• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Hindu left-hand path

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Our Friend Saint Frankestein posted in the Satanic DIR on the topic 'Why skulls on altars?'. I will not be allowed to post there. Left-hand path is not my way though I respect it. Yes, as Saint said - 'Skulls are symbols of transformation and ego death'. I appreciate that reply. In the valid Hindu left-hand path too (not talking of charlatans and pretenders), skulls signify that.
 

Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
You probably know much more than me about this topic, but on my investigation into Kali I read a lot of creepy stuff, including that every self-respecting left hand-yogi strives to have a drinking bowl made from a human skull. In the Tantric Buddhist sect I was in, many of them allegedly strived to have such a drinking bowl as well, although I cannot tell how much of this was actually just bragging.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
You probably know much more than me about this topic, but on my investigation into Kali I read a lot of creepy stuff, including that every self-respecting left hand-yogi strives to have a drinking bowl made from a human skull. In the Tantric Buddhist sect I was in, many of them allegedly strived to have such a drinking bowl as well, although I cannot tell how much of this was actually just bragging.
Yes. Apparently my grandfather (or great grandfather not sure) was a genuine drinking from a skull bowl Left hand yogi.
My mother sometimes laments that that must be where I got my “left leaning ways” from lol
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Our Friend Saint Frankestein posted in the Satanic DIR on the topic 'Why skulls on altars?'. I will not be allowed to post there. Left-hand path is not my way though I respect it. Yes, as Saint said - 'Skulls are symbols of transformation and ego death'. I appreciate that reply. In the valid Hindu left-hand path too (not talking of charlatans and pretenders), skulls signify that.
Allegedly even Shiva has some skulls:D
I also like this symbolism and including it in religion
Good way to start overcoming fear of death and to create awareness
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
.. but on my investigation into Kali I read a lot of creepy stuff,
Depends on what stuff to happened to read. Creeps will write creepy stuff. If you want to read a scholarly Hindu explanation, then read:
History of Indian Philosophy Part I available at A History Of Indian Philosophy Vol-i : Dasgupta Surendranath : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive in PDF format (other formats too).
This is by far the best book on Indian Philosophy. Five Parts. But Part 1 has the description of all philosophies. That should be sufficient for most people. The other parts are for more details.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Iirc the symbolism of Maa Kali's skull garland is all the souls She has liberated. The girdle of hands represents devotees' surrendering of their troubles and fears, and taking refuge in Her. So I guess the skulls do have a divine meaning. I think I can understand (if I really do understand) that following left-hand is not license a free-for-all, it's a way to overcome, not purposely break for breaking's own sake, certain taboos.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
Iirc the symbolism of Maa Kali's skull garland is all the souls She has liberated. The girdle of hands represents devotees' surrendering of their troubles and fears, and taking refuge in Her. So I guess the skulls do have a divine meaning. I think I can understand (if I really do understand) that following left-hand is not license a free-for-all, it's a way to overcome, not purposely break for breaking's own sake, certain taboos.
Yeah I agree. As I understand it, to follow the left path is to confront and overcome the burdens of the “taboo.”
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru


Culled from Wikipedia to explain things to non-Hindus, lest they are misled by babas and books:

Tantra:

Tantra (Lit. loom, weave, system) denotes the esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism that co-developed most likely about the middle of the 1st millennium AD. The term tantra, in the Indian traditions, also means any systematic broadly applicable "text, theory, system, method, instrument, technique or practice".

Certain modes of non-Vedic worship such as Puja are considered tantric in their conception and rituals. Hindu temple building also generally conforms to the iconography of tantra. Hindu texts describing these topics are called Tantras, Āgamas or Samhitās.

The 5th-century BC scholar Pāṇini in his Sutra 1.4.54–55 of Sanskrit grammar, cryptically explains tantra through the example of "Sva-tantra", which he states means "independent" or a person who is his own "warp, cloth, weaver, promoter, karta (actor)". Patanjali in his Mahābhāṣya quotes and accepts Panini's definition, then discusses or mentions it at a greater length.

He uses the same example of svatantra as a composite word of "sva" (self) and tantra, then stating "svatantra" means "one who is self-dependent, one who is his own master, the principal thing for whom is himself", thereby interpreting the definition of tantra.
Tantra - Wikipedia

Aghor:
Aghor (Lit. never excessive) is a spiritual tradition that originated in Northern India around the 11th Century C.E. The word Aghor literally means "that which is not difficult or terrible."Aghor is a simple and natural state of consciousness, in which there is no experience of fear, hatred, disgust or discrimination". According to Aghor, any time that humans experience a state of discrimination, we limit our wholeness and fall prey to disruptive emotions such as anger, fear, jealousy, greed, and lust.

The teachings and practices of Aghor defy easy categorization. Some adherents classify Aghor as a non-dualistic (advaita) Hindu philosophy. Classic nondualism explains that only the one eternal Self – alternately referred to as God, Brahman, or Atman – is real. Accordingly, Aghor believes that all of humanity is a part of this higher Self. Beyond this, everything else in the universe is mere illusion (maya).

Aghor focuses on the idea of jivanmukta, or reaching liberation from material issues in this lifetime. Thus, one does not have to die before reaching a state of Aghor. Any disciplined effort that one makes to connect with one's wholeness is called sadhana (spiritual practice). A consistent effort that is in tune with human nature, simple to comprehend, and easy to practice bears fruit.
Aghor - Wikipedia

(I have omitted the mention of a Baba, because babas are not keepers of a philosophy. As stated Aghor is a tantra, sva-tantra, independent, I will not debase it)
 
Top