Ramachandra Rao Tantra Mantra Yantra

TAN T ANTR TR A M A N T R A Y AN T R A

By the sam same e autho aut hor r

TIBETAN TIBETAN TANTRIK TRADITION TIBETAN TIBETAN MEDITATION MEDITATION

The Tantra Psychology

S.K. RAMACHANDRA RAO

© S.K. S.K. Ramachandra achandra Rao First Pub P ublis lishe hed d 197 1979 9

Publis ublished hed by Gulab Gulab Vazirani Vazirani ffor or ArnoldArnold-Hei Heinem nemann Publis ublishe hers rs (India) (India) Pvt. Ltd. AB AB/9, /9, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delh Delhii-1100 110016 16.. Printe P rinted d at Pauls Press, Press, B-258 B-258 Naraina Industrial Area Phase I, New DelhiDelhi-110028. 110028.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

9

TH THE TANTRIK TRADITION TRADITION

16

TH THE PSYCH PSY CHIC IC STRUC STRUCTU TURE RE

28

SERPEN SERPE NT POWER AND MYS MY S TIC FIRE •

35

ADEP ADEPTS TS AND ATTITUDES ATTIT UDES

41

TH THE IDEOLO IDEOLOGICA GICAL L BASIS BASIS

47

SOU SOURCE MATE MAT E R IAL IAL

51

ANOTHER ANGLE

57

MANTRA

66

SPEC SP ECIMENS IMENS OF MANTRAS MANTR AS

73

REFERENCES

75

LIST OF PLATES

Muladhara-Chakra Swadhishthana-Chakra Manipura-Chakra Anahata-Chakra Anahata- Chakra Vishuddha-Chakra Ajna-Chakra Sahasrara-Chakra Swastika-Mandala Nadi-Mandala The Sacred Vase (Kalasa) The Hum Mandala The Mani-Chakra

Th The stu study of the Tant Tantra has suf suffer ered ed from from two two chie chieff disad disadv van an tages. ages. The enthusias enthusiastts have ave sought to projec projectt an image image of o f it that is at once so highly esoteric esoteric and and mysti ystica call that that the scholar who has a modest opinion of his own own intellectual intellectual abilities abilities is easily scared scared away. The The opponents opponents, on the other hand, seek seek so to high highlig light ht the antinomian and obscene element elements s in the cults cults claiming claiming to be T antrik antrik that that the good citizen citizen who has an eye eye for decency shies shies from it. Very few few ar are e aware that whil wh ile e the former attitud ttitude e is unjus unjustified, the the latter is unwarranted. It is true that some some T antrik texts texts work work with extremely extremely abstract abs tract ideas ideas and and employ employ elaborate, elaborate, and and sometim ometimes es irrelevant, irrelevant, symboli ymbolis sm. It is also true true that some T antrik antrik rituals as described and and practised ar are e who wh olly outlandis outlandish h and and obviously obvious ly abominable. abominable. But these these ar are e deviations deviations and and perversions perversions,, altogether altogether alien to the s pirit irit and core of of the Tant Tantra ideo ideollogy ogy. , The The Tant Tantra was in origi origin n folk, olk, and th the elem elemen entts of abstr stract action, on, were naturally naturally minimal. minimal. It concerned itse itself with w ith the normal normal man and and pertained to his daily daily life. life. There was an unmistakable unmistakable emph emphasis asis on the individua individuall in this culture, culture, contrary to the collec collec tive orientation orientation of the Vedic tradition tradition;; but extravag extravagance ance or eccentricity eccentricity in individual individual behaviour was neve neverr suggest sugges ted, encour aged aged or accepted. accepted. And Tan Tantrik trik culture culture was bot bot.:.id rather with the the ideal ideal of 'quiet contemplat contemplation' ion' than than with the goal o f 'joyful 'joyful life', life ', here here or hereafter, hereafter, that we find find reflected reflected in the Vedic hymns. hymns. In fact, the the Vedic tem temperam perament ent of buoyant buoyant and ecs ecstatic tatic involvement was to a great great extent tempered tempered as a re res sult of T antrik impac impact, t, as can be seen in the Upanishadic panishadic ideol ideolog ogy. y. The Tantra antra is ; neither neither so forbiddin forbiddingly gly esoteric nor so nauseatin nauseatingly gly bizarre: bizarre: it is a simple, simple, wholesom wholesome e approach approach to the problem of good living living in a .wo .world o f mixe mixed forc force es. . . , ^_w.,.-,

10

TANTRA MANTRA YANTRA

The The expressi ssio on 't 'tant antra' ha has been va variousl ously y de derived and di difffer er ently explained. It is taken taken to sig s igni nify fy a system system of thought, a body of practices practices,, or or a colle collectio ction n of books. books. Like the the other word. Yog Yoga, thi his s word ord too too me means many things, both common an and un un comm common, both both normal and abnormal. abnormal. As will be explained later, the origin original al meaning appears appears to have have been been in the context context of weaving weaving on on a loom: loom: it it was a vocatio vocationn-de derive rived d word. Tantra is the

NARASIMHA-YANTRA, for dispelling danger (with the Mantra)

loom whereon the the threads threads are are ‘spread ‘spread out' out' or 'extended 'extended'' (root (root tan): it also meant meant the pattern or design design that that emerg emerged ed out out of this spreading or extens extension. ion. Or it simply imply meant "ex "expl plan ana ation" tion" (‘tattriti (‘tattriti dhatoriha dharanart dharanarthat'). hat'). In the the latter sense, sense, it stood for for a book or a chapter thereof, thereof, where arguments arguments and explanations explanations brought out a theme (like Shashlhitantra), or stories illustr illustrated ated a point point (like riginally ly referring referring to indivi individua duall manua anuals, ls, it cam came Pancatantra) . Original in course course of time time to to stand for a whole whole literature of religioreligio-m magical agical treatises reatises.. More significa significantly, ntly, 'tantra 'tantra'' sugge suggeste sted d the act of spread ing out or the process of extension extension:: techniques, techniques, methods, ethods, prac prac tices, tices, tricks. tricks. The expressi expression on thus cam came to mean ean skill kill or compe compe tence in combinin combining g the methods methods and techniques techniques. We have have an interesting interesting defin definitio ition n by an eminent eminent authority, authority, Katyay Katyayan ana: a: "Tan "Tantra tra is the co-occurrence co-occurrence of actions actions". ". That That is to say, say, it it is is an organi organis sation ation of behavioural acts, acts, a synthesis— synthesis—exactly what what Yoga Yoga means. eans. A Ayurveda yurveda makes makes use of the the word 'tantra' in the sense sense of 'body 'bo dy', ', and and another word word 'yantra' in the sense of of its

11

INTRODUCTION

machinery achinery.. B Body ody is a colle collectio ction n of organs organs (angas), an organiza tion of forces forces (dhatus, doshas and malas), and a pattern of be coming. coming. Even Even in its its extended extended sense, 'yantra' means a geo geometrica etricall pattern, pattern, a synthes ynthesis is of lines and and 'see 'seed-l d-lett etters ers', ', a tota totall representa representa tion. And 'mantra' likewise is an organization of sound-systems

VISHAHARA-YANTRA for snake-bite

such as letters and and words words with some some uncommon uncommon potency, potency, namely namely a magic formula. formula. Tantra Tantra technicall technically y is a process of relating relating the the unusual patterns (yantra) with w ith uncomm uncommon formulae formulae (mantra). Basic to both these these patterns patterns and formulae formulae is the belief belief that that the the hum human body body is the ground where where they operate. Yantras are merely extensions extensions or externalisations externalis ations of the the forces imagined imagined as working working within the individual; and Mantras are are in the nature nature of concretiz concretizaations or form formalisat alisations ions of the vibrations vibrations occurring occurring within within.. Tantra refe refers rs to the comm common field field wherein these these forces and vibratio vibrations ns operat operate, e, viz., viz., the body body,, not not the gross gross physi physical cal body alone, alone, but the the 'dummy 'dummy'' body unseen unseen though though elaborate, and and effe effecti ctive ve though invisible. That That the body we we ca can see see and touch ouch cont ontain ains withi ithin n it a dummy body we can neither see see nor nor touch is a very ancient ancient tho thought common common to most people in the worl world d. The Tantra antra ideol ideology ogy deve loped this thought thought into into an internal dynam dynamics ics,, a sort of psychical energet energetics ics within the the individual individual.. Thus Thus the individua individuall context context be cam came significa ignificant nt in th the Tantrik antrik tradition: tradition: inst instinct incts, impu impulses lses,, aspi-

12


rations rations and and in inhib hibitio itions ns of the individual individual were were sought to be so organized organized that that they they functioned functioned effectively effectively,, purpos purposefully efully and and unitarily. By such reorganiz reorganization ation of the internal forces one one not only overcom overcomes es the the natural limitatio limitations ns but heightens heightens the the natura naturall effi ffi ciency. ciency. The actions involved in this organization or reintegration are the the 'ritua 'rituals ls', ', sym symboli bolic c and and suggestiv suggestive. e. This pat patter tern n of actions actions corresponding corresponding to the the pattern pattern of the the inner field field-f -forc orces es is what is meant by Tantra: antra: and and the the yoking yoking of actions to the the field field--forc force e within thin is Yoga. oga. The two express expressions, ions, Tantra Tantra and Yoga, oga, emerg emerged ed from from the the same same source, and and are are meaning eaningful ful in the the same same context. context. The The Tan Tantrik tr tradit aditio ion n thus foc focuss sse ed its its att attent ention ion on th the in indi divi vi dual; his physical physical structure, tructure, mental mechanism, echanism, modes odes of cons cons ciousness, ciousness, and and organism organismic motivations otivations.. The Vedic tradition, tradition, on the the other hand hand,, concerned itsel itselff mainly mainly with the the cosmos, cosmos, subject subject to the capricious forces which are however amenable to coercion. The The ea early Tant Tantrik tradit adition ion di did d not str stretch its its imagi aginat nation beyond the the imm immediat ediate surroundings urroundings of the the indiv individ idua ual. l. And at a later later date date when, under Ved Vedic ic influenc influence, e, it cam came to develop an an interes interest in the the world beyond, beyond, it comfort comforted ed itsel itselff with the the convic conviction tion that micro cosm was ess essentiall entially y homologous homologous with macrocosm acrocosm.. The cosmos cosmos was merely an extension, extension, if not no t ^ a proje projecti ction on,, of the the individua individual; l; the universe was in fact contained within the individual. When we find find similar s imilar ideas ideas in the Upanishadic Upanishadic phase phase of Vedic literature, literature, influence of the Tantrik ideology is is to to be be inferr inferred. ed. The The characteris characteristic tic Tan Tantrik trik philoso philosophy, phy, as can be be gleaned gleaned from from mediae-

INTRODUCTION

13

val texts like Tantraloka, SaradatHaka, Mrgendragama and 777doubtless s heavily indebted to the Vedic edic outlook, outlook, pura-rahasya is doubtles although it contains a core that that goes goes back to pre-V pre-Vedic times. es. The The class ssiical Tant Tantrik concepts such as as bija, bindu, samvit, kata, mandata, prakasa, vimarsa, ahamta, idamta, and Kancuka are clearly clearly concessions concessions to the the grow growin ing g cosm cosmic involvement as a result of! interaction interaction with the Vedic edic thought system. Eve Even when this involvement involvement came to pass, the interest interest in the indivi individua duall was not comprof comprofnised. nised. In the the individ individual ual two two aspects aspects of life att attrac racted ted the the exclusive exclusive attentio attention n of the Tantra: antra: breathing and sex. sex. In comrnon comrnon with with primitive tho though ughtt elsewhe elsewhere, re, the the Tantra T antra feared feared that tha t exhala exhala tion of the the bodil bodily y air and and ejaculation ejaculation of the the seminal seminal flu fluid were ere tarn tarn amount amount to expenditure expenditure of of life life energy and and hastening hastening of deat death. h. In order to prolon prolong g life, life, it was considered considered necessar necessary y to restrain restrain breat breath h and arrest the seminal seminal dis discharge. charge. Pranayama techniques of breath control control and and proced procedur ures es like yoni-mudra and vajro/imudra to prevent 'the bindu reaching fire' (ejaculation) were advocated advocated in some some Tantrik texts texts. A text, the the date date of which which is uncertain, Gorakshasamhita, brings brings out the intimate intimate relationship between the breath (prana) and the semen (bindu)-, the two are are in fact equated. equated. It is unders understandable tandable that the the yoga-tantra complex attempted attempted to understand understand sex and to harness harness the sexual sexual drive drive to reach spiritual objectives. Employment ployment of sex imagery imagery is no dou doubt bt frequen frequentt in the Tantrik Tantrik lore. lore. But it worked both ways— making it adorable adorable and and making it

14


abominabl abominable. e. Sex in itse itself is neutral, like like the air air we breath breathe; e; and and it is natural. natural. Its express expression ion depen depends ds upon individual maturity, aturity, motiva motivation tion and and mental ental habits. habits. The sev severa erall erotic erotic and and orgia orgias stic cults that are are at once enigmatic and seductive to the the sophisticated ophisticated Indolo ndologis gistt grew out of certain certain unhealthy motivations and and anti social social tendencies. tendencies. But such cults cults do not suggest the the essent essential ial orientation orientation of the the Tantra. antra. The The attemp empt to disc sco over, recognise and emphasiz size myst stiic meanings in wha what are are paten patently tly absurd and outlandis outlandish h has has some times times exceed exceeded ed reasonable reasonable limits limits.. The secret socie ocieties ties devoted devoted to exotic exotic and unbridled unbridled sexua sexuall indulgence indulgence (guhyasamaja) and to murderous urderous crimes crimes have have masquerade asqueraded d as es esoteric Tantrik antrik cults cults,, and to an extent extent have have got got away with it. There are are scholars, scholars, mos mostly tly non-Indian, non-I ndian, who who seriously explain that copulation copulation "makes "makes respi ration rhythm rhythmica icall and and aids conce concentrat ntratio ion: n: it it is, then then,, a substitut ubs titute e for for pranayama", pranayama", and they always, always, and and can conveniently, conveniently, cite cite in support Tantrik antrik texts o f uncertain date date and dubious authority. The They make it ap appear that that erot erotic icis ism m is th the ve very es essence of Tan Tantra; and their appreciation of this this aspect of Tantra is not entirely entirely one one of understanding. understanding. The attrac attractively tively got got up book books s on 'Ta 'T antrik A rt' that are are flo floodin oding g our book-shops book-shops these these days days are instances instances of this fact. It is unfortunate that in these these circumstances circumstances Tantra antra brings brings to the Indian mind associations associations whic which h are horrible and and dis disgust gust ing. Actually ctually,, however, however, sex in Tantra is employed employed not not for direct direct gratification, but for 'reversal' (paravrtti) and and restrain restraintt (samyama or dharana). Tan Tantra is not not to to be be const strrued as as a coll collect ection of myst stiic cults holding holding unusual unusual idea ideas; s; it is is a sim simple, serious, sober and realis realistic tic philosophy philosophy of life, life, which which take takes s into considerat consideration ion our normal normal impulses impulses and and aspirations. aspirations. S amkhy amkhya-Y a-Yoga, oga, Ayur Ayurveda veda and the the early

ROGA-HARA-YANTRA for curing consumptive ailments

INTRODUCTION

15

Upanishadic Upanishadic texts texts more ore truly represent represent the Tantrik tradi traditio tion n than than all the the mystifyin mystifying g cults cults tha thatt com commonly only go by that name. In fact, regulat regulated ed but but effective effective livin living, g, eschewing eschewing exce excesses, sses, was the basic basic Tan Tantrik out outlook ook. P reser servation of he health, acq acquisitio sition n of power to live effectively, effectively, an and safeguarding of the community community from ind in divi ivi dual dual aggress aggression ion were were the three three objectives objectives tha that were invariably invariably emph emphasiz asized. ed. Control of breathing breathing was meant to secure secure the firs firstt two objectiv objectives es,, and and control control of impu impulses lses,, especiall especially y the sexual, sexual, took care care of the third. There There was considerable considerable experimentation experimentation and and the theori oriz zing before the methods methods were were styliz stylized ed and set set as norm norms. Th The em employment of me medicinal and psy syc chode odelic lic drugs, alchemical techniqu techniques, es, and and attempt attempts s at sex-s ex-sublim ublimation were were included in the the experimentation.

Th The ea earliest iest employm oyment ent of of th the express ssiion 'tant antra' occurs in the RgVeda1 (although the occurre occurrence nce is is solitary). olitary). The context context is is the vulgar' vulgar' trades trades that the layla y-fo folk lk with with unrefined spe speec ech h take take to, but not not the the learn learned ed or S omaoma-extr extracting acting priests. The word word 'tantra' 'tantra' is used here here along wi with 'work 'work'. '. Sayan ayana, a, in his his commentary commentary on the the above above,, explains that 'tantra 'tantra'' is an agric agricultura ulturall implem implement ent (plough or loom) which is 'spread 'spread out' or 'elabora 'elaborated' ted' (vistarayanti), or merely 'worked' (kurvanti). Atharvaveda 2 used sed tthe he word mo more specific pecificall ally y in the the sense sense of 'loom'; 'loom'; and and P anini anini takes akes the word 'tantra 'tantraka ka'' to mean a piece of clo cloth jus just taken taken out of the Ioom3 It is possible possible that this was th the origina originall connotat connotatio ion n of the the word. word. But it soon moved out out of its shell, shell, and and came in course of time time to signify ignify a system composed composed of aspects, as for instance in Apas Apasfive centuries centuries befo before re C hrist hrist). This line of develop develop tamba4 (four or five ment is intrigui intriguing ng becau because se it had already acquired a ritua rituali lis stic involvement. involvement. Apastam pastamba's ba's commentat commentator or explains that it is a ri ritual procedure procedure with multiple multiple details. details. A curious curiously ly extend extended ed meaning eaning in the same contex contextt is furnishe furnished d by Sabara, abara, an equally equally ancient authori authority: ty: "whe "when what what is performed performed but once serv serves many pur poses—even poses—even as a lamp lit up up in the midst of pries priests".5 ts".5 Howev However er,, the the precis precise e ritua ritualis listic import is more more suggested than evident evident here. ere. What hat perhap perhaps s was meant meant is that in the the event of one one being unable unable for fo r some some reason reason to go through the entire entire seq sequen uence ce of o f rituals, perfor perform mance of a detail there thereof of would would suffice uffice to bring about about the the desired fruit. Alternately, it referred to some detail which is employe employed d in diverse diverse sequences in the self-s elf-sam ame e manner but with with different benefits. Tan Tantra as as a practi ctical disci iscipl pliine ap appears to to be be a later interpre tation. The Samkh amkhya, ya, for instance, instance, styled itsel itselff as a 'tantra'; 'tantra'; and and

THE TANTRIK TRADITION

17

Samkara kara (latter part of S ixth Cent C entury) ury) recognises recognises it as such such;6 ;6 Panca ancara rattra was known known as 'Sattvata-tantra'. 'S attvata-tantra'.7 7 Kautilya autilya (about 300 B.C.) B.C.) uses the the word word in the sense sense of fundamental fundamental canons employ ed for explaining and expoundin expounding g a system system of thought.8 This interpre interpretatio tation n appear appears s to have have gained gained ground, and 'tantra 'tantra'' came specifica specifically lly to mean ean a well-organi well-organiz zed body of thought, with its its own logic logic and and rationale. rationale. It was even even looked upon as tantamount to 'autho 'authority' rity' or 'traditio 'tradition'. n'. But the word word was was s till used used rat rather her sparingly with with refer referenc ence e to the orthodo orthodox x systems. Kullukabh ullukabhatta's atta's (aroun (around d A. A.D. D. 12 1200) di dis stinction tinction between between Vedic Vedic tradition tradition and and Tantrik traditio tradition9 n9 was the prevailing view view in the mediaev ediaeval al ages. ages. In many works, works, the term 'nigama' 'nigama' stands tands for for the the Veda and 'agama' 'agama' for th the Tantra. Tantra. That the the ritua ritualis listic import import lingered lingered on even even when Tan Tantra came to signif signify y a 'di disci scipl plin ine' e' is br brough oughtt out out by by th the refe rences rences in som some Pur in the Bhagavata that that speak of three three Pu ranas anas and in kinds of worship, Vedic, Tantrik antrik and and mixed.10 It can safely be assum assumed that that at firs firstt tthe he differences differences between the Vedic Vedic tradition tradition and and th the Tantrik tradition tradition were were almos almostt irrecon cilable cilable.. Each Each camp looked looked upon the the other other as antagonis antagonistic, tic, perv perverse erse and and purpo purposeles seless. s. If the Puranas proclaimed that the Tan Tantras were prepared only only in ord order to confoun ound the wicke cked the Tantras Tantras like Kularnava claimed (dushtanam mohanarthaya), the that that a Tantra Tantra is like like an an honourable hous house-wife e-wife (kulavadhu) while

18


the Veda Veda with its accessories accessories like Puranas and Sastras, is like like a common harlot (samanya-ganika). The orthodox view, projected mainly by Kumarila (early sixth century), century), holds that Tantra Tantra was meant for for the degenerate, degenerate, the the uneducated, the the fall fallen, en, or the the infirm, infirm, and that that its rituals were fraught fraught with dang danger ers s of all sor sortts. But the the Tant Tantrik enthusia siast sts s held, and hold even now, that the Ve Vedas, being antiq antiquate uated, d, cannot cannot lead lead to much uch goo good. d.1 11There There was obvio obvious us ly a struggle truggle for for ascendance, ascendance, and each tra trad ditio ition geared geared itsel itselff up to meet the needs needs of both both the the folk folk and and the the elite. elite. And A nd in the the pro cess, cess, inevitably, inevitably, each each modelled odelled itse its elf after the the other, other, assim assimilated ilated the the attractive attractive particul particulars ars of the other, and and attem attempted pted to secure secure the autho uthority rity and and support support of of the the other. The Tan Tantrik trik adherents adherents sought sought to show show tha thatt the the tantra tantra had had Vedic Vedic foundation, Vedic sanc tion and Vedic authority. authority. The Vedic puritans took took over many any of the hand-gestures (mudras), spells (mantras) and and magic designs designs that the Tantriks antriks employ employed ed,, together together with their (mandalas) that

KARTAVI RYA-YANTRA for recovering lost property

methods of expos exposition. The The new attitude is made ade clear clear by Aparark rarka's a's counsel in his gloss gloss on Yajnavalkya-Samhita that the Tan Tantras sh sho ould not be condemned out outrrig ight ht,, alt althoug ough they ar are not entirely valid or uniformly authoritative.

