Audial and Visual Manifestations of Śakti in Kula School of Tantrism

oleh: Nirmala V

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: SUGYAN KUMAR MAHANTY 2019-12-01

Deskripsi

Indian thought systems and religious beliefs are closely acquainted with the energy principle called Śakti. It is enormously known as the significant character of Tantrism, the traditional Indian religio-philosophical system originated in the hoary pasts. Kula is considered as the earliest Śakti- centered sub stream of Tantric system originated in Kashmir. Kula represents a family or clan of practitioners- probably females- who used to perform obscurantist rituals to attain supernatural powers. In this particular stream, Śakti can be found in the form of audial and visual manifestations of goddess. The Varṇadevatā-s (alphabet goddesses termed as Mātṛkā and Mālinī) and Trikadevatā-s (triad of goddesses viz., Parā, Parāpaprā and Aparā) exemplify these audial and visual temperaments. Mātṛkā is defined as the matrix or source of all the Mantra-s and texts made of alphabets. Mālinī is the goddess one who possesses a garland made with Sanskrit alphabets rearranged in a specific manner. The visual construct of the goddess as the Trikadevatā-s incorporated these alphabetic conceptions into it well ahead. Later on, (especially in the post scriptural works) these semi-divine and divine ideas were transformed into the principles of internal self- realization. The present paper will try to analyze the nature and different phases of description of these goddesses in the scriptural as well as post scriptural works of Kula Tantrism.