Ritual

number of tantric texts were assembled and have come down to us
from various sources, notably from Kashmir Saiva works of the
ninth and tenth centuries and the Tamil Saiva poets of the same
period, as well as from Buddhist and Vaishnava sources. The
Kulachara sect of tantism is said to have been introduced by the
tantric Natha saints. Even Sankara (8th century AD) mentions the
existence of 64 Tantras in his Anandalahari, a part of the
Saundaryalahari. The exact number of tantric texts is difficult to
ascertain, though it is generally held to be 108. In addition there is a
Seal illustrating a yogi in
meditation with a trident symbol at
his back, signifying transcendence of
the seven phenomenal planes of
existence. Provenance and date
unknown. Steatite.
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