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 Tantrāloka (Tantraloka): Chapter 1 - stanzas 1 to 150 - Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir

Vijñānabhit - «The different kinds of knowledge/consciousness»


 Introduction

photo 23 - shrine on the mountainsThis is the first set of stanzas (from the stanza 1 to the stanza 150) of the first chapter (called Vijñānabhit).

This work was written by the great Master Abhinavagupta and is a compendium of Tantra in all its facets. Tantrāloka is the most important and voluminous work of the greatest Trika Master. Abhinavagupta was also the teacher of eminent Kṣemarāja and lived about 975-1025 AD in Kashmir.

This treatise whose name is Tantrāloka is a complete encyclopedia of Tantra. Since it is a very advanced text in Trika Shaivism, there is no surprise if a neophyte finds it difficult to understand. To start to understand it, the level of the reader must be the one of a real disciple in Trika Shaivism. If this requirement is not met, then there will be a lot of confusion and constant disappointment. Because in spite of my great efforts to explain the things so easily as possible, to study this treatise requires some spiritual caliber. In this system, sometimes it is not possible even to write about certain topics due to the extreme limitation of the words. Because in the end, all this knowledge has to do with 'states', and it is extremely difficult to write about 'states' in a precise way. Abhinavagupta has done his best to accomplish this formidable task of writing about what is superior and intangible. Anyway, despite his incredible skills to carry out this, he is not revealing everything. It is not because he is all the time hiding things from the reader, but because he is sometimes hiding and on other occasions he just cannot write about some extremely subtle topics because of the limitation of the words.

Goal of life is Liberation. Man has searched for freedom always in human history, but according to Trika Shaivism that is not real Liberation. Real Liberation does not mean that your body should be free from some prison and things like that. Real Liberation amounts to attaining His Svātantrya or Absolute Freedom. When the Great Lord's Svātantrya is achieved, then you see unity in all the things, i.e. you stop seeing duality as before. All is forever identified with Svātantrya, with Him, and that is the end of the story called 'you in bondage'. From this point on nothing will get in your way, because if something apparently gets in your way, that is Svātantrya again. This constant awareness of unity in all is real Freedom. There is no other attainment greater than this!

Keeping the above in mind, now read Tantrāloka 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.

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 Stanzas 1 to 11

अथ श्रीतन्त्रालोके प्रथममाह्निकम्।
Atha śrītantrāloke prathamamāhnikam|

Here begins (atha) the first (prathamam) chapter (āhnikam) in venerable Tantrāloka (śrī-tantrāloke)|

विमलकलाश्रयाभिनवसृष्टिमहा जननी भरिततनुश्च पञ्चमुखगुप्तरुचिर्जनकः।
तदुभययामलस्फुरितभावविसर्गमयं हृदयमनुत्तरामृतकुलं मम संस्फुरतात्॥१॥

Vimalakalāśrayābhinavasṛṣṭimahā jananī bharitatanuśca pañcamukhaguptarucirjanakaḥ|
Tadubhayayāmalasphuritabhāvavisargamayaṁ hṛdayamanuttarāmṛtakulaṁ mama saṁsphuratāt||1||

The Mother --i.e. Śakti-- (jananī) (is) the One whose Might (mahā) (expresses itself) as the ever-new (abhinava) manifestation (sṛṣṭi) which rests on (āśraya) the Stainless (vimala) Absolute Freedom (kalā), and (ca) the Father --i.e. Śiva-- (janakaḥ) (is) the One whose Body (tanuḥ) is Full (bharita) (and) who has a secret (gupta) zest (ruciḥ) (for the aforesaid ever-new manifestation, which is carried out) by His five (pañca) Faces (mukha) --the five Powers of Consciousness, Bliss, Will, Knowledge and Action--. (May) my (mama) Heart --Bliss that comes from perceiving the universe as the Self-- (hṛdayam), which is full of (mayam) the Emission (visarga) of the State (bhāva) displayed (sphurita) by that (divine) Pair (tad-ubhaya-yāmala) (and) which is the Seat (kulam) of the Nectar (amṛta) of Anuttara --the Highest Reality-- (anuttara), become expanded (saṁsphuratāt)! --there is a second interpretation of some terms of this first stanza, which will explain in depth when I add my comments--||1||


नौमि चित्प्रतिभां देवीं परां भैरवयोगिनीम्।
मातृमानप्रमेयांशशूलाम्बुजकृतास्पदां॥२॥

Naumi citpratibhāṁ devīṁ parāṁ bhairavayoginīm|
Mātṛmānaprameyāṁśaśūlāmbujakṛtāspadāṁ||2||

I praise (naumi) the Splendor of Consciousness (cit-pratibhām), to the Supreme Goddess (devīm parām), to the Yoginī of Bhairava (bhairava-yoginīm), to the One who has taken up seat on the lotus whose (three) prongs (stand for) the pramātā --knower--, pramāna --cognitive process/cognition-- and prameya --knowable-- portions (mātṛ-māna-prameya-aṁśa-śūla-ambuja-kṛtāspadām)||2||


नौमि देवीं शरीरस्थां नृत्यतो भैरवाकृतेः।
प्रावृण्मेघघनव्योमविद्युल्लेखाविलासिनीम्॥३॥

Naumi devīṁ śarīrasthāṁ nṛtyato bhairavākṛteḥ|
Prāvṛṇmeghaghanavyomavidyullekhāvilāsinīm||3||

I praise (naumi) to the (nonSupreme) Goddess (devīm) who stays in the Body (śarīra-sthām) of the Dancer (nṛtyataḥ), i.e. in the Body of Bhairava (bhairava-ākṛteḥ), who shines (vilāsinīm) like a streak of lightning (vidyullekhā) in the sky (vyoma) (full of) a compact mass (ghana) of clouds (megha) during the rainy season (prāvṛṣ)||3||


दीप्तज्योतिश्छटाप्लुष्टभेदबन्धत्रयं स्फुरत्।
स्ताज्ज्ञानशूलं सत्पक्षविपक्षोत्कर्तनक्षमम्॥४॥

Dīptajyotiśchaṭāpluṣṭabhedabandhatrayaṁ sphurat|
Stājjñānaśūlaṁ satpakṣavipakṣotkartanakṣamam||4||

Let the Trident of Knowledge --i.e. the Parāparā or Supreme nonSupreme Goddess-- continue (stāt jñānaśūlam) to vibrate and shine (sphurat) with the three dualistic (kinds of) bondage scorched by the Splendor of Its radiant Light (dīpta-jyotis-chaṭā-pluṣṭa-bheda-bandha-trayam), (and let It be) able to cut to pieces the enemies of Jagadānanda --the Bliss of realizing that the entire universe is the Supreme Śiva-- (satpakṣa-vipakṣa-utkartana-kṣamam)!||4||


स्वातन्त्र्यशक्तिः क्रमसंसिसृक्षा क्रमात्मता चेति विभोर्विभूतिः।
तदेव देवीत्रयमन्तरास्तामनुत्तरं मे प्रथयत्स्वरूपम्॥५॥

Svātantryaśaktiḥ kramasaṁsisṛkṣā kramātmatā ceti vibhorvibhūtiḥ|
Tadeva devītrayamantarāstāmanuttaraṁ me prathayatsvarūpam||5||

The Power (vibhūtiḥ) of the All-pervading (Śiva) (vibhoḥ) (is triple:) 'Power of Absolute Freedom --Parā aspect-- (svātantrya-śaktiḥ), Strong Will to manifest succession --Parāparā aspect-- (krama-saṁsisṛkṣā) and (ca) Endowed with succession --Aparā aspect-- (krama-ātmatā... iti)'. Let that group of three Goddesses continue (tadeva devītrayam... āstām) to internally unfold (antar... prathayat) my (me) essential nature (sva-rūpam) which is Anuttara --lit. higher than which there is nothing', viz. Śiva-- (anuttaram)!||5||


तद्देवताविभवभाविमहामरीचिचक्रेश्वरायितनिजस्थितिरेक एव।
देवीसुतो गणपतिः स्फुरदिन्दुकान्तिः सम्यक्समुच्छलयतान्मम संविदब्धिम्॥६॥

Taddevatāvibhavabhāvimahāmarīcicakreśvarāyitanijasthitireka eva|
Devīsuto gaṇapatiḥ sphuradindukāntiḥ samyaksamucchalayatānmama saṁvidabdhim||6||

Gaṇapati (gaṇapatiḥ) —the son of the Goddess (devī-sutaḥ)—, who shines (sphurat) with the beauty of the moon (indu-kāntiḥ), is only one (ekaḥ eva). He --i.e. Gaṇapati-- remains in his own (essential nature) as the lord of the group of goddesses of the senses which are the glory of those Deities --i.e. of Parā, Parāparā and Aparā-- (tad-devatā-vibhava-bhāvi-mahā-marīci-cakra-īśvara-āyita-nija-sthitiḥ). Let (him) completely move and expand (samyak samucchalayatāt) my (mama) Ocean of Pure Consciousness (saṁvid-abdhim)!||6||


रागारुणं ग्रन्थिबिलावकीर्णं यो जालमातानवितानवृत्ति।
कलोम्भितं बाह्यपथे चकार स्तान्मे स मच्छन्दविभुः प्रसन्नः॥७॥

Rāgāruṇaṁ granthibilāvakīrṇaṁ yo jālamātānavitānavṛtti|
Kalombhitaṁ bāhyapathe cakāra stānme sa macchandavibhuḥ prasannaḥ||7||

Let that Macchandavibhu be (stāt... saḥ macchanda-vibhuḥ) pleased (prasannaḥ) with me (me)!; (that Macchandavibhu) who (yaḥ) made (cakāra) the net (of Māyā) (jāla) —which is red due to the presence of Rāga (rāga-aruṇam), which is full of holes and knots (granthi-bila-avakīrṇam), which spreads in every direction (ātāna-vitāna-vṛtti) (and) which is contained in (all the categories from) Kalā --category 7-- (kalā-umbhitam)— something external --so, He made this net of Māyā something external, i.e. He discarded it-- (bāhya-pathe)||7||


त्रैयम्बकाभिहितसन्ततिताम्रपर्णीसन्मौक्तिकप्रकरकान्तिविशेषभाजः।
पूर्वे जयन्ति गुरवो गुरुशास्त्रसिन्धुकल्लोलकेलिकलनामलकर्णधाराः॥८॥

Traiyambakābhihitasantatitāmraparṇīsanmauktikaprakarakāntiviśeṣabhājaḥ|
Pūrve jayanti guravo guruśāstrasindhukallolakelikalanāmalakarṇadhārāḥ||8||

Glory to (jayanti) the Guru-s (guravaḥ) of yore (pūrve), the pure (amala) helmsmen (karṇadhārāḥ) in kalana --lit. 'in the literary production', viz. in the innumerable theories, schools, etc.--, i.e. in the amorous pastime (known as) the waves of the turbulent ocean of the scriptures (guru-śāstra-sindhu-kallola-keli-kalana-amala-karṇadhārāḥ), who obtained multitude of genuine pearls of different beauty and brilliance from the Tāmraparṇī river —viz. from the uninterrupted lineage (of Guru-s/disciples) set forth by Tryambaka --the mind-born son of Durvāsās who spread the 64 nondualistic Tantra-s--— (traiyambaka-abhihita-santati-tāmraparṇī-sat-mauktika-prakara-kānti-viśeṣa-bhājaḥ)!||8||


जयति गुरुरेक एव श्रीश्रीकण्ठो भुवि प्रथितः।
तदपरमूर्तिर्भगवान्महेश्वरो भूतिराजश्च॥९॥

Jayati gurureka eva śrīśrīkaṇṭho bhuvi prathitaḥ|
Tadaparamūrtirbhagavānmaheśvaro bhūtirājaśca||9||

