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Shakti and Shakta: Essays and Addresses on the Shakta Tantrashastra
This is a set of essays by Woodroffe on Tantra.
About the Author
Sir John Woodroffe (1865 - 1936)
Sir John Woodroffe (1865-1936), also known by his pseudonym Arthur Avalon, was a British Orientalist whose work helped to unleash in the West a deep and wide interest in Hindu philosophy and Yogic practices.
Born on December 15th, 1865 as the eldest son of James Tisdall Woodroffe, Advocate-General of Bengal and his wife Florence, he was educated at Woburn Park School and University College, Oxford, where graduated in jurisprudence and the Bachelor of Civil Law examinations.
In 1890, He moved to India and enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court. He was soon made a Fellow of the Calcutta University and appointed Law Professor of Calcutta University.He was appointed Standing Counsel to the Government of India in 1902 and two years later was raised to the High Court Bench.After serving for eighteen years in the bench, he became Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in 1915.After retiring to England he became Reader in Indian Law at the University of Oxford, and finally moved to France in his retirement, where he died in 1936.
Alongside his judicial duties he studied Sanskrit and Hindu philosophy and was especially interested in the esoteric Hindu Tantric Shakti system. He translated some twenty original Sanskrit texts, and under his pseudonym Arthur Avalon.He published and lectured prolifically and authoritatively on Indian philosophy and a wide range of Yoga and Tantra topics.
His most popular and influential book, a major contribution to the appreciation of Indian philosophy and spirituality, is The Serpent Power - The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga (Dover Books), which is the source of many modern Western appropriation
About the Author
Sir John Woodroffe (1865 - 1936)
Sir John Woodroffe (1865-1936), also known by his pseudonym Arthur Avalon, was a British Orientalist whose work helped to unleash in the West a deep and wide interest in Hindu philosophy and Yogic practices.
Born on December 15th, 1865 as the eldest son of James Tisdall Woodroffe, Advocate-General of Bengal and his wife Florence, he was educated at Woburn Park School and University College, Oxford, where graduated in jurisprudence and the Bachelor of Civil Law examinations.
In 1890, He moved to India and enrolled as an advocate in Calcutta High Court. He was soon made a Fellow of the Calcutta University and appointed Law Professor of Calcutta University.He was appointed Standing Counsel to the Government of India in 1902 and two years later was raised to the High Court Bench.After serving for eighteen years in the bench, he became Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court in 1915.After retiring to England he became Reader in Indian Law at the University of Oxford, and finally moved to France in his retirement, where he died in 1936.
Alongside his judicial duties he studied Sanskrit and Hindu philosophy and was especially interested in the esoteric Hindu Tantric Shakti system. He translated some twenty original Sanskrit texts, and under his pseudonym Arthur Avalon.He published and lectured prolifically and authoritatively on Indian philosophy and a wide range of Yoga and Tantra topics.
His most popular and influential book, a major contribution to the appreciation of Indian philosophy and spirituality, is The Serpent Power - The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga (Dover Books), which is the source of many modern Western appropriation
520 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1918
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 12, 2024
He knows so much more than many Indians i know. Brilliant person, excellent perspectives
August 30, 2012
One of the most authentic Books on Tantra Sastra.
A reference manual.A detailed description of the Tantra system can be found here.
Recommended.
A reference manual.A detailed description of the Tantra system can be found here.
Recommended.
February 7, 2016
Swings between the visionary (as when it details subtleties of Karma, the interrelationship of masculine and feminine, and form and emptiness) and the excruciating (the pages of academic subreferencing and wankerdom).
Whether this title is worth the strain is debatable, but the value it did deliver is so impeccable that I will read more by John Woodroffe.
Whether this title is worth the strain is debatable, but the value it did deliver is so impeccable that I will read more by John Woodroffe.
May 24, 2018
It is very rare that I denounce a book. But, for the famed orientalist that he is, sir John has written absolute crap. The book is disorganized, scattered and superficial. Sir John throws in translations, criticizes his contemporaries and mixes Buddhism and Hinduism until you cannot make head or tail of it.
November 7, 2023
This book provides a superb overview of the worship of God as Mother.
The book contains four sections. The first section ("Introductory") introduces the religion of the Śāktas and their Tantras. The second section ("Doctrinal") elucidates Śākta Advaitavāda and distinguishes it from other schools of thought. It nicely illustrates the uniqueness of Śākta Advaitavāda. Śākta Advaitavāda takes a pragmatic approach to dealing with the real and unreal: "To the unliberated, the world is real, in the sense that, it imposes its reality on him, whatever his theories may be. In order that instruction should work we must assume a real basis for them. Therefore, the Tantra Śāstra deals with true bondage in a true world, and aims at true liberation from it. It is Śakti who both binds and liberates, and Sādhanā of Her is the means of liberation. Nothing is unreal or false. Śakti is and Śakti creates and thus appears as the Universe" (page 351).
The third section ("Ritual") explains the basics of Hindu ritual and elaborates the Śākta Sādhanā or spiritual disciplines described in the Tantras. The Śākta Tantra is a Sādhanā Śāstra of Monistic (Advaitavāda) Vedānta. The last section ("Yoga and conclusions") describes the Kundaliṇī Śakti in detail.
Anyone interested in understanding Śākta and Śākta Tantra should definitely make a thorough study of this book.
The book contains four sections. The first section ("Introductory") introduces the religion of the Śāktas and their Tantras. The second section ("Doctrinal") elucidates Śākta Advaitavāda and distinguishes it from other schools of thought. It nicely illustrates the uniqueness of Śākta Advaitavāda. Śākta Advaitavāda takes a pragmatic approach to dealing with the real and unreal: "To the unliberated, the world is real, in the sense that, it imposes its reality on him, whatever his theories may be. In order that instruction should work we must assume a real basis for them. Therefore, the Tantra Śāstra deals with true bondage in a true world, and aims at true liberation from it. It is Śakti who both binds and liberates, and Sādhanā of Her is the means of liberation. Nothing is unreal or false. Śakti is and Śakti creates and thus appears as the Universe" (page 351).
The third section ("Ritual") explains the basics of Hindu ritual and elaborates the Śākta Sādhanā or spiritual disciplines described in the Tantras. The Śākta Tantra is a Sādhanā Śāstra of Monistic (Advaitavāda) Vedānta. The last section ("Yoga and conclusions") describes the Kundaliṇī Śakti in detail.
Anyone interested in understanding Śākta and Śākta Tantra should definitely make a thorough study of this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews