68 - Discourses on Tantra Volume One
Chapter 16
The Psychology behind the Origin of Tantric Gods and Goddesses (5)
Suppose someone meditates on turmeric; they may imbibe the qualities of turmeric. Now turmeric does have one quality, it is an antidote to poison; and if you eat turmeric, it kills hookworms; but remember, there are innumerable varieties of medicinal plants, with so many qualities, in our universe. So you see, you are still not adopting the qualities of all those medicinal herbs. And suppose you do adopt all the qualities of all the herbs, there are still so many animals roaming around, and various animals have various qualities which might be great assets to human beings. You may have seen certain lizards that sit silently on the walls in a state of ambush for cockroaches. You will see that the lizard does not move even slightly for ten to fifteen minutes. Is not this patience and stillness a wonderful quality? Very few human beings have that quality. They cannot sit silently that long, they become restless. You do not have that quality, you cannot sit silently that long. Ants move in long columns, sheep also move in long columns; an ox stands in the middle of the road without the least motion. The vehicles and carriages have to pass by the standing ox.
How does the lizard or the ox do that? The secret is explained in yogic scriptures. These scriptures say that in our throats is the kúrma nád́ii [energy channel related to vocal cord]. If one’s mind is fixed on the kúrma nád́ii, one’s body becomes motionless. So the ox can remain standing on the road without the slightest movement. A lizard can do similarly. Oxen, crocodiles and many other animals and birds have this same faculty.
A chameleon (vahurúpii), by concentrating its mind on the úrdhva kúrma nád́ii above the kúrma nád́ii, can change the complexion of its body every moment. A chameleon (similar to a lizard) can take on the colour of the leaves of the tree on which it is perched.
Now, if one meditates on a particular animal or bird, one will imbibe the qualities of that animal. Similarly, each of the [Puranic] gods and goddesses has a particular quality of its own. Yes, one may acquire some quality, but one will never attain Parama Puruśa. Hence the only object of meditation of human beings should be Parama Puruśa. One can never attain the Macrocosmic vastness if one meditates on a limited idea, a finite entity. The Tantric gods and goddesses, whether we are speaking of Hindu Tantra or of Buddhist Tantra, have equally limited powers. Moreover, as each of the gods and goddesses has its own vehicle, and it is unscientific to meditate on that vehicle [because of the possibility that one will acquire the qualities of the vehicle along with those of the deity.], the Tantric gods and goddesses are not to be accepted as objects of meditation. And Tantra has also emphatically said,
Uttamo Brahmasadbhávo
Mahdyamá dhyána dhárańá;
Japastutih syádadhamá
Múrtipújádhamádhamá.
[Ideation on Brahma is the best, dhyána and dhárańá are second best, repetitious incantation and eulogistic prayer are the worst, and idol worship is the worst of the worst.]
It is also stated in Tantra that if a person wants only to attain limited progress, one may practise on certain limited ideas. But those who are genuine seekers of Brahma will never agree to worship any finite idea. Those who want the Supreme Entity will have to ideate on Parama Puruśa alone. People may attain limited achievement in terms of occult power through the grace of the gods and goddesses – whether belonging to Tantra or Purana – but they will remain far away from the attainment of the Supreme Entity.