nirvANa sundarI

The inclusion of the Buddha among the ten avataras of Vishnu is not found in all the lists of the ten avatAras and, when he does appear, the story told about him is not always a positive one. We may hear that viShNu appeared in this form to teach humanity about non-violence (which fundamentally is understood as ritualistic non-violence during yajnas); but we may also find that he decided once for all to separate the sheep from the goats, which means, the truly religious and orthodox people from the latently heterodox and atheists (naturally, here, Buddhists). Certainly, on the positive side an attempt is made to incorporate or appropriate a religious tradition which possessed its autonomous existence. Worshippers of Vishnu tried to draw communities of Buddhists into their movement; to what extent they succeeded is now impossible to tell. Certainly in Nepal, where even today Buddhists and Hindus live side by side, the idea of the Buddha being an avatAra of viShNu allows the Hindus to define their position in relation to the Buddhists. But it is clear that others felt no such affinity towards the followers of the Buddha. They either kept silent, by not having the Buddha in their lists of the avatAras, or explicitly rejected them by providing a negative rationale for this avatAra (namely to bring the heterodox out into the open).

In the hagiography of the South Indian shrIvaiShNava saint parakAla (Thirumangai), who is one of the twelve AlvArs, these issues take on concrete shape. The saint is universally lauded for stealing a golden Buddha statue from the temple in Nagapattinam, melting it down, and using the gold to build various shrines in shrIrangam, an important centre of viShNu worship in the south. Only one of the many accounts of the legend that were produced among the shrIvaiShNavas indicates the awareness of a moral problem. In this one text, we are told that the chola king reprimanded parakAla for this theft, referring to Buddha as an avatara of vishNu. But obviously parakAla succeeded here in producing theological arguments against such an interpretation, taking a staunchly anti-Buddhist line. One other account goes so far in the opposite direction as to have parakAla desecrate the Buddha statue by urinating over it.

- Friedhelm Hardy

During the seventh and eighth centuries, the tolerant relations among religious sects in South India had clearly come to an end. Mahendravarman I persecuted shaivites until his conversion; then he turned on jainas. Later, the shaivite saint Sambandhar who converted the Pandyan ruler, is celebrated in an annual festival at mInAkShI temple of Madurai which commemorates the impalement of 8000 jaina heads at the young saint’s urging. In the eighth century, Nandivarman II Pallavamalla, an ardent vaiShNavite, carried out persecution of Jains and Buddhists, and his contemporary, the vaiShNavite hymnist Tirumangai is said to have plundered the Buddhist vihAra at the town of nAgapaTTinam using the golden image to finance the construction of walls around the principal shrine in shrIrangam and other benefices.

- Ronald M. Davidson

Lord, having declared, madbhaktA yatra gAyanti tatra tiShThAmi nArada, has been giving us ample oppurtunities to immerse ourselves in nAma and vibhUti rasa-s. harinAmamAlA, a composition of mahAbali is especially sacred to those of us associated with Kerala. Here is a version of this sweet hymn rendered by Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar, the torchbearer of Mewati Gharana and a senior disciple of our dear Pandit-ji.

We also heard that Smt. "Mukambika" Mami took part in suvAsini pUjA performed by the Mandali on the occasion of Srinivasa Kalyanam and this verily seems to be the continued blessing of her illustrious Guru on us.

matsyAdyanantakalyANalIlAvaibhavakAriNe |
namo vyUhachatuShkAya divyArchArUpadhAriNe ||
prahlAdadhyAyamAnAya prahlAdArtiharAya cha |
prahlAdasthirasAmrAjyadAyakAya namo namaH ||

namaH shivAbhyAm

Sri Aravind Subramanyam needs no introduction to readers of our blog and the devotees of Lord hariharaputra. Sri Aravind has kindly extended his warm invitation to all members of our Mandali to participate in the Shasta Priti being conducted by Sri Maha Shastru Seva Sangham, Coimbatore. Here is a write up by Sri Aravind:

As ordained by the boundless grace of Lord Hariharaputhra, Iam have been blessed with an opportunity to conduct a "Sastha Preethi" in the Traditional and detailed manner. This is happening for the first time in Coimbatore. The Puja will be conducted at Shri Ayyappan Puja Sangam Ramnagar, Coimbatore during the month of Aadi (Karkatakam) on the Uthram Nakskathram day ie 26th of July, 2009. The event is organized by our organization - Shri Maha Sasthru Seva Sangam.

