The Advaitist

Shiva Tantra ( Sanskrit: शिव तन्त्र , Bengali: শিব তন্ত্র ), also known as Agama Shastra (आगम शास्त्र / আগম শাস্ত্র), is the religious literature associated with the Pashupata school of Shaivism as discussed earlier. The Shiva Tantra texts contain guidelines for worship and rituals, prayogas using various mantra, holy places, festivals, philosophy and spirituality and temple building. Pashupata was the oldest form of Shaiva Tantra prevalent in Northern India during latter Mahabharata times and is also known as Agamanta Shaivism. As per the Mahabharata, the Pashupata Shaivism doctrine of Tantra was first proclaimed by Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha (Sanskrit: भगवत् श्रीकण्ठनाथ, Bengali: ভগবত্ শ্রীকণ্ঠনাথ ) As per P C Bagchi's research, there were 18 or 28 Shiva Tantra texts depending on different traditions. Shiva Tantra Texts based on Rudra Tradition The 18 Shiva Tantra texts are also known as Agama Shastra . As per Nishvasa Agama or Nishvasa Tantra, these 18 S...

What is Agama Shastra? As discussed earlier , Pashupata school of Shaivism had a large number of texts known as Agama Shastra (Sanskrit: आगम शास्त्र, Bengali: আগম শাস্ত্র), preserved manuscripts of which are dated to 700 to 800 AD. Agama Shastra contain guidelines for worship and rituals, philosophy and spirituality and temple building. Pashupata was the oldest form of Shaiva Tantra prevalent in Northern India during latter Mahabharata times and is also known as Agamanta Shaivism. As per the Mahabharata, the Pashupata Shaivism doctrine of Tantra was first proclaimed by Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha (Sanskrit: भगवत् श्रीकण्ठनाथ, Bengali: ভগবত্ শ্রীকণ্ঠনাথ ) As per P C Bagchi's research, there were 18 or 28 Agama Shastra texts. Agama Shastra Texts The 18 Agama Shastra texts are also known as Shiva Tantra. As per Nishvasa Agama or Nishvasa Tantra, these 18 Shiva Tantra texts are traditionally believed to be transmitted by Rudra and hence also known as Rudragama / रुद्राग...

Image Source : All rights reserved by Mariska Caroline As per the Mahabharata, the Pashupata Shaivism doctrine of Tantra was first proclaimed by Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha (Sanskrit: भगवत् श्रीकण्ठनाथ, Bengali: ভগবত্ শ্রীকণ্ঠনাথ ) Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha was also the author of Pingalamata Tantra, a manuscript dated 1174 which is preserved in Nepal. Pashupata was the oldest form of Shaiva Tantra prevalent in Northern India during latter Mahabharata times and is also known as Agamanta Shaivism. This school of Shavisim had a large number of texts known as Agamas, preserved manuscripts of which are dated to 700 to 800 AD. Date of Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha Lakulisha was a disciple of  Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha. Lakulisha and his 4 disciples Kushika, Garga, Mitra and Kaurushya are mentioned in an inscription of Chandragupta II (400 AD) of the Gupta Dynasty . " Lakulisha Badami " by Corinna Wessels-Mevissen, Germany - personal e-mail. Licensed under CC BY-...

Sharada Tilaka Tantra/ शारदातिलकतन्त्र / শারদাতিলক তন্ত্রম্ Chapter 1 Discusses cosmogony and embryology 1. Definition of mahaH / shabda brahmaNa 2. Process of creation - bindu, nADa, shabda brahmaNa Chapter 2 1. Evolution of cosmic sound 2. mantravAda 3. Definition of a good guru and shishya Chapter 3 Rites to be performed before initiation like vAsty-yAga, site selction for maNDapa, its construction, directions on how to draw yantra etc Chpater 4 Discusses all aspects of initiation Chapter 5 1. Initiation 2. homa Chapter 6 Meditation on alphabet and its deities a. devI mAtRRikA or sarasvatI b. dhyAna of shAradA, ardhanArIshavara etc c. importance of brAhmI sAga Chapter 7 Meditation on alphabet and its deities a. bhUtalipi mantra b. lipitaru c. viyat yantra, vAyaviya yantra etc d. Rules of conduct of worshipper of Sarasvati Chapter 8 lakShmI a.5 dhyana mantras and associated rules, yantras b.Rules of conduct of worshipper of Lakshmi Chapter...

