venkatadasa

Sir, With no proper gurus to guide how am i to guide myself towards any mantra as it is said that only a guru can give mantra.Can one chant mantras without initiation like of mahamrutyunjay, om namah shivay, om namo venkatesaya?? Also i have been going through many threads in this forum, in which one person says we can pray to Adiguru Lord Shiva if no guru is available and start chanting mantra. Being brahmin I have been initiated into gayathri, i have studied(know the recitation)of vedas to some extent. This has been through the grace of lord.I am devotee of saibaba and reverentially pray to him. So now as Om namah shivaya being taught ceremonially to me as i was kid through Aksharabhyasa will suffice or gayathri will suffice.I also heard that one needs to chant 1,25,000 times to attain sidhhi.I also heard that if one chants them on an Eclipse day it can be shortcut to still less. This year i believe there are 3 more eclipses coming. Can we utilise them assuming i chant any mantra. The desire for me to attain mantra siddhi is only to help me in my education(Which has got delayed) and spiritual progress and nothing more!!! Please take time to reply. Sairam.

Friend, With no proper gurus to guide how am i to guide myself towards any mantra as it is said that only a guru can give mantra.Can one chant mantras without initiation like of mahamrutyunjay, om namah shivay, om namo venkatesaya?? Also i have been going through many threads in this forum, in which one person says we can pray to Adiguru Lord Shiva if no guru is available and start chanting mantra. Being brahmin I have been initiated into gayathri, i have studied(know the recitation)of vedas to some extent. This has been through the grace of lord.I am devotee of saibaba and reverentially pray to him. So now as Om namah shivaya being taught ceremonially to me as i was kid through Aksharabhyasa will suffice or gayathri will suffice.I also heard that one needs to chant 1,25,000 times to attain sidhhi.I also heard that if one chants them on an Eclipse day it can be shortcut to still less. This year i believe there are 3 more eclipses coming. Can we utilise them assuming i chant any mantra. The desire for me to attain mantra siddhi is only to help me in my education(Which has got delayed) and spiritual progress and nothing more!!! Please take time to reply. Sairam.