Mantras only in Sanskrit?

Mantras are words of power used in Meditation, for recitation, for chanting. Usually I am told Mantras should be recited in Sanskrit. I noticed that some Indian teachers pronounce Mantras in Hindi, some in Bengali. And the Sikh Mantras in the 3HO Kundalini Yoga tradition are again in another language. Can Mantras be in any language? Even in German and English? What is your opinion??

You need to be a member of Yoga Vidya International - Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality to add comments!

Join Yoga Vidya International - Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Chanting helps in stilling mind...
    Real naturally realise itself in that stillness...

  • Hariom
    similar to a software program, which cannot be written in any other language or style, other than the specific programming languages, mantras are also predesigned and predefined programs that are executed in a beings inner psyche and hence the outcomes are experienced. Sanskrit being the language which has its origin in deep realms of the vigyanmay koshas of those who were searching for a way to establish a line of communication across various dimensions, was found to be the most suitable language.
    Please remember that Mantras can be used by all for various purposes. But the frequency of sound, phonetics and emphasis on the pronunciation, and vibrations associated with each alphabet are unique to mantras. We can sing them just to create some very positive and beautiful vibrations around, or we can activate them (Mantra Jagriti) by using a specific methodology. In all these cases the underlying principle of using mantras are going to be the same.
    Sam Ved, the third of the Vedas, talks in details about mantras, their formation and their usage. We will try to have some insights into that at some suitable occasion.
    hope i am helpful in any possible manner.
    kind regards
    acharya

  • I think, Mantras should be only in Sanskrit.
    Yoga Teacher Training India

  • Hari Bol

    manha trayate iti mantra, Mantra means that which delivers or controls your mind. mantras can be in any language, not necessary Sanskrit but mantra should be coming from a proper paramapara or lineage, then you can recite mantra in any language, there are sabr mantra by Lord Gorakhnath who is incarnation of Shiva he started sabar mantras which are in local language not Sanskrit, but they are as effective as any other mantra. the source should be bonafide, then the mantra is also bonafide be it any language,

    • manha trayates iti mantra...define meaning of Mantra...

      "which swim across mind"....

      Mantra means "using mind as an instrument to swim across"...

      Mantra doesnot mean chirping a word or sentence like a parrot or a gramophone...
      Though it has significance only upto little dilution of mind...

  • In yoga basically mantras are recited in sanskrit but i think it can be recited in any language you are comfortable with.Mantras are usually used for increasing focus and also for peace.You can chant words in your own language which leads to mindfulness.

  • I think mantras exist in all languages when they are personal mantras. I mean in the sense that you repeat things to yourself daily - these repetitions start to effect you. For example, your own personal mantra may be "I'm too old," or "I'm too tired" or your personal mantra might be "I can do that!"

    Because many people by nature are loathe to think for themselves some kind yogis came up with traditional mantras. I don't know of yogis who came up with mantras that were not in the language they spoke. For example, the ones who spoke Hindi said them in Hindu, the ones who knew Sanskrit used that language, Yogi Bhajan made some in English. When a large number of people invest energy into a word, for example "Om" it starts to take a life of it's own. Then it become possible to derive comfort from the word even if you don't speak the same language.

    This is my opinion

  • Nama (Mantra) is ‘Sat-Chit-Anand’ itself. Nothing is closer to the Supreme Soul than nama.

    A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation" (cf. spiritual transformation)

    That Sat-Ultimate truth, Chit- True soul, Ananda- Real pleasure is nothing but Ishwar, God, Jesus what ever name given by us. Every sound has a vibrations. Ishwar is a Sukshma or very fine, which can't be counted or read with modern physics or our sense organs. Ancient Vedic Rishees or Seers had done a lot of research to get that ultimate pleasure and found the sound and vibrations in laboratory of their own mind. They found few sounds like OM, Shree Ram in combinations of words. As language that time was Sanskrit.... it must have been only in Sanskrit. The effects transferred by Guruparampara are treated and made more and more powerful as it descended. These Mantras are tested by many seers and Saints since very long ago and are found effective with the experiences by them. We too can see the effects if we follow them sincerely. Hence for a normal persons like us it is better to use these time tested Mantras.
    The effects and results are seen with utmost devotion and following of some rules like Brahmacharya, aparigraha etc.
    In short if a modern seer or scientist do some research in it (Sound), it is but natural that he may get new souds and words as mantras of equal or more strength. In Maharashtra (India) there was one Sant Gajanan Maraj from Shegao who used to repeat.."Gana Gana Ganat Bote". Which is having no any particular meaning as all words together.
    Complete devotion (SampoorNa Sharanagaty) and Sadhana is only pre qualification for positive result of that Mantra. Let it be any language or not.

