Editing Abhinavagupta (section)

===Family===

Abhinavagupta had a brother and a sister. His brother, Manoratha, was a well-versed devotee of Shiva.<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|22}} His sister, Ambā (probable name, according to Navjivan Rastogi), devoted herself to worship after the death of her husband in late life.

His cousin Karṇa demonstrated even from his youth that he grasped the essence of Śaivism and was detached of the world. His wife was presumably Abhinavagupta's older sister Ambā,<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|24}} who looked with reverence upon her illustrious brother. Ambā and Karṇa had a son, Yogeśvaridatta, who was precociously talented in yoga<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|23}}

Abhinavagupta also mentions his disciple Rāmadeva as faithfully devoted to scriptural study and serving his master.<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|24}} Another cousin was Kṣema, possibly the same as Abhinavagupta's illustrious disciple Kṣemarāja. Mandra, a childhood friend of Karṇa, was their host in a suburban residence; he was not only rich and in possession of a pleasing personality, but also equally learned.<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|25}} And last but not least, Vatasikā, Mandra's aunt, who got a special mention from Abhinavagupta for caring for him with exceptional dedication and concern; to express his gratitude, Abhinavagupta declared that Vatasikā deserved the credit for the successful completion of his work.<ref name="Introduction" />{{rp|26}}

The emerging picture here is that Abhinavagupta lived in a nurturing and protected environment, where his creative energies got all the support they required. Everyone around him was filled with spiritual fervor and had taken Abhinavagupta as their spiritual master. Such a supporting group of family and friends was equally necessary as his personal qualities of genius, to complete a work of the magnitude of [[Tantraloka|Tantrāloka]].