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Aspect of Tantras
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!
SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
&IVE ESSAYS EXPLORING MODERN 4ANTRA
0HIL (INE
FOR 6ISHVANATH
#ONTENTS
/NE 3ETTING THE SCENE
4WO $EVOTIONS DEMONESSES
4HREE 4HE SCIENCE OF EXTREMES
&OUR 4HE GURU FAKIR OR FAKER
&IVE 4HE JOY OF SECTS
3OURCES,INKS
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
/NE 3ETTING THE SCENE
- ENTION 4ANTRA TO MOST PEOPLE AND THEY WILL INVARIABLY THINK OF SEX MAGIC
/NLY THE OTHER DAY ) WAS CHATTING OVER THE PHONE TO A FRIEND IN !MERICA
AND HAPPENED TO MENTION THAT ) WAS CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH A 4ANTRIC MAGIC
STUDY GROUP -Y FRIEND BECAME VERY ANIMATED AND IN TONES OF SOME ENVY SAID THAT
HED ALWAYS WANTED TO lND A GROUP WHERE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO DO 4ANTRIC MAGIC
WITH EACH OTHER )T WAS AT THIS POINT THAT AN ALARM BELL BEGAN TO RING IN MY HEAD
h,OOK v ) SAID h) MEAN 4ANTRIC MAGIC NOT GROUP SEXv h/H v MY FRIEND REPLIED h)
WASNT AWARE THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING MORE TO 4ANTRA THAN GROUP SEXv .OW THIS KIND
OF REACTION ISNT UNTYPICAL EVEN AMONG OTHERWISE EXPERIENCED OCCULTISTS /VER THE
LAST FEW YEARS WHENEVER )VE MENTIONED MY INTEREST IN 4ANTRA )VE OFTEN WATCHED
PEOPLES MENTAL GEARS GRINDING AWAY AS THEY VISUALISE CONTORTED SEXUAL POSTURES AND
PERHAPS UNUSUAL COMBINATIONS 4O THINK OF 4ANTRA ONLY IN TERMS OF SEXUAL RITES IS
A GROSS OVERSIMPLIlCATION )N FACT 4ANTRISM IS A COMPLETE MAGICAL SYSTEM IN ITSELF
INCORPORATING A WIDE VARIETY OF MAGICAL METHODS AND METAPHYSICS
-ANY ELEMENTS OF 4ANTRIC MAGIC HAVE BECOME ABSORBED INTO THE GENERAL MAGICAL LORE
OF THE 7EST 3UCH ELEMENTS INCLUDE CONCEPTS SUCH AS +UNDALINI THE #HAKRAS +ARMA
9OGA ETC #ONCEPTS SUCH AS THE #HAKRAS HAVE BEEN WIDELY TAKEN UP BY NEW AGERS AND
SPIRITUALISTS MANY OF WHOM WOULD BE HORRIlED IF TOLD OF THE ROOTS OF THESE CONCEPTS
IN TANTRISM
3O WHY DOES 4ANTRA HAVE SUCH A @DODGY REPUTATION )N PART THIS IS DUE TO THE
EFFORTS OF THE %UROPEAN CHRONICLERS OF )NDIAN RELIGIOUS LIFE 4HE !BB $UBOIS FOR
EXAMPLE AUTHOR OF THE SEMINAL WORK ON (INDU LIFE h(INDU -ANNERS #USTOMS AND
#EREMONIESv WROTE IN MUCH DETAIL OF THE hABOMINABLE DEBAUCHERIESv OF @SAKTI
WORSHIP 4HE !BBS WORK CONTAINED THE lRST DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE ORGIASTIC RITUAL
THAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS @CAKRAPUJA CIRCLE WORSHIP AND HIS BOOK DID MUCH TO lX
THE %UROPEAN NOTION THAT (INDUS WERE DEPRAVED 4HE !BBS DESCRIPTIONS OF SAKTI
WORSHIP WAS PASSED DOWN FROM AUTHOR TO AUTHOR AND STILL COLOURS SOME MODERN
NOTIONS OF 4ANTRA 3IMILARLY THE 2EV 7ILLIAM 7ARD WRITING OF FAMOUS TANTRIC TEXTS
SUCH AS THE 9ONI 4ANTRA REVERTED TO ASTERISKS OCCASIONALLY WHILST DESCRIBING hTHINGS
TOO ABOMINABLE TO ENTER THE EARS OF MAN AND IMPOSSIBLE TO BE REVEALED TO A #HRISTIAN
PUBLICv "Y THE MID .INETEENTH #ENTURY 4ANTRA HAS ACQUIRED THE GLAMOUR WHICH
SURROUNDS IT EVEN TODAY OF @FORBIDDEN RITES @ORGIASTIC CEREMONIES @RITUAL MURDER
AND @ORIENTAL MYSTERIES
/F PARTICULAR RELEVANCE TO OCCULTISTS IS THE INmUENCE OF ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE
4HEOSOPHICAL 3OCIETY AND THE (ERMETIC /RDER OF THE 'OLDEN $AWN 4HE FORMER
IN PARTICULAR WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN IMPORTING MANY )NDIAN ESOTERIC CONCEPTS INTO
7ESTERN OCCULTISM ALTHOUGH THESE CONCEPTS WERE INVARIABLY MUTILATED IN THE PROCESS
! GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS @TWISTING OF IDEAS WHICH BEGAN WITH THE 4HEOSOPHISTS AND
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
CONTINUES EVEN NOW IS THAT OF THE #HAKRAS .OW MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE SOME
READING OF MAGICAL TEXTS WILL HAVE COME ACROSS THE #HAKRAS AS THEY HAVE BECOME A
FAIRLY BASIC ELEMENT OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE 7ESTERN %SOTERIC 4RADITION 3O MUCH SO
IN FACT THAT IT IS MORE OR LESS TAKEN FOR GRANTED THAT THE #HAKRAS HAVE SOME FACTUAL
BASIS FOR EXISTENCE 4HE ORIGINAL TANTRIC TEXTS WHICH DESCRIBE THE VARYING SYSTEMS OF
#HAKRAS SOME DESCRIBE SIX OTHERS SEVEN NINE OR EVEN ELEVEN USE A GREAT DEAL OF
SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE AND METAPHOR MUCH OF WHICH WESTERN AUTHORS HAVE MISTAKENLY
TAKEN LITERALLY 3IR *OHN 7OODROFFE IN HIS BOOK 4HE 3ERPENT 0OWER GIVES AN EXAM
PLE OF THIS WHEN HE PRESENTS A CRITIQUE OF #7 ,EADBEATERS BOOK 4HE )NNER ,IFE
,EADBEATER CLAIMS TO HAVE COUNTED THE NUMBER OF PETALS OF THE 3AHASRARA #HAKRA AND
SAYS THAT THE NUMBER IS NOT AS IS OFTEN GIVEN IN TANTRIC TEXTS BUT EXACTLY
7OODROFFE POINTS OUT THAT THE )NDIAN USE OF hTHOUSANDv IS A METAPHOR FOR A GREAT
MAGNITUDE AND NOT A LITERAL COUNT ,EADBEATER HAS MISTAKEN A METAPHORICAL STATE
MENT FOR A LITERAL ONE WHICH MAKES NONSENSE OF HIS ASSERTION 5NFORTUNATELY MANY
4HEOSOPHICAL NOTIONS SUCH AS THIS ARE PASSED FROM BOOK TO BOOK WITHOUT AS 0ETE
#ARROLL ONCE QUIPPED hANY INTERVENING THOUGHTv
)T WAS LARGELY THE 4HEOSOPHICAL 3OCIETY WHO SPREAD THE NOTION THAT THE SO CALLED
@,EFT (AND 0ATH OF 4ANTRISM WAS TANTAMOUNT TO @"LACK -AGIC DUE TO THE PREVALENCE
OF SEXUAL GNOSIS &OR 4HEOSOPHISTS AS MUCH AS THEIR #HRISTIAN BRETHREN THERE WAS NO
WAY THAT SENSUAL ENJOYMENT COULD BE SEEN AS @SPIRITUAL IN ANY SENSE
! THIRD SOURCE OF OBSFUCATION HAS BEEN THE SOMEWHAT BIASED WORK OF SCHOLARS BOTH
%UROPEAN AND )NDIAN !CCORDING TO SOME SCHOLARS PARTICULARLY THOSE INmUENCED BY
ORTHODOX (INDU OR 7ESTERN IDEAS 4ANTRA WAS A DEGENERATION FROM THE RARElED ATMOS
PHERE OF 9OGA INTO WITCHCRAFT ALCHEMY AND ASTROLOGY 4HIS IS ERRONEOUS 4HERE IS AN
INCREASING BODY OF EVIDENCE POINTING TO THE EMERGENCE OF 4ANTRA FROM THE RITUALS AND
CONCERNS OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLES ! VERY EARLY 4ANTRIC MANUSCRIPT THE +UBJIKA 4ANTRA
WRITTEN IN THE SIXTH CENTURY IS CONCERNED WITH THE RITUALS OF POTTERS &ROM THE PREHIS
TORIC PERIOD THE POT HAS BEEN THE SYMBOL OF THE 'REAT -OTHER GODDESS 3OME SCHOLARS
BELIEVE THAT 4ANTRA EMERGED FROM THE BLENDING OF ALCHEMY AND AGRICULTURAL MAGIC
&INALLY THE IMAGE OF 4ANTRISM HAS BEEN COLOURED BY THE ANTAGONISM OF MODERN )NDIA
)NDIAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE SENSUAL HAVE SHIFTED CONSIDERABLY DUE TO THE INmU
ENCE OF lRST )SLAMIC THEN !NGLO 3AXON PREJUDICE 0ROFESSOR "HARATI IN HIS CLASSIC
WORK 4HE 4ANTRIC 4RADITION REMARKS THAT @OFlCIAL )NDIAN CULTURE AS FORMULATED BY
6IVEKANANDA 'ANDHI AND 2ADAKRISHNAN VERY MUCH CONSIDERED 4ANTRISM TO BE VERY
MUCH BEYOND THE PALE !LAIN $ANILOU IN THE INTRODUCTION TO HIS TRANSLATION OF THE
+AMA 3UTRA NOTES THAT
h-AHATMA 'ANDHI EDUCATED IN %NGLAND SENT SQUADS OF HIS DISCIPLES TO SMASH THE
EROTIC REPRESENTATIONS ON THE TEMPLES 0ANDIT .EHRU WAS IRRITATED BY MY HAVING PHO
TOGRAPHED AND PUBLISHED THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF SCULPTURES SHOWING HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS
DATING FROM THE ELEVENTH CENTURY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT SUCH VICES IN )NDIA WERE DUE TO
7ESTERN INmUENCEv
4HE #OMPLETE +AMA 3UTRA P
7HILST RESEARCHING FOR THIS ARTICLE ) WAS LENT A BOOK CALLED h+ALIS #HILDv BY *EFFREY
* +RIPAL A BIOGRAPHY OF 2AMAKRISHNA THE TH CENTURY MYSTIC WHO WAS A MAJOR
INmUENCE IN THE REFORMULATION OF @MODERN (INDUISM 6IVEKANANDA HIS MOST FAMOUS
PUPIL WAS DECIDEDLY ANTI TANTRIC DESCRIBING IT AS THE hlLTHY VAMACHARA THAT IS
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
DESTROYING THIS COUNTRYv +RIPAL REVEALS HOWEVER THAT 2AMAKRISHNA HIMSELF WENT
THROUGH A PERIOD OF TANTRIC TRAINING WHICH HIS FOLLOWERS CHOSE TO IGNORE -OREOVER
ACCORDING TO THIS AUTHOR 2AMAKRISHNAS ECSTATIC VISIONS AND TEACHINGS SPRUNG FROM AN
EROTIC SOURCE WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN CONVENIENTLY GLOSSED OVER
h3AKTI IN HER IMAGE GENDER MUSIC AND SCRIPTURES HAS BEEN MADE SUBMISSIVE AND
OBEDIENT "ENGALIS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE ASHAMED OF HER AND HER 4ANTRAS 3AKTI IS NO
LONGER ON TOP OF 3IVAv
+ALIS #HILD P
4O UNDERSTAND THE BEGINNINGS OF 4ANTRA IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
OF )NDIAN HISTORY /RTHODOX (INDUISM THE SO
CALLED 'REAT OR "RAHMANIC 4RADITION
HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE 6EDAS WHICH ENCAPSULATE THE RELIGIOUS IDEAS OF THE !RYANS WHO
INVADED )NDIA AROUND "# SUBDUING THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES THE $RAVIDIANS
WITH THEIR )RON WEAPONS )N THE FOLLOWING CENTURIES OF PRESSURE MUCH OF THAT INDIG
ENOUS CULTURE RETREATED
THERE WAS A RETREAT AWAY FROM THE CITIES AND MIGRATION ROUTES
INTO THE FORESTS MOUNTAINS AND VILLAGES 4HE VAST HINTERLANDS OF )NDIA ALLOWED THE
SURVIVAL OF ISOLATED CENTRES OF CULTURAL LIFE WHICH RETAINED ELEMENTS OF GREAT ANTIQUITY
'RADUALLY A LANDSCAPE EMERGED ALONG THE NORTHERN RIVER VALLEYS OF CITIES SUPPORTED
BY A VAST COUNTRYSIDE DIVIDED INTO ISOLATED VILLAGE SOCIETIES 7HILST THE ORTHODOX
CULTURE WAS DOMINATED BY THE 6EDIC RITUALS OF THE "RAHMINS THERE ALSO EXISTED A
PARALLEL VISION THE 6RATA TRADITION OPERATING THROUGH SONG DANCE ART AND MAGICAL
INCANTATIONS
A STOREHOUSE OF BOTH ARCHAIC WISDOM AND CONTEMPORARY PATTERNS
3IMILAR MIGRATIONS OCCURRED IN THE NINTH TENTH CENTURIES WHEN ENTIRE "UDDHIST
COMMUNITIES TOOK REFUGE FROM PERSECUTION IN THE REMOTE COUNTRYSIDE AND IN THE
ELEVENTH TO THIRTEENTH CENTURIES WHEN PRESSURE FROM THE -USLIM )NVASIONS FORCED
VAST NUMBERS OF SCHOLARS INTO SOUTHERN )NDIA )T IS IN SOUTHERN )NDIA THAT SURVIVING
$RAVIDIAN LANGUAGES CAN BE FOUND
)T IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT ALTHOUGH 4ANTRA AS WE KNOW IT IS LARGELY A MEDIEVAL PHE
NOMENA THAT THIS @REVIVAL IS A DIRECT DESCENDENT OF 0ALAEOLITHIC 'ODDESS WORSHIP
AND THAT ITS MAGICAL AND PSYCHO
SEXUAL PRACTICES EVOLVED FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF CULTS
AND MYSTERY SCHOOLS $R *OHN -UMFORD IN h%CSTASY 4HROUGH 4ANTRAv GOES
SO FAR AS TO ASSERT THAT 4ANTRISM WAS THE hRELIGIONv OF THE $RAVIDIANS AND WHILST THIS
MAY BE OVERSTATING THE CASE SOMEWHAT THERE ARE MANY SCHOLARS WHO LOOK FOR THE ROOTS
OF 4ANTRISM WITHIN THE MISTS OF $RAVIDIAN CIVILISATION IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THE
CITIES OF (ARRAPA AND -OHENJO
$ARO THESE ARE MODERN NAMES HAD EXISTED FOR AT LEAST
A YEARS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE !RYAN INVADERS AND THAT THE ABORIGINAL )NDUS
6ALLEY CIVILISATION DATES BACK AS FAR AS "#
/NE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS ) FEEL THAT MODERN %UROPEANS FACE WHEN ENCOUNTERING
4ANTRA IS OUR OWN PREDISPOSITION FOR EXPECTING THINGS TO BE CLEAR
CUT AND EASILY
BROKEN DOWN INTO BITE
SIZE PIECES &OR EXAMPLE ) HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DOING SOME
MAGICAL WORK WITH 3IVA AND DURING THIS BECAME INTERESTED IN 3IVAS PRIMORDIAL FORM
2UDRA (OWLER ) STRUGGLED FOR A WHILE TO lND A POINT WHERE 2UDRA BECAME 3IVA BUT
ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRAW SUCH A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO &ORTUNATELY
AT LEAST TO MY MIND 4ANTRA RESISTS THIS @DILUTING PROCESS DUE TO ITS VERY NATURE
"EING USED TO AND OFTEN GREATLY ATTRACTED BY A MULTIPLICITY OF @TRADITIONS ALL JOSTLING
FOR ATTENTION OCCULTISTS ALL TOO OFTEN MAKE THE MISTAKE OF SEEING 4ANTRA AS A COHERENT
TRADITION )T ISNT 7HAT IS GENERALLY REGARDED AS 4ANTRA IS AN INTRICATE INTERWEAVING
OF PHILOSOPHY MAGIC YOGAS ASTROLOGY ALCHEMY MEDICINE FOLKLORE ETC 4ANTRIC
