May 5, 2025
When a disciple or seeker approaches a spiritual master and asks a question, whatever the latter says in reply is a mantra. It may be a word or phrase — it can even be any language, as all sound is sound! There are Jewish, Muslim and Christian mantras as well as Sanskrit.
It can merely be some wholesome advice, counsel, or instruction with the help of which the seeker is 'saved'. Literally translated, 'mantra' means 'that which saves, redeems and protects'. As repetition of a mantra involves concentration, it certainly saves one from mind-wandering and inner problems. It saves one from oneself!
There is a story of a man who suffered from an argumentative mind, full of doubts. He was saved from this by his guru merely shouting at him once: “Shut up!" This switched off the chattering mind and he became a great sage.
The guru may suggest that you take the all-inclusive cosmic sound ‘OM' and make it your bow, fixing the arrow of yourself to it, with one-pointedness, shoot yourself into the target which is God: 'become one with God'. He may tell you to repeat ‘OM' constantly — hearing ‘OM' in the sound of the wind, a plane, the breath — everywhere.
The prayer 'mantra mulam guror vakyam’ means that the guru's word itself is taken as a mantra. If what the guru says is reflected by the mind in such a way that the mind is saturated with it, one is liberated.
There is a Sanskrit definition of a mantra with the notion of 'protect'. When does the mantra protect? When there is ‘mananat’. This word cannot be translated, but the English word 'reflection' could be used here. It isn't by mere thought or contemplation, but only if the mind reflects the mantra is it saturated with it, not by mere thought or contemplation.
It is only the mind which is saturated with the mantra that is protected by it. When the mind reflects the mantra so effectively that it is saturated with it, the mind becomes the mantra. Then it protects. The mind, usually unsteady and impure, is now steady and pure.
Enlightenment comes from inner delight.