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Mantra

Sacred utterance or sound used in meditation, often repeated

Mantra means a sacred utterance, numinous sound, or a syllable, word, phonemes, or group of words believed by some to have psychological and spiritual power. Mantra may or may not be syntactic nor have literal meaning; the spiritual value of mantra comes when it is audible, visible or present in thought. Earliest mantras were composed in Vedic times by Hindus in India, and those are at least 3,000 years old. Mantras are now found in various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Similar hymns, chants, compositions and concepts are found in Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Christianity and elsewhere. The use, structure, function, importance and types of mantras varies according to the school and philosophy of Hinduism and of Buddhism. Mantras serve a central role in the tantric school of Hinduism. Mantras come in many forms, including ṛc (verses from Rigveda for example) and sāman (musical chants from the Sāmaveda for example.

OM is the light of God. It removes the darkness of ignorance. ~ Amit Ray
In esoteric phraseology mantram is the word made flesh, or rendered objective... Words... or syllables rhythmically arranged, so that when sounded certain vibrations are generated. ~ Alice Bailey
As soon as you think OM, you find that your attention automatically comes back to the ajna centre. While your attention is held at the ajna centre, a connection, or alignment, is formed between the physical brain and the soul
Saying the mantra is like praying for and helping individuals in all possible situations.
The two syllables of the word Mantra mean, “man” (mind) and “tra” (liberation). Mantra is a sound that can liberate the mind from fear, dependency and sorrow. Once the mind is freed, other problems are automatically resolved because the greatest problem is the mind itself. ~ Sri Tulsidasji

Quotes

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(Alphabetical by author/source)

  • Mantram – Mystic words, sounds or phrases used as incantations and having occult potency.
  • '[The] Mantra is the word that carries the power of the godhead, that can bring [the godhead] into the consciousness and fix it there and its workings, awaken there the thrill of the infinite, the force of something absolute, perpetuate the miracle of the Supreme utterance.' 11
    • (Aurobindo, Collected Works of Sri Aurobindo: The Future Poetry , 1997: 313). as quoted in Malhotra, R., & Infinity Foundation (Princeton, N.J.). (2018). Being different: An Indian challenge to western universalism.
  • To arrive at the Mantra he [the rishi] may start from the colour of a rose, or the power or beauty of a character, or the splendour of an action, or go away from all these into his own secret soul and its most hidden movements. The one thing needful is that he should be able to go beyond the word or image he uses or the form of the thing he sees, not be limited by them, but get into the light of that which they have the power to reveal and flood them with it until they overflow with its suggestions or seem even to lose themselves and disappear into the revelation. At the highest, he himself disappears into sight; the personality of the seer is lost in the eternity of the vision, and the Spirit of all seems alone to be there speaking out sovereignty its own secrets.
    • Aurobindo, Collected Works of Sri Aurobindo: The Future Poetry , 1997: 38). as quoted in Malhotra, R., & Infinity Foundation (Princeton, N.J.). (2018). Being different: An Indian challenge to western universalism.
  • Mantrams... In esoteric phraseology mantram is the word made flesh, or rendered objective... A form of words or syllables rhythmically arranged, so that when sounded certain vibrations are generated.
    • Alice Bailey, Letters On Occult Meditation, Glossary, p. 357, (1922)
  • The basis of all manifested phenomena is the enunciated sound, or the Word spoken with power, that is, with the full purpose of the will behind it. Herein, as is known, lies the value of meditation, for meditation produces eventually that inner dynamic purpose and recollection, or that internal ideation which must invariably precede the uttering of any creative sound. p. 150
  • Mantra - A Sanskrit word conveying the same idea as the “Ineffable Name.” Some mantras, when pronounced according to magical formula taught in the Atharva- Veda, produce an instantaneous and wonderful effect. In its general sense, though, a mantra is either simply a prayer to the gods and powers of heaven, as taught by the Brahmanical books, and especially Manu, or else a magical charm. In its esoteric sense, the “ word ” of the mantra, or mystic speech, is called by the Brahmans Vdch. It resides in the mantra, which literally means those parts of the sacred books which are considered as the Sruti, or direct divine revelation.
  • Mantras are not thought of as products of discursive thought, human wisdom or poetic fantasy, but ”flash-lights of the eternal truth, seen by those eminent men who have come to super sensuous contact with the Unseen.
  • A mantra is a syllable, a sound, or set of words found in in the deep state of meditation by the great sages. It is not the language in which human beings speak. The sounds and vibrations which are received form the superconscious state lead the seeker into deep meditation until s/he reaches the perfect silence. The more awareness is increased the more a mantra reveals new meaning. It makes one aware of a higher dimension of consciousness
  • Mantras are words with great vibration and powerful spiritual energy.
  • A Mantra is a series of words which in their entirety form a sound with a positive vibration. Words mean sound and sound produces vibration. Vibration is power - an all-pervasive, creative power that generates movement and resonance. Energy means life and where there is life there is also creativity.
  • Words should fall from your lips like fragrant flowers”. One poem suggests: “Be sure to make everyone happy through your words. Allow peace and harmony to vibrate through you and radiate from you.
  • It is powerful, efficacious and deserving of respect. A mantra is like meeting the Buddha or Bodhisattva himself.
    • Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
  • Thus, says Lannoy, 'Hindus discovered, through direct cognition, the mantra system of musical incantation uniting the laws of phonetics and the physiology of sound waves.'
    • R Lannoy 1971: 273-74). quoted in Malhotra, R., & Infinity Foundation (Princeton, N.J.). (2018). Being different: An Indian challenge to western universalism.
  • Many are still convinced that it is permissible to approach the higher Sources through dead rituals and repetitions of senseless mantrams, which have now lost their meaning, since their value lies only in rhythm, born in a flaming heart. Nothing external, without the inner striving, can be of real value.
  • The two syllables of the word Mantra mean, “man” (mind) and “tra” (liberation). Mantra is a sound that can liberate the mind from fear, dependency and sorrow. Once the mind is freed, other problems are automatically resolved because the greatest problem is the mind itself.
  • The Sanskrit Mantras that we use today originate from the spiritual work of the Yogis. This is the reason why the impact of the Mantras in the original Sanskrit is many times greater than in any other language. The Sanskrit characters are known as Devanagari ('Deva' means “God” and 'Nagar' means “citizen”). Sanskrit is the “writing of the Gods”. This means that this language has existed since the beginning of the world.
  • One who receives a Mantra and merely “puts it in their pocket” without putting it into practice, is just like the farmer who locked the soybean in a box where it was eaten by the “moth of time”. Only practice makes a Master.
  • The Mantra may be used in any life situation and even during our daily routine to relax and quieten the mind. It will bring clarity and the ability to think positively.
  • Mantra protects us in every life situation. It fills us with a positive vibration whenever we think of the Mantra or speak it. In this way it purifies our inner Self.
  • If you would like to find enlightenment outside and inside, then place on the threshold of your tongue the lustrous pearl of the Divine Name (Mantra).

