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Abhinavagupta's Paramārthasāra (Paramarthasara): Stanzas 40 to 43 - Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir
Normal translation
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Introduction
Paramārthasāra continues with four more stanzas. This is the eleventh set of stanzas, which is composed of 4 out of the 105 stanzas constituting the entire work.
Of course, I will also insert the original stanzas on which Yogarāja is commenting. I will write a lot of notes to make this book so understandable to the average reader as possible.
Yogarāja's Sanskrit will be in dark green color while the original Abhinavagupta's stanzas will be shown in dark red color. In turn, within the transliteration, the original stanzas will be in brown color, while the Yogarāja's comments will be shown in black. Also, within the translation, the original stanzas by Abhinavagupta, i.e. Paramārthasāra, will be in green and black colors, while the commentary by Yogarāja will contain words in both black and red colors.
Read Paramārthasāra and experience Supreme Ānanda or Divine Bliss, 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.
Stanza 40
एवं भ्रान्तिद्वयापसारणात्परमेश्वरीभूतस्य योगिनो न किञ्चित्कार्यमवशिष्यते — इत्याह
इत्थं विभ्रमयुगलकसमूलविच्छेदने कृतार्थस्य।
कर्तव्यान्तरकलना न जातु परयोगिनो भवति॥४०॥
इत्थं कारिकार्थप्रतिपादितप्रकारेण भ्रान्तिद्वयस्य प्ररोहविदारणे कृतार्थस्य स्वस्वातन्त्र्यस्य परिज्ञप्तेरशेषसङ्कोचविदलनात्कृतः प्राप्तोऽर्थः पुरुषार्थलाभो येन तस्य प्रकृष्टयोगयुक्तस्य न कदाचित्कर्तव्यान्तरस्य तीर्थाटनक्षेत्रपरिग्रहदीक्षाजपध्यानव्याख्याश्रवणादिरूपस्य कार्यशेषस्य कलना मनोव्यापारोऽपि न विद्यते
अयमेव परो धर्मो यद्योगेनात्मदर्शनम्।
इति हि स्वात्मयोगस्य प्राधान्यमतस्तत्प्राप्त्या नान्यत्र परिश्रमः पूर्णयोगिनः। यदुक्तम्
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति।
तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च॥
इति गीतासु॥४०॥
Evaṁ bhrāntidvayāpasāraṇātparameśvarībhūtasya yogino na kiñcitkāryamavaśiṣyate — Ityāha
Itthaṁ vibhramayugalakasamūlavicchedane kṛtārthasya|
Kartavyāntarakalanā na jātu parayogino bhavati||40||
Itthaṁ kārikārthapratipāditaprakāreṇa bhrāntidvayasya prarohavidāraṇe kṛtārthasya svasvātantryasya parijñapteraśeṣasaṅkocavidalanātkṛtaḥ prāpto'rthaḥ puruṣārthalābho yena tasya prakṛṣṭayogayuktasya na kadācitkartavyāntarasya tīrthāṭanakṣetraparigrahadīkṣājapadhyānavyākhyāśravaṇādirūpasya kāryaśeṣasya kalanā manovyāpāro'pi na vidyate
Ayameva paro dharmo yadyogenātmadarśanam|
Iti hi svātmayogasya prādhānyamatastatprāptyā nānyatra pariśramaḥ pūrṇayoginaḥ| Yaduktam
Yadā te mohakalilaṁ buddhirvyatitariṣyati|
Tadā gantāsi nirvedaṁ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca||
Iti gītāsu||40||
