Abhinavagupta is undoubtedly the most famous Kashmirian medieval intellectual: his decisive contributions to Indian aesthetics, Saiva theology and metaphysics, and to the philosophy of the subtle and original Pratyabhijña system are well known. Yet so far his works have often been studied without fully taking into account the specific historical, social, artistic, religious and philosophical context in which they are embedded. The purpose of this book is to show that this intellectual background is not less exceptional than Abhinavagupta himself.