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Contents
Fundamental attitudes
Historical characteristics
r7
-)
)-
+3
59
Scxual translormation
B3
f02
TT2
Cosmograms
4r
ro
II
in I 97b
Ileprinted r99 5
I2 The One
Ltd, London
r87
r95
Kmakalvilsa translated
zo6
2ro
Glossary
2ro
publisher.
Location of objects
2r2
rsBN o-5oo-2or-lJ
Bibliography
213
Index
214
thrs pubiication
CHAPTER ONE
Fundamental attitudes
This book is based upon the catalogue which the author wrote for
the
Jirst
with its
spiritual
conscousness o;f the West, and its deas haue helped many people to dchieue d
el)tirc mirld stilled and absorbcd in thc Uitinrate, wer may achicvc
Ilclcase. Our naturc may ccasc to bc human, so that we arc converted
into an all embracing Consciousness which is at oncc Being and Ritss.
Obviously it needs a spccial kind of heroism to detach oneself uttcrly
from cxpcricnce in thc wor1d, and it takcs a 1ong, lotrg time malry
successive livcs according to Indian thinking. But this has been thc
constallt obscssion of Indian orthodoxics.
To achicve such insight ()nc may dwell on thc miscry of thc human
conclition. To hclp dctachmcnt one may mcditate with special
attelrtion on the agonies, despair and crimes of which oue knows:
thcre are plenty. One may also focus one's mind on the 'disgttsting'
aspccts of one's own body and the bodies of others, thinking of thcm
as mcrc transient bags of phlcgm, sl-rit and pr-rtrcfying ofi-al. One can
then discover how easy it is to say 'Nol' to the world enjoycd by such
bodies, to dcny the claims of all apparcnt bLrt vanishing possessions.
Thc horrors of suffcring will thr.rs fadc ir-ito insignificant clreams. By
the samc tokcn the most bear.rtiful lovcr will dissolvc into a tcmporary
illusion, the airy fantasy of a dcsiring mincl. Whcn all this is quitc'
clearly scelr one's libido is lrecd from its iclle imagining, its motions
may bc stoppecl, ancl one can fix it on the eternal, changcless light. By
opprcssing thc body and the mind with fasting, asccticisnt and
vigorous discipline, one can oblitcratc from otrc's conscioustress every
last shred of thc intcrest that knots the self to any picce, part,
fragmcnt, inrage, movemcnt or mcnlory of the world of illusion;
one's owlr mind may thus be swallowed into the Brahman like a drop
olwater into thc surfacc of a lake. Thcn even though othcr people
may see thc body walking, there will be no man in it. It will bc a husk,
an empty pupa-shcll when the buttcrfly has gone. lt will continue to
exist mcrcly so as to finish up the last remnants of impulsc from its
immemorial past.
Tantra does not disputc thc fundamental truth of this position. But
it bcliervcs that thc rnethods used are absurd. It declares that there is trct
nccd firr such a despcrate upstream strugglc to reach the shore, that
such an ideal of life produces a drcadful u'orld for those as yet
unrclcased. In fact distinguished uineteenth-ccntury Tantrikas statcd
cmphatically that they believed many of thc miserics of their poor
India to be caused by the world-hatred which traditional Brahmin
philosophics l-rad instillc'd intc:l the majority of the population. No one
nowadays can doubt that they werc right. In addition, as Dr S. S.
8
r Tibctall pairting es dn,clling for tl'rc BLrilcihist Lotus (loddcss of suprcnrt- lvislonr
whom thc figurc rcpresclts. Tibct, t 8th ccntnry (iuchc and gold rn cloth t x I t
(4r x z8)
z, Lons-haircd sage in
rorlLlitill:,rl \(xtt,rl
Jr()tl\,t1.
templccar,7x7(r8xt8)
Wocr1, probably
h-om a tcr.nplc c:rr, h. r6 (4t)
x rlt)
r40
2-4
arc
are
in a singie Lfctime.
Among thcm are meditation, the cult of cxtrcmc feeling, aesthetic
erxperience, sex, drugs, magic ancl social action.
Onc story mous among Tantrikas is given in two slightly
dift-errng vcrsions in the Rudraymala and the Brahmayma1a. It
summarizcs many olthe chicf idcas behind thc Tantra. Among them
rre: that Tantra is a 'way' superior to but rot inconsistent witir
traditional ways; that it c<mbines the virtues of difiercnt rcligious
sects; that it seems scandalous to the conventionai; aud that it dcals in a
usecl a sdhaka can rcaclr bliss and release
ca11ed
Vaistha, who is the prototype cf the Brahmin sagc, and is saicl to havc
been son of the God Brahm and teacher of the incarnate god 1lma.
Hc was highly skillcd in orthodox Hindu religior-r and philosophies.
Hc is thus a very good symbol for all thosc in nccd of Tantra's lesson.
jewelled belts and tinkling be1ls on thcir broad hips, with whom thcy
continually had scx,taI intcrcourse, giving and taking ereat pleasure.
Vaistha made r great fuss alrcl protested that this all wcnt against
every sacred teaching. Br,rt thc Rucldha pointed out to him that he was
CHAPTF,R T\x/O
appearances. The mcn and women involvcd wcrc doing things tl-rat
had bccn prcparecl for by prolongcd ritual and n'reditation. hr rcality
their outcr actiolrs wcrc merely instrurnents to en intense inward
vision, thc worncn were images cf the llreat Gocldcss Herself, and
thcrc wrs no self-indr-rlgencc invcivcd. Hc thcl-l taugl.rt Vaistha thc
spccia.l Kula yoga and ritual, and the sage understccd. Hc achieved fiis
goal.
,5 Sagc scatcd in his meditation bancl, a cloth strap to supporr thc bociy. SoLrth hrdi,
istorical characteristi cs
No one knows how old Tantra is. Therc arc hints ofit in hrdia's oldcst
litcrature. The carliest sr.rrviving completc texts are tsuddl'rist, ald
date to about AD oo. But therc are many elements of what bccamc
Tantra in oidcr Hindu ad Buddhist scripturc; and later tcxts even
rcfer to Tautra as'Atharva Veda', thus identifying it as an aspcct of the
most ancient sacrcd and orthodox literature of Hinduism. There is
Tantra which is Hindu, Buddhist atrd cvcn, by strctching a poirrt,
strata of Hindu
Jaina. Since thc Middle Agcs it has flourished in many
the South' It
parts
of
and
Kasmir
Bengal,
Assam,
in
notably
iociety,
ideas, and
Muslim
with
combined
and
occasionally
assimilated
travclled to mally other countries of thc East. It rcached China during
the eighth century, when rhere wcre two major Tantrik Bucldhisr
tcmplcs in thc T'ang capital. From thcsc it was transported toJapan' Tt
is likely that sexual ritcs, also familiar in Chincse Taoism, were used
by thesc T'ang Tantrik Buddhists- Thcy certainly werc by thc
in the twclfth century.
Japanese Tachikawa sect which was founded
Br_rt in both chrna ar-rdJapan puritan confucianism has expungcd thc
menrory and literatur'e of scxual Tantra, leavir-rg only a schcmatic
psychological vcrsion. On the other hand, in Tibet Tantrik
Buddhism flourished cxceedingly from thc sevcnth cclrtl-lry ilrto
rccclrt years; ancl Tibctan Tantra made its way into Mongolia, with
occasional excursions into China. ln Nepal Ruddhist Tantra has 6,7
flonrishecl from early timcs, mingling witir Hindu Tantra' In
Southcast Asja Hindu Tantra was aclopted in Cambodia andJava by
alt goo, while Budclhist Tantra was probably known clsewhere in
Southeast Asia.
ii(-
S't}&
6 l)ralr,ing of rlcvrti
i:ornLirilrq cl cnrctrts of
synrbolisr.n f}om scvcrl
clcitics into thc inragc.
rnlntrscript lox1r
(z9 x zll)
7 Ilarrusr:ript contuining
prcscriptions fi ritu:rl
and flcurcs for
visualiz:rtion. rvith
rn:urclal:rs. Ncp:r1, r iith
centlrl y. Ink rrlcl colortr
on papcr 66 x 8 (r 6li x t o)
perhaps to
same kinds
of experience,
dcscent. Frcquently the pupil has had to spend many ycars in search ol
his own pcrsonal and true tcacher. It is said that oniy hc who is fit for a
tcacher is able to find and rccognize him. Since they were used cither
for cxplanation betwcen teacher and pupil or for individual rites,
EJrey
and pale.
'l'antrik sadhana; such people can take vows which involvc leaving
home, perhaps joining an aram or an order. Thcn they will start
llrore intensive rittrals. And although most Tantrikas have been born
2l
into their tradition it has becn quite common for converts to gein
initiation. Some of thc most famous Bengali poets werc converts.
And the Kasmiri Abhinavagupta, one of the greatest philosophers of
India, who n-radc what may be thc most importanr individual conrribution to the world's acsthctic thcory, travelled to Bengal to bc
initiated into thc Kula Tantra.
'We know Tantra nowadays from
the manuscript tcxts called
Tantras, in Sanskrit or vernacular languages. Only a few of those
surviving have been published; fewer still translated. Thcy secm to
have becn composed at difrerent times and places in India, more or less
as encyclopacdias of Tantrik ritual and philosophy, and ro have been
copied and addcd to many times ovcr. The earliest wcrc put togethcr
bcfore ap oo, but some of thc most important and influential during
the latcr Middle Ages and at the command of Rajput princes. They
arc ncvcr actually given hard dates, so chronology is usually a matter
of intcrnal cvidcnce; and that is none too reiiable anyway, siuce thc
pscudonym Arthur Avalon (a vcry romalltic and mystical penname). Tantra owes more to his advocacy than to the work of any
otficr single man. Hc was writing for a double audience: there wcre
thc Europcans dccply infectcd with Victorian prudery; and then therc
in'. It is, of course, truc that the purpose of Tantrik ritual is far from
being carnal indulgence, as will be abundantly clear from what
follows. But wc must also remembcr: frrst, that Av:r1on was standinI
a vocal alliance betwcen an Indian caste lite and'Western
missionaries who wcrc aiming to gct Tantra ol-ltlawcd (he was, of
c-ourse, a lawyer); and second, that the pttblished Tautras as we know
out against
them have alrcady bccn filterccl, often many times, througl.r the
n-rinds of high-caste Indian editors who have writtcn something of
their own prejudices into thc very text of many of the Tantras, oftcrl
adding long scctions specrally emphasizing that social ar-rd
philosophical cor.rformity which so much concerned their caste.
scxual rite r-rnless both his body can be possessed with normal
instinctual rcspolrse, and hc can expect, on the basis ofpast experiencc,
that thc desirc will be consummated in somc way. Truc Tantrikas
l.ravc always kntwn and dcclarcd - that thc strength and success ol
their rituals depend on vividly inrcnsc and dircctly physiological
arousal. This many writcrs otr Tantra still attempt to supprcss.
formalities which drd not rcally alter thc social status quo, instead of as
the drastic purges of personal commitmcut thcy wcrc meant to bc.
Anyone who actually carries Tantra to its ultintate degrcc, as rcal
dcvotees rnllst, can only end up a scandalous outcast. We catcl-t
sulficient glimpses from Indian history to bc quite sure of the truth of
the mattcr.
)t
-a
is
of ancicnt India
it originally
symboiism, that many pcople in thc Wcst, who are not at all
intercstcd in scholastic argument, have rcspondcd to it dircctly. It
25
offcrs thcm a concretc symbolisrn with which they can fcel afiinities
through deep human links, despitc the cr-rlrural diferences which, ol
course, it would be absurd to minimizc. Not by acciclcnt has Tantra
art demonstrated its power to many peoplc who have ncvcr studicd
Indian philosophy. It is not right that an academic and vcrballyoricntcd 1itc should be allowed to rcserve Tantra only for thcir own
CHAPTER THREE
purposcs.
Sorne pcople are troubled by thc way Indian thought goes in for vast
lnd widc-ranging generalization. It is true that Indian art and thought
ell works on a principlc of total conceptr-lal cnclcsure. From about
AD 4oo onwards Rrahmin culture rnade a sr-lstaincd efi^ort to deflnc
:rucl organizc all thc manifestations of reality, life and cxpcricnce
witl-rin a single imaginativc wholc. It attcmptcd to comprchcnd the
liistory of cach rndivrdual in relatit>n to the entirc cosmos. It thereforc
bandying-about
of
vastly-embracing ideas
ilrto farrcying
that
Tantrikas had an image of a world rather hkc that which nincteenthcclrtrlry Christians used to havc until astronomy tar-rgfit them better,
s a modest chr-rnk of ground about six thousand ycars old with a lid of
sky. Nothing could be farthcr from the truth. Indian culturc, at least
since the first century BC, has held an idea cf the cosmos as being vast
beyond human imaginir-rg, containing worlds numberlcss as the sandgrains of the Gangcs, and devcloping through incalculablc aeons of
time. hrdian mathematics and mctaphysics have long recognizcd
numbcr, both abstract ard concrete, of an order of magnitudc which
only bccame familiar to cducated peoplc in Europc durillg this
'When
Tantra makcs statemcnts or paints icons relating the
ccntury.
structLlrc of thc world to faculties in tl-rc minds of men atld gods, onc
lras to rcalizc that it is not simply being glib, reducing thc content of
its conccpts to falsc and easily mar.rageable proportions- Even though
z6
27
lt
lxtr
s,l
r\..Jq4\
7fla6\R{1{
I lleductivc
diagram ofthc
constcllations, a pagc
rrranuscript of thc
S:rnrar:Ln ga na stra
cl
lrom
:t
hara.
Ik nd
(r3xz5)
,a1:l
MW*;
e
\ &:&e
l!s*w
IlEsK,ry:ry{9,kl{Xm.:
***-
h.naec
of birth, lrnloguc of
(::)
&
ro,
rz
r3-r9
All of these activities reprcscr-it the cult of what one may call the
'scxual misers' which has gained such a powcrful hold in India.
According to it every individual develops his psycho-sexr,ral cnergy
for his own spiritual bencfit; though it is true that Indians also believe
that peoplc well advanced along this road arc ablc, if they feel
inclined, to work a power of good to othcrs, as well as harm, by thcir
supernatural energy. In spite of its cuit of 'cnjoyment' some Tantra
still keeps very strictly to this asccticism, especially the Buddhist
Tantra of Tibet, which makcs a vital issue of treasuring thc male
'Tl-rig-le', called Bildu in Sanskrit, whosc physical form is the semen.
Tantra which has becn rigoror-rsly vettcd by Brahmin prejr-rdice also
makes a great point of such energy-hoarding.
There arc, howevcr, other courses of action which can follow from
the basic assumption, reflcctir-rg a cult of scxual gencrosity. Folk
ceremonics, such as the spring-harvest Holi proccssion, when pcoplc
spray each other with coloured water or powder and once uscd to
sing extremely erotic songs and plrticiparc in promiscuous scx,
probably symbolizes a kind of generous spreading abroad and
exchange of this encrly, when it was at its seasonal hcight. A
connectcd imagery must havc r,rnderlain thc violently erotic songs
and dar-rcing once performed in so marry Hindu tcmples in front ofthe
divine icon, thcir many sllpcrb sculptures of the erotic de1ig1-rts of
heaven, as well as the custom of religious prostitution which uscd to
flourish widely in India. In such contexts, as in parallel 'primitive'
customs, the more copiolls the expenditurc of pleasure and sexual
the altar on to which the oft-ering is poured; the firc with the
cnjoynlent; and the womalr with thc Grcat Goddcss. Thc'White' and
hc 'Red' were thus combined a proloundly important symbolic
conjunction througl.rout Tantra.
Herc- is a quotation from thc Karpradistotram, which sums L1p the
joint image and act, translatcd from the code language in wl-rich it is
cxpressed in Sanskrit: 'O Goddess Kah, he who on a Tuesday
rnidnight having nttcred your nlantra, makes an ofitering to you in the
crcmation ground just once of a fpubic] hair from his female partner
laktil pulled out by the root, wet with semcn pourcd from his penis
ilrto hcr mcnstruating vagina, bccomcs a lleat poet, a Lord of the
World, and [like a rja] always travels on elephant-back.'There may
bc scholars who, for rcasons suggcsted above, would repudiate any
sulgcstion that tl-ris passage, and many others likc it, had any factual
basis; thcy may prefer to belicve that all such cxprcssions are only
figurative, and nevcr rcferred to any but pr-rrcly internal processes.
Tantra, however, has always had its fbct on tl-rc ground of rcal
practice; things done comc first, interpretations later. No Tantrika
wor-rld expect to be ablc to move straight from ordinary life to the
rnost cxaltcd stagc of intcrnal symbolism by mcrc tfiought. Tantra
was always hard-headed, and not at all interested in fantasy. For each
rdll,rk its synrbolism was givcn roots in r bcd oiccrcmoniel lct.
Only at the most advanced stages of Tantrik practice, when his
rssimilation of his own to the cosmic body was far advanced, could
the sdhaka learn to internalize what had originally bccn 'cxternal'
rcalities. A man then had no need for 'outer' womcn or for all thc
other 'outer' paraphernalia which wcre essential to rituals performed
;rt carlier stagcs in his dcvelopment. It was recognizcd that the ability
to perform totally realized but purciy iuward rituals was achievcd
only by a few of the most giftcd sdhakas in any gencrariou.
lr
r-:, Couple
fiom
thc
'her,cn irllcls'oir
tcnrplc :rt Puri. ()riss:r.
a.
l2th
cclrtnr-y
r o llclicf sculpturc of
couplc itr scrr.tal
irtcrr:oursc. trorrr thc
rt Khrjrrrrho. r. tooo
r
Ciroup tf ilrascs fi-o:rr
:r collapsccl I oth-.crtrrrv
..,;;'.W
l:':*:. i;i
;:-*1,
-.,t
1'Y
,
:t
../
li8i8s*rir$*A&.iei{$ri4}
r3 r9
gth cc1)tlrr-v
r
One can thus say, quite correctly, that Tantra rcprcscnts a
thoroughgoing practical system for manipulating and focusing
human libido, enhancing it, and then withdrawing it completcly
lrom the passing ancl valueless phenomena of the world and dirccting
it instead to a tralrscelrdcnt object in other words for ecstasy; but an
ccstasy in which a conccrn wlth infinite multiplicity, individuality
and unrcpeatablc change like that which plays such an important part
anything ncw under any sun; since the cosmos is unuttcrably vast,
cvcrything which happcns musr have happened before many rimes
over; what matters thercfore is always the pattcrn rather than the
instance, the general rather than the particular. The standardized
patterns of ritual and art are thc ones w1-rich work. Whatever
variations therc may be among them are incidental, not cssential. The
value ofthe patterns depends entirely on the ct that they are, in some
fundamental and immutablc sensc, truc.
