ESTGYC&I'FA,EIDEA OF

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SADHU SANTIDDV

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@ Cosmo Publications FirstPublished 1999 (set) ISBN81-702G863-7(volumel) 81-702G8ff'5

CONTENTSMeaning ol TantJa ClassiticationoiTantras of Antiquityand continuity Tantra ofTantra OriginalHome Contents of Tantra A HumanBodY, l,4icrocosmKOSzl

Published br

MRS. &qNI KAPOOR foTCOSMO PUBLICATIONS of Div GENESIS PUBUSHING PVT LTD. 24,B, AnsariRoad, Daryacanj, NewDelhi-1 10002, INDIA

Nadis SahasBHPadma HumanNature Sadhana-Pafrcalattva Kundalini-Yoga Puja siddhi Purcscarana Yoga (or KaYa Deha)-Siddhi Nature Tantric of Doctines Sakti Theory Creation-Siva, of Tantraand SaktaWorks Dasamahavidy,rACEQ Gut!, SisYa, Diksa, Abhiseka

3l

Mull ra, Mandala,yantta, Nyesa Sava-Sadhana CakraBjja Waysto Liberation Bhakliin Tantra Yuganaddha NumberofTantras SaktaSect-a generaiview Science inTantra Causesof Compositjon ofTantras LrleraryValue ofTantra Tantra beyondjndia Tantra andTimaeus Tantra and Christianity TantraandJews WasTantra ForeignOigin? ot 3.

VedicOriginofTantricpractices Whatis SivaLinga ?

85i01 117

5. 6.

TantricPractice with Maktras Gradations Approaching Divine ot theGradalions Approach of

r33

(t) curuGuru (ll) c u r u( i t j ) curu(lV) Guru (V) Guru (Vl) (Vll) Guru Guru (Vlll) Guru God and Guru andParents Guru Word s nere

Holy Company (l) Holyt\ren Holy en(ll) lt (l) Birlh Human (ll) Human Birth lmages lmmediate (l) InnerAnd Ouler (ll) And Inner Ouler lnnerTrulh (l) Intellectual Knowledge (ll) lnlelleclual Knowledge (l) Japa (ll) Japa (lll) Japa Japa(lV) JapaAndDhyana JapaAndStotra JivaAndShiva JuslUse Karma (l) Kaula (ll) Kaula Sell-Revealing Shiva-Shakli Sins OlTheDisciple SupremeTrulh (l) Tanlra Sadhana (ll) TanlraSadhana (lll) Tanlra Sadhana (lV) TanraSadhana Upasana Upasana Gradalions

VedaAndTantra VerbalKnowledge Worship (l) Worship (ll) Worship (lll) Worship (lV) Worship (V) Worshjp(Vl) Yanlra Yantra I\,4antra AndYOga Yogin (l) 7. Glossary orTantricTerminology 195

Chapter-1

Meaningof Tantra

Chapter-1ol meanings fanlra loundin lexicons . Among thevarious (conclusion), stutisekhe maybe noted:s/iidhdnta the following (a branch of sfurl, i.e., Vedas),itika avya6 (sel of duties), (a pfubandha(composilion), seslravrbesa parlicularszistra). 'Tantra'issometimes Kdliddsa usedlo denotegovernance. 'prajahtanttayiva' usesthe expression \havinggovernedlhe (V.5). subjecls)in lhe Abhinanasakuntalam x. ln lhe Vedas X. \e.9.,Rgveda 71.9. Atharvaveda 7.42) 'tanlra'appears be usedto denolea weaving lo machine, a The samesenseof lhe wordis foundalsoinlhe Taitti ya loom. (11 .q. Bftthnana .5.5 fhe wordlarlrakaoccursin lhe Astr4dhy.iyi as a derivaliveol the tantra,and meansa cloth taken trom lhe toom. Bftihmana and Tendya BHhmara,'tanlra' lnthe Satapatha denotes chiefporlion ihe essence a thing.Perhaps the or of in thal age,Tanlra wasconsidered represenl quinlessence to lhe ol Sastras. placeslo beenused several al denole Thelerm lanlra'has a syslem of lhought,a set of doclrines,elc-, e.9., Kapilasya (i.e..Sdmkhya), is Iantra usedby Samkara. word'tanlra The used by BhaskaraRayalo denote lvlimdms;i'sristra, etc. Tanlra,when denotinga kind of Sdslra, standsfor a sel of dockines, practices, mystic syllables, metaphysical speculations, magic.elc. 'Tantra'is derivedfrom lhe rool tan 10 sptead. Tanyate jnefiam anera - knowledgeis increasedby il. In vistatyete this sense, any branchol knowledgeis called Tantra,e.9., Sdmkhya Ny:iya philosophical systehsarecalled respeclively and Kapilatantrc,Gotama-tantrc.fhe Ayurvedic work,sitributed to Agnivesa, cafiedAgnive'alantra.'fanlra', derivedlrom lhe is sarne roo1. takenby some1odenole Sdslra is a whichdilales

Chapler-t

uPon lattvas and mantfas.

r.ar fa,fra jfl,J;'i;j,_::1,rrom .,iii,S"riiifli,ili,j"li ?l:, denore,r,i, ro?r rrosdver. lare ja",l'"'',i,i[T and ro

ran,ra ,s so "" ,l!l""""oilll"oltiT,l?&,i11#:::, ca,,ed

Jl"L" rl !"*i:l::-l:l """iii"'il'i;n ll""T::l::nl:-l'""s "",,1,Y;,X wh,ch wourd l!""'n;o;;;;,"",.i ",;il;;";;l;ilt"X;

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#:*iit1#*ti'i,ii$i*iry;i#1, #Classification orTantras

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,i::Jx##[11i ,",llii'!:*l{",:kffi eft ;l;:x",j;;""T3,;:1;:1',:.,Tantras believed are to bet{Jng eachof Ihese ro

,qnHl i$nfr ft tri*tinsii,ffif "!::,!:r::ii.l. i,, {:::: f

or lhe withpractrce cuslom, workconcernd Safiolherwise is work is Asat. a Tanlrasare also classified isrka {Vedic)and Ne ka as The (non-Vedic). works of the former class are divided, to of according the predominance the deily,as Sekta, Sajva, Saura Genapalya and Vaisnava. TheSdklaTankas divided tenclasses accordance are into in wilhthe names len Mah6ldyes.Of these,the Sodasi-tantra of rs known as Sflvldfi. Anothermode of classification inio S/otas, pilha and is Anraya.3 Tanlrasare also classifiedinto Kddi, Hedi and Kaha\di ol SadF. This classifjcaiion appearsto havebeen in accordance wilh lhe injliallellersol mantrcs.The manttahavingKa as lhe inilialsyllableis Kedl,lhat with Ha as the iniliatletter is Hddl, and that beginning with the unionof K:idiand Hediis Kahadi Sakt is supposedlo be inherentin Siva as the properly of burninginheresin fire. Thefollowing facesol Sivaarelakenas representing five the five functions Saktl,jn the spheresnotedagainstlhem: of Isena - Cit (consciousness), Tatpurusa- Anahda (bliss), Sadyojyoti i cchd (witl), Vemadeva- Jheha lknowtedge),

regi;:ly-four

tr-i;#'rd*ilhfr:t?,,",;,{*tii'l,ril:***

Aghota-K y6 (aclion). The five houths of Siva are said lo have originally produced Agamas,viz., KAmika,yogaja,Cihtya,Mukut;, ten Ansumdn, Dipta,Ajita, Siksha, Sahash, Suprabheda in of .These- lheirlurn,ledto ihe composilion thefollowing erghteen Raudra Agamas: yraya.Nihsvasa Ptodgita\ parcmesvara, (ot Mukhabjmba, -. stddha.Santana.Narcsmha.Candramsu, Candahasa)lor,

Ctlager-1

Viabhadta lot, Bhadra), Agneya, Svayambhu, Visata lo(. Virckta). Rautuva Bau@vya). Vimata Mukutq. Kiena, lot lor. Lalita, Saumeya lo(, PaG). Theabovelwo classestogelher consliiute lwenly-eight the Saiva Aoamas. Anot-her tradition makes the DaksinaMukha ol Siva represenlnon-dualily; is calledyogini-vakra. otherfour il The facesarestated represent to thefourcondiljons, Denotaljve. viz., Denoted. Extinguishihg Extinguished. works,produced and The bylhese,togelher conslttule 64 Bhaituva the Aqamas classified into lhe followingoctads: 1. Bhairaviislaka: Svacclanda,Bhairava, Canda, kodha, Unmatta,AsitAffga,Mahocchisma, Kaht6li6a. 2. Ydmafdslaka: B'ahtrA, Visnu, AthaNan,Rutu, VetAta, lncl@,Svacchanda. Again,Tantras dividd are inlo Hinduand non-Hindu. Those ol the latlerclassare Buddhist Jaina.Buddhisl and Tanlras are divided, accordihg thelhreebroad to divisions laterBuddhism. of as vayaydna.Sahajayana K|tacaknana I hereis a sectarian and classificalion Jaina Tanlrastoo. Both Buddhistand Jaina of Tantrasbelongto the ltrisfika class, mentioned above. A hode of classification basedon lhe hythological is ages; e.9., vatahakalpa, KAlakalpa, etc. The Veahitant@menlionsa classof work"s d Upatahln. calle Thereis a lradition , Etahnayamata, XXXTX (e.g Ch. Sroionimava Sectlon)ot classifyihg Tantricwotks as Daksina,Vemaa;d Madhyama, also calledDivya,Kaula,and yama,each beinq sub dividedas Harda(inner)and BAhyaloutet\. A divisioninto Astaka,Mafigah, Cakraand S/khdis also lound (Jayadratha-y{nala, .47). 1 A class of Tantrasis called ydmala. Besidesthe well, kna n RudhtAnala, thereareYdmalasassocialedwilh Ganesa_ Visnu, Sakti and severalolhers.

are dividedinto lwo classes viz ln anotherway,Tantras Kalikuta a^d St)kula four broad SomedivideTanlricworksintothe lollowing classes: A. Agama oy Siva' lisienerParvali'approved Narrator usually as Vdsudeva lts conlents are iorfow"'- sr"ti' PBlaYa' DevArcana' satktma' Dhyanayoga Purascanrana, B. Ddmara by Narrated Siva Six kindsof Ddmaraare

Brchme' iig,", sui' Durye'sarcsvata'

Ganclhalava C. Yamala(lii meaningpair' couple) s,ix'viz BrchM Visnu Budta' Ganesa Ravi, AditYa : Generalcontents Jyotisa' AkhyenaNilya kama"tttra Vanabheda Jatibheda' Karna, Yugadharma D. Tantra Sdkiasastra Also cailed Nigama'Rahasya Arnava' etc GeneralConlents: SamhitA, Sarca Prctisarya Devala'samslhana Tnfuvarmna,ls ranp'dtan1a \enta' ntMya ' Kosa'varnana vrata Jvitis PurAnakhyAna vivarana'Saucae'auca'Naraka'Stti'purusa' Baiadhama' Dana Yugadhatma laksana, etc, are Saktatantras by lar lhe most well_ known

Antiquity and continuity of Tantra whenTantraoriginatedlt is given It is nol knownprecisely

