Aghori, Aghor Panth and Doctrines of Aghor panth

First of all we must understand who is Aghori. The Aghori sect is a Hindu sect believed to have split off from the Kapalika sect. Both these Kapalika and Aghori sects are the worshipers of Lord Shiva.

The literal meaning of “Aghor” is non-terrifying or "one who is not in Darkness" in Sanskrit, and may refer to how members of the sect view death. This is extremely secretive community and is known to live in graveyards, wear ash from the pyre, and use human bones from graveyards for rituals and even eating food, drinking water.

The Aghori ascetics, while being devotees of the Hindu god Shiva, are monists who adhere to the common Hindu belief of liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth / death (samsara). This liberation is a realisation of the self's identity with the absolute i.e. real self. Aghoris, because of this monistic doctrine, maintain that all opposites are identical and that the conventional Hindu distinctions between purity and impurity are ultimately illusory and nothing else. The purpose of embracing impurity through various practices/rituals is nothing but the realization of non-duality through transcending social taboos, and seeing the illusory nature of all conventional categories.

In essence, Aghoris base their beliefs on two principles.

First, that the god is perfect.

Second, that the god is creator and responsible for everything; every rock, tree, animal, and even every thought whether pure or impure.

Due to this the Aghori doctrine beliefs that everything that exists must be perfect, and if we deny the perfection of anything it is equal to denying the god. Due to this reason, Aghoris are known to prove their faith by challenging pre-conceived notions of the grotesque, and find the beauty or perfection in such conventionally taboo notions as, for example, cannibalism, liquor drinking while worshiping.

History of Aghori Sect

Although Aghor Sect is similar to the Kapalika ascetics of medieval Kashmir, with whom they may have a historical connection, the Aghoris trace their origin even before the Ramayan time.

Symbols of Aghorism

The Aghori ascetic is himself a symbol of the god Shiva. He goes naked or wears the shroud of a corpse or dead body, he covers himself in the ashes of the cremation ground - which would be impure for an orthodox Brahmin - and his ritual practices are symbols of his non-dualistic beliefs. The corpse upon which he meditates is a symbol of his own body and the corpse devouring ritual is a symbol of the transcendence of his lower self and a realisation of the greater, all pervading self i.e Supreme Self.

Similarly they found the cremation ground a holy place for performing their rituals, which others may not deem fit to even sit.

So, in essence the Aghore panth seems to be on the belief that when anything is done or performed with the Pure Self in mind then there is nothing that is impure and further if everything is made by GOD and have GOD in it then nothing is dirty or impure. That is why they perform their rituals in most terrible conditions.