Chandogya Upanishad 1.10.1-1.11.3 Lecture 148 on 19 October 2025 Q&A
Question 1: On the Power and Efficacy of Different Prayers
Student A: Maharaj, everywhere we see a lot of prayers, stuthis, mantras, shlokas, different kinds, and they say this is the most powerful, that is the most powerful. Is there really a difference between the different prayers?
Maharaj: You see, there will be devotees of Rama, devotees of Krishna, devotees of Kali, devotees of Shiva, Subrahmanyam, Ganesha, etc. Now they are all contributors. So he has to—if he praises one prayer, then the others will withdraw their contribution, and therefore he has to praise everyone.
What I am trying to tell you: God is one. He manifests according to the likes of his devotees. This is called Ishta Devata, isn't it? Every prayer is absolutely God's prayer only. It gives the same result. Whatever the person who is praying, depending upon—does he want Dharma, does he want Artha, does he want Kama, does he want Moksha?
For example, you know, many people look down upon Ganesha, but there is a hymn which says: So, parabrahma-rūpaṃ gaṇeśaṃ bhajema. For the devotee of Ganesha, Ganesha is the very manifestation of Parabrahma, isn't it? For Krishna devotee is Krishna, for Rama devotee is Rama, for Kali devotee is my mother. I call my mother Brahma. When she is doing something, I call her Shakti. When she doesn't do anything, I call the same mother as Brahman, isn't it?
There is absolutely nothing called important hymns and unimportant hymns. It all depends upon what a person wants urgently, what value he puts upon that particular mantra, every mantra. That is why, what is it called?
Student A: Mananat trayate.
Maharaj: Ah!
The Story of the Pumpkin Mantra
So, this is a small story, you know. One fellow, a villager wanted to learn a mantra for snake bite. So, there was a very famous fellow. This villager, very innocent person, he went there, prostrated, and said, "Sir, please teach me the mantra by which you are able to cure thousands of snake biters, snake bitteners."
So, that man looked contentiously and said, "Kushmanda, Kushmanda."
So, this man got the mantra. He went back, started repeating Kushmanda. Very soon, Mantra Chaitanyam occurred. In the village, somebody was bitten by a poisonous snake. He rushed there because nobody knew about him. He uttered the mantra and touched him. And that man got up as if nothing had happened.
So, very soon, slowly, slowly, his name and fame also started spreading. And this main person, the guru, who was supposed to be an expert, he used to live in the capital near the king. And the king had a daughter. One day, she was bitten by a very poisonous snake. And she fell down unconscious on the verge of death.
The king immediately called him. He came running and he uttered his mantra. Nothing happened. Then the king was whispered by the prime minister that we heard of another person who is doing miracles. And then let us try him. Because this man had failed anyway.
So, they sent news and he was brought immediately. He must have been brought by the fastest horses. And then this person, he came and immediately understood the grave situation. Grave situation means situation which will lead next to the grave.
So, he rushed to the girl and started repeating the mantra. And immediately the girl woke up as if she was sleeping deeply. The Rajamantrika was astonished. "What I could not accomplish, this villager!" He completely forgot about it. So, he asked, "Who is your guru?"
This man made a Shastanga pranam and said, "Sir, you yourself have initiated me. You gave me that marvellous mantra."
"What mantra did I give you?" Because he was doubting himself.
"Sir, you said the Maha Mantra called Kushmanda."
This fellow did not know what is the Sanskrit meaning of the word. Sanskrit word Kushmanda. Kushmanda means pumpkin. He meant village pumpkin! "What? I have to give you mantra?" So, he said "You kushmanda!" This fellow heard only "Kushmanda", thought the great guru had given him mantra. With complete faith he started repeating it, and it was working miracles.
The Lesson of Shraddha
So, the whole story is: if a person is endowed with Shraddha, any mantra will do. It becomes truly mantra when the mantra is done, it awakens. That is called Mantra Chaitanya.
So, what is the name of Rama? What does the name of Rama really mean to people in Poland or Netherlands or other places? Does it mean anything? No. Rama, Krishna, all these things. But for Hindus, those who know, they have been taught Shiva means God, Krishna means God, Rama means God, etc. Isn't it?
So, it all depends upon. God has billions of names. As many names as we have, dictionary has so many names. So, no mantra is inferior. It depends upon how much Shraddha we have in that mantra. God is one. Any name of His, infinite names, infinite forms of God.
Question 2: On Sankalpa in Nishkama and Kamyartha Japam
Student B: Swamiji, Namaskar. Actually, it is not directly related to the lecture here. But something related like, there are some Kamyartha Japas and Nishkama Japas. When we do the Nishkama Japam without any desire, we are just doing it for our satisfaction. In such case also, in the Sankalpa, we say Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha, Artham. In the Sankalpam, should we desire those things? That is one question.
The second question is, in case of Kamyartha Japam, regularity should be definitely done as something like that.
Maharaj: Correct. As prescribed in the Shastra. So, what is the second question?
Student B: Second question is, in the Nishkama Japam, should we also say in the Sankalpam about the Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha, Artham?
Answer to the First Question
Maharaj: Okay. The answer to that is, we don't need to remove Dharma Artha, Kama. We can make a meaning and say that I will lead a Dharmic life. Of course, for my life, I require some Artha and some Kama, isn't it?
Student B: Yes.
Maharaj: So, let everything that I do, let my very breath be directed towards one goal, that is Mukti.
We don't need to remove the mantras. But we mean, I only want Mukti, let all this be helpful means. That is the answer to your first question. Don't remove anything. Meaning will be changing, that's all. I don't care much about Artha, Kama. Dharma definitely, not Artha and Kama. But Artha, Kama also, to maintain the body and mind, whatever minimum is required, that is required, isn't it?
Answer to the Second Question
The second question is, if it is for the purpose of fulfilling a desire, we should be very strict about how the scripture instructs us. First, the second, this, third, this. It should be done like this, that should be like that. We should not deviate from that.
But if our goal is Moksha, you don't need to bother about these things. You do first thing last, last thing first, because you are not caring for Dharma, Artha and Kama. You are only caring for Moksha. That is the answer.