Agamas

Agama is from the root "gam" which means to come. Sruti, the eternal word, is of two forms - Nigama (Veda) and Agama. Origin of portions of Agamas could be traced to the Vedic literature, and are regarded by those like Vyasa. Veda is said to be Prabhu-sammitam (The Kinglike Authority), and Agama could be called Aptavakya (dear one's word). Narada Pancaratra, a Vaishnava Agama, could be traced back to the Santi Parva of Mahabharata. Agamas extensively contain samputikaranas and many of the mantras used could be found in the Veda.

Agamas, like the Veda, have come down through Guru-Sishya parampara, as an oral tradition.

Agamas are regarded Vedic, and Agamas regard themselves Vedic. Many mantras in the Agamas are found in the Veda. We find many Vedic mantras put into various combinations (samputikaranas) in these Tantras. Example: Vana Durga chapters in Rudra Yamala Tantra use the mantras of Durga Sukta for most of the sequences. Durga Sukta is found in Taittiriya Aranyaka, which again is a collection of Riks scattered in different places in the Samhita. Many of the procedures for rituals too, acould be directly found in Kalpa Sutras. Example: Mantras of rituals for Pratistha in Vaikhanasa Agamas could be traced directly to Vaikhanasa Kalpasutras.

Contents of Agamas

Agamas are said to contain Tantra, Mantra and Yantra.

Mantra is the word-form of energy. It is the means/basis for both Yantra and Tantra.

Yantra: Yantra is basically a contrivance, charged with the power of a mantra. It could be a geometric shape as in case of devata yantra or just any instrument as in case of an astra. It is the tool. The nature of Yantra depends on its purpose sought to be served.

Each devata is said to have a Yantra, a specific geometric shape that represents the nature of energy of the devata. For temporary purposes and worshipping, it could be drawn on clean floor with turmeric or some other powder, or for installations it could be carved on metal plates. The Yantra is worshipped and charged with corresponding mantra. It is treated to be devata, and is worshipped the way devata is worshipped. More specifically, Yantra represents the entire vicinity, including the deity's consorts, associated persons, powers etc. So the worship is an elaborate ritual consisting of propitiation of each of those.

There are variations in the Yantra of a devata, when used for different purposes.

Tantra: Tantra is a procedure, which puts mantra to specific use. It is the method as well as philosophy (Tatva-Mantra samanvaya). It elaborates procedures that a sadhaka should follow, and the results of each practice. Thus Tantra is the superset and is therefore synonymous to Agama.
There are three divisions in Tantra, dakshina vama and madhyama. They are said to be the satwic, rajasic and tamasic forms of Tantra respectively. Dakshinacara prescribes practices of mind. Vamacara involves physical codes and practices to vitalize energy centers in the body. The panca makaras, matsya, mamsa, maithuna, madya and mudra are also practiced in some vamacara Tantras.

Thus mantra, Yantra and Tantra are not exclusive; they are interconnected. Mantra is the energy. Yantras are geometric shapes that define the workings of various kinds of energies. Tantra deals with the philosophy and methods. However, both Yantra and Tantra use Mantras. Tantra involves methods and practices through which the practitioner uses the energy to serve a purpose, while Yantra uses tools/shapes that are charged by the power of mantra.

Thus, Agamas are procedures for serving various purposes, along with means and methods.

Agamas expound a variety of subjects and could be called the guides to a huge range of Hindu practices. They contain
 Manuals for worship
 Methods for salvation, Yoga
 Devata, Yantra
 Prayogas using various mantras
 Temple Building, Town planning
 Iconometry
 Domestic practices and civil codes
 Social/Public festivals
 Holy Places
 Elements of Universe, Creation and Dissolution
 Philosophies (Tatvas)
 Worlds
 Austerities
and many other interrelated subjects.

Each Agamas contains four parts or padas into which these subjects are classified -
1. Jnana - Knowledge
2. Yoga - Meditation methods etc
3. Kriya - Rituals
4. Carya - Moral codes etc

Agamas are primarily used by three religions - Vaishnava, Saiva and Sakta.

Vaishnava Agamas

The Vaishnava Agamas regard Vishnu as the supreme Godhead. They are said to have come from the mouth of Vishnu Himself. There are hundreds of Vaishnava Agamas. Boradly they could be classified as Panacratra and Vaikhanasa. Pancaratra, as the name suggests, involve a five-fold ritual schedule. There are about 200-225 Pancaratra texts. Vaikhanasa agamas are taught by Vikhana to his disciples like Marichi and Bhrigu.

A few Vaishnava Agamas: Isvara, Ahirbudhnya, Narada, Hayasirsha, Paushkara, Satvata, Jnanamrita sara.

