Tantra

Dr. Parimal Devnath,

12B174, Valvan, Lonavla,

Pune (India) 410403.

 

 

Etymology

The word Tantra has been derived from the root ‘tanu vistaare’ which means ‘to spread’— tanyate vistaaryate jnaanam iti tantram— wisdom can be expanded and also thus gained through Tantra.

Some derive the word from ‘tantu’ meaning body.  Others derive it from ‘trai’ ‘to save’ as the followers of this science are protected.  Yet there is another way to derive it from the root ‘tantri’ (to explain)  or ‘tatri’ (to understand).

Kaamikaagama Tantra holds, ‘A vast meaning is still enlarged with profound depth which comprise tatva and mantra.  This saves one from ignorance.  That is why it is called Tantra’.

 

Various meanings of the word found in dictionaries may be noted as ‘siddhaanta’ (a doctrine, conclusion), shruti-shaakhaa (a branch of shruti), iti-kartavyataa (prescribed duties), prabandha  (composition), shaastra-visheesha  (a specific science).

In the Rigveda—X.71.9, Atharva-veda—X.7.42  and also in Shatapatha-braahmana—11.5.5.3  tantra has been used to mean a weaving machine or a loom.

This word has also been used to denote a ‘system of philosophy’.  For example, kapilasya tantram,   that is, Saankhya of Kapila is called  tantra.  Even Ayurvedika work of Agnivesha is known as Agnivesha-tantra.

          Certain traditions of Yoga interpret Tantra as ‘network of Praana’ that pervades the entire human body. And this understanding shapes up their practice of Yoga with greater emphasis on practice of Pranayama to achieve higher goals.

Union of Shiva and Shakti is considered as the finest meaning of Tantra.

Extant

Tantra is too big a subject to contain in a satisfactory manner.  It has innumerable shades and dimensions.  Tantra has influenced the entire range of Indian thought, spiritual practices, cults, sects and sub-sects, religion, rituals etc. It is considered to be most primitive in nature as well as refined and sophisticated and also sometimes very crude and coarse. 

 

The vast literature (number of which runs into crores, innumerable) of Tantra took several centuries to expand.  The extant of ‘Tantra literature’ may be classified broadly into the following four categories:

i)  Aagama, ii)  daamara, iii)  yaamala, and iv)  tantra.

Tantra is also called as Aagama (while the Vedas are called Nigama).

 

Antiquity

Antiquity of Tantra is very much shrouded in mystery of time.  It is almost impossible to ascertain a date of origination of Tantra.  In some of the ancient works, Tantra  has been given the status of Shruti.  Kallukabhatta while commenting on Manusmriti—II.1  quotes Haarita:

Shrutis  are of two types,  vaidiki  and taantriki.

Some remote traces of Tantra may be found in the Atharva-veda through abhicaarika practices suggested  to cause harm to others by use of incantation and the like.  The mystic sound of ‘phat’ is found in Vaajasaneyi-samhitaa and Apastamba-Shrauta-sutra.

Mahaanirvaana Tantra says that during Kaliyuga, people would not know the difference between ‘purity’ and ‘impurity’.  For educating such people and also to uplift them, Shiva out of His grace, has given the knowledge of Tantra to His consort Paarvati.

This system suggests contemplation on the form, qualities and karma of the deity, imparts mantras of the deity, application of mantras in yantras, various types of  upaasanaa; all these and more features are constituted in Tantra.  It also deals broadly in scriptures, principles, rituals, spiritual practices.

Prime objective of Tantra is to give emphasis on the practical aspects of the knowledge given in the Vedas.  Through various spiritual practices, it is important to bring control over the gods and the various forces of nature.  It is also important to bring unity of Shiva and Shakti which actually reside within all beings.  It aims at transforming the self with a view to uplift it from pashu-bhaava (base human trates) to divya-bhaava (divine experience) and thus to experience the advaita-bhaava (oneness).

 

Rationale

Brahma Yamala, a Tantra text, postulates that there are three currents of tradition: Dakshina (rightist, pure), Vaama leftist, heterodox), and Madhyama (moderate) tradition. All characterized, respectively, by the prevalence of each of the three gunas:  Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.  Dakshina is portrayed as Saattvika and is pure. Vaama is characterized by Tamas and therefore is considered as impure or heterodox.  Madhyama is described as Rajas and is mixed or moderate.

