Abhinavagupta

Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1016 CE[1][2]) was a philosopher, mystic

Abhinavagupta
and aesthetician from Kashmir.[3] He was also considered an
influential musician, poet, dramatist, exegete, theologian, and Personal
logician[4][5] – a polymathic personality who exercised strong Born Shankara
influences on Indian culture.[6][7] c. 950 CE
Kashmir
He was born in a Kashmiri Brahmin[8] family of scholars and
mystics and studied all the schools of philosophy and art of his time Died c. 1016 CE
under the guidance of as many as fifteen (or more) teachers and Mangam, Kashmir
gurus.[9] In his long life he completed over 35 works, the largest and Religion Hinduism
most famous of which is Tantrāloka, an encyclopedic treatise on all
Creed Kashmir Shaivism
the philosophical and practical aspects of Kaula and Trika (known
today as Kashmir Shaivism). Another one of his very important Religious career
contributions was in the field of philosophy of aesthetics with his Influenced
famous Abhinavabhāratī commentary of Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata
Śambhunātha, Lakṣmaṇagupta,
Muni.[10]
Bhūtirāja

Contents
Life
Social background, family and disciples
"Magical" birth
Parents
Family
Ancestors
Masters
Lifestyle
Works
Religious works
Tantraloka
Tantrasara
Devotional hymns
Philosophical works
Poetical and dramatic works
References
External links

Life
"Abhinavagupta" was not his real name, rather a title he earned from his master, carrying a meaning of
"competence and authoritativeness".[11][12] In his analysis, Jayaratha (1150–1200 AD)[13] – who was
Abhinavagupta's most important commentator – also reveals three more meanings: "being ever vigilant",
"being present everywhere" and "protected by praises".[14] Raniero Gnoli, the only Sanskrit scholar who
completed a translation of Tantrāloka in a European language, mentions that "Abhinava" also means
"new",[15] as a reference to the ever-new creative force of his mystical experience.

From Jayaratha, we learn that Abhinavagupta was in possession of all the six qualities required for the
recipients of the tremendous level of śaktipāta, as described in the sacred texts (Śrīpūrvaśāstra):[16] an
unflinching faith in God, realisation of mantras, control over objective principles (referring to the 36
tattvas), successful conclusion of all the activities undertaken, poetic creativity and spontaneous knowledge
of all disciplines.[17]

Abhinavagupta's creation is well equilibrated between the branches of the triad (Trika): will (icchā),
knowledge (jñāna), action (kriyā); his works also include devotional songs, academical/philosophical
works[11] and works describing ritual/yogic practices.[18]

As an author, he is considered a systematiser of the philosophical thought. He reconstructed, rationalised and

orchestrated the philosophical knowledge into a more coherent form,[19] assessing all the available sources
of his time, not unlike a modern scientific researcher of Indology.

Various contemporary scholars have characterised Abhinavagupta as a "brilliant scholar and saint",[20] "the
pinnacle of the development of Kasmir Śaivism"[20] and "in possession of yogic realization".[11]

Social background, family and disciples

"Magical" birth

The term by which Abhinavagupta himself defines his origin is "yoginībhū", 'born of a yoginī'.[11][21] In
Kashmir Shaivism and especially in Kaula it is considered that a progeny of parents "established in the
divine essence of Bhairava",[22] is endowed with exceptional spiritual and intellectual prowess. Such a child
is supposed to be "the depository of knowledge", who "even as a child in the womb, has the form of
Shiva",[14] to enumerate but a few of the classical attributes of his kind.

Parents

Abhinavagupta was born in a Kashmiri Brahmin family.[23] His mother, Vimalā (Vimalakalā) died when
Abhinavagupta was just two years old;[24][25] as a consequence of losing his mother, of whom he was
reportedly very attached,[16] he grew more distant from worldly life and focused all the more on spiritual
endeavour.

