Tips for better sleep

The modern day hectic lifestyle, domestic tensions, office tensions etc. have made peaceful sleep a rarity for most people. Disregard to nature’s laws pertaining to sleep and not following related achars mentioned in Dharmacollectively form the root cause of the problem of not getting a peaceful sleep. In this article you will get to know about preparations to be made before going to bed in order to get peaceful sleep. It also details the mantras to be recited, prayers to be offered and chanting to be done before retiring to sleep.

1. Preparations to be made before going to bed

A. Perform Achaman(Sipping water from the palm)

Achaman purifies the chitta (Subconscious mind).

B. If the feet are wet, wipe them dry

Compiler : While going to sleep, it is advised to wipe the feet dry if wet; what is the underlying science?

A Scholar : If the feet are wet while going to sleep, the waves of Apatattva (Absolute Water Principle) from the feet are absorbed by the body, and due to their subsequent movement within the body, the body gets filled with waves of Apatattva. These waves flowing from the feet are absorbed into the

body as well as in all its sheaths. Water makes the body more sensitive and the inner sheaths in the body become active. Water being all-encompassing, it responds to positive as well as negative vibrations equally. It is because an individual is connected to the floor while sleeping, that distressing waves emitting from the earth get attracted towards the wet body of an individual instantly and dissipate to the inner sheaths of the body, thereby increasing the proportion of Raja-Tama(See glossary) components in its mental sheath. This makes an individual irritable and it experiences nightmares, screaming in sleep, restlessness throughout the night etc. Hence, the feet should be wiped dry before going to bed. A dry body can store the Tejtattva (Absolute Fire Principle)–predominant waves. Therefore, the possibility of being attacked by negative energies is relatively less.

(Through the medium of Mrs. Anjali Gadgil, 12.7.2005, 9.45 p.m.)

C. Why should a metal pot filled with water
be kept near the head side while sleeping ?

1. Placing a metal pot filled with water next to the head side protects the body from the attacks of negative energies, and its underlying process

A. Water is a highly sensitive medium. It is all-encompassing, meaning, it is highly efficient in absorbing and emitting sagun (Materialised) and nirgun (Non-materialised) waves in equal proportion. Hence, placing a metal pot filled with water next to the head makes protection of the body from negative energies easy.

B. Divinity in the sattvik waves, which congregates as a result of daylong sadhana (Spiritual practice), also remains in an awakened state due to proximity of the pot filled with water to the brim.

C. Due to the pot filled to the brim with water and kept near the head side, the Brahmarandhra (Opening in the spiritual energy system, located on the crown, in the subtle-body) also remains awakened.

D. This keeps the protective sheath created due to sadhana around the body impregnable; else, during the tamasik period of the night, sattvik energy in the body may get expended in combating attacks of negative energies.

2. Average individuals should use a pot filled with Vibhuti or camphor mixed water or a pot filled with Holy water from a place of pilgrimage

A metal pot filled with Holy water can be used as a medium of protection by average individuals. Since an average individual does not perform sadhana, he can use a pot filled to the brim either with Holy water or sattvik camphor-mixed water as a medium of protection.

D. Science underlying the act of keeping a stick besides the bed while sleeping

1. Characteristic of the dormant fire in the wood and its function:

Wood has dormant fire because of which, wooden sticks emit marak (Destroyer) vibrations of Tejtattva. Due to these vibrations, an individual can get protection from the distressing vibrations in the outer atmosphere during the tamasik period of the night.

2. Method of placing the stick and its underlying science

A. When placed to the right of an individual who is sleeping, due to the contact with the vibrations in the form of Tejtattva in the stick, the right channel of an individual remains activated and hence, the Kshatratej (Radiance of a warrior) in an individual remains in an awakened state even during sleep.

