Some Reflections on the Meaning of Dīkṣā in Kerala According to Mātṛsadbhāvatantra

The Young Goddess Who Dances through the Ordinariness of Life―A Study on the Tantric Traditions of Kerala

“…As mentioned in several studies on the Tantric traditions of Kerala, Śrīvidyā influenced many Śākta family traditions that flourished in Kerala and can be regarded as a linkage between them. The term Śākteya is frequently used in Malayalam as the name for local Śākta families, such as the M ūssats, and their rites, which include offerings of meat, fish, and alcohol (Karasinski 2020). 16 The main authority of the Śākta temple worship is vested upon the senior member of the clan called M ūtta Pit .…”

“…Sarma observes that while some early Tantric ritual manuals of Kerala (e.g., Prayogamañjarī) 38 explain the rules of initiation, later ones either omit the subject of dīks . ā or discuss it briefly, giving it less importance than the previous texts (Karasinski 2020). In time 39 , the complex rites of initiation were replaced in the texts with a simple transmission of the mantra (mantra-dīks .…”