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Judit Torzsok

Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Section des Sciences Religieuses, Faculty Member

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique / French National Centre for Scientific Research, Mondes iranien et indien, Faculty Member

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I research the early history of shaivism in India (before the 12th century), focusing on Sanskrit sources, in particular shakta tantras. My research interests also include other sources of shaivism (exegesis, purāṇas, Tamil texts, art historical evidence), Sanskrit classical poetry, drama and inscriptions. I obtained my MA in Indian Studies at ELTE (1992), Budapest and my DPhil at the University of Oxford (1999), supervised by Prof. Alexis Sanderson. I worked at the University of Cambridge (UK), the University of Groningen (the Netherlands) and the University of Lille (France), researching shaivism and teaching Sanskrit and Indian religions. I obtained my ‘Habilitation’ in 2011 with Prof. Lyne Bansat-Boudon as ‘garant’ at the EPHE, Paris. Since 2018, I am professor (“Directrice d’Études”) of Shaiva Studies at the École Pratiques des Hautes Études (PSL University) in Paris, France.

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Papers by Judit Torzsok

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, Oct 1, 2023

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, Oct 15, 2020

Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études N ous avons divisé nos c... more Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études N ous avons divisé nos conférences hebdomadaires en trois parties, afin de présenter divers aspects du shivaïsme classique et une grande variété de ses sources, allant du vi e au xiii e siècle. Souhaitant maintenir une certaine logique et cohérence entre ces trois parties, nous avons consacré la première heure au cours de Master, qui a pris la forme d'une initiation au shivaïsme à travers sa terminologie (sanskrite). Ce cours d'introduction était suivi de deux conférences, dont la première présentait un texte canonique rituel du vii e siècle environ, destiné aux initiés et par conséquent utilisant un langage technique. La seconde se concentrait sur un recueil mythologique du début du xiii e siècle composé en vers et visant un public plus général.

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, May 31, 2022

Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études C eTTe année nous avons ... more Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études C eTTe année nous avons divisé notre cours de master en deux parties : au premier semestre, nous avons proposé une introduction au śivaïsme laïc (Śivadharma, vi e-vii e siècles), puis nous avons poursuivi la lecture du « Coeur de la reconnaissance » (Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya) de Kṣemarāja (auteur cachemirien du début du xi e siècle), toujours en suivant le texte dans un manuscrit Śāradā 1. Pour notre séminaire, nous avons continué à déchiffrer les prescriptions śākta du Siddhayogeśvarīmata ou « Enseignement des yoginīs perfectionnées » (du vii e siècle environ) et à lire la mythologie śivaïte selon Jayadratha (auteur cachemirien du début du xiii e siècle), dans son « Joyau magique de la geste de Śiva » (Haracaritacintāmaṇi).

Friendly advice" by Nārāyaṇa . & "King Vikrama's adventures

New York University Press : JJC Foundation eBooks, 2007

Narayana's best-seller gives its reader much more than "Friendly Advice." In one ha... more Narayana's best-seller gives its reader much more than "Friendly Advice." In one handy collection-closely related to the world-famous Pancatantra or Five Discourses on Worldly Wisdom -numerous animal fables are interwoven with human stories, all designed to instruct wayward princes. Tales of canny procuresses compete with those of cunning crows and tigers. An intrusive ass is simply thrashed by his master, but the meddlesome monkey ends up with his testicles crushed. One prince manages to enjoy himself with a merchant's wife with her husband's consent, while another is kicked out of paradise by a painted image. This volume also contains the compact version of King Víkrama's Adventures, thirty-two popular tales about a generous emperor, told by thirty-two statuettes adorning his lion-throne. Co-published by New York University Press and the JJC Foundation For more on this title and other titles in the Clay Sanskrit series, please visit http://www.claysanskritlibrary.org

Śiva le fou et ses dévots tamouls dans le Tēvāram

Institut Français de Pondichéry eBooks, 2004

Le shivaïsme et le culte des yoginīs dans l’Inde classique. I

Annuaire, Nov 30, 2009

Chaire : Religions de lʼInde : rites et systèmes de représentation dans les textes classiques Con... more Chaire : Religions de lʼInde : rites et systèmes de représentation dans les textes classiques Conférences de Mme Judit Törzsök Chargée de conférences Le shivaïsme et le culte des yoginīs dans lʼInde classique. I Il nous a semblé nécessaire de commencer par une définition de ce quʼil fallait entendre par « Inde classique » avant de nous lancer dans le traitement du sujet annoncé par le titre. Nous avons décidé de fixer notre borne chronologique aux X I I e-X I I I e siècles, car à cette période nous pouvions observer une rupture décisive dans la tradition, rupture dont la cause principale fut lʼinvasion musulmane. Quelle quʼen soit la raison, on peut remarquer, dans diverses traditions, que nombreux textes ont tout simplement disparu après cette date. Heureusement, certains dʼentre eux ont été retrouvés et identifiés dans des manuscrits népalais anciens et, dans des transcriptions plus tardives, dans les Archives Nationales de Kathmandu et ailleurs. Afin dʼexaminer de manière plus détaillée le processus de recréation des traditions textuelles, nous avons présenté deux textes, tous deux ayant vraisemblablement disparu dans leur forme originale avant le début du X I V e siècle, deux sources essentielles pour lʼétude du culte des yoginīs. Le premier exemple choisi est un texte shivaïte qui montre clairement des signes de discontinuité : le Skandapurāṇa. Le Skandapurāṇa original, dont lʼédition critique est en cours à lʼuniversité de Groningen, est un texte radicalement différent de la version que lʼon connaît aujourdʼhui communément sous le nom de Skandapurāṇa ou Skandamahāpurāṇa. Son manuscrit le plus ancien date du début du I X e siècle, et la date de composition du texte est peut-être aussi reculée que le V I e siècle 1. Il semble que, dans un premier temps, on y a fait dʼabondants ajouts, matériel supplémentaire qui, dans certains cas, peut être dʼune date antérieure à celle de son inclusion dans le texte 2. Ces versions élargies, citées

