Och ändå finns det personer på nätet som tror att Ryssland har enorma reserver (av kanonmat?) som gör att de kan besegra NATO? Till jul?
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Hemma till jul?
Och ändå finns det personer på nätet som tror att Ryssland har enorma reserver (av kanonmat?) som gör att de kan besegra NATO? Till jul?
The True Cross
Sounds legit...
>>>The second event was of even greater importance. In the year 326 the mother of Constantine, Helena, then about 80 years old, having journeyed to Jerusalem, undertook to rid the Holy Sepulchre of the mound of earth heaped upon and around it, and to destroy the pagan buildings that profaned its site. Some revelations which she had received gave her confidence that she would discover the Saviour´s Tomb and His Cross. The work was carried on diligently, with the co-operation of St Macarius, bishop of the city.
>>>The Jews had hidden the Cross in a ditch or well, and covered it over with stones, so that the faithful might not come and venerate it. Only a chosen few among the Jews knew the exact spot where it had been hidden, and one of them, named Judas, touched by Divine inspiration, pointed it out to the excavators, for which act he was highly praised by St. Helena. Judas afterwards became a Christian saint, and is honoured under the name of Cyriacus.
>>>During the excavation three crosses were found, but because the titulus was detached from the Cross of Christ, there was no means of identifying it. Following an inspiration from on high, Macarius caused the three crosses to be carried, one after the other, to the bedside of a worthy woman who was at the point of death. The touch of the other two was of no avail; but on touching that upon which Christ had died the woman got suddenly well again.
>>>From a letter of St. Paulinus to Severus inserted in the Breviary of Paris it would appear that St. Helena herself had sought by means of a miracle to discover which was the True Cross and that she caused a man already dead and buried to be carried to the spot, whereupon, by contact with the third cross, he came to life. From yet another tradition, related by St Ambrose, it would seem that the titulus, or inscription, had remained fastened to the Cross.
I´m sure this is a true story. Or no?
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Heidelberg theology
Overheard on the interwebs: "William Lane Craig argues that Adam and Eve were Homo heidelbergensis. That's ridiculous". Of course. I mean, everyone knows Adam and Eve were Homo erectus! :D
The kitchenette situation is worse than you think
An interesting video (one and a half hour long) about the Russell Brand situation. Brand is defended by many "alternative" or "fringe" people as a brave truth-teller who was framed by the Establishment. The three content-creators/activists in this video beg to differ. They believe that Brand is guilty as hell! Note that one of the people in the debate is Mark Collett, who is a borderline neo-Nazi. The others are far right gadfly Edward Dutton and his Jamaican sidekick Lipton.
Collett actually met Brand during the latter´s liberal period and describe him as a disturbed narcissist with a Messiah complex who doesn´t respect other peoples personal boundaries (at all). Both Collett and Dutton believe that Brand has a long history of sexual abuse and that more will be revealed. Brand´s sudden "conversion" to alternative ideas - not to mention Christianity - were simply ruses to redirect attention from ongoing investigations into his abuses. Dutton says there are studies that religious conversions don´t really change people...
The video also discusses the British prison system, Brand´s possible fate inside it, Zionist funding of right-wing activists (such as Tommy Robinson), et cetera. The most funny comment is when Eddie tells Lipton (who is Black) not to say anything racist?! I also learned a new English word: kitchenette.
Could be of some interest. Perhaps.
Strulpelle
Den här killen är verkligen "the gift that keeps on giving". Åtminstone om man är grävande reporter. Jag undrar hur länge det dröjer innan Aftonbladet skriver en virrig kulturkrönika på temat "jag tycker det är härligt att Ali ljugit på sin CV, det visar att han är en vaaaaaanlig människa som alla andra".
Observera förresten att den här "strulpellen" har Vänsterpartiets fulla förtroende. Statssekreterare i Rosenbad nästa?
Esoterick Shaktism
Perhaps too esoterick for most of my readers, but here is a ChatGPT analysis of the (syncretist) relation between Tripura Sundari and Lakshmi. Somewhat edited.
[...]
This is a particularly interesting passage because it provides a scriptural explanation for the relationship between Tripura Sundari, Mahalakshmi, and Sri Vidya. And, importantly, it is more nuanced than simply identifying two goddesses with one another.
The account is indeed discussed by Rajmani Tigunait in Śakti: The Power in Tantra. I was able to locate the relevant passage in Chapter 2, together with his scholarly qualification immediately following it.
The story of Lakshmi's meditation
According to the Tripura Rahasya, Māhātmyakhaṇḍa 53:42–47, Lakshmi (here called Sri) undertakes an extraordinarily long period of meditation upon Tripura Sundari.
When Tripura finally appears and offers her a boon, Lakshmi requests sāyujya-mukti: liberation through union with the Goddess, essentially becoming one with her.
