Hindu
Mantra
Mantras were originally conceived in the great Hindu scriptures
known as the Vedas. Within practically all Hindu scriptures,
the writing is formed in painstakingly crafted two line "shlokas"
(Shloka is a verse, phrase, proverb or hymn of praise)and
most mantras follow this pattern, although mantras are often
found in single line or even single word combinations.
Aum(Aum (also Om) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism,
in which Vedic tradition it originated. The syllable is sometimes
referred to as the "Udgitha" or "pranava mantra"
(primordial mantra); not only because it is considered to
be the primal sound, but also because most mantras begin with
it.
The most basic hindu mantra is Aum, which in Hinduism is known
as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras.
The philosophy behind this is the Hindu idea of nama-rupa
(name-form), which supposes that all things, ideas or entities
in existence, within the phenomenological cosmos, have name
and form of some sort. The most basic name and form is the
primordial vibration of Aum, as it is the first manifested
nama-rupa of Brahman, the unmanifest reality/unreality. Essentially,
before existence and beyond existence is only One reality,
Brahman, and the first manifestation of Brahman in existence
is Aum.
For this reason, Aum is considered to be the most fundamental
and powerful mantra, and thus is prefixed and suffixed to
all Hindu prayers. While some mantras may invoke individual
Gods or principles, the most fundamental mantras, like 'Aum,'
the 'Shanti Mantra,' the 'Gayatri Mantra' and others all ultimately
focus on the One reality.
In the Hindu tantras the universe
is sound. The supreme (para) brings forth existence through
the Word (Shabda). Creation consists of vibrations at various
frequencies and amplitudes giving rise to the phenomena of
the world. The purest vibrations are the var.na, the imperishable
letters which are revealed to us, imperfectly as the audible
sounds and visible forms.
Var.nas are the atoms of sound.
A complex symbolic association was built up between letters
and the elements, gods, signs of the zodiac, parts of the
body -- letters became rich in these associations. For example
in the Aitrareya-aranya-Upanishad we find:
"The
mute consonants represent the earth, the sibilants the sky,
the vowels heaven. The mute consonants represent fire, the
sibilants air, the vowels the sun? The mute consonants represent
the eye, the sibilants the ear, the vowels the mind"
In effect each letter became a mantra and the language of
the Vedas, Sanskrit, corresponds profoundly to the nature
of things. Thus the Vedas come to represent reality itself.
The seed syllable Om represents the underlying unity of reality,
which is Brahman.
(What
is a Mantra?)
(Mantras
- How they Work)
(Buddhist
Mantra - Find out more here)
(The
Mantra Aum / Om)
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Details: Hindu Mantra Wikipedia |
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