TANTRA

TANTRA:

Knowledge can be divided into two levels. AGAM¹, NIGAM². Agam is based on Tantras while Nigam is based on Vedas. Tantra is guhya or secret knowledge while Ved is ultimate knowledge. Tantra can be explained as spreading of knowledge and to establish ways to achieve worldly or other worldly goals up to Moksha. As per Vachaspati Mishr, Agam is a special knowledge which was being shared among sadhaks for achieving Anand and moksha.

As per Shakt tantra, sadhaks were divided into three categories depending upon the bhav, namely, Pashubhav (Dual), Veerbhav (Dual-Non-dual) and Divyabhav (Non-dual). After Bhavas further categorization was done by Achaar, which are seven in number, namely, VEDACHAR¹, VAISHNAVACHAR², SHAIVACHAR³, VAMACHAR⁴,SIDHANTACHAR⁵, KAULACHAR and DAKSHINACHAR⁷. In Shaktagam two vidya are followed, one is called Kaamraj vidya called KADI vidya while other is called Lopamudra vidya or HADI vidya. Another SADI vidya is also mentioned. Three tatvas are important in Tantra and they are Shiv, Shakti and Bindu. As per Kashmir tantra, there are 36 tatvas but still it is non-dual.

A tantra sadhak should know all of them in detail. As tantric literature is very vast, it can be roughly divided into three parts depending upon the area, namely, VISHNUKRANTA¹ (from Vindhya to Chattagram, N-E India), RATHAKRANTA² (Vindhyachal to Tibet) and ASHWAKRANT³ (Vindhyachal to southern tip of India). Each of these streams comprises of 64 different tantra shashtras some of which are available and some are destroyed. This 64 no can further be sud-divided on the level of thought trains, namely, Brahman tantra¹, Baudh tantra² and Jain tantra³. Brahman tantra can also be divided into Vaishnav Agam, Shaiv Agam and Shakt Agam. (Shaiv agam came from the five faces of Panchvaktra i.e. Sadyojaat, Vamdev, Aghor, Tatpurush and Ishan, thus in total 25 Shaiv agams came into being. Further five AMANAYA came from the five faces of shiva. Poorvamnaya dealt in mantra yoga or creation, Pashchim amnaya dealt in karmyog and annihilation, Uttaramnaya dealt in Gyanyog or anugrah, Dakshinamnaya dealt in Bhaktiyog or sthiti while Uradhavamanaya represented pinnacle of knowledge). Poorvamanya is Agyan avanstha, one establishes owner and servant bhav; as per Dakshin Amanya Gyan is the starting point; Pashchim Amanaya represents non-dual bhav between Upasak and Upasaya, Uttaramanaya represents the complete stage of knowledge and Uttaramnaya represents the highest state of knowledge that can ever be achieved. All three of them have abundant literature in them but still Shakt agam is considered to be the most important. Shaiv agam has two very important parts called Veer Shaiv and Kasmir Shaiv. Veer Shaiv is also called Lingayat.

In tantric sadhana, to achieve the ultimate- four main PEETH’s were established. They were, Jallandhar peeth, Kamakhaya peeth, Poorngiri peeth and Udiyaan peeth. Peeth represents a place where shakti is established. A place which is connected with realm of divine in subtle. Udiyaan peeth is considered important and modern day Orissa state in India is Udiyaan peeth, which was a very popular place for Shakti sadhan in olden times. Shakti peeth, yogic peeth and Matrika peeths were there in Orissa. Two sixty four Yogini peeths can be seen there even today, one at Heerapur near Bhuvneshwar and other at Bolangir. The time of Tantra popularity in Orissa dates back to 5^th -6^th century. When Adi Shankaracharya entered Puri, at that time tantra was quite popular there. At that time Jaganath ji were prayed to as Bhairav and Vimladevi was prayed to as the female aspect of Bhairav only. Even today out of the Luxmi and Vimla mandir in Puri, Vimla mandir or temple is considered more important.

