Talk Excerpt 214. Swamiji clarifies concerns on Sanskrit mantra vs. regular language prayer.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Devotee: In intense concentration breathing may stop . . .

Swamiji: That will not lead to a problem. Devotee: When it slowly stops on its own?

Swamiji: That is a subtle place in your mind.

Question: What should we do when we find fault?

Swamiji: You may be a teacher, but to find fault is outside your job. And gossip is bad because it means you have registered a fault in your mind and you gossip about it.

Spiritual life without training is a stale bit of bread. The highest thing for a child is education. You must set the highest example and the child will automatically follow. But are you setting the example?

Question: If we do not pray in Sanskrit do we derive the same benefit as those that do?

Swamiji: Ultimately you derive the same benefit from both. This is because the most important thing is the concept you have in your mind – and the faith and concept you have of your Deity [Ishta Devata].

At the same time the Vedas [ancient Hindu scriptures] stress the pronunciation of prayers, it is the very vitality of the Vedic religion. When the bhakti [devotional] cult came about they were not so good at reading and writing, but because of the faith and purity in their minds, it brought results. Only, one is slow and the other is quick.

With mantras pronunciation is more important because each sound in the alphabet represents a different nerve [nadi] in your body. The body has about 72,000 nerves and each has a certain vibration according to your faith, intention and purity.

The free-to-read or download, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.