The father, Narasiṃha Gupta, after his wife's death favoured an ascetic lifestyle, while raising his three
children. He had a cultivated mind and a heart "outstandingly adorned with devotion to Mahesvara
(Shiva)"[24] (in Abhinavagupta's own words). He was Abhinavagupta's first teacher, instructing him in
grammar, logic and literature.[26]

Family
Abhinavagupta had a brother and a sister. The brother, Manoratha, was a well-versed devotee of Shiva.[27]
His sister, Ambā (probable name, according to Navjivan Rastogi), devoted herself to worship after the death
of her husband in late life.

His cousin Karṇa demonstrated even from his youth that he grasped the essence of Śaivism and was
detached of the world. His wife was presumably Abhinavagupta's older sister Ambā,[28] who looked with
reverence upon her illustrious brother. Ambā and Karṇa had a son, Yogeśvaridatta, who was precociously
talented in yoga[29] (yogeśvar implies "lord of yoga").

Abhinavagupta also mentions his disciple Rāmadeva as faithfully devoted to scriptural study and serving his
master.[28] Another cousin was Kṣema, possibly the same as Abhinavagupta's illustrious disciple
Kṣemarāja. Mandra, a childhood friend of Karṇa, was their host in a suburban residence; he was not only
rich and in possession of a pleasing personality, but also equally learned.[30] And last but not least, Vatasikā,
Mandra's aunt, who got a special mention from Abhinavagupta for caring for him with exceptional
dedication and concern; to express his gratitude, Abhinavagupta declared that Vatasikā deserved the credit
for the successful completion of his work.[31]

The emerging picture here is that Abhinavagupta lived in a nurturing and protected environment, where his
creative energies got all the support they required. Everyone around him was filled with spiritual fervor and
had taken Abhinavagupta as their spiritual master. Such a supporting group of family and friends was
equally necessary as his personal qualities of genius, to complete a work of the magnitude of Tantrāloka.

Ancestors

By Abhinavagupta's own account, his most remote known ancestor was called Atrigupta, born in
Madhyadeśa: [Manusmirti (circa 1500 BC, 2/21) defines the Madhyadesh region as vast plains between
Himalaya and Vindhya mountains and to the east of the river Vinasana (invisible Saraswati) and to the west
of Praya]. Born in Madhyadeśa he travelled to Kashmir at the request of the king Lalitāditya,[32][33] around
year 740 CE.[34]

Masters
Abhinavagupta is famous for his voracious thirst for knowledge. To study he took many teachers (as many
as 15),[35] both mystical philosophers and scholars. He approached Vaiṣṇavas, Buddhists, Śiddhānta
Śaivists and the Trika scholars.

Among the most prominent of his teachers, he enumerates four. Vāmanātha who instructed him in dualistic
Śaivism[36] and Bhūtirāja in the dualist/nondualist school. Besides being the teacher of the famous
Abhinavagupta, Bhūtirāja was also the father of two eminent scholars.[37]

Lakṣmaṇagupta, a direct disciple of Utpaladeva, in the lineage of Trayambaka, was highly respected by
Abhinavagupta and taught him all the schools of monistic thought : Krama, Trika and Pratyabhijña (except
Kula).[36]

Śambhunātha taught him the fourth school (Ardha-trayambaka). This school is in fact Kaula, and it was
emanated from Trayambaka's daughter.

For Abhinavagupta, Śambhunātha was the most admired guru. Describing the greatness of his master, he
compared Śambhunātha with the Sun, in his power to dispel ignorance from the heart, and, in another place,
with "the Moon shining over the ocean of Trika knowledge".[38]
Abhinavagupta received Kaula initiation through Śambhunāthas wife (acting as a dūtī or conduit). The
energy of this initiation is transmitted and sublimated into the heart and finally into consciousness. Such a
method is difficult but very rapid and is reserved for those who shed their mental limitations and are pure.

