THE MOTHER OF RELIGIONS
Swami
Vivekananda in his historic speech at Chicago on 11th September 1893
said,
‘I thank you in the name of
the most ancient order of the monks in the world, I thank you in the name of
the mother of religions. I thank you in the name of the millions and millions
of Hindu people of all classes and sects.’ In his lecture he quoted the hymn –
‘As the different streams having their sources in the different places all
mingle their water in the sea, So Oh
Lord, the different paths which the men take through different tendencies,
crooked or straight all lead to thee.’
This
desire for synthesis, to combine apparently disconnected fragments of life, has
been dominant idea throughout the long cultural history of India. It is
basically a history or a saga of assimilation and synthesis.’ Unity in
Diversity is plan of nature and Hindu has understood it.’ said Swamiji.
Mongoloids
came comparatively late in India. The history of arrival of various groups is
not very clear. But they were known during 10th century B.C. when
Vedas were compiled. Mongoloids were known as Kiratas. Yajurveda and Atharva
Veda both mention Kiratas. They live in
mountains, know herbal remedy, and do purushmedha. ‘they are mentioned as
degraded kshatriyas...that means not utter barbarians,but civilized to some
extent and militant in nature. Kirata term is not one of contempt. Mahabharata
describes Shiva and Uma disguising as Kirata couple to test Arjuna’s penance.
(Kirata parva part of the Vanaparva: they were having gold like skin) Bhima
during his all conquering tours of east met Kiratas in Videha country. In Sabha
parva, sunrise mountain, Lohitya river and hills surrounding Pragjyotisha are
mentioned.
In
Ramayana (Kishkindha kanda) Kiratas are mentioned: ‘They are rich in gold,
gems, expert in cloth making and they tie their hair in pointed knots. Sri N.N. Vasu in his book ‘Social history of
Kamrupa’ has described their habits:
simple life, eating fruits and herbs, dressed in skins, doing top hair knots,
pleasant looking but terrible with their weapons, yellow in complexion, adept
in the art of weaving, etc. Even now, Nishings and Apatanis of Arunachal
Pradesh do top knots which resemble Shiva’s hairknot who is accepted in
different names as a great god. Vishnupurana mentions kiratas in northeast part
of India. Greeks in 1st
century AD had heard about Kiratas.
Trade to china was filtered through Kiratas.’ Observed Change Kein, a
chinese general and explorer in 2nd century AD and then the
assimilation of all the races was completed.
Kirata
were not only known, they were completely absorbed in the main stream of Indian
culture when Jesus Christ was born.
It is needless repeat that India has a rich and
long cultural heritage. A history of more than 5000 years, is it a joke?
But most striking feature of this culture is , it
is still a living factor in the life of 1/7th of the population and
its continuity of expression and consistency of experience is unparalleled.
Assam was
known as Pragjyotisha and its location is written in detail in Mahabharata,
Ramayana, and all major puranas. Markandeya purana, Kaliaka Purana, Yogini
tantra, Hargaurisamvada, etc. The name was later on changed to Kamrupa. There
are innumerable references showing the prominence of Shiva, Shakti and Surya
worship.
Puranic
legends confirm the association of great god Shiva with Kamrupa. Bhagdutta, the
successor of Naraka was called Shiva’s friend and is famous for his long
fight with Arjuna. There was a long
chain of rulers from Varman family starting from Pushyavarman. But most
notable, a typical ideal of Indian culture was Bhaskarvarman. (600-650 AD) who
was a great devotee of Shiva, and had no image in his mind except the lotus feet
of Shiva. And still he invited chinese pilgrim to learn about Buddhism. Nidhanpura grant described
him as one created by creator for reestablishing dharma. One is inclined to
ordered one Chandrakanta to repair the damage done by Mlecchas to a temple of Shiva.
Kalika purana mentions that before the coming of Naraka, who probably
introduced the cult of Mother goddess into Kamrupa, Shiva was considered as a
guardian deity of the region. Kakati in his ‘The Mother Goddess Kamakhya’ considers that Saivism in some gross form
with wine and flesh was prevailing religion of the Kiratas. Shiva is not
conceived in abstract alone, Shiva also appears in concrete form with familiar
myths and legends clustering around him. Bargaon grant says that he resides on
the peak of mountain Kailasa (now in China occupied Tibet.)Shiva was also
worshipped in the linga form. The Yoginin tantra says that number of lingas in
Kamrupa exceeds a million. Even ,many tribal modes of worshipping Shgiva were
recognized and legalized by king through issue nof an edict which set aside the
north bank of Brahmaputra for the tribal modes of worship. Huen Tsing also
records that during his visit to Kamrupa he saw hundreds of Deva temples, most
of them were associated with Shiva.
Shakti: Devi Purana ( 8th AD) mentions
the worship of Devi in Kamrupa, same is mentioned in Vishnu Purana. Eliot said
in his ‘Hiunduism in Assam’ Shaktism in the sense of definite sect with
scriptures of its own if not confined to the northeast was definitely having
its headquarters there. There developed a dreadful concept of the Goddess:
eater of the raw meat: Kechai Khati- because of the annual sacrifice at the
temple of Tamreshwari. (Sadiya) From Kamakhya to Tamreshwari with Malinithan in
between, the Mother Goddess was and is worshipped in different forms and ways.
That devi which has created us, nurtured us, loved us, and who will eventually
destroy us is ‘the energy, the wisdom, the compassion which is dormant in all
animate and inanimate things. She is Kine nanne of the Adis, Duduya of the
Mishmis, Dolma in Tibet, She was Kali Ma of Sri Ramkrishna and Swamiji, she is
Bharatmata kuldevata of all of us, Right from Harappan civilization, her
worship is recommended but under different names and forms including phallus
worship and fertility cult.
Surya: Sun worship also assumed large proportions,
it is confirmed by various scripts like Kalika Purana, A huge temple of Sun
existed in Tezpur during the 6th AD. Taranatha said that people in
Kamrupa are worshippers of Surya prior to advent of Dhitika. Kalika purana
mentions Sri Surya mountain as permanent
abode of Sun god. There are no distinct sects who worship Sun now. But
essentials of his worship are everywhere now and in many sects are recognized
directly or indirectly. In all the
tribes in the border Sun is widely
invoked and is worshipped with prayer and sacrifice.(Also see Sun worship among
the aboriginal tribes in Eastern India: Das) Donyi Polo is worshipped by all
the tribes of Tani group including Adi, Nishings, Apatanis, Tani group
constitutes 60% of the population of Arunachal Pradesh.
History through Puranas and early literature:
Historic links of Northeast with mainland of India
Adikanda of Ramayana mentions that foundation of
city of Pragjyotisha were laid by Amrutraja. Kishkindha kanda mentiuons it as
Naraka’s city.
According to Satpath Brahmana and Aiteraya
brahmana Aryans advanced upto Kartoya ( western border of Pragjyotish) and
;later on spread over entire Kamrupa.
Naraka, Kirata, Cinas, mentioned in Sabha, Udyog,
Ashwamedha, Dron, Bhishma Karna parva of Mahabharata.
Grhya, DSharmasutra, Markandeya purana, Parashar
tantra, Kautilya’s Arthashashtra, Raghuvansha, (5th AD)
Karshacharita of Banbhatta, Mudrarakshasa of Vishakhadutta, Gaudavaho of
Vakpati, Kavyamimansa of Rajshekhara (9th
AD) Buddhist work Manjushri mulkalapa, Vikramankadevacharita of Bhillan mention
Assam.
Rajtarangini of Kalhan (1148 AD) mentions marriage
of Amrutprabha who was daughter of a Kamrupa king, with Meghavarman of Kashmir.
She brought a Tibetan guru to built a stupa in Kashmir.
Lalitaditya, king of kashmir crossed Lauhitya and
Jayamangala a 13th AD commentary of Kamsutra mentions kamrupa as
part on east.
Garudapurana mentions Kamakhya as great center of
pilgrimage.
Markandeya purana mentions Sun temple in ,
Pragjyotish, Lauhitya in Kamrupoa. Varaha avatar was from Assam as per Vishnu
and Varaha purana. Bhima married Hidimba of this region and Ghatotkacha was
their son as per Mahabharata and also puranas like Naradiya purana.
