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Background

From a very young age, Bhagavan Shanmukha learned the spiritual science of Śaivism from his grandparents, who were devout practitioners. His grandfather, especially, was involved in the study of Śaiva Tantras. As a couple, Bhagavan Shanmukha's grandparents lived every moment of their life as right-hand (Dakṣiṇa Marga) Tantrics. They never missed even a day of consecrating the Divinities in their personal shrine. This shrine itself was almost a temple. It is there that Bhagavan Shanmukha learned the Vedic sciences, i.e. the Āgamas and Tantras, from his grandfather. Every morning started with a sojourn to the shrine, then a visit to his grandparents' vast cowshed. Growing up in this backdrop, it is easy to see why learning tantra from him is such a rich experience.

As an adult, Bhagavan Shanmukha learnt the left-hand path (Vāma Marga) from a traditional Śaiva Gurumayi from Northeastern India initiated under the name Shri Ma Chandramathi Shivadasini Sharma.

In the early sixties and seventies, Tantra was seen as sorcery even by Indians. India had been colonized for over three hundred years and Victorian English prudery was taught in the schools and wholeheartedly embraced by the majority of India. Thus, Shri Ma Gurumayi lived a secluded life and did not teach Tantra.

When Bhagavan Shanmukha approached her to learn the left-hand or Vāma Marga way of Tantra, she initially hesitated but accepted after a few months, as she realized the seriousness of his intention and that he had an in-depth understanding of the science from his grandparents and was only lacking the left-hand or the Vāma Tantra aspect. She taught him the rituals and sexual aspects of Tantra.

She initiated him as an ācārya of the Shiva-Shakta tradition and with the title of Bhagavan. To hold this title one must be educated and initiated in the Veda, and therefore, in the various Āgamas: Kashmiri Śaivism, also known as Trika or correctly Uttara Śaivism, Dakṣiṇa Śaivism, and also Tamil Śaivism. Bhagavan is also learned in the Lingāyat or Jangama ideology—the Śaivism of Karnataka state in India. This means that he is educated in the Veda and therefore aware of various interpretations such as Āgamas and Tantras i.e. Kula, Kaula, Mata, and Krama. In short, he is well versed with the traditional reading of the Veda and this includes also Vaiṣṇavism, Krṣṇaism and Buddhism. He also understands and practices the Pāśupata rituals. Bhagavan Shanmukha is fluent in Sanskrit, Tamil, Hindi and English languages as well as a few other non-Indian languages. The title Bhagavan is synonymous with the termSarvadarśana ācārya: an ācārya whose initiation takes him to understand the whole science. (excerpt from www.shrikali.org)

Ācārya Bhagavan Shanmukha Anantha Natha

Ācārya Bhagavan Shanmukha Anantha Natha is a traditionally educated, initiated Śaiva Āgama teacher with forty

years of teaching experience.

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