rAjarShi on tantra

tantra - upAsanA-technique, aimed at communion with the deity. Very little darshana-like philosophy beyond it. More focused on practice.

Origins

  • shiva etc.. is said to be the ultimate source. Provides legitimacy.
    • Not some “revolt” against vedic system (see differences listed below). Eg. Feeding brAhmaNas (~ upAsakas in that age) important.
  • non-saiddhAntika stream of shaivism in kAshmIr, which focused on the bhairva arose. shakti-s started to get prominence in some substreams.
  • shAkta-tantras in the east (kAmAkhya area)

Differences

  • Differences from saiddhAntika stream - Initiation was critical in both streams. non-saiddhAntika stream focused more on individual sAdhana than temples.
  • Differences from vaidika stream
    • vaidika-adhikAra more birth based, with one initiation.
    • tAntrika-s are not as birth-based. adhikAra comes via initiation - and there are multiple levels of initiations.
    • tantra-s more suited for post-vedic changes in humans and circumstances.
    • Goal focus - possession by or union with the deity.

Classifications

  • atimArga and mantramArga (go from one mantra-sAdhanA to another) split of early shaivism
  • shaiva, shAkta, vaiShNava etc…
  • kulas
    • shrIkula
      • southern
      • Avoids 5 makAra-s by using particular substitutes (anukalpa-s).
    • kAlIkula
      • north and east

Instruction and practice

  • Specifics are important in tantra. Even with regard to numbers (extra won’t work) +++(4 Doubtful)+++.
  • Guru and initiation are very important.
  • Finding guru
    • True:lunatic/fraud ratio is like 1:4.
    • Talk to many sampradāyas - but don’t be in a hurry to take a decision.
    • Start practicing mantra-s (~1 hr daily) which don’t need initiation.
    • Multiple guru-s possible.
  • Basic jyotiSha-knowledge (esp tithi-s) is vital in sankalpa-s for sAdhanA, prayoga-s
  • AchAra progression (not necessarily in 1 lifetime)
    • vedAchAra
    • vaiShNavAchAra, shaivAchAra etc.. for initiates
    • daxiNAchAra. mantrasAdhanA, homas, tarpaNas, abhiSheka, feeding.
    • vAmAchAra. 5 makAra-s.
      • Only for adhikArins. Can harm.
      • Only for particular deities.
      • Ritual purification etc.. is needed. Not consumption based.
      • Idea is that the deity should be able to manifest in all 3 guNas (not just sattva).
    • vIrAchAra
      • Practice in liminal spaces (cremation grounds, caves, mountains etc..). Use of skulls.
  • Initiate classification
    • pashu
      • Regular vedic sAdhanA.
    • vIra
      • Most instructions aimed at them.
    • divya (already in communion with the deity)
      • No rules.
  • mantra-progressions
    • 7 crore mantras from 5 faces of shiva-s. Gives rise to AmnAya-s.
    • Guru assigns mantra practice based on practitioner condition.
    • mantra is the body/ father of the deity. Hence, for communion - purshcharaNa is important.
    • shAbara-mantras are in local languages. Work very fast - but exceptional faith required; and it should be received from an adept who is “activated”.

kuNDalinI

Bodies

  • sthUla, sUxma (“astral”), kAraNa (“causal”)
  • sUxma-sharIra.
    • Emotional body is your portal to the astral world.
    • Easy to experience. Even in dreams.
    • when you’re doing worship of a deity, you’re trying to develop the emotional body. So that it becomes more steady. It has the capacity to take the energy of the deity.
    • Has a channel called suShumna-nADi
    • Has chakras - just like a computer has ports. confluence of various multiple nadis, through which you can access various realms.
  • kAraNa-sharIra
    • Harder to experience.

Astral Domain

  • (सूक्ष्म-लोकः?)
  • Populated by beings - Some benevolent, some malevolent. Some indifferent to you.
    • gandharva-s - very knowledgeable, singers
    • kinnara-s - dancers
    • bhUta-s
    • pishAcha-s - confined to spaces, with foul odor, very negative energy.
    • rAxasa-s
    • asura-s. Great capacity for tapasya, very intelligent.
  • So, there are certain zones you would be careful of entering.
    • E.g. Burari case - malevolent entity in the form of an ancestor caused family suicide.
  • Before a deva, one of his gaNa-s make come to check someone out.

kuNDalinI

  • a divine energy that is there to a degree in every individual who is born.
  • But for 99.99% of people, it remains in a sleeping state. as long as it is sleeping, you are functioning as a well-integrated individual.

