In our last post, we learned why we should visit temples. We discussed that chanting mantras inside the temple premises impacts us physically and mentally.

Now, how does it happen? Does it happen? What’s the mystery?

Let’s first analyze what sounds are and how they impact our bodies.

Have you ever thought about why music in a disco makes you dance? Music at a very high volume irritates you. Someone singing evil forces you to run away.

Why does this happen?

The human body comprises five elements: fire, water, earth, sky, and ether. Each has its own composition inside the human body.

When you speak or listen to music, the sound produces a vibration that enters your body and your inner ear and has an energy that transfers into your body and your brain. Your brain then converts whatever sound is produced into words. It also vibrates the five elements your body is made up of, giving you the energy to Dance or enjoy

Thus, when you are happy, you listen to happy music; when you are sad, you listen to sad songs.

Similarly, these mantras are just vibrations like any other sound. And have the same properties as sounds like Reflection—refraction, Diffraction, etc.

If you want to understand the mystery of the universe, think in terms of the energy and vibrations.

Nicolas Tesla

Now, inside a temple’s garbha griha, there is no ventilation, but grooves are on the wall to the top. But why??

That’s where sound comes into the picture. The mantras we chant inside the temple are very carefully crafted verses that reflect, refract on various surfaces inside the Garbha griha and move to the top till the shikhara of the temple, which acts as a transmitter, and the stambha/pillar in front of the temple acts as a receiver.

Now, why did I say carefully crafted??

Now, carefully crafted sounds or mantras are vibrations that vibrate the elements of the human body, causing positive vibrations that calm the mind.

Now, is there a way we can control the vibrations generated by Mantras Chanting because, inside the temple Garbha Griha, there is nothing where the sound could reflect except the walls and the Idol, which is either stone or wood?

So, to control the vibrations, we use the refraction of sound. In the Abhishekam ritual, natural elements such as honey, milk, ghee, jaggery, and curd are used to anoint the idol while mantras are chanted.

Combining these five elements is called panchamrit, which is also considered sacred and recommended consumable.

A small video on how the mantras vibrate

So, in short, “मननात् त्रायते इति मन्त्रः।” means repetition (mananat) of which you overcome/protected (trayate) [overcoming or protection from bondage/troubles/cycles of birth and death] is (iti) called Mantra.

Chanting a specific mantra brings about the associated manifestation. “It is often said that mantras must be pronounced correctly.” If the pronunciation changes, the vibration and frequency change reasonably, and you won’t be able to manifest that particular energy in your life.

The pronunciation of Om starts with the Muladhara chakra and ends with the last chakra of our brain, the Sahasara chakra. Try it 🙂