Amnaya

Amnaya

“flow”, “tradition”

Amnaya is a tantric line, as well as sacred texts related to this line.

The concept of amnayas is closely connected with cult centers – shakti-pithas, located in different parts of the Indian subcontinent, and with numerous tantric schools. The sacred number of amnayas plays an important role in theories of the structure of the "subtle" body, correlating with chakras, nadi-channels, and the practical choice of proper mantras for certain deities. According to tantric sources,  different numbers of such amnayas exist – four, five, six, and seven.

Their number depends on texts and traditions, so such lists can vary from each other significantly. Most often, five directions are mentioned. According to one of the existing legends, their origin is associated with God Sadashiva’s five faces or mouths “mukha”, through which he manifested five levels of knowledge, passing them on to his divine wife Shakti in the form of nada sacred sound. Thus, Shiva told the secret tantric science through the sacred texts – Agamas and Tantras.

Amnayas, as a rule, schematically distribute along the cardinal points, personified in five different aspects of Lord Shiva in union with Shakti (yamala). To each of these aspects, a specific tattva and geographically localized tantric sampradaya can correspond:

• Ishana – Chit-shakti – Shiva-tattva (transcendental or upper face of Shiva – “urdhva-amnaya”);
• Tatpurusha – Ananda-shakti – Shakti-tattva (the northern face of "uttara-amnaya") – the Krama tradition, in which the goddess Kali is revered;
• Aghora – Jnana-shakti – Sadashiva-tattva – (the southern face of "dakshina-amnaya") the Shrividya tradition, in which the goddess Tripurasundari is revered;
• Vamadeva – Iccha-shakti – Ishvara-tattva (eastern face "purva-amnaya") Trika tradition, the cult of the goddess Kalasankarshini or the goddess of the triple nature: Para, Apara and Parapara;
• Sadyojata – Kriya-shakti – Sadvidya-tattva (western face of "pashchima-amnaya") Kubjika tradition, the cult of the androgynous goddess in the form of Kundalini-Shakti.

You can also read the article about amnayas.