Author: Sir John Woodroffe
Publisher: Ganesh & Company
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 467
ISBN/UPC (if available): 818598803X
Description
These lectures and other collected papers traverse new ground in the Literature of Indian Religion, for they are the first attempt to give an authenticated and understanding general account of the chief features of the Doctrine and Practice of Indian worshippers who are called Saktas, and who adore the Divine Power as Mahadevi, the Great Mother of the universe.
The Sakta Tantra is a Sadhana Sastra of Monistic Vedanta. It is a profound and powerful system, and its doctrine of Sakti or Divine Power is one of the greatest evolved, through spiritual intuition, by the human mind which, according to its teaching, is a manifestation of the Divine Consciousness Itself.
The present work deals with its subject only in a very general and, as far as the matter permits, popular way. First published in 1918, this new edition has been revised and corrected throughout, and additions have been made to some of the original Chapters.. The book has moreover been very considerably enlarged by the addition of eleven new Chapters.
Contents
SECTION 1- INTRODUCTORY
CHAPTER
I.Indian Religion as Bharata Dharma
II.Sakti: The world as Power
III.What are the Tantras and Their Significance?
IV.Tantra Sastra and Veda
V.Tantras and Religion of the Saktas
VI.Sakti and Sakta
VII.Is Sakti Force?
VIII.Cinacara (Vasistha and Buddha)
IX.The Tantra Sastras in China
X.A Tibetan Tantra
XI.Sakti in Taoism
XII.Alleged Conflict of Sastras
XIII.Sarvanandanatha
SECTION 2 - DOCTRINAL
XIV.Cit-Sakti ( The Consciousness Aspect of the Universe)
XV.Maya-Sakti (The Psycho-Physical Aspect of the Universe)
XVI.Matter and Consciousness
XVII.Sakti and Maya
XVIII.Sakta Advaitavada
XIX.Creation as Explained in the Non-dualist Tantras
XX.The Indian Magna Mater
SECTION 3 - Ritual
XXI.Hindu Ritual
XXII.Vedanta and Tantra Sastra
XXIII.The Psychology of Hindu Religious Ritual
XXIV.Sakti as mantra (Mantramayi Sakti)
XXV.Varnamala (The Garland of letters)
XXVI.Sakta Sadhana (The ordinary Ritual)
XXVII.The Pancatattva (The Secret Ritual)
XXVIII.Matam Rutra (The Right and Wrong Interpretation)
SECTION 4- Yoga and Conclusions
XXIX.Kundalini-Sakti (Yoga)
XXX.Conclusions
APPENDIX: The Agamas and the Future