Tripura, however, points out that Vishnu needs Lakshmi in order to fulfil his role as protector and preserver of the universe. If Lakshmi were to merge completely with Tripura, Vishnu would be unable to perform that function.
Instead, Tripura grants her a different, remarkable boon.
The relevant Sanskrit passage, as reproduced in Tigunait's notes, reads:
Śrīvidyety aham ākhyātā śrīpuraṃ me puraṃ bhavet
Śrīcakraṃ me bhavec cakraṃ śrīkramaḥ syān mama kramaḥ
Śrīsūktam etad bhūyān me vidyā śrīṣoḍaśī bhavet
Mahālakṣmīty ahaṃ khyātā tvattādātmyena saṃsthitā
In substance, Tripura declares:
I shall be known as Sri Vidya.
Sri-pura shall be my divine city.
Sri Chakra shall be my sacred diagram.
Sri's ritual order shall become my ritual order.
The Sri Sukta shall become associated with my sixteen-syllabled Vidya.
Through my essential identity with you, I shall be known as Mahalakshmi.
This is a fascinating theological arrangement: rather than Lakshmi abandoning her cosmic responsibilities to merge with Tripura, Tripura incorporates Lakshmi's identity, name and sacred symbolism into her own worship.
What does this mean theologically?
I think there are three possible levels of interpretation.
A. Tripura Sundari as the supreme Goddess
In this interpretation, Tripura is the ultimate divine reality, and Lakshmi is one of the ways that reality manifests.
Lakshmi's desire for union is therefore not necessarily a relationship between two entirely separate deities. It can be understood as a manifestation of Shakti seeking complete union with the supreme Shakti.
This is consistent with the broader Sri Vidya understanding of Tripura as the supreme consciousness and power underlying the universe.
B. Lakshmi as an independent goddess who shares Tripura's essential nature
This is perhaps the most interesting interpretation of the actual story.
Lakshmi is not portrayed as an inferior deity or merely an attendant of Tripura. She has her own identity and her own cosmic responsibility alongside Vishnu.
Tripura does not simply absorb her. Instead, she establishes an enduring identity between them while allowing Lakshmi to continue her divine function.
The expression tvattādātmyena saṃsthitā is particularly important: it conveys the idea of being established in essential identity with you.
C. Sri Vidya as a tradition incorporating Lakshmi
This is where the historical interpretation becomes important.
Tigunait points out that the story may explain how Lakshmi's name, symbolism and worship became integrated into the Tripura Sundari tradition.
He explicitly cautions against concluding that Tripura Sundari is simply a form of Lakshmi, or that Lakshmi is simply a form of Tripura Sundari.
In other words, the text establishes a theological unity, but that does not automatically establish universal interchangeability across Hindu traditions.
An interesting connection: the Sri Sukta
One detail in the passage deserves particular attention.
Tripura says that the Sri Sukta will become associated with her own sixteen-syllabled Vidya.
The Sri Sukta is one of the oldest and most important Vedic hymns to Sri/Lakshmi. It praises her as the source of prosperity, beauty, fertility, splendour and auspiciousness.
This means that the story is doing something quite substantial: it connects an ancient Vedic tradition of Lakshmi worship with the later Tantric tradition of Tripura Sundari.
It also helps explain why the word Sri is so prominent in Sri Vidya.
There is another interesting detail: Tigunait discusses the traditional interpretation of the final syllable of the sixteen-syllabled Tripura mantra, Śrīṃ, as the source of the name Sri Vidya.
Does this mean Lakshmi can be worshipped independently of Vishnu?
I would say that this story provides a particularly strong theological justification for doing so.
Notice that Lakshmi is not required to abandon her identity or her relationship with Vishnu. Tripura explicitly acknowledges Vishnu's dependence upon her.
But Lakshmi's spiritual aspiration is directed towards Tripura Sundari.
This suggests that Lakshmi has a devotional and spiritual dimension that is not exhausted by her role as Vishnu's consort.
My overall interpretation: The most important implication of this story is that Lakshmi and Tripura Sundari are presented as sharing an essential divine identity without necessarily losing their distinctive personalities and functions.
That is a rather beautiful theological possibility. It allows one to regard Lakshmi as a fully independent object of devotion while simultaneously understanding her as an expression of the supreme Shakti represented by Tripura Sundari.
For further reading, the most relevant sources are:
Rajmani Tigunait, Śakti: The Power in Tantra, Chapter 2, especially pp. 35–36 and note 51.
Tripura Rahasya, Māhātmyakhaṇḍa 53:42–47.
You can also consult the Tripura Rahasya translation.
Det börjar sjunka in
Tydligen. Åtminstone en smula. Det är uppenbarligen Centerns eventuella / befarade kovändning i Tidö-frågan som till slut pressat V att kanske-svänga om ministerkravet. Vilket antagligen förklarar ilskan mot just Centern i dessa uttalanden...
