Abhinavagupta

Abhinavagupta Biography

Abhinavagupta was a great scholar, philosopher, composer and writer who lived in the Valley of Kashmir during the period, c. 950 – 1020 AD. He was also a noted mystic and aesthetician who was interested in dramatics and theology as well. Strongly influenced by Buddhism he is regarded as a polymath personality who exercised strong influences on Indian culture. "Abhinavagupta" was not his real name, but given by his master.

He was born into a family of scholars and mystics. He learnt philosophy and art from more than 15 gurus. He completed over 35 works of which his largest work – Tantraloka is most popular. This work is an encyclopedic treatise on all the philosophical and practical aspects of Trika and Kaula known today by the name, Kashmir Shaivism. He has also done a commentary work on Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra titled - Abhinavabharati.

He lost his mother at the age of 2. He was very much attached to his mother and her sudden death focused him only on the spiritual endeavor. His father, Narasimha Gupta later favored an ascetic lifestyle, while raising his three children. He served as Abhinavagupta’s first guru too, who taught him grammar, logic and literature. Abhinavagupta lived in a nurturing and protected environment and supported his whole family. His most remote known ancestor was called Atrigupta, born in Madhyadesa who travelled to Kashmir around 740 CE.

Abhinavagupta had great quest of knowledge. So he learnt under more than 15 teachers which include Vaisnavas, Buddhists, Siddhanta Saivists and the Trika scholars. Laksmasnagupta, a direct disciple of Somananda taught him all the schools of monistic thought. Abhinavagupta remained unmarried all his life. He studied assiduously at least until the age of 30 or 35. Abhinavagupta lived out his life as a writer and a teacher. As per popular legend, he took with him 1200 disciples and marched off to Bhairava cave reciting his poem Bhairava-stava. Abhinavagupta, along with his disciples disappeared after that.

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Updated: March 12, 2014