Hindus Only: Alternative to Naam japa in Hinduism (Advaita Vedanta)

[sheru]

Advaita Vedānta was the philosophy taught by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, and it is still taught today by his successors. One of them, Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji of Sringeri Sharada Peetham teaches that nāma japa is suitable and beneficial in Kaliyuga. If Advaita and the practice of nāma japa are perfectly compatible to a Jagadguru/Śaṅkarācārya, could they also be compatible to somebody who is not yet Self-realized?



Logic is necessary and helpful in mundane matters whereas direct experience is important in spiritual matters. Perhaps logic should be reserved for mundane matters apart from spiritual matters?



I suppose you could manually let go of negative thoughts.



When it comes to a word producing the same benefits as nāma japa, I don’t know if it could happen. What I do know is that the Śiva Purāṇa, for instance, states that Śiva nāma japa reduces mountainous heaps of pāpam to ashes, takes away worries, removes the fear of Yamarāja and Naraka, and is the raft that takes one across the ocean of worldly existence to liberation. The Padma Purāṇa says similar things about Rāma, the highest name of Nārāyaṇa. I haven’t yet found a scripture or Self-realized person who says such things about words such as maitrī, śānta, or karuṇā.



There is always the practice of aṣṭāṅga yoga. Dhāraṇā or ‘one-pointedness’ is an aspect of it that follows pratyāhāra or ‘gathering toward.’



If that is your experience from chanting ‘Jai Hanumān,’ then that particular japa is not the best one for you if you don’t want to feel disconnected from your family.



The brahmacarya of Hanumān is not the brahmacarya of a husband. Dharmaśāstras and other texts teach that a married man is to approach only his own wife. That is the brahmacarya of a husband. Which would Hanumān approve of in you?

One of my questions is this, Can a Japa be wrong for a particular person? Like in my case can my selection of name be wrong. Everywhere I read, they say any name of God can do wonders for you. May be my morals are confusing me.

 

[sayak83]

I was also thinking of starting that. But I have so many questions. Like Aum is associated with Lord Shiva and won't my meat eating conflict with this?

Aum is universal to all streams of Hinduism and most closely associated with Nirguna Brahman. Hence it should not conflict with anything.

 

[Vinayaka]

One of my questions is this, Can a Japa be wrong for a particular person? Like in my case can my selection of name be wrong. Everywhere I read, they say any name of God can do wonders for you. May be my morals are confusing me.

In my sampradaya we're taught to do what works for the individual. We're all individuals, and no one size fits all. Anyone telling you 'do this' or do that' is offering up unsolicited advice. It is up to you and you alone to decide what works for you. That 'unsolicited advice' changes some if you have diksha under a Guru, as that event has given Him permission to advise you whenever He wants to. Nobody here, as far as I know, is your Guru.

 

[mangalavara]

One of my questions is this, Can a Japa be wrong for a particular person? Like in my case can my selection of name be wrong.

I like what @Vinayaka said: it is up to you to decide what works for you. Moreover, I would say consider the results of your previous sādhanā. It would help you decide if it is right for you.

 

[JustGeorge]

I'm not terribly knowledgeable, but as a person who chants the name of Hanuman and recites the Chalisa each day, I am curious why his name brought out these feelings for you.

I also used to suffer from the 'not good enough' feeling regarding spirituality... If I can't wake at dawn to meditate, then I'm no good. I can't keep out of the cheesecake in the fridge, I'm undisciplined and no good. I really can't stand that guy next door; having angry feelings make me no good. That kind of stuff. It took my awhile to comprehend that I don't have to be perfect to engage in spiritual practices.

I also would press myself mentally to keep the lifestyle of a sannyasi... but I'm not. I'm a wife and mother. That is my dharma for now. Maybe there will be time for a sannyasi lifestyle some other time. Maybe it will have to be another life. That's okay. This isn't a race.

What I feel when I am spending time with Hanuman is that he wants me to be strong, healthy, and devoted. Hanuman did not spend much time in judgement, he spent all his time in devotion. Everything he did was devotion.

But, not all forms of worship fit with all people. If you don't feel this practice fits, then change it. Experiment. See what works. If you chant a quality, and feel that quality, go for it. If you chant it and feel nothing, acknowledge it didn't do as expected and move on.

