218 SKETCH OF THE 



name of Tantra, in the sense of a religious text book, does not occur in 

 the vocabulary of Amera Sinha. It may therefore be inferred, that the 

 system originated at some period in the early centuries of Christianity, 

 being founded on the previous worship of the female principle, and the 

 practices of the Yoga with the Mantras, or mystical formulas of the Vedas. 

 It is equally certain that the observances of the Tantras have been car- 

 ried to more exceptionable extremes in comparatively modern times, and 

 that many of the works themselves are of recent composition. They ap- 

 pear also to have been written chiefly in Bengal and the Eastern districts, 

 many of them being unknown in the West and South of India, and the 

 rites they teach having there failed to set aside the ceremonies of the 

 Vedas, although they are not without an important influence upon the 

 belief and the practices of the people. 



The Tantras are too numerous to admit in this place of their spe- 

 cification, but the principal are the Sydma Rahasya, Rudra Ydmala, 

 Mantra Mahodadhi, Sdreda TUeka, and Kdlikd Tantra, whilst the Kula- 

 churdmani, Kuldrnava, and similar works, are the chief authorities of one 

 portion of the SdMas, the sect being divided into two leading branches, 

 the Dakshindcharis and Vamdcharis, or followers of the right hand and 

 left hand ritual. 



DAKSHINAS, OR BHAKTAS. 



When the worship of any goddess is performed in a public manner, 

 and agreeably to the Vaidik or Paurdnik ritual,* it does not comprehend 



* The peculiarities of this sect are described in the Dakshindchara Tantra Raja, a modern 

 summary of the system by Kdsindth : according to this authority — 



-J 



The ritual declared in the Tantras of the Dahshin&ch&ras, is pure, and conformable to the 

 Vedas" 



