Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)
by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words
This page relates 鈥楽haktisparsha: The Touch of Shakti鈥� of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti鈥攖he feminine principle鈥攚ithin the religious and philosophical framework of Kashmir Shaivism. Tantrism represents an ancient Indian spiritual system with Shakti traditionally holding a prominent role. This study examines four major sub-streams: Kula, Krama, Spanda, and Pratyabhijn膩.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 2 - 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补: The Touch of 艢补办迟颈
The term 蝉辫补谤艣补 is derived from the root sp峁浥� which means to touch, and used to intent diverse meanings in distinct knowledge systems of Indian tradition.[1] Both 蝉辫补谤艣补 and 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 are used to indicate the divine touch. The 蝉辫补谤艣补鈥攁 bodily experience for the common world鈥攊s also similar to 艢补办迟颈 in the 艢aivite monism.
Note:
艢补办迟颈 is commonly equated with the 蝉辫补谤艣补 by viewing the latter as the principle of utterance. It is also treated the touch as the highest type of perception.
Spar艣a is also highlighted as the highest level of 艢补办迟颈.
啶囙い啶� 啶膏啶ムた啶む 啶ㄠく啷� 啶多啷嵿い啶苦い啶む啶む啶掂ぞ啶ㄠ啶む啶洁お啷嵿く啶膏啶むた 啶膏啶曕啶粪啶啶き啶距啷� 啷�
啶膏啶ぐ啷嵿ざ啶� 啶曕啶洁お啶� 啶膏う啶� 啶じ啷嵿ぎ啷� 啶啶椸た啶ㄠ 啶膏お啷冟す啶ぞ啶侧さ啶� 啷�
啶むい啷嵿じ啷嵿お啶班啶多ぞ啶ㄠ啶む 啶む 啶膏啶掂た啶む啶むた啶� 啶多啶︵啶о啶苦う啷嵿さ啷嵿く啷嬥ぎ啶氞ぞ啶班た啶｀ 啷�
啶じ啷嵿く啶距 啶班啶⑧ 啶膏ぎ啶啶啶むた 啶膏啶掂お啷嵿ぐ啶曕ぞ啶多ぞ啶む啶た啶曕ぞ啶� 啶ぐ啶距ぎ啷� 啷�
啶呧い啷� 啶た啶ㄠ啶︵啶班い啷� 啶ㄠぞ啶︵ 啶班啶ぎ啶膏啶ぞ啶︵い啷� 啶班じ啶� 啷�
啶囙い啷嵿く啷佮啷嵿い啶� 啶曕啶粪啶啶む啶掂啶� 啶膏啶え啷嵿う啷� 啶膏啶ぐ啷嵿ざ啶膏啶む 啶ㄠ 啶むぅ啶� 啷�iti sthite naye 艣aktitattv膩nte'pyasti sauk峁yabh膩k |
蝉辫补谤艣补岣� ko'pi 蝉补诲腻 yasmai yogina岣� sap峁沨a测腻lava岣� ||
tatspar艣膩nte tu 蝉补峁僾颈迟迟颈岣� 艣耻诲诲丑补肠颈诲惫测辞尘补肠腻谤颈峁嚹� |
测补蝉测腻峁� 谤奴岣峢补岣� samabhyeti svaprak膩艣膩tmik膩峁� par膩m ||
ato bindurato n膩do r奴pamasm膩dato 谤补蝉补岣� |
ityukta峁� k峁bhakatvena spande 蝉辫补谤艣补stu no tath膩 触触鈥�(罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补, XI 30- 32:)Besides this, Spar艣a is also identified with the significant concept named 痴颈尘补谤艣补, which is nothing but the reflective awareness of the supreme in the form of 艢补办迟颈:
... 啶むい啷嵿ぐ 啶� 啶溹ぞ啶ㄠぞ啶た 啶囙い啷嵿く啶ㄠ啶む啶膏啶班ぎ啷嵿き啶啶椸啶洁お啶� 啶ぞ啶むた 啶啶� 啶多啶曕啶侧ぞ啶︵啶班啶椸啶｀ぞ啶む 啶呧い啷嵿く啶ㄠ啶む啶∴ぞ啶む 啶溹ぞ啶ㄠぞ啶啶むた 啶掂お啷佮 啶氞た啶む啶膏啶掂ぞ啶ぞ啶掂啶ぎ啶啶啶むた 啶� 啶� 啶膏啶班ぎ啷嵿き啷� 啶掂た啶ぐ啷嵿ざ啶� 啶曕啶班た啶ぞ啶多啷嵿い啶苦ぐ啷嵿き啶掂い啶� 啷�
... tatra ca j膩n膩mi ityanta岣a峁價ambhayogo'pi 产丑腻迟颈 yena 艣ukl膩dergu峁嚹乼 atyantaja岣嵞乼 j膩n膩m墨ti 惫补辫耻岣� citsv膩bh膩vyamabhyeti sa ca sa峁價ambho 惫颈尘补谤艣补岣� 办谤颈测腻艣补办迟颈谤产丑补惫补迟颈 |鈥�(莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻惫颈尘补谤艣颈苍墨, I. 1. 4.)