THE T ANTRIK TRADITION

19

Th The rec recon onc cilia iliattion ion between th the two div iver erg gent tradi aditions ons was partly effec ffectedted- by the ort orthod hodox ox authorities affili ffilia ating ting the Tantra Tantra to the 'Saubhagyakanda' of Atharvaveda, and the Tantrik writers relying heavily on on Vedic texts like like Taittiriya-aranyaka and describ ing in g their scriptures scriptures as as continuatio continuation n of of the the Upanishadic Upanishadic trad tradition itio n.13 Th The Ve Vedic rit ritu uals als adopted numerous Tantr Tantrik details and and th the Tan Tantra abandon abandoned ed its cruder cultic ultic ideolog ideology y in favour of the austere austere aspirations of the Upanishads. Th The tr transf ansfor orm mation ion of the Ve Vedic hy hymnal Gayatri into into a feminine divi divini nity ty is an illu illus stration tration tto o the the point. point. In the the Veda, Veda, the the celebrated celebrated solar hymn (kno (known wn as Gayatri) occurs at several several places (e. (e. g. 3,62, 10; Yajur-Veda 3,35; 22 22,9; ,9; 30 30,2; ,2; 36,3) and and is so RgVeda 3,62, called called becau because se “ the the hym hymn saves the the one that that recites it" (gayan The hymn hymn is actual actually ly known as gayatra, and one one tam-tr tam-tray ayata ata iti) it i) . Th who has has mastered mastered it it is gayatrin (or gayatri). It is a masculine asculine noun noun (co (com mparable parable to dehi, “on “ one e who has has a body body", ", or dhani, one who has wea wealth” ) and is used as such in the Vedic context context (as, (as, for instance, in RgVeda, 1.10.1, "gaya nti tva tva gayatrino"). gay atrino"). Gayatri Gayatri is also a Vedic metre etre (wi (with th 24 units units)) which which is frequen frequently tly employed employed,, although the nomenclature 'gayatri4 is confined to th the abov above e mentioned hymn. The hym hymn is is addressed addressed to the Sun Sun (Savita, and hence it is also called Savitri "savituriyam"). Manu Manu (early centu centu ries ries A. A .D.), for for exam example, ple, refers refers to to this hym hymn only as as 'Savitri'. There is no early ass association with any feminine deity deity at all. But the the (19.71.1) 1) had had described described this hymn as “ the the mother Atharva-Ve Atharva-Veda da (19.71. of the Veda" (veda-mata), in the sense of being the source and and support. This heralded the course by which the simple solar prayer developed developed into a styliz tylized, ed, iconic goddess goddess with a defin definite ite Tantrik framewor framework. k. And there there cam came into being specific pecific gayatris tor seve ral gods gods and and goddess goddesses, es, whic which the the Vedic edic worship worshippers pers as as well well as the Tantr Tantrik ik adherent adherents s freely freely used. used. There were were also charac characteris teristica tical l ly Tantrik gayatri (like (like “ Om Adyayai vidmahe, Tripurayai Tripurayai dhimahi, dhimahi, tan tan no Kali pracoda pracodayat" yat" and and “ Om Mahadevyai Mahadevyai ca ca vidmahe, vidmahe, Vishnuishnupatnai, ca dhimahi, tan no Lakshmih akshmih pracoda pracodayat") yat") whic which h were incorpor incorporat ated ed in standard Vedic Vedic wors worship. hip. The The Vedic gayatri was even even employed in witc witch hcraft raft and and sorcery sorcery under general general Tantrik antrik directions (cf Vishnudharmottara, 1.165.55-63, for abhicara purpo ses, 'viparitam prayojayet"). Although the two thus met met,, each each in its essent essentials ials continued to to be uncomprom uncompromis ising. ing. This This is how, how, in isola isolated ted area areas, s, the the origina originall and and rigid Tantrik and Vedic prejudices persist even to this day. Th The cr credi edit for bringi nging toget ogeth her Ved Vedic wisd isdom om and Tant Tantrik tradition tradition should should go to the the great Sam Samkara kara (late s ixth ixth century). His name is honoured honoured not not only in the the Vedantic Vedantic trad traditio ition but but in the the

20


Tant Tantrik tr tradit adition ion as wel well. l. Besid sides the wellell-k know nown commentaries on the the triple triple source of Vedantic wisdo wis dom m (Upanishads, (Upanishads, Brahm BrahmaSutras, utras, and and the the G ita), ita), he is said to have have written written the the celebrated celebrated Tant Tantrik work orks, Prapancasara and Saundarya-lahari, and also also others like Cintamani-stava (acco (according rding to Bhaskararay Bhaskararaya, a, and and lis listed in Burnell's Catalogue of Tanjore MSS), Lalita-trisati-bhasya (which is suppos supposed ed to have have been been prepar prepared ed in Kas Kashm hmir) and and Tara-pajhatika (dealing (dealing with the the worship worship of Tara Tara, the the great Tantrik Savioress). avioress). As in the the tradition traditional al Vedantic Vedantic line of teache teachers, rs, in the Tantrik antrik line also, he he was preceded preceded by sages (like (like Vasishth Vasishtha, a, S akti, Suka uka and and Vyasa) and by historic his torical al personages, (lik (like e Gaudapa Gaudapada da and and Govinda). However, However, in the Tan Tantrik trik traditio tradition n Govinda ovinda does oes not imm immediately foll follo ow Gaudapada: Gaudapada: there there are are four or five five other other teachers that intervene. Gaudapa Gaudapada da and Govinda ovinda are are described here ere as great Tan T antrik trik adep adeptts. Besides the well well--kno known Karika on the Mandukya Upanishad, Gaudapada Gaudapada is said to be the the author author of two Tantrik antrik works, Sakti-Sutras (acc (accordi ording ng to Bhaskarara Bhaskararaya ya)) and Subhagodaya-stuti (on which the the great Tantrik writer writer Lakshm akshmidhara idhara has comm commented). He is reputed to have have been been partial partial to S ri-V ri-Vidya school of Tantra Tantra.. Govinda, about whom whom we know very very little little in the Vedantic tradi traditio tion n and and whos whose e Vedantic works works have have not survived at all all (if indeed indeed h he e wrote wrote any), was a great name in the Tantrik tradition. A very well-known work Jayadratha ascribed to his his authors authorship. hip. Recovered ecovered from Nepal, this -yamala is ascribed work work suggests suggests the the impact impact of Trans-Hi rans-Him malayan cults cults on the the purely Indian Tantrik tradition. tradition. Tara was probably introduced introduced into the mainland of India from the Him Himalayan regions. regions. And the ascrip tion of a man manua uall of Tara-worship ara-worship to Govinda's Govinda's successor, successor, the great Samkara, kara, is not altoge altogether ther fantas fantastic. tic. We know that the the great temple temple at Kanchi anchi (in (in South outh India) with with which which Samkar amkara's a's association association was both continuous and and intimate, was dedicat dedicated ed origin rigina ally lly to Tara. Tara. There were were severa severall Tara Tara shrines in the country at one time, time, and and Sam Samkara's kara's name is connec connected ted wi with most ost of them them.. Samkara kara inherited inherited from from Gaudapada Gaudapada his interest interest in S ri-Vidya, ri-Vidya, and and popularized the worship worship of the Mother-G Mother-Goddess oddess in the form of the mystic diagram Sri-Cakra. Unlike Unlike in the the Vedantic trad traditio ition, n, Govinda becom becomes in the the Tantrik antrik traditio tradition n an effective effective teache teacherr of Samkara's. Samkara' amkara's s immedi immediate ate dis disci cipl ple, e, Padm admapad apada, a, figures figures in both the the traditions traditions.. In the the Tantrik Tantrik traditio tradition, n, he is credited with with a commentary on his master's Prapanca-sara, entitled Sambandhawere other disci disciple ples s of of Samka Samkara ra like Bodh Bodha, a, Girvana, Girvana, dipika. There were Ananda, nanda, Visnu-s isnu-sarm arma, a, Laksmana-desika aksmana-desika (the (the author of Sara'dastandard T antrik antrik work), work), M alli allika karju rjuna na of the Vindhya Vindhyas, s, tilaka, a standard


21

Tri Trivikr ikrama of J agan agann nath ath-Pu -P uri, Srid Sridhara of Ben Bengal and and Ka Kap pardin of Bañar Bañaras, as, who helped helped spread spread the the Tantrik antrik te teachings achings in diffe differe rent nt part parts s of of the country. The establis establishm hment ent of of the four four or five amnayas (cultic (cultic centers) centers) in the differen differentt corne corners rs of India, which is as ascrib crib ed to Samka Samkara ra,, is not not wi with tho out an interest. interest. The These se are are all ass associated ociated with S akti-pithas (Tantrik (Tantrik Centers) enters) and and rituals conducted conducted here ere have have an an unmis unmistakable takable Tan T antrik trik background. In fact, fact, the very concept concept of amnaya is a Tantrik antrik one; one; Sri-Vidyarnava-tantra for instance, speaks of five amnayas, urddhv urddhva a (upland), (upland), purva purva (easter (eastern), n), paspascima cima (western), (western), uttara uttara (northern) and dakshina dakshina (southern). (southern). Samkara' kara's s interest interest in Tantra antra was not accidental. The practical practical significance ignificance of the the doctrine of Advaita-vedanta dvaita-vedanta that he espoused espoused and and expounded can can never never be understood understood or apprecia appreciated ted unless unless we take take into account Samkar Samkara's a's Tantrik antrik leanings. leanings. Advaita was not meant eant to be a mere ere intellec intellectual tual disci dis cipl pline ine;; it was not only only an approach approach to Real eality ity (a darsana) but a mean means s to reach it (an When the Upanisha Upanishads ds distinguished distinguished tw two kinds of know know upasana). When ledge ledge,, the higher (para) and the the lower lower (apara) they they included all Vedic lore in the latter.14 The pos position was identical wi with th the Tan Ta ntrik out outloo ook k; and th the dist distin inct ction ion between transce scendental and transa transactional ctional levels of Real R eality ity which which the the Mahayana Mahayana Buddhists (princi (principal pally ly the the Madhyamikas Madhyamikas after after Nagarju Nagarjuna) na) as as wel welll as GaudaGaudapada and and Samkara kara accepted can be traced traced to a Tantrik ntrik source. Both the the 'levels' 'levels' are are in fact fact fieldfield-force forces s or pow powers, the latter latter binding binding,, and the the former former freeing, the ind indivi ividua dual. l. They are are the the equivalents of the uncondition unconditioned ed Brahm Brahman and and the condi condition tioned ed in Vedai ta, of the moksa and dharma in Mimam Mimams sa. It was Sam amkara kara's 's view that Advaita-upasana pertains pertains to the former former whil while e tthe he SriCakra-puja to the latter. The involvement of Sri-Cakra in all the pontificates and and shrines with with which which Sam Samkara ara was connected connected (like the Sarad arada a shrine of S ringeri, ringeri, the Kam Kamakshi akshi shrin hri ne of Kanchi Kanchi and and the Mukambika Mukambika shrine of of Kollur) ollur) was the natural natural outcome outcome of the the recognition that Tantra is the translation of theory into practice. It would would appear appear that that Gaudap Gaudapad ada a piepared piepared the the way for for Samkara kara.. It is signific ignifican antt that Samkara kara singles out, from am amon ong g sever several al preoe preoecessors cessors that that he cites cites,, Gaudapa Gaudapada da for a unique descri des criptio ption; n; ‘knower of tradition' (sampradaya-vit) ,15A rd his rega regard rd for trad tradi i tion is exp expressed ressed by th the follo followin wing g remark of his: “ Although acquaint acquainted ed wi with th all script scriptures, ures, if one one is ignorant of traditio tradition n he should should be disreg disregar arde ded d as a foo fool.“ l.“ 16 What then is the tradition, tradition, lhat, lhat, according to to him, him, Gaudapad Gaudapada a knt w? Not Not th the Vedic traditio tradition, n, for he severely severely critici criticiz zes the the Mimam Mimamsakas sakas who sole solely ly rely on Vedic edic wisdom wisdom:: r or the Vedantic trad traditio ition that strictly trictly foll fo llo ows the Vedic text texts, for he criticiz criticizes es also his pre prede decessors cessors (som (some of whom were were

22

T a n t r a Ma n t r a y a n t r a

Advaitins dvaitins)) like like Brahmadat Brahmadatta, ta, Bhartrpra hartrprapanca panca and Bhartrhari, who answered this this descri description ption.. Gaudapad audapada, a, however, however, was remarkab remarkable le in many ways. ways. He distinguis distinguished hed between between trans transactional actional and trans trans cenden cendenttal levels of Reality, eality, class clas sified wisdom wisdom into absolute absolute and and relative, suggest suggested the the illus illusory ory nature nature of the the phenom phenomenal enal world world postulated the the theory of o f transform transformation ation (vi varía). (maya), and postulated aría). His position doubtless smacked of Mahayana Buddhism, and there are well-founded well-founded indications in tthe he Karika that he favoured the Madhyamika Madhyamika view. view. But he insis insisted ted on the relevanc relevance e of scriptural criptural authority; authority; and and undertook undertook to interpret interpret an Upanishadic Upanishadic text. What he sought ought to show show was that that the the views that had emerg emerged ed from the the Tant Tantrik qu quarters (viz. the Mah Mahayana Bu Bud ddhism) sm) were also the views views of of the the Vedic sages. sages. Gaudapada Gaudapada recognized recognized the the continua continuation tion of ‘traditio tradition' n' from Upanishad Upanishads s to Buddhism, Buddhism, and also recogn recognised ised that that the Upanishads panishads had already already incorporated incorporated the Tantrik antrik ideas. ideas. Thi This perhaps wa was th the tr tradit aditio ion n that that Sam Samkara wa was referring to to. Gaudapada Gaudapada and Samkara kara thus reestabli reestablis shed the the synthesis ynthesis of the the old old Vedic traditio tradition n and the T antrik antrik traditio tradition. n. It ha has bee been n held held that the Tantrik ideology ideology is clearly clearly reflected reflected in the Taittiriya-aranyaka, a text that the the Tantrik writers writers of Vedic persuasion persuasion freque frequently ntly rely upon.17 The very firs firstt section section thereof thereof is devoted to to a ritual connec ted with the the sage sage Aruna-Ketaka. runa-Ketaka. There is an Upanishad, which probably grew out of this section, Arunopanis Aru nopanisad, ad, which projects the greatness of the goddess Aruna (also mentioned in Vamakeswere in fact fact a group of sages sages (lik (like e Ket Ketus us and vara-tantra). Arunas were Vatara Vatarasanas) sanas) whose origin origin was mythi mythica call lly y traced traced to the the carcass carcass of P rajapat rajapati. i. The other other groups groups (like (like the Vratyas, Vratyas, Vaikhan Vaikhanasas, asas, Valakhilyas alakhilyas and and Sram Sramanas) anas) were were likewis likewise e participan participants ts of both traditions traditions,, and and their origi origin n was traced traced to the the diffe differe rent nt limbs limbs of the the same P rajapati. It is interesting interesting in this connection connection to note note that Sam Samkara kara desribes Gaudapa Gaudapada da as as a foll follo ower wer of P rajapa rajapati,1 ti,18 who perhap perhaps s symboli ymbolize zed d the the synthes ynthesis is that that Gaudapada Gaudapada and and Samkara kara sought to re-establish. The The new sy syn nthesis sis was not wit without its ju just stif ific icat atio ion. n. Bot Both traditio traditions ns had encourag encouraged ed mystical mystical tendencies tendencies in differe different nt periods, periods, and and were gradual gradually ly moving oving away from popular popular hold. The move ment that Gaudapada and Samkara amkara spearheaded pearheaded was in fact fact a reaction agains againstt the excessive excessive mys mysticis ticism m of the Mim Mimamsa amsakas kas on the one hand hand and and of the Mahayana Mahayana Buddhis Buddhists on the other, around the early centuries of the Christian era. The new movement appealed appealed to reason reason and supported quietism. quietism. Iconic worship worship had already already come to stay: the adherents adherents of both (pratikopasana) had tradi tradili lio ons had had favoured favoured it, and and therefore therefore rituals rituals of diverse diverse types types had sprung sprung up. up. Quiet contemplation contemplation which which was alike alike the ess essent ential ial


23

feature feature of the the two tradi traditio tions ns was receding receding to the the background. background. The (4.1,3,3-12), 12), however however,, suggest suggested ed 'aham-grahopasana' 'aham-grahopasana' Brahmasutra (4.1 (introverted (introverted absorpt absorption) ion) as an alternative alternative technique technique to iconic worship; and and this had had sc scriptural riptural sanction sanction as well well as support from Tant Tantrik id ideology. Sam Samkara's Adv Advait aita as as an an upasana was a natural natural development of this suggestion. The The Tan Tantra is a coll collec ecttive express ssiion: it comprises ses numerous tribal an and regional regional cults, cults, admitting admitting of severa severall systems of clas classi fication fications s. But But it is interesting interesting tha thatt all of them them have certain common working principles such as the the indis indispens pensabi ability lity of of a guru, the necessit necessity of in initia itiatio tion n (diksha), secretiveness secretiveness of ritual perfor perfor mances, ances, and and employment of symbolis symbolism m. In a sense, sense, Tantra Tantra is most adequately adequately desc described ribed as 's 'symbolic wisdom, wisdom, dire directly ctly comm communicated through a teacher' (sanketavidya guruvaktragamya). Its symbolis symbolism m presen resentts a real di diffi ffic cul ulty ty for students tudents of this lore, lore, especially of Wester Western n extraction. extraction. We do not know precisely when this dis discipl cipline ine allowed allowed itself itself to be be writte written n down. But we hav have e a mass of Tan T antrik trik manuals, digests, handbooks, instruction-sheets and picture-books right from the the fourth fourth or fifth fifth century onwards til till comparatively comparatively recent recent times times,, most ost of them in Sans S anskrit krit (som (sometim etimes es in corrupt corrupt S anskrit anskrit). ). The 'Tant 'Tantra ra written written down' is obviously obviously parado paradoxic xical, al, for for it is by defin definitio ition n what what is got got orally orally from the teach eacher er,, and and there there is a severe severe inju injunc nctio tion n th that books are are never never to be substitutes ubstitutes for tea teach cher ers. s. It is su surpris rprising ing tha thatt not only only theo theoretica reticall explanations explanations,, even instructions ins tructions for actual actual practice practice (lik (like e Sadhanamala, Sadhanaexist in hund hundred reds. s. Prob P robably ably,, samuccaya and Sadhana-vidhi) exis scholars could not resis resistt the temptatio temptation n to write; write; and when they they were ere motivated by compass compassion ion for fellowfellow-cre creatures atures (as (as the the Mahayan Mahayana a and Vajraya Vajrayana na Tantriks T antriks ostens ostensibl ibly y were) they had had an additional incentive. But B ut they were were aware of the the Tantrik antrik prejudice against publicity, publicity, for the the Tantra Tantra is essentially essentially a confide confidential ntial affair, strictly trictly private private to the practitio practitione nerr and his master. aster. In order order to recon reconcile cile their urge urge to write write with the the injunctions against writing, writing, they they found an an expedient expedient method in employi employing ng 'symboli 'symbolic c speech'. speech'. The They wrote ote no no doub oubt in in a language whi which ch all cou could read but but few underst understand and.. This language, language, or rather rather the the style of writing writing.. is technically known as sandhabhasha' (or Sandhya-bhasha which is,how is, howeve ever, r, erroneous): erroneous): 'intentio 'intentiona nall language' (Vidhusek (Vidhusekhar hara a Bhattachar Bhattacharya), ya), enigmatic enigmatic language' (Burnout), (Burnout), 'mystery-langua 'mystery-language' ge' (Kern), ' lang (E iiade), or 'hidden 'hidden sayings' sayings' (Maxlangua uage ge intentione inte ntione/' /' (Eiiade), Mueller).1 ueller).19 It is obvious obvious that that the Tantrik tracts racts were ere origin original ally ly meant eant only nly for private use, and for care carefull fully y limited limited circula circulation; tion; the rituali ritualis stic presentation presentation of a copy would would invariably be accom accom panied panied by oral clc rificatio rifications ns and and essent essential ial explanations. For others, others,

24


naturally, naturally, the the writi writin ng mad made e little little sense; and when taken taken literal literally, ly, it woul would d either either conf confoun ound d them them,, or lead them astray. astray.

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MANTRODDHARA-YANTRA for extracting the necessary Mantra

The The str strangeness of th the lan language us used in Tan Tantra was also du due to the the fac fact that that characteris characteristic tic expressi expressions ons were taken taken over when when foreign cults were were incorporat incorporated. ed. The sixth century century work Jayadrarecovered red from Nepal, Nepal, contains some some mono mono-s -sylla yllabic bic thayamala, recove words (ekakshara -samu/lapa) described described as as thos those e used by by yoginis, yoginis, and they are identified as the Trans-Himalayan dialects, 'Paisacha' and 'Bho 'B hota' ta' (presum (presumably ably Tibetan). ibetan). The yoginis yoginis appear appear to have ave been een mainly of non-Indian non-Indian extraction. extraction. The The Tantras Tantras of extra-I extra-Indian ndian origin origin like the Maha-Cina-Tantra ane,l th the Ni/a-Sarasvati-Tantra mention that that the the yogin yoginis is employed employed the secret secret language (sandhabhasa). It is not not only only the the languag language e of the the Tantrik antrik texts texts that that is symbolic. ymbolic. Tan Tantra is in in fa fact com comm mitt itted to to a sy sym mbolism. sm. in a more ess sse ential particular. The The source of this commitm commitment ent is not not far to seek seek. One One of the the basic propositions propos itions of of Tant Tantra ra is the the primacy primacy of the the individual as the the product product and source of energy. energy. The individua individual, l, in this this view, is a miniature iniature univers universe; macrocosm is not only only contained contained withi within n the the microcosm microcosm,, but but has a certain essent essential ial parallelis parallelism m with with it. The forces that that operate operate in the the worl wo rld d are are all dormant within within the the per person son functioni functioning, ng, however at a diffe differe rent nt plane. But when they are organized adequately and harmonize harmonized d effective effectively, ly, man would become the receptacle of some some extraextra-ordi ordina nary ry power. power. The more ore practica practicall and mundane undane form forms s of Tantra speak of mastery over elements elements and and magica magicall att atta ainments inments (siddhis), but the more spiri piritua tuall


25

form forms insist insis t on 'great liberation liberation even even while while alive' alive' (jivanmukti) as the prop proper er goal. The 'immortal 'immortality' ity' of the body, body, which which was the the Tao Taoist and al alchemical preocc eoccu upati ation all ove over the world orld,, was was al also

SARVAJANA MOHANA-YANTRA for skill in magic

an objec objective tive in many Tantrik cults ults in India. India. Besides Besides magic, sorcery sorcery and witch witchc craft raft Indian Indian enthusias enthusiasts ts also also evolved evolved exercises exercises for tranqui tranquility lity and li liberation. beration. What is relevant for our discussion discussion here is the series of techni techniques ques they developed whic which were meant to harmoniz harmonize e and and channeliz channelize e the ps psychic ychic energy energy;; and this goes by the the nam name of 'sadhana 'sadhana'— '—a a sort of ‘int ‘ internal ernal spiritual alchemy' alchemy'.. Th The pu purpose of Sad Sadhana is to to tr transf sfo orm the individ idu ual and to harness harness the energy that that is locked up up in the body body and that that normal normal ly conditions conditions him to rathe ratherr narrow and and unsat unsatisfactory isfactory conditions conditions of existence, so that that he begins to to functi function on more ore effectively, effectively, more ore meaningful meaningfully ly and more ore zealously. ealously. Naturall Naturally, y, therefore, Sadha adhana na involves involves a set of exercises, exercises, physical (like (like breath-co breath-contr ntrol ol and effec tive bodil bodily y postures postures) and mental ental (like (like contemplation, contemplation, concentra concentra tion and and visua vis uali liz zation) ation).. S ometim ometimes extrem extreme e forms forms of asceticism asceticism or curious curious sexual sexual practices practices are are also include included, d, rarely though though . Rejection of convention convention,, withdra withdrawa wall from from normalcy, normalcy, perfor perform mance of some some gruesome gruesome and dis disgusting gus ting rites, rites, and and appar apparently ently perve perverse rse sexual sexual indulgenc indulgence e are are no no doubt doubt glaring glaring features in many a Tantric antric cult; ult; but but it mus mustt be remem remembered bered tha that they are are neither neither regarded as natur natural al nor as s tric trictly necessary necessary for for Tantric antric achievement. ent. Eve Even bodily bodily postures are are confine confined d to a few few elementar elementary y types types,, although although

26

TANTRA MANTRA YANTR a

hand-gestures and finger-manipulations (mudras) loom loom large. Th The main emphasis, sis, however, is on mental exercises. Breath control control is made ade secondary to, and and the the mean means s of, thought thought contro control. l. And thought thought control control is the the gateway to gain mas masttery over psychic energ energy. y. Sadh adhana, ana, whatever whatever the variety of affili ffilia ation, tion, is the proce proce dure dure by means eans of which which the four four basic aspects of of the indiv individ idua ual, l,

V

K

THE MUDRAS symbolising five vital functions (Pancaprana)

namely namely the vita vitall current, current, mind, conscio conscious usnes ness s aryd energy, energy, are are mobilized and harmonized.2° All practices practices are are directed towards towards colle collectin cting g and and organising psychic enetgy. enetgy. An early early and comm common device that that the Tantra antra employs employs is the the ‘mandala', the the detail detail of Indian P sychology sychology that stimula timulated ted Carl J ung's ung's interest enormously. enormously. Mandala Mandala has has been been various variously ly trans translated lated by experts experts as 'cosm 'cosmogram', ogram', 'cosm 'cosmogenic model', odel', ‘map of the the soul', 'cosm 'cosmic plan', 'symbol 'symbol of Kosmos', Kosmos', and and 'layou 'layoutt of the the psyche.' Bas Basical ically ly it is a visible visible geometrical geometrical design, frequently a circle (cakra), denot denoting the entirety of existence; the forces are are symbolica ymbolically lly projected projected on it and and arrang arrang ed according according to an operation operational al them theme. It is a topolo topologic gical al concept, involvi involving ng the the recons reconstr truction uction of of subjective spac space. e. Repre epresen sentted externall externally, y, it symboli ymbolis ses the the layout layout of the the entire entire earth; the the central central point point signifying ignifying the mountain Meru, Meru, round round which all the conti conti nents nents, subcontinents ubcontinents,, realm realms s and and states states of of existence are are arrang arranged ed stylis tylistica tically. lly. But the world world has meaning eaning only only as related related to man


27

YANTRA-RAJA used in several rituals

and and man is the the chief chief concern of the Tantra. Tantra. Each Each indivi individua duall therefore absorbs the the world world into into himsel himself, f, or conversely gets gets hims himself absorb absorbed ed into the the world world.. The relating relating proce process ss that that goes goes on in ever every y one one of us normall normally y does does not not 'center' 'center' the the world world properly in the individual, nor does does it 'center' the the individu individual al in the world correctly. correctly. The Tantra Tantra recognises recognises that all our misery isery is due due to this improper improper centerin centering, g, and and sets out out to teach teach the effective effective procedure procedure for correct center centering. ing.

