Normal Reason: rAghava bhaTTa says so and is ratified by the author of prapancha sAra and IshAna shiva in his paddhati. Spiritual reason: The great and the high warlock, aghora parameshvara holds a trishUla in his hands… and according to the devI saptashatI the same shUla is given to chaNDikA parameshvari… for the D700 verily saysshUlaM shUlAd vinishkR^iShya… As per kShemarAja’s commentary on the weapons being held by aghora parameshvara, he says about the shUla: ..”ichChA GYAna kriyAyogi svAtantrya shakti daNDena trishUlena pAshatraya shAtanaM” “Striking down the three bonds [ego, karma, illusion] with the staff of absolute autonomy (svātantrya-śakti), which is conjoined with the powers of Will, Knowledge, and Action (icchā-jñāna-kriyā).”
Tag: mantra
A set of sixty-four yoginīs of Kāmākhyā(supplemented by the Kālikā purāṇa)
Brahmāṇī,Caṇḍikā,Raudrī,Gaurī,Indrāṇī,Kaumārī,Vaiṣṇavī,Durgā,Nārasiṁhī,Kālikā,Cāmuṇḍā,Śivadūtī,Vārāhī,Kārtikī,Māheśvarī,Śaṅkarī,Jayantī,Sarvamaṅgalā,Kālī,Kapālinī,Medhā,Śivā,Śākambharī,Bhīmā.Śāntā,BhrāmarīRudrāṇīAmbikā,Kṣemā,Dhātrī,Svāhā,Svadhā,Aparṇā,Mahodarī,Ghorarūpā,Mahākālī,Bhadrakālī,Bhayaṅkarī,Kṣemaṅkari,Ugracaṇda,Caṇḍogrā,Caṇḍanāyikā,Caṇḍā,Caṇḍavatī,CaṇḍīMahāpriyaṅkarī,Balavikaraṇī,Balapramathanī,Manonmathanī,Sarvabhūtadamani,Umā,Tārā,Mahānidrā,Vijayā,Jayā
followed by a set of yoginis mentioned as śailaputryādi which are: śailaputrī,guptakāmā,Śrīkāmā(Caṇḍikā),vindhyavāsinī(Caṇḍaghaṇṭā/Candraghaṇṭā),koṭīśvarī,vanasthā,pādadurgā(Katyayani),dīrgheśvarī and bhuvaneśvarī.
The verses dealing with them are posted below
brahmāṇī caṇḍikā raudrī gaurīndrāṇī tathaiva ca || 39 ||
kaumārī vaiṣṇavī durgā nārasiṁhī ca kālikā |
cāmuṇḍā śivadūtī ca vārāhī kārtikī tathā || 40 ||
māheśvarī śaṅkarī ca jayantī sarvamaṅgalā |
kālī (ka)pālinī medhā śivā śākambharī tathā || 41 ||
bhīmā śāntā bhrāmarī ca rudrāṇī cāmbikā tathā |
kṣemā dhātrī tathā svāhā svadhā’parṇā mahodarī || 42 ||
ghorarūpā mahākālī bhadrakālī bhayaṅkarī |
kṣemaṅkarī cogracaṇḍā caṇḍogrā caṇḍanāyikā || 43 ||
caṇḍā caṇḍavatī caṇḍī mahāpriyaṅkarī tathā |
balavikaraṇī devī balapramathanī tathā || 44 ||
manonmathanī caiva hi sarvabhūtasya damanī |
umā tārā mahānidrā vijayā ca jayā tathā || 45 ||
pūrvoktāḥ śailaputryādyā yoginyaṣṭau tathā kramāt |
tābhirabhiśca sahitāścatuṣṣaṣṭiśca yoginīḥ || 46 ||
pūjayed maṇḍalasyā(ntā?ntaḥ) sarvakāmārthasiddhaye |
nānāvidhaṁ tu naivedyaṁ pānaṁ pāyasameva ca || 47 ||
moḍakāpūpapiṣṭādi devyai samyak pradāpayet |
evaṁ tu pūjayed devīṁ kālikāṁ kāmadāyinīm || 48 ||
bhaktiyukto naro bhūtvā sarvān sa labhate priyān |
mahocchvāsā mahādevī mahāmāyā tu sā smṛtā || 49 ||
The central deity according to both the sources alluded to is Tripurā of the three syllables that corresponds to the Goddess Bālā,although She is visualized as a collection of three Goddesses akin to most traditions of Caṇdī navārṇa today. In this case,each goddess corresponds to each syllable of the mantra.
