The Tantra of Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa
Mantra Rituals

Then the blessed lady said:

The blessed lord said:

“At that moment, all wicked beings‍—bhūtas, pretas, vyāḍas, yakṣas, kumbhāṇḍas, mahoragas, and so forth‍—are made to flee. All the vyāḍas become frightened; all the grahas are burned by the power of the mantra’s light rays. All the siddhas82 come into one’s presence.

“Now comes the sādhana. One should recite the mantra 100,000 times, completing in this way the preliminary practice. Then, starting on the first day of the dark fortnight, one should recite every day at the three junctions of the day until the full-moon day. Then at the end, one should recite the whole night, offering a great pūjā from sunset until sunrise. This mantra will then be mastered. From then on, one can accomplish all actions.

“Now comes the sādhana of Lord Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa. One should commission someone to paint the lord on canvas, as before in the center of the four-cornered maṇḍala. One should have the conviction that the lord is of the nature of the ten syllables. Sitting in front of the image, starting on the first day of the dark fortnight, one should recite the mantra one thousand times at each of the three junctions. Then at the end, at the time of the full moon, one should offer a pūjā according to one’s means, and then recite from sunset till sunrise. Then terrors will arise, but one should not fear. One should recite quickly, very quickly. Then the lord Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa will come himself. One should then make a welcome offering of water for his feet, prostrate oneself, and stand up.

“Lord Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa will ask: ‘What boon shall I grant you?’ The sādhaka should reply: ‘Grant me the state of awakening.’ Then the lord will enter his body. As soon as he enters, the sādhaka obtains the bodily form of a sixteen-year-old and the six superknowledges. He becomes the master of the thirteenth bodhisattva level, living in a celestial mansion, with a retinue of hundreds of thousands of apsarases gracing him. He obtains an alluring form, becomes omniscient and just like the lord Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa.

“Alternatively one should request, according to one’s wish, the magical power of the sword, the ointment for invisibility, magical pills, shoes for sky-travel, foot ointment for fast walking, a kingdom, superhuman potency for sensual gratification, knowledge of spells, wealth, poetic skill, learning, yakṣas, yakṣiṇīs, longevity elixir, philosopher’s stone, the knowledge of alchemy, and so forth‍—the lord will give all of this. [F.321.a]

“Or else one could commission someone to paint Sole Hero on a canvas and practice as before. Here in the painting of Sole Hero, Black Acala is embraced by Hatred Vajrī; White Acala by Delusion Vajrī; Yellow Acala by Calumny Vajrī; Red Acala by Passion Vajrī; and Green Acala should be painted embraced by Envy Vajrī. Or else the lord should be painted alone, without a consort.

“As another option, the blessed lady should be painted on the canvas alone in the center, between the five Acalas. Then, imagining oneself as having the form of her husband, one should make her the object of one’s practice as previously described. Or, imagining one’s own wife as having the form of the goddess, one should do the practice. Being accomplished, she can grant even the state of awakening, let alone other accomplishments.

“Or one should do the practice of the lord standing with his left leg outstretched and the right slightly bent, and holding a sword and a noose. Or one should do the practice of innate Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa, sitting in the sattvaparyaṅka posture and holding a sword and a noose in his hands, with his wisdom consort of the same color pressed against his chest. The resulting accomplishment will be as previously described, and so also would be the accomplishment involving the lord painted on canvas. Alternatively one can also perform this practice using statues made of wood and so on.

“When the practice involves the sword, one should, when the moon is in the asterism of Puṣya, clean the sword‍—one made of either quality iron or hard wood‍—with the five products of a cow, and then anoint it with every fragrance. One should grasp it with both hands and recite the mantra at the three junctions of the day for one month. At the end of the month, one should offer extensive worship and recite for the entire night. In the morning, the sword will burst into flames. One then becomes the holder of the magical power of the sword, with the bodily form of a sixteen-year-old with curled hair. One enjoys the five sense objects until the end of saṃsāra. [F.321.b]