Vishnupurana also mentiosn Naraka, Bhagdutta, Bana
and Bhishmaka, kings from this region.
Skanda purana mentions Devi, Agni, Vayu worship in
Assam and Naraka’s 19th descendent Subahu retired in Himalaya as per
Puranas.
Kalika purana was composed in Assam itself. Yogini
tantra asserts that bathing in Lohit river cures all sins.
Buddhist Nikayas, tantras invariuably mention
Kamrupa. And Lohitya. Buddhist texts not only from India but also from Tibet,
Nepal and Bhutan mention Kamrupa and some even associate it with mahaparinirvana
of Buddha. This is confirmed by Hungarian traveler Cosmo de Koros. Place Hajo
has as four Arm Buddha image like Vishnu and the famous mantra ‘Om Mane Pema
hung’
Kalika purana discusses Sun worship prevalent
before Dhitika, and also Surya pahar at Goalpara. Even now Sun worship is
prevalent in the form of Donyi polo, Bihu, etc.
Minanatha was same as LuiPa from this area and so
was Gorakh nath in all probability. Their several textsw are attributed to this
area. e.g. Kamakhya Guhya Siddhui, Gorakha samhita, etc.
Yuan Chwang, associated with Bhaskarvarman of
643AD, wrote that brahman scholars from Kamrupa went to Nalanda to debate with
Buddhist. Al beruni, NAsiruddin, Giyasuddin, Ptolemy, Pliny, Hecateus, Miletus
were some of the others from abroad who
mentioned this area with reverence.
Trade to China was done through the hill tribes
Shankaracharya came to Kamrupa to defeat Buddhist
scholars like Abhinavagupta in debate. He establish Yantra at kamakhya.
Kings in India took pride in calling themselves as
protector of Dharma and as descents of God. Nidhanpur in Sylhet, Khonamukhi,
Shubhankarpatak grants show this. Dharmapala declared ; Victorious is Dharma,
sole friend of creation, whose form is good for others, Unseen whose existence
is, inferred from results. Bargaon grant declares that water in Lohit river
shines due to reflection of Shiva doing tandava. While Boros say Shiva taught
them to make rice beer, their mantras to cure are associated with Shiva
Parvati.
There are other places like Parashuram kunda,
Malinithan, Bhishmakanagar, Tamreshwari which are too familiar as tourist spots
and so not elaborated here.
It is needless repeat that India has a rich and
long cultural heritage. A history of more than 5000 years, is it a joke?
But most striking feature of this culture is, it
is still a living factor in the life of 1/7th of the population and
its continuity of expression and consistency of experience is
unparalleled.
Its
continuity of experience and consistency of expression is unparalleled in the
history of mankind. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, ‘Sect after sect arose
and seemed to shake the religion of Vedas from its very foundations. But like
the waters of seashore in a tremendous earthquake, it receded only for a while
and when the tumult of rush was over, they were all sucked in, absorbed and
assimilated in the immense body of the Mother faith.’ No doubt spirituality is
the ‘mission to be accomplished, destiny to be fulfilled, note to be played and
message to be delivered,’ but the most striking feature of the history is that
f bringing this spirituality down to the masses.
This was
done in the ‘Age of creation’ ; the period of India’s cultural history when
there was creation in all fields of life, literature, arts, religions, social
structure, … Yoga, Tantra, Puranas, Bhakti cults, all these were the channels
through which the wisdom of the Vedas was attempted to get penetrated to the
lowest strata of the vast and varied society. Tatvamasi, Ishavasyam idam
saravm, and So aham percolated to the roots. Various forms were given to the
spirit. However, no form can really express the spirit behind and it has curse
of deterioration over a period of time. Persons adjust the forms to suit their
levels and intentions. That is why shastras, puranas, all are smritis and not
Shruti. That means they are suppose to change with time, place and situation.
The age
of creation was roughly from beginning of the century to the thirteenth century
AD. Thereafter, creativity probably got exhausted, scientific spirit dwindled,
art became commercial or imitative, and religion became ritualistic. ‘Creation
is the only sign of life and great creation is sign of great life.’ (Sri
Aurobindo) Therefore in such lifeless situation, internal weakness led to encouraging
of external attacks. Mughals penetrated India, Ahoms penetrated Assam. But like
Shakas and Hunas, many of the conquerors finally got merged in the immense body
of the Mother faith. Natha cult was a Shaiva cult and their legends confirm it.
