TANTRA

            Pancharatra Philosophy

THE AGÀMAS

INDIAN philosophy is nothing but a versatile compcndium of

Dhanna in all ìts ramifieations and possìble proliferations. To an

Indian, whatever be the assumptiQtis about ihe ultimate reaiity,

whoever be the preeeptor and whatsoever be the ultimate source

oí ìnspiration and knowledge, Dharma is essentially a way of

liíe, a logieat way of thinking, a genial way of feeling and a

eongenial way of willing not only for one's ov^n individual wellbeing,

but also for the summum bomtm of his family, elan and

soeiety, for the weal and welfaie of Lhe whole of mankind at

large, nay for the general welTbeing of the IJniverse as a whole

wiQi all its living and non-living beings. This well-known tenn

Dharma is derived from the dhalu 'DHR' - whìch has three

eonnotatìons.

a) DHARANA

b) POS AN A

e) AVASTHÀNA

DHARMA is thaL which holds Logether the entire ereation

(the whole IJnìverse), nurtures and sustains 'it and helps it to

continue to be and perpetuate itself. Whatever be the system of

thooght, whcthcr in eonformity to the Vedas or in noneonformity,

whcther Vaidiki or Avaidikì, every Indian sehoohof

philosophy has emphasised Dharma one way or the olher. It is

Lbis prìneiple of Dharma that is the rendezvous of all the

difíerent sehools of Indian thought. Philosophers may differ in

lheirconclusions and eonvielions about the ulLimaie realily, they

may say n is one or more than one or none at all, some may say

the ultimatc reality is a.person, others may say it is.an

ìmpersonal pnneiple, they may have different ontologies and

divergent epistemologies, they may employ or underline

2 Philosophy of Panearatras

dif'ierent means of approaeh for the iiltimate realisaiion whcther

Jífana, Bhaktí or Kaima, they make lalk through their hats

whatever they like, but none of them have ever ignored Dhaima.

Dhanna is the runníng eord in and through every philosophieal

systein, on whìch ail the beads of the different sehools are stning

and by which the entire neeklaee of indian philosophy is held

together and presented to the world as an invaluable jewel,

immemorial, ineormptible, unfading, undying and rare . It is ihis

Dharma that has given every sehool of Indian thought an

undying fame and an amhentie note. Philosophy in India

whatever be its tinge or tone or tune, has never been a pure

aeademie pursuit, an item of ami-ehair thinking or ìntcllectual

pursuit for its own sake. Philosophies are bom in India by the

eonfrontation of dedieated men with evil, with the ills of life,

philosophies ate made to mlíeve mankind of their sorrows and

sufferings, to show them a path of self-realisation, to lead ihem

Lo permanent happiness unsullicd even by temporary relapses.

VVith this salutary end ìn view every one of the founders of

the varying sehools has in his iepertoire a seheme of praetiee, a

pieseiibed way oí' living, a dharma to put it in one word. Preeepi

and praetiee have never been divoreed. Eaeh illustrious

preeeptor was ìn himself an ìllustration of his philosophieal

eoneepts and imellectual eonvietions. He was hìmself the

cxemplar of his teaehings and the rest wouId fo!low siiil. VVhen

onee the desiination was detennined, the road of Dharma was

immediately paved to reaeh the destination. It was smooth going

for the foIlowers as they were eonfidenl of their destinations and

had absoiute trust in the paih-layers. Henee the walch word of

Indian Culturc and Phìlosophy is DHARMA vvhieh it has not

been possible for any westemer to translate it into a single word

of hís language. This is exactly the distinetion and cynosuro of

Indian thought.

' Dharmàt param nàsti ' - says the Bthadìranyaka Upanishad

<

1 4 - 14 )

,

There is nothìng beyond Dhamia.

' Dharmo viávasya jagatah pratishlhà' - The entire líniverse

is.sustaìned on the foundation of Dhamia. (Mahanarayana 2 - 6)

The Agamas 3

'* Dharmànnapramaditavyam ‘ -Taitiiriya- (1 - 11 - 1 ). Let

ihere be no negíeet of Dharma.

1 Dharma eva hato hanti - Dharmo rakshati rakshitah

(Manu - 8 - 15 ) Dharma is killed by the transgressor * The

iransgressor is ruined by himself in the proeess. He vvho proteets

Dharma, preserves himself therein.

The orthodox Hindu sineere to his heritage is of the

eonvietion that the Vedas are the ultimate source and the mie

neasurc-house of all Dharmas.