笔谤补迟测补惫补尘补谤艣补 which is synonymous to 痴颈尘补谤艣补 has also been explained as having the indifferent meaning:
啶掂じ啷嵿い啷佮い啶� 啶忇啷� 啶� 啶堗ざ啷嵿さ啶班じ啷嵿く 啶ぞ啶掂お啷嵿ぐ啶む啶さ啶ぐ啷嵿ざ啶班啶ぞ 啶多啷嵿い啶苦 啶ぞ 啶膏啶掂啶︵え啶班啶い啷嵿さ啶距い啷� 啶溹啶炧ぞ啶ㄠざ啶啶︵啶ㄠ啶氞啶い啷� 啶むぞ啶掂え啷嵿ぎ啶距い啷嵿ぐ啶膏啶班ぎ啷嵿き啶班啶い啷嵿さ啶距い啷� 啶曕啶班た啶ぞ啶多が啷嵿う啷囙え 啶氞啶︵啶樴啶粪啶い啷� 啷� 啶� 啶氞啶掂啶掂た啶о 啶оぐ啷嵿ぎ啶� 啶掂啶︵啶い啶む啶む啶掂お啷嵿ぐ啶む啶む啶啶お啷嵿げ啶掂ぞ啶膏啶膏啶啶粪啶熰 啶掂啶︵啷� 啶曕げ啶曕啶粪ぃ啷� 啶膏啶掂き啶距さ啷� 啶膏啶ムた啶むじ啷嵿く 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啶溹啶炧ぞ啶む啶むく啶� 啶膏ぐ啷嵿さ啶曕ぐ啷嵿い啷冟い啶ぞ 啶� 啶掂た啶溹啶啶い啷� 啷�
惫补蝉迟耻迟补岣� ekai va 墨艣varasya bh膩vapratyavamar艣ar奴p膩 艣补办迟颈岣� 测腻 sa峁僾edanar奴patv膩t j帽膩na艣abdenocyate t膩vanm膩trasa峁價ambhar奴patv膩t kri测腻艣abdena codgho峁ate | sa caiva峁僾idho 诲丑补谤尘补岣� vedyatattvaprat墨tyupaplav膩sa峁僺p峁涐梗峁璭 vedakai kalak峁峁噀 svabh膩ve sthitasya sarvaj帽膩t峁泃a测腻 sarvakart峁泃a测腻 ca vij峁沵bhate 触鈥�(厂辫补苍诲补惫峁泃迟颈, p.42.)
The similarity is proved by the meaning of the root m峁浥涒�攆rom which vimar艣a is derived to mean 鈥榯o touch鈥�.
艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 is rarely found identified with 艢补办迟颈p膩ta in the monistic 艢aivite texts like 惭腻濒颈苍墨惫颈箩补测辞迟迟补谤补迟补苍迟谤补:
啶班啶︵啶班ざ啶曕啶むた啶膏ぎ啶距さ啶苦し啷嵿啶� 啶� 啶た啶ぞ啶膏啶� 啶多た啶掂啶氞啶涏く啶� 啷�
啶啶曕啶むた啶啶曕啶むた啶啶班じ啶苦う啷嵿ぇ啷嵿く啶班啶ム 啶ㄠ啶い啷� 啶膏う啷嵿啷佮ぐ啷佮 啶啶班い啶� 啷�
啶むぎ啶距ぐ啶距ぇ啷嵿く 啶むい啶膏啶む啶粪啶熰ぞ啶︵啶︵啶曕啶粪ぞ啶ぞ啶膏ぞ啶︵啶� 啶多ぞ啶權啶曕ぐ啷�啶 啷�
啶むい啷嵿啷嵿し啶｀ぞ啶︵啶掂啶き啷嬥啶距う啷嵿さ啶� 啶︵啶灌お啶距い啶距啷嵿啶苦さ啶� 啶掂啶班啷囙い啷� 啷�谤耻诲谤补艣补办迟颈sam膩vi峁ａ弓a岣� sa yi测腻su岣� 艣iveccha测腻 |
产丑耻办迟颈尘耻办迟颈辫谤补蝉颈诲诲丑测补谤迟丑补峁� 苍墨测补迟别 蝉补诲驳耻谤耻峁� prati ||
tam膩r膩dhya tatastu峁ａ弓膩dd墨k峁Ｄ乵膩s膩dya 艣膩峁卥ar墨m |
tatk峁峁嚹乨vopabhog膩dv膩 dehap膩t膩cchiva峁� vrajet ||[2]
As regards to Earnst Fuerlinger,
In this context, we meet an important level of meaning of the 蝉辫补谤艣补 of 艢补办迟颈: contact with 艢补办迟颈 or the pervasion by 艢补办迟颈 is seen as 艢补办迟颈p膩ta 鈥� which can happen at any place, in any situation of everyday life. 艢补办迟颈p膩ta, the falling of 艢补办迟颈, understood as the immersion into the 谤耻诲谤补艣补办迟颈, into the core, the essence of all: the shining, pulsating ocean of joy.[3]
However 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 is the experience just like the ordinary touch that happens directly as the continuity鈥攊n the next moment鈥攐f the occurrence of 艢补办迟颈p膩ta. And hence this experience of the touch acts as an evidence for the receipt of 艢补办迟颈p膩ta.
The attainment intended through the touch of 艢补办迟颈 is the utmost pleasure.
罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补 indicates the direct perception of the Supreme as the touch of ubiquitous consciousness;
啶膏啶栢じ啷�啶む啶曕ぞ啶班じ啶む啶膏ぎ啷嵿く啶曕啶膏ぞ啶啶お啷嵿ぐ啶ムぎ啶膏啶掂た啶︵ 啷�
啶膏啶掂啶︵え啶� 啶灌た 啶啶班ぅ啶 啶膏啶ぐ啷嵿ざ啷屶そ啶ㄠ啶む啶むぐ啶膏啶掂た啶︵ 啷�蝉耻办丑补蝉墨迟办腻谤补蝉补迟蝉补尘测补办蝉腻尘测补辫谤补迟丑补尘补蝉补峁僾颈诲补岣� |
蝉补峁僾别诲补苍补峁� hi 辫谤补迟丑补尘补峁� 蝉辫补谤艣补u'nuttarasa峁僾ida岣� ||[4]
The highest awareness is a process of continually turning back toward 艢颈惫补 or the Supreme being which may be referred to as the fourth state of consciousness. 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 has a capacity to create this level in the aspirant, that鈥檚 why it is defined as touch is nothing but the state in which one remains in touch with the supreme as well as with the surrounding objective world simultaneously.
In this very sense it is known as the enjoyment and expansion of consciousness:
啶囙い啷嵿ぅ啶� 啶膏啶掂啶氞た啶むさ啶膏啶む啶掂啶多啶班え啷佮啶曕啶班 啶粪 啶むぐ啷嵿お啶｀ぎ啷� 啷�
啶曕啶班啶掂啶ぞ啶むぞ啶た啶灌ぞ啶ㄠ啶啶ㄠ啶 啶啶栢啶啶曕啶班 啶曕い啶距啷冟い啷� 啷�ittha峁� svocitavastva峁兣沘iranucakre 峁 tarpa峁嘺m |
kurv墨测腻t膩mih膩nyonya峁� mukhyacakrai kat膩k峁泃e ||[5]
Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, in terms of polished or sanitized perspectives, relates 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 only with the spiritual notion of touch. Then a question is posed as to how this mental process of awareness can be united with the 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补, which in its essence represents the pure bodily experience? Kerry Martin Skora gives a firm answer to this that Abhinavagupta never views the awareness of consciousness as a pure mental activity.
She continues,
Abhinavagupta refers to touching and related tactile sensations in describing vimar艣a as a process of body recollecting and recovering with 艢颈惫补; 痴颈尘补谤艣补 then is a process of becoming aware of, transacting in; and transforming the divine sense energies of the heart, a practice of embodied ecstacy.[6]
The bodily felt awareness of 艢颈惫补 is nothing but the pulsating energies of the body. Thus it would gradually lead to the idea of sensual enjoyment.
