Tantra Crovetto

8/18/2019 Tantra Crovetto

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Bhairavī Cakra: Goddess Mandalas/Ritualsin Contemporary Tantra’s Nondualism

Helen CrovettoIndependent Scholar

INTRODUCTION

THE PHRASE Bhairav Cakra appears in descriptions of at least twodistinct contmporr tntric rits. In th rst cs, Bhirvī Ckr isth nm givn to tntric ritul sād (spiritul prctic) prformdcollctivl, nd in th scond its phsicl mnifsttion is th nmof tool tht m b usd b n individul in grvrd or crmtionground prctics. Th followrs of Virāgī Viṣṇv guru Bb Hri Dss(b. 1922) us th group of sāds clld Bhirvī Ckr. This tp ofritul pprs to b bsd on th sttvic (subtl) or ogic vrit of c

pūjā (circl worship) rits dscribd in th Māāṇ-tt.That text

hs bn vriousl dtd till s lt s th ightnth cntur.1Bb Hri Dss ss tht th Bhirvī Ckr tht his pūjās (ritul

or worship spcilists) tch prdts th kinds prcticd during Indi’slt mdivl priod. Th Virgī Ritul is circulr sād performedwith n qul numbr of mn nd womn tht mplos yts to invokth vrious forms of Dvī. It dos not hv sul componnt.

Th scond utiliztion of Bhirvī Ckr is b Ānnd Mārgiis,whos idolog is bsd on th writings of th twntith-cntur tntricguru Śrī Śrī Ānndmūrti (1921–1990, .k.. P. R. Srkr). For thm,

Bhirvī Ckr is yt that has internal microcosmic aspects and twotrnl spcts. On of th lttr is digrmmtic dvic tht mb producd b n individul prctitionr with vrious mtrils whilthe other is a macrocosmic and always-present energetic relationshipbetween puuṣ (consciousnss) nd pṛt (nrg) tht th blivforms univrsl mndl. Th mntl, microcosmic quivlnt of thmndl is Bhirvī Ckr s mtri of trovrsiv nd introvrsivforcs oprting within th mbit of th spiritul spirnt’s mind. This


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rsrch will discuss, nlz, nd compr th two rits, s wll s somof their related practices.

BHaIRaV aS a DeITy

Within Hinduism, Bhirvī or Tripur-Bhirvī rnks s goddsswho is often listed among the ten mādyās.2 The mādyās arenrg spcts of trnscndnt knowldg usull ssocitd withŚiv’s dstructiv powr.3 Th tk both horribl (ug) nd pcful or bnvolnt ( sumy) forms. Dvid Kinsl ss tht mong thmādyās,no goddss hs mor forms thn Bhirvī.4 Sh m ppr s n ttrctiv

oung womn or look thrtning nd wild. Sh is usull countd s

the sixth mādyā nd is ssocitd with r, dstruction, nd thsouthrn point of th compss ruld b ym, th king of dth.5

Harish Johari describes her bodily seat as a triangle inside themūlādā c (bs of th spin) nd hr rol s tht of th dstrorof nin mntl impdimnts to union with suprm consciousnss.6 Somtims Bhirvī is rfrrd to s th on “who multiplis hrslf inn innit of bings nd forms.”7 The Tpuā-bī-tt, th Śādā-tl-tt, nd th Bṛt Ttsā describe her in predominantlybnvolnt, cosmic trms.8 Th vok imgs simultnousl powrfulnd grcful, but discordntl sductiv whn mid with itms ssocitdwith violnc. all thr dpict hr s wsom, with th crimson glow ofth rising sun, thr butiful s, grlnd of skulls, blood smrdon hr brsts, nd wring th moon on hr hd. Svrl portr hras smiling and adorned with jewels and rich clothing.

Th ninth-cntur Śādā-tl is of prticulr not bcusit is ttributd to Lkṣmṇ Dśikndr, th guru of th tnth- tolvnth-cntur Kshmiri Śivit abhinvgupt.9 It repeatedly

dlints n img of Bhirvī s th crtrss nd controllr of thmnifstd univrs.10 Ānndmūrti dscribs Bhirvī Śkti this win his twntith-cntur Ād Sūtm nd in som of his discourss.Dśikndr’s litrr stl is dciddl mor potic nd dvotionl inton, but th import is idnticl.11

according to Śākts, Bhirvī is th suprm conscious ntit whocuss th univrs to com into bing s wll s th univrsl dor-ntit. Sh is prisd nd blmd s rsponsibl for vrthing in thdvotionl potr of Bngli ntiv Rāmprsād Sn (c. 1718–1775).12 In

the Śct sh is listd s th form of Dvī ssocitd with th mjor


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Coetto: Bī C 239

śāt pīṭ (nrg cntr) t Hridvār.13 There are also references toBhirvī or bī s th fml prctitionr within Śivit c

pūjāritul.14 Ml prctitionrs somtims rfr to thir wivs s bīs

or śts. Ānndmūrti ss tht fml prctitionrs of tntr hvbeen called bīs vr sinc Śiv rst tught his dughtr Bhirvīth buril ground mdittion clld ithr Kāpālik Sādhn or NightSādhn.15

BHaIRaV aS a YANTRA/MaNDaLa

Bhirvī ssums n bstrct, nrgtic form whn rprsntd b yt. Dning th words yt and mdl is dunting bcus th

r multivlnt. a prfctl vlid dnition for ithr word m stillrmin onl prtil. Somtims ths words r usd intrchngbl,nd mor rcntl, but lss oftn, th word c is lso usd for ithrterm.16 Yts r commonl cutd with mtril substncs on tsurfcs but cn lso b rndrd thr-dimnsionll. Whn th rvisulizd intrnll s prt of spiritul prctics, th instructions mrquir yts to b imgind s solid, moving, or both.

Lur Kufmn dns mndls s bstrct digrms of “scrdcosmic totlit” tht m lso “dpict plcs rgrdd s intrinsicllnuminous.”17 Sh mks this obsrvtion with rgrd to Jpnsrchitcturl mndls (Jpn. mds), but it holds tru for Hindumndls s wll. Tht is bcus onc ths tmporr or prmnntdigrms/structurs r cutd th dlint spc tht is considrdsuprmundn in som w. Th digrm/spc bcoms liminl r:ithr dirct portl onto trnscndnt consciousnss or n ccss pointinto n lvtd spct of tntric cosmolog. elizbth tn Grotnhuisss tht in Vjrn Buddhism, “th mndl rprsnts th rlm

of nlightnmnt, th locus for th idntiction of prctitionr ndBuddh.”18 Th Hindu Bāmṇs indicate tht mndl m srv s “scrd nclosur” nd somtims plc spcicll constructd forritul purposs.19

John Woodroff (1865–1936) dscribs yt as both a tool thatholds on’s ttntion nd n objct of worship tht rprsnts prticulrdeity.20 Th dit m or m not b considrd cosmicll prvsiv.The kulālīym and kulāṇ-tt likn th rltionship btwn

yt nd dit to tht btwn bod nd its soul.21 The kulāṇ-

tt 6.87 rds, “as th bod is for n mbodid soul lik oil for


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lmp, m blovd, so likwis th yt is th plc of ll divinitis.”22 Yts are said to bcom powrful nd kintic whn nlivnd throughmntr nd ritul.23 But ths ctivitis m not hv much inunc

on some types of yt dscribd b Ānndmūrti. Thos yts thath ss hv n innt or inhrnt prsnc within humn or nturlstructur would b ctivtd nd controlld prdominntl throughcosmic consciousnss.

One yt/mndl usd b Ānnd Mārg hs som sttionrlmnts nd som mobil lmnts. Ānnd Mārg’s orgniztionlmblm, clld th ptī, hs two quiltrl tringls tht form hgon, within which thr is rising sun. Insid th sun thr is

sāst (swstik).24 Ānndmūrti sid th sāst should b visulizd

thr-dimnsionll nd s turning in countrclockwis dirction, butnot tht th two tringls should form ttrhdron, nor b mobil.During tlk on tntr in 1995 Bb Hri Dss opind tht yts areexpanding patterns of energy that are constantly in motion.25 He said thatthe bdu (point or drop of divin consciousnss) turns into tringl,whos sids “bulg out” to form th circl of mndl. Within thmndl, formlss nrg pttrns r md visibl so tht th smbol’s“gross, subtl, nd cusl mnings” cn b “rd lik book.”26 Heassociated each yt or mandala with a presiding deity and mantra.

BHaIRaV CaKRa aCCORDING TOTHE MahĀnirvĀa-TanTra

The eighth chapter of the Māāṇ-tt contains a rathersuccinct dscription of Bhirvī Ckr ritul ssocitd with th KulMārg (pth).27 This form of worship is lss ritulistic comprd toother c pūjā rites in the text. It dviss th spirnt to drw yt

with vrmilion, rd sndlwood pst, or wtr in th form of squrinscribed with a triangle. It does not say in which direction the apex ofth tringl should fc. a dcortd win jr is plcd on th yt nd on’s ṣṭ-de (prsonl dit) is worshipd thrin. Thn Ānnd-Bhirvī s ros-colord, smiling, nd orntl drssd oung womnis visulizd. It is intrsting to not how closl hr img is ssocitdwith the dawn and thereby with the beginning of creation. This themeis reiterated in the Tpuā-bī-tt, th Śādā-tl-tt, ndthe Bṛt Ttsā nd sms to hv dvlopd foothold in populr

Indin cultur.28


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Coetto: Bī C 241

aftr Ānnd-Bhirvī is worshipd, hr ml countrprt Ānnd-Bhirv is visulizd nd rvrd. Th pir is thn imgind in cosmicor sul union within th jr. at this point v substncs or itms

referred to as the pñc mā (v “M”-words) r conscrtd withmntr nd offrd to Ānnd-Bhirvī. Th v substncs (ttts) rusull undrstood s mt (māṃs), sh (mtsy), win (mdy), prchdgrain (mudā), nd sul ritul (mtu), though th intrprttionof words’ mnings vris from on tntric group to nothr. Thprctitionr ts or drinks th rst four itms ftr th hv bnoffrd. Th tt suggsts djustmnts in th ttts for th Kālī ag.Th includ substituting mdu-ty ( combintion of milk, sugr,nd hon) for purid win nd mntr mdittion on Dvī’s ft for

sul ritul.29 Whr mt, sh, win, nd sul ritul wr usd s pñc mā ingrdints, Woodroff sid thir purpos ws s mnsof controlling nd curbing pptits nd ultimtl ssociting thmwith rligious worship.30

In an essay from Śt d Śāt, Woodroff dscribs th possiblus of sul ritul in Bhirvī Ckr s procss tht tks plcbetween the worshiper and his wife. If the worshiper is not married orhis wif is unbl to prticipt, th worshipr m ritull mrr onothr womn for th purpos of th crmon onl.31 Trditionll, thdcision to utiliz sul ritul is sid to dpnd on th cpcit of thprticipnts for lvtd idtion. Th vlution of prctitionr’sidtion ws lft up to his or hr guru. In Hindu tntr thr ctgorisof ideation (bā) r usd in dvlopmntl comprison: pśu (niml) ,ī (humn/ brv) , and dyā (divin). Th tru humn bing is sidto b brv (īy) nd slf-controlld in ll ws.32 H or sh strivs forth prssion of divinit within.

