IS DIKSHA A LICENCE FOR LICENTIOUSNESS?

“Kaulo dharmaH parama gahanaH yoginAmapyagamyaH”

“कौलो धर्मः परमगहनः योगिनामप्यगम्यः”

“The kaula dharma is a dense forest which is inaccessible to even yogis”

So say the tantric texts about practice of kaula. And rightly so. The tantrik texts are replete with warnings about the fate that will befall a practitioner if he errs. They further caution that the great hell called “raurava” awaits the upAsaka in each and every step he takes for, if he errs, then he falls into this hell (rauravam ca pade pade).

It is not very difficult to understand the reason behind these warning messages that abound the texts. Like moths that get attracted to fire, people easily get attracted to this path because of the panchamakAra-s famously known as 5 Ms. Today the internet is awash with spurious material which misguide people. Mere typing of the word “tantra” in the search engines leads to spurious pornographic websites. Today tantra is synonymous with sex and has come to be identified with all kinds of sexual fantasies that easily entrap innocent seekers. “panchama”, the 5th M today is the star attraction and the so called gurus use this to lure gullible shiShya-s. the kaulamArga by its own inherent “tiraskaraNa shakti” or the power of obscuring does not allow all and sundry to understand the true import of this great path. The shAstra-s prescribe many rules and regulations. They also lay down the “adhikAra” or entitlement to the dravya-s and partaking of the makAra-s including the 5th called panchama is governed by many rules. Transgressing these rules will not only endanger the lives of the practitioner but lead to hell. According as the practitioner is in the “Arambha”, “madhyama” or “uttara” bhUmikA i.e. in the initial stage, middle or in the highest stage, the adhikAra or entitlement to panchama becomes either one among the many parts of the yajJa or the central part or becomes the yajJa itself. This can be understood only by the vigorous practice of the shAstra and by the grace of one’s guru.

“shaiva vaiShNava daurgArka gANapatyAdikaiH kramAt
Mantrairvishuddha cittasya kaulajJAnam prakAshate”

(शैव वैष्णव दौर्गार्क गाणपत्यादिकैः क्रमात् |

मन्त्रैर्विशुद्धचित्तस्य कौलज्ञानं प्रकाशते ||)

“knowledge of kaula is revealed to the mind that is totally purified with mantra-s of shaiva, vaiShNava, daurga, arka darshana-s in their order”

Though the rules regarding panchama are not meant for any academic discussions or arguments, keeping in view the grave threat from pseudo-gurus and pseudo practitioners of this path there is an urgent need to outline these and caution the aspirant against the pitfalls.

One must understand that the panchamavidhi is founded on the principle of shiva-shakti and has the pati-patni dharma as the basis. It must therefore be understood that being a dIkShita does not automatically make an upAsaka entitled to sex outside marriage or promiscuity. Tantrik texts define pancama as of three types. dUtIyAga/shAmbhavIyAga which is ordained for those in the exalted state of sadAshiva alone where the upAsaka has transcended all human limitations and body consciousness. The second type if for those in the madhyama stage where pancama with one’s wife is performed after completion of pUjA. The third type is purely mAnasika (bhAva) with one’s wife.

“tridhA tu pancamaM proktaM dUtIyAgastadAdimaH
eSha prakAro deveshi yogirAjaikagocaraH"

(त्रिधा तु पञ्चमं प्रोक्तं दूतीयागस्तदादिमः 

एष  प्रकारो देवेशि योगिराजैकगोचरः)

dvitIyaM tu samarcAnte dUtI pUjyA yathAvidhi” (द्वितीयं तु समर्चान्ते दूती पूज्या यथाविधि)

“dvitIyaM tu bhavet devi svayoShitsu sureshvari” (द्वितीयं तु भवेत् देवि स्वयोषित्सु सुरेश्वरि)

about the third type,

“saMpUjayitvA pUjAnte bhogapAtraM nivedya ca
manasA tAM samAgacchan devatAyai nivedayet”

(संपूजयित्वा पूजान्ते भोगपात्रं निवेद्य च 

मनसा  तां समागच्छन्  देवतायै निवेदयेत् )

It must be understood that tantra-s unequivocally decry sex outside marriage as a sin. Statements like “pashu shAstrANi sarvANi varjayet paradAravat”  (पशुशास्त्राणि सर्वाणि वर्जयेत् परदारवत् ) are commonly used to compare certain sinful acts with sex outside marriage saying such sinful acts are fit to be rejected like a paradAra (another’s wife). Similarly, while commenting about prohibited acts, tantra-s mention sex with another’s wife as a grave sin which leads to hell -

“paradAraratAnAM ca zivazAstrasya dUSiNAm…..” (परदाररतानां च शिवशास्त्रस्य दूषिणां ) etc

Further words like “parayoShit” “parashakti” etc in connection with pancamavidhi refer only to certain devatA-s and yakShiNI-s. This can be understood from statements like “yakShiNI pramukhAH parAH” (यक्षिणी प्रमुखाः पराः ) etc..

It is therefore clear that sex outside marriage is NOT PROVIDED FOR in tantra and pancama is regulated according to the status of the upAsaka.

dIkShA therefore is not a license for licentiousness and people should not get carried away by spurious materials or by fake gurus.

