Bhagavadgita Pages, Chapters 1 to 18
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V.Krishnaraj
08/05/2008
Mantra is the sound-body of a god; Yantra depicts the sound-body in a diagram. Mantra = (Man = is to think or meditate + Tra = is to protect or liberate.) Yantra = instrument, engine, apparatus, amulet with mystical diagram endowed with protective occult powers. Mantras are solar (Saura) and masculine, lunar (Vidya, Saumya) and feminine, and neuter. Neuter and masculine Mantras terminate in Namah, Hum, Phat; feminine in Tham or Svaha. Ajapa (A + Japa = No + Chant) is the primal Mantra. This chantless Mantra pervades the breath going in and out, the subtle sound ‘sah’ going in and the subtle sound ‘ham’ going out. (Sa = Siva, Vishnu, Lakshmi, or Gauri [Parvati or Sakti]; Ham = I am; so = Parvati.} As one chants this subtle-sound Mantra ‘soham’, a derivative of ‘sah-ham,’ ‘Hamsa’ comes into being by inversion. Sa (Sah) is Sakti and Ha is Siva. Soham, Hamsa and AUM (Pranava) are equipotent. Hamsah is the union of male and female and the universe is Hamsah, according to Woodroffe. Anataratma, Guru, Hamsah and Parama Siva are all the same. Parama Siva is seated on Hamsa Pita, which is Mantramaya. The Guru-Siva is in the white Lotus of a thousand petals--Sahasrara Chakra, within which is a triangle enclosing two Bindus making the Visarga. There in the empty void is Parama Siva. Bindu is the circle O, the void is the Brahmapada or space within Bindu. Tirumular says that AUM, though a three-letter word, is one-letter Mantra. Soham is the unintonated sound of normal breathing, meaning ‘I am He.’ Hamsa, meaning ‘Swan’ as in RamaKrishna Parma-Hamsa, stands for an ascetic --Hamsan. All of us including all air-breathing living beings recite this Mantra ‘Soham’ unknowingly for a lifetime. This chantless Mantra (Ajapa Japa) is called Ajapa Gayatri. As you are breathing this chantless Soham in and out, you are identifying your individual self with the Great Self of the Supreme Being. Every breath (and the Mantra) that you take pervades the whole universe of your body. This life giving force or Mantra has the Great Self as the basis. Every time you chant a Mantra, it leads the individual soul to the Great Soul-- the Source, the Essence. All Mantras inclusive of Sakti, Vishnu and Siva Mantras and many but not all rituals are Tantric in origin; that is the reason why Tantra is called Mantra Sastra. Devi or Sakti says that all Sastras that is in opposition to Sruti, Smrti, and Oneness (Siva and Sakti in Saiva tradition, Vishnu and MahaLakshmi in Vaishnava tradition); Bhairava, Gautama, Kapala, Sakala and the like are created by her Maya power for bewilderment of those devoid of Her Grace.
We do not consider a genuine check or bill as mere paper; it has the value and the beneficiary's name written on the face of the check. In like manner Mantras are not mere letters, syllables and words. Mantra is the manifestation of Sakti and thus is Cit Sakti, which is part of Sat, Cit, Ananda; She having Cit Sakti is Citrupini, the form of Consciousness. By dedicated chanting and meditation one can awaken the Mantra Caitanya, the consciousness in a Mantra. That awakening gives Sadhaka Mantra Siddhi which imbibes the powers and goodness of the presiding deity of the specific Mantra. Now there is a concordance between Mantra Caitanya and Sadhaka's consciousness, resulting in transfer of the power of Mantra to the Sadhaka. This transfer of power is also seen in Guru-Sisya tutelage. The communion with Mother Goddess in Her Mantra form (Mantramayi) is Mantra Vidya and Sadhana, the latter is of three forms: S. Anavopaya, S. Saktopaya, and S. Sambhavopaya .
S. Anavopaya, S. Saktopaya, and S. Sambhavopaya . (Meager path, Sakti path and Siva path)
1. Anavopaya/ Anupaya =
AnavopAya = Anu
+ Upaya = Monad +
means.
It
is also interpreted as absence of means; NO means; Not really any means.
2. Saktopaya
= Sakti + Upaya = Sakti
means.
The object of Upaya is to move from individual consciousness and gain entry into Universal Consciousness of Siva.
One should seek help from Kashmir Saivism Gurus for more information and guidance.
1. Anavopaya: This is for an aspirant who cannot do the 2nd and 3rd. In order to enhance his awareness, he engages in external props such as breathing exercises, meditation, fixation on a body part, Mantras, Ajapa Gayatri... Fixation is on glabella between the eyebrows on the forehead, sternal notch (pit of the throat), or the heart. This will merge into Saktopaya and eventually into Sambhavopaya.
2. Saktopaya: Thoughts take birth, persevere and die in the mind. Between thoughts there is a period of silence and inactivity. There are a series of thoughts and a series of silent intervals. This gap (silent interval) is filled by the Universal Reality of Siva. The Sadhaka should concentrate on the Supreme Being abiding in this gap. One should develop intense awareness of this gap and Siva Consciousness by letting the thoughts die and increasing the gap so much so that the aspirant is in continuous immersion in Siva Consciousness. Once this persists, the aspirant gets grace and Anavopaya state merges into Sambhavopaya.
3. In Sambhava Upaya, the aspirant gains Samvesa (entry) into Supreme Consciousness without any meditation, Mantras... The Yogi has to maintain a thoughtless state (Nirvikalpa) so that by grace of Siva he gains entry into Universal Consciousness.