Prapanchasara tantra / प्रपञ्चसार तन्त्र / প্রপঞ্চসার তন্ত্র The Prapanchasara Tantra is a celebrated Tantrik text generally attributed to Shri Shankaracharya . Prapancha means the 5 basic elements of our Universe - Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Prapanchasara Tantra is therefore the Science of the Essence of the 5 Basic Elemental Principles. Prapanchasara is an authoritative Tantra text. It is cited as such by Raghava Bhatta, who wrote the famed commentary (Bhashya) on Sharadatilaka Tantra , authored by Lakshmanacharya. It is referred by Kalicharana in his notes on the ShatChakara-nirupana. Commentaries of Prapanchasara Tantra include. Prapanchasara Sambandha Dipika Prapanchasara Vivarana Prapanchasara Sarasangraha Below is a summary of Prapanchasara Tantra. In order to download please visit DLI website . Chapter 1 1. Deals with the origin of the world and the nature of existence 2. Discussion on the two basic principles - Purusha and Prakriti 3. Discu...

Tantra: "Scripture by which knowledge is spread". In this post I will give an introduction to Tantra, which is a scared system of religion and philosophy, and an integral part of Hinduism. What Tantra Is First let us be very clear on what Tantra is and is not. Trantra/ Agamas are a broad class of religious Hindu works. They are mostly based on the Vedas and accept the authority of the Vedas. They contain philosophical speculation as well as concrete practices to apply the philosophy. The practices are quite elegant and elevating in many instances. However in some cases, and not all, these practices have taken hideous forms as those mentioned above. But the essential philosophy is more or less in harmony with the Vedic World View. The difference with respect to Vedas lies in some of the methods and subtle points of differences in philosophy. In terms of applicability to ages of Hindu thought development, they follow the sequence: 1. Sruti for the First Age 2...

1. pichumata from brahmayAmala 2. pi~Ngalamata from brahmayAmala (supposedly) 3. uttaratantra of rudrayAmala 4. anuttaratantra from rudrayAmala 5. Anandagahavara or AnandashAsana 6. dixottara 7. trishirobhairava 8. yogasaMchAra 9. vIrAvali 10. ratnamAlA 11. mAdhvakula 12. UrmishAstra 13. gamashAstra 14. kulakrIDAvatAra

Some of the common list of Yamalas derived from sources like Brahma Yamala, Vidyananda, Tantrachintamani and Jayaratha: 1. Brahma Yamala 2. Vishnu Yamala 3. Rudra Yamala 4. Skanda Yamala 5. Svachchanda Yamala 6. Ruru Yamala 7. Jayadhrata Yamala 8. Siddha Yamala 9. Atharvana Yamala 10. Yama Yamala 11. Vayu Yamala 12. Uma Yamala 13. Devi Yamala 14. Vetala Yamala 15. Kubera Yamala 16. Indra Yamala 17. Lakshmi Yamala 18. Ganesh Yamala 19. Chandra Yamala 20. Shakti Yamala

The term yAmala denotes the primeval non-dual state of Shiva and Shakti. Achievement of this Unity is the ultimate goal of the Tanntric sAdhaka. As per Goudriann (Page 40), Yamalas can be distinguished from other works based on certain characteristics: a. most Yamalas were typically Bhairava-tantras characterized by the development of Shakta tendencies within Shaivism b. While Yamalas in principle describe the bi-polarity of Shiva and Shakti, the Shakta Tantra focus on a particular Shakti c. The subjects described in the Yamalas as well as their tone is markedly different from those of the general Shaiva Agamas However there are exceptions to each of these three rules.

1. Amritesha Tantra, or Netra Tantra 2. Netragyanarnava Tantra 3. Nishvasa Tattva Samhita 4. Bhairavi Shikha Tantra (lost) 5. Vina Shikha Tantra (lost) 6. Vinamani Shikha Tantra (lost) 7. Sammohana Shikha Tantra (lost) 8. Damara Shikha Tantra (lost) 9. Atharvaka Shikha Tantra (lost) 10. Kabandha Shikha Tantra (lost) 11. Shirascheda Tantra (lost) 12. Nandi Shikha Tantra (fragmentary) 13. Bharga Shikha Tantra (fragmentary) 14. Kabandha Shikha Tantra (fragmentary) 15. Kalottara Tantra 16. Sarva Gyanottara Tantra 17. Kriya Kala Gunottara Tantra 18. Lingarchana Tantra Next

The Kashmiri Shaivas considered the GYAna part of the southern Shaiva Agamas as authoritative. However they were reluctant to accept any dualist or pluralist standpoint. The northern Shaivas were reluctant to over-emphasize on rituals like the Southern traditionalists did. The form of the Shaiva Tantras are more diversified than the Agamas. Another distinguishing feature of the Norther Shaiva Tantric literature is the attention given to the notion of Shakti. Next