Initiation, Human and Solar, by Alice A. Bailey (1922)

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[(Full text online)]

  • The basis of all manifested phenomena is the enunciated sound, or the Word spoken with power, that is, with the full purpose of the will behind it. Herein, as is known, lies the value of meditation, for meditation produces eventually that inner dynamic purpose and recollection, or that internal ideation which must invariably precede the uttering of any creative sound. p. 150
  • What the initiate is learning to do is to make sounds consciously, and thus produce a studied and desired result; to utter words, and be fully [Page 425] aware of the consequence on all planes; and to create forms and direct energy through sacred sounds, and thus further the ends of evolution. p. 155
  • The aspirant has . . . to control his speech every minute of every day. This is a statement easily made, but most difficult to make practical. He who achieves it is rapidly nearing emancipation. This applies not to the reticence, the moroseness, the silence, and the voicelessness which often distinguishes natures but little evolved, and which are in reality an inarticulate condition. It refers to the controlled use of words to effect certain ends, and the retention of speech energy when not needed - a very different matter. It involves a realisation of cycles; of times and of seasons; it supposes a knowledge of the power of sound, and of the effects produced through the spoken word; it involves an apprehension of the building forces of nature and their due manipulation, and is based on an ability to wield mental matter, and to set it in motion, in order to produce results in physical matter, consonant with the clearly defined purpose of the inner God. It is the shining forth of the second aspect of the Self, the Vishnu, or form-building aspect, which is the prime characteristic of the Ego on its own plane. It would be well to ponder on this. p. 156/7
  • Every Word, differentiated or synthesised, affects the deva kingdoms, and hence the form-building aspects of manifestation. No sound is ever made without producing a corresponding response in deva substance, and driving multitudes of tiny lives to take specific forms . . . The majority of human beings as yet build unconsciously, and the form constructed is either of a beneficent or a maleficent agency, according to the underlying motive or purpose of the man. p. 159


