Shree Yantra Singing Bowl - Meaning of the Sri Yantra on a Bowl
The Shree Yantra on a singing bowl is the Sri Yantra, or Sri Chakra: a sacred diagram of nine interlocking triangles around a central point, four pointing up for Shiva and five pointing down for Shakti, forming 43 smaller triangles. It comes from the Shri Vidya tradition of Hinduism and pictures the union of masculine and feminine. On a bowl it fills the heart, circles the wall or sits on the base.
Key takeaways
- What it is: the Sri Yantra, a sacred diagram from the Shri Vidya tradition.
- Nine triangles: four up for Shiva, five down for Shakti, 43 small triangles in all.
- Read it from outside in: square with gates, circles, lotuses, triangles, bindu.
- On our bowls: at the heart, around the wall, or under another figure.
What is the Shree Yantra?
A yantra is a sacred diagram used for worship and meditation, and the Shree Yantra, also spelled Sri Yantra and called Sri Chakra, is the best known of them. It belongs to the Shri Vidya school of Hinduism and represents the goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari.
Its nine levels are called the nava chakra, and it can also be built in three dimensions, as a small mountain called the Maha Meru. On a bowl it appears flat, carved or etched into the metal.
How do you read the Shree Yantra?
| Layer, from outside in | What it is |
|---|---|
| Square with four gates | The earth, a sanctuary that opens to every direction |
| Three circles | Rings that close the sacred space |
| Sixteen-petal lotus | The outer lotus of the yantra |
| Eight-petal lotus | The inner lotus |
| Nine triangles | Four for Shiva, five for Shakti, forming 43 small triangles |
| The bindu | The centre point, where creation begins |
On an etched bowl, look for the interlocking triangles inside a circle; that is the heart of the yantra, even where the lotuses and the square are left out.
What do Shiva and Shakti mean in the yantra?
The four upward triangles stand for Shiva, the masculine; the five downward triangles for Shakti, the feminine power of the goddess. Interlocked, they show the two as one, which is why the yantra so often appears with Shiva, as on the base of our Lord Shiva bowl, explained in Shiva singing bowl meaning.
Other sacred shapes on bowls, such as the Flower of Life, are explained in sacred geometry on singing bowls.
Where does the Shree Yantra appear on a bowl?
Our extra large Shree Yantra bowl carries one great yantra at the heart of the bowl. Our golden interior bowl has a ring of yantras around its dark outside and another on the base, and on many other bowls the yantra sits underneath, beneath Shiva, a yogi or the Buddha Foot.
In Nepal you will also find it beneath Buddhist figures, such as Amitabha; the two traditions share their symbols freely.
Looking for a Shree Yantra bowl?
Our Shree Yantra carved bowl is hand-hammered and extra large, from 16 to 22 inches: a bowl for standing meditation and grounding, with the yantra carved at its heart.
Which Shree Yantra bowl should you choose?
| If you want | Look at |
|---|---|
| A large bowl to stand in | Shree Yantra carved extra large bowl, 16 to 22 inches |
| Gold inside, yantras outside | Shree Yantra golden interior bowl, 7 to 12 inches |
| The Buddha Foot and seven chakras | Buddha Foot large bowl: Shree Yantra underneath, 16 to 22 inches |
| Shiva with his mantra | Lord Shiva etched bowl: Shree Yantra on the base, 8 to 12 inches |
| The lingam | Lingam Shree Yantra mantra bowl: Shree Yantras around the outside, 7 to 10 inches |
| A yogi in the forest | Jungle Yogi bowl: Shree Yantra on the base, 8 to 12 inches |
Bowls large enough to stand in are in large standing singing bowls, and every symbol bowl is in carved and etched singing bowls.
How do you use a Shree Yantra bowl?
- Gaze, then close: rest your eyes on the bindu at the centre for a few breaths, then close them.
- Strike once and follow the sound inwards, the way the yantra leads from the gates to the centre.
- Stand in it: with a large bowl, stand inside and let a helper play it around you.
- Finish in silence, attention resting at the centre.
Practice like this supports relaxation and focus, and does not treat any condition.
Can you have the Shree Yantra on your own bowl or gong?
Yes. Ask for the Shree Yantra at the centre, around the wall or on the base of a custom singing bowl; engraving is free. For a gong, use our custom gong page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Shree Yantra on a singing bowl?
The Sri Yantra, also called Sri Chakra: a sacred diagram of nine interlocking triangles around a central point, framed by lotuses, circles and a square with four gates.
What does the Shree Yantra mean?
It shows the union of Shiva and Shakti, masculine and feminine: four upward triangles for Shiva and five downward for Shakti, around the bindu, the centre of creation. It is the yantra of the goddess Lalita Tripura Sundari.
How many triangles are in the Sri Yantra?
Nine large interlocking triangles, four pointing up and five pointing down. Together they form 43 smaller triangles.
Is Sri Yantra Hindu or Buddhist?
It comes from the Hindu Shri Vidya tradition. In Nepal it is carved on many bowls, including some with Buddhist figures, because the two traditions live side by side.
Where is the Shree Yantra on a bowl?
At the heart of the bowl, in a ring around the outside wall, or on the base beneath another figure, depending on the bowl.
Can I have the Shree Yantra on my own bowl or gong?
Yes. Ask for it on our custom singing bowl page, or on our custom gong page for a gong. Engraving on a bowl is free.
Want the Shree Yantra on your bowl?
Choose the size and finish, and tell us where the yantra should go: inside, outside or underneath. Engraving is free, and Sunita chooses your bowl after your order arrives.
