THE POWER OF THE THE TWELVE LETTER WORD MANTRA
Dhruva was only just five years old. It was not expected of him to recite various hymns from Vedas leave alone sing in praise of the Supreme Being when he intended to undergo intense penance to achieve his goals.
Saint Narada, who gave him the required advice as to how to focus his mind on Shri Vasudeva, the Supreme Being, in the form in which it is required. This was easily grasped by Dhruva.
Now, coming to the mantras to be recited, Saint Narada asked him to recite only the twelve letter mantra - “ oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ”.
Stanzas 53 and 54 of Chapter 8 Volume 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam are Saint Narada’s words in which he says to Dhruva as follows:
“ Hey the Prince ! Please listen from me the most mystical/secret hymn. The person who continues reciting this hymn consistently for all the seven days shall be able to see those travelling in the sky (the divine beings).
The hymn with twelve letter word mantra “ oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ” containing the meaning “ I offer my respectful obeisances to that Supreme Being, Who is the blissful effulgence within the purest hearts, the repository of all prosperities and qualities, Sri Vasudeva,” has to be recited by the intelligent human being, taking into special account about the time and place, and with various kinds of materials, and conduct the offerings of reverence on Shri Hari with those on Shri Hari with those materials.”
He goes on to explain further that the offering of reverence to Shri Narayana Murthy has to be done with the most pure water, the garland of forest flowers, the fruits and vegetables,the most beautiful and fresh buds and grass, the most endearing (to Bhagavan) Tulasi leaves. (Stanza 55)
Now Saint Narada goes on to explain the material elements which can be used as the object of worship, as well as how to bring about the excellence of purity for conducting the worship. (Stanza 56 and 57)
Those materials can be any available stalk (the stem or the main axis of a plant) or any such other material which can be used as the Deity for the purpose of performing worship. Either in that form of Deity or else one can also have, as the form of Deity, the collection of earth, or water, or any such other material upon which one can do the worship of offering.
The performer of worship should have absolute control of his mind, equilibrium of mind, be very much composed from within, should have fettered the of use his words and also should have controlled diet by eating whatever is available in the forest.
Whatever the prescribed methods of worship towards the Bhagavan have been determined through their sincere performance by the ancestors, all of them can be carried out for that Supreme Personality, Who is the embodiment of the hymns (Vedas), by just reciting the most appropriate twelve letter hymn ( oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ) itself. (Stanza 58).
The above explanation of Saint Narada confirms and declares to the whole world that no special hymns or any other mantras need to be recited while performing worship, if one does not known all of them or the procedure thereof, except just reciting “ oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya ” . Moreover, he has also made it very clear that one can worship the Supreme Being in any form of deity out of the materials collected so easily (as mentioned above). The materials to be offered as worship are also so simple. The most important part of his advice is also that the recitation of this mantra can be done without adhering to any prescribed procedures and can be followed as a principle of worship by just reciting the same suiting the special situation of place and time, meaning thereby that it need not be a place of particular location but anywhere in the world.
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