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
