Mantra 1

Mantra
The
Power of Sound
Aja
28 Mantra
Notes
2 Mantra
Mantra
The Power of Sound
By Aja
All rights reserved
1998
ATMA
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Portland, Oregon 97231
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Standard Disclaimer:
The information provided in this booklet is for educational
and informational purposes. Be sure to see the health pro-
fessional of your choice in case of serious illness or dis-
ease. And know that in the end, it's pretty likely you're
going to die anyway - every body does.
Mantra 27
For additional copies of Mantra - The Power of Sound, and other
products from ATMA, or for information regarding Sanskrit,
Mantra or Enlightenment Encounter classes and seminars,
call or write:
ATMA
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Web Site: http://www.atmainstitute.org
Aja has been a student, explorer and
teacher in the areas of body, mind and con-
sciousness for over twenty years. After
intensive study, he was ordained as a Ve-
dic Priest in India in 1975, received a
Doctorate of Naturopathy Degree from the
International University in 1984, and in
1990 received the title of Sanskrit
Adhyapaka (Teacher of Sanskrit) from the
American Sanskrit Institute. Over the
years he has extensively researched both
Eastern and Western teachings on spiritu-
ality, religion and transcendence, personally explored the realms of
consciousness and awakening and authored several books on health,
spirituality and consciousness. In 1990, through self inquiry, he ex-
perienced a permanent shift in his perception of reality, recognizing
that Self of Absolute Consciousness from which all arises, and which
permeates all things.
Mantra 3
Mantra
The Power of Sound
Introduction............................... 4
Sanskrit Alphabet ...................... 6
Pronunciation ............................ 7
Mouth Positions ........................ 8
Invocational Mantras................. 9
Mahamrtyunjaya Mantra ......... 11
Gayatri Mantra ........................ 12
Other Gayatris ......................... 13
Bija Mantras ............................ 16
Chakra Bijas ............................ 17
Planetary/Elemental Bijas ....... 19
Additional Bijas ...................... 20
Body Bijas (Marmas) .............. 22
Planetary Mantras.................... 24
Additional Mantras ................. 25
Traditional Mantras ................. 26
Sanskrit Training/Author......... 27
26 Mantra
Traditional Mantras
There are numerous mantras that are very popular in a devotional sense,
and are also very powerful and purifying. Many of these are also used as
mUla mantras (mla - root) when performing pj, ritualistic worship of
the Deity. We offer several here.
V +P- |H4l4
om nama ivya
Known as the panckara mantra, or five syllabled mantra, this is the
most well known mantra to Lord iva and one of the most well known
mantras in general. It is also used as a mUla mantra in worship including
for iva lingam stones.
V +Pl +ll4Tl4
om namo nryaya
This is the akara mantra, or eight syllabled mantra. It is to Lord
Nryaa, a form of Vishnu.
V +Pl 46 4lB ( 4l4
om namo bhagavate vsudevya
Known as the dvdakara mantra, or twelve syllabled mantra,
this is the most well known mantra to Lord Vishnu. It is also
the mla mantra for Vishnu forms, including the sacred lagrm
il stones found in nearly all Vishnu temples.
( T !T ( T !T T !T T !T ( (
( lP ( lP lP lP ( (
hare ka hare ka ka ka hare hare
hare rma hare rma rma rma hare hare
This well known mantra, popularized by the Hare Ka movement origi-
nally comes from the Kali Santarana Upaniad and is said to eradicate
all the impurities due to the present age of Kali yuga, and bestow prema
bhakti or pure love of God.
4 Mantra
Introduction
Nearly all of us speak. We all use language, and we all resonate. San-
skrit is about the simple joy of resonating the pure and simple sounds of
language in a systematic way. It is a recognition that sound and language are
both predicated upon consciousness and that to make sound, to resonate, is
as much an expression of life as eating. And great joy can be experienced in
both.
What is Sanskrit?
The word 'Sanskrit' means perfected or refined, for Sanskrit is consid-
ered to be the perfect and systematic expression of sound. Sanskrit follows
a natural progression through the various areas of the mouth, our instru-
ment of sound, allowing for a logical, yet euphonic, sequence of resonance.
Historically, there is some academic argument on the actual age of San-
skrit. Although the script, known as Devanagari (dwelling of the gods) has
gone through many changes over the centuries from its original brahmi script,
the spoken form of Sanskrit is said to be as much as 8,000 years old. In fact,
some in the Vedic tradition will tell you that Sanskrit is literally eternal, and
was only discovered, not created, by the ancient sages in their deep medita-
tions. This may be one of the reasons that Sanskrit is so powerful - that it
re-awakens that which we already know on some level of our being. For
this, Sanskrit is known as the language of yoga, enlightenment and mantra.
What is Mantra?
The meaning of the word mantra is that which protects or liberates the
mind, or a mind instrument. Although the word has become almost common
place in today's world, few actually perceive the full import of a mantra.
When people speak of it on talk shows or in seminars, especially when refer-