Saiva Agamas

Saiva Agamas hold Siva as the supreme Godhead. There are 28 Saiva Agamas and they could be classified into two classes: 10 Siva bheda and 18 Rudra bheda Agamas. Further, the 28 are classified into four classes: Kapala, Kalamukha, Pasupata, Saiva. The last kind (Saiva) is further classified into two subclasses - Kasmira Saiva and Siddhanta Saiva. Kasmira Saiva is in vogue in the North and Siddhanta Saiva in South India. Each Saiva Agama has supplements/additional fragments called Upa-Agamas.

A few Saiva Agamas to mention: Kamika, Vira, Parameswara, Swayambhuva.

Sakta Agamas

Sakta Agamas hold Sakti as the supreme Godhead. These Tantras are of two kinds, Vama and Dakshina. There are said to be 64 Sakta Agamas, but the number could be much more. Many of these are in the form of Siva-Sakti conversations.

A few Sakta Agamas to mention: Kularnava, Rudra Yamala, Brahma Yamala, Vishnu Yamala, Maha Nirvana.

Tantras and Vedas

Certain Tantric practices, esp. extreme side of vamavara Tantra however, are in direct contradiction to some of the Vedic literature (Kalpa Sutras, esp. Grihya and Dharma Sutras, as well as smritis like Manusmriti).

However, it is not the mantras that differentiate. The methods used the practices that supplement, the spirit in which they are practiced and the purpose of those practices determines whether a Tantric practice is in accordance with the smritis. Some Tantras are just Vedic. Some have elements and practices that are not supported by the Vedic literature, but are not against Vedic spirit. Some contain practices that are not condemned by Veda but are not practiced in a way that following Vedic literature (esp. Vedanga kalpa) prescribes. Some contain practices that not in accordance with smritis, in varying degrees.

For example, vamacara Tantras prescribe five makaras, which are five practices like eating meat and sexual union. While smritis do not prohibit these per se, what differentiates vamacara Tantras from smriti-prescribed practices and make them "unvedic", is the purpose and context of those practices. The Vedic literature gives utmost importance to brahmacarya. Sexual union is allowed only for a grhastha and that too, the primary purpose is said to be begetting children. Even a grhastha is advised to abstain on specified days (nindyas and parvas) and is said to derive the merit of brahmacarya by that (Manu 3.50, 2.176-181, 6.26). Prajanana (procreation) is to be seen as a yajna. By contrast in vamacara Tantra, sexual union is a method, is an element of spiritual practice/sadhana. Procreation is not the purpose here. So sexual union, as done in vamacara Tantra is against the spirit of smritis. It is the same with other practices. Meat is to be taken only as the fruit of yajna, according to Vedic prescriptions, while they are methods/elements of sadhana in vamacara Tantra. Alcohol is not prescribed by smritis either (Manu 3.159). Thus, it is not necessarily a practice; it is its context and purpose that differentiates.

This said, it should be noted that extreme practices in Tantra such as sitting with corpses, are really not the core of Tantra. Tantra is basically philosophy of spiritual practice, and does not have a negative connotation as such. This is evident from the fact that the word Tantra is used in many places like Sankhya Karikas (70), Sankarsha Kanda, a supplement to Karma Mimamsa (1.1.3) and also by men like Adi Sankara (he calls Sankhya a Tantra). In all these places, Tantra is used as a general word for method/philosophy rather than as something undesirable. The bulk of Tantra deals with varied subjects, and contains sublime spiritual philosophy that is found in all other literature/schools of Hinduism. It also contains many spiritual practices like japa, homa, arcana, encapsulated into various sets of procedures. Entire science of temple, its practices, construction, rules are from these, and are in no contradiction to the Vedic spirit. In fact, the practices that were ill-suited to times were improvised with alternate forms of worship in these texts.

Present day Hinduism

In the present form of Hinduism, we should say that there are no elements in the mainstream and temple worship that are far from Vedic. There was a time when many unvedic practices were prevalent and it was really tough to differentiate, but great reformers like Adi Sankara have reformed the system and expelled many practices from the mainstream Hinduism that are either totally unvedic in spirit or are not condemned by the Veda but do not suit the times. Men like him toured Bharata varsha and pacified Sakti worshipped in almost every famous temple that was there, and made those places for Vedic forms of worship. Many practices like Kapalika and tamasic forms of Sakta were prevalent and many of them were marginalized by Adi Sankara. There were also many practices that were not strictly prohibited by the Veda, such as jantu bali in the temples. These too, were eliminated to suit the spirit of changing times. At the same time, Tantra as such was not downplayed - for Sankara himself had great knowledge of Tantra. Only the undesirable practices were removed. They do exist today, but are found mostly outside the mainstream. The temple practices especially, are refined and reformed to a great extent and do not contain any of the extreme practices that go against Vedic spirit.