A Comprehensive Treatise on Mantra-Sastra - THE SHAKTA BIJA

Respected Sir,

What about the great Shakta Bija " SAUH". I am pasting the

first chapter of Panchastavi.

 

Virendra.

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KASHMIR SHAKTHA- VIMARSH

Hymn To Goddess TRIPURA

(First Shaloka of First Canto of PANCHASTAVI )

 

"May the Goddess TRIPURA ,

 

who is of the nature of light and sound,

 

shining in the forehead like the lustrous bow of Indra (i.e rainbow)

 

in the crown of the head like the luminous white shine of the moon ,

 

and in the heart like the never - setting splenderous sun,

 

may She by means of three mighty syllables 'AIM ' , 'KLIM' , 'SAUH' speedly

destroy all our impurities ."

 

The above hymn is the gem from Kashmir's Panchastavi dedicated to the Goddess

Tripura or Tripura Sundari , personifying the 'Divine Energy '.TRI denotes

number three and PURA means among other things (or the basis).

 

We can enumerate the triple form of Gods (Brahama, Vishnu, and Mahesh ),

Fire (household, sacrificial and funeral),

 

Vedas(Rig, Yaju, Sam)

Gunas (Sattava, Rajas and Tamas)

 

and other Cosmic manifestations .

 

Coming to the three mystic Bija Mantras mentioned above , these represent the

life in totality .

 

AIM is Vaga Bija depicting light , sound and

knowledge , which means CREATION .

 

The Mantra KLIM is Kamraja (giver of complete fulfilment) leading to achievement

of DESIRES.

 

While SAUH is the Shakta mantra depicting Moksha or LIBERATION .

 

------ Virendra Qazi, Delhi.

 

 

Sri Janaardana Kalianandaswami <baba108 wrote:

>From Japa Yoga:

A Comprehensive Treatise on Mantra-Sastra

 

Swami Sivananda, The Divine Life Society, India, 1992, pp94-99.

 

A Bija-Akshara is a seed-letter. It is a very powerful Mantra. Every

Devata has his or her own Bija-Akshara. The greatest of all Bija-

Aksharas is OM or Pranava, for it is the symbol of the Para-Brahman

or the Paramatman Himself. OM contains within itself all the other

Bija-Aksharas. OM is the general source or the common seed from

which all the particular sounds or secondary seeds proceed. The

letters of the alphabet are only emanations from OM which is the

root of all sounds and letters. There is no Mantra superior to or

greater than OM. OM, as it pronounced ordinarily, is an outward

gross form of the real subtle inaudible state of sound which is

called the Amatra or the immeasurable fourth transcendental state.

As the various Devatas are the aspects or forms of the One Supreme

Being, so the various Bija-Aksharas or Bija-Mantras are so many

aspects or forms of the Supreme Bija or Mantra, viz., OM. Even the

letters 'A', 'U' and 'M' do not really give the transcendental or

original state of sound. Even this triliteral sound is only an

expression or manifestation of the highest primal Dhvani or

vibration. The transcendental sound of OM is heard only by Yogins

and not by the ordinary ear. In the correct pronunciation of OM the

sound proceeds from the navel, with a deep and harmonious vibration,

and gradually manifests itself by stages at the upper part of the

nostrils where the Anusvara or the Chandrabindu is sounded.

 

Generally a Bija-Mantra consists of a single letter. Sometimes it

constitutes several syllables. For example, the Bija-Mantra 'Kam'

has a single letter with the Anusvara or the Chandrabindu which

forms termination of all Bija-Mantras. In the Chandrabindu, Nada and

Bindu are blended together. Some Bija-Mantras are made up of

compound letters, such as the Mantra 'Hreem'. The Bija-Mantras have

a significant inner meaning and often do not convey any meaning on

their face. Their meaning is subtle, mystic. The form of the Bija-

Mantra is the form of the Devata signified by it.

 

The Bijas of the five Mahabhutas or great elements, i.e., of the

Devatas or the presiding intelligences of the elements, viz., Ether,

Air, Fire, Water and Earth, are respectively Ham, Yam, Ram, Vam and

Lam. The meanings of a few Bija-Mantras are given here, to serve as

examples.