#the slatus of Srull in some works. ll is slated bv H:irita. as quoled in Kallukabhallas commentary Manu (ii t). as on Srutisca dvividhe prcka vaidikl tant k tathe The earlieslrecordof Tdnlricelements lhe Atharvaveda is fn lhis Veda,we find, intet alia,abhic'tika practices designed lo cause mischief olhers. to There olherelements white are of and black magic.These foreshadow Tanlras. the The myslicsoundp/,at,so familiarjn Tanlra,occur in the Vejasaneyi Samhita.ln the ApastambaStautasttrc,phat is used in offeringSoma stalks in abhidra. The number exlanlTanlEs is large.ll maybe presumed ol lhal severalcenlurieselapsedbeforethe Tanlrasgrew into a hugebulk. Manuscripls some Tanlrasreveal palaography the of of Gupla Age.5 The oldestof lham is the Kublkdmataoreserved in Asjatrc SocielyCalcutta. Southlndian SaivaAoamas The -dating are mentioned an insc ptionol Rdjasimhavarman, in backto the sixlhcentury A.D.in Kaildsan:itha Tempte. Al feast fourTantras, Sircscheda, viz., Vinasikha, Sammoha and Nayotlarcare known hom th inscriplionot Sdok-kakThom,to havebeeninlroduced Kambu,a (Cambodia) inlo about 800 A.D.by a Brahmin. The oldesl BuddhistDh{rcnts ot Tdntric characlermav. perhaps. supposed datelrom the 4th century b lo A.D. Tibetanlranslalaon is availabte lhe Buddhist only of Tdntric worksby severalBengalischolars inctuding Sdhtaraksita (70S762 A.D ) and Alisa Dipamtarawhoare knownlo haveset ed in Tibel. The earliestNepalesemanuscripts Tanlrasappearto ol havebeen copied belweenthe sevenlh lhe ninlh and cenluries The faler porlions ot lhe MaldtbhAtata, lhough relerringto Ilih'sa, PutAna, silentaboulTanka. arc Noneof the well-known Chinese travellers, Fa,hien (401,410), Hiuen Tsang(630-649)

ol Meaning Tanlra

and llsing(675) relerslo Tanlra thal Tanlrashark back to the limes ot c. Tuccilhinks6 is (4lh cent A D ) Hisopinion based and Harivarman Asanga which he a Somas/ddhdnla on the facl that they allude lo Winternilz wilh lhe Tdnlricsecl ot the K:iPdlikas. identifies Tucci'sview-No BuddhistTantra does nol accept ho!^rever. 650 A.D7 to appears haveexisledbefore to The {irst clear reference Tanlric lileratureappearslo gavata'purana(nol later than 800 A D occur in lhe Bh accordingto some). These reasons led some scholarslo probably earlier thanlhe did thal conclude Tantra noloriginate sixlh cenlury A.D. lt may be Pointedoul that the lifth or Devipuhna,aBengalworkof aboutthe sevenlhcenturyA.D., of deepinfluence Tantra. reveals holdlhat, ol a Those. whoadvocate highantiquily Tanlra, the slanzas ol lhe Devisina (Rgvedax. 125) there are in form lhe who represenls earlier to coverlreierences Durgddevi goddess Tanlra. ls also lt ol of Sakiior Kdli, lhe principal (Bgveda 127)reters10Durg.i pointed that the ,gatrisuha \ oul lo of Somethinkthal Rdlri is the precursor Kali.According (Khila)inlerpolaled the into olhers lhis Stikfa is a supplement Rgveda. and l1is also poinledoutthalrhe M*fuandeya Lingapuanas pad of theformer, according oldesl revealTrinlric inlluence.The lo Pargitermay datebacklo the lhirdcenturyB.C.or even Tantraas (C. Samkarac:irya 8lh cent.) has accepled aulhorilativein his Anandalahatl and S:ikldmoda.The six Cakras Tantra by of havebeenmenlioned himin his griakabtrsya (7th Theworksof B6nabhatta cent.)and Bhavabhfii(C. nh or 8lh cenl.) refer lo Tantricviews and practicesu. lhal ll was poinledout by JogesVidyanidhi lhe names Br:ihmiand Devaniigari, betray applied Indianalphabel, lo He Tanlric ot is inlluence Brdhmi one of the Mdtrkds Tanlra. lhlnks that, in ancienllimes, lhere was lhe practiceol

10

Chapler-l

worshrpping painled symbols thegoddess. suchsyrnbol of One was Devanagara (abodeof god)trom whichDevanagari sctipl was so cailed. ln lhe Yasatilaka-canp, (Asvasa Bhdsa,whoflourished V) earlier lhan K:ilidiisd, stated havesaid.wilh the Tilnlric is to Vdmecerain view that one should drink sura and put on grolesq!e dress. The Lalitavistaraof aboutlhe first cenlury A.D.appears lo referlo Tdnlricelemenls. Amonglhe relicsof IndusValleyCivilisalion, there are lerracotta liguresoI natrkAsand male figuresin a si ing posture. Somescholars thinkthat, even in thosepre-Vedic limes.Durgdas Molherof the universe Sivaas Father and lsed lo be worshipped. Thus the germof Tanlra was there. B. Foote claims havefoundphalliamonglhe neolithic to rematns discovered him in Deccanr. by TheGaigddhara StoneInscription A.D.)of Visvavarman (424 menlions Mdllsor Mother goddesses Tanlra. and Ihe BrhalsanhitA(57. 56) ot variihamihira 475 550 (C. A.D.)meniions groupof Mdhs. lhe fhe Visnupurana, ofthe earliesl lhe extantpuriinas. one of speaksof ihe Saktlol Visnu.lt mentions several namesof Durgii. siales and lhat.it worshipped wine,llesh. She with etc., lulfilsall desires. Whalever date of originof Tanlramay havebeen,il lhe appears kom spigraphical ljlerary and evidences Tdnlric lhat praclices prevailed widely longbetore sixlhcenlury D the A ll rs nol unreascnable suppose lo thal cenlufleseldsped belween period Ongin Tankic lhe of ot deasandthetr codit'cal.on and evenlual elaboralion. Abundanl evidence available is lo prove thalTanlra reached zenilh popularitV lhe period lhe ol in belween seventh lhe and the lweltthcenluryA D. Winiernilzi0 concludes no realTanlra be proved that can lo haveexisled before 7th century lhe A.D.He is ol the opinon

not Bbha\sa lhe Mahem4yti is a lrue he i hat neit r I he Suvartap occur that lo He Tantra. comes theconclusion Tadricelemenls in eallierwoIks. pul to a Themainargumenls, forward establish laleorigin are ol Tanlra, as lollows: (i) Tanlra, as a S:istra, has nol been mentionedin lhe or famouslexicon N6naliiganusAsana Amarakosa. (mukli-khanda) stalesthalthecustoms (ii) The Srtasamr,ilS lo etc.,willbe beneficial lhosewho are fallen of Paicar6tra, long Thisindicates Tanlra thal arose wayof lile. fromthe Vedic was on the wane. afterthe VedawhenVedicaulhorily form,is generally (iii) The Naryasaslra, which,in ils presenl A.D does lo aboulthe fifthcenlury supposed haveoriginated n nol menlio Ndd/,Caktaot Ni\daatisinglrom them;this tends lo orovelhai eilherTanlradid nol existbelorethis workor was as Ever since ils inceplion. noi yel eslablished authorilative. works of faithhas inspired composition Tdnlric to lhe Tdnlric chapter from the n some lorm or olheri il will be evident of The flow oJ describing conlents the workson Tantra. lhe 191h. cenlury. conlinued righldown1othe Tdnlric wrilings worksappeal ln conclusion, cansaylhal lhoughTAntric we pretty lohgafterChrist, Idttrlcbeliels lo have comeinlobeing ol and oraclices wereDartof lhe livesof a seclion lhe Indian populalion earlyas lhe Vedictimesand evenearlier. as of Some scholars havepointed thattherelics the Indus oul (C.3000 B.C.)containtlAtrh'nittis. Ihey Valleycivilisalion holdlhal yantras, the mud6s (finger'pose), mysticmonosyllabic Bijas like KLIM, KRIM, e|c., testify lo the primitivepictorial wrilingand language of The black consisling singlesounds. riles of Tanlrahaveparallel praclices primitive in limes. li seemslhal Tantacaraot F'nltic practices, whichform a bulkol Tanlra times. werederived lromveryearly literature, Wilh the progress civilisation, philosophical oi sophisticated speculalions inlo lhis lilerature. gol Thal is why we find a curious philosophy lhewildest prolound superstitions of wilh mixture

.-

Chapler-1MeaningolTanlra 13

and most confusedoccultism,of a faul ess social code ol moratrty and rigidascetjcjsm and a cull disfigured wild by orgiesinculcating i. extremely reprehensible moralsi OrigihalHomeof Tahtra Nolhingdefinale knownaboul the regjon whereTantra is originaled.some believethal Tantrasof ihe Agu.u iii"" originated Kashmir. in Whal is knownas Tantramai travefeen producedfor the trrsltime.In Bengal. Thisoprnion staieJ is oy.wrnlernitz evrdence An though conclusivF. sLrpporl nol rn or rheafrove hypothesis lhatmanuscflpts Agamas,wt:|en is ol In sardoascflpl abound Kashmir. lhoseoi the ,anlrd in and ciass.in Eengaliscript, available abundance Bengal. are in in Theworks theSamhila ol class believed have are to originaied in differenl parlsof India, parlicularly Deccan in ana dengai K:im.ikhyd,r,in Assam, is a slrongholdof Tanlra. ll is knownthat Saiklism was preached there-by BengaliSdkta. the Krsnar;ima Nyiiyav;igisa. Ahomking,Rudrasimh;. The became hasdisciole The Eengali Tiinfriks cafijedTantra the tar-off to Himl:ij in ^ , Baluchistant lheBengati Brahmiinandaandhisdiscipte Jiiiiniin;da preached T;inlricphilosophy and Sadhana :c]'ete. Tantrrc Sddrana Nepalappears have in lo beenInlJJenced by Benqalsjdhakas,r Tiinlricismin Chinaand Tibet is believed haveowedils to orrgrn spread Buddhism lo of trom Bengal. Alisa Dipamkara (980-1053 A.O.) and severalother schol;rs tromBenqal wenl overro Ttbel.seltled lhereand wroleon Tantra In support lhe Bengalofigin ol ofTanlra. furlher a evidence. polnied by some,is lhal lhe Mah nitv6na-lantra oul mentions (vi.7 3 )lhree kindsof tishfor use in riluatsi lneseare tound n ptenlyafd widely consumed Bengal,,. in An anonymo!sverse stales thal lhis Sdstra. having jn ongrnaled Gauda.developed l\,4ithil:i. an existed som-; at

in and ota.eso' lvlahdraslra was deslroved Gujarat Gaude '/acahtd rdva ma hilaih abaliktlakvaci kvactnmahaaslre gutjarepnlaYam gatla/ The Bengalwork,P/iinaloslriquolesthe Varcdatanlra(x) of whrchis staled lo containa description somesoundsol lhe that tprecedlng we alphabetFromthisdescriPlion learn Nitgara as v h as./h. y is pronoLrnced Again, preceding is pronounced are y characteristics like b, Iniliadly is pronounced /. These in of and,in somecases. Easl in nolable lhe dialects Bengal, Bengal. .r.enlions vinirfia\ya The colophonlo the Mahekaulaihana as Gaudadvipa tts provenance, of alsopoinloulthalmany lheold lheories Thepro'Bengal have beenlound parlicularly Tanlra, Buddhist on works Tanlra. Bengal worksof delinilely Moreover. Tantric the n Bengal. thanof philosophy: provenance of rilesand rituals contain more oragin. lhis is a sign of theirearlier Thoughnot Many oJ the Sdkla Pithasare in Bengal. Srihalla. province, the Pilhas,kdmardpa, situatedin this are and Purnagiri in lhe (Orissa, according some) lo Oddiyana of neighbourhoodBengal. Contenlsof Tantra Tantradeals with live topics- Crealion. Tradilaonally powers. Communion ot Acquisilionsupernalural Dissolution. Worshlp. Beang withlhe Supreme slales the conlenlsof lhe difterenl fhe Varahi-lantra c asses of Tanlricworks as lollows: pralaya, adhana, Wtascarana devapLijA, i\gama - ststi, stambhana. salkatma,(nAana, uccAtana, vidvesa,santi) vasikatana, karma' nityakarma, Y Amala- srsli,jyotisa,ekhyAna, yugaclharma sitstra,vamabheda, i1tibhecla, devatAkrlt Tanlra-_ srsli Walisrsti,tantla'nirnaya.

Chapter,l trrtha-es rana, BAhmana. pani -la ksa yantra, na, devotpa tti, kaIpa vrksa, jyoti sa,p ranAk'hyena, kosa, vrata, saucA-sauce, naraka icAra, strtpurusa Iaksana, raj harma,denadharma, ad yu9adharma, vyavaharavidhi, adhyetma varnana, elc. The conlenlsof a completeTantricwork rnay be broady , divided as Jiana at Vdva - (nowjedge.n,,,d ng p, osophral ano nerapFysicado. trinFswlh d To, otnF ,Uc I tendencyand sometjmesa rorr sr c otas This part contains occulltsm Lrcruotng a knowledgeof the myslic bas Ths part . o n r a , n s o | t r t a ea , o L g u r e . . f 2. Yogaot Upaya - means ot mind-conlfot. especralty w t r ht h e o b l e L o t d c q u , n g n a q , c p o s p r . r 3. Xrya - containjng inslruciions makrng for rdots and ior conslrucltng and consecfatng rernp es. Carya ot Siddhi- rutesabout flies, lestivars ano soc a duties. -Ih s tourfolddivisionol contenlsis generar oul does nol appry to each and every Tanlncwork. A>-re9d_rds worshto, lhree asppclsoi ,Fe dF y. wo,,hippoo L. a.e recogn,seo. Tnese are sllrura ,,-nage :i,:_":":'": a 1 t r a ) p a r a s u K s . mt a m a1d r h r g h e s r . .b e a o o , a ' e - d e o y . , . o b

ij.,'

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l.

