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TANTRA
shout of joy, "Anandamayī!” and the company saw him-as they had beheld him many times before-pass abruptly from normal consciousness to the trance state of divine absorption (samādhi). He remained abstracted for some time, but presently moved, and soon was back again, vivaciously participating in the conversation.46
One of his "youngsters" had inquired, on a former occasion: "Isn't it true that the Tantra prescribes spiritual discipline in the company of women?"
"That," the Master had replied, "is not desirable. It is a very difficult path and often causes the aspirant's downfall. There are three such kinds of discipline. One may regard woman as one's mistress or look on oneself as her handmaid, or as her child. I look on woman as my mother. To look on oneself as her handmaid is also good; but it is extremely difficult to practice spiritual discipline looking on woman as one's mistress. To regard oneself as her child is a very pure attitude." 47
And on another occasion: "Sakti alone is the root of the universe. That Primal Energy has two aspects: vidya and avidyā. Avidya deludes. Avidyā conjures up 'woman and gold,' which casts the spell. Vidya begets devotion, kindness, wisdom, and love, which lead one to God. This avidyā must be propitiated, and that is the purpose of the rites of Sakti worship.
"The devotce assumes various attitudes toward Sakti in order to propitiate Her: the attitude of a handmaid, a 'hero,' or a child. A hero's attitude is to please Her even as a man pleases a woman through intercourse.
"The worship of Sakti is extremely difficult. It is no joke. I passed two years as the handmaid and companion of the Divine Mother. But my natural attitude has always been that of a child toward its mother. I regard the breasts of any woman as those
48 The Gospel of Sri Rāmakrishna, p. 682. 47 Ib., p. 123.
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