Scientists now rccognize that thcir own discoverics, thc planning
of tl-reir experimcnts along with their hypotheses, are functions of
their own psychic situation. Quite a small rapprochement or
inversion is nccded for modern man to rc-establish a trnc idca of tl.re
link bctween man's psyche and his world, though it may be onc
which rnay be particularly difiicult for pcople with hypertrophied
corrscious ego-functions to make. However thcoretically 'communal'
or 'inductively established' any 'wor1d' may be, it can never bc other
than psychic. For that total 'thing in rtself' whicfi we might likc the
(Jniverse to be could ncver be idcntical with man's world-imagc,
howcvcr many scicntists who arc als< men agrce about it. It is
inner, of thc mental order, not outer, of a 'dead', factual order.
Tantra thus begins its invcstigations with the human psyche which word is thc most convt'.rrieltt portmantcall term for all
the instinctual, archaic and individual subconscious and conscious
strt-ictures which are arranged in pcrccptr-ral cxperiencc, communication and introspcction to present a man with his world.
No one need expect that p}rysioiogy, zoology and animal ecology
will infringc on or conflict with Tantra. For Tantra has millcnnia of
direct observation and analysis of thc hlrman psyche behind it. One
may grant that a Tantra meant for the modern 'Wcstern city-dweller
may not be identical with that intended for a seventccnth-century
36
lleneal viliager. But therc will be lar morc common gror-u'rd than
might be expcctcd at first sight. Modern thinking, like Indian, has
concentrated on crcating static inrages of the world, in which change
is reprcsentcd as changc of state, following tlrc demands of our
systems of calculation. All our most important problems concerning
reality and the psychc havc been relegated to a kind of iimbo, where
the issues raised by time, change, and individr"ral history are kept so to
spcak around thc corner, or-rt of philosophical sight. Br-rt psychic truth
.lcmands that such aspccts of the world be trcated as realities in thdr
ou)n termsi not mcrcly transcribed into a systcm of general notions
dcrivcd ultimately from Aristotciian taxonomy.
The logically 'convergcnt' world ol concepts which each man
f :rbricates for himself during the first two dccadcs of his lifc with thc
id of lar-rguage is, of coursc, esscntial lbr cvcryday activity. It
provide s him with the mental and behavioural map of the world he
lrccds to act rationally and succced itr his profession- Society must
li:rve its maps of 'rcal evcnts' if it is to function properly. But however
truthful it may be, however accurately it may meet ut:ilitarian needs
rrnd guide courscs of action over thc terrain, .1 map i- llot J1r ct1.lal
lrrndscapc. As the key to a conglomeration of conccpts, it is not the
rcality it indicates; which lattcr is always infrnitely richer in possiblc
fi>rms than any conceptual .reduction of it that can be madc- And
rvhcn onc's customary map comcs to inrpose its own concepttral
lin-ritations on thc landscape, preventinl one from cvcn experiencing
rlny aspccts or forms of thc reality which arc beyond its scopc, thcn it
bccomcs an insidiously comfortable prison. The ordinary, non:rrtistic Llsagcs of language help every day in forging that prison's bars
[ry reinfbrcing the conventional pattcrns of perception anr]
cxpcrience. Tl-re reaction so common today, ()f reselltment against
one's circumstanccs, only rcinforces yet further the illr-rsory existencc
of tl're bars.
Worsc still, our ordinary linguistically conditioned conccpt'W'c comc to
structurcs are based overwhelmingly on thc noun.
'self',
around whir:h
iclcntify tl-re processcs of ottr expericucc with a
thc apparently stationary strLlctr-lrc of our world of conccpts
crystallizcs. Thc prospect of dcath thus confronts us with the prospect
of pcrsonal disintcgration, with the negatiorr of all that we have been
:rt sr-rch pains to fabricate over dccades. Thc maturc personality has tcl
llce out this prospect. How he does it is always his owrl problcm. But
37
must thcrcfbrc
bcvu,,arc
a1r
-58)
1t!
__
lff
I -tI
intensively on
a racliant
shor:1c1
CHAP'fER FoUR
Trntra
r57
real
w._.-t__
and mrlsic, choice food, valuable cloths anc'l ornamcnts. The ritual
actiolrs of pqa involve scating thc image , wclcoming thc dcvat into
it with appropriatr: gesrurcs, washins its fcet symbolically, as if the
devata hacl come a journcy, making the o1-crings, sipping and
oficring water, anointitg thc image with hotrcy, liquid butter, milk
or curd, smcaring it with red powdcr, bathing the imagc, and pcrhaps
:rclorning it with cloths andjewels, as if it wcrc a supremcly honoured
visitor. Flowc-rs in thc form of garlands may be uscd in tlic
wclcotnin1.
24
hr ccnsc-bnnrcr shapccl as
a trcc of lrfc cornposccl of
scrpcrts. Rajasthan,
u r (3)
:,: (lcrcmorial
rvatcr-pot.
ll:rjasthan, rgth cortury.
Br:rssh. tr (zli)
z3 Holy-rv:rtcr cont:rincr in
tlr. .ll.rP.,,f tllr' ),'rri.
Llcng:rl, r 8th ct-ntr.rry.
Cloppcr 1. rz (3o)
''\t
",
'
Slrrbolic
gth
1
1rSxt3)
r'vorship.
2.5 (r,
z8
5 (3li)
.,rtl hnds, nose and t()lrglrc laicl in a skull-cr:p full of blood. Tl'rese,
rt cclless to say, rcfcr not to rn actual bltt to an intaginativc act of selfl,utchery. Innunrcrablc \,.orks of Tantrik art colrtain rcfrcnLrcs to
l,.rsic pfa, from thc garlands usccl as pictlirc frames to the colours
rssociatcd with thc scnscs. Thc llst of the latter may vary, but one
( ()nrlnon grolrp is (following thc ordcr of the senses
lliven abovc)
l,luc, whitc, yellow, rccl and green.
'fhc vesscls and implcmcnts Lrsccl by Tantrik ptqns arc oftelr
tlrr'rnsclves worshippecl as dcvata, cmblcmatic rf tl-re activities of thc
tr,rnsrnLrtcd selL Ccrtain paintirrgs nrakc thc point very clcarly, by
,,,iving thcse olrjccts eycs, ancl even rudimcntary l-iands. Thc water pot 22
ir
zll
z<. (opy:ostt)
r fbrnr
r-'r
hi fact thcre are many symbolic objccts and substances usecJ for
spccial pl rites liste d in thc marry Tanrra tcxts. They dil-er accordiug
to thc c{cvata worshippecl and thc reasons behind the rite . Arrd during
prolongcd rreditativc ritnals, whcn many difi-erent dcvatas arc
invokcd, cach onc m:ry rcqurrc rts own act of pq, cither cxternal or
intcrnrl.
29
-5o
sct
Lr I
x ro)
Ilindu Tantr:r docs much thc same, savc that its images arc
()vcrwhelmingly based upon the gcrnrinal idea of the two-scxed
,lrvinity dcscribed in Chaptcr r. This is thc place whcrc Tarttrik
r,leology strikes root into genuine popular and ancient custom. It is
rrr r possiblc hcrc' to draw a hard and fast line betwccir gerlcral
llinduisnr and Tantra. For thc comnlollest icon in ]ndian temples is
rlre lirigarh, a phallic cmblem that displays thc malc scxual erlergy for
rr hich it is a symbol as the ar-ralogttc of cosmic clivinity. It occr.rpies thc
u orLr ccll' in the tcmplc, while thc otlter strllctttre of tl're tenrple
,lrsplays thc feminine creative functicn. At the samc timc thcrc arc
rlso innurnerable tcmples and lestivals focused around in-ragcs of thc
t ,rrc'ldcss. Tantra takes thcse public imagcs as the most outw:rrd
rrr;urifestatiolrs of its cu1t, adapting and translormirtg thcnr for more
l,t rson:rl usc. And silicc thc f,:mininc aspcct of thc deity is resporrsible,
rrr thc eycs of thc Tantrika, ftrr thc activity of crctitn. it ls the
l, rrrinine, thc cosmic Sakti or power-cncrgy, which ollers hinl thc
-5r
3o
52
rrlways makes the proviso that its dcvats are purely 'mindrrigir-rated'. Thc fundamental difference betwcen Ruddhist and
I {indu doctrines is herc brought out into the open. Hinduism says that
Ichind cvery imagc or reality there is 'something' which can be callcd
lry the names of dcvat, each appearance sliding easily into othcrs up
the scale from grossest fact to r,rnimaginable Brahman. Buddhism, on
thc otl-rer hand, uses assertions that where we think we see somcthing
we scc in truth'nothinq'. It refuses any positive statement, cancelling
t'vcry provisional cxpression as ultimately empty of meaning. It aims
;rt a statc of mind devoid of any normal existential content whatevcr.
A Hindu imagc is thus a pointer, however crude, to an ultimatc
positive truth; a Buddhist image is a device for emptying the mind on
its way to the void fullncss of Nirvana, which is empty of any
cxistential thought.
Indian Tantra, however, does recognize a fundamental cornnrunity of aim bctween the two cults which Tibetan Tautra dcnies.
llcccnt Buddhism, despite the way it uses images, tends to makc the
-Western
missiottarics m.ide,
smc mistake about Hindu images as
confr-rsing Hinduism's positive attitudc to them with the'worship of
iclols' something which has probably ncver cxistcd anywa).
Monastic Buddhism has aiways tended towards puritanism and what
lrs been callcd in Chaptcr 3 sexual miserliness. The female is certainly
thcrc as an important clcment in Buddhist Tantra, as will be scen in
Ohapter ro. But because of its interest in positive imagcry it is Hindu
'l-antra which shows the female complex most completely.
There has been much argument among scholars as to thc
gcnuineness of the ancicnt conception of a 'Mother Goddess'. The
()Lrtcomc of thc case8 is now prctty well acceptcd. The idea of a
ucnerically female creative womb, mother of beasts, plants and men,
53
ll4t
J.
-r-i
.\/
IT
whidr is a complcx aralogy between tirc earth, its cavcs a,cl thc
huma, c.mnrlrnity of womcn, secnls to havc takc, root i, thc mi,c1
olman probably by about 3o,ooo rc. This r,.hole won'rb-cornplcx
was often symbolizcd by signs refcrring to the olltcr appcarance of
the huma, vu1va, as i, ,umerons cnrblerrrs a,cl objects fioin
thc Enropcrn palacrtlirhic c:ives. Indian Tantra prescrvcs this symbolism, alongsidc its .wrr arthropomorphic images of the GocJdess.
The Tantrika who makcs pla to onc of rhc many small icons of the
fcmalc vulvr (callcd yoni) is makirg it to that all-cmbraci.rg crc:rrivc
cncrgy fbr r,vhich thc yoni is thc symbol. Ritual ob.jccts nray also be
mac]e in the shapc of the vulva, or clecoratccl witl-r surf,rcc designs of
thc samc shape. objccts which cornbinc striking visual or t:rctilc
cffccts with a vulva shapc:irc uscd in the same way. Thc coco-dc-mcr,
from thc Scychelles islands, w1'rich is sonreti,res wasi'rcc'l ash.re on thc
coast of Inclia atrd regardcd as secrcd, is a nrost beautifiri cxamplc.
Spiral she1ls too .lre widcly recognizcd as :r symbol of fcmiuinity,
crcation arrd growtfi, :rnd are adoptcd in Bucldhist Tantra as symbols
for thc root- ntalrtr;r'()rh'.
I
-j
rs
Coco-dc-rncr, scrving
l,l
h. r7
(.13)
gclctri-r of ll thinss
pLrja.
Nortircrn Indil,
l)oo, I)rovcn:tncc
,rnkrorvn. Stoc h.
lro)
x zo)
j5 A stonc pillrr-sculptnrc
rcpr-cscntirg worship of thc
yoni (vr-rlvr) of thc Yogini as
(iddcss. Madnra. South hlcli
ITth ccl)trry
36 Tailtrik
godclcss. Eastcnt
,;'
lirli
C]HAPTIR FIVE
r-rsecl ulrtraltslatt:d.
cornmonly cnding in a nasal tir,
syllablc,
A basic firantra is a singlc
,()nrctimcs k or t. A complcx mantra is made up of a scries of thesc
,r lllbles, pcrhaps forming the abstract of a pl-rrasc w-ith a known prt>se
',, nsc. Somc are pure sounds irt thcir owrr right; the best knor'vn is the
,rrticnt Vcdic'Orir'. Others arc the first syllablcs of the namcs of
,li r.:lta, perhaps slightly moclified and givcn thc r or otl.rer crrclir-rg.
I ,rrrr chief typcs are gcneraliy rccognized.
lrr'r'c the
(rr llich nccds paticnt study and ei-ort) cvokes from the intcrfttscd
,,tr.ucrturc of ntan atrd cosnros thc spccific forcc to which it is rclatccl.
r\gcl'ranarida tsharati
l-ras
rr ith a dcmand on l'ris strength, will uttcr a malltra undcr his breath; as
rr lrcn, s:ry, he prcks t1p the shafts of a heavily loaded cart. The mantras
37 I{clicf yorri crnblcnr, staincd rvith colt,rcd pr-ra ponclcr. Sotitl'r llcli:r. r9th
Lrcr)tlrry. Cllrvccl rvood ll x 7 (zo x t 8)
J-)
Thc association bctwecn thc vulva as icon ancl the ar-rt1-rropomorphic fen'rale is stresscd by a sculpture which illustratcs Indian
practice. It represents a pla altar in the form of a icmale figurc w,ith
l-rer legs spreacl apart to display tfic vr-rlva. This will connect at once in
most people's minds with the frgurcs called'Sheila-na-gig'fr-cm lrislr
and Wclsh churchcs, which rcprcscnt thc snrvival of a similar idca,
much dcgradcd in'Westcrn culture. (So, too, docs thc horseshoe over
thc door, for 'ltrck'.) Othcr sculptr-rres ilr Indian shri,cs illrrstratc
35
*
I
jl
;
il
,}
II
I
1
a
\')
( iLrrraclc
rri rlit:rtirn and rvorship, es thc sor,rlrcl-root of all clivinc klrrrvlcdgc. I(ajastl'ran, lgth
ntrlry. hrk arrd gouachc olr ppcr I I x 9 (28 x 23)
,(
Imrgc of Siva and thc Gccllcss Annaphrn:r, clrlrvr cntircly n tth rnantras. Bcncal,
rgth ccrrtr-rry. Ink or.r papcr r6 x r 2 (4r'x 30)
42
llolc alphabct of
an cxccss ol'acthcrial','fiery'or
ry' lettcrs arc crucl. Matrtr:rs with rnorc'carthy' or'watery' lctters
,,,'bcnevolent. Btrt Tantra trcver sllggcsts that it is possible to Llsc
.,
\r
4l
qold
U-s
x9z (zt6xzj,'
Silk ncl
up
grow or attractillg
a ncccssary womalt.
in-rpctrt:rnt reflcx of thcr wholc idca of mantra is a Tantrik
thcory about thc Sanskrit alpl-iabct itscllt Sinct- cosmic cnergrcs arc
()nc
6:
39
hiqe"*
;liu,t, ,.,i \
'#i a*ar,,r.,I
,,
,."n
#ril.t
e[i
i:H
1 n.ir-
*.{'i*
..t&:
f;
i,'11'
) ri'
tjr
ii:$,ffi*,-t
Sri Y:rntrrr. rvith rnarttr:rs, bcrrittg thrtnlb ir.nprcssiorrs ilr rcd cl gur-us, b1' u,hiiJr
IilL.rild,,rl,rur oil p.lf(, ,, r r. 1o)
_.
'7,.r-Y
r,,
';:H,,
aa
ND
',
a
AZ
+5,46
+1
li.
Srr Yrtrrtra.
lllijsthrtr. r7th
3 (8)
r )(r:ls, clcsignccl
. \.
,&
is
b,
ia&. I
Mi
ffi
tffi
tw
r#
'w.
ffi
i:)Y
&
ilw-..
ffi
'&,,
W'
,r.
crclr:+xz(loxs)
&
tr
.k
&,
:.
(r\\r,rl.
rrrT(.z8x18)
clclr
is ll
52
or
stagcs of
point where all thc origin:rl radiating cncrgies arc finally focuscd,
r-rsr,rally in a singlc mantra such as'Om'or'Kllrjr'. Thc mantraiclcntitics in all tl-rc basic circuits may also bc rcprcsclltcd in
alrthr()ponlorphic shapc, s clcvatas. ht tlre glc.rt Sri Y.rntr. rhe ntost
important rf- all Tantrik yantras, each cf thc ()utcr trianglcs is
occupied by thc clcvats which rcpresent thc snbdivicicd cncrgy-se1f
of the Clccldess.
Thcsc Nityas ('etcrnal oncs') or Mahavidyas ('llreatcr u,isclonrs')
nray actually be prcsortcd in hurnan fbrnr. Thcy arc listed in Chapter
8. Each rf thcsc lesscr goclclesscs nlay havc hcr owr yantra as well:
which flict u,ill givc sonre idca of horv important ancl clifrlcult thc
w-holc mattcr of yantra is. Some of thc lcsscr yantras arc obviously
scgments or-rt <f thc all-cnrbrrrcing SrT Yrrntra.
