In actual practice a Yantra is a symbolic representation of aspects of divinity, usually the Mother Goddess. In ancient texts, Lord Shiva is supposed to have explained the mystical meaning of the Yantra to his consort, the Goddess Parvati thus, "The Yantra is as essential to a god as oil is to the oil lamp or as a body is to a living human being".

The Yantra is actually more powerful than an image of god which, to be Energized Yantras, needs a Yantra to be affixed at its base or back anyway! A Yantra always has a mantra associated with it. Just as the mind is a part of yet different from the body, so is the mantra from the Yantra. The mantra is the mind consciousness while the Yantra is the form of the deity. There are different types in yantra like shri yantra, ganesh yantra, Kuber Yantra etc. the use of yantra is also different as the name of yantra.