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Mantras Help the General Psychological Well-Being of College Students: A Pilot Study

Journal of Religion and Health volume 57, pages 110–119 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

The mind receives deep effect of harmonizing from incantatory spiritual verse known as “mantra.” This ancient Indian spiritual science of sound vibrations had been used to help the mind, body and life. Students in top-ranking colleges often feel pressurized and complain of depression. Mantras could help ease their stress. This work attempts to study the impact of mantra on the psychological well-being of college students. Volunteers selected and listened to the mantra of their choice in the test period. Psychological tests were conducted before and after the test period. Data collected were analyzed by psychologists. The findings reveal a clear improvement in the general cheerfulness and clarity of mind of the subjects.

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Acknowledgements

Aruna Lolla has received research Grants from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani for carrying out this research project. She has also received a travel Grant and contingency fund to present this work at an international conference held at Athens, Greece in January 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Shameerpet, Hyderabad, 500078, India

    Aruna Lolla

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  1. Aruna Lolla
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Correspondence to Aruna Lolla.

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Conflict of interest

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Human and Animal Rights

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Participants have not been identified.

Glossary

 

The five mantras from which the volunteers chose are given below.

Aaditya Hrudayam (Ādityahṛdayam)

Is an invocation to Aditya or the Sun God (Surya). It is believed to protect the user against negative forces of Nature which are personified as demons in Hindu epics. This mantra is also used in harnessing the solar energy in fighting physical and mental fatigue

Gayatri Mantra

Is a Vedic prayer to illuminate the intelligence, one of the well-known and widely chanted mantras. Taken from Rig Veda (III.62.10), this mantra is considered as the best among mantras. This mantra is related to the solar power within and without. Within the human being, it is considered to release this cosmic energy and helps in intellectual and spiritual illumination. Gayatri Mantra has great significance specially in the development of creative thought and in achieving intellectual clarity

Lalitha Sahasra namam

The mantric recitation of the thousand names of the Divine Mother (or feminine aspect of the Divine) in a specific sequence. It is very popular among the devout Hindus, especially women seeking marital happiness. A deeper contemplation on these names establishes the comprehensiveness of this mantra as one which bestows worldly as well as spiritual bliss and upliftment

Purusha Suktam

It is a hymn (10.90, Rigveda), dedicated to the Purusha, the “Cosmic Being.” As per the terminology of Indian philosophy, Purusha signifies the Supreme Being

Vishnu Sahasra namam

The mantric recitation of the thousand names of the Hindu deity, Vishnu who signifies the Supreme, Absolute Being, in a specific sequence. This mantra was first sung by Bhishma in the well-known Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. The mantra describes God’s beauty, power, magnificence grace and the like. Any devotee who chants or listens to this mantra with concentration is believed to grow to his/her full potential and to attain spiritual liberation or Moksha

OM (aum)

The root mantra of the Hindu religion and the primal sound of the Indian spiritual science, Om signifies the Absolute Divine being. It is believed to contain all sounds and is concerned with all levels of consciousness/existence. Om is chanted during ritualistic sacrifices, meditation and several forms of worship

QoL/Quality of Life

An evaluation of all aspects of our lives, including, for example, where we live and how we live. It encompasses such life factors as family circumstances, finances, housing and health. (as given in Dupuy 1984: PGWBI)

Sanskrit

Ancient Indian language and the mother of most present-day languages of India

Veda

Authorless and considered to be of Divine origin, Vedas are more than 5000-year-old scriptures of India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, they cover wide range of subjects right from law, social structure, ritualistic worship to secular ones like science, music and spirituality

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Lolla, A. Mantras Help the General Psychological Well-Being of College Students: A Pilot Study. J Relig Health 57, 110–119 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0371-7

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