Kularnava Tantra [Paperback]

Arthur Avalon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

The Kularnava is perhaps the foremost Tantra of the Kaula School and is constantly cited as an authority in Tantric literature. It is worthy of close study by those who would understand the tenets and practice of the tradition of which it is a Sastra. The Introduction by Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) gives a concise outline of the work. Sri M. P. Pandit who is a keen student of the Tantras and Vedas has rendered the work in English in eleven chapters. The Readings are free translations - with annotations where necessary - omitting technical details but preserving the spirit and essential import of the original in his characteristically lucid style. The Kularnava prescribes the modes of preparation for the high quest; it draws upon ethics, religion, philosophy, yoga to elevate human life gradually to the level of godly life. It comprehends the multiple personality of man and provides for the healthy growth of his mental faculties, purification of his emotions and passions, orientation of his physical faculties through ritual, japa, mantra and upasana. Who is fit for the path of Tantra? Who is competent to guide the novice on the double-edged razor path? What is the responsibility of a Guru to a disciple? These and other relevant questions are raised and answered in a satisfying manner.

Product Details

• Paperback: 357 pages
• Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass,; 1 edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8120809734
• ISBN-13: 978-8120809734
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,465,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential text, March 26, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kularnava Tantra (Paperback)

This is one of the major primary text sources for detailed descriptions of cakrapuja and panca-makara, two ritual protocols that are central to the understanding of Tantric cosmogonic beliefs and sociopolitics. A welcome reissue and a must for any serious student of Tantrism.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for scholars and, with guidance, practitioners, November 7, 2007

By 

Kaulika - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kularnava Tantra (Paperback)

This edition of the Kularnava Tantra is valuable for both scholars and practitioners. Arthur Avalon (really a composite figure of Sir John Woodroffe and his Indian translators; Woodroffe didn't actually know much Sanskrit, he was better with smoothing the translation) presents a clear introduction and relatively good translation of the text. But what is really valuable here is the original Sanskrit.

The reviewer below who mentioned he felt like he was "missing something" is right, though somewhat misguided about what he's missing. Although half the book is in Sanskrit, it is simply the translated text in its original form so that one can study the original, which is the best way to read it. Studying any text in translation is problematic, because the bias of the translator colors the reading - in Sanskrit this is particularly problematic, and in Tantras doubly so, because of the layers of meaning and subterfuge for which Sanskrit and Tantric verse are famous. Scholars will find the original text fairly clean. However, for those unable or unwilling to pursue many years of Sanskrit study, the translation is decent, although not always entirely correct.

As for practitioners, it is important to remember that this text leaves out crucial information, which is common amongst Tantric texts. A qualified teacher within the Shakta Kula should be able to fill in these gaps according to their lineage, but the language of this text is full of holes that "Avalon" doesn't adequately fill. From the practice perspective, it is crucial to study this text under the guidance of a qualified teacher.

With the guidance of a pandit, this is an incalculably rich resource; on one's own, it is vital reading material for anyone interested in this field, especially Shakta Tantra.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Was Expecting, November 28, 2009

By 

Spacemuppet - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kularnava Tantra (Hardcover)

I was under the impression this was going to be an English translation of the Kularnava Tantra. I was disappointed when it arrived to see that it actually consists only of an Introduction by Arthur Avalon, "Readings" from the Tantra by M.P. Pandit, and then the Sanskrit text. Pandit explains in the Preface that "Portions relating to rituals, technicalities of special types of japa, etc. have been kept out of the treatment so as not to tax the aspirant of the present times..." Note: I found what looks like a full translation by Ram Kumar Rai, even rarer than Avalon's edition. Don't know how good it is, but it exists.