Philosophy and Religion / Tantratattva (Principles of Tantra)

Sriyukta Sivacandra Vidyarnava Bhattacarya Mahodaya

The Tantratattva (Principles of Tantra): Preface

Edited by Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe).

Victory to Sri Sri Isvari, The All-Good Devi!

BY the grace of the all-good Mother, the drum of Sanatana Dharma¹ seems to be again sending forth sweet and auspicious notes of triumph in Bharatavarsa,² the land of Aryas. just as an intelligent man, who has a good knowledge of music, is naturally impelled, as it were, by some mantra on hearing the deep and soft sound of musical instruments to beat time at every measure; so also a child who has no knowledge of, but who loves and is charmed by, music, feels himself impelled to keep time at every measure by shaking his head, or moving his finger, or clapping his hands, or dancing, or by some other movement. Similarly, every scion of the Aryan race in India, be he intelligent or not, is to-day intoxicated with the sweet music of the charming mantra of the widespread agitation on the subject of the Sanatana Dharma, and is keeping time at every measure and dancing. In this great festival, in this ancient Durga festival of India, astrology, philosophy, Smrti, Purana, Veda, Vedanta, and many other musical instruments are playing in the extensive courtyard of the universe. But we are grieved to find that the great instrument of the Tantra Sastra, in which all other instruments are included, on which all - other instruments depend, and which is the sole source of all yantras³ and mantras, is to-day silent. We know that the proper place for the playing of this instrument is not a courtyard, but the interior of the temple of Tantra Sastra, which is full of mantras; as also that the proper place for its discussion is not at a meeting or by society at large, but in the heart of the accomplished Sadhaka.

But what can we do? We are players on the outside. So long as we do not hear the solemn sound of sweet mantras from the accom­plished mouth of the Sadhaka within the temple as also the triumphant sound of the bell in his hand, so long do we fail to make out what music to play - the music of ablution, the music of arati,⁴ the music of sacrifice,⁵ or the music of bhoga.⁶ The discordant noise of musical instruments in the mantra-less courtyard outside the scat of worship is the sole cause of all the disorder which now besets the work of preaching dharma, even in spite of so much agitation, discussion, speech-making, and interpretation. These musical instruments observe neither time, nor measure. Perhaps at the place of worship the rite of great ablution⁷ has not yet been begun; but in the courtyard outside the music of the final oblation in homa⁸ is commencing. It is deeply to be regretted that the very community which trembles with fear, like a person suffering from constitutional fever, at the very mention of the rules of practice, is to-day constantly busying itself with such extremely subtle and secret matters as nirvikalpa-samadhi, samadhi,⁹ videha kaivalya,¹⁰ supreme love, and nirvana, liberation. The result is that this untimely and timeless music has come to be of no purpose and impossible of performance.

In fact, the sight of this outward bustle of science and philosophy made by the community devoid of siddhi and sadhana¹¹ reminds us of our village (barwari) puja.¹² Just as the condition of the puja makes one fear lest in course of time even the image itself should be dispensed with, so the condition of society to-day makes one afraid lest the talk of siddhi and sadhana should one day disappear from the Aryan Society. Let us, however, console ourselves with the knowledge that, even if it were possible for the sun and moon to cease to move, it is impossible for this puja¹³ to become a village puja. Although it is the property of common people, it is always uncommon; and, although it is always un­common, every member of the Aryan Society has always a perfect right to it as an independent sadhana. In this puja there is no priest (purohita). Its object is not self-deception, but sadhana for the self and acquirement of siddhi. In this temple of sadhana the worshippers are not¹⁴ unwilling to repeat the mantra on which we depend, but are doubtful about its efficacy. They are not incapable of repeating the mantra, but are apprehensive lest it be of no effect. There is, therefore, a hope that if this doubt can be dispelled and this apprehension removed, a day will soon come when the ten quarters of India will resound with the united voice of innumerable Aryas, loudly declaring: " There is no Sastra superior to Tantra, no guru superior to Tantra, no path superior to Tantra, no method superior to Tantra." Emboldened by this hope, we make this novel entry into the field of work, depending on the community of Sadhakas for support.