ring to an English phrase of some kind, what they are really talking about is
an affirmation. Repeating a statement like "I am healthy and happy", or "I
am filled with light", while expressing a wonderful sentiment, is not a man-
tra in the strictest sense of the word. For a mantra is more than just a par-
ticular group of words expressing an idea; mantra is more a pattern of reso-
nance. It is a vibration that, though it may well be translatable, is most
powerful on a subtler level of existence. In fact there are a whole group of
mantras, termed bija or seed mantras, which have no intrinsic meaning, but
are extremely powerful. These bija mantras, individually or strung into a
group, create resonance at particular frequencies that have deep impact on
the psyche as well as the body.
Mantra 25
Additional Mantras
Although there are literally thousands of mantras, and numerous books which
reveal and explain the mantras, we thought we would give just a few ex-
amples from various sources to show the diversity of mantras.
Ugra Nsiha Mantra
V 7 4l P(l|4!T 74-6 B4 6l P G
+ |B ( l9T P t4 P t4 +Pl4(P +
om ugra vra mahviu jvalanta sarvatomukha
nsiha bhaa bhadra mtyumtyu nammyaham ||
This prayer to the ferocious half man-half lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
Lord Nsihadeva,is exceptionally powerful in removing bad influences,
negative energies, and has been used in cases of hauntings and posses-
sions.
Mantra for Bringing Holy Waters
V q 4P + 4 l (l4| BF4|6
+P ( |B-l Tl4 | = 5|FP+ B||P T 6+
om gageca yamune caiva godvari sarasvati
narmade sindho kveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru ||
Oh water of the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu,
and Kaveri, please be present in this water.
Traditionally only water from the sacred rivers, especially the Ganges, can
be used for bathing of the sacred Deities of the Gods and Goddesses. For
those not close to those rivers, this mantra is used to call them into a pot of
water. One holds one hand over the water and then chants this mantra. It can
also be used when bathing.
V G 4+ om hu khe kaya||
Said to be used for snake bites, stings, etc.
V Jl T!Tl4 +P-+ om kl kya nama ||
Said to give extraordinary power and spiritual development.
V ~l P(l4 +P-+
om r mahlakmyai nama||
A prayer to Goddess Laksmi for peace and prosperity
Mantra 5
There are also literally thousands of words in Sanskrit which denote
either a name or character of God or Divine Being. These are similarly
mantras in their own right. More than just being a handle for the Supreme,
they also carry a particular resonance which powerfully impacts us on many
levels. Experiment with this yourself. Try repeating the word 'God' for 10 or
15 minutes, versus a Sanskrit name such as Rma, iva, or Ka. While
they all have the same meaning of the Divine, you will probably feel the
Sanskrit words effect you differently.
The truth is that all sound affect us and all words have an action. You
can muscle test someone as strong while they repeat the word 'love', and a
moment later they will test weak while repeating the word 'hate'. Every
word will have its effect. This is why affirmations do have positive results
when done in the right fashion. But it is for this reason that mantras are so
powerful. These are very specific vibrations, recognized by the ancient sages,
which can have very specific and powerful effects. These sages were like the
doctors or scientists of sound, creating a unique form of medicine that af-
fects us on all levels.
The Vedanta Sutra, one of the premier philosophical works of India,
proclaims, om anvtti abdt, 'From sound comes freedom.' And
Lord Ka tells us in the Gt that abda khe - I am the sound in
ether. The Yoga sutras of Patanjali say, vcaka praava,
tajjapastadarthabhvanam - God's manifestation is O and the way
is the repetition of O and contemplation of its meaning. So sound
and mantra have an extremely transformative effect, as realized by
the R
is in their meditation, and handed down to us for our benefit. And
they can be pleasurable. As the Bible says, "Come make unto the
Lord a joyful noise," as well as, "In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was God!"
V Hl|-6- Hl|-6- Hl|-6-
o nti nti nti
OM Peace, Peace, Peace
24 Mantra
Planetary Mantras
In the science of Jyotish, or Vedic astrology, there are 9 planets, ruled over
by presiding Deities. When these planets have a negative effect, as shown in
the natal horoscope, one can help to negate or minimize these effects by
wearing certain gemstones, performing certain rituals, and by chanting man-
tras which correspond to that planet. Below are given some examples of
simple mantras for each planet.
Sun V l (-B- B 4l 4 +P- V
om hr hansa sryya nama om
Moon V Bl Bl Pl4 +P- V
om so somya nama om
Mars V l l Pl4 +P- V
om bhau bhaumya nama om
Mercury V 4 4 &l4 +P- V
om bu buddhya nama om
Jupiter V 4 (F964 +P- V
om bhaspataye nama om
Venus V H H 4l4 +P- V
om u ukrya nama om
Saturn V H H+ l4 +P- V
om a anaicarya nama om
Rahu V l l(4 +P- V
om r rhave nama om
Ketu V T T 64 +P- V
om ke ketave nama om
6 Mantra
The Sanskt Alphabet
Vowels
H a Hl i 7 u 7
9 e 9 ai Hl o Hl au
+ + l j l H a H- a
Consonants
T ka G kha ga gha = a
ca 7 cha = ja H jha a
a ha 7 a 7 ha T a
6 ta tha ( da dha + na
9 pa T pha 4 ba bha P ma
4 ya ra la 4 va
H a 9 a B sa ( ha
Special Compounds
ka ja tra
Mantra 23
Gutturals
Palatals
Cerebrals
Dentals
Labials
Semivowels
Sibilants & Aspirate
H
Hl

