According to Osho, the true Gayatri and Namokar are not the words you recite but the ajapa—the unmade, ever-present mantra that resounds when all chanting, thought, and speech cease. This inner Om, the life-giving music playing within, is heard, not produced. When verbal mantras fall silent, their essence arises spontaneously, connecting you effortlessly with the Divine in any place or activity.
The real Gayatri and Namokar aren’t what you say; they show up by themselves when you become totally quiet inside and simply listen.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, you told the story about the parrot-like rote chanting of the Gayatri Mantra and the Namokar Mantra. You want to stop this parrot-chanting. Is that what the Gayatri Mantra is? Is that what the Namokar Mantra is?
Achyut! Exactly so. Where all mantras fall silent, there the real mantra is born. The mantra you repeat has no value. If it is repeated by your tongue, it cannot be worth more than the tongue that repeats it. The Om you hum will be smaller than you. There is another Om that does not arise from your humming—the humming from which you arose. There is another Om whose resonance envelops the whole universe, from which the world is fashioned. To hear that Om, you don’t need to hum. To hear that Om, all humming must cease; speech must fall utterly silent; thoughts dissolve; no ripple remains in the mind—then suddenly, in amazement, you will hear: a music is playing within! It has been playing forever. But you were filled with your own noise and could not hear it. And sometimes, when you slip out of worldly noise, you fill…
Osho, different religions have discovered different great mantras—like Om Namah Shivaya, Namo Arihantanam, Allahu Akbar, Om Mani Padme Hum. In what state did such great mantras descend, and how are they related to the inner centers? And how should a seeker choose the mantra suitable for himself?
It happened that when Vivekananda came to Ramakrishna, his household was in dire straits. His father had died—and, being a worldly, whimsical man, had left many debts. There was not even food enough. If somehow there was food, it was not enough for both mother and son. Vivekananda would tell his mother, “A friend has invited me today,” so that she would eat; otherwise she would feed him and remain hungry. Saying so, he would wander the lanes, then return home cheerful, belching, as if well-fed—no friend had invited him—but to make his mother feel at peace that he had eaten well so she could eat without worry. Ramakrishna came to know and said, “You are a great fool. You come daily to Mother Kali’s court—why don’t you ask? Such a small matter—why suffer needlessly?” At Ramakrishna’s insistence, Vivekananda said, “If you say so, I will ask.” Ramakrishna sat outside…
Even more surprising is the third point: Russian scientists think this energy that spreads all around can be stored—can be stored in instruments. Certainly, if it is energy, it can be stored. Any energy can be stored. And this prana-energy, which Yoga calls prana—if this energy is stored in devices, then the essential mood of the person at that time remains in the stored power as a quality. For example, if Mikhailova is drawing an object towards herself, at that time the energy flowing from her body—by which she will lose three or ten pounds—can be stored. Receptive instruments have been prepared such that the energy enters and is stored in them. Then, if that device is placed in this room and you enter the room, it will draw you towards itself. You will feel like going near the device—the person is not there.
Question: SUKHA-ASUKHAVORBAHIRMANANAM TADVIMUKTASTU KEVALI TADARORHAPRANITESTATKSHAYAJ JIVASANKSHYA BHOOTAKANSHUKI TADAVIMUKTO BHUYAH PATISAMAH PARAH OM SHRI SHIVARPANAM SATU HAPPINESS AND SORROW ARE BUT EXTERNAL MOODS -- THIS HE KNOWS CONSTANTLY. FREED FROM THESE, HE ACHIEVES HIS ALONENESS. THE YOGI WHO IS ESTABLISHED IN HIS ALONENESS CEASES TO DESIRE, AND THUS ATTAINS FREEDOM FROM BIRTH AND DEATH. THE LIBERATED PERSON, FOR WHOM BODY AND MIND ARE NO MORE THEN CLOTHING, ATTAINS TO SHIVAHOOD. OM! THIS IS DEDICATED TO LORD SHIVA. Hence, 'Om' does not belong to any religion. It is neither Hindu nor Jaina nor Christian, nor Buddhist, nor Moslem. It is the non-sectarian mantra. You will be surprised to know that the Jainas, the Muslims, the Christians all make use of this mantra, though there are slight variations: the Muslims say amin, the Christians say amen. These are only altered forms of 'Om'.
Many friends have asked: Osho, is there no place at all for japa? We chant Om, the Gayatri; some chant Ram-Ram, some the Namokar—this or that. Is there no use in these? You never speak in favor of chanting!
Even human names are fictitious. You were born, and then a name was given to you. You came without a name—nameless. For convenience, parents stick on a label: this one is Ram, this one Vishnu, this one Krishna. These names are makeshift, false, pasted on from outside. No person truly has a name. That tree standing there—does it have a name? A tree has no name. All names are human givings. If humans were to vanish from the earth, would anything have a name? Nothing would. The trees would still be there, the mango would still be there; the moon and stars would still be there—but there would be no names. Even now, they have no names of their own. Names do not exist in existence; they are a human invention. And we are so clever we have not only named things—we have named God as well. Names are a…