* *** Updated::22-03-2014* * *

The Netra Tantra

The consonant Ka, of all the letters of the alphabet, is the form of Mulaprakriti. Therefore, by every effort, one should worship the letter Ka, dearest Kamadhenu-tantra XV The Netra Tantra is attributed to the school of Kashmir Shaivism & is usuall pri!ted "ith a comme!tar b Kshemara#a$ %ere is chapter o!e& tra!slated for the first time i!to '!(lish$ )hapter Te! of this ta!tra& also tra!slated& ca! be vie"ed here$ The "or*& divided i!to 22 adhi*aras of u!eve! le!(th& ce!tres arou!d +rit u!#a a & here described as Amritesha& & his cluster of sha*tis$ )hapter o!e is belo"$ ,! chapter t"o& there is discussio! of the 03-shaktis Iccha, Jnana & Kriya$ )hapter three is co!cer!ed "ith the pu#a - a(a. of +rit u!#a a& "hile chapter five discusses i!itiatio! -di*sha.$ ,! chapter si/& the rules of abhishe*a are (ive!& "hile chapter seve! deals "ith 0mritesha& or Shiva as (od of amrita or !ectar$ This has (ross& subtle & supreme mea!i!(s& the te/t sa s$ )hapter seve! is i!teresti!( because it is close i! !ature to the Siddhasiddhantapadhati& e!umerati!( the 01-cha*ras& the 11-adharas& the 03la*sh as & the 02-v omas -aethers.& as "ell as the (ra!this & the !adis "ithi! the bod $ )hapter ei(ht deals "ith o(a of the ta!tras& "hile chapter !i!e be(i!s to discuss the differe!t ta!tri* divisio!s *!o"! as vama& da*shi!a& siddha!ta& Saura & 3aish!ava& & ho" the relate to the 3edas$ 0mritesha& sa s 4hairava i! the te/t& is pure& li*e cr stal & e/te!ds ever "here& (ivi!( the fruit of all a(amas -sacred tets.$ The chapter (ives differe!t meditatio! ima(es of Shiva$ )hapter te! is tra!slated else"here o! this site$

)hapter eleve!& devoted to the Uttaram!a a& starts "ith a dh a!a of Tumburu& "ho is of the colour of da55li!( "hite s!o"& or the *u!da flo"er$ Sha*tis me!tio!ed i! this chapter i!clude 6ambha!i& +oha!i& Subha(a & 7urbha(a$ )hapter t"elve co!cer!s the Kulam!a a& & outli!es the ma!dala of 4hairava & differe!t sha*tis & "orship co!ducted there$ +ore meditatio! ima(es are co!tai!ed i! chapter thirtee!& "hich also co!tai!s a rare dh a!a of 4rahma$ This teachi!( is ope! to all& be the female& male & of "hatever caste & hue$ 4rahma is described as havi!( four arms& ha!dsome& red i! colour& efful(e!t& seated o! %amsa -a s"a!& but here mea!i!( the ma!tra.$ %e holds a staff& a rosar of a*shas& a #e"elled "ater pot & the four vedas$ ,! chapter fourtee!& the role of this ma!tra & ,ccha& 6!a!a & Kri a Sha*tis are discussed& & the supremac of the ma!tra$ )hapter fiftee! describes ho" 0mritesha8s ma!tra is all protective& "hile the !e/t chapter describes differe!t siddhis obtai!ed from the "orship$ That topic is co!ti!ued i! chapter seve!tee!& "hich also covers the *avacha$ )hapter ei(htee! is devoted to 0mriteshvari& or the sha*ti of 0mrita& as "ell as describi!( the purifications that mantras must receive to become successful )hapter !i!etee! is lo!(& "ith 221 shlo*as -verses.$ ,t starts "ith the !evi askin" #hiva to $escribe afflictions cause$ by bhutas, pretas, yakshas, pishachas, rakshas & the like, & ho% they can be prevente$ )hapter t"e!t deals "ith the o(i!is& such as Sha*i!i & others of the bodil dhatus$ )hapter t"e!t o!e discusses the !ature of ma!tra& "hile the last chapter co!cludes "ith the (reat merit of 0mritesha -+rt u!#a a8s. ma!tra$

