Must Read Trantic Texts

[HST108]

This request goes out to Ravindran ji (or anyone who is familiar with Tantric Texts),

 

I am very interested in learning Tranta. Could you kindly recommend what Tantric Texts I should read in order to get a sound understanding of Tantra? If you coul list "must read" Tantric Texts for beginners and advanced level practitioners it would be immensely helpful to those who are interested in this topic. I am interested in English translations as I do not speak Hindi. However, for the benefit of others may be you could also list Hindi / Sanskrit texts.

 

Many thanks.

 

HST108.

[qwerty99]

 

This request goes out to Ravindran ji (or anyone who is familiar with Tantric Texts),

 

I am very interested in learning Tranta. Could you kindly recommend what Tantric Texts I should read in order to get a sound understanding of Tantra? If you coul list "must read" Tantric Texts for beginners and advanced level practitioners it would be immensely helpful to those who are interested in this topic. I am interested in English translations as I do not speak Hindi. However, for the benefit of others may be you could also list Hindi / Sanskrit texts.

 

Many thanks.

 

HST108.

I am also interested in reading good tantrik texts. Please senior members reply

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Dear HST,

 

I am sorry that I dint reply immediately. I was bussy for some time and did not visit this forum for a while.

 

There are many tantras awailable now but unfortunitely many are in Sanscrit.

 

The following are in english

Maha Nirvana tantra By arthur Avlon ( Sir John Woodroffe)

Kularnava tantra By Ram kumar Roy

Vamakeswarimadam by Machiel Magee.

Maha nirvana tantra is a fine choice to bugine with. It is declared to be the best and Highest.

If you can manage to arange a translater I would recommentr Tantra raja tantra. Besides the highest accomplishmeent Liberation of souls It also deals with siddhis like 32 yakshani, Gadga , paduka, ajana, vedala, pichasa chadaka, vijaya, and kamarupa siddhis. It also has a chapter on the african Voodo style dol sorcery, and many more it is really a comprihensive tantra but the hitch is it is in sancrit. Arther Avlon has left it untranslated . But it is published.

 

There are many buddhist tantra too avail able in english. Hevajra tantra is an example (and there are many more).

 

You can get the details of most of the bublished work in internet search. I am including a link for you . There are many other sites as well. http://www.tantraworks.com/Tantra_Ref.html

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[HST108]

Dear Ravindran ji,

 

Thanks very much for replying (I was away for a while, hence my late response). Thanks for listing the tantric texts and the link. I shall certainly look it up come back to you if I have questions.

[ravikishore]

Ravindran Sir,

 

Could you please let me know where I can get the english editions of Tripura Tapini and Bhavanopanishad?

 

Thank You Sir,

RaviKishore

[Sapnarani]

Dear Ravindran Ji

I wish to clear one question which is in my mind for long time. What is Tantra? Is Tantra related to Black Magic which hurts people? OR when somebody Siddh any Mantra to harm others? Or is it used to do good things also.

 

I have always been frightned with the word Tantra, fearing that Tantra is always used to harm an hurt people. Could you clarify this matter to me so that I can understand Tantra in a true sense.

Thanks

Sapnarani

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Dear Sapnarani,

 

Tantra is a device or method of awakening kundalini. All original tantra that Lord Siva declared are method of worship of shakti. Sakti resides in human body in the root chakra , and awakuining her and leading her to the crown where Siva reside is the purpose of tantra . In this process siddhis manifest as a result of development of various yogic centers in our body . Hense tantra is yoga and religion . All religions which deal with realization of god are technically tantra only. Tantras poriginal purpose is god realization amd liberation.

 

Tantra makes the creature powerful as it transforms the ordiunary sole in to god. When siddhis (Powers) develop it can be used for good or bad purpose . That solely depends on the type of person one is.

 

You need not fear it for its negative potential. All powers can be used for positive and negative ways. A knife for example could be used to cut vegitable or cut a throat of a person. Because a knife could be used to murder a person you dont blame the knif nor stop using it in your kitchen . Is int it? As long as you are clear what use you are going to put of tantra you need not fear it.

 

It is fundamentally holy. Of course it can be misused by a person who is evil. If you are not evil you have nothing to fear. You should practice it as it is very effective way for god realisization and spiritual development.

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[Sapnarani]

Dear Ravindran Ji

Jaya Siyaa Raam

Thanks for enlighten me on Tantra. What are the followings? Do the come under Tantra or just normal worship?

1. Some Mantra are done Siddh only in night.

2. Some activities are done with dead things, or in Shamshaan, with skulls etc dirty things?

3. Sometimes I have heard that somebody did Devee Poojaa wih some specific objective and that Devee asked some sacrifice from him, so either the eldest son has died, or some male member died etc etc? Does it happen in Devee worship? We

4. I read in one Puraan (I don't remember the name now) but in that one Shiv Jee tell Paarvatee Jee about the Saadhanaa of various Devee, like Bagaamukhee, Bharav, Taaraa, Kaalee, Chandikaa etc ( I don't know even names of these Devees), who are to be worshipped through some starnge materials and in various odd ways. Besides I have heard that those worship are doe with VIdhaan otherwise they may harm you, etc etc

 

Do they not come under Tantra? After hearing all this I am very frightened of Devee Poojaa, because I have not heard of all these things while worshipping other Deities. So what are they and how to differentiate this kind of Poojaa from a regular poojaa?

 

Could you clear my mind on these thoughts?

