This critical introduction proves that Saivism and Tantra have their origin in the Vedas from where they derive their source and elaborate on them in detail whether it be consciousness, grades of consciousness, cakras, kundalini, nadis, aesthetics, reconciliation between the vital and the spiritual as is proposed in Chapter 29 of Tantraloka, Yoga, etc. lie embedded in the Vedas.

Abhinavagupta in his Tantraloka, III.226 refers to Aitareya where its author Mahidhara Aitareya has been identified as a manifest form of Siva and as such is said to have taken the world as a form of visarga (:), remission (Aitareya Aranyaka III.8). This Introduction removes the cloudy misconception/cobweb that has gathered in the form exclusivity, sectarian attitude leading to mathika system and ignorance which is inherent in human nature. If human beings overcome this tendency of exclusivity then only the Reality shines forth otherwise they get stuck and are bereft of experiencing the true nature of Reality.

It is the complete English translation of the 37 Chapters of Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta with Sanskrit texts. Tantraloka means light on Tantra. Tantraloka is a magnum opus of Abhinavagupta (950 - 1050 A.D.). Literally Tantra means thread and happens to have been used in one of the earliest usage in the Rgveda (X.53.6) itself in such a deep sense as understanding binding the entire reality together in a single fold of comprehension so beneficial as to transform the human nature of all its baser kind of tendency into the most idealistic form which is known as the divine.

Tantraloka sheds light on various topics such as nature of Reality, i.e. Siva and his dynamic force; grades of consciousness, nature of matter, dimensions, initiation, post mortem initiation, reconciliation of the vital and spiritual, mantras, reconciliation of scriptures, etc.