जिह्वामात्रपरिस्पंदादीषदुच्चारितो ऽपि वा अपरैरश्रुतः किंचिच्छ्रुतो वोपांशुरुच्यते
When it is uttered only by a slight movement of the tongue, or softly, so that others do not hear it or hear it only a little, this is called muttered recitation.
धिया यदक्षरश्रेण्या वर्णाद्वर्णं पदात्पदम् शब्दार्थचिंतनं भूयः कथ्यते मानसो जपः
When, with the mind, one contemplates the sequence of syllables, letter by letter, word by word, and reflects on the meaning of the words, this is called mental recitation.
वाचिकस्त्वेक एव स्यादुपांशुः शतमुच्यते साहस्रं मानसः प्रोक्तः सगर्भस्तु शताधिकः
Spoken recitation counts as one, muttered recitation is said to be a hundred, mental recitation is said to be a thousand, and the one with retention is a hundred more.
प्राणायामसमायुक्तस्सगर्भो जप उच्यते आद्यंतयोरगर्भो ऽपि प्राणायामः प्रशस्यते
Recitation accompanied by breath control is called 'with retention'; even without retention at the beginning and end, breath control is praised.
चत्वारिंशत्समावृत्तीः प्राणानायम्य संस्मरेत् मंत्रं मंत्रार्थविद्धीमानशक्तः शक्तितो जपेत्
Restraining the breath for forty cycles, one should remember the mantra; knowing the meaning of the mantra, one should recite according to one's ability.
पञ्चकं त्रिकमेकं वा प्राणायामं समाचरेत् अगर्भं वा सगर्भं वा सगर्भस्तत्र शस्यते
One should perform breath control five, three, or one time, whether with or without retention; among these, the one with retention is praised.
सगर्भादपि साहस्रं सध्यानो जप उच्यते एषु पञ्चविधेष्वेकः कर्तव्यः शक्तितो जपः
Recitation with retention, even if a thousand, is called accomplished; among these five types, one should perform recitation according to one's ability.
अङ्गुल्या जपसंख्यानमेकमेवमुदाहृतम् रेखयाष्टगुणं विद्यात्पुत्रजीवैर्दशाधिकम्
Counting recitations on the fingers is said to be one; with lines (on the hand), it should be known as eight times more; with putrajīva seeds, ten more.
शतं स्याच्छंखमणिभिः प्रवालैस्तु सहस्रकम् स्फटिकैर्दशसाहस्रं मौक्तिकैर्लक्षमुच्यते
A hundred is with conch or gems, a thousand with coral; with crystal, ten thousand is said, with pearls, a hundred thousand.
पद्माक्षैर्दशलक्षन्तु सौवर्णैः कोटिरुच्यते कुशग्रंथ्या च रुद्राक्षैरनंतगुणितं भवेत्
With lotus seeds, it is said to be a million; with gold, ten million; with knots of kusa grass or with rudraksha beads, it becomes countless times more.
त्रिंशदक्षैः कृता माला धनदा जपकर्मणि सप्तविंशतिसंख्यातैरक्षैः पुष्टिप्रदा भवेत्
A rosary made with thirty beads grants wealth when used for recitation; one with twenty-seven beads bestows nourishment.
पञ्चविंशतिसंख्यातैः कृता मुक्तिं प्रयच्छति अक्षैस्तु पञ्चदशभिरभिचारफलप्रदा
A rosary of twenty-five beads grants liberation; with fifteen beads, it yields the results of magical rites.
अंगुष्ठं मोक्षदं विद्यात्तर्जनीं शत्रुनाशिनीम् मध्यमां धनदां शांतिं करोत्येषा ह्यनामिका
The thumb confers liberation, the index finger destroys enemies, the middle finger grants wealth, and the ring finger brings peace.
अष्टोत्तरशतं माला तत्र स्यादुत्तमोत्तमा शतसंख्योत्तमा माला पञ्चाशद्भिस्तु मध्यमा
A rosary of one hundred and eight beads is considered the highest; one of a hundred beads is excellent, and one of fifty beads is middling.
चतुः पञ्चाशदक्षैस्तु हृच्छ्रेष्ठा हि प्रकीर्तिता इत्येवं मालया कुर्याज्जपं कस्मै न दर्शयेत्
A rosary of fifty-four beads is said to be best for the heart; thus, one should perform recitation with the rosary and not show it to anyone.
