Role of Tantra, Mantra & Yantra in Jyotish

Jyotish is a Sanskrit word, which means the science of light. ‘Jyoti’ as also its synonym ‘Prakasha’ in Sanskrit mean light. As per the Agama Sastras, ‘Prakasha’ is the Eternal light without which nothing can manifest or appear. It is the Shiva Tattwa- the Immutable Absolute-of the Shaivite philosophy. The Shiva Tattwa (Prakasha or Jyoti) possesses three basic traits in potential form namely the Ichha shakti (will power), Jnana shakti (knowledge power) and the Kriya shakti (power to do or doership). The Prakasha/Jyoti by the evolutionary process manifests as Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha becoming the subjective manifestation of Prakasha and Prakriti or the world of objects or nature becoming the objective manifestation of Prakasha. Purusha here signifies the individual being whereas Prakriti is the unique world of the individual. Each Purusha has his own unique Prakriti. From the grossest standpoint, that is from the standpoint of the individual body-mind-intellect-ego being, the world of nature around the being, which is within its realm of experience is Prakriti; from a more subtle standpoint, that of the mind, even the body of the being becomes the part of Prakriti; from a more subtler standpoint of the intellect both the body & the mind become the part of the Prakriti whereas from the subtlest standpoint of Consciousness even the intellect is a part of total Prakriti. Thus from the subtlest standpoint all manifestation falls in the realm of Prakriti. Purusha & Prakriti have been called as the Kshetragna and Kshetra in the Bhagwad Geeta even though the concept of Kshetragna & Kshetra is not exactly the same as Purusha & Prakriti. This in brief is the philosophical understanding of the evolutionary process leading to the manifestation of each individual subject and his objective world. This entire process is also conditioned by the cosmic laws governing the Karmic balance of the previous births for living beings.
From the foregoing it is clearly evident that Jyoti or Prakasha is the fundamental principle of creation. The science, which studies this entire process and correlates the cause & effect of each individual birth, the individual personality, surroundings, pattern of life etc. as well as the happenings & events in nature, is called Jyotish. Jyotish bases its derivations on the disposition of the Astral bodies in movement, through different constellations on the elliptical path called the Zodiac, while orbiting the Sun; hence it is called Astrology in English. Jyotish thus takes into account the causes at the Cosmic level and links them to the effects at the perceptual or the mundane level in terms of the events & happenings in the world both in the subjective and the objective domains, known as Individual Horoscopy & Mundane Astrology respectively.
At the cosmic level the movement and positioning of the seven classical astral bodies such as the Sun, Moon, Saturn etc. on the Zodiac, in the different constellations or Nakshatras as observed from the Earth, form the matrix of the causative factors, which are analyzed by the Astrological principles & formulas to determine the effects on the beings and their surroundings on earth. Jyotish calls these astral bodies as Grahas.
It must be brought forward at this juncture that Prakasha or the Shiva Tattwa is different from the Brahman of the Shankara or the Vedic school of philosophy since Brahman is Pure Knowledge having neither Ichha shakti nor Kriya shakti thereby being incapable of creation by itself and this is why the Shankara philosophy depends upon Maya (Ignorance) for the manifestation of the universe; but wherefrom Maya comes into play is not explained. If Maya is other than Brahman then Shankara’s philosophy becomes dualistic and if Maya is a manifestation of Brahman then Brahman cannot be inert. Thus the Shankara’s philosophy is unable to explain the process of creation as systematically as the Agama Shastras or the Shaivite philosophy and therefore Jyotish Shastra falls more in line with the later. This is the reason why I claim that basically Jyotish is pre-Vedic or non-Vedic in its evolution even though the Vedas have acclaimed that Jyotish is the ‘Eye’ of the Vedas, which only indicates that even the Vedic researchers & compilers gave their greatest regard to the science of Astrology for understanding the evolutionary & the involutionary processes. This is also historically proven by the fact that one of the founding fathers of Jyotish, Maharishi Parashar was the father of Maharishi Vyaasa, who is credited with the editing & the compilation of the Vedas.
The question that now arises is that-

If the causative factors are to be taken at the Cosmic level then why only the seven astral bodies-Sun, Moon, Saturn, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter & Mars- are taken into consideration by Astrology?

