Women in Tantra
The tantra, a path of esotericism emerged against the orthodox Hindu society governed by Dharmaśāstras which had numerous rules oppressing women.
Tantra was the product which emerged from this oppression. It went against societal taboos like menstruation. Lets see the verses on women. The tantras quoted here are the ones which were practiced by Vāmācārins (the followers of left-hand path in tantra).
The upcoming verses are from Tantraloka, the magnum opus of Śrī Abhinavagupta, a great Trika master.
Those women who do not observe any rule of conduct, eat everything they get, are indiscriminate between propriety and impropriety, are wayward, meat eaters and deceptive need to be honored as gods. Prostitutes are respectable. Their abodes are like sacrificial homes. One should not do anything which may give rise to hatred towards them. One should not look towards them if anyone of them were happen to have been naked nor even if her breast were emergent. An old woman happening to have bent down as a ring should not be made an object of disdain. (15.554–556)
It has been observed in the text known as Ratnamālā in the deliberation between Lord Siva and Parvati that woman stands for power on whose destruction the killer is destined to be dashed down for ever to the hell since he has transgressed the code of conduct of ethics. It has also been pointed out there in that text that the punishment for killing women born of honorable families is to meet the edge of the axe known as duṣṭa kartarī, killer of the criminal, as has been indicated as the form of the punishment of those who have violated the code of conduct of the system. (28.419)
The upcoming verse also destroys casteism,
The characteristic quality of śakti (the woman) is to cherish the sense of her
oneness with her husband. The worshipper should choose only such an associate
of him (in the sacrifice of life) without caring for her caste, etc. (29.100)Again, the first night of Mārgaśīṣa, two midnights, five mid-days, beginning
day of Śrāvaṇa), a mid-day of Bhadrapada and the full-moon day of the month
of Pauṣa are especially sacred. On these days, daughters of the lowest
castes, harlots, lovely messengers (duti) who are knowers of the essence also deserve worship on these occasions elaborately as well as briefly in the same order from the beginning up to the end of the sacrifice.(28.39)
Now we come to the Kulacūdāmaṇī tantra(used by the followers of Kaulācāra),
the Sudra woman is the ornament of kula(3.16)
An old caste woman, or even one without caste — these make the
most excellent kulas. They are to be worshipped by all the excellent kulas who have given up their egoism.(3.50)If he does not do the Pūjā of a woman then he is beset by
obstacles…..(3.55)the women of all castes are to be honoured whether purified
or unpurified, or even of low caste..(3.58)At the time of pūjā a low-caste woman or else his own wife is
earnestly to be worshipped (3.64–65)
We now come to the famous Mahānirvāṇa tantra,
Every woman is Thy image–Thou reside concealed in the forms of all women in this world. That woman who in her delusion ascends the funeral pyre of her lord shall go to hell(10.148)
The above verse clearly condemns the “Sati” practice.
The punishment of those wicked men who have unnatural intercourse with a woman is death; this is the injunction of Shambhu (11.44)
A man who ravishes a woman, even if she be the wife of a Canḍāla, should be punished by death, and should never be pardoned (11.45)
The above verses condemn rape .
That low Kaula who refuses to initiate a Canḍāla or a Yavana into the Kula-Dharma, considering them to be inferior, or a woman out of disrespect for her, goes the downward way (14.187)
Now concluding the article by presenting some more verses from several other tantras,
Worship carefully a woman or a maiden as she is Shakti, sheltered by the Kulas. One should never speak harshly to maidens or women. (Kaulajñānanirṇya, Patala 23)
One should worship one’s mother and sister —
So, too, one’s daughter or a female relative,
A brahmin or a kṣatriya woman,
Or one from the vaiśya or śūdra caste,An artiste, a washerwoman, a musician,
Or an outcaste. These women should be worshipedThrough the ritual procedure of skillful means and insight
By one who is devoted to the truth(Samputobhavasarva Tantra 1.42–43)
Apart from worshiping women,
There can be no other worship of me.
By this propitiation, I will be satisfied
For the sake of the practitioner’s accomplishment(Candrasammohana Tantra 8.22)
So the conclusion of this article is that Woman is the most venerated being in the realm of tantra
