Acharya Abhinavagupta

Abhinavaguta was a great  thinker and a  scholar of Kashmiri Shaivism. He was born in Kashmir in the middle of 10th century. His mother's name was Vimalakala and his father was Narasimhagupta . Actually his ancestor Atrigupta , an ardent devotee of Shiva and  a scholar  , belonged to kanauj and was invited by  King Lalitaditya  and settled by  him in Kashmir as he got influenced by his scholarship.

Abhinavaguta never married and devoted his entire life towards his spiritual and intellectual pursuits Abhinavaguta was very passionate about learning and he studied under twenty teachers, who were best during  those times.  His father from whom he learned grammar was his  first teacher.  He learned every possible discipline he could,  including different shaivistic philosophies , drama , aesthetics , literature, logic and language. He also learned Budhism and Jainism . His quest for knowledge was finally  fulfilled when he travelled outside Kashmir and learned Kaula tradition from Shamboo natha of jalandhara.

After obtaining mastery over each and every branch of knowledge available , Abhinavaguta emerged as a thinker and teacher of highest order.

Abhinavaguta started writing to share the  knowledge he gained from  his various teachers and his personal  experiences in spiritual pursuits. He was a great writer .He contributed much to Kashmiri Shaivism by his works and experiences. He wrote as many as forty four long and short works, out of which twenty three have been published.  This include his monumental works like 1. The Tantraloka , which is a virtual encyclopedia of Tantric Shaivism 2. The Paratrimshka  Vivarna . These  works are regarded as the most sophisticated and comperhensive expression of his philosophy . His another important work is 'Parmarthsara ' which outlines the essential aspects of Trika philosophy and is meant for those people  who do not have capacity to understand the more profound texts. Apart from being the greatest interpreter of the non dual Shiva tradition of Kashmir, Abhinavgupta  is also known as the most authoritative scholar of Indian aesthetic thought and theory of art creation    

              Abhinavgupta was unanimously recognised by all Shaiva sects of the time sidhanta, vama, Yamla, Bhairva  Kula ,Trika and Ekavira , as their spiritual head at a great conclave of spiritualists held at Srinagar. Abhinavgupta has significantly contributed to all schools of Shaiva thought . He also integrated these schools , bringing them under one scheme.

It is believed that this greatest Shaiva icon entered in to the Bhairva ( Modern Biru ) cave with about twelve hundred of his desciples towards the close of his life singing his self composed Bhairav astuti .

Om vyaft charachar bhav vishesham

Chinmayam ekam anantam anadyam

Bhairav nath , anaath sharaniyam

Tanmay chitya hridya vande

After this he disappears and no body could see him  coming out of the cave.

Source Whatsup