If the cosm cosmos is extended in one dimensio dimension n of space (mahakasa, physical physical space), the indivi individua duall psych syche is extended extended in another dimension (cittakasa, subjective space) space).. The growing dis distinctio tinction n between between the two two dimens dimensions ions is the the source source of subject-o subject-objec bjectt duali duality, ty, whic which is fundamental fundamental to normal normal experience. experience. The course course of life is busil bus ily y concerned with with the the alm almos ostt imposs impossible ible task of balancing the two dimens dimensions ions or lines of stress, stress, unaw unaware are of the the fac fact that the the two two can can really really be unifie unified d only in the the third dimensi dimension on of space (cidakasa, the space space of pure consciousnes consciousness) s).. The Mandala device seeks seeks to center the the dimens dimensions ions neatly; neatly; it it is therefore corre correctly ctly described described as 'a centering centering techniq technique ue'. '. The human body is itsel itselff a mandala, the psych psyche e being the dimens dimensionl ionles ess s poin pointt at the very centre (bindu). Eve Even as a point point describes describes a circl circle e in its its spread spread,, the the psych psyche e unfolds unfolds itsel itselff into a mandala. This inner space space is projected on to the symbolic outer space (the material mandala as a design, design, a diagram, diagram, or a model) odel),, by a creative creative process of visuali visualiz zation. The The hand-gestur hand-gestures es and and finger-m finger-manipulations anipulations (mudra) representing the bodily processes (kaya). the utterance utterance of mystic formulae (mantra) repres representing enting verbal verbal behaviour behaviour (vak). and symbo lic diagrams (yantra) representing mental functions (citta) are aids in this process process of of projection. projection. The Tantra antra mak makes es exte extensive nsive use of the imagery of seed (bija), sprout rout evocation and and tree. tree. The external mandala is the soil, mantra the water. mudra the sun shine and yantra the manur manure. e. The guardi guarding ng of the external mandala by protective spells spells and devices is also also attende attended d to. to. In the the words of Tucci: “A mandala delineates delineates a consecrated consecrated place and protects it from invasion invasion by dis disinteg integratin rating g forc force es...i ...itt is much more ore than than just just a consec secrated area that must be kept pu pure for ri ritual and liturg liturgic ica al ends. ends. It is above above all, all, a map of of the cosmos. cosmos. It is the the whole universe universe in its essential essential plan, in in its process process of emanat emanation ion

THE PSYCHIC STRUCTURE

29

and and of reab reabs sorption. rption."2 "21 The Tantra antra design is always enclosed in a protective protective circ circle le or square serving serving both as as a contou contourr and as a cover of defen defence. ce. It is important important that the the practitio practitione nerr should get into it and and thereby becom become invin invinci cibl ble e, adamantine, adamantine, and and firm firm (vajra).

GANAPATI-YANTRA, a mandala used in the worship of Ganapati

For achieving this entrance into the mandala, one has has necess necessarily to leav leave the normal normal wo world of dis distractio tractions ns and and fragmentations fragmentations behind, and and pass into an altogether altogether diffe differe rent nt world of symbols and visualizations. Mandala's description description as as 'the mansion of gods and and goddesses' goddesses' is symbolic of higher life, life, conceptual an and proje projectcted. The The prac practitione titionerr creates this sym symbol bolic ic world world as as an emanation emanation from his own depths depths an and as an expansion expansion of his his own consc conscious ious-ness; after the the ritual or contemplation is is over, over, he withdra withdraws ws this this symbolic spher sphere e into into himse himself. lf. The The latt latter er process process is technica technically lly styled 'reabsorptio 'reabs orption'; n'; it is res resum umpt ption ion of the norm normal and and every everyday day coordinates of of being, being, knowing and doing. doing. We mentioned mentioned that that the the body itsel itselff is a mandala, and and that this was a basic premise of the tantra. tantra. There is a notio notion, n, held almos almostt universally universally in India, that that an individua individuall has has three three bodies: a 'phys 'physiical' body (sthulasarira), the the 'men 'mental' tal' body (subt (s ubtle, le, sukshma-sarira and the 'causal' body (karana-s physical al body body is made ade (kara na-sarira arira).2 ).22 The physic of the the five elemental elemental forces forces, and and is sustained by food. food. The ment mental al body, on on the other other hand, hand, is cons constituted tituted by by the vital vital currents, the the organs organs of sensations and and actions, actions, mind and consciousness. This is no doubt founded founded on phys physical structures but its essent essential ial nature nature is psychological. T The he third body body viz., the the causal, causal, is not relevant relevant to our discuss discussion here. ere. The phys physical and mental ental bodies, although dis distinct tinct both by cons constitutio titution n and in functio function, n, are are related related to each each

30


other intimate intimately ly and and the the points points of contact contact are are described described as 'psychic centers' (cakras) and pictured as lotuses (padmas). Lotus is a flowe flowerr that has caught Indian imagin imagination ation not only only by its beaut beauty y and and delicacy but by its large large multipli multiplic city of pet petals, vita vitali lity ty and and purity. The element element of sumptuous sumptuous fecundi fecundity ty is not not excluded from the concept.

SHADGUNYA-YANTRA, employed in the worship of Vishnu

Attempts, ttempts, often fantas fantastic, tic, have have been been made ade to ide identify ntify these hese cent centers with with anatom anatomical ical regions regions an and physiologica physiologicall functions known to the the modern modern mind. mind. But it it is importan importantt to note note that that these do not belong belong to the physic physical al body body as such, such, nor nor to the the mental ental structure tructure as such. such. It It is true true that they are are located (in (in the Tantric texts) along the brahmadanda or merudanda, by which we usually underst understand and the spinal column. But the des description cription of the column column as encasing encasing a sub subtle tle channel (known (known as sushumna) extending from the 'spinal base to the cranium cranium is obvious obviously ly abs abstract. tract. Further, urther, each center center (also (also termed termed plexus or vortex) is looked upon as a network of very subtle, ubtle, altogether altogether invisible invisible arteries arteries (nadis). The hum human body is said to cons consis istt of seven seven hundred millio million n of these hese arteries, arteries, som some gross and and others subtle, along along which which the vital currents currents flo flow continu continual ally ly in order to keep the the body alive and and active. The principal of thes these e arteries arteries is the the sushumna (also called (roughly coravadhutika), just mentioned, Inside the merudanda (roughly responding responding to the the spinal column) column) is a fine but hollo hollow w canal, extending tending from the regio region n of the penis penis to the the head head,, called 'diamon 'diamond' d'


31

Inside this is anot another her aitery, exceedingly exceedingly fine (vajra or vajrini). Inside like the thread thread of a spide s pider's r's web, or as thin thin as the thousandth thousandth part part of the the hair; this this is called called 'the marvellous arvellous'' (citrini). And this latter in its turn encloses encloses the artery known known as brahmanadi, the essent essential ial but highly abstract life-current. life-current. The The ca cakras are composed sed of netw etwork orks of arteries, arranged along the sushumna. The Tantrik texts of the Hatha-yoga persua persua sion sion enumerate as as many many as thi thirty rty of of such centers, centers, ranging ranging from the the big toe of the the foo fo ot to the the top of the head.2 head.23 Each Each of these has a characteris characteristic tic colour, colour, a num number ber of petals petals (when (when pictured pictured as as a lotus) lotus),, an elemental elemental asso association, ciation, a particula particularr sensesense-organ, organ, an an orga organ n of action, a variety variety of o f the vital vital current current (prana), a seedsyllable yllable,, a symbol, ymbol, a male deity deity and his consort, consort, an and a represen represen tative animal. Of these centers sev seven en are are regarded as especi especiall ally y important, six inside inside the body body and and one outside outside it. The last last one, one, nam named picture of an inverted, thous thousandand-petall petalled ed sahasrara (after the picture lotus, lotus, and and known to Buddhis Buddhists ts as ushnisa-kamala, the the crownlotus), is imagined imagined to be located four fingerfinger-brea breadths dths above above the the crown of the the head ead. Although lthough outside outside the phys physical body, it is a part of the exis existenti tential al structure, tructure, but at its topmost topmost level. Here Here is suppo supposed sed to be be the source source of the the 'liq 'liqu uid of immortality', immortality', the the

The higher reaches of Kundalini (The Thousand-petalled Lotus)

32


liquid liquid that drips on the the cranium continuous continuously, ly, thus thus making one one alive alive and active. active. It is clearly clearly a mys mystical center. The other six form a group, 'the six-centers' (satcakra), arranged in an order along along the sushumna. The lowest lowest in location is st styled yled 'the 'the root-basis root-basis'' pictured as a triangu triangula larr space, space, red red in colour, colour, with within in (muladhara), pictured a square square of yello yellow, w, right right in the the middle of the body: body: it is called 'the earth mandala'. Its physical physical locatio location n is said to be in in the the sacral sacral plexus or perineum perineum(? (?), ), or between between the base base of the genital genital organ organ e:nd anus. anus. It is the lower lower limi limitt of the sushumna canal. canal. Here, Here, two other arteries, celebrated in Tantrik exercises, meet. In Tantrik lore, the central sushumna is flanked on on its left left with with s ubtle le psychic psychic arteries arteries both both ida and on its right with píngala, two subt arising arising from the the rootroot-ba bas sic' ic' center and and running running parallel an and close to the sushumna until they cross, cross, and and the right-le right-left ft position position is reve reversed rsed.. The The two arteries arteries signi ignify fy oppos opposite ite poles; an and they are described described as as malemale-fem female ale component components s withi within n each each individua individual. l. famous Indian ndian river Ganga, Ganga, pingala Ida (also called /a/ana) is the famous the equall equally y famous famous river Yamuna; amuna; and sushumna is the hidden stream Sarasvati. arasvati. The three three together con cons stitute the sacred sacred triple-stream (triveni) commingli commingling ng at the the 'ro 'rootot-ba bas sic' ic' center. center. Rudrayamala (6.49) speaks of ida as the moon, pingala as the sun, and sushumna as the fire fire.. The The image imagery ry of sun and moon has been een a pers persistent istent one one in Tantrik Tantrik literature; the the Nath Natha-S a-Siddha iddha Tant Tantriks ev even wear large ear-ri -rings sy sym mbolisin sing sun and moon. Moon stands stands for for Siva, Siva, the static tatic but enduring element element both both in the the universe universe and in man; an; it is the repos repository of nectar (amrta); its normal loca location tion is said to be the highes highest center (sahasrara); its white white colour colour signifi signifies es the male aspect aspect (pandura-bindu-cakra). Sun, un, on the other hand hand,, is the dynamic dynamic but ever-changi ever-changing ng element element both in the universe universe and and in man; it stands for for Sakti, the female female aspect, and is represented represented as 'reddis 'reddish ovum' (lohitabindulocated in the 'root-ba 'root-bas sic' ic' center center (muladhara). maharajas); it is located "In the muladhara is Sakti S akti and in sahasrara Siva” (muladhare urther, the ida and pingala vasate saktih sahasrare sadasivah). Further, arteries arteries are described as possessing possessing the follo followi wing ng contrary charac charac terist teristics ics: day, day, night; night; exhalationexhalation-inhal inhalation; ation; food (upabhogya) — consumer (bhoktr); vowel vowel (a//) (a//) —consonant consonant (kali); semen-ova; creation—des creation— destru truction, ction, pran prana— a—ap apan ana; a; samsara— sara— nirvana. nirvana. The opposing opposing charac characteris teristics tics are are all summ summarised in the moon-sun oon-sun imagery imagery:: the the moon has has a cool cooling ing effect effect on the system while while the sun dries up the system; ystem; one buil builds ds up the body and the other breaks it down. In mystical parlance, one determines the individual involvement involvement in the phenomenal vortex, whil while e the other other burns burns up this bond and releases the individual.

MULADHARA-CHAKRA

SVADHISHTHANA-CHAKRA

MANIPURA-CHAKRA

ANAHATA-CHAKRA

VISHUDDHA-CHAKRA

AJNA-CHAKRA


33

But it woul would d be an error to to look upon man as a helples helpless victim victim of two two contending forces. As a matter atter of fact, the two two are are complem complementar entary y and make ake for for a 'bi 'biunity' ty' (Dr. (Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswam araswamy' y's s expression), expression), a male-fem ale-female ale config configuratio uration n which is essent essential ial both for creation creation and and relea release. se. In the ordinary ordinary ind indivi ivi dual, dual, in the state state of normalcy, normalcy, unity unity is not not recognised recognised or con sciously achieved; and hence the pain of life. The union of ida and the lowes lowestt centre centre (where most ost of us mostly ostly function) function) pingala at the is described described as the darkest darkest phase phase of the the moon moon (amavasya). Comm ommingling with with the the hidden hidden Sarasvati arasvati (viz., (viz., the the susumna), the triple-streams are here 'freed' (muktatriveni), that that is to say, say, they flow flo w separate eparately. ly. But when when the the individ individual ual takes takes up the the Tantrik care career er,, or practises practises Yoga, Yoga, the the openings of of ida and pingala at the 'root-b 'root-bas asic ic'' center center are are blocked, blocked, and the currents are are forced to move along the centra centrall sushumna. The three three streams are now now comm commingled into a unitary unitary flow flow (yukta-triveni), which reache reaches s its culmina culmination tion in the the center between between the eye-brows. This is described as the the brigh brightes testt phase phase of the the moon (purnima). In som some texts, texts, however, however, the the express expressions ions mukta and yukta with referen reference ce to the triple-flow (triveni) are are used in a sense exactly exactly oppos opposite to the one one ment mentioned ioned above. above. The The 'root-b 'root-ba asic' ic' center is described described as 'joined' or 'yoked' (yukta) as regard regards s the three streams, streams, while while the center between between the eye-brows eye-brows is described described as 'freed 'freed'' (mukta). The The presu sup pposit sition here is that hat the confluence of the three strream st eams is respon responsible sible for in indiv divid idua uali lity, ty, while while the cessat cessation ion of that that confluence, confluence, achieved by sadhanat would would release release the the individual individual from conditioned phenomenal existence. The The ce center loc located ab above th the 'root oot-b -basi asis' s' is known own as 'self self supporting' (svadhisthana), and is pictured as a colourles colourless s crescent crescent,, representing the water element element,, identifie identified d with 'pros 'prostatic plexus'(? plexus'(?), ), or located in the the nav navel region. If the the 'root-ba 'root-bas sic' ic' center center is is the source source of all desires, desires, the 'se 'self support upporting' ing' centre centre provides provides all the excite xc iteme men nt;the two together together are are responsible for for the instinc ins tincts ts of sex and and survival. The psycho logical traits origin originatin ating g at this level level (the (the vrttis) are given given as: as: affection, affection, sus suspicion, picion, contempt, contempt, infatuation and and cruelty. The third center, 'jewel-filled' (manipura), is is said to be located in the lumbar or 'epi 'epigas gastric tric plexus'(? plexus '(?); ); it is more ore usual, however, to take take it as a 'navel center' (nabhipadma). Red in colour, it signifies ignifies fire. The The psy psyc chological trait aits ass sso ociated wit with thi his s center br bring out the 'burni 'burning ng'' character: shame, shame, jea jealo lous usy, y, fear, fear, remorse and and dis disgust. gust. Curiously, this center is spoken of as responsible also for sleep and thirst. The 'unstruck' (anahata) centre, situated in the heart and and known as 'cardiac 'cardiac plexu plexus s'(?), '(? ), is imagined imagined as a hexagon hexagon with

34


two interlac interlacing ing triangles triangles,, grey-blue in colour. The The Buddhist Buddhist texts, exts, however, locate locate this cent center er at the the throat, throat, and give its form as semi-circ emi-circula ularr and and its colour colour as as gre green en.. Ass ssociated ociated with the the element element air, it provides provides the the individu individual al a subjective s ubjective frame frame of refe refere rence nce,, viz., viz., an ego. Am Among the psychological traits origi origina nating ting here ere are are hope hope,, woriy woriy,, effort, the feelings of 'I' 'I ' and and 'mine', 'mine', arrog arrogan ance, ce, egoity, covet covetuou uousness, sness, double-dealing, double-dealing, indecision, indecision, regret, regret, and and dis discrim crimina ina tion. The perfectly 'pure' (visuddha) center, golden in colo colour ur and and circular circular in shape shape (wh (white ite disc in Buddhis Buddhistt texts), texts), is located located in modern accounts accounts at the 'laryngeal 'laryngeal plexus'(? plexus'(?), ), or at the the junction junction of the spinal colum column n and and medulla oblong oblongata ata behind the the throat throat (located (located at the the crown crown of the the head ead by Buddhist Buddhist authors) authors).. Governing overning the the organs organs of express expression ion and articula articulation tion,, this center is associated associated with the follo followin wing g ment ental traits traits:: faith, joyousn joyousness ess,, guiltfeeling, guiltfeeling, restraint, restraint, respec respectability, tability, friendlines friendliness s, sorrow sorrow,, agitation, agitation, enthus enthus iasm and detachment. The The six sixth ce center is st sty yled 'alr alround und underst stan and din ing g' (ajna); the Buddhist uddhist texts describe describe it as the the 'thi 'third rd eye eye of wisdom', wisdom', the the center of formles formless s contemplation. contemplation. Situat S ituated ed between between the eye-brows eye-brows (or a little little above), formed by two white white petals petals representing representing sun and and moon, this center governs efforts at concentration as well as states tates of trance. trance. Some ome Tantrik antrik texts texts call this center the highest highest house' (paramakula) and 'the breaking up of the triple-confluence' (mukta-triveni). Although lthough these six centers are the ones widel widely y known and and freque frequently ntly enumerated enumerated in the Tantrik manu manuals, als, som sometim etimes es another center is mentioned, 'the center of mind' (manascakra). Located just just ab above 'the center of underst erstan and ding', thi his s is sa said to to be be th the secret center center respons responsibl ible e for for all all perceptual process processes es and and dream dream states. Above this center is 'the moon center' (soma-cakra), also infreq infreque uently ntly mentioned. Said to be situated in the middle of of the cerebrum cerebrum, the the psychologic psychological al traits traits associated associated with this cente centerr are are all morally orally pos positive and cons constructive: tructive: softness, oftness, courage, courage, per severance, humour, humility, concentration, poise, industriousness, emotional emotional stab s tabil ility ity and and generosity generosity.. This is the highest highest cente centerr within ithin the the psychophysical psychophysical s system ystem, immedi immediately ately below the the one one that is outside outside the the system system, viz., sahasrara (des (describe cribed d as 'the 'the house house without a support', niralambapuri ) .24

>eirp
M ystic ystic Fire It should be rem remembered embered that the conce concept pt of cakras is essen tially tially esoter esoteric. ic. And, therefore, therefore, attem attempts pts at discoveri discovering ng the the physiologica physiologicall correlates are bound bound to be both far-fetched far-fetched and and misleading. The cakras are more properly differe different nt fields fields of psychological reality, and and their 'petals 'petals'' symbolis symbolise e the dimens dimensions ions thereof. hereof. Read Read, for instance instance,, the the foll fo llo owing wing description description of the four higher cakras, and and their mystical signific ignificanc ance e becom becomes at once apparent: "The manipura is a lotus lotus of 64 petals petals turned turned upwards, upwards, their colours being yello yellow, w, and and the the seed-syllable seed-syllable being Ah A h ; the eight petals, petals, blue black in colou colour, r, turned turned anahata is a lotus of eight downwards, the the seed-syllable eed-syllable being being Hum; visuddha has has 16 petals petals of red red colour colour turned turned upwards, upwards, with with the the seed-syllable eed-syllable Om; and the has as 32 petals petals all all white white in colour colour and and turned turned downwards, downwards, sahasrara h the the seed-syllable seed-syllable being Ham." This Tantrik account is slightly different from the Y oga account (which, (which, for instance, instance, gives gives the num number of petals of the six s ix cakras as 4, 6, 10 10,, 1 12, 2, 16 and 2 respectively respectively,, accomodat accomodating ing the the fifty fifty letters letters of the Sanskrit Sanskrit alphabet, alphabet, and and gives the their ir seed-syllables seed-syllables as lam, lam, vam, vam, ram, yam, yam, The descript description ion is is directly directly derived derived from visualiz visualiza a ham ham and om). The tions, tions, and and not from imaginative reflection. The cakra ideology is thus thus a product of mystical contem contemplation, plation, which which taps taps the the funda funda mental ental energy dynam dynamics ics at work work with within in our basic basic cons constituti titutio on. n.2 2* More signific ignifican antly, tly, the cakra cakra ideology ideology would be meaning eaningless less witho withou ut reference reference to the the more more fundamental, if also more more mysterio mysterious us,, concept of kundaHni. The psychophysi psychophysical cal space {mandata), which we call call an indivi individua dual, l, is actually actually a fiel field d for for energy to operat operate. e. We have have seen above how how the cakras represent several several levels of this energy dynamics. ics. But the source source of of energy is hidden hidden and and inarticulate, and and the full full potentia potentiall normally not realized. realized. The The vast st sto orehouse of energy in its normal and primal st sta ate is pict pictured as a serpent, asleep asleep wi with its tail tail tucked in its mouth, outh, making three three coils coils and and a half, and and lying lying right right at the entr entrance ance of the sushumna, blocking blocking it. Because Because of its charac characteris teristic tic form, form, the the hidden energy-store is called 'kundaHni', meaning meaning 'coi 'coile led', d', like an

36


ear-ring. ear-ring. This form is abandoned abandoned only when the energy energy wakes up and and becom becomes active— active— a case with with none none but but tthe he great yogins yogins. Norm Normal ally, ly, it it is profou profoundl ndly y asleep all through our lives, and and we are are not even even vaguely aware aware of of its existence. Tantra antra and and Yoga Y oga prescrib prescribe e procedures to arouse it. Thi This st sto orehouse of energy is lin ink ked with with the 'root oot-b -basi asic' c' center of our cons constitut titutio ion. n. S ituated, ituated, according according to one one account account,, two two finger-breadth finger-breadths s abov above e the anu anus and and two two finger-breadths below the genital organ, organ, the the 'root-b 'root-bas asis is'' is visualiz visualized ed as a lotus, lotus, and in the middle of the the lotus lotus is a triangula triangularr space, space, figura figurativel tively y called called womb or vulva (yoni ), attached attached to the lower lower end end of the the canal, already described. Inside this this tria triangula ngularr sp spac ace e sushumna canal, towards the bottom is perch perched ed 'the selfelf-born born emblem emblem'' (svayambhuHnga), shining shining like molten molten gold and and facing facing downward. downward. Above this 'emblem' is the the kundatini, "fin "fine as a fibre of the the tender lotus stalk, talk, ge gently blocki blocking ng the the mouth outh of the the susumna door". Although sluggish and asleep, it (or she, because the usual supposition is that kundatini is a goddess goddess)) gleams gleams like a chain of bright bright lights lights on a dark dark night. night. As long as as this energy-stor energy-store e is asleep, asleep, one is outward oriented oriented (bahir-mukha ); the subject-object dual duality ity persis persists; ts; the the body is heat heated ed and and cooled cooled alternatel alternately y so that it is gradua gradualllly y worn worn out; out; and and man is phenom phenomenally enally bound. But as soon as it is arouse aroused d ( jag . aran becomes tense arana a or utthapana). it becomes and s tiff tiff like like a rod rod and and begins to ascend ascend the the susumna tract. On its upward journey, journey, it passes passes through the the six centres, centres, strikin striking g against against the the downward facing facing petals, petals, and and turning them them up. up. This denot denotes the total transform ransformation ation of the individ individua ual's l's orientations and and attitudes attitudes.. Ac Acco cording rding to some some texts texts,, kundatini pierces the lotuses and and burns them up. up. It is in this sense that that kundatini is called 'the mystic fire'. Of interest interest in the the accounts accounts concerning the the action of the the aroused kundatini is tthe he view view that that each center gets animated animated and and illumined illumined as the the 'serpent 'serpent power' power' passes asses through it. Besides th the mystic import of the the energy-store energy-store that that the the kundatini actually is, it is considered considered to be the the place of orig origin in for the the vital vital currents currents that sus susttain life (vayu), for for the seed seed of life life that ramifies ramifies into phenomenal involvement (bindu ), and and for the sound that that unifies unifies and differentiates (nada). These These thr three, ee, responsible responsible for indi individ vidua uali lity ty and and survival, survival, animation animation and articu articula lation tion,, function function in a passive assive and constrained manner when the kundatini is sluggis luggish. But they become become active active and free free on kundatini's arousal arousal.. It means eans a reorga reorga nization niz ation of one's energies energies an and orientations, orientations , a restruct restructuring uring and and a revitalization. The There ar are cer certtain ain sign signs (wh (which ich ar are by no means all of them

