Shamanism and Tantra in Nepal

p. 12 parts of phur-ba

aspect

world

dharma

upper (Akas`a)

karman

middle (Dharti)

s`akti

underworld (Patala)

p. 13 world-eras

era

metal of era

Bauddha alignment

symbol

Kr.ta

gold

Dharma

 

Treta

silver

Maha-yana

OM

Dvapara

bronze

Hina-yana

kartika

Kali

iron

Vajra-yana

vajra

p. 27, fn. 37 Kirati heptads of sacred plants

flowers

trees

grains

suna-bun

kaulo

sampitc^a (millet)

suna-kari

amli-sau

arawua (rice)

amla-bun

gungurun

uwah (wheat)

mitsili-bun

pathe khasuro

junelo

tara-bun

titepati

kokolakma (maize)

bhobunb

payun

bunku

c^i bun

subi yara

geau jau (barley)

p. 43 the 3 beast-effigies for the khadgo kumpa;

p. 47 yantra of 5 * 5 containing the 3 beast-effigies

p. 43 effigy of __

p. 43 is fashioned from __

p. 47 numerics

p. 47 meaning of numerics

elephant

banana bush

13

fn. 60 finding

sheep

pomelo fruit

17

fn. 61 cleansing

goat

eggplant

15

fn. 62 harmony

p. 43 fn. 51 [Kirati] khadgo kumpa = [Taman] kharko-thaba = [Nepali] kharko-thaba

p. 43 pigment-substances for the khadgo kumpa

pigment

significance

liquid

activity

white rice-powder

earth [cf. Sa-skya]

milk

peace

red tika

rainbow

blood

war

black

s`aligrama (ammonite-fossil)

   

p. 44 clockwise sequence of the 8 plant-bundles (& alternatives) for the khadgo kumpa

common name

Nepalese name

Latin name

part used

mugwort

tite-pati

Artemisia vulgaris

herbage

high-altitude rhododendron

kaulo

Persea gambleia / odoratissima

leaves

alpine rose

sun pati

Rhododendron lepidotum

flowers

saffron

kum kum pati

Crocus sativus / Didymocarpus albicalyx

entire

 

bhairunga pati

Potentilla fructicosa

flowers & leaves

 

payun pati

Prunus cerasoides

bark & leaves

 

salu pati

Shorea robusta

resin

 

lalu pati

Euphorbia pulcherrima

leaves

p. 44 ritual implements for the khadgo kumpa

direction around yantra

implement

significance

south

oil-lamp

light for steps

north

tri-s`ula "trident"

power

east

kalas`a / bumba "vase"

Gan.a-is`a

west

dhupauro "incense-bowl"

[wife of Gan.a-is`a]

southeast

sickle (used by shamanka, fn. 59)

to cut "threads of fate" {cf. Moira A-tropos}

southwest

khukuri "machete"

 

northeast

"sun"

 

northwest

"moon"

 

p. 52 bat (cheiroptera)

language

term

literal meaning

Taman

phanan

medicine bird

Newari

c^ikan papc^a

oil butterfly

Nepali

c^amera

 

p. 57 worlds

world

specifics

dealings in visits by Jhankri

middle (Dharti)

similes:- crab; boat carried by birds; "fingerprint viewed from above"

effects of emotions: friendship, love; hatred, jealousy, ignorance

underworld (Patala)

origins of disease

recover "stolen parts of the soul"

upper (Akas`a): 3 realms --

1st Yama-loka, ruled by Yama-raj & his consort Yama-rani

assist souls of the dead

 

2nd Indra-loka, where is the soma-kettle of the moon

control "forces of nature": rain, sunshine

 

3rd Deva-loka, most distant: abode of (p. 58) Bhuta-s & animal-spirits

p. 58 ameliorate fortune by "severing the threads of fate"

{cf. Navaho fingerprint-whorl for whirlwinds (emotions) in body}

p. 60 protective deities in the cardinal directions

direction

protective

south

flame wall {cf. that surrounding Val-kyrja}

north

Garud.a

east

Bhairava

west

Kali the wife of Bhairava

the 7 Bhairava-s

p. 74, fn. 80 __ Bhairava

p. 89 Bhairava

p. 89 location

1. black Kala

2. Kala (black)

2. earth

2. red T.ika

3. T.ika ("mark on forehead" [tilaka])

3. south

3. ochre Vagha [animal]

4. Siddhi ["success"]

4. east

4. white Seto [setu "bridge (made of rock)"]

6. Sankat.ha (guardian) [kat.ha "rock"]

6. west

5. deep-blue Akas`a

1. Akas`a

1. sky

6. dark-blue Patala "underworld"

5. Vathura (beggar) [vathula "crazy, fanatic"]

5. underworld

7. light-blue Nilo

7. Maha-kala

7. north

p. 90 the 7 -Kali sistren

ord.#

sister

character

location

1.