Woodroff ss tht for th divā spirnt, th v ttts are yogic

processes.

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Hugh B. Urbn dscribs Woodroff’s intrprttion of thMāāṇ-tt s n ttmpt to dfnd, rtionliz, nd puriftntr b rmoving or dmphsizing som of its ntinomin, worldl,and nonmystical aspects.34 Woodroff’s objctiv ws to portr ogicprocsss s suprior prssion of tntric ritul. H distinguishdBhirvī Ckr from othr c pūjā rituls b sing tht it dos notinvolv rstrictions on who cn prticipt.35 Regarding participationin Bhirvī Ckr, Bb Hri Dss prssd th sm opinion.36


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BaBa HaRI DaSS aND THe VaIRĀG VaIaVa LINeaGe

Bb Hri Dss ws born in th almor District of th Kumon

region of the Himalayas.37 He is a syāss (rnuncint) of th VirāgīViṣṇv ling of north cntrl Indi nd guru to popl in th UnitdStts, Cnd, Mico, Jpn, nd Indi. H took vow of prptulsilence (mut) in 1952. His ling ws foundd b Rmnndinduring th ftnth cntur nd is n offshoot of th Viṣiśtādvitschool of qulid nondulism tht ws stblishd in south Indi bRāmānuj (1017–1137).38 Ramanandin rejected caste distinctions andsul discrimintion, crting syāsīs (fml rnuncints) s wllas syāss (ml rnuncints).39 Bb Hri Dss ws inititd b

Virāgī Viṣṇv sādu nmd Rghubir Dss.In 1971 Bb Hri Dss ws invitd to th Unitd Stts, foundd th

Hnumn Fllowship, nd thr rs ftr tht stblishd th MountMdonn Cntr t Wtsonvill, Cliforni. His Indin hdqurtrs is tShmpur Kngri villg in th Hridvār District of Uttr Prdsh. BbHri Dss’s followrs stblishd th Shri Rm ashrm thr throughthir guru’s Sri Rm Foundtion. Th shrm is both rsidnc nd school for nd childrn. Othr brnchs of th Virāgī Viṣṇv Ordrin Indi r indpndnt of Bb Hri Dss’s orgniztion.

Th Virāgī Viṣṇvs r n ordr of mrrid nd unmrrid syāss. The word āgī mns rnuncint, litrll on without() pssion (āg). Dr. Srsvti Buhrmn, Virāgī Viṣṇv syāsīnd n aurvdic phsicin, plind tht thos who r mrrid rtrmd “housholdr clibts” nd hv no childrn. Th limit thirsul ctivit to onc month in ordr to consrv ojs for higherspiritul prctics. Ojs is rcognizd b both th Virāgī Viṣṇvs ndĀnnd Mārgiis s subtl product of su dātu, or lmph. Buhrmn

said that the topic of ojs nd its consrvtion is rticultd in aurvdicmnuls nd Hth og tts of tntric chrctr, s wll s within thtntric trdition itslf. Sh idntid th ltst of th writtn sourcss thirtnth- through sitnth-cntur Hth og tts.40

Bond th fct tht th r qulid nondulists, th blifs ndprctics of th Virāgī Viṣṇvs do not ppr to b uniform on thIndin subcontinnt or in dispor.41 There is a tradition among themof rling on prsonl princ nd stud to shp on’s worldviwnd instructions to othrs.42 Th uthor ws bl to obsrv this hrslf.

Huntr’s Sttstcl accout of Begl, which ws publishd from 1875,


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Coetto: Bī C 243

clssid som Bngli Bāuls s Virāgīs.43 Givn th lck of concurrncin Virāgī blifs nd prctics, this clssiction m hv som mritin th sns tht th Bāuls of Bngl r lso known for thir clcticism.

But it dos not sm to signif tht Virāgīs, lik Bngli Bāul syāss,ngg in sul ritul.44at lst th amricn brnch of Virāgī Viṣṇvsdos not. It m mn tht som Bāuls, lik Virāgī Viṣṇvs, ld vr controlld sul lif nd tht portion of th mmbrship of bothgroups dos not mrr.

MOUNT MaDONNa aND BHaIRaV CaKRa SĀDHaNa

Th 350-cr Mount Mdonn Cntr offrs wid spctrum of

sminrs nd ch prson is ncourgd to follow prctics ccording tohis or hr prsonl inclintions. Bb Hri Dss’s discipls s h tchsdiffrnt mdittion tchniqus ccording to th nds h prcivsin his studnts. H nd his stff primril tch clssicl aṣṭāṅg ogccording to Ptñjli’s Yog-sūts. Th lso mk tnsiv us of th

Bgdgītā. Works lik th Māāṇ-tt, kul-tt, ŚSmt, nd ht Yog Pdīp r mplod s sourc books for thir og tchrs bcus th bliv tht combining tntric nd ogicprctics hlps spirnts rn th cs of th subtl bod.45 BbHri Dss is th uthor of t lst tn books, including commntrentitled Te Yog Suts of Ptjl (1999), astg Yog Pme (1981),and Essys 3: Seless Sece; Te Spt of km Yog (no dt).

Bb Hri Dss’s followrs hv prcticd thir trditionl BhirvīCkr crmon t Mount Mdonn gthrings sinc 1975 or 1976. Thrituls wr incorportd s prt of thir gnrl rtrts. Jnrdn Dss,th Bhirvī Ckr pūjā,46 sid tht somtims ovr hundrd poplt tim prticiptd in thm, mking it ncssr to form circls of

participants within other circles. In addition to the ceremonies held atMount Mdonn, uthorizd Virāgī Viṣṇv tchrs such s SrsvtiBuhrmn in Bouldr, Colordo hv hld portions of th rit. Th stff tMount Mdonn bgn to offr sminrs for th public in th 1980s.

In 1998 a Yog Joul dvrtismnt nnouncd four-d “Ritulsof Tntr” sminr tht dscribd tntr s “n ncint sstm oftrnscnding th snss b using th snss.” Th us of th snss inthis contt rfrs to chnnling nrg wknd through th snsstowrds on’s divin objct of idtion. Th d pointd out tht tntr is

“somtims misundrstood in th Wst s pth of snsul indulgnc,”


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whil in fct it is pth tht rquirs considrbl disciplin.47 Thesminr would involv th us of mntr, visuliztion, ās (yogaposturs), pāṇāyām (brth control tchniqus), dnc, nd music. It

would lso includ “trditionl Bhirbi Chkr Sdhn— uniqu ndrr prctic which is don in circl (Chkr) with qul numbrs ofmn nd womn.” It sttd tht th sminr ws dsignd for prticipntswith diffring lvls of princ.

This crmon m hv bn th lst on of sris opn to thpublic, s thr r currntl no plns to rstrt thm. an futurdcision on th issu rsts with Mount Mdonn’s rtrt committ. Jnrdn Dss citd skwd Wstrn prcptions of wht tntr is s cus of thir suspnsion.48 Th viw tht tntr is form of sul

thrp with positiv spiritul implictions stms from n numbrof Nw ag sminrs nd books tht hv pprd in th lst thirt years.49 Urbn hs documntd how amricns’ prcption of tntr slibrting sul ctivit bgn from th rl twntith cntur withPirr Brnrd’s stblishmnt of th Tntrik Ordr in amric.50

Th id tht Bhirvī Ckr in prticulr is ssocitd withsul rits obviousl hd som currnc mong nintnth-cntursubcontinnt Indins. a pinting from Rjsthn, dtd to pproimtltht tim priod, portrs th pñc mā utilizing sul ritul. It wsrproducd in Te Ttc Wy, publishd in 1977. Th pinting’s cptionidntid it s n illustrtion of “Bhirvī-chkr.”51 The format of thepinting is similr to n “ttrction yt” (āṣṇyt).52 Howvr,only some c pūjā rits involv sul ritul.

Trditionll, prctics lik Bhirvī Ckr hv bn kpt scrt toll but th inititd within tntric group. Whn th Mount Mdonnsminrs wr hld for th public prticipnts wr not rquird totk Virāgī initition, but th wr skd to mintin th scrc

of th prctic, not to tp rcord it, nd not to tk n nots duringth crmon. Th following informtion bout th ritul coms fromits pūjā Jnrdn Dss, uthorizd instructor Srsvti Buhrmn, ndinformnts who ttndd sgmnt of th rit t Sptmbr 1–3, 2001sminr in Bouldr, Colordo.

