Benefits and limitation

The benefits of mantra japa or meditation using mantra are innumerable in the form of
both seen and unseen results. The main benefit which the modern man can safely expect
to get is the emotional balancing through mantra. This is a result which can be seen and
hence  there  is  no  make  belief  in  this.  This  in  turn  definitely helps  in  improving  the
physical health of an individual.
Limitations are always to be understood before taking up any endeavour. Mantra japa is
not an exception to it. If one expects any miracles or some light and sound effects due to
mantra japa, then he may be disenchanted or disillusioned. Any exaggerated subjective
expectation which is not inherently present in the thing can always lead the person to be
dissatisfied  and  loose  charm in  that  practice.  Mantra  is  not  an  exception  to  it.  One
should remember that mantra is an aid in discovering fullness and joy which are innate
to us. Unreasonable expectations about the person from whom the mantra is to be taken
etc. always leads to a change of gurus and mantras. Mantra taken from a person who has
done  some  amount  of  japa  of  that  mantra  sincerely  is  good  enough.  Many  modern
gurus,  in  the  name  of  Shakti  Pat or  transferring  the  power  of  the  mantra are  simply
exploiting the gullibility of the individuals.  It is true that mantra is always to be taken
from a living person and not from books. A live candle alone can light up another one
so even a soul alone can touch another soul. But this does not mean that a person should
keep on looking  for some special person to do what he is supposed to do. No one can
transfer the  responsibility of understanding the Truth  from  himself to the guru. Hence
excessive  importance  given  in  selecting  the  person  and  the  mantra  is not  considered
prudent. Better than that is to stick with the mantra and what it is doing  for some time
with interest and one should understand that as an aid in the ultimate spiritual progress.