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THE SYMBQ•[
, OF COSMIC UNITY

...
I bow to th e Goddess w ho is ' the Soul of Al l Yantras·
Lali1asahasran<'in1a (2051
Yanira oi Vish1Ju, che Preserver, che second god of che Hindu trinic y, inscribed with sacred sound-symbols
MAOHU KHANNA

Yantra
THE TANTRIC SYMBOL OF
COSMIC UNITY
To Dr Manfred Wurr
on the tantric path

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Contents

Foreword by Ajit Mookerjee 6

Preface 7

1 Introduction 9

2 Archetypal Space and Sacred Sound 29

3 Metaphysics of Yantra 53

4 Dynamics of Yantra: Ritual 97

5 Dynam ics of Yantra: Meditation 107

6 Aesthetics of Yantra 132

7 Architectural Yantras 143

8 Occult Yantras 153

Notes on the Text 169

Glossary 171

Bibliography 172

Index 174
Foreword

The yantra is essentially a geometrical compos1t1on ; but to understand its true


nature our notions of geometry must yield to those of dynamics. The yantra, then,
represents a particular configuration whose power increases in proportion to the
abstraction and precision of the diagram.
Yantras vary according to their use. Individual deities have their own yantras
accompanied by appropri ate mantras (or sound-syll ables): 'Yantra is ensouled by
mantra,' the Kularriava Tantra says. When a sadhaka (aspirant) attains a high degree
of spiritual progress he is initiated into the use of a particular yantra. The selection of
the yantra with its appropriate mantra is a highly complex process, and the guru
alone can guide the aspirant to his potent symbol. It arouses the inner life-force to its
fu llest, and its dedication to the deity is one w ith the process of its awaken ing. It s
action can be seen as a physical, psych ological and spiritual opening into
comprehension of the mystery.
The study of Hindu yantras or power diagrams in this exhaustive analysis, the first
of its kind, shows how each elementary geometrical form can generate a series of
linear and multi-dimensional figures of the same shape, regardless of its o riginal size.
Common to such permutations are certain recurring linearities : th e bin du, o r point;
the triangle ; the square ; and the circle. In the yantra, these function as 'thought-
forms' that are so constructed that the aspirant understands by them particular
patterns of force. To identify wholly with the configuration is to 'realize' or to release
the inherent forces that each form denotes.
The principle behind this use of the yantra is ba sic to t antric perception. Each
yantra makes visible the patterns of force that can be heard in the mantra sound-
syllable, and each yantra reciprocall y encloses its own unique power-pattern.
Together, yantra-mantra may be said to build form (by the act of configuration), to
conserve form (the configu ration itself), and fi nally to dissolve form (as the aspirant
comprehends its inner meaning and soars beyond it).
AJIT MOOKERJEE

6
Preface

The art that has evolved out of the practice of tantrism embraces a wide variety of
imagery, of w hich the yantra, 'a geometrical diag ram with abstract symbols', is one
of the most vivi d and central. In addition to the impact of its mathematical
perfection, the yantra has a universal appeal on the level of archetypes. Similar
forms reappear in alm ost all religions, operating as symbols of cosm ic my steries
through which man red iscovers h is primeval consciousness.
With the exception of G. Tucci's work on the theory and practice of mar:ic;lalas,
there has not so far been a compreh ensive analysis of t he yantra. Its religio us
symbols have multiple meanings; the texts are often expressed in obscure language,
and are susceptible to a variety of interpretatio ns. The dot (bindu) at t he centre of
the yantra, for instance, can be viewed in several ways: as a tool for harnessing
concentration, as a symbol for the source of cosmos, and as an emblem fo r t he
quintessential psychic unity of the male-female pri nciples, when it implies
m etaphys ical ideas of cosmic dualism. Similarly, each element of a yantra is a
multivalent symbol.
This study examines t he Hindu yantra from the interrelated aspects of its
archetypal forms an d sou nd associations, the deities and cosmological principles it
embraces, the correspondences that are activated with its aid between man him self,
the microcosm, and the macrocosm, through the internal yantras of the subtle
body; and finally, the applications of yan tras to temple plans and in pract ical magic.
Symbols such as the meditational yantra form part of the esoteric discipline of
Indian tradition. Born of inner vision, they reveal truths th at are timeless, and li ke
great works of art, inspire man towa rds self-transcendence. If igno red or
undocumen ted, the knowledge and spi ritual achievements preserved in these
complex symbols and formu lae could be wiped out forever under the p ressu re of
the con t emporary world's upheavals.
This study has been completed w ith the aid of seve ral people w ithout wh ose
personal help it would not have ta ken its present form . First, I owe a debt of gratit ude
to Dr Manfred Wurr and Wissenschaftlicher Verl ag Altmann GmbH, Ham burg, fo r
providing facilities for research in Germany an d England. My gratitude is also due to
Ajit Mookerjee for h is helpful criti cism and co-operation, and for lending a large
number of yantra d iagrams and three important illuminated manuscrip ts of yan t ra
from his collect ion of tan tra art. I w ish to thank M r Hans-Ulri ch Rieker for read ing
through the manuscript and Mr Michael Paula fo r his co-operation. Last of al l, I w ish
to record my grat itud e to my parents, who have been a source of inspiration t o me.
M.K.

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Ya nira clr>picLing lhe evolL1tio11 and involL1£ion of th e cosmos. The t•xpanding and contracting Cllrrents of vibration
S)'mbolizecl b)' the Sanskrit !Pilers lorm a web-likf' imagf', as the rosmos emdnillf'S and rf'IL1rns again to the
pr11norclial centre, 1/w On<:>. Rajasthan. c. 19/h cPnlllry, goL1ache on paper
1
Introduction

In the BrhadaraQyaka Upanishad (2, 1, 19) there is the metaphor of a spider sitting at
the centre of its web, issuing an d reabsorbing its threads in concent ric circles, all
held at one po int. This image occurs in several Upanishads since it points to t he basis
of the Indian world-view: unity in diversity. The sp ider's threads symmetrically
expand into a visible circumference, and though there are divergent lines in
between and vary ing distances to be spanned they can all be traced back to the
central point of the web.
This apparently simple metaphor also condenses the essence of Indian thought :
all existence is governed by a single principle, and the point of origin of the supreme
consciousness is simultaneously an infinite reservoir of collective energy, from
wh ich everything issues and into wh ich everything return s. This centre is the One,
'the potential All-point', which not only se rves as a bridge but is Cosmic Unity
unde rlying the physical diversity of the world. The metaphor also alludes to the
Indian vision of the stru cture of the cosmos, whi ch is conceived of as a 'h alon',
grow ing and expanding in concentric circles, and then contracting, dissolving int o a
sing le principle. The expansion can be atom ic or infinite; no matter what thei r
magnitude, th e expans ions and contractions are interconn ected and integrated in
the general framework supported by the cen tre.
The yantra is a potent and dynamic sacred symbol wh ich reflects th e same th ree
metaphysical con cepts embraced in the analogy of the spider. A geometrical figu re
gradually growing away from o r towards its centre, in stages, until its expansion o r
contraction is complete, the yan tra has arou nd its centre several co ncentric figures 10, 11
which continue to expand or con tract as precisely as a spider' s web, not only as
bri dges between different planes, but also as symbols of unfold ing or gathering
energies. The figure's periphery is a square enclosure w ith fou r sacred doors open ing
toward s the fou r cardin al directions. The concentric lines of the yant ra define its
volume and create a rhythm ic unity, rel ating what they un ite or divide to the centre,
the point of integration. Like the spider in its web, the bindu (point) at the centre of
the yan tra is a centre of every creation, the radiating sou rce o f energy that generates
all fo rm s.
The central quest of Ind ian spirituality is to achieve total experience of th e One.
Man is a spiritua l travell er whose main aim, in Indian trad ition, is to intu it the unity of
the One. The travell er, whether he is driven d irectly to the summ it, whether he
pauses for a while, whether he stumbles o n th e path o r turns away, knows in tuitively
tha t all his movements inevitably lead him back to the starting point, the A ll- point,
the origin and th e end of all existence.
Awakening one' s in ner cent re implies gat hering one's se lf into a single creat ive
point and int egrating and balancing its expansi o n into a tot alit y . To centre o ne's self
is essentially a way towa rds inner aw akening. The qu est of t his cent re is th e p iv o t
around w hich yantra sym bolism revolves.
The sym bols of Indian art echo th is fundamental t ruth and d irect m an's spir itual
journ ey towards the goal of t ransm u tation. Visual metaphors t hrough w h ich we
move bey ond our m aterial o rder, they serve as c osmic cross-points by m eans of
which our co ntact with nature at large ca n be expand ed, to tap h igher an d more
unified levels of experience. W hether t hese symbols are as monu m en tal as Hind u
temples o r as small as coin-sized yant ras, they mark a m ult itude of d iffe rent stages
on an individual' s spirit ual pilgrimage. They p ro vid e halt ing p laces, sites o f rest and
support where t he seeker gains an awareness of the universe in its totality an d
discovers his in ner ident it y w ith the single, im mutab le c entre, as if the whol e
Kanudi coin ('/sL century AD) and seals from un iverse were con densed in him. Thus the symbols st imu late m an to explore and
Mohenjo-daro (c. 2500 BC) w ith swastikas and reveal this centre which is a link bet w een himself and th e cosm os.
sq uare pauems
The use of abstract mystic symbo ls can be t raced back to early India n histo ry .
Among the artifacts excavated in the remains of t he Harap pan Cu lt ure (c. 3000 BC)
are intaglio seals wit h designs that resemble yantras. A nu mber of seals d epict the
swastika symbol while others are m arked w ith a cross, a pattern of parall el li nes
inters ect ing into a grid-square o r a co m position of square-on-sq ua re. The seal
designs, like y ant ras, are conceived on a cardinally orien tated squ are. In su bseque nt
periods the Vedic altars (c. 2000 BC), p regn ant w ith cosmic symbolism, were
conspicuou sly abstract in design (see Chapter 6). It was in t ant rism (A D 700-1 200,
t he tant ri c renaissance period) that the use of mystic symbols was fully revived .
Tantrism ma rked one of the most distinc t and revolutio nary ph ases of Ind ian
religious histo ry, synthesizing many h eterodox elements. One of th e ways in which
. -= - ~· ..

lfill '
..........1 tan tric lo re is distinguished fro m the norHantric tradition is in it s intensive u se of
sacred fo rmulae and symbo lism. Tantrism is basically a rit ual-orienta ted system .
Tantric sadhana (ritual worship) requ ires the practice of yogic techniq ues and
concentrated visualizations, and the linear composit ions of th e yant ra are con ceived
precisely to meet the needs of such meditat ion . These mystic d iagram s are ideally
suited to a series of inner visualizations, growing and unfolding as link s, marking
stages of consciousness. Hence y antras were foun d to be an indispen sab le
consti t uent of tantric sadhana. 1 All sects and sub-sects o f tantrism use abstract
symbols 2 and yantras as part of thei r ri tual initiation ceremony and daily worship, as
m eans to attain ing th e adept' s sp iritual goal.
The litera ture of th e Tantras is vast, and there are m any t ext s3 dealing excl u sive ly
with yantras. In addition, there are a number of commentaries in a few secu lar
languages other t han Sanskrit, such as Hind i, Bengali, Ma laya lam, Tam il and
Assamese, in wh ich yantras are discussed.
Yantras have surv ived in use, though the last remnants of their liv ing traditio n
may st ill be fo und o nly in isolat ed areas in India. They h ave been transmit ted
through family gro ups, pupil-gu ru descen ts and esoteric tantric groups like the
Natha Sa ints of Bengal, Tam il Sidd hais in South India and the Kaul as in Kashm ir. Their

10
ritual use and esoteric significance have been kept a closely guarded secret from the IN TR ODUC TI O N
uninitiated, and their esoteric meaning and mystical associations are learned from a
spiritual preceptor under strict discipl ine, who enforces a yogic regime.

Concept of the yantra


The Sanskrit word 'yantra' derives4 from the root 'yam' meaning to sustai n, hold or
support the energy inherent in a particular element, object or concept. In its first
mean ing, 'yantra' may refer to any kind of mechanical contrivance which is
harnessed to aid an enterprise. A yantra in this sense, therefore, is any so rt of
machine or instrument such as is used in architecture, astronomy, alchemy,
chemistry, warfare or recreation. A Sanskrit text of the eleventh cen tury Ao,
Samarariganasutradhara, 5 on the science of architecture, gives vi vid descriptions of
the m aking and operating of such mechanical yantras as a wood en fly ing bird,
wooden aerop lanes meant to fly with hot mercury as fuel, male and female robot
figures, etc. The vast observatories built in Delhi and Jaipur under the patronage of
Jai Singh (1686-1734) are called Jantar-Mantar, as their massive structures are
astronomical 'instruments' (yantras) for recording heavenly phenomena.
The meaning of the term yantra has been expanded to refer t o rel igious
enterprises, and has acquired a special theologic al signific ance. Myst ic yant ras are
aids to and the chief instruments of meditative discipli ne. Ba sicall y a yan tra used in
thi s context and for this purpose is an abstract geometri cal design intended as a
'too l' for meditation and increased awareness.

Form - function - power


M ys tic yantras are an am algam o f three principles: the fo rm prin ciple (Akrit i-rupa),
the fun ction -prin ciple (Kriya-rupa), and the po w er-principle (Sakti -rup a).6
They are, first of al l, believed to reveal the inner basis of the forms and shapes
abo unding in th e universe. Just as, wh atever the outer stru cture, all matter is m ade
of an int ri nsic basic unity, the ato m, so each aspec t of the world can be seen in its
struc tural fo rm as a yan t ra. As the scientist sees the fin al picture of the worl d in the
o rderly, simple, atomic structures in which certain pri mal shapes appear as a
harm onized 'whol e', so the Indian shilpi-y ogins (m akers of ritual art) seek t o id entify
the innermos t structure of the universe by concentrating the vari egated picture of
w o rld-ap pea ran ces throug h intense yogic v isio n into sim ple fo rm-equatio ns. A 10, ·11
ya ntra, then, c an be considered an ultimate fo rm -equatio n of a specific energy
m an ifest ing in the w orld . These sim ple for m-equations are held to ep ito m ize the real
nature of the cosmos as abstract ed from th e concrete.
In its w idest application, A k riti- rC1pa refers to the inn er or hi dden fo rm of
stru ctu res, so that any struct ure, from an ato m to a star, has its Akri ti-rupa yan t ra.
Thus a flower or a leaf h as an o uter stru cture which is immediately perceptible, but it
also has an in ner fo rm , which generally c onsists of a skeletal fra m ework in wh ich all
its linear fo rm s intersect with a central axis o r nucleus: all fo rm s have a gross

ll
INTRODUCTIO N stru ctu re an d a 'subtle' inner stru cture, w ith a basic causal pattern (the inner fo rm)
fo r the external form.
Yantras fun ctio n as rev elatory sym bo ls of cosmic t ruths an d as instructio n al
charts of th e spiritual aspect of human experience. All th e primal shap es of a y antra
77- 80 are psychological sym bols corresp onding to in ner states o f h uman con sc io u sn ess,
th rough which cont rol and expansion of p sy ch ic forces are p ossible. It is fo r thi s
reason th at a yant ra is said to em b ody a 'function-princ iple' (Kriya- rupa).
By constant reinfo rcement in rit u al w orsh ip the app arently ine rt yantra-fo rms
shake off their dorman cy and act togeth er as emblem s of psy ch ic p ow er. In th is
case, t h e yantra is said to move beyond 'fo rm' an d 'fun ction' and emerges as a
'power diagram' (Sakt i-rupa) endow ed w ith a self-generating propensity to
transform a mundane experien ce into a psy c hic o ne. It is at this poi nt t hat th e y an t ra
is said to be 'revealed' . Although it s outward meaning may b e relatively easy to
u nde rstand, the inner meaning that giv es it its efficacy is d iffic u lt t o grasp b ecause its
archetypal forms are basically co ncerned w ith t he inner fa ct s of psy ch ic experience,
gained t hrough intuitive vision.

~1:ll ~n:r q ~~'81 4) q'Pl f:l ~ ct<i' ftPl I


As body is to the soul and o il is to t he lam p, a ya nt ra is to t h e deity
Kularf)ava Tantra (Chap. , v. 86)

Dwellings of th e gods
Every ya ntra is a sacred enclosure (temenos), a 'd w elling' 7 or receptacle o f
lshta-devata (th e cho sen, tut elar, deity) . A y ant ra is a substitute for an an t hropomo r-
phic image of the deity. Most Ind ian d ivin it ies, such as Krishi:ia, Vishi)u , Durga, an d
Kall, in additio n t o their iconographic representations, have b een ass ign ed an icon ic
sym bols in thei r specific yantras. A deity's yant ra may bear n o resemblan ce to th e
1 Sudarshana Chakra (Wheel of Vishr)U ): yantra formed of iconographic im age (murti), whose proportions and hu man attri b utes a re fixed b y
V ishr:iu's sixteen-armed icon inside his sacred weapon.
the disc with the fiery circle, symbolizing his limitless
th e trad itional cano n. Th e yantra is its 't rans-fo rm' (para- rup a), it s abst ract
power which destroys illusion. Rajasthan, c. 18th cent ury. translat ion. A y ant ra retains th e su prasensib le vit ality of an image, expressing the
Gouache on pape r sense and sp irit of the original.

12
2. The prima l triangle, em ble m of cosm ic energy as Sakti, the female prin ciple, support ing the arch etypal
shapes of a D evi (goddess) yant ra. Sou th India, c. 18th century. Copper plate

.3 Devi yant ra based on th e yo ni-shaped plan of the ancient Ved ic fire altars (yoni-kur:ic;la ). The archetyp al
shapes of Vedic altars and their· rit ual practices have b oth surv ived in tantric w orsh ip. Raja sthan, r. 19th
cen tu ry. Ink on paper
4 Swastika Yantra employing the ancient solar symbol o f a uspicio usness, a primal symb ol ic fo rm.
Rajasthan, c. 19th century. Goua che on paper. Right, a swastika seal from Mohen jo-daro dating
from c. 2500 BC
S 'R ise 0 Jar that art the Brah man itself, thou art the sou l.of the God and grantest all success' (Mahanirvar;a
Tantra, x, 156). The Mangala Ghata, the ceremon ia l water Jar, sometinies substitutes fo r a yantra diagram
during ritual worship. Raja stha n, c. ·19th century. Goua che on paper
6. Marigala Ya ntra, worshipped for good fo rtune and success (mangala ). The energy of lhe yanlra's deity is
expressed in the inscribe d sound-sylla bles o r mantra s. Allahabad, 18; '19lh cen tury. Copper plate
7 A vibration-pattern of the u n iverse resu lts a nd the yantra's static shape is m ade kinet ic wh en the inscribed
mant ras are chanted in ritu al worshi p. Rajasthan , c. '1700. Coppe r p late
8 Su rya (Sun) Yantra with images of l he deit ies of the nine planets. A yantra is a celestial circle of the gods.
Every yantra·s linea r framework supports many clusters of deities, like sparks from the fiery nucleus of the
cen tral deity. The ou termost periphery is protected by guardian deities who forbid negallve force lo enter t he
h oly space. Seed man tras are often ~ub sllluled for the images of these deilles, or the appropriate deities may
be visualized 1n the spa ces of the yanl ra by the sadhaka during meditation. Sa1va~ 1cldan1a-1a11vacu<)ama1)I,
Pun1ab, c ·1839. GouachP on paper
Yantras have been described as 'symbolic extensions of the sacred pilgrim centres INTRODUCT I0 1

(pltha-sthana)' - the most holy temples of the Supreme Goddess which are scattered
throughout India - and as 'spatial digits' of the divine. 8 The origin of these pilgrimage
ce ntres is described in an Indian myth. Siva wandered through India carrying the
corpse of Sat! (or Parvatl, his spouse) in grief and madness, until Brahma and V ishi:iu
became so anxious that Vishi:iu, with successive throws of his disc, d ismembere d
Sat!, whose limbs fell to the earth at places all over Ind ia. These places became
sacred centres of pilgrimage, temples saturated with holy power. Thus yantras
should be seen, not as 'artworks' isolated from the religious tradition in wh ich they
developed and which sustains them, but as two-dimensional pltha-sthana, or
pilgrim temples, in which the movement from the profane to the sacred takes place.
The yantras of devatas are 'revealed' im ages of transcendental reality.

The symbolic syntax of yantra imagery


By themselves, the constituent symbols of a yantra co nvey only partial meanings,
and cannot carry the universe of m eaning that a yan tra as a whole denotes. The
symbolic syntax of the yantra reveals a 'universe-pattern' of the totality of
existence, in which hierarchical, apparently heterogeneous planes of existence
form a synthesis. This synthesis 'allows a man to discover a certain unity of the world
and at the same time become aware of his own destiny as an integral part of the
world'. 9
Broadly, the symbolic sy ntax of yantra can be divided into t wo spec ific
dimensions: the cosmic and the psychic (that is, the macrocosmic and the
microcosmic). The cosmic dimension can be further divided into the deity motif and
the mantra element. Though the deity motif is the centre around which yantra 9
symbolism revolves, it becomes fully meaningful only with awareness of the
metaphysical principles and the laws and processes governing the cosmos which
the particular divinities denote (see Chapter 3). For instance, the goddess Kall
represents the cosmic activities of creation and destruction, and the Kall Yantra is
not only the receptacle of Kall but a symbolic projection of the metaphysical 'truths'
which she personifies.
The second aspect of yantra syntax is the mantra element. Mantras, the Sanskri t
syllables inscribed on yantras, are essentially 'thought-forms' representing divinities 6, 7
or cosm ic powers, which exert their influence by means of sound-vibrations (see
Chapter 2). It is put forward in the Tantras that the entire world is symbo lized in
mantra equations, as the mantra is essentially a projection of cosmic sound (Nada=
the principle of vibration born out of th e conju nction of Siva-Sakti, the Absolute
Principle). Yantra and mantra are always found in conjunction. Sound is considered
as important as form in yantra, if not more important, since fo rm in its essence is
sound condensed as matter.
The third aspect of yant ra syntax is its psycho-cosmic symbol ism. Despite it s
cosmic meanings a yantra is a reality lived. Because of the relationship that ex ists in
the Tantras between the outer w orld (th e macrocosm) and man's inner wo rld (the
INTRODUCT ION microcosm), every sym bo l in a yan tra is ambivalently resonant in in ner-outer
67 synthesis, and is associat ed with the subtle body and aspect s of human
consciousness (see Chapter 5). Thus, fo r inst an ce, the b indu in a yantra is cosmic
w hen viewed as the emblem o f the A bsolute Principle but psych ological when it is
related to t h e adept's spiritu al centre. By aligning t hese two p lanes o f awa reness,
th e yantra translates psychic realities into cosmic terms an d the cosmos into
psychic planes.
Each of these dimensions of yant ra syntax can be equ ated with all the others.
Thus, th e deity mot if may be assumed in th e mant ra - in several inst an ces t he
symbol of the deit y is the seed sou nd (blj a- mant ra) inscribed in the cen t re of t he
yantra (see Chapter 2); or a mantra may b e relat ed simultaneously t o a d eity
(Chapter 3) and to body-cosmos parallels, o r the hu man body w ith its cosmic
identities may itself become an 'instrument' - a y antra - du ring t he y o gic p ro cess
(Chapter 5).
Tantrism has evolved the most complex netwo rks of th ese inte ractions, and if
distinctions may be made between the syntactic d imen sions, n one can exist w it hout
the oth ers since they are all m utually inclusive.
The sym bolic syntax thus integrates all the dimen sio n s of the tantric univers e. It is
based on th e h olistic view of life characteristic of Indian tho ught. In th e u ltimate
sense, th e separat ion of elements of w h atever kind is ill usory. The d isti nctions
between psychi c and cosmic, deities and man t ras, are contingent . The fun damental
aim of ritual and meditation on the y antra is to fuse all the d im en sions into a state o f
oneness. Herein lies th e symbolic unity of the yantra.
Th e com plex nat ure of y antra synt ax corrects the view of som e scholars w h o h ave
w ro ngly labelled all yan tras 'magic' diagrams. D iagrams used fo r occult purposes
form a separate category (see Chapter 8) wh ich h as evolved wi thin the t radit ion, and
th e role of such yan tras is periph eral in compariso n w ith that o f y ant ras for
meditation.

Varieti es and t y pes


Yantras are most c ommon ly drawn on paper, o r engraved on metals or ro c k c rystal,
although any flat surface such as flo ors or walls may be used, esp ecia lly for
temporary yantras. Three-dimensiona l yantras may be o n a small scale, o r on t he
scale of architecture (see Chapter 7).
An inexhaustible number of fresh yantras may be m ade by rearranging the basic
shapes and/ or reshuffl ing the mantras. With each fresh mantra-combina tion a n ew
yantra is created. Reciprocally, a particu lar yanLra illust rating a sp eciric religious idea
may be composed in cou nt less variations. Thus, fo r insta n ce, one tantric text
34- 46 d escribes h ow the sixteen yantras of the Moon Goddesses (Nit ya - Saktis) can be
expanded into 9,216 variations simp ly by re-assign ing th ei r mantrasrn
Yantras in one tradition may bo rrow elem en ts from an other, and their g reat
abundance presupposes many levels of classificati on. Yan t ras exist in t h e Vedic, 1 1
Tantric and Buddhist t raditions, 12 each of which has adapted the u se of yantras to its

22
own specifi c meta phys ical ideas. Vedic yantras are th e oldest ; Tant ri c yant ras are INT ROD U C TI ON

th e most numerous and varied ; an d Buddhist mar:ic;lalas (literally 'ci rcle'), t hough
th ey differ from yant ras in being complex combin atio ns of images w it hin a rigorous
linear fra m ework, co nvey t he same ideas, serve th e same religiou s pu rp oses, and have
made a distinctiv e contribution to the yant ra as a living form . Many yantras spring
from Jaina sources 13 and embody speculative ideas of Jainism.
Yantras may be grouped according to th eir uses. Some 'architectu ral yantras' are
used as prime analogues fo r the ground plans o f temples (see Chapter 7). Others are
employed in astro logy. 14 Primarily, however, yantras are used in rit ual worship (see
Ch apters 4, 5). There are yantras d evoted to male deiti es, to fe male deities, conj ointly
to two deities, or to vario us aspects of a single fem ale deity (see Chapter 3). Fi nally,
som e yantras are meant for o cc ult purposes, and many of these are used as
talismans (see Chapter 8). In addition th ere are several ki nds of purely abstract
designs o f a symbolic kind, akin to yan tras and mar:i c;lalas, drawn by women on the
floo rs and walls of ho uses w ith ri ce-paste or powdered colours during fest ivals and
other religious ceremo nies. These auspicio us signs are known as Alipana o r Rango li,
and are fou nd al l over Ind ia.

Alipana, a sacred diagram drawn on floors with rice-


paste during religiou s festiva ls

In Hindu tradition t he pot-bellied ea rth enware or copper jar also serves as a


yantra. Called the Mangala Ghata, deco rated with auspicious signs and hold ing
ri tual ingred ients, the pot is symb olically th e vessel that holds the nectar of
immortality. It s spheri cal shape is an apt analogy to the universe, and the water w ith
w hic h it is fi lled symboli zes the cosmic elemental forces. The w orsh ip of the pot as a
complete yantra is very co mm on in Bengal. When not used as a substitute for a s
geometri cal yantra, it is general ly p laced befo re icons or in the centre of floo r
mar:ic;lalas as an auspic ious symbo l. In Ti betan tradition, th e jar (Kumbha) is used to
aid meditation, du ri ng which th e aspi rant visualizes the entire pantheon emerging
from the cosmic waters symbolically contai ned in the jar. Such an image is also
revered in Jain and tantric trad itions.
No external symbol, however soph isticated, is a substit ute fo r the body-yantra.
W ith its physica l and psychological planes, the hum an body is considered in
tantrism to be one of the most powerful instruments of spi ri tual transformation: it
represents the physica l substratum of the divine, where the evoluti onary unfo lding
of the being takes place, a repository of inexhaustible power which can be tapped in
meditation (see Chapter 5). Only by mob il izing and awa kening it from its slumber
can one come to the fu llest appreciation of it s divine grace. 'The eternal essence is
w ith in, so what need is there to seek for oute r m eans for liberation?' 15 The body is the
sacred centre of all ritual, formu la, offeri ng, meditat ion, li turgy : 'He re [withi n t he
body] is the Ganges and the Jam una, h ere are Prayaga and Benares, the Sun and t he

-) )
)
INTRODUCTION Moon. Here are the sacred places; here the pl~has [pilgrim age ce n t res) and the upa-
plthas - I h ave not seen a place o f pilgri mage, an abode of b liss like my body.' 16
66 Indeed, 'The yantra which is one's bod y is the best of a ll yantras.' 1 7

Yantra as archetypal wholeness


Modern m an, unaware of archaic m ysteries, spontaneou sly draws or d reams
mar;ic;lala/ yantra-like patterns when he is ach ieving a fusion of o pposite fo rces w ithin
his psyche. Jung's extensive research es have d emonstrated that such a symbol is not
'manufactured' but discovered through pri mal inner sources. It spr ings from a
un iversal human compulsion and embodies 'timeless' un iversa l prin ciples in
archetypal language which is physically and spiritually not remote from life. Th is is
evident in the impressive frequency with which simi la r arc hetypal forms appear in
the various cultures of the world. Mar:ic;lala-li ke form s are to be found, fo r instance, in
the cryst al line patterns of Islamic art, in th e sand-paintings of the Navaho Indian s, in
Celtic motifs and th e c ircular dance-forms of the Su fi o rder. Hen ce y antras are not
merely rel igious signs of a particular cult but constitute ob ject ive expression. They
are primordial 'imprints' of conscio usn ess - 'sh apes o f concept ion' that cut across all
cultural barriers and are the heritage of all mankin d.
In archaic societies man viewed hi mself as a part of nature and nature as pa rt of
h imself. In possession of thi s vision of u ni ty h e created sacred symbols and u sed
them for transpersonal experiences. Sacred symbols enabled hi m to see h imself as
pa rt of a 'sacralized' cosmos, breathing and movi ng w ith a life in which a ll e lements
of existence were interlinked. For archaic man, the un iverse was pregnant w it h
qualitative meaning. M odern man, on the oth er hand, has 'desacral ized' t h e cosmos,
developed a fragmented vision of th e universe and lost his original un ity with nature.
The result of this 'quantification' is an alienatio n from w ith in - a loss of su b jective
identity and of inner and outer fo rce. Jung has said that man' s most vital need is to
discover his own reality through t he cul ti vation of a symbolic life: 'Man is in need of
a symboli c life .... But we have no symbo lic life. . . . Hav e you got a cor ner
somewhere in your houses w here you perform the rites as you can see in ln d ia?' 18
Symbols like the yantra are transfo rm ers of our psychic en ergy - su c h symbols
alone allow us to discover a 'missing part o f the whole man' that ma kes life joyful,
radiant and infi nitely meaningful.

9 ' As body is to the soul .. . a yantra is to deity.' Yantras are the sacred en closu res o f divinities and
indeed are insep arable from them. At the top is the yantra of the goddess Bhuvanesvarl, who ru les the
three sp heres o f the earth, atmosphere and the heavens as space; below left, the Vi ~vayon i Ch akra
with icon s of Siva-Sakti, the male and fem ale p rinciples, over a triangle represen tin g th e cosm ic w o mb
(vi?vayoni }. Below right, Siva appears as w h ite po in t (b indu ) and Sakt i a s red point w ithin t he p ri ma l
triangle, sy mbolizing t he unit y o f male and fema le principles. Nepal, c. 1761. Couache on paper

24
10, n Yantras as images of the cosmos in pristine wholeness. Th e various geomet rical configurat ion s o f
which they are com posed include T-shapPd portals. squares, lotus petals. c i rcle~ and tri;rnglcs - but all 11re
centred on the mystic point, the bindu. The yantra of the goddess Purnesvari. above. is an archetypal image
of the deity w ho embodies the ba lance of co~m ic forces m aintained b y the primordial LC'nlre. Nepal. c 1761.
Gouache on paper
12 The Nava -yoni Chakra floating in lhe cosm ic waters, >ignify111g t he creation of the universe by
the u111on o f the ma le and female principles, represented b y inlerpen et rating upward and
downward pointing triangles. The nine inscribed t riangles indicate the nine (nava ) cosm ic wom b s
1yon1 l. Nepal, c. '1761 Gouache on paper
2
Archetypal Space and Sacred
Sound

In every civilization there are consecrated sites and sacred places that are heavy
w ith spiritual significance. Temples, caves, sanctuaries, or features such as rocks
serve as vital points of contact and centres of accumulated energy. Such places,
once consecrated according to traditional canon, acq uire sanctity, and their
'enclosures' separate th e archetypal sac red space from its surroundings. The two
areas, the world within the enclosure and the world w ithout, also stand fo r the
psychological separation of man from his habitual concerns. The wall or fen ce o r
'magic ci rcle' -whatever form the enclosure takes - stands between th e visible and
the invisible and reca lls the ritual separation of two distinct realities; the one th at is
sacred in wh ich the divinity manifests itself and the other that is profane, the realm
of mu ndane ex istence.
Once consecrated, even an insignificant stone will acquire uniq ueness and
spiritu al signifi cance. In India, one often comes across such objects where a sacred
enclosu re is marked: a sim ple stone daubed with vermilion is laid under a tree, or a
sacred syllable or the name of a deity may be scribbled on the wall . Such images
'speak', 'move' and 'breathe' w ith life sin ce they impart in a mysteri ous way a sense
of primal reality. To a seeker who searches for meaning in such sites or images, t he
past participates in the present in t h at they preserve co untless archetypal
associations. Such a respon se necessarily puts out of balance all t he notio ns of
lin ear time of modern man, for whom the past is merely a dead sequence of events.
The archetypal im ages, therefore, cal l for a new way of seeing th rough the
sharpening of the innate faculties by which they were originally preserved . All su ch
images, whether large or sm all, abstract or figurative, sim ple o r sophisticated, re-
c reate a celest ia l protot ype and recapitul ate the sy mbol ism o f th e centre where t he
d ivine manifest s itself, thus investing them with a spirit ual val ue which is held t o be
ultimately real. The yantra enclosures fo llow a similar principle and accord wi th
ancient intu itions.
In th e Yajur Veda (23, 60-61 ), a passage describing a conversati on between a
devotee and t he priest who performs t he fire oblation su mma rizes this concep t. The
seeker questions :

Who knows this world's central point ?Who knows th e heavens, th e earth, the wide air
between them?
Who knows the birthplace of the mighty Surya [sun! ?
I ask thee of the earth's extremest limit, where is th e centre of the world, I ask thee?

29
ARCHETYPAL SPACE AND SACRED SOUND He is answered by the priest:
I know the centre of the world about us. I know heaven, earth, and wide air betw een
them.
I know the birthplace of the mighty Surya .. .
This altar is the earth's extre mest limit; this sacrifice of ours is the world's cent re.
Thus, although made of fragments of bri ck and morta r, th e p linth of t h e fi re alta r is
transformed into a cosmic entity and a spiritu al centre, and the altar begin s to exist
in mystical 'time' and 'space' q uite distinct from th e profane. In t he same w ay, the
archetypal space of the yant ra becomes a sacred en tity reco gnized b y the sadhaka
(aspirant).
In our ordinary perceptions we view space as an amorphous entity wh ich is
related to us in units of measu rement. For us space is essentially quant it ativ e ; we
understand it in terms of dimension, volume and distan ce. For the adept who u ses
yantras in yogic meditation, on the o ther hand, space enclosed within the bounded
figure is purely qualitativ e ; space is absolute void and unit y is a 'sacram ent' by
means of which he communicates w ith a force that stands for life itself.
The yantra is an archetypal unit, and in the making of ev ery new y antra t h e
archetypal activity and the divine revelations re peat themselv es. Each yan t ra's
consecrated place acts as a dwell ing for th e gods, a space where movement from
the level of profane exist ence to t he level of profound real ities is made p ossibl e.
Symbol and meaning blend so closely that they are one real ity, indistinguish able
26 from one another. The yan t ra of the goddess Kall, fo r instance, is n o t merely her
symbol but an indispensable complement of Kall herself, her t o tal substance
experienced through meditation on the 'metaphysical' spaces of her yantra. We not
only perceive the yantra being 'of Kari', but 'understand' it as being one with the
spirit of the goddess. It is said, th erefore, that th e w ise 'know no difference between
the goddess [Mahesi] and th e yantra'. 1
Every yantra creates a power-field, a cosmicized circuit (kshetra) in w hi ch the
powers of the sacred are invoked. Th e li nes and p lanes localize d w ithin t he y antra,
though distinct from all the spaces that surround its outer c ircuit, are an expression
of a tran scendental reality. Stretchi ng from star to star the ultimate substrat um of all
form s is space. Empty space is in itself a primord ial substance and shares in the
nature of divinity. With out it, the primordial substance whos e abode is the whole
universe would remain without sup port. Absolute void is d efi ned by Indian
philosophers as a limitless sea of und iffe rentiated continuum which is an ever-
present entity not detachable from the relative, thus making all div ision of space
illusory. So the spaces within a yan t ra, however minute, can be sym boli ca lly
brought to 'presence' and expressed as being as imrnense as th e spaces w ithi n the
solar syst em . A lthough in the ab stract th is is t he imm utable p rin c ip le on which the
space concept of yantra s functions, on t h e level of human experien ce we are led to
locate th e sacred by creating spatial div isions. The act o f bou ndi ng the figure,
'fencing' its four quarters, defining its spatial orientati ons, de limiti ng the sacred
territory of the yantra, is an act of asserting w h ere sacred space begins t o
manifest.

30
Grammar of archetypal space: from the centre to the
periphery
The optical focus of the yantra is always its centre. As the point of intersection, th e
centre is a supremely creative nucleus from which the etheric force-lines (setu)
radiate outwards in concentric circuits and dissolve in the outer circumference
(nem i). The nucleus of the yantra is the place of the epiphany of the div ine (pltha-
sthana). Its central cosmic zone is the inner focus of all the outwardly dire cted
circuits and lines.
In the sacred centre an epiphany may be represented in anthropomorphic: form 1, 33
or as an emblem; or the spot may be marked by th e mantric seed-syllables of the
deity, such as Orr, Hrlng, Srlng, Kring. In some instances, especially in the 15
important yantras such as the Sri Yantra and Kali Yantra, the mantra or dev ata 62
image at the centre is replaced by one of the most abstract of all symbols: the
mathematically extensionless dot, the bindu.
In the Tantras the bindu has been given several interpretations. As an u ltimate
figure beyond which energy cannot be condensed, the bindu is an appropriat e
symbol of the first principle, the One. Therefore, the bindu is a 'Whole', or 'Full'
(pu rr:ia), the undifferentiated, all-embracing reservoir of the infinite. W it h these
associations, the bindu symbol is viewed in cosmological terms as the creative
matrix of the universe, the 'world-seed' (visva-blja), the point of origin and return of
cosmogonical processes. Metaphysically, the bindu represents the unity of the static
(male, Siva) and the kinetic (female, Sakti) cosmic principles, which expand t o c reat e
the infinite universe of matter and spirit.
In meditation, as we shall see, the bindu is the region of the absolute where the
ultimate union of the aspirant with the divine takes place. The centre of th e bin du is
the sanctum sancto rum, the abode of supra-mundane bliss (sarva-anandam aya), and
the ultimate goal of the sadhana (worship), Being-Awareness-Bli ss (Sat - Cit-
Ananda). Paradoxically, this last metaphysical point of integration with t he t otality,
the absolute void (Sunya), is also the first cause of the universe. The bindu t h us
symbolically functions in two d imensions, one in time, in existence, as a source and
fount of all life, and the other in a sphere beyond all time, in 'timelessness' . Viewed
sub jectively, from the point of view of the sadhaka, the bindu corresp ond s t o the
energy centre of the subtle o r psychic body which is visualized as located in the
forehead (see p. 120 ff). In yantra meditation the central point of the yan tra and the
abstract centre of the aspirant are brought together by mental concentration.
Thus the bindu conveys a variety of concept s. There is a cosmological b indu
whicl i functions as the root matrix of c reation; the psychological b ind u w hich
mirrors the sadha ka's own spiritual centre; the metaphysi cal bind u which exp resses
the union of male and female principles; tantrikas have even evolved the co ncept of
the physiological bindu, which is concentrated as human semen.
The 'root' forms from which yantras are constructed, the triangle, circl e and
A rc hetvp al sh apes b awd o n the cli1 i., io11 0 1 a circle. afrPr
1

square, are considered essentially 'primordial' since visually they cannot be reduced equalio11 s in th f' mathematical treatisf' Car;ita Kaumucli
further to orderly closed shapes. ( AO 7356)
The rhythm of creation is crystallized in the p rimal symbol of cosm ic locatio n, the
triangle. The primary sign of sacred enclosure, since space cannot be bounded by
fewer than three lines, th e triangle is thus conceived as the fi rst symbolic fo rm to
emerge from the cataclysmic chaos preceding creation. In this aspect it is known as
the root matrix of nature (mu la-trikor;ia: mu la= root, tri kor;ia = t riangle). The
inverted triangle is also th e symbol of c reative-genetri x fem ini ne p ower (Sakti),
whose kinetic dynamism gives impetus to the inert force in existence. It is t h e female
emblem (yon i-mar:ic;lala) of the sakti- principle. Wit h these two associ ations, the
inverted triangle is the first enclosure surround ing the infinitesimal nucleus o f most
yantras devoted to goddesses, and is th e e m b lem o f the great goddess Kall. The
triangle with apex upwards denotes the male pri nciple (Purusha) a nd is t he emblem
of Siva. Its numerical equivalent is 3.
Whereas the bindu is the gathering-up of fo rces, the circle represents the cyclical
forces, the contraction and expansion of astrono mical revolutions, and t he round o f
cosmic rhythms. Within this image lies the notion that time has n o begin ning and no
end. The farthest region of space and the innermost nucleus of an atomic st ru c ture
are bound by the constan t flow of life an d the rhythm ic energy of creati on. The circle
may also be considered, in its concentrated form, as a bindu, or in galactic
proportions as the expanding universe; its numerical counterpart is the zero. 2
These three fundamental shapes, the po int, triangle and circle, appear in intricate
combinations and permutations, and may b e related in several ways. Most frequent
are the diagrams form ed by in terpenetratio n of t wo triangles to fo rm a star-
hexagon: the upward pointing 'male' and the down ward pointing 'female' generate
the concept of the fu sion of pola rities, the male and fema le, spirit and matter, the
static and the kinet ic in a perfect state of unity. The numerical equivale nt o f thi s
figure is 6. Similarly, the a~takor;ia (a fi gure with eight angles) results from the
superimpositio n of square on square; its allu sio n is t o th e number 8, a sign of infi nity
and associated with the eight directions of space and th e endless cycle of time. The
star- pentagon illustrates the t otal organ ization of space into the n u mer ical o rde r of
5. The symbolic references of this figu re are to th e creative and destructive power o f
Siva in his fivefo ld aspect (as one of th e chief divinities of t he H indu t rinity, Siva h as
bee n represented in innumerabl e forms; in his fiv efold aspect hi s epithets inclu de:
Co nqueror of D eath, M rityunjaya ; an embod iment o f k n owled ge, Daksh ir;i a-
murti; Lord of Lust, Kame~vara ; the Being of Li fe, Prar:iamaya-mu rti,; th e Lo rd o f the
Elements, Bhuteshal.
The lotus blossom is one of th e prin ciple archetypal sym bols u sed in yantras.
Generally centred o n th e axis wi th its geometrically abstract pet als po inting towa rd s
the c irc umference, iL is the approp riate image to illustrat e the unfold ing u f p ower or
th e divine essen ce.
In ancient Indian cosmo logy, th e lotu s was associate d w ith c reat ion myt hs, an d is
a type of physical prop to the un iverse. It is, fo r example, often de pict ed as sp ri ng ing
from Vishr;iu's navel, suppo rting and giving birth to Brahma, the fi rst god of t he
Indian trinity. From its pericarp t he rest of t he c reated worl d issu es. Sin ce t he ea rli est
l.o tu ses as S)'mbo ls of u nlo lcling en er~ ies times, the lotus has always been a symbo l of the c itadel of t he heart, t he seat of th e

32
Self. Yogi s believe that th ere are actual spiritual centres within us wh ose essential
nature and luminosity can be experienced during meditation ; these sp iritual centres
are often represented symbolically as lotuses. The Chandogya Upanishad (VIII, I, 1-3)
states:
Within the city of Brahman, which is the body, there is the heart, and w ithin the heart
there is a little house. This house has a shape of a lotus, and within it dwells that which is to
be sought after, inquired about, and realized.
What, then, is that which dwells within this house, this lotus of the heart? .. .
Even so large as the universe outside is th e universe within the lotus of the heart. W ithin
it are heaven and earth, the sun, the moon, the lightning and all the stars. Whatever is in
macrocosm is in this microcosm . ..
Though old age comes to the body, th e lotus of the heart does not grow old. It does not
die with the death of the body. The lotus of the heart, where Brahman resides with all his
glory - that, and not the body, is the tru e city of Brahman.
Thus the true city of the Supreme Principle is the heart, or central core of t he
individual, symbolized by th e lotus which remains untouched by the banal reality of
every-day living ; from the tantric point of view, the lotus is the pure Self rev ealed in
meditation, the spiritual state in its fullness.
Because of its associations with progression, develop ment and t he lif e-
expanding quality of prar:ia (breath, or th e vital force of nature), the lotus represent s
the 'out-petalling' of th e soul-flower in the process of spiritual realizat ion. The
aspirant's lotus-fi eld (padma-kshetra) is form ed of th e energy -cent res of h is su btle
body, and th eir 'opening-up' implies the state of complete repose when the purpose
of yogic meditation is attained.
The square is the fundam ental format of most yantras. It is the substratum, the
receptacle and base of the manifest world. Th e square denotes t he terrestrial world
which must be transcended. Its prosaic regularity is contained by th e compass
po ints of the fo ur cardin al directions, and its numerical equivalent is 4.
Four is a symbol of the w orld extended into fou r directi ons, u n iting in it s
horizontal and verti cal directions pairs of opposites, and representing t he to t ality of
space. The square is th e form of order and perfection, the 'support' of the yantra
figure.
Each o f th ese figures - circle, square, t riangle, lotus - m ay functio n as a complet e
yantra or be combined with several linear circuits. Each primal sy mbol has a range of
mean ings, acco rding t o its con text and the plane of consciousness o n wh ich it
functio ns.
A t t he peri phe ry of th e fi gure are fa un-shaped po rtals, placed at th e fou r cardinal
directio ns and known as cos mic d oors because it is t h rough th em that th e aspirant
sym bolica lly enters th e cosmi c fo rc e-field. Pointers d irecting towards the in t erior of
a yant ra, the po rtals are an initi at ory thresho ld whic h simultaneously o pposes th e
phenomenal an d embraces t he nournenal.
The portals, with t h eir extended gates, are th e ea rthly plan e of existence I he c ros.< extPndecl 111/0 a double ~ 1 1 ,btika, indic altng
(bhug raha) or th e region of m ateri ality, and signify th e lowest point of the ascen t that the Supreme Principle can be readwd b) both
'right -hand' and 'left -hand paths. In the lull)' formed
towards perfection. In effect, th ey represent t h e earthly passage between th e square enclosure of tlw )'illllra the gates open o ut at dll
ext ern al and ' m at erial' and the internal, sac red space of the yantra. The frontiers lour sic/es and arP i1witations tm1 ·arcls the sacred centrP

.D
ARCHETYPAL SPACE AND SACRED SOUND which are related to the d irect ions and determ in ants of space have thei r o w n
complex iconographi c deities w ho fo rbid negat ive forces t o enter. The d eiti es of
the spheres, Lokapalas, who preside o v er the T-shaped portal s and square encl osu re
of the yantra, may be four, eight or ten in num ber, corresponding to t he four
regents of space, the intermediary directions, the nad ir and the zen ith . In y antras
devoted to goddesses, a group of auxili ary Saktis or t he eig ht Bh airav as (ep it h et s of
NW N NE Siva) flank the doors. Where the yantras are completely closed circu it s, as in the
Sarvatobhadra (square grid) fo rm, each of the out er squares (pada) is presided o v e r
by a guard ian divinity of one of the four quarte rs, sometim es rep resen t ed by
emb lems, such as the tri dent, goad, n oose, etc. In all t ypes o f y antra, however, the
basic fun ction of these divinities is the same: to p rot ect the sacred p recinct from
negative or disintegrating forces.

