John Dupuche - Abhinavagupta - The Kula Ritual as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantraloka OCR (543p) [Anomolous].pdf

John Dupuche - Abhinavagupta - The Kula Ritual as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantraloka OCR (543p) [Anomolous].pdf

Hardcover: 532 pages
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass (January 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8120819799
ISBN-13: 978-8120819795

In Abhinavagupta's encyclopaedic work, the Tantraloka (Light on the Tantras), he describes the various tantras of his day and places at their apex the most extreme of them, the Kula ritual, which proposes the use of wine and meat and intercourse with women of the low castes. Is Abhinavagupta's esteem of the Kula ritual just the shadow side of genius, an abberation best forgotten? This book is a translation - the first into English of any chapter of the Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta's version of the Kula ritual. It also provides a translation - the first into any language - of Jayaratha's indispensable commentary. It shows the structure of the text, which is not a confused mass of codes and activities but is articulated as finely as an Indian temple. The translation is accompanied by a commentary, the appendices, including a glossary and index of words.

The Reverend Dr John DuPuche is a Sanskrit Scholar (PhD), who speaks French, Latin, German, Italian, some Hindi and regularly travels to Orissa in India every year to meditate, live with and study the Tantrikas and the ancient spiritual systems of India. This book is his PhD thesis. His direct translation from Sanskrit is tempered and assisted by references to other linguistic translations from Italian, German and French authors.

I can highly recommend this book of Dr John's translation and commentary as he is considered the most emminent Kashmiri scholar in Australia and a world authority on Kashmiri Shaivism.