Theatre, Acting and the Image of the Actor in Abhinavagupta’s Tantric Sources

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2016

Purifications et puissances : le jeûne dans des textes shivaïtes du premier millénaire

Bibliothèque de l'école des hautes études. Sciences religieuses, 2023

The Search in Śaiva Scriptures for Meaning in Tantric Ritual

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2007

Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī

Cracow Indological Studies, 2014

Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī* SUMMARY: Rather than studying various man... more Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī* SUMMARY: Rather than studying various manifestations of the "divine feminine" in Hindu tantric texts, this paper proposes to examine the ritual role of women in the earliest (seventh to ninth centuries CE) scriptural sources that teach the cult of goddesses and other divine females (yoginīs). Women have three main ritual roles in these sources, which often overlap: they may be (1) consorts in sexual rites (dūtī/ śakti), (2) witch-like semi-divine yoginīs, who transmit the doctrine and help practitioners to obtain supernatural powers, and (3) female practitioners (sādhakī/bhaginī), who are initiated in the same way as male ones. Concerning the last category, it is shown that women had the right to receive full initiation according to early śākta scriptures (which was not the case according to mainstream śaiva Tantras) and were able to practice the same rites for the same purposes as men. KEYWORDS: female practitioners, yoginī cult, women in early medieval India, women's rights to perform ritual, tantric ritual, Hindu śākta scriptures. * I would like to thank Prof. Marzenna Czerniak-Drożdżowicz for inviting me to present a paper in this volume and the two anonymous readers of the CIS for their helpful comments, suggestions and questions. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Csaba Kiss for his comments, suggestions and corrections of an earlier draft of this paper.

The Heads of the Godhead The Number of Heads/Faces of Yoginīs and Bhairavas in Early Śaiva Tantras

Indo-Iranian Journal, 2013

This paper examines the prescriptions for multi-headed representations of śaiva deities, in parti... more This paper examines the prescriptions for multi-headed representations of śaiva deities, in particular of yoginīs and Bhairavas, in early tantric or āgamic literature. Multi-headed deities appear mostly in the prescriptions of mantra images, usually without any discussion of their material representation. The paper shows that the four-faced mantric representation of Śiva, Bhairava and other divine creatures precedes the five-headed one, as is observable in epic literature and in art history. The fifth head is associated with tantric or āgamic śaivism, whose supreme deity is the five-headed Sadāśiva. As the five-headed mantra image becomes the standard, texts are rewritten to conform to this norm. Moreover, female deities are also often assimilated to this god and can be assigned four or five heads depending on the context. It is suggested as a hypothesis that the four-faced Śiva, or rather Īśvara, was perhaps adopted from the proto-tantric currents of the Atimārga (or from one particular current), from a representation whose Eastern or frontal face represented Śiva as half man, half woman (ardhanārīśvara).

Nondualism in Early Śākta Tantras: Transgressive Rites and Their Ontological Justification in a Historical Perspective

Journal of Indian Philosophy, Dec 6, 2013

This paper examines the ritual and philosophical meaning of the term 'nondual' (advaya/advaita) i... more This paper examines the ritual and philosophical meaning of the term 'nondual' (advaya/advaita) in early Ś ākta Tantras (6th-9th centuries), including some early sources of the anti-ritualist kaula cult. It shows that nondualism denoted only ritual nondualism in the earliest texts, namely, the principle of seeing and using pure and impure substances in ritual without distinction, rejecting the pure-impure dichotomy of orthopraxy. The ontology these tantras presuppose is basically dualist, for they usually see the Lord and the created world as different and regard original impurity (mala) as a removeable material entity, similarly to the classical system of the dualist Ś aiva Siddhānta. Nondual ontology evolves gradually, starting with scattered statements about the nature of the god and the phenomenal world, usually in a ritual context. It appears in a form similar to the classical one only in the Krama and related systems, as argued in Sanderson (in: Goudriaan (ed.) Ritual and speculation in early tantrism: studies in honour of André Padoux, 1992).

