article published in
Discover India (Jan.2001)
by Dr. Gautam
Chatterjee
Vedic
literature has come down to us as an oral tradition. And Vedic verses form
part of mantras (sacred sounds) which roll within the ether of the
body and come out as sound with varying frequencies. This sacred sound is
the omnipotent nama and rupa (name and form).
The earliest reference about the
interpretation and value of mantra is found in Brahmanas: Ninya
Vacamsi which means 'the word rising from the depths' (rig Veda IV
3.16). Analysing the essence of mantra, Shrimat Anirvan wrote in
his article: Vedic Exercises (the Cultural Heritage of India Vol.1)
that, "The connection of the Vedic mantras with rituals is
very deep. The chief aim of the Brahamanas is to give a clear and
connected account of rituals with occasional exegetical comments, where it
is assumed that the listeners are already familiar with the atmosphere in
which these rituals arose. Every detail of a ritual has to be accompanied
by a mantra….though the mantras were evidently composed in
ritualistic atmosphere, it cannot be claimed that every mantra of
the Samhita (Scripture) has always a necessary reference to some
rites…."
Yaska, the renowned sage, once said the mantras
are deeply interlinked with jnana and karma. Symbolically
placing the context (Rig Veda X 71.5) Yaska wrote L "It speaks of the
meaning as being the flower and the fruits of the word. Esoterically,
knowledge of the rituals and of the Gods are respectively the flower and
the fruit of the word. (Nirukta I.20) Furthermore, the text Nirukta
proclaims that within the mantra the secret knowledge of the Veda
resides.
Thus the sacred word is a mode for man to
expand his consciousness. And mantras unfold a process of spiritual
experiences through the primal word or cosmic sound.
Mantras
are an integral part of the Guru-Shishya-Parampara (a tradition of
spiritual leader and disciple ) where the guru initiates his
disciple with the seed mantra or beeja mantra to experience
mystic spiritualism within oneself. Elaborating the point Swami
Vivekananda wrote:"…but only the Siddha gurus (teachers who
have attained glory), they, as a rule, have to convey the germs of
spiritual wisdom to the disciple by means of words (mantras) to be
meditated upon" (Complete Works Vol.III p.56).
Thus we see that the life of a Hindu is
enveloped with sound symbolism right from the days of initiation. The
effective verbal power of correctly articulated sounds is an accepted
belief of the Hindus. These sounds can destroy, create and sustain the
world. It is said that the sound of mantras have all the creative
power provided the devout has been properly initiated into its mystical
meaning and taught the methodology of its pronunciation
The founder of Agama Anusndhan Samiti, Atal
Bihari Ghosh, wrote in an article, The Spirit and Culture of the Tantra
(Cultural Heritage of India Vol. IV pp.256-246): " Initiation or diksha
means that which gives a knowledge of things divine and destroys all that
leads to a fall. The teacher, for example, explains how three letters - a,
u and m constituting pranava or AUM, represent the three
gunas: Sattava, rajas and tamas; how these are embodied in Vishnu, Brahma
and Shiva; and how these three deities can function only with the help of
their respective Saktis (consorts). The guru also teaches how the AUM is
but a subtle form of the sacred formula hamsah which is also the vahana
(carrier) of Brahma the creator in as much as hamsah means 'the breath of
life'. Ham is inspired breath and sah is that which is expired. Everything
movable and immovable breathes and therefore Brahma who is nothing but the
creative aspect of the Supreme substance manifest in the world is
represented as seated there. To the ordinary man hamsah is a waterfowl.
The aspirant ahs also to learn that the pranava contains within itself
besides the three letter (AUM) - bindu nada (sound), sakti (power) and
santa (quiescence). When he has learnt this, he is to know that which is
beyond. These remarks apply to every mantra".
According to the Hindu dharma, there are
three 'inaudible' stages before sound is heard. According to Atal Behari
Ghosh: "Something ought to be said about the four stages of speech,
in three of which sound s inaudible; it is only at the fourth stage that
men give utterance to it. The first of the three stages is para located in
the muladhara, the lowest of the six centres in the spinal column commonly
called chakras. This is but a mere stress toward articulation. As this
stress takes definte shape, it becomes pasyanti which means 'seeing'. The
next stage is reached when it arrives at the anahat chakra opposite the
heart; it then becomes madhyama which means 'middling'.
These
are the three names given in Tantra to the three silent stages of vocal
sound, and the last stage is vaikhari. There are some who hold that there
are three stages of sound prior to para. Padampada Acharya, the chief
disciple of Sankaracharya, says that the stages preceding para are
sunya,
samvit and suksma. The first is the vibrational stage, the next is that
when the sound is about to form, and the third is that when it is
forming".
Thus we see that the creation of sound
within the human body is analogous to cosmic creation which also starts
with the initial vibration at sunya or zero level.
For a Hindu, mantras are mandatory because
the whole life cycle from birth to funeral rites requires mantra chanting
as it sanctifies both the occasion and the ritual. Physical efforts of
worship get enhanced when accompanied by mantra.
Chanting right
A mantra can be a monosyllable as in the case of AUM, or it can be a verse
from vedic scriptures running into more than sixty syllables. In tantric
Shastras, mantras run into 110 syllables. Generally, mantras are written
in Sanskrit.
To pronounce the mantras there are
specific pulse, pitch and speed. Each individula syllable in the mantra
should be pronounced neither slowly nor rapidly. According to the Tantra
school of thought, the perfect process of pronunciation and pause
thereof gain effectiveness as it is more and more silently uttered; and
the greatest efficacy attaches to meditation where there is no loud
muttering but only silent meditation over the fundamental unity.
However, there are sects who
belief in one name and shape and often call themselves Advaitists who
take the name of Rama any number of times. In some belief systems a
specific name of a God is taken for a particular purpose by a devotee.
According to ancient scriptures Vishnu is remembered at the time of
taking medicine. At the time of eating, a devout remembers the name of
Janardhana. At bedtime he recites the name of Padmanabha.
Likewise, mantras are chanted
repeatedly and each mantra has a specific significance and purpose. It
is believed that once the meaning of the mantra is understood and
recited correctly one attains one's aspirations.