 

[mangalavara]

Everywhere I read, they say any name of God can do wonders for you. May be my morals are confusing me.

Regarding being confused by morals, in my experience, being serious about seeking enlightenment or liberation can lead to delusional ideas about sexuality. I used to think that anything sexual was contrary to enlightenment and that sexual desire had to be overcome. Why didn’t I think the same thing about hunger or thirst and the desire to eat and drink? The answer might be that unfavorable outlooks on sexuality are so widespread that they could influence any of us. Now, I have a more sensible attitude that doesn’t result in inward suffering.

According to my favorite scripture, the Śiva Purāṇa, we receive both bhukti and mukti, that is, worldly enjoyments and liberation. We can enjoy sense objects, but we should be detached so that when we lose them, we aren’t screaming and crying.

If there is a moral or virtue that we should be more concerned about, it ought to be the one at the top of the lists of sāmānya dharma in the texts—ahiṃsā, ‘non-injury.’ Not unjustly hurting other beings is more beneficial to them than our erroneous ideas about sex are to us.

I hope this is helpful to some degree.

 

[JustGeorge]

Regarding being confused by morals, in my experience, being serious about seeking enlightenment or liberation can lead to delusional ideas about sexuality. I used to think that anything sexual was contrary to enlightenment and that sexual desire had to be overcome. Why didn’t I think the same thing about hunger or thirst and the desire to eat and drink? The answer might be that unfavorable outlooks on sexuality are so widespread that they could influence any of us. Now, I have a more sensible attitude that doesn’t result in inward suffering.

Actually, I did used to feel this way about hunger! I was seeing making food I enjoyed as a weakness to be overcome... I oughta only eat for survival.

Perhaps we know our own inner weaknesses... I have more of an issue with disordered eating than being overly sexual.

According to my favorite scripture, the Śiva Purāṇa, we receive both bhukti and mukti, that is, worldly enjoyments and liberation. We can enjoy sense objects, but we should be detached so that when we lose them, we aren’t screaming and crying.

Agreed.

 

[mangalavara]

Hanuman did not spend much time in judgement, he spent all his time in devotion. Everything he did was devotion.

For those of us who aspire to be true devotees, may Hanumān inspire us and move us up to that level. Jaya Hanumān!

 

[SalixIncendium]

That 'unsolicited advice' changes some if you have diksha under a Guru, as that event has given Him permission to advise you whenever He wants to. Nobody here, as far as I know, is your Guru.

The problem, as I see it, is people will take advice of a popular guru that is given to and intended for another and feel the need to apply it to themselves. That, after all, is what the OP appeared to be asking for at the outset.

The advice a guru gives to a disciple isn't necessarily universal advice for each everyone. Most everyone is at a different point on their spiritual path.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Why didn’t I think the same thing about hunger or thirst and the desire to eat and drink?

Actually, I did used to feel this way about hunger! I was seeing making food I enjoyed as a weakness to be overcome... I oughta only eat for survival.

I recall hearing in one of the many Vedanta lectures I've listened to the story of a monk that was given a very tasty and savory dish. He began to enjoy it, but then ran to the river to wash the flavoring from the food because he was intent on denying himself such sense-pleasure.

 

[JustGeorge]

I recall hearing in one of the many Vedanta lectures I've listened to the story of a monk that was given a very tasty and savory dish. He began to enjoy it, but then ran to the river to wash the flavoring from the food because he was intent on denying himself such sense-pleasure.

I think we can become attached to the idea of self denial, too... which defeats the purpose, imo.

 

[Vinayaka]

The problem, as I see it, is people will take advice of a popular guru that is given to and intended for another and feel the need to apply it to themselves. That, after all, is what the OP appeared to be asking for at the outset.

The advice a guru gives to a disciple isn't necessarily universal advice for each everyone. Most everyone is at a different point on their spiritual path.

That is so true. In fact I have personal experience on it, as one time Gurudeva whispered to me, after a particularly direct talk, "I wasn't talking to you." This illustrates the importance of the personal relationship in the entire Guru/devotee thing. Just as a good teacher in regular school recognizes different students have different strengths and weaknesses, so too with Gurus.