The Kaula, Mishra and Samaya modes of worship

The Samaya mode of worship making The Subhagamapancakas expounded by Vasistha, Sanaka, Sanandana, Suka and Sanatkumara follow Samayacara and are based on Vedic practices, aiming at liberation through meditation and identity of Jiva with Brahman. They practise the Srividya and SrIcakrapuja. nude 02 Among the three sects of worshippers namely Kaula, Misra and Samaya, the Kaula mode is as follows: The Sricakra having five Sivayuvatis and four Srikanthas (triangles of Sakti and Siva) are to be inscribed on Bhurja leaf, sa silk garment, gold or silver thin metal plates. The Goddess is to be contemplated with the sixteen Upacaras like Arghya, Padya, Acamaniya, Dhupa, Dipa, etc. or sixty four Upacaras as the case may be, according to the advice of the preceptor. This is called the external mode of worship of the Here the inscription of Sricakra is in the Samharakrama. Goddess. Kaula mode of worship 176 This mode has two divisions viz. Purvakaula and Uttarakaula. Both the divisions stress the imprortance of the five Makaras like 176. See Nityotsava, Srikrama.

375 Matsya (fish), Mamsa (meat), Mudra (grain), Madira (wine), and Maithuna (sex). This is prohibited by Daksi nacara (following right hand practice i.e., soft and pleasant mode). Uttarakaula is a later development, after making some modifications, casting away the ferrociousness to which the Purvakaulas had strayed away, giving importance to tamasic attributes. To the Purvakaulas, there is no Sivatattva independently, devoid of Saktitattva, nor is there any Saktitattva devoid of Sivat ttva. To them Sakti is a Adharakundalini. Their horrifying mode of worship is hardly accepted by others. equally important. and Anandabhairavi. According to Purvakaulas, Siva and Sakti are They call them by the names Anandabhairava The nine aspects of Navatmatva, attributed to Siva and Sakti are divided into three viz. Bhokta, Bhoga and Bhogy a. Atman is Bhokta, Jnana is Bhoga and the rest seven i.e. Kala, Kala, Kula, Nama, Citta, Nada and Bindu are the Bhogyas. Anandabhairava and Anandabhairavi are all pervading and in them, prevail Bhoga, Bhokta and Bhogy a rupas. The process of creation and destruction involves equal effort of the two; still in the process of creation Anandabhairavi is considered important, and Anandabhairava is considered important in the process of destruction. In Him She emerges and forms as His Tanmatra. When both of Them are engaged in the act of dancing i.e. Tandava and Lasya, the process of evolution takes place and when the dance ceases, destruction begins. Though Kaulas are chiefly interested in the external mode of worship, the worship of the six Adharacakras

376 is not strange to them. Kundalini lying coiled in its concrete form, as Bindu, in the Muladhara, is always in oblivion. Kaulas say that worship, when performed, the moment itself salvation is attained and hence the saying "Ksanamuktah kaulah" (Kaulas are liberated within a moment). The external mode leads one to a still higher plane creating an interest in the internal mode of worship and makes him fit to enter the internal mode of worship. Misra mode of worship Misra mode of worship is the attribute of an average intellect, not so much polluted as in the case of external mode, and xx not so much suited to the internal mode. Samaya mode of worship Internal mode of worship is called Samaya form. After the practice of the Yogangas like Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, etc., the devotee will get control over his mind and he will become fit for the internal mode of worship. Those who worship (Siva and Sakti (who are equal to each other in five aspects i.e., Anusthana, Avasthana, Adhisthana, Nama and Rupa) are called Samayins. The sixty four Upacaras for worship like Kalasa (pitcher), Sankha (conch shell), Puspa (flowers), etc. are not needed here. The four types of Anusandhana or six types of Anusandhana i. e. congruency viz. (1)

377 congruency of the six cakras in human body to those in the sricakra devoid of the Trailo kyamohana, Sarvasaparipuraka and Sarvasamksobhana cakras (2) The congruency of the lunar digits of Sahasradalamadhya or Baindavasthana i.e. Sudha sindhu to the triangle in Sricakra which is developed into Satkona; (3) Congruency of Bindu in Sricakra to Siva (4) The Sricakra to Pancadasaksari. The six types of congruency are in the case of Nada, Bindu, and Kala taken two at a time referring to the identities between their permutations. The world means, the existence of Siva and Sakti in the form of five elements both subtle and gross. The Sricakra, which represents this congruency is inclusive of twenty four Marmas, twentyfour Sandhis, and fortyfour corners. By the process of Aikyanusandhana (identity) the Goddess appears in Manipura piercing Muladhara. Here the process of mental 3 offering of Arghya, Padya, etc. is done. The Goddess is no led to Svadhisthana and then to Anahata where Dhupa Dipa, Hastapraksalana, etc. are performed. The contemplation now proceeds to Visuddhicakra where She is seated on a stool studded with sixteen lunar crescents. In the Ajnacakra, She is received with Nirajana and other such offerings. Then She is led to Sahasrara, where She sports with Him in the ocean of nectar. Thus the Sadhaka attains supreme bliss. The svatmarupabhavana in meditation is as follows: "Our body is having nine openings. Varahi is the Mother Goddess. is the island of nine gems. meration of nine Dhatus etc. Sricakra is having nine Saktis. Purusarthas are the oceans. Body The Kalpaka trees are the congloKalpaka udyana is the lustre in man.

