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

gupta by Dr. K.C. Pandey. His Bhairavastotra is still sung by
people in Siva temples and homes in Kashmir. In addition, he
wrote certain easy text books for students and the most important
one among them is his Paramārthasāra, the work in hand. Another
such brief work from his pen is Bodhapañcadaśikā. Abhinava-
gupta represents the highest peak in the evolution of Kashmir
Śaivism. He was followed by authors of secondary importance
who either wrote easy works or explained the works of the above
mentioned great authors. Abhinavagupta is the final authority on
both the sides of theory and practice of the Śaiva monism of
Kashmir.
Kṣemarāja, a disciple of Abhinavagupta, wrote Pratyabhijñā-
hṛdaya, and Parāprāveśikā for beginners. Besides, he wrote some
detailed commentaries on ancient works. His Śivasūtravimarśinī
has become well known in the present age. His Spandanirṇaya also
has been published and translated. Both the works are scholarly in
character. While writing the previous one, he appears to be very
keen to show his all round scholarship and tries to over-awe his
readers by it. He tries to explain the Sūtras but succeeds in show-
ing his knowledge of many śāstras and many systems with which
he confuses the Trika system. His interpretation of the Sūtras
becomes clear only with the help of Śivasūtravārtika by his dis-
ciple Varadarāja. His view on the interpretation of the Sūtras is
not so convincing as that of Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara mentioned above.
His Spanda-sandoha is an explanation of the Spanda principle of
Kashmir Śaivism. He wrote commentaries on Stavacintāmaṇi
of Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa and Śivastotrāvalī of Utpaladeva. Besides,
he wrote short commentaries on some Tāntric works like Svac-
chanda Tantra and Netra Tantra. His commentary on Vijñāna-
bhairava has been lost. The most important one among such post
Abhinavagupta writers is Jayaratha of the twelfth century. He
appears to be a disciple of Kalhaṇa, the great historian of Kash-
mir and did a highly valuable service to Kashmir Śaivism by
writing a voluminous commentary on Tantrāloka of Abhinava-
gupta. That commentary alone explains the couplets of Tantrā-
loka. Besides, it is a treasury of quotations from many non-available
Tantric texts and a storehouse of multifarious historical informa-
tion regarding the evolution of Kashmir Śaivism. Many things
would have remained unknown but for the valuable work of Jaya-
ratha on Tantrāloka. The seventeenth century produced Śivopā-