Vedic chant can help improve test score

HYDERABAD: Chanting of

Vedic mantras

will help students beat the

academic stress

and pass examinations with flying colours. It will also lead to psychological and physiological well-being of students and improve their power of concentration.

A research study by the Hyderabad campus of the

Birla Institute of Technology and Science

(

BITS

) Pilani, reveals a “clear improvement in the general cheerfulness and clarity of mind“ of the students after they chanted the mantras.

As part of the research, the participating students chanted the following five mantras: Gayatri mantra (from Rig Veda), Vishnu Sahasranamam (thousand names of Lord Vishnu), Lalita Sahasranamam (thousand names of Divine Mother), Purus ha Suktam (from Rig Veda dedicated to Cosmic Being) and Aditya Hrudayam (invocation to Surya, the sun god).

“We conducted psychological tests before and after the research. The data was analysed by psychologists. The results showed a clear improvement in the general cheerfulness and clarity of mind of the subjects“ said Dr Aruna Lolla of the department of humanities and social sciences, BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad campus.

Dr Aruna, who conducted the research study, told TOI that the power of mind on the sense of well-being and on life in general is immense. “Mantra, which is the instrument of mind, is a powerful sound or vibration that one can use to manage one's mind,“ Dr Aruna said, adding chanting Om can help cut stress and improve memory in students.

The study was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Religion and Health.

“The research was to find about mantras and how they impact the human mind and the spiritual science behind this,“ she said.

“The study concentrated on the psychological well-being of college students. Volunteers listened to the mantra of their choice in the test period,“ she said.

Stating that traditionally a spiritual preceptor initiates the disciple into a mantra and invokes its spiritual power which is believed to be essential to reap the full benefit of that mantra, Dr Aruna said her research study has not delved into such esoteric practice.