Chapter One
%ail to the ordai!er of desti! & the bei!( "ho ma!ifests 03-"a s i! the 03"orlds& the possessor of Sha*ti "ho creates& mai!tai!s & destro s i! the cosmos& the bei!( "hose !ature is amrita& Shiva& the supreme esse!ce of 4rahma& 3ish!u & ,sha$ Seated o! Kailasha 9ea* is the (od of (ods& +aheshvara& %ara& the altar of dallia!ce& "ith his hosts & his spouse 9arvati$ %avi!( see! the happ (od& & "ith the desire of be!efiti!( livi!( bei!(s& sudde!l 9arvati left his side& & (raspi!( his feet& :uestio!ed the co!te!ted 9arameshvara i! a ver devoted "a $ Shri 7evi said: ;ord (od of (ods& ;o*a!atha& lord of the cosmos& ou have accomplished a (reat miracle& a cause of asto!ishme!t$ <ou are (od of all that e/ists& but m supreme master$

This secret& hard to disti!(uish & difficult to accomplish& is u!*!o"! to Karti*e a& to me& to the (ods or to the (a!as$ ,t is certai!l u!*!o"! to lords of o(a& to the +atri*as& to the rishis & to the o(is$ ;ord of creatio!& spea* !o" of this& if ou are *i!dl disposed to"ards me= > ;ord& , e!treat ou b our obli(atio! to spea* full $ Thus havi!( heard the "ords of 7evi& the o!e "ith the smili!( face spo*e: 0s* a! thi!( ou "ish& > o!e "ith beautiful hips$ The secret is i! our heart$ , "ill certai!l spea* full $ <ou please me& > pure o!e= 7evi said: 4ha(ava!& lord (od of (ods& cause of various miracles& beautiful o!e of miraculous appeara!ce& , "ish to hear of that !ot alread revealed$ %a!dsome lord& , "a!t to hear about the cause of the utmost bliss& to be related to me b ou$ The all-seein" eye is ma$e of %ater, !eva &o%, then, may it become fiery & %rathful, flamin" & burnin" up time' Satur! "as reduced to ashes b the po"er of this e e$ 7eva& ho" is such "rath produced& that fire "hich desires to bur! time? ,t co!sumes all creatio!& destro i!( 4rahma & all that is perma!e!t$ ,! a similar "a & 9arameshvara& Kama "as bur!ed up b its pla $ (hat is this cruel, fiery eye, > @atha& "hich is al"a s i!visible et is the cause of (reat miracles? %o" does fire come to be "ithi! this e e? Aho does it see? %o" ma a! e e be made of fire? Ah is it i!visible? > cosmic lord& ho" comes it that this e e& the esse!ce of immortalit & au(me!ti!( the "hole cosmos& has (ive! birth to the cosmos? 7eva& these (raceful !ectar-li*e e es are the cause of m bliss & behi!d the process of creatio!$ %o" ma this fire *!o"! as the fire of time come to create? 4ha(ava!& , "a!t ou to a!s"er all this$ Shri 4ha(ava! said: , am moved b the (reat ea(er!ess of our :uestio!s$ ;iste!& dearest& , "ill spea* of all relati!( to the fire & ultimate !ectar "hich is "ithi! m e e & of its o(a$ ,ts real !ature is "ithout ori(i!& pure& pervadi!( all & om!iprese!t$ ,t is "ithi! all livi!( creatures & prese!t i! the hearts of all thi!(s& attai!ed b o(a& difficult to accomplish& hard to attai! for all bei!(s$ ,t is li*e m o"! seme!& self-*!o"led(e& m supreme part$ ,t is the esse!ce of all seme!& the stro!(est of the stro!($ )ertai!l & & "ithout a! doubt& it is the :ui!tesse!ce of all o#as& eter!it itself$

