The above diagram illustrates the components of different entities.  The mind acquires special powers by birth, drug, Mantra, Tapam or Samadhi. Krishna is an example of birth conferring special powers. Drug is a well-known modifier of mind and mood as known in modern times among Drug Gurus; Tantra Sastras mention use of herbs for modifying the mind. Mantra, Tapam, and Samadhi are the non-pharmacological way of attaining Oneness with Brahman.  Mantra, among Tantrics, lays down new circuits in the brain, so they can rise above human consciousness, tap into Superconsciousness, develop special powers, become One with the Supreme in Samadhi and experience Sat Chit and Ananda (Being, Consciousness, and Bliss)

The power of Mantra is of two kinds: Vasaka Sakti and Vakya Sakti. Vasaka Sakti is to realize Saguna Brahman and Vakya Sakti is to realize Nirguna Brahman. Hell is home for him who thinks that Guru is a mere mortal, that Mantras are mere words, and images are mere stones.

Mantra confers True Knowledge of the universe and liberation from Samsara. The knowledge that we gain in arts and sciences is not real knowledge (Apara Vidya); true knowledge is Brahmavidya (Para Vidya) and Brahmanda: Knowledge of Brahman and universe. A Guru is necessary for initiation into Mantra, who knows its inner workings. Guru communicates and transfers his boundless energy to the pupil by sight, silence, thought, word and deed. The pupil becomes dvija, twice born in the sense that upon initiation he was born again in spirit. Christianity is of the view that our first birth is physical and our second birth is spiritual. In Tantric System, there is no race or class difference; all humanity is entitled to Guru Initiation; all are children of Mother Goddess, who does not favor one caste, race, or gender, and who rejects other variables to discriminate one over another.

When Mantra becomes part of the consciousness of the pupil, he becomes a siddha. He or she has the ability to awaken Kundalini Devi and pierce all chakras to reach Sahasrara Chakra, where union with Siva takes place. Human Guru is a surrogate of Divine Guru; Vasaka Sakti of Mantra as it relates to Vakya Sakti runs parallel to Human Guru as he relates to Divine Guru.  A sadhaka has to know the human Guru and Vasaka Sakti of Mantra before he comes to know Vakya Sakti and Divine Guru. Guru, Mantra, and Devata are same. The Aspirant meditates upon Devata in the heart lotus, Ajna Lotus or thousand petalled lotus.

    A pupil or Sisya should have the following qualities:

1) Good upbringing, pure mind, strong body, and steadfast mind.

2) Pursue Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa.

3) Proficient in Vedas, Sastras, and knowing their essence.

4) Pursue Kula Dharma, be good to and serve all living beings, and work for enduring objectives.

5) Serve the Guru by body, mind, thought, speech, deed, and money

6) Should rise above passions, laziness, anger, and useless mundane knowledge.

    Initiation of Sisya comes after he serves his Guru for one year and Guru decides that he is ready for initiation. Guru makes sure that the seed that he sows hits the fertile soil and not the rock (of a Sisya).

    A Guru must have certain qualifications:

He must be a householder with wife and children well versed in Tantric Sastras and in Mantra. Guru must belong to the same locale of Sisya.

He must not be father of Sisya, Ascetic (Vanaprastha--Forest-dwelling recluse), or Sannyasi.

Tantra Sastra says that a recluse is incapable of giving meaningful directions and instructions to a Sisya, if the Guru has no idea of the mundane world of Samsara he and his Sisya live in.

A Guru should have mastery over Jnana leading to Moksa. A Sisya should abandon a Guru incapable of imparting Jnana.

That the Guru should be married and have children is mandatory in Tantric System as opposed to the prevailing stipulation in Catholic religion, though there are many ceremonies common between the two. Woodroffe is of the opinion that ceremonial aspect of Tantric system spread from India to other parts of the world. Only a Guru, with a full-fledged family and Jnana roiling in the ocean of Samsara, is capable of navigating the rough seas and offering Real Jnana to Sisya. Others like Sannyasis, Vanaprasthyas, and recluses who are not family-centric play by different rules and therefore are not capable of offering Jnana to Sisya.

The path of Dharma has two forks running parallel: Pravrtti Marga (path) and Nivrtti Marga. Pravrtti is forward movement, evolution, a path of least resistance, a swim down stream, and a path of desire and duality. It is a centrifugal force taking an aspirant away from God or Pure Consciousness. Nivrtti is involution, retrograde movement, a path of resistance, a swim against the stream, and a path of spirit. It is a centripetal force taking the aspirant from the physical world of dualities to the spiritual world of Pure Consciousness. In Pravrtti, we live in the physical; in Nivrtti, we live in the spiritual. Maya is the force that makes Pravrtti possible and Mahamaya is the force that makes Nivrtti possible. Maya weaves and paints cloth of panoramic colors of the world of evolution proceeding from the Spirit. Bhakti to God is the road sign that tells the aspirant to make 'U' turn and get on the Nivrtti Marga (path). On Nivrtti Marga (like the turnpike), he stops for spiritual food and fuel, performs rites, ceremonies with spiritual disciplines, austerities and penances and obtains the necessary mental and spiritual nature or power. He started with a family and children in Pravrtti marga and now in Nivrtti Marga directs his vision towards Pure Consciousness. He leaves the world of senses and enters the world of spirit.

    Timorous Sadakas on the path of Nivrtti either have ties to the mundane world or have partial ties. This bondage is Pasa or fetter: Bhaya (fear), Daya (pity), Ghrina (contempt, disgust), Kula (family), Lajja (shame, embarrassment), Moha (delusion), Shīla (nature, conduct), and Varna (caste or race); this is only a short list; a larger list expands on this eight-braid bond; they are like ropes within braided ropes. Pasu is a man of the world full of ignorance and darkness (Pravritti marga), not wont to the ways of Tattva Jnani or Yogi, who pursues Nivrrti marga. In Pravrtti Marga, you are like a stick (Jiva) jostling other sticks in the rise and fall of waves in the ocean of Samsara. In Pravrtti Marga your attention is diffuse moving from one desire to another desire. In Nivrrti marga you attention is focused upon attaining the Goal, the Ultimate Truth.

    Internal purification is attained by service, worship, and knowledge (Karma, Upasana and Jnana), the last being the most purifying.  Service and worship for the welfare of others and Spiritual knowledge are the preliminary steps before attaining yogic state.    

    Sadhana (spiritual accomplishment, perfection) are fourfold: Sandhya, Upasana or worship, Satcakrabheda, and Mudra.

Sandhyavandanam is worship at morning, noon and evening of Mother Goddess.

Upasana is worship.

Satchakrabheda is presence of six chakras or levels in the body represented by Lotus flower. This is Kundalini Yoga. Click>>>Kundalini Power<<<<Click.

Mudra: Mudras are hand-and-finger gestures (and positions) which are 108 in number, each one of them when performed delights an appropriate god. It welcomes a god by an offering. Mudra comes from mud meaning joy, delight, gladness, happiness and means that which gives happiness to god. These Mudra gestures make their appearance during worship and in dance, rituals and Yoga.

    For Self Realization Patanjali Yoga Sastra advocates the following.

1: Abhiasa: practice, practice, practice; Vairagya, desirelessness, detachment.

2: Upasana and cultivation of friendliness, love under all conditions: Worship of Saguna Brahman or manifest Brahman, also known as Isvara: Siva-Isvara, Krishna, Vishnu, Ganesa, Durga

3: Pranayama: Breath control is a way to control the mind and concentrate it on an object. It helps control the passions and develop will power.

4: Concentration of the mind on a specific object (of sense). People always find it difficult to concentrate their mind on one object, which is ideally God; it does not project in the mind easily. People first focus their mind on a pleasing sense/sensual object and once concentration comes as a second nature, one can transfer that focus to God. This is a mental trick for developing concentration. This takes you from the sensual world to divine world.

5: Jyotismati: development of Inner Light

6: Association with the spiritually enlightened and avoidance of the spiritually blighted.

7: Svapna-nidra-jnanalabanam va: Drawing knowledge from dream and deep sleep.

8: Meditation: on dulcet object (pleasing to the mind).

    The last one is interesting from a psychological point of view. First, one has to concentrate and meditate on an object, which one likes in everyday sensual world. Once this is behind, the mind can concentrate on another object, namely God.

    Dyana is meditation and is of two kinds: Sthula (gross) and Suksma (subtle) or Sarupa (with form or image) and Arupa (without form or image). Sthula Dyana is meditation on the image of the deity, while Suksma Dyana is meditation on formless consciousness of Nirguna Brahman. Meditation on a formless object is difficult and so the aspirant engages in Sthula meditation, before he can go on to Suksma meditation. 

    Aspirants recite Mantras in many ways: Vocal (Vacika), Lipping (Upangsa--inaudible lip and tongue movements), Mental (Manasaka--mental recitation without lip movement and audible sound). Mental recitation is the best of the lot. Chanting Mantra is salubrious for physical, mental and spiritual health. Association of Mantra and target Devata is the next step; concentration, faith, and devotion transform aspirant's consciousness and lays down new neuronal pathways and networks; aspirant's consciousness is a fragment of Devata's pure consciousness. Mantra, aspirant's consciousness, and Devata become one because Mantra is the body of Devata; this goes by the name of Mantra Caitanya, Mantra Consciousness or awakening of Mantra. The aspirant has become Mantra Siddha (Mantra perfectionist-performer).

    God generally comes in two flavors: Isvara (God with attributes and body parts) and Brahman (God who is pure Consciousness). Worshipping God as Consciousness, which is invisible, impalpable, ungraspable, and transcendent is a difficult proposition; mind cannot hold on to what one cannot touch, taste, see, smell and hear. When the same entity comes with form and name, it is easy to relate to it. The formless consciousness is Brahman and the clinical entity is Isvara. Worshipping Isvara is one of the essential tenets of Tantric philosophy. Isvara comes in two flavors: male and female. Tantrics have a predisposition to worship female Goddess rather than a male Deity. Their stance comes from commonsense. Mother nurtures a fetus in the womb for the duration of pregnancy; mother nurses the infant and attends to its needs; mother's heart and mind are more yielding and indulgent than father's; earthly mother is a fragment of Mother Goddess. Between the fecund father and nurturing mother, the Tantric chooses the latter. This whole process is Pravrtti (evolution). Pravrtti is descent of the soul from Pure Consciousness and pristine nakedness to an embodied form--becoming a human being or any other being. The unfolding of the universe from Siva and Sakti is Pravrtti.