Awakening process

  • it requires a triggering state. It’s not going to happen if a comfortable lifestyle is going on. That trigger may be through stress, through pain, through something like that, through intense spiritual practices.
  • The way it arises in an individual is not going to be the same for everybody.
    • karma from past lives may be involved.
  • That power will start awakening and rising within you through a subtle “astral” channel - Sushumna Nadi.
  • it will pass through various realms, one after the other, one after the other.

Signs

  • Sudden awakening - It’s like the lightning creeper. Vidyul-latA.
  • five senses may suddenly become very sharp, one or two of them. So, you may start hearing things, you may start seeing things, you may start smelling things. Eg. kAntAra.
  • Ultimately, Avesha.
  • Normal life will go for a toss.
    • Certain Devatas - there will be an upsurge of anger because it is the nature of the deity. You’ll have to control that.
  • Deities will test you. Bring you into situations where there’ll be an easiest way to lose the energy that you build up through your practice is anger and lust.
  • If the deities are happy, they’ll show small signs that “okay, I’m here.” Eg. “I finished sadhana of Maa Tara and it went very well. I was very pleasantly surprised and very happy to see Vigraha of Maa Tara here.”
  • 2022: Definitely there is some shift that is happening. As if some of the old gods are waking up.

Technique

  • Need guidance of guru.
  • The conscious aim should not be to, I have to awaken the Kundalini, because that is disastrous.
  • Instead try to connect to a devatA. Bhakti. Initial stages bhakti will not be perfect. So, you do processes. And as Bhakti becomes purer, that will trigger these things.
  • Avesha happens little bit in nyAsa.
  • When dealing with fierce devatA-s, include parivAra-devatA-s - to manage anger etc.. That is why in Shakti upasana, worship of Shiva becomes very important.
  • mbition in the spiritual field is perfectly all right, greed is not.

Teachers

  • Siddha-puruSha-s are almost like deva-s. If you are up to 60-65 (out of 100) only, You will already become pretty well known and famous. But beyond 60, beyond 70, beyond 80, those who go, they normally do not, they keep themselves very wrapped.
  • uttara-sAdhakas can be helpful as well.

maithuna

  • Celibacy has its power. So does well channelled (not unrestricted) release.
    • During sankalpa-pUrvakAnuShThAna, there is celibacy and japa. But eventually lust and anger increase - power builds up beyond capacity - so there is forced loss of power anyway. Excessive guilt is no good either.
    • kAma can’t be destroyed - shiva revived him with an invisible body in kAmAkhya.
    • Unrestricted maithuna (partnered or self) is also not condusive to sAdhanA.
      • Could be a pitR, not taking rebirth - might need to do ritual in the right kShetra.
    • Use common sense, balance.
  • Requirements
    • upAsana should be the major goal.
    • Proper partners - compatible.
      • The skilled can identify the latent mahAvidyA in women.
      • Partners usually currently married; earlier there were maNDali-s of roving yoginI-s / bhairavI-s and yogin-s / bhairava-s .
    • Proper initiations
    • Proper practice
      • Lakhs of mantra-japas
      • nyAsa-s and mantra-japas during maithuna
      • mantra-chaitanya-peak coincides with physical peak.
  • Failure
    • Merely imbibing each others’ karma. Bhoga. Defamation of spiritual practice.
  • Successful Result
    • mahAbhAva-samAdhi - Close identification with the deity. Loose track of time. Doubling of power.
  • Anecdotes from tantrAbhilAshir sAdhu-sanga
    • Authoer was a skeptical sketcher from a vaidika family.
    • bakreshvar pITha in banga - was famous for vIrAchAra-sAdhana.
    • Advanced aghorI from south in cremation ground who eats human brain matter with rice once in 3 days, revered by the Doms, supposedly telepathically called a bunch of vIra-s for chakrAnuShThAna on amAvAsyA.
      • chakreshvara and chakreshvarI in the center.
      • In a circle: bhairava-s paired with bhairavI-s in perfect coordination (tested 3-4 times). Seating as per shakti, not jAti etc..
      • pancha-makAropAsana one after another; with rituals and japa. (The fifth can be done by each pair in privacy.)
      • 1 hour japa and nyAsa on the chakreshvarI, after which she sits on his lap in a specific mudrA.
      • In a lightening flash, the hidden author, sees shiva and pArvatI instead of chakreshvara and chakreshvarI, and faints; wakes up next afternoon to a Dom sprinkling water on him.