Kshemaraja

Rajanaka Kṣemarāja (क्षेमराज) (late 10th to early 11th century) was a philosopher disciple of Abhinavagupta,[1] who was considered a master of tantra, yoga, poetics, and dramaturgy.[2] Not much is known of Kṣemarāja's life or parentage. His chief disciple was a sage known as Yogāraja.[3]

Kṣemarāja's magnum opus was the Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam ('The Heart of Self-Recognition'). In this text, Kṣemarāja explains the main tenets of the Pratyabhijñā philosophy in a succinct set of sutras for students. The work occupies the same place in Kashmir Shaivite or Trika literature as Sadananda's Vedantasara does in Advaita Vedanta.

Prominent works

• Pratyabhijnahridayam
• Spandasandoha
• Spandanirnaya
• Svacchandodyota
• Netrodyota
• Vijnanabhairavodyota
• Shivasutravimarsini
• Stavacintamanitika
• Parapraveshika
• Tattvasandoha.[2]

Quotes

"Man bound in all the phases of waking, dream and dreamless sleep by the body, prana, pleasure, etc. does not recognize his own consciousness which is of the nature of the great power and full of perfect bliss." -- Kṣemarāja[4]

See also

• Abhinavagupta
• Vasugupta
• Somananda
• Utpalacarya
• Kundalini
• Yoga

References

1. Wilberg, Peter (2008). Heidegger, Phenomenology and Indian Thought. New Gnosis Publications. ISBN 978-1-904519-08-9. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
2. Kshemaraja, w/ trans. and commentary by Jai Deva Singh (1963). Pratyabhijnahridayam. Bungalow Road, Delhi 110 007: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. ISBN 8120803221.
3. Lakshmanjoo (2015). Kashmir Shaivism. Lakshmanjoo Academy. ISBN 978-0-9966365-2-0.
4. Kshemaraja (1963). Pratyabhijnahridayam. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 114. ISBN 81-208-0322-1.

Further reading

• Pajin, Dushan (1987). "The legitimacy of the term "philosophy" in an Asian context". Journal of Indian Philosophy. 15 (4): 349–362. doi:10.1007/BF00178813. S2CID 141406044. (subscription required)