It may be said that when doubts have arisen about the Sadhana Sastra,¹⁵ it is no easy matter to remove them. We, too, do not deny this. But we say that the fact that it is not easy does not make it altogether impossible. It is happy news that doubts have arisen. When thirst has appeared, one need not be anxious about getting water. An unfathomable lake full of water to the brim lies in front. One has only to come down to drink of the water. Having before us the well-arrayed presence of the Tantra Sastra full of the nectar of eternal truth,¹⁶ we need not be anxious about dispelling the doubts of the Aryan mind. It is only necessary to advance slowly in the path of truth. It is a matter for regret that, although thirst has appeared and the lake lies in front, it has yet become necessary to advertise the fact and to preach in order to induce people to drink the water. Advertisement is, however, in fact, required, not so much in order to induce people to drink the water, but that the path may be cleared.

There is now much discussion, dispute, and quarrel among common people over the Tantra Sastra, and the path which leads to the inner truth has become very difficult, very tortuous, full of doubts and thorns. These thorns and doubts are not ascribable to any fault in lake itself, but are due to want of traffic thereto.

Formerly, in the glorious days of happiness and good fortune of Bharatavarsa, Aryan Sadhakas were wont to enjoy, even in their homes, the blessing of drinking the nectar of truth¹⁷ granted to them by their gurus. It was not then necessary that they should bathe in a place of pilgrimage¹⁸ for the purpose.

Under the remorseless pressure of the wheel of destiny such days are now past for Bharatavarsa. One by one the crest-gems of the race of sadhakas have found rest at the lotus-feet of liberation¹⁹ of Her who is all-merciful. For want of competent gurus the community of disciples is lamenting in deep darkness. We know not when again will the Isvari²⁰ of the world illumine the hearts of devotees with the brilliant light of Her merciful glances; when again the blind children of the world, who now live at a distance from their mother, will open their eyes of consciousness, and, immersed in the effulgence of the beauty of Her whose substance is consciousness, get up on the lap of Anandamayi,²¹ crying with an overpowering joy "Mother, Mother"; nor when again shall we hear the words, " The tie of the heart is broken; all doubts are dispelled and all karmas²² are destroyed for him who has seen Him is higher than the highest."

It is true that the path of Tantra has become full of thorns, but if, on hearing this terrible news, we sit down for ever to ponder on it with fearful hearts, the thorns will never be removed. If you wish to follow a path, you must take your stand on it. The thorns do not belong to the path, but have come to it from outside. Do not be afraid. The dry and worthless thorns will be broken and ground to dust under the heroic tramp of the feet of sadhakas.²³ Fearing lest you should not believe in our words, we shall, with our eyes fixed on the feet of sadhakas, be to them their shoes.²⁴ We care not if we be cut, torn, wounded, and lacerated all over. We have a strong desire to reach the path of truth, holding the feet of sadhakas to our heart, and to sink for once in the vast lake of the nectar of Tantra. We hope that the community of accomplished sadhus²⁵ and sadhakas will not fail to fulfil this desire on our part.

During the progress of the nineteenth century many Tantras have been printed and translated. Of these, the compilation made by Mahatma Ramatosana Bhattacarya under the title of " Pranatosini," and published by Prana Krsna Biswas Mahodaya, is a work which really gladdens the heart of the world of sadhakas. Next the Aryan Society has been greatly benefited by the publication, by Rasika Mohana Chattopadhyaya Mahasaya, of the Tantrasara with a translation, and of many other Tantras. A faint idea of many a Tantrik principle has thus been reflected in the mirror of the hearts of sadhakas. But, unfortunately, these indistinct impressions have themselves become a source of terror arising from deep doubts. A study of the Sastra has served rather to make the intricate bonds of the heart stronger than to break them. Still, it seems to have been a source of great good; for, from the doubts it has raised, there has to-day appeared in society a spirit of inquiry into Sastric (scriptural) truths. With the exception of the Pranatosini and the Tantrasara, all works which have been published on the subject of Tantra are but thorns on the path of truth.

