Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
21 (of 55)
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chapter 1. Introduction 21 make them available. They were classsified as -A艣vakr膩nta,
Rathakr膩nta, and as Vi峁ａ箛ukr膩nta, they thus are the three geographical
divisions of India. The Vi峁ａ箛ukr膩nt is said to be located from the north
to the eastern parts of India, the Rathakr盲nta from the north to the
western parts of India, and the remaining parts as well as the southern
parts were of the A艣vakr膩nta 42. The detailed list of the sixty four
tantras in each of the three categories is listed in Appendix-I. The
Sammohana tantra mentions sixty four tantras belonging to the Sakta.
This sixty four as the number of tantras is acceptable to the great
Samkar膩c膩rya who says so in his Saundarylahar谋鹿鲁.
Another way of classifying the tantras is on the popular places
of worship in the somewhat four parts of India as, K膩艣m墨ra, Gauda,
Vil膩sa and Kerala. Among these four, three are most popular viz.
the Gauda, the K膩艣m墨ra and the Kerala. The difference in them apart
from the region of their origin is the differences in the Pa帽camak膩ra
practice.
Gauda literally follows Paucamakara, and the deity is identified
with the self of the s茫dhaka.
Kerala follows Dak峁n膩cara and as such it merely contemplates
on the Mak膩ra-s, the deity is identified with the self of the
worshipper.
42 Woodroffe John, opcit. P.165
43 Samkaracarya, Sri Sankara-Granthavali (Saundaryalahiri); Madras (rep.)-1981. P.132
66 catau峁峁ya tantrai hi sakalam api..." V.31
44 Woodroffe John, Op cit. P.28, 57.
