Kiss of the Yogini: "Tantric Sex" in Its South Asian ContextsFor those who wonder what relation actual Tantric practices bear to the "Tantric sex" currently being marketed so successfully in the West, David Gordon White has a simple answer: there is none. Sweeping away centuries of misunderstandings and misrepresentations, White returns to original texts, images, and ritual practices to reconstruct the history of South Asian Tantra from the medieval period to the present day. Kiss of the Yogini focuses on what White identifies as the sole truly distinctive feature of South Asian Tantra: sexualized ritual practices, especially as expressed in the medieval Kaula rites. Such practices centered on the exchange of powerful, transformative sexual fluids between male practitioners and wild female bird and animal spirits known as Yoginis. It was only by "drinking" the sexual fluids of the Yoginis that men could enter the family of the supreme godhead and thereby obtain supernatural powers and transform themselves into gods. By focusing on sexual rituals, White resituates South Asian Tantra, in its precolonial form, at the center of religious, social, and political life, arguing that Tantra was the mainstream, and that in many ways it continues to influence contemporary Hinduism, even if reformist misunderstandings relegate it to a marginal position. Kiss of the Yogini contains White's own translations from over a dozen Tantras that have never before been translated into any European language. It will prove to be the definitive work for persons seeking to understand Tantra and the crucial role it has played in South Asian history, society, culture, and religion. |
Contents
1 Tantra in Its South Asian Contexts | 1 |
Bird Animal and Tree Goddesses and Demonesses in South Asia | 27 |
Vital and Sexual Fluids in South Asian Thought and Practice | 67 |
Sexual Transactions in Tantric Ritual | 94 |
Tantric Actors in South Asia | 123 |
South Asian Siddha Cults and Traditions | 160 |
Fueling the Flight of Tantric Witches | 188 |
The Subordination of the Feminine in High Hindu Tantra | 219 |
9 Tantra for the New Millennium | 258 |
Notes | 273 |
335 | |
357 | |
Other editions - View all
Kiss of the Yogini: "Tantric Sex" in its South Asian Contexts David Gordon White Limited preview - 2006 |
Kiss of the Yogini: "Tantric Sex" in Its South Asian Contexts David Gordon White No preview available - 2003 |
Kiss of the Yogini: "Tantric Sex" in its South Asian Contexts David Gordon White No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
according appear becomes Bhairava birds blood body Buddhist cakras called century chap chapter circle cited clan commentary consort continues cults deities demonic described discussion divine drinking early eight energy entire example fact female figure first flight fluid four gives Goddess hand heart Hindu human identified important Indian initiation Kaula king KJñN known Kubjika kula later located male mandala means medieval mentioned Mothers mountain mouth named notes offering original passage period person possessed practice practitioner present reading reference religious remains represented rites ritual role royal S´akti S´iva sculpture secret Seizers seven sexual sexual fluids Siddhas Skanda sources South subtle Tantra Tantric temple term tion traditions trans translated tree types universe Vedic verse vulva White woman women worship Yoga yogic Yoginı¯s