The (un)dreadful goddess: Aghorī in early śākta Tantras

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2012

Aghorī, literally 'undreadful,' is a frequently used name for the highest goddess in tantric as w... more Aghorī, literally 'undreadful,' is a frequently used name for the highest goddess in tantric as well as nontantric contexts, from the earliest period of tantrism. It could therefore be considered just another appellation or epithet of the supreme goddess, employed in a way similar to the word Śiva: in both cases, a potentially dangerous and frightening deity is called benign or 'undreadful' by antiphrasis, to avert the deity's wrath or to transform it into benevolence. Aghorī, however, seems to be more than just another epithet, at least in some early śākta Tantras, whose relevant passages I propose to present and analyse in this paper. First, one could argue that if Aghorī were an epithet, it would have the form of the adjective aghorā, and not aghorī. Such an argument could be used if our texts followed all the rules of classical Sanskrit grammar; but it cannot apply to early Tantras, in which word formation is often irregular and which thus use the two forms aghorā and aghorī sometimes interchangeably. To give one example: the Siddhayogeśvarīmata (of the seventh century approximately) has a set of eight goddesses headed by Aghorā. This Aghorā appears consistently as Aghorī in a reccurring compound that denotes this group: aghoryādyaṣṭaka, the Ogdoad starting with Aghorī. That the compound does not refer to a different set of eight starting with Aghorī instead of Aghorā is confirmed by Jayaratha, the commentator of Abhinavagupta's Tantrāloka (ad 30.27). He explicitly says that the mantra of Aghorī is the one that includes the epithet or name Aghorā in the vocative. (oṃ aghore hrīḥ iti aghoryāḥ). This and other examples show that just as in the case of other deities, the difference between an epithet and a name is not always clear. In spite of the confusion between Aghorās and Aghorīs, epithets and proper names, one could retain as a rule of thumb that when a single goddess is meant, she is generally called Aghorī. How is tantric Aghorī related to the vedic mantra and its personification, Aghora? In what company and in what ritual context can she usually be found? And how, where and when did she become the supreme goddess? These are the questions I shall attempt to answer, using the evidence of early śākta Tantras, mostly dating from cca. the seventh and eighth centuries CE. 1. Aghora, ghora and ghoraghoratara The male deity or epithet aghora plays an important role already in pre-tantric Śaivism. The vedic Aghora-mantra, which evokes three forms of Rudra, is one of the five mantras of the Pāśupatas.

Visnubhattaviracita Anargharaghavapancika: The Commentary of Visnubhatta on the Anargharaghava of Murari. Critical edition, Vol I: The Commentary of Visnubhatta; Vol. II: The Anargharraghava of Murari as Read by Visnubhatta, Notes, Appendices

Journal of the American Oriental Society, Apr 1, 2003

Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle)

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2011

Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle) * ... more Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle) * La seule pièce de théâtre de Murāri qui aie survécu, l'Anargharāghava ou Rāma l'inestimable, a compté parmi les plus appréciées des érudits en Inde. Le grand nombre de commentaires qu'elle a suscité ainsi que la diffusion de ses manuscrits (les catalogues à eux seuls en mentionnent plus de quatre cents, dispersés sur tout le territoire indien * Nous tenons à remercier M. H.N. Bhat de l'Institut français d'Indologie à Pondichéry d'avoir relu quelques passages difficiles de la pièce avec nous en clarifiant les manières dont Viṣṇubhaṭṭa les interprète. Nous sommes reconnaissante également à M. Bhat d'avoir mis à notre disposition son édition de travail du commentaire Iṣṭārthakalpavallī. Toutes les citations de ce commentaire se fondent sur cette édition de travail inédite. Nous remercions également Lyne Bansat-Boudon pour ses remarques et suggestions et Somadeva Vasudeva pour sa correction de la version anglaise de cet article et ces remarques concernant la rasaśabdavācyatā. 1 Nous remercions S.A.S. Sharma de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient pour ce renseignement et pour avoir mis à notre disposition le travail préparatif qu'il avait effectué avec ses collègues sur la localisation des manuscrits de cette pièce, en vue d'une édition critique. Malheureusement, ce projet d'édition n'a pu être poursuivi. 2 Ce type d'esthétique romantique a déjà été critiqué maintes fois. V. en particulier Shulman, 1997 : 69, qui le fait remarquer au sujet d'autres auteurs indiens et concernant la question de la subjectivité : « [... such] views are heavily colored by an anachronistic romanticism, which made expressionistic lyricism the touchstone of quality in the mainstream of English and German poetry from the late 18th century on, and which regularly filtered down into scholarly judgement of non-European literatures as well. »

Yoginī and goddess possession in early śaiva tantras

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2010

I am grateful to the organizer, István Keul, for having invited me and to all the participants, e... more I am grateful to the organizer, István Keul, for having invited me and to all the participants, especially to Csaba Kiss and Shaman Hatley, for comments, suggestions and corrections. 1 Smith 2006, which is the latest comprehensive treatment of this subject, does not use any manuscript sources. 2 Most importantly, see Sanderson 2009, dealing with the relation of Buddhist and śaiva tantrism. 3 See Siddhayogeśvarīmata 3.49ff, Mālinīvijayottara 3.53-54, Kubjikāmata 10.82 ff, of which the last one distinguishes between spirit possession (bhūtāveśa) and divine possession (bhāvāveśa) of various kinds. Trembling and falling on the ground may be part of both, but seeing the past and the future or knowing the śāstras suddenly can only be due to divine possession. See also Jayadrathayāmala 3.14.72a for trembling and 3.14.75ab for seeing the past, present and future, in a passage describing the provoked possession or svasthāveśa of a girl (kanyā) by the emaciated goddess (kṛśodarī). Many examples can be found in the Kriyākālaguṇottara, whose relevants chapters mainly deal with controlled possession or with controlling possession in others.

Three Chapters of Śaiva Material Added to the Earliest Known Recension of the Skandapurāṇa

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2003

Whose Dharma? Śaiva and Śākta Community Rules (samayas) and Dharmaśāstric Prescriptions

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015

In the tantric context, samayas are the rules a Śaiva or Śākta neophyte is to follow after he is ... more In the tantric context, samayas are the rules a Śaiva or Śākta neophyte is to follow after he is introduced into his new community and receives an initiation name. The samaya rules are therefore part of what defines the Śaiva or Śākta Śaiva tantric community, at least according to the scriptures. This paper attempts to see what these rules are, how they are related to mainstream brahmanical rules prescribed by Dharmaśāstras and in what way they may actually demarcate various Śaiva and Śākta communities. Before turning to the samayas themselves, a nontantric Śaiva story is presented, which clearly shows that in spite of their overall conformity to traditional brahmanical prescriptions, lay Śaivas also saw themselves as following a different set of laws and rules. Then three different types of samaya sets will be examined: those of the Śaiva Siddhānta, the heterogeneous lists of early Śākta scriptures and the strictly 'nondualist' rules of later Śāktas. While these rules cannot reveal the exact relation of the respective communities to their contemporary society or to each other, they may betray something about the way in which these communities saw themselves within a larger context. * The first version of this paper was delivered at the workshop 'Visions of Community. Tantric Communities in Context: Sacred Secrets and Public Rituals' (5-7 February 2015, Vienna, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften), in which I was able to participate thanks to the support of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) VISCOM SFB Project. I would like to thank Nina Mirnig and Vincent Eltschinger for inviting me to this event. I am grateful for all the comments made by the participants present, in particular to Jung Lan Bang for discussing difficult passages of the Tantrasadbhāva and sharing her draft edition as well as manuscript photos, to Shaman Hatley for helping to understand obscure expressions in the Brahmayāmala, and to Csaba Kiss for corrections, comments and issues raised in the last stages of the writing of this paper.

Tolerance and Its Limits in Twelfth Century Kashmir: Tantric Elements in Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī *

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015

Introduction: questions of genre Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī (RT) is often cited as a unique Sanskrit... more Introduction: questions of genre Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī (RT) is often cited as a unique Sanskrit work on ancient Indian, in particular Kashmirian, history, which unlike most purāṇic sources aims to relate actual historical facts. 1 While the uniqueness of this chronicle is undoubtable, it should also be emphasized that Kalhaṇa himself does not reject purāṇic sources, as is clear from his introduction 2 and from his use of the Nīlamatapurāṇa to reconstruct Kashmir's ancient past. 3 Most research on the Rājataraṅgiṇī attempts to strip the text of purāṇic and other legendary or religious material and to identify major historical events, the chronology of kings and the like on the basis of Kalhaṇa's account, compared with other independent

Review of Mokṣopāya vol.s 1-2-3

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2016

The three volumes of critical edition under review are among the major results of the Mokṣopāya p... more The three volumes of critical edition under review are among the major results of the Mokṣopāya project, supervised by Prof. Walter Slaje. The aim of the project is to make the Sanskrit text of the Mokṣopāya('Means of final liberation', 10th century CE, from Kashmir) available in a critical edition, with a full (German) translation, a philological commentary and a dictionary of its special terminology. The three edited volumes contain the first four books (prakaraṇa) of the Sanskrit text out of six. Most readers of this review will certainly know the project and the reasons for which it is important to have a critical edition of this monumental work of 30,000 verses. It would have been, however, useful if the editors had said a few words about the significance and the context of this philosophical-poetical oeuvre, so that Sanskritists uninitiated into the Mokṣopāya's intricacies should have a better picture of its position in Sanskrit literature. Such basic information may seem superfluous for the editors, who are well acquainted with the subject;perhaps it would feel like stating the obvious. There are nevertheless at least three reasons for which a contextualizing introduction would be necessary, even if it is not a necessary part of a critical edition strictly speaking. * The reviewer would like to apalogize for submitting this review with an indecent and probably unprecedented delay. The fourth volume of the edition and much of the German translation have also been published in the meantime, but unfortunately they could not be considered in the present review.

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, Oct 1, 2023

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, Oct 15, 2020

Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études N ous avons divisé nos c... more Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études N ous avons divisé nos conférences hebdomadaires en trois parties, afin de présenter divers aspects du shivaïsme classique et une grande variété de ses sources, allant du vi e au xiii e siècle. Souhaitant maintenir une certaine logique et cohérence entre ces trois parties, nous avons consacré la première heure au cours de Master, qui a pris la forme d'une initiation au shivaïsme à travers sa terminologie (sanskrite). Ce cours d'introduction était suivi de deux conférences, dont la première présentait un texte canonique rituel du vii e siècle environ, destiné aux initiés et par conséquent utilisant un langage technique. La seconde se concentrait sur un recueil mythologique du début du xiii e siècle composé en vers et visant un public plus général.