The Ogha-traya(the lineage of the divine,siddha(perfected) and human teachers) of Bālā Tripurāsundarī’s tradition as described in two hymns
Divyaugha(the Divine transmission/flow [of the tāntrika teaching]). In this case,they seem to be deifics of certain technical terms of advaya śaivāgama(Nondual Śaiva tantra would be a close enough translation). The terms which would be specific to the traipura tradition building on the older Śaiva tradition would be kāma and kāmeśvara. Amṛta hearkens back to the older Mṛtyuñjaya/Mṛtyujit based based traditions,a technical excursus of which is provided here and an introduction on the Netra tantra,centred on the nectarine Rudra Tryambaka/evolute Amṛteśvara(Lord of Nectar). As noted by the author of that blog:
…the bhairava srotas underwent a syncretic development with a much earlier independent stream of the mantra-mArga, i.e. the worship of mR^ityu~njaya. This resulted in the system of amR^iteshvara bhairava and amR^iteshvarI which is expounded by the netra tantra.
- Prakāśānanda
- Parameśānanda
- Paraśivānanda
- Kāmeśvarānanda
- Mokṣānanda
- Kāmānanda
- Amṛtānanda
After the transmission/flow of teachings amongst the divyaugha,comes the siddhaugha(the transmission/flow of tantrik teachings in the line of the perfected ones). In this case,they are the five faces of Śiva,deifics of a famous pentad of 5 mantras in Śaivism known as the Pañca-Brahma-s.
- Īśāna
- Tatpuruṣa
- Aghora
- Vāmadeva
- Sadyojāta
After the divyaugha and siddhaugha,comes the mānavaugha(the first humans who brought down the tantrik tradition as expounded in the hymn). In this case they are
- Gaganānanda
- Viśvānanda
- Vimalānanda
- Madanānanda
- Ātmānanada
- Priyānanda
And then one goes on to worship the immediate quartret of gurus(one’s own guru,his guru,his guru’s guru and that figure’s guru) before going on to worship other figures in the Goddess’ retinue. The hymn in question is the Bala Khadgamala stotra.
The 1000 names of Bālā as ascribed to the Rudrayāmala tantra have a slightly variant list
The divyaugha there consists of
- Prakāśānandanātha
- Śivānandanātha
- Śaktyānandanātha
- Samayānandanātha.
- Kauleśa and Devī are mentioned though I am not sure if they are epithets for Śiva and Śakti in this case.
In this case the gurus are the dialogic union of Śiva-Śakti/deifics of this contexts
Klinnāṅgānandanātha, Vedānandanātha, and Sahajānandanātha are the siddhaugha gurus listed in this tradition of the hymn. Their names are significant and reflect on the nature of the Goddess on Her practical manifestation.
The human gurus in the 1000 names are listed as Vimalānandanātha, Madanānandanātha, Bhuvanānandanātha, and Svātmānandanātha.
