Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Traverses on less trodden path...
woman, by adopting short-cut method. It is fully acceptable to Vaidikafold. 13 Bhaskararaya, a well-known authority on Sakta Tantra, clearly points out that even the Veda talks of Tantra Vidya in conventional terms and not explicitly. 14
Sakti worship is the form of worshipping the supreme Brahman as a female entity. It is the worship of supreme Reality in the form of Universal Mother. Following the Upanisadic path, 18 Säktas maintain that Sakti is the Universal Energy which has brought the Universe into existence, which sustains and withdraws the Universe. 16
Now, this Sakti worship is not a new development in the history of Indian culture. This kind of Motherworship was recognised in the preVedic period. This type of worship has been traced to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is still not definitely known whether or not the Indus valley civilization had preceded or followed the Rgvedic samhita period but it may be concluded that the Sakti cult seems to have prevailed in India at least in circa 300017 B.C. The number of hymns written on various goddesses and more than 40 names of goddesses, indicate a fully recognised form of Sakti worship. 18 The Sakti is specifically referred to in the Ṛgveda with her eight different attributes-Kali, Tara etc. 19 Devisukta, Srisukta, Uṣā-Suktas of the Vedas are clearly indicative of worship of mother goddess. Thus, it is a faulty notion to believe that the Sakta Tantra has come out of the Mahayana Buddhist Tantra. It existed in India much earlier than the Mahayana Buddhism made its appearance on the Indian soil. The concept of mother goddess is found 13. (a) Setubandha, p. 24.
(b) Matṛkābheda Tantra-Introduction, p. 10f
14. Kāmo yoniḥ kamaletyevam sin ketikaiḥ, śabdaiḥ vyavaharati natu prakaṭam yām vidyam Vedapuruşopai.-Varivasyarahasya of Bhaskararaya, 1-8. ed. S. Subrahmanya Shastri, pub. Adyar Library, Madras, 1941, p. 8.
15. Yato vā imani bhūtāñi jayante, yenajātāni jīvanti, yat prayntyabhisam visanti, Taittiriyopanisat, Bhrguvalli, I. I'sadidasopanisad, pub. Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, 1978, p. 319.
16. (a) Layasthityudbhaveśvari'-Lalita trisati, works of Sankarācārya, Vol. 18, Vani
vilas Press. Srirangam. p. 237.
(b) Sṛṣṭisthiti vināśānām saktibhūte sanatani-quoted by Kaivalya'srama in the commentary on Saundarya Lahari-Ed. Ananta Krisna Sastri', pub. Ganesh and Company, Madras, 1957, p. 2.
17. Encyclopaedia of Indian Culture, Vol. IV, ed. Saletore R. N., Sterling Publishers Private Ltd., L-10, Green park Extension, New Delhi, 1984, p. 1271.
18. Saktt Cult in Ancient India-Puspendra kumar, pub. Bharati Publishing House, Varanasi, 1974, p. 10.
19. Mätṛkābheda Tantra, p. 9.