secret of hindu worship

secret of Hindu worship

Be it a complicated form of Vedic ritual such a
yajna or some simple form of worship
performed ordinarily in millions of Hindu
households everyday, the process of worship
in Hinduism invariably involves the use of
three basic techniques, namely the mantra,
the tantra and the yantra.
Fundamentally, the three represent the three
approaches available to human beings to
harness the power of God and use it to
perform their duties upon earth as part of
their obligatory duties. They are employed in
all the three paths that are mentioned in the
Bhagavadgita, namely the path of action
(karma marg), the path of knowledge
(jnanamarg), and the path of renunciation
(sanyasa marg). They can be used for both
constructive and destructive purposes to
achieve peace and prosperity and liberation,
or to create chaos and torment others.
The method of mantra is used to invoke
divine power for positive and negative
purposes through the use of mind or thought
power (man+tra), yantra through the use of
the restraining power (yan + tra) of the will,
and tantra through the use of the physical
(sexual) power of the body (tan). In the
practice of mantras, the mind and intelligence
are active. In the practice of tantra, the
organs of actions and the organs of
perception are active, whereas in the practice
of yantra, the ego is active. With regard to the
triple Gunas, the mantra method is a
predominantly sattvic approach, the yantra is
rajasic, and the tantra is tamasic. In Hinduism,
the three constitute the three fundamental
modes of divine worship through which one
may achieve liberation or perform obligatory
duties. They are also the basic and universal
approaches which worshippers use in
Hinduism for both material and spiritual
purposes.
However, as with many other aspects of
Hinduism, their distinction is rather
amorphous. Hence, in most Hindu forms of
worship you see that elements of all the three
are present, or deeply intermingled. They are
also present in the Vedic sacrificial
ceremonies. Mantras are used to invoke gods.
Yantras are used to construct the sacrificial pit
(yajna stala) in specific geometric formations
to impart to them certain purifying and
magical powers, and tantra is used to
discipline the body before or during the
ceremony, and to sacrifice (offer) the body
and or its elements during the sacrifice.
The Use of Mantra
Each mantra used in a Vedic ritual is an
invocation, containing a sacred syllable or set
of syllables. When the mantra is uttered with
a specific rhythm, with the sincerity of
devotion and the purity of thought and
action, and with phonetic and grammatical
accuracy, in a manner prescribed by the
scriptural injunctions of the Vedas or some
authoritative scripture, it is believed to invoke
a particular deity and activate the deity to
assist the worshipper to achieve a desired
end. It is said that if a mantra is pronounced
correctly, the deity to whom it is addressed
automatically responds as if compelled by the
force of the mantra and assists the
worshipper. However, this belief is disputed
by some who suggest that each mantra is a
sound form of the deity with which it is
associated and it is the deity not the mantra
which does the magic.
The Vedas contain the power of Brahman in
sound form. When they are chanted loudly, it
is Brahman who carries them through the
space to the designated deity and facilitates
the communication between the worshipper
and the worshipped. Hence, it is rightly stated
that Brahman is the cause as well as the effect
of the Vedic hymns. He is also the ultimate
recipient of all sacrificial offerings.
When a complicated yajna such as a soma
sacrifice, horse sacrifice, or some other yajna
is performed, not one but many deities are
invoked simultaneously by groups of priests
chanting hymns from one or more Vedas.
Each sacrifice has a beginning, a middle and
an end part, during which the priests chant
selected hymns meant to make the sacrifice
effective. Their chanting creates powerful
vibrations in the atmosphere, and as the
sounds travel through the mid-region to the
heaven, they awaken the deities and facilitate
their descent to the place of worship.
The chanting and the sounds form but one
part of the sacrificial rituals. There are other
components of tantra and yantra present in
them which compliment the manifesting
process and make the rituals successful. We
will discuss later their importance in Hindu
ritual worship. The mechanics of the Vedic
rituals and sacrifices are discussed in the
Brahmana and the Aranyaka parts of the
Vedas in considerable detail. A lot of this
knowledge is lost or has become obsolete as
we have lost their ritual, spiritual, and
symbolic significance.
As stated before, it is believed that the
mantras represent gods in sound or speech
form. Hidden in each mantra is the energy of
a particular deity which remains latent until
the mantra is pronounced accurately with the
right incantation and aspiration as prescribed
in the scriptures. The deity of the mantra
awakens only if the sounds create right
frequencies, and if the rest of the sacrifice is
performed correctly with right offerings and
in the prescribed manner. The mechanics of
each rituals are therefore important. Indeed,
the Purva Mimansa school of Hinduism holds
the Vedic rituals as the source of all existence
and the highest manifesting power in itself.