5

HUMAN AODY,A MICROCOSM The body s supposedlo consislol five kosas (shealhs), ol ! t. amianaya (madeoi iood), praramaya(consistinq v tal \canssltng fiea\h) nanomaya (made of mind), vtjn^namaya (conssting of loy) Anandamaya .1 speca consciorrsness),

Broadty speaking, contents Tantra lhe ot tleralurelall into two classes, phrlosophicaland one spirilual oiher popular lnea o prdcliLal Tne latter includes .raqL, mandata, nya9a, cakra, yantz. elc

The principataim otTantrais trberatron and

S/ddhl supernalu ( ra

The body s be eved to conlan lhree crores and a hali" ol r.:d,s {arleries and verns). Of these, seventy'two are or of as rcgarde.l prominenl. theseaga n, Iourleen ten are the the mosl prom nenl are /da pal ones.ol theseiourteen, t)f fr I'r)oa/iiand Sus|/rrni'". The ast and the ongesi one exlendslrcr]. mhhdh,ra lo moksanr;rga. brahmanedi.at 8/nlrr'arrrdhraln lhe head.Alsocalled Throlgh \ Kundaliit ts r s be eved to contarnlhe universe. to s!rplr!s-.d rnoveupward./de is on the eft side o{ lhe spinal lhe r]or.l A symbol ol lhe moon, it is while, and represenls Amfii aspect of Sakti.Enterng Suslmnd, ils exit s lhrough llre eft nostril Pingala s an the righi side oi the spinalcord Ris f! irom \he \|ibdh'ra. t ends in the righl noslr . Aso ca ed Srrya N;jdr, il symboliseslhe waking condlion. and a.is persons10 v olence. _ Cir{/as The body is believedlo conlain six Cakras ic r. or nerve-plexus). These afe as fo ows: - n the middleol lhe body,silualedin the lowest l'.4uladhAra l a r t o l t h e s p n a c o r d , l r a n g u a r n s h a p ew l h i l s a p e x is dowfward ll s like a red lotus wlth lour pelas. Kundaltni s r r p p o s etd c o a r o u n di t . o ' Sva.lhislhanaabovelhe milAdhara, brl belawlhe navle .s ke a lotusof srxpalals.presided over by GoddessRakin I'lafrlpufa I the navel.It is like a lotusol len pelals eacrr rr(rlafofta n ng a leller.Also calledNabhicakra, conlarnsa it l r L r n ( r e i t h e c c l o u fo l t h e n s n g s u n .T h e o u l e rs d e s o f l h e o lr irrr(.lLe representedby lhre Svasilka symbos ll s a.e

Chapter.l presrcied ovef by a goddessLakini. AnA.hAb- in the region of lhe heart. lt is like a deep red . . lolus with lwelve pelals. Seal of air, it is presaded over bv goddess Kdktni. V;sttddha Bhaatt - n lhe rFgronof lhe nech Sear ol ot Sarasvati. is grey and Ike a lotusof stxleenpetals Dresided il over bV goddess Lakinj. iTnd between the eyebrows. Also ca ed paramakatA ol Muhlatuvent. is lthea lolus of lwo pelals whtre n .olour .r tl 's from lhrs caftla thal lhe lhree nadls, /dd, el(. soaeadoul lo diflerentdrreclions. Svmbolised the letlersHa and A.sa by rl rs lhe seal of mind. presrded over by goddessHahrn| Ihe woroA/nameansorder orderof guruwhois supposed restoe to tn tl. (lilerallymeanrngpenetralron . ^Caktabheckat Satcakrabheda or cakras) means lhe manifestal|on acltvaltonof Cakras. or rl rs necessary keepingthe body fil and for the dttainmenl lor of Siddhls. lhe stx Cakras are idenltlied in sor.le fa.tflc works withthe five elements and the mind,s. Thjs idea appears have lo been based on lhe ancienl Upanisadic lheoraesi example. for the hearl is compared a lolus, and il is statedlo have 1Oj to Nadls; one ot lhem penetrales the crown of the head: a man movingupward il reachesimmortalrty. this,.onnextol, .he by In rollowlng Upanlsadsmay be consulted: Chandagya IJpansad Vlll. l. l. viii.6.6.Katha vi.16, prasna iii.6. Ceriiin diagrams also are called Cakfas. Diflerenl works differ in the name: and number of Cakfas.The S//bak,a is oflen menlioned,,.A Tantra called Caktabheda (Deccan College MS. No.962 ol tBa4-87) menlronsthe followingfive Caklas used in Durgdpiij:iaccording b Kauhgama. Raiacakra, Mahecakra, Devacakra, Vhacakra, pasucakra \see Catalogue,vol. XVI on Tantra, p. .163). In anolher m a n u s c r i p(lD e c c a n o l e g e M S . N o . 9 6 4 o f t A O T l t s o m e C 9 Olner OaAlas are described as Akactamacakz. nnaclhand Sodhanacakta,Rasicaka, Naksatftcakra (Catatogue. vol XVi

ol NtreaningTantra

17

. o n T a n l r aP . 2 5 1 ) SfrraAra also called Sttyanlaor lrpuacakta connecled lhe wlh S/rv,dvd has been descnbed in verses quoled in p 255 and Samiara;Fya ot A^a.dagirtrBib Indlcaed 1868) i\ I.he Selubandha commenlary on lhe NilyAsodasikarnava fhe it.:t-sa) quoting lrcm Yamala (prchably Budrcyamah\ somewhdl {verse I1) also describesil A rauncta,yalahart dillFienl des.ripllon oLcurs In a work called Deviahasva ol (DeccanCollege MS. No 49Oot 18s5 98) A descriplion lhe lhe bindu In batra is as lotlows.A Cakrais lo be drawn wilh a small triangle The birdu slands for Sakfi or Mtlaptakrtt fiveof whichhavelheir apex The;eare ninelriangles solidrlied. downward:these represenls Sakll and four, represenlingSiva have their apex upward The b/rdu is situaledin lhe smallest t ar,qe po'.llinqdownwardThere are two parls of ltiangles lolus l6 petalledlolus rnen'14irianqles lhen elghl_pelalled lineswilh four gales lhese boundary thenlhree lhen 3 circles. yanlraand lhe loluses lhe ten laltertJeing ouler sectionof the pelalsbeingthe innersectionof the Yantrc'Ihete ol 8 and 16 is a lotal of 43 angles The parl of the Cakra inside lhe boundary lines is called bhupura- The worship ol Yanlra is bahryaga Anlarvaga is laklng awakened Kunda'ni lhrough lhe Calrasl rrornMuladhardloi/racaita and lhen unilinqil wlth S va in the Sahasfara-cakra lhe six Cakras are identitied w h the five elemenlsand the mind. Sahasfiira Padmd' At lhe cenlre ol lhe head is localed lhe Brahmarandhra 10 throuqhwhich vital brealhor life is supposed exit al dealh lolus of a lhousandpelals' li is c;nceived as a mullicoloured facingdownward. The Cakras, accordinglo the Kaula syslem are as follows order : Nadicaktainlhe ianmasthanaBased in lhe ascending il is M yecakta in the navel (lrom here il prevaoes ort everwhere). iogacaka (in the hearl, centre ol yoga\. Bhdanacaka (in lhe ti/u regi;n). Dipticakta\Bindusthenainbelween the eye'

18

Chapler1

o! Meanlng Tantra

19

brows), (in Sanlacakfa lhe niidaslhdna). fhe SAdhaka realises as lustrous a croreof suns il like andcoollikea croreof moons. rousing energy can 8y lhis one reachthe higherslate of exislence When it is roused lhe enlrre being a person {looded verydelicale of is with ambrosia oi music lhis music is called Kundalini-kujana (sang of Rele idenlifiesKundaliniwilh the righl vagus nerve.Bul. (Avalon) Woodroffe discards view:he sayslhal I is not the a nerve.r any olherphysical subslance mental or tacullyi ii rs rather ground lhe subslance bolh Kuvalaydnanda ol also rejecis Releslheory. The Rudtayemala (XXXVI6 168)gives 1008names Kundallni. of allbeginning Ka Sabdabrahma wrlh ls supposedlo resideh Kundalint. Besides individual lhe kurda lini,fa .amenlionsaMalakundali The formerdevelops personal existence. gellingupon By Mahakundalione canlranscend narrowpersonal the slale.and eslablish himself lhe wideuniversal in slaletMahi\kundaliis al lhe rool ol lhe universe. HUMAN NATURE In accordance the preponderanceihe qualilies with of ol Sattva.Rajasand lamas,humannalureis divided inlo three propensilies classes. lhe basisol lhesequalities, On human have been dividedinto three classes,v1z Divyabhava Vtrabhava and Pasubhava. Ihe i"4ailryupanisad 21) menlionsSusumnaNadi as \vi. moving upward fhe BrhAdaranyaka 19)speaksof72.000 \11.1 The Cakrasare somelimesidenlified wilh lhe nerve p exuses modern physiology. appears be wrongin oJ lo Thrs vew of the lacl thal, in Tantralhese are inraginary lhings belonging lhe subtle 1o bodyand nol the grossbodyso that lhesedisappear with the deathof a person. preponderanceof A personwilhthe 1stiedwith Pasubldva

leal shamehalredfamllv lnlaluallon ,h4rpllers klndness 'i'""I'"i ol over r" hrmlhrlA rs an elcpssol Fdl;s gulU ''",}ili'"" He hasnolairhin "r.i" "r" '"l"'n"itr, idleanddrowsy ',11n'irr)it.'a. lo Tanlra iuu*es vedrcpraclicesAccoldrng ro rhF due '"" A pelson wrrhvrrabhava ::'-';;;";.;;; doessuchaclsas lead "i qualiiy Falas ol ll";:".,""""" ol1"e tne ;;';a'va navins preoon"nance l u l 3?;;;l "i,n" ::"":.'j' lrulh pule I s t h e b e s lH e i s k i n d p i o u s ^",]i,^, " i . s r r r t , alrilude and loes lrrends rowards :;: :-::;;";" SADHANA PAftCATATTVA is the meanslo lhe Sddhanelworship propitiaiion) 'l wavs sadhan; ol powerr he {success o' s/ddhr - ^ saslras /apr ol :':' "r".ini ,;," ,;,;,;r' or rnenlal)knowledge e'c (incanlar'on) manrra i,oas {penance' i" ' "'i.''noi:"""'i and sedhlkasare divided in accordance qualrl'esr'\'o loJl "uon"r"" n,',, n.ri-pnys'cat menlaland moralA d h m d t t a h a dl a l an a . , " r , * . r ' i . r r f M d u t 2 l M a d h y a nB ) Tanlia lhe sadhaKas lo According the Kaulaschoolof classes: are ol the following and olhel in 1 Pr2k I- yirdcdlrn engaged sacrilrce pancalallvas lo and resorling rlluals Kaulika- llke Prakrii wilh lhe dilJerence 2 Madhyama lo that his mindis moreattached med[aton' and knowledge concenlrallon' ritualism and 3 Kautikotiama lhose who go beyond Being on meditale the Supreme ol patcafaltva' also calledKuladravya ln I antricworship. imporlanl role Kulalall;a. denotingI i\te Mararas'plays an (meal)'matsya \fisl'') muda rt l7)rJy*'t*i"e) rr,amsa """ "i. inlercourse)' (linger'pose). ;aitilna (sexual whenthe sexualintelcourse SomeTanlrasrecommend energy andhersexual illness t"."r" f"ri""i i" i" n"r monlhly

2A Chapler-1

MeanlngolTanlra

21

:::"":,.-" l ii i'Ji:l:; ;f n.f ";i;"y,lfiii{,#:H'"":iff""lffi :i'l: ;::t;::" T*: i;:hTgilift. ::1.,,ii',i rff

;drn';x.:";*;i'i.:::.;*rJ ryfi j::ii:.' *' 5i :;',**l*,g'*lhz* h""

j;; ::,Jl:ffi ,rid,.r,eJi:,:i:"f,,,i"xli,:x..;r_

qt:,.##i".*q#.i,1"ffi fr li,."d higfr

ji:: fi,:"',,""'i,:#t',"1;t{*t*ni5ii*t*'*ii:T"r^ As regards the modeo, Tanlricse)

",,iTill ti:ffi;"; il:[1 ;tri,i?fu"]i''*i ,i ijrjr:

""n'"*j ;"*xT,,:rffi:""""',',Ti,g#fitr ffi";Jj ri;"H :,;