Glory to (jayati) the unique (ekaḥ eva) Guru (guruḥ) —venerable Śrīkaṇṭhanātha --Śiva Himself incarnate-- (śrī-śrīkaṇṭhaḥ)— who became manifested --He manifested Himself-- (prathitaḥ) on the Earth (bhuvi)! (Glory also to) Bhagavān Maheśvara (bhagavān maheśvaraḥ) —who is His other form (tad-apara-mūrtiḥ)— as well as (ca) (to) Bhūtirāja (bhūtirājaḥ)!||9||


श्रीसोमानन्दबोधश्रीमदुत्पलविनिःसृताः।
जयन्ति संविदामोदसन्दर्भा दिक्प्रसर्पिणः॥१०॥
तदास्वादभरावेशबृंहितां मतिषट्पदीम्।
गुरोर्लक्ष्मणगुप्तस्य नादसम्मोहिनीं नुमः॥११॥

Śrīsomānandabodhaśrīmadutpalaviniḥsṛtāḥ|
Jayanti saṁvidāmodasandarbhā dikprasarpiṇaḥ||10||
Tadāsvādabharāveśabṛṁhitāṁ matiṣaṭpadīm|
Gurorlakṣmaṇaguptasya nādasammohinīṁ numaḥ||11||

Glory to (jayanti) the literary works —(full of) the fragrance of pure Consciousness— (saṁvid-āmoda-sandarbhāḥ), which spread in every direction (dik-prasarpiṇaḥ) (and) have been composed by --lit. sprung from-- illustrious Utpaladeva —the enlightened consciousness of venerable Somānanda— (śrī-somānanda-bodha-śrīmat-utpala-viniḥsṛtāḥ)! I praise (numaḥ) the bee of the intellect (mati-ṣaṭpadīm) of Guru Lakṣmaṇagupta (guroḥ lakṣmaṇaguptasya) which, strengthened due to an entry into the mass of the Nectar --lit. taste, flavor-- of those (literary works) (tad-āsvāda-bhara-āveśa-bṛṁhitām), fascinates (everybody) by its sound (nāda-sammohinīm)||10-11||

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 Stanzas 12 to 20

यः पूर्णानन्दविश्रान्तसर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगः।
स श्रीचुखुलको दिश्यादिष्टं मे गुरुरुत्तमः॥१२॥

Yaḥ pūrṇānandaviśrāntasarvaśāstrārthapāragaḥ|
Sa śrīcukhulako diśyādiṣṭaṁ me gururuttamaḥ||12||

Venerable Cukhulaka --Abhinavagupta's father-- (śrī-cukhulakaḥ) was the one who (yaḥ... saḥ) was fully conversant with the meanings of all the scriptures and (also the one who) had attained a repose in the Perfect/Full Bliss (pūrṇa-ānanda-viśrānta-sarva-śāstra-artha-pāragaḥ). Let the most elevated Guru grant (me) (diśyāt... guruḥ uttamaḥ) my desired object --i.e. the Supreme Śiva-- (iṣṭam me)!||12||


जयताज्जगदुद्धृतिक्षमोऽसौ भगवत्या सह शम्भुनाथ एकः।
यदुदीरितशासनांशुभिर्मे प्रकटोऽयं गहनोऽपि शास्त्रमार्गः॥१३॥

Jayatājjagaduddhṛtikṣamo'sau bhagavatyā saha śambhunātha ekaḥ|
Yadudīritaśāsanāṁśubhirme prakaṭo'yaṁ gahano'pi śāstramārgaḥ||13||

Glory to (jayatāt) the unique (ekaḥ) Śambhunātha (śambhunāthaḥ) along with (his) venerable woman (acting as an assistant) (bhagavatyā saha). He (asau) could rescue the (entire) world (jagat-uddhṛti-kṣamaḥ)! By means of the rays of the teachings that he enunciated (yad-udīrita-śāsana-aṁśubhiḥ), this (ayam) path of the scriptures (śāstra-mārgaḥ), though (api) hard to be understood (gahanaḥ), has become clear (prakaṭaḥ) to me (me)||13||


सन्ति पद्धतयश्चित्राः स्रोतोभेदेषु भूयसा।
अनुत्तरषडर्धार्थक्रमे त्वेकापि नेक्ष्यते॥१४॥

Santi paddhatayaścitrāḥ srotobhedeṣu bhūyasā|
Anuttaraṣaḍardhārthakrame tvekāpi nekṣyate||14||

(Although) in the various streams (of the Trika system) (srotas-bhedeṣu) there is --lit. there are-- (santi) an excessive number of wonderful (citrāḥ... bhūyasā) ways or paths (paddhatayaḥ), (right now) there is not even one (tu ekā api na īkṣyate) so as to attain the Supreme Goal in the Trika system (anuttara-ṣaḍardha-artha-krame) --i.e. such ways are lost--||14||


इत्यहं बहुशः सद्भिः शिष्यसब्रह्मचारिभिः।
अर्थितो रचये स्पष्टां पूर्णार्थां प्रक्रियामिमाम्॥१५॥

Ityahaṁ bahuśaḥ sadbhiḥ śiṣyasabrahmacāribhiḥ|
Arthito racaye spaṣṭāṁ pūrṇārthāṁ prakriyāmimām||15||

In this way (iti), having been repeatedly requested (bahuśaḥ... arthitaḥ) by good disciples and colleagues (sadbhiḥ śiṣya-sabrahmacāribhiḥ), I compose (racaye) this (imām) clear (spaṣṭām) work (prakriyām) containing the complete meanings (pūrṇa-arthām)||15||


श्रीभट्टनाथचरणाब्जयुगात्तथा श्रीभट्टारिकाङ्घ्रियुगलाद्गुरुसन्ततिर्या।
बोधान्यपाशविषनुत्तदुपासनोत्थबोधोज्ज्वलोऽभिनवगुप्त इदं करोति॥१६॥

Śrībhaṭṭanāthacaraṇābjayugāttathā śrībhaṭṭārikāṅghriyugalādgurusantatiryā|
Bodhānyapāśaviṣanuttadupāsanotthabodhojjvalo'bhinavagupta idaṁ karoti||16||

The uninterrupted series of Guru-s (guru-santatiḥ) that (yā) (has come) through the two lotus feet of venerable Bhaṭṭanātha --i.e. Śambhunātha-- (śrī-bhaṭṭanātha-caraṇa-abja-yugāt) as well as (tathā) through the two feet of (his) venerable woman (acting as an asistente) (śrī-bhaṭṭārikā-aṅghri-yugalāt) expels the poison in the form of bonds coming from other (kinds of) knowledge (bodha-anya-pāśa-viṣanut). Abhinavagupta (abhinavaguptaḥ), being the Light of the Realization which emerges from worshiping that (Knowledge obtained from the uninterrupted series of Guru-s) (tad-upāsana-uttha-bodha-ujjvalaḥ), does (karoti) this (idam) --i.e. he does not do this by himself, but the line of Guru-s coming from Śambhunātha is doing it through him; this is the purport--||16||


न तदस्तीह यन्न श्रीमालिनीविजयोत्तरे।
देवदेवेन निर्दिष्टं स्वशब्देनाथ लिङ्गतः॥१७॥

Na tadastīha yanna śrīmālinīvijayottare|
Devadevena nirdiṣṭaṁ svaśabdenātha liṅgataḥ||17||

There is nothing --lit. there is not that-- (na tad asti) here (iha) which has not been (yad na) indicated (nirdiṣṭam) by the God of gods --viz. Śiva-- (deva-devena) in venerable Mālinīvijayottaratantra (śrī-mālinīvijayottare) whether by His own words or through signs --i.e. suggestions-- (sva-śabdena atha liṅgataḥ) --in other words, directly or indirectly--||17||


दशाष्टादशवस्वष्टभिन्नं यच्छासनं विभोः।
तत्सारं त्रिकशास्त्रं हि तत्सारं मालिनीमतम्॥१८॥

Daśāṣṭādaśavasvaṣṭabhinnaṁ yacchāsanaṁ vibhoḥ|
Tatsāraṁ trikaśāstraṁ hi tatsāraṁ mālinīmatam||18||

The Trika's (system of) scripture(s) (trika-śāstram) (is) the essence of that (tad-sāram) (system of) scripture(s) (śāsanam) of the All-pervading One --Lord Śiva-- (vibhoḥ), which (yad) is divided into ten, eighteen and sixty-four (Tantra-s) (daśa-aṣṭādaśa-vasu-aṣṭa-bhinnam). (And) the essence of that --i.e. of Trika's system of scriptures-- (tad-sāram) (is) undoubtedly (hi) the doctrine of Mālinī --viz. the Mālinīvijayottaratantra-- (mālinī-matam)||18||


अतोऽत्रान्तर्गतं सर्वं सम्प्रदायोज्झितैर्बुधैः।
अदृष्टं प्रकटीकुर्मो गुरुनाथाज्ञया वयम्॥१९॥

Ato'trāntargataṁ sarvaṁ sampradāyojjhitairbudhaiḥ|
Adṛṣṭaṁ prakaṭīkurmo gurunāthājñayā vayam||19||

Therefore (atas), by command of (my) Guru (guru-nātha-ājñayā), I display (prakaṭī-kurmaḥ... vayam) all that (sarvam) is there inside (the 92 Tantra-s) (atra antargatam) (but) was not perceived (adṛṣṭam) by the budha-s --in this context, scholars without an actual realization-- (budhaiḥ) who had abandoned the sacred tradition (sampradāya-ujjhitaiḥ)||19||


अभिनवगुप्तस्य कृतिः सेयं यस्योदिता गुरुभिराख्या।
त्रिनयनचरणसरोरुहचिन्तनलब्धप्रसिद्धिरिति॥२०॥

Abhinavaguptasya kṛtiḥ seyaṁ yasyoditā gurubhirākhyā|
Trinayanacaraṇasaroruhacintanalabdhaprasiddhiriti||20||

This very (book) (sā iyam) is the work (kṛtiḥ) of Abhinavagupta (abhinavaguptasya), whose (yasya) name (ākhyā) was communicated (to him) (uditā) by (his) Guru-s (gurubhiḥ). His 'accomplishment' (to do all this) has also been gotten by contemplating of the lotus feet of the Three-eyed One --i.e. Śiva-- (tri-nayana-caraṇa-saroruha-cintana-labdha-prasiddhiḥ iti)||20||

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 Stanzas 21 to 30

श्रीशम्भुनाथभास्करचरणनिपातप्रभापगतसङ्कोचम्।
अभिनवगुप्तहृदम्बुजमेतद्विचिनुत महेशपूजनहेतोः॥२१॥

Śrīśambhunāthabhāskaracaraṇanipātaprabhāpagatasaṅkocam|
Abhinavaguptahṛdambujametadvicinuta maheśapūjanahetoḥ||21||

Because of worshiping Maheśa --lit. the Great Lord, i.e. Śiva-- (mahā-īśa-pūjana-hetoḥ), pick (vicinuta) (one by one the petals of) this (etad) lotus (that is) the Heart of Abhinavagupta --i.e. Tantrāloka-- (abhinavagupta-hṛd-ambujam), in which contraction has disappeared --i.e. it is open now-- due to the light coming down in the form of the rays of the sun called venerable Śambhunātha (śrī-śambhunātha-bhāskara-caraṇa-nipāta-prabhā-apagata-saṅkocam) ||21||


इह तावत्समस्तेषु शास्त्रेषु परिगीयते।
अज्ञानं संसृतेर्हेतुर्ज्ञानं मोक्षैककारणम्॥२२॥

Iha tāvatsamasteṣu śāstreṣu parigīyate|
Ajñānaṁ saṁsṛterheturjñānaṁ mokṣaikakāraṇam||22||

