What is Tantra? By Sastri-ji

April 6, 2009

Last year, Sastri-ji had posted to this list an article about Tantra. After

getting Sastri-ji's permission, I had it in my notes to upload it when time

permitted. So now it is up on the site. It is a short article titled, " What

is Tantra? " and suitable for a brief and easy introduction to the topic.

what-is-tantra-by-sri-sn-sastri

Namaste and love to all

Yours in Bhagavan

Harsha

advaitin [advaitin ] On Behalf

Of bengt.frost

Sunday, April 05, 2009 6:28 PM

advaitin

Re: The Method of Advaita Vedanta

Dear Ramakrishna,

Sri Vasudevacharya (formally Dr. Michael Comans) explanations of Advaita

concepts,

doctrines and interpretations of texts in his book seems very clarifying and

are

hopefully not " deceptive " . No doubt about it - this book looks very

promising...

Dhanyavaadaha

Yours in Bhagavan

-- Bengt Frost

advaitin , " Ramakrishna Upadrasta " <uramakrishna

wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> I have read only one of the books that you have asked about.

>

> > The Method of Early Advaita Vedanta: A Study of Gaudapada, Sankara,

> > Suresvara and Padmapada by Michael Comans.

>

> http://www.amazon.com/Method-Early-Advaita-Vedanta-Gaudapada/dp/8120817222

>

> I have read this book and I wholly recommend it. It is seemingly easy at

> places but perhaps the easiness is deceptive. The arguments which Michael

> Comans makes are very powerful and the terms he introduces are very

precise,

> which is not surprising considering that he is a student of Swami

Dayananda.

>

> Many of the clarifications he gives are enlightening and very much

> applicable to the " avidya controversy " . I completely agree with

Dennis-ji's

> amazon review for the book, when he says the following: " ... It does seem

> that, as soon as you look in greater detail into something that you

thought

> you understood, you discover that there is much more to it than you had

> thought and perhaps you didn't understand it properly after all.... "

>

> On a similar note, can anyone point to any location where can someone find

> Doherty's thesis? I have read the following paper (and can pass it to

anyone

> interested, please send me an email), but want to see what is in her

thesis

> that is not already covered in the paper.

>

> http://www.springerlink.com/content/n46p4g760q053765/

>

> praNAms to all Advaitins,

> Ramakrishna

>

---

April 7, 2009

Dear sir,

The statement is verily true that tantra has its presence in Veda. The *sanketa

paddhati* or the *symbolism* in Veda in Tantra.

However the statement " srutih dwividha proktau vaidiki tantriki cha " may not

taste well for the hardcore smartas. This was the utterence of Kulluka Bhatta

who observed the Sruti from different angle.

For him, the sruti meant mantra shastra and hence he said that there are vaidika

mantras and tantrika mantras. But, if we analyse the sruti, perse, it is

*apaursheya* and *svatah pramana* (intrinsically self-valid and independant)

whereas the Agama is *paratah pramana*.

Also, the article says that Sir John Woodroofe is an " authority " in tantra

shastra. No doubt, he was a good scholar and brought into limelight some of the

wonderful tantras to the posterity. But some of his musings on on

*Kamakalavilasa* cannot be digested by traditional Indian scholars of Tantra.

By the way, the word *tantra* has its origin from the root *tan*. The vyutpatti

is *tanyate vistaryate jnanam iti tantrah* ie., that which widens and enhances

our knowledge is tantra. Also, tantra has a characteristic of having inter-woven

thought processess with its root in a single cardinal principle. Just as the

cloth is woven using the threads, tantra encompasses in The objective of the

tantra is to maintain *secrecy* or *guptatva* or *rahasya*. There is a rk in

veda which says " paroksha priya hi deva, pratyaksha dvishah "

which means that " Gods prefer what is Secret and dislike what is obvious " . So,

it is this " secrecy " or " gUdhatva " that has to be unraveled and the " spiritual

teaching " behind this secrecy has to be discovered by sitting at the feet of

realized master.

The " secrecy " or " rahasya " has been maintained in Tantra in 6 different ways.