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
ELEMENTS HAVE FREELY MINGLED WITH THE MORE ORTHODOX (INDUISM AND "UDDHISM AND
SOME VERY EXOTIC 4ANTRIC 3ECTS HAVE mOURISHED AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER SOME OF WHICH
)LL BE LOOKING INTO LATER IN THIS SERIES 4ANTRIC ELEMENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN ABSORBED INTO
MORE ORTHODOX (INDU BELIEF 4HE SOMEWHAT AMORPHOUS NATURE OF 4ANTRA IS NEATLY
SUMMED UP BY 3RI -AHENDRANATH $ADAJI FORMER ADIGURU OF THE .ATHA 3AMPRADAYA
WHEN HE WROTE hA SANNYASIN HAS NO RULES TO KEEP ONLY A WAY OF LIFE TO LIVEv /F
COURSE THIS IS ONLY HIS OPINION ON THE MATTER 'EORGE 7ESTON "RIGGS IN HIS BOOK
'ORAKNATH THE +HANPHATA 9OGIS LISTS THE MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS OF BEHAVIOUR
WHICH WERE SAID TO CONSTRAIN THIS PARTICULAR SECT OF TANTRICS (E THEN GOES ON TO RELATE
THE WIDE VARIATION IN DEGREES OF ADHERENCE TO SAME RULES !GAIN THERE IS A WIDE
VARIATION IN HOW INDIVIDUALS PERFORM THEIR PRACTICES EVEN WITHIN A PARTICULAR SECT OR
SUB
SECT %NJOYMENT OF THE SENSUAL PLEASURES OF THE WORLD IS A STRONG THEME IN SOME
4ANTRAS YET THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAGICAL ABILITIES THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF AUSTERITIES
REMAINS A lRM FOUNDATION OF )NDIAN ESOTERICISM 7ESTERNERS TEND TO ASSOCIATE )NDIAN
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WITH THE WANDERING YOGIS OR ITINERANT SADHUS BUT THE SO
CALLED
PATH OF THE HOUSEHOLDER
OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SEEKS SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT WHILST
HOLDING DOWN A JOB OR KEEPING A FAMILY IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE MOST DIFlCULT
PATH TO TREAD 3OME TANTRICS WERE SCHOLARS ESTABLISHING MONASTIC RETREATS WHICH BE
CAME STOREHOUSES OF LEARNING WHILST OTHERS WERE WANDERING BARDS OR PEASANTS
7HEN WE ATTEMPT TO FOCUS ON 4ANTRA ITS RATHER LIKE TRYING TO CONDENSE THE VASTNESS
OF HISTORY ONTO A FEW SHEETS OF PAPER !LAIN $ANILOU HAS MADE A STRONG CASE FOR THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MYSTERIES OF 3HIVA AND $IONYSUS -ANY MODERN SCHOLARS OF
4ANTRISM NOW THINK OF IT AS A MEDIEVAL REVIVAL OF 0ALAEOLITHIC FERTILITY WORSHIP THE
SURVIVAL OF THE BELIEFS PRACTICES OF THE )NDUS 6ALLEY CIVILISATIONS TOGETHER WITH THE
INmUENCE OF THE VILLAGE AND TRIBAL CULTURES WHICH WERE EXCLUDED BY BIRTH AND CASTE
FROM 6EDIC WORSHIP ! STRONG THEME IN 4ANTRISM IS A REJECTION OF THE CASTE SYSTEM
AND THE PRINCIPLE OF 3VECCHACHARYA
A 3ANSKRIT TERM WHICH MEANS TO ACT ACCORDING TO
ONES OWN WILL IE INDEPENDENTLY !CCORDING TO 4ANTRIC 3CHOLAR -IKE -AGEE THE
.ATHA CULT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOMENTING THE )NDIAN -UTINY WHICH IMPLIES QUITE A
DIFFERENT FACET OF TANTRICS THAN THE UNWORLDLY ASCETIC IMAGE WHICH IS COMMON IN THE
7EST !LTHOUGH DEBATE WAS A COMMON MEANS FOR DIFFERENT SECTS TO OPPOSE EACH OTHERS
VIEWS IT WAS NOT UNKNOWN FOR SOME SECTS TO RESORT TO MORE WARLIKE MEANS TO SETTLE
PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES
)N CLOSING FOR NOW THEN 4ANTRA IS A HUGE lELD FOR INVESTIGATION WHERE ITS ALL TOO EASY
TO MAKE QUICK JUDGEMENTS BASED ON ONLY A SURFACE APPRECIATION OF ITS COMPLEXITIES )N
THE NEXT INSTALMENT OF THIS SERIES ) WILL LOOK AT SOME DElNITIONS OF WHAT TANTRIC MAGI
CAL PRACTICE ACTUALLY CONSISTS OF AND OUTLINE SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
4WO $EVOTIONS DEMONESSES
& OR THIS ISSUE ) DID ORIGINALLY INTEND TO LOOK AT SOME OF WHAT ) CONSIDERED THE KEY
CHARACTISTICS OF 4ANTRIC PRACTICE AND THEN TO GO ON TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE MAGI
CAL PRACTICES IN 4ANTRISM (OWEVER )VE DECIDED TO FOR THE MOMENT CONCENTRATE
ON DISCUSSING THE MAGICAL WORK AND WILL RETURN TO THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS IN PART
THREE
4HE DIFlCULTIES OF APPROACHING 4ANTRIC PRACTICE HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY WHAT
MIGHT BE TERMED THE PSEUDO IMPERIALISTIC ATTITUDE TO NON 7ESTERN MAGICAL SYSTEMS
&RANCIS +INGS 4ANTRA FOR 7ESTERNERS IS A CASE IN POINT +ING ASSERTS THAT THERE ARE
AT LEAST ON THE SURFACE MANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN 4ANTRIC CONCEPTS AND 7ESTERN
1ABALAH (ENCE HIS BOOK PRESENTS A @QABBALIZED PERSPECTIVE ON 4ANTRA &ITTING THE
UNFAMILIAR INTO FAMILIAR MODELS MAY WELL BE USEFUL UP TO A POINT BUT IT BECOMES A
LIMITING EXERCISE !N ANALOGOUS SITUATION WOULD BE THE EFFORTS OF EARLY ANTHROPOLOGISTS
TO CHARACTERIZE SHAMANIC BEHAVIOUR AS @EPILEPTIC )T MIGHT WELL lT THE THEORY BUT IT
DOESNT TELL THE WHOLE STORY ) FEEL THAT TO APPROACH 4ANTRA IT IS NECESSARY TO AT SOME
POINT EXAMINE ORTHODOX (INDU CULTURE IN TERMS OF HISTORY RELIGION AND PSYCHOL
OGY IN ORDER TO GET A GRIP ON THE CONTEXT FROM WHICH 4ANTRISM SPRINGS 4HERE IS A
TENDENCY FOR 7ESTERNERS TO TREAT 4ANTRISM AS AN @ADDED mAVOUR TO SPICE UP FAMILIAR
MAGICAL PRACTICES OR FOR THAT MATTER ONES BEDROOM ANTICS WHICH IS THE CONCERN OF
MANY POPULIST BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT
$EVOTION AND -AGIC
4HE GENERIC TERM FOR RITUAL IN )NDIA IS 0UJA CAN BE TRANSLATED AS @WORSHIP OR @MAGIC
!CCORDING TO 4ANTRIC DOCTRINE THE PURPOSE OF RITUAL IS TO USE SPECIAL TECHNIQUES IN
ORDER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE HIGHER STATES OF BEING WHICH WE CALL GODS AND OTHER
SUPERNATURAL BEINGS WHO CAN GUIDE AND ASSIST US IN OUR EFFORTS TO PROGRESS 4HE DIF
FERENT WORLDS ARE IN HARMONIC RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND THROUGH RITUAL ACTION THEY
CAN BE MADE TO RESPOND JUST AS A STRINGED INSTRUMENT WILL RESPOND WHEN ONE OF ITS
HARMONICS RESOUNDS 2ITUAL COMBINED OF SOUND FORMS RHYTHMS GESTURES mOWERS
LIGHTS INCENSE AND OFFERINGS CARRIES THE OPERATOR TOWARD THE WORLD OF THE DIVINE
WHILST THE DEITY ALSO ENCHANTED IS BROUGHT NEARER 2ITUAL IS THUS A BRIDGE TO ESTABLISH
AND MAINTAIN THIS CONTACT
)T IS FURTHER HELD THAT SINCE THE SUBTLE WORLDS ARE MANY THE EFFECTS OF RITUAL MAY
NOT ALWAYS BE APPREHENDED AND THAT RESULTS QUITE CONTRARY TO THE INTENT MAY RESULT
2ITUAL IS THEREFORE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INSTRUMENT AND WHETHER INTERNAL MENTAL
OR EXTERNAL PUJA SHOULD FOLLOW A SYSTEMATIC ORDINANCE !LL ELEMENTS OF PUJA ARE
BASED ON CORRESPONDENCES AND SUBTLE LEVELS OF RELATION
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
)N )NDIC MAGICAL PSYCHOLOGY MAN BECOMES WHAT HE WORSHIPS AND HIS DESIRE KAMA
SHAPES THE FORM OF HIS BECOMING
4HOSE WHO WORSHIP THE GODS BECOME GODS THOSE WHO WORSHIP !NCESTORS BECOME
!NCESTORS THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE ELEMENTS MASTER THE ELEMENTS AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP
ME GAIN ME
+RISHNA 4HE "HAGAVADGITA
7HEN CONSIDERING 0UJA WE MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT IN 4ANTRIC -AGICAL 0SYCHOLOGY ALL
DEITIES ARE MANIFESTATIONS OF SELF 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY HOWEVER THAT WE SHOULD REGARD
DEITIES IN THE SENSE OF MERE ASPECTS OF OUR PSYCHE IN THE SENSE THAT *UNGIAN PSYCHOLO
GISTS OR .EW !GERS MIGHT
4HUS BY PERFORMING 0UJA WE
A RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF THE DEITY
B DEVELOP AWARENESS OF OUR OWN INNER DIVINITY
!NOTHER POINT THAT SHOULD BE BORNE IN MIND IS THAT )NDIC MAGIC IS HEAVILY BASED ON
THE INTERPLAY OF LEVELS OF CORRESPONDENCES IN VERY MUCH A SIMILAR WAY TO HOW MODERN
QABBALAH HAS DEVELOPED #AREFUL STUDY AND PERSONAL RESEARCH WITH THESE CORRESPOND
ENCES AND CONCEPTS WILL ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF 0UJA CONSIDERABLY ) WOULD GO AS
FAR AS TO ASSERT THAT STUDY OF THESE CONCEPTS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THEY MEAN IN
PUJA IS SUPERIOR TO MERE STUDY OF THEM IN ISOLATION SINCE IN PUJA YOU CAN BEGIN TO
GAIN INSIGHTS INTO HOW CORRESPONDENCES AND CONCEPTS RELATE TO EACH OTHER
4HE 0RIMACY OF 4HREE
FOLD %XPERIENCE
4HE 4HREE
FOLD NATURE OF EXPERIENCE IS A PRIMARY CONCEPT IN 4ANTRIC -AGICAL
0SYCHOLOGY &OR EXAMPLE THE TANTRIC UNDERSTANDING OF PERCEPTION IS THREE
FOLD
4HE MEASURE
4HE OBJECT TO MEASURE
4HE ACT OF MEASURING
/THER SIGNIlCANT TRIPLICITIES INCLUDE #REATOR "RAHMA 0RESERVER 6ISNU $ESTROYER
3IVA 4HE THREE WORLDS THE THREE TIMES THE GUNAS 3UN -OON &IRE
4HUS BY PERFORMING PUJA WE ARE MOVING THROUGH A THREE
FOLD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CHOSEN DEITY
A )DENTIFYING THE DEITY AS ORIGINATING FROM WITHIN
B %XTERNALIZING THE DEITY IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE IT AS SEPARATE FROM US
C 2E
)DENTIFYING WITH THE DEITY IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE
4HE OBJECT OR AIM OF 0UJA IS TO ESTABLISH COMMUNION BETWEEN DEVOTEE AND DEITY
) OCCASIONALLY HEAR THE COMMENT THAT 4ANTRIC MAGIC IS @TOO DEVOTIONAL IN ITS CHARACTER
4HIS ) FEEL SPRINGS FROM A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE OF DEVOTIONAL MAGIC AND
THE TANTRIC CONCEPTION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRACTITIONER AND DEITY )N 0UJA
) WAS TAUGHT BY MY GURU P IN THE SWEAR BOX TO lRSTLY TO INTERNALLY IDENTIFY
WITH THE CHOSEN DEITY THROUGH MEDITATION VISUALIZATION MANTRA AND .YASA THE
IDENTIlCATION OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY WITH DEITIES THROUGH TOUCH 3ECONDLY
TO EXTERNALIZE THE DEITY BY BREATHING OR PROJECTING IT INTO A FORM A STATUE OR OTHER
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
IMAGE IN ORDER TO @WORSHIP THE GOD OR GODDESS AND lNALLY TO REABSORB THEM AFTER
THE COMPLETION OF WORSHIP 4HE TANTRIC CONCEPTION OF DEITIES IS THAT THEY ARE BOTH
TRANSCENDENT AND IMMANENT &ROM A TANTRIC PERSPECTIVE THE 5NIVERSE IS THE EMBODI
MENT OF THE TRANSCENDENT 3HIVA AND THE IMMANENT 3HAKTI %XISTENCE mOWS FROM AND
IS THEIR UNION
)N PERFORMING PUJA MY AIM IS OFTEN TO OFFER A SACRIlCE TO A DEITY IN ORDER THAT SHE OR
HE WILL GRANT A BOON ,ITANIES TO DEITIES OFTEN SPEAK OF THEM @MAKING THE GESTURES OF
DISPELLING FEARS AND GRANTING BOONS ) CURRENTLY INTERPRET THE WORD @FEARS AS THE OB
STACLES @+LESHAS WHICH HOLD ME BACK FROM ATTAINING THE BLISS OF THE GOD
STATE MORE
ON THIS IN A MO THE PHRASE @GRANTING BOONS IS THE POWER OF THE GOD OR GODDESS TO
ASSIST ME IN THE REMOVAL OR MORE ACCURATELY INTEGRATION OF THOSE FEARS 4HE UNDERLY
ING PROCESS IN THIS APPROACH TO PUJA IS SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH UNDERLIES MOST FORMS OF
RITUAL MAGIC ! DESIRE
FORM IS MADE CONSCIOUS IE STATED AND SEPARATED FROM THE
EGO
COMPLEX BY OFFERING OR SACRIlCING IT TO THE GOD OR GODDESS WHO IS THE FOCUS OF THE
PUJA &INALLY THE GOD
FORM IS REABSORBED AND THE REALIZATION OF THE DESIRE
FORM TAKES
PLACE ORGANICALLY SOME MIGHT PREFER THE TERM @UNCONSCIOUSLY HERE BUT ) FEEL THIS IS
TOO LIMITING A CONCEPT
3O HOW DOES THIS WORK IN PRACTICE ,AST YEAR ) PERFORMED A 'ANESHA 0UJA WITH THE
GENERAL AIM OF lNDING MYSELF THE @RIGHT JOB .OT MERELY @A JOB BUT THE MOST AP
PROPRIATE FOR ME 3INCE )M NOW WRITING THIS ARTICLE AT WORK YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT
THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL (OWEVER WHAT ) FEEL IS JUST AS SIGNIlCANT HERE IS THAT THE PUJA
AND DAILY MEDITATION ON 'ANESHA ENABLED ME TO @DISPELL THE FEARS AROUND NOT lNDING
A JOB AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES WITH THAT
WHICH NATURALLY INVOLVED A GOOD DEGREE OF
WILLED SELF
WORK AS WELL AS THE RELAXED CERTAINTY THAT @SOMETHING WOULD TURN UP
4O WORSHIP A DEITY A MAN MUST BECOME THE 3ELF OF THAT DEITY THROUGH DEDICATION
BREATH
