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Laksh Jaap

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Laksh Jaap
Appeared in JR Group under "Laksh Jaap" around 10 June 2011

Jun 13, 2011
Puraan mention about Laksh Jaap, in which one recites the name of god or a Mantra as many times as the number of letters are there in the name or the Mantra. For example "Namah Shivaaya" Mantra has 5 letters, so it is advised to recite this Mantra 500,000 times (5 Laksh times). But after this they do not give any information --
--as Why one should do this Laksh Jaap?
--in how many days it should be completed?
--what is the use of this kind of Jaap?
--is there any rule for this Jaap or just one should do simple Jaap
--if it is done with some purpose, in how much time it starts giving any effect? etc etc.

[By Dhirendra Nath Misra]
--One must chant a Mantra as many times as the number of letters are there in the name or the Mantra in orderly manner, e.g. Gayatri Mantra may be chanted 24 Laakh times in a year.
--The healthy baby comes out of mother's womb after 270 days, if birth is not premature. Water gets boiled at 100 degree Celsius and not on 99.99 degree. The root cause of every suffering is our ignorance, infirmity and lack. Chanting of Mantra enlightens an aspirant.
Chanting of Mantra is modified with use of additional Beej Mantra according to one's need. However it is advisable to chant Mantra without using additional Beej Mantra for enlightenment only which one learns and realize at later stage.

[From Narayana Isty in JR Group, 14 Jun 2011]
Normally Laksh Jaap is done to appease the deity, we are interested in. Further, it is a kind of revoking our attachment towards a permanent relationship to the deity concerned. This Laksh Jaap, is also called as Akshar Laksh Jaap, for we are performing Jaap for Laksh times as there are letters in the Mantra. For example, "Namah Shivaaya" has got 5 letters. We must include Om during Jaap, to some Mantra, inclusion of Om will give its number of syllables as 6, while to some non-inclusion gives 5. For Ashtaaksharee Mantra, such as, "Om Namo Naaraayanaaya", including Om gives 8 syllables. So, like this, this has to be learnt from an Aacharya. This Akshar Laksh Jaap is the most preferred one among all types of Japam.

So regarding Laksh Jaap, i.e Akshar Laksh Jaap,
--It should be used exclusively for appeasement of the deity and not for any other purpose. After, appeasing the deity, with the number of Laksh Jaap, we can then use it materialistic or for other purposes, in the number we wish to take as per our convenience. But, a count of 10,800 is preferred mostly. This is because, as the human lifespan is 100 years, we are doing 108 Jaap for every year.

Then, for Nava Graha, thousand Jaap is enough.
For Soorya (Sun) : 6,000,
For Chandra (Moon) : 10,000,
For Kuja (Mars)  : 7,000,
For Budha (Mercury) : 17,000,
For Guru, Brihaspati (Jupiter) : 16,000,
For Shukra (Venus) : 20,000,
For Shani, Saturn : 19,000,
For Raahu : 18000 and
For Ketu : 7,000
ie these numbers are nothing but the number of years of their Dashaa. This means, Sun Dashaa : 6 Yrs, Moon Dashaa, 10 Yrs and likewise.

After doing Jaap for specified number ie for example, 108,000, it is said in the Shaastra that
"japaat dashaansham ksheer arghyam" (means that one tenth of the number of Jaap, Ksheer Arghyam i.e Arghya with milk has to be performed. Milk means cow's milk and not any other one).
"Tad dashaansham homam" (means that one tenth of the number of times of milk Arghyam, one has to perform Hom,
"Tad dashaansham anna daanam kuryaat" (means that one tenth of the number of Hom, one must feed pious and learned persons), who are well versed in the Mantra related with the deity. Particularly Upaasak of the deity concerned should be considered. This is because there is no difference between the Upaasak and the Deity, as the Upaasak is the Deity himself in human form.

