Kashmir Shaivism
by R. K. Sapru
Hymn to Shiva Shakti
Param Shiva, Shiva Shakti, thou art
the
mother divine. Grant me thy devotion,
remove
all obstacles and show thy might.
Thou art the transcendental super
energy
of the nature of absolute bliss. Thou
art the root
energy of the universe and the
ordinary nature
of the embodied.
Thou art the power of universal
ambition,
all encompassing knowledge, again thou
art the
universal power of execution.
In the form of Brahma, though art
responsible for the creation of the
world; in the
form of Vishnu, the world is sustained
by thee
and again thou take the form of world
destroying
power.
In the garb of Maya, Shiva, the
ultimate
Truth is concealed by thee, but in the
form of
Divine grace thou revealth the
ultimate truth
(Shiva). Again thou art the
independent
sovereign power.
Thou art the Energy in the form of
three
Gunas or mental moods, and thou the
ruling
power above these Gunas. Thou art the
conscious power of Shiva.
Manifestation of the mind,
intellect and
ego are the wonders of your power.
Thou art the
all limiting power.
Thou art the five sense powers, the
five
powers of action. Again thou art the
fivefold
prana (vital force) in the human
being.
Thou art the five subtle and the
five
gross elements, and thou the power in
a mystic
sound formula.
Thou art the four stages of
manifestation
of articulate speech. Again thou art
the source
of primal sound 'OM'.
Thou art the concealed serpent
power at
the base of the spine. Thou art
responsible for
her play in the middle sushumna
channel.
Thou art the very form of nectar in
the
spiritual centre at the crown of the
head. Again
thou art all effulgence.
Manifestation of form out of
formless is
thy miraculous power. Thou art
knowable
power.... My adoration to thee.
The Chart of Cosmology according
to Kashmir Shavism
| SPECIAL FEATURES
PARAM SHIVA
a) Supreme self of Pure
consciousness surveys itself.
b) It is transcendental and
extra cosmic reality.
c) This pure SUN of
consciousness called Param Shiva has non-relational and immediate
awareness of I. 'I' and 'the other' aspects of consciousness are in
indistinguishable unity.
SHIVA
a) SHIVA is the changeless
principle of all changes.
b) By its shining everything
else shines.
c) Inter-cosmic, Immanent
Reality, supporting dynamic energy in the background.
d) Container of everything.
SHAKTI
a) The dynamic energy aspect of
Shiva as his I-conciousness.
b) If Shiva is the container,
what is contained therein is his Shakti.
c) The sovereign Power to
create.
d) Absolute bliss is her
essential nature.
SADASHIVA
a) The Sadashiva has power of
the will to create.
b) In its experience as 'I' am
this. The 'other' side, i.e., the universe to be, is quite hazy.
ISHWARA
a) The power of knowledge is
prominent here as 'the other' side of 'this am I' consciousness is quite
distinct.
SHUDDHAVIDYA
a) The power of assuming every
form.
b) 'I' and the 'other' are quite
distinct and prominent but 'this' is still felt as part of the self.
MAYA
a) The principe of delimitation;
contracting infinite into finite.
b) The make-believe power of
Nature, excluding 'the other' side of experience from the 'I' side of
universal experience.
c) Maya draws a veil over the
self owing to which he forgets his self. The five products of Maya are (i)
Kala (ii) Vidya (iii) Raga (iv) Kaal (v) Niyati.
PURUSHA and PRAKRITI
Shiva under the influence of
Maya and her Kanchukas loses his universal nature, and becomes a limited
individual soul. Subjective side of Shiva under the influence of Maya is
Purusha and its objective side is Prakriti. |
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