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Vaisnava-Sahajiya was a Hindu and Buddhist cult that emphasized religious experiences in sexual acts. This cult, a part of the Tantra tradition, used the romance between Krishna and Radha as a metaphor for union with god, and sought to experience that union through its physical reenactment. It teaches that the ideal way to understand the union of humanity is to transcend the profane aspects of sexual intercourse and experience it as a divine act.
The cult was centered in Bengal. It began in full in the 16th century, although similar predecessors were in existence as early as the 8th century in the same city. The founder is generally thought to be Baru Chandidas, who lived in the 14th century. In order to avoid unwanted attention, the group spoke of its activities in a coded language.
[edit] Reference
- Dimock, Edward C., Jr. "The Place of the Hidden Moon: Erotic Mysticism in the Vaisnava-Sahajiya cult of Bengal", University of Chicago Press, 1966.