Well, the answer is as follows:- There are innumerable unique Solar systems in the Cosmos, each with a Sun at the center with the other planetary bodies orbiting it. Our solar system is having the Sun at the center with the five planets (other than the Earth)-Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn- as well as the Earth’s satellite Moon orbiting it, hence Jyotish has identified the movement of these five planets on the Zodiac along with the Sun & Moon as the basic causative factors for all the happenings on earth. The Zodiac is the elliptical path around the Sun, along which the planets are orbiting the Sun. This path is dotted by groups of stars all through its circumference, which are referred to as Constellations in English & the Nakshatras in Sanskrit. The astral bodies passing through these constellations create specific & uniquely different effects; hence the Nakshatras, which are 27 in number, are equally important causative factors for effects on earth. Thus the seven astral bodies along with the twenty-seven Nakshatras actually form the basic causal cosmic matrix for the effects on earth.
Modern Astronomy has identified some other planets or planet like bodies in our Solar system however Indian Astrology does not consider them to be basic factors for determining the effects on earth. Indian philosophy postulates the principle of homogeneity in creation i.e. that which exists in the Brahmanda exists in the Pinda and vice versa- which means that which exists in the cosmos is represented in the material world including the human body. The human body has seven chakras each of these chakras corresponds to one of the seven Astral bodies mentioned earlier and these chakras are instrumental to the functioning of the entire human system hence by the rule of homogeneity, the determining factors at the Cosmic level can only be seven which have been identified as the seven Grahas.
The same question was answered by the great Greek Astro-mathematician Pythagoras from a uniquely different perspective. Pythagoras demonstrated that there could only be five regular or Platonic solids whose sides were regular polygons and there could not be a sixth such structure. On the basis of this fact he argued that there could be only five set of planetary orbits around the Sun, each corresponding to one of the Platonic solids excluding of course the Earth. Add to these five planetary bodies the Sun & the Moon and we get the seven Astral bodies, which are the fundamental causative factors for effects on earth. This theory also clearly rules out the existence of other planets of any consequence to the effects on Earth.

This aspect also gets established by modern Physics. The famous equation E=MC2 determines that any mass is but a product of Energy. Light is the visible or the manifested form of energy. When light gets diffracted the visible Spectrum, which emerges is a band of seven colors (VIBGYOR) corresponding to the seven basic frequencies of Light. Thus it can be derived that any manifested form of creation (mass) is actually a unique mix of the seven basic frequencies of Light. It shall be interesting to note that these seven colors correspond to the seven auras of the seven astral bodies-Sun, Moon etc., which proves the points made here-in-above. A doubt arises at this juncture that does the rest of the spectrum beyond the visible spectrum have no role in the play of life whatsoever? First of all the spectrum comes into picture only when light gets diffracted hence under normal circumstances the different frequencies of light do not cause an effect individually. Secondly the visible part of the spectrum comes into play because those frequencies are reflected back on earth by the different planets as auras. Moreover the ozone layer on the periphery of our atmosphere filters away most of the ultraviolet radiation, which is harmful for our survival. On the whole therefore it is the visible part of the spectrum reflected by different planetary bodies, which actually influences creation on earth as described here-in-earlier.
Western Astrology has its roots in Astronomy whereas its Indian counterpart-Jyotish is the spirit of the science of Astronomy. Jyotish sees the Universe as a structure of auras representing the different frequencies of Light, which influence Life in general including beings, events & happenings. The understanding of Indian Astrology is basically different from Western Astrological concepts because the western idea of a planet is that of a mass of matter rotating around the sun in a fixed orbit whereas the Indian concept of a Graha is that of ruling spirits for each planetary body known as the Devtaas & the Adhidevataas – the ruling Deity & it’s subordinate deities. It is for this reason that the Remedial measures in Indian Astrology focus on the ruling deities for each planet either by the way of chanting Mantras or by the use of Yantras for invoking their blessings.
Even though it is difficult to comprehend that the entire universe of sentient & insentient beings along with all the events & happenings on a day to day basis are actually based only on the matrix of the seven auras or the seven basic frequencies of Light-it is undoubtedly True. Thus it can be derived from this fact that the set of basic causative factors for the entire process of life on earth is the matrix of the seven auras corresponding to the seven specific Grahas i.e. the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter & Saturn.

