Rights of the Mahāvidyā worshipping

 Rights of the Mahāvidyā worshipping 

Introduction:— 

In the recent days, we're getting to see many events where Mahāvidyās like Kālī, Annapūrṇā, Tāriṇī, Śrīvidyā etc are worshipped through the 'Non-Śākta' rituals or by the other sects (i.e. Smārtas, Vaiṣṇavas, Śaṅkarites etc). The mode of worshipping Śakti and her forms can only be satisfied through Śākta texts. But we've seen the the new Annapūrṇā sculpture was re-installed by 'Smārta Jagatguru' in the february month. Or we can see the Smārta brahmins are doing Kālīpujā (as their Worship-business) in the festival period. Sometimes, She's worshipped through Vaiṣṇava Ācāra (ritual) as her so-called devotees claim her to be 'Parama-Vaiṣṇavī' (great devotee of Viṣṇu). The Vāmāmārgik rituals have been forcefully stopped in some temples (for example, Gadh Kalika of Ujjain) by other sect. 

“Are these in accordance with the Śākta scriptures?” 

Well, we're going to discuss about this — 

According to the Śākta Āgamas, Śāktācāra (Rituals of Śaktism) is higher than other Ācāras (rituals). 

Ācārya Abhinavagupta on his 'Tantrāloka' said, 

"वेदाः शैवं ततो वामं ततो दक्षं ततः कुलम् । ततो मतं ततश्वापि त्रिकं सर्वोत्तमं परम ।" 

[[ Reference:— Tantrāloka : 4th Āhṇika or Śakti Upāsanā Āhṇika]]

"The Śaiva system is superior to the vedas and other scriptures, the system pertaining to the Vāmāmārgik (left-handed path) is superior to the Śaiva one: the system pertaining to the Dakṣiṇa path is superior to the left-handed one; the Kaula system is superior to the right-handed one and Trika is superior to the Kaula system.

 Note:— Both of Trikācāra and Kaulācāra are dedicated to Śakti worship as this chapter described the Śakti Upāsanā. 

सर्वेभ्यश्चोत्तमा वेदा वेदेभ्यो वैष्णवं परम् ।

वैष्णवादुत्तमं शैवं शैवाद्दक्षिणमुत्तमम् ॥७॥

दक्षिणादुत्तमं वामं वामात् सिद्धान्तमुत्तमम् ।

सिद्धान्तादुत्तमं कौलं कौलात् परतरं न हि ॥८॥

Meaning :— "Among all, the Vedas are the foremost; among the Vedas, the Vaiṣṇava is supreme. Higher than the Vaiṣṇava is the Śaiva; higher than the Śaiva is the Dakṣiṇa (path). Superior to the Dakṣiṇa is the Vāma; greater than the Vāma is the Siddhānta.And higher than the Siddhānta is the Kaula — beyond the Kaula, there is nothing superior." 

Now, let's see the mode of worshipping Mahāvidyās — 

धर्माधर्मादिकं यत् तु कुरुते साधकोत्तमः। तत्सर्वमनुगृह्नाति कालिकार्चा न संशयः। सम्प्रदायविधानेन कर्तव्यञ्च महेश्वरि। सम्प्रदायविहीनानां फलं न स्यात् सुरेश्वरि ॥ 

[[ Reference:— Picchilā Tantra ]] 

Whatever acts of virtue or sin the supreme sādhaka performs, all of them are sanctified and accepted through the worship of Kālī — there is no doubt of this. O Mahēśvarī!, the worship must be performed according to the proper Śākta tradition (Śākta sampradāya); for those who act without following the Śākta sampradāya, O Sureśvarī, no fruit shall arise. 

These verses of Picchilā Tantra was quoted by Śākta Ācārya Kṛsṅānanda Āgambāgīśa on his Bṛhattantrasāra. 

Who are not eligible for knowing the tattva of Goddess Kālikā ? 

वेदान्तादिक्रियारुढि दानधर्मतपोजुषाम्।
तीर्थाश्रमप्रपन्नानां न देयं परमार्थिकाम् ॥

 [[ Reference :— Kālīkulapañcaśataka: 7th Paṭala: verse 54]]

The Vedāntī who follows the Jaḍabrahmavāda (Māyāvāda) philosophy, the grantor who shows his splendour, the ascetics who gives himself unnecessary pain, the pilgrims who gives his labor in unimportant pilgrimage journeys should not be advised/ given the theory of the ultimate reality of Kālikā.

Who are eligible for observing the rituals of Kālīkula (कालीकुल) ? 

Kālīkulasamrāṭ Mahāmāheśvara on his Tantrāloka (तन्त्रालोक), said— 

कुलकालीविधौ चोक्तं वैष्णवानां विशेषतः । भस्मनिष्ठाप्रपन्नानामित्यादौ नैव योग्यता ।। ३०६ ।।

[[ Reference:— Tantrāloka : Chapter 13]] 

Meaning :— And (so) it is said in the Kālīkulavidhi: (Śaivas who) steadfastly cover (themselves with) ashes (bhasmanisthā) and Vaiṣṇavas, in particular, are 'not qualified' to belong to this tradition. 

