In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: OAPEN: Reverberations of Dharmakīrti‘s Philosophy (sh)

Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल) refers to the “power of mantras”, according to Sarvajñānottara Vidyāpāda 8-9.—Poison was a stock example for the Saiddhāntikas. In the Sarvajñānottara we read: “Just as the toxicologist, through the power of visualizations and seed-mantras, effects the removal of poison, so the Ācārya effects a disjunction with the bonds through Śaiva [initiation] rituals. Just as a suppression of poison [takes place] by the power of mantras (mantrabala) and herbs, so there takes place a suppression of all bonds through initiation”.

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Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल) refers to the “power of mantras”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.5 (“The Tripuras are fascinated).—Accordingly, as Arihan said to the Lord of the Three Cities: “O ruler of the Asuras, listen to my statement, pregnant with wisdom. It is the essence of the Vedānta and bears high esoteric importance. [...] All sorts of charitable gifts recommended by the sages do not merit even a sixteenth part of the gift of protection to a living being. The strength that one derives by the use of gems mantras (mantrabala), and herbs is of inconceivable influence [aviciṃtya prabhāvaṃ hi maṇimaṃtrauṣadhaṃ balam]. But it is practised strenuously only for earning money. [...]”.

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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल) refers to the “powers of spells”, representing one of the various actions of Māra, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 14).—Accordingly, “When the Buddha has entered Samādhirājasamādhi, he manifests his great miraculous power by means of all kinds of metamorphoses. If he manifested his great miraculous power without entering into Samādhirājasamādhi, some people might think that the Buddha was using the powers of magic or of spells (mantrabala), or that he is a very powerful Nāga, or that he is a god and not a human. Why? When a single body emits countless bodies and when all sorts of rays are created, we might [easily] think that this is not the doing of a human. It is to prevent such an error that the Buddha enters into Samādhirājasamādhi”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल) refers to the “powers of mantras”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “When Yama is an opponent of embodied souls, all elephants, horses, men, and soldiers and the powers of mantras and medicines (mantrabala—mantrauṣadhabalāni ca) become useless. While any person does not hear the merciless roaring of Yama’s lion, in that time he leaps about having pleasure in only [his own] power”.

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Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल).—[neuter] the same.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mantrabala (मन्त्रबल):—[=mantra-bala] [from mantra > man] n. the superiority or precedence of a s° t°, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]

2) [v.s. ...] magical power, [Kathāsaritsāgara]

[Sanskrit to German]

Mantrabala in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Bala, Mantra.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Mantrabala, Mantra-bala; (plurals include: Mantrabalas, balas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

Act 1.1: The Buddha enters into the Samādhirājasamādhi < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]

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Abhijnana Shakuntala (synthetic study) (by Ramendra Mohan Bose)

Chapter 5 - Pancama-anka (pancamo'nkah) < [Abhijnana Sakuntalam, text and commentary]

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