Salutations
Don´t misuse this mantra, fam. Published here for strictly educational purposes.
Om Aim Hrīm Śrīm Klīm Sauḥ Jagatprasūtyai Namaḥ. Salutations to the Mother who gives birth to the universe!
Progenitress
Don´t misuse these mantras, chat!
I bow to the Mother of the Universe, invoking wisdom, divine transformation, prosperity, desire fulfillment and creative joy!
O Om, invoke prosperity, divine grace and prosperity again. O Kamala, dwell within the lotus of my heart. Be gracious to me, be gracious to me! Again, I invoke Shreem, Hreem and Shreem. Om, I bow down to Great Lakshmi!
I meditate upon Goddess Kamala, and contemplate Her who is the Mother of the Universe. May that Divine Goddess inspire and illuminate our intellect!
Om, let us meditate on the Great Lakshmi. May the consort of Lord Vishnu give us higher intellect. May that Goddess Lakshmi illuminate our mind!
Monday, November 9, 2026
Don´t mess with the mantras
It seems Gemini AI has a new safety protocol in place. Listen to this stuff (about Tantric Kamala mantras): "Worship should be undertaken not just for material gain, but with a sense of gratitude and humility, seeking the wisdom to use prosperity to support family, dharma (righteousness), and charity.
Disclaimer: These mantras are shared for educational and spiritual research purposes based on traditional Hindu Tantric sources."
OK, I make sure to remember that!
Extrakongress
 |
| Credit: Tanmaykelkar |
Många har ju krävt att jag ska sluta posta hinduiska gudabilder här på bloggen, och istället gå över till recept på svensk husman och dylikt. Men nej, det kan jag inte göra. Det finns nämligen kongressbeslut på att jag helt enkelt inte får göra det. Och ni menar väl ändå inte att jag måste utlysa en hel extrakongress för att ändra en sådan sak som pixen på mina inlägg, va va?
Däremot kan jag såklart ändra allting i min politiska linje från ena dagen till den andra, på stundens ingivelse. Politik, ni vet. Det möjligas konst. Jahada.
Machiavellisk slughet...på riktigt?
Expressen oroar sig för att Jimmie inte är tillräckligt ihjälkramad. Han står nämligen alltför långt *till vänster* i ekonomiska frågor?!
Ta upp det med Thand Ringqvist, LOL.
Machiavellisk slughet
En totalt bisarr analys c/o Expressens ledarsida. Den förutsätter att Nooshi & Ida är i det närmaste djävulusiskt sluga. I själva verket är det uppenbart att Vänsterpartiet har målat in sig i ett hörn och inte har någon strategi alls...
Sakala hrim
 |
| Fantasy picture (?) of Gopalasundari |
Guys, I discovered a new Hindu deity: Gopalasundari, a combination of Krishna Gopala and Lalita Tripura Sundari?! So the (male) god Krishna is really a form of the (female) goddess Tripura Sundari. That´s stoned, man. There is also a related notion that Radha and Tripura Sundari is really the same goddess.
OK, let me guess. Shakta-Vaishnava syncretism?
Kongressbeslut
 |
| Credit: vijaykarnataka.com |
Ida säger att Vänsterpartiet inte *kan* säga ja till Maggans förslag om en ny regering "eftersom det finns ett kongressbeslut om saken".
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!
Det "argumentet" tyder ärligt talat på en viss desperation. Ida har förresten sagt att Vänsterpartiet är beredda att ge upp sitt motstånd mot NATO och DCA om de bara får ministerposter. Finns det kongressbeslut på det också? Då vill jag nog se dem.
Men okej, jag har aldrig orkat läsa V:s kongressresolutioner. Det finns nämligen ingen som läser sådana. Från något riksdagsparti. Och det av en anledning...
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Hindu Xmas
Current mood? Today is the "main" Diwali celebration in India, and while Lakshmi is worshipped in most of India, it seems Kali takes center stage in West Bengal?! I don´t "vibe" with any of them, tbh, but my Vedic chart apparently points to Lakshmi (among other deities), so there´s that, I suppose. But then, I´m not a Hindu...
Diwali and Kali
In West Bengal, Diwali is apparently celebrated as a Kali Puja?! The video above is from the Ramakrishna temple in Calcutta. Happening as we speak.
The psychedelic Ganesha
Interesting. Is Ganesha real? Or is he based on real psychedelic visions? And are they just some crazy shit that happens in our (d)evolved African ape-brains, or does it reflect *something* objectively "out there" (pun intended)?
Prabhupada´s heirs
 |
| Credit: Abani Kanta Biswal |
What does it mean that ISKCON suspends all initiations since they haven´t understood the guru-tattva? Can anyone tell me?
