A "mantra" is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have psychological and spiritual powers. Mantra meditation helps to induce an altered state of consciousness.
The earliest mantras were composed in Vedic Sanskrit by Hindus in India, and are at least 3000 years old. Mantras now exist in various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.In Japanese Shingon tradition, the word Shingon means mantra. Similar hymns, chants, compositions, and concepts are found in Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Christianity, and elsewhere.
Mantras come in many forms, including ṛc (verses from the Rigveda for example) and sāman (musical chants from the Sāmaveda for example).They are typically melodic, mathematically structured meters, believed to be resonant with numinous qualities. At its simplest, the word ॐ (Aum, Om) serves as a mantra. In more sophisticated forms, mantras are melodic phrases with spiritual interpretations such as a human longing for truth, reality, light, immortality, peace, love, knowledge, and action.Some mantras have no literal meaning, yet are musically uplifting and spiritually meaningful.
Vedas: Vedas are called Apourusheya ApO{ÀX [ i.e. NOT of human origin.
Anaadi- Without beginning in terms of time— Infinite is Vedas.
Great sage Ved Vyasa divided these Vedas into four main branches.
Rig Veda
Yajur Veda
Sam Veda
Atharvana Veda
As the time passed, the Yajur Veda got further subdivided into:
Krishana Yajur Veda
Shukla Yajur Veda
Further, each Veda has three portions.
These are:
The Samhitas
The Braahmanas
Aranyakas
Om (A-u-m, the primordial Sound)
Pranav, from which all the Vedas emerged.
Sri Rudram, also Known as Rudra prashana, is a hymn devoted to Lord Shiva. It is from chapter 24 of Krishan yajur Veda Taittraya Samhita and is one of the greatestof all the Vedic hymns. Rudram is divided into 11 sections called Anuvakas, Chamakam one of the 11 section of Sri Rudram contains 21 shalokas.
Given below are 4 shalokas which are part of chamakam and are recommended to be recited 11 times in the morning and evening.
Benefit: These hymns of Sri Rudram are for all round benefit and to remove all doshas (blemishes) and difficulties, as they are really potent mantras. They are very good to render protection against evils-effects of Saturn’s transit, bad result of Karmic distributions planet ‘Rahu’.
Rules to Recite:
The letters of mantras must be spoken very lucidly.
The letters should not be blurred.
The sound shouldn’t Slip –down or fade-out.
The comparison is with a mother tiger carrying its cub. Tigers carry their cubs by their teeth. The cub is held firmly so that it does not slip and fall, but at the same time teeth do not cause any hurt or pain. Likewise words are to be pronounced delicately but firmly.
Audio-clips of all the mantras are put on here with, so that the readers may achieve Akshar Shudhi (correct pronunciation), Mantra Shudhi (right duration of chanting) and Sware Shudhi (right intonation) for each syllable, by following audio-clips.
Meaning : May I through your grace win the happiness of this world and other worlds and that which is desirable and pleasing, happiness in heaven, dear relatives and friends, auspiciousness, well-being, a good home, family, success, good fortune, and wealth. May I be granted a Guru with powers of control and a guardian like a father. May I have protection, courage, the favour of all, honour, the knowledge of Vedic scriptures, knowledge due to experience, the ability to inspire others, and progeny. May I be granted a plow. May I have the ability to overcome difficulties and experience the Truth and the nectar of immortality. May I be free from diseases, be healthy, and receive medicines for restoring life and for giving long life. May I experience the absence of unfriendly people and also fearlessness. May I have good conduct, a good, bed, good mornings, and good days.
Meaning: May I through Your grace be granted greatness, leadership, anger toward inner enemies, anger towards outer enemies, a deep understanding, sweet water, the power to conquer, fame, lands and property, sons and grandsons, and an unbroken lineage. May I have growth of wealth, growth of good qualities, truth, faith, material wealth, gold and money, the power to attract, luster of the body, sports and games and the pleasures derived from them. May I be granted the knowledge of the past and the future, good speech and good deeds, savings of wealth of the past, and wealth to be acquired in the future. May all things be easy for me; my I have a good path, increased wealth and prosperity, material strength, strength of the intellect, and a discriminating and unfailing mind.