||Kashmir Shaiva Masters ||
Lord Shiva always wishes to illuminate the universe, and so He reappeared in this world on Mount Kailash in the form of Shrikanthanath. In this form He again taught the theory of the Bhairava Tantras to Durvasa Rishi. After telling Durvasa Rishi to expand the thought of Bhairava Tantras in all the universe without restriction of caste, creed, color, or gender, Shrikanthanath disappeared into the ether.
After meditating completely to acquire a r...eal and fit disciple Durvasa Rishi became disappointed. He could not find anyone in this world fit to be initiated, so out of his mental power he created one mind-born son whom he called Tryambakanatha. Durvasa initiated him completely in the way of monistic Bhairava Tantras. Afterwards, he created two more mind-born sons, Amardakanatha and Shrinatha whom he initiated into the dualistic Shiva Tantras and the mono-dualistic Rudra Tantras respectively. All of this was done by Durvasa Rishi for the upliftment of humankind.
Durvasa Rishi created one mind-born daughter, whom he initiated completely in the monistic way. Known as the Ardhatryambaka school of the Bhairava Tantras, this teaching manifests itself secretly from one woman to
another. Kashmir Shaivism does not recognize women as inferior. In fact, Swami Lakshmanjoo tells us, "if a woman remains one-pointed in her spiritual practice, she can achieve in twelve days what would normally take one year". There is no history of this school in kali-yuga.
Durvasa Rishi's mind born son Tryambakanatha, also created his own mind-born son and named him Tryambakaditya, which means "the expansion of Tryambakanatha". Tryambakaditya created his own mind-born son, and after initiating him he disappeared into the ether.
In this manner fifteen generations of Siddha's were created by mind. When, however, the fifteenth Siddha attempted to create a mind-born son, he was not successful. It is said he was not fully introverted, as he was also given to worldly pleasures. However, after sitting in long meditation, he found in this world a girl with good qualities, and went to her father and made arrangements to marry.
They had one son named Sangamaditya who came to the valley of Kashmir. Like his father, Sangamaditya married and produced a son named Varshaditya, whom he initiated completely in the thought of the monisticBhairava Tantras. Varshaditya married and produced a son named Arunaditya, whom he initiated fully. Arunaditya also married and created a son named Ananda, whom he initiated and who was also completely informed in all practical aspects of Shaivism. This sage Ananda was the father of Somananda, the originator of the Pratyabhijna School of Shaivism and author of the 'Shiva Dristi'.
Up to this time (800 C.E.), initiation into the monistic thought of the Bhairava Tantras took place from father to son only. After Somananda this initiation took place from Master to disciple. Somananda was the master of Utpaladeva. Utpaladeva was the master of Lakshmanagupta. And Lakshmanagupta was a master of the great Abhinavagupta, (950-1025 C.E.).
Abhinavagupta had many masters of whom he considered Shambunatha, his master in Kula System, to be the
most illustrious, Abhinavagupta was a complete authority on Kashmir Shaivism and although he had many disciples, both men and women, his chief disciple was Kshemaraja and the chief disciple of Kshemaraja was Yogaraja.
Since its beginning the sacred lineage of Kashmir Shaiva Masters has remained unbroken, yet due to the rise and fall of Kashmir over the past 700 years, it has been practically hidden from view.
- from the desk of Shardool Jha
Lord Shiva always wishes to illuminate the universe, and so He reappeared in this world on Mount Kailash in the form of Shrikanthanath. In this form He again taught the theory of the Bhairava Tantras to Durvasa Rishi. After telling Durvasa Rishi to expand the thought of Bhairava Tantras in all the universe without restriction of caste, creed, color, or gender, Shrikanthanath disappeared into the ether.
After meditating completely to acquire a r...eal and fit disciple Durvasa Rishi became disappointed. He could not find anyone in this world fit to be initiated, so out of his mental power he created one mind-born son whom he called Tryambakanatha. Durvasa initiated him completely in the way of monistic Bhairava Tantras. Afterwards, he created two more mind-born sons, Amardakanatha and Shrinatha whom he initiated into the dualistic Shiva Tantras and the mono-dualistic Rudra Tantras respectively. All of this was done by Durvasa Rishi for the upliftment of humankind.
Durvasa Rishi created one mind-born daughter, whom he initiated completely in the monistic way. Known as the Ardhatryambaka school of the Bhairava Tantras, this teaching manifests itself secretly from one woman to
another. Kashmir Shaivism does not recognize women as inferior. In fact, Swami Lakshmanjoo tells us, "if a woman remains one-pointed in her spiritual practice, she can achieve in twelve days what would normally take one year". There is no history of this school in kali-yuga.
Durvasa Rishi's mind born son Tryambakanatha, also created his own mind-born son and named him Tryambakaditya, which means "the expansion of Tryambakanatha". Tryambakaditya created his own mind-born son, and after initiating him he disappeared into the ether.
In this manner fifteen generations of Siddha's were created by mind. When, however, the fifteenth Siddha attempted to create a mind-born son, he was not successful. It is said he was not fully introverted, as he was also given to worldly pleasures. However, after sitting in long meditation, he found in this world a girl with good qualities, and went to her father and made arrangements to marry.
They had one son named Sangamaditya who came to the valley of Kashmir. Like his father, Sangamaditya married and produced a son named Varshaditya, whom he initiated completely in the thought of the monisticBhairava Tantras. Varshaditya married and produced a son named Arunaditya, whom he initiated fully. Arunaditya also married and created a son named Ananda, whom he initiated and who was also completely informed in all practical aspects of Shaivism. This sage Ananda was the father of Somananda, the originator of the Pratyabhijna School of Shaivism and author of the 'Shiva Dristi'.
Up to this time (800 C.E.), initiation into the monistic thought of the Bhairava Tantras took place from father to son only. After Somananda this initiation took place from Master to disciple. Somananda was the master of Utpaladeva. Utpaladeva was the master of Lakshmanagupta. And Lakshmanagupta was a master of the great Abhinavagupta, (950-1025 C.E.).
Abhinavagupta had many masters of whom he considered Shambunatha, his master in Kula System, to be the
most illustrious, Abhinavagupta was a complete authority on Kashmir Shaivism and although he had many disciples, both men and women, his chief disciple was Kshemaraja and the chief disciple of Kshemaraja was Yogaraja.
Since its beginning the sacred lineage of Kashmir Shaiva Masters has remained unbroken, yet due to the rise and fall of Kashmir over the past 700 years, it has been practically hidden from view.
- from the desk of Shardool Jha
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