Why is the word ‘Nirvichar’ a chant for seekers of all stages ?

In the English ‘Sanatan Prabhat’ Fortnightly of 1-15 June 2021, a guideline was published regarding the chant of ‘Nirvichar’.
Gurukrupayoga (Path of Guru’s grace) advises that when starting on spiritual practice, the Names of the Kuldevata (Family Deity) and Deity Datta be chanted.
Yet another Principle in ‘Gurukrupayoga’ is – Spiritual practice should be performed corresponding to the spiritual level.
Some people may question how can the chant of ‘Nirvichar’, which is the last chant in ‘Gurukrupayoga’, be chanted by anyone from a seeker at the primary level to a Saint. The answer is given in this article.

To progress in Spirituality, one has to complete various stages in spiritual practice. For example, removal of personality defects, elimination of ego, chanting, attending satsangs, performing satseva, working to awaken spiritual emotion, sacrificing and developing Priti (Spiritual love without expectations).

It may take 10-15 years for a seeker to complete the stage of chanting externally and reach the state of chanting from within. The seeker can progress only 4-5% spiritually in 4-5 years. Then, he would reach the stage of ‘satsang’. If he moves at this rate in spiritual practice, he will not reach his goal in one birth.

If the seeker continues to make some efforts of the next stage of spiritual practice, the progress of the seeker will increase; for example, if efforts at the stage of ‘satsang’ are made while chanting, it will increase the rate of spiritual progress. Likewise, in Gurukrupayoga, the seeker of the primary stage is advised to make efforts of all eight stages (as mentioned earlier). Therefore, progress in this path of spiritual practice is faster than other paths.

So is the case with the chant of ‘Nirvichar’. For this chanting to take place, the spiritual level of the seeker should be at least 60%, which means, the starting of the dissolution of his mind. The seeker can then reach the state of ‘Nirvichar (Thoughtlessness)’; however, if he starts chanting ‘Nirvichar’ from the very beginning, he can reach this stage in a shorter time than what is required to reach the stage of dissolution of the mind by inculcating the sanskar of this chant to some extent and practising the 8 stages of spiritual practice.

Which is the chant for a seeker who is at a spiritual level less than 60% ?

Chanting of ‘Nirvichar’ leads to the state of ‘Nirgun’. Hence, it may be difficult for seekers who chant the Name of the Kuladevata or seekers who are a spiritual level less than 60%. They should try to chant ‘Nirvichar’ with their usual chanting. If it becomes possible to chant this voluntarily, it should be continued. Because in the end, you have to reach the next stage of spiritual practice and chant this word (‘Nirvichar’) all the time.

– Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale

If you cannot chant just ‘Nirvichar’, chant ‘Om Nirvichar’ or ‘Shri Nirvicharaya Namaha’

Some seekers may find it difficult to chant just ‘Nirvichar; they should try chanting ‘Om Nirvichar’.

‘Om’ has strength and energy. Therefore, adding ‘Om’ at the beginning of the chant ‘Nirvichar’ will help speed up the effect of the ‘Nirvichar’ chant.

Those who are able to chant ‘Shri Nirvicharaya Namaha’ easily should continue with it.

– Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale