Bīja (Seed)

Part of the spiritual fabric that ties the divine with the earthly domain is the bīja, or seed mantra. Within the framework of avatāras such as Rāma and Kṛṣṯa, the bīja is the fundamental essence that helps them to manifest. This process reflects the personal spiritual path, whereby the planting of the spiritual bīja under guru dīkṣā results in the ultimate awakening and unity with the divine. It's more than just a cosmic event. Knowing the function of bīja in the framework of avatāras helps us to see the great and organised character of divine involvement in the earth as well as the holy continuity of spiritual traditions.

A single-syllable sound, a bīja mantra, captures the core of a god or divine power. It is thought to be the seed from which the deity's energy and influence appear throughout the cosmos. Charged with great spiritual power, each bīja is used in meditation, prayer, and ceremonies to call forth the divine.

An avatāra of Viṣnu cannot manifest without the planting of its equivalent bīja in the cosmic field, much as no living entity can manifest without the seed (bīja) being planted in a field (kṣetra. The bja is the spiritual seed, combining the potential and core of the avatra. Like a seed germinated in rich soil, the bīja blossoms into the whole expression of the avatāra when the conditions are perfect.

Planting the bīja for the manifestation of an avatāra might be compared to the initiation (dīkṣā) a guru bestows. In this sense, acchādana dṛṣṭi—the covering or veiling sight—refers to the guru's capacity to glimpse the hidden, divine potential inside the disciple or the cosmic order beyond the ordinary. Whether in the form of spiritual awakening in the disciple or the descent of the avatarra, the guru plants the spiritual seed (bīja) through dīkṣā, therefore starting the transforming process that will finally lead to the complete manifestation of divine energy.

This also links the macrocosm—the divine drama in the universe—with the microcosm, the path of each soul. The bīja is planted in the cosmic order to produce the divine avatāra, therefore assuring that the divine presence is always fresh in the world. Just as the bīja is planted inside an individual during dīkṣā, leading to spiritual development.

Om Tat Sat