World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 782

systems of thought are true and every yogic path leads to the goal." Pt. Kavirajji was not only a scholar but a true Sadhaka. He mastered over the mysteries of Tantra Shastra. He had full knowledge of the both the aspects of Tantra viz. theoretic as well as practical. He was, virtually a 'Sthitaprajna' in the words of the Bhagavadgita.
But let me put Pt. Kavirajji's idea about Tantra and Agama. In fact, Indian wisdom has a systematic growth both from Nigam and Agama. Nigam is logically related with the Vedic Ritualism, and the philosophy of the Upanishads and the philosophy of Brahmsutra along with the six systems of Indian Philosophy. Agama is basically, the name given to intuitional revelation of Occult Truth because it clarifies vividly its real nature to an aspirant. 'A' means all round and gama' means understanding. Agama is thus an intuitional correct revelation of the Truth. The scriptural expressions of Truth as revealed through spiritual realization are made available by Tantric Yogins.
The scholars have found the meaning of the word 'Agama' as intuitional self revelation of Truth and Tantra as continuously flowering on tradition. Tantra stands for expansion and it is the expansion of spiritual realization. Pt. Gopinath Kaviraj also look Agama and Tantra, as one and the sama type of Scriptures. Though the word 'Tantra' changed its meaning in due course for its use and practise. But tantra, in its real sense, aims at the attainment of all the Purusharthas. Tantra, in fact, is the path way of both Bhakti and Mukti, Pravratti and Nivritti.
Pt. Gopinath Kaviraj acknowledged the total aspects of Tantra Shastra and had the opinion that Truth has many aspects and that its revelations are diverse. He had correct vision to Yoga Sadhana of Patanjali along with the idea of Kaivalya of Samkhya-System. He was a true seeker of Advaita-Sadhana. But his firm faith concerns much to Shakti-Sadhana of Shaktism. The concept of Shakti, of conscious force, was of paramount importance to him. Shakti is one as Shiva, the Supreme Reality: Our inadequate language separate Shiva from Shakti, but both are inseparable aspects of Reality. This is experienced through the Sadhana. But "Sadhana" has a definite meaning. He has clarified it by saying that sadhana is an appropriate academic practice or a study of certain goal of life. Therefore, in order to understand Tantric Sadhana, one has to get acquaintance with the vision of Tantric System. Such vision may be of two kinds-vizperfect and imperfect. An imperfect vision becomes meaningless after attaining perfect vision. In a sense, the maturity of Sadhana becomes possible by getting away the imperfections. Thus he propounded the concepts of three jewels called-Shiva, Shakti and Bindu. He explains that Agama is basically the path of non-difference and Shakta view is nodualism, Shaiva view admits duality and non-duality. These are the
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