Qualification of getting Moola Mantra upadesam

Query :-

Swami sharanam,

Some of our friends asked, what is the qualification of getting Moola Mantra upadesam. (Sastha  or any god)

I have not answered to them, since I feel you are the right person to answer authentically.

According to me if the person is ready for this it comes automatically, but  I I say this they may not believe and they expected detailed answer.

Can you explain in your blog please.
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I have already given a note here
http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2011/05/guru-mantra-upadesham.html

Moola mantram is the very form of the God... U may be called by one name today (in this janma) and another name tomorrow.. But God's name is permanent... Thats why people are suggested to do Nama Japam and Naama keerthanam...

If Nama japam itself can bring so much glory just imagine how powerful the moola mantram will be? Nama is God's name... whereas Moola Mantram is the very form of God himself.

First of all the Moola Mantram has originated from the Lord Himself. It's the most sacred one in the world.  Right from the start of the creation the moola mantra is used by countless number of Rishis to do the Mantra japam to please the Lord and to get his blessings.

Moola mantram upadesham may happen in two (and rarely three)  ways....

This is what is prescribed in various Tantras like Kularnavam...

1.
First a person is totally immersed in devotion towards a particular God and want to do the upasana...

He surrenders to a particular person - identifying him as his Guru.

Then one has to plead to the Guru for upadesham... And Guru has to observe the sishya and carefully watch his actions for a period of time... Only of he is satisfied he may consider him for giving the mantra upadesham.

For some people only some mantras are suitable; So if a person voluntarily asks for mantra upadesham, his horoscope has to be assessed to check whether this mantram will suit him. Or Siddhari Shodhanam may also be conducted. Most of the Gurus do this and exception from these tests are there for a few mantras.

After this over a period of time, gradually various mantras right from ganapaty (as per the sampradhaya) are given to the disciple

2.
The second case happens due to a divine will - a Mahan or Guru due to his compassion towards the Sishya, gives him the upadesham. Even without asking, one may get the mantra upadesham. This one is actually superior than asking. Its a momentary decision or intuition which makes the Guru to give the upadesham...

Prahalaadha, was given Upadesha of moola mantra from Narada even when Prahalaadha was in the womb.

Iam forunate enough to have personally witnessed few such incidents at Pampa, Veliyanavattam, Karimala and Sannidhanam. Just while sitting in the puja, meditation or Sastha Preethi, the Guru calls someone and gives him the treasure.

3.
The third case, When the Guru parampara order - is in disorder, some divine intervention takes place to set it right... Either the giver should have the blazing fire or atleast the receiver should be a dry log... but in todays case - both are very difficult to find. So for a few very very rare cases mantra a divine force may manifest in dream etc to give the upadesham....  This happens only for one in a million.

.......
So if one is really interested in doing moola mantra japam, one has to catch hold the feet of his guru. Anyway - the qualification for getting a moola mantram - is decided by Bhagawan himself. So one has to sincerely pray to the Ishta deivam to show the proper Guru and to give him the upadesham through the Guru. So once the time comes or rather when "He" feels you are qualified, you get the mantra upadesham.

A very very fortunate person will get to know the moola mantra through proper upadesham. And the person who is now a Shishya of that Acharyan must not at any cost disclose the mantram openly to anyone. These Secred Mantras only when got through an Acharya from a true sampradayam and Guru Parampara, will the power of the potency of these mantras. Only mantras obtained through proper Guru will earn the grace of the Lord.


{The Sishya has to salute the Guru with Dakshina and the Guru has to acknowledge it. This has to be done very clearly... I was wondering why this step is insisted so much?  On pondering over this, it  reminded me of three famous (rather interesting) phrases
1. "Pusthaka Guru" ie Reading the moola mantram from a book and start doing the japam on his own....
This method is not allowed and when practiced, it will not give any result....

2. "Mantra Thiruttu" ie When the Guru is giving upadesham to a sishya, a person making an eavesdrop on them and start chanting on own
This method is a great sin and will give negative result....