They are:

1) Names of Devata (devata nama) 2) Ayudhas of Devatha (weapons of the deity) 3)

Vehicles (vahana) of Devata 4) Devata murthi (sthula) (forms of devata) 5)

Mantra Uddhara and Varna Sankhya of the Devata (number of letters and syllables

in the mantra of the devata) 6) Twisting and jumbling of Devata Name.

Using these above ways of " secrecy " , the tantrics have used " SANKETHA

VIDYA " and intentionally and purposefully made certain principles

a " SECRET " . They have 1) changed the form of word, twisted and jumbled keeping

in view of the original meaning of the word 2) changed the form of word, twisted

and jumbled the word and purposefully " camouflaging the meaning of the word " .

In the Tantra, " bhaga " implies several meanings like yoni, trikona

(triangle), sakthi etc. Sankara Bhagavatpada in his commentary on

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad defines yoni as " adhara " / " asraya " which is

otherwise called the substratum or base. Triputi (triad) of Jnatr,

Jnana and Jneya is represented in the form of " downward triangle " which is the

Kamakala or the Aham of Siva. This triad or triputi is

called " Bhaga " . Yoni also means the same thing. The tantrics have

camouflaged the meaning by denoting the letter " E " with the tantric

script " downward triangle " . " trikona rupini sakthih " and " bindu rupah

sivah smritah " says the tantra. So, the trikona or triangle is

comprehended as Sakthi and Bindu or circle is understood as Siva.

So, the tantra codifies the Absolute Principle as a *circle* and the

Consciousness associated with it as *triangle* which is the basis of

existence. And hence, the Sriyantra which is the symbolic representation of

cosmos is represented as intersection of circle and triangle - a union of Siva

(absolute principle) and sakti (consciousness).

Also, the episode of Daksha Yajna (destruction of Daksha Sacrifice) has esoteric

principle of Matrika vyavastha.

The Rg mantra " aditerdaksho ajayata dakshatvaditih " (Rg Veda : 1st

Mandala 1st suktha - 166 mantra) is to be correlated with the same Devi again

being born as Dakshayani (Daksha Kanya). This Daksha Kanya is of the form of

Vak. After her immolation, this Vak is been split into 50 parts as 50 matrikas

which is Jagat Srushti. The Saktha Pitas are the symbolic representation of 50

matrikas.

Even the father of Devi who is called " Himavan " or " Himagiri " is

denoted as Parvata or Mountain. In vedic symbolism, Parvatha is

denoted as " megha " . Parvatha is also called Giri. Giri also called

Vak or Veda. So, Himagiri is also called " Effulgent Vak " or " Parama

Vyoma " . Parvatha-tanaya is Parvathi which is Vak Swarupini. She is

Haimavathi. Parvathi or Haimavathi is the Uma Devi in form of

effulgent and resplendent Vak (Pranava Swarupini – the word UMA has

been derived from OM). Hence, Indra in Keno Upanishad exclaims in

ecstasy as " umaam haimavathim bahushobhamanaa " .

Infact Vak and its Matrikas has been revealed to the posterity by tantrics

during the period of post-daksha yajna. Prior to this episode, the Devi was

worshipped as Chit Kala in the

state of Non-objective Bliss. This was also the notion of Mahakavi

Kalidas which he mentions in " Kumara Sambhava " . He says that

Haimavathi or Parvathi was being worshipped as Vak as " Nirvishaya Jnana

Swarupini " " Non-objective Bliss " which is non-separable from Artha (Parama Siva)

prior to the Daksha Sacrifice. Before this Daksha

Sacrifice episode, the Devi was worshipped as Nirvishaya Tattva but the upasana

of Vak in the form of Matrikas was the tantric concept which was formulated

after this episode. Entire Matrika Vyavastha was

visualized by vedic seers and tantrics only after the episode of

distribution of 50 parts of the body of Sati in the country which came to be

known as " SAKTHA PITAS " .

The episode of Dakshayani in the form of Sati immolating herself in the homa

kunda, and her body being cut into 50 parts and these 50 parts of her body

falling all over the country is the tantric aspect of formulation of Matrikas

which was a REVELETION in Srividya upasana.

