Shaktisangama Tantra

[Guest guest]

Adi wrote, "folks, read this article on this link and you will wonder

is this how hindus treat their women? ... maybe this is biased but

still there must be some truth in it."

 

Sita Agarwal, the author of the article you linked, dedicates it to

her sister, who, she says, "died as a result of the inherently anti-

woman religion of barbarian Hinduism."

 

In fairness, howeverr, Hinduism is not "a religion" but many

religions sharing a common goal but different means. Surely, Shakta,

which produced the following scripture, cannot be described as

"inherently anti-woman":

 

Woman is the creator of the universe,

the universe is her form;

woman is the foundation of the world,

she is the true form of the body.

Whatever form she takes,

whether the form of a man or a woman,

is the superior form.

In woman is the form of all things,

of all that lives and moves in the world.

There is no jewel rarer than woman,

no condition superior to that of a woman.

There is not, nor has been, nor will be

any destiny equal to that of a woman;

there is no kingdom, no wealth,

to be compared with a woman.

There is not, nor has been, nor will be

any holy place like unto a woman.

There is no prayer equal to a woman.

There is not, nor has been, nor will be

any yoga to compare with a woman,

no mystical formula nor asceticism

to match a woman.

There is not, nor have been, nor will be

any riches more valuable than woman.

 

-- from the Shaktisangama Tantra

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

[Guest guest]

Well, this is interesting. I just finished reading Agarwal's article.

She is very smart and very angry at Hinduism. And yet, she still makes

room in her article to specifically exempt Shaktism and Tantrism from

her fury:

 

6.6 FREEDOM OF WOMEN IN SHAKTISM AND TANTRISM

There were exceptions to the rule, even during the Vedic Dark Ages

following the collapse of the Indus civilization. Eastern India

(Purvadesha), including Bengal, with its majority Mon-Khmer

population, was only slightly Aryanized. The Shakti cult

(mother-goddess) predominated (75% of all the idolatrous population

are still Shaktas), and women here had a much higher degree of

freedom. Thus for instance they were not required to wear the veil.

Shakti (or Tantric) cults involved the worship of women, and the

acceptance of their supremacy. Needless to say, the Shakti cult was

only limited to Bengal and Assam.

 

Worship of mother-goddesses was prevalent, and inculculated a spirit

of independence amongst Shakta and Tantric women. By contrast,

Brahmanic Hindu goddesses were designed to inculculate obedience and

subservience to men.

 

The Tezpur grant states that women in Assam even bathed in the open [

1200, p.71 ]. Bengali widows used to inherit the issueless husband's

entire property [ 1200 p.70 ] [ `Dayabhaga' of Jimutavahana sect XI ]

 

However, Aryanization in the 6-7th centuries led to the extermination

of the indigenous Tantra and Shakta faiths. The arrival of Brahmanism

(i.e. astik Hinduism) led to a consequent decline in the status of

women. The Dravidian women were also freer. Malabar was a center of

the Tantric form of the Shiva-Shakti cult, and matriarchal customs

still prevail. Till recently, polyandry existed.

 

[End of quote]

 

Well, I think we'd all disagree that Tantra and Shakta have been

"exterminated." But they were certainly driven underground in the

period Agarwal indicates.

 

Which brings me back to my oft-repeated (and always unpopular)

question: Isn't Shakti something more than just Shiva in a saree? Yes,

certainly, Shaktism and Shaivism are extremely similar in form and

philosophy -- but isn't there a fundamental shift of perception

involved in embracing the Shakta viewpoint? Certainly, Agarwal's

report would indicate that the socio-psychological implications are

profound.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

[Guest drjaybhy]

Comment. U r totaly wrong turned about aryan and shakt and khmer linkage they not divided but only different ly manifested spectrum of same culture look for khmr kingdoms history they call themselves arya.talk sanskrit dilect follow vedic divinity pls corrrct urself