The Jiva is limited and Siva is unlimited. This limitation is imposed upon the Jiva by Mahamaya. One cannot gain entry just with a limited human consciousness. Jiva's limitation and dependence on Siva cannot force Siva's Unlimited Divine Reality to reveal itself. Just keep the Mind-lake free of thoughts and wait for Siva to facilitate entry into Universal God Consciousness.
Swami Vishnu Devananda says that there are six criteria characteristic of a Mantra, slightly modified by the author. 1. It was originally revealed to a Seer, Sage or Rishi who has attained Siddhi. 2. It has a presiding deity. 3. It has a specific meter. 4. It has a Bija, seed or essence as its hypostasis. 5. It carries sakti or power. 6. It is like a jewel box whose lock has to be opened (by the aspirant) by prolonged repetition so that the aspirant receives self realization and vision of the Ishta Devata.
Mantras are syllables, phonemes, quasi-morpheme and its series, morphemes, single word, words, phrases, sentences, verses, and passages. Examples of Phonemes are hrim, hram, and hrum ending in 'm' (or 'n'), which can be intonated as long as one's breath can sustain it. HRIM = H =Siva. R =Sakti Prakrti. I =Mahamaya. Terminal M is Chandrabindu (Moon-Dot). Chandrabindu = Nada and Bindu = Nada-Progenetrix of the Universe and Bindu-Brahman as Isvara and Isvari (Isvaratattva). There is another interpretation of HRIM: H = gross body; R = subtle body; I = causal body; M = Turiya state. Sakti is the causal body of the subtle and gross bodies of all living beings. Another interpretation of HRIM. HA, Ra, I, Ma. Ha =AkAsa; Ra = Agni; I = Ardhanarisvara; M = Nadabindu (Moon-dot).
Take the letter Ka. It is a combination of a generic consonant and a vowel: k +a = Ka. A vowel is interminable and so a terminator M (Chandrabindu) is added; thus Ka becomes Kam. The M sound vibrates intranasally. Here is the anatomy of Aum with M terminator.
| HRIM (Devi) | H =Siva | R = Sakti | I = Mahamaya | M = Chandrabindu |
| SRIM (Lakshmi | S = Mahalaksmi | R = Wealth | I = Satisfaction | M = ditto |
| KRIM (Kali) | K =Kali | R = Brahma (Siva) | I = Mahamaya | M = ditto |
| DUM (Durga) | D = Durga | U = protection | Ditto | |
Bija Mantras are the seed (based on Sanskrit alphabet) mantras (like Lam the seed sound of Muladhara Chakra, Vam of Svadhisthana, Ram of Manipura, Yam of Anahata, Ham of Visudha, and Om of Ajna. The first is Maya Bija, the second Lakshmi Bija, the third Kali Bija, the fourth KUrca Bija, the fifth Varma Bija, the sixth Astra Bija. Ram is Agni Bija, Em is Yoni Bija, Klim is KAma Bija, Srim is BadhU Bija, Aim is Sarasvati Bija, Krim is Kali Bija, Hrim is the Maya bija, Haum for Sadasiva, and so forth. The first letter of the Devata serves as the Bija Mantra: Gam for Ganesa, DUm for Durga.--Woodroffe. See the table below
Bija Mantras From Woodroffe The Garland of Letters page 262-266.
Haum
S'ivavaci hakarastu aukarah syat Sadasivah.
S'unyam duhkhaharartham tu tasmattena S'ivarn yajet.
That is, Ha means S'iva. Au is Sadasiva. The S'unya is that which dispels sorrow. Hence with that S'iva should be worshipped.
Dum
Da durgavacakam devi ukarascapi raksane.
Visvamata nadarupa kurvartho bindurupakah.
Tenaiva Kalikadevtrn pujayedduhkhasantaye.
That is, Da, O Devi, means Durga, U also means to save.
Nnda is the mother of the Universe. Bindu means (pray) do.
Krim
Ka Kali brahma ra proktam Mahamayarthakasca i.
Visvamatarthako nado bindurduhkhahararthakah.
That is, Ka is Kall. Ra is said to be Brahma. I means Mahamaya, Nada means Mother of the universe. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. With that Devt Kalika should be worshipped for cessation of sorrow.
Hrim
Hakarah sivavaci syad rephah prakrtirucyate.
Mahamayartha i-sabda nado visvaprasuh smrtah.
Duhkhahararthako bindubhuvanam tena pujayet.
That is, Ha means S'iva. Ra is said to be Prakrti. I means Mahamaya. Nada is said to be mother of the universe. Bindu means dispeller of sorrow. With that Bhuvanesvari should be worshipped.
SRIM
Mahalaksmyarthakah S'ah syad dhanartho repha ucyate.
I tustyartho' paronado bindurduhkhahararthakah.
Laksmidevya bijam etat tena devim
prapujayet.
That is, S'a means MahalaksmI. Ra is said to mean wealth. I means satisfaction.
Nada is Apara (which may mean Aparabrahma or Isvara). Bindu means Dispeller of
sorrow. This is the Bija of Devi Lakshmi. With it the Devi should be worshipped.
Aim
Sarasvatyartha ai-sabdo bindurduhkhahararthakah.
Sarasvatya bijam etat tena Vanim prapujayet.
That is, Ai means Sarasvati. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. This is the Bija of Sarasvati. With it Vani or Sarasvati should be worshipped.
Klim
Kah Kamadeva uddisto' pyathava Krsna ucyate.
La Indra i tustivacl sukhaduhkhaprada ca am.
Kamabtjartha uktaste tave snehan mahesvari.
That is, Ka refers to Kamadeva, or according to some to Krsna. La means Indra. I means contentment. Am is that which grants happiness and sorrow. Thus, O Mahesvari, the meaning of Kamabija is spoken unto Thee out of my love for Thee.
Hūm
Ha sivah kathito devi ū Bhairava ihocyate.
