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{{Short description|Scriptures of esoteric Hinduism}}
{{About|the esoteric Hindu texts|the Buddhist equivalent|Buddhist tantric literature|the esoteric practices called tantra, regardless of religion|Tantra}}
{{multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|article|date=August 2007}}
{{lead too short|date=April 2024}}
}}

{{Hindu scriptures}}
'''Hindu tantric literature''' refers to esoteric scriptures in [[Hinduism]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Smith|first=Travis|title=Tantra|encyclopedia=Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-17893-9|pages=168–181}}</ref>

==Classes==
The word ''[[tantra]]'' is made up by the joining (''sandhi'' in [[Sanskrit]]) of two Sanskrit words: ''tanoti'' (expansion) and ''trayati'' (liberation). Tantra means liberation of energy and expansion of [[consciousness]] from its gross form. It is a method to expand the mind and liberate the dormant potential energy, and its principles form the basis of all yogic practices. Hence, the Hindu tantric scriptures refer to techniques for achieving a result.

The Hindu tantras total 92 scriptures; of these, 64<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Śaiva Literature|last=Sanderson|first=Alexis|publisher=Routledge|year=1994}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fitsri.com/articles/tantra-yoga-explained|title=Tantra Yoga Explained – History and Philosophy|website=FITSRI|date=November 2025|access-date=28 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.64tantras.com/64thantra.php |title=64Tantras |access-date=2015-08-26 |archive-date=2015-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811055400/http://64tantras.com/64thantra.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2024}} are purely ''Abheda'' (literally "without differentiation", or [[monism|monistic]]), known as the [[Bhairava]] Tantras or [[Kashmir Śaivism|Kashmir Śaivite]] Tantras, 18 are ''Bhedābheda'' (literally "with differentiation and without differentiation" [[monism|monistic]] or [[Dualism (Indian philosophy)|dualistic]]), known as the [[Rudra]] Tantras), and 10 are completely ''Bheda'' (literally "differentiated" or [[Dualism (Indian philosophy)|dualistic]]), known as the {{IAST|[[Śiva]]}} Tantras. The latter two (''Rudra'' Tantras and ''{{IAST|Śiva}}'' Tantras) are used by the Śaiva Siddhāntins, and thus are sometimes referred to as [[Shaiva Siddhanta]] Tantras, or Śaiva Siddhānta ''[[Āgama (Hinduism)|Āgamas]]''.

Tantra are mainly two types: Agama and Nigama. Agamas are those texts in which Goddess asked questions and the God replied. In Nigama texts, God asked questions and Goddess replied. This dialogue between God and Goddess is special feature of Hindu Tantra.

==Origin==
In the [[Nāth Tradition]], legend ascribes the origin of tantra to [[Dattatreya]], a semi-mythological yogi and the assumed author of the Jivanmukta Gita ("Song of the liberated soul"). [[Matsyendranath]] is credited with authorship of the Kaulajñāna-nirnāya, a voluminous ninth-century tantra dealing with a host of [[mysticism|mystical]] and [[magic (paranormal)|magical]] subjects. This work occupies an important position in the Hindu tantric lineage, as well as in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.

==Function==
In distinction to Vedic ritual, which is traditionally performed out-of-doors without idols or emblems, the Tantric ritual is largely a matter of temples and idols. The tantras are largely descriptions and specifications for the construction and maintenance of temple structures with their resident idols and lingas, for example is the ''Ajita Māhātantra''.<ref>[http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_1-18.htm Ajita_Mahatantra 1–18] [http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_19-35.htm Ajita_Mahatantra,_19-35] [http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_36-66.htm Ajita_Mahatantra,_36-66] [http://texts.00.gs/Ajita_Mahatantra,_67-89.htm Ajita_Mahatantra,_67-89]</ref>{{secondary source needed|date=April 2024}}

Another function was the conservation of esoteric texts for the exclusive use of rulers in rituals directed to deities controlling political affairs, for example the ''Śārada-tilaka Tantra''.<ref>[http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_1.htm S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_1] [http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_2.htm S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_2] [http://texts.00.gs/S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_3-5.htm S%60arada-tilaka_Tantra,_3-5]</ref>{{secondary source needed|date=April 2024}}

==Texts==
Tantric texts are usually associated with a particular tradition and deity. The different types of Tantric literature are tantra, Āgama, saṃhitā, sūtra, upaniṣad, purāṇa, tīkā (commentaries), prakaraṇa, paddhati texts, stotram, kavaca, nighaṇṭu, koṣa and hagiographical literature. They are written in Sanskrit and in regional languages. The major textual tantra traditions with some key exemplary texts is as follows:<ref>{{cite web |first=Subhodeep |last=Mukhopadhyay |date=August 26, 2016 |title=Demystifying Tantra-III: Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava Tantras |website=Indiafacts.org |url=http://indiafacts.org/demystifying-tantra-saiva-vai%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%87ava-tantras/}}</ref>

[[Image:A Pahari painting of an OM containing deities, c.1780-1800.jpg|thumb|A Hindu Tantric Painting. India, Pahari, circa 1780-1800. Depicting from top to bottom: Shiva, Sakti, Vishnu with his conch, Brahma sprouting from his navel, and Lakshmi. Below is Harihara and four-headed Brahma. At bottom is Trimurti. All painted against a gold ground forming the stylized seed syllable Om.]]

