Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

An Introduction to the "Mantra stra"

by: S.E. Goplchrlu
A paper read by the author before the Annual on!ention of the "heosophical Society# held at Adyar# Madras# on $%th. $8th and $9th &ecember# 1891. Published in 19'( "heosophical Publishin) *ouse# Adyar# hennai +Madras, India "he "heosophist -ffice# Adyar# Madras. India PREFACE
Pa!e iii" MAN".A /0S".A is another department of -ccult Science# 1hich has for its ob2ects all 3inds of Siddhis or ac4uirements of po1ers for securin) the ob2ects aimed at by means of in!o3in) the )ods presidin) them by repeatin) such Mantras or formulas as are intended for the purpose 1ith the necessary ceremonies attendin) thereto. "he 1hole of the four 5edas consist of nothin) but Mantras# and as they proceed from the Prana!a 6the 1ord Aum7# the Prana!a# conse4uently 0di or M8la Mantra or the Mantra of all Mantras9 and it is acceptable to both the follo1ers of Ni)amas 6the 5edas7 and A)amas 6the "antras7. :or this reason no Mantra can become effecti!e or po1erful 1ithout utterin) the Prana!a in the commencement of it.

:or the ac4uirement of the successful study and practice of this S;astra# the purity of body# speech# and mind is the first condition attendin) it9 other1ise# they 1ould lead to <lac3 ma)ic and to its disastrous results= that is to utter Pa!e i#" destruction of the soul or the hi)her Manas. Stron) 1ill > po1er and undaunted coura)e are also the conditions re4uired for this purpose. "hou)h the Mantra and ?o)a S;astras belon) to the occult science# yet the difference bet1een them is !ery )reat. "he former is an ob2ecti!e science and the latter is a sub2ecti!e one. "he Mantra S;astra de!elops the po1ers by appealin) to the e@ternal ob2ects# such as )ods and )oddesses 6the forces in nature7# 1hile the ?o)in de!elops them by self>culture or by unifyin) or identifyin) himself 1ith the manifested uni!erse as part and parcel of the Is;!ara or the reator. "he ?o)in by the !irtue of his culture# )ets all the po1ers of the Siddhis 1ithout effort 1hile the Mantri3a has to e!o3e them by the Mantras and the ceremonies attendin) them. In order to ma3e this difference clear to the mind of our readers# 1e ha!e in this form reprinted the paper read by Mr. Aopalacharlu and hope that our ob2ect 1ill be accomplished. Be specially dra1 the attention of our readers to the fourth Section on C"he Nature and "eachin)s of the "antrasD. ". P.*.

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Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

SEC$I%& ' I ' $(E &A$)RE %F MA&$RAS

No. 188 & 189

I" is 1ith )reat diffidence that I ascend the platform today# to )i!e you my fe1 thou)hts on mantras# a sub2ect 1hich# ho1e!er interestin) it may be# cannot be e@hausted in a fe1 essays. My ob2ect then is to place before you the results of my o1n studies in that direction# sub2ect# of course# to the correction of my more ad!anced fello1 "heosophists9 and thus to benefit myself in one 1ay. I can only )i!e you# o1in) to the shortness of the time at my disposal# the barest outlines Pa!e *" of the sub2ect. It is impossible for a sin)le indi!idual to master the information treated of in '%#EE#EEE !erses containin) the ori)inal 1ritin)s on mantras and -ccultism# 3no1n as the gamas# besides se!eral other 1or3s no1 supposed to ha!e been lost9 for occultism is treated in these 1ritin)s in all its phases# and a theoretical 3no1led)e of them presupposes a )ood deal of practical 3no1led)e in one of them at least. I cannot too stron)ly impress upon your minds the necessity of my )i!in) references# and in important points 4uotin) the authorities in support of my ar)uments# more especially because a slur has been cast upon us that 1e do not correctly represent the !ie1s of the ancients# and that 1e )i!e out as correct 1hat emanates from our brains# 1ithout ta3in) the trouble of seein) 1hether our statements are borne out by the master>minds of old. I# for one# be) lea!e to admit for a moment# 1ithout 4uotin) any instances of such ne)lect of duty# the truth of such statements# and belie!e that you 1ill all a)ree 1ith me that the char)e is partially true at least. I 1ould therefore try my best to support my statements# 1ith references to the best authoritati!e 1ritin)s9 for if 1e )i!e the public# any more room to thin3 Pa!e +" of us as they no1 do# not only 1ill the truth of our doctrines be less and less appreciated# but 1e shall be in their eyes no better than a set of self > styled masters 1ho ha!e nothin) to sho1 for our title. "he importance of sound has been most e@cellently sun) by a poet of the .)>!eda# hoary 1ith anti4uity and 1isdom# 1hen he said=

Catvri vk parimit padni tni vidur brhman ye mansinah, guh trni nihit nengayanti, turyam vco manusy vadanti. "his literally means= All vks are of four 3inds= so the <rFhmanas learned in the 5edas 63no179 three of 1hich are latent# and the last is spo3en. "his statement )a!e rise to the fourfold classification. "he 5edas ha!e been di!ided into four9 the 5aidi3as G l use the term in the sense in 1hich ?Fs3a used it# viz.# the ancient 5edic teachers G say that the Prana!a 6-m7 and the three mantras 3no1n as 5yFhrtis 6<h8h# <hu!a9 and Su!ah7 are here referred to9 the )rammarians consider the same passa)e as referrin) to the )rammatical forms and Pa!e ," terminations# nman, khyta, upasarga and nipta9 those follo1in) the school of Niru3ta interpret the Pa)e $

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

same as the .c# ?a2us# SFman# and the 1ords spo3en of in the 1orld. "hose !ersed in Mantras;astra only enlar)e the !ie1s of the last named by e@plainin) them to mean the ParF# Pas;yantH# MadhyamF and 5ai3harH forms of 5F3. "his Mantra forms the (Ith hymn of the 1J(th S83ta of the $$nd Anu!F3a of the 1st Mandala of the .)>!eda. "his S83ta contains I$ hymns the .si of 1hich is &Hr)hatamas. "he first (1 Mantras are addressed to 5is;!ede!as9 the ($nd and (Ith to 5F)de!H# 1ho is e@plained by SFyanFcFrya to mean the same as the Ko)os. I 1ould in this connection refer the reader for further details to ?o)as ;i3hopanisad " "his last interpretation is the basis on 1hich the mantras 1ere formed as I shall sho1 you later on. "he potency of sound has been spo3en of in !ery hi)h terms by all 1riters of anti4uity and by none more so than Patan2ali himself# the 1ell>3no1n author of the ?o)a Sutras# in his more splendid 1or3# the MahFbhFsya# a commentary on the )rammatical rules of PFnini. *e says# the four horns "he reference is here to the 5edic passa)e= CCatnri s'rng trayo asya pd dv s'rse sapta hastso asya, tridh baddho vrsabho roravti maho devo martyn vives'aD

are the four classes in Pa!e -" 1hich the <rahman is compared to a <ull9 and this passa)e PataL2ali ta3es for his authority. Mayyata in his commentary on MahFbhFsya says that this is a description of /abdabrahman 6Ko)os7 under the character of a <ull. "he meanin) of the Mantra is= Bords# noun# !erb# prefi@# particle# and other 3inds 6of )rammatical terminations7. "he three feet thereof are the three times# the past# the present and the future9 the t1o heads are the t1o natures of sound# the eternal# and the factitious. "he se!en hands there are the se!en case affi@es. CTrebly boundD# i.e.# connected 1ith the three localities# the chest# the throat and the head. "he bull 6vrsabha7 is so called from its sho1erin) do1n 6varsana7 > 6i.e.# sho1erin) do1n en2oyments7. It bello1s 6 roravti 7# i.e.# ma3es a sound. *o1 is this N "he !erb means ;ma3in) a sound;. "he O)reat Aod did enter mortals; = the )reat Aod# i.e.# sound9 mortals in men 1hose lot it is to die= these he did enter in order that they mi)ht become assimilated 1ith the Aod. "his statement has been e@plained by his commentators to mean that the P"P.NAK S-QN& has become manifested in man# in order that he may be a)ain assimilated into *im 6"he Pternal Sound or /abdabrahman or the Ko)os7 !erily the man that 3no1s the fitness of speech# 1hose sins ha!e been remo!ed by the employment of speech preceded by a 3no1led)e of lan)ua)e and 1ho# ha!in) split the 3nots of e)otism# doth enter. Pa!e ." PataL2ali ne@t turns his attention to the 5edic hymn I ha!e already 4uoted# and proceeds to say=

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Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

Another te@t says= :our are the 3inds of 1ords# the di!isions of speech. *ence do 3no1 the 3no1ers of <rahman 6<rFhmanFh7 1ho ha!e 1ill o!er the mind9 three placed in the ca!e# 5i!arana e@plains Oca!e; to mean O1here the occult de!elopment of sound ta3es place;. <y Onot )ettin) a )limpse thereofR is meant ;their not bein) the depositories of any 3ind of 3no1led)e in re)ard to the three sta)es of sound anterior to its articulation.;" men ta3e no notice of9 the fourth 6de)ree7 of speech they utter;. "he ;four 1ords; that are the di!isions of speech are the four sets of 1ords# the nouns# !erbs# prefi@es and particles. ;"hou dost 3no1 the 3no1ers of <rahman 1ho ha!e 1ill o!er their minds#; S 1ho ha!e the 1ill of their minds#6or ha!e the mind in sub2ection to the 1ill7 G such is the meanin) of the 1ord mansin. ;"hree placed 1ithin the ca!e;# they ta3e no notice of9 G of the three placed 1ithin the ca!e ;they ta3e no note;# they busy themsel!es not 1ith them# they )et not a )limpse thereof. ;"he fourth 6part7 of speech men do utter; = the fourth 6turya7 is that fourth part 6of entireness7 of speech 1hich is found amon) men.

