Sri Argala Stotram

The song I have been playing in class is the Sri Argala Stotram by Krishna Das.

Without knowing the meaning of the word stotram, I think it is obvious that the song is a hymn of devotion. The melody just exudes that sentiment. Nevertheless, I looked up the word stotram on Wikipedia, and here is what it says: Stotra or Stotram is a Sanskrit word, that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise". It is a literary genre of Indian texts designed to be melodically sung, in contrast to shastras which are composed to be recited.

This stotra is to the goddess Durga. She is the warrior goddess, whose mythology centers around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and the dharma of the good. She is the fierce form of the protective mother goddess, willing to unleash anger against wrong, violence for liberation and destruction to empower creation.

The first line of this song calls her by another one of her names: Chandika. Chandra is the word for moon.
Om Namas Chandikayai (Om, I bow to the goddess Chandika)

The repeating verse of this song is:
Rupam dehi, jayam dehi, Yasho dehi, dvisho jahi
Which translates to: Grant us your form (Liberation), Grant us victory, Grant us welfare, remove all hostility (negativity).

You get a better sense of from whom you are asking these things in the line preceding it:
Madhu Kaitabha vidravi vidhatṛ varade namah
To you who have defeated the negative qualities of “Too Little” and “Too much”, Giver of blessings and of creativity, I bow to you.

It’s a beautiful song and I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. To listen to it click here. To read more about it on Krishna Das’ own website, click here.

If you want to buy the song, it is on the album Kirtan Wallah by Krishna Das and is available on itunes.

Mantra - Hridaye Citta Samvritta

This mantra comes from the Yoga Sutras, Book 2, verse 35

Hridaye means on the heart

Citta is consciousness

Samvritta means knowledge, awareness

By focusing and holding concentration on the region of the heart, the yogi acquires a thorough knowledge of the contents and tendencies of consciousness.

“The citadel of purusha (consciousness) is the heart.  It is the anahata chakra (heart chakra) the seat of pure knowledge as well as consciousness.  By focusing and holding concentration there a yogi can become aware of consciousness and of true, pure knowledge.  He learns to unfold and tap the source of his being, and identify himself with the Supreme.”  - from Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar.

I hope you enjoy watching this video.  It comes from the Iyengar yoga conference of 2016 in Boca Raton, Florida.  It features 3 of the top Iyengar yoga teachers in the US.  Their devotion in performing a series of back bends is very inspirational!  Near the end of the video, at 15:25, they do this chant.

Om Mani Padme Hum

Om Mani Padme Hum as Temporary Tattoos

My friend and yoga student, Dan Telep died on August 5th, 2014, a few days before his 80th birthday. He went out for a bike ride and that day and never came back. He died doing one of the things he loved doing. He said his doctor told him that if he was still riding his bike at the age of 80, the odds were that he would probably die on his bike. I’m sorry to have lost Dan, but I am glad that he went out the way he did, full of life and adventure.

The mantra I have chosen for the month of August is in memory of my friend. Dan told me that he chanted “Om Mani Padme Hum” while riding his bike. It helped him push the pedals and get up hills. It was Dan that inspired me to ride the MS City to Shore Bike Ride. I had always wanted to do it, but I always found an excuse to not do it: “It’s too far. What if I can’t do it? What if it rains, or is cold, or, ….” Losing Dan motivated me to stop procrastinating and get going!

This chant is often called “The Jewel in the Lotus” because the mantra is said to contain the essence of the teaching of the Buddha which is that life is filled with suffering. Once we really learn that suffering exists, we can look deeper and discover its cause. When we discover that the cause is dependent on certain conditions, we can explore the idea of removing those conditions. This is the process of becoming enlightened; to understand what we need to do in order to save ourselves and others from suffering.While this mantra has no direct translation, its six syllables are said to represent The Six Paramitas of the Bodhisattvas, or The Six Perfections. These are six lessons we need to learn to overcome suffering:

The first syllable, Om, is supposed to bless you and help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity. Ma helps perfect the practice of ethical behavior. Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pad helps to achieve the perfection of perseverance. Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration and the last syllable, Hum, helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom.

