Āgama - Transition from Yagya (prescribed in the Veda) to construction of temples

Having introduced, in the previous post, that the Icons and symbols are principle forces of nature, in this post an attempt is made to understand the context and purpose of temple forms of worship in India.

 

History:

It is understood that at the start of Kali yugam, yagya prescribed in the Veda were expensive to conduct and became unsustainable. Vaishya (merchants) and Kshatriya (Kings and Queens) who would sponsor the Yagya, it is said, reduced which gave way to discovery of a more sustainable alternative à āgama or tantra or worship conducted through establishment of temples - one time investment from design to build to operate and maintain. Thus, over a period from yagya, the Indian society (the Dharma), transitioned to an āgama form to fulfil the spiritual needs of people (construction of temples and its practices). The āgama system of practice is thus only in line with the Veda. The Lord of the temple represents the agni (fire) in a yagya, therefore, takes all offerings.

For those interested in the history, validity & authority of āgama shastra, reading through Sri Yāmunācharya's (Sri Ālavandār) grantham - āgama prāmānyam, is recommended.

 

What is tantra?

तनोति विपुलानर्थान् तन्त्रमन्त्रसमन्वितान्। त्राणं च कुरुते यस्मात्तन्त्रमित्याभिधीयते॥

tanoti vipulānarthān tantramantrasamanvitān | trāṇām ca kurute yasmāttantramityābhidhīyate ||

(kāmikāgama Tantrantara patala) – Ref: Dr V. Varadachari’s Agama & South Indian Vaishnavism

 Tantra = tan + tra; tan = to spread, and tra = to protect

The ‘spread’ refers to knowledge and wisdom and ‘protect’ refers to protection from the ocean of transmigration (the cycle of birth and death – punar api jananam, punar api maranam).

Therefore, ‘tantra’ can be defined as - through the knowledge received from the texts of tantra it saves one from ocean of transmigration.

Vishnu Samhita explains tantra as one that works with the psyche of the practitioner by expanding the cosmic energy forces of an unbalanced and agitated mind to a balanced and peaceful mind. The ultimate intent being to remove fear arising in the mind due to worldly matters and build a sense of calmness and peace.

 सर्वेऽर्था येन तन्यते त्रायन्ते च भयाजना:। इति तन्त्रस्य तन्त्रत्वमन्त्रज्ञा: परिचक्षते॥

 sarve'rthā yena tanyate trāyante ca bhayājanā | iti tantrasya tantratvamantragyā: paricakśate ||

 

What is āgama?

The word ‘gama’ means ‘to go’ and the letter ‘ā’ is added before ‘gama’ which would inverse the meaning to ‘to come or to return’. This indicates the method of handing down knowledge from ācharya (teacher) to shishya (student) in a tradition (sampradāyam).

 

Āgama and Tantra:

While tantra and āgama have differences, in common language however, the words are interchangeable. In mathematical representation, tantra is an element of (or belongs to) āgama.

                                                            Tantra ∈ āgama

 

Division of āgama:

1.      Vaishnava – Pāncharātra, Vaikhanasa & other adopted practices

2.      Shakta and others such as Ganapatya, Saura, Bhairava, etc

3.      Shaiva - Shaiva Siddhanta, Kashmiri Shaiva & other adopted practices

 In this series of posts Pāncarātra will be the main texts for discussion.

 

Pāncarātra āgama:

It is said: पाण्चरात्रस्य कृत्स्नस्य वक्ता नारायण स्वयम् (pāṇcarātrasya kritsnasya vaktā nārāyaṇa svayam) – The whole body of Pāncaratra āgama is said to be taught by the Supreme Lord Himself. Associating directly with the Lord Himself underlines importance, validity, and authority to this body of texts. In the next post, the meaning of Pāncarātra will be discussed more elaborately.

 

Purpose of āgama:

While the body of āgama touches on many subjects not limited to architecture, design, practices of sustainability, theology, rituals, praises and chanting, festivals, the main purpose is said to be upāsana or an act of worship resulting in a deep inner connection, absorption, and meditation on an icon with form and attributes.

 

Parama Samhita 3.7:

निराकारे तो देवेशे नार्चनं संभ्येन्नृणाम्। नच ध्यानं नच स्तोत्रं तस्मात्साकारमर्चयेत्॥

 nirākāre to deveśe nārcanam sambhayennrnām | naca dhyānam naca stotram tasmāt sākāram arcayet||

आकारे तु कृता पूजा स्तुतिर्या ध्यानमेववा। विधिना दशास्त्रदृष्टेन देव एव कृता भयेत्॥

ākāre tu kritā pūjā stutiryā dhyānamevavā | vidhinā daśāstradriṣtena deva eva kritā bhayet ||

Āgama recognises that the Lord cannot be worshiped without a form. Therefore, it suggests connecting to the Supreme Lord through His iconic form. The worship or praise or meditation offered to His iconic form as ordained in the scriptures is the same as being directly offered to Him.