Search Results: Tantrik Studies / Eastern Esoterica from Richard Bishop, Bookseller

Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2011. Reprint. Hardcovers (2 volume set). Octavo. clxi + 470, 471 - 1046pp. Bound in red boards with gilt spine titles. A very good set of books in near fine, pictorial dust jackets. Classic work of Indian folk magic. Atharva-Veda means the Veda of the Atharvan or the Knowledge of Magic Formulas. The great importance of the Atharva-Veda Samhita lies in the fact that it is an invaluable source of knowledge of popular belief as yet uninfluenced by ancient Indian priestly religion, of the faith in numberless spirits, imps, ghosts and demons of every kind, and of the witchcraft so eminently important to ethnology and for the history of religion. It is a collection of 731 hymns, which contain about 6000 verses, in the recension which is best preserved. Many of the hymns contain charms, magic spells and incantations meant to be pronounced by the person who seeks some benefit, or more often by a sorcerer who would say it on his or her behalf. The most frequent goal of… Read More

Varanasi: Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2021. No Edition Stated. Hardcover. Octavo. xxiv + 207pp. Pictorial boards with matching dust jacket. A near fine copy in like jacket. Bhoot means, ‘Past’ and Damar means ‘fierce'. Hence this is a Tantra, which liberates the seeker from the fierce sins of the past and makes one's present and future better. This is the chatushpeeth Tantra of Sri Krodha Bahirava, who is an expansion of the supreme Lord Sri Swacchanda Bhairava. He is the seer sage of the Mantra of Mata Chinnamasta Ji. He is Lord of the South and once worshiped as per the given rituals here. This translation indicates that ‘Bhoot’ means ghost. This Tantra, deals with exorcisms for enchanting ghosts, and more.

Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2017. Reprint. Hardcover. Octavo.This is volume 22 in the Buddhist Tradition Series (edited by Alex Wayman). xiv + 162pp. In pictorial boards (issued without dust jacket). Black and white plates, bibliography, index. A very good copy. A scholarly monograph on the Tantric Goddess Chinnamasta, whose iconography often depict her as severing her own head, with two attendants drinking the streams of blood from her neck. She has Buddhist origins but is probably more known as one of the Dasamahavidya (the ten tantric manifestations of the Goddess Kali) from the Hindu tantric pantheon. The work discusses her origins, her ritual procedures, visualizations, and more. Appendices detail the one thousand names of the Goddess plus locations of her temples in Northern India and the Kathmandu Valley.

Varanasi: Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2019. First Edition. Hardcover in two volumes. Octavo. xxiii + 360; xi + 363 - 706pp. Both volumes bound in shimmering red silk-like material with gilt titles to front and spine. In the original dust jackets. Red page marker ribbon in each volume. Both volumes in very good or better condition in near fine dust jackets. Sabara mantras are those mantras written in regional languages and which require minimal ritual procedures in order to achieve desires and also to work magic. They were designed for people who were mostly illiterate. There are mantras here for a variety of different deities, both gods and goddesses, and many that can be used for healing, cursing (even killing), preventing witchcraft or black magic, and practically everything else. Precise instructions are given for each mantra and their various uses. At the end of the second volume is a Tantric Herbal glossary with some very useful information.

Calcutta: Punthi Pustak, 2002. Revised Enlarged Second Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. Maroon cloth with yellow lettering to front and spine. 363 pages, plus 14 black and white plates at end of volume. Light rubbing to cloth. A few tiny pinholes to upper front of jacket and onto cloth of front board. Still a very good copy in like dust jacket. A very thorough overview of Tantra. Chapters include: The Origin of Tantra; The Goddess of Tantra; The Mother Cult; Consciousness in Tantra; Occultism in Tantra; Spirituality in Tantra; Kundalini; Sadhana; Worship; Significance of Tantra; Yoga in Tantra; The Philosophy of Tantric Sadhana; Mysticism in Tantra; Buddhist Tantra; Tantric Literature; Tantric Pilgrimage; Index.