It was Śambhunātha who requested of him to write Tantrāloka. As guru, he had a profound influence in the
structure of Tantrāloka[39] and in the life of its creator, Abhinavagupta.[40]

As many as twelve more of his principal teachers are enumerated by name but without details.[41] It is
believed that Abhinavagupta had more secondary teachers. Moreover, during his life he had accumulated a
large number of texts from which he quoted in his magnum opus, in his desire to create a synthetic, all-
inclusive system, where the contrasts of different scriptures could be resolved by integration into a superior
perspective.

Lifestyle
Abhinavagupta remained unmarried all his life,[42] and as an adept of Kaula, at least initially maintained
brahmacharya and supposedly used the vital force of his energy (ojas) to deepen his understanding of the
spiritual nervous system he outlined in his works—a system involving ritual union between Purusha as
(Shiva) and Shakti. Such union is essentially non-physical and universal, and thus Abhinavagupta conceived
himself as always in communion with Shiva-Shakti. In the context of his life and teachings, Abhinavagupta
parallels Shiva as both ascetic and enjoyer.

He studied assiduously at least until the age of 30 or 35,.[34] To accomplish that he travelled, mostly inside
Kashmir.[43] By his own testimony, he had attained spiritual liberation through his Kaula practice, under the
guidance of his most admired master, Śambhunātha.[40]

He lived in his home (functioning as an ashram) with his family members and disciples,[44] and he did not
become a wandering monk, nor did he take on the regular duties of his family, but lived out his life as a
writer and a teacher.[38] His personality was described as a living realisation of his vision.[4]

In an epoch pen-painting he is depicted seated in Virasana, surrounded by devoted disciples and family,
performing a kind of trance-inducing music at veena while dictating verses of Tantrāloka to one of his
attendees – behind him two dūtī (women yogi) waiting on him. A legend about the moment of his death
(placed somewhere between 1015 and 1025, depending on the source), says that he took with him 1,200
disciples and marched off to a cave (the Bhairava Cave, an actual place known to this day), reciting his
poem Bhairava-stava, a devotional work. They were never to be seen again, supposedly translating together
into the spiritual world.[45]

Works
Abhinavagupta's works fall into multiple sections: manuals of religious ritual, devotional songs,
philosophical works and philosophy of aesthetics. Here are enumerated most of his works.[10] Bold type
faced titles represent the most important ones.

Religious works

Tantraloka
His most important work was Tantrāloka,(translates into "To Throw
Light on Tantra"), a synthesis of all the Trika system.[11] Its only
complete translation in a European language – Italian – is credited to
Raniero Gnoli, now at its second edition.[46] The esoteric chapter 29
on the Kaula ritual was translated in English together with
Jayaratha's commentary by John R. Dupuche, Rev. Dr.[14] A
complex study on the context, authors, contents and references of
Tantrāloka was published by Navjivan Rastogi, Prof. of the
Lucknow University.[47] Though there are no English translations of
Tantrāloka to date, the last recognized master of the oral tradition of
Kashmir Shaivism, Swami Lakshman Joo, gave a condensed version
of the important philosophical chapters of ‘'Tantrāloka'‘ in his book,
Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme.[48] The trident (triśūlābija maṇḍalam),
symbol and yantra of Parama Shiva,
Another important text was the commentary on Parātrīśikā, representing the triadic energies of
Parātrīśikāvivaraṇa, detailing the signification of the phonematic parā, parā-aparā and aparā śakti
energies and their two sequential ordering systems, Mātṛkā and
Mālinī. This was the last great translation project of Jaideva
Singh.[49]

Tantrasara

Tantrasāra ("Essence of Tantra") is a summarised version, in prose, of Tantrāloka, which was once more
summarised in Tantroccaya, and finally presented in a very short summary form under the name of
Tantravaṭadhānikā – the "Seed of Tantra".

