Buddhism is one of the most followed religions in the world. The teaching of Buddhism was started by Lord Buddha, and he showed the path of non-violence and peace. There are many teachings that Lord Buddha taught to the world and people who follow the path of Buddhism follow today. Among the many teaching that Buddhist follow is Brahmavihara.
Brhamavihara is considered the noblest emotion in Buddhism. There are 4 of the emotions in total and together they are known as chat Brahmavihara. Brahmavihara is made of two words Brahma which means the supreme or the creator and Varaha means to dwell or to live. We all feel lots of emotions and feelings, from negative to average to positive emotions there are all sorts of them. However, Buddhism says that among the emotions there are 4 which are the noblest and one must live life with those emotions.
The 4 chatu Brahmavihara are as follows: Metta (Loving-kindness), Karuna(compassion), Mudita (joy with others), and finally Uppekaha(equanimity).
Let us discuss the four emotions in detail.
Metta (Loving-kindness)
Metta is the first of the four Brahmavihara. It means loving and kindness. We are human beings, and we live in a society that is constructed by many people. Some are related to us by our blood, some by friendship, and some are unrelated to us. We feel strong love and affection towards those who are close to us and related to us. As the relationship gets longer the love and affection decrease.
Most humans love those closest to them and have little to no kindness and affection towards others. However, even if the animals love those who are related to them by blood then what difference remains between the animals and the conscious beings of us humans.
Metta of the Brahmavihara says that one needs to have love and kindness towards each and every one. In this world everyone is different not just by physical appearance but different also by behavior, way of thinking, knowledge, and so on. Some are characterized by their noble actions and good work, while others are known for their bad behavior and heinous acts. The one with noble emotion should see all of them equally and have love and kindness for all of them.
Karuna (Compassion)
Karuna or compassion is second of the 4 Brahmavihara. Compassion is one of the greatest gifts one can have as a conscious being. Compassion is the ability to feel and understand what another person is going through, generally compassionate people are able to feel and more importantly understand the pain another individual is going through. Like love and kindness, compassion is also reserved for the one close to us and not for all people and animals for most of us.
Lord Buddha himself is known for his compassion. He was compassionate to each and every one. When people have the gift of compassion instead of judging people can understand them. One can even look at the people who are thieves differently when they have compassion within them. Instead of getting angry at the one who stole one can understand what circumstances led them to do such an act. Lord Buddha himself praised the virtue of compassion as it is the root cause of various other good emotions and virtues.
Mudita (joy with others)
Mudita is the third of the 4 Brahmavihara. Mudita is the joy of others. This emotion is the reverse of jealousy, envy, and greed. We are all living our lives and have something different at our table of life than others. Some are good at their careers, while some have a good family life, and some are good at their studies.
Nobody has everything and everybody has something. In some aspects family and friends may be progressing a lot more than you. One needs to be happy for the progress of all and not just themselves. When people have joy with all others and not just by their achievements and progress of themselves then they will be forever happy. While in the opposite situation when one gets jealous of the progress and joy of other people will be forever unhappy and sad.
Upekkha(equanimity)
Upekkha is the last of the Brahmavihara. It is equanimity, meaning calmness and balance. It is said that we are more responsible for not what happens to us but how we react to what happens to us and that is what matters really. One needs to be always emotionally calm and composed. The individual who is able to keep himself calm and composed in every situation can see the world better and see the whole picture. When one is not emotionally composed than that individual can be manipulated by other individuals very easily.
Everyone cannot be emotionally composed each and every time. Sometimes one’s emotion gets out of the way due to various factors. It is hard to be emotionally stable with the one who has hurt you and caused many problems. However, it is best to be in a balanced state rather than in an emotionally disturbed state.
Being in a state of equanimity also aids one to get rid of the temptation and provocations of various kinds. One may face these situations at various points in life and be in a state of equanimity will aid you each and every time.
Hinduism is one of the greatest religions in the world. More than 2 billion people around the globe follow it. In Hinduism, there are many gods and goddesses and according to mythology, they bear many responsibilities to run the world. There are many sub-branches among the main branch of Hinduism, they may follow different paths. Some are remarkably similar and there is hardly any difference between them while some are extremely diverse without many similarities.
There are many duties to run the universe and some gods take the bigger duties while some have minor duties compared to others but all play a significant role to run the world as we know it. The goddess of wealth is Laxmi, the god of creation is Brahma, the goddess of knowledge is Sarswati and likewise, the god of Tantra is Bhairav.
Tantra
Tantra is a sacred and arcane tradition that is practiced in the southern part of Asia. These traditions are deeply rooted in both Hinduism and Buddhism. They are practices that are not for everyone and are believed to have mystical abilities. The practices of Tantra are very ancient and are believed to have been formed from the 1st millennium CE onwards in the anciently Indian civilization.
However, this is a speculation based on some findings and scriptures. However, some other archeologists and historians disagree with this and provide other proof against this. Whatever the case it is certain that the practice of Tantra is very ancient and was formed hundreds of years of age if not thousands.
