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Introduction to Tantra Sastra - Aghori

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122<br />

INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ŚĀSTRA<br />

Prakṛ ti productive of that great pleasure 1 which accompanies<br />

the process of creation. 2 To the Mother is thus<br />

offered the restless life of Her universe.<br />

The object of all sādhana is the stimulation of the<br />

sattvaguṇ a. When by such sādhana this guṇ a largely<br />

preponderates, the sāttvika sādhana suitable for men of<br />

a high type of divyabhāva is adopted. In this latter<br />

sādhana the names of the pañcatattva are used symbolically<br />

for operations of a purely mental and spiritual<br />

character. Thus, the Kaivalya 3 says that “wine” is that<br />

in<strong>to</strong>xicating knowledge acquired by yoga of the Parabrahman,<br />

which renders the worshipper senseless as<br />

regards the external world. Meat (mamsa) is not any<br />

fleshy thing, but the act whereby the sādhaka consigns<br />

all his acts <strong>to</strong> Me (Mām). Matsya (fish) is that sāttvika<br />

knowledge by which through the sense of “mineness” 4 the<br />

worshipper sympathizes with the pleasure and pain of<br />

all beings. Mudrā is the act of relinquishing all association<br />

with evil which results in bondage, and maithuna<br />

is the union of the Śakti Kuṇ ḍ alinī with Śiva in the body<br />

of the worshipper. This, the Yoginī-<strong>Tantra</strong> says, 5 is the<br />

best of all unions for those who have already controlled<br />

their passions (yati). According <strong>to</strong> the Āgama-sāra, wine<br />

1 Śiva in the Matṛ kābheda-<strong>Tantra</strong> (chap. ii) says: (Yadrūpam paramānandam<br />

tannāsti bhuvanatraye).<br />

2 Nigama-Tattvasāra (chap. iv). See chap. xv of the Hara-Tattvadīdhiti;<br />

Mahānirvāṇa-<strong>Tantra</strong>, chap. v, verses 23, 24, and Kāmākhyā-<strong>Tantra</strong>. The<br />

Kailāsa-<strong>Tantra</strong> Pūrva-Khanda (chap. xc) identifies the pentad (pañcatattva)<br />

with the vital airs (prānādi) and the five mahāpretas (vide post and ante).<br />

3 See p. 85 of Pañcatattvavicāra, by Nilamani Mukhyopadhyāya.<br />

4 A play upon the word matsya (fish).<br />

5 Yogini-<strong>Tantra</strong> (chap. v) :<br />

Sahasrāropari biṇḍau kundalyā melana ṃ<br />

śive,<br />

Maithunaṃ<br />

paramaṃ<br />

yatīnāṃ<br />

parikīrtitam.

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