Here --in this world-- (iha) indeed (tāvat), it is proclaimed --lit. it is sung-- (parigīyate) in all the scriptures (samasteṣu śāstreṣu) (that) ignorance (ajñānam) is the cause (hetuḥ) of Transmigration --from one thought to the next, from one body to the next, etc.-- (saṁsṛteḥ) (while) Knowledge (jñānam) is the sole cause of Liberation (mokṣa-eka-kāraṇam)||22||


मलमज्ञानमिच्छन्ति संसाराङ्कुरकारणम्।
इति प्रोक्तं तथा च श्रीमालिनीविजयोत्तरे॥२३॥

Malamajñānamicchanti saṁsārāṅkurakāraṇam|
Iti proktaṁ tathā ca śrīmālinīvijayottare||23||

It is said (proktam) so (tathā ca) in venerable Mālinīvijayottaratantra --in the last half of stanza 1.23-- (śrī-mālinīvijayottare): 'They --the sages-- maintain (icchanti) that mala (malam) (is) ignorance (ajñānam) (and) the cause of the sprout of Saṁsāra --Transmigration full of sorrow-- (saṁsāra-aṅkura-kāraṇam iti)' --and this ignorance is called Āṇavamala--||23||


विशेषणेन बुद्धिस्थे संसारोत्तरकालिके।
सम्भावनां निरस्यैतदभावे मोक्षमब्रवीत्॥२४॥

Viśeṣaṇena buddhisthe saṁsārottarakālike|
Sambhāvanāṁ nirasyaitadabhāve mokṣamabravīt||24||

After rejecting (nirasya) the opinion or supposition (sambhāvanām) that (ignorance) remaining in the intellect (buddhi-sthe) —which appears after Transmigration (saṁsāra-uttara-kālike)— is endowed with this characteristic or mark --i.e. that bauddhājñāna or intellectual ignorance is the cause of the sprout of Transmigration-- (viśeṣaṇena), (Śiva) said (abravīt) (that) Liberation (mokṣam) (will take place) in the absence of that --in the absence of paruṣājñāna (ignorance about the Self), which is the real cause of the sprout of Transmigration-- (tad-abhāve)||24||


अज्ञानमिति न ज्ञानाभावश्चातिप्रसङ्गतः।
स हि लोष्टादिकेऽप्यस्ति न च तस्यास्ति संसृतिः॥२५॥

Ajñānamiti na jñānābhāvaścātiprasaṅgataḥ|
Sa hi loṣṭādike'pyasti na ca tasyāsti saṁsṛtiḥ||25||

'Ignorance' --i.e. Āṇavamala-- (ajñānam iti) is not (total) absence of knowledge (jñāna-abhāvaḥ ca) (because if it were so) there would be an unwarrantable stretch of this rule --viz. generalization would be excessive-- (atiprasaṅgataḥ). Because (hi) that (total ignorance) (saḥ) is (asti) in a lump of earth, etc. (loṣṭa-ādike) indeed (api), but there is no (na ca... asti) Transmigration (saṁsṛtiḥ) in their case --in the case of a lump of earth, etc.-- (tasya)||25||


अतो ज्ञेयस्य तत्त्वस्य सामस्त्येनाप्रथात्मकम्।
ज्ञानमेव तदज्ञानं शिवसूत्रेषु भाषितम्॥२६॥

Ato jñeyasya tattvasya sāmastyenāprathātmakam|
Jñānameva tadajñānaṁ śivasūtreṣu bhāṣitam||26||

For this reason (atas), in Śivasūtra-s (śiva-sūtreṣu), that ignorance (tad-ajñānam) (is) mentioned (bhāṣitam) (as) just (eva) incomplete --lit. which is not expanding completely-- (sāmastyena aprathātmakam) knowledge (jñānam) of the Principle which is to be known --i.e. Śiva-- (jñeyasya tattvasya)||26||


चैतन्यमात्मा ज्ञानं च बन्ध इत्यत्र सूत्रयोः।
संश्लेषेतरयोगाभ्यामयमर्थः प्रदर्शितः॥२७॥

Caitanyamātmā jñānaṁ ca bandha ityatra sūtrayoḥ|
Saṁśleṣetarayogābhyāmayamarthaḥ pradarśitaḥ||27||

This (ayam) meaning (arthaḥ) is shown (pradarśitaḥ) by the methods of joining together or separating (saṁśleṣa-itara-yogābhyām) in the case of the (two first) aphorisms (sūtrayoḥ) here --in Śivasūtra-s-- (atra), i.e. 'Consciousness with Absolute Freedom to know and do all (caitanyam) (is) the Self or true nature of Reality (ātmā)' and (ca) 'The (limited or contracted) knowledge (jñānam) (is) bondage (bandhaḥ iti)'||27||


चैतन्यमिति भावान्तः शब्दः स्वातन्त्र्यमात्रकम्।
अनाक्षिप्तविशेषं सदाह सूत्रे पुरातने॥२८॥

Caitanyamiti bhāvāntaḥ śabdaḥ svātantryamātrakam|
Anākṣiptaviśeṣaṁ sadāha sūtre purātane||28||

He --Śiva-- said (āha) in the ancient aphorism (sūtre purātane) (that) the abstract word (bhāvāntaḥ śabdaḥ) 'Caitanya' (caitanyam iti) (indicates) only Absolute Freedom (svātantrya-mātrakam), always (sadā) devoid of concomitant differences (anākṣipta-viśeṣam)||28||


द्वितीयेन तु सूत्रेण क्रियां वा करणं च वा।
ब्रुवता तस्य चिन्मात्ररूपस्य द्वैतमुच्यते॥२९॥

Dvitīyena tu sūtreṇa kriyāṁ vā karaṇaṁ ca vā|
Bruvatā tasya cinmātrarūpasya dvaitamucyate||29||

But (tu) according to the second aphorism which speaks (dvitīyena tu sūtreṇa... bruvatā) about either 'kriyā' or 'karaṇa' (kriyām vā karaṇam ca vā), it is said (ucyate) to exist (a kind of) dualism (dvaitam) in the case of That whose nature is only Consciousness --i.e. in the case of Paramaśiva, the Supreme Śiva-- (tasya cit-mātra-rūpasya)||29||


द्वैतप्रथा तदज्ञानं तुच्छत्वाद्बन्ध उच्यते।
तत एव समुच्छेद्यमित्यावृत्त्या निरूपितम्॥३०॥

Dvaitaprathā tadajñānaṁ tucchatvādbandha ucyate|
Tata eva samucchedyamityāvṛttyā nirūpitam||30||

That ignorance --i.e. Āṇavamala-- (tad-ajñānam) (is) the expansion of (this) dualism (dvaita-prathā), (and) since it is worthless (tucchatvāt) it is said to be (ucyate) bondage (bandhaḥ). Therefore (tatas eva), it is to be completely eliminated (samucchedyam). This was established (nirūpitam) by repetition --i.e. by joining the first two aphorisms of Śivasūtra-s together and by keeping them both separated-- (āvṛttyā)||30||

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 Stanzas 31 to 40

स्वतन्त्रात्मातिरिक्तस्तु तुच्छोऽतुच्छोऽपि कश्चन।
न मोक्षो नाम तन्नास्य पृथङ्नामापि गृह्यते॥३१॥

Svatantrātmātiriktastu tuccho'tuccho'pi kaścana|
Na mokṣo nāma tannāsya pṛthaṅnāmāpi gṛhyate||31||

However (tu), something (kaścana) which is different of the Free One --viz. Paramaśiva-- (svatantra-ātma-atiriktaḥ), whether it is worthless or valuable (tucchaḥ atucchaḥ api), cannot be called (na... nāma) Liberation (mokṣaḥ). So (tad), no (other) mark (na... nāmā api) separately --apart-- (pṛthak) from this --from the achievement of the Absolute Freedom of Paramaśiva-- (asya) is accepted (gṛhyate) (as Liberation) --i.e. apart from the achievement of Absolute Freedom there is nothing else to be accepted as Liberation-- ||31||


यत्तु ज्ञेयसतत्त्वस्य पूर्णपूर्णप्रथात्मकम्।
तदुत्तरोत्तरं ज्ञानं तत्तत्संसारशान्तिदम्॥३२॥

Yattu jñeyasatattvasya pūrṇapūrṇaprathātmakam|
Taduttarottaraṁ jñānaṁ tattatsaṁsāraśāntidam||32||

Nonetheless (tu), that (tad) knowledge (jñānam) of the essential nature of the knowables --i.e. of Śiva-- (jñeya-satattvasya) which (yad) is based on a expansion becoming fuller and fuller (pūrṇa-pūrṇa-prathātmakam) (and which) is ever increasing (uttara-uttaram) gives peace regarding the various Transmigrations (tad-tad-saṁsāra-śāntidam)||32||


रागाद्यकलुषोऽस्म्यन्तःशून्योऽहं कर्तृतोज्झितः।
इत्थं समासव्यासाभ्यां ज्ञानं मुञ्चति तावतः॥३३॥

Rāgādyakaluṣo'smyantaḥśūnyo'haṁ kartṛtojjhitaḥ|
Itthaṁ samāsavyāsābhyāṁ jñānaṁ muñcati tāvataḥ||33||

'I am free from the turbidness of Rāga, etc. (rāga-ādi-akaluṣaḥ asmi)', 'I (am) the inner void (antar-śūnyaḥ aham)', '(I am) free from doership (kartṛtā-ujjhitaḥ)'. In this way (ittham), knowledge (jñānam) liberates (muñcati) in combination or separately (samāsa-vyāsābhyām) up to a certain extent (tāvatas)||33||


तस्मान्मुक्तोऽप्यवच्छेदादवच्छेदान्तरस्थितेः।
अमुक्त एव मुक्तस्तु सर्वावच्छेदवर्जितः॥३४॥

Tasmānmukto'pyavacchedādavacchedāntarasthiteḥ|
Amukta eva muktastu sarvāvacchedavarjitaḥ||34||

Therefore (tasmāt), though (api) he is liberated (muktaḥ) from a limitation (avacchedāt), since another limitation remains (avaccheda-antara-sthiteḥ), he is not really liberated (amuktaḥ eva). But (tu) (if) he is free from all limitations (sarva-avaccheda-varjitaḥ), (then) he is (indeed) liberated (muktaḥ)||34||


यत्तु ज्ञेयसतत्त्वस्य ज्ञानं सर्वात्मनोज्झितम्।
अवच्छेदैर्न तत्कुत्राप्यज्ञानं सत्यमुक्तिदम्॥३५॥

Yattu jñeyasatattvasya jñānaṁ sarvātmanojjhitam|
Avacchedairna tatkutrāpyajñānaṁ satyamuktidam||35||

Nevertheless (tu), that (tad) Knowledge (jñānam) of the essential nature of the knowables --i.e. of Śiva-- (jñeya-satattvasya) which (yad) is entirely (sarvātmanā) devoid of (ujjhitam) limitations (avacchedaiḥ) is not (na) anywhere (kutra-api) ignorance (ajñānam) (but) giver of true Liberation (satya-mukti-dam)||35||


ज्ञानाज्ञानस्वरूपं यदुक्तं प्रत्येकमप्यदः।
द्विधा पौरुषबौद्धत्वभिदोक्तं शिवशासने॥३६॥

Jñānājñānasvarūpaṁ yaduktaṁ pratyekamapyadaḥ|
Dvidhā pauruṣabauddhatvabhidoktaṁ śivaśāsane||36||

That (adas) nature of knowledge and ignorance (jñāna-ajñāna-svarūpam) which (yad) has been mentioned (uktam) (is) even (api) double (dvidhā) for each one --for knowledge and for ignorance-- (pratyekam). In the Śiva's scripture(s) (śiva-śāsane), it is described by means of the names pauruṣa and bauddha --related to the Self and related to the intellect-- (pauruṣa-bauddhatva-bhidā-uktam) --i.e. there are two kinds of ignorance (pauruṣājñāna and bauddhājñāna - ignorance about the Self and intellectual ignorance) and two types of knowledge (pauruṣajñāna and bauddhajñāna - knowledge about the Self and intellectual knowledge)--||36||