Jayadratha Yāmala Mahātantra, the supreme text of Kālīkula, said, 

सिद्धान्ता वैष्णवा बौद्धा वेदोक्ताः स्मार्तदर्शनाः । तत्प्रयत्नेन वै वर्ज्या यस्मात् ते पशवः स्मृताः ॥२४४॥

अद्वैतद्रव्यसम्पर्कात् सन्निधानम् त्यजन्ति वै ।

पराण्मुखत्वम् आप्नोति निर्जीवा जीववर्जिताः ॥२४५॥ 

[[ Reference:— Jayadratha Yāmala: 4th Ṣaṭaka: Chapter 20]] 

The Mantras of) the Siddhāntas, Vaiṣṇavas, Bauddhas, the Vedāntas and Smārta systems should be abandoned with effort, because they are considered to be 'Paśus' (or those of the fettered).  Those (Mantras) that abandon association with nondual (sacrificial) substances (commonly considered to be impure) become averse (to those whose who use them,) and without the life (the substances bestow), they (themselves) have no life. 

In the Śākta sampradāya, the rituals of Siddhāntas, Vaiṣṇavas, Bauddhas,  Vedāntīs and Smārtas are addressed as "Paśu-Ācāra"(पशु-आचार) or Paśvācāra (पश्वाचार). 

Now Niruttara Tantra depicted, 

दिव्यभावं वीरभावं विना कालीं प्रपूजयेत्॥

पूजने नरकं याति तस्य दुःखं पदे पदे॥

पशुभावरतो देवि यदि कालीं प्रपूजयेत्॥

रौरवं नरकं याति यावद् आभूत-सम्प्लवं॥ 

[[ Reference:— Niruttara Tantra: 5th Paṭala]] 

Meaning :— By the worship of Kālī without Divyabhāva(Trika, Ūrdhvāmnāya) and Vīrabhāva (Vāmamārga, other Āmnāyas) the worshipper suffers pain at every step and goes to hell. If a man who is of the Paśubhāva (Smārta, Śaṅkarite,  Vaiṣṇavas, Śaivas etc rituals) worships Kālī, then he goes to the Raurava Hell until the time of final dissolution.

It also said, 

पाने भ्रान्तिर्भवेद यस्य घृणास्याद् रक्तरेतसोः। स पापिष्ठो यजेन्नैव कालीं कलुषहारिणीम्॥ ३४॥ 

[[Same Reference]] 

Meaning:— “One who feels disgust in drinking (the sacred liquor offerings), or has aversion towards the red seed (sexual fluid) —such a sinful person should never worship Kāli, the remover of impurities.”

The Nīla Tantra stated, 

कुलनाथं परित्यज्य ये शाक्ताः पशुसेविनः। तेषां दीक्षा च योगश्च अभिचाराय कल्पते ॥

[[ Reference:— Nīla Tantra : 10th Paṭala]]

Meaning :— Those Śāktas who abandon their Kulanātha (Kaula guru) and instead worship paśus (the teachers of other Sampradāyas, i.e. Smārta, Vedāntīn, Vaiṣṇavas etc), their initiation (Dīkṣā) and yoga are rendered acts of black magic (abhicāra) — not true spiritual practice. 

After Śākta Dīkṣā, Abhiṣeka is the second important thing for practicing Mahāvidyā worship. The Vāmakeśvarīmata Tantra said,

अभिषेकं विना देवि कुलकर्म करोति यः।

तस्य पूजादिकं कर्म अभिचाराय कल्प्यते॥

अभिषेकं विना देवि सिद्धविद्यां ददाति यः।

तावत् कालं वसेद् घोरे यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ॥ 

Meaning— “O Goddess, one who peperformsaula rituals without receiving proper Abhiṣeka (ritual consecration or initiation) — all his acts of japa (recitation), pūjā (worship), and other observances become acts of black magic (abhicāra). And one who imparts initiation (dīkṣā) into the Daśa Mahāvidyā or other sacred mantras without having first undergone Abhiṣeka himself — that person will dwell in hell for as long as the sun and moon endure.”

An inseparable part of Mahāvidyā worship includes Raktavastra (red garments), a Svarṇāṅgurīya-kuśa or “gold ring-knot,” the Yoni-kośa, the five M-components (pañca-makāra—even in their symbolic substitutes or Anukalpa), worship of the sacred yantra, and so on. These rites cannot be performed by anyone who has not received the proper consecration.

Conclusion:— 

● Mahāvidyās can't be worshipped by Non-Śākta communities (Smārta, Śaṅkarite, Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Gāṇapatya etc) as they are worshipped through Kaulācāra or Trikācāra. Don't allow any priest for Mahāvidyā worship if he has no Abhiṣeka. 

● There's no such term 'Smārta-Śākta', as 'Smārta's are addressed as 'Paśu' in Śākta Āgamas. 

● The person who has Śāktābhiṣeka, can worship Mahāvidyā through Dakṣiṇācāra.

● After Śāktābhiṣeka, who takes Purṇābhiṣeka, he or she'll eligible for Vāmāmārgik Pūjā.