Essay name: Diksha (initiation) in Pancharatra
Author:
Shanta Srinivasan
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
This English essay studies Diksha in Pancharatra with reference to important texts. Diksha refers to initiation ceremonies into a particular esoteric tradition which is given, for example, by the teacher (Guru) to the student (Shishya). Pancharatra refers to an ancient school of Vaishnavism based on ancient Tantra-like texts called Agamas which were commonly written in Sanskrit verse.
Chapter 2 - Aspects of Diksa
2 (of 41)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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It is surprising that while all the Pa帽car膩tra texts of the ratnatraya are silent over the exact definition of 岣嵞玨峁Ｄ�, the Lak峁i Tantra and smaller texts like the Vi峁ａ箛u Sam岣t膩 and the Aniruddha Samhita offer the definitions. Most of these definitions are only functional. Of these, the Laksmi Tantra is a text of Kashmir origin and the influence of the Saiva Agama and Tantra can be seen in its definition of d墨k峁Ｄ�. The Laksmi Tantra' derives this definition from 'do' (to cut), that is, to remove misery, (klesa) and 鈥榢峁Ｄ�' means helping the aspirant to see all positions. The same text offers another definition that when the root 'do' is taken in the sense to 'destroy' all the impurities and 鈥榢峁Ｄ�' offers the supreme position. According to Visnu Samhita the root mean giving success in all undertakings and k峁Ｄ� removes all the difficulties and knots (granthi)虏. But the sanskrit 1. Yad 'ati klesa- karm膩d墨ni k峁y膩tyakhila峁� padam - def. 1. K峁payitv膩 malam sarvam dad膩ti ca param padam - def. 2 ch XLI, 5a - 6b. -Laksmi Tantra 2. Diyante siddhayah sarv膩h k峁yarte granthayopyatah dik峁Ｄ乼vameva峁� dik峁yah dharmadharmehrdatmanah. VisS ch X.2 59