Ch 6 ...The Power of Sound (The Masters and the Path) by C. W. Leadbeater (1925)

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[(Full pdf online)]

  • A sound in the first place is an undulation in the air, and every musical sound has a number of overtones which it sets in motion as well. Four or five or more overtones are detected and recognized in music, but the oscillations extend a great deal further than the ear can follow. Corresponding waves are set up in higher and finer matter altogether, and therefore the chanting of a note or a series of notes produces effects upon the higher vehicles. p. 144
  • This matter of sound is one that penetrates very deeply. “By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made” in the first place. The Logos or Word is the first Emanation from the Infinite, and that quite certainly is far more than a mere figure of speech.... I do not know that we can hope to have any understanding on this plane, in this world down here, of what is meant by that Creative Word. “He spake, and it was done.” God said: “Let there be Light, and there was Light.” This was the first Expression of the Deity; the Eternal Thought concealed in darkness comes forth as the Creative Word... Perhaps because of this great Truth, words sung or spoken down here invoke higher power—power out of all proportion to the level to which they themselves belong. I am sure that there is another side of this whole question of sound which our minds cannot reach at present; we can only faintly adumbrate it. But at least we can see that the power of sound is a very great and wonderful thing. p.146
  • All mantras that depend upon the power of sound are valuable only in the language in which they have been arranged. If we translate such an one into another language, we shall have another and quite different group of sounds. Broadly speaking, the good mantra which is intended to harmonize the body and to produce beneficent results consists largely of long open vowels. We find this in our own Sacred Word, and the same is true of the Amen of the Egyptians, which has been handed down into the Christian Church. It is, by the way, best sounded on two notes. The Church has its traditional way of taking it on two notes a semitone apart—usually F sharp and G. p. 146
  • The Christ is said to have warned his disciples not to use vain repetitions when they prayed, as did the heathen; and from that text the deduction has been made that all repetitions are useless. They assuredly would be so in an invocation addressed to the Deity, for they would imply that he had not heard the first request! They would be (or should be) unnecessary for disciples—for men who have already made some progress along the path of development; to formulate an [intention]] clearly and to express it once strongly should surely be sufficient for them. But the ordinary man of the world has by no means reached that stage; it often needs a long course of steady hammering to impress a new vibration upon him, and so for him repetition are far from useless, for they are deliberately intended to produce definite results. The constant impinging of these sounds (and of the various undulations which they set up) upon the different vehicles does tend steadily to bring those vehicles into harmony with a particular set of ideas. p. 147
  • One may often see a Roman Catholic reciting his “Aves” and “Paternosters” many times over. Generally he just mutters them, and so they are of little use to him, except for the thoughts that they may suggest to him. In India mantras are always chanted, and the chanted mantra does produce an effect. That is one reason why the older languages are better in this respect than modern tongues. Modern languages are generally spoken quickly and abruptly, and only the Italian, Spanish and Greek peasants seem to speak in the old way in long, musical cadences. p. 148
  • Another point with regard to mantras which is stressed in the Indian books is that students are forbidden to use them in the presence of coarse or evil-minded people, because the power of a mantra will often intensity evil as well as good. If there were a person present who could not answer to the vibrations in their higher form, he might well received a lower octave, which would be quite likely to strengthen the evil in him. We should never use a mantra where there are people who are likely to be injured by it. p. 149
  • Madame Blavatsky... gave a caution that no one should attempt to use a mantra which is too high for him. None such will be given to us by our teachers; but I would say this, as a caution to neophytes, that if the reciting even of the Sacred Word (Om) in any particular way should produce headache or a feeling of nausea or faintness, it should be stopped at once. We should go on working at the development of our characters, and try it again in a few months. In using the Word, we are invoking great forces, and if we are not yet quite up to their level they may not be harmonious, and the result may be not invariably good. p. 149

The Heart of Religion, by P. D. Mehta (1987)

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P. D. Mehta (1987). The Heart of Religion. The Phiroz Mehta Trust. pp. 391–. ISBN 978-1-85230-014-2. 

  • An oft-repeated mantra (that is a phrase or a word of power which, on occasion may be used as a spell) is known as japa. It can be used to produce a calming effect
    • In p. 330
  • The mediator must be capable of being at one with these in consciousness, and not merely as mental constructs clothed in words He can effectively use this mantra to realize supreme communion instead of being caught in the net of words and sensuous experiences.
    • In P.330
 
I am the creator of the universe. I am the father and mother of the universe. Everything comes from me. Everything shall return to me. Mind, spirit and body are my temples, for the Self to realize in them my supreme being and becoming.