SERPENT POWER AND MYSTIC FIRE

37

pleasant) pleasant) that suggest suggest that kundalini has been awakened: bodily heat heat increases, increases, sweating occurs occurs copiou copious sly; there there are are all over the the body, sharp sharp sensations like like scorpio corpionn-bite, bite, and so on. But the the urge urge to continu continue e the the exercise is so imperative imperative that after after thi this s stage stage one one does not not us usuall ually y give up up. As one one perseveres, perseveres, however, these these signs give way to more more abstr abstract act and less dis distracting tracting signs. signs. It is interes interesting that these hese ar are at firs firs t ess essentially vigorous vigorous auditory auditory halluc hallucinatio inations ns (the express expression ion has has been been used used guarded guardedly), ly), like sounds mad made e by the the sea at a dis distance, tance, peals of thunder, thunder, and and the the roar roar of the waterfalls waterfalls.. Then the sounds sounds become become softer ofter and more pleasant pleasant:: jing jingli ling ng and and tinkli tinkling ng of ornaments ornaments worn on the the body, body, the sof softt strains trains from a hand-drum hand-drum,, the the muffled muffled sound from a hand bell, the the musical notes from from a lute or tlute. Finally, the the sound becom becomes exceedingly exceedingly subtle, ubtle, like the humm humming of a bee. bee. A t this this stage, stage, it is reported reported that that one feels feels dizzy, dizzy, and salivation alivation becom becomes copious; the the heart-beat gets gets fainter, fainter, but steadier; teadier; bodily sensa tions tions are are benumbed, benumbed, and and immediate ediate surroundi urroundings ngs seem to fade away. away. Later, ater, one begins to hear ear dis distinctly tinctly the the exceedingly exceedingly subtle sound that that is interna internal, l, and whic which emanates anates from from the very very essence of the the individual. individual. This is 'the 'the voice of inner silence', silence', unstr unstruck, uck, and and

ASCENT OF KUNDALINI making three knots

38


inarticu inarticula late. te. Simultaneo imultaneous usly ly in some cases, cases, but but as frequently reported reported subsequently, subsequently, one one begins to 'see things things': ': dots of bright light, light, flames flames of fire, fire, orb of brilliance brilliance,, gleaming gleaming lines of diver diverse se colours, colours, and and geometric geometric patterns patterns of great variety variety and and light. Higher stages stages are said said to to be characterize characterized d by 'sig 'sights hts'' of stars, stars, bright bright and and whirl whirlin ing g circles, circles, d dense ense fog fog and and smok smoke, e, mirage, irage, tiny dots dots of of dazzling dazzling hue hue between the eyeeye-brows brows or on the forehead, a steady ligh lightt from an oiloil-la lamp mp which which no wind distu disturbs, rbs, and great illum illumination within within.. It is recognised recognised that such sign signs s (nimittas) are are subject ubject to laws of individual differences. They depe depend nd considerably, considerably, not only on the the particula particularr techniques techniques employed employed for the awakening awakening of kundalini, but but on the practiti practition oner' er's s temperam temperament, ent, talent, talent, early exper experience iences s and situational involvements, including the master's instructions. Besides the the six centers, in the upward journe journey y of kundalini, three 'knots' (granthi) are also also said said to be pierced through: through: the basal knot (at the muladhara center) center) called "Brahma's "Brahma's knot“ knot“,, the the middle knot (at the anahata center) center) called ''V ''Vis ishnu hnu's 's knot” knot”,, an and the top knot knot (at the ajna cent center) called called ''Siva ''S iva's 's kno knot” t”.. Thes These e are are respec respectively tively area areas s of stress tress concerni concerning ng emerg emergence, ence, poise poise and and diss dis solutio olution n tha that are are neces necessarily sarily involved in phenom phenomenal enal existence. existence. A fter fter piercing piercing through the the six cent centers, comm commingli ingling ng with with the the moon's orb that the the thous thousand and petals petals of the the highest highes t lotus cons consti ti tute, tute, cause causes s 'nectar' 'nectar' to ooze out.26 After reaching its destination, destination, which which marks arks the the cul culmina mination tion of the Sadhana adhana,, the kundalini returns home home (i. (i.e. . muladhara) by the same path. path. During uring its ascent, ascent, the individual individual is reported to experien experience ce illuminatio illumination, n, and and during its descent (or return return)) it is said to suffuse the the individual individual with with profound tranqu tranquil illi lity ty described described as ambr ambrosial osial delight.2 delight.27 The lowest center center is the the hom home of energy energy (Sakti), while the highest center is the residence of consciousness (Siva). Phenom Phenomenal life life keep keeps s them them apart, apart, and hence stresses of of all sorts come come to the lot of man. an. Sadha adhana na can can bring them together, and and the union of of the the two elimi elimi nat nates all stress and and secures secures the deli deligh ghtt of undiffere undifferentiated ntiated exis exis tence. This This achievem achievement ent is styled 'paravrtti' (total transformation), where where not only the the norm normal stres tress s-producin -producing g conditions conditions disapp disappear ear but even the ordina ordinary ry coordinates coordinates are are transmuted. transmuted. It is a case case of regeneration regeneration of the the ind indivi ividu dual al,, revital revitaliz izatio ation n in one one sense sense and and reintegration in another. Basic to the the Tantrik ideology ideology is the the conce conception ption of life as a configuration of vital currents (prana). Sun's energy is said to produce produce and and preserv preserve e in all livin living g beings the condi condition tions s necessar ecessary y for for life life whil while e at the the sam same time time burnin burning g them up. In man, the the solar energy energy divides itself itself into ten aspects (or currents); currents); five major (prana, (pra na, apana, apana, samana samana,, vyana and udana), and f ive minor (naga,

SERPENT POWER AND MYSTIC FIRE

39

kurma, kurm a, krakara, devadatta and dhananjaya). They support the body, body, and and cau cause all action. action. The express expression ion 'prana' 'prana' signifie ignifies s ideas ideas of primacy (pra) and and subtle force (ana). Prana rana is the the home home of spirit (jiva), called picturesquely 'the swan' (hamsa, ham signify ing outward outward flo flow, and sa inward flow), the mythical bird that cons constantly tantly moves oves out of the the celestial celestial lake lake Manasa on the Him Hima layan heights and back to it. Prana moves along along the seven hundr hundred ed million million arteries or nerve nerve channels (nadis) that compose the the body, although its chie chieff centers centers are are the the heart (hrt), navel nose-tip, tip, and and the the great great toes. toes. As the the prana moves along (nabhi), nosethe the arteries, arteries, consciousness consciousness is occasioned occasioned as a by-prod by-product, uct, as an epiphenomenon. The movement of prana normally is irregular, spasmodic, spasmodic, jerky and and str strained. ained. This T his is b beca ecause use of our stimulatio timulations ns,, urge urges, s, excitement excitement and and activity. tivity. Therefore, herefore, norm normal consciousness consciousness is narrow, narrow, stres tressful sful and and shallow. Most Mos t of the the Tantrik techniques techniques emphasiz phasize e that that it is not conscious consciousness ness that should be sought to be corrected, corrected, but but the basic vital vital currents currents that that should should be handled handled in order that consciousness spontaneous pontaneously ly gets expanded, expanded, relax relaxed ed and and d deep eep.. And it is thus that 'contro 'controll of breath' breath' (pranayama) figures prominently in all such techniques. India has developed developed an elaborate elaborate theory of the breathing pro cess. Breath Breath alternates during the course of the day between between the the left left nostril nostril (connect (connected ed with ida, repres representing enting moon, and and in effe effect ct cooling) cooling) and the the right right nostril nostril (connected (connected with with píngala, represent ing sun, sun, and and in effect effect warming). warming). Norm Normall ally, y, breat breath h passes passes through the the arteries arteries 960 times times an hour. hour. From rom midnig midnight ht to noon, it flows flows copious copiously ly along the the nerve nerves, s, and and from noon noon to midnigh midnightt along along the blood vessels vessels.. Precisely Precisely at midnight midnight and and noon, it is equal equal in both systems. A t sunrise it ascends ascends through the the nerves nerves along with the the course course of the the sun, an and towards sunset sunset it descends descends into into the blood vessels. During our normal normal respiration, respiration, inhal inhalatio ation n is an an active proce process ss and and exhala exhalation tion a passive passive one. one. Thoughts arise and and cease cease in accord accordance ance with with the the respiratory respiratory rate. rate. In an an ordinary ordinary individ individual ual,, thoughts are muffled, clouded, sluggis s luggish, h, excited, inadequately articulated; they pass pass with with inordinate speed speed,, or jos jostle confusedly becau ecause se his breathing habits are are improper. improper. Weather, Weather, heal health th,, die diet, diseases, diseases, rest, rest, anxiety, anxiety, guil guiltt-fe fee eling lings s and and cares cares hav have an impact impact not only on the the rate of of respira respiration tion but on the the amount amount of air inhaled and exhaled. exhaled. If breath breath does not alterna alternate te between between the nostrils nostrils but continue continues s in one nostril nos tril beyond beyond the normal period of an hour and fifty minutes, it is symptom ymptomatic atic of impairment impairment of health due due to either either exc excess ess of heat or of cold. cold. If the breath breath moves oves in and and out through a single nostril nos tril for as long as 24 hours, the derange derangem ment of humours is serious; if the the cond conditio ition n prevails prevails for

40


two or three three days, days, the illnes illness s is serious enough. The The sc sciience of pranayama recognises the ne need ed to change change quick quick ly the flo flow of breath, breath, to regulate regulate the flow flow of the vital current currents s in the arteries, arteries, to sus suspen pend d the breath breath inhale inhaled, d, or to keep keep out the the exhaled breath for a defi defini nite te period. The These se are are in effec ffect techniques techniques to gain mastery astery over thoughts thoughts.. The time time required for a thought thought to emerg emerge e into into awaren awareness ess is said to be 6/25 6/25 of o f a second; second; but when inhaled breath breath is rest restrained, the the time time taken for fo r the thought thought to flas flash out in awaren awareness ess would would be 12/25 12/25 of a second; when the the retention is of a longer duration, duration, the the though thoughtt would would requir require e as long as as one one to one and and a half half hours. hours. That hat is to say, say, the tho thoug ught ht is 'fixe 'fixed d' or held out (dharana). The thought-a hought-arousa rousall is totally suspended if one can restrain the breath inside inside his his body for 13 13!! minutes with witho out a flurry. flurry. This goes by the nam name of 'samadhi' (one-pointedness (one-pointedness,, or settling the mind). mind). The Tantrik text texts s suggest several devices for 'thoughtlessness' (un-mani or 'no-mind exer cises'), like the Sambhavi-mudra where where the mind is absorbed absorbed as as a result of gazing gazing intentl intently y on on the the nosenose-tip tip or or at object-les object-less s space space,, also also regul regulati ating ng the breath breath in the arteries arteries at the sam same time. time. During 24 hours, the the number of respiratio respirations ns is calcula calculated ted by the Yogacudamani-Upanisad to be 21,600 21,600 (15 respirations respirations for a minute and 90 900 0 for for an hour). These are are dis distribute tributed d among among the seven centers (the seventh being the manascakra) as follows: follows: respirations takin taking g a total total of 40 minutes; svadhismuladhara, 600 respirations in 6 hours and 40 minutes; thana, manipura and anahata, each 600 in and visuddha, ajna and manas, each 1000 in one hour, six minutes and breath that that is is exhaled is believed believed to be accom accom 40 seconds. The breath panied by the the mys mystic tic utteranc utterance e of 'ham 'ham' from the very core core of of one's being, and and inhalin inhaling g of the the breath breath by the the syllabl syllable e 'sa'. When When ex ex hala halationtion-inha inhala lation tion order order is follo followed wed,, it is ter term med the 'ascent 'ascent'' and and the the mystic utt utterance erance is "ham"ham-s sa" (also (also the word word for for the the mythical ythical swan that lives in the the Him Himalayan heights) heights).. When, however, however, the the inhalationinhalation-exha exhalation lation order is follo followed wed,, it is the 'descent' and and the the mystic utter utterance ance woul would d be "s o ' ham"('l m"('l am he', he', a Vedantic Vedantic looked upon as the the mystic fire fire that maha-vak.ya). The prana is looked leaves leaves the the system wi with 'ham' and and enters enters it with 'sa'; 'sa'; the the spirit pirit imagined to be performing passively passively but ceaselessly ceaselessly the the (jiva) is imagined ritual of of muttering muttering 'ham-sa'. 'ham-sa'. which which is the the nature nature of the the goddess goddess of life ('hamsa-japa' in paropasana).*s The sound of this this mystic mutte muttering ring is generated at the the muladhara and and is artic articul ula ated at the the which in fac fact is the the prime support of the the spirit. pirit. The pur anahata, which pose of the the practices included included in the the Sadha adhan na of this category category is to make ake this mutter mutterin ing g conscio conscious us and delibe deliberate, rate, so that the the sound rises above the anahata and carries the kundalini along with it.

SAHASRARA-CHAKRA

SVASTIKA-MANDALA. illustrating the arrangement of the universe universe and the vital currents within the individual.

Th The Ta Tantra is ob obviousl ously y not not att attract active to to th the mu multitude, be because it involves attitudes attitudes which which are are diffe differe rent nt from, from, ‘ and and sometim sometimes es contrary to, those those whic which are normall normally y held, and and becau because se it it requires requires extraordinary effort. And the Tantra's externals and the superficialities lities are like likely ly to to induce induce in one one an an aversion for for the the discip disciplin line e as a whole. The Tantra antra itsel itselff recognises this this,, and therefore, therefore, mak makes es the the Tant Tantrik pr practices as litt little known own to ot others ers as po poss ssiible. The The se secrets are revealed revealed to none but the the reall really y serious erious and and the the ful fully ready. ready. Thu Thus, 'initiat initiation' ion' (diksha or abhisheka) is made ade an indispens indispensabl able e prerequisite prerequisite for the practices practices.. The Tantrik antrik in initia itiatio tion n is not to be confus confused with with mere 'instructio 'ins truction' n' (upadesa). It is is trans transm miss ission of certain effective effective doctrines by trans transforming forming the the recipie recipient nt entirely. entirely. The The process involves elaborate and careful preparation where texts and manu manuals als occupy occupy a secondary role, the primary primary task task being the the ritua ritualis listic involvem involvement ent with with the the teacher. It has already been been mentioned entioned that that the importance importance given to to the teacher in the Tantra antra is very very great great.. Says ays a text: "There "There can be no no salvation witho without ut initia in itiation tion,, and and there there can can be be no no initia initiatio tion n witho without a teacher";2 teacher";29 "For "F or one one witho withou ut initi initia ation tion there there is is no no progre progress ss,, nor nor success; success; therefore one must by all all mean means s get initia initiated ted by a teach teacher". er".3 30 The The expresexpression 'diksha' ('in ('initiatio itia tion n') is a compou compound nd of two two idea ideas, s, "to gi give ve"" or "to endow" endow" divine divine qualities qualities (di), and "to destroy" or "to remove" (ksha) the the sins sins and and obs obstruct tructio ions ns,, thereby freeing freeing the the indiv individ idua uall from phenomenal phenomenal fetters fetters..31 ..... One may reasonably reasonably expect expect that that the teacher (Guru) (Guru) will observe observe and and study tudy the the novice's novice's defects defects and distractio dis tractions ns,, talent talent and tem temperament perament and and then then decide decide on the the particular particular ini initia tiatio tion n that is likely likely to profit profit him. him. For For,, initia initiation tion places places not only only a profound profound but direct respon res pons sibility ibility on the teacher eacher with with regard regard to his pupil's success success in his career. It I t is a personal transm transmiss ission of unseen unseen but enormous enormous power from from the the teacher to the pupif* as effe effec ctively tively as .

42


possible possible and and as confi confide dentia ntiall lly y as feasible. feasible. The Tantra Tantra emphasises phasises trad traditio ition based based on su such ch personal com communication, unication, and frown frowns s on picking picking up practices from books books and and hearsay hearsay.. It insis insists ts that that one one who gets initia initiated ted must guard guard the the details thereof thereof zealously, zealously, for mentioning entioning them them in in publi public c would would lead him to unpleasant unpleasant states tates of existence existence.3 .32 Initia nitiatio tion n means eans for the the individua individuall a total transform transformation. ation. His whole whole being is now uprooted uprooted from normal moorings, oorings, and and keyed keyed to a di diffe fferen rentt structuretructure-function. function. Formally, ormally, during in initia itiatio tion n the indiv individ idua uall is given a new name, and the ritual ritual sequ sequenc ences es suggest suggest a rebirth. The initiate initiated d is no longer longer the biolo biologic gical al son of his human human parents, the member of o f a profes profession, ion, or the member ember of a caste. He He has ritua ritualis listica tically lly given up all former former associat associations, ions, and and is thus dead for for all practical intents. intents. He is ready ready to growgrow-up up in a new new setting. Initia nitiatio tion n is of two types, types, or or operate operates s at at two levels: levels: (1) initia initiatio tion n for for life, which which makes akes the the initia initiated ted an altogether altogether different different individual individual,, functioning functioning with with entirely new coordin coordinat ates, es, becom becoming dead dead to his old modes modes of behaviour, old associates associates and and old situat situations ions;; and and (2) initia initiatio tion n for a particular particular ritual, which which is temporary. temporary. The latt latter er is frequen frequently tly known as 'entrance 'entrance into the the circle' (cakra) . A citation from from Mahanirvana-tantra wi will make the pos position ition clear: ''W ''Whe hen n one enters into into the the Bhairavi-Cakr Bhairavi-Cakra, a, names and castes are are lost, lost, conventional conventional inhi inhibi bitio tions ns do not apply. apply. One One is exactly like the other. other. But, on com coming ing out out of of the circle, circle, each each assum assumes his nam name and and caste caste again, and and each attends attends to his job job as an an ordinary ordinary workwork-aa-da day y man” man” .33 It may be mentioned mentioned in passing passing that the 'cakra' cult in some parts of India degenerated into orgias orgiastic clubs, with with obscene obscene and and outlandish outlandish rites. rites. And this was direc directly tly responsible responsible for the the disreput disrepute e which which Tantra Tantra fell into. Initiation nitiations s diff differ er also also according to to whether whether the the rituals are are external external or are merely mental. mental. The The Tantra antra is clas class sified ified into into Kulacara and Sam S amayacar ayacara. a. The former former is engaged engaged with extern external al rites and and rituals whil while e the the latt latter er is character characteriz ized ed by internal internal worship conduct conducted ed in ones ones own ‘heart-lo heart-lotus', tus', witho without ut necess necessarily arily having to recite recite the sacred formula formulae, e, or to make ake offerings offerings to fire, fire, or to engage in any worship wors hip detail detail whatever.34 whatever.34S Samayaca ayacara ra is an interes interesting contemplative contemplative technique where where visual visualiz izations ations are are all important. In fact, fact, the Vaj rayan rayana a sadhana, the Buddhi B uddhis st Mahayana Mahayana thought-p thought-prac ractice tice complex, complex, developed out of this this technique. technique. And in this this kind kind of abstract abstract wors worship, hip, instruction ins tructions s, explanations explanations and and guidance guidance from an adept become become indispens indispensable able and all important important.. It is, therefore, that Samay amayacara acara is said to be be learnt dire directl ctly y from the teach eacher er.3 .35 5 The novice novice here here retires retires after after ins instructio truction n by the teach teacher er to a solitary olitary place place and and practises practises contem contempla plation tion alone. alone. The

ADEP TS AND ATTITUDES

43

other kind of Tantra antra is always always comm communityunity-ori oriented. ented. P ractice ractice is done done in groups, groups, and and there there are are well well--defin defined ed rituals available for observation and imitation.

In the the Tantra, Tantra, two kinds kinds of 'sacrific 'sacrifices es'' are are recognised: recognised: one one external {bahiryaga), and the other internal (antaryag (antaryaga) a) . It is acknowledged acknowledged that that the latt latter er (performed (performed in Samayacara) ayacara) is the the superior one. one. One One indulges indulges in external external acts acts of worship worship only only until ntil wisdom dawns. dawns.3 36 While While ext external wors worship hip is not not condemned condemned,, it is dubbed dubbed as decidedl decidedly y inferi inferio or. However, However, the need need and usefulness usefulness of such such wors worship hip for for certain types of of men are are also also suggested. suggested. Th Three ree types types of Tantrik Tantrik dis dispos positions itions are are mentioned: mentioned: animal or carnal disposition (pasu-bhava). valiant valiant or dynamic dynamic dis dispos position ition (viraand divine or or tranq tranquil uil dis disposition position (divya-bhava). Under bhava) and sixteen years, ears, the the aspirant aspirant is generally ignorant ignorant and and incapable of understanding understanding aright the subtleties of energy-arou energy-arousal. sal. If, however, however, he is religio religious usly ly incli inclined ned he spends spends his time time studying script sc riptures, ures, wors worship hippin ping g deities, deities, and and perform performing ing the the prescribed prescribed rituals rituals (albe (albeit it mechanically). He lead leads a dis discip cipline lined d life, life, witho without ut however however going going to ex excesses but being earne earnest st about spiri spiritual tual advance advancem ment. ent. Notwithstand twithstandin ing g this, this, his mind mind is still underdevelop underdevelop ed, an and his feelings feelings an and dis dispo pos sitions itions stil stilll imm immature. This phase phase of religious life tied tied to to ins instincts tincts and and urges urges is known as 'animal 'animal dis dis positio pos ition'. n'. It is no doubt low, but has the capa capabil bility ity of pass passing ing on to higher higher stages. stages. When When the the individ individual ual grows older and and becom becomes mature ature as a result result of study, experience experience or contac contactt with the right right teacher, teacher, he begins begins to understand understand the subtle subtleties ties,, and becomes steadfast teadfast in the the practice of virtue. His actions actions reveal reveal courage courage and and conviction. conviction. Nothing Nothing can frighten frighten him or tempt tempt him off the path path he has chosen. chosen. He perseveres, endures and pushes pushes on, agains againstt all all

44


odds. odds. He He is described described as having the the 'vali 'valia ant or dynamic dynamic dispos disposi i tion tio n', also term ermed 'great dispos disposition ition'' (mahabhava). He has con quered his anger, greed, greed, pass passion, ion, envy and and wo worry; rry; and and he has has neither inhibitions nor reservations, neither fears nor anxiety while while he engages engages hims himself even even in the rather rather gruesom gruesome experiments experiments like the savasadhana (experiments (experiments wi with a corpse corpse in a crem crematorium atorium). Th The ne next st stage is that of 'd 'divi ivine disp isposit osition ion'. Here the pract actitioner oner is almost like a god, having abandoned quali qualities ties of good and and bad, bad, pleasure and and pain, right right and and wrong, wrong, and and being perfectly perfectly tranquil and pure pure at heart; heart; he he is not driven by ins instincts, tincts, nor is he prey prey to temptatio temptations ns.. He has has freed himself himself from phenomenal phenomenal cons constrai traints. nts.

relating to revival of the dead

Vamakesvara-tantra defines 'disposition' (bhava) as a mental

process, process, a quali quality ty of the mind, mind, capable capable of being hand handled led only only at the the psychological level.3 level.37 The abov above e clas classification ification of disposition disposition into into three types types is wi with regard regard to the mental energy that is brought to bear (saktipradhanyat). And there there is a supposition upposition that the physical cons constitutio titution n is also of three hree ty types: superior, middling and inferior. inferior. The superior superior is characterised characterised by the dominance dominance of the sattvik element element (wisdom), (wis dom), the the middling of rajasik element (énergetic¡action), an and the the inferior of tamasic element (le (lethargythargyignorance ignorance-i -infatuation) nfatuation).. The The variety of Tantrik Tantrik practice practice that that suits uits and and benefits benefits each type of o f individua individuall must be determ determined ined by the master, master, bec becau ause se successful successful practice practice presuppose presupposes s tempera tempera mental ental facil facility. ity. One One of the the texts suggests suggests 'daksina' 'daksina' path path for the the