Religions de l’Inde : études shivaïtes

Annuaire, May 31, 2022

Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études C eTTe année nous avons ... more Religions de l'Inde : études shivaïtes Judit Törzsök Directrice d'études C eTTe année nous avons divisé notre cours de master en deux parties : au premier semestre, nous avons proposé une introduction au śivaïsme laïc (Śivadharma, vi e-vii e siècles), puis nous avons poursuivi la lecture du « Coeur de la reconnaissance » (Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya) de Kṣemarāja (auteur cachemirien du début du xi e siècle), toujours en suivant le texte dans un manuscrit Śāradā 1. Pour notre séminaire, nous avons continué à déchiffrer les prescriptions śākta du Siddhayogeśvarīmata ou « Enseignement des yoginīs perfectionnées » (du vii e siècle environ) et à lire la mythologie śivaïte selon Jayadratha (auteur cachemirien du début du xiii e siècle), dans son « Joyau magique de la geste de Śiva » (Haracaritacintāmaṇi).

Friendly advice" by Nārāyaṇa . & "King Vikrama's adventures

New York University Press : JJC Foundation eBooks, 2007

Narayana's best-seller gives its reader much more than "Friendly Advice." In one ha... more Narayana's best-seller gives its reader much more than "Friendly Advice." In one handy collection-closely related to the world-famous Pancatantra or Five Discourses on Worldly Wisdom -numerous animal fables are interwoven with human stories, all designed to instruct wayward princes. Tales of canny procuresses compete with those of cunning crows and tigers. An intrusive ass is simply thrashed by his master, but the meddlesome monkey ends up with his testicles crushed. One prince manages to enjoy himself with a merchant's wife with her husband's consent, while another is kicked out of paradise by a painted image. This volume also contains the compact version of King Víkrama's Adventures, thirty-two popular tales about a generous emperor, told by thirty-two statuettes adorning his lion-throne. Co-published by New York University Press and the JJC Foundation For more on this title and other titles in the Clay Sanskrit series, please visit http://www.claysanskritlibrary.org

Śiva le fou et ses dévots tamouls dans le Tēvāram

Institut Français de Pondichéry eBooks, 2004

Le shivaïsme et le culte des yoginīs dans l’Inde classique. I

Annuaire, Nov 30, 2009

Chaire : Religions de lʼInde : rites et systèmes de représentation dans les textes classiques Con... more Chaire : Religions de lʼInde : rites et systèmes de représentation dans les textes classiques Conférences de Mme Judit Törzsök Chargée de conférences Le shivaïsme et le culte des yoginīs dans lʼInde classique. I Il nous a semblé nécessaire de commencer par une définition de ce quʼil fallait entendre par « Inde classique » avant de nous lancer dans le traitement du sujet annoncé par le titre. Nous avons décidé de fixer notre borne chronologique aux X I I e-X I I I e siècles, car à cette période nous pouvions observer une rupture décisive dans la tradition, rupture dont la cause principale fut lʼinvasion musulmane. Quelle quʼen soit la raison, on peut remarquer, dans diverses traditions, que nombreux textes ont tout simplement disparu après cette date. Heureusement, certains dʼentre eux ont été retrouvés et identifiés dans des manuscrits népalais anciens et, dans des transcriptions plus tardives, dans les Archives Nationales de Kathmandu et ailleurs. Afin dʼexaminer de manière plus détaillée le processus de recréation des traditions textuelles, nous avons présenté deux textes, tous deux ayant vraisemblablement disparu dans leur forme originale avant le début du X I V e siècle, deux sources essentielles pour lʼétude du culte des yoginīs. Le premier exemple choisi est un texte shivaïte qui montre clairement des signes de discontinuité : le Skandapurāṇa. Le Skandapurāṇa original, dont lʼédition critique est en cours à lʼuniversité de Groningen, est un texte radicalement différent de la version que lʼon connaît aujourdʼhui communément sous le nom de Skandapurāṇa ou Skandamahāpurāṇa. Son manuscrit le plus ancien date du début du I X e siècle, et la date de composition du texte est peut-être aussi reculée que le V I e siècle 1. Il semble que, dans un premier temps, on y a fait dʼabondants ajouts, matériel supplémentaire qui, dans certains cas, peut être dʼune date antérieure à celle de son inclusion dans le texte 2. Ces versions élargies, citées

Theatre, Acting and the Image of the Actor in Abhinavagupta’s Tantric Sources

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2016

Purifications et puissances : le jeûne dans des textes shivaïtes du premier millénaire

