Mahānirvāṇa Tantra

The Mahānirvāṇa Tantra is a late 18th-century Śākta Tantra, probably composed in Bengal, presenting a path to liberation through Tantric ritual and philosophy, addressing both householders and renunciants.

Content

The text covers the nature of ultimate reality (Brahman/Śiva), initiation rites, mantras, ethical conduct, and the stages of spiritual practice leading to mahānirvāṇa (great liberation).

Significance

It represents an inclusive Tantric path that deliberately integrates Vedic and Tantric elements (for instance, prohibiting animal sacrifice and wine in favor of substitute offerings) and centers worship of the Divine Mother. It became one of the best-known Tantric texts in the West through John Woodroffe’s 1913 English translation, The Great Liberation.

Verification

18th-century dating supported by manuscript evidence and historical context. Text translated and studied by early European Indologists.

• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).