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Showing posts from July 1, 2009


Book: Tantraloka by Abinavagupta – English Translation Project

Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta is a 10th century AD spiritual and literary work presenting the philosophy, religion and yogic sadhana of the non-dual Saiva Agama traditions. A great spiritual literary work in the ‘Shaiva Agamas’ tradition, Tantraloka is composed by Shaiva Acharya Abhinavagupta. Shaiva Agamas are spiritual texts dedicated to Lord Shiva and it identifies Lord Shiva as the supreme. There are 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas and is the basis of Kashmir Shaivism and the Shiva tradition in South India . Tantraloka has thirty seven chapters which is sort of an encyclopedia of Oriental tradition. Veer Shaiva of Basava has the famous ritual ‘Lingodhar Diksha’ derived from this book. Similarly, Shaiva Siddhanta of Tamil saints has the philosophical basis, many of them are expounded in this book. Presently there is no English Translation of the Tantraloka available claims Virendra Qazi, Chairman of Lalleshwari International Trust. Only an elaborate translation of Tantraloka

A story by Swami Vivekananda

There are numerous stories narrated by Swami Vivekananda to illustrate Universal truths. Here is one such story by Swami Vivekananda There was once a minister to a great king. He fell into disgrace. The king, as a punishment, ordered him to be shut up in the top of a very high tower. This was done, and the minister was left there to perish. Minister had a faithful wife, however, who came to the tower at night and called to her husband at the top to know what she could do to help him. He told her to return to the tower the following night and bring with her a long rope, some stout twine, pack thread, silken thread, a beetle, and a little honey. The good wife obeyed her husband, and brought him the desired articles. The husband directed her to attach the silken thread firmly to the beetle, then to smear its horns with a drop of honey, and to set it free on the wall of the tower, with its head pointing upwards. She obeyed all these instructions, and the