Sacred sound
Inseparable from yantras are the subt le vib rat ions which hel p t o intensify t heir
power. These sound elements are often represented by lett ers in scribed on t he
s yantra, and in principle all y ant ras are associated w ith myst ic c om b inatio ns of
SE
Sanskri t letters.* Th e inner dynam ics of the y ant ra c an nev e r be un de rstood in
isolation from the system of sound dy nami cs, as th e two combine t o make up the
comp lete 'definition' of th e divine. The y antra- mant ra complex is basically an
The eight. compass p oints locating the divin ities of the
ei~ht regents of space w ho g uard and prot ect th e
equation that unites space (akasa), wh ich in its gross fo rm appears as sh apes, and
microcosmic unive rse of the yantra vibrations, which in their fin ite form s occur as th e spoken o r w ritten word .
Essentially, then, a myst ic sound combination c omposed of Sans k rit letters, a
simple mantra consists of 'atom ic' m onosyllabi c sou nds su c h as Krl ryi, Hrlryi, Srl ryi,
Airyi, and more complex mantras are composed of a seq u ence of su ch syll ables.
Almost all yantras have som e form of mant ra, eithe r simpl e o r complex, inscr ibed o n
them. The centre of th e y antra is generally insc ribed with t he most i mportant
syllable of the mantra asso ciated with it, wh ile other ma n t ric letters are arra n ged in
the spaces for med by th e int ersection of lines, eit her a rou n d t he c ircle o r on the
lotus petals or on the outer squa re band (bhupura) of the y antra. Ce rta in im po rt ant
yan tras may contain all the v owels an d consonant s of t he Sansk rit alphabet in t h e ir
Sriip, seed m~ntra of th e goddess spaces, whereas others w ill b e inscribed w ith wh ol e m ant ric v e rses associated w it h
Lakshmi, the Sakli of plenitud e and the particular devata (tutelar d eity) th e y ant ra rep resen ts.
fo rtu ne
The infinite diversity of t h e universe as represen ted by th e deities is man ife st m ost
explicit ly in the iconograph ic image, more abstractly as the y ant ra and m o st su b tl y
by th e mantra. The mantra proj ect s t h rou gh v ibratio n s th e su btle anatomy either o f
th e devata (from which it is inseparab le) or of th e for ces o f t h e un iv erse. The mantric
energy condensed in th e let ters is seen as vested wi t h a spi ritu a l po w er beyond
human c o mprehension. Pron ounc ed correctly, joi ned , and w ith t he cor rect rh y thm ,
accent, into nation and mental attitude, a mantra beco mes t he ' sou l of t he y antra'
(Kul arr;ava Tantra ), and a vitalizing fo rce w it hin the mind o f t he seeke r.
A common m istake is t o v iew mantras in con cep tu al te rm s, splitting ha irs o ver the
· For note on Sanskrit pronunciation. see p. '170. m eaning of the v ocables. Mantras are not t o b e regarded as p art s o f sp eech , o r

34
The Sc1nskril c1lphabet. S)' mbol of cosmic sound, rela1ed
to the parts of the subtle bod)' and energized in a n/Ua/
known as Anga-nyasa. Aller 1he SamJ..ril worJ..
TariirahaS)'cl 11. 138--10)

3S
ARCHETYPAL SPACE AND SAC RED SOUND elements of grammar. They are non-discursive symbols articu lating the ineffable in
terms of resonating wavicles of sound v ibratio ns. The con centrated symbol of the
metric mantra and the compact whole of the yantra coincide to arouse appropriate
33 psychic states in the sadhaka.
To be efficacious, a mantra must be transm itted by a guru to the disciple. It should
be distinguished from the Kavaca ('cuirass' - a protective formu la), the yamala (a
mantra based on a text), and the dharar:il (a mnemonic formula containing a
mantra). 3
The image of the world as a web o f sound is a constant theme of the Tantras. The
Saradatilaka Tantra4 describes the visionary world -t ree (lip i-taru) as composed of an
intricate mesh of Sanskrit letters which are the spreading resonances of cosmic
energy. The entire physical universe, composed of the five elements (ea rth, water,
fire, air, ether), is represented by a set o f sound combi nations on the various par ts of
the world-tree. Its seed is the self- creating original principle; its tap roots are cosmic
'location' and vibration (bindu and nada) that spring from the eternal male and
female principles; its branches are composed of letters that denote the earth
element; its leaves that spread over the three worlds are made up of letters that
stand for the water element ; its shoots, bright 'as gems', are made up of the letter
combination s that denote the element fire; the flowers of the tree are represented
by the letters of the air element and the fruits of the tree by the letters representing
ether. The Saradatilaka Tan tra also divides the Sanskrit letters into five classes, each of
which represents one of the five elements. V irtually every aspect of the physical
world, including the solar system with its planets and stars, is symbolically
represented by mantric equations.
The Tantrasara 5 divides the Sanskrit letters into combinations of two, three and
four units, and equates these letter-combinations with the twelve zodiacal signs
(Rasi-chakral.
Man is included in the system of vibrations and in some Tantras 6 each letter is said
to have an effect on a corresponding level in the human body. In a ritual known as
the Matrika-nyasa, the ritual projection of the letters is ach ieved by touching various
parts of the body while reciting mantras with the vivifying nasal sound, m; the
aspirant seeks to tran spose the sound powers of the Mat ri ka Sakti into hi s subtle
body. In a similar ritu al the alphabetical con junctions represent aspects o f the
physical universe (macrocosm) and affinities are struck w ith the human body
(microcosm).
The doctrine of the primacy and eternality of sound, which underl ies the theory of
mantra, has a very ancient histo ry and is upheld most zealously b y the Trika school
of Kashmiri Saivism, which was influen ced greatly by tantr ic thought. This school links
the phenomenon of the pronoun ced sound as mantra with the h ighest
metaphysical principle of their system - the Matri ka Sakti, th e Primo rdial Ene rgy,
which is latent within the letters of the mantras or m ystic syllab les. Speech as it is
expressed in vocables is looked upon not only as being generated by physical o rgans
and breath but as being supremely conscious in itself. Ultimately all letters are seen
as the reflection of the unive rsal ene rgy divinized in the concep t of Matrika Sakti.

36
Articulated speech and the alphabets are the 'little matrikas', or finite prototypes of A RCH ETYPA L SPACE AN D SACRED SOUND
the primordial Matrika Sakti. It is perhaps for this reason that the letters of th e
Sanskrit alphabet, called the Matrika, are also known as akshara or ' imperishab le',
because they share the immutable and eternal quality of their source. The Matrika
Sakti emanates as speech on two different levels: in its 'eternal' aspect as mantra
and in its finite aspect as ordinary language.
The mantras are also intimately associated with the theory of the eternal wo rd,
Sphotavada, expounded by the philosophers of Sanskrit grammar, who traced the
germ of speech or words back to divine source (an imperishable unit of speech :
Spho~a, also known as Vak, or Prar;ava or Sabda-Brahman), thus raising the
formalism of grammatical speculation to the dignity of a theological discourse. The
basis of everything, they held, is the word: 'It is the word-element from which all the
universe takes its birth, retains its life, and becomes capable of mutual social
behaviour.' 7 All t ransitory words that can be seen and heard are held to derive from
a subtle form of sound (madhyama) in which sou nd exists as a though t -fo rce;
beyond this is another level of sound (pashyanti) in which sound exists as a concept
o r idea in its germinal state, like 'the seed of a tree before sprouting'; ultimately,
sound is generated by Para, the first stage of vibration, where it exists as 'unstruck' or
silent sound.
Thus any letter inscribed on a yantra can be traced back to its metaphysica l
sources; it then ceases to be a method of conveying meaning and becom es a
fragment of sacred sound, the parallel of archetypal space, which has the power to /-frlrp, seed mantra of the g oddess
Tripura-Sundarl. d en oting the unil )' oi
tap the inert energies of the yantra. th e male and female p rin ciples. It is also
Particular sound-syllables are especially linked to yantras. The sound-syllable Orp th e p rimal vibration of th e goddess
Bh uvanesvarl w ho p resid es o ver the
represents the fu ndamental thought-form of all-pervading reality. With its three spheres
associations with the universe in all its manifestations, Orp is a com plete
alphabetical yantra in its own right and can be equated with the creativ e point, t he
bindu.
A number of syllabl es, such as Hrlrp, Krlrp, Aung, Phat, which are frequent ly
inscribed in or otherwise associated with yantras, are the primary mantras (mula-
mantra) of the divinity. They are called seed mantras (blja-mantras) as t hey con tain
the quintessence o f the powers of the divinity and complem ent the 'root' forms o f
the yantra. These basic mantras are omnipotent formulae, instinct with the powe r of
the divinity: 'Verily, the body of the deity arises from its basic seed mant ra' (Ya ma/a
Tantra). They are generally inscribed in the centre of the yantra, and are substitutes Krlrp, seed m an tra of the goddess Kc'ill,
rep resenting her power of creation and
for an anthropomorphic image as its 'indestructib le proto type'. disso lutio n
In ritual and meditation w ith yantras, the seed mantras are pronounced fro m the
d iaphragm, then from the throat, rolled round the mouth and finally closed off w ith a
nasal sound, m. Although the seed mantras are composed of single syllables, each
sound is a further symbol of either an attribute or the complex nature of div inity.
Thu s, for instance, the seed mantra of the goddess Bhuvanesvarl, the Lady of the
Three Spheres, consists of four sounds, H-R-1-ly\: H = Siva, R = Prak riti o r nature,
T=Maya or creative play, ly\ = dispeller of sorrow. Thus the mantra represent s the
whole nature of the goddess whose worship grants boons and dispels sorrows.

.17
ARCHETYPAL SPACE AND SACRED SOUN D Like yantras, mantras can be categorized according to classes and purposes, and
in principle are matched to particu lar yantras. Mantras wh ich induce a trance-state,
for instance, are associated with yantras which are used fo r en lightenment ;
protective mantras are paired with yantras which are defences against malignant
powers, and so on. So intimate is this relat ionshi p that mantra and yantra are parallel
to each other and in some cases may be interchangeab le. A letter may assume the
form of a diagram and manifest as a 'static' mantra-yantra; conversely, t he yan tra
may be aroused into vibrating rhythm and function as a mantra.
When a particular letter functions as a yantra it is given an abst ra ct geometrical
figuration. A characteristic graphic representation of the sacred monosyllab le Oryi in
its yantra form appears in the Orissan manuscript Sayantra Sunya-Samhita, where it is
split into five constituent parts, starting from the bindu and proceeding to curves
having an element of the spiral. These five graphic forms correspond t o the complete
unfolding of the basic principles of the universe in its fivefold aspects, such as the five
elements, five subtle essences (tanmatras), five deities, five seed mantras, etc.
In addition to the seed mantras, there are a nu mber of complex mantras
composed of several seed-syllables. Thei r number, mode and purpose, with their
yantras, are mentioned in several tantric texts.
The structure of certa in mantras is based on the esoteric symbo lism of num bers.
The mantra devoted to Siva, for instance, is composed of five lette rs (pancakshara ) -
Na/ma~ Si/ va/ya. In re ligious practice and mytho logy Siva comb ines in himself five
aspects of the universe. H is eternal energy is conceived of as evident in five

Deva ta Seed mantra Element Subtle element Vital air in


the subtle body

• Sudarsana Pliryi ether sound Udana

~ Simhasana D hliryi air touch Vyana

C) Jagannatha Kli ryi fire sight Samana

:J Subhadra Sliryi wat er t aste Apana

~
Balbhadra H liryi earth smell Prar:ia

0111kara Yani ra, a graphic represenlalion of the primordial seed sound 0111, symbolizing 1he whole
cosmos. The feller 0111 is splil up into five shapes l o represenl l hP en/ire universe, rPsn/vPd inln live
rosmi< principles. Alter 1he Orissan palm-leaf Ms. Sayanl ra SLln)1a-Sarnhi1a

38
Durg,'i Ian aspect of Ka/I) Dharar:ia Yanira, with manlras

activities: he enfolds t he whole of creation, and in this aspect is known as Sadyojata:


he preserves it as Vamadeva; he reabsorbs o r dissolves it as Aghora ; he veil s or
conceals the worl d of pheno mena in his Tatpurusha aspect; fi nally, as lsana, he
grants boons and bestows on his devotees grace whi ch leads towards final
liberation. These five aspects are correlated wi th important and fu ndamental sets of
five psycho-cosmic principles such as the five elements, the five senses and five
quarters (the fou r regents of space+ zenith). This is one of the reasons why the
pentagon is associated with Siva (see p. 32 above ). The five syllables of the Siva mantra
are an attempt to illustrate his immanence in his five aspects, and when his mantra is
inscribed in the yantra, it symbolically recapitu lates the fivefold Saivite tenets.
Similarly, the mantra devoted to the second god of the Hindu trinity, Vish1~u , has
twelve syllables- Orp/ Na/ mo Bha/ga/ va/te/ Va/su/ de/va/ya; as does that of the sun
god Surya, associated with the twelve zodiacal signs.

Th e Cayatrl Mantra
One of the most important longer mantras, commanding g reat respect since Ved ic
times, is the Gayatrl Mantra. This reads: 0111 bhur bhuvah swa~ tat sav itu r
varer:iyam, bhargo, devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo na l~ pracodayat, 0111 - 'May we
meditate on the effu lgent Light [or Power] of he who is worshipful and who has g iven
birth to all worlds. May he direct the rays of our intelligence towards the path o f
good.' 8 The tantric version of the Gayatrl Mantra in the Srlvidyarf)a va Tantra,9 given in

39
A RC HETYPA L SP ACE AND SAC RED SO U N D the table belo w, illustrates how each o f the syl lables of t he expand e d m an tra is
linked w ith a deity, a c o lour, a b od ily mech an ism and a c o smic principle. The mantra
is inscribed in a circular fashion in th e Gayatrl Yantra, symbo lically integrating a
w hole m antra-picture of t he u niverse with the yan t ra fo rm.

Mantra syllable Colou r Sakti (goddess) Cosmic principle


(m icro -macrocosm )
Tat y ellow Prahladini earth

Sa/ pink Pradha w ater


vi/ red Nitya fi re

tuf:i blue V isvabh adra air


va/ fiery V ilasini e t her
re/ white Prabh avati smell
ni/ white Jay a t aste

yam white Santa sigh t


Bha/ black Kanta t o u ch
rgo red D urga sound
De/ red on lotus Saraswati sp eech
va/ white V isvam aya h an ds

sya golden-yel lo w V isalesa genitals


Dhi/ whit e Vyapini anus
ma/ pink V imala feet
hi con ch-whi te Tamopaharir:ii ears
Dhi/ cream Suk~ma mou th
yo red Vi svayoni eyes
Yo red Jay av aha ton gue
Naf:i/ colo ur of the Padmalaya nose
rising sun
Pra/ colour of blue Para mind (manas)
lotu s
col yellow Sobha ego-sense (aha 111kara)
da/ whi te Bhadrarupa T he fi r st ca u sa l
principle of the world
(m ah at)

yat white, red, Trimurti Three qualities o f mat-


black erial nature: sattva,
rajas, t amas (i.e. radi-
an ce, activity, inerti a)

40
Thi:' Gel) al rl ) anll cl 111 en bed w11h the G,1) al rl tvla111ra. Ra1as1h,m. c. 19th < Pnl un . In!.. ancl <o/our on p.r/lP1

41
Chakras of D eit y Sri Vidya Yoginls $aktis and Cosmic
the subtle Mantra presiding over their cosmic cycle
body th e subtle body energies

Sahasra ra
~ Hrln:i YakinT

RaudrT = Sam h ara


BhOmT C5 la En erg y of action Disso lution
BhagamalinT
Vish r:w q;:; ka

B hartT ~ sa

Ajna
between the
eyebrows
~ Hrln:i H akinT

BhOmT <?" la

Jye9tha = Sthiti
~
Brahma ha Energy of Preservation
Visuddha DakinT k nowledge
throat centre VajresvarT
Vishr:iu
Cf> ka

Bharti
~ sa

~
Brahma ha
Anahata RakinT
level of the
heart

~
Rudra I RudranT
(Siva) (Sakti) Hrln:i
Mar:iipOra LakinT
navel
BhOmT
<?" la

Svadhishthana
below the
navel
Vishr:iu
s 7
KakinT
Varna =
Energy of wil l
KamesvarT
Sri9ti
Creation

BhartT
~ e

MOladhara
base of spine
Brahma

...
qi" ka
SakinT
j

Nava-yo'"!i Ch_akra. Th e yanlra fo r Sri V idya wors hip , composed o f interpenetrali ng t riangles IO sym b o li ze t h e impe rish.1ble
unit y of Siva/Sakli. The 15 seed svllables inscribed around t he ci rcle represe n t all !he hierarchies and planes of tlw cos mos.
and illustrat e the mutual int errelalionship oi microcos m and macrocosm . The 15 syllables are clivid f'd in/o th ree group ~. The
first has 5 seed vibrations · ka = primordial desire, e = r ausal wo mb, I = sub stance o f generativP fo rce, la = Siva, an d /-/ri11 1
:== Sl:'ed syllable o l 1h e g odd ess Tripura-Sun c/ar/, invoked in th e yanlra. The second gro up consist s o f 6 seed syllah le '> · h a
SNa, sa = l'ra krili, ka = force oi nature as primord ial d esire, h a = Siva aspecl, la = cosmic <>lhe r, plus 1he Sf'ed manlra
Hrlrr. Tlw t hird group consists of 4 syllables: sa, ka, la, HrlfTJ, and rep resenls t h e u1111 y in dualil )1 oi th e malf• anc/ iPm<1h ·
prin cip les. The aspirant ma)' int ernalize 1his complex sym b o lism by co mentra ling on the esote ric E'.ss ence ol e a< h o l thC'
syllables, and so intuit his unil )' with t he cosm os. A fte r thf' 1anlri< wo rk Varivasya-f<.,1hasya
42
The reason the sound vibrations of t he Gayatrl M antra are divided into twenty-fo ur ARCHE TYPA L SPACE AND SAC RED SOUND
syllables is probably to correspond with the twen ty-fou r cosmic principles,
technically called tatt vas, of the traditio nal Sam khya system of Indian thought (see
p . 74). These princip les, from t he po int o f view of creation, represent t he enti re
static and kinetic u niverse; from the point o f view of m an, they embody the whole
psycho-physical and spiritual self.

The Sri Vidya Mantra


A highl y esoteri c mantra is the SrlVidya M antrri w hich is di scussed in the Varivasya-
Rahasya, a tantri c text devoted to the supreme goddess Tripura-Sundarlwho, in her
kn owledge aspect, is known as Sri Vid ya. The cosmic v ision of the tantras can be
considered eith er exoteric or esoteric; these t wo view points give tw o sid es of a
single doctrine. The fo rmer looks at the exteri or, the literal, and is easily
com prehensible; w hen tantric deities are in t heir exoteric sense, for example, they
are com prehended by the senses in their image fo rm. But from the subtle, or
esoteric, point of view the deities are expressed in a gro up of vibrations like the
m antra o f Sri Vidya. Esotericism being more subtle an d interior, Sri Vidya sadhana
(ritu al p ractice) is confi ned to 'secret circles' in which the individual teaching is by
oral trans m iss ion from the precepto r according to the disci ple's level of spiritual
aw areness. The Sri Vidya Mantra consists of fifteen seed-vibration s which are partial
aspects of t he su preme goddess and are believed to ho ld the force of Enlightenment.
This mantra may be w o rshipped in the Srl Yantra (see p. 109), o r in the Yantra of Nine 62
Triangles (Nava-yoni Chakra, see o pposite), in whi ch case th e fifteen esoteric 12
sy llables are divid ed into three p rincipal groups and are inscribed in the primal
triangle around the bindu.
It is held by Sri Vidya practitioners t hat one syllable of the fifteen is in the nature of
Pure Consciousness (Cit). This secret syllable is generally not recorded in the texts.
When uttered by t he guru w ith the correct instruction it can bring about t he
aspiran t' s direct com prehension of the highly esoteric properties of the yantra-
mantra complex. Li ke the Gayatrl M ant ra, above, the Sri Vidya M antra has a precise
psycho-cosmic sym bolism.

The com bi nations of letters inscribed on the yantras must be logically congruent
w ith the structure of t he Sanskrit language. Certain im portant yantras, such as the
Sri Yan tra, have all t he Sa nskrit vowels and consonants in scribed in t heir angles o r
on the lotus petals. According to tantra, the first Sans krit letter, A. represents Siva.
W hen the letter A is aspirated and prono unced from deep in the throat, it sounds
Ha, the letter symbol of Sakti as well as the last letter of th e Sanskrit alphabet. The
combination of the t wo letters A and Ha emb races the entire range of the Sansk rit
alphabet and epitomizes the whole of creatio n in its subtle aspect as sound.
As related to yantras, then, mantras serve two main purposes. They stand fo r t he
deity whose mantra is inscribed on the yantra, and they are used extensively during
worship and meditation w ith yantras, cha nted and intoned during ri tu al (see pp.

-13
ARC HETYPA L SP ACE AN D SAC RED SOUND 102- 5 ). Ritual mantras may take the form of complete ve r ses, repeat ed
combination s of the seed syllables (japa) or single letters which serve in some cases
as ' reminders' of ideas of the qualities either of the d eiti es or of the unive rse.
Finally, the mantra and the yantra form a complex dialectic of form and sound.
A lthough the yantra and the mantra are two distinct princ iples and operate on two
distinct levels, they are mutually influenti al and complementary: every yantra can
b e redu ced to certain frequ encies of v ibration (mantra) and every sequence of
vibrations can be grouped into particles of matter to form an appropriate
geometrical shape (yantra). Th e yantra and the mantra are meant to sub stitute for
each other and operate on a principle of modern science similar to the conservation
of energy into matter an d m atter into ene rgy. A yantra in its ' root' vibration may be
con sidered as a seed m a ntra of the div inity and allowed to exist only in the mind as a
thought-force, o r the nucleu s of the seed mantra may be exteriorized, expanded and
65 localized as harmonic lines. In oth er words, it is possible to 'see' sound as form and
' hear' pattern as sound.
Recent research in cymatics (the study of the interrelationship of wave-forms and
matter) has shown remarkab le results: 'Th e Hindu sacred sy ll able Oryi, w h e n
corre ctly utte red into the tonoscope, apparently produces the c ircl e 'O', w hi c h is
then filled in with concentric sq uares and triangles, finally produ c ing, when th e last
traces of t h e ' m ' have di ed away, a "yantra" .' 10 Such comp lex energy
transformations lend support to the conclusion that yantra and m ant ra, in the
ultimate sense, are one and the same.
Yantra and m antra thu s present the uni on o f archetypal space and sacred sound.
Both are aids to in wa rd illumination which tap the senses of sight a nd so und in
ord er to tran scend the phenomenal. Each is inseparable from the other, with m ant ra
the 'soul' and yantra the 'body' of subtle sound.

13 Ya ntra of the godde ss Chamur:i9 a (a fo rm of th e great go ddess Ka ll) insc ribed with sa c red
syllables or mantras. Here th e seed m antras O rp, Hrl rp and Klirp a re related to ea c h p art of the
yantra, intensifyi ng the diagram's energy a nd vitalizi ng its sta tic shapes w hen they a re medi tate d
u po n o r ch anted during wo rship. Rajasthan, 19th century. Ink a nd co lou r o n p a p e r

44
a~~if1~ri ,-fr*"ldl
,, su1~ ;J1f ?jlflt. :/11:

: ~
~~ -
~~
~
)..
I • ~

: IJ ~JJ!-kfiBI!/). ' I
:#~*"!Pa8et}. :1:te~]IJ.!!g
:~~ll#l!il!@J8WJ18~4!'-~~1!~1A!1'!J~c

- - ---=--~---
--

.- ~--- - - ·-- -- - ~-

'14 Ya ntra ancJ seecJ m an t ras of t he gocJcJess Du rga, an aspect of Kafl, representing t he di ssolution of t h e dark
forces of na ture ancJ triumph over evil. Raja sthan, 19t h cent u ry . Ink an d co lo ur o n paper
..

. .;::} .. -

h. ~
. .. . . •••
\

I '·
'

..

15 Yant ra with the syllables O q1 Hrlq1 inscribed in the centre and at the cardinal directions. This
mantra is the symbol of the Lantric goddess Lalita, denoting her creative play (M aya l which gives
ri se to the manifested world. Rajasthan, 19th century. Ink and colour on paper
16 Ka lyar:ia Chakra, th e 'Wheel of Fortu ne' . The m ystic syllab les 1·adiati 11g from th e centre are
grouped in a cryptic manner in order l o concea l the y antra's eso t eri c significan ce from th e
uninitiated. Rajastha n, c 19th century. Ink and colou r 0 11 paper

17 18 All tant ril deities have their c mrC'sponding) antra iorrm. Top. trom letl to right .) <1nlri1 oi
Annapurr;i a. a iorm ot Durga. and thrt't' y an tra~ lli /\\ahiividya l3agalii-rnukh1 above, from IC'll to right : twn
ya ntra.., of St-nya. tlw '.:> un Cod, one of '>1v,1 ,rnd n1w oi another ,1specl of <;1v,1. ,\ \rtunj,1y,1 tlw t 'n11quc•rc i1 of
Death. l\lan/lamah ocladhi, Kajasthan , c IBth te' nturv C1i11c1clw nn p.i pt•r ·
I
I --e.. =- ·---
- ..-, . I
'.'?+~'.' . . ·, • I

. . . ... .,
..._

19 Ceremonial yantras of th e partial aspects of the femin ine or kin etic princip le, w h ich is
considered by tantrikas to be the highest p ri ncip le of the cosmos. Left, three yantras of the
Supreme Energy as a you ng maiden, Bala; right, an Annapurr:ia Yantra devoted to th e goddess as
the giver of food and plenty. Mantramahodadhi, Rajasthan, c. 18th c entu ry. Gouach e on paper
20 Yantras of deities are essentially aids to concentrated visualization and contemplation. The
imagery of the cosmic 'wh ole' allows the worshipper to discover his own inner wh oleness. Three
ya ntras of th e goddess Ta ra draw the saclhaka' s v'sion to the mystic centre. M.int ramahodadhi.
Rajasthan, c. 18th century. Gouache on paper
21 Yan tra rrom a se ries use d fo r in ner v 1~ua h za u on o f t he c os mi c processes wh1c h prov1clP a 11wlaphy~ 1 < ,11
bas is for their symbolism. lea d ing to th e experien ce of ma n- cosm os un ity . 'epal. <. 18 t h < en t ury. Gouac h e nn
board
3
Metaphysics of Yantra

Considered as being essentially guides to human en lightenment, yantras express a


comprehensive vision of reality, illumin ating for the sadhaka the nature and
mystery of the cosmos. The fram ework of metaphysical teach ings within which
yantra symbolism evolved is a 't ranscription' of the main principles of Ind ian
thought, so me of the oldest systematized speculations on man and nature.
One of the principal symbolic components of the yantra is the deities inscribed or
depi cted w ithin its linear framework. So vari ed and numerous are the possible deity
projections that the whole pattern of the yantra may be considered as a complex
rub ric of divine manifestations. These deities are expressions of conscious principles,
relating the aspects of the manifested un iverse; and, as we shall see in the following
chapters, they are equally symbols of the phases and forces of the human mind and
personality.
Tant ra has absorbed the whole corpus of earlier traditions and evolved its own
cosmic v ision, giving specific tantric interpretations to the traditional Hindu deities.
Accordingly tantric Saiva yantras proj ect the manifold nature of Siva; Vaishr:iava
yantras depi ct Vishr:iu in his divine incarnations, with his qualities and
characteristics; and yan tras devoted to goddesses are the summary of the attributes
and emanations of the Female Creative Power (Sakti ). The surrounding deities of
yantras- there may be as few as three or as many as one hundred in a single yantra -
are techn ically know n as Avarar:ia Devatas (deities who shadow or veil the principal
archetype). According to Kamakalavilasa (v.35), in goddess yantras they are like a
'patch of cloud' w hich hides t he luminous effu lgen ce of the Primordi al Goddess
placed at the centre of the yan tra whose radiance is like the sun. The Avarar:ia
Devatas are li ke the limbs of the primordial Sakti in her transformation in her yantra.

The Princ iple of Energy


A fuller understa nding of t he metaphysical basis of yantra must begin with
considerati on of the tantri c doctrine of Sakti. Sa kti is the immense power inherent in
the universe. Everything that moves and breathes is a manifestation of Sakti and has
its basic consciousness, power and action. Sakti is a creative mystery that displays
itself in different spheres in different ways. To the physicist Sakti in1plies t he inherent
active force of matter ; to the psychologist Sakti displays itself through the external
st imulus t hat acts on the mind ; to t he mystic the spiritual experience of unity is
Sakti. The entire edifice of science may be seen as being related to the notion of
Sakti, with matter, energy, sound - all the main consti tuents of physical science -

53
iYSI CS OF YANTRA displaying a power that is their essential nature. Everything in life possesses a fo r ce to
t ransform, to become, to be, to expand its inherent nature and grow as it we re from
within, w hic h is Sakti.
For tantra this Sakti is both transcendent (ab stract) and imman ent (con c rete). If a
synthesis of all active and potential fo rces were possible, there wou ld still be a n
inexhaustible and untapped reservoir of this force. Sakti is therefore seen as c reating,
maintaining and absorbing every aspect of life and p lane of existence. A lthough t h e
San skrit word sakti is feminine, the concept refers t o a cosmic prin c ipl e that
transcends finite explanations in terms of gender: Sak ti, Mahakala Saty1hita st ates, 'is
neith er female no r m ale nor neuter. It is in co n ceivab le, immeas urable Power, the
Being of all which exists, Void of all duality, attainable in illumination.' 1
The highest personificatio n of the Supreme Energy Principle is exp r essed
iconographically as fem inine in t he Tan t ras. Th o ugh n eutral in her ultima t e aspect,
t heologically Sakti is contemplated as a goddess, o r D evi, und er the n ames of Kall,
Tara, Durga, Parvafi, Lakshmi, etc.
In early Indian h istory the v ision of the sacred as feminine rece iv ed little attenti on.
Vedic t h eology was male-o riented, and goddesses were assig ned periph e ra l roles:
they appear as con sorts to male gods and as subservient to ma le power. By the
beginning of t he tantric ren aissan ce (AO 700-1300), h owever, th e fe m a le
reappeared with greater impo rtance and began to sha re the grandeur of th e gods.
Eventu ally, go ddesses exercised so great an influen ce in Hindu m yt h o logy t hat
t h ey oversh adowed t h e previou sly m ale-dominated th eology and becam e 'total'
symbols of divin e power.
The female princ iple as an emblem of kinetic o r potenti al energy as well as the
ch ief symbol of the Absolute Reality (Brahman ) h as since dominated th e w h o le
range o f tantri c thou ght.2 In the Dev/Upanish ad (1-3) the Su preme Goddess exp la ins
her true natu re, that transcends al l empiric existence and repr esents all the attributes
and functions of the Hi n du trinity:
Great Godd ess, who art Thou?
She replied : I am essent ially Brahman [the Absolute I.
Fro m me has proceeded t he world comprising Prakriti [material su bsta n ce]
and Puru sha [cosmic conscio usness], the Void and th e Plenum.
I am [all forms of] bliss and non-bliss.
Knowledge and ignorance are M yself.
I am t he five elements and also w hat is different from t h em , th e panch abhutas
[fi ve gross elements] and tanmatra s [five subtle elements].
I am th e entire world.
I am the Veda as well as what is different from it.
I am unknown ; I am born
Below and above and around am I.

The origin of the goddess h as bee n d escri bed in seve ral ancient t exts. 3 A Hindu
legend expla in s that in a battle to overth ow negative fo r ces, t he denizens of
h eaven, Bra hm a, Vishr:iu and Siva, emitted a fl ood of their energy in all di r ections
wh ich cond en sed into the fo rm of a woma n. Th is is h ow Sa kti, having em e rged from
a miraculous amalgamation of the energy of the gods, concentrates all the powers ME TA PHY SICS O F YANT RA
of the gods in her person.
Around this central feminine principle, a complex and varied feminine theology
has been developed in the Tantras. Innumerable goddesses were named, each
representing one of the manifold aspects of the principal feminine divinity, and
many have been given their symbolic identity in yantras. A substantial number of
yantras of female divinities are described in some of the important tantric texts.4
Several tantric texts 5 deal exclusively with specific goddesses and give elaborate
descriptions of yantra, mantra, mode of worship, etc. Thus just as there is a
represe ntational iconography of feminine theology, there is, parallel to it, a
symbolic, abstract, repertoire of Sakti yantras.
Th e theology of Sakti as feminine branched off into two major streams, the
schools of the goddess Kall (Kall-kulal and the goddess Sri, whose worship is known
as Sri Vidya.6 Both schools developed their own specific auxiliary deities around
their central goddesses and also devised yantras which illustrate some of t he
dominant philosophical concepts of their respective systems of thought.

Yantra of Primordial Energy : Kall


Kall, one of the most awe-inspiring goddesses of the Hindu pantheon, gained an
extraordinary populari ty in tantra and is the object of fervent devotion in tantric
forms of worship. Perhaps her great popularity in tantric ritual is explained by the
Av,1ra1;a (surrounding) deities invoked in the K5fi Y,111tra.
fact that she is the em bodiment of certain key metaphysical principles of the tantric
In the ·15 angles of the triangle: 1 K,111, 2 Kapalin/, 3
tradition. Reigning supreme among goddesses in the Tantras, Kari is a power-symbol Kulla, 4 Kurukulla, 5 Virodhinl, 6 Vipraciua, 7 Ug ra, 8
displaying the original unity of the transcendental in her feminine form. Although Ugraprabha, 9 Dip1,1, 10 Nila. 11 G hana, '12 Ba /aka, 13
Maira, 74 Mudra, ·15 Mita. Jn the B lotus petals: ·1
her prehistory has been traced to Vedic origi ns and non-Aryan sources,7 Karl makes BrahmT; 2 JndraryT; 3 1\llahesvarl; 4 Gimuryrja; 5 Kaumarl:
her 'offi cial' first appearance in the MarkaQc;leya Purar;a,8 where she is said to have 6 Aprajita: 7 Varah!: 8 N,'irsimhl : and the traditional
deities of the eight regents of space. Alter the 1an1ric
been born from the brow of Durga in a battle between gods and demons. In this work KalT Ta ntra
context, Karl is considered as the terrible form of the great goddess Du rga, another
consort-Sakti of Siva, who was so called to commemorate her victory over the
buffa l o~demon Mahisha. Kafi's gory image and symbol ically fierce appearance have
been the subject of extensive descripti ons in several tantric works. The
Karpuradislolra, a short devotion~! hymn, describes an awe-inspiring vision of the
goddess: Kall is dark of skin, garbed in space (naked), with dishevelled hair ; blood
trickles from her mouth ; in one hand she waves a sword and with the other holds a
skull; her waist is girdled with severed heads. Kari's favourite place of repose is a
cremation ground littered with corpses.
Th e terror-drenched iconographic imagery of Kall as the annihilating power of
Time and th e Energies of crea tion and disso lution is condensed in her yantra for
wo rship into t he bindu, a circle, an eight- petalled lotus and 'three pentagons' (actually 26
five inverted concentric triangles).9
In her yantra form, Kall appears in the central dot, or bindu, as a conscious source
or womb of the world. She is the energy aspect of material nature, whose
inexhaustible kinetic qual ity is possessed by and unites wi th the Absolute for the

SS
M ETA PHY S ICS O F YANTR A sake of c reation. Her pri mordial explosiv e w ill to c reate is co nt rasted w ith Pu ru sh a,
the male princ iple, not as 'm atter' to 'spirit' but as mal e to fe male. The bindu shows
her non-separabilit y and non-d ifference from th e Su p rem e Male Prin c iple, Siva .
As the Supreme Generative Energy, Kafl is the material, in st rumental an d efficient
cause of m aterial nature, and in t h is aspect sh e is represented as Prakrit i, sy m bolized
by the lotus-form of th e yantra. Her creative urge im pels materi al force (Prakriti ) to
div ersify into an infi nite n umber o f grosser fo rm s. The eight petals o f t he lotus den o te
th e eight elements of Prakrit i - earth, water, fire, air, eth er, mi nd (m anas), in te ll ect
(buddhi ), ego-sense (ah arpkara) - o f w hich the ph enom enal worl d is h eld t o be
composed an d which are none other than herself. Kali's c reat ive functio n as Prakrit i
asso ciates her with the active power of t ime. She is th e M istress of Ti me who weaves
t he warp and woof of countless aeons from age to age . Sh e represents the cycl ic
tim e-c onsciousn ess of n ature that transcen ds the short span of ind iv id u al d estiny .
World s emanate from her womb li ke b ubbl es from an ocean. W ith o u t h er p ul sating
Prakriti-func tio n, the whole of existence lies in ert and unm oving as a corpse. Ju st as
she is the creator, so she is the preserv e r, o f the infin ite c y cli c o rd er of t ime. Her
ceaseless mo ther-aspect sustains life, w hil e she sim ultan eously c a rri es o n her
cataclysmic function s of c reati on and disso lutio n.
Prakriti in h er pheno m enal aspect is associated w ith t h e co n cept o f Maya -
represented in th e c ircle of th e yan t ra. The word m aya has t wo c o nnotat ions .
Positively, it is the spontaneous, inexp licab le p ower o f th e d iv in e; Kali is M a ha-maya
and the world is an effortless creati on of her d ivine reflex. But in relation to created
matter, t h e maya-creat ed worl d is viewed negatively as an all-pervasive vei l, or
delusion and ignoran ce. Maya is that w hic h intoxicates m an and d e ludes h im into
tak ing th e fl eeting and shifting appearance o f the world fo r realit y. The lesso n o f
Maya is t hat man must apprehend t he true nat ure of th e world, the inner mea ning o f
its secret fo rces operating beyon d the flux of appearances. The circle of t he Kall
Yan tra sy mbo li cally ind icates th at the vei ls o f Maya w hi c h confi n e m an to t he 'circle'
of life need to be pierced in o rder that he shall 'see' reality.
The fifteen co rners of the five con centri c inverted t ria ngles of the Kali Yantra
represent the Avay avas, the 'aspects' or psychophysica l stat es: t he five o rgans of
kn o wledge (j naen driya); th e five organs of actio n (karm en driy a); t he five vi tal a irs
(pral}a); i.e. they relate to the b ody, t he senses, an d t he rece pti ve fu nctio n s. The
Karpuradistotra states t hat the symbols of t he Ka li Ya ntra are to be t aken into the
body of th e worshipper, while th e famous tantrika poet-sai nt Ramprasad (17 1 8- 75),
in his hymn w rit ten in adorat ion of his pat ron godd ess Kali, b id s th e worsh ipper to
'Fash ion Her image wi th the stuff of min d and set it on t he lotus throne o f you r hea rt .'
The Kali Ya nt ra is both an 'object' existing in t he externa l wo rld, and a 'su bject' to be
interio rized in th e human body. Kali is both a cosm ic reality and a psychic fact .

