Assume that a guru gave upadesa of Saraswati mantra to a person.
ऐं । is the Beeja mantra for Saraswati Devi.
Does the exact number of times the Beeja mantra should be repeated is mentioned in scriptures?
Or has to be done based on the number told by the guru?
Or it solely depends on the sadhana I.e., until the sadhaka experience mantra siddi?
The number of times a Mantra is required to be chanted during Purascharana depends on the number of letters the Mantra is formed of. It is usually N lakh where N denotes the number of letters the Mantra has.
For example, the Gayatri Mantra is 24-syllabled. So, 24 lakh is the prescribed number for it's Purascharana.
So, for mono-syllabled Mantras (like aim, klim etc.) it is one lakh.
The Gâyatrî is to be repeated also. The food offered by a thief, Chândâla, Ksattriya or Vais’ya is very inferior. The food of a S’ûdra, or the companion with a S’ûdra or taking food in the same line with a S’ûdra leads one to suffer in the terrible hells as long as there are the Sun and Moon. The Puras’charanam of Gâyatrî is repeating this twenty four lakh times (i.e., as many lakh times as there are syllables in the Gâyatrî)
Devi Bhagavatam 11.21
In general, irrespective of how many letters the Mantra is made of, at least one lakh Japa is required for attaining Mantra Siddhi.
This is mentioned by Swami Sivananda:
Get the Mantra initiation from your Guru. Or pray to your Ishta Devata and start doing Japa of the particular Mantra, if you find it difficult to get a Guru.
- METHOD OF MANTRA PURASCHARANA
The repetition of a Mantra with rigid spiritual observances a fixed number of times to obtain quick spiritual progress is known as Mantra Purascharana. It can be performed for material progress too. The practitioner should observe certain rules and undergo strict dietetic discipline to ensure quick Mantra Siddhi.
During the Purascharana take only fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, roots, barley and Havis-Anna (rice cooked with ghee, sugar, milk). A Sadhaka can live on pure Bhiksha (alms) also. If you can live on milk alone during the period of Purascharana it is highly laudable. You can have Mantra Siddhi even by repeating the Mantra a lakh of times.
Select any holy place of pilgrimage on the banks of sacred Ganga, confluence of rivers, mountain valleys of charming scenery, temples, Tulasi gardens, below Asvattha trees or convert a portion of your house into a temple by keeping the picture of the Lord, burning incense etc., and by suitable decorations. Purascharana done in holy places has a benefit hundred times superior to that done in one's own house.
You can select any Mantra for Purascharana. Your Guru Mantra or Ishta Mantra is the best. Sandhya time, sunrise, sunset, midday are all recommended for Japa. Repeat the Mantra as many lakhs of times as there are letters in the Mantra. You can do half of that number. In no case the number should be less than a lakh.
Sit facing East or North during Japa. Select Siddha, Padma, Svastika or Virasana for Japa. Never sit for Japa with a loaded stomach. Have fixed timings for Japa. Take a bath before you start, if possible, or at least wash hands and feet. Perform Achamana or sipping of Sanctified Mantra water. Deer skin, cloth, blanket, Kusa grass or tiger skin can be used as seats while doing Japa. Spatika, Tulasi, Rudraksha Malas can be used for counting the number of Japa. Have a Mala with 108 beads or half or one-fourth that number.
