The Paramārthasāra, or 'Essence of Ultimate Reality', is a work of the Kashmirian polymath Abhinavagupta (tenth-eleventh centuries). It is a brief treatise in which the author outlines the doctrine of which he is a notable exponent, namely nondualistic Śaivism, which he designates in his works as the Trika, or 'Triad' of three principles: Śiva, Śakti and the embodied soul (nara).

The main interest of the Paramārthasāra is not only that it serves as an introduction to the established doctrine of a tradition, but also advances the notion of...

The Parama rthasa ra, or 'Essence of Ultimate Reality', is a work of the Kashmirian polymath Abhinavagupta (tenth-eleventh centuries). It is a brief treatise in which the author outlines the doctrine of which he is a notable exponent, namely nondualistic S aivism, which he designates in his works as the Trika, or 'Triad' of three principles: S iva, S akti and the embodied soul (nara). The main interest of the Parama rthasa ra is not only that it serves as an introduction to the established doctrine of a tradition, but also advances the notion of jiv anmukti, 'liberation in this life', as its...