After the detailed puja to Sastha along with his Parivara Devatas... neivedyam and deeparadhana followed by mantrapushpam and namaskaram. After this traditional Varavu Sastha paattu songs will be sung. Shlokas invoking Ganapathi, Saraswathi, Shastha, Chellapillai, Yakshi, Bhoothanatha and other Parivara Devathas are sung.

The traditional upasakas or Sthanakaras of the respective deities are inspired and gets the supereme power invoked within them. These upasakas are offered respect by the devotees and upacharas are done to them. They bless the devotees with prasadam and convey the deity's satisfaction in the conduct of the Sasthapreethi.

Plantain leaves (Nuni elai) are bundled and decorated with sandal paste, kumkum and flowers and kept in the sannidhanam of the Lord during the pooja and is handed over by the Lord Himself along with vibhuthi prasadam to the person organizing the pooja after the invocation of Sastha. Only after this ritual, prasadam, the food is served to the public.

Generally, the Shasta Priti performed in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are symbolic and brief; Sri Aravind has given us all an opportunity to take part in the elaborate and traditional form of the sacred ritual and earn the blessings of shAstr devatA. We pray to Sri Mahatripurasundari and Lord Prasada Parameshvara to bless Sri Aravind and enable him to bring us many more such opportunities. The scanned copy of the invitation may be found below.

English
Tamizh 1 Tamizh 2

A friend associated with one of our favorite organizations, shrI abhinava vidyA tIrtha Foundation pointed me to the blog of the elegant and talented Gayathri Girish. She has many interesting posts on her blog but her latest one is on names from rahasya nAmasAhasri found in the compositions of the greatest of the Trinity (IMO), shrI muttusvAmy dIkShitar. Gayathri is a student of Sangita Kalanidhi Sri Madurai T N Seshagopalan. Though a populist she is, going by some of her concerts I have attended, not all of us are brought up to like MDR! Like racism is the deadliest of sins in krauncha dvIpa, not to be in awe of MDR's music is a mahApAtaka in the current Carnatic music circle. Every one seems to be ranting about how under-appreciated he was. But was that without a reason? I am quite reasonable with acquired tastes but not to the extent of switching from Madurai Mani Iyer and the marvelous GNB to MDR.

A reader of our blog posted a query as to whether the Tibetan Buddhists were wasting time reciting incorrect Sanskrit mantras. While it is true that the mantras were in a sense distorted when adopted by the Tibetans or the Chinese, not all of them have been rendered useless. Does that mean the mantras require no special care in the pronunciation department? Does that imply that any word when repeated faithfully with a strong intent produces some result? Probably yes to some extent and no to a larger extent. Namkhai Norbu frequently points out how different the pronunciations are even among the Tibetans of different sects and sub-sects and states that it is the transmission or dIkShA from the lineage that makes the mantra work for an aspirant.

An aged Gelugpa I studied with briefly over six years ago was a native Tibetan whose pronunciation of Sanskrit mantras was pathetic at most. He was nevertheless an encyclopedia of yidam practices and was consulted by H H Dalai Lama frequently. Extremely irritated with the way he recited mantras, one day I posed this question to him while he was explaining the mahAmudrA mantra. The old monk smiled and said, “It is all in the transmission! The yidams are created by bijas, bijas by the mind and the mind is the Guru”. Though not completely convincing at that time, his abilities or Siddhis were unquestionable in their own sphere. He could cure diseases, locate missing objects and manipulate dreams. He always invoked his iShTa or yidam who would possess him and work through him to effect a cure or divine a solution. AviShkaraNa or possession by deities has always been the modus operandi of many schools of vajrayAna and the school shares this aspect with the likes of Kubjika kula and other yoga influenced sects of our own tantra. His version of the gnyan-chen-thang-lha mantra taught originally by Padmakara was again in Tibetanised Sanskrit and that did not seem to reduce its efficiency.

The same can be seen in the case of shAbara and jaina mantras as well. So is it all about simply getting the right pronunciation? Is it the powerful intent behind the mantra that does the trick? Is it the accompanying ritual that is important? Is it the transmission from the preceptor that holds key to success in mantra practice? It is probably a mix of all this and more. avijneyatva of the exact nature of mantras is discussed at length by mImAmsakas as also several Tantras. Metaphysical aspect of a mantra is as difficult to comprehend as the nature of the devatA it pertains to and equally mysterious as the grace of that devatA. Bhartrhari in his vAkpadIya deals with artha (word-meaning) and dhvani (word-sound). These two, though differentiated apparently are indeed integrated like the two faces of the same coin and constitute of sphoTa or the revelatory aspect of the mantra. This is a key concept on which many theories seem to have developed. His observations on vyAkaraNa and ucchAraNa as key aspects for mantra's success are almost scientific.

While a mAntric prayoga is similar to the recipe of Palada Pradhaman, same ingredients and same measures do not always guarantee the same outcome. There is a mysterious Factor X that’s makes the key difference which may be a combination of bhakti, karma, prApti, and the disposition of the devatA based on one or more of these X factors. Moreover, mantra itself cannot be the datr of fruits which is rather the devatA, unless mantra is accepted as verily the devatA in sUkShma svarUpa. This has been discussed at such great length by ancients of all the three schools of vedAnta to refute the related view in pUrvamImAmsA that anything more stated in this regard would be easily redundant. But it has been the observation of the mahAnas that if there is an earnest effort to get the recipe, ingredients and the apparatus right, and there is the all-important bhakti towards the devatA, ingredient X shows up in the dessert at the right time.

One may benefit by studying the shivasUtravimarshinI and spanda nirNaya of kShemarAja, especially the commentary on the sUtra: chittam mantraH. He cites a number of reasons and authorities to assert the fact that mantras are more than a random and inert combination of sounds. We can examine these a little later.

mahAmantraM ki~nchin-maNikaTaka-nAdair-mR^idu japan
kShipandikShu svachChaM nakharuchimayaM bhAsmanarajaH |
natAnAM kAmAkShi prakR^itipaTurachchATya mamatA -
pishAchIM pAdo.ayaM prakaTayati te mAntrikadashAm ||

The deities of the vajrayAna are all manifestations of shUnya. Advayavajra says in a very characteristic verse that the deities are nothing but manifestations of shUnya and are by nature non-existent, and whenever there is manifestation it must be shUnya in essence. The process of evolution of deities from shUnya has four stages: the first is the right perception of the shUnyatA or voidness, the second is its connection with the germ syllable, the third is the conception of an icon and the fourth is the external representation of the deity. This statement which occurs both in the sAdhanamAlA and in advayavajra is a very strong argument against the theory that later Buddhism was nothing but gross idolatry. This shows on the other hand that their conception of godhead was philosophically most profound, a parallel to which is scarcely to be met with in any other Indian religion.

Occasionally the sAdhanamAlA gives us information as to the residence of the vajrayAna deities and as far as it can be gathered from some stray references we can definitely say that the abode of these gods was in the akaniShTha heaven which is the topmost of the rUpa heavens. As has been pointed out before, the deities of the vajrayAna system represent the shUnya and they are shUnya in essence with the three elements shUnya, vijnAna and mahAsukha. They are rather the voluntary manifestations of the shUnya in accordance with the bIjamantras uttered by the worshippers, with an appearance suitable for the function he has to discharge. In the SadhanamAlA in one instance while characterizing manjushrI it gives us a piece of very important information and calls him as equal to all tathAgatas who are none but the five dhyAni Buddhas. This implies that each deity is an embodiment of the five skandhas over each of which one dhyAni Buddha presides, such as akShobhya for vijnAna, vairochana for rUpa, ratnasambhava for vedanA, amitAbha for samjnA and amoghasiddhi for samskAra. When one element among the five predominates the deity is considered to be an emanation of that dhyAni Buddha who presides over the element in question. When such deity is represented in art, he bears on his head the same dhyAni Buddha and is considered as his offspring and as belonging to his family. The five dhyAni Buddhas are generally represented on the aureole over the head of the principal deity.