    Jai Shree Ram!!!!

    Good Links for Mantra....
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra
    http://sriramasamartha.wordpress.com/?s=mantra
    http://www.mailerindia.com/slokas/mantras/
    http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/160400/the-spiritual...
    http://www.godandguru.com/mantras/index.html
    http://www.mantra.co.nr/
    Site Maintenance
    • The one that isn't spoken, can' t be sung, that can't be heard, that which wasn't created, which dwells in everthing, pervades all, has no beginning, no end - the vibration of all material and immaterial, animated and inanimate - this is he greatest of all mantra!



      - OM -


      and it doesn't know bounderies like "languages" scripts, interpretations, intonations, correct scales either!

      all bounderies, laws, dogma, teachings are produce of the works of the mind...

      In the beautiful Narayana Upanischad following is handed down over millenia:

      "One should place "om" first, "namah" second and "narayanaya" at the end. "Om" is one syllable, "namah"is two syllables and "narayanaya" is five syllables. Together they make the eight syllable Narayana mantra. One who knows this eight syllable Narayana mantra with purity in his heart attains all life, offspring, wealth, health and cows, and finally attains immortality. One who knows the Narayana mantra and Narayana attains immortality, says the upanisad.



      The syllabe "om" is directly the Supreme Lord full of bliss. Composed of three sounds "a", "u" and "m", the pranava becomes "om". The yogi who utters the pranava many times becomes free from the bondage of repeated material birth. One who worships the Lord with this mantra will certainly go to the transcendental realm of vaikuntha, which is a lotus full of consciousness shiing effulgently. The transcendental Lord is known as the son of Devaki, as Madhusudana, as Pundarikaksa, as Visnu and Acyuta. The one Narayana is situated in all living entities. He is the cause of all causes, the supreme brahman.



      One who recites the mantra in the morning destroys the sins of the night. One who recites in the evening destroys the sins of the day. One who recites the mantra at noon time facing the sun is freed from all types of sins. That person attains the fruits of studying all the vedas. He attains the world of Narayana."





      That is what is important, just do it, do not get lost in intellecual hair splitting, so called "research", this knowledge is so pure, that it doesn;t need to be questioned or prove to be true,it's the very essence of it all!

      - hari om tat sat -


      ...and there is the even more beautiful

      Purusa Suktam:, but this would tke things to far to post his here..


      "in Hindu Upanishadic and Yogic thought, these sounds are manifestations of ultimate reality, in the sense of sound symbolism postulating that the vocal sounds of the mantra have inherent meaning independent of the understanding of the person uttering them."

      -wiki-
      http://krishnascience.com/Vaisnava+Library/Devotion+-+shastras/Narayana%20Upanisad.htm
  • A mantra is a sound, a word or group of words, whose purpose is to bring your mind to a state of concentration.

    Mantras cannot be concocted or tailor-made, despite some current claims. They ave always existed in a latent state as energies. They were codified in the scriptures and have been handed down from teacher to student for many years.

    If translated, a mantra ceases to be a mantra because the sound vibrations created by the translation are different. The rhythmical vibrations of the syllables, when properly recited, help to regulate the often unsteady vibrations of your mind.

    Although mantras are most common in Sanskrit, the practice is also used in other spiritual traditions:

    Mahayana Buddhism: Prajñaparamita mantra
    Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha
    Literal meaning:"Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly beyond, Enlightenment hail!"

    Tibetan Buddhism: Om Mani Padme Hum
    Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying this mantra, either out loud or silently, invokes the blessings of the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones that are placed where people can see them. Spinning the written form of the mantra in a Mani wheel (prayer wheel) is believed to give the same benefit as saying the mantra.

    Sikhism: Sat Nam

    Moslem: Allāhu Akbar
    Literal translation: "God is [the] greatest," or "God is Great

    Sufi tradition: La Illaha Illa Allah

    Jewish: Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad
    Literal meaning: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One”.

    Hallelujah is a Hebrew word meaning "Praise Yahweh

    Christian: Ma-ra-na-tha
    Literal translation (from the Aramaic): "Come, Lord,"
    This form of Christian meditation, taught by Dom John Main and Fr. Laurence, involves silent meditation, connecting each syllable with the breath
    Ma (inhale) ra (exhale) na (inhale) tha (exhale)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brwr6UxLda4
This reply was deleted.