Impact of Tantra on Religion and Art

With its roots (perhaps) in the prehistoric times, Tantra is a unique, highly complex spiritual tradition of India. Which is hard to define and still harder to be grasped by the non-initiated - largely because of its occult and mysteriously ritualistic elements, often accompanied by equally mysterious mantras, yantras, kriyas and even sexual practices. As a religious philosophy, this esoteric cult of Sakti: the female principle, seeks to discover the source of cosmic power within the human body through intensely specialized yogic activity. And, like yoga, it transcends religious boundaries.

Introducing this non-Vedic, esoteric cult in an altogether fresh perspective, the book looks at tantra: both as a philosophy and as a spiritual tradition in its own right, and how Tantrism has, in the past, been an irresistible influence not only on major Indian religions (Brahmanical Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism), but on arts as well. Dr. Mishra authenticates his findings with evidence from numerous Vaisnava, Saiva, Sakta, Buddhist, and Jaina texts on religion, philosophy, art and iconography.

The author, who has had long, personal interactions with some of the living tantrikas, also tries to dispel certain distortions woven around tantric religion to contextually offer an unbiased account of its evolution, cultic variations, culture, philosophy, mysticism, and cardinal concepts and tenets. Together with relevant visual material, Dr. Mishra's work will, thus, evoke as much interest in discerning readers as in the scholars of Indian religions, traditional philosophy, arts and art history.

About the Author

T.N. Mishra, a scholar with varied specialized interests, is Assistant Curator, Bharat Kala Bhawan: the prestigious Museum of Art & Archaeology, at eh Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U.), Varanasi Awarded Ph.D., in 1978, by B.H.U. for his "study of ancient Indian bricks", he had also taught at two of this university's affiliated collages, before opting for a career in museology.

Apart from three books, Dr. Mishra has published nearly forty articles in different journals on a range of themes from Indian art and archaeology.

Contents:

   Preface
   List of Illustrations
1. Introduction
2. Religious Mythology
3. The Concept of the Tantra
4. Philosophy of the Tantra and Sadhana 
5. Evolution of the Tantras
6. Concept of Sakti and Saktism 
7. Tantric Culture of Buddhism and its Tenets
8. Siddhi, Siddha and the Natha Cult
9. Influence of Tantra in Art
   Visuals 
   Bibliography
   Glossary
   Index