14
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Accepted
Why "Rama" Nama is called Taraka mantra?
By Taraka Mantra we basically mean the Pranavam, the first sound or OM, also called the Nada Brahman.
So, Taraka: Deliverer.
Taraka Mantra: From the root word tara–that which crosses. The Taraka ...
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12
votes
Accepted
What are the components of the word om (ॐ)
The Omkāra is made up of 3 letters: (1) akāra - अ; (2) ukāra - उ; (3) makāra - म and also an anusvāra (ardhamātrā).
It is often a misconception that it has only the first three letters but the ...
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12
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What are the components of the word om (ॐ)
Mandukya Upanishad says that OM is a Combination of (A + U + M)
That same Self, from the point of view of the syllable, is Om, and
viewed from the stand point of the letters, the quarters are the
...
- 7,580
9
votes
Is chanting “OM” naam japa or mantra japa?
Om is a Mantra, so chanting Om constitutes Mantra Japa. Other names for it are Pranava Mantra, TAraka Mantra etc.
Om represents the Adi Dvani (primordial sound) and is an Ekakshara Bija Mantra (mono-...
- 113k
8
votes
Accepted
What are the beeja mantras and what is their significance in meditation?
Beejas or Seeds are important single lettered or monosyllabic mantras especially in the tantric or agama tradition. They are extensively used in rituals, processes, and both for internal and external ...
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7
votes
Does every mantra begin with/contain ॐ(Aum)?
Every mantra should begin with the pranava OM otherwise it is considered as lifeless as per the following verse:
मंत्राणां पल्लवो वासो । मंत्राणां प्रणव: शिर: । शिर: पल्लव संयुक्तो
। कामधुक् ...
- 113k
6
votes
Is Paramahansa the vahana to the promised land?
Paramhamsa is actually the name of a class of ascetics.
Other classes are Kuticaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa etc. A Paramhamsa is considered as the one who have spiritually evolved the most among these ...
- 113k
6
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Is reciting Vedic Mantras without being preceded by "Om" condemned somewhere in Vedas or in other scriptures?
This wiki article says that all Vedic rituals begin with the chanting of OM.
But it's actually more than that. Not only all Vedic recitations must begin with the Pranava (OM) but it should also end ...
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6
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Why do mantras usually end with Shantih Shantih Shantih (3 times)?
In his commentary on Taittirīya Upaniṣad, Śaṅkarācārya explains as follows.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ ३ ॥
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ || 3 ||
3. Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
The uttering ...
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6
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What are the components of the word om (ॐ)
Alright, let me just add few more words. The Kaankal Malini Tantra describes the Varna-Samuha. According to it varna from अ to अः are of SatvaGuna. From क to थ are RajoGuna and remaining of TamoGuna. ...
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5
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Do vaishnavites believe in pranava mantra or is it an "anya devata" of sorts?
According to what Sri Vaishnavism, the Pranava denotes the supreme Brahman. Here is what the Sri Vaishnava Ramanujacharya says in this section of the Sri Bhashya:
We therefore shortly explain the ...
- 98.5k
5
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Pranavam's combination is A U M. What is the significance of this and who are the main actors of Aa Uu and Mm?
Apart from the explanations given in previous answers i would like to add the following:
The usual description of the A,the U and the M in AUM is the following:
Veda Vyasa further explained that ...
- 113k
5
votes
Are shudras and women not allowed to chant Aum i.e Pranava?
Unlike popular opinion, śūdra and strī aren't adhikṛta in praṇavajapa, as per śāstras. This would be supported by the citations below from many śāstras (including an Upaniṣad).
sāvitrīṁ praṇavaṁ ...
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4
votes
Can anyone chant Om Namo Narayana?
Om ithyagre vyaahareth nama ithi paschath. Narayanasa ethyuparishath.
Om ithyekaksharam. Nama ithi dhwe akshare. Narayanayethi
Panchaksharani. Ethadwai Narayanasyashtaksharam padam. Yoha vai
...
- 113k
4
votes
What are the components of the word om (ॐ)
The components of Om is explained very well in Shiva Puran.
