or AWAKENED INDIA - Advaita Ashrama

58 Pages·2010·3.58 MB·English

CMYK
Rs 10.00
P
RABUDDHA
B
HARATA
or AWAKENED INDIA
A monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order
started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896
June 2010
The Tantra Way – II
Vol. 115, No. 6
CMYK
THE ROAD TO WISDOM
Swami Vivekananda on
MOTHER WORSHIP
I
t is my belief that the Tantras, in vogue the abominable things in the Tantras, such as
amongst us, were the creation of the Bud- the Vamachara etc., the Tantras are not so bad
dhists themselves. Those Tantrika rites are even as people are inclined to think. There are many
more dreadful than our doctrine of Vamachara; high and sublime Vedantic thoughts in them. In
for in them adultery got a free rein, and it was fact, the Brahmana portions of the Vedas were
only when the Buddhists became demoralised modified a little and incorporated into the body
through immorality that they were driven away
of the Tantras. All the forms of our worship and
by Kumarila Bhatta. As some Sannyasins speak
the ceremonials of the present day, comprising
of Shankara, or the Bauls of Shri Chaitanya,
the Karma Kanda, are observed in accordance
that he was in secret an epicure, a drunkard,
with the Tantras.
and one addicted to all sorts of abominable
It is very difficult to understand why in this
practices—so the modern Tantrika Buddhists
country so much difference is made between
speak of the Lord Buddha as a dire Vamachari
men and women, whereas the Vedanta
and give an obscene interpretation to the many
declares that one and the same conscious Self
beautiful precepts of the Prajnaparamita, such
is present in all beings. You always criticise the
as the Tattvagatha and the like.
women, but say what have you done for their
The real meaning of the word Tantra is
uplift? Writing down Smritis etc., and binding
Shastra, as for example, Kapila Tantra. But
them by hard rules, the men have turned the
the word Tantra is generally used in a limited
women into mere manufacturing machines!
sense. Under the sway of kings who took up
If you do not raise the women, who are the
Buddhism and preached broadcast the doctrine
living embodiment of the Divine Mother, don’t
of Ahimsa, the performances of the Vedic
think that you have any other way to rise. …
Yaga-yajnas became a thing of the past, and
Without propitiating the Mother by worship
no one could kill any animal in sacrifice for
and obeisance, not even Brahma and Vishnu
fear of the king. But subsequently amongst the
have the power to elude Her grasp and attain
Buddhists themselves—who were converts from
to freedom.
Hinduism—the best parts of these Yaga-yajnas
were taken up, and practised in secret. From From The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,
these sprang up the Tantras. Barring some of 1.232, 1.239, 7.46.
P
rabuddha
b
harata
or AwAkened IndIA
A monthly journal of the Ramakrishna Order
started by Swami Vivekananda in 1896
Vol. 115, No. 6 Contents
June 2010
Traditional Wisdom 361
This Month 362
Editorial: Embodying Shakti 363
Shakti Puja and Sri Ramakrishna 365
Swami Ishatmananda
Tantra: Its Origin, Nature, and Contents 372
Amrita Kalasha
Prof. Debabrata Sen Sharma
Tantra and Kali: Some Reflections 377
Editorial Office
Pandit Hemendra Nath Chakravarty
Prabuddha Bharata
The Crimson Hibiscus: 380
Advaita Ashrama
Songs for the Divine Mother
PO Mayavati, Via Lohaghat
Srinjay Chakravarti
Dt Champawat · 262 524
Uttarakhand, India Swami Abhedananda: 385
E-mail: [email protected] An Outstanding Personality
[email protected] Prof. Haridas Mukherjee
Swami Jagadananda at Vrindaban 387
Publication Office
Swami Dhyanananda
Advaita Ashrama
5 Dehi Entally Road The Poetic Philosophy of Ramcharitmanas 393
Kolkata · 700 014 A P N Pankaj
Tel: 91 · 33 · 2264 0898 / 2264 4000 Vedanta-sara 398
2286 6450 / 2286 6483
Swami Bhaskareswarananda
E-mail: [email protected]
Mahendranath Gupta: 402
Intern et Edition at: From Death to Immortality
www.advaitaashrama.org Swami Chetanananda
Reviews 406
Cover photo: ‘Hibiscus’
Diana Lee Angstadt Photography Reports 407
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Traditional Wisdom
Wrút²; std{; ŒtËg JhtrªtctuÆt; > Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!
Understanding the Mother June 2010
Vol. 115, No. 6
Who is there that can understand
what Mother Kali is?
Even the six darshanas
are powerless to reveal her.
It is she, the scriptures say,
that is the inner Self
Of the yogi, who in Self
discovers all his joy;
She that, of her own sweet will,
inhabits every living thing.
The macrocosm and microcosm
rest in the Mother’s womb;
Now, do you see how vast it is?
In the Muladhara
The yogi meditates on her,
and in the Sahasrara:
Who but Shiva has beheld her
as she really is?
Within the lotus wilderness she sports
beside her mate, the Swan.
When man aspires to understand her,
Ramprasad must smile;
To think of knowing her, he says,
is quite as laughable
As to imagine one swimming
across the boundless sea.
But while my mind has understood,
alas! My heart has not;
Though but a dwarf, it still would strive
to make a captive of the moon.
(Ramprasad)
361
PB June 2010