The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1331 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Kula
(Skt., ‘family’).
1
The family lineage and home in Hinduism, of importance (along with
j
ti
and gotra, the original ancestor) in determining the exact position of a person in society.
2
Tantric
school originating in the
Bhairava-K
l
cults and
K
p
lika
cremation-ground (
ma
na
) dwellers. The aim of Kula practice, which involved consuming scatological substances and corpse-flesh, was possession (
ave
a
) by a female deity to achieve perfection (siddhi). These forces were also manifested in human form as
yogin
s
. Kula practice still continues in certain parts of India.
Kulac
karan
(one of the Alvars):
see
LV
RS
.

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