Medieval Tantric Literature

Abhinavagupta's Tantraloka and Haribhadra Suri's Work

Abhinavagupta authored the Tantraloka, a definitive text on Kula and Trika Shaivism. Haribhadra Suri's Samaraichchakaha, though a Jain work, is heavily influenced by tantric ideas.

Primary Reference: Standard Educational Reference

Archived: 2016

Updated: 15 Dec 2025

Exam Year

2016

Evidence Source

Link ↗

Consider the following statements:
1. Abhinavagupta wrote a comprehensive treatise called the Tantraloka which systematically presents the teachings of the Kula and Trika systems.
2. The Samaraichchakaha by Haribhadra Suri written in Gujarat around the 8th century is technically not a tantric work but is saturated with tantric ideas and practices.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

[CDS 2016 (I)]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

This question explores the depth of medieval Indian philosophical and narrative literature, specifically the influence of Tantric traditions across Shaiva and Jain scholarship.

Authentic Source Evidence

Abhinavagupta's 'Tantraloka' is the encyclopedia of Kashmiri Shaivism. Haribhadra Suri's 'Samaraichchakaha' is a Jain narrative work that uses tantric imagery and practices to convey its message.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct; Abhinavagupta is the master of the Trika school, and Tantraloka is his magnum opus, synthesizing the Kula and Trika systems.

Logic 2: Statement 2 is correct; while Haribhadra Suri was a Jain monk, his writing in 8th-century Gujarat reflects the 'tantric age' where even non-tantric texts were deeply influenced by those rituals and concepts.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"What are the Kula and Trika systems?"

They are major schools of non-dualistic Shaiva Tantra focusing on the nature of reality and consciousness.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The 8th to 11th centuries represent a 'Tantric Age' in India where tantric terminology permeated almost all religious literary genres."

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