Tantric lineages in Hinduism

Tantra is the esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism that developed in India from the middle of the 1st millennium CE onwards. The term tantra, in the Indian traditions, also means any systematic broadly applicable "text, theory, system, method, instrument, technique or practice".

In the early centuries of ancient India, newly revealed Tantras were devoted to Vishnu, Shiva, or Shakti path. There are tantric lineages in all main forms of modern Hinduism, such as the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition, the Shakta sect of Sri-Vidya, the Kaula, and Kashmir Shaivism. These traditions have evolved from the previous three main denominations of tantric lineages.

Metaphysical school of thought

1. Shakta(shakti)
2. Shaiva(shiva)
3. Vaishnava (Vishnu)

Shakta’s worship the Supreme as the Divine Mother, Shakti or Devi. She has many forms. Some are gentle, some are fierce. Shakta’s use chants, real magic, holy diagrams, yoga and rituals to call forth cosmic forces and awaken the great kundalini power within the spine.

Shaktism (doctrine of energy, power, the eternal goddess") is one of major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Shaktism has different sub-traditions, ranging from those focused on gracious Parvati to that of fierce Kali.

The spiritual practices in Shaktism are similar to those in Saivism, though there is more emphasis in Saktism on God's Power as opposed to Being, on mantras and yantras, and on embracing apparent opposites: male-female, absolute-relative, pleasure-pain, cause-effect, mind-body. Certain sects within Shaktism undertake "left-hand " tantric rites, consciously using the world of form to transmute and eventually transcend that world. The "left-hand " approach is somewhat occult in nature; it is considered a path for the few, not the many. The "right-hand " path is more conservative in nature.

Devi bhagavata purana states
I am Manifest Divinity, Unmanifest Divinity, and Transcendent Divinity. I am Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, as well as Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. I am the Sun and I am the Stars, and I am also the Moon. I am all animals and birds, and I am the outcaste as well, and the thief. I am the low person of dreadful deeds and the great person of excellent deeds. I am Female, I am Male in the form of Shiva.

• Nature of God: Personal Goddess and temple Deity is Shri Devi or Shakti, female, worshiped as Rajarajeshvari, Parvati, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Kali, Amman, etc. the Divine Mother. The Goddess Shakti is both compassionate and terrifying, pleasing and wrathful, assuaged by sacrifice and submission.
• Nature of shakti: Shakti is an active, immanent Being, separate from a quiescent and remote Siva. 
• Avatar: The Divine Mother does incarnate in this world.
• On the Soul and God: The Divine Mother, Shakti, is mediatrix, bestowing Advaita moksha on those who worship Her.
• Spiritual Practice: Emphasis is on bhakti and tantra, sometimes occult, practices. Ascetic-occult.
• Scriptures: Vedas, Shakta Agamas (Tantras) and Puranas.

Gopuram of the Meenakshi temple, a Shakta temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

There are 51 important centers of Shakti worship sprinkled throughout various countries in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tibet and even Pakistan. These are known as Shakti Peethas or "places of strength," and are consecrated specifically to the goddess Shakti.

Saivism is one of the major Hindu traditions that worships Shiva, also called Rudra as the Supreme Being. It is considered to be the oldest living religion in the world. It incorporates many sub-traditions ranging from devotional dualistic theism such as Shaiva Siddhanta to yoga-oriented monistic non-theism such as Kashmiri Shaivism. It considers both the Vedas and the Agama texts as important sources of theology.

1. One sub-group is called Vedic-Puranic, who use the terms such as "Shiva, Mahadeva, Maheshvara and others" synonymously, and they use iconography such as the Linga, Nandi, Trishula (trident), as well as anthropomorphic statues of Shiva in temples to help focus their practices.
2. Another sub-group is called esoteric, which fuses it with abstract Sivata (feminine energy) or Sivatva (neuter abstraction), wherein the theology integrates the goddess (Shakti) and the god (Shiva) with Tantra practices and Agama teachings. There is considerable overlap between these Shaivas and the Shakta Hindus.

Saivite Hindus worship the Supreme God as Siva, the Compassionate One. Saivites esteem self-discipline and philosophy and follow a Satguru. They worship in the temple and practice yoga, striving to be one with Siva within.

1. Vedic puranic: The path for Saivites is divided into four progressive stages of belief and practice called

• Jnana or metaphysical knowledge
• Yoga or meditative practices
• Kriya or ritual practices
• Charya or ethical and religious principles of conduct

2. Non-Puranic. These are esoteric, minority sub-traditions wherein devotees are initiated (dīkṣa) into a specific cult they prefer. Their goals vary, ranging from liberation in current life (mukti) to seeking pleasures in higher worlds (bhukti). Their means also vary, ranging from meditative atimarga or "outer higher path" versus those whose means are recitation-driven mantras.

• Nature of God: Personal God and temple Deity is Siva, neither male nor female. Lords Ganesh and Karthikeya are also worshiped.
• Nature of shakti: Shakti is God Siva's inseparable power and manifest will, energy, or mind. God Siva is pure love and compassion, immanent and transcendent, pleased by our purity and sadhana.
• Avatar: There are no divine earthly incarnations of the Supreme Being.
• On the Soul and God: The Divine Mother, Shakti, is mediatrix, bestowing Advaita moksha on those who worship Her.
• Spiritual Practice: With bhakti as a base, emphasis is placed on sadhana, tapas (austerity), and yoga. Ascetic.
• Scriptures: Vedas, Saiva Agamas and Saiva Puranas.

Vaishnavites worship the Supreme as Lord Vishnu and His incarnations, especially Krishna and Rama. Vaishnavites are mainly dualistic. They are deeply devotional. Their religion is rich in saints, temples and scriptures.

The various sects of worshippers of Vishnu pray to him in different ways. For some, the goal of religious devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu is liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death (samsara). For others, it is health and prosperity in this life, good crops, success in business, or thriving children. Most Vaishnavas hope to spend eternity in Vishnu’s presence after death.

Most Vaishnavites believe that religion is the performance of bhakti sadhanas, devotional disciplines, and that man can communicate with and receive the grace of the Gods and Goddesses through the darshan (sight) of their icons. The paths of karma yoga and jnana yoga lead to bhakti yoga. Among the foremost practices of Vaishnavites is chanting the holy names of the Avatar’s, Vishnu's incarnations, especially Rama and Krishna. Through total self-surrender, prapatti, to Vishnu, to Krishna or to His beloved consort Radharani, liberation from samsara (the cycle of reincarnation) is attained.

For Vaishnavas, absolute reality (brahman) is manifested in Vishnu, who in turn is incarnated in Rama, Krishna, and other avatars. Through his avatars, Vishnu defends traditional righteousness in keeping with the moral law (dharma). The most popular of the avatars are Rama and Krishna. Rama is often depicted in Hindu art and literature with his consort Sita. Krishna manifests his true identity as Vishnu to his warrior friend Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita, but he is often portrayed as a handsome youth in the company of Radha or other gopis (milkmaids).