CONTROL AND CONCENTRATION UNTIL HIS BODY BECOMES THE DEITYS ABODE
'NDHARVA 4ANTRA
) FEEL THAT SOME OF THE SQUEAMISHNESS THAT SURROUNDS THIS KIND OF DEVOTIONAL MAGIC
IS DUE TO THE GENERAL BACKGROUND OF MONOTHEISTIC #HRISTIANITY IN MODERN OCCULTISM
!FTER ALL ITS ONE THING FOR MAGICIANS TO INVOKE ONE GOD FOR ONE PURPOSE AND ANOTHER
GOD FOR ANOTHER BUT ONCE YOU START INVOKING THE SAME GOD FOR EVERYTHING IT STARTS TO
LOOK LIKE RELIGION OR MANIA
WHICH RAISES HACKLES IN SOME QUARTERS 4HE MAJOR )NDIAN
DEITIES HOWEVER ARE SO MULTIVALENT IN THEIR ASPECTS AND FORMS THAT IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE
TO DO THIS )T ALSO MEANS THAT THE TENDENCY OF WESTERN OCCULTISTS TO CATEGORIZE GODS ON
THE BASIS OF THE 4REE OF ,IFE BECOMES UNSTUCK 'ANESHA IS A GOOD EXAMPLE /NE MIGHT
ARGUE THAT HE HAS A *UPITEREAN ASPECT AS HE IS ASSOCIATED WITH WEALTH (OWEVER HE
IS ALSO -ERCURIAL SINCE HE IS A SCRIBE (E ALSO BATTLES DEMONS -ARS RULES OBSTACLES
3ATURN AND IS OFTEN GIVEN AS THE GUARDIAN OF THE -ULADHARA #HAKRA %ARTH (E HAS
AT LEAST POPULAR FORMS AND THERE ARE MORE THAT CAN BE DISCOVERED THROUGH PRACTICAL
EXPERIENCE
) HAVE DISCUSSED DEVOTIONAL PUJA AT LENGTH SINCE IT IS THE MAJOR APPROACH ) HAVE USED
TO 4ANTRIC RITUAL SO FAR 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER FORMS )N 4HE %ARTH
-OTHER 0UPUL *AYAKAR DESCRIBES A h7ITCHES 3PELLv FROM THE !THARVA 6EDA
WHICH INVOLVES FAMILIAR ELEMENTS SUCH AS THE CREATION OF AN IMAGE OF THE TARGET OF THE
SPELL THE RECITATION OF MANTRA OVER A PERIOD OF DAYS AND SO FORTH
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
h4O PROPITIATE THE GODDESS RITES WERE ENJOINED FOR THE PREPARATION OF A +UNDA OR lRE
POT WHICH TOOK THE FORM OF A YANTRA SYMBOLIC OF THE YONI !N OBLATION OF 'HEE #LARIlED
"UTTER AND BROWN SUGAR WAS OFFERED TO THE +UNDA 4HE WITCH PUT ON GARLANDS OF RED
SWEET
SMELLING OLEANDER WORE RED GARMENTS AND LAY FACING 3OUTH 4HE MANTRA CALLED
THE WHISPER SPELL WAS THEN USED TO INVOKE
@/M REVERENCE 2UDRA /M / PUNGENT ONE THOU OF THE PUNGENT LEAF BLESSED !SURI RED
DISH ONE THOU OF THE RED GARMENT / DAUGHTER OF !THARVAN NONE
TERRIlC ONE NON
TERRIlC
WONDER
WORKER SMITE SMITE BURN BURN COOK COOK CRUSH CRUSH SO LONG BURN SO LONG
COOK UNTIL YOU HAVE BROUGHT NAME INTO MY POWER 3VAHA
*AYAKAR P
4HE ABOVE LITANY IS USED TO INVOKE THE @!SURI 7OMAN
A FORM OF THE GODDESS $URGA
! MORE EXTREME FORM OF RITUAL IS RELATED IN 3UDHIR +AKARS 3HAMANS -YSTICS
$OCTORS 4HIS IS SADHANA PRACTICE DIRECTED TOWARDS A DEMONESS NAMED +ARNA
4HE SADHNA IS CARRIED OUT OVER THREE DAYS BEFORE THE NEW MOON )T REQUIRES TEN DAYS
OF PREPARATION AND A FURTHER TEN DAYS OF RITUAL AFTER THE SADHANA IS COMPLETED &OR
TEN DAYS THE PRACTITIONER ABSTAINS FROM ALL THE SACRED ACTS PRESCRIBED FOR A "RAHMIN
(E DID NOT CLEAN HIS TEETH CHANGE HIS CLOTHES AND USED THE SAME DIRTY PLATE FOR
EACH MEAL )N THE THREE DAYS OF THE SADHANA ITSELF THE PRACTITIONER SATISlES HIS THIRST
BY DRINKING HIS OWN URINE AND SATISlES HIS HUNGER BY EATING HIS OWN FECES /N THE
lRST NIGHT OF THE SADHANA THE PRACTITIONER LOCKS THE DOORS OF HIS HOUSE (E LIGHTS
ELEVEN LARGE OIL LAMPS IN HIS ROOM (E WEARS A STRING OF lFTY
FOUR BONES WHICH HE HAS
DUG UP FROM THE CREMATION GROUND AT NIGHT AND HOLDS A SIMILAR STRING IN HIS HANDS
&ACING SOUTH HE BEGINS TO RECITE JAPA A MANTRA TIMES (E URINATES AND DEFACATES
WITHOUT BREAKING THE REPETITION AND RUBS THE SHIT AND PISS OVER HIS BODY &INALLY THE
PRACTITIONER RELATES HOW HE IS VISITED BY hAN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN TWENTY
lVE TO THIRTY
YEARS OLD COMPLETELY NAKEDxv 3HE SITS NEXT TO HIM FONDLES HIS PENIS SMEARS BOTH
THEIR BODIES WITH HIS FECES AND DISAPPEARS WHEN HE HAS lNISHED THE RECITATION OF
THE MANTRA /N THE THIRD DAY SHE hINCITEDv HIM TO HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH HER 5PON
COMMENCING HIS lNAL PERIOD OF JAPA SHE APPEARS AGAIN SITS DOWN ON HIS LAP AND
DEFECATES URINATES ALL OVER HIM AGAIN SMEARING HIM BODY WITH HER URINE AND FECES
3HE THEN TELLS THE PRACTITIONER h7HENEVER ) WANT INTERCOURSE )LL COME TO YOU AND YOU
WILL HAVE TO SATISFY MY DESIRE 7HENEVER YOU ASK A QUESTION )LL WHISPER THE ANSWER
IN YOUR EARv +AKARS CORRESPONDENT WRITES THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS SADHANA HE CAN NO
LONGER PERFORM THE SACRED TASKS AND RITUALS OF A "RAHMIN BUT THAT HIS ASTROLOGY BUSI
NESS HAS BOOMED DUE TO THE POWERS OF THE DEMONESS IN GIVING HIM KNOWLEDGE OF HIS
CLIENTS PAST AND FUTURE AND IN DRAWING MORE CLIENTS TOWARDS HIM
4HIS RITUAL IS INTERESTING FOR SEVERAL REASONS &IRSTLY IT VIOLENTLY CONFRONTS AND TRAN
GRESSES ORTHODOX (INDU TABOOS CONCERNING CLEANLINESS AND RITUAL PURITY
IN FACT )
WOULD THINK IT WOULD HAVE A SIMILAR EFFECT ON MOST WESTERNERS 3ECONDLY THIS SADHANA
IS BASED AGAIN ON IDENTIlCATION WHICH THE ENTITY WHICH IS THE FOCUS OF THE PRACTICE
4HE PRACTITIONER BEHAVES IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO BECOME ACCEPTABLE TO THE DEMONESS
HIS PRACTICE CULMINATING IN A KIND OF HIEROS GAMOS WHICH FOR THE "RAHMIN IS AS
SHAMEFUL AS IT IS ECSTATIC 4HE RESULT OF THIS SADHANA IS THAT WHILE HE BECOMES PROSPER
OUS HE HAS EFFECTIVELY BECOME AN @OUTCAST IN SOCIETY
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
!NANDA AND ,ILA
4HE TERM @LILA IS USED TO DENOTE DIVINE PLAY SPORT OR DALLIANCE AND THE GODS ARE OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS BEING IN THIS STATE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE 5NIVERSE )N ASPIRING
TO THE DIVINE PLAY OF THE GODS THE TANTRIC SEEKS TO BECOME UNFETTERED AND UNCONDI
TIONED )N PLAYING YOU LEAVE BEHIND THE PERCEPTION OF THE @ORDINARY WORLD AND ENTER
A MAGICAL WORLD !S DIVINE PLAYERS IN THIS WORLD THE GODS ARE JOYOUS GRACEFUL AND
SPONTANEOUS BEINGS TAKING DELIGHT IN THE UNIVERSE 2ELATED TO THIS IDEA OF DIVINE PLAY
IS THAT OF @ANANDA
WHICH IS USUALLY TRANSLATED AS MEANING @BLISS 7HEN WE TRY AND
APPROACH BLISS IN THIS SENSE WE NEED TO BE QUITE CAREFUL WITH TERMS AND DISTINCTIONS
&OR EXAMPLE MANY PEOPLE THINK OF BLISS STATES SUCH AS SAMADHI AS BEING CHARACTERIZED
BY A FUGUE
LIKE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE WORLD "UT THE TANTRIC GOAL IS NOT ABOUT RETREAT
ING FROM THE WORLD BUT ENJOYING IT &OR MYSELF ) RATHER LIKE THE DElNITION OF !NANDA
GIVEN IN +AKAR P
BY A CORRESPONDENT
h4HE TRUE TANTRIK IS ALWAYS IN A STATE OF NONSUPPRESSION AND ENJOYMENT 4HE PURPOSE OF
EVERY MOMENT OF LIFE IS TO EXPERIENCE ANANDA !NANDA IS ACTIVE ENJOYMENT OF EVERYTHING
THAT COMES YOUR WAY x ! TANTRIK HAS ONLY THOSE DESIRES WHICH THE ENVIRONMENT IS READY
WILLING AND IN A POSITION TO SATISFY 4HIS IS NOT BECAUSE HE DENIES ANY OF HIS WISHES OR
RATIONALIZES THEM LATER BUT BECAUSE HE HAS DEVELOPED HIS CAPACITY FOR ATTENTION AND IS
INTENSELY AWARE OF WHERE HE IS AND WHAT HE IS DOING AT EVERY MOMENT OF TIMEv
(ENCE 4ANTRIC MAGIC PLACES GREAT STRESS ON ENHANCING AWARENESS OF ONES SENSES
OF ONES PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF THE WORLD AROUND US OF IDENTIFYING AND INTEGRATING
THE FETTERS OF HABIT RESTRICTION ATTACHMENT
THE @OBSTACLES WHICH IMPEDE US FROM
EXPERIENCING ANANDA 4ANTRA IS A PATH OF 0SYCHOSOMATIC !LCHEMY WHICH STARTS WITH
THE BASIC PREMISES OF SENSUALITY AND WORSHIP PLEASURE ENERGY AND COMPASSION 4HIS
ALCHEMY IS DYNAMIC DEMONSTRATING THAT THE BODY IS A SEETHING CAULDRON OF ACTIVITY
NEURAL lRESTORMS mICKER ACROSS THE BRAIN IN MILLISECONDS COMPLEX MOLECULAR TRANSAC
TIONS TAKE PLACE WITHIN AN INSTANT THE HEART SHEDS ENERGY LIKE A FURNACE 4ANTRIC MAG
IC ENCOMPASSES ALL THE SO
CALLED TECHNIQUES OF 'NOSIS FROM SILENT CONTEMPLATION OF A
COBWEB AT DAWN TO FRENZIED ECSTASY /NE OF THE CORE VIRTUES OF 4ANTRA IS #OMPASSION
ARISING OUT OF EMPATHIC IDENTITY WITH THE SPECIES THE %ARTH AND BEYOND 4HIS EMBED
DED @OPENNESS TO THE WORLD IS METAMORPHIC DEEPENING VISION STRENGTHENING THE
HEART !S SUCH SYSTEMS OF CONTROL BASED ON FEAR AND BLIND OBEDIENCE HAVE ALWAYS
VIEWED 4ANTRA AS SUSPICIOUS IF NOT SEDITIOUS
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
4HREE 4HE SCIENCE OF EXTREMES
) T HAS BEEN OBSERVED THAT 4ANTRA IS THE )NDIAN EQUIVALENT TO 3ATANISM
IN THAT
4ANTRA IS OPPOSED TO THE ORTHODOX 6EDANTIC CULTURE IN A SIMILAR WAY THAT 3ATANISM
IS HELD TO @OPPOSE #HRISTIAN CULTURE 7HILE THIS IDENTIlCATION MAY BE DISTASTEFUL
TO SOME READERS ) WOULD PROPOSE THAT THIS IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE IF ONE CONSIDERS HOW
4ANTRA IS VIEWED BY THE MODERN )NDIAN AUTHORITIES 3CHOLARS TOO PARTICULARLY THOSE
WORKING IN THE SHADOW OF 3IR *OHN 7OODROFFE !RTHUR !VALON HAVE CONSISTENTLY AT
TEMPTED TO BANISH THE MAGICAL SUPERSTITIOUS AND SEXUAL ASSOCIATIONS OF 4ANTRA
WHAT
*EFFREY +RIPAL QUITE RIGHTLY IN MY VIEW TERMS ITS @SEEDINESS
AND ELEVATE IT TOWARDS
BEING A @RESPECTABLE 3ANSKRIT PHILOSOPHY 3OME WRITERS BOTH )NDIAN AND 7ESTERN
ARE TO THIS DAY INSISTING THAT THE LINGAM AND THE YONI HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
PENIS AND VAGINA -OREOVER 7ENDY $ONIGER /&LAHERTY POINTS OUT THAT WHILST 4ANTRA
IS A REALITY FOR ITS INITIATES IT IS NONETHELESS A FANTASY FOR MOST (INDUS
A MYTHOLOGY
OF REPRESSED DESIRES USED BY ORTHODOX (INDUS IN A SIMILAR WAY THAT SOME #HRISTIANS
PROJECT A 3ATANIC MYTHOLOGY
AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL DARK MIRROR
$ESPITE THE CURRENT ENTHUSIASM FOR ELEMENTS OF 4ANTRIC PRACTICE IN .EW !GE CIRCLES
4ANTRA WILL ALWAYS REMAIN INHERENTLY @DODGY DUE TO ITS EMPHASIS ON AND EMBRACING
OF EXTREMES OF BEHAVIOUR WHICH OFTEN SEEM TO THE 7ESTERN OBSERVER TO BE CONTRADIC
TORY -OREOVER 4ANTRA IS STILL VERY MUCH SHROUDED IN MYSTERY DESPITE THE PLETHORA
OF POPULIST BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT 4HE SCHOLASTIC STUDY OF 4ANTRA IS DIFlCULT DUE TO THE
@CLOSED
MOUTH STANCE OF ITS ADHERENTS AND ITS ESOTERIC CULTURE ,IKE CHAOS MAGICIANS
IT IS OFTEN DIFlCULT TO OBTAIN A CONSENSUS FROM 4ANTRICS ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF BELIEF
OR TECHNIQUE !LTHOUGH MANY lNE STUDIES OF 4ANTRIC IDEAS ARE AVAILABLE WITH FEW
EXCEPTIONS THESE ARE RESTRICTED TO THE TEXTUALLY
BASED PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITIONS SUCH AS
+ASHMIR 3AIVISM 'OPINATH +AVIRAJ AUTHOR OF 4ANTRIKA 3ADHANA 3IDDHANTA REMARKS
THAT HISTORICAL RESEARCH ALONE CANNOT GET TO GRIPS WITH THE @DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF 4ANTRA
AS TO DO THIS REQUIRES AN @INNER GNOSIS )N OTHER WORDS 4ANTRA CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD
FULLY FROM THE OUTSIDE
4ABOO 4RANSGRESSION
4ANTRA INTENTIONALLY REVERSES AND CHALLENGES BRAHAMANIC CULTURE THROUGH ITS IMAGES
SYMBOLISM AND DELIBERATE RITUAL USE OF IMPURE SUBSTANCES IE MEAT WINE AND ILLICIT
ACTS WHICH BOTH TRANSGRESS AND TRANSCEND TRADITIONAL (INDU NORMATIVE VALUES 7HILST
IT IS OFTEN CLAIMED THAT 4ANTRA IS AN ANTI
6EDIC TRADITION IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
THE 4ANTRIC ACTS OF TRANSGRESSION ONLY RETAIN THEIR POWER IN RELATION TO THE ORTHODOX
SOCIAL CULTURE AND RELIGIOUS TRADITION &OR EXAMPLE LETS SAY WE HAVE A YOUNG "RAHMIN
WHO WISHES TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF 4ANTRA 4HE 4ANTRIK MIGHT SAY h/KAY YOU BRING A
BOTTLE OF WINE )LL BRING A GIRL AND SOME RAW GOAT MEAT AND WELL MEET DOWN THE CRE
MATION
GROUND AT MIDNIGHTv 4HIS SIMPLE SENTENCE IS REPLETE WITH TRANSGRESSIONS FOR
THE "RAHMIN
THE CREMATION GROUND AT MIDNIGHT
THE ABODE OF DEMONS HOBGOBLINS
AND GHOSTS
THE INVITATION TO DRINK WINE AND EAT MEAT
AND THE INVITATION TO PARTAKE
OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE @OUTSIDE OF THE RULES OF CAST AND SOCIETY 4HE TANTRIK INITIATION
IN THESE TERMS PLACES THE INITIATE @OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM SOCIETY
4HIS ALONE BECOMES PROBLEMATIC FOR WESTERNERS INTERESTED IN 4ANTRIC PRACTICE &OR ONE
THING IT IS DIFlCULT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW SHOCKING TANTRIC PRACTICES MUST HAVE
BEEN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN INITIATED "RAHMIN WHO COULD BE SENT INTO A FRENZY
OF SELF
PURIlCATION AT THE MERE SIGHT OF A LOW
CAST PERSON -EAT AND WINE ARE SIMPLY
NOT TABOOS IN THE WEST
WE MIGHT CHOOSE ABSTENTION FROM THEM AND THUS IMBUE THEM
WITH POWER FOR RITUAL PURPOSES BUT THEY ARE NOT TABOO IN THE SAME DEEP WAY THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR A "RAHMIN 3O IT BEHOVES THE WESTERN TANTRIKA TO CHOOSE
OTHER FORMS OF TRANSGRESSION 4HE RECOGNITION AND EXPLORATION OF ONES OWN PERSONAL
TABOOS AND LIMITATIONS ARE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF MAGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE PRI
MACY WHICH TANTRIK MAGIC PLACES ON THIS WORK
+LESHA
SMASHING
AS IT IS SOMETIMES
KNOWN IS FOR ME A STRENGTH OF THIS APPROACH )T WOULD BE A MISTAKE HOWEVER TO
CONFUSE TRANSGRESSION WITH OPPOSITION !LTHOUGH TANTRIC INITIATION PLACES THE INDI
VIDUAL EFFECTIVELY BEYOND THE NORMS OF HIS OR HER SOCIETY THIS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TO
INDICATE THAT THE TANTRIK IS NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO THAT SOCIETY )NDIAN CULTURE HAS OR
AT LEAST HAD A PLACE FOR THOSE WHOSE WAY OF LIFE WAS BEYOND THE NORM 4ANTRIK INITIATES
COULD BE BOTH FEARED AS POWERFUL SORCERERS BUT AT THE SAME TIME RESPECTED AS HOLY
MEN !GAIN A STRONG ELEMENT IN TANTRIK PHILOSOPHY IS THE IDEA OF SERVICE TO ONES FEL
LOWS 7ESTERN OCCULTISM IS LITTERED WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO FEEL THEMSELVES BY THE MERE
VIRTUE OF PRACTISING MAGICK TO BE SOMEHOW ELEVATED FROM THEIR FELLOW BEINGS 4HE RO
MANCE OF BEING AN @OUTSIDER IS ATTRACTIVE AND SEDUCTIVE PARTICULARLY WHEN IT BECOMES
A SHIELD AGAINST CONFRONTING ONES OWN SHORTCOMINGS !NYONE CAN DECLARE THEMSELVES
TO BE AN OUTSIDER IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR OWN HOME
ITS EASY )N CONTRAST 4ANTRIC CULTS
SUCH AS THE 0ASUPATAS ACTIVELY DREW TO THEMSELVES THE CONTEMPT AND ABHORRENCE OF
THEIR FELLOW MEN BY BATHING IN DIRT BEHAVING LIKE MADMEN AND MASTURBATING IN
PUBLIC
IN ORDER TO CREATE IN THEMSELVES IT IS SAID A CONDITION OF PASSIONLESS DETACH
MENT FROM THE WORLD 0ASUPATAS WORKED HARD AT DRAWING CENSURE FROM OTHER PEOPLE
THROUGH THE @SIX
$OORS DVARAS 4HESE WERE SNORING OR ACTING AS IF ASLEEP WHEN NOT
SHAKING ONES LIMBS AS THOUGH AFmICTED BY DISEASE WALKING AS IF CRIPPLED MAKING
AMOROUS GESTURES OPENLY TO WOMEN ACTING FOOLISHLY AND UTTERING SENSELESS WORDS
.OT USUALLY THE BEHAVIOUR ONE ASSOCIATES WITH WANNABE
OUTSIDERS WHO ARE MOSTLY FAR
TOO CONCERNED WITH TAKING THEMSELVES AND BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY
!SCETICISM %ROTICISM
4HE TRADITION OF WITHDRAWAL FROM THE WORLD THROUGH ASCETIC PRACTICES IS A CENTRAL AND
ENDURING THEME IN )NDIAN METAPHYSICS 4HE RENUNCIATION OF THE WORLD IN FAVOUR OF
AN ISOLATED LIFE IN FOREST OR CAVE HAS BEEN TRACED BY SCHOLARS TO AS FAR BACK AS "#
AROUND THE TIME WHEN THE 5PANISHADS WERE CODIlED ALTHOUGH THERE IS EVIDENCE TO
SUGGEST THAT THE METHODOLOGIES OF YOGA WERE KNOWN TO THE CIVILIZATIONS OF THE )NDUS
6ALLEY
"# 7HILE SOME SECTS AND CULTS HAVE PRACTISED SEVERE AUSTERITIES
4ANTRIC CULTS ARE GENERALLY CHARACTERISED BY AN AVOIDANCE OF ASCETIC PRACTISES WHICH
ARE ROOTED IN DENIAL OF THE WORLD OR OF MORTIlCATION OF THE mESH FOR ITS OWN SAKE
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
4HE GOAL OF THE 4ANTRIC SADHU IS NOT SO MUCH TO TRANSCEND THE WORLD OF FORM BUT
TO IMMERSE HIMSELF IN IT ALL THE BETTER TO ENJOY THE LOVE
PLAY OF THE 'ODDESS )N THE
IMAGE OF !LL THAT EXISTS mOWS FROM AND AT THE SAME TIME IS THE UNION OF 3HIVA
3HAKTI
AS REPRESENTED BY THE IMAGE OF !RDHANISHVARA THE TWIN POLES OF 4ANTRIC SADHANA
RENUNCIATION AND EROTIC BLISS ARE UNITED 4HE ROUTE TO SUPER
CONSCIOUSNESS
hTHE
REALISATION THAT EVERYTHING IS ALIVE AND SIGNIlCANTv AS 7ILLIAM 3 "URROUGHS PUT IT
OR IN THE WORDS OF 2AMAKRISHNA h3HE (ERSELF HAS BECOME %VERYTHINGv REQUIRES BOTH
PERIODS OF ASCETIC WITHDRAWAL AND EROTIC UNION 3HIVA IS BOTH THE -AHAYOGI AND THE
LOVER OF THE 'ODDESS SPENDING THOUSANDS OF YEARS IN ASCETIC WITHDRAWAL OR EQUALLY
IN BLISSFUL UNION WITH THE 'ODDESS )N SOME TANTRIC SCHOOLS INITIATES SPENT A LONG PE
RIOD USING ASCETIC PRACTICES TO @PURIFY THE BODYMIND IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEMSELVES
FOR BECOMING SUITABLE RECEPTACLES FOR THE RECEPTION OF DIVINE FORCE
4HE IDEA THAT ASCETIC PRACTICES IN MODERATION HAVE VALUE SEEMS TO BE DIFlCULT FOR
SOME 7ESTERN MAGICIANS TO ACCEPT 7ESTERN CULTURE IS OVERLY ATTACHED TO INSTANT
GRATIlCATION AND OBSESSED WITH BEING @SEXUALLY SUCCESSFUL "EING SEXUALLY ACTIVE IS
CLOSELY RELATED TO SELF
ESTEEM IN OUR CULTURE TO THE EXTENT THAT ADMITTING THAT ONE HAS
PROBLEMS WITH ONES SEXUAL FEELINGS IDENTIlCATIONS IS SOMETHING OF A TABOO IN ITSELF
PARTICULARLY IN THE MAGICAL SUBCULTURE WHERE THERE IS A COMMON BELIEF THAT @SUCCESS
FUL MAGICK EQUATES WITH A HIGH SEX
DRIVE /UR SEXUALITY IS FELT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST
PRIVATE AREAS OF OUR LIVES YET IT IS HIGHLY INmUENCED BY @EXTERNAL CONDITIONS )N THIS
KIND OF ATMOSPHERE
@NOT HAVING SEX CAN BECOME AS MUCH OF AN ACT OF MAGICK AS ANY
RITUALIZED COPULATION AND PROBABLY MORE PRODUCTIVE IN THE LONG RUN IF ONE IS SIMPLY
RESPONDING TO @SURFACE GRATIlCATIONS RATHER THAN ACTUALLY EXAMINING ONES UNDERLY
ING COMPLEX OF MOTIVATIONS AND KLESHAS -OREOVER ASCETIC PRACTICES ARE USEFUL FOR
SENSITIZING THE BODYMIND TO SUBTLE NUANCES OF EXPERIENCE AND SENSATION THAT WOULD
OTHERWISE PASS UNNOTICED
'ODDESSES SLUTS
4ANTRA HAS BEEN MUCH
ACCLAIMED BY MODERN NEO
PAGAN WRITERS DUE TO THE APPARENT
EQUALITY WHICH IT GIVES TO THE GOD GODDESS MALE FEMALE PRACTITIONER -UCH HAS
BEEN SAID ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES OF BELIEF AND PRACTICE BETWEEN 4ANTRA AND MODERN
7ICCA FOR EXAMPLE ) FEEL THAT THERE IS AN ELEMENT HERE OF THE 7ESTERN EYE LOOKING FOR
REmECTIONS OF WHAT IT WANTS TO SEE !LL TOO OFTEN THERE IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT GODDESS
ORIENTED CULTURES GIVE EQUAL PROMINENCE TO WOMEN IN THEIR SOCIETIES %VEN A CURSORY
GLANCE AT MODERN )NDIA WILL EXPLODE THIS MYTH 7HILST TANTRIC CULTS HAVE WELCOMED
FEMALE MEMBERS MOST RESEARCHERS AGREE THAT IT IS INORDINATELY DIFlCULT FOR WOMEN
TO FOLLOW A TANTRIC PATH 7HILST FEMALE GURUS ARE NOT UNCOMMON THERE IS RELATIVELY
LITTLE HISTORICAL MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON THEM AND THE MOST FAMOUS IS hTHE "HAIRAVIv
THE TANTRIC GURU OF 2AMAKRISHNA 3HE RECOGNIZED 2AMAKRISHNAS CONDITION AS ONE OF
POTENTIAL SAINTHOOD RATHER THAN MADNESS AND INITIATED HIM LESS THAN SUCCESSFULLY
IN SOME AREAS ACCORDING TO +RIPAL INTO TANTRIC SADHANA -OREOVER THE MAJORITY OF
TANTRIC TEXTS ARE WRITTEN FROM A MALE PERSPECTIVE OR REmECT MALE PHYSIOLOGY 3OME
TANTRIC TEXTS SPEAK OF THE EFlCACY OF INTERCOURSE WITH LOW
CASTE WOMEN 4HIS CAN BE
READ AS A FURTHER FEINT AT THE TRANSGRESSION OF CASTE
NORMS (OWEVER IT WAS GENERALLY
BELIEVED THAT LOW
BORN WOMEN WERE MORE @ANIMAL
LIKE IN THEIR PASSIONS
LESS ABLE
TO CONTROL THEMSELVES 4HIS SOUNDS VERY LIKE THE MALE FANTASY OF THE WOMAN WHO IS
CONTINUALLY SEXUALLY AVAILABLE
WILLING TO HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH ANY MALE ANYWHERE
AT ANY TIME &URTHER IN SOME TANTRIC SCHOOLS THE CLASSIlCATION OF A PERSONS DISPOSI
TION AS PREDOMINANTLY ANIMAL
LIKE PASHU IS HIGHLY JUDGEMENTAL AGAINST THEM )T
SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN THAT IN )NDIAN CULTURE WOMEN MAY HAVE POWER SHAKTI BUT
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
MEN POSSESS AUTHORITY /&LAHERTY DISCUSSES THIS AT LENGTH IN 7OMEN !NDROGYNES
OTHER -YTHICAL "EASTS 3HE POINTS OUT P THAT THE USE OF A LOW
CASTE WOMAN
IN TANTRIC RITUAL ACTS TO @BALANCE OUT THE POWER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HUMAN AND
DIVINE MALE AND FEMALE 4HE MALE PRACTITIONER RECEIVES BENElCIAL FEMALE POWER FOR
HIMSELF WHILST RETAINING HIS AUTHORITY #ONTACT WITH A DIVINITY PARTICULARLY A POWER
FUL AGGRESSIVE EROTIC GODDESS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN )NDIAN PSYCHOLOGY )N
ORTHODOX (INDUISM DANGER LIES IN HAVING CONTACT WITH THAT WHICH IS MORE POWERFUL
THAN ONESELF *UST AS HUMAN
DIVINE CONTACT IS DANGEROUS IT IS HELD TO BE @HARMFUL
FOR MEN TO HAVE CONTACT WITH WOMEN
PARTICULARLY OLDER WOMEN
A POPULAR BELIEF IN
)NDIA AND POSSIBLY ONE REASON WHY THE VARIOUS GODDESSES ARE OFTEN WORSHIPPED IN THE
FORM OF TEENAGE GIRLS
4HE COMPLEXITIES OF SEXUAL POLITICS IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR 7ESTERN MAGICIANS )T IS ALL
TOO EASY FOR MEN TO @IDEALISE WOMEN AS GODDESS
lGURES PLACING THEM ON PEDESTALS
WHILST NEGLECTING TO EXAMINE HOW THEY REGARD WOMEN IN THEIR DAY
TO
DAY LIVES 4HUS
ONE STILL ENCOUNTERS MALE MAGICIANS WHO ARE @LOOKING FOR A SHAKTI OR SCARLET WOMAN
VERY MUCH IN THE SENSE OF ACQUIRING A MAGICAL TOOL TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR @'REAT
7ORK (EAVENS FORBID THAT THE @SHAKTI MIGHT HAVE HER OWN IDEAS OR WILL IN THE MAT
TER 4HE WRITER ,OUIS 4 #ULLING EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO RECOMMEND THAT MALE MAGICIANS
CHOOSE FEMALE PARTNERS WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF SEXUAL MAGICK /NE PRESUMES THAT
THE CONVERSE
THAT FEMALE MAGICIANS COULD @USE MALES WHO WERE IGNORANT OF THE 'REAT
7ORK AS ASSISTANTS DID NOT EVEN OCCUR TO THE ADVOCATES OF THIS APPROACH
!S ) MENTIONED IN PART ONE OF THIS SERIES THE GENERAL ASSUMPTION ) MOST OFTEN ENCOUN
TER IS THAT OF 4ANTRIC MAGICK BEING EQUATED WITH SEXUAL SHENNANIGANS 3O MEN ARE
OFTEN @EAGER TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT OUR GROUP GETS UP TO WHILST WOMEN ARE OFTEN WARY
!FTER IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT ORGIA IS NOT ON THE MENU MEN TEND TO BE DISAPPOINTED
WHILST WOMEN SEEM TO BE SOMEWHAT RELIEVED /NES UNDERSTANDING OF 4ANTRA AS MUCH
ANY OTHER SUBJECT WILL BE COLOURED BY THE EXPECTATIONS ONE BRINGS TO IT AND WHAT ONE
IS SEEKING )T SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT ONES UNDERSTANDING OF A SUBJECT CHANGES OVER
TIME AS ONES DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE CHANGES SOMETIMES AS A CONSEQUENCE OF MAGICAL
ACTIVITY !N OBVIOUS POINT PERHAPS BUT ONE THAT IS EASILY FORGOTTEN 4HIS IS PERHAPS
ONE REASON WHY THERE ARE SO MANY INJUNCTIONS THAT 4ANTRIC SADHANA SHOULD NOT BE
CARRIED OUT WITHOUT A 'URU )T IS NOT SO MUCH THAT THE 'URU IMPARTS SECRETS BUT THAT
THE 'URU GIVES ONE ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON AN ISSUE OR SITUATION 3UDHIR +AKAR IN
3HAMANS -YSTICS $OCTORS GIVES A SOMEWHAT AMUSING EXAMPLE OF A CONVERSATION
BETWEEN A YOUNG YEAR
OLD STUDENT OF 4ANTRA AND HIS GURU
h#AN YOU TELL ME UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES YOU GET AN ERECTION v
h'URU ) DONT KNOW "UT ) OFTEN HAVE AN ERECTIONv
h7HEN YOU GET AN ERECTION WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT v
h7ELL ) FEEL PLEASURE BUT ) AM ALSO UNCOMFORTABLEv
h7HAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THE ERECTION v
h3OMETIMES ) GO TO THE BATHROOM RUN A HAND OVER IT TILL SPERM IS RELEASED AND THEN ) FEEL