Rakta- (a stone)

bloodthirsty

north

2.

Daks.ina- ["fee"]

black

south

3.

Mahan[ta]-

great

east

4.

Bhadra-

solemn

west

5.

Sita- / S`veta- "white"

truth

Akas`a

6.

S`itala- / Sva-Bhagamati (a river)

waters

Patala

7.

Vana-

forest

Dharti

p. 109 the 8 snake-deities

Naga-raja

king

Naga-rani

queen

Vasuki

prime minister

Kali

black

Seti

milk-white

S`es.a

peace-bringing

S`es.a

peace-bringing female

Karkat

nourishing female

pp. 115-117 the 7 cakra-s

page

ord.#

cakra

meaning

location

function

115-116

1st

S`ankha

snail

 

conch-blowing; Gan.a-is`a at threshhold; mulaka-radish

116

2nd

Gadha

["standing-ground (in water)"]

genitals

detoxification

 

3rd

Cakra

discus

navel

protection from dangers

117

4th

Padma

red waterlily

heart

relationship to environment

 

5th

Catur-bhuja

4-armed

throat

shamans leave body & project-travel

 

6th

Tri-s`ula

trident

3rd eye

past, praesent, future: tri-murti

 

7th

Sahastrasir

 

crown

spirit-world

{Gadha would be controlled by Tirthan-kara ("ford-maker")}

p. 116 vosala = wasala, a mythic hybrid creature (composite animal) of the mundum

its body-part __

is of animal __

head

horned garud.a, crossed with nil-gai ("blue ox") antelope

body

tiger

wings

eagle

tail

peacock

p. 125 Bhuta-s

name

appearance

to whom visible

cause of death

effect on the living

Ranke

sparkling light

all

 

luck

Thangre

tattered

shamans

avalanche

loss of energy

Dobate

crawling baby at crossroads

shamans

miscarriage

unco-ordinated

Mudkatta

headless, with eyen on their shoulders

shamans

decapitation

nausea

C^hounda

long-legged

shamans

suicide

insomnia

Madre

rolling a raffia mat at dawn or dusk

shamans

funeral not completed

confusion

Mirmire

at dawn, in or nigh house

shamans

bed-ridden

back- & neck-pain

Sangare

on threshhold at dawn

shamans

drowned

loss of appetite

Jhumre

as rolling ball of fabric

all

miser

wealth

p. 127 Graha-s (planets)

vara ("day")

meaning

planet

meaning

body-part

S`ani

Saturday

Sapta R.s.ayah.

Saturn

legs

Aita

Sunday

S`ani-s.ar

Mercury

head

Soma

Monday

Surya

Venus

thorax

Mangala

Tuesday

Bhama

Earth

stomach, intestines

Budha

Wednesday

Bhargo-tara

Mars

genitals

Vihi

Thursday

Br.haspati-tara

Jupiter

joints on right

S`ukra

Friday

S`ukra-tara

"Uranus"

joints on left

{this is a rather aberrant correlation-listing!}

p. 127 planetary deities

deity

influence on persons

temperament

p. 182 variant sequence: going counter-clockwise, starting at north

Rahu

stealeth money & health

evil

1. Rahu

Ketu

bringeth disease

evil

2. Ketu

S`ani

maketh one fearful

evil

8. Sanu

Sankata

bringeth doubt

evil

9. Sankata

Ulka

bringeth surprises

ambivalent

6. "sickle"

Bhamari

bringeth depression

evil

7. "shaman"

Dhana

influenceth money

ambivalent

5. Dhana

Mangala

bringeth good

good

3. Mangala

Pingala

bringeth good & bad

ambivalent

4. Pingala

p. 183 direction toward "doctor" (shaman) is "a very bad sign"

curative herbs

page

herb

ailments cured

49 & 51

ganja (mari-juana)

depression, loss of appetite, forgetfulness, loss of sexual desire

99

vilva (wood apple)

dysentery

160

angeri

skin-diseases

 

aphim (opium)

snake-bites

161

vis-ma (monks'-hood)

fatigue

162

dhattura (thorn-apple)

insanity

168

dhodre

old age

177

fly-agaric

cuts or rips in tongue

204

[Kirati] yari = ginger

joint-pains; nausea

herbs named after, or derived form, animals

page

herb

animal

144-145

chili (Capsicum)

khursani "millipede"