I ha!e almost literally translated the 1ords of PataL2ali as a 1riter on )rammar G the )rammar of factitious speech# the proper study of 1hich# he says# preser!es the 5edas and pre!ents their corruption sayin). <y sayin) Ofactitious speechR he means the 5ai3harH 5F3# for 1e belie!e that the other three forms of 5F3 form the sub2ect of occult sciences. Pa!e /" "he *indus belie!e that *an8mFn 1as tau)ht by S8rya in nine )rammars= and lea!in) off the ninth 1hich treats of the factitious lan)ua)e# 1e ha!e the ei)ht )rammars spea3in) the hidden forms of speech# the number ei)ht includin) certain intermediate sta)es of the three latent 5F3s or forms of speech alluded to abo!e. "his lo1est form of speech is the ob2ect of 3no1led)e# and one of the ob2ects of 1hich is obtainin) the full 3no1led)e of 1ords# or# to adopt PataL2ali;s e@planation# in order to obtain a command o!er his o1n mind. C-f trinal speech distin)uished by its se!eral locations as the pronounced 6 aikhar 7# the intermediate 6madhyam7 and the seein) 6 pas'yant 7. "his mar!ellous one is the ultimate de)ree. Amon) these the pronounced is that 1hich is the ob2ect of hearin)# the intermediate abidin) in the re)ion of the heart is the cause of discourse# since 6else7 there 1ould ne!er be 1ords percei!ed9 but the pas'yant or ;the seein); 6so>named acti!ely honoris causa9 1hile it means# 1hat is seen by the enli)htened7 is beyond !ul)ar concernment# but in it moreo!er do those 1ith concentrated minds arri!e at the distinction bet1een the bases and the affi@es. <ut in the ultimate 6parF !F37# it is not so 6no Pa!e 0" distinction of parts7 bein) there disco!erable. Speech is on that account said to be ; trinal ;. <artrhari;s 5F3yapadHya 4uoted by Na)es;abhatta in his <hFsyapradHpoddyota. I may here add that <hartrhari 1as one of the first commentators on the MahFbhFsya9 and the subse4uent commentary of Mayyata# and the commentary thereon by Na)es;abhatta# are based on this )reat 1or3 1hich is said to ha!e consisted of 1EE#EEE granthas " It is plain from 1hat has been said abo!e that the la1s 1hich )o!ern ordinary speech also )o!ern mantras# the latter bein) only speech arran)ed accordin) to certain modulations of sound. Such bein) the case 1e shall no1 en4uire into the si)nification of the 1ord ;mantra;. OMantra; has been deri!ed from the root man to thin3= and it has amon) se!eral other 1ays# also been Pa)e (

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

e@plained to be so called on account of its protectin) the QpFsa3a# i.e.# one 1ho de!elops the occult po1er by practisin) it 1ith its accompaniments# from all sorts of dan)ers and difficulties. "he 1ord is also co)nate 1ith !anana meanin) Oto thin3;# and described as one of the paths leadin) to <rahman. Mantras are of the 5ai3harH !F3 and correspond to the Sth8la plane of matter. "he ori)in of mantras and de!Ftas is this. <rahman 1hich is 3no1n in the MantrasRFstras as <indu# possesses a force called <H2a# but 3no1n in the 5edFntic Britin)s as S;a3ti or Pa!e 1" Pra3rti. "heir united action is NFda# of S;abdabrahman or the Ko)os. "here is# ho1e!er# a little difference of opinion amon) this class of occultists as to the nature of the sounds uttered by the Mantras. -ne class thin3s them to be manifestations of the Ko)os9 others a)ain consider them as the manifestations of the S;a3ti# and say that S;abdabrahman is the consciousness in all thin)s. "his consciousness resides in man in the MundalinH NFdH and is said to be the ori)in of all the letters of the Alphabet. Be ha!e no1 three 3inds of creations. :rom <indu 1e ha!e in order# SadFs;i!a# .udra# 5isnu# <rahmF# 1hich are either so many different Ko)oi# or different aspects of one and the same principle. "he other creation is from S;a3ti. Its first manifestation is Mahat# 1hich is either SFtt!i3a# .F2asa or "Fmasa. "hese )i!e rise to the three 3inds of Aham3Fra. -n the plane of Aham3Fra 1e ha!e the ten deities 3no1n as &i3s or directions# 5Fyu# As;!ins# the :ire# the Sun# It must be here said that the sun# fire. etc.# do not mean those on the physical plane 1ith 1hich 1e are ac4uainted# but their astral# or in some cases# e!en hi)her counterparts ". Pracetas# Indra# Qpendra# Mitra# and the ten senses and the "anmFtras. :rom these last 1e ha!e the fi!e elements Pa!e 23" 3no1n to Indian philosophy. Pach one of them is thus symbolised.

All the letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet belon)in) to these tatt!as follo1 the symbol used for the particular class to 1hich they belon) and these symbols play a not unimportant part in the practice of the Mantras. :rom these elements the physical body of man ta3es its ori)in# and in it the MundalinH force is located. "he three nFdHs 3no1n as IdF# PiT)alF and SusumnF e@tend from the nose to a little belo1 the na!el# and the MundalinH is located a little abo!e the anus. It is described as coiled li3e a serpent# and 1hen a1a3ened by the po1er of ?o)a# it becomes strai)htened# and shuts the passa)es to the three nFdHs mentioned abo!e. Accordin) to Indian 1riters# S;abda ta3es its ori)in in the MundalinH9 and it is the sound 1hich ta3es its rise from MundalinH that passes the three sta)es ParF# PasRyantH and MadhyamF and at last comes out as the one 1hich 1e all hear and spea3 comprisin) the fifty letters of the Sams3rt Pa!e 22" Alphabet. It has been briefly said that the 1orld of S;abda ta3es its ori)in from sounds. In other 1ords# it means that a name or sound e@pressed to denote a particular ob2ect is identical 1ith the ob2ect itself. U "his idea 1ill no doubt appear !ery curious to those of us 1ho ha!e been used to the modern 1ay of Pa)e I

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

thin3in)# but is pre>eminently an Indian idea9 and no Indian 1riter has e@plained this theory more clearly than PataL2ali# 1hom I 4uote once more= Amon) those 6viz.# sounds# or 1ords# secular and spiritual7 the secular in the first place are such as co1# house# man and <rahmF. "he scriptural are !erily indeed as "gnimle purohitam 6and such other passa)es found in the 5edas79 no1 6let us ta3e7 Oco1;. *ere# 1hich is the 1ord N "hat 1hich is in the shape of a thin) 1ith de1lap# tail# hump# hoofs# horns G pray is that the 1ord N Nay# replies he 6referrin) to PVpini 1hose SWtras on Sams3rt )rammar and philolo)y Patan2ali comments upon7. "hat is not a 1ord# but !erily a substance. "hen G the hints# )estures and 1in3in) G is that the 1ordN Nay# he replies G that !erily is the action. "hen the 1hite# the blac3# the ta1ny# the spotted# is that the 1ordN Nay# he replies# that !erily is 4uality ."hen that 1hich in many is different 6and yet7 not different G and that 1hich is not destroyed in thin)s that are destroyed by disinte)ration G that 1hich in the common nature 6of all that e@ists7 G is that the 1ordN Nay# he replies G !erily is the form 6implyin) the )enus or Platonic idea7. Bhat then is the 1ord N A 1ord is that throu)h 1hich# 1hen uttered# there is the Pa!e 2*" co)nition 6i.e.#7 thin)s 1ith de1lap# tail# hump# hoofs and horns# or in the 1orld a noise9 a noise 1ith a reco)niXed series is a 1ord or sound. "his last statement has been e@plained by Mayyata to mean that an identity 6 tdtmya# e@ists bet1een a 1ord and the ob2ect it si)nifies. It is )enerally said that the MundalinH has fifty letters. "his means a )reat many thin)s. It has been e@plained in the Mantras;Fstras that all the fifty letters ta3e their rise in their par form of course# from the MundalinH9 and that the force latent in it becomes manifested in the forms of sounds 1hich to the ancient Indian )rammarians comprised the fifty letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet. Bhen first any attempt is made to utter any sound# the sound of Prana!a or -m is heard in the heart. It is in fact the !ery first sound that one is said to hear 1hen he attempts to spea3 out any 1ord= and in the case of any sin)le sound 6P3F3sara7 as for instance# the !ery first sound you 1ould ma3e# or one hears# before you pronounce the letter or sound# is the Prana!a= and you hear this sound so lon) as one has life or PrFna. -f course 1e cannot ordinarily hear the sound of Prana!a unless 1e are trained in ?o)a. Proceedin) from this analo)y# they inferred# Pa!e 2+" or 3ne1 that this sound can be heard e!ery1here# for# as I said before# any sound that is intended to be produced is al1ays preceded by the sound of Prana!a. Be thus see the reason 1hy the ancients said that Prana!a 1as the first of all sounds# and therefore of all mantras9 ho1 it 1as held to be uni!ersal# and ho1 on this physical plane it came to mean PrFna. It also means <rahman# bein) co>e@istent 1ith it in bein) uni!ersal= and bein) thus the first of all sounds e!ery sound or mantra 1as considered its manifestation. Be shall no1 proceed to consider the ori)inal of mantras. I ha!e already said that sound comes from the MundalinH # throu)h the nFdHs# and the mouth. "hose nFdHs are hollo1 and terminate a little belo1 the na!el# and throu)h them the ten 3inds of air 3no1n as PrFna9 ApFna# 5yFna# QdFna# SamFna# Mr3ara# &e!adatta# &hanam2aya# NF)a and M8rma# ta3e their rise. "he sound proceeds from MundalinH to one of the nFdHs# the particular nFdH bein) determined by the letter intended to be produced. "hus letters A 6 Pin)alF and ?a 6 7 to Msa 6 7 to Ah 6 7 pass throu)h IdF# Ma 6 7 Ma 6 7 throu)h 7 throu)h SusumnF. "he three nFdHs are Pa!e 2," presided o!er Pa)e J

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

respecti!ely by the Moon# the Sun and A)ni9 in other 1ords there e@ists an intimate# and to us ine@plicable# relation bet1een these deities# and the nFdHs# the former influencin) the latter. It is on this account that the sounds comin) from IdF are 3no1n in Sams3rt )rammar as Saumya 6literally related to Moon7 and those from SusumnF as Ysman meanin) hot or fiery. "he saumyas are also so called# because they do not re4uire much effort in pronouncin) them as they pass strai)ht throu)h the IdF nFdH. "he letters $a to !a ha!e sprun) up from them. "hus# letters $a to !a are called PrFnins 6animated bein)s7 1hile " to "h are called PrFna 6life>principle7. "hey are symbols of the t1enty>fi!e tatt!as# the last letter !a symbolisin) the t1enty>fifth principle the ZH!Ftman# or ParamFtman accordin) to the !ie1 1e ta3e. "he third series e@tendin) from %a to $sa# and comin) throu)h the SusumnF are called 5ayFpa3as# from their bein) e@tended# or composed of the other t1o series already spo3en of# and they play a !ery important part in the composition of mantras# for their insertion is entirely dependent on the result 1e may 1ish to obtain. "o summariXe then# the sound in its passa)e from the MundalinH to the end of the nFdHs Pa!e 2-" is the sta)e of parF= that of its passa)e throu)h the nFdHs is its pas'yant sta)e= from the end of the nFdHs to the throat it is in its madhyam sta)e# 1hile that 1hich passes from the throat to the mouth is its vaikhar sta)e. "he sounds or letters on the physical plane are di!ided into those of Prth!H# Ap# "e2as# 5Fyu and 03Fs;a. "hus= ayu#G 3a# 3ha# )a# )ha# na# a# F# r# ha# s;a# ya. "gni# G ca# cha# 2a# 2ha# La# i# H# rH# 3sa# ra. &rthv# G ta# tha# da# dha# na# u# 8# l# sa# !a# la. "p# G ta# tha# da# dha# na# [# ai# IH# sa. 'ks'a# G pa# pha# ba# bha# ma# \# au# am# ah. Mantras bein) a combination of sounds to suit a purpose# they may be either of one syllable or a thousand syllables. "he latter bein) its ma@imum limit# mantras of one# t1o# and three syllables are# strictly spea3in)# arran)ement of sounds scientifically blended to)ether to produce a result# and are conse4uently !ery potent= these and the four syllabled mantras do not )enerally admit of any analysis 1hate!er# as in the case of those of fi!e syllables and more# for the reason that they are )enerally composed of the least number of <H2as# and ha!e no room for the insertion Pa!e 2." of the name of the de!atF as in the case of the many>1orded ones= and the only 1ay 1e can find out the de!atF is by a careful e@amination of the <H2as employed. "hose of fi!e syllables or more# are di!isible into 617 the Prana!a# 6$7 the <H2a sho1in) the ob2ect of the mantra# and 6'7 the name of the deity. Not all the mantras be)in 1ith Prana!a# but those that be)in 1ith it are considered more sacred to a deity than those 1hich do not be)in 1ith it. "he reason is plain enou)h# bein) that the mere presence of Prana!a# 1hich is considered as the mother of all mantras# 1ill accelerate the force of that mantra. "he ob2ects of the Mantras are !arious 617 Sub2ection 6vas'ya7# 6$7 attraction 6karsana7# 6'7 fascination 6mohana7# 6(7 deadenin) the faculties 6stambhana7# 6I7 creatin) enmity 6vidvesana7# 6J7 death 6mrana7# 6%7 ruinin) ( ucctana7# 687 soothin) 6 FpyFyana7 9 and the <H2aic terminations sho1 the ob2ect of Mantras. In case of vas'ya, ucctana# and karsana# the termination hum should be used9 phat for mrana9 namah for stambhana, vidvesana and mohana9 vausat for pyyana. "his rule should be obser!ed by a Pa)e %