These seven auras are influenced by the two shadows of the Moon called Rahu & Ketu, which cut across the elliptical path moving in the reverse direction to that of the Grahas. Rahu & Ketu in some ways behave like the Grahas and therefore have been included in the causal matrix for the purpose of analysis by Jyotish.
In this way Jyotish is the unique science, which establishes the principles & rules for identifying the cause or causes at the Cosmic level for all events & happenings on earth and therefore it is also in a position to provide for corrective or remedial measures for modifying the effects at the perceptual levels.
Jyotish is a science for Human welfare since it helps in both identifying the cosmic level causes as well as in providing appropriate & effective corrective measures for the modification of the effects in both the subjective & the objective domains.
On the basis of the points made so far, it is established that Jyotish is in a position to identify the causes for the happenings on earth but the methodology employed by Jyotish for such identification needs to be evaluated for its sufficiency as well as accuracy. For this purpose, let us list out the manner in which the Grahas can affect the beings on earth and then see if Jyotish takes the factors so identified into account.
The Grahas can influence the beings & events on earth by:-

1) their positioning on the Zodiac at a given time;
2) the positioning of the recipient of their radiation on earth at the given time;
3) the astral constitution of the recipient;

If the methodology of Jyotish takes into account the above three factors, then it can be arrived at, that the methodology of Jyotish is based on relevant premises and it does not lack in sufficiency.
The points 1 & 2 are taken care of by the transitory positions of the orbiting Grahas at any given time as well as by the location of the recipient on earth, which are taken into account by Jyotish for analyzing and making the predictions at any given time.
The point no. 2 & 3 here-in-above are taken care of, by the birth horoscope of the individual being. The birth horoscope is the mapping of the different Grahas as per their placement on the Zodiac at the time of birth with reference to the birth ascendant, which is that part of the Zodiac, which was rising on the eastern horizon at the place of birth at the time of birth.

The birth horoscope thus forms the matrix, which determines the constitution of the concerned being in terms of his body, mind, intellect & ego.
It thus is clearly established that Jyotish does take into account the above mentioned three factors hence there is no lack of sufficiency in the methodology adopted by Jyotish. As regards the accuracy of the results from the methodology adopted by Jyotish, the same needs to be established empirically. I can only add that in my experience of more than twenty-five years of Astrological practice, the accuracy of predictions based on the methodology of Jyotish is very high. I would like to give some examples in which I have found nearly cent percent accuracy in the findings from the astrological analysis.

1. The weakness and affliction of Jupiter along with the weakness & affliction of the fifth house in a horoscope is sure to cause liver/pancreas related disorders such as jaundice and/or diabetes etc..
2. The weakness & affliction of the ninth house and the weakness & affliction of Jupiter in a horoscope shall cause misfortunes in life, difficulties in higher education as well as delays & obstacles in all pursuits in life.
3. The weakness & affliction of the tenth house and the weakness & affliction of the Sun in a horoscope shall result in loss of name & fame, criticism & censure as well as problems from the Govt. agencies.
4. The weakness & affliction of the fourth house and the weakness & affliction of the Moon in a horoscope shall cause loss of concentration, lack of mental peace, disturbed childhood, disturbed education and lack of family happiness.
5. The weakness & affliction of the seventh house in a man’s horoscope as well as the weakness & affliction of Venus shall cause marital discord and even divorce depending on the intensity of the said afflictions.

The list of combinations for guaranteed results is a long one and I have highlighted only a few here. Even then I feel that a concerted effort for creating a large database is required to establish the accuracy & the efficacy of the methodology of Jyotish.

There is no doubt that Jyotish is well founded to determine the causes for all the experiences on earth in terms of the past, present & future and therefore it is in a position to provide methods for making modifications to these effects by influencing the specific cause or causes for these effects. The question that arises at this juncture is-

How does the Karmik bondage or the Karmik balance of previous lives gets incorporated or reflected in the birth horoscope of an individual being?

