The Agamas

The Brahmayamala Tantra or Picumata, Volume II. The Religious Observances and Sexual Rituals of the Tantric Practitioner, Chapters 3, 21, and 45. Editor(s): Csaba Kiss.

An article bySri Swami Sivananda, the founder of Divine Life Society

• The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Siva and Parvati. In some of these, Siva answers the questions put by Parvati and in others Parvati answers, Siva questioning. Mahanirvana, Kularnava, Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra Yamala, Brahma Yamala, Vishnu Yamala, and Todala Tantra are the important works.
• Brahma-Yamala, Vishnu-Yamala, and Todala Tantra are some of the important extant tantric works. Among the extant Agamas the most famous are Ishvara Samhita, Ahirbudhnya Samhita, Sanat-kumara Samhita, Narada Pancharatra, and Spanda Pradipika. Yamala ∙ This class of literature has eight texts attributed to realized souls, called Bhairavas.
• A few Sakta Agamas to mention: Kularnava, Rudra Yamala, Brahma Yamala, Vishnu Yamala, Maha Nirvana. Agamic literature has many parallels to the Vedic texts; however the major difference is that in the Vedic discipline the different texts are classified based on the subjects they deal with.
• (b) YAMALA TANTRA. Brahma Yamala 10. Visnu Yamala 11. Svacchanda Yamala 12.Ruru Yamal, 13(?) 14. Rudra 16.VetaIa. (c) MATA TANTRA. Rakta 18.Lampata 19. Rasmimata 20.Mata 21. Calika 22.Pingala 2 Utphulla 24.Visvadya. (d) MANGALA TANTRA. Picu Bhairavi 26. Tantra Bhairavi 27. Brahmi Kala 29.Vijaya Candra 31 Mangala 32.

Introduction

Another class of popularscriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are theological treatises and practicalmanuals of divine worship. The Agamas include the Tantras, Mantrasand Yantras. These are treatises explaining the external worship of God,in idols, temples, etc. All the Agamas treat of (i) Jnana or Knowledge,(ii) Yoga or Concentration, (iii) Kriya or Esoteric Ritual and(iv) Charya or Exoteric Worship. They also give elaborate details aboutontology and cosmology, liberation, devotion, meditation, philosophy of Mantras,mystic diagrams, charms and spells, temple-building, image-making, domesticobservances, social rules, public festivals, etc.

Divisions of theAgamas

The Agamas are divided intothree sections: the Vaishnava, the Saiva and the Sakta. Thethree chief sects of Hinduism, viz., Vaishnavism, Saivism and Saktism, basetheir doctrines and dogmas on their respective Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas orPancharatra Agamas glorify God as Vishnu. The Saiva Agamas glorify God as Sivaand have given rise to an important school of philosophy known asSaiva-Siddhanta, which prevails in South India, particularly in the districts ofTirunelveli and Madurai. The Sakta Agamas or Tantras glorify God as the Motherof the Universe, under one of the many names of Devi.

The Agamas do not derive theirauthority from the Vedas, but are not antagonistic to them. They are all Vedicin spirit and character. That is the reason why they are regarded asauthoritative.

Vaishnava Agamas

The Vaishnava Agamas are offour kinds: the Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra, Pratishthasara and Vijnanalalita. TheBrahma, Saiva, Kaumara, Vasishtha, Kapila, Gautamiya and the Naradiya are theseven groups of the Pancharatras. The Naradiya section of the Santi-Parva of theMahabharata is the earliest source of information about the Pancharatras.

Vishnu is the Supreme Lord inthe Pancharatra Agamas. The Vaishnavas regard the Pancharatra Agamas to be themost authoritative. They believe that these Agamas were revealed by Lord VishnuHimself. Narada-Pancharatra says: 'Everything from Brahman to a blade ofgrass is Lord Krishna.' This corresponds to the Upanishadic declaration:'All this is, verily, Brahman--Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma.'

There are two hundred andfifteen of these Vaishnava texts. Isvara, Ahirbudhnya, Paushkara, Parama,Sattvata, Brihad-Brahma and Jnanamritasara Samhitas are the important ones.

Saiva Agamas

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The Saivas recognisetwenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika. The Agamas are also the basisof Kashmir Saivism which is called the Pratyabhijna system. The latter works ofPratyabhijna system show a distinct leaning to Advaitism. The Southern Saivism,i.e., Saiva Siddhanta, and the Kashmir Saivism, regard these Agamas as theirauthority, besides the Vedas. Each Agama has Upa-Agamas. Of these, onlyfragmentary texts of twenty are extant. Lord Siva is the central God in theSaiva Agamas. They are suitable to this age, Kali Yuga. They are open to allcastes and both the sexes.