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Hindu tantric literature

Tantras in Hinduism are esoteric scriptures.[1][2]

Classes
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 tantric
scriptures refer to techniques for achieving a result.

The Hindu tantras total 92 scriptures; of these, 64[3] are purely Abheda (literally "without
differentiation", or monistic), known as the Bhairava Tantras or Kashmir Śaivite Tantras, 18 are
Bhedābheda (literally "with differentiation and without differentiation" monistic or dualistic),
known as the Rudra Tantras), and 10 are completely Bheda (literally "differentiated" or dualistic),
known as the Śiva Tantras. The latter two (Rudra Tantras and Śiva Tantras) are used by the Śaiva
Siddhāntins, and thus are sometimes referred to as Shaiva Siddhanta Tantras, or Śaiva Siddhānta
Āgamas.

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 Nāth Tradition, legend ascribes the origin of tantra to Dattatreya, a semi-mythological yogi
and the assumed author of the Jivanmukta Gita ("Song of the liberated soul"). Matsyendranath is
credited with authorship of the Kaulajñāna-nirnāya, a voluminous ninth-century tantra dealing
with a host of mystical and magical subjects. This work occupies an important position in the
Hindu tantric lineage, as well as in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.

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

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written in Sanskrit and in regional languages. The major textual tantra traditions with some key
exemplary texts is as follows:[6]

Śaiva – Sadaśiva (Śivagama), Vāma or Tumburu, Dakṣiṇa

or Bhairava
Kularnava Tantra
Amṛteṣaṭantra or Netratantra
Netragyanarṇava tantra
Niḥśvāsatattvasaṃhitā
Kālottārā tantra
Sarvajñānottārā
Ṣaivāgamas
Raudrāgamas
Bhairavāgamas
Vāma Āgamas
Dakṣiṇāgamas
Śivaśakti traditions – Yāmala (also part of Bhairava A Hindu Tantric Painting. India,
tradition) Pahari, circa 1780-1800. Depicting
from top to bottom: Shiva, Sakti,
Brahma yāmala
Vishnu with his conch, Brahma
Rudra yāmala
sprouting from his navel, and
Skanda yāmala Lakshmi. Below is Harihara and
Viṣṇu yāmala four-headed Brahma. At bottom is
Yama yāmala Trimurti. All painted against a gold
Yāyu yāmala ground forming the stylized seed
syllable Om.
Kubera yāmala
Indra yāmala

Śākta – Kālī traditions (Kālī, Kālī Viṣṇu, Kāmākhyā/Kubjika,

Tārā and Others), Śrīkula tradition
Varahi Tantra
Shakta Agamas
Muṇḍamālā tantra
Toḍala tantra
Cāmuṇḍa tantra
Devīyāmala
Mādhavakula
Yonigahavara,
Kālīkulārṇava tantra A tantric form of the Hindu
Kaṇkālamālinī tantra Goddess Kali. Folio from a book
Jhaṃkārakaravīra, of Iconography, Nepal, 17th
century.
Mahākāla saṃhitā
Kālī tantra
Kālajñāna tantra
Kumārī tantra
Siddhalaharī tantra
Niruttārā tantra
Kālīvilāsa tantra

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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 - Kulamārga and Other tantras
Kulārṇava tantra
Mahānirvāṇa tantra
Kulacūḍāmaṇi tantra
Kulārṇava tantra
Guptasādhana tantra
Mātṛkābheda tantra
Vaiṣṇava – Vaikhanasas, Pancharatra, bhakti-oriented tantras of Kṛṣṇa and 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
Mantra-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

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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]

Sir John Woodroffe translated the Tantra of the Great Liberation (Mahānirvāna Tantra) (1913)
into English along with other Tantric texts. Other tantras which have been translated into a
Western language include the Malini-vijayottara tantra, the Kirana tantra, and the Parakhya
Tantra.[7]

Some translation of Tantra texts

1. The Kulachudamani Tantra and Vamkehwar Tantra, Louise M. Finn

2. Kularnava Tantra, Paramhansa Mishra
3. Kularnava Tantra, Ram Rahim Rai
4. Yogini Hridaya, Vraj Vallabh Dwivedi
5. Yogini Tantra by GangaVishnu ShriKrishnadas
6. Maheshwar Tantra Sarala Hindi Vyakhya Sudhakar Malaviya Chowkambha (Narada Pancrata)
7. Kamratna Tantra, Hemchandra Goswami
Tantric Texts Series Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe)

1. Tantrabhidhanam with Bijanighantu & Mudranighantu - A Tantric Dictionary

2. Shatchakranirupanam (Serpant Power) with 2 commentaries - Taranatha Vaidyaratna
3. Prapachasaratantram (reprinted as volumes 18 & 19)
4. Kulachudamani Tantra - Girish Chandra Vedantatirtha
5. Kularnavatantram edited by Taranatha Vaidyaratna
6. Kalivilasatantram edited by Parvati Charana Tarkatirtha
7. Shrichakrasambhara edited by Kazi Dawa samdup (Buddhist Tantra)
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8. Tantraraja Part 1 commentary by Subhagananda Natha

9. Karpuradistotra with intro & commentary by Vimalananda Swami
10. Kamakalavilasa of Punyananda, commentary by Natananadanatha
11. Kaula & Other Upanishads with commentaries by Bhaskararaya & others
12. Tantraraja Part 2 commentary by Subhagananda Natha
13. Mahanirvanatantram with commentary of Hariharananda Bharati
14. Kaulavalinirnayah of Jnanananda Paramahamsa
15. Brahmasamhita with commentary of Jiva Gosvami & Vishnusahasranama
16. Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 1
17. Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 2
18. Prapachasaratantram Part 1
19. Prapachasaratantram Part 2
20. Chidgaganachandrika - Swami Trivikrama Tirtha
21. Tarabhakti Sudharnava - Panchanana Bhattacharya Tarkaratna
22. Sataratna samgraha, with Sataratnollekhani - Edited by Panchanan Sastri

See also
Hinduism portal

History of Shaktism

References

Notes
1. Flood (1996), p. 158.
2. Smith, Travis. "Tantra". Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Brill. pp. 168–181. ISBN 978-90-04-
17893-9.
3. "64Tantras" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150811055400/http://64tantras.com/64thantra.php).
Archived from the original (http://www.64tantras.com/64thantra.php) on 2015-08-11. Retrieved
2015-08-26.
4. Ajita_Mahatantra 1–18 (http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_1-18.htm) Ajita_Mahatantra,_19-
35 (http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_19-35.htm) Ajita_Mahatantra,_36-66 (http://texts.00.gs/
Ajita_Mahatantra,_36-66.htm) Ajita_Mahatantra,_67-89 (http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_6
7-89.htm)
5. S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_1 (http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_1.htm) S%60arada-
tilaka_Tantra,_2 (http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_2.htm) S%60arada-
tilaka_Tantra,_3-5 (http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_3-5.htm)
6. Mukhopadhyay, Subhodeep (August 26, 2016). "Demystifying Tantra-III: Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava
Tantras" (http://indiafacts.org/demystifying-tantra-saiva-vai%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%87ava-tant
ras/). Indiafacts.org.
7. Wallis (2013).

Works cited
Flood, Gavin D. (1996). An Introduction to Hinduism.

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Wallis, Christopher (2013). Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a
Timeless Tradition. Mattamayura Press. ISBN 978-0-9897613-0-7.

Further reading
Bagchi, P. C. (1986). Kaulajnana-nirnaya of the School of Matsyendranath. Translated by
Michael Magee. Varanasi: Prācya Prakāśana.
Lakshmanjoo, Swami (2000). Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme. Universal Shaiva
Fellowship. ISBN 1-58721-505-5.
Walker, Benjamin (1983). Tantrism: Its Secret Principles and Practices. Borgo Press. ISBN 0-
85030-272-2.
Woodroffe, John (1913). Mahanirvana Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation) (http://www.sacre
d-texts.com/tantra/maha/) – via Sacred-texts.com.

External links
Shiva Shakti Mandalam (http://www.shivashakti.com/)

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