Sandhābhāṣā

Summary

Sandhābhāṣā, literally ‘intentional language’ or ‘twilight language,’ denotes the symbolic and often cryptic mode of expression employed in certain tantric Buddhist and Hindu texts. In this article the author traces the origins of sandhābhāṣā to the esoteric milieu of Mahāsiddhas in eastern India between the eighth and twelfth centuries. He explains that composers of Caryāgīti and Sahajiya songs concealed alchemical practices, sexual yogas and antinomian rituals behind ordinary words. For instance, a ‘lotus’ may signify a chakra in the subtle body, ‘honey’ refers to sexual fluids, and ‘union’ denotes the merging of method and wisdom. The article analyses several verses from the Caryāpada to illustrate how multiple layers of meaning coexist: on the surface they recount lovers’ trysts, but to initiates they encode instructions on pranayama and meditation. The author further examines the use of sandhābhāṣā in Nāth literature, where Gorakṣanātha’s verses speak of cooking and drinking as metaphors for transmuting the body. Beyond Buddhism and Śaivism, sandhābhāṣā appears in Sufi poetry and even in alchemical treatises like the Rasārṇava, underscoring cross‑cultural exchanges of esoteric vocabularies. The article also discusses the reasons for this hermeneutic strategy: secrecy protected practitioners from persecution by orthodox Brahmans and prevented misuse by the unprepared. Moreover, the deliberate ambiguity fostered a contemplative engagement with the text, compelling disciples to seek guidance from a guru. Linguistically, sandhābhāṣā straddles Sanskrit and vernaculars; its flexible grammar and playful imagery contribute to its enigmatic charm. The author concludes by cautioning modern scholars against literal readings and calls for collaborative study with living tantric lineages to decode remaining obscurities.