3. 2. "Mantra Sweekaranam" ie The person instigating a guru very cleverly and somehow make him utter the moola mantram - and even without the knowledge of the Guru, they themselves consider this as upadesham and start chanting.
This is a worst crime
)

Vigrahams - without worshipping

Dear Guruji / Anna, please clarify my doubts. Can we keep swami vikragams without worshipping it? Some people say you should not  buy it from shops. Then how will we get?

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Swamy Sharanam

For all puja Vigrahams made of metals like copper, bronze or framed pictures the presence of the Lord is invoked by avahanam and pranapratishta and in this case - the presence is there only till the end of the puja. 

But in the case of Ayudams like Shoolam, Vel and Mudravadi and vigrahams made of panchaloka, silver , Gold its nityam sannihitam - so the positive charge is more and will retain the sannidyam - presence of the Lord is always there... This may sound very nice to hear but please understand that this has its own implications . These days people keep all sorts of idols made of plastic, porcelain, rubber, glass, wood etc., but as per shastras even bronze is secondary when compared to gold or silver or panchaloha.

When you have a puja vigraham at home, please understand that you are having a supreme entity at your puja room. And understand each devata right from Maha Ganapati to Lalithambika or Maha Sastha, all are having their own parivara devatas! So even a single trace of act like neglecting the deities, will earn the displeasure of the Parivara. Unless you have the urge and craving desire for the Lord, do not keep on adding the vigrahams.

Question yourself whether you need the Vigraham first of all? For what purpose? If you are planning for something like marriage, promotion, health, financial crisis, happiness, gruha dosham, kalyana dosham, vastu dosham, power etc. etc.? without proper upasana, keeping any vigraham, even if it is made of Chintamani Stone, is useless.

Do we need to setup a CT scan machine at home so that we can get rid of ordinary headache? A simple amrutanjan or crocin would achieve the purpose! So, if one does not understand the significance of the Lord from Guru and does not receive it from him, buying the idol from a shop alone will not bring any good things by its mere presence.

I do agree that for those who are serious about upasana may have an interest in having the Lors's vigraham at home.. But for others there is no pramanam that allows one to keep Vigrahams without the eligible qualification(means mantra upadesham). Puja Vigrahams (even if you order or buy...) should come only through his Guru (with his acknowledgement) and one needs to continue his upasana till then, awaiting the grace.

For certain cases a vigraham may reach you unexpectedly - this is again happening only because of Guru Kripa and nothing elase...

Please understand... Bhakti itself is not upasana... But bhakti combined with upasana is what is expected. Upasana is both physical as well as a mental process where the pradhanyam or importance is to bhaava. Japa is necessarily a mental process and puja, (though done physically) is another great  mental process. The offering of various upacharams with the bhaava is what constitutes of puja. Thus when this bhaava is complimented by Bhakti, upasana is complete. 

Bhaava + Bhakthi = Upasana

Thus, without upaasana (involving bhaava and bhakti), one should not venture into vigraham and complex representations like mudra vadi, shoolam etc. A non-upaasaka who enjoys the Lord with bhakti always has approachable photos, small idols etc. definitely with this open approach he may progress towards upaasana.

If merely keeping the vigrahams is going you to fetch all luxuries, then all handicraft shops must have turned to Kuberapuri...

I met  person few days ago who has almost all vigrahams of all deities of hindu pantheon.(I gave a comment - Out of thirty three crore devatas, I think only one or two will be free from you). The pujas are done only once or twice a month whenever he goes home on vacation.  All other days they sleep inside the box.... What is the point is collecting these vigrahams?

(Ananya bhakti has no reasoning... he may see the Lord in Picture, Paper or any idol made of any material... thats a totally different subject... But we cannot assume ourselves that we have ananya bhakti)

So, unless one has the Guru to guide properly and firm faith in Lord, one should be careful in such things.