A mantra (manan, tra: Liberation by thinking, Sanskrit: center of thought) is a syllable or a sequence of syllables. In the Vedas long verses are sung as mantra-samhitas.

There are several  collections of Mantras like the Mantra Mahodadhih ( mantra-uda-dhí, Mantramahodadhi; big ocean of Mantras ) of Mahidhara from the 16th century with ca. 3300 Verses in 25 Tarangas Brihat Tantrasara ('Big essence of Tantra') , which contains many mantras of godesses.

Many other mantras and  their combinations essential parts of tantric sadhanas and puranas.

The monosyllable mantras are also referred to as bija mantras (OM, HRIM, KRIM, HUM, SHRIM) [1]. They are explained in the Mantra Shastra. The Upanishads are another source of mantras.

The tantric Ishta devatas have combinations of such mantras and collections of sahasranama - mantras.

Each chakra has its  specific bija-Mantra and several bijas for the petals.

Often mantras are also repeated halfloud together with a mala, which strengthens the physical effect. The corresponding exercise is described in Hinduism as Japa (Nama Smarana).

Scientific measurements haven proven the necessity of distinct mantra meditation, which also influences brainwaves.

== Content of Mantras ==

However, the letter combinations are not arbitrary.  

The 'ee' refers to the pure aethers of the Mayamaya. U refers to material ethers, etc..

Krishna says, for example, in the Bhagavad Gita that he is the 'rk'.

The creation of mantras is subject to secrecy. Its is also taught in the Quabbala.

The Mahavairocana - Tantra contains letters for the sadhana. The buddhist Mantrayana contains mantras for the sadhana of the deity practices.

When a mantra has the name of the godhead and no monosyllable bijas of the godhead, it is called a nama mantra. 'Nama - mantras' can result in correspondingly relativ high meditation forces from the area of Trimurti.

There are many tantric and Buddhist mantras from ritual-texts in circulation as well as mantras from the Mantra - Sastra and Nama [3] mantras from Shiva-, Vishnu- and Krishna -Sadhanas and many others.

* There are different types of meditation, such as japa yoga and nada-yoga and also loud repetition (possibly with a rosary mala), as (for example only) the jaap of the Guru Bija Mantra Om jhram jhreem jroum saw gurave namah.

Well known mantras are Aum or OM ('kara'), AIM [2], Ong namo, Hari Om , Hring Namah, So-Ham, Om Mani Peme Hung ( Om Ma tri Mu Ye Sa Le Duand Om Namaha Shivaya.

The majority of the tantric mantras is longer as in Ka Ye E La Hrim Ha Sa Ka La Hrim Sa Ka La Hrim Shrim (Shodashakshari Mantra) or Om hreem streem hoom Phat (Ugra Tara).

== Mantras ==

For the purpose of curing diseases, various mantras and formulas are common as  [5]

  • Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Sei Soha (Shushumna Mantra, loud and quietly, also together with a Mala)
  • Om Tryambakam, the vedic Mahamrityunjaya Mantra ( (Om)trayambakaṃ yajāmahe , sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam , urvārukam-iva bandhanān mṛtyor-mukṣīya māmṛtāt)
  • Om Arkyeya Namaha [6]
  • Wahe Guru - Kundalini Healmantra
  • Om Hrim (han)sah
  • OM phraum nim tha - For toe diseases
  • Chi'ang - chi'en - Chinese breathmeditation
  • the Mantra of Bhaisajyaguru
  • Om Shree Donvontrey nahmah-ha, the Ayurveda-Mantra of Dhanvantari
  • The kabbalistic Formula J.H.W with Variants

These vibrations are however not meant to compensate for a materialistic lifestyle, and misuse can produce bad Karma and Dharma. For beginners, they usually have little effect.

Sanskrit dhāraṇī : Pratisara Mantra
== Dharani ==

Dharanis exist in Hinduism as well as in various Buddhist schools.

A Dhāraṇī (tib. Gzungs) is a text with magical meaning, which is the essence of a prayer or of an esoteric doctrine.

Such texts can reach a considerable length.

Buddhist examples are the Cundi Dharani [7][8] (Mantra : namaḥ saptānāṃ samyaksaṃbuddha koṭīnāṃ tadyathā oṃ cale cule cunde svāhā) and the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani - Sutra [9].

== Tantra ==

Multisyllabic mantras are found in Tantra where they are used for invocation and meditation on  deities and yidams, also in the context of rituals[10].

== Quabbala ==

In the Quabbala, the universal properties of letters are applied. In the Sepher Jetzira rabbis have tried to systematize this kabbalistic knowledge.

This secret knowledge has also been used, in particular, in medieval spiritual alchemy and in original Rosicrucianism. In the Fama Fraternitatis, the C.R. Formula and others are used.

in the Asian region the tantric Kaula,  the japanese Shingon and the Longchen Nyingtik used single letters in Sadhana.

In the last century Franz Bardon has tried to systematize this knowledge in his Quabbala - book, using multi-concentration and color visualization, but with little reference to beginners.

== Literature ==

  1. Some Mantra Beejas
  2. Saraswati Vag-bija or beeja
  5. Mantras for special purposes
  6. Cundi Dharani
  7. cundi dharani sutraand more




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