Sakti-cl usters
The role of the Sup reme Sa kt i can be compared w ith t h e role of the sun in t he solar
system: like the su n, th e Su p reme God dess is t h e source of countless 'energies' ,

56
female deities who are principally her emanations, or her partial archetypal images. META PH YSICS OF YANTRA
The concept of Sakti emanations is si milar to the doctrine of the incarnations of
Vishr:iu in Hindu tradition, but the notio ns of emanations and avatars should not be
confused. Th e immense array of Sakti transformations developed sepa rate
personifications and are classified in descending order. Certain goddesses are the
complete manifestation (purr:iasakti) of the su preme fem ale principle; some are her
partial emanations (amsa-rupinll ; some are fractio ns of her power (kala-rlipinll ; t he
last group - mortal wo men are includ ed here - constitute the 'parts of the parts of
fraction s' of the Supreme Goddess (kalamsa-ru pinll. These manifestations may be
worshipped individ ually or collectively in a 'circle' of goddesses. The innumerable
Saktis appearing in yantras are obviously ordered and generally form clusters like
galaxies, wh ich 'orbit' together. In principle, a particular divinity is assigned to a
specific group, moves with it and is worshi pped in the centre (pltha-sthana) of the
yantra ; like the sun, she commands t he luminous sphere of her Sakti-cluster, who
are disposed on the inner circuits of the yantra, on the lotus petals and w ithin the
square band. Each of these Saktis is a power emblem, poised to t ransform the baser
aspects of material existence into the radian ce of being. All these divinities have
their roots in Siva's 'consort', who is held to be the source of the 'entire fe male
mytho logical system'. 10

Dasa-Mahavidyas: the Sakti-cluster of


the 'Ten Great Wisdoms'
The 'knowledge' aspect of Kall is represented by a Sakti-clu ster of goddesses who are Yanira d evot ed 10 the Sakti-c!uster of 64 Yoginls, tantric
cle11tes representing the q 1c/e of lime. Eac h inve rt ed
known as th e Dasa-Mahavidyas, the Ten Great or 'Transcendent' W isdoms. The triangle is the sacred seal of the D evi
Devlbhagavata Purai:ia explains the mythical origin of these goddesses, essentially
goddess transformations of Kall. In a feud between Siva and Sati (his consort Parvatll,
the goddess transformed herself into her terribl e aspect as Kall. Seeing her horrifi c
image, Siva tried to flee from the scene, whereupon Kall in all her magnificence 'fill ed'
the fo ur quarters, in the ten directions, w ith her ten energies or major forms, w hich
are to her what sparks are to fire.
Th e myth symbolically alludes to the notion that the ten energies encom pass the
whole know ledge of the universe. Together, they are the expression of the cycles of
life, and the summary of all planes of existence. These femi ni ne em bodiments of
knowledge constitute the power of wisdom th at rouses the asp irant from t he ill usion
of existence, and awakens dormant qualities of mind towards conscious awareness
an d perfect wisdo m. In their yantra forms they are a cluster of va rying degrees of
concen tratio n and are aspected either as divine, heroi c, terrifying, demonic or
peaceful, o r as embodim ents and consummations of human perfection. In a
pa rt icu larl y ta ntri c connotation their contrasting aspects, the ho rri fic and
beneficent, constitute two o pposite principles. They inspire and shock, flower and
fade, simu ltaneously, si nce the polarity of the divine nature is perfectly acceptable
w ithin the ta ntric system. In their 'knowl edge' aspect t heir greatest boon is that they
represent fo rces that are related to the powers of t im e, of death, of the continuous

')7
MET A PHYSIC S OF YANTRA flux in life w hich is a constant reminder t hat life is a pass in g phen o m enon,
continuous ly devouring and being devoured. To a mind that is sunk in the m ire of
wo rldly illu sion, the power of t ime appears as fearfu l. But for the aspirant, the
confrontation of the brevit y of existence symbo lized by the fearfu l aspect o f t he
Tara
goddess generates conscious introspection and renew ed spi ritual impetus.
Kali (Zenith) There are specifi c Tantras devoted to eac h o f the ten M ahavidy as, 11 each n a m ed
N
after a goddess and explaining h er nature, y an t ra, mode of ritua l, and the benefits
that are gained from h er ri t ual. Two ma in c entres of the Dasa-Mahav id y a w o rship
are Bengal and Mithila in Bihar st ate, eastern India. In M ith ila, w h en a c hi ld is born the
local priest assigns one o f t he ten Mahav idy as as his c hosen deity (lshta-dev ata) and
the ind ividual generally adh eres throughout his life to the w orsh ip of t he de it y in
either a yantra or image form.
Each of the goddesses has a specifi c cosm ic function. Th e fi rst Mahav idy a is KaIT
herself. As we have seen in discussing her y antra, KaIT is the Sakti o f Kala, or t he
transcendent power of Time; sh e is th e emb odiment o f t h e time-fo rce of th e
un iverse and is therefore t he p ri mord ial evolut io na ry p rinc ip le. Her seed mant ra is
Krl111 .
Time-movement presupposes c h ange and t ra nsfo rmation, so t he second
s Mahavidya, Tara, symbo li zes the pow er of as piration, spiritu al ascent, t he potential
Bagala
B h a iravi (Nadir) that is act ualized through th e p rocess of transfo rmation. Her ya ntra is an eig ht-
petalled lotus in a circl e, with an inverted t riangle, th e first pattern of cosmic loc atio n
Sa.kti-cluster of the len M ahavidi1as and their association significantly representativ e o f th e goddess' s funda mental urge, t h e p ure desire t o
w ith the regen ts of sp ace, indicating that they contain
the knowledge of th e w ho le cosmos, en compassing all c reate. Her seed mantra is 0111.
The third Mahavidya, ~o c;Jasl, re presen ts t he pow e r of perfecl iu n and susten an ce.
Her nam e m eans 'sixteen', a n umber associated w ith pe rfection and t o t ality (see pp .
65-6). .$o<;lasl is the fu ll cy cl e o f creation, when th e entire universe, like a fl owe r, is in
full bloom, a qua lity that is represented in her y antra w it h its nin e ' cosm ic wombs' .
Sh e is one of the goddesses of thi s grou p w h o is worshi pped w idely in he r o wn righ t.
She is th e c hief deity o f the Sri Vid ya fo rm of worsh ip (see pp . 42-3) and is in v o ke d
either in th e great Sri Yantra o r in her own yantra, the Nav a-y oni Ch akra. Her seed
mantras are Ai111, KIT111, Sauh.
The fo urth goddess-t ransformation is the Lady o f the Sph eres, Bhu v a ne svarl, w h o
33 illumines the universe with h er radi ance and beauty . She appea rs in her yan t ra
seated on a sta r hexagon w hic h is associated w ith t h e t ran scendent immensit y of
the two (male and fe m ale) p rin ciples as on e. W it h th e c o lour o f the rising sun and
moon as h er diadem, her anthropomo rp hic im age placed in the cen t re o f the yan tra
is su rroun ded by tw o rings of eight- and sixteen-petall ed lo tu ses. W h e reas KaIT is
suprem e as time-con scio usness of th e u niverse, Bhuvanesva rl is t he c hi ef pro jec t ion
of space- co nsciousn ess, a quality recall ed in part of h er n am e (Bhu = spa ce, an d also
suppo rt). The suppo rter o f all existen c e, she is, therefore, extensio n, expan sio n and
infinite space in whi ch every th ing is con tained, an d is also th e ru ler of t he t h ree
spheres, earth, atmosph ere and t he h eavens as space. Her seed man t ra is H rlq1 .
The fi fth M ahavidy a, Chinnam asta, sym b o lizes th e end o f ex isten ce o r t he
consu m m atio n of th e ever-burn ing, ever-devourin g life-cycle t h at p rec e des an d

58
The yantra cluster of the ten Mahavid)'aS (from the lop,
clockwise): Mahavidya Kaff, Tara, ?oc}a.Si, Bhuvanesvart;
C hinnamasta, Tripura Bhairavt; D hum,'ivalt; Bagala-
mukhi', ~atangt; Ka mala . A variant after t he tantric
manual Sakt a-pramoda/:1

influences resurrect ion. She is shown decapitated, holding her head in her left hand, 22
wh ile drinking streams of blood-nectar flow ing from her own severed neck. In her
yantra, the destructive aspect of her image is implied symbolically by triangles and 23
circles. Her seed mantra is Huryi.
Tripura Bhairavl , the sixth manifestation, is the embodiment of the power of
dest ru ctio n and is constantly dissolving the world by her incessant active (rajasika)
tenden cy. Her yantra is a hexagon placed within a circle of lotuses, and her seed
mantra is Hsrai ryi, Hsklriryi, Hssrauh. All existence is perm eated by the two opposing
forces of growth and decay; all that exists is subject to dissolution from the very first
m o ment o f its being. The annihilating power of time is represented in the yantra of
this goddess by th e nine t riangles which symbolize t he d isintegrating planes of
existence.
The o mnipotently destructive Tripura Bhairavl is fo llowed by the ash-coloured
M ah_?vidya Dhumavatl, the embodiment of ultimate destruction . Her all-powerfu l
destruct ive tendency, w ith which she reduces the w orld to ashes, is recalled in her
name, t he 'Sm o ky O ne'. Dhumavatl is the night of cosm ic slumber, a state of
existence w hen everything in the un iverse lies inert, unused and 'dead'. She is
conceived as a 'widow' and therefore w ithout a m ale co nsort . She sym bolizes
METAPHYSICS OF YANT RA ignorance and darkness veiled within itself; her outward manifestations in the world
are despair, dread, poverty, hunger and misfortune. Dhumava tl' s yantra is a
hexagon within an eight-petalled lotus and her seed mant ra is Dhum.
The eighth manifestation of Kall is the crane-headed goddess Bagala-mukhl who
represents the unconscious tendencies in man that lead h im towards illusion,
though her power immobilizes and stifles all movements and actions. By her force
fire turns cold and anger is appeased. She is propitiated to sus pend activ iti es of
nature. Her yantra is like Dhumavatl's apart from an additiona l tria ngle with in the
hexagon. Her seed mantra is Hl rlryi.
The ninth Mahavidya, Matarigl, represents the power of do m in ation, dispels evil
and dispenses justice. Her yantra, aga in, is like Dhumavatl's and is di fferentiated by
her seed mantra.
The tenth Mahavidya, the lotus-co loured Kamala, is li ke a flower b lossoming in
everyth ing and represents a state of reconstituted unity. She is the embodiment of
all that is desirable and therefore reveals herself in good fortune. Everything joyful is
associated with her. The yantra of th is Mahavidya, too, is a hexagon placed w ith in a
circle of lotuses, and is diffe rentiated by her seed mant ra, Srlrp.
The ten Mahavidy as can broad ly be grouped as belong in g to descending or
ascending planes of reality . Starting from t he nadir of creation, there are t he
Mahavidyas associated with the darker forces of life wh ich are in voked th rough their
yantras for occult or magical purposes, while those at the zenith of creation and
dominated by the effu lgence of the pure state of being are invoked for spiritua l
knowledge of the highest order. All the aspects of goddess-transfo rmations bring
liberation, although some may bring the aspirant to the shores of knowledge, others
to the summit.
In the tantric t raditio n, especially among Saktas (worshippers of the Female
Principle), these deit ies are looked u pon with g reat veneration because they h old
the key to the psychic transformation of the seeke r. The ten goddesses act as an
impulse of intelligence. Their gory associations are m eant t o ho rrify and shock . They
strip reality b are in order that the seek er may confron t the truth of t ran sience. The re
is, however, another revelation of t h e Tantras which is b rou ght o u t bold ly throu gh
this Sak ti-cluster: that life and its manifold processes a re n o t an in ert, even, state of
oneness; what justifies ex istence is variety, contrad ic t ion, change and m ulti p licity.
Tantrism shows a preference fo r a d ynam ic concept of cosmic unity w h ich imp lies a
harmony of al l different iations and paradoxes. The Sakti-clust er of t h e Mahavidyas
as a whol e reflect s th is dynamic unity of existence in which a ll aspects of life, t he
darkest, the purest, t h e most forceful and t he inert, have been combined to form a
whole. The u ltimate consummation for t he sadh ak a lies in his abs o rbing this vision of
unity in diversity .

60
22, 23 Mah aviclya Chinnarnasta, fifth t ransformat ion of the greal
goddess KaIT, in iconic and yantra form s. Th e Devi with her two Saktis
(female energies) w hom she nourishes represent the triad o f cosmic
phases - creation, preservation, an d dissolution - triple and cy clical
functions symbolized eq ually b y the triangles and circle of t he yantr<J.
Rajasthan, c. ·18th century. Gou,Khe on paper
24, 25 Cont emporary image of the g reat
goddess Kari, first in the cl u ster o f te n goddesses
known as Mahavidyas, and the primal Sakti,
symbolizing the triple cos mic phases of creatio n,
preservation and d issolutio n - that is, embracing
the totality of existence. Below, Kali' s presence is
invoked du ring ritual worship by Sri Sa tyanand
Giri, a tantric guru of Kalighat, Calcu tta
26 Kall Yant ra, an image of the cosmi c functions of the Supreme Energy. Nepal, c. 1761. Couache on paper
Cosmic Ti me : the Nitya Saktis
The Su prem e Energy is person ified as Cosmic Time in the great goddess Adya Nitya
Lalita (Adya = primord ial, Nitya = eternal), who divides herself sixteenfold and is to
b e contemplated as sixteen Nitya Saktis. These Saktis' descriptions, with their
m editatio ns and yantras, occur in the Tantraraja Tantra.12 The Nitya Sakti s partake of
the lumino us nature of the moon in the b right half of the month, and t heir esoteric
sy mbo lism is based o n t he mathematical enumeration and mu ltiplication of the
number 16 which has mysti cal associations in Indian t radition . The imagery of the
sixt een m oo n d igits (or Kalas= fractions) is d rawn from the cycl e of the moon wh ich
w axes, wan es, disappears and is 'reborn', a symbol of recurrence, fecundity and
abundance. Just as in the bright half of the lunar m onth the moon appears to evolve
grad ually in fract io ns until its fi fteen parts vanish and merge in the 'whole', or full
m oon, t hough its actual unity remains unchanged, so the fifteen minor Nitya Saktis
(also known as Kalas) are partial emanations of t heir prin cipal archetype, the Ad ya
Nitya. Each dig it o f t he moon has been given a special name and an attribute, and
each Sakt i perso nifies a p hase of the m oo n and has been assigned a special yantra, 34-46
m antra and auxiliary d iv inity in wh ich her 'presence' is worsh ipped fo r t he fulfi lment
o f wo rldly joys.
The number 16 is arrived at by multiplying the th ree qu alities (gur:ias) of material
nature (sattva o r mind, ra jas or energy, and t am as o r inertia) by the five elem ents
(earth, wate r, fire, air, ether): 3x 5=1 5, and adding t he Nityas' single transcendent
sou rce, the A dya Nitya. Together, the Sa ktis and their sixt een yantras form a unity
embracing t he m an ifold nat ure of the un iverse and typifying all that the universe
h o lds.
The 'totality' of the lunar phase m ay also be represented iconographi cally, as the
sixteen-a rm ed image of the Supreme Goddess, or as a body mar:ic;Jala consisting of
t he worship of sixteen v irgi ns (Kumar! puja), in whi ch sixteen girl s aged from one to
sixteen are w o rshipped in turn, starting fro m the fi rst day of t he new m oon.
The m ost significant ap plication of t he sixteen yantras of the Nitya Sakt is and their
associated m antras is to prov ide a m odel of cosmic tim e. India does not think in
te rm s o f h ist o rical tim e, b ut has develo ped the concept ion of cyclical ti me through
the d o ctrine of 'yuga' or ages. A co mplete co smic cycle consists of fou r success ive
ages of va ry ing le ngth, in th e ratios 4:3:2: 1. The 16 yantras of the Nitya Saktis are
mult iplied by reshuffling the 36 San skrit consonants (th eir mantras) acco rdi ng to
prescribed rules to g ive the k ey n umb er of yantras, 576, which multiplied by 3, 000,
also prescribed by t he Tantras, 13 gives the d uratio n of th e first and longest age,
Satya-y uga, i.e. 1,728,000 solar years. The second age, Tret a-yuga, is t hus 1,290,000
so lar years; the th ird, Dvapara-yuga, consists of 864,000 years; and the fou rt h, the
p resent age, Kall-y uga, consists of 432,000 years. Time flows t hrough the ages like an 27 Siva as Kamesva ra (to p left), the personification of
endless river, nev er exhausting itself. Each age has its period of zenith and decline. primordial desire, and Siva w it h his Sak ti, Kam esvarl (top
right ). The cos mic pair represent t he prim ordial male and
The four ages are succeed ed by a state of universal ca taclysm w hen everyth ing
fe male p rinciples, an d t he co rresp onding energy
'bursts into fla m e', and t hen the un iverse w ill evolve again ad infinitum. Thus the patterns are shown below. Nepal. c. 176'1. Couache o n
micro co smic unity of a single m oon phase is repeated on a cosmic t ime scale. paper

b5
o •e
MET A PH YS ICS OF YA NTRA

0
0
••
0 C9
fyfo~n phases _representing the Sakti-c/uster of Nilya
0 ct
Saktts_ B:_w~nmg !rom ~he dark night : Kamesvarl Nit ya,
Bhag~~alm_1 Nity_a, N1tyak/inna Nitya, Bherur;c/a Nitya,
Va hn1::asm1_Nitya, Mahavajresvarl Nitya, Dull Nitya,
() ct
Tva r~ta N_1ty~, Kul~sundarl Nitya, Nitya-Nitya, Nilapataka
Nttya,_ V11_ay~ N11ya,_Sar::ama~gala Nit)'ii, fvalamalinl Nit ya,
Ch1tra Nttya, and Adya Nttya representing the lull moon.
() () ct
The circle of the Nitya Saktis is a reservoir of delight, for t hey embody all those
aspects of life t hat make existence a celebrat ion of the spi rit. They combine t he all-
benefic.ent aspects of the divine. As partial manifestations of transcendent
comp leteness, t hey are representative of life-affirming qua lit ies and the p rimal
founts of power to bestow world ly joys. Thus worship of their yantr as g rants boons,
dispels fear and brings en joyment to the worshipper. Esot erically, their yantras m ay
be used fo r higher m editati o n, but exoterically they are employed as w ish-fu lfilm ent
charts. Thus the first Nit ya Sakti, Aclya Nity a, is all-beneficent ; Kam esvarl is the
fulfiller of desires; Bhagamalinl charms and incites; Nityakl in na grants fo rtun e and
supernatural powers (siddhis); Bh eru ryja frees from evil influen ce s; Vahn ivasinl(the
fire-dweller ) can make one master of the fo rces of nat ure and in th e three world s;
Mahavaj resva rl (the embodim ent of mercy ) d estroys c ru elty ; Dutl (the chi ef saviour
of the devotees) destroys fe ar, b est ows p rosperit y and t he o bjects of one's d esires;
Tvarita grants beau ty and fam e and expands the fa culties of learning: Kulasundarl
bestows all esoteric knowledge; Nitya-Nitya is benefi cent: Ni lapataka bestow s
mastery over evil forces in nature; Vijaya stand s for co nq uests and prosperity;
Sa rvam ari gala is to tally benefi cent; Jvalamali nl bestows p ro p itious eso teri c
knowledge o f one's previous births; Chit ra grants the o bjects of o ne's d es ires.
Though it is true th at, since the fe male prin cipl e gained popu la rity in the tantri c
pantheo n, an immense number of yan t ras h ave been a ssigned to t he var ious aspects
of Sakti, neverth eless w ithin the goddess's kinet ic and pu lsating nature is a point of
stillness w hi ch can only be fulfi lled b y a counter- principle, her exact opposit e,
represented by Siva.

66
Cosmic bi unity: Siva-Sakti
In the essentially dual istic cosmic vision of tantrism the kinetic verve of the
primordial female energy (Sakti) is supported by an indispensable correlative
p rinc iple, Siva (Purusha) or the male principle. Siva is identified w ith cosmic
consciousness and as the static substratum to all phenomena. Complementary and
'opposite' to the inert Siva is Sakti, w hose essential nature is to be active, creative,
mobile, and to pu lsate wi th the rhythm of life. Siva is the silent seer of all
phenomen a, the innermost focal point of the su bjective se lf (consciousness or cosm ic
spirit) and Sak t i is th e phenomenon itself (matter or nature = Prakriti ). The whole
universe lies extended between these two opposite yet complementary principles,
and all c reation is held to be a result of the creative play (flla) between them. In our
own sphere of existence these two cosmic principles appear as opposed
(male/female, static/ dynamic, plus/ minus), but in conceptual terms their contrariety
is the basis of syntheses - unity is the foundation of duality- and their quiescence is
in fact a perfectly balanced tension.
Though the universe is an expansion of the mystic combi nation in the Siva-Sakti
equation and though the two principles are diametrically opposed they are
'essentially' ide ntical. Their mutual dependency is so great that t hey remain
inseparable, since each requires the other in orde r to manifest its total nature. The
Saiva Pura0a (4, 4) emphatically states: 'Just as moonbeams cannot be separated
from the moon nor the rays from the sun so Sakti cannot be d istinguished from Siva.'
So close is their interrelation that there can be no Siva witho ut Sakti and no Sakti
without Siva. This cosmic biunity is paralleled as 'psych ic biun ity' in thP. human male
and fema le, and suggests that there is necessarily femin ine in every man and
masculine in every woman, as partial ill uminations of a whole.
In yantra the chief emblems of these two principles are the liriga, the phallic
object, representing the Siva principle, and the yoni, the vulva, denoting Sakti. The
combined linga-yoni has been the object of veneration of the v arious sects of
Hinduism - Saivaites, Saktas and Tantrikas - who worship it as the principal symbol
of divine b iu nity.
In this context liriga and yoni should not be interpreted as referen ces to the
physical male and female sex-organs or to human sexual intercou rse, nor is the liriga
to be regarded as part of Siva's body: it signifies the static principle w hose visible
form has also been g iven a shape of an egg (a 1:1<;la-rupa Brahman) and characterizes
the essential being of Siva in the 'attribu teless' (n ishkala) aspect. It is the
cosmogonical emb lem of his substance. 14 Similarly, the yoni does not refer to the
individual female vu lva, but through the emb lem to the sum-total of the c reative
womb, the k in etic field of creation th at impels static forces toward s movement,
change and expansion. The emblems, therefore, point to archetypal prin ciples and
operate above the leve l of mundane consciousness.
In Hindu myth, however, the linga is taken as a sexual symbol paradoxica lly fu lfi ll-
ing a cosmic function, and the myth of the origin of liriga-worship, from the ancient
Mahabharata, is described in term s of a cure for Siva's unabated sexual desire :

67
METAPHYS ICS O F Y AN TRA The sages cursed Siva's linga to fall to the earth, and it burnt everything befo re it like fire.
Never still, it went to the netherworld and to heaven and everywhere on earth. All
creatures w ere troubled, and the sages went in desperat ion to Brahma who sai d to them,
'As long as th e linga is not still there will be nothing auspicious in the universe. You must
propitiate Devi so that she will take the form of the yoni, and then the linga will be still.'
They honoured Siva, and he appeared and said, 'If my linga is held in the yoni, t hen all will
be well. Only Parvatl can hold the linga and then it will become calm.' 15 They propit iated
him and thus linga-worship was establ ished.
Siva's phallus and Parvatl' s yoni are presented as sexua l em blems b u t on the d eeper,
n on-myth o log ical leve l t h ey rep resen t th e non-separability o f an t ithetica l
principl es which cann ot be at rest when disunited. Their 'synthesis' res to res b alance,
changing a state of chaos and disequ ilib rium c aused by their sepa ratio n to perfect
continuity and equi librium.
Th is polari ty is represen ted figu ratively in the icons of Sakt i sit t ing upri ght on t he
body of the inert Siva, 'not to dest roy h im', as Agehanan da po ints out, but to
sym bolize for t he devotee th e basis of it s cosm osophy: '"Siva w ithou t Sakti" is a
corpse'. 16 In oth er words, Sakt i, kin etic energy, is th e in st ru m ent to arouse t he
slumbering Siva beneath her. Again representing un ity in duality, Siva is sometim es
show n as Ardhanarlswara, th e half-fema le and h alf-ma le d e ity, in w h ich the right
half is depi cted as fe male and t h e left ha lf as male.
Th is card in al doctrine of cosmic b iu nity is exp ressed in man y yan t ras ded ica ted to
the Siva-Sakt i principle. Such yantras are o ften con stru c ted as a n etwork of sq uares,
w it h linga-yoni emblem s w ithin their geometri cal framework. Th e colo u rs o f the
rhyth mically arranged patterns of identi cal squa res are themselves u sed t o
exem pli fy th e contrast s o f dyn am ism and become a way of express ing the d ualisti c
princip le.
In Hi ndu ism, t ime and space are considered cyclica l an d self- perpetu ating. A ll
existence issu ed from a single source an d u lt imately returns to its point of o rig in.
Thus it can be abst ractly viewed n ot as a lin ear mot ion in a single directi on but as
fo rming a curve. Planet s and constellations move in orbits to t race expand ing and
contracti ng spheres. These curvilinear cosmic images are t he basis for the roundness
of the Siva-li nga (though in the Saiva yan tras th e 'curve' is 'sq u ared' and adapted
into a geometrical framewo rk).
The geometri c ized Siva-linga in most yant ras lies embedded in the yon i-sh aped
pedestal (yoni-pl tha) : em braced by Siva, Sakti man ifests her creative powers,
becomes the flo w of evolutio n an d b losso m s into infi n ity. As t h e fo rce of n atu re, she
w ithdraws and creates th e universe in her womb-li ke vessel. The pedest al -y on i,
t h erefore, is given the elo ngated shape o f a sacrific ial v essel in t o w hi c h 'flow' the
pervasive forces of Sakti.
The po larity p rin ciple appears in yan t ra sy mbolism in a variety of forms. O n e of
the most impo rtant is the b indu, in wh ich th e ten sio n between the opposites is
resolved. In the bindu the empirical and the t ranscenden t merge in to an
indistinguishable un ity. Ex panded emblems o f dual it y as male and female
Liriga and yo111 p<>destal, d etail iro m the gr1c/-5quare t)'P P
oi Sa1Va yantra, sho wing the imp<>rishable unity o f the (conside ri ng the bindu as the con trac ted em blem ) are a pair of interpenet rating
m ale and female p rincip/p<; (see also p is. 70, 73-4 ) triangles which fo rm a star hexagon; or a figu re fo rmed by spl itting the b indu into

68
two dots, one male and the other female. In linear form, the dualism is expressed as MET APHYSJCS OF YAN TRA
two intersecting lines. The Kafika Puraf)a explains this image in describing the Tripura
Yantra : 'The line that begins from the north-eastern region is called Sa kti ; [the one]
going from the south -western region to the north-western region and then reaching
the north-eastern region is called Sambhu [Sival; one should cause the Sambhu to
intersect with the Sakti.' 17
The concept of dualism permeates tantric symbolism. Even Sanskrit letters, which
are inscribed on the yantras, are divided into male and female. Every consonant is
articulated with a vowel, and the jnanarnava Tantra 18 divides the symbolic properties
of the Sanskrit alphabet into two: the vowels embody the fem inine energy and the
consonants the male principle. If it were not for the force and dynamism of Sakti
represented by the vowels, all the letters (consonants as Siva} would be inert as a
corpse. Hence, for example, the 'force' of the mantric sound rooted in this
con junction of opposites. Only by the union of Siva-Sakti can speech be articulated
expressively.
Conversely, in another text the Sanskrit consonants are referred to as y oni (Sakti)
because they cause the formation of compound words known as blja (seeds) with
the vowels (Siva). 19 For instance, in Krlrp, the seed syllable of the goddess Kall, two of
the four sounds (K =Kall, R =Siva) denote the unio n of the two principles.
Since these two principles are inseparable and indispensable to the con tinuum of
existence, Sakta yantras (yantras devoted to goddesses} implicitly express the 'Siva
element'. On tantric philosophy the female principle, in addition to her own
attributes, possesses all the attributes of Siva.} Conversely, Saiva yantras wit h their Biunity expressed in the sublle bod)', through the tw o
psychic channels, /<;la (female) on t he left and Pirigala
liriga-yoni motifs are considered to possess an inherent Sakti nature. (male) u11 t/1 e right
In the yantras devoted to Sakti-clusters, the goddesses as a group denote the dual
principles. In the sixteen yantras of the cluster of Nitya Saktis, who con st it ute t he
moon-phases, the Kamakalavilasa (v. 17) states that 'the 15 Nityas represent the 15
lunar days and the lunar days are the union of Siva-Sakti'.
Tantri c symbolism employs several images to illustrate the integration o f t he dual
principles in the physiology of th e subtle body. This duality is 'vertical' inasmuch as
Sak ti (energy} lies in latent form as Devi Kur:ic;Jalinl at the base of the spine, and Siva in
the highest spiritual centre, the Sahasrara Chakra at the crown of the head, and
'horizontal' in the two psychic nerves in the subtle body: lc;ia, the lu nar or female
channel, on the left side of the body, and Pingala, th e solar or male channel, on t he
right side. The subtle body thus appears as an amalgam of paradoxical energies.
From thi s theory follows the ent ire discipline of tantric sadhana, which consists in
unifying th ese opposite forces. The v ital energies ci rculating in lc;ia and Pir'igala are
unified in the central Sushumr:ia nerve ; the union of Kur:ic;lali nl Sakti w ith Siva takes
place in the chak ras at their variou s levels in th e subtle body, until their final un ion in
th e high est cen tre, the Sahasrara Cha kra.
One of the most strikin g represe ntations o f Siva -Sakti biunity, and at the same
time, the most spectacular abstraction of yogic vision, is th e Sri Yantra.

69
Cosmogenesis : the Sri Yantra
47, 62 The Sri Yantra, considered the greatest of all yantras, disp lays the splendou r of Siva-
Sakti in their manifestation in order to create the root prin ciples of life (tattvas). A
graph ic synthesis of the abstruse cosmologica l and metaphysical theory of Saiva-
Sakta, the Sri Yantra is to be read as a chart o f the evolution of the cosm ic scheme,
exposing step by step the theory of creation and its catego ries. It also dem o nst rates
how the passage from fo rm lessness to fo rm takes p lace, as the antagon istic
principles of life emanate and different iate themselv es from the original who leness
of Siva-Sakti. The Sri Yantra marks each phase of cosmic evolution and art icu lates
every descending level of the creative process.
One of the earl iest surviving specimens of the Sri Yan t ra is preserved in the
religious institution Srlngarl Math a, established by the ph ilosopher-saint Sankara in
the eighth century AD , although its imagery is far older. The hym n from the Atharva
Veda 20 (c. 1200 BC) contains a descriptio n of a y antra-li ke figu re composed, li ke the
Sri Yantra, of nine geometrical permutations.
The SrlYan tra is one of the chief instruments of instruction of the Sri V idya form of
worship, which consists essential ly in the use of an esoteric fifteen-syllab le mantra
representing the supreme divine power man ifested as a form of the universe (see
Chapter 2, p. 42). The SrlVidya was the chief form of worship o f a number of famous
sages, 21 and has su rvived among all sects of tantrism .
The Sri Yantra (also known as Sri Chakra, chakra = c ircle) is a 'neutral' c ircuit o f
worl d-creation. In itself it is not limit ed by being either male o r fema le but embraces
both principles in a totality. The Siva-Sakti equation contains th e constant tendency
towards fus ion of the two principles. They cannot be d ivided because their apparent
duality implies a third principle: un ity which subsumes the two. It is precisely this all -
embracing unity w hi ch transcends duality that is structurally reproduced in t he
en igmatic but ha rmon ious arrangement of the triangles in the Sri Yantra. Hence the
Sri Yantra is a representation of mac rocosmic, impersonal, abso lute reality wh ich is
neither male nor female no r neuter, bu t is pure existence with all its qualities and
categories, and is ultimately quality less. The Sri Yantra represents a ll 'parts' of the
who le: everyth ing that has name and form as well as super-empirical completeness
- in other words, everyt hing giv en to experience as well as t ranscendent infin ite
fu ll ness. This universality is testified to by the numerous different symbolic re ferences
to the Sri Yantra in the tantric text s.22
The metaphysical basis o f all yantras is the theo ry of the th irt y-six cosm ic
p rinciples (tattvas) wh ich owe their origin to the synthesis of Siva/ Sakti. It w ill be
found helpful to unde rstand ing of the symbolism of the SrlYantra if the yan tra (p . 73)
and the table of the scheme of tattvas (p . 74) are v iewed side by sid e.
Cosmic evolution ta kes place in stages. Originating from primo rdial sti ll nes s, th e
cosmos expands and evolves through several graduat io n s and att rib ut es, only to
return to its pristine 'wholeness' . Th e pre-creative stage of evolu t ion is a state of t otal
void, the purest principle of c reati o n, Siva. The begin ning o f c reati on is an
omnipotent al l-pervading cosmic prin c ip le (Parama Siva o r Sariwit) in e m b race w ith

70
Sakt i (h is potential power). Everythi ng we k now, feel and hear is latent in this M ETA PH YS ICS OF YANT RA
p rimordial consciousness. This Being is empty (sunya) of any o bjective content. The
only knowledge th is Being-Conscio usness has is the cosmic concept of Self (the
Un iversal Ego or 'I', in Sanskrit ah am) as a self-ignited in candescent light (prakasika-
svabhava) . The Selfs awareness is of a dynamic indwelling essence manifest ing
infinite powe r and freedom (svatantra; other Sanskrit terms for the same
m an ifestation are maya, sakti, vim arsa). Th is Being is neither male, fema le no r 'it',
and is above an d beyond all d ivisions. There is neither any anti-force no r any
extern al power to act as a counter-entity. There is only the O ne without a second,
and all phases of c reation are part of this pure vision .
Th is reality is reflected in the prim al symbol of the cosmos : the bindu w hich rests
in t h e centre of t he Sri Yantra: 'When th e mass of the sun-rays of Supreme Siva is
reflected in the pure vimarsa (Sakti ) mirror, the Mahabin du appears on the wall of
Conscio u sness illum ined by his reflected rays' (Kamakalavilasa, v.4). In th e pre-creative
stage, Siva, in his absolute state ca lled Sariwit, is a clear mirror who in his
in exhau stible freedom reflects the universe as a mirror reflect s an image. Just as a
mirror can not be separated from the image, neit her can Siva be separated from th e
universe he reflect s. In c ontrast to Siva as th e luminosity of cosmic consciousness,
Sakt i is t h e im m ense power (vimarsa) th at causes t h e refl ect ion of the universe wh ic h
sh ines forth as a rad iant seed-point (Mah a bindu).
Th us, the point w hich is the fi rst form to emerge on the surface of the void
(represented in th e cent re of the Sri Yantra) is wholly transcendent, t he germ inal
state of the worl d when material po wer is still very pure . It projects a level of creation
on w hi ch all the combined energies of the universe lie dormant, a realm of infi nite
possibilit y.
The appearance of the bindu is the gathering-up of centripetal tendencies wh ich
will unfold du ring successive phases of evolution. Just as the seed of a t ree is not a
'man ifested' tree yet holds the essence of a tree, so the b indu holds a universe not
yet differentiated from the original monad. Phil osophically (i n te rms of the Saiv a-
Sakt a t h eory of creation) it is Siva's consciousness of 'I' when it begins to be lim ited
and negated by his power to c reate (Sakti). Therefore the limitless 'contracts' into a
point. The experience of location, illustrated by the contraction of infin ite space
(akasa) into th e bindu which appears upon the clear m irror-like consciousness of
Supreme Siva, is in itself a negation of Siva's limitlessness.
The creative urge of the Supreme is set in acti on under the irresistible force of self-
regeneration . The bindu expands. Cosmic ev olu tion is moved into expansion by a
splitting of original un ity into t wo, and the pristine homogeneity of the point is
mo dified: 'the two Bindus, wh ite and red, are Siva and Sakt i, who, in their secret
mutual enj oyment, are now expand ing and now contracting [in the man ifes tation of
the universe]. They are th e cause of creation of let tered sound [vak) an d mean ing
[arthal, now entering, now sepa rating' (Kamal<alavilasa, v.6).
In yantra symbolism this process of world creation is called visarga-m ar}c;lala
(visarga =em ission, outfl ow). The two bindus are represented in Sanskrit script by
the aspirate H. When p ronounced w it h an o utflow of breath, H is analogous to the

71
Metaphysics of evolution Yantra symbol Description

1 The universe in its unmanifested I Maha bindu, the great seed point
form, in the void t
Unity

2 Siva's potential power, Sakt i,


activizes the quiescent state u The splitting of the bindu by the force
of cosmic desire

3 Modification _of original unity in the


two principles Siva / Sak11; the two in
O NE.
-- Bindu splits.
Visarga-ma17cjala

4 Transformation of original unity Mula-trikona, the root triangle as the


cosmic womb, representing cosmic
triads

Duality

5 Expansion, doubling and Siva (prakasa) and Sak ti (vimarsa)


development, by the integration of the dividing to create the root principles of
male and female principles life. A stage of crea tion which begins to
give rise to psychical tattvas
(kanchukas) which obscure our
perception of original wholeness

Multiplicity

6 Creation of tattvas, cosmic Mula-prak(i ti, primordial nature.


categories, by external projection that projecting its 2 4 gross tattVCfS of the
gives rise to the world of d iversity material universe. The five Sakti
triangles (left) represent all the fivefold
categories. such as the five elements,
five organs of action and five sense
organs
The four Siva triangles representing
individual consciousness that is
obscured by the creative play of Maya
Sakti

t Involution, o r process of return to


Unity

Nada or Cosmic Sound. Bindu,


symbol of Siva symbol of Sakti

72
quasi-bio logical emission (visarga) of the cosmos. But at this stage the 'pair' is still The iully created cos mos (sriWJ ari,ing irom the union
of male and fema le principles, in which thf' wo rld o t
st ruc turall y indiv isibl e: even though two, it fo rm s a single unit. 111L1ltip licit )' is h eld b)' the unity of th e primordial bindu
Th e in tense impu lse of p rocreation in which Siva-Sakti join to produce the bindu, al the cent re. Each triang le oi thi5 )'clntra has its
p residing_ deity. M all )' epithets of the Supreme En erg).
th e primordi al seed of th e universe, has so metim es been equated with th e human such as Ad11,'i Nit )1,'i, ~oc;lasl, Lalita, and Tnpura-Suncla ri.
sexual impul se. Th e 'sexual' aspect of Siva-Sa kti should not be over-emphasized, and are inv9ked as the centra l divin it y in this )' an tra, known
as the Sri Yan i ra
in th e creat ive act w e must not see a d ivine coupl ing, but the unfold ing of cosmic
prin cip les that pro du ce t w o forces, matter and anti-matter, changeless Siva (Cit
Sariw it ) and chang ing power (Cit Sakti) fu ll of light (prakasa) and pow er (vimar5a),
and giving rise to sound (nada) and material force (mu la-prakriti, or kala). It is a gross
m isconceptio n to view the Sri Yantra as an erotic sym bol.
PURETATTVAS
Macrocosmic Consciousness

!:~·~::;:,::::;,: c;o( ) l,::~;;::'~If,, ''"'"'''


3 Sadasiva = energy of will (iccha)
4 lsvara = energy of knowledge (jnana)
5 Suddhavidya = energy of action (k riya)

PSYCHICAL TATTVAS

Microcosmic Consciousness

I
6 Maya Sak ti

I
7 Kalli - limits the in finite power of Siva
8 Vidya - limits the power of know ledge
Kaiichukas 9 Raga - limits the power of desire
10 Kala - limits the power of t im e
11 Niyati - limits the power of causality

PHYSICAL TATTVAS

Material Universe
12 Puru sha
1 3 Prakriti =
sattva rajas ta mas
14 buddhi r=- hi_g_h_e_st_ _ _ _ ___, c_J
intelligence ---~---,
r1

15 ahar)lkara = Five sense organs Five action agents Subtle el emen ts Gross elements
ego-sense 17 ears - sound 22 mouth 27 et her 32 ether
16 manas = 18 skin - touch 23 genitals 28 air 33 air
mind 19 eyes - sight 24 bowels 29 fire 34 fire
20 tongue - taste 25 hands 30 water 35 water
21 nose - smell 26 feet 31 earth 36 earth

The tattva diagram above summarizes the lantric vision of the scheme oi cosmic evolution /invo lu1 ion which forms t lw
metaphys ical basis o f t he 5)'mbolism of the Sri Yan1r,1.
Th e ~miverse is composc"d o f 36 cosmic principles l!allvas! unfolding from primal unily, calle,cl Parama .'~iva !or Sarn vill .
The firs/ two of the 5 pure or sub/le tattvas consist of Siva as Consciousn ess in union _with)1is Sakti o r Energ y o f Bliss
!graphically represenlPd in the ya ntra as the bindu ). The follo wing 3 pure tall vas are Siva /Sakli's threefo ld c•rwrgies : o i will
( = Sadasiva); of kn owledge ( = 15vara! ; and of action(= Suddhavidya) which are 1he pnme m overs o f cosm ic evolution
(symbolized m lhe three points oi lh<; pri01ordial triangle!. Al this stage. 1/w re is no expc•rience o f division or clivPr\il y.
Everyth ing is merged in the unity oi Siva /Sakti. . .
The next unfolding is the stage of p s)'chica l tallvas which go to make up th e human soul. The original unit)' o f Siva/ Sak ti
begins to modify ilself towards differenlialio n. This d evelopment implies limilalion of the limitless pure tal/ vas. Maya Sakt i,
the first ta/Iva of the p sychical stage, obscures the primordial u11i1y of 1he earlier s1age by means o f 5 lal/vas whic h are each
a type of lrmrlation (//JP kanc huka~J : 7h e o mnipresen< (' ol Siva Sakti r~ limited by the kanchuka o f ka/,'i I part o r lrac lion /
wh ich grvP'> me-· to the 11ot1011 of indivrdua lit)': the o mniscience oi Siva Sai<t1 is limit ecJ b)I tlw kanchuka o f l'id)'•l ! knowledg<•I
and givC's l'IH' lo our ignoranc Poi realil )' ; thf' whole rwss 0 1 Siva-Sakli i.s lim it eel b )' the kanc ht1ka of raga (a l/a<hment.
d e.sire! an d g1vp., rise> t o cli~cont.e111 ; ,ihe etf'rnality of Siva Sakli is limit Pel by the kar'ichu/«1 ol /<,'i/a (l ime! and grves n se 10
mortalit y ; tfw o mnrpo t en< e of Siva Sakti is restrictec/ by the ka richuka of N iyat1 (fate. prec/C's tinalion J ancl c onrlitions u <; lo
the ro uncl o t Ill<" I ilw a hu sk 1ha1 envPlop s a se ed, tlwse six p syc hical lim11 atio 11s ve il and o/Jsr urP o ur pc•rc c•ptio11 ol rPalit ) .
Up to tlm '>ta.~e 0 1 c rPa tron. evPr)'lh rng rs harnessed rn u11ilv. Now evolutro n bilurcatP'> 11110 subjC'ct anc/ ol>w< t, w lwn all
rlrvrsron and npp mitPs <1pp<'ar. A l tlw next level, Siva ta/I va /ranslorm s a'> l'urusha 1a111·a, or th<' Primordial M<1h• Prill( ipl<'.
Purusha rt' tarm hr~ ahsolutC' substance but appears li1111tC'rl ur;d er tilC' '> p<•ll o f IV/aya. In< onlra '>t t o Puru sha who l'P/JresPnt '
c-'very '>entic>11t p c>rson /hf' rnm•rmo'>l loc <11 pwnt of thC' '>UIJfFClive self. /im rti •cl b)' comlitrons 1mpo~Pc/ b) < rc•at1on - th<'

74
Path of evolution

Original unitv = Atman/ Siva-Sakti

• ••
• ••• Creation splits original
unitv into multiplicitv,
••••
••• which gives rise to
personal polarities
The adept realizes his
Oneness I bindu state
and becomes whole

Svmbols are Individual is separated


interiorized by the from original
sadhaka, in ritual and wholeness, vet there is
meditation a link which is
obscured

The dynamics of psyche and symbol. This process


should be seen in relation to th e dynamics of cosm ic
0 The adept seeks through sadhana to heal the split. in this case with
the aid of vantras and related disciplines. The vantra svmbols become
a link between man/ cosmos
evolution and involution (see diagram on facing page)

Prakciti ta/I va. lh e Female Prinople. is the embo diment of lh e kinelic qualit y and constit ul es tlw object ive maniiestal io ns oi
nature. Prakciti, consisting of three gw;as: satlva (qualily of radian ce, inlelligence), ra;as (kinetic qua/ii)!), and lamas 1in0 rtia),
clifferenliales into a state o f buddhi, or hig hest intelligen ce, and aha111kara, a state of consciousness o l self (aham = egol.
Th e homogeneit)' of pure cr eatio n is torn asunder in this stag e, when mat/ er dominales spiril and gives rise lo thf'
wo rld o f multiplicil)'. The gross categories o f nalure are gro uped in clusters oi 5 tatlvas . !he 5 sense o rgans, th e S actio n
agents. th e 5 subtle and ihe S g ro ss elements, which together constitut e the objective universe. w hereas ! he mind
(m anas), the re ceiving agent oi impressi<;ms, is the 'subject '. The livefoldness of material nalure p rovides !he basis oi the
symbolism o f th e Kall Yantra and the 5 Sakti lriangles of lhe Sri Yantra, and conslil ules the wo rld ol malter.
Evolution is not a n encl in itself. Eve r)1thing evolves onlv lo retui·n again to source. At the end ol lhe cos m ic C)'cle all
lhese categories will be withdrawn o nce more int o the primo rdial un il)I oi the pure lal/vas. It follows that there is
fundamental idenlit )' between man, cosm os and yantra svmbol

75
METAPHY S ICS O F YANTRA From the union of the two bind us issues the primary sound-prin c iple (nadatmika
5akti). The Sanskrit letters that are inscribed in a spiral on the yantra, beginning from
the outer rim of the figure and ending at the bindu, are the gross aspects of cosmic
sound springing from the interaction of Siva/ Sakti . The two bindus are thu s related
to the entire Sanskrit alphabet, whose first and last letters, A and H, contain the
entire range of sound between them, just as the two bindus in conjun ction contain
the seed of the universe. In thi s respect th e letters represent the subtle energ ies of all
the element s: 'ether, air, fire, water and earth. The modification of these five
elements or of their representative figures constitutes the whole universe,
macrocosm and microcosm'. 23
With further expansion and contraction of energies the re emerges th e primordial
cosmic womb, and the bindu rests in the first form of cosmic location, the
dow nward-pointing triangle in the centre of the Sri Yantra. In thi s phase Siva and
Sakti tattv as h ave fully evolved into distinct categories, but are still yoked by the
unity of the primordial triangle (Kama- Kal a). This phase is marked b y Sa kti's
awareness of her threefold characteristics: her c reative will (iccha) w hi c h is the
prime cause of all creation ; her inexhaustible power of discrimination, or knowledge
(jnana) which gives rise to multiplicity; and her power o f action and movement
(k riya). Sakti' s threefold activity is described in the Malinlvijayottara Tantra (11, 6- 8):
0 Devi, she is called Sakti, inherent in the sustainer of the world, assumes the desire
nature [icchatva] of Him who desires to create. Hear now how she attains multiplicity,
though one. That by which a thing is known for creation to be 'this' and not otherwise
goes by the name of Jnana Sakti in this world. When th e idea is born 'let this thing be thus'
the power making it so is at that mom ent Kriya Sakti.
These threefold aspects of Sakti have b een philosophically related (Kamakalavi/asa,
v.22) to the triad of basic attributes th at make up th e wo rld. They are see n in three
theistic exp ression s of Sakti and the three ph ases of cosmic sound:

Goddess (Sakti) Aspect of Sakti Sound manifestatio n Cosm ic phases


Varn a volition (iccha) subtle sound creation
(pashyanti)
Jyeng ha knowledge (jnana) intermediate sound preservation
(madhyama)
Raudrl action (kriya) articulated sound dissolution
(vaikharl)

These primary categories, symbolized by the triangle, effect tran sformation o nly in
th e self-expe ri encing of Siva/ Sak ti; they are not extra- mental and therefore do not
bring about any element o f differen ce in th e suprem e unity. At thi s stage of c reation,
the spirit sti ll assert s itself over material natur e, and the th ree asp ect s of Sa kti
constitute her self-experien c ing c reative funt io n in her circumscri bed unive rse.
Philosophically, this stage corresponds to the pure c reation of th e Siva tattvas (cf.
tab le p. 74). It is on ly in the next phase that th e p rimordial homogeneity o f Siva/ Sakti is
d ivid ed b y manifestation.