“In the same way, one should practice with a vajra scepter, a wheel, a trident, and so on. And so also with a noose made of copper and so on. Similarly, with cloth shoes,83 a brahmanical cord, clothes, a parasol, a Prajñāpāramitā text, a tantra text, and so forth. So too one can practice with a paṭaha drum, a mardala drum, a lute, and so forth. In the same way, one should practice with a golden yakṣa, starting with Jambhala, Maṇibhadra, Pūrṇabhadra, and Cibikuṇḍalin. They will carry out one’s every command.84

“In the same way, one should practice with a gandharva made of bamboo; a garuḍa made of anthill clay; the gods Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Kāmadeva, and so forth, made of deodar tree; a rākṣasa drawn with charcoal from the charnel ground; a preta drawn with potash of a burnt goldfish; a human made of beeswax; Gaṇapati made of ivory; the piśāca Pīlupāla made of the wood of toothbrush tree; the ḍākinīs Gaurī, Caurī, and so forth, drawn with potash of burnt pravāla fish ; the vetālas Rāmadeva, Kāmadeva, and so forth, made of human bone; the nāgas Vāsuki and so forth, also the nāginīs, made of nāgakesara wood; and the yakṣiṇīs Hārītī, Surasundarī, Naṭṭā, Ratipriyā, Śyāmā, Naṭī, Padminī, Anurāginī, Candrakāntā, Brahmaduhitā, Vadhū, Kāmeśvarī, Revatī, Ālokinī, Naravīrā, and so forth, made of the wood of the aśoka tree. One should practice with these.

“One should practice with the chief queen and the king made of banyan wood, [F.322.a] and with the group of apsarases‍—Tilottamā, Śaśidevī, Kañcanamālā, Kuṇḍalahāriṇī, Ārambhā, Urvaśī, Śrībhūṣaṇī, Ratī, Śacī, and so forth, made of deodar wood. In the same way, one should do the practice of the nine planets‍—the sun, the moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu, and Ketu. Similarly the practice of the bodhisattvas, starting with Avalokiteśvara, Vajrapāṇi, and Mañjuśrī. Likewise the practice of the buddhas, starting with Vipaśyin and Śikhin. So too the practice of the bhūtas, starting with Aparājita. Also the messengers, starting with Yamāri. Similarly the servants, starting with Vajrakaṃkāla. In the same way, one should do the practice of all beings‍—women and men. All of them will carry out one’s orders.

“Now if one does not succeed the first time, one should do it for the second time. If this is likewise unsuccessful, one should do it for the third time. If one does not succeed even then due to previously committed evil acts, then, standing astride with one’s left knee and right foot on the ground, one should recite the mantra until one succeeds. After this, even a slayer of a brahmin would succeed.

“For the above practices of Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa, the following mantras apply:

“If practicing with the sword and so on, one should add: ‘Make such and such respond to my practice!’86

“When placing the feet astride, one should add: ‘Kill such and such, kill!’87

“In this way, with a single recitation, one burns even the five inexpiable actions. One should add: ‘Destroy all my evil!’88

“In this way, by a mere utterance, one effects the protection from all fears. One should add: ‘Protect me, protect!’89 [F.322.b] In this way, one effects protection in every respect.90

“Then, visualizing the iron as if ablaze, one should incant mustard seeds, mung beans, or māṣa pulses with one’s personal mantra 108 times. One should then strike them as they are being seized by ḍākinīs and other beings.91 They will all flee. At the time of striking, one should add the mantra: ‘Make the ḍākinīs and the rest go away!’92

“Then one should write the mantra with chalk inside an eight-petaled lotus and cover it with a lid in a pair of vessels of unbaked clay. One should wrap this in a fisherman’s net and have it suspended in a doorway‍—this effects protection of children. One should add the mantra: ‘Protect the child, protect!’93

“One should make a beeswax effigy of the target, four finger-widths high. One should inscribe the mantra on birch bark, place it in the effigy’s heart, and strike the spot with black mustard seeds or similar substances. One should then nail the mouth with a thorn‍—the mouth of the opponent will be sealed. One should then add the mantra: ‘Nail the mouth of such and such!’94