A Prayer for the New Age (2005)

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  • I am the creator of the universe.
    I am the father and mother of the universe.
    Everything comes from me.
    Everything shall return to me.
    Mind, spirit and body are my temples,
    for the self to realize in them
    My supreme being and becoming.
  • A Prayer for the New Age, given by Maitreya... [It] is a great mantram or affirmation with an invocative effect. Using this prayer will enable one to recognize that man and God are one, that there is no separation. The 'I' is the Divine Principle behind all creation. The Self emanates from, and is identical to, the Divine Principle.
  • The most effective way to use this mantram is to say or think the words with focused will, the attention at the ajna center between the eyebrows. When the mind grasps the meaning of the concept and, simultaneously, the will is brought to bear, then those concepts will be activated and the mantram will work. If it is said seriously every day, there will grow inside you a realization of your true Self.

Secrets of Yantra, Mantra and Tantra by L. R. Chawdhr (2005)

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L. R. Chawdhri (2005). Secrets of Yantra, Mantra and Tantra. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84557-022-4. 

  • A seed when sown grows into a fruit bearing tree.In the same way the Beej Mantra is full of Shakthi. There are various Beej Mantras each with its own power. When mixed with other mantras additional power accrues to that Mantra.
    • In p. 83
  • It was said that the first primordial sound produced at the time of creation was the syllable ‘OM’ and this became the first Mantra. This consists of three letters AUM. The sound ‘A’ starts from the throat and comes as far as the lips and as such is the longest and fullest vowel. The Letter ‘M’is the sound produced when the lips are closed and thus is the last sound. In between is ‘U’.
    • In p. 83
  • Mantra which contain up to nine Nine words are called Bejj Mantra, ten to twenty words form Mantraand beyond are Mole Mantras.
    • In p. 85
  • Samput are specified words used in Mantra. These can be used at the beginning, middle and or the end of a mantra. The samput has a great value in Mantra shakthi or in other mantras and must be used carefully.
    • In p. 85

Mantra Yoga and the Primal Sound: Secrets of Seed (Bija) Mantras, by David Frawley (2010)

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David Frawley (2010). Mantra Yoga and the Primal Sound: Secrets of Seed (Bija) Mantras. Lotus Press. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-0-910261-94-4. 

  • Prana, [we could say], is the spirit of mantra. Mantra in turn is the expression of prana. Whatever most engages our prana or vital energy becomes the main subject of our speech.
    • In p. 48
  • Mantra is a vehicle to bring our minds, hearts and prana to the level of both primal sound and primal meaning , in which we can return to the original state of unity with all. This requires that we use mantras with an intention, focus and aspiration to reach the supreme.
    • In p. 49
  • The higher word or mantra consists of both sound and light. It is the word of light. Sound is the vibratory quality of space, which itself is the field of light....Mantra brings light into our awareness, but also allows us to carry and sustain that light as knowledge.
    • In p. 50
  • Through mantra we can gain mastery of all the forces of time and karma.
    • In p. 50
  • Through mantra, we can awaken the Divine light within us and expand beyond the limitations of space, direction and manifestation. Through mantra, one can learn to ride the waves of cosmic light and sound, going back to the Divine Word at the heart of the world. This is the cosmic form of Mantra Yoga known known only to Yogis who have gone beyond the body and mind.
    • In p. 50
  • This [Kundalini] manifests when we develop higher powers of speech through mantra and the practice of silent communion during meditation. Kundalini speech is energized mantra. In this regard, we must remember that Kundalini wears the garland of the mantras of the Sanskrit alphabet and ultimately the garland of all mantras. Mantra is the main yogic method used to arouse the Kundalini, particularly mantra repeated along with pranayama, meditation and deep devotion.
    • In p. 52
  • When Sanskrit is called the ‘universal language’ or ‘the language of the gods’, it is no mere exaggeration...Truly learning Sanskrit is not just conventional language but of learning the language of mantra. It is not a mere academic study or a means of improving communication, but an inner practice to create the foundation for Mantra Yoga.
    • In p. 55


OM Chanting and Meditation, by Amit Ray (2014)

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Amit Ray (1 June 2010). OM Chanting and Meditation. Inner Light Publishers. ISBN 978-81-910269-3-1. 