तत्र पुंसो यदज्ञानं मलाख्यं तज्जमप्यथ।
स्वपूर्णचित्क्रियारूपशिवतावरणात्मकम्॥३७॥
सङ्कोचिदृक्क्रियारूपं तत्पशोरविकल्पितम्।
तदज्ञानं न बुद्ध्यंशोऽध्यवसायाद्यभावतः॥३८॥

Tatra puṁso yadajñānaṁ malākhyaṁ tajjamapyatha|
Svapūrṇacitkriyārūpaśivatāvaraṇātmakam||37||
Saṅkocidṛkkriyārūpaṁ tatpaśoravikalpitam|
Tadajñānaṁ na buddhyaṁśo'dhyavasāyādyabhāvataḥ||38||

In that --i.e. in those four kinds of knowledge and ignorance-- (tatra), ignorance (ajñānam) called (Āṇava)mala (mala-ākhyam) which (yad) belongs to the limited being --to Puruṣa-- (puṁsaḥ), though (api atha) born from That --from Śiva-- (tad-jam), it covers the State of Śiva that is Consciousness and Action —which are perfect and full in themselves— (sva-pūrṇa-cit-kriyā-rūpa-śivatā-āvaraṇa-ātmakam). It is contracting perception and activity (saṅkoci-dṛk-kriyā-rūpam), it is devoid of any vikalpa --i.e. it is undoubted-- (avikalpitam) (and) it belongs to the limited being (tad-paśoḥ). That ignorance (tad-ajñānam) is not (na) in the portion of intellect --viz. it is not related to the intellect-- (buddhi-aṁśaḥ) because of the absence of the faculty of determination, etc. (adhyavasāya-ādi-abhāvataḥ)||37-38||


अहमित्थमिदं वेद्मीत्येवमध्यवसायिनी।
षट्कञ्चुकाबिलाणूत्थप्रतिबिम्बनतो यदा॥३९॥
धीर्जायते तदा तादृग्ज्ञानमज्ञानशब्दितम्।
बौद्धं तस्य च तत्पौंस्नं पोषणीयं च पोष्टृ च॥४०॥

Ahamitthamidaṁ vedmītyevamadhyavasāyinī|
Ṣaṭkañcukābilāṇūtthapratibimbanato yadā||39||
Dhīrjāyate tadā tādṛgjñānamajñānaśabditam|
Bauddhaṁ tasya ca tatpauṁsnaṁ poṣaṇīyaṁ ca poṣṭṛ ca||40||

When (yadā) does come into existence (jāyate) an intellect (dhīḥ) that determines (adhyavasāyinī) so (evam): 'I (aham) know (vedmi) this (idam) in this way (ittham... iti)', due to a reflection arising from a Puruṣa --category 12-- confounded by the six sheaths --Māyā, Kalā, Vidyā, Rāga, Kāla and Niyati, categories 6 to 11-- (ṣaṭ-kañcuka-ābila-aṇu-uttha-pratibimbanataḥ), then (tadā) such a knowledge (tādṛk-jñānam) is called ignorance (ajñāna-śabditam) which pertains to the intellect (bauddham) --i.e. bauddhājñāna--. And (ca) this (bauddhājñāna) (tasya) is nourished by (pauruṣājñāna) and nourishes pauruṣājñāna (tad-pauṁsnaṁ poṣaṇīyaṁ ca poṣṭṛ ca)||39-40||

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 Stanzas 41 to 50

क्षीणे तु पशुसंस्कारे पुंसः प्राप्तपरस्थितेः।
विकस्वरं तद्विज्ञानं पौरुषं निर्विकल्पकम्॥४१॥
विकस्वराविकल्पात्मज्ञानौचित्येन यावता।
तद्बौद्धं यस्य तत्पौंस्नं प्राग्वत्पोष्यं च पोष्टृ च॥४२॥

Kṣīṇe tu paśusaṁskāre puṁsaḥ prāptaparasthiteḥ|
Vikasvaraṁ tadvijñānaṁ pauruṣaṁ nirvikalpakam||41||
Vikasvarāvikalpātmajñānaucityena yāvatā|
Tadbauddhaṁ yasya tatpauṁsnaṁ prāgvatpoṣyaṁ ca poṣṭṛ ca||42||

But (tu) when (all) the accumulated impressions of a limited being are annihilated (kṣīṇe... paśu-saṁskāre) since Puruṣa has attained the Supreme State (puṁsaḥ prāpta-para-sthiteḥ), that knowledge (tad-vijñānam) (is known as) pauruṣajñāna --knowledge about the Self-- (pauruṣam), which is (totally) expanded (vikasvaram) (and) devoid of vikalpa-s (nirvikalpakam). (And) that (knowledge in such intellect) (tad) (is called) bauddhajñāna --intellectual knowledge-- (bauddham) inasmuch as (yāvatā) it is fit --i.e. it is in accordance-- for the (aforesaid) knowledge which is (totally) expanded and devoid of vikalpa-s (vikasvara-avikalpa-ātma-jñāna-aucityena). (And) like before --as in the case of pauruṣājñāna and bauddhājñāna-- (prāk-vat), this (bauddhajñāna) (yasya) is nourished by (pauruṣajñāna) and nourishes pauruṣajñāna (tad-pauṁsnam... poṣyaṁ ca poṣṭṛ ca)||41-42||


तत्र दीक्षादिना पौंस्नमज्ञानं ध्वंसि यद्यपि।
तथापि तच्छरीरान्ते तज्ज्ञानं व्यज्यते स्फुटम्॥४३॥

Tatra dīkṣādinā pauṁsnamajñānaṁ dhvaṁsi yadyapi|
Tathāpi taccharīrānte tajjñānaṁ vyajyate sphuṭam||43||

As regards those (types of ignorance) (tatra), although (yadi api) pauruṣājñāna --ignorance about the Self-- (pauṁsnam ajñānam) is eliminated (dhvaṁsi) by initiation, etc. (dīkṣā-ādinā), even so (tathā api) that knowledge (tad-jñānam) is clearly manifested (vyajyate sphuṭam) at the end of his (physical) body (tad-śarīra-ante)||43||


बौद्धज्ञानेन तु यदा बौद्धमज्ञानजृम्भितम्।
विलीयते तदा जीवन्मुक्तिः करतले स्थिता॥४४॥

Bauddhajñānena tu yadā bauddhamajñānajṛmbhitam|
Vilīyate tadā jīvanmuktiḥ karatale sthitā||44||

But (tu) when (yadā) the developing/expansion of bauddhājñāna --intellectual ignorance-- (bauddham ajñāna-jṛmbhitam) is fully dissolved (vilīyate) by bauddhajñāna --intellectual knowledge-- (bauddha-jñānena), then (tadā) Liberation while living (jīvat-muktiḥ) is (sthitā) in the palm of the hand (kara-tale)||44||


दीक्षापि बौद्धविज्ञानपूर्वा सत्यं विमोचिका।
तेन तत्रापि बौद्धस्य ज्ञानस्यास्ति प्रधानता॥४५॥

Dīkṣāpi bauddhavijñānapūrvā satyaṁ vimocikā|
Tena tatrāpi bauddhasya jñānasyāsti pradhānatā||45||

Initiation (dīkṣā) (is) also (api) truly (satyam) giver of Liberation (vimocikā) if preceded by bauddhajñāna --intellectual knowledge-- (bauddha-vijñāna-pūrvā). Therefore (tena), even (api) in that case (tatra) there is (asti) preeminence and superiority (pradhānatā) of bauddhajñāna (bauddhasya jñānasya) --i.e. bauddhajñāna in the disciple is more important than pauruṣajñāna at the time of being initiated--||45||


ज्ञानाज्ञानगतं चैतद्द्वित्वं स्वायम्भुवे रुरौ।
मतङ्गादौ कृतं श्रीमत्खेटपालादिदैशिकैः॥४६॥

Jñānājñānagataṁ caitaddvitvaṁ svāyambhuve rurau|
Mataṅgādau kṛtaṁ śrīmatkheṭapālādidaiśikaiḥ||46||

This duality (etad-dvitvam) relating to knowledge and ignorance (jñāna-ajñāna-gatam ca) has been described (kṛtam) by eminent Kheṭapāla and other teachers (śrīmat-kheṭapāla-ādi-daiśikaiḥ) in (scriptures such as) Svāyambhuva, Ruru, Mataṅga, etc. (svāyambhuve rurau mataṅga-ādau)||46||


तथाविधावसायात्मबौद्धविज्ञानसम्पदे।
शास्त्रमेव प्रधानं यज्ज्ञेयतत्त्वप्रदर्शकम्॥४७॥

Tathāvidhāvasāyātmabauddhavijñānasampade|
Śāstrameva pradhānaṁ yajjñeyatattvapradarśakam||47||

With reference to obtaining bauddhajñāna --intellectual knowledge-- which produces such a conclusion --i.e. which brings about, as explained before, Liberation while living in the presence of pauruṣajñāna-- (tathāvidha-avasāya-ātma-bauddha-vijñāna-sampade), the main scripture (śāstram... pradhānam) (is) only (eva) the one that (yad) shows the Principle to be known --i.e. Śiva-- (jñeya-tattva-pradarśakam)||47||


दीक्षया गलितेऽप्यन्तरज्ञाने पौरुषात्मनि।
धीगतस्यानिवृत्तत्वाद्विकल्पोऽपि हि सम्भवेत्॥४८॥

Dīkṣayā galite'pyantarajñāne pauruṣātmani|
Dhīgatasyānivṛttatvādvikalpo'pi hi sambhavet||48||

Although the internal pauruṣājñāna --ignorance about the Self-- disappears (galite api antar-ajñāne pauruṣa-ātmani) by means of initiation (dīkṣayā), since there is no cessation of bauddhājñāna --intellectual ignorance-- (dhīgatasya anivṛttatvāt), vikalpa (vikalpaḥ api) might undoubtedly arise (hi sambhavet)||48||


देहसद्भावपर्यन्तमात्मभावो यतो धियि।
देहान्तेऽपि न मोक्षः स्यात्पौरुषाज्ञानहानितः॥४९॥

Dehasadbhāvaparyantamātmabhāvo yato dhiyi|
Dehānte'pi na mokṣaḥ syātpauruṣājñānahānitaḥ||49||

Hence (yatas), (even after receiving initiation,) as long as the (physical) body exists (deha-sadbhāva-paryantam), (there persists) I-ness in (the sphere of) the intellect --viz. this is bauddhājñāna-- (ātma-bhāvaḥ... dhiyi) --this is a possible course if the disciple does not develop bauddhajñāna or intellectual knowledge by studying the non-dualistic Śiva's scriptures--. (But, even in that case, bauddhājñāna) does not (persist) (na) when the (physical) body ends --i.e. at the time of death-- (deha-ante api), (and then) there is (syāt) Liberation (mokṣaḥ) due to the disappearance of pauruṣājñāna --ignorance about the Self-- (pauruṣa-ajñāna-hānitaḥ)||49||
--There is another way to translate this aphorism, which I will speak about when I add my notes of explanation in the future--


बौद्धाज्ञाननिवृत्तौ तु विकल्पोन्मूलनाद्ध्रुवम्।
तदैव मोक्ष इत्युक्तं धात्रा श्रीमन्निशाटने॥५०॥

Bauddhājñānanivṛttau tu vikalponmūlanāddhruvam|
Tadaiva mokṣa ityuktaṁ dhātrā śrīmanniśāṭane||50||

