In Varanasi, I found a Spanish friend who had been living there for over 8 years. And she was the first person who told me a little about what she knew of the Aghora community. They eat dead bodies she said. I was curious. We went to the Harishchandra ghat to spot any Aghori at work or if there was someone she knew, we could chat with them. But there wasn’t any major Aghori activity there at the time.
Yesterday, I finished reading the first part of the Aghora book written by Robert E Svoboda
Even so, there are a few matters from this book that really surprised me,
The Aghora path is NOT as Obscure as one would think
How often in our day to day sadhana doing yoga or conventional religion or something “sattvic” are we told to go to the crematorium and use some dead bodies for ……? Almost Never. And yet that is what Aghora seem to be all about. So one would think that the Aghora path is totally out there, very different and apart from the more usual and traditional spiritual paths.
After reading the book, I feel there is a much deeper overlap of the sattvic spiritual marg with Aghora than what I had earlier thought.
A lot of well know, “non-Aghori” yogis and devotees have had their interactions with Aghora and Tantra. Ramakrishna Paramhamsa is one. He had some relevant interactions with Telang Swami, a very amazing Aghori who is said to have lived for 100s of years. Even a Jain monk has been named in the book who was well versed with various Aghori practices. And then I researched this monk and I have started realising that many of the rituals / claims in traditional religion are very Aghora/Tantra in nature. For example, Mahavir Swami’s blood being milk. Or of the many Krishna’s miracles where from a small quantity of food, too many people are fed.
Other rituals like prana pratishtha where emotion or life from the devotee is set into an idol. Where over time an actual deity gets established within that idol. This ritual is very core to most spiritual paths and religions. And yet it is also common for Aghora and Tantra.
Can Tamas be harnessed for spiritual growth?
I remember reading Ramana Maharshi’s comment about Sattva and Tamas being periodical qualities for everyone. And that we should try to remain in Sattva as much as possible. It was valuable for me because it inculcated a sense of acceptance within me about Tamas. Accepting Tamas as a natural part of life and thus relaxing within oneself and not judging ourselves for our Tamasic tendencies is valuable.
Aghora goes a step beyond and says they utilize Tamas to reach higher peaks of spiritual growth. That is interesting and also very relevant. At the same time the book well displays the severe austerities needed to actually be able to do that.
In today’s times there are a lot of youngsters who act like their Tamasic tendencies are OK because “you know even Shiva drank and smoked” – I have always rejected that narrative. I mean drinking and smoking is OK but to justify it on basis of Shiva doing it is treacherous. And there are so many stories calling out on this tendency in humans. Even when actual disciples of the Guru get arrogant of their prowess, and the Guru shows them how far they still have to go by doing some Aghori stuff like drinking molten metal or some such.
So, leaving aside that narrative which justifies Tamas. I am still pondering on how Tamas can be harnessed – not exactly in Aghori fashion. But simply by looking at my life. For example, through complete involvement into binge watching Netflix and treating it as spiritual as any other practice. Or some such thing. The relevant bit for me is this idea of harnessing Tamas also towards spiritual growth. The book suggests some visualisation techniques also which are interesting (and again an overlap with the ‘sankalp’ rituals in Hindu / Jain -ism).
Note that I don’t follow any practices written in books. But I do find it valuable to remain aware of some perspectives. And then eventually life within us brings interesting ideas and solutions for us. (Spirituality isn’t about reading, it’s about experience)
And when I think of it, I don’t think this is specific only to Aghora. Even in yoga and bhakti there have been ample examples where devotees display deep sadhana in “tamasic” conditions. Like that Shiva’s devotee who was a hunter and a totally wild man. He wanted to offer something in a temple. He killed a few choice animals and offered the best meat to the linga. The traditional pujari who came in was shocked at this “sacrilege” but Shiva was pleased because of the devotion & innocence of the hunter’s heart.
Shakti – the feminine
This book had the most interesting narrative on Goddesses and Shakti. It made me realise that I had pondered into the nature of Shiva and his various forms. This naturally happened as Sadhguru and Ramana both are majorly looking at Shiva…so that’s mainly the two exposures I have had. I had never really closely looked at Shakti.
Isha does have the Linga Bhairavi shrine but I still feel Sadhguru Jaggi Baggi hasn’t spoken enough of her. He has spoken somethings, maybe I need to ponder more on it. Or maybe that is also the nature of the Devi that she is more native to me.
In yoga, I guess Kundalini is the Shakti form that is touched upon usually. But in this Aghora book he talks quite a bit about many other forms of Shakti. And also the differences between the masculine and feminine.
This is a great book to read to,
– Get a different perspective on matters. It is an amazing one. And as Indic culture and as spiritual seekers we aren’t judgemental. We include everything, we take everything as our Guru and most specifically, if we are walking a certain spiritual path then everything can be taken as a means to advance on it.