The answer to this lies in the fact that the planetary configuration in a given moment reflecting a particular future pattern of life attracts a particular Jeeva to take birth at that moment which matches with the karmic balance of that Jeeva to be exhausted by it in the coming life. Then if that is the case another point, which needs to be clarified is that-

If the experiences in the life of an individual are due to the Karmik balance from his past lives to be exhausted by that individual in the present life then is it possible to reverse or modify in any manner the destined experiences?

To answer this question I shall refer to the shlokas-9, 11 & 12 of the third chapter of the Bhagwad Geeta. In these shlokas lord Krishna declares as follows:-

Yagnaarthat karmano anyatra loko ayam karmbandhanah.
Tadarth karm kaunteya muktasangah samachar.

The essence of the 9th Shloka is that an individual creates bondage by his actions except when the actions are undertaken in the spirit of sacrifice.

Devan bhavyatanen te deva bhavayantuvah.
Parasparam bhavyantah shreyah paramvapsyatha.

The essence of the 11th Shloka is that when the Devtaas are nourished they nourish you in turn. By thus nourishing one another the highest good can be achieved.

Ishtanbhogan hi vo deva dasyante yagyabhavitah.
Tairdattanpradayaibhyo yo bhungkte eva sah.

The essence of the 12th Shloka is that the Devtaas nourished by the sacrifice will give the desired results. However enjoying the boons given by the Devtaas without offering to them in return is an act of theft.

The above mentioned three shlokas of the third chapter of the Bhagwad Geeta postulate the principle for the creation of bondage referred to as the Karmik balance. It is also brought out that the Devtaas are duty bound to give desired boons if they are approached appropriately. Thus two principles for escaping the Karmik bondage have been brought out in these shlokas, the first one being preventive thus futuristic in nature and the other one being corrective in nature. The two principles are-

1. No bondage is created if the action is undertaken in the spirit of sacrifice;
And
2. By approaching the Deities in an appropriate manner, the desired results can be obtained.

Thus there is no doubt that it is possible to modify and/or negate the effects of the Karmik balance from previous lives. The question that now arises is that-

Are the methods for correction/modification of destined experiences available with Jyotish always applicable or there are situations in which they are ineffective?

To answer this question we have to understand the theory of Karma in a little more detail. The intensity of the Karmik bondage can be classified into three categories namely the Dridha Karmik bondage, the Dridha-Adridha Karmik bondage and the Adridha Karmik bondage.

1. The Dridha Karmik bondage is certain, confirmed & strong and it is difficult to change; Buddha called it “ written in stone”.

2. The Dridha-Adridha Karmik bondage is of intermediate intensity and it can be changed through determined effort & perseverance;

3. The Adridha Karmik bondage can be changed easily by an individual’s good actions, good choices and by the remedial measures. Buddha called it “ written on sand”.

As is evident from the above that there are certain types of Karmik bondages, which cannot be changed at all. These are related to birth, parentage, basic tendencies in nature and the environment of birth etc.. The axiom “ Niyatee Kena Vadhyate” applies to this type of Karmik bondage. There are certain types of Karmik bondage, which need intense discipline and intense effort for bringing about any meaningful change, which include intelligence, constitution, discrimination or initiative etc.. Rest of the Karmik bondage can be easily modified or even negated by the help of charities, good deeds and by the help of the astral remedies. For the two later types of Karmik bondages the axiom “Purushkaarena hi sidhyataam” is applicable.
It is possible to identify each type of Karmik bondage through Jyotish and accordingly the remedial action for their modification can be taken up. After having known that it is possible to modify certain types of Karmik bondage, the next question that arises is that-

Even if it is principally possible to modify or even negate the destined experiences, are the methods available with Jyotish really effective in doing so?