Bibliothèque de l'école des hautes études. Sciences religieuses, 2023

The Search in Śaiva Scriptures for Meaning in Tantric Ritual

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2007

Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī

Cracow Indological Studies, 2014

Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī* SUMMARY: Rather than studying various man... more Women in Early Śākta Tantras: Dūtī, Yoginī and Sādhakī* SUMMARY: Rather than studying various manifestations of the "divine feminine" in Hindu tantric texts, this paper proposes to examine the ritual role of women in the earliest (seventh to ninth centuries CE) scriptural sources that teach the cult of goddesses and other divine females (yoginīs). Women have three main ritual roles in these sources, which often overlap: they may be (1) consorts in sexual rites (dūtī/ śakti), (2) witch-like semi-divine yoginīs, who transmit the doctrine and help practitioners to obtain supernatural powers, and (3) female practitioners (sādhakī/bhaginī), who are initiated in the same way as male ones. Concerning the last category, it is shown that women had the right to receive full initiation according to early śākta scriptures (which was not the case according to mainstream śaiva Tantras) and were able to practice the same rites for the same purposes as men. KEYWORDS: female practitioners, yoginī cult, women in early medieval India, women's rights to perform ritual, tantric ritual, Hindu śākta scriptures. * I would like to thank Prof. Marzenna Czerniak-Drożdżowicz for inviting me to present a paper in this volume and the two anonymous readers of the CIS for their helpful comments, suggestions and questions. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Csaba Kiss for his comments, suggestions and corrections of an earlier draft of this paper.

The Heads of the Godhead The Number of Heads/Faces of Yoginīs and Bhairavas in Early Śaiva Tantras

Indo-Iranian Journal, 2013

This paper examines the prescriptions for multi-headed representations of śaiva deities, in parti... more This paper examines the prescriptions for multi-headed representations of śaiva deities, in particular of yoginīs and Bhairavas, in early tantric or āgamic literature. Multi-headed deities appear mostly in the prescriptions of mantra images, usually without any discussion of their material representation. The paper shows that the four-faced mantric representation of Śiva, Bhairava and other divine creatures precedes the five-headed one, as is observable in epic literature and in art history. The fifth head is associated with tantric or āgamic śaivism, whose supreme deity is the five-headed Sadāśiva. As the five-headed mantra image becomes the standard, texts are rewritten to conform to this norm. Moreover, female deities are also often assimilated to this god and can be assigned four or five heads depending on the context. It is suggested as a hypothesis that the four-faced Śiva, or rather Īśvara, was perhaps adopted from the proto-tantric currents of the Atimārga (or from one particular current), from a representation whose Eastern or frontal face represented Śiva as half man, half woman (ardhanārīśvara).

Nondualism in Early Śākta Tantras: Transgressive Rites and Their Ontological Justification in a Historical Perspective

Journal of Indian Philosophy, Dec 6, 2013

This paper examines the ritual and philosophical meaning of the term 'nondual' (advaya/advaita) i... more This paper examines the ritual and philosophical meaning of the term 'nondual' (advaya/advaita) in early Ś ākta Tantras (6th-9th centuries), including some early sources of the anti-ritualist kaula cult. It shows that nondualism denoted only ritual nondualism in the earliest texts, namely, the principle of seeing and using pure and impure substances in ritual without distinction, rejecting the pure-impure dichotomy of orthopraxy. The ontology these tantras presuppose is basically dualist, for they usually see the Lord and the created world as different and regard original impurity (mala) as a removeable material entity, similarly to the classical system of the dualist Ś aiva Siddhānta. Nondual ontology evolves gradually, starting with scattered statements about the nature of the god and the phenomenal world, usually in a ritual context. It appears in a form similar to the classical one only in the Krama and related systems, as argued in Sanderson (in: Goudriaan (ed.) Ritual and speculation in early tantrism: studies in honour of André Padoux, 1992).

The (un)dreadful goddess: Aghorī in early śākta Tantras

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2012

Aghorī, literally 'undreadful,' is a frequently used name for the highest goddess in tantric as w... more Aghorī, literally 'undreadful,' is a frequently used name for the highest goddess in tantric as well as nontantric contexts, from the earliest period of tantrism. It could therefore be considered just another appellation or epithet of the supreme goddess, employed in a way similar to the word Śiva: in both cases, a potentially dangerous and frightening deity is called benign or 'undreadful' by antiphrasis, to avert the deity's wrath or to transform it into benevolence. Aghorī, however, seems to be more than just another epithet, at least in some early śākta Tantras, whose relevant passages I propose to present and analyse in this paper. First, one could argue that if Aghorī were an epithet, it would have the form of the adjective aghorā, and not aghorī. Such an argument could be used if our texts followed all the rules of classical Sanskrit grammar; but it cannot apply to early Tantras, in which word formation is often irregular and which thus use the two forms aghorā and aghorī sometimes interchangeably. To give one example: the Siddhayogeśvarīmata (of the seventh century approximately) has a set of eight goddesses headed by Aghorā. This Aghorā appears consistently as Aghorī in a reccurring compound that denotes this group: aghoryādyaṣṭaka, the Ogdoad starting with Aghorī. That the compound does not refer to a different set of eight starting with Aghorī instead of Aghorā is confirmed by Jayaratha, the commentator of Abhinavagupta's Tantrāloka (ad 30.27). He explicitly says that the mantra of Aghorī is the one that includes the epithet or name Aghorā in the vocative. (oṃ aghore hrīḥ iti aghoryāḥ). This and other examples show that just as in the case of other deities, the difference between an epithet and a name is not always clear. In spite of the confusion between Aghorās and Aghorīs, epithets and proper names, one could retain as a rule of thumb that when a single goddess is meant, she is generally called Aghorī. How is tantric Aghorī related to the vedic mantra and its personification, Aghora? In what company and in what ritual context can she usually be found? And how, where and when did she become the supreme goddess? These are the questions I shall attempt to answer, using the evidence of early śākta Tantras, mostly dating from cca. the seventh and eighth centuries CE. 1. Aghora, ghora and ghoraghoratara The male deity or epithet aghora plays an important role already in pre-tantric Śaivism. The vedic Aghora-mantra, which evokes three forms of Rudra, is one of the five mantras of the Pāśupatas.