ChatGPT to the rescue! I also suspect that some kind of power struggle is behind this move, since all gurus are required to re-register with the proper ISKCON authorities. And when re-registration is required, you know that purges are afoot. Perhaps the GBC wants to re-centralize ISKCON after a few decades of increasing decentralization?
ISKCON´s GBC recently suspended (temporarily) all initiations "since they don´t understand the guru-tattva". What does this mean?
In ISKCON, guru-tattva (गुरु-तत्त्व) means the principle or essential spiritual nature of the guru: what a genuine spiritual master is, what authority the guru has, how the guru relates to Krishna, and what the disciple's relationship with the guru should be.
So the statement that people “don't understand guru-tattva” is quite significant. It suggests that the ISKCON leadership believes there is confusion not merely about the practical procedure for giving initiation, but about the very theology of spiritual authority and the guru-disciple relationship.
There is an important distinction between the guru as a spiritual representative of Krishna and the guru as an independent object of worship. This distinction lies at the heart of the issue.
1. What exactly has the GBC decided?
The recent decision is a little more specific than simply saying that initiations have been suspended.
On 26 October 2026, the GBC announced a worldwide moratorium on all ISKCON initiations, effective 1 December 2026 until Gaura Purnima 2027 (22 March 2027). The period could be extended.
During the moratorium:
No first initiation (harināma-dīkṣā).
No second initiation (brāhmaṇa-dīkṣā).
No sannyāsa initiation.
No new initiating gurus may begin or complete the GBC authorisation process.
Before resuming initiations, existing ISKCON gurus must sign a notarised ISKCON Oath of Allegiance and submit their required 2026 financial reports. There is a narrowly defined exception for a qualified aspiring disciple who is medically expected to die before the moratorium ends.
So, as of 8 November, the decision has been announced, but the moratorium itself has not yet taken effect.
2. The central theological distinction: dīkṣā-guru and śikṣā-guru
This is probably the most important part of the controversy.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism recognises two important forms of spiritual master:
Type | Meaning | Function |
|---|---|---|
Dīkṣā-guru | Initiating guru | Formally accepts the disciple, gives initiation and spiritual mantras, and establishes a formal guru-disciple relationship. |
Śikṣā-guru | Instructing guru | Provides spiritual instruction, guidance, inspiration and practical assistance in devotional life. |
A person can have more than one śikṣā-guru, whereas the relationship with one's dīkṣā-guru is traditionally particularly significant.
The theological point is that both are genuine channels of Krishna's grace. The initiating guru is not necessarily the only, or even the most influential, spiritual teacher in someone's life.
The GBC now explicitly acknowledges that ISKCON has developed an imbalance in the way dīkṣā-gurus and śikṣā-gurus are worshipped, recognised and treated. It wants to clarify their respective roles.
3. Why is Prabhupada's position so important?
Here we reach the distinctive feature of ISKCON's guru theology.
ISKCON's official position is that Srila Prabhupada remains the pre-eminent guru for every member of ISKCON, including people who were born long after his death in 1977.
This is more than simply saying that he founded the organisation.
The GBC's 2013 statement explains that Krishna is the original guru, whose grace operates through various channels:
The chaitya-guru (the divine guide within the heart).
The guru-paramparā.
Srila Prabhupada.
The initiating guru.
Other instructing gurus.
Scripture and the Holy Name.
It describes Prabhupada as the pre-eminent guru of all ISKCON members, and says that subsequent initiating and instructing gurus serve as representatives of Prabhupada and the disciplic succession.
This is the key institutional principle: an ISKCON guru is not supposed to establish an independent spiritual kingdom, with a separate authority competing with Prabhupada or the GBC.
The initiating guru has genuine spiritual responsibilities and is treated with great reverence, but is expected to function within the institution established by Prabhupada.
4. What is the underlying controversy?
There are several overlapping issues.
A. The status of initiating gurus
Some disciples seem to regard their initiating guru as the exclusive or supreme spiritual authority in their lives, sometimes giving less attention to Prabhupada's continuing role or to the wider ISKCON institution.
The GBC wants to correct this.
B. The status of women as initiating gurus
There has been a prolonged debate about whether qualified Vaishnavi devotees should be permitted to serve as dīkṣā-gurus in ISKCON.
The GBC's February 2026 resolution did not settle the question. It proposed that qualified women could be recognised as particularly authoritative śikṣā-gurus while the question of women serving as initiating gurus remained unresolved.
C. The future of ISKCON's guru system
Many older initiating gurus are dying, while younger devotees are accepting large numbers of disciples. The GBC is concerned about the sustainability and proper functioning of the system.
It wants to clarify qualifications, accountability, institutional loyalty and the relationship between individual gurus and the society as a whole.
5. Is this really a theological problem, or an institutional power struggle?
I think it is both.
