Tantsric Sadhanas.

Tantra is an ancient mystical teaching. Tantra sadhana ensures that sadhaka can obtain moksha (spiritual liberation) and get siddhis (supernormal powers). The roots of tantra can be traced back to the pre-vedic dravidian civilization. There are several areas in Tantra, for example, the Indian Tantra, Buddhist Tantra, Jain Tantra, Muslim Tantra, as well as tantra of various countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Indian Tantra is divided into the following major areas: Tantra of Natha, Sri Vidya Tantra, Trika or Kashmir Shaivism, Kali-vidya, Kula, Vaishnava-tantra, Saura-tantra, Ganapatya-tantra. Generally all these different directions with their branches are divided into dakshinachara and vamachara.

In dakshinachara a deity is worshipped and realization of siddhis comes through pujas (worship in the form of rituals) with Murti (a face of the god) or yantra (a graphic image of mystical energies of divinities). Diksha (initiation) can be given by the Guru and the technique

of sadhana for realization of siddhis; then the disciple must practice in accordance with Guru's upadeshas. For example, Guru may bestow a mantra of some divine aspect, mantra should be repeated a certain number of times, this is called purashcharana. Then a worship of deity must be committed, which is

homa. Nathas commonly use shabar-mantras which can be either recited in Sanskrit or other Indian languages. Mahayogi Matsyendranatha have received shabar-mantras from Adinatha Shiva and later this

mantras continued to spread in natha tradition. Shabar-mantras are used by aghori and other practitioners of tantra. It is very important in tantra to study a lot of related sciences, such as Jyotish, Mantrology, Sanskrit, Numerology and etc. for the correct sadhana.

Another well-known variety of tantra is called vamachara, or Left-hand path. It is so named because it uses that kind of elements of deity worship which are not used in the orthodox religion. This known as panchamakara (Five "M"s) five species of pleasure, namely: meat (mamsa), cereal (mudra),

fish (matsya or machli), wine (madya or madira) and ritual sexual intercourse (maythuna). Sometimes vamachara is called kulachara. Such practices can be both simple in appearance and difficult in technical implementation. But these rituals can practice only people with certain knowledge and character

qualities, untrained people may harm themselves with this practices. In vamachara practitioners of tantra appeal to a deity to come in their own bodies instead of images of divinities, committing avahana, and worship a deity directly in their own bodies. Thus one's body becomes a temple of

divinities. Such rituals can be collective, in this case they are called chakra-puja, sadhaka focuses more on anubhava (firsthand experience), rather than on ritual conventionalities. However, most often before going into practice of vamachara, Guru recommends a disciple to realize siddhis of a mantra through dakshinachara sadhana.

Whether it is a tantric sadhana, dakshinachara or vamachara, it is considered to be introductory stage to divyachara (adherence to the divine path). This third method refers to the practice of yoga of Nathas or siddha-yoga and can be used only by spiritually grown people, who are established in devotion to Guru and

yogic path. At our school are conducted tantric teachings lectures, and Guru gives suitable initiations to a persons, who are interested in tantra yoga and are already ready for practice. Sadhana is selected according to astrological calculations and personal qualities of a disciple.

In addition, practice of tantra is known for its magical techniques, which may be applied only taking into consideration many laws. A real practitioner of tantra uses them in extremely rare and very necessary cases, but any practitioner has to know the theory of these processes. This shat-karma (six magic

rituals): shanti-karma which forming of peace and tranquility in the social environment, stambhana is the power of stopping or paralyzing others negative actions, uchchatana is the power of conjuring away lower spirits, vidveshana is the power of stirring up the hostility between two personalities

and marana is the power of killing an enemy. However, a practitioner of tantra will never use such karma as marana or vidveshana, except as his relatives are threatened by violence and there is no alternative

to stop asuric person. True practitioner of tantra knows the nature of these phenomena, but did not use them, because he has bhakti (devotion to divinities) and so is under the patronage of Ishtadeva. Therefore, the correct goal in tantra is, first of all, bhakti and God-realization. Divya-marga means purity of motivation, which is important both in yogic and tantric sadhanas.

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