However (tu), when bauddhājñāna has vanished --i.e. it has vanished while the body is still alive-- (bauddha-ajñāna-nivṛttau) because vikalpa has been firmly uprooted or eradicated --and pauruṣājñāna is also destroyed-- (vikalpa-unmūlanāt dhruvam), then (tadā eva) Liberation (takes place) (mokṣaḥ). It has been said so (iti uktam) by the Creator --i.e. by Śiva-- (dhātrā) in venerable Niśāṭanatantra (śrīmat-niśāṭane)||50||

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 Stanzas 51 to 61

विकल्पयुक्तचित्तस्तु पिण्डपाताच्छिवं व्रजेत्।
इतरस्तु तदैवेति शास्त्रस्यात्र प्रधानतः॥५१॥

Vikalpayuktacittastu piṇḍapātācchivaṁ vrajet|
Itarastu tadaiveti śāstrasyātra pradhānataḥ||51||

Nonetheless (tu), the one whose mind is engaged in vikalpa --e.g. I am fat, I am sick, I am healthy, I am rich, etc.-- (vikalpa-yukta-cittaḥ) (even if he was initiated and his pauruṣājñāna was obliterated,) attains (vrajet) to Śiva (śivam) when the physical body falls --at the time of death-- (piṇḍa-pātāt). But (tu) the other --the one who possesses both intellectual knowledge and knowledge about the Self, i.e. bauddhajñāna and pauruṣajñāna-- (itaraḥ) (gets Liberation) at that time (and right there) --i.e. he does not have to wait for death of the physical body-- (tadā eva). Thus (iti), there is pre-eminence or predominance (pradhānataḥ) of the scripture (śāstrasya) here (atra) (over one's own personal experience in samādhi or trance)||51||


ज्ञेयस्य हि परं तत्त्वं यः प्रकाशात्मकः शिवः।
नह्यप्रकाशरूपस्य प्राकाश्यं वस्तुतापि वा॥५२॥

Jñeyasya hi paraṁ tattvaṁ yaḥ prakāśātmakaḥ śivaḥ|
Nahyaprakāśarūpasya prākāśyaṁ vastutāpi vā||52||

The Supreme (param) Principle (tattvam) of the knowable --of the universe-- (jñeyasya) (is) undoubtedly (hi) Śiva (śivaḥ) who (yaḥ) is (conscious) Light (prakāśa-ātmakaḥ). If He were devoid of (conscious) Light (aprakāśa-rūpasya), there would not be at all (nahi) something being illuminated (prākāśyam) or (vā) even (api) something real --lit. reality-- (vastutā)||52||


अवस्तुतापि भावानां चमत्कारैकगोचरा।
यत्कुड्यसदृशी नेयं धीरवस्त्वेतदित्यपि॥५३॥

Avastutāpi bhāvānāṁ camatkāraikagocarā|
Yatkuḍyasadṛśī neyaṁ dhīravastvetadityapi||53||

Even (api) the unreality --i.e. non-existence-- (avastutā) of the objects (bhāvānām) --e.g. when one says: 'this does not exist'-- is only in the sphere of Amazement --i.e. of the highest I-consciousness-- (camatkāra-eka-gocarā). On which account (yad), (when it is said) that 'this does not exist' --lit. this is unreal-- (avastu etad iti api), this (iyam) idea or notion (in the intellect) --i.e. 'this does not exist'-- (dhīḥ) is not (na) like a wall --i.e. inert, lifeless-- (kuḍya-sadṛśī)||53||


प्रकाशो नाम यश्चायं सर्वत्रैव प्रकाशते।
अनपह्नवनीयत्वात् किं तस्मिन्मानकल्पनैः॥५४॥

Prakāśo nāma yaścāyaṁ sarvatraiva prakāśate|
Anapahnavanīyatvāt kiṁ tasminmānakalpanaiḥ||54||

And (ca) this (ayam) which (yaḥ) is called (nāma) (conscious) Light (prakāśaḥ) is evident (prakāśate) everywhere (sarvatra eva). As It cannot be denied (anapahnavanīyatvāt), what (kim) mental invention or opinion (māna-kalpanaiḥ) (is effective) with reference to It (tasmin) --viz. what mental invention can serve to prove It or to deny It--?||54||


प्रमाणान्यपि वस्तूनां जीवितं यानि तन्वते।
तेषामपि परो जीवः स एव परमेश्वरः॥५५॥

Pramāṇānyapi vastūnāṁ jīvitaṁ yāni tanvate|
Teṣāmapi paro jīvaḥ sa eva parameśvaraḥ||55||

The Supreme Lord --viz. Śiva-- (saḥ eva parama-īśvaraḥ) is the supreme life (paraḥ jīvaḥ) of even those (teṣām api) proofs --or also, 'means of acquiring Pramā (right knowledge)'-- (pramāṇāni api) which (yāni) spread (tanvate) like the life (jīvitam) of the objects (vastūnām)||55||


सर्वापह्नवहेवाकधर्माप्येवं हि वर्तते।
ज्ञानमात्मार्थमित्येतन्नेति मां प्रति भासते॥५६॥

Sarvāpahnavahevākadharmāpyevaṁ hi vartate|
Jñānamātmārthamityetanneti māṁ prati bhāsate||56||

Even (api) someone whose characteristic is an ardent desire to deny all --i.e. a Buddhist-- (sarva-apahnava-hevāka-dharmā) (who) maintains (vartate) in this way (evam hi): 'Knowledge (jñānam), knower --the subject-- (ātmā) (and) knowable --the object-- (artham), it seems to me (mām prati bhāsate) that (all) this does not exist (etad na iti)' --the same 'me' persists even in the middle of a negation like this one; and this 'me' is again Śiva; so, with his negation of all that has come out of the conscious Light, he is showing the existence of the conscious Light, i.e. of the Supreme Lord--||56||


अपह्नुतौ साधने वा वस्तूनांआद्यमीदृशम्।
यत्तत्र के प्रमाणानामुपपत्त्युपयोगिते॥५७॥

Apahnutau sādhane vā vastūnāṁādyamīdṛśam|
Yattatra ke pramāṇānāmupapattyupayogite||57||

Such (Supreme Reality) --viz. Śiva-- (īdṛśam) (is) primordial --i.e. It is proved in the first place-- (ādyam) whether in the negation or in the affirmation --lit. proof-- (apahnutau sādhane vā) of the things --i.e. knowledge, knower and knowable-- (vastūnām). For that reason (yad), with respect to It --to the Supreme Reality-- (tatra), what (ke) pramāṇa-s (pramāṇānām) are useful to prove (upapatti-upayogite) (Its existence, i.e. the existence of Śiva)?||57||


कामिके तत एवोक्तं हेतुवादविवर्जितम्।
तस्य देवातिदेवस्य परापेक्षा न विद्यते॥५८॥

Kāmike tata evoktaṁ hetuvādavivarjitam|
Tasya devātidevasya parāpekṣā na vidyate||58||

Hence (tatas eva) in the Kāmikatantra (kāmike) (the Supreme Reality) is described (uktam) as devoid of the theory of cause --i.e. there is no way to know a cause of It-- (hetu-vāda-vivarjitam). (Why? Because) for that Supreme God of gods (tasya deva-atidevasya) there is no (na vidyate) dependence on another (para-apekṣā)||58||


परस्य तदपेक्षत्वात्स्वतन्त्रोऽयमतः स्थितः।
अनपेक्षस्य वशिनो देशकालाकृतिक्रमाः॥५९॥
नियता नेति स विभुर्नित्यो विश्वाकृइतिः शिवः।
विभुत्वात्सर्वगो नित्यभावादाद्यन्तवर्जितः॥६०॥
विश्वाकृतित्वाच्चिदचित्तद्वैचित्र्यावभासकः।
ततोऽस्य बहुरूपत्वमुक्तं दीक्षोत्तरादिके॥६१॥

Parasya tadapekṣatvātsvatantro'yamataḥ sthitaḥ|
Anapekṣasya vaśino deśakālākṛtikramāḥ||59||
Niyatā neti sa vibhurnityo viśvākṛitiḥ śivaḥ|
Vibhutvātsarvago nityabhāvādādyantavarjitaḥ||60||
Viśvākṛtitvāccidacittadvaicitryāvabhāsakaḥ|
Tato'sya bahurūpatvamuktaṁ dīkṣottarādike||61||

(In fact, it is the opposite: 'The other depends on Him'. And) since the other is dependent on Him (parasya tad-apekṣatvāt), for this reason (atas), it is established (sthitaḥ) that He (ayam) (is) Free (svatantraḥ). For the Powerful One who is (completely) independent (anapekṣasya vaśinaḥ), the successions of space, time and form (deśa-kāla-ākṛti-kramāḥ) do not exist --lit. are not connected with Him-- (niyatāḥ na iti). (That is why) He (saḥ) —i.e. Śiva (śivaḥ)(is said to be) Omnipresent (vibhuḥ), Eternal (nityaḥ) (and) Universal (viśvākṛitiḥ). Due to (His) Omnipresence (vibhutvāt), He is everywhere (sarvagaḥ); due to (His) eternity (nityabhāvāt), He has neither beginning nor end (ādi-anta-varjitaḥ); due to (His) universality (viśvākṛtitvāt), He is revealing that variety composed of cit and acit --conscious and unconscious, i.e. living and inert-- (cit-acit-tad-vaicitrya-avabhāsakaḥ). On that account (tatas), in Dīkṣottaratantra, etc. (dīkṣottara-ādike) He is said to be (asya... uktam) multiform (bahu-rūpatvam)||59-61||

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 Stanzas 62 to 70

भुवनं विग्रहो ज्योतिः खं शब्दो मन्त्र एव च।
बिन्दुनादादिसम्भिन्नः षड्विधः शिव उच्यते॥६२॥

Bhuvanaṁ vigraho jyotiḥ khaṁ śabdo mantra eva ca|
Bindunādādisambhinnaḥ ṣaḍvidhaḥ śiva ucyate||62||

Śiva (śivaḥ) is said to be (ucyate) sixfold (ṣaḍvidhaḥ): (1) (Lords of) the world(s) --lit. world-- (bhuvanam), (2) highest Rudra-s --e.g. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, etc.-- --lit. body-- (vigrahaḥ), (3) Turya at every junction in this universe --lit. light-- (jyotiḥ), (4) states which are totally void --i.e. śakti, vyāpinī and samanā-- --lit. vyoma, i.e. vacuity, ether-- (kham), (5) the Supreme Nāda --lit. sound-- (śabdaḥ) and (eva ca) (6) the three praṇava-s (mantraḥ); (all of them) coming into contact with Bindu --Vimarśa--, Nāda --Prakāśa--, etc. (bindu-nāda-ādi-sambhinnaḥ)||62||


यो यदात्मकतानिष्ठस्तद्भावं स प्रपद्यते।
व्योमादिशब्दविज्ञानात्परो मोक्षो न संशयः॥६३॥

Yo yadātmakatāniṣṭhastadbhāvaṁ sa prapadyate|
Vyomādiśabdavijñānātparo mokṣo na saṁśayaḥ||63||

The one who (yaḥ... saḥ) is dedicated to any of those six forms of Śiva --lit. is dedicated to the ones who have which nature-- (yad-ātmakatā-niṣṭhaḥ) attains (prapadyate) that state (tad-bhāvam). Through the experience of the Supreme Vimarśa in Kha --i.e. śakti, vyāpinī and samanā--, etc. --i.e. by realizing that those six forms of Śiva are just Śiva Himself-- (vyoma-ādi-śabda-vijñānāt), (there takes place) undoubtedly (na saṁśayaḥ) the highest (paraḥ) Liberation (mokṣaḥ)||63||


विश्वाकृतित्वे देवस्य तदेतच्चोपलक्षणम्।
अनवच्छिन्नतारूढाववच्छेदलयेऽस्य च॥६४॥

Viśvākṛtitve devasya tadetaccopalakṣaṇam|
Anavacchinnatārūḍhāvavacchedalaye'sya ca||64||