So, Devi in the form of Avyaktha Tattva with Paramapurusha took the

birth the form of Vyaktha Vak as Dakshayani. This Vak is Sati who is

ever-united with Siva. Disappearance of Sati is her lila ie., she is

not visible to physical eyes but only through yogic eyes. Sati is ever-united

with Siva inspite of her disappearance. This Vak got split itself into 50

MATRIKAS as 50 SAKTHA PITAS.

The father of Haimavati is Himavan which represents " vyoma " tattva (as per

Ganapati Muni). Whereas my gurunatha interprets this as " effulgent Vak " .

Haimavati is the tattva that is pranava-pratipaadya. She is also called Parvathi

(Parvata-tanaya). Parvata is also called Veda, Pranava, Vak, Vyoma. These are

synonyms.

And this episode of " immolation of Sati and severing her body into 50 parts " was

a revelation and break-through among the vedic seers and tantrics in visualizing

the Vak and its Matrika Vyavastha in the form of 50 shaktha peetas.

This entire episode is just the Divine Sport of Devi. And hence, she

is called " dakshaprajapathi sutha veshaadyayai namo namah " .

With regards,

Sriram

, " srinivasrao197080 "

<srinivasrao197080 wrote:

>

> Dear sriram

>

> Goodmorning. In your mail, you have mentioned a term " vedic

symbolism " .

> Is this in any way related to " Rahasya or Gopya " (secrecy) in tantra.

>

> There are certain words in tantra that have to be understood from

guru

> like certain words " bhaga " , " yoni " etc. I have understood what the

> term " yoni " means. It is the kamakala akshara swarupa and its tantric

> script is " downward triangle " . Even i have heard that the

> mythological episode " daksha yajna " is related to tantra and veda. If

> yes, in what way.

>

> S.Rao

>

The mythological episode of " daksha sacrifice " is also a secret of

tantra and veda. Some of the aspects of this sacrifice is also

mentioned in Veda. It says that devatas had performed the sacrifice

without the presence of Rudra. Instead the Pushan (the Rg Vedic God of

Agriculture and bestower of Strength) was to partake the havis and

instead broke his tooth (something that resembles with the breaking of

the tooth of Sun by Virabhadra).

The " avyaktha paramapurusha " has become " vyktha purusha " with a sense

of I-ness which is the cause of creation. This " vyaktha purusha " is

called Daksha. Rg Veda visualizes " Daksha " as the " first born being "

or the " first born jiva " in the form of " prajapathi " . The 1st mandala

of Rg Veda says that " non-being and being are in the highest heavens " .

Parama Purusha resides in " parama vyoma " / highest heavens and vyaktha

purusha in the form of Daksha resides in `vyoma' or `akasa'. Devi

Dakshayani is born to this Prajapathi Daksha.

The undifferentiated prakriti that is with purusha is called Satyah.

The prathama vibhakti in singular form of " satyah " is addressed

as " sati " . Satyah denotes the omnipresent sakthi in un-differentiated

state with Paramapurusha. So, " sati " is also omnipresent and ever-

united with Paramapurusha rupa Siva. The rg veda says

that " aditerdaksho ajayata dakshatvaditih " . The mother of

devatas `Aditi' is born again as `Aditi' from Daksha. So, it is the

Devi which was in un-differentiated state with Purusha was born as

Dakshayani – the Daksha Kanya. Her disappearance in the form of Yoga

Agni is the symbolic representation to denote that " she is always

present in the form of Chit but only visible to yogic eye " .

So, the Rg mantra " aditerdaksho ajayata dakshatvaditih " (Rg Veda : 1st Mandala

1st suktha - 166 mantra) is to be correlated with the same Devi again being born

as Dakshayani (Daksha Kanya). This Daksha Kanya is of the form of Vak. After her

immolation, this Vak is been split into 50 parts as 50 matrikas which is Jagat

Srushti. The Saktha Pitas are the symbolic representation of 50 matrikas.