Parartho nada sabdastu Bindurduhkhahararthakah.
Varmabijatrayo hyatra kathitas tava yatnatah.
That this, Ha, O Devi, is said to be S'iva, D is said to be Bhairava. .Nada means Para, Supreme. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. Here the three composing the Varmabija (armour-bija) are spoken unto Thee owing to Thy solicitation.
Gam
Ganeśarthe ga uktas te Bindurduhkhahararthakah.
Gambijartham tu kathitam tava snehan mahesvari.
That is, Ga, I speak unto Thee, means Ganesa. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. Thus, O Mahesvari, the meaning of Gam-bija is spoken unto Thee out of love for Thee.
Glaum
Ga Ganeso vyapakartho lakarasteja au matah.
Duhkhahararthako bindurganesam tena pujayet.
That is, Ga is Ganesa, La means what pervades. Au means tejas. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. With it Ganesa should be worshipped.
Ksraum
Ksa, Nrsimho Brahma raSca urdhvadantarthakasca au.
Duhkhahararthako bindurNrsimham tena pujayet,
That is, Ksa is Nrsimha and Ra is Brahma. Au means teeth pointing upwards, Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. With it Nrsimha should be worshipped.
Strim
Durgottaranavacyah sa tarakarthasrskarakah.
Muktyartho repha ukto'tra mahamayartnakasca i.
Visvarnatarthako nado Bindurduhkhahararthakah.
Vadhubijartha ukto'tra tava snehan mahesvari.
That is, Sa means deliverance from difficulties. Ta means Saviour. Ra here means salvation or liberation. I means Mahamaya. Nada means Mother of the universe. Bindu means Dispeller of sorrow. Thus the meaning of Vadhubija is spoken unto Thee, O Mahesvari, out of love for Thee.
Before creation Prakrti was in a state of equilibrium. Pra = as in pro(-cess) = natural urge. Krti = producing and the produced = process and the product. Prakriti denotes a thought, a function, and an urge to produce and is the product itself. Prasava Dharmin is the working principle: observation of the law of conception and begetting. Prakriti is an active female principle, while Purusa is the materially inactive male principle; and the product is the universe. Prakrti is the repository of Primary Matter wherein all subjects, objects and effects exist before and after their manifestation. Prakriti stands for cosmic will, and energy in projecting this universe (the phenomenal world). Purusa is Isvara, a modification of Brahman and has the power of manifestation or māyā (Sakti). Purusa is the subject and Prakriti is the object. Manifest Prakriti is matter which one can touch and feel; Prakriti is also an attitude that you love, hate, ignore, or transcend because of its gunas or modes. Prakriti is existence itself; Prakriti's modes are the stuff of human relationship, in which Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas clash, collide, and compromise. Sattva = virtue; Rajas = motion and passion; Tamas = darkness. Prakriti by its nature makes compounds or substances, which are not intelligent or thinking on their own accord. This substance needs something that transcends it to control and direct it. Purusa or Spirit carries out this necessary transcendence, because if the spirit is a compound or a substance and has a stain of gunas, it cannot control another substance. Purusa is Light or Consciousness.
There was nothing; there was no Spanda (movement). Then came the Sound which brought on vibrations of Prakrti. That Sound was Pranava (Om/AUM). Om Sound is not mere sound. It is the Great Seed Sound (Maha-Bija). It reverberated; new vibrations came about from the original Om just like water in half empty vessel sloshes about and creates many disparate sounds. Many Bija Sound Mantras originated. Many sounds acquired particularity and became the sound of alphabets. Many compound sounds arose; sounds of syllables and words blossomed out. The name of objects came from the intrinsic sound of an object (the internal sound produced by the orbiting particles--see details below in faded text). These sounds originate in Muladhara as ParA VAk; it is a Still Sound--High-frequency Sound only NAda Yogis can hear. (Let me give an example. A dog can hear sounds that human ear can't.) This still-sound acquires form and color (Pasyanti) as it ascends up the Chakras and eventually becomes Vaikhari of articulated sound in the voice box. The Great Seed Sound is the source of other Bija Mantras of Devatas; thus Om is the patronymic sound which has the power of all sounds and Devatas. People not in the know call them gibberish and cacophonic. Devatas are named after Bija sounds; its meaning is the form (Rupa) of the Devata. Its utterance and vibration invoke the particular Devata. Bija is Devata Mantra. Bija sounds are Vocable Sounds, each one invoking a Devata. A votary invokes a Devata by his or her name and worship him or her. Examples:
| Hrim | Shrim | Krim | Hūm | Hum | Phat |
| Maya Bija | Lakshmi Bija | Kali Bija | Kurca Bija | Varma Bija | Astra Bija |
| Ram | Em | Klim | Shrim | Aim | |
| Agni Bija | Yoni Bija | KAma Bija | Badhu Bija | Sarasvati Bija |
Natural Sounds and Natural Names:
Inspiration for this article came from Natural Name by Woodroffe in Garland of letters. For better understanding, new terms introduced by me are as follows: Primary Essential Sound (Causal Stress Sound) and External Stress Sound (Stress).
