Part 2.5 - Tantrism: Its Concept and Nature

[Full title: Religion or Religious Condition (B) Tantrism (1) Its Concept and Nature]

With the proud possession of mother goddess. Kamakhya, Kamrupa was the hub of the Tantric culture in eastern India. This well known concept has normally inspired us to examine all possible fitness of the aesthetic product of Madan-Kamdev, to the facets of Tantric ideologies. 129. Bhattacharya, P.N.: Op-cit, 1338, p. 64.

262 With these objective in mind first we would like to have a brief discussion about the basic characters of Tantric ideologies through which only we can explain the matter of our concern. Accordingly, the term Tantra simply referred to a specific type of Sastra, primarily deals with a well organised scientific process of worship through which one could realized the ultimate truth of the universe i.e. moksa. 130 In search of the meaning of Tantra, B. Bhattacharya has referred to a concept put forwarded by H. Sastri that Tantra means the worship of Sakti or female energy. The female energy is worship in conjunction with male energy. The union of male and 131 female is the essence of the tantra. In actuality, the Tantra has instructed a short cut method towards moska or liberation. Instead of laborious path of asceticism, moral discipline and mortification, they make use of magical and psychological aids which help the Sadhaka 132 There are (aspirant) to achieve quickly the goal of self realization. three primary elements in the performance of any Tantric rituals and these are muttering of mantra (mystic syllables), drawing of yantra (mystic drawings) and the use of five ma-karas ie matsya (fish), mansa (flesh), madira (wine) mudra (mystic symbol shown with finger) and maithuna (sex), Apart from that vija, nyasa, bhutasuddhi, kriya, maya, yoga etc are some of the auxiliary but important rituals invariably performed during the courses of any. Tantric form of sadhana. 133 130. Sarmadoloi, H.N.: Asomat Sakti Sadhana Aru Sakta Sahitya, 1998, p.62. 131. Bhattacharyya, B. : An Introduction to Buddhist Esoterism, 1964, p. 53. 132. Desai, D.: Erotic Sculpture of India, 1985, p.114. 133. Barpujari, H.K.(ed.): Comprehensive History of Assam, Vol. P.317.

263 Thus, depending on the procedural obligation or observation there are seven different mode of Tantric sadhana and sadhaka, as the famous Kularnava Tantra has mention about. While making reference about seven varieties of sadhaka or sadhana, interestingly this famous Tantra has organised them in a sequence of an ascending order in respect of their qualities i.e. from lower to the highest degree of sadhana and accordingly their sequential organizations are as followed-Vedasara (vedasari)

264 to goddess Kamakhya, Ugratara, lord Sadasiva, in other word to the entire ritualistic observation that was to followed in Kamrupa) which significantly inspired us to call Kamrupa as a hot or a highly favoured zone for the Vamasarin. 138 139 Along with that, the Pasupata, the Kapalika, the Kalamukha, the Kaula, the Nathpanthi, the Sahajiya, the Ganapatya etc. are some of the other important medieval Indian sect associated with Tantrism. Attainment of non duality i.e. to identify a worshipper with the worshipped, in other word, to identify individual soul with supreme soul, is the common goal, for all these sects. To have the same i.e. to attain their ultimate goal these sects advocated different means ranging from Sexo-Yogic technique of arousing kundalini to aghore or horrible practices such as eating food out of kapala, the sacrifices of human being to goddess etc. While making road to the attainment of their ultimate objectives some of the psychological and medical ingredients like mantra, yantra, mandala etc are common to all these sect except to the Sahajiyas (the Buddhist and the Vaisnavas) who protested against the formalities of the life and religion and regarded human nature itself as the best available aids in realising the ultimate truth. All these above mention major Tantric sects have some specific characteristic features of their own. As for example, bindusiddhi i.e. control of semen during the sexual intercourse and kayasadhana i.e. the yogic practices for making the body strong 137. Kalika Purana 81/1-30. 138. Desai, D. : Op-cit, 1985, p. 120. 139. Ibid. 140. Ibid.

265 141 and fit for higher realisation are two of the elementary concept while referring to the ultimate realisation of truth for the Nathpanthi Sadhaka 142 For the same the Nathpanthi have showed their preference to the technique of hatha yoga¹43 and the use of Rasayana. Similarly the Kapalikas ideal of salvation was to become like Siva and enjoy the pleasure of love with a consort as beautiful 144 as Parvati. The Kaula believes in trikmata ie the free use of wine, meat and the worship of Siva with wine in the company of a female partner sitting on the left during the rites. 145 Elaborating the life of the kaulasara, the follower of the most respected Tantric procedure, to an another extend the Yogini Tantra has made some beautiful descriptions accordingly, first it has stated that the success of the survival of the kaula depends upon the regular use of the good quality wine.146 Similarly, regarding the general menu of the kaulasarin, the Tantra has prescribed a list of their foodwhich include wine, fleshes of birds and fishes. 147 Regarding Maithuna the Yogini Tantra has further stated that a Kaulasara or kulasari sadhaka can establish sexual relation with all women irrespective of class, creed, caste except his own mother. 141. Dasgupta, S. : Obscure Relgious Cult, 1995, p. 92. 142. Desai, D. : Op-cit, 1985, p. 120. 143. Regarding hatha yoga it should be remembered that the most important thing common to all school of esoterism is the culture of the body or kayasadhana through the process of hatha yoga Dasgupta, S.: Op-cit, 1995, p.197. 144. Desai, D. : Op-cit, 1985, p. 120. 145. Ibid. 146. Mahamadyan Bina Kaulah Khayanadurddan Natistati Yogini Tantra 1/6/17. 147. Pdustikadini Sarbbani Madyani Tashya Sanbhabwi Matshyan Mansan Tashya Devwi Jalabhucara Khecaram (Yogini Tantra 1/5/43). 148. Matriyoninan Parityajya Maithun Sarbbazonisu (Yogini Tantra 1/5/44).

266 Above all these description most importantly, the Yogini Tantra has made a picturesque description of kaulatatadarsis or kaulasarins and accordingly they are like the Bhairava not only in quality but also in appearances. 149 On the other hand, kalamukha and kapalika were the most terrifying or fearful (aghori) Tantric sect of Indian subcontinent at one time. Among them the Kalamukha were known as Mahabratadhara, who besmeared their bodies with ashes of the burn corpses, keeping danda and madira (wine) patra in their hand, wearing rudraksha and also have the mated hair as their identity. 151 According to the Kalamukha tradition every man, irrespective of caste and creed can attain brahmatva by following some strict rules and regulation. 152 Like Kalamukha, the kapalika also have besmeared their body with the ashes of the burn corpses, they also have the mated hair but they were the follower of the human sacrifice, strict performer of the five makara in which their prime concern was to have the kamasadhana (sex worship) in the company of beautiful kapalini. 153 Now, regarding the Pasupata and the Ganapatya, two other medieval Tantric sects, it is interesting to note that the former tried to have their moksa with the help of yogasadhana while the later indulged in using wine and sex during the courses of their rituals. 154 149. Sebwite kulatattwe Tu kulatattwa Sudarsinah Jayate Na Bhdirawaste Beshyastyasamadarsina (Yogini Tantra 1/5/57). 150. Desai, D.: Op-cit, 1985, p. 121. 151. Bardoloi, N.P. : Siva, 1997, p.70. 152. Ibid. 153. Ibid, pp.66-69. 154. Desai, D. : Op-cit, 1985, p. 112.