Vedokhilo Dharmamà lam ' - ( Manu - 2-6 ).

1 Vedo Dharmamiáam 1 - (Gautama Dharma Sitra - 1)

.

' (Jpadishio Dharmah prativedam 1 - (Bodhayana Dharma

Sutra - 1). Dharma is the means (Karana, Sadhana) to acquirc

truc knowledge.

Harita Maharshi has pronounced

Athàto Dhannam Vyàkhyàsyàmah I § ruti pramanako Dharmah I

ámtisea dvividhà

Vaidikì tantrikí ea -

Srutí the revealed tmlhs are two-fold in eharaeter -Vaidikí and

Tantrikf . As Yaksa the well-known eommentator on the Vedas

says

1 Mantra drashtaro risayah ' - The sages are those who have

seen the revealed tmtíis. That is why the original preeeptors are ealled Seers. Honest Hindus believe that the Srutis are Apt^vaeana ’ - trnths revealed, the tesiimony of God Himself

than whom a better well-wisher (apta ) eannot be even surmised.

The rcnowncd eommentator on Manus Dharma Sastra says

'Vaidikf tamrikf eaiva dvividhà smtih kíniià

1 - So God's

primeval revelations to mankind (^RUT1 ) are lwo-fold, namely

Vedie and Tantrie. Just as the vedas aie eonsidered to beThe

Simis, ihe Tantras are also taken to be the Srutis ihemselves.

4 Philosophy of PenearatrGS

1 VedaSástram ’ - ( Manu- 12-99).

' femtism Vedo vijnema ( Manu - 2-10 ).

Jnst as the pulses reveal a binary fission when broken, so

also the Srutis when probed into and nnderstood reyeal the two

pails of tlie Vedas and tlie Tantras, - it is presumed, Sometimes

the Vedas and the Tantras, the Nigamas and the Agamas are

eompared to that legendaty bird, Gandabhemnda which has two

neeks with faees eontained in one and the same body.

Often in aneíent Indian lore wc meet with the tenns, Smti,

Veda, Ágama and Amnàya almost as synonyms with an

interehangeable import (As paryàyavSeakas). In the contcxt of

cxplaining Vedie terms wc fínd referenees made as

-

' Ityàgítinát

Similarly in ihe coursc of cxplaining Tantrìe doetrines, we eome

aeross tefeienees made as

-

' Iti Smreh '

,

It is unfortunatc to find that sometimes some people look

down on the very word ' Tantra

1 as though it means somelhing

erooked, something undcsirablc, as though it is unbecoming of

honest beings and somelhing of a subterfugc and resorting to

eheap if nol reprehensible means of gaining one's end. This kind

of vicw is uncalicd for. Before delvíng into the meaning and

signifieanee of the Tanlra Sastras, it is neeessary lo knovv the

cxact meaning of the very term Tantra' itself. The Medìníkosa

kára says

' Tantram kutumbakrtye sýit sìddhínte ea ausadhottamc -

Pradhòne tantuvaye ea sastrabhede parieehade.

Snitisàkhàntare hetávubhayàrtha prayojake -

Iti kartavyafiyam ea

1

. The word ’Tantra’ has different meanìngs. It may mean any

of the following: Family-proteetion, an established system, the

best medieine, the most important or the outstanding, a spíder,

the eorollaries of any system of thought, a braneh.of vedie

knovvledge, a thing that may serve doubIe purposes, or that

which preseribes a paiticular way of doing a thing. In popiilar

The Àgamas 5

parlanee Tantra may mean a knoW“how; Often Tantra Sastra is

eharaeterised as a 'Prayoga Sastra' - a spirimal tcchniquc, a

religious teehnology, a

1 Do-it-yoursclf ' Sastra for the aspirants.

Often Tnatriki áruti is ealled a Siddhanta Agama, a Sàdhana

Sastra. Amarasimha says

' Tantriko jfíatasiddhantah

1 -

He means thereby that Tantra is Siddhanta - an established

system of knowledge and praetiees. He who*is wcll-veised in the

Siddhanta is ealled a Tantrika. The different established systems

of thought such as the Mimamsa, Nyaya, Vaiseshika usually

delineated as Darsanas are also often referred to as Taniras. For

instanee Sankara inhis Brahma Sutra Bhashya (3. 3. 53 ), while

eommenting on Purvamimamsa Darsana refers to it in the style -

Prathama-tantre - thereby implying that Darsana and Tantra are

interehangeable terms. Often great seholars are eonferred with

the title ’Sarvatantra Svatantra’ extolling their erudition and

mastery of the Sastras. If Manu could eall the Vedas ’Veda

Sastra, - Veda Sastram sanàtanam ( 12-99 ), the Tantras ean

be ealled 'Siddhanta Sastra’ with equal foree. For instanee

Sankara ealls Samkhya, a Tantra. Why , the Sàmkhya Karika

does so iiself, by ealling its own Darsana a Tantra in Karika - 70.

