mantra: (Sanskrit) "Mystic formula."

A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power, usually drawn from scripture. Mantras are chanted loudly during puja to invoke the Gods and establish a force field. Certain mantras are repeated softly or mentally for japa, the subtle tones quieting the mind, harmonizing the inner bodies and stimulating latent spiritual qualities. Hinduism's universal mantra is Aum. To be truly effective, such mantras must be given by the preceptor through initiation.

See: Aum, incantation, japa, puja, yajna, mantra, mantra yoga, meditation.

(See also: Mantra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

mantra: a sacred syllable, word or phrase that represents the eternal Truth. Mantras may be used in daily life for protecting the mind from falling into agitation and for spiritual evolution by reflecting on their significance.

(See also: mantra, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Mantra

Mantra is a combination of divine syllables or sounds which when recited invokes the latent power in that particular mantra, which involves pleasing some deities or attaining some results (used originally in Vedic sanatana dharma, Hinduism and Buddhism). The Mantras are created by spiritual Seers (Rishis and Yogis) in a divine trance. Each mantra has a rishi (spiritual seer).

In Sanskrit, mantra literally means 'instrument of thought', from man (to think) verb: ‘Mananat trayate iti mantrah’ - by the Manana (constant recollection or recitation) of which one is liberated. Liberation involves your aim, i.e. what one wants to achieve by this mantra -sadhana.

Each Mantra consists of a Matraa (phase) which creates a distinct sound-frequency; a Devataa (deity or God); a Bija (seed) which gives it a special power, and the Kilakam (support or pillar). Some mantras consists of only seeds (single syllables without special literal meaning) an are called Bija-mantras. [The word is accepted in New English Oxford Dictionary].€€€

(See also: Mantra, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Gayatri Mantra: (Sanskrit)

1) Famous Vedic mantra used in puja and personal chanting. Om (bhur bhuvah svah) tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. "(O Divine Beings of all three worlds,) we meditate upon the glorious splendor of the Vivifier divine. May He illumine our minds." (Rig Veda 3.62.10 VE). This sacred verse is also called the Savitri Mantra, being addressed to Savitri, the Sun as Creator, and is considered a universal mystic formula so significant that it is called Vedamatri, "mother of the Vedas."

2) Any of a class of special tantric mantras called Gayatri. Each addresses a particular Deity. The Siva Gayatri Mantra is: Tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam, urvarukamiva bandhanan mrtyormukshiya mamrtat. "We adore the fragrant three-eyed one who promotes prosperity. May we be freed from the bondage of death as a cucumber from its stalk, but not from immortality." This is a famous verse of the Yajur Veda (from Rudranamaka, or Sri Rudram), considered an essential mantra of Siva worship used in all Siva rites.

(See also: Gayatri Mantra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Mantra Gopya: (Sanskrit) The collected writings of Allama Prabhu.

See: Allama Prabhu.

(See also: Mantra Gopya, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Panchakshara Mantra: (Sanskrit) "Five-syllabled incantation."

Saivism's most sacred mantra.

See: Namah Sivaya.

(See also: Panchakshara Mantra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

mula mantra: (Sanskrit) "Root mystic formula."

See: Aum, Moola Mantra.

(See also: Mula mantra, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Gayatri Mantra: A Rig Vedic mantra in the gayatri meter invoking the solar powers of evolution and enlightenment.

(See also: Gayatri Mantra, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Mantra: Sacred syllable or word or set of words through the repetition and reflection of which one attains perfection or realization of the Self. Literally, "a transforming thought" (manat trayate). A mantra, then is a sound formula that transforms the consciousness.

(See also: Mantra, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

MANTRA: incantation

(See also: MANTRA, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Mantra: spiritual or empowered speech

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Bija Mantra: A "seed" mantra from which realization grows as a tree from a seed; usually a single-syllable mantra that is called "seed" because of its small size as a dot or point of sound.

(See also: Bija Mantra, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Taraka Mantra: From the root word tara-that which crosses. The Taraka Mantra is that which enables its invokers to cross over the ocean of samsara and attain liberation.

(See also: Taraka Mantra, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

MANTRA SIDDHI: psychic power acquired through repetition of Mantra

(See also: MANTRA SIDDHI, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Mantra: "Man" means "mind" or thinking, and "tra" means to "release or free". Mantras are sacred sound vibrations, that asist in freeing the mind and to bring clarity, peace and well being. They can be used in rituals, whispered, or chanted. Hindus believe that god, good health, fortune, and victory over enemies can all be attained by chanting the right mantra.

(See also: Mantra, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Mantra (Sanskrit) That portion of the Vedas which consist of hymns as distinct from the Brahmana and Upanishad portions. The mantras considered esoterically were originally as magical as they were religious in character, although the former today is virtually forgotten, although remembered as a fact which once was.