Pūrvapañcikā was a commentary of Pūrvatantra, alias Mālinīvijaya Tantra, lost to this day. Mālinīvijayā-
varttika ("Commentary on Mālinīvijaya") is a versified commentary on Mālinīvijaya Tantra's first verse.
Kramakeli, "Krama's Play" was a commentary of Kramastotra, now lost. Bhagavadgītārtha-saṃgraha
which translates "Commentary on Bhagavad Gita" has now an English translation by Boris Marjanovic.[50]

Other religious works are: Parātrīśikā-laghuvṛtti, "A Short Commentary on Parātrīśikā",

Paryantapañcāśīkā ("Fifty Verses on the Ultimate Reality"), Rahasyapañcadaśikā ("Fifteen Verses on the
Mystical Doctrine"), Laghvī prakriyā ("Short Ceremony"), Devīstotravivaraṇa ("Commentary on the Hymn
to Devi") and Paramārthasāra ("Essence of the Supreme Reality").

Devotional hymns

Abhinavagupta has composed a number of devotional poems, most of which have been translated into
French by Lilian Silburn:[51]

Bodhapañcadaśikā – "Fifteen Verses on Consciousness";

Paramārthacarcā – "Discussion on the Supreme Reality";
Anubhavanivedana – "Tribute of the Inner Experience";
Anuttarāṣṭikā – "Eight Verses on Anuttara";
Krama-stotra – an hymn, different from the fundamental text of the Krama school;
Bhairava-stava – "Hymn to Bhairava";
Dehasthadevatācakra-stotra – "Hymn to the Wheel of Divinities that Live in the Body";
Paramārthadvādaśikā – "Twelve Verses on the Supreme Reality" and
 Mahopadeśa-viṃśatikā – "Twenty Verses on the Great Teaching".
Another poem Śivaśaktyavinābhāva-stotra – "Hymn on the Inseparability of Shiva and Shakti"
was lost.

Philosophical works

One of the most important works of Abhinavagupta is Īśvarapratyabhijñā-vimarśini ("Commentary to the

Verses on the Recognition of the Lord") and Īśvarapratyabhijñā-vivṛti-vimarśini ("Commentary on the
explanation of Īśvarapratyabhijñā"). This treatise is fundamental in the transmission of the Pratyabhijña
school (the branch of Kashmir Shaivism based on direct recognition of the Lord) to our days. Another
commentary on a Pratyabhijña work – Śivadṛṣtyā-locana ("Light on Śivadṛṣṭi") – is now lost. Another
lost commentary is Padārthapraveśa-nirṇaya-ṭīkā and Prakīrṇkavivaraṇa ("Comment on the Notebook")
referring to the third chapter of Vākyapadīya of Bhartrihari. Two more philosophical texts of Abhinavagupta
are Kathāmukha-tilaka("Ornament of the Face of Discourses") and Bhedavāda-vidāraṇa ("Confrontation of
the Dualist Thesis"). Abhinavagupta's thought was strongly influenced by Buddhist logic.[52]

Poetical and dramatic works

Abhinavaguptas most important work on the philosophy of art is Abhinavabhāratī – a long and complex
commentary on Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni. This work has been one of the most important factors
contributing to Abhinavagupta's fame up until present day. His most important contribution was that to the
theory of rasa (aesthetic savour).

Other poetical works include: Ghaṭa-karpara-kulaka-vivṛti, a commentary on "Ghaṭakarpara" of Kalidasa;

Kāvyakauṭukavivaraṇa, a "Commentary to the Wonder of Poetry" (a work of Bhaṭṭa Tauta), now lost; and
Dhvanyālokalocana, "Illustration of Dhvanyāloka", which is a famous work of Anandavardhana.

