19
votes
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What is the Guru Parampara of Kashmiri Shaivism?
In chapter 36 of Sri Tantraloka, Sri Abhinavagupta describes in detail how the Guru-Shishya Transmission took place:
1) Bhairava
2) Bhairavi Devi
3) Swachhanda Bhairava
4) Laakul
...
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13
votes
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Does Shaiva or Shakta Agama believe the Dashavatar of lord Vishnu
The Todala Tantram, which is a ShAkta Agama, talks about the 10 AvatAras of Lord Vishnu. The text also equates one MahAvidyA deity with one AvatAra.
The last chapter equates Vishnu’s ten ...
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11
votes
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Who is kAlAgni Rudra?
Kalagni Rudra is one of the name of Lord Shiva (Rudra) who resembled the fire of kala. . The name Kalagni Rudra also means " he who is burned the Kala" ( the time , who is cause of the ...
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11
votes
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What is the philosophical comparison between non-dualism of Vedanta and Agama?
There is a beautiful philosophical explanation of absolute reality and its relation to the world in the Agamas of Kashmir Shaivism. However, it is not very popular like other philosophical schools in ...
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11
votes
What are the principle texts/Scriptures of Trika or Kashmir Shaivism?
The Shaiva philosophy of Kashmir is generally called Trika Shastra, because it is the philosophy of triad, 1. Shiva 2. Shakti and 3. Nara.
The literature of Trika System of Kashmir falls under 3 ...
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10
votes
What are the principle texts/Scriptures of Trika or Kashmir Shaivism?
The main scriptures for the school are Netra Tantram, MAlini Vijaya Tantram, MAlini Vijayottara Tantram. But, they also have taken inputs from KAlikula Tantras such as GuhyakAlika chapter of the ...
- 111k
9
votes
What is the position and role of Lord Vishnu in Kasmiri Shaivism?
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Ishwara, and SadaShiva are called Panchabrahmans. Kashmiri Shaivism too with the addition of Anashirta Shiva in the above five deities list calls them Karana Devas. Sri ...
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8
votes
Accepted
What is the story of revelation of Shiva sutras to sage Sri Vasugupta?
There are three theories regarding the revelation of the Siva-Sutra to VasuGupta.
Kallata in the Spanda-Vritti says that SIva taught the Siva-Sutra in a dream to Vasuguta who was living in Mahadeva ...
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8
votes
Accepted
What parts of Utpaladeva's Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vivriti are available in English?
TL;DR: Read this PDF document I created.
Let me start off by posting a useful chart from Isabelle Ratié 2016 paper "In Search of Utpaladeva's Lost Vivriti on the Pratyabhijna Treatise", showing ...
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8
votes
Who are all the Gurus of Abhinavagupta and what Paramparas did they come from?
Durvasa Rishi created one mind-born daughter, whom he initiated completely in the monistic way. Known as the Ardhatryambaka school of the Bhairava Tantras, this teaching manifests itself secretly from ...
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8
votes
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Who did incarnate as AchArya Abhinavgupta?
Yes, He is considered to be an incarnation of Dakshinamurthy form of Lord Shiva.
The following verses are known as the dhyana shlokas, taken from Madhuraja’s ‘Gurunatha Paramarsha’...
“May the ...
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8
votes
Kashmir Shaivism on 10 major Upanishads
No there is no commentary on Upanishads by Kashmiri Shaiva Acharya Shree Abhinavagupta. His main focus was to compile all Tantra texts which he did by writing text Tantraloka. Here are the list of his ...
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7
votes
Accepted
Procedure to make God(s) our Guru
This page gives a reasonably easy to follow and a scriptural method by which one , who does not have a Guru Diksha but desperately in need of one, can make Lord Dakshinamurthy his/her Guru.
As ...
- 111k
7
votes
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Is there Vigyan Bhairav Tantra in Hindi available online?
You can download Vigyan Bhairav Tantra Hindi and Sanskrit by Vraj Vallabh Dvivedi eBook from archive.org
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7
votes
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What is `Kashmir Series of texts and studies`?
The series is so named because of the publishers and which is "The Archaeological and Research Department, Srinagar, Kashmir.
The above images are from Vol 1 of the series as found on Archive.com.
...
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6
votes
Accepted
Which are the 118 worlds as described in Fifteen verses of Wisdom?
