0

1






2
Cheenu coimbatore has submitted a research paper of bija
mantras covering all aspect of these powerful vibration of
sound and its effect on human metabolism. The same is
reproduced below. But for common persons who always get
confused pertaining to sloka / mantras. It is a very big thing to
understand the high philosophical paper/. I made an attempt
to present simplified version.
Mantra is a syllable or string of syllables, from the Sanskrit
language, first found in Hinduism Mantras (Sanskrit) have
some features in common with spells, in that they are a
translation of the human will or desire into a form of action. As
symbols, sounds are seen to effect what they symbolize. Vocal
sounds are frequently thought of as having magical powers, or
even of representing the words, or speech of God.
A key to stabilizing the mind
Many students of meditation and spiritual life complain of a
noisy mind, out of control senses, and emotional challenges.
One of the most significant, single suggestions of the ancient
sages is the use of mantra japa, or sacred word to focus the
mind. No amount of intellectualizing will convince you of this.
It must be practiced for the benefits to be experienced.
Constant remembrance of mantra
Regardless of what mantra you use, one of the most important
principles is the practice of constant remembrance. By
cultivating such a steady awareness many benefits come:
One who practices mantra japa in this way will find that
the challenges and stressors of daily life are not nearly as
disturbing.
The mantra gives a place of refuge, an oasis in which the
mind can rest.
It is not escape, denial, or repression, but a tranquil
companion.
The objects of the senses begin to lose their control over
actions.
The incoming streams of negative thoughts, emotions,
and desires from the unconscious mind attenuate, or
become weaker.
3
The mantra japa gradually becomes a best friend of the
mind.
Mantra japa leads one in the direction of deeper
meditations, and subtler spiritual experiences.
Japa and Ajapa-Japa
Japa means repeating or remembering the mantra, and Ajapa-
Japa means constant awareness. The letter A in front of the
word Japa means without. Thus, Ajapa-Japa is the practice of
Japa without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the
mantra. In other words, it has begun to come naturally, turning
into a constant awareness. The practice of constant
remembrance evolves in stages:
At first, you intentionally repeat the syllables of the
mantra internally, as if you are talking to yourself in your
mind. You allow the inner sound to come at whatever
speed feels comfortable to the mind. Sometimes it is very
slow, as if the mind were wading through a vat of honey.
At other times it is very fast, as if flying through the sky
without restraint.

With practice, the mantra japa is repeated automatically,
like a song that you have heard many times, which just
comes on its own. (Some practitioners consider this
automatic repeating to be the meaning of Ajapa-Japa,
though there is a subtler meaning, as described below.)

Gradually, you merely remember the mantra with
attention drawn to it. It is more like noticing what is
already happening, rather than causing it to happen. It is
somewhat like the attention stance of listening rather
than speaking, though you might not literally hear the
sound.

In time, the feeling of the mantra is there, even when the
sound or remembering of the syllables is not there. For
4
example, sometimes people will say, "OM, Shanti, Shanti,
Shanti," where the word Shanti means peace or
tranquility. During the remembering of the word there
may be two things--the word and the feeling of peace or
tranquility. When the syllables fade away, the feeling may
still be there; this is remembrance of the feeling of the
mantra.

As the practice evolves, there comes a pervasive
awareness of the mantra, subtler than both the syllables
and any surface level meaning or definition. This constant
awareness is the meaning of Ajapa-Japa of the mantra.
Choice of mantras
There are many mantras, words, or compact prayers that can
be used for Japa and Ajapa-Japa. Virtually all of the meditation
traditions, spiritual lineages, and religions have mantra in one
form or another.
Some words have specific meaning, while others are seed
syllables having only feeling, not literal, word-for-word
definitions.

Some have religious significance, while others are
completely non-sectarian.

Some have very subtle effects on energy, while others are
more like positive affirmations given to train the
conscious mind.
Whatever mantra, word, or syllables are used, useful benefits
will come from the practice of Japa and Ajapa-Japa.
Mantras was originally conceived in the great Hindu scriptures,
known as the Vedas. Within practically all Hindu scriptures, the
writing is formed in painstakingly crafted two line 'shlokas' and
most mantras follow this pattern, although mantras are often
5
found in single line or even single word combinations.

