On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras

The term yantra is used differently in early Śaiva tantras from what we see later. In early texts, its range of meaning is wider, and it does not inevitably and typically involve objects with geometric patterns. After examining some passages from the Brahmayāmala and other mainly unpublished and/or...

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Main Author:	Csaba Kiss
Format:	article
Language:	EN
Published:	Ksiegarnia Akademicka Publishing 2021
Subjects:	yantra magical rituals Śaiva Tantra Brahmayāmalatantra Indo-Iranian languages and literature PK1-9601 Languages and literature of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania PL1-8844
Online Access:	https://doaj.org/article/f8f34c2bb82e40f2b7305a95d908c80a
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id	oai:doaj.org-article:f8f34c2bb82e40f2b7305a95d908c80a
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:f8f34c2bb82e40f2b7305a95d908c80a2021-11-27T12:53:20ZOn yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras10.12797/CIS.16.2014.16.091732-09172449-8696https://doaj.org/article/f8f34c2bb82e40f2b7305a95d908c80a2021-08-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.akademicka.pl/cis/article/view/1535https://doaj.org/toc/1732-0917https://doaj.org/toc/2449-8696 The term yantra is used differently in early Śaiva tantras from what we see later. In early texts, its range of meaning is wider, and it does not inevitably and typically involve objects with geometric patterns. After examining some passages from the Brahmayāmala and other mainly unpublished and/or untranslated Śaiva texts, this article makes an attempt at outlining the early history of the term. Initially, yantra seems to refer to special techniques, rituals, to attain religious goals. Later it appears to denote complex rituals of black magic involving fire-offerings with transgressive substances, using objects such as figurines embodying the targeted person, and employing mantra-inscribed materials such as birch-bark. The commonly known usage of the term yantra as a magical diagram with geometrical designs seems to have emerged only gradually. Csaba KissKsiegarnia Akademicka Publishingarticleyantramagical ritualsŚaiva TantraBrahmayāmalatantraIndo-Iranian languages and literaturePK1-9601Languages and literature of Eastern Asia, Africa, OceaniaPL1-8844ENCracow Indological Studies, Vol 16 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	yantra magical rituals Śaiva Tantra Brahmayāmalatantra Indo-Iranian languages and literature PK1-9601 Languages and literature of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania PL1-8844
spellingShingle	yantra magical rituals Śaiva Tantra Brahmayāmalatantra Indo-Iranian languages and literature PK1-9601 Languages and literature of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania PL1-8844 Csaba Kiss On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
description	The term yantra is used differently in early Śaiva tantras from what we see later. In early texts, its range of meaning is wider, and it does not inevitably and typically involve objects with geometric patterns. After examining some passages from the Brahmayāmala and other mainly unpublished and/or untranslated Śaiva texts, this article makes an attempt at outlining the early history of the term. Initially, yantra seems to refer to special techniques, rituals, to attain religious goals. Later it appears to denote complex rituals of black magic involving fire-offerings with transgressive substances, using objects such as figurines embodying the targeted person, and employing mantra-inscribed materials such as birch-bark. The commonly known usage of the term yantra as a magical diagram with geometrical designs seems to have emerged only gradually.
format	article
author	Csaba Kiss
author_facet	Csaba Kiss
author_sort	Csaba Kiss
title	On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
title_short	On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
title_full	On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
title_fullStr	On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
title_full_unstemmed	On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras
title_sort	on yantras in early śaiva tantras
publisher	Ksiegarnia Akademicka Publishing
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/f8f34c2bb82e40f2b7305a95d908c80a
work_keys_str_mv	AT csabakiss onyantrasinearlysaivatantras
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On yantras in Early Śaiva Tantras

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