The Shakta Schools

The important scriptures of Saktas are known as Tantras which they regard as the 5 th Veda. Tantric practices flourished on a grand scale throughout India until the 41. "Khadgam vetalakam caiva dadhana daksinaih karaih 42. k. naga khetaka ghandakhyah dadhana (nyaih krpalakan" See Yoginihrdaya See Indian Mother Goddess., p.67 43. T.M.A. & S.I., p.114.

113 : beginning of 13 th century A.D., when Muslim invasions laid waste the great universities and centres of learning in India slaughtering most of the inhabitants 44. The various trends clashing through ages caused chaos in religion and there came up various sects and followers of sects. These sects formed various schools accepting their own customs and selected their own modes of practice, so as to get a distinct superiority over others. According to variations in rituals, there originated modes of worship like Divya, 45 Vira, Pasu, Daksina, Vama, Cina, Kaula, etc. Parananda, Kadimata, Hadimata, Gauda, Kasmira, Kapalika, etc. are some among the various schools of Saktism. 46 Divya is the peaceful, modest and sweet form of worship whereas Vira performs aweful rites meant for beginners. The term Pasu means those who are fettered by the bondage of worldly life. Daksinacara favours the rituals of Veda, Vaisnava and Saiva. The name was derived from the founder of the school Daksinamurti. The Sadhakas of Daksinamurti have to mutter in ekanta (solitude), Smasana (cremation ground) or Sivalaya (holy place for Siva or temple) 47. As the Sadhaka advances in his discipline, and as his Sadhana becomes Sattvik and 44. See Tantra Yoga., p.117 45. Tantra Vijnan., pp.203-209 46. Ibid., pp.20-21. 47. Tantra Vijnan., p.211

114 : more sublime, he finds himself drawn irresistibly towards This is known as right hand path i.e., the Sattvik form. otherwise called Samayacara concerned with transcedental meditation 48 Those who break the path of Daksinacara follow Vamacara. He who is blind towards the wealth of others, indifferent to other women, dumb to other's scandals. 49 and has controlled senses etc., is fit for this path. To them the deities for contemplation are Bhairava and Bhairavi. Digambaras and Kapalikas who form a sub-division to Vamacara, perform their sadhanas in stark nakedness. They stress the Pancamakaras matsya (fish), mamsa (meat), madya (wine) mudra (grains) and maithuna (sex) 7. It may be that, in that age, meat and wine were indulged in, by the educated and orthodox people and it was just an offering in sacrament. But their capacity to coarsen the intellectual faculties especially in the case of divine affairs, was found out and their methods were declared taboo to the spiritual aspirant. Those who could not escape their lure were allowed to adopt 50 them as an offering of worship. 48. 49. 50. See Lalita-sahasranama, Suryanarayanan, p.5. "Sambhuna saha pancavidhan samyam yati iti samaya" Saundaryalahari41 She who is equal to Siva in five aspects viz., Anusthana (equality in action i.e. dance), Avasthana (in residence Sahasrara), Rupa (complexion as japakusuma), Nama (name as Navatman), Adhisthana (basis as the parents of Universe). "Paradravye su yo (ndhah parastrisu napunsakam parapavade yo mukah sarvada vijitendriyah" Vide: Meru Tantra Lalita-sahasranama, p.5

115 Cinacara, enjoins that its worship should be performed in unholy places, by one who has taken his food but not taken his bath. 51 The term kula may mean the path hereditorily followed by a race related to kula. Some scholars consider the word kula as indicative of body or kula as Shakti and akula as Siva 52 Laksmidhara accepts it as Muladhara the burrow in which kundalini or man's primal power sleeps. 53 Kaulas identify themselves with the Goddess. They consider their path to be the most sacred and prohibit their sacred text from being touched by Pasus 54 Kapalikas are divided into Digambar as and Ksapanakas. The Diganbaras follow Vamacara mode of worshipping the Goddess Tara and offer their own blood to the Goddess. It is said that the Buddhist Tantras were the first to introduce sexual worship among Sadhakas and its origin dates back to 3 rd century A.D. To them Prajna means woman. In the 18 th chapter of Guhyasamajatantra, reference is made to Prajnabhiseka in which the disciple takes the hands of any maiden desirable to him, with the consent of his preceptor saying that as 51. "Sarvada pujayeddevin asnatah krtabhojanah" Vide: Purascaryarnava. 52. "akulat kulakan bhuyah kulad akulan mahah". Vide: Catuh Sati. 53. "kuh prthvitattvan liyate yatra tat kulam adharacakram" Saundaryalahari, 10. 54. See Kularnava-tantra, p.219.

: 116 : Buddhahood is impossible of attainment, the Sakti should be accepted. These practices might have been the cause of their being driven away from the land of its origin. TH 55 Mahacinacara also, advises its worshipers to perform 56 The Parananda school prohibits practices in unholy places. killing of beasts in sacrifices; instead they prescribe that the image of the sacrificial animal should be made of cake 57 The and that they should then perform the sacrifice. Krama school is analogous to the Trika school of Kashmir and has a vast literature like Kramasutras, kramastotras, etc., associated with the worship of Goddess Kali. 58 The various sects and schools which considered their worship and rituals to be the super-excellent one, thought of preserving those rites for centuries and wanted concrete memorials for their views to be erected on the land on which they practised them in the names of the Goddess. This helped the origin of Shakta pithas.