Japa is considered to be a yagna. It is the greatest, easy and natural tool. In general it should be shortest possible. It should also be easy and not complicated to pronounce. Sound has three places 1) umbilicus, 2) throat and 3) crown of head. Japa should touch all these three places. It is best kind of sadhana if japa touches specific place with specific word, with awareness of the purpose and continuity in mental awareness of this kind of japa. It is called yagna for a reason. We should be willing, happy and eager to offer ourselves for the purpose of gaining strength in our bhavna to progress towards our goal. Everything needs to be offered in yagna. Whatever springs up in our mind, prana etc needs to be offered as a homage ( burned as in a yagna ) with knowledge and devotion. We also need to pray at the same time. Yagna means process of reaching or achieving our goal while continuing the offering. This is possible only when you can create appropriate circumstances and atmosphere. When devotional aspect of japa manifests in mental memory, then only continuity of this devotional bhava is maintained in heart. This bhava leads to intense attraction and under its effect we get engrossed in dhyan ( meditation ). Eventually this leads to ultimate height of dhyan and we get glimpses of various aspects of truth.
If we want to tread the road towards God, all activities that is promoted by our ego and natural tendencies of mind and prana must be sacrificed with clear understanding. Obviously this can not be accomplished in short period of time. If we have sincerely decided to progress towards our life’s goal, then there will be inner understanding and comprehension of this progress. Whenever there is sincerity of heart, there will always be corresponding thoughts and solution of the problem. It also leads to clear understanding and intuitive sense of purpose. If we want to progress in this path, we must be ready and eager to sacrifice our worldly desires, expectations, covetousness, sexual desires, anger, greediness, infatuation, ego and jealousy in this yagna of developing our life. It is definite that you will not progress even an inch without this sacrifice.
Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan sanshodhan
Edition 1; pages 320 - 321.