+ +

j

7
7
9
9
H -
H
Hl

=
T
G
Hl
7
=
H

7
7
T

+
9 T
4
4

4
P

H
9

B
(
=
}
Mantra 7
Sanskt is a beautiful language both in form and sound. For the
purposes of this booklet we have chosen to use both the original
Devanagari script and Roman transliteration wherever possible, al-
lowing you to see the words in their original form without having
to learn the script. The pronunciation guide below should allow you
to properly pronounce the Sanskt mantras.
PRONUNCIATION
Vowels
a - like the u in but - like the a in father
i - like the i in pin - like the ee in peek
u - like the u in put - like the oo in pool
- like the ri in rim - like the ree in reed
l & l - like & but with an L in front
e - like ey in hey ai - like the ai in aisle
o - like the o in go au - like the ow in cow
a - close the mouth & resonate
a - an echo of air repeating the mouth position
Some Consonant Rules
Every consonant has built into it the sound 'a' (like the u in
but). The gutturals through the labials each have five letters: a
hard non-aspirated, a hard aspirated, a soft non-aspirated, a soft
aspirated, and a nasal. In non-aspirates you expel minimal air
and in aspirates you expel maximum air.
The guttural letter ka is pronounced like the cu in cuff, while
the palatal ca is pronounced like chu in chum.
Cerebral sounds are produced the same as dental except the
tongue is more at the roof of the mouth with cerebrals, and
directly behind the tongue for dentals.
a is pronounced like nga in singa songa.
a is pronounced like nya.
a is pronounced like the 's' in sprechen.
a is pronounced like the shu in shun.
sa is dental and pronounced like the su in sun.
ka starts as if you were to say 'k', then say a.
ja is pronounced like gya.
22 Mantra
Body Bijas - Marma Point Bijas
The physical body is an aspect of the absolute, or a microcosm of the
universe, and just as the bija mantras exist throughout the universe, they
also exist throughout the body. The Ayurvedic medical system has something
similar to the Chinese acupuncture meridians called Nadis. Where 2 nadis
come together you have a sandhi, and when you have 3, you have a
marma point. The following points, in both devanagari and transliteration,
correspond to the the drawing at right which uses only the devanagari.
forehead
face
right eye
left eye
right ear
left ear
right nostril
left nostril
right cheek
left cheek
upper lip
lower lip
upper teeth
lower teeth
crown of head
mouth
right shoulder
right elbow
right wrist
root of right fingers
right fingertips
left shoulder
left elbow
left wrist
root of left fingers
left fingertips
H
Hl