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

be)inner# but 1hen once he masters a mantra# this act bein) 3no1n as !antra)siddhi# he masters 1ill> po1er Pa!e 2/" also# and can then use any termination for fulfillin) any ob2ect. <ut immediate results 1ill follo1 if he also pays attention to the abo!e rule. "his leads us to thin3 that only the efficacy of the 1ill> po1er is necessary# but there is a sort of efficacy in the sounds themsel!es uttered durin) the repetition of a mantra. Mantras are either masculine# feminine# or neuter# accordin) to the nature of the de!atF addressed to# and of actions. "hose addressed to a female deity # are also called vidys. "he ei)ht purposes abo!e mentioned may be thus classified accordin) to the nature of the de!atF addressed. "hose that terminate 1ith the endin)s hum and phat are male mantras9 but there is a class of Indian -ccultists 1ho consider e!ery mantra as masculine. "hose endin) 1ith svh and vausat are feminine in their action# 1hile those 1ith namah are neuter. Probably the reason for this classification lies in the fact that the pronunciation of hum and phat are more forcible# and produce a )reater disturbance in the F3Fs;a# than either svh# vausat or namah. Qnder the head of feminine mantras a)ain are included all such mantras of one syllable# but consistin) of more than one letter as kma# khma# kra# etc. Pa!e 20" -ne of the ad!anta)es of this classification is that these mantras may be best practised by persons en2oyin) different periods of life9 for it is laid do1n almost as a rule that the feminine mantras should be practised before si@teen years of a)e# and the rest abo!e that a)e. "he e@cellence of the Sams3rt alphabet 1ill be apparent 1hen 1e consider that one had all the occult la1s abo!e hinted at# can be obser!ed only in connection 1ith it# and none else9 and also that the 3no1led)e of occult dynamics 1hich the ancients possessed# enabled them to find out that these la1s can be best 1or3ed out in the case of this Alphabet called Sams3rt# meanin) ;1ell>done; or ;1ell> arran)ed;9 in short a perfect Alphabet. "he number of mantras e@istin) in the Sams3rt lan)ua)e is )enerally stated in occult 1ritin)s as se!en crores. "his )i!es us only a rou)h idea# but the e@act number is J%#1E8#8J'. P!ery mantra of any number of syllables must fall under one of the $J 3inds of handas# and that the number )i!en out in 1or3s on Sams3rt prosody. "hese denote the $J 1ays in 1hich different sounds can be arran)ed# ta3en one at a time# t1o at a time# and so on# the total number of 1ays in 1hich they can be so arran)ed bein)# as 1e Pa!e 21" 3no1 from al)ebra# $ $J9 G 1 or J%#1E8#8J'. Mantras are also di!ided into those of A)ni and Soma. If in a mantra there are more letters comin) out from Pin)alF NFdH it is A)ni mantra9 if of Susumna# it belon)s to Soma and is called a Saumya mantra9 and so on. Pa!e *3" SEC$I%& II %CC)4$ C%RRESP%&5E&CES -NP of the most secret correspondences e@istin) bet1een the mantras on the 5ai3harH 5F3 or the Sth8la plane of matter# and the hi)her planes is <H2as # 1hich I ha!e partly hinted at in the precedin) Section. "he central idea in!ol!ed in the 1or3in) of the mantras is that certain sounds 1hen uttered produce a disturbance in the 03Fs;a 1hich is# in its turn communicated# accordin) to the se!erity of such a disturbance# to the hi)her planes. It stands to reason# therefore# that the )reater the disturbance# the Pa)e 8

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

)reater 1ill be the communication to the hi)her planes. "he nature of the disturbance cannot be 2ud)ed from the 3no1n la1s of physics# as that science has rarely meddled 1ith the hi)her planes of matter. All that 1e can# therefore# say is that there e@ists some relation bet1een sounds# and the disturbance in the 03Fs;a # and that certain 3inds of sounds produce certain 3inds of disturbance. "hese sounds are 3no1n in Sams3rt Pa!e *2" by the name of <H2a3saras# and they ha!e been classed under !arious heads# denotin) those the effects of 1hich are of a particular nature9 the latent forces in the letters bein) 3no1n as <H2as. All the letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet are also <H2a3saras# and as e!erythin) in nature can be 2ud)ed from the three standpoints of 5isnu# S;i!a and S;a3ti# 1e ha!e also three different sets of meanin)s accordin) as they are either 5aisna!a# S;ai!a and S;a3ta. "hus there are three 1ays of interpretin) a mantra# composed as it is of !arious <H2a3saras# and accordin) as it belon)s to either 5isnu# S;i!a or S;a3ti. It must at the same time be said that each one of these devats# is an a))re)ate of se!eral forces# each 3no1n in its turn by the name of de!atF9 and one can easily see by inspection# 1hat particular force is intended to be in!o3ed in a )i!en mantra. "hese ideas should be borne in mind for a correct understandin) of 1hat follo1s. A chart is )i!en at the end# as an appendi@# containin) the si)nifications of the <H2a forces latent in the IE letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet9 as such a thin) 1ill be too tedious if it finds a place in the body of the essay. It has been prepared at the e@pense of# a )ood deal of labour# as it in!ol!ed the study of Pa!e **" more than se!en or ei)ht lar)e SamhitFs9 in the three sets of 0)amas# G PFLcarFtra# S;ai!a and S;a3ta. A !ery curious con!entionality is found to ha!e been used in the 0)amas# viz.# of desi)natin) <H2a3saras# by the names of certain trees9 as for e@ample# CZoin MandFra 1ith 5isnuD. *ere CMandFraD 1ould be ordinarily understood to mean the MandFra tree but such an e@planation 1ill be found not to ha!e been borne by the conte@t. It means that the <H2a3saras called CraD should be added to 5isnu <H2a3saras ; a;# and should be pronounced CaraD. "his is )i!en here as an illustration to sho1 ho1 the mere 1ordin) of the te@t of Mantras;Fstras is apt to be misunderstood# and 1hy such a thin) as initiation into them is necessary. Such sorts of e@amples ha!e collected and e@plained as far as the materials could be obtained# and 1ill also be found in the appendi@. "his sort of findin) out the mantras is called MantroddhFra. Amon) the uses of <H2a3saras# may be mentioned the placin) of certain <H2a3saras in the be)innin) of the !erses composed. A poet# for instance# and in this case he must be a )ood adept# 1ishin) to destroy a house or anythin) belon)in) to another person# sin)s a son) be)innin) 1ith one of the A)ni or fire <H2a3saras and Pa!e *+" 1hich means that the house should be burnt. ases of this sort ha!e occurred# but they all depend on the occult po1ers con4uered by the composer. MFlidFsa and se!eral others are said to ha!e done so. Similarly )ood may be done to anyone. <ut as the tendency in those 1ho are not <rahma2LFnins# is to do more harm than )ood# such thin)s should be discountenanced as far as possible. It must# therefore# be understood that all the mantras 1hich may mean nothin) else than the effect re4uired# are not de!oid of force 1hate!er. A ma)ician# for instance# 1ishin) to purify the ma)netic aura of a chair 1ould merely say C.am a)naye namahD fancyin) or 1illin) himself durin) the repetition# that fire purifies the chair# and if he is sensiti!e# he 1ould feel that the aura surroundin) it has been purified. As re)ards the 4uestion of relation of mantra# to the force it symbolises# no clear 1ords can be found in the Mantras;Fstras. Such e@planations as 1hen literally translated mean Cthe de!atF is of t1o forms# viz.# that of a mantra# and that of the S83sma S;arHraD# occur# but they do not in any 1ay enli)hten us. "here seems to be a )ood deal of mystery cast on this 4uestion by the A)amas# but 2ud)in) from their Pa!e *," conte@t in the Mantras;Fstras and from S;am3arFcarya ;s 1ords in his famous ommentaries on the Pa)e 9

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

<rahma S8tras 61. '. ''7 that a de!atF has the po1er of assumin) any form. I thin3 I am not far from ri)ht in supposin) that the de!atFs 6by 1hate!er name they are called in the "heosophical literature7 are deniXens of a hi)her plane of bein)# but bet1een 1hom and the sounds there e@ists some ine@plicable relation# and 1hich 1hen once tuned is sure to in!o3e those deniXens# 2ust as in a piano the 3eys produce the particular tone re4uired. Similar cases of intentional secrecy in the case of mantras may be inferred from the fact that the mantras ha!e been specially composed so as not to be of much use 1hen practised as they stand. "he mantras are Cdefecti!eD as they stand# and should be remedied. "hey are said to be of fifty 3inds. Most of these are tri!ial# but four of these are important. "hey are 3no1n by the names# Chinna, *uddha, +,aktihna and -adhira. hinna means ; bro3en; and denotes that defect by 1hich a mantra is 3no1n# containin) a 5Fyu <H2a3sara 6ya7 either in the be)innin)# middle or the end# or containin) a double letter 6as kma for instance7= or containin) three# four or fi!e !o1els. Pa!e *-" *uddha 6retardin)7 is that defect in 1hich a Prth!HbH2a 6 la 7 occurs t1ice simultaneously. +,aktihna 6po1erless7 is that in 1hich neither a MayFbH2a 6 7 S;ribH2a 6 +,rm 7# or Prana!a# is to be found in a )i!en mantra. -adhira 6or deaf7 is that in 1hich there is anus!Fra both in the be)innin) as 1ell as the end of a mantra. It is also considered a defect in a mantra# if it is composed of a lar)e number of syllables. It 4uite fre4uently happens that a mantra cannot be formed 1ithout any of the defects= and accordin)ly there are t1o opposite schools# one holdin) that these defects e@ist 1ith a purpose# and the other that they are only accidental. It follo1s therefrom that in order to compose# a mantra# a )ood deal of care has to be e@ercised a)ainst positi!e e!il conse4uences# as such defects are sure to produce little or none of the intended results. It 1ill also be seen that those mantras 1hich are either the least defecti!e or not defecti!e at all# are those composed by the hi)hest adepts spo3en of in Sams3rt 1ritin)s# and I may add that they are# as a rule# 1ritten in 0)amas in a cypher# thus necessitatin) a real initiation into it. "hese defects should be remedied# and such remedies are ten in number 3no1n by the name Pa!e *." of C&as;a Sams3FrasD. "hey are Zanana# ZH!ana9 "Fdana# <odhana# Abhise3a# 5imalH3arana# 0pyFyana# "arpana# &Hpana and Aopana. Zanana# literally CbirthD# is the process of separatin) the letters of a mantra from a dia)ram pre!iously dra1n# and of concentratin) the 1ill thereon9 this process is said to intensify the action of a mantra. ZH!ana or CprotectionD is the process of re)eneratin)# and this is done by performin) the Zapa of a mantra# preceded and follo1ed by the Prana!a.

