Mantra

manan traayate iti mantraah||

    Mantra is a sacred sound. it protects (traayate iti) the one who chants it in mind (manan). Thus, mantra is for chanting in mind! whatever pronounced out of lips becomes vaikhari. It is a medium (madhyama) at the throat (vishuddhi chakra) level. Actually, the mantra is visualised (pashyanti) in a state of transcendental meditation (turiyaateeta samadhi sthiti) at the heart level. Here the yogin is visualizing brahman. dhyanavasthita tad gatena manasa pashyanti paraah yogina|| The mantra as the sound (shabda) originates at the navel (manipura chakra (plexus) as the manifest form of creative power (kriya shakti), the srushti shakti of brahman, the sound of para, the Absolute brahman.  It is attributed to Devi Sharadamba who breathes unto others without herself breathing!

  The mantra starts as an inaudible sound (anahata shabdha), feeble enough to be heard only in a state of samadhi. At this state, the yogin is in samprajnyata or saguna brahman and may visualize brahman, too.   

  Thus, mantra starts as the unheard (anahata) and gradually becomes audible. Probably this prompted the English poet Milton to exclaim: "unheard melodies are sweeter!"

 The sound emanates with breath and its seat is located in the navel, seat of creative power of Brahm, Srujasvati, Sarasvati. Thus. mantra originates in the para, at the navel, in the Divine Lotus (brahma kamala)  and manifests along with the breath. Thus, breath and sound are inseparable. Whoso hears the inaudible sound, anahata dhvani, emanating from within (the heart) or without (from akash) is called a drushtara, Rishi. A rishi is qualified to be called a drushtara only when he/she has heard this anahata dhvani, a mantra. At least one mantra should be heard by a yogin if he/she is to be qualified to that state.

   The sound emanates from different parts of the body. the sacred sound AUM (Om) starts with A at the navel and is joined by U at the heart level and M at the throat level. The 'AUM 'is attributed to the trinity- brahma, vishnu and maheshwara, the creative (srushti), sustaining (sthiti) and dissolution (laya) power. Also, this is the beginning of creation and the end of it!

  The sacred gaayatree mantra is eulogised in the Rk Veda. Here, the 23 and a half letters: tat savitruvarenyam bhargo devasuya dheemahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayaat || are considered to be the seed letters, bijakshara, that possess a deity of its own who seated in our body protects us! As soon as the Lord occupied the heart (hri-daya) all these deities occupied respective strategic parts of the body and serve the Lord by maintaining the body, as long as He stays!

  In fact, when the jiva was created, it was not functioning. The Lord was puzzled and He entered into it. tat srushtva tadevanupravishat | says, the Veda. Since the Lord entered into it as Vaishvanara Agni deva, as Prana deva, as chidananda (pure consciousness and bliss) all the gods and goddesses, too, entered it! This is how the human body is so scared that the divinity is inherent; but avidya prevents the jiva from realizing it. But, mantra helps those who seek its help. 

  There are many a sacred mantra that help the jiva in times of distress. These are found in the Rk Veda, Mandala VII and Shata Rudriya is one such. Om namah shivaaya and the maha mrutyunjaya mantra are found here. The Rk Veda is a store house of maha mantra and the Upanishads eulogise these in the Mahanarayana upanishat, Narasimha tapaniya upanishat, etc. There are a number of important mantra in the mantropanishad. 

   It may come as a surprise to many that every syllable of the Samskruta* bhasha (the alphabets in Samskruta) is a mantra by itself. It is also stated that even the meaningless words attributed to a Rishi is a mantra! It is the power (shakti) that is important. Moreover, the power (shakti) lies in the faith, understanding and devotion rather than the syllable, or mere uttering of the syllables. 

   Here is how every syllable is a mantra, full of creative power, intelligence, knowledge and technology to create the universe- the brahmanda (macro-), the pindanda (meso-) and the andanda (the cell and atom /micro level) Samskruta bhasha? Lakshmi tantra and Srividya gives the details about these. 

   In Lakshmi tantra of Pancharatra, Devi Mahalakshmi, answering questions of Shakra, Indra,  gives a detailed account of akshara, pada, varna/varma and the mantra formed by different seed letters and their function. In Srividya, Devi Sharada is Herself the Mantra. She is matrika, varnamaala (Garland of Letters).

   The alphabets of Samskruta (syllables) called svara are: "a to am and ah" (16) ; the vyanjana (35) are: ka to ksha. These are in all  51 letters. These create the entire universe of phenomenal objects starting from a star to the jiva and its paraphernalia. Everything exists within the powers of these syllables. The power of creation, sustenance, development, and dissolution inherent in the syllables is given in the following. 

*[Note: The anglicized term Sanskrit should not be used in transliterations. The term- sans krit gives the meaning: life less (dead) and sanskrit has come to be known literally as a 'dead language'. In fact, Samskruta is a lively language of Gods (Deva Bhasha) full of potential and kinetic energy, creative power (as mantra). This is the tragedy of our great nation which adopted English as a medium of education after Independence! A nation ignores its language and culture at its own peril. As a nation we are in a dilemma; neither we go forward nor backward and thus perish.] 

(to be contd.).