Arabic script. These are popular forms of mantra, but, like more sophisticated
ones, they are signs of the Indian, nay universal, belief in the power or magical
efficacy of the word.^15
Notes
1 It is important to note that Vedic – vaidikain Sanskrit – is the term that has been
used for centuries to denote orthodox Hindu beliefs and practices. But even such
non-Vedic texts as the tantras often tell their adepts to follow orthodox “Vedic” rules
of behavior in their social lives.
2 There are exceptions to this rule, as we shall see; however, they do not affect the
general principle of the fundamentally oral/aural character of mantras. It may be
interesting to note here that though forms ofva ̄c, the Word, the Vedic hymns
revealed to the ancient Vedic poet-seers, the r.s.iswere deemed to have been seen by
them.
3 On these texts, see pp. 81–6.
4 Which were “Vedic” – vaidika– insofar as their rules and beliefs did not contradict
the Veda.
5 The ritual and devotional reading and recitation of the Devı ̄ma ̄ha ̄ tmya, where the
utterance (ucca ̄ra) of this Pura ̄ nic text is preceded and followed by that of hymns
from the R.gveda, is another example of the religious use of the recitation of a sacred
text. On this, see Coburn 1991.
6 We may perhaps quote here the French indologist Louis Renou, who once wrote:
“It is as easy in India to notice continuities as it is difficult to point out breaks in
continuity” (my translation).
7 A rule which underlines the priority of the form over the “meaning” of mantras.
8 Bha ̄vana ̄, from the verbal root BHU ̄, to come into being, is an intense form of mental
concentration which activates the mantra, makes it perceptible to the meditating
person, and identifies him/her with it.
9 Such is in particular the case of the so-called S ́aiva-, S ́a ̄ kta-, or Yoga-Upanis.ads of
the canonical collection of the 108 Upanis.ads, a collection (as we know now) put
together, and in some cases reworked, in the first half of the eighteenth century by
one Upanis.adbrahmayogin.
10 Contrary to what is often believed, monosyllabic mantras do not necessarily end
with the bindu m..
11 There are 49 phonemes (varn.aoraks.ara) in Sanskrit, to which is traditionally added
the group K+S=KS.A.
12 The well-known Tantric treatise S ́a ̄rada ̄ tilaka describes a Lipitanu Va ̄gı ̄s ́varı ̄, a
“Goddess of the Word whose body is made of letters.”
13 This is the general rule. But exceptions could easily be quoted. In India, there are
as many stringent rules as there are exceptions to them.
14 But ta ̄ ntrikas, whatever their persuasion, are “super-ritualists” – when ritual is
rejected, it is only for those who have attained the highest esoteric plane.
15 For a very interesting study of modern mantric practices see Diehl 1956. The most
thorough study of mantras to date is Alper 1989. It includes in particular a
“Working Bibliography for the Study of Mantra,” which is still the most complete
one available.
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