Importance of Sound in Chanting of Mantras
For some mantras, their importance lies more in their sound than in their content. Their syllables, when sung in a certain way, provide a unique energy frequency, where their meaning is unimportant.
For example, the mantra recited to cure a man stung by a scorpion. The mantra’s words, or syllables, have no specific significance. However, such is the mantra’s syllables’ strength, by chanting the mantra, vibrations are created in space, and anybody bitten by a scorpion will be cured.
The effectiveness of sounds changes depending on the mantra.
Reciting specific mantras causes evil: this is known as “abhicara” (understood as the black magic in the West). The precision with which the words are enunciated is critical in all of this.
People who performed billi sunyam(a form of black magic) were known to have their teeth knocked out. If the black magician is toothless, he will be unable to correctly speak the mantras, and so his spells will fail.
The spell’s syllables will not provide the intended advantage if they are not clearly and correctly spoken.
When we recognise the power of sound, the language of the mantras becomes less important. It would be pointless to insist that the mantras be translated into another language (that we understand). It would be similarly pointless to consider if the sraddha ritual mantras should be translated into English, punjabi, or another language so that our dead parents might better comprehend them.