Utpaladeva

Utpaladeva (ca. AD 900–950) was one of the great teachers of the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism. Father :Trivikrama Bhatta. Birth Place Narayanasthana. (Nārastān in the Tral valley.) Academic Guru :Those Days buddhism was on the verge of decline in kashmir. A prolific Advaita Philosopher Born in Chidambarm ,believed to be a re-incarnation of The Great Shankaracharya, known as Abhinava Shankara or Sri Shankarananda Bharati was residing near the Sarvajna-Peetha ,on the banks of river madhumati. He had the fame of defeating 87 giant philosophers in 87 days in 87 different places,mainly buddhist like deepankara srijnana, the hard core ritualists mitra misra, vaishnava agamiks like Sri Paratheertha, hairanyagarbhins, yogacharas and many more. Utpala was eager to meet him. After hearing his stay at Sharada-peeth, walked all the way from his native in ice cold winter for 70 miles, Met him and learnt the Nyaya philosophy & concepts of recognition Utpaladeva, an influential philosopher-theologian of the Pratyabhijna school of Tantric Shaivism composed the Īśvara-pratyabhijñā-kārikās, or 'Stanzas on the Recognition of [Oneself as] the Lord' and the Garland of Hymns to Śiva (Śiva-stotrāvalī).

Utpala's disciple was Lakṣmaṇa Gupta, a teacher of Abhinavagupta. His Main works are :- 1.Shivastotravali 2.Siddhitraya & Isvara pratyabhijna Vritti 3.Isvara pratyabhijna dhidhiti 4.Spanda pradipika

External links[]

• Bibliography of Utpaladeva's works, Item 472, Karl Potter, University of Washington
• http://www.koausa.org/Saints/Utpaladeva/
• Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladevas Shivastotravali (Suny Series in Human Communication Processes) Constantina R. Bailly