Lesser Known Śaiva Initiations: Critical Edition of the Vijñānadīkṣā Chapter of the Hitherto Unpublished Acintyaviśvasādākhyāgama, One of the Āgamas of the Śaivasiddhānta Tradition and Its Brief Presentation

Abstract

Various Śaivāgamas treat the important rite of dīkṣā in a detailed fashion. The account of different types of dīkṣā expounded in the Acintyaviśvasādākhyāgama is very interesting and seems to be unique in some ways. The present paper briefly discusses Vijñānadīkṣā, one of the lesser known types of dīkṣā, accompanied by a critical edition of the chapter of the Acintyaviśvasādākhyāgama.

Keywords

• Śaiva
• initiation
• āgama
• Śivahood
• liberation