The workings of the Gunas (attributes) that engender these affects on the gross physical plane are the animal or animalistic tendencies (Pashu, animal, instinct). These functions are, in fact, subjects of the pancha tattva or Pancha Makara (five Mas).  Five articles or substances (makaaras) represent five basic elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether).

 

According to the Panca Makaara philosophy, there are three classes of people as per the predominance of tendencies and traits.  These are Pashu, Vira, and Divya.

 

Pashu (animalistic): base human tendencies, to get indulged in sensory objects and activities.

 

Vira (valiant): one who is valorous and wants to face the world with zeal, enthusiasm and involvement.  One who is active or pro-active.

 

Divya (divine): a person who cherishes for spiritual evolution will understandably lean on the spiritual dimension of the five makaaras.  Such a person would avoid the animalistic view point.

 

Class

There are two diverse and prominent approaches of Tantra which are supposed to be in practice: vaama marga (leftist) and dakshina maarga (rightist).  (Madhyama, the moderate, as mentioned above might have not been a dominant one).

The rightists or puritans raise their eyebrows to the interpretation presented by the leftists (or heterodox) saying that the followers of leftist have not overcome the carnal gratification as yet. They take help of the coarse means of sensory indulgence to reach the highest and therefore, they are exposed to greater risk of floundering than meeting with success. Yet, existence of the leftist group of Tantra cannot be denied or ignored.  Leftists argue that the same Supreme unification of Shiva and Shakti (transcendence of duality, attainment of Advaita-bhaava, oneness) can be attained through sense involvement as well since this too is essentially an expression of the Absolute that is impersonal. (This sounds logically good indeed, yet rightists say that this is fraught with danger).

These two diametrically opposite groups of Tantra are influenced by the two entirely probable and plausible interpretations of the five basic article/means/substances of this system which are famous panca-makaaras (five words starting with the letter ‘ma’) which are, namely, madya, mamsa, mithuna, matsya and mudra. These terms in Tantra refer to the five substances used in pujaa (rituals or worships) or saadhanaa (spiritual practice).

 

Interpretations

Madya: This means wine. However, in a subtler sense madya is said to represent the divine nectar also called amrita (ambrosia).

Maamsa: This, literally, means meat. In a subtler sense, maamsa stands for control of speech/senses.

Matsya: This, literally, stands for fish. As subtler sense control, it also refers to Idaa and Pingalaa Naadis that are controlled by the saadhaka (spiritual aspirant) through the practice of Praanaayaama.  Matsya (fish) symbolizes non-involvement and detachment, living in the world just like a fish which remains non-involved in water.

Mudra: This has no crude meaning. Yet some forcibly understand it as various postures or positions for intercourse. However, in a subtler sense, it is supposed to direct the saadhaka to keep spiritual company of the Supreme Shakti. The Sanskrit term for this is Satsanga. In the same breath it exhorts the seeker to avoid negative company.

Maithuna: This is the most misunderstood concept of the Pancha Makara in. Maithuna, literarily, means union, but in a crude sense it stands for sexual intercourse. Spiritually it Maithuna represents the union of the Individual Mind with the Cosmic Mind. In that sense Maithuna means Samaadhi, Self-realisation.

 

Douglas Saabs provides a beautiful quotation from the Tantra scholar Bhaaskararaaya who warns that any unsanctioned use of five makaaras could give rise to disaster:

"The form of Brahma is bliss. That is instituted in the body. The ceremonial materials that manifest the bliss are imbibed by the Yogis. Nonetheless if the materials if not ritually made use of and so considered impure are had then, since they actively impede the goals and purposes of human life, bind the person to sin. Subsequently, they are not capable of inducing a blissful state.”

It is all a matter of perception, as the old adage goes, ‘one sees, what one wants to see’.

 

Tantra  in  Yoga

Tantra has exerted great influence on Yoga especially Hatha, which we can see in the following lines.

It is evident that the philosophical ideals, understanding of the body, world-view, esoteric practices, and various technicalities of Tantra have exerted a great influence on the system of Yoga, especially Hathayoga. (Yoga of Patanjali does not show any such evidence).  In many ways this influence of Hathayoga has helped it to grow in a different way.  This also has given it a different and distinct identity from that of Paatanjala Yoga.  Even though there are various Hathayoga texts which try to tread the line of Paatanjala Yoga and lay down practical inputs for Raajayoga, such texts are not grouped among the Paatanjala Yoga due to this influence of Tantra on them. 