कनिष्ठा क्षरिणी प्रोक्ता जपकर्मणि शोभना अंगुष्ठेन जपेज्जप्यमन्यैरंगुलिभिस्सह
The little finger is called 'kṣariṇī' and is auspicious for recitation; the mantra should be recited with the thumb together with the other fingers.
अंगुष्ठेन विना जप्यं कृतं तदफलं यतः गृहे जपं समं विद्याद्गोष्ठे शतगुणं विदुः
Recitation done without the thumb is fruitless; at home, it is considered equal, but in a cow-pen, it is said to be a hundred times greater.
पुण्यारण्ये तथारामे सहस्रगुणमुच्यते अयुतं पर्वते पुण्ये नद्यां लक्षमुदाहृतम्
In a sacred forest or garden, it is said to be a thousand times greater; on a holy mountain, ten thousand times; at a river, a hundred thousand times.
कोटिं देवालये प्राहुरनन्तं मम सन्निधौ सूर्यस्याग्नेर्गुरोरिंदोर्दीपस्य च जलस्य च
In a temple, it is said to be ten million times greater, and in My presence, infinite; likewise, in the presence of the sun, fire, teacher, moon, lamp, and water.
विप्राणां च गवां चैव सन्निधौ शस्यते जपः तत्पूर्वाभिमुखं वश्यं दक्षिणं चाभिचारिकम्
Recitation is praised in the presence of Brahmins and cows; facing east brings mastery, facing south is for magical rites.
पश्चिमं धनदं विद्यादौत्तरं शातिदं भवेत् सूर्याग्निविप्रदेवानां गुरूणामपि सन्निधौ
Facing west, it is known to grant wealth; facing north, it brings peace; and in the presence of the sun, fire, Brahmins, deities, and teachers.
अन्येषां च प्रसक्तानां मन्त्रं न विमुखो जपेत् उष्णीषी कुंचुकी नम्रो मुक्तकेशो गलावृतः
One should not recite mantras with aversion in the presence of others; with a turban, upper garment, bowed, with loose hair, or with the neck covered.
अपवित्रकरो ऽशुद्धो विलपन्न जपेत्क्वचित् क्रोधं मदं क्षुतं त्रीणि निष्ठीवनविजृंभणे
One should never recite with impure hands, in an unclean state, or while lamenting; nor during anger, intoxication, sneezing, spitting, or yawning.
दर्शनं च श्वनीचानां वर्जयेज्जपकर्मणि आचमेत्संभवे तेषां स्मरेद्वा मां त्वया सह
One should avoid seeing dogs and outcastes during recitation; if contact occurs, one should perform purification or remember Me together with you.
ज्योतींषि च प्रपश्येद्वा कुर्याद्वा प्राणसंयमम् अनासनः शयाने वा गच्छन्नुत्थित एव वा
One may gaze at lights or practice breath control; whether sitting, lying down, walking, or just risen.
रथ्यायामशिवे स्थाने न जपेत्तिमिरान्तरे प्रसार्य न जपेत्पादौ कुक्कुटासन एव वा
One should not recite in a street, impure place, or in darkness; nor with feet outstretched or in the posture of a rooster.
यानशय्याधिरूढो वा चिंताव्याकुलितो ऽथ वा शक्तश्चेत्सर्वमेवैतदशक्तः शक्तितो जपेत्
Whether riding, lying on a bed, or troubled by worry—if able, one should do all this; if unable, one should recite as best as possible.
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन समासेन वचः शृणु सदाचारो जपञ्छुद्धं ध्यायन्भद्रं समश्नुते
Why speak at length? Hear this in brief: one who recites with good conduct, in purity, and with meditation attains auspiciousness.
आचारः परमो धर्म आचारः परमं धनं आचारः परमा विद्या आचारः परमा गतिः
Conduct is the highest dharma; conduct is the supreme wealth; conduct is the greatest knowledge; conduct is the ultimate path.
आचारहीनः पुरुषो लोके भवति निंदितः परत्र च सुखी न स्यात्तस्मादाचारवान्भवेत्
A person lacking proper conduct becomes condemned in the world and does not find happiness in the next; therefore, one should be endowed with good conduct.