'"iidrillfi il#i*r"#"4;:1,+i*,,-l,l=ni; :lx #lll hxr:;;i'li*:1:*#Tili?i

*"Jjli{iffH""4.ff$:[+#Fil"iiiil#,j nli{ii":rft fr;}tillx',l;"#irp,=##li'

but nol in a devole of the pasu lype Maithuna i a Kautika. duality ol the lhe basicunilyunderlying aPparenl ;ymbolises ever!'1hing. m fhe Maftanitvana 170 173)recommends adhuratraya \\iii. sweet subslances) as substilutes lot madya Fol Ithree on medilaiion lhe feel ot Deri andiapa iallhu,'ra it substitutes marha. ot lhe desired One who for Paicatattvais not prescribed all S:idhakas. can a hasreached highslageof spirituallife, lakea paicata va of lhe andlhal alsounder guidance the gufu Asa saleguard enjoymenlof pancalatlvas,alletnaltve againsl unreslralned of an Jor are prescribed thosehaving excess animal ailicles requisile selt propensities, and, as such, lackingin the al the Vira lor commended Sadhakas Pancatattvais @sl(ain|. the Some explain of type lhey are possessed selfconlrol. js the slreamof neclarissuing from ras makd as follows:Madya standstor the the brain-cavity. abodeof the soul.Ma,sya of suppression vilalarr. Mirthunameansmeditation Mdmsameansvowof silenceon creation and deslruclion. appearsto describehow lhe three Ihe Kaularchasya2s L4akards, Madya, MAmsa,Maithuna,were enjoyed by the eating wineup lo throat. people. speaks drinking li of common lhe Kaulatahasya women. Ouoling lnealandenjoying beauliful 1heHamsaviksa(p. 104)says thal bhogaand moksado nol women. bolhlhese beautilul coexislBut.for one,whoenioys people, entitled to are to All ffom Brdhmanas low-class nah,nirv4na \ti't 144) accotdingla the Kauladharma lhe suggests following TheKaukvali'nimaya 113-123) \V. can use ioney In a A subslitules lhe Maka\rcs. Bdhmana for in or copper vessel cow'smilkor coconulwaler a bellmelal garlic ginger be used and can ol vessel. lhe absence meat. ln used lorfish Roasled maybe Bullalo milkorlhaloJlhesheep lru ls and rools may be usedIot Maithuna.

22

Chapier-1 jewe n s rhe like the quest ot glass ignoringthe Kaustubha cs fenltic pula st characier one s own hand Se l_surrender siddhi throughsddhara,may be ol many k nds allainable S/ddhl. (Successin mattras), vaksiddhl(success e a.. mantrasiddhi -speech). By lhe lormer,manlra s madeto secureihe desired !n result. By the latter, the speech becomes infallible Aller reachng lhe peak of spirtla I fe, one can posses lrle e gnl siddhis.vlz, anlma (power ol assuming an atomic lrg!re) nahime lpawe( of increasing one's size al wilt) laghtme (acquiring superonly al L excessiveghtness will),lsilva (assLrming (subduing all to ones wt ) Praptl over olh;rs), vasliva w (obtalning anyllngai w ll)prakamya(irresistible l) kamavasayita des re) oi (suppression Passon or mantrasled (11 1o According ihe Mah6nlrvdra 14_15),Vedic other Yugas But, in Kali Age \o deslredresuls n Salya and these are ke serpentsw lhout venomor ike dead berngs'In and lead lo ths aqe. Tentrc manlras yield quick resLllts, prescribes(iii 14) that lhe mantra Om Th sa vation. s Tantra brahma in lhe besli mere perfecton ln ths sac-cid'ekam manta causesthe soul to rnergein Brahma' lor the repett on 01a mantta s recommendeo sometimes, to ensuregreat ellect like conlro a lac or even ilve lac times ol even a klng lo ln some cases,Tantricmantrasate required be recited names oi the sage' the meter,tlre one, wrth the ke a Veclic (aPPllcallon). de ly and Viniyaga Some Ved c maniras also are used in Tantra, bul lor lhe purposes otherlhan thoseln lhe Veda.For example, manlra lo thoughaddressed Agn ' jatavedase sunavamalRv l.99 1), 10 is employedin invocation Durge. prayer in that, whle the forrner has Mantradllerc irom lixed syllables,the latter may be said in any form The oi syllable; of a mantra ate regardedas the manilestalion

ffi'_t'n9'n''.'ut,"o, .Tant

,",^",11;"'-"il' ,i'i,l,,[XT"""" *::l"J ;:fl,'ffsugges|ng o*,li",l:: i;:

, r : o t r h e o p , n t o nh d t l h a s , g n t l i c d n c e , ,..,1or" ot Ine rt4atdlas was detiberdtelv preverleobv viuiouspeople.

symbolc inrFrprelations ol

d 'ecogntses fdcl that.for progress rhe drongthe polL one has lo prFpa,e boOV. the inO bod! Ldn be made it by dtfferenl ";ratOrearr. minc posturos,usanasl Tor' ,r.1e n9 pr6pa lhe v,rdJ brearl-. onp has to pract( a p nol".u ino ts ptepatedhy bhavana(contemplationJ Three stagesof sddhana are rientioned Ihese are 1. Suddhi _.ridding oneself of pnysrcat and mental impurilies. 2. Sthiti _ gelting rid of the darkness ot dejusion and lhe tightof knowJedge shining. 3 Arpana_ realisation ore,s identtty of with the objecl ot meditation

loj,rlrirrrr*r, "nOKundalini-yog.irz

"""

entiatarenana,taryana,sandhyA, ptijA

,n" basicrhingfof Tiinlricsdonara. rhe dormant -^,",lll: energv : splflrudl is supposed corlroundnutuanura lo lir:i a serpent,' lis gradualby penettali rhe rbrahmatanon*, ap.^ 3:ff;:" " i,i"'",,".,i1i13,1T " ascenl

erld.. lvrr saysrnai rnI :J-:l:aj god 1he sahtananda.taran\tni searci tot

Tanlraprovides rhatone must tdenttfy onesett wtlhIhe de,ry . - - *9*n'q: Nvasa dhydna.japa ate ;mporrant ::: etemenlsin pLla_lhe olfeflngs mav be fivF to IFn in number.Jn lanlrd. .1:1:., p't. rmental worship) ,s regaroeo as sLrpFflor lo oulsjde havrngdis.cga'rded goOwtlf;n onsell

ChapleFl

ol Meanrng Tanlra

25

Sakti. Varielres manlradre calledby vaflous ol name! luch a _ Aavaca,Hrdaya,Astrc, Raksa elc. As seedis sownon a soilwhich cultivated walered, is and pul a discipte r,ea wr.,i,n,, p ,,e s :2: ::f .!:!'rj drenched .inlo ano nas been " by lhe walero, Cod.smercy.Ihe MahAnivana(V. 1a-19)statesthal gr.aslike Hrim, Kri; make the form of the deityvisjble. Mostol lhe Tanlrasparitcutarly pdlasuF'ma katpast)tra lhe ,_ Jnanatnavatne SandAtttakahold thal marllas possess wondedvl incomprehensibie and pafas power.The ,]-l-111.,1""1:9":.rarrh lhe cause ot this power ", ".u.k;tr;;;,; as rhe s.aradautahd 57.59)divtdes (ll manlrcsr:|lolhreerlasses vrz. masculnefemjnine neuler and Those endtng Humand In Phalaremaje. those ending lhaarelemale in anOihose enOlng In /vamas neuter ate

g' a'knlra lv'6-7'Krsnananda's ivilas arye Pu rasc nava, v l. p.41 Ke! TantGsata.in Raqhavabhalta, his commenlaryon lhe Saradalilaka wrlh detailsol dedrs e)(haustively ,xvr-56i. ARE cornmon 10 al\ manlras. manrfa tor 11is regarded as indispensable making the in the grip ot a eflectiv;. R;ghavabhatiasays that as a man' Putascarana so do Jisease,cann-or anything, a manlrawiiholl ls abortive. place -ver T n e D l a c p ss J l a o l e i o r l h l s r i l e a r e a h o l y , ol lop ol a mounlaln conlluence nvers' rool ol a o"n* "ri" temple,seashore, placewhereone leels happy any Bilvatree, to lnrs nle is requlred eal lood oblalred One. periormlng vegelables Yatl havisyan4d rfor E.ahrnacatinand bv bpqglno fruils. nilk, bulbous rools, Darley to The practices, be avoided'are sexualintercoursemeal' speaklngwilh women and Sudras' w ne, Japa should be done lrom mornlnglo noon'

o, lhp p,ocedures oj' lhe,MuhmanttaE Lalledpunscatana: because rr has to be pertormed beforelhe acts in whichil is to be empjoyed. In lanlra,it means rile in which a Vedic andTdnlricmantras are pulascarunaol a mantrc repealed has lhe lollowina ,The,, rn^n, pula ldpa.horna taryana.abh9ckaana "-.onstrtuer']1. t-eut I rranmanas lr d shoder fo,.n lhe rtr!l ,hree are per,tormed Dasarga puescatanaconststIn lhe lollowtng surl,2tshva ptp,7712 tKautdatn,ma, : ?11."'11"11:.:-iq"r,?rrsana | -as Deendeall w;rh In many lantras ot whrchthe !\v,

'?!* conterrhg favour nrm. her on Accordrns 1":f *1",r:',f." l9r the to t".e vayavtya-samhltii. pedellinq

our somethrng ." ^,tJi.",]:ll.T":* o:n:rmjngor carryins betore ^utarlava{xvii 8/) stales,hal purdscafana ts so called ,:ll oecausF. lt e live-lold DV upasara lhe desrreo dehy moves

may encounler Aiter lhe rite is commenced'the devotee remains obslacles, disiurbancesand terrible sights.lf he ll he sticks lo results. miraculous he unmoved, will achieve dreams, prescribed long time' he will get joy,seepleasant lhe someol lhe theseare hear sweel musicand enloylragrance; of the perlectionof lhe mantta' signs in There are varying modesot Purascarana accordance with the natureol the devotees'Pasu' Vira and Divya ln Tantra, yoga is mainly lwoiold, hathayogaand pavlng discipline in lot;er consists physical sanadhiyoga.lf,e lhe way lo mind_conlrol. insleadol lhe five has Halhayoga Ihe lallowing accessories Patanjali eight prescr;ed in lhe yoga syslem of Yoga

(xv l,j.Y /zl 5arodr,lokd ,, ) | 'i?"":::?:il,:li (.t1-1381|4At Ahtrbudhnya,r.X 53). 5p J tvahhrasamhta(pal;la jq versej 13-331.ia, !9amgama sunddri lll 1rS 56 XIV 45 46. G a n a h a t v a\ x | l l l 7 . g

M;hantuanatv- 85). 7b Kurarrva

26 Yama-

Chapter-1 conlrcl ol the senses, non,violence, etc sludy ol Saskas, meditation God. on - controloi brealh. wrthdrawlof lhe sense lrorn lhe wordly Prcvtnirese bhitanem nivtttistu mahephab/ cessatrlon for oJ Thereis inclination creatules thesethings; leads to gleat result' of des re, however, is Whlle orthodoxlndianphilosophy concernedmore wrln .n I_e other world. Tdntric philosophyvigo'oJsly sd\alion in advocales lvanmuktt (liberahon lile) lhinkersused 1obelievethat' A schoolol Tdnlric'Alchemic yogic processes mantrasand chemicaldrugs lhe bv certaln so that oiav ot iteitr-ano blood could be made imperishable deat^.1\e KAbdahana ana Mtlyuniaya lanltas ,L cor.o de'v (makingtne body to .ont"in tethods ol Kayasiddhr "'" ,t"t"d longlived). fit or unconsclonably lakes place,the Eooy lhai when keyaslddhi lr LsbeLieved Valraand full ol yollhful lustre,does nol become slronq as is subie;t lo decay,diseaseand death.Theconceplion nothrng new wilh the Buddhistsand Alchemistsin whose lreatisesit has been deall with in delail.The power oJ yoga in rendenng subjected the body lree irom ihe i1ls,to which it is ordinarily has bee; clearly stated in the iollowing lines ol the Svetasvalara Upanisad \2, 12): na tas|a rogo na iara na mrtYuh / pnptas|a YogAgnimavamsairam / by One. havinga body conditioned yoga' has no orsease' nor death no decrepitude The oreal eJlicacyoJ mercury and mica, in imparting adamantiie strength io the body and preservingit for an parlicularly in rncredible lengthof time, has been recognised lhe works on;lchemy. Mercury is called Pa@dde o( Rasa ll rs be leved to be Slva's Sernen (Slva-vlrya) and mica is supposedto be derivedtrom Sakti 1 is intereslingto note that the Nalha seci oJ Yogl's and inkod!ced amonglhe tradlionallyorigrnated Adinatha by by laler leople by i,4atsyendranalha, inlluenced ihe Baulsand mode' vigorously Sahayrya-sadhakas, lhe Vajrayana iollowing