For more clarity, suppose a Jap of 108,000 ie you have performed a Jap of 1000 rounds with a Maalaa containing 108 beads.
Jap : 108,000
One Tenth of Jap is Ksheer Arghya : 10,800
One Tenth of Ksheer Arghyam, homam : 1,080
One Tenth of Homam, Anna Daanam : to 108 people

In this age of Kali Yug, the minimum number recommend by our elders and Shaastra Learned Persons is 108,000 (1080 Maalaa). After performing this and appeasing the Deity, we can make a Jap of 10,800 (approximately 10,000 - or 100 Maalaa) of the Mantra to achieve and attain material benefits. This is what I learnt from My Pujya Gurudev, Sri Y. Kamalakar Ji. However, the learned and experienced elders in the forum like Sri RRji, Sri Krishnanji and likewise people should decide the facts. As you had asked about the information, I am sharing the same.
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Sushma wrote 15 Jun 2011
I think Laksh Jaap and the Akshar Jaap are not the same. The first and foremost difference between them is that Laksh Jaap is done as 1 Laakh, or 2 Laakh, or 3 Laakh - it does not go with the 108,000 kind of number, or 18,000 or 7,000 number. It goes only as many Laakh as the number of letters in a Mantra are, such as Om Namah Shivaaya - 5 Laakh, Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya - 12 Laakh and so on.

And as far as I know this Laksh Jaap does not include any other thing, like Arghya, Hom, Anna Daan etc, as you have written. They are done for doing Anushthaan. Laksh Jaap is simple Laksh Jaap. But I have not got any information about it after this information such as (as I have asked in my mail)

If you go to the following site http://www.sushmajee.com/hindupuraan/6naarad/1-poorv/28-mantra-2.htm and read under "Kireet Mantra for Naaraayan", you may find the description of Laksh Jaap. But this Puraan (Naarad Puraan) doesn't give more than that. So the knowledge about it is incomplete.

I can't site the reference here, but at other place I read that a 1-Laakh Jaap done with a Mantra can clear all the sins of all the 12 Houses of the chart. I do not have confirmation of this also. If anybody knows about this, please share with me. I will be grateful.
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Pt Arjun wrote
To answer specifically, the procedure of chanting each Mantra as many Lakhs as the number of letters within that Mantra is a practice and not a rule as such.

While each planetary Mantra are assigned the number of times recital corresponding to the thousand of each planetary Vinshottaree Dashaa, members following other Dashaa may find different numbers but these Vinshottaree correlated Mantra numbers too are a practice and not a rule as such.

Mantra Mahaarnav, Mantra Mahodadhi and various other Mantra books learnt by us narrate various procedures for each Mantra. all Braahman priests while studying Aagam Shaastra and Smaartam are taught on this subject.

Mantra Jap is different and Mantra Saadhanaa is different. The subsequent Tarpanam, Maarjan, Hom, Daan etc. are for those doing a Saadhanaa. Some sages and ordinary natives too sat in Tapomudraa and started chanting one particular Mantra n number of times i.e. several Laakh or crores without counting and that Jap gets converted into Tapas, Tapo Nidraa, Tapo Samaadhi and all those states of mind help in synchronized alignment between the body, mind and soul and helps the native realize and become one with god or god himself.

while eulogizing the Jaap of any Mantra, these verses are narrated:
jakaro janmavichchheda, pakara paapanaashaka,   tasmat jap iti prokto janma paapavinaashakah.
"ja" denotes Janma Naashanam and "pa" denotes Paap Naashanam.
krishnajine gyaanasiddhir moksha srirvyaghrach armani,  kushaasane mantra siddhirnatra kaarya vicharaan
doing Jap on deer skin gets "Gyaan". doing Jap on tiger skin gets "Moksh". Doing Jap on Kush or Darbhaa Aasan helps the Mantra attains its Siddhi.
tat poorvabhimukham vasyam, dakshinam chabhicharikam,   paschimam dhanadam, vidyatuttaram shantikam bhavet
those seeking Vasheekaran, do Jap facing East, To kill  enemies do Jap facing South. To seek wealth and knowledge facing West. To seek peace do Jap facing north.
yaksh rakshaa pishaachasch graha sarvecha bheeshanah,   jaapinam nopasarpanti bhayabheet samantate
all fearful planets, Bhoot, Pret, Pishaach, Raakshas, Yaksh etc. cannot come close to a person who does Jap daily.