啶むい 啶忇さ 啶膏ぎ啶膏啶む啶洁く啶ぞ啶ㄠえ啷嵿う啶班じ啶掂た啶啶班ぎ啶� 啷�
啶むぅ啶� 啶灌た 啶ぇ啷佮ぐ啷� 啶椸啶む 啶膏お啶班啶多 啶掂ぞ 啶氞え啷嵿う啶ㄠぞ啶︵た啶曕 啷�
啶ぞ啶о啶じ啷嵿ぅ啷嵿く啶掂た啶椸ぎ啷� 啶ぞ啶膏 啶灌啶︵く啷� 啶膏啶え啷嵿う啶ぞ啶ㄠい啶� 啷�
啶嗋え啶ㄠ啶︵ざ啶曕啶むた啶� 啶膏啶掂啶曕啶むぞ 啶い啶� 啶膏す啷冟う啶 啶溹え啶� 啷�tata eva samasto'yam膩nandarasavibhrama岣� |
tath膩 hi madhure g墨te sapar艣e v膩 candan膩dike ||
m膩dhyasthyavigame 测腻sau h峁沝aye spandam膩nat膩 |
膩nanda艣补办迟颈岣� 蝉补颈惫辞办迟腻 测补迟补岣� 蝉补丑峁沝补测辞 箩补苍补岣� ||The resurrectional energy of 艢补尘产丑耻 dwells everywhere. Out of it (arises) the ensemble of motions of the liquid bliss of joy. So indeed, when a sweet (song) is sung, when (there is) touching, or when (there is the smelling of) sandalwood and so on, when (the state of apathy) ceases, (there arises) the state of vibrating in the heart, which is called precisely 鈥渢he energy of bliss鈥� because of which a human being is with-heart (is sensitive)[7]
Consequently, by the establishment of movement within the body, the identity of 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 gradually transforms to a wider conception called 艢补办迟颈sam膩ve艣a. A detailed analysis is required to comprehend the claim of indifference between 厂补尘腻惫别艣补 and Spar艣a.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The earliest references of 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 also indicate its relation with bhakti. 艢颈惫补stotr膩val墨 (艢.St) written by Utpaladeva, focuses on the term 蝉辫补谤艣补 primarily, and its premises also may be traced back to the 莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻办腻谤颈办腻 also. Utpaladeva again and again prays for the bliss arising from the touch of the lotus feet of the Divine, an image based on the widespread tradition of touching the feet of the guru or the god. However, this devotional meaning is interpreted in a non-dualistic way, where the effete are understood as the divine energies or 艢补办迟颈s. According to Earnst Fuerlinger, the earliest reference to 艢补办迟颈蝉辫补谤艣补 is found to be in Jayadratha测腻mala since Abhinavagupta quotes it as an authority. But the very portion chosen as the instance seems to be indicative of the later 艢aivite theology. See Touch of 艢补办迟颈 in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, pp.20-28. Utpaladeva, in his 莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻办腻谤颈办腻, uses the term as the sensation of softness, warmth etc. which a blind person can feel by touch; and also as one among the subtle elements i.e., 迟补苍尘腻迟谤补蝉 of thirty six categories.
[2]:
惭腻濒颈苍墨惫颈箩补测辞迟迟补谤补迟补苍迟谤补, I. 43, 44. However the word used here is not 蝉辫补谤艣补, but is sam膩ve艣a which holds similar meaning i.e., the close connection, relation, uniting or binding.
[3]:
Earnst Fuerlinger, Op.cit., p.89. But the phrase 鈥榚ntering into the Rudra艣akti鈥�, does not match with the real doctrine where Rudra艣akti is in subject level, instead of individual level.
[4]:
[5]:
罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补, XXIX. 109. Jayaratha clarifies 鈥榮vocitam vastu鈥� as 鈥樐乴i峁単anaparicumban膩di鈥�. This again tempts to correlate 蝉辫补谤艣补 with the vimar艣a aspect. Kerry Martin Skora, in 鈥淭he Pulsating Heart and its Divine Sense Energies: Body and Touch in Abhinavagupta鈥檚 Trika 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘鈥�, Numen, 54, 2007, pp.424-425, observes that in the early studies of scholars like Alexis Sanderson etc. the term 痴颈尘补谤艣补 has been translated as 鈥榙isembodied consciousness鈥�. Then it is translated simply as the 鈥榮elf-cognition鈥�. Further in the later context of over coding it became 鈥榬epresentation鈥�. She herself translates the term in two ways viz., 鈥榯he body鈥檚 recollection of 艢颈惫补鈥� and 鈥榬eflective/guardian awareness. The present history shows the perspectival shift that gradually turns towards the 艢补办迟颈 and obviously to the touch with a sense of cognition.