    Sakti (wife) always stood by Siva on his left side in this process of Pravrtti. She chose to bump (demote) the fecund father, rejects amorous advances from Divine Father, takes his place and stands him on her left side (roll reversal); this process is the beginning of Nivrtti (cessation, retrograde involution). She is in possession of three qualities: Iccha, Jnana and Kriya (Will, Knowledge, and Action). She exercises her Will because she has the necessary Knowledge, which gave her the name Mahavidya (Great Knower). She destroys all the devilish qualities of her sons, holds them by her right hand, and takes them back on Nivrtti Marga (path). The fecundating Father who feels responsible for Pravrtti falls prostrate at her feet to save the world, which Sakti produced with marginal and meager help from fecundating Father; the Goddess tramples him under her feet and takes her sons back on the journey of Nivrtti. Nivrtti is taking the soul back to its fountainhead. We are fallen beings. When we resolve and erase all impurities, Maya, Kanma, and Anava Malas, we go back to Godhead.

Upacana or worship

    Coming back to Isvara and Brahman, Upacana is worshipping Brahman through Isvara (worshipping Vakya Sakti through Vacaka Sakti). Ishtamantra is the Deity-specific Mantra, which brings the aspirant to Ishtadevata (god or goddess of his liking). Vakya Sakti is Brahman without attributes; he is the goal of Upasana; ordinary mortals except perfected Yogis cannot realize him.  Tantrics worship Vacaka Sakti, the clinical Brahman, Sabdabrahman, Saguna Isvara, Saguna Brahman, or god with form and name.   

Vacya = Vakya; Vacaka = Vasaka.

Every Mantra has two Saktis (powers): Vakya Sakti and Vasaka Sakti; the former is the seed and latter is the flesh of the fruit. The former is life of Mantra and the latter is the sustainer of life; the Vakya Sakti is subject and transcendent, and Vasaka Sakti is object and immanent. One cannot get to the seed without going through the fruit; one cannot understand the meaning and true nature of Vakya sakti without worshipping Vasaka Sakti (they are like Brahman and Isvara). Vakya sakti is without attributes (Brahman), Vasaka Sakti is with attributes (Isvara); Vakya sakti is seed and Vasaka Sakti is the tree; seed and Vakya Sakti are latent and dormant, and tree and Vasaka Sakti are awake and florid. Vakya Sakti is white light and Vasaka Sakti is spectral or rainbow colors, yellow, blue, red and more of Kundalini Devi. Paramatma is Vakya Sakti, while the son of Devaki (Krishna) is Vasaka Sakti. Vakya is meaning; Vasaka is words, phrases and mutterings of Mantra. God, who is the subject of Mantra, is Vakya Sakti and Pratipaadya (to be explained, meaning) Devata and god, who is Mantra itself (god's sound body = Mantra), is Vasaka Sakti in his manifest form. Vakya Sakti is like clouds and Vasaka Sakti is like rainwater. Vakya Sakti is unlimited; Vasaka Sakti is delimited. Vakya sakti is all-pervasive and unmanifest, while Vasaka Sakti is manifest.  Siddhi of Sadhakas awakens the Vasaka Sakti of Mantra; with the help of Devi, they step into the monistic world of Brahman knowledge. (White light, spectral or rainbow colors, seed and tree are input from author.) Vasaka Sakti is the road to Vakya Sakti; the former is the means and the latter is the goal. Yogis are capable of meditating on Brahman without going through the preliminary step of worshipping and meditating on Isvara (Vasaka Sakti). In this instance, they are the seekers of Cashew Nut, which is outside the fruit--author's opinion.

    Manifest God or Goddess, Sabda Brahman or Sound Brahman is the object of worship. Sabda Brahman is immanent and pervades the universe and beings; Virat Purusa is the one with manifest body (Virat sarira) and comes down to earth as Avatara (incarnation). Five gross elements, ten senses (five of motor organs and five sensory organs), five vital airs, Manas (mind as an organ), Buddhi (intellect), Ahankara (ego), and Citta (thinking) make the body of Sabda Brahman. Worship of Sabda Brahman is at the level of human consciousness and worship beyond that is Turiya, where the Sadhaka and formless Brahman become one. That is Vakya Sakti.

    Kundalini Yoga >>>Kundalini Power<<< explains how a sadhaka enjoys bliss by taking Kundalini Sakti to merge with Siva Sakti in Sahasrara Chakra,  and descends to his base, namely Anahata Chakra, the heart center. In the Anahata Chakra, he offers his prayers to Ishtadevata of the center. Mother Goddess Kali wears a rosary of severed heads of men strung together by the thread of Kundali. The heads represent 50 Sanskrit letters. Ishtadvata becomes visible to the Sadhaka who recites Mantra, and dips into meditation. He presents flowers, ornaments, scents and incense, clothes and edibles to the Divine mother. After many practices on this line, he comes to know and discriminate between what is permanent and what is impermanent (Nitya-anitya-Vicara). He is at ease with Vairagya (dispassion and desirelessness). He attains ecstasy with the help of mental image of his Ishtadevata. After a while, he needs no external props to attain Samadhi; he gives them up by a gesture of dissolution (Samhara Mudra).

    The cardinal features of Upasana are as follows:

1) Bhutasuddhi: Cleansing Bhutas or gross elements of the subtle body.

2) Nyasa: By the power of Sound and Mantra, he invokes the spirit to descend on his body.

3) Pranayama: Breath Control.

4) Dhyana: meditation.

5) Chantless mental worship.

6) Japa or chanting of Mantra.

    The first is purification of mind and thought (and body) and making them receptive for the descent of spirit. When they are pure, Paramatman manifests himself and there is subject and object fusion. Upasana's main object is to remove Rajas and Tamas (motion, passion, and darkness) and replace it with pure Sattva (virtue, goodness). Siva condemns in Agasamhita offering of flesh, blood, and wine to him; it is Asadagama (Asad + Agama = False Agama). In modern India, Asadagama is NOT generally accepted practice.

    Tantric Ego, consisting of sensory apparatus of man, vital airs, and mind, is part of Suksma body (subtle body). Vedic Ahamkara is Ego, but Tantric Ego is a more complex entity. The soul takes its journey through several million bodies; so does the Ego until the Ego is fit to become the subtle body of a human. Ego is indestructible from creation and final dissolution (Pralaya) of the universe. Ego in its passage through several bodies gathers impressions and conditions the Atman, resident in each individual being; pain and pleasure, like and dislike, misery and happiness are all attributable to Ego. This Ego from the time of creation, having arrived at the human body, has an opportunity to dissolve the subtle body and unite the individual self with the Great Self, Paramatman. For that to happen, Ego has to have had a growing-up process along the Sattvic line. Ego has two choices to make: path of Avidya and path of Vidya; both are of feminine nature; the former is charming and sensual and has a spousal denotation to the aspirant, while the latter is knowledge and wisdom and has a Motherly denotation.  Avidya keeps the soul roiled in Samsara (birth and rebirth) and Vidya seeks to obtain liberation for the soul. Vidya is knowledge of Brahman, necessary for liberation. The path of Vidya has four steps: Varnasrama Dharma, external worship, internal worship and Yoga.

Varnasrama Dharma, external worship, internal worship and Yoga

    Varnasrama Dharma is following the tenets of one's natal caste. Among its teachings are Chariya, Kriya, Yoga, and Jnana. Chariya is worshipping of God-in-form in the temple. Chariya's recommendations are external worship (exoteric) suitable to the ordinary devotees, and not confined to a select group. Kriya is worshipping of Siva with rites and ceremonies (esoteric rituals and practices) recommended in Agamas. Yoga is mental worship of Siva in His subtle forms. Jnana is realization of God as a transcendent formless entity.  Generally Chariya involves certain external acts : home worship, temple worship, pilgrimage, incense, sacraments, bell, waving of lights, ritual gestures (Mudras), idols, Novenas, Sandhya Worship--morning, noon, and evening (Angelus) , meditation (Dhyana), Kavachas (miters and Scapulars), rosary, Virata (religious vow). If this reminds you of Catholic Church, you are right. Virgin Mary is the Mother of Avatara, Jesus Christ; the Saktas believe in Mother Goddess; to a sakta, she is Saham: "She I am." Hamsa = "I am She."

    Paramatman is resident in every one of us. Paramatman = Supreme Atman, the Great Soul, Divine Essence. Each individual also has an individual self, the lesser self or atman. What is here is out there. Our body has seven centers or Chakras (Kundalini Power), each one presided by a resident deity; our body is a microcosm of the macrocosm out there. This universe of immeasurable space is one Grand Universe (Mahabrahmanda) with countless Great universes (Brhat Brahmanda) arising from the seven planes of Grand Universe.  The individual star, planet and being have in each one of them seven planes with seven presiding deities. The Grand, the Great, the Star, and the being have a common architectural plan. Brhat Brahmanda has an axis (like Axis Mundi), a Mount Meru, or a vertebral column. It has seven worlds along the axis on the top and seven Nether worlds on the bottom.

1. Bhurloka: Muladhara Chakra of man is the equivalent of Bhurloka (Earth) since Brahma, the creator, resides here with his consort Savitri; it goes by the name Brahma Padma (Brahma's Lotus). It is the first world above the seven nether worlds. Svayambhuva Linga with coiled Kulakundalini is the sine qua non of this chakra. The spiritual Sun took up his residence here. Its bodily location is around anus.

2. Bhuvarloka: Svadhisthana Chakra represents Water Mandala. As the the Kundalini rises, she ascends five gross elements such as Earth and Water in the Chakras, she goes from gross to subtle states. The presiding deity is Varuna; the presiding God is Vishnu who lives with his consort in Vaikuntha, part of causal Bhuvarloka. The petals are of vermillion color. On the right side of Vaikuntha is Goloka, where two-handed flute-playing Vishnu lives. Vishnu's Sakti is Radhika in Goloka.  Its bodily location is around genitalia.

3. Svarloka: Manipura Chakra. Rudra and Bhadrakali live here. its location is around the navel area.

4. Maharloka: Anahata Chakra. Isvara and Bhuvanesvari live here. The bodily location is heart area.

5. Janaloka: Visuddha Chakra. Androgynous Ardhanarisvara is the presiding deity here.

6. Tapaloka: Ajna Chaakra. The bodily location is glabella between the eyebrows.

7. Satyaloka: Saharara Chakra is located on the crown and is the primal cause of all the previous causes.

Table of Chakras and Lokas.

