The mantra you state is the most famous Narayana astakshari. Astakshari means eight akshara.

Example -1:
om na-mo naa-raa-ya-Naa-ya
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 = 8 akshara [Akshara = energy inflow, final result] = 8th house
1 2 3 = 3 words [Words = energy outflow, start of count] = 3rd house
Now count from 3rd house to 8th house, we get 6 houses
Now count as many houses from the 8th house. In this example we got 6 houses, so when we count
six houses from 8th house, we get Lagna as the answer.
Final result = Naarayana is in LAGNA.

So the mantra devata Narayana sits in lagna and the recitation of this mantra gives good health,
protection from all evils, long life and clear intellect. It is the greatest mantra for lagna suddhi and is
one of the three mantras of the Narayana Kavacha. The greatest strength of this mantra is that it
removes all kinds of nija dosha indicated by the 8th house or 8th lord and makes the lagna very
strong.

Now study the dhyana or the meditation of the mantra devata. It starts as 'dhyaye sadaa
savitrimandala madhyavarti Naaraayana..' and the reference is to the Sun which is the significator of
Lagna and that Naraayana is in the centre of the solar orb.

The best mantras of the devatas always fall in the correct houses indicated for them. Then such
mantra are called Prasiddha mantra and such mantra can only be originally given by the seers as they
alone had such great sight and knowledge.

Example -2:

na-mah shi-vaa-ya
1 2 3 4 5 = 5 akshara = 5th house
1 2 = 2 words = 2nd house
Count from 2nd house to 5th house, we get 4 houses
Now count 4 houses from 5th house and we get 8th house. This is the house of Rudra and the
panchakshari mantra has the power to give great knowledge as it cleanses the fifth house and finally
this causes protection from all evils of 8th house where Shiva sits to protect you and grant longevity.

In this manner study the following

1. Surya astakshari
om ghri-ni suu-ry-aa-di-tya
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 = 8 akshara
1 2 3 = 3 words
Mantra devata = 1st house (Lagna)
What happens when this is pronounced differently by breaking surya and aaditya

om ghri-ni suu-rya aa-di-tya

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8= 8 akshara
1 2 3 4 = 4 words
Mantra devata = 12th house in marana karaka sthana
See the change how the position of the mantra devata changes from Lagna to the 12th house which
is the marana karaka sthana for Sun.
Thus while reciting the mantra if the words are not spelt jointly as indicated it can do a lot of harm.

Exercise
1. om namo bhagavate vaasudevaaya
2. om namah shivaaya
3. om kshraum namo bhagavate narasimhaaya
4. om bhur namo bhagavate vyankateshaaya
5. brm brhaspataye namah
6. om namo bhagavate rudraaya
7. om namo bhagavate mahaamatsyaaya
8. gajamukha siddhirastu
9. hare raama krsNa
10. om hrim shrim krim paramesvari kaalike svaahaa
11. om namo bhagavate akuparaaya
12. vyam vedavyaasaaya namah

....just a start. I will give more exercise when we meet next sunday and explain from charts how to
choose.

With best wishes and warm regards,

Sanjay Rath
***
Sri Jagannath Center®
15B Gangaram Hospital Road
New Delhi 110060, India
http://srath.com, +91-11-25717162
======================================
JAYA JAGANNATH
Dear Gauranga,
The Graha Beejakshara are HA, SA, KA, BA,GA,DA,PA,BHA & TA for the nine
planets from the Sun to Ketu in the regular order. For these alshara to
become a Mantra, you have to add AGNI (RA) and offer it to either Brahma
,Shiva or Vishnu (O). Then the mantras can be HRAM, SRAM, KRAM..etc or HRIM,
SRIM, KRIM...etc. or HROUM, SHROUM, KROUM..etc.
You have made some conceptual errors in the delination of the
Beejakshara Mantra. The Vagbeeja is " Aim " which is the shakti of Mercury,
which is also called " Chaitanya Beeja " while the " Tara " Beeja is " OM " which
is also the naisargika Guru mantra and is called the shakti of Jupiter.
The name KRISHNA is derived from the word AKARSHANA or the power to
attract all and is hence, the most desirable. This is also called the " Kama
Beeja " KLIM and fulfills all desires including Moksha. As regards Jagannatha
Mahaprabhu, He is remembered with the " Jaya " repeated twice in confirmity
with the Moon (Two/Double) and then the Rama Beeja " Sri " followed by
Jagannatha making the mantra " JAYA JAYA SRI JAGANNATHA "
The poison is seen in the Nairtitti Kona (SW Direction ruled by Rahu). The
poison destroying Beeja is " Ksha " . Thus the Narasimha Beejakshara is
" KshrOum " as it removes all poisons and evils. Similarly, the Garuda mantra
is " Kshipa Aum Swaha " which destroys all snakes, enemies and evils and
starts with the syllable " Ksha " .
Hare Rama Krishna
Sanjay Rath
===========================
Om. Of this garland of prayers, which is the thousand names of Shri Shri Radha'-Krishna, the sage is
Sanat-kumara, the meter is anushtup, the Deities are Shri Shri Radha'-Krishna, the bija syllable is
klim, the shakti syllable is shrim, and the kilaka syllable is hrim. These prayers should be chanted to
please Shri Shri Radha'-Krishna.
===========================

