Spiritual advancement in most of us is not to the expected level because we pray to too many deities with too many mantras and slokas. For example for education we go to one deity, to get relief from health issues we go to another deity, for marriage to some other deity. The net result is that we lose focus on all the deities. This custom is more predominant in the case of planetary afflictions in horoscopes. All the horoscopes will have some affliction or other. Your karmas are reflected in horoscope. Only certain afflictions of the planets can be removed by remedial measures. Though simple and inexpensive remedies are available, people resort to remedies by spending money beyond their capacities.

Ultimately, the desired result is not achieved. There is a concept called Ishta Devata or the form of a deity that you like most. This deity can be identified from a horoscope based on ‘atmakaraka’ planet. This deity helps you to advance spiritually. There is another concept called Dharma Devata. This is also to be identified from atmakaraka planet. The Dharma Devata helps you to achieve your goals and ambitions. But your mind set is more important than identifying your favourite deity from your horoscope. Suppose you have a liking for Vishnu, irrespective of your horoscope identifying Shiva as your Ishta Devata or Dharma Devata, you have to worship only Vishnu to get quick results. If you believe that Vishnu will solve all your problems, He will certainly do that. You need not run from one place to another to ward off the evil effects of planets.

The best thing to advance spiritually and also to get rid of any difficulties that you may have is to chant a suitable mantra of your Ishta Devata or Dharma Devata or your most loved deity. There are plenty of mantras for all the deities. Most of these mantras will not fructify, unless some modifications are made in the mantra. Let us assume that your Ishta Devata is Lord Ganesha. His bijakshara is ‘Gam’. Let us also assume that in your horoscope Moon and Saturn are afflicted. In order to get rid of the evil effects of these two planets, you have to propitiate them. Each planet has its own bijakshras. We have already discussed about atma bijam in our earlier postings fructification of mantras in three parts. Let us assume that your atma bijam is ‘vam’. Now a mantra is to be formulated for your exclusive use. All mantras begin with OM. So the first letter is OM. Second will be your atma bija ‘vam’. Third is your Ishta Devata bija ‘Gam’. Then bijaksharas of afflicted planets are to be added. For Moon it is ‘som’ and for Saturn it is ‘sham’. Now the mantra will be Om-vam-gam-som-sham. All such mantras should end with ‘namaha’. So this is to be added at the end. But the atma bija ‘vam’ in its original form ‘vam’ may not work well.

If a modification is made by adding ‘ram’ and making atma bija as ‘vreem’ the atma bija will bestow all prosperity. This atma bija is to be placed both at the beginning and at the end of the mantra. This is called encasing the mantra that gives potency to the whole mantra. The complete mantra will now be ‘Om-vreem-gam-som-sham-vreem-namaha’. You have to recite this mantra mentally visualizing your Ishta Devata. There are no restrictions on timing of recitation, number of times of recitation, etc. The more you recite, the mantra will have more potency and if infused to your deity, that deity will be with you all the time. Over a period of time you will be chanting this mantra unconsciously. No other remedies are required. You will never face difficulties in your life, subject to your karmas. Procedures for infusing life and removing curse to mantras are to be strictly followed. This has been discussed in the postings referred earlier.

Further Readings

Understanding Mantras