It may be noted that texts are very particular in having a color applied to all the deities. This color has a deep significance and is a thing which should not be passed over unnoticed. The dhyAni Buddhas, it may be remembered, have each a different color and they preside over one or the other of the skandas, also five in number. The deities emanating from each of these five dhyAni Buddhas constitute the family of each. Ordinarily, the whole family of a particular dhyAni Buddha should have the same color as that of their spiritual father. Thus the family of akShobhya, the embodiment of vijnAna skandha, should have the blue color because it is the color of the dhyAni Buddha akShobhya. This is, of course, the general rule but numerous exceptions are also met with. Take, for instance, a deity who is very popular and has the power to grant success in a variety of protective and destructive rites. The deity cannot have the same color in all the rites because the difference in rite demands a difference in form and color, posture, and so forth. In the sAdhanamAlA it is said that the color of the deities vary in accordance with the functions they have to discharge.

It may be frequently seen that the deities sometimes present a very fierce appearance and are invoked in terrible rites such as for the destruction of men (maraNa) and their houses (ucchATana). This, perhaps, the authors of sAdhanas considered incompatible with the theory of compassion and a few indirect explanations to clear up this point are not wanting in the sAdhanamAlA. Two characteristic passages are quoted below, one with reference to the fierce form of yamAri and the other in respect of ucchuShma jambhala.

shrImantam antaHkaruNAmayam tam |
sattvArthahetoH bahirugrarUpam ||
nAtham yamArim praNipatya mUrdhnA
likhAmi tatsAdhanamiShTahetoH ||

“After making my obeisance by my head to Lord yamAri who is of dignified appearance, internally compassionate but externally terrific for the good of all beings, I write this procedure of worship for the benefit of all.”

dAridryaduHkhAhatamAnasAnAm
kA chittavrttiH sugatasya kR^itteH |
atashcha kopAdiva jambhalo.asau
ucchuShmarUpam bhayadam chakAra ||

“People who are stricken down with the misery of poverty what desire can they have for the rites laid down by sugata? It is for this reason it seems that jambhala in his anger assumed the terrific form of ucchuShma”.

mahAkAla is another very terrible deity with terrible appearance and is invoked to discharge terrible functions. Neither his appearance nor his functions are in keeping with the doctrine of karuNA or compassion. Nut an excellent explanation to clear up the point has been offered by the author of the sAdhana. He says:

AchArye yaH sadA dveShI kupito ratnatraye.api yaH |
anekasattvavidhvamsI mahAkAlena khAdyate ||

“One who is persistently a hater of the preceptor and is adversely disposed towards the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and immolates many animals is eaten up raw by mahAkAla”.

Now in a case like this we can easily understand that the conception of the fierce of mahAkAla is quite in keeping with the doctrine of compassion because such a man is incorrigible and he alone and unaccompanied does harm to many beings, and a mischievous man like ought to be removed by a fierce deity like mahAkAla for the good of the many. We do not however see the necessity of eating the poor offender raw unless it is assumed that his mental condition will change in the next birth by undergoing a transformation in the compassionate stomach of mahAkAla!

[Based on sthala purANa by Brahmasri C V Kamakoti Shastrigal]

shrI lalitA parAbhaTTArikA presides over the kAmakoShTha (kAmakoTTa or kAmakoTi, the name of the shakti pITha that was later assumed by the Kumbhakonam Mutt) in five forms:

1. shrI kAmAkshI parA bhaTTArikA – Sri Kamakshi is the mUla devatA of the kAmakoTi pITha seated in the centre of the inner sanctorum of the shrine in Kanchipuram known as the the gAyatrI maNTapam. According to kAmAkshI rahasya, this maNDapa was built by the celestials with the four walls representing the four Vedas and the twenty-four pillars representing the twenty-four syllables of the sacred formula of gAyatrI. shrIvidyA parameshvarI, who forms the inner core of the prakaTA gAyatrI and thus called rahasya gAyatrI, is enshrined at the centre of the gAyatrI maNDapam as shrI kAmAkshI. She is seated on pancha brahmAsana and sports in her four hands pAsha, ankusha, iSkhu kodaNDa and puShpa bANa. parAmbA is seated in yonyAsana and faces southeast. When tormented by asuras led by bhaNDAsura, devas are said to have performed a penance to appease the Supreme Shakti in the form of parrots, residing on champaka vrkShas at kAnchI. Pleased with their penance, parAmbA is said to have appeared from her residence in mahAmeru or bilAkAsha through the bila dvAra and destroyed the demons. The shrI vigraha of parAmbA has been described as representing her three forms: sthUla (dhyAna yogya, sAvayava), sUkShma (mantra and yantrAtmaka) and kAraNa or vAsanatmaka. It is also said that Lord mahAdeva himself worshipped parAmbA in the four yugas assuming the forms of sages krodha bhaTTAraka, parashurAma, dhaumya and Adi shankara bhagavatpAda (and mUka shankara, believed to be an incarnation of krodha bhaTTAraka). The bila dvAra leading to bilAkAsha can be seen today in front of the tapomagna kAmAkshI sannidhi inside the garbhagrha. It is also said that bhagavAn rudra assumed the form of durvAsas on her emergence from the bilAkAsha and first worshipped her through the modalities of shrIvidyA tantra by consecrating a shrIchakra here. He is thus the sampradAya guru of shrIvidyA and the credit for crystallizing parAmbA at kAnchIpuram as gurumUrtisvarUpiNI (charyAnandanAtha-parA bhaTTArikA mithunAtmikA) goes to this great Seer. The forms of vashinyAdi vAgdevatas can be seen around the shrIchakra in their same positions as in shrIpura. A shrine dedicated to hayagrIva and agastya can be seen in the third prAkara of the temple, at the location where the teaching of lalitA trishatI was imparted.

2. tapaH kAmAkshI – This form of parAmbA can be seen to the right of the mUla devatA and close to the bila dvAra. Separated from mahAdeva due to the curse of a sage, umA appeared first as annapUrNA in kAshI and then following the advice of sage kAtyAyana, appeared in kAnchI to worship shrIvidyA parameshvarI and attain her blessings. She later worshipped the Lord as ekAmranAtha under the Mango tree in rudrakoShTha and married him due to the grace of parAmbA.

3. anjana kAmAkShI – Also known as arUpa lakShmi, her shrine is situated to the left of the mUla devatA, facing the north and in front of saubhAgya gaNapati. ramA is said to have performed a penance to regain her lost beauty in this place and due to the grace of parAmbA, kumkuma offerings of mUla devatA is offered to her here before being accepted by the devotees. While she represents ramA in her form as ramA-bIja, she represents kAmAkShI in the form of kAmakalAkShara that is inherent in the ramA bIja.

4. svarNa kAmAkShI – The shrine of this deity, also known as Bangaru kAmAkShI is situated in the second prAkAra. It is said that this form of umA was created by shrIvidyA parameshvarI from her third eye to serve as the shakti of ekAmranAtha named ekAmbikA. The original idol that appeared from the third-eye of parAmbA is seen today in Tanjore, which was transported to Tanjore to protect the idol from Muslim attacks by kAmAkShIdAsa, an ancestor of shrI shyAmA shAstrigal.

5. utsava kAmAkshI – The shrine of utasava kAmAkShI, the idol which is brought out during processions, is located in the second prAkara. The idol is accompanied on either side by idols of shAradA and ramA. A sacred navakoNa padaka offered by Smt. ‘lopAmudrA’ Rajam Mami adorns this deity. While the devatAs generally are accompanied by their male/female consorts in most cases, on account of kAmAkShI being shiva-shaktyAtmikA, there is no shrine devoted to shiva here.

atyantashItalamatandrayatu kShaNArdhaM
astokavibhramamana~NgavilAsakandam |
alpasmitAdR^itamapArakR^ipApravAhaM
akShiprarohamachirAnmayi kAmakoTi ||

A quick medley of some famous kIrtanas of Saint tyAgarAja in the enchanting voice of vishAkhA manni.

