Shakti

[sm78]

Namaskar Shian,

I am told that the Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha mantra is from the Tantraraja Tantra. I have not, however, read this book.

OM Shanti,
A.

I'm told it is also in Brihad Nila Tantra ~ however I too have not read anything myself.

btw, i think the "Om Hrim Strim Hum Phat" is mantra of Tarini as worshipped by Hindu's. "tare tuttare.." is mentioned, but not sure if it is the primary Tarini mantra for hindus.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

i think the "Om Hrim Strim Hum Phat" is mantra of Tarini as worshipped by Hindu's. "tare tuttare.." is mentioned, but not sure if it is the primary Tarini mantra for hindus.

Namaste sm78,
This mantra, Hrim Shrim Hum Phut - very close to the one you posted, is very powerful as it contains key bija (seed) vibrations.
The overall mantra is that of Sri Tara ( also that vibration is found in Jupiter)... now, Vasistha muni suggests, Hrim Strim Hum Phat.
So, here's the story behind the story...
Vasistha-ji tried various mantra's of ekajata ( the one given first) and failed to receive it's fruits. He then was advised by Sri Tara to use the mantra you have suggested w/o Srim and subsitute Strim ( pronunced Streem).

For me, this Srim (too) is vary auspicious as a seed mantra, and is the vibration of Sri Lakshmi and also of my favorite Ram. [ Om Sri Ramaya Namaha]
Now this Hreem ...to the tantric's this Hreem is = to Om in it's importance. It's also called lajja bija or shyness or bashful bija seed vibration. Hreem for me is of great import, as it's the sound of akasha. And who owns this space from a tantric perspective? Bhuvanesgwari. It is via this bija sound one is able to make one's awareness as vast as possible ( since it owns akasha, the vast, unbounded). Via this vastness, one is associated with the infinte, and gains infinite peace.


pranams,

[sm78]

Namaste yajvan,

Hrim/Hreem is certainly the king of bija mantras is as respected as pranava among shaktas ~ often called shakti pranava. Thanks for pointing out its relation to Akasha.

I knew the story of Vasistha Ji and his trouble with tarini sadhna. It is said that initiation in Tara sadhna will cause various material trouble for the sadhak due to Vasistha's curse. Tara has her left foot forward as opposed to sri dakshina kalika who has her right foot forward~ indicates the sadhak sees a reverse perspective in many things in life ~ the essence of viparit achara or vama achara.

All this from a smartha perpective ~ for kaulas and vajrayani's tara is a very compassionate devi ~ I'm told. But I don't have 1st hand knowledge about these things.

[shian]

I see in photo,
The Devi Maa temple is full with blood, so...weird...

why must kill cow, etc for ritual?

[sm78]

I see in photo,
The Devi Maa temple is full with blood, so...weird...

why must kill cow, etc for ritual?

Not cow... male goat (occasionally buffalo bulls, no female species allowed) .

Cow is the sacred mother.
_____________________________________________________________

Why is it a problem to offer it to the goddess the stuff you eat anyways?

However animal sacrifice is not a sattvic rituals and as such prescribed only
for some castes, in the worship of a few forms (Ugra) of the Goddess.

However it is only superstition and cultural downfall that people is some regions
get into a sort of frenzy ~ thinking that they will gain something by offering
more animals. I am talking more about kAli ghAt in WB. This thing happens when
there is no one to guide dharma and puja is done for Kama siddhi instead of
moksha. When people go to temple wishing for chariots and elephants, what
more can be expected ?

That said, when done as per shastras, I see nothing wrong with animal sacrifice.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~

Not cow... male goat (occasionally buffalo bulls, no female species allowed) .

Cow is the sacred mother.
_____________________________________________________________

Why is it a problem to offer it to the goddess the stuff you eat anyways?

However animal sacrifice is not a sattvic rituals and as such prescribed only
for some castes, in the worship of a few forms (Ugra) of the Goddess.

However it is only superstition and cultural downfall that people is some regions
get into a sort of frenzy ~ thinking that they will gain something by offering
more animals. I am talking more about kAli ghAt in WB. This thing happens when
there is no one to guide dharma and puja is done for Kama siddhi instead of
moksha. When people go to temple wishing for chariots and elephants, what
more can be expected ?

That said, when done as per shastras, I see nothing wrong with animal sacrifice.

