Yantra
(यंत्र)Literal Meaning
Instrument; sacred geometric diagram
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
From Sanskrit 'yam' (to hold, sustain); a geometric diagram, often composed of interlocking triangles around a central point (bindu), used as a focal object for meditation, believed to embody the subtle energy structure of a deity.
Spiritual Insight & Context
The most famous yantra, the Sri Yantra, contains nine interlocking triangles representing the union of masculine and feminine cosmic principles, making the entire universe's structure visible in a single symbol.