Northeast
is land of Tantra. From Kamakhya to Tamreshwari with Malinithan in between,
many tantric scripts were written here and they were absorbed by the spreading
waves of the Buddhists. Buddhists tantric schools flourished from Bihar to
Tibet during 8th to 12th
century and developed systematic theory of siddhas. Their names are given by
Tibetan tradition. The first in the list is Lui Pa who in all probability was
same as Matsyendranath. He lived in the beginning of 10th AD and was
from Kamrupa. Natha cult is no doubt a
Shaiva cult, the use of rudraksha, rosaries and triple mark of ash on forehead,
celebration of Shivratri indicate this.
In western India Natha cult has strong Vaishnava association. Nivrittinath, elder
brother of Jnaneshwara had his guru from Natha parampara but Jnaneshwara spread
Vitthala devotion as a part of Vishnu bhakti. Nath have Buddhist link in Nepal
and Tibet. It has several shakta pilgrim places and also affinity to hymn of
Rig Veda, especially that of creation and Manu samhita. Natha sampradaya, thus,
is perhaps link to join many of the offshoots of Vedanta including Shaiva,
Shakta, Buddhists, Tantrika, etc.
Since
Tantra is a neglected branch of study, considered as a black magic, and full f
obscenities, thus unfit for study by a man of good taste and it is well known
that Northeast has vast Tantrika heritage, it is necessary to see that Tantra
also has been a remarkable exponent of Indian tendency of bringing great truth
to the level of the masses.
Many
European writers like Van Lysebeth project Tantra as all the non vedic cults
which were destroyed or subordinated by invasion by Aryan invaders. According t
this theory, cult of mother goddess, Shiva, snakes, tantra were all preAryan
and belong to Dravida and Kiratas. The futility of Aryan invasion is proved
beyond any doubt. The Tantra is neither preAryan nr anti Aryan. Atharva veda is full of these
practices. Tantra is considered as Shruti or Agama against Smriti or Nigama by
some sources. It is interesting to note that the ancient lore of Adi tribe of
Arunachal is called ‘ Nyibo Agom’ where Nyibo is priest. Tantra combined
ultimate reality of Brahman or Shiva with validity of this world, Shakti or Maya. Yogono kaula a school of tantra
is attributed to Minanatha and belongs to Kamrupa. By 10th AD
Tantras became more Shakta oriented and Shiva went in the background.. At the
same time, Buddhists adopted tantra on a large scale. China was possessing one
hundred of Tantra texts at this time. Sammha tantra speaks of the Tantrika
culture of kiratas, Bhotas, Cinas, Mahacinas. But this assimilation was not
limited to realm of mind alone. i.e. in thoughs, imagination and words alne. It
got a concrete expression through the efforts of the then Indian rulers who
took pride in calling themselves ‘ Dharma rakshaka’ (the protector of dharma)
King in India bows down in front of rishi and seeks his guidance in mundane or
secular matters as well. King Bhaskarvarman, aka Thagi raja is one of the most
notable example of this trend. Thagi raja was imprisoned by British rulers and
there he got inspired by a sanyasi to raise against Britishers. During this Age
of creation, many temples were constructed all over Assam and rest of the area,
ruins of which are still surviving in places like Malinithan. It has beautiful
images f Parvati, Indra and Nandi. At Tamreshwari near Sunpura three
inscription are available which are Shaiva, Shakta and Vaishnava. Kalika purana
mentions Vishnu Pitha in this area. Several bairagis are said to have lost
their lives while searching for a temple, either due to hunger or becoming prey
to wild animals. Such thing can happen in India alone where life is an
opportunity for searching the god and is joyfully crushed in that attempt. An
altar of worship called Bura buri is found and is considered as an altar to
Mahadeva or Adi Buddha. Brahmakunda and Prashuramkunda are places of pilgrimage
in lohit and a Shivlinga site is discovered in Paya in Lohit district. This
area was ruled by Chutiyas from 12th to 16th century AD
Then they were defeated by ahoms who ruled the area through a governeor named
Sadiya Khowa Gohain. They brought some artisans and Brahmins with them from the