THE CONCEPT OF VARNA SYSTEM

Today the Indian society is mainly divided on the lines of Brahmins and Non Brahmins. It is not very difficult to understand that such a division of the society is not provided for either in the dharma shAstra-s or the vedas. This man-made division is the height of absurdity considering the fact that vedas do not sanction such a division as the kShatriya-s & vaishya-s are considered to be equal to the Brahmins insofar as the study of veda-s and vedic practices are concerned. Just like brAhman the kShatriya & vaishya are also entitled to upanayana samskAra and gAyatri as is evident from different gRhyasUtra-s for eg, Apastamba says :

“ गर्भाष्टमेषु ब्राह्मणं, गर्भैकादशेषु राजन्यं, गर्भाद्वादशेषु वैश्यम्।। (आपस्तम्बः)” in the eighth year from conception i.e. the 7th year from birth, the brAhman should be intitiated into gAyatri. Similarly, in the 10th year from birth for kShatriya and 11th year for vaishya

brAhmaNaH kShatriyo vaishyaH trayo varNAH dvijAdayaH
saMskRtAshcAnyathA shUdrAH evaM vedavido viduH
tasmAdayaM suto me.adyaH shUdravat vartate shishuH
upanItaH kriyArhaH syAt iti vedeShu nirNayaH
rAjJAmekAdashe varShe sadopanayanaM smRtaM
aShTame brAhmaNAnAM ca vaishyAnAM dvAdashe kila (devI bhAgavata 7-7)

“The three varNa-s of brAhmaNa, kShatriya and vaishya are dvija (twice born) only if they undergo the upanayana saMskAra otherwise they are indeed considered to be shUdra in the absence of saMskAra” 

How then did the kShatriya-s & vaishya-s came to be grouped as “non-brahmins” ? Grouping of certain varNa-s as non-brahmins is therefore unwarranted and uncalled for. It must also be understood that the words ‘varNa’ & ‘jAti’ stand for entirely different concepts and the word varNa cannot by any stretch of imagination be used to mean a particular caste or jAti. It is therefore worthwhile to understand the true concept of varNa.

The entire creation is in the form of three energies namely “brahma” (ब्रह्म) , “kShatra” (क्षत्र) & “visha” (विश). For transactional purposes i.e. lokanirvAha in connection with religious rites pertaining to both daiva (दैव) & mAnuSha (मानुष) the created beings became four fold, into the four varNa-s. It must be understood that the varNa-s are not unique to human creation alone but obtains even in the created divine beings. It is therefore amply clear that the classification into the four varNa-s of the created beings does not actually make a particular varNa superior or inferior to the other varNa-s. Otherwise it would tantamount to attributing superiority or inferiority to the divine beings too.

In all the sacrificial rites of the veda-s, the first offering is given to prajApati, indra, agni & soma. the first ablutions are प्रजापतये स्वाहा | इन्द्राय स्वाहा | अग्नये स्वाहा | सोमाय स्वाहा | offered to prajApati, indra, agni & soma and only thereafter the other devata-s are offered havirbhAga. Here prajApati is defined as brAhman, indra as kShatriya, agni as brAhmana and soma as the king of the brAhmaNa-s here. So Obviously, all are treated with due respects without any deva being treated as superior or inferior. “सोमोस्माकं ब्राह्मणानां राजेत्याह |” “ब्रह्म ह्यग्निः |” “क्षत्रमिन्द्रः|” are but a few of the countless reference to the varNa classification of the divinities in the veda-s.

Further, a prayer to agni in the beginning of yAga goes thus :

“रुचं नो धेहि ब्राह्मणेषु रुचं राजसु नस्कृधि | रुचं विश्येषु शूद्रेषु मयि धेहि रुचा रुचं |” 

“rucaM no dhehi brAhmaNeShu rucaM rAjasu naskRdhi | rucaM vishyeShu shUdreShu mayi dhehi rucA rucaM |”
(YV. Mula samhita K.5. P.7 A.6. - 3 and 4)

which is a prayer to the agni to “bestow upon us the radiance of the brAhmaNa-s, kShatriya-s, vaishya-s & shUdra-s”. Had the kShatriya or vaishya or shUdra been inferior to the brAhmaNa-s, would anyone pray for the energies of these varNa-s?

It must be understood that the varNa classification exists among the devas, the gems, the nine planets, in the animals and even in the letters of sanskrit. “vaiDUrya” (cat’s eye) a particular gem is classified as brAhmaNa, kshatriya, vaishya & shUdra based on its variation in color. Among the nine planets, the sun is kShatriya, but shani, the son of sun is a shUdra. Similarly, budha is classified as a vaishya. But budha is stated to be the son born to chandra & tArA. guru & shukra are stated to be brAhmaNa-s. Now which of the nine planets is superior or inferior ? The soil of the earth is also subject to these varNa classification. By mixing different varNa-s of soil, fertility that is lost can be restored. The soil that has lost its fertility, though called by its original name, can never have the original characteristics unless mixed with fresh fertile soil. In the creation of humans also, the varnas are subject to changes arising out of various reasons. Manu smRti says a brAhmaNa can become a vaishya in three days if he resorts to selling milk. By indulging in trade, a brAhmaNa will become a vaishya. Similarly a shUdra can become a brAhmaNa by reciting gAyatri. There are umpteen instances of the so called shUdra-s attaining brAhman-hood. Hence, the varNa-s were never created or conceived as water tight compartments. The difference in the varNa-s was actually meant for evolution of mankind by improving the divine powers of “brahma” “kShatra” & “viT” energies through penance and religious practices as enjoined in the veda-s and definitely not for creating inequality or complexes and animosity in the minds of people. By the increase of divine power, the self and the society as a whole and the nation can attain comfort and happiness.