On the praise of the wife,from the Annadākalpa
strīsaṅginā sadā bhāvyamanyathā na prasīdati।
kṣubdhāyāṃ yoṣiti kṣubdhā sadā devī na saṃṣayaḥ॥
sā cedbhavati saṃkṣubdhā danamāyuśca nāśayet।
vṛthā sadakṣiṇo homo yadyapriyakaraḥ striyaḥ॥
buddhirbalaṃ yaśorūpamāyurvittaṃ sutādayaḥ।
naśyanti tasya sarvāṇi yoṣinnindāparasya ca॥
mātāpitrorvaraṃ tyāgastyājya śambhustathā hariḥ।
varaṃ devī parityājyā naiva tyājyā svakāminī।
varaṃ janamukhānnindā varaṃ vā garhitaṃ yaśaḥ॥
varaṃ prāṇā paritryājyā na kuryādapriyaṃ striyāḥ।
na dhātā nācyutaḥ śambhurna ca vā sā sanātanī॥
yoṣidapriyakartāraṃ rakṣituṃ na kṣamo bhavet।
śmaśānasādhanaṃ nātra na citā śavasādhanām॥
yoṣitpūjanamātreṇa annapūrṇā susiddhidā॥
iti annadākalpe siddhisādhanādivivaraṇaṃ nāma ṣoḍaśaḥ paṭala
Haviṣyānna: definitions and notes in the context of puraścaraṇa
Haviṣyānna is to be eaten during sacred occasions like certain vratas,rites and so on. It is defined (from the Kriyākāṇḍavāridhi as cow’s milk(if unavailable,buffalo ghee),cow’s ghee(if unavailable,ghee from buffaloes),’atap’ raw rice(any naturally fragrant variety of raw rice will do).sugar from sugarcane,pigweed(beto shakh in Bengali),kalo shakh(I am not sure about the English translation for this),shashthi shakh(I am also unsure about its translation) ,sugarcane,myrobalan(haritaki),peas(matar),barley(yava),seasame(til),unroasted mung dal(green gram),sea salt,water cress(hinche shaak),jackfruit,bananas,amlaki(amla),the roots of creepers,tamarind,ginger,cumin(jeera),millets(cited as kaṅgu),coconuts,citrus fruits(cited as nāgaraṅga),pipul…and all these are ideally not cooked in oil,ie, not fried.(atailapakshvam…)
The shlokas cited are
From smārtamata
haimantikaṃ sitāviyaṃ mudgāstilā yavā|
kalāya-kaṅgu-nīvārā vāntakaṃ hilamochikā||
ṣaṣṭikā kālaśākañcha mūlakaṃkemuketarat|
lavaṇe saindhavasāmudre gavye cha dadhisarpiṣī||
payo̍nuddhṛtasārāncha panasāmraharītakī|
tintiḍī jīrakaṇchaiva nāgarañcha pippalī||
kadalī lavaṇi(li?) dhātrī phalānyaguḍamaikṣavam|
atailapaksvam munayo haviṣyānnaṃ prachakṣate||
From Agastyasaṃhitā
dadhī kṣīraṃ ghṛtaṃ gavyamaikṣavaṃ guḍavarjjitam|
nārikelaphalañchaiva kadalīm lavali(ni)?stathā||
āmrāmalakañchaiva panasañcha harītakīm|
vratāntaraprashastañcha haviṣyaṃ manyate budhaiḥ||
More shlokas from texts on purvasevā on haviṣyānna shall be posted as and when convenient. A further thing to note is the insight of Adi Shankara where he notes that AhAra is not just what we intake by our mouth but by all our sensory apertures as well like our sight,the music we listen to,and in modern times, would extend to the media we consume.
The shlokas below are posted from the Puraścaraṇollāsa tantra compiled by Swami Paramatmananda Bhairav with a few of my remarks intersperesed here and there
I am not going to deal with the question of acceptance of bhīkṣā because if the audience this is meant for has computers and electronics,they are unlikely to be the ones in austere conditions needed to accept bhīkṣa.
On the importance of bhakṣyābhakṣya niyamas at all stages of tantric practice,Gautamīya states
puraścaraṇakṛnmantrī bhakṣyābhakṣyaṃ vicārayet।
paśavānāñca vīrānām divyānāñca maheśvarī॥
śastānnañca samaśnāyanmantrasiddhasamīhayā।
tasmāt sarvaprayatnena śastānnāśi bhavennaraḥ॥
Kulārṇava
yasyānnapānapuṣṭāṅgaḥ kurute dharmasañcayaṃ
annadātuḥ phalasyārdhaṃ kartruścārdhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ
(bhīkṣāyāṃ tu vihitatvāt na doṣaḥ)
(If one takes from from another’s house,they get half the merits,there is no doubt about it).