THe RITUaL PROCeSS STaRTS WITH a YANTRA

Mount Mdonn’s Bhirvī Ckr ritul ctull strts th night

bfor th prticipnts ssmbl, whn Bb Hri Dss chooss singl


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Coetto: Bī C 245

yt for th crmon from mong tn Dvī yts. The pūjā said thepatterns of the yts com from n unpublishd mnuscript of BbHari Dass entitled Dāsmādys. The names of the mādys listed in

othr tts r usull Kālī, Tārā, Tripur-Sundrī (somtims Sodśī),Bhuvnśvrī, Chinnmstā, Bhirvī, Dhūmāvtī, Bglāmukhī, Mātṅgī,nd Kmlā. Bb Hri Dss’s discipls undrstnd th mādys tob spcts of singulr Dvī. On of thm, howvr, skd th guru tocommnt on th goddss Bhirvī. Bb Hri Dss wrot tht Bhirvīis th “powr of dth.” H continud to writ tht “Dstruction bginsfrom th vr rst momnt of birth. Dth is vr prsnt in vrthing.Bhirvi is frful-looking fml srvnt of Shiv nd of Durg.”53BbHri Dss’s choic of yt is t lst prtl n strologicl clcultion

nd m includ such fctors s th month of th r, th lunr dt,nd th d of th wk s wll s th constlltion (st).54

A pūjā constructs th yt in th opn ir utilizing colord snd,rching dimnsions of up to tn ft in siz. according to HèlénBrunnr’s clssiction of mndls, ths would corrspond to tp2 powder mandalas (jomṇḍl).55 Th Virāgī Viṣṇvs’ us of

yt is mnt to prform th trditionl function within Hinduism ofinvoking th prsnc of dit. aftr th formtion of th yt thegoddss chosn to prsid ovr tht prticulr Bhirvī Ckr crmonis instlld b mns of mntr. In 1995 Bb Hri Dss idntidmndl, mudā (hr mning smbolic gstur), nd mntr s thinstrumnts tht hlp n individul chiv tntr’s min objctiv ofpuriction.56 In Jrth’s commntr on th Ttālo, h ss thtdyās (fminin mntrs) r fourth itm tht mk up th foundtionof Bhirv’s tchings.57 Th Virāgī’s Bhirvī Ckr crmon includsll four tools.

THe CeReMONy ITSeLFTh prticipnts wr instructd to considr ch mn in th circl

s th mbodimnt of divin consciousnss nd ch womn in th circls th mbodimnt of divin nrg. For th durtion of th thr-hourprctic, ll th intrprsonl rltionships of th prticipnts wr tob sn s dissolvd. Th wr told tht th im of th prctic ws tob bl to s th divin in ll bings. I bliv this prctic is simpluto-suggstion tht mimics wht n individul might princ

whil looking t th rit from spiritull lvtd prspctiv. Virāgī


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Viṣṇv instructor Buhrmn sid tht th dissolution-of-tmporl-rltionships idtion ssistd popl in rdning thir rltionships in spiritul w. Sh contrstd this idtion with tht of mn sminrs

dvrtising tntric prctics. Ths, sh sid, m b chrctrizd scoupl’s thrp for intimts in tht th sk to rinforc nd rsttth rltionships tht popl hv to othr individuls.

an qul numbr of mn nd womn wr instructd to sit in circl, ltrnting ml nd fml prticipnts. Thr is no qustionof coupls in this crmon, or of womn occuping n prticulrposition in rltionship to ml prtnrs. In fct thr r onl svrloccsions whn th mn nd womn sitting nt to ch othr hvphysical contact at all. One is at the time of performing hand mudās,

when each participant performs a mudā that brings his or her hand incontact with the hand of the person sitting alongside. The other is atsvrl points whn ll popl in th circl simpl hold hnds.

Rgrding th lout of th ritul r, it is notworth tht th pūjīand his wife sit at the center of the circle. A pūjā (worship) tbl ldnwith picturs of mn ditis ccompnis thm. Thr is no scricilr. Th position of th snd ntr in rltion to th circl of prticipntsis unclr. Th crmon includs sris of āsns, som of which rprformd in grcfull coordintd collctiv movmnts. This crtsn ffct kin to tht of dnc. Th pūjī recites many bīj mantras(“sd” mntrs tht contin vibrtor sllbls) whil th prticipntsconcntrt t diffrnt ckrs within their bodies. They perform sbīj (with mntr) and bīj (without mntr) pāṇāyām (breath controltchniqus) s wll s sumbā (with brth rtntion) pāṇāyām and types of pāṇāyām without th rstriction of th prctitionr’snostrils.

Th prticipnts r dirctd to cut vrious hnd mudās

intermittently. Hand mudās r gsturs tht hv prcticl, ogicffct nd rligiousl-tond ssocition. From th ogic stndpointth cution of hnd mudās nsurs th chnnling of nrg into thspinl column nd ssists in th rising of uṇḍlī ( coild, srpntin,spiritul nrg in th spin). Bb Hri Dss’s studnts prform twoseries of hand mudās connected to their daily meditation practice.Ths contin twnt-four mudās producd bfor mdittion ndeight completed afterwards.58 Four of th mudās in the pre-meditationgroup r spcicll ssocitd with incrntions of Viṣṇu (numbrs

18–21 rprsnt th Fish, Tortois, Bor, nd Lion).59


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Coetto: Bī C 247

Th rligious piring of hnd mudāswith ditis is common fturof tantric practice. The hand mudās described in the Yogīṛdy areprticulr to tn spcts of Tripur-Sundrī.60 Those in the kulāṇ-

tt includ, but r not ncssril limitd to, Śiv/Bhirv, Śrī(th goddss), Viṣṇu, th Sun, th Moon, nd Gṇpti,61 while in theTtālo th r ddictd to vrious spcts of Śiv/Sdāśiv/Bhirv, Prā, Prā-prā, nd aprā.62 Citing abhinvgupt, Pdoustates thatmudās r mnt to bring bout th prctitionr’s mntl ndbodil idntiction with th dit to which th corrspond.63 JamesH. Sanford says that hand mudās r usd to invok, complimnt, nddisprs ditis within som of Shingon’s Jpns Buddhist rituls.64 The hand mudās in Bb Hri Dss’s Bhirvī Ckr ritul r probbl

linkd to th worship of ditis s wll. Buhrmn sid thir ritulincluds th worship of numbr of ditis including th gs(plnt-ditis).

Th rcittion of mntrs in this form of Bhirvī Ckr includs108 rptitions of wht th rfr to s “Bhirvī mntrs.” This is nmpl of on of thir vidās. Th offr owrs nd prform vrioustps of mdittion, concluding with mntr mdittion on Dvī. asth ntr ws mnt to b tmporr instlltion, it is dismntld tth nd of th rit. To summriz, th crmon is chrctrizd b nmphsis on mntr mdittion, mndl, āss, mudās and pāṇāyām.all of th lmnts tht might b sn s ritulistic r dscribd s ithrspiritull fccious or dvotionl. Thr is no consumption of mtrilssuch s win nd mt, nor sul ritul. Bb Hri Dss’s followrs rvgtrins nd lso do not substitut mdu-ty for wine.

Participants said that they were impressed with the ceremonybcus it hd striking impct on thir mdittion prctics ndcrtd trmndous mounts of nrg. at th conclusion of on ritul,

svrl informnts hd visionr princ in which th sw thntir group ncircld b mndlic congurtion of two rings ofrotting light. a vrticl ring of light ws sid to rch ovr th circl ofritulists whil horizontl ring ncircld thm. Th ssocitd thformr with Śivit nrg nd th lttr with Śkti. On informntdscribd th prticipnts t this ritul s dpl ffctd nd outsidordinr consciousnss.


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SPeCULaTIONS ON THe eVOLUTION OFSexUaL aND NONSexUaL TaNTRIC PRaCTICeS

as prt of m 2000 intrviw with hr, Buhrmn summrizd BbHri Dss’s viws on th volution of tntr s sstm of spiritulprctics. H blivs tht tntr ws originll sstm of nonsulrituls nd tht ths prdt th sul tps of c pūjā prvlntin th Middl ags. H plind to his discipls tht dtriortionof Indin socit occurrd whn th s (socil groups) lost thirqulit. With th ccptnc of th Vdic cst sstm, onl mn ofth uppr thr csts (whom h idntid s Brhmn, Kṣtrin,nd Vshn) wr prmittd to ngg in crtin rligious prctics.

Womn nd Śūdr cst wr cludd.This cusd prctitionrs of tntr to sk outwrd forms tht th

gnrl socit thought ws ccptbl for lowr cst individuls. Thtntrs hd fml gurus nd fml prctitionrs. It ws vr likltht womn nd mn of lowr cst who wr found to b tching orinvolvd in subtl spiritul prctics would b prscutd. Thrfor,th doptd trior forms tht did not cus concrnd, high-cstindividuls to suspct tht thir domintion of th rligious sphr wsbing chllngd in n w. Th concld or disguisd thir truintntions du to socil prohibitions. For mpl, th usd sdyābāṣā (twilight lngug), in which words hv multipl intrprttions.Th prcticd subtl vrsion of th pñc mās.

Bb Hri Dss sid th crudr intrprttions of th pñc mās cm bout s rsult of individuls mistknl tring to prctic whtth thought ws bing don in th nm of subtl spiritul scinc.Ths individuls wr imittors. Th wr not t qulid for thsubtlst prctics, but dcidd to ttmpt prctic without th guidnc

of popl who wr knowldgbl. Th crtd sprt brnch oftntr. In Bb Hri Dss’s opinion it is not brnch compltl withoutmrit, but h dos not tch it. H sid tht somthing lik nint prcntof popl who tr tht form of tntr fil to rch thir spiritul gols.It is pproprit onl for popl who simultnousl hv two vrstrong, smingl contrsting dsirs. On th on hnd th hv strongphsicl dsirs for drugs or s whil on th othr th hv strongdsir for contct with cosmic consciousnss.65 He commented that theViṣṇv Shjiās wr nggd in th rjsic (muttiv) or tmsic

(sttic) prctic of th pñc mās s Vīrchri (brv) ritulists.