76
After the initial crystallization of primordial energy, the subtle principles of matter M ET A PH YSJCS OF YANT RA
and spirit begin to make their appearance, and the whole process of creation alters
course, as matter begins to dominate spirit. At this stage original unity splits into two
streams, into subject and object in which all divisions and opposites appear. This
phase of the Sri Yantra is indicated by the interaction of nine triangles.
The triangles of the Sri Yantra are called nine cosmic wombs (Nava-yoni) and
parallel nine categories of nature in the macrocosm. The triangles are in two sets:
the four upward-pointing (known as Srikanthas) emanate from the Siva principle
and denote the individual soul (Jlva) and its vital energies; the five downward-
pointing represent Sakti principles and from them emanate the material elements of
the macrocosm - earth, water, fire, air, ether - their five corresponding subtle states
(tanmatras) and all the human organs which react to t he impressions of t he senses.
These are the organs which facilitate action (mouth, hands, feet, bowels,
genitals) and sense experiences (ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose). The t wo sets of
triangles are superimposed to show the imperishable unity of Siva-Sakti. So united,
they form the creative cosmic fie ld represented by forty-three smaller triangles, each
presided over by a goddess, within the rings of lotus petals and the outer square
fence. Metaphysically this stage constitutes the evolution of all the element s of
nature: 'O Supreme One, the whole Cosmos is a Sri chakra formed of the twenty-
five Tattvas - five elements p lus five Tanmatras plus ten lndriyas plus Mind plus
Maya, Suddha-vidya, Mahesa [S ival, and Sadasiva.' 24

Cosmic order
According to Indian evolutionary theory, the cosmos is to be viewed as a
continuum . Whatever is born will develop, age, and dissolve again into the
primordial reality that gave it birth. Like a circle, the cosmic order present s an
interrupted continuity. Hence, there never was a 'first', nor will there ever be a 'last'
cosmos, nor will there ever be a period at which the universe will have reached a
static phase of total disintegration or total integration.
There are three phases of the cosmic process : creation, preservation, and
dissolution, a vision whic h Hindu iconography represents in th e unified image of the
Hindu trinity formed by the three major deities, Brahma, the creator, Vishr:iu, the
protector, and Siva, the destroyer.
The structural synthesis of the Sri Yantra illustrates the Indian view of cosm ic time
as a triad, with th ree phases of universal becom ing. To match this, th e goddess
Tripura p residing over the yantra has three aspects: the young one (Triviclha-Bala),
the beautiful one (Tripura-SundarlJ, and th e 'terrib le' one (Tripura-BhairavlJ. Each of
the three p eriod s of cosmic time ass imil ates another triad, prod ucing numerica l
association to th e o rder of nine. Hence the symbolism and basic stru cture of the Sri
Yantra alway s revolve around a ninefo ld division which is basically an expansion of
th ree. From its outermost periph ery, the sq uare, to the bindu, the SrlYantra has ni ne
c ircuits, each with it s own name and presiding devata. These nine circuits are
divided into th ree group s o f three circuits to denote the three phases of th e cosm ic

77
METAPHYS ICS OF YANTRA cycle. These three major division s whic h make up the n ine c ircui t s can be viewed
philosophically as successive phases of c reation, preservation, and d issolution. The
fol lowing equation of circuits of the Sri Yantra and cosmic phases is based on th e
Tantraraja Tantra (Chap. v) :

First phase: CREATION


1 The square creation -creation unity
2 The circle of creation-preservation duality
16 lotus petals
3 I he circle of creation-dissolution duality
8 lotus petals

Second phase: PRESERVATION


4 The 14-angled preservation-creation duality
chakra
5 The 10-angled preservation-preservation unity
chakra
6 The 10-angled preservation-dissolution duality
chakra

Third phase: DISSOLUTION


7 The 8-angled dissolution-creation duality
chakra
8 The primary dissolution-preserva ti on du ality
triangle
9 The bindu dissolution-dissolutio n unity

In th e cos mic cycle no phase is absolute in itself but each is a synthesis of oppo site
princi ples, with the apparen t disequilibri um n eutralized by t he p rinc iple of unity. In
the first phase, for example, crea ti on is seen as a vast cosmic activity in w hi c h certain
form s of life are evolving, others are si multan eou sly vanishing, w hile some are static
(preserved). In the second and third phases th e sam e principle asserts it se lf, fo r w hi le
preservation o r dissolution dominates, certain forms o f life simu ltaneously evo lve,
are preserved and di ssolv e. Thus each phase of the cos m ic cycle is a d y namic
whole, and w hile th e Whole contain s all t h e parts, all th e parts assimilate th e W hole.
The enigm atic nature of these d ivision s sh o uld not surp rise u s. They d emonst rate
the core-nature of Sakta philosoph y whi c h sees every aspect of life as a sp ectrum o f
paradoxes and its resolution. No elem ent of natu re, no process of life, ca n ever b e
com plete in itself. It must embrace an opp os ite t o manifest itself, and reso lve it s
tension and contradictio ns by a third p ri nciple: unit y. From this dimension , each
phase of the cosmic cyc le is complete in itself and retain s its cyclical continuity.
The associat ion of th e num ber 9 wi t h 3 appears in Ind ian th o u ght to be an
inescap able necessity, sin ce it is based o n t he symbo lic associati on o f t h e structure
of cosmic t ime. The Whole (con sisting of three ph ases of cosm ic cycle) is th reefold. It

78
denotes two o p posites and its resolu tion, a neutral. Every part in creation must also M ET APH YSICS OF YANTRA
be of th e n ature of th e W hole (viz., th reefold). Therefore each of the three parts of
the W ho le (creation, preserv ation and dissolution) is necessarily spl it into triads,
bringing t he nu merical order of 9. This concept of the Whole is embodied in the nine
circuits of the Srl Yan tra, and the n ine Siva-Sakti triangles, which are an expansion of
the unity of 3 o f th e pri mord ial triangle.

The w eb of Maya
The con cep t ion of h ierarchical planes of ex istence occupies a central place in tantric
th o ught. Th e cosmi c catego ries and principles of th e universe known as tattvas
which Siva-Sakti project in their infi nite expansio n to create the world are organized
as a pyramid of wh ich they are t he apex. Starting from pure u nity (Siva), the w orld is a
continu ou s unfolding, and the lower we go down the ladder of c reation the greater
the differentiatio n and the more numerous the cosmic categories become - un til a
state is reach ed, accord ing to Saiva-Sakta theory, w hen the process m ust reverse,
an d involute back to th e very beginni ng. In other words th e series of categories that
are c reated durin g evolution must reverse their downward flow and move upwards
to become the essen ce w hich gave them birth - multiplicity must once again become
unity. This spiritual descen t and ascent, w hich applies to everything in existence, is
ch arted in the Sri Yantra.
The vision of m an fou nd in the Tantras corresponds to the tantric vision of the
cosm os . The tan tri c scheme of the universe is divided into three levels or kinds of
tattvas: the spiritual or pu re, the p sychical and the physica l. Th ese three catego ries are
regard ed by Saiva and Sakta Tantras as making up the c ircu it of life, and as
exemp lifying man's entire being of matter and sp irit :

Cosmos Man
Pure or spiritual tattvas (Siva-Sakti) Atman or Self
Psychical tattva (Maya Sakti) mind (organs of intelligence)
Physical tattva (Prakriti) body (organs of sense and action)

As prim al co sm ic un it y fi rst divides into two, so our consciousness emerging fro1T1


the precreative to th e post-birth state divides into two part s: one w ho as a silent seer
ob serves in detachment (t he Atm an ), the other who as the phenomenal ego yields
to th e c reative play of life. These two basic levels o f consciousness are rad ically
diffe ren t but co-extensive. The Atman, the etern al point of consciousness in w hich
the m ale and fema le p rinc iples (Siva-Sakti) meet as equals, is pure ur1ity. The
phenomenal ego, the first form which consciousness assumes w hen it splits from its
o rig inal unity, is composed of organ s of mi nd, se nses and action yielding to constant
ch ange and impul ses.
Th e Atman has no boundaries, no lim itation. It retain s it s wholeness and pu rity
th rough out etern ity. It is 'to tal'. Under the spell of th e creative play of the Supreme
Energy (Maya Sakti), man mistak es the phenomenal ego for realit y and identifies it

/ l)
METAPHYS I CS OF YA N TRA with Atman. The phenomenal ego shatters our perceptio n of ou r inner wholeness,
and makes us see life as an accumulation of disjointed images. Th e real self lies
hidden, v eiled by th e limiting factors (kanchukas) whic h like sheaths hide the
luminosity of Atm an and obscure from us our inner un ity with the cosmos. The
pu rpose of the tantric quest and the goal of ritual and m editation (Chapters 4 and 5) is
the gradual realization of the real self, so that the play of the phen omenal ego yields
to th e inner wholeness of Atman, as the sadhaka retraces his steps from the outward -
directed worl d of multiplicity to the inward focu s of unity.

Return to the centre


Involution is a compulsion into t he spi ritual. It implies moving against t h e c urren t of
life. In subjective terms it means thi rsti ng for a higher state of consciousness,
supp ressing the 'lower' by ascend ing the ladder of multiplicity into unity, a sp iritual
itinerary which takes the form of a return to th e state of cosmi c foetal ization, th e a
priori state before experien ce begins. Such a return shifts the centre of the
personality from a fragmented awareness of his ego-centric consciousn ess to
cosmo-centric wholeness, and brings about th e union of t he individu al and cosmic
conscio usness (S iv a-Sakti). It means a death of the profan e se lf, th e perishable
phenomenal ego, and a rebirth to an eternal, d eathl ess state of b eing. The entire
discipline of yantra-ritual and meditation is directed towards thi s single goal, a return
to the Su preme Centre. The yan tra m akes the process of inv olution c onsc ious to the
adept
The hierarchical planes of the cosmos are depicted in th e yan tra as successiv e
concen tric figures, 'ascending' from the periph ery to th e centre, or in pyram idal
yant ras, from lower levels to higher, and up to the summit. Th e journey from
periphery to centre is known as th e involution mode, o r t he 'disso lv ing' way (laya-
krama). (Conversely, t he interpretation of yantras as sy mbo ls of co smogony is
outwards from th e bindu, and is kn own as the evolution mode, o r sri g i-krama. )
A yantra thus maps the road of eternal return, and the way to inner wholen ess.
Escaping from the web of Maya, th e adept gradually rediscovers his eternal b eing
t hrough t he yantra's symbols. W hen he has in tern alized all the symbols o f the
cosmos and his body 'beco mes the yantra', the ad ept is n o longer alienated from the
t ruth that the symbol ill ustrates, but is tran sformed into th e truth he seek s.

28 SrTChakra- patra. Yantra of Vishi;iu as Hari-Narayar:ia w ith his con so rt Lakshmi. The inscription on the
yan t ra states that it was given b y a kin g named Varadaraj aya to his daugh ter the princess at her
marriage, for her worship to ensure her welfare and protec t ion. The sym b ols repeated m any t imes
around the centre square represent the nine planets. Sym bo lic ally these se rve to pro tect the c o smic
energy of the deities invoked in th e c en t re. Tamil Nadu, c 16th century . Co ppe r plate, 38 x 38 in.

80
29, 30 Krishi;ia, eighth incarnation of Vishi;iu and ch ief d iv inity o f Hindu
devotionalism, in his icon ic and yantra forms. As the Supreme Be ing an d
eternal lo ver, Krishi;ia att racts the human sou l to its ultima te su rren der. In his
yantra the seed mantra Kflr]l symbolizes his eternal aspect of love. Orissa, 18th
century. Bronze
YI, 32 Raclha, Krishr)a's power of delight (Hladinr-saktil, 111 hu man shape and a;
her a uspicious yantra. Bengal, 18th century. Brass
33 Ya nt ra of the M ahavidya Bhuvanesvarl, fo urth of the ten aspe cts o f the great goddess Kafl. Th e goddess
w h o pres ides at the centre of h er yantra is approached during ritua l worsh ip by mea ns of th e mantras of her
surrounding deities. Correctly chanted, these m antras bring about progessive tran sformations in th e psych ic
state of th e sadhaka (see pp. 102- 5). Ra jasth an, c. 18th century. Gou ach e on paper

34- 37 The sixteen lun ar goddesses, the Nitya Sakt is, together provi de a model of Cosmic Time, understood
by In dian thou ght as cyclical. Fo ur deities of lunar ph ases during the bright half of the mo n th are (from the
top, left to right) Kam esvarl Nitya, Bhagamalinl Ni tya, Nityaklinna Nitya and Bherur:ic;l a Nitya. Ra jasthan,
c. 19th century. Ink on pape r
f:
·is-
,,11
I
i:;:;
~

~
. 11
..,.

~
• ..::
~
9- \ - - --
~\(kl'..
'!'\<"

- - - - --- ---- -

J_ J
38-42 Each Nitya Sakti is a p arti al yet complete manifestation of cosm ic energy, the partial aspects
symbolized by the elemen tal forms of each yantra, the universal by the circle wh ich en closes them all,
like the moon, never los ing its co mpleteness Above, a yantra of a single m oon pha se, Sivadufi N it ya;
opposite, yantras of V ahnivasinl Nitya, Mahava jresvarl Nitya, Tvarita Nitya and Nitya- Nitya. Ra jasth an,
c. 19th century. ink on paper
I
I

I

·r

- -~
... ----

)
,'/
/
43-46 Goddesses of the concl uding phases of the lunar cycl e: Nilpataka Nitya, Vijaya Nitya, Sarvama1igala
Nitya and Ch itra Nitya. The last is Adya Nitya, worshipped in the Sri Yantra (seep. 73). Ra jasthan, c. 19th
century. Ink on paper

47 Sri Yantra, image of the evolu t ion oi the cosm os. Viewed fro m the centre, th e bindu, ou twards to the
periphery, each of the nine circuits of the yant ra represen ts a stage in the un folding which gives birth to the
apparently separate entities of the man ifested world. The substance, rock crystal, on wh ich this yan tra is
in cised, is itself symbolic: its t ranslu cent substance is believed to contain every colour, as the yantra
embraces th e totality of creation. Viewed in the opposite direction, trom the periphery to the cen tre, known
as the in volution m ode, th e Sri Yantra is a tool of ritual worship, enab ling the sadhaka to intuit th e O ne and to
red iscover his original wh oleness. Nepal, r. 1700
48, 49 Yantras of Gar:iesha, the e lephant-headed god, honoured as a
sym bol of good luc k a nd wisdom, a nd a s a dispeller of obstacles. Above,
his iconic ya nlra em bossed on copper (Tam il Nad u, conte mpora ry image
based on tradili ona l fo rms). Rig ht, his abstract ya ntra inscribed with
mant ra s. Con temporary image
50-53 Yantras embossed on sma ll copper plates, to be used in ritual wo rship. From to p left to bottom right :
Sudarshana Yant ra, sy mbolizing Vishr:iu's p ower and radiance; Vishr:iu an d Lakshmi Yantra symbolizing the
unity of the male an\:l female pri nciples; yantra of Vishr:iu, the preserver of the cosmos ; and Kala Bha1rava
Chak ra, an auspicious yantra of one of the epithets of Siva. Tamil Nadu, contemporary images based on
trad itiona l forms
;::
"z:> ~
:z:
>

OVARA

WEST

54 Navapadma (nine lot us) Mai;c;Jala, a tan tric. yantra devo ted to the worship of Vishr:iu. Th e nine lotuses in
the cen tre are the seats of Vishr:iu's nine epithet s. The squa re forms are chara cteristic of tantnc Va 1shr:iava
yantra s used by the sect of Paiicaratras. Contemporary diagram ba~ed on traditional form
55 Chakrab ja Ma1)c;lala, a yantra made up of circuits of lotuses. which is used in tantric 1nit1atio n ceremonies.
South India, c onte mporary diagram based o n traditional fo rm
56, 57 Scroll (left) with mantras fo r Sri Yant ra puja (ritua l worshi p, normally he
performed daily ). The co rrect rh ythmic c hanting of these yantras ene rgizes t
static pattern of t he Sri Yantra (below). South India, c. 17th century. Copper
58, 59 Yantra of the Mahavidya Tara (left) bearing the marks of
sa ndal paste a nd red powder u sed in pujii (So uth India, c. 18t h
century. Copper plate). The Meru form of the Sri Yantra (below), in
contrast, is generally used for meditation. Its pyramidal form of
nine levels represents the sad haka's steps of ascent from the
world of matter to the highest spiritual level, the summit/ bindu.
Ra jasthan, 18th centu ry. Bronze
60, 61 The magnificent traditio nal image of the
goddess Durga, with her yantra, a bold contrast in
expression. Yet image and yantra are 'sparks of the
same fire', and in worship a re interchangeable. Clay
figure, 20 feet high, West Bengal; yantra based o n
the tantric work Tanrrasara, Ra jasthan, 19th century.
Ink on paper
4
Dynamics of Yantra: Ritual

The practices of ritu al and meditation involve an internalization and externalization


of symbols by mean s of parallel activities, the one inward and the other outward. This
constant interplay of inner and outer constitutes the dynamics of yantra. For it is held
that the energy (saktil of the power diagram remainsinert until it is activized and made
meaningful through sacred activity. It is through ritual that power descends into the
yantra and man is able to begin his ascent into a higher realm of being.
'There can be no sadhana in an unreal world by an unreal sadhaka of an unreal
lord.' 1 This statem ent implies that the god or goddess must be known as a 'presence'
- visibly th rough the yantra, audibly th rough the mantric chants - and that the
sadhaka must try to achieve an inner experi ence of the divinity. The sadhaka must
ritu ally pu ri fy and prepare both himsel f and the yantra lest the deity he w ishes to
invoke in the yantra rema ins a stranger to him.

Ritu al initiation
In itiation is the fi rst ma jor existenti al experi ence which 1·r1·pares the sadhaka fo r the
return to h is inner centre and maps his journey towards integration with th e
cosmos. It is through th e rite of initiation that he learns the nature and use of the
yantra-mantra complex and begins to grasp the inner meanings of its signs and
symbols.
Traditionally, the ceremon ies of initiation mark a passage from one world to
anoth er. The ri te is not simply a static event but is a dynamic transforming
experience of the whole being, a second or 'tru e' birth, which conditions the
sadh aka towards the primordial sources. Elaborate ceremonies are conducted to
bring about 'death' and 'rebirth' w hich are understood as taking place literally. Some
Tantras2 list as many as twenty-five different types of initiation which last fo r many
clays and form a comp lete yoga sequence. Th e simplest form of initiation consists of
man tra in itiation (mantra-dikshal performed by a gu ru. Yantras generally play an
important pa rt in initiation ceremon ies ; and among the Sakt as, fo r example,
in itiation may be perform ed w ith th e aid of the Sri Yantra. In the simplest form of
ceremo ny, th e guru initiates the disciple in three stages: first he touches the disciple
(spar5a-cfiksha ) concentrating deeply on Devi ; then he looks at the disciple with love
and grace (c;lrik-diksha); fi n ally, h e imparts to him the words of knowledge and
introduces to him the esoteri c techniques of Chakra-pC1ja (ritual wo rship of the
chakras or c ircu its of the Sri Yantra). This is fo llowed by the recitation of the
hundred-sy llab le mantra o f the Devi and the offering of fl owers to the Sri Yantra.

l)7
DYNAMICS OF YANTRA: RITUAL Some initiatory rites are quite elaborate, like the one described in t he MahanirvaQa
Tantra (X, 109- 97), followed by the Kaulas, or 'left-hand' tantrikas. This rite, known as
purr:iabhiseka, is performed w ith the five 'forbi dden elements', w ine, m eat, fish,
72 cereals and intercourse, using the Sarvat obhadra Mar;ic;lala made on an earth altar
with rice powder, and coloured yellow, red, black, wh ite and dark blue. A jar is
placed in the centre of the mar;ic;lala, and in an extended ceremony consisting o f
bodily purification, nyasa, med itation and re c itation of mantras, the five ing redients
are offered on the jar symbolically. Finally, the guru imparts the mantra to the
disciple and gives him a new name. Then the disciple worsh ips his tutelary deity on
the mar:i<,Jala. Such rites may take one day, or th ree o r five o r seven o r nine days, with
a special yantra for each day.
Among the tantric Vaishr:iavites (Pancaratra ) also, in iti ation is performed with the
aid of mar:ic;lalas. The Lakshmi Tantra gives an elabo rate version o f o ne such rite
55 which uses the Chakrabja Mar;ic;lala, divided into nine sections, each of w hich is
named after one of the aspects of V ishr;iu. After the initial phases of the ritual the
adept is given a new name. For this, he is b lindfolded and made to cast a flower on
the Chakrabja Mar:ic;lala; accord ing to the section where the flower has fallen, the
disciple is named after one of V ish r:iu's epithets. Another featu re of this fo rm of
initiation is what is called the 'tattva-dlksha', in which t h e guru p repares a thread
made of three strands, each to represent one of the three qualit ies o f material nature
- sattva, rajas and tamas - and each w ith nine knots. These twenty-seven knots
symbolically denote all the cosmic principles in the body of the sadhaka and are
offered as oblation into the sacred fire, a ritual act to denote symbolicall y the
'death' of the old self which is accom p anied by the birth of a new self open to the life
of the spirit.
Irrespective of the method that is followed, it is through the ritual of initiation that
the psychological transformation of the adept begins. The rites of initiation bring a
complete renewal of the sadhaka and equip him to carry out the various p ractices of
yantra sadhana.

The prar;aprati~tha ceremony


Just as the sadhaka is ritually transfo rm ed by th e rites of initiat ion , so the yantra has
to undergo a complete ritu al transformation in order to be accessible fo r worship.
One of the most important rituals of yantra worship is the infusing of vita l fo rce
(p rar;i a) into the geometri cal p attern of the yantra, called prar;iaprati;;tha. Th e goal is
to cause the spiritual univ erse underlying myth and iconography to 'descend' into
the yantra so that it becomes a ra diant emb lem and receptacle o f cosm ic po wer
(5a kti-rupa), and conciousness (chaitanya), t ransforming into sacre d archetypal
space what is phenomenally no more than a mere design.
The transfer of power from the sadhaka to the yantra changes t he nature o f the
diagram, and the consecration of p rofan e space conversely elevates the sadhaka to
realizing the inherent energy of the th eophany, so t hat the y antra becomes a
powerful means of contact between t h e sadhaka and the cosmos.

98
In the beginning of the ritual, the yantra which is to be made a living entity is DYNAM I CS O F Y ANTRA: RITUA L
ritually established (yantra sthapana) on a wooden pedestal. A mar:i9ala is the seat
on which the yantra will be consecrated, and it is purified by worshipping the specific
divinities of the seat (pit ha pu ja) and the four regents of space by chanting
appropriate mantras. The yantra on its pedestal is then placed on a plate and put on
the table, on the mar:ic;lala, for the ritual of prar:iaprati~tha proper. To create a rituall y w
pure archetypal space devoid of negative vibrations, the rite of expelling negative or
evil forces (bhutapasarar:ial is performed with a mantra. There follows another rite,
known as 'fencing the quarters' (digbandhana), in which the sadhaka symbolically
binds the four quarters of space by snapping his right thumb and middle finger t en
t imes (8 points of the compass+ nadir+ zenith).
The sadhaka's body is next symbolically purified. It is through his purified body, in
which the deity is present, that d ivine consciousness will be transmitte d into the
yantra to make it a living entity. The sadhaka's body is made infinitely radiant by
s N

means of the ritual of bhutasuddhi, in wh ich the deification of the body is achieved by
the symbo lic dissolution of the five elements. Each element is dissolved by t he
chanting of mantras. The sadhaka then uses meditation to concentrate deeply on
the deities, and performs the ritual of nyasa, in which he touches various parts of his
body wh ile reciting mantras.
Through these rituals the sadhaka becomes an embodiment of conscious force
and his body an epitome of div ine energies. Thus 'purified' and 'cosmicized', he is E
considered an appropriate vehicle for the transference of power to the yantra.
Th is descent into the yantra can be ach ieved in several ways, but one of the ch ief A lotus unfolding its petals towards the eight regions of
methods is a breathing technique (pr ar:iayamal. While the adept is in com plete the cosmos provides th e sacred seat on which the
ya ntra is consecrated for ritual worship
concentration, the devata is exhaled by pranic transmission through the right nostril
as he chants an appropriate mantra. He controls his breath, exhaling it over a red
flower wh ich he holds in his hand. The divine essence is thus communicat ed through
the adept's body on to the flowe r. He then places the flower at the centre of the
yantra which begins to be permeated w ith the spark of consciousness. The
Mahanirvar;ia Tantra (VI, 63-74) describes th is process:

Then, while making with both hands the 'tortoise mudra' [finger gesture), let the
worshipper take up w ith his hands a beautiful flower scented with sandal, fragrant aloes,
and musk, and, carrying it to the lotus of his heart, let him meditate therein [in th e lotus]
upon the most supreme Adya.
Then let him lead the Devi along th e Sushumr:ia Na\li, which is the highway of Brahman
to the great Lotus of a thousand petals, and there make Her joyful. Then, bringing Her
through his nostri ls, let him place Her on the flower, [her presence being communicated] as
it were, by one light to another, and place the flower on the Yantra. Then, uttering the bija
[seed-mantra) K(lng, say the follow ing: 'O Adya Devi Kafika ! come here [into the yar1tra)
with all Thy fo ll owing, come here ; [and then he says) stay here, stay here; [and then) place
Thyself here ; [and then) be Thou detained here. Accept my worship.'
Having thus invoked [the Devil into the Yantra, the Vital Airs of the Devi should be
infused therein by the following pratistha mantra:
'Ang, Hrlng, Krong, Shrlng, Svaha, may the five Vi~I Airs of this Devata be here ; Ang,
Hrlng, Krong, Sh ring, Svaha, Her Jiva is here place d; Ang, Hrlng, Krong, Sh ring, Svaha, all
senses; Ang, Hrlng, Krong, Sh ring, Svaha, speech, mind, sight, smell, heari ng, touch, and

99
DYNAM ICS OF Y ANTRA: RI TUA L the Vital Airs of the Adya-Kafl Devata - may they come here and stay happily here
forever. Svaha.'
Another method of infusing vital forc e into the yantra is by the means of symbolic
finger-gestu res (Avahana-mu d raV The adept exhales his breath on to the
appropriate finger-positions to 'arrest' symbolicall y the essence o f the d ivin it y. He
then slowly lets his closed hands descend on to the yantra.
In other ceremonies, the deity m ay be installed by utterin g th e tant ric versio n o f
the famous Gayatrl Mantra (see p. 40) or variants of o ther well-kn own m an tras.
Some ritual manuals4 also outline a ceremony based on th e ritual washing of th e
yantra with several liquids; in such a case the washi ng is sym b o lica lly suggestive o f
cleansing away impurities.
No matte r what metho d the adept follows, th e prar;iapra ti~t ha cerem ony effects a
transformatio n of the yan tra, which now begins to fun ctio n on a diffe rent level of
reality: it has become a receptacle of d iv ine manifestatio n s, div in ity in abstract form .
The yantra is 'transformed' into a unit of archetypa l space (aka5a ) which is id enti fied
with power (sakti ). No longer can the yantra be eq u ated wi th gro ss matter v ei ling the
Avahana-mudra, the geslure by wh ich 1he sp irit, but it has become instinct w ith the being o f the d eity w ith w hi ch it is aroused.
divinity is broughl to presence in lhe ritual
of pral)aprati?tha
Yantra puja
Then fol lows the external ritual of pu ja (ado ration), o r offerin g homage to the deit y
through th e symbol of t he yan tra. Yantra puja is generally carried o ut d a ily, as an
individ ual ceremony in w h ich the adept establ ish es a lin k with the cosm ic fo rces
invo ked in th e yantra th rough th e mystic g roupings of d evatas. By m eans o f an
aestheti cally pleasing ceremonial involving a va ri ety o f ritu al in gredients - flowe rs,
incense, water, food offerings, etc. - all o f w hich h ave a deep sym bo lism and involve
his entire psycho-physical complex, the worshippe r stri ves to ach ieve a state of
concentration.
The typ e of o ffering and tech n iqu e o f pu ja w ill va ry depend ing upo n t h e sect of
the wo rsh ipper. For instance, the 'left - hand' cu lts o f ta n tri kas w il l always
symbolically offer the five forbid den ingredients (Pan cha-m akara) - wine, meat, fish,
cereal and intercourse - whereas o t hers wi ll use simple ev eryd ay symb o lic
ing redien ts, such as flowers and perfumed substances and finge r gestu res . Though
pu ja may involve complex tec hni ques and elaborat e accessories, its value an d
essence lie in the attitude (bhava) and in ne r ex peri ences (a nu bhava) of the d evotee.
The ritu al is approached wi th a deep sense of compassion o r hum ility, w ith utter
dedicat ion and a feeling o f total surrender toward s th e object o f worship. Then eve ry
offering, however sma ll, has m ean ing:
Whatever man gives me
In tru e devotion:
Fruit or water;
A leaf, a fl ower :
I will accept it.
That gift is love,
His heart's devoti on . Bhagavad-C//a (Chap. 1x)

100
Yantra pl"1ja may sometimes be performed with a specific purpose in view (sakama). DYNAM I CS OF YANT RA : R ITUAL
W hen it is for such a partic ular, temporary, purpose a yantra may be drawn on a
metal plate with sandal paste, red pigment (kum kum} or saffron; o r it may be
engraved on copper, si lver or gold. The colour of the material is generally decided in
rela tion to the goa l of worship, so that if the ritu al is performed fo r auspicio us
purposes, the yantra is generally red; for magico-propitiatory rites it may be yellow. 5
One tant ri c text en joins that before he worships the SrlYantra, the sadhaka must
put on a red garment and red garlands, smear his body with sandal paste, and scent
him self with camphor. He should sit in the lotus posture facing east and then may
begin the ritual.
Afte r invocation of the c hosen deity (lshta-devata) with the prar:iap rati~tha
ceremony described above, th e adept symbo lically clears away all the obstructions
or negative fo rces from the site where the yantra is placed. This preparatory ritual is
considered particularly impo rtant because it serves to create a cosmic circuit
around the yantra, 'fencing' the four sides to guard them against negative forces.
The adept then touches vari o us parts of his body with his fin gertips (nyasa, or
worship by gesture), while chanting mantras, in order to free his bei ng of all
impurities and m ake it fit for worship, thus symbol ically preparing fo r the descent of
the deity into his own person. Either of two types of nyasa may be performed. The
first, Kara-nyasa, involves touching parts of th e hands wit h specific mantras :

The thumbs: Hrarr Nam a~


The forefi ngers: Hrtr]l svaha
The middle fingers: Va ~ar
The ring fingers: Hralq1 hurr
The little fingers: Va~at
The palm : Hral)
The back of the hands: Phar.

In th e second type, Ariga- nyasa, the parts of the body are consecrated with the
foll ow ing mantric sounds:

The heart: Hrarµ Namal)


The head: Hrlm
The top of the· head (to the left of th e hairline): Hrlq1 va~at
The arms below the shoulders: Hrauq1 va~ar .

Both form s of nyasa are followed by m ental concentration on the deity propitiated
in the yantra. Th en the accessories of th e ri tual are purified by sprinkling them w ith
wa ter consec rated with th e appropriate mantra (the weapon mantra, Ph at), and
mak ing the ritual finger gesture (dh enu-mud ra).
After th ese prel im ina ries, th e yantra is worsh ipped with ritual offerings,
comm only five (pan c hopacara) - sandal paste, flowers, incense, lighted oil- lamp, foo d
- wh ic h are associat ed w ith the five elements. The adept o ffers th em in deep
concentration whil e reciting the seed mantra corresponding to each:
DYNAMICS OF YANTRA: RITUAL Harp to thee (Devi) in the form of Eart h, I offer sandal paste.
Harp to thee (Devi) in t he form of Ether, I offer flowers.
Yarp to thee (Devi) in the form of Air, I offer incense.
Rarp to thee (Devi) in the form of Fire, I offer light.
Varp to thee (Devi) in t he form of Water, I offer food.

The five offerings also symbol ize the devotee' s senses which he surrenders : his
ultimate aim is 'to becom e what he worships' .
At this point begins the Avarar:ia pu ja, w hich is specific to yantra worsh ip . The
worshipper makes ritual offerings w ith the app ropriate mantra to each of the
enclosures, the physical containers of the Saktis disposed o n t h e y antra' s lotus
petals, circles, and angles, starting from the principal divinity placed in the centre,
exactly as the universe is conceived as unfurling itself from the bindu. Th e Sri Yantra
is also worshipped in this way, starting with DevlTripura-Sundarl (Lal ita) in the b indu,
then moving outwards to all the Saktis successively until the o u te rmost square is
reached, whereupon the sadhaka involutes back to the cent re fo r the final offering.
The Avarar;a pu ja proceeds in a clockwise direct ion, beginn ing from the east side of
the yantra. This circular movement is meant to produce a sense of sub jective
rhythm, and to give a feeling of return to the sou rce before the sadhaka m oves on to
the worship of the next circuit of the devatas.
33 The Avarar;a puja of the Mahavidya Bhuvanesv arl (after the Srl-Bhuvanesvar/-
Nityarchana), wh ich is conducted on the nine enclosures of her yantra, illustrates on
one hand the mantra/yantra synth esis, and on the other the symbolism of cosm ic
evolution/ involution.
Th e mantras consist of seed syll ables and the names of the deities, and are
untranslatable. They exert their influence by their sou nd-vibrations.* They are meant
to transmit, like music, thei r own meaning, as the ir sounds seep t hrough our senses.
As we have seen earlier, cosmos, deities a nd mant ras are c onsidered identical,
therefore chanting of the name of the deities in t ant ric ritual is conducive to intui t ive
illumination and recapit ulates a transcend ental 'presence' .
The rhythmic pattern of the reiteration of the mantras m akes the static pat tern
kinetic, and infuses the yantra w it h a mobile li near force, capable of im pinging on
the senses fo r transformation.

First circuit: the bindu

[The Goddess is invoked with Siva in th e bind u by ch anting the follo win g m antra]


Srirp hrlrp Srlrp Amretasvrsivasah it a Sri Bhuv anesvar-ya i n amaf:i I srl Am retasv rsiv asa h ita
Sri Bhuvanesv arl
[followed by the major mant ra, which isl
Sri paduka rp pujyami n amaf:i ta rpyam i nam af:i

[Protection is invoked around t he b indu by ch anting t he nam es of t he deit ies o f the eight
' Fo r note on Sanskrit pronunciati on, see p. 170 . regents o f space w ith mantras asso c iat ed with parts of the b ody ]

102
."'•/ DYNA M I CS OF YANTRA: RITU A L

/ "'-
Agneye IS El, Srlrp hrlrp Srlrp hrarp hrdyaya [hea rt] namab hrdyasakti (followed by the
major mantra, see above]
Nai[tye IS W], srlrp hrlrp srlrp sirse (head] svaha sira-sakti (followed by the major mantra]
Vayavye IN W], srlrp hrlrp sikhayai va$at sikha (crown of the head] [followed by the major
mantra]
Tsa ne [N El, srlrp h rlrp srlrp hriarp kavacaya hurp kavaca [followed by the major mantra]
[back to the centre] srlrp h rl rp srlrp hraurp netratrayaya [eyes] vau?t netre traya [followed
by t he major mant ra]
[arou nd the centre] srlrp h rlrp srlrp astraya phat astra [fo llowed by the major mant ra]
[bac k t o the centre] srlrp h rlrp srlrp hrllekha [followed by the majo r mant ra]

".i/
·- · - ·
/!"-
Purve !El, srl rp hrlrp srlrp a irp Gagana [followed by the major mantra] Dak?ir:ie [SJ, srlrp hrlrp
srlrp au rp Rakta [followed b y t he m a jo r mantra] Pa5chime [WJ, srlrp hrlrp srlrp irp Karalika
[followed by the major mantra] Uttare [NJ, srlrp hrlrp srlrp aurp Mahocchu?ma [followed by
the majo r ma ntra]
[Now is cha nted the concluding root mantra in which the sadhaka beckons the Goddess
of the first ci rc uit to grant success and good fortune]
etab prathamavarar:iadevatab sangab sapa riva rab sayudhab sasaktikab pujitastarp itab
sa ntu namab
Abhlgs iddh irp m e d e hi sa rar:i agatavatsle bhaktya samarpaye tubhyam prathamavaral)-
archanarp

Second circuit: hexagon

[I nvoking the devatas w ith their saktis from t he no rth triangle onwards]
Srlrp hrlrp srlrp Cayatrlsah it a caturanana Brahma I Savit rl sahit Vi$1)U I sarsvatlsah it Rudra
I Lakshmlsa h it Kuvera / Rat i sahit Kama I Pu?t i sa hit Vighanraja [followed by the major
mant ra ]
[o n the sides o f hexagon] Sar:ikhanidhi sahit Vasudha I Padmanidhi sahit Vasumati I
Gayatryadisahit Srlbhuvanesvarl [followed by the major mantra] [Then a re chanted the
mant ras associated with the parts of the body starting from the heart ending with eyes]
Hra rp hrdayaya [heart] namai) / hrlrp sirse [head] namai) I hrurp sikhayai [crown] namai) /
hrai111 kavacaya namab / Hraurp netratrayaya [eyes] namai) I Hri) astraya namai) [followed
by the root mantra, as a bove but concl ud ing dvitlyavarar:iarchana111 = de ities of the
second (dvitlya) c ircuit]

Third circuit:
eighl-pelalled lotus

[Invoking the dei t ies on the petals! Anangakusuma I Ana ng~kusumatura I Ananga-
mandan a I Anangamada na tu ra / Bhuvanapala I Srlgaganavega I Srlssirekha I Anangavega

103
DYNAMICS OF YANT RA: RI TUA L
[fol lowed by the major mantra after each name and fi nally the roo t mantra as above but
concl uding tritlyavarar:i archanaryi =the deities of the third (tritlyal ci rcuit ]

Fourth circuit:
sixteen-petalled lotus

[Invoking the sixteen deities on the peta ls together w ith the ma jor man tra] Srlryi h rl rri srlryi
Karala I Vikrala I Uma I Sarsvatl I SrJl:i I Durga I U;;a I Lakshmi I Sruti I Smriti I Dh rt i I
Sraddha I Megha I Rat i I Kanti I A rya [fo ll owed by t he root mantra, con clu ding
cathuravarar:iarchanaryi =deities of t he fourth (cathu rtha) circu it]

0
Fifth circuit: outside the
sixteen petals invoking the . .
eight Matrika Saktis together
w ith the major mantra .

Srlryi h rlryi srlr11 arp Braham yai namao Brahml I lryi Mahesvryai nama o Mahesvarl I Uryi
Kaumarya i namao Kaumarl I ~ryi Va i;;r;iavyai namal) Va isr;iavi I Lrrp V arahyai n amao Va rahi
I airp ln drar:i yai namao lnd rar:il I Aurp Ch amur:i<;layai namao Chamu r:ic;la I al)
mahalakshmyai namao Mahalakshml [fo ll owed by t he ro ot man tra conclud ing
pancava rar:i archanarp =deities of the fifth (panca) circu it]

Sixth circuit: inside the


square invoking the deities
w ith th e major mantra

Srlrp hrlrp Anarigarupa I Anariga madaria I Anarigamadanat u ra / Bhuvanavega I


Bhu vanapalika/ Sarvasira/Anarigavedna/Anarigamekhl a !fol lowed b y majo r man t ra aft er
each name and th e root mantra concludin g ?a;;~havara r:i archanaq1 =deities o f the sixth
(;;a;;~ha) circuit]

Seventh circuit :
points of the o uter periphery
m
.

