The Mantra initiated by the Guru contains a special power. That is the reason why it is recommended that one chant it incessantly. That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong in chanting any Divine Name of God.
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What is the experience connected with chanting Mantras? When does one get mantra siddhi?
Each Mantra has its own Siddhi. One is said to attain Mantra Siddhi when he is able to see the deity pertaining to his Mantra, by incessant chanting of the Mantra.
I chant mantras like’Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’ and ‘Om Namo Narayanaya’. Do you recommend that the ‘Hare Rama..’ mantra is better and I chant that instead?
You can chant the ‘Hare Rama ..’ Mantra in addition to all the mantras you are currently chanting, whenever you get time.
While there is no doubt in my mind that Nama chanting is the surest way in kaliyuga for liberation, sometimes i get frustrated when i see the suffering around me. We stay in Maharashtra, where we read about farmers committing suicide every single day. Around us there are so many slums where people consider themselves lucky when they are able to get two square meals a day. I understand that “Nama Prachar” is the main motto of our mission, can we not do some sort of service for these people?
A tree is infected with some pests. One way of combating pests is to spray pesticides on the leaves and fruits. The other, more efficient way is to treat it at the root. Social service is akin to the former whereas spiritual transformation (by way of Chanting the Nama) is like treating at the root.
Is “only chanting of a mantra (Guru mantra or Mahamantra ) sufficient for self realization?
Yes.
I performed ‘Girivalam’ at Tiruvannamalai this Sivaratri. I chanted Rama Nama all the while, though the fellow-devotees asked me to chant the Shiva mantra. Am I right in doing what I did?
You can chant the ‘Rama’ mantra to any deity. In fact, Lord Siva Himself chants the ‘Rama’ mantra all the time. Hence you are absolutely right in chanting the Rama mantra. Can anyone else be so gullible as Him?
How many times can the Moola Mantra be recited every day? Is there a restriction?
There is no limit on the number of times the Moola Mantra can be repeated everyday.
I am writing ‘Ram Nam’ and it has solved many problems of mine and fulfilled many desires. But one crucial desire of mine alone is not getting fulfilled. Why is this happening?
That may be because Lord Rama feels that if this particular desire of yours gets fulfilled, it may create problems in the future. With a human mind, it is impossible to know what would happen in future, but one thing, you can be certain: Lord Rama is always right.
Sri Swamiji initiated me into a Mantra. Which one should I chant? That Mantra or the Maha Mantra?
Chant both.
Amongst all the Names of God which is the greatest? Different people give different Namas.
Any Divine Nama is precious. According to Kali Santarana Upanishad, the ‘Hare Rama..’ Mahamantra is capable of giving deliverance in this Kali Yuga.
