Mahanirvana Tantra – Tantra of the Great Liberation Translated by Arthur Avalon. This is one of the best known of the Tantric scriptures. It was translated by Sir John Woodroffe (under the pseudonym ‘Arthur Avalon‘), one of the few Indologists to gain direct access to this obscure and secretive branch of Hinduism. Framed as a conversation between the god Shiva and goddess Shaki, this text describes the chakra, or subtle energy structure of the human body, ceremonies, yogic practices and mantras for meditation, and a summary of the Hindu laws (dharma) regarding sexual behavior.