In Hinduism, the god of Tantra is called Bhairav. Bhairav the god of Tantra is one form of Shiva which is also believed to be the most fearsome and dangerous form of the god. Other goddesses and deities are also worshipped to get mastery over the various aspects of Tantra, however, in the center of the Tantric rituals is still the playground of Bhairav hence he is called the god of Tantra.
Tantra and mantra
Tantra is performed by various means. Some actions lead to the performance of Tantra. For example, certain actions, certain postures, or certain ingredients. However, among all of these the closest connection Tantra has with more than others is Mantra.
Mantra is the ancient verses, that are said to have supernatural abilities and need to be chanted certain too many times to get mastery over it. There are many kinds of mantras some are common and can be chanted by everyone. Some are esoteric and only certain people know and can get mastery over the mantra. The mantras of the god of tantra and the goddesses of tantra are also esoteric and also unique to the group of individuals.
The use of Mantra to start the practice of tantra or to even please the god of tantra, the mantras are used. The mantra is used not just in Buddhism or in only Hinduism, both religions use the unique sacred mantras for the procedure of Tantra.
The use of Mantra in the process of Tantra in Hinduism is called Mantra Marga. It is a Sanskrit word and translates to the way of the Mantra. In Buddhism, it is called Mantra Yana (The vehicle of mantra) and Guhya mantra (the Secret Mantra).
Bhairav- The god of Tantra
Now, let us look at the origin of the god of Tantra.
As we have already discussed Bhairav- the god of Tantra is one of the many forms of Lord Shiva. It is also said that this is the most fearsome form of the god, who holds the capacity to destroy each and everything.
When the universe was new and there was nothing, Vishnu appeared and from the naval of the god sprouted a cosmic lotus and after some time from the lotus Lord Brahma appeared. Lord Brahma was born with 5 heads and was the creator of each and everything. In the beginning, due to his role as the creator, Brahma thought of himself as the superior among the three trinity Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
At first, Brahma was only arrogant with his role as the creator. However, as time passed more arrogance grew inside him. He now thought that the other two gods among the trinities need to respect him. After some time, he started avoiding his duties to the universe and after this obstructed the path for Shiva and Vishnu. This was enough and Shiva to teach Brahma the lesson, took the form of Bhairav-The god of tantra for the first time.
Bhairav went to where Brahma was and plucked out one of the 5 heads of Brahma with his bare hands. We can still see one head on the hand of the idols and pictures of Bhairav. It is the same head of Brahma that the god of Tantra had pulled. After, this incident Lord Brahma was left with 4 heads while at the beginning he had 5 heads. After, getting one of his heads being plucked out Brahma also regained his consciousness and started doing his duty rightfully.
Other Mythologies surrounding the god of Tantra
Looking at the chronological order of the appearance of the three trinities and the creation of the other gods and the entire universe the conflict with Brahma was the first time of appearance of the god of Tantra. However, this was not the last of the appearance of the god of Tantra. Among the various time to come there were various conflicts and situations where Lord Shiva had to take his fearsome form now and then.
There are many incidences of the reemergence of the god of Tantra, however among those times, the most notable was when Mahadevs wife Sati sacrificed herself on the holy fire of Yagya.
Sati was the first wife of Shiva. However, Shiva was hated by Sati’s father for his way of living and appearance. One-time Dakshya father of Sati organized a grand Yagya and invited everyone in the universe except Sati and Mahadev. When Sati found out about this she went to her father’s house and asked him why he did so. He replied that he did not invite her because if he did her husband will also come with her and he did not want Shiva in his sight. This deeply pained Sati and unable to bear the pain that came from the disrespect of her husband she sacrificed herself.
When Shiva found out about the death of his beloved wife and found out the cause he was filled with sadness and rage. Shiva once again took the form of mighty Bhairav to punish Dakshya for his heinous act.
The appearance of Bhairav-The god of Tantra
The appearance of Bhairav mainly depends upon his name. There are many types of Bhairav and their look may differ according to who they are. However, despite the name and some characters, some characters are common to all of them. The god of Tantra is popular for fierce and dangerous looks. Bhairav is depicted as a big man which has a huge body and four hands. One handhold the head of Brahma, another hand holds a trident, another holds a drum and the other one holds a noose. Sometimes he is also depicted as Digambar (One who does not wear clothes).
He has big scary eyes and a big mouth with large teeth that are coming out of the mouth. Bhairav also has one eye in a vertical position on his forehead. Bhairav rides a dog and the dog is also very fierce in appearance with large teeth and body.
Forms of Bhairav- The god of Tantra
There are many forms of Bhairav and their appearance also mostly depends on their form. In total there are 64 Bhairav’s. These 64 Bhairav’s all fall under 8 categories and each of the 8 categories has one major Bhairav which oversees them. These 8 Bhairav are also called the Ashtanga Bhairav and they all look after the 8 directions of the universe respectively.
The people of Nepal also celebrate various forms of Bhairab. Especially the residents of Kathmandu who perform various Jatra and celebrations for the god of Tantra. The most interesting thing many may not know about Kathmandu is that alongside the living goddess Kumari, which most people know there is living Bhairav also which many people may not know about.
