Divya bhava
The third, or highest, class of man is he of the divya-bhava (of which, again, there are several degrees-some but a stage in advance of the highest form of vira-bhava, others completely realizing the deva-nature), in which rajas operates on sattva-guna to the confirmed preponderance of the latter.
The Nitya-Tantra says that of the bhava the divya is the best, the vira the next best, and the pasu the lowest; and that devata-bhava must be awakened through vira-bhava. The Picchila-Tantra (1) says that the only difference between the vira and divya men is that the former are very uddhata, by which is probably meant excitable, through the greater prevalence of the independent working of the rajoguna in them than in the calmer sattvik temperament.
It is obvious that such statements must not be read with legal accuracy. There may be, in fact, a considerable difference between a low type of vira and the highest type of divya, though it seems to be true that this quality of uddhata which is referred to is the cause of such differences, whether great or small.
The Kubjika-Tantra (2) describes the marks of the divya as he “who daily does ablutions, samdhya; and wearing clean cloth, the trpundara mark in ashes or red sandal, and ornaments of rudraksa-beads, performs japa and arcana. He gives charity daily also. His faith is strong in Veda, Sastra, Guru, and Deva, He worships the Pitri and Deva, performs all the daily rites. He has a great knowledge of mantra. He avoids all food, except that which his guru offers him, and all cruelty and other bad actions, regarding both friend and foe as one and the same. He himself ever speaks the truth, and avoids the company of those who decry the Devata, He worships thrice daily, and meditates upon his guru daily, and, as a Bhairava, worships Paramesvari with divya-bhava, All Devas he regards as beneficial. (3)
He bows down at the feet of women regarding them as his guru (4) (strinam pada-talam drstva guru-vad bhavayet sada). He worships the Devi at night, (5) and makes japa at night with his mouth full of pân, (6) and makes obeisance to the kula vrksa, (7) He offers everything to the Supreme Devi. He regards this universe as pervaded by stri (sakti), and as Devata. Siva is in all men, and the whole brahmanda is pervaded by S’iva-S’akti. He ever strives for the attainment and maintenance of devata-bhava, and is himself of the nature of a Devata.
Here, again, the Tantra only seeks to give a general picture, the details of which are not applicable to all men of the divya-bhava class. The passage shows that it, or portions of it, refer to the ritual divya, for some of the practices there referred to would not be performed by the avadhuta, who is above all ritual acts, though; he would also share (possibly in intenser degree) the beliefs of divya men of all classes-that he and all else are but manifestations of the universe-pervading Supreme Sakti.
1. Chapter X and so also Utpatti-Tantra (chap. lxiv), Sec Pranatosini, p.570,where also bhava is described as the dharma of the manas.
2. Chapter VII.
3. He worships.all Devas, drawing no distinctions. For instance, an orthodox, up-country Hindu who is a worshipper of Rama cannot even bear to hear the name of Krsna, though both Rama and Krsna are each avatara of the same Visnu, who is again himself but a partial manifestation of the great S’akti.
4. He is even stri-khanda pakaja-rudhira-bhusitah, for he is unaffected by the pasa of ghrna or lajja,
5. Vaidik worship is by day.
6. Thatis, after eating, pân being taken aftermeals.
7. An esoteric term, as to which see Tantrabhidhana. Similarly (in Nitya-Tantra), he does obeisance to the kulastri, who is versed in Tantra and mantra, whether he has been brought by a duti, is pumschali, or vesya and whether youthful or old.