Asana -

a particularpostureoi lhe body SamAdhiyogais sixlold:

Dhyena, NAda, Basenanda, Layasiddhi, Bhakti, RAja. The iundamentaldrlferencebelween the yoga of lhe Yoqasaslra ol PalaFjali and yoga in fanta is this. In Tantra. there is no driterence belweenSakli and Tatlvaso lhat Sakt surrnounts obslacles, att and effects lhe unionol the yogl, wilh lhe SupremeSiva.Pataajati, however, does not recognise any Supremepower exceptingprakrll so lhal lhe yogl/r has no 'arrllla.irv w'll^ any Saklt beyoao pGhtn. Siddhi A lundamentaldillerence betweenthe Brehmanicat Sdstra and Tanlia is thal, whilethe formerordatnsphysicalsuilering or sell-moftification as a means to lhe goal. the la er emphaslses valueof the body as meanslo sadhana. s the Th is nol lo say ihal the Briihmanical Sdstra neglectsthe body On the contrary,it regardsthe body as the very firsl means lot lhe ptaclice ol dharma As Kalidasasays (Kumarasambhava, V.) sariram adyam khalu dhatmasadhanam.fhe Smlti_sasl/a containselaboraterules lor havjnga good healthand recipe for long |ie. But, it lays a great stress on long last, arduous and slren!ous rites and rituals,abslenlionlrom wtne, elc.. conlinence and restraint enjoyments the objeclsoi sense in ot Tantra, however, allowsthe devolee indulge enioyrnent to in ol the objectsoi sense, ol course within timits. The core 01 TantraSadhanais muklllhroughbhukli,a conceptabsolulety lorergn lhe orlhodoxreligion to and philosophy. ManLr unwquivocally sIaIes KAya (ot Deha) -

theNarhas berievedprocess ina which lJx?i:",if fii]i.'ornr

6

I Om{a.arrs to be mFdjtaledupon.I he gatewav oI Behmatanclhta rhese thrngsberngdoie. lhe downward ftow ol l1: 9:,:h.rr amotosra ls checked.Thts process ts called AiasacandtaYog;na. is supposedthar tho tt 91:d,:,,:u lh". is lurce axuded wnhrr lhe body drilled upwardOylhe.rpotow,ng winA,anJ slored In Sahas/ara The believers rhtstheori In admil lou. l 'c k,')ds of Candra(moonl vt/ . Adicandta Nlacanaa. Unmadacarnta

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J,4SA XXVI 1930 pp. 129 Ll. O n l h e q u e s t i o n o i l h e p r o r i t y o i B u d d h i s lT a n l r a o v e r N nd! Tanrraor !ice versa see B Bhanacharya Saclhananala H ( n l r o , I P L X X V I I) a n d W i n t e r n i t z L L l p 4 0 1 F o r e x a m p l e ,H a r s a c i t a ( e d K a n e ) , l . p p 1 0 2 s 5 0 e l c ' Kadanbari lett Kale) P 56 Uide Foate Collectian al lndian Pre'histoic and Prato a M h i s t a . i cA n t t q u i t i e s , a d r a s , 1 9 1 6 K R S u b r a m a n r n Arigin af Savisn and its Histary in Tanil land' Madtas 1 9 2 0 . l y e n g e r S t a n eA g e i n / n d j a , M a d r a s H/L i p. 635. W i n l e r n l z . H , s r o r ya l l n d i a n L i t e n t u r e , l , 1 9 2 7 p . 5 9 1 A c c o r dn g l o s o m e , t h e n a m e i s t h e H i n d us e d i o m 0 1 k a b r n e - k h a t h e n a r n eo i a g o d d e s sw o r s h i p p e d y l h e K h a s , oi a yoni \lelr'aleorgan) see N N. trbe n rhe iorm Bhairacharya Histary at Tantric Religion, p. 143 Vide Vanglat Sadhana by K. [,'1.Sen, pp 47 43 i We shal see thal ihis Tanlraoriglnatedn Bengal A c c o r d i n gl o s o m e , 7 2 , 0 0 0 . See Pranatosni, l. 4 9alcakranirupana, Raghavabhaltas corirn. on Sarcdatlaka xxv. 38 E g Saundaryalahati, v. 9 See Sakrl and Sakia by Woodrolle (3rd ed ) p 399 G Kav ral describes the syslem ol Cakras according to a G o r a k s a n a t h l n S a r a s v a t i b h a v a ns t u d i e s ,l i p p 8 3 9 2 l n a t h e l r a n sa r i o n o 1 S a t c a k n n i r u P a n ap a t e s i v i ) A v ao n { ( V l 1 ! s l r a t e sh e s i x C a k r a s a n d S a h a s r a r a p l a 1 e l ! L )a l o n g l . w r h t h e i r r o o u r s e l c F o f C a k f a s - w i t h i l u s l r a l o n ss e e C W. Leadbeatet, Cakras. , S e e P V . K a n e H i s t o r yo f D h a r n a s a s t r aV p t . 2 p p 1 1 3 7 _ 3B X See salcakfanirupara LI XL ll Somellmes called Sura which, aceording to l"'latrkabheda ) s l a n t r al i 4 0 ) i s s o c a l l e d a s i l i r n p a r t s u r a l v a( d i v i n i t v a s

10 12

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?,i:l,.xTl?,1_,?[,]: :ri!l.-.',{3:1,:l#ina invisorares i,i"i,",iiil1,xJl,ff minrhe sysrem l:.J[li:ryanoi3 15 16 17 18 19

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Buddhisls Vaisnava and Sahajivas believe Kayasiddhi in .The as the obiecl ol sadhana lo refer to a body oblainedby some sort ol kayasajhana. Foolnotesl l r . - b e l i F \ , e o a ' l t , e s e, e g o - s w e h " so lrnoo dcco.dtng '^" o r L a n s p o , r u s e o r . h e r | v 1 , ,J L 1 d ' h a l ". , A s vla : :L" . b n e a - . a s p c t , v e . y e a - q o , n q ;a s h o r s ea n d e t e p h a n t . F o f l h e r e g i o n s i n d i c a t 6 db y r h e s e n a m e s see ctossary V i d e T a n t r i kl e x t s , V o i . 1 , e d A . A v a t o n tnrro, pp r-rv V i d e P C . E a g c h i , S t u d i e si n T a n t r a s p . 3 , 4 See Bahvrcapanisad _ Saisa para saktih hadividyeti va sadtytdyer; Atso see comm V i d e H . P S a s r r i N e p a l C a t a t o g u eI p p 1 0 , , Bs ti7

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ot y1"- atso nnnaya .tB.1s) M. I:f::l!:a s k a r a r a y a n h r sthe Kaulainana ano Br I( v 6 r s e s8 7 - 9 1 ) . cornm on the Lal asahasra.nana D - c c a h o 9 6 V S . N o . 9 5 9 o t 1 g 8 4 . 8 7r C o p r o C Srnval 1 7 9 0 - 1 7 3A D ) 4 E.g. D. N. 8ose, Tanttas - then phjtosoprl 6rc. p. jto F o r . t h s c i . t i . i c b a s t s o t K r r r d a l r n ra - o t L e a l r r r u d eo l noorr screntits to L se cop Krishnr A/orogrcal Easrs aI Hehgton hd Gentus. nd ils nt,oductro- y Werzsack6, a a o l l s e 6 m s l o b e a ^ t t c r p a l e d y s a r p a l a / n{ s e , p e n . . o _ e - , o / o. the Fgvada

25

27.

24. 29.

Chapter-2

ay copinalh Kavnaj,repuredas a Tanrric Sadhaka at hi9h ord6r, He nots thal o n e , R a m a t i n g a S a s t r t n a ot Cidambaram, Madras (Tamil N a d u ) , w h o t i v e d a b o u t a hundrdyears ago, atlaindKayasiddhi. See G. Kavnaj,Tanttic sadhaha o siddhanta, |', p 166

Natureof TantricDoctrines

Chapter-2Dva,la(DuaIslrc)d_d I hese dre Adlalia (1o.-dualistrc). 64 Dvaitadvaita(dualislic-non-dualistic).The BhairavaAgamas, stated to have emanaled Jrom lhe mouth of Siva arc AdvitaTen Saiva Agamasa e DawG. ln l8 RaudraAgamss lhere rs a mixlure ol ditterentdoclrines. Theory ot Creation Siva, Sakti

He The SupremeBrahmanis eternaland unchanging. is both niskala and sakala: ka6 mea s Ptakrlt. kom Him. The Saktiof Brahman eternaland inseparable is This saklr is nifgura (without altribules)and saglna (wth As goddess in lhe torm ol consciousness, she aitributes). manifests the being and, throughher as goddessin lhe lorm ol bliss (dnanda). ErahmanmanilestsHimself.Sakti pervadeslhe universe likeoil in sesamum- om Brahma-Sakti F aroseNadalrom which ptoceeded Bindu. The subtlebody of the goddessis reJe(edto as mularnantatnikal (consiituled the basic mantra). by Siva, enlangledin the web ol Maya, and the lalent Sakli are conceivedas the supreme8/ndu. The Bmda,circularin shape,is boundedby lhe circumJerence oI Maya. Al ils cenlre is lhe place ot Brahman, the abode ol Prakrti-Purusa.'lh\svety Bindu is Prakrti-Purusa, SabdaBrahman Apara-Brahman. or As a result ol the union of Siva and Saklj, lhe goddess becomesinclined(unmukhl) Siva.Then the web of M6ya is lo proceeds, snapped,and crealron The relaiionship Siva and Saktiis conlroversial. ol According (i. 10 lhe Kularnava 110), some advocalenon-dualily, others desire duality.

Chapter-2 Sabda,Brahmanmanifests itseti in lhree Sakl/s, viz., Jtiira (knowledge), /cchii (desire) and Kriya (actian) iollowing lerms are used lo conveyrne compteteness . -The ol S va. Syata?,rdla ttndeoendencer. nrlyJta rete.na.tlyt a-trptdld . nt!, {oUaiirv ba'ng ever COrlentedr, Ol Sarla/rala rOrt-,SCrenCe/. FromParamasiva ses Sambhu, a from SambhuSadasiva. , lrom Sadasrva tsanaand Rudra,Vishnu,Siva arise wrth lhe|l own Saklrs wiihoul which they have no power. Inlhe AlahAniry'ana Siva has been ca ed Sambhu.Sadds va ^ Sankara.lvlahesvara, etc., each lerm indrcat the d Lerent ng con0[tons, qualitiesor rnanifeslalion the single of srva. thtaJg^ gr ooth Meya and Ay'utaD.a^.t, .-^::u' " ln:.fo'.n Ire powe. ol Maya. B.ahna- corLeat5 Hrs ow. .o,.r, a;d appea'c,n dllferenl manleslations. Mutapta^ r rs Jnn an .6s.ed. 'n rna rranttesl.ondition, restde!in she thc urrverse constsl,ng ol diverse names and iorms. Siva-Saktr resides in lhe maadhara and Kundatini within Ine human body.In all processes, Sabda grahmanresides n llre lorm ot Kundatini and in rnanifested aksaras(tetters). as The orderof creation, according Tantra, as iollows to is Mulaprakrti-Sak|,(resor|ng to S va) tMahat

Natureof TantricDoctrines

35

g i5

5 65

.s-' !E o)

Chapter-6VI Gradalions of Approach The nalural state ol communian is lhe highest; meditalton and concentation are the mtddle; japa and chants oI praise lawer; ritual and outer worship ate lhe lowest, (9 34) THERE are several modes ol approachand communon and to w th the Divine, each appropriale the inner developmenl conditionof mind of ihe seeker.Those that are the leasl developed,the most exlroverl, need lhe external material etc. lor keeping lhemselves support ol ritual, ceremonres, do turnedlo the D vine; thosewho are a littlemoredeveloped nol ieel the need of physical modesol worshipand lhey resort lo /apa and chantsol praise. Those who are stilltu(her up on lhe ladderof evolution and semi'physical discardall physical means and take to concentration and meditationupon the is objeclof lheir quest.The higheststale, however, arrivedat when communion wilh the Divineis conslanland nalural:one does not need any specialpraclice live in the consciousness to ol onenesswilh the Divine.