.
'

[Invoking th e deities of the eight regen ts of space, nadir and zen it h w ith their respective
seed mant ras]

Sr·irp h rlr11 SrTrp larp lnclraya IE] narna~ I yarp Agn i [SE] I ya ryi Yama [5] I K;;h aq1 N irrti ISWI I
Varyi Varur:ia (WJ I Ya 111 Vayu [N W ] I Sarp Soma [NJI Harp Tsan a [NEI I aryi Brahm a lzenithl I

104
Hrlrp Ananta (nad ir] (fol lowed by the major mantra after each deity, and finally the root D YNA M I C S OF Y A NTR A : RIT UAL
mantra concluding, sapt avarai:iarchanarp = deities of the seventh (sapta) circuit)

Eighth circuit: fW _.
outside th e square e nclosure
QDJ
[Now the energies of the deities of the quarters who guard the sacred space of the yant ra
are invoked naming each of their emblems, which are symbols of their power and
strength and display th eir eminence over the whole universe]
Srlrp hrlrp srl rp vajra sakti [thunderbolt, El I agni sakti [fire, SEI I dai:ic;Ja sakti [staff, SJ /
khac;lga sakti [sword, SW] I Pasa sakti [noose, Wl I dhvaja 5akti [fl ag, NW] I gada sakti [goad,
NJ / _Trisula sakti [trident, NE] I padma sakti [lotus, zenith] I chakra sakti [disc, nadir]
[fo ll owed by the ma jor mantra, and fina lly the root mantra concluding a?~a mavara r;iar­
chanarp =the deities of the eighth (a?~a) circu it]

Ninth circuit: back to


the bindu = involution

[The culmination of the Avarai:ia puja is reached at the ninth enclosure when the sadhaka
reverses th e movement of th e rite precisely as the universe involutes back to t he cen t re, and
invok es th e protective diviniti es around the bindu followed by th e major mant ra]
Srlm hrlrr varp vatuka (El I yari1 yoginl [NJ I k~harp khetrapala (W] I garp gai:iapatl (SJ I
Vayavye vari1 a?~avasu [NWJ I T~ane dvadasaditya [NE] I agneye ekadasa rudra [SEl I
nairrtye sa rvabhut [SvVl
[Now th e final offering is made thrice with a handful of flowers, perfumes, the waving of ·1
lights and chanting of th e root mant ra, con clud ing navavarar)archanarp = deities of t he I

ninth (naval circuit, and invitin g the Devi to bestow her grace with the hand-gesture of the I
yoni-mudra.J

Next, t he d ev o t ee w ill perform japa, the repetition o f a mantra a specified number


of t imes. In South India it is still comm o n to recit e th e o ne t housand names of t he
Goddess (Lalitasahasra nam a) or to repeat th e esoteric m an tra of th e Srl Vidya (see p.
42). This may b e fo ll o wed by m ed it atio n by t he sad h aka o n the chakra s (internal
yantras) of h is subtl e bo dy (see Chapter 5).
At the encl o f pu ja, th e yant ra m ay be erased if it has been d rawn for t em porary
w orship, o r t he sadhak a may use his middl e finger t o make a do t bet ween his
eyebro w s with t h e ver m ilio n paste offered o n th e yantr a.

·10s
DYNAMICS OF YANTRA: RITUAL
Visarjana
At the end of puja the yantra is symboli call y forsaken in a rite known as visarjana -
the dissolution of th e yan tra into the primo rdial plenitud e (or whatever term may
be used to in dicate the Ultimate Ground of Being - a rchetypa l space, Sakti,
Brahman, etc.). Using a finger gesture (generally yon i-mudra) an d pronouncing the
appropriate mantra, the adept dismisses the deity con tained in the yantra. In certain
forms of visarjana the deity is brought b ack into the adept's heart from where it was
first installed into th e yant ra, either by the adept's inhaling his breath or sm elling the
flower through w hic h the deity was first installed, during the pral}aprati$tha
cerem ony. The visa rj ana ceremony reverses th e existential statu s of the yantra, so
that what was earlier, at the start of the liturgy, a near-sacred archetype of the
sacred reverts to the status of a diagram.
Yantra ri tuals follow one another as 'm icrocosmic enactment of th e macrocosm'.
The whole dynamic of ritual worship is analogous to t he cyclical dyna mics o f cosmic
time. The unity of 'cosmic tim e' w hich is divided in to three phases in Indian tradition
pp. 77-9) is perfectly identifiable with ' ritual time' in daily wo rship, which is also
divided into three ph ases. The three phases of yantra liturgy - prar:iaprati$tha or
consecration, puja o r worsh ip and visarjana or ritual departure - succeed one
anoth er as a cosmogony and repeat the cla ss ical sy mbolism of c reation,
preservation and dissolution of the universe.

Cosmos Yantra Aspirant


Creation prar:iaprati~~ha =ritual birth in itiation = ritual birth

Preservation puja or worsh ip sadhana

Dissolution visarjana ident ity of microcosmic


self w ith the macrocosm

Fu rther, the triple cosmogonic mo tif is repeated on three level s: on the level of the
v isual motif (yantra); on the level of th e asp irant, w ho like the cosmo s a nd the
sym bol attains a new state of identity, a process which begins from t h e moment he is
initiated in the th eory and practice of yantra; and on th e ontol ogica l plane. Hen ce
psyche, symbol and cosmos are gath ered into a single identity, as th~ symbol is
assim ilated into the body and th e body into the cosmos, form ing a c ircu it of cosmic
Identity of p sych e, symbol and cosmos through ritual unity .

06
1
5
Dynamics of Yantra: Meditation

Ritu al is an introd uctory phase of spiritual discipline, but not the main and most
significan t element. Outer worsh ip gradually gives way to an inner form of
contem plation w hich leads the sadhaka through stages of spiritual unfolding,
proceeding from the gross to the subtle levels of consciousness. As he passes from
stage to stage hi s worship becomes more and more contemplative in character, and
the visu al aids which h e uses become progressively simpler. In the earliest stages of
yantra meditation he may use the yantra to visualize the iconic images of devatas;
at the highest stage of all, the yant ra is condensed into an imaginary bindu ; and at
the last, even the primal point disappears and the sadhaka and object of
contemplation are one. The internalization of symbols as they become subtler is
supported by the dynamics of the yantra until a culmination is reached when man,
symbol and cosm os are united.
Yantra m ed itation is usually combined with the classical techniques of yoga
meditation, w hi ch begin with th e adept gaining perfect control over his mind by
censo ring th e ri ot of mental impressions, sensation s and memory associations
which make up ordinary co nsciousness to ach ieve a mental state of lucidity and
centration. Patanjali (c. 200 BC), originator of t he classical yoga system, recognized
the im portan ce of external symbols as aids to ach ieving the mental state of ekagrata,
or single-poi nted concentration: 'Concentration may be attained by fixing the mind
upon any div ine form or symbol that appeals to one as good. 11 He further declared
that the object in question can be of any size, from the 'atomic to infinitely great'.
Yantras provide a powerful tool for the preliminary centring of consciousness,
but yantra medit ation shou ld not be understood superficially, as though attention
were merely pegged on to a symbol, as for instance when we focus on any
symmetrical figure to control our mental flux. O n the contrary, genuine yantra
meditation p roduces an active mental state and induces receptivity to symbolic
revelations. Yantra meditation proper begins when the yogi has mastered the
traditional bodily disciplines, such as energizing of the body by means of yogic
postu res (asana) and regu lating t he breath ing to a steady rhythm (praoayama).

D eity meditation
In one type of meditation iconic image and yantra are meditated on simultaneously.
Each part of the iconographic image of the devata is built up progressively during
intense visualizat ion. A verse dedicated to the goddess Triputa (an epithet of the

107
DYNAM ICS OF YANTRA: MEDITATION
goddess Tripura who is worshipped in the Sri Yantra) gives an account of one such
visualization:

Let him then meditate upon two angles [of the yantra] in the lotu s,
And the Devi Herself in the lotus as fol lows :
Her lustre is that of molten gold,
With earrings on Her ears,
Three-eyed, of beauteous throat,
Her face like the moon,
And bending from the weight of Her breasts.
She holds in many arms, decked with diamonds and other gems,
Two lotuses, a noose, bow, golden goad, and flowery arrows .
Her body is adorned with great jewels,
Slender is She of wa ist and beautifu lly gi rdled .. . .
The Sadhaka who, having thus for a long time con templated Her
On a yantra set before him,
And welcomed Her w ith great devotion,
Worshipping Her w ith Svayambhu flower,
Attains success in all th e four dimensions of life . .. .2

In a more elabo rate va ri ety of meditation t he adept may contemplate the devatas in
each of the su ccessive enclosures of the yantras. After consecrating the yantra by
means of the prar:iaprati~tha ceremony (seep. 98), he begins his meditation by fixing
h is attention on the ya ntra's periphery, at th e eastern portal, in preparation for t he
journey to the centre. The geometrical symmetry of th e diagram helps to draw his
attention towa rds the bindu, th e fixed point of concentration. The adept interiorizes
the form of the yantra and pursues his meditation, ci rcuit b y circu it, in obedience to
the symbolism of the deities d isposed on the c ircuits. These deities may be see n as
symbo ls of the forces acting within the sadhaka w hic h h e must either restrain,
conquer, transform , o r interiorize fo r meditati v e experience. Behind the
m etaph ysica l realities of those deiti es lie the real ity of p syc hic facts, the data of
psychic experience and th e reality of con scio us and uncon scious forces. The reality
experienced through the complex ico nog raph ical structure is the reali ty
of feeling and thou ght. Each deity can be considered t he embod im ent of a mental
state or thought-fo rm . On t he higher level of insight, adepts consider the de ities as
the radiati on of their own psychic faculties and as manife stations of th eir own
b eing.
Equall y, indwelling deities personify aspects of th e phys ical bein g of the adept.
Each part of a yan tra is assoc iated w ith a part o f the body and with se n se facu lt ies.
Si n ce m an, the microcosm, and the universe, the macrocosm , are integ rall y
related, th ere are fu ndamental affinities between the cosmic scheme, the subtl e (or
psych ic) body an d the yantra. In thi s form of med itation th e external yantra is
tra nsformed into an interna l y antra. Energizin g psycho-cosmic affiniti e s, the adept
can begin to make the ascent, or journey of return. He n ce it is im portant t o view
these yantras not mere ly as sy m bols of th e cosmos b ut as symbols of the integrated
psycho-cosmos (man/ u niverse ).

08
In most, if not all, yantras fo r meditation the progressive stages from material o r DYNAM I CS OF YANT RA: MED ITAT I ON
gross to subtle are well marked . Closed concentric circuits (mar:ic;lalas ) of various
geometric shapes correspond to the planes of the sadhaka's consciousness. Each
enclosure is an ascent of one's being, a way-station (pandani), a plateau (dhamani),
towards the sanctum sanctorum .
The number of ci rcu its in each yant ra is prescribed by tradition and codified in
tantric texts. It can vary considerably. The Sri Yantra (see below) has nine.
In each of the enclosures specific deities are invoked, each circuit being
considered as a cosmological form which supports devata-clusters, or groups of
goddesses (see Chapter 3). The power an d harmony of each circle of deities is
relative to the central deity: the deity-clusters are like veils conceal ing the yantra's
innermost essence. After th e sadhaka has invoked all the devatas in the prescri bed
manner fo r meditation, he reaches a level of consciousness in which all the devata-
circles are fused to become the presiding deity at the centre of the yantra. Gradually,
th is central deity itself disappears and merges into the centre of spiritu al
consciousness, the bindu of the yantra and the highest psychic centre bet ween t he
adept's eyebrows.
The binclu is a fusion of all d irections and of al l levels, a point of termination where
ALL IS. From the gates which are h is own subconscious fo rces, the yogi has passed
through the c ircuits to be reunited with th e pe rmanent element of the universe. The
ultimate state of union is ach ieved when he experiences the out-petalling of the
soul-flower, th e th ousand-petalled lotu s, rising at the crown of the head.
The awareness t hat ensues from such meditation constitutes a spiritual climax, a
stat e of yogic enstasis (samadhi). This is a state of psychic continuum, free from
mental fluctuations, in which there is perfect merging of symbol and psyche. The
journey from the periphery to the centre of the yant ra may be measu red physically
in a few inches, but psychologically the return to the primordial source represented
by th e b indu is a vast mental distance, demanding the discip line of a lifetime.

The Sri Yantra and psycho-cosmic identities


Man' s spritual journey from the stage of material ex istence to ultim ate
en lightenment is mapped on the greatest of yantras, the Sri Yantra. We find the
seq uence of med itation set out in the Bhavanopani~ad, the text of the Samay a sect
of right-hand path tantrikas. The sp iritual journey is taken as a pilgrimage in wh ich
eve ry step is an ascent to the centre, a movement beyond one's lin1ited existence,
and every level is nearer to the goal, an affirmation of the unity of existence.
Tradit ionally such a journey is mapped in nine stages, and each of t hese stages
co rresponds with one of the nine circu its of which the yantra is composed. Starting
from the outer square and moving inwards, the nine rings bear specifi c names,
related to th eir characte ri stics; the first ci rc uit (Trailokyamohana chakra) 'enchants
the three worlds'; the second (Sarvasapa ri pu raka chakra ) 'fu lfills all expectations';
the th ird (Sarvasari ksh obar~a chakra) 'agitates all'; the fourth (Sarvasaubhagy-
adayaka chak ra) 'grants excellen ce'; th e fifth (Sarvarthasadhaka chakra) is the

109
DYNAMICS OF Y ANTRA : MED ITAT ION Kaumari sakti

~
ro
•<J>
·5
ro
1 Trailokyamohana chakra C·
ro
.i::::
-~
co
>

Brahmi sakti

'accomplisher of all'; the sixth (Sarvaraksakara chakra) 'protects al l'; the seventh
(Sarvarogahara chakra) 'cures all ills'; the eighth (Sarvasiddhiprada chakra) 'gran ts al l
perfection'; and the highest (Sarvanandamaya chakra) is 'replete w ith b liss'.
At the periphery of the Sri Yantra, the square, the adept contemp lates his own
passions such as anger, fear, lust, etc., to overcome or conquer them. 3 The eight
psychological tendencies that are considered obstacles of the mind are also
invoked, as eight Matrika Sa kt is, in the second line of the outer periphery. Either they
flank the four 'doors' of the yantra or they are invoked in the squ are band (bhupura).
Generall y they are what we experience of the world th rough sen se-activity and the
cravings of our egotism. Thus the first Matrika Sakti, Brahm!, is associated with
worldly desire, the passion that impels us to seek ephemeral joys; Maheswarl is
representati ve of anger; KaumarT of constan t avarice and g reed; Vaishar:iavi
fascinates and infatuates ; Varahi is symbo lic of obstinacy and fa lse pride; lndrani of
jealousy; Chamur:i9a of earthly rewards ; final ly, there is Maha lakshmT, who
symbol izes our deficiencies and blameworthiness generally.
Around the Matrika Sakti, in the third line of the square, pres ide Mudra Saktis who
represent the chak ras of the subtle body (see below). 4
Because it is through our bodies that we experience the world at large and al l our
li kes and dislikes, emotions, feel ings and responses are experi enced through our

Cittakar$ar:iT (mind)
Dhairyakar$ar:iT (fortitude) Gandhakar$ar:iT (smel l )
Smrityakar$ar:iT (memory) Rasakar$ar:iT (taste)

Na makar$ar:iT (na me ) ROpaka r$ar:iT (form)

2 Sarvasaparipuraka chakra Sparsakar$ar:iT (to u ch)

Sabdakar$ar:iT (sound)

Amritakar$ar:iT (immorta lity) Ahar]1karaka r$ar:iiT (ego)


Sarirakar$ar:iT (body) Budhyakar$ar:iT (int el lect)
Kamakar$ar:iT (des ire)

110
DYNAM ICS O F YANTRA: M EDIT ATION
A narigamadana

Anarigaveganl Anarigakusa

Anarigamekhala
3 Sarvasankshobar:ia chakra

Anarigarekha Anangamalinl

Anarigakusuma

bodily senses, and since our physical being is composed of sixteen components -
the five elem ents (earth, water, fire, air, ether), ten sense-organs of perception and
action (ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose, mouth, feet, hands, arms, genitals), and the
oscillating mind - these sixteen components are related to the sixteen petals of the
SrlYant ra lotus. Each petal is presided over by a deity of attraction who st imulates our
'sense-consciousness' through our bodily faculties, which leaves us spellbound in
infatuation with ourselves.
These sixteen 'attractions' veil ou r existence, blind our spiritual sight, keep us from
knowledge, and chain us to the ceaseless cycle of life. Since they mirror our
consciousness at the stage of false knowing, these Saktis must be contemplated at
the beginning of our spiritu al journey.
The eight-petal led lotus, the th ird circuit, govern s speech, gras ping, locomotion,
evacuation, enjoyment, and the three attitudes of rejection, acceptance and
indifferen ce. These petals are also each presided over by a Sakti.
After transcending the limitations of the physical self, the meditator has to attain
an understanding of his subtle body; from the physical shell he must enter into his
psychic self represented by the subtle nerves, etheric channels and vital energy of
the body- cosmos. Accordingly, fourth, fifth, and sixth circuits of the Sri Yantra
symbolically illustrate the subtle nerves, and the modification of the vital energy

Sarvavasankarl (Gandhari = left ankle)

Sarvaranjanl ( PO:?a = left thigh) _...,,,.._~__,. Sarvajrmbh ir:il (Bayasvini = right ankle)
Sarvanmad inl (Sankhini = left side) Sa rvastamb hinl (Yasovati = right thigh)
Sarvarthasadhanl Sarvasammohinl ( Hastijihva = right side)
(Saraswati = left shoulder)
4 Sarvasaubhagyadayaka c hakra

Sarvasarikshobhir:il (Alambusa = cen tre of forehead)

111
DYNAMICS O F YANTRA : MED I TATION Sarvadu l:lkhavimociani

5 Sarvarthasadhaka chakra

Sarvasampatprad a

Sarvasiddhi prada

(prar:ia) which regulates the vitality of the subtle body. Th e first o f these, the
fourteen-triangled ci rcuit, correspo nds wi th th e fou rteen etheric nerves in t he subtle
body: six run t hrough th e right si de of the body startin g at th e ankle and mov ing
u pwards th rough the right thigh, shoulder and cheek, and ultimately meet ing at the
centre of the fo rehead; four are on the left, th e rest along the axis of the subtl e body.
The fifth circuit of t en triangles exemplifies the dy nami c life-force call ed prar:i a, the
essential link between mind and body. The triangles represent th e tenfold functions
of the universal prar:i ic energy in the individual subtle body: the five v ital c urrents
(Prar:ia, which draws life-fo rce into th e body; Apana, which expels life-force; Vyana,
which distributes and circu lat es energy; Sama na, wh ich contro ls d igestion ; Udana,
w h ich con trols circ ulation), and the five medial currents (Naga, Kurm a, Krkara,
Devadatta, and Dhananj aya ) which mirror them.
The sixth c ircuit which is also t en-tri angled relates to the int eraction b etween the
ten fun ctio ns of prar;iic energy and the ten t ypes of digestive fire, each presided over
by a deity. The mobilization of the prar:ia th rough th e energy centres is
fundamentally important.

SarvadharasvarO pir:ii

Sarvapapha ra Sarvavyadhivin as ini

Sarvanandamayi

6 Sarvaraksaka ra chakra

Sarvapsitaphalprad a

Sarvajna

112
I
I 1

6 2 Sri Yant ra, the most celebrated of all tantric yantras. A mystical construction of the cosmos, th e Sri Yantra b formed by
the interpenetrat ion of t wo sets of t riangles, fou r. apex upward, representing the male principle and five, ape" downward,
representing the female principle. The yantril is devised to give a vision of the totality of existence. so that the adept may
111 ternalize its sym bols fo r the ultimate realiza tion of his unitv with th<' cosmos. Rajasthan, c '1700. Gouache on paper
63 'Th e Goddess Sakti taking th e form of a t riangle brings forth the three worlds' (Jiiiirnava, Cha p ter x). rhc•
three sides of the yoni, the primo rdial Lriangle, c reative m atrix o f the cosmos. sta nd for the three qu alit ies
composing material nature: satl va. t he ascend ing qua lity. seen as white ; rajas. the k inet ic quality. seen as
reel; Lamas. the descending qualit y or in ertia. seen as black. Ra jast han. <.17th century. Gouache o n p aper
64 Ya n lra devolt>cl ln Sakli, used fo r meditation. Rajasthan, c. 18th century. Couac-h c o n paper
65 Sri Yantra created in an elec t ron ic vibratio n field. an experiment in t he t ranslat io n of sound into vision .
A sim ilar exp eri en ce is 'sensed' during rit ual wo rship w h en t h e y ant ra pattern 'dematerial izes', appearing to
d issolve in to a sound-p attern or vibrat ion field of spo ken man t ras. St ill from a film b y Ronald Nameth
Aruna DYNAM I CS OF Y ANTRA: MEDITATION

7 Sa rvarogahara chakra

Vas inT

Consc ious experience of t he psychic spectrum becom es more and more subtle as
one moves t o th e Sri Ya nt ra's in ner encl osu res. The seventh, eight-triangled circuit
(Sarvarogah a ra) represen ts, first, the th ree constit uent principles of material nature :
sattva w hic h is associat ed with purity or t he stuff of intelligence; rajas which
deno t es th e force or en ergy activati ng and impelling creation; tamas, mass or
matter eq uated with in ertia. These three qualiti es exist in individuals in varying
degrees an d are variously manifest ed: sattva is expressed psychologically as purity,
tranq uillity and ca lmness of mind; rajas as passion, egoism, restlessness ; tamas as
res ist ance t o all change. The devotee can cultivat e any of these qualit ies by his
actions and thoughts; ideally, an aspirant w ill cult ivat e the sattva element of h is
nature over rajas and tamas. Ultimately, however, he will strive to overcome even
the sattva element as the u ltimate essence is above and beyond all. The other five
triangles of this circuit represent two set s of polarities - pleasure/ pain, cold/heat -
and the ind ivid ua l's will or capacity to decide upon action. Decisiveness guides the
psych e to balan ce the continuous flux of mental activity. O n the ascending scale of
rea lity, aft er havin g understood the wo rking of h is senses the adept should begin to

8 Sa rvasiddhi prad a chakra


DYNAM I CS OF YANT RA : MEDITAT I ON harness his mind. From his existential reality as an individual caught in a state of flux,
enriched and moved by an uninterrupted exchange b etween the inner and the
outer world, he contemplates certain t raditional symbols of the senses: the bow,
noose, goad and arrows. These are seldom depicted in the yantra, but they are
always v isualized around the primordial triangle as an imperative for fina l u nio n.
Mental fluctuations are caused by the psych e's contac t w ith the wo rl d at large.
Thus the mind is visualized symbolically as a bow, and th e noose as our attachments
of the senses to external stimuli, the goad stan ds fo r anger, the perturbed psyche
unable to penetrate through the last waves of psychic life, and the five arrows are
symbols of the five gross and five subtle elemen ts which att ract our senses but leave
us unfulfilled.
As meditation nears the innermost t riangle, a d ramati c change takes place with
the fading of the Sakti-clusters into the emptiness of the cen tre. The innumerable
Saktis of the ea rlier phases are reduced to t hree principles of existen ce. The
unmanifest principle of creation (Avyakta), th e cosmic principle of fo rce (Mahat),
and the principle o f ego-formation (Aharrikara) give rise to t he experi ences o f
subject and object through whic h the adept perceives the d istinction s and diversity


of external nature.

9 Sarvanandamaya chakra
S ri Lalita = one's in nermost self

The ninth chakra, the bindu, is the symbol of final release. It is the summit of reality
and represents the innerm ost centre o f th e consciousness, th e abode of t he
suprem e goddess Lalita, w hose m ysteri ous presence is experienced in the d epths of
one's being. Th e bindu marks the end of th e spiritual p ilg rim age. Where outer life
ends, the inner life begins: there is no shape, no fo rm , all is immersed in the void .
The Sri Ya ntra's nine Sakti-clu sters are th us nine leve ls separating man from his
primordial wholeness, o r, conversely, nine steps that can lead h im through the
prin ciples of spiritual evolution. Wh en t he h ighest stage of exaltation is reac hed the
yantra is internalized ; it becomes a psych ic complex. Th e t ruth of the cosmos,
illuminated in the yantra, is the sadhaka himself illumi ned, and his body itself
becomes the y ant ra.
In another t ype of m editati on, the adep t experiences both evolution and
involution through the Sri Yantra. In deep concentratio n, th e adept mental ly
constructs the entire im age of th e Sri Yantra from th e cen tre, in th e same fash ion as
the cosmos is held to unfu rl it self in th e process of evolution. After th e whole im age
has been visualized, he begins hi s m editat io n from the o uterm ost p eriphery of th e
figure. Moving inwards, enclosure after enclosure, he is sy mbo licall y involved in the
'di ssolut ion' of al! the cosmic princ ip les projected by the nine Siva-Sakt i triangles. In
suc h meditat ion the adept lives throug h the whole d rama of d escen t and ascent, as
an act of purging h is consciousnes s. He is summoned to and surrenders to initiatory
death through w hi ch he is reborn. When h e ha s attained the sought-after id entity,
the exten ded universe (o f the yantra ) sym bolically collapses into t he bin du, which
itself vanishes in to the void .

118
The body yantra : Kul)<;ialinl dhyana
In th e Tantras t he human body acquires a unique role and is considered the most
perfect and powerful of all y ant ras. What is counselled is not a w ithdrawal from
existence or a cold asceti sm w hich teaches us to sever our links with life, but a
gathering up of existence into our own being. This gathering up is effected by
cosmic izing th e body, and treating it as a 'tool' fo r inner awareness by taming it with
yogic ri tuals, awakening zones of consciousness and activizing its latent subtle
energies. But would this be possible if man and his body were not taken to be a
cosmic ized circuit and a powerful spiritual vehicl e?
In the earliest speculations of the Vedas th e macrocosm and its creator were
conceived in human terms. The ' Purusha Sukta' hymn in the Rig Veda portrays the
world as coming into ex istence from the bodi ly parts of the Cosmic Person: 'The sun
came out of his eyes, the moon from his mind, Indra and Agni [fire] from his mouth,
wind from his breath, air from his navel, sky from his head, earth from his feet. .. :s
In later literature, not only is the affinity between the world and the Cosmic Person
maintained, but relationships are pointed between the elements and human
functions. Thus in equally graphic terms the Aitareya I states: 'Fire became speech
and entered in th e mouth of the individual, mind became breath and entered his
nose, the sun [becam e] sight in his eyes, the quarter of heaven hearing in his ears,
plants and t rees h airs in his skin, moon, mind in his heart.' 6
Man is regard ed, not as a separate and accidental product of evolution, but as an
exten sio n of divine con sciou sness expressing the fundamental unity of creation. His
life, like the cosmos, is bound by a purpose; his biological rhythms are tuned hy
p lanetary phe nomen a. M an's existen ce is ord ained and regulated by the governing
prin cip le of nature. The external world, and the in ner world of man, are formed of th e
same 'stuff', and are related by an indivi sible web of mutually conditioned affinities,
which are often expressed in terms of the human body.
In the Tantras the relationship o f man and cosmos has been reversed, and man
h im self h as ' become' the cosmos. That is, his significance in the cosmic order has
been exalted to th e extent that he, and his body, are seen as a tool (yantra) of
unlim ited pow er, capab le of tran sform ing even his baser capacities into eternal
values, an exaltatio n considered as a movement o f power from th e realm of god to
th e realm o f man . Indeed, his body is seen as condensing the ent ire universe.

In your body is Mount Meru th ere too are the two cosmic forces:
encircled by th e seven continents: that whi ch destroys, that which creates;
th e riv ers are th ere too, and all the elements : efrer,
th e seas, the mountains, the plains, air and fire, water and earth.
and th e gods of th e fields. Yes, in your body are all things
Prophets are to be seen in it, monks. that exist in the three worlds,
places of pilgrimage all performing their prescribed functions
and th e deities pres iding over th em. around Mount Meru;
The stars are th ere, and the planets, he alone who knows this
and the sun together with the moon ; is held to be a true yogi.'

11 9
Subtle body Number Associated element Cosmic category Seed mantra and Male Female Ascending plane
chakra of petals and/or properties or 'tattva' (see p. 74) animal symbol deity Energy of the universe

e Sahasrara
above the head 1000
Abode of bliss
(Sat cit ana nda) Paramsiva Satya-loka

<® Ajna
between the
eyebrows
2 mind (manas) Mahal = Supreme Princ ip l e O rn Sarp bhu Hakini Tapo- loka

Visuddha Ether. space Organ o f cognition: ears Ham


throat centre 16 Sadas iva Sakinl Jana -loka
Activates hearing Organ of act ion : mouth whi.te elephan t

Anahata Air. movement Organ of cogn ition : skin Yam


heart centre 12 Activa tes sense of Isa Kakini M aha r- loka
Organ o f action: genitals antelope
touch

Mar:iipO ra Fire. expansion Organ of cogn ition : eyes Ram


navel centre 10 Rud ra Lakini Sva r- loka
Acti va tes sight Organ of action: anus ram

Water. contraction Varn


Svadhishthana Organ of cognition : rongu e makara
below th e navel 6 Activa tes orga n of Vishr:iu B hOvar - lok a
1as1e Organ of action : hands (myrhic al
crocodile)

MOladhara Earth. con nec11 on La rr


Acrivates sense of Organ of cogn iti on : nose a irava ta Brahma Daki n i Bhor- l oka
base of spine 4 Organ of action : fee t
smell (elep hant)

120
Subtle body c hakras
To illust rate th e m utual correspo nd ences of the human body and the cosmos, tan tra 66, 68
has created a system of psychic 'crosspoints' in which the infin ite worl d of time and
space are seen reflected in t he psycho-physical structure of man. The cosmos,
acco rd ing to the Tant ras, con sists of seven ascending planes of existence, starting
fro m earthly, gross existence, and t his h ierarchy is mirrored in the psychic vortices
fu nct io ning as invi sible yantras in the hum an body.
The seven (in t he Hindu t radition) major points of power in th e subtle body
fun ction as ya n t ras fo r in ner meditat ive experience in Kur:i<;lalinl yoga. They are
visualized as geometrica l figu res, as wheels (chakras) or lotuses, spaced on the
vert ic al axis of th e su btle body, t he Sushumr;ia, wh ich corresponds roughly to the
spi nal colu m n an d b rain . Sin ce these chakras embrace th e entire psycho-cosmos,
each is asso ciat ed w ith a so und vibrat io n, elem ent, colour, devataor animal symbol.a
The fi rst chakra, k n own as the M uladhara (root) Chakra, is situated at the base of
the spine and is t he gathering p oint of the energy of the psychic body. Its symbol is a
square w it h an in verted triangle. In the centre of th is yantra is the snake-symbol of
t he latent m icro c osm ic fo rm of energy, Devi Kur;i<;lalinl, coiled around a linga
emblem. It is govern ed by the element earth, and its seed-mantra is Larri.
The second, Svadishthana Chakra, lies behind the genitals. It is coloured
vermilion, and its fo rm is a circle wi th six petals, containing a white crescent moon. In
the centre is in scribed the m antra of the water element, Varri.
The t hird, Ma r:i ipu ra Chakra, is the navel cent re, governed by the element fi re. It is
visualized as a lotu s of ten petals. Wi t hin the lotus is a red tri angle with three
swasti k a m a rk s (T-sh aped). Its seed m antra is Raq1.
Th e fo u rth, A n ahata Ch akra, is located at the level of the heart, wh ich is
c onceived as a lot us o f t welve petals w ith a hexagon at the centre. The Anahata
Chakra is the seat of t he air elem en t, and is a prime revealer of cosmic sound du ring
meditation. Its seed m antra is Yaqi .
The fi fth cha kra is know n as Visuddha Cha kra and is situated at the level of the
th ro at. It is of sm o ky purple hu e, and its symbol is a sixteen-petalled lotus w ith a
dow nward pointing t riang le. In its cen tre is the symbol of the ether element,
represented by a ci rcl e w ith t he seed m ant ra Harri.
The sixt h chakra, A jna, is located between the eyebrows and commands the
various levels o f m editat ion . It s symbol is a circle with two petals and an inverted
t ri angle bea ring a linga emblem. Its seed mantra is the primordial vibration, Oq1.
The seven t h ch ak ra, Sah asrara Chakra, represents th e apex of yogic meditation,
th e seat o f the A b so lu te (Siva-Sakti). It is visualized as measuring four fingers' breadth
above t he crown o f th e h ead, and is represented by an inverted lotus of a thousand
peta ls, symbolicall y sh ow ering the subtle body w ith spirit ual radiance. The
Sahas rara neutra lizes al l co lo urs and sou nds, and is represented as colourless.
These intern al ya ntras m ark the phases of the spiritual journey of the K u r)~lal inl
Sakt i, th e e ne rgy w h ich is aroused in meditat ion for the ascent of the path of the
Su shumr:ia to un ite wi th the Sahasrara Chak ra. They indicate the seven stages of

121
DYNAMICS OF YANTRA: MEDITATION yogic sadhana, and provide t he mechan ism through w hich the adept works out his
psychic synthesis with the cosmos. Each of the inner chakras may be meditated
67 upon either independently or with the aid of an external yantra. A co mmon p ractice
is to equate the various circuits of the external yantras with each of the seven
chakras. In pyramidal-shaped yantras, each level of the hierarchy may be ident ified
wi th each level of the chakras.
In addition to the seven chakras of the subtle body, the Tantras have described a
vast network of subtle channels and inner v ital energies which consti tute, as it were,
the etheric body. Cosmic biunity is represen ted by two invisible co nduits, lc;la
(female, representing the moon) and Pirigala (male, representing the sun), on the left
and right of the central channel. The cosm ic power, Sakti, that perme ates all
creation lies inert in our subtle body as Devi Kur:ic;lalinl (the potent source of energy
of the Sakti of Siva). Her symbol, a serpent of t hree and a h alf coils, lies block ing the
entrance to the central channel w ith its mouth.
The technique of Kur:ic;lalinl yoga consists in using prar:ia to awaken the
consciousness-as-power (Sakti) in the root c hakra (Mu ladhara), located in the region
of the perineium, and causing it to rise u p Sushumr:ia, the cent ral channel of the
subtle body, energizing t he seven ch akras through which the tantric un iverse can be
absorbed into the body. Once the Kur:ic;lalinl Sakti has ascended to Sahasrara, the
highest psychic centre at the crown of the head, it is made to reverse its course and
return to rest in the base centre again.
In a special method of med itat ion practised by adva nced adep ts, under the
guidance of a guru, the adept learns to ach ieve union between the Ku r:ic;lal inl of t he
microcosm (Pir:i<;Ja) and the macrocosm (Brahmar:ic;la). Th ese affinities are st ru ck in
the subtl e body by med itat ion o n its ch akras and by fi n ding co rrelations and
similarities between the subtle body and the to tality of the cosmos.
As we have seen earlier, spirit u al endeavour in tantrism p roceed s by a process of
introversion. The basic aim is t o reverse the jo urney of the individual from a ch aotic
outward flow of constant change to an inward state of rest; t echn ically, a reve rsal of
the world of pravrtti (activity) to a state of nivrtti (rest). The extent to which the
symbolism or reversa l has been integrated in Kur:i<;Jali nl yoga can be seen from the
practice of the t antric Natha yogis, who consider that the part of the b o dy above the
navel is Siva (static) and that below is the person ificat ion o f Sakti (dynamic), so th at
the p lace assigned in the subtle body to Siva is the Sahas rara Chakra (t he p sych ic
centre at the crown of the head ) and t o Sakti the Muladhara Chakra (at th e base o f
the spine). Between th ese two poles lies the exp anding and contracting unive rse.
The form of yoga practised by the Natha yogis consists in making th e kin etic flow of
Sakti be absorbed in and u nit ed with Siva. Th e u n ion of the d y nami c Sakt i wi th Siva
as it ascends piercing the internal yantras m eans th e arrestin g o f th e process of
constant becom ing, and a retrogress ion of the cosm ic p rocess t o its ult im at e sou rce.
The Natha tantrikas follow a psychological an d phys iological di scipline based on a
regressive process (ulta-sadhana) w hereby th e kinetic flow o f th e Kur:i<;Jalinl Sakti,
Biun1t}' 111 the .\ ublle bod)1: Sakti. tlw kint>tit p rinciple, is
at the baw o f tilf' _,pine: Siva, th<> >lat1c principle, is in
which in th e ordin ary course of life flows d ownward, is made to come to a state of
the highest psyrhir (en l rP res t in its upward flow an d un ite w it h Siva. Physiolog ical fun ctio ns o f t he body also

122
undergo progressive ' reversal s', for instan ce, by absorption of semen and subli-
mation of sexua l energy, w hich is rev ersed fo r the upward journey in Kul)c;lalinl yoga.
The basic princ ipl e in all forms of contemplation and meditation in Kul)c;lalinlyoga
is that t he energies sh ould inv o lute back to t he prim al source. The grosser elements
of the subtle body should d issolv e in the subtle elements; each class of bhutas (gross
elements) is dissolved into th e next class of tattvas in the ascending order (subt le
ta
elements). Siva Sam hi (1, 78) explains: The earth [Muladhara Chakral becomes
subtle and dissol ves into water [Mar:iipura Chakra]; water is resolved into fire
[Svadhishth an a Chakral; fire similarly merges into ai r [Ana ha ta Chakra]; air is
absorbed into ether [Visu ddha Chakral; and ether is resolved into avidya, which
m erges into great Brahman [Sah asrara Chakra].'
The seven inner c hakras may be meditated upon in turn with the aid of an
extern al yantra su c h as a yantra from Nepal w hi ch has the symbols of the seven
chakras inscribed on th e p etals of a lotus enclosed in a four-gate square. A common
practice, however, is to equate the ci rcuits of the yantra to the body chakras.
A text9 devoted to Sa k t i worship relates the chakras of the subtle body to the nine
circuits of th e Sri Yantra as fol lows:

Sri Yantra Chakra The seven chakras of the subtle body corresponding to the
seven circuits of the yantra, whose subtle en ergies are
The outer square (Trailokyamohana) Muladhara (root chakra)
interiorized in ritual and meditation
Sixteen-petalled lotus (Sarvasaparipurakal Svadhishthana (chakra below
the navel)
Eight-petalled lotus (Sarvasarikshobar:ia) Mar:iipura (navel chakra)
Fourteen-angled figure (Sarvasaubhagyadayaka) Anahata (heart chakra)
Ten -angled figure (Sarvarthasadhaka) Visuddha (throat chakra)

Ten-angled figure (Sarvaraksakara) Aji'ia (chakra between the


eyebrows
Eight-angled figu re (Sarvarogahara) Brahmarandhra (chakra of
palate)

Triangl e (Sarvasiddhiprada) Brahman (chakra of the


Supreme)

Bindu (Sarvanandamayal Sahasrara (chakra of space)

Hen ce th e Sri Yantra can be v iewed as a com posi t e image of the subtle body.
O th er fo rms of con cordan ce are drawn between th e subtle body and the Sri
Yantra. In its three-dimensional v ariety, for instance, wh en th e SrlYantra is known as
'M eru' (after M ou nt M e ru, th e mythical axis o f the earth), its nine circuits are divided
into th ree elevations w hi c h match the scheme of t he subtle body, whose chakras
can also be divid ed into tri ads. Altern atively, three chakras each containing the
linga-emb lem of th e male principle are seen as ma rk ing three levels corresponding
to the th ree e levat ions of t he Meru form o f the Sri Yantra. These chakras are called
Ih e three elevation s ot the Sri ) ant ra t le/t 1 .111cl t hP t hrP<'
'knots' (granthi), an d are nodes w here the transformation of the adept is said t o take correspon din~ plan e~ 01 the bodr-cos mu'> t right!

123
• place. They are associated w ith the earth ly desires and passions to be overcome
during th e process of Kur:ic;lalinT yoga.

Meru form of the Sil Yantra Chakra Deity Unga-emblem


Square and two Muladhara Brahma Svayam bu
lotus rings (root) = creation liriga
Fourteen- and two ten- An ah at a Vishr:iu Bar:ia liriga
angled figures (heart) =preservation
Eight-angled figure, Ajna Siva ltara liriga
triangle and bindu (eyebrows) =destruct ion

The practitioners of Anavopaya 10 in Kash m ir use the SrlYantra when v isualizing the
chakras of the subtle body in a form of Kur;ic;lalinl yoga call ed Chakrodaya. Breathing-
control techniques are used to force prar:ia t o circulate upwards and th en
downward to strike th e latent Kur;i<;JalinT energy in the root chakra. This c irculation of
the prar:ia-sakti is felt to be concomitant to the expansion of the Sri Yantra. When
the Kur:ic;lalinT reaches the highest chakra, t he Sahasrara, this centre m erges w ith the
bindu of the Sri Yantra.
A sect of 'right-hand' tantrikas, the Samayacara, adv ocates a highly esoteric t ype
of internal worship, again combin ing the Sri Yantra and the chakras. Upon
concentrating on the ch akras in turn, all the 'truths' which they embody are
spontaneously known by illumination.
The ch akras11 can be used as foci for concentration without the aid of ext ernal
Symbols of the five elements in ascending order : eart h, yantras, either separatel y o r together; o r meditati o n may be carried on using the
wal er, fire, air, et.h er, visualized during m eclitalion fo r body-mar:i<;Jala and concentrating o n graphic symbo ls associated w ith each part of
psycho-cosmic integration
the subt le body. One yoga t ext describes t h is form of meditation :

From the knee to the foot is t he seat of earth. The Earth-goddess, yellow, square, and with
the bolt of Indra as her emblem, should be reflected upon for five Ghatikas [two hours],
after having filled the part with vital breath. From the knee to the hip is said to be the seat
of water. Water, shaped as a crescent, white, and with silver as her emblem, should be
reflected upon for ten Nadikas [four hours], having fi lled the part with vital breat h. From
the waist to the hip is said to be the seat of fire. There should be reflected upon [a triangle],
a red, flaming fire, for fift een Chatikas [six hours], after a period of holding the vital breath
(Kumbhakal, so it is said. From the navel to the nose is the seat of air. The st rong elemental
air, of the colour of smoke and the shape of a sacrificial altar, should be reflected upon
there, fo r twenty Ghatikas [eight hou rs], holding the vital breath (Kumbhakal. From th e
nose up to the cavern [crown of the head] of the Brahman is th e seat of ether. There is
et her of the colour and bright ness of well-pounded colly rium !black]. One should hold
the vital breath (Kumbhaka) in the seat of ether with great effort. 12

66 The human body is considered the be;t oi all In this meditation on t he five cosmic elements t h e adept direct s the v ital energ ies of
yantras. The ;even psychic centres, or chakras. on the his body to th e appro priate part, suspends his breath for th e required pe riods, and
axis of the spine are activated in sequence during concentrates on each symbol of the elements in ascending order : the squ are for
meditation. From Lhe root chakra upwards. they are
earth, t he triangle for fire, t he hexagon fo r air, the circle for ether. Chanting seed
known as MCiladhara. Svadishthana, M a 1~ i pCira .
Anahata, VisL1dclha, Ajiia and Sahasrara. South India, m antras and v isualizing the presid ing deities, he ob t ain s insight into th e sec ret forces
r . 18th century. Copper with gold wash th rough t he body m ar;i<;Jala, and gains mast ery over the elements.

