[Bvghbopz]

I see a number of posts about Mantras and Hinduism. Mantras exist outside Hinduism. In all religions and in all legends.

Humanity has always believed that certain sounds can produce supernatural results or specific effects.

This belief is the basis of Open Sesame in Alibaba and Forty Thieves.

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and every religion believes in the power of the words. The recitation from a Mosque in the morning does remind one of Vedic chanting.

Incantations are done to rouse supernatural spirits. Some call it Devil worship. But then it is a part of Paganism and Wicca both of which are popular religions. The famous Black Mass depends on incantations.

About Yantras, magical diagrams are known everywhere. I remember throwing a Pentagram around me for protection while going to sleep, when I was young.

Look around you and you will find that belief in the power of sounds/words and also magical diagrams are very widely prevalent.

It may come as a surprise to some of you that some of the most famous magicians performing black magic in Tamil Nadu are Muslims. People get protection from Muslim priests who recite some Mantras and touch you with the peacock feathers.

A number of studies have done on the effect of Mantras. I will post a list of good books in my next post.

Mantras are generally considered Meta words and thus have no specific meaning.

Mantras have been evolved in all Indian languages. There are a number of Mantras in Hindi and Tamil.

Mantras are believed to evoke certain supernatural forces. It need not be always benign.

Thus Hinduism does not have a monopoly on Mantras. Neither are the mantras always benign. When you recite 'Sthambaya jihva" or "mama sathrun Seegram maraya ,maraya" it is not spiritual.