Although, of course, yantr:r has thc typical Tantrik doublc aspet,
thc SrJ Yalrtra is bcst explainccl firnr the point rf vicw olClclrcsis. In
r4(r5xro)
it is to intr-rit
thc wholc undcrlying Tantrik mctaphysical idca. Thc- description
r'vhich lollorvs is basecl on that given in thc Knrakalavilasa, translated
as a1l appendix (p. zo). Taken in conjuncrion with thc Srikhya
r02
Rliss, Consciousness and, olcoursc, Bcing. Thc dot as irs first act of
motion traces the trianglc u,.hich is thc original form of the gcnerativr:
yoni (vulva) of the Goddcss, thc'first cxpansion of space ancl time in
act, a trinity which can bc seen in rnothcr guise in thc icoir cf
Chinnamasta.
j T:rrka pairrtccl rvith ninc rnandala-yarrtras, which are rnecljtatcd orl in scrics tcr
1rodncc a spccial ccnditior of conscioustress. Ncpal,.. rgth ccl)trlry. Ink atld colour
(rn
:4
l-cJt,
S, Yr,rtra.
5(>)
6x6
(r-5
x r5)
.:
'!i
''
'll:l'l'i
l-ri"'l ' 'l
r,l.
,dh':Irr.
.,. .
jri
, w[.
:r.,.
;
r.ii;].
.rP
r.
":{., l}i'
:,i: - -\ t
1'
ri;:i
'
le
1,
,]'i
\n
;!-
.il
r;
L,',tt
I
.,
..,
.!i.1
. -:f ,{.r.
:
!'.,
liiir,
r$
-.--i
'.,.-4aI
. ,i.
l,
,n.i,
ti 'j
il
rl
h*"
"r'
rr
rn.Jl ellirgl \lrrhlr irlr I .l, i rrris rr illl lh. triilnglcs illr(l \tLlir.r
.()1]r1irilrg llu.lilhist rrd I IirtlLr s\ rri)olisrr. \L l-1. . t-tt,.
r(rxl+ (i1x()r)
it ()nc ri rr st't ()l-\(\'en 1)irjnt(J nr;u.rtlrrls. (:lalr ()f rrhiclr. ulrcr rrciljrrrted rr.
!r'llcr-irtes il \f.ci.rl (()n(ljrj()r ()l c()rr(i()u\ncss. I il)cf. . ISoo (lourrcirc ()r (l()tlr
::i r rr7 (7r x 1S)
qry_,,., ifi"
'a- i-j
ia'
.4.
interlacing
95
trialrqles
particlcs
of
artistic
'ho,
()nc n1l1st not forsct that thc motivc fbrcc undcrlying tl-re wholc
proccss is a transcetrdcntal Dcsirc, w'hich jtrstifics thc sexttal
uudcrtonc. Dcsirc crcttcs its objcct as cosrnic desire crcatcd the world.
'Withdrawlr
base,-i
57
x 3ll
5s
-s9 [3Lirlclhist
inititiil
4x:t (lox
o
ro)
l3urdclhist yantre,
ir corporltinu
rt
contptrt:rtion bo;rr-r1.
Neprl, r. r7oo. (iouuclrc
on cloth L1 x z9
(3 rr
74)
59
\\,cll
62
of yantra.
6t z
*e
*P &*'e ^b'
UJ
k*ts*g,#e#
-*
CHAl'TER StX
Sexual transformation
t1're inncr scxual cnerlly of humanity is idcntificd in Irtdia u'itir
thc ccsmic clrcr{y, imagcs which reL)rcsel)t the cutward appe:rrallce
,rf scxual cncrgy arc u,orshippcd as its cmblcrns. Thc niost cbvious
ixrnrplc is thc ercct malc penis, callcd lirig:rrir. Stylizecl lir'igar-icons
.rrc, of coursc, thc commonest icons in Indian Siva-tcrnples, arrd thcy
u,ill bc discr-rsscd in a later cl-raptcr. Many alrthropomorphic figurcs of'
iva show him r,r.ith pcnis crect. []ut at thc hnman lcvel, sittcc scxltal
t',xcitemcnt is fclt tr inclicatc thc prcscrncc of thc diviltc encrgy, some
ordcrs of yogrs r,vorsl.rip their ow'rl crcct pcltiscs, pcrforming fu11 pj.r
ro thcrn;:rnd numerous icons reprcscnt sadhakas inflamcd with desite
lirr union rvith the Yoni. Onc constallt cmblcm for this inncr libidc,
scxurl incl cosric, is thc snakc, r'vhosc syntbolism is known a1l ovcr
thc r,vorld in r-r.latry nrodiflcations.l3 In hrdia thc imagc of a magical,
rnany-l-rcldcd snakc hes lon{-r bccn r.tsed in dificrcnt c-olttcxts. Tatttra
lras devclopccl thc iclca, alrd uses it to rnap ways for manipuhtinir thc
irrner channcls of cncrgy which are so inrportl1rt ilt saclhalra. Othcr
rrnagcs will bc discussccl in Chaptcr ro.
Scxnal intcrcoLrrsc is tlrc principal lorm of 'enjoynrcut' r,r'hich
'l:rntra harnesscs to its spiritr-ral cncls, treatilrg it as a paradigm ol
Sirrcc
tlivinc ccstesy. As has alsc bcctr cxplainccl, rnoclcrlr w'riters otr Tantra,
lirr rcasons of thcir orvt.l. tcncl to ciiscuss its scxual ritr-rals itr an lbstract
\\ay, as if thcy wcrc eithcr purcly irnaginary or rncrcly mccharrical
lirnctions of yoga. hi fuct, rcal intcrcourse with con'rplctc crtjoyrncrtt
tan be trcrrtecl as an icon of what it significs, jr-rst as thc art-mac1e
,lnthroponrorphic icon 1cr olrtcr w'orsliip catr bc trcated as a reflcctiolt
,rf tl.rc pcrmancnt ancl truc inne r imagc. Thc trtlc intrcr imagc bchirrcl
scxual intcrcourse is thc transccndetrt crrjoymctrt irt cncrgctic loveplay of thc tr'vo-sexed creativc clivinity in Hitriluism, or Budclliar)atLlre in Ruclclliism. Thcoy rf actual sexltrl intcrcottrsc, utrdertekerl
in the s:rrnc spirit as u''orsl-rip of :tn otitcr imagc, can l.rc1p to awakctt itt
Llic nrincl of thc sclhka that pcrn'rancllt i1l1)cr bltssfitl inragc, of u'hich
,'rch hunran intercourse is ancthcr rcflcctior-r.
83
75
;&,
any kind in this way, including that bctrvccnihusband ancl r,vifc, ancl
thlt bctw'ceu mrlc visitor to I tcnrplc and a fe-nr.rlc 's-itc of tlrt- god',
rcward; and sccond: that the maier dcity rcsiclort in thc icon of a
tcmplc, w'hich lattcr is itsclf a rc-flcction of hcavcn on carth, should bc
attcnclccl by a corps of fcnralc clallccrs. Thcsc worncn arc synrbcllically
marriccl to hirn, sc that r,vhclr tralc visitors colrple with thcrn thcy
rchcarsc onc of thc clcnrcllts in cclcstial b1iss. Most of thc strpcrb erotic
scuiptLlrcs clr rnccJicval Hinclu tenrplcs illtrstratc this cclrnbincd
f unction.
I)evacJasis werc also vcry suitablc partlrcrs for thc sldl-rak's scxual
ritcs. lloyal or famiiy prostitrltcs, proviclcd they havc undcrsone
corrcct initiations, may sharc sonrcthilrs of the spccial symbolic:
senctity of thc clcvadasis. Trditional music ancl ciancing vu,erc part of
this systenr clf pleasr.trc. Hinclu Tantra i-rscs this intagery ofplcasure as a
mcchrnism for cnhancing cnjoymcnt in thc clircctioli of ecstasy.
It mr-rst bc obvicus that thc Tantrik:r - and inclccd thc hrdian docs
not conceive of sexnal interconrse as a qnick scnrry to orllasnr. This is
an bsolutcly fi-urclamcntal factor, which clistinguishe s C)ricntal
Lt.
t
j:
/
-v,/estcrn
.\
,=h
.{,;#******
':di."""{il.'
!,ii..,
*
i-..
S;
\
Tffi'ffi
F'
lr
h,
,,,,,,
r*i:"'l
/ii''I ^i:."'"...
/i.
"Wifllffi
".".".
:',
tq.,
l..
\;.'
i,
',
..
Y..,tt
il
ffifj6;r
=''*ir:''',l*'
:, : ,r''
ffi
-:r:
;+'
{,"
r):l Anoilltir)g ;rrcl rr:rss:rgc of thc body of a high-castc woln:lll ftcr bathirlg allcl
Ircfbrc intcrcor.rrsc. R:rjasthan, r 8th ccntllr),. Clou:rchc on clotlt 9 x 7 (23 x l8)
tl:r:if
i..i
rt..'s
these
8l
z 7(ri'
<
onsists ofhas usually bcen kept secrct alrcl jts reasottiug liiddcu. Therc
sccnrs to be a variety of methods, pcrhaps Llscd tolacthcr.
All sccni to be basccl on thc iclca of convcrting tilc:rralc participant
,
a1r irnage of thc malc dcity (c.g. Mahakala or Siva), the fcm:rlc
intr an imagc of tl're Clodclcss (c.g. Dcvr or Kah). l)otiotrs cttrrtaining
tlrc scrnen of an alrcaily errlightcncd mastcr nray bc drlurk. Nyasa is
,urother irnportant mcthod. Tl-ris consists of touching thc corrlponent
p:rrts of each partir:ipant's body, whilc recitinc thc rnatrtras which will
rtlcntify it u,itl'r, ancl transubstantiate it into, the sanrc part of thr:
,lcvata's body.
into
8g
I{hajuraho. r. iooo
rt
Khajurhcr
ffii..-::.;
.lt'
tlllr+or,r :,r*j';-iil1
.,
n
tlr'sr
,***:1,ii\;it.
\i x:,
/q,"
.'
r; -.
:ipeci:rl1r'
i ir,r
i
,r4
':' ..
1.,rst'.
'illitite'. A
i.
in roilr.'rii
[]e
jl
i',
;.FE
.:
,
,i
"-'{!*l
,r*:'1.:rr
'
"
rrg:rli 'l'lrtr;r.
..{:r'.i,
.!*
'
i4
l
.r
1;'ii
',.11
ii
r4q
.;rflrfr!1ffii;i:,*
/.1t
/4
73 Vrjravarahr,
Dakinl. lcnrlr
partlrcr of Herka.
pcrsonifrcation of intursc
p:rssion.
Rrrllzc h.
r: (:)
irititorv
,3 (z-5
x zo)
75 A p.rir o1 snkcs.
;.,'rn
iolrc
r1'
coslnrc
7(r Yoqirri
nr:rrrifcsting
fl-ol
77 Fivc-hoorlcrl sc'rpcnt-porvcr
It
initiation cou1c1 run both ways, fronr male to female as well as flom
to nrale. tlut powcr cculd also bc transmittcd for rncditative
Lrse by mcans of other sr.rrvivitrg archaic tcchniques. Implenrcnts,
imagcs or objects imbuccl with encrgy could be bror-rglit into contact
with tl'rc selritals.
In Tibetau and Ncpalesc Budclhism certtln initirtions rc still
confcrrccl by thc initjator seating thc irnagc ofa Dakini with opcn lcgs
across tht: Iap of a male initiate in act olpurcly symbolic intercollrse.
The basic scxual ritc's arc thesc. For thc househclclins Tantrika the
Cakrapl scrvcd. akra nleans 'circle'. At this cerenrony, clrugs
derivecl fiom hemp were sorrletirnes takcn as a swLret, as clrink cr
smoked. Thcn thc fivc powcrful but usually forbidden enjoyments
(fish, cookcd hog-flcsh, winc, cercals and intcrcotrrsc intcrprctcd
transformatior-rally as the clcrnctrts of the world) were ritually taken
by a circlc olcor-rples as a kind of Eucharist prcsided over by thc guru.
f-emale
64
78
98
J
1
t
;
I,
I l)liltif illustrltilg
with
a1l other
nlr,lr show hin-r carrying his drug-jar under his arm. Likc serxual
rrr( r(()rrrsc, bharrg and ganjam are a nlcans to bc aclopted utttil thc
',.r,llr,rkl's own faculties have been dcvelopcd. As an indulgcnce thcy
rr, .rlrsurcl, and a fatal hindrance.
Somcthing sirnilar is the case with herbs and dmgs, sr-rch as bhang
and ganjam (forms of cannabis). Like alcohol thcy havc ccrtainly becn
uscd in ritr-ral since very eariy times, to hclp in finding thc road to
ecstasy. Wl-iat tl"rcy do for the Tautrika, perhaps more dcpendably
than other physioiogical cnhancerncnts, is reveal somethinl of the
roo
,, \lrlc
rlcity,
,,rllr.
r,,, ,,,1. llron-t
r lr, \' ritrrl l)cul
i, rrr'lt, lYhC r
l, lr ri( l)rtltcr
rr. r,, lris lcft.
I11, rr.rrrr'(v:ttt:r,
i rr
, L,
. lJ jo
I
ll
ti
(]HAI'TFR SFVI-N
S2
cnrbracing all womcn and entrancing thc world. For Krisna has
bccome the clominant erotic syrnbol in the whole of Indian ctrlturc,
attractilrg to himsclf complcte, sclf-abnegating adclration.
Adoration, as a religious attitudc, has a klrg history in lndia.
Bhaktl, its Sauskrit narrc, is a closc paralleJ tc tl-ic Love r,vhich iras
played so important a part in Europcan culturc. For thc result of
cultivating Bhakti to\,,ards any clevata is that thc mincl and bocly arc
floodcd rvith an ovcrwhcimilrll swcetncss, thc Rasa or llaqa, which is
t1.rc expericncc of being ilr lovc not w'ith a human lover but a clivine.
I{rjsna has come t() serrvc as thc outstanding obect of this kind oflove ,
and this is probably wfiy his cult was takcn up into thc Tantrik
complcx during thc Micldler Ages.
Thc story of thc ilrcarnaticrr of Krisna is long and complcx.15 Ir
probably originatccl in the lascivious songs which wcrc snlr[J at thc
popular spring-harvest fcstival, r.lou.cnshrincd in the Floli ccrcrnoriy,
rnd forcccl itsclf into ttrc llrahmin calrolr. An cnormous nuntber of
vcrlracular u,,orks, cspccially pocms, deal with his legcncl. Thc most
important is thc tr,r,clfth-ccntury Gitagovinda in Hincli byJayaclcva.
Thc esscntial clcnrcnts are that Krisna was a1r incanration of the high
god, usually idcntificd as Visnu, u,hc w:rs brousht up alnolrg a lowcastc cattlc-hcrcling peoplc of- Brinclaban on the banks of thc rivcr
Yarunl. Hc w'as an adorable chilcl, bluisl'r of conrplcxion for
synrbolic reasots; rnd :rs a yoLrlr!l rnan his bcauty and his flr-rte-music
1()2
'
L.
l,
'r t r oI K ri'l.r,r
r'. too. Prlnt lcaf,
't tlr.
'x7(.5x18)
Lr
[]r:rss h. q
(::)
7t
,rrlclcss Brir.rdaban. The re Krisna is rcve alcd as thc high goci Visrlu,
,i l,,,st' fbotprints hc lcft ltpotr carth. Thc approach tc this cclcstial
r, ,lru of b1iss, sornctimes called'Goloka','cctw-rcalnl', was, through
,,,r.r,ltrally intensifiecl lovc, ftcr-rscd at first otl a hunlan lovcr irr
,lrr:ir'ul lovc, then shiftcd on to thc tratrscendcnt irnagc of which
Irrnr.ur lovc is a clull rcflcctjon. An actual lcmalc partjcip:ult ir-r tl-rc
l,,,lrrninary physical lovc rnay thus rightly bc called Duti.
lrr tlrc donrcstic contcxt husbancl and wife , as a Vaisnava marriagc., i \ r( ('says, should look on cach othcr as thc divinc lovcrs Krisna and
lr r,llrI. llut a nrore cxtrcnle cult of love clemancls that social tics bc
l,,,1,.r'n, and that thc lovers mLrst possess each cthcr otltsjdc the
r, r iiisc bond in a rclationship ca11cd par:ikiya; thc ctnoliorl betwcctl
rlr, I \\,() should bc fccl colrtirtually by al1 kirrcls of scllsuoLls stinlulaticn.
l 1r, i ulnrinating asccticism of the Krisna cult rnay dcmancl that mctr
r,l, ,,t e1p1etcly thc livcs and attitucles of I{risrla's Copls to adtlre
rlr, rr tlrvinity. For'a1l souls arc fcminine to God'. Ascctics who ftlllorv
rlrr, r;111 clrcss and dccorate thetnsclvcs iike girls, .ind cvcll obscrve
l, rr ,lrrys' rctiremcllt cach ntotlth.
