Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)
by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words
This page relates 鈥楥ontemporary Attitudes鈥� of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti鈥攖he feminine principle鈥攚ithin the religious and philosophical framework of Kashmir Shaivism. Tantrism represents an ancient Indian spiritual system with Shakti traditionally holding a prominent role. This study examines four major sub-streams: Kula, Krama, Spanda, and Pratyabhijn膩.
Part 3.6 - Contemporary Attitudes
[Full title: (3) De-Saktisation through Interpretations (6) Contemporary Attitudes]
De-艢膩ktisation tendencies in the interpretations were not only limited to the ground of Abhinavagupta and his close descendants but it is found extended to the modern scholars also. The present academia of South Asian studies is tremendously ardent towards the discussions on the features, conceptions and experiential traditions of Tantrism. Many of the modern scholars are highly influenced by the traditional overviews on the philosophy of Tantrism. They explicitly believe in the hierarchy created by the dichotomies which necessarily lead them to consider the ideas like pure, internal, knowledge, masculine etc. as exceeding the impure, external, ritual and feminine. Hence the predisposition to the interpretation of the whole system as 艢颈惫补-centred is common in them.
Note:
The modern interpreters are interested in propounding the philosophy of 艢aivite monism as all mystical theology and thus they preserve an affable perspective on the 艢颈惫补-centredness of later phase of the monistic 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. They try to transform all the earliest esoteric concepts into highly philosophized or soteriologized ones. The liberation from the circle of birth and death acquires a higher level than the worldly enjoyments attained through the Tantric contemplations.
(See Alexis Sanderson, 鈥�艢补颈惫补 Exegesis of Kashmir鈥�, p.237. He further remarks that the 艢aivite rituals which effect the soul is greater thean the Br膩hma峁噄c rituals which affect body. Here also soul-the internal-becomes higher than the body-external, Ibid., p.240. Also refer to Betina Baumer, Op.cit., p.21.)
This is the reason for their acceptance of 驰辞驳颈苍墨蝉 as the later concepts originated from 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. (H. V. Dehjia, Navjivan Rastogi and Olga Sebeava Saraogi are of the same opinion in this regard.)
They obviously accept that 础迟颈尘腻谤驳补 is the first branch of 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 then the 艢腻办迟补-尘补苍迟谤补尘腻谤驳补 has originated. The modern 艢腻办迟补 172 long term tendencies of de-艢膩ktisation (handled through the different schemes of exegesis such as interpolation, formulation and interpretation) as the impacts of the evolution of 艢补办迟颈 in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘.
Accordingly present chapter tried to monitor the scholars too are not seems to be set free from the impacts of Br膩hma峁噄c ideas. (For instance, during the discussion of Goddess-spirit duality Judit Torzsok and Shaman Hatley deviate from the fundamental 艢腻办迟补 understanding.)