Agarchand Nahta Abhinandan Granth Part 2

Author(s): Dashrath Sharma
Publisher: Agarchand Nahta Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 125

Thus, the influence of the Tantric practices has been so great upon the life of the people of eastern India, particularly Mithila, Bengal and Assam, that all their daily activities are practically dominated and governed by the principles of the Tántric religion. The Kaula and Daśa-mahāvidyā, however gained wide popularity in course of time. The Kaulas became the protagonists of Vāmācāra or Vāmamārga sect and Daśa-mahāvidyā. Kāli, Tārā and Bhuvāneśvari have now prominent place in the life of the people. Agama does not necessarily mean "a sacred book appealed to by Vämācārins" as opposed to Nigama of the followers of Dakşiņācāra. Nor is the term Vāmācārin itself a synonym for Kaula, for a person may be the first without being the second.
In ancient times Dakşiņācāra was more popular and widely practised. It produced great Sadhakas. But in course of time (probably about a century ago) people came to be intensely influenced by the Vāmācāra practices. The mode of worship in the two mārgas is quite different. It is true, one who follows the Vāmācāra attains Siddhi soon; but it is very difficult to practise it successfully and as such there is every chance of a fall in this mārga. Vašiştha and other Sadhakas followed Dakşiņācāra and were great devotees of the goddess Tārā. Great Sadhakas have from timg to time appeared on the scene and inspired people to practise this religion. Dakšiņācāra was therefore, (and is atill) looked upon with high regard innumerable Sadhakas followed this path, whose life-history, full of miraculous feats and wonderful achievements, ahs now passed into legends handed down from generation to generation and is yet an object of popular study and reverence.
Side by side with Dakşiņācăra, Vāmācāra and Kaula also gained much popularity and soon gave rise to Abhicāra-Karma2 (black magic, mummery, witchcrafts etc.) among the low classes and women. This had no doubt a dongerously demoralising effect on the morale of the common people, and it was this Karma that largely contributed to the unpopularity of the Tantras in general and the growing hatred for the Sadhakas in particular. Indeed, the divine qualities inherent in this sect are very difficult to practise, and, therefore, in the absence of the right interpretations and understanding people took to degrading forms of debauchery
1. Umesha Miśra, Maithila Samskrti o Sabhyata (in Maithili), pt. II. p. 181 U.
Thakur, op. cit pp. 44-45. 2. This Abhicāra-karma was unfortunately the indirect result of the Arimardana
Homa or Nigraha Homa i. e. "the object of punishing an enemy" fully dealt with and enumerated in the thirtyfirst chapter (Arimardana Homa) of the celebrated work Tantrarāja-Tantra (The King among Tantras), edited by Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon). verses 3-6 of this Chapter speak of certain things which should be known regarding the enemy before a Homa is begun (Ibid., pp. 94-95)
८८ : अगरचन्द नाहटा अभिनन्दन-ग्रन्थ