The answer to this question lies in the theory of cause and effect. As per this theory every effect has a unique cause and if it is possible to correctly identify the cause then if there is a method of modifying the cause, the effect too shall get modified. Jyotish can identify the cosmic causes for every effect and if these causes are modified by Jyotisheeya remedial measures, then significant changes can be brought about in the effects or experiences at the perceptual levels. Whether the remedial measures available with the science of Jyotish are effective or not, is a matter of empirical observation & determination. I can only add from my personal experience that if applied appropriately the astral remedies are very effective. The principle for selecting the line of treatment is being briefly given below:-

1. Identify the benefic and the malefic Grahas of the given horoscope;
2. Determine the strength of each of these Grahas in the given horoscope;
3. Determine the affliction of each of the Grahas by the malefic Grahas;
4. Correlate the specific issues or subjects which are indicated or signified by each Graha in the given horoscope;
5. Determine the time (period) when a particular subject/issue shall come into active focus as well as determine the transitory positions of the Grahas at such a time (period);
6. Determine the intensity of the effect or experience with respect to the above points both for the period of specific focus as well as in general;
7. Prescribe remedies for the strengthening of the benefic Grahas related to a particular effect or experience as well as prescribe remedies for propitiating the malefic Grahas adversely affecting the concerned benefic Grahas both in the horoscope and in the transitory positions.
8. Determine the appropriate Muhurta or the most auspicious moment on the basis of planetary dispositions for the commencement of the prescribed remedial actions.

From the foregoing it is established therefore that-

1. The science of Jyotish is capable of identifying the cosmic level causes for all the experiences and happenings on earth both at the individual level and at the mundane level.
2. The principles & methods of Jyotish are sufficient and accurate for the determination of the causes at the cosmic level for all the effects at the perceptual level.
3. It is possible to bring about changes in the experiences by the help of remedial measures available with Jyotish except in the case of events & experiences related to the Dridha Karmik bondage.

Now we shall have a look into the methodology of the remedial measures available to Jyotish. The philology of astral remedies derives its roots from the Aagam Shastras and the Tantra Shastra, which follow the principle of cause & effect. The principle of the astral correction lies in the treatment of the cause to bring about a change in the effect.

Tantra in Sanskrit is derived from Tan + Tra meaning expansion & liberation respectively. Tantra Shastra describes the process of evolution from the Potential (Adya Shakti) to the Cosmic (Shiva Shakti) to the Biological domain down to the human beings & finally to the Perceptual level. Tantra Shastra provides techniques & practices for transcending the levels backwards from the Perceptual level to the Cosmic level and finally to the Potential.
Tantra is the science of self-realization by the process of thorough scanning of the ego states leading to the perfection of wisdom. Having reached that state of perfection, the Sahajachari, as the perfect one is called, lives in the world to help others on the path. In the process the Tantra practitioner acquires supernormal powers through which he can bring about supernormal changes in the Prakriti.
Thus by the Tantrik practices, it is possible to rectify/ influence/ modify the causative factors at the cosmic level to bring about a desired change at the perceptual level which can help alleviate human suffering.
That Tantrik practices can bring about supernatural changes has been referred to in the Siva Sutras as given in the 19th & the 20th sutras of the Shambhavopaya portion which read as under:-
Shaktisandhane shariotpattih.

Bhootsandhanbhootprathakatwa vishwasnghatta.

Meaning thereby that a sincere practitioner (Yogi) can acquire the power of creating any kind of body according to his desire, as stated in the 19th sutra. He can also acquire, as stated in the 20th sutra, supernormal powers of:-

(1) Joining or putting together elements or parts in all existents as he desires-that is the power to synthesize;
(2) Separating elements of existents as per his desire-that is the analytical power; and
(3) Bringing together everything, which is separated by time & space.

The Tantra practitioner acquires such powers as he progresses from stage to stage during his yogic practice, which are wondrous in nature as has been stated in the 12th sutra of the Shambhavopaya portion of the Siva sutras, which reads as under:-

Vismayo yogabhoomikah.

He can acquire complete mastery over the collective whole of Saktis through the acquisition of Suddhavidya, as is stated in the 21st sutra of the Shambhavopaya, which reads as under:-

Shuddhavidyodayachchakre shatwasiddhih.

The Tantrik yogi like an alchemist can play with the elements in the realm of time & space to bring about desired changes in the causal matrix and thereby create desired modifications in the perceived effects in the world of objects or Prakriti. Such is the power of the Tantrik methods & practices that it is not surprising that the bulk of the Astrological remedies are drawn from the techniques & methods provided in the Tantra Shastra. Tantric techniques for Astrological remedial action can be based on:-

(a) Aura therapy that is by the use of gemstones, color therapy etc.. or

(b) Frequency therapy in the form of Mantras & Yantras.

