A Wisdom Archive on Abhinavagupta

Abhinavagupta (fl. c. 975 - 1025) was one of India's great literary critics and philosophers. He was born in Kashmir and he wrote on Shaivism, aesthetics, music, and a variety of other subjects. His two famous commentaries on poetry, drama, and dance, the Locana on the Dhvanyaloka and the Abhinavabharati on the Natyasastra engage with almost every important aspect of Indian aesthetics. In their book Santarasa (published by Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1969) authors J.L. Masson and M.V. Patwardhan write about Abhinavagupta's major cont ... Including:

• Abhinavagupta - External link

Read more here: » Abhinavagupta: Encyclopedia - Abhinavagupta

Hindu Quotes: Ultimate Consciousness
 
The ultimate Consciousness
 is always present everywhere.
 It is beyond space and time,
 with not before or after.
 It is undeniable and obvious.
 So what can be said about it?
 
- Abhinavagupta

 
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Hindu Quotes: Transformation and Extinction
 
Brahman creates the game of life by breaking Himself into parts that undergo transformation and extinction.
 
 Yet while he takes on all the roles required by the game, He also always remains free of the game and intact as Brahman.
 
- Abhinavagupta
 
 

 
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(See also: Hinduism Archives, Hindu Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes )

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''Shakti'' is another word for kundalini and ''pat'' means to descend. Shaktipat is a method by which an individual's kundalini is awakened by the direct intervention of a guru. Practially speaking shaktipat is known by its results: the awakening of of the student's kundalini.
 
This FAQ gives an overview of Siddha Mahayoga. Part I of III.
In Part II: 1) What is shaktipat?, 2) How does shaktipat work?, 3) Who can give shaktipat?, 4) Who can receive shaktipat?, 4) Are all shaktipat initiations the same?, 5) Can one receive shaktipat just by being in the presence of those with awakened shakti?, 6) So what happens after shaktipat?, 7) What is the practice of Siddha Mahayoga?
 

Read more here: » Siddha Mahayoga FAQ: What is shaktipat? (part I of III) -

Tantra: The Libido - thirst for Unity
Another aspect which is important in TANTRA YOGA is that the libido, when manifested as sexual drive, is not at all considered to be only sensuality but, at the innermost levels, as the soul's ardent yearning for spiritual perfection. Here the erotic impulse appears as the psyche's abyssal thirst to reach perfection through unity of complementary polar opposites. In this way, re-born as a genuine Androgyne of the Secret Tradition -- magical child of SHIVA and SHAKTI -- the Individual Spirit will have access to the highest levels of Consciousness.
 

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Tantra: Why sexuality?
In the act of lovemaking the couple embodies the dyadic wholeness of the Supreme. TANTRIC sexual union resonates with the very foundational energies of the Universe: it captures, magnifies and re-directs the essential Cosmic Power of Life. It is therefore not by chance that sexual intercourse brings the most intense emotional experience that the human being can have while in the flesh. Therefore TANTRA uses it predominantly to create that overwhelming unifying energy. The erotic impulse stirs up the KUNDALINI energy so that it can rise, through the subtle duct of power along the spine, to the highest center of power above the head. This process renders the adept immortal:
 

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There are numerous ways to awaken kundalini but generally these approaches may divided into two groups. In the first group are paths such as Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga or Raja Yoga. In these paths the kundalini is awakened through the effort of the individual. In the second group is the path that is variously called Sahaja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga or Siddha Mahayoga. In this path the kundalini is spontaneously awakened by the grace of the Siddha guru in a process that is called shaktipat.
 

Read more here: » Siddha Mahayoga: The Lineage of Swami Shivom Tirth

The mysterious Tradition of Tantra
This article attempts to outline, in an extremely general way, some basic ideas of the Tantric tradition. Even though the author has a rich personal experience in some of the practical aspects of TANTRISM, the intention here is not to expose a personal view, but to present the Tradition in its most pure form, without any kind of "western interpretations" that most of the time kill and destroy the authentic meaning. This is done with the sincere intention to revive, mostly from the practical point of view, this lost Tradition and to reveal the true face of TANTRA Science.
 

Read more here: » Tantra Yoga: The Left Hand Path of Love - Tantra

Abhinavabharati is a commentary on Bharata's work of dramatic theory, the Natyasastra. It is the only contemporary commentary on this work. The Abhinavabharati was written by Abhinavagupta, the great Kashmiri Saivite philosopher. In this monumental work, Abhinavagupta explains the rasasutra of Bharata in consonance with the theory of abhivyakti propounded in Anandavardhana's Dhvanyaloka, as well as ...

Read more here: » Abhinavabharati: Encyclopedia - Abhinavabharati

Kashmir Shaivism is the philosophical school of consciousness that arose in Kashmir about 1200 years ago. The notion of Kashmir Shaivism originated in 1913 with the publication of J.C. Chatterji's text of the same name. Before that point the same thoughts would have been labeled Shaiva Monism, or the generic form Trika. Kashmir Shaivism is a tantric system with emphasis in areas which Navjivan Rastogi describes in his foreword for Dynamic Stillness by Swami Chetanananda, "The logical structure of Kashmir Shaivism ... Including:

• Kashmir Shaivism - Siva the Great Initiator and Saviour
• Kashmir Shaivism - The Siva Sutra
• Kashmir Shaivism - Classification of the written tradition
• Kashmir Shaivism - Abhinavagupta the great initiate
• Kashmir Shaivism - Trika the concept of trinity
• Kashmir Shaivism - The Trika schools
• Kashmir Shaivism - History of Kashmir Shaivism
• Kashmir Shaivism - Shaivism in relation to other religions or spiritual paths
• Kashmir Shaivism - Possibilities of learning and practicing the Kashmir Shaivism today

Read more here: » Kashmir Shaivism: Encyclopedia - Kashmir Shaivism

Trika is made up of several spiritual schools. 1. The oldest (historically speaking) of these schools is called Krama. In Sanskrit, ’krama’ means ’process’, ’order’ or ’succession’. The basic idea of this system is that the road to perfection has certain stages or steps. Each of these steps is governed by an aspect of the Divine. Therefore, God is actually present all the way, but each new step reveals a more profound face of Him. The Krama system is based upon the concept of Sakti as the Supreme Creative Energy ...

Read more here: » Kashmir Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Kashmir Shaivism - The Trika schools