Delhi: Nag Prakashan, 2018. Third Edition. Hardcover. Royal octavo. xciv + 760pp. Bound in red cloth with gilt titles to front and spine. A large and heavy volume. Some light wrinkles to cloth (common with many Indian publications), a bit of rubbing to gilt on spine but appears to be an unread copy. Issued without dust jacket. Very good. This is Shastri's translation of the Kalika Purana which was originally issued in three separate volumes. This is the complete text and translation in a massive one-volume edition. The Kalika Purana glorifies the goddess Kamakhya, or Kamakshi, and details the ritual procedures required for worshiping her. It also includes worship of Kali, Durga and other goddesses. The work belongs to the goddess-oriented Shakta branch of Hinduism. Most probably it was composed in or near medieval Kamarupa (modern Assam). Chapters 67 through 78 of the text constitute the Rudhiradhyaya which discusses bali (animal sacrifice) and of Vamacara Tantrism. The Rudhiradhyaya section is… Read More

Kolkatta: Punthi Pustak, 2017. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xx + 300pp. With b&w photographs. Plain white cloth with dust jacket. DJ flaps are lightly affixed to inner boards as is often the case with Indian publications. Otherwise a very good copy in like dust jacket. This is the first complete translation in English of the Kamakhya Tantra, a tantra detailing the worship of the goddess Kamakhya. Appendices include additional instructions for worship from the Kalika Purana and the Yogini Tantra. In addition to the translation, there are chapters concerning the Ten Mahavidyas, the history of Kamakhya temple and surrounding areas, and other bits of information concerning Kamakhya. A long awaited and much needed English translation of this important tantra.

Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan, 2007. Reprint. Hardcover. Octavo. xiii + 69 (preface & introduction), followed by the text in Sanskrit with English translation (paginated in Sanskrit numerals). Red cloth spine over yellow boards. A very good copy in like dust jacket. The Kaulajñ nanir aya is an important T ntric work belonging to the N tha tradition, supposed to have been composed by Matsyendran tha who was the founder of one of the Kaula schools called Yogini-kaula. It is divided into 24 sections and deals mainly with meaning of kula, practices prescribed for a kaula, the principle Akulavira, relation between Siva-Sakti, bindu, n da, mok a, mode of worship, means of acquisition of powers by which one can kill others and enjoy long life. There are two prefaces, one by Magee and the other by Bagchi. The lengthy introduction by Bagchi puts everything into perspective.

Varanasi: Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2021. No Edition Stated. Hardcover. Octavo. xx + 230pp. Pictorial boards with matching dust jacket. A near fine copy in like jacket. Sri Kali Tantra: Being The traction force of Kaal, Sri Dakshina Kali is the Supreme power of this world. Her worship, gives both worldly pleasures and liberation to her devotees. This Tantra, talks about detailed worship rituals and other practices of Goddess Sri Dakshina Kali. Sri Rudra Candi: Sri Durga Saptashati, is the most venerable worship epic of shakts; its variegated forms are available in this world though most of them are hidden from the common worshipers. This Sri Rudra Chandi, is one such epic which tells us how Sri Rudra Chandi killed the demons Madhu-Kaitabh, Mahishasur, and Shumbha - Nishumbha to liberate this world from their fear. If this is recited as per the given rituals, it would fulfill all wishes of a seeker and would finally take him to the feet of Goddess.

Kolkata (Calcutta): Punthi Pustak, 2013. First Edition. Hardcover. Quarto. xiv + 348pp. Simple cardboard binding with dust jacket. Black and white photographs at end of volume. The dust jacket flaps have been affixed to the inside of the cardboard. PLEASE NOTE: this is a horribly bound book! It is a good copy only. Buy it strictly for the information within, which is quite informative and available nowhere else. An exhaustive and exclusive study on the Taravidya. It contains the original texts of Taratantra and deals with the Tara-cult including the form of Tara, mantras of Tara, Taradhyanas, Tarakavacam, Taradiksa and detailed methods of Tara -worship. This book is enriched with the origin myth of the Dasamahavidyas, origin of Kali, Bhuvanesvari, Chinna-masta, Dhumavati, Vagalamukhl, Matangi and Kamala; Their forms and mantras, Vasistha's penance, history of Tarapitha, Taratemple, Mahasmasana and Jivitakunda; short life history of Acarya Brahmananda Giri, Sadhaka Bamakhyapa (Vamakhyapa) and Sri… Read More

