"Ek Ongkar Sat Gur Prasad, Sat Gur Prasad Ek Ongkar," the personal mantra given to me by Yogi Bhajan, was first given by Guru Nanak to his son, Baba Siri Chand, who went on to become a great baal yogi, forever young, although he lived to be 160 years old. The mantra contains the essence of the entire Siri Guru Granth Sahib and brings Siri Guru Granth Sahib to reside in one's heart. Nothing matches its power. There is nothing equal to it! Yogiji referred to the mantra as the "Eyes of Indra", saying that the body is a temple through which one experiences the Infinite--all knowledge and bliss flow through you.
When Ong (God) and Kar (Action, Creation) are pronounced together, the nasalized NG merges with K to create a gutteral sound and the crisp "K" of "Kar" disappears. The vibration brings heaven on earth, by the True Guru's Grace.
Because of the mantra's great power Yogi Bhajan recommended first chanting either the Mul Mantra or Ad Guray Namay, Jugad Guray Namay, Sat Guray Namay, Siri Guru Devay Namay, to put you into a sacred space. It must be chanted in a sacred way, only out loud and never while sitting in the bathroom or during an ungraceful act. And afterwards you must not do or say anything negative or the repercussions will be very heavy.
The mantra takes thought and reverses it to come out positive. A negative thought rides into your consciousness and is processed with "Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad," to come out pure with, "Sat Gur Prasad Ek Ong Kar."
Although Yogi Bhajan gave many restrictions with this mantra over the years, when he gave it to me as my mantra in 1995 he told me the opposite! He said, "Chant this mantra silently, as fast as you can, twenty-four hours a day."
"But sir," I countered, "You once said to only chant it outloud!"
"You are to chant it silently."
"But sir, you said never to chant it while sitting in the bathroom!"
"You are to chant it even while sitting in the bathroom."
But sir, didn't you once say it should never be chanted more than five times?"
"You are to chant it continuously."
I finally acquiesced, and happily promised to do the mantra as he advised.
Afterwards I approached his wife, Bibiji, to learn how to chant the mantra while sleeping.
She said that if chant it consciously on my breath, over a period of time my mantra will automatically, naturally imbue my aura and repeat itself for me.
Although that sounded easy, the mantra did not appear to make a positive difference in my life.
Yet during the most suppressed period of my life, when everything looked hopeless, the very moment I began to silently chant my mantra in Yogi Bhajan's presence, he gave me a book to write on the Siri Guru Granth Sahib's deeper, yogic meaning as seen through its authors' writings, adding that a thousand people will contest it, but it will come through pure. And that I would know bliss, but to have no expectations.
Wahe Guru! After all the years I practiced my mantra to seemingly no avail--now, after four hopeless marriages and divorces, its purpose is being fulfilled. Through writing the book, my entire life has come to make perfect sense and all my karmas have been burned away, just as Yogi Bhajan promised, enabling me to blissfully, lovingly be with the Gurus.
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