Tantra

Kaushiki Amavasya

Articles, Shakti, Tantra, TaraSeptember 2, 2024924Views 7Likes 0Comments

Every Amavasya night is a great time to do upasana of Kali and related forms. Tonight is the great Kaushiki Amavasya, where a Mela is held in Tarapith, and all Tantra sadhakas and Shakti upasakas gather in the holy precincts of this ancient temple town, named after the great saviouress Ugratara. Most people do not…

Glory to Ma Kāmākhyā

Kali, Kamakhya, Shakti, TantraJune 23, 2024515Views 2Likes 0Comments

Ma Kāmākhyā The story of Kāmākhyā starts from a very ancient time when Narakasura, who was the son of Varaha Avatara of Viṣṇu and Bhoodevi, battled the daitya-s who lived in Kamrupa and took over this land. He was then instructed by Varaha on the methods of worshipping Mahamaya and thus the Shaktipitha of Kāmākhyā came…

Rahu

Articles, Rahu, TantraJune 18, 20243KViews 9Likes 6Comments

Of all the grahas in jyotisha, Rahu is the most shady, literally and psychologically. No physical body but only a point in space, the Northern node of the Moon's elliptical. The pouranik story says he was a demon who wanted to steal amrita. When the Moon and Sun found out, they informed Visnu who cut…

Bali and Tantra

Articles, Philosophy, TantraJune 14, 20242KViews 8Likes 1Comment

Someone sent me a quote that balipriya as per Bhaskararaya means '(She) who loves the strong'. Where does this come from? Lalita Sahasranama (LS). The term balipriya is widely used for most Mahavidya-s in their stotras, stutis and sahasranamas etc. Does bali mean strong? One interpretation is that. The more standard meaning is very simply offerings to…

Mahavidya Tara

Shakti, TantraJune 12, 2024343Views 0Likes 1Comment

While Tibetan Buddhism has 21 variants of Tara, who is regarded as the mother of all Buddhas, Hinduism has just three: Ekjata, (She with the single plait) Nila Saraswati (Blue Saraswati) and Ugratara (Fierce Tara). This deity is often described as Ugra (fierce), Sighra (quick) and Tivra (intense) and probably no other form saves with such…

ANALYSING VALIDITY OF ONLY-HOMA AS A METHOD OF SADHANA – 1

Articles, Mantra, Philosophy, Sadhana, TantraJanuary 20, 2021743Views 3Likes 2Comments

Myth Busting About Fire Rituals on the Holy Occasion of Kartika Poornima and Deva Deepavali It is a modern-day trend a new-agey idea that by doing fire rituals alone – homa/havan - one can make great spiritual progress or faster progress. Not only is it a myth but a dangerous one propagated by self-serving individuals…

MAHAKALA

Articles, Sadhana, Shiva, TantraAugust 11, 2019470Views 2Likes 1Comment

Of the 12 jyotirlingas of Shiva, Ujjain is the place where Shiva appears as Mahakala. This form of Shiva is closely linked to hs Southern face of Aghora (meaning non-terrible where samsara is considered as terrible), the element of fire, and inspiration for the non-mainstream path of Yoga which goes by the name of Aghora. Though…

WISDOM OF VARAHA

Articles, Tantra, VishnuMay 10, 2019244Views 2Likes 0Comments

The Varaha Upanishad was composed during the 13th century and considered as one of the minor Upanishads. Here Lord Vishnu's Varaha Avatara is shown speaking to Ribhu on topics of spirituality, the non-dual truth of the Brahman, power of Kundalini, various Yogas that can liberate man etc. Lord Varaha states that what one aspires to,…

DESCRIPTION OF DEVI KAMAKHYA AS PER TANTRA-S

Articles, Shakti, TantraNovember 19, 2018488Views 2Likes 0Comments

"prabhinnāńjana sańkāśam nīlasnigdhaśiroruhām şađavaktrām dvādaśabhujām aşțādaśavilocanām pratyekam şațasu śīrşeşu cańdrārdhakřtaśekharām" Kameshvari's complexion is like split-coryllium, Her hair is black and smooth; She has six faces, twelve arms and eighteen eyes. Each of Her six heads are adorned with crowns, each having crescent moons as crest-jewel. "maņimāņikyamuktādi křtamālāmura: sthale l kaşțhe ca vibhratīm nityam sarvālańkāramaņđitām" Her throat and breasts are adorned by…

Progressive Stages In Ācāra

Articles, TantraNovember 16, 2018218Views 1Like 0Comments

PROGRESSIVE STAGES IN ĀCĀRA - Introduction to Tantra Arthur Avalon There are seven, or, as some say, nine, divisions of worshippers. The extra divisions are bracketed in the following quotation. The Kulārṇava-Tantra mentions seven, which are given in their order of superiority, the first being the lowest: Vedācāra, Vaiṣṇavācāra, Śaivācāra, Dakṣiṇācāra, Vāmācāra, Siddhāntācāra, (Aghorācāra, Yogācāra), and Kaulācāra,…

DESCRIPTION OF DEVI KAMAKHYA AS PER TANTRA-S

Articles, Shakti, TantraNovember 16, 2018267Views 0Likes 0Comments

"prabhinnāńjana sańkāśam nīlasnigdhaśiroruhām l şađavaktrām dvādaśabhujām aşțādaśavilocanām l pratyekam şațasu śīrşeşu cańdrārdhakřtaśekharām ll" Kameshvari's complexion is like split-coryllium, Her hair is black and smooth; She has six faces, twelve arms and eighteen eyes. Each of Her six heads are adorned with crowns, each having crescent moons as crest-jewel. "maņimāņikyamuktādi křtamālāmura: sthale l kaşțhe ca vibhratīm nityam sarvālańkāramaņđitām ll" Her throat and…