Tantra

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Tantra
See also Kaatyanee Tantra Mantra, Yog Saadhanaa

What is Tantra
This word has its origin from Tatri which means concept or knowledge. By nature Tantra is totally practical and not a jargon. Tantra means shortening and abridging, like algebra signs, the facts into Mantra and Sootra (formulae) for the purpose of achieving some goal.

Tantra means a method to perform a worship in a systemized way. When a Mantra is chanted according to the proper Tantra, the sound vibrations gather force from the Yantra and after reflecting from its surface spread out into the universe and reach the concerned God. These vibrations come into contact with the form of the God, gather divine powers and blessings from Him and return to the Saadhak (person chanting), thus instilling divinity into him and giving him power to achieve supernatural feats. Thus, to achieve totality of life three ingredients Mantra, Tantra and Yantra are essential because all three are supplements of each other. This is the Science. Vigyaan means science in Hindi Language.

Tantra actually means accomplishing Mantra Saadhanaa in a very systemized way. If there is a Mantra then the process of its use is Tantra. Tantra is the way to perform a Saadhanaa (meditation) in a proper and correct manner. The method or way to achieve totality in Saadhanaa is Tantra.

"Tantra" is the name of the system, you can say; and there are various branches of this system. There is only one thing "word knitting" that is called Mantra, now you worship of idol or a geometrical idol which is called Yantra, or you chant simple OM to evoke your Devine soul, or you do YOGA which is also in deep based on Sapt Chakra that is also a part of Tantra. It also includes all type of worship, Fire Rituals etc.

But in all types of worship the main thing is Mantra. Mantra is the soul of Tantra. Tantra is the Body, while Mantra is the soul. There is no Tantra or Yantra separate from Mantra and versa.

Tantra is a system like our Government. Here no single man or department makes government. It has a few divisions like Kaarya Paalikaa, Nyaaya Paalikaa, Vidhaayak, and Public etc. All this make up Sarkaaree Tantra Same is true with Divine Mantra + Deity + worshiper + Materiel + Method make up Tantra. It depend on user how he want to use, giving a very simple example - when India vs. China match took place, that time there was a great fire ritual to please goddess Bagalamukhee Devee at her famous Temple. Now this was for benefit of the country, but if one wants to do it to kill his enemy it will work the same.

Tantra in itself is not bad itself, the bad is intention. To understand Tantra, maybe 100 years is also not enough. This is a very vast area, this is pure Divine matter. People know very well the difference between Good and Bad, but they ask it repeatedly. And one can understand it by practice not from Books. As if you understand soul, you may be able to understand almighty, the same here if you are able to understand Mantra you may be able to understand the Deity or Almighty, as all Deities are form of only one Almighty. As body have various parts and their sub parts, in the same way the Divine Tantra also has various subdivisions or sub-subdivisions - like Pachan Tantra, Shwaas Tantra, etc.

So in brief - TANTRA IS NOT OCCULT OR BLACK MAGIC, IT IS ONLY THE WAY TO WORSHIP.

Types of Tantra
[from Jyotish Remedies Group, by Pt Arjun, Dec 15, 2008]

Basically there are two types of Tantra - Dakshin Char and Vaam Char. Dakshin Char or right hand Tantra is Saatwik in nature and is most practiced by the traditional conservative people, while Vaam Char or left hand Tantra is TaamasiK in nature and is difficult to be practiced and hence is not advised.

Our Ved have many verses where Shat Prayog were mentioned and how to get protected from them. Prayog are not known beforehand and are discovered only after they happen.

Remedies to Ward off Such Prayog
Pratyangira Hom is supposed to be the best to ward off any Prayog and Sudarshan Hom is the next best remedy. If one cannot afford to do these Havan, wearing a Rudraaksh will protect from all invisible
creatures and Prayog as mentioned in the scriptures. To wear a 12-Mukhi Rudraaksh is the best Rudraaksh which works as a protective shield to the wearer from any Prayog.

There are some in-house, inexpensive remedies also doable as alternatives to these Havans and one may consider any or all of the following for protection against Prayogas:

(1) Recite Gaayatree Mantra daily minimum 108 times
(2) Light a lamp in the house both in the morning and in the evening
(3) Keep a photo of Lord Hanumaan in every room on the wall
(4) Recite Hanumaan Chaaleesaa daily at night before sleeping
(5) Bring Sindoor from Lord Hanumaan's idol on a Tuesday and keep putting it little every day on the forehead
(6) Offer sweet Boondee to at any Hanumaan temple for eight consecutive Tuesdays.
(7) Worship Hanumaan with his Panchmukhee Mantra.
(8) Worship a small Tulasee plant in your house balcony daily
(9) One can worship Goddess Durgaa by doing Saptshatee Paath (minimum 100 times everyday till 100 days.)
(10) Keep seven red chilies stringed in a black thread and hang it at the middle of the entrance door
(11) Buy a tender green coconut full (without cutting or peeling) and tie it with a red thread equivalent to the height of the native, revolve it thrice around the native's head and then throw backwards into any river.
(12) In a small earthen vessel of the size of a small bowl or Katoree, take fresh milk, revolve thrice around the native and then offer it to any dog.

The above 12 types of simple remedies does not involve any expense of not much money and are easily doable even by the people below poverty line.
Upaaya No 7 and No 9 are ultimate. Besides the removal of bad effects it will give the boon also to the person.
Prevention is better than cure' from "Black Cats". For this daily prayers are very important. Prayers to Kul
Devee/ Devtaa and any mode of worship, in one's faith/ traditionally being done in the family would be the best protection. One can also recite the KAVACH of the Deity one normally worships. In general Durgaa Kavach and Naaraayan Kavach are very effective remedies to ward off evil forces.