Thus (evam), (Abhinavagupta) said (in the stanza 40 that) (āha), by the removal (apasāraṇāt) of the two (dvaya) confusions (bhrānti), nothing (na kiñcid) is left (avaśiṣyate) to be done (kāryam) for the Yogī (yoginaḥ) who has become the Supreme Lord (parama-īśvarī-bhūtasya... iti):
In this way (ittham), on the complete removal (samūla-vicchedane) of the pair (yugalaka) of confusions (vibhrama), there is never (na jātu... bhavati) mental activity (kalanā) with reference to another (antara) task to be done (kartavya) in the case of the Supreme Yogī (para-yoginaḥ) who has attained the Goal (kṛta-arthasya) ||40||
(The terms) "kṛta (and) artha" (kṛtaḥ... arthaḥ) (mean) "attained" (prāptaḥ) (and) "the Goal of human existence" (puruṣa-artha) (respectively) --therefore, a "kṛtārtha" is one who has attained the Goal of human existence--. In this way (ittham) —i.e. in the way (prakāreṇa) explained (pratipādita) by the meaning (artha) of the (present) aphorism (kārikā)—, on the crushing (vidāraṇe) of the shoot (praroha) (known as) the two confusions (bhrānti-dvayasya) (there is) attainment (lābhaḥ) of the Goal of human existence (puruṣa-artha) as a result (yena) in the case of a "kṛtārtha" (kṛta-arthasya), viz. in the case of one who has realized (parijñapteḥ) his own Absolute Freedom (sva-svātantryasya) by tearing asunder (vidalanāt) all (aśeṣa) (his) limitations (saṅkoca). For the one who is absorbed in the superior Yoga (tasya prakṛṣṭa-yoga-yuktasya), there is --lit. there is not-- (na vidyate) never (na kadācid... api) "kalanā" (kalanā) (or) mental activity (manas-vyāpāraḥ) with reference to "kartavyāntara" (kartavya-antarasya), i.e. with reference to some other task that is left to be done (kārya-śeṣasya) such as (rūpasya), (for example,) going (aṭana) to a place of pilgrimage (tīrtha), taking up residence (parigraha) in a sacred region (kṣetra), initiation (dīkṣā), muttering of a mantra (japa), meditation (dhyāna), listening to (śravaṇa) expositions (about spirituality) (vyākhyā). Supremacy (prādhānyam) of the Yoga (yogasya) of one's own (sva) Self (ātma) (has been) undoubtedly (hi) (shown in the following passage:)
"This (ayam) (is) certainly (eva) the highest (paraḥ) dharma or duty (dharmaḥ): To see (darśanam) the Self (ātma) by His (yad) Yoga (yogena... iti)".
For this reason (atas), after having obtained (prāptyā) that (type of Yoga) (tad) there is no (na) fatiguing occupation (pariśramaḥ) with anything else (anyatra) in the case of the perfect Yogī (pūrṇa-yoginaḥ) --i.e. the perfect Yogī does not any longer occupy with any other fatiguing task--.
As has been said (yad uktam) in the verses of the Bhagavadgītā (gītāsu):
"When (yadā) your (te) intelligence (buddhiḥ) will pass completely across (vyatitariṣyati) the thicket (kalilam) of delusion (moha), then (tadā) you will get to a state of indifference (gantāsi nirvedam) to what must be heard (śrotavyasya) and (ca) what has been heard (śrutasya... iti)".
||40||
Without notes of explanation yet
Stanza 41
सम्प्रति पृथिव्यादिमायान्तस्य भेदावभासभाजो विश्वस्य भेदाभेदमयशाक्तभूमिकावेशेन पूर्णप्रकाशानन्दघनशाम्भवपदसमापत्त्या भेदविलायनेन तदभेदमयताप्राप्तिमभिधाय ततः शाम्भवात्पदात्सम्पूर्णसुधाम्भोधिकल्पान्महाप्रवाहदेशीयशाक्तप्रसरोल्लासप्रमुखं तत्तत्तरङ्गभङ्गिरूपतामभिदधत्स्वानुभवसिद्धं महामन्त्रवीर्यसारं समस्तभेदविलायनपरमाद्वयोदयं नरशक्तिशिवसामरस्यात्मकं परसंविद्धृदयं क्रमेणोन्मीलयिष्यन्विश्वस्यागमिकाण्डत्रयात्मतासङ्कलनयुक्त्यैकीकारं तावदाह
पृथिवी प्रकृतिर्माया त्रितयमिदं वेद्यरूपतापतितम्।
अद्वैतभावनबलाद्भवति हि सन्मात्रपरिशेषम्॥४१॥
पार्थिवप्राकृतमायीयाण्डात्मकं यत्स्थूलसूक्ष्मपररूपं त्रिविधं वेद्यरूपतापतितं ज्ञानगोचरतां प्राप्तम्
तत्तद्रूपतया ज्ञानं बहिरन्तः प्रकाशते।
ज्ञानादृते नार्थसत्ता ज्ञानरूपं ततो जगत्॥
नहि ज्ञानादृते भावाः केनचिद्विषयीकृताः।
ज्ञानं तदात्मतां यातमेतस्मादवसीयते॥
इति श्रीकालिकाक्रमोक्तन्यायेन यद् अद्वैतभावनं तद्बलात् — तत्प्रकर्षात्सन्मात्रपरिशेषं प्रकाशमानतात्मकसत्तामात्रात्मकं भवति। हिर्यस्मादर्थे॥४१॥
Samprati pṛthivyādimāyāntasya bhedāvabhāsabhājo viśvasya bhedābhedamayaśāktabhūmikāveśena pūrṇaprakāśānandaghanaśāmbhavapadasamāpattyā bhedavilāyanena tadabhedamayatāprāptimabhidhāya tataḥ śāmbhavātpadātsampūrṇasudhāmbhodhikalpānmahāpravāhadeśīyaśāktaprasarollāsapramukhaṁ tattattaraṅgabhaṅgirūpatāmabhidadhatsvānubhavasiddhaṁ mahāmantravīryasāraṁ samastabhedavilāyanaparamādvayodayaṁ naraśaktiśivasāmarasyātmakaṁ parasaṁviddhṛdayaṁ krameṇonmīlayiṣyanviśvasyāgamikāṇḍatrayātmatāsaṅkalanayuktyaikīkāraṁ tāvadāha
Pṛthivī prakṛtirmāyā tritayamidaṁ vedyarūpatāpatitam|
Advaitabhāvanabalādbhavati hi sanmātrapariśeṣam||41||
Pārthivaprākṛtamāyīyāṇḍātmakaṁ yatsthūlasūkṣmapararūpaṁ trividhaṁ vedyarūpatāpatitaṁ jñānagocaratāṁ prāptam
Tattadrūpatayā jñānaṁ bahirantaḥ prakāśate|
Jñānādṛte nārthasattā jñānarūpaṁ tato jagat||
Nahi jñānādṛte bhāvāḥ kenacidviṣayīkṛtāḥ|
Jñānaṁ tadātmatāṁ yātametasmādavasīyate||
Iti śrīkālikākramoktanyāyena yad advaitabhāvanaṁ tadbalāt — Tatprakarṣātsanmātrapariśeṣaṁ prakāśamānatātmakasattāmātrātmakaṁ bhavati| Hiryasmādarthe||41||
Now (samprati), after explaining (abhidhāya) the achievement (prāptim) of identification (abheda-mayatā) with Him (tad) as a destruction (vilāyanena) of duality (bheda) through an absorption (samāpattyā) in the State (pada) of Śambhu --i.e. Śiva-- (śāmbhava) that is a compact mass (ghana) of perfect (pūrṇa) Light (prakāśa) (and) Bliss (ānanda) (accompanied) by the entrance (veśena) of the universe (viśvasya) —which starts with (ādi) (the) Pṛthivī (egg) (pṛthivī) (and) ends in (antasya) (the) Māyā (egg) (māyā), (and) which is a receptacle (bhājaḥ) for the manifestation (avabhāsa) of duality (bheda)— into the Śakti's stage --the Śakti egg-- (śākta-bhūmikā) that is full of (maya) non-duality --unity-- (abheda) in duality --diversity-- (bheda), that which mainly (pramukham) appears (ullāsa) as a stream (prasara) of Śakti (śākta) resembling (deśīya) a great (mahā) river (pravāha) from that (tataḥ) State (padāt) of Śambhu --i.e. Śiva-- (śāmbhavāt) —which is like (kalpāt) an ocean (ambhodhi) totally full of (sampūrṇa) Nectar (sudhā)— is described --lit. denoting-- (abhidadhat) as having a form (rūpatām) endowed with the appearance of (bhaṅgi) multiple (tad-tad) waves (taraṅga). (And Abhinavagupta,) wishing gradually to show (krameṇa unmīlayiṣyan) that the Heart (hṛdayam) of the Supreme (para) Consciousness (saṁvid), as proved (siddham) by one's own (sva) experience (anuvabha), (consists of:) (1) "an equilibrium (sāmarasya-ātmakam) of Śiva (śiva), Śakti (śakti) (and) nara --the limited individual-- (nara)", (2) "an emergence (udayam) of supreme (parama) non-dualism (advaya) which completely destroys (samasta... vilāyana) duality (bheda)" (and) (3) "the essence (sāram) of the great (mahā) generative source --virility or potency-- (vīrya) of (all) mantra-s (mantra)", (he) firstly (tāvat) expressed (āha) the unity (ekīkāram) of the universe (viśvasya) by means of (yuktyā) the combination (saṅkalana) of the triad (traya-ātmatā) of eggs (aṇḍa) such as (that triad is) declared in the revealed scriptures --the sacred 64 Bhairavatantra-s-- (āgamikā):
Pṛthivī (pṛthivī), Prakṛti (prakṛtiḥ) (and) Māyā (māyā)... this (idam) triad (of eggs) (tritayam) that was in (patitam) the form (rūpatā) of knowables --objects-- (vedya), by force of (balāt) the contemplation (bhāvana) on the Non-dual One --Lord Śiva-- (advaita), becomes (bhavati) as a result (hi) a remnant (pariśeṣam) that is only (mātra) Being (sat)||41||
(Before the achievement of Final Liberation produced by the Grace of the Lord, the universe) which (yad) consisted of (ātmaka) the eggs (aṇḍa) of Pṛthivī, Prakṛti (and) Māyā (pārthiva-prākṛta-māyīya) (was) triple (trividham) —gross, subtle and higher (sthūla-sūkṣma-para-rūpam)— (and) was in (patitam) the form (rūpatā) of knowables --objects-- (vedya), i.e. it remained in the sphere (gocaratām prāptam) of knowledge --also called "consciousness" in the Tantra-s-- (jñāna).
"Consciousness (jñāna) shines --becomes manifest-- (prakāśate) inside (antar) (and) outside (bahis) in various ways (tad-tad-rūpatayā) --e.g. inside like pleasure, outside like a pot, etc.--. There is no (na) existence (sattā) of objects (artha) without (ṛte) consciousness (jñānāt). Therefore (tatas), the world (jagat) (is) a form (rūpam) of consciousness (jñāna). Without (ṛte) consciousness (jñānāt), the objects (bhāvāḥ) are not (na hi) perceived (viṣayīkṛtāḥ) by anybody (kenacid). Consciousness (jñānam) has become (yātam) the nature (ātmatām) of those (objects) (tad), (and) through it (etasmāt) (each one of them) is ascertained and clearly distinguished (avasīyate... iti)".
According to the axiom (nyāyena) expressed (ukta) by venerable Kālikākrama (śrī-kālikākrama) --in the above stanza--, that (universe consisting of three eggs) (yad), (by force of) contemplation (bhāvanam) on the Non-dual One (advaita), i.e. by His force or intensity (tad-balāt... tad-prakarṣāt), becomes (bhavati) a remnant (pariśeṣam) that is only (mātra) Being (sat), viz. (it turns into something) which is only (mātra-ātmakam) Existence (sattā) consisting of (ātmaka) the state of becoming manifest --the state of being Light-- (prakāśamānatā).
(The term) "hi" (in the stanza) (hiḥ) (is used) in the sense of (arthe) "as a result" --lit. from which, from which cause-- (yasmāt)||41||
Without notes of explanation yet
Stanza 42
एतदेव भेदस्यावास्तवत्वप्रतिपादनाभिप्रायेणोपपादयति
रशनाकुण्डलकटकं भेदत्यागेन दृश्यते यथा हेम।
तद्वद्भेदत्यागे सन्मात्रं सर्वमाभाति॥४२॥
यथा किल सौवर्णं रशनाद्याभरणं सुवर्णार्थिनो रशनाविशेषपरिहारेण हेममात्रतयैवाभाति हेमरजतकांस्यताम्रनागादि तावन्मात्रार्थिनो लोहरूपतया तद्वत्सर्वमिदं त्यक्तहानादानादिविकल्पकलङ्कस्याविकल्पप्रतिभासमात्रनिष्ठस्य योगिनो
रूपादिषु परिणामात्तत्सिद्धिः।
इति भट्टश्रीकल्लटोक्तनीत्या भेदत्यागे सति सन्मात्रं सत्तामात्रात्मकमाभाति॥४२॥
Etadeva bhedasyāvāstavatvapratipādanābhiprāyeṇopapādayati
Raśanākuṇḍalakaṭakaṁ bhedatyāgena dṛśyate yathā hema|
Tadvadbhedatyāge sanmātraṁ sarvamābhāti||42||
Yathā kila sauvarṇaṁ raśanādyābharaṇaṁ suvarṇārthino raśanāviśeṣaparihāreṇa hemamātratayaivābhāti hemarajatakāṁsyatāmranāgādi tāvanmātrārthino loharūpatayā tadvatsarvamidaṁ tyaktahānādānādivikalpakalaṅkasyāvikalpapratibhāsamātraniṣṭhasya yogino
Rūpādiṣu pariṇāmāttatsiddhiḥ|
Iti bhaṭṭaśrīkallaṭoktanītyā bhedatyāge sati sanmātraṁ sattāmātrātmakamābhāti||42||
(Abhinavagupta) presents (upapādayati) (the stanza 42) with the purpose (abhiprāyeṇa) of explaining (pratipādana) unreality (avāstavatva) of dualism (bhedasya):
A girdle (raśanā), an earring (kuṇḍala), a bracelet (kaṭakam)... by abandoning duality (with respect to that group of objects made of gold) (bheda-tyāgena), (it) is seen (dṛśyate) (only) as (yathā) gold (hema). Likewise (tadvat), when duality is abandoned (regarding the universe) (bheda-tyāge), all (sarvam) appears (ābhāti) only (mātram) as Being (sat)||42||
Just as (yathā) an ornament (ābharaṇam) made of gold (sauvarṇam) (such as) a girdle (raśanā), etc. (ādi or ādya) appears (ābhāti) only as (mātrataya eva) gold (hema) to someone desiring (arthinaḥ) gold (suvarṇa) irrespective of (parihāreṇa) the specific characteristics (viśeṣa) of the girdle (raśanā); (or just as) gold (hema), silver (rajata), bronze (kāṁsya), copper (tāmra), lead (nāga), etc. (ādi) (appear only) as (rūpatayā) metal (loha) to someone desiring (arthinaḥ) so much (variety) (tāvat-mātra), in the same way (tadvat) all (sarvam) this (idam) --i.e. the universe-- (appears) to the Yogī (yoginaḥ) who having renounced all stains (tyakta... kalaṅkasya) (in the form of) thoughts (vikalpa) related to the acts of abandoning (hāna), taking (ādāna), etc. (ādi) is devoted (niṣṭhasya) only to (mātra) the appearance (pratibhāsa) of the thoughtless state (avikalpa).
"Perfection (siddhiḥ) regarding that --regarding the development of madhyaśakti-- (tad) (is accomplished) by a transformation (of one's own consciousness) (pariṇāmāt) (even) in the presence of forms, etc. (rūpa-ādiṣu... iti)".
According to the (above) axiom (nītyā) declared (ukta) by most venerable (bhaṭṭaśrī) Kallaṭa (kallaṭa), when there is an abandoning of duality (bheda-tyāge sati) (regarding the universe, it --the universe--) appears (ābhāti) only (mātram) as Being (sat), i.e. only (mātra-ātmakam) as Existence (sattā)||42||.
Without notes of explanation yet
Stanza 43
तदियतः सर्वस्य सङ्कोचावभासपरित्यागादागमप्रसिद्ध्या नररूपस्य शाक्तरूपोपारोहं मन्त्रसम्प्रदायं कटाक्षयन्नभिदधाति
तद्ब्रह्म परं शुद्धं शान्तमभेदात्मकं समं सकलम्।
अमृतं सत्यं शक्तौ विश्राम्यति भास्वरूपायाम्॥४३॥
तद् एतत्सत्तामात्रात्मकं सर्वं बृहत्त्वात्ब्रह्म। यदाहुः श्रुत्यन्तविदः
सदेवेदं सोम्य अग्र आसीत्।
इति पूर्णत्वात्परं हेयोपादेयभावात्शुद्धं पृथक्त्वोपशमात्शान्तमत एवाभेदात्मकं प्रकर्षापकर्षाभावात्समम्
प्रदेशोऽपि ब्रह्मणः सार्वरूप्यमनतिक्रान्तश्चाविकल्प्यश्च।
इति स्थित्या सकलमत एवामृतमविनाशि
सत्यासत्यौ तु यौ भागौ प्रतिभावं व्यवस्थितौ।
सत्यं यत्तत्र सा जातिरसत्या व्यक्तयः स्थिताः॥
इति।
यदादौ च यदन्ते च यन्मध्ये तस्य सत्यता।
इति तत्रभवद्भर्तृहरिनिरूपितनीत्या सत्यं तदेव सत्तामात्रात्मकमेतत्सर्वं भास्वरूपायामिच्छाज्ञानक्रियारूपशक्तिसामरस्यात्मिकायां परस्यां शक्तौ विश्राम्यति
संविन्निष्ठा विषयव्यवस्थितिः।
इति स्थित्या तन्मयीभवतीति।
अथ च शान्तं शकारस्यान्ते यन्मूर्धन्यरूपं ततः परं यद् अमृतममृतबीजात्मकं ब्रह्म सन्मात्रात्मकं सादाख्यपदस्पर्शात्शुद्धमत एवाहमिदं सर्वमिति सर्वसमरसीकरणात्समं सकलं चातश्चाख्यातिगलनात्सत्यम्। यदादिष्टं भगवता
तृतीयं ब्रह्म सुश्रोणि...।
इति श्रीत्रिंशिकायाम्। तदिदममृतीभावावमृष्टं सदाशिवपदोपारूढमेतद्विश्वात्मकं ब्रह्म प्रागुक्तायां शक्तौ विश्राम्यति॥४३॥
Tadiyataḥ sarvasya saṅkocāvabhāsaparityāgādāgamaprasiddhyā nararūpasya śāktarūpopārohaṁ mantrasampradāyaṁ kaṭākṣayannabhidadhāti
Tadbrahma paraṁ śuddhaṁ śāntamabhedātmakaṁ samaṁ sakalam|
Amṛtaṁ satyaṁ śaktau viśrāmyati bhāsvarūpāyām||43||
Tad etatsattāmātrātmakaṁ sarvaṁ bṛhattvātbrahma| Yadāhuḥ śrutyantavidaḥ
Sadevedaṁ somya agra āsīt|
Iti pūrṇatvātparaṁ heyopādeyabhāvātśuddhaṁ pṛthaktvopaśamātśāntamata evābhedātmakaṁ prakarṣāpakarṣābhāvātsamam
Pradeśo'pi brahmaṇaḥ sārvarūpyamanatikrāntaścāvikalpyaśca|
Iti sthityā sakalamata evāmṛtamavināśi
Satyāsatyau tu yau bhāgau pratibhāvaṁ vyavasthitau|
Satyaṁ yattatra sā jātirasatyā vyaktayaḥ sthitāḥ||
Iti|
Yadādau ca yadante ca yanmadhye tasya satyatā|
Iti tatrabhavadbhartṛharinirūpitanītyā satyaṁ tadeva sattāmātrātmakametatsarvaṁ bhāsvarūpāyāmicchājñānakriyārūpaśaktisāmarasyātmikāyāṁ parasyāṁ śaktau viśrāmyati
Saṁvinniṣṭhā viṣayavyavasthitiḥ|
Iti sthityā tanmayībhavatīti|
Atha ca śāntaṁ śakārasyānte yanmūrdhanyarūpaṁ tataḥ paraṁ yad amṛtamamṛtabījātmakaṁ brahma sanmātrātmakaṁ sādākhyapadasparśātśuddhamata evāhamidaṁ sarvamiti sarvasamarasīkaraṇātsamaṁ sakalaṁ cātaścākhyātigalanātsatyam| Yadādiṣṭaṁ bhagavatā
Tṛtīyaṁ brahma suśroṇi...|
Iti śrītriṁśikāyām| Tadidamamṛtībhāvāvamṛṣṭaṁ sadāśivapadopārūḍhametadviśvātmakaṁ brahma prāguktāyāṁ śaktau viśrāmyati||43||
(Abhinavagupta, in the stanza 43,) indirectly mentions (kaṭa-akṣayan abhidadhāti) the Mantra (mantra) tradition (sampradāyam) that deals with an ascent to (upāroham) the nature (rūpa) of Śakti (śākta) on the part of the one(s) endowed with a human form (nara-rūpasya), (which is achieved) by completely renouncing (parityāgāt) the manifestation (avabhāsa) of limitations (saṅkoca) in everyone (sarvasya) who is delimited (iyataḥ) by that (human form) (tad), (the entire process being carried out) according to the arguments (prasiddhyā) presented by the revealed scriptures (āgama):
That (tad) Brahma (brahma) (who is) Supreme (param), Pure (śuddham), Calm (śāntam), Non-dual (abheda-ātmakam), Homogeneous (samam), Complete (sakalam), Immortal (amṛtam) (and) Real (satyam) rests (viśrāmyati) on Śakti or Power (śaktau) whose nature (sva-rūpāyām) is Brightness (bhā)||43||
(The expression) "tadbrahma" --"That Brahma"-- (tad... brahma) (denotes) all (sarvam) this (etad) who is (ātmakam) only (mātra) Existence (sattā) because of His Immensity (bṛhattvāt).
As (yad) the knowers (vidaḥ) of Vedānta (śrutyanta) said (āhuḥ):
"In the beginning (agre), my dear (somya), this --i.e. the universe-- (idam) was (āsīt) only (eva) Sat --Being-- (sat... iti)".
(Brahma is) Supreme (param) since He is Full (pūrṇatvāt), (and) Pure (śuddham) because (He is) beyond (param) the feeling (bhāvāt) of acceptance (upādeya) (and) rejection (heya). (He is) Calm (śāntam) due to the cessation (in Him) (upaśamāt) of differentiation (pṛthaktva), (and) for this very reason (atas eva) (He is said to be) Non-dual (abheda-ātmakam). (He is) Homogeneous (samam) on account of the absence (in Him) of (abhāvāt) superiority (prakarṣa) (and) inferiority (apakarṣa). (And,) according to the maxim (sthityā):
"Even (api) a (small) region (pradeśaḥ) of Brahma (brahmaṇaḥ) has all the forms --i.e. it is omnipresent-- (sārvarūpyam), cannot be surpassed (anatikrāntaḥ) and (ca... ca) is beyond thought (avikalpyaḥ... iti)".
(He is) Complete --He contains all the parts-- (sakalam). Hence (atas eva), (He is also called) Immortal (amṛtam) (or) Imperishable (avināśi).