Owing to (his) universality (viśvākṛtitve), this very (aggregate of six forms) (tad etad ca) (is explained as) a synecdoche (upalakṣaṇam) of God --of Śiva-- (devasya) with reference to the achievement of the State of Full Unity (anavacchinnatā-rūḍhau) when (all) His delimitations are dissolved (avaccheda-laye asya ca)||64||


उक्तं च कामिके देवः सर्वाकृतिर्निराकृतिः।
जलदर्पणवत्तेन सर्वं व्याप्तं चराचरम्॥६५॥

Uktaṁ ca kāmike devaḥ sarvākṛtirnirākṛtiḥ|
Jaladarpaṇavattena sarvaṁ vyāptaṁ carācaram||65||

It is said (uktam ca) in Kāmikatantra (kāmike) that God --i.e. Śiva-- (devaḥ) has all the forms and no form (sarva-ākṛtiḥ nis-ākṛtiḥ). Like water or a mirror (jala-darpaṇa-vat), the whole (sarvam) universe (carācaram) (is) penetrated (vyāptam) by Him (tena) --He reflects the entire universe like water or a mirror--||65||


न चास्य विभुताद्योऽयं धर्मोऽन्योन्यं विभिद्यते।
एक एवास्य धर्मोऽसौ सर्वाक्षेपेण वर्तते॥६६॥

Na cāsya vibhutādyo'yaṁ dharmo'nyonyaṁ vibhidyate|
Eka evāsya dharmo'sau sarvākṣepeṇa vartate||66||

And (ca) these --lit. this-- (ayam) qualities --lit. quality-- (dharmaḥ) (known as) all-pervasion, etc. (vibhutā-ādyaḥ) of His (asya) do not (na) differ (vibhidyate) from each other (anyonyam). (Anyway,) that (asau) only (ekaḥ eva) quality (dharmaḥ) of His (asya) is hinting at all (the other qualities) (sarva-ākṣepeṇa vartate) --and that special quality is His Power of Absolute Freedom which will be mentioned in the next aphorism--||66||


तेन स्वातन्त्र्यशक्त्यैव युक्त इत्याञ्जसो विधिः।
बहुशक्तित्वमप्यस्य तच्छक्त्यैवावियुक्तता॥६७॥

Tena svātantryaśaktyaiva yukta ityāñjaso vidhiḥ|
Bahuśaktitvamapyasya tacchaktyaivāviyuktatā||67||

Therefore (tena), the direct (āñjasaḥ) manner (vidhiḥ) (to explain Śiva is to affirm) that (iti) (He) is endowed with (yuktaḥ) Power of Absolute Freedom (svātantrya-śaktyā) indeed (eva). Though (api) there is an aggregate of many powers (in Him) (bahu-śaktitvam), full unity --i.e. there is no separation-- (aviyuktatā) (exists) between this (aggregate of many powers) (asya) and that Power --viz. and His Power of Absolute Freedom-- (tad-śaktyā eva)||67||


शक्तिश्च नाम भावस्य स्वं रूपं मातृकल्पितम्।
तेनाद्वयः स एवापि शक्तिमत्परिकल्पने॥६८॥

Śaktiśca nāma bhāvasya svaṁ rūpaṁ mātṛkalpitam|
Tenādvayaḥ sa evāpi śaktimatparikalpane||68||

And (ca) (this One) whose name is Śakti --Power of Absolute Freedom-- (śaktiḥ... nāma) (is) the essential nature (svam rūpam) —such as conceived by the (different) pramātā-s or knowers (mātṛ-kalpitam)— of the Self --i.e. of Śiva-- (bhāvasya). For that reason (tena), though (api) He Himself --Śiva-- (saḥ eva) is one (advayaḥ), He is imagined as the Possessor of Śakti (śakti-mat-parikalpane)||68||


मातृकॢप्ते हि देवस्य तत्र तत्र वपुष्यलम्।
को भेदो वस्तुतो वह्नेर्दग्धृपक्तृत्वयोरिव॥६९॥

Mātṛkḷpte hi devasya tatra tatra vapuṣyalam|
Ko bhedo vastuto vahnerdagdhṛpaktṛtvayoriva||69||

With reference to the form (vapuṣi) of God --of Śiva-- (devasya) which is invented here and there by the pramātā-s or knowers (mātṛ-kḷpte hi... tatra tatra)... enough (of this) (alam)! (Because) what (kaḥ) (is) possibly (iva) the difference (bhedaḥ) between the fire who heats and the fire who cooks (vahneḥ dagdhṛ-paktṛtvayoḥ)?||69||


न चासौ परमार्थेन न किञ्चिद्भासनादृते।
नह्यस्ति किञ्चित्तच्छक्तितद्वद्भेदोऽपि वास्तवः॥७०॥

Na cāsau paramārthena na kiñcidbhāsanādṛte|
Nahyasti kiñcittacchaktitadvadbhedo'pi vāstavaḥ||70||

That (aggregate of many powers) (asau) is really nothing (na... paramārthena na kiñcid) but (ṛte) the manifestation (of Śiva) (bhāsanāt). (Then,) there is no (na hi asti kiñcid) real difference between that Śakti and Her Possessor --lit. the One having/containing That; in other words, Śiva-- (tad-śakti-tadvat-bhedaḥ api vāstavaḥ)||70||

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 Stanzas 71 to 80

स्वशक्त्युद्रेकजनकं तादात्म्याद्वस्तुनो हि यत्।
शक्तिस्तदपि देव्येवं भान्त्यप्यन्यस्वरूपिणी॥७१॥

Svaśaktyudrekajanakaṁ tādātmyādvastuno hi yat|
Śaktistadapi devyevaṁ bhāntyapyanyasvarūpiṇī||71||

That which (yad... tad api) generates preponderance in (one of) His powers (sva-śakti-udreka-janakam), due to the identity --i.e. unity-- of the Reality --Śiva-- (tādātmyāt vastunaḥ), (is) the Goddess (devī) Śakti (śaktiḥ) though (api) She appears (bhāntī) to have the nature of another --i.e. though She appears to be another thing-- (anya-svarūpiṇī)||71||


शिवश्चालुप्तविभवस्तथा सृष्टोऽवभासते।
स्वसंविन्मातृमकुरे स्वातन्त्र्याद्भावनादिषु॥७२॥

Śivaścāluptavibhavastathā sṛṣṭo'vabhāsate|
Svasaṁvinmātṛmakure svātantryādbhāvanādiṣu||72||

And (ca) in contemplation, etc. (bhāvanā-ādiṣu), through (His) Absolute Freedom (svātantryāt), Śiva (śivaḥ), whose Glory is never diminished --i.e. He is always the Supreme Subject-- (alupta-vibhava), becomes in this way manifest (like an object) (tathā sṛṣṭaḥ avabhāsate) in the sole mirror of His pure Consciousness (sva-saṁvid-mātṛ-makure)||72||


तस्माद्येन मुखेनैष भात्यनंशोऽपि तत्तथा।
शक्तिरित्येष वस्त्वेव शक्तितद्वत्क्रमः स्फुटः॥७३॥

Tasmādyena mukhenaiṣa bhātyanaṁśo'pi tattathā|
Śaktirityeṣa vastveva śaktitadvatkramaḥ sphuṭaḥ||73||

Therefore (tasmāt), with whatever face --i.e. with whatever characteristic endowed with parts; or also 'through whatever means', as mukha indicates both 'face' and 'means'-- (yena mukhena) He (eṣaḥ) —though (api) devoid of parts (anaṁśaḥ)— shows Himself (bhāti), that (tad) (is) 'Śakti' (śaktiḥ iti) in that manner (tathā). (So,) this (eṣaḥ) evident (sphuṭaḥ) succession of Śakti and Her Possessor --viz. Śiva-- (śakti-tadvat-kramaḥ) (is) the (Highest) Reality (vastu eva)||73||


श्रीमत्किरणशास्त्रे च तत्प्रश्नोत्तरपूर्वकम्।
अनुभावो विकल्पोऽपि मानसो न मनः शिवे॥७४॥
अविज्ञाय शिवं दीक्षा कथमित्यत्र चोत्तरम्।
क्षुधाद्यनुभवो नैव विकल्पो नहि मानसः॥७५॥

Śrīmatkiraṇaśāstre ca tatpraśnottarapūrvakam|
Anubhāvo vikalpo'pi mānaso na manaḥ śive||74||
Avijñāya śivaṁ dīkṣā kathamityatra cottaram|
Kṣudhādyanubhavo naiva vikalpo nahi mānasaḥ||75||

Also (ca) in venerable Kiraṇatantra (śrīmat-kiraṇa-śāstre) that (tad) (is explained) in connection with questions and answers --i.e. the same topic is explained through questions and answers-- (praśna-uttara-pūrvakam). (Here is the question by Garuḍa:) 'The perception (of Śiva) --another common meaning of this term is 'external gesture coming from an internal feeling'-- (anubhāvaḥ) on a mental level (mānasaḥ) (is) also (api) vikalpa (vikalpaḥ), (but) there is no mind (na manas) in Śiva (śive) --one cannot reach Śiva through his mind--. If there is no knowledge about Śiva (avijñāya śivam), how (can there be) (katham) initiation (at all) (dīkṣā... iti)?'. The answer (uttaram) to this (question) (atra ca) (by Hara is as follows:) 'The experience of hunger, etc. (kṣudh-ādi-anubhavaḥ) is not at all (na eva) vikalpa (vikalpaḥ), it is not (nahi) mental (mānasaḥ)'||75||


रसाद्यनध्यक्षत्वेऽपि रूपादेव यथा तरुम्।
विकल्पो वेत्ति तद्वत्तु नादबिन्द्वादिना शिवम्॥७६॥

Rasādyanadhyakṣatve'pi rūpādeva yathā tarum|
Vikalpo vetti tadvattu nādabindvādinā śivam||76||

Just as (yathā) vikalpa (vikalpaḥ) knows (vetti) a tree (tarum) from (its) form --or the form of (its) fruits-- (rūpāt eva) even if there is no direct perception of the taste, etc. (of its fruits) (rasa-ādi-anadhyakṣatve api), so (tad-vat tu) (vikalpa knows) Śiva (śivam) by means of Nāda, Bindu, etc. --i.e. Prakāśa, Vimarśa, etc.-- (nāda-bindu-ādinā)||76||


बहुशक्तित्वमस्योक्तं शिवस्य यदतो महान्।
कलातत्त्वपुराणाणुपदादिर्भेदविस्तरः॥७७॥
सृष्टिस्थितितिरोधानसंहारानुग्रहादि च।
तुर्यमित्यपि देवस्य बहुशक्तित्वजृम्भितम्॥७८॥
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तान्यतदतीतानि यान्यपि।
तान्यप्यमुष्य नाथस्य स्वातन्त्र्यलहरीभरः॥७९॥

महामन्त्रेशमन्त्रेशमन्त्राः शिवपुरोगमाः।
अकलौ सकलश्चेति शिवस्यैव विभूतयः॥८०॥

Bahuśaktitvamasyoktaṁ śivasya yadato mahān|
Kalātattvapurāṇāṇupadādirbhedavistaraḥ||77||
Sṛṣṭisthititirodhānasaṁhārānugrahādi ca|
Turyamityapi devasya bahuśaktitvajṛmbhitam||78||
Jāgratsvapnasuṣuptānyatadatītāni yānyapi|
Tānyapyamuṣya nāthasya svātantryalaharībharaḥ||79||
Mahāmantreśamantreśamantrāḥ śivapurogamāḥ|
Akalau sakalaśceti śivasyaiva vibhūtayaḥ||80||

