Mantras - Landing page only - your choices lie right below what you just clicked :-) But since you have arrived, take 2 to see the explanation below
Mantra v/s Stotra v/s Japa v/s Dhyana v/s Shloka???
What is a Mantra? Mantra is a sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell, or a syllable or portion of scripture containing mystical potentialities.
So how does it differ from a Stotra, Japa, Dhyana, Sloka?
japa is repeated recitation of a particular mantra, typically in cycles of 108, with a rudraksha mala.
Dhyana is meditation on the form of the Lord with His attributes. You can do Dhyana with or without Japa. Starting with Japa + Dhyana is recommended and later it automagically becomes Dhyana only – that is the advanced stage.
A stotram is a song sung in praise. It originates from the word "stuti", coming from the same verb, stu (to praise), and basically both mean "praise".
Shloka is a rhyming couplet of Sanskrit verse consisting of two sixteen-syllable lines of two eight-syllable padas each.
So how does it differ from a Stotra, Japa, Dhyana, Sloka?
japa is repeated recitation of a particular mantra, typically in cycles of 108, with a rudraksha mala.
Dhyana is meditation on the form of the Lord with His attributes. You can do Dhyana with or without Japa. Starting with Japa + Dhyana is recommended and later it automagically becomes Dhyana only – that is the advanced stage.
A stotram is a song sung in praise. It originates from the word "stuti", coming from the same verb, stu (to praise), and basically both mean "praise".
Shloka is a rhyming couplet of Sanskrit verse consisting of two sixteen-syllable lines of two eight-syllable padas each.
