Vedic and Tantric Mantras

An investigation of the relationship between Vedic and Tantric elements in the use of mantras in later Hinduism seems at first sight a rather specialised objective; some might even argue that such a distinction is artificial. True, the categories «Vedic» and «Tantric» are often subjected by Indian exegetes to a specific religious agenda and are therefore not purely descriptive term, but - as I hope to demonstrate in the following pages - they can still help us in understanding a neglected area in Indian religious history