This book is good that way. Moreover, it has a lot of warning for anyone thinking of reading this book and practicing something flippantly.
– To grasp the insane diversity and depth of Indian culture. At some point in this book I got the feeling that I have no idea what India has been up to. So for Indian people this book is a great read.
– The modern ideas of spirituality are often very domesticated and placid. This book nicely throws water on that and helps to get a fire going in our hearts. Though again, once we have a fire going in our hearts, everything can be used as fuel to make it burn stronger.
Other Books by the Author,
This Aghora series which is mostly a collection of the talks given to the author by an Aghori Vimalananda is of 3 parts. I read the 1st part and shared my thoughts on it above.
The second part is about Kundalini (oooh!) and the third on Law of Karma. I don’t know if I will read these… will see how I feel.
One of my Twitter friends had read other books by the author which I was not aware of until he mentioned it,
The Saturn book is written beautifully…Light on life is a good book for beginners who are wanting to learn astrology basics…
— Scofield (@doshijatin) May 5, 2019
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Have you read any of these books ? Or met any Aghoris? 🙂
I was actually amused when you mentioned you haven’t seen माँ काली. I mean it seemed – how to put it – lets say ‘unwholesome’ for someone who connects to Sadhguru in the गुरु शिष्य model. I am not connected to him in that way but his talks on Linga Bhairavi/Shakti are not rare. I mean any sadhana revolving around Shiv – I mean it is not complete or rather do not take place – without acknowledging or referring to Shakti. so it is always shiv-shakti or the ardhnarishwar when it comes to Shiva or shivalingam. and I hope you know what ardhnarishwar is – please don’t tell me otherwise 😋 but with this book now you’ve got an interesting narration and closely looked at Shakti. I’ll read this book too. thanks for sharing. tonight I feel like going to a kāli temple. 🙏🏾
“unwholesome” that’s an interesting choice of words. Lol. Also, not having seen maa Kaali is hardly amusing. You do realise that these names are referred to actual energy forms… and I am not aware of it being common knowledge to keep seeing them by people.
Let me know your thoughts if you read the book 🙂
‘seen’ in the sense of being aware of her physical form. that’s it. that is what I meant and implied. nothing else or nothing more. Priyanka there is no contextual difference. I am calling that picture on the cover माँ काली because essentially that picture has all the attributes that make up the physical form of mahakali. keeping everything aside that might have stirred up with my comment, see and check for yourself.
the author , I assume and I believe has far greater scope of understanding, deep and immersive, and may have collated forms and names and all.[” ….but the author uses a different….”], from here neither there is any need for defense or attack. my comment was without a sense of disrespect and with a sense of friendship and I might’ve taken some liberty in that. I am pretty sure you’ll be wasting your time if you think you’ve found something there to blog about. first understand my context in this conversation ‘neutrally’ and then if you still think you’ve actually found something to blog about, फिर तो कौन ही रोक सकता हैं, feminine energy रोकने से नहीं रूकती 😋
I don’t know what you are talking about – there is no attack or defense. There is a contextual difference which you aren’t realising. You are asking me to see the pic and recognise it as maa Kaali.. I don’t have that kind of exposure to maa Kali to do that. The only time I saw maa Kaali properly was in Kolkata and that time also I was totally flumoxxed with loadsa Qs. I was also not clear what her story was and why her one foot was on Shiva etc… etc… I don’t have the familiarity that I have seen many folks like you display. Even with the “physical idol form” …
Exactly omg yes I think I used the word unwholesome to imply this unfamiliarity and lack of exposure only. Nothing else.
Now lets come to the folks. Folks of this land , like me like anybody and yes like Sadhguru.
Do one thing. Click a photo of the book’s cover, I mean you already have that pic, and send it to vasudev. To tell you, in the context, who vasudev is I am here talking about Jaggi vasudev. नहीं तो आप बोलोगे यह वासुदेव कौन हैं, I am not familiar 😋 Don’t tell him anything. About our conversation, about how you came to these books, just ask I am curious about the form on cover please tell me in ‘simplest’ way what it is. then lets see the familiarity ‘displayed’ by folks like Sadhguru to folks like you ! (Ouch this is what my sadhana has given me – unpleasant speech 😛) When you realize this displayed familiarity you might also realize how something is holding you from seeing one simple thing – “the context of our conversation”. जय माँ काली खप्पर वाली। Oops familiarity displayed 😋
I don’t know what your are talking about. But I am moving to other things.
Another thing, you are calling that picture on the book cover maa Kali but the author uses a different name for the specific Shakti form … So this is a contextual difference. But your comment has made me realise certain differences in our cultural make up… Will blog on it later. 🙂