“One should bury the effigy at a crossroads. Similarly one should nail the feet, which will stop the target from moving about. One should add the mantra: ‘Nail the feet of such and such!’95 One should nail the heart, as this will immobilize the target’s body. One should then add the mantra: ‘Nail the heart of such and such!’96

“Whichever limbs one nails with a nail of human bone, or an iron one, or a withered thorn,97 those limbs will become weak and in great pain. One should add the mantra: ‘Nail such and such body part of such and such a person!’98

“By burying the effigy at someone’s entrance door, one will make the resident homeless. One should add the mantra: ‘Make such and such homeless!’99 By throwing incanted ashes from a charnel ground at someone’s doorway, one will expel him. One should add the mantra: ‘Expel such and such!’100

“Having incapacitated the effigy with thorns, one should recite the mantra. One should add the mantra: ‘Kill such and such!’101

“Having used one’s personal mantra to incant a sword or the like 108 times, one should engage in battle. One will meet with victory. [F.323.a] For whatever purpose one dedicates an oblation, that purpose will have a successful outcome.

“Having incanted a peacock’s feather with 108 recitations of one’s personal mantra, one should brush the place affected by a bad disease or sickness. One should add the mantra: ‘Destroy such and such disease of such and such a person!’102 There will be an appeasement of all ailments.

“In the same way, one should rub a snakebite wound with the palms of the hands. One should add the mantra: ‘Destroy the poison in such and such!’103 This will destroy the poison.

“Likewise one should contemplate a person who is one’s target as enthralled, being at one’s service, paying a visit at one’s own place, naked, with disheveled hair, in front of oneself. Visualizing him as fallen to one’s feet, one should recite the mantra. Then the enthrallment will take place. One should add the mantra: ‘Bring such and such to the state of enthrallment!’104

“In the same way as before, one should recite the mantra while contemplating him as being drawn toward oneself. The target will be brought into one’s presence. One should add the mantra: ‘Draw such and such into my presence!’105

“Visualizing oneself as being completely flush with valuables and grain, one should recite the mantra. One should add the mantra: ‘Bring prosperity to me!’106

“One should write this mantra107 with a thorn on a betel leaf, in the center of a space delimited by two intersecting triangles, and chew the betel together with five grains of black pepper. One should add the mantra: ‘Destroy all the fevers!’108

“At the time of a lunar or solar eclipse, one should fill a bowl with rice cooked with milk or curd, adding sugar and clarified butter. One should place that on top of seven leaves from the bodhi tree and cover it with another seven leaves. Holding it up with both hands, one should recite the mantra for as long as one is not liberated. By eating it, one will live for five hundred years.

“Following the same procedure, one should imbue with efficaciousness yellow orpiment, the pigment of bovine gallstones, realgar, or lampblack. If it bursts into flames, one will become a vidyādhara by applying it as a tilaka on one’s forehead or an ointment. If it produces smoke, one will attain invisibility. If it releases heat, an enthrallment will take place.

“Alternatively one should commission someone to make, from the wood of cobra’s saffron, the king of nāgas, Ananta. Having submerged him, face down, in water, one should recite the mantra while looking into the sky. One should employ the mantra: ‘Seize Ananta, seize! Cause him to send rain!’109 [F.323.b] The god will then send rain.

“Then one should take Ananta out of the water, bathe him in milk, and release him. Then, gazing at the clouds, one should recite the mantra.110 One should add the mantra: ‘Stop all the wind and rain!’111

“These were the rites belonging to the first root mantra, which consists of ten letters with their inherent vowels. These rites belong also to the second and third root mantras. And only these rites belong to the heart mantras.

“One should write the first garland mantra with a thorn on an umbrella tree leaf and wrap it using blue cloth and blue string. Placing one’s left foot on the head, arm, throat, or shoulder of a person suffering from fever, one should tie this amulet there,112 saying, ‘With my angry mind, I will destroy the fever of such and such a person.’ This will destroy all fevers.

