MauriceO

Śrī Mātre Namaḥ,

There seems to be a Svatantratantra but its details are not available.

https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/svatantratantra

While this could be completely wrong…and i still wanted to share here. Out of curiosity i used Chat GPT to know more and here is small text i am copy pasting from there…Please ignore if this is spamming :-)

Svatantratantra is a philosophical and religious system that emerged within the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, particularly in Kashmir. It emphasizes the concept of self-dependence and autonomy (svatantrya) as a means to attain self-realization and liberation.

Key Features:

1. Self-Recognition: Svatantratantra emphasizes recognizing and realizing one's inherent divine nature. It teaches that the ultimate reality, known as Shiva, is self-existent and self-empowered. The path to liberation involves understanding and actualizing this innate divinity within oneself.

2. Emphasis on Practice: Svatantratantra places great importance on practical aspects such as meditation, yoga, and ritual practices. These practices aim to purify the mind, awaken inner energies, and establish a direct connection with the divine.

3. Deity Worship: The tradition involves the worship of deities, particularly Shiva and Shakti (the divine feminine energy). Devotion and rituals centered around these deities are seen as a means to invoke their grace and attain spiritual growth.

4. Tantra and Rituals: Svatantratantra draws from the broader tantric traditions, incorporating rituals, mantras, yantras (sacred diagrams), and mudras (hand gestures). These practices are aimed at harnessing cosmic energies and transforming consciousness.

5. Metaphysical Explorations: Svatantratantra delves into metaphysical concepts such as the nature of reality, the interplay of consciousness and energy, and the process of manifestation. It offers philosophical insights and contemplative frameworks to understand the nature of existence and the divine.

6. Influence on Kashmir Shaivism: Svatantratantra has had a significant impact on the development of Kashmir Shaivism, a philosophical school that evolved in Kashmir. Many of the core teachings and practices of Kashmir Shaivism draw from Svatantratantra.

surya_vasireddy

Haha it does sound reasonable thank you for sharing 😄 but yeah probably to take with a big grain of salt 😅 Especially as Guruji said Svatantra Tantra teaches Sundari Upasana and ChatGPT does not mention Lalitā at all.

Jai Maa 🙌

MauriceO

Namo Varahi,

Yeah. Chat GPT is fun though to pass sometime :-)

Here are couple of additional info I gathered (from Chat GPT 😂 again) and with this I will stop spamming here. Wish you best in finding the right resource.

1. "Svatantra-tantra" by Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon): Sir John Woodroffe, also known by his pseudonym Arthur Avalon, was a prominent scholar and practitioner of Tantra. He has translated and commented on several Tantric texts, including Svatantratantra. His translation of Svatantratantra provides valuable insights into the text and its teachings.

2. "The Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta with the Commentary of Rajanaka Jayaratha" by Abhinavagupta and Jayaratha: While not solely focused on Svatantratantra, this monumental work by Abhinavagupta provides extensive commentary on Tantric philosophy and practices. Abhinavagupta references Svatantratantra in his Tantraloka, offering valuable insights into its teachings.

3. "Kaulajnana-Nirnaya: The Esoteric Teachings of Matsyendrapada Sadguru" by Matsyendranath and Harish Johari: This text contains translations and commentaries on several important Tantric texts, including Svatantratantra. It explores the principles and practices of Svatantratantra from the perspective of the Kaula tradition.

4. "The Triadic Heart of Siva: Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-Dual Shaivism of Kashmir" by Paul Eduardo Muller-Ortega: Although focused on Abhinavagupta's teachings, this book provides deep insights into the Tantric philosophy and practices that underlie texts like Svatantratantra.

surya_vasireddy

The Information about the "Kaulajnana-Nirnaya" was interesting but I did not find any reference to the Svatantra Tantra in this text. So it seems Chat GPT made it up 😄

Out of interest, do you or anyone else reading here knows if Matsyendra Natha is part of our sampradaya or parampara?

Jai Maa

surya_vasireddy

I would advise caution when dealing with ChatGPT. It is still in its infancy and in my experience a lot of information it spits out is wrong. The other day I asked it about Lalitopakhyana and it told me that it was in Mahabharata, which is completely wrong because it's part of Brahmanda Purana.

surya_vasireddy

"Svatantra-tantra" by Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon)" - I don't think that is correct.

MauriceO

I'm not aware of Masyendranatha being in our parampara.

admin

Lesson learned by me - Don't rely on info on internet "yet" :-)

Thank you for validating that it may be not right