There is movement in all that exists. All movements (and objects) emit sound whether you hear it or not. Remember sub-atomic particles in atoms in objects spin and make sound but we cannot hear that sound. If you can hear that sound and name it after the way it sounds that is Natural Name of that sound or the object that produced the sound. Cuckoo is named onomatopoeically so because it emits that which sounds like "cuckoo". In Tamil a Crow is named after its sound Ka. Since it usually makes two consecutive Ka-Kas, it is called KAKA (¸ˇ¸ˇ). If you can hear the sound of the sap moving up the tree from its roots, you can give it a Natural Name. The Uncreated Brahman is Unmoving (Nispanda); the created world is moving and anything that moves makes sound. Sound is the basic phenomenon by which man apprehends the world. All else such as touch and feel, form and color, taste, and smell are all complex sounds. The skin, the eyes, the tongue and the nose are the peripheral organs that transmit the 'sound' to the respective cortex. Human ear and the brain cannot hear all sounds. Elephants in the wild communicate by sounds that humans cannot hear. Humans cannot smell what a dog smells. Smell is also a movement or sound. A dog can smell a narcotic 10 feet away from its source. Something moved from the narcotic to the nose for the dog to apprehend the narcotic. In like manner the Supreme Absolute Ear of Sakti can hear sounds in its purest state from all objects and that sound is the Natural Name for that object. If you think further all objects emit a Primary Essential Sound and that sound is the same in all languages. Objects produce two kinds of sounds: Causal Stress Sound (Primary Essential Sound) and External Stress Sound. Let us take a tuning fork. There is a sound, though not audible to us, emanating from a non-vibrating tuning fork; that is the Causal Stress Sound we don't hear and yet is heard by the Supreme Absolute Ear of Sakti and accomplished Yogi and is produced by the motions of sub-atomic particles. When the tuning fork is subject to external stress (tapping), it vibrates and emits sound and that is the stress-induced sound heard by the (our) Relative Ear. What the Yogi hears from the non-vibrating tuning fork is imperfect sound because only Brahman or Prajapati can hear the Natural Sound in its perfection with His Supreme Absolute Ear which is not gross or physical. Prajapati hears without ears, sees without eyes and walks without legs. The Prajapati utters the Causal Stress Sound by His Supreme Tongue to his Sadhaka who hears it by his imperfect Relative ear in a distorted way. When the Yogi rises to the level of Prajapati, the Causal Stress Sound sounds true to its quality to him. The Yogi communicates the Causal Stress Sound to his disciples who hear the sound in varying degrees of imperfection. Mantra Sastra states that Bija Mantras (Root Mantras sounding the Sanskrit letters) represent the Natural Names. The breath consisting of Inspiration and Expiration emits the sound of Prana-Bija Mantra, Hamsa. The out-breath sound is Ham and the in-breath sound is Sa. Om is the sound that has come down from its pristine natural state to its present form, structure and sound through many MAnasaputras and a line of Gurus, who tried to reproduce the sound to the best of their ability. Woodroffe states that it is an open continuous sound uninterrupted by any consonant which clips it, vanishing as it were upward in the NAdabindu which is placed on the vowel.
Interpretation of the term, "Natural".
1) The Supreme Absolute Ear hears the Primary Essential Sound (Causal Stress Sound) of an object without any distortion and He utters them with His Absolute Tongue without any distortion. Causal stress Sound is the name of an Object.
2) When Prajapati utters them to Yogis, what they hear varies according to their Relative Ear and what they utter varies according their Relative Tongue. What we hear and utter are not Natural Sounds because we hear with imperfect relative ears and brain and utter with imperfect tongues. The Mantras Om, Ham, Ram are all distorted sounds as heard and uttered by the imperfect us; the degree of distortion depends on the nature and sensitivity of the Relative Ear and Tongue.
3) Cuckoo and the crow are named onomatopoeically from the sound they make. This is the sound they make when subjected to stress--External Stress-induced Sound. When the firewood is burning, it emits many sounds, which the Relative Gross Ear hears. The Causal Stress Sound or the Primary Essential Sound fire emits is Bija Mantra Ram which only a Yogi hears. Various organs in the body make Causal Stress Sound Hamsa and so on. Primordial Sounds descend to our relative levels according to our Relative Ears and Relative Tongues. Some do not descend to us at all.
4) Objects are named by Denotation and Connotation.
de·no·ta·tion:
SaktyArtha, AbhidAsakti. Intrinisic, direct. Literal power or sense of the word. Primary name1. the explicit or direct meaning or set of meanings of a word or expression, as distinguished from the ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it; the association or set of associations that a word usually elicits for most speakers of a language, as distinguished from those elicited for any individual speaker because of personal experience. Cf. connotation.
Ram is the Denotation of Fire. Ram is the Primary Essential Causal Stress Sound for Fire. Ram is the name for Fire that Yogi hears from the Absolute.
con·no·ta·tion:
LaksyArtha, laksanAsakti Secondary meaning, with attributes or qualities. Secondary Namethe associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning: A possible connotation of "home" is "a place of warmth, comfort, and affection." Cf. Denotation
Ram is the Denotation of Fire. Ram is the Primary Essential Causal Stress Sound for Fire. Agni, Vahni, HutAsana are connotation and the Secondary External stress-induced Sound for Ram.
Ram is the Denotation of Fire. Ram is the Primary Essential Causal Stress Sound for Fire. Ram is the name for Fire that Yogi hears from the Absolute. Agni is the Sanskrit name (Connotation) for Fire; Agni is the connotative name heard by the ear. The Europeans hear the word Agni for fire and their imperfect tongue called it Ignis. From Ignis came the word Ignition.
The British heard the word Tiruvanantapuram (Tiru-Ananta-Puram = Sacred + Endless + City) the name of a famous Temple Town in Kerala. His relative ear, his relative tongue and his penchant to untwist his tongue made him say Trivandrum. He knows the word TRI (meaning three); he knows the word VAN ( for vehicle) and he knows the word DRUM (that you beat). He put them all together and used the corrupted word, TRIVANDRUM (Three + Van + Drum) for the sacred town. The original meaning of the word was Sacred-Endless-City. Tiru + Ananta + Puram = Sacred + Endless + City. Thus the Sacred-Endless-City has become known as Three + Van + Drum. Now you see how relative ear and relative tongue can alter the sacred sound and meaning of a word and create an ignominious name for a sacred city.