    As gods reside in each of the seven Lokas placed within Meru (Axis Mundi, Stambha), the Earth has a hollow Meru of a stone mountain as the support of the Earth and in the hollow at different levels, resident gods reside. At microcosmic level, seven gods reside in the seven Chakras of vertebral column which is the Axis Mundi or Meru of human body. Axis Mundi or Meru, seven levels and seven gods are common for macrocosmic Lokas and microcosmic human body. Go to Kundalini Power for more info on Chakras and Kundalini Yoga.

According the Tantra, the highest Sadhaka is Avadhuta. Avadhuta Dattatreya explains who an Avadhuta is. Avadhuta = One who has shaken off from himself worldly feeling and obligation, a philosopher (Brahma-vid, knower of Brahman.) Dattatreya explains it as follows:

Avadhuta spells out his position in relation to the world.

Maxim of Wasp and Worm: A lowly worm is in constant fear of the wasp and thus meditates on the wasp, not knowing when the dreaded fate of sting will strike it. The worm is so much possessed of the image of the wasp, that its consciousness is reposed in the thought and form of wasp. Similarly, an Avadhuta is constantly meditating on Brahman, not knowing when the blessed event of knowing and transforming himself to Brahman would take place. He thus becomes Brahman himself by dwelling in his mind on Brahman.

Svetasvatara Upanishad describes Brahman as follows:

    Sakti and Supreme are one entity; they are inseparable. Sakti is the cause of the world. Sakti, hidden in its svarguna (intrinsic qualities), is the cause of creation, maintenance and destruction of the world. Unmanifest Brahman is Pure Cit (Consciousness); manifest Brahman is Cit with Maya or prakrti and therefore goes by the name of Isvara. (Verse 1.3)

    Sadhaka who knows the Supreme as non-dual is freed from Maya and bondage. He is Kaula, the true knower of essence of Brahman.    

New eponyms from Brahman: A parallel is drawn with X and Y chromosomes.

09/29/03: Macrobrahman, Mayabrahman, and Avidyabrahman or microbrahman: Transcendent Brahman without attributes is Pure Consciousness and therefore is Macrobrahman. Isvara is Mayabrahman or Macrobrahman with Maya. Human beings with a load of Avidya (ignorance) are microbrahmans or avidyabrahmans.   These eponyms are coined by me for easy identification of three levels of Brahman. Macrobrahman is Parabrahman or Supreme Brahman. Aparabrahman (Sabdabrahman) is Siva and Sakti ensconced in a sheath of Maya. Aparabrahman state is Parang-Bindu (complementary halves of seed, two halves or cotyledons wrapped in a tight skin or sheath). Polarization of Siva and Sakti takes place within the sheath; this is like the polarization of the X and the Y chromosome in Meiosis with the resultant X and Y gametes. This polarization of Siva and Sakti is Parasaktimaya; Sakti (Unmuki) turns toward Siva for a longing glance from Siva, so that Unmuki can give birth to universe and beings. When the Maya sheath explodes with the sound of  Ham and Sa ( Hamsa Mantra), Sakti undergoes reduction division: Bindu, Bija and Nada. Bindu and Nada are the progenitors of universe. Bija is the mystic syllable of  Mantra

    Brahman goes from unmanifest phase through wakefulness, dream state, deep sleep, and Turiya and Advaita.

1) Wakefulness or Vaisvanara. Vais +Vanara = Visva +Nara = Whole, universal, entire, all + Men) = relating to all men. Vaisvanara is the other name for Fire God. He is the enjoyer of the objective world. He has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and eater of desires. The five elements, heaven and sun make Brahman's seven limbs. Vaisvanara is Brahman's 1st quarter in the A in four quarters of AUM-Silence.

His nineteen mouths are: five motor organs, five sensory organs, five Pranas, Manas, Buddhi, Ahamkara, and Citta.  Go to commentary on Verse 12 of  BG Chapter 2 Samkhya Theory for details. Because of the above portals through which he enjoys this outer world, he is called eater.

    If an aspirant meditates on Brahman in one-part Visva state meaning that God is only a Knower of phenomenal world, he returns to earth as human being and enjoys the objective world.

2) Dream State (Taijasa) is similar to wakefulness except he is the enjoyer of subjective world in the land of dreams and possibilities and it is beyond the grasp of the senses (Taijasa).

    If an aspirant meditates on Brahman in Taijasa state (2nd quarter of four quarter of AUM-Silence), he reaches the subjective world of Soma Loka (Sphere of Moon) after his death. After his sojourn there, he comes back to earth to live among human beings.

3) Deep Sleep State. Prajna is pure knowledge with no desire or dream. Objects, senses, and mind lose their contours in the pitch darkness of bliss.

    If an aspirant meditates on Brahman as a whole (all three parts or AUM), upon his death he goes to the sphere of the Sun from where he goes to Satya Loka, where he becomes one with the Absolute. He becomes  homogenized with all other souls (with no distinction) which joined the Absolute.

4) Turiya, the fourth state is devoid of dualities; it is one mass of bliss.

    If an aspirant meditates on Brahman in his four parts as AUM-Silence, he becomes non-dual with Brahman.

Go to commentary on BG012.1 for more details. BG Chapter 12 Devotion.

    Guru and God are necessary for the attainment of supersensual transcendent knowledge of Brahma Vidya and liberation.

    Two paths

    There are two paths: Pravrrti and Nivrrti. Pravrrti is common path and Nivrrti is a hard path. Pravrrti is centrifugal movement of the soul with desires, dualities and bondage. Nivrrti is the method of choice for outright renouncer or hermit. It is a centripetal movement towards God right from the beginning. Tantra declares that it will shape men and women leading animal life of deglutition and defecation, procreation and slumber, fright, fight or flight, change them into productive people, and lead them in the path towards God. Pravrrti is life in the phenomenal world in pursuit of desires. Nivrrti is life, liberty and pursuit of Bliss; in other worlds it is a life of devotion to God, liberation from the bondage (Pasa) and eventual bliss. Tantra recognizes that man is a sensual animal; it tries to put a prescribed order in his lifestyle, convert him from sensual to a supersensual being and later it leads him to Reality.  In this process the aspirant gives up his passion and darkness (Rajas and Tamas) and becomes pure and Sattvic. He strives on the path of Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and or Bhakti Yoga. For the Pasu (the individual soul) to attain liberation, he should get rid of impurities or Malas.    

Malas: Mala in ordinary sense is feces. Malas as a technical term means impurities of the soul. Its origin is Divine Will and it is of three kinds (Mum-malam: Anava Mala, Kanma Mala, and Maya mala.

Anava Mala: Here the soul feels like an orphan, as if it is not connected to the Great Soul, Pure Consciousness or God. It is due to ignorance and matter enveloping the soul, preventing vision of the Great Soul. It is full of ego. It is a case of I, Me, My, and Mine, a quadrilateral corral for Pasus. Life in Muladhara and Svadhisthana Chakras and below is one of Anava Mala. Grace of God erases Anava mala.  Yoga and Jnana Margas remove Anava mala.

Kanma mala: In Kanma (Karma) Mala, the past is catching up with the present; the past may be recent or one or many births in the past.  Kanma mala brings the soul and body together in a being. It is the karma from the past or the karma made new. karma is thought, word and deed that bring punyam or papam, meritorious or painful consequences. The Karmas of past lives cling like Vasanas (fragrance to the subtle body) and has the tendency to confer Samskaras, tendentious behavior, which might reinforce punyam or papam; thus, the actions tend to feed upon themselves and produce more of the same. The proper thing to do is cancel out papam with punyam and get Karma to a zero-sum status, conducive to liberation. Spiritual practices and love of God erase Kanma mala. Kriya Marga (Agamic rites and ceremonies) remove Karma mala.

Maya Mala: It is the material cause of the universe; Asuddha Tattvas make up our body and give us the soul-body experience and limited spiritual knowledge in this world; spiritual practices, love of God, Chariya, worship of God-in-form in a temple remove Maya Mala.

As man eliminates Karma Mala and Maya Mala, Anava Mala seems to expand to take their place, and fill the vacuum and becomes stronger; the I-factor is a dominant impurity, which is erased by Grace of God. All these malas lead man down their paths - Margas, Anava, Kanma and Maya. These margas should be supplanted by Charya, Kriya, Yoga, Jnana Margas, Prapatti, Saranagatti and attainment of higher Chakras, Ajna and Sahasrara.

Charya, Kriya, Yoga and Jnana Margas are fourfold paths for salvation. Charya is worship of God-in-form in temple. Kriya is performance of Agamic rites and ceremonies. Yoga Marga is mental worship of God or Goddess. Jnana Marga is path of Wisdom. Prapatti and Saranagatti are resignation and self-surrender to God.

Concentration of mind on God is a difficult proposition for the object has to have a shape or form in the mind's eye. That is where idols come in for worshipping Ishtadevata (desired god). Idols or Avatar is Prati (likeness or substitute) for attributeless Brahman or Isvara. Prati can also be an object that a person can easily bring to his mind to concentrate on; the object can be anything. Later I will tell a story to paint this point. Once concentration on an object is attained, the object is supplanted with Isvara or Nirguna Brahman. Jnana Yogi can concentrate on formless Brahman (Nirguna Brahman) and attain siddhi (perfection). Bhakti Yogis simply surrender to God.

Prati or Substitute: Once there was a teenage prince, whose father wanted the Royal Guru to teach his son concentration and meditation. The prince went away to the hermitage. The prince met all qualifications for induction as a pupil. The prince kept asking for his horse. Guru advised him to focus his mind on a devata or god. The prince said that he could not take his mind off his horse. The Guru then fetched the horse from the royal stable and told the prince to concentrate his mind on the horse, which the young prince took very easily. His mind, his thought, his horse and his body all became one entity when he meditated. He saw horse everywhere. He told the Guru that he cannot see anything other than his horse in sleep, wakefulness, and meditation. Guru told the young prince that he arrived and that he should substitute horse with god, which he was able to accomplish.

The Saktas worship Mother Goddess and she reveals herself in the universal divine form, when the Sadaka's worship is intense.  Sri Krishna says what a true Sadaka is.