There is of course the long-standing eontroversy whether

the Vedas are really ’ Apaurusheya - Authorless' - While the

orthodox Hindus believe so, indologists both eastem and

westem are of the opinion that the authors of Lhe Vedas may be

assigned various dates upto 1500 B.C, Reeent excavations at

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro and also Tìlak’s researehes have

pushed baek the orìgin of the Vedas by many thousands of

years. I do not wish to enter into the eontroversy whether the

Vedas are Apàurusheya or Pàurusheya. The point relevant here is

that the Smtis lose their elaim as revealed literatme. If the Vedas *

have theìr authors, then the Tantras will have to have their

aulhors. These very same indologists are of the opinion that

the Agamas and Tantras are of later origin than the Vedas and

that they are definitely later than the Purànas. They are of the

6 Phllosophy of Penearatros

farther opinion that the Parànas themselves are ncwly ereated

Post-Buddhístic litcrature speeially formulatc

to offset Buddhìsiì^ìnriuences and boost Hindiiism If that is so

Tantrie Literature is 10 be eonsidered as of veiy laie origin and

eannot be deemed as pari passu with the Vedas as elaimed

earlìer ìn terms of the aeeredited eonvietions of ìhe ortliodox

sehools.

The above argument of the Indologists that the Tantras aie of

reeent origin later to the Pates, ean be easily refutcd by

pointing out that Ìn the various Purànas themselves we find

mention made bolh of the Vaidiki and Tantriki foims of worehip,

So also the allegation that the Tantras are of Post-Buddistic

origin ean be easily rcfutcd. Lord Buddha liimself eondemned

the Tantrie worships of Brahma, Indra, Vìsnii, Kàtyàyìnì,

OinapaEi and others. Lalitavislàra, a gieat Biiddhistie work,

makes mentíon of Buddha's denounccmcnt of Tantne culls in its

I 7th ehapter, After Buddha, vve find Buddhists ihemselves

began to have theìr own innumcrable Tantras. Tliey veritably

began to worship innamerable deilìes sneh as Àdibiiddha,

Prajnapàramita, Manjusií( Tàrá,Árya-T'aràand so on , In other

words Baddhists eoald not resist tlie temptations of having iheir

ownTantras on the lìnes sìmìlar lo those of the IIindus.

Thus if Buddha could denigrate Tantrie worship, Ihe Tantras

shoaid have existed earlier to Buddhism.

Quile in eontrast with the eonsidered opinion of ihe

Indologists, one of tlie Tantras themselves, namely the

Naràyàníya Tantra poìnts out that íhe Vedas themselves have

originated from the YAMALAS, a elass of Tantras of

eonsiderable importanee and also magnUude, The prineipal

Yamalas are eight in number namely:

Rudra Yàmala

Kanda (skanda) Yìmala

Brahma Yàmala

The Agamas 7

Visnu Yamala

Yama Yàmala

Vayu Yàmala

Kubcra Yàmala

Indra Yamala.

Just as the original Siva Tantras or Agamas represent Ltie

Rudra or Sadasiva tradition, the Yàmalas represent the

BHAIRAVA tradition and it is further narrated that the

Yamalas vvere fìrst communicated to mankind by the follovving

eight Bhairavas:

Svaeehanda,

Krodha,

Unmatta,

Ugra and Kapalin

Jhankàra,

Sekhara,

Vijaya.

The Yàmala tradition believes ìn a huge pantheon of gods

and goddesses. Tantrie Sadhana is open to all eastes.

It is believed that the Rigveda has originated from Rudra

ìíimala, Sama Veda from the Brahma Yàmala, Yajur V,eda

from Vishnu Yàmala and Ahtarva Veda from the Sakti Yàniala.