 

OM

OM consists of three letters: 'A', 'U' and 'M'. It signifies the

three periods of time, the three states of consciousness, the entire

existence. 'A' is the waking state or Virat and Visva. 'U' is the

dreaming state of Hiranyagarbha and Taijasa. 'M' is the sleeping

state or Isvara and Prajna. Study the Mandukyopanishad in detail in

order to understand the meaning of OM.

 

HAUM

In this Mantra, Ha is Siva. Au is Sadasiva. The Nada and Bindu mean

that which dispels sorrow. With this Mantra Lord Siva should be

worshipped.

 

DUM

Here Da means Durga. U means to protect. Nada means the mother of

the universe. Bindu signifies action (worship or prayer). This is

the Mantra of Durga.

 

KREEM

With this Mantra Kalika should be worshipped. Ka is Kali. Ra is

Brahman. Ee is Mahamaya. Nada is the mother of the universe. Bindu

is the dispeller of sorrow.

 

HREEM

This is the Mantra of Mahamaya or Bhuvanesvari. Ha means Siva. Ra is

Prakriti. Ee means Mahamaya. Nada is the mother of the universe.

Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow.

 

SHREEM

This is the Mantra of Mahalakshmi. Sa is Mahalakshmi. Ra means

wealth. Ee means satisfaction or contentment. Nada is Apara or the

manifested Brahman or Isvara. Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow.

 

AIM

This is the Bija-Mantra of Sarasvati. Ai means Sarasvati. Bindu

means the dispeller of sorrow.

 

KLEEM

This is the Kamabija. Ka means the Lord of desire (Kamadeva). Ka may

also mean Krishna. La means Indra. Ee means contentment or

satisfaction. Nada and Bindu mean that which brings happiness and

sorrow.

 

HOOM

In this Mantra, Ha is Siva. U is Bhairava. Nada is the Supreme.

Bindu means the dispeller of sorrow. This is the threefold Bija of

Varma of armour (coat of mail).

 

GAM

This is the Ganesha-Bija. Ga means Ganesha. Bindu means the

dispeller of sorrow.

 

GLAUM

This also is a Mantra of Ganesha. Ga means Ganesha. La means that

which pervades. Au means lustre or brilliance. Bindu means the

dispeller of sorrow.

 

KSHRAUM

This is the Bija of Narasimha. Ksha is Narasimha. Ra is Brahma. Au

means with teeth pointing upwards. Bindu means the dispeller of

sorrow.

 

There are, like these, many other Bija-Mantras which signify various

Devatas. 'Vyaam' is the Bija of Vyasa-Mantra, 'Brim' of Brihaspati-

Mantra and 'Raam' of Rama-Mantra.

 

SRI VIDYA

Sri-Vidya is the great Mantra of Tripurasundari or Bhuvanesvari or

Mahamaya. It is also called the Panchadasi or the Panchadasakshari,

for it is formed of fifteen letters. In its developed form it

consists of sixteen letters and is called Shodasi or the

Shodasakshari. The aspirant should directly get initiation of this

Mantra from a Guru, and should not start reading it for himself or

doing Japa of it, of his own accord. This is a very powerful Mantra

and, when it is not properly repeated, it may harm the Upasaka. So

it is imperative that it should be got directly from a Guru who has

got Siddhi of this Mantra.

 

The general rule is that this Mantra (Sri-Vidya) should be repeated

after one's passing through certain stages of self-purification

through other Mantras. In the beginning a Purascharana of Ganesa-

Mantra should be done. Then Purascharanas of Gayatri-Mantra, Maha-

Mrityunjaya-Mantra and Durga-Mantra (Vaidika or Tantrika) have to be

done. After this the Panchadasakshari and the Shodasakshari have to

be taken up for Japa.

 

The Bija-Mantras and the Sri-Vidya should not be repeated by those

who are not well acquainted with them. Only those who have a very

good knowledge of the Sanskrit language and who have been directly

initiated by a Guru (who has Mantra-Siddhi) can take up the Japa of

Bija-Mantras and the Sri-Vidya. Others should not approach these

Mantras and should do only their own Ishta-Mantras which are easy to

pronounce and remember.

 

 

 

 

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