Gems have been used for Astral remedies from ages. The philology of this therapy is based on the Auras associated with each of the nine Grahas and their corresponding Gems. Each individual has a complex matrix of auras, which influence and also determine all aspects of his existence in the world. The unique matrix of the auras has benefic & malefic auras. If a malefic aura is stronger, the individual shall experience more of adversity in his/her life whereas when a benefic aura is powerful he/she shall have a more positive existence. From the individual’s birth horoscope the benefic & malefic auras can be identified. The remedial action then shall consist of strengthening the benefic auras and reducing the effect of the malefic auras, so identified. For the strengthening of the benefic auras the respective Gems are used and to block or nullify malefic auras, the countering auras are strengthened by using respective Gems of the countering aura. For example if an individual has benefic red & green auras and a malefic blue aura then for promoting the aspects governed by his green aura, the green aura will have to be strengthened by making him wear an Emerald whereas to counter the harmful blue aura, he will be made to wear a coral or ruby as the case may be. Similar results can be obtained by using the method of color therapy where instead of using Gems, the aura is strengthened or countered by exposing the individual to the particular color radiation. In my practice, I have found the Gem therapy to be highly useful & productive.

Other than the Gem or the Aura therapy the other effective methods of astral treatment are the use of Mantras & Yantras.

Mantra is a combination of syllables or sounds which when chanted with devotion and faith gravitate the concerned God, Goddess or deity and secures it’s divine blessings.

Mantra= manana+ trana; Manana-contemplation; Trana-protection;
Mananaat traayate iti mantrah.
By contemplating on which, one gets protection is called mantra.

The Mantras for astral remedies are addressed to the particular deity ruling a Graha which has been diagnosed to be the cause for some effect, to invoke it’s grace & blessings so as to suitably modify the cause to bring about a desired change in the effect. Mantras are highly useful as astral remedies since by the regular use of Mantra a subtle link is formed with the planetary deity and through this, one could then obtain any desired boon within the power of the concerned planetary deity.

The obvious question that arises at this juncture is how does a mantra work and where does it get the power for doing so?

Mantra means that mental awareness by which one feels one’s identity with the deity enshrined in the mantra. By such awareness when the mind becomes identical with the deity, the mind itself becomes the mantra. It is thus the mind itself, which is mantra, not merely the conglomeration of some letters. The 1st shloka of the Shaktopaya portion of the Shiva sutras conveys this fact and it reads as under:-

Chittam mantrah.

By uniting the mind with the Shakti of the mantra, the Yogi has the experience of the potency of the mantra.
In the Srikanta Samhita it has been stated that if the practitioner of the mantra is different from the mantra, the mantra will never be successful.
The Spandakarika a treatise on Tantra declares that the mantras resorting to the power of Spanda proceed to perform their respective functions. Not knowable as objective existents and full of peace, the mantras together with the mind of the devoted practitioners get absorbed in that very Spanda thereby acquiring the characteristics of the enshrined deity.
That the mantras derive their power from the divinity is defined in the 22nd shloka of the
Shiva sutra-Shambhavopaya portion which reads as under:-

Mahahridanusandhaanaan mantraveeryanubhavah.

By uniting with the great lake-the infinite reservoir of divine power-the mantra practitioner has the experience of the supreme power, which is the generative source (veerya) of all mantras.
The same idea has been stated in Tantrasadbhaava, which says that she who is considered to be the imperishable Shakti- Shaktiravyaya - is the soul of all mantras.
This Shakti manifests as the entire universe in the form of the Matrikas.The understanding of mantras can never be complete without understanding the concept of the Matrikas.
The 4th shloka of the Shambhavopaya portion of the Shiva sutras reads as under:-

Gyanadhishthanam matrika

Meaning thereby that the foundation for all mundane knowledge is the Matrika. Actually Matrika is matru + ka. Ka stands for the unknown and Matru means mother thus Matrika means unknown mother. Matrika literally means the alphabet including the sounds associated with each one of them and we know very well that any form of worldly knowledge is possible only through alphabets. The alphabets are sound representations of the group of Shaktis ruling the different vargas of the Sanskrit alphabet that is the Aa, Ka, Ta, Tta, Pa, Ya, Sa vargas and these Shaktis are presided over by Matrika. Matrika is therefore the subtle form of gross speech. She is called the unknown mother since the entire universe and it’s understanding is routed through her and her identity remains unrealized to the deluded human being.

