Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka unfolds like an immense, intricately woven tapestry—37 āhnikas (daily portions or chapters) that map out the entire vista of non-dual Kashmir Śaivism. Each āhnika builds on what’s come before, guiding a devotee (or keen scholar) from foundational rites all the way to the loftiest heights of self-realization.

Structure at a glance:

1. Invocation & Overview (Āhnikas 1–2): Opens with hymns, definitions and classifications of Tantra, Śāktopāyas and the paths of action, worship and yoga.
2. Kriyā (Āhnikas 3–9): Lays down the ritual techniques—mudrā, mantras, and temple rites—“where theory meets the altar.”
3. Carya (Āhnikas 10–15): Bridges ritual with inner practice—silent recitations, meditative worship and mantra immersion in daily life.
4. Yoga (Āhnikas 16–22): Explores breath, posture, concentration and the subtler currents of prāṇa and pratyāhāra, nudging the practitioner toward stillness.
5. Śakti & Anuttara (Āhnikas 23–37): Climaxes in the celebration of Supreme Śakti, Kashmir Śaiva philosophy’s non-dual heart. Here the text dives into the union of Śiva and Śakti, culminating in the unutterable state beyond speech and thought.

Recent translations—most notably the Oxford series by Alexis Sanderson—and scholarly conferences in Varanasi (2023) underscore Tantrāloka’s ongoing relevance. Like a grand symphony, its movements move from the tangible (ritual implements, temple geometry) to the dizzying summit of direct, post-conceptual knowing. Altogether, those 37 āhnikas stand as a testament to a tradition that still hums with fresh insight, centuries after it first saw the light of dawn in Kashmir’s mountain air.