Kashmiri Bhatta

- Param-Siva and Para-Sakti

Param-Siva and Para-Sakti

For ages, the discourse about the perceived dichotomy of the "supremacy of consciousness" and the "sovereignty of will" has been going on and hence we have volumes of ageless mythology and heaps of extant literature.

We have the sage Srikanth a instructing Durvasa Rishi to revive the Saivagamas. We have Trymbaka Amardaka and Srinatha, the three mind-born sons of Durvasa and their tantric schools of thought. We also have a fourth school of Ardhtrymbaka. We have Sanghamaditya, the fifteenth descendent of Trymbaka, who settled in Uttarpitha (Kashmir) followed by Varsaditya, Arunaditya and Ananda, before the mantle was carried forward by Somananda, the nineteenth disciple of Trymbaka, through his great work Sivadrasti. We also have the illustrious works of Vasugupta, Sivanandanatha, Mahesvararanda, Utpaldeva. Laksmangupta, Abhinavagupta, Ksemraja and a host of other great thinkers.

For centuries, the individual set about the task of raising himself above his mundane self using his powers of consciousness and will and in many a case succeeded also. But in the process he was humbled to discover that not only did there exist a supreme universal consciousness but also its twin attributes of transcendence and immanence. And further that his consciousness and will, operating at the micro-level, were only fragments of that supreme universal consciousness. He took recourse to his divine speech and its sacred alphabets and gave them the venerated names of Param-Siva and Para- Sakti.

Deep introspection and prolonged meditation resulted in the knowledge of thirty-six elements (Tattavas) from Prithvi to Siva held together in an integrated circuit as ordained by Para-Sakti, itself remaining embedded in it. By activating this circuit or any part of it, the individual self could transcend itself to reach the ultimate and finally rest there as a liberated soul.

Down the centuries, the individual, through hard efforts to understand the essence of this dichotomy, arrived at the wise decision of accepting both Param-Siva and Para-Sakti as one integral unit. This gave him a blissful experience of enlightenment and so he was able to propound the great Trika philosophy in the land of Kashmir, considered to be the abode of Lord Siva.

This philosophy recognized the whole universe and every action in it-spiritual, physical or worldly as existing in three states of energy- the supreme (Para); the lowest (Apara) and the lowest and supreme combined (Para-Para). This philosophy also set a purpose before him. And it was to rise from individuality to universality. The dialectics needed to achieve this purpose was provided by the 92 Saivagamas, comprising 64 monistic supreme (Para) Bhairava Sastras, eighteen mono-dualistic medium (Para-Para). Rudra Sastras and 10 dualistic (Apara) Siva Sastras.

In different combinations, they gave rise to four systems of Saiva thought, viz; the Krama system, the Kula system, the Pratyabhijna system and the Spanda system.

The Karama system, believed to have been introduced by Rishi Durvasa in Kali Yuga, was reintroduced in Kashmir by Sivanandanatha in the later part of the 7th century A.D. This system, which gives predominance to Sakti, was propagated further by the three female disciples-Keyurvati, Madhanika and Kalyanika of Sivanandhanatha. These disciples taught many others, out of whom some important names include Govindaraja (tutor of Somananda), Bhanuka (tutor of Ujjata and Udbhata) and Eraka who wrote many stotras. Udbhata was the tutor of Abhinavagupta. This system which envisages a successive process of rising from one Cakra (mystic circle) to another in the Prana- Kundaline is pentadic and recognizes.

(a) Pancavaha -the five forms of the manifestation of powerviz, Vyomavamesvari (causing rise of phenomena of knowledge). Khecari (the subjective power), Daycare (power of internal senses) and Gocari (power of external senses) and Bhucari (power responsible for external world);

b) the five powers of creation -Srsti, Sthiti, Samhara, Anakhya and Bhasa (freedom).

(d) the five groups of Sripitha, Pancavaha, Netratraya, Vrnd cakra and Gurupankti.

e) the five aspects of subjective power -Cit, Ananda, Iccha, Jnana, and Kriya.

f) Para-Samvid as Kali, which performs the acts of Ksepa, Tnana, Prasankhyana, Gati and Nada.

It also recognizes the 64 categories as 64 aspects of Vrnda Cakra, under five main concepts of

a) Jnana-Siddhi, where 16 (vikaras) effects including 11 Indiriyas and five gross elements are subsumed;

b) Mantra-Siddhi, where 24 effects, including five senses of perception, five powers of action, Manas and Ahankara (each taken twice as occupied with external object and resting in the self after returning from the object) are subsumed;

c) Melap-Siddhi where the effects of 12 indiriyas are subsumed.

d)Sakta-Siddhi where the eighth effect (Puryastaka) of five subtle elements, Manas, Budhi, Ahankara are subsumed; and Eraka who wrote many store’s. Udbhata was the tutor of Abhinavagupta. This system which envisages a successive process of rising from one Cakra (mystic circle) to another in the Prana- Kundalini is pentadic and recognized .

