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There existed a lot of controversy among scholars of yore regarding the Vedic or non-vedic origin and nature of Tantra. The controversy has apparently subsided now with the near unanimity among scholars that Tantra is both Vedic and non-vedic in origin, nature and content. The observations made by Monier Williams in his book 'Religious Thought and Life in India' have held the attention of the followers of the Avaidikasiddhanta. 33 However in the Vaisnavit system of worship, in Saivagamas and in the Saktik forms of worship, the Veda suktas and Veda mantras are used extensively. This can be taken as proof to the predominance of Veda in Tantric rites. But the Tantric texts by themselves claim superiority over the Vedas. For eg: 18

'kalikalmasadinam dvijadinam suresvari | I medhyamedhyavicaranam na suddhih srautakarmana ' | (Mahanirvanatantra 2nd ullasa) It may be pointed out that the above view has not been accepted by all. The pro-vaidiks, on the other hand, refer to the chapter 'Margapramanyavarnana' in the Yajnavaibhavakhanda of Sutasamhita According to the above, all Tattvas and Siddhantas are of divine origin and they are passed on to the successive generations through tradition and practices and that each one has its own importance and prominence. Being of divine origin they should not be subjected to the scrutiny of reason or rationality. Yet, at the same time, they hold the supreme importance and predominance of the Vedic path. They further claim that there is nothing unattainable to the real followers of the Vedic marga and strictly prescribe other paths which are in fact meant for those with inferior intellect, incapable of understanding and assimilating the most exalted and omni-giving nature of the Vedas. It is this very idea, that is reiterated most exquisitely by Madhusudanasaraswati in his book 'Prasthanabheda'. The authorities in whom vests the right to perform Tantra have been clearly defined by Brahmananda Bharati in his reputed work 'Purusartha prabodham' wherein they have been classified into four, viz., Suddha vaidikas, Tantrika vaidikas, Suddha tantriks and Vaidik 19

tantriks. The qualities to be possessed and the qualifications to be attained by one to be a suitable and merited member of each one of these groups are also specified in the book along with the authoritative texts to be followed by each. But in Sutasamhita there is only passing mention that Avaidiks (non-vaidiks) are Tantric authorities. Although the word 'Tantra' finds mention in the Rgveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda, they are not meant in the sense in which it is understood at present, but denote weaving of Tantus in war and weft (woof) to make clothes and rugs. In Sama veda, there is not even a single mention of the word 'Tantra'. A close scrutiny of Tantric texts reveals the presence of several Mantras in them. Scholars have opined that there are elements of Tantra to be found in the Atharva veda, the Brahmanas and the Upanisads. "Some essential traits of Tantras can be found as far back as in the Atharva veda as well as in the Brahmanas and Upanisads".³ 34 The illustrious Tantric scholar, Madhavji, in his work 'Ksetracaitanya Rahasya', provides evidence to the evolution of Tantra from Vedic rites of worship, to establish the Vedic origin of Tantric rites. According to him, the chanting of mantras like Om vasat, vousat, svaha, etc., which were an integral part of Vedic rites, later came to be used in Tantric rites. Madhavji presents clear proofs to his conclusions.35 20

Kullukabhatta's gloss on Visnu purana states that Veda and Tantra are the two main streams of Indian thought. Agama Tantra tradition is considered authentic and as important as the Vedic tradition. These two traditions have divergent view-points regarding some details like God, the relation between God and man, the path to salvation and the ways of worship. The Vedic conception of God is that of an omniscient, omnipotent and formless entity manifesting itself in natural forces and natural phenomena, whereas the Agama represents God as a personal deity with recognizable form and characteristic attributes.36 Yet another view of Tantra, Vedic or non Vedic, runs thus. Corresponding to the Samskaras prevalent among the followers of the Vedic tradition, there were Samskaras meant for Tantric practitioners. There were fire sacrifices (Yajnas) incorporated into the Tantric worship. Jayakhyasamhita prescribes the last rite (Antyesti) and Vatula-tantra enjoins expiation ceremonies (Prayascitta) on Vedic lines. Some Tantras claim that they originated from the Vedas; Narayaniya Tantra argues that the Vedas themselves were derived from Tantric sources : Rgveda from Rudra Yajurveda from Visnu Samaveda from Brahma Atharvaveda from Sakti Yamala Yamala, Yamala and Yamala. 37 21

Debiprasad Chatopadhyaya traces the connection of Tantra to Lokayata on the strength of which he claims that the Tantric tradition was non-Vedic and was much older than that of the Vedas. 38 According to John Wooddroffe alias Arthur Avalon, the Tantra sastra is a later development of Vaidika karma.39 There is a school of thought which holds that in the authoritative Vaisnavite, Saivite and Saktik texts that emerged since the beginning of the Tantric movement till the 16th and 17th cy and the Kriyavidhis and Homavidhis and Mantras that they embody, one can discern the vehement impact of vedic mantras, both explicit and implicit. There is hardly any reason to dispute the above averment. Some scholars go even to the extent of stating that Tantric rites acquired refinement under Vedic influence. It has to be admitted that anything that is refined must have had its primitive or rudimentary beginning, and Tantra certainly had it, as is evidenced by the Panca 'ma' kara system. What can be inferred from this arguments and counterarguments is that both Tantric and Vedic traditions had strongly and paralleley developed and coexisted and in course of time there must have been a gradual diminution of the power and importance of Vedic cult and culture and a corresponding enhancement of Tantra until it reached its peak, resulting in many Vaidiks adopting and embracing Tantric cults after incorporating certain Vaidik elements into it. When 22

two very highly developed and refined intellectual streams exist side by side there is always bound to be conflicting claims regarding their relative superiority. But these disputes and claims have no more value than the age-old question whether the seed preceded the tree or viceversa. Although the present controversy is not as fierce, the heat of claims of superiority among some Vaidiks in certain places doesn't seem to cool down despite the passage of time. However, at the present point of time, there appears a lot of confusion and ambiguity among priests of either pursuit as to what exactly their philosophy symbolizes or epitomizes.40