Kshemaraja lived in Kashmir around the 10th and 11th centuries and was the pupil of the great master of Kashmirian Shivaism, Abhinavagupta, who had many disciples, both male and female, but Kshemaraja was his main disciple, and the main disciple of Kshemaraja was Yogaraja .

Under the guidance of Abhinavagupta, he acquired a special knowledge both in tantra philosophy and in other directions such as poetics, logic, philosophy, etc. He carried on The Teaching of His Master, but also had some works of his own, as well as some commentaries on consecrated texts and devotional hymns. His style and language were similar to those of his master, Abhinavagupta. Kshemaraja wrote commentaries on the texts of shaivism in Kashmir. His original works include
Paraparveshika
and
Pratyabhijnahridayam.

Another important work of Kshemaraja is
Spanda Sandoha.

.
This text is an extended exposition (sandoha) on the first verse of the Karika Spanda.

A central theme of the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism is the extreme principle known as spanda.

Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the semifiction of the word "spanda" as meaning stable movement. That is, it is a movement without movement, a vibration without vibration. It is this secret, mysterious and yet essential principle that Swami Lakshmanjoo clarifies and elucidates in his revelation of the two texts that specifically deal with this principle,
the Spanda Karika
and
the Spanda Sandoha
.

The spanda theory was first expounded by Vasagupta, author of the Shiva Sutras and the initiator of Kashmiri Shivism. Vasugupta composed the Spanda Karika, a text filled with the fundamental precepts (karikas) relating to the philosophy of the spanda.