TantrÃÂloka () is a treatise of Abhinavagupta, a writer and philosopher of the Trika-school of Kashmir Shaivism.
The work contains the synthesis of the 64 monistic ÃÂgamas and the different schools of tantra. It discussed both ritualistic and philosophic aspects in 37 chapters; the first chapter contains the essential teachings in condensed form. On account of its size and scope it is considered an encyclopedia of the nondual school of Hindu tantra. A more abridged and concise version of the TantrÃÂloka, also written by Abhinavagupta, is the TantrasÃÂra.
TantrÃÂloka was written in the 10th century and gained greater worldwide prominence towards the end of the 19th century with the publishing and distribution of the Kashmiri Series of Texts and Studies and prominence of Swami Lakshmanjoo, who taught the text and its oral tradition to scholars and seekers alike.
Its complete translation into Italian, edited by Raniero Gnoli, is now at its second edition. The Universal Shaiva Fellowship published Swami Lakshmanjoo's revelation and discussion of TantrÃÂloka Chapter 1-4, in three volumes (2017, 2021, 2023). The esoteric chapter 29 on the Kaula ritual was translated in English together with Jayarathas commentary by John R. Dupuche. In 2023, Mark Dyczkowski published a complete translation into English with Jayaratha'<nowiki/>s commentary. In 2024, Christian de Vietri published Trika Maá¹Âá¸Âala PrakÃÂà Âa, the first comprehensive exposition of the Trika mandalas described by Abhinavagupta in the TantrÃÂloka.
A complex study on the context, authors, contents and references of TantrÃÂloka was published by Navjivan Rastogi, Prof. of the Lucknow University. The last recognized master of the oral tradition of Kashmir Shaivism, Swami Lakshmanjoo, gave a condensed version of the key philosophical chapters of TantrÃÂloka in his book, Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme. These chapters cover the: 36 elements (tattvas), six paths (á¹£aá¸Âadhvan), four means of realization (upÃÂyas), three impurities (malas), states and processes of the seven perceivers (pramÃÂtá¹Âin), five acts of à Âiva including his grace (à ÂaktipÃÂta), five states of the individual subjective body, seven states of turiya, fivefold contacts of masters and disciples, various modes of Kuá¹Âá¸Âalinë rising, and the theories of the alphabet (mÃÂtá¹ÂikÃÂcakra), reflection (pratibimbavÃÂdaḥ), liberation (moká¹£a), and speech (vÃÂk), along with discussions about the origins of the tantras and the differences between Kashmir à Âaivism and Advaita VedÃÂnta.