Shastras on Samalaingikta or Homosexuality

Homosexuality

For an adikshit (who is not a guru Dikshit), there are hardly any restrictions except those mandated by his varnashrama; there is no discrimination in the right to bhakti either, even if one is a homosexual. They may pray to the Devi and her Bhairava. However, the right of Shastras on Samalaingikta or Homosexuality to obtain diksha is a debated issue.
Whether one who belongs to such a class can obtain diksha or not depends entirely on the discretion of the guru. As Kaulas have the capacity to purify even the most impure and help even the most fallen ones achieve the highest states, a Tantric guru coming from one of the acharyas of Vama, Siddhanta, Shabara, China, or Kaula may take in such a person as a disciple and give them Diksha.

Samalaingikta or Homosexuality after guru diksha

However, post-diksha, one must discard such behavior and not engage in such perverted, unnatural acts any further. Mental purity is a necessity, especially in the upper five acharas of tantras, as they involve the use of pancha-makaras, and if the sadhak doesn’t have the power to resist the temptations, they cause their own downfall by wrongful use of panchamakaras.
If one wishes to be devout, one should be such properly. One can’t go to orgy parties and chakra anusthan simultaneously; one of the two must be discarded. The sadhana involving pancha-makaras and uncontrolled gratification of senses are two entirely opposite things that can’t be done together.

Sexual acts in Pancha-makaras

As seen in the chapters in their section of the book dealing with the usage of Panchamakaras and sexual acts, the mandate of marihuana to be performed in sadhana in most cases is restricted to a husband and wife. In certain extreme or exceptional cases where intercourse is to be performed with someone other than one’s own wife (mostly in the case of unmarried Sadhakas who don’t have a wife in the first place), the act is recommended strictly between a male and a female. We find no provision in tantras for homosexual intercourse.

Shastras proof

To further expand on the opinion of tantra shastras, Mahanirvan Tantra Ullasha 11 shloka states:

गच्छतां कामतः पुंसः स्त्रियाः पायुं दुरात्मनाम्।
वध एव विधातव्यो भृभृता शम्भुशासनात्॥

The shloka means that the wicked man who engages in unnatural sexual intercourse with a woman should be killed according to the laws of Swayambhu (here referring to Mahadeva). Here, unnatural sexual intercourse mainly refers to anal intercourse, as the term पायुं is used, which means anus.

It’s evident that intercourse with anyone except one’s own wife is forbidden in almost all cases, barring a few circumstances where the sadhak is unmarried and anal intercourse and such unnatural acts are outright forbidden.
The shastras, both Vedas and tantras, have marriage rituals only for the union between a male and a female; they do not recognize homosexual unions. The tantra shastras also recommend strict punishment for both adultery and anal intercourse. As there can be no marriage between homosexuals and they, especially the males, can only engage in anal or oral intercourse, death is recommended as punishment for them.
If a seeker continues to engage in homosexuality even after diksha, they are to be killed immediately. While there’s no discrimination in bhakti and even in diksha, there are unbreakable rules, especially after diksha, and one who fails to follow them has to get punished accordingly. It’s also well understood now that tantras outright forbid homosexuality.

Vedas Prohibited Samalaingikta or Homosexuality

Now it’s time to discuss some claims. The first is the aspect of the Vedas. The most common claim is that Vedas don’t have mandates against homosexuality. They fail to notice that Vedas have injunctions only for male and female couples. Even the terms used in ritualistic mantras are either masculine or feminine; moreover, the Vedas themselves authenticate the dharma shastras, such as Manusmriti, and dharma shastras have a clear mandate against it. The Vedas also authenticate puranas and history, which again are against this practice.

Dharmashastras recognize only marriage between male and female:

The Manusmriti Adhyaya 3 shlokas 20-35 talk about 8 forms of marriage, viz. Bramhana, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya, Ashura, Gandharva, Rakshasa, and Pisacha. The shlokas also go into the details of these forms of marriage and their differences; however, what must be noted is that these shlokas talk about the union between male and female alone; homosexuality is not recognized as valid by any means.

The shloka talks about the 8 forms of marriage, which go as

"आहूय दानं कन्याया ब्राह्मो धर्मः" "यज्ञे तु वितते सम्यग्" "कन्याप्रदानं विधिवदार्षो धर्मः" "कन्याप्रदानमभ्यर्च्य प्राजापत्यो" "कन्याप्रदानं स्वाच्छन्द्यादासुरो" "इच्छयाऽन्योन्यसंयोगः कन्यायाश्च" "प्रसह्य कन्याहरणं राक्षसो" "सुप्तां मत्तां प्रमत्तां"; 

It must be noted that the term kanyadan clearly only masculine and feminine terms are used, thus there’s no legitimacy given to homosexuality. The Dharmashastras even have rules against homosexuality.
The purpose of marriage is not fulfilled in homosexuality.

Purpose of maariage

Manusmriti Adhyaya 9 shloka 28 states there are four purposes of marriage, which are: to have children, to get pleasure, to perform religious rites, and for happiness. By observing the various rites performed after the birth of a child and by knowing the Gandharva marriage, it’s clear that pleasure clearly refers to the union between a man and a woman, and childbirth is an extremely happy occasion.