267 The discussion about Tantrism will remain incomplete unless and until we have a quick look on a very important aspect of the ideal of Tantricism i.e. about the question of femine potency and its natural justification to the other half or in other word, the simultaneous justification of the male counterpart of the femine one. In actuality, a combine effort of the male female principles, is the primary basics of all Tantric ideals. Thus, to represent the combine effort, number of divine pairs like Siva-Sakti, VishnuLaksmi, Brahma-Saraswati etc. are there and of them the first pair have enjoyed the highest amount of respect from all corners of the society. The combination of Siva and Sakti is so acute in nature that it often appeared to be a difficult task to differentiate the main stream ideals of Saivism with that of the spirit of Tantrism. It was probably because of that inseparable identity of Siva and Sakti, some of the well known Saivite stream of worship, mainly the Pasupata, kapalika and kalamukha have their simultaneous identity as three of the popular Tantric sect of medieval India, as stated earlier. While trying to elaborate the matter on the light of the philosophy of Saivism, there were two primary stream of Siva upasana, one of them was known as Kashmiri Saivism which was in actuality, a cheer synthesis of the idealistic, realistic, voluntaristic, absolutistic and mystic tendencies of the thinkers of that land of beauty, and the other was the Lingayat, follower of which have refused to accept the idealistic concept of Kasimiri Saivavad, along with the ideals of Veda and Brahmanism.155 Apart from that there was another stream of Saivism of Tamil origin, 155. Sarmadoloi, H.N.: Asomat Saiva Sadhana Aru Saiva Sahitya, 2003, p.68.

268 known as Saiva Siddhanta, based on traditional concept of Siva upasana. Referring to the chronology of their development, they can better be assigned to a period starting from 9 th century A.D. to that of 14 th century A.D.. 156 All these three Saivite stream of philosophy though have sharp distinction to each other but still, they all recognized the inseparable status of Siva and Sakti. 157 The Pasupata, Kapalika Kalamukha etc were the subordinate development of the main stream concept of Siva Upasana and of them, the Pasupata had ultimately paved the road for the 158 The development of Kapalika and Kalamukha mode of worship. follower of the concept of Lingayat and Kalamukha were conservative in nature and their primary emphasis was to worship Siva in his linga form, while the kapalika were the worshipper of Bhairava, the most ferocious representation of Lord Sadasiva. 159 Over and above the principles of Tantrism, so called after its composition, the tantras, influenced the practices of virtually every older 160 religion. The emergence of Tantric Buddhism, popularly known as Vajrayanism was the best prove example of such influential development of Tantrism. The Tantric Buddhism is a concept which emerged out of the incorporation of the principle of Sakti with that of the Mahayana form of worship.- In actuality, it was a queer mixture of monastic philosophy, magic and erotic with little. addition of Buddhist ideals in them. 161 162 Buddhist Tantrism is 156. Ibid., pp.68-69. 157. Ibid. p.69. 158. Ibid, p.70. 159. Ibid. 160. Thapar, R.: Op-cit, 2002, p. 485. 161. Choudhury, P.C. : HCPA, 1987, p.422. 162. Winterniz, M. : History of Indian Literature, Vol.II, 1927, p. 388.

L 269 constituted of three elements, Tantra, mantra and vajra stands for divine energy, identified with intelligence and its followers ultimately attain prajnaparamita (perfect truth). Vajra also stands for the linga as Padma for yoni. Two interpretations are applied by the right and left handed worshippers, the latter conceives vajra according to Saiva pattern and the former is related to Vedantist or Yoga tradition. The left handed worship was a Buddhist adoption of Saivism or rather Saktism, in order to realize divine nature, the followers had to perform the rites of union with a demon, but the purification of body and mind before such enjoyment constituted the Tantrik-Vajrayana of right handed worship. 163 The existence of this form of Buddhism though normally be assigned to a period starting from 7 th century A.D. onward, but often, the overwhelming popularity of Sakta-Tantrism have confused the matter of their existence, specially when we tried to have any sharp distinction between the Brahmanical and Buddhist deities and their practices. 164 Whatever might be the fact, it is true that ancient Assam was a great centre of the later form of Buddhism and their impression was so vigorous in nature that some of the Pala line of Kings, came forward not only to patronized the system but also became convert and attained the status of a 165 preceptors. 'In spite of their suppression in Assam by the Vaisnava reformer of 15 th century A.D. the Vajarayanist, who believed in theory of liberation only in the union of two sexes, still continued their practices under the name of Ratikhowa (practisers at night) as the followers performed their rites in secrecy at night. 166 163. Choudhury, P.C. : Op-cit, 1987, p.422. 164. Barpujari, H.K.(ed.): Op-cit, 1990, p.336. 165. Choudhury, P.C.: Op-cit, 1987, p. 427. 166. Ibid.