13.7:  Humility, nonostentation (Adambhitvam), nonviolence, patience, straightforwardness, service to Ācārya, purity, steadfastness, self-restraint, (continued)

13.8:  aversion towards sense objects, absence of egoism, having insight into the suffering related to birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow (continued) 

13.9:  detachment; absence of attachment to son, wife, home; constant equilibrium on attainment of the desirable and the undesirable; (continued)

13.10:  unswerving devotion to Me having no other refuge, resorting to solitary places, discomfort in the midst of people.  

3.11:  Constancy in the attainment of the knowledge of the Supreme Self, and insight into the knowledge of the Truth are (declared) the knowledge, and that which is otherwise is non-knowledge.  

13.12:  I will explain to you that by knowing which one gains the nectar (of eternal). That beginningless Supreme Brahman is (said to be) neither Sat nor Asat.

Sri Krishna comments on offerings in Bhagavad Gita.

9.26: Whoever offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with devotion, I accept that which is offered with devotion, piety and purity. 

13.22: The Mahā-Īsvara, The Great Ruler in the body is (said to be) the witness, the approver, the supporter, the enjoyer, the Supreme Self (Paramātmā) in the body, and the Supreme Purusa.

            9.27:  Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever offerings you make, whatever you give away, and whatever austerities you perform, O son of Kunti, do that offering unto Me. 

     Prescription, practice, and enjoyment.

     To a practicing Kaulika, sex and eating are divine acts.

    Vira is a hero of Raja guna, motion and devotional passion. He feels that Devata and he are one (non-dual state) and therefore when he eats, it is the Devata who eats. Every act of the Vira is a spiritual act, including, eating, and sexual intercourse. Every act of his is an offering to the Devata. This is the basis of secret worship. Vira becomes one with the Mother Goddess, dissolves in her, and swirls in the ocean of Bliss of Devi.

    The Mother Goddess gives terrestrial life to the soul by wrapping in a body. The playground or the field of activity is earth. Karma is the immediate cause of birth on this earth; if there is no karmic load on the soul, there will be no birth.  Karma is like a bank account with overdraft feature; the difference is zero balance is highest wealth and virtue. Positive balance is money in the bank, synonymous with meritorious acts; negative balance is borrowed money synonymous with unmeritorious acts. Zero balance is perfect balance, leading you to liberation from birth and death. If one dies with a positive balance, he will be born in an ideal family with all its attendant advantages. If one dies with negative balance, he will be born as an animal if the negative balance is huge. If it is less of a negative balance, that will determine his heredity, ancestry and environment.

       Mother goddess knows that Pasu (individual soul, equal to an animal in its embodied state) has to eat and procreate. Karma's essential purpose is bring the soul into the body that eats and procreates. Karma is self-made and internatal, taking a soul from one birth to another birth. Internatal = two or more births as in international, two or more nations. Karma is a millstone around one's neck; one has to unload it to feel free and liberated; liberation is a zero-sum game; karma has to come to a NULL State. Brahmamayi, the Mother Goddess, made lower Tattvas including earth as the platform wherein Jiva must face and resolve karma, and procreate and perpetuate the species. Without Karma, Universe and beings would not exist. Knowing misery and effort accompanying eating and procreation as basic instincts, Mother Goddess incorporated hunger and passion in jiva who otherwise would not venture into these pursuits. To reinforce the instincts, Mother Goddess, created Rasa, (relish, taste, desire, fondness, love). Thus, beings and universe are the field of activity for Mother Goddess, and Jiva, being the reflection or fragment of Siva and Sakti, enjoy the field of activity in its own microcosm. Tantrics believe that all human activity, including eating and procreation, are divine acts (It is a common practice to say prayers before such acts) and that the divine man has fallen from the lofty heights of Divya (Divine man) to Pasu (animal man), who removed the divinity from such acts. There are three kinds of men: Divya, Vira, and Pasu,  the divine man, the hero, and the animal man. 

Fall from divinity is a sign of Ajnana or ignorance; the Vira sets his activities on a higher footing according to divine cosmic law and thus has put in place a set of rules, practices, and goals. While Jiva is susceptible to the pains and pleasures of Karma, the Mother Goddess is immune from them; this is one of the distinguishing characteristic between jiva and Devi; this is Maya.

Here is a list of things enjoyed or practiced by Bhogis and Yogis.

Taster's Choice:

Bhoga and Yoga, Epicures to Yogis: Tastes and styles

Rasika and Rasa: Taster and Taste

For Vira, prescribed sex, wine, and meat are revealers of wisdom (Brahman knowledge), Atman, and Bliss.

    For a Vira, who enjoys all these Rasas, there are five kinds of work: daily service to Goddess, Japa (prayer), Purification, external and internal worship, Purascarana, preparatory or introductory rite. Pur = preceding. Daily service includes Sandyavandhanam (worship) at morning, noon, and evening. All these practices are done in the name of Devi. Vira proceeds from matter to spirit and gives up worldly enjoyments.

    Drinking wine was prevalent in Satya, Treta, and Dvapara Yugas, but from abuse, its use fell into disuse by laws and convention. Wine's function, it is said, brings latent thoughts into the open. One who is immature in Kaula knowledge is a sinner and should not engage in religious practices. Practice without perfection in Kaula knowledge is drunkenness, rape, and slaughter (of animal), as it applies to wine, marital sex, and prescriptive eating of meat.

    If drinking wine leads to spiritual attainment, all drunkards would attain moksa. If meat-eating leads to sojourn in heaven, all carnivores are righteous claimants to heaven. If sexual intercourse with women is the ticket to liberation, all animals have a right to liberation. Tantrics are of the view that killing of approved animals for sacrifices to forefathers and gods is permitted. Killing and eating for nourishment and enjoyment is proscribed. True devotee's offer of meat and wine to Devi is Anananda (Bliss); they are dear to Devi; they are true Kaulikas. Bhairava inculcates in those who drink wine the knowledge of Kula principles. Wine lights up Atma enveloped in dark Maya. Drinking wine with the utterance of proper mantra and offering it to Guru guarantee a Kaulika not to drink his mother's milk again--no rebirth. A Kaulika enjoyer, who is a Vira, is Bhairava himself, while the meat he offers is Siva and Wine is Sakti. The union of Siva and Sakti from such offering is liberation. Bliss is Brahman; it is present in the body, waiting to be expressed by wine; thus, Yogis imbibe it. Vira, the embodiment of Tantric virtue, untouched by polar opposites like pain and pleasure, possessed of Kula and Vaidik knowledge, imbibes wine which gives him Bliss and liberation. 

    Drinking of Soma is prescribed for Brahmanas, as wine is prescribed to Viras. Permitted user of wine, meat, fish, and sex should have thorough knowledge of Kula Sastra, before he uses them. The Sakti of Vira is alive and well, while that of Pasu is at sleep.

Sandhya Worship

    Mantras are chanted at Sandhya (morning, noon, and evening) invoking the deities, Brahmani, Vaisnavi and Mahesvari, the controlling deities of Rajas, Sattva, and Tamas and the creator, maintainer, and destroyer. Sadaka meditates on them in the solar orb at Sandhyas. These time slots correspond to creation by Brahmani in the morning, maintenance by Vaishnavi at noon and destruction by Mahesvari in the evening. During sleep, it is a case of dissolution or Pralaya for Jiva, because in deep sleep nothing exists for Jiva or embodied soul.  Morning Sandhya worship celebrates creation by Brahmani. The Jivas, mobiles and immobiles start drinking and soaking up the sun until sundown at the west end of the Solar Orb. Between morning and evening Sandhya, beings, plants, trees, shrubs and bushes have imbibed sun's rays to a point of satiation. Noon Sandhya celebrates that life-sustaining Sakti, Vaishnavi, the maintainer. Evening Sandhya celebrates dissolution by Mahesvari because beings dissolve into the night of deep sleep and get much needed rest, dissolution, and bliss.

    Brahmamayi, the Creator, is Mantrasakti, power of Mantra. Devata of Mantrasakti has two aspects: Vasaka Sakti and Vakya Sakti. Vasaka Sakti is like the fruit and Vakya Sakti is like the seed; one cannot get the seed unless one goes through the fruit. Vasaka Sakti is Sabdabrahman and Vakya Sakti is Parabrahman. Vasaka Sakti of a Mantra is the sound stage before the Sadhaka can reach the silent stage of Vakya Sakti of Parabrahman. One has to recite Mantras, before Sadaka advances to the stage of Muni, the silent one.  AUM is Vasaka Sakti of Sound or Sabda-Brahman and the silence that follows AUM is the Vakya Sakti of Para Brahman. Brahmamayi has many other names: Kulakundalini, Sarasvati etc.  She wears a rosary of fifty beads made of seeds and inscribed with Sanskrit letters from A to Ksa . These fifty letters form the basis for 90 million Mantras (9 crores), as 26 letters of the English alphabet form the basis for its entire literature. A seed grows from sprout to root, trunk, primary, secondary and tertiary branches, twig, leaf, flower, and fruit. In similar manner Seed Mantra (Bija Mantra) have trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits.

    OM is the Supreme Mantra like the Supreme Brahman. Various Deities with gunas are various aspects of One Nirguna Brahman. Bija or seed Mantras are the various aspects of the Supreme Mantra, OM. OM is the Supreme Sound.

    As all leaves are attached to a stalk, so are all words attached to OM (Brahman).--Upanishads. A sentence is a sound in itself on which other sounds called words are strung.  --Robert Frost, Selected Letters.

    Bija Mantras are seed letters (of Sanskrit language) which are the visual forms of Primeval Sound. If pen (written word) is mightier than a sword, Primal Sound is mightier than visual sound (Pasyanti) and written word. Go to

<<<Sabda is sound>>>. Bija mantra is a single-character Mantra; there are exceptions like Hreem, a compound. Primeval Sounds apparently have no meaning, so is the case with Bija mantra sounds; they possess mystic meaning. Since Sound (Nada) is the source of the universe, the Maha-Bhutas (gross elements) have Bijas.

The Great Elements, Bija Mantras, Chakras and Specific Deities.

    Every Deity, who is guna version of Nirguna Brahman, has its specific Bija (Seed) syllable. Bija Mantras are not for general use because they have such a force packed in them (as a seed packs a tree in it) that only perfected Yogis engage in Japa on Bija Mantras with attendant rituals.