5) "Primary and Secondary names may be combined in such order (Krama) and metre or harmony (Chandah) that by vitalizing one another, these in combination may appear as an approximate name of thing or process.
All letters, syllables and Mantras are the names of Brahman, so are the lines of Yantra and objects of the universe. They who consider a Mantra mere letter and an image mere stone are on their way to hell. A jiva has many sheaths: Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manonmaya, Vijnanamaya (food sheath, breath, mind, Knowledge etc); they vibrate each with it own frequency. Bija Mantras bring unison and regularization of vibrations of the sheaths, contributing to the welfare of the Jiva. Bija is the name of a Devata as rose is the name of a particular flower.
A mantra, unless specifically stated or instructed, should be repeated 108 or a thousand times, the latter is ten rounds of 108 (redundancy built in case of error in counting). Loud uttering of mantra is the least effective; muttering is ten times more efficacious; repetition with movement of the tongue within mouth is 100 times more efficacious; mental repetition is a 1000 times more efficacious. Mantra is chanted looking east or down. All mantras start with Om; one should look at the Guru or Deity while chanting Mantra; one should eat prescribed Prasada (food). Ideal places for chanting mantra are solitary sites, temples, river banks, and temple tanks. The ideal food for the aspirant to succeed in Mantra is rice, milk, grains and butter offered to Agni god (Fire), who is the intermediary between God and man. Hara (Siva), Durga, Jupiter, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, and Kubera are the presiding deities of the days of the week. See a different version of presiding deities of the days of the week.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| In Hinduism the following are considered auspicious or otherwise. | ||||||
| pink or maroon | White | red | green | yellow or off-white | light blue | purple |
| No commerce | launch anything new | animal husbandry | banking, crops, romance | education | healing, friendship | pious day |
| Sun-the ruler | Siva rules | Kartikeya rules | Vishnu | Lakshmi | Devi | Dakshina Kali |
| Sun | Moon | Mars | Mercury | Jupiter | Venus | Saturn |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Below is the Jewish way of counting (and naming) days; days have no names. | ||||||
| 1st day after Sabbath | 2nd day | 3rd day | 4th day | 5th day | 6th day | Sabbath (7th day of the week) |
Generally a Mantra has three components: Pranavam, Atas, and Namah. Pranavam is the primordial sound of auspicious nature and so is Atas. Atas means afterwards or what follows after om and in this context depicts the name of the deity; Namah is offering of bowing salutation, obeisance, homage, reverence.
An example:
(Pranavam - Atas - Namah) = (Om - NarAyanAya - Namah) = (Om Narayanaya namah) = (Om, I offer bowing salutation to Narayana). (Pranavam-Namah-Atas) = (Om NamO NArAyanAya).
Mantra as said earlier is a syllable or a string of syllables. Varna and Svara (sound and Rhythm, intonation, musicality) are essential elements. A diva uses Varna and Svara to sing a song; the result is musical excellence, pleasing to the ear, mind and soul. The same words uttered by a screechy voice evokes pain and distemper. Kundali is the source of varna and svara; thus, the Mantras are suffused with the Consciousness of Kundali, just like the music of any diva. Diva = a distinguished female singer. Diva has divine voice. Diva is cognate with Sanskrit Deva (deity). Diva is Devi of music. Devi = female deity. A Sadaka's sakti has to unite with the Mantra Sakti to produce peace, harmony, steadiness of vibrations of his sheaths (Kosas) and appearance of the image of the Mantra-specific Devata. The fruit is Mantrasiddha, consisting of fulfilled desires, material gain, Caturvarga (Dharma, Artha, KAma, and Moksa), advaitic wisdom and liberation.
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A view from the West: Abbe Dubois in his own words
Abbe Dubois (1770-1848) a Christian Missionary from France was one of the most astute Hindu watcher in Tamil Nadu, India and an acerbic commentator. He did feel that Mantras neither induced vibrations nor oscillations of Spirit nor obtain realm of peace. He most of his time was watching the Hindus so much so that he did not have time and that he converted in his own words only "two to three hundred converts, 2/3rd were pariahs or beggars and the rest composed of Sudras, vagrants and outcastes of several tribes." He was frustrated that Roman Catholicism prevailed among the converts because it let the caste system exist among converts. The converts consulted the astrologers and purohitas (priests), practiced Hindu manners and customs in marriage. He had a particular annoyance at the Brahmin community then, whom he regarded as the sole purveyors of Mantras, which 'enchain the power of gods themselves.' Gods thus bound by chains were afraid of Purohitas who declared themselves as 'Brahma gods or gods of the earth.' He quotes a Mantra familiar to Purohitas:
Devadhinam jagat sarvam,
Mantradhinam ta devata
Tan mantram Brahmanadhinam
Brahmana mama devata
Which means, 'The universe is under the power of gods; the gods are under the power of Mantrams; the Mantrams are under the power of the Brahmins; therefore the Brahmins are our gods.' 'The argument is plainly set out, as you may see, and these modest personages have no scruples about arrogating to themselves the sublime title of Brahma gods or gods of the earth. When one points out to the Brahmins that these much-vaunted Mantrams do not produce startling effects in the present day, they reply that this must be attributed to the Kali-Yuga, a veritable age of iron when everything has degenerated.
He derides Gayatri Mantra, so highly regarded by Hindus. He observes that Gayatri Mantram removes the sins and that gods tremble at it. The Brahmin must make sure that he always repeats it in a low voice, that he is not overheard by a Sudra, or even by his own wife, particularly at the time when she is in a state of uncleanness (monthly periods). The Mantram should not be imparted to an unbeliever (like Abbe Dubois). Page 138-140: Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies
(Dubois speaks and writes here in green and I in black.)