 
Om is our blissful Self.
Roman alphabet Translation

Om Dīp Jyoti Parabrahma
 Dīpaṃ Sarve Mohanaṃ
Dīpaṃ Sajate Sarvaṃ Sandhyā
Dīpaṃ Sarvaṃ Satyam
Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

OM is the light of God
It removes the darkness of ignorance
Only this light banishes darkness
OM DEEP is the light of wisdom and knowledge
OM Peace Peace Peace.

Mantra. Yoga in Daily Life organization. Retrieved on 6 January 2014.
  • Om is the mysterious cosmic energy that is the substratum of all the things and all the beings of the entire universe. It is an eternal song of the Divine. It is continuously resounding in silence on the background of everything that exists.
    • In p. 16
  • is not just a sound or vibration. It is not just a symbol. It is the entire cosmos, whatever we can see, touch, hear and feel. Moreover, it is all that is within our perception and all that is beyond our perception. It is the core of our very existence. If you think of Om only as a sound, a technique or a symbol of the Divine, you will miss it altogether.
    • In p. 10
  • Chanting and meditation of Om is the way to reach and abide in that ever blissful nature underlying our surface personality. This is bliss for no reason at all. It is unconditional bliss, a bliss that is everlasting, un-decaying, pure and stainless. Om is our blissful Self.
    • In p. 15
  • Om is the Brahman, the indestructible Life force. Om is this universe. It is nameless, the Divine. It is the totality of you, I, and the whole creation. It is the totality of past, present and future of this existence.
    • In p. 16
  • Perfect prayer does not consist in many words, silent remembering and pure intention raises the heart to that supreme Power.
    • In p. 50
  • Silence is the language of Om. We need silence to be able to reach our Self. Both internal and external silence is very important to feel the presence of that supreme Love.
    • In p. 50

Gayatri Mantra

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Through mantra we can gain mastery of all the forces of time and karma.

S. Viraswami Pathar (2001). Gayatri Mantra. Sura Books. ISBN 978-81-7478-218-2. 

Devanagari Translation

ॐ भूर्भुवः॒ स्वः ।
तत्स॑वितुर्वरे॑ण्यं ।
भ॒र्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि। ।
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त्॥ ।

Om who is clearer than our breath is self-subsistent.
All Knowledge and All Bliss.
We meditate upon that adorable effulgence of the resplendent Vivifier of the Universe, Savita.
May He Illumine our intellects unto the right path.

Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ
 Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ
Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi
Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt
– Rigveda 3.62.10[11]

  • Gayatri, the greatest and the most beautiful of all the ancient mantras, universally hailed as the Mother of the Vedas that has been chanted from time immemorial, has acquired such an enormous mystical power and transcendental importance that it continues to remain even now as the mantra which has been universally accepted as capable of unfolding our spiritual faculties in the most remarkable manner.
    • In p. 1
  • There is no higher mantra than Gayatri, there is no higher deity than one’s mother.
    • By Manu quoted in p. 6
  • He who repeats Gayatri always attains Heavens
    • From Shank Smrti quoted in p. 6
  • Gayatri is “Vedas” in a nutshell. It is out of Gayatri the Vedas have come and into Gayatri Vedas have converged. This sacred worse adorns all the vedas. It occurs in Rigveda III 62.10, in Yajur Veda III-35, XX-II-9, XXX-2, and XXXVI-3 and in Sama Veda XXX-6-3-10.
    • In P.6
  • ...It is the supreme prayer, described the mother of the Vedas, named after its metre which means “the saviour of the singer”, revealed to sage Vishvamitra. Gayatri is the mantra of the real Guru, the Omniscient God. The writers of the scriptures call it the “Soul of the Vedas’.
    • In p. 6
 
