Shakti and Shâkta : essays and addresses on the Shâkta Tantrashâstra

SHAKTI AND SHAKTA

The characteristic features of Shakta-dharma are thus its Monism; its concept of the Motherhood of God; its unsectarian spirit and provision for Shidras and women, to the latter of whom it renders high honour, recognizing that they may be even Gurus; and lastly its Sadhana skilfully designed to realise its teachings.

As I have pointed out on many an occasion this question of Sddhand@ is of the highest importance, and has been in recent times much overlooked. It is that which more than anything else gives value to the Agama or Tantra Shastra. Mere talk about religion is only an intellectual exercise. Of what use are grand phrases about Atma on the lips of those who hate and injure one another and will not help the poor. Religion is kindness. Religion again is a practical activity. Mind and body must be trained. There is a spiritual as well as a mental and physical gymnastic. According to Shakta doctrine each man and woman contains within himself and herself a vast latent magazine of Power or Shakti, a term which comes from the root “Shak” to be able, to have force to do, to act. They are each Shakti and nothing but Shakti, for the Svaripa of Shakti is Consciousness and mind and body are Shakti. The problem then is how to raise and vivify Shakti. This is the work of Sadhana in the Religion of Power. The Agama is a practical philosophy, and as a Bengali friend of mine Professor Pramathanatha Mukhyopadhyaya, whom I cite again, has well put it, what the intellectual world wants to-day is the sort of philosophy which not merely argues but experiments. This is Kriya. The form which Sadhana takes necessarily varies according to faith, temperament and capacity. Thus, amongst Christians, the Catholic Church, like Hinduism, has a full and potent Sadhana in its sacraments Sangskara, temple (Church) and private worship (Paja, Upasana) with Upachara “bell, light and incense” (Ghanta, Dipa, Dhfipa), Images or Pratima (hence it has

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