As we sat to discuss the annual mahotsavam and a yantra pratiShThA at a Kali Temple in dakshiNa desha, several related tantras were examined for a suitable pramANa before ordering a specific yantra. It seems to be a trend lately to prefer yantras made in Gold. Several texts speak of the prAshastya of svarNa yantra as next to only ratnAdi nirmita yantra. But, there is a certain clause in kAlI tantra that speaks of svarNa yantra as being unsuitable in kali yuga. This instruction is generic and not specific to kAlI yantra.

svarNAdirachitam yantram satyAdiyugasammatam |
jambudvIpasya varShaM tu kalikAle cha bhArate ||
svarNAdi rachite yantre pUjanAt prakaTaM bhavet |
prakaTe mantranAshaH syAdvadhabandhanameva cha |
prakaTe siddhihAniH syAt prakaTe maraNam bhavet ||

To understand this somewhat obscure verse, we had to refer to pratiShThA chintAmaNi of vAsudeva mishra and he seems to agree with the same when speaking of durgA yantra sthApana. He clarifies that silver and ratna are fine though, quoting from pAncharAtrAgama.

Again, what is true for archa yantra is not the same for stira/pratishtha yantras and the above prescription is for yantra worshiped by an upAsaka everyday. Our friend shrI ODDIshAnandanAtha does not agree with this distinction between archA and pratiShthA as both are valid in this case and the tantra does not seem to restrict its prescription to a particular kind. Moreover, the temple is run by folks who follow this tantra as mukhya pramANa, and it does make seem to make sense to abide by what it says.

To understand the significance of the vajrayAnic conception of advaya, the theory of shUnyatA and karuNA will first have to be taken into consideration. Voidness and compassion together constitute what is called the Bodhichitta or the Bodhi Mind. This idea probably for the first time makes its appearance in the guhyasamAja. The mixing up of the two elements shUnyatA and karuNA is known as advaya.

The shUnyatA as conceived by vajrayAna is very forcibly expressed in the sAdhanamAlA. Here it is mentioned that shUnyatA consists in thinking or realizing all dharmas (elements or objects) as transitory, momentary, non-ego, mistaken (as realities) by the mind, similar to objects seen in a dream or magic, endowed with a beginning and end, and natural purity, non-existent, unborn, and void like the place of tathatA.

The conception of karuNA or compassion of the vajrayAna finds also a lucid expression here: it is defined as the determination on the part of the Bodhisattva to lead and finally to place all beings in nirvana including beings born from eggs, uterus, perspiration or being endowed with shoes like horses (aupapAduka), endowed with a form or formless, or endowed with consciousness or unconsciousness, or beings who abide neither in consciousness nor unconsciousness. In another place karuNA is expressed as a strong determination to diffuse right knowledge among the people who owing to desire are blinded by ignorance and cannot realize the continuous transmigration as caused by the act force, in order that they may lead a life in accordance with the law of Dependent Origination.

The commingling of shUnyatA with karuNA is what is designated by the vajrayAnists as advaya and it is a theory which is very important for understanding the underlying features of vajrayAna, for, on this alone, the foundation of shakti worship is based. The sAdhanamAlA also quite clearly explains the theory by characterizing the effects of advaya by means of a simile: as copper leaves its dirty color (and becomes gold) when it comes in contact with the tincture, similarly the body leaves off its attachment, hatred, etc., when it comes in contact with the tincture of advaya. This advaya is a form of cognition which is all important in vajrayAna and in many instances the craving for this knowledge finds expression in many tantras. In the same way as other ideas were deified in vajrayAna, advaya was also deified and we find two deities heruka and prajnA, the embodiments of shUnaytA and karuNA, commingled in advaya, and fused together in embrace in the yuganaddha or the yab-yum form. The duality merges into one even as salt commingles with water.

The word sAdhana is closely connected with the word siddhi and the sAdhana is a procedure by which siddhi can be obtained, provided the directions therein given are practiced with patience and zeal. The Hindus generally recognize eight Siddhis though occasionally eighteen and twenty-four siddhis are also acknowledged. The eight siddhis are: aNimA, mahimA, laghimA, prApti, prAkAmya, Ishitva, vashitva and kAmAvasAyitva.

In the brahmavaivarta purANa mention is made of thrity-four kinds of siddhis, including the eight already cited. Some of them are: dUrashravaNa, parakAyapravesha, manoyAtitva, sarvajnatva, vahnistambhana, jalastambhana, chirajIvitva, vAyustambhana, kShutpipAsAnidrAstambhana, kAyavyUhapravesha, vAksiddhi, mrtAnayana, prANAkarShaNa, prANadAna, indriyastambhana and buddhistambhana. One who is able to attain by a particular process many of the foregoing powers is called a siddha puruSha. The Buddhists recognize the number of siddhas as eighty-four. Pictures of these are still prepared in Nepal and Tibet and they are even now venerated in these countries.

