The most salient feature of the Sanatana tradition is its holistic worldview. The varied universe that we observe is nothing but an aspect of one supreme reality, which is known by different names depending upon the philosophical standpoint one chooses. The Supreme truth according to it is immanent and transcendental. It can be experienced but cannot be named. There exist a large number of philosophical doctrines, sects and sub-traditions, yet they all seem to be finely woven in what we call the Sanatana tradition. Thus true to its name the tradition always exists in a state of eternity.
Tantra has remained an important part of the Sanatana tradition from ancient times. It is something more than a philosophical school, cult or a sect and its contribution to the tradition is unique. The Pooja-archana (daily worship) which majority of Indian households follow is largely derived from Tantra. It is accepted by Vaidic and non-Vaidic traditions alike. Bhakti, the tradition of devotion also is greatly influenced by it.
The literary and artistic history of the country has been Tantric in text and texture. Whether it is the literary works of Kalidasa, Harsha and others or paintings, frescos and sculpture all bear testimony to this. One can hardly overlook the subtle dominance of the Tantric philosophy on the tradition. Mahamahopadhyaya Gopinath Kaviraj maintains that all spiritual disciplines come under the ambit of the Shakti worship.
When an aspirant seeks assistance from a superior power to overcome his limitations, being a worship of the power it qualifies to be called as a Shakti Pooja. Tantra is more a living tradition than a fossilized philosophy. Under its grand canopy schools of philosophy like Shaiva Siddhanta and Shakta darshana have prospered along with crude practices and charms to ward-off the evil spirits.
Nothing confounds the modern intellect than this variety of practices in Tantra. Many reasons are responsible for this inability of the moderns to appreciate the intricacies of the Tantra. The modern conception of knowledge is set in altogether different tradition. The mind conditioned to take things in exclusivist-fragmented structures leads to a different concept of understanding than the holistic Sanatana tradition. This article explores the concept of Kama in Tantra, a noteworthy contribution of the Sanatana tradition.
In Tantra philosophy the universe and human body is considered to be identical. The Supreme reality at the root of this universe is the cause and instrument of the creation. This is the state of indivisibility and non-duality of Shiva-Shakti. This state of non-duality in form of Shiva is indifferent, inert and pure witness; in form on Shakti it is pulsating – expanding and contracting (and also the instrument of creation).
Interaction of the two leads to the creation. Naturally the creation and dissolution cannot be taken as a uni-dimensional or linear occurrence. It is always there for it is outcome of interaction of Shiva and Shakti. The opposite adjectives like real and unreal, sacred and profane do not exist. The whole existence is the Prasad of the divine.
Shiva the absolute being and Shakti the absolute will (energy), exists in union. Shakti consists of Iccha (Will), Jnana (Knowledge) and Kriya (action). Shiva is Prakasha and Shakti is the Vimarsha. It is (Vimrasha) ‘this sense’ which makes the pure consciousness (Prakasha) realise Himself (or Itself!) as ‘I’. Thus the Supreme reality is not only Shiva ‘Pure being’ but Shakti ‘being will’ also. Without ‘will’, the ‘being’ is nothing and ‘will’ without ‘being’ is a fictitious assumption. Tantra says Shiva without Shakti is Shava (dead). Here three fundamental views of the Tantra become clear:
-The Universe is divine; for the will and instrument of it is nothing but the primordial energy.
-Universe and man the macrocosm and the microcosm are not different.
– For the interaction of Shiva and Shakti, at the root of the creation is Kama.
In the spiritual discipline of Tantra the external world has a very positive role to play. The Tantra texts are interpreted on internal and external planes and herein lays the key to understand the secrets of the discipline. In fact the Sadhana aims to transform the world of the aspirant in such a manner that his every knowledge, act and experience becomes Pooja.
We know that Pravrutti and Nivrutti are the two fundamental reference points of Sanatana tradition. Pravrutti is the way of householders and Nivrutti is the path of the ascetic. Generally these two are taken as mutually exclusive paths. Tantra holds that Mother is Bhogmokshapradayinee, one who grants worldly pleasure as well as liberation. It should be noted that the orthodox Vaidic tradition enumerates Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha as the four aims of the Human life.