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Thrfor, Buhrmn sid, t Mount Mdonn th rfr to thirBhirvī Ckr s vr old, trditionl form of th ritul bcusit is nonsul. Bb Hri Dss wrot tht Bhirvī Ckr is usd “in

ll diffrnt kinds of Tntric rituls,” including thos of th BngliShjiās nd prhps thos of Buddhists.66 Th Bngli Shjiās hv Śktic orinttion but it is unclr to wht tnt thir philosoph ndprctics corrspond to thos of th Buddhist or Viṣṇv Shjiās.67 Bb Hri Dss sid th Bngli Shjiās wr group composd ofminl housholdrs who prcticd in scrt nd did not prosltiztheir beliefs.68This ts Jun McDnils’s dscription of mdivl Śktisms n “sotric rligion prcticd b smll groups of Tntric ogis.”69

Ānndmūrti ssrtd tht Sdāśiv dsignd th sul nd

nonsul forms of tntr simultnousl bout svn thousnd rsago.70 H sid th crudr forms including sul rits wr mntfor lss-dvlopd spirnts to hlp thm “limit th dgr of thirindulgnc.”71 Lik Bb Hri Dss, h sid tht th wr thos whowr unbl to undrstnd th subtlr intrprttions of th pñcmās (th imittors), but s socil rformr h ws mor criticlof thm, lbling thir sād “n immorl ntisocil ctivit.”72 Hisintrprttion of Bhirvī Ckr will b discussd blow.

among scholrs of Hindu nd Buddhist tntr th currnt, prvilingopinion is tht ritul prctics with sul componnt prcdd th ogicforms without on nd tht th sul rituls wr not dgnrtionof msticism. Dvid G. Whit dscribs “sulizd ritul prctic” s“th sol trul distinctiv ftur of South asin Tntric trditions.”73 H ss tht scholstic tntric works r “scondr dvlopmnt, hrmnuticl trnsformtion of n rlir bod of prctic into msticl mtphsics.”74 Mnwhil, sstms of tntr with sulcomponnt, whthr ncint or r-invntd, show no signs of tinction.75

Snford nots tht w r likl to nd sul ritul nd othr liminlprctics s prt of th tntric corpus whn h obsrvs tht “Worldlnd ntinomin thms lurk t or just bnth th surfc of virtullvr tntric trdition.”76

BHaIRaV IN ĀNaNDa MĀRGa IDeOLOGy

Ānnd Mārg (Th Pth of Bliss) is n intrntionl socio-spiritultntric sct tht ws foundd in 1955 t Jmlpur, Bihr Stt, Indi. It is

nw, ltrntiv rligious movmnt whos tnts viw prosltizing


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s prt of spiritul prctic. Ānnd Mārg hs prsnc in ovr onhundrd countris. Th orgniztion snt its ācāys (spiritul tchrs)to th Unitd Stts in th lt 1960s nd rgistrd s n amricn

rligious ntit soon ftrwrds. Th foundr nd guru, Ānndmūrti,did not clim to b prt of n currnt ling nd ssocitd himslfwith tntr og rching bck to Sdāśiv. H sid tht Sdāśiv ws nhistoricl gur from bout svn thousnd rs go who ws th rstto sstmtiz tntr.77 Bfor th dvnt of Sdāśiv, Ānndmūrti sidtht tntr istd in scttrd nd primitiv forms within its Kshmirind Bngli schools.78 Th orgniztion’s idolog mphsizs socilsrvic work long with th srch for slf-rliztion.

Ānnd Mārg’s ontolog is monistic nd microcosmic. Thir

ācārs tch tntr og bsd on aṣṭāṅg og. Sinc its cepto,th orgniztion hs bn rformist with lrg numbr of syāss asorgniztionl workrs. Ānndmūrti ws th uthor of ovr two hundrdbooks on wid rng of topics. Som of his books, originll writtnin Bngli, rmin untrnsltd. H trid to visit th Unitd Stts inth lt 1970s but ws rfusd vis. This m b du to th socilistchrctr of his socio-conomic nd politicl idls, which r mbodidin PROUT, his Progrssiv Utiliztion Thor. Ānndmūrti crtd wing of Ānnd Mārg, clld PROUTist Univrsl, to propgt thosids in 1959. Ānnd Mārg/PROUTist Univrsl ccpts rvolutionrsocil thor nd hs controvrsil position on th us of forc.79

Th nm Bhirvī pprs in th idolog of Ānnd Mārg in svrlinstncs. Ānndmūrti usd it to dlint portion of thir cosmolognd to dscrib th procss of Śākt tntr. In som of his discoursson spiritul prctic h spok bout Bhirvī Ckr spcicll. Withrgrd to th unfolding of th cosmos, Ānndmūrti sid Bhirvī Śktiis th nm givn to Prkṛti t th stg in which Puruṣ is qulid b

the guṇs (binding principls).

80

Sh ws idntid s th crtrss ofth mnifstd stt, whil Bhirv ws concivd of s hr witnss.81 This is not to indict tht Ānndmūrti nd his followrs ccptn form of Prkṛti s hving indpndnt gnc.82 He called Pṛt

Puuṣ “Oprtiv Principl” nd his ontologicl stnc ws ssntillmonistic, though h did ccpt th distinctivnss of Prkṛti nd Puruṣas philosophical concepts.83

Within his dscription of Śākt tntr, Ānndmūrti utilizd thnm Bhirvī Śkti whil lucidting th stgs of Śāktācār; th

Śkti cult h sid pprd ftr th Purānic doctrin ws stblishd.84


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H indictd tht Śāktācār is procss in which succssiv stgs ofnrg-qulid consciousnss r dissolvd in on nothr until thrriv t th suprm stt. Th followrs of Śāktācār ttmpt to

merge the static principle within tāms nrg into Bhvānī Śkti orKālikā Śkti, th muttiv principl from Bhvānī Śkti into BhirvīŚkti, nd th sntint nrg from Bhirvī Śkti into Kośikī Śktior Mhāsrsvtī, th “spiritul ffulgnc.”85 Kośikī Śkti is clldĀdā Śkti, combintion of th thr guṇs. Ānndmūrti dnsBhirvī Śkti s “nrg in ction,” nd ss hr coustic root is śṁ.86 Th historicl, litrr ssocition btwn Bhirvī nd th color rd(citd bov) lnds wight to his idntiction of hr with th muttivprincipl, or js.87

BHaIRaV CaKRa aCCORDING TO ĀNaNDa MĀRGIIS

In som of Ānndmūrti’s spiritul discourss h discussd thntur of yt. H dnd it in n pndd sns, s controlldmchin tht is cpbl of spcic output.88 The Bgdgītā 18.61also describes yantra as a machine.89 Ānndmūrti obsrvd tht bcus

yts hv spcil forms nd dsigns, th ild prticulr ffcts. It isa concept similar to the idea of yt prssd b Vidā Vācspti inthe klyāṇ Upṣd,90 nml, tht th forms of ll mnifstd thingsare yts. Ānndmūrti’s point ws tht th humn bod, du to itsform, producs prticulr ffcts not obtinbl from othr bodis, suchas those of animals.91 Spcicll, th humn bod is yt capable ofproducing or crting divinit.92 I would lik to strss tht Ānndmūrtiws not rstricting himslf to th id tht th humn mind is cpblof conciving divinit or imgining divinit. His intntion hr wsto communict tht th phsicl mtril of th humn bod itslf,

with its humn-spcic glndulr structur nd concomitnt mntlcongurtion, ws cpbl of convrting mind-stuff into divin-stuff,or consciousnss.93

Ānndmūrti implid tht within th humn mind, th cntrifuglnd cntriptl tndncis towrds th mtril nd spiritul sphrsmanifest as a mental yantra or microcosmic mndl. andré Pdou ssthat the Yogīṛdy from th Śrīvidā trdition nd abhinvgupt’sTtālo dscrib comprbl mbodimnts of mndl s rsult of divin cosmic procss.94 While there is more emphasis on the concept of

“dscnt” of consciousnss in ontologis nd cosmologis of nd rltd


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to Kshmir Śivism, Ānnd Mārg’s ontolog hs crtin dgr ofrsonnc with thm, bing both monistic nd microcosmic. Th Śāt

Dś ss, “Th disc of th bod-cosmos is th bst of ll ntrs.”95

Ānndmūrti sid tht th bttr th djustmnt nd rltionshipbtwn th cntrifugl nd cntriptl mntl tndncis, th morn individul would b bl to us his or hr mntl cpbilitis.96 Hetrnsltd th concpts of introvrtd nd trovrtd mntl tndncisinto th bsic philosoph of his socio-spiritul orgniztion nd usdhis ptī (orgniztionl mblm) to rprsnt thm. Th smbolicelements of the ptī r domintd b two quiltrl tringlsforming wht rsmbls th Sl of Solomon. Ānnd Mārgiis cll itth Str of Śiv. Th us this mndl/ yt as part of their initiation

(dīṣā) rit b sking th initit to plc his or hr hnds within it forpart of the process.97 The mental manifestation of this yt would bdiagrammed as a hexagram alone.