GOODv
h9ES THATS lNE 4HIS IS ONE WAY OF DOING IT "UT THIS SHOULDNT LAST 7OULD YOU LIKE TO
USE YOUR HAND FOREVER v
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
h.O WHAT )D LIKE TO DO IS lND A WOMAN PUT MY ERECTION IN HER AND DRIVE AS HARD AS
POSSIBLEv
h7HAT DO YOU THINK THE WOMAN THINKS ABOUT THAT v
h) DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEANv
h7ELL SHE IS NOT DEAD IS SHE 7OULD YOU HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH A CORPSE v
h.Ov
h4HEN SHE MUST SOMEHOW PARTICIPATE IN IT 3HE MUST HAVE SOMETHING FOR IT MUSTNT SHE
7HY SHOULD SHE DO IT xv
+AKAR P
&OR 4ANTRICS AS WITH OTHER MAGICAL TRADITIONS IT IS THE INTENTION POWERING AN AC
TION WHICH IS ALL IMPORTANT 3MOKING DOPE DRINKING AND FUCKING ANYTHING THAT
MOVES DOES NOT NECESSARILY A SADHU MAKE 4HE GOAL OF 4ANTRIC PRACTICE IS THE RADICAL
DECONSTRUCTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN ORDER TO ATTAIN THE IDEAL OF THE SAHAJA STATE
THAT OF NATURAL SPONTANEITY UNFETTERED BY SELF LIMITATION OR DELUSION -OST )NDIAN
METAPHYSICAL TRADITIONS APART FROM THE "UDDHISTS AND THE -ATERIALISTS BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS THE PRIMAL HUMAN CONDITION WHICH CAN BE RE ATTAINED THROUGH THE VARIOUS
PRACTISES AND DISCIPLINES OF SADHANA !S WITH ANY SUCH IDEAL STATE IT IS HIGHLY DEBAT
ABLE WHETHER THE SAHAJA STATE IS FULLY ATTAINABLE PARTICULARLY WHEN ONE CONSIDERS
THAT IT CAN TAKE YEARS OF THERAPY OR SELF EXPLORATION JUST TO @DIGEST THE +ARMA OF ONES
CHILDHOOD 7HAT ONE DOES ALONG THE @WAY OF COURSE IS ALL IMPORTANT (AVING MET
OVER THE YEARS NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS WHO CLAIM TO HAVE @SLAIN THEIR EGOS @CROSSED THE
ABYSS @ATTAINED 'ODHEAD OR BECOME @-AGUSES ) SOMETIMES FEEL IT IS MORE PRODUC
TIVE TO @FORGET THE GOAL AND CONCENTRATE ON CORRECT PRACTICE )F NOTHING ELSE KEEPING
THE GOAL IN THE REGION OF BEING RELATIVELY UNATTAINABLE BREEDS AN ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY
A QUALITY WHICH SEEMS TO BE ABSENT FROM THE WOULD BE @GOD LIKE INDIVIDUALS THAT ONE
ENCOUNTERS FROM TIME TO TIME
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
&OUR 4HE GURUFAKIR OR FAKER
4 HE lGURE OF THE 'URU 3PIRITUAL 'UIDE -ASTER OR 4EACHER HAS BEEN GREATLY
INmUENTIAL ON 7ESTERN ATTITUDES TO THE ESOTERIC AND REMAINS SOMEWHAT CON
TROVERSIAL 4HE POPULAR IMAGE OF THE GURU WAS SUCCESSFULLY LAMPOONED IN THE
RECENT ""# )NDIAN COMEDY h'OODNESS 'RACIOUS -Ev AS h(IS $IVINE #ALMNESS 3RI
/NION "HAJIv A RATHER PORTLY WHITE BEARDED )NDIAN MAN EXUDING BENIGN GRACE AND
MOUTHING EMPTY SPIRITUAL PLATITUDES TO A FAWNING WESTERN AUDIENCE 9ET DESPITE THE
PREVAILING MOOD OF CYNICISM TOWARDS SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY lGURES WHICH HAS PERVADED
EVEN UNTO THE LOFTY HEIGHTS OF THE .EW !GE COMMUNITY PEOPLE ENTERING ESOTERIC
STUDIES WHATEVER THEIR FORM STILL SEEK OUT @TEACHERS AND THERE SEEMS TO BE PLENTY
OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STILL EAGER TO BE KNOWN AS @TEACHERS 3OME SAY THAT THE VERY
IDEA OF HAVING @MAGICAL TEACHERS IS REDUNDANT IN THE MODERN INFORMATION RICH AGE
) WOULD ARGUE THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE BUT THAT WE PERHAPS NEED TO RE EVALUATE OUR
EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT ESOTERIC TEACHING IS ABOUT 4EACHERS CAN BE SOMETHING MORE THAN
@KEEPERS OF KNOWLEDGE )N OUR INFORMATION RICH CULTURE THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER SHIFTS
FROM SOMEONE WHO DOLES OUT KNOWLEDGE TO SOMEONE WHO MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US STEER
A PATH THROUGH THAT INFORMATION HELPING US TO SORT OUT WHAT IS RELEVANT FOR US AND
HOW TO MAKE IT MEANINGFUL TO OUR LIVES
4O BEGIN WITH ) SHALL SKETCH OUT MY OWN PERCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF THE 'URU WITHIN
THE 4ANTRIC CORPUS )T MAY SEEM TO BE SOMEWHAT PARADOXICAL THAT A SYSTEM IN WHICH
THE GURU lGURE PLAYS SUCH A PRIMARY ROLE TURNS OUT lERCELY INDEPENDENT INDIVIDU
ALISTIC MAGICIANS !S A BROAD GENERALISATION ) WOULD SAY THAT THE PRIMARY TASK OF
THE GURU TOWARDS THE ASPIRANT IS THE AWAKENING OF THE LATENT KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINITY
WITHIN THUS OPENING THE WAY FOR THE ASPIRANTS OWN INTEGRAL REALISATION OF 3ELF
!LTHOUGH IT IS RECOGNISED IN THE VARIOUS )NDIAN SCHOOLS AND SYSTEMS THAT THIS AWAKEN
ING TO SELF REALISATION MAY OCCUR SPONTANEOUSLY UNMEDIATED BY ANY EXTERNAL SOURCE
IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SUCH OCCURRENCES ARE RARE &URTHER IT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED
BY MOST (INDU SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT THAT THE LIBERATING DIVINE GRACE WHICH mOWS
FROM THE PRIMAL SOURCE IS NOT DIRECTLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL )T REQUIRES A MEDIATING FACTOR
WHICH ON A HUMAN LEVEL IS A 'URU ACTING AS AN AGENT OF THE DIVINE WILL 4HE ASPIRANT
IS OFTEN ENJOINED TO CONSIDER THE GURU AS AN INCARNATION OF THE 3UPREME ,ORD 4HIS
DOES NOT HOWEVER IMPLY A SLAVISH OBEDIENCE TO THE GURU AS IT IS SO OFTEN PERCEIVED BY
7ESTERNERS AS THE ROLE OF THE 'URU IS TO FACILITATE THE ASPIRANTS DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS
TRUE INDEPENDENCE )T IS ALSO RECOGNISED THAT THE 'URU PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN RE
lNING THE ASPIRANTS SELF REALIZATION 4HERE IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT MOMENTS
OF ILLUMINATION EQUATE WITH PERMANENT ENLIGHTENMENT AND LIBERATION FROM LIMITATIONS
)T IS WELL RECOGNISED BY TANTRICS THAT @AWAKENING ALONE DOES NOT EQUATE WITH INTEGRAL
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
SELF REALIZATION AND THAT FURTHER EXERTION IS REQUIRED IN THE FORM OF THE PHYSICAL
MENTAL DISCIPLINES OF SADHANA
4HE 'URU CAN ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ASSISTING THE ASPIRANT TO RECOGNISE JUST
WHAT IS HAPPENING DURING THE PROCESS OF @AWAKENING )N h+ALIS #HILDv *EFFREY +RIPAL
POINTS OUT THAT IT WAS hTHE "HAIRAVIv 2AMAKRISHNAS FEMALE 4ANTRIC 'URU WHO REC
OGNISED THE SAINTS BEHAVIOUR NOT AS SIGNS OF MADNESS BUT AS HIS STRUGGLE TO AWAKEN
TOWARDS SELF REALIZATION /F COURSE DOUBT CAN BE CAST UPON THIS AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER
ASPECT OF THE 'URUS ROLE AFTER ALL IT WAS @"ISHOP ,EADBEATER WHO RECOGNISED THE
YOUTHFUL +RISHNAMURTIS @DIVINE POTENTIAL ALTHOUGH AFTER THE SCANDALS WHICH LATER
ROCKED THE 4HEOSOPHICAL 3OCIETY CONCERNING ,EADBEATERS FONDNESS FOR TEACHING
YOUNG BOYS THE SADHANA OF MUTUAL MASTURBATION MANY HAVE SAID THAT ,EADBEATER
WAS PROBABLY NOT SO MUCH ATTRACTED BY +RISHNAMURTIS AURA BUT HIS MORE PHYSICAL AT
TRIBUTES .EVERTHELESS IT IS UNDENIABLE AT LEAST TO ANYONE PERSONALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE
TRAUMAS OF @SPIRITUAL AWAKENING THAT IT IS HIGHLY USEFUL TO TALK ABOUT ONES STRANGE
FEELINGS AND MOODS WITH SOMEONE WHO IS SYMPATHETIC AND CAN AT THE VERY LEAST SAY
hTHIS IS NORMAL YOURE NOT GOING MADv
)T SHOULD BE RECOGNISED THAT JUST AS THERE ARE @DODGY GURUS OUT THERE THERE ARE EQUAL
LY @DODGY ASPIRANTS !S 2OBERT !NTON 7ILSON ONCE QUIPPED h! DISCIPLE IS AN ASSHOLE
LOOKING FOR A HUMAN BEING TO ATTACH ITSELF TOv *UST AS MODERN OCCULTISM IS RIFE WITH
FRAUDULENT TEACHERS AND MASTERS IT IS EQUALLY RIFE WITH UNDISCRIMINATING INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SURROGATE PARENT lGURES TO SMOOTH AWAY THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE
WORLD )NDEED 3UDHIR +AKAR HAS PROPOSED THAT THE APPEAL OF CONTEMPORARY @POPULAR
'URUS BOTH IN )NDIA AND ELSEWHERE COULD BE RELATED TO THEIR ROLE AS PARENT lGURES
(E TYPIlES THE INFAMOUS "HAGWAN 3HREE 2AJNEESH AS AN @INDULGENT FATHER lGURE
7ITHIN THE .EW !GE #OMMUNITY GENERALLY CASTIGATED BY OCCULTISTS AS THE SOURCE OF
MUCH UNCRITICAL ACCEPTANCE OF SPIRITUAL DOGMAS THERE HAS ARISEN A SO CALLED hNEW PAR
ADIGMv WHICH IS DECIDEDLY ANTI AUTHORITARIAN %XPONENTS OF THIS hPARADIGMv INCLUDE
*OEL +RAMER $IANA !LSTEAD AUTHORS OF h4HE 'URU 0APERS -ASKS OF !UTHORITARIAN
0OWERv AND THE CONTEMPORARY MYSTIC !NDREW (ARVEY +RAMER !LSTEAD ATTACK THE
@INSTITUTION OF THE GURU SYSTEM NOT ONLY ON THE BASIS OF RECENT SCANDALS BUT THAT IT
IS INHERENTLY ABUSIVE AND AUTHORITARIAN 4HEY ALSO ATTACK WHAT THEY CALL hRENUNCI
ATE MORALITYv THE IDEALS OF SELmESSNESS EGOLESSNESS AND SELF SACRIlCE AS BEING
DANGEROUSLY mAWED THAT SUCH IDEAS LEAD PEOPLE TO DOUBT THEMSELVES AND SO BECOME
SUSCEPTIBLE TO MANIPULATIVE lGURES 4HE CASE OF !NDREW (ARVEY IS PERHAPS MORE
INTERESTING (ARVEY AUTHOR OF h! *OURNEY IN ,ADAKHv AND h! 3PIRITUAL !WAKENINGv
DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS hA RECOVERING GURUHOLICv (E IS NOTABLE FOR lRST BECOMING A FER
VENT DEVOTEE OF -OTHER -EERA AN )NDIAN BORN AND 'ERMAN BASED 3PIRITUAL 4EACHER
WHO IS PROCLAIMED BY HER FOLLOWERS TO BE AN AVATAR OF THE 'ODDESS AND THEN PUBLICLY
REJECTING HER DUE TO HER APPARENT HOMOPHOBIA (ARVEY IS ALSO A CRITIC OF THE @'URU
3YSTEM SAYING THAT IT hKEEPS PEOPLE INFANTILE IT KEEPS THEM SLAVES IT SIPHONS OFF THE
SACRED ENERGY THAT NEEDS TO BE POURED INTO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND POLITICSv ) UNDERSTAND
THAT THE @EMERGENCE OF THIS NEW @PARADIGM HAS LED TO A GOOD DEAL OF DEBATE AND
ANGUISH AMONGST .EW !GERS !T THE CORE OF THIS ARGUMENT IS THE IMPLICIT IDEA THAT THE
POPULAR PERCEPTION OF 'URUS AS @PURE BEINGS WHO HAVE TRANSCENDED HUMAN LIMITA
TIONS IS AN UNATTAINABLE MYTH )T FOLLOWS THEN THAT IF THE IDEA OF @PURE BEINGS IS A FAL
LACY THEN THE IDEAL OF ATTAINING SUCH A STATE AS A RESULT OF ONES OWN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
IS CALLED INTO QUESTION (ARVEY MAKES THIS VERY CLEAR
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
h) THINK THAT THE TRUE SPIRITUAL GUIDE ADMITS THAT HE OR SHE IS STILL IN PROCESS THAT THEY
ARE ALWAYS AWARE OF THEIR OWN SHADOW AND OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THEIR UPBRINGING THEIR
CULTURAL CONDITIONING THEIR PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS VIEWS 4HE TRUE SPIRITUAL GUIDE NEVER
CLAIMS TO BE UNIlED WITH THE DIVINEv
$AMNING AS THIS CRITIQUE APPEARS TO BE ) DO NOT PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IT TOTALLY IN
VALIDATES THE FUNCTION OF SPIRITUAL GUIDES BE THEY TERMED TEACHERS OR 'URUS )NDEED
THEY SAY MORE ABOUT THE PERCEPTIONS THAT WESTERNERS HAVE IMPOSED ONTO THE 'URU
lGURE AND THE ROLE OF THE 'URU IN TRANSMITTING ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE ! MESSAGE POSTED
TO AN )NTERNET DISCUSSION FORUM FOLLOWING THE RESPONSE TO AN INTERVIEW WITH !NDREW
(ARVEY MAKES SOME TELLING POINTS
h,OOK AT HOW MUCH ENERGY IS DIRECTED TOWARD !NDREW (ARVEY INVALIDATING WHAT HE HAS
TO SAY SO MUCH ANGER TOWARD HIM AND SO LITTLE TOWARD -OTHER -EERA FOR HER CRUELTY
AND HYPOCRISY ) RECOGNIZED ALL THESE PATTERNS OF DENIAL FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND )
SUSPECT MANY INCEST AND OTHER TRAUMA SURVIVORS DID TOO 'URUS ARE FALLING LIKE DOMINOS
THESE DAYS (OW MANY MORE GURUS MUST FALL BEFORE WE RE
EVALUATE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH
GURUS THERAPISTS AND SPIRITUAL TEACHERS EVEN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER
7HEN AN ABUSE HAPPENS MORE THAN ANYTHING THE VICTIM NEEDS A COMMUNITY WILLING TO
HEAR HER EXPERIENCE TO KNOW THE TRUTH 4HIS UNFORTUNATELY IS A RARE EXPERIENCE INDEED
FOR ABUSED CHILDREN FOR INCEST VICTIMS FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT BY
GURUS SPIRITUAL TEACHERS PRIESTS PSYCHOTHERAPISTS 3UPREME #OURT *USTICE NOMINEES FOR
