Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)
by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words
This page relates ‘Maya and its Five Products� of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti—the feminine principle—within 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 Pratyabhijnā.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 7 - and its Five Products
The sphere after the pure creation is known as Ѳ峾, and Śپ’s operation here is in her pure form. In other words, the first manifestation of impure creation is . It breaks the unity of universal self in its creative aspect. is the primary cause of all insentient manifestation (one among the two impure creations).
has five sub-varieties called ñܰ첹 viz., , , 岵, Niyati, and Ṣaṭtriṃśattattvasandoha. These five categories are explained as;
तत्सर्वकर्तृता सा संकुचिता कतिपयार्थमात्रपर� �
किञ्चित्कर्तारममुं कलयन्त� कीर्त्यत� कल� ना� �tatsarvakartṛtā sā saṃkucitā katipayārthamātraparā |
kiñcitkartāramamu� kalayanti kīrtyate kalā nāma ||[1](When the omnipotence, getting contracted, becomes capable of achieving only a few things and thus it reduces him (the Supreme Lord) to the state of doing limited things, it is designated as .)
सर्वज्ञतास्य शक्तिः परिमिततनुरल्पवेद्यमात्रपरा �
ज्ञानमुत्पादयन्ती विद्येति निगद्यते बुधैराद्यै� �ñⲹ śپ� parimitatanuralpavedyamātraparā |
jñānamutpādayantī vidyeti nigadyate budhairādyai� ||[2](His power of omniscience, becoming limited, and assuming the capacity of knowing only a few things and producing knowledge (of a limited character) is called վ by the wisemen of the olden times.)
नित्यपरिपूर्णतृप्तिः शक्तिस्तस्यै� परिमित� तु सती �
भोगेषु रज्जयन्ती सततममु� रागतत्त्वतां याता �nityaparipūrṇatṛpti� śaktistasyaiva parimitā tu ī |
bhogeṣu rajjayantī satatamamu� rāgatattvatā� yātā ||[3](There is his another Śپ which consists in eternal complete satisfaction; the same becoming limited and attaching him to ever-enjoyment, this Śپ is reduced to the form of 岵tattva.)
सा नियतास्य शक्तिर्निकृष्य निधनोदयप्रदाने� �
नियतपरिच्छेदकरी क्लृप्ता स्यात्कालतत्त्वरूपेण �
यास्� स्वतन्त्रताख्य� शक्तिः सन्कोचशालिनी सै� �
कृत्यकृत्येष्ववश� नियतममुं नियमन्त्यभून्नियति� �sā niyatāsya śaktirnikṛṣya nidhanodayapradānena |
niyataparicchedakarī klṛptā syātkālatattvarūpeṇa ||
yāsya svatantratākhyā śپ� sankocaśālinī saiva |
kṛtyakṛtyeṣvavaśa� niyatamamu� niyamantyabhūnniyati� ||[4]
Remaining 20 tattvas viz., ñԱԻⲹ, karmendriyas, tanmatras, ūٲ and indriyas are powers of individual self-simply the different forms of kalā-the limited power of action. All the categories could be equated with the and ñԲ forms of Śپ:
Category | Śپ |
Ś Śپ ś Īś Śܻ վ 岵 Niyati ʰṛt Buddhi ṅk Manas ñԱԻⲹ Karmendriyas ղԳٰ ūٲ |
Cid ĀԲԻ岹 ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ ñԲ |
Not only the categorization, but its interpretations are also viewed as the disclosure of Śپ. The various modifications of metaphysical theories based on the categorization are available in the Kashmir Ś. The following discussion is hence about how the disclosure of Śپ occurs through the theories related with cosmology, ontology, soteriology, aesthetics and linguistics.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
D. B. Sen Sharma (Tr.), Ṣaṭtriṃśattattvasandoha, B.N. Chakravarty University, Kurukshetra, 1977, p.21.
[2]:
Ibid. p.23.
[3]:
Ibid. p.24.
[4]:
Ibid., pp.26-28.