Chakras and Bija Mantras

    Bija Mantras:     

OM is the progenitor sound of all Bija Mantras. Nada and Bindu are two saktis (power). Naada (Nada) is sound and Bindu is dot, or point. Nada and Bindu are the progenitors of Tattvas, the building blocks of the universe. Nada is Sakti and Bindu is Siva (Siva-Sakti); Nada is action and Bindu is static; Nada is white and Bindu is red. Nada (Chandrabindu/ Nadabindu) over the Omkara is the couch, on which Paramasiva in his Bindu form is reclining. Chandrabindu is Nada and Bindu, Sakti and Siva in one unit.

The crescent moon with the dot is Chandrabindu (Nadabindu) or the couch of Tripurasundari in union with Paramasiva. The icon presents five components: A, U, M, Nada (the Crescent), and Bindu (the dot). Just imagine the crescent moon being the couch! Nada is Sound, Bindu is the derivative of Nada and the source of the universe. Nada is called Visvamata or Mother of the Universe; Bindu is Duhkha Hara, Pain Killer or remover of pain. All Bija Mantras have three, four or five components: one, two or three syllables, Nada and Bindu. Nada is generally Mother Goddess and Bindu is Siva, remover of pain.

Bija Mantra has no meaning; it is neither a language, nor a word, nor a character; it is Dhvani (unlettered vocalized sound); it is Deva. 

HAUM: HA is Siva, Au is Sadasiva, and M is harbinger of silence that follows intonation of Bija Mantra. HAUM is for Siva Worship.

DUM: Da is Durga, U is protection.

KREEM: This Mantra is meant for worship of Kalika (Kali). Ka is Kali, Ra is Brahman, and EE is Mayamaya.

HREEM: This mantra is for worship of Bhuvanesvari, Mother Goddess. HA is Siva, RA is Prakrti, and EE is Mahamaya.

SHREEM: This Mantra is for worship of Mahalakshmi. SHA is Mahalakshmi, RA is wealth, and EE is Mahamaya.

AIM: This Mantra is for worship of Sarasvati. AI is Sarasvati.

KLEEM: This is for the worship of bringer of love (Kamabija -Love Mantra). KA is Kamadeva and Krishna, LA is Indra, the Lord of heavens and senses, and EE is satisfaction.

HOOM or HUM: This is for worship of Siva-Bhairava. HA is Siva, and U is Bhairava. This threefold Seed Mantra is preservative and protective.

GAM: This is for Ganesa worship. GA is Ganesa.

GLAUM: This for worship of Ganesa also. GA is Ganesa, LA is Pervader, and AU is effulgence.

KSHRAUM: This is for the worship of Man-Lion, Narasimha (Nara = Man + Simha = Lion), an avatar of Vishnu. KSHA is Narasimha, RA is Brahma, AU is his upturned teeth.

    As you see, Mother Goddess, Siva, Ganesa, Vishnu, Brahma, Mahalakshmi, and Sarasvati are worshipped with the use of Bija Mantras. They represent creation, maintenance, destruction, wealth, arts and sciences, removal of obstacles and conferment of Grace.

    One should not utter Bija Mantras in meditation without the guidance of a Guru. Deity-specific Mantras uttered in meditation over a long period of time (in months and years) is Purascharana. One should follow dietary and other prescriptive injunctions. Anusthana is performance of meditation and other practices to obtain an object or attain a goal, spiritual being the highest goal. This is  demanding on the body and mind. Deity-specific Japa Anusthana is performed with the object of reaching a goal or removing an obstacle. This is prayer to a deity other than the personal deity, such as doing Japa to Sarasvati to compose music and Ganesa to remove obstacles. The nature of the object should be spiritual rather than material.

    Woodroffe mentions the Seed Mantras grow into Sandhya, Gayatri, Nyasa,  Puja, and Upacara Mantras; they are al its stems, trunk, branches, and twigs. Hymns of praise and homage are its leaves and flowers -- page161 Principles of Tantra, Book Two.

    Mother Goddess in her universal form contains innumerable universes in motion in her body. Each universe has its own Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva with its own Kalpas and Yugas. She is the repository of all sastras, Agamas, and Nigamas. Agamas form the Soul of the Mother; Vedas are the jivatmas; the philosophies (Dharasanas) form the senses; the Puranas are her body; the Smrtis are her limbs; All other sacred texts make her hair. What is Jivatma to Parmatma ( individual to God) is Veda to Tantra. She is the aggregate of all Chakras. She is the source of sound, words, speech and comprehension. Varnas (Characters) are written on the petals of the lotus of Chakras, forming the basis for Chandas, Vyakarna, Siksa, Kalpa, Jyotisha, and Nirukta, collectively called Vedangas, the Veda limbs.

Vedanga = Veda + anga = Veda Limb.

    She is the origin of all knowledge. A Sadhaka's body is a microcosm of the body of Mother Goddess. Worshipping of Gurus by Sadaka is like worshipping the Mother herself.

    Guru initiates an aspirant into Mantra Tattva. Mantra is the root and sound-body of Devata. Mantra = (Man = is to think or meditate + Tra = is to protect.)  Yantra = instrument, engine, apparatus, amulet with mystical diagram endowed with protective occult powers.  Mantras are not devised by sages or gods and were revealed by gods, who were not the formulators of Mantras. Guru, Mantra and Devata form a sacred triangle, which is important to an aspirant. Tantra Sastras are of the view that the Supreme Guru comes as man in earthly Guru to whom an aspirant owes respect for the earthly Guru is the surrogate of Supreme Guru.

    Devotee's consciousness awakens Sakti (divine power) in the image or idol which comes to life; this is Prana Prathistha (dwelling of life in an idol or image.) Idol is an instrument (Yantra) or an engine, which needs power (devotee's Consciousness) to work; in like manner, Guru is an engine; what electric power is to an engine is devotee's consciousness to a Guru. This says that Mother Goddess exists in all things and it takes a devotee to awaken the spirit in the object. Once an aspirant (Sadhaka) achieves Siddhi (perfection), he becomes one with the Guru and Goddess. This is Advaitam, oneness. Siva-Sakti assumes the form and body of Guru and protects Sisya (devotee).  Sadasiva protects Sadhus (saints or seers) by assuming the form of egoless Samsaric (householder), who is Siva himself without three eyes, Vishnu without four hands and Brahma without four heads. Guru takes the Sadhaka from the life of a pasu to the life of Siddha who merges with Parabrahman. By initiation into Kulatantra,  Isvara in the form Guru takes Pasu (animal, individual soul) hounded by Maya to liberation. Mantra, Isvara (Devata) and Guru are of one Padartha (substance). Devotion to Isvara without devotion to Guru guarantees rebirth as swine. Guru is no other than Isvara because he lives in Kaliasa, he lives in Cintamani graham, the trees in his house are Kalpa trees, the creepers are Kalpa creepers, the male servants are Bhairavas, female servants are Bharaivis and the water in his house is Ganga.  Cinta+Mani =Wish Gem; Graham = house; Kailasa = Siva's snow-clad Himalayan abode; Kalpa tree = Wish Tree; Bhairava = Manifestation of Siva; Bhairavi = Durga = Personified aggregate of Tejas (splendor) of all Gods, particularly of Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma = Warrior Goddess.  Bhairavam = Terribleness. In this context, Bhairavis and Bhairavas are inducted Tantric sect members, and Viras (heroes) are on their way of becoming Divyas (divine men). Guru is the virtual earthly representative of Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Guru is the object of meditation in the Sahasrara and Anahata Chakras. 

    There are two kinds of Gurus: Diksa and Siksa Guru, the Initiator and the Teacher. The initiator-Guru gives instructions in Mantra to a pupil; the teaching Guru helps the pupil with Dhyana, Dharana, Japa, Stava, Kavaca, Purascarana, Mahapurascarana and Samadhi. Dhyana = Meditation; Dharana = Concentration; Japa = Prayer; Stava = Panegyric, Eulogy; Kavaca = protective Mantra; Purascarana:  preparatory or introductory rite; Mahapurascarana = Great Purascarana = Greater perfection by Yoga, recitation of Mantra, ecstasy. Samadhi = Intense contemplation and identification with God.    

Purascarna:  Japa is the most important element for a Kaula to obtain Artha (wealth), Dharma (Righteousness), Kama (desire), and Moksa (liberation). Sandhya Japa at transitional time zones (morning, noon and evening), Tarpana (libation), Homa (burnt offering), and feeding of the Brahmanas are called Purasharana / Purascarana. Japa is done only with the Mantra obtained from a Guru. Other Mantras obtained from other sources is undesirable. The seat for Mantra Japa should be made of cotton, wool, or skin of lion, tiger or deer. House, cow shed, temple, banks of a river, foot of trunk of a Bilva tree, garden, sea coast are suitable places. Padma Asana, Pranayama, inhalation, retention and exhalation and Dhyana are recommended.  A rosary with proper knowledge of its usage is advised. Silent japa with complete enunciation of words is (regarded as) the best. Mantra should begin and end in Pranava (Om). Knowing the meaning of Mantra is essential because not knowing does not guarantee fruits. Other Gurus say that Mantra is like medication; knowledge is not necessary for Mantra to work. Siva and Sakti is the object of worship. External movements such as yawning, spitting, groping own body parts, wearing headwear, nakedness, unruly hair, crowded place should be avoided.

    Bilva is Bel tree (Aegle marmelos), sacred to Siva and Saktas; Amulets are made from it and unripe fruits are used in herbal medicine. Bilva is never used as firewood for fear of evoking Siva's displeasure and wrath.

    In Kaulaka tradition, there are six kinds of Gurus: Preraka, the impeller who instills interest in initiation into Kaula tradition; Sucaka, the indicator, who points to Sadhana as the means to liberation; Vacaka, the speaker who explains the tenets of Kaula dharma; Darsaka, the shower who by his example shows the performance of rites and rituals; Siksaka, the instructor who gives instructions in Sadhana; Bodhaka, Spiritual teacher who enlightens the pupil on spiritual knowledge. The Bhodaka plays the central role because his teachings form the nucleus to the contributions made by other teachers; thus spiritual knowledge facilitated by ancillary methods of impelling, indicating, showing, and instructing attains fruition. One has to pick and choose a Guru; one may end up like a bee that goes from flower to flower accumulating honey; this search for a good guru actually helps a sadhaka achieve wider knowledge. If the Guru-Sisya relationship is agreeable to both the Guru and the Sadhaka, they should act in each other's interest: the Guru takes care of the spiritual needs of the Sadhaka and the Sadhaka treats the Guru like god on earth.    