Namaste sm78, et.al

Sooner or later we need to have a conversation on this pasu-yajya.
This sarifice of beings, is not of the rishi's teaching, yet is allegorical that is , symbolics. Think of what Adi Shankara brought to India on this matter. Where there animal sacrifices? No doubt. Yet based upon the wrong knowledge. What is consumed in the yajya fires of the Rig Ved rishi's were the lower instincts that are animal-like, that is, the beast being offered.

Again this will or may cause much disturbance on this HDF forum, yet my readings and teachings suggest that the muni's of the Vedic period did not offer living beings into the fire. Could others ? (based upon ignorance), perhaps so and I cannot argue these actions. Yet when I think of the rishi that knows Brahman, a brahamavit, and knows all is an extention of his SELF in nature, then the offering of another being into fire must be obtuse to his values and tradition.

pranams,

[Agnideva]

Namaste Shian,

I see in photo,
The Devi Maa temple is full with blood, so...weird...
why must kill cow, etc for ritual?

This is not true of all Devi/Shakti temples, only some. In some branches of Tantric Hinduism, animal sacrifices are allowed. Also in folk/shamanistic sort of traditions in rural India/Nepal, animal sacrifices take place. Many times the animal sacrifices take place because there is a belief that the ugra (fearful) forms need appeasing. Many people in the rural areas have a belief (superstition) that if Devi is not appeased, there will be no rains, the crops will fail, there will be disease, children will starve, and so forth. In some places, this is slowly changing, as the mindset begins to change, and the animals are replaced with pumpkins, etc.

OM Shanti,
A

[Agnideva]

Namaskar Yajvan,

Sooner or later we need to have a conversation on this pasu-yajya.

Yes Yajvan, I agree. No time better then the present.

Think of what Adi Shankara brought to India on this matter. Where there animal sacrifices? No doubt. Yet based upon the wrong knowledge. What is consumed in the yajya fires or the Rig Ved rishi's were the lower instincts that are animal-like, that is the beast being offered.

If I'm not mistaken, sacrifice of animals in the context of vedic yajna is no longer performed. Some scholars give credit to the Vaishnava and Shaiva Agamas for doing away with animal sacrifice, as they command that only fruit, flowers, and sattvik food should be offered. What we have today is largely animal sacrifice in some Tantric practice, and in rural folk-shamanistic practice.

OM Shanti,
A.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~

Namaskar Yajvan,


Yes Yajvan, I agree. No time better then the present.

If I'm not mistaken, sacrifice of animals in the context of vedic yajna is no longer performed. Some scholars give credit to the Vaishnava and Shaiva Agamas for doing away with animal sacrifice, as they command that only fruit, flowers, and sattvik food should be offered. What we have today is largely animal sacrifice in some Tantric practice, and in rural folk-shamanistic practice. OM Shanti, A.

Namaste AD,
thank you for the post. Yes, we should start a seperate post on this.
Today it is possible that animal sacrifice is practiced. I am not as knowledgable on Tantric practice of this nature. I am sure there are reasons for this approach that are beyond my scope of reasoning.

For yajya done today ( that I participate) , 16 offerings are standard fare. We have reviewed this in a previous post.
I think of what Krsna says - just a fruit, a leaf, some water, I will accept this, when done with sincerity and well-intentions. I cannot hear him say - give me a goat. I mean no dis-respect to those that may choose to do this, it is beyond my understanding and teachings.

pranams,

[sm78]

Again I am not the person who should talk about Vedas, but I think it is difficult to argue that animal sacrifice is against the vedas or vedic dharma. Sure it can be said rightly that literal animal sacrifice is not what the rishis meant and it is not the essence of the vedic religions. But that is a different thing from saying that animal sacrifice is wrong or against vedic dharma. I think, if I am not wrong, Kanchi Paramacharya held the same view. I'll try to dig it out.

Smartic rules disallow the practice for dwijas, but khatras are sure allowed to practice the same.

Tantras or Shakta Agamas ofcourse endorse the practice for the Vira Sadhak in vamachara stage. One cannot do justice to hindu rituals without practicing them ~ I am very sure , bali has great psychological impact on the practitioner.

However all such practices have some rules and are to be performed by specific people in specific times. The only thing I have problem with is when 1000 people turn up each day to offer a goat to the goddess.