Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namaste


　
I thought to add a bit to the defintion above.
  • tantra तन्त्र - as a noun means a loom; the notion of weaving comes to mind as this word is also used for a row , number , series , that you would find in a weave.
If this is a loom, then who are the weavers? Śiva and Śakti. And what is woven? Creation. It is creation that is worn by us, woven by Them.
Let's look at its components - tan + tra
  • tan तन्- to extend , spread , be diffused (as light) over , shine , extend towards ; to extend or bend. The masculine applicaton is uninterrupted succession.
  • tra त्र- is protecting.
Hence tan + tra is that which is extended, protecting overall.

Yet too some can say that tan + tra is the spreading of higher knowledge (light, shine)

Tantra can also look to a root of trai - to protect , preserve , cherish , defend , rescue from hence to ~spread~ protection. Some also look to this tantra as tantratā - comprehending several rites in one ( ususally from the mīmāṁsā¹ point of view)
　
As aforementioned if this is a loom, then who are the weavers? Śiva and Śakti.

It is interesting to note a simple connection back to weaving:
  • siva सिव or sivaka - means one one who sews or stitches , a sewer , stitcher. As siv सिव् means to sew, stitch, darn.
  • This is not to be confused with śiva शिव rooted śī शी , " in whom all things lie " ; This śiva we know as The Auspicious One , the Supreme, the unsurpassable (anuttara).
iti śivaṁ

1. mīmāṁsā - the pūrva-mīmāṁsā or karma-mīmāṁsā by jaimini , concerning itself chiefly with the correct interpretation of Vedic ritual and text
Namaste,

your wisdom brings stillness to my agitated mind. Thankyou.