MantraThis book explicates the origin, nature, function, and significance of mantras within the bounds of the Hindu tradition. It explores the use of mantras in the Vedic age, in Saivism and Vaisnavism, in Tantra, and in Ayurvedic medicine. |
Common terms and phrases
adhvaryu Agni Agnicayana aham Alper Atharvaveda bang bang bang bham bham bham Bhartṛhari bhāvanā bīja brahman Brāhmaņa chants cognition commentary consciousness contemplation context cosmic cosmos deity divine effect efficacy example express formulation function god's gods Gonda gunadharma guru Hindu human hymn Indian Indra insight japa Kaundinya kaví Kşemarāja language language-game linguistic liturgy mantras Mantraśāstra mantric utterance Mātṛkā māyā meaning meditation Mīmāmsā namaḥ nyāsa object omkāra Padoux Pāñcarātra Pāśupata Patañjali performance philosophy pranava priest pūjā puruşa Ratnațīkā reality recited refers religious Rgveda Rgvedic rite Śabara śabda sacrifice sādhaka sādhanā Śaiva Śakti Samhitā Sanskrit says sense sequence Śiva Śiva's Śivapurāņa Soma sound speech acts sphota śrauta ŚSū ŚSūV Staal stobhas Sūtra syllables TaitSam Tantric Tantric mantras Tantric ritual tion tradition truth Upaniṣad vāc Vāk Vasistha Vasudeva Veda Vedic Vedic and Tantric Vedic mantras Vedic ritual verse vyūha Wheelock words worship
Popular passages
Page 13 - The subject of it immediately says that it defies expression, that no adequate report of its contents can be given in words. It follows from this that its quality must be directly experienced; it cannot be imparted or transferred to others.
Page 2 - a mantra accomplishes the apprehension of what is not or cannot be seen; imparts the strength of a definite conclusion to what is apprehended, removes doubt when two courses are possible, [and] leads to inference of an entire matter when only a part is seen" (Gonda [1963b] 1975b, 260, citing 1.15.20).
Page 4 - A mantra is a quasi-morpheme or a series of quasi-morphemes, or a series of mixed genuine and quasi-morphemes arranged in conventional patterns, based on codified esoteric traditions, and passed on from one preceptor to one disciple in the course of a prescribed initiation ritual,