Tantric Mantras:
Tantra is from the root tanu vistare: to expand. All the tantric practices are having this
goal of expansion of individual consciousness to the total consciousness or Unity
consciousness.
Tantra is a rebel child of Vedic tradition. The reason for this was that Vedic tradition in
course of time became more and more rigid in its practices and also was not allowing
many practices to women and certain categories of the communities. In reality Vedas
are very liberal in their outlook. But certain people in power started misinterpreting and
they abused their privilege. This lead to the raise of tantras. Tantras have tantra, mantra
and yantra as its accessories. Tantra is the ritualistic portion, mantras may contain one
or more than one syllable, while yantra is a diagrammatic representation of the deity of
worship drawn on a copper, brass, golden or on a pancha loha plate (five metals).
Tantric mantras and practices are esoteric in nature. They are very popular, for they are
believed to give quick results.
An example of a tantric mantra is Om Im Hrim Shrim Shree Matre Namaha.
Another one is Ka Ye E La Hrim Ha Sa Ka La Hrim Sa Ka La Hrim Shrim. This is the
famous Shodashakshari Mantra (16 lettered mantra). If the last Shrim is dropped then it
is called Panchadashakshari Mantra (15 lettered mantra). There are innumerable
mantras in tantra, given for different purposes. Mantras are handed down in tradition
from person to person and not taken from books. They need to be practiced at least for
some time by that individual. The bija’s are considered as living only if taken from a
living person and are considered ineffective if taken from books. Some people and
traditions claim that mantras obtained in dreams through yogis, siddhas and earlier
saints are also effective. Tantric mantras are always followed or preceded by rituals,
worship and prayers. Tantra again has two methods. One is called vama marga or ‘left
hand method’ and the other is called dakshina marga or the ‘right hand method’.
Mantras in them are different and so are the practices. The left hand method mainly
employs sex as a means to expand the individual consciousness, whereas the right hand
method employs various meditation techniques to achieve this end...
