Urdhvamnaya Tantra Pdf

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Edilma Howard

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Aug 5, 2024, 12:50:21 AM8/5/24

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TantraAgamas are a broad class of religious Hindu works. They are mostly based on the Vedas and accept the authority of the Vedas. They contain philosophical speculation as well as concrete practices to apply the philosophy. The practices are quite elegant and elevating in many instances. However in some cases, and not all, these practices have taken hideous forms . But the essential philosophy is more or less in harmony with the Vedic World View. The difference with respect to Vedas lies in some of the methods and subtle points of differences in philosophy.

Tantra is not a unitary system like the Vedas or any of the Hindu philosophies. It is an accumulation of practices and ideas of the Hindus since prehistoric times. Its birth is rooted in the Vedas; its development proceeded through the Upanishads, Itihasas, Puranas, and Smritis; and its luxuriant growth has been fostered by Buddhism, various minor Hindu sects, and also foreign influences. The vitality and elasticity thus acquired made tantra enter every house and temple of India and it also made powerful inroads into every country where Indian thought went. What obtains as Hinduism in India and the West, is essentially tantra packaged to suit the need of a particular community or individual.

The main difference between vaidika and tantrika sastras is in structure; vaidika sastras deal with gotra (family) whereas the tantrika sastras are open for one initiated into them by a guru.

Vamachara traditions place strict ritual limits on the use of these literal forms and warn against non sanctioned use. If so used they encourage the person to sin. Practitioners of vamachara rituals may make symbolic substitutions for these literal things, which are not permitted in orthodox Hindu practice. The fact that tantric practices can be done without involvement with the literal pancha-makara is emphasized by Swami Madhavananda, and said to have been practiced by numerous saints.

Some sampradayas are more concerned with ritual, Some with bhava. Both acknowledge that the other path complements their own (as Rupa Gosvami does in Bhaktirasamrtasindhu 1.1.11), but they nevertheless give prominence to one or the other. This Visvanatha Cakravarti clearly points out in 11.3.33. Gaudiya Vaishnavas give prominence to raganuga bhakti and its advanced processes also mentioned in the Pancharatras like Sanat Kumar Samhita. However to attain a steady state of Raganuga bhajan one needs to follow the favourable angas of vidhi bhakti which are also angas of Pancharatras . The function of vidhi is mentioned in Padma Purana quoted in Bhaktirasamrtasindhu 2.8:

In the Dvapara-yuga people should worship Lord Visnu only by the regulative principles of the Narada-pancaratra and other such authorized books. In the age of Kali, however, people should simply chant the holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Narayana Samhita)

A: Varada Tantra lists bija mantras: 1. Haum should be used to worship Siva; 2. Dum stands for Ma Durga; 3. Krim stands for Ma Kali; 4. Hrim stands for Ma Bhuvanesvari; 5. Srim stands for Devi Lakshmi; 6. Aim stands for Ma Sarasvati; 7. Klim stands for Mahesvari; 8. Hum stands for Devi; 9. Gam stands for Mahesvari (Ga means Ganesha); 10. Glaum stands for Ganesha; 11. Ksraum stands for Nrsimha; 12. Strim stands for Mahesvari

(The Upanisads state that) the universe was created from the syllable klim. Water was produced from the k, earth from the l, fire from the i, air from m, and ether from the dot. This mantra is therefore fivefold.

K is Krsna with His personal form of eternity, knowledge and bliss. I is His energy Radha, who is the eternal Queen of Vrndavana. L is celebrated as the blissful happiness of love. M is the sweetness of the bliss occurring when They kiss. (Brhad-gautamiya-tantra)

As You sit with Your lover on a throne under a desire tree in Vrndavana, I will worship You by offering You padya, argha, incense, camphor, lamps, garlands, ornaments, and four kinds of food. (Sankalpa kalpadruma 52)

In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them. (AbhidheyAdhideva PraNAma, Caitanya caritamrita 1.1.16, 2.1.4, 3.1.6)

This practice has been developed into an elaborate ritual, involving two diagrams, one of Navadvip and one of Vrindavan, in which you have to offer so many articles like sandal pulp and flowers to so many characters inside the diagram. In the whorl of the lotus are Radha-Krishna and each of the petals houses one sakhi; under each sakhi serves again one main manjari. There is a mirror-model of Navadvip, where Mahaprabhu stands in the whorl, surrounded by all His associates. The practise has been elaborated upon by Gopal Guru Goswami and Dhyanacandra Goswami of the Vakresvara Pandit parivara.

In the middle of that whorl (Antardvipa) is the topmost sacred seat of jewels, Shri dhama (Mayapura). There resides the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the handsome golden Gaura in His five features (Panca-tattva). They who always meditate on Lord Gaura in Mayapura are the most exalted of all exalted souls.