Three classes of vipers are riding together over the Tantra Sastra ­ namely, a number of short-sighted and illiterate traders, a few crafty discoverers of practices of magic,²⁶ and some thoughtless and starving spiritual interpreters of the Sastra. Through them society is to-day going down to perdition. It is difficult to guess how many hundreds of simple­minded sadhus have been, and are being, deceived by the dangerous temptations held up before them by these people. Want of faith in the Sastra is becoming deeply rooted in people's minds by the troubles into which they fall through failure to realize the truth, and by the exposition to vulgar gaze of things a proper understanding of which can be acquired from gurus only. This want of faith cannot be eradicated by anything but the weapon of Sastra. One must stand at the door of Sastra in order to dispel doubts about it. From the Tantra alone must be learnt what the Tantra has said about the principles of Tantra²⁷.

Secondly, as regards worship,²⁸ many people think that faith must precede practice. But we do not think this possible, particularly in the case of those most hidden and obscure mysteries about Tantrik worship to which we find reference made. The intellect is powerless to understand why the Sastra has enjoined their performance. Nothing but disgust, hatred, disrespect and irreverence can find place in the conclusion at which man's erring intellect then arrives. Not to speak of matters which are unknown to common people, even amongst such things as are of common knowledge, and thus well known to them, concerning Satcakra²⁹ alone there are innumerable interpretations, ideas, and experiences.³⁰ Most of those who, in the rush of the daily novel religious waves of the twentieth century, lose their footing and know not what to do, nowadays take the name of Kula-Kundalini,³¹ in order to establish themselves on firm ground.

Besides this, there is a class of yogis³² devoted to the Upanisads and enlightened by the Yogavasistha, who often say that there is really a lake of clear water within the body, and that lotuses blooming in them form the Satcakra! In sorrow the Sadhaka and poet Ramaprasada has said:

"O mind, what search do you make for Her? Madman! She must be contemplated with feeling in a dark room. Can she be caught without such feeling? "

But, with a loud voice intoxicated with the drink of the honey of lotuses he has sung:

"In the bed of lotuses Kali, in the form of a female swan (hamsi), plays amorously with the male swan (hamsa)."

It has become difficult to bear in silence all the insult to which we see the Sastra subjected nowadays. Moreover, there is a class of pure sattviks³³ who every now and then say that Kali is "butcher Kali ",³⁴ that Tantra means " licensed grog-shop";³⁵ that Siva wrote the Tantra Sastra under the influence of the fumes of ganja,³⁶ and so forth.

We have no time to pay any heed to the words of these Non-Aryas. Goats begin to cry as soon as the drum sounds the music of the Durga puja festival, but that does not do away with Puja.³⁷ Good deeds, of which the Daksayajna³⁸ is an example, will be taken care of by Virabhadra³⁹ himself. We know that there are reasons for saying some hard things, but how is Kali or Siva or Tantra to blame? The pity of it all is that those who abuse the Tantra in this way are themselves initiated in Tantrik mantra. But what can we do? It is the nature of unchaste women to live on the means of their husbands, and at the same time to sing the praises of their paramours. We are not sorry to see the downfall of those whose nature is such. What we are sorry for is that the discussions and agitations carried on by these wicked people, and their example, constantly persecute and wound the community of sadhakas to such an extent that it is almost on the point of being destroyed.

Who that is a son with a body of flesh and blood and possessed of strength, can bear to see the sacred names of the Mother and the Father of the universe slandered and abused in such a manner? Whose heart is not pained to see the axe of bitter abuse laid at the roots of siddhi and sadhaka? The object of our effort is to remove this great pain in the heart of the community of Sadhakas. We hope that the sons of the Aryan race will not hesitate to uphold the blissful standard of triumph in the assuring name of Her who destroys all Asuras.⁴⁰

