Vedic and Tantric Initiation

<<Not only in India, but in quite a large part of the world, in every sphere of life, the laws and injunctions of Shiva alone prevailed for a long time. Even today the civilization of modern India is intrinsically Tantric. On the outside only is there a Vedic stamp. Or if we take the Indian civilization as an enameled ornament, then its gold is Tantric, and the enamel is Vedic.>>

The Aryans were a civilization on the move while formulating their caste system, religious rules and social warfare. In time they developed a wealth of experience and dynamism but also conceit and arrogance. They could not perceive the subtlety and sensibility of the local Tantric civilization of the Austric, Tibetan-Mongolian and Drawidian race of greater India which was ancient and contemplative. It was Shiva’s personality as a spiritual and social guru on the side of the Tantric civilization who could bring about integration and balance among the four races as they converged in the foothills of the Himalayas.

<<When the Aryans came to India, roughly during the period of the Atharvaveda, they learned Tantra sádhaná (meditation) to some extent after coming in contact with the Indian Tantrics. This resulted in the Atharvaveda being pervasively influenced by Tantra. Even if the orthodox Vedics try to reject the many Tantra-influenced portions of the Vedas as later interpolations, they will not be too convincing, for Tantra has now infiltrated into the marrow of the so-called Aryans.>>

<<The religion of the Vedic Aryans was, as a rule, one of prayer. It did not include even the subtlest hint of any intuitional meditation. >>

<<Vedic initiation was more or less based on the “Savitr Rk” of the Rgveda, although as regards the adjustment between the spiritual world with the material world for a spiritual aspirant, the Yajurveda surpasses the Rgveda in importance. In terms of pronunciation and phonetics the Yajurveda is quite different from the Rgveda. The Yajurveda had closer contact with Tantra. And the Atharva was mixed with Tantra at nearly every step. At one time the orthodox priests declared the followers of the Atharvaveda to be socially outcast; they said “atharvánnaḿ má bhuiṋjiitháh”, that is, the food of the followers of the Atharvaveda should not be accepted.

<<Tantra is of the opinion that the Vedas cannot fulfill the hopes of beginners on the spiritual path – the hopes of making some discernible spiritual progress at the outset. In fact there is often retardation. That is why the Vedic system of sádhaná has been almost totally rejected by society. Even in the past it was not widely popular, and today it is practiced by only a few people. And the little Vedic sádhaná which is practiced today is merely a few prayers to Parama Puruśa (Supreme Being). For example, they pray, “O Lord, show me the way. Please help me get Tantric initiation.”>>

<<So Vedic initiation today is just the first step towards Tantric initiation. The sádhaka says, “O Lord, I want to follow the path of spirituality and wish to practice the Tantric process of sádhaná. Please give me the opportunity to learn it.”>>

Tantric initiation has been maintained since the time of Shiva until today through Tantra gurus initiating their disciples into the practice of meditation. (see Anandamarga.org)

Text in brackets <<>> from the writings of Shrii PR Sarkar