"The syllable “A” came first from northern face; the syllable “U” from the western; the syllable “M” from the southern and the Bindu (...
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3
votes
Can anyone chant Om Namo Narayana?
Vedanta Desika discusses in detail about this aShTAkShara mantra in the mUlamantrAdhikara chapter of the Srimad Rahasyatrayasara.
In the very first introductory verse, he summarizes the mantra as -
...
- 3,693
3
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Was Lord Muruga Guru to Lord Shiva and taught him the complete explanation of OM?
Summary: - Yes, Muruga did take on the position of a guru for Lord Shiva and did explain him the meaning of the Pranava, though the 2 crore verse thing hasn’t been mentioned.
Detailed
This story has ...
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3
votes
Om symbol ॐ and Devanagari script
Om symbol in devanagari is aum of siddham script http://www.visiblemantra.org/om.html & in devanagari om was written as a separate & special alphabet or symbol as per skanda puran shiv raghav ...
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3
votes
Om symbol ॐ and Devanagari script
I post the pictures of pages referring to the link between OM and Devanagari script as described in the book 'Hidden Horizons'.
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2
votes
Does every mantra begin with/contain ॐ(Aum)?
It is not mandatory,
Some of the famous tantric mantras like
Navaarna mantra (navakshari chandi mantra)
Saraswati mantra
Bhuvaneshwari mantra (hrillekha)
Kamala mantra
Ganesha Mantras (six ...
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2
votes
Does the first verse of Nammalwar's Thiruvaimozhi intentionally spell out AUM?
the fact it needs to be rearranged makes it seem unlikely. one interesting hymn is Sri Gayatri Ramayanam which is composed of verbatim excerpts from Valmiki Ramayana arranged in a way where the first ...
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2
votes
Is ॐ Gam Ganapataye Namaha correct, or ॐ Gan Ganapataye Namaha correct?
‘m’ or ‘n’ sound comes with Anusvara.
like कं or कम् …. that is Anusvara.
Whether it should sound like ‘m’ or ‘n’ depends on what comes after it.
If anusvara is followed by guttural sounds i.e ka, ...
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Why "Rama" Nama is called Taraka mantra?
There will be no one who does not chant the name of Ram, whether it is Lord Shiva, Lord Shri Krishna or anyone else.The name of Rama is called Taraka Brahma because it is the name that takes you ...
- 769
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Why "Rama" Nama is called Taraka mantra?
According to Gurunathar, HH SMS, RAMA is taraka Nama, obtained by conjoining Ra and Ma, obtained from the mantras Namo NaRAyanaya and NaMA Shivaya. Ra from Astaksharam and Ma from the Panchaksharam. ...
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2
votes
Accepted
Is the pranava - om - mentioned in Vedas?
ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन यस्मिन देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः |
यस्तन्न वेद किमृचा करिष्यति य इत्तद्विदुस्त इमे समासते || RV .1.164.39 ||
This Rishi of this Mantra is Dirghatamas and is Known as "Asya ...
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2
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of this Divya Prabandham verse?
In this https://ramanuja.org/sri/BhaktiListArchives/Article?p=rest2003%2F0006.html website, the meaning of above Divya Prabandham verse is told
Three aspects of Supreme Lordship of Narayanan are - ...
- 7,580
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votes
Are Om and Pranava the same?
The meaning of Pranava is explained by Subrahmanya in the Shiva Purana Kailāsa-Saṃhitā Chapter 14 - The Praṇava in the form of Śiva:
सुब्रह्मण्य उवाच ।
श्रूयताम्मुनिशार्दूल त्वया यत्पृष्टमादरात् ।
...
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1
vote
Why body starts feeling heavy after 10 minutes Om chanting?
One think to note on that, what my meditation teacher told me is that Om chants are really best suited for very deep meditation and for those who are living a fully yogic life. Om like chants can ...
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vote
Can anyone chant Om Namo Narayana?
There are many prohibitions and restrictions on the recitation of mantras by sudras, women and people without deeksha in various Smritis. But they all date back only to the Middle Ages.
There are ...
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