136

Chaptr-6

the cradationsol Approaching Divine

137

( GURUr) Thete is no lruth grcater lhan lhe Gutu. (3.113) TO the seeker Gurumbodies kuth to be realised; lhe the gives theGuruit is whocommunicates lruthlo thedisciple, th him the powerto assimilate and bcome it one with it. Thus doesthe Gururepresenl ihe disciple ldeal10be attained to lo and lhe meanswhereby seekil. The Guru is all because lo he can give all.To the disciple there is noihingbeyond lhe Guru,

GUR(rD UAll holy actions are @otedin the Curu. 112.14) ALL ritualin lpiisare, innerdiscipline, depends its liletor dynamismon lhe spiritlal energylransmifledby the Guru in The whichflowsiniolhe disciple the niliation. power whenhe is laught the rilualisticaction by a competent Guru emerges the act and makesil alive.Wilhoutit ritualis mechanical and does nol yield its intendedtruit.

138

Chapler-6

139

cuRu( t)-- Guru is the fathet, Gutu is the mothet, Guru is God lvlaheshwaraHimself. i12.49) the _ THEGuruis the motherwhocarries seekerin the womb ol his conscjousness beforehe gives him birth inlo the life ol lhe Spirit. _ The Guruis the fatherwho tendsto the growthand welfare ot the initiate in the difticultpath. the Lord for it is throughthe person _ The,Guruembodies ot the Gufu lhat He manifesls Himself the disciple ro and reachesto him His saving crace.

(lV) GURU station,the Lord in the form of the Form his transcendent curu frces one lrom animalbonds. I.t2.26) in WHATis achieved the disciple a resultof the force as not depend uponthe human capacities of of the Gurudoes atlaintments lackof lhem or theGuru.Forit is nothispersonal the Whenone surrenders oneself lhe to thal decides issue. it is to the Divine Lordthatoneopensitself through him. Guru, ol it And the Power the Lordis supreme; is not handicapped of it whal by the limiiations the humaninstrumenl; achieves the Lordwills. The Dlvineacts throughlhe human Guru.The Guru as rendering Divine the accessible tunclions ihe channel, to theaspiranl cannot who enter direct into relation theDivine with

140

Chapier6

the ol cradalons Approaching Divine G U R U( V D

r41

(v) GURUThe sighl of lhe Guru of the Kula Path is difficul! lo oblain in all the worlds; only by lhe happy ripening of previous metils is that obtained, nol othetwise.

no Thete is no Mantta highet than the padukaa God higher the Guru: no jnitialian higher than the sakIa,and na mell than highet than the Kula warshtq 11212) upon the and dwell in one's consciolrsness To rernember by symbolised the padukiils more elfectve feel oi the Guru lhan lhe repetlio ol any Mantra;it is a direclcommunon wlth a living Power. ol The Guru is a represenlative lhe slpreme God an He In God lo the disciple. Lsaccessible every embodmenl ol wrthhLrn namannerlhat have persona relation wav.One can s ;oi normallvpossiblewilh Deitieswho are nonphysicain lls d/ksa,ts ot severalkinds eachaequlres own Inltialion, ol But lhe saka diksa, direct transmissron nstrumenlation. needs nolhingby way oi channelor r tual dynamism, sprritual lnstanlaneously and ellective ll to be etieclive. s sponlaneous Men seek lo acquire merit by vanous means- elhlcal rellgiousand olhers - bul lhe best way s io accuslomlhe pour ng to consciousness dwell upon God by a concenlrated - ln the chosenlorm'- at all leve s oi ol onesellupon H m physicalOnlyso is one ellecively lhe be ng, rnenla, emotlonal, ol liftedup Godwards and that a is the meaning teal punya

(e.s1) THEGurLr, shows Truth, who the opens wayto realise theit and imparlsthe strenglhwherewith iread it, is nol secured 10 by human effort.He appearson lhe scene when one is ready to receivehis message, whenone is developed enough, across lhe lives, to be able to get into the spiril of lhe Teachingo1 the Guru, lo live in tune with his liberatedand liberaling consciousness. When the seekeris lhus preparedby his past presenlevolulion the decisivestep, he is eilher laken and lor by circlmslancesto where lhe Guru is or the Guru himsell

142

Chapter,6

GURU(VID At the raot ol dhyenais the lorm ol the curu; at the rcol of puja is the feel of the Guru;at the rcat of the mantrals the wotd of the Guru:and al the root of all liberutjon thegrace is (12.13) THE Guru it is whom lies the key io the success all of sadhanas the life spirituaJ. in To begindhJaina, meditation, firslstep is io visuatise the the fofm of the Guru,focus all lhe mentai{acullies il, on connect onesell the inspiration liowsfromrt and Iead lo that the mindin the desired direction. Belore any pije. wotship, is begun, one oiters menlal worshjp to the feetol the Gurulor it js the spiritual lifst power thal {lows frornthe feei that efrectsthe conjunction between the worshipper the Deityinvoked. and No manlrais lruly ellective unlessil has been received through mouth the curu. In communication manlra, the ol the the G!ru transmils lapas-shaktlto disciple his lhe through the wordand thal powerworksin the lorm o{ the mantra. Liberation the culminalion all spiritual of sadhana cannotbe effectedby one's own strength.lt is only a Power grealer than ones own,from outside rangeol the lriple the lgnorance this creation, of that can cut the iinat knot oi bondage. lhatpower And conesthrough Grace theGuru. the of

G U R U( V l l l ) When the superb Teachergives Io his disciple then daes the disciple get liberated: there is na further bitth for him (12.19) does nol THE real Guru, high of souland Jullcompassron, the disciple and receivehis adoration He holds merelyinitiale tor the spiritua weliare oJ the dlsope, himsel responsible lays open lo hlm himselithe burdenof his destiny, takes upon resourcesol the spirit and mind.The Guru nol only his own into is own being bul also gives himsel takes the discrple power with all his atta rrtments to him-And 1 is the spirilual of the Guru which passes into ihe being of the d scrpleand He goes on io eltecthis liberation. freedlrom the cycleof birlh and death.

t o a " r a d d l o n s l A p p r o a c h i n qh e D i v i 4 e

145

GURU ANDGOD Even when God Shjva is wtoth, the Gutu is lhe savjour; but whehthe Guruhimsellis annoyed,therc is none to save. (12.45) lN a manner speaking, displeasure lhe godscan of the of be facedif the crace of the Guruis lhere.For he is capable ot averting consequences lhe djspleasure the of eitherby his ownspiritual power by interceding the gods.Butil the or wirh uum htmsett wereto be displeased. woe to the discrplel then Thereis a deeper relation beiween Guruand the disciple lhe thal normally admilsol no interference.

GURU AND PABENTS The parents are indeed to be deliberctely adored because hey ate the cause af your birth; bul the one to be worshipped espectally is lhe Gulu who shows whal is dharma and what ts (12.48) THE parentshave a claimupon lhe graiiiudeand iealty of man becauseit is they who givenhlm birih and rearedhim up is But lhe GLrru to be adoredmuch more. For wh le the parenls give him only physical birth,and bring hlm to materilalife,lhe G!ru g ves a greaterb rth, birlh into lhe Trulhof God, opens his eyes to the right palh, and launcheshim rnlo a lile lhal assures a gloriousfuture in this world and lhe nexl.

::: :t

Ii

{

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146

cnaDreF6

the Gradaions of Approaching Divine HERE

147

GURU'S WORD A singlewotdol the Gurugiveslibe@tion; sciencesare all (1.107) THEvarious branches learning of cultivate develop and lhe mind in the ways ol the intellect. they do not by Bul givesliberation manfromlhe rounds birthand lhemselves to of dealh.Al besllhey may bringhometo himthe realnature ol his bondage, how his lacullies limiledon everyside by are ignorance division evenindicate waysand means and and the by whichhe can free himsell. the acllal working oi But oui lhat process liberation of cannotbe donefrom this learning alone.lt has lo com from anothersourcethat is the Word of the Guru. Thiswordis potent because is not the speech il ot lhe commonkind, lt represents expressivepowerol the the spiritual consciousnessthe Guruwhohasrealised Truth of the in hirnselt. asan outermeans cornrnunication inner ll ol oi his slare of Knowledgeand tapasyeto the seeker.Tfirs word implants the beingof lhe discipte in the dynamics the of realised Truth whichis selJ-eltectualing whichreally and builds the way, the sAdhanA him. in

ll one does nal temedy lhe ills ol hades here itsell, what tndeed can the alllicted hope for there where medicine is nol? \1.24) THE maladythal aillictsliie on earlh is to be cured whrle one is on earth itset. For lhe meansto do so are providedlo manwhenhe is living. is giventhe faculiies understanding, He of vision,will ll he lails to utilisethis opportunily cure himselt lo ol lhe dsease ol ignorance, egoism and divisionby proper elforl duringhis lilei me, it is idle 10 expectthingsto be betler atter death.In the wodds lo which man departs,there are no possibilities suddenchangeand cure; lhal 6an be done only oi on earlh whichis lhe appoinled tieldfor evolution and progress Greatis lhe predition, saysthe Upanishad, one lails io make il rt here.What is therecan only be a conlinuation whal is here. of The problemis projecledhere and it must be faced and solved on its own ground.

.',

148 HOLYCOMPANY

Chapter-6

lhe cradationsol Approaching Oivine HOLY MEN O}

149

Company ol the holy is the remedy and the cure. (1.56) ASSOCIATION an influence has larger than is admiited. Especially those who seek to achievethe higher ends ot for life, lhe companyol the holy is invaluable. is nol so much lt lheir words or teachingbut their very presencethat makes a greal dilterence.They live normally in a higher slate of consciousness, ailuned tolheTruthol theirldeal.andconstantlv emanalevibralions characteristics theirstale oi rea isation. oJ These vibralionsol higher consciousness create a specral atmosphere purity,peaceand spirilua poweraro!nd lhem, oi and whoeverbrealhesit comes under ils uptiltinginfluence_ One is exposedto the higherchargeall the time and without any special etforl changes are seen to be initiated in his person; get the good elements nourishment increase and while the opposiieones are depressed and dwindleaway.A natufal changecomes over as wilh logs ot Juel,in varyingcondiilons, gelting dry and ready in lhe warmth ol a fire.

I do not dwell in Kailas nor tn Meru not in the Mandan mountains:I am lherc where the Knowers of lhe Kula-Turthare. (9.94) THE Dvne is not lo be soughlin the geographical locations ce ebraled n mylhology.Whatever the symbolic significance lhesetradjlions, Divineis lound moreeasily ol the lhrough those who have realisedthe Truth ol the Divine in themselves. They have perceived the Reality, attainedidentily wrlh il in lhe depths ot their being and emanate the direcl vibrations lhe D vinitywith whom they are in union. come ot To undertheir inlluence, establish to contactwith them and to be wilh them mentally, vitallyand physically a sure means to is realise the DivineReality. pjlgrimages distanlplacesbul Not to companyol lhe holy is the way.

r:ha^tor_A

the QI449!9$ 91App,o""r'ins DivineHUMAN BIRTH (I)

151

HOLY 0t) "EN Wherc the Knowet ol the Kula-Truth tives, that place is (s.97) HE who has realised Truth the Divine the of doesnol livewithin closed a circle existence, oif tromall.On the of cul cnlrary radJates he incessan lromeveryporeot hrsbe.ng y rne nrgn Uonscrousness he breathes, that and all ir hia env'rons absorbs vibrations. ils EveMhing unCiergoes a change. rnose thalare/eadycatch flame aspr,atior progrJss the of and rhose{hatare not yer ripe_ lhe str wel togs :]ll lip.lyl or ruet - are warmed and madeready, up known unknoin or 'o tfemselves. All quickensin pace. The stamp oi his rearsaton t.npressed all orders crealion ts on ol around htm.

The Knowledge of the Reality cannot be obtained without human btth. ( 1. 1 4 ) THE Tantraspeaksol the innumerable birlhsthal lhe soul has to pass throughbeforeil can arriveat matufity, condition a for suitable lakingand supporling humanembodiment. the And thrs human orgafism alone is endowed wilh lhe means ol understanding natureoJ liie, ils goal and the way to arrive the al it, rn a word, of coming into possession the Knowledge of oi the truth of onesell and oJ olhers,of the Truthwhich gives meaning10 all existence.I\ranalone, of all crealurestn lile, has ihe intelligence, awakenedsoul to acquireand wield the the Knowledge ihe Trulbin manilestalion. of Humanbirth,thus, rs a rare opportunilypresented by Nalure after aeons ol preparalion througha successive seriesol inleriofbirihs and t behoavesman to pui it io the best use open to him and nol friilef ii away in lesser pursuiis.