Tantra dealt in six karmas, namely, Maran, Mohan, Uchatan, Vashikaran, Vidveshan and Stambhan. It also dealt in five makars as represented in the sloka below:

Madyam Mansam tatha matasyam mudram maithun eve cha,

Makaar panchkam kritva punar janam na vidyte.

During Divyachaar, only representative forms of five makaars are used in sadhana. Madya is taken as amrit coming from the Sahasrar, Maans is taken as sword of knowledge by which animal form ignorance is killed, Matasya means fish in the form of breath moving in Ida and Pingla, Mudra means banishment of bad company or asatsang and Maithun means joining of Kundlini with Shiva in Sahasrar. This is especially Yogic based. Pashu sadhaks use only anukalpit makaars, Veer sadhaks used actual makkars while Divya sadhaks use divine makar forms in sadhana.

Out of the six achaar of tantra, Kaulachar was associated with Kamakhaya, while Kanchi and Kashmir were the centres for Sri Vidya. Three different ways of tripurupasana were practised namely Kaulmat1, Mishrmat2, Samayamat3. 

Kaulmat was divided into two streams, Uttar Kaula and Poorv Kaul. While Poorv kaul included three divisions Mooladharnishth, Swadhishthanisht, Ubhyanishth. Uttarkaul included Matangi, Varahi, Kaulmukhi and tantranishtha. They indulged in the Yoni poojan. Poorvkauls indulged in the poojan of a female yoni in the form of Sriyantra while Uttar kauls did it actually with five makars. Both were the upasaks of Tripursundari. All the kauls do the poojan of mooladhar as it is called KUL, because of Kundlini shakti. To raise the kundlini shakti is the main goal of all the kaul sadhakas. To raise this shakti various ways have been devised depending upon achar. Acutually the whole sadhana is a mix of yog and tantra. Some sadhaks do it in the presence of actual shakti while others may raise both the male and the female part in their own self and raise the shakti from Kul to meet the Shiv in Akul and experience the highest maithun and taste the nectar, anand coming out of this union. As per Kauls, Purush is Parmeshwar, Prakriti is Parmeshwari, Shiv is kameshwar, Shakti is kameshwari, and these two aspects have to join together. When the male and female counterparts come together, new srishti takes birth. Male and female aspect sadhanas are explained in Vaamarg. For details one can see other tantra like Yoni tantra etc. Out of their joining Shabd and Arth come forth, prvriti and nivriti shakti come into being. Shabd is chanted in jap and jap is done with our lips. Out of the two lips, one is shiva and other is shakti. Coming together of both the lips during jap is also called maithun. Hence the whole srishti is mithunatmac.

As per Kauls, our body is a miniature cosmos. This body is made up of five elements. Three tatvas are also there in it namely, Prantatva, Manahtatva and Bindu tatva. These three tatvas are the bases of all the yog-tantric sadhanas. In the tantric sadhanas five makars used are Madya (wine), Maans (flesh), Matsya (fish), Mudra, Maithun. These things were used by some in literal form while others used it in philosophical term. Wine meant the nectar which came down from the Sahasrar during sadhana. One who experiences it is the wine drinker. Flesh meant to severe both good and bad deeds with sword of knowledge, so that one goes beyond. One who is able to do it is the eater of flesh. We have Ida, Pingla and Sushumna inside us. Our Pran is moving in Pingla while our Man/mind moves in Ida. To negate their movement in either of the nadis and make them flow in Sushmana is the real meaning of Fish eating. Satsang gives one mukti, while Asatsang binds us. To get rid of this Asatsang is called Mudra. Literal meaning of Maithun is coming together of man and woman, but here it means the ultimate union of Shakti (Kundlini) and and Shiva in Sahasrar. This is the ultimate goal of every Kaul.

Tantra researched on whole of the poojan system in great details and came up with various steps to achieve the goal at the earliest. They talked of four different cleansings, namely Kayashudhi, Chitshudhi, Dik Shudhi, Sthan Shudhi. For Kayashudhi many different kinds of baths have been suggested like Brahm snan, Agney snan, vayvye snan, Divya snan, Varunsnan, Manans snan, Yogic snan etc. While bathing in a river, always bath facing the oncoming flow. Chit shudhi involves ahimsa, alms giving, yajnas, tapasya, peace, forgiveness etc. Dik shudi means while sitting for sadhana we should face East during the day and North during the night. Sthan shudhi means cleaning the place of poojan, sprinkling it  with water of Ganges, smearing it with cow dung etc.