ADEP ADEP I S AND ATTITUDES

45

inferior, inferior, 'vama' 'vama' path path for the the middli middling ng and and 'uttara' 'uttara' for the the super superior ior.3 .38 Likewise, ikewise, for the inferior ('animal ('animal dis dispos position') ition') Vedic Vedic rituals, wors worshi hip p of gods like like Siva and Vi Vis shnu are are recommended; ended; for the middling iddling ('valia ('valiant nt dis dispo pos sition') ition') the 'si 'siddha' ddha' and 'vam 'vama' a' rituals, and for the superior ('divine disposition') only 'kaula' lituals. The classification of personality into three types is elaborated elaborated in some some of the Tantrik antrik manuals, anuals, and it is linked with with the concept of 'seven-fold 'seven-fold conduc conduct' t' (saptacara).3 ).39 A fter fter det detaili ailing ng the seven paths paths, a text text sums sums u up p: "Ma "M any are the paths paths mentioned by those those who are are adepts adepts in practi practice ce and experts in scriptur criptural al lore; lore; but one mus ustt foll fo llo ow the the path path suggest uggested to him by his teacher and and no othe ther". r".40

Th The mo more int interest esting vi view, ew, however, is the arrangement of of th the three hree 'dispos 'dispositio itions ns'' ment mentioned ioned above above in a sequent sequential ial order. order. The 'animal 'animal dis dispos position' ition' is said to be be the primary primary stage, universal universal in its scope: "al "a ll the the animals animals,, as ground for human beings on earth to be founded upo upon".4 n".41 And it is considered considered a necessary necessary stage; and and every one, however evolved, mus mustt start only here. ere. When wisdom wisdom begin begins s to shine, shine, the 'vali 'valia ant dis dispos position' ition' will will set in; and and then then 'gradually' (kramena) one becom becomes 'divine' 'divine' in his dis disposition. position. The three three dis dispos positio itions ns are are accommodated accommodated to the major ajor stages stages of lifechil childhoo dhood, d, adulthoo adulthood d and old age. age. And iin n some some texts texts, the the consecrations (abhisheka) are made the turnin turning g points points of of the the three three dispos dis positions. itions. The normal householder, being initiated initiated into some with the the 'animal' stage. stage. He lives lives according to mantras, starts with conventional conventional norm norms, fulfi fulfill llin ing g all ritual ritualis istic tic expectat expectations. ions. Then Then when he obtains obtains the saktabhiseka (cons (consecration ecration as a Tantrik

46


practitione practitioner), r), he continues to live at hom home but is indif indiffer feren entt tto o normal normal cares cares and and worries of domes domestic tic life life as well well as as social participation. participation. He is called a 'householder-reclus 'householder-recluse' e' (grhavadhuta). When in this conditio condition n he adv advance ances s and and gets gets 'the full consecration' consecration' (purnabhisheka) the the 'vali 'valia ant' stage start starts. s. He now stay stays away from home and comm commences visitin visiting g cemeteries cemeteries for for pyre-practice pyre-practice cita-sadhana), crematorium-practice (smasana-sadhana), esoteric circle-practices (cakra-sadhana), practices practices with with women women consort consorts s indulges in the the five 'm' 'm' s (wine, (wine, fish, fish, flesh, (yogini-sadhana), and indulges gestures and and copul copulatio ation) n).. The last mentione mentioned d practice practice is esoteric: the articles articles mentioned entioned are are in fac fact symboli ymbolic c and and refer to accomplis accomplish h ments in the ps psychic ychic centr centres. es. Uns nscrupulous crupulous masters and and uncultured student tudents, s, together with the forces of ignora ignorance nce an and temptatio temptation, have helped to bring bring infamy on this practice. practice. The practitioner practitioner at this stage stage also practices practices the the 'six 'six actions' actions ' of sorcery and witch-craft: pacification (santi), possession (vasikarana), hold-up (stambhana), rousing rousing enmity (vidveshana), driving-away

VASIKARA-YANTRA, for eliminating opposition and securing affection

the 'vali 'valia ant' stage, stage, the (uccatana) and killing (marana). After the practitioner bec becom omes eligi eligible ble to 'the great-empir great-empire e consecrat consecration' ion' But this means eans givin giving g up all world worldly ly (mahasamrajyadiksha). involvement and and devoting devoting oneself oneself entirely entirely to the the yogi yogic c attainm attainment ent of Brahm Brahman. He is now now on the last last lap lap of of his pilgrim pilgrimage. His dispo dis pos sition ition is naturall naturally y 'divi 'divin ne'; he is now above above the hum human frailties frailties and beyond beyond the the agitations that plague the the comm common folk or the early aspirant.

The The Tant Tantra is prim primar aril ily y a pr pract actical ical di discip scipli line ne and its its phil philosop osophy hy was never crystallis crystallised. ed. The T he need need was never never s trongl trongly y fel fe lt and and much much of the instr ins truc ucttion was oral oral and and situation ituational. al. S ome ome of the T antr antrik ik texts, like Saradati/aka, do deal with philosophical matters, but these accounts are are neither neither systematic nor cons consis istent. tent. It is hard, hard, therefore, to define an and describe describe what wha t may be called called the T antrik antrik philos philosophy ophy.. The working presupposit presuppos itions ions of the S aiva, aiva, Vaisnav Vaisnava, a, S akta akta and and the the so-call so-called ed Buddhist uddhis t Tantras antras appear appear differen different; t; and and the the functiona functionall role of the concepts concepts in each Tantra T antra seems seems to vary. vary. The The com common ide idea, howev owever er,, is that hat of 'energy energy'' (sakti), which is a sort of Tantrik counterpart of the Vedantic maya and the Samkhyan The Tant T antrrik tradi tradittion being eing theist heistic, ic, they point to the prakrti.42 The supreme supreme and and absolute absolute but qualifie qualified d Lord (saguna-paramesvara), whom some Tantrik texts describe as 'glorious with being, sentience and bliss' (saccidanandavibhava). In Him is inseparably inseparably merged erged the inf infin inite ite and transc transcendental endental energy (sakti) as His aspect (kala), which which is beyond the phenomenal context. But the the Lord by His free will il l sets sets energy energy into motion, and and brings forth forth creat creation— as oil is pre pressed ssed from the oil-seeds oil-seeds.4 .43 C reation reation is merel merely y the manifestation of energy, and the texts illustrate the process by drawing drawing a parallel to to the the arousal (or rather revival) revival) of remembr remembran an ce in a person who wh o wakes up from deep deep sleep. His memory emory which which had merged erged in him, him, los lost as it were, were, reappear reappears s as soon as wakefu wakefull awaren awareness ess is est established. ablished. There is conjured conjured 'a vision vision of void void'' as a result result of which emer emerg ges the undifferen undifferenttiated and and diffuse diffus e lightlightsound nucleus (para-nada), 'filling the void'. This void-essence focuss focusses es its its elf elf and and crystallizes crystallize s into the 'transc 'transcendental endental drop' (para-bindu), which is a sort of materialization of the Lord's 'action-energy' (kriya-sakti). This This 'drop' drop',, bein ing g crea creattive, ive, str struct uctures itself into two categories: 'the 'the phenomenal drop' drop' (apara-b/ndu),

48


highl highligh ighting ting the aspect of selfself-awareness awareness in the the Lord Lord (the (the Siva category) and and 'the 'the seed' seed' (bija) of all creation, emphasizi emphasizing ng the the energy aspect of the Lord (the sakti category). This splitt plitting ing is accompanied accompanied by a secondary secondary lightlight-s sound ound complex complex (apara-nada), which which is described as 'the great sound' or 'the sound-abso ound-absolute' lute' fact, this light-s light-sound ound complex complex is (mahanada or sabdabrahma). In fac what what holds the the two categories categories together together and and thus symbolizes symbolizes their union. The The thoug ought-tr -transf ansfe erence from macrocosmic level to the microcos icrocosm mic led the Tantra to find find in man the counterpart counterpart of of this this 'great sound' in 'the coiled coiled serpent' (kundalini). It is the causal energy in man (sakti), represent represented ed by a triang triangle le consis consisting ting of the the three categories categories mentioned above above as as its sides: 'the 'the drop' (bindu), 'the seed' (bija), and 'the sound' sound' (nada), all all emerging emerging from the materialized 'transcendental drop' (para-bindu). Even ven as as the entire creation iss issues ues from the the 's 'soundound-abs absolu olute', te', man's an's being and and behaviour behaviour arise arise out of the 'coiled 'coiled serpent-power'. serpent-power'. It is 'coiled' 'coiled' in the sense sense of being inactive inactive normall normally; y; it rests rests in itself, itself, perfectly perfectly self-c self-contained, ontained, turned on on itself itself and and devoid of all outwar outward d orien orienta ta tion. The secondary 'light-sound complex' (apara-nada) or 'the great sound', ound', located in between between the the eyebrows, is imagined imagined to enter enter the the central central psychic canal, sushumna, and flow down to the 'basal center' (muladhara) and rest res t there in the form of kundalini. Th The pu purpose of Tan Tantrik sad sadhana is to rouse this slu slumbering giant, giant, who when roused roused would would return return to the the psychic center center bet ween the eyebrows eyebrows ascending along along the the sushumna canal. Kunda its in initia itiall wakefuln wakefulness ess is described described as ' visarg lini in its visarga' a' ('sending forth') forth') 'discha 'dis charge', rge', 'depart 'departure'; ure'; the the latt latter er is also the the mark of hard ard aspiratio aspiration n after the modifie odifierr in the the S anskrit anskrit alphabet alphabet.. It is repre repre sented (as in the alphabet alphabet) by two dots one placed on top of the other. other. The dot on the the top is identified with fire' fire' (agni) while the one one below with with 'moo 'moon' n' (soma). We hav have seen above above that that this symbolizes symbolizes male-female ale-female configura configurattion ion (or biunity). biunity). The aspirat aspirate e mark has no doubt doubt two component components s, but it is not indic indicative ative of dual duality. ity. It It points points out rather rather to the the fact that these two are are the necessary necessary structural elements elements involved involved in a unity; unity; each each divorced from the the other woul would d be meaningless eaningless.. In th the Tantrik texts texts, this stage stage of in initia itiall but incipi incipien entt activity activity on the part of the aw awaken akened ed energy is styled 'awareness-instant' (cit-kala), whic which booms booms and and buzzes, buzzes, and develops into a pleasurable prospect of activity activity (technic (technically ally describe described d as 'bliss 'blis s', ananda). Carrying the the soundsoundimagery further, kundalini is said to comprise comprise of of all audible and visible (varna) sound sound;; and the first firs t flush of aware aware (akshara) and ness is the in initia itiall sound-form sound-form 'a', from from whic which h in due due course the

THE IDEOLOGICAL BASIS

49

entire alphabet proceeds. proceeds. This 'awareness 'awareness-sound' -sound' as it arises arises in the the 'root-b 'root-bas asic ic'' center is term termed ed the the 'trans 'transcendental cendental speech' mere e intenti intention on or wil willl (kama). (para-vak), characterized by mer which is unspeci unspecified fied but but fundamental. It is not a desire for some thing or a will to do anything; anything; but the glimmer glimmer of voli volition tion which lies at the the back of all life. life. In fact, we read read in tthe he Tantrik Tantrik accounts accounts that life life proceeds proceeds only only from this this intentio intention n or will. Life (prana) is the phenomenal phenomenal coun counterp terpa art and and an em emergent of the trans trans cendent cendental al 'awarenes 'awareness s-ins -instant'. tant'. If the the former former is is symboliz ymbolized ed by 'a', the firs firstt lett letter er of the the alphabet, the the latter as the the final final effec effectt is symbolized by 'ha, the last last lett letter; er; it is also also pictured pictured as a swan 'Aha ha'' thus thus repre represent sents s the the tota totali lity ty of origi origin n and effect, of (hamsa). 'A the transcendental and and the the phenomenal, phenomenal, of awareness awareness and acti vity; 'parama'parama-ham hamsa' sa' is a word that denotes denotes 'the whole man' man' in whom the elem elements ents are perfectly perfectly integrated. Th The Saiv Saivite Tan Tantra loo looks upon 'a' as Siva Siva (pure aw awareness or or illumination, prakasa), the absolute being; being; and 'ha' is sakti (the energy aspect thereof, or the the inherent inherent expre express ssive ive activi activity. ty. the phenom phenomenal enal emergen emergence.4 ce.44 The two two are parallele paralleled d by vimarsa), the Brahman and and Maya in Advaita dvaita Vedanta. Vedanta. The coming coming together together of the the two categories categories (the (the union being symboliz ymbolized ed by the the terminal terminal 'm') 'm') is signified ignified by the Sanskrit anskrit expression 'a-ham' 'a-ham' ('I' 'I ' or ego), which which also comprehends prehends in its itsel elff the the entire alphabet alphabet.. The mass of this union is technically technically term ermed 'mithun 'mithunaa-pin pinda da'' (the (the pair-body, pair-body, or two-inwo-in-one one), ), or 'S 'Siva-S iva-S akti' (awar (awaren eness-en ess-ener erg gy).45 ).45 When When 'awareness 'awareness'' and 'ac 'activity tivity'' thus thus unite in the the act of 'visarg 'visarga' a' the the unity is spoken of as as 'kama-kal 'kama-kala' a' (aspect (aspects s of desire). desire). 'Awareness 'Awareness represented (prakasa), when implicit in 'activity' (vimarsa}, is represented by a white white coloure coloured d 'drop 'drop', ', symbolic ymbolic of semen or male energy; energy; 'ac 'activity tivity'' as as impli implic cit in 'awareness' 'awareness' is symbolized symbolized by a red red coloured 'drop', also called 'sound' 'sound' (nada), deno denoting ting female female energy. energy. The two drops drops really are are two aspects aspects of the 'transc 'transcendent endental al drop' but in its phenom phenomenal enal phase (calle (called d Kama, the the aspects aspects o f whic which h are the two coloured 'drops'). 'drops'). 'Awareness 'Awarenes s' is likened to to fire, and and activity' tivity' to the the butter which which melts in its heat heat. And intera interacti ction on, between the two is described as 'bliss' (ananda or hardhakala). The't T he'trransc sce endental drop' op' is is th the kundalini in its its original condi tion, altogether uninvolved in indivi individua duation tion an and unrelated altoge altoge ther ther to the the phenom phenomenal evocations. evocations. In In this cond conditi itio on it is called 'maham 'mahamaya'. aya'. But when when 'awa 'aware rene nes ss-activi activity' ty' arises in it, the the pristine pristine state tate of quiet quiet is dis disturb turbed ed and it becom becomes individua individuated, ted, and and bound to phenomenal phenomenal cond condit ition ions.4® s.4®T This is the the 'coil 'coiled ed serpent serpent-power' power' that the Tant Tantra ra seeks to handle. handle. In In the norm normal individual individual,, however, however, the the free power power of activi activity ty lies hidden or is in a dis diss solved

50


state within 'awareness' (antar/ina-vimarsa). This condition is what is described as 'coiled'; kundalini is said aid to be asleep here. here. And in su such ch a condi condition tion,, 'awareness' 'awareness' is importan importantt and and inert inert (Siva is here here figu figure red d as sava, a corpse). When owing to the Tantrik practices 'the power' stirs up, then '1-ness' (ahamta) or egoity egoity is instit ins tituted. uted. In In this context, context, egoity egoity means eans merely 'self-awareness 'self-awareness', ', the individuated power discovering its own identity identity.. As against it, it, there is proje projecti ction on of of the same power power onto onto the phenomenal canvas; canvas; and cons consequently equently there appea appears rs the external world world of things things and and events events. The source of this externaliz externalization ation is spoken spoken of as 'non-egoity' (anaham). When 'self-awareness' interacts with the projected projected phenomenal world world,, we have have the relating relating proce process ss,, 'thisness' (idamta). The The Nat Natha tr tradit aditio ion n ta takes the same st sta and but elaborates on individu individual al development development.. The abstract abstract world world as projected by the the awareness-energy complex out of an initial stir (spanda) of inspi ration (sphurti) is described described as as the the 'transc 'transcendental endental str structure' ucture' aterialization ation that that is cosm cosmic in its import. import. But as (para-pinda), a materializ individuated with the the nucleu nucleus s of egoity', egoity', it becom becomes transac transactional, tional, and and it is term termed ed 'individu 'individual al structure' tructure' (vyashti-pinda). In each individua individual, l, however, the the transcendent transcendental al structure is reflected. reflected. The entire universe universe is containe contained d withi within n one' one's s body.4 body.48 The aware awarenessnessenergy complex occurs in the the individua individuall as spiri piritt and body: the the spirit is Siva and the body is Sakti. The dicho dichotomy tomy in our thought and and action action is unnatural unnatural and and therefore stressful. tressful. The goal of the Natha Natha practitioner practitioner is to realize realize in one's own being the the identity identity of Siva and and S akti, to to integrate integrate the two apparently divergent divergent dimen dimen sions, ions, and and to perceive perceive the entire universe as the express expression ion of S iva-S iva-Sakti. The Natha Natha practice suggests a procedu procedure re which is both natural (sahaja) and and effective effective for for transm transmuting the body into the the spiri irit49, thereby achievin achieving g enduring enduring and and unbroken unbroken inner iden identity. tity. Thi This pr procedure is ca called 'ha 'harrmoniz oniziing' ng' (samarasa) the immanent, the transce transcendent ndent and and the universal universal into into one one reality. reality. Our ordinary ordinary consciousness is fragmented, fragmented, torn into states and and condition conditions s and processes, processes, and and therefore therefore our ide identity is involved in a crisis. crisis. The 'splitting' causes pain because of its unnaturalness, and egoinvolvement involvement in each each detail frustrates frustrates the basic self-awaren self-awareness ess like a Taoist, aoist, recomm recommends a perfec perfectly tly natural natural (ahamta) .The Y ogi, like and therefore relaxed and easy life; life; the mind mind should become 'sky 'sky like' (kha-sama), freed from all specific fixations.

Considering the the anxiety anxiety displayed by by the the Tantrik adheren adherents ts to keep eep their lore a wellwell-gu guard arded ed secret secret,, it is surprising urprising that we hav have e a very large num number ber of Tantrik Tantrik works, works, most of them them well well preserv ed in public public ins institutions titutions (like (like royal royal libraries libraries)) and not a few of them them given rather rather wide publ public icity. ity. The extent of Tantrik literature literature is vast, vast, and the con content tent variou various s, so various in fac fact that that an adequat adequate e class classific ification ation is almost impos imposs sible. Besides, Besides, most of the Tantras antras that we possess are are indefinite about their philosophical philosophical positions, sectarian sectarian affil affilia iatio tions ns and and authorship. authorship. Not Not a few few of of them them are are ramb ramb ling in their accounts accounts and and grandiose in their claims claims. And And many of them them are are obvio obvious usly ly late com compositio positions ns,, the dates extending extending from the 1Oth Oth to the 18th 18th century. century. Themes Themes overlap, ideas are are repeate repeated d and verses verses are are reproduced reproduced in the the Tantrik antrik works so so much that that it is difficult to determine borrowals. The There are, however, some cri criteria eria for for clas classi siffying th the Tant Tantrik texts texts that that appear appear to be be rather rather old. One of them them is based based on the 'amnaya' 'amnaya' concept: (1) works works of eastern eastern 'amnaya' 'amnaya' (predomine (predominently ntly belonging to the mantra path); (2) works of the western 'amnaya' (karma path); (3) (3) works works of the the northern 'amnaya' 'amnaya' (jnana path); (4) works of the the southern 'amnaya' 'amnaya' (bhakti path); and and (5) (5) works of the the central 'am 'amnaya' (comprehens (comprehensive ive or mixed). mixed). Another nother is based based on the the 'guna' 'guna' idea: (a) the the texts em emphasiz phasizing ing sattvik nature (the Tantra proper); proper); (2) (2) those those whic which h are are rajasik in nature (e.g., the yamalas); and (3) those which are tamasik (e.g., the damaras). S till another relies on on geographical geographical area areas s of prevalen prevalence: ce: Gaud Gauda (Bengal and neighbourho neighbourhood) od),, Kashmira (and the fronti frontie er area areas s like the Swat Swat valley, valley, called in tthe he old texts Uddiyana) and Kerala (Sout (S outh h India). It I t app appears ears that that this was a wide widely ly accept accepted ed classi classi fication fication of of traditions traditions (sampradaya). There There is a clas classificatio ification n base based d on whet whether her the texts texts foll follow ow Vedic Vedic religio religion n (veda-marga),

52


Buddhism uddhism, or J ainis ainism m. There are some Tantrik antrik texts texts that advocat advocate e secrecy (vamacara), others that do do not mind mind publ public icity ity (daksinaand stil stilll others others that that ar are 'mixed' (misra), i.e., following cara), and secret et and and daksinacara in public. vamacara in secr Althoug lthough h the the Tantra is is mostly mostly an approach to Sakti akti and and there fore properly properly described described as Sakta, akta, there there are are Tantrik antrik texts texts purport purport ing ing to extol extol Siva Siva or Vis Visnu nu.. Acc Accordi ordingl ngly, y, they are are designat designated ed Saiva aiva or Vaisnava Tantras. The Saiva Tantra antra includes includes pure Saiv Saiva, a, Pasupat asupata, Kalagamana Kalagamana and Kapalika. apalika. The Tan Tantrik trik works of the the Saiva aiva persu persuasion asion are traditio traditiona nall lly y twentytwenty-e eig ight ht in num number ber while thos those e of the Vaisnav Vaisnava a are 108. 108. The former former (also (also called called Saivaaivaagama) are are again grouped into into two categories: categories: Saiva proper (10 works like Kamikaga Kamikagam ma, Karanagam Karanagama, a, Suprab Suprabhedagam hedagama and Ajitajitagama), gama), and Raudr audra a (18 works like Vijayagama, ijayagama, Nihsvasagama, Nihsvasagama, Kiranagama, iranagama, Svayambhuvagam vayambhuvagama a and and Rauravagam auravagama). a). The Vaishnav Vaishnava a works are are princi principa pall lly y grouped under under Vaikhanas Vaikhanasa(li a(like ke the the Sam S amhit hitas as of Marici, Bhrgu, Bhrgu, Atri A tri and and Kasyap Kasyapa), a), Pancar ancarat atra ra (like J ayakhyaayakhyasamhita, samhita, P ushkara-samhit ushkara-samhita a an and S atvataatvata-sa sam mhita), and and Tantra-sara antra-sara (follo (followe wed d by Madhva devot devotees). ees). Th The Sak Saktas ar are ei either Ka Kaulas or Sam Samayacarins, whi while the dif diffe-

'L

V*»*3*CT

SOME MUDRAS USED IN WORSHIP

53

SOURCE MATERIAL

rences betwee between n them them are numerous and rather vague, we may roughly describe the the former former as given to external external rituals whil while e the the latter as preferring 'internal worship' (antaryaga). The Kaulas are are worshippers of Kali,5 ali,50 and and maintain secrecy secrecy in their their rituals.5 rituals .51 And their their rituals are are said to include drinking drinking wine, wine, eating meat and and fish, hand-ges hand-gestu tures res and and sexual sexual indulgence indulgence (the five 'm's 'm's). But they also insis ins istt that that the Kaula path is not not for one who lacks control control over his impulse impulses s and senses.5 senses.52 2 There are are several several Kaula sects sects like 'purvakula' (who (who take the five 'm's 'm's only symbolic ymbolically), ally), 'Utt 'Uttarak arakula ula', ', 'Kapalika 'Kapalika', ', and and 'Digambara' 'Digambara' (all of whom seem seem to resort resort to outlandis outlandish h rituals). rituals). They They all identify identify themselves hemselves with with Bhairava Bhairava and wors worshi hip p in a nude state the Goddess oddess.5 .53 The Kaulas are said said to assum assume numerous numerous garbs: they are Saktas (or Kaulas) within within,, but Saivas in appear appearan ance, ce, and and pass pass for Vaisnavas Vaisnavas in assemblies.54 The Samayaca amayacarins rins,, on the other other hand, are more restrained in their their ideas and and practices; practices; they are are given to to symbol ymbolic ic Sricakra ricakra worship worship and and their their philosphy philosphy is based ased on the 'centers' in the body. body. They hav have e a five five--fold fold canon named named after the Vedic sages, sages, Vasi Vasishtha, shtha, Sana Sanaka ka,, Suk S uka, a, Sanandana S anandana and Sanatkum anatkumara.

