The Great Liberation

by Sir John Woodroffe

This work is a valuable commentary on the Indian Tantras which constitute the Scripture of the Kaliyuga, and as such are a voluminous source of present and practical orthodox Hinduism. The Tantra Sastra is a development of the Karmakanda promulgated to meet the needs of that age.

Yet of all the forms of Indian Sastra, the Tantra is that which is least known and understood, a circumstance in part due to the difficulties of its subject-matter and to the fact that the key to much of its terminology and method rests with the initiate. The present translation is, in fact, the first published in Europe of any Indian Tantra. An inaccurate version rendered in imperfect English was published in Calcutta by a Bengali editor some twelve years ago, preceded by an introduction which displayed insufficient knowledge in respect of what it somewhat quaintly described as the mystical and superficially technical passages of this Tantra.

Table of Contents:

1. The Liberation of Beings
2. The Worship of Brahman - Verses
3. The Worship of Brahman (Contd.)
4. The Worship of Sakti
5. Mantras and Purification
6. Mantras and Rites
7. Hymn and Amulet
8. Castes and Asramas - Verses
9. The Ten Sacraments
10. Rites and Initiation
11. Expiatory Acts
12. The Eternal Dharma
13. Installation of the Devata -Verses
14. Consecration and Avadhutas.

About the Author:

Sir John Woodroffe settled in India and was totally enchanted by the Tantra Sastra. Perhaps he was the first to bring out in English a number of Books on the subject for the benefit of English Reader. He has done immense service to the practitioners of Tantra and has authored more than a dozen Books.