The basic mantra is 3 33 3, or 'Aum', which in Hinduism is known as
the 'pranava mantra,' the source of all mantras. The idea
behind this is the Hindu philosophy of nama-rupa (name-form),
which supposes that all ideas or entities in existence, within the
phenomenological cosmos, have name and form. The basic
name and form is the primordial vibration of Aum, as it is the
first manifested nama-rupa of Brahman. Before existence and
beyond existence, there is only One reality, Brahman, and the
first manifestation of Brahman in existence is Aum. For this
very reason, Aum is considered to be the most fundamental and
powerful mantra, and thus is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu
prayers. While some mantras may invoke individual Gods, the
fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,' the 'Shanti Mantra,' the
'Gayatri Mantra' and others, all focus on the One reality.

Mantra is a syllable or string of syllables, from the Sanskrit
language, first found in Hinduism. Mantras may or may not
conform to grammatical rules. Their use varies with the school
and philosophy associated with the mantra. They are primarily
used as spiritual conduits, words and vibrations that instill
one-pointedness in the devotee. Other purposes have included
religious ceremonies to accumulating wealth, avoiding danger,
or eliminating enemies. Mantras originated in India with Vedic
Hinduism and were later adopted by Buddhists and Jains, now
popular in various modern forms of spiritual practice which are
based on practices of these Indian religions.

Mantra generally
Mantras (Sanskrit) have some features in common with spells,
in that they are a translation of the human will or desire into a
form of action. As symbols, sounds are seen to effect what
they symbolize. Vocal sounds are frequently thought of as
having magical powers, or even of representing the words, or
speech of God.

For the authors of the Hindu scriptures of the Upanishads, the
syllable 3 3 3 3 'Aum', itself constituting a mantra, represents
Brahman, the Godhead, as well as the whole of creation.
Merely pronouncing this syllable is to experience the divine in
a very direct way. Kukai suggests that all sounds are the voice
6
of the Dharmakaya Buddha - i.e. as in Hindu Upanishads and
Yoga thought, these sounds are manifestations of ultimate
reality. We should not think that this is peculiar to Eastern
culture, however. Words do have a mysterious power to affect
us. Accepted scholarly etymology links the word with 'manas'
meaning 'mind' and 'trna' for protection so that a mantra is
something which protects the mind - however in practice we
will see that mantra is considered to do far more than simply
protect the mind.

For many cultures it is the written letters that have power -
the Hebrew Kabbalah for instance. Letters can have an
oracular function even. But in India special conditions applied
that meant that writing was very definitely inferior to the
spoken word. The Brahmins were the priestly caste of the
Aryan peoples. It was they that preserved the holy writings -
initially the Vedas, but later also the Upanishads. For years,
they were the only ones who knew the mantras or sacred
formulas that had to be chanted at important occasions.
However, with the advent of egalitarian Hindu schools of Yoga,
Vedanta, Tantra and Bhakti, it is now the case that intra-family
and community mantras are passed on freely as part of
generally practiced Hindu religion. Such was the influence of
the orthodox attitude of the elite nature of mantra knowledge,
that even the Buddhists, who repudiated the whole idea of
caste, and of the efficacy of the old rituals, called themselves
the shravakas, that is 'the hearers'. A wise person in India was
one who had "heard much". Mantras then are sound symbols.
What they symbolize, and how they function depends on the
context, and the mind of the person repeating them. Studies in
sound symbolism suggest that vocal sounds have meaning
whether we are aware of it or not. And indeed that there can
be multiple layers of symbolism associated with each sound.
So even if we do not understand them, mantras are no simply
meaningless mumbo jumbo - no vocal utterance is entirely
without meaning. We can look at mantra is a range of different
contexts to see what they can mean in those contexts: Om may
mean something quite different to a Hindu and a Tibetan
Buddhist.