Thanks very much

Sapnarani

[arasel]

Sapnarani, there are different ways and sadhana in Tantra. The texts use sometimes the "crepuscular" or "symbolic" language. You don't need to go and meditate in cemeteries, cremation grounds or use skullcap as bowl etc. The main scope of Tantra is the inner evolution. So it's better to use mantra and yantra as methods to achieve Devi or Shakti. No need for sacrifice, those are folk-lore and you must keep away from this form of Devi worship. We are now in an age of science. No need to kill cats, etc. It is better to understand and follow the symbolic way of Tantra. Sometime in the past, a king killed people in a rite for Kali. This is a mistake. The whole tantra shows us the inner way to find God. And I really believe God don't need sacrifices. We must do austerity (tapas) as an inner path, we sacrifice our limits and bounds. No need for other external sacrifices.

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Dear Sapnarani,

I tend to agree with Arasal on tantric worship, though there are people who differ on this. My source of interpretation is the original tantric texts of Siva or arrtibuted to Siva. Tantra deals with inner transformation and hence external meaning must not attributed to the procedures. For example, in tantra there is the sanction of five articles of worship otherwise prohibited : Madhu (Liquer) , Matcha (Fish) Mamsa (meat) Mudra (Parched Grains) and Maiduna (Sexual intercourse). But the tantra texts in special chapters reveal the inner significance of these prohibited things . For example Sexual union refers to the Kundalini sakti's union with Siva in the crown of one's head . Drinking liquior actually means internally drinking the nectur that flows as a result of the kundalinis reaching the crown centre. ( Kundalini triggers a inner substance from the crown that produces a yogic estascy and bliss.)

 

Crematory refers to the eyebrow Centre . It is called Symbolically cremation ground because opening up this centre - the third eye of siva - burns up the illusory world - maya - and one sees only spiritual stuff - God - evertwhere.

 

Sacrifices of animals ( including human animal) refers to sacrifice of our low animal tentencies - lust, greed, hate, ignorance, pride, and jelosy.

 

Everything has internal meaning. The entire tantric worship deals with an inner transformation. Reading an external meaning only makes one go astray

 

You need a guru to learn the correct methood of tantric worship.

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[ravikishore]

Ravindran Sir,

 

Could you please let me know where I can get the english editions of Tripura Tapini and Bhavanopanishad?

 

Thank You Sir,

RaviKishore

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Dear Ravikishore,

Tripura Tapini upanasid is on line in english in the following web sight :

http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/tripuratapini.html

 

Bhavanopanisad is published by a number of bubl;ishers . You can get the details of bublishers from Google search.

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[Sapnarani]

Dear Ravindran Ji

Jaya Siyaa Raam

Thanks for clearing my thoughts. Still I have found that many people advise such types of procedures. It means that we cannot use those Mantra. Well, Ravindran Ji, I am looking for some Mantra whose Jaap can cure me from an incurable disease. Because it has taken toll on my movements so much that I am afraid, I am going to be bedridden very soon. That is severe arthritis. Are you aware of any such Mantra or anything which can improve my situation? If you can, please let me know. I will be very very grateful to you.

 

If you need any other details aboutme I can give it to you.

Thanks and with regards,

Sapnarani

[joesparky]

There is also a good book - secrets of tantra and mantra by dr lr chawdri

[Sapnarani]

Thanks jeosparky,

I will try to look for this book, if it can help me.

I have a couple of more questions, anybody answer them.

(1) I believe that Mantra, Stotra etc have tremendous power. I have been doing this for several months, but then why don't they work on me? Is there any thing wrong with the advice of Mantra? or in my doing those Mantra? or do they work whaenever they want to work, not all the time? What is the secret of this?

 

(2) People advise that eve if you cannot chant Mantra yourself, you may go by listening to its CDs. Purpose is only that its sound vibrarions shuld be in the environment. Now if we take this as verbatum, it means that one has to chant them a bit loudly, not in heart or not by just moving one's lips, because these wuld not create sound vibrations. HOW FAR IS THIS TRUE?

 

(3) If the Mantra are not giving the desired effect, does it mean that those Mantra are wrong for the purpose I want to use them?

 

(4) How people Siddh any Mantra? What is necessary to do that?

 

I am sure there is something wrong somewhere. What is it, I am unable to know. I request here if smebody is aware of all this, please let me know.

 

With regards

sapnarani

[Sapnarani]

Dear all,

Just now I read the following passage written by a good astrologer. This passage shows that one cannot any Mantra of his own. It means that whatever people write in books or Puraan, one cannot take them as verbatum. Then how one can find a Mantra for hisown problems? It is not easy always to find a Guru and get initiated by him to learn a Mantra; secondly it will depend on him what does he give you? YOu have no choice? Is it all true?

 

Gaayatree Mantra should not be done by anyone and at will ... Gaayatree should be given by a Guru, and should be practiced in a certain way. However during the Brahm Muhoort time, no rules apply, and if you are a Braahman, it specially becomes a obligation to perform it ...

 

Mahaa Mritunjaya Jap can be done by anyone however it should be instructed by a guru ...

 

Stotras and other Mantras like Lalitaa Sahasra Naam, Vishnu Sahasra Naam or Saundarya Laharee don't need Gurus instruction ...

 

Lastly, Mantras are only means to an end and not the end in themselves ... even Gaayatree Mantra when done correctly will only lead you to higher goals by giving you direction ...

 

Experimenting with all possible Mantras to see which suits you is not a very good method of practice ... and sometimes it can have negative effects .. especially if you are chasing Mantras like Lakshmee, or Ganapati, or the other Taantrik Mantras ... Please remember that the Taantrik Mantras that are

practiced by Taantrik are usually performed after elaborate initiations by Guru ... Tantra believes

that Mantras are more powerful than gods who preside them because by performing the Mantras you are creating an obligation for the presiding Deity to do what you want them to do ... spiritualism seeks to do the reverse of this .. that is to submit to the will of god and go where he takes you with faith and determination ....

 

With regards

sapnarani