|| Pragnaanushaasanam - Swami Sadashiv ||
 || Translated by Jayantibhai Patel  ||

19

There must be, naturally (svabhaavatah), certain defect (dosha) in our vital (praana) and mind on account of impressions (sansakaara) of life to life (janma janmmantara). Therefore, let us all ‘assemble in a best way’
(susanmilita) and try (upaaya) and pray to be defect less. Assembling all,
let us take an oath (pratignaa) and pray by chanting (uchchaarana) in a
sweetest (sumadhura) and harmonious (sama) voice (svara) the below written
mantra – ‘shivam sharanam gachchhaami’ – I go to the feet (sharana) of
shiva, i.e. beneficent (kalyaankaaree) feelings (bhavanaa). ‘Tamaso maa
jyotir gamaya’, i.e. lead me from darkness to light’.
The above oath and prayer should be our life’s goal (lakshya bindu).
Naturally, we have various kinds of passions (vaasanaa). There arise
various desires (sankalpa) and doubts (vikalpa) in the mind. But whatever
oath (pratignaa) and prayer we often repeat, they occupy main part of our
heart as feeling (bhaavanaa) and desire (sankalpa). And gradually unwanted
(viparita) passions and desires are suppressed by the oath and the prayer,
and at last, weakening them, destroy.Therefore, those, wanting to make the life systematic (vyavasthita) and descent (sundara), must keep on often remembering (smarana) and chanting (uchchaarana) any oath assertion (pratignaa vachana) and mantra in the form of prayer (prarthanaa mantra), that follow certain higher (uchcha) and pure goal (dhyeya). 

(Pragnaanushaasanam – page 48, 49)

18

The meaning of mantra is ‘that that protects’ (mananaat traayate iti mantra). It means that, that, which protects (traana-rakshana) one from trio (trividha) miseries (taapa) by repeatedly chanting (japa), thinking
(manana), brooding (chintana), is called mantra. Naturally, there is a
question that in our heart (antahkarana), there arise constantly
passion-generated (vaasanaatmaka) or attraction-repulsion-generated (raaga
dveshaatmaka) wills and doubts (sankalpa-vikalpa), those enumerable
(ajastra) words (shaba) of will-born (sankalpamayee) language are invariably
from the fifty letters (akshara). And whatever word or a sentence we shall
chant in the name of mantra shall invariably have certain letters from fifty
letters. So what is the energy (shakti) a mantra has, that can eliminate
(nivaarana) the trio miseries (trividha dukha)? The explanation of this is
that, every word (shabda) consisting of many letters (akshara sammuchaya)
has knowledge-born (bodhaka) energies (shakti) according to the respective
language and impressions (sanskara). These knowledge-born energies are
divided into three parts.

1.      Power of activity. (kriyaa shakti).On hearing certain words (shabda), there arises certain impression-born (sanskaarajanya) knowledge (bodha); that knowledge inspires us to do certain act (kriyaa).

2.      Power of will (ichchhaa shakti). On hearing certain words, there arises knowledge (bodha), by which certain desires (ichchhaa) are nourished in our mind or there arise new desires.

3.      Power of knowledge (gnaana shakti). On hearing certain words, there arises certain knowledge (bodha), by which we get a specific knowledge, through which our ego (aham bhaava) is nourished. There arises no desire (ichchhaa) or no activity (pravrutti), leading to action (karma) is done. Powers (shakti) of activity (kriyaa), will (ichchhaa) and knowledge (gnaana) are of two kinds, i.e. material (laukika) and immateiral (alaukika)

(Shree Balaatibalaa Mahaa Vidyaa - page 68).

17

Howsoever higher (uchcha) cadre (koti) an aspirant (saadhaka) is, in his primary (prathama) stage (bhoomikaa), he cannot be totally (sarvathaa) free from passion (vaasanaa) so as to be non-attached (vairagyavaana) for leading his life to ‘only (kevala) final good (shreyasa kaamee)’. It is natural
that he has certain ‘kind of desire to enjoy’ (‘bhog abhilaashaa) due to
‘impressions (sanskaara) gained from life to life’ (janma janmaantara) and
association (sanga) or training (shikshaa). Material (bhautika) happiness
(sukha) and comforts (anukooltaa) are also gained by chanting (japa) or
sacrificing (homa) Balaatibalaa Maha Mantra. It is, therefore, also
necessary to see that the aspirant of primary stage is not carried away by falling in the infatuation (moha) of the material happiness (sukha
saamagree). In the first stanza (charana) of Balaatibalaa Maha Mantra, the
address (sambodhana) to goddess (devee) is, ‘O goddess, you are the giver of
four kinds of achievements (siddhi), i.e. duty (dharma), wealth (artha),
desire (kaama) and liberation (moksha). Therefore, a ‘seeker of only final
good (kevala shreyasa kaamee)’ or a ‘seeker of only material happiness
(kevala preyasa kaamee)’ cannot be a rightful person (adhikaaree) of the
Balaatibalaa Maha Vidyaa. But he, who desires material happiness (preyasa
kaamee) centering (kendra) final good (shreyasa kaama) can be a rightful
person. In other words, one who holds both desires (ubhaya kaamee), i.e.
first final good following material happienss. 

(Shree Balaatibalaa Mahaa Vidyaa - page 35, 36)