References
1. Triadic Heart of Shiva, Paul E. Muller-Ortega, page 12
2. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 27
3. "Abhinavagupta – the Philosopher" ([Link]
4. Re-accessing Abhinavagupta, Navjivan Rastogi, page 4
5. Key to the Vedas, Nathalia Mikhailova, page 169
6. The Pratyabhijñā Philosophy, Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, page 12
7. Companion to Tantra, S.C. Banerji, page 89
8. Andrew O. Fort; Patricia Y. Mumme (1 January 1996). Living Liberation in Hindu Thought.
SUNY Press. p. 188.
9. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 35
10. Luce dei Tantra, Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta, Raniero Gnoli, page LXXVII
11. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 20
12. The Krama Tantricism of Kashmir; Navjivan Rastogi, page 157
13. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 92
14. The Kula Ritual, As Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta; John R.
Dupuche, page 4
15. Luce dei Tantra, Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta, Raniero Gnoli, 1999, page 3
16. Abhinavagupta, Ganesh Tryambak Deshpande, page 19
17. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 21
18. Re-accessing Abhinavagupta, Navjivan Rastogi, page 8
19. Re-accessing Abhinavagupta, Navjivan Rastogi, page 10
20. Īśvara Pratyabhijñā Kārikā of Utpaladeva, Verses on the Recognition of the Lord; B. N. Pandit,
page XXXIII
21. Luce dei Tantra, Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta, Raniero Gnoli, page 3
22. Re-accessing Abhinavagupta, Navjivan Rastogi, page 2
23. Andrew O. Fort; Patricia Y. Mumme (1 January 1996). Living Liberation in Hindu Thought (http
s://[Link]/books?id=2rdnrfuOJ6sC&pg=PA188). SUNY Press. p. 188.
24. Luce dei Tantra, Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta, Raniero Gnoli, page 4
25. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 31
26. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 30
27. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 22
28. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 24
29. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 23
30. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 25
31. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 26
32. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 28
33. The Kula Ritual, As Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta; John R.
Dupuche, page 3
34. Triadic Mysticism, Paul E. Murphy, page 12
35. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 33
36. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 54
37. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 34
38. The Kula Ritual, As Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta; John R.
Dupuche, page 7
39. The Triadic Heart of Śiva, Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-Dual Shaivism of
Kashmir; Paul Eduardo Muller-Ortega, page 1
40. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, pages 44–54
41. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 35,54
42. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi, page 32
43. The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta; John R.
Dupuche, page 6
44. Īśvara Pratyabhijñā Kārikā of Utpaladeva, Verses on the Recognition of the Lord; B. N. Pandit,
page XXXIV
45. Triadic Mysticism, Paul E. Murphy, page 13
46. Luce dei Tantra, Tantrāloka, Abhinavagupta, Raniero Gnoli, 1999
47. Introduction to the Tantrāloka, Navjivan Rastogi
48. Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme, ed, John Hughes, SUNY press, 1985.
49. Para-trisika-Vivarana, Jaideva Singh
50. Abhinavagupta's Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, Boris Marjanovic
51. Hymnes de Abhinavagupta: Traduits et commentés, Lilian Silburn
52. Andre Padoux. Vac: The Concept of the Word in Selected Hindu Tantras. SUNY Press, 1990.
page 180 "One knows that the thought of such authors as Abhinavagupta was strongly
influenced by Buddhist logic."
External links
Bibliography of Abhinavagupta's works, Item 582 ([Link]
[Link]), Karl Potter, University of Washington
Muktabodha Online Library ([Link]
digital_library.htm) – containing many of Abhinavagupta's works in Sanskrit including
Tantrāloka
GRETIL: a collection of Abhinavagupta's works in original ([Link]
PhilSaiva), also containing other Kashmir Shaivism texts
Four biographical articles on Abhinavagupta ([Link]
l) by Swami Lakshman Joo, Prof. K. N. Dhar, R. K. Jalali and Geetika Kaw Kher
Another Bibliography of Abhinavagupta ([Link]
by "The New Yoga"
Aspects of Abhinavagupta's Theory of Scripture ([Link] by David
Peter Lawrence
Hymns of Abhinavagupta ([Link]

Retrieved from "[Link]

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