\rr inrportant part of such a Vaisttava life rvas alw:iys tnusit:r ,,,nnlulritics nlay sing togcther wholc nights alld clays. But cvctl
,, , rl.rr'music is dccply tingccl rvith Krisnt dcvotion. The systclll of
, l,
t(]I
rrrr:rr':rl scalcs
cl11cc1
lr r.,rnis (fcmalc), upon rvhich Ittdian ntr-lsic is t'row basccl, rcflccts thc
ro5
71
l,rrrnp:rirrting.reprcsqptil)!l:rpri1)ccandladt,nrkillfllovc,thcirlnutLirl fi'clitrg
,,ibv thcir'rrlcctir)g f cycs'. Klrgra, crrly Lgtir ccrtnrv. Clouchc o1r p:rpcr
l'
I \)
Ili f-act, thc wholc hrdian acsthctic complcx was basecl upon Tantra,
cvclr at the thecrctical lcvcl. Few pcoplc yct rcalizc this; but ir is
somethilrs thet uct olte ilrtcrested in Indian art should ignorc. Thc
long traclition of Indian aesthctic thcory, bcginrring wirh thc fourthccntury(?) Natyaiastra (Trcatisc or) the l)ancc) by Rharata,
culminatcd in thc trcnrcndous work ol thc I{asmiri philosopl-rcr
Abhinavagupta (elcvcrrth ccntury). Hc also wrotc a nrc-rnunrcntal
cncyclopacclia of Tantra, callccl Tantmloka, having gonc to Bcngal to
stucly Kula practice at firsr hancl. His acsrhctic thcory sulascsrs that art
operatcs by arousinu iu the niincl of tlte spcctator the latcnt traccs of
cnrotions associatecl with cvents in his past lifc (orlivcs) analogor.rs to
thcsc w-ith r,vhicli thc r,vork of art prcsents hirn. Thcrc is a spectmnr of
l,r
lllr, ,,rv:rdgita. It
in
:r
thc
it
,
lr
lr Lr
cloes
rrf ro). Durine a llrct wrr when Krisla was servil]g as chariot, [1 thc hcro Aruna hc hacl occasiorl to hclp Arjuna ove r mcral
,r,rrlccl
rl visiorr for thcmsclvcs. It was, ilt :1 strangc lvay, thc ob.jcct of tlic
,, l.irtcl of se1)suolrs acloratiotr as othcr nrorc obvior-rsly beautiful
rr L ,,r's of I{risna. At Puri, C)rissa, in the famous shrinc ofJ:rganntha
rl,, rl.rlnc lucans 'lord of thc Lllrivcrsc') a strangc archaic typc of
,r, ,,,., is the centrc of de votjon. lt must havc a long ance stry back into
rl,, l,rrrrritivc lcvcls of rcii;ior-r. A bonc of Krisna, wfio is saicl tc havc
' lr, , | ,,1'his own w-ill, is sct irrto a hollow' irr thc tcrnplc icon. The lattcr
, r, rlwcd cvcry twelrty ycars, the boue bcing transfcrrecl by a holy
llr ,Jrrrin, who ahr',ays dics soon after.
r rrt'st-ll;lll poilrt must bc aclcled. hrdians attribllte a clear sct of
rlr, s [o dific'rent parts of thc body. Thc hcacJ is tirc tnost valuabl'e;
rlr, l, t t thc lcast. To touch s()[leone u,ith orrc's foot or shoc is :rrr
l l rlt llut to pay trrlc rcvercnce to s()mcolrc, oilc may sct thcir fcct on
,,r,, . ()w1) heacl, ancl r,vorship thcrn. On the transccndcnt vah-rc-scalc
!r r rl)(' fl'ct of thc deity which arc nearcst to mc1r. Hcrrcc, as thc most
lLr,, r ,rppr()ach to God and as an emblenr of onc's own lrumauity,
,rr, rr.ry pay worship to thc divjne footsolc, such as thc Visnupacla in
1,,, lr tlic crcated wcrld is rcflcctcd.
,r , , ,1.
r09
84,8-s
1
j
CIIAPTITR 111(lIlT
To hanclle corpscs is thc t:rsk of thc lcwcst rnembers in thc rvliolc castc
hicrarchy. The graveyarcl, ncvcrthelcss, is whcre liigh and low, alikc
crtcl up, and is a perpctual rcminclo: cf thc dcath which consnrnnratcs
1ifc.
cf thc disintcgration of
prcludc to cxpericucin{
96
human heads, Hcr belt orltantents arc choppcd-offhands. F{c nray call
FIcr, amonc othcr namcs, I)urg (harcl to approacli) or Kah (the
tr2
po\ver of tinre), thc (]odclcss to u,,hom brifii-alo, goats elrd clcvcs arc
srcrificccl in He r malry tcnrplcs, u.hcrc tl.rc stinkirrg rval1s and
puvemcnts run rvith blood.
The point is: thc grlveyard is the gatew-ay to spiritual success, to
rcgcncration and bliss (as bcinu s:rcrificccl is hcld to bc frrr thc aninrl
victims). This f,rngccl and bloocly Cloddcss is thc samc :is the othcr, thc
bcautifirl mother :rncl lovcr. Tr bc ablc to superimp()sc ancl adorc
Lroth in.ragcs ill c'rnc is pcrhaps thc soliclcst bcginning on thc rorcl ol
srclhana. Thc firc of thc funcral pyrc is:r prinrc agcnt of rclcsc. Thi-rs
in nrany rlcditations llncl innunrcrablc mandal:r y:rrrtr:rs, thc first
(sscntial stcp is througl'r thc barricr cf firc, invokcd by its rnantras.
8 Meditation carpet with symbols of death reminisccnt of thc sku11-enclosures used
yogis. Himllaya (?). Wool 8z x 68 (zo8 x r73)
b-v
87
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Wrl
nlrsks nc'l
).&'
');:'/,
..-,{'.
,,
!,s:
.Y&
k:ia
ry?
is
nr
,W
(rox
r.j)
.:Wr,,re.
h",
'h
%::::1 I
.' ..\ &
't
i',
.t
lf,
,ff{
ry
;l
ii
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(roxii)
,ai
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a 7.4/
9i
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.&--....--.
Kem
-.1 r
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t:,,1
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j@.r;
&,.
i.
90 lcor rf tcrriblc
(lodclcss. probrbly
Clhlruncl. (Jriss,
I r tlr ccrturY
92, 93
Onc can, howcvcr, only rcach thc significent firc :rfter acccptil)g tirc
rcvolting dissolutiou of thc bocly, that dcstnrction of thc prorrcl ancl
cxciusivc ser1f, which thc graveyard synrbolizcs. This is sonre'thing
upon lvhich Hindu and lludclhist Tantra allrec. Tantrik Buclclhist
lcgencl tclls of sairts lvho gaincd their initiation fior I)akini:rt niliht
in a eravcyarcl, by thc rccl light of dying pyrcs. Tibctan imaecry,
basccl on that of ninth-ccntury Ilucldhist Bihar ancl Bengal, r.rses
crclnatiol) grouncls as stalrdrcl syn.rbols, alid rcfi:rs tjmc ertd agaitl tc)
rncd:itation on or in rotring Corp55 perhaps the tnost intitnatc
actlu:rintance possible witli thc horrors ol nrortality. A meclitation
scqucncc in 'cight crcnrrtion qrounds' is a standard pattern, lvhich
saints are s:ricl to havc nndertakcn in cogr:rphical rerlity. Many
Br.rclclhist devetas r,r,car flrycd-ofi skins of animals or nlcn, and flourish
skull-cups of blood, flaying knivcs (gri-gug), xcs aucl bloody
sworcls. Thc rnost tcrrible, perl-raps, is Lha-nrc, a transfirmition cf
thc Hindu I(ali; to acld firrthcr note of horrcr, shc is said to bc
I
'prcsn:rrt r.vith a child of inccst' rvhich shc lter kills and flays to lvear
its skin. Thc firnous gChi)cl ritual, u,.hich a solitary nrotrk may
rcrlbrrn r: fi-om hnnrln hbitation to pLlrllc his cot.lscioustrcss,
collsists at Lrottcnr in an act of rnystical sclf-butchcry ancl scll-fcccling
to ell dcmors. Rchincl thc Tibctan sharnaliizecl ancl intcrnalizccl
lrurtasy lic thc cxtrclnc cxtcrnal Inclian ircts.
Indiar Uuclclhist Tantrikas, as r,ve11 as Hinclu, actually dicl pcrfbrnr
rlrcir gory mcditations, clrivirg themsclvcs bcyoncl the lirnits of
tlisgust. Fronr thc history of thc carly and Middle Agcs, of cotlrsc,
(here is 1itt1e documelrtrry rccord. Thc rclatively latr: Fctkarinr
I antra, for cxamplc, statcs: 'Hc who docsjape trrnl tinrcs (rtr :r c()r-pse
in a crcnl:rtion srouncl attains a11 kinds ol succcss'r atrcl tlrc
KltrlavalJnirnlya givcs fi-rll instructirns for such nreditation w'ith
rrppropriatc malrtras and ylntras. But the concluct of Hindu Tantrik
sldhakas of more rccL-nt tinrcs. .Lutong uhorn tludclhist survivals
tlctrrish, l.r:is bccn, if rcluctalrtly anrl sqr.tcamishly, dcscribccl by
l'ir-rropcans. Thc Aghons arc knor,vr) to c:lt bjts of corpsc. C)n thc
prerniscs hcrc statccl that wonlci bc a natural Eucharist. Many Saiva
r ogis inhabit crcnratiol'r grotrnds. Somc meclitate in snrall cnclosurcs
built cf sknlls. Sclf:imlnolation ilr all sorts of lvays is still cxtrcmcly
('onrrn()n. Scxual intcrcoursc rrmong thc corpscs is also practisccl. All
.rrc clrtircly consistcnt with thc doctrinc. It is, 1-ior,vevcr, also truc that
lrich-bonl or princcly Tantrik:rs werc lrot avcrsc to r-rsing symbolic
srrbstitutcs fir thc 'nasty' rcality, such rs a crpct \\rovcn with a sku11
,lcsign instcad of thc barc soil ancl rock of a rcal sktrll-cnclosurc.
To Lrclian sensibilitics thcy w'otrlc1 havc bccn cvcll lnorc abllorrent
.urcl clisgusting than thcy arc to orlrs. But, of croursc, thcy arc trcvcr
,lonc fcrr thcir or'vn sakc but for wht thcy ntcan, for thc sakc of w'hat
lics bcyorc'1, on thc othcr sidc oltthe firc. C)nly a lovc that has driven
rsclf so r c'lcservcs thc nrmc of Tantrik. This is tlic urclcrlyilr!l selrsc
,rf tl'rc offcring of a pubic hlir, clcscribccl in Chapter 3, fioln thc
I(arphredistr)tram. It cculcl bc cluplicated many tirncs ovcr frcrn
I-antrik text. This is part of thc significencc olthc clancins llccl Dakini
so important in Tibetan Bucldhlst Tantrl, r,vho is sonlctilncs cognatc
*,ith VajravarahJ r,vho wcrrs a scu,'s hccl to thc right sicle of hcr facc.
Shc is thc horriblc- ir.ritiatic'rn pcrsonificcl, thc one that really coturts.
llcr redness, matchcd to that of thc flrst of thc Hindu Nityas, Lalitr,
ruclicatcs 1-rcr spccifically fi:nralc clrcrgy, conrplcnrortlry to thc
rrlonk's own r,,,I-ritc masculinc cncrgy.
tt7
8(r
74
qq1
,r
ol'tlrc
Cloclrlcss s slrc
is
9:
.clrtrrr).. Stccl
1.
4r
shrines
oj'l{li.
(ro.1)
r1cr,tI Lh:r
lto
94 AlbLrnr p:iirrtirrg,
I8oo
xro(rox2j)
li
ppcr llxrr
(3;xz8)
Si.',r
x.il)
t2r
;
i
I
r-l
hl rccclrt
91,99
)tcrcorrrsc
oll tllc
rrrlc corpsc-Siv:r,
).rscd.o1l e
hct oi
I):rk(il
Klik. sctcri in
ccrtnrv.
rtrrry.
13r'lss
h. 5
(r 3)
own body.
rll
HffIM
rnantra cornbinins rhc- soturds th:lt cvokc Lt,rd Siv (H), firc (Il),
thc grcat Weavc-r'ofillus,,rr sorl.ls (I), rhc s.u11l rn1, .r, gcncrttcs ll othcrs
f
flor,vcr smrsl'ring thc pricle of this clegcncritc agc; de vt,tctl to [Srv.r] u.rth thc
mxttcd hair', clcvourcr of rhat Dcvonring Tin'rc, you arc bright :ts thc firL-\
that consunrc- thc (Jnivcrsc. Wjfc,.f ISivr] with thc ntattcd h:rir, your tccth
rrc fings. but yotr :rrc- [alsol the ncctar-occan of conrplssion; your rvholc
naturc is cornpassiolr, cornpassion lvithout limit, cornpassicn that qivc-s
ircccss to your-sclf-. Yon arc firc, fcmalc- de-ity of flamc; votrr bl:rck body
of thc Black Lorcl Il{risnal, end as thc vcry fornr of f)csrr-t.
yorr liLrcratc frcnr thc bcnds of dcsirc. Likc l bank of ckxrcl you srrstrin all thc
fcnlrlc cucrgic-s of thc Universe, anc'l blot out thc cvil of our dcgcncrtc :lg(.;
plcescc] bv thc r,vorsl-rip of girls, you :rrc thc rcftrec of thosc u,ho u,rrship
thcnr, rnd t:rkc clclight in thc su,cct ollcrings thc-,v arc aivcn Iin s]rcll lrskcts,
lvhcrr rhc solcs olthcir fcct hevc bccn paintcd pinkl. You r,vrnc.lcr in thc
inc-rcascs thc bliss
Kac'larnba fbrcst [rs thc Gopis whom lcrcl I{risna lovcc]l :rncl cnjoy thc
lbrilliart ycllorvl flou,crs of thc Kadarnba trccs lthrt surrotrncl rl-rc placc of
gcnrsl in u.hich you livc-. u,c:rring I(adarnb:r flou,crs Iovcr"your cars]. Yt,r-r
a1'c yor.rn!1, dccp-thrortc-cl u,ith a voicc tlut rcsoLurds [,,vith thc brttlc
nret'rtra]. Excitcd r,r,ith Kadarnbir-flowcr u,inc, drinkins lronr a sktrll ancl
r'vcrrinq a grrlarrcl of boncs, you c'lclight to sit on thc lotus fcnrblcm of thc
unfolcling rvorldsl at the ccntre of .uvhich you bclonu, irrroxic:rtccl r,vith the
lottrs-fragr:rrcc. Yru nrovc swlyirg likc I swun, clcstroyirg all fcer. Forrnccl
es Dcsirc-, you livc in thc placc of [se.xLr:rl] L)csirc- rcl phy thcrc
[:rs I{urdaliri
in thc Mulac'lharr 'akra]. Y<u al'c thc crccpcr rvhosc lruit s:rtisfics cvcry wish,
hung u,ith thosc ffrLrits rvhich:,rrc] rich ornanrcnts. Aclorlilc inr:rgc lanil
cvoc:rtiolrl of tcnderrrcss, your body is dclictc- ancl snrall-bellicd. You trke
rlcasnrc in thc ncct:rr of pr-rrc r,r,inc. and sivc succcss ro thosc u,ho Iin thc
Tantrik ritual lcrjoy this u,inc [whosc lanlc also nrcrrs thc Ultinr:rtc Causc
of cvcry cficctl. You arc the choscn onc of thosc u.ho pcrfomr jepa rvhc-n
high on cer,rsality-u,inc, plcascd r,vhcn it is trscd in ) ()Lrr \\ orshrp; inrurelsec1 in
thrs u,inc-occ:ur, you pl'otcct thosc lvho pcrforrn riturls u.ith r,r,ilc. Thc
124
fl'lsrancc of nrusk glaclclcns -vou, youi forcheacl is nrarkcd rvith its lsafir-,,rr
l'cllor'vl; usc-c1 in pLra rnusk cxc--itcs vou, ancl )ron lcvc thrsc r,vho rvorsl'rip you
rl,ith it. Yon arc a rnothcr tc thosc rvho burn mnsk-incclrsc; .vou lovc mr-rskdccr ncl srvallorv r,r.rrh plcsurc thcir lephrodisircl rnrisk. Thc sccnt of
l.rnother aphroclisi;rcl cenrrhor g1:rclclcrrs you, rrrcl yorr wcar garlands rntclc
of it; yorrr body is ll smc:rrcd u.ith a pastc of camphor arrd lfragrantl sanchlrvoocl Iporvdcrl. YoLr rclish u,'inc flavor.rrcd u,ith canrplor, yor-r batlrc irr en
occan of canrphor, rnd it is yotrr natural honrc. You alc plcasr-d rt rccit:rtlon
rlcrnonsl. L:rcly of [noblcl I{ula f}rnil1,, Ku]a-Tantrikas :rdorc yor-r. errd you
rcr,vrrd thcnr; vou ftrllt-uv thc Kula peth youlsclf. rrrd caccrly poilrt out thc
I,.rtlr to its li,ll,,rrcr.. Qrrtcrr t,l Siv.r'. '.r,'r.d , irr Ill,rrr.rr.r.l. rootllt.r rrlsutlcring, you givc Siva rvhat hc chooscs, givc hinr dclieht, :urd ovcrrvhclnr
lris nrind u.itl'r plcrsr-rrc. Thc bcll-rirrgs on yolrr tocs jinqlc rs )rou ntovc-. rnd
\'orr wcar e bclt of tiltkling bc'lJs. You livc olt thc Golc'lcn Mountain Mcru,
:urd you xrc thc m<)onbcaln thet shincs upon it. Yclr ac cnthrallcd bv
rcciltion of thc rnlrtr:r lof scxual urrion] I{LIM, fbr ir ls yoLlr own sclf. You
,rtroliih all thc cvil intcntions rncl rhc- afilictions of Kula-Tntrikas. Lad1. of
lll.
K,rLrl.t.. )('u
IIT].TM SRTM.
Illack l{ah (or Lalita) is thc first of thc most iniportanr Hinclu Tanrrik
goddess-trlnsfornraticns, the Mahlvidyas; they arc tctr in nuntbcr,
scvctr Lrclonging to tlr'e cru-rtivc rnnifr-sttiolt-stagcs rf thc ul'livcrsc,
thrcc to the r,r,itficlr:rrval. Kali is thc central cleity of time. Her own
nrrtrrrc, dcspitc hcr outu.ardly fcarsonrc app.lrrutcc, is ptrre ccst.rsy,
rrlovc :r11 icleas of positivc ancl ncgrtive. Whcn in thc proccss of
r r(',rti()r) l(lrli tlrst '.rrv.tkclls' u irlr .r \('t)\( (,Ipoiitivr'r'xistt'ntt.. re..i:r!I
lrcrsclf as tl-rc origin of n-rr-rltiplicity, she takcs on rhc aspc of thc
sccrnd Mahavidya, Tara, rvho is reprcsentecl as shining dark blue,
sllort u.ith a swollcn bclly, and rcsts hcr left foot on a corpsc-icon of
Siva. Shc \vears:l tigcr skin and a necklacc of severcd hcacls. Hcr 1rcc,
u,ith its threc cycs, werrs l terriblc grinracc of ir-rshtcr, ancJ hcr l.rair is
in a singlc mattccl braid. Shc stands on thc fi.tnerrl pyrc in which thc
'\\orld'is rcducccl to ashes, but is hcrsclf prcgnant lvith thc potclttial
o1'rc-crcation; for shc it is u,ho divldcs thc one into the niany. Thc
u'hclc imagc rcsts on a r,vhite lotus rrising fioln n exp:rlrsc of u,atcr.
Ilcr original lludc1hisr conucetions lrc rcnrcnlbcred in thc srnall
inragc of thc Buddha Aksobhya appearilrg on hcr hcadclrcss.
Thc next manifcstation-phrse is Soclasi, rcd as the rising sun, r,vho
sits:rbove a pcdestal cornposccl of figures cf tl'rc Hindu gods Brahma,
r2
l[
IOO, I()2
Visnu, Rtrclra, Lrclra rnd Sacliva. Shc sits astride thc brcly of
M,rlrIk:rl.r (grt:rt Titttt t in jo Iirl i.ru.rl inr('r'(()r.u'\\'riirlr lrinr. SIrt'ir
thc enrboclimcnt of thc sirtccn nrodifications cf rlcsirc. As thc fburth
Mahavidya, thc Goclclcss bcccmcs Bhuvancivr'J, consritrrting ther
substlrtial forces rf thc nratcri1 r,vorlcl. Sl'rc is golclcn as thc risin srrn,
wcars thc crcscrcllt rnoou ancl:t crowlt o1l hcr heacl. Of hcr fiur arnrs
two llolcl thc noosc ancl goarl, two gcsturc, oficring gifts ancl conrfirrt;
hcr brcrsts are swollclr lvith tfic ruilk which fcecls objcctivity irrtcr
crcation. Thc fiIih transfbrrnation is thrcc-cycd BhlirvT, rcd,
grlande c1 w'ith hcacls, her ehcst rubbc.l u'ith gorc, cror.vncrl, lr.rl,ling
a rosary ncl book. Shc it is lvho nrultiplics hcrsclf into tllc infinity ol
beirrgs:rncl fornrs, t:ansing nrclr t() rlur ftcr thcnr fbr satisf,tction.
'l'hc sixth Mahavidya is one of thc most inrport:urt. Shc is r:allcd
Clhirrnamasta. Thc srdliak w'ill frncl hcr in himsclf :it thc lcvcl of his
navcl, insic'lc a full blou,n krtus containiirg a ficlcl 'rcd es thc hibiscus
flou'cr', :rnd surrourclcd by thrcc c:ircular 1incs. Thc lottrs riscs from a
plir olfrgurcs rcprcscntin{ pnrc cosrnic fcrtilrty, blue malc ancl:r
ti'rnlc (Maha1:rksrrr) anrlorrous to I(rjsna ancl Raclha, ir.l scxual
intcrcoursc. Chinnniasta hcrsclf sits on ti)c lotus, clark grcy-bhrc arcl
qarl:urcled r,vith hcails, Iloldins a snakc in onc hancl, hcr ou,,n llcad in
thc cthcr. Fronr hcr scvcrcd ncck sprinq strcanrs of blood, onc
flow'ing into thc nrouth of hcr own hc:rtl, othcrs into thc rncuths of
tr.vo nukcd, sixtccu-vcr-old tcnralc fisurcs trt cch sicle of her, rvlto
holil skull cups and slrakcs. Thc fcnralc on thc riglit is golclcn, ancl
callccl Barnini; thc onc o1r thc lcft is callcd Dlkini, and is bright
vcrnrilion. This transfonnation-icon shou,s thc goildcss distributing
hcr lif-c-cncrsy into tllc trnivclst. r pr( )ce sc syrnbolizccl by thc strcerls
of bloccl u,hicll pour fronr hcr sclf-scvcrcd ncck ilrto thc mouths of
thc othcr trvc lcnrrlc imlgcs to ftrrm ancl nourish thcnr. All thrcc:rrcr
firnctions of thc (lodrlcss in intcrcoursc- w,ith rhc r-nalc. They can bc
mtchccl philosophicrlly lvith thc tric1 of prclinrinary pattcrlis r,vliich
crcativc clrcrlly is fclt tr aclopt. Thcy can llso bc lookccl at fionr twcr
ilircctions, rvhicli corresponcl to orlr two approachcs to thc lacldcr of
Clcncsis.
These thrce are , fl-orn thc sicle of the rnatcrial u,orlc1 as thc ordirary
tuan klrrr,vs it ftcr lic has clirnbcd high on his conccptual laclder, tlic
drk incrt (Tamas), thc- brilliant and ctivc (Rajas), ancl thc racliancc of
Rcine (Sattva). T'hcsc rrc crllcd thc qualitics of objcctivity (Ciunes),
thc most liurdrment:rl ttriLrutcs of reality. From thc siclc of the
r
oo Mhrviclvi (lhirlllrst
Lrr"
o1r
pxpcr ru x fi (3ox
-:.o)
f;
0
r+
:a'
-rtI
"
-"-':d
{*
*-
-e
,'firu;
*'
v,l >*.#l;
ffi
bff{*-;
-$
-&
q;
ii:9:;::
-:Ylt!
'li
4/.
r Tllc fi)()rprilrts oi Visltil nlt'kcd u,ith sl nl[rols o1'thc Ullivcrsc. bctirrc u'hit h thc
jcyitcc brscs hilrscliir rttlorltiolr. I{:irrgr:r. t Stlt cctttrtrt'. (iuchc oll Prpcr :l x,l
(rox ro)
r
.j-::fL
L)r'igirr:rtirg CioLrplc.
thc
ir: '
"f
i[,
spccial place in relation to Tantra, for the Muslim invaders whc drovc
the Tantrik Buddhists out ofnortheastcrnr hrdia in the twclfth century
ncrvcr conquercd that kingdom. Tibct and Nepal, as \\.e11 as Bhutan
.rnd Sikkim in the Hlmlaya, wclcomcd Tantrik Buddhist monks and
rcfusccs from the plains. But whereas Tibct, Bhutan and Sikkim
lccamc complctely Budclhist, incorporatir-r!J tlre rcsicluum of
sharnanic cult, such as Bon-po, into thcir new religion, Nepal alscr
rcmaincd Hindu. So in Ncpal Tantrik Br.rddhism and Hinduism have
flourishcd side by sidc, inflnencing each other, and combining their
tloctrines in a quitc individual way. Ncpalesc art cor-nbincs the
ic:onography of Hindu Tantra with that of Buddhisrn morc
interrsively than any other, so that, for example, tirc Buddha-familics
of Indian alid Tibetan Vajrayar-ra arc often found intcgrated with
Hindr-r symbolisms, cverr including.that of Krisna.
lrlcod, and
dramafis
r3r
ra7
abscrbcd
t07- r04
to3 A u'r:rthfirl lrnilcsttiol of rhc Voicl, in nriorr rvith tllc bolition of sclilloocl
Ncp:ri, r. too. Clorrchcon cloth 6x-j8 (t4zx97)
.s
(r:)
ro M:rhesicldh
.r....a))a:r,.!4131-9:{alt::.a).:.r.,:)t?r:,:,l
ro.1 T:rnka rcprcscntirre thc tcrriilc form of thc Rodhisttva Vajrapani, prorcctor
rund chie f cmlocLrncnt of thc porvcr oi Budcihisn.r Tibct. rTtir ccntrrry. Clouachc ol
cotrolr 2r x t7 (-5-l x 43)
Thc hrrriflc clcities probably havc- thcir roors i1) thc olcl Tantrik
Tantrik saints. They :tppear
in nunrercus stories:urcl texts rvhich rccor.rlrt tlieir livcs, ancl a
canonical numbcr rf ciehty-fbur has bcen fixcd. Most -nvere probably,
historical cl1:rr:lctcrs, gurus in olrc or othcr traclitict, tltough a goocl'
rleal of myth and syrrbolic f:rntasy surrounds thcnr. Thc-y arc thc ones
rvho havc livcd succcssful Tarrtrik livcs, pcrfor:nring innunrcrablc
rituals, and rcacl-iccl the goa1. C)nc of thc nrost importrnt is
l)adnr:rsarnbhava, thc founder-gr-rru rf thc Rcd Hrt scct in Tibet iu tlic
ninth centnry AD. Hc js oftcn rcprcscnted on Tibctan tankas. Such
s:rints arc not lt all likc thc iaints of nrost othcr rclisions. They havc
fcaturcs in ccrnnron w.ith thc description of Abl'iin:rvagupta (p. to8);
lbcvc all, thcir icons display an immcnsc, qllasi-clcmonic encrgy in
their strong, well-carccl-fir bodies ancl violent eycs. Thcy probably
crnbocly folk rnernorics of the nragical d:rnces pcrfirrmed by shanrans
posscsscd by spirits. So tot clo inragcs cf horrific clcitjcs. And in all
lluddhist Tantra thc cloings of thc Mhasiclcihas arc bound up with
i'akras, gravcyards, initiations and rnagic; the very tcrtr applied to
()nc llrolrp of the principal horrific Tibetan clcvatas, F1erhkas, rvas
originally a tcrnr applied to higl'r-ranking sr1hakas. For all thcir
heightenccl attributcs, thc Mahasiclclhas lvcre at bottom real pcople.
With the violent figures of Tibet:rn :urd Ncpalcsc :rrt, howcver, thc
colrnection with rcaiity has bccn strctched to breaking pctint.
"I'hc cxprcssions of passiolr or ragc lvhich the horrific de vats wear
signifl in inconceiv:rble dcgr:ec of cr-rcrgy; their irnmcnsely su,,oilen
lrcclics, violent gestnres and copulations demonstrate thr:ir linritless
libido; whilc thcir aurcolcs of flamc ncl sroke refcr symbolically to
supcrnatnral cucrsics rcleasecl in thc crcnration gror-urcl. Such devatas
:rrc cvokcd into their paintcd or sculptured irnages primarily when
power is needccl, e ither or protcctioli or fcrr carrying ol-lt magic. Thc
vcry cxaggcration of their appearancc to the point of c:rricatllre shcurs
that they bclor-rg to a world of prcrjccted faurasy; rhough thc peoplc
u,ho Lrsc thcnr, of crolrrscj clo belicvc iu thc existencc ol dernonic
elemcntal bcings. But everr r,vhelr such inrages are nlclnt as outr,vrrcl
quidcs to inner frrrccs ancl rcalities, thc high kcy of thcir exprcssion
r':ru only be acceptable on thc assrlmption that thcy havc left all
Havoilr of rcal act bc-hincJ. Nc meditator conld expc-ricnce such
intcnsity and livc. Thcy arc sraphic symbols, not invitations to thc
srmc kind of sclf-idcntification as Hinclu irnascs.
cr-rlt cf the Mahasidc'lhas, grcat succcssfill
:::
.*
I o)
20
I o.1
ro
M:rgician's
costumc of apron
nrdc cfhnrnln bonc
:rxz,4(53x6r)
rrl
Ritu;rl trunrpcts
of hr-rlnatr thigh
bonc. Tibct. rgth
cortury. Bonc r4 (3(r)
rn:rclc
rz
F-lurnr skull
nroLurtccl as ritual
vesscl. Tibct, rgth
Cosmograms
In this chapter re discusscd cliagran-rs olthc rvorlcl, lvhich provicle :r
b:rckgrounrl tci sclhan:r. Thcy illustratc ftrndamental Inclian idcas, :urd
ir
,ffilY.ffi'#Li,ffi
iI*:li.'*
-5
x r o (r 3 x z5)
-"1
,. t',
--/-'li
" .-r.rr#t
''--,,*-l*
t*ru
*+1
It{tfiffiltq
I4I
r
p:rgc illustrtj1Ig a
-.; .Jaina MS
r.lc-clcv:rtion' of Jlntbuclvip:1, u'ith
r
r)x2j)
,j{
*r. !&F
:ut
-T1n:l
l)igraln ol thc
Iljsthr.
8th
nlrppcr9x9(23x23)
'...t
I I9 Astrolollicrl cljsrrnr
o1'ln cclipsc. 1l:r j;rstlt:rn,
rsth .rcrtury. Lrk :rlld
cololir ()11 prpcr z1 x I9
(r x48)
*---,rs,'.
.,.
I
I
i
I
t
I
ll,,
r20
contcllts
of
Clcncsis
r11
I
I
I o I)irgr:tttt illtrstr:rtillr thc dircctiolrl confirrnltion oithc rl.crlcls :rrcl hcr,clrs :rs
rlrcl' cr1'st:rJlizc attd scparrtc ficm rvlthill tllc Cosnric Egg. 1l:rj:rsth:rn, rErll cclrrrLr v.
Ink llcl coloLrr clt ptpcr -j x ro (t 3 x z5)
-u
it
i
';:
.d\
dj
l"t
-. r lt{
:
r'
)"
r,\
_1. ,
r.
..
,rla.Af
qrqgl(a z-.-q'\4
t$alil
haa,
eeiuualqtuii
'
;,:.i:
ti
r-r-r l)ilgr;,rnr illnstrrting thc occulrlticns oi thc moolr bchilrcl t\\'o grct nrvthlc:li
tttor-urti:r rrllqcs dividnrg thc u,oricl *,hich flark Mount Mcru. Illrlasth:ur. tfith
(cntrlr). hrk rncl cclour rn pxpcr s x ro (r3 xu5)
rr
:: l)i:igr:rttt iiorr
\\,c11 as
r46
t17
122
II.5
t17
ll
l4
Mr_rclala
r
t)6
tz(t
/^\
t,l
r (r
J;rin:r dirgrrnr illirstr:rring thr.ctcli rccrrrrcncc oithc scvcnfblcl divtsiolts o1 thc
Llnivcl-sc;rs cosllric rivcr tf rinlc :rd rclitr". il-onr rn:inuscript of thc
S;tIrrtr:rrigrrnlstrdlril . lll jrrstlr;rn. r 7 r -z Ink or rlpcr Ox r r (r,5 xz.8)
-u
',;,
.a
euqa{qlsi&i
nnmaa'?;l
harqrlqaf,mr&:
iqtaft&rrl?B I
qI?o'qqn:?,
'..pntq1qde.{
'.,,.k;*#
::;,.;
ljr
[l
a rqq*q{e'1-?q
ll9
t21
r
TX
f'
,',-,;
.I
il
i
,i
l[1
I ti,
\
t
{i
tl'
l'ri,
rI
,l
,'
''/
rldl
tl
,l
..f
shorrld rclatc his prr1a, nicclit:rtion rrncl nrauically cftcctivc ritcs to thc
cl:rys, thc phlscs of thc nroon, thc tinrcs of thc ,vc;rr and thc positiorrs of
thc plaucts uncl corstcliaticns. M:iry 'lantrik u,crks cf lrt the rcforc
cont:rin claboratc c:rlcul:rtion-systclirs rcscnrl)lilrs colourcd chcckcr-
t)7
rox(zxr-3)
borrcls
r:9 Jlrnl
skriti
:,
oi
thc..f irr.r
rs rclcrscrl spirir.
ii=
it
I
r_irrr (3Sr:8)
sts.
icorr
Lr clr>tlr
t I)ilgr:rnr
r.rh
(,:3.1x 8r)
-52
1):
r j:
bcings. shonld bc blinc'l iu orc c,vc, nncl S:rtttrtr should bc 1;rntc; R:thu shoLrlc'l
bc visu:rlizcd as;r scvcrcd hccl. Kctlr;rs lrcrcllcss trurk, both dc[<rntcd:trtc'l
,
c1'
lul1, holcling a triclcnt it.t onc h:rnd. givirrg blcssitigs lvith thc othcr. IIc
'Whclt ottc lt;ts nrcditatt-cl orl
\\:c:rl's tigcr*skilrs, alrd glor'vs likc thc lull nrootr.
rlrcsc clcities and r,vorshiprcd tircnr in ordcr, Llrl-rlrr:t Ithc ct-crtctr Dcr':rta]
:hotrlcl bc rvorshippcd in thc uppcr Ircd, cxtralcirclc outsic]c tllc tn:tt.tcl:rlr,
,rrrd Visnu in thc 1t>rvcr lr,r,hitclonc.
Thclr thc gurrcliln gocls et thc citv setcs shoLrlcl bc rvorshipped. Ugra,
,r
[]hilr:r. l)recnrle rlrcl Ii.L .rr-t t thc c.r\tL I-n gatc; Jl-varttl, Ksctr-apa1a,
rnd Ilrhatiireh:rt thc sor-lthcr1r; t thc \\rcstcrtt:rrc Vrkr, A(vr,
NrkLrlc:r
in his hnd ncl stts on :r Lrisorr lin thc south l. Nirrti lin thc sor-rth-u,cstl
clerk g1'ccn, h<lcls l srvord, sitting on hcrsc. Varur.r [thc god ofthc r'v:rtcrs
iir tl-rc rvcstl rvhr is r.r,hitc. sits on n Makar-:t nrolrstct, Irolcling e ltocsc. VYrt
Ithc god of airl shotrlcl lc rncclittcd otr es rrclirtrtly bleck, sittinu lirr thc
north-u,cstlolr rr dccr, holding r go:rd. I{uvcr:r Ithc god itf u,c1th]is qolclcrr.
:itting lin thc rrorthlon r jcr,r,cllccl liolr-scat, holding 1)oosc ancl goad in his
stnclerc'ls
is
tllc circlc. T'hcn rrouncl it shoulcl [c clrervn e bctrtifr-rl ctty-p.]rrr r.r'ith firrlr
grtcs. [Jctll,ccil thc c:rst iltcl ilitrth-c:tst corl]ers I circlc shotrid lc drr,vlt . .
ancl lnothcr bctu'cclr tllc u,c-st ncl south-rvcst corncrs. T'hclt thc nlne
tnnqlcs slrould bc flllccl in rvith thc colours of tlrc rrinc phncts, urcl thc lcft
rrrd right siclcs of thc nriildlc rriurqit'shoulcl [c nrrclc u,hitc nd ycllorv, thc
brsc bleck.'Ihc cight pct:rls shoulcl Lr.' flllcd in u.ith thc colorrs of thc cight
qovcrlrors of thc clrrrltcrs lof thc lvollcll. -l'1lc r,v:r11s of thc city-pl:rn shoulcl bcclccor:rtccl u.ith uhirc, rcd acl bllck pou'dcr, nd. C) Godrlcss, tlrc n'r,o
Icxtr:r j circlcs . . . shorrld lc colourcd, thc uppcr rccl end thc ]or,r.cr r,vhitc. . .
