Deconstructing the modern internet myths around the Five Ms in Tantra — revealing their true esoteric Yogic reality as found in the authentic Tantric Shastra.
What Is Panchamakara?
मत्स्यं मद्यं मांसं च मुद्रा मैथुनमेव च |
मकारपञ्चकं प्राहुर्योगिनाम् मुक्तिदायकम् ||
Fish, wine, meat, mudra, and sexual union — these five are known as the Five Makaras (Panchamakara), which bestow liberation upon the “Yogins”.
So, this offering is for the Yogi and not for someone who imagines himself or herself to be a yogi without any yogabhyasa.
This liberates only the Yogi and not the Bhogi.
So, the path of Vamachara is not Bhoga-Moksha — it is Yoga-Moksha only.
A woman naming herself a yogini or dakini & changing her external appearances with imagination won’t make her a yogini. If imagination alone is enough, then anyone shall become anything.
Now, let’s see this Panchamakara one by one.
1. Matsya Lakshana
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये द्वौ मत्स्यौ चरत: सदा |
तौ मत्स्यौ भक्षयेद्यस्तु स भवेन्मत्स्यसाधक: ||
Meaning
“Between Ganga and Yamuna, two fish are always moving. Whoever consumes those two fish becomes a practitioner of Matsya.”
In our human body — Ida Nadi is Ganga and Pingala Nadi is Yamuna. That one fish is in between the eyebrows, which is not easily catchable when two mighty streams collide each other there. The one who stills these mighty rivers conjoining at the Ajna chakra shall be able to catch that fish — and the one who offers this fish to Amba and consumes it is what falls under the offering of Matsya in Panchamakara.
2. Madya Lakshana
आमूलाधारमाब्रह्मरन्ध्रम् मत्वा पुन: पुन: |
चिच्चन्द्रकुण्डलीशक्ति: सामरस्यसुखोदय: ||
व्योमपङ्कजनिस्यन्दसुधापानरतो नर: |
मधुपायी सम: प्रोक्तस्त्वितरे मद्यपायिन: ||
जिह्वया गलसम्योगात्पिबेत् तदमृतं तथा |
योगिभि: पीयते तत्तु न मद्यं गौडपौष्टिकम् ||
सोमधारा क्षरेद् या तु ब्रह्मरन्ध्राद् वरानने |
पीत्वानन्दमयस्तां य: स एव मद्यसाधक: ||
Meaning
“Having repeatedly contemplated the entire range from the Mūlādhāra to the Brahmarandhra, the union of the Cid-Candra and Kuṇḍalinī Śakti gives rise to the bliss of Sāmarasya.
The person who delights in drinking the nectar flowing from the lotus of the celestial space (Vyoma-Pankaja) is declared to be equal to one who drinks honey; others are merely drinkers of intoxicating liquor.
Through the union of the tongue with the throat, one should drink that nectar. That indeed is what the Yogins drink, and it is not liquor made from molasses or other nourishing ingredients.
O beautiful-faced one! The Soma-stream that flows from the Brahmarandhra — whoever drinks it and becomes filled with bliss is indeed the practitioner of Madya.”
- Samarasya — the state of harmonious unity or non-dual equipoise.
- Cid-Candra — the Moon of Consciousness.
- Vyoma-Pankaja — the lotus of space or celestial ether.
- Soma-dhara — the stream of Soma, or nectar.
- Madya-sadhaka — the practitioner of Madya.
Shakti resides in Muladhara and Shiva resides in Sahasrara. From Muladharam till Brahmarandhram, all the chakras carry the chaitanya of Chitshakti which is Kulakundalini. When the Shakti from Muladhara is taken to the Chandramandalam at the Brahmarandhram, the Sahasrakamala blooms where Shiva is seen — and this Kulakundalini will reach Him there, and from there, the nectar flows. One should drink this nectar in such a way that it does not fall into the fire in our body. That is why, the Yogis turn their tip of the tongue inwards and taste it before it reaches the neck. This intoxicating nectar is what is called Madya.
3. Mamsa Lakshanam
पुण्यापुण्ये पशुं हत्वा ज्ञानखड्गेन योगवित् |
परे लयं नयेच्चित्तं मांसाशी स निगद्यते ||
मांसनोति हि यत्कर्म तन्मांसं परिकीर्तितम् |
न च कायप्रतीकं तु योगिभिर्मांसमुच्यते ||
Meaning
“Having slain the animal (Pashu) of merit and demerit with the sword of knowledge, the knower of Yoga who brings the mind into dissolution in the Supreme is declared to be a consumer of meat (Mamsashi).
That action which consumes or absorbs is indeed declared to be Mamsa. The Yogins, however, do not designate the physical body itself as Mamsa.”
- Pashu — the bound individual, subject to limitations and bondage.
- Gnana-khaḍga — the sword of knowledge or wisdom.
- Puṇya-apuṇya — merit and demerit; virtuous and non-virtuous actions.
- Pare laya — dissolution or absorption of the mind into the Supreme.
- Mamsashi — literally, one who consumes meat; here presented in a yogic context.