·124
67 Ya ntra of M ahavidya Bagala-mukhl bea ring em blem s of the psychic centres of the subtle body disposed
on the eight lotus peta ls. In meditation. the body yantra act s in con junc tion with th e d iagram to achieve the
ulllmate aim of unity of yantra, body and cosmos. Nepal. c. 1761 . Gouache on paper
h8 Th ree of the ch.1kril ~ of the subtle body. in ,1st ending order: Mi:1l h.'idhiira at the base of the spine,
<;vadi'> hthanil below the navel, and Ma1)ipura ill the navel. with their related symbols. Meditated uron in turn
during Ku r)~la l inl yogi\, these cha kras represC'nt st i'lges in the siidhaka's progress towards Enlightenment,
achieved when th e Kur)Qalinl Sa kti is fin ally un ited with Siva at th e topmost psychic centre, Sahasriira,
represe nted b y th e thousand-pe talled lotus. Nepill. c. ·176·1. Couache on paper
69 Enlightened sadhaka, expe riencing in the Sahasra ra Cha kra the ultimate unity of the bindu state. Maha rashtra, c 19th centu ry. Couache on papN

Til e disc of the body-cosmos is the best of all ya ntras.


Sc'ikl.i Oar~han (15. 1, JO)
DYNAM I CS OF YAN TR A: MED IT AT I ON
Internal yantras
Meditation on the y antra takes the most subtle form of all when it consists of inner
illu mination, a method of meditation without any yogic, ritual or visual aids.
In the early phases of the practice of sadhana the devotee is instructed in th e
iconic images of deities. Later, even y antric symbols are discarded, and worship
becomes highly abstract, subtle and esoteric. It is at this stage that meditation on
internal yantras composed of simple graphic symbol s is performed. This tec hnique is
only divulged to those practitioners who have been through all the stages of
sadhana, and is attained after a long and arduous training under the strict instru ction
of highl y advanced gurus. The texts 13 state that all the ritu al offerings made in th e
extern al form of worship are spontaneously present in the interior form, and it is for
thi s reason that in many text s the contemplative experience is called 'mental
oblation' (antaryajna). 14
Th e w h o le p rocess o f mental oblation is described in the KaulavaflnirQaya, a work
of the Kaula sect of tantrism. After preliminary purifying rites, the sadhaka builds up,
in deep concentration, a square yan t ra enclosed by three concentric circles. In the
centre o f the square he visualizes the emblem of th e yoni (a half-moon and bindu l.
The square symb ol izes the vessel of consciousness (cit-kur;i<;la) in w hich burns the fire
of consciousness, and in to this symbolic fire the adept 'surrenders' all his mental
offerings. The sadhaka first makes an offering of his impulses, th en his senses, then
hi s sel fhood, t hen his acts, both good and evil, and finally his entire inn er-ou ter self
w h ich is n o ne oth er than the thirty -six cos mic principles of which the unive rse is
comp osed (see p. 74). Thro ugh this u nconditional surrender, th e adept dissolves
every b on d w ith o uter life. Th is m ental offering of his entire being is the prelude to
new birth.
The devotee apprehends the true nature of the absolute principle as void, the
undifferentiated ultimate ground of realit y. He is then said to become
indistinguishable from the vessel into which the symbolic oblations were offered: in
this fina l stage h is entire being is perfectly assimilated with th e cosmos: 'The act of
offering is Brahman, the offering is Brahman, the person offering is Brahman.' 15
Man tras of oblation in th e KaulavaflnirQaya (Chap. 111, 8Sff.) describe this process:

Into the Fire of Consciousness


In the navel cen tre, kin dled with knowledge,
I offer as ob lation the impulses of the senses
Using the mind as sacrificial ladle, svaha.
I offer fun ctions of the senses,
As oblation into the Fire which is Atman,
Fed by righteou sness and unrighteousness li ke ghee
With the mind as ladle held by the handle which is the path of Sushumr:ia, svaha.
I offer all acts good and evil as
Oblation into the all-pervading Fire, fed by Time.
The t wo hands with which I hold the ladle are
Siva and Sakti,
The ladle of the offering is Consciousness lunman i], svaha.

129
DYNAMICS OF YANTRA: MED I TATION I offer as oblation this universe of thirt y-six principles,
The first which is Siva and the last earth.
Into the Fire of Consciousness which though fuelless
Is constantly burning within. From which emanate
Rays of wondrous light which purify
Though obscured by the darkness of ignorance [Maya], svaha.
I offer all as oblation by the darkness into the Fire of Complete Oblation .. .

The essential difference between the outer form of y antra worsh ip (puja ) and inward
meditation through yantric symbols is t h at t he former produces mental states that
are like 'seeds' for the futu re workin gs of consciousness, while the latter is 'w ithout
seed' (nirblja) and relies on intuitive app rehension of the rea l, revelling in the
ontological p lenitude in which being, knowledge and bl iss are inseparable and
indistin gu ishable.

The bindu experience


The culmination of yantra meditation is reach ed when the sadh aka begin s to
internalize the bindu in the yantra as an inner, still cent re. He may then contemplate
an im aginary point in his subtle body. The sp iritu al experi ence of the bindu marks
the end of spiritual involut ion.
The 'bindu-state' experience is unique. Psychically, it impli es the sad haka' s
awareness of his whol eness, wh ich is spontane ously discovered throu gh inw ard
illumination. All the outward directed energies of the p hen omenal ego are bro ught
together to an inward stat e of rest and un it y by the ultim ate realization of Atman.
'Neutrality of the senses' has su perseded th e creative p lay of M aya Sakt i, and he is
now the sil ent seer, no longer attached to the world of phenomena. H e neith er
laughs nor weeps, loves nor hates, fo r he h as t ransce n ded all dualities. The adept
att ains precisely the state, mentally and sp iritually, tha t the symbol of th e b indu
denotes, an ideal mid-po int, the balancing of al l polarit ies. Bu t this is no t th e end, th e
aspirant is still to soar beyond the bindu-state to merge w ith th e Void - th e
primordial plenitude of Siva-Sakti in oneness.
This highest stage of spiritua l absorption (samadhi ) ach ieved through yantra ritual
worship and med itatio n is not suscept ible to any verbal analysis. It is con t emplated
in absolute silence: 'Higher t han the o ri ginal syll able is t he point, th e echo high er
than thi s; the syllable van ishes with th e sound, the highest st ate is silen t.' 16
When the adept is able t otally to re-establish h imself in p rimordial equ ilibrium by
retracing his steps to his origi nal sou rce, absorbing and re integ rating al l
fragmentation and multiplicity of existence into un ity, wha t is there to seek? To see?
To hear? To touc h? For:

When there is duality, one sees another, one smel ls another, one ta stes another, one
speaks to another, one hears another, one t ouches another, one understands another.
But where everything has become just one's own sel f, then who can be seen by what ?
Who can be smelt by what ? Who can be tasted by w hat ? W ho can speak t o what? Who
can thin k of what? W ho can touch what? 17

1 30
D YN A M IC S O F YANTRA: MEDI TAT I O N

Cit-kur;cja Yantra with the yon i emblem, the seat oi


bliss, in the centre. The four points of the square
represent the four aspects of one's psyche: the pure self
(atman ), the inner sell (antaratman), the cognizing sell
(jananatman), the supreme self (paramatman). These
constitute the vessel of one's in ner stream of
consciousness (cit-kunda! into which is oiierecl all
aspects of one's being in the meditation of inward
oblation. Alter the tantric work Kaulavaflnir1; aya

All external aid s such as yantras and mantras have become like shadows. In the most
advanced form of internal meditation, when ecstasy bordering on trance has been
reached, even the inner yantra is regarded as obsolete, serving no spirit ual pu rpose:
'The yogi engaged in samadhi cannot be controlled by yan t ra or mantra ; he is
beyond the power of all corporeal beings.' 18 At this stage the yantra is abando ned
a nd may be passed to anoth e r sadhaka or immersed in holy water.
In the early stages o f meditation the yantra was considered as a pa rtial a rchetype
of the noumenon, whereas the ade pt was a part of phenomenal existence . W he n
the sought realization is ac hieved, the yantra becomes a part of phe nomena
(mundane existence) and the sadhaka an external aspect of nou mena. This paradox
of a yantra being et e rnally sacred (full of cosmi c realities when seen fro m a specifi c
dim e nsion o f ritual process) and profa ne (empty of u niversal truths when viewed
outside th e ri t ual process) em phasizes the core- nature of the yantra symbol: it is
pure ly a fun ct iona l symbol in tantric liturgy, yet shielding unbo unded t ru ths, the
secret forc e s of co sm ic myste ry.
6
Aesthetics of Yantra

Traditional Indian art, whic h includes t he y antra, is nev er co nsidered a m eans t o


individual self-expression but serves as a p rimary foc us of the spirit. The work of art
refl ects t he divine archetyp e and is a bridge between t he fin it e and infinity over w hic h
the beholder or devotee 'travels' into another realm of being. Su ch an art-fo rm has
its subject matter and its treat ment of fo rm from inner sources. An arti st w ho seeks
to plumb the m ystery of creat ion w ithin such a trad ition acts as an expon en t of a
doctrine, a messenger who translates universal spiritual intui ti ons into v isual terms.
These intuiti ons strive fo r rev elation, t o transcend t h e accidental as pects of form
and to relate themselves to archety pal analogues. Th is p ro cess of emergence may
involve the transfiguratio n of p h enomenal entities, so t hat their u ltimate form, the
expression of th eir essential qualit ies, bears no liken ess to th eir outward or ' real'
ap pearances. Indeed, p roduced fo rm, according to t he Ind ian theory of th e scien ce
of forms (~ac;lariga ), never exists as it appears t o th e physical eye but as an ob j ect
'known', co rrespond ing t o a mental p roto type. Hence form is nev e r valued for it s
own sake, but only so far as it serves t o provide experience of relig ious o r
metaphysical tru th. W hat is sought in fo rm is an indwelling presence, the 'soul'
imprisoned in the material.
All Indi an images are 'symbols' of t he Su preme Princip le and vary on ly in degree of
abstraction . Consequently, the outer fo rm of an image should always b e perce ived
in re lation to its symbol-v alue. The mat erial 'realit y' of a y antra's form depends o n
the spiritual reality of its cont ent ; or, to put it anoth er way, the metap hysics of
yantra coincides with it s aesthetics, in that form and content are inextricably related
by an internal logic.
In certain instances, form valu e and symbol-value are closely congru ent; that is,
parallelism, if not identity, exists bet ween the intri nsic natu re of the shapes and th eir
transcendental corresponden t s. Thus, for instance, in geometry the point is t he
prima ry principle of all figu res. In the yantra, the geometry o f the po int is ampl ified
into a metaphysical 'tru th' in the symbo lism of the bindu: th e bind u, as we have seen
earl ier, is a natu ral symb o l of the Supreme Principle just as th e point is a fu ndamental
principle of all shapes. Simila rly, j ust as the po int in geo metry re presents indivisible
unity and the beginn ing of all d imension an d co ncrete shape, the Su preme Pri n ciple
represented by the bindu c annot be qualified in dimension because it is con ceived
of as unmanifest, and th erefore canno t be c ircumscribed by any measu re or
d ime nsion, yet rema ins the basis of al l spiritu al dim ension an d emp irical bei ng.
In the form-language of t antra, the triangle is t he simplest planar expression of
cosmic locatio n after the point . It is th us t he first sac red enclosu re of th e Siva-Sakti
principle. The three points of the triangle are related to certain triads of cosmic AESTHETICS OF YANTRA
principles: sattva, rajas and tamas; creation, preservation and dissolution. Content
determines form with the nine circuits of the Sri Yant ra that are related to the
ninefold division of cosmic principles; to the nine apertures of the body 1 (eyes, ears,
mouth, nostrils, genitals and anus); to the nine psychic cent res (the seven chakras
and th e one below the thousand-petalled lotus and the one below the eyes); to the E
nine nam es of the Devl 2 (Tripura, Tripuresi, Tripu ra-Su ndarl, Tripuravasinl, Yellow

Tri pu rasrl, Tripuramalinl, Tripurasiddha, Tripuramba, M ahatripurasundarl); and to


the nin e planets and t he nine divisions of time3 (24 minutes - ghatika ; 3 hours -
yam a; day an d night - ahoratra ; day of the week - vara; lunar day- tithi; fortnight-
paksha; month - m asa; seaso n - ritu ). The cosmic co ncepts relating to five
principles - the five e lement s, for example, or th e five aspects of Siva -are associated
with the p entagon ; and the sixteen lotus petals which recur in several yantras are
made the dwelling o f sixteen d ivinities and, as in the Sri Yantra, are associated with
the sixteen vowels of the Sanskrit language.
Sim ilarly th e application of colour in the yantra is purely symbolic. Colour is never
u sed arbit rarily to enh ance the decorative quality of a diagram, but refers to
philosophical ideas and expresses inner states of consciousness.
One of th e most important colour-schemes is white, red and black, which
stands for th e three qualities of material natu re (Prakriti): sattva, raj as and tamas. The
sattva or ascending quality has been given the 'colour' of purity, white; rajas, which Wh ite
denotes the dynam ic o r c reati ve prin ciple, is red; tama s, which is inertia or the w
descen ding force, is black. The eight regions of space also have symbolic colours.
Similarly with th e five elem ents: in ascendi ng order, from gross to most subtle, The colours associated with the directions. Aiter the
Mahanirva0a Tanlra, Chap. x 111, 90--5
earth is yellow; water is white; fire is red; air is grey; ether is misty-smoky. 4 In a grid-
square yantra, each square may be painted w ith a fl at tone to denote one of the five
elements.
The aspects of the Goddess are represented by colours in accordance w ith her
q u alities; confe rring liberat ion she is con templated as white; as preserver of all, she
is seen as red; as destroyer she is tawn y; conferring bliss she is rose-coloured ; as
bestower of weal th and good fo rtunes she is saffron-yellow. Coloured black, she
withdraws the entire world into herself. Black is seen as containing all the colou rs,
hence Kall is represented as dark-hued, as 'w hite and other colours disappear into
black in the same way as all beings en ter Kari'. 5
Traditional ly, th e particular goal of the yantra worship may decide the colouring
used fo r the yan t ra, though not all text s prescribe the same colour symbolism.
Yellow (pita) and verm il ion (rakta) are the two basic auspicious colou rs. For
temporary worship, yan tras are drawn with saffron, a reel powder (kum kum) or
san dalwood paste. Brown, tawny colours or dark blue may be used for 'negative'
yantra s.
Yan tras a re often made of ro ck crystal, since within its translucent brilliance are
latent all the colou rs of the spectrum. Gold, a vibration between saturated yellow
and brilliant light, represents transcendence, an d is used in some yantras for t he
bindu to indica te the experience of Light, or spiritual Bliss.
Generally speaking, then, the aesthetics of yantra wou ld be mean ingless if
content and expression were separated. The yantra for meditation, both in its
structure and use of colour, is not a haphazard conglomeration of percept and
concept. It is directed by a philosophical content w hi ch expands and mu ltiplies its
forms. Wheth er the figu res of the yan tra appear singly o r as parts of a m ore complex
structure they never lose their int rinsic m eanings or th eir symbo l-value.

The co nstruction of the power-diagram


The symmetry that permeates c reation as a n orm is fu nd amental to the
construction of the yantra. Leaves of plants do not grow out o f tu ne with natu re's
laws, and the yantra similarly evolves in accordance w ith tradit io nal ru les and in an
orderly and harmonious mathematical p rogress ion. The three p rincipa l modes of
evolution are the emergent, which is straight and symmet ri cal (ri j u); the curved and
symm etrical (su?ama); and t he quasi-symmetrical o r eccentric (vi?ama ).6 The root
principle of this mathemat ical descent from the b indu to the unified and orderl y
periphery is called ardhamatra (from the Sanskrit root, rdh =to grow,
matra =measure), or the measure that is not static but grows and evolves in
accord ance w ith the laws of harmony and rhythm.
From the source, the b indu, derives the expand ing line, seen as the continu um
(nada); from nada originate magn itude and dimension (parimeya); from pa rimeya
ari se the symbiotic opposites (pl us-minus, male-female), cen trifugal and cen t ripeta l
po lari ties and the order of numbers (samkhya). Numb er provides harmony and
st ab ility, integration and unity. Thus the nu mber 3 gives spec ific location to
magnitude and becomes a triangle, 4 a square, 5 a pen tagon, 6 a h exagon, etc. As we
have seen, t hese n umbers are not sim ply sums of integers, but have specific
symbol ic relationships wi th ph ilosoph ical ideas.
This integral relationship of form and content also operates in reverse. If the
structu re of the yantra is imperfect, that is, if the balance of th e outer fo rm is
distort ed o r if even a single line o r symb ol is eli m inated, th en the content and
symbol ic significa nce w ill be abolished simu ltaneously. Moreover, according to this
principle, the maker of a d eformed yant ra (as well as the one who worshi ps it) w ill
suffer a cognate distortion of the archet ypa l image with in h is p syche. Any
disregarded erro r in the m aking of the symbol wil l lead t o a psychic disequ ilibrium in
the sad haka and destroy h is sadhana. To avoid error, the yant ra is executed w ith
extreme care following tra ditional prescriptio ns to t he m inutest detail. No
co rrections are ever possib le. If an erro r is made, the yantra is immersed in holy
water and d riew one is begu n.
The yantra-si ddhais (sages to whom the powers of the yan tra h ave been revealed)
d eclare that if a yantra fa ils t o become 'active' the fa ult lies w ith the p ers o n u sing the
yantra and never w ith th e ya ntra itself, for the power-d iagram is never t entat ive or
arbitrary, but is based on laws of space, vib ra tion, numb er and dyna m ics.
Four pnmal }'dntra ' hapes, baseod o n matlwmat1C al
equallons tmm th<' Sansknt trPatise on rnatlwrnat ir s. t/JP The g reatest of all yan tras, the Sri Yan t ra, devot ed to the worsh ip of the Goddess,
Ca1)ila Kaumud1 ( I Vi6 J is a visual masterpiece of abstraction, fl awless in it s p roportions and sym metry. The

134
techniqu e7 of its c onstru ction is o utlined in a number of texts, and is a unique and
complete rite. Lakshmldhara, the commentator of Saundaryalaharl, a collectio n of
devotional hymns dedicated to th e Goddess, outlines two principal methods of
construction: one, used by the 'right-h and' path tant rikas, is the order of evolution
(s ri~ti- krama) in which the yantra is constructed in geometrical progression from
bindu outwards; the oth er, the o rder used by the 'left-hand' path tant rikas, is the
o rder of dissolution (laya-krama), in which construction is fro m the circl e moving
inwards.
In t raditional In d ian art, the process of creation falls into a pattern similar to
worship. Coomaraswamy,o q uotin g several Sankskri t sources, describes the various
disciplines whic h an arti st has to undergo. As the fi rst step in the ritu al w hic h
precedes c reation of a scu lpted im age, for exam ple, he goes to a solitary place. There
he must discipline his impu lses, cont ro l his physical and mental processes and ...
'
suppress the chaotic world of the subconscious th rough penetrati ng concentration. ' '

Sometimes, to reach th e in ner depths of his consciousness, 'the imager, on the night \-~-
:7- -\~(;
x • ,(
before begin ning h is work and after ceremonial pu rification, is instructed to pray : 0
;:~,:\ ,.:~-\
thou Lord, teach me in dreams how to carry out the work I have in mind.' 9 After the "-- -\-- --/- -l

artist has reach ed an ' inner poise and moral grace', and integrated himself .'.' '
emotionally and sp irit u ally, he evokes the deity by the means of dhyana (trance}
m antras, which provide him w ith a sort of mental blueprint for the execution of the ,.:',\
image. After the work is completed a priest consecrates the image in a rite called the c--\.~?'-- -\~.~?~---,.
'opening of the eye' wh ich endows it with sacred power. This procedu re emphasizes '. , . '
' '
h ow far such art istic expression is from being an 'aesthetic' exercise. At no point in ' / \A--'l!---lf--W

th e w h o le discip line is the 'art ist' separated from his art; and in the activity of ,'/•'' .,_.-.,11-.,__...~,_...
t. - - - - -·':1--'~--r----
creation, he ann ihilates all trace of his ind ividuality and selfhood. The shapes and
form s he creates revea l to hi m the macrocosmos as it exists w ithin himself. In this
sense the c reated object 'prepares' it s maker for a sp iritual return to his primordial
sou rce.
Sim ilarly, the construction of a yantra is a complete rite to be followed
meticulously. Care is taken to choose the most propitious place and time of the day.
The su rface to which it is applied must bear auspicious signs and be smooth. The
drawing, however, may be perfect in it s proportions, correct in it s brushwork, and
fau lt less in its colourings, it may be scrupu lously drawn according to all the rules of
linear formation set out in the shastras (texts), and yet may fail to reflect the t rue
significance of the yantra, unless t he maker can transmit to the figure his inner life-tie
w ith cosmic forces. Until he can 'feel' the nature and substance of th e cosmic bond
in the deeper layers of his psych e, until he is able to impart the reality which he has
intuited and is h im self a pa rt of, the yantra he draws will fa il to reflect its participation
in the tran scendent. The maker pou rs forth an 'inten sity for wh ich there is no word'.
He must feel th e ve ry nature of the energy to be transmitted to the yantra, affecting
all who view it.
This t y pe of c reation has obviously no room for 'art for art's sake' . Indeed, this I hp 1radi11011a/ method 01 dra11111,f~ lhP ~rl \ a11t1.1 111 till'
e1·0/u1io11 mode ( fl~!t-krama J. clS ot11/11wcl b1 lhp ,ag<'
'metaphysi cal aesthetics' holds that someone w ho views a yantra in its original Lakshmlclhara in 1he lanlric lexl. the ~at111d,1n ·a/aharl
environment, whether a temple or a humble house, can know it and comprehend its 18th centur}J

13.S
AES TH ET I CS OF YA N TRA inner meaning better than the person who v iews it in the artificial setting of a
museu m or gal lery. Th e yantra ext eriorizes a un iversal intuit ion, an d is experienced
through stages, beginning w ith worship and end ing in rei ntegrat ion.

Icon and yantra


Th e inseparab ilit y of form and c ontent is o nly o ne aspect of the aesth etics of the
yan t ra. A nother con cerns t he radical abst ract io n of its sym boli c fo rms, in contrast t o
th e ' realism' of icon ogra phic art. An examp le is t he iconograph ic image of the tan tric
60 goddess Durga, as described in th e 'D evl-Mahatmya' of the Marka0c;ieya Pu ra0a, as
61 o pposed t o her yant ra fo rm prescribed in t he tantric texts, an ext rem ely bold
contrast in expression.
In her ic onographic form, Durga is described as having emerged from t he energies
of Vi shr:iu, Siva and all the gods who sent fo rth t heir power in the form of streams of
fla mes, combining th emselves into a m ass of c lou d which grew and grew until it
condensed into the shape of t he god dess. The verses of t he Devl-Mahatmaya
describe the fo rmati o n of her physi cal bo dy an d her iconograph ical att ributes:

Born ou t of the bodies of all the Cods, that unique effulgence, combined into a mass of
light, took t he form of a woman, pervading the t ri ple worlds with its lust re.
In t hat effulgence, the light of Siva formed the face. The t resses were form ed from the
light of Yama and the arms from t he light of Vishr:i u.
The two breast s were fo rmed from the moon's light, t he waist from t he light of Indra,
t he legs and thighs from the light of Varur:ia and t he hips from the light of the eart h.
Th e feet from t he light of Brahma and the toes from t he sun's light. Th e fi ngers of the
hand from the light of t he Vasus and the nose from the light of Kuvera.
The teeth were fo rmed from the light of Prajapati, the lord of beings; likewise, the t riad
of her eyes was born from the light of fire.
The eyebrows from t he two Sandhyas; t he ears from t he light of t he wind. From t he
light of other gods as well, the auspicious goddess was formed. 10

Projecti ng an overwhelm ing omni potence, t he th ree-eyed godd ess adorned w ith
th e c rescent m oo n emerged w it h her eig ht een arms each ho ld ing auspic io us
weapo ns and emblems, jewel s an d ornaments, garment s and ut ensils, garlan ds and
rosaries of beads, all offered by in dividual gods. W ith her pu lsating body of go lden
co lou r, sh ining w it h the splen dou r of a thousand sun s, standi ng erect on her lion-
vehicle (vahana) and display ing her t riu mph over t he dark forces, sh e is one of th e
m ost spec t ac ular of all iconic personifications of cosm ic energy.
In contrast , Du rga's yantra fo rm is described in the Tantrasara 11 as a composit ion
of th ree t ria ngles for m ing nine angles su rrou nded by t h ree c ircles, w ith an eigh L-
petalled lotu s enclosed by a square w ith fou r gates, and the Goddess's seed
m antra in t h e cent re. The yantra fo rms a linear fiel d of energy, w ithou t any li keness
(amurta) t o th e concrete image (mu rt i) o f D urga. The magn ificen t concep tion of
D urga, with all her com plex iconog rap hic attributes, has been resolved into a simp le
geometrica l equ ati o n ret aini ng the v it ality and life-fo rce of all h er ausp ic ious
perso nifications .

116
f

1
l
\,.-,. ~--

70 Eka lingatobhaclra Yantra, an exJmple of a yJntra of Siva w ith liriga-yoni emb lem (in the
< e ntre) illu strating th e cosm ic wholeness of the male and female prin ciples. Benares, hand-b lo cked
t olour;, contemporary im age b ased nn l radil!ona l forms

71 Diagram of a Vedic iire altar (1500 Be l, whose symbolic


grid-sq uare iorm has survived in the yantra diagrams o i
later p eriods
I

, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .

72 Sarva tobhadra Yantra, which ma y be used in the worsh ip of any deity. The ma in deity
is invo ked in the centre and the su rrounding deities in each oi the coloured squares
ex tending to the fo ur cardinal directions. Bena res, hand-blocked colours, contemporary
image based on traditional forms
7 J Va ru1~ a Ma1~<;la l a. Th e deity of cosmic order is also 'lord of \l\laters', invoked in the cerem oniil l
1ar which is placed in the centre of the yantra. The em blems of the deities and regents of space
guard the yantra's sacred enclosures. Benares, h and-blocked colours, contemporary image based
o n traditional fo rms
74 A~\ al i rigatobhadra Yantra, a yantra of Siva with eight liriga-yoni emb lems sym bo lizing the unity
oi the cosmic male-female polarity. Benares, hand-blocked colours, contem porary im age b ased o n
traditiona l forms
The overw helming appeal to the senses and arousal of emotions of fear or AEST H ETICS OF YANTRA
reassurance characteristic of the icon are not the purpose of the yantra, w hose
abstraction and serene equilibrium t ake the viewer beyond th e partial aspects of th e
deity to the universal. Furth er, th e yantra, unlike the icon, is universal in the sense
that it is not subject to geographical or historical variations of style, but has
maintain ed a common tradition t hroughout India.
Visually, th e yan t ra h as m o re in common with Indian tem ple architectu re than
w ith icons of the deity, as we shall see in Chapter 7. Echoing the yantra, the main
image o f th e d iv in it y of th e temple is placed in the inner sanctuary which is
surrounded by en closures ado rned w it h figures o f secondary divinities, and th e inner
space of a tem p le, like th e yantra, is so arranged that th e devotee has to cross a
series of sacred enclosu res in o rde r to reach the most sacred centre. Temple and the
devotio nal yantra each c reate a total 'universe-pattern', combining in its multiplicity
and hierarch y all levels and aspects of existence.
Each deity may be ap prehended by t he sadhaka for meditation or worship in any
o r all of th e fo llowing forms: as a m urti (icon); as a yantra (an iconic geometrical
equ ation) ; as a mantra (esoteric sound-syllable) ; as a blja-mantra (an atomic
monosyllable). The icon is the grossest m anifestation of the devata; the yantra is the
geometrical counterpart of th e icon; and the mantra condenses the aesthetic
potentiality of fo rm as sound. In this sequence from gross to subtle, the yantra forms
a link between form and form lessness, visi ble and invisible energy. The abstraction of
the yan t ra is a first ma jo r step towards the resolution of dense materiality into its
subtlest t ran sfo rmati on, th e mo nosyllabic mantra. We have seen earlier (Chapter 2)
th at yantra an d m antra form a contin uous dialectic. Hence the aesth etic of yantra
should never be considered as divorced from its sound dynamics.
Concrete and abstract images offer alternatives to the worshipper according to
his devotional needs and temperament. The cult-bound devotee may concentrate
on the d ivinity in con crete form, where a highly advanced adept may use only
mantra and yant ra. Yet icon and yantra shou ld not be seen as separate entities; they
are two ways of apprehend ing the Supreme Principle, two sparks of the same fire.

Traditio n al ab stract Indian art


Abstraction and simplicity as compared with representational and decorative art
styles are believed by some to be alien to Indian art, yet the most significant
characteristic of the yantra is its geometrical elegance and purity of archetypal form.
The art of yan t ra is akin to th e art of th e Zen painters who seek to convey the whole
mystery of c reation in a few brush st rokes, eliminating all detail and condensing
form to it s root essence.
Ceo m etric al abstraction of for ms has a long histo ry in India. It can be traced back
as far as Vedic times (second millenniu m BC) to a variety of carefully constructed fire
alta rs whose symbolic form parallels that of yantras. Literary evidence shows that art, 71
in the Ved ic period, had reached a high level of symbolic expression. As Vedic
religion was one of non-anthropomorphic nature worship, icons and templ es were

1-rl
absent. Consequent ly t he place w here t he sacred rites we re h eld w as ma rked o nly by
a sacred enclosure, t he co nt ai ner o f the ever-burni ng rit ua l fire, symb o lic ally the
point w here heaven and earth met.
The Ved ic altars w ere giv en sim ple shapes. Their plans range fro m circu lar and
square to combined geom etrical figu res, and w ere pu rely abst ract in their genesis as
well as in t heir final form. O f celest ial significance, the square is the fund amental
shape of Vedic altars, as w ith the Ahvaniya fire, th e Ut tara Ved i, the U kh a; all the
other shapes are either based on o r derived fro m it. The altar represent ed the
material elements of the c osm ic being (Purusha). Its bricks w ere laid p oint ing
towards the card inal directio ns to symb olize the vast exten sion o f the un iv erse ; it s
heart was the place where the ritual fires w ere kindled. The altar combined t he
symbo lic features of th e deity, i.e. fi re, and the sacrificial ri tes, linked together by the
sacred plinth. Fire was th e axis m undi that united th e heav ens and eart h, an d the
alta r symb olically rep resente d the pillar that h eld th e four regio ns (E W N S)
together: 'Upon the back of Aditi I lay thee [altar], th e sky's su p po rter, Pi llar of the
Q uarters.' 1 2 Fi re ruled over the th ree zones of the cosmos (earth, air, sky ), an d the
altar's c onstruction em bod ied t his prin ciple : th ree of its fiv e layers w ere arranged t o
Sm ar- hara Ya ntra (detail), the 'rem over o f d esire'. The
circle is the latent Kunda/in! Sak ti, w hich w hen aro used rep resent t he three levels of the Ved ic cosmos.
can pen etrate be)1ond i he successive p lanes of Many yantras used for ritual worsh ip hav e retain ed arch aic charac teristics o f
inwa rdness illuslrated by th e five male and fema le
triang les w hich correspond to the live psychic sheaths these Vedic altars, though w ide variation in detail w as introdu ced as t hey c ame
that envelop ihe innermost sell under the influence o f tant rism . A ltar-plan an d yant ra equally h av e st rong cosmic
affinities and are executed according to mathemati cal p rinc iples w itho ut any v estige
of ornamentation.

Centrality and 'who leness'


Despite its v arieties th e y antra' s fo rm retains it s m at hematic al perfect ion. The
extension of the b in du into line suggest ing direction, m o tion and en ergy, co ntinu ing
with regular expan sion o f linear sh apes creates geomet ric patterns o f increasing
com plexity. The yan tra e ~erges as a perfec t 'ho logram' , a figure of inne r coherence
and un ity. A line can be divided to give sm aller un it s w it h out assu m ing w h oleness or
o rganic unity of com posit ion. But w h en a point is placed in t he cen t re o f a given
c omposition (as in a yantra), its spatial values begin t o relate t o t he cen t re an d all it s
parts are transfigured into a w ho le. Though all the con centric fi gures in the y an tra
Pranga-cil . Vedic fire alt ar in a fo rm of a magical triang le. are 'closed' shapes and form integ ral units in t hemselves, t hei r inn er b alance is
associated wit h rites for gaining strength and suprem aq'
maintained, even wh ere strongly contras ting shapes are related . No m atter how it is
arranged, a yantra's centre int egrates all li near fl ow.
The cosm os is conceived as 'holon' (a perfect w ho le) o r a 'cl osed un iv erse' in
whi ch all elements of life are constantly recomposed at the end of co smic cycl es .
Thu s all m anifestation w ith in th is closed u niverse is balan ced by an ete rn al
im m u table reality, the ind iv isib le centre. A yant ra is th us a geom etrical p ara dig m o f
a ho lo n, and a m yst ical construct of the un iverse in wh ic h all polarities are
harm o nio usly united .

141
7
Architectural Yantras

In Hindu traditio n, temples are considered as the abode and bodies of gods. Though
the earli esL Hi r1uu ~hrines ctnc..l Lernples w ere sm all and simple stru ctures, with Lhe
passage of time te mp les grew more vari ed and complex in plan and elevati on,
gradually including a variety of subsidiary struc tures within their compounds. The
exteri o r w alls of the temples are richly overlaid w ith carvings and sculptu res, a
teeming assembly o f male and fema le figures, animal, vegetable and floral forms,
m y thic images o f gods and goddesses, divine and semi-divine beings - all
representing the entire panorama of the life of nature. In contrast, the innermost
eella, t he womb-ch amber (Garbhagriha), lies hidden am ong t he folds of the massive
o u ter walls, reached t hrough a series of ceremo nial halls and stairw ays, whose walls
and ceilings are covered with paintings or lined w ith icons installed in niches. These
halls lead grad ually u p fro m ground-level, the mundane, to th e highest regions of t he
spiritual, open ing finall y on to the dark, relatively small Garbh agriha, where an image
or em blem of t he temple' s tutelar deity resides. The Garbhagriha represents the
culmination of th e individual's search and is th e sa nclum sanctorum of the temple. It
lies directly ben eath the temple's spire.
Wh eth er humbl e sanctuaries or complex temp le co mpounds, all Hindu temples
have bee n built on the scheme of t he ritual diagrams, yantras and mar:ic;!alas. These
yant ras a re o f a specific ty pe, d iffe rent from those used for personal ritual worsh ip
and m ed ita tio n.
A rchitectu ral y antras are not ground-plans fo r tem ples but schematize the
princip les o n w hich t he sacred precincts of th e temples are constructed. The Plan and elevation of the Dharmara;a-r.1tha at
dimension s and m easurements of temple architecture are specified in early Mahabalipuram, illustrating the centred, thrC'e-tiPr
vantra-like construction
architectural manuals t hat also prescribe ri tuals to accompany the laying-down of a
b uilding's basic p lan.

The Vastu-Purusha Mal)c;lala


M ost man uals' stipulate that the ground-plan of every Hindu temple must conform
to a sim p le graph, si mi lar to a yantra, called th e Vastu-Purusha Mar:ic;l ala, which was
also the m odel fo r early to wn s. Thi s di agram is basically an imprint of the ordered
cosmos an d reveals t he fo rm assumed by the Un iversal Purusha as a mar:i<;lala in the
phenomen al wo rld (Vastu = bo dil y ex istence or site; Purusha =Supreme Principle
or so u rce o f t he cosmos; mar:ic;lala =closed polygonal figure). The precise
propo rtions of the Va stu-Pu rusha Mar:i<;la la are not of importance since it is never an
exac t b lu eprin t of the t em ple but a ' prognostication' o r 'forecast' within which a wi de

'i-13
range of possibilities of temple architecture is implied . The ritual diagra m is an
'ideogram', w hile the temple is a m aterializa tion of th e concepts it embodies.
The Vastu-Purusha Mar:ic;fala is basically a square of squares but it can be
converted into other primal sh apes. Th e simplest arrangement con sists of 64 (8 x 8)
or 81 (9 x 9) squares, in w hic h th e nuclear central zone of 4 or 9 div isio ns is dedicated
to the principal deit y, Brahma. Oth er, mo re highly complex, t ypes can be elab o rated
by gnomic progression into 1,024 squares. W h en the m ar:ic;lala is used arc hitectu rally
its central zone locates the templ e' s w o m b-chamber. A round th e nu cleus, 12
squares are designated as seats of divinities, with sp ecific reference to th e 8
directi ons of space. These are surrounded by an o th er 32 div iniLies dSsociatecl with
celesti al bodies (28 lunar and 4 that preside over so lstic ial and equinoct ial points).
Thus this simple graph-like diagram no t o nly represents the energies o f the
directions of the compass but h as ast ronomi cal con notations, providing a c h art o f
cyclical revolution, of day, month, y ear, etc. These mar:ic;lalas, o f w hic h Hind u
manuals of architecture provide thi rty-two variatio n s, are th e ea rliest type o f
architectural yantras, contribut ing substan tially to th e rhythms, designs and
conceptual basis of the Hindu temple. 2
Four typ es o f Vaslu-Purusha M ar;cja/a . The centre is the
seal of th e principal deity, w ith auxiliary deities South Indian architectural y antras are generally con structed to refl ect a d ifferent
extending 10 th e o u ter borders cosmic order. Three concent ric squa res c reate a hierarchy : the innerm ost is
I I assigned to the Univ ersal Being, th e m iddle square is t he sphere of god s, th e outer
I I I
I
I square the terrestial regi on. Beyond th e outer square are the c reatures of t he
I
netherworld s. The Sthar;idila M ar:ic;l ala of South Indi a, howev er, resembl es No rth
~
I Indian architectural yan t ras, b eing gen erally a composit ion of 49 squares.
Th ough architectural yantra s are highly symbo lic m ath ematical con stru ct s th ey
neverth eless provide certain practical indi ca tions. The Vastu-Puru sha M a r;ic;l ala sets
o ut th e pos ition of the dev ata images in a temple, w h ile its use in pl an n ing a town
prescribes the to w n' s orientati o n and the sites w here tem ples are to be c o nstruct ed.
Before a templ e is built, the grou nd is levelled, purifi ed and co nsec rated, and th e
Sthar; d ila, MaQc}ala, an archit ectural yantra fo r South
Indian temples, based on t he divisions oi the grid Vastu- Purusha Mar:ic;lala is ritually d rawn o n th e site. Thus 'the buildi ng draw s it s
square power fro m the Vast u-Purusha [Suprem e Principl e] who lives at its b ase an d
converts, by his presence, the plan o f existence [Vastu M ar:ic;!ala] into th e sh ape o f
the Purusha, in w hose likeness the tem ple is set up'. 3

Sakti and Yoginl Yantras


Tantrism puts great emphasis on th e use of yan tras in temple arc hitecture, es pecially
fo r th e con structi on of temples devoted to Sakti worship. No t o nl y wa s th e
architectural yan tra used as th e basic in spi ra tio n for th e plan and elevat io n o f th e
tem pl e, but yantras were actuall y incorpo rated into the fabri c of th e building.
Yan t ras w ere, for exam ple, laid into th e fou ndati o n o f t he C arbhagriha and into
important angles of the temples. Yan tras also influe nced th e c o m posit io n of the
n umerous sc ulptu ral images adorning the o uter and in ner temple walls (see below ).
Kamaka/a Yan i ra, S)rmho l o f th e unity of Siva and Sakli. A recently discovered tantric manuscri pt from Orissa (Silpa- Prakasa, 9t h- 12th
After t h e Silpa-Prakasa centuries) has throw n ligh t on the d istin ctive feat ures o f t he sp ec ifically 'left -han d'

144
tantric Sakti temples and th eir architectural p lanning rituals. Accord ing to this
manual, at the appropriate site a peg is placed in th e ground, symbolizing the central
axis of the universe and called 'the womb of the yantra' (yantra-garbh a). A circle is
drawn around the peg and ten card inal points are marked off relating to t he regions
of space (the eight directions, the nad ir and zenith), t o each of which is assigned a
specific divin ity. These ten points determ ine the entire plan of the temple. The
constructio n from the centre outwards pa rall els th e constru ction of yantras fo r
worship and meditation, 4 and the peg is analogous to the bind u.
The prin cipal architectu ra l yantra of Devl(Goddess) temples, as prescribed by t he
Silpa-Prakasa, is rectangular, as opposed to the square of the Vastu- Pu rusha
Mar:ic;fala. Whereas the squa re is a static form, with four fixed points, the rectangle of
the Devi temples symbolizes the rhythmic continuity of the creative play of Sakti,
and her inv inc ibl e power over life and nature. The Yoginl Yantra, which is meant to
be installed in Sakti temples, does not dictate the plan of the temple but reinforces
the pre-eminence of Devi's power in a ritu al during the construction of the temple.
The Yoginl Yantra is drawn on the base of the womb-chamber, and then
consecrated and worsh ipped by the priest. After these preliminary rites, it is covered
over and laid into the foun dations of the innermost sanctuary. The symbol ic
meaning of the Yoginl Yantra is as complex as that of the Vastu-Purusha Mar:ic;lala,
incorp orating variou s elements of the tantric conception of the cosmos. Three
points on the median line runnin g north to south denote th e threefold
manifestations of Sak ti exhibited through her t hreefold tendencies: sattva, rajas,
tam as (pu rity or intelligence, energy, mass or inertia). Three rajas-triangles ind icate
d ynamic act iv ity behind crea tion, balancing the opposing fo rces : the ascending
tendency, the two sattva-triangles at the top, the descending tenden cy, the two
ta mas-triangles at t he bottom. The seven triangles stand fo r the attributes of the Devi,
who is the primary source of all creation.
In the outer points of each triangle, a cluster of 64 goddesses, known as the sixty-
fou r yoginls, are invoked. These divinities represent the rhythmic cycle of day and
night which is divided into 30 parts (mu hurtas) - 15 for day and 15 for night. Each
muhurt a is p resided over by two of these yoginls, with two yogi nls each for dawn and
twilight. The Yoginl Yantra is installed in t he Varahi Temple (c. 12th century) in
Caurasi, O rissa, w here esoteric p ractices such as sexo-yogic rit es, v irgin worship,
etc., were p ractised by the 'left-h and' tant rikas (Kul acharas).
The use of ya nt ras in tantric shri nes dedicated to Sakti exten ds beyond
prescripti on for the plan and preliminary rites. The esoteric aspect of the left-hand
doctrin e is v ividly illu strated in the imagery of the Ka makala Yantra. This yantra,
considered exceedingly potent, is either a sq uare or recLangle, and has the Siv a
emblem of the liriga ri sing from the centre of the base line, around which there are
sixteen yoni triangles, each presided over by a Sakti. Above the liri ga is a dot w hich is
the abode of the Su p reme Sakti, Maha-Kamakalesvarl . This yantra is considered
necessa ry for every temple devoted to Sakti and Siva, warding off any obstacle that Yagin/ Yanira, 1or t'.mtm shrines devoied to Sakti
worship, aiter ihe Silpa-Prakasa (lap!, and the Varah i
may hinder the sadhana of the wo rshippers in the tem ple. In addition, the Kamakala
Temple (above), 1vh cre the Yag in/ Yani ra is laid in the
Yan t ra has an eso t eri c meaning, and was always to be concealed under the mit huna foun dation of 1he womb-chdmber IA )

HS
(amorous cou ple) images inst alled in t he tem p le. Th is yant ra expressed th e
quintessent ial ph ilosophy of t he left- hand p ractition ers, who believe that ' D esire is
t he root of the univ erse. From desire al l beings are b o rn. Primordial matter
(Mu labhuta) and all beings are reabsorbed again t h rough desire,' 5 so t he t ext
concludes t h at a place w ithou t lov e-images (kam akal a) is a 'place to be sh un n ed' .
It has been ment ioned abov e that in t an t ric t emples y an t ras were appl ied to
regulate t he design and creati o n of t he sculptures adorn ing te mple w alls.6 Su ch
'composit ional yantras' are not used for meditation o r worship bu t t o prov ide an
abstract framework, based on m athematic al p ropo rt ion s, wh ich det ermines certain
fundament al comp ositional princ ip les fo r the execut io n of sculpt ures of clev atas
such as t he ten Mahav idyas, and especiall y for t he p resi ding deit ies o f tantric shrines.
Bhairava_ Yantra, a c o m positio nal ya ntra o f Siva (le ft) and Th e basic sc hemes o f t he com positio nal yantras m ay be a grid o f vertic al, horizontal
icon of Siva supe rimposed (right). A lter th e Silpa-Prakiisa and oblique li nes, w it h a central foc us. It is o n the basis of the line d ivisions of t hese
yantras that t he wh o le sculpt ura l image is b uilt up. Each t y pe of yantra m at ch es an
image of a part icular d eity. W e may infer the immense rol e y antras h ave p layed in
tantric temple art.