Donald A Mackenzie says that Brahma took Gayatri, the milkmaid, as a second wife because his chief wife, Sarasvati, despite her wisdom arrived late for a certain important ceremony, at which the spouse of the god was required. Sarasvati cursed Brahma so that he could only be worshipped once a year. page 44, 149 Myths & Legends of India.
The following commentary by the author (Krishnaraj) is an analysis rather than an expression of vexation. Dear mack: Calling Gayatri the milkmaid is as bad, idiotic, inconsiderate and ignorant as calling the Lord Jesus Christ the unemployed carpenter and a loser, President Truman the out-of-his-league haberdasher, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) the Bulldog that barked in queen's English, Honorable Jewish Matchmaker Shadchan a pimp, Bible a Jewish Fairy tale, Prophet Moses a shepherd who lost his way.... Sarasvati, despite her wisdom arrived late: This characterization of dissociating wisdom from late-coming is a subtle and yet obvious insult to Sarasvati, who is the goddess of arts, music and letters. mack expects all wise people to show up on time; only stupid people show up late. All this goes to show that the West goes out of the way to denigrate Hinduism in any way it can. What mack says is that Brahma left a learned woman for a milkmaid. mack must have felt a vicarious glee at this scandal. West treats Hinduism in a manner the media treats Paris Hilton or Jamie Lynn Spears. (Feb 2008). Sensationalism is its currency. Brahma's consorts are his energies. What Sarasvati represents in Brahma is His Creative Aspect and Knowledge required for such an act. Sarasvati's other names are Gayatri, Satarupa, Savitri and Brahmani. Actually her full name is Sarasvati Gayatri, who is the personified energy of Brahma. Many names of Sarasvati are intended to depict her essential quality in each of her names. When Sarasvati was busy with other important chores, Sarasvati sent herself in the name of Gayatri (a deity can do such things) for the sacrifice which could not continue without the physical presence of wife. Sarasvati is a river, wife of Brahma, daughter of Brahma, goddess of all arts and sciences, a milkmaid....Remember mack, in your days when there was no supermarket (Yes, I am talking to a dead man), your wife was a milkmaid. I bet you had a milch cow around ready and willing to be milked. Let me give you an example as to how mack has interpreted Brahma's marriage to Gayatri (the milkmaid). King and queen attend a ball. The queen on occasions adjusts his pillow, makes his bed, cooks his meals, and makes coffee for the king. What mack says is that the king takes his maid (cook) for the ball.
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If you don't have an initiating Guru, you can use OM as your Mantra.
exoticindia.com
Aum (Om) is the mystic syllable intonated audibly, sotto voce, or mentally; It is the fusion of three sounds beginning with aw (as in paw) originating in Muladhara Chakra, vibrating as oo (as in coo) in the Anahata and Visuddha Chakras and resonating as mm (as in mm, that is good) in Ajna and Sahasrara Chakras. It is Primal Mula Mantra and thus a non-secular Mantra. Ām (¬ő = variation of Aum) in Tamil means "Yes, expressing assent." OM
Mantra Devata is like a three-limbed tree: Guru mantra (given by a Guru), Stotra or hymn of praise and prayer for the general good and specific rewards, and Kavaca, mantra of protective nature.
Kavacha mantra is a mystical syllable forming a part of Mantra offering protection. Kavaca is called mail, coat of mail, cuirass or armor. Mystical words can be carved and worn as amulet to ensure protection. Kavacha Mantras are used to invoke, for example, Brahman to protect various parts of the body. Each mantra is like a key that opens or invokes a god who offers protection. Siva is meditated upon in the heart. Vishnu is meditated upon to protect the throat, so the devotee can chant a mantra to invoke his Ishta Devata, a god of his choice. (The Hollywood celebrities insure their legs, hands, larynx, face for obvious reasons. Now you see why the Hindus want to protect their body parts for various reasons with the insurance of faith in God, who prevents mishaps and protects them. Insurance does not really protect the limb but only pays its insured worth after it is lost or injured. Kavacha Mantra is a preventive and a protective measure; now you see the immense difference.
As said earlier, Mantra is the sound-body of god; as the tree is contained in a seed, Brahmanda (Brahman + Anda = Brahman's Egg = Brahman's universe) is contained in the Mantra, Hamsa Mantra. Siva and Sakti throb in this Mantra. There is no life without this Mantra; it is integral to life and breathing, not only inspiration and expiration of air but the internal breathing of each cell. To exemplify this fact it is said that Hamsa Mantra is like light in the sun, oil in the sesamum seed, fire in the wood, Sakti in Siva, movement in the wind. All other Mantras do not have any potency unless they are conjoined with this Mantra; it is like saying a little salt goes a long way to make food palatable. Hamsa is Prasadapara (Supreme Grace) Mantra, learned from a Guru and gives release. Even gods like Vishnu, Rudra, and Brahma repeat this Mantra and gain knowledge, luster, and liberation. An ordinary Pasu (individual soul) becomes Pasupati (the Lord of the pasus). It is so powerful that a lowly man chanting this mantra can consecrate the idols and images. This mantra can be chanted by anyone to obtain its benefits; it erases all class distinctions, and confers liberation. Mantras in general are deity-specific and therefore fruit-specific (Specific benefits); Hamsa is the King of Mantras and confers the Complete Fruit. Hamsa is thus Siva and Sakti, SatChitAnada, and Supreme Reality, yielding both Yoga and Bhoga.
Vacya = Vakya; Vacaka = Vasaka.