conquered area. Even after 12th century when general decline of
creative spirit started one can notice powerful movements of Bhakti sampradaya
and this too occurred all over India. ‘Sages of India have been many for what
has this great nation been doing except producing of sages.’ However general
mentality of common man was also suitable for it. Where else was a Kabir, Dadu,
a Tukaram accepted so easily observed Swami Vivekananda. These sages travelled
from one end of the vast land to the other and through their exemplary lives,
inspired words and melodious devotion took the message of the Vedas and Upanishads
to the people of all classes and sects. This was the time when Assam witnessed
a great sage, Shankardeva (1449 to 1669 AD) who was inspired by Chaitanya
mahaprabhu. In spite of all opposition and harrassament he relentlessly pursued
mission of spreading Vaishnava bhakti. Like many of the other saints of India,
he used language of common people to express most abstract truths and
introduced many concepts like Namghar, kirtana, drama, translation of bhagvata,
etc. He was followed by Madhav deva, Vamsi Gopal deva, Aniruddha deva,
Purushottam Thakur,etc. Some of them also adopted some Buddhist tantrika
practices. Gopala deva came to Acama desh (Assam) from Kalita with his mother.
Kalita was on Northeast of Acama desh and was inhabited by Abors (Adis) and Miris.
Dr kakati has supported the view that kalitas were Aryan or Buddhist settlers
who were kshatriyas and were having a colony of Vaishnavites in Northeast. Khunbao a leader of Noctes of Tirap district
in Arunachal Pradesh became a disciple of Ram Ata of Bali satra he is well
known as Sant Narottam. The tale of ever spreading, all absorbing waves of
Bakti will not be complete without the episode of Buddhist tides.
Buddhists
occupy significant part of Arunachal Pradesh. Monpa, Sherdupken, in Tawang
follow Mahayana Buddhism and Khampti, Sigpho in Lohit i.e. in Dibang district
follow Hinayana Buddhism. Even tribes adjacent to Buddhist also are influenced
by them. In fact Buddhists, Shaivaits, Shaktas and Tantriaka with Nathas are
inseparable as Mina natha is said to be same as Lui pa, who is in turn same as
Avalokiteshwara. All over the Buddhist tribes of Arunachal there are prayers
flags, chortens, prayer wheels, stone walls, etc. Same mantra is repeated all
over the Himalayan borders, ‘Om Mane Pema Hum’ : hail the jewel in the lotus.
This mantra is wriiten in Assamese script which is close to devnagari and not
in Chinese script. Om is considered as essence of Vedas, Brahman as per
Upanishads and start of many mantras as well as this existence. It is interesting
to note that as per Adi lore the world was created from a word ‘Keyum.’
Most
probably the grand Lama (The Jewel in the lotus) was the sage Padmasambhava. He is considered
as a originator of the systems of worshipping which is followed by many even
now from Ladakh to Lhasa. In 640 AD Prince Gompa overran upper Burma and
western China. He married a Chinese princess who again like his Nepali wife was
an ardent Buddhist. Both converted him to Buddhism. He sent for Buddhist
priests from India and got them to reduce Tibetan language in writing in Indian
script and that is still the script of Tibet. The names of almost all the gods
and goddesses are Sanskrit: Manjushree, Avalokita, Vajrapala, Vajrasattwa,
Amitayu, etc. The name Dorjee means Vajra or thunderbolt and one of the most
common names there. An image of kali is seen in many caves in Tibet, called
Lahmo in some places. Most of the prayer flags are having a picture of goddess
on lion ; Vyaghreshwari, Seal of Tashi Lama bears a inscription ‘Mangalam’ Tashi means mangalam in Tibet. The Mother
Goddess is called Tara or Dolma.
The
boundaries of India are her political
boundries and not the real boundries. Politics has divided us, culture has
united us.
Amazing patterns of inseparably interrelated
things seems to be essence of Indian Culture which aims at assimilation and
synthesis, it was the one motive behind those who created History, those who
recorded it, those who showed different paths to god, those who wrote poems in
stones, and created soul stirring literature.
***
