Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

86
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA
they are the very quintessence of mantra. They are
short, unetymological vocables, such as Hrīṃ, Śrīṃ,
Krīṃ, Aiṃ, Phaṭ , etc., which will be found throughout
the text. 1 Each Devatā has His bīja. 2 The primary mantra
of a Devata is known as the root mantra (mūla-mantra).
It is also said that the word mūla denotes the subtle
body of the Devata called Kāma-kalā. The utterance of
a mantra without knowledge of its meaning or of the
mantra method is a mere movement of the lips and
nothing more. The mantra sleeps. There are various
processes preliminary to, and involved in, its right utterance,
which processes again consist of mantra, such as,
for purification of the mouth (mukha-śodhana), 3 purification
of the tongue (jihva-śodhana) 4 and of the mantra
(aśauca-bhaṇ ga), 5 kulluka, 6 nirvāṇ a, 7 setu, 8 nidhra-bhaṇ -
ga, awakening of mantra, 9 mantra-caitanya, or giving of
life or vitality to the mantra. 10 Mantrārthabhāvana,
1 See also the mantra portion of the Atharva-Veda to which the Tantra
stands in close relation.
2 Kriṃ
(Kālī), Hrī ṃ
(Māyā), Raṃ
(Agni), Eṃ
(Yoni), etc.
3 See Chapter X, Sāradā-Tilaka. Japa of praṇava or the mantra varies
with the Devatā—e.g., Oṃ
Hsau for Bhairava.
4 Seven japas of one-lettered bīja triplicated, praṇava triplicated, then
one-lettered bīja triplicated.
5 Japa of mūla-mantra receded and followed by praṇava. As to the “birth”
and “death” defilements of a mantra, see Tantrasāra 75, et seq.
6 See Sārada (loc. cit.). Thus Kulluka (which is done over the head) of
Kālikā is Māyā (see Puraścaraṇa-Bodhīnī, p. 48, and Tantrasāra).
7 Japa of Mūla- and Mātṛ kā-bījā in the Maṇipūra.
8 Generally the mahāmantra Oṃ
or Māyā-bījā Hrīṃ
, but also varies.
Thus Setu of Kālī is her own bījā (krīṃ
), of Tārā, Kurcca, etc.
9 Japa of the Mantra is preceded and followed by īm seven times.
10 Japa of Mūla-mantra in Maṇipūra preceded and followed by Mātṛ kābījā.
Meditating on the mūla-mantra in the sahasrāra, anāhata, mūlā-dhārā,
with Hūm, and again in Sahasrāra. The mūla is the principal mantra, such
as the pañcadaśi.