• A brief introduction to the much misunderstood Left hand tantra.

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait wrote in Yoga International, “The only information about tantric practices available to the public at large concerns the practices of the kaula school. The majority of the texts within the kaula school belong to vama marga-left-handed tantra. The texts pertaining to left-handed tantra are couched in symbolic language, which makes them more prone to misunderstanding than the texts of right-handed tantra.”

The Vama Marga, or the left hand path in Shakta Tantra has some prerequisites for practitioners. The practitioner is warned not to drink, never to engage in sexual congress with anyone but her or his spouse, and to practically give up non-vegetarian food. In the last stage of the Vama Marga, the practitioner is encouraged to be a celibate within the world. The Tantras and the living left-handed lineage warn the practitioner to not take anything from anyone, perfectly practicing the great vow (mahavrata) of aparigraha, or, non-receiving of gifts.

A Tantric practitioner can be provided with materials for fire-oblations which need not be expensive, and transport arranged to a crematorium where a holy practitioner has to propitiate various unseen beings including souls in agony for millennia. These souls want mukti, or release from thousands of years of bondage due to their past deeds. A Tantric propitiates them through offerings bought by those who need a Tantric’s services.

What are the services that a Tantric can provide to humanity?

1. She can remove the influence of demonic spirits from families. In other words, a holy Tantric can perform exorcisms.

2. Can heal diseases.

3. Can bring peace and prosperity to families.

Anything like black magic and harming others is prohibited. How are these done by practitioners who are neophytes to this discipline?

First by giving up the hankering for money and fame. If anyone promises others to kill another person for money or to harm others for money, then both the practitioner and the person seeking harm will be destroyed. Then such a woman or man is no better than a criminal. It is important to seek out people who do not advertise themselves and who have won over themselves. Otherwise, the very beings they want to propitiate will either make them insane or bring unimaginable sorrow to them. So beware whoever you are that you do not cheat others or, without controlling your senses first, try to help others. That way lies great evil.

And, instead of freeing unseen souls in distress and helping families in distress, the practitioner might become another hungry ghost (preta) who will have to suffer for millennia.

For those who are thinking of helping others, please help yourselves first. Try not to receive gifts, watch pornography or think of helping others attain mukti now. Try to first ensure your own mukti. Just concentrate on freeing yourself from anger, sensuality and the hankering for hoarding wealth. Do it for years.

Rituals of the left-handed path at a crematorium. Pic by author.

Learn to fast without letting others know. Then alone you can deal with unseen beings. Before that everything including the awakening of the Kundalini are all fantasies. This time to prepare oneself is crucial. Otherwise you will be lost for thousands of years.

For those who believe that they need the help of a Tantric, think thrice. Can you not resolve whatever problems you are facing with the help of say, business advisors and financial coaches? Or, with allopathic medicine? If everything fails, seek out someone holy and then proceed. Seek out someone who does not scare you, who is calm and does not take anything from you other than the bare minimum. Avoid those who wear outward signs of being devotees of the Holy Mother.

May you find the three kinds of peace and the right practitioner to help you walk this difficult path or, help you come out of your troubles. The general rule is to avoid this path since sooner or later without a realized Guru guiding you, you will wallow in money and fame. In short, you will want to become a Baba and ruin yourself and others. No amount of reading or watching YouTube videos can prepare you for exorcisms. You have to learn them when the time is right from your Guru.

To begin with, think, do you actually want to meet demonic forces who can make you insane? If you want to do so, then you are unfit for Tantra. The idea is not to encounter evil but to attain the state of Achintya-Bheda-Abheda (अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद) with the Holy Mother. Anything else is useless.

Author Subhasis Chattopadhyay has a Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of Calcutta. His reviews from 2010 to 2021 in Prabuddha Bharata have been showcased by Ivy League Presses. He has qualifications in Christian Theology and Hindu Studies and currently teaches English Literature in the PG and UG Department of a College affiliated to the University of Calcutta.

Also read

1. The left hand of Tantra - Yoga International 

2. Tantra Vama Marga

3. Secrets of Left hand tantra

4. Vama Marga Tantra

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