Tantra
The most fearsome path of Indian Philosophy or rather would say, the tantra is part of every religion, cult, or clan existed on this earth in past, now or going to reveal in future. Tantra is a system – so much basic that no one afford to ignore it, but feared to embrace it in broad day light.
Everyone attracted to Tantric practices but no one wanted to admit it openly because of two reasons. First, the path was abandoned before centuries and shrunk to minimal practitioners, that too, none could identify authentic practitioner to false one. Second, the influence of other religions who were technically depended upon the Tantra for their survival but refused to admit it. Not even that, they slander the people who even showed slightest interest in Tantra practice. The Aghoris, Kapalikas, Lingayatas, Tantrikas, Mantrikas, Dashnamis, Sanatanis, ‘everyone has their different rituals and practices to attend the final salvation, but sometimes the procedure itself becomes so much interested that in order to prevent it- so non deserving people should not pursue and misuse it- many simultaneous rituals emerged which main intention was to shield and protect the core-essence of original ‘Sadhna’.
Here two things needed to be clarified.
‘Sadhna’ and ‘Upasana’ are two distinguished features, seems intertwined but they are completely different in many ways. While Upasana that follows mainly endless rituals, dualities, sacrifices, ceremonial offerings and invoke the rites, on the other hand, the Sadhna is chiefly self- practiced and always done in solitude. Sadhna is completely individual and can be addressed as Self- Discovery. That’s why when at once, Daxinacharis, Samayikas, and Sanatanis have cultivated many ways of worshipping endless Gods, Goddesses and Deities in Hindu religion, at the same time Vamacharis, Kaulacharis, Kapalikas, Aghories and Tantrikas ignored the established and more easy path of worship to attain the Nivvana, but developed more harsh, ruthless and straight path that we can cumulatively call TANTRA today.
Tantra never been detached from the Yoga, so a Tantracharya supposed to be a Yogacharya as both are seeking the ‘Ultimate Union’ with the Divinity. That’s why many Tantric sects and cults established on base of different Yogic Disciplines. Adi Shankaracharya is base example of this belief as he took significant efforts to merge the Yogic and Tantric Philosophies together and today it is difficult to separate both Yoga and ‘Shuddh Tantra’ effectively. Here it is noticeable that ‘Shudhh Tantra’ means ‘A System’ of the ‘Primordial Establishment’ or let it call ‘Primary Universe’ for safe understanding. Later, as it was happened with almost all world religions, sects, and philosophies, the purity of Tantra was corrupted by interpolation, misguidance, mundane gains, greed of power, lust and luxuries and above all endless (or rather would say baseless) search of immortality, stop aging process and different set of achievements -mainly produced to impress or empower week people’s psychology and succumb them in front of practitioners.
The Tantra and Yoga both are originated from ‘Institutions of ‘Sadashiva’ while Karmic Rituals and Offerings followed by thorough worshipping manuals were came from ‘Institution of Vasudeva’ and with passing time they are mingled at some point and separated later. It completely depends upon at what particular time which kind of political support they both individually got.
Today, we can see that Aghoris, to Tantra practitioners all are outcast, distanced with fear by laymen and mainly associated with Black Magic which was also undetached part of Tantra of course, but mainly invented for self-defense than to harm others.
It is high time to unfold the centuries old ‘Truth’ and unleash those binding threads that harnessed the power of real ‘Tatra’. The Yantra, Tantra and Mantra were originated together to complete the establishment and they together needed to be addressed justifiably.
In Tantra books and scrolls many harsh rituals mentioned that need to learn while empowering the Tantric ways, the laymen found it disgusting and unbearable. Let it be the Shav Sadhana (Dead body worshipping), sometimes copulate with dead body too, Yoni Pooja (Virgin’s Vagina Worship), Drinking the blood, eating the rotten meat and human flesh, eating or smearing excreta and feces on others and own’ body, and many unspeakable things which brought nausea for commoners even while they think about it.
The outer appearance of devotees of Tantra also played major role to ostracize them from modern society and forced them to either live in seclude areas like forests and caves. Those who did not want to abandon the society, choose to carry dual identities and hide their practice in darkness of nights. The cremated ash smeared faces, blood-shot eyes, matted hair, disgusting and foul body odour, always carried animal skin and limbs along with, obscene language and intolerant behaviour added further fuel to let simple minded and God feared people kept fair distance from them.
It looks quite plausible and welcoming for established practitioners and their apprentices that they could have no disturbance of outer world and continue what they want to do behind the scary walls, but as the centuries passed the misunderstanding got thickened about those murky, shabby, loinclothed or completely naked, fearsome worshippers and with these two things happened that have changed the real format of Tantra up to certain extent.
- The dedicated, knowledgeable, and true Tantra knowers detached themselves completely from the world and let the people harbour any, many ideas and false imaginations about them. They are still continuing their searches, discoveries and researches in their own way without any outer hindrance.
- The imposters with all kind of false promises emerged from nowhere and divided in two parts. There are who exactly looked alike and behaved like True Tantrikas while the others merged themselves amongst the common people and offer their hands to play black magic for exorcism to mundane luxuries. Both promised to upgrade the livelihood of those commoners, but at the end, satisfy their own needs and greed only.
This ultimately takes high toll on true seekers and curious people who really wanted to know the real Dharma and wanted to see it collectively in its grandeur. The Sanatana Dharma has multifaceted and complex parts mainly contain Ashtanga Yoga, Philosophy, Worship, Devotion, Karma (Rituals), Meditation, Donations, Tantra and so on. Each has their own philosophy, their own conduct and leaving any major part behind would not let the seeker see the holistic picture of how magnificent the Hindu Dharma was once upon a time.
At last, I have a word of advice for all seekers who really wanted to submerge their own detached self again in the ocean named Parmatma, must follow their own heart, because your never heart never lies to you. The Whole intention of ‘ShriYoga’ and ‘ShriTvam’ is this only.
“ShivaSankalpmAstu”.
ॐ नम: श्रीशंभवे स्वात्मानंदप्रकाशवपुषे ।
अथ
चैतन्यम आत्मा।
ज्ञानं बंध:।
योनिवर्ग कलाशरीरं।
उद्यमो भैरव:।
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