7
7
+
+

j
9
9
Hl
Hl
H
H-
T
G

7
=
H

7
7
T
6

+
9
T
4

P
4

4
H
9
B
(
=

l
l
e
ai
o
au
a
a
ka
kha
ga
gha
a
ca
cha
ja
jha
a
a
ha
a
ha
a
ta
tha
da
dha
na
pa
pha
ba
bha
ma
ya
ra
la
va
a
a
sa
ha
a
ka
right hip joint
right knee
right ankle
root of right toes
right toe tips
left hip joint
left knee
left ankle
root of left toes
left toe tips
torso right
torso left
back
navel
stomach
heart
rt. shoulder top
under neck
left shoulder top
heart to rt hand
heart to lft hand
heart to rt foot
heart to lft foot
heart to face orbit
heard to abdomen
8 Mantra
Each of the sounds of the Sanskrit language are pronounced in one
(or more) of the 5 mouth positions. The chart below shows which
letters appear in which position.
1. Guttural: H Hl T G = (
2. Palatal: 7 = H 4 H
3. Cerebral: + + 7 7 T 9
4. Dental: j 6 ( + B
5. Labial: 7 7 9 T 4 P 4
V
o
w
e
l
s
C
o
n
s
o
n
a
n
t
s
S
e
m
i
v
o
w
e
l
s
A
s
p
i
r
a
t
e