152 (D HUMAN BIRTH

Chapter-G

lhe Gradat ol Approaching Divine ons IMAGES

Human birth, Iadder to liberation,is difticult to obtain. Who is more la be pitied than he who gets this birth and yet does no! save himself? i1.16) THE humanbirthis a culminaiion a long,long series ol ol preparalorybirths in the journey of the soul; it marks a delinite stage wherefull awakening thesleep Inconscience lrom of is eflected lhe possibility breaking and of through bondage the ol lgnorance a purposiva by growth inlo the freedom selt of knowledge placed is belore man.He is gjvenalllhe means ol will,feeljng, thought whichhe can outgrow tutelage by ihe of Nature and buildhimself the imageof God,his creater. in No olhertypeof being creatjon given in is suchan opportunity and the wherewilhal lullili the great object ol tife,- Freedom, to Ljght, lmmorlality Consciousness. of Woe unlo the man who denieshimself highdestiny lhe that is spreadbelorehim I

Milk is formed thtough the entire body al the cow but iI pours aut only lhtough the teats af the udder; even so lhe Divinitypervading everywhereradtateslhrough the Images and (6.7s) jn THE Divine is indeedspfead everywhere its lorrnless Infinily.Bul on thal accoLrnti rs nol all beyond perceplion, The Divine reveals beyondthe reach of the humantacullies. the tsell in linite Form as well. In fact all iorms are uliimalely of se t-i gurations lhe DivineBeing.Of lheseformsagaln,there ihey of are some which are specialconcentrations lhe Divinity; Such are Divinemore readily lhan others. reveallhe ensouling as lhe lmages, ldols, elc., that have come lo be worshipped of the Divineiorms and living symbols signiticant

154 IMMEOIATE

Chapler'6

lhe Gradatons of Approaching Divine INNER AND OUTER(I)

155

Do today what is lor tomoitow. do in the forenoon what rc fot the aftenoon; Death does not wait to see il things arc done \1.42) lF time is fleeling, wise man forestalls by aniicipalion. ii lhe He is noi laken by surprise, he does not wait lor the turn of lhings.Not only does he nol poslponeanylhing, bul he always believes in completingin advance. He seizes time by the foreiock For and achieves the immediate. no one knowswhal in possibilities the next momenthas in slote,whatnew unforeseen may not come intoihe situation. Besjdes, knowsthal Dealh, he the endero, lhings,is alwayson lhe prowlAnd this unwelcome guest has no consideration the convenience man. lor ol

Thete is no Mantra highet than meditation; no god highel than the Self; no worship is higher than inner pursuit; lhete is no fruil greater than contentment. (9.37) with the Deity ALL practiceol Manka leadslo communion dwels and whenthls communion perlecl,the consciousness is solely on lhe Deity - there ts dhyana. Ihus dhyana is a culm nalion ol llantra. There are several gods and goddessesin lhe universe. They are so many emanalionsput out from the Supreme Bul Creatortor purposesof lhe manifestalion. He Himseltis presenl in the crealion,in each lorm in creation,as ils Sell. The sell is the Divine ilsell while the gods are Powersand Personalities Him. o, relation with the Deity The aim oi all worshipis to establish and invokeils Presence. Oller rilualis only a supporl.a help. The real processis inner;lhe mind and the heart aspire and pourthemselves adoralion in and pursuilgradually leadingthe consciousness onenesswith the Adored. to There is kuit and lruil but the one {ealurecommonto most is fuiillmenl of desires. Bul thal does nol bring lasting happiness. desire salisfiedbreeds anolherand there rs no A respite. There is real happiness and peace only when one is able lo touch the reposeol lhe soul within.This contentment depends upon nolhing externaland is the Jruitof truits.

lhe cradai ons ol Approaching Divine 156 Chapier-6

151

INNERTRUTHTa perditian he goes who regards lhe Gutu as human, the Mantra as r,ere letlers and the Images as slone. (12.45) THE l.ue volaryof the Tantra nol misledby appearances. is He knows lhal lhe truth oJ things is wiihrnlhem, nol on therr s!rlaces. The Guru to him is not merey a human being like a lothers, albeltbetterendowedthan the olhers,and he does not dea wilh h m on that basis.The Guru representsand lhat he aspiresto realiseand embodies h m lhe very Divrne lo he adores hrm n lhe light oi his experience. y is Similar the Mantrahe practises nol srnply a slring ol letters sel logelher with some rhyme or no rhyme. lt s the solnd body ol the Deity he prayslo. ll rs nol lusl a means or techniqueto take him to his goal. lt is both lhe way and the goar In one. Ne ther rs lhe lmage he worshipsmerelya maleria tigure. The lmage Form in whrchthe Deityis presenl. It s the physrcal the humanconscrousness oi or dol rs lhe nodusfor lhe meeting lhat that seeks and adores and the Dvine Consciousness nranlesls rn responseto the asprrafron.

(ID AND OUTER INNER Theone withautitual is the higherworship,silencets lhe and highetjapa, thaughtfrce state is the higher meditalion, the dlsrelessness highet ftuil. (s.38) is W O R S H I P o t t w o k i n d s : l h e o n e w i l ho u l e rr i t u atl o pii6, extetnal worship;the islhe bAhya support communion the on purely worship, f ow ol adorat a inner is outer andhigher the ol the rilual mental enaction ot lhe Deitywith or without with lhe word or words Japa is of two kinds: audible, physically repeated moulhithe olher and h gher s the by uponthe Manlra in inaudible, silent, whichonedwells mental, without moving lips. lhe it repeating inwardly a is Medilation lwo kinds:the one whichpursues lineol lhe otherand the objectchosen; around organised thought the thought aclivily, mindis silent higheris lhe slaiewithout idea-novemeni. withoulany occupying praclices? There many are Andwhalis ihe fruitoJallthes healthol advancemenl, sought, e.9.,malerial kindsthat are liberation slatesbeyond, in and mind,afrluence heavenlier body Noneol lhese,sayslhe lext, is woflh lrom birthand death. evenlhe is The objective to be lree lrom desire, the pursuii. and Personal desirelotallyeliminaled desirefor liberation. Will is the idealcondilion by displayed the Divine

158

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159

(I) KNOWLEOGE INTELLECTUAL lhe Notknov/ing Truthwithinhimsell,the deludedone gets (1.96) in [,lENstudyand poreoverbookswithoulnumbei order is Bul lo knowthe Reality. the Trlth of thangs not lo be lound it be by in lhe pages any books; cannot gol simply reading. ol And the besl place lo It is to be seen and experienced. For there one has a direcl experience is withinonesellit The perception. inlimate feelingwhich is unmislakable. an is in the heart ol thingsand rendershimselfmost Divine from lhe accessible this core. withdraw consciousness al Io in a direclions outside cenke and its pre-occupalions hundred it withinoneseltis the sureslwayto becomeawareol lhe Truth slationedwithin and to realiseit.

(ID INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE The head caffies the tlowersbut it is the nose that gels

(r.e5)THE mere fact ol earningand schoLarship does not by iisellgive the powerof wisdomunlessone equtpsoneselland entersinto lhe hearl o, thal KnowledgeOnly he who aspires for lhe libefative actionot lhe Truih-Knowledge wilhoul losing himsell n the inie lecluallormulations it, gest its full beneil. ol Olherwiseit remainsa barren menlal acquisition-

160

chaolalr-.

lhe Gradalions Approaching Divine of JAPA (ID

161

JAPA(t) Japats ofthree kinds.Japadonealoudis the lowest;Japa donein low tonesis themiddle; Japadonementally lhe best. is (15.54) WHENthe Japais donealoud(in the hearing olhers) ol thereis a lendency the repetition gel mechanicat. lor to The so!nd predominates the senseand muchof the benetit over Whenit rs donein low tones{withthe rnovemenl ps of but outside hearing others) the ol thereis less d straclion ol sound. stillthe ellorlof repetition the wordsatfects But of the concenlraiion the consciousness. of S!ch a concentration fullypossible is whenthe Japa proceeds wilhoul verbalrepelition (without any movement ot lips).One dwelJs uponthe meaning and the consciousness participates uninterruptedly affirmation re-allirmaiion in the and ot lhe invocation. letters words repealed The or are verysubtly wilhinthe beingas supports thisflowor consctousness lo lo the Deity.

lf the repetitton is too clipped, it causes disease, if toa exlended, ft causes decay of tapas; when letterc are stuck to each other. lhe Mantra does not fructify.

WHEN lhe lapa is done one much be carelu lo see lhat with full regardto their lorm and the lettersare pronounced ndividuality. letters shall be suppressedor only pa(ly No pronouncedr give them only parlial expresslonresulls ln 10 the suppress ol health.so also if in pronuncialion letlers on energy. 1l are undulyextended, resultsrn waslageo{ spirrlual distinclly lhat each so Care shoulCbe takenio ultereach lelter O s o u n d - v b r a t o n a s i t s l u l l c o u r s e . n l y s o i s J a p ai r u r l l u l . h

162

Chapier_6

JAPA0r0How can there be lulllllments if learning is acquied lor the sakeof debate,Japadone lor the sakeol another,gifts given for lhe sake of lame ! (1s.102) JAPA sadhana meanl enterintothe consciousness in is to ot the oeity and becomeone with il_ ll is only lhe Japa thal rs ctone wilhthissoleob,ective is spiritua tulti ing.One lhat y rearns torget to onesell moreand morecompletety al lhe and, besl,becomes Deityitselt. the But if the Japais underiaken lor lhe sakeoJanother, order workforthe spiritual in to welfare ol somebody else,jt cannotbe equa y successful. it is For a matteris cultivaling one'sconsciousness leading to and it contacl and livein the greater consciousness the D;jty.lt of rs lor eachpersonto nake lhe eflortand work oul the process anhimsell.In lhis filed lhere can be no Japa by proxy.

JAPA 0V) ll the mind be in one place, Shiva in another, Shaktt in anather and life'brcath sli!! in anothel place, even a crare ol (1s.10) lhat all the FOR Japa to be trlittul il is indispensable pouredinlo il Distractions and is consciousness concerrlraled slalesol mindand leelingare an impedimenl and drsorqanised The mind-muslbe gatheredroundthe objeclof the Japa; the (Shakti) must coverage on it all ils active consciorlsness the passivebeing(Shiva)must be lully iurned to lhe currents; lor must be gearedlo lhe repelition, eliortiand the llje_brealh be its laculties easilyquietedand only so can the mindwith all locussedon the Japa

164

Chapter-6 JAPA AND DHYANA the Gfadalions Approaching Divine ol JAPA AND STOTRA temembercdmenlally,lhe Manlra repeated Statra,laudatton, verbally, are both useless like water in a brcken vessel. (1s.56) 165

When ttrcd-by Japa. take to Dhyana: tircd to Dhyana: take ot htm who does both Japa and Dhyana. he i?::i 1"p1.. tvantrc achleves most(1s.13) DICIOUS comb,nation Japaand Dhydna of (Medrldlron/ _-,AJU. mahestne sadhanaless slrenuous and morelruttlut. Whenlhe mrndsiows signs oi exhaustion due lo long concenlraiion on the repetilion o1thel\lantra, shouidbe rela;edintomeditation it on the meaningand signiJicance the l\,4antra. of The mind musl bp djloweolo toltowthe unrofljng the tdeaIn tne of Mantra;thts rereaseOr the lhought_energies gives ,est lo lhe nerves ano rne Derngsoon gets resloredlo norma cy. But il lhe rnind ts a/'oweo lo slay loo long In th;s state ol release. thougl-15 oegrnglo wander and a tirednessol aimlessmovemenl;ets in. lt is then lime to draw back allthe lacu[tes and tocuslhem i-lhe conce^lrat,on on Jpa.Thus both Japa ano Dhyanaare rnerwowheetsuponwhtch the updsardnroves tls dest,narion. to

STOTRA,hymn of praise,is inlendedlo be clearly articulated and lhus affirmed n words, expressedin ils {ull sound-values The physicalvibrationsso released n the physcal universe. lorm a magnelicfield as it were, and create an atmosphere, lhe Presence ot the Deity thal is lauded is srJccessfully Invokedon lhe spot. so The Mantrais to be dwelt upon ln one'sconsciousness gradually yields lsell to lhat the Deity ensoulingthe [,4anlra that is concentraled upon it. Mere verbal lhe consciousness repetilionremainsonly on lhe surface withoui allecling the nner domainsoi the be ng wherelhe contactis to take place.

166

ChapteF6

rhe cradationsof AoDoachr'rq Div.ne JUST USE Da nat cul aff even a blade of qrass uselessly.