*[[Śaiva]] – Sadaśiva (Śivagama), Vāma or [[Tumburu]], Dakṣiṇa or [[Bhairava]]
**Kularnava Tantra
**Amṛteṣaṭantra or [[Netra Tantra|Netratantra]]
**Netragyanarṇava tantra
**Niḥśvāsatattvasaṃhitā
**Kālottārā tantra
**Sarvajñānottārā
**[[Āgama (Hinduism)#Shaiva Agamas|Ṣaivāgamas]]
**Raudrāgamas
**Bhairavāgamas
**Vāma Āgamas
**Dakṣiṇāgamas
*Śivaśakti traditions – Yāmala (also part of Bhairava tradition)
**Brahma yāmala
**[[Rudrayamala|Rudra yāmala]]
**Skanda yāmala
**Viṣṇu yāmala
**Yama yāmala
**Yāyu yāmala
**Kubera yāmala
**Indra yāmala

[[Image:A Tantric Form of the Hindu Goddess Kali (Recto), Horse (Verso), Folio from a Book of Iconography LACMA M.81.206.9.jpg|thumb|200px|A tantric form of the Hindu Goddess Kali. Folio from a book of Iconography, Nepal, 17th century.]]
*[[Śākta]] – [[Kālī]] traditions ([[Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali|Kālī]], Kālī Viṣṇu, [[Kamakhya|Kāmākhyā]]/[[Kubjika]], [[Tara (Mahavidya)|Tārā]] and Others), [[Shri Vidya|Śrīkula]] tradition
**Varahi Tantra
**Shakta Agamas
**Muṇḍamālā tantra
**Toḍala tantra
**Cāmuṇḍa tantra
**Devīyāmala
**Mādhavakula
**Yonigahavara,
**Kālīkulārṇava tantra
**Kaṇkālamālinī tantra
**Jhaṃkārakaravīra,
**Mahākāla saṃhitā
**Kālī tantra
**Kālajñāna tantra
**Kumārī tantra
**Siddhalaharī tantra
**Niruttārā tantra
**Kālīvilāsa tantra
**Utpatti tantra
**Kāmadhenu tantra
**Nirvāṇa tantra
**Kāmākhyā tantra
**Tārā tantra
**Kaula tantra
**Matsya Sūkta / Tārā Kalpa
**Samayā tantra
**Vāmakeshvara tantra
**Tantrajā tantra
**[[Yogini Tantra|Yoginī tantra]]
*Kula - [[Kulamārga]] and Other tantras
**Kulārṇava tantra
**Mahānirvāṇa tantra
**Kulacūḍāmaṇi tantra
**Guptasādhana tantra
**Mātṛkābheda tantra
*[[Vaiṣṇava]] – [[Vaikhanasas]], [[Pancharatra]], [[bhakti]]-oriented tantras of [[Kṛṣṇa]] and [[Rāma]]
**Pāñcarātra saṃhitā texts
**[[Ahirbudhnya Samhita|Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā]]
**Jayākhya saṃhitā
**Pārameśvara saṃhitā
**Pauśkara saṃhitā
**Pādma saṃhitā
**Nāradīya saṃhitā
**Haṃsaparameśvara saṃhitā
**[[Lakshmi Tantra|Lakṣmī tantra]]
**Vaihāyasa saṃhitā
**Śrīkālapraā saṃhitā
**Vaikhānasa Āgamas
**Gautamīya tantra
**Bṛhadbrahma saṃhitā
**Māheśvara tantra
**Sātvata tantra
**[[Radha Tantra|Rādhā tantra]]
**Agastya saṃhitā and Dāśarathīya tantra
**Īśāna saṃhitā and Ūrdhvāṃnāya saṃhitā
*[[Mantra]]-[[śāstra]] - textbooks on Mantras, metaphysics of mantric sound, related practices and rituals
**Prapañcasāra tantra and its commentaries and Ṭīkās
**Śāradatilaka tantra by Lakṣmaṇa Deśikendra
**Mantramuktāvali of Paramahaṃsa Pūrṇaprakāśa
**Mantramahodadhi of Mahīdhara
**Mantradevaprakāśikā of Viṣṇudeva
**Mantrakamalākara of Kamalākara Bhaṭṭa
**Mantraratnākara of Yadunātha Cakravartin
**Mantramahārṇava of Mādhava Rāya Vaidya
**Tantrasāra of Kṛṣṇānanda āgamvāgiśa
*Nibandha - handbooks on ritual worship, [[sadhana]] and [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]
**Kriyākalpataru of śaktinātha Kalyānakara
**Kaulāvalīnirṇaya of Jñānānandagiri Paramahaṃsa
**śāktanandataraṃgiṇī of Brahmānanda Giri
**śāktakrama of Pūrṇānanda
**śrītattvacintāmaṇi of Pūrṇānanda
**āgamakalpadruma of Govinda
**āgamakalpalatikā of Yadunātha
**āgamatattvavilāsa of Raghunātha Tarkavāgīśa, and āgamachandrikā of Rāmakṛṣṇa
**Tantrachintāmaṇi of Navamīsiṃha
**Prāṇatoṣiṇī of Rāmatoṣaṇa Vidyālaṃkāra
**Śhivarahasya
**Śaivakalpadruma
*[[Ganapatya]] tantras
*Others – supernatural, chemistry, astrology, alchemy, etc.,

