The Science of Mantra

Mantra yoga is an exact science. It has been said, Manana trayate iti mantrah
By
manana (constant thinking or recollection) of which one is released from the cyc
le of birth and death, that is mantra. Mantra is that by meditating on which the
jiva or individual soul attains freedom from samsara, the phenomenal world. By i
ts aid it attains in full the fourfold fruits: dharma, virtue; artha, wealth; ka
ma, pleasure; and moksha, liberation.
A mantra is so called because it is achieved by the mental process. The root man
in the word mantra means to think . And tra comes from trai meaning to protect or to
free
from the bondage of samsara. By the combination of man and tra comes mantra, whi
ch calls forth the four aims of the being, as enumerated above.
Understanding the phenomenon
Sounds are vibrations. They give rise to definite forms. Every sound produces a
form in the invisible world, and combinations of sound create complicated shapes
. The textbooks of science describe certain experiments which show that notes pr
oduced by certain instruments trace out definite geometrical figures on a bed of
sand. It is thus demonstrated that rhythmical vibrations give rise to regular g
eometrical figures.
In mantra practice, the vibrations produced by the note are all-important. There
fore, emphasis is laid on the pitch (swara) as well as form (varna) of the mantr
a. Varna literally means colour. In the invisible world all sounds are accompanied
by colours. Different notes in different pitches give rise to different shapes.
In the science of mantra, different mantras are used to invoke different gods.
The repetition of a mantra has a mysterious power of bringing about a manifestat
ion of the divinity, just as the splitting of an atom manifests the tremendous f
orce latent in it. When a particular mantra appropriated to a particular god is
properly recited, the vibrations so set up create in the higher planes a special
form, which that god ensouls for that time period. For example, repetition of t
he Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, produces the form of Lord Shiva. The r
epetition of Om Namo Narayanaya, the Astakshara Mantra of Vishnu, produces the f
orm of Vishnu.
A mantra is divinity encased within a sound structure. It is divine power manife
sting in a sound body. What happens when the mantra is recited? The repeated rec
itation of the mantra produces in the mind the form of the deity connected with
the mantra, and this form becomes the centre of your consciousness when you dire
ctly realize it. It is therefore said that the mantra of the deva is the deva hi
mself.
The sacred mantras are vital symbols of the supreme divinity directly revealed t
o sages in the vedic and upanishadic times in the innermost depths of their bein
gs during moments of communion. These symbols are unfailing keys to gain access
to the transcendental realm of absolute experience.
Six parts of a mantra
A mantra has the following six parts:
1. It has a rishi who had self-realization for the first time through this mantr
a, and who gave this mantra to the world. He is the seer for this mantra. Sage V
ishwamitra, for example, is the rishi for the Gayatri mantra.
2. The mantra has a metre, which governs the inflection of the voice.
3. The mantra has a particular devata or supernatural being, higher or lower, a

s its informing power. This devata is the presiding deity of the mantra.
4. The mantra has a bija or seed. The seed is a significant word, or series of
words, which gives a special power to the mantra. The bija is the essence of the
mantra.
5. Every mantra has a shakti. The shakti is the energy of the form of the mantr
a, that is, of the vibration forms set up by its sounds. These carry the individ
ual to the devata that is worshipped.
6. The mantra has a kilaka, pillar or pin. This plugs the mantra chaitanya, con
sciousness, that is hidden in the mantra. As soon as the plug is removed by cons
tant and prolonged repetition of the name, the chaitanya that is hidden is revea
led. The devotee gets darshan of the ishta devata.
Potencies of different mantras
Mantras are in the form of praise and appeal to the deities, craving for help an
d mercy. Some mantras even control and command evil spirits. By constant repetit
ion of the mantra, the sadhaka imbibes the virtues and powers of the deity that
presides over the mantra. You can attain God-realization by doing japa of any ma
ntra. All mantras have equal potency.
Repetition of the Surya mantra bestows health, long life, vigour, vitality and br
illiance. It removes all diseases of the body and the eye. No enemy can inflict
any harm.
Repetition of the Saraswati mantra
Om Shri Saraswatyai Namah
will bestow wisdom a
nd intelligence, and make one a learned person. You will get inspiration and com
pose poems. You will become a great scholar.
Repetition of Om Shri Mahalakshmyai Namah will confer wealth and remove poverty.
The Ganesha mantra will remove any obstacle in any undertaking. It bestows wisdom
, as also psychic powers and wealth.
The Mahamrityunjaya mantra will save from accidents, incurable diseases and calam
ities, and bestow long life and immortality. It is a moksha mantra. Those who pr
actise japa of this mantra daily will enjoy good health and long life, and attai
n moksha.
Repetition of the Subrahmanaya mantra
Om Shri Saravanabhavaya Namah
will give suc
cess in any undertaking and make one glorious. It will drive off evil influences
and evil spirits.
Repetition of the Shri Hanuman mantra
Om Shri Hanumate Namah
will bestow victory
and strength.
Repetition of the Gayatri, the Pranava, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om
Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, one and a quarter lakh times, with bhava, faith and d
evotion, will confer mantra siddhi.
Om Sri Ramaya Namah, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya are saguna mantras which will e
nable you to attain saguna (manifested) realization first, and then nirguna (unm
anifested) realization.
Awakening a mantra
A mantra is a mass of radiant energy. It generates and accelerates the creative
force and can bestow supernatural powers. Spiritual life needs harmony in all pa
rts of our being. The whole being must be in perfect ease and in tune with the d
ivine and then alone can the spiritual truth be realized. The mantra produces th
is harmony. When awakened, it has the power of revealing cosmic and supra-cosmic
consciousness and bestowing on the aspirant joy, illumination, freedom, supreme
peace, eternal bliss and immortality.
The divine consciousness latent in a mantra is awakened through its repetition a
nd the power of the aspirant s spiritual practices. The mantra of a deity is that
letter, or combination of letters, which reveals the deity to the consciousness
of the aspirant who has invoked it through the power of his sadhana. The aspiran
t should try his level best to realize his unity with the divinity of the mantra
. To the extent that he achieves this, the mantra power supplements his worship

power. Just as a flame is strengthened by winds, so also the aspirant s individual

shakti is strengthened by mantra shakti. Then the individual shakti joins with
the mantra shakti to make it more powerful.
Initiation into the divine name or mantra diksha is one of the most significant
rituals in spiritual life. To receive the guru mantra from a realized saint is t
he rare fortune of an aspirant. A tremendous transformation begins to take place
in the innermost core of the initiated. The initiated himself is unaware of the
glory of initiation because of moola-ajnana, the veil of ignorance, that still
covers him. Nevertheless, the transformation starts with initiation, and like a
seed that is sown in the earth, ultimately culminates in the fruit of realizatio
n.