The English Mantras of Master C.V.V. and The Politics of Language in the Indian “New Age”

Abstract

This paper explores an alternative paradigm of mantra practice: New Age mantras in English. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2022 and 2024, I examine the practices of spiritual practitioners (many from orthodox Brahmin families) in South India who engage with C.V.V. Yoga, a spiritual system founded by Cancupati Venkasamy Rao Venkat Rao (1868-1922), or Master C.V.V., as he is known by his followers. Central to this practice is the “mystic mantram” “Master C.V.V. Namaskaram,” which all practitioners recite twice daily at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. In addition to this, many practitioners chant other English-language “mystic mantrams,” such as “axis arranged hours,” “dip deep,” and “higher bridge beginning.” These mantras are recited with the same intentionality as traditional Sanskrit mantras, and, according to practitioners, they are believed to produce even more immediate and direct effects. For example, while Sanskrit mantras often require repetition, “Master C.V.V. Namaskaram” is considered so powerful that it is only recited once every 12 hours. This paper investigates this practice, examining how English mantras function within the religious and spiritual landscape of South India. It also explores the politics of language, particularly the use of English in religious contexts, and how this shapes both the experience and meaning of mantra recitation in the contemporary New Age milieu.