As we know that all of life is vibration; color, matter, energy
particles, even love has a vibration or feeling. The Vedas state that the
creation arises from the first sound of the universe, the primordial sound”
AUM”. The definition of mantras varies because there are so many types of
mantras such as Ayurvedic, astrological, deities, seed (bija) mantras, and the
like.
Many books of mantras exist as well. A special group of mantras is Guru
Mantras. Different Gurs use different mantras e.g. Aum, Aum Namah Shivay, hang
sah, and others use name symbols or deity mantras. It is believed any word that
Guru speaks to a person is mantras or awakeners of kundalini. If the Guru says
“eat an apple” that would be a mantra from the moment. Some Gurus use only
playing the music to realize the Divine. Some meditate on the Divine as
unmanifest, formless.
The sound itself belongs to the element ether, the origin of
all other elements. By calming or awaking the inner self through sound, a person
can calm, harmonize, and balance all the elements that are in his or her life.
According to Yoga Vani, “Guru Mantras is
that which saves us from the working of the mind. Thought or meditation vanishes
with the stopping of mental activities. With the stopping of mental
activities, yoga is attained, which is nothing but self concentration.”
Life breath- or soul (Kundalini Shakti)
is a mantra, the savior of the mind because the mind is the vibration of the life-breath. When the life-breath flows through the Sushumna (a mystical tube
within the spine) to the crown of the head, the mind becomes fixed in the Brahmarandhra, within the crown chakras (Sahararara), and it disappears,
becoming calm, peaceful or inactive, thus, the mantras are nothing but a breath of
life.
This life-breath when exhaled makes the sound ‘Hang’ and when inhaled, makes the
sound ‘Sah’. This mantra occurs in all creatures 21, 600 times daily over the
entire 24 hours period those of keen yogic awareness can actually hear this
sound. This Gayatri or mantra is known as ‘ajapa’ and is the giver of the salvation
of yogis. Gaytri originates at the Muladhara (base chakra) has a dot-like appearance and sustains the self.
Nada or sound evolves from this imperceptible
kundalini sprout. Yogis perceive this sound as a sprout from invisible seeds. As it moves to the navel, it can yogically be perceived as visible
rumbling, as it from the clouds. It then moves up to the heart as an unstruck
sound, and is finally heard in the throat so as to produce all sounds, alphabets,
sentences, mantras, scriptures, etc. so, all mantras emanate from nada or sound
originating from the first chakra. Generally, it is believed that one needs a Guru to enliven the word or mantra. Otherwise,
everyone could refer to a book or go to a religious service and feel the
awakening of life within. Some rare individuals, who have developed much
spiritual sincerity and earnestness, can enliven mantras for themselves, but
this is rare.
In
the importance of the mantra, it is
said that Mantra is the attribute and diety is the goal. Just as the term “Sun”
and its effulgence have a connection. Mantras and their deity have a relationship,
so the mantra and its diety have a connection. Mantra and its deity meditation
bring concentration through meditation, and the result is that the deity is
revealed in the Soul.