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Cannabilism Aghori Sadhus Eating Human Flesh


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What the hell is that, why is he doing that?

They are Aghori Sadhus, worshippers of the fierce form of Shiva. They do weird things like to get rid of the impressions of duality from their minds. The idea is that eating human flesh, living in cemeteries and the like, destroys the idea of one thing being good and another bad. In a psychological sense, taboo-breaking like cannibalism releases enormous amounts of psychic energy which Tantra utilises for spiritual advancement.

Here's part 1 of a 6 part documentary in English about the Aghoris.

K.

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I would recommend watching all of this excellent documentary to understand things a little more deeply, it's not an easy existance, thats for sure, plus these most extreme sect of Shaivaite Sadhus after being around for many millenia, are now on the brink....

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P2

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A Sikh should not concern himself with Aghora. Even hearing of these practices is bad for a Sikh. These practices are not to get rid of duality or ideas of good and bad, this is just a cover for ritual black magic processes. Magical rituals involve communion with spirits through flesh consumption and blood, it has been said the chrisitian ritual involving the 'flesh' and 'blood' of Jesus was such a magical process. Tantra utilises sandhyabasha or veiled language to mislead those who are not meant to know, into destruction.

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A Sikh should not concern himself with Aghora. Even hearing of these practices is bad for a Sikh. These practices are not to get rid of duality or ideas of good and bad, this is just a cover for ritual black magic processes. Magical rituals involve communion with spirits through flesh consumption and blood, it has been said the chrisitian ritual involving the 'flesh' and 'blood' of Jesus was such a magical process. Tantra utilises sandhyabasha or veiled language to mislead those who are not meant to know, into destruction.

Er, no. You've got it the wrong way round. Sandyabhasha, or "twilight" language, is used to conceal Tantric secrets in profane symbolism (including in the form of what some might consider "black" magic) but there is a definite and ancient tradition called Vamachara that practices Tantra in a physical form as well as one that is entirely symbolic. It is only fairly recently, with the acceptance of Victorian notions of good and evil introduced by the British by modern day Hindus, that these Tamasic practices have begun to be considered evil or impure while Sattvic practices like meditation and vegetarianism are believed to be good and pure..

You see the same two strands of Tantra practised in the Bon tradition of Tibet where they are both considered acceptable with the Vamachara tradition considered an ugra or "fierce" form which leads to enlightenment directly and swiftly but has an element of danger attached for the unprepared.

They are most certainly used to destroy dual thinking processes, to get rid of the attachment to one's body, and to release psychic energy through the systematic and increasingly intense breaking of taboos.

The Sadhus who practice such things don't do them out of some perverse desire to perform evil acts - to them there is no difference between pure and impure.

Telang Swami of Benares once performed the ritual bathing of the deity of Benares in his own urine and faeces to show the outraged temple brahmins that they were still stuck in dualistic thinking. When the brahmins beat him and threw him out of the temple, Shiva himself is said to have appeared in a dream of the King of that city, furious that someone had insulted the Swami who was his very essence. The Swami was an Aghori and is revered as a Saint in Benares.

K.

Edited by Kaljug
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Whether they are good or bad is a matter of perspective. If you look into their philosophy what they are doing is fine from their perspective. It’s not like they are eating people alive. According to them, meat, $hit(tatee), fruit, vegetables is all the same, they eat it all thinking it as Prasaad/blessing of Shiva. They are the most extreme Sadhus. We should not judge them based on our predisposition without fully understanding them and their perspective.

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Its not as simple as people make out to be ie its parsad or blessing of shiva. There are some major implications in this act.

1. Without proper understanding, to imitate aghaoris, one can become tamoguni raksash.

2. What happened to sikh dharam and global principle that every dead bodies deserve respect?

3. What if dead bodies they are eating were of our children, sisters, mother, father, brother, cousins? would you feel same about their practices?

4. Is it wrong for singh who is present to stop this beadhi of dead human flesh on compassionate/dya grounds? If yes/no? Please explain.

5. Whats their criteria? i mean which dead body they pick? Can they pick dead body of child, revered saint, soldier, well respected icon of other culture, group, religion?

Yes,ultimately sikhi is nirgun marg but with that being said, sargun creation of vahiguroo is also praised in gurbani. Unless you are at final stage, one's surti is pretty much sargun. One needs to overcome sargun pasara and lov leen in nirgun in order to find this acceptable. I admit i m not at this level at this time, i m extremely offended and hurtful by this act , its huge disrespect sargun pasara of vahiguroo and out of dya and besides its totally contrary to sargun aspect of Vahiguroo.

Quite bluntly, lets replace those bodies with our family loved ones, saints dead bodies, ideal person dead and see ourselves- what is our state of mind? If our state of mind is sam drist(highest state in gurmat), no raag dvaish then this act shouldn't matter but if our state of mind have imprints of raag dvaish but then deep inside regardless of your denial, this practice is demonic, uncompassionate, contary to many outer aspect of gurmat which represents dya, karam, dharam. Both inner and outer aspect are needed as they are interlinked, one cannot be turned nirgun vadi overnight, they are many stages of sargun pasara, upma one has to go through.

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Im not trying to act like the devils advocate. I dont support Aghora Panth or their practices. I firmly am of the opinion that Gurmat is the ultimate path. Im also a firm vegetarian. Having said that, I think that most of us have an issue with the Aghoris because of cannibalism. We need to realise that they are not killing anyone or anything alive. They are eating what is already dead.

Swami Rama mentions an incident of him meeting with a Aghori Sadhu in his book. Swami Rama says that the Aghori Sadhu was a very powerful Sadhu. Once the Aghori cooked some meat for Swami Rama, but when Swami Rama tasted it, it was transformed from the molecular level into something that was no longer meat, and Swami Rama says it was very tasty. Aghoris do not harm anything or anyone despite their fearful appearance and reputation. I think they like to have this reputation in order to keep people away from themselves. They will eat anything without thinking about taste.

Edited by Mithar
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Its not as simple as people make out to be ie its parsad or blessing of shiva. There are some major implications in this act.

1. Without proper understanding, to imitate aghaoris, one can become tamoguni raksash.

To paraphrase one of their sayings "the very path that can lead you to the highest enlightenment can lead you to the lowest hell," so they are well aware of this fact. They teach that tamogun sadhana is only acceptable for viras - pashus need not apply. Of course, usually the people who are attracted to Aghora sadhana without knowing much about it apart from witnessing the outer acts of Aghoris are pashus and this path will inevitably lead to their destruction.

2. What happened to sikh dharam and global principle that every dead bodies deserve respect?

Is this really what Sikhi teaches? I was under the impression that the body after death is not important so we cremate it (or get rid of it in whatever way is most acceptable to the culture and country in which we live). Sikhi, unlike the Judeo-Christian panths, does not teach that we will ascend bodily into heaven or be resurrected on judgement day.

Also, bear in mind that we have practices in Sikhi that some might consider Tamoguni such as shikaar, yudh, sukhnidhaan and jhatka, yet we do fine because they are balanced by Sattvic sadhana such as Naam simran and bhakti.

3. What if dead bodies they are eating were of our children, sisters, mother, father, brother, cousins? would you feel same about their practices?

Personally I can see why logically I should have no problem with this, but I feel I would still be very much attached to the bodies of my family members even when they are dead. I would be pretty upset because I am not at the level of understanding which allows one to consider a corpse to be nothing but dust.

4. Is it wrong for singh who is present to stop this beadhi of dead human flesh on compassionate/dya grounds? If yes/no? Please explain.

Compassion towards what? A corpse? If the family of the dead man or woman have no problem with the Aghoris eating the flesh of their dead family member, I certainly would not try to stop the act from occurring.

5. Whats their criteria? i mean which dead body they pick? Can they pick dead body of child, revered saint, soldier, well respected icon of other culture, group, religion?

Any body that comes along is acceptable because Aghoris try to ignore such distinctions. To them everybody is a shava and everybody is equal.

Yes,ultimately sikhi is nirgun marg but with that being said, sargun creation of vahiguroo is also praised in gurbani. Unless you are at final stage, one's surti is pretty much sargun. One needs to overcome sargun pasara and lov leen in nirgun in order to find this acceptable. I admit i m not at this level at this time, i m extremely offended and hurtful by this act , its huge disrespect sargun pasara of vahiguroo and out of dya and besides its totally contrary to sargun aspect of Vahiguroo.

Quite bluntly, lets replace those bodies with our family loved ones, saints dead bodies, ideal person dead and see ourselves- what is our state of mind? If our state of mind is sam drist(highest state in gurmat), no raag dvaish then this act shouldn't matter but if our state of mind have imprints of raag dvaish but then deep inside regardless of your denial, this practice is demonic, uncompassionate, contary to many outer aspect of gurmat which represents dya, karam, dharam. Both inner and outer aspect are needed as they are interlinked, one cannot be turned nirgun vadi overnight, they are many stages of sargun pasara, upma one has to go through.

I'd be really interested to know why you feel so strongly about this, veer ji. I didn't find it at all offensive since the Hindus who cremate their family members and place the corpse in that river in Benares know that there is a chance that it may be found by an Aghori Saadh. (Benares is the Aghori capital of India.)

Also, do you think a Sant would have a problem if their corpse was treated this way? I don't know, but I know you have darshan of a lot of Mahapurush so would be interested to hear what you think they would feel about it.

Regards,

K.

