SOHAM ! SOHAM !SOHAM

Chant the"Soham" Mantra every day with your Prana, Without (using) the tongue, without the teeth, All through 24 hours, either sleeping or awake, Never count them even for a moment. Soham! Soham ! Soham !

SOHAM-JAPA;- Soham means "I am He". "I am Brahman." Sa-Aham. Sa means He. Aham is L "He am I." This Mantra signifies the identity of Jiva and Brahman. This Mantra comes in Isavasya Upanishad. "Soham Asmi." Soham is only OM. Delete the consonants S and H and you get the OM. Soham is a modified Pranava or OM. It is the greatest of all Mantras. Some like Soham better than OM. Because they find it convenient and easy to associate it with, to mix it with the breath. Further there is no effort in doing Japa of this Mantra. The natural breath reminds one of this Mantra. If anyone simply concentrates on the breath, if he simply watches the breath that is quite sufficient. The Jiva or the individual soul is repeating this Mantra unconsciously 21,600 times within 24 hours. Even during sleep also the Soham repetition goes on by itself. Watch 

the breath very carefully and you will know this. When you inhale, the sound So is produced. When you exhale Ham is produced. This is termed Ajapa Mantra because this is done without moving the lips along with the breath. Repeat So mentally when you inhale. Repeat Ham mentally when you exhale. Do 21,600 times daily or more according to your convenience and time at your disposal. If you can repeat for l0 hours it is all the more better. The more, the merrier. Read Hamsa Upanishad. Some repeat the compound Mantra "Hamsa-Soham". They repeat in this manner to produce more force "Hamsa Soham-Soham Hamsa". It creates a deeper

impression.

We can use to repeat in a loud tone "Hamsa Soham-Soham Hamsa".We say "God is Love-Love is God." This gives more force. Similarly "Hamsa Soham-Soham Hamsc" gives more force.

am Brahman-Brahman I am" intensifies the force of the Mantra. The aspirant gets more strength. His conviction grows stronger. Repetition in this manner corresponds to the repetition of the Mahavakya "Aham Brahma Asmi" by some in the manner "Aham Brahma Asmi-Brahmaivaham Asmi". They tum the Mantra again. "Analhaq " of the Sufistic Fakirs, correspondsto"Soham" of the Paramahamsa Sannyasins. Guru Nanak highly extols this Mantra.

"I

Soham Song 1..

Hamsa Soham, Soham Hamsa Hamsa Soham, Soham Hamsa.

2.

Analhaq Analhaq, Analhaq Analhaq, Analhaq Sivoham, Analhaq Sivoham, Analhaq Sivoham, Analhaq Sivoham. Sivaivaham Sivaivaham Sivoham.

J. Sivaivaham 

4. Brahmaivaham Brahmaivaham Brahmaivaham Brahmoham. (Hamsa Soham ....)

SOHAM- DHYANA;-

(Meditation on Soham) Soham Dhyana is similar to meditation on OM. Just as the fourth year student in B.A. takes up advanced Physics, Practical

Chemistry, Differential Calculus, etc., an advanced student in Dhyana Yoga also takes up the Soham Dhyana. When the gross impure mind is prepared by Japa of Soham for some months, the student can take up meditation of Soham. For meditation a steady mind is needed. There is a continuous flow of one idea of Brahman only in Soham meditation like the steady flow of oil when it is poured from one vessel into another. All other ideas are shut out. When the mind drops down into worldly thoughts, you will have to withdraw the mind, elevate and fix it again on Brahman. There is a struggle in the beginning. Later on the meditation becomes habirual. In Soham Dhyana you will have to associate the various attributes of Brahman with the Manha such as, Sat-Chit- Ananda, Infinity, Eternity, Immortality, Paripoorna, Advaita, etc. In meditation of Soham the Brahmic, all-pervading feeling, the feeling of 'Aham Chaitanya' becomes keen and intense. There is one important thing in Dhyana of Soham. When you feel 'I am He', you must not mistake the body for the real Aham. Many make serious mistake in this direction. You will have to negate or deny the body first. The pure consciousness that is inside the heart is the real 'I'. That is your real Self.

"Will it not intensify our Ahamkara if we say 'I am Brahman,' 'I am He'?" No. It cannot thicken our egoism. Some say,

This is only Sattvic Ahamkara. This is Suddha Ahamkara. This is Moksha Ahamkara. It cannot bind anyone. It is your birthright to repeat 'Soham'. It is your special privilege to say so. Just as the son of a Raja has the birthright of styling himself 

as Yuva Raja, so also you have the

birthright of calling yourself

with a loud voice in an authoritative manner Soham-'I

am He', because you are the son of Brahman. No one can stand in your way. Don't be afraid. Start the Soham continuous current.

Go on repeating

now-SohamSoham-Soham-Soham. Soham-Soham-Soham.

Brahman is awaiting inside the heart to receive you with outstretched hands and to help you when He hears yotx Sohamrepetition.

