The god in the Tantrik Tradition

Web pages designed by Mike Magee.
[email protected] Original artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1996. Translations are © Mike Magee 1996.
The U.K. Main Site at www.hubcom.com/tantric is Hosted by Hubcom The North American Mirror Site at www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/tantra is Hosted by Gene R. Thursby

The God in the Tantrik Tradition

Meditate that in the centre of the ocean of nectar there is a beautiful island. In the forest of aeon trees there is a beautiful canopy made of nine jewels. There, on a throne, on a triangular seat in the centre of a lotus is Lord Shiva, decorated with sun and moon and Devi Ambika forming half of his body. - Kularnava Tantra.

The male aspect of divinity takes a multitude of forms, whether it be as Vishnu, Mahadeva, Surya the Sun, Krishna or Ganapati. In her/his form as Ardhanareshvara, both are united. The detail from the Balinese painting on the left shows Mahakala-Rahu swallowing the Moon goddess. (From the collection of Lokanath Maharaj)

Guru. The guru can be male or female, but she or he is the embodiment of Shiva-Shakti on earth. Visit this page to read of the significance of the teacher and translations from tantras relating to her or him.

Shri Ganapati Deva. The elephant-headed god is the son of Shiva and Shakti but has tantras and a tradition all of his own.

Shri Mahadeva Shiva. Shiva is the witness, consciousness, vibration. He is the spouse and co-equal of Shakti in all of her forms and the lord of meditation. This page carries his daily puja or worship. Listen to the sound of Shiva's damaru, the hourglass drum giving birth and destroying the rythms of life. (190K .wav file) Here too, you can strive to understand Bhairava, with the translation of chapter 10 of the influential Netra Tantra. Also you can see the yantra of Mrityunjaya, Shiva as Conqueror of Death, together with a translation of the first chapter of his magical manual.

Shri Krishna. Some tantrik texts identified the Vishnu avatar as the goddess herself. Playing his flute, Lord Krishna dwells in the seventh heaven of Goloka.

The Navagrahas. The tradition considered each of its nine "planets" to be deities. As forms of consciousness, and each having its own proportion of bhutas (elements), they circle sacred Mount Meru. Here you will find information about the Grahas as well as a ritual manual for Shani (Saturn), sometimes identified with Mahakala.

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