The Cult of Divine Power 'Sakti (Shakti) Sadhana' (Kundalini Yoga)

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Preface

This book gives the essentials of Saktism, the philosophy of Siva-Sakti, and the worship of divine Mother, as based on Sakta Upanisads, Tantras and other authoritative works. Sakta Monism has a distinct and unique place in the History of Indian Philosophy and Religion. It is allied to Pratyabhijna schools of Saivism of Kashmir and Advaita Vedanta.

Saktaism believes in Siva-Sakti, Siva, Absolute, and Sakti, Divine Power-laying stress on the latte as the creator, preserver, destroyer of the world, and binder and liberator of the individual selves. Siva and Sakti are inseparable from each other, and an intregal unity. They are not two entities. Siva-Sakti is the Supreme Reality. Sakti is not a phenomenal appearance, but ontological reality. Sakti is spiritual energy, dormant in matter as coiled power, more awakened in life, more manifest in mind or consciousness, more potent in superconsciousness. Sakti pervades the world, and sustains all individual selves, atoms of divine consciousness, limited by their, adjuncts. The world is created, maintained and dissolved by Sakti, and is real to an individual self until it is liberated. It is unreal to a liberated self.

In religion Saktism seeks for the complete transformation of human life into life divine. It is not exclusive but all-embracing. It seeks to harmonise works with knowledge, , knowledge with devotion, and wordly life of enjoyment (pravrti) with ascetic life of detachment or renunciation (nivrti). It steers a middle course between gross hedonism and pure asceticism and other-wordly holiness. It seeks to harmonise individualims with humanism. It aims at divinization of human life.

Tantric meditation, Kundaliniyoga, mental concentration at the centres of mystic consciousness and meditation on the Divine Power, Sakti, awakening of the coiled Divine Energy at the basic centre by exercises in breathing, making it pierce the six esoteric centres at the abdominal centre, the navel centre, the heart-centre, the throat-centre and the eye-brow centre, and uniting it with the Absolute at the highest centre at the top of the cerebrum, is a unique method in Saktism. It is mentioned in an ancient Upanisad (Tait. U.P., vi, 1. SB) The Bhagavad Gita referes to the centres mystic consciousness (BG., viii. 12-13.) The present author has written on 'Kundalini Yoga in Advaita Vedanta' in the Chakra, a Journal Of Tantra and Yoga (New Delhi), Vol, IV, 1972. It was reprinted in History of Indian Philosophy, Vol, III, (pp. 361-62).

Saktism is as old as the Vedas. It is found in the Devisukta of the Rg Veda. Worship of gods and goddesses accompanied by drinking the intoxicating juice of a plant called Soma and sacrifice of, animals prevailed in Vedic times. Vedic warriors were not world-negating ascetics but world-affirming conquerors of black non-Aryans, enjoyed their lives and extended their kingdoms. Saktism, a cult of world-affirmation, continues this ancient tradition, sublimates and purifies it.

I acknowledge my indebtedness to Shiva Chandra Vidyarnava, the famous author of Tantratattva (Bengali) and Sir John Woodroffe, his eminent disciple, who edited many Sakta Tantras in Sanskrit and translated them in into English. Their works helped me in writing this book.

Back Of The Book

This valuable book elaborates of Saktism, the philosophy of Siva-Sakti, and the worship of Divine Mother, as based on Sakta Upanisads, Tantras and other authoritative works. Sakta Monism has a distinct and unique place in the History of Indian Philosophy and Religion. It is allied to Pratyabhijna school of Saivism of Kashmir and Advanta.

Saktaism believes in Siva-Sakti, Siva, Absolute, and Sakti, Divine Power-laying stress on the latter as the creator, preserver, destroyer of the world, and binder and liberator of individual selves. Siva and Sakti are inseparable from each other, and an intregal unity. Siva-Sakti is the Supreme Reality. Sakti is spiritual energy, dormant in matter as coiled power, more awakened in life, more manifest in mind or consciousness, more potent in superconsciousness. Sakti pervades the world, and sustains all individual selves, atoms of divine consciousness, limited by their, adjuncts. The world is created, maintained and dissolved by Sakti, and is real to an individual self until it is liberated. It is unreal to a liberated self.

In religion Saktism seeks for the complete transformation of human life into life divine.

Tantric meditation, Kundaliniyoga, mental concentration at the centres of mystic consciousness and meditation on the divine Power, Sakti, awakening of the coiled divine Energy at the basic centre by exercises in breathing, making it pierce the six esoteric centres at the abdominal centre, the navel centre, the heart-centre, the throat-centre and the eye-brow centre, and uniting it with the Absolute a the highest centre at the top of the cerebrum, is a unique method in Saktism.