Tantras (Hinduism)
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Tantras in Hinduism are esoteric scriptures.[1][2]
Classes of Hindu Tantra
The word tantra is made up by the joining (sandhi in Sanskrit) of two Sanskrit words: tanoti (expansion) and trayati (liberation). Tantra means liberation of energy and expansion of consciousness from its gross form. It is a method to expand the mind and liberate the dormant potential energy, and its principles form the basis of all yogic practices. Hence, the Hindu Tantra scriptures refer to techniques for achieving a result.
The Hindu Tantras total 92 scriptures; of these, 64
Tantra are mainly two types: Agama and Nigama. Agamas are those texts in which Goddess asked questions and the God replied. In Nigama texts, God asked questions and Goddess replied. This dialogue between God and Goddess is special feature of Hindu Tantra.
Origin
In the
Function
In distinction to Vedic ritual, which is traditionally performed out-of-doors without idols or emblems, the Tantric ritual is largely a matter of temples and idols. The Tantras are largely descriptions and specifications for the construction and maintenance of temple structures with their resident idols and lingas, for example is the Ajita Māhātantra.[4] Another function was the conservation of esoteric texts for the exclusive use of rulers in rituals directed to deities controlling political affairs, for example the Śārada-tilaka Tantra.[5]
Texts
Tantric texts are usually associated with a particular tradition and deity. The different types of Tantric literature are tantra, Āgama, saṃhitā, sūtra, upaniṣad, purāṇa, tīkā (commentaries), prakaraṇa, paddhati texts, stotram, kavaca, nighaṇṭu, koṣa and hagiographical literature. They are written in Sanskrit and in regional languages. The major textual Tantra traditions with some key exemplary texts is as follows:[6]
-
- Kularnava Tantra
- Amṛteṣaṭantra or Netratantra
- Netragyanarṇava tantra
- Niḥśvāsatattvasaṃhitā
- Kālottārā tantra
- Sarvajñānottārā
- Ṣaivāgamas
- Raudrāgamas
- Bhairavāgamas
- Vāma Āgamas
- Dakṣiṇāgamas
- Śivaśakti traditions – Yāmala (also part of Bhairava tradition)
- Brahma yāmala
- Rudra yāmala
- Skanda yāmala
- Viṣṇu yāmala
- Yama yāmala
- Yāyu yāmala
- Kubera yāmala
- Indra yāmala
- tradition
- Varahi Tantra
- Shakta Agamas
- Muṇḍamālā tantra
- Toḍala tantra
- Cāmuṇḍa tantra
- Devīyāmala
- Mādhavakula
- Yonigahavara,
- Kālīkulārṇava tantra
- Kaṇkālamālinī tantra
- Jhaṃkārakaravīra,
- Mahākāla saṃhitā
- Kālī tantra
- Kālajñāna tantra
- Kumārī tantra
- Siddhalaharī tantra
- Niruttārā tantra
- Kālīvilāsa tantra
- Utpatti tantra
- Kāmadhenu tantra
- Nirvāṇa tantra
- Kāmākhyā tantra
- Tārā tantra
- Kaula tantra
- Matsya Sūkta / Tārā Kalpa
- Samayā tantra
- Vāmakeshvara tantra
- Tantrajā tantra
- Yoginī tantra
- Kula - Kulamārgaand Other tantras
- Kulārṇava tantra
- Mahānirvāṇa tantra
- Kulacūḍāmaṇi tantra
- Kulārṇava tantra
- Guptasādhana tantra
- Mātṛkābheda tantra
- Rāma
- Pāñcarātra saṃhitā texts
- Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā
- Jayākhya saṃhitā
- Pārameśvara saṃhitā
- Pauśkara saṃhitā
- Pādma saṃhitā
- Nāradīya saṃhitā
- Haṃsaparameśvara saṃhitā
- Lakṣmī tantra
- Vaihāyasa saṃhitā
- Śrīkālapraā saṃhitā
- Vaikhānasa Āgamas
- Gautamīya tantra
- Bṛhadbrahma saṃhitā
- Māheśvara tantra
- Sātvata tantra
- Rādhā tantra
- Agastya saṃhitā and Dāśarathīya tantra
- Īśāna saṃhitā and Ūrdhvāṃnāya saṃhitā
- śāstra- textbooks on Mantras, metaphysics of mantric sound, related practices and rituals
- Prapañcasāra tantra and its commentaries and Ṭīkās
- Śāradatilaka tantra by Lakṣmaṇa Deśikendra
- Mantramuktāvali of Paramahaṃsa Pūrṇaprakāśa
- Mantramahodadhi of Mahīdhara
- Mantradevaprakāśikā of Viṣṇudeva
- Mantrakamalākara of Kamalākara Bhaṭṭa
- Mantraratnākara of Yadunātha Cakravartin
- Mantramahārṇava of Mādhava Rāya Vaidya
- Tantrasāra of Kṛṣṇānanda āgamvāgiśa
- Nibandha - handbooks on ritual worship, sadhana and puja
- Kriyākalpataru of śaktinātha Kalyānakara
