Tantra is the early Indian practice that has abstruse traditions and whose root is deeply rooted in the religions of India. It is the part of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain religions. Tantra exists in various forms and exists in many countries like South Asia, China, Japan, Tibet, Korea, Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia and Mangolia. David Gordon provided the following Definition of Tantra: "Tantra is that Asian body of beliefs and practices which, working from the principle that the universe we experience is nothing other than the concrete manifestation of the divine energy of the Godhead that creates and maintains that universe, seeks to ritually appropriate and channel that energy, within the human microcosm, in creative and emancipatory ways."

There are many different definitions of tantra from different viewpoints. Rather than a single coherent system Tantra can be described as the accumulation of practices and ideas which are rooted in the daily rituals, energy work, cultic rites and use of mundane to achieve the supermundane. The basic principle of the Tantra to identify the microcosm with the macrocosm. The Tantric practitioners use the divine power of cosmos and entraps the power within their body to serve their purpose and reach their goal. The goals of Tantric gurus may be spiritual, material or both.

The Tantric practitioners need the mystical experience and the guidance of a Tantric guru. The Tantric gurus possess various tools that includes yoga to that will also involve the practitioner to raise the divine power.It is also important in the Tantra to use the visualization of the deity and verbalization of Mantras.This is the identification and internalization of the divine power, which is often identified with a deity and some aspirant becomes the deity, which is called `Ishta Devata`.

The Tantric tradition is interwined and parallel to the Vedic tradition. Maurice Winernitz, in his review of the literature of Tantra points out that the Indian Tantric texts are not hostile to Vedas but the precepts of Vedas are difficult at modern times and for that reason an easier cult or doctrine is proposed. Some orthodox Brahmans accept the authority of the Vedas and reject the authority of the Tantra. N.N. Bhattacharya explains that "It is to be noticed that although later Tantric writers wanted to base their doctrines on the Vedas, the orthodox followers of the Vedic tradition invariably referred to Tantra in a spirit of denunciation stressing its anti-Vedic character."

The modern authors opine differently like Swami Nikhilananda wrote not only about the close affinity with the Vedas , but also the Tantric thought developed at the influence of Upanishads, Puranas and Yoga.

The tantra exists in Shaiva, Vaishnava, Ganapataya and Shakta forms. It is termed as Shaiva Agamas, Vaishnava Panchatantra Sahitas and Shakta Tantras but there is no clear demarkation between these works and a practical expression `Tantra` is generally used for all the classes of the work.

According to Tantric doctrine the `Satchidananda` or being-consciousness bliss has the ability of both self-evolution and self-involution. `Prakriti`or reality evolves into the multiplicity of creatures and things yet at the same time it always remain pure consciousness, being and bliss. In the evolutionary process of Prakriti, `Maya`conceals the reality and and seperates it into two opposites such as conscious and unconscious, pleasant and unpleasant and many more. The daily life determines the condition if not realized as illusion, blind, limit or fetter that encloses the pashu(animal) i.e the individual (jiva).

In the tantric aspect Shiva and Shakti are worshipped as separate power.In Tantra, pure consciousness is the reality, even in the state of evolution. Reality is the being and bliss. Tantra does not deny the act and fact of evolution. Infact Tantra affirms the fact that both the world and the individual jiva have their own real existance. In this case Tantra distinguishes itself from the pure dualismas well as from the qualified non-dualism of Vedanta.

However `Maya` includes evolution or the `outgoing current`. Involution or the `return current` takes back the jiva towards the source or root of reality and reveals the infinite. Tantra is to understand and teach the method of transforming the `outgoing current` into the `return current`, which opens the shackles of `Maya` and brings liberation. This view supports two maxims of Tantra " One must rise by that by which one falls" and " the very poison that kills becomes the elixir of life when used by the wise."