BATTERED WIVES EX
POLITICAL PRISONERS HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS 6IETNAM VETERANS TRAUMA
SURVIVORS .O ONE REALLY WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT TRAUMA AND ABUSE 4HIS ISOLATION IS USUALLY
THE WORST INJURY OF ALL
!S A hHEALINGv COMMUNITY ) THINK OUR GREATEST COMMITMENT MUST BE TO FACE AND KNOW
THE EXTREMITY OF HUMAN ABUSE TO DO SO REQUIRES FACING OUR CONSTANT TENDENCY TOWARD
DENIAL ABOUT OTHERS AND OURSELVES 4HE DYNAMICS OF ABUSE PERMEATE OUR RELATIONSHIPS
OUR FAMILIES OUR POLITICS BUT LETS START BY LOOKING AT ALL THE GURU AND THERAPIST ABUSE IN
OUR MIDST )D LIKE TO SEE THE PSYCHO
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY AND YOUR MAGAZINE TAKE THIS
SUBJECT ON )S IT REALLY HEALTHY TO hSURRENDERv TO A GURU SPIRITUAL TEACHER THERAPIST !RE
THESE hCHASTEv SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES REALLY HEALTHY -AYBE SEXUALITY IS THE LITMUS TEST OF
A COMMUNITYS INTEGRITYv
QUOTED FROM THE )NDIAN 3KEPTIC PAGE
(ARVEY ) THINK HAS MADE AN INTERESTING POINT WHEN HE SPEAKS OF THE RECOGNITION
OF CULTURAL BIAS AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND -ANY SPIRITUAL @AUTHORITIES DO MAKE
PRONOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY BIASED BY THEIR CULTURAL RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
) AM OCCASIONALLY ASKED FOR MY VIEWS ON $ADAJIS THE FOUNDER OF !-//+/3 INJUNC
TION THAT THE 4ANTRIC LIFE IS MOST DElNITELY @NOT FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT HETEROSEXUAL
4HE QUESTION IS PUT TO ME THAT hSHOULDNT A GURU HAVE RISEN ABOVE SUCH A LIMITED
VIEWPOINT v 4O WHICH ) CAN ONLY REPLY THAT $ADAJI LIKE ANY OTHER lGURE HAS TO BE
TAKEN WITHIN THE CULTURAL CONTEXT OF HIS TIME !NY PERSON CAN ONLY CHALLENGE AN ISSUE
OR BELIEF BY RECOGNISING THAT SOMETHING IS AN ISSUE IN THE lRST PLACE ) DONT THINK IT IS
APPROPRIATE TO INSTANTLY LEAP TO THE SUPPOSITION THAT BECAUSE HE SAID THIS $ADAJI WAS
THEREFORE HOMOPHOBIC AND THEREFORE ANYTHING ELSE HE SAID OR WROTE IS IMMEDIATELY
SUSPECT 4HE WHOLE THING JUST WASNT AN ISSUE THE WAY IT IS NOWADAYS 7HILST ) DO NOT
KNOW THE FULL TALE OF (ARVEYS ALLEGATIONS OF HOMOPHOBIA AGAINST -OTHER -EERA -ARK
-ATOUSEK AUTHOR OF h3EX $EATH %NLIGHTENMENTv SAYS THAT HE VISITED -OTHER -EERA
WITH !NDREW (ARVEY AND THAT THE ACCUSATION OF HOMOPHOBIA IS UNJUSTIlED
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
h) DO KNOW THAT THE IDEA THAT SHES HOMOPHOBIC IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS &OR 'ODS SAKE
WE WERE SERVED BREAKFAST IN BED TOGETHER IN HER HOUSEv
1UOTED FROM AN )NTERVIEW WITH #LIFF "OSTOCK PUBLISHED IN #REATIVE ,OAlNG !TLANTA
)NDIAN ATTITUDES TO SEXUALITY
PARTICULARLY FEMALE SEXUALITY HOMOSEXUALITY ARE
VASTLY DIFFERENT TO THOSE OF MODERN WESTERN LIBERALS 7E SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT CUL
TURAL BIAS CUTS BOTH WAYS BEFORE ACCEPTING UNCRITICALLY WHAT EASTERN SPIRITUAL lGURES
SAY ABOUT MODERN LIFESTYLES /F COURSE @UNCRITICAL ACCEPTANCE IS ALL TOO OFTEN THE CASE
AND ) AM VERY MUCH REMINDED OF A COMMENT ATTRIBUTED TO A MODERN "UDDHIST TEACHER
THAT ONE SHOULDNT LEAVE ONES COMMON SENSE BEHIND ALONG WITH ONES SHOES AT THE
DOOR
4HE IDEA THAT THE 'URU OR 4EACHER IS SOMEHOW mAWED OR DISPLAYS ALL
TOO
HUMAN WEAK
NESSES IS APPARENTLY A HARD LESSON FOR SOME PEOPLE TO LEARN ) RECALL MY lRST MEETING
WITH AN ELDER MAGICIAN WHO WAS LATER TO BECOME FOR ME A TEACHER
lGURE !N OLD MAN
CARRYING A BIZARRE MAGICAL STAFF AND EXUDING AN OTHER
WORLDLY AIR 4HE WAY HE TALKED
AND THE WAY OTHERS DEFERRED TO HIM OR SO IT SEEMED TO ME LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT )
HAD lNALLY ENCOUNTERED AN @ADVANCED ADEPT ) COULD LEARN FROM &ORTUNATELY ) WAS
SOON DISABUSED OF THIS IDEALISTIC PROJECTION AS THE @ADEPT LAUNCHED INTO A STORY OF
HOW HE HAD UPSET SOME )RISHMEN IN A PUB AND THAT SENSING IMMINENT CONFRONTATION
HE HAD GONE INTO THE TOILETS RIPPED OFF ONE OF THE hBOG
CHAINSv
WHICH HAD A HEAVY
PORCELAIN HANDLE AND GONE BACK INTO THE PUB WHIRLING IT OVER HIS HEAD AND SHOUTING
h#OME ON THENv 4HIS TALE INITIALLY CAUSED ME SOME CONFUSION BUT QUICKLY LED ME
AWAY FROM PUTTING HIM ON A PEDESTAL !S ) GREW TO KNOW THIS ELDER MAGICIAN WE
HAD MANY INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS (E NEVER ACCEPTED THE LABEL OF hTEACHERv SAYING
INSTEAD THAT WE WERE BROTHER
SORCERERS EXCHANGING INFORMATION 7HEN ) WENT TO HIM
WITH AN IDEA FOR SOME NEW RITUAL OR TECHNIQUE HIS REPLY TO MY QUESTION h7HATLL
HAPPEN IF ) DO THIS v WAS INVARIABLY ALONG THE LINES OF h) DONT KNOW
TRY IT OUT AND
TELL ME ABOUT IT AFTERWARDSv 4HUS RATHER THAN TELLING ME WHAT ) OUGHT OR OUGHT NOT
TO DO HE ENABLED ME TO lND THE CONlDENCE TO STRIKE OUT ON MY OWN MAGICAL PATH
AND ALWAYS QUALIlED HIS INTERPRETATIONS OF MY EXPERIENCE AS BEING MERELY HIS OWN
INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE AND THAT HE DID NOT SEE HIMSELF AS AN @AUTHORITY )N RETRO
SPECT ) WOULD CHARACTERISE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS ELDER MAGICIAN AS THAT BETWEEN A
STUDENT AND MENTOR
4HE TERM MENTOR DERIVES FROM THE 'REEK WHERE -ENTOR IS THE COUNSELLOR OF
4ELEMACHUS SON OF /DYESSEUS )T HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE NOTIONS OF @A
TRUSTED FRIEND AN ADVISER COUNSELLOR OR TEACHER -ENTORS TASK WAS NOT MERELY TO
EDUCATE 4ELEMACHUS BUT TO PREPARE AND DEVELOP HIM FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES HE WOULD
HAVE TO FACE AS /DYESSEUSS HEIR ! MENTOR IS SOMEONE WHO OFFERS KNOWLEDGE INSIGHTS
OR PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE ESPECIALLY USEFUL TO THE OTHER PERSON &OR ME WHAT CHARAC
TERISES THE CORE OF THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP AS OPPOSED TO THE POPULAR VIEW OF THE
4EACHER OR 'URU IS THAT IT IS AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP RATHER THAN A DISTANT ONE 4O BE
EFFECTIVE THE MENTOR MUST RESPECT THE UNIQUENESS OF THE OTHER PERSON AND SEEK TO
EMPOWER THEM BY ASSISTING THEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR OWN ABILITIES
7E CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF DYSFUNCTIONAL TEACHING WHEN WE MEET SO
CALLED MAGICIANS
WHO APPEAR TO BE LITTLE MORE THAN MIRROR
REmECTIONS OF THEIR TEACHERS WHO LACK INDE
PENDENT VOICES AND HOLD THE WORLD AT BAY WITH THEIR BELIEF
SYSTEMS WHICH AS 0ETER
* #ARROLL ONCE QUIPPED hACT NOT EVEN AS CRUTCHES FOR THE FEEBLE BUT BROKEN LEGS FOR
THE INCAPABLEv 4HE TENDENCY TO TEACH MAGIC TO OTHERS @COOKBOOK STYLE RATHER THAN
ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS TO TWIST TECHNIQUES AND THEORIES SO THAT THEY ARE RELEVANT
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
TO THEIR IMMEDIATE LIFE EXPERIENCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE BLINKERED NARROW
THINKING OF MANY MODERN OCCULTISTS ) SUSPECT THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT @TEACH
ERS HAVE A POSITION TO CLING TO WHICH INVOLVES KEEPING STUDENTS AROUND THEM RATHER
THAN LETTING THEM GO OFF AND PURSUE THEIR OWN INTERESTS 3OME OF THE BEST -ENTORS
IN COMPARISON ARE THOSE WHO VIEW THE MENTORING PROCESS AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
FOR THEMSELVES 4HE IDEA OF AGELESS WISDOM PASSED DOWN FROM -AGE TO .EOPHYTE
IS AN ENDEARING ONE BUT IS INACCURATE IN A WORLD OF CONSTANT ACCELERATING CHANGE
-ENTORING REQUIRES BOTH WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR BOTH PARTIES IN THE RELATIONSHIP
)T IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN -ENTOR STUDENT BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT !NOTHER
QUOTE FROM 2OBERT !NTON 7ILSON IS APPOSITE TO THE DISCUSSION THAT
hCOMMUNICA
TION IS ONLY POSSIBLE AMONGST EQUALSv "OTH -ENTOR 3TUDENT CONTRIBUTE GAIN
EQUALLY FROM THE RELATIONSHIP
(OWEVER HAVING SAID THIS IT MUST ALSO BE RECOGNISED THAT BOTH 3TUDENTS AND POTEN
TIAL -ENTORS NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT EXPECTATIONS THEY BRING TO THE RELATIONSHIP
&OR THE RELATIONSHIP TO BE EFFECTIVE THESE EXPECTATIONS MUST BE MADE EXPLICIT
-ENTORING IS BASED ON A FRIENDLY INFORMAL RELATIONSHIP AND ANY ATTEMPTS TO EXTRACT
lRM PROMISES FROM EITHER SIDE ARE LIKELY TO END BADLY 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY HOWEVER THAT
SOME FORM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN 3TUDENT AND -ENTOR IS NOT USEFUL )F BOTH PARTIES
HAVE MADE THEIR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE RELATIONSHIP EXPLICIT THEN AN AGREEMENT CAN
ACT TO REMIND BOTH PARTIES OF SPECIlC OBJECTIVES WHICH HAVE ARISEN FROM THEIR MUTUAL
WORK AND SECONDLY IT CAN BE DRAWN ON OCCASIONALLY TO CLARIFY THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
RELATIONSHIP TO BOTH PARTIES
4HIS LATTER POINT IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN -AGICAL -ENTORING WHERE IT IS EASY FOR THE
-ENTORS INmUENCE TO EXTEND BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE IMMEDIATE MAGICAL RELA
TIONSHIP
AND OFTEN DOES UNDER A VARIETY OF GUISES AND JUSTIlCATIONS 4HE DESIRE FOR
THIS CAN COME FROM -ENTOR OR 3TUDENT OR MAY EVEN ARISE UNBIDDEN FROM THE SHARING
OF INTENSE MAGICAL EXPERIENCES 3IMILAR PROBLEMS ARE NOT UNKNOWN BETWEEN THERAPISTS
AND CLIENTS NURSES AND PATIENTS OR TEACHERS AND PUPILS 9ES THIS SITUATION IS OPEN TO
ABUSE BUT NEED NOT NECESSARILY ARISE
)F WE TURN TO ANCIENT RATHER THAN CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF THE 'URU IT BECOMES FAIRLY
APPARENT THAT STUDYING WITH A 'URU WAS OFTEN A TRAUMATIC PROCESS 4HERE ARE MANY
STORIES ABOUT :EN AND 4ANTRIC MASTERS BEHAVING IN A WAY THAT IS VASTLY DIFFERENT TO THE
MODERN IDEA OF THE OTHER
WORLDLY SAINT !3H. WRITING IN .UIT
)SIS 6OL )) .O
RECOUNTS THE STORY OF A :EN MASTER WHO MET EVERY ONE OF HIS PUPILS QUESTIONS WITH
A BLOW FROM A HEAVY CANE %VENTUALLY THE PUPIL SHOUTS h%NOUGHv AND JUMPS UP
AND SNAPS THE CANE AND THEN REALISES HOW UNNECESSARY HIS SLAVISH OBEDIENCE TO HIS
MASTER WAS )T SEEMS TO ME THAT THE OLD MASTERS WERE ALL TOO AWARE OF THE TENDENCY OF
ASPIRANTS TO PUT THEIR GUIDES ON PEDESTALS AND DELIBERATELY LED THEM FROM AWAY FROM
BEING DEPENDENT OFTEN BY RECOURSE TO RATHER EXTREME TACTICS !3H. ALSO POINTS
OUT IN THE SAME ARTICLE THAT -ATSYENDRANATH WHEN DISTURBED FROM HIS MEDITATIONS BY
WOULD
BE FOLLOWERS RESPONDED BY hGETTING DRUNK WANKING AND HURLING HIS SHIT AT
ONLOOKERS ONLY TEACHING THOSE WHO REMAINEDv
4HERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF STORIES CENTRED AROUND THE DEEDS OF 'ORAKNATH THE
PRIMARY PUPIL OF -ATSYENDRANATH THE FOUNDER OF THE !DINATHA SECT OF 4ANTRICS
'ORAKNATH IT IS SAID COULD RAISE THE DEAD BUT UNLIKE OTHER GREAT 3PIRITUAL -ASTERS
HE OFTEN KILLED PEOPLE lRST IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THIS POWER /NE OF MY FAVOURITES
IS A TALE FEATURING 'ORAKNATH AND HIS MASTER -ATSYENDRANATH /N THEIR WANDERINGS
THEY CAME ACROSS A VILLAGE WHERE THE LOCAL 2AJAH WAS OVERSEEING THE HANGING OF A
WRONG
DOER !S CHANCE WOULD HAVE IT THE WRONG
DOER MANAGED TO ESCAPE HIS GUARDS
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
AND QUICKLY MADE HIMSELF SCARCE 4HWARTED THE ANGRY 2AJAH DECLARED THAT HE WAS
GOING TO HANG THE TWO TALLEST MEN IN THE CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED
WHICH OF COURSE
WAS -ATSYENDRANATH AND 'ORAKNATH !S SOON AS THEY WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE 2AJAH
THE TWO BEGAN TO ARGUE ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE HANGED lRST -ATSYENDRANATH ARGUED
THAT AS HE WAS THE MASTER HE SHOULD BE HUNG lRST 'ORAKNATH DISAGREED VEHEMENTLY
