Tantra and Creation is part VII of tantra series. Karma itself is a mystery and its unfolding is the mysteries of all. When we believe in God, the mighty power of this universe, we have to believe the theory of karma too. God needs some instrument to effectively administer the universe and that instrument is karma. As we know that karma is the subtlest thing that controls the actions of a person. We have sufficiently discussed about the law of karma. Since karma is extremely subtle, it has to unfold through certain subjects and objects that are capable of controlling the actions of a person. The human form is the best gift of God to this universe. The man has been endowed with the power of thinking that distinguishes him from other creatures. In spite of his capacity to think, he is not able to escape the clutches of law of karma. The rich man in spite of the best medical treatment dies at a young age and the best brains in the medical fraternity are not able to stop his death, an act that has been tried against the law of karma.
Even God does not act beyond the law of karma. So, the unfolding of karma cannot be stopped under any circumstances. Ayurveda says that the human body is basically made up of the products of the five elements. It says that mind, soul and body sustain the universe and call this triad as ‘purusha’. Matter having sense organs is sentient and the one that does not have sense organs is insentient. Out of this triad the soul is the most selfish factor. It causes sufferings to body and mind but it does not undergo any sufferings. This soul causes sufferings to body or mind or both by the disturbing the equilibrium of the elements in the physical body. The five basic elements form the pathogenic factors in the gross body vayu, pitta and kapha. The balance two elements work on the mind by manifesting in the form of two gunas rajo and tamo. The imbalance in the pathogenic factors is cured by medical treatment and any imbalance in the gunas is healed by spiritual practice. One of such spiritual practices is tantra. So, it is imperative on the part of the tantric practitioner to know the cause of the problems before he makes an attempt to rectify them.
Tantric sastra like any other sastras cannot be commercialized. At the same time it is to be remembered that the practitioner also needs money for his living and the beneficiaries must adequately compensate the practitioner suitably. Sastras also say that knowledge and healing should be properly rewarded. Having thus analyzed the importance of the five basic elements, we will now proceed to discuss the misconception about tantric rituals. Tantra sastras predominantly relies on feminine forms of God. This ideology is not without reason. The first reason is the kinetic form of Shakthi, which controls the five tatwas. The second reason is the creative abilities of women and their inbuilt sacrificing nature to make others happy. That is why a woman is respected and adored. In a way, they are the creators of the five tatwas, by giving birth to progenies. Women are born with kind heart and will keep her children happy under any circumstances, by sacrificing anything for their children. Tantra sastra has therefore chosen women deities in order to get their blessings without much effort. Further they have creative abilities. Instead of worshipping these five qualities of Nature in a deity, the five qualities are substituted with five unethical practices like drinking, etc. In Sanskrit, they are referred to as five ‘makaras’. They are madhu (wine), mangai (women), mamsam (flesh), matsya (fish) and mithunam (action of pro-creation). These five never find a place in the original texts and substituted by unethical practitioners of this sastra in later ages causing serious damage to the powerful tantric rituals. (to be continued)
Further Readings:
February 11, 2023 06:02 PM
Namaste ji.... But KRISHNA is not affected by the modality of the gunas and says that He protects us by seeking protection in His lotus feet.