मांसनोतीति मांसम् — “That which ‘sanoti’ (draws in, absorbs, or consumes) ‘maam’ (me) is called Mamsa.”
The practitioner who, through the sword of knowledge (Gnana-khaḍga), overcomes the duality of merit and demerit (Puṇya-apuṇya) and dissolves the mind into the Supreme (Para) is the true Mamsashi.
Cutting the goat, killing it brutally when it cries for survival is not a sacrifice.. It is the slaughter. There is a bali vidhana in all three – vaidika, mantrika & tantrika vidyas. Only when we follow those – it gets the merit of sacrifice. Else, it remains a slaughter only.
Never promote the slaughter and earn Brahmahatya Dosha by going behind random podcasters and social media influencers.
4. Mudra Lakshana
सत्सङ्गेन भवेन्मुक्ति: असत्सङ्गेन बन्धनम् |
असत्सङ्गमुद्रणं यत्तु तन्मुद्रा परिकीर्तिता ||
सहस्रारे महापद्मे कर्णिका मुद्रिता भवेत् |
आत्मा तत्रैव देवेशि केवल: परमोपम: ||
सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाश: चन्द्रकोटिसुशीतल: |
अतीव कमनीयश्च महाकुण्डलिनीयुत: ||
यस्य ज्ञानोदयस्तत्र मुद्रासाधक उच्यते |
Meaning
“Liberation arises through association with the virtuous; bondage arises through association with the non-virtuous. That which seals off or restrains association with the non-virtuous is declared to be Mudra.
In the great lotus of the Sahasrara, the central pericarp becomes sealed. There alone resides the Atman, O Goddess, solitary and supremely incomparable.
It shines with the radiance of millions of suns and possesses the coolness of millions of moons. It is exceedingly enchanting and united with the great Kundalini.
The one in whom knowledge dawns there is declared to be a practitioner of Mudra.”
Always — association with whom you have matters, and this is what decides your path and the destination. This is the reason we do not take anyone here if they are following or in contact with the wrong people, as they cannot reach the right destination despite being taken as a Shishya.
5. Maithuna Lakshana
इडापिङ्गलयो: प्राणान् सुषुम्नायं प्रवर्तयेत् |
सुशुम्नाशक्तिरुद्दिष्टा जीवो यं तु परशिव: ||
Meaning
“One should direct the vital breaths flowing through Ida and Pingala into Sushumna.
Sushumna is declared to be Shakti; the Jiva therein is none other than Parashiva.”
मैथुनं परमं तत्त्वं सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारणम् |
कुलकुण्डलिनीशक्ति: देहिनां देहधारिणी ||
तस्य शिवस्य संयोग: मैथुनं परिकीर्तितम् |
Meaning
“Maithuna is the supreme principle, the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution.
The Kula-Kundalini Shakti is the bearer and sustainer of the bodies of embodied beings.
The union of that Shakti with Shiva is declared to be Maithuna.”
The union of Shakti from Muladhara travelling to Shiva in Sahasrara — getting united there — is what is Maithuna. As detailed in our treatise on The Ten Vayus and the Awakening of Kundalini, the vital breath entering Sushumna initiates this divine alchemy.
मैथुनस्य भावं मिथुनं — “The emotion of Maithuna is Mithuna (the pair or union).”
मिथुन: स्त्रिपुरुषरुपिन: युगलभाव: — “Mithuna is the state of a pair represented by the female and male principles.”
यथा — पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ, लक्ष्मीनारायणौ, राधाकृष्णौ, सीतारामौ प्रभृत्य: — “For example: Parvati and Parameshwara, Lakshmi and Narayana, Radha and Krshna, Sita and Rama, and so forth.”
Rati-Kama also you shall consider here. Because the union of masculine & feminine principles is what is called Maithuna here. So every Shakti — let it be Parvati or Lakshmi or Radha or Sita or Rati — is Kundalini. And every Purusha — Parameshwara or Narayana or Krshna or Rama or Kamadeva — is Shiva.
तयोस्तु सङ्गमे देहे सुरतं नाम कीर्तितम् — “The union of those two within the body is known as Surata.”
The Essence of Pancha-ma-kara
This is what is all about Pancha-ma-kara in Vamachara or Kaulachara.
So, can this path be the starting point for anyone? This is precisely why it is called the highest of all spiritual disciplines (Achara).
This Vidya or path nowhere promotes having free sexual relationships with any women or men, or getting intoxicated with alcohol and similar indulgences. Then, what difference does a man and the dog intoxicated with lust carry here?
We are planning to bring awareness on these topics via posts, webinars, and residential courses. The planning getting materialized depends on our own interest and the sincerity of the seekers who approach us.
- Panchamakara: The True Tantric Meaning of the Five Makaras - November 8, 2026
- Ucchishta Ganapati Upasana: Truth, Krama, and Guru Diksha - November 7, 2026
- The 9 Enemies of Human Life and How Maa Dhumavati Destroys Them: The Secret of Nava Shatru Shamana - October 7, 2026