Tantras eventually came to see the letters as well as the
sounds as representatives of the divine, it was when Buddhism
traveled to China from India, that a shift in emphasis towards
writing came about. China lacked a ecclesiastic language like
7
Sanskrit, and achieved it's cultural unity by having a written
language that was flexible in pronunciation but more precise in
terms of the concepts that each character represented. In fact
the Indians had several scripts which were all equally
serviceable for writing Sanskrit. Hence, the Chinese prized
written language more highly than did the Indian Buddhists,
and the writing of mantras became a spiritual practice in its
own right. So that whereas Brahmins had been very strict on
correct pronunciation, the Chinese, and other Far-Eastern
Buddhists were more concerned with correctly writing
something down. The practice of writing mantras as a spiritual
practice, became very refined in Japan, and the writing in the
Siddham script in which the Sanskrit of many Buddhist Sutras
where written, is only seen in Japan nowadays. However,
mantra-repetition written in Sanskrit, with any number of
scripts, is well-known to many Hindu sects in India as well.

Mantra in Hinduism

Mantras was originally conceived in the great Hindu scriptures,
known as the Vedas. Within practically all Hindu scriptures, the
writing is formed in painstakingly crafted two line 'shlokas'
and most mantras follow this pattern, although mantras are
often found in single line or even single word combinations.

The basic mantra is 3 33 3, or 'Aum', which in Hinduism is known
as the 'pranava mantra,' the source of all mantras. The idea
behind this is the Hindu philosophy of nama-rupa (name-
form), which supposes that all ideas or entities in existence,
within the phenomenological cosmos, have name and form.
The basic name and form is the primordial vibration of Aum, as
it is the first manifested nama-rupa of Brahman. Before
existence and beyond existence, there is only One reality,
Brahman, and the first manifestation of Brahman in existence
is Aum. For this very reason, Aum is considered to be the most
fundamental and powerful mantra, and thus is prefixed and
suffixed to all Hindu prayers. While some mantras may invoke
individual Gods, the fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,' the
'Shanti Mantra,' the 'Gayatri Mantra' and others, all focus on
the One reality.

In the Hindu Tantras the universe is sound. The supreme
(para) brings forth existence through the Word (Shabda).
Creation consists of vibrations at various frequencies and
8
amplitudes giving rise to the phenomena of the world. The
purest vibrations are the var.na, the imperishable letters which
are revealed to us, imperfectly as the audible sounds and
visible forms.

Var.nas are the atoms of sound. A symbolic association was
built up between letters and the elements, gods, signs of
zodiac, parts of the body - letters became rich in these
associations. For example in the Aitrareya-aranya-Upanishad
we find:

"Mute consonants represent the earth, the sibilants the sky,
the vowels heaven. The mute consonants represent fire, the
sibilants air, the vowels the sun. The mute consonants
represent the eye, the sibilants the ear, the vowels the mind"

In effect each letter became a mantra and the language of the
Vedas, Sanskrit, corresponds greatly to the nature of things.
Thus Vedas come to represent reality itself. The syllable 'Om',
represents the underlying unity of reality, which is Brahman

Japa

Japa was a concept of the Vedic sages that incorporates
mantras as one of the main forms of worship, whose ultimate
end is seen as moksha/liberation. Essentially, japa means
repetition, and has become an established practice of all Hindu
streams, from the various Yoga to Tantra. It involves repetition
of a mantra over and over again, in cycles of auspicious
numbers (in multiples of three), the most popular being 108.
For this reason, Hindu malas (bead necklaces) developed,
containing 108 beads and a head 'meru' bead. The devotee
performing japa using his/her fingers counts each bead as
he/she repeats the chosen mantra. Having reached 108
repetitions, if he/she wishes to continue another cycle of
mantras, the devotee must turn the mala around without
crossing the 'meru' bead and repeat.

It is said that through japa the devotee attains one-
pointedness, or extreme focus, on the chosen deity or principle
idea of the mantra. The vibrations of the mantra are
considered extremely important, and thus reverberations of
the sound are supposed to awaken the prana or spiritual life
9
force and even stimulate chakras according to many Hindu
schools of thought.

