Illustrated Namokara Mahamantra

Author(s): Shreechand Surana, Surendra Bothra
Publisher: Diwakar Prakashan

Page 24

AC - 5
ocaba
icona
आवर्त
शरवावर्त
THREE METHODS
OF REPEATING THE NAMOKĀRA MANTRA
To think in silence and with concentration about a line, a letter or the form of the sacred is called meditation.
To repeat in memory the lines of a mantra can be chanted in the following manner with the help of rosary beads, etc.
1. The lotus japa-Look at the eight-petal lotus. Start the japa by focusing on the first dot of the eastern petal. Repeat the full namokāra mantra on the dot and then shift to the second one and repeat. There are twelve dots in one petal. Going through the process once, on every petal makes 96 repetitions. After this, repeat once on every red dot in the central circle. There are twelve dots here also. Altogether 108 repetitions make one mālā (rosary). After practicing on the illustration visualize this lotus on an imaginary screen. With closed eyes complete one mālā (108 japa) by repeating on each dot. This is a good method of japa without external aid.
2. Finger Japa-Of many methods of finger japa two popular ones are the circular and the conch methods. According to the illustration start at the phalanx numbered 1 and by repeating once at every phalanx proceed to number 12. Dotting this shape nine times completes 108 repetitions making it one mālā (12 x 9 = 108 Japa).
3. Rosary Japa-Observe the illustration carefully. Sit in the lotus pose or any other convenient pose and chant shifting the rosary beads between the thumb and the middle finger of the right hand, keeping the hand near the heart. Keep the eyes and mind fixed on the bead. After reaching the last bead turn the string and start again, the parting bead or the mount bead should not be crossed.
#opalal
16
any