Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the TantrālokaAbhinavagupta, a leading figure in Kashmir Saivism is increasingly being recognised as one of the chief contributors to the evolution of Indian thought. In his encyclopaedic work the Tantraloka 'Light on the Tantras' he describes the various tantras of his day and places at their apex the most extreme of them, the Kula ritual which proposes the use of wine and meat and intercourse with women of the lowest castes. In Abhinavagupta's esteem of the Kula ritual just the shodow side of genius an aberration best forgotten? This work is a translation-the first into english of any chapter of the Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta's version of the Kula ritual. |
Common terms and phrases
Abhinava Abhinavagupta according Adept āha asya ata eva atra atra-eva Bhairava bhavet bindu bliss body Brahmā brahman centre consciousness consecration deities descent of energy described disciple disciple's emanation emission enjoyment Enunciation evam external faculties footnote Gnoli goddesses guru hamsa ibid illustrious itil ity-arthaḥ Jayaratha kalā Kashmir Śaivism kaula knowledge Krama Kula ritual Kula sacrifice Kula tradition Kuleśvari liberation Mālinī Mālinīvijayottaratantra maṇḍala mantra Mātṛkā māyā means mudrā nāma nanu oblation ordinary initiate Padoux Parā Parātrimśikāvivaraṇa penetration performed person phoneme phrase practitioner principal circle question he says quote Rastogi Ratnamālā reabsorption reality recitation refers rūpam sacred place sacred sites śakti Sanderson satiation scriptures sexual fluid sexual partner Silburn Śiva Śiva and sakti sub-circles Sub-topic subtle-breath supernatural power supreme tac-ca tad-uktam Tantraloka Tantrasāra tathā tato tatra tena term Trika uktam Vāc visarga word worship yena yogi yogini