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Thread: Aghori Sadhus

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    Aghori Sadhus

    "The Aghora sub-sect of Shaivites represents one of the most extreme and demanding paths among sadhus. Aghora is another name for Shiva and literally means "Not Terrible." By challenging all sense of dark and light, good and bad, proper and improper, aghori sadhus believe the inherent Divine nature of the universe will be revealed. "

    I don't know much about aghori sadhus just what I have read (very little) and seen on TV.

    Anyone here like to share and post about the lives of aghori sadhus of india?

    shivom shivom shivom!

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    I am hoping that someone will post authentic information here on aghori sadhus because on the net most of the information about aghoris is portrayed in a negative light.


    satay

  3. #3
    Very good thread. Will be intersting to hear from someone how has some direct esperience by meeting a aghor sadhu. I have met one, but he was past the sadhak stage and had entered into field of work. So little talk that happened was on hindutva and not aghor sadhana .

    Nat Geo had a programme on then which was grossly negative.

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    Aghora is an ancient lineage of the Pashupatas, and their Tapasya is “Fearless”.

    When the Pashupatas and other “heterodox” sects were defeated by Shri Shankaracarya, anyone already following the (inviolable but socially unacceptable) instructions of a Pashupata Guru were guaranteed a safe place to continue their various Sadhanas (no matter how bizarre) under the shelter of the Naga Akharas. And within the Akharas there are still many “Aghori-like” individuals. Many others merged with the various lines of the Natha Sampradaya; and a few have continued as highly secretive independent lineages.

    For most people, it would be very difficult to distinguish an Aghori from a sociopathic lunatic, and it is their deliberate intention to reject ALL human distinctions of “good vs. bad”, “right vs. wrong”, “moral vs. immoral”, etc.. And to confuse things even more, there are some sociopaths and lunatics who are not at all spiritually inclined (unless “spiritual” is equated with “alcoholic”) but who take on the guise of an Aghori.

    An Aghori traditionally eats from a human skull which is usually given by his Guru, and some of these skull-cap bowls are very old and highly polished by long use. This is perhaps the most sacred ritual item of Aghora. And they also use a bone (or preferably skull) mala.

    Although Aghoris will generally eat anything, they know that in Hindi Ghora means “horse” and they will never eat horse meat ~ which also indicates that they have excluded themselves from the vedic Asvamedha or “horse sacrifice”.

    If there is an Aghori in town you will generally find him around the cremation ground, and at certain times they gather at special places. And they can often be found in Kashi (Varanasi), Pashupatinath (Nepal), all of the four Kumbha Kshetras, and around Mt Girnar in Gujarat ~ Jai Girnari!.

    Today, the only organized Aghori Sampradayas stem from Brahma Giri and Gorakhnatha, or from Kina Ram Baba whose order of “orthodox” (i.e. more socially acceptable) Aghoris was founded at Varanasi in the 18th Century.

    Om Shambhu Bhairo!

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    Sarabhanga,
    could U plz tell more about origins of Kinaram sampradaya?
    I have a friend in Raipur who was initiated there. But i know very few about this tradition. I know it incorporates certian Kaula practices but in their own variation.
    Pranam,
    A

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    Quote Originally Posted by sarabhanga
    Aghora is an ancient lineage of the Pashupatas, and their Tapasya is “Fearless”.


    Om Shambhu Bhairo!
    namaste,
    very good post and thanks for that.

    Isn't it that aghoris pray to Shiva and act like shiva themselves i.e. living at the cremation grounds, wearing sacred ashes, and makeing a jata of their hair?

    Also, is there a difference between naga babas and aghoris? I have seen a lot of these sadhus at haridawar.

    Is the Shakyan clan from which Buddha came part of the aghori sadhus?

    Most of the aghoris shown in movie clips or pictures are drinking from human skull. Are they drinking water or something else? I also noticed that they seem to be smoking drugs is this true? This is probably to get in the state of artifical 'samadhi'. no?


    satay

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    Namaste Arjuna,

    The Kinaram HQ is at Varanasi, and they are Aghoris with a social conscience ~ having given up practices such as “courting opprobrium” or deliberately trying to upset people and make them angry so that the Aghori’s Karma is cast off onto the person who has been provoked into bad thoughts, bad words, or bad actions, by the annoying Aghori, who cannot be faulted because he is exactly following his Dharma and he accepts all the abuse with perfect equanimity!

    The Kinaram initiation (as far as I know) does not include actual human flesh, but a Pancamakara including meat and alcohol is consumed.

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    All Shaiva Sadhus worship Shiva and act like Shiva, always applying sacred ash.
    Many lineages make their hair into matted Jata, but many are also shaven-headed.
    All will attend cremation grounds at particular times, and some stay always around those places.
    I have never seen Aghoris completely naked, and they usually have at least one (often black) cloth.
    Nagas belong to the Dasanami Akhadas, and they are all followers of Shri Shankaracarya.
    Aghoris are more closely associated with the Natha Sampradaya, and today they will be followers of either Brahma Giri or Kinaram Baba.
    Only the Aghoris will regularly eat and drink from a human skull (or their cupped hands).
    Aghoris consume absolutely anything, but even if you offer tea to a practising Aghori he will pour it into his Kapala (skull) bowl.
    Many Nagas and Nathas use a Kapila (tawny) bowl that looks like a large oval skull-cap but it comes from a special variety of large coconut (sometimes found washed onto the sea shore in tropical areas); and others prefer a circular black iron bowl, which can be used for begging and eating, and it has the advantage that you can also cook your own food in the same bowl!
    Gautama Buddha may have had a Pashupata Guru, but I am not sure that there was any distinct lineage of Aghori Sadhus at that time.
    Aghoris, Nathas, and Nagas, certainly do use various herbal, mineral, and alchemical preparations, and the Nathas in particular are renowned for their special knowledge of Ayurveda and Alchemy. The Nagas mainly use herbal products, and some are experts Ayurveda.

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    Yes, that must be the case. As i know from my friend, they never used human flash, though they do as i said use Kula-dravyas and sculls. In fact only few out of modern followers of Bhagavan Ram practice esoteric sadhanas, most of them just do seva and some general things.

    BTW this vratas U mentioned are from Pashupata-sutra, they aren't specific to aghoris only.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arjuna
    Sarabhanga,
    could U plz tell more about origins of Kinaram sampradaya?
    I have a friend in Raipur who was initiated there. But i know very few about this tradition. I know it incorporates certian Kaula practices but in their own variation.
    Pranam,
    A
    http://www.aghor.org/lineage?S=D

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