Essay name: Devi Tantra, Mantra, Yantra (study)
Author:
Srider Basudevan Iyer
Affiliation: University of Mumbai / Sanskrit, University Department
This essay studies the history of Devi (the Goddess) in relation with worship using Tantra, Yantra and Mantra. The study explores the concept of the 'Female Principle' or Goddess, examining her role and significance in ancient Indian society.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
8 (of 55)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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chapter 1. Introduction AGES: 8 The word 'Ages' may also be translated and understood as a
yuga. 'Yuga' in this context does not mean any specified time period
in the context of the present study such as the stone age, the metal
age, the medieval period etc; or an era,nor does it refer to any sort of
water tight compartmentalized time duration. Ages in the context of
the study simply refers to the period of recorded works and of
practices. Thus, both written as well as the oral traditions are held up
as informative and authoritative sources. Another meaning of ages is
time. Time-factor is dealt with elaborately in the different chapters as
plays an important factor in worship.
role
TANTRA.
which
Derivation:
The word is of olescure origin.
has six derivatives.
Tantra is well known as a popular and special branch of
Saktism. The word tantra is derived from the root tan, (cf. P膩峁噄nis
310 dh膩tup膩th: Tanu vist膩re) which means-- to stretch, to lengthen, to
spread, to diffuse, to compose, to write, and many more similar
meaning words.
9 Definition.
Tantra is traditionally defined as-
Tanoti vipul膩n arth盲n tattva-mantra-samanvitam,
