ABSTRACT

Providing a systematic and complete overview of the highest scholarly quality on Tantric mantras in Hinduism, this book presents a summary on the nature of Tantric mantras, their phonetic aspect, structure and classifications. Additionally, it explains the metaphysical-theological nature of Tantric mantras and gives an introduction to their beliefs and practices. In individual chapters, Andre Padoux discusses the extraction and examination of mantras, certain characteristics such as their "perfect nature" and their imperfections, and he describes certain mantrics practices.

For the first time, Andre Padoux' work on Tantric mantras is made accessible to an English-speaking readership. This book will be of great interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Theology, Indology, South Asian Studies, and Asian Religion.

chapter |11 pages

Introduction

chapter |12 pages

The extraction and examination of mantras 1

Mantroddhāra and mantravicāra

chapter |30 pages

Japa 1

chapter |27 pages

Nyāsa

The ritual placing of mantras 1

chapter |8 pages

A Hindu rosary ritual 1

(Jayākhyasaṃhitā, chapter 14)

chapter |6 pages

On the defects and the perfecting of mantras 1

Mantradoṣa and mantrasaṃskāra

chapter |8 pages

Body and mantra 1

Mantras in the human body

chapter |12 pages

The oral and the written

Mantra and mantraśāstra 1