Prayagraj: Adarsh Tiwari, a Samaveda student, has memorised over 4,000 mantras, while Pranjal Shukla can recite all 40 chapters of the Shukla Yajurveda Samhita and 8 chapters of Pada Path. Other students like Pawan Tiwari, Shivank Mishra, and Prateek Tiwari share similar experiences, as these Vedic students find rigorous practice, discipline and a focused lifestyle to be the sole mantra for mind power.All Vedic students strictly follow their daily routine, including yoga, meditation and a balanced and nutritional diet to improve their memory power. They claim that mantra repetition keeps their focus sharp. At Shri Swami Narottamanand Giri Ved Vidyalaya, Vedic students wake up before dawn to chant the eternal mantras of the Vedas with astonishing clarity and devotion. They not only memorise large volumes of Vedic hymns with precision but also cultivate mental discipline, spiritual awareness and a strong moral range.Secretary of Shri Swami Narottamanand Giri Ved Vidyalaya, Dr Manoj Jhunjhunwala says, “The mind power behind Vedic chanting in Gurukuls is an age-old practice, comprising learning by listening, repeating and absorbing mantras passed down from their guru, generation to generation.” He further adds, “The students’ phenomenal memory is not just a gift but result of a unique combination of unwavering discipline, focus, regular practice and a natural lifestyle.” The tradition, known as Shruti Parampara, has sustained the Vedas for thousands of years. Through this method, Vedic students listen to the exact pronunciation of mantras from their Acharyas (teachers), repeat them continually, and memorise them without any written aid.UNESCO recognised 30 manuscripts of the Rigveda (dating from 1800–1500 BCE) as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage—a testament to this unparalleled tradition. Jhunjhunwala says, “The structure and scope of Vedic knowledge is vast, and the magnitude of what these students memorise is staggering, which includes Rigveda: 10 mandalas, 1,028 suktas, and 10,552 mantras. Yajurveda includes 15 branches of Shukla Yajurveda and 86 of Krishna Yajurveda; Samaveda: 4,511 mantras, including chanting patterns; and Atharvaveda: 20 kandas, 731 suktas, and 5,977 mantras.” Students use complex recitation methods like Samhita, Pada, Krama, Jata, and the advanced Ghana Patha, where words are chanted in intricate permutations to reinforce memory and prevent error.The Vedic students also follow a highly regulated, sattvic (pure) diet. Meals include seasonal green vegetables, pulses, and lightly spiced foods that are easy to digest, keeping the body light and the mind calm. Principal Brajmohan Pandey explains, “When new students join, they often have no background in Sanskrit or Vedic chanting. Their memory is developed over time through carefully designed methods, gradually turning them into masters of oral knowledge.“Vedic experts claim that at these Gurukuls, ancient tradition meets scientific methodology, shaping students not only into scholars of sacred knowledge but also into disciplined individuals with exceptional memory. Students employ a three-tiered learning process: reciting with the teacher, practising alone, and then chanting in groups. They also share memory tips with each other and engage in activities beyond chanting, such as gardening, physical games, and even computer learning to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Pranjal Shukla, a Vedic student, explains, “Each day starts with sandhya rituals and ‘agnihotra’. These practices centre the mind, allowing us to absorb mantras more deeply. When we repeat a mantra hundreds of times, it stops being just sound and becomes a part of our consciousness.”
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