A child born at right time under the right constellations is chosen as Bhairav and he will have to live by certain rules and regulations. Also, he will be worshipped by the locals in various ceremonies and will be the Bhairav before he becomes mature and it is the time for the new Bhairav to take his place.
There are many forms of Bhairav in Kathmandu valley, the god of Tantra is worshipped in many forms. Kaal Bhairav in Basantapur, Swet Bhairav in Basantapur, Akash Bhairav, are some of the popular forms of Bhairav in Kathmandu valley. People of Kathmandu believe that Swet Bhairav among this is the most dangerous form of Lord Shiva. There is a beautiful and magnificent idol of the god of Tantra in Basantapur as Kaal Bhairav. The idol of Swet Bhairav also can be seen near Kaal Bhairav.
The god of Tantra and Tantra
Tantra is a power that people believe to be supernatural. It is to the point that some individuals that have no idea about Tantra and only have surface knowledge fear them as the magic and rituals that can harm them. Yes, some individuals use Tantra like that after getting siddhi of Tantra from the god of Tantra Bhairav and other goddesses. However, that is not the intention of tantra as well as the god of Tantra. Tantra is the ability attained by mastering various aspects of mantra and natural energy and channeling them through the body to achieve certain goals.
Bhairav is worshipped to attain various power of tantra in various forms. The scope of Tantra is wide as well as the forms of Bhairav, various rituals, and various forms provide the knowledge and mastery of the various abilities and siddhis. In some rituals or we can even say in specific rituals the god of Tantra is worshipped alone, however, the god of tantra is also paired with the goddess for various rituals. In some rituals, the combination of the specific form of Bhairav with a specific goddess will result in the obtaining of the desired Siddhi.
The Tantric goddess and their relation with the god of Tantra
The tantric goddess can grant both Mukti and bhukti, and are sources of all energy even the source of energy of Bhairav. The wife of Mahadev is Devi Parvati who is sometimes also called Devi Shakti, she is the energy of Shiva which took the feminine form to assist him in his duties to the world. When Shiva takes the Bhairav form as the god of tantra the goddess Parvati also takes the form of various goddesses, yoginis, and deities to assist him in his duties.
The exact number of manifestations of the goddess is not exact as some sources say that the goddess has countless forms. However, one text tells that there are 1008 names of the various forms of the goddess. All these goddesses can be categorized into two parts the invincible goddess and the benevolent goddess.
The invincible goddesses are the warrior form of the goddess. They have a high combat ability and can defeat anyone in war. They have various weapons in their hands and protect their devotees from demons and bad elements. To attain the various abilities of Tantra these goddesses are also worshiped. However, it is said that to attain the siddhi of the invincible goddess is extremely hard as they are in their high energy form and not everyone can bear the energy. Only one with high tantric energy and power can do so.
The benevolent goddess is the calm form of the goddess. They symbolize the feminine part of the female energy. They are very merciful, are in a calm and composed state, are incredibly beautiful, and touch the aspects like motherhood, wealth, and providing boon.
The god of tantra Bhairav in his various form is paired with these goddesses. There are thousands of rituals as well as thousands of forms of manifestations of the god and the goddess. It takes a lifetime to learn all the Siddhis of Tantra and even that is not enough. Tantric (Ones who dedicate their entire life learning tantra and Tantric practices) are the ones who in their lifetime attain many forms of Tantra and can harness the true power of tantra and tantric rituals. Only the true union between the god of tantra and the goddess of tantra gives rise to the true power of tantra.
Our life is very mysterious. Human beings are the dominant species of the planet. They are the dominant species of the planet because they have the sense of their consciousness and have higher intelligence which is unique to their species. The primary purpose of the other animals on the planet is finding food, surviving, and reproduction.
These are the main goal of every living being no matter if they are big or small, singular, or multicellular, and so on. Even the biological goal of humans is the same o find food, survive and reproduce. No matter the animal or species if it is alive the biology in them compels them to complete these tasks there is no other option. If they are alive, they will try to complete these goals above others and humans are no exceptions to these goals.
However, the consciousness and intelligence among humans make them special and the only exception to these rules. The consciousness gives them the ability to have other goals rather than biological goals. They have social goals, spiritual goals, and other many things. The Hindu scriptures describe these goals as the Purushartha of life. According to the Upanishads and scriptures, the Purushartha of life is something every human should have the knowledge about and try to pursue in life.
The human consciousness
The human consciousness is one of the mysteries of the world. Nobody certainly knows why we are the only species to have it. There are many speculations and theories on why we are what we are? Some of these theories are linked with mythology while some are told by scientific research and theories. Some of these theories hold above others and are much believable while some are the most absurd things one can imagine and looks like a fragment of fiction.
Most of the answers provided by the mythologies tilt towards one point. They say that humans were meant to be special and be the dominant species of the planet. That is the reason we were made special. Looking at this answer one needs to wonder as it is true. Not only we have been gifted with the most amazing mind we also have been gifted the most amazing body.
