Panchamakara Sadhana

 

Lord Shiva was introduced  Tantra Sadhana the  welfare of the entire humanity. After Lord Shiva the practice and propagation of Tantra fell into the hands of the unworthy. As a result , Tantra came to be identified with sorcery., black magic and of occult powers. Even today , certain deep rooted misconceptions persist with regard to Tantra. On the basis of the nature of practices and application, Tantra can be broasly clasified as (a) vidya and  (b) avidya. 

(a) Vidya Tantra : The practices of vidya tantra are introversal and ideative in nature. Vidya tantra seeks to overcome the lower propensities by rising the serpentine power( kundalinii) from the lowermost plexus (chakra) to the higher and higher plexi. The upward movement of the kundalinii leads to progressive expansion of the psyche and the concomitant subjugation of the propensities. Vidya tantra aims at the sublimation of them through a process of internal contemplation. In vidya tantra the sole aim is the unification ( yoga) of the unit-consciousness ( Anu) with the cosmic-consciousness (Bhuma). 

(b) Avidya Tantra : Avidya Tantra consists of external practices in order to establish control over these propensities. For example, to overcome the propensity of hatred, avidya tantriks put themselves in extreme situations such as , eating from a skull, sharing food with jackles, dogs in the crematorium. Avidya practices consist in suppression or annihilation of the propensities. Acquisition of occult powers is the primary concern of avidya. 

In course of the spiritual journey , an aspirant is bound to experience mystic visions and occult powers. But sadhaka is urged not to be enamoured of them, as that is sure to distract one from the cherished goal. The practitioners of avidya fail to perceive the real significance of Panchamakara Sadhana namely. The Avidya tantra sadhaka follw the crude practice.

(a) Madya  - Liquor   (b) Mansa  - Meat   (c) Matsya -  Fish   (d) Mudra - grains    (e) Maethuna- copulation.

    According to Spiritual Idea -

(a) Madya  - Liquor :  In Vidya tantra the esoteric meaning of Panchamakara Sadhana is followed. The word madya is not to be interpreted as liquor or intoxicant but as the lunar ambrosia ( somarasa). The term lunar ambrosia refers to the hormone secreted from the Pineal gland ( Sahasrara chakra) which is partly controlled by the moon. The more the secretion of this hormane , the faster is the upward movement of the kundalinii, which pirces through the different plexi to taste the divine nectar. 

 (b) Mansa  - Meat  : Mansa sadhana does not mean eating fish , but proper control over speech. Ma means tongue , hence Mansa refers to words or speech. The tongue performos a vital function i.e. to express or communicate. The spiritual aspirant has to exercise restraint over speech. The state of absolute control over speech is called Vak siddhi. Mansa sadhana also means the practice of surrendering one's actions to the Supreme.  

(c) Matsya -  Fish : Matsya sadhana means the practice of breath control. Tantra stresses the importance of breath control in intuitional practice. Faster the breath , more unsteady is the mind and slower the breath, greater is the psychic composer. Idea and Pingala , which lead the breath through the left and right nostrils, are compared to fish. The maner of breathing has a direct effect on the mental state. Matsya sadhana is the art of breath control ( pranayama).

 (d) Mudra - grains : Mudra sadhana stresses the importance of righteous company and sublime thoughts. It advocates doing away with all that are prejudicial to spiritual nourishment. 

 (e) Maethuna- copulation : Maethuna does not mean sexual indulgence but the spiriyual process which culminates in the union of the Jiva ( kundalinii) , residing in the Muladhara chakra ( basal plexus) and Shiva ( cosmic consciousness), poised in the Sahasrara chakra ( multi-propensive plexus)

Avidya obviously leads to exhibitionism and vidya to sel-withdrawl. The power acquired through avidya sadhana is used to achieve worldly ends. According Shri Aanad Murtii intuitional science ( vidya) should have the two-fold ideal of liberation of the self ( Atma moksartham ) and service to humanity ( jagat hitayacha).

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