Marana Siddhi is a tantric rite to gain the ability or power to kill. There are six tantric rites that confer power over others or events.
These are:
- Shanti or svastyayana (pacifying and making auspicious).
- Vasikarana (bringing under control and making a thing or a person obedient)
- Stambhana (arresting movement and making one stand still like a pole
- Vivesana (making one inimical or antagonistic)
- Uccatana (driving away or uprooting a person who is likely to do harm)
- Marana (killing or destroying an enemy)
Marana is attained by those who have undergone rigorous penance and have attained siddhis or extraordinary/supernatural powers.
In the tantric texts we find detailed instructions about how the rite of marana should be performed.
In Jnanarnavatantra (XX 166-167), it is said that marana is to be performed in the evening.
Mantramahodadhi (XXV 15-16) points out that Bhadrasana is the posture useful for marana.
The skin of a buffalo is suited for sitting while performing the ritual. This is mentioned in Dvitiyamundamalatantra (III 5-6).
The suitable mudras, yantras and mandalas for Marana Siddhi are mentioned in the 25th and 26th chapter of Mantramahodadhi.