The Use of Tantra
Tantra is the systematic use of the body and
the lower (perceptual) mind for self-
transformation and self-realization. The body
and the perceptual mind constitute the lower
self. They are considered an obstacle to
liberation since they induce the beings to
indulge in desire-ridden actions and worldly
pleasures under the influence of the triple
gunas, namely, sattva, rajas and tamas, and
bind them to the cycle of births and deaths.
As the instruments of Nature, they are
responsible for the modifications of the mind
and body which the beings experience
variously as suffering, attractions and
aversion, attachment, delusion, ignorance,
birth and death, egoism, etc. As beings act
and react under their influence, they remain
bound to the mortal world and the law of
karma.
In Tantra, the practitioners use the very
obstacles and impurities that are usually
shunned in other methods to achieve control
over them and transcend them. Desires are
not resisted but used to overcome them.
Controlled sexual intercourse is allowed to
transform impure sexual energy (retas) into
pure spiritual energy (ojas). Through such
revolutionary and transformative practices,
Tantra aims to liberate and transform the
mind and body from their natural impulses
and binding impurities, and make them fit for
self-absorption and self-realization. Different
postures, breathing and meditation
techniques, and self-purification practices are
used for this purpose. Some schools of Tantra
employ extreme methods of self-torture,
graveyard rituals, and chemical substances to
achieve quick results. Because of their
extreme nature, the Tantra methods and
practices are not liked by many. Hence many
of its practices are kept secret and revealed
only to qualified members, which has made
Tantra even more controversial in he eyes of
the people. Currently, a lot of myth and
misinformation has become associated with
Tantra. However, Tantra aims to achieve
righteous ends only through ground up.
Hence, since ancient times tantra has been an
important and integral part of Hindu
spiritualism, and it has successfully retained
its place and importance in the ritual and
spiritual practices of Hindu ascetic and
renunciant traditions.
Tantra is not for Tantrics only
There is a misconception among many that
tantra is used by Tantrics only through the
medium of sex and other objectionable
means. This is not true. Tantra is used in every
aspect of Hindu worship. What we see in
Tantrism is an extreme form of tantra where
the body and the mind are allowed to express
themselves freely under the supervision of an
enlightened master to come to terms with
them and achieve complete mastery over
them. Nevertheless, tantra in its milder and
normal forms can be seen in action in
everyday life. For example, the Yoga of
Patanjali, is a kind of tantra only, where yogis
aim to achieve bodily control through certain
physical postures, purification practices, and
mind control techniques.
The simple use of tantra in an ordinary
householder's regular worship include the
use of certain bodily postures like prostrating
before the deity, the lotus position, the
folding of hands in front of the deity,
purification of the body through fasting and
bathing, concentration of the mind on the
image, breathing practices, thought control
through inner detachment, detachment of the
body and the mind through devotion and so
on. In pure devotional forms of worship, the
body and the mind are offered to God as an
act of supreme sacrifice and inner
detachment, thereby allowing the divine
forces to descend and do their work of inner
purification and transformation.
In a complicated Vedic ritual also we can see
the use of tantra more or less in a similar
manner. A Vedic ritual bears no fruit if the
body and mind of the performer are not
adequately trained and prepared to
participate in the ritual with the required
degree of purity and sincerity. All the chanting
of the mantras would be futile and the
sacrifice would be ineffective if these two are
not in harmony with the objective of the
entire ritual. The host of the sacrifice
(yajmana) and the priests have to maintain
utmost purity and observe strict discipline
before performing the rituals. Besides, as in
Tantra, the Vedas also recognize sexual
intercourse as a form of Vedic ritual only.
The Use of Yantra
Yantra means that which controls, dominates,
regulates, restrains, protects or prevents. In
general usage, yantras refer to names, forms,
diagrams, patterns and sound forms that
have the five powers of God, namely the
power to create, uphold, conceal, manifest
and destroy. In Hindu ritual practices, which
date back to the Vedic times, yantras are
created using certain objects, symbols,
sounds, names and forms, and specific
divisions of time to invoke the power of a
deity for any of the five purposes which are
mentioned before. The yantras are used to
enhance one's own will power or weaken that
of others, ward off evil, seek protection from
enemies or destroy them. The more benign
forms of yantras can be seen even in the right
hand methods of Vedic worship.
