History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.689.2

v6.c81.689.2

repeating a hundred times results in increase of one's kingdom, if repeated a thousand times Lakṣmī comes to a man of her own accord As Aśvamedha is the prince among sacrifices, as Hari (is superior) among gods, so the laud called Saptaśatī is the highest among all lauds⁴⁴³" The Tithitattva further provides that one should recite⁴⁴⁴ before the reading of the 'prathamacarita' the ṛṣi (sage), the metre &c. of it and also when repeating the *Madhyamacarita* and the *Uttaracarita* Very great importance was attached in ancient and medieval times to the recitation of mantras and even modern men brought up in English schools, colleges and Universities often implicitly believe in their efficacy, even if one may not understand their meaning. The qualities of the sounds of mantras or of parts of mantras (such as 'hrīm') and their potentialities, the various devices employed when using them are deemed of far greater importance than the meaning. The Gītā (X 25) itself puts Japa-yajña as the highest among yajñas such as those of *dravya* (materials or money), tapoyajña (Gītā IV 28). Mantras are supposed to have a tremendous effect on the sub-conscious mind and it may perhaps be so if one concentrates one's mind thereon to the exclusion of all else. A person could himself recite the Saptaśatī or engage a person to read it to him who was called *pāṭhaka* or *vācaka* as in T. T. p.