Doraisamy Iyer was a tall patriot who gave up his legal practice to settle down at
the feet of Sri Aurobindo. The mantra known as Sri Aurobindo's Gayatri among His disciples
was written by Sri Aurobindo when Doraisamy wanted to perform upanayanam to his son. When he was past 90, an American who
passed his house heard many Shastris chanting. In reply to his query, someone near him
answered that chanting of the Vedas at the time of one's death would lead the soul to
moksha. A little later, the same American saw Doraisamy slowing walking on the beach
holding the hand of a young lady who served him with devotion. Vedic chanting can give a further lease of life.
On the farm of an orthodox Brahmin the heap of straw near a haystack caught fire
while the wind was blowing towards the haystack. He began to chant a mantra and the wind
changed its direction.
There is a mantra for every known human act. It is said there are 14,600 mantras.
From the bite of a poisonous reptile, to finding a lost object, tradition has a mantra.
Chanted as it should be, it delivers its goods. As Sri Ramanuja succeeded where his guru
failed to free a woman possessed by an evil spirit, the power of the mantra issues from
the purity of the one who chants.
Not only are
mantras powerful, but every ritual of any religion is full of power. Every religion has
its version of such chanting.
A man committed suicide in an office. It became a haunted house. Employees were
scared. A priest was sent for and he conducted his ritual ceremony. The place was no
longer haunted. 'Of what use are these mantras for us?' a young aspirant for a job may
ask. 'Will it get me admission?' another may join him in asking thus.
Whether there are mantras to solve the problems of modern young men or whether some
of the old mantras can readily serve that purpose is not my issue here. What is a mantra?
How can I avail of such a power to meet life and its problems?
The words welling up from inside the soul of a realised person is a mantra. Anyone
who believes in him can use that mantra to attain the same realisation. The spirituality I
have been speaking about is the response of one's inner Spirit in response to his calling.
Using another's mantra is to be religious. Seeking one's own soul is spirituality.
A young girl came to a meditation centre along with a group of people. When she
wanted to return it was late at night. Those who brought her had left without her. She had
to return home. In her panic, she powerfully called the inner Spirit. A light appeared
before her. Panic dissolved. She walked into the street. The ball of white light turned
golden and started moving as if it was guiding her. It disappeared when she reached her
house.