A MESSAGE TO NEW INITIATES

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

A MESSAGE TO NEW INITIATES - Sri Swami Chidananda
Divine Radiant Atman!
You are a child, a ray, of God the Almighty. You should, therefore, somehow or other, try to
unite yourself with Him.
Worldly relations are transient, imperfect and impermanent. It is when we identify
ourselves with these changing and evanescent relations that we feel miserable and restless. Our
saints and sages who had the knowledge of the three periods of time—past, present and
future—during their superconscious state realised the Truth and subsequently declared that God
alone is eternal, pure, everlasting and perfect. It is only by knowing Him that one can have supreme
peace and bliss. This is the only purpose of human life.
There are four Purusharthas (ideals of life)—Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha (virtue,
wealth, desire and liberation). Artha and Kama, unless governed by Dharma, cannot becomemeans
of liberation. Liberation is the ultimate freedom. This human birth goes waste, if one leaves one’s
mortal coil without acquiring this supreme freedom through the knowledge of the Truth.
We have inherited our knowledge and culture from the Vedas. They were not written by any
human being, but were revealed by the Lord Himself. As Vedas have no origin, our religion which
is based on them is called Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion. This Sanatana Dharma is the
creatrix and origin of all other religions and cults.
There are many methods any one of which you can adopt for attaining God-realisation. Our
saints and sages have shown many different ways according to their own experiences and to suit the
nature of the aspirants. I shall deal here with one of them and hope that you will pay due attention to
it.
Our forefathers have described that eternal, pure Principle as formless and attributeless, and
also as having form and attributes. The formless and attributeless Principle is unmanifest and
invisible to the senses and intellect, while the one with form and attributes is manifest and is
therefore visible. In between the manifest and unmanifest, there appeared the Cosmic Sound called
‘Nada Brahman’ or ‘Sabda Brahman’. It serves as the link between the two principles—the one
with form and attributes and the other without form and attributes.
Based on this ‘Nada Brahman’ a system of spiritual practice has been formulated, which
goes by the name of ‘Japa Yoga’ or ‘Nama-Sadhana’ (practice of the Name). This method
continues to be in vogue from ancient times right upto the present day. The chain of
Guru-Parampara which has brought down this treasure of Japa Yoga Sadhana to us never suffered a
break, so much so it is prevalent in its original form even today. Lord Krishna Himself has glorified
Nama-Japa by saying: ‘Yajnanam Japayajnosmi—Among sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of silent
repetition’ (Gita: X-25). The Lord Himself is present in the Mantra and in its Japa.
Saints too, time and oft, declared and do so even now, that there is actually no difference
between the Name (of the Lord) and the Named (the Lord Himself). Sages, at times, say that the 

Name of the Lord is superior even to the Lord Himself. Goswami Tulasidas says: ‘Rama’s Name is
verily superior to Rama.’ In the Srimad Bhagavata, you will find the consoling statement that in this
age of Kali, one can obtain release from the bondage of birth and death through mere chanting of Sri
Hari’s Name.
Among the four Yugas (ages) ‘Kali’ is the fourth one. In the preceding three Yugas, the
Satya, Treta and Dvapara, man was long-lived, powerful, able and intelligent. He had many
superhuman powers at his command. He could travel to other higher planes (Lokas) as well. In
those ages, the Lord used to appear on earth before His chosen devotees. But in this Kaliyuga,
man’s power, intelligence and ability have considerably diminished, and so he is not able to see the
Lord face to face. Man has lost all his supernatural, divine powers.
The devotees, apprehending the advent of Kaliyuga, prayed to the Lord and asked: “O Lord,
in Kaliyuga, when men become lacking in strength and intelligence, when unrighteousness has
sway over all and when Your devotees are subjected to all sorts of persecutions, how will they be
then able to get protection?” The Lord, moved by their longing for public weal, assured them and
said: “I am aware of that; I shall, in Kaliyuga, be needed more. You need not, therefore, have any
worry. I am revealing one of My mighty powers for Kali. I shall appear before those persons who
have faith in it and feel My presence in it.” That mighty power of the Lord, revealed by Him is His
Name. He is verily manifest in it.
The Name that is manifest in the form of Mantra, was revealed to the seers in their
superconscious state (Samadhi). The knower of aMantra is called the seer of that Mantra. AMantra
is named after the seer to whom it was revealed first. Each Mantra has got its own separate Deity,
and its Japa will yield a distinct result.
There is a method enjoined by the scriptures for repeating the Mantra (Mantra-Japa). It is
through the repetition of the Mantra by the prescribed method that the latent power of the Mantra
becomes manifest. The subconscious layers of the mind of the person are also awakened. The
Mantra, through its repetition, leads to perfection in due course of time. The individual obtains the
summum bonum of life by the realisation of Supreme Self and attainment of bliss and final
liberation.
The constant repetition of aMantra transforms the very life of the aspirant. His evil qualities
slowly disappear and divine qualities take their place. Rajas and Tamas get transmuted into Sattva.
A Mantra is Divinity and through its repetition the extrovert mind becomes introvert, the
tossing of the mind is removed and mind along with the senses is subdued. Mantra-Japa thus done
with one-pointed mind, takes the aspirant to the state of Japa-Sahita Dhyana (meditation with Japa)
which subsequently takes the form of Japa-Rahita Dhyana (meditation without Japa). The aspirant
in his superconscious State (Samadhi) gets Self-realisation which is the same as God-realisation.
This is what Mantra Yoga implies.
Our ancestors, the seers, through their own efforts, perfected themselves through the Japa of
the Mantras first, and thereafter they initiated their disciples into their secrets. This tradition
continues even today with all its importance and significance as ever before. Many saints have
reached that perfected state and attained God-realisation. Instances are not rare even today.
If a disciple receives Mantra initiation from his Guru, he actually receives his own
accumulated power due to his past meritorious Karmas. The Japa continued for a pretty long period
becomes part and parcel of his Sadhana (spiritual practice). For this type of Sadhana, no special
qualification is required. What is needed is full faith in and unstinted devotion to one’s Guru
(preceptor).
In other systems of Yogic practice, there are several strict rules and regulations to be
followed. And the preceptor has to distinguish between the qualified and the non-qualified before
he gives initiation in those systems. But in Japa Yoga Sadhana, this can be obviated, for, the
repetition of a Mantra itself transforms a non-qualified person into a qualified person, the impure
into the pure and a sinner into a saint. This is the unique advantage of Japa Yoga.