Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

SHAKTI AND SHAKTA

S.G.S. 11. 16.1 Ba. S.S.I1V.) Wanton killing of animals was very severely punished (Ap. Dh. S. I. 25. 13-26; Ga. Dh. S. XXII. 18. etc. Va. Dh. S. 18. 23. etc. Ba. Dh. 8. I. 19. 6.)

The Vaidik people from the time of the earliest Yajnas severely deprecated lust of any kind whatsoever; and they allowed Maithuna, Mamsa, Madya and Mudra for religious purposes only and as offerings to the Devas. The Chakra sittings of the Tantriks (M. N. T.Ch. V!) have unmistakable similarities with the Vajapeya and Sautramani 'S. B.V; K.8.S. XIV; A. B. Ill. 4.3; S. B. XII.7. 1. etc. K.8.S. XIX) and even the manner of drinking in company has been preserved as will appear from the references given above.

When performing Yajna in company, the members of the company become Brahmanas and there is no distinction of caste (A. B. VII. 4. 1.)

The worship in both Vaidik and Tantrik rites begins with Achamana, which is a form of ablution, in which certain parts of the body are touched with water. In this respect, the Vaidik and the Tantrik practices are exactly similar (G. G.S. I. 2.5; Tait. A. I]. 11 M. N. T. Chap. V.) They purify themselves by uttering some mantras as Bijas while contemplating the Deities of certain parts of their bodies and touching such parts with their fingers (A. A. IIT. 2. 1.2; III. 2.5.2; R.V.B IL. 16.) ; They contemplate each Deva through his or her Particular Mantras (R. V- TIT. 62. 10) which will be found collected in the Parishishta to the Taittiriya Aranyaka. They make use of certain sounds for removing unclean spirits, ¢.g., Khat Phat. Hum. (T. A. IV. 27. S. V. St. 1. 2-1. 1.1, 3. Aranyagana VI. 1-8, IV. 2. 19, S. B. I. 5. 2. 18: 1.3.3. 14; 1.7. 2. 11-14; I. 7. 2. 21; XI. 2. 2. 3.and 5; M. N.T. Chap. III) and for other purposes (A. B. II. 3. 6.) They attribute a Deity to each letter in a Mantra (A. B. IT. 5, 5).

They make gestures with their fingers as part of their religious rites (S. B. 11]. 1. 3.29; IIL. 4. 3. 2) and locate the Devatas of particular sounds in particular parts of their bodies (P S 54 56 K.S.S. VII. 71. 73.) They perform their baths as a means of and with the view of pleasing their Devas (G. Sn. S. and M. N. T.) and in performing the Achamana they sacrifice unto themselves conceiving that they are part and parcel of the Great

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