In Shaktism, as well as in Shaivism, there are 36 Tattvas. Shiva/Shakti, Vidya, Maya, Purusha, Prakriti, Iswara, etc to the Panchabhutas are these 36 Tattvas.
These Tattvas are again grouped into ...
- 111k
6
votes
Accepted
Is Trika system mentioned in Shakta scriptures? What they say about it?
Yes mentioned. In ShAkta Tantras Trika refers to the Triad - JyAna (knowledge) Shakti, IcchA (will) Shakti and KriyA (action) Shakti.
But at the same time, it also refers to other Triads like the Tri ...
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6
votes
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A question on Lalleshvari Devi
TL;DR
Lalleshvari Devi is well known literary and spiritual figure in the valley of Kashmir. She has been venerated both by Hindus and Muslims. But She was constructed differently by each community. ...
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6
votes
What are Sadakhya Tattva, Ishwara Tattva, and Suddha Vidya Tattva?
There are 36 Tattvas in Tantras. Out of these 36, the top 5 are above Maya and are called Suddha Tattvas. They are:
Shiva Tattva
Shakti Tattva
Sadashiva / Sadakhya Tattva
Ishwara Tattva
Suddha Vidya ...
- 48.2k
5
votes
Is Brahman androgynous?
Shakti is Brahman, as long as one doesn't realize God, one sees male and female aspect.
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna / Volume 1 / The Festival At Panihati:
GOVINDA: "Revered sir, why does the ...
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5
votes
What are the salient features of krama tradition of Kashmir Shaivism?
Like out of Vedas many schools were established so from Bhairava Agamas which were monistic, schools of Kashmiri Shaivism were established. Initially there used to be many schools of Bhairava Agamas ...
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5
votes
Accepted
What was Shankara's stand on Bhairava Agamas?
Yes, Adi Shankaracharya was opposed to the Bhairava Tantras. Adi Shankaracharya sent his shishyas to defeat the followers of the Bhairava Tantras, as described in this excerpt from the Madhaviya ...
- 97.2k
5
votes
What are Bhuvanas?
Most of the info is already given in this answer.
Bhuvanas are planes of existences which exist both in the outer world as well as inside the aspirant's body. As the aspirant progresses spiritually ...
- 111k
5
votes
Sri Keyuravati of krama tradition
We find a reference of her as the Guru of Govindaraja and as the disciple of a Sri Vidya Parampara Guru called Shiva Ananda Natha.
One special type of Shakta Yoga, which is related to the Shambhopaya ...
- 111k
5
votes
Accepted
How does Kashmiri Shaivism explain the origin of bondage of souls?
Kashmir Shaivism (KS) rejects the Advaita Vedānta (AV) theory of eternal and independent ignorance. In Kashmir Shaivism, avidyā and māyā (illusion), are Śakti, They also believe in infinite souls and ...
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5
votes
Are there Mandalas in Trika Shaivism (like in Tantra Buddhism)?
Yes, Mandalas are very essential components of Trika Shaivism. In many rituals, deities are worshipped inside Mandala form. Sri Abhinavagupta frequently discusses the use of Mandalas to perform ...
- 48.2k
4
votes
What is Māyā according to Śaṃkara Vedānta? What are its characteristics?
What is Māyā? Basic definition? It's role? It's products?
Surprisingly, Maya is the power of Brahman - Brahman has power in Advaita Vedanta also! From Vivekachudamini -
अव्यक्तनाम्नी परमेशशक्तिः
...
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4
votes
Who is Parmeshvara, Ishwara & VAsudeva? What is the difference among them?
He is Krishna (in the present context).
According to English Translation of Abhinavgupta's Sanskrit Commentary By Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
18.61-62 Isvarah etc. Tam eva etc. This Lord, the Supreme Self, ...
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4
votes
What is the story of revelation of Shiva sutras to sage Sri Vasugupta?
The story is told in the beginning of Kshemaraja's Shiva Sutra Vimarshini. The story is that Vasugupta is directed by Shiva in a dream to go to a certain slab, on which is written the Shiva Sutras:
...
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4
votes
Accepted
What is "twelve fingers" in Pranavayu?
As Rickross and Uday already mentioned in the comment, I'll add it as answer.
"twelve fingers" in Pranavayu is nothing but a distance unit. The distance from the index finger to the little finger, ...
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