śāradātīlaka
bhaikṣyaṃ haviṣyaṃ śākāni vihitāni phalaṃ payaḥ
mūlaṃ śakturyavotpanno bhakṣyānnetāni mantriṇām
puraścaraṇakāle tu sarvakarmeṣu śāmbhavī
bhuñjānā vā haviṣyānnaṃ śākañca vihitaṃ tathā
puraścaraṇabodhinī
kalāya kālaśākañca vāstukaṃ hilamocikā।
kṣīrāhāri phalāśī vā śākāśī vā haviṣyabhuk
bhikṣāśī vā japed yad vā kṛcca cāndrāyaṇādikṛt
āmramāmalakañcaiva phalaṃ keśari sambhavaṃ
rambhāphalaṃ tintiḍīkaṃ kadalī nāgaraṅgakam
phalānyetāni bhojyāni tadanyāni vivarjayet
rudrayāmala
cārumūlaphalakṣīra dadhyā bhikṣānna śaktavat
śākāñcaṣṭhavidhānnaṃ sādhakasyocaite budhaiḥ
yadvā tavā parityajya duṣṭannaṃ kutsitaṃ phalam
payovratasyasiddhiḥ syāllakṣaṇaiva na saṃśayaḥ
śākabhakṣyahaviṣyāśī kalau lakṣatrayaṃ japet
yatiśca brahmacārī ca bhikṣānnajīvanau matau
sarvadharmabahirbhūyāt gṛhī bhikṣānna jīvanāt
nāradīya
mṛdusoṣṇaṃ supakvañha kuryādvalaghubhojanam
nendriyāṇāṃ yathāvṛddhistathā bhuñjīta sādhakaḥ
prapañcasāra
kandāśca piṇḍārukasarukādyā,gavāṃ dadhikṣīraghṛtāni saindhavaṃ। mudgā yavāḥ kṝṣṇatilāḥ kalāyāḥ priyaṅgavaḥ śaṣṭika taṇḍulāñca।
kadambajambupanasāmra nibānāraṅgadhātrī kadalī phalāni
kapitthamiṣṭī mṛdudāḍimāni bhakṣyāni caitāni puraṣkriyāyām
śrītattvacintāmaṇī
bhuñjāno vā haviṣyānnaṃ śākam yāvakameva vā
payo vā mūlamevātra yadvā yatropalabhyate
haviṣyārthe vrataviṣyaṃ।bodhyaṃ na tu śrāddham haviṣyaṃ।
varjya vastuni(Foods to be abandoned)
viśvasāre
aikṣavaṃ varjayenmantrī śarkarekṣu vivarjitam
yoginītantre
ciñcāñca nālikā śākaṃ kalāyaṃ lakucaṃ tathā
kadambaṃ nārikelañca vrate kuṣmāṇdakam tyajet
puraścaraṇabodhinī
vivarjayetnmadhukṣāraṃ lavaṇam tailameva ca।
tāmbūlaṃ kāṃsya pātraṃ ca divābhojanameva ca॥
māṣāḍhakī maśūrāñca kodravāścanakānapi।
annaṃ paryuṣitaṃ caiva niḥsnehaḥ kīṭadūṣitam॥
rāmārcanacandrikāyām tathā nibandhe
lavanaṃ palalañcaiva kṣāraṃkṣaudram rasāntakaṃ
kāṅjikaṃ gṛñjanam(līks) bimbam(ivy gourds) karañjaṃ lasunaṃ visaṃ
masuraṃ kodravaṃ māṣaṃ cītrakaṃ caṇakādikam
evamidāni cānyāni varjayet sādhakottamaḥ
nibandhe
tāmbulañca dvibhuktañca duḥsambhāṣapramattatān।
śrutismṛti viruddhañca tathā kāmyañca varjayet॥
kṣāraṃ ca bhaumaṃ lavaṇaṃ tathāḍhakī māṣā maśurāścaṇakāśca kodravāḥ।
tailaṃ sitaṃmudakamāra nālakaṃ kṣaudraṃ guḍaṃ kṣālitaṃ māṣādhikam
kuṣmāṇḍalṃ vṛntākaṃ palāṇḍvalābucatrākanālaṃ laśunaṃ karīvaḥ
annaṃtathā paryusitaṃ ca dagdhaṃ tyajyāni caitāni vadantidhīrāḥ
Basically the allowed greens are:grass pea shoots(kalai shakh),Senna occindentalis(kalkasunda) apart from the ones mentioned above. Amongst fruits,apart from the ones above,the Indian jujube(kul),pineapples,mangoes,pomegranetes,coconuts,water chestnuts,bael etc. Amongst grains,apart from the above,sattu as well is liked and anything that is lightly cooked and eaten in small amounts. To be abandoned are:sugar from sugarcane(but not gur from sugarcane),honey,pungent stuff,masura,toor daal,mAShataila(?)siktamUga(?),onion,garlic,sea salt(but not rock salt),oil/fry,paan,tamarind,nAltoShaka,pumpkins,gourds and rice and fruits dirtied by insects etc.
