Dr.Commander Selvam Siddhar

Nevertheless, such
understanding of what a mahamantra may symbolize or how it may function differs
throughout the various traditions and also depends on the context in which it
is written or sounded. In some instances there are multiple layers of symbolism
associated with each sound, many of which are specific to particular schools of
thought. For an example of such see the syllable: Aum which is central to both
Hindu and Buddhist traditions. However, written mantra-repetition in Hindu
practices, with Sanskrit in any number of scripts, is well-known to many sects
in India as well.Mahamantras, the Sanskrit syllables inscribed on yantras, are
essentially 'thought forms' representing divinities or cosmic powers, which
exert their influence by means of sound-vibrations. The Sanskrit word mahamantra
consists of the root man- "to think" (also in manas "mind")
and the suffix -tra, designating tools or instruments, hence a literal
translation would be "instrument of thought.” The Sanskrit grammar defines
mantra as “mananaththrayateithimantraha,” which means if anyone thinks of the
mantra, it saves the person.
The most basic mahamantra
is Aum, which in Hinduism is known as the "pranava mantra," the
source of all mahamantras. The Hindu philosophy behind this is the idea of
nama-rupa (name-form), which supposes that all things, ideas or entities in
existence, within the phenomenological cosmos, have name and form of some sort.
The most basic name and form is the primordial vibration of Aum, as it is the
first manifested nama-rupa of Brahman, the unmanifest reality/unreality.
Essentially, before existence and beyond existence is only One reality, Brahma,
and the first manifestation of Brahma in existence is Aum. For this reason, Aum
is considered to be the most fundamental and powerful mahamantra, and thus is
prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu prayers. While some mantras may invoke
individual Gods or principles, the most fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,' the
'Shanti Mantra,' the 'Gayatri Mantra' and others all ultimately focus on the
One reality.
Varnas are the atoms of
sound. A complex symbolic association was built up between letters and the
elements, gods, signs of the zodiac, parts of the body – letters became rich in
these associations. For example in the Aitrareya-aranya-Upanishad we find that
the mute consonants represent the earth, the sibilants the sky, the vowels
heaven. The mute consonants represent fire, the sibilants air and the vowels
the sun. The mute consonants represent the eye, the sibilants the ear, the
vowels the mind. In effect, each letter became a mahamantra and the language of
the Vedas, Sanskrit, corresponds profoundly to the nature of things. Thus the
Vedas come to represent reality itself. The seed syllable Aum represents the
underlying unity of reality, which is Brahman.
The chanting of Mahamantra is
called as Mahamantra Japa.Mahamantrajapa was a concept of the Vedic sages that
incorporates mahamantras as one of the main forms of puja, or worship, whose
ultimate end is seen as moksha/liberation. Essentially, mahamantrajapa means
repetition of mahamantraand it has become an established practice of all Hindu
streams, from the various Yoga to Thantra. It involves repetition of a mantra
over and over again, usually in cycles of auspicious numbers (in multiples of
three), the most popular being 108. For this reason, Hindu malas (bead
necklaces) developed, containing 108 beads and a head bead (sometimes referred
to as the 'meru', or 'guru' bead). The devotee performing japa using his/her
fingers counts each bead as he/she repeats the chosen mahamantra. Having reached
108 repetitions, if he/she wishes to continue another cycle of mahamantras, the
devotee must turn the mala around without crossing the head bead and repeat.To
attain single-pointedness of mind, repetition of mahamantra's can be done in
the following ways:
It is said that through
japa the devotee attains one-pointedness, or extreme focus, on the chosen deity
or principal idea of the mahamantra. The vibrations and sounds of the mahamantra
are considered extremely important, and thus reverberations of the sound are
supposed to awaken the Kundalini or spiritual life force and even stimulate
chakras according to many Hindu schools of thought. Any shloka from holy Hindu
texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutra, even the
Mahabharata, Ramayana, Durgasaptashati or Chandi are considered powerful enough
to be repeated to great effect, and have therefore the status of mahamantra.The
use of Mahamantras is described in various texts which constitute Mantra
Shastra (shastra, sastra: law-book, rule or treatise).Some of the major books
which are used as reference for MahamantraShastra areParasuramaKalpa Sutra, SharadaTilakam,
Lakshmi Thantra, and Prapanchasara.
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