Saktism and the Tantras which teach it are generally condemned by Hindus of other sects.[709] It is arguable that this condemnation is unjust, for like other forms of Hinduism the Tantras make the liberation of the soul their object and prescribe a life of religious observances including asceticism and meditation, after which the adept becomes released even in this life.  But however much new tantric literature may be made accessible in future, I doubt if impartial criticism will come to any opinion except that Saktism and Tantrism collect and emphasize what is superficial, trivial and even bad in Indian religion, omitting or neglecting its higher sides.  If for instance the Mahanirvana Tantra which is a good specimen of these works be compared with Sankara’s commentary on the Vedanta Sutras, or the poems of Tulsi Das, it will be seen that it is woefully deficient in the excellences of either.  But many tantric treatises are chiefly concerned with charms, spells, amulets and other magical methods of obtaining wealth, causing or averting disease and destroying enemies, processes which even if efficacious have nothing to do with the better side of religion.[710]

The religious life prescribed in the Tantras[711] commences with initiation and requires the supervision of the Guru.  The object of it is Siddhi or success, the highest form of which is spiritual perfection. Siddhi is produced by Sadhana, or that method of training the physical and psychic faculties which realizes their potentialities.  Tantric training assumes a certain constitution of the universe and the repetition in miniature of this constitution in the human body which contains various nervous centres and subtle channels for the passage of energy unknown to vulgar anatomy.  Thus the Sakti who pervades the universe is also present in the body as Kundalini, a serpentine coil of energy, and it is part of Sadhana to arouse this energy and make it mount from the lower to the higher centres.  Kundalini is also present in sounds and in letters.  Hence if different parts of the body are touched to the accompaniment of appropriate mantras (which rite is called nyasa) the various Saktis are made to dwell in the human frame in suitable positions.

The Tantras recognize that human beings are not equal and that codes and rituals must vary according to temperament and capacity.  Three conditions of men, called the animal, heroic and divine,[712] are often mentioned and are said to characterize three periods of life—­youth, manhood and age, or three classes of mankind, non-tantrists, ordinary tantrists, and adepts.  These three conditions clearly correspond to the three Gunas.  Also men, or rather Hindus, belong to one of seven groups, or stages, according to the religious practices which it is best for them to follow.  Saktists apparently demur[713] to the statement commonly made by Indians as well as by Europeans that they are divided into two sects the Dakshinacarins, or right-hand worshippers,