    Initiation: Initiation is essential for liberation and cannot come without a Guru who comes in the lineage of Guru Parampara. After proper evaluation over a period of more than one year, the Guru offers a Mantra to the pupil. It is also the privilege of the disciple to test the Guru on matters of Japa, Stotra, Dhyana, Homa, and Puja. Once he finds the capacity of the Guru to communicate the knowledge to him, he accepts him as a Guru. Guru transmits Sakti and knowledge to the disciple. The disciples are of three kinds: Adiyoga, Madhyayoga, and Antayoga. Adiyoga has devotion and interest in the beginning but they wane quickly. The Madhyayoga has no knowledge in the beginning but his devotion in the middle carries him through. The Antiyoga has no devotion at the beginning, acquires devotion in the middle and matures at the end. He is the best Jnanin among the three disciples.

    Upadesa, spiritual instruction, is of three kinds: Karma, Dharma, and Jnana. The path of karma is the longest route of slow pace. It is like the ant which takes a long journey up the tree to reach the fruit. The path of Dharma is many hops and jumps of a monkey from one branch to the next to reach the fruit. The path of Jnana is a straight flight to the fruit as a bird would do.    

    Diksa, Initiation and teaching, is of three kinds: Sparsa, by touch; Draksanjana, by sight; and Manasa, by thought.  Sparsa initiation is compared to the loving tender nourishing and caring of the chicks in the warmth of the wings by the mother bird. The act of visual initiation and instruction is compared to the nourishing of the fry (baby fish) by sight by the ever vigilant mother fish. The act of thought initiation and teaching is compared to the nourishing of the baby tortoises by the mother by thinking about them.  Grace comes to the disciple proportional to the presence of Sakti in him. Where there is no sakti (in him), there is no liberation.

    There is another classification of Diksa (initiation): ritual, letter, Kala, touch, speech, sight and thought.

    Diksa has yet another classification: 1) Samaya Diksa, when the Guru allows the disciple to help him with the religious ceremony. (Sama = religion.) 2) Putrika Diksa, when, in the likeness of father to a son, the Guru orders the disciple to conduct the ritual. 3) Sadhika Diksa, when the Guru initiates him in Sadhana. 4) Vedhaka Diksa: (Vedhaka = tansmutation, change) when the Guru effects some imperceptible  changes in Sadhaka. 5) Purna Acharya Diksa, when the Guru invests in the disciple the full powers of a Guru. 6) Nirvana, when the disciple is mature and perfect to attain absorption (laya) into the Self through Sadhana.

    Diksa is performed with a jar, sacred fire place, and a vessel for the purification of the body.

    Varnamayi Diksa involves placement of Sanskrit letters on the body of the disciple and the Guru. Remember that Sanskrit letters form the Bija Mantra and that Kali wears a garland of Sanskrit letters represented by the skulls around her neck. Varna = Sanskrit letters. This sort of initiation shatters all bonds.

    Kala Diksa is based on the tattvas involved in Pravrtti and Nivrtti, evolution and involution of the soul. Nivrtti Kala is between the feet and the knees, Pratistha Kala from the knees to navel, Vidya Kala from the navel to the neck, Santi Kala from the neck to the forehead, and Santyatita from the forehead to the top of the head. This progress from the feet to the head depicts the withdrawal or involution of the soul to a higher consciousness; the Sadhaka is born at the end of the journey amongst Yogins and Viras; all pasas (bonds) are destroyed.

    Touching the disciple by the Guru is Sparsa or tactile initiation; Initiation with a Mantra is Vac Diksa or verbal initiation; Initiation by gaze is drg Diksa or sight initiation; initiation by combination of touch, sight and speech is Sambhavi Diksa.

    Diksa erases the caste differences: the Sudra is no more a Sudra; the Brahmana is no more a Brahmana. Diksa also erases the past and to think of the past of a person after Diksa is sin itself; it is like thinking of Linga as stone. As Linga made of earth, iron, jewel, stone and wood become sanctified; so also all the classes of people get purified after Diksa. He who has been initiated can dispense with tapas, injunctions, vratas, pilgrimages and rituals involving the body. He who prays without initiation is like a seed sown on a rock. Sastra states that seniority of a person in Kaula hierarchy goes according to when a particular person is initiated. If a Sudra is initiated first and a Brahmana is initiated later, the Sudra is senior to the Brahmana. Washing the feet of the Guru washes away all the sins. Sudras are not allowed to study Vedas. Woman should get permission from her father, husband or son depending upon her status.

    Guru Tantra states that Guru is the central figure in all activities of Sadhakas. Any tantric activity without the guidance of Guru is sin. Others are of the opinion that practice of Tantra due to mitigating circumstances like unavailability of Guru for initiation and teaching  does not constitute sin. Guru by convention and sastras is a Brahmana for initiation. A Brahmana Guru can initiate all castes; in his absence, Ksatriya and Vaisya can serve as initiating Gurus for their own or lower castes; a Sudra can never initiate any caste, because initiation, with a Mantra by a Sudra, of other caste member or even another Sudra will take the initiator and the initiated to depths of the Nether worlds.

    Kamadhenu Tantra is very strong in its condemnation of Sudra initiators; they are characterized as follows: Their sinning tongue should not utter Mantras, because their tongues are contaminated with feces, urine and blood. His face is urine, feces and blood; his food is excrement; his water is urine; he is a Chandala (lowest of the low). The mere sight of his face makes the sacred River Ganga abandon its own waters and take a flight out of abhorrence. All  Tirthas (places of pilgrimages) scoot from their seats out of repulsion. A Mantra-Mongering Sudra (seller of Mantras) is an atrocious sight which makes Ganga go to Brahmaloka, the highest place, unreachable to a Mantra-Mongering Sudra. (Sudra's tongue is contaminated because he is presumed to eat meat, blood, and bone of an animal for the satiation of his hunger. Prescribed eating of Mamsa and Matsya (meat and fish) are not proscribed. Mantramongers (Venders) are ubiquitous among  higher castes too. They are not vilified here, but should elicit same condemnation and repercussions.)

    Sakti of Brahman becomes Gurusakti in a Guru and imparts its power to a stone, wood, or clay idol. Kaula Guru is in the forefront among Sakta, Saiva, Vaishnava, Saura and Ganapatya Gurus, because Kaula Guru is good and competent for Mantras of all sects, while the sectarian gurus are good in their own sectarian Mantras. Sectarian Guru should initiate an aspirant in his own sect only, but a Kaula Guru is competent to determine what is most suitable to an aspirant and initiate him in that particular Mantra, which belongs to any one of the sects.

Finding a Guru.

    Being a father, maternal grandfather, brother, younger-age person, and person from enemy camp are a disqualification to initiate an aspirant in Mantra. Recluse, forest-dwelling hermit, father, and Sannyasi are not qualified to dispense Mantra. Blood relatives or relatives by marriage are mutually excluded from initiation. A husband has Tantric permission to initiate his wife as his Sakti (power); Siva and Sakti are on the same level of relationship. Viras and Kaulas only are given this privilege; pasus are excluded. A Siddha (perfected aspirant or Sadhaka) can dispense with restrictions and initiate his wife as sakti. A Siddha who is efficacious in the use of  Mantra (Siddhamantra) can bypass the rules of dispensation in Mantra, when the recipient is a son or brother. Efficacy in the use of Mantras apply to those who are perfect in Siddhi (Siddhividya), as the Mantras relate to ten Mahavidyas: Kali1, Tara2, Sodasi3,  Bhuvanesvari4, Chinnamasta5, Bhairavi6, Dhumavati7, Bagala8, Matangi9, Kamalatmika10  

Maya consists of three gunas; Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Avidyam (ignorance) is Maya with dominance of Rajas and Tamas, while dominance of Sattva in Maya is Vidya (wisdom), present in Yogis and gods (Brahman included in this category), and Turiya sakti is Mahavidya, pure Bliss. Mahavidya = Great wisdom = Exalted Science = Pure Bliss. Plural = Mahavidyas = personification of the ten female Saktis of Siva. What is Mantra for a male god is Vidya for goddess. Vidya stands for  goddess and female version of Mantra.

In Syama Rahasya, all 10 are included in Mahavidyas.

Sri Vidya: is the Mantra of Bhuvanesvari, Mahamaya or Tripurasundari. It is also known as Panchadasi (Pancha + dasi = five plus ten = fifteen), because it has fifteen letters. It is called Sodasi (6+10) in its developed form, when it acquires another letter.  This potent Mantra is prescribed and dispensed to a Sadhaka only by a qualified Guru who has obtained perfection or Siddhi of this Mantra. Self purification with other Mantras is the first preparatory stage (Puras-carana): Ganesa Mantra is an example of Purascarana; After several purascaranas, the Sadhaka arrives at Panchadasi and Sodasi. A thorough knowledge of Sanskrit, proper pronunciation and dispensation from a Guru are essential elements for Sri Vidya Mantra Japa. Others can take up Mantras of Ishta Devatas.

Kali1, Tara2, Sodasi3,  Bhuvanesvari4, Chinnamasta5, Bhairavi6, Dhumavati7, Bagala8, Matangi9, Kamalatmika10  

The ten Mahavidyas have each a function. 

1. Kali is the first Mahavidya, black as night. She is Time because everyone disappears into the blackness of Time, where they repose in the tender loving hands of Kali in peace, tranquility, and bliss. Man's phenomenal life comes to an end and god's eternal life come to a pause. Kali, having killed a demon, continues on her unmitigated rampage with the Tejas she received from all the gods. In order to diffuse this unspent and redundant energy, Siva appears as an infant on the battleground and Kali stumbles on him. She takes pity, picks the infant and with motherly love and compassion, nurses infant Siva. In some narratives, Siva appears on the battleground as himself;  finding her husband at her feet, Kali takes pity and her unspent redundant energy dissipates. Kali is not only the Mother of Siva himself , but as occasion demands, her husband also.  Kali is the Mother of the universe, the protectress of her children and the destroyer of evil. The elements in this legend of Kali portray certain qualities in a person and the accompanying passions. Man is divine and demonic at the same time, two sides of one person. There are gods and men who are divine; there are demons and men who are demonic.  Kali goes by many names: Durga, Sati, Parvati, Uma, Bhavani.  She is the Supreme Truth, realizing which is the Supreme state. (In the movie "Loc Kargil" the soldiers were invoking Kali and Durga while they were attacking the rock-fortified positions of the enemy soldiers.)

