Varahi Tantra (English Study)
by Roberta Pamio | 2014 | 29,726 words
This English essay studies the Varahi Tantra and introduces the reader to the literature and philosophy of the Shakta Tradition to which this text belongs. These Shakta Tantras are doctrines where the Mother Goddess is conceived as the Supreme deity who is immanent and transcendental at the same time. The Varahitantra (lit. the "Doctrine of th...
Chapter 18 - The Āmnāyas (traditions), Continued
The chapter continues with an exposition on the Western Tradition, giving the first 160 verses of the seventh chapter of the Ciñcinīmatasārasamuccaya
Bhairava explains that from the Great Ocean of Kula, which is eternal and pure, arises the Island of the Moon (Candradvīpa), with the five gems as rocks; in its centre there is a triangle and here in the middle of it the Goddess dwells as a Tamarind tree (ciñcinī): the roots and the branches of this tree spread wide, and it bears as its fruits the Divine Tradition; it sprouts in Kaula, it has its roots in Kula and it flourishes in the circle (maṇḍala) of Śiva; its nectar is the experience of one's own nature; its sprouts are the Vedas and the Vedaṅgas and its flowers are the senses; to rest in its shade is to experience the supreme state, which is free of the opposites of pleasure and pain (vv.1-9).
Thereupon he explains the symbolism of the pūjā in one's one body with inner flowers, secret places, pīṭhas and mudrās (vv.10-35).
Then Bhairava gives a detailed description of the āmnāyas[1] from the Paścimāmnāya point of view.[2] The first āmnāya to be discussed is the Pūrvāmnāyā, the Eastern Tradition, where the Goddess appears as Kuleśvarī in the form of the bliss of one's own consciousness. Siddhanātha manifested here as a Kaula Guru in each of the four ages: thus in Satyayuga he appeared as Khagendranātha, in Dvāparayuga as Kūrmanātha, in Tretayuga as Meṣapāda and in Kālīyuga as Mīnanātha. Khagendranātha together with the consort Vijāhutī had two disciples, Vimala and Suśobha; Kūrmanātha and the consort Maṅgalajyoti consecrated Ajita and Vijita; Meṣapāda and Kāmāṅgā had more than sixty-four disciples. This line of Siddhas is known as Vṛddhavallī, the Tradition of the Elders. Mīnanātha founded the Omvallī, the Tradition of Om, and together with the princess Kuṅkumā he had twelve sons: among them, six had not the authority to teach,[3] while the other six created six traditions: Amara founded the Bodhavallī, Varadeva the Prabhuvallī, Citranātha the Pādavallī, Olinātha the Ānandavallī, Vṛdhanātha the Yogavallī and Guḍikanātha the Omvallī. Each one practiced austerities in a particular place for a varying number of years following the instructions of a master (vv.36-98').
The second āmnāya described is the Dakṣiṇāmnāya, the Southern Tradition, where the Goddess manifests as Kāmeśvarī in the form of one's true nature; she rises from the three piṭhas and she dwells in their centre. It is said that many siddhas and munis, including Krodhamuni,[4] practiced austerities for a thousand years until the Goddess manifested and transmitted the divine knowledge to them; by the union of Kāmadeva and Kāmeśvarī was Kauleśa born, who taught this divine knowledge (vv.98"-150).
The third āmnāya presented is the Uttarāmnāya, the Northern Tradition, where the Goddess manifests as Kāleśvarī: this is the supreme tradition which was taught by Krodharāja (vv.151-156).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
According the Ciñcinīmatasārasamuccaya there are four āmnāyas: in this chapter are presented the Pūrvāmnāya, the Dakṣiṇāmnāya and part of the Uttarāmnāya, while in the next is concluded the presentation of the Uttarāmnāya, and so the Paścimāmnāya is described briefly.
[2]: