The basics about Mantras and other remedies

While the Hindu Vedic astrology believes in the theory of fate it also advocates that you can make efforts to improve your destiny and counter act your fate by performing various remedies like poojas, stotra path, japa and charity etc. There are time tested and trusted some remedies prescribed in the various astrological and other important scriptures. For specific problems and remedies you can always consult us. But even if there is no problem, performing a Vedic puja, reciting of the mantras or charity will improve your overall progress.
Do not expect any overnight miracles. People in the olden days used to start learning poojas, yoga, meditation etc from the age of five. By the time they were 15 to 16 years old they used to attain a fairly good level of spiritual standards and when they performed poojas etc. even the Gods used to come down. Now a days people start doing Om Namah Shivaya or Maha Mritunjaya mantra japa only when they have a BP attack or when their son is ill! However one thing is sure. These remedies slowly wash away the negative karmic influences and improve the positive effects. By performing these poojas etc. your troubles may not vanish totally but the intensity of trouble is reduced and you get the inner strength to face them with courage and confidence. We have prescribed these remedies to a lot of people and they benefited. They do work. That is why they have survived for so many thousands of years. 
Rules and regulations: A lot of people are worried about the rites and rituals to be followed for performing poojas, reciting stotras and doing mantra japa. There several types of poojas of the deities and some of them can take a whole day. The way a pooja is performed also varies depending on ones regional and traditional back ground. Various pooja books and websites prescribe long preparations and rituals for poojas. It is not possible for every one to perform a pooja like an ordained Vedic priest. Hence our scriptures allow one to do a pooja "Yatha shakti" or as per ones capability and convenience. Doing it with faith is what really matters. The minimum is: Take bath, wear clean clothes, light a lamp and an incense stick and offer some prasad - if you don't have anything at home the simple milk or sugar will do. You can rest assured that that the Gods will not curse you! Preferably keep an idol or photograph of the deity.
While doing pooja or mantra japa, preferably, repeat preferably and if possible, set aside a particular place to sit, face east or north, sit on an asan - preferably silk or woolen. If you cant manage these don't stop doing pooja or japa!
For mantra reciting, a lot depends on the type of mantra you intend to recite and the purpose. Some people recite some mantras daily. It is up to their convenience. The normal number of times a mantra is recited is 3, 11, 21, 27, 54 and 108 or more.
For specific Graha shanti, the number of times the mantra to be recited is prescribed. The prescribed time limit during which it should be completed is one mandala or 40 days. You are given a grace period of 8 days, taking into account any emergency or illness. So maximum 48 days. 
If you have taken a vow to do X number of japas in Y number of days - jolly well do as vowed! No short cuts and no excuses. This is one failure for which the Gods make you pay! So think and calculate carefully (use a calculator please!) and keep an emergency cushion, before you take a vow!!
For most other mantras for specific purpose or siddhi, the time limit is 48 days. The minimum number of times the mantra is to be recited to give results, is 1 lack times with an extra 25% prescribed to compensate for any mistakes in pronunciation, counting and wavering of concentration - so 1,25,000 times total.
For the daily japa there are no restrictions. For the specific purpose and period oriented recitals - non-vegetarian food, alcoholic drinks and illicit sex are prohibited. Advisable to avoid onions
After the main mantra japa, preferably you must recite the gayatri mantra 108 times.