thinking-ideation process of the mind.
The idea that chanting of mantras or chanting the names of deities brings the mind under control is totally false in 99% of the cases, unless that chanting is done with a rigid control of the mind. Careless chanting is totally useless. Sincere chanting is near useless because of the ability of the mind to circumvent the chant and run parallel mental and emotional programs
I remember an incidence in a Hare Krishna temple, where a leading sannyasi came to me and demanded that I should chant while walking and not sit and chant silently while meditating. He related that this was the instruction of the Swami who founded the Sect.
Later this same leading Swami who informed me of the rule, was disgraced and stripped of his authority in the sect after it he was convicted in law courts on several criminal activities and anti-social behavior. All his chanting did nothing to thwart tendencies of his character which even contravened their doctrine.
And yet no one from the sect has admitted to this lack of cleansing power of the chants.
Careless chanting is definitely useless unless you are superstitious and just take somebody’s word that it will have a lasting permanent effect. But sincere chanting is also chuck full of faults because of the nature of the mind and how the mind abuses itself and any process which it is subjected to. The mind escapes from the intended focus of the chanting and that is even if the person has the correct connection of the focus which in most cases does not happen because most devotees have no direct contact with the deity of the chant and most of the pundits (Swamis/pujaris/sadhus) do not have the mystic insight to connect with what is intended.
The whole thing is a sham!
I was inspired to write this after Srila Yogeshwarananda gave me a mantra to chant on certain occasions. While chanting this mantra with him by my aside astrally, I realized again that the mind does not respect any mantra sound. It does not matter if it is God’s name or whatever. The mind usually finds a way to run parallel programs of its preference while the mantra is being said. The mind also steals away the focus on the mantra and places that focus somewhere else where the mind wants to position it. Having a mantra does not in any way cause the mind to yield to anything except superficially.
A person’s undesirable attributes continue while chanting is happening. The mind does not care about the chanting. Guarantees issued by Swamis are invalid. Unless you focus completely which really means meditate deeply and firmly with strong discipline, you cannot make the mind heed to a mantra. Thus it is amazing that any Swami from any sect would ban meditation during chanting. That is really crazy and totally inconsiderate. It means that these Swamis are superstitious. They lack due examination and introspective honestly.