An elucidation on Puraścaraṇa of Caṇdī navārṇa Mantra and Durgāsaptaśatī
The text of the book Durgopāsanākalpadruma mentions the various ṛśyādi nyāsas for caṇḍī navārṇa(which,if one has even a half decent guru,one should be knowing about:At least one of them),following which the following are listed as the famed ekādaśa(eleven) nyāsas for caṇḍī navārṇa,which are:
- mātṛkā nyāsa
- sārasvata nyāsa
- mātṛ-gaṇa nyāsa
- nandinyādi nyāsa
- brahmākhya nyāsa
- mahālakṣmyādi nyāsa
- mūlākṣara nyāsa
- varṇa nyāsa
- mantra-vyāpti nyāsa
- ṣaḍaṅga nyāsa
- khaḍginyādi śloka-nyāsa
A note for those who are looking at the above list of nyāsas:If you,the reader’s guruparamparA has a different sequence or emphasis on nyāsas,or more or less nyāsas,the krama as instructed by one’s own guru is to be followed.
Followed by the mantra-varṇa nyāsa and then the classic dhyānas of mahākālī(khaḍgam cakreṣu..ṃadhuṃ kaiṭabham),mahālakṣmī(akṣasrak..pravālaprabhām…sarojasthitāṃ) and mahāsarasvatī(ghaṇṭāśūlahalāni…daityārdinīm) and then the text specifies
evaṃ dhyātvā japellakṣaṃ catuṣkaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ।
pāyasānnena juhuyātpūjite hemaretasi॥
and then specifies the pīṭha and āvaraṇa pūjā of the mantra-deity.The section ends by stating:
evaṃ siddhe manau mantrī bhavet saubhāgyabhājanam।
mārkāṇḍeya purāṇoktaṃ nityaṃ caṇḍīstavaṃ paṭhan।
puṭitaṃ mūlamantreṇa japannāpnoti vāñcitam॥
Meru tantra as quoted in the Caṇḍī bhakti vinodinī of Navamīsiṃha states:
caṇḍīṃ dhyātvā japellakṣacatuṣkaṃ taddaśāṃśataḥ।
pāyasānnena juhuyātpūjite hemaretasi।
tarpaṇaṃ mārjanaṃ caiva tathā brāhmaṇabhojanam।
sarvasādhāraṇam tadvacchaṇḍīpāṭhapuraścaram॥
Now on puraścaraṇa of the whole Durgāsaptaśati,Navamīsiṃha in his Caṇḍī bhakti vinodinī further quotes the vidhi of the Māricīkalpa
saptaśatyāvidhānam ca puraścaraṇapūrvakam।
yogāṃśca vividhān vakṣye sarvārthasya ca sādhakān॥
kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ samārabhya yāvatkṛṣṇacaturdaśīṃ।
japedekottarāvṛttiṃ devīsūktena pūrvakam॥
rātrisūktaṃ japedādau madhye saptaśatīstavam।
prānte devyāśca suktaṃ ca pauraścāraṇikaḥ kramaḥ॥
tadante havanaṃ kṛtvā pratiślokena pāyasam।