In the composing of the mantras the rishis of old knew that every letter had its occult significance, and that the vowels especially contain occult and even formidable potencies when properly chanted. The words of the mantra were made to convey a certain hid meaning by certain secret rules involving first the secret potency of their sound, and incidentally the numerical value of the letters; the latter however was relatively unimportant. Hence their merely verbal significance is something quite different from their meaning as understood of old.

The language of incantations or mantras is the element-language composed of sounds, numbers, and figures. He who knows how to blend the three will call forth the response from the regent-god of the specific element needed. For, in order to communicate with the gods, men must learn to address each one of them in the language of his element. Sound is "the most potent and effectual magic agent, and the first of the keys which opens the door of communication between Mortals and the Immortals" (SD 1:464).

The hidden voice or active manifestation of the latent occult potency of the mantras is called vach. The would-be magician attempting to evoke the "spirits of the vasty deep" by uninstructed chanting or singing of any ancient mantras will never succeed in using the mantras effectively in a magical way, until he himself has become so cleansed of all human impurities as to be able at will and with inner vision to enter into communion if not direct confabulation with the inner realms.

The Scandinavian runes in certain respects correspond to the Hindu mantras.

(See also: Mantra, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Mantra - a mystical sloka composed of the names of Sri Bhagavan which addresses any individual deity.

Mantras are given to a disciple by a guru at the time of diksa. The question may be raised that since bhagavan-nama is independent, how can mantras, which are composed of the names of the Lord (bhagavan-nama) , be dependent upon diksa?

Srila Jiva Gosvami has discussed this question in Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 284). He says that mantras are bhagavannamatmika. This means that mantras are composed of the names of Bhagavan. The difference is that mantras also contain some special words like nama, svaha, and klim. Sri Bhagavan and the rsis have invested mantras with special power by which those mantras reveal one’s own specific relationship with Krsna. Therefore it may seem that mantras are endowed with some special potencies that are not invested in nama.

A contradiction arises because if bhagavan-nama (which is lacking these special attributes) is able to bestow the supreme object of attainment (parama-purusartha) without any need for diksa, how is it that mantras are dependent on diksa when they are even more powerful than nama?

Srila Jiva Gosvami analyzes that by the constitutional nature of mantras, they are not dependent on diksa. Nonetheless, people in general are influenced by the bodily conception and their hearts are polluted with abominable desires. In order to curb these tendencies, the rsis have established regulations to be followed in the arcana-marga. Otherwise, by constitutional nature, there is no difference between nama and mantra in the matter of their independence of any formalities.

Nama, being non-different from nami, or Bhagavan Himself, is already invested with all potencies. Therefore in actuality, the glory of nama is superior to that of mantras. Yet Jiva Gosvami says that the diksa-mantras are invested with the power to reveal the sadhakas’ specific relationship with the Lord - sri bhagavata samam atmasambandha- visesa-pratipadakas ca (Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 284). The same thing is stated in Anuccheda 283: divyam-jnanam hy atra srimati mantre bhagavat-svarupa-jnanam tena bhagavata sambandha-visesa-jnanam ca (see diksa). This means that when a guru who is situated on the platform of bhava gives diksa, the mantras are invested with the knowledge of Bhagavan’s svarupa and knowledge of one’s specific relationship with Him. Therefore, those who are desiring to attain the prema-seva of Sri Krsna in Vraja in one of the four relationships of dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, or madhura should accept diksa-mantras from a guru who is established in one of these moods.

(See also: Mantra, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

mantra

A short expression in sacred language chanted to purify the mind and fulfill various aspirations.

(See also: mantra, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Gayatri-mantra - a sacred mantra repeated by brahmanas at the three junctures of the day. The gayatri mantra is personified as a goddess, the wife of Brahma and mother of the four Vedas (see diksa-mantra).

(See also: Gayatri-mantra, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Diksa-mantra - the mantras given by the guru at the time of initiation. These mantras include the maha-mantra, brahma-gayatri, gurumantra, guru-gayatri, gaura-mantra, gaura-gayatri, gopala-mantra, and kama-gayatri. The guru’s internal mood of service to Radha and Krsna is transmitted through the medium of these mantras.

This is indicated in the following sloka from Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 237): yo mantram sa gurum saksat yo guru sa hari svayam gurur yasya bhavet tustas tasya tusto harim svayam - "The mantra (which is given by the guru) is itself the guru, and the guru is directly the Supreme Lord Hari. He with whom the spiritual master is pleased also obtains the pleasure of Sri Hari Himself.” These mantras are invested with divya-jnana, or transcendental knowledge of Krsna’s form and one’s specific relationship with Him (see also diksa and mantra).

(See also: Diksa-mantra, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)