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VOLUME 1

COSMO PUBLICATIONS 1999

IN D IA

Allrights reserved. No part ofthispublication may be reproduced, or stored in retrivai system, or transmittedin any form or by any means without the priorpermission ofCosmo Publications.

© Cosmo Publications First Published 1999 ISBN 81-7020- 863-7 (set) 81-7020-864-5 (volume 1)

Published by

MRS. RANI KAPOOR for COSMO PUBLICATIONS Div.of GENESIS PUBLISHING PVT. LTD. 24-B,AnsariRoad, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-110002. INDIA Typeset at Cosmo Publications

Printed at

Mehra Offset Press

CONTENTS 1.

Meaning of Tantra

1

—

Classification of Tantras

— — — —

Antiquity and continuity of Tantra Original Home ofTantra Contents of Tantra Human Body, A Microcosm Kosa Nadis Sahasrara Padma

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Human Nature Sadhana-Pancatattva Kundalini-Yoga Puja Siddhi Purascarana Yoga Kaya {or Deha)— Siddhi

2.

Nature ofTantric Doctrines — — —

Theory of Creation— Siva, Sakti Tantra and Sakta Works Dasamahavidya Acara Guru, Sisya, Diksa, Abhiseka

31

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Mudra, Mandala, Yantra, Nyasa Sava-Sadhana Cakrapuja Ways to Liberation Bhakti in Tantra Yuganaddha Number of Tantras Sakta Sect— a general view Science in Tantra Causes of Composition of Tantras Literary Value of Tantra Tantra beyond India Tantra andTimaeus Tantra and Christianity Tantra and Jews Was Tantra of Foreign Origin?

3.

Vedic Origin of Tantric Practices

85

4.

What is Siva Linga ?

101

5-

Tantric Practice with Makaras

1 1y

Gradations of Approaching the Divine

133

6

.

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Gradations of Approach Guru (I) Guru (II) Guru (III) Guru (IV) Guru (V) Guru (VI)

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Guru (VII) Guru (VIII) Guru and God

— — —

Guru and Parents Guru'sWord Here

Holy Company Holy Men (I) Holy Men (II) Human Birth {I) Human Birth (II) Images Immediate Inner And Outer (I) Inner And Outer (II) Inner Truth Intellectual Knowledge (I) Intellectual Knowledge (II) Japa (I) Japa (II) Japa (III) Japa (IV) Japa And Dhyana Japa And Stotra Jiva And Shiva Just Use Karma Kaula (I) Kauia (II) Self-Revealing Shiva-Shakti Sins Of The Disciple Supreme Truth Tantra Sadhana (I) Tantra Sadhana (II) Tantra Sadhana (III) Tantra Sadhana (IV) Upasana Upasana Gradations Veda

Veda And Tantra Verbal Knowledge Wine Worship (I) Worship (II) Worship (III) Worship (IV) Worship (V) Worship (V!) Yantra Yantra And Mantra Yoga Yogin (I) Glossary orTantricTerminology

195

Chapter-1

Meaning of Tantra

Chapter-1

A m o n g the various m eanings of ‘Tantra1, found in lexicons the follow ing may be noted: siddhanta (conclusion), srutisakha (a branch of sruti, i.e., Vedas), itikartavyata (set o f duties), prbbandha (com position), sastravisesa (a p a rticu la r sastra). 'Tantra' is som etim es used to denote governance. Kalidasa uses the expression 'prajah tantrayiva' (having governed the subjects) in the Abhinanasakuntaiam (V. 5). In the Vedas (e.g., Rgveda X, 71.9, Atharvaveda X. 7,42) ‘ta n tra ’ appears to be used to denote a weaving m achine, a loom. T he sam e sense of the word is found also in the Taittiriya Brahmana (11.5,5.3). The word tantrakaoccurs in the Astadhyayi as a derivative of the tantra, and m eans a cloth taken from the loom. In the Satapatha Brahm ana and Tandya Brahmana, ‘tantra' denotes the chief portion or the essence of a thing. Perhaps, in that age, Tantra was considered to represent the quintessence of Sastras. The term la n tra ' has been used at several places to denote a system of thought, a set of doctrines, etc., e.g., Kapilasya Tantra (i.e., Samkhya), used by Sam kara. The word ‘tantra' is used by Bhaskara Raya to denote M im am sa-sastra, etc. Tantra, when denoting a kind of Sastra, stands for a set of doctrines, practices, mystic syllables, metaphysical speculations, magic, etc. ‘Tantra’ is derived from the root tan to spread, Tanyate vistaryate jn an a m anena — know ledge is increased by it. In this sense, any branch of knowledge is called Tantra, e.g., Samkhya and Nyaya philosophical systems are called respectively Kapita-tantra, Gotama-tantra. The Ayurvedic work, attributed to Agnivesa, is called Agnivesa-tantra. ‘Tantra’ , derived from the same root, is taken by som e to denote a Sastra which dilates

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