What are signs of mantra siddhi?

Question

Its said that it takes time to do siddhi of first mantra. So what are the signs n ways to know if mantra got activated ?

Any pointers n personal experiences u can share welcome.

Answer 1

I just want to add to the answer given by Rickross the following:

1.In Bhairavitantra, we find :

The aspirant having mantrasiddhi sees divine light or bodies made of divine light everywhere.He also seems himself as a manifestation of the divine light.

In Merutantra, the symptoms of Mantrasiddhi are mentioned as

very small intake of food, very small duration of sleep, always a blissful mind and shining body of the aspirant. He is siddhabak(utterings becoming always unfailing), siddhamanoratha(fulfillment of all desires),and Daata(giver), bhokta(consumer) but ayachaka(never wanting anything from anyone).

In Rudrayamala, the symptoms are mentioned as:

No stress in practicing yoga, always engagement in spiritual practice , extreme devotion to deity, efficiency in every work, detachment and dispassion, company of the renunciates, sense of equality in Shiva and Vishnu and Brahmaa,always remaing in blissful state and becoming guru of people.

And the symptoms of full mantrasiddhi are ;

Seeing everyone as equal, indifference in honour and insult, in enemity or friendship, in gold and stone, always full of extreme bliss, absence of external thoughts and no movement of eyelids.

So it is clear that mantrasiddhi can lead to Kramamukti and also Jivanmukti.

Purascharana (may be repeated), and abhisheka are prerequisites of mantrasiddhi.However, a siddha mantra or a sambhavi diksha (also known as Siddhayoga) does not need any other purascharana or abhisheka.

(Reference: 1. Deekha-saara(3rd kanda, page 273-4) by Amita,2. Sastramulak Bharatiya Shaktisaadhana o Saktasahitya by Upendrakumar Das, RMIC,vol 2, page 728-9)

Answer 2

Yes it really takes a long time before attaining mastery over a Mantra. First after taking the DikshA from the Guru, Purascharana is to be done. Because, without Purascharana the Mantra is considered as just a lifeless body of alphabets.

But sometimes, even after as many as seven Purascharanas, Mantra Siddhi is not obtained by the aspirant. Then certain special methods are there to be employed.

Anyways, signs of Uttama (best), Madhyama (medium) and Adhama (inferior) Mantra Siddhis are separate and they are given in the TantrasAra ( quoting from pp 529):

Atha siddhilakshanam |
ManorathAnAmakleshasidhhiruttamalakshanam |
MrityunAm haranam tadvaddevatAdarshanastathA |
PrayogahasyAh kleshasiddhih siddhestu lakshanam param |
ParakAyapraveshashcha purapraveshanam tathA |
Urdhotkramanevam hi charAcharapure gatih |
Khecharimelananchaiva tatkathAshravanAdikam |
BhucchidrAni prapashyettu tattvamasya cha lakshnam |
KhyAtirvAhanabhushAdilAbhah suchirajivanam |
NripAnAm tadgananAncha vashikaranamuttamam |
Sarvatra sarvalokeshu chamatkArakarah sukhi |
RogApaharanam vishApaharanastathA |
PAndityam labhate mantri chaturvidhamjatnatah |
VairAgyancha mumukshutvam tyAgitA sarvvavashyatA |
AshtAngayogAbhysanam bhogecchAparivarjanam |
SarvabhuteshvanukampA sarvagyAdigunodayah |
ItyAdigunasampattirmadhye siddhestu lakshanam |
KhyAtirvAhanabhushAdilAbhah suchirajivanam |
NripAnAm tadganAnAncha vAtsalyam lokavashyatA |
Mahaishcharyam dhanitvancha putra dArAdisampadah |
AdhamAh siddhayah proktA mantrinAm prathamabhumikAha |
Siddhamantrastu yah sAkshAt sa shivo nAtra samshayah ||

Fulfillment of desires without any real efforts is the principle sign of Mantra Siddhi. Other signs are- Defying death, getting visions of Gods, ability to enter other's bodies, ability to invisibly enter others' mansions, ability to move along the sky, ability to go wherever one wants, ability to meet with the goddesses that live in the sky and hear their voices. A Mantra Siddha person will be able to see holes on earth (Bhuchidrah darshana) and will get to know the principles of the earth. He will have great fame, will obtain vehicles, clothing and other such luxuries and will live an eternal life (exceptionally long?). He will be happy, and will be performing spellbinding acts everywhere. He can cure diseases simply by his vision and likewise can make poison ineffective. Without any real efforts he obtains four-fold mastery over the scriptures. He further obtains indifference (VairAgyam), a longing for liberation (Mumuksha), a nature that loves to sacrifice oneself for others (TyAgitA) and also the power of controlling all (SarvavashyatA). He obtains the practice of the eightfold Yogas, obtains freedom from desires of enjoying the objects of pleasures. He obtains compassion for all beings, becomes omniscient and also obtains similar other qualities. These aforementioned ones are all signs of a middling nature Mantra Siddhi. An inferior (Adhama) kind of Mantra Siddhi's signs are- Acquisition of fame, vehicles, clothing etc, long life, becoming dear to the King and his family; becoming dear to all people; obtaining the power of controlling others; attaining massive wealth, properties, wife, sons etc. These signs are manifested during the first phase of Mantra Siddhi. But one who has truly obtained Mantra Siddhi becomes just like Lord Shiva. There is no doubt in this.

So, when the aspirant's desires are getting fulfilled without any real efforts from him/her, one has to understand that Mantra Siddhi is achieved. This is mentioned as the first and principle sign.