yantras

Yantra is a Sanskrit word meaning instrument or device. In Hindu and tantric traditions, a yantra is a geometric diagram used as a focus for meditation, ritual worship, and spiritual practice. Yantras are typically paired with a mantra and a prescribed set of rites.

Most yantras center on a bindu, a point that represents the source of creation, and combine layers of geometry such as triangles, circles, petals, and a surrounding square called the bhupura. The arrangement encodes cosmic principles and the practitioner's inner map, linking form, sound, and intention.

The Shri Yantra, or Sri Chakra, is the most famous yantra. It consists of nine interlocking triangles around a central bindu, within a square with four gateways. Other common types include Navagraha (planetary), Kubera (wealth), and Mahamrityunjaya yantras.

Yantras are used in puja (worship), meditation, and devotional practice. They may be drawn on copper plates, inscribed on metal or stone, or printed on paper. Proper use includes consecration, mantra recitation, and adherence to tradition; effectiveness is attributed to discipline and alignment with the deity and rite.

Although rooted in Hindu tantric contexts, yantras appear in other South Asian spiritual traditions as symbolic tools for concentration, protection, and guidance. They are best understood as aids to focus and insight rather than guarantees of specific outcomes.