2. Tara is of dark-blue in color. Tara, as her name implies, is a savior and a star. She and Kali are depicted as standing on supine Sava Siva. (Sava = dead). Tara is also depicted as a compassionate mother to Siva. On the urging of gods and Vishnu, Siva drinks up the spreading destructive poison generated during the churning of the milk ocean for ambrosia. He drinks it up and falls ill. Tara finds him unconscious, revives him and nurses him back to health with her breast milk which counteracts the poison. Tara carries a pair of scissors in her hands, which means that she can sever all attachments. Siva without Sakti is dead (sava). Siva and Sakti are one integral unit.

3. Sodasi (Shodasi) is a maiden of sixteen (years of age) and represents totality, youth, vigor, and perfection. She goes by another name, Tripurasundari. Tri+Pura+Sundari = Three + City + Beauty. Three cities = the three realms of heaven, earth, and air. She is Tripura because her body is made of three Saktis: Brahma, Vaisnavi, and Raudri. The three cities are a metaphor for man with three qualities: Sattva, Raja and Tamas (virtue, motion and passion, lethargy). She is the transcendent beauty of three cities or three gunas or the three cities of the demons.

Lord Siva was seated in yogic meditation. Kama came along to disturb his meditation, but was destroyed by Siva. Siva, the destroyer, was in meditation for sometime, which resulted in the increase in the population of earth and a heavy burden on Mother Earth.  The gods sent Kama (god of love, cupid, Amos, Eros) to shoot flowery Harshana (one of the five erotic arrows) on Siva and disturb his penance at the precise moment he woke up to receive his Divine Consort Parvati.  He (Kama) also by his magical power created an ambience of spring in the air, earth, and trees, conducive to love. Siva woke up from meditation, took one look at Parvati, and could not stop enjoying and articulating his appreciation of beautiful features of Parvati, who, in the privacy of Siva’s presence, lay bare gracefully, with sidelong glances. Siva felt like two persons, one imbibing the beauty of Parvati and another Yogi of all yogis bent on control of the senses. He felt that if seeing is great pleasure, embracing must offer even greater pleasure. Suddenly it dawned on him that he was stung by Kama ’s arrows and bitten by love. How could that happen to a Yogi of yogis, who has complete control over senses?  Paramayogi Siva addressed Parvati in a loving manner and wondered aloud to her, how he became a victim to Kama and how that downfall is harmful to his excellent reputation as the Lord of Vairagya (desirelessness). He advised Parvati, in a spirit of detachment, not to sit by his side on the couch, and looked around for he felt uncomfortable in being aroused. He felt that the Vairagin and Yogi (in him) was associating with a wife of someone else; such was the depth of his Vairagya.  Kama continued to shoot arrows at Siva with no effects. Siva's anger was coming to surface. A fire rising from the third eye of Siva incinerated Kama into ashes. That incident happened in Korukkai. One of Siva's devotees gathered the ashes of Kama and shaped it in the form of man. The devotee begs Siva to teach him a mantra and confer half the power of Kama to the ash-made man. Since the Ash-man was dead Kama and the result of Siva's fury, the Ash-man became a demon, who with his newfound strength and power defeated the gods who sought the help of Tripurasundari, who defeated the demon and restored the gods to their former status. (Bhasman or Sacred Ash is euphemious for the semen virile of Siva. Incineration brings all substances to their pristine primal state.)

In Tantra literature, there are five Sivas: Sadasiva, Isa, Rudra, Vishnu, and Brahma; all of them are described as "Five Great corpses" because they are all inert without Sakti. Siva is Sava (corpse, Sava Rupa); hence, Sakti Devi is portrayed as standing on Sava-Siva. The Five Great Corpses (pancha-maha-preta) become inanimate objects upon which Devi (Sodasi) sits, reclines, presides, and merges as Consciousness. Siva is the couch; Sadasiva is the mattress; Isa is the pillow; Isa, Rudra, Hari (Vishnu), and Brahma are the four legs of the couch. Tripurasundari/Sodasi reclines majestically on the couch. Sundari is united with Higher Siva, Paramasiva in Pranava, AUM. The Nada (Chandrabindu/ Nadabindu) over the Omkara is the couch, on which Paramasiva in his Bindu form is reclining. Chandrabindu is Nada and Bindu, Sakti and Siva in one unit. The erotic and sometimes morbid symbolism is illustrative of Sakti's (Sodasi) power. Shodasi = Sho + Dasi = 6 + 10 = 16. Sodasi is sweet, soft, and sixteen all the time. She is Lalita, sweet, soft and charming. Sixteen is the age and youth of prime and from there on it is downhill in every sense. Even in a physiological and immunological sense, sixteen is the turning point for the worse. It takes sixteen days for the new moon to become a full moon; from there on it is down hill. Sundari is sweet sixteen all the time, the prime of everything imaginable.

Kali was once addressed as KALI (black) by Siva; Kali was upset, retired to Mount Sumeru, and became an ascetic vowing to change her black complexion to white. Narada, the talebearing Muni, went to Kali and told her that Siva was considering to marry another woman and that she should immediately go to Siva.Is this not a benign mischief on the part of Narada Muni?  Kali by that time lost the pigment in her skin and became light-skinned, but did not know about it. When she went to Siva, she saw a wheat-complexioned woman in the mirror of the heart of Siva. She was upset, angry and jealous; Siva noticing her disposition asked her to look more closely. Kali found her own light-skinned image and realized her misperception. Siva calling her Tripurasundari said that she would remain sixteen for ever; that is how she became known by that epithet, Sodasi.

Bhuvanesvari is Mistress of the world. Bhu = world. Isvara = Lord; Isvari = Mistress. She is Rajarajesvari (Queen of queens) as the ruler of the universe. She is the embodied form of the totality of transcendent knowledge (Para Vidya--Supreme knowledge), part of  which makes the Vedas. Tantrics say that Bhuvanesvari becomes a manifest goddess after creation and thus controls the phenomenal world in all its aspects. She is a beautiful goddess in every respect so much so Siva acquired a third eye to imbibe her beauty. Bhuvanesvari is the centerpiece of phenomenal world; she causes creation, maintenance and destruction; all activities and oscillations of the world, including love and hate, happiness and misery, joy and suffering and other myriad emotions are her play activity. Bhuvanesvari is the nourisher of the universe; appropriately, she is endowed with generous engorged breasts which are in a perpetual state of spontaneous letdown.

Chinnamasta is Cut Head. Chinna + Masta = Cut + Head. She is Tantric form of Durga with a severed head, fifth in line of Mahavidyas. The western students regard Chinnamasta as an adopted goddess from Buddhist faith and Tantrics inducted her in (the gallery) Hall of Mahavidyas, though they were afraid to alter her Buddhist Mantra for fear of reaping the wrath of Chinnamasta. Buddhists call Chinnamasta, Chinna-Munda. Munda = head. Chinnamasta and Dhumavati along with other bevy of goddesses are regarded by the west as sinister goddesses bent on Abhicaara; thus, they are worshipped in Abhicaara rites for the express purpose of harming the enemies. Abhicaara = employment of  spells  for malevolent purposes. (In the movie "Loc Kargil" the soldiers were invoking Kali, Krishna and Durga while they were attacking the rock-fortified positions of the enemy soldiers. They failed to invoke Chinnamasta; no Abhicaara rites were performed.) Some experts call Chinnamasta by other epithets: Vidya and Tara.

Chinnamasta is portrayed against the background of mountains, rivers, verdure, flowers, thunderclouds, and  lightning. All look pleasant and appealing except the thunder and lightening and the central figure who holds her own severed head dripping blood on her left hand; three streams of blood are spouting out of the severed neck, the right and the left stream going into the mouths of two females and the central stream going into the mouth of the severed head; scimitar is held by the right hand. Indophobes and Indophiles had a field day spouting diagnostic opinions ranging from psychosis, personality disorder, displaced anger, dissociation, destructive impulse behavior, Self-mutilation (nobody mentioned Lesch-Nyhan syndrome) to suicide. Everyone including some big names "oralized and analized" the perturbing points in the portrait; none had the qualification of the insider.  The one thing that they lacked was the wisdom evinced by the Tantrics who were in the thick of it. After studying the sanguine opinions of pseudo-pundits of all hues and nations on this subject of sanguine nature, I came to the conclusion that the Tantrics in the know had the best explanation.

The lady with the severed head is Chinnamasta; she holds a scimitar on the right hand and her own severed head on the left hand; the severed head and body are living units. Three streams emanate from the severed neck, two streams go into mouths of the two ladies on either side and one stream falls into the mouth of the severed head. She is sitting (standing) on a pair of lovers engaged in Viparita Mithuna (reverse coition), involving supine Manmatha and prone Rati, who were stretched out on a open blossom of lotus flower floating in a body of water (the older version of waterbed). In the background are the mountains...What do all these disparate elements of a portrait mean?

Manmatha and Rati are the archetypical lovers, living a life of indulgence in Muladhara and Svadhisthana planes, which is not condemned by Tantrics. They have dominant oral, anal and genital traits--deglutition, excretion, recreation and reproduction. Chinnamasta walks on them on this private moment and stands on them, which is rather discomforting to the lovers. The flesh is put on notice; the flash of lightning severs the head and the spirit has to rise. The head has all the sensory and motor organs needed for a successful sexual encounter such as the brain, the motivator and the ultimate enjoyer; nose, the purveyor of delicate aromas; mouth and tongue for creative osculation and tactile pleasures;  ears for subtle sounds of music; and eyes, the imbiber of visual delights. The head of senses has to come off for the spirit to rise. Chinnamasta is object lesson for the amorous couple. The three streams are the Nadis: the lateral ones are the Ida and Pingala (left and right) Nadis; the central one is the Susumna Nadi. Head is cortex and brain, the seat of desires. Susumna Nadi rises through the brain which receives nourishment from central stream of blood. Spirit (Kundalini goddess) rises to the top of the head via the roof of the mouth; severed head represents severed mind-Amanaska, a state of paucity of mental function, conducive to higher states of consciousness, whose destination is Atattva or Parasiva (absolute Reality). Chinnamasta is in a state of Amanaska devoid of all human foibles and distractions, but not dead; the nourishing Susumna Nadi in the form of blood is keeping the head alive. This is called Kapaala moksa--liberation by the skull. The confluence of Bindu and Nada (Light and Sound / Lightning and thunder, Siva and Sakti, Seed and ovum / Sveta Bindu and Sona Bindu) creates a cascade of Tattvas which result in matter and life; what Chinnamasta does on the cosmic scale, the recumbent couple do it on a smaller microcosmic scale. The amorous couple are on the physical plane, while Chinnamasta is on the spiritual plane; Prana has risen from the genital triangle to Ajna Chakra and beyond through Susumna Nadi. In the amorous couple, the flesh is rising and the spirit is sinking.