The Surya Pa ncabja Mal)c;lal a and Navag ra h a Yan t ra


A partic ularly fine exam ple of a t em ple based on and inco rpo rating yant ras is t he
magnifi cent Su rya Temp le in Konara k near Bhuv anesvar in O rissa. This w as built
about AD 1240-80 in ho nou r of Surya, t he Su n C o d, sou rce o f all ligh t , spirit ual and
ea rt h ly. Recent researc h 7 has shown t h at yantras were embedded in th e pedest al of
the presid ing Su rya im age. The t emple had two princ ipal stru ctures : a h igh t ower
(V im ana), now in ru ins, in which the cult image of Su rya was placed, and a step-
pyram ida l assem bly hall (Jagamohana) that led into t he in ner ch ambe r o f the
sanctuary . Th e manner of construction of the yant ra u nderlying t he sh ri ne, t he
Su rya Paii cab ja ( = 5 lotuses) M ar:i c;:lala, an d o f w orsh ip p ing it s various deva t as, is
ex plained in a tantric manual :
This Saurapancab ja Mar:ic;lala is greatly loved by Su rya; it is made for t he wo rsh ip o f Su rya
t ogeth er w ith fo u o th er devatas . For t his yantra a squ are has to b e mad e wit h d ivis io ns and
sub divisions, so t hat t he wh ole fie ld is d ivided in to twenty-five pa rts.
By tracing two d iagon als the cent re-poin t is fo und. A ro und t h e cen tre, a circ le w ith
eight sect ors has to b e drawn not exceedi ng the size of t he centra l d ivision.
The lotus in the cent re is eight-peta lled ; in t he co rners a re twelve-peta lled lotu ses.
In the centre of t his yantra is a bindu, and a hexagra m inside the ci rcle w ith an eight-
pet alled lotus.
O n the sout h side Car:iesa an d Rudra, on t he n orth sid e A m b ika a nd V ishr:iu, are to be
worshipped [on the sm all lotuses]. Then, leaving a h alf- part of the o uter square, a squ are is
made w ith a karnika [earl in each of the corners. In those kam ikas th ree bindus are to b e
made. Tw o a re o~ t he sides and one in t he cent re. O n th ese t h ree b inclus t he Surya Sa kt is
are worshipped.
In t he Agn i [south -east] corner D"ipta, Suk~ma a11d Jaya ; in the Nai rrtya [south -west]
~D rva YJn lra lcc-ntrc·1 d Pdical ecl to thr Sun Goe/ w 11h
yan'1ra' o f his two Sa/<11>. Chaya l/c-•il! and Mii)'ii (,.;ghli . co rne r Vijaja, Bhadra and O~m a. In t he V ayu [north-west] corner T i k~r:ia, Vega and
7he'P yant ra.s are imb1-cJc/pcJ below I he cult 1magP oi Pracar:ic;la; i11 th e Tsa 11a [no rth -east] corner Tap inl, Svarr:i ari-"lsu and Akska rika.
'>u1va in 1lw Paclmakf'shara TPmple at Ori>.sa. A flpr 1/1P These have to b e worsh ip ped with seed mantra H rlryi, with flo w ers, perfu me a11d rice
;\llar:ic/ala Sarva.\\ a, an an( if'nt /e xt on dr< h itecturf' they have to be wo rsh ipped.

146
·-

0 0 0 0

. .rm . •·.:.··.
,' ': ;'·.. '

___ ________:_ _ _:::o :~- -~


~- -_o-· : _ _ _
0 0 : 0 0

Gro und-p lan o i the Su rya Temp le al Konarak show ing the Th ree arch it ectural )'antras unclerl)'ing the Maha Giiyatrl Temple at Orissa, l_r> reerese nl three
ya ntras underl ying t he womb-chamb er (top, Surya Pancabja Saktis of the Sun God, SLl r)'a. The circular yantra represents ihe goddess Ga)'atn who
M ar)qa/a) and reremo nial hall (Maha Stlrya Yan ira)_After the presides over mo rn ing devolio ns. She is the S)'mbol of liie, energi1 and rrealion . The square
Ma0c)ala Sarvasva )'anlra represents the goddess Savit r~ Sakti of m id -da)' wo rs hip, and is the S)1 m~ol of /he
cons um ing fire of d issolution_ The re ctangular )'Jn/ra is of the goddess Sarasva/ 1who
presides over the lwiligh l hours, is worshipped in the evening, and cepres: nis sus/ enance
and preservation of /he universe. Alter the Trikiila Mahama)1a Arcana V1dh1

Aga in, in th e secon d half o f th e sq uare, the co rne rs a re to be left a s they a re, and o ne
sec ti on by th e ir s ide _
The Dikpa las [de it ies o f th e regen ts of sp ace] have to be worsh ipped. On all four sides
th e b hup ura [outermost pe ri p he ry] h as pro jecting pa rts like p ortals. The Dikpalas are
w o rsh ipp e d with t hei r m a ntras in the ir p roper p laces. O nly by the side of th e front Bra h ma
a nd Ana nta h a ve a lso to be wo rshi ppe d .
Surya puja is d one in the ce ntre with [Surya's Sa ktisl Chaya a nd Maya.
Th e Srna rtas [Bra h m in s] wors hi p t he five Devata s on thi s place.
Hrlr]l blja [seed so un d] is for Sl"irya, Kfirfl bl ja fo r Vish r;u, Gu q1 for Ga r:i esa, Sr·T bl ja is fo r
Am bi ka . Rudra is wo rs hipped with th e Rudra-rnant ra by the Smartas.

147
When a hall is built for a sacrifice [yajna] to Surya it is to be built according to this
yantra, including all the four circles, with an alta r [vedika] in the centre.8
The central axis of t he t emple as it was bu ilt coincides exactly with th e centre of
the yantra laid into its fou ndations, and an imaginary line d rawn v ertically upwards
from the centre of the yantra would strike the apex of the mon ument. Sim ilarly, the
four smal l lotuses in the fou r corners of the mary;fala co rrespond to t he four pillars
that still support the roof of t he temple.
Ad jacent to t he ma in temple, a structu re used as a ceremo n ial h all (Nat-Mar:it;:l ir)
is based on the Yantra of the Nine Planets (Navagrah a Yantra). As Surya is t h e Lord of
Ground-plan of the Nat-Mal)c;/ir in Konarak (left),
corresponding to the divisions of the Yantra of the Nine Planets, his worship is always accompanied by the worship of celestia l bodies and
Planets, or Navagcaha (right) . The symbols of the yantra their revolutions. The yant ra is a square grid of nine un its, each compartment
are: square = Venus; bow = Mercury; snake = Ketu ;
triangle = Mars ; lotus = the Sun, at the centre; sword presided over by a planetary d ivinity, w ith Su ry a's place at th e centre of th e yan tra.
= Rahu; crescent = the moon; circle = Jupiter; man The Nat-Mar:ic;lir is an architectu ral replica of the yantra, w ith the raised podium of it s
= Saturn. Afte r the Mal)c;/ala Sa1v asva
ceremonial hall divided into nine equal square compartments. The n ine d ivisions are
created by sixteen massive pillars, each of w h ich stands at the corner of one or more
squares. The Nat-Mar:ic;li r was used fo r daily ri tes during w hich a port able image o f
Surya was placed in the centre of th e platform , correspond ing t o the place assigned
to Surya in the yantra, and wors hipped at dawn when the rays of the rising sun fell
upon it.

Stone mar:i<;lala
The re lationship of yantra and architecture is especially close in mon uments wh ich

I
may be called 'mar:iq alas in stone'. A striking example is the Buddhist Barabadur
Stu pa (8th century AD ) in Indonesia, wh ich rises like a t erra ced mounta in w ith n ine
levels corresponding t o t he n ine circu its of the Sri Yantra. Built on a square
foundation, with four doorways and fi ve walled-in t erraces, it has t hree c ircu lar
st ructu res with innumerable images of the Budd ha. Finally, the ninth level is
crowned with a terminal stupa wh ic h is the realm of the Su preme Bu ddha.
The Sr!Yantra itself is essentially th ree-dimensional, like a terra ced mountain , and
both yantra and stupa represent the cosmolog ical scheme o f the mythi ca l 'worl d-
mountain', Mou nt Meru . As Pau l Mus9 has demon strated in his study o f Barabadur,
the internal design of the temple c an best be understoo d through a descri ption o f
the Sri Yantra.
The Barabadur Stu pa li ke the yantra is conce ived as a place o f spi ri tu al pi lgrim age.
In the stupa th e journey starts at one of the four doo rways, and continue s throu gh
the lowest gal leries, wh ich illust rate in rel ief scenes from th e Buddha legends
rep resenting the world of desire and illusion. A s the pilgrim m oves in a spira l to t he
upper terraces whi ch open o ut to the sky, the Buddha images become more and
mo re abstract - a change w h ic h represents the transition from th e world o f matter
to t he world of the spirit. It parallels the sadhaka's journey fr om the material to t he
spiritual during meditation on the Sri Yantra. Movement from th e lower, outerm ost
Ground-plan and elevation of the Barabadur Stupa, levels to the centre, the summ it/ bindu, is to be t ran slated from t h e world o f m atter
h asPd o n the conception o f th e Sri Yantra to the world beyond thought.

148
75 , 76 Every step brings th e sa dhaka n earer to the spirituil l goal. The nine ascen ding
levels of a pyramidal b rick stru cture in an ancien t shrin e in West Bengal le. ·1sth century)
have at their summ it th e sacred 5eat (pl\ha-sthana) of th e goddess. This imagery resembles
stupa architecture (opposite) and the pyram idal form of the Sri Yan tra (left), each used for
the journey of meditation from the material level of the base to the sp iritual level of tllP
hindu summi t. Rajasthan. 19th century. Bronze
-7-80 \ el f lira'> tor nwdtlcllt<Jn. I ell h graphic 'ha pc· ( .in he '>( ' ( 'fl <l'> d P'>YC holog1t al <,c lwm,1 tlw OlllPr g.ilP'
Me the·· galP'> "'om•\ c Oil'>< 1ou~np.,., ilw lol u '> pPlcll'>. -.prriluill pnioldnwnt . tlw 1nnn 14ponH •lm al 11g1 m '' th1•
,lag<·''> ol '>plrltual a'>< Pill . and thP h1nclu. onp·, 1nm•rmqq '>f •lf Npp,11. <. I7h I ( ,oua <hP 1111 p.q><•r
81 Guhya -KalT Yantra, used for meditatio n : th e power-d iagram of one of th e nine esoteric aspects oi Ka rl,
with auspiciou s symbols. Nepal, r. 176'1. Coua che on paper
.'1

• r.
8
Occult Yantras

Yantras con cerned with magic formul ae, divination and propitiation rites form a
small but signifi can t group among tantri c mystic figures. Tantrism, a synthesis of
many diverse elements, has assimilated during its history the entire corpus of yogic
disciplines, along w ith its occult practices, magico-propitiatory and magico-defensive
rites. Yogic sadhana enables the yogi to tap hidden psych ic sou rces in order to
achieve mastery over nature. It is t raditionally held that he could, for instance,
increase and decrease in size, or become light or heavy ; that he could cover vast
d istances at will, leave his body to travel space faster than the speed of light,
call up the dead, enter the bodies of men, women, animals , and return again to his
own body. So subtle are claimed to be the senses developed by the yogi that he
cou ld gain knowledge of distant worlds without ever visiting them.
Among the most conspicuous sources of this esoteric occultism were tantric-
yogic cults like that of the Natha Saints, which originated in India around the seventh
century AD. The Natha cu lts combined a spiritu al mysticism with paranormal Manj u-Chosha \' anlra w hich increases the 1,1/en1 for
practic es such as multiplication of the body at wi ll, resurrection from the dead, aerial o ratory and gives divine power. Aller the Tant rasara

visits and so o n . Tradition h as it that they achieved alchemical and heal ing powers
by asan a (yogic postures), breathing techniques and ascetic disciplines.
Esoteric occu lt ism also employed various non-physical aids such as graphic
figures (yantras) and mystic chants (mantras), which take their inspiration from
autochthonous spirituality. Hindu occultism can be traced to the Atha1va Veda
(c. 1000 BC), w hi ch preserves th e early, non-Aryan traditions of Ind ia and was the
ancient magical-propitiatory formulary.
In ge neral, the whole theory of magical rites rests on the belief that there is an
all-pervading, somat ic, magic potency which can be transformed or divinized by
means of spells, incantations and charms. The Atharva Veda indicates two t ypes of
cu ltic formula: the first, benign, is called 'atharvan' after the sage from whom the
Veda derives its name; the second, malefic, is named 'angiris', after another sage.
82 Occult yantras. The Agni Yantra (centre) is devoted
Some scholars trace the ambivalence of the 'six ri tes' described below to this source. to the Fire God (Agnil who devours ritual offerings, and
The occult yantra is distingui shed from all other kinds of power diagram by its is a symbol of the power through which man
practical appli cation and utilitarian ends. The primary purpose is to gain control over transcends the forces of nature. Top, fro m left to right,
are diagrams for tantric magical rites to para lyse one's
th e forc es o f natu re, for positive or negative ends, but main ly for the attainment of
enemy, subjugate one's family, to enchant, and to
worldly rather th at sp iritual goals, especiall y tho se not eas ily attainable by secular or bestow luck. Bottom, from left to right, are yanl ras to
religious effo rt. As practical magic, occult yantras have pl ayed an important role in bring another under one's control. to ensure progeny,
to entice one's husband, to paralyse another, and to
Indian rural life, and remain a living tradition.
give protection. Madhubani (lvlithila), North Bihar state,
Th e prac tices associated with occult yantras are kept a closely guarded secret contemporary images of traditional forms. Ink and
and their knowledge is confined to priests and teachers, especially in village colour on paper

I '11
com munities. Despite this secrecy, wh ich has resis ted the d issem ination of y antras
as 'art', many of the diagrams are w idely known. A number are ill ustrated and
discussed in the Tantras and other texts. Square o r oval thin metal plates, of gold,
silver or copper, are often engraved o r embossed wi th esote ric diagram s and
mantras, and sim ilar diagrams are inscribed on p ieces of paper w h ich may be ro lled
and carried as amulets.
Some oc cult yantras are linear enclosu res w ith the trident of Siv a at their angles.
Line in the yantra is generally employ ed t o create absolute sym metry and a t otal
Curative ya nlra to be inscribed on a gold plate and
worn as a talisman. Aiter the Saundarya laharl organization of space. However there is another type of y antra, u sually occult, in
which soaring trajectories are created by the eccen tric movement of linear impulses
in space. Line (riju-rekha) is the product of 'cosmic stress' and im plies movement,
flux and growth. M ost traditionally, these y antras appear as a spiral around an
invisible source, and are therefore to be associated w ith coiled Ku r;ic;l alinl Sakt i, the
energy of the subtle body. Others form eddies or cu rves, tracing wandering paths, o r
are intersecting ovoids, d isso lv ing into space, mapping, as it were, th e cosm ic secrets.
The occu lt figures are not st ereotypes bu t w ith in th e t radition v ary end less ly .
Each enclosure is a magical field in w hic h power is c ircu mscribed, controlled an d
used fo r occult proficiency. Each shape is a means to communi cate w ith
supernatural forces that work betw een heaven and earth . Th e fo rms and functi on s
of the sign s and diagrams are as many and in divid ual as the huma n needs and
purposes that they are int ended to fulfil; and it is claim ed that th ere is no w ish that a
yantra cannot satisfy. They are used fo r p reventive medi cine, as good luck ch arms,
for exorcism, to ward off calam ities, to gain wealth o r learn ing, t o en h ance bodily
charms, to restore alienat ed affection, t o ensu re concepti on or the b irth of a son, to
secu re h armony and influence in the com munit y, and so on.
The Saundaryalaharl, an eighth-centu ry Sanskrit w o rk, m en tions 103 yan tras and
gives their ri tual prescriptions. For instance, the yantra to give re lief from d isease,
debt, etc., is sa id to be a c ircle w ith the seed m antra Strarri insc ribed in th e cen tre.
This yantra is t o be consecrated fo r thirty days, pronou nc ing a m ystic form ula th ree
thou sand times in order to procu re the desired resu lt . Another t ext, th e
Yantracintama0 i ('Thought Jewel' ), is solely devoted to 80 occult yantras, w hich it is
claim ed grant all desires, conscious or unconscious. The Kama ratna Tantra is another
Occult yantra believed to cure diseases when
worshipped cerem onially for forty-five clays. Aller t he such occult text; it lists a large nu mber of occult y antras and th e rituals t o
Saunda1ya laharl accompany them .

DharaQa Yantra
O ne of the most popula r occult yantras is th e D harar:ia Yantra. The Sansk rit word
dharar:i a means to protect, possess, ho ld, bear, a recept acle. Worn for prot ection,
th e yant ra is giv en t o the devotee after a prie st has consecrated it in a life-giving
ceremony . Sometimes high ly advanced p riests, t o increase th e efficacy of the
yantra, exhale t heir brPath on to it, an act which symbo lically represent s the
transfo rmation of the d iagram into a sacred entity. By su ch sym bo lic rites (see
Chapter 4) th ese ya ntras are perm anently imbued with psychic force. A pa rt ic u lar

1 54
ThP Dhiirana Yantra 01 the e,oddess T1 arita. to be 11 om
as a talisma·n. Alter the Tantrasara
Akadam Chakra, with mystic syllables transliterated.
Th e arrangement of letters is used lo determine the
appropriate yantra fo r the particular individual

Dharar;a Yantra is selected according t o the needs of th e in div idual petitioner. One
means of assuring the app ropriateness of the y antra is to match the seed mantra
insc ribed on the yantra w it h the fi rst letter of the petit ioner' s name.1 For th is a
diagram called th e Akadam Chakra is draw n, w ith t w elve 'houses' each inscribed wit h
the letters of t he Sanskrit alphabet, arranged in a trad itional ma nner and w ith a
different combination in each house. The 'true' yan t ra for the person may b e
discovered by pairing th e h ouse in w hich the first letter of his name falls and the first
letter of th e seed mant ra of the intended yant ra. If the pairi ng is in t he 3rd, 7th o r
11th house, t he yantra' s mantra is considered to b e beneficent ; if in t he 2nd, 6th or
10th house it is generally unlucky; and if it is in th e 4th, 8th or 12th house, t he match
is held to be potentially disastrou s.
Occult yantras often draw thei r power from the deit ies th at are symbolically
invoked in them. The Tantrasara2 specifies t hat the Dha ra1;a Yant ra of th e goddess
Tvarita, when inscribed o n metal as an amu let, will relieve t he ill effects of planeta ry
infl uences, and subdu e on e' s enem y. The Dharai;ia Yantra called Nava-Du rga (of the
Mritunjaya Yani ra (of Siva) which disp els fear, cures goddess Durga surrounded by a Sakt i-cluster of n ine de ities), w h en t ied by a t hread
disease and b rings fam e and iorlune. After the around the arm or neck, prev ent s su ffering from d isease; th e y ant ra of th e goddess
Tan trasara
Lakshmi g rant s fame and w ealth, and removes al l dangers and anxieties. Si m ilarly
th e Dharar; a Yantra of Kri shr:ia is considered to be all-ben eficent; that o f t he
goddess Tripura-Sunda rl enh an ces on e's p hysi cal c h arm an d beau ty; the
Mritunjaya (a name of Siva) D harar;ia Yantra is said to c ure d isease, conquer fea r
and sufferings, and bring luck and fa me to the seeker.
Metals, the materials of many occu lt yantras, are said to derive their power frorn
particular planet s: silver, a 'frag ment of the moon', is believed to soot he fev ers, coo l
the nerves and to draw its potent influences from th e moo n ; cop per draws its power
from Mars, and copper D harar; a Yant ras h av e heali ng powers; gold is called a
'fragment of th e sun', and is con sidered a perfect emb od im ent of sat t v a (equi li brium,
t ruth, purity ) an d grants pro tection and good fo rtun e.

Curative and proph y lactic yantras


Certa in yant ra s that se rve as cures are drawn directly on th e body o f the afflicted
[ver -beneficent and ausp iLio u s Krishr}a-d h ara1}a Yanira.
subject. This practice is w idely prev alent among the 'med ici ne-me n' (O j has) of
A fter t h P Tan trasara Mithila, the ancient kin gdo m in Bihar state, no rthern In dia. In the case of a scorpio n

1 S6
sting, the y antra is drawn symmetri cally around the injury with an iron pointer, while
chanting the appropriate mantra. The place of the sting becomes like the bindu of
the y antra. The drawing of the yantra is repeated in mathematical proportion
around the central yantra on the sting until the poison is neutralized and the sufferer
is cu red . In the case of snake bite, similarly, a yantra is drawn as concentric rings with
an iron pointer, and this is believed to arrest the spread of the poison in the body.
The linear womb-shaped yantra called Chakra-vyuha, resembling a maze with a
single opening at the top, is used in childbirth to ensure an easy delivery. At the
appropriate hou r the yantra is propitiated by the occult priest, who urges the
woman mentally to e nter the opening of the yantra and foll ow its zigzag course in
deep concen tration, com p leting each of its circuits and then revers ing the course to
return to the entry gate. Apart from the occult significance of the rite, the mental
'walk' through the yantra makes the subject ci rcumambulate her own womb and Chakra-vyuha, a maze pallern used 10 focus
helps h er to use her mental powers to assist the birth. concenlration during childbirth

A type o f occu lt yantra based on arithmetical progression is the 'magic square' .3


In the Tantras, such squares are often referred to as yantras because they possess
m ystical properties. A magic square is generally a chessboard figure in which
numbe rs are so arranged that the sum of digits, no matter in w hich direction they
are added, is always the same. One of the principal sources of the magic square is a Fire
mathematical treatise, the Gaf)ila Kaumudi (AD 1356), in which an entire chapter .....
discusses the construction of these squares with an odd or even nurnber of cells.
The simplest type of magic square, said to be all-beneficent, is based on the magic
8 3 4
power of th e nu mber 15. In th is yantra, numbers from 1 to 9 are placed in the
specified order w ithin nine squares, of which four squares represent the elements. To
cu re co ld, the numbers are w ritten beginning from the 'fire square'; to cure fever,
from the 'water square' ; to effect the speedy return of a person from a distant land,
1 5 9
from th e 'air square'. It is believed th at if the yantra is drawn with sandal paste or
saffron on paper and worn as an am ulet, its effect will be unfailingly beneficial.

The magical 'six rites' 6 7 2


In contrast to the uniformly beneficent Dharar;ia Yantra, the tantri c concept of
polarity is embraced in the yantras associated with six magical rites - $atkam1a - in ......
which the first one, Shanti, a peace-bestowing rite, serves to counterbalance the ill Water
effec ts of the oth er five, malefic, rites.
Magic square based on l hc occull number -is
First : the Shanti ritual s and yantras grant protection from the ill effects of planets
and curses, cure d iseases and dispel fears. Second: Vash i karar~a grants the power to
attrac t a nd bring under one's control men, women, gods and animals, and have one's
desires fu lfilled Lhroug h the m. Thi rd: Sta rDbh ar;i a lends t he power of preventing or
restraining another's actions. Fou rth : Vidve~ana grants the power of separating
friend s, relatives, lovers. Fifth: U ccaran transmits the power Lo uproot. Sixth, Marar;ia
grants th e powe r to kill. The rites have been given a doctrinal basis, and are ascribed
sym bol ic associations with deities, compass directions, mantras, elements and
colours :

·1s7
Narasimha-dharaiJa Yantra, intended for the destruction
of enemies and to overcome the negative aspects of
planetary influence. Alter the Tantrasara

Rite D eity Direction Element Seed mantra Colour


Shantikarma Ra t i NE water RaJTI white

Vashikarar:ia Vani N fire RaJTI red

StaJT1bhar:i a Rama E earth LaJTI yellow

Vidve?ana Jes th a SW ether HaJTI m ixed

Uccat an Durga SE air YaJTI b lack

Marar:ia Bhadraka fl SE fire ash

Tantric sources often warn of the danger that malefic yantras present t o the init iator
by inh ibiting his spi ritual quest. Power used for d est ruction is to be shunned . The use
of these yan tras is considered a lower fo rm of spirituality, and tantri c sources 4
declare that sadh ana of such types of occult yan tra is never a vehicle of
en lighten men t, but a direct obstacle to any form of spiritual attain men t.

Energizing the occu lt yantra


The effectiven ess of occu lt yantras depends u pon the power of the guru, priest o r
whoever performs the rites associated with them and th eir consecration . His power
depends upon his knowledge of esoteric p rac ti ces, h is self-d iscip line (tapas) and his
moral character. The Ya ntracin tamar; i declares t hat the pe rson who p erform s t hese

158
Siva-dharar:ia Yantra which prolongs life and bestows
wealth . Aft er the Ta ntrasara

rit es m ust have faith, for if there is a loss of faith, the effect of t he yantra will not
m erely diminish but will be the exact opposite of what is intended.
Acco rdin g to t he Yantracintarnat;i, 5 to consecrate such a ya ntra the officiant
sh o uld, w ith a pure mind, draw the yan tra in a lonely spot. He should then
consec rate it w ith the appro p riate m yst ic incantations fo r th ree clays, during whi ch
he is to remain celibate an d sleep on the ground. The efficacy of the yantra can be
gauged if during these three days h e d reams: certain d reams are said to be
premonitory of th e accomplishm ent of t he yantra's desired end. Auspicious dreams
t hat indicat e the presence of power (siddhil to procure a desired end are d reams of
association with women, of enjoym ent on a mountain-top or in a royal palace, of a
procession of elephants, of the singing and dancing of women, of rejoicing in
fes tiva ls. Some inauspicious signs are seeing black soldiers, a state of anarchy, peril
from fire, air o r water, t he death of a friend.6
Th e power of the yant ra is often attached to a substitute or symbo l. In the cure of
diseases, the power to heal may be t ransmitted through t he magic yantra and mantra
b y transferr ing th;:it power to an inan im ate object, a stone for exa mp le Generally,
t he name of th e person w hom th e yant ra is intended to harm o r benefit is inscribed
in th e centre of th e ya nt ra. Th e name o r som e o f the syllables of the nam e may be
included at th e begi nn ing, in the mid dle or at the end of the mantra; in the case of
yantras grant ing prosperity, th e mantra is added after each syllable of the name ; if a
yan tra is intended to attract or fascinate another person, two sounds of the mantra
are intoned, followed b y two syllables of the name of the person to be attracted. 7

'159
OCCUL T Y ANTRAS In 'black' magic rites, the transmission of powe r is ach ieved by the 'principl e of
mi micry' : by acting out a desired event. Thus a sm all figure w ill be made from clay
taken from a spot where an individual has stood, resembling him as closely as
possible, and will be consecrated surrou nded by malefic yan tras. 8 Sometimes, a
yantra may be consecrated at crossroad s, symbolically the axis mundi, and left there
overnight in the hope th at the affliction which has been t ransmitted to it will be
passed on to the person who treads on it.

Yantra drawn on the walls of shrin es dedicated to the


goddess of children, Baladevl, by women desiring
children

The use of magic rites and magic yan tras has parti cularly persisted in the rural
communities of India. A great variety of yantras and ausp iciou s signs are to be
found, drawn on mud walls and the fl oors of huts. They are never applied for
decorative purposes, but to cure and protect, t o avert evil influences and hostile
spirits. An interesting example of such a 'folk' yantra is associated w ith the number 5,
whi ch has a magical potency deriving from the powers of the five elemen ts. It is
generally drawn with five dots on the ent rance or the sides of the door frame, or as a
pentagon made without lifting one's finger. The Bhils, a trib al community in western
India, draw fi ve parallel lines girdling the outside wall s of their h uts to frighten away
the evil eye; palm-prints (hastaka ra-yantra), equilateral t ri angles and the swasti ka
are all si milarly used to ward off dangers and calam iti es and to cou nteract the power
of the evil eye. The red of earth and the yellow of turmeric powder are genera lly used
as auspicious colours, whereas the application of lam p-black is considered as an
ant idote to th e power of evil.
The proven efficacy of occu lt yant ras may be explained in psycho logical terms. To
an ind ividual who wears a yantra as a talisman, the diagram becomes a po int of inner
focus. It marks a sacred spot on his body where power manifests. He may even
identify his enti re being with the symbolic strength of the d iagram. He believes t hat
the diagram is a total embodiment of sacred power of the mysterious universe - th e
83-86 Four oc cult y antras. Top left, yant ra of the 'presence' of a divinity who dwell s w ith him, albeit in him through the figure.
goddess Sri , b ringer of good fortune and plenitud e, Ultimately the empi ri cal efficacy of the yantra is brought about by his own will-
invoked in her yan tra to attain all on e's desires. Top
right, Baladharai;ia Yantra, dedicated to the goddess as
power, working through faith.
a young ma iden, who protects against calam ities if h er Practising siddhais, on the other hand, give another explanation for occult
yantra is rolled into an amul et and w o rn around the esoterism. The Tamil siddhais, fo r instance, explained L11 eir magicdl fed l 5 as a kind of
arm or neck. Bottom left, Bandhanmoksha-karana
Yantra, a talisman to give release fro m bondages su ch
'gam e' with antimatter, claimi ng to believe (like th e modern scientist ) that there is
a~ disease, p ain. or the evil eye. Th e heads around the another universe of antimatter, q ualitatively different, w ith its own laws wh ich
~q ua re band are to scare away sp irits and n egat ive govern occu lt practices. By reord ering the arrangements of atoms w ith the aid of
v ibra tions . Bo ll om right, a yan tra l o confer imm ortality
man tra chan ts, any process of natu re can be brought under human control. M ight
and to pmlong ac t ive life. Madhubani (Mithila l, North
13ihar state, c ontemporary images of trad itional forms. there be anoth er dimension of the un iverse, to wh ich the siddhais had access, and
Ink and colour on p aper w hich modern man now seeks to red iscover ?

'160
87, 88 Eso teri c yantras intended (top) to bring lu ck, appease anger and nullify the effects of curses; and
(above ) to suhjugate o ne's enemy or an ev il -doer, and to bring u nder one's co ntro l t he forces of the three
spheres - ea rth. atm osphere and sky. Pages from the Karnaralna Tanlra , Rajasthan, r. '18th century. Ink and
colour on paper
89, 90 Esoteric yantras intended (top) to co nquer the evil forces of nature, when drawn on level ground or
paper in yellow or red while chanting appropriate mantras, or, when worn as a talisman, to safeguard against
haza rds and evil sp irits; and (above) to attract, entice and infatuate the opposite sex from far away. Pages
from the Kamaratna Tantra . Ra jasthan, c. 18th century . Ink and colour on paper
91 Yantra to subjugate, fo rm ed o f cryptic mantra syllables in order to concea l its sign ifi cance from
the uninitiated. Rajasthan, c. 18th century. Ink and colour on paper
92 Yantra of Mahavidy a Baga la-mukhl on silver, considered to be a 'fragment of the moon' ; a n
a mule t to be worn on the neck or arm to protect and promote well-be ing. Kaligh at. Ca lc utta.
Contemporary im age based on traditio nal forms
q l Yant ra o f lht-> Gndde~~. to be wor~h1pped al night for o<. cult proficienLy. M adhuban i (M1thilal,
Nnrth Bihar '> late. c ontem pr irary im age ba~ed on l rad 1t1o n;il form<,. Ink and Lolour o n paper
94 Shyam-Kall Yant ra with magic pentagon symbolizing th e five elemen ts - earth, water, fi re, air,
ether wh1th may be vitalized a s a saieguard against de5lruct1on. evil and sin, and for good
iortunt'. Rajasthan, c. llllh century. Gouache on paper
95 The bin du, sacred po in t of origin and return, with concentric circles symbolizing the eternal cycles of
cosmi c evolution and involution. The goal of the adept is his own involutio n to th e centre, t he ultim ate po int of
p sycho-cosmic integration. where he discovers his link with the Whole. An dhra Pradesh, c. 19th century. Wood
Notes on the Text

1 Introduction 3 Metaphysics of Yantra


Fo r in stance, Kular0ava Tantra (10, 109) says: 'If. worship is perfo rmed 1 Mahakala Sarnhita, quoted by Arhtur Avalon in Sakli and Sakla, pp. 28-9.
withou t a yantra the devata is not pleased.' Or.Silpa-Prakasa (11, v. 504): 2 Tantris1;n seems t<;> have developed its own branc_h of fem in ine d ivinities.
'Wit h o ut o ffe ring pu ja to the Kamakala, the Sakti puja a nd sadhana See S. S rlka r;i~ ha Sastri, 'The Iconography of the Srlvidyari:iava Tantra' in
becomes useless.' O r Gandharva Tantra , Chap. v, v. 1. The Quarterly Journal of the Milhic Society.
2 See Tan tric Sahil)'a (Gopin ath Kavirajl, pp. 40-1 . 3 See Devibhagavata Purar;ia, Part 11, Chap. v 111, Book v, p p. 376--8, on th e
J Ibid ., p p . 532-5, lists several unpublished m a nuscrip ts on yantras. origin and form of the De"'.1; also Markaf)<;leya Pl.jrar:ia, 83, 10-34.
4 M. M o nier W illiams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p . 845. 4 Such as Tantrar,'ija Tantra, Saktisarigama-Tantra, Saradatilaka Tanlra, etc.
5 Vastu sastra (D. N. Sukla ), p . 372 ff. See Bib liograph y. 5 Fo r instance, texts and unpublished manuscripts on th e ten Mahavidyas
6 Saraswati Pratyagatmananda, Japa Sulram, p. 110. cited in Tanlric Sahitya, pp. 26-39; and also Saktisarigama-Tanlra and
7 Saundaryalahail, v. 11; and Lalitasahasranama, 996.. T_antraraja Tantra.
8 Wend e ll Charles Beane, Myth, Cull and S)1mbols in Sakta Hinduism, p . 206. 6 'Sakta Philosoph y' by Gop inath Kavira j in Radhakrishna'! (e d .l, Histqry of
9 Mircea Eliade, Th e Two and the One, p . 204. Philosophy, Eastern and Western, Vol. 1, p. 403. Ibid., 'Saiva a nd Sakta
10 Calcu lations based on Tant raraja, Chap. xix. School', p. 403.
11 For Vedic ma1:u;lalas, see Rigveda-Brahmakarmasamuccya (Nirr;iayasagar 7 David R. Kinsley, The Sword and the Flute, Chap. 111.
Press, Bo m bay, 6th e d it ion, 1936), cited in P. V. Kane, f-listory of 8 Markai.x;leya Pura0a, 87, 5-23.
Dharmasastra, Vol. v, Part 11, p. 1184. 9 Karpuradistotra, p. 26.
12 Bud d hist mar;i<;lalas fo rm a separate study on account of their complex 10 M. Monier-Williams, Brahmanism and Hinduism, p. 186.
sym bo lism ; see G. Tu cci, The Theory and Practice of the Mar;icjala; also the 11 Tantric Sahit ya, pp. 26-39.
Guhyasamaja ~antra and Ni~p.anna)1ogavari; and fo r the Buddhist med- 12 Anoth e r group of Nitya Saktis, with the ir dhya!'las, mantras, and
itatio n o n the Sri Yantra, see Srlchakrasarpbh,1ra Tanira. descri ptions of their respective yantras, occu rs in the Saktisarigama-Tantra
13 For Jain types of yantras, see ' Bh ai rava Pa dmava tika lpa' in M. B. Jh ave ry, (Chap . 12, 14- 18), probably belonging to Kali-kula.
Comparative and C ritical Sludy of Manuasastra, a nd ~ishi Mat:i\lala Yantra 13 Calcul ations b ased on the Tantraraja Tantra, Chap. xxv. ,
Puja. 14 Accord ing to Suksmagama, v 1, 8, The linga is a unifying principle of Siva,
14 O n e of the sources of the astrologica l type of yantra is the Bhrigu-Sa111hita. whereas Sakti is the Cit or Consciousness aspect of reality. See, for
·15 AbhinavagL1p ta, Tantrasara, text cited by G. Tu cci in The Theory and instan ce, '\/Ira Sa ivism' by Kumaraswamij i in Radhakrishan (ed.), History
Praclice of the Ma0c;lala, p . "140. of Philosophy, Eastern and Western, Vol. 1, p. 394. .
16 Text c ited a n d translated by 5. R. Dasgupta in Obscure Religious Cults, 15 Mahabh,'irata, xx11, 14, 233, ql}oted in W. D. O'Flah erty, Asceusm and
p. 10 4. Eroticism in the Mythology of Siva, p. 257.
17 Candharva Tantra. Text cite d and translated in Karpur,'idislotra, p . 64. 16 Agehananda Bharati, The Tantric Tradition, p. 202.
18 Quoted in Edward F. Ed inger, Ego and Archetype, p . 109. 17 Kafika Puraf)a, 66; 60-1. (See Bibliograp~y under Worship .. .l
. 18 Text q u oted in 5. Shankaranarayanan, Sri Chakra, p . 63.
19 Malinlvijayollara Tantra lSril, Chap. 111, v. 10-12.
20 Alharva Veda, x, v. 31--1, translated by R. Shamasastry in The Origin of the
Devanagari Alphabets, p. 16: 'The impregnable city of the gods consists .or
eight circles and nine triangles (dvara). Within it is a golden cell celestial
a nd invested with light. In the triangle (tryara) and three clots (tn-
pratish\hita) within that cell, re2ides the One Eye. Those who kn?w
2 Archetypal Space and Sacred Sound Brahman think that this Eye is Atman. For into that im pregnab le city,
1 Kamakalavila.sa. v. 21 . which is resple ndent, b right and invested with re nown, Brahman has
2 For m a th e matic a l e numeratio n o f ze ro, see Aji t Mookerj ee, \'oga Art, pp. entered .'
19-20, a nd also S. Radhakrishna n (ed.), History of Philosophy, Eastern and 21 For different worshippers of Sri Viclya, see Tanlric Siihit)1rl, p. 29, and
Wes t Prn. Vo l. 1. pp. 441- 4. Sa11nclaryalah,1rl, pp. 21-2. . _
3 ".'gehananda Bharati, Th e Tantric Tradilion, p. '102. 22 Some ma jor Tantras in which the descriptions of the Sn Yantra occu r are
4 S,'irada1ilaka Tantra, Ch a p . v11, 9-1 4. Kamakalavil,1sa, v. ·1-so; Tantraraja Tantra, Chap. 1v: Bh,1vannpani~ac/, v.
5 Taniras,'ira , Vol. 1, Chap. 1, v . 10- 24. 1-30: Candharva Tantra, Chap. v; Nit)1afo(lasika, Chaps. 1- 1v ; Yogini
6 Ta rarahsya, Chap. 111. v. 137. 1-lcdaya, Ch?P· 1; Tript1rc'itapini Upanishad, Book 11, v. 15-23 and Book 111. v.
7 Vakyapacliyam, v. 1 20. '13, in The Sakta Upani~ad-s.
8 Swam i Prabhavananda's translation in The Spiritual f-leritage of India, p. 38. 23 Varivasy,'i-Rahasyam, translated R. Shamasastry in The Onwn of the
9 For instance, see 5. Srlkar;i~ha Sastri, 'The Iconogra p hy of the Devanagari Alphabets. p. 39.
Srlvidyarr;iava Ta ntra', in The Quarterly Journal of the Mithic Society. .24 Bhairava-\'amala, 1--17, translated b y Arthur Avalon in The SC'1pE•nt Pm1•Pr .
'ID Quoted L. Blai r, Rhythms of Vision, p. 115. p. 145.