Ilr thc irttrrost tlinglc thc Sun shoulcl bc r.vorshippcd, errl m thc anslcs on rhc
.r sr11
-Whcn
I\r..llr lti. (
vil.
r>ncs shotrlcl bc
u,orshippcd.
Thcrr lvrrship fthc Moonlthc rn:rkcr of nighr in thc rrienslc Lovc rhc
Sun orr tllc cst: ill tllc south-cst Mirrs [Meri*rlll. rl thc south Mcrcnry
l []tr,llr.rl. irt rlrt srrll-11(\rJltl,ir(r l llllr,r:|.r1il. irr rl:,,\\(.\r V(t)lr\ l\rrkr.rl. in
thc north-,"r,cst S:rrur lS.rni l. in thc rr.r-th kJJru lthc rsccnclinq noclc r,r.,hcrc
thc rnocn cr.rts thc ccliptic in passinq nortllr,r,rcl l, in thc nolrh-c:rst Kctu Ithc
lltoorl's clcsccnclinr noclc], rrci lest, cncrrclirrq thc Moon, thc crolvrl rf Sters.
Thc Srin is rccl, thc Moorr r.vhitc: M:rrs is t:r\vn,v, Mcrclrrv pelc ycllorv-lr,hitu,
Jupitcr Icl1or,r,, Vcntrs u.hirc, Satr.rnr black. I{:rhLr encl I{ctu vrricg:rtcd. . .
Onc slrorld nrcclittc oll thc Sull as heving lirur hands, orrc prir hoidirrg
lottrscs, thc- othcr p:rir n'rakinu thc gcstul-cs of'cLspcllirrr: fcer rnd of blcssirrg;
thc Moolr shoLrlrl Lc visrr:rlizcd as holcLnf ncctrr rn onc h:urcl, urvirrg rvith thc
othcr. Mrrs should bc slightlv bcnt, ltolding r st:rff in his hlrcls. Mcrcury. thc
Moon's sol. shoulrl bc nrcditerccl on:1s:r boy u,ith locks o1'h:rir loosc on his
firchccl. JLrpitcr lr,r,ho is thc (]uru of thc (ioclsl shoulrl bc sccn ro h:rvc I
blossonls rcl thc rn<on. Hc hes thottsncls of cycs nrrcl fcct, thottserrcls of
lr;urcls rncl flrccs lrs (.osnric Forrn l, ;rnd hc shoul,-l bc rncditatcd on by rJl (iocls
:ulcl clcn-ronic bcilgs . . . Norv listcrr to thc malrtr:rs ilr thcir orc'lcr Irttcl thc cts
I 5.t
T-5-j
thc csscltial Tantrik approach, the subrlc fbrm <f thc htrnran body
may bc scclt as a subtlc frrrnr of a coslnos lro lcss vast but totally
alivc.
r-J
ll
1.12
rs
IJI
l'\l='
(,'
?-"
-=-
//{
lit
.'i
i3z
Diagranr of-tlrcJaina cost.ttos rlith its scvcn scp;rratiru occ:rns. intcrprctccl rs:r
u,ith'orir'ar tilc ccr)rc. Ilajrsthen, r9rlr.il,rt,,.y. coloi',-cn clclr
cosnr:ic bocly.
z7 x 2.9 (6t
74)
Irl closnric frrnr of vlsru-I{risna u,ith ekrs of'thc subtlc boc{y; fionr
li.rjrsthan, rgtlt ccrtnrrl.. ti,,,,,,..1,.. ()n pJpcr,t . ,, (: < r S)
book
32 I)iagr:lnr of thc J:rirr:r cosrnos n,ith its scvclr scplrrtirg occurrs. intcrprctcd
:ls
t7xz9 (9x7q)
I33 oosrnic forrn ol visnu-I{risn u,itlr 'akrs of tlic snltlc body; tionr r book
llejrsthln, rgth cc1)rury. Ciou:rchc or ppcr 9 x (z-j x r-s)
(]HAPI'I-,R Tt]1\'
r33
*l;'t'
{
\aRnqtnfrqr/,.
{ae ruri-eaaan
\i
$,
.t
rllustrutcd bor>k rf
\ ()g:l posturcs.
ll:rjnsth:rn,
r,1xii
on ppcr
(r(r3x^zo)
qr.V;l-d:L\L#'
velaqE${r'!1,
ffi *,;llSf?F*,'
'm
t'
i&{'
}"'1't'W
,,,,-.,.'.
"fAqla
;frqdr
-*,b
'q?ir{t
' .^ *\-:,-t
- i
':X4tqn
F
Ultirnltc Grotrnd of 13eirr attcl thc ir thc cvcryday
u,orlcl. Thc hnrnan pcrsolr is thouglrt of as rcscnrblirrI a plarlt
gror,vine froni t1-rat soil out into thet air rrpsiclc clou'n, so to spcak. Tht'
crowlr of his hclcl is tlte placc w'hcrc thc root-stcnr pctretratcs thc
surlacc lctr.vcen thc cvcryclay rnil tltc transccticlctrt. Thc boc1y, or.rt irr
thc air, rs fcd rvith vital cncrgy fiorn thc'Clrouncl' bcyond through an
invisiblc opcning sitr-ratccl in tlic clrtrnc of thc skull. Front tl'ris placc irr
thc crou,n of thc hcacl a svstclll of strbtle ch:tlrncls or vcins, callccl
naclis, sprcrcls throushollt thc body likc thc vcins through thc lclvcs
of gror,ving plants, clistributing thc vitrl cl)crgy otlt to thc snrlllo: tits
tf thc nrcrnbcrs. At spccial placcs irt thc sct'lsc or{ra1)s, irrcluclillg tht:
huncls arcl gcnitals, importartt ch:tt.tlrcls tcrrnitlatc. Thc naclis bratrch
ofi frcm various points on a principal nadi il'hich rtttls dorvtl thc
spin:rl colrinrn :urd is ca11cd Sustlnurlr. This is thc samc :ls th(l
Mcruclrnda mcntiotrcd in Ciiraptcr 9 which is thc:lxis of thc rvorlcl,-1isc. 'l'hc cllrrclrts of vital e1'rcrgy rtttlt.tilrg thrctr-rgh thcsc rlndis arc
cllccl thc Prnrs, s()nrctilncs ntislcadingly traltsletcd as 'brc:rths' or
'airs'. Ccrttinly sirch fiqurtlvu tt.rllls .1re rtsccl mctaphoricrllly to
dcscribc thcnr cvctt in Sanskrit; artd controlling thc outwarcl physical
brcath is onc of thc cl'ricf w-ays trscd by yogis ttt cc'rntrol tllcir Pranas.
lltrt'air'is not u,ht is mcatrt at a1l artd cliicrcrtt rcgions of thc bocly
irrc thorlght of as having difi-cr:cnt spccial Prinas, thc nrost irlrport:ltrt
bcing thc Prfua of thc chcst, thc trext tlic Aphna ili thc gcnito-anal
rcgion. Thc rcllity cf thcsc itrrcr cncrgtcs is r ln:tttcr of dircct irrrler
syrnbolizcs tlic
cxpcricr-rcc.
subtlc bod,v.
I{:rttqrr, } Iinrchll
of
J-j I)iaqmnr of
thc sir :kr:rs il tlrr
r
Prclcsh, l Stll
ccntrrrv. Clourrchc
:..1
? *.-
11
x:8)
:l-.
'.
',.,1:',*'r;-;.\:
r3
F_
'objcctivity', intrinsically void of particular
but
whicl-r
he has
oL-rjccts,
I38
;:;LW
ranFt
UUL]
ilrn.f
t-; . t
r 36 Painting rcpr-cscrtiru thc clcnrcrrts rcnctrlting into spcc bcyontl thc hcd
rcqiorr. lll.jasthn. t 8th ccl)tnrv (lout hc .)1r ppcr 7 x6(rSrr5)
t64
onpapergxT(z3xr8)
r38-9 Two from
a sct
of seven
16xrr (4rx28)
known
I3J
r40
as
The lowest Tantrik akra, at the base of the spine in the anal region,
Merr-rdanda
r67
IP
This
is 1so
nrdis rvhich spiral tionr thc tor to bottonr around tllc Susnnrn.r,
passing points c()lrlarucnt r,vith thc lcft rnd riqht nostrils. 'I hcsc rrc
callccl thc n:rclis Icl rcl Piirerl. sr-ur ancl nro()n, thc rislit r,vhitc. thc
icft rcd. 'Whcn this is c-lonc tllc or.rtlvard-florving -uvorld-cncrgics can
thcn bc r,r,ithdrrrrvn into thc i-akra's circuit of pctals, thcn into a ccntrrl
clor'vnu,:rrd-pointing fcnlalc yoni-trilnglc. Thc saillirka, having
cxtcrnlizccl his u,orsiril.r of tlris,vc-rni. pcrtorrninr spcci:rl
colltrection of his pcrinc:rl nlnsclcs cullcrl yorri-ntudra, bcconrcs
11\\'rc of lncl controls this yoni in hinrscll, as thc srrbtlc gcncr:rtivc
orsan of his u,orld. Firrally tirc cncrgics arc collccl)tratcd into thc
fbrnr o1'r sultlc fcrnalc snrkc, callccl I{undrlini, u,ho is irr orclin:rry
pcoplc :rslccp aftcr hr,ing propagrtccl tltcir r,r,orld rrotuiil tl'rcnl lv
nt:ury activc coilinqs.2s Shc is sid. by r-rsing thc fiftv S:urskrit lcttcrs as
thc strilrss of hcr irstmnrcnt, to 'sing hcr sons' out of u,hich urc
wovcn :rll thc forrns of thc rvorlr'ls. Anyonu rvhr can hc:rr it frr u.hrt ir
trtrly is, in f:rct 1.cc:ontcs libcr:rtcd.
Thc s:rclhrka's rrirn is to:rr,r,'akcn ancl, b1'using \(,gi. p(r\rrrcs.
nnrscul:rr actions anci scxr,r:rl intcrcoursc, vitelizc Ktruc-lalini,
compclling hcr to straiqhtcn out :urcl clltcr thc bott<tnt cud of his
Srsnnrna
li
nuc'lJ.
r+l
thc :rkrt, covcring its orificc rvitli hcr rnouth thc sunrc orifice
throtrglr u.hich shc llas to cntcr tlre Susrrrnrlf
l'hc :rkra hrs fitLtr pctals, arcl its'presicling dcv:rt'is tht senrc rcd
Dakini lvho rcprcsclrts thc liurclnrclital 'frrntrik initi:rtion. In
Lltrclclhisnl thc'c:rrtli'colour is ycl1ou,, and its ch:rractcristic tirnr is
.
rftcr prolongccl
ancl rcpc:rtcd
pla
arrcl nrcclit:rtion.
t+o l)irrqr:rm oithc i-krs in tlc subtlc bodr Knqr. Hll'n:rchal I)rclcsh, . t :o.
(louachc on papcr ru x 9 (3o x zj)
,J
+z
r4r KLrrdalili
l1nq.l1tt
Lr,ur.t
coilccl bout
r.t\.
contcl]]por:try. Stotrc h. 7
(r 8)
r.z Paintiug
clcntclts. Ncpal,
Tll-itra is :r cirr:lc.
At thc lcvcl of tlic naveJ is thc tcn-pctallcd Hincln Mauipr,tra akra.
Its nme rnerns icwcl city'. The 'mani' is the sanrc word as that u,,hich
mcans both jcu,el' ar-rd 'phallic principlc' in the flrnrous Tibctan
mantra mentioned in Chaptcr ,S, 'Ori mani padmc Hurh'. This ccntrc
is at the heart in Budclhist Tntra. Hcre is thc region of tl-rc rnystical
fire, and in Hinduism its clcvatas are thc patrons of thc crcm.rtir)n
ground.27 At t1'rc level of this akra thc u,or1d is ccl'rsunrccl and
transformcd through thc agency of flaine gcncratcd by the uppcr and
lower psychic cncrsies in comlination, and timc is tr:rnscended; in
Buddhist T:rntra its colour is rec'l ancJ its shapc:ur upward-poir-rting
triangle. At this lcvel is carriecl cut thc lamous sTum-mo ritual of
,Tibetan Lamaisnr which arouses thc inncr firc for all sorts of magical
purposcs, including kccpinq w.lrr]r .llnong thc snou,s.
of pr.
The throat akra in Buddhism is thc regior-r of air. In Hindu Tantra
rt is callcd Visrddha, sixtccn-petalled and colourcd a smoky pr-rrplc,
symbolizing thc region of aethcr, thc state of knorvlcdgc beyond all
possiblc physical cxprcssion. At its ccntre is a w-hjte circlc. The
presrding dcvat is the half-malc, half-fcmlc form of the original
tw-o-scxcd principlc in a statc cxistcntially prior to scpararion into
distir-rct malc and femalc. The Goddcss-form is pure white. Thrs
clemental region of acthcr, howcvcr. Buddhists locate in thc crown of
the head, and give it tl-re colour bluc, with a flamboyant nasal dotr72
papcr
r40xrr (-j5xz8)
mantra. Most Hindn Tantra, sincc it locatcs thc cthcr rcalrn irl
the throat, cnvisagcs tu'o fi.rrther akras abovc, ottc betwcen thc cycs, I43
r,vhitc, r,vith two pctals. callcd thc' n.r, thc other in the crou'n of tl.rc
hcad, callcd Sahasrra, the thousand-pctalled.
ln the Aa, tne placc of the 'third eye ' of wisdom, the sadhaka's
facultics rcach a statc of formlcss contemplatiort. Thc subtlest statc of
mind is thcre; the mantra is 'Orh' itself. Devat :rppcars only as a 1'oni
(vulva sh:rpc) cnclosing an elliptical purc whitc lingarh. Hcre thc
sadhaka achievcs union of thc tw'o absolute principles into thc unitary
Brahman. This is probably the most important meditativc akra of all
to the Hindu Tantrika.
Bcyond it is the Sahasrra, its thousand petals cncirclir-rg thc pornt
of uttcrmost brilliant light which opcns on to the engulfing vord of
supernal spacc. Its rays are the nectar of immortality. As cxpcrience ir
is Nirvna. It is thc gate of Being itself, through u-hich mcn and their
rvorlds arc sustained, thc place alikc of relcasc and Get'resis. It can only
be reached by malc and femalc joincd irt sexttal union. As to whcthcr
s1-iapcd
r73
r
the union lrccds to bc outward ancl physical as wcll as purcly inu,,ard
ancl synrbolic there is disagrecnlelrt. The nrost archaic strancls of
Tantra, that survive today only :rmolrg a fcw Hindll sects, alrnost
certainly rccognizcd that outcr ilnion w:rs thc ntost pou,crfr-rl
medium. The two lcvcrs wcrc said cach to givc t1-rc otl'rcr, quitc
htcrally, what thc <ther lackccJ of conrplctcncss. Joinecl, thcy nray
bccomc more than eitircr can bc alone. Othcr sccts, cspccially the
Tibctan Bllddhists, rcquirc that thc union bcr elrtircly subjcctivc,
cornbining within the single person thc elcmcnts of 'activc
compassion' as thc malc, 'wisdom' f,s thc fe malc, intc a
com prehcnsivc ir-rsight.
rnacle in thc cightcenth ccntury, was f<rntlcl irr Pcking it'r r9z. It
originally colrtaincd 787 irnagcs. Thc lists upon r'vhich thc ntandalas
rvcre brsccl arc olten quitc inconsistcrtt; thc 'sixtcclt Bodhis:rttvls', fcr
cxanrple, can difrcr drastically accordins to difii-cl:cnt ltsa!!es. Thcsc
inconsistcncics may indicatc local variatiolrs artoilg thc traditiorls
which havc bccn collcctcd. Br-rt thc idca bchind this Budclhist
nllrr.rd:rl:r s) ste nr i. ,rlr,r .r s tltt' ..tltl.'. Arry rn.rttd.rl.t ,,r i.rkr, ol tlt v:tt.is.
thoroughly rcalizcd in rncclitetiol), bccolnes a pcrlnaltcl'lt propcrty
of thc sclhaka's ilrncr bcitrs, art aclclccl clintctrsiott to his tcta1
condition.
Thc coursc of an inclividual's spiritual history rnry clcmancl tl'rat hc
lcnr ancl assimilatc a !livcll mandala ftrr a special occasion. Thc
manclala itsclf, :rs a diagrarnn-ratic coniplcx strltctttrcd rlroulld :l
ccntral poir-rt, focuscs thc cltcrgics it contailts upolt tlic nlcditator's
ccntral Sr-rsurnn; wltilc thc clifIcrcnt ftgurcs gyratitte u,ithirl it
crystallizc strctcircs of psychologicrl cxperietlcc attd rncatritrg. ln a
scnsc, thcrcforc, thc nrcrc nrrnclalas a sacll-raka can rcalizc lrld absorb,
thc grcatcr his cndou,,rnent.
Thcrc is, horvcvcr, onc lcading p:lttcrtt whicli co-ordil).ttcs lll thc
lnany possiblc nrandalas of this Buddhisnr, r'vhich is ofteil (lvrorlgly)
bclicvccl to bc thc only Vajrayana rnanclala. It is that of thc pcaccfirl
or Dhyani Iluclclhas, supplcnlclrtcd by ntatchirte lnar.,dals of
'Knor,vlcclgc Holc1crs' and 'Wrathlul' clcvrtas. Agairr, not all thc
surviving vcrsions arc totally consistct'lt. Thcir syrnbolisnl atld
r-nanipulatiolr:rrc cxtrelnely rcfinecl, atrd kttorvrt to vcrv fcr,v l-tlastcrs
cvcn in tl-rc Tibetan sccts. Somc indicltiorl lias alrcady bccrr givcrl
(p. ,:r) of parts of thcir rneanirg; othcr prrts rlsc rclatc to spccific
points of Btrddhist psycholopSy and rnctaphysics. T'l'rc inrportant thinu
here is that l)ollc of thcm ili il-scft alonc rcprcscrlts cnlichtenmcnt. All
thrcc mar.rclalas lreed to bc superinrposecl and fr-rsccl, transfbrmcd ittto
a singlc irnagc.