Pa)e 1E

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

"Fdana 6beatin)7 is that process of 1ritin) the mantra on the bh.r/apatra 6birch leaf7# and after concentratin) one;s mind on it for a certain len)th of time# in!o3in) in short the force indicated by the mantra= and then a1a3enin) it by ma3in) some ma)netic passes on the 1ritin)# 1ith a dru) fa!ourable for a1a3enin) the force# such as sandal paste. <odhana is that process in 1hich the de!atF is after bein) roused induced to a proper understandin)9 and this peculiar result is brou)ht about by the thro1in) of the flo1ers of Mara!Hra 60eriumadorata7. In Abhise3a# the de!atF is made to yield to the 1ishes of the operator# and this is done by either pourin) 1ater mesmerised by the repetition of the four Pa!e */" bH2as -m# *rHm# MlHm# Aim# or by thro1in) the tender lea!es of the peepul. Bhile the processes abo!e described are for the purpose of restorin) the de!atF to its proper senses so far as the indi!idual operator is concerned# the defects in the mantra# and the de!atF are# strictly spea3in)# remedied in the last three ones# be)innin) from 5imalH3arana# 1hich literally means C)ettin) rid of strainD# It is done by ma3in) a Zapa of the mantra# preceded# and follo1ed# by the 1ords 1amsa and +oham, respecti!ely# and then mesmerisin) 1ater by plun)in) a blade of sacred )rass into it# 1hile the mantra is bein) repeated9 this letter process bein) 3no1n by the name of ApyFyana# that is e4ualiXin) the )ood and e!il actions of the de!atF. "o attain this result another ceremony is )one throu)h# viz.# "arpana# 1hich is pourin) o!er the bh.r/apatra on 1hich the mantra is 1ritten# mesmerised mil3# and clarified butter# mi@ed 1ith )hee and the mesmerised 1ater 2ust described. "he ne@t step# therefore# is that of stimulatin) the de!atF# so that the re4uired result# viz.# a command o!er it# may be sooner accomplished. "his is done by &Hpana# and Aopana. In the former the <H2as 6-m# ]m# Sam 7 are added to the mantra and repeated Pa!e *0" a certain number of times9 the <H2as added thereto# bein) !ery po1erful ones9 and the letter is nothin) but a careful preser!ation to oneself of the secret ceremonies performed all the 1hile. "here is ho1e!er one important thin). I 1ould call it the most important factor in the practice of mantras and that is# the la1 of correspondences of se!eral principles to each other. I need not for ob!ious reasons set myself to e@plain them in any 1ay but 1ould lea!e the sub2ect to be dealt 1ith by my readers accordin) to the li)hts they ha!e had. <ut as I e@pended a )reat labour in findin) them out from the Mantras;Fstras and other 1ritin)s# I shall simply enumerate them in an appendi@ hereafter. Pa!e *1" SEC$I%& III P)RAS6CARA&A as applied to the practice of mantras means that act or a series of acts 1hich should be performed as soon as one is initiated. "hey are /apa, homa, tarpana, mr/ana, and charity. "hese are called the fi!e angas to the practice of mantra.
PQ.AS; A.ANA

<efore one be)ins to practise it# it is absolutely necessary that he should find out 1hether he 1ill In any 1ay be benefited# in other 1ords# 1hether his Marma is such as to pre!ent his bein) benefited at all by the practice of a mantra in that birth in 1hich he 1ishes to obtain the result in !ie1. "his sho1s that nothin) in the 1orld can 1or3 a)ainst the natural la1 3no1n to *indus under the )eneral name of Pa)e 11

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

CMarmaD. P!en 5idyFranya 1hen he 1anted 1ealth and prosperity had recourse to the practice of AFyattrH# but it 1as all of no use. *e at last# performed those ceremonies 1hich )o to destroy the action of the de!atF of a mantra after it is found useless. "his action of 5idyFranyaRs certainly e!o3ed at last the Pa!e +3" de!atF of the AFyattrH# 1ho is said to ha!e told him that he could not obtain the re4uired result in that birth# as his Marma in his pre!ious birth 1as such as not to entitle him to any such re1ard. *e# therefore# renounced the life of a householder and turned out a SamnyFsin# as the life of an ascetic is considered by the S;Fstras as a 3ind of second birth# in 1hich one should try his best to for)et e!erythin) he pre!iously en2oyed# and e!en his o1n name= for this purpose# *indus ta3e a ne1 name after they renounce a house>holder;s duties. It 1as only after 5idyFranya became a SamnyFsin that he 1as appointed Prime Minister to the Min)# and 1as !irtually rollin) in 1ealth. Be need not 4uestion the basis on 1hich the abo!e account stands. It is 4uite sufficient for our present purpose to see# that )rantin) it to be true# it con!eys a )ood deal of meanin)9 it illustrates in short the la1 enunciated abo!e. :or purposes of findin) out 1hether Marma allo1s one to be benefited by the practice of a mantra# recourse should be had to Astrolo)y # from 1hich it should be found out 1hether at the particular period in 1hich 1or3 is commenced or durin) his life>time he may ha!e control o!er the mantra in Pa!e +2" 4uestion. If it is found out from his horoscope that he 1ould control it# he may set himself to 1or3# but not9 if other1ise. Arantin) that it is in his fa!our# he should then sol!e the same problem by ha!in) recourse to the mantra itself. "he ob2ect of this problem is to find out 1hether one should perform the Zapa# etc.# of a mantra a )reater number of times or a less number of times than is usually accorded to it# in short# to see 1hether he had# in his past birth practised it# and 1ith 1hat result. :or# if he had practised it# and he had a command o!er it# he 1ould no1 be re4uired to do it a less number of times# but still at the same time he 1ill deri!e the fullest benefit9 therefrom. "his is technically called .narnibhF!a# and# is of three 3inds. In all of these three# the )eneral process is countin) in a sort of 1ay from the first letter of a mantra to the first or the last letter of his o1n name. -ne of these 1ays is to find out# in the order of the Sams3rt Alphabet# ho1 many letters come bet1een the first letter of the mantra# and the first letter of the name of the intendin) practiser9 then multiply this number by '# and di!ide by %# and the remainder 1ill be 1hat the mantra Co1esD him. Pa!e +*" "hen count from the first letter of the name of the practiser# to the first letter of the mantra# multiply this number by %# and di!ide the product by three# the remainder is 1hat he o1es the mantra. "o e@plain this let me ta3e an illustration. Suppose the first letter of a mantra is and suppose at the same time that . ountin)

the first letter of the name of the intendin) practiser 1hen transliterated into Sams3rt is

from to 1e ha!e three letters# multiplyin) this number by three and di!idin) by se!en# 1e ha!e remainder $. "his sho1s that the mantra o1es him t1o parts. "hen continuin) the same illustration# count from to # 1e ha!e (9 letters9 multiplyin) this by se!en# and di!idin) the product by three# 1e ha!e the remainder 1. Addin) 1 and $ 1e ha!e a total three# and this means that the person 1hose name be)ins 1ith should# in case of practisin) a mantra be)innin) 1ith # perform Zapa and other ceremonies o!er a)ain half the number of times the number )enerally laid do1n for them. "he other method is dra1in) a fi)ure of J' s4uares. In the top>most ro1 the first 9 numerals should be 1ritten in the ascendin) order# and in the lo1er>most# the same in the Pa!e ++" descendin) order. In the fi!e intermediate ro1s# all the letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet from should be 1ritten in their Pa)e 1$

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natural order# omittin)

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

as in the dia)ram )i!en belo1.

No. 188 & 189

*ere a)ain let us suppose that the mantra intended to be practised be)ins 1ith

and the first letter of

the intendin) practiser;s name is 9 and countin) from to 1e ha!e three letters. "he top>most ro1 of fi)ures denote those relatin) to the mantra# 1hile the lo1er>most are those relatin) to the person. Such bein) the case# 1e should# in order to find out by ho1 Pa!e +," much the mantra Cis dueD# multiply the number three by four# that bein) the fi)ure 1hich is ri)ht abo!e the first letter of the mantra# and 1e obtain the product t1el!e. &i!idin) this product by si@# that bein) the fi)ure strai)ht belo1 it in the lo1er most ro1# 1e ha!e no remainder# and this means that the mantra is in no 1ay Cdue toD the person. If the same process is re!ersed and the necessary arithmetical trial operations under)one9 1e ha!e a remainder $. "his sho1s that the performer should perform the Zapa of a mantra t1ice the number of times usually allotted to it. "here is a third method 1hich consists in certain arithmetical operations 1ith re)ard to the total numbers of letters of the mantra# and the person. <ut as this is !ery tedious# and I run the ris3 of ma3in) this already technical sub2ect all the more tedious# I shall for the present omit it. "hose 1ho are an@ious to 3no1 somethin) about it 1ill find it described in )reater detail in Mantraratnamahodadhi. I ha!e been usin) all the 1hile# the e@pressions Cdue to mantraD# and Cdue by mantraD. "hese 1ere intended to mean the relations 1hich e@ist in nature bet1een the person# and the de!atF of the mantra. Bhile his horoscope re!eals the relation of the indi!idual to the Pa!e +-" practice of mantras in )eneral# the abo!e methods refer entirely to the de!atFs presidin) o!er indi!idual mantras# and the person 1ho Pa)e 1'

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intends to practise them.