Also repeat shanti thrice at the end, for that repetition will give shanti or peace to three entities in you --body, mind, and soul. ~ Sathya Sai Baba
  • Mantra Upanishad: These teachings center on esoteric interpretations of specific sounds and syllables and place those interpretations into Yogic as well as Saiva, Vaishnava, and Durga theistic contexts. Typical of these works are Tarasara, Kalisantarana, and Narayana Upansihad.
    • In "Encyclopaedia of Oriental Philosophy and Religion: Hinduism : S-Z", p. 885
  • The Gayatri is a universal prayer enshrined in the Vedas. It is addressed to the Immanent and Transcendent Divine which has been given the name 'Savita,' meaning 'that from which all this is born.' The Gayatri may be considered as having three parts - (i) Adoration (ii) Meditation (iii) Prayer. First the Divine is praised, then It is meditated upon in reverence and finally an appeal is made to the Divine to awaken and strengthen the intellect, the discriminating faculty of man.
    The Gayatri is considered as the essence of the Vedas. Veda means knowledge, and this prayer fosters and sharpens the knowledge-yielding faculty. As a matter of fact the four core-declarations enshrined in the four Vedas are implied in this Gayatri mantra.
  • Gayatri is the Mother of all scriptures (Vedas). She is present, wherever Her name is chanted. She is very powerful. The One who nourishes the individual being is Gayatri. She bestows pure thoughts on anyone who worships Her. She is the embodiment of all Goddesses. Our very breath is Gayatri, our faith in existence is Gayatri. Gayatri has five faces, they are the five life principles. She has nine descriptions, they are ‘Om, Bhur, Bhuvah, Swah, Tat, Savitur, Vareñyaṃ, Bhargo, Devasya’. Mother Gayatri nourishes and protects every being and she channelizes our senses in the proper direction. ‘Dhīmahi’ means meditation. We pray to her to inspire us with good intelligence. ‘Dhīyo Yonah Prachodayāt’ - We beseech her to bestow on us everything we need. Thus Gayatri is a complete prayer for protection, nourishment and finally, liberation.
  • It will protect you from harm wherever you are --traveling, working, or at home. Westerners have investigated the vibrations produced by this mantra and have found that when it is recited with the correct accent as laid down in the Vedas, the atmosphere around becomes visibly illumined. So Brahma-prakāsha, the Divine Effulgence, will descend on you and illumine your intellect and light your path when this mantra is chanted. Also repeat shanti thrice at the end, for that repetition will give shanti or peace to three entities in you --body, mind, and soul.
  • The Gayatri is perhaps the greatest and most beautiful of all the ancient mantras. It has been chanted all over India from time immemorial... in an antiquity so remote that the very memory of it has been forgotten, the altruistic use of such mantras was fully comprehended and practiced. It begins always with the sacred word Om, and with the enumeration of the planes upon which its action is desired—the three worlds in which man lives, the physical, the astral and the mental;
  • This wonderful mantra is an invocation to the Sun—of course really to the Solar Logos, who stands behind that grandest of all symbols; and the great shaft of light which immediately pours down upon and into the reciter comes as though from the physical Sun, in whatever direction that Sun may happen to be. This shaft of light is white tinged with gold, and shot with that electric blue which is so often seen in connection with any manifestation of the power of the first Ray; but when it has filled the very soul of the reciter it promptly shoots from him again in seven great rays or cones having the colours of the spectrum. It is as though the singer acts as a prism; yet the colour rays which dart forth are of a shape the reverse of what we usually find in such cases. Commonly when we send out rays of spiritual force they spring forth from a point in the body—the heart, the brain, or some other centre; and as they shoot out they steadily broaden fanwise, as do those shining from a lighthouse. But these rays start from a basis wider than the man himself—a basis which is the circumference of his aura; and instead of widening out they decrease to a point, just as do the rays of a conventional star except that they are of course cones of light instead of mere triangles.

Maha Mantra or Hare Krishna (mantra)

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(Separate page dedicated to this mantra)
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
(full text of the mantra)


Hare Krishna Mantra, Yogapedia, June 22, 2020

  • Actually, it doesn't matter – Krishna or Christ – the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age.
    • Swami Prabhupada in The Science Of Self Realization, The Bhakti Vedanta Book Trust, 1970

Shanti Mantra

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  • Shanti is the Sanskrit word for peace. If the quality you have chosen is calmness or peace then you can repeat “Shanti” as your mantra....add Om with the Sanskrit word for my goal. Repeating “Om Shanti Om” would be an effective alternative. Om is a powerful mantra used extensively in the East. Combining Om with Shanti gives the mantra a beautiful chant like quality and is a joy to repeat over and over again.
  • Shanti – peace - is a most essential quality expressed in the ancient Vedic texts of the Upanishads. It is invoked at the beginning and the end of each Upanishad chapter.
    • In "Bhakti - the Yoga of Love: Trans-rational Approaches to Peace Studies", in p. 78
  • There is group of special shanti mantras found in vedic texts, such as the Upanishads. At he close of each Upanishad chapter, for instance, the word shanti is chanted three times, as a mantra. This is to remove the three kinds of suffering – personal, external and atmospheric
    • In "Bhakti - the Yoga of Love: Trans-rational Approaches to Peace Studies", in p. 78