KALI YANTRA. used in the Worship of the Mother Goddess

Most ost of the the Tantrik antrik id idea eas s got cryst crystalliz allized at the hands hands of the the Siddhas iddhas and the Nathas, Nathas, who lived lived during the the early centuries centuries of the Christian hristian era. era. The The Apabhramsa Apabhramsa dohas and the Caryagitis of the Siddhas iddhas and and the S anskrit anskrit works of the Nathas Nathas (especially (especially Gorakshanatha) Gorakshanatha) are are important important sources of Tantrik antrik ideas. Under the impact impact of the the S iddhas iddhas and and the Nathas, Nathas, a rich Tantrik antrik literature literature

54


sprang prang up during during the medieval ages. ages. Kashmir ashmir Saivism aivism and and South Indian Saiva aiva S iddhanta have have very interesting interesting works bearing on Tan Tantra. Kash Kashm mir Saiv Saivism is well well represen sented by Som Somananda's Sivadrshti, Abhinavagupta's Tantraloka and Tantrasara, and Kshemaraja's Pratyabhijnahrdaya and Spandasandoha. Saiva Siddhanta treatises treatises are are all in Tamil. amil. Important mportant among among them them are are ManikkaManikkavacakar's Tiruvacakam, Meykandadevar's Sivajnanabodam. Sakalagamapandita's Sivajnanasiddhiyar, and and the the writings writings of Tiru Tirujnanajnanasamban ambandar. dar. Appar and Sund S undarar arar mad made e important important con contributio tributions ns towards crystallizing Tamil Saivism. The The Ta Tantra drew drew bot both h J ain ainism and Bud Buddhism wit withi hin n its fold fold in the early centuries of the Christian hristian era. ra. In both these religions, religions, worship worship of gods and godde goddesses sses in the form form of Yakshas and Yakshis and adoration of teachers teachers (like (like tirthankara tirthankaras s, dhyanibuddhas and and bodhisatt bodhisattvas vas)) becam ecame important involvements involvements. In In J ainism ainism, each ach of the twenty-fo twenty-four ur Tirthankaras irthankaras (the (the ford-making J inas) inas) cam came to possess his own characteristic Yaksha and Yakshini. Most ost of the these se spirits pirits and and di divin vinitie ities s were ere directly directly borrowed from from the folk folk cults cults (like (like Garuda, Garuda, Kuber Kubera, a, Gomedha, omedha, Kim Kimnara, nara, Brahm Brahma, Vara-N Vara-Nandi, andi, Gomukh Gomukha a and Tumburu); umburu); some some of them them were already well well--kno known in Tantrik antrik circles (like Kalika, Vajrasrnkhala Vajrasrnkhala,, Bhrkuti, hrkuti, Gauri, Gauri, J valam alamal alin inii and Mah Mahamanasi) si). It is small wond onder that what appealed appealed to popular fancy was the the cult cult of these these Tantrik divinities divinities,, and therefore numerous numerous J ain ain Tan Tantrik trik manu manuals als came to be be compos ed by celebrated celebrated J aina saints. Bhairava-P Bhairava-P admavat admavati-ka/pa, i-ka/pa, J valalamalini-k mali ni-kalpa alpa,, Rshi-mandala-mantra-kalpa, Rshi-mandala-mantra-kalpa, Jagatsudari-prayogama!a, Sri-chintamani-kalpa-sara and Vidhi-prapa are good illust rations rations of wha whatt may may be called called J aina Tantra. Tantra. The The Buddhist development development in the the Tantrik antrik framework forms forms the subject matt matter er of another volume volume by me, and therefore therefore littl little e about about it needs needs to be said here. A large large proport proportion ion of extant Tantrik works is s till in manusc anusc ripts. ripts. Of those those that have have been printed printed,, many many belong belong to the Kaula Kaula and Samaya aya persuasions persuasions.. Kubjik Ku bjika-ta a-tantr ntra, a, Saura-samh Saura-samhita, ita, KiranaKiranatantra, Jayakhya-samhita, Jayakhya-sam hita, Paramesvari-tantra, Paramesvari-tantra, Kularna Kularnava, va, Mahanirvana-tantra, Bhavacudamani, Mundamala-tantra, Prayogasara, Kamikagama, Jayasimha-kalpadruma, Jnanasankalini-tantra, Vamakesvara-tantra, Srikrama-tantra, Tantraraja-tantra, Kaulavalinirmaya, Saktisangama-tantra, Rudrayamala, Sarada-tilaka, Parananda-sutra, Parasuramakalpa-sutra, Kaula-rahasya, Matangawith Ram Ramakant akantha's ha's comm comm.), Bhairava-damara, paramesvari-tantra (with and Kakacandesvara-mata are some of of the better known texts. texts. Most os t of them them are are s till in their their S anskrit original. J ohn Woodroffe (Arthu (A rthurr Avalon) valon) has done done much not only nly to trans translate late some Tantrik

SOURCE MATERIAL

55

works works, but but to expound expound the the concepts involved in them. them. Chintahara haran n Chakravarti, hakravarti, Haraprasad Haraprasad S astri, astri, Bhavt Bhavtos osh h Bhatt Bhattacha acharya, rya, M.P. M.P. P andit, andit, Kapali Kapali S astr astri, i, Prabodh rabodha a Chandra handra Bagchi, M. Eliade, liade, G. Tucci, P.H. P ott, Gopinath Kaviraj aviraj and and Hazariprasad Hazariprasad Dvivedi Dvivedi are some some of the scholars cholars whos whose e writi writin ngs have have illumine illumined d many a dark niche in the Tantrik antrik mansion. Of the the num numerous erous Tantrik antrik works that are are still in manuscript anuscript stage and are incl included uded in catalogues catalogues,, a large number deal deal with rituals rituals connected connected with with particular particular deities (like Kurukulla-pata/a, Ekajata-sadhana, Kumari-tantra, Gauri-yamala, Tara-nigama, Tarini-nirnaya, Bhairavi-yamala, Matangi-tantra, Varahi-tantra, Lakshmi-kularnava, Bhuta-damara and Ma/lari-mahatmya); and some some are are general general works works (like (like Tantra-dipika, Tantradarsa, Tantrikadarpana, Prayoga-sara, Brhat-tantra-sara, Saktagama-sarvasva, contain n Mantra-tantra-prakasa, and Nigama-kalpadruma). Some contai the view-points view-points of particular particular sag sages or or schools (like Pippaladamata, mata, Pinga/a-mata, Pinga/a-m ata, Kaulesakoti-pra Kaulesa koti-prabheda, bheda, Goraksha-maharthaGoraksha-maharthamanjari, Dattatreya-samhita, Pheru-tantra, Vaisampayana-samhita. Soma-sambhu-siddhanta, Gaudapada-Sakti-sutra and Vidyanandadeal with magical rites (lik (like e Abhicara-kavaca, nibhandha). Some deal Abhicara-kavaca, some Yoni-tantra, Shat-karma-dipika and Sautramani-tantra), and som are are simple imple worship worship manuals manuals (like (like Lingarcana, Puja-sara, Puja-sara, Krshnarcana-candrika, Kadi-mata, Kali-kalpa, Sri-cakra-krama and SyamaSome are are in the the nature nature of lexicons and gloss glossaries saparya-krama). Som (like Matrka-kosa, Sanketa-paddhati, Matrkarnave, MudraSome, nighantu, Gudhartha-dipika, and Keraliya-yantra-sastra, Som describe describe regional regional cults cults (like Kamarupa-dipika, Kamakhya-tantra Cina-tantra, Jayadratha-yamala, Munda-m Mun da-mala-ta ala-tantra, ntra, and Balavilasa). Maha-cina-tantra, Rudra-yamala, Tara-tantra, Svatantraindicate Tibetan and and Chinese hinese influence tantra Nila-sarasvati-tantra indicate on some some of the Indian Indian cults. cults. There are are Tantras Tantras (like (like Maha-nirvana, Sakti-samgama, Munda-mala, Shatkarma and Maha-cinacara) that recomm recommend aggress aggressive and eroti erotic c mearures, earures, and there there are those (like Kularnava, Parananda and Sri-krama) that ins insist ist on auste rity. There There is an intere interes sting work on mys ystic tic diagrams diagrams by Damodara, Yantra-cintamani, which which claims claims to be a summ summary of AtharvaAtharvaVeda. Veda. Of Of minor, minor, but popular popular short works must be be mentioned ascribed bed to the great great Samkara and commented Saundarya-Lahari, ascri upon upon by Lolla-L olla-Lakshm akshmidhara idhara (abo (about ut 1500), 1500), Bhavanopanishad deemed as an Upanisha panishad d and and com commented ented upon by Bhaskarahaskara-raya raya (1733), Devi-pancastavi, and Nityashodasikarnava which belongs belongs to Vamakesvara-tantra, Lalitasahasra-nama (with (with Bhaskara-ray Bhaskara-raya's a's gloss) and Varivasya-rahasya.

56


MUKTI-MANDALA used in rituals for achieving liberation

The The Ta Tantra liter iterat atu ure is thus not only only vast but va varied. It no not only reflects reflects the the diversity divers ity of outlooks outlooks an and attitude attitudes s, but explains the multipl multiplic icity ity of cults cults that prev prevail ail in our country. country. It holds the the key to understa understand nd aright aright the peculi peculiarly arly incongruous but eminent eminently ly effective pattern that is called Hinduism.

Twof Twofol old d is th the ori orient entatio ation n of consc sciiousn sne ess: ou outward ard, toward ards the the world world;; and inward, towards towards one's one's own self. The former former involves transactio transaction n with with obje objects cts and events in space space and and time, time, and and is punctuated punctuated with experiences. experiences. P ercept erception, ion, sensation sensation,, recollection, antici anticipatio pation, n, imagination imagination are illus illusttrations of o f the worldworld-orie oriented nted consciousness consciousness.. The selfselforiented oriented consciousnes consciousness s is not so apparent, althoug although h it is more ore continuo continuous us : it does does not cease cease even even in sleep. Normally, Normally, it it occurs occurs as a passive background for the worldworld-ori orien ented ted consciousness. consciousness. Th The eg ego-f o-feeling in our att attitud itudes es and actions, the subje subject ctiivity ity in the the behavioural behavioural modes, odes, the the deep deep anguish in frustrating frustrating situatio situations ns and and the pleasurable pleasurable emotions in satisfyin atis fying g situations ituations,, all suggest a groun groundwo dwork rk of self self and and its awareness. awareness. The The out outward ard ori orient entatio ation n is governed by by fact acts of of th the outer wor world to a large extent by the pass passive ive sense-receptions ense-receptions occasioned occasioned by the presence presence of, and contac contactt with, ith, the these se facts. facts. The inward inward con con sciousness is normally normally but a continu continuatio ation n or extens extension ion of this outward consciousness consciousness : the the sense-im ense-impress pressions ions engender engender concep tions tions and and feel feelin ings gs as numerous numerous as the the facts, facts, and more more so because because of the the mind's ability ility to constr construct uct and and create. create. Th The fact acts are the out outer bu bund, and ideas (inc (inclu lud din ing g sen sensat sations and and feelings) feelings) the the inner inner bund of phenom phenomenon enon of conciousness conciousness in the the individual. individual. It does does not go go beyond beyond the the facts in the outward direction direction and and the the Ideas Ideas in the the inward inward direction direction.. Consciousness is characterised characterised by this framework; framework; what what we call call normal, normal, natural or spontaneous spontaneous consciousness consciousness moves oves between between the the facts in the world world and and ideas in the head head.. The facts facts are are introje introjected cted and and the ideas ideas are are projected, and this trans transac action tion is the the essent essential ial process of experience. Indian religions religions,, principa principally lly Yoga oga and and Tantra Tantra,, ,, recognise recognise that

58


this transactio transactional nal consci consciousnes ousness s is but a level, and that that there are other levels both beyond beyond the facts in the outward direction direction an and beyond beyond the the ideas ideas in the the inward inward direc direction. tion. Establishment stablishment of mind's control control over matt matter, er, divin divinatio ation n of occurren occurrence ce in the the future, future, mater materia ia liz lizations ations and such phenomena phenomena figure largel largely y in the treatment treatment of consciousness-levels beyond the facts of the world.

MANIBHADRA-YANTRA for curing insanity

However, Yoga oga and and Tantra Tantra are are not directly directly concerne concerned d with with this aspect of the problem, problem, although both both in India and outside outside they they ar are commonl commonly y mistaken istaken for magic and and everything that that is associate associated d with it. A Y ogi or a Tantrik antrik adept is comm commonly, though though errone errone ously, ously, recognis recognised ed by the superhuman powers that he possess possesses, es, or claim claims s to possess possess.. Yoga Y oga and and Tantra ar are primarily primarily concerned with with the inward slant slant:: a Y ogi is constant cons tantly ly preoccupied preoccupied with with levels levels of of conscious consciousness ness deeper deeper than ideas and feeli feelings ngs.. His His is an an adventure adventure into into the interi interio or; his achievem achievements ents are are all internal, hidden from the comm common gaze; and, for for the same same reason, hard to understand understand or appreciate. But luckil luckily y for the the Y ogi or the the Tantrik it usually usually happ happen ens s that the depths are matched by the heights; heights; his achievements achievements of inner inner levels levels of concious conciousnes ness s are are balanced by an invo involun luntary tary mastery mastery over material material phenomena. The shoot hoot of a plan plantt rises as high in the air as the roots go down down in the the soil. When the Upanishad speak speaks s of "the "the many inner mansio ansions ns"" or the Buddh Buddha a of “ the worlds worlds with w ithin in man”, an”, the refe refere renc nce e is to the deepe deeperr and hidden levels of consci consciousness ousness.. The need to recognise recognise

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these hese levels levels was felt felt in the wake of of the the recognition recognition that tha t the transa transactional ctional level level is unsatisfac unsatisfactory tory,, unstable and far from being final. This level level of consciousness, consciousness, being being world-bound, world-bound, is rath rather er passive. Th The fact acts of the wor world ld stim stimu ulat late, and the in indi div vid idua ual' l's s response is guided by the senseense-im impress pressiqns iqns an and the mind. mind. The indi indivi vidu dual al has has little little control control over the senseense-funct function ion or over the the mind, and and much less less over over the facts outside outside him. him. His action is non-deli non-deliberate, berate, involuntary and almost inescapable. The Indian word for this world-bound consciousness is samsara. This word emph emphasis asises es the the transitional transitional and and tran trans sitory character character of the phenom phenomena involving involving the the individua individual: l: consciousness consciousness goes round and and round the the self-s self-sam ame e fads and and neve neverr gets beyond them them;; it gets stuck at the level of ideas and and feeli feelings ngs,, and never never goes deeper than that. that. Boredom, Boredom, misery, isery, frustration, anxiety, anxiety, tension tension and and stress mark mark the the individua individuall who is thus thus bound bound inext inextric ricabl ably y to the facts over over which which he has no control. The The Ind Indian bo books de desc scrribe th the stat state e of mi mind of a man who who ha has been een obliged to ride a tiger tiger all the the time. time. He dare dare not not get get off its back back,, lest lest it should pounce pounce on him him.. Anxious and and tense, frightene frightened d and and restless restless,, h he e should ride the tiger tiger witho thout a break! break! The The worl worlddbound bound consci consciou ousness sness works under under a similar necessit necessity. The purp purpose ose of all religious exer exercises, cises, Hindu, Buddhist Buddhist and and J ain, is to enab enable le the the individual individual escap escape this necessit necessity, y, to free free the consciousness from the the bondage bondage with with facts, facts, and help it to get into into deeper and therefore herefore freer freer levels. levels. This rel relea ease se from the world's world's imposition imposition is called Moksha. It does not mean ean that on obtai obtainin ning g this release the the individ individual ual merely erely cea ceases to e xis t;n t;n o r does does it mean ean that he stops trans transacting acting with facts. Yoga, Tantra antra and and Zen insis ins istt that that a relea eleased sed individual would would participate participate in the the world world with with good

BALA-YANTRA for accomplishment of learning and art

TANTRA MANTRA MANTRA Y ANTRA ANTRA

cheer, cheer, greater strength and and indeed with with a better better perspective. perspective. The The Vedanta and Tan Tantra call this st stat ate e of free part articip cipati ation (release se while while s till till alive); alive); the the old Buddhist book books s call jivan jiv anm m ukti uk ti (relea it saupadisesa-nibbana (extinction while being existent). Unfortunatel nfortunately, y, excess excessive ive theoris theorising has has robbed robbed thes these e expres sions of their their true true psychodynamic psychodynamic import. import. These words are are often held held out out as equival equivalent ent of salvatio salvation, n, or of residence in some heavenly abode after death, divorce divorced d from the the phenom phenomenal enal world world altogether. altogether. This is a wrong interpretation interpretation.. Yoga oga and Tantra Tantra have ave s trictly tric tly no use for for after-life after-life;; they are are for this life and and in this world. The The Bu Buddha de desc scrribed hi his doct octrine as as 'r 'relev elevan antt to to the pr presen sent life' life' not removed in time (akaliko), viz. here and and now. (sanditthiko), not The The 'r 'release' se' is me meaningful only in ac actual experience, an and only only in relation to consciousness. Th The ur urge to to ge get re released sed fr from tensio sion an and op oppress ssiion ma may arise from one's ina inabili bility ty to cope with the the demands ands of existence, or from one's dissatisfaction, intellectual or emotional, with the exist existing state state of affairs. The incre increased ased popularity popularity of the psyche psyche deli delic c drugs like Marihuana arihuana among youngsters is to be traced traced to this felt felt dis discontent. content. Marihuana, being euphoric, is is said to rele release ase the the confines of consciousness and and bring on a pleasant, pleasant, friendly, friendly, genero generous, us, convivial convivial and tole tolerant rant attitude, attitude, free from inhibitions inhibitions.. Groups roups of Indian Indian ascetics hav have e experimented experimented with severa severall preparations from cannabis, like Bhang, Bhang, Ramrasa, rasa, Charas, haras, Ganja and Hashish for the purpose 0f widening the field of consciousness and and reducing the the seve severity rity of the the bondage bondage with fact facts. It is report reported ed that under under the the influence of these drugs, drugs, inhib inhibitio itions ns disappear disappear,, .confli onflic cts cease, cease, pleasurable sensat sensations ions increase increase and and the subject becom becomes more frie friendly ndly and and less critic ritica al. More im important than ithese symptom symptoms s is the the incl inclin inati ation on to withdra withdraw w from preoccupa preoccupa tion tion with facts; this detachment detachment faci facili litates tates introversion introversion and and a concer concern n to deepe deepen n the the levels of consciousness. consciousness. S tudies conducted conducted on Marihua Marihuana, na, LSD, Mes Mescaline caline and and other drugs drugs reveal reveal a similar effect. No one, one, however, however, would would serious seriously ly consider consider th the employm employment ent of these these drugs drugs to bring about las lasting ting alteratio alteration n in the levels of of consciousnes consciousness, s, to elim eliminate inate once and and for all the the limitatio limitations ns and and irritation irritations s att attending ending on the transact ransactional consciousness. consciousness. The The effects effects of drugs are by no means eans las lasting, and and an iincre ncrease ase in dosage osage is likely likely to result in anxiety, guiltguilt-fee feelin ling, g, dejection and and restless restlessness. ness. The drugs drugs are are physical agents operating operating only at the the level of transactional transactional consciousnes consciousness, s, and are are in reality reality confined confined to subjective ubjective facts and and their exp experience eriences. s. It is true true that they they provide us with with peeping peeping holes to observe deeper deeper levels of consciousness consciousness

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and and have have a direc directt acquaintance acquaintance with with them; them; but they they do not extend extend the trans transactional actional consciousnes consciousness s nor break break through hrough its confinesconfines So long as the drug is active, active, it may may even even be that that the opac opacity ity of the walls wa lls that hold the norm normal trans transactiona actionall consciousnes consciousness s may considera cons iderably bly be lightened. lightened. One might mig ht feel as if he is in a glass cage, cage, his his view vie w unobs unobstructe tructed. d. But B ut he is in in a cage all the same, he cannot reach outside. Consciousness itself does not get transformed under the impact of the psychedelic drugs, it is the ego-involvement, or ''the identi ficat fica tion with wi th the ideas” ideas” (Pat (P atanjali, anjali, I.4), that tha t under undergoes goes chan change ge.. This This is not a posit positive ive gain in,, inasm nasmu uch as the ego ego is aft after all all a small small part of the ps psychic ychic existence, much like the visib vis ible le top of the iceberg. T ransformat rans formation ion does oes not occur occur in the the foundation foundations s: the therapy offered for the misery of existence is little little more than symptomatic. This This is the reason son why Yog Y oga a an and Tant Tantra reject eject drugs as rel reliabl iable e instrument instruments s for altering the the levels levels of consciousness. consciousness. T hey seek seek to effect effect the change at a deeper deeper level, and work with the very springs o f one's one's own being. They do not not believe in short-c hort-cuts uts or snappy snappy cures; cures; but but insis ins ist, t, on the other hand, hand, on “ persis pers istent tent effort towards steadiness" eadines s" and and “ systemat systematic ic rejection rejection of involve ment with facts fac ts“ “ (P atanjali, atanjali, 1-13, 15). Buddhism agre agrees es that it is a long-drawn long- drawn and and difficul iffic ultt course course involving dilige dili gent nt effort that lead leads to enlightenment. enlightenment. The final ins instruction of the Buddha Buddha w a s : “ Achie Achiev ve witho without ut slack slacken enin ing g your our effort” effort” ( a p p a m a d e n a Zen, which whic h believes believes in sudden sudden illumina illumination, tion, never never s a m p a d e t h a ) . Zen, theless recognises the need for preparatory discipline (Zazen). It is, therefore, not drugs but discipline that the Indian religions hoid out out as the aid for for altering the levels of consciousness, consciousness, so that the individual individua l no no longer “ becom becomes" es" and is bound up in the transactional ransactional I evel. evel. The goal of Indian Indian religious religio us practices is to escape escape this becoming becoming (bhav (bh ava a), to tear tear up the bonds bonds and and to to reach a stage stage from where "th "there is no no return” . When the Buddha Buddha clai claim m ed that ha t it was for for him the final birth ( an tha t there was a n t i m a j a t i ) , that no more becom becoming for him, and that that he had “ cooled cooled down do wn comp letely" , ( s i t i b h u t o ) , he meant that tha t he had had succ s ucces ess sfully freed hjms hjmself., elf., from the consciousnes consciousness s that is bound to facts fac ts and and idea ideas. s. He was no.,longer no.,longer oblige bliged d to to operate at the trans transactional actional level; he had acquired acquired the fac facility ility to go down at wil w illl to other levels levels of consciousness consciousness.. He could could truly say: “ T hat is not no t mine of which they speak; they are are not I of of which they te ll. "55 Th The Buddh Buddha' a's s descrip descripttion ion of consci consciou ousne sness ss that that is not not boun bound d to to facts facts an and idea ideas s is is revealing: revealing: “ Thus consciousness consciousness,, being witho without ut standing place, is without increase and without individuality;