1.

They also suggested the material for Asan to be used depending upon the karma to be performed. Asan made of skin of Mesh/buffalo is good for Vashikaran (control), Skin of a lion is for Akarshan (Attraction), Skin of a ushtra/camel is for Ucchatan (imbalance of mind), skin of a Ashva/horse is for Vidveshan (creating feud between two friends), skin of Mahish for maran( killing), skin of gaj/elephant for Moksha, skin of Hiran/deer for Yog and red colour asan for everything.  

2.

Mala: Mala made out of beads of Moonga for Vashikaran, mala made out of the teeth of an elephant for Akarshan/attraction, mala made out of the teeth of a horse for Ucchatan, That made out of the teeth of naturally died human for Maran. Mala made out of Shankh is for all dharmik/religious deeds. Sfatik/crystal and Kamal gatta/seeds of lotus bead mala for Aishwarya/Splendour and Rudraksh mala can be used for everything.

3.

Mantra: Since it takes a lot of effort to complete specified no of purushcharna of a mantra, acharyas specified ways to go about it. According to them a mantra must go through ten samskaars, Janan, Deepan, Bodhan, Tadan, Abhishek, Vimlikaran, Jeevan, Tarpan, Gopan and Apyayan; and also one must remove all the doshas of it. The eight kind of doshas which it carry are Abhakti, Akshar Bhranti, Lupt, Chinna, Hrasv, Deergh, Kathan and Swapan kathan. If we remove these doshas from the mantra and do its ten samskaars before proceeding on its jap, mantra sidhi will be very easy.

4.

Beej mantra: Before doing jap of any mantra we must know its meaning and bhava. Mantra are not ordinary letters they are very powerful instruments.Tantra uses many such letters as below:

Shrim: Sha, Ra, E, Ma. They mean Mahalakshami, wealth, Tushti, remover of pains respectively.

Krim: Ka, Ra, E, Ma. They stand for Kali, Brahma, Mahamaya and remover of pains respectively.

Hrim: Ha, Ra, E, Ma. They stand for Shiv, Prakriti, Mahamay and remover of pains respectively.

Klim: Ka, La,E, Ma. They stand for Kamdev, Indra, Tushti and remover of pains respectively.

Gam: Ga, Ma. Ganesh remover of pains respectively.

Glaum: Ga, La, Au, Ma. Ganesh, Omnipresent, effulgence remover of pains respectively.

Aim: Ai, Ma. Saraswati beej remover of pains respectively.

Om is called pranav beej, Hum is called Varm beej, Sah is called mahima beej, Ham is dhoorjati beej, Lam is urvi beej, klim  is manmath beej,  Sa is srishti beej, Ha is sanhaar beej.

5.

Jap: Different fingers are used for various kinds of goals during mala jap. For shanty, pushti, stambhan and vashikaran used thumb and middle finger. For akarshan use thumb and index finger, for viveshan use thumb and ring finger and for maran use thumb and little finger.

Vachak jap fruit is like a yajna, Upanshu is 100 times more and mental japa is 1000 times more fruitful. Mantra jap should neither be too fast and nor too slow. Jap shoul always be done along with dhyan. Mansic jap can be done in any position and state.

6.

Mudra: For shanti karm use Padm mudra, for Vashikaran use Paash mudra, for vidveshan use Moosal mudra, for ucchatan use vajra mudra and for maran use khadag mudra. One should not do havan without mudra. Different mudras are used for different devtas. For such details one can read specific scriptures like Kularnava tantra, Sharda tilak etc.

7.

Havan: To send specific material to the devtas, havan is performed by sadhak. Agni, samidha, kund asan and direction are very essential for kamya karmas.

Agni has seven tongues. For shanty use Suprabha, for vashikaran use Rakta, for stambhan use Hiranya, for Vidveshan use Gagana, for Ucchatan use Atirikta and for maran use Krishan tongue of agni i.e offer ahutis in that particular tongue.  