&
S
i
b
i
l
a
n
t
s
Mantra 21
[ h
H is a very powerful mantra and can be used almost like a sword and
armor. It pierces through negative forces as well as reflect away such
forces. It can be used to pinpoint specific spots of energy to dissolve
them.
ga
Ga is the bja mantra of Lord Ganea, and thus is good for
beginning of projects or to invoke his energies and to dispel sorrows.
l glau
Another bja mantra relating to Ganea.
l krau
Krau is the bja mantra relating to Lord Nsihadeva, the man/lion
incarnation of Viu. His ferocity overcomes the demonic impulses and
this mantra can be used for dispelling negative influences, including ghosts
and other entities.
+ n
Another bja mantra of Nsihadeva relating more to His benevolent
aspect for protection and prosperity.
du
Du is the mantra relating to Durg, an aspect of Siva's consort.
l r
R is a bja relating to Lord Ramachandra, and is said to bring Supreme
peace, protection and happiness.
Five Positions of the Mouth
Mantra 9
Invocational Mantras
V
B( +l446 B( +l +
B( 4l4 T4l4(
6 =|F4 +l4l6PF6 Pl |4|9l4( +
om saha nvavatu saha nau bhunaktu
saha vrya karavvahai
tejasvi nvadhtamastu m vidvivahai ||
May we both (teacher & student) be protected;
May we both be nourished;
May we work with energy;
May our studies be vigorous
May we not be enemies.
V
HB6l Pl BJP4
6PBl Pl 74l |6 P4
P t4l Pl P 6 P4+
om asato m sadgamaya
tamaso m jyotirgamaya
mtyormmta gamaya ||
From untruth lead me to Truth
From darkness lead me to Light
From death lead me to Immortality
20 Mantra
Additional Bija Mantras
V (Hl ) O
Om is the original bija mantra from which all other bijas emanate. It is
considered to be the primordial sound. Meditating on, repeating, and
contemplating its meaning brings one to the very source of manifesta-
tion.
9 ai
This mantra relates to the Goddess Sarasvati and works on the mind.
It is excellent for improving mental powers of memory, concentra-
tion, learning, and speaking.
~l r
This mantra relates to all Goddesses in general and the Goddess Laksmi
in specific. It relates to prosperity, beauty, general health, peaceful-
ness, creativity, gentleness. The honorific r is related and seen in many
yantras, before the names of saints, Gods, and even common people.
l hr
This mantra also relates to the Goddess, and specifically the aspects
of Siva's consort - Mahamaya, Kali. It is powerful mantra for cutting
through illusion.
Jl kl
Relates to Lord Krsna and gives power, control of emotions, sexual-
ity and attractiveness while simultaneously promoting detachment.
10 Mantra
V
9 T P(- 9 T |P(
9Tlt9TP(46
9 T F4 9 T Pl(l4
9TP4l4|H!46+
om
pramada pramida
prtpramudacyate |
prasya pramdya
pramevvaiyate ||
All That is Perfect (whole/complete). All This is Perfect. From the
Perfect, comes the Perfect, and the original perfect remains Perfect,
though the entire Perfect emerges from it.
V
Hl Hl|-6-6| Hl|-6-
9 |4l H|-6l9- Hl|-6l H4- Hl|-6-
4+F964- Hl|-6|4 H ( 4l- Hl|-6 O Hl|-6-
B4 Hl|-6- Hl|-6 4 Hl|-6-+
om
dyau ntirantarika nti
pthiv antirpa ntiroadhaya nti
vanaspataya ntirvivedev ntirbrahma nti
sarva nti ntireva nti||
May there be peace in heaven, peace in the sky, peace on the earth,
peace in the water, peace in the plants, peace in the forests, peace in
the Gods, peace in Brahman, peace everywhere. Peace, only peace.
Mantra 19
Planetary Bja Mantras
There are nine planets in Vedic Astronomy including Rahu and
Ketu, known in Western Astronomy as Dragon's head & tail.
Sun (srya) ................... B ...s
Moon (soma)................ Bl ..so
Mars (angala) ................ H ..a
Mercury (budha) .......... 4 ...bu
Jupiter (guru) ............... ....... gu
Venus (ukra) ............... H ...u
Saturn (ani) ................. H ...a
Rhu ............................. l ...r
Ketu .............................. T ...ke
Elemental Bja Mantras
Earth ............................. ...la
Water ............................ 4 ...va
Fire ............................... ...ra
Air ................................ 4 ...ya
Ether ............................. ( ....... ha
Mantra 11
Mahmtyunjaya Mantra
V -44T 4=lP( B |- 9 |74 T
74l 6T|P4 4-+l-P t4l P |4 PlP 6l6 +
om tryambaka yajmahe sugandhi puivardhaa |
urvrukamiva bandhann mtyormukiya mmtt ||
We worship the three-eyes One (Lord Shiva), Who is fragrant and
who nourishes all beings; May He liberate me from death for
immortality, even as the cucumber is severed from the creeper
and is freed from bondage.
In spite of its somewhat quizzical meaning, the Mahmtyunjaya
mantra is esteemed as one of the most potent prayers there is.
Coming from the most ancient Rg Veda, this mantra is said to have
power to keep away even death. The very name, Mahmtyunjaya
means 'the great conquering of death,' and it has been related that
in ancient, and even modern times, this mantra has been used to