Bija means a seed. Hence Bija Mantra means a mantra which is usually of one syllable. The table
below is not complete, but gives the most common bija mantras.
The best tantrik view of mantra is given in Sir John Woodroffe’s collection of essays, Shakti and
Shakta, chapter 24.

“The supreme absolute (Parabrahman) exists in the human being (jivatma) as Shabda Brahman, the
absolute as sound. Mantras are not prayers and the relationship of the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet,
whether consonants or vowels, he says, point to the appearance of devata (divinity) in different forms.
An uttered mantra is the manifestation of a more subtle sound while mantras themselves are forms of
Kundalini. Mantras may be male, female or neutral. Female mantras are called Vidyas.

By Mantra the sought for (Sadhya) Devata appears, and by Siddhi therein is had vision of the three
worlds. As the Mantra is in fact Devata, by practice thereof this is known. Not merely do the rhythmical
vibrations of its sound regulate the unsteady vibrations of the sheaths of the worshipper, but therefrom
the image of the Devata appears.” (op cit) Mantras are masculine (solar), feminine (lunar) or neuter. A
female mantra is called a vidya, which means knowledge, while solar and neuter forms are called
mantras. Mantras are only such if they were first revealed by a rishi or seer. Only then do they have
life, according to the tradition. A mantra can only work if it is received from a guru who has, herself or
himself, received it in an unbroken line from its first rishi. There are, however, exceptions to this,
according to some tantras which prescribe methods of purification for mantras received in dream.
And, according to Mahachinachara, the Kali mantra does not rely on the very elaborate rules usually
found in the Tantras.

In describing mantras, the different tantrik texts always give their origin or rishi as well as the metre to
pronounce them. While a mantra is divinity in sound form, a yantra is the same in geometrical form
and an image the devata in gross form. Refer also to the page on Tattvas on the relationship between
the consonants and the 36 tattvas.”

Om is the famous bija mantra. It is known as Pranava or the salutation mantra. The Bhutadamara
describes it as the face of Kala. Revealed by Mahakala, it is the form of creation, maintenance and
withdrawal.

The bija mantra Shrim is described as Vishnupriya – the beloved of Vishnu – that is Lakshmi,
according to the Uddhara Kosha. The syllable Hrim is called the Maya bija. It is also Raudri, according
to the Bhutadamara. The UK describes it as the Para or supreme bija. The bija mantra Krim is
described as the pitribhuvasini, that is the goddess who dwells in the ancestral or cremation ground,
Kali. It is also the dravana and kledana bija.
Hum with the long letter ‘u’ is called the Kurcha bija and is the mantra of the Mother worshipped by
heroes (viras). The Bhutadamara also describes it as the mantra of Mahakala. Aim is called
Vagbhava bija and is the syllable of Sarasvati, according to the BD. Phat is the bija of the great fire at
the end of time (Pralayagnirmahajvala).

Krom is called the Krodhisha bija. Svaha, otherwise known as Thah Thah, is Vahnijaya, representing
the fire sacrifice.

Klim is the deluder of the three worlds bija, also known as Kama or Manmatha, the Hindu god of love,
often identified with Krishna. It is the sexual desire bija, says the BD. Hum (with the short letter ‘u’) is
called the Kavacha or armour bija. It is the bija of Chandabhairavi. Hraim is the bija which destroys
great sins (mahapataka), and is the light mantra. Drim is called the great Kinkini (small bell) bija, says
the Bhutadamara.

Sphem is the Bhairava (Shiva) bija which comes at the end of a yuga. Plrem is the Vetala (vampire)
bija, according to the Bhutadamara.

Klrim Svaha is called the bija which causes things to tremble. It is the Manohari and ends in Thah
Thah (Svaha, see above). The mantra Prim is the crow bija, used in works of Indrajala (magic). The
UK describes this bija as the Vagura. Tham Tham Thah Thah are the bijas in the worship of the
greatly alluring Chandika, says the BD. Sphrim is the bija of the uncanny Dhumrabhairavi (smoky
Bhairavi), also known as Phetkarini.

The bija Hrum (with long letter ‘u’) is the single syllable mantra of Kalaratri, the great night of time. The
same bija, but with a short letter ‘u’, is the mantra of Vaivasvata.

Hskphrem, says the BD, is the bija mantra of Ananda Bhairava in the form of one’s own guru.
==========================