Lord Sri Krishna says in the Gita that there are 84000 'yoniis' (forms of lives). The life goes on unendingly. Birth and death cycle goes on unceasingly.
Sankara says, 'Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam.'(Repeated births and deaths). The purpose of life is only to attain Lord. But Maya (illusion) is terrible. It is not so easy to infer how this Maya that binds us would bring about our downfall.
Great sages have fallen down due to the work of Maya. It is Sage Viswamitra's life that is popularly quoted to illustrate this. He was a great sage, a big tapasvi but Maya in the form of Kamam (lust), Krodham (anger), Madam (pride) brought about his downfall. Infatuated with Menaka he lost his tapas. He straightened the bent back of a ('koonan') man and lost his tapas. And again when he tried to create a heaven for 'Thrisangu' (A mythological fact is that sage Viswamithra attempted to create an exact replica of The Abode of Gods) he lost his tapas. This downfall of a Mahatma is not to be laughed at but a lesson has to be learnt from it.
What is Bhagavat sakshatkaara?(realization of Brahman) When we do japa of a mantra?
To attain the siddhi (fruit) of the mantra. Well! First of all we should understand what 'siddhi' means. Japa is done with a purpose. Suppose we do japa for the purpose of attaining 'vak shakti' (power to bring about whatever has been uttered) or 'ishwarya' (wealth) or 'yashas' (fame) attainment of these is known as 'siddhi'. However, real siddhi is only attainment of God.
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