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Is this the aghoris:

ਗਜ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੈ ਤੈ ਧੋਤੀਆ ਤਿਹਰੇ ਪਾਇਨਿ ਤਗ ॥

गज साढे तै तै धोतीआ तिहरे पाइनि तग ॥

Gaj sādẖe ṯai ṯai ḏẖoṯī▫ā ṯihre pā▫in ṯag.

They wear loin cloths, three and a half yards long, and triple-wound sacred threads.

ਗਲੀ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ਜਪਮਾਲੀਆ ਲੋਟੇ ਹਥਿ ਨਿਬਗ ॥

गली जिन्हा जपमालीआ लोटे हथि निबग ॥

Galī jinĥā japmālī▫ā lote hath nibag.

They have rosaries around their necks, and they carry glittering jugs in their hands.

ਓਇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ ॥੧॥

ओइ हरि के संत न आखीअहि बानारसि के ठग ॥१॥

O▫e har ke sanṯ na ākẖī▫ahi bānāras ke ṯẖag. ||1||

They are not called Saints of the Lord - they are thugs of Benares. ||1||

ਐਸੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਭਾਵਹਿ ॥

ऐसे संत न मो कउ भावहि ॥

Aise sanṯ na mo ka▫o bẖāvėh.

Such 'saints' are not pleasing to me;

ਡਾਲਾ ਸਿਉ ਪੇਡਾ ਗਟਕਾਵਹਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

डाला सिउ पेडा गटकावहि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Dālā si▫o pedā gatkāvahi. ||1|| rahā▫o.

they eat the trees along with the branches. ||1||Pause||

ਬਾਸਨ ਮਾਂਜਿ ਚਰਾਵਹਿ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਾਠੀ ਧੋਇ ਜਲਾਵਹਿ ॥

बासन मांजि चरावहि ऊपरि काठी धोइ जलावहि ॥

Bāsan māʼnj cẖarāvėh ūpar kāṯẖī ḏẖo▫e jalāvėh.

They wash their pots and pans before putting them on the stove, and they wash the wood before lighting it.

ਬਸੁਧਾ ਖੋਦਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਦੁਇ ਚੂਲ੍ਹ੍ਹੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਮਾਣਸ ਖਾਵਹਿ ॥੨॥

बसुधा खोदि करहि दुइ चूल्हे सारे माणस खावहि ॥२॥

Basuḏẖā kẖoḏ karahi ḏu▫e cẖūlĥe sāre māṇas kẖāvėh. ||2||

They dig up the earth and make two fireplaces, but they eat the whole person! ||2||

ਓਇ ਪਾਪੀ ਸਦਾ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਅਪਰਾਧੀ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਅਪਰਸ ਕਹਾਵਹਿ ॥

ओइ पापी सदा फिरहि अपराधी मुखहु अपरस कहावहि ॥

O▫e pāpī saḏā firėh aprāḏẖī mukẖahu apras kahāvėh.

Those sinners continually wander in evil deeds, while they call themselves touch-nothing saints.

ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੀ ਸਗਲ ਕੁਟੰਬ ਡੁਬਾਵਹਿ ॥੩॥

सदा सदा फिरहि अभिमानी सगल कुट्मब डुबावहि ॥३॥

Saḏā saḏā firėh abẖimānī sagal kutamb dubāvėh. ||3||

They wander around forever and ever in their self-conceit, and all their families are drowned. ||3||

ਜਿਤੁ ਕੋ ਲਾਇਆ ਤਿਤ ਹੀ ਲਾਗਾ ਤੈਸੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥

जितु को लाइआ तित ही लागा तैसे करम कमावै ॥

Jiṯ ko lā▫i▫ā ṯiṯ hī lāgā ṯaise karam kamāvai.

He is attached to that, to which the Lord has attached him, and he acts accordingly.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੈ ਪੁਨਰਪਿ ਜਨਮਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੪॥੨॥

कहु कबीर जिसु सतिगुरु भेटै पुनरपि जनमि न आवै ॥४॥२॥

Kaho Kabīr jis saṯgur bẖetai punrap janam na āvai. ||4||2||

Says Kabeer, one who meets the True Guru, is not reincarnated again. ||4||2||

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Kalyug veer, its understandable animals eating dead corpse because that's nature taking its course but human to do this to fellow dead human shows barbaric act as human is blessed with vichar and intent..intent of aghoris matter and varies..that what makes it slippery slope..by just saying its dead coprse or offering as parsad is not justification...its huge disrespect to dead..first of all its not natural..second I am not giving my dead family member body to aghoris hoping their practise is purely ritualistic but it turns out to be somewhere along the line this would feed their tamoguni hunger..and I am sure family of those dead bodies feel the same if they are told that body is one of their family one..while we are at it let's get one of dead bodies aghoris family and let them eat it and see if they attachment or not or treat them parsad..this is no way to do sadhana..they are on thin ice..either they will become what they are intended to become or they will become demonic rakshash...there is no middle ground for them..there is no second chance as compare to gurmat.