Some Hindu Mantras

The most representative mantra of all the Hindu mantras is the
famed
'Gayatri Mantra':

3 HH 1 3 HH 1 3 HH 1 3 HH 1 | 33 33 33 33 P3 1 P P3 1 P P3 1 P P3 1 P | H" d 1 P( H" d 1 P( H" d 1 P( H" d 1 P( | d3 d3 d3 d3

Om / Bhr Buva Sva / Tat Savitur Vareya / Bhargo
Devasya Dhmahi / Dhiyo Yo Na Pracodayt

Gayatri Mantra is the most universal Hindu mantra and invokes
the Brahman as the principle of knowledge and the
illumination of the primordial Sun. Many Brahmins till today, in
a tradition that has continued for at least 5,000 years, perform
morning ablutions at the bank of a river and while holding the
sacred thread given to them at adolescence, repeat the Gayatri
Mantra.

Lead me from Ignorance to Truth

sato Sadhgamay / tamaso jyothir-Gamay / rityor-
mritham Gamay / Om nti nti nti

"Aum Asato ma sad gamaya, tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, mrityor
ma aamritaam gamaya"

"Aum Lead me from ignorance to truth, from darkness to light,
from death to immortality."

Hare Krishna Mantra

A very famous mantra is that created by Shri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, a great Vaishnava bhakta (loving devotee) of the
Hindu Lord Vishnu in the 15th century. It is beloved by most
Hindus as very powerful, Vaishnavs and Shaivaites alike:

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare"
10

When A.C. Bhaktivedanta brought his ISKCON (International
Society for Krishna Consciousness) brand of Hindu
Vaishnavism to the West, he framed the "Hare Krishna"
mantra as the sole mantra for moksha/liberation and his sect
is now commonly known in the West by the name 'Hare
Krishnas.'

Shanti Mantra : The Mantra of Peace

Aum Saha Navavatu / Saha Nau Bhunaktu / Saha Viryam
Karvavahe / Tejaswi Navadhi Tamastu / Ma Vidvishavahe /
Aum Shanti Shanti Shantihi / Hari Hi Aum

(Om, May the Lord protect us, May the Lord allow us to enjoy,
May we work together. May our studies be thorough and
faithful. May we never misunderstand each other. Om, Peace,
Peace, Peace!)

Universal prayer

Sarveam Svastir Bhavatu / Sarvem Sntir Bhavatu /
Sarvem Pram Bhavatu / Sarvem angalam Bhavatu
(May good befall all, May there be peace for all, May all be fit
for perfection, and May all experience that which is
auspicious.)

Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha / Sarve Santu irmayaha / Sarve
Badri Pasyantu / Kascidh-dhuhkha Bhga-Bhavet (Om,
May all be happy. May all be healthy. May we all experience
what is good and let no one suffer. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace!)

Thou Are That

Tat Twam Asi

11
Cnu.cbes presentation Bija Mantras
Bija means a seed. Hence Bija Mantra means a mantra which is usually of
one syllable. The table below is not complete, but gives the most common
bija mantras.


The best tantrik view of mantra is given in Sir John Woodroffe's collection of
essays, Shakti and Shakta, chapter 24.
"The supreme absolute (Parabrahman) exists in the human being (jivatma)
as Shabda Brahman, the absolute as sound. Mantras are not prayers and the
relationship of the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, whether consonants or
vowels, he says, point to the appearance of devata (divinity) in different
forms. An uttered mantra is the manifestation of a more subtle sound while
mantras themselves are forms of Kundalini. Mantras may be male, female or
neutral. Female mantras are called Vidyas.

By Mantra the sought for (Sadhya) Devata appears, and by Siddhi therein is
had vision of the three worlds. As the Mantra is in fact Devata, by practice
thereof this is known. Not merely do the rhythmical vibrations of its sound
regulate the unsteady vibrations of the sheaths of the worshipper, but
therefrom the image of the Devata appears." (op cit) Mantras are masculine
(solar), feminine (lunar) or neuter. A female mantra is called a vidya, which
means knowledge, while solar and neuter forms are called mantras. Mantras
are only such if they were first revealed by a rishi or seer. Only then do they
have life, according to the tradition. A mantra can only work if it is received
from a guru who has, herself or himself, received it in an unbroken line from
its first rishi. There are, however, exceptions to this, according to some
tantras which prescribe methods of purification for mantras received in
dream. And, according to Mahachinachara, the Kali mantra does not rely on
12
the very elaborate rules usually found in the Tantras.

