Vatulanatha Parampara and Rahasya Kaula Sampradaya

[Guest guest]

I search for more information about the Vatulanatha Parampara and the Rahasya

Kaula Sampradaya.

So far I only know about them what I read on this website:

http://www.hinduismtoday.org/archives/1997/7/1997-7-09.shtml, under "Correct

Russian Lineage".

Has someone more information?

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Alexandra

 

Thanks for an interesting query. I think I've got some reliable leads

on this, and I'll let you know what I find out. In the meantime --

for the sake of context, and hopefully to encourage other members to

contribute their knowledge and opinions on this matter -- I am

posting Hinduism Today's original news item below, followed by the

response to which you refer:

 

RUSSIA'S TASTE FOR TANTRA: Siberian monk joins Hindu rites and

Russian lore

 

Russia's latest unrevealed revolution has nothing to do with rulers,

parties or economics. It is an ascent of the spirit. Since 1992, the

Moscow-based Tantra Sangha has introduced veracious Hindu philosophy

and ritual to the spiritually hungered populace of this immense

nation in flux. Ushering in Russia's new age of ancient Vedic ways is

Shripada Sadashivacharya Anandanatha Kaulavadhuta, more known simply

as Swami Sadashivacharya. Years ago, he was commanded by his

Karnataka-based guru, Shripada Guhai Chennabasava Siddhaswami,

to "Inhale new life into the tantric path and spread the esoteric

(rahasya) message of tantra to Russians and other peoples."

 

In 1993, Swami boldly told Hinduism Today, "We are Russian Saivites.

Our purpose is to unite all Russian worshipers of Lord Siva and the

Divine Mother, to translate the sacred texts of the Saiva Agamas into

Russian and to spread the nondual message of Siva." Today the Sangha

is officially recognized by the Russian government, and it maintains

branches throughout the country. "We perform Vedic fire ceremonies

under the open sky near rivers and forests according to orthodox

Vedic Hindu rites--adjusted for the Russian situation," Swami

explains.

 

His central ashram in Moscow is the meeting ground for most devotees,

those who "live as real followers of tantric Hinduism." Devotional

services, performed according to the Tantras taught to Swami by his

guru, are congregational--singing and praying while priests perform

puja rites to the Gods. The impassioned and engrossing daily and

weekly worship in the small Shakti and Sivalinga temple attracts many

uninformed onlookers. According to Swami, "They quickly discover that

Hinduism is much more devotional than Christianity. As people are

drawn to Hindu worship, their lifestyle becomes more pure, more

spiritual. Many soon become staunch vegetarians. They learn Vedic

excercises, ayurveda and begin to use astrology." Twice a year the

Sangha organizes intensive seminars on tantric sadhanas. People from

all over Russia come together in groups of 30 to 50 for comfortable

lodging and soulful learning. During retreats, they partake of Hindu

vegetarian food only, which is first offered to Lord Siva and Kali

Ma.

 

Pagan Roots

 

The Russian affinity for Hinduism has a historical dimension. Before

the official Christianization of the 988 Indo-European Slavonic

tribes, the ancestors of modern Russians and Ukrainians were

followers of Slavonic paganism, which Swami asserts was akin to

Hinduism. The Supreme God of the Slavonic pantheon was the great God,

Rod, literally, "who gives birth to all." According to authoritative

Russian, Western and Indian scholars, Rod is the same as the Vedic

God, Rudra, or Siva. In Slavonic languages, rod also

means "tribe,caste,clan" and even "absolute" or "universe (all

that exists)." Today this ancestral name is the root of many Russian

words: narod, people; priroda, nature; rodnik, spring; roditeli,

parents; rodina, motherland; rodnoy, native; etc. Many Russians view

the recent spread of Hinduism in their country as a welcome revival

of the pre-Christian native faiths.

 

Hinduism as taught by Sadashivacharya is related to the Kalamukha and

Pashupata sects. Swamis of his tradition wear red robes and a black

belt, carry a skull bowl, a trident and wear a Sivalinga around their

neck, which they worship personally, as do Virasaivas. Swami

Sadashivacharya is of the Rahasya Sampradaya, "secret tradition,"

which teaches three ways to God: Pasu, the easy path; Vira, the

heroic, tantric path; and Divya, the divine path of freedom and

liberation. He follows and teaches the first path.

 

Sangha administrators eagerly invite Hindu masters and instructors on

yoga, ayurvedic healing, devotional worship and other practices to

come to Russia for a short time to help in teaching seminars and

hosting retreats. The most hopeful Sangha members expect rapid

growth, believing that Satya Sanatana Tantrika Dharma will soon

become a new all-human world religion.

 

Stanislav A. Gorokhov, Moscow

http://www.hinduismtoday.org/archives/1997/4/1997-4-20.shtml

************

 

The above article prompted Mr. Gorokhov to reply as follows:

 

CORRECT RUSSIAN LINEAGE

 

The article on the Tantra Sangha of Russia ("Tantra Worship Catches

Fire in Russia," RUSSIAN REVIVAL, April '97) inaccurately described

the Sangha's tradition and practices. We are not in any way

Pashupatas or Virasaivas, nor Kalamukhas [various Saivite lineages].

Unlike the Virasaivas, we do not perform pujas to personal

Sivalingams. We carry them around the neck only as a symbol, not as

an object of worship. We are Tantrikas belonging to the Vatulanatha

Parampara of the Rahasya Kaula Sampradaya, a branch of the Shakta -

oriented upasampradaya [sub lineage] also known as the Kali Kula

Krama system in Kashmir Tantric Saivism.

 

The Rahasya Sampradaya, (secret tradition), teaches three ways

(first, middle and highest levels of the same Tantric Path) to God:

the path of Pashu (easy, not esoteric, Hindu tradition), also known

as the "right-handed path;" the path of Vira, or heroic esoteric

tantric "left-handed path;" and the path of Divya, path of highest

level of Tantric sadhana. As tantrikas, Swami Sadashivacharya and his

disciples follow and teach this three-fold Tantric Path of Kula, not

the path of Pashu alone.

 

There are only a few details of worship and practice that we share

with Pashupatas, Kalamukhas and Lingayats. This influence is only

upon the external ritual worship. The original esoteric teachings of

this sampradaya, which are obviously more Kaula Shakta than Saivite,

remain strong and distinct. Unlike Virasaivas, our followers

recognize the Vedas and other brahmanic Hindu scriptures. But we

recognize the Tantras [shakta and Saiva Agamas] as more authoritative

than Vedic scriptures. Thus, purely tantric ideas and practices

predominate in this tradition, which is both Shakta (tantric) and

Saivite.

 

The erroneous statements about Tantra Sangha were the result of

Hinduism Today's editors misunderstanding our original information

given to them because of incorrect translation and differences in

language.

 

Stanislav A.Gorokhov, Tantra Sangha, Moscow, Russia

http://www.hinduismtoday.org/archives/1997/7/1997-7-09.shtml

 

 

, "Alexandra Kafka"

<alexandra.kafka@a...> wrote:

> I search for more information about the Vatulanatha Parampara and

the Rahasya Kaula Sampradaya.

> So far I only know about them what I read on this website:

http://www.hinduismtoday.org/archives/1997/7/1997-7-09.shtml,

under "Correct Russian Lineage".

> Has someone more information?

>

>