62


and is liberated. liberated. Then it is stable stable ana happy, not agita agitated ted and and so attains attains complet complete e peace eace in itse its elf. lf."56 Before his times, imes, the Upanishad had had described this state state in a similar imilar vein: “ The knots knots of the the heart are are snapped, all doubts that that agitate agitate are are cut cut asunder, asunder, all obligations obligations disappear disappear when one one beholds beholds the beyond. beyond."5 "57 Yoga, oga, Tan Tantra and Bu Bud ddhist disci isciplin line alike seek to bring about this experience into into existence, no not as an occasional occasional occurence, occurence, but but as a stable continuum. The The preparatory disci iscipl pliine su sug ggest ste ed by Yog Yoga and Tan Tantra takes takes the the form of withdrawal withdrawals s, rejections and restr restraints. aints. The purpos purpose e is to dis disabuse abuse the sense-organs sense-organs and mind from their their habitual preoccupation with facts and ideas, ideas, and thereby thereby brea break k the apparent apparent s olidi lidity ty of the transac transacttional consciousne consciousness ss.. An Upanishad Upanishad say says: "I t was the self-existent self-existent conscio consciousn usness ess that pierced pierced the the sense-open sense-opening ings, s, and and therefore herefore it it looks out not within. within. But some bold man, an, desirous desirous of o f stabi stability, lity, looked looked withi within n and discovered the se self. lf."58 The initial initial dis discip cipline line thus thus seek seeks to plug plug the openings that that make ake consciousness consciousness outward-orie outward-oriented. nted. It is the the nature nature of consciousness consciousness to flo flow (it is likened to a str stream eam), ), and and when it is stopped in its its onward course course in the the direc direction tion of of objects and acts acts in the the world world,, it turns turns naturally naturally to the the ideas. ideas. This is a necessary condition, a foothold (padaniya) for exploring other and deeper levels of consciousness. Zen tries to achieve the same result result by shocki shocking, ng, by “ an abrupt breakthrough.” breakthrough.” The mind mind is suddenly thrown out out of shape unawares, unawares, and in its struggle to regain its balance balance a mo mentous entous transformatio transformation n comes comes to pass: other levels within thin and and other fields beyond beyond flash flash out vividly. vividly. Before Before this can can occur, occur, how ever, ever, an an unre unremitt mittin ing g cultiv cultiva ation tion of inwardness inwardness is indispensable. indispensable. The The di dist stin inct ctio ion n between "the su sud dden" en" (Rinzai) and the “ gradual" gradual" (Soto) (S oto) disciplines disciplines is not an absolute absolute one. one. The " ent rance” is made ade ''a ''a t one stroke troke", ", but the journe journey y is a long one, one, a gradual one. one. The prepara preparation tion for journey journey in Zen is not not very ery diffe diffe rent in essence from that in Y oga, Tant Tantra ra or in old Buddhism Buddhism. Zen also teache eaches: s: “T “ Throw away the body to find the the spi pirit.” rit.” But this does not mean ean rejection rejection of the the world world or extrem extreme e asceticism asceticism,, for for Zen Zen encoura encourages ges active partici participa pation tion with with the the world. world. What is meant here ere is prick pricking ing the bubble of tr trans ansactiona actionall consciousness. apanese Zen) Zen) is the the Dhyana (Pali Jhana, Chinese Ch'an, J apanese technique adopted by all Indian reli religio gions ns for trans transforming forming norm normal conscious consciousness ness into into an extraordin extraordinary ary one one.. The The Sans Sanskrit krit word mean eans meditation, mindfulness indfulness, trance, trance, contemplation contemplation,, deep eep intros introspec pec tion, tion, concentr concentration. ation. It is ess essentially entially an exertion to focu focus s attention on an inward objec object. t. Operationally, it signifie signifies s consciou consciousness sness

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turning turning on itself. itself. An Upanishad Upanishad explains explains that that the purp purpose ose is “ to make ake the the one one form manifold manifold in their own so souls uls."59 What What is appre appre hended hended merely as objectobject-awarene awarenes ss is now broken up into into its constit cons tituent uent factors including including recipient recipient awaren awareness ess adverting to to the object, attention, attention, image image-fo -form rmation ation and and retention. retention. Transactional consciousness is analysed analysed into its inward aspect and and outward aspects; aspects; and . the inward aspect is subjec subjected ted to the further further constructive analysis. The The time-h -ho onoured technique of get getting use used d to th this inner wor work k is to focus attentio attention n on the breathing breathing process process.. Breath is internal so far as the the physical cons constitution titution is concerned concerned,, but it is external external to consciousne consciousness ss.. Yoga Yoga class classifies it it under under bodi bodily ly phenom phenomena, and and advises advises watching watching it and and regulating regulating it before further further inner work is attem attempted. pted. The Buddhis uddhist meditation meditation known as anapanas ati (mindfulness (mindfulness in breathing-in and and breathing-out) sugge suggests sts careful, analytic and and un-invo un-involve lved d observation observation of the the phenom phenomenon without, however consciously attempting to regulate it. The The re reason for th this importance attached to breathin ing g is that it is the only only bridge between the outer worl world d and the the inner consciou consciousness: sness: besides besides mind by its very nature nature closely closely follo follows ws it. it. Ernst Ernst Wood wrote: "There "There is a certain calmness calmness of mind which which reflects reflects itself itself in rat rather her slow slow and and measured easured brea breathing. thing.” ” Eve Even the bar bare e watch watchin ing g of the the breath in the Buddhi Buddhis st anapanaanapanasati, meditation by 'counting', 'following', 'gate-watching', and and other other stages stages described in detail by Buddhaghosa6 Buddhaghosa60 brings about an involun involuntary tary control control of all the the physi physical cal processess processess associated associated with consciousness consciousness so that that further further exploration of levels beyond the trans transactiona actionall lev level el is facil facilitated. itated. The preliminary exertion exertion helps helps the the development development of 'pro 'proximity' ximity' (upacara) which which in its turn brings about 'abs 'absorptio orption' n' (appana (appana)) or or trance trance.. The The banish shm ment of ex external st stim imul ulii makes co consc sciiousn sne ess al alert to inner process processes; es; imag images, es, conceptions conceptions and symbols are are high ligh lighted ted here here.. By By persevering, thes these e inner proce process sses es are are stripped of their their conventio conventional nal meanings and and prope properties rties,, and and become less object objective. This level level of consciousness consciousness is called in Buddhist Buddhist books books upacara. Consciousness in this stage is expanded, being no longer 'hooked 'hooked'' to facts as in the the tran trans sactiona actionall level. There There may be sen sory awareness, as when one is watching the nostrils while breathing, breathing, or watching the contact of foot foot with the eart earth in the cankama-meditation; but the objectivity of stimulations is elimina ted and and sense-si ense-signals gnals are are turned turned off. The glare glare of reality reality is no longer there. Consciousness in this this s sta tage, ge, first firs t J hana (trance), appear appears s as as an even even flo flow independent independent of objects. The meditation-m editation-manuals anuals com com

64


pare are it with “ the the spreading of wings when when th the bird is about about to fly fl y” an and “ the the turning round round of bees on top of the the lotus flo flower“. r“ . The There is a thril hrilll (sampahassana) emanating from tthe he awareness awareness of of this consciousness: pleasurable sensations (sukha), euphoria (piti) and relaxation (upekkha) are are said to be be the atten attendan dantt feelings. The The ph physic sical sen sensat sations and feelings which overw erwhelm this state tate are are elimina eliminated ted in the second Jhana. Here the experience is entirely subjective and and psychological. The pleasurab pleasurable le sensation sensations, s, euphoria and relaxation relaxation incr increase, ease, but but the the attainment attainment of inward calmness (sampasadana) characterises characterises this level level of consciousne consciousness ss.. The The pl pleasu surrable sen sensat sations an and eu euphoria are only mild ldlly di dist stu urb ing, and relaxation gains emphasis. The The thi hirrd Jhana finds pleasure and euphoria altogether inoper ative, although existent existent.. Consciousness in this level level is entirely entirely relaxed and and perfe perfectl ctly y calm (sukhavihari). The external stimuli, sense-im sense-impre press ssions, ions, ideas ideas and their configurations configurations do not dis disttract ract the the consciousness consciousness in this "tran "trance” , although the the subject ubject is awake awake and alert. It is what may be called called “ the level level of minimal inimal cons ciousness.“ It may be noted in passing passing that tha t the effect effect of drugs, drugs, although although similar in some some details, details , is altogether altogether different. different. For For instance instance the New Y ork Mayor's Mayor's Comm ommittee ittee on Marihuana found that “ Mari huan huana a does does not not change the basic basic pers persona onality lity structure tructure of the the individual. individual. It lessen lessens s in inhib hibitio ition n and and brings out what what is latent in his thoughts and and emotions emotions but but it does does not evoke evoke respo response nses s which would would otherwise be totally totally alien alien to him.” S imilarity consis consistts in the intense intense subjective subjective feelings feelings of awareness, awareness, euphoria (a rich, livel lively y internal experience) experience) and wha what Walter alter de la Mare described as 'an extravagant sense of isol isolatio ation'. n'. But these these ar are not transi transient ent in the the case of trance trance states tates descri described bed above; above; nor do the other sympt ymptom oms s like sensory hyperesthesia, hyperesthesia, dis distortion tortion of time time and and space sense, sense, excitement, excitement, loss loss of judgement, ecstasy and aggres aggres sion comm common to drugs occur in medi meditation tation.. It is true true that in early stages stages of trance trance experien experience ce hallucina hallucina tions occur, occur, somewhat omewhat as they do in the the case case of LS LSD, D, Mescaline Mescaline and Ps Psilocybin; ilocybin; it is also also true true tha thatt in anapanasati and pranayama the wavewave-like like as aspect of the experience comes comes to pass as as iin n several several hallucinogens but depersonalization depersonalization or “ double double consciousnes consciousness“ s“ , synesthesia, anxiety or paranoid reactions are not involved. In fact, the sympt ymptom oms s that are as associated sociated with w ith the the tran trances ces mentioned entioned above are are looked looked upon as hindrances to be overcom overcome e and and elimina eliminated ted before one one gets gets into into the the fourth fourth level level of absorption absorption characterized by freedom freedom from both both physi physi (Jhana): this level is characterized cal cal sensations sensations and mental feelings feelings,, by the absen absence ce of pleasurable pleasurable

TH THE SAC SACRED VASE (KALASA) KALASA),, re repre senting fulness of Wisdom Wisdom, Used also in Tibet as one one of the the eight eight glorio glorious us emblems,Bum-Pa.

'f HE HUM HUM MAND MANDA ALA, used as a charm and employed in initia nitiatio tion n rites.

TH THE MA MANI-CH I-CHA AKRA KRA (with th the formula O M M A N / P A D M E H U M H R I H in Tib Tibetan) used as a charm.

ANOTHER ANOTHER ANGLE

65

sensation sensation as well well as dis distress tressing ing ones ones (asukhamadukkham ), unruffled equanimity. Th The le level is de desc scrribed as as 'ab 'abso sollute purit purity' y' re resu sult ltin ing g fr from mind ful indifference (upekkha-sati-parisuddhi). The subjec subjectt h has as neither neither the thril thrilll of body and and mind mind (piti), nor the joyous feeling Both are are looked upon upon as disturbances. A thirs thirsty traveller traveller (sukh (sukha) a) . Bot is thrille thrilled d when when he sights a lake lake and is joyous joyous when he drinks water from it. it. But the experience experience of satis satisfa factio ction n that occurs occurs thereaft hereafter er is quiet quiet and and undistinguis undis tinguished. hed. Consciousness onsciousness at tthis his level level has has the “ steadiness of flame of lamp lamp in the absence absence of wind”. The The pr practice tha thatt le leads to to this level of consc sciiousn sne ess is tec techn hnii cally cally known as samathabhavana (tranquill (tranquillity ity meditation). meditation). It is a systematic ystematic cultiva ultivation tion or development of of consciousness consciousness through through its sever several al levels so that that there there is an increasing increasing clarity larity and and intens intensity ity of consci consciousness; ousness; the the purp purpose ose is to “ present a picture of actually actually that is urged of any falsifications“ (nyanaponika thera). This ''bare awaren awareness ess“ “ is said to result in “ clear comprehension“ comprehension“,, which is a tool for the final final liberation liberation that Buddhism envisages envisages as a being being for itse its elf in this region of inwardn inwardness ess.. This clear compre compre hension hension is foll follow owe ed by an ins insight ight into into existe existence nce (vipassana). The Yog Yoga al also recognizes zes that "from from mast ste ery of mind-p -poi oise se comes ins in s titution" titution" (P (Pat atanjali, anjali, 3, 5). This is is ess essentially a Tantric Tantric orientation.

In the the practical dis disci cipl pline ines s of Tantrik persuasion the the mantr antras as (spells, cha charm rms, sacr sacred ed words) words) occupy occupy an important important position. position. The expr expression ession 'mantr 'mantra' a' is derived derived from two S anskrit anskrit root roots signifying ignifying 'to reflec reflect' t' (man) (man) and and 'to protect' protect' (rati). The import import is that that the mantra is a sacred word word or formula that is capable capable of protecting protecting the the person person that thinks of it or utters utters it. it. The very very process process of thinki thinking ng or uttering uttering is said to generate generate a saving saving power: it protects protects the the person person from existent existent or possible possible errors. errors. calamities calamities and and misadvent isadventures. ures. A whole whole science has developed developed in India con con cerning the source, course, employment and utility of the mantras, which which n num umber ber about about seven seven crores. Known as Mantra-sastra, this subjec subjectt is elabora elaborately tely dealt dealt with with in sever several al Kalpas, Kalpas, Patalas, atalas, Tan tras tras and manuals manuals (lik (like e Mantramahodadhi). One One of the the celebrated Tantrik texts texts, Saradatilaka, contains contains an account of the origin rigin of the mantra. antra. It It is based based on the the Kundalini theory. The store-house of psychic psychic energy energy in the individual is of the the nature nature of absolut absolute e sound (sabda-brahman). All All tthe he fifty fifty letters letters of of the the S anskrit anskrit alphabet alphabet,, a to ksha, representing the funda mental ental propensities propensities of man, an, are contained contained within within it, indis indistinc tinctt and unperceived, as objects objects in darkn darkness ess.. Whenever there is an implus implusion ion to articulate articulate a sound, a glimmer glimmer of ligh lightt shines forth. The The awareness of this impulsi lsion and illum llumin inat atio ion n is sty styled as as 'spot' (bindu). P roceeding from the the Kundalini undalini in the the Muladhara centre, centre, it seeks seeks to to enter enter the the arteries arteries in order to obtain articula articulation. tion. Before the entrance is gained, the sound ound is known as 'trans 'transce cen n dent' (para). Its Its aspect aspects are are indistinguis indis tinguishab hable, le, and and beyond beyond ordi rdi nary apprehension. Once it it enters the arteries and begins to resound through through them as far as the S vadhishthana centre, it is known as 'perceivi 'perceiving' ng' (pasyanti). The mys mystic adepts adepts can perceive perceive it, although it is as

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MANTRA

yet beyond beyond hearing. hearing. It I t iis s tthe he 'visib 'vis ible le sound'. When When iitt rea reach ches es the the throat throat (or in another acco account unt the heart, the anahata anahata centre) it it is called 'middlin 'middling' g' or intermedia intermediate te (madhyama): it is here here both light light and and sound sound;; the the audible audible aspect more prominent. When it issues issues out o f the throat throat and gets formed formed in the mout mouth h it is pro nounced or 'articulated' (vaikhari). All vocalized sound belongs to this last last category: category: com comm mon speech as well well as the the mantr mantras as.. All speech has its foundation in the Om sound. sound. As long as life lasts in the the body, as long as the the vita vitall currents flo flow through the the arteries, arteries, this this primal primal sound is generate generated d continu continuous ously. ly. Any attempt attempt to produce any sound sound ins instantaneous tantaneously ly evokes evokes the Om sound at the the Anahata centre. centre. Comm ommon speech, speech, however, forces itse itself out of this source and and operat operates es purely at the the intellectual intellectual level. level. The mantra, antra, on the other other hand, hand, rests in the Om sound and works from that level. The The light light asp spe ect of the ini nittial sou sound in the Mul Muladhara ce centre is the seed from which which the perceptibl perceptible e form of the deity deity (devata) emerg emerges. es. Mantra is actual actually ly a technique technique by whic which h the the image image of the deity is sought to be visuali2ed. ed. It is therefore therefore that that the the deity deity is described described as the visib visible le mantra, antra, and the mantra antra as the verbal verbal deity. Each Each lett letter er of the alphabet (varna) has has a potency potency to evoke an aspect aspect of the deity; deity; and the mantra, composed composed of such lett letters ers (or syllables), would would organize organize the individual potencies potencies into a cumulative force. Some lett letters ers (sylla (syllable bles s or phonem phonemes) es) are are capable of evoking the the entire deity, and and they are are calle called d 'seed-s 'seed-sylla yllables bles'' The mantra antra is in fac fact an ela elabo boratio ration n of a seedseed(bija-aksharas). The

MANTRODDARA-YANTRA for constructing the appropriate mantra

68


syllable. yllable. The purpose purpose of such elabora elaboration tion is to assis assistt in the visuali visualiz zation of the deity. deity. It is said that the the mantr antra a witho without ut its seed-syll eed-syllable able wi will be incapable incapable of bene benefitting fitting eve even when repe repeat ated ed a lakh lakh of times times.. Such a mantra is condemned condemned as ‘devo devoid id of life life-force'. Th The repet epetiition of a mantra a hundred and eig eight times, or or several several thousand thousand times times,, is meant to perfect perfect the facu faculty lty of con centratio centration n whereby whereby the elem elementary entary sound and the primal ligh lightt fuse, fuse, making for for reintegration reintegration of the the psychophysi psychophysical cal system. The repetition repetition of a mant mantra ra is known as 'j'japa apa'' (the S anskrit anskrit word signifyin ignifying g both 'muttering' 'muttering' and 'thinki 'thin kin ng'). Three Three variet varieties ies of ja japa are recognized zed: (1) 'utt uttered ered'' (vacik others; (vacika) a) , audible to others; (2) 'muttered' (upamsu), audible to ones oneself only; only; and and (3) ‘tho ‘though ughtt of' (manas silence, vis visuali ualiz zing the deity deity of the the mant mantra. ra. (manasa) a) , in entire silence, We have have it on the the antho anthority rity of Manu that the the 'uttered' 'uttered' japa japa is ten tim times es more efficaci efficacious ous than the rituals, rituals, the 'muttere 'muttered' d' a hundre hundred d times times better than than the the 'uttere 'uttered', and and tthe he ‘thoug ‘thought ht o f a thousand times times superior superior to to the the 'muttere 'muttered'. d'. A special process process of repeti repetitio tion n of a mantra, antra, known as 'puras'purascarana carana'' .is resorted resorted to at the commenc commencem ement ent (purah, prior to) to) of any ritual ritual or practice. The purpose purpose is to bring before before us (in (in front front of us, purah) the clos close e relatio relations nship hip between between the mantra antra and and the deity. deity. The mant mantra ra has has two two kinds kinds of powe powers: rs: its its own fundam fundament ental al and inalienab inalienable le power, power, and and the the power to evoke the the form of the the deity. deity. The former is natural and the latter latter acquired. The above above process process is meant to secure the the unison unison of the two powers. powers. With W itho out this initia initiall establis establishm hment, ent, the the mantra antra will will be like a sick person person who is unable to accom accomplish plish anything. It is insis insisted ted that a mant mantra ra can pro profit fit only only when impar impartted ceremonial ceremonially ly by a competent teacher (gur (guru) u).. Compet ompetence ence here here means eans the achie achieved ved perfe perfecti ction on in the employm employmen entt of a mantra antra the abil ability ity to readily readily evok evoke e and and freely utiliz utilize e (mantra-siddhi), viz. the the deity deity from the mantra. antra. The ritual of initia initiatio tion n into a mantra antra involves invoking invoking the the deity deity by the teacher in a ceremonial ceremonial pot fille filled d with consecra consecratted water water and five kinds of precious stone stones, s, performance performance of sacrifi sacrifice ce in fron front of the pot pot, repetition repetition of the mantra antra by by the teacher teacher 800 times times with with his right right han hand d covering covering the mouth of the the pot, pot, bathing of the the devot devotee ee with the the water water from the pot, and fina finall lly y whisperin whispering g of the the mantra antra in the the devotee's devotee's ear by the the teacher. The The tri triad ad (the te teacher, the mantra and the deity ity) are sai said to to be indisp indispens ensable able in spiritual piritual practice. The teacher symbolizes symbolizes the the devotee's devotee's soul, soul, the the mantra antra his mind, and and the the deity deity his his vi vital tal current. It is only only when the the three three come come together that that succe success ss is is

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MANTRA

secured secured.. It woul would d be dis disadvantageous advantageous to look look upon the teacher as a mere human bein being, g, the mantra as only nly an arran arrangement gement of syllables yllables,, or the deity deity as as jus just an image image in metal metal or stone. It is the attitude that determines determines the success success of an enterpr enterpris ise. e. “ All All.s .success uccess is rooted in tradition and faith." Th The ma mantras ar are thus hus spe spells or ch charms desi desig gned to to bring abo about a desired benefit ( viniyoga ). They are are devices to gather together together the basic basic psychophy psychophysical sical forces forces both both within ithin the individual and outside him. him. The external external form of the mantra antra consis consists ts of of letters letters and and words; words; sometim sometimes es nonsens nonsensee-s syllables yllables may also also enter; enter; occa sionally, sionally, mean meaning ingless less words words are are introduced introduced (as (as for instance, instance, “c “ cili c ili", ili", “k “ kulu kulu" kulu" “ adea adeadau dau"). "). Some mant antras contain contain syllabl syllables es which which are apparently apparently imposss imposssible to to pronounce: instances instances are Hanuman, an, and and kshrvblum in the hrsvphrom in the mantra for Hanum mantr antra a for fo r Matangi. More usually, however, however, the nam name or descrip descrip tion of the deity deity is introduced introduced in the the dative case, case, along with an expr expression ession indication indication supplication upplication (namah) or surrender (svaha), Mantras antras are grouped into three three varieties: varieties : 'mal 'male', e', when they they end end with with words words such as hum, phat, vashat ; 'female', when they end with vaushat and svaha : and and 'neute 'neuter', r', when when they end with 'male' e' mantras antras are are espec especial ially ly employe employed d in magical namah. The 'mal

KURMA-CHAKRA for extracting mantras

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rites, rites, in in the worship worship of ferocious di divin vinitie ities s including godd goddesses, esses, and and in sorcery. orcery. They are said said to be vigoro vigorous us and and quick quick in effect; effect; but but their their spiritua pirituall value is minimal. inimal. The 'female' variety finds use use in enterprise enterprises s with concrete benefits as objectives. objectives. The The 'neuter' mantras antras hav have s spi piritua rituall progr progress ess as their their goal. Mantras are are also class classified ified on the the basis of the the number of syllables yllables they they cont contain. ain. If th there ere is but but a single syllable, syllable, it is called called 'pinda-M 'pinda-Mantra'; if two two 'karta 'kartari'; ri'; if the the number rang ranges es from three three to nine 'bij 'bija a'; and where the the number number exceeds nine but is not more than twenty twenty 'man 'mantra'. tra'. If the number number of syllabl syllables es is more more than twenty, twenty, the mant mantra ra becom becomes a 'mala-mantra' 'mala-mantra' (string-mantra) (string-mantra).. For achieving achieving perfec perfection tion in the mantra, mantra, it is recommended ended that the mantra mus mustt be repeated as as many lakhs of times times as there are syllabl yllables es in the mantra. And each each day one is advised advised to stick to a speci pecifi fic c but but even number, number, and and never for for any reason exceed exceed it it or fall fall short short of it. The The employment of a rosar sary is recommended to keep the count of repetit repetitio ions ns.. An elaborate system concerning concerning the nat nature, ure, material, consecration consecration and use of the rosaries japa ja pa-m -mala ala)) has developed developed as an access accessory to Mantra-sastra. The materia ateriall from whic which h the rosary rosary is made depen depends ds upon the purpose purpose of the mantra. antra. If the the purpose purpose is general general good and and spiritua pirituall welfare, lotuslotus-seeds seeds rudraksha rudraksha berries or tulas tulasi beads are employed. employed. For success in an enterpris enterprise e the the rosary made ade of seeds seeds of kusakusa-gra grass ss,, coral coral or sandal sandal wood wood is used. If If the goal is great learning, learning, cryst crystal and and pearls pearls are are used used in the rosary; rosary; if perfectio perfection n of of dharm dharma, conch-s conch-shel helll or precious stones; ones; if attraction attraction of affectio affection, n, elephant elephant tus tusks and and bone bones; s; and and in magical magical rites and sorcery sorcery the rosary is made from human skull, skull, human bones or wood wood from a tree growi growing ng in a cemetery cemetery.. The The rosar sary must be properl erly consec secrated before it can be used effec effectivel tively. y. And And every time the the rosary rosary is used, used, it must must priorly priorly be be worshipped worshipped with its own own mantra: antra: aim drim akshamalihave 108 bead beads, s, and whil while e telli telling ng kayainamah. The rosary must hav them in the morn mornin ing g tthe he rosary rosary mus ustt be placed placed near the the navel, at noon near near the heart. heart. and in the evening evening near near the nose. The te te ll ing must must be done by the right right hand hand,, and only only the the middle iddle portion portion of the middle finger (or fore-finger) fore-finger) and and the top portion of the thumb thumb must hold the rosary; other parts parts of the hand mus ustt not come into into contact contact with the the rosary whil while e it is in use. And while while telli telling ng the bead, bead, the hands hands as well well as the rosary rosary should be concealed in a loose loose pouch known as 'go 'go--mukhi', mukhi', or by cloth. cloth. When not not in use, the rosary rosary should hould be secreted secreted in a place of wors worshi hip; p; it should should never be be worn on the body or shown to people. people. Oftentimes, ftentimes, a mantra antra which which is tto o be be accom accomplis plished hed is inscribed inscribed

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on bhurja-l bhurja -lea eaff or on a metal (gold, (gold, silver, silver, or copper) sheet: sheet: alter nately, nately, it is written ritten on a paper paper with w ith materials such as sandal paste, incense or turmeric turmeric powde powderr and milk. In magic and sorcery, blood blood is used for for writin riting g. It I t is usual to enclose enclose the mantra in an appropriate diagram ( y a n t r a ) , e.g. a lotus with eight eight or six or a hundred petals (each petal petal contai co ntaini ning ng a syllable yllable of the mantra), a triangle, triangle, circle, circle, or square square with with doorways on on its sides. sides. This T his diagram is duly worship worshippe ped d before the japa comm commences.