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

"here are a)ain other methods such as SidhFrica3ras or s4uares in 1hich the letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet are arran)ed in particulars# and thus the relation of the de!atF of the mantra to the indi!idual is traced# but I no1 omit them for 1ant of space. <y the aid of these methods# one is enabled# to find out 1hat sort of mantras 1ill benefit him. *e then# finds out 1hat sort of relation e@ists bet1een himself and the de!atF as 2ud)ed by the constellation under 1hich he 1as born# and the elements surroundin) him# and thereby the po1ers presidin) o!er those elements. "he ne@t thin) to be done is the selection of a )ood day for the purpose# but before this comes the initiation into the mantra itself by a competent Auru# 1ho should ha!e a complete control o!er the de!atF of the mantra# 1hich is 3no1n in Mantras;Fstras as Mantrasiddhi. "he Auru should on the day of initiation 1orship the de!atF of the mantra# by concentratin) the force denoted by the mantra in a pot# already filled 1ith 1ater and in 1hich the fi!e best )ems# viz.# diamond# ruby# sapphire# Pa!e +." emerald and cat;s>eye are placed. "he Auru should then ma3e in the presence of the disciple# 1EE offerin)s to fire by )hee )enerally# althou)h special oils are considered fa!ourable in the case of special mantras. *e should then fill another small !essel 1ith 1ater and after co!erin) it 1ith the palm of his ri)ht hand# the Auru should repeat the mantra 8EE times# and bathe the candidate 1ith the 1ater9 the !essel should then be placed aside and the mantra pronounced in his ear. "his completes initiation# and a portion of the force )enerated in the Auru by his control o!er the de!atF of the mantra he is to initiate into# is thus transformed by the same method as 1e find in the case of modern mesmerists= and you thus see that as has been fre4uently and truly remar3ed by our President>:ounder mesmeric methods of mahipulation form the A. <. . of all occult practices. It is no1 the turn of the disciple to practise the mantra. Special months are selected for the purpose. "he month of 5ais;F3ha 6May>Zune7 is !ery fa!ourable# to the production of early results# so also are 0s;!ina# and MFrtti3a months 6-ctober>No!ember# and No!ember>&ecember79 of a more doubtful nature are those of PhFl)una 6March > April7# MFr)as;ira Pa!e +/" 6&ecember > Zanuary7# Zyestha 6Zune79 less beneficial still are 0sadha 6Zuly7# S;rF!ana 6Au)ust > September7# and MF)ha 6:ebruary79 1hile the remainin) months should al1ays be a!oided. "he full>moon day# the second# fifth to se!enth# the tenth# the t1elfth# and the thirteenth days are )ood ones. "he Moon bein) more connected 1ith these matters# any mantra practised durin) these days in that half of 1a@in) Moon 1ill be producti!e of 1orldly comforts9 but if on the correspondin) days of the 1anin) Moon# it 1ill be more producti!e of spiritual bliss. "he other days# unless in special cases# should be entirely a!oided. Special periods a)ain# such as the si@th day of either of the hal!es in the month of <hFdrapada 6September > -ctober7# the thirteenth day of the 1anin) half in the month of 0s;!ina 6-ctober > No!ember7# the ninth day of the bri)ht half of MFrtti3a 6No!ember > &ecember7# the first day of the dar3>half of S;rF!ana 6Au)ust > September7 are held to be !ery sacred. "hey are in fact called &e!apar!ans# days sacred to the de!as. -f the days of the 1ee3# "uesday is attended 1ith loss# Saturday 1ith death# and Monday in the dar3>half of a month 1ith no use9 the rest are )ood ones. -f the constellations 0s;!inH# .ohinH# *asta# S!Fti# 5is;F3ha# ZyesthV# QttarFsadha. QttarFbhFdra# Pa!e +0" and QttarFphFl)unH are the best. If the day is an eclipse day# none of these need be obser!ed. A mantra should be remedied of the !arious defects mentioned in the fore)oin) section# and the Cten artsD also therein referred to should be performed. -ne should fast the day pre!ious to the day of practice# probably to enable him to concentrate his attention better on the mantra. -n the day fi@ed# he should resol!e 1ithin himself not to lea!e the place Pa)e 1(

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An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

or !illa)e in 1hich he is put up# until the practice is o!er# as# also to a!oid se@ual intercourse# oil bath# studyin) other sub2ects# !ain tal3# midday meal# etc.# abstinence from all of 1hich tend to impro!e the psychical part of the person# and to enable him to concentrate his attention better. Qntil this practice is o!er# he should rise early in the mornin)s and perform all the duties in!ol!ed upon him. "he ne@t thin) to be done is the ordinary p82F or 1orship# but done as a special accompaniment to his practice. *e should then dra1 the fi)ure of a tortoise# in 1hich should be 1ritten the !arious letters of the Sams3rt Alphabet in a certain 1ay9 and on that part of the fi)ure 1here the head is dra1n he should ta3e his seat. "he follo1in) is the fi)ure= Pa!e +1"

Pa)e 1I

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

Pa!e ,3" "he number of times a mantra should be repeated is re)ulated as re)ards each. "he best 1ay is by countin) the fin)ers# althou)h beads are also recommended# but not 4uite necessary. -ut of the number of times one repeats his mantra in Zapa# he should ma3e one>tenth the number to each of the follo1in)= homa 6offerin)s7# tarpana, mr/ana# bathin) and food to <rFhmanas. "his last# and in fact all the essentials# are necessary only in the case of the more po1erful mantras# but not for the lesser ones# such as the inferior de!atFs. As for the substances re4uired for homa, pals'a flo1er 6-utea 2rondosa7 is necessary# if the ob2ect is to obtain 3no1led)e9 if for <rahma > te2as# or increasin) his aura# As;!attha branches9 if for increase of a)e# darbha 6the common )rass79 if an@ious of so!erei)nty# coo3ed rice and )hee e@clusi!ely9 crac3ed rice 1ill brin) success in lo!e9 bilva lea!es brin) on fame9 &utrn3/vi seeds 1ill induce fertility9 if sesamum seeds are used# the cure of sic3ness results9 and if flo1ers of any 3ind# prosperity.

:or Tarpana# a little 4uantity of mil3 and )hee may be mi@ed 1ith 1ater# and the mi@ture let do1n throu)h the fin)ers# each time the mantra is repeated the particular Pa!e ,2" mantra bein) follo1ed by the 1ord CS!FhFD# 1hile bein) so repeated. !r/ana is the sprin3lin) oneself by 1ater 1hile a mantra is bein) repeated. A pot or !essel is filled 1ith 1ater mi@ed 1ith a little mil3 1hile the practiser ta3es a blade of darbha )rass and by it sprin3les on his head the 1ater in the !essel# in!o3in) mentally the de!atF of the mantra. In feedin) <rFhmanas he should similarly in!o3e the de!atF in each indi!idual <rFhmana thus fed. *e should ta3e his meals in the e!enin)# eatin) 2ust sufficient to 3eep his body and soul to)ether9 and all sorts of rich food should be alto)ether a!oided. After all this is performed for the number of days fi@ed for each mantra# he is said to ha!e obtained that po1er of controllin) the de!atF of the mantra# this state bein) 3no1n as mantra>siddhi# presentiments of 1hich 1ill be found in dreams. It is only after one becomes a complete master of a mantra# that he can ha!e recourse to any of the ei)ht actions spo3en of in the first section. I cannot but conclude this section 1ith a 1arnin) to one and all of our brothers and sisters not to be led a1ay by 1hat I ha!e here )i!en out and set themsel!es to practise. Pa!e ,*" "hese are )eneral rules no doubt applicable to most of the mantras# but care must be ta3en to see if the particular mantra you 1ish to practise has any special mode of performance laid do1n in Mantras;Fstras. I need not touch the 4uestion of 3no1in) it throu)h a proper Auru# for certain e!il effects resultin) from any unintentional omission in any of the ceremonies abo!e described can only be best a!erted by one# 1ho has had a practical e@perience# and such a person is the Auru. Pa!e ,+" SEC$I%& I7 $(E &A$)RE A&5 $EAC(I&GS %F $(E $A&$RAS "*P "antras or 0)amas "he terms "antra and 0)ama are here loosely used. "he e@pression. O"antra; has been said in the MFmi3F)ama# to apply to# that 1or3 1hich spea3s of the t1enty>four sub2ects# viz.# Pa)e 1J

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

617 the nature of <rahman# 6$7 <rahma> 5idyF the science of 3no1in) <rahman# 6'7 "he names of the 0)amas and "antras. 6(7 reation and destruction of the 1orld# 6I7 Astronomy# 6J7 "he si@teen mystical dia)rams called a3ras 1hich are au@iliary to the practice of mantras. 6%7 Mantras# 687 on the uses of Mantras# 697 ?antras. 61E7 Borship of the special deity about 1hom the 1or3 treats# 6117"he 1ays of people in the four yu)as# 61$7 -ri)in of de!as# 61'7 reation and destruction of uni!erse# 61(7 *oly ri!ers9 61I7 &uties of different castes# 61J7 -ld traditions# 61%7 Sacred days in a year# 6187 Pure and impure ob2ects# 6197 Plements in nature# 6$E7 Secret !irtues of herbs# 6$17 Plements in nature# etc.. 0)ama is defined to be that 1hich contains only the follo1in)# viz.# 617 creation9 6$7 destruction of the uni!erse9 6'7 nature and use of mantras9 6(7 nature and 1orship of de!as. "he 1ords "antra and 0)ama are# ho1e!er# )enerally used as synonyms. It is note1orthy that Amarasimha used the 1ords OA)amaR and O"antra Rin different si)nifications. <ut this is no reason 1hy the 1ritin)s should call themsel!es by either of these names may not be more ancient than Amarasimha. "he term ?Fmala is also used as a synonym. It should treat of sub2ects 617 creation of the uni!erse9 6$7 astronomy9 6'7 daily duties9 6(7 difference of caste9 6I7 ?u)as and their nature 6SRabda3alpadruma7" 1hich I ha!e e@plained in the be)innin) of this paper as the )reat storehouse of mantras are of three classes= 617 PaLcarFtrF)amas# or those 1hich spea3 of the 1orship of 5isnu9 6$7 SRai!F)amas or those 1hich deal 1ith the 1orship of S;i!a9 and 6'7 S;F3tF)amas# those of S;a3ti. "he first Pa!e ,," are in 1E8 samhitFs or te@ts promul)ated by se!en .sis "he term .si is used in its literal sense CSeeSerD or promul)ator. *ence <rahmF and some others 1ho are not .sis in the )eneral sense of the term are here so called " G <rahmF# S;i!a# S3anda# Aautama# 5asistha# NVrada and Mapila. "hus se!en schools 1ere formed9 but 1E1 others subse4uently tau)ht the doctrine# and this accounts for there bein) 1E8 samhitFs. "hey are as )i!en belo1 1ith the number of their SRlo3as opposite to them= "he follo1in) mar3ed ^ can be found. :or those mar3ed a the authors are un3no1n. "he numbers in case 1here the si)n 8 is affi@ed are not 4uite correct. In the case of PadmasamhitF# one in 1#EE#EEE# is said to e@ist in the house of a devaloka in on2ee!eram# but I ha!e not seen it. "he one I no1 use is of 1E#EEE Slo3as. It is no1 bein) printed in Madras" 617 PadmasamhitF ^ 1E#EEE9 6$7 Padmodbha!a ^1#EE#EEE9 6'7 MFyF!aibha!a or "railo3yamohana9 6(7 Nala38bara I#EEE9 6I7 Parama 1#IEE9 ^6J7 NFrada (#EEE9 6%7 Man!a %#EEE9 687 5isnu>tila3a %IE 6N79 697 Sana3a 1#IEE9 61E7 Ar2una9 6117 5asistha (#IEE9 61$7 Paus3ara (#EEE 6N79 61'7 Sanat3umFra 1#EEE9 61(7 Satya 1#EEE9 61I7 S;rHdhara and 61J7 Sananda %IE9 61%7 MahH>pras;na9 6187 ]s;!ara IEE# 6197 Ka3smH >"antra or S;rH Pras;na# dialo)ue bet1een Indra and Ka3smH (#EEE9 6$E7 Mahendra $#EEE9 6$17 Purusottama 1#EEE 6N79 6$$7 PaLcapras;na9 Pa!e ,-" 6$'7 MFn!a9 6$(7 M8la9 6$I7 "at!asF)ara9 6$J7 5F)Hs;a9 6$%7 Sam!arta 1#EEE9 6$87 SFtt!ata ^$IE9 6$97 "e2odra!ina a9 6'E7 5isu SadbhF!a9 6'17 5isnu tatt!a a9 6'$7 5isnu=SiddhFnta a9 6''7 5isnu>!aibha!a a9 6'(7 5isnu>rahasya9 6'I 7 MaumFra ^ $IE9 6'J7 Zaya IEE9 6'%7 Saura a 1IE9 6'87 <hF)a!ata 1IE9 6'97 S;auna3a ^$EE9 6(E7 Pusti "antra a9 6(17 Madhura9 6($7 Qpendra9 6('7 ?o)ahrdaya9 6((7 MarHci 1EE9 6(I7 *FrHta ^ %EE9 6(J7 0treya ^ $IE9 6(%7 Parames;!ara ^ $EE9 6(87 &a3sa 1IE9 6(97 Aus;anasa $IE 9 6IE7 5ai3hFnasa 1#EEE9 6I17 5iha)endra IEE9 6I$7 5is!a3sena ^ $IE9 6I'7 ?F2La!al3ya $IE9 6I(7 <hFr)a!a $EE9 6II7 ZFmada)nya 1IE9 6IJ7 Paramapurusa 1IE9 6I%7 Aautama %IE9 6I87 Pulastya 1IE9 6I97 S;F3ala $EE9 6JE7 ZLFnFrna!a 1IE9 6J17 ?Fmya 1EE9 6J$7 NFrFyana 1IE9 6J'7 ZHyottara 1EE9 6J(7 ZFbFli 1EE9 6JI7 ParFs;ara 1EE9 6JJ7 Mapila $IE9 6J%7 5Fmana $IE9 Pa)e 1%