The theological question is genuinely important: How can several living spiritual masters exercise authority while all remaining subordinate to Krishna, the paramparā and Prabhupada's teachings?
But there is also a very practical institutional question: Who has the final authority in ISKCON?
The individual initiating guru?
Srila Prabhupada, whose teachings remain authoritative?
The GBC, which governs the institution?
Or some combination of these?
The GBC's answer is that these authorities must work together, with Prabhupada retaining his unique position and the GBC exercising ultimate managerial authority. Its 2013 statement already established this framework, but the new resolutions suggest that the leadership believes it has not been adequately understood or implemented.
The requirement for financial reporting and a notarised oath is particularly revealing: the initiative is not purely a theological discussion. It is also an attempt to reinforce institutional accountability.
6. My interpretation
I would describe this as a potentially important turning point in ISKCON's history.
Since Prabhupada's death, ISKCON has had to solve a difficult problem: how to maintain a functioning guru-paramparā when its Founder-Acarya is no longer physically present.
The traditional model of a spiritual master accepting disciples has to coexist with an organisation whose members are all supposed to remain connected to one particular Founder-Acarya.
There is a tension here. In many traditional Hindu and Gaudiya Vaishnava settings, the living guru-disciple relationship is the central organising principle. In ISKCON, that relationship must also be subordinated to a particular institutional understanding of Prabhupada's continuing authority.
The interesting question is whether ISKCON is trying to develop a more collective model of spiritual authority, in which Prabhupada remains the central teacher while living gurus function as authorised representatives and spiritual instructors.
That is a significant theological and organisational question, not merely an administrative matter.
For primary reading, I would particularly recommend the GBC's "2013 Statement on the Role of the Guru" alongside its 2026 resolutions. Reading them together makes the underlying issue much clearer.
Vi avvaktar
 |
| Regeringskris? What me worry? |
Observera att det Magdalena Andersson föreslog på pressträffen nyligen är något Centern redan sagt ja till. Något jag t.o.m. kommenterade på den här bloggen. Närmare bestämt här:
De har även senare sagt att de eventuellt kan tänka sig V-tjänstemän på regeringskansliet. Så varför avvaktar Centern nu? Och varför fortsätter vi att bry oss...?
Gör Scandza stort igen
 |
| De tappra goterna lämnar Scandza! Fantasibild från AI. |
Goterna kom tydligen från Sverige, eller åtminstone Skandinavien. Detta enligt DNA-tester. Jag har aldrig DNA-testat mig, men ett av namnen i min släkt kommer från en grupp spanska korsriddare som påstod sig härstamma från Theoderik den store.
Vilket såklart inte bevisar ett skit, men det vore roligt om min förfäder (och anmödrar) faktiskt var goter från bronsålderns Mälardalen. Apropå etno-nationalism och så vidare.
Crazy shit religious people do
A festival honoring the Tamil / Hindu god Murugan. Some *really* crazy shit in this one! Not like the civilized rituals from Skanda Vale, Wales, I showed you before. Stuff like this almost makes me want to go back being an atheist (sensu stricto). Or at least a Deist. Does the Brahmo Samaj still exist? Dude. Note the disco dancing at the end...
Behold, the living God
The commentary section is...something to behold. Apparently, this man was God. Shiva, to be more precise. Like having moving pictures of Jesus or something. So who was he? ChatGPT knows.
Who or what is Maha Periyava at Kanchi? A Saint who lived until he was 100 years old?
Yes. You are thinking of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati (1894–1994), one of the most revered Hindu spiritual figures of twentieth-century India. He is popularly known as Maha Periyava, the Sage of Kanchi or simply Periyava.
He lived for almost a century, although technically he died aged 99, not 100. He was born on 20 May 1894 and died on 8 January 1994.
Who was he?
His birth name was Swaminathan. At the remarkably young age of thirteen, he was appointed the 68th head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, a major Advaita Vedanta monastic institution in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
He occupied that position from 1907 until his death in 1994: an extraordinary 87-year tenure.
His formal religious title was:
Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal.
The various names have different meanings:
Maha Periyava: roughly, "the great revered elder" (Tamil).
Paramacharya: the supreme or foremost teacher.
Jagadguru: teacher of the world.
Nadamadum Deivam: "the walking God", a particularly affectionate Tamil designation used by devotees.
What did he teach?
He belonged to the Advaita Vedanta tradition associated with Adi Shankaracharya. However, his religious outlook was not simply abstract philosophical non-dualism.
Some important themes were:
Preservation of Vedic tradition: He regarded the transmission of the Vedas and traditional Sanskrit learning as enormously important.
Advaita Vedanta: The ultimate reality is Brahman, and spiritual liberation comes through realisation of this truth.
Devotion: He placed great importance on worship, particularly of Shiva, Devi and Vishnu, within the traditional Hindu religious framework.