Siddha Sarvánanda in his compendium ealled Sarvollàsa

Tantra means to eonvey the idea that the Yàmalas are so aneient

that they preeede even the Tàntras. All these of course are highly

eontroversial issues. Aeeording to Brahma Yamala it is

believed Isvara communicated the seeret knowIedge to

Srikantha. This Srikantha reineamated himself near Prayag and

communicated the Tantra in 1,25,000 anushtubh slokas to

various diseiples and that one of those diseiples was a Bhairava

and that that v 'as how many Bhairavas eame to know of it.

8 Philosophy of Panearatras

Aeeording to Mahà-Siddhasàra Tantra, Bharatavarsha is

divided into three KRÁNTAS or sub-dÌvisions and eaeh Kr ánia

is said to possess 64 Tantras. The three KRANTAS are :

Vishnu Kràita

Ratha Krànta

Asva Krànta.

Saktimangala Tantra defines the Krantas.

i) The land east of the Vindhya hills extending upto JAVA

eomprises Vishnu Krànta.

ii) The country north of Vindhya hiils including mainland

OHINA forms Ratha Krlnta.

iii) Rest of India westwards is Asva Krànta.

Hindu temples could be found in Indo China, Indonesia, Bali

and many other islands. Images of Kàli, Tára, Rudra could be

found all over the far east and south -east Asia,

Even Egypt eame under Asva Krànta and worship of the

Indían phallus was very popular there, In the Brihannila Tantra it

is said worship of Paramananda was in voguc in Persia. In

Rhodesia phallie emblems made of gold have been diseovered.