Devanagari Roman alphabet Translation

ॐ स॒ह ना॑ववतु । स॒ह नौ॑ भुनक्तु ।
 स॒ह वी॒र्यं॑ करवावहै ।
 ते॒ज॒स्वि ना॒वधी॑तमस्तु॒ मा वि॑द्विषा॒वहै॑ ॥
 ॐ शान्ति॒ः शान्ति॒ः शान्ति॑ः ॥

Om Sahana Vavatu Shanau Bhunastu
Shaviryan Karvavahi
Tejas Vinavati Tamastuma Vidvasavahai
On Shanti Shanti Shantihi

Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om! Let there be Peace in me!
Let there be Peace in my environment!
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me.

In Tibetan Buddhism

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It is said that the merits of Om mani padme hum, the Six-Syllable mantra, are innumerable and cannot be fully described even by the Buddhas of the three times...
  • The use of Mantras is deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism. They are short prayers that are thought to subtly alter one’s mind and and make a connection with a particular Buddha.
  • When Tibetans chant a mantra associated with a particular Buddha, they are not simply asking for the blessings and aid of the Buddha – the final goal of the practice is to become buddhas themselves, since buddhas are sentient beings who have actualized the highest potential that we all possess.
    • In p. 22

What is a mantra? Khandro (2014)

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What is a mantra?. Khandro.Net. Retrieved on 8 January 2014.

  • A mantra is a powerful word or phrase that may or may not have meaning in the same way as a sentence. Compare spells, incantations and prayer formulas in other spiritual traditions. The term is a Sanskrit word mantram that combines the root manas (mind) with tram (protection) so the literal meaning is mind-protection.
  • The Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara who is called in Tibetan, Chenresi [often spelled Chenresig or Chenresik] is said to have given a special mantra to Nagarjuna who left it to Lion-face Dakini to transmit to Padmasambhava, whose activity confirmed Buddhism as the predominant religion in Tibet.
 
The 'Six Syllable - 'or the 'Mani Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.
  • This [mantra] is the 'Six Syllable - 'or the 'Mani Mantra' Om Mani Padme Hum.
  • Each one of the 6 syllables is directed at one of the six realms of existence. Saying the mantra is like praying for and helping individuals in all possible situations. When you say this mantra, you are behaving as a Bodhisattva, with the mindful intention of working towards the enlightenment of all sentient beings, without exception.
  • Each syllable is considered to purify a specific human failing or "obscuration".
  • In many tantric Buddhist practices, but most notably during Guru Yoga, wherein we link with the continuity of a lineage, we meditate on OM, AH and HUNG as the Three Lights.
 
It is powerful, efficacious and deserving of respect. A mantra is like meeting the Buddha or Bodhisattva himself.
  • Ah is red, placed at the throat centre, and represents the enlightened speech of the Buddha. It is associated with the Sambhogakaya or Enjoyment Body. It relates to Buddha Amitabha and the lotus family of deities.
  • Hum (or in Tibetan, hung) is blue. Placed at the heart center, it represents the Dharmakaya or Truth Body. It stands for Enlightened Mind, associated with Akshobya and the vajra family of buddhas.
  • The mounting total of mantras that are chanted, muttered and murmured is usually reckoned by means of the mala [Tibetan tenwa,] or string of prayer beads.
  • It is said that the merits of Om mani padme hum, the Six-Syllable mantra, are innumerable and cannot be fully described even by the Buddhas of the three times.
    • Alex Studholme (U. of Cambridge) on the Origins of Om Mani Padme Hum in the Karandavyuha Sutra and the relation of Buddhist mantra and Hindu (Shivaite) practice quoted in "What is a mantra?"
  • The body of those who keep this mantra will transform into a vajra body, the bones will transform into relics of the Buddha and ordinary mind will transform into the wisdom of the Buddhas.
    • By Alex Studholme in "What is a mantra?"
  • Whoever recites the mantra even once will obtain immeasurable wisdom. He or she will eventually develop compassion and be able to perfect the Six Paramitas (virtues). He or she will be born as a universal monarch. She or he will achieve the irreversible stage of a Bodhisattva and finally attain Enlightenment.
    • By Alex Studholme in "What is a mantra?"
  • If this mantra is carved onto rocks and mountains, and a human or non-human being comes into contact and sees it, he or she will develop the conditions to be a Bodhisattva in the next life, and thereby relieve suffering.
    • By Alex Studholme in "What is a mantra?"
  • It is said that the sands of the Ganges and drops of water in the ocean can be counted but not the merits resulting from the recitation of this mantra.
    • By Alex Studholme in "What is a mantra?"