Answering specifically on the Panchaaksharee or Shadaaksharee Mantra asked by Sushmaji, the following verse is pertinent.
tasmat sarva prado mantra syama panchaakshar smriti;   streebhi shoodraischa sankeernairaatra muktishcha kankshitam
nasya deekshaa nahomascha nasamskaro natarpanam,   sakalamupadesascha sadasuchirayam manuh.

Om Namah Shivaaya Mantra can be recited by men, women, children of all castes and all get Moksh from it. This Mantra does not require any Deeksha, Upadesh, Hom, Tarpan, Kalaniyam etc. Out of this Panchaaksharee Mantra, Shiv is meant for removal of sins and prefixing Namah gives Moksham. Without going to scriptural ordains, any native may take a Sankalp to himself or herself to chant daily say 108 times of a particular Mantra as advised by his or her guru and do it religiously.

Natives may not confuse with the Mantra Saadhanaa wherein Saadhak and Taantrik follow strict procedures and various rituals to attain Siddhi of a Mantra and once the Mantra attains Siddhi, then have separate usage Mantra to derive benefits out of it. We discussed this subject in detail few years ago while discussing on what Mantras Grihasth shall avoid on the thread Shat Prayog.

Hence, to answer simply to the specific query, each Mantra has a separate number of times recital and not in round figures of one Laakh, two Laakh etc. and some have 1.25, 2.5 Laakh. Some Mantra are asked to recite 228 times daily for 43 days and 190 times on the 44th day. There are thousands of Mantra having different set of rules, numbers or count for recital etc. and there is no one rule as such.
hope the above information helps.
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By Rohini Ranjan, on
The question is simply: Once the Sankalp is over and the requisite number of Japams have been accomplished with care and concentration, is there a set procedure for maintaining the level through continued Jaap (I assume that by then it becomes a habit and the saying and listening of the Mantra becomes a spontaneous habit/practice) but is there a set number of repetitions required?

I realize that Mantra Jaap may not be like a physical muscle-building exercise (x number of reps and cycles required to maintain the level of muscular tone and shape) or even like a vaccination which would need periodic booster doses at specified intervals to keep the level of immunity effective.
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Pt Arjun's Reply to Rohinee on 16 Jun 2011
Your query is a doubt which comes to all of us. suppose one specific Mantra has n number of recitals or a count of say one Laakh assigned after completion of which it gives Siddhi. The native mentions the desire in his or her Sankalp before starting the Mantra recital itself and thus he or she gets the benefit once the requisite count is over. Should the native needs another desire, another similar count has to be performed. here an allegory may be shared that is how the whole process of conception, pregnancy and childbirth happens all over a period of one year, should the native needs another child, the whole process has to be repeated. There are very rare chances of a native getting twins, triplets etc. Within one birth itself which is one in a Laakh. similarly, very few Mantra give two or three simultaneous benefits in one course but most mantras give only one benefit at a time.

The above is for those natives who are Grihasth and who wish to pursue simple Saatwik Mantra that give them mundane benefits.

Saadhanaa and Kathor Saadhanaa involving several prefixed and suffixed rituals besides Mantra Jap and then having separate usage Mantra etc. are different and we may leave it off the discussion as they are like a surgical knife safely to be handled only by a surgeon.

You were expressing a doubt that once you finish the count, no need for repeat course or rendition. Imagine you call your child having the name of a god to serve some Namkeen, he comes and attends your call when you call him. suppose after some time you need him one more time this time to serve you water, you have to call him again! some devout Bhakt are of the opinion that once they are aligned with the Bhagvaan or Bhagvatee whom they are worshipping daily as a habit or natural process like breathing, they feel that their god or goddess knows what is needed and hence do not ask or call. Should your doubt be under such devout Bhakt, then no repeat rendition is required.
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Arjun again
the narration of how the Lakshya or the objective is met by so and so Mantra, was focusing more on the efficacy part than mere count. so my focusing on Lakshya instead of Laksh was deliberate. also one more philosophy conveyed is that, be it a plea or wish, when the native embarks upon chanting a Mantra n number of times without counting, unknowingly the native attains various levels of spiritual elevation due to different planes or states of mind evolving into aligning with the god. simply put, number becomes irrelevant for a Grihasth and if the native keeps chanting a Mantra daily, sooner than later the spiritual elevation makes him or her feel like god and the god within awakens.

 

 

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Updated on 04/07/12