Natural childbirth is the core purpose of marriage, as it gives happiness and is necessary for performing religious rites, and obviously, child production is one of the purposes of marriage. It is also clear that marriage rites have been described as a union between a man and a woman. Also, on account of homosexuality being classified as sinful by Shastras and not even recognized as a valid form of union, it doesn’t fulfill any purpose of marriage.

Illicit sex is forbidden

Some may object that the shastras may not recognize homosexuality as valid for marriage; however, it doesn’t matter as one can be in a sexual relationship without marriage. However, shastras ban that as well. Any form of sexual relationship that doesn’t involve marriage is sinful; this applies to both premarital sex and adultery. The Manusmriti Adhyaya 8 shloka 365-366 states that if two people have premarital sex, then they must marry each other with the consent of their parents.

On unwillingness, they must still be confined together. However, as stated earlier, this would be applicable only between men and women; the laws regarding adultery are even stricter. The Mahanirvan Tantra Ullasha 11 goes so far as to prescribe the death penalty for the act, while dharma shastras have different mandates, such as imposing a fine or whipping the criminal.

Dharmashastras declare Homosexuality is sinful:

It was already seen that the mandate of marriage is valid only for natural males and females; moreover, any form of sex out of wedlock is deemed sinful. The dharmashastras also have a very clear mandate against the act of homosexuality.
Manusmriti Adhyaya 8 shloka 369-370 states sexual intercourse between two females is a criminal offense and is forbidden.
Manusmriti Adhyaya 11 shloka 67 and 175 states that sexual intercourse between two males is a criminal offense as well and is forbidden.
Atri Smriti Adhyaya 1 shloka 268 states and Gautama Smriti Adhyaya 25 shloka 5 states homosexuality to be a criminal offense.

The Shrimad Bhagavatam Skand 3 Adhay 20 shlok 23-25 has a clear implication that homosexuality is born out of lust, and thus the opinion of scriptures on the matter is quite understandable. The Vishnu Smriti Adhyaya 38 shloka 1-6 states that homosexuality results in loss of caste, while Pandit Chanakya states in Chanakya Neeti Adhyaya 5 shloka 29-32 that impotent people and homosexuals have no rights to any properties. A separate post shall be made on bhasyas on these shlokas and the opinion of bhasyakaras on the topic.

Ayurveda states it’s a disease:

Ayurveda classifies homosexuality as a disease that requires treatment. The Sushruta Samhita Sarirasthanam Adhyaya 2 shloka 38-50, while discussing the issue, states that homosexuality is caused by unhealthy sperm and ovum and sinful past deeds of the parents, thus stating clearly that it is a result of sinful birth.
The Adhyaya also states it may cause impotency and recommends a detailed treatment for it, thus clearly treating it as a disease. The Charaka Samhita Sarirasthanam Adhyaya Shloka 17-30 discusses the causes and types of homosexuality and states the same as Sushruta Samhita.

Shloka 29 uses the term

"बीजात्मकर्माशयकालदोषैर्मातुस्तथाऽऽहारविहारदोषैः"

which lists causes of abnormalities in form and sense organs and states its affected by many factors such as genetic defects and sins of past life. What must be noted is that both the 2 major treatises on Ayurveda classify homosexuality as a disease caused by an abnormality that needs proper treatment. They go so far as to classify sins of past life as a plausible reason for homosexuality, thus clearly calling it a result of sins and not something to be proud of.

Incidents are not laws:

Some people try to quote fringe incidents out of context, while others argue that homosexuality is depicted in sculptures, thus it has been normal and is allowed. This is totally nonsense. Shastras are the source of dharma; sculptures aren’t. The sculptures and even incidents discussed in itihasas and Puranas simply document incidents. For instance, in the Valmiki Ramayana, Sundar Kanda Sarga 20 shloka 5 states that rakshasas must abduct the wives of others. Bhavishya Puran Pratisarga Parv Khand 3 Adhyaya 3 even notes down the exact features of pisacha dharma.

If the logic that “since it’s mentioned thus it’s allowed” is accepted, one would need to accept even the conduct of rakshasas as dharma simply because it’s mentioned. Simply because something was mentioned doesn’t mean it’s dharma; records are kept for both great deeds and crimes; it’s shastras and their injunctions that must be used to infer what’s dharma and what’s adharma. Moreover, the so-called sculptures even depict be@stiality; however, that can’t be taken as dharma either. Only one with the most perverted mind can use such things as sculptures to seek validation for their lu$t.

Conclusion

No Shastra ever validated homosexuality and such acts; on the contrary, they have clear mandates outright forbidding the act. The Vedas simply don’t talk about this issue as they deal more with rituals and philosophy; however, the usage of strictly masculine and feminine terms in ritualistic mantras already proves that they recognize only the union between a man and a woman. The dharmashastras not only forbid the act but also have a range of punishments for the act, ranging from minor fines to public shaming.

The Puranas are clear that homosexuality is a product of lust; scholars such as Chanakya deemed such people unworthy of having even property rights; Ayurveda treats it as a disease and prescribes treatment, while tantras prescribe the death penalty. Homosexuality doesn’t fulfill any purpose of marriage, isn’t even recognized as valid, and is regarded as a product of incapability, sins of parents and oneself accumulated in previous and present birth, genetic defect, and perversion of mind; it’s not validated by any shastras.