A body that can learn and adapt to swimming and that can adapt to various climates, is omnivorous and other many amazing things. Are we made by the gods and were meant to be special and gifted with intelligence and consciousness? Nobody knows for sure and no one can officially confirm nor deny the fact that we were created by God and made to be special among other species.
Science and scientists have a different take on the ability of human beings. According to science, humans and their ability is the product of the evolution of millions of years. The humans of the initial period were hugely different than the humans that are now. As time changes the human-focused more on their intelligence and brainpower developing it the way it is today. Various archeological findings and other research also support their theory. Furthermore, the developed thinking ability of the other species that are closer to us genetically than the other species of the planet further proves this point.
What comes with consciousness?
Humans are the only beings with such high intelligence on the planet. That is the very reason the lifestyle of humans very much differs from the other species. This consciousness also adds many things to our menu. While the other species without higher forms of intelligence have nothing more to do than find food, find a mate, and be alive humans have much more to do.
Humans do many things in theory day time like fulfilling the basic needs, entertainment, and pursuing other goals that enhance the quality of their life. However, other than these goals the Hindu culture describes the Purushartha of life. The Purushartha of life is the ultimate goal in life that humans need to pursue.
Mating, finding food, and surviving are the things that are done by every species all are coded in their genetics to do so. Even the unicellular organisms with no higher function do so. Now, if the humans also do only this much activity. What is the use of having the most advanced brain on the planet? What is the use of having consciousness and higher intelligence than others?
The Purushartha of life is what we get with the higher form of intelligence we have. The Purushartha of life is what should be the basis of every action of human beings. According to the Hindu scriptures and texts, the Purushartha of life is something that the best of the people follows and live by its rules. It is true as the Purushartha of life is the novel acts which is not beneficial to the one who follows but for the people around him and the entire world for that matter.
There are four Purushartha of life. They are as follows:
Dharma
Artha
Kama
Moksha
Now let us discuss the four Purushartha of life in detail.
Dharma
Dharma is the first of the four Purushartha of life. Dharma is the vast world and the actual meaning of Dharma cannot be translated into one word. The word can be interpreted into many things and can also be described as many things. However, that may be the case but it is something that everyone needs to follow and live by.
The right thing to do, the novel act and the duty that one needs to live in their life is Dharma. Dharma is described in many books and scriptures of Hindu mythology. Also, the role of Dharma is very great in the stories of Hindu mythology. The gods incarnate in the human to preserve Dharma, the hero fights and defeats the villain to preserve dharma, the mythologies tell the story to preserve Dharma.
The Hindu scriptures say that everything in their universe has their Dharma. It is the novel duty that is assigned to them. Without everyone and everything following the Dharma, the world cannot run. Even the nonliving things have their Dharma and they must follow it as it is the universal rule that even they cannot break.
The Dharma of the sun is to provide warmth and life to the living beings of the earth. The Dharma of the earth is provided food and provide a home to living beings. The dharma of the plant is to grow from the seeds and provide fruit and shade to the living beings. As we can see everyone has the Dharma. As humans were made as the most special in the world their Dharma and the duty to the world is much more than the other in this world.
The Dharma of the humans according to the Purushartha of life is to love and care for everyone. Humans are only with the ability to have compassion for others and it is their Dharma to make the world better for all living beings.
In every Yug, the Dharma is said to be disturbed by the one who does evil acts and harms others in harmony. They disturb the peace on the earth. Then Lord Vishnu comes into the earth in many forms to establish peace and maintain the Dharma again.
Dharma is the first and the most important among the Purushartha of life.
Artha
Artha is the second of the four Purushartha of life. Artha is the Sanskrit word and meaning when it is translated to English it becomes meaning. The second Purushartha of life is the means of life. What is the Artha or means in life? Like the Dharma, this Purushartha of life Artha also has a broad meaning and spectrum. What are the means of our life? The answer is everyone can have the means of their life and that is the beauty of it. However, the basic means of the life of the people may remain the same.
In our life, everybody needs the means to live and adjust to society. The means that we possess in our life depends on many things. Like what profession we are involved in, which country we live in, how much education we have, and what skill we have in our life. The one certain thing is that the means in this are not equally distributed.
The means may include wealth, food, opportunities, prosperity, economic stability, and similar things. These are the things that are not well distributed and this system sometimes feels unfair. Some by birth get the resources one dreams to achieve and work all life to get it. The distribution is unfair and the Purushartha of life tells to share the resources with those who do not have enough. The Purushartha of life also tells us to accumulate wealth and means by walking the path of Dharma and not Adharma.
Kama
The Kama is the third of the four Purushartha of life. Kama means physical and sensual pleasures. The Kama sometimes is mistranslated and often related to only the pleasure of the body and sexual activities. Sexual actions most of the time are seen as vulgar and something that should not be discussed. However, this is extremely far from the truth. Aside from pleasure and desire the sexual activities are also the means of reproduction. To be on point the primary purpose of sexual activities is to give birth to new life and continue the cycle of life.
Nobody is immortal in this world. One who has taken birth in this world has to leave it at one point some fast some a little bit longer. The activities of the Kama give birth to the new life to keep the earth populated and the life running. It is something without which we as a race cannot continue and every human living is the product of it. The Kama Purushartha of life does not only include sexual activities but all the emotions and feelings like pleasure, passion, emotion, wish, and other similar emotions.