(a) Pancavaha-the five forms of the manifestation of power viz; Vyomavamesvari (causing rise of phenomena of knowledge). Khecari (the subjective power), Dicari (power of internal senses) and Gocari (power of external senses) and Bhucari (power responsible for external world);

(b) the five powers of creation -Srsti, Sthiti, Samhara, Anakhya and Bhasa (freedom).

(d) the five groups of Srihitha, Pancavaha, Netratraya, Vend cakra and Gurupankti.

(e) the five aspects of subjective power -Cit, Ananda, Iccha, Jnana, and Kriya.

(f) Para-Samvid as Kali, which performs the acts of Ksepa, Tnana, Prasankhyana, Gati and Nada.

It also recognizes the 64 categories as 64 aspects of Vrnda Cakra, under five main concepts of.

(a) Jnana-Siddhi, where 16 (vikaras) effects including 11 Indiriyas and five gross elements are subsumed;

(b) Mantra-Siddhi, where 24 effects, including five senses of perception, five powers of action, Manas and Ahankara (each taken twice as occupied with external object and resting in the self after returning from the object) are subsumed;

d)Sakta-Siddhi where the eighth effect (Puryas Taka) of five subtle elements, Manas, Budhi, Ahankara are subsumed; and

e) Sambhava-Siddhi-where four powers- Amba, Vama, Raudr and Jyestha-are subsumed. This system enables one to rise from the lowest degree to the highest while experiencing the nature of "self" on the same level and state. The system teaches one to live always in the universal consciousness which according to it is the real nature of the self. This system is believed to have been reintroduced in Kashmir in the 9th century AD by Sumatinath after it was first introduced by Srimadandanatha in early 5th century A.D. Somanatha, Sambhunatha and Abhinavagupta have been other propagators of this system.

The Pratyabhijna system of Somananda is chiefly based upon Anupaya-the means where there are no means at all. Here is required no practice, no concentration and no meditation. Only through your master's grace (even you can be your own master), you realise that you are the same person for whom you are longing and you can reach your goal there and then without any means. The moment "recognition" (Pratyabhajna) dawns, not only do you instantly become divine but also you realise that you are already divine. There are no Upayas in this system and you must simply recognize who you are.

The Krama system based upon Saktopaya and the concept of 12 Kalis (as 12 movements of anyone cognition) talks of the purification of the "determinate idea" (Vikalpa) which can happen only in successive stages. These stages include obscurity, tendency to clarity, clarity in the process of becoming, clarity, greater clarity, etc.

The Kula system means the system of "totality". Its ultimate principle is "kula" which stands for total merger, of Anuttara and Anuttara. Referred to as "Kaula" in the Agamas, it is believed to be higher than Vedas, dualistic Saivism, Vamamarga, Daksinmarga etc. Kaulas who follow this system worship Kauliki Sakti and are believed to have been an independent race.

The Spanda system of Vasuguptanatha (8th century AD) recognizes that nothing can exist without movement. And that there is movement in wakefulness, dreaming, deep sleep and even Turya. Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Svaccanda Tantra and Tantraloka form the foundations of this system. The whole universe and every action in it is a Spanda -a throb. A throb outwards is the manifest world and a throb inwards is the whole world of subtlety.

To conclude, from the standpoint of reason, it is difficult to conceive of a dialectics which enables us to go suddenly beyond time and space and free ourselves instantly from the paradox of "succession and simultaneity". In the Krama system, we rise step by step from Jnana Siddhi to Sambhava Siddhi and it is only towards the end and not in the process that we are carried

towards the state of timelessness and spacelessness. From this perspective, the Krama system of Trika philosophy is a practical system and rightly does not recognize the ways of the Pratyabhijna Kula systems.

Perhaps that is one reason why most of us, Kashmiri Pandits, ae Sakta Brahmins, traditionally performing the worship of Anandesvara Bhairava and the all-powerful Mahakali.

Ref. 1. Kashmir Saivism by J.C. Chatterji

2. The Doctrine of Recognition by R.K. Kaw.

3. Abhinavagupta by K.C. Pandey.

4.Kashmir Saivism by Swami Lakshman Joo.

5. Siva Sutras by Jaideva Singh.

(The author resides at Sahyog Apartments, Mayur Vihar-1, Delhi.)

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Courtesy:- J.LJogi Koshur Samachar 2008, March