TANTRIC-QUEST-Encounter-with-Absolute-Love

me and I should give up trying to encounter one of its masters.Besides, how do you find someone whose name youdon't know? In Shivaic Tantrism, to speak or write the nameof one's master is forbidden. Sometimes I found myself infront of an abandoned hut, an empty cave, or a village idiotwho had been pointed out to me as a sage and who couldvery well have been one. I would understand much laterthat the appearance of the fool is one of the tantrikas' favoritedisguises.Then, on my fourth journey, after several fruitless attempts,I decided to abandon my quest, to forget about myBartholomew map covered with red circles and mysteriousroutes. I could no longer continue accosting the faithfulwho, at dawn, went to leave an offering or a bouquet offlowers at the black stone linga (phallus) of Shiva, symbolizingthe destruction of illusion, erected on a pedestal inthe form of a vulva, or yoni, emblem of mysterious cosmicpower. I could no longer follow the steep paths of the nakedascetics smeared with ashes, and risk having myselfimpaled on their iron tridents, sign of Shiva and symbol ofthe subtle channels that cross the yogis' bodies. I had nomore money to pay "informers," my feet couldn't bear anymore blisters, and I'd had enough of finding myself onceagain, come evening, in a clearing or under a new moonwhere a Tantric ritual was supposed to take place. When Iasked any questions about Tantrism, nearly always the responsewas "What?" as if it were a matter of the latest advancein physics.From Manali to Sonarmarg, Himalayan routes and pathsheld no more secrets for me. The last Shivaic master wassupposed to live at the summit of Mount Kailash, the very24