Every Mantra has two Saktis (powers): Vakya Sakti and Vasaka Sakti; the former is the seed and latter is the flesh of the fruit; the former is life of Mantra and the latter is the sustainer of life; the Vakya Sakti is subject and transcendent, and Vasaka Sakti is object and immanent; one cannot get to the seed without going through the fruit; one cannot understand the meaning and true nature of Vakya sakti without worshipping Vasaka Sakti (they are like Brahman and Isvara); Vakya sakti is without attributes (Brahman), Vasaka Sakti is with attributes (Isvara); Vakya sakti is seed and Vasaka Sakti is the tree; seed and Vakya Sakti are latent and dormant, and tree and Vasaka Sakti are awake and florid; Vakya Sakti is white light and Vasaka Sakti is spectral or rainbow colors, yellow, blue, red and more of Kundalini Devi. Paramatma is Vakya Sakti, while the son of Devaki (Krishna) is Vasaka Sakti. Vakya is meaning; Vasaka is words, phrases and mutterings of Mantra. The god who is the subject of Mantra is Vakya Sakti and Pratipaadya (to be explained, meaning) Devata and god who is Mantra itself (god's sound body = Mantra) is Vasaka Sakti. Vakya Sakti is like clouds and Vasaka Sakti is like rain water. Vakya Sakti is unlimited; Vasaka Sakti is delimited. Vakya sakti is all-pervasive and unmanifest, while Vasaka Sakti is manifest. The Vasaka Sakti of Mantra with attributes is awakened by Siddhi of Sadhakas who then with the help Devi step into the monistic world of Brahman knowledge. (Ref. to white light and spectral or rainbow colors, and seed and tree are author's input.) Vasaka Sakti is the road to Vakya Sakti; the former is the means and the latter is the goal. Yogis are capable of meditating on Brahman without going through the preliminary step of worshipping and meditating on Isvara. In this instance, they are the seekers of Cashew Nut which is outside the fruit--author's opinion.
Mular says that 'Sa' sound originates in Nada and 'Ha' sound originates in Bindu. Hamsa = Ham + Sa = Male + Female = Siva + Sakti = Purusa + Prakrti. Hamsa is a bird: swan.
Each Mantra is packed with salubrious vibrations, the release of which spreads through the universe of human body and spirit like the ripples generated by a rock dropped in a pond. The ripples in the mind lake created repeatedly by the mantras keeps the physical, emotional and mental state in good health. It is also compared to a seed, which packs a tree inside, the growth of which depends upon the fertile soil. Such is the power of Mantra. Mere chanting helps, but sincerity and surrender augment its power. Coming back to Soham, conscious recital (Mantra japa) of a Mantra and increasing the cycles of respiration with accompanying Mantra are performed by yogis. Increasing the respirations without professional guidance is not recommended for beginners for it alters the pH of the blood with some ill effects. The purpose of Mantra in kundalini yoga is to take you from a mere existence at Muladhara plane of four petals to superconscious Sahasrara plane of a thousand petals, where the unwound Chakra-penetrating Kundalini power finds her union with Siva.
Mantras are double-edged swords; it can be used only for the good and never for harming anyone. If Mantras are used for evil purposes, it is like digging a grave for someone else but falling and getting interred in it. A Mantra is sound and or silent energy which has transformational power on the person who utters it. By Mantra a Devata is invoked. Chanting of Mantra is like shaking a sleeping person to wake up from sleep. The moving lips are Siva and Sakti; their movement is Mithuna (union). Sabda or sound is the name, artha is Devata whose name it is. The Devata that is produced is his/her manifestation, which is actually a roused, altered or higher consciousness of the Sadaka (aspirant), which can perceive the Artha or the object that is invoked by Mantra. Sabda is cognitive sound, while Artha is the object it denotes and the thought it provokes. Thus the whole universe is covered by sabda and the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is the articulate Vaikhari stage in the evolution of Sound. Go to SOUND.HTM. Mahakali's garland of fifty heads represents those fifty letters; she absorbs the letters, the Sabda, and the Artha into herself during Maha Pralaya (Great dissolution). That is the naked fierceness of absorption or dissolution.
Sabda's causal source is Sabda Brahman, a manifest Brahman, while Para Brahman is unmanifest, soundless and Supreme, which is Turiya Consciousness where sound and thoughts involute. Go to POTPOURRI --Potpourri two for Sabda Brahman and Para Brahman.
Mantra is a magical formula based on a sound, a syllable, a word, a phrase or a verse which, when chanted in silence, solo, or chorus, creates wholesome vibrations and energy.
Mantra is the soul of Yantra; worship in Yantra pleases the Goddess. Mantra is the language of communication with a chosen Deity. Yantra restrains, regulates, modulates, subdues, and sublimates all miseries born of desire, anger, hate, greed, love and other entities. Worship without Yantra brings curse from the Deity. While worshipping the Deities, the deity-specific Mantra and Yantra with all the attendant rituals and paraphernalia should be brought into play, guaranteeing the proper respect and reverence to the deity; invocation of one deity, and worship of another brings the wrath of both offended deities. The Inner power (Antahsakti) is brought to the full force in worship with all its rituals. All this is done under instructions from the Guru. Mantras are used for Worship, Communication, Rewards, Gains, Powers, Avoidance and Expulsion, Cures, Detoxification, Manipulation, Control, Purification, inflicting injury, and other purposes.
The written Mantra is Varnātmaka Sabda, meaning the sound is based on the written characters --written Mantra; Dhvayātmaka Sabda is the sound (Nāda) based on speech--Uttered Mantra. The mystics and Kundalini practitioners hear the sound in the Anahata (heart) center, which is the abode of Sabda Brahman, Nada Brahman or Sound Brahman--all synonyms. It is said that there are 330 million of devatas (deities or divine beings) of layered hierarchical status in this universe living in various lokas or world domains. Each deity presides on his assigned domain, has a name, a mantra, a mantra-body known as Yantra and his or her followers. When a deity-specific mantra is chanted, that particular mantra-specific deity responds according to the intensity of devotion and faith. The Guru gives to the Sisya or pupil a Mantra, that is compatible with the pupil, brings the best from that devata and fructifies the pupil's needs. The mind of the meditator in the depth of his faith takes the shape of the deity and the aspirant becomes one with the deity. This is the Maxim of Worm and Wasp.
