This study interprets for the Western mind the key motifs of India's legend, myth and folklore, taken directly from the Sanskrit. It seeks to make the profound Hindu and Buddhist intuitions on the riddles of life and death recognizable not merely as Oriental but as universal elements.
Rooting itself in Kashmir Shaivism, Śrividyā became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and eventually supplanted the Trika as the dominant Tantric tradition in Kashmir. This is the first comprehensive study of the texts and traditions of this influential school of goddess-centered, Śākta, Tantrism. Centering on the goddess's three manifestations—the beneficent deity Lalita Tripurasundari, her mantra, and the visually striking sricakra—Śrividyā creates a systematic esoteric discipline that combines elements of the yogas of knowledge, of devotion, and of ritual. Utilizing canonical works, historical commentaires, and the interpretive insights of living practitioners, this book explores the theological and ritual theories that form the basis for Śrividyā practice and offers new methods for critical and comparative studies of esoteric Hinduism.
The Title Saivism in Kashmir is a comprehensive and informative description of religion-philosophical movement of Saivism in the Valley from the earliest time to present day. The celestial Valley played important role in the history of the spread and development of saivite philosophy and rituals. Most of the people are not aware that Kashmir in the past enjoyed such high reputation as a centre of Saivism.
The Karma Tantricism of Kashmir is intended as a ground work of the Karma system, an almost neglected area of Kashmir Saivism. The author has very ably reconstructed the history and metaphysics of the system after rummaging through relevant literature, both in print and manuscript form. The krama philosophy, Sakta esotricism and the Tantric synoptic view are seen. In this first of the two volumes, the author has given a general and historical survey in seven chapters-Karma as a distinct system, mutual exchange from allied system, different traditions and sub-schools, sources and literature and karma`s place in Kashmir Saivism. Contains chronological table of Karma author`s classified Bibliography and indexes.
ABOUT THE BOOK:This book serves as an introductory study of Tantric Saivism in its original scriptural sources. It traces the features and content of the canon of the Saiva Tantras, making use of many unpublished manuscripts from Kashmiri Saiva author
The value of the Rig Veda as a guidebook to spiritual practice has been obscured due to the heavy veil of symbols used by the Rishis to hide their meaning from the uninitiated. "Vedic Symbolism" introduces the major vedic concepts and reveals their esoteric sense.