Throughout much of th Hindu world, tringl with its p pointingupwrds is thought to rprsnt consciousnss. Ānnd Mārgiis hv contrr, minorit viwpoint. Th s th ūd toṇ (upwrd-pointing tringl) signis nrg, pṛt, nd th mind’s rltionshipto th phsicl world. In socil trms th s it rprsnts srvic tohumnit. On of th fw prts in th us of yts to agree withthm is Hrish Johri, who idntis yt with cntrl upwrd-pointing tringl s Śākt yt. Thed toṇ (downward-pointingtringl) is dscribd b Mārgiis s dnoting th introvrtd srch forslf-rliztion through spiritul prctics. Thrfor th ssocit itwith Puruṣ, rthr thn Prkṛti. Thr is yt clld Kāl BhirvCkr tht prominntl fturs thr downwrd-pointing tringls swell as a hexagram.98 Thrfor th Ānnd Mārgiis do not ppr to bcompltl lon in thir viws on th smbolism of Hindu gomtric

iconogrph. Thir us of tringls to rprsnt Prkṛti nd Puruṣchos, in simpl w, Shingon’s “grnd mndls”: Grbhkoṣ (WombMndl) nd Vjrdhātu (Vjr Mndl).99

Som Ānnd Mārgiis utiliz th hgrm of thir ptī as aningredient in what they refer to as āpāl practices. Th ntur ofths prctics will b discussd blow. Ānndmūrti clld th stnd-lon hgrm Bhirvī Ckr. Its nm is drivd from th fcttht Bhirvī Śkti is sid to dtrmin th rltionship btwn thphsicl, vibrtionl world nd th cusl mtri, or spiritul sphr.100

Ānndmūrti sid tht Bhirvī Ckr, s pttrn of ctiv nrg, is


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instrumntl for inspiring, lvting, nd guiding th mind towrdssuprm consciousnss.101 He explained that this was why some sāds sit in its phsicl mnifsttion for spiritul prctics prformd in

th buril ground.102 B sitting in th c they imbibe its ideation.Ānndmūrti sid tht th spiritul spirnt who ntrs th rlmcontrolld b Bhirvī Śkti princs th unit of th univrs.103

according to S. K. R. Ro’s sstm of dning ntrs,104 sitting in BhirvīCkr would convrt th yt into mndl bcus ritul objctwould b plcd upon it. In this cs, th tntr ogis would b using thirown bodis s ritul objcts. Gudrun Būhnmnn nots tht yts of thisctgor, clld “ yts for stblishing foundtion” ( stāpyts),prsnt simpl gomtric shps nd function s sts.105

KĀPĀLIKa SĀDHaNa , MaDHyaMIKa BUDDHISM,aND THe RITUaL USe OF THe HUMaN SKULL

Ānnd Mārg’s āpāl sāds are yogic and esoteric. The processfor th mdittor involvs concntrting his or hr individul BhirvīŚkti t “nuclr point” (c) in th bod nd using this intrnl sts point from which to pss into th Kośikī Śkti dscribd bov.106 Bcus th thr guṇs r unprssd in Kośikī Śkti, mrging intoit is sid to signif th dissolution of th individul mind into cosmicconsciousnss. Ānnd Mārg’s āpāl sāds trditionll tkplc round th tim of th nw moon (māāsy).107 While they do notlws occur in crmtion or buril grounds, tht is thir prctitionr’srst choic of sit. On rson for this is th blif tht crmtion ndburil grounds r loctions of lvtd concntrtions of pāṇ(nrg) ,rsulting from th dcomposition or dstruction of humn phsiclbodies.108 Another reason has to do with the assertion that these are

idl plcs to ngg in struggl with mntl rstrictions tht ĀnndMārgiis cll th pāśs (bonds or fttrs) nd pus (nmis). This id willb lbortd blow. Informnts indict tht Ānnd Mārg’s āpāl practices diffr from individul to individul s wll s btwn thirmale and female syāss, clld dūts and dūtās.

Though th ctivitis of Hindu āpāls r not usull ssocitdwith Buddhist idls of spiritul socil srvic, Ānndmūrti blivdtht thr ws originll, nd still rmins, connction btwn thtwo. The name āpāl pprs to com from th Snskrit word for skull

(āpāl). Sinc th mdivl priod āpāls hv bn ssocitd with


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spiritul prctics tht utiliz humn skull.109 Ānndmūrti sid thisws ccurt,110 but h prsntd n dditionl tmolog of th wordāpāl. H sid tht on of th mnings of th phonm “” is th

objctivtd world.111 Thrfor humn bings who tk on th morlrsponsibilit “of srving this objctivtd world r clld āpāl.”112

H trcd th rst us of th trm āpāl to th Mdhmik Buddhistsnd sid tht th usd it for thos sāds “who took th nobl vow ofsrving ll in th living nd non-living worlds.”113 This is bodhisttv-lik vow. Mdhmik Buddhism ws foundd in scond-cntur Indib Nāgārjun nd introducd into Chin b Kumārjīv (334–413).114 Itws known s th Sn-lun Tsung, or Thr Trtis school of Buddhismin Chin, Kor, nd Jpn.115 Ānndmūrti consistntl ssrtd tht it

is “bsolutl wrong” to mk distinction btwn Hindu tntr ndBuddhist tntr bcus “Tntr is on nd onl on.”116 Not surprisingl,his dūts and dūtās ddict liftim ftr liftim to spiritulsocil srvic.

McDnil ss tht th dūts and āpāls were traditionally“folk tntric scts” who trid to chiv suprnturl powrs throughpenance-related sāds.117 Sh uss th trms fol tt and clsscltt to distinguish btwn tntrs tht mphsizd th pplictionof suprnturl knowldg nd th cquisition of sdds (occult powrs)from thos tht wr mor cdmic nd concntrtd on idntictionwith divinit.118Woodroffe described dūts s thos who hv “cstsid” th world or sprtd from it so tht th might constntlcontmplt suprm consciousnss.119 Ānndmūrti blivd tht thwere more integrated into the world. He said dūts are those whoviw “vrthing with qunimit” nd liv in th world s if th rscondr mnifsttions of Śiv.120

Ānndmūrti cst his twntith-cntur āpāls in a classical mold.

H mphsizd th ogic ttinmnt of slf-rliztion nd rquird thsprctitionrs to tk on socil srvic rsponsibilitis of socio-conomicnd politicl, s wll s spiritul, ntur. Th glossr of his Dscouses oTt, volume 2 dns āpāl sād s form of spiritul prctictht “cuss th spirnt to confront nd ovrcom ll th inhrntfetters nd nmis of th humn mind.”121 Ānnd Mārgiis considr theight fetters (ṣṭ pāś) to b gṛṇ (vrsion or htrd), ljjā (shm),ul (prid of ling or cst), śīl (hbit), mā (prid of knowldg), jugupsā (cnsur), by (fr), śṅā (doubt).122 The six enemies ( ṣṭ pu)


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are said to be ām (dsir), od (ngr), lob (vric), mo (blindttchmnt), md (prid), nd mātsy (jlous).123

Ānnd Mārg’s dnition of āpāl sād refers not only to

th intrnl spct or mntl struggl of th prctics, but lso to thtrnl spct. Ānndmūrti sid tht th trnl spct of th ghtginst fr, htrd, nd shm involvd crmtion ground prctics, buth did not prss n condnc in th public to undrstnd thm.124

Whn thos who hv littl knowldg of sād see the style of thistrnl ght, th think tht th Tntrics moving in th crmtionground r sort of unnturl crtur. actull th gnrl publichv no undrstnding of ths Tntrics. In th dirct ght ginst

pus and páss th m ppr to b unnturl for th tim bing,but on cnnot ignor th fct tht in wrtim vr prson bcoms,to som tnt, unnturl in his or hr ctivitis.125

Ānndmūrti’s srvic hrmnutics rgrding āpāls areclssicll orintd. But thos of his followrs who utiliz humn skullin thir spiritul prctics ppr to b mking us of tchniqus thtcom dirctl out of folk tntr. Hr w ncountr n mbivlnc ofhis concrning th cquisition of suprnturl powrs. Clssicl tntr,

whthr Hindu or Buddhist, condmns th ttmpt to cquir sddss “wsts of tim nd nrg, nd s morl tmpttions.”126 In the late1970s Ānndmūrti usd to gthr his syāss round him nd goround th room sking mn individuls, “Do ou wnt th tos orth Mkr of th tos?”127 Hr “tos” should b undrstood s sdds.Each syās was expected to reply that he or she was only interestedin th Mkr of th tos, s th entit through whom on could ttinslf-rliztion. Ānndmūrti must not hv hd much condnc inhis syāss’ bilit to rsist tmpttion bcus h told thm tht h

ws going to “lock up” thir occult powrs until such tim s th mightelly nd thm for som dhrmic (propr) purpos.128

Ānndmūrti’s id of th propr tim to us occult powrs wswhn crtin mount of dviousnss might mk th diffrnc indfting grgious immorlists. H citd with pprovl Kṛṣṇ’s usof occult powrs to dciv nd kill wrrior nmd Jdrth in thMābāt war.129 From this mpl, nd his own sttmnts on thmttr,130 w s tht Ānndmūrti ws not ctull opposd to thcquisition of occult powrs or thir us, just thir indiscrimint us.

Th slf-orintd gols of folk tntr fl ntinomin bcus spcilizd


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powrs do not ppr to b vilbl to vron nd th could possiblb usd ginst thos who do not hv thm. Tāts’ attempts tocquir powrs will b viwd s thrt b just bout vron, vn

if it is climd tht such powrs r onl mnt to b mplod insocil srvic work. Th ndvor to cquir powrs supports Snford’sobsrvtion, citd rlir, tht ntinomin thms r n intgrl spctof tantric traditions.