The Kama is also a form of love, without the activities of the Kama the activities of the love between two partners cannot continue. The activities of the Kama between the individuals with proper consent and emotions and feelings are the true definition of love between two partners. According to the Purushartha of life, the activities of Kama should be inside the boundary of the Dharma.
Moksha
Moksha is the final of the four Purushartha of life. It is the final and the most complex among the four of the Purushartha of life. Moksha is something every soul wishes to get but only a few enlightened ones can get the taste of the true Moksha. Moksha when translated to English is liberation and enlightenment.
According to the Hindu texts and scriptures, we are primarily the soul more than the body. The soul is immortal energy that is giving life to the body and is immortal. The body grows old and dies but the soul like the cloth changes the body. We are currently in the body and at one point we will change this body as we changed the previous body to get into this one. Like this, the cycle of birth growth and ultimately death continues and keeps ongoing. Only the one who can attain Moksha can get freed from this cycle of life and death then attain the true energy form that we all are destined to become once we attain Moksha.
As we had talked about earlier Moksha is something every soul desire but not everyone can attain it. According to Hindu scriptures, there are many ways to attain Moksha, even harnessing the true power of Yoga gives the ability to attain true Moksha according to the book Shiva Shamita. There may be many ways to the destination of Moksha but only with the strength of Dharma, love, compassion, knowledge is someone able to walk the path to achieving enlightenment.
According to the texts and books, Moksha is the highest form of bliss one can feel in their life. It is right there and everyone can achieve it but they need the strength to achieve self-realization and attain the true knowledge of the world which is behind the Maya of this world.
Significance of Chanting Beej mantra and its effects
Mantras are the sacred texts, words, syllable that are written in holy texts and have been chanted from ancient times. Mantras are of diverse types with each of them having different characters. There are many some praise gods and goddess, some are for planets, and some are even for the chakras in the body. Some are exceptionally long; some are short and some are limited to single word. The single word mantra is called the Beej mantra.
By Chanting Beej mantra one can get the essence of deity itself. The mantra is condensed to a core form with its purest form and highest density of power. Chanting of Beej mantra for some objective is or for deity pleasing has been done for thousands of years.
Mantra are generally chanted to praise or please the deity or elements to grant the desired boon or favorable situation. In the world with so many people some believe in those chanting’s and keep on doing that, while some do not believe in them. Either by the intervention of cosmic deity or by the confidence granted by the chanting, mantras work in mysterious ways.
Beej when translated into English from Sanskrit is seed. Like with the plants seed is its most potent part, an extension of all of the existence of plant into a little mass. We cannot call seed a whole tree as, tree is ridiculously huge has leaves, bark roots on the other hand seed in small and insignificant compared to the tree. However, looking from another perspective a tree needs to grow be mature, spend years under the sky day and night just to be able to produce seed. Withstand numerous pressures, storm absorb, amassing nutrients just to be able to be produce seeds. A seed is a plant, it is the core of life that the plant passes.
Seed is the core of the plant, likewise Beej mantra is the core mantra of the deity with greatest spiritual powers. The massive mantras, texts are drawn miniaturized, condensed into few words or a single word. The words represent the whole texts, mantras and possess same amount of spiritual capacity. By Chanting Beej mantra of the specific deity one can impress them and get the required boon as well as boost their spirituality.
Beej mantra necessarily cannot be translated into anything. They do not mean any object, does not praise the deity but is the deity itself in the sound form. The immense power bestowed in just their chanting, the miracles they perform, how they work in the unseen ways, how they go beyond comprehension it is all because of that very reason.
Various gods have various Beej mantras. Some of the biggest Beej mantras are as follows:
Shreem
Shreem is the Beej mantra of goddess Laxmi. By Chanting Beej mantra of goddess Laxmi one can get wealth and happiness bestowed in their life.
Aim
Sarswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and art. Aim is the Beej mantra of the goddess. By Chanting Beej mantra Aim one gets gifted knowledge, confidence, music talent, art, and many other things.
Gam
Gam is the Beej mantra of Lord Ganesh. Lord Ganesh is the son of Lord shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is the god of good luck and prosperity. By Chanting Beej mantra of the god one can get good luck and prosperous life gifted to them.
There are thousands of gods in Hindu religion and have thousands of Beej mantra. Each Beej mantra have specific purpose and specific character when chanted. Not only of gods and goddess but there are Beej mantra to balance chakras in our body. There are total of 7 main chakras in our body with specific purpose and specific location in our body.
The Beej mantra for the seven main chakras in our bodies are as follows
Lam
Lam is the Beej mantra for the root chakra. When Lam is chanted the root chakra in your body get cleansed. The root chakra is depicted by the lotus with four petals. Lam is the first Beej mantra and can do many wonders to you if used correctly. The rood chakra is symbolized by the red ruby color. The location of the root chakra is the base of the spine.
