In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Svaramālā (स्वरमाला) refers to the “garland of vowels”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “(Kubjikā’s) iconic form is threefold (according to whether it is) in (the transmission) of the Child, Middle One or the Aged. [...] (She holds) a skull, a rosary, the five immortal substances, an ascetic’s staff, the Kādi scripture, conch, and the great nectar which is filled constantly with (the recitation of her Trikhaṇḍā Vidyā) consisting of 292 syllables. The garland of vowels [i.e., svaramālā] on her head rains down a stream of nectar. The garland of letters that (hangs from) the neck of the goddess (reaches) the soles (of her) feet. The necklace around her neck, made of fifty scorpions, looks beautiful [...]”.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: academia.edu: Is the Jain Mantra for an Enlightened Soul Arhaṃ or Arhraṃ?

Svaramālā (स्वरमाला) refers to a “line of vowels”, according to Śubhacandra’s Jñānārṇava (11th-century), an influential Digambara text describing mantric purification rites.—Accordingly, while describing a lotus diagram with a Mantra for the Arhat (i.e., ‘great mantra’—mahāmantra): “[...] Then he [the meditator], with unwavering focus, imagines a beautiful, sixteen-petalled lotus in his navel. He should imagine the mahāmantra filling the pericarp of the lotus [and] a line of vowels [svaramālā: a ā i ī u ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ e ai o au aṃ aḥ] shining in each of the petals. The syllable (akṣara) śūnya (ha) is covered with a ra [and] ornamented with a line (kalā) and a dot. It fills the directions with millions of rays, shining like the splendor of the moon. [...]”.

context information

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Svara, Maala, Mala.

Full-text: Akshara, Mahamantra.

Relevant text

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