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In India, the earliest country in which fine gemstones were known, belief in luminous gems dates back some twenty-five centuries. The c. 700 BCE – 300 CE Vishnu Purana states that Vishnu , in his avatar as the many-headed snake Shesha under the name Ananta ("Endless"), "has a thousand heads adorned with the mystical Swastika and in each head ...
Jolantha Fries [1] (born 2 April 1970), known professionally as Deva Premal, is a German singer known for her performances of Sanskrit mantras. Her music is composed and produced with Prabhu Music. Her album Deva (2018) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. [2] [3] [4]
A japamala, jaap maala, or simply mala (Sanskrit: माला; mālā, meaning 'garland' [1]) is a loop of prayer beads commonly used in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
Mantra japa is a practice of repetitively uttering the same mantra [49] for an auspicious number of times, the most popular being 108, and sometimes just 5, 10, 28 or 1008. [2] [50] Japa is found in personal prayer or meditative efforts of some Hindus, as well during formal puja (group prayers).
The Hindu Vishnu Purana speaks of the "Syamanta jewel, bestowing prosperity upon its owner, encapsulates the Yadu clan system". [2] The Vishnu Purana is attributed to the mid-first millennium CE. In Buddhism, it is held by the Bodhisattvas (divine beings with great compassion, wisdom and power) Avalokiteshvara and Ksitigarbha .
Japa may be performed while sitting in a meditation posture, while performing other activities, [6] or as part of formal worship in group settings. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, loud enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be recited silently within the practitioner's mind.
When used as talismans, yantras are viewed as representing a deity who can be called on at will by the user. They are traditionally consecrated and energized by a priest, including the use of mantras closely associated with the specific deity and yantra. Practitioners believe that a yantra that is not energized with a mantra is lifeless. [9]
Just before the japa, the Gāyatrī mantrārtha śloka that conveys the meaning of the Gāyatrī mantra is recited. The Gāyatrī mantra is then chanted either 1008, [note 12] 108, [note 13] 54, [note 14] 28, [note 15] or at least 10 [note 16] times, using either a japamāla (prayer beads) or a karamāla (hand-counting).