)NTRIGUED BY THIS UNUSUAL EAGERNESS IN HIS VICTIMS THE 2AJAH ASKED THEM WHY THEY
ARGUED 4HE TWO REPLIED THAT BY CONSULTING THE HOLY BOOKS THE SAGES AND THE MOVE
MENT OF THE STARS THEY HAD DETERMINED THAT THE lRST PERSON TO BE HUNG IN THIS PLACE
WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO .IRVANA (EARING THIS THE 2AJAH DECLARED THAT IF ANYONE WAS
MOST DESERVING OF SUCH A FATE IT WAS TO BE HIM AND NONE OTHER 3O HE WENT WILLINGLY
TO THE GALLOWS AND PUPIL AND MASTER WENT ON THEIR WAY ,EGENDS SUCH AS THESE ILLUS
TRATE THAT ALTHOUGH -ATSYENDRANATH AND 'ORAKNATH WERE CREDITED WITH SUPERHUMAN
POWERS AND WISDOM THEY WERE NOT UN
WORLDLY @PURE BEINGS IN THE WAY THAT MODERN
'URU
lGURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE 4HIS IS VERY MUCH A MODERN CONCEPTION AND ) THINK
ONE WHICH PERHAPS HAS OVERLY BEEN INmUENCED BY #HRISTIAN
BASED ATTITUDES )TS TOO
EASY TO SLIP INTO THE ATTITUDE THAT SOMEONE WHO IS REVERED AS AN INCARNATION OF THE
DIVINE OR IS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL ASPIRANT AND THE DIVINE SOURCE
IS GOD
LIKE IN THE MODERN #HRISTIAN SENSE
DISTANT UNINVOLVED AND PERFECT 4HIS IS
VASTLY DIFFERENT TOWARDS FOR EXAMPLE THE )NDIAN
4ANTRIC VIEW OF DIVINITIES 4HE 'ODS
ACT FROM THE POSITION OF DIVINE SPORT OR PLAY ,ILA ,OOK AT 3HIVA FOR INSTANCE (E
SMOKES DOPE BEHAVES LIKE A MADMAN HANGS OUT WITH DEMONS AND CORPSES AND IS DEl
NITELY AN INSTANCE OF A hGOD BEHAVING BADLYv 0ERSONALLY ) WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE
SERIOUSLY ANY SELF
PROCLAIMED 3HIVA
AVATAR WHO DIDNT KNOW HOW TO PARTY 4HE CRITICS
OF THE GURU
SYSTEM SEEM TO HAVE IGNORED THE )NDIAN ESOTERIC SCHOOLS WHICH PROBABLY
DO NOT APPEAL TO THE @WHITE
LIGHT MENTALITY ) WOULD AGREE WITH +RAMER !LSTEADS
CRITIQUE OF hRENUNCIATE MORALITYv WHILST POINTING OUT THAT THE 4ANTRIC SCRIPTURES
MAKE VERY CLEAR THE LIMITATIONS OF SUCH SELF
NEGATION AND SELF
MORTIlCATION
! LONG
STANDING ESOTERIC CLICH HAS IT THAT hWHEN THE PUPIL IS READY THE MASTER WILL
APPEARv )T SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION PAID TO WHAT CONSTITUTES
@READINESS AND THAT PEOPLE ARE ALL TOO EAGER TO RUSH OFF AND SURRENDER THEMSELVES TO
AN AUTHORITY
lGURE BE IT 'URU THERAPIST OR ADEPT ONLY TO BE DISAPPOINTED WHEN
AS ,IONEL 3NELL PUT IT THEY TURN OUT TO HAVE @BAD BREATH OR WANDERING HANDS !S
MUCH AS WE NEED TO RE
EVALUATE THE ROLE OF THE ESOTERIC GUIDE OR TEACHER WE NEED TO
RECOGNISE OUR OWN COMPLICITY AS INDIVIDUALS IN THE MATTER /CCASIONALLY ) ASK MY OWN
TANTRIC GURU WHO INITIATED ME INTO THE .ATHA CURRENT
BUT ONLY AFTER WE SPENT A YEAR
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER TO SEND ME A PHOTO SO ) CAN REVERE HIM RITUALLY (E KNOWS
)M NOT SERIOUS AND ) KNOW THAT SUCH REQUESTS MAKE HIM SQUIRM YET AT THE SAME TIME
) AM ACKNOWLEDGING THE INSIGHTS GUIDANCE AND FRIENDSHIP WE HAVE SHARED OVER THE
YEARS WHICH ) FREELY ACKNOWLEDGE HAS SHAPED MY MAGICAL DEVELOPMENT !NDREW
(ARVEY WHILST CALLING FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE 3PIRITUAL @!UTHORITY
lGURE IS QUICK TO
POINT OUT THAT WHILST PEOPLE SHOULD NOT UNCRITICALLY PUT THEIR FAITH IN MASTERS THIS
DOES NOT MEAN THAT SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IS ENTIRELY A SOLO AFFAIR AND THAT h9OU ABSO
LUTELY NEED A COMMUNITY SPIRITUAL FRIENDS AND GUIDESv 4O WHICH ) CONCUR )T IS SAID
THAT WHEN A PRINCE ASKED -ATSYENDRANATH WHO HIS 'URU WAS HE POINTED TO THE ROCKS
AND TREES AROUND HIS PLACE OF MEDITATION
WHICH ) READ AS AN INJUNCTION THAT ONES
OWN EXPERIENCE OF LIFE IS THE GREATEST 'URU RATHER THAN BOOKS OR SUPER
HUMAN YET
DISTANT AUTHORITY
lGURES )NSTEAD OF LOOKING FOR TEACHERS SEEK FRIENDS AND FELLOWSHIP
INSTEAD
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
&IVE 4HE JOY OF SECTS
4 O CLOSE THIS PRESENT SERIES OF ARTICLES ) WILL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DIVERSE
4ANTRIC SECTS WHICH HAVE mOURISHED IN )NDIA AND THEIR INmUENCE 4HE TERM SECT
IN POPULAR USAGE IMPLIES A SPECIlC DOCTRINE A PRIESTHOOD AND AN EXCLUSIVE LAY
FOLLOWING )N )NDIA HOWEVER THE SITUATION WAS AND REMAINS MUCH MORE AMORPHOUS
BEING GENERALLY CHARACTERISED BY MUTUAL TOLERANCE BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS AND
SECTS )N ANCIENT TIMES HOWEVER IT WAS NOT UNKNOWN FOR COMPETITIONS TO TAKE PLACE
TAKING THE FORM OF PUBLIC DEBATES OR @MIRACLE CONTESTS
4HE IMAGE OF THE WANDERING MEDICANT CONJURES MANY NUANCES OF MOOD AND MEANING
IN )NDIA (OMELESS WANDERING HOLY MEN WITH AMULETS AND RUDRAKSA BEADS AROUND
THEIR NECKS RHINOCEROS HORN EAR
RINGS ASHES ON THEIR FOREHEADS UNKEMPT HAIR
SINGING PRAISES OF GOD ROARING LIKE A BULL BEHAVING LIKE MADMEN THE APPEARANCE OF
WHOM IN AN )NDIAN VILLAGE COULD BE BOTH AN IMAGE OF PROFOUND TERROR AND POTENCY
4O THE YOGI .OTHING IS FORBIDDEN HE OR SHE IS FREE FROM SOCIETY AND ITS MORALITIES
4HE 9OGI IS MAGICIAN
SORCERER MASTER OF ALCHEMY ASTROLOGER JUGGLER POET SEDUCER
OF MIND AND HEART AND ALSO AN AWAKENED ONE -YSTICAL ASCETICISMTHE AIM OF WHICH
IS ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH THE MORTIlCATION OF THE BODY WAS AND REMAINS A STRONG
TRADITION IN )NDIA !FTER ALL BOTH THE 'AUTAMA "UDDHA AND -AHAVIRA FOUNDER OF THE
*AIN SECT DOCTRINES ORIGINATED FROM MYSTERY SCHOOLS WHERE AUSTERITIES IN VARIOUS
FORMS FORMED THE BASIS FOR PRACTICE
4HE lGURE OF THE ASCETIC APPEARS IN THE OLDEST )NDIAN LITERATURE 4HE @MAD MUNI IS
DESCRIBED IN A HYMN IN THE 2IG 6EDA AS
4HE -UNIS GIRDLED WITH THE WIND
7EAR GARMENTS SOILED OF YELLOW HUE
!FTER THE WINDS COURSE FOLLOW THEY
7HEN ONCE THE GODS HAVE ENTERED THEM
6AYU HAS TWIRLED FOR HIM FOR HIM
(E BREAKETH THINGS MOST HARD TO BEND
7HEN HE THE HAIRY ONE HAS DRUNK
7ITH 2UDRA FROM THE POISON
CUP
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
!LEXANDER THE 'REAT IS REPORTED TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED ASCETICS DURING HIS VISIT TO
)NDIA IN "# 0RACTICES OF SELF
DENIAL WHICH CONTINUE UP TO THE PRESENT DAY INCLUDE
VOWS OF SILENCE STANDING CONSTANTLY FOR YEARS STANDING ON ONE LEG OR HOLDING ONE
ARM CONTINUOUSLY IN THE AIR FOR YEARS )T IS BELIEVED THAT THROUGH SUCH PRACTICES BOTH
ILLUMINATION AND MAGICAL POWERS MAY BE ATTAINED 4HESE NAKED WONDER
WORKERS HAD
THEIR ORIGINS IN THE PRE
6EDIC TRADITIONS WHICH mOURISHED BEFORE THE !RYAN )NVASION
AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE "RAHMINIC 4RADITION
4HE 0SUPATAS
4HE ROOTS OF THE 0SUPATAS ARE LOST IN ANTIQUITY ALTHOUGH SOME SCHOLARS TRACE THEM
TO A $RAVINDIAN 3ECT WHICH WAS DRIVEN UNDERGROUND DURING THE !RYAN INVASION
4HERE DOES SEEM TO BE A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THE 0SUPATAS WERE ONE OF THE EARLIEST
3AIVATE SECTS 4HESE ASCETICS BEHAVED IN THE FASHION OF POOR MADMEN GIBBERING NON
SENSE TWITCHING SNORING LIMPING MAKING LEWD GESTURES TO WOMEN ROLLING IN DIRT
BATHING IN ASHES AND MASTURBATING IN PUBLIC "Y COURTING DISFAVOUR FROM OTHERS THE
0SUPATAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY HAD LOST THEIR ATTACHMENT TO PRIDE AND EGOTISTICAL
TENDENCIES IN EMULATION OF 2UDRA
3IVA
4HE NAME OF THIS SECT IS DERIVED FROM 0SUPATI OR 0ASHUPATI THE h,ORD OF !NIMALSv
A TITLE GIVEN TO THE GOD 2UDRA LIT hROARERv )N THE CONVOLUTED MYTHIC CYCLES CONCERN
ING 2UDRA IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT 2UDRA IS VERY MUCH A WILD GOD (E ACCEPTS ALL
KINDS OF SACRIlCES AND OFTEN HAS TO MAKE DO WITH THE LEAVINGS OF OTHER SACRIlCES OR
LIBATIONS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNlT FOR OTHER GODS )T IS CONSIDERED THAT WHAT
MAY BE VIEWED ON THE ONE HAND AS MYTHIC HUMILIATIONS OF 2UDRA BY THE OTHER GODS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS ACTS OF ASCETIC DETACHMENT ON THE PART OF 0SUPATI WHO IS
ALSO ACCLAIMED AS THE SUPREME 9OGI 4HUS THE 0SUPATAS STROVE TO ATTRACT THE CONTEMPT
OF OTHERS AS THE PATH TO LIBERATION !LSO THE WORD 0SU OR 0ASHU CAN BE TRANSLATED AS
@BEAST AND IN 4ANTRA THIS IS A CLASSIlCATION APPLIED TO THOSE WHO ARE ENTIRELY BOUND
UP IN THE FETTERS OF ATTACHMENTS
THE GREATEST OF WHICH IS )GNORANCE 4HE VOW OF THE
0SUPATAS WAS THUS TO REMOVE THE @NOOSE OF ATTACHMENTS
4HE +APALIKAS
4HE +APALIKAS USED A HUMAN SKULL AS A FOOD
BOWL BATHED IN THE ASHES FROM CREMA
TIONS AND WERE BELIEVED TO COMMIT HUMAN SACRIlCE .ATURALLY THEY INSPIRED FEAR
AND DISTASTE IN THE ORTHODOX 4HE TERM @+APALIKA CAN BE TRANSLATED AS hBEARER OF THE
3KULL
"OWL v AND THESE SADHUS WORSHIPPED "HAIRAVA THE 3UPREME "EGGAR A TERRIBLE
ASPECT OF 3HIVA WHO CARRIED WITH HIM THE SEVERED lFTH HEAD OF "RAHMA WHICH HE HAD
CUT OFF USING HIS LEFT THUMBNAIL )N EXPIATION FOR HIS SIN "HAIRAVA MADE THE +APALIKA
VOW WHICH WAS TO ROAM THE WORLD BEGGING UNTIL THE SKULL FELL FROM HIS HAND
!N ASSOCIATED LEGEND TELLS OF THE MEETING OF "HAIRAVA WITH A GROUP OF FOREST
DWELLING
SAGES 4HE SAGES PRACTICED AUSTERITIES AND TENDED A SACRED lRE AND THEY DID NOT REC
OGNISE 3HIVA
"HAIRAVA WHO APPEARED AS A NAKED MENDICANT CARRYING ONLY THE SKULL
BOWL (E HOWLED AND DANCED APPEARING AS A MADMAN WITH A BLACK FACE .OT ONLY DID
THIS STARTLING APPARITION DISTURB THE RITES OF THE SAGES HE ALSO ATTRACTED THEIR WOMEN
TO HIM 4HE SAGES CURSED THE LINGAM OF THIS SUPREME BEGGAR AND IT FELL TRANSFORMED
INTO A PILLAR OF lRE 3OME VARIANTS OF THE LEGEND SAY THAT ANOTHER LINGA APPEARED TO
REPLACE THAT WHICH HAD FALLEN AND WHEN THE SAGES SAW IT IT TOO WAS CURSED AND FELL TO
EARTH IN A BLAZE OF lRE ONLY TO BE REPLACED INSTANTAENOUSLY BY ANOTHER LINGA WHICH
IN TURN TOO WAS CURSED AND SO ON )N ANOTHER AFTER THE LINGA FELL "HAIRAVA VANISHED
)N A THIRD VERSION "HAIRAVA LEAVES THE FOREST ACCOMPANIED BY THE FRENZIED WOMEN
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
OF THE SAGES (E APPEARS AT THE HOUSE OF 6ISHNU WHEREUPON HIS PASSAGE IS BARRED BY
6ISVAKSENA 6ISHNUS DOORKEEPER WHO DOES NOT RECOGNISE "HAIRAVA 4HE UNFORTUNATE
DOORKEEPER IS SLAIN BY "HAIRAVA USING A TRIDENT THE WEAPON COMMONLY ASSOCIATED
WITH 3HIVA 6ISHNU THEN CAUSED BLOOD TO SPURT FROM HIS FOREHEAD IN AN ATTEMPT TO
lLL THE SKULL
BOWL WHICH "HAIRAVA CARRIED "HAIRAVA DANCES ON CARRYING THE CORPSE
OF 6ISVAKSENA AND A SKULL FULL OF THE BLOOD OF THE PRESERVER UNTIL HE REACHES THE HOLY
CITY OF 6ARANASI "ANARAS AFTER WHICH HE IS LIBERATED FROM THE SKULL VOW
4HIS LEGEND COMPLEX AS IT IS IS WOVEN AROUND THE CRIME OF BRAHMINICIDE
THE KILLING
OF A "RAHMIN "HAIRAVA IS ONE OF THOSE PARADOXICAL lGURES OF )NDIAN MYTH
HE HAS
BROKEN ALL FETTERS (E HAS SEVERED ONE OF THE HEADS OF THE #REATOR KILLED THE DOOR
KEEPER OF 6ISHNU THE PRESERVER HE DANCES NAKED ACCOMPANIED BY WOMEN AND IN
SOME VERSIONS OF THE MYTH 6ISHNU AND HE APPEARS AS A lGURE OF HORROR AND ECSTASY
)T SEEMS THAT YOGIS OF THE +APALIKA SECT WERE SOMEWHAT FEARED HAVING A REPUTATION
FOR POSSESSING AWESOME MAGICAL POWERS BUT REPUTED TO CARRY OFF WOMEN AND ENSNARE
VICTIMS FOR HUMAN SACRIlCE
2. 3ALTORE RECOUNTS A LEGEND THAT "HAIRAVA ONCE TOOK UP RESIDENCE IN THE MOUTH OF
'ORAKNATH AND PERFORMED @RELIGIOUS AUSTERITIES THERE 'ORAKNATH WAS ALMOST CHOKED
AND ONLY MANAGED TO EXPEL "HAIRAVA BY EXTOLLING HIS GLORY 3ALETORE TAKES THIS LEGEND
AS AN INDICATION OF A POSSIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE .ATHAS AND +APALIKAS WHICH
IS ALSO NOTED IN PASSING BY - -AGEE AUTHOR OF 4ANTRA -AGICK 4ANTRIC !STROLOGY
AND NUMEROUS TRANSLATIONS OF TANTRIC TEXTS IN HIS .ATHA &!1 )N THE 0RABODHA
#HANDRODAYA THE FOLLOWING WORDS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO A WIZARD OF THE +APALIKAS
-Y NECKLACE AND ORNAMENTS ARE OF HUMAN BONES ) DWELL AMONG THE ASHES OF THE DEAD