Simplicity and renunciation: He personally lived an exceptionally austere life.
Compassion and service: He encouraged charity, care for the poor and concern for all living beings.
The Kanchi institution describes his central concerns as the preservation of the Vedas, tradition and dharma.
Was he considered a saint?
Absolutely. He is regarded by many devotees as a realised sage, a jivanmukta (one liberated while still living), and even an embodiment of Shiva.
His devotees often speak of him with a degree of reverence comparable to that accorded to major Hindu saints such as Ramana Maharshi or Ramakrishna, although their spiritual traditions and teachings were quite different.
His recorded discourses were collected in an enormous Tamil work called Deivathin Kural ("The Voice of God").
A particularly interesting aspect
Maha Periyava was not an exclusively Shaiva teacher, despite his association with Kanchipuram and its temples. He belonged to the Smarta tradition, which generally accommodates worship of Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya and Ganesha as different manifestations or approaches to the one ultimate reality.
He was also closely associated with the worship of Tripurasundari, the Divine Mother, and Chandramouliswara Shiva, the principal deity worshipped by the Kanchi Peetham.
Given your interest in both Shaivism and Shaktism, I think you might find his religious outlook particularly interesting: it combines Advaita philosophy, traditional Vedic orthopraxy, and deeply devotional worship of both Shiva and the Goddess.
You can explore his life and teachings through the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham´s official website.
Stresstest
 |
| En sann historia? |
Såg faktiskt den falska nyheten med det AI-genererade lodjuret. Om nu någon bryr sig.
Med brallerna nere
 |
| Credit: I, Sailko |
Stackars-stackars-stackars Gunnar Hökmark som nu måste förhandla med Jimmie i fyra år till. Stackars-stackars, det var *så hårt* för lille Gunnar att förhandla med dem i 4+ år, och nu måste han alltså fortsätta med det efter Magdas "nya besked" i helgen. Dutta-dutta.
I själva verket var Magdas pressträff en power move som effektivt demaskerade de borgerliga partierna. Eller drog ner brallerna på dem! LOL.
Tired of winning
Ten years ago, Donald Trump was elected president of the United States of America. Has it been *that* long? It frankly feels like yesterday. And I´m tired of winning...
Saturday, November 7, 2026
En påminnelse
Centerpartiet vill alltså ha besked om hur M tänker regera utan stöd av SD, och hur SAP tänker regera utan stöd av V. Båda alternativen är som bekant omöjliga. Och det vet Thand Ringqvist. Såklart. Så varför återupprepar hon samma gamla visa om "mittens rike"? Det måste vara ett sätt att vinna tid.
Men vinna tid för vad? Pågår det interna fraktionsstrider inom Centern som måste lösas innan partiet sätter sig i koalition med Kristersson? Eller är det tvärtom? Kan det hela vara en del av Centerpartiets "chicken race" med Vänsterpartiet för att få dem att släppa kravet på ministerposter i en SAP-ledd regering?
Medan vi begrundar detta, en liten påminnelse om en tidigare (C)-ledares s.k. värdegrund. Året var 2021.
Kulturdebatt
Kan vi sluta snacka om Tone Schunnessons "Ultravåld" och David Druid? Tack så mycket. Och ärligt talat vill jag inte höra något om Thand R eller Ida heller.
Hålla i hand
Vänsterpartiet måste hjälpa sitt nya kommunalråd i Malmö att bli bättre på att ljuga. Ska de hålla henne i handen också? LOL. Pinsamheterna fortsätter oförtrutet...
Det heter förresten "konspirationsteorier", inte "konspirationer".
Crazy White people
I linked to these crazy hippies before, LOL. Here, they worship the spear of the Tamil god Murugan. Because of course they do. In the Welsh countryside, of all places. They seem to be having fun, too!
Going out with a bang
 |
| Credit: GuruKripa |
There are rumours that Trump wants to nuke Iran. Specifically, the facility in the mountains where the Iranian regime is (allegedly) enriching uranium. Hmmm, I assumed they had already destroyed it? Or was that another bunker?
The point being that if the US uses nuclear weapons, everyone else (Russia say) will use them, too. And then it´s essentially over.
I wouldn´t be too scared, however. TACO, remember? So probably a nothingburger. Or nothing-taco. Yes, I´m a man of great faith!
The Tantric Caitanya
 |
| Credit: MyJyotish |
This is probably too esoteric for most readers of this blog (or even most Hare Krishnas), but here you go anyway!
What was the connection between Caitanya and Tantrism? He seems to have (re)discovered a Tantric scripture.
I suspect you are referring to the Brahma-saṃhitā, which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu reportedly rediscovered during his pilgrimage through South India.