Root chakra strengthens our base and keep us linked to the earth. As we know earth is the mother of all the living beings living here and source of the energy within all of us. Our root charka is the chakra that connects it with it, so for our wellbeing the chakra always needs to be unblocked and steady. Spine, legs, feet are the organs in our body that acts as the core for the root chakra. By Chanting Beej mantra Lam the root energy gets higher and balanced more than ever.
Beej mantra is one crucial element to enhance the root energy. However, other factors can also improve the root chakra in your body. Yoga, leg exercise, meditation, any ground activities along with Beej mantra can immensely enhance your root chakra.
By Chanting Beej mantra Lam one can do following things in their lives: – Financial well being -High self-esteem is also aided to gain by Lam Beej mantra – Physical well-being and safety of the body -Ability to turn dream and goal into reality -Ahead in career and economic stability
Vam
Vam is the Beej mantra of the Sacral chakra. When Vam is chanted the saracal chakra is cleansed in your body. Vam like another Beej mantra does not mean anything and cannot be translated into anything. It is Lord Varun in the sound form itself. In Hindu culture Lord Varrun is the water element in the universe. Everything water in the world from seas to ocean, lakes to river everything is Varun. When Vam is chanted lord Varrun is pleased and Sacral chakra is cleansed.
The symbol of Vam or sacra chakra is crescent moon with white lotus made of six orange petals. This chakra is located between the navel and base of spine.
Chanting Beej mantra of Vam, one can gain many things in life. Vam Beej mantra has connection with various aspects in human life. By Chanting Beej mantra Vam one can gain following things: – Heal Sacral center physically as well as spiritually – Embrace the change in life and nature – Open up to others and provide confidence – Enhance creativity in a person – Improve the sexual life of the chanter – Vam is also chanted by yogis to achieve deep meditation
Ram
Ram is the 3rd chakra Beej mantra. It is the Beej mantra of solar plexus chakra. Solar plexus chakra becomes more active and cleansed when Ram is chanted. The symbol of Ram or solar plexus chakra is downward pointing triangle housed with the ten plated lotuses. The color of this chakra is yellow and is located over the stomach below the sternum. It is the center of personal power and center of digestion.
When Ram is chanted to awaken the solar plexus chakra various changes goes in you and your surroundings. It is not just mantra but a Beej mantra, it does not praise the god but is the deity itself in the sound form.
Chanting Beej mantra Ram, one can do various things.
Following are the changes that occur when solar plexus chakra is activated by Chanting Beej mantra ram: – Gives power and strength – Enhances personal power – Extinguish negative emotion and thoughts – Boost’s confidence and self-reliability – Provides freedom of choice and ability to stand for yourself in any situation
Yam
The fourth Beej mantra in the list is Yam. Yam is the Beej mantra of Heart. Heart becomes strong when the heart chakra is activated. One can easily activate the heart chakra by chanting Yam. The symbol of Yam is lotus with twelve green petals within which there are two triangles intersecting each other forming a star. The fourth chakra or heart chakra is symbolized by the green color, however sometimes pink is also used.
Yam is located at the center of the seven main chakra. It is located at the chest behind the sternum. Among other chakras Yam is special in a sense that heart chakra is the place where your physical body and spiritual body meets.
Chanting Beej mantra Yam, various things happen within yourself. Yam or the heart chakra is responsible for the various things in your life.
Following are changes that can occur through activating heart chakra and Chanting Beej mantra Yam:
Makes your love life better
Give strength to open your feelings
Make you more compassionate
Gives confidence to your feelings and love interests
Forgiving and becoming open for others
Knowing yourself and your desires in life
Ham
By Chanting Beej mantra Ham one can activate their throat chakra. Throat chakra is the fifth chakra among the seven important chakras in the body. The symbol of Ham is depicted as the lotus with sixteen petals, inside which there is a triangle pointed downwards within which is a full moon denoted by the circle. Blue color is used to symbolize the throat chakra.
Throat chakra is located at the neck region, around the Adams apple area. Ham is chanted to open the chakra in the throat region. Throat chakra is who you are in the voice form. The sound that you produce is your internal energy in the spiritual and physical form. We use our voice to express ourself to others, it is the main medium of expression oneself as communication with others. Our voice is governed by throat chakra and we can use Ham to strengthen it.
Following are the things that can happen by Chanting Beej mantra Ham in your lives:
– Gives power to your voice – Enhances your ability to express yourself to others – Makes easy to communicate your friends, family – Gives one power and courage to speak truth – Improves the communication energy flow within you – Creative expression of yourself to others – Lets everyone feel what you are from the inside through your voice
Aum
By Chanting Beej mantra Aum one can activate the third eye chakra. Third eye chakra is the sixth chakra among the seven important chakras in the body. The symbol of Aum is depicted as the lotus with two petals inside which is a triangle which has om inside it. Violet color is used to depict the third eye chakra. Third eye chakra is located at the forehead region between the two eyes. It is also known as the consciousness center of the body.
Aum or om is one of the most commonly used and widely known mantra. Aum is used for many purposes and for many deities. However, in the chakra awakening Aum is chanted to open the third eye chakra. The main target of the third eye chakra is the brain itself. Third eye governs brain, eyes, ears, and nose region. While it is active in all those regions it is most prominent and core in the forehead between the eyes.