169
4 Dyna m ics of Yantra: Rit ual 3 Ibid., Ch ap. v, v. 23-5.
4 See M ah anirvarya Tan tra, Chap. v, v . 97- "I04; an d 'j a/ -C hakra-n i rupary a.
1 A rthur Avalon, Sakti and Sakta, p. 250. 5 Mahanirva1Ja Tantra, Chap. x11 1, v. 5.
2 Jayadratha- Yama la, for instance; text cited b y J. Gonda in Change and 6 Saraswati Pratyagatmanada, Sad hana fo r Self-R ealizalion , p. ?3.
Contin uity in Indian Religion, p . 443. 7 N. J. Bolton and D . Nicol G. Macleod, T he geomet ry of the Sri Yantra', in
3 Kafika PuraQa, 59. 135 If. (See Bibliography under Wo rship . . . ) Religion . A Journal o f Relig io n an d Religion s, pp. 66-85.
4 Yan t ra Sari1skarapadd hili. , 8 For instance, see A nan da K. Cooma rasw am y, Figures o f Spe ech o r Fig ures
5 See Tripuratap in i Upanishad, 111, v; 13, in Th e Sakta Upan i~a d-s, p . 23, fo r o f Thought, Chap. x.
th e colou rs and materials of th e Sri Yant ra in relation to specific merits. 9 Agni Pur~Q a, Chap. XI, 111, text ci ted b y An anda K. C o omaraswam y in
D ance o f Siva, p. 27.
10 'D evl -M ah atmaya', 11, 14- 18, tr. Shankaranarayanam . (See Bib liography
5 D yna mics of Yant ra : Meditat ion under Glory . . .)
Yog a-SCilra, Chap. 1, 39-40. 11 Tanlrasara (BrihaO, Vol. 11, p p. 397- 8.
2 Arth u r Avalon, Hym n s to the G o ddess , pp. 94-6. 12 Yajur Veda, X IV , 5.
3 Fo r detailed ~y m b ol ism see B hava n opa ni~ ad, p . 46, note 22.
4 Th e Mudra Sakt is are ten in n u mber. Nine rep resent the nine psychic
cent res o f th e subtle body (p. 123 ), and the tenth, the on e w h o pres id es
over them all. They are: the agitator of al l (Sarvasan kshob hi r:ill, the ch aser
o f all (Sarvavidravir:ill, the attracto r o f all (Sarva kar~inll, th e su b ju gato r of
7 A rc hitectural Ya ntras
all (Sarvavasankarll, the intoxicator of all (Sarvomad inll, the great rest rai ner See, for instan ce, Manasara (Arch it ecture o n, a t reatise on Hindu
of all (Sarvamah anku5a), the all-mover in space (Sarvakhecarll, th e seed arc h itecture by P. K. Acharya which gives site-plans o f th irty-tw o
of all (Sarvablja ), t he creative genetrix of all (Sarvayon i), and last, the o ne varieties.
w h o p resides over the threefoldness of all (Sarvatrikha nc;Ja ). Ib id., p. 47. 2 For the com plex sym b olism o f th e Vastu-Purusha Mar:ic;J ala, se e S.
5 The Th irteen Principal Upan ishads, p. 23. Kram risch, Th e /-lindu Temple, Vol. 1, Part 11, p. 29 ff.
6 l~i d ., p . 24. 3 Ib id., p . 57.
7 Siva Samhita, 2, 1- 5, texts cited and translated b y Jean V arenn e in Yoga 4 Com p are, for instance, the m etho d of constructing th e Sri Yantra in the
and lhe Hindu Tradilion , p . 155. ev olution mod e outlined b y Laksmldhara in the Saunda_ryalaha rl (19 72
8 Fo r instan ce, see 'ja/ -Chakra-nirupaQa. edn.), p . 5, w ith t l~ e m o d e of p rep arin g th e site- plan of a Sakt i tem p le a s
9 Practising Saktas relate the n ine circuits of the Sri Yantra to the nine discussed in th e Silpa-Praka5a, 11, v. 61- 85.
psy ch ic cen t res as exem pl i fie~ in the Saubhagya-Lakshml Upanishad, 11 1, 5 Silpa-Prakasa, 11, v. 499. .
1- 9. See Bibliograp hy under Sak ta Upani~ ad-s . . 6 Compositional yan tras are discu ssed by A lice Bon er in Silpa-Prakasa an d
10 According to Bra hmachari Laksm ana Joo, a living pract itioner o f 5aivism in h er Principles of Com position in H indu Sculpwre .
in Kash m ir. 7 See Alice Boner an d S. R. Sarm a, N ew Lig h t o n th e Sun Te m ple o f Konarka .
11 See, for in stan ce, Dhyan a bindupani~acl, 33-7, in The Yoga Upan i.~acls . 8 Ibid., translation o f M aQc;iala Sa1vasva, pp. 209- 10.
12 Trisikhibrah mar:wpanish ad, 135- 4 2. in Th e Yoga Upani~a cls . 9 See Paul M us, Barabudur.
13 K,?fika Purar.ia, 59, 132 (See Bibliograph y under Wo rship .. . ) ; Bhavan opa-
n i~a cl, v . 31.
14 See, for instan ce, Kafika Purarya (op . cit.J, 59, 113- 14, in w hich a sim ilar rite
is called yoga-plrha med it ation. D evibhagavata PuralJa, Boo k 111, 39,
m en t ion s it as m an asic yajna, or m en ta l oblation . 8 O c cult Yantras
15 Kaulavaflnirr.iaya, Ch ap. 3, v. 103. Th e meth o d o f a scertain in g t he correct ' ya nt ra-blja m an t ra' fo r an
16 Dhyanabindu Up anishacl, qu o te d by Pa u l Deussen in The Philosop y of the ind ividual ap p ears to be the sam e as fo r t h e m antra ; see Yan t rac-int am aQi,
Upanishads. p. 392. II, v. 36 II.
17 Brh aclarar.iyaka Upanishad, 4, 5, 15. 2 Tant rasara (Brih at ), Vol. 1, p p. 57 5-84.
18 1-/athayogapradlpika, 4, 11 5, in George W . Brigg s, G o raknath an d l h e 3 See, fo r instan ce, S. Cam ma nn, 'Islamic an d Indian M ag ic Squares' in
Kanph a/,1 Yogis, p. 346. Hislo ry of Religio n, Pa rts 1 an d 11, Vol. 8, No. 2, p p . 275-86.
4 Tara-Bhakli-Su d h ar1Java, Chap. x, p. 354.
5 Yan tra cin tamani, 11, v. 26- 32.
6 Aesthetics of Yantra
6 Tantraraja Ta n ira, Chap. v, v. 81.
Bhavan opan i~ad, v. 6- 8. 7 Uc;i<;l isi Tant ra, v. 44-60.
2 Tan tra ra;a Tan tra. Ch ap. v, v. 14. 8 M ah esvara Tan t ra, p. 9.

Note o n Sa nsk rit p ro nun ciati on 'clo g' ; f11 and m are p ro no un ced 'mn', na salized, as in 'somnolen t' ; 1~ and 1~ ar e
p ro no un ced 'ng', n asali zed, as in 'go n g';~ is prono un ced 'sh' as in 'shun'; 5 is
V 0 WE LS tr-a nsliteratecl from San sk rit as a, I, Li are lo ng ('a' as in 'fa th er' , 7 as p ro no u nced with a sou nd b etween 'sh' an d 's'; tis p ro noun c ed as ' t' b u t w it h
in 'see', 'Li' as in 'loo t' ); r is a vow el. and is pro nounced with a sound b e tween t he to ngu e tu rned ba c k on to th e roo f o f th e m o uth.
·ri' an d ·er ; a is sh o rt, as in 'apple'; e is pron ounc ed 'ai' as in 'gait' ; o is lo ng as in
'op en '; u is prono u nced as in 'full' ; ai is prono un ced as in 'a isle', au as 'ow' in The sy m bo l kn own as th e 'visa rga', I\ is aspirated from d eep in tlw th roat .
'how'. A part from the San skrit vowel tran sliteratio n s 'ai' an d ·au'. ea ch le t ter o f a
C 0 N S 0 NAN Tr is pron ou n ced 'ch' as in 'ch urch'; c;J is prono u nced 'd' as in word is to be individu ally sounded.
Glossary

akasa: etherial space, the subtlest of the five cosmic elements. Kuoc;lalinl : latent psychic energy lying coiled in the root chakra, the
antaryajiia: 'inward oblation', a form of meditation in which all the tattvas or Muladhara, t he psychic centre at t he base of the spine.
constituents o f the cosmos are dissolved psychologically in internal laya-krama: the order of dissolution; way of viewing th eyantra as a symbol of
yantras v isual ized by the adept. . involution, moving inwa rds from the periphery to the centre.
~rdhanarlswara: the androgynous form of Siva. liriga : abstract symbol of Siva.
~tma n : Pure Self, identified with the ultimate principle of the universe. Lok apalas: deities of the eight regents of space, who guard the sacred spaces
Ava rar:ia Devata: deities surrounding the princ ipal deity and presiding over of the yantra.
_ the linea r framework of the yantra. Mahavidyas: the ten 'Great W isdoms', the ten goddesses representing the
Avarar:ia pu ja : ritual worsh ip of the surrounding deities of the yantra. 'knowledge' aspect of Kali, the supreme goddess.
avidya: ignora nce of the reality of the cosmos. mar:ic;lala: (lit. circle) sacred diagram composed of primal shapes, sometimes
bhugraha : region of materiality associated with t he outer, squ are enclosures identified with yantras.
of the yantra. mantra: sacred sound representing cosmic form at its most subtle, as
bhupura : the square and T-shaped portals of the yantra, identified with the vibration, incantation.
ea rthly sphere. matrika: letter of the Sanskrit alphabet representing the eternal aspect of
blja-man tra: seed-syllable, a monosyllabic sacred sound representing a deity cosmic sound.
or cosmic fo rce. Matrik~-nyasa: ritual projection of sacred seed mantras on the body.
bindu: extensionless point, sacred symbol of the cosmos in its unmanifested Maya Sakti : creative power of the cosmos.
state. mudra: sacred finger-gesture.
Brahma : the first god of the Hindu trinity, the Creator. mula-trikor:ia: root triangle, symbolizing the female principle.
Brahman : th e Absolute Principle of the universe, Cosmic Consciousness. In murti: icon, anthropomorphic deity image.
th e Tantras, Brahman may be equated with the unity of Siva/Sakti, t he Nada: cosmic sound, manifesting as subtle vibration.
male and female prin ciples. nadatmika sakti ; principal energy of Cosmic Sound.
chak1a: (lil. wheel, or circle) a yantra, especially the internal yantras or energy Nitya Saktis: cluster of ~ixl t:t:n goddesses known as the 'eternal' ones, each
centres in the subtle body, represented as lotuses. representing a phase of the moon.
Cit: Pure Co nsciousness, the highest principle, manifesting everywhere. nyasa: ritual projection oi divinities into various parts of the body.
Dasa-Maha vidya: cluster of ten goddesses who represent the knowledge Padma : lotus, symbol of unfolding energies: term for a chakra.
aspects of the great goddess Kall. Pancaratra : tantric Vaishr:iava philosophy. .
devata: a divinity. Panchabhutas (or bhutas): five gross elements of the physical wo rld: earth,
Devi : female divinity, goddess. water, fire, ai r and ether.
dTksha: ri tual ini tiat ion by a guru of a pupil. Parichopacara: ceremonial worship with fiv e ritual offerings - nowers,
Garbhagriha : wom b-chamber, an inner cell of a temple where an icon or incense, lighted oil-lamp, food and sandal paste.
emblem of the divinity is installed. Pirigala : the 'male', right-ha nd channel of the subtle body.
Gayat rl Mantra : a well known Vedic mantra representing cosmic catego ries. pi t ha: sacred seat of a deity; pi lgrimage centre.
gu oas: the attributes or qualities which make up the universe. They are three: pl~ha-sthana: sacred place of the divinity.
sattva, rajas, and tamas, collectively the constituents of Prakriti, or material Prakriti: material nature ; creative energy of the universe made up of three
nature. . gu1)as, and identified with the female prin cip le.
lccha -sakti: energy of will, one of the t riad of energies of Sakti, the female prai) a: the vital energy of the cosmos, ca rried by breath" .
prin ciple; the other two energies are knowledge and action. praoaprati~tha: rite of infusing vital energy into the yantra 111 order that it may
lc;la: the 'female', left-hand channel of the subtle body, coilin g around the become an active symbol.
Sushum1~a and terminating at the left nostril. puja: ceremonial worship with ritual.offerings.
ls h~a-devata: a person's chosen deity, generally assigned by the gl!ru. Purusha: male prin ciple, essence of Siva. .
Jiiana-sakt i : ene rgy of knowledge, o ne of the triad of energies of Sakti, t he rajas: ki neti c power of the universe, one of the three gur)as, the constrtuenl s
female p rin ciple; the other two energies are will-power and action. of material nature, or Prakriti.
)1iaendriyas: the five o rgans by which we apprehend the world - hearing ?a<;l<uiga: Indian theory of the science of image-making; forms ba>ecl on six
(ears), touch ing (skin), seeing (eyes), tasting (tongue), and smelling (nose). principles.
karichu kas: li mit ing factors imposed on creation during evolution, which veil sadhaka: spiritual aspirant.
the Absolute Principl e. ~adhana: spiritual dis~ip l ine.
Karm endriyas: th e five agents of action - walking (feet ), handling (hands), Saivites: followers of Siva.
speaking (mouth), procreation (genitals), and evacuation (bowels). Siiktas : followers and worshippers of cosmic energv as the female principle
Kaulas : 'left-hand' sect of tantrism. (Saktil.
Kriya-sakti: energy of action, one of the triad of energies of Sakti, the female Sak ti: kinetic principle of the universe; power, energy permeati ng creal ion.
principle, the other two are will-power and knowledge. seen as female.

·171
samadhi: the final aim of yoga, when man and cosmos attain unity; a state of tamas: the power of in ert ia, the lowest of the three gui:ias, the con stituents of
yogic ecstasy. Prakriti, or material nature.
Samayacara: tantrikas who practise abstract worship of the body cos mo s. tanmat.ras: subtle elements, or energy-potentials.
Samkhya: one of the major systems of Indian ph ilosophy, founded by t he Tantra: a class of scripture; an ancient spiritual disci pline relating to the
sage Kapila (c. 500 B c) which influenced tantrism . This system identifies 25 power of Sakti.
tattvas, or cosmic p rinciples, and formed the basis of the Saiva-Sakta Tantrika : follower of tantric d isciplines.
theory of th e evolution _of the cosmos, which recognizes 36 tattvas. tattvas: cosmic categories of which the entire universe is composed; see also
Samvit: consciousness; Siva and his potential energy as the Ultimate Samkhya, above.
Principle. Upanishad: spi ritual doctrine of ancient Indian philosophy; texts composed
?a\karma: six magical r ites used by tantrikas for occult proficiency, and for in their present form between c. 1000 and 800 BC.
mundane ends. Vastu: site, plan of the house ; dwelling or building place.
sattva: truth, purity, principle of equilibrium, the first of the three gur:ias, the Vedas: the revealed scriptures of Hinduism.
constituents of Prakriti, or material nature. visarjana: rit ual of dispersing the divinity from the yantra after w o rship.
siddhi: personal power acq uired by yogic practices. Vishi:iu: the second god of the Hindu trinity; the Preserver.
~idd h ais: yogis who have attained su pernatural powers. yantra: mystical diagram used as a tool for meditation an d w orship; an
Siva: t he th ird god of Hindu t rinity, the Destroyer; Absolute Principle o r abstract symbol of divinity; a figure to harness cosmic forces, synonymous
Cosm ic Consciousness; the male pri nci ple in union with Sakti, the female with mandala.
principle. yogi: seeke~;· one who aims to achieve union with the reality of the cosmos.
s ri ~~i-krama : order of creation; a way of viewing the yantra as a sym bol of yoginl: female as pi rant.
. evolution, unfolding from the bindu outwards. yoni-mar:i<;lala: invertec\ triangle symbolizing the creative genetrix of t he
Sri Vidya: the Supreme Goddess in her 'k nowledge' aspect, cognized in her cosmos; emblem of Sakti, the female principle.
fifteen-syllabled mantra. yuga: an aeon, or cosm ic age.
Surya: Sun Cod.
Sushumi:ia: the central channel in the subtle body, up wh ich rises the female
energy, or Kui:i<;lalinl.

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Abbo tt, J., Th e Keys o f Power. A Study of Indian Rilual and Belief, Lond on "1932. Tucci, Giuseppe, The The01y and Practice of the MaQ(fala, tr. A. H. Brodrick,
Avalon, Arthur (pen name of Sir john Woodroffe, q.v.), Hymns to the London 1961.
Goddess, Madras 1973. Varenne, Jean, Yoga and the 1-linclu Tradirion, Chicago 1976.
- . Sak ti and Sakta, Madra s 1969. Williams, M. M onier, see M onier-\i\lilliams. M.
- - , Th e Se rp ent Po1ver, Madras ·1953, New York ,1974. Wooclrofie, Sir John (pen name Arthur Av11 lon, q.vJ The Carland of Lruer~
Beane, Wendell Charles, M y th, C ult and Symbols in S,'ikta I linduism , Leiden Studies in tlw manrra-5,istra, Madras ·1952. .,
'1977. Zimm er, H., Myths and Symbols in lndidn Ari and Civilization, eel. Joseph
Bharati, Agehanan cla, The Tanlric Traditi o n, London ·1965. Campbell, Washington '1946.
Bla ir. L.. Rhythm ' of \lisf()n, Londo n ·197'1. - -. Kum/ Form und Yoga im lnc/ischen Kultbild, Berlin ·1926.

·173
Index

I Yantras, maoc;lalas and Kamesvara Yantra 27 Sri Vidya Yantra see Nava-yoni Assamese (language) 10
Kamesvar1 Nitya Yantra 34 Chakra A~takor:ia (8-angled figure ) 32
chakras illustrated Krishr:ia Yantra 30 Sri Yantra 73, 135; 47, 57, 59, 62 Astrological yantras 23
Krishr:ia-dharar:ia Yantra 156 Sri (God dess of Good Fortune and Atharva Veda 70, 153
Illustrations in the lex! are indicaled Atman 75, 79, 80, 130-1 ; see also
Plenitude) Yantra 83
b y p age numbers, plates by numbers Maha Surya Yantra 147 Sthandila Mandala 144 Self
ilalicized. For texl references and Mahavajresvarl Nitya Yantra 40 Suda.rshana Y·a;,tra 1, 50 Avarar;ia Devatas, 53, 55; pu ja
listing of yanlras by types, see Gen- Marigala Yantra 6 102-5
Surya Paiicab ja Mai:ic;lala 147
eral index below.
Mai:i ipu ra Chakra 120 ; 66, 68 Surya Yantra 146; 8, 18 Axis, symbolism of 145, 148, 160
Manju-Ghosha Yantra 153 Svadishthana Chakra 120; 66, 68
0gni Yantra 82 Matarigl Yantra 59 Swastika Yantra 4 Bagala-mukhl (Mahavidya ) 60;
Ajiia Chakra 120; 66 Maya (Surya Saktil Yantra 146 mantra 60; yantra 59, 60
Akadam Chakra 156 Mrtunjaya Yantra 156 ; 18 Tara Yantra 59; 20, 58 Barabadur Stupa 148
Anahata Chakra 120; 66 Muladha ra Chakra 120; 66, 68 Trailokyamoh ana Chakra 110 Benares 23
Annapurr:ia Yantra 77, 79 Bengal state 10, 23, 58
A~talirigatobhadra Yantra 74 Narasimha-dharar:ia Yantra 158 Tripura-Bhairavl Yantra 59 Bengali (language) 10
Navagraha (Nine Planets) Yantra Tvarita Nitya Yantra 41 Bhagamalinl 142 ; Nitya 66
Bagala-mukhl Yantra 59; 77, 6 7, 92 148 Tvarita-dharar;ia Yan tr a 155 Bhagavad-Gita 100
Bala Yantra 79 Navapadma Mai:ic;Jal a 54 Bharati, Agehananda 68
Baladharana Yantra 84 Nava-yon i Chakra 72 Vahnivasinl Nitya Yantra 39 Bhavanopani$ad 109
Bandhan~oksha-karana Yantra 85 Nilpataka Nitya Yant ra 43 Varuna Mandala 73 Bherur:i d a (Ni tyal 66
Bhagamal inl Nitya Yantra 35 Nitya-Nitya Yantra 42 Vast~-Puru;ha Mai:ic;lala 144 Bhils tribe 160
Bhairava Yantra 146 Nityaklinna Nitya Yantra 36 Vijaya Nitya Yantra 44 Bhupura (oute r square space) 34,
Bherur:ic;la Nitya Yantra 3 7 Visarga-m a i:ic;l ala 72 110
Bhuvanesvarl Yantra 59; 9, 33 Orp Hrlri1 Yantra (of goddess Lal ita) Vishi:iu and Lakshmi Yantra 57 Bhutapasarar:ia (rite) 99
15 Vishr:iu Yantra 2; 52 Bhutasud dhi (rite ) 99
Chakra-vyuha 157 Orpkara Yantra 38 Vis uddha Chakra 120; 66 Bhuvanesvarl (Mahavid ya) 58;
Chakrabja Mar:ic;lala 55 Vi~vayoni Chakra 9 mantra 37, 58; yant ra 58- 9;
Chamunda Yantra 73 Purnesvarl Ya ntra 11 yantra-puja 102- 5
Chaya (Sbrya Sa kti ) Yantra 146 Yoginl Yantra 145 Bihar state see under Mithila
Chinnamasta Yantra 59 ; 23 Radha Yantra 32 Bindu 9, 22, 31 - 2, 37, 68, 71-3, 74-8,
Chitra Nitya Yantra 46 102, 109, 123-4, 129-30, 132, 142,
Cit-kur:ic;la Yantra 131 Sahasrara Ch a kra 120 ; 66, 69 II General index 148 , 157; Maha bin du 71-2; a s
Sarasvatl Yantra 147 p rimal symbol of c osmos, 71 - 2 ; -
Dhumavatl Yantra 59 Sarva marigala Nitya Yantra 45 Plate numbers are italicized state 130, 69 ; symbolism in Kall
Durga Dharar:ia Yantra 39 Sarvananda m aya Ch akra 118 Yant ra 55-6; sym bol ism in Sri
Durga Yantra 74, 6 7 Sarvaraksakara Chakra 112 Abastra c tion of yantra 10, 136- 41 Yantra 70-3; types of 31
Out/ Nitya Ya ntra see Sivadutl Sarva rogahara Chakra 117 Adya Nitya 65-6, 73 Body 23 ; - cosmos 22, 123 ; and
Sarvarthasadhaka Chakra 11 2 Agehanan da see Bharati deities 108; - mar:ic;lala 65, 124 ;
Ekalirigato bhadra Yantra 70 Sarvasarikshobhana Chakra 111 0harpkara (ego-sense ) 40, 56, 74-5 ritual 35, 99, 101 ; - yantra 23- 4,
Sarvasaparipurak~ Chakra 110 Ajna (eyebrow) Chakra 42 , 120- 4 80, 118, 119- 24 ; yantra drawn on
Gar:iesha Yantra 48, 49 Sarva saubhagyadayaka Chakra 111 Akadam Chakra 156 156 ; see also Su btle body
Gayatrl Yantra 41 , 147 Sarvasiddhiprada Chakra 117 Akasa (ether element) 34, 71 , 100 Brahma 21, 32, 42, 54. 77, 120, '144
Guhya-Ka l/ Yantra 8 1 Sarvato bhadra Yantra 72 Al ipana 23 Brah man 123. 129 ; ar:i~la - rupa 67
Savitrl Yan t ra 147 All-point 9; see also Bindu Brah marandhra (palate) Chakra 123
Kala Bh airava C h akra 53 Shyam -Ka /T Yan t ra 94 Alphabetica l yantra 37 Brhadara0yaka Upanishad 9
Ka ll Ya ntra (see also Guyha and Siva Yant ra 18 Amulets 154, 156 Buddhist mar:ic;lalas 22- J , 148
Shya m ) 55, 59 ; 26 Siva-dh a rar:ia Yantra 159 Anahata (heart ) Chak ra 42, 120- 4
Kalyar:ia Chakra 76 Sivadutl Nitya Yantra 38 Anavopaya sect 124 Ce lt ic motif 24
Kamaka /a Yantra 144 Sma r-ha ra Ya ntra ·142 Archetypal spac e 29- 34, 37, 44, Centre, the 9, 10, 31 , 34 , 76, 109,
Ka m ala Yantra 59 Soda s/ Ya n tra 59 98- 100, 106 118, 129, 131 , 142, 145; 70, 71 , 20 :
Ka mesva ra a nd Kamesvari Yantra Sri ·chakra se e Sri Yan tra Ardhanarls wara (andro gyn o u s symbolism of 29 ; see also Bi n du
27 Sri Ch a kra-pa tra Yantra 28 deity ) 68 Chakrabja Mai:ic;Jala 98

17 4
Chak ras 77, 10S, 109, 110; and Sri Harappan culture 10 Liriga (and yoni) 67, 68; types of 124 ; Nava-Durga (deity) 156
Vidya Mantra 42 ; o f Sri Yant ra 77, Hastakara Yantra 160 yantras 70, 74 Navagraha Yantra 148
78, 109-10 ; o f subtle body 42, 120, Hexagon, symbolism of 32, 60, 103, Lokapalas (guardian deities) 34 Navah o Indians 24
133 121, 124 Lotus 32- 3, 5S-fi, SB-9, 77-8, 99, Nava-yoni 77; Chakra 42-3, 58; 72
Ch akra-vyuha 1S7 Hindi (language) 10 102-4, 110-1 1, 120-1, 123, 133, Nepal 123
C h akrodaya med itation 124 Hindu pantheon SS, 77; tradition, 136 Nilapataka Nitya 66
Chinnam asta (Mahav idya ) S8-9; 23, S7, 143; trinity 2, 32, 39, S4, 77 Nine p_lanets, symbolism of 148
m antra S8; yantra S9 Hologram, yan tra as 9, 142 Macrocosm see Microcosm/ macro- Nitya Saktis 22, 65-6, 69
Chitra (Nityal 66 Hrlrp (seed mantra) 34, 37, 42 cosm Nityaklinna Nitya 66
Circle, symb o lism of 9, 32, 56, S8, Madhyama 37, 76 Nitya-Nitya 66
77-8, 102, 121 , 124, 142, 14S lc;la (psychic ch an nell 69, 122 Magic 153, 160; circle 29 ; d iagrams Number sym bolism 39, 98, 133-4,
Cit (Consciousn ess) 43, 73, 74; - Involution 80, 102, 10S; see a/so 22; 'six rites' 157- 8; yan tras 145, 160; of chakras 120; of Om
kui;i~la, 129; yan tra 131 Cosmic evolution/ involution 153-f>O, 82,83-91, 93 38 ; and Sri Yantra 77-9, 123, 133;
Colour, symbo lism of ·101 , 124, lshfa-devata 12, 101 Maha Gayatrl Temple, Orissa 147 of triads 76-9, 106, 123-4, 133 ;
133- 4, 1S7, 160 ;ch ak ras, 121 ;and Islamic art 24 Mahabharata 67 and yantra of Nitya Saktis 65
directions o f sp ace 133 Mahakala Samhita 54 Nyasa (rite) 98, 100, 101 ; types of 35,
Compositional yantras 146 Jai Si ngh, Emp eror 1 ·1 MahanirvaQa ·Tantra 99, 133 101; see also Matrika-nyasa
Coomaraswamy, A. K. 13S Jaina yantras 23 Mahavajresvarl Nitya 66
Cosm ic evo luti o n / in vo lutio n Jaipur 11 Mahavidyas, the 57-f>O, 1-16 ; 9, 77, Occult yantras see Magic
70-80 ; cycle 42, 7S, 78-9; phases Jam una river 23 20, 22,23, 26,33,58, 67, 92 Orp (seed mantra) 31, 37- 9, 44,
76, 78 ; time 77-9; ti me and Jantar-Man tar 11 Malayalam (language) 10 120-1
yantras 6S, 77-9; womb 76-7 Jiiaendriya (sense organs) S6, 72, Malinlvijayoltara Tan1ra 76 Orpkara Yantra 38
Creation see Cosmic evolu- 74-S, 77 Mandala Sarvasva 147-8 O rissa state 146-7
t ion/i nvolution and Sri Yantra Jnanarnava Tantra 69 Ma~~alas 23-4, 98, 109, 143-4, 146,
Cym at ics 44 Jung, C. G. 24 148 Padma-kshetra 33; see also Chak ras
Jvalamalinl Nitya 66 Marigala Ghata 23, 5 Pa iicha-makara 100
Dasa-Mahavidyas see Mahavidyas Jyegha 42, 76 Ma i;iipura (navel) Chakra 42, 120-1, Paiichopacara (ritual ingredients)
De ities, yantras as dwell ings of 12, 123 ; 66, 68 101
20, S3, SS; 8, 7 7, 18, 21; see also Kala 65, 73, 74 Mantra 21-2, 31, 36-9, 40, 43-4, 55, Para 37
Sakti clusters, Avarana Devatas Kall 12, 21, 30, 37, 39, 54-S, S8-9. 98-9, 100, 102, 121, 130, 141 ; of Parvatl 21, 54, 57
Delh i ·11 . 133, 24; Avarai:ia deities of S5: Avarai;ia puja 102-5; blja (seed ) Pashyanti 37, 76
Devi, nine names of 133 ; see also emblem of 32; - Kula 5S; yantra 22,31 , 34, 37-8,42, 44,58,69, 101 , Patanjali 107
Devi Kundalinl 21, 30-1, SS-fl, 7S 120- 1, 158; expanded mantra 40; Pentagon 32 ; occult '160; sym-
Devlbhiig~v~ta Purarya S7 Kali Tantra SS of Mahaviclyas 58-f>O; ritual man - bolism in the Kall Yantra 55-fi, 94
Devi Kui; c;la li nl 69, 121-2 Kalika Purana 69 tras 44; yantra 38, 102 ; yantra- Pirigala (psychic channel) 69, 122
'Uev1-Mahatmya' 136 Kamakala Yantra ·144, '145-6 ma ntra 34 Pl~ha- st hana 21, 31, 57; 76
Devi Upanishad S4 K,'imakalavi/asa 53, 69, 71, 76 Marai:ia ('six rites' ) 157-8 Prakriti (material nature) 37, 56, 67,
Dharai:ia Yantras 39, 154- 6, 157-9 Kamala (Mahavidya ) 59-f>O; mantra Marka1J<feya Pura1.1a 55, 136 72, 74- 5, 79, 133
Dhu mavati(Mahavidya) 60 ; mantra 60 ; yantra 59 Matarigl(Mahavidyal 59, 60 ; yantra Prai:ia (vital breath) 33, 38, 56, 98,
60; yantra S9 Kamaralna Tantra 154 59 1·12, 124
Digbandhana (rite) 99 Kamesvarl Nitya 42, 66 Matrika Sakti 36-7, 110 P rar;iaprat i~~ha !rite) 98- 100, 106,
Dlksha (rite) 97 ; types of 97-8; Kaiichukas 72, 74, 80 Matrika-nyasa (rite) 36 108
Dissolut ion, rite o f see Vis arjana Karmend riya 56 Maya 37, 56, 11, 79-80, 130; Maha Prai:iayama 99, 107
Dreams, in yantra consecrat ion 1S9 Karpuradistolra 55;-f> 56; Sakt i 71 , 74-5, 130 Prayaga (sacred city) 23
Durga 12, S4-S, 136, 60 ; yantra, 136 Kashmir 10, 124 ; Saivism 36 Meru, 1\1\ount 119, 148 Psycho-cosmic symbolism 21, -13,
Dutl Nitya 66 Kaula sect, 10, 98, 129 Metals 22; symbol ism of 156 ; 92 108, 124; see also Microcosm/
Kaulavafinirryaya 1 29, 131 Microcosm/m acrocosm 21- 2, 36, macrocosm
Elements, the fi ve 36, S4, 72, 74-6, Konarak '146-7, 148 74-5, 77, 106, 108, 122 ; see also Pu ja (rit ual worsh ip ) 12, 23, 97,
124 ; m ed ita tion on 124 Krlrp (seed mantra ) 34, 37. 69 Psycho-cosmic sym bolism 100-6, 110 ; chakra 97 ; pl\ha 99 ;
Krishi:ia 12, 156 Mithila (13ihar state) 58, ·156 see also Avarai;ia puja
Fi re alta rs see Vedi c altars Kularr.1ava Tantra 34 Mohen jo-d aro 8 Puri;iabhiseka (rite) 98
Five, sym bolism of number 38, 39. Kumar! pC1 ja 65 Moon, symbolism of 2-1, 65-fi, 1 ·19, Purusha (male principle) 32, 54, 56,
133 Kui:i~lal i nl 1·19-21 ; - yoga and 121, ·156; see also Number sym- 67, 74- 5
Folk ya n tra s '160 yantra symbo lism ·122- 4, ·142, 68 bol ism
Mritunjaya Yantra ·156 Rajas (quality of material nature) 40,
Ga nges river 23 La kshmi 34, 54 Mudra (types of) 100-1, "105-fi 65. 74- 5, 98, 1·11, 133, 145
C aryita Kaumudi 31, 134, ·1s7 Lakshmi Tantra 98 Muladh ara (root) Chakra -1 2, 120-4 Raq1 (seed mantra of fire ) 120- 1, ·153
Ca rbh agriha 143-4 Lakshmlclh ara 135 Mula-triko1)a see Triangle Ramaprasad 56
Caya t rl 1v\antra 39-41 , .u_ 100 ; Lalita 65. 73, -io2. 118 Murti (icon ) 12, "!36 Ra1igoli 23
ya ntra 40- 1 ; ya ntra of Maha LcJ/it5sahasranama 1OS Mus, Paul 148 Rasi-ch akra 36
Cayat rl Tem pl e 147 Laq1 (seed mantra of ea rth ) 120- 1, Raudrl 42, 76
158 Nada (primal sound) 21 , 36, 73, 134 Rig Veda 119
Harri lseed mantra of etherl 120-·1. Laya-krama 130. 135 Natha (tantric cult) 10, 122, 153 Ritual 80. 97. 98 100. 107: initiation
1'>8 Lila 67 'a\-Ma1)i;lir (Konarakl 1-18 of sadhaf..a 97-8 ; occult 159 ; of

·175
yantra construction 135; of yantra Sattva (quality of material nature) 111, 112, 120-3 Kama-Kala 76; of Sri Yantra 70,
see Prar;iapratigha, Puja, V isjarna 40, 6S, 74- S, 98, 117, 133, 14S Sufi 24 76-7; see also Mula-trikor;ia
Ritual worship see Puja Saundaryalaharl 13S, 1S4 Sun, symbol ism of 23, 119, 122, 156; Trika see under Kashmir Saivism
Sayantra Sunya-Samhita 38 see also Surya Trikala Mahamaya Acanl Vidh/147
$ac;langa (science of forms) 132 Scu lpture, yantras for, see Com- Surya (Sun God) 29, 30, 39, 146-7; Tripura 77, 108; yantra 69
Sahasrara (highest) Chakra 42, 69, positional yantras Pai'icabja Mar;ic;lala 146-7; Saktis T ripura-Bhairavi (Mahavidya) 59, 77;
120-3; 66, 69 Seals 10; 4 147; yantra 146 mantra 59; yantra 59
Saiva Purana 67 Self 9, 33, 79-80; see also Atman Sushumna (central channel of Tripura-Sundarl 37, 43, 73, 77, 102,
Saiva ( = ~f Siva) yantras 68-9; 18, Shanti (rite) 157 psychi~ body) 69, 99, 121 , 129 156
53, 70, 73, 74 Shilpi-yogins 11 Svadishthana Chakra 42, 120-3 Trividha-Bala 77
Saiva-Sakta theory of evolu- Siddhi (powers) 1S9 Swastika 10, 33 Tutela r diety see lshta-devata
tion/ involution 70-80 ~ilpa-Prakasa 144-6 Tvarita Nitya 66
Sakta (sect worshipp ing female Siva 21 , 31, 42, 54, S7, 67-8, 70-1, 77, Tamas (quality of material nature)
principle) 60, 67, 70, 78; initiation 79, 122, 133, 154; as eight Bhai- 40, 65, 74-5, 98, 117, 133, 145 Uccatan (rite) 1S7
ceremonies 97; yantra 69; 3, 12, ravas 34; fivefold epithets of 32, Tam il (language) 10; siddhais 10, Upan,ishads see Brhadarar:iyaka and
14, 15, 17-20, 22-3, 26, 33-47, 34; as Kamesvara 32; mantra 38, 160 Devi
. 56- 9, 61- 4, 67, 76, 81, 92, 94 39; as Mrtunjaya 1S6; as Sariwit Tanmatras 38, 74 Utta-sadhana 122
~akta pramodaf:i 59 70, 74; and Sati S7; tattva 74; Tanlraraja Tantra 65, 78
Sakti 31, 33-4, 42, 56, 65, 67-8, 70-1, . yantras see Saiva Tantras 10, 21, 36, 55, 60, 70, 79, 97, Vahnivas inl Nitya 66
77, 97-8, 102, 106, 122, 144- 5; Siva Samhita 123 119, 154; of the Mahavidyas 58; Vaikharl 76
~lusters 56-66 (see also Nitya Siva-dharana Yantra 1S9 see also under Bhavanopani~ad, Vaisnava yantras see Vishr;iu
Saktis and Mahavidyas); emblem Siva/ Sakti 21, 42, 67-9, 70-7, 79. Devi Upanishad, Jiianarnava Vajresvarl 42
of 32; lccha 74, 76; Jnana- 74, 76; 121, 130, 132 Tantra, KaTika Purar:ia, Kafl Tantra, Vak 37
metaphysical basis of S3-4; kriya Smar-hara Yant ra 142 Kamakalavilasa, Kamaratna Tantra, Vaf)l (seed mant ra) 120-1
74, 76 ; Mudra 110 ; per- $oc;la5i S8- 9, 73; mantra 58; yantra Karpuradistotra, KaulavaflnirQaya, Varna 42, 76
sonifications of S7; of Siva SS 70 · S8, S9 Kulanava Tantra, Lakshmi Tantra, Varahi Temple 145
see a/so Matrika Saktis; for ya~tra; Sound see Madhyama, Mantra, Lalitasahasranama, Mahakala Sarp- Varivasya-Rahasya 42
see Sakta Nada Para, Pashyanti, Spho~a, h ita, Mahanirvana Tantra, Vashikarana (rite) 1S7
Samadhi 109, 130-1 Vaikharl, Vak Malinlvijayo!lara Ta~lra, Ma:.ic;Jala Vastu-Pur~sha Mar;ic;lala 143-5
Samaranganasutradhara 11 Spho~a 37 Sarvasva, Saiva PuraQa, Sakta- Veda S4, 119
Samaya (Samayacara) sect 109, 124 Spiral symbol ism of 38, 76, 154 pramodal,i, Sar~atila ka Tan,tra, Vedic altars 10, 141-2, 3, 71;
Samkhya (number) 134 Square, symbolism of 33, 34, 68, Saundaryalaharl, Silpa-Prakasa, Siva cosmos 142; origins of Kari 55;
Samkhya (system of thought) 43 77-8, 102, 109-10, 123-4, 131 , 142, Samhita, Srlvidyar0ava Tantra, Tant- theology 54
Samvit 73-4 147 raraja Tantra, Tantrasara, Tararah- Vidve~ana (rite) 1S7
Sankara 70 Sri Chak ra 70, 77; see also SrlYant ra asya, Varivasya-Rahasya, Yamala Vijya Nitya 66
Sanskrit (language) 10; symbolism Srlm (seed mantra) 34
0
Tantra, Yantracintamal)i Vima r5a 71, 73
of consonants 69 ; symbolis m of Sri Yantra 31, 43, 97, 101, 109; 47, Visarga-mai:ic;lala 71, 72
grammar 37; symbolism of letters 57, 59, 62, 65, 76; construction of Tantrasara 36, 136, 153, 155, 156, 159 Vishr;iu 12, 21, 32, 39, 42, 53-4, 57,
A and H 76; of H 71; symboli sm 134- S; m editation on 109-1 2, Tantric renaissance 10, 54; ritual 77, 98, 120 ; yantras of p. 2 (front is-
of vowels 43, 69 117-18, 123- 4 ; nine circuits of initiation 10, 97-8 ; sadhana 10; piece), 1, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55
Saradatilaka Tantra 36 109- 10, 123, 133; as symbol of texts see Tantras; tradition s 22-3 Vi suddha Chakra 42, 120-3
Sarvamarigala Nitya 66 cos mic evolution/i nvolution Tara (Mahavidya) 58, 59 ; mantra 58 ; Void, the 54, 70-1, 118, 129
Sarvanandamaya chak ra 110 70-80; symboli sm of Meru type yantra 58, S9
Sarvaraksakara 110, 112 123-4 Tararahasya 35 Yajur Veda 29
Sa rvarogahara 110 SrlVidya worship42, S5, 58, 70, 105; Tattvas (cosm ic categories) 43, 70, Yaf)l (seed mantra of air) 120-1, 158
Sarvarthasa dh aka chakra 109 112 mant ra 42, 43 72, 74- 7, 79, 120, 123 Yamafa Tantra 36, 37
Sarvasanksh obana chakra 109 11 1 Srlvidyar0ava ~antra 39 Tibetan tradition 22 Yanlracintamal)i 1 S4, 158- 9
Sarvasaparipusaka chakra 109 ' Sri ~t i - krama (Sri Yantra construc- Time, cosmic (Nitya Sakt is) 65; cycle Yuga (the four cosmic ages) 65
Sa rvasaubhagyadayaka chakra 109, tion ) 80, 135 of 77- 9 Yoginl Yantra 145
111 - 12 Stambhana (rite) 157 Trailokyamohan a chakra 109 Yoni 124; and linga 67- 8; mai:ic;lala
Sarva to bh adra 34; Mandala 98 Sth~r;idila,Mar;ic;lala 144 Triangle, symbolism of 31, 32, 42, 32; pit h a 68
Sat! 21 ..
Stupa 148 57- 9, 68, 71 , 121, 123- 4, 132, 136,
$atkarma (rite) 157- 8 Sub tle body 22, 31 , 33, 38, 69, 105, 142, 160 ; of Kari Yantra 56; as Zen painte rs 141

ACKN OWLED G ME NTS Cian cimino, London 3, 91; Robert Ronald Nameth 6S; Jan Wich ers, Konarka (Boner, Sa rma and Das) ·
Fraser, London 4, 1 5, 66, 69 ; M adhu Hamburg 64. plate 49 is after Hindu Polytheisn~
W o rks illustrated are drawn from Khanna 48, 50-3, 82-6, 93; Ajit Illustrations on pp. 143, 144 centre (Danielou) ; p. 42 is after Varivasya-
the fo llowing collections: M oo kerjee 2, 5, 7, 13, 14, 17- 21 , 28, and 145 bel ow are reproduced from Rahasyam ; plates 54, 55 are from
A rchaeological Survey of India, New 29, 31 - 47, 56- 63, 70, 72- 4. 76, Living Architecture : India (Volwa- the work Lak~ ml Tantra (Cupta).
D elhi 4 below ; p.10; A chim Bedri ch, 87- 90, 92, 94, 95; pp. 2, 8, 39, 41 ; hasen); p. 144 top is after The /-/in du
Mun ic h 16 ; Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum fur lndische Ku nst, Be rlin Temple (Kramrisch ) ; drawings pp. Diagrams are d rawn by Peter
Banares 9- 12, 26- 7, 67- 8, 77-8< 6 ; Priya Mo okerjee (photographs ) 146 below, 147, 148 top are afte r Bridgewater ; San skrit lett ering is
Brit ish Muse um, London 8; J. C. 24, 25, 75; private co llection 22, 23; New Light on th e Sun Te mple of by Stephen Thompson .

1 76
$12.95
)

The yantra is the tool of ritual and meditation, the power A tool of personal fulfillment, the yantra is also a complex aspect of the yantra i~ explored, f~om its relited...sound'r
diagram which allo,ws man to make the spiritual journey of symbolic construct with multiple layers of metaphysical patterns, metaphysics, rituars and use in meditafion, to its
return to the primordial center, and finally to intuit the unity of meaning. Madhu Khanna illuminates the correspondence be- application to temple archite'cture and sculpture, and, in tradi-
self and cosmos. In this first comprehensive and richly illus- tween geometric configurations and concepts - from the tional Indian life, its continuEfd use in " black" and "white"
trated study, the author explains step by step the dynamics of primal unity of the male and female principles, represented by magic and as a talisman. \ \ ·
the process by which the yantra aids man to return to his the mystic point, the bindu, to the multiplicity of the world of Madhu Khanna is a scholar of'l;ifstern and Western philoso-
original wholeness. • appearances, unfolding outwards in concentric circuits. Every phy, and co-author with Ajit Mook~r[ee of The Tantric Way.
.,
.,

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On the cover:
The prlmordlel triengle,
r,'lnbol of the Supreme
Goddna. Ret1ath1n,
c._ 17th century.

..
With 95 pjates, 38 in color and 86 line drawings 500 Fifth Avenue; New Yort; New York 10110
•.

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