Simple YANTRA for installing the ritual vase (Ka/asa) before worship

The The total otal number of possib possiblle mant antras is place aced at sev seven crore ores. Some ome texts texts give the number number more precisely precis ely as 67,108 67,108,8 ,863. 63. Of course, a large majo majority rity of them are are either imposs impossible to use, or are are defective for one reason or another. another. There are are about about 3,000 3,000 mantras antras that have have been talke talked d about in in texts. They are grouped grouped in two major classes: classes: benign benign ( d a k s h i n a ) and malevolent (vama). Th The for form mer, er, more comm commonly only use used d, invol nvolv ve benev benevol olen entt and pe peace ce ful divin divinitie ities s and and rituals rituals of a paci pacific fic type; they preclude preclude all injury, violence an and illil l-w w ill. il l. The usual usual benefits sought so ught are are prosperit prospe rity, y, long life, health, worldly success, and spiritual progress. The The malev alevol olen entt man manttras, on the other other hand hand,, are emp employ loyed in black magic, sorcery and witchcraft. The activities under this head head are are s ix-fold ix-fold : pacificat pacifica tion o f s pirits pirits which otherwise would be harmful ( s a n t i ) , securi securing ng the affection o f one one desired desired ( v a s i k a restrain aining ing one one from an intended act ( s t a m b h a n a ) . removal rana) restr of an enemy from his vantage position ( u c c a t a n a ) , creating enmity betwe between en two powerful friends ( v i d v e s h a n a ) . and and destr destruction uction of an enemy ( m a r a n e ) . Many are are the treatis treatises es that tha t deal deal elaborately elaborately


with the mantras antras that are are used in this context, context, the methods methods of employment and the gruesome rites that tha t mus ustt accom accompany pany them them.. This is the dar dark asp aspect ect of the M a n t r a - s a s t r a which whic h gave gave it the bad name. A few fe w specim specimens ens of the comm commonly only used mant mantras ras are are given in the following pages. The credulous and over-enthusiastic reader needs to be cautione autioned d that tha t no mantra antra is said said to become become useful unless properl properly y comm communic unicated ated by a competent competent teacher, and and u unless nless repeated several thousand times over, with single-minded devotion. A mantra mantra taken taken from a book will will no n ot only nly be utterl utterly y useless but positively disturb !

SPECIMENS SPECIMENS OF OF M A N TRAS

Hanuman for safety an and elimina elimination tion of o f evil forces. forces. 1. M antra of Hanum

Om namo bhagavate Anjaneyaya mahabalaya mahabalaya svaha; svaha ; Om aim srim hram hrim hri m hrum hrsphom hrsphem hrsphem hrsphaum hrsphaum hum phat. or

Ham Hanumate namah.

2. Mantra of Krishna for success and prosperity : Klim Krishnaya namah. 3. Mantra antra of Durga Durga for victory vic tory over inimica inimicall forces forces :

Om hrim dum Durgayai namah. 4. Mantra antra of S udarsan udarsana a (the (the dis discu cus s-d -deity eity attending attending on Vishnu) for for dest destroying undesirable undesirable influences influences and and for for procuring all-round protection :

Om Sahasrara hum phat. or Sudarsanaya vidmahe, vid mahe, mahajvalaya dhima dhi mahi, hi, tan nas nas cakrah procadayat (gayatri). 5. M antra antra of Kali Kali for safety afety and success (in gayatri gaya tri metre):

Om hrim Adyayai Adyay ai vidmahe, paramesvaryai paramesvaryai dhimahi dhima hi tan no K ali al i pracodaya pracodayat. t. 6. Mantra antra of Vishnu is hnu for healing a sick sick person person :

Om hrirn hrir n hram r im ram Vishnusa Vishnusaktaye ktaye namah; Om namo Vishnusakti om hara hara naya naya paca paca matha matha, utsad utsaday aya a dure dure kuru ku ru svaha: svaha: himavantam gaccha jiv ji v a -h sah sah candra-mandalagato' si svaha. 7. Mantra Mantra for attracting attracting nect nectar ar (long life) :

Om amrite amri te amr a mrit itav avars arshin hinii amritam amrita m sravay sravaya a sravaya sravaya sam sam sam klim klim hrum hrum hram hram hrim hrim dravaya dravaya svaha. 8. Mantra antra for perfection perfection in learning learning :

Om cala cala cala cala c i/i c i/i culu culu kulu ku lu kulu kul u mulu mu lu mulu hum hum hum hum hum phat phat phat phat Padmahaste svaha.

74

TAÑARA MANTRA YANTRA

9. Mantra of Ganapati to to overcome overcome death and dis disas aster ter : Om namo Ganap Ganapataye ataye mahavi mahavira ra m rity ri tyu u m hana hana hana dhama dhama matha matha; kalam kal am samha samhara ra samhara; samha ra; sarvagraham sarvagrahams s curnaya curnaya curnay cur naya; a; nagan motaya motaya: mot aya: Rudrarupa Rudrarup a sarvatomukha hum phat ph at svaha svaha.. 10.. Mantr 10 Mantra a of Krishna (Santanagopala) (S antanagopala) for progeny progeny : Om namo bhagavate jagatprasutaye namah. 11.. Mantra of Narasi 11 Narasim mha for for protec protection tion from dis disas astter : Om hrim kshraum krom hum phat. 12.. Mantra of Garuda 12 Garuda for cure cure of snake-bite nake-bite : Kshipa om svaha. 13.. Mantra 13 Mantra of Vatuka-bhairava for strength trength in the the mids idstt of trouble : Om srim hrim hr im k/im k/ im kshrmyum kshr myum Vatukaya Vatukaya apadud apaduddha dharana ranaya ya kuru kuru Vatukaya hrim. 14. Mantra of Daks Dakshinam hinamurt urtii for for wisdom wisdom : Om a ñamas Sivaya a Om. 15. Mantra of Hayagriva Hayagriva for for eloquence. eloquence. Hsum Hayasirase namah. 16.. Mantra of Varahi for preventing 16 preventing bad bad dream dreams : Aim A im hrim hr im namo namo varahi agho aghore re svap svapne ne tha tha tha tha svaha svaha.. 17.. Mantra of Camund 17 Camundii for extincti extinctio on of enem enemies : Om hrim hr im phat Rakta-camundesvar Rakta-cam undesvarii satrujivi satr ujivitanas tanasini ini ehyehi ehyehi sigh ram ishtanakars is htanakarshayakarshaya hayakarshaya svaha svaha.. 18.. Mant 18 Mantra ra of Lakshmi Lakshmi for prosperi prosperity ty : Om srim sr im k/im k/ im Maha/aks Maha /akshmi hmi ehyehi sarvasa sarvasaubh ubhagy agyam am me dehi svaha. svaha. 19. Mantr Mantra a of Dhanvantari as antido antidote te to all ailments : Om namo bhagava bhagavate te Dhanvantara Dhanv antaraye ye amritaka/ amri taka/a a sahastaya sahastaya sarvamaya vinasaya Vishnave svaha. 20. Mantra Mantra for securing securing clairau clairaudition dition : Om hrim Karna-pisaci me karne kathaya hrum phat svaha.

REFERENCES

1. Rgveda 10.71. 10.71.9 9 " Ta ete ete vacamabhipady vacamabhipadya a papa papaya ya tiris tiris tantram tantram tanvate." Sayana explains: "tantram krshilakshanam tanvate, vistarayanti, kurvanti". 2. Atharva-veda tantram eke yuvati, etc". Atharva-veda 10.7.42 “ tantram 3. Ashtadhayi, 5.2.70. 4. Apastamba 1, where where 'tan 'tantra' tra' is defined Apastamba Srauta-sutra, Srauta-sutra, 1,51, 1, by the com commentator as as angasam angasamudayah'. udayah'. 5. Sabar Sabara on J aimini's Purva-Mimamsa-sutra 11 11.4.1 .4.1:: "Yat "Y at sakritkr akritkrtam tam bahunam bahunam upakar upakaroti, oti, yatha brahmananam madhye adhye krtah pradipah." Also Sankhayana-Srauta-sutra 1.16.6 com mentary: entary: 'Y at sakrt krtam krtam bahunam bahunam upakaroti upakaroti tat tat tantram ity ucyate.' 6. Isvarakrshna's Samkhyakarika, 70 'tena ca ca bahudha krtam krtam tantram'; Samkara on Brahma-sutra, 2, 2, 1. 7. Bhagavata, 1, 3, 8. 8. Arthasastra, (T antrayuk trayukti), ti), cf; also Carak Caraka Arthasastra, Adhikarana 15 ‘ (Tan 'tantrasya ya yuktayah') and Susruta usruta (Utt (U ttara ara--tantra, (12, 36 'tantras 65, 32). 9. Kullu ullukaka-bha bhatt tta a (between (between 1150 and 1300) on Manu 2, 1. 'Srut 'S rutis is ca dvividha, dvividha, vaidiki vaidiki tantriki ca', ca', 10. e.g. Agn kandha: A gnii Pura Purana na,, 372, 34 and Bhagavata, 11th Skandha: 'Vaidiki tantriki misra iti trividho makhah'. id11. e.g. Kakacandesvara-mata: 'vedanam ca vayorthena na siddhistena jayate' (The Vedas Vedas being being old cannot lead lead to atta ttain in ment). ommentary on Yajnavalkya-samhita, p. 19. 19. 12. Commentary 13.. e.g. in Bhaskara-raya's 13 Bhaskara-raya's Setubandha, p. 5, cf cf Sukarnitisara, 3, 39: 'atharvanam 'atharvanam c'opavedas tantranpah sa evahi. evahi.'' 4, 3, 14. Mundukopani Mundu kopanishad shad,, 1, 4. 15. Brahma-sutra-bhashya 1, 4, 14; also 'vedantartha-sampradaya-vit', ¡bid. 2, 1, 1 ,9. Two other others, s, viz., viz., S Sun unda dara rapa pand ndy ya and and Dravidacary Dravidacarya, a, are are also described as .'knowers of T radi raditio tion' n' (Gita-bhashya, 3.12 and Brhadaranyaka-bhashya, 2.1.20). But their works have not survived. 16. Bhagavad-Gita-bhashya, 3, 2. Sarna S astr astri, i, ¡nd. Anti., 1906, pp. 262. 17. 17. cf. R. Sarn 18. Chandogya-bhashya, 2.23.1.

76 19.. 19

20. 21.. 21

22.

23.. 23

24.

25.


Haraprasad S astri, astri, Lama Anagarika nagarika Govinda and and David Snellgrove nellgrove thought 'Sand 'S andhab habhasha' hasha' was corrupt corrupt for for 'sandhya'sandhyabhasha' bhasha' (twil twilig igh ht language). But Vidhu Vidhusekhara sekhara Bhatta Bhattachar charya ya and and P rabodh rabodhach achand andra ra Bagchi Bagchi hold that that 'san 'sandh dha'i a'is s correct form from the gerund of 'dha', 'dha', prefixed by 'sam' 'sam' (sandhaya the sense of abhipretya, uddisya, 'aiming at', at', bhasha, in the 'denoting', 'intending'. cf. Kularnava-tantra : 'Mano 'Mano'nyatra 'nyatra Sivo'nyatra Sivo'nyatra saktir anyat anyatra ra maratuh; na siddhya iddhyati ti Vararohe Vararohe Kalpakoti satair satair api'. api'. cf. Guiseppe Tucci, Tucci, Theory and Practice of the Mandata (Lon (Londo don, n, Rid ider er,, 1960), 1960), A jit jit Mukerjee, Mukerjee, Tantra Art (1968), C.A. Muses The Esoteric Teachings o f Tibetan Tantra Tantra (Colo rad rado, Indiana Hills ills,, 1961), 1961), Herbert Guenther uenther,, Treasures on (Berkeley, eley, 1969), Ralph Metzer. the Tibetan Tibetan Mid M iddl dle e Way (Berk Maps of Consciousness (New York, 1971). ivasya trini trini rupan rupanii sthula-s sthula-sukshm ukshma-parani a-parani Yogavasishtha: 'J ivasya ca, sthulam pani-padamayam bhogartham, sukshman svasamkalpakalpa-mayakaram ayakaram . . ., param adyantara adyantarahi hitam tam satyam satyam cincinmatram nirvikalpakam'. They are located located at the big toe (padangushtha ), heel (parshni), ankle (gutpha ), knee knee janu) (jan u),, anus (guda), 'sacral plexus' perineum um (yonisthana ), testes (mushka), genital (mutadhara), perine organ (medhra ), groin (vamksama), 'prostat 'prostate e plexus' plexus' (svadhishthana), bulb-nest (kundayoni), navel (nabhi), 'solar plexus' (manipura), thumb (angushtha), elbow (aratni), armpit (kaksha), heart (anahata), tip of the tongue ongue (/ (/ihvagra), back back of the thro throa at (visuddha), soft soft palate (ghantika), uvular palate (talu), tip of the nose (nasagra), midd middle le of theeyeheeyebrows (bhru-madhya ), just just above this area area (ajna), in bet bet ween the above two (tatana), near the ajna (mind, manas) about the the miderania mideraniall region (soma), and on top top the the cranium cranium (sahasrara). The The Centers enters are are pictured as lotuses each each with a specific pecific number number of petals, petals, and on the petals are are mentioned mentioned various seed-syllables. From mutadhara to ajna, the number number of petals are in order order 4, 6, 10, 12, 16 and and 2 (altoge (altogether ther 50 corresponding corresponding to the the lett letters ers of the the alphabet). alphabet). For details details of this psycholi psycholinguis nguisttic mysticis mysticism m see see Rudrayamata, patala 17, verses verses 50 ff. and P urnananda's urnananda's Shatcakranirupana. cf. J ohn Woodroffe: Woodroffe: The Serpent Power (Madras, (Madras, 1953) 1953) and and other other works, works , V.G. Rele, The Mysterious Kundatini (Bombay, 1927), 1927), M.P. M.P. P andit Kundatini Yoga (Madras, (Madras, 19 1959 59), ), M.R. M.R. Datta, The Secret Serpent Power (Dacca, 1913), C. Chakrahakrabarty. Cultural History of Hindus (Calcutt (Calcutta, a, 1945), 1945), AgeAge-

REFERENCES

26.

27. 28.

29.

30. 31.

32.

33.

34.

35. 36. 37.

38.. 38

77

hananda Bharati, The Tantrik Tradition (1970), P hilip RawRawson, The Art A rt o f the Tantr Tantra. a. Bhaskara-raya's Saubhagyabhaskara, Comm Comm. on Lalitaverses 87-91. 87-91. “ sa hi muladharak muladharakhya-cakre hya-cakre sahasranama, verses sardhatr sardhatrivalayaivalaya-karena karena supta upta sati sati yogib yogibhir hir utthapya utthapya shatcakhatcakrani rani Brahma-vis rahma-vishnvadi hnvadi--granthims ca bhedayanti Sahasra ahasrara ram m nita sati tatkarnikarupa-candra-mandalad amrtam sravayati.“ 65 5 cont contains ains a beaut beautiful iful description description of Saradatilaka 25, 6 and return return to Muladhara. Kundalini's passage to Sahasrara and 11,1, 47 “ Prakasam rakasamana anam m pratham prathame e prayane prayane Devibhagavata, 11, pratiprayanepyamrtayamanam". “ S hatsa hatsata tani ni divaratrau sahasrany sahasrany-Yogacudamani-Upanishad: “S eka-vim eka-vims satih; etat etat s sam amkhyan khyanvit vitam am mantram antram jivo jivo japati japati sarvada"; arvada"; cf. also ''H ''Haka akarena rena bahirya bahiryati ti saka sakare rena na viset viset puna punah; h; hams hamsatmikam bhagavatim jivo jivo japa japati ti sarvada“; sarvada“ ; Hamsopaniham ham hamsapadenaiv sapadenaiva a jivo jivo japati japati sarvada". The sad, “ S o' ham here is described described as 'ajapaja 'ajapajapa'. pa'. japa here 14,, 93 “ vina diksha diksham m na na mokshah mokshah syat Kularnava-tantra, 14 taduktam sivasas sivasasane; ane; sa ca syad vinacaryyam vinacaryyam ity acaryyaparampara”. para” . Ibid. 14, 97. “ Divyabhavap Divyabhavapradan radanac ac ca kshalanat kshalanat kalm kalmasasya asasya ca: diks diksheti heti kathit kathita a sadbhir sadbhir bhavabandhabhavabandha-vim vimoca ocanat" nat" (Ku/arnava); ct. also Prapancasara, 5, 2. prakatyan yan nirayah nirayah". ". cf. also Parasurama-kalpasutra, 1, 12 “ prakat 36,, 24 f “S “ Suguptam uguptam Kaulikacaram aulikacaram Saktisangama-tantra, 36 anugrhnanti anugrhnanti devat devatah; ah; vanchas vanchasiddhim iddhim prayacchanti prayacchanti n nasayant asayantii praka prakasane” sane”.. “ Na nama-jati-vic nama-jati-vicaro' aro' sti no'cchishta no'cchishtadiv divivecan ivecanam am;; . . . cak cakrad rad vinihs vinihsrtah rtah sarve sarve svavarnasram svavarnasramo'ditan; o'ditan; lokayatraprasi lokayatraprasiddddhyartham kuryuh kuryuh karma prthak prtha prthak" k" (Mahaniivana-tantra, 8, 180-197). ayacaro Lakshmidhara on Saundaryalahari, verse 10 “ Samayacaro nama antarapuj antarapujara aratih, tih, kulacaro nam nama bahyapuja bahyapujaratir ratir iti rahasyam . . . . Samayinam amayinam mantrasya antrasya purascaranam purascaranam nasti, nasti, ja japo nast stii, bahy ahya-h -hom omo o'pi nast stii, bahyapujavidhayo na santy santyeva. eva. Hrtkamala rtkamala eva sarvam yavad anus anushtheyam". htheyam". ukhavedyah sam samayacarah". ayacarah". Ibid. “ Gurumukhavedyah 51 1 “ antaryagatm antaryagatmijka ijka puja sarvapujottam arvapujottama a Vamakesvara-tantra, 5 priye; priye; bahih puja puja vidhatavya vidhatavya yavaj jnanam na na jaya jayate“ te“.. bhavo hi manaso dharmo dharmo mansaiva sadabhaya adabhayas set" cf Ibid, “ bhavo “ S aktiakti-pradnanya pradnanyatt beavan beavanam am trayanom sadhaka sadhakasya sya ca; ca; divyavira-pasunam ca bhavatrayam udahrtam". ' ‘S ‘Sariram ariram trividha trividham m proktam attam attamadha adham ma-m a-mandhyem andhyemam". am".

78

39. 39.

40.

41. 42. 42. 43.

44. 45. 45. 46.

47. 47.

48. 49.

50.


cf. cf. also also "Paran "Paranande ande mate ate trayo margah— argah—dakshinah, dakshinah, vamah, uttara uttaran n na daks dakshina hinad d uttamam vamam vamam,, vamad vamad uttara uttaram m uttam uttamam am,, uttaran na na kvac kvacit". The seven-fo even-fold ld conduct conduct is necess necessitated itated becau because se hum human nature nature is not not uniform; Vedacara (Vedic rituals), Vaishnavacara (Pauranik rituals), dakshinacara (the worshi wors hip p of the the Godd Goddess by employing Vedic hymns), vamacara (secret worship worship of the the goddess goddess with with the the five five 'm's : madya, mamsa, mudra, udra, matsya matsya and maithuna), saivacara (Saivit (S aivite e rituals rituals following following Vedic Vedic tradition), siddhantacara (ec (ecs static tatic rites in the the burning grounds) and kau/acara (unfettered and and wisdom-dominated wisdom-dominated rituals). rituals). The last, which which is considered the the best best,, is identified with Y oga ("Yoga ("Y ogamarga margam m Kaulamargam aulamargam ekacarakr ekacarakram amam am prabho ! Y ogi bhutva kulam dhyatva sarvasiddhesvaro arvasiddhesvaro bhavet"). "pantha ano bahavah bahavah proktah mantra-s mantra-sas astratraSaivagama: "panth manishi manishibhi bhih; h; svaguror svaguror mat matam am asrity as ritya a subham karyam na canyatha". "Sarve "S arve ca ca pasavas asavas santi anti talavad talavad bhutale nrnam". nrnam". What foll follo ows is an account from Sarada-tilaka, 1, 7, 8. Sivapurana (Vayaviya-samhita) "Sivecchaya para-saktih Sivatattvaikatam ivatattvaikatam gata; gata; tatah prasphuratyadau prasphuratyadau tailam tailam tila tilad iva". cf. Tantra/oka. 3, 136-148. cf. S.N. Dasgup Dasguptta "A Gener General al Introduction Introduction to Tantras", antras", Asutosh Mook Mo okerji erji Silver S ilver Jubile J ubilee e Volum Volume e III, III , pt. I, I, 1922. cf. Sarvajnanottara-tantra, gloss: "Kundalini sabdavacyastu bhujanga bhujangakutila kutilakarena karena nadatm nadatmana svakaryena svakaryena pratipurusam pratipurusam bhedena bhedenavas vasthito thito na na tu svarupena svarupena pratipurusham pratipurusham avas avasthitah". thitah". For details details, see Gopinath Kaviraj : Aspects o f Indian I ndian Thou Though ght, t, University niversity of Burdwa Burdwan, n, 1966, Chapt hapter on "Sakta "S akta P hilo hilo sophy". "akhandaparipurna urnatm tma a Siddahasiddhantasangraha, 3, 40 "akhandaparip visvarupo mahesvarah; ghate ghate citprakasas tisthati Siddhasiddhanta-paddhati "Sai "S aiva va saktih yada ada sahajen sahajena a svatunmilinya vatunmilinya nirutthanadasayam nirutthanadas ayam varía varí ate tada sivah sa eva eva bhavati". Saktisangama-tantra, Kalikhanda, 3, 22: "Sri-Kalyapesaka ye ca tat kulam parikirtitam". Kula is various variously interpret interpreted ed as Sakti (Kulam (Kulam S aktir iti proktam proktam), ), one's one's own body (Kulam (Kulam sariram mahaprayojanahetutaya ahaprayojanahetutaya jneyam, yesham yesham te kulah" kulah" Yoginihrdayadipika 2, 78), and and family lineage (sva-sva(sva-svavamsa paramparaprapto margah").

REFERENCES

51. 52. 52. 53.

54.

55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60.

79

arakhanda, a, 36, 25 25.. "Sugu "S uguptam ptam kaulikacaram anugrhanugrhIbid, Tarakhand nanti devatah". Rames amesvara's vara's comm. on Parasurama-kalpasutra h.153. The purvakaulas draw a triangle and and worship worship the poin pointt in its center, center, or they worship wors hip the S ricakra; the uttarakaulas on the the other other hand, hand, wors worship hip the actual vulva of a young maid; others both. Laks L akshm hmidhara idhara in his comm comm. on Saundaryalahari, verse erse 41, adds adds “ Much can can be writte written n on this; this; but because ecause they are are so outlandis outlandish h they are are not not fit even to be be remem remembered” bered”.. “ antah antah Sakt Saktah ah bahih bahih Saivah Saivah sabhayam Vaishnava Vaishnava matah, atah, nanave nanavesadhar sadhara a kaulah kaulah vicara vicaranti nti mahitale” mahitale”,, Kaulavalinirnaya, 10, 85. agathavagga, 4, 4, 19 19.. Samyutta-Nikaya, Sagathavagga, Khandava vagg gga, a, 1, 1,53. 53. Ibid., Khanda Mundaka-Upanishad, 2, 2, 8. Katha-Upanishad, 1, 2, 1. 12.. Ibid., 2, 2, 12 Visuddhimagga, 8, 189-226.

Ramachandra Rao Tantra Mantra Yantra

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