Visnubhattaviracita Anargharaghavapancika: The Commentary of Visnubhatta on the Anargharaghava of Murari. Critical edition, Vol I: The Commentary of Visnubhatta; Vol. II: The Anargharraghava of Murari as Read by Visnubhatta, Notes, Appendices

Journal of the American Oriental Society, Apr 1, 2003

Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle)

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2011

Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle) * ... more Le métathéâtre dans l'Inde classique : l'exemple de Rāma l'inestimable de Murāri (Xème siècle) * La seule pièce de théâtre de Murāri qui aie survécu, l'Anargharāghava ou Rāma l'inestimable, a compté parmi les plus appréciées des érudits en Inde. Le grand nombre de commentaires qu'elle a suscité ainsi que la diffusion de ses manuscrits (les catalogues à eux seuls en mentionnent plus de quatre cents, dispersés sur tout le territoire indien * Nous tenons à remercier M. H.N. Bhat de l'Institut français d'Indologie à Pondichéry d'avoir relu quelques passages difficiles de la pièce avec nous en clarifiant les manières dont Viṣṇubhaṭṭa les interprète. Nous sommes reconnaissante également à M. Bhat d'avoir mis à notre disposition son édition de travail du commentaire Iṣṭārthakalpavallī. Toutes les citations de ce commentaire se fondent sur cette édition de travail inédite. Nous remercions également Lyne Bansat-Boudon pour ses remarques et suggestions et Somadeva Vasudeva pour sa correction de la version anglaise de cet article et ces remarques concernant la rasaśabdavācyatā. 1 Nous remercions S.A.S. Sharma de l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient pour ce renseignement et pour avoir mis à notre disposition le travail préparatif qu'il avait effectué avec ses collègues sur la localisation des manuscrits de cette pièce, en vue d'une édition critique. Malheureusement, ce projet d'édition n'a pu être poursuivi. 2 Ce type d'esthétique romantique a déjà été critiqué maintes fois. V. en particulier Shulman, 1997 : 69, qui le fait remarquer au sujet d'autres auteurs indiens et concernant la question de la subjectivité : « [... such] views are heavily colored by an anachronistic romanticism, which made expressionistic lyricism the touchstone of quality in the mainstream of English and German poetry from the late 18th century on, and which regularly filtered down into scholarly judgement of non-European literatures as well. »

Yoginī and goddess possession in early śaiva tantras

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2010

I am grateful to the organizer, István Keul, for having invited me and to all the participants, e... more I am grateful to the organizer, István Keul, for having invited me and to all the participants, especially to Csaba Kiss and Shaman Hatley, for comments, suggestions and corrections. 1 Smith 2006, which is the latest comprehensive treatment of this subject, does not use any manuscript sources. 2 Most importantly, see Sanderson 2009, dealing with the relation of Buddhist and śaiva tantrism. 3 See Siddhayogeśvarīmata 3.49ff, Mālinīvijayottara 3.53-54, Kubjikāmata 10.82 ff, of which the last one distinguishes between spirit possession (bhūtāveśa) and divine possession (bhāvāveśa) of various kinds. Trembling and falling on the ground may be part of both, but seeing the past and the future or knowing the śāstras suddenly can only be due to divine possession. See also Jayadrathayāmala 3.14.72a for trembling and 3.14.75ab for seeing the past, present and future, in a passage describing the provoked possession or svasthāveśa of a girl (kanyā) by the emaciated goddess (kṛśodarī). Many examples can be found in the Kriyākālaguṇottara, whose relevants chapters mainly deal with controlled possession or with controlling possession in others.