cure the most malignant of conditions, even postponing death itself.
Besides curing physical ailments, it also works on mental, emo-
tional and celestial ailments, removes obstacles, creates a spiritual
atmosphere, and brings happiness to one's life.
One can practice chanting the Mahmtyunjaya mantra for one-
self or for another. In fact many of the stories related about this
mantra speak of a parent or loved one chanting the mantra on behalf
of an ailing individual, literally saving their lives.
Mahmtyunjaya mantra can also be done, and is especially
potent when chanted in conjunction with a fire yajna or homa, a
vedic fire ceremony where grains and ghee (clarified butter) are
offered into the fire in conjunction with the mantra. This should be
chanted at least 108 times daily, or three times daily. Or if one is
really serious 1008 times.
18 Mantra
The Chakra Bja Mantras
(The first bold word in each line is the primary bija sound.)
1st Chakra - Mldhra
4 H 9 B
la - va a a sa
2nd Chakra - Svdhina
4 44 44 4 P 4
va - ba bha ma ya ra la
3rd Chakra - Maipra
7P 7P TP 6 ( + 9 T
ra - am ham am ta tha da dha na pa pha
4th Chakra - Anhata
4 4 4 4 4 T G = 7 = H
ya - ka kha ga gha a ca cha ja jha a
a ha
5th Chakra - Viuddha
( (( (( H Hl 7 7 + + j 9 9 Hl Hl H H -
ha - am m im m um m m m lm lm em aim om
aum am a
6th Chakra - j
Hl Hl Hl Hl Hl (
o - ka ha
7th Chakra - Sahasrara
Hl Hl Hl Hl Hl
au.....
12 Mantra
Gyatri Mantra
V 4- F4-
6tB|464'4
l ( 4F4 lP|(
|4l 4l +- 9l (4l6 +
om bhrbhuva sva
tatsaviturvareya
bhargo devasya dhmahi
dhiyo yo na pracodayt ||
Let us meditation upon that Divine Light or Essence of that
worshipable Vivifier, God the Life Giver, Who is manifest
on the physical, astral, causal realms, and as That, and Who
enthuses our meditation.
Gyatri mantra is considered by many to be the topmost of
all mantras. This is the mantra which for thousands of years
has been given to those receiving their Upanayanam, or 2nd
birth in India, which is the entrance into spiritual life. It is
nonspecific, as it doesn't invoke a specific Deity, but rather,
that very essence of spiritual beingness and light that underlies
everything - The Source of creation.
Gyatri, which means liberation through song, is said to
have a powerful impact on the mind and intellect. It is said to
give determination and will power; to destroy all bad karmas,
to illumine the intellect, bring powers, fulfill all desires, and
ultimately to fully liberate one from the cycles of birth and
death
It is traditionally chanted at dawn, noon and dusk, but can
be chanted anytime or anywhere without offence. It can be
used for healing oneself or others, for obtaining wealth, to
dispel negative energies, and of course for spiritual enlighten-
ment. If one isn't going to chant it 3 times per day, morning,
as early as possible is the best time, preferably 108 times.
Mantra 17
The Chakra Bja Mantras
According to Ayurvedic and Yogic physiology, there are energy
vortices called chakras (wheels) which are placed along the trunk of
the body, which correspond to different energies, states of consciousness,
and levels of existence. These chakras are represented as flowers
with a center and a varying number of petals around the outside. In
the center of each chakra flower is a main Bija (seed) mantra, while
each of the petals has a secondary bija sound. When these bijas are
chanted, they resonate that particular chakra and help to open,
balance and align them.
There are no hard and fast rules for chanting these mantras.
Generally, one starts at the first chakra and works their way up, as
most people want to take their energy upward. However, you can
chant them in reverse, going from the top chakra down, in order to
be more grounded, or to get the pranas (airs) to move downward,
such as in constipation, or perhaps in childbirth.
If one is in a hurry, they might want to chant only the main
bijas for each chakra, or do all of the sounds just once. This would
be a good way to begin a meditation, as chanting the bijas puts one
into a space of peace and clarity, perfect for meditation. You can
also make a longer meditation out of chanting the bijas, chanting
each sound from two, three or four times, up to even 100 or more.
Or you could chant each mantra for a specific amount of time. If
there are issues connected with a particular chakra, you may want to
focus on that chakra, spending the greatest amount of time there.
You might also want to add visualization or kinesthetics to the
chanting. For instance, you may want to hold your hands over each
chakras as you chants its sounds. Or you may want to visualize
colors for each one. Traditionally in the West, we have attributed
the rainbow colors to the chakras, starting with red for the first,
then orange, then yellow, green, light blue, indigo, and violet. Or