Snford dscribs how th us of humn nd niml skulls inmgico-rligious prctics is globl phnomnon.131 Th humnskull in prticulr hs dp impct on us b hlping us to rcll thtour mbodid stt is trnsint. Zn mstr Ikkū Sōjun (1394–1481)mplod th humn skull in n outrgous nd dlightful w to prod

th popl of th cit of Ski long th spiritul pth towrds sto.132 Snford ss tht Ikkū’s doctrin of sous jōbutsu, or “buddhhood inthis vr bod,” ws inhritd from Shingon, “n lmost purl Indinform of tntrism.”133

Th Tchikw-rū ws movmnt within Shingon tht ws mostctiv during th twlfth through sitnth cnturis.134 Shinjō’s JuōYōjsū, writtn round 1270, dscribs th fscinting Tchikw SkullRitul.135 Snford rvls tht th Skull Ritul ws rit whos im itws to rnimt quiscnt spirits ssocitd with humn skull bon.136 Svn p’o souls in th skull wr to b wknd or rintroducd into itb th rptd ppliction of combind ml nd fml sul uids.137 Through this prticulr folk rit “wlth, socil position, knowldg,and magical powers ( sdd)” wr sid to b obtind.138 The p’o soulswere y, or fminin, in qulit, nd fml spirits clld ḍāī werealso associated with the rite.139 The p’o souls or ḍāī were responsiblefor helping the practitioner gain power.140

Th Śākt tāts of Wst Bngl us th skull s n img of dth

nd trnsformtion in w similr to mstr Ikkū. Śākt tntr folkritulists lso considr th skull to b dirct link to spirits throughwhom they can gain power.141a visitor to n Ānnd Mārg dūt thed ftr his Night Sādhn obsrvd tht th monk ws still wringthe remnants of a red sdū (vrmilion) tlṃ (uspicious mrking)btwn his brows. So ws th humn skull sitting on th oor.Th visitor told m tht th sdū on th skull immditl rminddhim of blood,142 mor so thn sing it on th monk’s forhd. H wssomwht tkn bck bcus h climd tht th us of trnl

worship materials is rr in Ānnd Mārg. espcill th rnuncints of


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th orgniztion rstrict thmslvs to ogic tchniqus tht r purlintrnl. Th us of trnl worship mtrils is considrd prmissibl,but not indispnsbl, nd thr is doctrinl tndnc to b wr of

ctivitis tht pproch th ctgor of img nd idol worship.Whthr th ppliction of vrmilion (s smbolic form of snitizd

mnstrul blood) ws mnt to nlivn th skull nd ssist in pssingcrtin powrs from th skull to th monk rmins opn to qustion.This spcultion would combin smpthtic mgic nd th tntric folkrtionl of th rnimtion of spirits tht is found in th Tchikw SkullRitul. as Ānndmūrti ws not totll opposd to th dvlopmnt ndus of occult powrs, but ws mor concrnd with thir potntil forbus, w cnnot rul out tht his āpāls’ ritul us of skull in thir

sād might b connctd to th cquisition of occult powrs.Thr is on spct of th us of Bhirvī Ckr s yt/mandala

in āpāl sād tht hs not bn discussd. It pprs tht thr rsimilritis btwn th formtion of Bhirvī Ckr hgrm ndprotctiv cts of īl, which “nil off” nd scrliz spc. SomĀnnd Mārgiis r rportd to utiliz īl as a ṣā (protction)during othr tps of spiritul prctics. Bcus buril grounds mb dngrous plcs to visit t night, prhps th formtion of such

yt/mndl cts s tp of protction. Th protctiv spct wouldb nhncd if mntr wr usd in trditionl w s n intgrlpart of the c’s construction. Th mnuscript tht mntions BhirvīCkr dos not stt which mtril is usd in its formtion, nor dos itdscrib th procdur for its ssmbl. Thrfor it cnnot b sid withn crtint if compsss nd stright dgs r mplod. But th fctsare that this is a sād prformd t night round th tim of th nwmoon, whn thr is littl light. It mks th us of such implmntsppr to b countr-intuitiv. Ths prctics must mphsiz idtion

nd intntion rthr thn mthmticl prcision. Lstl, if BhirvīCkr did not lso hv protctiv spct for āpāls, it sms thritul would hv rmind clusivl on th mntl lvl.

CONCLUSION: TWO VeRy DIFFeReNTTANTRIC SĀDhanaS WITH THe SaMe NaMe

Thr r ogis within Bb Hri Dss’s Virāgī Viṣṇv ling ndmong Ānnd Mārg’s āpāls who prctic Bhirvī Ckr sād.

But th prctitionrs from within ch group r rfrring to two vr


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diffrnt rituls. Th similritis r tht both rituls r ogic formsof tntr, which mplo mndl or yt and whose philosophicalundrpinning is subtl, nonsul intrprttion of th pñc

mās.143 Th diffrncs, howvr, r mor numrous. Bhirvī Ckrfor th Virāgīs is collctiv rit whil for Ānnd Mārg’s āpāls it is a solitary one.

It is possibl to mk gnrl ssrtion tht both rituls r ninvoction of Dvī. This would b rsonbl dspit th fct tht ĀnndMārg is Śivit tntric sct nd not ll th Virāgī Viṣṇvs rŚākts. Bcus Ānnd Mārg’s doctrins r monistic nd similr insom ws to Kshmir Śivism, it would b mor ccurt to cll thirāpāls’ Bhirvī Ckr n invoction of nrg s philosophicl

concpt. This is how Ānndmūrti chrctrizs both his dscriptionsof th vrious śts in Śāktācār144 and of pṛt in his own Śivittantra.145 Those members who practice āpāl ritul involving humnskull ppr to b utilizing folk tntr. Whthr this is dgnrtionof scond-cntur Mdhmik Buddhist blif or rprsnts th truroots of āpāl prctic wits furthr rsrch.

Th Virāgīs considr thir philosoph to b monistic. Nvrthlss,th llow room in it for th mnifsttion of Dvī in mn formsnd ppr to considr ths s smi-distinct ntitis, somwht likcontmporr Hinduism. So whil thir Bhirvī Ckr crmon istntric, th mjorit of thir prctics r mor ccurtl chrctrizdsimply as yogic.146 Th invoctionl objctivs of th twocs r similr,but th mns th mplo to chiv succss in thm r distinct.

To bgin with, th Virāgī’s Bhirvī Ckr is on th on hnd physical circle of participants as well as the yt usd t n prticulrprformnc of th crmon. Tht of th Mārgiis is th mndl/ yt alone. The jomṇḍl type of yt, constructd b Virāgīs from

colord snd, hs n rtistic ppl for th prticipnts s wll s bingthought of s spiritull fccious mns of inviting Dvī to prsidovr thir rit. Th mndl/ yt formd b th Mārgiis is strictlutilitrin. Its spct or shp could b highl vribl, so it must bidtion or corrct intntion tht th r mphsizing.

M judgmnt is tht th Mārgiis’ mndl/ yt is predominantly dvic whos lvting vibrtionl cpcit is ploitd in nonvisulfshion. a singl prctitionr modls it nd viws it undr rducd lightconditions, ftr which it cts s his or hr “st” for th durtion of

th ritul. Thir mndl/ yt m dditionll srv s protctiv


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ṣ b dmrcting scrd spc. This tp of ritul prctic rvls tndnc towrds ogic smboliztion nd bodil intrioriztion ofidolog mong th Mārgiis s wll s n pprnt pg (thriftiness

or rstrint) with rgrd to th us of mtrils.Th Virāgī’s slction of yt involvs strologicl clcultions

nd thir Bhirvī Ckr crmon includs worship of th nin plnts(g). Ānnd Mārgiis do not ccpt diction of th plnts.Th do not us strologicl clcultions for Bhirvī Ckr, nor nothr ritul of thirs, bcus Ānndmūrti considrd th procdursimpractical.147 His orientation was strictly microcosmic in that he didnot think ytg supruous to th humn bod-mind compl wsncssr for crring on spiritul prctics.

The c t Mount Mdonn is th sum totl of th ritul ctionsof thir circl of prticipnts: th ffct of thir collctiv pāṇāyām,chnting of mntrs, prformnc of mudās, nd mdittions. Th rconscrting rthr lrg phsicl r, whn on som occsions thrr hundrds of prticipnts. Th Virāgī Viṣṇvs utiliz th ritulcircl shp nd prformnc, in ddition to thir yts, to crtBhirvī’s Ckr nd invoction. For th Ānnd Mārg āpāls, thckr is phsicl mndl tht rprsnts th pl of univrsl forcswithin th mcrocosm nd microcosm. Th bliv its phsicl us, sdscribd, cn improv sād’s pscho-spiritul stt b clibrtingtrovrtd mtril nd socil tndncis with introvrtd spiritulinclintions. Simultnousl, th considr th complt mnifstdunivrs to b Bhirvī Ckr.


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NOTES

1. Gorg Furstin, Ecyclopedc Dctoy of Yog (Nw york: Prgon Hous,

1990), 204 ss th tt dts to th lvnth cntur. Hugh B. Urbn, Tt:Sex, Sececy, Poltcs, d Powe te Study of relgo (Brkl: Univrsit ofCliforni Prss, 2003), 142 points out tht mn popl suspct it of bingcomposd in th lt ightnth cntur.

2. Ānndmūrti sid th tn mādyās origintd bout two thousnd rsgo. Shrii Shrii a'nndmu'rti, Dscouses o Tt, vol. 1 (Clcutt: a'nndM'rg Publictions, 1993), 230. Th sstm of Snskrit dicritics tht ĀnndMārg uss in its publictions is on of Ānndmūrti's invntions. H chos simplid w of writing Romn Snskrit tht uss th “ ' ” or “ ́” lmost

clusivl. Howvr, vn th ppliction of this sstm ws not uniformfrom on of his books to nothr nd somtims ws not uniform vn within singl book. Thrfor I hv rplictd th dicriticl mrks tht wrusd on book-to-book bsis within quots of his nd for footnot mtriltht prtins to his books (for mpl, “a'nndmu'rti” vrsus th cdmicstndrd of “Ānndmūrti”).

3. alin Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, Bollingn Sris LxxIII (Nw york: PnthonBooks, 1964), 268 nd Dvid Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De Feme: Te TeMādyās (Brkl, Ca: Univrsit of Cliforni Prss, 1997), 172.

4. Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De Feme, 172.5. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 281; Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De Feme,170–171 nd Mdhu Khnn,Yt: Te Ttc Symbol of Cosmc Uty (Rochstr,VT: Innr Trditions, 1979), 58.

6. Johri lists th impdimnts s “sicknss, incomptnc, doubt, dlusion, sloth,nonbstntion, rronous concption, nonttinmnt of n ogic stt, ndth inbilit to st in ogic stt.” Hrish Johri, Tools fo Tt (Rochstr,VT: Dstin Books, 1986), 105.

7. ajit Mookrj nd Mdhu Khnn, Te Ttc Wy: at • Scece • rtul

(London: Thms nd Hudson, 1977), 190–191.8. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 282 nd Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De

Feme, 167.

9. Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De Feme, 167.

10. Ibid., 169. For nothr portrl of Bhirvī s th cosmic controllr s th kulcūḍāmṇ ngmrfrrd to b Rit DsGupt Shrm, “Scrd Immnnc:Rctions of ecofminism in Hindu Tntr,” in Pufyg te Etly Body of God:

relgo d Ecology hdu id, d. Lnc Nlson (albn, Ny: SUNy Prss,1998), 108–109.


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Coetto: Bī C 261

11. Thr r numbr of similritis btwn th philosophis of KshmirŚivism nd Ānnd Mārg. S Hln Crovtto, “Th Chnging Fc of ŚivitTntrism” (Ba thsis, Univrsit of South Florid, 1999), 73–74.

12. Rāmprsād Sn, Gce d Mecy he Wld h: Selected Poems to te MoteGoddess, trns. Lonrd Nthn nd Clinton Sl (Prscott, aZ: Hohm Prss,1999), 55.

13. D. C. Sircr, Te Śāt Pīṭs, 2nd d. (Dlhi: Motill Bnrsidss, 1973), 40.

14. Jun McDnil, Offeg Flowes, Feedg Sulls: Popul Goddess Wosp West Begl (Oford: Oford Univrsit Prss, 2004), 117. Though c pūjālitrll mns “circl worship” th phrs hs bcom commonl ssocitdwith sul rituls.

15. Shrii Shrii Ánndmúrti, Dscouses o Tt, vol. 2 (Clcutt: annd MrgPublictions, 1994), 168, 170.

16. Gudrun Būhnmnn, “Mṇḍl, yntr nd Ckr: Som Obsrvtions,” inMṇḍls d Yts te hdu Tdtos, d. Johnns Bronkhorst, Brill’sIndologicl Librr, vol. 18 (Lidn: Brill, 2003), 50.

17. Lur Kufmn, “Ntur, Courtl Imgr, nd Scrd Mning in th ippe hj-e,” in Flowg Tces: Buddsm te Ltey d vsul ats of Jp, d. Jms H. Snford, Willim R. LFlur, nd Mstoshi Ngtomi (Princton, NJ:Princton Univrsit Prss, 1992), 65.

18. elizbth tn Grotnhuis, “Chūjōhim: Th Wving of Hr Lgnd,” in FlowgTces: Buddsm te Ltey d vsul ats of Jp, d. Jms H. Snford,Willim R. LFlur, nd Mstoshi Ngtomi (s not 17), 182.

19. Dnis Ptr Lid nd Robrt a. F. Thurmn, Mdl: Te actectue of Elgtemet (London: Thms nd Hudson, 1997), 17.

20. Sir John Woodroff, Śt d Śāt: Essys d addesses, 9th d. (Mdrs:Gnsh & Co., 1987), 349–350. S lso th Yogī Tt in Dniélou, hdu

Polytesm, 351.

21. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 350 nd Khnn, Yt, 12.

22. Dougls Rnfrw Brooks, “Th Ocn of th Hrt: Slctions from th kulāṇ Tt,” in Tt Pctce, d. Dvid Gordon Whit (Princton, NJ:Princton Univrsit Prss, 2000), 356.

23. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 351 nd Khnn, Yt, 19.

24. Th swstik is n ncint, uspicious Hindu smbol sid to bstow goodluck.

25. Bb Hri Dss, Tlks with Bbji, “Tntr,” http://www.mountmdonn .org/og/tlks/twb9510.html.

26. Ibid.


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Pcc Wold 262

27. arthur avlon (John Woodroff), Te Get Lbeto: Māāṇ Tt,4th d. (Mdrs: Gnsh & Co., 1963) , 227–233. Ānndmūrti told his followrs thtth prctic Kol (Kul) sād. “you r ll Kol nd I m Mhākol,” h

sid. H dnd Kol sād as one who practices the raising of uluṇḍlī(coild srpntin spiritul nrg in th bod) nd Mhākol s guru whocan raise the uṇḍlī of othrs. S Ánndmúrti, Dscouses o Tt 2:41,2:53. On th division of th “Kul” or “Kol” nd “Tāntrik” scts s DvidGordon Whit, kss of te Yogī: “Ttc Sex” its Sout as Cotexts (Chicgo:Univrsit of Chicgo Prss, 2003), 18.

28. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 282 nd Kinsl, Ttc vsos of te De Feme, 167. S n rt img of Bhirvī in ssocition with ros-colorddwn t http://www.rtogndindi.com/brows/P/10/.

29. avlon (Woodroff), Māāṇ Tt, 230 nd Woodroff, Śt d Śāt,389–390.

30. Woodroff, Śt d Śāt, 401.

31. Ibid., 389 nd 393–395.

32. Ibid., 412. Th sm viw is prssd in Shrii Shrii Ánndmúrti, Ádvcámtm Pt v (Clcutt: Ánnd Márg Prcárk Sḿgh, 1987), 3–4.

33. Woodroff, Śt d Śāt, 401.

34. Urbn, Tt, 136.

35. avlon (Woodroff), Māāṇ Tt, 227 nd 232.

36. Bb Hri Dss, prsonl communiction, M 18, 2001.

37. Rbcc J. Mnring, “an Unlikl Donor: a Hindu Rspons,” in Etcs dWold relgos: Coss-Cultul Cse Studes, d. Rgin Wntzl Wolf nd Christine. Gudorf (Mrknoll, Ny: Orbis Books, 1999), 346.

38. Ibid., 346.

39. Ibid.

40. Srsvti Buhrmn ( discipl of Bb Hri Dss), intrviw b uthor,Octobr 7, 2000, Bouldr, Colordo, longhnd nots. Th Virāgī Viṣṇvsprincipl concrn sms to b th ttinmnt of slf-rliztion rthr thnth stblishmnt of socil vhicl. Th would prsumbl rfrsh thirmmbrship ovr th rs with th ntr of nw spiritul skrs from outsidth originl founding mmbrs.

41. Mnring, “an Unlikl Donor: a Hindu Rspons,” 346.

42. Ibid.

43. Jnn Opnshw, Seeg Bāuls of Begl (Nw Dlhi: Cmbridg Univrsit

Prss/Foundtion Books, 2004), 22.


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Coetto: Bī C 263

44. R. M. Srkr, Buls of Begl: i te Quest of M of te het (Nw Dlhi: GinPublishing, 1990), 73–74.

45. Buhrmn, intrviw b uthor, Octobr 7, 2000.

46. Jnrdn Dss (discipl of Bb Hri Dss), prsonl communiction,Novmbr 12, 2000.

47. “Rituls of Tntr” dvrtismnt, Yog Joul Mgze, Sptmbr/Octobr 1998, p. 62.

48. Jnrdn Dss, prsonl communiction, Novmbr 12, 2000.

49. Urbn, Tt, 227–229 nd 252.

50. Ibid., 203–205 nd 215.

51. Mookrj nd Khnn, Te Ttc Wy, 186.52. Būhnmnn, “Mṇḍl, yntr nd Ckr: Som Obsrvtions,” 53, g. 1.

53. Bb Hri Dss, “Tntr,” http://www.mountmdonn.org/og/tlks /twb9510.html.

54. Johri, Tools fo Tt, 59.

55. Būhnmnn, “Mṇḍl, yntr nd Ckr: Som Obsrvtions,” 19.

56. Bb Hri Dss, “Tntr,” www.mountmdonn.org/og/tlks/twb9510 .html. On impurit (mlm) s th root of ignornc s Whit, kss of te Yogī ,

80–81.57. andré Pdou, “Mṇḍls in abhinvgupt’s Tntrālok,” in Mṇḍls dYts te hdu Tdtos, d. Johnns Bronkhorst (s not 16), 18:231.

58. Bb Hri Dss, astg Yog Pme (Snt Cruz, Ca: Sri Rm Publishing,1981), 61.

59. Ibid. , 64.

60. andré Pdou, “Th Śrīckr according to th First Chptr of thyoginīhṛd,” in Mṇḍls d Yts te hdu Tdtos, d. Johnns

Bronkhorst (s not 16), 18:246–247.61. Brooks, “Th Ocn of th Hrt,” 353–355.

62. Pdou, “Mṇḍls in abhinvgupt’s Tntrālok,” 234–235.

63. Ibid., 231n11, 232.

64. Jms H. Snford, “Litrr aspcts of Jpn’s Dul-Gṇś Cult,” in Ges:Studes of as God, d. Robrt L. Brown (albn, Ny: Stt Univrsit of Nwyork Prss, 1991), 294.

65. Th rgumnt prsntd b som tntric groups is tht ll dsirs r

disguisd longings for contct with th divin. M undrstnding is tht th


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ctivtion of sul, snsul, or nonsul/snsul dsir strngthns willpowr(cc śt). This contributs to on-pointdnss of mind tht cn b utilizdin spiritul pursuits. Thrfor, whthr th tntric groups in qustion r

prctitionrs of sul ritul or not, th cn ll rsonbl b dscribd smnipultors of nrg, or śt.

66. Bb Hri Dss, prsonl communiction, M 18, 2001.

67. Th sul rits of th Viṣṇv Shjiās r dscribd in edwrd C. Dimock,Te Plce of te hdde Moo: Eotc Mystcsm te vṣṇ-sjyā Cult of Begl (Chicgo: Univrsit of Chicgo Prss, 1989).

68. Buhrmn, intrviw b uthor, Octobr 7, 2000.

69. McDnil, Offeg Flowes, Feedg Sulls, 11.

70. Ánndmúrti, Dscouses o Tt, 2:46–47.71. Ibid., 2:47.

72. Ibid., 2:28.

73. Whit, kss of te Yogī , 13.

74. Ibid., 16. Som scholrs hold th opposit viw. S T. N. Mishr,Te impctof Tt o relgo d at , Tntr in Contmporr Rsrchs, vol. 1 (NewDlhi: D. K. Printworld Ltd., 1997), 39.

