“The Yoga Sūtra become as if metaphysical Mantra,
when they can be an internal intonation,
as well as an external edification.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 28

“To be within the presence of the Mantra
is to be within the presence of Grace.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 28

“Tapas is Proper Diet, Mantra Chanting and Self-Inquiry.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 46

“According to one’s capability and reference,
Prāṇāyāma done along with Mantra yields fruits
in the treatment of all kinds of diseases.”
– From T Krishnamacharya’s composition,
the Yoga Rahasya Chapter One verse 84

“The Guru must judge how serious is the desire and the faith
and then teach the Mantra that he considers most appropriate.
In any event,
he needs to know that it may be that there will be no positive result,
because a lot depends on the attitude of the student.”
– T Krishnamacharya

“Disciples often show themselves as changeable.
One day they are passionately interested in studying this or that Mantra
and the next day they have lost interest.”
– T Krishnamacharya

“The moon,
whose rays are auspicious for the gathering of medicinal herbs,
is the god of herbs,
whilst the light of the sun gets to the bottom of all impurities.
This is why we recite Mantra to these two stars,
during the preparation of Āyurveda remedies.”
– T Krishnamacharya

“Holding the breath gives us a moment when there is nothing happening.
A moment when it should be possible to count.
In fact, the best time to introduce Mantra is not during
inhalation or exhalation but while holding the breath.
It is said that a moment of holding the breath is a moment of Dhyāna.
Some Mantra are very long.
Since we do not have to concentrate on breathing while holding the breath,
these longer Mantra can be recited correctly.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Nine Page 128-129

“I think once you know how to recite the Praṇava
orally you will be able to do it silently.
And perhaps each time you can add a little meaning
to it as well as find a little more meaning in it.
The best way is to begin orally and
then transfer it to a mental recitation.
Then you can easily use it in your Yoga practice.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga ‘Various Approaches to Yoga’ Chapter Seventeen Page 238

“The number of times you say OM on inhalation, holding the breath,
and exhalation is influenced by the length of the breath.
We cannot fix the number of recitations on the basis of the Praṇava itself.
We can only fix it on the basis of a person’s capacity of breath.
If you are simply using OM, it can go with almost any ratio.
If you are using something more complex, say Gāyatrī Mantra,
it is very long and has different structures so there are regulations on
how many times you say it when you inhale, hold the breath, and exhale,
and in what part of the Mantra you can break, etc.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga ‘Various Approaches to Yoga’ Chapter Seventeen Page 238-239

“A teacher who knows us very well might give us a Mantra
which has a particular connotation because of the way it has been arranged.
It that Mantra is repeated in the way it has been instructed,
if we are aware of the meaning and if perhaps we want to use a particular image,
Mantra Yoga brings about the same effect as Jñāna Yoga or Bhakti Yoga.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga ‘Various Approaches to Yoga’ Chapter Seventeen Page 240

“People often ask me if I teach Āsana.
When I say “Yes, I do.” they say,
“Oh you are a Haṭha Yogi.”
If I talk about the Yoga Sūtra
they say, “You are a Rāja Yogi.”
If I say I am chanting the Veda,
they say, “You are a Mantra Yogi.”
If I say I just practice Yoga,
they can’t understand.
They want to put a label on me.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga ‘Various Approaches to Yoga’ Chapter Seventeen Page 247-248

“Sāṃkhya will not make sense to
those people who have not tried anything.
i.e. Prayer, Mantra, Medicine.”
– TKV Desikachar on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“One’s own actions can develop or make one Guṇa prominent.
Thus we can plan or practice Āsana or Prāṇāyāma to promote one Guṇa.
The practice of Yoga can influence the Guṇa.
the room where you practice can affect the Guṇa
by photographs, colour of paint, smell.
Even Mantra are classified into Guṇa.
This needs to be considered when using Mantra for the individual.
Meditation can be related to the Guṇa.
The object of our inquiry must be related or,
in accordance with what we want to produce.”
– TKV Desikachar on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“A Mantra is only a Mantra if it is special and secret,
and has been personally bestowed by someone
with whom you have a special relationship.
It must be pronounced properly”
– TKV Desikachar 1980

“In Mīmāṃsā (a philosophical system to interpret the Veda, especially the Brāhmaṇa and Mantra, with the object of correctly performing the Veda rituals) there is a word called Prayoga (connection).
The same Mantra has to be recited differently for different rituals.
Or different Mantra in the same ritual.
So even here different applications are needed, the ancients recognised this.
There is a verse which says that if the Mantra is not used correctly it has the opposite effect and destroys or boomerangs.
Instead of doing good it will harm.
This is Mithyā Prayoga (wrong connection) with an opposite effect.
Having spoken of viniyoga (appropriate application), now looking at important points the old teachers used to convey these ideas.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“Sound is something that takes you in the direction of its origin.”
– TKV Desikachar speaking with his senior Western students London 1998

