Sign-In
Cart
Siddha Quest For Immortality
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781869928438
Publisher: Mandrake
Published: Jun 21 2022
Pages: 220
Weight: 0.66
Height: 0.46 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
In South India there is a society where priests and lay people claim supernatural powers. Where a sophisticated medical system underlies a quest for physical longevity and psychic immortality. And where arcane and sexual rituals take place that are far removed from the Brahmanic tradition.
That society is the Tamil Siddhas. In the Siddha Quest for Immortality world Tamil expert K Zvelebil offers a vivid picture of these people: their religious beliefs, their magical rites, their alchemical practices, their complex system of medicine, and their inspired tradition of poetry.
In the Poets of the Powers, Zvelebil introduced English speakers, for the first time, to the astonishing power of Siddha writing. The Siddha Quest for Immortality includes many newly-translated examples of poetry that is deeply religious but not without humour. But physical longevity was also central to Siddha belief, and fascinating chapters on Siddha medicine describe routines by which one can maintain health, and tell how drugs are created from such varied ingredients as cowdung, human urine, honey, oil, and milk.
Part of a Tantrik-Siddha Ritual
'In the centre of a ritual circle...sits a chosen woman, completely naked, who symbolizes Devi, i.e., Sakti...caste or community is of absolutely no importance in the selection of this woman...This Sakti, thoroughly washed and perfumed all over her body with various perfumes sits on a sort of pedestal with widely spread legs so that her yoni (vulva) is well visible. The leading Siddha will kiss the yoni, and bless various non-vegetarian foodstuffs through the contact with the yoni by touching and rubbing with them the vulva of the Sakti. Then these offerings are distributed among the participants and consumed...'
The Siddha Quest for Immortality
'While the non-Siddha proclaims that, in order to escape the wheel of birth-and-death the only course open to man is the attainment of spiritual freedom crowned by physical, bodily death, the Siddha maintains that one must overcome physical death in this life itself and 'live forever'...the great work that lies before man is to purify one's body and sanctify one's life, and integrate the two...into one eternal monad, so that body and life become identical.'
The Poets of the Powers
'Siddha writings are at once most thrilling, even sensational but at the same time the darkest and only very little-known texts in Tamil. They represent a complex and provocative puzzle: flashes of stunning intuition, knowledge, even deep wisdom as well as results of effective practice seem to be mixed with incredible naivete, hardly acceptable superstitions, and dark and amazing claims.'
Plagiarists and impostors?
'Even Indians themselves, when raised on the niceties of early twentieth century English or Anglo-Indian culture, described the Siddhas as plagiarists and impostors, eaters of opium and dwellers in the land of dreams, their conceit knowing no bounds.'
Siddha Iconoclasm
'You begging bullocks!
In ochre robes,
with matted hair,
with water-vessels,
rosary-beads and walking sticks,
you have forsaken your women
and roam about the country wide and large
begging for a grain of boiled rice!
Idiots!'
Also in
Hinduism
The Stories Behind the Poses: The Indian Mythology That Inspired 50 Yoga Postures
Balkaran, Raj
Hardcover
Third Eye Awakening: Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Open Your Third Eye Chakra
Brisbane, Chloe
Paperback
Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition
Wallis, Christopher D.
Paperback
El Yoga de Jesus: Claves Para Comprender Las Enseanzas Ocultas de Los Evangelios
Yogananda
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Chakras and the Vagus Nerve: Tap Into the Healing Combination of Subtle Energy & Your Nervous System
Llewelyn, C. J.
Paperback
From Shiva to Schrödinger: Unravelling Cosmic Secrets with Trika Shaivism & Quantum Insights
Majumdar, Mrittunjoy Guha
Paperback
The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga: Notes of the Seminar Given in 1932 by C. G. Jung
Jung, C. G.
Paperback
Yoga Off the Mat: A Practical Guide to the Wisdom of Yoga--Find Balance, Meaning, and Liberation in Your Daily Life
Rountree, Sage
Desiato, Alexandra
Paperback
Solving the Mystery of Life: Collected Talks & Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life Volume IV
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Dios Habla Con Arjuna: El Bhagavad Guita, Vol. 1: La Ciencia Suprema de La Unin Con Dios
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life
Goldberg, Philip
Paperback
Myths of the Asanas: The Stories at the Heart of the Yoga Tradition
Kaivalya, Alanna
Van Der Kooij, Arjuna
Paperback
El Yoga del Bhagavad Guita: Una Introduccion a la Ciencia Universal de la Union Con Dios Originaria de la India = The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Consciousness Is All There Is: How Understanding and Experiencing Consciousness Will Transform Your Life
Nader, Tony
Paperback
Dasbodh - International Edition: Spiritual Instruction for the Servant
Shri Samartha Ramdas, Saint
Paperback
The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction to India's Universal Science of God-Realization
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Ashtavakra Gita - The Heart of Awareness: A bilingual edition in Sanskrit and English
Ashtavakra
Paperback
The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow
Patel, Sanjay
Paperback
Mudras of India: A Comprehensive Guide to the Hand Gestures of Yoga and Indian Dance
Carroll, Revital
Carroll, Cain
Paperback
The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Volume 1: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary: Chapters 1-6 the End of Sorrow
Easwaran, Eknath
Paperback
Autobiography - Russian - Self Realization Fellowship Pub
Self Realization Fellowship Pub
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
Shakti Rising: Embracing Shadow and Light on the Goddess Path to Wholeness
Chinnaiyan, Kavitha M.
Paperback
Sanskrit Alphabet (Devanagari) Study Book Volume 2 Conjunct consonants & Exercises on mantras and slokas
Michika, Medha
Paperback
Solving the Mystery of Life: Collected Talks & Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life Volume IV
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Hardcover
The Yoga of Snakes and Arrows: The Leela of Self-Knowledge [With Fold Out Gameboard]
Johari, Harish
Paperback
Journey to Self-Realization: Collected Talks and Essays on Real Izing God in Daily Life,
Yogananda, Paramahansa
Paperback
God Makes the Rivers to Flow: An Anthology of the World's Sacred Poetry and Prose
Easwaran, Eknath
Paperback
The Complete Life of Krishna: Based on the Earliest Oral Traditions and the Sacred Scriptures
Vanamali
Paperback
The Beginner's Guide to Karma: How to Live with Less Negativity and More Peace
Levine, Mordy
Rinpoche, Lama Lhanang
Paperback
The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Volume 2: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary: Chapters 7-12 Like a Thousand Suns
Easwaran, Eknath
Paperback
Shiva Purana: The Great Hindu Epic of indestructible Destroyer
Hindu Philosophy Council
Divyananda, Swami
Paperback
Sovereign Self: Claim Your Inner Joy and Freedom with the Empowering Wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita
Shunya, Acharya
Hardcover
Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Guide to Yoga, Meditation & Indian Philosophy
Easwaran, Eknath
Paperback
The Dharma in Difficult Times: Finding Your Calling in Times of Loss, Change, Struggle, and Doubt
Cope, Stephen
Paperback
Chakras & Self-Care: Activate the Healing Power of Chakras with Everyday Rituals
Kavanagh, Ambi
Paperback
In Praise of Adya Kali: Approaching the Primordial Dark Goddess Through the Song of Her Hundred Names
Devi, Aditi
Paperback
The Serpent's Tale: Kundalini, Yoga, and the History of an Experience
Foxen, Anya
Borkataky-Varma, Sravana
Paperback
Holy Vedas: Wisdom from the Sacred Teachings of Hinduism
Hindu Philosophy Council
Divyananda, Swami
Paperback