Summary of the Contents of the Volume VIII of Abhinavaguptas Sri Tantraloka and Other Minor Works First Time

e English translation with Sanskrit texts By Professor Satya Prakash Singh and Swami Maheshvarananda ISBN 978-81-87471-84-4 (Vol. VIII) ISBN 978-81-87471-86-8 (Set) Published by Mohindra K. Vashistha for STANDARD PUBLISHERS (INDIA) 205, Kiran Mansion, 2nd Floor, 4834/24 Main Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110 002 (India) Tel. No. 91-011-23240594, 23240593 91-9871009093 (M) Tele FAX - 011-23272338 E-mail: standardpublishersindia@gmail.com mkvsr9@gmail.com Website: http://www.indianbooksworldwide.com This volume consist of 8 chapters namely, 30-37 besides Appendices of 13 minor works Acrya Abhinavagupta. Chapter 30 Mantras Applicable to Trika System of Worship 1. This Chapter deals with seed-mantras of three approaches to the Reality known as dk vidy, mokd vidy and pramevar vidy. 2. There is a reference to three verses in the ry Metre which remind the person lying on the deathbed of the essential nature of his being as existence, consciousness and bliss and therefore he need not be aggrieved of his present state of pain and suffering as it is only an exterior and temporary phase of his eternal and delightful being and remain as such while answering to the queries of anyone. 3. Thus as many as fifteen statements are uttered to stimulate the awareness of the dying person to the essential nature of his being with the aim of getting him detached from the present physical body and be attracted towards his assumption of the spiritual body in oneness with iva. 4. This Brahma-vidy consisting of fifteen statements is known as bound by kals, factors of division. Now is being spelled out what lies above this factor of division. 5. 6. Then there is a form of initiation known as paro-upaniad. Following it, there is a reference to the vidy of initiation, dk vidy.

Chapter 31 Deliberation on Maalas 1. This chapter is devoted to the process of formation of the circle, maala.

2. It speaks of sacrifice known as Dmara which is considered as having embedded in it the three forces, namely, the higher, higher-lower and lower. Chapter 32 Mudr 1. This Chapter deals with the system of postures, mudr.

2. Posture, mudr, is the reflection of the status of the inner being. The inner being or tm is the reflector while bodily posture is the reflection of its status. 3. The word mudr is formed out of mud meaning delight and the root r in the sense of giving. Thus mudr is that which accords delight to the poser concerned. 4. Khecar is the main amongst the mudrs which literally means that which enables the aspirant or its practitioner to move in the void which may take two forms lifting from the gravitational pull of the earth physically or at least mentally and spiritually. 5. Its varieties are known as trilin, karaki, krodhan, bhairav, lelihnik, mahpret, yogamudr, jvlin, kobhi and dhruv. 6. It is posed by sitting in the lotus-pose with the back-bone kept straight, the collarbones lowered, the eye-sight kept concentrated on the navel and concentration of consciousness directed to the three vacuums of the body in the forms of three principal nerves, namely, id, pigal and suumn. 7. Then there get manifested a sound, light and breath culminating in the access to iva. The left foot should be placed on the right thigh and the mouth should be stretched by means of the little fingers and the noseby means of the intermediate ones. He needs to make his tongue move speedily producing the sound h h. He should meditatively rise to the top of the head by invoking the three forces of willing, knowing and doing. 8. Sound is pregnant with the force of consciousness and hence with that of the kualin. Having stopped the breath on this point, the aspirant should pierce through the rest of the circles, cakras. 9. Then there is a reference to the akin, another form of the khecar mudr. It is related to the heart. It is also known as paca-kualin. 10. Khecar is the way out to the knowledge of the supernal seed of creation.

Note: Cf. gveda VII.6.30 dit pratnansya retasa jyotis payanti vsaram paro yadidhyate diva. Chapter 34 - Unification of Divine Forces 1. This Chapter is concerned with the experience of the aspirants oneness with the whole of the world. 2. This the atomic approach to iva-hood. Proceeding along this atomic path, the aspirant has to experience his oneness with the akti and then with iva. 3. This path has been suggested by iva Himself.

Chapter 34 Individualistic Approach to iva-hood 1. This Chapter indicates to the way of entry into iva-hood which is the essential nature of the individual. 2. That way is popularly known as the atomic which is in keeping with the individuality of the individual which although is universal and iva Himself and yet is supposed to have got divided into diverse individuals, each exclusive of the other owing to having been operated upon by the force of division, kal and my.

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Gradually he comes to himself getting rid of his exclusivity.

