Embodiment
Everything that is true remains true for eternity. But the true only lives in the embodiment of those people who are true themselves. This embodiment makes it tangible and gives it reality. This is how the possible becomes reality and the good becomes truly good.
The Gateway to Tantra
Dr. Mark Dyczkowski was a shining example of such embodiment and one of the most important scholars of Shiva Tantra at the beginning of the 21st century. I had the honor of learning from him and meeting him in person in Varanasi. Markiji was one of those rare people who uncompromisingly dedicated their entire life to the service of a higher reality. He dedicated his entire life’s breath, as we yogis say, to the exploration of the Goddess.
The most important tantric school after Abhinavagupta is the Trika Tantra. Markiji Dyczkowski built a unique bridge between East and West by not only explaining this extraordinary tradition, but also bringing it to the West in a truly understandable way for the first time. He was a student of Swami Lakshmanjoo and, like Bettina Bäumer, was initiated into this lineage.
Markiji translated and annotated Abhinavagupta’s “Tantraloka”, a magnum opus that explores the essence of Tantra in depth. In Tantraloka, Trika – the tradition of the goddess Parā – is seen as the central element in which all spiritual currents flow together. In addition, he devoted over 20 years of his life to the goddess Kubjikā and was the first to translate the Manthānabhairava Tantra into English. This translation is a vision of the Goddess made eloquent, giving rise to a practice that will bear fruit for many generations to come. I am deeply grateful that I was able to gain access to this tradition through him.
Markiji is of particular importance to our school as he was one of the few scholars who truly understood and could teach tantric meditation as we teach it. Our courses on the Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra are largely based on his knowledge and insights. Markiji opened the soul of the Parā to us and initiated us into a deep understanding of the Trika Tantra.
Overview of His Biography
Born in London in 1951, Mark Dyczkowski was drawn early to India’s spiritual traditions. He studied at Oxford and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, where he immersed himself deeply in the world of Kashmiri Shaivism. His life was essentially a grand pilgrimage—both externally, through India’s sacred sites, and internally, through subtle realms of divine revelation. He genuinely dedicated his life to the divine.
His passion for Indian music—particularly the sitar—uniquely intertwined with his spiritual quest. I often witnessed him playing the sitar before his lectures; in many ways, music and intuition were companions on his spiritual journey.
Until his passing in February 2025, he lived primarily in Varanasi, where he conducted research, taught, and preserved the ancient traditions of Tantra.
His Works
Markiji translated and provided commentary on Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka, a magnum opus deeply exploring the essence of Tantra. The Tantrāloka views Trika—the tradition of the goddess Parā—as a central element where all spiritual streams converge. His approach to this work was not merely academic; it was rooted in profound personal experience and inner vision.
Moreover, he dedicated over 20 years to exploring the Kubjikā tradition, a mysterious lineage of the Divine Mother. His translation and commentary on the Manthānabhairava Tantra brought this nearly forgotten tradition to contemporary awareness for the first time. With “The Doctrine of Vibration,” he created a classic text that makes accessible the core tantric insights into creation and consciousness.
The Significance of His Work
Markiji’s books transcend mere academic treatises—they are gateways. Gateways to a world unveiled through pure intuition, precise knowledge, and lived experience. For many of us, his writings were our initial key to understanding Tantra, guiding us beyond external rituals directly into the inner realization of the Self.
His works continue to be invaluable today, blending scholarly rigor with spiritual depth and opening pathways through which ancient wisdom becomes alive. Without his tireless efforts, significant parts of tantric traditions would have remained hidden.
Thank you Markiji
Thank you, Markiji, for being our friend, our companion and the light at the end of the tunnel of life.
Markiji, our dear friend, talented sitar player and intuitive wanderer of tantric philosophy, left this world in February this year in Varanasi. Shortly before his death, he completed his (unofficial) lectures on the goddess Kubjikā, continued to teach about the Tantraloka and created a community that lovingly preserves and carries on his legacy.
Thank you, Markiji, for opening the door to tantra for us! The divine itself may be eternal, but it only lives and unfolds through embodiment in human beings. In fact, nothing in this world is eternal – because only what can be experienced is real. The truly eternal in the divine needs man, or rather: man needs himself in order to make the divine tangible in the world.
We have Markiji to thank for the rediscovery of the wonderful goddess. He showed us a forgotten ritual, and when we open its door, we feel the breeze of her dance deep in our souls.
Thank you, Markiji, for everything you have given us!
If you’re interested in Mark Dyczkowski’s works and wish to delve into Tantra, please join us or explore the following:
The Doctrine of Vibration: An Analysis of the Doctrines and Practices of Kashmir Shaivism
A foundational work on the understanding of creation within Kashmiri Shaivism, highlighting Spanda—the living force of vibration—as the heart of all existence.
The Stanzas on Vibration (Spanda Kārikā): The Sacred Teaching on Tattvas and the Divine Creative Process
Translation and commentary of a central text of the Spanda tradition—a practical manual for experiencing the divine in daily life.
The Aphorisms of Siva (Śiva Sūtra): The Yoga of Supreme Identity
An inspiring translation of the Śiva Sutras, outlining the path to the highest realization: rediscovering one’s own divine nature.
Tantrāloka: The Light on the Tantras by Abhinavagupta (partial translations and collaborative work)
The great textbook of Tantra—an ocean of knowledge covering rituals, meditation, philosophy, and divine reality.
The Cult of the Goddess Kubjikā: A Study and Translation of the Kubjikāmatatantra
Markiji’s pioneering research into the secret Kubjikā tradition—reviving an almost forgotten current of feminine primordial power.
The Manthanabhairava Tantra and the Cult of the Yoginīs
A profound translation and analysis of one of the most important Tantras in the Kubjikā lineage. Here, the heart of the Goddess speaks to us across the centuries.
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