AND EAT MY FOOD IN HUMAN SKULLS ) LOOK WITH EYES BRIGHTENED WITH THE ANTINOMY OF 9OGA
AND BELIEVE THAT THE PARTS OF THIS WORLD ARE RECIPROCALLY DIFFERENT BUT THAT THE WHOLE IS
NOT DIFFERENT FROM 'OD !FTER FASTING WE DRINK LIQUOR OUT OF THE SKULLS OF "RAHMANS
OUR SACRED lRES ARE FED WITH THE BRAINS AND LUNGS OF MEN MIXED UP WITH THEIR mESH AND
HUMAN BEINGS COVERED WITH THE FRESH BLOOD GUSHING FROM THE DREADFUL WOUND IN THEIR
THROATS ARE THE OFFERINGS BY WHICH WE APPEASE THE TERRIBLE GOD -AHA "HAIRAVA
)N CLASSICAL LITERATURE +APALIKAS ARE OCCASIONALLY MOCKED APPEARING AS DRUNKARDS
OR EVIL SORCERERS 4HIS VIEW OF THE +APALIKAS AS DRUNKARDS IS AT LEAST ON THE SURFACE
REINFORCED BY THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FROM THE +ULANARVA 4ANTRA
h4HE ADEPT SHOULD DRINK DRINK AND DRINK AGAIN UNTIL HE FALLS TO THE GROUND )F HE GETS
UP AND DRINKS AGAIN HE WILL BE FREED FROM REBIRTH (IS HAPPINESS ENCHANTS THE GODDESS
,ORD "HAIRAVA DELIGHTS IN HIS SWOONING HIS VOMITING PLEASES ALL THE GODSv
4HE SKULL CARRIED BY THE +APALIKA DEVOTEE WAS IDENTIlED WITH THAT OF "RAHMA AND
USED FOR EATING AND DRINKING FROM $AVID ,ORENZEN IN 4HE +APALIKAS AND +ALAMUKHAS
FEELS THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE +APALIKA DEVOTEE WOULD RESORT lRST TO
BRAHMINICIDE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE @RIGHT SORT OF SKULL ALTHOUGH HE DOES SAY THAT THE
SKULL CARRIED HAD TO BE THAT OF A MAN OF NOBLE CASTE (OWEVER BEARING IN MIND THE
+APALIKAS REPUTATION FOR CONDUCTING HUMAN SACRIlCE AND THEIR OCCASIONAL MARTIAL
ARDOUR WE MIGHT DRAW OUR OWN CONCLUSIONS AS TO THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF RITUAL MURDER IN
THE CULTS RITUALS
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
4HE BASIS OF +APALIKA DEVOTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BHAKTI IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL
DEVOTION TO "HAIRAVA )F THE CRITICS OF THE CULT ARE TO BE BELIEVED THEN THE FOREMOST
METHOD OF RITUAL PROPITIATION OF "HAIRAVA WAS THROUGH ANIMAL OR HUMAN SACRIlCE )T
WAS AND PROBABLY REMAINS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT A HUMAN SACRIlCE BEING EXTREMELY
GRATIFYING TO PRIMORDIAL DEITIES SUCH AS "HAIRAVA OR #ANDI REMOVES ALL TRANSGRES
SIONS FROM HIM WHO MAKES THE OFFERING 3ELF
SACRIlCE THROUGH AUSTERITIES PRACTICE OF
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISCIPLINES AND OCCASIONAL SELF
MUTILATIONS ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE
BEEN PRACTISED WITHIN THE +APALIKA CULT 3INCE "HAIRAVA IN THE LEGENDS APPEARS TO BE
VERY MUCH OF AN ECSTATIC lGURE ONE MIGHT CONCLUDE THAT HIS WORSHIP ALSO INCLUDED
DIONYSIAC REVELRY 4HERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS ALLUSIONS MADE TO THE EFFECT THAT PUJA
EMPLOYING CORPSES WAS PART OF THE CULTS PRACTICE 7HILST MANY OF THESE REPORTS ARE
DOUBTLESS BIASED SUCH PRACTICES ARE WELL WITHIN THE CORPUS OF LEGENDS RELATING TO
3HIVA
"HAIRAVAS LOVE OF CORPSE
GROUNDS AND THE LEGIONS OF GHOULS SPIRITS GHOSTS
AND DEMONS WHO ATTEND HIM THEREIN )N ADDITION IT IS CLEAR THAT +APALINS PRACTISED
SEX
MAGICAL RITES AND SOUGHT THE SIDDHIS ACHIEVEMENTS
IE MAGICAL POWERS THROUGH
THE PRACTICES OF (ATHA YOGA AND AS ALREADY NOTED WERE KNOWN AS SORCERERS OF MUCH
THOUGH OFTEN ILL
REPUTE
4HE .ATHAS
4HE .ATHAS ARE CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE THE ORIGINAL SECT OF 4ANTRIC 3ADHUS 4HE
TERM @.ATH IS A 3ANSKRIT WORD FOR ,ORD OR -ASTER AND IS AN EPITHET OF 3HIVA AS THE
,ORD OF 9OGA )T IS THOUGHT THAT THE .ATHAS BECAME A DISTINCT SECT AROUND
!$ 4HE TWO MUST IMPORTANT lGURES IN THE LEGENDARY HISTORY OF THE .ATHAS ARE
-ATSYENDRANATH AND HIS DISCIPLE 'ORAKNATH 'ORAKNATH IS OFTEN CREDITED FOR DEVIS
ING OR REINTRODUCING (ATHA 9OGA IN THE TH #ENTURY !$ AND ALSO THE NOW
FAMILIAR
CONCEPTS OF CHAKRAS AND KUNDALINI 'ORAKNATH BECAME A LEGENDARY HERO
lGURE
APPEARING IN MANY STORIES AS A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER CURING THE SICK BRINGING RAIN
RAISING THE DEAD (E WAS LATER DEIlED AS AN INCARNATION OF 3HIVA AND THERE ARE SEVERAL
4EMPLES DEDICATED TO HIM -ANY OF THE .ATHA SUBSECTS REVERE HIM AS THEIR FOUNDER
AND THE 'URKHAS FAMED IN BATTLE FOR THEIR HEROISM WORSHIP 'ORAKHNATH AS A GOD AND
HE HAS MANY CENTRES OF WORSHIP IN .EPAL
4HE .ATHAS WERE GREAT BARDS AND MANY LEGENDS WERE CARRIED BY THEM FROM VILLAGE
TO VILLAGE IN A MIXTURE OF SONG DANCE RELIGION AND MAGIC 4HEY ALSO CARRIED THE
COMPASSIONATE TRUTHS OF THE "UDDHA INTO 3AIVITE DOCTRINE 4HEIR MONASTERIES BECAME
REPOSITORIES OF ART AND LITERATURE CONCERNED WITH MAGIC PALMISTRY ALCHEMY ASTROLOGY
AND DIVINE ECSTASY
4HE .ATHA CULT WAS ITSELF DIVIDED INTO A VARIETY OF SUB
SECTS OF WHICH PROBABLY THE
MOST WELL
DOCUMENTED IS THE +ANPHATAS LIT @SPLIT
EARED 4HESE YOGIS DERIVE THEIR
NAME FROM AN INITIATION DURING WHICH A SPECIALLY
CHOSEN GURU SPLITS THE CENTRAL HOL
LOWS OF BOTH EARS USING A KNIFE OR RAZOR 4HE SLITS ARE PLUGGED WITH WOOD AND WHEN
THE WOUNDS ARE HEALED LARGE RINGS ARE INSERTED MADE FROM A VARIETY OF MATERIALS SUCH
AS METAL OR RHINOCEROS HORN 4HE ORIGINS OF THIS PRACTICE CAN BE TRACED TO VARIOUS
SOURCES
SUCH AS 3HIVAS WEARING OF LARGE EARRINGS OR VARIOUS LEGENDS CONCERNING
BOTH -ATSYENDRANATH OR 'ORAKHNATH !CCORDING TO SOME SOURCES THE SPLITTING OF
THE EARS IS SAID TO OPEN A PARTICULAR NADI SUBTLE ENERGY CHANNEL WHICH SOME YOGIS
CLAIM RESULTS IN THEIR HEARING A CONSTANT HUMMING NOISE )T IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE
LARGE CYLINDRICAL EAR
RINGS ARE KNOWN AS @+UNDAL IE @COILED RECALLING THE 9OGA OF
+UNDALINI
3HAKTI
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
'EORGE 7ESTON "RIGGS IN HIS BOOK 'ORAKHNATH AND THE +ANPHATA 9OGIS DESCRIBES THE
PRELIMINARY INITIATION OF AN ASPIRANT TO THE 3ECT THE EAR
SPLITTING COMES LATER AS FOL
LOWS
4HE CANDIDATE IS lRST CLOSELY CONlNED FOR A PERIOD RANGING FROM FORTY DAYS TO THREE TO SIX
MONTHS THAT IS FOR A PERIOD OF TESTING SATISFACTORY TO THE GURU $URING THIS TIME THE CAN
DIDATE IS TRIED AS TO HIS RESOLUTION AND ABILITY TO CARRY OUT HIS UNDERTAKING !T THE SAME
TIME HE IS DISSUADED FROM BECOMING A 9OGI THE GURU POINTING OUT TO HIM THE HARDSHIPS
THAT HIS INITIATION AND HIS LIFE AS A 9OGI WOULD ENTAIL 7HEN THE GURU IS SATISlED WITH
THE SELF
CONTROL AND RESOLUTION SHOWN BY THE CANDIDATE A FAST OF TWO OR THREE DAYS MAY
BE PRESCRIBED 4HEN ON THE DAY CHOSEN FOR THE INITIATION CEREMONY THE CANDIDATE BATHES
AND APPEARS BEFORE HIS GURU ! TWO
EDGED KNIFE WITH WHICH THE EARS ARE TO BE SPLIT IN
THE SECOND STAGE OF INITIATION IS PRESENTED TO THE CANDIDATE THREE TIMES AND HE IS AGAIN
DISSUADED FROM PROCEEDING WITH THE CEREMONY
4HE KNIFE IS DRAWN INTO THE GROUND OR LAID DOWN BEFORE HIM AND THE CANDIDATE TAKES
THE NECESSARY VOWS OVER IT SWEARING NOT TO ENGAGE IN TRADE NOT TO TAKE EMPLOYMENT
NOT TO KEEP DANGEROUS WEAPONS NOT TO BECOME ANGRY WHEN ABUSED NOT TO MARRY AND
TO PROTECT HIS EARS
4HE .ATHAS AND !-//+/3
4HE .ATHA TRADITION WAS INTRODUCED TO THE 7EST BY 3RI 'URUDEV -AHENDRANATH
$ADAJI THE RD !DIGURU CHIEF GURU OF THE .ATHAS $ADAJI WAS BORN IN ,ONDON IN
!PRIL &ROM HIS EARLY YOUTH HE HAD A DEEP INTEREST IN THE SPIRITUAL SYSTEMS OF
THE WORLD AND IN HIS TWENTIES KNEW !LEISTER #ROWLEY MEETING HIM AFTER THE INFAMOUS
*USTICE 3WIFT LIBEL CASE #ROWLEY ADVISED THE YOUNG SEEKER TO LEARN ABOUT THE PATTERNS
OF THE %AST "UT THE 3PANISH #IVIL 7AR IN WHICH $ADAJI FOUGHT IN THE )NTERNATIONAL
"RIDGE AND THEN THE 3ECOND 7ORLD 7AR INTERVENED )T WAS BEFORE HE LEFT THE
SHORES OF "RITAIN TO ARRIVE PENNILESS IN "OMBAY (ERE HE WAS INTRODUCED TO HIS GURU
IN THE .ATHA TRADITION AND INITIATED AS A SADHU HOLY MAN &OR THE NEXT YEARS
$ADAJI WANDERED SOUTH EAST !SIA AS A PENNILESS SANNYASIN (IS TRAVELS TOOK HIM TO
"HUTAN WHERE HE RECEIVED INITIATION AS A LAMA OF THE +ARGYUPTA 3ECT -ALAYSIA WHERE
HE BECAME A 4AOIST PRIEST AND STUDIED THE ) #HING #EYLON WHERE HE WAS FOR A TIME A
BHIKKHU OF 4HERAVADA "UDDHISM AND 4HAILAND WHERE HE LIVED AS A HERMIT (E WAS
ALSO INITIATED INTO THE 5TTARA +AULA TANTRIK SECT AND THE 3AHAJIYA CULT OF 6ARANASI
$ADAJI WAS KEEN THAT THE WISDOM OF THE .ATHAS SHOULD HAVE A WIDER EXPOSURE
AND IN HE INITIATED ANOTHER %NGLISHMAN 3RI ,OKANATH WHO IN FOUNDED
!-//+/3
THE !RCANE AND -AGICAL /RDER OF THE +NIGHTS OF 3HAMBHALA /VER THE
NEXT FOUR OR lVE YEARS INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP OF !-//+/3 GREW TO OVER
INDIVIDUALS 4HERE ARE NOW A WIDE CROSS
SECTION OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE .ATHA
TRADITION ACROSS THE WORLD MANY AS LONE SADHUS AND SOME RUNNING SMALL IN
GROUPS
AND CLANS 4HERE IS A THRIVING NATHA PRESENCE ON THE INTERNET AND A GREAT DEAL OF
TANTRIC MATERIAL CAN BE FOUND ON THE 7ORLD
7IDE 7EB
4HE CORE OF THE .ATHA PHILOSOPHY IS ENSHRINED IN THE TERM 3VECCHACHARYA
3VECCHACHARYA IS A 3ANSKRIT TERM WHICH CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS hTHE PATH OF DOING ONES
WILLv 4HE AUTHOR "ERNARD 7ALKER HAS COMMENTED THAT IT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH !LEISTER
#ROWLEYS INJUNCTION h$O 7HAT 4HOU 7ILTv 4ANTRICS BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR CONDITION
ING
THE DELUSIONS AND ARTIlCIAL LIMITATIONS WHICH WE PLACE UPON OURSELVES
THAT
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
PREVENT US FROM REALISING OUR HIDDEN RADIANT NATURE -UCH OF .ATHA PRACTICE THEN IS
AIMED AT LOOSENING OURSELVES FROM THE @+LESHAS KNOTS WHICH BIND US AND PREVENT US
FROM UNITING WITH THE 3HIVA
3HAKTI WITHIN ! DOER OF 3VECCHACHARYA FOLLOWS NO RULES
OTHER THAN TO DO HIS OR HER OWN WILL )N THE .ATHA TRADITION THERE ARE NO RIGOROUS
REGULATIONS REGARDING WHAT ONE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DO !S $ADAJI ONCE COMMENTED
h! 3ANNYASIN HAS NO RULES TO FOLLOW JUST A WAY OF LIFE TO LIVEv
.ON
SECTARIANISM IS ALSO A CORE ELEMENT OF THE .ATHA TRADITION 4HEREFORE FOR A .ATH
ALL PATHS ARE EQUALLY VALID AND DESERVING OF RESPECT EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT WHAT WE
CHOOSE TO DO OURSELVES -UCH OF THE SECTARIANISM WE SEE IN MODERN OCCULTISM IS BASED
ON UNTHINKING PREJUDICE OR THE DESIRE TO BE h2IGHTv WHICH NECESSITATES SEEING OTHERS
AS h7RONGv
!SPECTS OF 4ANTRA
3OURCES
The Amoral Way of Wizardry - Dadaji
The Complete Kama Sutra - Alain Danilou, Park Street Press
The Earth Mother - Pupul Jayakar, Penguin Books, 1989
Goraknath and the Kanphata Yogis, George Weston Briggs, Motilal
1989
Kalis Child: The Mystical and the Erotic in the Life and Teachings of
Ramakrishna, Jeffrey J. Kripal, University of Chicago Press, 1995
The Kapalikas and Kalamukhas: Two Lost Saivite Sects David
Lorenzen, Motilal 1972
A Lecture On Tantrika - Mike Magee (printed in Vitriol magazine,
1987)
The Philosophy of Sadhana, Beba Brata SenSharma, SUNY, 1990
The Serpent Power - Arthur Avalon, Dover Books
Sexual Magick - Katon Shual, Mandrake of Oxford
The Siddha Quest for Immortality, K.V. Zvelebil, Mandrake of Oxford,
1996
Shamans, Mystics & Doctors - Sudhir Kakar, University of Chicago
Press, 1991
The Sword and the Flute - D. R. Kinsley, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers
Tantra - Indra Sinha, Hamlyn
The Tantras: Part One - Katon Shual, Nuit-Isis No.9
Tantra Magick - Mandrake of Oxford
The Tantric Tradition - Agehananda Bharati, Rider Books, 1970
Women, Androgynes and other Mythical Beasts, Wendy Doniger
OFlaherty, UCP, 1980
The Yoga of Power - Julius Evola, Inner Traditions
,INKS
&IFTH !EON %GREGORE
4ANTRIC (OME PAGE
/CCULT E BOOKS
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