Shiva Tantra

Shiva Tantra ( Sanskrit: शिव तन्त्र , Bengali: শিব তন্ত্র ), also known as Agama Shastra (आगम शास्त्र / আগম শাস্ত্র), is the religious literature associated with the Pashupata school of Shaivism as discussed earlier.

The Shiva Tantra texts contain guidelines for worship and rituals, prayogas using various mantra, holy places, festivals, philosophy and spirituality and temple building.

Pashupata was the oldest form of Shaiva Tantra prevalent in Northern India during latter Mahabharata times and is also known as Agamanta Shaivism.

As per the Mahabharata, the Pashupata Shaivism doctrine of Tantra was first proclaimed by Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha (Sanskrit: भगवत् श्रीकण्ठनाथ, Bengali: ভগবত্ শ্রীকণ্ঠনাথ )

As per P C Bagchi's research, there were 18 or 28 Shiva Tantra texts depending on different traditions.

Shiva Tantra Texts based on Rudra Tradition
The 18 Shiva Tantra texts are also known as Agama Shastra. As per Nishvasa Agama or Nishvasa Tantra, these 18 Shiva Tantra texts are traditionally believed to be transmitted by Rudra and hence also known as Rudragama / रुद्रागम / রুদ্রাগম .

The 18 Rudra Shiva Tantra texts as follows.

1. Vijaya Agama / विजय आगम / বিজয় আগম
2. Nishvasa Agama / निस्वास आगम / নিস্বাস আগম
3. Svyambhuva Agama / स्व्याम्भूव आगम / স্ব্যাম্ভূব আগম
4. Vatula Agama / वटुल आगम / বটুল আগম
5. Virabhadra Agama / वीरभद्र आगम / বীরভদ্র আগম
6. Raurava Agama / रौरव आगम / রৌরব আগম
7. Makuta Agama / माकुट आगम / মাকুট আগম
8. Viresha Agama / वीरेष आगम / বীরেষ আগম
9. Chandrahasa Agama / चन्द्रहास आगम / চন্দ্রহাস আগম
10. Jnana Agama / ज्ञान आगम / জ্ঞান আগম
11. Mukhabimba Agama / मुखबिम्ब आगम / মুখবিম্ব আগম
12. Prodgita Agama / प्रोद्गीत आगम / প্রোদ্গীত আগম
13. Lalita Agama / ललित आगम / ললিত আগম
14. Siddha Agama / सिद्ध आगम / সিদ্ধ আগম
15. Santana Agama / सन्तान आगम / সন্তান আগম
16. Sarvodgita Agama / सर्वोद्गीत आगम / সর্বোদ্গীত আগম
17. Kirana Agama / किरण आगम /কিরণ আগম
18. Paramaeshvara Agama / पारमेश्वर आगम / পারমেশ্বর আগম

 Shiva Tantra Texts based on Sadashiva Tradition
As per Nishvasa Agama or Nishvasa Tantra, there are also 10 Shiva Tantra texts are traditionally believed to be transmitted by Sadashiva and hence also known as Rudragama / रुद्रागम / রুদ্রাগম .

The 10 Sadashiva Shiva Tantra texts as follows.

1. Kamika Agama / कामिक आगम / কামিক আগম
2. Yogada Agama / योगद आगम / যোগদ আগম
3. Divya Agama / दिव्य आगम / দিব্য আগম
4. Karana Agama / करण आगम / করণ আগম
5. Ajita Agama / अजित आगम / অজিত আগম
6. Dipta Agama / दीप्त आगम / দীপ্ত আগম
7. Sukshma Agama / सूक्ष्म आगम / সূক্ষ্ম আগম
8. Sahasra Agama / सहस्र आगम / সহস্র আগম
9. Asta Agama / अस्त आगम / অস্ত আগম
10. Amshubheda Agama / अंशुभेद आगम / অংশুভেদ আগম

You may also like:
Bhagavat Shrikanthanatha
An Introduction to Tantra 
Ashtamurti The 8 Forms of Shiva 
Introduction to Trika 
Classification of Shaiva Canon

References
Studies on the Tantras, Ramkrishna Mission, Golpark, Chapter 2, evolution of the Tantras


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Subhodeep Mukhopadhyay | Mkerj  |  Hooray For Life  |   The Tiny Man