===Translations===
Most Hindu Tantras remain untranslated. One widely translated exception is the [[Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra]], which according to Christopher Wallis, is atypical of most Tantric scriptures.{{sfnp|Wallis|2013|p=}}

[[Sir John Woodroffe]] translated the ''Tantra of the Great Liberation (Mahānirvāna Tantra)'' (1913) into English along with other Tantric texts. Other tantras which have been translated into a Western language include the Malini-vijayottara tantra, the Kirana tantra, and the Parakhya Tantra.{{sfnp|Wallis|2013|p=}}

Some translation of Tantra texts

#The Kulachudamani Tantra and Vamkehwar Tantra, Louise M. Finn
#Kularnava Tantra, Paramhansa Mishra
#Kularnava Tantra, Ram Rahim Rai
#Yogini Hridaya, Vraj Vallabh Dwivedi
#Yogini Tantra by GangaVishnu ShriKrishnadas
#Maheshwar Tantra Sarala Hindi Vyakhya Sudhakar Malaviya Chowkambha (Narada Pancrata)
#Kamratna Tantra, Hemchandra Goswami

'''Tantric Texts Series Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe)'''
#Tantrabhidhanam with Bijanighantu & Mudranighantu - A Tantric Dictionary
#Shatchakranirupanam (Serpant Power) with 2 commentaries - Taranatha Vaidyaratna
#Prapachasaratantram (reprinted as volumes 18 & 19)
#Kulachudamani Tantra - Girish Chandra Vedantatirtha
#Kularnavatantram edited by Taranatha Vaidyaratna
#Kalivilasatantram edited by Parvati Charana Tarkatirtha
#Shrichakrasambhara edited by Kazi Dawa samdup (Buddhist Tantra)
#Tantraraja Part 1 commentary by Subhagananda Natha
#Karpuradistotra with intro & commentary by Vimalananda Swami
#Kamakalavilasa of Punyananda, commentary by Natananadanatha
#Kaula & Other Upanishads with commentaries by Bhaskararaya & others
#Tantraraja Part 2 commentary by Subhagananda Natha
#Mahanirvanatantram with commentary of Hariharananda Bharati
#Kaulavalinirnayah of Jnanananda Paramahamsa
#Brahmasamhita with commentary of Jiva Gosvami & Vishnusahasranama
#Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 1
#Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 2
#Prapachasaratantram Part 1
#Prapachasaratantram Part 2
#Chidgaganachandrika - Swami Trivikrama Tirtha
#Tarabhakti Sudharnava - Panchanana Bhattacharya Tarkaratna
#Sataratna samgraha, with Sataratnollekhani - Edited by Panchanan Sastri

==See also==
{{Portal|Hinduism}}
* [[History of Shaktism]]

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist}}

===Works cited===
*{{cite book |last=Flood |first=Gavin D. |author-link=Gavin Flood |year=1996 |title=An Introduction to Hinduism}}{{incomplete citation|date=April 2024}}
*{{cite book |last=Wallis |first=Christopher |year=2013 |title=Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition |publisher=Mattamayura Press |isbn=978-0-9897613-0-7}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Bagchi |first=P. C. |translator=Michael Magee |year=1986 |title=Kaulajnana-nirnaya of the School of Matsyendranath |place=Varanasi |publisher=Prācya Prakāśana |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Lakshmanjoo |first=Swami |title=Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme |year=2000 |publisher=Universal Shaiva Fellowship |isbn=1-58721-505-5 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |author-link=Benjamin Walker (author) |last=Walker |first=Benjamin |year=1983 |title=Tantrism: Its Secret Principles and Practices |publisher=Borgo Press |isbn=0-85030-272-2 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book |last=Woodroffe |first=John |author-link=John Woodroffe |year=1913 |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/maha/ |title=Mahanirvana Tantra (Tantra of the Great Liberation) |via=Sacred-texts.com |ref=none}}

==External links==
*[http://www.shivashakti.com/ Shiva Shakti Mandalam]











[[Category:Hindu tantric texts| ]]

Hindu tantric literature - Revision history

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