Kaula Tantra Books

[Ilona Brownson]

Kaulameans something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi, biology. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

Shakta (शक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Kaula or Kula (Sanskrit: meaning "Family" or "Clan") is a type of Hindu Tantrism likely derived from Kapalika or "cremation ground" asceticism, which is associated with the worship of the ascetic god Shiva who is covered in the ash of the dead. Kaula practices are closely related to the siddha and Nātha traditions of Hinduism as well as Shaktism. Kaula may be classified into northern, eastern, southern and western schools across the Indian subcontinent although it sometimes more simply divided into two main branches, Purva Kaula and Uttara Kaula. Philosophically, Kaula is said to represent a unifying connectedness, beneath the various objects, processes and living entities of this world, which may be identified with aspects of the supreme deity, or in some regions the god Shiva.

Kaula [कल] in the Marathi language is the name of a plant identified with Prunus ceylanica (Wight) Miq. from the Rosaceae (Rose) family having the following synonyms: Pygeum zeylanicum, Pygeum cochinchinense, Polydontia ceylanica. For the possible medicinal usage of kaula, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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All tantric practices belong to either the kaula, mishra, or samaya schools, which are indicative of three successive stages in the inward journey. Kaula tantra uses elaborate external rituals, the mishra school employs both external rituals and internal techniques, but the practices of the samaya school are purely internal.

In this, the highest of the three schools, meditation is done only at the crown chakra. The adepts of the mishra and samaya schools rarely discuss their practices, and even if they do, what they say remains a riddle to non-initiates.

Although the philosophy and practices of these two schools are mentioned in many scriptures, no single text gives a complete description. The knowledge of the greater part of these practices is safeguarded by teachers who share it only with qualified initiates.

The practices of the left hand school of kaula tantra that attract the most attention from non-initiates involve the use of wine, meat, fish, and physical union. There is a fifth component, which is less well known: mudra, or physical gestures.

Some passages state that the practitioner must worship Shakti with the five makaras every day or, at a minimum, on all auspicious days, which are defined as the full moon, the new moon, the solstices, occasions of solar and lunar eclipse, the anniversary of specific initiations, and so on. Other passages in these same texts say that the goal of kaula tantra is to awaken the kundalini shakti so she may unite with akaula, the highest aspect of Shiva, at the crown chakra.

This goal is accomplished by a purely internal process of meditation rather than by offering her wine, meat, and so forth. I found that by simply reading the texts it was impossible to know whether the five makaras are compulsory; whether they are to be acted out in the physical world or are purely symbolic; or whether these practices are limited to beginners or are also employed in the more advanced stages.

Further, according to some texts, the practices incorporating the five makaras are quite complex. They require direct instruction from a living master and impose a long list of restrictions on both student and teacher.

Other texts convey the idea that all the student is required to do is to get drunk, chant some Sanskrit verses, become wild, and enjoy the company of Shiva either in a secluded place or at a crowded road crossing.

According to these texts, no restrictions and no discipline are required; simply be spontaneous and do anything you want. How is it possible to resolve these contradictions? The best course seemed to be to seek the answers from authentic practitioners.

The information presented in this article has been gathered in the course of interactions with, and observations of, the lives of tantric adepts. These observations reveal an entirely different picture of left-hand tantra than the one that casual readers find in the cheap books on tantrism that are so widely available.

Even once you are accepted as a student, the entire practice is never taught at once, but imparted in successive stages. You will not be allowed to watch tantrics doing their practice with the five makaras unless you have been formally initiated and therefore are part of their circle.

In other words, you cannot just walk in and be initiated. This preliminary discipline is so rigorous (you may even call it torturous) that by the time you have completed it, your senses will have lost their taste for pleasure and your mind will no longer find charm in the outer world.

After you have completed this initial practice, you must learn the systematic method of meditating on a yantra (a geometrical figure) and must memorize the numerous mantras which are an integral part of yantra meditation.

You will be taught how to make the wine and how to prepare the meat and fish, and the specific vegetarian dishes that are consumed during the practice. You must also learn the precise methods of arranging the seats which the participants use during the ritual.

Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan, 1986. First English language edition. Hardcover. Octavo. Eccentrically paginated. vii + xiii + 94pp, & approx. 156pp. Plain red cloth binding. SANSKRIT text with ENGLISH translation. The first English language translation of this important work in the Nath tradition. This copy from the library of British artist, writer and musician DAVID TIBET (founder of the music group Current 93) with his OWNERSHIP SIGNATURE on the first blank. From the publisher: "As well as having great importance in delineating major elements of the Nath tradition, the present work shows, most clearly, that the Natha's were closely connected with the foundation of the Kaula Schools. The identity of this work seems complete. As examples may be cited the importance given to Hamsa, the colour red, the concept of Svecchacara, the triple Saktis-Iccha, Janana and Kriya, and numerous other close similarities. An important point of emphasis in the Kaulajnananirnaya is the esteem in which the Guru is held. As a realized being, he embodies Siva and can therefore assist others on this path.

The Kaulajnananirnaya is ascribed to Sri Matsyendranath, a Siddha of the Nath Sampradaya, who gives under various colloquial names such as Maccbendrapada, Macchindrapada, Matsyohara and Macchaghna. Over the centuries Matsyendranath and his disciples have become well known throughout India, and many legends are associated with each. This is possibly due to the extensive wanderings of Sadhus connected with the various Panthas.

The Translation of the work presented here is the first in any language and may go a long way towards making the hitherto one of the very important yet obscure Texts accessible to the English speaking community."

The translator, Michael Magee (b. 1949) is a journalist and writer, who is most widely known as a former editor of Sothis magazine, and more recently for his books on tantra and translations of tantric texts. In 1978, he travelled to India and met Dadaji: Shri Paramahamsha Mahendranath (born Lawrence Amos Miles: 1911-1991), was an Englishman who is said to have had a youthful acquaintance with Aleister Crowley and who in later life embraced Indic religion and Tantrism, becoming a guru of the northern Indian Uttarakaula Tantric Order having received initiation under Shri Pagala Baba of Ranchi, Bihar. Magee was given instruction and initiation into the Order by Dadaji, and took the tantrik name of Lokanath. He was also given a charter to teach and form his own group, which he did back in England, where in 1982 he founded "Arcane Magical Order of the Knights of Shambhala (AMOOKOS). Magee began his study of Sanskrit in 1976, and since has devoted much of his time to the study of the language and the translation of tantric texts

The book has the typical rather shoddy South Asian book production quality of the time. Endpapers darkened and splitting a little at the gutters, a few creased page corners, otherwise just light shelfwear. A solid, clean VG copy in mylar protected VG dust jacket (jacket a little rubbed, chafed around the edges). Quite scarce in this edition. Item #68457

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