SVADHYAYA YOGA SUTRAS - SELF STUDY
Ishwar gita while describing swadhyaya has stated that japa is swadhyaya. It includes both shrawan and manan (listening and contemplation). Japa is of two types, oral and mental. Again oral japa is of two types, audible - with loud chanting which can be heard by the others and inaudible - whispers which cannot be heard by others. Mental japa is also of two types - without dhyana and with dhyana. In all these japas, japa without dhyana is considered as the best.While doing japa of a particular mantra, when an anushtan is completed, the goddess for whom the japa is made becomes pleased with the sadhaka and appears before him. (known as darshan)