A lot of powers (bahu-śaktitvam) are said to (uktam) belong to this Śiva (asya... śivasya). Hence (atas) (He is so) Great (mahān). (Also is His) the expansion of divisions (bheda-vistaraḥ) (known as) kalā-s --primeval powers--, tattva-s --categories--, bhuvana-s --worlds--, varṇa-s --letters--, mantra-s --words--, pada-s --sentences-- (kalā-tattva-pura-aṇa-aṇu-pada-ādiḥ bheda-vistaraḥ). And (ca) manifestation and maintenance of the universe (along with) concealment and revelation of one's own essential nature, etc. (sṛṣṭi-sthiti-tirodhāna-saṁhāra-anugraha-ādi), (and) even (api) Turya --the Fourth State of Consciousness-- (turyam), (are) the manifestation of the many powers (bahu-śaktitva-jṛmbhitam) of God --of Śiva-- (devasya). Even (api) those (tāni) (five states) which (yāni api) (form the group of) wakefulness, dreaming, deep sleep, the Fourth State --lit. the another one, i.e. Turya-- and the one that is beyond the Fourth One --lit. that is beyond that, i.e. Turyātīta-- (jāgrat-svapna-suṣupta-anya-tad-atītāni) (are) the multitude of waves of Svātantrya --Absolute Freedom-- (svātantrya-laharī-bharaḥ) of that Lord (amuṣya nāthasya). (Moreover,) preceded by (the State of) Śiva (śiva-purogamāḥ), (the states of) Mantramaheśvara, Mantreśvara and Mantra (mahā-mantra-īśa-mantra-īśa-mantrāḥ) (plus the states of) Vijñānākala and Pralayākala (akalau) together with --lit. and-- (ca) (the state of) Sakala (sakalaḥ), (are) the great powers (vibhūtayaḥ) of Śiva (śivasya) certainly (eva)||77-80||

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 Stanzas 81 to 90

तत्त्वग्रामस्य सर्वस्य धर्मः स्यादनपायवान्।
आत्मैव हि स्वभावात्मेत्युक्तं श्रीत्रिशिरोमते॥८१॥

Tattvagrāmasya sarvasya dharmaḥ syādanapāyavān|
Ātmaiva hi svabhāvātmetyuktaṁ śrītriśiromate||81||

It is declared (uktam) in venerable Triśirobhairavatantra (śrī-triśiromate) that (iti): 'The main quality (dharmaḥ) of the whole collection of tattva-s (tattva-grāmasya sarvasya) is (syāt) the imperishable (anapāyavān) Self (ātmā) only (eva) because (hi) He is the essential nature (of them all --i.e. of all the tattva-s)-- (sva-bhāva-ātmā)||81||


हृदिस्थं सर्वदेहस्थं स्वभावस्थं सुसूक्ष्मकम्।
सामूह्यं चैव तत्त्वानां ग्रामशब्देन कीर्तितम्॥८२॥

Hṛdisthaṁ sarvadehasthaṁ svabhāvasthaṁ susūkṣmakam|
Sāmūhyaṁ caiva tattvānāṁ grāmaśabdena kīrtitam||82||

The aggregate (sāmūhyam ca eva) of tattva-s (tattvānām) which remains in the Heart (hṛdi-stham), which remains in all the bodies (sarva-deha-stham), which remains in one's own essential nature (sva-bhāva-stham) (and) which is very subtle --viz. which is very difficult to be fathomed or understood-- (su-sūkṣmakam) (is) mentioned (kīrtitam) by the word 'grāma' --collection-- (grāma-śabdena)||82||


आत्मैव धर्म इत्युक्तः शिवामृतपरिप्लुतः।
प्रकाशावस्थितं ज्ञानं भावाभावादिमध्यतः॥८३॥
स्वस्थाने वर्तनं ज्ञेयं द्रष्टृत्वं विगतावृति।
विविक्तवस्तुकथितशुद्धविज्ञाननिर्मलः॥८४॥
ग्रामधर्मवृत्तिरुक्तस्तस्य सर्वं प्रसिद्ध्यति।
ऊर्ध्वं त्यक्त्वाधो विशेत्स रामस्थो मध्यदेशगः॥८५॥

Ātmaiva dharma ityuktaḥ śivāmṛtapariplutaḥ|
Prakāśāvasthitaṁ jñānaṁ bhāvābhāvādimadhyataḥ||83||
Svasthāne vartanaṁ jñeyaṁ draṣṭṛtvaṁ vigatāvṛti|
Viviktavastukathitaśuddhavijñānanirmalaḥ||84||
Grāmadharmavṛttiruktastasya sarvaṁ prasiddhyati|
Ūrdhvaṁ tyaktvādho viśetsa rāmastho madhyadeśagaḥ||85||

(So,) the Self alone (ātmā eva), immersed in the Nectar of Śiva (śiva-amṛta-pariplutaḥ), is said to be (uktaḥ) 'the main quality' (of all the tattva-s) (dharmaḥ iti). (This) Knowledge (jñānam) resides in the (conscious) Light (prakāśa-avasthitam) between objects which exist and which do not exist --lit. between existence and nonexistence, i.e. between two things, e.g. between one thought that is existing and another thought that is still coming--, etc. (bhāva-abhāva-ādi-madhyataḥ). (It is) the (ever-)uncovered State of the Subject (draṣṭṛtvam vigatāvṛti) which is to be known (jñeyam) as abiding (vartanam) in the Self --lit. in one's own place-- (sva-sthāne). The one who is totally immaculate due to the pure Knowledge which is described as the Reality that is separate from all (vivikta-vastu-kathita-śuddha-vijñāna-nirmalaḥ) is established in the main quality of 'grāma' --i.e. of the collection of tattva-s-- (grāma-dharma-vṛttiḥ). For him (tasya) everything (sarvam) succeeds (prasiddhyati) --i.e. he is successful in all--. After leaving (tyaktvā) up and down --superior and inferior states-- (ūrdhvam... adhas), he (saḥ) enters (viśet) (the middle state --i.e. in holy Śiva--, and since) he is (now) in the middle state (madhya-deśa-gaḥ), he is (said to be) one who is residing in 'rāma' --this is not Rāmacandra, obviously, but, literally, 'delight' or 'the one giving delight'; Abhinavagupta will explain this soon-- (rāma-sthaḥ)||83-85||


गतिः स्थानं स्वप्नजाग्रदुन्मेषणनिमेषणे।
धावनं प्लवनं चैव आयासः शक्तिवेदनम्॥८६॥
बुद्धिभेदास्तथा भावाः सञ्ज्ञाः कर्माण्यनेकशः।
एष रामो व्यापकोऽत्र शिवः परमकारणम्॥८७॥

Gatiḥ sthānaṁ svapnajāgradunmeṣaṇanimeṣaṇe|
Dhāvanaṁ plavanaṁ caiva āyāsaḥ śaktivedanam||86||
Buddhibhedāstathā bhāvāḥ sañjñāḥ karmāṇyanekaśaḥ|
Eṣa rāmo vyāpako'tra śivaḥ paramakāraṇam||87||

(All) this (eṣaḥ) (is) 'rāma' (rāmaḥ): (1) Moving (gatiḥ), (2) staying (sthānam), (3, 4, 5, 6) being in dreams or wakefulness, being with open or closed eyes (svapna-jāgrat-unmeṣa-ṇanimeṣaṇe), (7) running (dhāvanam), and (ca eva) (8) jumping (plavanam), (9) not knowing (āyāsaḥ), (10) being aware of the senses (śakti-vedanam), (11) the eight different states of the intellect (buddhi-bhedāḥ) as well as (tathā) (12) the feelings (bhāvāḥ), (13) the names (sañjñāḥ) (and) (14) the innumerable actions (karmāṇi anekaśaḥ). In this context (atra), (rāma is) the (All-)pervading (vyāpakaḥ) Śiva (śivaḥ) (who is) the Supreme Cause (parama-kāraṇam)||86-87||


कल्मषक्षीणमनसा स्मृतिमात्रनिरोधनात्।
ध्यायते परमं ध्येयं गमागमपदे स्थितम्॥८८॥
परं शिवं तु व्रजति भैरवाख्यं जपादपि।
तत्स्वरूपं जपः प्रोक्तो भावाभावपदच्युतः॥८९॥

Kalmaṣakṣīṇamanasā smṛtimātranirodhanāt|
Dhyāyate paramaṁ dhyeyaṁ gamāgamapade sthitam||88||
Paraṁ śivaṁ tu vrajati bhairavākhyaṁ japādapi|
Tatsvarūpaṁ japaḥ prokto bhāvābhāvapadacyutaḥ||89||

(The one who firstly,) just by suppressing the thoughts (smṛti-mātra-nirodhanāt) through a mind in which all the impurities have been destroyed (kalmaṣa-kṣīṇa-manasā), meditates (dhyāyate) on the supreme object of meditation (paramam dhyeyam) which is residing (sthitam) in the state of going and coming --i.e. Prakāśa and Vimarśa, Knowledge and Action, along with prāṇa and apāna-- (gama-āgama-pade), certainly (tu) attains (vrajati) Paramaśiva --the Supreme Śiva-- (param śivam) (also) called Bhairava (bhairava-ākhyam) by means of japa --lit. muttering-- (japāt api). The nature of That --i.e. of Paramaśiva or Bhairava-- (tad-svarūpam) is said to be (proktaḥ) japa (japaḥ) which is devoid of the states with objects which exist and which do not exist --i.e. which shines between two things, e.g. between one thought that is existing and another thought that is still coming-- (bhāva-abhāva-pada-cyutaḥ)||88-89||


तदत्रापि तदीयेन स्वातन्त्र्येणोपकल्पितः।
दूरासन्नादिको भेदश्चित्स्वातन्त्र्यव्यपेक्षया॥९०॥

Tadatrāpi tadīyena svātantryeṇopakalpitaḥ|
Dūrāsannādiko bhedaścitsvātantryavyapekṣayā||90||

Therefore (tad), here (atra) also (api) the difference (bhedaḥ) consisting of far, close, etc. --i.e. this means to approach Śiva is farther than this other means, etc., e.g. the means in Āṇavopāya are farther from the Lord in comparison to the means in Śāktopāya, and so on and on-- (dūra-āsanna-ādikaḥ) has been prepared/arranged (upakalpitaḥ) by that Absolute Freedom (tadīyena svātantryeṇa) in accordance with the Independence of Consciousness (cit-svātantrya-vyapekṣayā)||90||

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 Stanzas 91 to 103

एवं स्वातन्त्र्यपूर्णत्वादतिदुर्घटकार्ययम्।
केन नाम न रूपेण भासते परमेश्वरः॥९१॥

Evaṁ svātantryapūrṇatvādatidurghaṭakāryayam|
Kena nāma na rūpeṇa bhāsate parameśvaraḥ||91||

So (evam), because of the Fullness of (His) Absolute Freedom (svātantrya-pūrṇatvāt), He (ayam) (is) the Doer of what is very difficult to be accomplished (atidurghaṭa-kārī). In what form then (kena nāma... rūpeṇa) (does) the Supreme Lord (parama-īśvaraḥ) not (na) become manifest (bhāsate)? --in short, He becomes manifest in all the forms--||91||


निरावरणमाभाति भात्यावृतनिजामकः।
आवृतानावृतो भाति बहुधा भात्याबृतनिजात्मकः॥९२॥
इति शक्तित्रयं नाथे स्वातन्त्र्यापरनामकम्।
इच्छादिभिरभिख्याभिर्गुरुभिः प्रकटीकृतम्॥९३॥

Nirāvaraṇamābhāti bhātyāvṛtanijātmakaḥ|
Āvṛtānāvṛto bhāti bahudhā bhedasaṅgamāt||92||
Iti śaktitrayaṁ nāthe svātantryāparanāmakam|
Icchādibhirabhikhyābhirgurubhiḥ prakaṭīkṛtam||93||

