[Advaita-l] Tantrik acts

[Venkatesh Murthy]

On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 2:40 PM, Srikanta Narayanaswami
<srikanta.narayanaswami at yahoo.com> wrote:
> With reference to the discussion  of the above topic,there are certain Tantrik
> acts which are mentioned,to say the least "despicable".These 'Tantrik acts"might
> have been practiced by the so called "Tantriks"in the olden days.This is called
> "Vamachara Marga"or the "Kaula Marga".When I visited the famous Lord Jagannath
> temple in Puri,Orissa,I saw some of the erotic sculptures which illustrate the
> 'Tantrik"acts
> which were prevalent in the 11th-12 th century AD.This temple is said to have
> been built by Chodagangadeva in the 12 th century.There is a Goddess called
> Nirmala devi,to whom the worship is done by Tantrik rites.In one day of the
> Navarathri,the Goddess is offered food in the form of cooked fish.
> It is said that in this temple,all the five Tantrik rituals like
> Madhya,mamsa,matsya,madira and maithuna were practiced.It is said that the
> madira was offered instead of tirtha in the olden days.There are only charlatans
> who masquerade in the name of Tantriks,Sri.Shankara Bhagawathpada strived hard
> to stop these Tantrik rituals.In his Bhashya on the Soundaryalahari he says that
> these rituals are "Veda bahira",which is prohibited by the Vedas.
>

There are many temples with erotic sculptures from Kama Sutra.  The
temples were used for entertainment also not only for religious
activities. In some books  sculptures are advertisements of Devadasis
in temples

Kindly give the reference where Adi Sankara has written against
Tantric rituals. There is a incident in Sankara Digvijaya on the
meeting with Ugra Bhairava.  But where is he talking against Tantras?

Regards

-Venkatesh