Of related interest: Pancaratra Text Sanjukta Gupta Otto Schrader inl916 recommended the Laksmi Tantra for the study of Pancaratra philosophy. Among the vast number of Pancaratra Agamic texts the Laksmi Tantra stands out because it deals almost exclusively with Laksmi, the divine creative impulse, intelligence, potency, potentiality, power, majesty and speech. The focus of the text is on Pancaratra philosophy (including cosmogony) and the practice of yoga based on it, with its attendant Mantra Sastra. It records the earliest Vaisnava speculation on the paradox of a Supreme God who is totally identified with Brahman, the unique and transcendent Conscious Reality, and is at the same time the creator of a dualistic universe which cannot be related to Him. ArthurAvalon This work teaches the tantric rituals in great details and propounds the basic philosophy of Tantrism, revealing the best aspects of Saktism. The tantra also teaches the doctrine of duties, incorporating the laws of Manu, the Bhagavadgita, and sermons of the Buddha. Arthur Avalon Divided into 36 Patalas, the book deals with the worship of Devatas in the tantric way. As a special study, the reader is referred to the Patalas on the tantric Bhutasuddhi, the worship of Tripura Vidya, Japa, Bija, Yantra, Mudra, and so forth which are the distinguishing marks of tantric ritual. Delhi (INDIA) E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mlbd.com ISBN: 81-208-0972-6 Rs.495(Cloth) The Kularnava is perhaps the foremost Tantra of the kaula School and is constantly cited as an authority in Tantric literature. It is worthy of close study by those who would understand the tenets and practice of the tradition of which it is a Sastra. The Introduction by Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) gives a concise outline of the work. Sri M.P. Pandit who is a keen student of the Tantras and Vedas has rendered the work in English in eleven chapters. The Readings are free translations - with annotations where necessary - omitting technical details but preserving the spirit and essential import of the original in his characteristically lucid style. The complete text is given in Devanagari for those who wish to study the book in the original Sanskrit. Of related interest: The Canon of the Saivagama and the Kubjika Tantras of the Western KauIa Tradition - Mark S. G. Dyczkowski The Doctrine of Vibration: An Analysis of the Doctrines and Practices of Kashmir Shaivism - Mark S. G. Dyczkowski Introduction to Tantraloka - Navjivan Rastogi Journey into Consciousness - Charles Breaux Paratrishika Vivarana by Abhinavagupta: The Secret of Tantric Mysticism - Bettina Baumer Pratyabhijnahrdayam: The Secret of Self- Recognition - Jaideva Singh Pure Yoga by Yogi Pranavananda (A Tr. from the Sanskrit into English of the tantric work, the Gherandasamhita, with a guiding commentary) - Tony Rodriguez & Kanshi Ram Reflection on the Tantras; - S. Chattopadhyaya Sarada Tilaka Tantra - Arthur Avalon Saundaryalahri of Sankaracharya - V.K. Subramaniam The Secret of Self-Transformation: A Synthesis of Tantra and Yoga - Rohit Mehta The Secret of the Three Cities: An Introduction to the Hindu Sakta Tantrism - Douglas Renfrew Brooks Siva Sutras: The Yoga of Supreme Identity - Jaideva Singh Spanda-Karika - Jaideva Singh Sritattvachintamani of Purnananda - Prabodha Candra Bagchi The Stanzas on Vibration: The Spandakarika with Four Commentaries - Mark S.G. Dyczkowski Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas - David Kinsley Tantric Yoga: The Royal Path to Raising Kundalini Power - Gavin and yvonne Frost Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (Spiritual Secrets of Ayurveda) - David Frawley Tantra Vidya: Based on Archaic Astrono and Tantric Yoga - Oscar Marcel Hinze Kularnava Tantra Introduction ARTHUR AVALON (Sir John Woodroffe) Readings M.P. PANDIT Sanskrit Text TARANATHA VIDYARATNA MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED • DELHI Reprint: Delhi, 1984,1999, 2000, 2007 First Edition: Delhi, 1965 © MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED All Rights Reserved ISBN: 81-208-0972-6 (Cloth) ISBN: 81-208-0973-4 (Paper) MOTILAL BANARSIDASS 41 U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 007 8 Mahalaxmi Chamber, Warden Road, Mumbai 400 026 203 Royapettah High Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 236, 9th Main HI Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560 011 Sanas Plaza, 1302 Baji Rao Road, Pune 411 002 8 Camac Street, Kolkata 700 017 Ashok Rajpath, Patna 800 004 Chowk, Varanasi 221 001 PRINTED IN INDIA BY JAINENDRA PRAKASH JAIN AT SHRIJAINENDRA PRESS, A- 45, NARAINA, PHASE-I, NEW DELHI 110 028 AND PUBLISHED BY NARENDRA PRAKASH JAIN FOR MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED, BUNGALOW ROAD, DELHI 110 007 PREFACE Tantra is a major development in the evolution of Indian spiritual thought