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

6J87 <Frhaspatya %EE 6N7 9 6J97 PrFcetasa9 6%E7 5FlmH3a9 6%17 MFtyFyanHya $IE9 6%$7 A)astya IEE9 6%'7 Zaimini $EE9 6%(7 Aupa)Fyana9 6%I7 *iranya)arbha9 6%J7 <odhFyana 1#EEE9 6%%7 <hFrad!F2a ^ IEE9 6%87 NFrasimha9 6%97 MFs;yapa ^ l#IEE9 68E7 Saumya9 6817 Qttara)Fr)ya9 68$7 S;atFtapa9 68'7 0n)irasa9 68(7 ?o)a $EE9 68I7 "railo3ya!i2aya# or# <harata# $EE9 68J7 Pin)ala9 68%7 5itta 1IE9 Pa!e ,." 6887 5Fruna 1IE9 6897 MrsnacFmara9 69E7 5Fya!ya9 6917 MFr3andeya ^9 69$7 A)neya IEE9 69'7 SamhitFsam)raha9 69(7 MahFsanat>3umFra9 69I7 5yFsa9 69J7 5isnu 'EE9 69%7 QmFmahes;!ara ^ 1#IEE 6N79 6987 Mihira9 6997 Ahirbudhnya %IE9 61EE7 .F)ha!a 'IE 6N79 61E17 Mal3i $IE9 61E$7 &attFtreya IEE9 61E'7 S;ar!a9 61E(7 Sams3arsana 1#IEE9 61EI7 Pradyumna9 61EJ7 5FrFha9 61E%7 S;u3a9 61E87 MapiL2ala $#IEE.G "hese 1ritin)s amount to (EE#EEE# "he abo!e number is not 4uite correct9 for 1or3s that are )enerally said to be of# say# $IE s;lo3as are sometimes found to be an abrid)ment of a lar)er 1or3 of the same name# and this difficulty is e@perienced on account of many of the SamhitFs bein) lost. <ut these remar3s do not apply to SRi!F)amas for most of the complete sets of the $8 1or3s# I ha!e seen or heard contain the e@act number of s;lo3as mentioned opposite them in the list )i!en belo1. Special care should# therefore# be al1ays ta3en to distin)uish abrid)ments from real SamhitFs" G S;lo3as. -nly those that are mar3ed 1ith ^ are to be found no1>a>days# in the !arious public and pri!ate libraries in India# and else1here# as catalo)ued by the se!eral scholars. :rom the &ancaratraraksa of 5edFntFcFrya 1ritten si@ centuries a)o# 1e learn that se!eral of these could not be obtained in his days. Most of these# are# ho1e!er# referred to and e!en Pa!e ,/" 4uoted in the 1ritin)s of 5is;istFd!aitins 1ho li!ed from about the 1Eth entury do1n to the present day. -f the 1E8 te@t boo3s# the first t1o are the most important and are )enerally considered to contain all the more important matters in these 1ritin)s. -f the remainder# Ka3smH "antra# <harata# Ahirbudhnya# and SFtt!ata SamhitFs# are !ery often spo3en of as teachin) a system of spirit>communion 6+,aranagat 7 1hich bears a !ery close resemblance to that practised by the initiates of the Arecian mysteries of old. Bith !ery fe1 e@ceptions li3e NFrada SamhitF 1hich is di!ided into chapters9 these 1ritin)s are )enerally of four parts or pdas# viz.# ZLFnapFda9 ?o)apFda# MriyFpFda# and aryFpFda. "his order is sometimes re!ersed in some of them and there are others a)ain in 1hich aryFpFda alone is dealt 1ith. "heir ori)in accordin) to MahFbhFrta is )i!en belo1 in an abrid)ed form 6S;Fntipar!an Mo3sadharma Par!an7= NFrada in his 1anderin)s met NFrFyana .si at <adari3Fs;rama <adrinFth in the *imalayas. *e is an incarnation of 5isnu# and tau)ht se!eral mantras. "here is# ho1e!er# another .si of the same name 1ho is the author of a code of la1s# and referred to by Madha!FcFrya in his commentary on ParFs;ara Smrti " G and put to him se!eral Pa!e ,0" 4uestions on philosophy and on the ori)in of the cosmos. "he .si replied that <rahmF 1as first created and *e created the de!as# and the .sis# Atri# <hr)u# Mutsa# 5asistha# Aautama# MFs;yapa# 0n)irasa and MarHci. "he doctrines promul)ated by them 1ere follo1ed in the Mrta ?u)a. -ne of them# Qparicara!as by name# performed a sacrifice in the presence of the abo!e> mentioned and se!eral others# 1ith <rhaspati# officiatin) as priest. "he other .sis assembled soon found that the oblations )i!en by Qparicara!as disappeared# 1ithout bein) recei!ed by the &e!as as 1as usually the case. <rhaspati accused him of dishonest moti!es and offered# to perform the ?a2La himself. *e then found to his astonishment the disappearance of the oblations# and therefore en4uired of the performer as to the reason of such a disappearance. Qparicara! replied that NFrFyana recei!ed them. "he &e!as 1ere !ery much enra)ed and as3ed the .sis to e@plain ho1 it 1as that NFrFyana could be seen by none of them. "he .si e@plained by sayin) Pa)e 18

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No. 188 & 189

that as they 1ere the mind>born sons of <rahma# they alone could see NFrFyana face to face. "hey further said that once upon a time they 1ent to S;!etad!Hpa to see him. "hey could see him Pa!e ,1" only after performin) a tapas there for a lon) time. NFrada hearin) this 1ent to S;!etad!Hpa near the Mount Meru# and performed a lon) tapas there and sa1 NFrFyana. "he latter tau)ht him the )reat secret that the easiest 1ay of 1orshippin) *im 1as by means of idols. Such is the ori)in of the PFLcarFtra 0)amas subse4uently presented to the 1orld by NFrada# then by si@ other .sis and after1ards by se!eral others. PFLcarFtra 0)amas are so called# because the fi!e 3inds of 3no1led)e 6.Ftra7 are tau)ht9 viz.# 617 )eneral 3no1led)e of realities9 6$7 3no1led)e of that by 1hich one 1ill be able to reach the hi)hest )oal9 6'7 3no1led)e of that by 1hich one 1ill be able to ser!e NFrFyana in 5ai3untha9 6(7 3no1led)e of that by 1hich one 1ill )et# the ei)ht Siddhis9 6I7 3no1led)e of the means by 1hich 1ealth# children# etc.# can be obtained. "here are also se!eral 1ays of e@plainin) the e@pression# but in none of the 1or3s# so far as I ha!e seen# is the meanin) )i!en out to be Cni)htsD as e@plained by M. <arth in his C.eli)ions of IndiaD. It is further e@plained in the Padma>SamhitF of PFLcarFtra 0)amas that SiddhFntas are so called# because they treat of positive kno4ledge leadin) to NFrFyana and best practised by those 1ho are 1ell>!ersed in the 5edas# and the S;Fstras such as P8r!amHmFmsF# etc.." Pa!e -3" <ut this e@pression is not to be found in any of the 1or3s themsel!es. "hey call themsel!es either as SiddbFntas 6definite conclusions7 or "antras 6easy 1ay of doin) thin)s7 in contradistinction to Mantras# and are so called on account of their containin) more of the easier 1ays of accomplishin) thin)s# than by Mantras. "hese 1ritin)s# S;ai!a and S;a3tF)amas included# are further di!ided into 617 !antra +iddhntas# those that spea3 of the M8rti# or form of 1orship in a temple9 6$7 'gama +iddhntas# of four m.rtis or forms9 6'7 Tantra +iddhnta of nine9 6(7 Tantrntara +iddhnta of three or four>faced forms or idols# 1hether of 5isnu or S;i!a. "hese differences arose on account of the particular symbols adopted9 and of the Mantra uttered 1hen they are made. "he PadmasamhitF# for instance# is a Mantra SiddhFnta# and it is supposed to ha!e been composed in fifteen millions of s;lo3as by NFrFyana himself# and tau)ht to <rahmF# the composer sayin) that althou)h the true mode of 1orshippin) *im 1as as described in the 5edas# but that if any easier method 1as necessary it 1as by !antras. <rahmF is then said to ha!e condensed it into IEE#EEE s;lo3as and tau)ht it to Pa!e -2" Mapila .si# 1ho in his turn abrid)ed it into 1EE#EEE s;lo3as# and initiated Padma# an elephant in PFtFlalo3a# into its mysteries. "he SamhitF is therefore named after the elephant. "he elephant a)ain abrid)ed "he dialo)ue in PadmasamhitF is# ho1e!er# bet1een 5isnu and <rahmF" G it into 1E#EEE s;lo3as. Sam!arta learnt it from Padma and tau)ht it to the 1orld. Man!a 1as one in the lon) line of teachers9 and the 1or3 is strictly spea3in) that of Man!a and other .sis. "hese# as 1ell as S;ai!F)amas# are di!ided into ZLFna Z5nayoga G"he contemplation described in the ?o)a> s;Fstras 1ith its ei)ht parts# yama, niyama, sana, prnyma, pratyahra, dhyna, dhran# and samdhi " G ?o)a# Mriya# and aryF pFdas# or rather sections treatin) respecti!ely of the nature of <rahma2LFna from the 5is;istFd!aitic and Ad!aitic standpoints# adoptin) the teachin)s and e!en the technicalities of the Qpanisads of ?o)a or the practice of <rahma2LFna and its four 3inds ZLFnayo)a# Marmayo)a# $armayoga is the performance of one;s duties# moral and reli)ious# and 1ithout any self> Pa)e 19