Delhi: D.P.B. Publications, 2017. First Edition. Hardcover. Small, thick quarto (7.5 x 9.5 inches). Limited to 200 copies. 868pp. Pictorial boards (issued without dust jacket). Text in English and Sanskrit, with transliterations. Some b&w illustrations. Typical Indian production values. Some edge and corner wear to boards, a couple of dings to book edges at top and bottom. A very good copy. This is a most remarkable work, being a textbook of worship for the Dasamahavidya (the ten tantric transofrmations of the Great Goddess). The Mahavidyas are: Kali, Tara, Sodasi, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Matangi, Bagala, and Kamala. This massive work includes ritual procedures for all ten goddesses, with mantras, yantras, modes of worship, and much more. Some of the sections are in Sanskrit only with transliterations - these are mostly in the form of lengthy mantras and hymns but for these parts there are some commentaries in English. The transliterations do allow for interpreting the… Read More

Varanasi: Chaukhamba Surbharti Prakashan, 2015. First Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xxviii + 123pp. Plain red boards in pictorial dust jacket. Black and white diagrams. A very good copy in a near fine dust jacket. Being written by Shiva himself, this Tantra in itself is capable of fulfilling all worldly desires. Being preached to Lankesh Ravan by Lord Shiva, it consists of the worship rituals of Sri Kali Ji and Sri Ardrapati Devi. It has various exorcisms, Yakshini accomplishments and Bhootini and Indrajaal accomplishments along with various Ayurveda treatments. Those who use it in the right manner, without hurting human civilization, would become eligible for the next stages of tantric penances, which takes the seeker to the supreme abode. In deciphering the subtitle we find that the meaning of "Indrajal" is to cast powerful hallucinations on someone to distract his mind from reality and also used to cast different kinds of spells using spirits. The word "Bhootini" is widely used… Read More

Varanasi: Prachya Prakashan, 2005. Reprint. This is No. 11 in the Tantra Granthamala series. Hardcover. Octavo. Paginated in Sanskrit (approximately 60 pages). A very good copy in like dust jacket. This is the first translation into English of Vamakesvarimatam, one of the most authoritative and oft-quoted manuals of Sri Vidya, and one, furthermore, with a decidedly Kaula slant. In common with many other Tantras, Vamakesvara is also hard to understand owing to its use of codings and language meant only for the initiates. The detailed understanding of these codings depend on Oral instruction, for initiates only, and Mike Magee being one such, has very successfully decoded the hidden meaning and made them clear in his Translation. Michael Magee was for seven years a Co-editor of the international Publication "SOTHIS" which covered the esoteric sciences of both East and West in a comprehensive fashion. In 1976 he began his study of Sanskrit, attending classes at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan… Read More

New Delhi: D.K Printworld, 2016. First English Language Edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xiv + 206pp. Pictorial boards with matching dust jacket. Illustrated with 60 (mosty color) photographs. A near fine copy in like dust jacket. The Yoginis are awful expressions of the divine in feminine form of which evidence is found in Tantric contexts in both the Hindu and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions. Endowed with a multitude of aspects and functions, they may take the form of women or witches devoted to obscure rituals, of primordial forces linked with illness, poisoning and possession, of subtle beings present in supporting one for meditation like yantra and mantra, or of genuine gods who frighten and fascinate. Gathering in circles in the depths of the forest or in cremation grounds, the Yoginis engender powers and secret knowledge, granted to those who evoke them through practices which may be extreme. Ultimately the Yoginis keep company with death, offering to the initiates who surrender to their embrace the… Read More