MANTRAS THE MYSTICAL SOUNDS

A Mantra is mystical energy encased in a sound structure. Examples are ‘Soham’, ‘Om’, ‘Tat Twam Asi’ etc.

“In the beginning was the Word, the Word was God and the Word was with God”. The Word of the Bible is the Shabdabrahman of Tantra.

At Shreyas, we discovered that a lot of people associate Mantras with witchcraft, occult sciences and religion. But there is a whole science behind Mantra Chanting in Yoga, and the process of self realization through the chanting of Mantras is called Mantra Yoga

To understand the concept of chanting Mantras, we have to travel back in time to know something about Yogic Cosmology, as realized by ancient mystics. Tantra says that in the beginning, Shakti, the unmanifest cosmos, floats like an egg in the silent, motionless Void. It contains the seed power of all universes. A primal shudder disturbs the slumbering equilibrium of Shakti and arouses Rajas, the active principle, to carry out the creation of the manifold universes. Shakti is split into two fields of magnetic force- Nada and Bindu. Bindu is the centrifugal male force and Nada is the centripetal female force. This duality of the poles provides the magnetic force holding together in a state of vibration the molecules of the physical world. Like a rosebud, the universe unfolds and expands, very much like the theory of the ‘big bang’.

After the first differentiation containing the seed energies of the universe, the vibrating mass of energy continues differentiating and expanding as wavelengths. It is said that by the fifth differentiation, the energy is evolved in the gross plane, with the creation of 50 articulate sounds. All sounds have corresponding color vibrations in the invisible world.

From the combinations and permutations of these root sounds, the universe of forms is created. Sounds, as physical vibrations are able to produce predictable forms. Sound is thus the potential form, and form is sound made manifest.

Mantras are sound powers evolved from these 50 basic sounds, and revealed in Sanskrit syllables to ancient sages. Through attunement with the wavelength of the Mantra, one is led from the gross plane of articulate sound to the ultimate primal undifferentiated energy of the supreme power. In other words, a Mantra is the vehicle by means of which the return trip from the articulate sound to the Causal power is made.

The Mantra contains within its vibrations a certain power which can pierce through the layers of consciousness when repeated. According to Swami Sivananda, “Mantra Yoga is an exact science. Mananat trayete iti Mantrah- By the constant thinking of Mantra, one is protected and released from the round of births and deaths. A mantra generates the creative force and bestows eternal Bliss”.