Following are some of the prominent issues / topics from Tantra which might have influenced Hathayoga. 

i)            kosha— Body is believed to have five sheaths (koshas), namely, annamaya, praanamaya, manomaya, vijnaanamaya  and aanandamaya.

ii)  naadis— The human body is believed to have three-and-a-half crores of naadis (or seventy-two thousand) most prominent among which are idaa, pingalaa  and sushumnaa.

iii)  cakras— There are six cakras, namely, mulaadhaara, svaadhisthaana, manipura, anaahata, vishuddha  (or  bhaarati)  and aajnaa, each one has a presiding deity, bija-mantra, a fixed number of petals.

In the taantrika works like Saundarya-lahari—V.9  each cakra is identified with five elements and mind.  Cakrabhedana  is a process of activation of a cakra  to attain siddhi (supernatural powers).  Moreover, through practice a human being is supposed to overcome pashu-bhaava (base instincts) and vira-bhaava   (active, endevour) to finally attain divya-bhaava  (divinity).

iv)  kundaliniyoga— is the fundamental taantrika saadhanaa.  Kundalini  is considered as the dormant spiritual energy trapped in the body which is awakened through saadhanaa, an integrated set of practices, prominently pranayama.

v)  siddhis— Supernatural powers can be gained through practice which in the initial stage may be mantra-siddhi (control on mantra) and vaak-siddhi (control on speech).  On reaching the culmination of spiritual journey one is supposed to enjoy the set of eight siddhis. 

vi)  yoga— According to Tantra, yoga is of two kinds— hatha and samaadhi.  Hatha-yoga has five components— yama, niyama, praanaayama, pratyaahaara and aasana. 

Samaadhi-yoga has six— dhyaana, naada, rasaananda, layasiddhi , bhakti and raaja.

vii)  kaayasiddhi— the texts of Tantra uphold  that body is valuable as a means to spiritual orientation.  This tradition allows the saadhaka  to enjoy the life within limits.  In other way it can be said that the emphasis of tantra-saadhanaa is to attain mukti (spiritual liberation) through bhukti  (material enjoyment).  This is a foreign concept in relation to orthodox ideals of the Vedas. 

Tantra understands that there can be attainment of Liberation  while living in this body itself.  It believes that through saadhanaa when the body becomes fortified and strong as vajra (adamantine),  one gains luster, thus overcoming (premature) death, decay and diseases.  For this purpose alchemy of taantrika style can recourse to making the body strong.  The Naathas, under the influence of Tantra believed in kaaya-siddhi (fortification of the body).

viii)  sahasraara— The lotus with thousand petals is situated in the head which is facing downwards.  Through yogasaadhanaa, this should be turned upwardly.  There is ambrosia flowing from sahasraara which has to be checked.  This is called aakaasha-candra-bheda in Tantra.  By upholding the nectar in the murdhaa (sahasraara) one can become siddha-deha (perfection of body or divine body).

ix) Many scholars think that even practices of Shaambhavi, Khecari, various drishtis (visions like purnimaa, amaa etc.), visualization of cakras (having colours, deities, and sub-deities, letters etc. as found in Hatha texts such as Goraksha Shataka etc.) are to be found rooted in Tantra.

Tantra Yoga

On the basis of this discussion, one can design one’s programme of Yoga practice with Tantra inputs.  The following list may make small but good set of practices:

a)    Shaambhavi: eyes are fixed at the centre of eyebrows while pranayama is practiced, adopting Padmasana or Siddhasana, one can mentally say Om in synchronization of in-breath and out-breath.

b)   Khecari: tip of the tongue is inserted in the cavity above uvula, eyes are fixed at the top of the head. Om is recited with breath awareness.

c)    Cakras: one may like to visualize one cakra at a time along with its presiding deity, sub-deity, colur, bija (maatrikaa, letter). Then one moves to an upper cakra, obviously always starting from the lowest.

 

These (and many more such techniques) form time-tested, effective and result oriented methods.  One needs to practise these with dedication, one-pointedness, faith (positive approach), and most importantly consistency to reap higher benefits.

 

In the Gita, a discussion is done on buddhi-yoga, that is, conceptual clarification.  Prior to undertaking a practice, one should essentially get his mind fully convinced as regards to its pros and cons.  This should ensure unflinching schedule of practice.  Therefore, this small discussion on Tantra.

 

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