Following are the things that can happen by Chanting Beej mantra Aum: – It supplies mental peace – Aids you to find purpose in life – Helps to find joy in life – Fills you with life energy – Makes you choose creative choices – Enhances your Life experiences
Om or Ah
It is the seventh chakra and last of the seven main chakras. By Chanting Beej mantra Aum one can activate their crown chakra. The symbol of crown chakra is depicted as the thousand petal lotus with various multi colors. Violet color is used to represent the crown chakra. As the name crown itself suggests, the crown chakra is located at the top of the head of the person.
By Chanting Beej mantra Om or Ah one can activate and enhance this chakra in their body. This chakra governs nervous system and brain of humans. This chakra is also called as the center of a person’s connection with spirituality.
Following are the things that can happen by Chanting Beej mantra Om or Ah:
-Establishes connection with the universe -Enhances the spirituality -Makes a person calmer and gentler -Frees you of the worldly desires -Gives mental and spiritual peace
Top 30 most powerful mantras for daily life with its meaning
Mantras are the word or phrases that are continuously chanted in daily lives, to meditate, to focus or impress gods and goddess. Mantra is a Sanskrit word, and there are thousands and thousands of mantras for various gods and goddess. Mantras before were used only by the Hindu peoples, however by the widespread of yoga and Vedic knowledge around the world. The use of mantras is wide spread.
30 most powerful mantras for daily life are:
Om
Om is one of the most prominent words of Hindu religion. The word Om means, Para brahma the ultimate soul who is the universe itself. Om itself is a mantra while also used in other mantra phrases as well.
Om nama shivaya
It is one of the powerful mantras. It means I bow down to lord shiva. Lord shiva is the male energy of the universe and the destroyer,
Om gan ganapatye namo nama
It is one of the most powerful mantras of lord Ganesh. Its meaning is I present my greeting to lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles.
Om namo bhagvate vasudevaya
It is one of the powerful mantras of lord Vishnu. It is a Sanskrit chanting and it means om, I bow to lord Vishnu, Vasudeva.
Om shanti
Om shanti is one of powerful mantras for peace. Shanti means peace in Sanskrit, together with om it is calling the eternal one to deliver peace to us.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna is used to glorify the define power of lord Krishna. It is one of the most powerful mantras of lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is avatar of lord Vishnu.
Om mane padme hum
It is ancient and powerful mantras of Buddhist. It translates in English to praise to the jewel in lotus. It can be used in daily life to attain confidence, peace, and stability.
Hanuman chalisa
Hanuman chalisa is mantra of lord hanuman. Lord hanuman is known as the vanquisher of evil and bad things. When chanted hanuman chalisa, one of most powerful mantras of lord hanuman grants you strength to go through anything.
Saraswati Vandana
Saraswati Vandana is chanted to please goddess Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge and music. It is one of the powerful mantras of goddess Saraswathi.
Hari om
Hari is another name of lord Vishnu. Hari om is chanted to purify the body, soul, and mind of the one who chants it.
Guru Vandana
Guru Vandana is chanted to praise the teacher and realize their importance in life. Guru is regarded and brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh in Hinduism.
So hum
So, hum is Sanskrit mantra, it translates to I am. I am, prepares your subconscious as I am enough, I am good, I am becoming who I want.
Kubera mantra
Kubera mantra is one of the most powerful mantras for money and prosperity. When chanted lord kuber blesses you with wealth and good fortune.
Rudra mantra
Rudra manta is another powerful shiva mantra. Om namo bhagwate rudraay is when chanted is called Rudra mantra.
Laxmi Vandana
Laxmi Vandana is chanted to impress goddess Laxmi. In Hinduism goddess Laxmi is the universal goddess of wealth. She can grant you anything that you desire.
Shiv Dhyan mantra
It is one of the most powerful mantras of lord shiva used for meditation. It is chanted to ask forgiveness from lord shiva for all the knowing and unknowingly committed sins in life.
Vakratunda mantra
Vakratunda is the mantra of lord Ganesh. Vakratunda mantra translates, the god with big body and curved trunk please make my life obstacle free.
Maha Mrityunjay mantra
Maja Mrityunjay is one of the most powerful mantras there is. It is believed to be so powerful it even helps to evade death. Mrityunjay literally transfers to the conqueror of death.
Om Gajanan aye nama
Om Gajanan aye nama translates to one who carries elephant head. It is chanted to impress lord Ganesh and is one of his most powerful mantras.
Om Lambodaraye nama
Om Lambodaraye nama means, I bow down to one who have big round belly. It is another powerful mantras of lord Ganesh.
Laxmi kubera mantra
Laxmi kubera mantra is chanted to impress lord kuber and goddess Laxmi. Laxmi is the goddess of wealth and kuber is the distributor of that wealth.
Lotus sutra mantra
It is a powerful Buddhist mantra. It is chanted to attain peace ane means, everyone has the potential to become enlightened.
