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.