Dharini or Dharini mantras are visualizations of mantras chanted for attaining shanti (peace), pushti (enrichment), vashikaran
(enchantment) and abhichara (malefic ends). The nature of dharini is cosmic.
There are softly chanted or repeated in a subtle tone. Millions of stotras and
mystic spells are interspersed in the texts and devotional songs, but these are
not all dharinis; dharinis are intuitional expressions of the siddhas. The earliest
traces of dharini are found in Nasadiya sukta of Rig Veda (Rig X 1.29) which
probes into the mystery of the universe.
The Samhita mantras are ritualistic and edificatory in
practice. A sukta of Rig Veda consoles the prana (vital breath) to be fearless
like the “winds and the interspace.”
Yatha vayuscarant ariksham – ca na vibhito na rishyatah.
Eva me prana ma vibheh, eva ma prana na rishyatah. (Saunaka
Samhita, 2-15)
There has been a long tradition of dharini mantra texts and
hymnal compositions that expanded into malefic rites and abhicharas as ordained
in the fire-offering sacrifices of the Grihya and Srauta Sutras as the Vasat
rite of Grihya Sutra (Aitareya Brahmana, 3.7) and sacrifices of the Srauta
yajnas as the Agnistoma, the Sautramani and the Vajapeya.
The dharinis are of infinite diversity from a bija
(syllable) or a group of morphemes coded words that are cast in a yantra in a
mandala containing geometric and alphabetic figures embossed on small plates
of gold, silver, or copper. The mystic spells cast on yantra are efficacious in
recovery of health, wealth, child bearing and any other desire.
Dharini mantras are also found in Buddhism.
The two classes of dharinis in Buddhism may be distinguished
into : Ashvaghosha's Buddha Gandi stava in its mild form and spells in terrific
form dedicated to wrathful deities for malefic purpose as in Vajrayana mandala
sadhanavidhis of Krodh Raja Vajrasanijvala nama mandala; and Vajrabhairava
beli.