- Kaulāvalīnirṇaya of Jñānānandagiri Paramahaṃsa
- śāktanandataraṃgiṇī of Brahmānanda Giri
- śāktakrama of Pūrṇānanda
- śrītattvacintāmaṇi of Pūrṇānanda
- āgamakalpadruma of Govinda
- āgamakalpalatikā of Yadunātha
- āgamatattvavilāsa of Raghunātha Tarkavāgīśa, and āgamachandrikā of Rāmakṛṣṇa
- Tantrachintāmaṇi of Navamīsiṃha
- Prāṇatoṣiṇī of Rāmatoṣaṇa Vidyālaṃkāra
- Śhivarahasya
- Śaivakalpadruma
- Saura tantras
- Ganapatya tantras
- Others – supernatural, chemistry, astrology, alchemy, etc.,
Translations
Most Hindu Tantras remain untranslated. One widely translated exception is the Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra, which according to Christopher Wallis, is atypical of most Tantric scriptures.[7]
Some translation of Tantra texts
- The Kulachudamani Tantra and Vamkehwar Tantra, Louise M. Finn
- Kularnava Tantra, Paramhansa Mishra
- Kularnava Tantra, Ram Rahim Rai
- Yogini Hridaya, Vraj Vallabh Dwivedi
- Yogini Tantra by GangaVishnu ShriKrishnadas
- Maheshwar Tantra Sarala Hindi Vyakhya Sudhakar Malaviya Chowkambha (Narada Pancrata)
- Kamratna Tantra, Hemchandra Goswami
Tantric Texts Series Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe)
- Tantrabhidhanam with Bijanighantu & Mudranighantu - A Tantric Dictionary
- Shatchakranirupanam (Serpant Power) with 2 commentaries - Taranatha Vaidyaratna
- Prapachasaratantram (reprinted as volumes 18 & 19)
- Kulachudamani Tantra - Girish Chandra Vedantatirtha
- Kularnavatantram edited by Taranatha Vaidyaratna
- Kalivilasatantram edited by Parvati Charana Tarkatirtha
- Shrichakrasambhara edited by Kazi Dawa samdup (Buddhist Tantra)
- Tantraraja Part 1 commentary by Subhagananda Natha
- Karpuradistotra with intro & commentary by Vimalananda Swami
- Kamakalavilasa of Punyananda, commentary by Natananadanatha
- Kaula & Other Upanishads with commentaries by Bhaskararaya & others
- Tantraraja Part 2 commentary by Subhagananda Natha
- Mahanirvanatantram with commentary of Hariharananda Bharati
- Kaulavalinirnayah of Jnanananda Paramahamsa
- Brahmasamhita with commentary of Jiva Gosvami & Vishnusahasranama
- Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 1
- Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 2
- Prapachasaratantram Part 1
- Prapachasaratantram Part 2
- Chidgaganachandrika - Swami Trivikrama Tirtha
- Tarabhakti Sudharnava - Panchanana Bhattacharya Tarkaratna
- Sataratna samgraha, with Sataratnollekhani - Edited by Panchanan Sastri
Notes
- ^ Flood, Gavin. D. 1996. An Introduction to Hinduism. P. 158
- ISBN 978-90-04-17893-9.
- ^ "64Tantras". Archived from the original on 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2015-08-26.
- ^ Ajita_Mahatantra 1–18 Ajita_Mahatantra,_19-35 Ajita_Mahatantra,_36-66 Ajita_Mahatantra,_67-89
- ^ S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_1 S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_2 S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_3-5
- ^ Subhodeep Mukhopadhyay; Demystifying Tantra-III: Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava Tantras, http://indiafacts.org/demystifying-tantra-saiva-vai%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%87ava-tantras/
- ^ a b Wallis, Christopher; Tantra Illuminated
See also
- John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon)
- Kashmir Śaivism
- Tantra
- History of Shaktism
References
- Lakshmanjoo, Swami. Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme. ISBN 1-58721-505-5
- Dhallapiccola, Anna. Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend. ISBN 0-500-51088-1
- ISBN 0-85030-272-2
- Wallis, Christopher (2013) Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition. Mattamayura Press. ISBN 0989761304
- [1]
- Shiva Shakti Mandalam
Further reading
- Bagchi, P.C. (1986). Kaulajnana-nirnaya of the School of Matsyendranath Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan. Magee, Michael (trans.).
- Woodroffe, John. Mahanirvana Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation). Retrieved 2007-05-17.