inasmuch as it represents a determined attempt at reconciling the apparent points of conflict among the different schools of philosophy that came up after the age of the Epics. Tantra seeks to synthesize the monism of the Advaita with the dualism of the Samkhya, enrich Jnana with the rasa of Bhakti, join Nature to her Lord in the person of the human individual, harmonize the claims of the Spirit with the rights of Matter. It recovers the lost heritage of the ancient Veda which lays emphasis upon the commonalty of man, Nature and God and the equality of status between Mother Earth and Father Heaven. The principle of Tantra is to reject nothing that God has created, to utilize every means to raise the human consciousness to the Divine. Unlike many of the older systems Tantra is highly rational in its approach; it asks for no faith in advance. It is a self-verifying science of the development of natural energies into their supernatural terms leading to a cosmic enjoyment of life in a spiritual consciousness. In a word it is the highway of mukti and bhukti in the highest sense. The Kularnava is an important text in one of the tradi­ tions of Tantra with a pronouncedly practical bent of thought. It calls upon man to wake up to the rare privilege that has been given to him, e.g. human birth in which the being becomes conscious of himself and is offered a choice: a choice between stagnation and rapid progression towards his Godhead. He is warned of the consequences of losing himself in the rounds of transient excitements and pleasures He is also put on guard against the many pseudo-paths that abound in this world. He is viii PREFACE asked to purify himself and told how to do it. In un­ ambiguous terms he is told that a wine-drinker is different from the drinkers of ecstasy; the union of delight is between the ascending Sakti and the presiding Lord above, and not between man and woman. In issuing these warnings, the adepts of the Tantra would seem to have anticipated the modern turn of mixing up sex with spirituality. It is a pity that a text like this has not received adequate publicity in the west where tantra-enthusiasts are on the wrong track. The Kulanarva prescribes the modes of preparation for the high quest; it draws upon ethics, religion, philosophy, yoga to elevate human life gradually to the level of godly life. It comprehends the multiple personality of man and provides for the healthy growth of his mental faculties, purification of his emotions and passions, orientation of his physical faculties through ritual, japa, mantra and upasana. Who is fit for the path of Tantra? Who is competent to guide the novice on the double-edged razor path? What is the responsibility of a Guru to a disciple? These and other relevant questions are raised and answered in a satisfying manner. An attempt has been made in the following selections to present such contents as are eminently helpful to the needs of the awakened man of today. Portions relating to rituals, technicalities of special types of japa, etc. have been kept out of the treatment so as not to tax the aspi­ rant of the present times who has little time or energies to devote himself to those practices, especially when it is possible to achieve the same results by more psychological means suited to the modern age and so elegantly presen­ ted in this text. Definitions of most of the important concepts and terms in the Tantra Sastra, as given in the text, will be found highly educative. M. P. PANDIT I INTRODUCTION By ARTHUR AVALON INTRODUCTION The Kularnava is a leading and perhaps the foremost Tantra of the Kaula School. It enjoys a great reputation amongst works of its class and as such is constantly cited as an authority. The Chapters of the Text here published number seventeen and the verses total 2058 according as there are included or not vv. 123-144 in the tenth Chapter. The Colophon however states that the portion here printed is only the fifth part of the whole Tantra consisting of 1,25,000 verses. Thus the Colophon of the first Chapter runs - "End of the first Chapter being the first portion of the fifth part entitled Urdhvamnaya Tantra of the great Mystery and most excellent among Agamas containing, 1,25,000 verses entitled the Kularnava Tantra." If this statement be correct I have not on enquiry been able to discover the whole work. Every Ms. which I have come across contains the seventeen Chapters only here printed. Either then the rest of the book is lost or possibly exists under some different names. The Kaulavali which is a compendium by Jnanananda Paramhamsa quotes long passages as from the Kularnava which do not occur in any of the texts consulted in the preparation of the present volume. The work has been already twice printed and therefore would not in the ordinary course have found place in these texts according to the original design of the publi­ cation.