rātrīsūktaṃ pratiṛcaṃ tathā devyāśca sūktakam॥
hutvā’nte siddhayaḥ stotramādau pūjādikaṃ mune।
saurvarṇīṃ pratimāṃ devyāḥ kārayanniṣkamānataḥ।
yantraṃ vā kārayanmantrī tadardhaṃ cāpi śaktitaḥ॥
maṇḍale sarvatobhadre ṣaṭkoṇāṅkitakarṇike॥
vakṣyamāṇena vidhinā pīṭhaṃ devyā prapūjayet।
jayākhyā vijayā bhadrā bhadrakālī tataḥ param।
sumukhī durmukhī saṃjñā paścādvyāgramukhī tathā॥
atha siṃhamukhī durgā navaśaktīḥ prapūjayet।
svasvamantreṇa vidhinā pūjanaṃ tu yathākramam।
āsanaṃ mūlamantreṇa dadyādyktena sādhakaḥ॥
mūrtiṃ mūlena saṅkalpya tasyāmāvāhya pūjayet।
saṃpūjya vidhivatpūjyāmupacārādinā kramāt॥
mātṛkā gaṇaśaktīśca pūjayedvidhipūrvakam।
naivedyāntaṃ samabhyarcaṃ tato dhyānaṃ samācaret॥
mantreṇa navadurgāyā athavā jātavedasaḥ।
navākṣaryathavā mantro durgāmantraṃ praśasyate॥
idaṃ stavaṃ japeddevyā siddhidaṃ stavamuttamam।
May that motherly Sarasvatī who ever helps her votaries begining from the hoary days of Kavaṣa Ailuṣa be pleased.
Japa:The main aṅga of puraścaraṇa in the framework of aṣṭāṅga yoga
In a Pātañjala/aṣṭāṅga yoga framework,according to Swami Saccidananda Saraswati in his Puraścaraṇapradīpa(পুরশ্চরণ-প্রদীপ) counts japa as the 7th limb of yoga. The others being
- Yamas
- Niyamas(explained earlier)
- Asana(the ability for a fixed posture for an extended period of time)
- Prāṇāyāma(this depends on the mantra and the practice given by one’s guru)
- Pratyāhāra(withdrawal of the mind from external objects of the senses [towards the inward features of the deity in the heart])
- Dhāraṇa(fixing one’s mind on the image of the deity according to the dhyānaśloka)
- After all the above one actually can engage in fruitful japa .
Without the foundation of the classical strict rituals and pujas undertaken to ensure the earlier stages and restrain the sādhaka’s senses and mind,and with such unpreparedness sadhakas sit for japa and are surprised when the japa is not fruitful or they face adverse reactions.
My personal feeling is that people who naturally have a good practice of meditation under their belt that can dispel the mind’s chattering will find it easier to add power to their japa.