75. S Urbn, Tt, 204–205, 227–228 for discussion of sull-orintd

forms of Wstrn tntr. S Hln Crovtto, “embodid Knowldg ndDivinit: Th Hohm Communit s Wstrn-stl Bāuls,” no relgo: Te

Joul of altete d Emeget relgos 10, no. 1 (august 2006): 69–95 for dscription of contmporr Wstrn tntric group with som trditionlBngli Bāul prctics.

76. Jms H. Snford, “Th abominbl Tchikw Skull Ritul,” Moumetnppoc 46, no. 1 (Spring 1991): 2.

77. Ánndmúrti, Dscouses o Tt, 2:91, 2:124–125.

78. Ibid. , 1:193–194, 1:244.

79. Shrii Shrii anndmurti, ad Sutm (Clcutt: a'nnd M'rg Prc'rkSm'gh, 1984), 33 nd P. R. Srkr, PrOUT nutsell, vol. 6 (Clcutt: a'nndM'rg Prc'rk Sm'gh, 1987), 60. P. R. Srkr ws Ānndmūrti’s lgl nmundr which h wrot socil philosoph. In vol. 6 of PrOUT nutsell h sid,“Lik mtrilism, spiritulit bsd on non-violnc will b of no bnt tohumnit. Th words of non-violnc m sound nobl, nd quit ppling,but on th solid ground of rlit hv no vlu whtsovr.”

80. anndmurti, ad Sutm, 30.

81. Ibid.


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Coetto: Bī C 265

82. Ibid., 2–3.

83. Ibid., 1.

84. a'nndmu'rti, Dscouses o Tt, 1:240.

85. Ibid., 1:240–241.

86. Ibid., 241.

87. elizbth U. Hrding, kl: Te Blc Goddess of Dsesw (york Bch,Me: Nichols-Hs, Inc., 1993), ; Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 282 nd Kinsl,Ttc vsos of te De Feme, 167, rfrring to works such s th Tpuā-bī-tt, thŚādā-tl-tt, nd th Bṛt Ttsā. Johari associatesBhirvī with th ctiv nrg (Kri Śkti) spct of uṇḍlī. Johri, Tools

fo Tt, 105.

88. Śrī Śrī Ānndmūrti, unpublishd longhnd mnuscript bsd on his dis-courss, 1978, 3.

89. Būhnmnn, “Mṇḍl, yntr nd Ckr: Som Obsrvtions,” 28n39.

90. Dniélou, hdu Polytesm, 350–351.

91. Ānndmūrti, unpublishd mnuscript, 4.

92. Ibid.

93. Ānndmūrti spok of th humn mind s composd of vring proportionsof mt (I), m (I do), nd ctt (I hv don). a summr of ĀnndMārg cosmolog nd schtolog rltiv to th humn mind is vilblin anndmurti, ad Sutm, 10–12. an pndd vrsion is contind inShrii Shrii Ánndmúrti, Ád Mág—Plosopy nutsell, vol. 1 (Clcutt:Ánnd Márg Prcárk Sḿgh, 1988), 22–51. On th fct tht th humnbod itslf is signicnt, distinguishing fctor whn compring humns toothr mbodid orgnic bings s lso M. Mrlu-Pont, Peomeology of

Pecepto, trns. C. Smith (London: Routldg nd Pul Kgn, 1962) citd inMichl Jckson, Pts Towd Cleg: rdcl Empcsm d Etogpciquy (Bloomington: Indin Univrsit Prss, 1989), 119.

94. Pdou, “Th Śrīckr according to th First Chptr of th yoginīhṛd,”238 nd Pdou, “Mṇḍls in abhinvgupt’s Tntrālok,” 233.

95. Śāt Dś (15, 1, 30) citd in Khnn, Yt, 128.


97. For th purpos of initition, most Ānnd Mārg syāss us n img ofthe ptī printd with ink on ppr.

98. Khnn, Yt, 91, plt 53.

99. Jms H. Snford, “Wind, Wtrs, Stups, Mndls: Ftl Buddhhood in

Shingon,” Jpese Joul of relgous Studes 24, nos. 1–2 (Spring 1997): 9–10 .


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100. Ānndmūrti, unpublishd mnuscript, 5–6 nd anndmurti, adSutm, 30.


102. Ibid.


104. Būhnmnn, “Mṇḍl, yntr nd Ckr: Som Obsrvtions,” 31–32.

105. Ibid., 33.


107. Ānnd Mārg informnt, prsonl communiction, Jun 11, 1984. McDnilss tht on of th “most importnt tims for worship of th goddsss in Wst

Bngl” is th night of māāsy. McDnil, Offeg Flowes, Feedg Sulls, 92.108. Ānnd Mārg informnt, prsonl communiction, Jun 11, 1984.

109. S Dvid N. Lornzn, Te kāpāls d kālāmus: Two Lost Śte Sects,2nd d. (Dlhi: Motill Bnrsidss, 1991).

110. Ánndmúrti, Dscouses o Tt, 2:62. anothr tntric prctic utilizs grlnd of humn skulls (uālmāl). S Ibid., 2:91.

111. Ánndmúrti, Ád vcámtm, 5:99.


113. H lso sttd tht th signicnc of th trm āpāl bcm “distortd”ftr its originl us. a'nndmu'rti, Dscouses o Tt, 1:107.

114. For n ovrviw of Mdhmik philosoph s Hsuh-Li Chng, “ThRoots of Zn Buddhism,” http://www.buddhistinformtion.com/roots_of_zn_buddhism.htm.

115. Ibid.



118. Ibid., 89, 92.

119. Woodroff, Māā Tt, 209n1.


121. Ibid., 2:257–258.

122. The pāśs pl cntrl rol in th Tmil school of Śiv-Siddhānt. SHélèn Brunnr, “Jñān nd Kriā: Rltion btwn Thor nd Prctic in thŚivāgms,” in rtul d Speculto Ely Ttsm: Studes hoo of adé

Pdoux, d. Tun Goudrin (albn: Stt Univrsit of Nw york Prss, 1992),


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11–13 nd Mrk S. G. Dczkowski, Te Stzs o vbto: Te Spdāā wt Fou Commetes (albn: Stt Univrsit of Nw york Prss, 1992), 5.

123. Ánandamúrti , Dscouses o Tt, 2:63, ditoril footnot (no numbr).

124. Ibid., 2:27.

125. Ibid. Not tht th dicriticl sstm in this block quot follows th usgin th sourc.


127. Ānnd Mārg informnt, prsonl communiction, Jun 11, 1984.

128. Ibid..

129. P. R. Srkr, Dscouses o Mbt, 2nd d. (Clcutt: Ánnd Márg

Prcárk Sḿgh, 1991), 47. according to C. Rjgoplchri's vrsion of thMābāt, Kṛṣṇ cusd drknss bfor th sun hd st so tht Jdrthwould b mistkn bout th tim of d nd com out of hiding. S C.Rjgoplchri, Mbt (Bomb: Bhrti Vid Bhvn, 1962), 279.

130. S lso P. R. Srkr’s, Poblems of te Dy, 4th d. (Clcutt: annd MrgPublictions, 1993), 35.

131. Snford, “Th abominbl Tchikw Skull Ritul,” 10–11.

132. Th stor is tht Zn Mstr Ikkū wnt knocking on popl’s doors on Nwyr’s D, wving skull on stick t thm nd wishing thm long lif. Th

Jpns public ssocits Mstr Ikkū with skulls nd skltons. On of hisbst pros works is ntitld Gotsu (Skltons). S Jms H. Snford, Ze-Miyū, Hrvrd Univrsit Cntr for th Stud of World Rligions, Studis inWorld Rligions Numbr 2, d. Jn I. Smith (Chico, Ca: Scholr’s Prss, 1981),chp. 5 nd pp. 40, 272–276.

133. Shingon ws trnsmittd to Jpn from Chin b its foundr Kūki (744–835)in th rl 800s. Snford, Ze-M iyū, 44.

134. Snford, “Th abominbl Tchikw Skull Ritul,” 2–4.

135. Ibid., 4.

136. Ibid., 10, 15.

137. Ibid., 10, 15.

138. Ibid., 5.

139. Ibid., 15–16.

140. Ibid., 15.


142. On th us of rddish-brown cinnbr s n nlivning gnt in th TchikwSkull Ritul, s Snford, “Th abominbl Tchikw Skull Ritul,” 12.


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Pcc Wold 268

143. Bb Hri Dss’s Virāgī Viṣṇvs divid thir intrprttion of th pñc mās into four ctgoris. at th subtlst lvl mdy is drinking thintoicting knowldg of God through th scrtions of th highr glnds.

Māṃs is control of speech. Mtsy is controlling pāṇā through pāṇāyām. Mudā signis ritul lding to th dissolution of th mind t ssā c.Mtu is chivd b rising uṇḍlī to ffct th union of Śiv nd Śkti. ĀnndMārgiis s th pñc mās s hving ithr crud or numbr of subtlintrprttions. Thir subtl intrprttion for th rst thr itms is idnticlwith tht of th Virāgī Viṣṇvs. Mudā is tkn to mn mntl position ordtrmintion to kp compn with spiritul prsons. Thir intrprttionsof mtu r th sm. S Srsvti Buhrmn, “Tntr Stud Guid Nots”(unpublishd work), 108 nd Ánndmúrti , Dscouses o Tt, 2:48–51.

144. Ibid., 1:240–241.

145. anndmurti, ad Sutm, 1–3.

146. Ānndmūrti distinguishd btwn th intrprttion of og offrd bPtñjli nd tht of tntr. H sid, “according to Ptnjli og is th suspnsionof mntl propnsitis,” whil in tntr og signis th union of suprmconsciousnss nd unit or individul consciousnss. S Ánndmúrti, Dscouseso Tt, 2:104. an pnsion of this topic is vilbl in 2:194–213.

147. Ānnd Mārg informnt, prsonl communiction, Jun 11, 1984.

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