161

blue monks’-hood (Aconitum) of the samudra-manthana

c^hora "Asian brown flycatcher" (Muscicapa dauurica)

164

spathe = Arisaema utile (cobra-lily)

cobra

166

mala mukhi (‘chain-flower’ [‘garland mouth’]), yellow-flowering = Caesalpinia decapetala

peafowl

 

nigalo = Arundinaria (high-altitude genus of bamboo-shoots)

"bears (balu)" {cf. bamboo-shoot-eating panda}

169

psychedelic mushrooms

"old buffalo horns"

170

[comic mushroom (divine chariot going to Dig Dipper constellation)

owl (not Nepali {is this Chinese?}]

 

[Chinese] lin-s^i ("mushroom of immortality") = Ganoderma lucidum

"artist's conch"

171

thokre (‘arrow-carrier’ {cf. [Saha-jiya] S`ara-ha / S`ara-uru-ha} Cordyceps sinensis {cf. [Hawai>ian] gigantic caterpillar alongside the road travelled by souls of the dead} (collected in Nepal largely for sale in China & in Korea)

caterpillar of the bat-moth ("the mushroom entirely fills up the body of the larvae, and stretches its red arrow-shaped head up out of the underworld.") ["The yaks seek them out during their rutting season in order to ingest them" (p. 172)]

173

buri[an] c^yau (‘crone’s mushroom’) Psathyrella canoleana

[Kirati] "eight-legged horse" {spider? crab?}

175

mushroom Omphalina ericetorum

[Nepalese] kaka "crow"

 

mushrooms Psythyrella, Hygrocybe, Inocybe

[Nepalese] kakhuti "raven"

 

polypore (puffball) Lactiporus sulphureus (also p. 170, fn. 187) { -- cf. sulphur (gakadhu) as incense of Roman goddess Venus, p. 143}

[Taman] knaga "chicken"

 

mushrooms Psilocybe

[Sherpa] phak "swine" {Buddha attained nir-vana by ingesting this}

175-176

dappled orange ("eye-opener", p. 176, fn. 198) mushroom Amanita muscaria (collected from birch-tree locales, p. 177)

fly ([Latin] musca = [Spanish] mosca) [agaric]

176

Amanita muscaria

"Even the tigers loves the amanitas."

177

"panther mushroom"

pan-ther ["all-beast": composite beast of Dio-nusos]

p. 166 shoots of ringal vams`a (ringal bamboo) are shewn by the balu ("bear") {in contrast to ordinary bamboo-shoots known to the panda}

p. 171cordyceps-mushroom (Cordyceps sinensis) groweth out of body of subterranean caterpillar of the bat-moth ([Chinese] bian-fu-e = Hepialus armoricanus: sought out by yaks during rutting-season similarly as truffles are sought out by swine, p. 172)

p. 211 orange-red-blossoming palas-tree (legume-tree Butea monosperma) originated from drops spilled by mythic parrot

fly-agaric numerics

p. 177 "Kirati shamans use the fly agaric not more than ten times per year ..." {the [10th Spirah ("number", in Qabbalah) being named Malkut "kingdom [of God, or of Heaven]"; so that

the frequent mention of "Kingdom of God" (in Mark) or "Kingdom of Heaven" (in Q[uellen], i.e. Matthew / Luke) by Jesus Christ would indicate his devotion to the "Lord of Flies", Be<el-zebub of the Philis^tines}

"rainbow"-herbs

p.

name

identification

147

indra-yani

Vitex negundo

 

indra-jow

Holarrhena pubescens

165

lac^e lahara

Spatholobus parviflorus

p. 165 "The ascending snake is the naga, the rainbow, the spiral tunnel through which the shamans travel to the heavens." {cf. [Radha Svamin] bank nal "crooked tunnel"}

psychedelic herbs which produce musical audio-hallucinations

p.

herb

music of __

163

ghan.t.i phul (henbane = Scopolia straminifolia)

bells

165

tripartite leaves of karkalo mane

a drum

167

dhodre phul ("goblet flower") = angels'-trumpet (Brugmansia)

trumpets

deities of psychedelic herbs

p.

herb

appurtenance

of deity __

157

bhanga (ganja = Cannabis indica)

siddhi

discovered by Parvati

161

Aconitum napellus

bow-string

Kama

162

blue monkshood

nila-kan.t.ha (‘blue throat’)

{Rudra}

162-3

dhattura (thornapple)

linga-m ("childless women rub their yoni on it")

Unmata Bhairava

163

hasana {‘laughter’} (nightshade = Cestrum nocturnum)

a-mr.ta {‘ambrosia’}

Gan.a-is`a {should be At.t.a-hasa ?}

165

lac^e lahara

"rainbow, the spiral tunnel through which the shamans travel"

Naga-s

166

[arum

rod

Mos^eh]

 

nigalo

"cut with the sickle" into 4 segments

{cf. sickle of Kronos}

167

bhuva natha haku (Hawaiian woodrose = Argyreia nervosa)

ocean -- samundra phul (‘oceanic fruit’, "can elicit an oceanic feeling.")

