The Netra Tantra is a prominent text of the Kashmir Shaiva tradition, focusing on the subtle anatomy of the eye and the awakening of the third eye (ajna chakra). The Netra Tantra Mantra is primarily associated with Shiva in his form as Amritesha, the lord of immortality, who is described as the inner eye of consciousness. The text itself, the Netra Tantra, is a key scripture in the Shaiva Agama corpus, and it elaborates on the mantra 'Om Hraum Netraya Namah' as a primary beej mantra for activating the third eye.
The phoneme 'Hraum' is a composite bija combining 'Ha' (space), 'Ra' (fire), 'Au' (the sun), and 'M' (the nasal resonance), which together symbolize the piercing of inner darkness and the illumination of spiritual vision. According to the Netra Tantra (Chapter 1), this mantra is chanted to remove obstacles caused by planetary afflictions and to bestow clairvoyance. The Devi Mahatmya also references the third eye of Shiva as the source of divine energy that destroys ignorance.
The traditional purpose of this mantra is twofold: externally, it is used for eye health and protection from evil eye (drishti dosha); internally, it awakens the ajna chakra, granting inner vision and intuitive wisdom. Recommended chanting context includes early morning or midnight, with a count of 108 repetitions using a crystal or rudraksha mala. The ritual setting should be a clean, quiet space with a focus on the space between the eyebrows.
Cautions: This mantra should not be chanted without proper initiation from a guru, as it can cause intense psychic experiences. It is also advised to avoid chanting during eclipses or without purification.
Salutations to the eye (Netra) in the form of the seed-syllable Hrauṁ.
The mantra contains the beej-akshara 'Hrauṁ', a composite seed-syllable. 'Ha' represents space (ākāśa), 'Ra' represents fire (agni), 'Au' represents the sun (sūrya), and the anusvāra 'ṁ' represents the nasal resonance. Together, they symbolize the piercing of inner darkness and the illumination of spiritual vision.