In Jainism

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Namokar Mantra. Jain Religion.in. Retrieved on 9 January 2014.

  • Every day Jains bow their heads and say their universal prayer, the Navkar mantra. All good work and events start with this prayer of salutation and worship.
  • These five salutations are capable of destroying all the sins. Mangalancha Savvesin:Padhamam Havai Mangalam:
  • This is the first happiness among all forms of happiness.
  • In the above prayer, Jains salute the virtues of the five benevolent. They do not pray to a specific Tirthankara or monk by name. By saluting them, Jains receive the inspiration from the five benevolent for the right path of true happiness and total freedom from the misery of life. Jain prayers do not ask for any favors or material benefits from their Gods, the Tirthankaras or from monks and nuns.

Devanagari Roman alphabet Translation

णमो अरिहंताणं
णमो सिद्धाणं
णमो आयरियाणं
णमो उवज्झायाणं
णमो लोए सव्व साहूणं
एसोपंचणमोक्कारो, सव्वपावप्पणासणो
मंगला णं च सव्वेसिं, पडमम हवई मंगलं

Namo Arihantanam:
Namo Siddhanam
Namo Ayariyanam:
Namo Uvajjayanam:
Namo Loe Savva Sahunam:
Eso Panch Namukkaro:Savva Pava Panasano:

I bow to the enlightened beings
I bow to the liberated souls
I bow to religious leaders
I bow to religious teachers
I bow to all ascetics of the world
.

  • Namo Arihantanam - White Color: Arihant is a perfect human being. White color represents Arihant. The white color is the mother of all colors; it is a blending of all colors. It represents pure knowledge.
    • In p. 50
  • Siddhanam - Red Color: Siddha is a pure consciousness or a soul without any Karma attached to it. Both Arihant and Siddha are known as Gods in Jainism. Red color represents Siddha.
    • In P.50
  • Namo Airiyanam - Yellow and Orange Color: Acharya is a head of the Jain congregation. It symbolizes the organizational power,Yellow or orange color represents Acharya. Both Yellow and Orange show wisdom, power to accomplish the goal, and discipline or strong will power in the life.
    • In p. 50
  • Namo Uvajjhayanam - Green and Blue Color: Upadhyay is a teacher, which shows how to awaken powers and maintain balance of body, mind, and soul. Green or Blue color represents Upadhyay.
    • In p. 51
  • Namo Loe Savva Sahunam - Black Color: Sadhu (monk) is a spiritual practitioner. The practitioner must be protected from worldly attachments and must destroy negativity. Black color represents monk.
    • In p. 51

In Sikhism

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  • The Adi Granth opens with the Mul Mantra, the basic statement of belief: “There is one Supreme Being, the Eternal Reality. [This Supreme Being] is the Creator, without fear and devoid of enmity, immortal, never incarnated, self-existent, known by grace through the Guru.
  • [[w:Mul Mantar}Mool Mantra]] means Root Formula for Life and Liberation. The mantra is:
Gurmukhi Roman alphabet Translation

ikk ōankār sat(i)-nām(u) karatā purakh(u) nirabha'u niravair(u) akāla mūrat(i) ajūnī saibhan(g) gur(a) prasād(i).

Ek Onkar Satnam Karta Purakh Nirbhau Virvair Akal Murat,
Ajuni Saibhang Gurprasad

One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. The only Universal Doer. The fulfiller of all. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By the Grace of the Supreme Teacher.
Another version: There is One and only One God who is transcendent as well as immanent. True and Eternal Name. Creator and Person. Without Fear and without Enmity. Timeless Form, Unborn, Self-existent. Realized by Divine Grace.

  • Mul Mantar is the name of these twelve words. A mantar (mantra) is an empowering formula for repetition; mul {pronounced to rhyme with English ‘pool’) means a root (it is etymologically akin to the muli, or white radish). It is as if the whole of the Guru’s teaching (and of Sikh spirituality) grows from and draws sustenance from this statement. His longer compositions develop this theme, and provide the basis for Sikh theology.

See also

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Wikipedia
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Wiktionary
Look up mantra in Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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