Chanting this mantra with dedication and devotion can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech and mind of a Buddha.

Om Mani Padme Hum is often the mantra depicted on Buddhist prayer wheels.

P.S.  People have been asking me for links to the mantras I have been playing in class.  Here they are:

The first one is the version by M.C. Yogi called Prayer Wheel.

The second one is Secret Sounds by Veet Vichara and Premanjali

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

“May all the beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom of all.”

By chanting this mantra, we move from our personal self and radiate a prayer of love for the world around us. It takes us from the egoic, little self, and its limited world view, and radiates from us global wellbeing. It is a reminder we are a part of the universe and can positively impact all of creation.

Though not a traditional Vedic mantra, Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu is a Sanskrit prayer (or sloka). It has been used for many centuries to invoke greater states of compassion and peace. Often said at the end of yoga practices, it is an invocation for personal and collective peace. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” may be the closest western equivalent. Yet, the impact of this ancient mantra is far grander than simple human kindness.

Guru Jagat teaches “To vibrate these sounds within the body, we raise the frequency of our beingness.” We say these words not only for personal power but that they may raise our vibration. Once we achieve this elevated state, the mantra radiates from us to bless others. In this way we better affect the collective states of love on the planet.

Mantra for the Month of June

Om, Asatoma Sat Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya

Lead me from the unreal to the real
from darkness (ignorance) to light (knowledge)
and from death to immortality

One of the first Kleshas, or obstacles on the path of yoga is avidya which means not seeing things clearly.  This is a great mantra to chant when you are stuck.  Often we are stuck when we can't see the thing right in front of us.  Chanting this mantra will help clear the mind.  Once the mind is clear, the path is often revealed.

Try chanting this mantra for 21 days to gain the wisdom of clear sight.

A Rama Healing Mantra

“Om apadamapa hataram dataram sarva sampadam lokah bhi ramam shri ramam bhuyo bhuyo namam yaham”

This is one of my favorite mantras.  It is a little bit of a mouthful, but once committed to memory, it is fun to chant.   Repeating this mantra always makes me smile, which is part of its healing properties; joy and happiness are healing emotions.

This is considered a Rama mantra: “bhi ramam shri ramam”.  Rama has a threefold meaning here.  First, Ram is the seed sound of the manipura, the third or solar plexus, chakra.  Here lies the power of your internal sun and life force.  The third chakra is associated with energy, will and mastery.  The body parts governed by the third chakra are the mid-torso, the side bodies, ribs, adrenal glands, belly and digestive organs.  When your third chakra is strong and balanced you radiate warmth, dexterity, skill and mastery.  When your third chakra is deficient you may feel controlling, dominating and be constantly active.  You may feel weak, passive and tired.  Chanting this mantra with the intention of healing can balance your third chakra.

Manipura, the third chakra

The second meaning comes from dividing Rama into its syllables: Ra and Ma.  Ra is associated with the solar current that runs down the right side of our body and Ma is associated with the lunar current that runs down the left side of our body.  These currents crisscross in our bodies.  Scholars say that it is this criss crossing action that spins our chakras.  Chanting this mantra can balance these energies and our chakras.

The third reference is to the god Rama himself.  Rama is a kind, benevolent healing energy.  You can read about Rama in a text called the Ramayana, which means Ram’s way.  It is a wonderful story filled with many lessons taught through intriguing twists and turns.

A typical mantra practice involves chanting a mantra 108 times, at least once a day for 30 or 40 days.    Once you learn this mantra, it will take you about 30 minutes (give or take) to chant it 108 times.  You can use a mala to help you chant it.  But you also do a practice of 108 times without a mala.  Time yourself chanting the mantra. Once you know how long it takes, you can simply use your timer.  There is also a way to make a mala using your hands.  You count the “segments” of each finger.  There are three segments on each finger, twelve on one hand.  Every time you go through all twelve segments on one hand, you count one segment on your other hand.  When you get to nine segments on the second hand you have reached 108 (9 x 12 = 108).  While there is something soothing about clicking through the beads of a mala, there are times when I want to chant and I don’t have my mala with me. It is very helpful to have different ways to maintain your practice.

Let me know if this mantra has helped you.