Thirdly, we often find that of such members of the Aryan Society as have been recently initiated, or are willing to be initiated, many are aimlessly moving about along various paths. Of some, perhaps, the gurus are dead; some have taken initiation from women gurus; some are sorry for the incompetence of their Gurus; some are disciples of sannyasis, who have gone away to distant places where it is difficult to go to them; some have only sons of gurus, who, too, are of immature age, ill educated, or uninitiated. In the case of some, the families of gurus have died out; and some, again, who have seen the different views of different munis⁴¹ in the works of Tantra Sastra printed with translations and commentaries, are, as it were, counting one by one the waves of a vast sea. Every one says: "Do this," "Don't do this." But if I ask why I should do this, he becomes dumb. I do not disbelieve the words of the Sastra, nor do I say that it will be useless to follow them. I only want to know what it is that I do. Unfortunately, there is no means of my knowing it. Such a destructive thunder has fallen on the high head of the present high society that not only people are ignorant that the mulamantra⁴² of the Istadevata,⁴³ the Devata of one's worship, has a meaning, but many are even averse to believing that it may have one. It might not have mattered whether I know the meaning or not, had not the Sastra itself, on the authority of which we base our practices, or the little of them we follow, said that it was useless and improper to follow a practice without knowing and understanding it.

In the Kularnava Tantra it is said: " O Spouse of Sambhu! fruitless are the worship and all the acts of those who do not know the true nature of Devata, the principle⁴⁴ underlying yantras,⁴⁵ and the sakti⁴⁶ of mantras."

I cannot disbelieve the great saying of the Sastra, for how can I ignore the prohibitions of the Sastra whose commands I have to obey? Next I see it proved in my own case that it will be useless to follow a practice without knowing and understanding it. How can I disbelieve that of which I myself am a witness? I feel it keenly myself how useless it is to follow a religious practice without understanding it. The prohibition, therefore, must be acted upon, and in order to do so the thing must be known and understood. I have, however, already stated what the condition is of those from whom I am to know and understand it. Owing to these circumstances, it has become necessary to find out a means by which people will be prevented from giving up practice through want of understanding, trampling, through want of knowledge, on the Syamantaka gem which adorns His head, and thinking that daily worship and the like are so much waste of labour. It is necessary that I should have firm faith in the doctrine, that the truth which I have come by is unerring whether or not I can act according to it, and that the path which I have taken is the broad royal road to the seat of the Queen of Queens⁴⁷ of the universe.

It is after a due consideration of the opportunities which the elements of time, place, and person may at present offer for finding out a means of effecting this that we undertake this great pious act⁴⁸ of expounding the principles of Tantra. This pious act is no doubt higher than the highest, and we are more insignificant than the most insignificant. It makes one laugh to think of Rajasuya⁴⁹ Yajna in a beggar's house. But there is no help for it. One who is hungry cannot afford to be ashamed of eating. In particular one who stands on this path should naturally be devoid of shame; for He who is the crest-gem of shameless people and clad with space⁵⁰ is the Revealer of the Tantra Sastra. In this path there is no cause for shame in being a beggar. He who has shown the path by performing this Rajasuya Yajna is Himself the crest-gem of beggars. In spite of His being the King of Kings⁵¹ of the three worlds, He is eternally a beggar at the door of Annapurna,⁵² the Mother of the universe. Being the meanest of the servants of such a world-renowned Beggar-Master, why should I be ashamed of begging? Begging is the tribute which we have to pay to our King. The fundamental principle of our worship is to worship the Mother with alms received from Her (to worship the Ganges with Ganges water). If one is to be called a beggar or to be ashamed for this, then we do not know who is not a beggar and who will not be ashamed. The three worlds beg, and there is none but that Jagaddhatri⁵³ to give alms. Directly or indirectly, She is the only hope. We, therefore, trust that Mother Annapurna, who dwells in the hearts of all Sadhakas, and is the Intelligence who works the jiva-instrument,⁵⁴ will fill this begging bowl of ours with remnants of Her food. By the blessing of the Father of the universe and the grace of the Mother of the universe, even in such a destitute house as we possess, the final daksina⁵⁵ of the rajasuya of Tantra Tattva will be placed at the lotus feet of Daksina (the gracious Devi).

Sri Siva Chandra
Sarma Vidyarnava

Kasi (Benares),
1811, Saka Era,
The month of Falguna.

Footnotes

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