The trodden lovers living in Muladhara and Svadhisthana planes can control their senses to reach Brahmarandhra with the grace of Chinnamasta who lives in Ajna Chakra.

(The transformation of the Spirit, Pure Consciousness, or Paramatma (Supreme Atma or Soul) through a  cascade of Tattvas from Spirit through knowledge to lesser consciousness to matter is depicted as an evolutionary process and the Tattvas measure the distance between matter and individual soul on one side and Pure Consciousness on the other end. In this instance, the human consciousness ascends to Parasiva or Atattva: an instance of involution. Chinnamasta facilitates that ascent from the prurient world to a world of Pure transcendental Consciousness and Bliss.

Bhairavi is the sixth Mahavidya and the icon of death, whose power is irresistible and unavoidable, and which is a continuous process in the phenomenal world. Bhairavi is in charge of Nitya Laya (Pralaya or dissolution), which means decay and death of individual entities on a daily basis. There are other types of Layas: Naimittika, Prakritika and Atyantika. Sanksrit Laya and Greek-English Lysis carry the same meaning: loosening, dissolution. The whole universe comes to an end in Naimittika (periodic) Kalpal (eonian) dissolution, when all life and matter are incinerated; it corresponds to sleep-wake cycle of Brahma; sleep is dissolution and awakening is life.  Prakritika Laya  is the involution of matter (as opposed to evolution) into primordial substance from which it came. Saiva Siddhantists believe that matter and life originated from Bindu, Nada, Siva and Sakti which originated from Param.  Atyantika Laya is the emancipation and liberation (Moksa) of the individual soul. On account of her power over the life of individual, Bhairavi means Terror.  Bhairavi is the destructive force, red-colored with her breasts smeared with blood.

Dhumavati is smoke-colored. Dhuuma = smoke; Vati = cover. The story goes that Parvati, the consort of Siva, was very hungry and asked for food from Siva to which Siva did not pay any attention. Repeated requests for norishment went unheeded and therefore, Parvati swallowed Siva satisfying her hunger, exhaling smoke and at the same time widowing herself. Siva persuaded Dhumavati to regurgitate him from her stomach which she did. Since she exhaled smoke, Siva called her Dhumavati. She looks widowed, tall, withered, old, ugly, and angry with  funny ears, a long sickle-nose, pendulous dry longitudinal breasts, bad hair, fearsome eyes, absent teeth, trembling hands, forlorn glance. She is always hungry and thirsty. She is wrapped in dirty white clothes. Engulfing Siva is assertion of her independence, even at the expense of widowhood. She rides a chariot with the flag decorated by a crow, a scavenger and portent of death. She eats Tamasic foods such as meat and imbibes alcohol.

Bagala has a crane head, is of yellow complexion and a purveyor of illusion; she holds a club by one hand and the other hand yanks down on a Demon's tongue.  Demon Madan obtained Varam (boon) of Vakya Siddhi, by which all he said came true; he abused his power causing harm to gods, who sought  the help of Bagala Mukhi (Crane Face). Bagalamukhi pulled his tongue and muted him;  before killing him, she obliged him by acquiescing to let him be on her side during worship. By her tongue traction, she exercises her control over speech.

Matangi

Cojugate embrace versus conjugal embrace

The pleasures of sweet vengeance

Siva and Parvati as Chandalas

    Matangi (Maatamgi) is one of the ten Mahavidyas who are various manifestations of goddess Parvati or Kali. Matangaka was the name of the chief of Chandalas. Chandalas are one of the lowest among the castes, according to lore. In a game of impersonation, "fool me, fool me not," Siva impersonated a traveling jewelry salesman, sold some ornaments to Parvati while she was visiting with her father, and suggested that she could pay him by sexual favors. Parvati without missing a beat said, "Yes, but not now." She had the intuitive divine vision that the traveling salesman was her husband in disguise. Siva went on his way and sat down on the banks of Manas Lake for meditation and worship. Parvati assumed the appearance of a nubile outcaste (Chandala) girl with a shapely body accentuated by a red dress, and  beautiful and beguiling eyes, and danced in front of Lord Siva jiggling her moon-like breasts. Siva's ravenous eyes imbibed Parvati's beauty in motion and gently asked her who she was. Parvati in the sweetness of youthful voice replied with the utmost bashfulness, "Swami, I am a Chandala girl. I came to do penance."  Siva is the Yogi of Yogins. Who else is more fit to teach penance? Siva gently took her lotus hand and pressed it tenderly against his lotus petal-soft lips. Then he proceeded to make love to the captive but willing Parvati, whose identity was unknown to Siva. While they were in the conjugate embrace in Siva's mind and conjugal embrace in Parvati's mind, Parvati morphed Siva into a Chandala (in embrace with a Chandalini). Siva in a flash realized that Matangi (Chandala girl) was no other than his dear wife.

    Parvati reaped her sweet vengeance, laid open utter lowness of her action and sexual submission, and begged Siva to accept her in his heart as "Ucchista Chandalini." Ucchista = rejected (once used commodity), remnants of food in the mouth after eating, that are spit out of the mouth; food sticking in the mouth and hands after eating, therefore impure; remainder of sacrificial food; left over crumbs. Siva accepted to honor her supplication. She is thus called Matangi (a woman from a degraded mountain tribe or hunter-gatherers, who became Sudras from neglecting all prescribed rites, mlecchas.)

    Matangi's association with impure, filthy, leftover food takes us to another myth that she actually likes to receive Ucchista from the unkempt and the unwashed; goddess admires them for not rinsing the mouth and the hands after eating, when they offer leftover food to the goddess against the established rules of worship. Eye-rolling black Matangi is inebriated and slouches around in aimless circles.

Kamala is lotus flower. She is the most auspicious welcome goddess among the Mahavidyas, of whom she is the tenth, the last but not the least. She looks very much like Lakshmi; she is Lakshmi with a difference: there is no Vishnu beside her. She is of golden complexion with four hands seated on a lotus flower and washed with ablutionary holy water poured from pitchers by elephants. She is the icon of wealth, fertility, and prosperity

1) Kali is Night of dissolution.
2) Tara is the compassionate Goddess and Savior.
3) Shodashi is the beautiful Goddess who is sixteen years of age all the time.
4) Bhuvaneshvari is the Creator of the World.
5) Chinnamasta is the Goddess who severs her own Head.
6) Bhairavi is the Goddess of catabolism, aging, death and decay.
7) Dhumawati is the Goddess who is ugly, eats Siva and becomes a widow.
8) Bagalamukhi is the Goddess who pulls the tongue of evil prophesier.
9) Matangi is the Goddess who loves slovenly worship (and a glutton for leftover food).
10) Kamala is the Goddess of wealth, fertility, power and prosperity.

    Siddhanatra is defined as a Mantra that is recited and worshipped over three generations in a family: great-grandfather, grandfather, and father. Matysa Sutra says as against other Sutras that a father can initiate a son in a Mantra according to Saiva and Sakta practices and rites. (It appears that Mantra initiation of relatives, aspirants, and others differ from Sastra to Sastra and from Sutra to Sutra. There is no one rule about it. Swami Sivananda takes a practical approach: If there is no Guru to initiate an aspirant, OM is the best Mantra.) One genderless gem of a practice among Kaulas is that woman is qualified to become Guru. She should be a practitioner of Kulacara or born in a family of Kaulas or good family. Some of the physiognomy and behavioral attributes should be met: fair moon-like face, auspicious demeanor, lotus eyes, precious gems, intelligence, tranquil mind, Kula Acara (practices), control over the senses, chastity, piety, respect and service to elders, knowledge of Mantras and their meaning, Japa (recitation of Mantra), devotion and worship of Istadevata, and married state. A mother (though a widow) can initiate her son into Mantra. Siddha Mantras can be dispensed by widows. Siddhamantras bring auspiciousness, wealth, and power to the Sisyas (disciples) in this or next life.

    A Mantra obtained in a dream does not mandate Vicara (enquiry of the Guru or Mantra); it is accepted for use as such without any doubt, question or compunction. Family (member) of Guru giving Mantra for Pasvacara worship of Devi deserves recognition for ten generations; recognition of his family for 25 generations for giving Mantra for Viracara worship, 50 generations for giving Mantra for any of one of the Mahavidya worship, and 100 generations for giving Mantra for Brahmayoga is accorded. Pasus, Viras, Mahavidyas, and Brahmayogis are hierarchical in their awareness and devotion of divinity in Devi. Gurukula is the Guru family and Kulaguru is the family Guru. Abandoning a family Guru is sin and puts a person in hell for the duration of the life of sun , moon, and stars. Though the descendant of family Guru is younger, of tender age (with competence in the discipline of Mantra Sadhana) does not exclude him from conferring Mantra. Let me give a real-life example of a chief minister of Paandinaadu in ancient Tamil Naadu fell at the feet of a child-saint, and introduced the queen to Sambandar, the child-saint.  Chief minister: Kulachchiraiyar. Queen: Mangaiyarkarasiyar.

Incompetent Guru

Tirumanthiram Verse 139:

    Illumination (of the soul) is to see the Holy Form of Guru, to chant Guru’s Holy name, to hear Guru’s holy words, to reflect on the form of Guru. 

A message from Tirumantiram:

When yogi's own enlightened soul and his inner Guru engage in conversation in the language of silence it is called Sunya Sambashanam. For lesser souls with malas (impurities), an external Guru is needed; that is the case with Pralayakalars and Sakalars, while Vijnanakalars serve as their own spiritual counselors.                     

    A Sisya or pupil should leave a Guru who is devoid of Brahma bliss and ethical standards of his profession.

A list of disqualifications of  Guru:

A list of some qualifications of Guru:

    There are three classes of Gurus: Prabhu, Vibhu, Svayambhu. Prabhu

To be continued