In the Jayakhya-samhita, Hari explains to Narada that the reason portions of him in sonic bodies of vowels and consonants may be used to attain emancipation and worldly enjoyment is because the virya of his own unified consciousness operates their mantra shapes. Mantras intended for emancipation are of his shape having no parts (nishkala), while those intended for worldly success are of his shape having parts (sakala) (JS 4.30–33; Smith 1975:116). Hari also tells him that mantras employed under the guidance of a guru in the practice of yoga will produce worldly success and emancipation, but leaves the topic of yoga for the final chapter (JS 5.1–10). Mantras employed during ceremonial performance (kriya) are of greater relevance to most people, and he explains them with the metaphor of a nursing mother of a newborn: “And another means gives success by means of mantras with ‘mantra breasts.’ When employed using mudra and other instruments they give birth to samadhis born from the heart. All mantras likewise uttered during ceremonies by sadhakas who are truly good possess supreme power [over] myriads of thousands of obstacles” (JS 5.31–32; my translation).
Hari then states the value of all of this to kingship: “Maya’s shape roots out streams of obstacles by means of mantras and the other [instruments], and subdues whatever opposing king is near at hand. He who knows that mantras and the other [instruments] always give rapid and supreme success in attacking a king, O vipra [Narada], abides in me as the final refuge” (JS 5.35–36; my translation).
Hari teaches Narada about sadhanas that use mantras for the sake of mukti. He begins with mantras that relate to Vasudeva’s shape without parts (nishkala). He explains in chapter six that they are to be generated from a mandala drawn on clean sand in a pure spot. This mandala is a wheel with eight spokes and Om in the center, and on it all letters of the Sanskrit alphabet are to be written. These letters are to be imagined as devas and worshiped mentally with mantras generated from the mandala.
Sanjukta Gupta explains that the sadhaka learns that this wheel of forty-nine letters (varna chakra) is a closed circuit expressing Vasudeva’s emanation and resorption through Shakti as speech. Both of these processes take place through the sequence of formations, and he learns to identitfy them with states of his own consciousness. The Plower corresponds to his deep sleep, the Pre-eminently Mighty corresponds to his dreaming, and the Unobstructed corresponds to his waking. He begins with manifestaion and ends with resorption. Because all four formations appear in each of these three stages, there are four modes of Plower, Pre-eminently Mighty, and Unobstructed to worship for a total of twelve devas of this subtle stage of pure creation.
Moreover, the Unobstructed is consciousness in the gross stage of pure creation and is all three of its modes as deep sleep, dreaming, and waking. These modes are embodied as the set of thirty-eight devas called vibhava. They are limited in sovereignty, but each manifests Shakti. Meanwhile Vasudeva remains transcendent to all this as the “fourth” (turya or turiya), consciousness beyond deep sleep. Sanjukta Gupta says that the Unobstructed asleep on the Snake in the primordial water that is maya shakti corresponds to this “fourth,” and he is depicted inside this sanctum. But “beyond the fourth” (turyatita) is the ever-manifest para Vasudeva, and he is represented by vyuha Vasudeva depicted in the sanctum below (Gupta 1992: 180, 184, 188–190).
The following nine chapters (chs. 7–15) prescribe mantras used in poured oblations (homa) and offerings (yaga), and devas of these mantras are to be seen in the sadhaka’s imagination through the practice of visualization (dhyana). Three chapters (chs. 16–18) then describe consecration (diksha) to mantras; its liturgy resembles that of the Satvata-samhita. It takes twelve years to attain mastery of mantra, Hari tells Narada in the next chapter (ch. 19), but after only ten years the disciple will experience and know amazing things (JS 19.33; Smith 1975: 123).
The next two chapters (chs. 20–21) introduce worship of Vasudeva’s shape with parts (sakala), also for the sake of emancipation. Hari tells Narada how to make an icon (bimba), how to build housing for it, and how to perform ceremonies to establish Vasudeva’s substance (tattvam) in it by means of mantras. This makes it an “icon made of mantra” (JS 20.334–337; Smith 1975: 124). Vasudeva’s sonic amsha now resides in this drawn, painted, or sculpted body made of gross physical matter to receive the rites of puja. These icons enable the majority of sadhakas to visualize mantra devas easily, although with less satisfying results.
In the next chapter (ch. 22), Hari describes the characteristics of Vaishnavas who are qualified to perform the yagas and pujas discussed above. He also prescribes the rites they are to perform during a day constituted of five parts (panchakala). The first of these, called abhigamana, are cleansing preparations during the brahmamuhurta before sunrise. The second rites, called upadana, gather materials for worship after sunrise. The third rites, called ijya, consitute the midday sacrifice; this may include pashu or animals, but normally does not (for the pashu offering, see JS 20.77). The fourth rite, called svadhyaya, is study after the main meal of the day. And the fifth rite, called yoga, is performed in the night.1
The next three chapters appear to conclude all of the above as a set, because two (chs. 23–24) discuss rites for the dead and one (ch. 25) discusses rites of purification (prayaschitta). But Narada is not satisfied. “You you have told me about consecration (diksha) to the path of emancipation (muktimarga),” he says to Hari, “please tell me now about the path to enjoyment (bhuktimarga)” (JS 26.1). Narada knows that the muktimarga may also lead to bhoga, so he must want to know about the marga that leads exclusively to bhoga. This leads Hari to spend six chapters (chs. 26–32) teaching Narada these mantra sadhanas. They employ mandalas and yantras and require specific sitting postures (asana), hand gestures (mudra), placement of devas on the body (nyasa), and puja implements such as incense and bells.
Hari begins (in ch. 26) with the sadhana of the root mantra (mula mantra), whose syllables he does not give. He says that if this “king of mantras” (mantraraja) is properly used it will bestow astounding powers; in H. Daniel Smith’s paraphrase, they include gaining control of the supernatural order, making poisons ineffective, bringing others to submission, and disposing of others or making them do as one desires (Smith 1975: 127).
Hari then teaches the mantras of Shakti (in ch. 27). They are the Lakshmi mantra, the kirti mantra, the Jaya mantra, and the Maya mantra. The first, of course, invokes Goddess Lakshmi regarding majestic wealth (shri). The second, the kirti mantra, brings fame (kirti) (JS 27.60, 63). The third mantra addresses Goddess Jaya (victory). Hari says that she is Narayana himself and that her rites produce protectors in this world for one’s self and for others (JS 27.29, 109, 119–120). The fourth mantra addresses Goddess Maya, whose rites fulfill wishes and bestow enjoyments for one’s self and others (JS 27.142, 150, 185, 204).
In the next chapter (ch. 28), Hari turns to mantras for the limbs of the body (anga mantra), and in the following (ch. 29) to mantras of the mouth (vaktra mantra). These last are for Man-lion, Kapila, and Boar. In the next chapter (ch. 30) he prescribes mantras for his accoutrements; they are the Kaushtubha gem, the lotus, the conch, the wheel, the mace, the mount Garuda, the rope, and the elephant hook. In the penultimate of these bhuktimarga chapters (ch. 32), Hari prescribes mantras for Satya, for the vyuhas Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, and for the “seven syllables.”
Hari’s concluding chapter of this set (ch. 32) prescribes mantra sadhanas that will ensure that everything taught up to now suceeds. He first teaches Narada the mantra of Ganesha as Ruler of Obstacles, and then the mantra and yantra of the Ruler of Speech, the Goddess who gives success to all aspirations (JS 32.62). Hari’s final chapter (ch. 33) is about yoga.