Kama i.e., desire is accepted as the origin of the Srishti in Vedas as well. The exacting prerequisites enjoined for the Sannyasa also supports the important place of Kama along with other Purusharthas in the Vaidic tradition. As to Kama the Tantra has a unique position. The whole creation rolls forth from the desire of the Divine to procreate. The logical corollary of this is that Kama at every level of existence is divine. In Vaidic Philosophy Kama is seen as a part of the Rta or the cosmic order.
Vedas give supreme importance to the Rta. Rta is that order which sustains life. For this it is necessary that every person performs his natural duties and thereby accomplish give and take relationship with the supreme power represented by various gods (so as to attain the freedom). The ancient rules recognize four debts- the Deva (toward gods), Rishi (toward sages who were the source of the Vaidic knowledge), Pitr (the ancestors) and Nru (all living beings).
The continuum sought in this vision implies that Gaarhastha dhrama and Kama has to be followed in spirit and letter. For one cannot repay the Pitr debt without a male progeny. It appears that Kama though is taken in its totality the emphasis is more on duty. Tantra has no inhibition in accepting the pleasure aspect of the Kama.
Vishayananda, the sensual pleasure is recognized as a brother of Brahmananda or the supreme bliss. Kama is the desire to procreate and the pleasure associated with it is amply suggestive of the bond. The conception of the image of Shivalinga may be elaborated here. It represents the Linga and Yoni, cosmic male and female union.
Their divine communion has Kama in the seed. The Kamabeeja or seed of desire is Aanandaghana, pure concentrated bliss. Gauripata, the Yoni of the Shakti supports the Linga and henceforth rolls the creation. Thus the Kaulas say that the sexual pleasure holds the key to the state of enlightenment.
Sri Lalita Sahasranama, part of Markandeya Puruana is a sacred text on Shakta tantra school. In Sri Lalitasahsranama (thousand names of the Goddess Lalita), one comes across many a names of the Shakti. She is described as the very embodiment of the beauty. She is Harnetragnisangdagdha-kamasanjivanoshadhih for she is the one who has revived the Kama burned by the fire of the (third) eye of Shiva. Her abode is ocean of Amrita (nector) and she is also Chandramandala-madhyastha i.e, one who resides in the lunar sphere.
As Purusharthapradayinee, she is fulfiller of four Purusharthas of man. She is Kamkelitarangata, the cadence of sensual pleasure. The description of the mother as Nirvansukhdayinee is also solicits attention. The general description of the Nirvana in the Kaivaladvaita and Bauddha philosophy is negation of all gunas and attributes. It is Nirguna (attributeless), Nribija (having nothing in its nucleus, and Nirvishesha (without any specialties), something incomprehensible for majority of people. The Shakti bestows upon her devotee the bliss of Nirvana.
The Rasa and Aalhaada aspect of experience dealt elaborately in Tantra holds key to some of those spheres of human existence, which hardly seems to have been explored anywhere else. In the initial verses of the Sri Lalitasahasranama, it is made quite clear that the Mother who is Supreme beauty becomes this world of the Brahmaanda and Pindaanda, macrocosm and the microcosm.
Indian aesthetic sense that we find in Sanskrit and folk literature and other forms of art has this theme in its background i.e., beauty is divine. Even the sensual connection of the beauty is not looked down upon. The Kaula School of the Tantra has given detailed attention to the Kama aspect as a discipline.
Scholars have criticized this school for what they call ‘giving in to carnal indulgence in the name of the spiritual discipline’. There may be some truth in it but if one understands the internal categorization in the Kaula tradition of aspirant (the Pashu, Veera and Divya) the picture becomes quite clear. It accepts a person ‘as he is’ and doesn’t attempt to change him on superficial level.
Like a mother Tantra accepts every person irrespective of his so called frailties and weaknesses. This school has to its credit the singular reputation of sustaining the most fundamental urge of the living beings as a spiritual discipline and giving this vision to the Indian art tradition.