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No. 188 & 189

interest in the result after obtainin) a 3no1led)e of the realities 6 it# Acit and ]s;!ara.7 throu)h the Scriptures# and al1ays contemplatin) it 1ith !arious 3inds of Marma 6 ide the SRrH <hFsya of .FmFnu2FcFrya# AdhyFya '# pFda ' "G and <ha3tiyo)a. -haktiyoga. G "his is also called upsna. It is the contemplation of the <rahman 1ith its !arious 4ualities# and attributes# 1ithout any interruption 1hate!er# throu)hout one;s 1hole life9 at the same time dischar)in) his duties to the best of his ability " G "he last forms the principal Pa!e -*" sub2ect of this 1or3 and is considered easier than either the ZLFna or Marmayo)as# and is therefore recommended to those 1ho are desirous of obtainin) Mo3sa# but unable to practise the !arious 1ays leadin) to it. It treats in the MriyFpFda# of the construction of temples and their different modes# and also of the modellin) of idols9 and lastly of the !arious 1ays of 1orshippin) the idols thus prepared# treatin) of course of the !arious Mantras# 5aisna!a or S;ai!a as the case may be# and other topics such as the principles of 5aisna!a mantras# their nature and uses# the secret !irtues of herbs# etc.. "he philosophy of these A)amas leans more to1ards Ad!aita than anythin) else# and althou)h this four>fold di!ision is not to be found in some of them# still all of them# after a short introduction# ta3e up the 4uestion of Cary or the mode of 1orship of idols. "he abo!e remar3s apply as 1ell to S;ai!F)ammas# of 1hich there are t1enty>ei)ht# 1ith the only difference that in the case of S;ai!F)amas the 1ord S;i!a must be substituted for NFrFyana. "he names of the t1enty>ei)ht are )i!en belo1. 617 MFmi3a G 1$I#EEE9 6$7 SamtFna IE#EEE9 6'7 S;ar!a9 6(7 Mirana9 6I7 S83sma9 6J7?o)a2a9 6%7 &Hpta9 687 intF9 697 MFrana9 Pa!e -+" 61E7 ALcita 6a)ita79 6117 5i2aya 62aya79 61$7 5Hra9 61'7 5is;!a9 61(7 Ams;umat9 61I7 S!Fyambhu!a9 61J7 NHla 6anala79 61%7 Siddha 6Sar!ottama79 6187 Suprabheda 6<heda79 6197 .aura!a9 6$E7 Ma3uta9 6$17 <imba9 6$$7 5imala9 6$'7 Kohita9 6$(7 Sahasra 6Nis;!Fsa79 6$I7 PFrames;!ara9 6$J7 Prod)a9 6$%7 andra2LFna9 6$87 5Ftula 6Nis;!Fsa7 1EE#EEE. "hese are )enerally of the form of a dialo)ue bet1een SRi!a and his consort PFr!atH. She al1ays be)ins CBhat are the most interestin) secrets in the 1orld N D and the lu@urious husband relates all that she 1ants. "he first t1enty are )i!en out from his four faces# A)hora# "atpurusa# 5Fmana and Sadyo2Fta# at the rate of fi!e SamhitFs from each face. "he remainin) ei)ht 1ere tau)ht 1hen he assumed that terrible aspect called ]sRFna. :i!e more SamhitFs viz.. S;u3a# 5Fsistha# S;ais;a3a# Sanandana# Sanat3umFra# 1or3s subse4uently 1ritten and attributed to S;i!a# each of 1hich is said to contain about. 'E#EEE sRlo3as. but not ha!in) seen any of them nothin) definite can be said about them. "hey are ho1e!er said to treat of the different 3inds of ?o)a " G "he arran)ement is the same as in the PFLcarFtra in bein) di!ided into ZLFna# ?o)a# Mriya and aryF>pFdas# treatin) of the 1orship of S;i!a. in the form of idols and analo)ous to that of 5isnu9 there bein)#ho1e!er# some e@ceptions. Pa!e -," "he S;a3tF)amas be)in in the same strain as S;ai!F)amas# PFr!atH 4uestionin) S;i!a as to the best 1ay of 1orshippin) and 3no1in) her real nature. It is then told that she has si@ty>four aspects. Pach of them is dealt 1ith in one of the J( SamhitFs of the S;a3tF)amas . In these "antras as in the PFLcarFtra and S;ai!F)amas# the 5edas are hi)hly spo3en of as a rule# and the 5edic methods appro!ed. <ut in Mali!u)a 1hen people ha!e a predominant tendency to1ards 1orldly pleasures# the 1orship of S;a3ti is recommended as the easiest 1ay of obtainin) happiness. If ho1e!er# one should 1orship her 1ith no other desire 6 0iskma $arma7 than of obtainin) mo3sa# he 1ill either obtain mo3sa at the end of this life>time or in his ne@t# but that depends on the nature of the Pa)e $E

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

Marma he has done 1hich may lead him from birth to birth. All these ideas are decidedly 5edFntic# but e!en in such 1ritin)s as 65nrnava# and $aulrnava Tantra# the )oal is not lost sight o2# and the importance of the 5edas not for)otten9 and the S;F3ta 1orshipper is en2oined to attend# to the re)ular duties of caste. Qnfortunately# ho1e!er# this matter is mis>represented by Puropean 1riters# and e!en to a certain e@tent by the Indian 1riters Pa!e --" themsel!es# 1ho 1ith a pre2udiced mind# and after )oin) throu)h a portion of these "antras and seein) the depra!ity of morals as sho1n by that portion of the 1or3# 2ump at once to the conclusion that the "antras# in )eneral# and the S;F3ta "antras in particular are opposed to the 5edas9 but for)et that in the !ery SamhitFs they ha!e )one throu)h# the 5edic duties are spo3en of hi)hly and the importance of obtainin) mo3sa described. In an such cases# therefore# a careful study should be made of t1o or more SamhitFs and then a calm 2ud)ement should be )i!en. "he practices of S;F3tas are no doubt indecent# but that is not the end or aim of the S;a3tF)amas. :or instance# this point has been ar)ued# and the same conclusions# arri!ed at in the 1st QllFsa of MaulFrna!a "antra and the MahFnir!Fna "antra. "his !ie1 is also ta3en in the .udrayFmala# Phet3FrinH# and se!eral other "antras inculcatin) S;a3ti 1orship. "he 1riter is no sectarian follo1er of SRF3tas# but 1hile he abhors the moral depra!ity e@hibited in them his indi!idual conclusions are based on a study of more than fi!e "antras selected specially for the study of the different aspects of S;a3ti 1orship. "he si@ty>four S;a3tF)amas are as follo1= Pa!e -." 1. MahFmFyF S;ambara e@plains the formation of the uni!erse and of illusions. $. ?o)inH ZFla S;ambara spea3s of the illusion caused by ?o)inHs# a certain class of &e!atFs 1hich one 1ill con4uer o!er only by certain practices in the burial )round. ' & (. "att!a S;ambara# of command o!er the elements9 and Mahendra2Fla "antra# of sho1in) 1ater in air# in earth# etc.. I to 1$. Asta <haira!a= Siddha# 5atu3a# <adabFnala# MFF# MFla)ni# ?o)inH# MahF and S;a3ti "antras. "hey treat of the ei)ht Siddhis 6Animan# etc..7. 1' to $E. <ahur8pFsta3a= these treat of the 1orship of <rFhmH# MFhes;!arH# MaumFrH# 5aisna!H# 5FrFhH# MFhendrH# FmundH# S;i!ad8tH "he most important sub2ect therein touched S;rH!idyF 1hich is one of the hi)hest of occult methods. $1 to $8. ?amalFsta3a treat of the 1orship of &e!H9 they are 5edantic and hi)hly esoteric in their nature. $9. andra2LFna 6NityFsodasH "antra7 spea3s of MFpFli 1orship. 'E. MFlinH treats of diseases and their cure.

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Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

'1. MahFsaIpmohana. Ma3in) a 1a3in) man sleep# e.g.# by means of blac3 art# such as the cuttin) of children;s ton)ues. Pa!e -/" '$. 5Fma2usta. ''. 5Fmade!a. '(. 5Ft8la. etc.. 'I. 5Ft8lottara 'J. MFmi3a. +Items '( to 'J deals 1ith Prection of temples# etc.. "hese should not be confounded 1ith the S;ai!V)amas of the same name, '%. *rdbheda MFpFli3a# spea3s of ta3in) and placin) of *rt3amala in <rahmarandhra. '8. "antrabheda G 3illin) of men by mantras# fascination# etc. '9. Auhya. (E. MalF!Fda G spea3s of MalFs of e!ery 3ind. (1. MalFsFra G 5FmFcFra or left>hand 1orship ($. Mundi3Fmata of gulik or certain secret herbal preparations. ('. Matottara. -n mercurial preparations# alchemy# etc. ((. 5HnF. G "his is the name of a ?o)inH9 and the SamhitF treats of the different 1ays of con4uerin) her# she bein) also 6called Sambho)a ?a3sinH7. (I. "rottFla spea3s of Auli3F# AL2ana# and PFdu3F. (J. "rottFlottara 1innin) o!er the J(#EEE ?a3sinHs. Pa!e -0" (%. PaLcFmrta9 of the 1ays of pre!entin) death. (8 to I1. .8pabheda3a# or <h8toddFmara# MulasFra# MulodHs;a# Mulac8dFmani G teach of the different 1ays of 3illin) a man or 5FmFcFra methods. + I$ to IJ deals -f MVpVli3a 1orship, I$ Sar!a2LFnottara# I' Maha3FlH > Mata# I( Arunes;a# II ModinHs;a# IJ 5i3unthes;!ara# + I% to J( deals 1ith "he doctrines of the &i)ambara, I% P8r!a "antra# I8 Pas;cima "antra# I9 &a3sina "antra# JE Qttara "antra# J1 Niruttara "antra# J$ 5imala# J' 5imalottara# J( &e!Hmata. Pa)e $$

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

"he e@istin) 1or3s on Mantras are mostly compilations and abstract of one or more of these $EE SamhitFs. "heir number may be estimated at not less than a thousand in Southern India# and it is not possible to say ho1 many that 1ere formerly 1ritten# are no1 lost. "o this class belon) 1or3s# such as !antramahodadhi, Tantrasra, +radtilaka# Pa!e -1" &rapa5casra, !antrrnava# and others ordinarily met 1ith. "he difference bet1een the PaLcarFtra and S;ai!F)amas lies in the PaLcarFtras treatin) more of those thin)s that 1ould lead to <rahma2LFna9 and are therefore more transcendental than the S;ai!F)amas. A similar remar3 applies 1hen 1e spea3 of the relati!e merits of S;ai!F)amas and S;F3tF)amas. "he latter treat of indecent sub2ects de!otin) some of the SamhitFs to &a3sinFcFra# and some to 5FmFcFra. Se!eral matters# are# ho1e!er# common to all the three 0)amas# viz.# a de!otion to the sub2ect of mantras in )eneral# includin) the )eneral principles 1hich re)ulate a mantra# and the Siddhi or ac4uirement of certain occult po1ers throu)h a contemplation of mantras and their symbols. "he sub2ect of mantras# ho1e!er# is introduced to help their practice# and in order that the 1orship of the idols specified therein may be performed more efficiently. In the S;ai!F)amas# a)ain# se!eral of the more obscure and little 3no1n sub2ects# are treated of9 such as the occult sciences of breath# omens# astrolo)y# and other topics. Another sub2ect common to all these "antras is the incapacity of people to practise the methods of <rahma>!idyF as Pa!e .3" described in the Qpanisads9 and an attempt to substitute easier methods of 1orship. .e)ardin) the 1orship proper# each of them specifies its o1n ob2ects# althou)h there is not much difference in either their rationale# or the ob2ect 1ith 1hich the idols are 1orshipped. *a!in) therefore e@plained the nature of these 1ritin)s# 1e shall no1 spea3 of their teachin)s. "o ta3e up the PaLcarFtra F)amas first# ZLFna is essential to attain mo3sa. :or that purpose# NFrFyana is described as indescribable in the same strain as Ad!aitic 1or3s. "he first manifestation of NFrFyana is 5Fsude!a 1ith an the emblems of 5isnu= he is said to be located in the heart in the microcosm. *e is the ob2ect of 1orship and the )oal to be reached. 5Fsude!a di!ides himself into t1o# NFrFyana and 5Fsude!a# the former bein) of a blue colour# the latter bein) 1hite. :rom 5Fsude!a there spran) up another manifestation called Sam3arsana. :rom him comes Aniruddha and from Aniruddha 1e ha!e Pradyumna. "hese three represent one of the three attributes# viz, ZLFna# <ala# Ais;!arya of 5Fsude!a# predominatin) in them. "1enty four de!as come into e@istence# si@ belon)in) to each of these manifestations and ha!in) one of Pa!e .2" the si@ attributes of NFrFyana# viz.# 65na, -ala, "is'varya, rya, Te/as and +,akti. "hese &e!as are as follo1= sudeva# Mes;a!a# NFrFyana# MFdha!a# Purusottama and ZanFrdana9 +amkarsana# Ao!inda# 5isnu# Madhus8dana# Adho3sa2a# and Qpendra9 "niruddha# "ri!i3rama# 5Fmana# S;rHdhara# Narasimha# and *ari9 &radyumna# *rsH3es;a# PadmanFbha# &Fmodara# Acyuta and Mrsna. :rom these four ori)inal manifestations ei)ht m8rtis# viz.# <rFhmH# PrF2FpatyF9 5aisna!H# &i!i2F9 0rsH# MFnusH# AsurH# Pais;FcH and also the ten incarnations of 5isnu sprin) up. Bhen all these manifestations too3 place# the !arious emblems of 5isnu# such as "nanta# the discus# the conch# etc.# correspondin) to the ei)ht !.rtis# and the ei)ht Pra3rtis ha!e also sprun) up9 and also Aaruda. "hese four manifestations seem to correspond to the 5edFntic ideas of *iranya)arbha# S8trFtman# PrF2La# and 5irF2. <rahmF is then created by Aniruddha# Pa)e $'

Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

and he in his turn created the 1orld in the same 1ay as is described in the PurFnas# 1ith no difference e@cept that from Aniruddha# !y spran) up and en!eloped e!erybody in the uni!erse. "he la1s of Marma are e@plained as the reason for people sufferin) for the 1ron)s they do. "he escape from this lies in 65na 1hich is Pa!e .*9 either Sattrunstta 6N7 ZLFna of 3no1led)e that CI am <rahmanD9 or Mriya ZLFna 63no1led)e by 1or37 or ?o)a as e@plained in the 1ritin)s on the sub2ect9 an alternati!e is allo1ed# namely# of concentratin) one;s mind on an ima)e or idol 6 &raticchy7 of <rahman. In this and a similar manner the ZLFna>pFda finishes and a third method# viz.9 the practice of AbhyFsa ?o)a is described in the ?o)a>pFda. *e 1ho is unable to perform any of these methods# but is at the same time an@ious to obtain mo3sa# is en2oined in the Mriya>pFda to ha!e plenty of 1ealth and to dedicate a temple to 1orship NFrFyana in the manner therein described. A similar 1orship is also en2oined for S;i!a in the S;ai!F)amas. "he sub2ect is introduced in the same 1ay as in the PFLcarFtra F)amas. *ere S;i!a is considered as a manifestation of the <rahman 1ho is also some>times called SadFs;i!a. *e is said to ha!e fi!e aspects 6 mukha 7 viz# ]s;Fna# Sadyo2Fta9 5Fmana9 A)hora and "atpurusa. As e!ery one of these contains three eyes9 it follo1s that he has fifteen# eyes 1hen he appears at one and the same time in all his aspects. "hen the ]s;Fna is his head# the "atpurusa his mouth# A)hora his heart# 5Fmana his secret part# and Pa!e .+" Sadyo2Fta his feet. "his body he is said to ha!e assumed simply to enable the de!otee to 1orship him. *e is also called PasRupFti# lord of 2H!as 6 pas'u7 9 1ho are entirely dependent on him. Pas;upati informs his consort PFr!atH that as it is impossible to practise# <rahma>!idyF# he 1ill teach ?o)a for the )ood of man3ind. &ifferent 3inds of ?o)a are tau)ht and S;ai!F)amas contain more information about ?o)a than the PFLcaratra>F)amas. *e a)ain says# that in the Mali ?u)a# it is not possible to practise ?o)a# and therefore recommends his 1orship in some form or other. "hese sub2ects are tau)ht in the ZLFna and ?o)a>pFdas of these F)amas. "hen comes Mriya>pFda# in 1hich he says that his 1orship in the form of lin)a 6phallus7 is preferable9 if for such a 1orship a temple is built. If he cannot do e!en that# he is en2oined to 1orship a lin)a# 1hich may be carried alon) by a de!otee. "his is aryFpFda in 1hich any other sub2ects such as .udrF3sa 1hich is recommended to be 1orn by the de!otee# the secret of mantras# and the occult properties of herbs# etc., are also tau)ht. "he S;F3tF)amas ha!e a similar tale to tell. Pra3rti or S;a3ti is said to be the primal force in the cosmos. She is defined to be of eternal Pa!e .," e@istence and independent of <rahman and the plastic ori)in of all thin)s. A detailed description follo1s in 1hich the ori)in of all 3inds of sentient bein)s includin) the de!as is traced to her# and she is said to be ei)ht>fold# 65FrFhH# FmundH# etc.7. S;i!a e@plains that by the po1er of ?o)a# he di!ided himself# in the net of creation# into t1o. "he ri)ht half 1as male 6]s;!ara7 and the left 1as female 6NFrH7# and the 1hole 1as hence called ArdhanFrHs;!ara. "he three female di!inities Ka3smH# Saras!atH and PFr!atH are considered her manifestations. "he rest of the ZLFna# ?o)a# and MriyFpFdas are treated in the same manner as those of PFLcarFtra and S;ai!a F)amas# 1orship of S;a3ti bein) only instituted9 it is said# as a substitute in this ?u)a# for the hi)her mode of 1orship. Bith re)ard to construction of temples# there is !ery little difference bet1een them. "emples accordin) to these 0)amas are of four forms# circular# 4uadrilateral# oblon)ular# and elliptical. "he last is !ery rarely to be met 1ith no1>a>days. "he outer 1alls may be either one# three# fi!e or se!en 1ith entrance )ates. "here may be one# t1o or four to1ers for the outermost 1all. "he to1ers may ha!e any number of stories up to t1el!e. "he temple should be in Pa!e .-" the centre of the !illa)e# and directions are )i!en to find out 1hich is the centre of the !illa)e.

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Adyar Pamphlets

An Introduction to the "Mantra Sastra"

No. 188 & 189

"hat point is ta3en as the centre point of the temple intended to be constructed# and further directions are )i!en as to the siXe of the temple accordin) to the space a!ailable. A lar)e number of temples constructed no1>a>days do not at all conform to these instructions# and 1e thus see them sometimes at the end of the !illa)e. S;i!a bein) a non>4uiescent deity 6Mr8rade!atF7 temples dedicated to him should be built outside or at the end of a !illa)e# if possible and so also for S;a3ti. "he reason is said to be that if these are not properly 1orshipped# the force latent in them# 1ill at once cast its influence around# and not only 1ill the temple become useless as a centre of that force# but e!en harm 1ill be done to the !illa)ers " Such has been a brief out>line of the teachin)s of the "antras. "hey ha!e been most se!erely criticiXed by <FdarFyana in his <rahma>S8tras 6$nd AdhyFya# second pFda7 and condemned by S;am3arFcFrya. <ut the PFLcarFtra F)amas ha!e been upheld by .amFnu2FcFrya# on the )round that althou)h there are some theories in those 0)amas anta)onistic to the teachin)s of the Qpanisads# those parts of the former that are not anta)onistic to the latter mi)ht be considered authoritati!e. NHla3antha in his S;ai!abhFsya is reprehensible9 he ta3es up the Pa!e .." S8tra condemnin) the S;ai!F)amas# fills in certain 1ords 1hich he thin3s are understood and t1ists the 1hole S8tra to mean C"he 1orship of Pasupati is upheldD. Such has been the relation of 5edFnta to the teachin)s of the 0)amas# and as *induism is de)eneratin)# their teachin)s and more especially the baser part of them# are )ainin) o!er the minds of the fallen *indus. ?et 1e should be only too )lad to find that Idol>1orship# the least harmless of those teachin)s is still dra))in) on its e@istence9 and in these days a correct understandin) of the mode of 1orship 1ill no doubt help us in our on1ard pro)ress# for there lies the 3ey to our de!elopment in occultism= and the e@otericism of idol>1orship# 1ill I hope one day form the sub2ect of my paper on the ne@t occasion 1e may meet in this *all to celebrate another epoch in the history of the "heosophical Society# had it not been for the 1or3 of 1hich 1e 1ould not all 2oin our hands so )ladly. "he practice of mantras is a form of ?o)a# the other 3inds of ?o)a bein) .F2a# Kaya# and *atha9 these practices are ta3en up by persons 1ho ha!e no command o!er their o1n 1ill. Bith a dan)erous 1eapon as Mantra Siddhi in their hands they can do any amount of harm to man3ind# and if a man becomes so depra!ed Pa!e ./" in morals# he is in no 1ay better than the Atlantean of old. It is the duty of e!ery true *indu not to meddle himself 1ith these 1ritin)s# if he finds he 1ill soon become allured by their teachin)s9 but if anyone does ta3e them up# let me# for one# be allo1ed to recommend the best of them G idol>1orship G as a means to the *i)her Science# and let me 1arn# one and all 1ho ha!e seriously made up their minds to study these 1ritin)s in the li)ht of the 1ords of Mrsna= C*e 1ho 1orships them 6the minor deities7 )oes to them# he 1ho 1orships me attains meD.

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