Mantras are made of letters from the alphabet hence they derive their power through the various Shaktis associated with the letters. Matrika therefore provides the power to the mantras and all mantras are an extension of the Matrika. Matrika thus translates the power of divinity into the letters and thereon to the mantras.

Looking at the whole process in a scientific manner we should see the mantra as a unique wave function representing the deity identified with a particular natural or cosmic force. By the chanting of the mantra the deity gets manifested within the system of the mantra practitioner and when the practitioner’s total awareness resonates with the unique wave function of the mantra, the practitioner can communicate with that cosmic force or deity at will. In this way the said cosmic force can be made to play the desired role in the system of the practitioner.
Yet another important aspect of mantra is the process of initiation into the mantra by a Siddha (adept) master. Only an adept master has the capability to initiate the link between the mantra and the would-be practitioner of the mantra. Astrology helps in selecting the suitable mantra as well as the auspicious time for starting the practice, for getting the most appropriate results from the mantra chanting. In the case of mantras for Grahas, the exact number of chanting is also advised for successfully aligning with the graha deity for example for the mantra for Ravi, seventeen thousand times of chanting is necessary. These numbers are the minimum requirement of chanting for the establishment of the link or these can be termed as the threshold numbers for chanting. These mantras should be followed by specific prayers addressed to the concerned graha deity for the grant of the desired boon within its power. There is no doubt therefore that by appropriate chanting of the mantras followed by specific prayers, the cosmic level causes can be influenced to bring about a possible desired change in the perceived or to be perceived effects. Thus mantras are one of the most important means for astral remedies.

The other means of astral treatment is the Yantra. The word Yantra has its root in the Sanskrit word ‘Yam’, which means ‘to hold’ or ‘to sustain’. In metaphysical terms Yantra is visualized as a receptacle holding the highest spiritual essence. A Yantra is sacred geometry with the input of mantra to empower it. A Yantra is usually etched on small plates of metal or drawn on paper or cloth. The purpose of a Yantra is to focus spiritual and mental energies according to computer-like yantrik patterns, be it for health, wealth and child bearing or for invoking one deity or another. Much like the battery, which holds the electric charge, the Yantra is the device, which holds that portion of the divine power, which is represented by the deity enshrined in the Yantra.
As there is difference between mind & body so is the difference between mantra & yantra. Yantra is the form or the body of the deity whereas the mantra is the mind or the consciousness of the deity. Yantra therefore is the external visual expression of a deity through which the deity receives devotion. When a yantra is adopted for worship and it is energized by the invocation of mantra in it, it becomes the symbolic representative of the deity enshrined in it. In fact it becomes the dwelling place for the said deity.
In terms of Jyotish, the Yantras invoke the powers of a graha deity to enhance the intensity of the concerned graha to promote its causative role for a better effect in an individual’s life. The Yantras can be broadly classified into two categories i.e. Purpose specific Yantras and Graha specific Yantras. The purpose specific Yantras are for invoking divine blessings for the achievement of a specific purpose such as for prosperity, for good health, for warding off evil forces, for begetting progeny or for victory etc.. The Graha specific Yantras are for invoking the blessings of the graha deity for increasing the intensity of the role being played by the said graha in the individual’s life.
The philology behind the Yantra is based on the principle that certain specific patterns resonate with and attract certain cosmic or natural forces and these patterns also possess the ability to hold the essence of those forces as long as the pattern remains energized. Thus by praying to or by worshipping the Yantra, the deity enshrined therein is being addressed to and the boons within the powers of that deity being prayed for are granted. Thus there are two essential aspects for the creation of a powerful Yantra:-

(a) the preparation of an accurate diagram, pattern or configuration with proper dimensions & proportions, which are necessary for the specific Yantra being created; and
(b) the invocation of the specific deity through the specific mantras by the process called Prana Pratishtha or the energisation of the said Yantra.