Shanti and vashikaran use laukik agni, for stambhan use fire made out of rubbing together of the wood pieces of Vat, for vidveshan use wood of Baheda, for Ucchatan and maran use fire from cremation ground.

As for samidha, for peaceful endevors use bel, dhak, aak and wood of any milk bearing tree, for ashubh karyas use kuchla, baheda, lemon and dhatura.

8.

Tarpan: Tarpan should be offered to devtas, rishis, pitr, isht dev and all avran devtas etc. May refer to Sri Vidya Sadhana for detailed tarpan.

9.

Bali: Whatever is offered to a devta for making him or her happy is called Bali. Since specific devtas reside in specific directions hence bali is offered in those direction for them. Whatever way we have performed the poojan i.e by anatryaag or Bahiryaag, bali should be offered in actual to all the devtas. It can be in the form of a grain, fruit, flower, dhoop, deep, food, animal, liquor etc depending upon the liking of the particular devta.

In side the house offering is given to Brahma and Vishvdevta.

Dhanwantri is offererd in east direction.

Ishan N-E is meant for Shiva.

Ganesh, Batuk, Yogini and Kshetrapal is offered at the respective door on the yantra.

Dhata Vidhata at the door of the poojan room, Nishachar in space, Pitra in South.

North-Kuber, East-Indra, S-Yam, W-Varun, NE-Ishan, SE-Agni, SW-Daityas, NW-Vayu, UP-Brahma-Saraswati, DOWN-Vishnu-Luxmi.

Sri Vidya sadhana was followed by 12 different Rishis of past which resulted in 12 different ways of the poojan method of Sri Vidya. They were Manu, Chandra, Kuber, Lopamudra, Manmath, Agastya, Agni, Surya, Indra, Skand, Shiva and Krodh Bhattarak. Out of these Lopamudra and Manmath lineage is being practiced these days. Sri Vidya upasana is done on SRI-YANTRA.

When in olden times, tantra was most popular way of sadhana, at that time liquor was used in the poojan of Jagannathji. But the liquor which is offered to the lord there is not actual liquor but coconut water. This offereing shows the tantric leanings in poojan padhati.

In the olden times Indian philosophical thinking was divided in six streams, namely, Shad Darshan (Yog darshan¹ of Patanjali, Samkhya darshan² of Kapil, Nyayaik darshan³, Vaisheshik darshan⁴ of Jaimini  and Kanad, Vedanata⁵ and Mimansa⁶ -Poorav & Uttar).  

Patanjali’s yog darshan is divided into four different parts having 195 sidhantas or sutras. While Samkhya is based on 25 tatvas.

Ancient Indian Rishis with their great minds became witness to process of creation in three forms, Yagyik, Yogik and Tantrik. These are also called Karm kaand, Gyan kaand and Upasana kaand. Upasana is main on one side of which is Gyan and on the other side of it is Karm. As per Yagyik, in Rikveda it is said AGNIMIDE PUROHITAM, I pray to the agni placed in front of me. Rishis also said Surya Atma Jagatast Pushshch, i.e Surya is the cause of birth of jad and jangam creations. The other form of this agni is CHANDRAMA MANNSO JATAH, Chandrama came from the manah Pradesh of dhata. Agni is spread from the gross to the subtle in this cosmos. It has three forms, namely, Vaishvanar, Tejas and Pragy. Viashvanar is Cosmic, Tejas is mind form, while Pragya is budhiroop. Agnishomatmakam jagat, according to it whole creation is made of Agni and Som. While somatmak elements are Kshiti (solidity), Water (liquid), Pavak (heat), Gagan (space), Samir (gas). To receive light or form, five tantmatra were developed which resulted in five gross indriyas or senses.

