How Mantras become effective?

[elipsis]

This some new fad.

[tripura]

I think I get what he means by prana 10,000 volts. even asaram bapu says to hold ur breath while doing mantra and releasing the breath slowly. this involves pranayam. seems when u do that the fire in the abdomen is able to burn more sinful karmas. makes sense, when u say the mantra casually with the mind wandering evrywhere it is not effective, when u focus with the mind it gets power and from the heart chakra when u r getting the feel of the mantra , getting the bhav of the mantra it becomes more powerful,but ofcourse with the pranayam it becomes more powerful. I hope im right. but thats my understanding of it.
tripura

[Sudarshang]

It is said, mantra-sadhana is most effective when mantras are uttered within oneself; less effective with uttered quietly but with lip movement; and even less effective when uttered aloud. I believe mantras cause some vibrations within the body of the sadhak that purify one's prana and therefore the physical body, sookshma sharira (invisible body that includes mind), and the aatma. It satisfies the antaryaami bhagavan who bestows benefic results as a result. Just my own rationale, I do not have a pramanam to share on this matter.

[kandhan]

"The Parabrahman in Its form as the Sound Brahman (Shabda-Brahman or Saguna-Brahman), whose substance is all Mantra, exists in the body of the Jivatma.. Kundalini Shakti is a form of the Shabda-
Brahman in individual bodies (Sharada-Tilaka, Ch. 1). It is from this Shabda-Brahman
that the whole universe proceeds in the form of sound (Shabda) and the objects (Artha)
which sounds or words denote. And this is the meaning of the statement that the Devi and
the Universe are composed of letters, that is, the signs for the sounds which denote all
that is.
At any point in the flow of phenomena, we can enter the stream, and realize therein the
changeless Real. The latter is everywhere and is in all things, and hidden in, and
manifested by, sound as by all else. Any form (and all which is not the Formless is that)
can be pierced by the mind, and union may be had therein with the Devata who is at its
core. It matters not what that form may be. And why? What I have said concerning Shakti
gives the answer. All is Shakti. All is Consciousness. We desire to think and speak. This
is Iccha Shakti. We make an effort towards realization. This is Kriya Shakti. We think
and know. This is Jñana Shakti. Through Pranavayu, another form of Shakti, we speak;
and the word we utter is Shakti Mantramayi. For what is a letter (Varna) which is made
into syllable (Pada) and sentences (Vakya) '? It may be heard in speech, thus affecting the
sense of hearing. It may be seen as a form in writing. It may be tactually sensed by the
blind through the perforated dots of Braille type. The same thing thus affecting the
various senses. But what is the thing which does so? The senses are Shakti, and so is the
objective form which evokes the sensation. Both are in themselves Shakti as Cit Shakti
and Maya Shakti, and the Svarupa of these is Cit or Feeling-Consciousness. When,
therefore, a Mantra is realized, when there is what is called in the Shastra Mantra-
Caitanya, what happens is the union of the consciousness of the Sadhaka with that
Consciousness which manifests in the form of the Mantra. It is this union which makes
the Mantra "work". " - Arthur Avalon

[Dhanvanta]

Dear Yermal,

Since mantras are verbal forms of devatas (various manifestations of Brahman) chanting them with love and respect makes sadhana more effective. This of course is not my personal opinion. Mantra yoga is a truly vast subject. Here are links to some useful info from authoritative figures:

1- http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2006/cm ... njap.shtml

2- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH6OHCuRUjU

Warmly,
Dhanvanta