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It would be wise to reflect on N30 SIngh's words. Aghora is not something that can be learned or understood from books, it is best not to even talk about it. Also for every true sadhu there are a 1000 false ones, can you imagine a psychotic person would be able to fulfill all his psychotic desires by pretending to be an Aghori.

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Barrett (2008: p. 161) discusses the 'charnel ground sadhana' (Sanskrit: shmashān sādhanā) of the 'Aghora' (Sanskrit; Devanagari: अघोर)[7] in both its left and right-handed proclivites and identifies it as principally cutting through attachments and aversion and foregrounding primordiality, a view uncultured, undomesticated:

"The gurus and disciples of Aghor believe their state to be primordial and universal. They believe that all human beings are natural-born Aghori. Hari Baba has said on several occasions that human babies of all societies are without discrimination, that they will play as much in their own filth as with the toys around them. Children become progressively discriminating as they grow older and learn the culturally specific attachments and aversions of their parents. Children become increasingly aware of their mortality as they bump their heads and fall to the ground. They come to fear their mortality and then palliate this fear by finding ways to deny it altogether. In this sense, Aghor sādhanā is a process of unlearning deeply internalized cultural models. When this sādhanā takes the form of shmashān sādhanā, the Aghori faces death as a very young child, simultaneously meditating on the totality of life at its two extremes. This ideal example serves as a prototype for other Aghor practices, both left and right, in ritual and in daily life."[8]

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Regarding cannibalism

Cannibalism

The Aghoris distinguish themselves from other Hindu sects and priests by their alcoholic and cannibalistic rituals (see necro-cannibalism). The corpses, which may be either pulled from a river [including Ganges] or obtained from cremation grounds, are consumed both raw and cooked on open flame, as the Aghoris believe that what others consider a "dead man" is, in fact, nothing but a natural matter devoid of the life force it once contained. Therefore while for ordinary folks cannibalism may be seen as primitive, barbaric as well as unclean, for aghoris it is being both resourceful and subverting the common stereotypes placed on such taboos into a spiritual ascertainment that indeed nothing is profane nor separate from God, who is hailed to be all and in all. In fact, the Aghoris see it as a scientific approach in trying to discover how matter converts from one form to another.[9]

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either they will become what they are intended to become or they will become demonic rakshash...there is no middle ground for them..there is no second chance as compare to gurmat.

They are fully aware of this pitfall of their path but are willing to take the risk for swift spiritual advancement. There aren't any safeguards in place: pashus who take up Aghora for the wrong reasons will destroy themselves; those who do not have the total commitment that Aghora requires to see everything as Shivaprasad will be destroyed: it's an extreme path. As such, any Aghori who cannot eat his own family members without any sense of distinction between their flesh, animal meat, fruit, or faeces is no real Aghori.

For what it is worth, the Aghora path requires at least 12 years of increasingly intense sadhanas, and it is only when the Aghora shish has reached a certain stage in his development that his guru gives him permission to practice corpse eating. Also, while some of them stay as wandering ascetics, many are given the job of returning to the community to use their siddhis to heal the sick and undo black magic, e.g. see the Aghori's guru in the documentary above (another example is Aghoreshwar Bhagwan Ramji who is the subject of a book called Oasis of Stillness). By this point many of them have approached a more Sattvic approach through their Tamoguni experience and sadhanas.

Anyway, I'm not suggesting that anyone here takes up the Aghora Panth - I believe it is more likely to cause spiritual casualties rather than spiritual adepthood in the vast majority of people - but for those who follow that path, it just as valid as any of the more acceptable vaishnavite sattvic styles of sadhana.

Regards,

K.

Edited by Kaljug
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Is this 'aghori panth' an oral tradition or do they have scriptures? what scriptures do they follow to learn about these disciplines?

It's primarily an oral tradition - it's certainly nothing that can be learned from books. This tradition more than most others needs the guru-shish relationship with someone who has survived the strains of Aghor sadhanas.

They are supposedly related to the Kapalika order so they study the same Tantras as them. I don't know of any real Aghora texts in Sanskrit/Hindi. There are a few books entitled Aghora Tantra in various Indian languages, but they are mostly just full of prayogs to gain material things using mantras and yantras.

Robert Svoboda wrote a trilogy of books called Aghora in English (you can find them online in pdf format for free) about his experiences with an Aghori guru. They are interesting reads, but it's sometimes impossible to determine where biography turns into fantasy fiction.

Here's his webpage:

http://www.drsvoboda.com/books2.htm

K.

Edited by Kaljug
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What is gurmats view on them? It sounds like the aim is the same, however the approach is different.

I saw a picture yesterday of an aghori sadhu sticking his face into a cows rear while it takes a dump on him.. that was quite nasty

Edited by amardeep
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