- 378 The six tastes are the six seasons. Her seat is our Kriyasakti. Icchasakti is tripurasundari. The Jnanasakti is Her home. knower is the Hota. is the Havis. three as one. The Knowledge is the Arghya, that which is known Sri cakrapujana is the process of identifying the Anima and such other attributes are the eight Rasas. The eight goddesses like Brahmi, Vaisnavi, etc. are Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya, Punya and Papa. The five elements and the five motor organs and the six senses are the sixteen Saktis. The eight Saktis like Anangakusuma are representations of Vacana Adana, Visarga, Gamana, Ananda, Hana, Upadana and Upeksabuddhi. The fourteen Goddesses of Caturdasara are the fourteen nerves like Pusa, Alambusa, Kuhu, Visvodari, Varuna, Hastijihva, Yasasvini, Asvini, Gandhari, Sankhini, Sarasvati, Ida, Pingala and Susumna. The ten goddesses of Bahirdasara like Sarvasiddhiprada etc. are the ten vital airs like Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana, Naga, Kurma, Krkara, Devadatta and Dhananjaya. With the help of these, the acts of Recana, Purana, Sosana, Plavana, Dahana, etc. are carried out. It helps the processes of the production of Bhaksya, Bhojya, Lehya, Peya, and Cosya with the help of fire. The ten fiery Kalas are the ten Goddesses of Antardasara. The eight Goddesses like Vasin, Modini, etc. are the attributes of Sita, Usna, Sukha, Dhukha, Iccha, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The five arrows of flowers are the five subtle elements like sound, touch, etc. cane. is anger. The captivated things are arrows. h A Mind is the bow of sugar Noose is desire. Goad The three Goddesses in the triangles are Kamesvari,

- 379 Vajresvari and Bhagamalini representing Avyakta, Mahattattva and Ahamkara. The fifteen Nityas are the fifteen Tithis; the sixteenth one is Sraddha, the presiding Goddess being Kamesvari. The identity of the Goddess with the reciting of chant is Sauhityakarana, Upacara means the understanding of Brahman as the only truth. The grasping of the forms of the Goddess both as internal senses and external senses is the upacara. The same process of considering Her form as the only one, is, Asana; the identity of the two padas of Rakta and Sukla is Padya; the teaching imparted to students about the consciousness as the only truth is Arghya. The knowledge about the self-luminosity of the eternal truth which is crystal clear, is Acamaniya. Hearing about Her glories is the Snana. The luminosity of Cidagni as Ananda is Vastra. The knowledge of Brahmanadi as divided into Iccha, Jnana and Kriya and its classifications is Brahmasutra. The feeling that anything except the self is not true, is Vibhusana. There, the rememberence of that truth is Gandha. Fixation of mind as the basis basis of the existence of objects is Kusuma. Acceptance of this truth is Dhupa. The burning of the fire of knowledge in Susumna is Dipa. The acceptance of truth and rejection of nescience is Naivedya. The identification of the three Avasthas i.e. Visva, Taijasa and Prajna as one, is Tambula. The traversing of Kundalini from Muladhara to Sahasrara and vice-versa, is Pradaksina. Turiyavastha is Namaskara. Consideration of self

380 devoid of body is Baliharana. The feeling that self is the only truth having the discretion as to what is to be done and not to be done is Homa. Absorption of the self to Her feet is the Dhyana. The Ida and Pingala nerves play an important role in the attainment of supreme bliss. Ida gets filled up by nectar through Moon. The Sun gathers the same nectar through Pingala. When Sun and Moon have their conjunction, new Moon occurs and Kundalini remains in trance. The ambrosia melted down by Sun's rays is gathered in Muladhara. When Yogin controlls the passage of the Sun and Moon by Yogic practice, they are deprived of their functions%;B the Amitakunda which is in Muladhara gets dried up and the fire obstrudes the sleep of Kundalini. She bursts through the six cakras to get ambrosia and the ambrosia wets the whole ty body, when the fifteen kalas become Nittas. The sixteenth one is Tripurasundari. Kundalini is aroused only during the bright half of the lunar month; All tithis in the bright half are called new moon. Muladhara is dark, Svadhisthana is a combination of both darkness and light; so also Manipura owing to the reflection of Sun's rays, is combined of darkness and light in its water. Anahata is bright. Visuddhi and Ajna do not have full moon light, as there is a taint of Sun's rays. In Sahasrara, there is moonlight only. Here is the Nityakala without waxing and waning.

- 381 By Kundalini's piercing of first cakra, i.e. Muladhara, talents in various branches of knowledge are acquired; by piercing Svadhisthana freedom from egoism is achieved; by piercing Manipura the powers of creation, preservation and destruction are acquired; by piercing Anahata, entrance into the body of other beings by soul, is acquired; by piercing Visuddhi, the ambrosia of knowledge and bliss is attained; by piercing Ajna Ajna omnipotence is acquired. The ascent of Kundalini to Sahasrara is called Unneyabhumika and Her descent to Muladhara is called Anvayabhumika. This contemplation helps the Sadhaka to get over the sorrows of life. The sadhaka can attain supreme bliss about which bards have sung as the realization of Brahman.