The Siddhas again are of three varieties according to tantrasAra: uttama, madhyama and adhama. The characteristics of each class are also given in the same work; and a siddha, for instance, will be recognized as belonging to the first class when he is able to fulfill all his desires by mere wish, or in other words, as soon as a desire arises in his mind, that very moment it is fulfilled. The second class siddha is able to conquer death, commune with gods, enter unperceived into the bodies and homes of others, move in the air, hear the gods talk in the firmament, understand all terrestrial truths, obtain conveyances, ornaments etc., and a long life, bewitch people, perform miracles, remove diseases by a mere glance, extract poison, obtain erudition in the shAstras, renounce all worldly enjoyments, practice yoga in all the eight divisions, show compassion to all beings etc. The third or the lowest class of siddha obtains: fame, long life, conveyances, ornaments, and familiarity with the king, popularity with royal personages and the people, power of bewitching, wealth, prosperity, children and family.

It can be easily seen that the third class of siddhas were never designated as siddha puruShas; those were attached either to the first or the second class. In all tantras, Hindu or Buddhist, general directions are always given as to the manner of obtaining siddhi by muttering the mantras. In case legitimate muttering of the mantras and the conformity to the regulations do not bestow the desired siddhi, the tantras also give directions as how it can be obtained by seven different processes.

The word siddhi may be defined as the attainment of super human powers of the mind, body or the sense organs. The siddhi is generally known to be of five varieties:

1. Janmaja – co-existent with birth
2. auShadhaja – due to some drug/medicine
3. mantraja – due to the agency of mantra
4. tapoja – due to austerities
5. samAdhija – due to intense meditation or absorption

The mind is compared to a river in the rainy season with all the exits closed except one through which the water rushes with tremendous vigor. When mind in the same way is concentrated on one particular thought, it is able to acquire great strength which we call siddhi. Siddhis are of various kinds and range from success in love affairs to the attainment of the highest emancipation. If we examine the kind of siddhis for obtaining which the Buddhists of the tAntric age busied themselves in muttering mantras and executing tAntric practices, we will be able to understand the aims and objects of the people and their mentality. Hence a study of these practices is not considered redundant as it is capable of throwing a flood of light on the state of tAntric culture.

In many texts, great anxiety is shown for averting and curing diseases, and for the extraction of snake-poison. Next in importance to the above desire is the longing for acquiring a knowledge of the shAstras without study but only through the agency of the mantras. Another characteristic feature of the sAdhanas is presented by their craving for the bodhi which again is to be obtained only through the help of the mantras. Then come the six cruel rites and the attainment of the eight great perfections. Great anxiety is also shown for the attainment of sarvajnatva, or omniscience, or the position of a Buddha – all signifying one and the same thing – namely emancipation. The tAntric Buddhists also possessed a great desire to have the mighty Hindu gods as their servants, whom they believed to be conquerable by mantras, and willing to do menial work for the magician.

The tAntric Buddhists also believed that the benign act of protection could be granted by divine agencies and also secured by mantras. Curiously enough, the aid of the mantras was widely availed of by the tAntric Buddhists for vanquishing their opponents in public discussions. From this it appears clear that religious discussions in public assemblies were very common, and victory in these assemblies was eagerly sought by all classes of people including the Buddhists, and it is no wonder that deities and mantras were invented in order that the sAdhaka may easily obtain victory in learned discussions even without being qualified for it. This leads us to believe in the stories recorded in the Pag Sam Jon Zan that in public assemblies, disputants of different religious sects used to assemble and take part, either staking his own religion. Thus, people were converted and reconverted to different religions. A great desire is also shown, both Hindu and Buddhist tAntrics, for performing miracles probably for creating an impression on the public mind. In spite of acquiring such spiritual powers, however, the monks were habituated to go out for alms, as is evident from the devices invented by them, which were meant to miraculously induce people to offer alms of their own accord.