“At the time of tying the amulet, one should make the sick person face east and lustrate him with a bowl full of grilled fish, rice, wine, and so forth. One should say, ‘After eating this, may all fevers and diseases quickly go away. Lord Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa is ordering this. If you don’t go away, then the lord, angered, will chop you up with a sharp sword into smithereens as small as sesame seeds.’113 After saying this, one should offer an oblation in the southwestern quarter. The sick person will then become well.

“In the same way, an oblation should be offered in the event of any disease, attacks by ḍākinīs, or other misfortunes. One effects protection from all types of fear merely by reciting the mantra. Moreover, saying the root mantra will accomplish all. Only this ritual belongs to the second garland mantra.

“One should incant a cake of leftovers with the third garland mantra and offer it. This will bring fulfillment of wishes. One should incant a cake of rice and offer it at evening twilight in a secluded place. Then any objective one aims for will be accomplished. The remaining part of the ritual is as before. [F.324.a] Following the method previously described, one should start on the first day of the bright fortnight and proceed as before until the day of the full moon.

“The preliminary practice is completed with ten thousand recitations of the garland mantras. These rites, as was the case with the rites belonging to the root mantra, call for deity-specific mantras. Just as the mantra rituals of the lord are to be performed, so also are they to be performed for the goddesses. In particular, through reciting, poetic and scholarly skills will quickly arise.

“Now comes the ritual involving the third root mantra. One should climb on to one’s bed and, holding one’s penis with the left hand, recite 108 times. Whoever’s name one includes in the mantra, she will arrive. One should make love to her. The mantra to recite is: ‘Oṁ, Vauherī, may such and such come to me! Hūṁ phaṭ!’

“Having drawn a vulva on the ground with red chalk, one should cover the drawing with one’s left hand and recite the mantra 108 times. Whoever’s name one includes in the mantra, she will arrive.

“One should incant mustard seeds seven times and strike a person with them; he will become free from disease. One can also perform this mentally. Having incanted water, one should strike; blood will flow. Having incanted clothes, one should put them on; one will become dear to all people. Any person into whose food or drink one puts incanted salt will become enthralled.114

“Any person around whose neck one ties a rope made of cow’s hair, having first incanted this rope, will become a cow. Whoever’s name one recites while facing the sun, one will bring that person into one’s presence. Any person around whose neck one ties a rope made of cat’s hair will become a cat. By using a rope made of crow’s sinews, that person will become a crow. With a rope of man’s hair, a woman will become a man. With a rope of woman’s hair, a man will become a woman.

“In this way, with whoever’s hair the rope is made, the target will turn into that respective form. Whoever’s name one should recite, one will draw that person’s blood. Whoever one looks at with unblinking eyes while reciting the mantra, that person will become enthralled.115

“These were the rites belonging to the mantra of the goddess. [F.324.b]

“One should offer an oblation with the oblation mantra. All the obstacles in the form of calamities, disease, and the like, will be pacified. In whatever endeavor one may be involved, one should offer an oblation, and one will succeed in it. A bowl with white flowers, another one with milk, another with perfumed water, and another with rice‍—these four bowls and an offering of the main and auxiliary fruits‍—one should incant them in the quiet of the night by reciting 108 times, ‘Oṁ, Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa, take this oblation, take! Accomplish my task! Hūṃ phaṭ!’116 Having incanted, one should offer them in solitude. One’s wishes will come true.

“Then, with 108 recitations of the root mantra of the lord, one should rub white mustard oil inside the bhaga of a pregnant woman and also make her drink it. She will give birth with ease. By dressing a wound with this oil alone, the wound will heal. All these things can also be achieved by ingesting this oil.

“One should write the first garland mantra on birch bark, in the center of a sixteen-petaled lotus. One should wrap it with a blue cord and wear it on one’s body. One will be protected at all times. One should write the mantra with the pigment of bovine gallstones or red lac.

“This method can also be employed with the second garland mantra. So also can the methods described in other tantras and practice manuals be employed here. In the same way, all endeavors of a yogin, who relies on meditative cultivation, will be successful.”