A school of Yog which is practiced in three stages. There are three major schools of Tantra - Kaulaa, Mishra (mixture), and Samaya.

Kaulaa followers employ external objects as means in their spiritual practice and involve themselves in external rituals.

The path of Mishra is the combination of both Kaulaa and Samaya. In fact it is the period of transition from Kaulaa to Samaya in which the followers internalize all external rituals and meditate at their heart.

Samaya is a purely Yogik path and does not rely on any external means at all. The seekers in this school perform internal worship using Praanaayaam, meditation, concentration. The seeker meditates on Sahasraar Chakra - the Crown Chakra. It is considered to be the highest of the three schools of Tantra.

Mystical philosophy first cultivated in India in the 8th century AD by people who did not understand Hindoo religion and who copied this ancient Chinese concept. As Christianity, Hindoo religion does not assign exclusive male gender to God. God can be father or mother. God in male form is Shiv and in female form is Shakti (Power), thus they are inseparable. The creators of Tantra literature distorted this beautiful idea into an expression of sex and lust. Extreme Taantrik are said to meditate on the organs of generation, worship the nude female and encourage sexual indulgence. In the name of religion they have legitimized immoral acts, such as spell-induced witchcraft, ritual ingestion of meat, fish and liquor, and sexual indulgence.

Some of their techniques are borrows from Hath Yog. Taantrism is anti-Vaidik, and therefore anti-Hindoo. Its effect is visible in the stories of later Puraan. Often Ved are called Nigam, and Tantra books are called "Aagam". Taantrik are also called Vaam Maargee. Their worst practices are known as five m's - Matsya (fish), Maans (meat), Madya (liquor), Maithun (sexual intercourse), and Mudraa (money).
[Aangiras, p 156-157]

Taantrism
Taantrism emerged during the reign of Harsh Vardhan (606-647) which brought changes in Hinduism as well as in Buddhism. It introduced most powerful a number of female Divinities in Buddhism, called Taaraa(s) - the consorts of weaker Buddha and Bodhisattwa.

The third form of Buddhism subsequently became most important in Nepaal and Tibbat (Tibet). The Taantrik Hinduism and Buddhism both exalted female power as the highest form of Divine strength. True worship of the Mother through sexual intercourse was regarded as Divine ritual. But since the traditional Braahman and Buddhist did not permit this, it relegated to secret sites.

Taantrik ritual is intimately connected to the practice of Yog. Since control of the body and breath are central to the proper performance of the intercourse, Yog was pursued first of all along 8-fold path of Raaj Yog ("Royal Yog") through self-control, observance of the proper conduct, practice of posture (Aasan) as well as breath (Praan) exercises, organic restraint and mind steadying, to the perfect achievement of deep meditation (Samaadhi) and the absolute freedom "Kaivalya" (Moksh). Hath Yog (The Yog of force), which stressed acrobatics and sexual intercourse as paths to salvation; and Laya Yog (the Yog of Dissolution) were even more significant for the pursuit of Taantrism.
["A New History of India". by Stanley Wolpert. p 95-98]

Uses of Tantra
In Tantra, there are ten categories of actions (Karm) that a Mantra can accomplish. These ten categories cover all aspects of human desires, good and bad, and include all the ways that a Mantra can be used.

The intensions of the Mantra worshipper or "Mantra Saadhak" are his or her responsibility. One must thus be clear about why one picks up this tool of Mantra meditation. Good or bad Karmas are categorized according to the effect they create inside and outside the individual, who should be prepared to acknowledge responsibility for the same.

(1) Shaanti (Peaceful) Karm - Mantra that free one from disease, psychological problems, fears, illusions and worldly and environmental troubles; and Mantra done without any desire for reward, power or attachment.
(2) Stambhan Karm - Mantra used to stop the movement of any living thing or inanimate object in nature.
(3) Mohan Karm - Mantra used to attract a man, woman or animal. Mesmerism and hypnotism come under this category. Also known as Sammohan Mantra.
(4) Uchchatan Karm - Mantra used to disturb the mental equilibrium of any living being. Such a Mantra increase doubt, uncertainty, fear and delusion in the person on whom the same is directed.
(5) Vasheekaran Karm - Mantra used to enslave somebody. The one on whom the Mantra is used, loses his own discrimination and will power and become like a puppet. Vasheekaran means controlling the consciousness of the one on whom the Mantra is used. (Vash = control, karan = doing.)
(6) Aakarshan Karm - Mantra used to attract somebody who is living at a distant place.
(7) Jrambhan Karm - Mantra used to change behavior patterns so that the one on whom the Mantra is used starts acting the way the one using the Mantra.
(8) Vidweshan Karm - Mantra used to create opposition between two individuals. This kind of Mantra creates anger, hatred, jealousy and aggression in both individuals towards each other. With others, their behavior remain as usual; it only changes with the one whom the user of the Mantra chooses and the result is animosity.
(9) Maaran Karm - Mantra used to kill somebody. This kind of use of Mantra brings instantaneous death without any physical ailment of disorder.
(10) Pushti Karm - Mantra used to increase one's own or another's wealth, name, fame, goodwill, social status, power etc. Also known as Paushtik Mantra.

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