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Śivasūtravimarśinī (Shiva Sutra Vimarshini) Section I (aphorisms 11 to 22) - Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir
Normal translation
Introduction
Śivasūtravimarśinī continues: Kṣemarāja keeps commenting the aphorisms.
This is the second and last set of 12 aphorisms out of 22 aphorisms of which the first Section (dealing with Śāmbhavopāya) consists. As you know, the entire work is composed of 77 aphorisms of the Śivasūtra-s plus their respective commentaries.
Of course, I will also insert the Śiva's aphorisms on which Kṣemarāja is commenting. Even though I will not comment on either the original sūtra-s or the Kṣemarāja's commentary, I will write some notes to make a particular point clear when necessary. If you want a detailed explanation of the hidden meanings in this scripture, go to "Scriptures (study)/Śivasūtravimarśinī" in the Trika section.
Kṣemarāja's Sanskrit will be in dark green color while the original Śiva's aphorisms will be shown in dark red color. In turn, within the transliteration, the original aphorisms will be in brown color, while the Kṣemarāja's comments will be shown in black. Also, within the translation, the original aphorisms by Śiva, i.e. the Śivasūtra-s, will be in green and black colors, while the commentary by Kṣemarāja will contain words in both black and red colors.
Read Śivasūtravimarśinī and experience Supreme Delight, dear Śiva.
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me.
Aphorism 11
एवं लोकयोग्यनुसारेण व्याख्याते जागरादित्रये शक्तिचक्रसन्धानाद्विश्वसंहारेण यस्य तुर्याभोगमयत्वमभेदव्याप्त्यात्मकं स्फुरति स तद्धाराधिरोहेण तुर्यातीतं पूर्वोक्तं चैतन्यमाविशन्—
त्रितयभोक्ता वीरेशः॥११॥
एतज्जागरादित्रयं शक्तिचक्रानुसन्धानयुक्त्या तुर्यानन्दाच्छुरितं यस्तत्परामर्शानुप्रवेशप्रकर्षाद्विगलितभेदसंस्कारमानन्दरसप्रवाहमयमेव पश्यति स त्रितयस्यास्य भोक्ता चमत्कर्ता। तत एव
त्रिषु धामसु यद्भोग्यं भोक्ता यश्च प्रकीर्तितः।
वेदैतदुभयं यस्तु स भुञ्जानो न लिप्यते॥
इति नीत्या निःसपत्नस्वात्मसाम्राज्योऽयं परमानन्दपरिपूर्णो भवभेदग्रसनप्रवणानां वीराणामिन्द्रियाणामीश्वरः स्वामी श्रीमन्थानभैरवसत्तानुप्रविष्टो महाम्नायेषूच्यते। यस्त्वेवंविधो न भवति स जागराद्यवस्थाभिर्भुज्यमानो लौकिकः पशुरेव। योग्यपीमां धारामनधिरूढो न वीरेश्वरोऽपि तु मूढ एवेत्युक्तं भवति। एतच्च
योगी स्वच्छन्दयोगेन स्वच्छन्दगतिचारिणा।
स स्वच्छन्दपदे युक्तः स्वच्छन्दसमतां व्रजेत्॥
इत्यादिना श्रीस्वच्छन्दादिशास्त्रेषु वितत्य दर्शितम्। स्पन्देऽपि
तस्योपलब्धिः सततं त्रिपदाव्यभिचारिणी।
इति कारिकया सङ्गृहीतमेतत्॥११॥
Evaṁ lokayogyanusāreṇa vyākhyāte jāgarāditraye śakticakrasandhānādviśvasaṁhāreṇa yasya turyābhogamayatvamabhedavyāptyātmakaṁ sphurati sa taddhārādhiroheṇa turyātītaṁ pūrvoktaṁ caitanyamāviśan—
Tritayabhoktā vīreśaḥ||11||
Etajjāgarāditrayaṁ śakticakrānusandhānayuktyā turyānandācchuritaṁ yastatparāmarśānupraveśaprakarṣādvigalitabhedasaṁskāramānandarasapravāhamayameva paśyati sa tritayasyāsya bhoktā camatkartā| Tata eva
Triṣu dhāmasu yadbhogyaṁ bhoktā yaśca prakīrtitaḥ|
Vedaitadubhayaṁ yastu sa bhuñjāno na lipyate||
iti nītyā niḥsapatnasvātmasāmrājyo'yaṁ paramānandaparipūrṇo bhavabhedagrasanapravaṇānāṁ vīrāṇāmindriyāṇāmīśvaraḥ svāmī śrīmanthānabhairavasattānupraviṣṭo mahāmnāyeṣūcyate| Yastvevaṁvidho na bhavati sa jāgarādyavasthābhirbhujyamāno laukikaḥ paśureva| Yogyapīmāṁ dhārāmanadhirūḍho na vīreśvaro'pi tu mūḍha evetyuktaṁ bhavati| Etacca
Yogī svacchandayogena svacchandagaticāriṇā|
Sa svacchandapade yuktaḥ svacchandasamatāṁ vrajet||
ityādinā śrīsvacchandādiśāstreṣu vitatya darśitam| Spande'pi
Tasyopalabdhiḥ satataṁ tripadāvyabhicāriṇī|
iti kārikayā saṅgṛhītametat||11||
Thus (evam), he --the Yogī-- (saḥ) in whom (yasya) the delight and enjoyment (ābhoga) of the Fourth State (turya), which consists (ātmakam) of a penetration (vyāpti) into non-dualism --i.e. absence of differences-- (abheda), shines (sphurati) through the disappearance (saṁhāreṇa) of the universe (viśva) by the union (sandhānāt) with the group (cakra) of powers (śakti) in the three (traye) (states of) wakefulness (jāgarā), etc. (ādi) that have been explained in detail (vyākhyāte) (both) in conformity (anusāreṇa) with (the experiences) of a Yogī (yogi) (and) the common people (loka)1 , enters (āviśan) Turyātīta --viz. the state beyond Turya or Turīya (the Fourth State)-- (turya-atītam), which has been previously (pūrva) described (uktam) as Consciousness endowed with Absolute Freedom to know and do everything (caitanyam). (He enters Turyātīta) by riding, (as to speak) (adhiroheṇa), the stream (dhārā) of that (delight and enjoyment) (tad)—
He is a master (īśaḥ) of (his) senses (vīra) who is an enjoyer (of the aforesaid "ābhoga" or divine delight) (bhoktā) in the triad (of waking, dreaming and deep sleep) (tritaya)||11||
He (saḥ) who (yaḥ) sees (paśyati) this (etad) triad (trayam) of wakefulness (jāgarā), etc. (ādi) as sprinkled (ācchuritam) with the Bliss (ānanda) of the Fourth State (turya) by means of (yuktyā) the union (anusandhāna) with the group (cakra) of powers (śakti), as a continuous flow (pravāha-mayam eva) of the sap (rasa) of Bliss (ānanda) in which all the residual impressions (saṁskāram) of difference --dualism-- (bheda) have been dissolved (vigalita) through the intensity (prakarṣāt) of the entrance (anupraveśa) into the experience and remembrance (parāmarśa) of that (Fourth State) (tad)... (such a person is) an enjoyer (bhoktā) of this (asya) triad (tritayasya) (and also) of Camatkāra --Joy of Supreme I-consciousness-- (camatkartā). (In other words, he enjoys the Bliss of I-consciousness throughout the triad of states)|
For that reason (tatas eva):
"He (saḥ) who (yaḥ) verily (tu) knows (veda) this (etad) duo (ubhayam), viz. (both) what (yad... yaḥ) is said (to be) (prakīrtitaḥ) the object of enjoyment --the knowable-- (bhogyam) and (ca) the enjoyer --the knower-- (bhoktā), in the three (triṣu) states (of consciousness) (dhāmasu), is not (na) polluted (by them) (lipyate) (even though he may be) an enjoyer --experient-- (bhuñjānaḥ... iti) (of such states)"||
According to (the aforesaid) precept (nītyā), this (great being) (ayam) is full (paripūrṇaḥ) of Supreme (parama) Bliss (ānanda), (acquires) unrivalled (niḥsapatna) Self-sovereignty (sva-ātma-sāmrājyaḥ) (and becomes) lord (īśvaraḥ) (and) master (svāmī) of (his) senses (indriyāṇām), which are (now) vīra-s or heroes (vīrāṇām)2 intent on (pravaṇānām) swallowing (grasana) the differences (bheda) (present) in the worldly existence (bhava). In the great (mahā) sacred texts --āmnāya-s-- (āmnāyeṣu)3 (this type of person) is said (ucyate) to have entered (anupraviṣṭaḥ) the being (sattā) of venerable (śrī) Manthānabhairava (manthāna-bhairava)4 |
However (tu), he (saḥ) who (yaḥ) is not (bhavati) of that kind --i.e. the one who is not liberated-- (evaṁ-vidhaḥ), (is) just (eva) a common limited individual (laukikaḥ paśuḥ) that is enjoyed (bhujyamānaḥ) by the states (avasthābhiḥ) of wakefulness (jāgarā), etc. (ādi)|
Even (api) a Yogī (yogī) who does not ride, (as it were,) (anadhirūḍhaḥ) this (imām) stream (of delight and enjoyment --ābhoga--) (dhārām) (cannot become) a lord (īśvaraḥ) of (his) senses (vīra) but (api tu) he (is) only (eva) a confounded and bewildered being (mūḍhaḥ). This is what has been said (about him) (iti uktam bhavati)|
And (ca) this (etad) (very fact) has been shown (darśitam) in scriptures (śāstreṣu) (such as) venerable (śrī) Svacchandatantra (svacchanda), etc. (ādi), after having explained (it) in detail (vitatya) (by the following and other stanzas):
"That (saḥ) Yogī (yogī) who lives (cāriṇā) in the condition (gati) of an independent being --a liberated being-- (svacchanda) through Svacchandayoga --the type of Yoga taught in Svacchandatantra-- (svacchanda-yogena), being united (yuktaḥ) with the state (pade) of Svacchanda (svacchanda)5 , attains (vrajet) equality (samatā) with Svacchanda (svacchanda... iti ādinā)"||
(See VII, 260 in Svacchandatantra)
In Spandakārikā-s (spande) too (api), this (vey teaching) (etad) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by (the following portion of) kārikā --aphorism-- (kārikayā):
"(To the perfectly awakened one, there is, always and) constantly (satatam), the perception (upalabdhiḥ) of That --i.e. the Self-- (tasya), (and this perception of the Self) stays (avyabhicāriṇī) (throughout) the three (tri) states (of consciousness) (pada... iti)..."|
(See Spandakārikā-s I, 17)
||11||
1 Read the commentary on the aphorisms 8, 9 and 10 of this very section.
2 Just as genuine heroes, so these divine senses of an enlightened person are always pursuing the highest goal of life and the welfare of everybody. They are not any longer mere "indriya-s" or "senses" the whole time torturing a limited individual but supreme powers serving that high-souled person.
3 The great sacred texts are 64 in number and their authorship is not human. This group of revealed scriptures is also known as Bhairavaśāstra-s (scriptures of Bhairava). Bhairava is, of course, the Supreme Self.
4 This epithet of the Supreme Self literally means "Bhairava as the one who churns, shakes and stirs (the universe)", in the sense that He manifests, maintains and dissolves such a universe in His Self over and over again.
5 The term "Svacchanda" literally means both "one's own free will" and "independent". In this context, Svacchanda is a liberated being, i.e. Śiva Himself, but at the same time it is also His Absolute Free Will to know and do everything. By applying the respective Taddhita affix (See Affixes), the word "Svācchandya" comes up as a result. It means "freedom". In short, it is the state of a Svacchanda or liberated being. And yes, Svācchandya is synonymous with Svātantrya (the Absolute Freedom of the Supreme Self).
Aphorism 12
किमस्य महायोगिनः काश्चित् तत्त्वाधिरोहप्रत्यासन्ना भूमिकाः सन्ति याभिस्तत्त्वोर्ध्ववर्तिनी भूमिर्लक्ष्यते। सन्तीत्याह—
विस्मयो योगभूमिकाः॥१२॥
यथा सातिशयवस्तुदर्शने कस्यचिद्विस्मयो भवति तथास्य महायोगिनो नित्यं तत्तद्वेद्यावभासामर्शाभोगेषु निःसामान्यातिशयनवनवचमत्कारचिद्घनस्वात्मावेशवशात्स्मेरस्मेरस्तिमितविकसितसमस्तकरणचक्रस्य यो विस्मयोऽनवच्छिन्नानन्दे स्वात्मन्यपरितृप्तत्वेन मुहुर्मुहुराश्चर्यायमाणता ता एव योगस्य परतत्त्वैक्यस्य सम्बन्धिन्यो भूमिकास्तदध्यारोहविश्रान्तिसूचिकाः परिमिता भूमयो न तु कन्दबिन्द्वाद्यनुभववृत्तयः। तदुक्तं श्रीकुलयुक्तौ
आत्मा चैवात्मना ज्ञातो यदा भवति साधकैः।
तदा विस्मयमात्मा वै आत्मन्येव प्रपश्यति॥
इति। एतच्च
तमधिष्ठातृभावेन स्वभावमवलोकयन्।
स्मयमान इवास्ते यस्तस्येयं कुसृतिः कुतः॥
इति कारिकया सङ्गृहीतम्॥१२॥
Kimasya mahāyoginaḥ kāścit tattvādhirohapratyāsannā bhūmikāḥ santi yābhistattvordhvavartinī bhūmirlakṣyate| Santītyāha—
Vismayo yogabhūmikāḥ||12||
Yathā sātiśayavastudarśane kasyacidvismayo bhavati tathāsya mahāyogino nityaṁ tattadvedyāvabhāsāmarśābhogeṣu niḥsāmānyātiśayanavanavacamatkāracidghanasvātmāveśavaśātsmerasmerastimitavikasitasamastakaraṇacakrasya yo vismayo'navacchinnānande svātmanyaparitṛptatvena muhurmuhurāścaryāyamāṇatā tā eva yogasya paratattvaikyasya sambandhinyo bhūmikāstadadhyārohaviśrāntisūcikāḥ parimitā bhūmayo na tu kandabindvādyanubhavavṛttayaḥ| Taduktaṁ śrīkulayuktau
Ātmā caivātmanā jñāto yadā bhavati sādhakaiḥ|
Tadā vismayamātmā vai ātmanyeva prapaśyati||
iti| Etacca
Tamadhiṣṭhātṛbhāvena svabhāvamavalokayan|
Smayamāna ivāste yastasyeyaṁ kusṛtiḥ kutaḥ||
iti kārikayā saṅgṛhītam||12||
Are there any stages (kim... kāścid... bhūmikāḥ santi) closely connected (pratyāsannāḥ) with the ascent (adhiroha) of this (asya) great (mahā) Yogī (yoginaḥ) to the Supreme Principle (tattva), by which --viz. by the stages-- (yābhiḥ) an elevated (ūrdhvavartinī) (spiritual) position (bhūmiḥ) may be marked (lakṣyate)?|
(Lord Śiva, the author of these aphorisms,) said (āha): "There are (santi iti)"—
The stages (bhūmikāḥ) of Yoga (yoga) (are) a fascinating wonder (vismayaḥ)||12||
Just as (yathā) there is (bhavati) (experience of) fascinating wonder (vismayaḥ) when someone sees (darśane kasyacid) a superior (sātiśaya) reality (vastu), so (tathā) (there is) always (nityam) (experience of fascinating wonder when) this great Yogī (asya mahā-yoginaḥ), who remains calm (stimita), smiling (smera) (and) blown (as a flower) (smera) (because his) entire (samasta) group (cakrasya) of senses (karaṇa) (has been now) expanded (vikasita), (enjoys) the delights --ābhoga-- (ābhogeṣu) (associated with) the experience (āmarśa) of manifestation (avabhāsa) of various (tad tad) knowables --i.e. objects-- (vedya). (Such a group of senses was expanded) by means (vaśāt) of a penetration (āveśa) into his own (sva) Self (ātma) (that is) a mass (ghana) of Consciousness (cit) (full of) always new (nava-nava), pre-eminent (atiśaya) (and) extraordinary (niḥsāmānya) Joy of I-consciousness (camatkāra). That (yaḥ) fascinating wonder (vismayaḥ) (is) a state which becomes marvelous (āścaryāyamāṇatā) over and over again (muhurmuhur). (This condition is experienced by the Yogī) in his own (sva) Self (ātmani), that consists of uninterrupted (anavacchinna) Bliss (ānande), as absence of complete satisfaction (aparitṛptatvena) --the Yogī is never fully satisfied with that state of wonder, that is, he desires more and more of it--. Those (tāḥ eva) stages (bhūmikāḥ) are connected (sambandhinyaḥ) with Yoga (yogasya) (or) unity (aikyasya) with the Highest (para) Principle (tattva) --viz. the Supreme Self--. (Such) definite (parimitāḥ) stages or stations (bhūmayaḥ) indicate (sūcikāḥ) reposes (of the Yogī) (viśrānti) in (his) ascent (adhyāroha) to That --the Highest Principle-- (tad) and not (na tu) conditions (vṛttayaḥ) of experience (anubhava) (related to) Kanda (kanda), Bindu (bindu), etc. (ādi)1 |
That (tad) has (also) been said (uktam) in venerable (śrī) Kulayukti (kulayuktau):
"And (ca eva) when (yadā) the Self (ātmā) is (bhavati) known (jñātaḥ) by the adepts (sādhakaiḥ) through (that very) Self (ātmanā), then (tadā) the Self (ātmā) beholds (prapaśyati) a fascinating wonder (vismayam) in Himself (ātmani) indeed (vai... eva... iti)"||
This (same truth) (etad ca) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by (the following) aphorism (kārikayā) (of Spandakārikā-s):
"How (kutas) (can) this (iyam) vile (ku) transmigratory path (sṛtiḥ) (be) his (tasya) who (yaḥ) abides or stands (āste) astonished (smayamānaḥ), as it were (iva), while beholding (avalokayan) that (tam) essential nature (or Spanda) (sva-bhāvam) as (bhāvena) presiding over (the entire universe) (adhiṣṭhātṛ... iti)?"||
(See Spandakārikā-s I, 11)
||12||
1 Even though the terms Kanda and Bindu generally mean "the egg-like source of all nāḍī-s or channels in the subtle body" and "a dot symbolic of the Supreme Knower --i.e. Śiva--" respectively, in this context these two terms stand for Mūlādhāra and Ājñā (the well-known cakra-s situated in the subtle body).
Aphorism 13
ईदृग्योगभूमिकासमापन्नस्यास्य योगिनः—
इच्छाशक्तिरुमा कुमारी॥१३॥
योगिनः परभैरवतां समापन्नस्य या इच्छा सा शक्तिरुमा परैव पारमेश्वरी स्वातन्त्र्यरूपा सा च कुमारी विश्वसर्गसंहारक्रीडापरा कुमार क्रीडायामिति पाठात्।
अथ च कुं भेदोत्थापिकां मायाभूमिं मारयत्यनुद्भिन्नप्रसरां करोति तच्छीला। कुमारी च परानुपभोग्या भोक्त्रैकात्म्येन स्फुरन्ती।
अथवा यथा उमा कुमारी परिहृतसर्वासङ्गा महेश्वरैकात्म्यसाधनाराधनाय नित्योद्युक्ता तथैवास्येच्छेत्यस्मद्गुरुभिरित्थमेव पाठो दृष्टो व्याख्यातश्च।
अन्यैस्तु शक्तितमेति पठित्वा ज्ञानक्रियापेक्षोऽस्याः प्रकर्षो व्याख्यातः।
एवं न लौकिकवदस्य योगिनः स्थूलेच्छापि तु परा शक्तिरूपैव सर्वत्राप्रतिहता। तदुक्तं श्रीमत्स्वच्छन्दे
सा देवी सर्वदेवीनां नामरूपैश्च तिष्ठति।
योगमायाप्रतिच्छन्ना कुमारी लोकभाविनी॥
इति। श्रीमृत्युञ्जयभट्टारकेऽपि
सा ममेच्छा परा शक्तिरवियुक्ता स्वभावजा।
वह्नेरूष्मेव विज्ञेया रश्मिरूपा रवेरिव॥
सर्वस्य जगतो वापि सा शक्तिः कारणात्मिका।
इति। तदेतत्
न हीच्छानोदनस्यायं प्रेरकत्वेन वर्तते।
अपि त्वात्मब्लस्पर्शात्पुरुषस्तत्समो भवेत्॥
इति कारिकया भङ्ग्या प्रतिपादितम्॥१३॥
Īdṛgyogabhūmikāsamāpannasyāsya yoginaḥ—
Icchāśaktirumā kumārī||13||
Yoginaḥ parabhairavatāṁ samāpannasya yā icchā sā śaktirumā paraiva pārameśvarī svātantryarūpā sā ca kumārī viśvasargasaṁhārakrīḍāparā kumāra krīḍāyāmiti pāṭhāt|
Atha ca kuṁ bhedotthāpikāṁ māyābhūmiṁ mārayatyanudbhinnaprasarāṁ karoti tacchīlā| Kumārī ca parānupabhogyā bhoktraikātmyena sphurantī|
Athavā yathā umā kumārī parihṛtasarvāsaṅgā maheśvaraikātmyasādhanārādhanāya nityodyuktā tathaivāsyecchetyasmadgurubhiritthameva pāṭho dṛṣṭo vyākhyātaśca|
Anyaistu śaktitameti paṭhitvā jñānakriyāpekṣo'syāḥ prakarṣo vyākhyātaḥ|
Evaṁ na laukikavadasya yoginaḥ sthūlecchāpi tu parā śaktirūpaiva sarvatrāpratihatā| Taduktaṁ śrīmatsvacchande
Sā devī sarvadevīnāṁ nāmarūpaiśca tiṣṭhati|
Yogamāyāpraticchannā kumārī lokabhāvinī||
iti| Śrīmṛtyuñjayabhaṭṭārake'pi
Sā mamecchā parā śaktiraviyuktā svabhāvajā|
Vahnerūṣmeva vijñeyā raśmirūpā raveriva||
Sarvasya jagato vāpi sā śaktiḥ kāraṇātmikā|
iti| Tadetat
Na hīcchānodanasyāyaṁ prerakatvena vartate|
Api tvātmablasparśātpuruṣastatsamo bhavet||
iti kārikayā bhaṅgyā pratipāditam||13||
Of this (asya) Yogī (yoginaḥ) who has attained (samāpannasya) such (īdṛk) stages (bhūmikā) of Yoga (yoga)—
The Will (icchā) power (śaktiḥ) (of the enlightened Yogī is) the "Splendor of Śiva" (umā) (that is) Kumārī (kumārī)||13||
That (yā... sā) Will (icchā) power (śaktiḥ) of the Yogī (yoginaḥ) who has reached (samāpannasya) the state of the Highest Bhairava (para-bhairavatāṁ) (is) Umā --Splendor of Śiva-- (umā). (This Umā is) only (eva) the highest (parā) Mistress of the Supreme Lord (pārama-īśvarī) whose --of Hers-- nature (rūpā) is Svātantrya or Absolute Freedom (svātantrya). And (ca), according to the reading --i.e. the interpretation-- (pāṭhāt) "kumāra krīḍāyām" (kumāra krīḍāyām iti)1 , She (sā) (is called) Kumārī (kumārī) (because) She is intent on (parā) the play (krīḍā) of manifesting (sarga) (and) withdrawing (saṁhāra) the universe (viśva) --Kṣemarāja has explained the meaning of the aphorism from an "abheda" viewpoint, i.e. non-dualistically--|
And likewise (atha ca), (Kumārī is the one who) causes the stage of Māyā (or) Ku to die (kum... māyā-bhūmiṁ mārayati). (Māyā) brings about the emergence (utthāpikām) of bheda or duality (bheda). (By the statement "the one who causes the stage of Māyā or Ku to die", it is meant that) She prevents (an... karoti) (Māyā) from spreading (udbhinna-prasarām). (So, Kumārī is the one who has) that (tad) nature or disposition (śīlā)2 . Also (ca), Kumārī (kumārī) (is this Śakti or Power who) shines forth (sphurantī) in unity (eka-ātmyena) with the Bhoktā or Enjoyer --viz. Śiva-- (bhoktrā) (and) never is enjoyed (anupabhogyā) by others (para) --Kṣemarāja has explained the meaning of the aphorism from an "bheda-abheda" viewpoint, i.e. with a mixture of dualism and non-dualism--|
Or (athavā) just as (yathā) the virgin (kumārī) Umā (umā), having abandoned (parihṛta) all (sarva) attachment (āsaṅgā), (is) always (nitya) engaged (udyuktā) in worship (ārādhanāya) that leads directly (sādhana) to unity (eka-ātmya) with the great (mahā) Lord (īśvara), so (tathā) (is) certainly (eva) the Will (icchā) of this (Yogī) (asya)3 . This reading has been thus (iti... ittham eva pāṭhaḥ) seen (dṛṣṭaḥ)4 and (ca) explained in detail (vyākhyātaḥ) by our (asmad) Guru-s --spiritual preceptors-- (gurubhiḥ) --Kṣemarāja has explained the meaning of the aphorism from an "bheda" viewpoint, i.e. dualistically--|
However (tu), (this aphorism) having been read (paṭhitvā) (as) "śaktitamā" --the highest Power-- (śaktitamā iti) by others (authors) (anyaiḥ), (according to them) the pre-eminence or superiority (prakarṣaḥ) of this (Will power) (asyāḥ) over (apekṣaḥ) knowledge (jñāna) (and) action (kriyā) is explained in full detail (vyākhyātaḥ) (through the present sūtra)5 |
Thus (evam), the Will power (icchā) of this (asya) Yogī (yoginaḥ) is not gross (sthūlā) like that of the ordinary folk (laukika-vat), but (api tu) (it is like) the Supreme Power Herself (parā śakti-rūpā eva), i.e. unobstructed (apratihatā) everywhere (sarvatra)|
That (tad) has been declared (uktam) in venerable (śrīmad) Svacchandatantra (svacchande):
"The Goddess (sā devī) abides (tiṣṭhati) as the names and forms (nāmarūpaiḥ ca) of all (sarva) goddesses (devīnāṁ), remains (tiṣṭhati) covered (praticchannā) by Yogamāyā --the veiling power arisen from Yoga or identification with the Lord-- (yoga-māyā), (is) a virgin (kumārī) (and) promotes the welfare (bhāvinī) of people (loka... iti)"||
(See Svacchandatantra X, 727)
(And) even (api) in most venerable (śrī... bhaṭṭārake) Mṛtyuñjayatantra (mṛtyuñjaya):
"The supreme (sā.. parā) Śakti (śaktiḥ), that is undivided --i.e. not separated from the Lord-- (aviyuktā) (and) natural (sva-bhāva-jā), (is) My (mama) Will (power) (icchā). She is to be known (vijñeyā) (in the same relation to Me) as (iva... iva) heat (ūṣmā) to the fire (vahneḥ) (and) a ray of light (raśmi-rūpā) to the sun (raveḥ). That (sā) Śakti (śaktiḥ) is the cause (kāraṇa-ātmikā) of the entire world (sarvasya jagataḥ) indeed (vā api)!"|
(See I, 25-26 in Mṛtyuñjayatantra)
That very (truth) (tad etad) (has been) indirectly (bhaṅgyā) stated (pratipāditam) by an aphorism (kārikayā) (of Spandakārikā-s):
"This (limited individual) (ayam) does not (na hi) direct or drive (prerakatvena vartate) the goad (nodanasya) of desire (icchā). But yet (api tu), by getting in touch (sparśāt) with the Force or Power (bala) of the Self (ātma), (that) person (puruṣaḥ) becomes (bhavet) equal (samaḥ) to That (tad... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s I, 8)
||13||
1 The first Kṣemarāja's interpretation has to do with Abheda or Non-dualism. The phrase "kumāra krīḍāyām" implies, succinctly, that the word "kumārī" is derived from the root "kumār", which means "to play as a child". The term "krīḍāyām" (fond of playing) denotes that She is fond of playing (as a child), and Her play consists of manifesting the universe and withdrawing it within Herself over and over again. Well, only a short explanation for now, because going deep at this subject would lead me to expound about how the root "kumār" is formed and conjugated... and this involves an advanced Sanskrit knowledge most readers just can dream of. Enough of this then, lest their minds get even more confused!
2 The sage interprets the word "kumārī" acrostically: ku + mārī. According to him, "ku" is symbolic of Māyā, the power producing dualism (differences in the form of multiple subjects and objects), while "mārī" suggests "mārayati" - "She causes to die". Therefore, the supreme Will power of the Yogī is Kumārī as She destroys Māyā. In other words, She does not let Māyā spread. The author made that point clear by adding "anudbhinnaprasarāṁ karoti" - "She prevents (Māyā) from spreading" because no destruction is possible to occur here. As the universe is essentially one with Śakti, to speak about a "destruction" of something in it is just a simple way of expressing what is really a "withdrawal" within its Source, viz. within Herself.
3 The author interprets the word "kumārī" as "virgin". In this case, Umā is the well-known Śiva's wife in the puranic stories, i.e. Pārvatī. The Will power of a Yogī is identified with Pārvatī (the virgin young girl always occupied with worship of Her husband) because She has no children. In other words: "She has never given rise to any universe!" Manifestation, maintenance and withdrawal of the universe are just mere ways of speaking about processes in a Reality that, paradoxically, is immutable. So, no universe has ever emerged from Her and consequently no maintenance/withdrawal of it is possible here. This mystery can only be understood by those who have been blessed with the Grace of God. I can speak in this dualistic manner because in the present paragraph the commentator interprets the aphorism from a "bheda" viewpoint, i.e. dualistically.
4 Not only "readings" but entire scriptures appear before a sublime Yogī and he can "see" them, literally speaking. So, though it may seem weird to most people, new readings, scriptures, mantra-s, etc. are not "heard" but "seen" by a great Yogī.
5 Kṣemarāja is mentioning the reading of this 13th aphorism according to Bhāskara, the author of the celebrated Śivasūtravārttika (another important commentary on the Śivasūtra-s): "इच्छा शक्तितमा कुमारी" - "Icchā śaktitamā kumārī" (succinctly translated as "Will, which is the highest Power, (is) Kumārī". All in all, in Śivasūtravārttika you will find that the current aphorism appears as "Icchā śaktitamā kumārī" instead of "Icchāśaktirumā kumārī". Anyway, as the Kṣemarāja's commentary (viz. Śivasūtravimarśinī) is considered as the most authoritative one, I translated the version of the Śivasūtra-s as given by Kṣemarāja (and not as given by Bhāskara and other authors).
Aphorism 14
ईदृशस्य महेच्छस्य—
दृश्यं शरीरम्॥१४॥
यद्यद्दृश्यं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं वा तत्तत्सर्वम् अहमिदमितिसदाशिववन्महासमापत्त्या स्वाङ्गकल्पमस्य स्फुरति न भेदेन।
शरीरं च देहधीप्राणशून्यरूपं नीलादिवद्दृश्यं न तु पशुवद्द्रष्टृतया भाति। एवं देहे बाह्ये च सर्वत्रास्य मयूराण्डरसवदविभक्तैव प्रतिपत्तिर्भवति। यथोक्तं श्रीविज्ञानभैरवे
जलस्येवोर्मयो वह्नेर्ज्वालाभङ्ग्यः प्रभा रवेः।
ममैव भैरवस्यैता विश्वभङ्ग्यो विनिर्गताः॥
इति। एतच्च
भोक्तैव भोग्यभावेन सदा सर्वत्र संस्थितः।
इत्यनेन सङ्गृहीतम्॥१४॥
Īdṛśasya mahecchasya—
Dṛśyaṁ śarīram||14||
Yadyaddṛśyaṁ bāhyamābhyantaraṁ vā tattatsarvam ahamidamitisadāśivavanmahāsamāpattyā svāṅgakalpamasya sphurati na bhedena|
Śarīraṁ ca dehadhīprāṇaśūnyarūpaṁ nīlādivaddṛśyaṁ na tu paśuvaddraṣṭṛtayā bhāti| Evaṁ dehe bāhye ca sarvatrāsya mayūrāṇḍarasavadavibhaktaiva pratipattirbhavati| Yathoktaṁ śrīvijñānabhairave
Jalasyevormayo vahnerjvālābhaṅgyaḥ prabhā raveḥ|
Mamaiva bhairavasyaitā viśvabhaṅgyo vinirgatāḥ||
iti| Etacca
Bhoktaiva bhogyabhāvena sadā sarvatra saṁsthitaḥ|
ityanena saṅgṛhītam||14||
To such a kind of (īdṛśasya) (Yogī) who has attained (that) great Will (power) (mahā-icchasya)—
All phenomena (outer or inner) (dṛśyam) (are) the body (śarīram) (of the enlightened Yogī)||14||
Whatever (yad yad) is perceivable (dṛśyam) (whether) externally (bāhyam) or (vā) internally (ābhyantaram) (by the Yogī,) to him (asya) all (sarvam) that (tad tad) shines forth (sphurati) like (kalpam) his own (sva) body (aṅga) and not like something different (from him) (na bhedena), due to (his) great achievement (mahā-samāpattyā) (arising in the form of the feeling) "I (aham) (am) This (idam iti)" --i.e. I am the universe-- like (vat) (that of) Sadāśiva (sadāśiva)1 --Kṣemarāja commented on the aphorism in its usual reading, viz. "Dṛśyaṁ śarīram"; but his comments in the following paragraph will be based on the reading "Śarīraṁ dṛśyaṁ"--|
Also (ca), (to this sort of Yogī), śarīra or body (śarīram), (whether) in the form (rūpam) of physical body (deha), thought (dhī), vital energy (prāṇa) (or) void (śūnya) (in wakefulness, dream, etc.), appears (bhāti) as a phenomenon --i.e. something objective-- (dṛśyam) like (vat) (the) blue (color) (nīla), etc. (ādi), and not (na tu) like the perceiver (draṣṭṛtayā) as in (the case of) (vat) a conditioned being (paśu)2 |
Thus (evam), in the body (dehe), outside (bāhye) and (ca) everywhere (sarvatra), his (asya) perception (pratipattiḥ) is (bhavati) certainly (eva) undivided or undifferentiated (avibhaktā) as (vat) the plasma (rasa) of a peacock's egg (mayūra-aṇḍa) --i.e. his perception is completely homogeneous like that plasma--|
As (yathā) has been declared (uktam) in venerable (śrī) Vijñānabhairava (vijñānabhairave):
"(Just as) waves (ūrmayaḥ) (are modes) of water (jalasya), blazes (jvālā-bhaṅgyaḥ) (are modes) of fire (vahneḥ) (and) light (prabhā) (is a mode) of the sun (raveḥ), (so) these (etāḥ) modes --like waves-- (bhaṅgyaḥ) of the universe (viśva) have gone out (vinirgatāḥ) of Me (mama eva), i.e. of Bhairava (bhairavasya... iti)"||
This (etad ca) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by this (portion of aphorism) (anena) (of Spandakārikā-s):
"... The experient (bhoktā) himself (eva), always (sadā) (and) everywhere (sarvatra), remains (saṁsthitaḥ) in the form (bhāvena) of the experienced (bhogya... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s II, 4)
||14||
1 Sadāśiva is the third tattva or category in the process of universal manifestation. When the Supreme Power of the Lord extracts the universe (Idam or This) from Him, Idam appears in a indistinct (foggy) manner. As the first two tattva-s or categories are the Lord and His Power (Śiva and Śakti), Sadāśiva really marks the emergence of the universe. Before Sadāśiva, the Lord feels "I am", but once Sadāśiva has been manifested the Lord feels "I am This" because Idam or This (the universe) has started to become displayed by His divine Power. So, through his identification with the Supreme Self, the Yogī has the same experience as the Supreme Self in regard to the universe. For more information, read Trika 3.
2 Kṣemarāja indicates here that the meaning of śarīra is "body" but not merely "physical body". He shows that this "body" can take the form of thought (in dreams), vital energy (in deep sleep) or even void (in Māyā) too. Besides, the sage clearly point out the fact that the limited beings consider śarīra or body as the perceiver, while a enlightened being does not. A high-souled one perceives śarīra as another object and never as the subject or perceiver. And why do the conditioned beings consider śarīra to be the perceiver? Because they are identified with śarīra, i.e. whether with the physical body, thought, vital energy or void. Identification with śarīra is a grave error, nonetheless the heavy burden of their conditioning forces them to make that mistake. And what is the way out for them?: "Identification with their own essential nature, viz. the Lord". However, this only occurs by the favor of that very Lord who, paradoxically, is themselves.
Aphorism 15
यच्चेदं सर्वस्य दृश्यस्य शरीरतया शून्यान्तस्य च दृश्यतयैकरूपं प्रकाशनमुक्तं नैतद्दुर्घटमपि तु—
हृदये चित्तसङ्घट्टाद्दृश्यस्वापदर्शनम्॥१५॥
विश्वप्रतिष्ठास्थानत्वाच्चित्प्रकाशो हृदयं तत्र चित्तसङ्घट्टाच्चलतश्चलतस्तदेकाग्रभावताद्दृश्यस्य नीलदेहप्राणबुद्ध्यात्मनः स्वापस्य चैतदभावरूपस्य शून्यस्य दर्शनं त्यक्तग्राह्यग्राहकविभेदेन यथावस्तु स्वाङ्गकल्पतया प्रकाशनं भवति। चित्प्रकाशतामभिनिविशमानं हि चित्तं तदाच्छुरितमेव विश्वं पश्यति। तदुक्तं श्रीविज्ञानभैरवे
हृद्याकाशे निलीनाक्षः पद्मसम्पुटमध्यगः।
अनन्यचेताः सुभगे परं सौभाग्यमाप्नुयात्॥
इति। परं ह्यत्र सौभाग्यं विश्वेश्वरतापत्तिः। तत्त्ववृत्तिसमापन्नं महायोगिनमुद्दिश्य श्रीमत्स्वच्छन्देऽपि
स च सर्वेषु भूतेषु भावतत्त्वेन्द्रियेषु च।
स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव चेतनाचेतनस्थितम्॥
आध्वानं व्याप्य सर्वं तु सामरस्येन संस्थितः।
इति। स्पन्दे तु
तथा स्वात्मन्यधिष्ठानात्सर्वत्रैवं भविष्यति॥
इत्यनेनैवैतत्सङ्गृहीतम्॥१५॥
Yaccedaṁ sarvasya dṛśyasya śarīratayā śūnyāntasya ca dṛśyatayaikarūpaṁ prakāśanamuktaṁ naitaddurghaṭamapi tu—
Hṛdaye cittasaṅghaṭṭāddṛśyasvāpadarśanam||15||
Viśvapratiṣṭhāsthānatvāccitprakāśo hṛdayaṁ tatra cittasaṅghaṭṭāccalataścalatastadekāgrabhāvatāddṛśyasya nīladehaprāṇabuddhyātmanaḥ svāpasya caitadabhāvarūpasya śūnyasya darśanaṁ tyaktagrāhyagrāhakavibhedena yathāvastu svāṅgakalpatayā prakāśanaṁ bhavati| Citprakāśatāmabhiniviśamānaṁ hi cittaṁ tadācchuritameva viśvaṁ paśyati| Taduktaṁ śrīvijñānabhairave
Hṛdyākāśe nilīnākṣaḥ padmasampuṭamadhyagaḥ|
Ananyacetāḥ subhage paraṁ saubhāgyamāpnuyāt||
iti| Paraṁ hyatra saubhāgyaṁ viśveśvaratāpattiḥ| Tattvavṛttisamāpannaṁ mahāyoginamuddiśya śrīmatsvacchande'pi
Sa ca sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhāvatattvendriyeṣu ca|
Sthāvaraṁ jaṅgamaṁ caiva cetanācetanasthitam||
Ādhvānaṁ vyāpya sarvaṁ tu sāmarasyena saṁsthitaḥ|
iti| Spande tu
Tathā svātmanyadhiṣṭhānātsarvatraivaṁ bhaviṣyati||
ityanenaivaitatsaṅgṛhītam||15||
This (idam) which (yad ca) has been said (uktam) (regarding the great Yogī), viz. (that) there is appearance (prakāśanam) of all (sarvasya) phenomena (outer or inner) (dṛśyasya) —also (ca) (considering) as phenomenon (dṛśyatayā), (as it were,) even what reaches up to (antasya) the (state of) void (śūnya)— as (his own) body (śarīratayā) in a uniform way --i.e. like an only form-- (eka-rūpam), is not --lit. this is not-- (na etad) hard to be accomplished (durghaṭam) but rather (api tu)1 —
Through the union (saṅghaṭṭāt) of the mind (citta) on the core of Consciousness (hṛdaye), there is appearance (darśanam) of (all) phenomena (outer or inner) (dṛśya) (and even) the void (svāpa) (as they are in their essential reality)||15||
(Here) hṛdaya --the core or heart-- (yā... sā) (is) the Light (prakāśaḥ) of Consciousness (cit) since it is the foundation (pratiṣṭhā-sthānatvāt) of the universe (viśva). In that (hṛdaya) (tatra), through the union (saṅghaṭṭāt) of the mind (citta) —i.e. by performing (bhāvatāt) concentration (ekāgra) of the restless (mind) (calataḥ calataḥ) on That --on the Light of Consciousness-- (tad)—, there is (bhavati) darśana (darśanam) (or) appearance (prakāśanam) of all phenomena (outer or inner) (dṛśyasya) —i.e. of blue (nīla), physical body (deha), vital energy (prāṇa) (and) intellect (buddhi-ātmanaḥ)—, and (ca) (even) of svāpa (svāpasya) (or) void (śūnyasya) —i.e. of that whose nature (rūpasya) (is) absence (abhāva) of this --viz. of the phenomena outer or inner-- (etad)—, as (kalpatayā) one's own (sva) body (aṅga) —i.e. (there is appearance of all these phenomena and void) as they are essentially (yathā-vastu), devoid of the distinction (tyakta... vibhedena) between subject (grāhaka) (and) object (grāhya)—2 |
Undoubtedly (hi), the mind (cittam) entering (abhiniviśamānam) into the Light (prakāśatām) of Consciousness (cit) sees (paśyati) the universe (viśvam) as saturated (ācchuritam eva) with that (Light) (tad)|
That (tad) has been said (uktam) in venerable (śrī) Vijñānabhairava (vijñānabhairave) (too):
"He whose senses (akṣaḥ) are fixed (nilīna) on the ether or space (ākāśe) within the heart --i.e. within the heart-lotus-- (hṛdi), who remains (gaḥ) in the middle (madhya) of the (two) hemispherical bowls (sampuṭa) of (that) lotus (padma) --i.e. where the Self dwells--, whose mind (cetāḥ) (is) undivided --i.e. whose mind is concentrated and sees the universe as saturated with the Light of Consciousness-- (ananya), obtains (āpnuyāt) the highest (param) fortune or welfare (saubhāgyam), oh Beautiful One (subhage... iti)"||
Here (atra) the highest (param) fortune (saubhāgyam) (is) doubtless (hi) the acquisition (āpattiḥ) of lordship (īśvaratā) of the universe (viśva)|
With regard to (uddiśya) the great (mahā) Yogī (yoginam) who has attained (samāpannam) the state (vṛtti) of the Supreme Principle (tattva), in venerable (śrīmad) Svacchandatantra (svacchande) (has been declared) as well (api):
"He (saḥ ca) (who has attained identity with Bhairava --i.e. the Lord--) by pervading (vyāpya) all (tu sarvam) the (six) courses (ādhvānam)3 present (sthitam) (in) the insentient entiti(es) (acetanam) (or) inanimate ones (sthāvaram) and (ca eva) (in) the sentient entities (cetana) (or) animate ones (jaṅgamam) --i.e. in all that moves and is stationary within this universe--, remains (saṁsthitaḥ) as identical with Bhairava (sāmarasyena) in all (sarveṣu) beings (bhūteṣu), objects (bhāva), categories of the universal manifestation (tattva) and (ca) indriya-s --the ten Powers of Perception and Action-- (indriyeṣu... iti)4 "|
(See IV, 310 in Svacchandatantra)
In Spandakārikā-s (spande tu) this (very teaching) (etad) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by this (portion of aphorism) (anena eva):
"... so (also) (tathā), through the establishment (adhiṣṭhānāt) in one's own (sva) Self (ātmani), there will be (bhaviṣyati) thus (evam) (omniscience) everywhere (sarvatra... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 7)
||15||
1 Though Kṣemarāja seems to be telling a joke, he is speaking seriously indeed. The Supreme State is not hard to be attained since "oneself is the Lord always", and about it there is no doubt. Anyway, from the viewpoint of the limited being, the task seems impossible due to his heavy burden of limitations. Of course, this is a way of speaking really, because the limited being is simply the Lord Himself believing that He is "bound by Māyā" and the like. As the Lord is absolute, He can become "absolutely" ignorant too. Therefore, there is no contradiction or exaggeration in what the sage has stated. It is only when the Lord deceives Himself that the task of perceiving all phenomena as one's own body looks like mission impossible. So, stop deceiving Yourself, dear Lord, and wake up! All in all, if the reader still "thinks" that all the sage is writing on has to do with a Lord, an enlightened Yogī, etc. different from himself/herself, so the reader has not understood anything about this scripture yet. That being the case, it is to be noted that the reader is not in a desirable condition by any means! Oh well, just a remainder for the reader, because it is pretty usual that one forgets his/her nature when reading this kind of scriptures and thus starts to think that the Lord is Someone existing "somewhere else" outside or "deep" inside (how deep when the body is so thin?, I wonder), and all that madness.
2 If you feel that you are about to have a heart attack, do not worry because I am coming to the rescue! First, let me explain to you what I did: As this site teaches Sanskrit too, I opted for a "literal" translation of the commentary in order for the students to learn how a real-world text has been written in Sanskrit. The other option would have been to translate fragment by fragment [e.g. (in the aphorism,) the phrase "citta-saṅghaṭṭāt" (means) "by performing concentration of the restless (mind) on That --on the Light of Consciousness--"]. Rest assured that that would have been easier to read indeed. Still, "it is not exactly what the author wrote". Kṣemarāja described each of the portions of the aphorism in a continuous way and not fragment by fragment. Therefore, as I am teaching Sanskrit apart from translating texts, I will always choose to translate everything so literally as possible.
Anyway, I feel compassionate today and consequently I will extract the paragraph from the mass of additional explanations which occur between long hyphens (—...—):
"(Here) hṛdaya --the core or heart-- (is) the Light of Consciousness since it is the foundation of the universe. In that (hṛdaya), through the union of the mind, there is darśana (or) appearance of all phenomena (outer or inner), and (even) of svāpa (or) void, as one's own body".
Well, now the paragraph looks clear, doesn't it? The final purport is that when one concentrates his mind on the Light of Consciousness there (in the core or heart of Reality), all phenomena including the void appear as non-different (i.e. as one's own body) from himself. In other words, everything is perceived in unity with the Light of Consciousness. The sage will express this truth in the next paragraph. Use what it is between long hyphens as additional information on each of the portions of the paragraph.
Nonetheless, besides the fact that I cannot be doing this kind of extraction all the time, remember that I am also teaching Sanskrit on this website and "need" the students to experience it "such as it is in this medieval text", i.e. "extremely hard!". One kind of Sanskrit is that which you study from a grammar, and a very different one is that which you read from real-world scriptures, where the authors "in general" will not write as expected. Even higher grammars cannot include "all" the ways of expressing a same thing in Sanskrit for a mere matter of size (it would take volumes to do that) as the styles vary according to time and context. The inherent difficulties in translating a medieval text that deals with Trika are not the same as those you will find while translating, for example, an older scripture dealing with a different philosophical system. Therefore, to translate a "real" Sanskrit text like the present one is a task beset with "real" difficulties every serious student of the sacred language will have to face sooner or later. Keep reading, please.
3 This subject has been explained in detail in Trika: The Six Courses.
4 I cannot comment much here on this complex subject matter or this page will be extremely long, but the sage Kṣemarāja have also written a voluminous commentary on Svacchandatantra in which he describes completely the secret purport of this aphorism. He finishes his commentary on this 310th stanza occurring in the 4th paṭala (section) by affirming that: "एषैव च निर्व्युत्थानसमाध्यात्मा महारहस्यभूता॥" - "Eṣaiva ca nirvyutthānasamādhyātmā mahārahasyabhūtā||" or "This (indestructible absorption in the highest Bhairava) is the great secret consisting of Nirvyutthānasamādhi or Perfect Concentration devoid of vyutthāna --any state but Samādhi (Perfect Concentration)--". Summing it up: Once the great Yogī attains this type of absorption in the Lord, "never" returns to the ordinary state of consciousness!
Aphorism 16
अत्रैवोपायान्तरमाह—
शुद्धतत्त्वसन्धानाद्वापशुशक्तिः॥१६॥
शुद्धं तत्त्वं परमशिवाख्यं तत्र यदा विश्वमनुसन्धत्ते तन्मयमेवैतदिति तदाविद्यमाना पश्वाख्या बन्धशक्तिर्यस्य तादृगयं सदाशिववद्विश्वस्य जगतः पतिर्भवति। तदुक्तं श्रीमल्लक्ष्मीकौलार्णवे
दीक्षासिद्धौ तु ये प्रोक्ताः प्रत्ययाः स्तोभपूर्वकाः।
सन्धानस्यैव ते देवि कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्॥
इति। श्रीविज्ञानभैरवे तु
सर्वं देहं चिन्मयं हि जगद्वा परिभावयेत्।
युगपन्निर्विकल्पेन मनसा परमोद्भवः॥
इति। तदेतत्
इति वा यस्य संवित्तिः क्रीडात्वेनाखिलं जगत्।
स पश्यन्सततं युक्तो जीवन्मुक्तो न संशयः॥
इति कारिकया सङ्गृहीतम्॥१६॥
Atraivopāyāntaramāha—
Śuddhatattvasandhānādvāpaśuśaktiḥ||16||
Śuddhaṁ tattvaṁ paramaśivākhyaṁ tatra yadā viśvamanusandhatte tanmayamevaitaditi tadāvidyamānā paśvākhyā bandhaśaktiryasya tādṛgayaṁ sadāśivavadviśvasya jagataḥ patirbhavati| Taduktaṁ śrīmallakṣmīkaulārṇave
Dīkṣāsiddhau tu ye proktāḥ pratyayāḥ stobhapūrvakāḥ|
Sandhānasyaiva te devi kalāṁ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm||
iti| Śrīvijñānabhairave tu
Sarvaṁ dehaṁ cinmayaṁ hi jagadvā paribhāvayet|
Yugapannirvikalpena manasā paramodbhavaḥ||
iti| Tadetat
Iti vā yasya saṁvittiḥ krīḍātvenākhilaṁ jagat|
Sa paśyansatataṁ yukto jīvanmukto na saṁśayaḥ||
iti kārikayā saṅgṛhītam||16||
Here (atra eva), He --i.e. Śiva, the author of Śivasūtra-s-- mentioned (āha) another (antaram) means (upāya) (for realizing one's identity with the highest Bhairava)—
Or (vā) by union (sandhānāt) with the Pure (śuddha) Principle (tattva), (the Yogī becomes like one in whom) the (binding) power (śaktiḥ) (existing in) a limited and conditioned being (paśu) is absent (a)||16||
The Pure (śuddham) Principle (tattvam) is called (ākhyam) Paramaśiva --the Supreme Śiva-- (paramaśiva). When (yadā) (the Yogī) is in that (Paramaśiva) --i.e. when the Yogī realizes Him-- (tatra), he becomes aware (anusandhatte) of the universe (viśvam) (in this way:) "This (universe) (etad) is only composed (mayam eva) of that (Reality) (tad... iti)"; then (tadā), in such a manner (tādṛk), this (Yogī) (ayam) becomes (bhavati) the lord (patiḥ) of the entire (viśvasya) world (jagataḥ) like (vat) Sadāśiva (sadāśiva) in whom (yasya) the binding (bandha) power (śaktiḥ) known as (ākhyā) paśu (paśu) is absent (avidyamānā)1 |
That (truth) (tad) has (also) been expressed (uktam) in venerable (śrīmad) Lakṣmīkaulārṇava (lakṣmīkaulārṇave):
"Those pratyaya-s (pratyayāḥ) accompanied by (pūrvakāḥ) exclamations of praise (stobha) which (ye) are declared or taught (proktāḥ) for the success (siddhau tu) of initiation (dīkṣā) are not (even) worth (na arhanti) the sixteenth (ṣoḍaśīm) part (kalām) of Sandhāna (sandhānasya eva), oh Goddess (devi... iti)"2 ||
(And) in venerable (śrī) Vijñānabhairava (vijñānabhairave tu):
"One should consider (paribhāvayet), with a mind (manasā) free from thoughts (nirvikalpena), (his) entire (sarvam) body (deham) or (vā) the world (jagat) simultaneously --i.e. with no succession-- (yugapad) as composed of (mayam hi) Consciousness (cit); (if he does so, there will be) emergence (udbhavaḥ) of the Supreme (Reality) (parama... iti) (to him)"3 |
That very (teaching) (tad etad) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by an aphorism (kārikayā) (of Spandakārikā-s):
"Or (iti vā) he (saḥ) who has that (yasya) knowledge or realization (saṁvittiḥ)4 (and) is constantly (satatam) united (with the Supreme Self) (yuktaḥ) views (paśyan) the whole (akhilam) world (jagat) as a (divine) play (krīḍātvena). He is liberated while living (jīvanmuktaḥ), there is no (na) doubt (saṁśayaḥ... iti) (about it)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s II, 5)
||16||
1 For more information about "Paramaśiva" and "Sadāśiva", see Trika 2 and Trika 3.
2 The term "pratyaya-s" may be translated in an enormous quantity of manners: "ideas, religious meditations, etc.", but in this context it means "देशादिव्यवहितविप्रकृष्टवस्तुज्ञानानि" - "deśādivyavahitaviprakṛṣṭavastujñānāni" or "cognitions about remote realities separated (from oneself) by space, etc." (e.g. distant worlds). During the rite of initiation the one being initiated becomes conscious of those realities by the Grace of the Lord appearing as the ritual itself. It is pretty usual to utter exclamations of praise (chanted interjections) while the initiation is carried out. In turn, Lord Śiva tells the Goddess that that is not even worth the sixteenth part of Sandhāna. And what is it? Sandhāna is defined as "शुद्धतत्त्वविमर्श" - "śuddhatattvavimarśa" or "awareness of the Pure Principle". Therefore, what the Lord is affirming is that all those things are insignificant in comparison to becoming aware of the Pure Principle. Since the very Goddess is that "vimarśa" or awareness, such a Sandhāna can only be achieved through Herself. For that reason, She is is to be known as the bridge leading to the Pure Principle (Paramaśiva). Oh well, this explanation was just a mere glimpse!
3 In the version of Vijñānabhairava commented by Kṣemarāja himself, the term "paramodbhavaḥ" (parama-udbhavaḥ) changes to "परमोदयः" - "paramodayaḥ" (parama-udayaḥ), but the meaning is the same because "udbhavaḥ" and "udayaḥ" are synonymous in this context.
4 Knowledge about what? To understand this, one must read the last part of the previous aphorism in Spandakārikā-s. At the end of it (II,4) the author says: "The experient himself, always (and) everywhere, remains in the form of the experienced". Therefore, this is the kind of knowledge the author of Spandakārikā-s is talking about in II, 5 (i.e. 5th aphorism of the Section II). The meaning is completely clear now!
Aphorism 17
ईदृग्ज्ञानरूपस्यास्य योगिनः—
वितर्क आत्मज्ञानम्॥१७॥
विश्वात्मा शिव एवास्मीति यो वितर्को विचार एतदेवास्यात्मज्ञानम्। तदुक्तं श्रीविज्ञानभैरवे
सर्वज्ञः सर्वकर्ता च व्यापकः परमेश्वरः।
स एवाहं शैवधर्मेति दार्ढ्याच्छिवो भवेत्॥
इति। स्पन्देऽपि
... अयमेवात्मनो ग्रहः।
इत्यनेनैतदुक्तम्। तत्र ह्यात्मनो ग्रहणं ग्रहो ज्ञानमेतदेव यद्विश्वात्मकशिवाभिन्नत्वमेषोऽप्यर्थो विवक्षितः॥१७॥
Īdṛgjñānarūpasyāsya yoginaḥ—
Vitarka ātmajñānam||17||
Viśvātmā śiva evāsmīti yo vitarko vicāra etadevāsyātmajñānam| Taduktaṁ śrīvijñānabhairave
Sarvajñaḥ sarvakartā ca vyāpakaḥ parameśvaraḥ|
Sa evāhaṁ śaivadharmeti dārḍhyācchivo bhavet||
iti| Spande'pi
... ayamevātmano grahaḥ|
ityanenaitaduktam| Tatra hyātmano grahaṇaṁ graho jñānametadeva yadviśvātmakaśivābhinnatvameṣo'pyartho vivakṣitaḥ||17||
Of this (asya) Yogī (yoginaḥ) whose nature (rūpasya) (is) such a (īdṛk) knowledge (jñāna)1 —
Firm and unwavering awareness (vitarkaḥ) (that I am Śiva is) knowledge (jñānam) of the Self (ātma)||17||
This (etad eva) vitarka (vitarkaḥ) (or) firm and unwavering awareness (vicāraḥ) that (yaḥ) "I am (asmi) Śiva (śivaḥ eva), the Self (ātmā) of the universe (viśva... iti)" (is) his --of the Yogī-- (asya) knowledge (jñānam) of the Self (ātma)|
That (tad) is stated (uktam) in venerable (śrī) Vijñānabhairava (vijñānabhairave) (as well):
"'The Supreme (parama) Lord (īśvaraḥ) (is) omniscient (sarvajñaḥ), omnipotent (sarvakartā) and (ca) omnipresent (vyāpakaḥ). He (saḥ eva) (is) myself (aham) (since) I have the characteristic (dharmā) of Śiva (śaiva... iti)'. With this firm (conviction) (dārḍhyāt) one becomes (bhavet) Śiva (śivaḥ)"||
In Spandakārikā-s (spande) too (api), this (very teaching) (etad) has been mentioned (uktam) by this (portion of aphorism) (anena):
"... only (eva) this (ayam) (is) the perception (grahaḥ) of the Self (ātmanaḥ... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s II, 7)
In that (portion of aphorism) (tatra hi), this (etad) perception (grahaḥ) (or) seizure (grahaṇam) of the Self (ātmanaḥ) (being described is) only (eva) knowledge (jñānam) of the Self (ātmanaḥ). That (yad) (there is) non-difference or identity (abhinnatvam) in regard to Śiva (śiva) —the essence (ātmaka) of the universe (viśva)—... (well,) this (eṣaḥ) (additional) meaning (arthaḥ) is also intended to be expressed (api... vivakṣitaḥ) (by that statement in Spandakārikā-s)2 ||17||
1 Read the last portion of the commentary on the previous aphorism to understand the present introduction to the 17th aphorism in a better way.
2 What is between long hyphens refers to Śiva, obviously. The additional meaning that oneself is non-different from the Lord is hidden in the phrase "only this (is) the perception of the Self" according to Kṣemarāja.
Aphorism 18
किञ्चास्य—
लोकानन्दः समाधिसुखम्॥१८॥
लोक्यत इति लोको वस्तुग्रामो लोकयतीति च लोको ग्राहकवर्गस्तस्मिन्स्फुरति सति
ग्राह्यग्राहकसंवित्तिः सामान्या सर्वदेहिनाम्।
योगिनां तु विशेषोऽयं सम्बन्धे सावधानता॥
इति श्रीविज्ञानभट्टारकनिरूपितनीत्या प्रमातृपदविश्रान्त्यवधानतश्चमत्कारमयो य आनन्द एतदेवास्य समाधिसुखम्। तदुक्तं तत्रैव
सर्वं जगत्स्वदेहं वा स्वानन्दभरितं स्मरेत्।
युगपत्स्वामृतेनैव परानन्दमयो भवेत्॥
इति। एतच्च
इयमेवामृतप्राप्तिः...।
इत्यनेन सङ्गृहीतम्।
अथ च यदस्य स्वात्मारामस्य समाधिसुखं तदेव तत्तादृशमवलोकयतां लोकानामानन्दसङ्क्रमणयुक्त्या स्वानन्दाभिव्यक्तिपर्यवसायि भवति। एतदपि श्रीचन्द्रज्ञानग्रन्थेन प्रागुक्तेन (१-७) सुसंवादम्॥१८॥
Kiñcāsya—
Lokānandaḥ samādhisukham||18||
Lokyata iti loko vastugrāmo lokayatīti ca loko grāhakavargastasminsphurati sati
Grāhyagrāhakasaṁvittiḥ sāmānyā sarvadehinām|
Yogināṁ tu viśeṣo'yaṁ sambandhe sāvadhānatā||
iti śrīvijñānabhaṭṭārakanirūpitanītyā pramātṛpadaviśrāntyavadhānataścamatkāramayo ya ānanda etadevāsya samādhisukham| Taduktaṁ tatraiva
Sarvaṁ jagatsvadehaṁ vā svānandabharitaṁ smaret|
Yugapatsvāmṛtenaiva parānandamayo bhavet||
iti| Etacca
Iyamevāmṛtaprāptiḥ...|
ityanena saṅgṛhītam|
Atha ca yadasya svātmārāmasya samādhisukhaṁ tadeva tattādṛśamavalokayatāṁ lokānāmānandasaṅkramaṇayuktyā svānandābhivyaktiparyavasāyi bhavati| Etadapi śrīcandrajñānagranthena prāguktena (1- 7) susaṁvādam||18||
Moreover (kiñca), of this (Yogī) (asya)—
The Bliss (that the Yogī feels in abiding as the Knower or Perceiver) (ānandaḥ) of the world (—consisting of subjects and objects—) (loka) (is his) delight (sukham) of Samādhi (samādhi)||18||
The loka or world (lokaḥ) (is both) "that which is perceived (lokyate iti)" —i.e. the multitude (grāmaḥ) of objects (vastu)— and (ca) "he who perceives (lokayati iti)" —i.e. the group or class (vargaḥ) of subjects (grāhaka)—. Although that is evident (tasmin sphurati sati)1 (to everyone), according to the precept (nītyā) stated (nirūpita) in venerable (śrī) Vijñānabhairava (vijñāna-bhaṭṭāraka):
"The consciousness (saṁvittiḥ) of object (grāhya) (and) subject (grāhaka) is common (sāmānyā) to all the embodied ones (sarva-dehinām); but (tu) in the case of the Yogī-s (yoginām) this (ayam) (is the) distinction (viśeṣaḥ): there is attentiveness (sa-avadhānatā) to the relation (between object and subject) (sambandhe)"||
(then,) this (etad eva) bliss (ānandaḥ) which (yaḥ) consists (mayaḥ) of camatkāra --joy of the pure I-consciousness-- (camatkāra) on account of (his) attention (avadhānatas) to (his) repose (viśrānti) in the state (pada) of a Knower or Perceiver (pramātṛ) (is) his (asya) delight (sukham) of Samādhi (samādhi)2 |
It has (also) been said (tad uktam) in that very (book) --viz. in Vijñānabhairava-- (tatra eva):
"One should remember (smaret) the entire (sarvam) world (jagat) or (vā) his own (sva) body (deham) as replete (bharitam) with his own (sva) bliss (ānanda). Simultaneously (yugapad) --i.e. when one is able to remember in that way--, he is filled with (mayaḥ bhavet) the Highest (para) Joy (ānanda) due to his own Nectar (sva-amṛtena eva... iti)"||
This very (truth) (etad ca) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by this (aphorism) (anena):
"Only (eva) this (iyam) (is) the obtainment (prāptiḥ) of the Nectar leading to Immortality (amṛta... iti)..."
(See Spandakārikā-s II, 7)
Moreover (atha ca), that (yad) delight (sukham) of Samādhi --i.e. the state of keeping a continuous awareness of his Knowership-- (samādhi) belonging to the one (asya) who takes great pleasure (ārāmasya) in his own (sva) Self (ātma) ends (tad eva... paryavasāyi bhavati) in the manifestation (abhivyakti) of his (sva) bliss (ānanda) among the people (lokānām) who observe (avalokayatām) him --lit. such a person-- (tādṛśam) there --i.e. in that place and in that state-- (tad). (It happens) through (yuktyā) the transference (saṅkramaṇa) of joy (ānanda)|
This (etad) is also completely in conformity (api... su-saṁvādam) with the stanza (granthena) of venerable (śrī) Candrajñāna (candrajñāna) which was quoted (uktena) before (prāk) in the (commentary on the) seventh aphorism of the first Section (1-7)||18||
1 I cannot translate the words individually because the whole thing would not make any sense in English: "in that (tasmin) in that which is evident (sphurati) in that which is (sati)". The phrase is in absolute Locative (a special type of construction in Sanskrit), and therefore you have to add "when, while, although, etc." and translate everything in Nominative to give it structure in English. In this case, I must add "although". I had to make clear this point to a certain extent since some people might think I am cheating here because I ignore the meaning of each of those three words. As most of the time I cannot explain this kind of grammatical intricacies as it would take too many explanatory notes, just trust me, please.
2 In this context the word "Samādhi" is not be understood as "Perfect Concentration" (like in a kind of deep meditation with closed eyes). No, here it is the state where a person is only conscious of his state as the Supreme Knower or Perceiver. This is the state of Śiva, and cannot be attained by any effort at all! It is only achieved by divine Grace. It is just about His free Will then.
Aphorism 19
अथेदृशस्यास्य योगिनो विभूतियोगं दर्शयति—
शक्तिसन्धाने शरीरोत्पत्तिः॥१९॥
इच्छा शक्तिरुमा कुमारी (१-१३) इति सूत्रेण यास्य शक्तिरुक्ता तामेव यदानुसन्धत्ते दार्ढ्येन तन्मयीभवति तदा तद्वशेनास्य यथाभिमतं शरीरमुत्पद्यते। तदुक्तं श्रीमृत्युञ्जयभट्टारके
ततः प्रवर्तते शक्तिर्लक्ष्यहीना निरामया।
इच्छा सा तु विनिर्दिष्टा ज्ञानरूपा क्रियात्मिका॥
इत्युपक्रम्य
सा योनिः सर्वदेवानां शक्तीनां चाप्यनेकधा।
अग्नीषोमात्मिका योनिस्तस्याः सर्वं प्रवर्तते॥
इति। शक्तिसन्धानमाहात्म्यं लक्ष्मीकौलार्णवे
न सन्धानं विना दीक्षा न सिद्धीनां च साधनम्।
न मन्त्रो मन्त्रयुक्तिश्च न योगाकर्षणं यथा॥
इत्यादिना प्रतिपादितम्। एतच्च
यथेच्छाभ्यर्थितो धाता जाग्रतोऽर्थान्हृदि स्थितान्।
सोमसूर्योदयं कृत्वा सम्पादयति देहिनः॥
इत्यनेन सङ्गृहीतम्। देहिनोऽत्यक्तदेहवासनस्य योगिनो हृदि स्थितानर्थान्तत्तदपूर्वनिर्माणादिरूपान्धाता महेश्वरः प्रकाशानन्दात्मतया सोमसूर्यरूपवाहोन्मीलनेन सोमसूर्यसामरस्यात्मनश्च शक्तेरुदयं कृत्वा बहिर्मुखवाहित्वेन तामासाद्य सम्पादयतीति ह्यस्यार्थः
तथा स्वप्नेऽप्यभीष्टार्थान्...।
इत्येतच्छ्लोकप्रतिपादितस्वप्नस्वातन्त्र्यं प्रति दृष्टान्ते योजित इति स्पन्दनिर्णये मयैव दर्शितम्॥१९॥
Athedṛśasyāsya yogino vibhūtiyogaṁ darśayati—
Śaktisandhāne śarīrotpattiḥ||19||
Icchā śaktirumā kumārī (1-13) iti sūtreṇa yāsya śaktiruktā tāmeva yadānusandhatte dārḍhyena tanmayībhavati tadā tadvaśenāsya yathābhimataṁ śarīramutpadyate| Taduktaṁ śrīmṛtyuñjayabhaṭṭārake
Tataḥ pravartate śaktirlakṣyahīnā nirāmayā|
Icchā sā tu vinirdiṣṭā jñānarūpā kriyātmikā||
ityupakramya
Sā yoniḥ sarvadevānāṁ śaktīnāṁ cāpyanekadhā|
Agnīṣomātmikā yonistasyāḥ sarvaṁ pravartate||
iti| Śaktisandhānamāhātmyaṁ lakṣmīkaulārṇave
Na sandhānaṁ vinā dīkṣā na siddhīnāṁ ca sādhanam|
Na mantro mantrayuktiśca na yogākarṣaṇaṁ yathā||
ityādinā pratipāditam| Etacca
Yathecchābhyarthito dhātā jāgrato'rthānhṛdi sthitān|
Somasūryodayaṁ kṛtvā sampādayati dehinaḥ||
ityanena saṅgṛhītam| Dehino'tyaktadehavāsanasya yogino hṛdi sthitānarthāntattadapūrvanirmāṇādirūpāndhātā maheśvaraḥ prakāśānandātmatayā somasūryarūpavāhonmīlanena somasūryasāmarasyātmanaśca śakterudayaṁ kṛtvā bahirmukhavāhitvena tāmāsādya sampādayatīti hyasyārthaḥ
Tathā svapne'pyabhīṣṭārthān...|
ityetacchlokapratipāditasvapnasvātantryaṁ prati dṛṣṭānte yojita iti spandanirṇaye mayaiva darśitam||19||
Now (atha), (the following aphorism) shows (darśayati) the Vibhūtiyoga --Yoga of supernatural powers-- (vibhūti-yogaṁ) of such (īdṛśasya asya) a Yogī (yoginaḥ)—
On being united (sandhāne) with the Power (of Will) (śakti) (there is) production or creation (utpattiḥ) of bodies (śarīra) (according to the Yogī's desire)||19||
By the thirteenth aphorism of the first Section (1-13... sūtreṇa), (viz.) "The Will (icchā) power (śaktiḥ) (of the enlightened Yogī is) the 'Splendor of Śiva' (umā) (that is) Kumārī (kumārī... iti)", his (asya) Power or Śakti (yā... śaktiḥ) is described (uktā). When (yadā) he, (through intensive awareness), becomes united (anusandhatte) with her --i.e. with his Icchāśakti or Will power-- (tām eva); (in short, when) he is (bhavati) firmly (dārḍhyena) absorbed in that (Will power) (tad-mayī), then (tadā) through (vaśena) that (power) (tad) his (asya) body (śarīram) is produced --i.e. is brought into being-- (utpadyate) at will --lit. as desired-- (yathā-abhimatam)|
That (tad) has been declared (uktam) in most venerable (śrī... bhaṭṭārake) Mṛtyuñjaya --i.e. Netratantra-- (mṛtyuñjaya) beginning with (the stanza 36 of the 7th adhikāra or chapter) (upakramya):
"Thence --i.e. from that state of Paramaśiva gained by the Yogī1 -- (tatas) proceeds (pravartate) the Power (śaktiḥ) which is devoid (hīnā... nis) of perceptibility (lakṣya) (and) illness (āmayā)2 . That (Power) (sā) has been indicated (vinirdiṣṭā) (as) Icchā --Will-- (icchā) indeed (tu), which (afterward) appears in the form (rūpā... ātmikā) of Jñāna --Knowledge-- (jñāna) (and) Kriyā --Action-- (kriyā... iti)3 "||4
(and ending in the stanza 40 of the same adhikāra or chapter:)
"She --i.e. the Highest Śakti-- (sā) (is), in various ways (anekadhā), the source (yoniḥ) of all gods (sarva-devānām) as well as (ca api) of the powers or śakti-s (śaktīnām). Her nature (ātmikā) (is) fire and moon (agnīṣoma)5 . Everything (sarvam) proceeds (pravartate) from Her (tasyāḥ)"||
The exalted state (māhātmyam) of the union with Śakti through intensive one-pointedness (śakti-sandhāna) has been stated (pratipāditam) in Lakṣmīkaulārṇava (lakṣmī-kaulārṇave) (by the following and) other (stanzas) (ādinā):
"Without (vinā) union (with Śakti) through intensive one-pointedness (sandhānam) there is neither (na) initiation (dīkṣā), nor (na... ca) accomplishment (sādhanam) of supernatural powers (siddhīnām), nor (na) mantra (mantraḥ), nor (ca) a stratagem (yuktiḥ) related to mantra-s (mantra), nor (na) —in no way (na... yathā)— mastery (ākarṣaṇam)6 over Yoga (yoga)"||
This very (teaching) (etad ca) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by this (aphorism) (anena):
"Just as (yathā) the Sustainer (of this world) (dhātā), when requested (abhyarthitaḥ) with desire (icchā), produces (sampādayati) (all) things (arthān) which abide (sthitān) in the heart (hṛdi) of that embodied soul (dehinaḥ) who is awake (jāgrataḥ) after causing (kṛtvā) the emergence (udayam) of moon (soma) (and) sun (sūrya... iti)7 "||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 1)
The Creator (dhātā), i.e. the Great Lord --epithet of Śiva-- (mahā-īśvaraḥ) brings about --accomplishes-- (sampādayati) (all) the things (arthān), which are (rūpān) diverse (tad tad) (and) completely new (apūrva) creations (nirmāṇa), etc., (ādi) abiding (sthitān) in the heart (hṛdi) of the embodied (dehinaḥ) Yogī (yoginaḥ) who has not abandoned (atyakta) his desire (vāsanasya) (of remaining) in the body (deha). (The Supreme Self does so firstly) by opening (unmīlanena) the flow (vāha) composed of (rūpa) moon --i.e. apāna, the vital energy entering with the inhalation-- (soma) (and) sun --i.e. prāṇa, the vital energy going out with the exhalation-- (sūrya) through Prakāśa --revealing light-- and Ānanda --bliss-- (prakāśa-ānanda-ātmatayā), and (ca) (then) by causing (kṛtvā) the emergence (udayam) of the power or śakti --i.e. samāna-- (śakteḥ) consisting of (ātmanaḥ) an equilibrium (sāmarasya) of moon or apāna (soma) (and) sun or prāṇa (sūrya)8 . (Afterward,) having put down (āsādya) that śakti (known as samāna) (tām) --viz. having re-established the normal functions of apāna and prāṇa--, (the Lord produces) outwardly (bahis-mukha-vāhitvena) (the desires of that Yogī). Such is the meaning (iti... arthaḥ) of this (aphorism in Spandakārikā-s) (asya) indeed (hi)9 .
"So (tathā) also (api) in dream (svapne), [by abiding in the central channel, does (He) certainly reveal always (and) most clearly] (his) desired (abhīṣṭa) things (arthān... iti)" [to him who does not neglect his entreaty].10
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 2)
As has been shown (iti... darśitam) by me (mayā eva) in Spandanirṇaya (spandanirṇaye), (the matter related to) the (Yogī's) freedom (svātantryam) (even) in dream (svapna), such as explained (pratipādita) in this (etad) stanza (śloka), has been used (yojitaḥ) as a counter example (prati dṛṣṭānte)||19||
1 I know this because I read the previous stanzas in Netratantra. The same sage that is commenting here on Śivasūtra-s —i.e. Kṣemarāja— also composed an extensive commentary on Netratantra. Paramaśiva is simply the Highest Reality. Read Trika 2 to pick up further information.
2 This means that the Will power is not visible or perceivable at all. Also, it is not affected by the disease known as Māyā (tattva or category 6 in the process of universal manifestation). Māyā is a veil of ignorance covering one's essential nature.
3 This subject has been explained in detail in Trika 3.
4 The stanza has a different reading too (just a slight change):
ततः प्रवर्तते शक्तिर्लक्ष्यहीना निरामया।
इच्छामात्रविनिर्दिष्टा ज्ञानरूपा क्रियात्मिका॥
Tataḥ pravartate śaktirlakṣyahīnā nirāmayā|
Icchāmātravinirdiṣṭā jñānarūpā kriyātmikā||
"Thence --i.e. from that state of Paramaśiva gained by the Yogī-- (tatas) proceeds (pravartate) the Power (śaktiḥ) which is devoid (hīnā... nis) of perceptibility (lakṣya) (and) illness (āmayā), (and) that has been indicated (vinirdiṣṭā) (as) nothing but (mātra) Icchā --Will-- (icchā). (This very Will afterward) appears in the form (rūpā... ātmikā) of Jñāna --Knowledge-- (jñāna) (and) Kriyā --Action-- (kriyā)"||
OK, now you have both versions.
5 Here fire and moon mean prāṇa (the vital energy going out of your system when you exhale) and apāna (the vital energy entering your system when you inhale).
6 If you consult a dictionary, you will find that "ākarṣaṇa" generally means "pulling, drawing near, attracting, etc.". Here it is translated as "mastery" by me, because the original root is not "ākṛṣ", obviously, but "kṛṣ" (as "ā" is a prefix added to the root); and one of the meanings of "kṛṣ" is "to draw into one's power, become master of". Now it is clear!
7 The terms moon and sun are dependant upon the level an aspirant is positioned in. In Āṇavopāya, moon and sun stand for apāna and prāṇa, respectively (read the note 5 above). In Śāktopāya, they are symbolic of Jñānaśakti (Power of knowledge) and Kriyāśakti (Power of action). Finally, in Śāmbhavopāya they symbolize Vimarśa (Śakti) and Prakāśa (Śiva). Read Meditation 1 to learn more.
8 Read Uccāra in Meditation 4 to have a better understanding of what the sage is talking about.
9 The Supreme Lord, inspiring the great Yogī with revealing light and bliss, opens the flow of apāna and prāṇa (i.e. He makes such a person conscious of his own breathing in and out). Then, He makes samāna arise, by balancing the flow of apāna and prāṇa in the area of the navel (the breathing process stops here). Finally, when the Supreme Being puts down or suppresses samāna, the natural flow of inhalation and exhalation returns. At that time, all the things desired by the Yogī appear outwardly before him. Nobody can achieve this power without His Grace.
10 I had to add the rest of the stanza in brackets because if not so the whole thing would have made no sense. On other occasions I can add the short translation along with the suspension points, but I cannot in this particular case.
Aphorism 20
अन्या अप्यस्य यथाभिलषिताः सिद्धय एतन्माहात्म्येनैव घटन्त इत्याह—
भूतसन्धानभूतपृथक्त्वविश्वसङ्घट्टाः॥२०॥
भूतानि शरीरप्राणभावाद्यात्मकानि तेषां क्वचिदाप्यायनादौ सन्धानं परिपोषणं व्याध्याद्युपशमादौ पृथक्त्वं शरीरादेर्विश्लेषणं देशकालादिविप्रकृष्टस्य च विश्वस्य सघट्टो ज्ञानविषयीकार्यत्वादिकोऽस्य पूर्वोक्तशक्तिसन्धाने सति जायते। एतच्च सर्वागमेषु साधनाधिकारेष्वस्ति। तदेव स्पन्दे
दुर्बलोऽपि तदाक्रम्य यतः कार्ये प्रवर्तते।
आच्छादयेद्बुभुक्षां च तथा योऽतिबुभुक्षितः॥
इति।
ग्लानिर्विलुण्ठिका देहे तस्याश्चाज्ञानतः सृतिः।
तदुन्मेषविलुप्तं चेत्कुतः सा स्यादहेतुका॥
इति।
यथा ह्यर्थोऽस्फुटो दृष्टः सावधानेऽपि चेतसि।
भूयः स्फुटतरो भाति स्वबलोद्योगभावितः॥
तथा यत्परमार्थेन येन यत्र यथा स्थितम्।
तत्तथा बलमाक्रम्य न चिरात्सम्प्रवर्तते॥
इत्यादिना विभूतिस्पन्दे सोपपत्तिकं दर्शितम्॥२०॥
Anyā apyasya yathābhilaṣitāḥ siddhaya etanmāhātmyenaiva ghaṭanta ityāha—
Bhūtasandhānabhūtapṛthaktvaviśvasaṅghaṭṭāḥ||20||
Bhūtāni śarīraprāṇabhāvādyātmakāni teṣāṁ kvacidāpyāyanādau sandhānaṁ paripoṣaṇaṁ vyādhyādyupaśamādau pṛthaktvaṁ śarīrāderviśleṣaṇaṁ deśakālādiviprakṛṣṭasya ca viśvasya saghaṭṭo jñānaviṣayīkāryatvādiko'sya pūrvoktaśaktisandhāne sati jāyate| Etacca sarvāgameṣu sādhanādhikāreṣvasti| Tadeva spande
Durbalo'pi tadākramya yataḥ kārye pravartate|
Ācchādayedbubhukṣāṁ ca tathā yo'tibubhukṣitaḥ||
iti|
Glānirviluṇṭhikā dehe tasyāścājñānataḥ sṛtiḥ|
Tadunmeṣaviluptaṁ cetkutaḥ sā syādahetukā||
iti|
Yathā hyartho'sphuṭo dṛṣṭaḥ sāvadhāne'pi cetasi|
Bhūyaḥ sphuṭataro bhāti svabalodyogabhāvitaḥ||
Tathā yatparamārthena yena yatra yathā sthitam|
Tattathā balamākramya na cirātsampravartate||
ityādinā vibhūtispande sopapattikaṁ darśitam||20||
Through the majesty (māhātmyena eva) of this --i.e. of the union with his Icchāśakti or power of Will-- (etad), other (anyāḥ) supernatural powers (siddhayaḥ) as (yathā) desired (by the Yogī) (abhilaṣitāḥ) accrue (ghaṭante) to him (asya) as well (api). This is what (Śiva) told (in the next aphorism) (iti āha)—
(The other supernormal powers of the enlightened Yogī are: the power of) putting together (sandhāna) existent entities (bhūta); (the power of) separating (pṛthaktva) them all --i.e. the existent entities-- (bhūta) (and the power of) assembling --saṅghaṭṭa-- (saṅghaṭṭāḥ) everything (viśva) (what has been separated by space and time)||20||
The bhūta-s --existent entities-- (bhūtāni) consist of (ātmakāni) body (śarīra), vital energy (prāṇa), objects (bhāva), etc. (ādi). Sandhāna --putting together-- (sandhānam) of those (existent entities) (teṣām), --i.e. bhūtasandhāna--, (is then the same thing as) promoting (paripoṣaṇam) the increase of welfare (āpyāyana), etc. (ādau) in certain cases (kvacid)1 . Pṛthaktva (pṛthaktvam) (is) separation (viśleṣaṇam) of body (śarīra), etc. (ādeḥ) for relieving (upaśama) diseases (vyādhi), etc. (ādi) and the like (ādau)2 . And assembling (saṅghaṭṭaḥ) everything (viśvasya) what has been separated (viprakṛṣṭasya) by space (deśa), time (kāla), etc. (ādi), (is) making (all those things) (kāryatvā) objects of (his) knowledge (jñāna-viṣayī), and so on (ādikaḥ)3 . (This group of three powers) accrues (jāyate) to him (asya) when there is union (sandhāne sati) with the (Will) power (śakti) as described (ukta) before (pūrva)|
This (etad ca) occurs --i.e. has been dealt with-- (asti) in all (sarva) Āgama-s --revealed scriptures-- (āgameṣu), in the chapters (adhikāreṣu) on sādhana --methods to attain accomplishment, mastering, etc.-- (sādhana)|
That (tad) very (teaching) (eva) has been shown (darśitam) with founded arguments (sopapattikam) in (the section) Vibhūtispanda --supernormal powers originating from Spanda-- (vibhūti-spande) of Spandakārikā-s (spande) by means of (the following and) other (stanzas) (ādinā)|
"Even (api) a weak person (durbalaḥ), by grabbing hold (ākramya) of that (Spanda or Cosmic Force) (tad), is engaged (in doing) (pravartate) what is to be done (kārye) (and succeeds subsequently) through that very Principle (yatas). Likewise (ca tathā), he who (yaḥ) is extremely hungry (ati-bubhukṣitaḥ) conceals (āchādayet) (his) desire to eat (bubhukṣām... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 6)
"Depression (glāniḥ) (is like) a plunderer (viluṇṭhikā) in the body (dehe). It glides (tasyāḥ ca... sṛtiḥ) from ignorance (ajñānataḥ). If (ced) it is destroyed (viluptam) by that (tad) Unmeṣa --see the next aphorism-- (unmeṣa), how (kutas) might that (depression) exist (sā syāt) without (its) cause (ahetukā... iti)?"||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 8)
"Undoubtedly (hi), just as (yathā) a thing (arthaḥ) that is perceived (dṛṣṭaḥ) indistinctly (asphuṭam) (at first), even though (api) an (extremely) attentive (sa-avadhāne) mind (cetasi) (might be involved in the process of perception), appears (bhāti) more clearly (sphuṭataraḥ) afterward (bhūyas), when beheld (bhāvitaḥ) with the vigorous exertion (udyoga) of one's own (sva) power (bala), so (tathā), by grabbing hold (ākramya) of the (Cosmic) Force (balam), whatever thing (yad) which actually (paramārthena) exists (sthitam) in any form (yena), in any place (yatra), in any condition (yathā), that (very thing) (tad) is immediately (na cirāt) manifested (sampravartate) in that manner (tathā... iti)"||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 4-5)
||20||
1 For example, a body about to die by starvation can be nourished by that great Yogī by simply desiring that that body gets into contact with food. No need for him to bring it food, physically speaking.
2 For example, he can separate a tumor from a body in order to cure it.
3 For example, he can know exactly what happens in a specific moment in the past or future. Or else, he can know what is occurring on the other corner of the planet right now. He can do all those things at will, though most of the time they occur spontaneously due to his extraordinary state of consciousness.
Though the Self dwells in all, these supernatural powers mentioned in the present aphorism are so far away from the ordinary beings full of conditioning that is "apparently" useless to write about such sublime faculties as the vast majority of people just cannot catch anything about this (almost all spiritual people included, of course... the only change being that the spiritual people have "spiritual egos that think they do understand totally", while the rest have mundane egos that simply are not interested in all these matters... anyway, it is the same pest but with different colors). So, all of them are NOT extraordinary. In fact, it is "apparently" ridiculous to speak about these awesome things seeing the helpless condition of the limited individual who is all the time behaving like a beggar in distress. Well, I must translate the scripture in its entirety though in this world the amount of great Yogī-s as the one commented on by Kṣemarāja could surely be counted with the fingers of one hand.
In all, my task of translating this difficult scripture looks like a joke or wasted time if one considers the condition of the average Yoga aspirant. At any rate, there are more solid arguments backing up my efforts: Since the first Section of Śivasūtra-s deals with Śāmbhavopāya (the means pertaining to Śiva), all these teachings and achievements are intended for the great personalities treading this path (a very few ones, really). The rest of aspirants, who are mostly bound to tread the path of Āṇavopāya (the means pertaining to a limited being), will only understand the meanings up to their own level. To know about the states that they can attain may be uplifting too. So, despite it seems absurd at first glance to spend so many hours translating all these descriptions on the achievements of a great Yogī when "in practice" 99% of the aspirants can hardly meditate on the Self for roughly fifteen minutes in a continuous way every day, it makes sense in the end somehow if one considers that the first Section has to do with the higher Śāmbhavopāya.
Besides, there is one deeper reason for me to take the trouble to do all this... oh well, it is my offering to the Owner of all the universe, who is the only Doer of all actions and the real Author of all the sacred scriptures. May this Lord be always praised! Just a commentary that came up in this special state I am in while translating. Very good, keep reading the teachings then.
Aphorism 21
यदा तु मितसिद्धीरनभिलष्यन्विश्वात्मप्रथामिच्छति तदास्य—
शुद्धविद्योदयाच्चक्रेशत्वसिद्धिः॥२१॥
वैश्वात्म्यप्रथावाञ्छया यदा शक्तिं सन्धत्ते तदा अहमेव सर्वमिति शुद्धविद्याया उदयाद्विश्वात्मकस्वशक्तिचक्रेशत्वरूपं माहेश्वर्यमस्य सिध्यति। तदुक्तं स्वच्छन्दे
तस्मात्सा तु परा विद्या यस्मादन्या न विद्यते।
विन्दते ह्यत्र युगपत्सार्वज्ञ्यादिगुणान्परान्॥
वेदनानादिधर्मस्य परमात्मत्वबोधना।
वर्जनापरमात्मत्वे तस्माद्विद्येति सोच्यते॥
तत्रस्थो व्यञ्जयेत्तेजः परं परमकारणम्।
परस्मिंस्तेजसि व्यक्ते तत्रस्थः शिवतां व्रजेत्॥
इति। तदेतत्
दिदृक्षयेव सर्वार्थान्यदा व्याप्यावतिष्ठते।
तदा किं बहुनोक्तेन स्वयमेवावभोत्स्यते॥
इत्यनेनैव सङ्गृहीतम्॥२१॥
Yadā tu mitasiddhīranabhilaṣyanviśvātmaprathāmicchati tadāsya—
Śuddhavidyodayāccakreśatvasiddhiḥ||21||
Vaiśvātmyaprathāvāñchayā yadā śaktiṁ sandhatte tadā ahameva sarvamiti śuddhavidyāyā udayādviśvātmakasvaśakticakreśatvarūpaṁ māheśvaryamasya sidhyati| Taduktaṁ svacchande
Tasmātsā tu parā vidyā yasmādanyā na vidyate|
Vindate hyatra yugapatsārvajñyādiguṇānparān||
Vedanānādidharmasya paramātmatvabodhanā|
Varjanāparamātmatve tasmādvidyeti socyate||
Tatrastho vyañjayettejaḥ paraṁ paramakāraṇam|
Parasmiṁstejasi vyakte tatrasthaḥ śivatāṁ vrajet||
iti| Tadetat
Didṛkṣayeva sarvārthānyadā vyāpyāvatiṣṭhate|
Tadā kiṁ bahunoktena svayamevāvabhotsyate||
ityanenaiva saṅgṛhītam||21||
However (tu), when (yadā) (such a great Yogī) does not yearn for (anabhilaṣyan) limited (mita) supernatural powers (siddhīḥ), (but) desires (icchati) to expand (himself) --lit. expansion-- (prathām) as the Self (ātma) of the universe (viśva), then (tadā) (there accrues) to him (asya)—
Full acquisition (siddhiḥ) of mastery (īśatva) over the collective group of powers (cakra) (is achieved by the Yogī) through the emergence (udayāt) of Śuddhavidyā (śuddhavidyā)||21||
When (yadā) (the Yogī), with a desire (vāñchayā) to expand (himself) --lit. expansion-- (prathā) as the Self of the universe (vaiśva-ātmya), gets united with (his Will) power through intensive awareness (śaktim sandhatte), then (tadā) by means of the emergence (udayāt) of Śuddhavidyā (śuddhavidyāyāḥ) (appearing as the feeling that) "I (am) (aham eva) all (sarvam iti)", he succeeds in attaining (sidhyati) his (asya) state as Maheśvara, the Great Lord --epithet of Śiva-- (māheśvaryam) in the form (rūpam) of mastery (īśatva) over his own (sva) universal (viśvātmaka) collective group (cakra) of powers (śakti)|1
That (tad) was (also) described (uktam) in Svacchandatantra (svacchande):
"Therefore (tasmāt), since (yasmāt) there is no (na vidyate) other (one) (anyā), She (sā) (is) certainly (tu) the Highest (parā) Vidyā --i.e. divine Knowledge-- (vidyā). Here --when the Highest Vidyā arises-- (atra) indeed (ca) (the Yogī) acquires (vindate) the superior (parān) qualities (guṇān) of omniscience (sārvajñya), etc. (ādi), simultaneously (yugapad). (1) She brings about examination (vedanā) of the beginningless characteristic (of the Lord) --i.e. His absolute Freedom or Svātantrya-- (anādi-dharmasya); (2) arouses and causes to perceive/understand (bodhanā) the state of the Supreme Self (parama-ātmatva); (and) (3) excludes (varjanā) what is not the state of the Supreme Self (a-parama-ātmatve); because of (all) that (tasmāt) She (sā) is called (ucyate) 'Vidyā' (vidyā iti). Established (sthaḥ) there --in the state devoid of mind (unmanā), i.e. in the Supreme Self-- (tatra), he manifests (vyañjayet) the Highest (param) Light (tejas) --viz. the Light of the Lord--, the Supreme (parama) Cause (kāraṇam). The one who is established (sthaḥ) in that (tatra) manifest --vyakta-- (vyakte) Highest --para-- (parasmin) Light --tejas-- (tejasi) attains (vrajet) the state of Śiva (śivatām... iti)"||2
(See IV, 396-397 in Svacchandatantra)
The same thing (tad etad) has been summarized (saṅgṛhītam) by this (anena eva) (stanza in Spandakārikā-s):
"When (yadā) (a Yogī) desiring to see (didṛkṣayā), as it were (iva), all (sarva) objects (arthān), abides (avatiṣṭhate) pervading (vyāpya) (them all), then (tadā), what (is the point) (kim) of saying (uktena) much (about it) (bahunā)? He will perceive or experience (that) (avabhotsyate) by himself (svayam eva... iti)!"||
(See Spandakārikā-s III, 11)
||21||
1 The term Śuddhavidyā is not the fifth tattva or category of the universal manifestation, which is also known as Sadvidyā. Here it means "Pure Knowledge", i.e. the divine consciousness that makes one experience "I am all". This state of realization in which one perceives Śiva in all is also called Śivavyāpti. Having attained such a condition, the great Yogī achieves the state of Śiva and consequently becomes the Master of the entire group of powers that appears as this universe.