For example, the act of folding of hands in
front of a deity is but a kind of yantra only. It
is meant to restrain the mind and the body
and facilitate concentration so that the mind
can communicate with the deity through the
force of will. The manner in which a fireplace
is built for the performance of some Vedic
sacrifice, the method in which the place is
prepared and the materials (sambhra) are
assembled, the manner in which the oblations
are poured into the fire, the way the priests
sit around the altar, and in fact the very act of
chanting of the mantras with mechanical
precision serve the same purpose as the
Yantras. They are meant to enhance the
magical and manifesting powers of the rituals
and to control and regulate the lives of the
worshippers who participate in them,
ensuring their welfare, peace and prosperity,
or to protect them from possible harm.
Yantras are also used in Tantric rituals to
invoke mystic powers, and to design good luck
charms, amulets, spells, etc. Because a lot of
secrecy and superstition is associated with
them, some charlatans use them to exploit
people and make money.
The very design of the temple as a physical
symbol of existence and creation in the
material plane, the act of visiting a temple,
circling around it to earn the grace of the
deity, entering the temple, the lighting of the
lamps in front of the divine, the decorations
and the ornamentation that are so
characteristic of Hindu temples and places of
worship, the manner in which the images are
built and installed, the lighting of the lamps,
the offerings, the method of worship, the
partaking of prasad, and in short any practice
that is mechanical, symbolic and ritualistic to
a degree, form part of the same Yantric
approach. They are meant to invoke the
power of God and use it for material or
spiritual purposes.
The Practical Significance of Mantra, Tantra
and Yantra in human life
Small minds always look at things negatively
or suspiciously and ignore the larger picture
hidden in them. There is a lot you can learn by
introspection, without jumping to conclusions
based on surface impressions. People are
easily influenced by the negative criticism
directed against ancient ritual practices of
Hinduism. This is based on the assumption
that only spirituality is good, and the rest of
the religious practices are mere acts of
superstition. However, are all spiritual
practices equally effective? A lot of
superstition is associated even with prayers
and yoga practices. When someone says that
yoga can cure cancer, it may be a belief or
mere superstition. No one can say when a
belief becomes superstition, because belief
itself has no rational basis. The difference
between belief (faith) and blind belief
(superstition) is notional. Logically speaking,
belief itself is blind. It has no rational validity.
You either accept it or reject it. Otherwise, it
cannot be termed belief. Therefore, anyone
arguing that some aspects of religion is true
and acceptable, the rest is superstition is
merely echoing the logical fallacy to which the
human mind is subject.
In this regard, let us examine whether
mantra, tantra and yantra have any
significance to human life, beyond their
outward ritual importance. Every religion has
outward observances. You can look at them
without much thought and consider them as
mere acts of superstition, which many people
do, or you can examine them closely to see
whether they have any hidden significance.
Anyone familiar with Hinduism knows that, its
knowledge cannot always be taken on its face
value because a lot of symbolism is
associated with its beliefs and practice. You
can take its knowledge literally and base your
faith on it until your mind opens, or you can
go deeper into its scriptures and look for the
higher and symbolic knowledge that is
hidden in them.
The same holds true for mantra, tantra and
yantra methods of religious worship. They are
not mere acts of superstition as some people
would like to argue (Aren't they making
movies about it nowadays?). Deeply hidden in
them is a valuable lesson of life. The Mantra,
Tantra and Yantra methods of religious
practice teach you that you are an aspect of
God and you can enhance your powers and
divinity through the triple means, namely
your mind, your body, and your intention.
Many people might have read the book the
Secret or watched the video. It may be
surprising to know that the book conveys the
same method and approach to manifest your
life and intentions.
Mantra, Tantra and Yantra are the three
fundamental means by which you can
manifest your intentions or your destiny. In
Hinduism they are called the chief aims of
human life, namely duty, wealth, pleasure,
and liberation or ultimate freedom. To reach
any goal in your life, you have to use the
three powers that are at your disposal, the
mind power, the body power and the power
of your intention. You must use your mind
and speech (the mantra method) to know or
let other know what you need, desire or want
to manifest. Then, you have to use your
determination, power and influence to create
right conditions and circumstances (yantra) to
manifest your desires or enhance your
abilities and influence. Finally you must put in
adequate physical effort (tantra) to give shape
to your dreams and desires. Thus you can see
that the three techniques are not mere
mumbo-jumbo. They are valuable tools to
bring out the best in you and manifest your
dreams and desires according to your vision
and willingness.
Hindu Worship, a Means to Evolution
Thus, we can see that the Hindu way of
worship is not a mere superstitious ritual, but
a complicated form of divine worship in which
higher universal forces are invoked through
human effort by worshippers to assist them
in their spiritual and material progress. A
science as well as an art, it aims to achieve not
only specific worldly ends but also their very
evolution into enlightened beings with the
intelligence of God through the integration of
their minds, bodies and souls.