Pranava Japa (Japa of Om)

What Sri Ram Mantra is for a Vairagi of Ayodhya, what Hrim is for a Tantric of Bengal, what Gayatri is for a Brahmin, so is Om or Pranava for a Vedantin or Sannyasin of Rishikesh. Om is otherwise known as "Omkara" "Ek Al<shara" (monosyllable) or "Udgita" in Chhandogya Upanishad. Repeat Om 21,600 times,200 Maalas (200 Maalas X 108 = 21,600). It will take from 2 to 3 hours. Any man or woman (Brahmavadin) whose mind is sincerely turned towards Brahman, who has mental Sannyasa, and who has Vedantic Samskaras and real taste in Vedanta can repeat this Mantra. Om is the name of Brahman. Om is your real name. All languages and words emanate from Om. All worlds emerge out from Om. Japa of Om is of three kinds, viz.:

Manasic Japa: This is done mentally. Lips do not move. This is more powerful than the other two kinds. It brings fruits one crore times more than that ofthe other two varieties. (2) Upamsz.' doing Japa in a whisper. It is humming of Om. Your neighbour cannot hear. This brings fruits 1,000 times more than that of the Vaikhari Japa. (3) Vaikhari Japo: This is done in a loud tone (Uccha).

(l)

An

intettigent man can do Manasic Japa of Om at once to start withOrdinary people should take up the Vaikhari Japa at the very outset. They should use Maala (beads) too. Gradually they can take up to Manasic Japa. Sornetimes you will have to change yourself from Manasic to Vaikhari and Upamsu when the mind becomes to wander widely. It wants variety and gets disgusted with monotony. That is its nature. Know the ways of the mind. You must slowly increase the Japa to 50,000 daily. First class aspirants ((Jttama Adhikaris) with Vairagya and intense zeal, who have given their lives for entire devotion of Atman, and Atman alone should repeat Om for 20 hours. They should take sole refuge on Om (Pranava Japa Parayana)' They should eat Om, drink Om, sleep Om, walk Om, sing Om, chant Om. They should sleep for 4 hours onlY.

You

will get everything by Japa of Om. You will

get

Kaivalya. Japa is the greatest Yajna. "Yajnanam Japa Yaino Asmi-Of all sacrifices, sacrifice of silent repetition." (Gita: X-25.) (Smarana, Chintana of Om) am the

Smarana of Om, Chintana of Om are Japa of Om only. Smarana is remembering of Om. Chintana is thinking of OmJapa is a continuous flow of repetition of Mantra like taila-dhara (flow of oil). Smarana of Om may sometimes be broken and intemrpted. (Dhyana of Om)

Dhyana

of Om (meditation of Om) is for

advanced

persons. It needs Bhava (feeling) with association of Brahmic ideas as Eternity, Infiniry Immortality, Paripoornam, Sat-Chit-Ananda. The Japa will end in Dhyana. Dhyana will end in Atma Sakshatkara or Atma Darshan.

oM! oM! oM! 

Chanting of Om A roud sound,, r.TJi.'/;T;:'::],, om om is repeated with a big sound with3ftMatras. The time taken to rotate once the conjoined thumb and the index fingers of the right hand around the knee joint is the period of one Matra. when a man is sleeping the ordinary time taken for one breathing (including both inspiration and expiration) is one Matra period. According to some other people the time taken for one winking of the eye is a Matra. The Pranava sound is generated in the Nabhi (navel) the

Brahmarandhra on the top of the head with the closing sound M' The vibration ofM is prolonged for some time. The chanting of om is done several times for half an hour. It drives away all worldly thoughts and removes wkshepa (distraction). It is very powerful. The Pancha Koshas vibrate rhythmically when Om is chanted. Chanting of Om infuses new vigour in the body. Five persons can sit in a circle and then can chant om in a chorus. It will be beautiful and exhilarating. All can at once feel a new life.

with the sound O and taken up very slowly to

As soon as you sit on the Asana, chant Om three or four times. You can make a mountain move by chanting Om. Just as you can blow out a mountain by the electrons when they are set in a proper vibration and motion with a particular charge of electricity, so also you can blow a mountain by proper chanting of Om. When you feel depressed chant Om 50 times. you will be filled with new vigour and strength. Chanting of Om is a powerful tonic. You need not pay anything to the doctor. When you chant Om feel you are the pure all-pervading light and consciousness. There is another kind of chanting om with lg Matras. It is very, very long chanting. It takes a long time. The Pranava is Deergha. Those who chant om will have a powerful, sweet voice. Ekagrata of mind comes quickly by chanting Om. when you take walk in the morning and evening you can chant Om nicely. Walk alone. You can sing Om in a beautiful way 

also. Take refuge in Om. Live in Om. Remember Om at all times. Chant Om in a moon-lit night. Chant Om when you walk along the sea-side or the banks of a river. Paramahamsa Mantra

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Om Soham Hamsah Paramahamsah Paramatma ChinmaYoham; SvarooPoham Sat-Chit-Ananda Soham Brahma Om. Paramahamsa Sannyasins should repeat this Mantra daily. The identity of Jiva and Brahman is shown in this Mantra. "I am

self-knowledge. I am He. I am the Svaroopa. I am Brahman' I am Sat-Chit-Ananda." That is the meaning. Hamsa Gayatri Om HamsaYa Vidmahe, Paramahamsaya dheemahi; Tanno Hamsah PrachodaYat.

Let us know the Hamsa (Brahman.) Let us meditate on Hamsa. May that Hamsa (Brahman) enlighten us (Guide us). Brahma Abhyasa (Meditation of Brahman)

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Tat chintanam tat kathanam anyonyam tat prabodhanam, Etat eka paratvam cha brahmabhyasam viduh budhah. 

"Thinking on That, talking on That, conversing with each other on That-all these alone, wise men know as Brahma Abhyasa." (Panchadasi: XIII-83.)