2 The meanings of certain technical words here are mostly based on the extensive Kṣemarāja's commentary on Svacchandatantra. For example, he specifies that "vedanā" means in this context "विचारणा" - "vicāraṇā" (pondering, bringing about examination, etc.). Hence my translation was "brings about examination". Other terms such as "bodhanā" includes both the normal translation (the one to be found in dictionaries) and the technical one given by the sage of the secret tradition. So, just trust me, friend, because I know perfectly what I am doing. No cheating, be sure.
Aphorism 22
यदा तु स्वात्मारामतामेवेच्छति तदास्य—
महाह्रदानुसन्धानान्मन्त्रवीर्यानुभवः॥२२॥
परा भट्टारिका संविदिच्छाशक्तिप्रमुखं स्थूलमेयपर्यन्तं विश्वं वमन्ती खेचरीचक्राद्यशेषवाहप्रवर्तकत्वस्वच्छत्वानावृतत्वगभीरत्वादिधर्मयोगान्महाह्रदस्तस्यानुसन्धानाद् अन्तर्मुखतयानारतं तत्तादात्म्यविमर्शनाद्वक्ष्यमाणस्य शब्दराशिस्फारात्मकपराहन्ताविमर्शमयस्य मन्त्रवीर्यस्यानुभवः स्वात्मरूपतया स्फुरणं भवति। अत एव श्रीमालिनीविजये
या सा शक्तिर्जगद्धातुः...।
इत्युपक्रम्येच्छादिप्रमुखपञ्चाशद्भेदरूपतया मातृकामालिनीरूपतामशेषविश्वमयीं शक्तेः प्रदर्श्य तत एव मन्त्रोद्धारो दर्शित इति परैव शक्तिर्महाह्रदस्ततस्तदनुसन्धानान्मातृकामालिनीसतत्त्वमन्त्रवीर्यानुभव इति युक्तमुक्तम्। एतदेव
तदाक्रम्य बलं मन्त्राः...।
इत्याद्युक्त्या भङ्ग्या प्रतिपादितम्।
तदेवं चैतन्यमात्मा (१-१) इत्युपक्रम्य तत्स्वातन्त्र्यावभासिततदख्यातिमयं सर्वमेव बन्धं यथोक्तोद्यमात्मकभैरवसमापत्तिः प्रशमयन्ती विश्वं स्वानन्दामृतमयं करोति सर्वाश्च सिद्धीर्मन्त्रवीर्यानुप्रवेशान्ता ददाति। इति शाम्भवोपायप्रथनात्मायं प्रथम उन्मेष उक्तः। अत्र तु मध्ये शक्तिस्वरूपमुक्तं तत्शाम्भवरूपस्य शक्तिमत्ताप्रदर्शनाभिप्रायेणेति शिवम्॥२२॥
Yadā tu svātmārāmatāmevecchati tadāsya—
Mahāhradānusandhānānmantravīryānubhavaḥ||22||
Parā bhaṭṭārikā saṁvidicchāśaktipramukhaṁ sthūlameyaparyantaṁ viśvaṁ vamantī khecarīcakrādyaśeṣavāhapravartakatvasvacchatvānāvṛtatvagabhīratvādidharmayogānmahāhradastasyānusandhānād antarmukhatayānārataṁ tattādātmyavimarśanādvakṣyamāṇasya śabdarāśisphārātmakaparāhantāvimarśamayasya mantravīryasyānubhavaḥ svātmarūpatayā sphuraṇaṁ bhavati| Ata eva śrīmālinīvijaye
Yā sā śaktirjagaddhātuḥ...|
ityupakramyecchādipramukhapañcāśadbhedarūpatayā mātṛkāmālinīrūpatāmaśeṣaviśvamayīṁ śakteḥ pradarśya tata eva mantroddhāro darśita iti paraiva śaktirmahāhradastatastadanusandhānānmātṛkāmālinīsatattvamantravīryānubhava iti yuktamuktam| Etadeva
Tadākramya balaṁ mantrāḥ...|
ityādyuktyā bhaṅgyā pratipāditam|
Tadevaṁ caitanyamātmā (1-1) ityupakramya tatsvātantryāvabhāsitatadakhyātimayaṁ sarvameva bandhaṁ yathoktodyamātmakabhairavasamāpattiḥ praśamayantī viśvaṁ svānandāmṛtamayaṁ karoti sarvāśca siddhīrmantravīryānupraveśāntā dadāti| Iti śāmbhavopāyaprathanātmāyaṁ prathama unmeṣa uktaḥ| Atra tu madhye śaktisvarūpamuktaṁ tatśāmbhavarūpasya śaktimattāpradarśanābhiprāyeṇeti śivam||22||
But (tu) when (yadā) (the great Yogī) desires (icchati) only (eva) to take delight (ārāmatām) in his own (sva) Self (ātma), then (tadā) he --lit. "his" or "to him"-- (asya)—
By uniting (anusandhānāt) with the Great (mahā) Lake (hrada), (the Yogī has) the experience (anubhavaḥ) of the generative source --virility or potency-- (vīrya) of (all) mantra-s (mantra)||22||
The most venerable (bhaṭṭārikā) Supreme (parā) Consciousness (saṁvid) that emits (vamantī) the universe (viśvam), which begins (pramukham) with the Will (icchā) power (śakti) (and) ends (paryantam) in the gross (sthūla) objects (meya)1 , (is) a Great (mahā) Lake (hradaḥ) due to (its) association (yogāt) with the characteristics (dharma) (of) (1) setting in motion (pravartakatva) all (aśeṣa) the currents or flows (vāha) (such as) the group (cakra) of Khecarī (khecarī), etc. (ādi)2 , (2) being perfectly clear and transparent (svacchatva), (3) not being covered or veiled (anāvṛtatva), (4) being deep (gabhīratva), etc. (ādi). By uniting (anusandhānāt) with that (Great Lake) (tasya), (in other words,) by being internally aware (antarmukhatayā... vimarśanāt) of (one's) ceaseless (anāratam) identity (tādātmya) with it (tad), (then) does shine forth (sphuraṇaṁ bhavati), as a form (rūpatayā) of one's Self (sva-ātma), the experience (anubhavaḥ) of the generative source --virility or potency-- (vīryasya) of (all) mantra-s (mantra) which --the generative source-- is full (mayasya) of the Highest (parā) I-consciousness (ahantā-vimarśa) expanding (sphāra-ātmaka) (in the form) of a multitude (rāśi) of words (śabda)|
For this very reason (atas eva), in venerable (śrī) Mālinīvijaya (mālinīvijaye), beginning with (upakramya):
"She (sā) who (yā) (is) the Power (śaktiḥ) of the Creator (dhātuḥ) of the world (jagat... iti)..."||
(See III, 5 in Mālinīvijaya)
(and) having exhibited (pradarśya) the form (rūpatām) Mātṛkā (and) Mālinī (mātṛkā-mālinī) —which constitutes (mayīm) the entire (aśeṣa) universe (viśva)— of Śakti --the divine Power of the Lord-- (śakteḥ) as composed (rūpatayā) by a variety (bheda) of fifty (letters) (pañcāśat) headed (pramukha) by the Will (power) (icchā), etc. (ādi), it has been shown (darśitaḥ) the emergence (uddhāraḥ) of the mantra --i.e. "Aham" or Supreme I-consciousness-- (mantra) from that (very Śakti) (tatas eva)|3
In this way (iti), the Highest (parā) Śakti (śaktiḥ) Herself (eva) (is) the Great (mahā) Lake (hradaḥ). Therefore (tatas), it has been rightly said (iti yuktam uktam) (that) by getting united (anusandhānāt) with Her (tad) (the Yogī has) the experience (anubhavaḥ) of the generative source --virility or potency-- (vīrya) of (all) mantra-s (mantra) whose natures (satattva) (are) Mātṛkā (and) Mālinī (mātṛkā-mālinī)|
This (etad eva) (was) indirectly (bhaṅgyā) explained (pratipāditam) by the initial (ādi) phrase (uktyā) (of the following aphorism in Spandakārikā-s):
"Grabbing hold (ākramya) of that (tad) Force (balam), the Mantra-s (mantrāḥ)..."||
(See Spandakārikā-s II, 1)
Therefore (tad), having (this scripture) begun (upakramya) thus (evam): "Consciousness which is omniscient and omnipotent (caitanyam) (is) the Self or true nature of Reality (ātmā... iti)" —aphorism 1 of the first Section (1-1)— the acquisition (samāpattiḥ) of Bhairava (bhairava) --i.e. Self-realization-- who is (ātmaka) a sudden flash or elevation of divine Consciousness (udyama), as has been described (in the fifth aphorism) (yathā ukta), extinguishes (praśamayantī) all (sarvam eva) bondage (bandham) consisting of (mayam) ignorance (akhyāti) about That --about Bhairava-- (tad) manifested (avabhāsita) by His (tad) Absolute Freedom (svātantrya). (Such an acquisition of Bhairava) makes (karoti) the universe (viśvam) full (mayam) of Nectar (amṛta) through its own (sva) Bliss (ānanda); and (ca) grants (dadāti) all (sarvāḥ) the supernatural powers and perfections (siddhīḥ) right up to (antāḥ) (one's) entrance (anupraveśa) into the generative source --virility or potency-- (vīrya) of (all) mantra-s (mantra)|
Thus (iti), this (ayam) first (prathamaḥ) Section (unmeṣaḥ) has been described (uktaḥ) as the display (prathana-ātmā) of Śāmbhavopāya --the means pertaining to Śambhu, i.e. Śiva-- (śāmbhava-upāya)|
Nonetheless (tu), here (atra) in between (madhye), the essential nature (sva-rūpam) of Śakti (śakti) was mentioned (uktam). That (tad) (was made) with the purpose (abhiprāyeṇa) of showing (pradarśana) the Power (pratipāditam) related to Śiva (śāmbhava-rūpasya). May there be welfare (for all beings) (iti śivam)!||22||
1 In other words, the universe begins with the third tattva or category (Sadāśiva) and ends in the gross objects composed of Mahābhūta-s (tattva-s 32-36).
2 Khecarī, Gocarī, Dikcarī and Bhūcarī are the groups of powers (śakti-s) referred to. The first group has to do with the limited experient, the second one with his intellect-ego-mind, the third one with his outer senses and the last one with the gross objects (i.e. outer objects).
3 I must explain to you this difficult paragraph to a certain extent. The Sanskrit alphabet is exhibited in two ways: Mātṛkā (and) Mālinī. The former is the regular manner to present it (See Sanskrit alphabet), while the latter is the irregular (or promiscuous) way to do it (See Tantricism). The regular alphabet starts with "a" and ends in "ha", while the irregular one begins with "na" and ends in "pha". Aham (meaning "I") as the mantra of the Supreme I-consciousness denotes that it includes the entire universe (as it includes "a" and "ha", the entire Sanskrit alphabet in its Mātṛkā form). The origin of these two forms to arrange the alphabet comes from two important works sacred to Trika: Svacchandatantra and Mālinīvijaya (also called Mālinīvijayottara). Svacchandatantra only mentions the form Mātṛkā of the alphabet, while Mālinīvijaya encourages the aspirants to use the form Mālinī. The way in which the letters are ordered is very important for the rituals of nyāsa (See Tantric Ritual 1), where every part of the body is associated with a specific Sanskrit letter/sound.
The expression: "—which constitutes the entire universe—" refers to "the form Mātṛkā (and) Mālinī". I had to use two long hyphens for the sake of convenience or the sentence would have been more difficult to be understood than what already is.
Finally, one more thing: Mātṛkā is also known as Pūrvamālinī, while Mālinī is also called Uttaramālinī. OK, enough of revealing these mysteries for now.
End of Section I
इति श्रीमन्महामाहेश्वराचार्याभिनवगुप्तपादपद्मोपजीविश्रीक्षेमराजविरचितायां शिवसूत्रविमर्शिन्यां शाम्भवोपायप्रकाशनं नाम प्रथम उन्मेषः॥१॥
Iti śrīmanmahāmāheśvarācāryābhinavaguptapādapadmopajīviśrīkṣemarājaviracitāyāṁ śivasūtravimarśinyāṁ śāmbhavopāyaprakāśanaṁ nāma prathama unmeṣaḥ||1||
Here ends (iti) the first (prathamaḥ) Section (unmeṣaḥ) called (nāma) Śāmbhavopāyaprakāśana --(the Section) revealing the means that pertains to Śambhu, i.e. Śiva-- (śāmbhava-upāya-prakāśanam), in Śivasūtravimarśinī (śivasūtravimarśinyām) written (viracitāyām) by venerable (śrī) Kṣemarāja (kṣemarāja) dependant (upajīvi) on the lotus feet --i.e. feet beautiful like a lotus-- (pāda-padma) of the eminent (śrīmat) spiritual preceptor (ācārya) Abhinavagupta (abhinavagupta), the great (mahā) devotee of Maheśvara, the Great Lord --epithet of Śiva-- (māheśvara)||1||
Further Information
This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.
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