Tantrabhidana

by Arthur Avalon and Taranatha Vidyaratna

This work forms the first volume of the famous Tantrik Texts series edited and published in Sanskrit by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe).

The work belongs to the Dictionary Class. The Matrikanighantu and Vijanighantu or Mantra-Kosha by Bhairava Rishi are dictionaries of the single vowels and consonants of the Sanskrit language. Both dictionaries, published for the first time from ancient and rare (in some cases extinct) manuscripts, comprise the main body of this book.

They give the Tantrik meaning of the vowels and then of the consonants with a view to facilitate the understanding of the Tantrika vijas or mantras of that name.

These vijas are generally given in the Tantrik Texts in a covert way.

About the Author:

Sir John Woodroffe (1865-1936), also known by his pseudonym Arthur Avalon, received his B.C.L. (Bachelor of Civil Law) from University College, Oxford. He moved to India, where he practised law. He became Advocate-General of Begal and in 1915 Chief Justice at the Calcutta High Court. He also was appointed Standing Counsel to the Government of India. He was appointed Tagore Law Professor at the Calcutta University. After retiring to England he became Reader in Indian Law at the University of Oxford .

Alongside his judicial duties he studied Sanskrit and Hindu philosophy and was especially interested in the esoteric Hindu Tantric Shakti system. He translated some twenty original Sanskrit texts, and under his pseudonym Arthur Avalon he published and lectured prolifically and authoritatively on Indian philospohy and a wide range of Yoga and Tantra topics. His work helped to unleash in the West a deep and wide interest in Hindu philosophy and Yogic practices.

His most popular and influential book, a major contribution to the appreciation of Indian philosophy and spirituality, is The Serpent Power - The secrets of tantric and shaktic yoga.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.