167

JIVAAND SHIVA Jiva is Shiva;Shivais Jiva; the Jiva pure is Shiva.When the bonds il is Jiva: fteed lrom bonds t! is Sadashiva. le.42) THEsoulassociated Nat!re,involved its movements, with in is Jiva.In ilselfil is a portion, amsa,o{ the Divine. Divine The projectsitselt inlo ihe manifestation lhis projection the and is soul.Whenlhe soul is involved the activities life-nature in oJ it getscovered its essential but character not affecled. is The jorged the process momeni freesitsell it fromthetrappings in ol the evolulion whichit is cast,its innalecharacler a in as selttormulation the Divine of patent. becomes

(5 46) has a rneaning and a purpose Everythrng CREATION each ihing - big or small ln the wor d has a signilicance; place in the totalscheme.And to deslroyanyihrngIn has its oi li{e regardless the use for which it is intendedis a wanton with the orderof CosmicNaiure Thls is not to say inlerierence is Everything to be used lor that nolhing should be utilised. bul purposeJorwhich li s put forth by L4other'Nature, not lhe being,man has a special wasled.As an awakened missedor the in responsibilily ihis regard one must learnto undersland in Nalure, put onesell in tune with 1 and act in intentron consonancewith its wil. That is the sign and lhe way oJ progress.

I

168 KARMA

Chapler 6

o t G r a d a t i o n s f A p p r o a c h i n qh e D i v n e

KAULA (r) Away fram misery, contended,devoid al qualities, free frcm jealousy, given ta the Knawledge of the Doctrine, peaceful, the Kaula is always devoled to the Divine. (s.84)

Of whal is dane here the fruit is abtained elsewhete: of lhe lree whose raats are watered the frutts show on lhe bnnches.

EVERYaclionhas its reaction now or alter. t is n vain the of to hopeto escape consequences one'sdoingsin lilehere by going away elsewhere. Whaleverbe the worldsto whichone goes,the impujsons generateddurng the bodlly life on earih iollow man in hs out.Th s may subllerbodiesand insislon working lhemselves be etfected parlly in the period belween death and re embodimentand party in subsequentbirlhs. The laws of Karma are, as a rule, ne uclable.

THE true Kaula - parlicipant the Kaula Dharmain the of Tantratraditionharmonising Truthof the DivineBeingwith the the manilestation the D vlne Consciousness-Force is lo oi be dlstinguished lrom exlernalmarksof appearance, not |iual etc., but be the grade of the consciousness has atta ned. he He is one who is not lost in the miseriesof the petty world ot des res, d sappontmenls and atflicitons common to most. He s content with what is given to him by the Divine,finds his source ol happinesswith in hinself.He is not sublecl to lhe currentsof likes and dislikes,good and evil, that sweep the mind oii its balance.He does not burn himselfwith envy at the good fortuneof others.He knows and lives in the Truth oi the Divine, rts Oneness, its overpowering Bliss. Nolhing d slurbs him; he is ever al peace, with hiinselland with the world.All his atlentron, his energies all flow towardsthe Divine, the supreme object of his adoralion.

1to KAULA (ID

Chapier-6

Gradations Approaching Divine of the SELF.REVEALING

171

Without insolence, anget, show, desirc and ego, truthful in speech, nat enslaved lo the senses, the master of the Kaula path is steady, not fickle. (9 85) BUT on that accounl,becauseol his high slatus,the Kaula he is not proud,not haLrghty; does nol show ofl his powersor his knowledgeto impress upon the less tortunaleand gain He a following. is rootedin the divinecentrewithin,nol in lhe ego; he is not swayed by ihe impulses ol nalure, but ls governedby the impulsions lhe soul, the Truth wilhin and o{ wilh in speechand actiononly what is consistenl he expresses He is lirmly sel in his pursuil ol the ldeal and thal verily. nothing can dislracl him.

Not by thinking but by itself alone is the Reality reveated.

(s.1o)THE Divinecannotbe lhought out. No amountoi reasonlng, lhoLrght deliberalron bringone lace to face with the Reality can ol the Divine. Normallysuch mental activityonly weaves a lhoughtwebaroundlhe person. the most,mental At deliberation can processlhe mind,free it lrom its dross of materiality and vrlalcolourng and prepareit lor a highergrowth.But il cannol serzethe Drvin even in its highest llight. The Divineis beyond. It revealsitseli by its own choice and il the being is ready it can receiveand imbibethe revelalion. Thinkingcan be an aid bul never the means to realiselhe Divine.

the ol Gradations Approaching Divine '172 SHIVA.SHAKTI The wa d is made ol Shiva and Shaktt (2.83) product an i usivePower' o{ is THE universe not a transient Shakl , that not only puts It is a creationof a divinePuissance, manifeslation it oul into birth but builds it into a progressive in lhe creatlon, omnpTesenl' of the Divine, she is lhere as omniscienl,omnipotent, the consciousnessthat intorms as and guides, the Forcelhat execulesBut thisConsclousnessis Farce, cit-sakti, not alone.The Poweris of one who wields is ii, ihe Sakfibelongsto the Sakla;the Consciousness of the lt SupremeExistent. is emanaledby an0 Being,the Shiva,the what rs based upon Shiva; il brings out into manitestatlon Being ot Shava ln iacl, the Shakli in the illimitable contained is none other than Shiva himself,Shiva as Shakti Wherever Shakti is, there ls Shiva ioo - whether in this world or any olher.The Truth is One, revealingitself in its double aspect and all that is manifest is when turned io manilestation, o{ lhis double t.uth ol exaslenceconstituted The blemish af the ministet touches the king; the blemish af the wte lhe husband; and the sins af the disciple, withoul daubt, are visiled upon the teacher. (ri.109) he When the GurLr acceplsone as disciple, takes hlm into h rnself, makes him part ol h s own beingand, n the process, . t a k e s h i s d e s t n y u p o n h i m s e l i H e s h a r e sh i s l l i e w l h t h e d sc p e There is an inlermngl ng ol the two conscousness a does h s t ll they becomeone. Naluraliy that lhe disciple his thoLrghls, words, his actions- has its own reaclions n the be ng of lhe Guru and his Karam allects the Guru. s Ths s how th6 collectiveins ot the dscples, even devoiees,come lo ieave a mark on the body of the Guru and even lnflct physicaldamage upon it.C h a p l e t6

SINS OF THE DISCIPLE

174 TRUTISUPREME

6 Chapter

Gradalions Approach lhe D vine ol ng TANTRASADHANA(I)

175

Some seek the truth non'dual, otherc the truth dual But lhey do not know my Truth which exceeds both (110) aboutthe natureor lne dispuleendlessly PHILOSOPHERS rea|ly.Some holdthatlhe Realilyis one which does not perm I any other; all else that seems to be ls only an appearance, there cannot be anythingelse other lhan lhe so e, absolule, lhis posilionand assert One.There are otherswho challenge thal thereare alwaystwo kuths - God and Nature,Sptriiand [,4atter- and all is an interaction, a play of the Two And so go his the dispulations on, each proclaiming own view as the sole lrulh. The real lrulh ol lhe matter,however, s thal the 11 distinclions- is an omnipresent Reality abovealt mind-made is permtsmanypossible ol expedences itcorresponding Realitywhich it from which it is perceived; is the supreme lo lhe viewpoints and the slalemenlsbasedupon Trulh in whichallexperiences lt them lind their reconcilialion. is none ol them solely but and exceedsthem in ils conlainsall of lhem in its inlegrality oi transcendence all lolmulalions,

Fron lhe nulAdhAra ga up to the brahmarandhraagain and agatn: bltss tssues out of his meeting of the Kundaltni Shakti and lhe l'"'laan Full Consciousness.Whal flows from Ihrclotus ot in the suprene Ethet is the wine. the real wine to be lasled by man: what ts drunk alherwise, is anly ltquaL (5.r 7.8) 0 HEFE s ihe sadhana of the Tantra and ils ecslatc iu lilment in a nuishell.Awakenthe concentraled dynamtsm ol Powerlayingcoiledup al the base of lhe sp ne in the body and lead I upwardsrn lhe system by approprrate rneansol Dhyana, Japaetc.and takeil lo the summilol the consciousness of supreconscrence, Whenlhe two meet,the Powerrisingfron-t below- lhe Krndalini andthe superconsciousness awailrng above - the Sanasrara there is a llow ol pure bliss.This is lhe rea ecslasy, the yield of the myslic wine thal is celebratedn the Tanlra,and nol the inloxication causedby the phys ca subslancecal ed wine which can be qualted by any body wilhouthavingto go lhroughlhe elaborate and strenuous processesol the sadhana. Materialwine is only an outer symbol n fitua oi ths inner tlowtng

176

Chaptr6

Gradations Approaching Divine ot the TANTRA SADHANA(III)

177

TANTRA (|D SADHANA yoga, cut asundeLwith the swordof knawledae. Knowing the animat of duatily - metit and demetil. anct meee;hc consciousness lhe Suprcme.That the true eatinqol meal. in is (5.10s) THEanimalto sacrificednollhefourlegged be is quadruped thal is the viclimof common superslition, the notionol but goodand bad,lhe obsession duality dogsthelootsteps of that of man.This constant preoccupation what is good and with whal is bad, what storesup metit and what accumulates dernerit creates unhealthy an sell-occupation stands the that in way of true enlatgement and lreedomIn conscrousness. goodand bad are very relative Besides terms;whai is good at one ljme,al one stageof development, becomes qood nol al anolher. whatis bad now maylurn out to be goodtate;on. To eliminate involvement the net of papa andpunyaand this in findone'slevelin a consciousness transcends is the ihal both

Bnng lhe host al the sense under conlrol by the mind and yake them to the sell That is lhe lrue ealtng af hsh: all else is simply to hurt the crealures. (5.110) the THE sensesare ever on lhe move,draggrng m nd with them lnlo lhe world ol their objects.Man is always prone to y this distracton ol the sense and consequenl lails to make givento h m. Inslead lhe best ol lhe opporl!nityand the time ol being his own master, abe lo drrecl and utlise the he c rcumstances around him for his properadvancement, is whereverlhey lead. a s ave ol the senses,heiplessly drifting Br ng ihese senses under thy conlros, calls the scrplure, lel lhy mind assertits righttul masteryoverprata in whosecurrenl lhe senses aTerunning, Once the pntic energyis controlled, ons are automatically absorbed and the way a I lhe sense-mot is open lo p ace lhe sense under the directionol the soul. This s the lrue 'ealrn9',lhe jusl utilisaiionol the sensesand the oblectslor the teedingoi lhe soul-experience tor growlh, not the indulgingot the senses lor lher own salislaclon,

174

Chapter-6 TANTRASADHANA(IV)

t G r a d a l L o no l A p p , o a c h i n gh e D i v i n e s

179

UPASANA ',^/ithoutupesane the Presence does nat fructtfy. (6 7e) especially the ln THE Divineis ndeedpresenteverywhere, does not make any difference human body.B!t lhal by itselJ he lo man Lrnless lakes stepsto rea rseit in his conscousness. calion, adorationand evocalionol Self awareness,sel{-purii D the indwelling vine are ihe main sleps for awakeninglhis power in Presence h s conscousnessand makingll a dynamrc prepareand lo n lile. Suchan innerdlsciplines indispensable raisethe humansystemto the levelof thal purityand rnlensrty n seeking whLchalone can move the Divine to reveal and man fest lsell in the person ol the seeker. Otherwiseihe potentialtyremainsuntappedand dormant.

The Woman ta be waited Waited is the Shak that is datmant in the animal man but awake in the votary of the path. The rush of bliss that ensues upon the meettng of the pair, the Supreme Shakti and the Self abave, is the reat Cangrcss: aU else ts mete copulatian. (5.111 2) 1 THERE is a divinepower tatenitn man waitingto be awakenedlnto aclion,All the powersthat are normaly active and make ltie possibte are only derivations,diminutions, secondaryformulations this Motherpower that is dormant of js within. Thts puissance, Shaktr, lo be awakened, the aroused intoan upwardmovement towards Self,lhepure Consctousness the srluatedat the higheslcentfe ot ihe beingoJ man. And when thrs union betweenthe Shakti dartingirom ils seat beiow in lhe otus ol the Muladhara and ihe Lord waitingabove in the olus ol inftniie petats, the Sahasrara,is etfected in lhe consciousness the practitionerthere is an ebulition ol ol inlenseAnanda, That is the true Congress, the real btissthat is aimed at, not lhe physicatinierchange the animat tevet. al

180 UPASANA GRADATIONS

Chapler6 Gradations Approaching Divine ol the VEDA There is no science greater than the Veda. (3.113) THE Veda s the revealed knowledge. is cherished the ll as Wordwhichhas rssued fromlhe Supreme alongwith ihe words thal conslilutethe universe.lt holds all the knowledge the of truthsof [/an, Natureand God, the way to harmonies them in oneself,eilecl the lunctionof Nalure and God in oneselfand fulfrllhe cosmic purposein the manilestalion. conlainsthe ll key to the problemsof ljle in lhe instilulion Sacrificewhich of s an outer symbol oi the irrnerprocessof consecra