I.l-5
,i,
r:
li
r,'
frr
nd cosnric
in rhc firrlrr oi
thc'clcntclts'.:ts
li
I
Svr'rnrbLlr"llnrhrr. rhc
sclf-orisinrtcd lorcl.
Ncp:rl. r 7th ccnrur\.
CloLrchc o:r ckrrll
7:l x.lo (iS.\ x 7)
lfi]i
ll'j
trl
t
r
+i Tnk.
dcpicturg
of
l-cilr
ccl)tLrr\'.
(loulchc o]l
cloth :9 x 22 (74 x
-ia))
14-5
tirc five
is'ragc',
scnse-ficlcl
is
elh-rciccl
Sttprerne
Wiscloni.
re
prcscnted as figurcs
'Wrathtul Hcrkas', cacl.r dancing with his f,:male reflection, his gross
phallus thmst into hcr, hair bristling lorrg ancl wild, aurcolccl in flamc,
has bccn sr-rggcstcd carlier on (p. r 37). 13ut thc fact tliat thcsc
Buddha-transformations inhabit the highest rcgion in the Bucldhist
subtle body, callcd variously thc 'C)ccan of rcconcili:iticn', 'thc sclforiginatcd Univcrsal Bocly', 'the Totality of the Void', gives thern a
spccial char:rcter. Tl.rcir colours are all darkcuir-rgs or ncgatives of the
colours of their corresponding Br"rddhas brown, tawlry, black, darksrccn, red-black. Thcir'conclition' is the oppositc of thc'Peacc' of the
Dhyani-Buddl-ras. Thus thcy re prcscnt thc ultimate 'calrcellins
througl-r' of all the obvior-rs virtucs w-hich cutward tcacl.rings namc
ancl propagate. Their gcncral aspect conlrects thern r'vith tirc image of
thc completcd Tantrik sadhaka with which this book cncls (p. zo4).
Thc special kincl of integration' symbolizecl by the jnitiatior-rs cf thc
Knowleclge-Holdcrs is transformcd at this lcvel into an apparent
frcccJoni, an identification with originating vorticcs rn''ithin the Voicl.
Thcir narnes anc'l thosc of their fcmales are all formcd from thc names
of thc csotc'ric ernblems which link thc stagcs of Iluddha-transformation (C. Ilucldha, S. Ratna, E. Vajra, N. Karma, W. Padma,
symbolizcci by whcel, jewel, vajra, sacrificial sword and lotus).
Sincc thc gencral charicter cf thcsc 'Wrathfi.rl' figures solxchorl'
cxprcsscs gcneric 'raec', thcrc is always fclt to be a spccial conncctiorr
between thcm and thc Ruddha Aksobhya of tl-rc East, whosc
cmotionai rcalm is 'ragc' and rnily Vajra: so much so that
Aksobhya, although his is not the central position in his own
manclala, is oftcn s:ricl to be the 'originator' of thc othcr fcur. Sincc thc
'Wrathful' inragcs arc placed highcr in the subtlc bocly ancl hcncc
l'righcr in the existentill chain of Vajrayana, 'originator' hcrc rnust
nreur that he is the link bctu'een his ou,n peaceful mandala and tl'rc
higl-icr nrar.rdalas w'hcrc a transcendcntalizecl 'rage' prcvails.
179
.1.5
T]
-l
1.,1() trkJ. rcprcscrtillLa tllc nllrdlrr of- tlrc Srrprcnrc lJirddh:r Vtrjrrs:rttvr.
tttcditt1on upon u'hiclr ('iln gcrcr:ltc thc ultinr:rtc colrrlitirn oi l<rrou lcdgc. Titct.
ISth ccrtrrr\'. (ioui:]rc tr tlitlt 2r x r7 (-l x:tj)
I47 V-jrsirrt\':r ilr turiorr u,ith thc Srrprcnrc Wisdonl Vu.jrldhrrvi(r-rrri. Tlbct. rrll
crtLrr\. (iilt Lrorzc r,r,itll jcu,cls r r (:E)
-v-
I49 Thc oriuirrlll I)crsilr rrlvtllicl bird, Srrnurgh, Itolditrg lust ninc clcphlnrs
syrrbolizirrg lou,cr constitucrrs of thc prrrtirl sclf. I{rllcra school. rgth ccntur\,.
Cliuacllc or pilpcr rox rz (25 x 3o)
t+9
At ccntrc top
is thc
Vtt
4)
rl',as
1-racl
takcn on
C]HAI'TER ELF]V[,N
body systcm.
r;
Hinclu-
13uddhist yantr:r,
shupccl as stupa.
Ncprl, r sth
cclrfrrr\'. LJrorzc
(r )
li7
56
is a
Talrtr
nrorlificcl Sarikhya ol1crs a philosophical systcnr lvhich
a fic1.
cf,1)
aurhcl)ticretc it.
firll
Siva
Praka
Brahman
wiih oualtes
orher
Salri wirh
,/
,/
/ E il*;;;;a;
eYes crosed
satt' *ittr
I uY"'
oP"n
'
't'
EErg!!1!!---J
M
Sakti of
illusory division
with 5 Kachukas
Mantra zone
)
sett
sepatates t tre
Niyati : produces dependence
Rga l attaches to separate "things"
Vidy : knows s6parate "things"
Kal | causes diff0sd ct;on
I,
I
i;
Prnciple diffracted
by My and Kachukas
I
I
:':.
5 Organs
of action
Eat
Sou nd
Mouth
Skin
foch
Hand
Leg
Eye
Tongue
Taste
Eowel
Nose
Odour
Genitls
*o
(-,'
),1
!''
e*0.u" -r,i"n
beleve themselves
separle
\
)
t,
r..\ I
1 7rl
-
I
I
Ascent=
Re inleqrtron
by Sdhana
r 5-l 4 T*,r fionr sct of thirtccn lcr,cs frinr r rnrrr,rscript rllustrating thc prot'csscs
of prir.jcctivc-cvolutioll oithc Unilcrsc. Wcstcrlr Incli, . l7oo. ()ottrcltc oll pPCr
r88
sdhana possiblc.
And so, ifin his pla thc saclhaka clocs cvcryrhing in thc.rppropri.rrtway, he can rcach a statc of conccntration w-hich cnables hjs focusccJ
eycs and mind to sink into thc dcpths of thc- image; the Devat will
thcn entcr thc in'rage. Rut this means, propcrly undcrstoocl, tht
anything can bc trcated as an intagc. For rhc encrgics which fi11 the
t-rtrivcrsc, which are all thc diflcrent Saktis radiating front thc original
scccl through thc cosmic al1torny of thc GoclcJcss, arc parts of Hcr,
alrd rcsiclc in nrountail'1, trec, shrub, crccpcr, rivcr alrd sc:l; one nray
wctrship Her in any of thcsc objccts, lookins on cach as anr:lthcr sort of
r90
r -i
Sakti. Thcrc is no cvidcncc of, nor is thcrc an-v ncccssity fbr. thc
cxistcncc of the two things. Malc, fc'malc, and lrcutcr, all u'c S.rkri.
Body, scnses, mir-id, and sc11, all are nranifcstations of S.rkti.
Clolrsciousl'lcss s sclf rs, likc the orb of thc slr1r, thc condensecl ancl
lnassivc fbrnr of S.rkti; u-hilu b...d)'. .cnscs, mjncl, and othcr things,
likc sun's rays ciilluscd into space, arc brrt fluicl parts of that great
rnassive Sakti. Althotrgh thc sr.rn is rcally cnerlly il.r substancc, yc-t for
cottrnlolr unclerstanclirg sucl-r cxprcssions as 'thc sun is posscssecl cf
c-lrcrgy' and 'the snl)'s cnergy' arc lrscd. Sirnilarly, althotrgh scll is
Sakti rtsclf in substancc, yct in ordcr t1'rat living ntelr may the bctter
undcrstancl, Sastrl hrs usccl such cxprcssions as 'self is posscsscd of
S:rkri'.rrr.l ':,'l['s \rkti'. TIri' is tJrc orrl difli'r.n,'r'l.ctrv.',:n 5,rkri .ul,l
thc posse ssor t>f Saktl. hr a spiritull scnsc. nothing cxists as posscssor of
Just
as
1-orrltccl
r92
ilr
(-uI] tU
r)
C) fair-cyccl L)cvi,just rs rivcrs end lakcs rrc unrblc to travcrse;r vast sca Ithat
is to say, hor,vcvcr srrong thcir cu1'rcnts nray bc, thcy xll losc thcir indiviclul
cxistccc cntcrillg into thc vast wornb of thc sca] so Brahnii utcl othcr Dcvas
losc thcir scp:rr.rtL'cxistcncc on entcring into thc uncrossrblc lltd infiltrtt.
bcing of Great Kali. Oornparccl with thc vast sce of rhc beirc of Kli. thc
cxistcncc of Brahmi rncl the othcr gocls is nothirrs but strch littlc rvatcr ls is
cont:rincd ir tltc hollou,, rnaclc- by a ccu,'s hoof. Jusr as it is irnrossiblc for :r
hcllcu, nraclc by cow's hoof to lbrnr l notion of thc unfthomablc clcprh of a
sc:r, so it is inipossiblc for Brelirnl u'rd othcr gocls to havc r knou.lcclgc of thc
naturc of Kali.
Rrhma, Visnu, and Mhciv.lr.l, thc tcxt .()lltinucs, arc thc prcsicling
Dcvrs of the thrcc periocls of crcation, preservatiolr, ar-rcl dissolution;
but nonc can mastcr with his intcllect thc n:rture ol that Khll with
rvhose playful slancc cvcn Mrhakla, to u,hcm thc thrce pcrioc'ls of
tirne arc but thrcc twinklcs of His thrce cyes, appears at one nlonrclrt
and disappcars at anothcr. Ncitl-ie r Rrahm, nor Visnu, ltor
Mahcvara knou,s t{cr rlly.
This sl'ronld makc the cssclrtial point that thc 'projcctins' of'
'world' .trorlnd thc ilrdividr-ra1 is not subject to his o-uvli will. It may bc
prodr-rccd tlrrough the instmmcntality of his pcrson:rl clcsircs; but
thcse thcrnsclvcs, ancl his cwn notiolr that hc i-s ll indivichral wjth
desires performin!l cts of u,ill, arc thcmsclvcs the u,ork of thc Grct
'Wholc.
Thc world mLlst tltcrcforc colrtrrilt lrlalty things whjch to tlic
inc'lividuai :rrc rcplrglrant, hostile and horriblc.
r94
CIIAPTER T'WLLVE
The One
Thc Trntrik vicw of thc cosmic ultirnate is exprcsscd in the Kurma
Pr-rrna: 'Thc truth whjch is the conclusiotr of all thosc peoplc
jts highcst philosophy [Vcdanta] is that
limbuccl withl thc Veda and
which yolls sce as thc Onc, all-pcrvasivc, subtle, beyond qualitics,
moticnlcss and static; it is the ultimatc state of thc Clrcrt Gocldcss.
What yogis sec as thc ctcrllal unwastilrla, solitary, pllre, sllprclnc
l]rahman. that is the ultirnatc state of thc Grcrl Goddcss. Th,it 11etnbracin; existencc, highcr than thc hiehest, tlnivcrsal, bcnevttlent
ancl f aultle ss, which is in thc y,rni of Prakriti, that is the ultimatc statc
of thc Grcat Clocldcss. That which is white, spotless, pr-rrc, witfiottt
qualitics and clistinctions, that which is rcalizcd only in thc Sclf, that is
thc ultinrate strtc of thc Grcat Gcddcss.' She may appcar as 'He who
acts out tl.rc drarna cf thc Univcrsc, lvho is ar,v:rkc whcit thc w'orlcl
slecps Ithat is: w]icn cach crcatjon is witlidrawnl, the C)nc, thc
Suprcnrc Lord.'33 Hc is thus thc danccr dancing thc worlc1, His
activity bcing Kali, Shc bcing himsclf :Is actiolr. Lr the ir-incr sclf Hc
prrts on his costumc ancl makc-up. Thc succcssful sadhaka, by looking
inrr,,ard, is a[.lc to watch the drarna nloulrted in his orvli cycs ancl
scnses by the activity of thc One Lord.
This is tl-rc ultinrate condition: 'He who hrs.sco' his truc self looks
clow'n r-rpou transmiJl.rtinu cxistclrcc JS tlpo1t a rolline cilariotwheel.'3a Bnt in fact,'IThc Sclt-] is unthink:rblc, formlcss,
unf athomablc, conccaled, nnassail:rble , compact, impcnctrablc,
without qualitics lGur-rasl, pure, brilliant, [but] cnloying qualities,
tcrriblc, nnprocLrcccl, a m astcr y<lgi l sa pphi re-bodicdl, all-kno win g,
all-givrng, imnrcasurablc, bcyoncl bcginning or cud, illtlstrious,
unbonr, intelligcnt, inclcscribable, crcator cf-a11, tlic sclf of all, crtjoycr
of all, ruler of all, inmost being of cvcrything, the Supremc Light.'35
T'his Ground beyoncl all rlarncs and fornrs is bchind cvcrythir-ru
u''hich cxists, supplyrng it with thc possibility of bcing. In Tantra it is
indicatcd by thc scccl binclu. Thcre arc, howcver, full-blorvn inragcs
which rttclnpt to srlggcst ways of thinking of it symbolically.
l9-j
r6r Prin.rrry
Clonache on
St1r
e&
(28x
r8)
q'l
eeiif
taq..'
,
iia]&,
w&
tfi
r3
r(r5 I)air.rting illustratinr thc lcgcnd of thc Erp:rrding Ligerir. I{:rj:rsthan, rllth
ccntury. Cirulchc encl solcl on p:rpcr r3 x r (33 x 4r)
The forms which tl-re flashcs on thc snrface may takc arc extrcmely
intercsting ancl important, alrcl each stonc givt-s its own prrticul:rr
intuition. Sornctirncs the flashcs may bc carefully calculated to imitatc
163
Ergs
of
1lrhnrn or
Svayrnrbhir lingarirs;
rigfut,
rvith yoni-
l3lnarrs, agc
rurknou,n. Stonc,
both 7 (tti)
the pattcnr of thc shtras, the surflrce-divisions on the ectLlal male pellis.
But more oftcn thcy slrggcst an astrolromical visiol-r of apparently
random c()smic cxplosions or driftir-rg cloucls cf incandcsccncc in t1-ie
renrotcst spacc-, at an carly stage in their concrction into galaxies, stars
and worlds. As surface-flasl-ics, however, thcy are essenti:rlly mere
changcs in thc skin of thc Self-Originated.
9t)
r -5
thc remotest rcaches of spacc, onc story n1ns, the high gocls Brahnr
and Visnr-r wcrc disputing wl.ro was thc higher. Suddenly there
appcarccl besidc thcnr a colossal radiant liirgarh. Thc tu,o gods
separatcd to try ancl mcasurc its lcngth; but no mettcr how f,rr and
how long thcy_plungcd ancl soared thcy could nevcr reach cithcr of irs
rr Lirigarir in yoni-basin
syrnbolii'of th" .,,rit".:1 ,,,"i"
ancl fcrn1c principlcs.
Llan:lras. nroclcrn. Rrck
crystal
h. r
(3)
r(t7
r(>8,
t67
r9
mattcr dorvn tfic scalc: air, firc, u,atcr, carth, rl'hich :rrc pcrccivcd by
thc ;rosscr senscs. Mrntr:rs control and organizc thcse rcson.rnces just
rs yantra organizes the visual patterns. Thc nrantra system can thlls
lcacl thc ccnsciousncss by stagcs of condors;rtion tou,.ards an inncr
pcrccption of the primal vibrution (syrnbolized by the cloublc drum)
and the singlc Nadabindtr. Thc l-righcst rcachcs of subtle soulrcl arc
cmbodicd in thc mantra'Orir', whosc physical syrnbol is thc chank or
conch-shcll that c:ur be macle into a powerful ritual trr-rmpct, ancl
clscwherc in Indian culturc syrnbolizcs Laksrnr, fruitftrl mother of thc
w.r t('r\ o l- Crt'l riorr.
'Orh is thc wholc rvtrlcl. . . past, prcscnt and futurc. . . all is C)ril . .
wi-ratcvcr clsc transccnds tinrc. . . is Orir.':r6 And so'By.joinine thc
breath to Or onc may go aloft up thc Sustrmn. .. two Brahmans
may bc mcditatcd o1r, thc sor.rnding anci thc soundless. Thc soundlcss
is only rcvcaled by sound
thc souncl-Brahnran is "C)rir".37
Asccnding by it onc reachcs an cnd in thc sor.rndlcss prssing
.
202
r67 Orir-Hrinr Yantra, thc conrbiccl sccd-syllablc of' tht- Lhrivcrsc, containing
.tx.t (8gxsq)
clcvat pr:inciplcs. Ila.jlsthan, tSth cc;rtlrry. Clouac:hc on cloth
fifty lcttcrs, and orn thenr, all poctry and all rcalized forn-r, filtcring
out do-uvl-l thc Susumna. lt is t1-ic osciliation cf rcsonance whicli causcs
thc Lrcthing of all living bcings. For brcrth is the gross forrn of timc
(Kah).
Tantra's world of irrurpcnctrti1rg .urd interacting systcrns of
-Wcstcrn
vibrtion and resonance accorcls w'cll wit}r thc wcrld our
nrathcrnatical scicr.lccs prcscl)t to r-rs. Thc diflercnce is tht, whcreas we
Vasn:rva cnrblctn of
tl'rc conch shcll, rldiating
qlory. Sorrth hrcli:r, t6th
t8
vicrv our
acceptrnce into which all human fceling is interwovor. For hinr the
rcsonences of art, its mctaphors, rhythnrs ancl time-lincs, are no less
trllrnpct, cmblcnr of
the Crcltivc Sonud.
r9th ccntury. l.
(r;)
&*
o1r prlgc
Yantr:r.
