परमार्थसार (महामाहेश्वर अभिनवगुप्त - त्रिक-दर्शन, अद्वैत शैव साधना एवं सान्वय सटीक)

Introduction 7
not impose any restrictions based on caste, creed, sex etc. Any
one having devotion for Lord Śiva could be initiated in Śaivism.
Therefore it can be adopted by any one who likes it. His adoption
of Śaiva practice shall not disturb his traditional religious prac-
tices. Importance of devotion makes it very sweet and interesting.
It teaches an integral path of a spiritual training of both head
and heart through logical knowledge and devotionol theology.
Besides, it does not ignore or curb the Vāsanās for objective
enjoyments. A disciple, having such Vāsanās, is imparted a special
initiation called yojanikā which carries him after death to some
superior existence where he can taste superior objective enjoy-
ments. From there he is lead to quick or gradual spiritual eleva-
tion in accordance with his psychic situation. Kashmir Śaivism
does not thus ignore human psychology. Its method is both
logical and phsychological. Such philosophy of Śaivism of
Kashmir was carried to its climax on both of its sides of theory
and practice by Abhinavagupta, the author of the Śaiva Para-
mārthasāra.
Yogarāja, the commentator of Paramārthasāra was an inhabi-
tant of a village named Vitastāpurī, the modern Vethavottur or
Vitastāvatāra. It is a hamlet situated in the foot of Banihal moun-
tain below Lower Munda. Vitastā or Jehlum, rising from the
spring of Verinag, used to flow by the side of that village and
proceed to the downward plane on the back of modern Qazi-
gund. That course of the stream was the downward course of
Vitastā and was consequently called Vitastāvatāra. The hamlet
by its side, where Vitastā was worshipped, got also such name.
The waters of the Verinag spring have now been diverted since
long to the right side slope but the name Vethavottur is still borne
by the stream flowing beneath Qazigund.
Yogarāja was a disciple of Kṣemarāja who lived or only wrote
at Bejbehara (Vijayeśvara). Kṣemarāja was a disclple of Abhinava-
gupta and lived in the earlier part of the eleventh century. Yoga-
rāja belonged to the later part of the same century. Kṣemarāja is
the only disciple of the great master preceptor who took interest
in academic activities. He wrote several commentaries on ancient
works and a few independent works on Śaivism. But it is a wonder
that he did not take up any important work of Abhinavagupta for
writing a good commentary. Mālinīvijaya-vārtika is still without
a commentary and so is Tantrasāra. The duty of writing a detailed