4. This happens due to realisation of the great light of iva within oneself. As a result of this realisation, the individual enters into his real nature which obtains in the whole of the world. Getting rid of his exclusivity, he comes to embrace the entire universe well within himself. This secret has been communicated to our School by the Supreme Creator of the universe. Chapter 35 Concordance of All Scriptural Provisions 1. This Chapter deals with the problem of concordance of all scriptural provisions on a certain point. What is being detailed out in this regard is the common conclusion of all approaches to the Reality. This is why it is known as gama. 2. A newly born child has various choices before him to see, touch and accept but he chooses out of those options only what he likes. 3. Which in itself is determined by his innate inclinations which are formed on the basis of the impressions settled in his inner being during experiences of the past. His inclination to eat clay is obviously beyond the range of his choice. It is something unnatural. Even then he becomes inclined to it. This must be due to some inherent cause behind it, which may be the birth of all from the earth. 4. 5. aivism is the system of approach to the Reality closest to the spontaneity of the human nature. Verity of this system has been impressed on me by honourable ambhuntha.

Chapter 36 Tradition of aivism 1. This Chapter is devoted to the tracing of the tradition of aivism.

2. Bhairava, Bhairav, Svacchanda, Lakula, Aurt Gahananea, Brahm, akra and Bhaspati have contributed to the making of this tradition adding one crore of verses each and thus the entire tradition developed ultimately into a text of nine crores of verses. 3. At the stage of Bhaspati it remained comprising one crore verses. Out of this number onefourth of it transmitted to Vman, half to Bhrga, half to Vali, half to Siha, one-fourth to Garua, one-fourth to Vsuki. 4. Half of the remaining verses were brought to the earth from heaven by Rvaa and were transmitted to Bibhana and then to Rma. 5. From Rma the wisdom was transmitted to Lakmaa and from him to Siddhas and Dnavas. The number got divided into two carried onward by rkaha and Tryambaka. 6. Tantrloka is a summary of the wisdom of all these streams of brought together.

Chapter 37 - Conclusion and Dedication 1. This Chapter is the last one of the entire enterprise which is addressed to his supreme Lord iva with the prayer that it is by virtue of His stimulation that the work has reached this end and that therefore it is He Himself who is prayed for giving solace to all those who may go through it. 2. Vis-a-vis the malice of the worldly life, the wisdom propounded here in this work is comparable to the cure of the snake bite.

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The device of oneness with iva is like cure of the snake-bite. It is, therefore, imperative for all to take resort to iva. Posture is a concretised representation of mantra so is also the status of the symbol of maala.

6. As soon as the aspirant receives this wisdom from the teacher, he gets redeemed then and there itself with his body to remain there like a mechanical device. 7. This Trika stra, therefore, needs to be accepted as soon as one becomes intimated with it.

8. Kashmir is a part of the earth dwelt in by iva Himself as also by contemplative sages strewn here and there almost everywhere. 9. Besides the fruits like apple and bilva in abundance, wine of various varieties is also available here. 10. 11. 12. 13. The entire region abounds in flowers. The inhabitants of it are poetic, scholarly, heroic and articulate. Women are also beautiful. It also abounds in yoginis, female practitioners of yoga. Here is also the town named Pravara which was established by King Pravarasena.

14. The river Vitast which has descended here as a part of the moon and decorates land. The King had provided our wise ancestor here a palatial residence at the bank of this river along with rich property attached to the palace. 15. It was in the lineage of that ancestor of ours known as Atrigupta that Varhagupta was born in course of time. 16. His son was named Chukhulaka, I, Abhinavagupta am his son. My departed from this world during my early childhood and due to her demise at that state, I became liberated even at that stage. 17. I was initiated in the learning of grammar, logic, literature and poetics by my father as also in the devotion to iva. 18. Besides this, I was made to join the tradition of teachers, Erakanthnanda, Vmanthnanda, Bhtirja, Somnanda. His son was Utpalantha and grandson Lakmanaguptantha and ambhuntha. 19. Towards the close of my life while I have been thinking of joining the family of my brother Manoratha. 20. While I was thinking of this, a few honourable persons happened to come to me including the son of the minister, Kema, Utpala, Abhinava, Cakraka, Padmagupta, Rmagupta and a lady named Vatsalika whose husband had died in youth and was devoted to iva along with her brother who had declined the offer of ministership out of his devotion to iva. 21. She offered her palace and regal amenities for my living.

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It is in those favourable conditions of life and working that I have worked out this Tantrloka.

Appendices English translation of 13 other works of Abhinavagupta: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Paramrthasra Essence of the Supreme State of Being. Dehastha-Devat-Cakra-Stotram Hymn to the Human Body as a Temple of Divinities. Pacaloki Stotra Five verses on the Glory of iva. Paramdvayadvdaik Bimbapratibimbavda Talk About the View of Reflection Bodhapacadaik Fifteen Verses on Consciousness. Bhairava Stotram Hymn to the Glory of Bhairava Mahopadea-Vimatik Rahasya-Pacadaik Krama Stotram On Krama System Anuttartik On Anuttara Paramrthacarc Deliberation on the Supreme Objective of Life Anubhavanivedanam Tribute of the Inner Experience.