Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

SHAKTI AND SHAKTA

called the Shrauta Vaidikachaéra. The second and third belong to, and lead up to, the completed Dakshinachara. This is Pashvachfara. V&amA&ch&ra commences the other mode of worship, leading up to the completed Kaula the Kauldvadhfita, Avadhfita, and Divya. Here, with the attainment of Brahmajnana, we reach the region which is beyond all Ach&ras which is known as Svechchhach4ra. All that those belonging to this state do or touch is pure. In and after Vamach&ra there is eating and drinking in, and as part of, worship and Maithuna. After the Pashu there is the Vira and then the Divya. Pashu is the starting point, Vira is on the way and Divya is the goal. Hach of the sects has a Dakshina and Vama division. It is commonly thought that this is peculiar to Shaktas: but this is not so. Thus there are VAama G&anapatyas and Vaishnavas and so forth. Again V&miachara is itself divided again into a right and left side. In the former wine is taken in a cup of stone or other substance, and worship is with the Svakiya Shakti or SAdhaka’s own wife; in the latter and more advanced stage drinking is done from a skull and worship may be with Parastri that is some other Shakti. In the case however of some sects which belong to the V&amachara division, whilst there is meat and wine, there is I am told no Shakti for the members are chaste (Brahmachari). So far as I can ascertain these sects which are mentioned later seem to belong to the Shaiva as opposed to the Shakta group.

The Tantrik Sangraha called Shaktananda-Tarangini by Brahmananda Svamif says (Ch. 2) that Agama is both Sadagama and Asad&agama and that the former alone is Agama according to the primary meaning of the word (Sadagama eva @gamashabdasya mukhyatvat). He then says that Shiva in the Agama Samhit& condemns the Asad&agama saying “Oh Deveshi, men in the Kali age are generally of a R&jasik and TAamasik disposition and being addicted to forbidden ways deceive many others. Oh

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