you could visualize pure white or golden Divine light. You might
also want to chant the mantras in specific tones.
V
Mantra 13
Other Gyatri Mantras
Gyatri is really a meter composed of 24 syllables. What we
traditionally call Gyatri mantra is technically called Savitri Gayatri,
a prayer to Savitri, the Solar Orb. However, there are numerous
other Gyatri mantras to other Deities (often more than one), some
of which are given below. Certain words are constants in every
Gyatri as it calls upon the energy of each Deity to enthuse, enliven,
and purify our minds, bodies, and souls.
Guru Gyatri - to the Spiritual Teacher
6 l4|
V 6( 4l4 |4T( Ol+-(l4 lP|(
6l 6- 9l (4l6 +
om gurudevya vidmahe brahmnandya dhmahi
tanno guru pracodayt ||
To increase devotion to the guru & receive his blessings.
Srya Gyatri - to the Deity of the Sun
B 4 l4|
V lFTl4 |4T( |(4lTl4 lP|(
6- B 4 - 9l (4l6 +
om bhskarya vidmahe divkarya dhmahi
tanna srya pracodayt ||
Said to cure disease when chanted facing the sun.
Lakmi Gyatri - to the Goddess of Fortune
|P l4|
V P(l4 |4T( |4!T |94l4 lP|(
6l |P 9l (4l6 +
om mahlakmyai vidmahe viupriyyai dhmahi
tanno lakmi pracodayt ||
For wealth, abundance, promotions in career.
16 Mantra
The Bja (Seed) Mantras
By far, one of the most powerful forms of mantra is the
bja or seed mantra. One reason they are called 'seed' mantras
is that, like a seed, they possess incredible potentiality in the
most subtle and primordial states. As you can see on the next
few pages, there are many types of bja mantras, including
those for the chakras, planetary bja, Deity bjas, etc. In fact,
the Sanskrit alphabet itself becomes a series of bja mantras
when anusvara (the sound 'M') is added. Thus you have an
A i I u etc., all the way through the alphabet. In
fact, there are mantras that begin by simply going through all
or part of the alphabet in this way.
Again, one of the reasons for this is that each letter of the
Sanskrit alphabet is a specific energy of the Absolute, or God,
and that by focusing on even one of these sounds, and
repeating it, meditating on it, feeling the energy of it, and
allowing that sound and energy to permeate your being, whole
new states of consciousness are available. The name of the
Sanskrit script, Devanagari -Cities of the Gods - gives some
clue to this fact that every letter is indeed a specific energetic
signature of the Cosmos.
The planetary bjas relate to the first syllable of the Sans-
krit name of the planet, which is also a common method of
deriving the bjas of various deities. In this way you would get
Go for Gopla, i for iva, N Nsiha, etc. The planetary
bjas can be used (like the planetary mantras) to alleviate the
negative effects of planets which are poorly situated or badly
aspected in one's birth chart.
The elemental mantras are the same as the first five
primary bjas of the chakras and relate to the five elementals
of earth, water, fire, air and ether.
The additional bjas are some of the most powerful. While
still single syllables, they often have multiple consonants, and
very specific energies.
14 Mantra
Sarasvati Gyatri - to the Goddess of Learning
V BF4t4 |4T( O 9 -4 lP|(
6- BF46l 9l (4l6 +
om sarasvatyai vidmahe brahmaputryai dhmahi
tanna sarasvat pracodayt ||
For intelligence, memory, wisdom, creativity
Agni Gyatri - to the God of Fire
V P(l74ll4 |4T( H|P( 4l4 lP|(
6l 5|P- 9l (4l6
om mahjvlya vidmahe agnidevya dhmahi
tannogni pracodayt ||
Provides vitality and essence to the body, mind, pranas & senses.
Gaea Gyatri - to the Remover of Obstacles
V 9T(-6l4 |4T( 446 '7l4 lP|(
6l 4 |&- 9l (4l6 +
om ekadantya vidmahe vakratuya dhmahi
tanno buddhi pracodayt ||
For the removal of obstacles in all endeavors.
Rdh Gyatri - to the Embodiment of Divine Love
V 4 9l+ =l4 |4T( T !T|94l4 lP|(
6l ll 9l (4l6 +
om vabhnujyai vidmahe kapriyyai dhmahi
tanno rdh pracodayt ||
To increase devotion and divine love.
Nsiha Gyatri - to the Man/Lion VixNu Incarnation
V 4+Gl4 |4\P( 6lT( 7 l4 lP|(
6l + |B (- 9l (4l6 +
Mantra 15
om vajranakhya vidhmahe tkadarya dhmahi
tanno nsiha pracodayt ||
To eradicate negative forces and secure Divine protection.
Viu Gyatri
V +ll4Tl4 |4T( 4lB ( 4l4 lP|(
6l |4!T - 9l (4l6 +
om nryaya vidmahe vsudevya dhmahi
tanno viu pracodayt ||
To increase devotion and spiritual purification.
Hanmn Gyatri - to the Monkey servant of Lord RAma
(+ Pl+ l4|
V HlV+ 4l4 |4T( 4l4 9 l4 lP|(
6l (+ Pl+ 9l (4l6 +
om janeyya vidmahe vyuputrya dhmahi
tanno hanmn pracodayt ||
To increase devotion and service attitude to God.
Ka Gyatri
V ( 4Tl+-(+l4 |4T( 4lB ( 4l4 lP|(
6- T !T- 9l (4l6 +
om devaknandanya vidmahe vsudevya dhmahi
tanna ka pracodayt ||
To increase devotion and divine love.
Rudra Gyatri
V 6t9 6Hl4 |4T( P(l( 4l4 lP|(
6l 6- 9l (4l6 +
om tatpuruya vidmahe mahdevya dhmahi
tanno rudra pracodayt ||
For purification and spiritual austerity.