Harmony of All Religions

Author(s): Parmahans Maharaj, Veena Rani Howard
Publisher: USA Santmat Society of North America

Page 347

Gosvami Tulsidas Ji emphasizes the potency of japa practice:
The mantra that is small has such a great power that even Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and other gods come under the control of the practitioner. The short mantra is a device to control the mind which is like a mad elephant.
It is necessary to have a focused mind at the time of reciting the mantra. If the mind is not focused then japa does not yield benefit. The practitioner must pay a close attention and not let the mind wander off to various thoughts during japa. The constant arising of thoughts obstructs the mind from achieving the powers of the mantra. However, it is important to not become discouraged or impatient while trying to focus. Be diligent in this practice, success in concentration is bound to
come.
Mānas Dhyāna
It is necessary to restrain the activities of the mind for the purpose of uniting the soul with the Divine. In the Yoga Sutra Patanjali defines yoga as “cessation of the mental fluctuations.” Ordinarily, the mind is continually attending to input from the five senses as they perceive this world of name and form. In order to withdraw the attention of our mind from these sensations, we have to utilize an additional means that also seems concrete. This is done in the practice of japa by invoking
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