The terms Tantra and Agama are used interchangeably although there are some differences between them. The Shaiva Agamas especially in South India, although containing Tantric elements,  focus more on practical matters like: a. regular worship, ritual procedures and religious behaviors b. temple construction c. installation of images The Shaiva Tantras, although describing the ritualistic elements, tend to focus more on: a. metaphysical speculation b. devotees personal religious experience c. release from bonding d. gaining supernatural faculties Next

As per Tantra, one can start sAdhanA only when initiated by the guru. Female gurus are generally preferred, especially one's mother. Diksha or initiation is an extremely important part of the sAdhana process. It is of two kinds: a. bahirdIkShA - consisting of external rites b. anataradIkShA - consisting of the awakening of kuNDalinI

The human body is thought to consist of 6 nerve-plexuses, or centers of spiritual energy. 1. mUlAdhAra (4 petals) - located in the lowest part of the spinal cord 2. svAdhiShThAna (6 petals) - above the mUlAdhAra but below the navel 3. maNipurA (10 petals) - in the navel 4. anAhata (12 petals) - in the heart 5. vishuddha (16 petals) - in the neck 6. AGYA - (2 petals) between the eyebrows Kundalini is the vital energy, in the form of a coil, located at the mUlAdhAra. It is believed to be a latent energy existing in a potential state (Shakti). One of the key goals of a sAdhaka is to convert this latent kunDalinI (awaken the serpent) and to cuase it to move upwards along the sushumnA nADI and passing through the six chakras to reach the crown of the head where Shiva resides (sahasrAra padma).

Tantra postulates that the human body has numerous nADI-s or arteries/ veins or ducts/ channels of flow. According to tShiva Samhita, there are fourteen principal nadis. There are supposed to be a total of 72,000 nADI-s as per one tradition, of which 72 are common and generally known. The three most important nADI-s are: 1. iDA - left of spinal cord 2. pingalA - right of the spinal cord 3. sushumnA - it is the central channel extending from mUlAdhAra to brahmarandhra Other important nADI-s are: 4. Gandhari 5. Hastijihva 6. Pusa 7. Yasavini 8. Alambusha 9. Kuhuh 10. Shankini 11. Payasvini 12. Varuni 13. Vishvodhara 14. Saraswati

Tantra divides the human body into five planes (kosha) each more subtle than the previous: 1. annamaya - the gross body which subsists on food 2. prANamaya - the vital plane of life breath 3. manomaya - the mental plane 4. viGYAnamaya - the plane  of Consciousness 5. Anandamaya - the plane of supreme bliss The imagery generally used with the koshas is that of sleep: 1. In deep sleep, the Anandamaya kosha is what stands between the finite world and the Self 2. viGYAnamaya is associated with organs of perception - when somebody is about to wake up, it comes in between the Anandamaya and the finite world 3. manomaya - the separation of I and mine - when somebody is waking, the manomaya plane causes the separation of I and mine. 4. pranamaya kosha - that which makes one realize that he is alive - he exists 5. annnamaya kosha - the awake state

Magical Practices are known as saT karma. Typically they are in relation to: 1. mAraNa - killing 2. stambhana - paralyzing 3. uchchATana - expulsion 4. vashIkarana - similar to hypnotizing and bringing under control 5. vidveShane - causing hatred 6. shAnti - peace Previous   Next

The contents of Tantric literature  can be broadly divided into three categories: a. Philosophical/ Spiritual/ Metaphysical - GYAna and yoga b. Practical aspects - kriyA (rules for constructing temples, idols) c. Popular aspects - charyA (rules about rituals, social duties) i. mantra - incantations, spells ii. mudrA - different postures of hands and fingers iii. maNDala and yantra - diagrams iv. nyAsa - association of deities with different body parts Previous   Next

Some characteristics of Tantra: a. They accept Vedas as authorities b. They are not in opposition to the six Darshanas c. They are supposed to provide salvation to man in the present age (Kali Yuga) d. They provide not only the principles but also the basis for experience, that is, theory and experiment e. They are divided into three main groups: Shiva, Shakti and Vishnu There are 28 Shaiva  Agamas. Previous    Next

As per Tantric tradition, India is divided into three regions: a. Vishnukranta - East India b. Rathakranta - North India c. Ashvakranta - South India Sixty four Tantras are assigned to  each region. Tantras can be classified as: a. Abheda - Non-dualism b. Bheda - Dualism c. Bhedabheda - Both dualism and non-dualism A Tantra is said to consist of seven topics: a. Creation b. Destruction of the Universe c. Worship d. Spiritual Exercises e. Rituals and Ceremonies f. Six actions g. Meditation Previous   Next