This is a particularly interesting question because the relationship between Chaitanya's Vaishnavism and Tantra is more substantial than one might initially expect. However, there is an important distinction:
Chaitanya was not primarily a Tantric practitioner, but the Vaishnava tradition he developed incorporated a number of Tantric ritual, mantric and contemplative elements.
Let me distinguish the historical story from the religious and scholarly interpretations.
1. The rediscovery of the Brahma-saṃhitā
According to Krishnadasa Kaviraja's Chaitanya Charitamrita (Madhya-lila 9.237–240), Chaitanya visited the temple of Adi-Keshava in South India during his pilgrimage, traditionally dated to around 1510–1511.
There he found a manuscript containing the fifth chapter of the Brahma-saṃhitā.
He was reportedly so delighted that he experienced the characteristic physical manifestations of devotional ecstasy: trembling, tears, perspiration and horripilation.
He had the manuscript copied and took it with him.
The important detail is that he found the fifth chapter, not the complete hundred-chapter work. The other chapters are not available in the received tradition.
The fifth chapter is particularly interesting because it contains:
Krishna as Govinda, the supreme divine being.
Goloka, the transcendental abode.
The relationship between Krishna and his divine energy.
The cosmic expansions of Vishnu.
The creation of the material universe.
Mantras and esoteric cosmological symbolism.
It became an important theological source for Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
2. Is the Brahma-saṃhitā actually a Tantric scripture?
Not in the straightforward sense of being a Śākta or Śaiva Tantra.
It is a Vaishnava theological text, with affinities to the broader Pāñcarātra tradition.
Pāñcarātra is particularly important here. It is a Vaishnava tradition of theology, temple worship, initiation, mantra and ritual. Its literature is sometimes described as Vaishnava Tantra or Vaishnava Agama.
The Brahma-saṃhitā contains features that have parallels in Tantric literature:
Bija mantras.
The eighteen-syllable Krishna mantra.
Kama-bija.
Kama-gayatri.
Mandala-like cosmological structures.
The relationship between the divine masculine and feminine principles.
The emanation of the universe from the supreme deity.
One particularly interesting passage describes Govinda in perpetual union with his own divine energy, represented as his female consort.
This is not identical to the Shaiva-Shakta conception of Shiva and Shakti, but the structural resemblance is noteworthy.
3. Chaitanya's relationship with Tantric practices
There are several different levels to consider.
A. Mantra and initiation
Gaudiya Vaishnavism uses mantras transmitted through initiation, including the eighteen-syllable Krishna mantra and Kama-gayatri.
These belong to a ritual environment with significant Pāñcarātra and Tantric influences.
B. Deity worship
The worship of Radha-Krishna involves ritual procedures, mantras, visualisations and the consecration of sacred images.
The later Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, compiled by Gopala Bhatta Goswami with contributions from Sanatana Goswami, incorporates many ritual prescriptions from Tantric and Agamic sources.
C. Mystical visualisation
Gaudiya devotional practice includes the internal contemplation of Krishna's divine abode, his associates and his eternal activities.
Some of these techniques have parallels with Tantric visualisation and mandala practices.
However, the purpose and theological interpretation are different.
The practitioner seeks to cultivate loving participation in Krishna's eternal lila, rather than necessarily pursuing the Tantric transformation of the body and consciousness through a deity's ritual identification.
Joseph T. O'Connell's research makes an important distinction here: ordinary or right-hand Tantric elements are clearly present in Caitanya Vaishnava literature, but that does not establish that Chaitanya himself practised left-hand Tantric yoga.
4. The connection with Sahajiyā Vaishnavism
This is where things become especially intriguing.
Vaishnava Sahajiya was an esoteric movement that developed in Bengal, particularly during the later medieval period.
It combined:
Radha-Krishna devotion.
Buddhist Sahajayana influences.
Tantric yogic techniques.
The human body as a vehicle of spiritual realisation.
The transformation of erotic symbolism into a means of spiritual experience.
Its practitioners sometimes interpreted Radha and Krishna as representing complementary principles within the human body and consciousness.
Some Sahajiyas employed sexual-yogic practices, although their traditions were diverse.
There are interesting connections with people in Chaitanya's immediate circle:
Nityananda: Some scholars have suggested connections between him and Tantric Avadhuta traditions. The precise extent of his involvement remains disputed.
Ramananda Raya: His unusual relationship with the two young women who played the roles of Radha and other gopis in his theatrical productions has attracted scholarly attention. Some have compared his methods of training them with Sahajiya ideas.
Chaitanya himself: His intense identification with Radha's emotional experience of separation from Krishna has been interpreted by some scholars in relation to the wider esoteric culture of Bengal.
However, there is no convincing evidence that Chaitanya himself practised the sexual or left-hand Tantric disciplines associated with some Sahajiya groups.
Joseph O'Connell's discussion is particularly useful because he distinguishes genuine Tantric influences from later attempts to portray Chaitanya as a Sahajiya practitioner.