The worship of ASHTAROTH, ASTARTE, ISHTAR referred to

in.the Oìd Testament of ihe Bible is interpreted to be none other

than the Bljàksara - ‘STRÌM' - thé bíja of TARA. Thus it is

evident that Tantrie worship was widely prevalent in aneient

times in many parts of the world other than India even and thaL

Indian influence was all over Asia, Afriea and the middle éast

too, The Shat-Sambhava-Rahasya mentions 4 famous

Sampradàyas of Bharata - 4 fánious sehools very popular all

over Gauda in the east > Kelara in the middle Kàshmíra in the west The Agemas 9 Vilasa - all over ( an eeleede Sampradaya ). V/hether we agree with the vìew or not ihat ihe Vedas Lhemselves have iheir source ìn the Yamalas, we ean atleast be eonvineed that the Tantras are of very aneient orígín and that they are not postpuranic or post-buddhistic lìteramre. There is then another insinuatìon against the Tantras namely that the Agamas and Tantras represent a revolt against the Vedas. The objeetioners quote the Bhagavadgita sometimes, stanzas 45 and 46 in Canto IL In the same Bhagavadgila Canto X, stanza 22 Krishna says - " Of the Four Vedas, I am the Smaveda " - Again in Oanto XV Stanza No. 15 Krìshna says - " I am Lhe Tmth which all the Vedas seek to know. The author of the Vedànta ( the Upanishads) am I ; And I too am the real Knower of the Vedas " - Sometimes it is argued that the Tantras eannot be on a par wìth the Vedas for the simple reason that ìn many plaees blaek magie is deserìbed ìn the Tantras, that in some parts ihey eontain obseenities and that therefore they are not of good taste. In reply we may raise the qucstion - what about the Vedas themselves? Manu says -(11-33) Smtiratharvàngirasih kury adityavieárayan 1 Vak sastram Vai Bràhmamsya tena hanyàdarin dvijah II- On eertain oeeasìons a brahmin ean undoubtcdiy make use of the Atharvaveda. A brahmin's strength lies in his tongue (Vak) meaning thereby Mantra, To overeome an enemy a brahmin is permìtted to resort to the praetiees enjoìned in ihe Alharvaveda. The followìng Suktas diieetly deal willi blaek Arts ríagie in the Athaivaveda. . First Khanda Suktas - 14-17 Seeond n ii 17-31 Third it 11 25-30 Fomth it tt 12-16-36 10 Phllosophy of Panearatras Fifíh Khanda Snktas 14-23-27 Sixth “ " 37-105-130 Even in Rigvgela atul Yajurvcda there are referenees to 'AbhieSra Kftya ' Blaek Arts and Magie. Referenee : JjtGVEDA - Eìghth Astaka - " - Tenth Mandala 14th Síikta. " - 11 16thSíikta, " - " 163rd Sukta. ” - " 58-60 Sukta. YAJURYEDA - Taittirya Brahmana Kt$a - 2 Pra - 4 Anu - 2 To make a svveeping remark that all 7’antras teaeh Blaek Àrt and tiothing else is wrong and smaeks of an \mwammted hasty generaljsatìon and |>ad faith. Thore may be separate Tantras exclusively moant for Blaek arts and they are cjídusively known by theìr dìstlnPtìve apppdattons such as Gàruda, Daksìna, Vana, Bhpta ote. " Athábhietrah satriinám vedadharmadmham sm.tà h " If the Vedas themselves could advoeate and enuneiate a few items of blaek arts to bring couple$ together or punìsh fhe enemies of the Vedie brahmìns, why shonld any ope denounce an assemblage of Tantras most of which do not ovon toneh upon thp blaek arts or magìe or any sneh thing. When we take ìnto eonsideration any diseonrse on ereation in the Vedas, we ean easlly obsprvp Simiiarity of vìews between the Vaidiki and Tmtriki smtis. Rigveda ; 10 - 90 , * ? " Tasmàdyajhatsarvahuta!h teah sàmmì jajhire " - Atharveda ; 10.7.14 “Yatra tsayah prathamajà reah Samayajumiahì ekarshi yasmi - The Agomae 1 1 Unapiiah skambham lam brghi Kathamassmi devasah " ( Every one is avvare of tho Panea J3rahmu Mantras beginning wiih 'Sadyojfltam prapadyami ' and ending wìlh 'IsDnali sarva vidyàmm ' - To iinderstand the Panea Braiima mantras, wc have lo know elearly about the Paneasadakhyas. So also about the mantias as 'Adhvanimadhvapate 1 ete. - To nnderstand the signifteanep Qf ífiese mantras it is absointely neeessary to have rccourse into the Agamg$. Othcj*wisc it is impossible. The Brahmft Svoiàpfl fls ^Hggesfed ífl fh? Vaidiki snjtìs is elearly cxplained and illustratod in the Tintríki snitis, 5o also there is elose assoeialion and muuial substantiation between the Bràlimanas of the Vaidiki srntis and ihe Tfmtrjki srulis, For inatflnpp in Arsheya Brálimara ; (Arsheya - 1 ) ,r Yo-hava avìdÌums;eyacc)]ítndQ daivatabrahmanena niantiena yajayati va adhyapayati va Sthfti.ium Vàreehaii-gartan và pratìpadyate " - The same Ìdea that not knovving the Risi, Chandas and Daivata viniyoga of any Mantm if a person instmets or praeiises a Yantra worsliip he is surc to be a sinner only - ís cxprcsscd in the Agamas also- " Avidilvà Rsìm Chando Daivatam Yogamevaea Yo adhyàpayedjapedvàpi papfyan jàyate tiisíih" - Thflt is why it is often said about the Tantras, 1 Sruti - sàkhàvlsesati r a distinetive braneh of the SruUs. Rooted in the Smtis, it is elassed with the Vedas. In the Kasikavrtti, the word Tantra is derived from the root 'TAN 1 - whieh means ' to spread'- some later seholars have derived it from the rooi 1 TATRI 1 or 1 Tantri ’ meaning 'Orígination' or knowlcdgc. In a speeial sense Tantra is defined 12 Phílosophy of Panearatras " Tanyate Vistáryate Jnanam anena ili " -that which amplifies and nurtures knowJedgc, Tantra