The Shree Yamunashtakam is a stotra and a mantra too. Scholars agree with this statement. We chant different mantras and stotras to fulfil a specific desire, gain some siddhi or moksha or secure the grace of a specific deity. Let us first understand the difference between a mantra and a stotra.
Mantra
A mantra is a potent sacred sound made up of a syllable or a group of words that creates vibrations around us. A mantra has psychological and spiritual powers. Mantras when chanted correctly have a positive impact on our minds. But we need to pay special attention while pronouncing mantras else they may have an adverse impact on our minds. Eg: the Gayatri mantra
Stotra
But stotras on the other hand are not bound by such strict rules. When we chant a stotra, we are like children calling out to an elderly member of our family with affection. Even if we mispronounce their names or are unable to express ourselves clearly, the elders understand us and will do their best to ensure that we get whatever we want.
A stotra is a hymn written in praise of a particular deity. Stotras contain the essence of Vedic concepts within them. But all of us can chant or recite a stotra without following any Vedic rituals and guidelines.
Eg: Shri Shiva Panchakshara Stotra: Na Ma Shi Va Ya.
The Shadanga of a mantra
Shad – Anga means six limbs. All mantras have six limbs. They are as follows:
Rishi
Rishis are seers of mantras. Different rishis had different divine insights when they first saw the 54 different sounds that manifested in the cosmos from Shiva’s Tandav and Damaru.
That is why these rishis are called the seers of the mantras. They did not create or discover the mantras. They saw these divine cosmic sounds and strung them together in different combinations to create different mantras depending on the kind of insight that they had.
Eg: Vishwamitra is the rishi – the seer – of the Gayatri mantra.
Chanda
The sound that emerges from every syllable in a mantra vibrates at a particular frequency and radiates energy at a specific intensity. Each mantra has a specific metre too. So we should chant every mantra only in the prescribed tone, raga and rhythm to get the appropriate blessings from our devata.
Devata
A devata presides over every mantra. Every devata represents a unique aspect of God. When we chant a mantra we are forging a personal relationship with this one devata either because we are looking for a specific blessing or because we want to understand and experience this particular aspect of God.
Beeja
Every mantra has a beeja or a seed word or series of words that contain the essence of the mantra. A seed has the ability to grow into a huge tree. Likewise, the dormant energy of the entire mantra lies within the beeja of the mantra. The beeja helps us understand and realize the potential of the mantra.
Shakti
When we chant a specific mantra repeatedly we unleash the dormant energy that lies within it and transform it into dynamic energy. This dynamic energy is the Shakti of that particular mantra. With this Shakti, we are able to forge a bond with our devata and can feel our devata’s presence within and around us. When we repeatedly chant a specific mantra, the devata of that mantra becomes our Ishta devata.
Kilaka
Every mantra has a kilak – which is like a key to a lock. We now have the Shakti to connect to our Ishta devata. But we know there is a lot more to experience, know and understand too.
The Kilak gives us the determination, humility and zeal to discover the power of our consciousness which lies within us. We can feel a strong but intangible sense of connectedness with our Guru, Beeja, Shakti and Ista devata. And as we chant the mantra with fervour, we resonate with the essence of the mantra itself. The mantra then gradually shifts and elevates us to a different plane of consciousness itself and blesses us with the darshan of our Ishta Devata.
Utkilan
Usually, the guru of our mantra gives us the kilak of the mantra too. The kilak usually lies in correct pronunciation, the rhythm of chanting and description of the mantra devata. Yes, the kilak helps us forge an intimate bond with our Ishta devata very quickly. But if we mispronounce the kilak or any part of a mantra, we may end up ruining our relationship with our Ishta devata. And when this happens we call it Utkilan.
Viniyog
When we get the darshan of our Ishta devata we ask Him/Her to bless us with a specific siddhi or boon. This is called the mantra phal or Viniyog. Most seers will insist that we clearly define what our intentions are before we start chanting the mantra itself.
Shree Yamunashtakam: A stotra and a mantra too
Mahaprabhuji is the rishi, the seer of Shree Yamunashtakam. Yamunaji is the devata of Shree Yamunashtakam. The seed of Bhakti is embedded in the Shree Yamunashtakam. And we can experience Yamunaji’s Krupa Shakti when we chant the Shree Yamunashtakam.
Yamunaji showers her Krupa Shakti on all the beings of Prithvi. We can feel our emotional turmoil when we chant the Shree Yamunashtakam. Yamunaji transforms our emotions for the better. When we chant the Shree Yamunashtakam repeatedly we can feel the stability and firmness of Prithvi seeping into our being too.
We can feel our chitta, our consciousness being anchored as we focus firmly on Krishna. When we chant the Shree Yamunashtakam, we will all have only one clear intention right from the outset. The only mantra phal that we yearn for when we chant the Shree Yamunashtakam is to please Yamunaji. We want nothing more than this.
So Yamunaji blesses us with all that She has. She removes all the doshas of our lives, cleanses our sins, empowers us with Her siddhis and fills our hearts with Bhakti. She then transforms our swabhava and brings us closer to Krishna.
So, yes, the Shree Yamunashtakam is very much a mantra too. There is no doubt about that. It has all the elements of a mantra. And it needs to be chanted properly too. But Mahaprabhuji calls it a stotra too.
For all said and done, we are mere manavas – bound to make mistakes till our dying day. And we look upon Yamunaji as our mother. She is infinitely kind. And forgives us. Repeatedly.
We can call upon Yamunaji with love. At any time. She knows and understands that we are trying to connect to her. She forgives us even if we mispronounce a few words or make errors while chanting the Shree Yamunashtakam. Instantly. Like a mother, Yamunaji includes every single being in Her bosom and connects us all to Krishna.
She does not care too much about rules, rituals and principles. She does value and respect them though. But essentially all Yamunaji yearns for too – is the Bhakti – the unconditional love of her bhaktas. And that is why Mahaprabhuji calls the Shree Yamunashtakam a stotra too.
Photo given by: Shri. Krishna Akhileshji.
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