तन्त्रसार (महामाहेश्वर अभिनवगुप्त - तन्त्रालोक का प्रामाणिक सार-संग्रह सटीक)

INTRODUCTION Abhinavagupta is one of the most remarkable persona- lities of medieval India. He was a versatile scholar of excep- tional talent. It is only from his own description, we can catch sight of the glorious glimpses of his life and erudition. At the end of Parātriṅśikā and so in Tantrāloka, Abhina- vagupta writes that the midland (Madhyadesa, the Doab between the Ganga & the Jamuna) was the ancestral home of his forefathers. This Antarvedi, that is, the Doab had once been the home of sacred literatures, where in the noble Brahman family one Atrigupta was born. He was accomplished in all branches of learning. He was born in Atrigotra, in the family of sage Atri and was named Atrigupta. He made himself a distinguished scholar after mastering over the sea of knowledge and acquired the rare art of disseminating it to eager pupils. His erudition soon came to the notice of Lalitā- dityā, the victorious prince of Kashmir. After the conquest of Kanauj defeating Yasovarman, the King, felt an impetuous desire for his friendship and brought him to Pravarpura, his capital, in Kashmir, This happened some time between 785 and 795A.D. A spacious house was built by the order of the king on the bank of Vitastā to afford the view of Siva's temple for Atrigupta, and for its proper maintenance the king granted enough riches to it. In that noble family of Atrigupta after a lapse of about one hundred and fifty years one Varāhagupta, a highly reli- gious and a devout worshipper of Siva was born. His son was Narasimhagupta, popularly known as Cukhalaka who acquired