The Maxim of Wasp and Worm
A lowly worm is in constant fear of the wasp and thus meditates on the wasp, not knowing when the dreaded fate of sting will strike it. The worm is so much possessed of the image of the wasp, that its consciousness is reposed only in the thought and form of wasp. The worm becomes a wasp in its mind's image. Similarly, an Avadhuta is constantly meditating on Brahman, not knowing when the blessed event of knowing and transforming himself to deity would take place. He thus becomes deity himself by dwelling in his mind on the deity.
Bhakti (devotion) and Kriya (ritual external and internal purification) bring beneficial results from the devata.
Broadly, Mantras fall into three categories: Vedic, Tantrika, and Puranic; each category has three divisions: Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. Sattvic mantras are used for light, wisdom, discrimination, awareness, divine love, compassion and realization; Rajasic mantras are used for material gains: progeny and prosperity; Tamasic mantras are used to invoke evil spirits for destructive purposes. Meditation on Tamasic mantra is Vāma Marga meaning a path that is left-handed, vile, wicked, base, low and bad. They earn a direct descent to hell. Rajasic mantras guarantee birth and rebirth because there is no salvation in the chanting of these mantras. Sattvic mantras expunge all sins and karma and rewards the aspirant with peace and tranquility, Bliss, Grace and Moksa (liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths).
● Worship involves the three primary Gods, Mother Goddess, other minor devatas (gods). Communication with Gods are for the purpose of obtaining Siddhis, magical powers, worldly wealth, and liberation.
● Avoiding, warding and expulsion of evil, devil, and ghosts. (Exorcism).
● Destruction of enemies who cast evil incantations.
● Material and other rewards.
● Power, yogic powers come under Yoga.
● Progeny.
● Cure, Ability to cure diseases.
● Detoxification, ability to rid the body of poison in man and animals.
● Manipulation of actions and thoughts of other people.
● Control minor deities, men, animals, and ghosts.
● Purification, both internal and external.
● Magical powers, minor, and major as in eight major magical powers of Yogis.
● Inducing love in a reluctant "wooee."
● Avert famine, drought, danger, and difficulty.
● prolongation of life.
● guarantee success in war by Mantras and acts to disable the enemy.
● Liberation from samsara.
Inflicting punishment or injury by Mantra is evil and a double-edged sword which could bring harm to the Mantra invoker. The gravedigger falls and gets interred in the grave. It is like the boomerang that comes back to sever the head of the thrower.
AUM: Tirumular says that the one letter, A, represents the universe. The two letters A and U are Siva and Sakti, the latter being the all-powerful manifest energy of Siva. The three letters, A, U, and M are Siva, Sakti and Light, the last being Jnana or knowledge. The letter M is also Maya. Tirumular calls AUM as one-letter Mantra, representing Tandava, the Divine Dance of Siva. Tandava is derived from Tandu, a dancer and servant of Siva. Any act performed by Siva is a dance. The dances are named according to his acts (creation, maintenance, destruction, veiling and Grace), places (Chidambaram), and competition (Urdhva), 25 Lilas (acts of play). The most celebrated dance is the ‘Tandava’ in Chidambaram.
In the plane of Muladhara
(Kundalini, fist plane), he stands as Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya--Na for earth and Brahma, Ma for water
and Vishnu, Si
for fire and
|
Entity |
Na |
Ma |
Si |
Va |
Ya |
|
The soul’s journey to Grace |
Veiling or Tirodhana |
Mala or impurity |
Lord Siva |
Arul or Grace |
The Jiva or individual soul |
|
Panchaakshara (Five Syllables) |
Tirodhana |
The Universe |
Lord Siva |
Revealing Grace |
The Jiva |
|
Body Parts |
the lower limbs |
the abdomen |
the shoulders |
The mouth or face |
The eyes or the head. |
| Dynamic Panchaakshara of Nataraja | Fire in the hand |
Right foot on Muyalakan
|
drum | out-stretched hand | left lower hand, dispelling fear |
|
Siva’s five functions in Nataraja stance |
Destruction (left posterior hand with flame). |
Concealing Grace, planted right foot. |
Creation, right posterior hand with the drum. |
Revealing Grace, left anterior hand pointing down to left foot--Jiva's refuge |
Maintenance (Sthiti), right anterior hand with supinated upright palm. (A-bhaya mudra—fear-not symbol) [high-five position of palm] |
|
Entity |
Na |
Ma |
Si |
Va |
Ya |
|
Five Elements |
Earth |
Water |
Fire |
Air |
Akasa or ether |
|
Muladhara triangle-Kundalini |
Earth and Brahma |
Water and Vishnu |
Fire and Rudra |
Vayu and Rudra |
Akasa and Sadasiva |
|
AUM |
|
|
A (Siva) |
U (Sakti) |
|
|
Perpetual Bliss |
|
|
Bliss |
Bliss |
Bliss |
|
Jnana (knowledge) |
|
|
Knowledge |
|
Knowledge |
|
Pure Joy |
|
|
Pure Joy |
Pure Joy |
Pure Joy |
|
Tandava dance of dissolution |
|
|
Si |
Va |
|
|
Agamic Mantra |
|
|
A (Sadasiva) |
U (Sadasiva) |
|
|
Pati-Pasu-Pasa Triangle < |