"The two portions (bhāgau) that (yau) are composed of what is real and what is unreal (satya-asatyau) stand (vyavasthitau) in a state of mutual correspondence (pratibhāvam) indeed (tu). What (yad) is real (satyam) there --in that duo-- (tatra) (is) the class (sā jātiḥ) (while) the individuals (vyaktayaḥ) remain (sthitāḥ) as unreal (asatyāḥ... iti)".
"Reality (satyatā) does belong to That (tasya) which (yad... yad... yad) (exists) in the beginning (ādau), in the end (ante) and (ca... ca) in the middle (madhye... iti)".
According to the axiom (nītyā) defined (nirūpita) by most venerable (tatrabhavat) Bhartṛhari (bhartṛhari) --the celebrated grammarian-- (in the above two stanzas), what is Real (satyam) (is like that, as pointed out in such stanzas). (And) That Itself --i.e. what is Real-- (tad eva), which (is) all (sarvam) this (idam) consisting of (ātmakam) Existence (sattā) alone (mātra), rests (viśrāmyati) on the Highest Śakti or Power (parasyām śaktau) whose nature (sva-rūpāyām) is Brightness (bhā), i.e. whose essence (ātmikāyām) is an equilibrium (sāmarasya) between the Powers (śakti) of Will, Knowledge and Action (icchā-jñāna-kriyā-rūpa). According to the maxim (sthityā):
"The state that remains (vyavasthitiḥ) (in the form of) objects (viṣaya) --viz. Sat or Being-- rests (niṣṭhā) on Pure Consciousness (saṁvid... iti) --i.e. on Śakti--".
(such state that remains in the form of objects --Sat or Being, i.e. That which is Real--) is (bhavati) full of (mayī) Her --of Śakti-- (tad... iti).
Moreover (atha ca), (that Brahma is) "Śānta" or "Calm" (śāntam) (since) He has the form (rūpam) of the letter reverberating in the head (mūrdhanya) in that (word) (yad), i.e. (He has the form of the letter "n" situated) at the end --after-- (ante) the letter (kārasya) "śa" (śa). After (param) that (tatas), (this) Brahma (brahma), who (yad) (is said to be) "Amṛta" or "Immortal" (amṛtam) —(as) He is constituted by (ātmakam) the seed letters (bīja) known as "Amṛta" or "Imperishable" --the four vowels ṛ, ṝ, ḷ and ḹ-- (amṛta)— (and who) consists of (ātmakam) only (mātra) Sat or Being (sat), (is also called) "Pure" (śuddham) because of His touching (sparśāt) the state (pada) of Sādākhya --Sadāśiva, the third tattva or category-- (sādākhya). From this very cause (atas eva), (Brahma is said to be) "Homogeneous" (samam) and (ca) "Complete" (sakalam) since He produces the equilibrium (samarasī-karaṇāt) of all (sarva) (in the form of the experience that:) "I (aham) (am) all (sarvam) this (idam... iti)". And (ca) due to this (atas), (Brahma is also known as) "Real" (satyam) (as He remains) after the falling off or disappearance (galanāt) of the primordial ignorance --Āṇavamala-- (akhyāti).
As (yad) has been indicated (ādiṣṭam) by the Fortunate One (Himself) --Śiva-- (bhagavatā) in venerable Parātrīśikā --the last portion of Rudrayāmalatantra-- (śrī-triṁśikāyām):
"Oh You, the One with beautiful hips (suśroṇi)!, the third (tṛtīyam) Brahma (brahma... iti)...".
(All in all,) that very (tad idam) Brahma (brahma) who is constituted by (ātmakam) this (etad) universe (viśva), who reaches (upārūḍham) the condition (pada) of Sadāśiva (sadāśiva) (and) who is (as a result) touched (avamṛṣṭa) by the state of being Immortal (amṛtī-bhāva), rests (viśrāmyati) on the Śakti or Power (śaktau) who has been previously described (prāk-uktāyām)||43||.
Without notes of explanation yet
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