Comparative Study of Mantrashastra

Author(s): Mohanlal Bhagwandas Jhaveri
Publisher: Sarabhai Manilal Nawab

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INTRODUCTION
but amongst that class also there are Brahmachārīs. They are Aghoras and Pashupatas ( though they do take wine and eat meat). Some Vāmāchāris never cease to be chaste (Brahmachārī), such as Oghada Sadhus, worshippers of Batuka Bhairava, Kanthādhāri and followers of the Nāthas, such as Gorakshanātha, Sitanātha and Matsyendranātha. In Nīlakrama there is no Maithuna. Others comprised in the Vámāchāra class are Kāpālikas, Kālamukhas, Bhāndikeras, Digambaras, Kaulas, and followers of Chināchāra. There are different practices in some sects. Amongst the Kālamukhas the Kālavīras are said to be worshipping Kumaris upto the age of 9 and Kāmamohanas worshipping with adult Shaktis. Some advanced members of Vámāchāri class refrain from wine and meat also. They may be Brahmakaulas. Further according to the account given in Mahānirvāna Tantra of the Bhairavichakra and Tattvachakra " the Panchatattvas are either real (Pratyaksha, “Idealising” -statements to the contrary are, when not due to ignorance, false ), substitutional ( Anukalapa) and esoteric (Divyatattva). As regards the second, even a vegetarian would not object to“ meat " which is in fact ginger, nor the abstainner to "wine " which is cocoanut water in a bellmetal vessel. As for the Esoteric Tattvas they are not material articles or practices, but the symbols for Yogic processes ". It must be said, however, that in some cases there are more unrestrained practices and the accounts given in the Bhairavi and Tattva Chakras may be compared with them.
It would appear that this kind of worship is restricted to one section of the Vāmāchāris, namely Vira class where also it is further restricted to the Svabhāvavīras and Mantrasiddhavīras, the other Viras as well as the Pashu and Divya classes are prohibited from practising the particular kind of worship. There are still further restrictions that a Sádhaka should perform this sort of worship with his own wife (Svakīyāshakti) and it is only when a Sadhaka has no wife or she is incompetent (Anadhikārini) that he may take some other Shakti but it is for the purpose of ritual worship only, and that also only during actual worship. Sir John Woodroffe says that the particular