Orissa Review September - 2009

Sakti Shrines and Kapalika Practices in Orissa

Dr. Janmejay Choudhury

Saktism, the of Sakti or the female and Gouri, Matsyendranath practised yogini principle, which is the primoridal factor in the in the company of women. He expounded creation of the Universe, occupies a unique his Mahat Kaula in Kamarupa, where every position in the religious system of , originated woman was a yogini in the company of whom he directly from the primitive Mother the discovered his new cult. Sakti is Kula and Siva is Sakti Cult gradually crept into the mainstream of Akula, union of the two is Kaula and the process Indian and the indigenous folk-tribal of establishing the relationship is Kaula Marga. incorporating local godlings of aniconic and iconic This philosophy is reflected in the yogini temple. forms, heterogenous elements, customs, rites, Siva in pose is encircled by 64 yoginis. The beliefs, worship patterns, interesting myths and images echo the reconciliation of the legends etc. No other can claim to have impassiveness of yoga with the lyricism of sex. continuous and colourful history right from the Matsyendranath prescribes the envoking of the Indus Valley civilization with richest source of power of Sakti to attain Pasostambhah, mythology, and numerous manifestations Nigrahanugraha, Yoginimelana, Marana, as Saktism. From the Vedic period onwards Sakti Vasikarana etc. He applies eight vidyas to represents different phenomena which are propitiate yoginis. manifested in emancipations, each signifying In order to practise such a hideous cult a particular aspects of nature. Saivite known as Kapalika Sect acquired The cult and the secret practices and the occult knowledge. As regards the Kapalikas philosophies were systematised by the sage and their association with Yoginis and Chamunda Matsyendranath in his Kaulajnananirnaya. The we have some literary and archaeological parents were disgusted with their peculiar son, evidence. Lalitavistara, a Buddhist text of early deformed and having bad habits. He was thrown Christian era, describes Kapalikas besmearing into the sea, where a fish swallowed the boy. their bodies with ashes, wearing red garments and While in the bellyof the fish he could listen to carrying a triple staff (tridanda), a pot, a Skull, a Dhyanayoga and Jyanayoga from Siva and Khatvanga. By the 6th/7th century A.D. the Gauri. When Siva came to know of the fact he Kapalika Sect became prominent. Hieun-Tsang called him Vipra and named him as speaks of the Kapaladharinis in the following Matsyendranath. Having been blessed by Siva words, "the dress and ornaments worn by non-

57 Orissa Review September - 2009 believers are varied and mixed. Some wear armed Chamunda). Remnant of a stone Yupa in peacock's feathers; some wear as ornaments, front of the Vaital temple, the terrific tantric images necklace made of skull bones ..... have no clothing alongwith Chamunda and the intensely dark cellar but go naked .... some wear leaf or dark suggest the practice of animal and human . garments, some pull out their hair and cut off their The Kapalikas being the extreme cult must have moustache; other have bushy whiskers and their been associated with the Yogini shrines. The hair braided on the top of their heads. The custom penance of the Kapalikas is known as is not uniform, and the Mahavrata, which colour, whether red or prescribes the killing of white, not constant." a Brahmana as a part of Mahavrata for Harsacharita and removal of sin. The Kadambari of Matsya Purana Banabhatta mentions describes lucidly about about the association the practice of of Savara tribe's magic Mahavrata through and which were stories. amuigamated with the The doctrine of secret practices of the the Kapalikas is Kapalikas. The known as Malatimadhava Somasiddhanta. druma of Bhababhuti Terrific is describes that the Mahisamardini , Parasuramesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar, their personal . The pilgrimage site of circa 7th Century A.D., basic principle of the Kurnool district of Kapalikas is Andhra Pradesh was the home of the Kapalikas or imitatively aiming at the communion of the and . Kapalikas play two villian worshipper with the god. Through this process roles of the Kapalikas and their secret vows. they attain superhuman magical powers. The Brahmanda Purana, Vayu Purana and Matsya Kapalikas are specialists in human sacrifice. The narrate stories of Kapalikas. custom of human sacrifice was prevalent in ancient The name of Kapalikas find mention with India, particularly associated with the tantric different on the two famous inscriptions of shrines, where the Kapalikas attained siddhi Sravanabelgola in Karnataka. Two inscriptions through occult practices of human sacrifice and of the Chalukya King Nagavardhan (7th century Panchamakara. A.D.) record the donation to the Kapaleswari temple and the Kapalikas. The copper plate grant of Tilakwarda near Baroda (1147 A.D.) refers to Kapalikas. The Vaital temple of Bhubaneswar Lecturer in History Sri Jagannath College, (8th century A.D.) is a shrine of Kapali (eight Kaipadar, District Khurda.

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