Kashmir Saivism

Description

Kashmir Saivism Kashmir Śaivism sustains a probing dialogue of the Saiva integralist with Vedantic illusionism and Buddhist nihilism. This system has stood the test of time and is attracting attention after a lapse of many centuries. By pronouncing a vigorious affirmation, it shows the fetility of the charge that the Indian Mind is world-negating. It provides an ultimate remedy for what Jung calls ‘the general neurosis of our times’. The new generation of today would find that the mystical Śiva consciousness attained through this path is free form the evils of drug-induced ‘psychedelic nirvāņa.

The present study is the first attempt to provide a critical account of absoluti-stic Śaivism. While expounding the Saiva approach in relation to Vedanta advaitism, it takes up with commendable lucidity and thoroughness a detailed discussion of some important problems of philosophy and religion. Rather than approaching the subject historically, the author treats the subject conceptually. Though both approaches, in the author’s judgement, are fully consistent and justified from their own points of view, Kashmir Saivism, however represents a novel world-affirming attitude which rejects all dualities, bipolarities and conflicts, and harmonises them in the supreme vision of Śiva.

The work is divided into four parts. In the first part the author analysis ‘the two approaches’ of Saiva and Vedānta absolutisms. Theories of recognition’ and knowledge have been discussed in the second part. The third part contains a detailed critical exposition. Of the nature of reality. The conceptions of self, bondage and freedom have been analysed in the last part. Besides analysing critically the Śaiva approach to important metaphysical and religious issues, throughout the book fruitful comparisons have been drawn between the key concepts of the two absolutistic traditions. This book, the fruit of serious and sustained research. is a highly distinctive contribution to the subject. The author brings out fully the historical and contemporary significance of Kashmir Śaivism. The reader will find her, lucid introduction to the system. This critical work is a study of a highly esoteric system, will undoubtedly prove valuable to the students of both philosophy and religion.