C)ne outstarclirur clrarxcteristic of iate Sanskr:it is thc
nr,v it scts up a u'idc vrricty of rclations bctrvcerr
u.orcls rvhich can onlv be trarrslatcd by thc English
vcrl'te'. I{crders rvill discover that the strirrg of
'iclcntitics'tlris tcxt convcys can bc bcst rinclcrstood
lmost as a set of'urixcs'. to tlsc tcrn lrorn fi1r
Irnir.r.1,r1.r]
Thc trvo
brackets [].
is
au,rkc
il
his
lil
pounde
c1l.
it
:ltion.
liom
ro [But in lact]
com-
l -5
thcsc flvr:
l
trnsloruatiol-modcs.
-JLlst s
r2 Lcttcrcd sould
1,, ol)c
I6 tt is thc
Goclcle ss
r8
thc
frltecn da.vs fin caclr motrthl rvhcn the rnoon
appcars, which thcrrtselvcs ate r tttriotl o1'Sivr aucl
Sakti, consisting of da-vs with uights; thc lityas
arc also thc lcttcrs of the urntra, and all have thc
doubled Prakaa-Vimrrsa Ilature.
Shc the Divine Insight Ivid.val is of the rl.rture of
thc three binclus, rncl is cotlposecl of the scrrcs cf
vedy1.
difi-erencc
bctrvccl thc
akrr and
:3 Thc triangle
r.
ofthc
206
C)onsciousttess,
Lrilliancc.
bcauty'1.
nmcs
sccd uril
sccret
timcl, Lrttcrly incornplrablc fhcucc inclcscribablcl, thc scccl of all that rnovcs or is
motionlcss, thc spotlcss nirror in rvhich is
Shc thc Suprcnrc akti has thc hrm Loth
iu
tcchnicuc.
u'hosc
Raudrr,
thc
thcir
rc1tion thc lrttcr is tllc s:tlttc rs tlle iirrlner; thc
two arc nol diflerent Iitr futrcmcntrl nrtttrc] lor
other Igross Madhyanral
is
is
207
loflndial
logicl.
l7
38
arrcl
!!roups.
these
j3
lion
ofthe
lorm ofthrcc
othcr couplcs: Lord Mitreia and Lady l{amc(vari
set
irto Hcr
I{ letter-
3r Thc light of
lorchcad.
and
is
ancl
H:,:r,l:"*t.',
as
i:akras
belore.]
.7 Thcse mdrs
of
ofall
13hagamlinr].
4r
of lcttcr-
intclrsest
209
hc
mird rvirhirr
rhc nrultipiicity of
f,PPCarrnccs.
: Avrlon (cd.).
3 13hartacheryye, cd..
'l'antra, ()h 5.9.
Ouhyasanta.la
I96ll.
r9
in Conierrdtlfr
ir.
r.
llyttisn,
I t,,dntit, t
1
o/
Chincst lluliation, Londorr r94,
Lu l('urr Yii, Tor Yrry, Loridoll
oJ' Europtan
Man,
9o.
r,,,.,,,.
t963.
r<73-
is
callcd l,akiri.
cd
Niryaarra-
ya.qiualt.
j3 PtdtldbhiA \ira.
3l Nlditti Ljpouilod.
35 Nloirri Upani:a1.
36 itlindtLkya Upannl.
11itri Llpani\dtl.
33 Prataiasira.
l1
Aji: thc
a scnsc.
thc'first'.
Annt: 'ctcnl or
mcdiratio.
Athrvr Vccla: hc fourth Vcdr, rvhich
dcals cspccirlly rvih nrcdicinc ;urd
m gr c.
Sir".
2to
g.rcr.rl, .t.tsuri,\ l
Holi: a crrrvl, t thc
ir..
rp.
sprirlg hrvcst,
wCr.
cnlightcrincnt.
Brrhmi: thc
lunc'
sorrrc
groups of myth.
rl,, illrirr.rr.. rl'.,'1ilr, l,r il,r,,,!r.iz, ci .ir. t' r.rr' .,r,,". rtt
LJr..lrrn.ilr.
rPlc.
\\'ith spcrm.
(lo cls.
lnscapc: tcrnr conrcd b1 thc poct (rncl
Scotist) Cicrard MarJcy Hopkiris tor
thc unicluc individrLl fonr contamplatcd s tltc csscncc ot_r'.i
cxPcrrcDca.
t1c1)s'shinc'-
l)o r).
Devi: 'Thc Goddcss'; one ofthc Fcnralc
Principlcs of f:1ntrt.
l)urgi: r namc of thc Gct (loddcss,
rcfcrring to a lcgcnd in rvhich shc
cmborlics hc combitrcd cri.riics of
thc ohcr cleiics.
L)irti: fcmle irrrcrrucdirrv, irr r
rcchnical scnsc.
tin relcsc
rure
ofthc
1y suiciclc.
Univcsc.
nlcditxtions.
tlic
Tcrriblc Godclcss
as
Dcstroying Timc.
Kimr: lovc or
Four Ho1,v Truths: the basic tcrching
uttcrcd ir thc Rurldh's first scrnror.
Garud: r mythical bird, vchrclc of
Visu.
inirirrcs (Kru1:rs).
Klur.,.l.rlrri:
l(rrr,,r.,lrr
knorvn to Kauhs-
r .,. J.
r.
Lrl.-
,..rr,
Tor Lh( r
,r(. (,u,ldr";
rr
.1",", .,lr\r\
-,
art
irtncr
tmth
is
rvlich
Lrrcl rfClrc'arion.
mrrc.1;r1r:
rrntra:
'1
NId: soud,
()i1:
c11crgy.
Kili:
hs a bhrc cot1plcx1o1l.
a u,idcspcd faurily of Tarrrik
I(rla:
f,lnl.
,r.rr
Glossary
Aghoris: ascctics rvho cultivatc cusr,,)r. \l)r,n1,....k*.r.,l,i,r.
rri,,r.;
Krisna.
11-.
:ll tlhrttacheryya,
ThLtan
20 5.
,,.
I9J,
Vitifr0tdro l antrd.
Nlantrdsallhita.
Srikintl a Soi I ti t.
r5
n Farfar L. Cartq,iliht,
'1fu, lrlylrir Ro-rc, London, u.cl.
Dcscribcd
(i 8e7?).
'O
' \lm,/,'d
to
tt
t z
r6o.
:3
of
lnd
ps_vchrc cnergics.
Mye: drc Clrct (ltclclc-ss s
shc rvhcr
'n."surcs o.,i' (Srrrskrit .r'mr) spacc
nc1 timc, brth r rr inlPorlnt
sensc clelusory.
Mcru: thr'nrythic:rl lrlounlf,in xl the
ccrtre rf thc urrivcrsc. Iom s'hich
llolr, 11 c watcrs of cre:rtion.
Mcrucland: thc spinal tube ir thc
subtlc bocl,v, iclcntrficd with Meru.
mudr: gcs!urc collcentrxtinq a lncan
ing arrd cncrgy.
Mul:dhir:
Pc1mr: Iotus.
JO BC.
il1t of powcr.
Pakiia: thc prinral spark of(lrcation.
Pkrrri: lenale igorr jn the mxterixl
crertivc Proccss.
l)r riua: inucr cncr1y ofthe subtlc body.
ptrl.r: p' . rr' rl 'ior'h.-','rrr rir, -1.
and lcgend.
Puiisa: nrale'pcrsou' nvolvcd
creitivc
iu
the
process-
sclcs of
ir', l. rr..rrlr
'r,
Rirrri,rr:.
.,(lupr,
d -.
r,
rn
carrr:rtiol of Vigqn.
llrsa: jurcc'; lhc'tasting' of ctcllory
of crnotional cxpcricnccRaslila: tcrur uscd by firllorvcrs of
Kil'r.,., Ir hl,. i,l . r"r , pl r rrr
sprinqti1c.
cclcstil sPrlnqtr1(
cclcsll
L\!() principrl
ulvlrluils
divisions
Ilcd
rG naL:
Hat: or
of thc
ulc trvo
t
PrtrlrlPrl
of I'iutldhist trdition i1r Tibct. ht
S:rdiive:'Etcrnal Siva'.
sidhak: rric who Pcrforrns acts of
ritual, worship nd mcditatlonsdhana: the ects of a siclheka.
Sahasrra: thc thousrnd-pcrallcd lotus.
located in thc crcr,n cf thc hcd of
thc subtlc botiv.
zrl
lcict syltcn)s of
philosophy ccosnizcd by rhc
Brhrins s orthodox.
Sarsr,ti: tlle Brahnri Goclciess of
Drvinc Spccch or (lharrr, usually
shown llolcliq Dlusicl illstrunltn t.
scnsc flcltl (or scDsc-rcall): a rcqion
of
Onc'.
to Siv:nd his
crn-
s.
rrl .r: .r
I l',
.,'.,
I, r
rrir r.
,,'.ld. .. . I \\ r'J.rrr il
Bucldlrsnr; orc rf thc Mrhrvidyi
Cloddcsscs in Hindu frita.
lr. . .,
Bibliography
IJuclclhisnr.
(-xPcrlcDcc.
Up rri..,.l,: lrrdr.rr
\r r rplur''\. .,r.r, t
sLrnlDrrics of thc nuclcar philosophl,
of Hirrluisru.
s1
Vira: hero,
1,c11-clcveloped sadhak
(q.
".)onc of
Visrru:
the prircipal High Ciocls
.,1 Hrlrdui'nr. lr r ili.l) .'l t,
. .n r rr r. .r. r, lr lirrr K rv.r. . l.l n
.
clc
:r
lnl rr ric.
\lll)rl.l,rr\ tr'\l:.t.'h.'r,.
\',r,,r.
tt
\..
K't
p. :OO.
t'tit';l;)
ttat't
Av1on.
A.. r. lvllnirtin'lautr.
cyclopcdic Tntr,
crt
sonlcwlll
Brh minrzcd.
yo,qitalr qf
Calcutt:i Musc-urr
Jc.'
r 5
r4i
212
London t47
Prful1 Moharti collcction, Lonclon
2u
4r,.1j
Il, 9, 22,
.17,,19,
.1,6j,66,68,7J 78,80,8r,
8J, 87 89, 9r, t)2, <)5, 97 ro 1 t t2,
Jr
J4,
j lJ 1ii
PHO'fO CIIEI)ITS
Archaeologrcal Survey of-hrdir r r, 67.
79, r)o1 r 5()
r,
r48,
Ahhayikaragupra,
Baroda, r9.9. Lrrgc collection of
rnandalas, rvith English slrmmry.
Bhettrchrr,vye, 8., cd. .Salri-ratqarra
'1irrrlra, Baroda,.1 r,ols. Mrjor ctr
cyr:lopacclic tcxt, with bricf Eng[sh
sLlnl nliry.
Cihrng. C. C,.. f iltr Ytrga, Ncrv
York, r93 (cf-. also !1. Y. Evens-
Calcurta, r963.
lr,.r rj r
Avrlor,
tnY
spccts of
Bdli
r99. A bricfexplanrtion
.r.r
Lotdo,
oiTantr
!iastcrn iconography.
Bosc. D. N., I dtlrds, ht Pltilosophy
at I ()ct u k .S..r.-r, Clf,lcuttr. r9iar.
Bosc, M. M.. 7'li l)ot Ohdtattyo
Sahaiiya Cult { Bragal, Oalctrtta.
r9Jo. Srucly of lhc extrcnlc crlt of
' ti, t
Cllrakreverti.
Rudclhist l'atr.
s,vmbolic
s,vslcnl.
'l
Avaion, A.,
Mi,ror
Mehi
llh.rb, [:]., t.
Location of objects
l-hc'l'ihLttt
Evarrs'Wcttrz,
Book LtI rlrc 1)rl. Londrtt .tc., r9+9.
956.
de.
antra is rootcd.
Ll
lt
213
r
lndex
Numlc
Abhayakaragupta r75
Abhinavrgupta 22, roll 9,
Aghoris, thc r r7
Agni
rl7
r55
aharh r ll7
Eliade, Mircea 4o
aitanyr to4
Lrkrlprrl 98
roo
akras 98,99, r37; and thc subtlc body
r.3
Assam r7
Atharva Veda t7
Avaiokitevara-Padmrpni
ard s Mirldhaa ak
akrasambhara 7z
Cambodia, Tantra in r7
Carstairs, Dr Morjs u 8
Cassirir, Ernst 4o
r78; 4:
234
Bagala r 3o
Chamuntli
go
S.
S.,
it
Basohh Io5
Bhrgavadgitr ro9
Bhagavin 5z
Bha!!avati J2
Bhairavr Iz
Bhakti roz, ro4
Bhrata I08
Ilharari, Agehananda
bhoga z4
8, 59
Borobodur, stupa of r 8
Ilrahm r5, r2i. rJJ, r92 :l, 2oo
I3rahmau, the 7 8, zll, J3, 30, 99,
t92, t95,2O2;
Bhutan r3r
79O,
Brhasprti r54 5
Brihadrnyakr Upanisad +2. 7 1. t87
of r5 r".
Barlingay, Dr
Durg r rz; 4r
Duri 9,+, r04, ro j
Brindaban roz 5
Buddha, the I45; imallcs ofr84; nyths
Apina, thc
Arjuna r o9
Aruna r54
rams zr
162
-1
ard
-rcc
Dakuri
9,1,
-. I,,
Gandhi, Mhtnr z8
Garuda r ll,1
gChcl ritual, the r r7
Clcncsis: lndiarr notion ofr44; Tantra
laclcler of43, 126, t73, r98,2a2
()itagovinda, the r02; 80
Goloka ro5, r8,g
Gopis, thc ro4, ro5
graveyrrds rr2 21, rlr, r37; and
crcmrtiorl ilrouDds
gTum-rno ritual r7r
Guhvasrmja Trntra, thc r 7,1
lo,
as
21, r 17;
,l
Mangala r54
mrri 6, 8o, r7r
Manipure i'akra r 7r
Marr.juri r7!i
Matingi r3o
44
Nda J9,2or
Ndabindu zor"z
nadis r3 4
Nt,vastra, e roll
Nco Platonisrn r5, t7r
Nrctzsche, Frrcdrich 33
9,1
Kriya
3o
79
,59, z
Nirrti
rJ
Nirvina 42,
Nyira 89 9:
Sanrsra 4z
r64
Schi Buddhiur 8r
r,fi,
l):rdnrasarnbhava 9+, r 37 2o
palaeolithic culturc r7, 9ll
Icch r3o
Id nadi I8
idarh r 87
Laya yoga
tTer
Lha-rno rr6 r7;91
Patjali ro8
Pcch rueric r7
lila +r
Persia
phur bu 8z;6:
Piga1 nadi t6ll
Plarlets I47 55 51, 116
Mahakah It9
Prinas r63
prostilLrrion, rcligiotls
Mahlaksmi ru
pirJi4l
Prakii zoz
Jagrnnrh:r, shrinc of r o9
r:6 jo,
r;z
Janrbndvipa t +r-4'. t t 3,
Jambuvriksa, thc rz:
James, Williaur ror
dhvani zo3
1 r
5.
1 1
Pachamakara 78
parvritri 3o, r64
22,
214
Siclclha lettcrs 79
lo,
511
pas-rrr
1.jg
84
s8
il4
Shcih-nr-gig
Prvati r64;29
tz6,
padma 8o, r 79
Laksmi zo:
I(uvere
r47;
SlagrIm;rs zor
Samantabhdra r78, rlJ2; 7jo
Samranganastr:rdhira r z
Nityi-Lalit
C)m-Hiur Yanlra ,7
79A 2,2O2
Kul-rnava, the zz
Kundalini r21, 168 fo, \72; tl1
Krnu Puriir.rr t 95
r 55
to5
Saktis 9,1
Saktisar:irgama Tautra. the ro, 22
Hiisserl, Edmtmcl 4o
rJ6
Koias r47
r4
Kha do-nas
r9J
1.14,
see
May r o
Mcru, Morut
Kama 74
Kamadhenu r6,1
KmaLahvrlsa ro,74
Kmikhya, Assrm gr
Kamali r3o
r22
r.ll
Kasrnir r7, r o9
I'{irri
KIik r9z; 9t
Kalpa trcc rT:
Hua-Yen scct
Kilighat, Calcutta
oo,
o:
Jaipur r5r
72 4
dancing-girls 84
r92
Jrgadanrb:
dcvaclsis il.1
Dcu 89, 99,
9z
6,
gravcyrrds
Dhumavati r3o
r7.1,
rrz
8,
168.
3',5-
Sikh r s+
Srkkim r 3 r
Simurgh, thc r84; 1.tg
Sir5h,Jai r5r
Siva roll 9, r24, rjo, r64, r8+. I87,
r94, zoo; irnages of ll3. r or, r2J, r ll4;
lingarh of 33. r72, 2oo; rcllectcd 1r
man 39, 99; ancl timc r 5,1 5; 4, 38,
97 q, 157
skandhas t78
snake, synrbolism
-rc
of
83, tz6; 75 7;
Kunclalini
Sodasi
rz5
of 4r
Sri Sri Nt1i E5
Sl Yanta 72 +, r31, zor; jq,
Sornd,
GoLldess
50,:1,56
q1,6
6,
tq:rs 2l
Thig-1e 3o
veietation-deities I I
Vimarsa 79, r9o
Surv ru J
Suunrn-nadi t14, r6j, r64 6, r68
r7o,172,175,2o2,2o4
sitras r99
Svdhrsrhia akra r7r
Svayambhir ligarir r44, r98 zor
Upanisads
Unisavrjay-
ViSrxlclha {:rkra
ll,1
Svayrmbhrrlitha t44
V{radhitviivrri r.17.
Vajrapini rllz; iol
1fu1
Tanus rz6 3o
tankr r3z, 174 20, j5,
14E.
53. 72,
to4, tq5
t50
Tanrratrttva, drr 5z
Tao, Ta<rism 11.
Tr tz5, r78 9
j9,
-l
t()()
Taribhaktiiuddharuava
Tiroi .rrds
2r6
6f)
z5
r7u
Vivamta r 8:
Void, tLe 79, tj9, tB);1ol
Vr-tyas 98
,atcr pots 47
Yajrrr
Valhbhichi1i
Yana r5J
ro.1
4,1
4,
t3j
u:
Z,cus