Reviving Hinduism VIII — Mantra, Tantra, and Yantra

In the famous Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna mentions that all three types of yoga are required in proportions which are practiced according to the need that is identified with a particular situation, and by just practicing just one; proper conscious advancement of any one unit of consciousness is not possible and all three have to be in balance always.

These are defined as karma, jnana, and bhakti yogas. Karma is that which an individual is supposed to do or is mostly concerned with action in the materialistic world.

Jnana talks about knowledge, and as discussed in the last piece we have established the fact that contextual knowledge or information is invalid or is redundant without having the experiential knowledge to connect both to keep experiencing the absolute truth over and over and keep re-defining ourselves.

Atmanatmavivecanam is an important concept in both Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta, and it stresses the importance of being able to distinguish what is Atman (the soul) and what is not, the soul is referred to as the absolute entity that is present in all beings, in everything and is indivisible in itself and the process talks about how the purpose of consciousness itself is to keep increasing efficiency of being able to distinguish between what is real/absolute and what is not through the experiences gained in one life and experiencing the soul simultaneously.

Bhakti is the devotion towards god or the ultimate system/order that governs this cosmos, it is the pure awe of how synchronous events are, what Maya, order, and chaos always end up teaching consciousness, and about the praises for just how beautiful and awe-inspiring everything in the universe is.

Anyone of these three activities alone cannot help one realize the absolute truth and the infinite depth of the same.

Similarly, Hindu belief talks about three practices that one should incorporate inside their lifestyle to be the most efficient in all chaotic presents, let’s link these concepts that are concerned with Yoga and the three practices, namely mantra, tantra, and yantra.

Mantras are sequentially arranged syllables that are tuned to particular frequencies and they often involve complex math inculcated into the stress of certain syllables over the others; making a colored tone of variation in sound. It is done in synchronicity with the breath and more often with a lot of individuals doing the same together.

They act as coded information that pays gratitude to deities in a poetic and descriptive manner (art) and also involves music incorporated into a tune fashion and is chanted in a sing-song manner often and incoordination and thereby incorporating all three ways one can be present and pay gratitude/give back.

Tantra: Tantra is often misinterpreted and only related to sexuality and it is being vastly talked about that way.

Tantra is extreme or the ultimate order (grounding) as what I have been referring to time and again.

The medium for consciousness which facilitates unconditional love as chaos to the ultimate order and vice versa needs to always keep in check and order the selves so that chaos can always be resolved at any present provided that one has a fundamental system that is core and strong that one can bank on.

Tantra, therefore, involves complex geometrical patterns, numerology, diagrams, defined symbols for particular things, etc., and hence, for creating anything one has to follow extreme discipline.

Just like how a teacher gets better at teaching with practice, a musician with their instrument and us with our soul, which is absolute in nature as mentioned before.

Yantra is the art of defining a meaning to all things that are in the present and connecting them to the respective self; as per my understanding.

It always is represented by figures made by triangles and I believe that yantra is that point at which mantra and tantra should always point to/coincide or triangulate in, at any given present to keep order always by means of breathing/grounding (when exhalation is more than retention and inhalation, we are technically always giving back to nature/Mother Earth), while showing gratitude to god by using personally relevant mantras at any present instance to create yantra or meaning for the self to be able to create with true meaning as one’s context is always is important and has to be understood fully and any problems faced mentally should be fully resolved so that any ego/shadow/baggage that is left gets dissipated in the light of the absolute truth.

What has helped: (That is just me telling and convincing myself, so you can choose to ignore this if you are against taking suggestions from an “external” medium)

• Nothing is real unless it is on any medium (Visshudhi, throat, or expression)
• Always try and write your feelings down or express it as any form of art, so that one creates and builds continuity to keep making relevant meaning from any given context. (Svadhisthana, sacral or that which is associated with creativity)
• Try to incorporate learning the art of dying along with the art of living as both happen simultaneously, and the best way to do so is found to be by meditating. (Sahasrara, crown or understanding)
• Your breath is what gives you the ability to be. (Root or grounding)
• Talk out any bad feelings or problems you face with a close friend or a professional and try practicing the art of continuously dissolving one’s ego to move forward without baggage and keep creating efficiently. (Manipura, solar plexus, or any guilt/ lack of will power to take action)
• Try to do one deed that incorporates giving and also write about it. (Ajna, third eye or to know the absolute truth and act accordingly)
• Love unconditionally. (Anahata, heart, or practice of the ultimate form of chaos which is unconditional love)

Most importantly, your objective truth should hold consistent in any subjective reality.

ഓം നമഃ ശിവായ