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Another excerpt from <b>tripurArNava-tantram</b> regarding nature of guru, shiva says to Goddess pArvatI:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->shreShTho varNa-vayor-j~nAnaiH gurumevam parIkShayet
strIbhyaH sarvottamA dIkShA tatra mAtuH shatottarA (20)
<b>Superior in varNa, age and knowledge such examined (by shiShya) should be the guru
Best initiation (dIkShA) is by a female guru, and 100 times better if by one's own mother.</b>

vayasA-api kanIyasyo namaskAryAH striyaH sadA
yoShid-alpa-vayaskApi gurutvArhA varAnane. (21)
<b> Even if younger in age, all women are worthy of always being bowed to in reverence.
A woman younger in age is also worthy of being one's guru, O Goddess pArvatI (varAnanA). (This is an exception to the rule given above that a guru should be older in age). </b>
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From jayaratha's commentray on <b>tantrAlokaH</b> of abhinavagupta, following chapter 1 verse 13:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->yoktA samvatsarAt siddhiH iha punsAm bhayAtmakAm
sA siddhiH tattvaniShThAnAm strINAm dvAdashabhiH dinaiH
<b> That siddhi (accomplishment) that fearful men take a year (12 months) to accomplish,
that same siddhi is attained by women having faith in the supreme in only 12 days </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->