On the necessity of mantrasiddhi and its primary means(puraścaraṇa in this context)
vīracūḍamaṇyām kālītantre ca:-
puraścaraṇahīnasya mantrasiddhirnajāyate।
ādau puraṣkriyaṃ kuryat niyamena yathāvidhi॥
vīratantre:
ādau mantrasya siddhyarthaṃ puraścaraṇamācaret।
tato siddhamanurmantri kāmyakarmāṇi sādhayet॥
uttaratantre:
sarvasvenāpi kartavyam puraścaraṇamuttamam।
anyathā nādhikāraḥ syat tasyapūjādiṣu priye॥
yoginīhṛdaye:
gurorājñāṃ samādāya śuddhāntaḥkaraṇo naraḥ।
tato puraṣkriyāṃ kuryānmantra saṃsiddhi kāmyayā॥
jīvahīno yathā dehaḥ sarvakarmasu na kṣamaḥ।
puraścaraṇahīno’pi tathāmantraḥ prakīrtitaḥ॥
yāmale:
akṛtvā tu puraścaryāṃ yo yatkarma samācaret।
tat tasya cābhicārāya jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ॥
rāmārcanachandrikāyām:
saṃsāre duḥkhabhūyiṣṭhe ya icchet sukhamātmanaḥ।
pañcāṅgopāsanenaiva rāmaṃ bhajatu bhaktitaḥ॥
pañcāṅgopāsanaṃ bhaktyā puraścaraṇamucyate।
etat hi viduṣāmsreṣṭhaṃ saṃsārocchedakāraṇam॥
nānena sadṛṣo dharma nānena sadṛśantapaḥ।
nānena sadṛśaṃkiñcit iṣṭārthasya tapodhana॥
वीरचूडमण्याम् कालीतन्त्रे च:-
पुरश्चरणहीनस्य मन्त्रसिद्धिर्नजायते।
आदौ पुरष्क्रियं कुर्यत् नियमेन यथाविधि॥
वीरतन्त्रे:
आदौ मन्त्रस्य सिद्ध्यर्थं पुरश्चरणमाचरेत्।
ततो सिद्धमनुर्मन्त्रि काम्यकर्माणि साधयेत्॥
उत्तरतन्त्रे:
सर्वस्वेनापि कर्तव्यम् पुरश्चरणमुत्तमम्।
अन्यथा नाधिकारः स्यत् तस्यपूजादिषु प्रिये॥
योगिनीहृदये:
गुरोराज्ञां समादाय शुद्धान्तःकरणो नरः।
ततो पुरष्क्रियां कुर्यान्मन्त्र संसिद्धि काम्यया॥
जीवहीनो यथा देहः सर्वकर्मसु न क्षमः।
पुरश्चरणहीनोऽपि तथामन्त्रः प्रकीर्तितः॥
यामले:
अकृत्वा तु पुरश्चर्यां यो यत्कर्म समाचरेत्।
तत् तस्य चाभिचाराय जायते नात्र संशयः॥
रामार्चनछन्द्रिकायाम्:
संसारे दुःखभूयिष्ठे य इच्छेत् सुखमात्मनः।
पञ्चाङ्गोपासनेनैव रामं भजतु भक्तितः॥
पञ्चाङ्गोपासनं भक्त्या पुरश्चरणमुच्यते।
एतत् हि विदुषाम्स्रेष्ठं संसारोच्छेदकारणम्॥
नानेन सदृषो धर्म नानेन सदृशन्तपः।
नानेन सदृशंकिञ्चित् इष्टार्थस्य तपोधन॥
Some points to be noted from the above quotes
- It is essential for kāmya rites
- Without puraścaraṇa,one does not do pūjā etc(basically mantrasiddhi at its various levels is essential for the deity to be responding to the ritualist:This is the point being hinted at here)
- The classic simile of a lifeless body being unable to perform any work;and a mantra that is not siddha is employed in the Yoginīhṛdaya
- A yāmalatantra even goes as far as to say that one who does rites without doing puraścaraṇa,his rites are akin to abhicāra
- Rāmārcana-candrikā,a text on Rāma worship notes that the puraścaraṇa ritual is also the cause of breakage of the bonds of saṃsāra;hence this is not merely recommended only for kāmya rites alone. And the ritual is also praised highly. This sentiment on the importance of mantrasiddhi at various levels is thus,not something that exists only in Śākta works but can be seen in Vaiṣnava works as well.