5. The particularly interesting question of Radha and Shakti
There is another historical connection worth mentioning.
The relationship between Radha and Krishna has sometimes been interpreted in terms of the Tantric relationship between Shakti and Shiva.
Radha is Krishna's hlādinī-śakti, his intrinsic bliss-giving potency.
In Gaudiya theology:
Krishna is the supreme divine personality.
Radha is his supreme internal potency.
Their relationship is simultaneously one of unity and distinction.
Their divine love is the ultimate expression of spiritual reality.
This has structural similarities with certain Shakta and Shaiva Tantric conceptions.
But there is an important difference: Gaudiya Vaishnavism understands Radha primarily through the theology of divine love (prema), rather than simply identifying her with the universal creative energy of Shaktism.
An interesting later development is the Bengali Rādhā Tantra, a seventeenth-century Shakta text that reinterprets the Radha-Krishna story through Shakta theology. It is a particularly clear example of the interaction between Vaishnavism and Tantra in Bengal.
This is where things become especially intriguing.
Vaishnava Sahajiya was an esoteric movement that developed in Bengal, particularly during the later medieval period.
It combined:
Radha-Krishna devotion.
Buddhist Sahajayana influences.
Tantric yogic techniques.
The human body as a vehicle of spiritual realisation.
The transformation of erotic symbolism into a means of spiritual experience.
Its practitioners sometimes interpreted Radha and Krishna as representing complementary principles within the human body and consciousness.
Some Sahajiyas employed sexual-yogic practices, although their traditions were diverse.
There are interesting connections with people in Chaitanya's immediate circle:
Nityananda: Some scholars have suggested connections between him and Tantric Avadhuta traditions. The precise extent of his involvement remains disputed.
Ramananda Raya: His unusual relationship with the two young women who played the roles of Radha and other gopis in his theatrical productions has attracted scholarly attention. Some have compared his methods of training them with Sahajiya ideas.
Chaitanya himself: His intense identification with Radha's emotional experience of separation from Krishna has been interpreted by some scholars in relation to the wider esoteric culture of Bengal.
However, there is no convincing evidence that Chaitanya himself practised the sexual or left-hand Tantric disciplines associated with some Sahajiya groups.
Joseph O'Connell's discussion is particularly useful because he distinguishes genuine Tantric influences from later attempts to portray Chaitanya as a Sahajiya practitioner.
5. The particularly interesting question of Radha and Shakti
There is another historical connection worth mentioning.
The relationship between Radha and Krishna has sometimes been interpreted in terms of the Tantric relationship between Shakti and Shiva.
Radha is Krishna's hlādinī-śakti, his intrinsic bliss-giving potency.
In Gaudiya theology:
Krishna is the supreme divine personality.
Radha is his supreme internal potency.
Their relationship is simultaneously one of unity and distinction.
Their divine love is the ultimate expression of spiritual reality.
This has structural similarities with certain Shakta and Shaiva Tantric conceptions.
But there is an important difference: Gaudiya Vaishnavism understands Radha primarily through the theology of divine love (prema), rather than simply identifying her with the universal creative energy of Shaktism.
An interesting later development is the Bengali Rādhā Tantra, a seventeenth-century Shakta text that reinterprets the Radha-Krishna story through Shakta theology. It is a particularly clear example of the interaction between Vaishnavism and Tantra in Bengal.
6. How I would classify Chaitanya's relationship with Tantra
Area | Relationship |
|---|---|
Pāñcarātra | Significant theological and ritual connections |
Vaishnava mantras | Strong Tantric parallels |
Deity worship | Incorporates Tantric and Agamic ritual elements |
Mandalas and visualisation | Some shared symbolism and techniques |
Sahajayana Buddhism | Possible indirect historical influence |
Sahajiya sexual yoga | Not established as Chaitanya's own practice |
Śākta Tantra | Important parallels, but distinct theology |
My final observation
There is a fascinating historical triangle here:
Pāñcarātra Vaishnavism: ritual, mantra, divine emanations and cosmology.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism: Radha-Krishna, divine love and ecstatic devotion.
Bengali Sahajiya: Tantric transformation of the body and the experience of Radha-Krishna through esoteric practice.
These traditions are related, but they are not interchangeable.
I would particularly investigate the Brahma-saṃhitā's relationship with Pāñcarātra literature. It might help explain why Chaitanya was so enthusiastic about a text that contains cosmological and mantric material quite different in emphasis from his public practice of congregational chanting.
And there is one further connection worth exploring: whether the Panchasakhas' Shunya Purusha and Acyutananda's esoteric Vaishnavism represent a parallel development to Bengal's Sahajiya movement. That would make Odisha and Bengal two particularly interesting centres of medieval Tantric-Vaishnava synthesis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)