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Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra

by T. S. Syamkumar | 2017 | 59,416 words

This page relates ‘Expiatory Rites in other Saiva Treatises� of the study on Expiatory Rites in Sanskrit literature and ancient Indian religion and society, with special reference to Keralite Tantra. Further references to texts include those found in Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism as well as Dharmashastra literature. This study also investigates temple records and inscriptions of Kerala in order to demonstrate the connection between social life and expiatory rites and its evolution.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

1.8 (a). Expiatory Rites in other Saiva Treatises

In later, Tantric authorities composed numerous treatises in the base of Āgamic ideas. The Ś preceptors and heads of Ś monasteries composed several works such as Paddhati texts and ritual manuals for various requirements. It can be seen that the Ś authors composed commentaries of Ā, ritual manuals and some ʰ첹ṇa texts in 10th century onwards. The Paddhati texts also partake in the same literary tradition of Ś岵 dealing with either diminutive or elaborate discussions on expiation. The Paddhatis of 󳾲śṃb (937 CE), Գٲ貹󲹳پ of Bhojadeva (first half of the 11th century CE), ṇḍ屹ī of dzś (composed in 1048/49 CE), ṭaᲹ貹󲹳پ of 峾ٳ (1057/58 CE), վ屹ī of Vimalaśiva (1101/2 CE), dzپ of Aghoraśivācārya (1157/8 CE), ñԲٲ屹ī of ñԲś (second half of the 12th century CE) and the works of Triolocanaśivācārya are more imperative.

At the same time (from the seventh century) the Ś preceptors were holding the position of royal preceptors (Ჹܰ) in numerous new kingdoms both in the Indian subcontinent and in South Asia. As Ჹܰs, the Ś preceptors were granting Ś initiation to the rulers.[1] In real life the kings were not following the complex Ś rituals, because the observances of this complex and time-consuming rites of daily and occasional rituals are impossible to them unlike the initiated ones. Hence the rulers follow the rituals and rites of un-initiated devotees of Ś. The un-initiated Ś devotees follows Śdharma corpus. Tradition says that the Śdharma texts revealed for the lay community of Ś worshippers. This Śdharma corpus contains eight texts viz., Śdharmaśāstra, Śdharmottara, Ś-dharmasaṃgraha, 峾śṃv岹, ٳٲdzٳٲṃv岹, ŚDZ貹Ծṣa, ṛṣṃg and ٳ󲹰ٰܳ. As the Ś system was so much influenced the rulers, they gave money and land for building temples and Ś monasteries. Gradually the temple constructions and building of monasteries instigate the composition of temple related ritual manuals and other manuals for Ś initiators. This temple related ritual manuals talk about rituals for installation, iconography, ancillary images, architecture and expiations. The Ś preceptors were also composing texts related to the rites, rituals and installation ceremonies for monasteries. The ṅg worship in Ś monasteries is allowed only for Tantric practioner and initiators. Hence the Śivācāryās seriously composed treatises of rites and ritual for Ś initiators in monasteries. Trilocana’s ʰⲹśٳٲܳⲹ (12th century CE) and Nigamajñāna II’s Āٳٳ󲹱ūᲹ貹󲹳پ (16th century CE) are very good examples for this. It mainly describes initiators daily routines, rites, rituals and expiations. Trilocana (CE 12th century) was a most celebrated Ś Գٲ abbot (Maṭhādhipa) of South India and he was a disciple of Aghoraśivācārya.[2] Also, Trilocana wrote many trustworthy scriptures related to Ś Tantra. They are: dzśpaddhatiṭīkā, Գٲܳⲹ, Գٲ屹ī and ٳԲٲ屹ī.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

The seventh century inscriptional evidences attest that the Ś preceptors grant initiation to the rulers. The rulers are ܰⲹ վ徱ٲⲹ I of 峾ī (660 CE, see Amudālapāḍu plates of վ徱ٲⲹ I), the Eastern Ҳṅg Devendravarman (682 CE) and the Pallava ṃh of Kanchi (680-731 CE). For further discussions see, Sanderson, Alexis., “History Through Textual Criticism in the Study of Ś, The ñٰ and Budhist Yogini Tantras�, Sources and Time: A Colloquium, Pondicherry, 11-13 January 1997, ed. Francois Grimal, Publication du Department d� Indologie 91, Institute Francise De Pondicherry/Ecole Francise D� Extreme Orient, Pondicherry, 2001, pp. 8-10, fn.6. Also see, Dominic Goodall, The Parākyatantra A Scripture of the Ś Գٲ, Institute Francais de Pondichery, Ecole Francaise D Extreme Orient, Pondicherry, 2004, pp. xix-xx, fn. 17.

[2]:

Dominic Goodall assumes that Trilocana is the head of a Ś monastery in Tiruveṇkāṭu (in Sanskrit it calls us Śvetāraṇya). Ś Rites of Expiation, pp.17-18.

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