Dear SrI Murthy: You had asked about " the differences between Manthram and Tanthram " and the vedic sanctions for the use of Tantric rites at Kerala temples. Nigama (vedam ) and Aagama/Tanthra are allied . Here are some abbreviated inputs on this subject of interest to you: There are three topics : Mantram, Yantram and Tantram . You have mentioned Mantram and Tantram . Usually , Tantram is linked up with Aagamam. Aagamam and Tantram are synonymous to many practioners . This subject is VAST . Hence I will comment only very briefly: ** Mantra is the sound form of the God , who is being invoked during Saadhana /UpAsana. The name originates from the root "Mann " to think or reflect . Mantra is therfore a thought based expression of the Lord's power & glory through DhyAnam /Japam. One has to be initiated in to appropriate ManthrAs by a SadAchAryan. For VaishNavAs , Moola Manthram (AshtAkshari) and Dhvayam are the most crucial. Gayathri Manthram is another powerful manthram for worshipping/meditating Gayathri Devi during SandhyAs . NrusimhAnushtup is for invoking Lord Narasimhan. Every manthra is made up of AksharAs or BheejAksharAs ( letters or seed alphabets) arranged in a particular sequence and often recited with a Vedic Chandas .Manthra Japam lifts one to higher and higher planes leading up to infinite bliss and salvation ultimately.Manthrams are used to perform Yaj~nams and Homams .Sudarsana Homam is a classic case of Homam that uses powerful Manthrams including Sudarsana Manthram. ** Atharva Vedam is the original source book for all Mantra texts such as Prapancha Saara , Saradaa Tilakam and Mantra MahOdadhi. ** YantrA is the diagramatic representation of the manthra for the BhAhyA aarAdhanam (External worship ).Manthra SaasthrAs describe the way to draw the YanthrAs . At temples , you will find specific YanthrAs drawn on copper plates and placed inside the sanctum sanctorium. Yanthrams can be represented in two dimensional form and occasionally in the three dimensional form . ** Tantra and Aagama as mentioned before are linked in usage. Aagama and Nigama (Vedams) are cited often as the two pillars of Hindu religion. Aagama and Tantra are closely linked to VedAs. Both Aagama and Tantra deal with temple worship ( of deities) , consecration of deities, construction of the temple , conductance of Uthsavams , the making of the deities, the daily routine of worship at the temples , the Hastha MudrAs in offering UpachAram, the types of musical instruments during the different stages of worship et al. For VaishNavAs , there are two Aagamams : PaancharAthra and VaikAnasa . Both are equal in importance . The most famous temples using VaikAnasa Aaagamam are Thirumala, ThiruviNNagar, ThiruvahIndhrapuram . The most famous temples following PaancharAthra Aagamam are SrIrangam , Kaanchi VaradarAja temple. To practise Vaikaanasa aagama , one must be born in to a VaikAnasa family.This strictness does not apply to PaancharAthram.Once a temple and its deities are consecrated in PaancharAthra aagamam ,it is not permitted to shift the worship to VaikAnasam and vice versa. In some USA temples , this rule is not observed over time . Most of them however maintain the worship with the same aagamam that was used during the time of consecration.The Pomona Temple for Lord RanganAtha follows the PaancharAthra Aagamic worship. ** KeraLa temples typically use Taantric method of worship. Tantra has been defined as " that which gives a lot of attainments with meaningful practises and spells and that which affords emancipation". If VedAs and Upanishads instruct us on UpAsana of Brahman , the TantrAs and AagamAs provide the details of the practise of that UpAsana. ** In KeraLa , Bhagavathi worship is common and many times one finds the statue of Bhagavathi even inside tmany VishNu temples. One can speculate whether the adaptation of tantric form of worship originated from popular Bhagavathi worship. ** The contents of TantrA or Aagama work has 7 parts: (1) Srushti /Creation (2) PraLaya (Deluge) (3)AarAdhana/ worship (4)Saadhana/Practise (5)Purascharya/process , (6)Shatkarma saadhana/six fold performance and (7) DhyAna/ meditation.The tantrAs and AagamAs thus deal with practises , processes , mantrAs , mudhrAs, rituals associated with the worship of ArchA Moorthys.There is also a four way classification of the AagamAs : Charya, Kriya, Yogam and Jn~Anam. ** There are VishNavite AagamAs (2) Siva AagamAs(28), Saakta Aagamaas/TantrAs(64) et al. For worship at VaishNavite homes and temples , PaancharAthra and VaikAnasa Aagamams are exclusively used except in the case of VishNu Temples of KeraLa , where tantric rites are used (GuruvAyoor et al ). We are in the middle of creating a special Web site for VaikAnasa Aagamic rites with the active particpation of a senior VaikAnasa Aaagama Scholar . Hopefully , it will come in to being before the end of the year 2003 as part of the ThiruvahIndhrapuram RathnAngi Kaimkaryam and the Updating of our Thirumala Web pages . NamO NaarAyaNAya, V.Sadagopan At 08:26 AM 4/24/03 -0000, you wrote: >Dear Divine Souls, > >I know here people are highly intellectuals. I beg you to answer my >query. What is the difference between Mantram and Tantram. We all >know when we do chant Mantrams many Keralites follow Tantram system. >Is there any major difference. How it was determined in Vedas that >some people should follow Mantra and some people should follow Tantra. > >Kindly clarify > >Murthy
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