Kularnava tantra(Original Sanskrit Text) Kularnava TantraYou are speech. You are consciousness. You are bliss. You are Brahma. You are being-consciousness-bliss. You are the non-dual. You are plainly Brahma. You are knowledge. You are intelligence - Ganapati UpanishadThe Kularnava Tantra is held in high esteem by Kaula tantriks. The phrase Kularnava means ocean of Kula. It focuses on the Urdvhamnaya, or Upper Tradition, the four others belonging to the four other faces ofShiva and representing the five elements of the tradition. This tantra does exist in English translation (Prachya Prakashan, 1983) but this chapter is my own translation, done some years before. Each chapter is called an ullasa or bliss, this referring to the nectar of the Kaulas.

The essence of this third chapter is a eulogy about the magnificence of the Urdvhamnaya and its mantra, which is based upon the 21,600 breaths a human being takes each day and night. This upper form of Shiva is known as Ardhanarishvara, a form uniting both Shiva and Shakti in one form, representing the union of the outgoing and ingoing respirations (Ha and Sa).

A description (dhyana , meditation) of Ardhanarishvara, given in the same tantra, is of some interest. "In the centre of the wood of Aeon Trees is a canopy formed from nine rubies. Under the canopy is a throne studded with nine jewels. On the throne, on a triangular seat within the petals of the lotus, is Shiva, adorned with the Moon and the Sun with Devi Ambika forming half of his body..."

The mantras in Kularnava Tantra are all fashioned from the letters Ha Sa (shown in the picture above left as Hamsah). The Shri Prasada Para mantra is Hsaum, the Shri Para Prasada mantra Shaum, the Shri Prasada mantra Ham and the Shri Para mantra Sam.

Shri Ishvara said: Listen, Devi, I will declare that which you ask, by hearing which doctrine devatas become truly happy. I have never previously declared this, O Kuleshvari. Listen, dearest, I will tell you about the Urdvhamnaya out of my love for you.

Vedas, shastras, puranas are revealed but Shaiva and Shakta agamas are all renowned as being secret. The supreme secret of all secrets are the Kula Shastras, Parvati. Ambike, the Urdhvhamnaya is the supreme secret of all secrets, the very essence of the whole of the absolute (Brahman). Well hidden before, it is now revealed by me to you.

The five amnayas are born from my five faces are the east, the west, the south and the north and the upper, the five amnayas renowned for bringing liberation (moksha). Many are the amnayas but there is none equal to the Urdvhamnaya. This is the truth, Vararohe, there should be no discussion about it.

Many distinctions have come from the secret four amnayas. In this tantra, O Lady of the Kulas, I will first speak of them. O Kamini, many are those who study the four amnayas, but those knowing the Urvhamnaya knowledge are few.

Just as the myriad of particles of dust on the earth, so many are the mantras giving enjoyment and liberation from any one or other of the [four] amnayas. So too is there a myriad of lesser mantras from the amnayas, spoken by me to you for the grace of the world.

Sweetly smiling one, the devatas of all of these mantras originate from us both, giving the siddhis which are desired. I know every single one of these mantras and no one else. By my grace, only a handful of men out of millions are aware of them. If one knows just one amnaya, it bring liberation. How much more so for a person who knows all four. Clearly, he becomes Shiva.

The Urdhvamnaya is supreme, above the knowledge contained in the four amnayas. Whosoever desires it becomes a Siddha because of it. From the Urdvhamnaya comes all dharma. The Urdhvhamnaya is praised by all and there is nothing greater than it, it is said.

Kuleshani, a person is freed from the ocean of Samsara by the Urdvhamnaya. It is said that the heavens all worship the Urdvhamnaya. By practising it, Deveshi, one may become liberated in this very birth. The fruit of the Urdvhamnaya is greater than all other amnayas, the very quintessence. As in all worlds one should worship me, dearest, so in all amnayas one should worship the Urdvhamnaya.

Like Vishnu amongst gods, like the sun amongst heavenly lights, like Kashi amongst sacred bathing spots, like the philosopher's stone to gold and so forth, as Meru is to mountains, as the sandalwood is to trees, as Ashvamedha is to sacrifices, like a diamond is to pebbles, as sweetness is to other flavours, as gold amongst metals, as the cow is to quadrupeds, as the swan is to birds, as sadhu-ship is to the different ashramas, as a brahmin is to the [other] varnas, as a king is to men, as the head is to the limbs, as musk is to the scents, as Kanchi is to cities, so of all paths the Urdvhamnaya is the best, Dearest.