Sahajiya

Religious community originating in
medieval Bengal. The Sahajiyas synthesize devotional practices to the god
Vishnu and the ritual practices of the
secret tradition known as tantra, particularly the extreme practices associated
with the “left-hand” (vamachara) tradition of tantra. The name sahajiya comes
from the word sahaja (“natural” or
“spontaneous”), indicating the group’s
belief that one’s natural passions, qualities, and tendencies should not be suppressed but should be channeled to help
one gain final liberation of the soul
(moksha). Over this foundation of
tantric ritual practice was added the
devotion to the god Krishna and his
consort Radha, a devotional thrust
strongly influenced by the Gaudiya
Vaishnava religious community, founded
by the Bengali saint Chaitanya. For further information see Shashibhushan B.
Dasgupta, Obscure Religious Cults, 1962;
and Edward C. Dimock Jr., The Place of
the Hidden Moon, 1989.