Three Chapters of Śaiva Material Added to the Earliest Known Recension of the Skandapurāṇa

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2003

Whose Dharma? Śaiva and Śākta Community Rules (samayas) and Dharmaśāstric Prescriptions

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015

In the tantric context, samayas are the rules a Śaiva or Śākta neophyte is to follow after he is ... more In the tantric context, samayas are the rules a Śaiva or Śākta neophyte is to follow after he is introduced into his new community and receives an initiation name. The samaya rules are therefore part of what defines the Śaiva or Śākta Śaiva tantric community, at least according to the scriptures. This paper attempts to see what these rules are, how they are related to mainstream brahmanical rules prescribed by Dharmaśāstras and in what way they may actually demarcate various Śaiva and Śākta communities. Before turning to the samayas themselves, a nontantric Śaiva story is presented, which clearly shows that in spite of their overall conformity to traditional brahmanical prescriptions, lay Śaivas also saw themselves as following a different set of laws and rules. Then three different types of samaya sets will be examined: those of the Śaiva Siddhānta, the heterogeneous lists of early Śākta scriptures and the strictly 'nondualist' rules of later Śāktas. While these rules cannot reveal the exact relation of the respective communities to their contemporary society or to each other, they may betray something about the way in which these communities saw themselves within a larger context. * The first version of this paper was delivered at the workshop 'Visions of Community. Tantric Communities in Context: Sacred Secrets and Public Rituals' (5-7 February 2015, Vienna, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften), in which I was able to participate thanks to the support of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) VISCOM SFB Project. I would like to thank Nina Mirnig and Vincent Eltschinger for inviting me to this event. I am grateful for all the comments made by the participants present, in particular to Jung Lan Bang for discussing difficult passages of the Tantrasadbhāva and sharing her draft edition as well as manuscript photos, to Shaman Hatley for helping to understand obscure expressions in the Brahmayāmala, and to Csaba Kiss for corrections, comments and issues raised in the last stages of the writing of this paper.

Tolerance and Its Limits in Twelfth Century Kashmir: Tantric Elements in Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī *

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2015

Introduction: questions of genre Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī (RT) is often cited as a unique Sanskrit... more Introduction: questions of genre Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṅgiṇī (RT) is often cited as a unique Sanskrit work on ancient Indian, in particular Kashmirian, history, which unlike most purāṇic sources aims to relate actual historical facts. 1 While the uniqueness of this chronicle is undoubtable, it should also be emphasized that Kalhaṇa himself does not reject purāṇic sources, as is clear from his introduction 2 and from his use of the Nīlamatapurāṇa to reconstruct Kashmir's ancient past. 3 Most research on the Rājataraṅgiṇī attempts to strip the text of purāṇic and other legendary or religious material and to identify major historical events, the chronology of kings and the like on the basis of Kalhaṇa's account, compared with other independent

Review of Mokṣopāya vol.s 1-2-3

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2016

The three volumes of critical edition under review are among the major results of the Mokṣopāya p... more The three volumes of critical edition under review are among the major results of the Mokṣopāya project, supervised by Prof. Walter Slaje. The aim of the project is to make the Sanskrit text of the Mokṣopāya('Means of final liberation', 10th century CE, from Kashmir) available in a critical edition, with a full (German) translation, a philological commentary and a dictionary of its special terminology. The three edited volumes contain the first four books (prakaraṇa) of the Sanskrit text out of six. Most readers of this review will certainly know the project and the reasons for which it is important to have a critical edition of this monumental work of 30,000 verses. It would have been, however, useful if the editors had said a few words about the significance and the context of this philosophical-poetical oeuvre, so that Sanskritists uninitiated into the Mokṣopāya's intricacies should have a better picture of its position in Sanskrit literature. Such basic information may seem superfluous for the editors, who are well acquainted with the subject;perhaps it would feel like stating the obvious. There are nevertheless at least three reasons for which a contextualizing introduction would be necessary, even if it is not a necessary part of a critical edition strictly speaking. * The reviewer would like to apalogize for submitting this review with an indecent and probably unprecedented delay. The fourth volume of the edition and much of the German translation have also been published in the meantime, but unfortunately they could not be considered in the present review.

Atelier Dharma 20 March 2014

History of Shaivism Workshop in Paris 24-28 March 2014

How Śāktism Began

Handout for my paper at the 17th World Sanskrit COnference, Vancouver, 13th July 2018

The Skandapurāṇa. Volume IV. Adhyāyas 70-95. Start of the Skanda and Andhaka Cycles. Critical Edition with an Introduction & Annotated Synopsis by Peter C. Bisschop and Yuko Yokochi, in cooperation with Diwakar Acharya and Judit Törzsök (full text)

by Peter Bisschop, Yuko Yokochi, Diwakar Acharya, and Judit Torzsok

Groningen Oriental Studies Supplement 5, 2018

Skandapurāṇa IV presents a critical edition of Adhyāyas 70-95 from the Skandapurāṇa, with an intr... more Skandapurāṇa IV presents a critical edition of Adhyāyas 70-95 from the Skandapurāṇa, with an introduction and annotated English synopsis.
The text edited in this volume includes the myths of Viṣṇu’s manifestation as the Man-Lion (Narasiṃha), the birth of Skanda, the birth of Andhaka, and Hiraṇyākṣa’s battle with the gods culminating in his victory and capture of the Earth.

The Open Access E-book is also available for free download here: https://brill.com/view/title/39245

Siddhayogeśvarīmata, Appendices and Bibliography (Pt 3 of my thesis, Oxford, 1999)

This is a photographic reproduction of part 3 of my DPhil thesis (Oxford, 1999), including the Ap... more

Siddhayogeśvarīmata, translation of selected chapters (Pt 2 of the thesis, Oxford 1999)

This is a photographic reproduction of part 2 of my DPhil thesis (Oxford, 1999), which is wrong o... more