In the puranas, various metaphysical concepts are embodied as characters in stories. In tantra, however, the same is communicated as geometric forms in a yantra. A yantra is a geometric expression of an abstract metaphysical thought. At first glance, these geometric patterns seem rather complicated but they are based on very simple principles:
All yantras are placed in a bhupura - this marks the finite space in which the yantra is created. It is like the temple. The yantra and its power are restricted to the boundaries of this space.
There is always a dot marking the centre of the bhupura. This is the bindu, indicating the potential. All geometric forms owe their origin to this most elemental of forms. There is a circle around the dot. This is the world of all possibilities that envelopes us. This circle can be referred to as both prakriti, or nature, and brahmanda, the circular world of Brahmn. The circle here refers to the horizon. This is the world in which we live.
However, there is a difference between prakriti and brahmanda. Prakriti is objective reality or nature, common to all living beings while brahmanda is subjective reality or culture, unique to every human being. A better representation of brahmanda is the square in the circle, because culture is a sub-set of nature created by domesticating nature. Nature is both outside, or the forest, and inside, or the mind that needs to be domesticated by culture.
Different cultures look at the world differently. Each one is imperfect and limited. To draw attention to this difference in subjective realities, two squares are made to intersect. The intersecting squares create ashta-kona or eight corners, the eight-petal lotus. It is a reminder that all subjective realities are limited and imperfect. When compared, some ideas will be similar and some will be dissimilar, not unlike a Venn diagram. This eight-petal square around one circle and within another circle is one more common feature of all yantras.
The upward pointing stars refer to human potential or spiritual reality. Humans are different from other life forms in that they can imagine, introspect and choose. In mythology, this idea of human potential is embodied by male characters. Unfortunately, this association has led many people to wrongly assume that the upward pointing symbol represents man. Both the puranic man and the tantrik upward triangle are symbols of human potential or spiritual reality. The downward pointing triangle refers to material reality or nature. Again, this is erroneously assumed to be the symbol of woman, when, in fact, both woman in mythology and the downward triangle in sacred art are symbols of nature or material reality.
Man, symbolised by the upward triangle, has to engage with this nature (downward triangle) and realise all his potential, the dot, and his possibilities (circle) by understanding different viewpoints, that is, the squares. If man engages with nature, it takes the form of Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra, the six-pointed star. This indicates pravritti marga or householder practices.
If man disengages and withdraws from nature, it takes the form of Shiva's damaru, or the hour glass-shaped small drum, where the two triangles do not intersect. This indicates nivritti marga or ascetic practices.
Various yantras are a combination of these principles. Kali yantra, for example, shows only downward pointing triangles, because in Kali worship, nature is the ultimate reality before which man has to surrender.
Shiva yantra shows only an upward pointing triangle. This indicates that ultimately, it is about human potential to outgrow dependence on nature.
In Ganesha yantra, there are three upward triangles and one downward triangle, indicating a tilt towards things spiritual within the material framework.
In Sri yantra, by contrast, there are four upward triangles but five downward triangles, indicating a tilt towards a celebration of things material within a spiritual framework. This is further enhanced by having not just the eight-petal lotus but also the 16-petal lotus, celebrating complex points of view that generate material prosperity
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