{chariot of Sagara ?}

169

soma ?

dhunga (‘axe’)

Indra

170

s`akti s`yamu / s`akti c^yau (‘power polypore / puffball’)

thread-cross "cosmic antenna" = [in C^ittagong] 4-spoked c^hata / thi (‘umbrella’)

{goddesses ?}

{/c^yau/ ‘mushroom’ may be derived from [the name of Vaidik r.s.i] /Cyavana/;

/s`yamu/ ‘mushroom’ may be taken from [the name of the mythic gem of the ursine god Jambavant] /s`yama/}

elimination of poisonous quality from otherwise poisonous hallucinogen

p.

poisonous when unpraepared

praeparation required in order to lose toxicity

164

root of gurubua

cooked with salt & timbur (Szechuan pepper = Zanthoxylum)

concerning the red berry-clusters of the cobra-lily

as illustrated on p. 164

<ibri^

Tehuacan (Puebla)

{these red berry-clusters of the cobralily are shaped like cobs of maize, on temple-friezes from southern India, and have sometime been so mis-identified by would-be discoverers of trans-Pacific contacts}

{the nah.as^ "serpent" (otherwise designated nh.us^-tan "serpent-dragon"), who induced H.awwah ("Eve") to proffer the "forbidden fruit" to >adam, must have been a cobra}

{likewise in Codex Borgia, p. 24, the smoke-exhaling "red" (meaning: "poisonous") serpent is wrapped about a maize-plant: to indicate the maize-cob-shaped berry of the cobra-lily}

[probably the redness of the cobralily hath been transferred to the snakes of that sort]

cobralily-berry is misidentified as maize in http://econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/maize.html

curative uses with mantra-m

page

usage

to cure __

by __

177

by S`yena (divine falcon)

[disease (p. 178)]

poe:try

180

linga-m mantra-m

arguments

mediation

 

mohani

hate

love

181

breathing-technique

pain

without analgesic drugs!

p. 181 (author:) pharmaceuticals are frauds, whereas shamanries are truly curative

p. 187 instrumentalities, for classes of religious practitioners

instrumentality

brahmana

jhankri

mantra-m

recitation of scripture

invocation

yantra-m

body-posture (bandha)

ritual tool-kit

tantra-m

name of person for whose sake the ritual is being performed

altar

p. 187 sequences relative to classes of religious practitioners

world

instrumentality

gubaju

brahmana

jhankri

upper (Akas`a)

mantra-m

2nd

3rd

1st

middle (Dharti)

yantra-m

3rd

1st

3rd

under- (Patala)

tantra-m

1st

2nd

2nd

{the gubaju sequence, in descending levels of importance, is that used in MesoAmerica: worlds of series in 9 (lower) + 13 (upper) + 7 (middle)}

p. 188 mudra-s

name

meaning

fingers used

Pavitra

purification

thumb & little-finger

S`anti

peace

thumb & index-finger

Angoti

uncetainty

thumbing

Puja

worship

thumb & ring-finger

Namas-kara

obeisance-making

palms together

T.ika

comment

touch forehead

p. 191 number-symbolism

#

meaning

0

Gan.a-is`a

1

bin.d.u

2

masculine & feminine

3

past, praesent, future

4

Vajra-yogini-s

5

dhatu-s (elements)

6

S`ri yantra

7

"seven tunnels which lead to the underworld"

8

surfaces/"houses" of the world-disk

9

"the ladder to the heavens"

10

death-c^inta

11

serious c^inta-s

12

12-tined antler

13

"the 13 sacred birds" {as in Bon}

15

peace & harmony

16

millet-balls (kodo)

17

cleansing in mundum

43

days of snake-burial for vertebrae-chains (p. 224)

48

48-year calendar-cycle

108

108 witches of "witches' conference"

360

360 days per year for animal-sacrifices

60,000

primordial history

five days per year "are dedicated to gods who do not accept bloodshed or sacrifices" {cf. [Aztec] 5 Nemontemi (intercalary) days per year; also Kemetian, etc.}

p. 224 the 43 days' burial of kun.d.alini-snake are vertically within a bamboo (as contrasted with burial of poisonous snake coiled saligrama-fashion for ganja, p. 114)

pp. 196-200 ritual implements

p.