Brom me came she *!o"! as supreme Iccha #hakti& o!e "ith Sha*ti& bor! from m o"! !ature$ 6ust as fire & heat & the su! & its ra s are i!separable& so also Sha*ti herself& the cause of creatio!& is i!separable from the cosmos$ Aithi! her is that "hich is both ma!ifest & u!ma!ifest$ She is all-*!o"i!(& "ith all :ualities& ma!ifested as ,ccha& 6!a!a & Kri a & so forth& & i! her& *!o"led(e& the si/ :ualities & ever thi!( else are situated$ 0ll li(ht d"ells i! her$ She is the esse!ce of +aha*ri a& the u!ified mother of actio!$ She both creates & destro s & is the ver self of 0!ima & the rest of the ei(ht siddhis$ Thus& these three Sha*tis of mi!e are called Iccha, Jnana & Kriya& it is said$ ,! me d"ell the three pla ful abodes of Su!& +oo! & Bire$ ,! the pla of m ma(!ifice!t three e es is the substa!ce of these three$ , create& sustai! & destro the u!iverse$ , am the d"elli!( place of the three bodies & of creatio!& mai!te!a!ce & dissolutio!$ + efful(e!t & life-(ivi!( seme! pervades all$ Aith m forms of ,ccha& 6!a!a & Kri a , am the ultimate e e !ectar$ This seme! is the supreme realm& the hi(hest form of !ectar& supreme bliss& the :ui!tesse!ce& complete *!o"led(e& pure& the core of the 03-e es$ This is called the +rit u!#a a -co!:ueror of death. & (ives success to all$ %e -+rit u!#a a Shiva. is the (iver of success& the supreme divi!it & liberati!( from all sorro"s& the (od destro i!( all ailme!ts& removi!( all delusio!s& Shiva& the alleviator of povert & eter!al& co!:ueror of death& permeati!( all& i!fallible& "ithout stai!& peaceful& all-(ivi!(& all-liberati!($ %is bri(ht!ess is e:ual to 1&000 millio! su!s & 1&000 millio! fires& liberati!( from the 11-*alas& efful(e!ce itself& u!assailable b (ods or demo!s$ Aith m fier e e , bur! ever thi!( i! a! i!sta!t & , ma also create & mai!tai!$ There is !othi!( (reater tha! this certai! seme!- li*e thi!( see! ever "here& the esse!ce of va#ra& ta*i!( o!e to the state of Cudra& li*e a re!o"!ed s"ord "hich is death to all e!emies & stops all eleme!tals& "eapo!s & arms$ This o!e seme! becomes multifold& diffusi!( itself limitelessl "ith ma! variatio!s$ The ma(!ifice!ce of this (reat 9ashupata is that it is li*e 3ish!u8s discus or 4rahma8s staff & is the ver esse!ce of all "eapo!s$ 0ppeari!( i! various forms& this "eapo! spreads i! ma! "a s$ + seme! creates the differe!t (ods themselves$ ,& the lord of o(a& throu(h m o"! Sha*ti& ma!ifested the e!tire cosmos$ She is the supreme protectress from fears & a!/ieties& alla i!( fear& destro i!( e!emies & the supreme (iver of liberatio!& most certai!l $ > 4eautiful >!e& eve! (reat poetr could !ot describe the (reat!ess of this= This (reat thi!(& the (iver of (race& the most e/celle!t boo! (iver& causes ma!ifestatio!& mai!te!a!ce & the (reat i!te!sit of Cudra$ ,t should be re(arded

as immeasurable& *!o"led(e itself& the (reat po"er of ma!tra& the protector of all the eleme!ts$ 3er hidde!& ou should al"a s co!ceal it$ 7evi& it has !o" bee! revealed to ou$ Ahat else do ou "ish to as*? * * *