When the Yagyik thought train moved further towards spirituality Yog was developed according to which Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande. Creation took place in two forms. Earlier it was Amaithunik, which did not need actual coming together of male and female aspects, later it became Maithunik, which needed male and female aspects to come together. The second srishti started from Dakshprajapati, as per our scriptures. Under the Yogik practices, Rishis gained full control over the mind and they realized that human form is the miniature form of the whole creation. By their divine sadhana they transformed these human practices into divine bhav. That is why they said, AFTER THIS NOTHING MORE IS TO BE KNOWN. They gave great importance to Dhyan and said that everything can be attained by Samadhi and there is no need to run after anything. As per Shiv Samhita, one who realize the whole cosmos in this very body only can be called a Yogi. Later the study was developed into Shad Chakras, Mooladhar, Swadhishthan, Manipur, Anahat, Vishudhi and Agya. The modern science talked of Pelvic, Hypogastric, Cardiac, Carotid plexis and medulla. At the top Sahasrdal lotus was envisioned. Later on tantra developed it further and suggested their beej mantras, colours and forms of devi and devtas associated with them. Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om and Tam representing Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space elements. These vibratons keep resonating in their respective places. Tantra also developed vahans of various beejas, Elephant for Lam, Crocodile for Vam, Goat for Ram, Antelope for Yam. Sahsradal is Shiunya tatva and Visarg is its beej. From the Shunya or the Visarg whole creation came forth, this is the ultimate thought of Tantra.

Every Pind has three, Yantra, Mantra and Tantra i.e. mechanism, governism and mind. This is the outer part of it. As per the spiritual scriptures its inner development is Adhibhautik, Adhidevik and Adhyatmik. As in the yagyik science various forms of agnikundas were developed to achieve various goals, same way tantra also developed various yantras in the form of triangle, square, hexagon, octagon, circle etc. Adhyatam is a complete science, this alone is the rajmarg of peace and well being of all.

As per the modern science, waves are the basic building blocks of any matter. Sound waves change into light waves. From naad tattva, bindu tattva comes into being, this thought development is from Tantra. As per modern day science, energy can be of two types, one is static energy while other is called dynamic energy.In tantra these two are represented by Shiva and Shakti. NABH dhatu represents sound. Akaash is that space where light waves travel, Nabh is that space where sound waves travel, Antriksh is that part which is seen at night in the absence of sun light and where we see all the stars. All these lights come out of param jyoti which alone is Shiv or Mahakaal. Kaal’s shakti is Kali. Our scientists have received many radio signals from various planets or stars which are far out in our solar system. They think that certain much more developed entities are residing there. The space from which these signals are coming, in the tantrik lore it is called Vyom. This vyom is called Param pad and is generated from the Naad of Om. Our Dash dikpals reside in this Vyom.

When Aryans entered into India at that time many small and big communities were living here. Out of them at that time Yaksha were main. Above Badrinath in Himalyas beyond Vasodhara is the mountain of Kuber who is the king of yakshas and guards the divine property. One can say that yaksh community must be living there. So after separating them, all other communities were called Aryetr. Thus three main communities were thought of i.e Aryans, Yaksha and Aryetr. Aryans were Anandvadi, Yakshas were Vilasvadi and Aryetr were Dukhvadi. Arya power was in the form of masculine power and sought Anand, Yaksha developed shakti in the form of female hence developed vasana or desires while Aryetr believed in male shakti form, developed fear of some higher powers and believed in Bhoot-pret. Thus one shakti alone was divided into three forms. Thus prior to Aryans Shakti poojan was present in India in some way or the other. Yakshas were responsible for the Shakti cult. Yog and tantra were with Yakshas and not with Aryans at the start. But Aryetr were very ugra. Each had affect on the other in one or the other way. Each had affect on the other in one or the other way. Since all three of them resided side by side hence effects on each other were unstoppable. Aryans developed much more than the other two, though others kept on following their own precepts of sahdana. Aryans depending upon their own philosophy and spiritual practices developed Brahman dharma, in which philosophy was based on BELIEF. Thus Aryans followed two paths, one was ANAND and othe BELIEF. Like Rikved is considered adi veda same way Brahman tantra is considered adi tantra. Later with further developments Baudh tantra and Jain Tantra came into being. Out of these three, Brahman and Baudh tantra were very elaborate.

Ref. Sri Vidya Sadhana and Yog Tantrik Prasang………………to be continued....Om!