implement

substance

concommitant

196

tri-s`ula (‘trident’)

copper

 
 

kalas`a / bumba (‘pitcher’)

 

peacock-feather; amrisau-grass

197

dalo (‘basket for rice’)

bamboo

 
 

kasethaal (‘plate for rice’)

brass

oil-lamp

200

dhupauro (‘bowl for incense’)

stone

decorated with makara or with salamander

210-1

khurpa / khurumbi (‘sickle’) (p. 210)

iron blade, deer-antler handle (p. 211)

"the ginger root divination" (p. 211)

p. 211 sickle-blade is forged by KAMi (‘blacksmith’) {cf. [Turkish] /KAM/ ‘shaman’}

pp. 200- 204 biotics : parts of animals and of plants used in ritual

p.

animal or plant

part

use

200

garud.a = great hornbill (Buceros bicornis)

beak; feet of female

mala (necklace)

201

porcupine (Hystrix indica)

quills

acupuncture

 

male luinche-bird

feathers

in bas / [Kirati] pohnhat (‘bamboo pipe’)

 

titepati = mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

 

on altar

201-2

amlisau / amriso (Thysandaena maxima)

 

against witches

202

[Nepali] rato phul (‘red flower’) / [Tamang] deu nigalo (‘divine bamboo’) = Lobelia pyramidis

 

[on altar (p. 202)]

 

worm-plant (Chenopodium ambrodioides)

   
 

kanika phul (‘fox-flower’) = elder (Sambucus canadensis)

flowers

on altar

 

banana-bush (Musa paradisiaca)

 

"world tree"

203

totalaka (Oroxylum indicum)

seeds

to mark the 4 directions

p. 205 prognostic signs of praeternatural lights seen by jhankri in s`ila-dhunga (quartz)

light

prognostic

green

curable

red ("red cross", p. 206)

incurable

flowing

cure, the "way out"

fluttering, flashing

pursued by witch

p. 225 plant-seeds for 108-bead necklaces

p.

plant

224

rudra-aks.a = Elaeocarpus sphaericus

225

rittha "soapnut" = Sapindus mukorossi

pp. 225-226 the 13 birds

Kirati name

common name

Latin name

danphe

black-headed tragopan

Tragopan melanocephalus

munal

Himalayan monal (9-colored pheasant, p. 234)

(Lophophorus impejanus, p. 234)

kalij

wild-chicken

Gallus sonneratii

mayura

peafowl

Pavo cristatus

luinc^e

chicken

Gallus gallus

mawa

small black riverine bird

Myiophoheus caeruleus

piura

wild dove

 

koel

[Indian canary]

Eudynamys scolopacea

dhanes`a (?)

great pied hornbill

Buceros bicornis

garud.a

   

besare

baj

Haliastur indus

jhiwa

 

Copsychus saularis

kag

raven / crow

Corvus

pp. 229-230 divinations

p.

divination

method

result

229

"With rice kernels,

the numbers determine the answer :

even (= yes) or

odd (= no).

 

With ginger,

the answer is dependent upon whether or not the piece that is cut off falls with the cut side facing

up (= yes), or

down (= no)."

230

"The egg

which has been cracked open ... shows the shaman whether or not he will be able to extract the disease".

 

p. 230 "the Dhami Jhankri is able to recognize ... seeds of disease ... in the patient, ... pulling them out of the patient. In order ... to pull negative energy out of his body, the jhankris stroke the patient’s body with the egg. This method can also be observed among the brujos in Central and South America".

p. 234 animal-spirits

tribe

animal

Cettri

monkey

Gurung

sheep

Kirati

snake; wolf

Magar

swine

Newar

duck; frog

Tamang

horse

Sherpa

yak

p. 234 meat-prohibitions

tribe

meat-prohibitions

Gubaju

swine; oxen

Gurung

swine

Kirati

goats

S`akya (Newari caste)

buffalo

Sherpa

swine; buffalo

Tamang

swine

p. 235 successive races of humanity

ord.#

made of __

1st

gold

2nd

silver

3rd

chicken-excrement

3rd race was resuscitated with twig of amala-tree, brought by white-feathered kakhuti (raven), which, their feathers blackened with soot, now foretell as their reward

p. 242 metals of the cardinal directions

metal

Newari name

direction

gold

lu

center

silver

wah

east

bronze

keh

south

iron

na

north

brass

li

west

Claudia Mu:ller-Ebeling; Christian Ra:tsch; Surendra Bahadur Shahi : Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas. Translated from the German by Annabel Lee. Inner Traditions, Rochester (VT), 2002.