“The word Mantra means something that we will ponder,
that we will reflect upon.
That is, you go to a teacher,
they say something and I go back home and reflect upon that.
That is the essential feature of Mantra, to reflect upon again and again.
The purpose of Mantra is to help us cross a harbour, an obstacle.
That is why the definition of Mantra is:
मननात् त्रायते इति मन्त्रः॥
mananāt trāyate iti mantraḥ ||
Who reflects on this, will cross the obstacle.”
– Extract from an interview with TKV Desikachar on Vedic Chanting

Bhāvana on Ujjāyī as a Dhāraṇā Deśa
“Ujjāyī is a form of Ajapā Mantra.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“The ‘seed’ of potential for Ujjāyī as an
Ajapā Mantra abides within the ‘shell’ of
a Bhāvana for Ujjāyī as a Dhāraṇā Deśa.
The Deśa also needs to be supported by
utilising a locationally relevant Ādhāra,
as in this instance, the Viśuddhi Ādhāra.
Further considerations can be around the
linking of the sound of Ujjāyī to a semantic
thought-form, by adding Mano Japā Rūpa to
this Ajapā, as some do through using Haṃsa.
However, one could argue that this formation,
shifting from a non-language feeling-based
experience into a language thought-based
experience, can detract from the Bhāvana,
in that a unique Lakṣaṇa of Ujjāyī resides in
the notion of ‘sounding’ without language.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“As the spider moving upward by
the thread obtains free space,
thus assuredly the meditator,
moving upward by the Mantra
obtains Svatantra (self dependence).
– Maitrī Upaniṣad Chapter Six verse 22”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“Holding the body steady, with the three upper parts erect,
causing the senses and the mind to enter the heart,
the wise person should cross by the boat of Mantra,
all the fear bringing streams of the mind.”
– Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad Chapter 2 verse 8
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“A Mantra is that which shapes space through vibration of sacred syllables.
In the art of Mantra Saṃskṛta is a sacred tool for shaping sacred form out of space.
Sounding the Saṃskṛta according to the precisions of pronunciation and vibration
manifests the sacred form inherent in each Mantra out of universal space.
The ancient seers understood this process and left us sacred phonemes
to guide our journey into and beyond the self.”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“In some moments the heart melds with the Mantra,
in others the mind grapples with the Mantra,
occasionally there is just the wonder of the Mantra.”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“Nyāsa –
The Art of drawing the Mantra into the Heart through the Body.”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“The practice of Bhakti Dhyānam outlined in the Yoga Sūtra Chapter One
can utilise either Veda Mantra or Tantra Mantra.
The Veda focus is one of external harmony with the forces of nature (Tri Guṇa) and
the Tantra focus is one of internal empowerment within the forces of nature (Tri Guṇa).”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“Yoga Sūtra Chanting for the Mind.
Veda Mantra Chanting for the Soul.”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“The role of Sādhana such
as Mudrā, Mantra and Nyāsa,
are to take one beyond Duḥkha,
rather than take one out of Vikṣepa.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“The art of Viniyoga is about
how you bring life to the Mantra
rather than expecting the Mantra
to bring life to you.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Better not to confuse:
– Bodywork with Āsana.
– Energywork with Mudrā.
– Breathwork with Prāṇāyāma.
– Mindwork with Dhyānam.
– Voicework with Mantra.
– Soulwork with Puruṣa.”
– 108 Yoga Study Path Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• Veda Mantra Chanting Practice – PDF’s & MP3 Sound Files Support Resources
• Yoga Sūtra Chanting Practice – PDF’s and MP3 Sound Files Support Resources
• Correct vibrational intonation was an important emphasis within all aspects of Mantra initiation
• Learning Support for Chanting the Pavamāna Mantra – Asato Mā Sadgamaya
• Learning Support for Chanting the Śuci Mantra or Prāṇa Apāna – Slow speed
• Learning Support for Chanting the Śuci Mantra or Prāṇa Apāna – Normal speed
• Learning to Chant the Four Chapters of the Yoga Sūtra……
• Navarātri or the Nine Nights of Durgā as a time for Mantra Sādhana……
• One example of this depth is Krishnamacharya’s lesser-known work in the teaching of Mantra……
• Sound – A Means Beyond Āsana and Prāṇāyāma……
• The breadth, depth and potential of Desikachar’s teachings on practice……
• This particular full moon day is known as Guru Pūrṇimā……
• To help guide our Dhyānam Sādhana the Indian tradition offers precious……
• YOGA AND MODERN MEDICINE – Interview by TKV Desikachar
• YOGA: SURGERY SANS INSTRUMENTS – Interview with TKV Desikachar 1998