The Kularnava Tantra presents itself as a sustained sacred dialogue, cast in the traditional question‑and‑answer format between Śiva and Pārvatī. It is transmitted as a single, continuous Sanskrit tantra, arranged into seventeen chapters, variously referred to as paṭalas, ullāsas, or tarangas, each of which has its own thematic integrity yet participates in an overall progression. From the outset, the text situates the Kaula or Kula path within a non‑dual vision of Śiva–Śakti, while also functioning as a practical manual for ritual and discipline. Its organization thus marries doctrinal exposition with concrete instructions, allowing the reader to move step by step from outer observances toward inner realization.

The early chapters are devoted to foundational matters: the greatness of the Kula path, the conditions of the present age, and above all the principle of the guru and the guru–disciple relationship. Here the qualifications of both guru and disciple are laid out, together with the centrality of initiation (dīkṣā) as the indispensable gateway into Tantric practice. Subsequent sections elaborate the procedures of initiation, the nature and use of mantra, and the basic ritual framework that will support the practitioner’s journey. In this way, the text first stabilizes the relational and ethical ground before turning to more esoteric dimensions.

As the work unfolds, it turns to the inner architecture of practice: the metaphysics of Kula, the construction and consecration of maṇḍalas and yantras, and the detailed prescriptions for pūjā, vows, and observances. Alongside external worship, the subtle body is introduced through teachings on kuṇḍalinī, nāḍīs, and cakras, and the corresponding yogic methods for awakening and directing this energy. The famous Kaula assemblies and offerings are treated not merely as social or ritual events, but as occasions where outer rite and inner realization are meant to converge. Throughout, ritual is consistently read as a symbolic training in non‑dual awareness rather than an end in itself.

The later chapters shift the emphasis more explicitly to the fruits and consummation of the path. Discussions of siddhis are framed by warnings against becoming entangled in powers that distract from liberation, and the text returns repeatedly to the primacy of knowledge (jñāna) and non‑dual recognition. Higher teachings on the identity of the individual self with Śiva, the qualities of the liberated practitioner, and the integration of realization into ordinary life bring the trajectory to its peak. The final sections praise the merit of hearing and practicing the scripture, reaffirm the centrality of the guru and the Kaula way, and seal the work with benedictory verses. Taken as a whole, the structure moves from outer to inner to absolute, guiding the aspirant from disciplined preparation through ritual mastery into the direct realization of indivisible consciousness.