Tantric Śaivism in Early Medieval India: Recent Research and Future Directions

This essay reviews the state of the study of Tantric or ‘Esoteric’Śaivism in early medieval India, circa 500–1200 c.e. Focusing on research published over the past decade, the discussion covers the following subjects: early scriptural literature (the Śaiva tantras or āgamas), exegetical and philosophical traditions, ritual and yoga, the roots of Tantric Śaivism, intersections between tantra, and the medieval temple, and debates concerning the relationship between Śaivism and Tantric Buddhism. The essay concludes with a discussion of recent progress in reconstructing the historical contexts of early medieval Śaivism, with a call for further inquiry into its social history.