Mantra Yoga

Mantra yoga

Sound is produced through contact, vibration and obstruction.

This is called āhata. However cosmic hiss if one can hear is eternal and existent. This is called Anāhata. It is not produced by us but only heard. A yogi can hear this. In sādhana one makes the sound oneself (by doing mantra japa), in a rhythm, resonant with the vibrations of his nādis and his breath. Through this one will be able to discover the deeper vibration. This way of merging individual with cosmic is called mantra yoga.

Mantra is said to be the sound-form of Devata (god-form). One realizes Devata through the chanting of mantra in mantra yoga. Mantra yoga concentrates on nada (sound) to strike rhythm between individual and cosmic vibration, to activate the right nādis, to expose one into the cidākāsa or daharākāsa (causal space). Śabda (sound) is the tanmatra (subtle attribute) of mahābhuta (primal element) ākasa (space). And through śabda one tries to turn his vision inwards from ākasa to daharākāsa, through chanting the mantra, by producing sound to slowly listening the anāhata sound without producing it. Eventually when mantra yoga is achieved, one achieves laya yoga also, since his consciousness is directed to daharākāsa where his devata resides.

Pancadāsi, the root mantra of ŚrīVidyā is said to be the sound-form of the Mother. The mantra is divided into three kūtas or parts with five syllables each. The first is called Vāgbhava Kuta, the Mother’s head. The second is called Madhya Kūta, the trunk – from neck to navel. The third is Śakti Kūta, the part below navel.

Saraswati Sūkta of the Rigveda says that Vāk or word is of four forms – parā (eternal), pasyanti (experienced by seer in a state of deep consciousness), madhyama (when it translates as idea in the intellect) and vaikhāri (when it is verbally expressed). Realizing parā Vāk or Nāda Brahman through a regulated chanting of mantra, first externally then mentally and then finally without producing it, is mantra yoga.

Om Śri Lalitaa Mahaa-Tripura-Sundaryai Namah ||

Tripura Gayatri

Tripurasundarii Vidmahe

Pitakaamani Dhiimahii |

Tannah Klinna Pracodayaat ||

Sri Eswaran