Early tantric Vaisnavism: three newly discovered works of the Pancaratra

DETAILS : 

• Author : Diwakar Acharya
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sri Aurobindo Ashram
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 24, 2015
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 229 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 2855391520
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-2855391526
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎750 G 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Early Tantric Vaiṣṇavism is a groundbreaking piece of indological research that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of the Pāñcarātra tradition. Published as part of the "Collection Indologie," Diwakar Acharya presents a critical study and edition of three previously unknown texts discovered in early palm-leaf manuscripts from Nepal: the Svāyambhuvapañcarātra, the Devāmṛtapañcarātra, and the Aṣṭādaśavidhāna.

These works date back to a formative period (roughly the 6th to 9th centuries CE), predating many of the standard Pāñcarātra Saṃhitās used in South Indian temple traditions today. Acharya’s work is vital because it captures the transition of Vaiṣṇavism from Vedic/Puranic rituals into a fully developed Tantric system characterized by complex visualizations, mandalas, and initiation rites (dīkṣā).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Diwakar Acharya is a world-renowned scholar of Sanskrit and classical Indian studies, currently serving as the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford. Having grown up in Nepal, he has unique access to and expertise in the ancient manuscript collections of the Kathmandu Valley. His work is known for its rigorous philological standards and its ability to connect forgotten texts to the broader history of Indian religion.