Om suryae nama
It is chanted in the morning to please lord sun. It energizes your body, and means glory to lord sun.
Om namo Narayana
It means I bow down to almighty Vishnu. It simple yet one of most powerful mantras of lord Vishnu.
Vishnu sahasranama
Not a mantra but they are the collection of 108 names of lord Vishnu. When chanted they bring peace to mind, health to body and freedom to spirit.
Maa Durga dhyana mantra
Durga dhyana mantra praises goddess Durga. It translated I bow down to the supreme power. If chanted will please the goddess and happiness is provided to the chanter.
Hare Ram
It translates to divine power of lord ram. When chanted it grants peace and power to the chanter.
Sashankhachakram
It translates to bow down to the one who is holding the conch and chakra. It is one of most powerful mantras of lord Vishnu.
Shakti mantra
It is the mantra dedicated to the divine feminine mother of the universe. When chanted mother shakti grants the chanter with energy, blessing, and strength.
Gayatri mantra
It is one of the most powerful mantras there is. It is dedicated to the eternal creator and contains much power in its verses. It is chanted to fill your life with happiness and prosperity.
A mantra is a distinctive collection of words that has religious and spiritual significance. When mantras are recited in harmony, they create a soothing effect on the human mind and body. In most of the cases, we hear mantras in religious ceremonies. However, there has been a growing trend of using mantras while practicing yoga too. With the help of this blog, we shall take a look into the various mantra in yoga.
1. WHAT IS MANTRA?
Like any yoga terminology, the word ‘Mantra’ is a Sanskrit word. It roughly translates to ‘vehicle of mind’. You might feel a bit lost so we shall explain the meaning to you. A mantra is any such word, sound, or phrase that aids in keeping the mind focused. Mantras are not only meant for religious purposes but they are useful in daily lives too. Also, it helps to reduce the noises in your mind.
2. HOW TO USE MANTRA IN YOGA PRACTICE?
Chanting mantras during the yoga practice is similar to the meditation practice. The demarcation lies in the fact that in yoga, you will be actively moving. You can use the mantras before starting yoga to solidify the idea that you are going to do a certain task. In the same way, reciting mantra while performing yoga makes the task easier and enthusiastic. The mantra in yogais an integral component that has unparalleled benefits.
3. IMPORTANCE OF MANTRAS IN YOGA PRACTICE
Here are some perks which chanting mantras provide:
It increases your concentration levels It enhances your mental awareness
It contributes to better physical conditioning
The sound from chanting mantras affect your thoughts, actions, and consciousness
The echoing sound of the mantra promotes better flow of energy inside the body
Now that you have understood the importance of incorporating mantra in yoga, let’s take a look at some mantras that you can use.
1. Om
As per Hindu mythology, Om was the first sound that was heard during the universe’s birth. When you chant each syllable with devotion, the energy moves from your body to the top of your head. The echoing sound unblocks the throat chakra and leaves you in a state of serenity.
2. Om Shanti Shanti
This mantra is a chant for peace. The prolonged version of this chant is sarvesham svastir bhavatu | sarvesham shantir bhavatu | sarvesham purnam bhavatu | sarvesham mangalam bhavatu. This mantra in yoga aims to promote inner peace and likewise, boosts the mental state.
3. Gayatri mantra
The Gayatri mantra is perhaps one of the oldest Sanskrit mantras. In Sanskrit, it sounds like Om bhur bhuvah svah | tat savitur varenyam | bhargo devasya dhimahi | dhiyo yo nah prachodayat. The objective behind reciting this mantra lies in the fact that it aims to unify the creations of God. They may have various forms but, in the end, they are one single soul.
4. Om gam ganapataye namah
This mantra is dedicated to Lord Ganesh. In Hindu mythology, Ganesh is the god of wisdom/success. Chanting this mantra provides the reciter confidence and energy to start a new task. This mantra in yoga sounds like Om gam ganapataye namah | vakra-tunda maha-kaya surya-koti-sama-prabha | nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva-karyeshu sarva-da |
5. Invocation to Patanjali
This mantra is a kind gesture to the founding father of yoga, Patanjali. It is normal to recite this mantra on the beginning of yoga as to provide homage to Patanjali. The mantra is a bit lengthy but here it goes: yogena chittasya padena vacham malam sharirasya cha vaidyakena | yo ’pakarottam pravaram muninam patanjalim pranjalir anato ’smi
6. Mangala mantra
The mangala mantra is a wonderful mantra in yoga that represents good fortune and auspiciousness. While practicing yoga, you can use this mantra to find tranquility. The mantra in Sanskrit is svasti prajabhyah paripalayantam nyayena margena Mahim mahishah | gobrahmanebhyah shubham astu nityam lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.
7. Sat Nam
The Sat Nam is mostly popular in the Kundalini yoga. This mantra is useful in finding your intuition. Also, it reinvigorates the sexual energy too. You shall chant Sat at least 8 times more than Nam. When you chant the mantra, it moves from the base of your spine to the center of your head.
These are the seven mantras that you can use to accentuate your yoga session. We hope that you will use them and achieve unsurmountable benefits.