मेधादक्षिणामूर्तिमन्त्रविधिः(कुछ बात श्री गीर्वाणेन्द्रसरस्वती विरचित प्रपञ्चसारसारसंग्रह से)
जो बात प्रपञ्चसारसारसंग्रह से नहीं है,वो Green highlight से है और् परम्परा भेद् के कारण मे है।
ब्रह्मा ऋषिः(वा शुकब्रह्म)।गायत्री चन्दः।मेधा दक्षिणामूर्तिर्देवता।मेधा बीजम्।स्वाहा शक्तिः।(अथवा:मेधा बीजम्।प्रज्ञा शक्तिः।स्वाहा कीलकं।)शड्दीर्घ न्यास(आं इत्यादि)।…प्रज्ञापादरहितो वा मन्त्रः।
कृष्णाष्टमिरारभ्य कृष्णचतुर्दशीपर्यन्त चत्वारिंशत्सहस्रं जपेत्।आज्येन दशांश पुरश्चरणहोम।लक्षं वा जपेत्,विष्ण्वालये वा पश्चिमद्वारशिवालये वा।अस्मिन्पक्षे क्षीरप्लुतशुद्धतिलैराज्येन पायसान्नेन वा दशांशं पुरश्चरणाहोमः।
ये सब करने के लिए मेधा दक्षिणामूर्ति मंत्र उपदेश(द्वाविंशाक्षर अथवा चतुर्विंशाक्षर) आवश्यक है। बिना मंत्रोपदेश से उपरोक्त कार्य करणीय नही है।
On right view,Buddhist-coloured deities and Hindu practice
Ths is a novice’s attempt to answer about why the practice of some deities:tArA,chinnamastA(to a small extent vajrayoginI too),vilAsinI also is soiterologically relevant:
[Edit:Please do not take this as some word of shAstra or AchAryavAkya or something,I am not any guru,I am just thinking my thoughts out loud after asking my question and trying to process what I got]
An example of animus Buddhists displayed to Hindu systems can be seen about. This ritual consumption of brahmin flesh(a huge NO in any Hindu system that will ever exist) stems from two sources:(1)A kApAlika background is suggestible,as noted by the offering of brahmapuShpa to gain power as recorded by the author(I am not saying that that system existed in toto like that at Adi Shankara’s time but it transmits some relevant information about a cult with similar practices) and (2)actual dvesha for brAhmaNas,the gurus and systemizers of a lot of the native systems in the first place from where they took our mantras from:Hence these deities under the influence of the Bauddha transmitters took on Bauddha dresses in various aspects(like Rishi,etc)
With deities worshipped by such people,how is it that our people gain mukti?Taking leads from this article suggested by the author of the Kamakotimandali blog suggests that without a proper understanding of the tattvic scheme,such Bauddha upAsakas in the 36 tattva scheme would attain at best Buddhi tattva,mahAdevIing the chintAmaNI she is, granting the sAdhakas according to their view. Or worse,worldly siddhi mainly only more often.
Another thing is that in Hindu views,the deity with the same iconography is interpreted differently. An example is here where the image which is considered that of Arya achala is interpreted as that of krodharAja rudra trampling some demonic yakSha. Sometimes the descriptions in the Astika version are superficially different(sarvasiddhi and sarvabuddhi rather than sarvabuddhaDAkinI).
So the transmissions which have come back to Hindus with that Buddhist dress have in key,a different understanding than the Buddhists of what they are worshipping+when they got back the tranmissions from those who achieved only siddhi,their correct understanding put them on higher states of AdhyAtma than the Bauddhas they got it from.(albeit coloured by the ‘shunya’ type of language they inherited)[because they could understand the tattvas better and the devI granted them a place in those higher tattvas]. Another core difference is a practical respect in terms of ritual to brahmins(in the bhojana anga of the Hindu method of attaining siddhi in mantras).
Addendum by @TheRajarshi:
1. The necromancy practices are still prevalent even among H Kapalika-s (few are there still) but neither done in public nor publicized.
2. The actual consumption is mostly a tokenism in ritual setting to gain powers. 3. The mention of “brahmin” is because brahmins were the ones who had the tapa-shakti, other Vs did not. Same way even today in H viracara when taking a kapalapatra one cannot take random one…. else there is no Shakti in it, and becomes useless. Specific type of kapalas are useful. Guru decides basd on nature of sadhaka/na. Same logic baudhas were using. A kapala of a an individual who was a good yogi/sadhaka is highly prized. Or a chandala for certain rituals.
3.The icons of baudha deities trampling on H (IMO) was result of assimilation + abhicara practices which each group was doing on the other. But by time of Kalacakra tantra the Baudhas had come full circle and accepted H deities without any modification/distortion – post-Islam.
4. Coming to practical upasana Vajrayanists also produced terrific siddhas (not lower level at all if one knows how to judge the level of a siddhi) as did Hindus.
padmavajra 