In describing mantras, the different tantrik texts always give their origin or
rishi as well as the metre to pronounce them. While a mantra is divinity in
sound form, a yantra is the same in geometrical form and an image the
devata in gross form. Refer also to the page on Tattvas on the relationship
between the consonants and the 36 tattvas."

Om is the famous bija mantra. It is known as Pranava or the salutation
mantra. The Bhutadamara describes it as the face of Kala. Revealed by
Mahakala, it is the form of creation, maintenance and withdrawal.

The bija mantra Shrim is described as Vishnupriya - the beloved of Vishnu -
that is Lakshmi, according to the Uddhara Kosha. The syllable Hrim is called
the Maya bija. It is also Raudri, according to the Bhutadamara. The UK
describes it as the Para or supreme bija. The bija mantra Krim is described
as the pitribhuvasini, that is the goddess who dwells in the ancestral or
cremation ground, Kali. It is also the dravana and kledana bija.

Hum with the long letter 'u' is called the Kurcha bija and is the mantra of
the Mother worshipped by heroes (viras). The Bhutadamara also describes
it as the mantra of Mahakala. Aim is called Vagbhava bija and is the syllable
of Sarasvati, according to the BD. Phat is the bija of the great fire at the end
of time (Pralayagnirmahajvala).

Krom is called the Krodhisha bija. Svaha, otherwise known as Thah Thah, is
Vahnijaya, representing the fire sacrifice.

Klim is the deluder of the three worlds bija, also known as Kama or
Manmatha, the Hindu god of love, often identified with Krishna. It is the
sexual desire bija, says the BD. Hum (with the short letter 'u') is called the
Kavacha or armour bija. It is the bija of Chandabhairavi. Hraim is the bija
which destroys great sins (mahapataka), and is the light mantra. Drim is
called the great Kinkini (small bell) bija, says the Bhutadamara.

Sphem is the Bhairava (Shiva) bija which comes at the end of a yuga. Plrem
is the Vetala (vampire) bija, according to the Bhutadamara.

Klrim Svaha is called the bija which causes things to tremble. It is the
Manohari and ends in Thah Thah (Svaha, see above). The mantra Prim is the
crow bija, used in works of Indrajala (magic). The UK describes this bija as
the Vagura. Tham Tham Thah Thah are the bijas in the worship of the
greatly alluring Chandika, says the BD. Sphrim is the bija of the uncanny
Dhumrabhairavi (smoky Bhairavi), also known as Phetkarini.

The bija Hrum (with long letter 'u') is the single syllable mantra of Kalaratri,
the great night of time. The same bija, but with a short letter 'u', is the
mantra of Vaivasvata.


Cnu.cbe
13



The Hindu Bija Mantra
In Hinduism the concept of mantra as mystical sounds was
carried to its logical conclusion in 'seed' (Sanskrit bija)
mantras that have no precise meaning but instead are thought
to carry within their sounds connections to various spiritual
principles and currents. For example, worship of the Mother
Goddess Kali, in mantra form, is famously reduced to the
powerful Bija mantras of the Shakti tradition of Hinduism:
"Aum Kreeng Kreeng Kreeng Hoong Hoong Hreeng Hreeng
Dakshina Kalike
Kreeng Kreeng Kreeng Hoong Hoong Hreeng Hreeng Swaha ||"
Of course, the most revered of all Bija mantras is Om/Aum.
The Bija mantra is part of the Hindu monist theory that while
reality manifests itself as many/multiple, it is ultimately one.
A bija akshara is a seed letter. It is a very powerful mantra.
Every devta has his or her own bija Akshara. As the various
Devatas are the aspects or forms of the One supreme.. Being
Mantras are the various Bija aksharas or bija Mantras viz om.
Even the letter A U M do not really give the trancescendatal or
origional state of sound.

