The Advaitika and T¿ntrika Philosophy of ¿a¿kara

¿äkara is well known for his Advaitika philosophy, expounded through his commentaries on the Brahma-s¿tra, Upani¿ads and the Bhagavadg¿t¿. However, his independent works on T¿ntrika philosophy are not commonly acknowledged and appreciated. This book seeks to analyze and understand the metaphysical and conceptual framework and nuances of his T¿ntrika philosophy, especially with reference to his Saundarya-lahar¿. Apart from this, it also examines the compatibility of this T¿ntrika framework with the Advaitika framework, as elaborated by ¿äkara and Gau¿ap¿da. The course of this enunciation and examination also presents a lucid discussion of the ¿r¿-vidy¿ tradition of Tantra, as well as the significance of devotion (bhakti) in ¿äkara's philosophy. It is a must read for understanding ¿äkara's philosophy holistically.