ìs that braneh of knowlcdgc that notonly enlarges and iUustratcs, but also sustains Smtijmna. In Kaníkagama il is stated about the Taniras : " Tanoti vipulíinarthm tattvamanlra samanvitfm, Trananea kurutc yasm at tantram iLyabhìdliíyate ", Not only does Tantra promulgatc profound knowlcdgc eoneeming Tattva (Cosmic prineiples) and Mantra (the seienee of mystie sounds), it breathes life into tliem so to say and makes them praetieable, It helps ín true praetieal realisation the greatness of ttie Tantras and Maniras, ít helps in self-realisation through self-elevation so to say, One of ihe oldesi Tantias, the Nisvasa tanlra Samhita ìs of the view that Tantra is jusL a culmination of the esoieiie aspeets of Vedanta and Samkhya for the reason that it upho!ds the ullimacy of Sìva with the validity of the world as an expicssion of His Sakti. Siva, the supremc Lord is saíd to have taught his eonsort íìrst the Vedanta, then the twcntyfive Samkhya tattvas and finally Siva tantra. Pingalamata, another tantrie tcxt says that Tantra was fir.^L communicaied by Siva to Parvati. It ìs Agama with the eharaeteristies of Chandas (Vedas). Knlamava Tantra (II 140-41 ) says ihat kiiladhamia is based on and inspired by Lhe trmh of the Vedas. This Tantra says that there is- no knowledge (vidya) higher than that of the Vedas and no doetrine (Darsana ) equal to Kaula - ' Na hi Vedadhika vidya ’ - III - 113. Prapaneasara eites Vaidikì mahavakyas and mantras. Meru Tamra says, as mantras are part of the Vedas, Tantra is also a part of the vedas (Pranatoshini - 70). NimtLara Tantra ealls Tantra the fifth Veda and Kulacara the fifth Ásrama (Pranatoshini ), Kulamava tantra reiterates that the Sastras have as theìr heart both the Veda and the Kaula tantra - ,l Tasmadvedatmakansastran Viddhi Kaulatmakan , priye - (II 140-141). Matsyamukha mahstantra says that the Tantrie díseiple must be pure of soul (Suddhatma ) and a knower of the The Agamas 13 Vedas. Knowledge of Ihe Vedas is an essential preliminary lo initiation into the Tantrie cult. Maharudra Yamala says that a person berefi of Vedie Kriya - ‘Vedakriya Vivarjita' is disqualificd for Hhe study and praetiee of Tantrie Sadhana (Mahamdra Yamala - Khanda I , Chap. 15. Khanda II, Ohapt. 2; Pranatosiiini - 108). Gandharva Tantra (Chapt. 2; Pranatoshini - 6) says that the Tanirie sadhaka must be an asiìka, a believer in the Vedas, ever attaehed to Brahman, ever speaking of Brahman, living in Brahman and taking shelter in Brahman. Tliat Hinduìsm is revealed in ihe six darshanas is a well-known faet. The sìx darshanas are the six stages lhrough which the mind progressess in its quest for Brahman. The six darshanas aie the six limbs. These six systems are not to be trealed separately, They must be taken together as darsana is not a philosophy as such, but oniy a vicw point. Tantra is preeisely a darsana and a sadhana sastra. In general it lays down differeni forms of praeiiee for the aitainment of the highest aim of hiiman cxistcnce by one lìving the ordinary iife of a housc-holdcr. In this respeet Tantra eorresponds to the Upasana Khanda of-ihe Sruti. The Tantras aie elassified undcr five heads namely: Saiva Sakta Vaishnava Saura and Gìnapatya. These five elasses of worshippers are eolleetively ealled PANCOPASAKAS. Eaeh elass of worshippcrs has iis own tantras. In Mahanirvana lantra, I. 18, 19, II.8 - 15, III. 72, the Mantra 1 Aum Saeeidekam Brahma' is stated and Tantra is aeelaìmed as a darsana. As already staied the teim ‘Tantra' is derived from the root ‘TAN' lo spread. Il means a system, a melhod a dìseipline. It helps in aehieving two ends, namely I 4 Phìlosophy o f Panearatras i. Abíiyiidaya - General progress or iiplift, ii. Nihartíyflsa- Attaining liie suprcme god nflitiely Salvation oi liberátion Tflhtra inay aptly be deserìbed as Sadhana rcduccd to a seienee, The Síddhi aehieved is a demonstrable faeL, cxpcrìtncntally verìfied. Tantra noL only helps in aehieving the suprcme end of self-realìsation and liberation but also helps to aehieve the ordinary ends of living cxistence such as Dharma, Artha and Kaína. The Tantra Sastra is based on the firm eonvietions that f Mamra ' is efficacious, ihat 'Yantra ' is potent and tiiat uitimatc siddhi at the level of Saeeidananda - ' Being - consciousness - bliss ' - is a eertaínty. It helps ìn the eoordination of Karma, Yoga, Jnana and Bhakti. Although il emphasises will and effon on the part of the individual sadhaka, it glorifies self-stirrender to ihe Alinìghty and seeking His merey and graee. It demands Bhakti and Prapatti, yeaming love of the votary, the upasaka. The Tantrie sadhana einploys both the cxoteric rituals of the Vedie type and the esoterie riluals of the Yogie type, The'Tantras just simpiify the Vedie rimaís and make greater use of esoterie symbols. We know the esoterie symbolism was evident even in the Brahmanas and Upanishads , Ex: Satapaiha Brahmana I. 3. 2-3. The same account ìs repeated in the opening verses of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also. The Tantras plaee greaier emphasis on the esoterie saerifiee. So we need not hesitate to say that the Tantras have emerged from the Vedie religion and saerifiees. In ihe vast reservoir of aneie/it ‘Hi