Generally a Bija-Mantra consists of a single letter. Sometimes
it consists of several syllables. For example,the Bija- Mantra
'Kam' has a single letter with Anuswra or the Chandrabindu
which forms termination of all Bija- Mantras. In the
chadrabindu, Nada and Bindu are blended together. Some Bija-
Mantra are made up of compound letters, such as the Mantra
'Hreem' the Bija-Mantras have significant inner meaning and
often do not convey any meaning on their face. Their meaning
14
is subtle, mystic. The form of the Bija-Mantra is the Devta
signified by it.

The Bijas of the five Mahabhutas or great elements, i.e. of the
Devatas or the presiding intelligences of the elements, viz.,
Ether, Air, Fire, Air, Fire, Water and Earth, are respectively
Ham, Yam, Ram, Vam and Lam. The meanings of a few Bija-
Mantras are given here, to serve as examples.

OM (3 33 3 )
Om consists of three letters: 'A', 'U' and 'M'. It signifies the
three periods of time, the three states of consciousness, the
entire existence. 'A' is the waking state or Virat and Visava. 'U'
is the dreaming start or Hiranyagarha and Taijasa. 'M' is the
sleeping state or Isvara and Prajna. Study the
Mandukyopanishad in detail in order to understand the
meaning of Om.

HAUM ((P (P (P (P

)
In this mantra, Has Siva. Au is Sadasiva. The Nada and Bindu
mean that which dispels sorrow. With this Mantra Lord Siva
should be worshipped.

DUM (dP dP dP dP )
Here Da means Durga. U means to protect, Nada means the
mother of the universe. Bindu signifies action (worship or
prayer). This is the mantra of Durga.

KREEM (P P P P )
With thisM Mantra Kalika should be worshipped. Ka is Kali. Ra
is Brahman. Ee is Mahamaya. Nada is the mother of the
universe. Bindu is the dispeller of sorrow.

HREEM ( )
This is the Mantra of Mahamaya or Bhuvanesvari. Ha means
Siva. Ra is Prakriti. Ee means Mahamaya. Nada is the mother of
the universe. Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow.

SHREEM ( )
This is the Mantra of Mahalakshmi. Sa is Mahalakshmi. Ra
means wealth. Ee means satisfaction or contentment. Nada is
15
Apara or the manifested Brahman or Isvara. Bindu means the
dispeller of sorrow.

AIM ( 7 77 7 ) This is the Bija-Mantra of Sarasvati. Ai means
Sarasvati. Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow.

KLEEM ( 4HP 4HP 4HP 4HP )
This is the Kamabija. Ka means the Lord of desire (Kamadeva).
Ka may also mean Krishna. La means Indra. Ee means
contentment or satisfaction. Nada and Bindu mean that which
brings happiness and sorrow.

HOOM ( (P (P (P (P

)
In this Mantra, Ha is Siva. U is Bhairava. Nada is the Supreme.
Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow. This is the threefold Bija
of Varma or armous (coat of nail).
GAM ( "P "P "P "P )
This is the Ganesh-Bija. Ga means Ganesha. Bindu means the
dispeller of sorrow.

GLAUM ( "HP "HP "HP "HP )
This also is a Mantra of Ganesha. Ga means Ganesha. La means
that which pervades. Au means luster or brilliance. Bindu
means the dispeller of sorrow.

KSHRAUM ( 4P 4P 4P 4P )
This is the Bija of Narasimha. Ksha is Narasimha. Ra is Brahma.
Au means with teeth pointing upwards. Bindu means the
dispeller of sorrow.
There are, like these, many other Bija-Mantras which signify
various Devatas. 'Vyaam' is the Bija of Vyasa-Mantra, 'Brim' of
Brihaspati-mantra and 'Raam' of Rama-Mantra.


Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (maha-mrityun-jaya) is one of the
more potent of the ancient Sanskrit mantras. Maha mrityunjaya
is a call for enlightenment and is a practice of purifying the
karmas of the soul at a deep level. It is also said to be quite
beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health.
16

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat
We Meditate on the Three-eyed reality
Which permeates and nourishes all like a fragrance.
May we be liberated from death for the sake of immortality,
Even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper.


17

The Beginning