Their conception of future happiness was also of a strange character. We see a wish expressed for a siddhi at one place which will enable the worshipper to remain in a state of rapture in the company of numberless apsaras, in the land of the vidyAdharas where the Lord of Heaven will hold the parasol over his head, brahmA acting as councilor, vemachitI as the army commander, hari as the gatekeeper and the naked god shankara discoursing on the different virtues. The monks usually led a poor life but they were nevertheless anxious for wealth, and believed that wealth could be obtained by muttering mantras alone! Jambhala, the god of wealth, was created and different images and mantras were invented and a large number of sAdhanas were devoted to his worship. These are similar instances are evidence of the attraction the poor monks had for wealth.

The Buddhists also acknowledged the eight great Siddhis though they were somewhat different from the eight siddhis acknowledged by the hindus. With the Buddhists, the eight siddhis are:

1. khaDga
2. anjana
3. pAdalepa
4. antardhAna
5. rasarasAyana
6. khechara
7. bhUchara
8. pAtAla

These were later incorporated into Hindu tantras. It is difficult to get a precise explanation of the nature of these perfections from any Buddhist work. The first signifies the perfection which enables a man to conquer a battle with the help of a sword on which mantras have been muttered. The second indicates of a magic unguent which enables the wearer to perceive the treasures buried under earth or otherwise hidden from the eyes. The third refers to the mysterious ointment which when applied to the legs enable a man to move about anywhere without his body being perceived by anyone. The fourth, similarly, refers to the power which enables a man to disappear before the very eyes of other people. The fifth refers probably to the magical solution that turns base metals into gold, and grants immunity from death. The sixth power enables one to move in the firmament. The seventh gives one power to go at will anywhere in this world in a moment, and the eighth refers to the power of going to the nether regions. Such feats were considered superhuman and the monks of the tAntric age directed their attention to executing such feats through the agency of the mantras which, they thought, develops psychic power.

The most important among the different rites of the tAntrics are probably what are known as the ShaTkarma or six rites, and it is necessary here to give some idea of the different rites with which the old monks busied themselves. These six rites are: shanti, vashIkraNa, stambhana, vidveShaNa, ucchATana and mAraNa. The first rite is the one which is calculated to remove diseases and save men from the terrible consequences of evil stars, or of bad actions done in the previous births. The second vashIkaraNa is the rite which when performed gives the performer the power to bewitch all other men or women or even animals and gods, and get work done by them. The third stambhana is the rite by the performance of which power is conferred on the worshipper for stopping all actions of others, and even when a cause is operating to stop its effect. This the burning of fire can be stopped; so that even if the fire be there it will not burn; it is the rite by which all actions of human beings can be stopped at will. The fourth vidveShaNa is another interesting rite which gives the power to separate two friends, relatives, lovers, from each other and so forth. The fifth ucchATana is the rite which when performed gives the performer special power to make his enemy flee from the country with all attendant disgrace. It may be inferred that ucchATana was employed in destroying the dwelling houses of enemies by incantations of mantras and by other means. The sixth is mAraNa, which is perhaps the most cruel among the six rites of tantra. This consists in killing enemies by means of apparently harmless practices.

These are known as the ShaTkarma and it is said that the experienced tAntrics get results immediately these rites are performed. It is nevertheless difficult for ordinary laymen to obtain any successful result because the rites have to be performed in accordance with Time, Star and the appropriate gods and mantras which are known to the specialists alone.

The mantras are of primary importance in all cruel rites and no less than six methods of application are generally formulated:

1. grathana - consists of reciting mantras on each of the letters of the name of the medium (sAdhya), generally required in shanti or protective rites.
2. vidarbha - consists in writing the letters of the name of the medium between the letters of the mantra used mostly in vashIkaraNa or bewitching.
3. sampuTa - consists in writing the mantra in the beginning and at the end of the name of the medium – mostly required in stambhana.
4. rodhana - consists in applying the mantra in the beginning, middle and the end of the name of the medium – necessary in vidveShaNa.
5. Yoga - consists in reciting the name of the medium at the end of the mantra – required in ucchATana.
6. pallava - consists in applying the mantra at the end of the name of the medium and this is required in the mAraNa rite.