The creation of the Yantras is also to be carried out by adept masters and the energisation has to be carried out in an auspicious time, specifically calculated & fixed for the purpose.
Some of the purpose specific yantras are the Shree yantra for prosperity & success, the Saraswati yantra for education & learning, the Shubhlabha yantra for business, the Santangopala yantra for progeny, the Mahamritunjaya yantra for health, the Bagulamukhi yantra for overcoming enemies, the Hanuman yantra for overcoming fear, the Vashikaran yantra for attraction etc.

The domain of astral remedies is dominated by mantras & yantras, the entire body of which has emerged out from the Tantra Shastra. Actually Tantra Shastra is a science for spiritual development and self realization whereas Jyotish and its application for human welfare is largely in the material domain hence it may look contradictory as to how the tools of spiritual awakening can become even relevant what to say useful for influencing worldly affairs. The answer lies in the fact that the forces of nature-the deities, are invoked for their support even on the difficult journey of spiritual development for cutting off the bondages due to the Karmik balance of previous lives, which hinder spiritual progress. The same forces are approached for alleviating human suffering or for promoting favorable aspects of day-to-day living. Thus the tools of Tantra are as relevant for Tantrik practices as for the remedial aspects of Jyotish. Yet another aspect, which needs to be understood, is that the mantras & yantras are not exclusive of each other. As already stated, the yantra gets energized only through the invocation of mantras. In fact to make the process most effective, the mantra chanting followed by prayers should be performed in front of the energized yantra of the deity being approached by mantra and the prayer. For the purpose of understanding and conceptualization of the principles only, Tantra, mantra & yantra can be differentiated but actually Tantra is the science behind mantra & yantra and yantra can not come into being without the mantra. Jyotish is a science akin to Tantra because both go into the cause & effect for understanding & explaining the process of manifestation, only the objectives of the two sciences are different and that is the reason why the tools of Tantra Shastra are applicable for Jyotish Shastra too.

Jyotish as of today is an amalgamation of principles & practices drawn from various roots such as the Tantra Jyotish, Vedic Jyotish, Yavana Jyotish, Keraleeya Jyotish and so on. This has lead to many confusions & contradictions in the very application of the principles for appropriate diagnosis as well as for remedial action. There is no standard and all acceptable set of principles & practice, so that every astrologer follows his own methodology even if the variations are minor in nature. Of late, however there has been a realization by some scholars of the in-built contradictions within the traditional framework of Indian Astrology and this has resulted in the emergence of a more coherent and systematic approach in the application of the Astrological principles. Dr.V.K.Choudhary has spearheaded this move and I am myself a part of this movement. It goes
without saying that it is natural, as it always has been for the die-hard traditionalists to accept the rationale of a systematic approach at least in the initial stages.
The evaluation of the methods & techniques for the alleviation of problems as well as for the promotion of benefic aspects in day to day living, by the use of Astral remedies should form an essential part for the development of a foolproof and failsafe system of Remedial action. A large amount of data collection & analysis to facilitate research on all aspects of Jyotish is the need & call of the hour, which shall help in removing prejudices and the evolution of a coherent set of Jyotish principles for the welfare of society.





BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Shiva Sutras;
2. Bhagvada Geeta;
3. Brihat Parashar Hora;
4. Spandakarika;
5. Tantrasadbhaava;
6. Srikanta Samhita;
7. Manasagari;
8. Brihat Jatakam;
9. Planetary Influences On Human Affairs by Dr. B.V.Raman;
10. Systems Approach For Interpreting Horoscopes by Prof. V.K.Choudhry;
11. In Search Of Tantra-Vajrayana by Kulavadhuta Satpurananda;
12. Tools Of Tantra by Harish Johari;
13. I Am That by Nisargadutta Maharaj;
14. Your Head Is In The Tiger’s Mouth by Ramesh Balsekhar;
15. Cosmos by Carl Sagan;
16. Science Of Light by Freedom Tobias Cole;