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What is the difference between Dakṣiṇācāra and Vamachara Tantrism?
The sadhana of panchamakara is very a deep, secret and extensive subject. But since you don't have any backgrounds i am keeping my answer elementary and short.
According to the levels of advancement ...
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13
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What is Hinduism's view on gender-equality and feminism?
Some signs of Kali Yuga as mentioned in Parashara Smriti's 1st chapter touch upo the issue here:
............
30 & 31. "Religion has been overthrown by irreligion ; and truth
...
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11
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What is Sri Vidya?
Among the Dasa mahAvidyAs, the third mahAvidyA is Devi Shodashi or Goddess TripurA or TripurAsundari. Here is how they are mentioned in a verse from the ViswasAra Tantram:
KAli TArA MahAvidya ...
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9
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What are the different branches of Shaktism?
One of the major Tantrik scripture is called the VishnukrAntA. It has within itself several other major Tantik scriptures like Nila Tantram, Niruttara Tantram and many others.
Now, AFAIK, it's only ...
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How is tantric sex, meat eating and alcohol consumption justified?
As explained in this answer, Tantra is quite a deep subject and is meant to be kept as top secret too. Neither i will be able to explain to you its secrets nor you will be able to grasp what is being ...
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Are there any Shaiva or Shakta refutations that "Narayana" is a proper noun?
Panini 8.4.3 says nouns which are made of two words (need not be proper nouns), न (na) in second word changes to ण(ṇa), if first word has र (ra) or ष (ṣa) but not ग (ga),
Sutra just says Nouns not ...
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What is the importance of Goddess Radha in Shaktism?
RAdhA is not a deity of Shaktism. She belongs to Vaishnavism, where she is worshipped along with Krishna.
In Shaktism, the principle deities are 1. The Dasa MahAvidyAs (who are mainly worshipped ...
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8
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How many Devi Sahasranamas are there in scriptures?
Few more Sahasranamas dedicated to Devi (Adi Parashakti) are also there.
Durga Sahasranama from Skanda Purana
https://sanskrit.safire.com/pdf/DURGA_SAHA.PDF
Durga (a.k.a Parvati) Sahasranama from ...
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7
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Questions about the image of goddess Chhinnamasta?
ChinnamastA means the one with severed head. In the shAkta tradition, she is the sixth cosmic goddess of the ten "mahAvidyAs". Her form is very fierce and hence has attracted many ...
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6
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What are the prerequisites to get initiated in Shaiva or Shakta Agamas?
As regards caste, sex etc there are no such restrictions. Everyone can be initiated. Even an Antyaja or Sankara or mixed caste person reserves the right to be initiated.
Shudra sankarajAti nAmAdi ...
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6
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Is Trika system mentioned in Shakta scriptures? What they say about it?
Yes mentioned. In ShAkta Tantras Trika refers to the Triad - JyAna (knowledge) Shakti, IcchA (will) Shakti and KriyA (action) Shakti.
But at the same time, it also refers to other Triads like the Tri ...
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What are the famous Catus Peethas according to the early Tantra and Sakta tradition?
The following verse mentions about Pithas as follows:
linga-traya-visheshagyah shadAdhAra-vibhedakah | pitha-sthAnAni
chagatya maha-padmavanam vrajet ||
The aspirant, who have the knowledge of the &...
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Can some Stuti mantras give siddhis? Do these verses need initiation & Guru Diksha if they start with OM?
The quoted verse is from the Argala stotra, a part of the Devi Mahatyam of the Markandeya Purana.
जयन्ती मङ्गला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी । दुर्गा शिवा क्षमा धात्री
स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते ॥२॥
Jayantii ...
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Is the form of Devi complete in herself? Does she need Purusha to become complete?
You can quote the following conversation between Shumbha and the Devi in Devi Mahatmyam if you want to take the position that the Devi is complete. This is the position of Tantrikas and not Vedantins.
...
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Is the form of Devi complete in herself? Does she need Purusha to become complete?
There are various quotes in scriptures which say: 'Devi is everything and Devi is all that exists'.
Some of the verses are:
In the Durga Saptashati, Markandeya Purana when Sumbha accuses Devi of ...
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Who is Adi Parashakthi? Is this the creator of the Trimurtis?
Yes, there are many references in Puranas and agamas (shaiva and shakta) about the actual origin of the creation. Without her creative force nothing else is possible. All the living and non living ...
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5
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What are the prerequisites to get initiated in Shaiva or Shakta Agamas?
ATTRIBUTES OF THE DISCIPLE (SHISHYA LAKSHANA)
Just as tantra lays down great standards for the Guru and prescribes divine attributes, it also prescribes the attributes of a shiShya. The competent ...
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5
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Who was Sri Vidya guru Pujyasri Bhaskara Raya?
In most of the Shakta lineages, especially Sri Vidya lineages, Pujyasri Bhaskararaya Makhin is well known and highly revered. His commentaries are today considered as standard in most of the ...
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5
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What is Sri Vidya?
Sri Vidya is one of the most popular and discussed subjects today pertaining to the goddess worship. There have been many confusions revolving around the subject since quite a while. Following points ...
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5
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Do devotees of the goddess Tara sit on six-month old babies?
I am answering the question with the sole intention of providing information. From Nila-Saraswati tantra:
Sadhakas sit on dead body of an 6 month old, it's one of the most important 'Peeth'. As such ...
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Could someone perhaps direct me to info regarding Smashan Kali & Guhya Kali?
Smashan Kali is mentioned in Damar and Yogini tantra, and appears in Kamakala Khand of Mahakala Samhita too. Her iconography is as follows as mentioned in Yogini tantra -
She is dark in complexion, ...
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How many Devi Sahasranamas are there in scriptures?
The famous Lalita Sahasranaama of the Brahmanda purana is all too well known.
Quite Interestingly, The Brihannaradiya Purana (Purva Bhaaga, Chapter 89) too contains another different and a lesser ...
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What are the different branches of Shaktism?
Now to get into Shaktism is highly complicated.
Let's start from base and then climb to the apex.
There are only 2 ways to enter Shaktism, (as Bhakti has no seperate branch as in Vaishnavism)
1. Yog
2....
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4
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What was the shakta lineage of Sri RAmakrishna?
From pp25 of the condensed biography of Sri Ramakrishna "A short life of Sri Ramakrishna":
As it is not considered advisable to undertake the worship of Shakti,
or Kali, without being properly ...
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Are the one lakh+ slokas of the KulArnava Tantram really lost or are they still extant under some other titles?
In Kulavarna Tantra of Motilal Banarsidass which consists of Introduction by Arthur Avalon (sir John Woodroffe) He mentions in Introduction:
"The colophon however states that the portion here ...
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Are there any Shaiva or Shakta refutations that "Narayana" is a proper noun?
Harihi Om.
There is a possibility of "refuting" something only when an opinion is specific to a sampradaaya or philosophy. However, certain facts and rules cannot be altered by anyone. For ...
4
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Who is NityA Devi Goddess
No, NityA Devi, whose half-dhyanam you have quoted, is not part of the Dasha Mahavidyas. She is worshipped independently. Outside of Sri Vidya or Maha Vidya worship.
Brihat Tantra SArah gives her ...
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4
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Why Bala Parameswari not included in Dasamahavidyas
We can not answer such questions. With matters like this scriptures are our sole guide. So, we can not ask why a particular deity is not there in the Dashamahavidya list.
The lists found in ...
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