B. Due to the Kshatratej, the gross body of an individual remains alert and sensitive to repulsing the attacks of negative energies even during the night. – A Scholar (Through the medium of Mrs. Anjali Gadgil)

2. Mantras to be recited, prayers to be
offered and chanting to be done before sleeping

A. Ratrisukta

Just as there is Sourasukta (A group of mantras in Vedas pertaining to Sun Deity), there is a Ratrisukta too (A group of mantras in Vedaspertaining to the Goddess of night). Nidra is referred to as Nidradevi (Goddess of sleep). Of the various forms of Devi (Goddess), nidra too is one form. As you lie down on the bed, recite the Ratrisukta 2-3 times. Those who can, should recite Ratrisukta in a Vedokta (As mentioned in Vedas) manner.

B. Shlokas / mantras to be recited before sleeping

या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रारूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ।।
– Shridurgasaptashati, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 16

Meaning : I pay obeisance thrice to the Devi, who is present in all living beings in the form of nidra. Keep reciting this shloka. Gradually, the thought process will stop, a rhythm will set in and we will fall asleep in ten to fifteen minutes.

Recite the following mantra to avoid nightmares.
रामं स्कन्दं हनूमन्तं वैनतेयं वृकोदरम् ।
शयने यः स्मरेन्नित्यं दुःस्वप्नस्तस्य नश्यति ।।

Meaning : Remembering Shriram, Kartikeya, Hanuman, Garuda and Bhima while going to sleep eliminates nightmares.

C. While going to sleep, earnestly sing the following abhang (Hymn in Marathi)

हेचि दान देगा देवा । तुझा विसर न व्हावा ।।
Meaning : Bestow me with only one gift, that I never forget You. – H.H. Kane Maharaj, Narayangaon, District Pune, Maharashtra (Year 1991)

D. Pray unto Nidradevi or the Deity of worship

1. Offer unto Supreme God all the auspicious and inauspicious karmas (Action which gives rise to destiny), as well as karmas that bestow merits-demerits, so also those performed knowingly-unknowingly. Ask for forgiveness from Him for all the sins committed during day. – Gurudev Dr. Kateswamiji

2. Pray unto the Deity of worship – May my chanting continue in the subconscious mind even during sleep, and may I get a peaceful sleep.

3. Spiritual experiences related to going off to sleep after praying

Falling asleep immediately after praying to Nidradevi

On the night of 25.8.2006, I was unable to sleep. Hence, I prayed thus – O Nidradevi, may I fall asleep without being distressed by negative energies during the night. Thereafter, I soon fell asleep. – Master Kaushal Nitin Kothavale, Miraj, Maharashtra (Age 15 years)

E. Chanting the Name of Deity of worship

Go to sleep while chanting the Name of Deity of worship.

3. Spiritual remedies to be adopted
as protection from negative energies during sleep

1. Light a sattvik incense-stick, wave it around in the room and place the lit incense-stick on the stand meant for the purpose, a little away from the pillow.

2. Light a ghee or an oil lamp (sesame oil / groundnut oil) lamp having a mild flame, near the head.

3. Before going to bed, sprinkle Vibhuti or water mixed with Vibhuti below and over the mattress.

4. Apply Vibhuti to the hands and feet.

5. Create a protective sheath of sattvik Name-strips around the mattress. Place Name-strips of Shri Ganapati near the head and feet and those of Shrikrushna besides the hands, above or underneath the mattress as per the convenience. If it is not possible to create a protective sheath of Name-strips, then create a protective sheath of Vibhuti-mixed water. Do so while sitting on the mattress. Sit on the bed with a vessel of Vibhuti-mixed water. Pray to the Deity of worship and sprinkle the water around the mattress thrice in clockwise direction. Do not leave the mattress thereafter, since it will break the protective sheath. If for some reason you are compelled to leave the bed, repeat the process after getting back on to the mattress.

6. Play chants or bhajans (Devotional songs) (Note 1) of H.H. Bhaktaraj Maharaj throughout the night.

7. Place empty cardboard boxes (Note 2) (meant for spiritual healing) around the mattress.

Note 1 – H.H. Bhaktaraj Maharaj, the source of inspiration of Sanatan Sanstha, is the writer, composer and singer of these bhajans.
Chaitanya from bhajans helps protect from negative energies.

Note 2 – A void is created in an empty box. It represents the nirgun Principle. nirgun Principle destroys black energy.

Reference : Sanatan’s Holy text ‘How to sleep peacefully ?’