Pashupatas (was Re: Sivaachaaryas)

[Ravisankar Mayavaram]

On Tue, 30 Oct 2001 00:17:34 -0500, Shrinivas Gadkari
<sgadkari2001 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

>
>I was wondering if any list member might be able to list
>possible meanings of the word tantra, also with break-up
>into root words.
>

This is my understanding. It has two parts tan and tra. tan indicates
tanoti. That is to extend or stretch.  tra is trayate to protect. tantra is
one which extends theory into practice or ritual, and protects the one who
performs it.  I am not sure whether it is grammatically correct to
say "tanoti traayate iti" like "mananaat traayate iti". In this context,
one can say sandhya vandana is a vaidika tantra (my take again).

corrections are welcome.

Ravi