Mantra

Mantra

The encounter with the holy in India is a synthesis of three distinct aspects: performance, music, and visual presentation. One of three works that make up a trilogy that also includes Diana Eck’s Darsan: An introduction to the use of sound, or mantra, in the practise of Indian religion, Seeing the Divine in India gives an overview of this aspect of Indian spirituality. The use of mantra, which may take the form of prayers, rituals, and chants, is ingrained in the everyday practise of Indian religion, whether it is carried out at a temple or at home. This book explores the ability of mantra to bring about a shift in one’s state of awareness. It incorporates allusions to Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim as well as Sufi and Sufi traditions as it investigates the use and theory of mantra throughout a number of different religious systems, such as the Patanjali sutras and tantra. This updated version includes additional chapters on the use of holy sound among groups of Hindus and Sikhs who have migrated to North America, as well as on the practise of yoga and mantra in North America by people who are not of Indian descent.

Review(s)

“This is a lucid and empathetic treatment, calling attention to parallels in Western Christian practices. The book will be read with interest and understanding by undergraduate students and provides a welcome possibility for inserting this often neglecte

About the Author(s)

About the Author:  Harold G. Coward is fellow and former director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.