Owing to (His) association with duality (bheda-saṅgamāt) in many ways (bahudhā), He becomes manifest (ābhāti) (in Śāmbhavopāya) without any veil or covering (nirāvaraṇam) --the Parā level--, (while in Āṇavopāya) He appears (bhāti) with His own essential nature veiled or covered (āvṛta-nija-ātmakaḥ) --the Aparā level--. (Anyway, in Śāktopāya) He shows Himself (bhāti) as veiled/covered or unveiled/uncovered (āvṛta-anāvṛtaḥ) --the Parāparā level--. Thus (iti), the triad of Powers --viz. Parā, Parāparā and Aparā-- (śakti-trayam) (is) another name of (His) Absolute Freedom (svātantrya-apara-nāmakam) for attaining the (State of the) Lord --i.e. the State of the Supreme Śiva-- (nāthe). (And this triad of Powers) has been proclaimed (prakaṭīkṛtam) by the Guru-s (gurubhiḥ) with the names (abhikhyābhiḥ) of Will, etc. --i.e. Will, Knowledge and Action-- (icchā-ādibhiḥ)||93||


देवो ह्यन्वर्थशास्त्रोक्तैः शब्दैः समुपदिश्यते।
महाभैरवदेवोऽयं पतिर्यः परमः शिवः॥९४॥

Devo hyanvarthaśāstroktaiḥ śabdaiḥ samupadiśyate|
Mahābhairavadevo'yaṁ patiryaḥ paramaḥ śivaḥ||94||

Deva --lit. God-- (devaḥ) is indeed indicated (hi... samupadiśyate) by means of words to be found --lit. spoken-- in scriptures dealing with etymology (anvartha-śāstra-uktaiḥ śabdaiḥ). This One (ayam) Mahābhairavadeva (mahā-bhairava-devaḥ) who (yaḥ) (is) Pati (patiḥ) (is none other than) Paramaśiva (paramaḥ śivaḥ) --all these names of His will be explained in the next stanzas||94||


विश्वं बिभर्ति पूरणधारणयोगेन तेन च श्रियते।
सविमर्शतया रव रूपतश्च संसारभीरुहितकृच्च॥९५॥
संसारभीतिजनिताद्रवात्परामर्शतोऽपि हृदि जातः।
प्रकटीभूतं भवभयविमर्शनं शक्तिपाततो येन॥९६॥
नक्षत्रप्रेरककालतत्त्वसंशोषकारिणो ये च।
कालग्राससमाधानरसिकमनःसु तेषु च प्रकटः॥९७॥
सङ्कोचिपशुजनभिये यासां रवणं स्वकरणदेवीनाम्।
अन्तर्बहिश्चतुर्विधखेचर्यादिकगणस्यापि॥९८॥
तस्य स्वामी संसारवृत्तिविघटनमहाभीमः।
भैरव इति गुरुभिरिमैरन्वर्थैः संस्तुतः शास्त्रे॥९९॥

Viśvaṁ bibharti pūraṇadhāraṇayogena tena ca śriyate|
Savimarśatayā rava rūpataśca saṁsārabhīruhitakṛcca||95||
Saṁsārabhītijanitādravātparāmarśato'pi hṛdi jātaḥ|
Prakaṭībhūtaṁ bhavabhayavimarśanaṁ śaktipātato yena||96||
Nakṣatraprerakakālatattvasaṁśoṣakāriṇo ye ca|
Kālagrāsasamādhānarasikamanaḥsu teṣu ca prakaṭaḥ||97||
Saṅkocipaśujanabhiye yāsāṁ ravaṇaṁ svakaraṇadevīnām|
Antarbahiścaturvidhakhecaryādikagaṇasyāpi||98||
Tasya svāmī saṁsāravṛttivighaṭanamahābhīmaḥ|
Bhairava iti gurubhirimairanvarthaiḥ saṁstutaḥ śāstre||99||

(The name) 'Bhairava' (bhairavaḥ iti) (is) praised (saṁstutaḥ) by the Guru-s (gurubhiḥ) in the scripture(s) (śāstre) through these etymological meanings (imaiḥ anvarthaiḥ): (1) (He is called Bhairava because) He maintains (bibharti) the universe (viśvam) by holding and filling (it with His Consciousness) (pūraṇa-dhāraṇa-yogena), and also (ca) (because) He is supported (śriyate) by it --i.e. by the universe-- (tena).

(2) (He is called Bhairava because He appears) in the form of (rūpataḥ) 'rava' or sound (rava) endowed with consciousness (sa-vimarśatayā), and (ca... ca) (3) (because He is) the benefactor of the ones who are afraid of Transmigration (saṁsāra-bhīru-hitakṛt).

(4) (He is called Bhairava because) He appears (jātaḥ) in the heart (hṛdi) because of the intense awareness (parāmarśataḥ) accompanied by a sound (ravāt) produced by terror of Transmigration (saṁsāra-bhīti-janitāt).

(5) (He is called Bhairava because) by Him (yena) —through the descent of Power (śakti-pātataḥ)— awareness about (the nature of) fear of Transmigration (bhava-bhaya-vimarśanam) becomes manifest (prakaṭībhūtam).

(6) (There are Yogī-s) who (ye ca) dry the principle of Time that sets the celestial bodies in motion (nakṣatra-preraka-kāla-tattva-saṁśośakāriṇaḥ). (He is called Bhairava because) He is clearly manifest (prakaṭaḥ) to those (Yogī-s) (teṣu ca) whose minds delight in the absorption which swallows Time (kāla-grāsa-samādhāna-rasika-manaḥsu).

(7) (He is called Bhairava because He is) the Master (svāmī) of the one's own sense goddesses (sva-karaṇa-devīnām) whose (yāsām) roaring (ravaṇam) frightens the limited beings in bondage (saṅkoci-paśujana-bhiye), (8) (and because He is) also (api) (the Master) of the internal and external group of four (powers) starting with Khecarī (antar-bahis-caturvidha-khecarī-ādika-gaṇasya).

(9) (And finally, He is called Bhairava because He looks) greatly fearsome on account of the destruction of all the modes of Transmigration (saṁsāra-vṛtti-vighaṭana-mahā-bhīmaḥ)||95-99||


हेयोपादेयकथाविरहे स्वानन्दघनतयोच्छलनम्।
क्रीडा सर्वोत्कर्षेण वर्तनेच्छा तथा स्वतन्त्रत्वम्॥१००॥
व्यवहरणमभिन्नेऽपि स्वात्मनि भेदेन सञ्जल्पः।
निखिलावभासनाच्च द्योतनमस्य स्तुतिर्यतः सकलम्॥१०१॥
तत्प्रवणमात्मलाभात्प्रभृति समस्तेऽपि कर्तव्ये।
बोधात्मकः समस्तक्रियामयो दृक्क्रियागुणश्च गतिः॥१०२॥
इति निर्वचनैः शिवतनुशास्त्रे गुरुभिः स्मृतो देवः।
शासनरोधनपालनपाचनयोगात्स सर्वमुपकुरुते।
तेन पतिः श्रेयोमय एव शिवो नाशिवं किमपि तत्र॥१०३॥

Heyopādeyakathāvirahe svānandaghanatayocchalanam|
Krīḍā sarvotkarṣeṇa vartanecchā tathā svatantratvam||100||
Vyavaharaṇamabhinne'pi svātmani bhedena sañjalpaḥ|
Nikhilāvabhāsanācca dyotanamasya stutiryataḥ sakalam||101||
Tatpravaṇamātmalābhātprabhṛti samaste'pi kartavye|
Bodhātmakaḥ samastakriyāmayo dṛkkriyāguṇaśca gatiḥ||102||
Iti nirvacanaiḥ śivatanuśāstre gurubhiḥ smṛto devaḥ|
Śāsanarodhanapālanapācanayogātsa sarvamupakurute|
Tena patiḥ śreyomaya eva śivo nāśivaṁ kimapi tatra||103||

(He) is called (smṛta) Deva --lit. God-- (devaḥ) by Guru (Bṛhaspati) (gurubhiḥ) —in accordance with the etymologies (nirvacanaiḥ)— in the scripture whose name is Śivatanu (śivatanu-śāstre):

(1) (He is called Deva because,) in the absence of considerations about what is to be accepted or abandoned (heya-upādeya-kathā-virahe), (there is in Him only) jumping (ucchalanam) with a compact mass of His own Bliss (su-ānanda-ghanatayā) --i.e. He is jumping with Joy, just like a kid, without any opinion about what is to accepted or rejected--.

(2) (He is called Deva because in Him there is) 'krīḍā' --lit. play-- (krīḍā) —i.e. Will to abide (vartana-icchā) as superior to all (sarva-utkarṣeṇa)—; (and) in this manner (tathā) (there is) Absolute Freedom (in Him) (svatantratvam).

(3) (He is called Deva because in Him,) though His own nature is non-dual (abhinne api sva-ātmani), (there is a) behavior (vyavaharaṇam) (connected with) speaking (sañjalpaḥ) in a dualistic way (bhedena).

(4) (He is called Deva because,) being totally resplendent (nikhila-avabhāsanāt ca), (He is) Brilliance (dyotanam), (and) (5) (because there is) praise (stutiḥ) to Him (asya) since (yatas) everything (sakalam) is oriented to Him (tad-pravaṇam) since (prabhṛti) it comes into existence --i.e. since everything comes into existence-- (ātma-lābhāt) even (api) in the middle of all the tasks to be done (samaste... kartavye).

(6) (Finally, He is called Deva because,) being Consciousness (bodha-ātmakaḥ), being endowed with all the activities (samasta-kriyā-mayaḥ) and (ca) having the qualities of Knowledge and Action (dṛk-kriyā-guṇaḥ), (He is) movement --viz. He shines everywhere, He knows everywhere and He penetrates everywhere-- (gatiḥ).

By means of teaching/punishing, stopping, protecting and ripening (the fruit of the actions) (śāsana-rodhana-pālana-pācana-yogāt), He (saḥ) favors (upakurute) everybody (sarvam). For that reason (tena), (He is called) Pati (patiḥ) —One whose essential nature is supreme non-dualism --lit. excellent, best-- (śreyas-mayaḥ eva)(and also) Śiva (śivaḥ) (as) there is no dualism --lit. there is no misfortune-- (na aśivam kim api) in Him (tatra)||100-103||

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 Stanzas 104 to 110

ईदृग्रूपं कियदपि रुद्रोपेन्द्रादिषु स्फुरेद्येन।
तेनावच्छेदनुदे परममहत्पदविशेषणमुपात्तम्॥१०४॥

Īdṛgrūpaṁ kiyadapi rudropendrādiṣu sphuredyena|
Tenāvacchedanude paramamahatpadaviśeṣaṇamupāttam||104||

Since (yena) such a nature (īdṛk-rūpam) appears (sphuret) even a little bit (kiyat api) in (gods such as) Rudra, Upendra, etc. (rudra-upendra-ādiṣu), therefore (tena), in order to remove the limits --because Rudra, Upendra, etc. are not fully Śiva but only limited versions of Him-- (avaccheda-nude), the adjective(s) 'Supreme' and 'Great' (parama-mahat-pada-viśeṣaṇam) are used (upāttam)||104||


इति यज्ज्ञेयसतत्त्वं दर्श्यते तच्छिवाज्ञाया।
मया स्वसंवित्सत्तर्कपतिशास्त्रत्रिकक्रमात्॥१०५॥

Iti yajjñeyasatattvaṁ darśyate tacchivājñāyā|
Mayā svasaṁvitsattarkapatiśāstratrikakramāt||105||

In this way (iti), by command of Śiva (śiva-ājñāyā), that (tad) which (yad) (constitutes) the real nature or essence of what is to be known (jñeya-satattvam) is (now) shown (darśyate) by me --by Abhinavagupta-- (mayā) through my own experience, reasoning, Śivāgama-s, Rudrāgama-s, Bhairavāgama-s and Krama (sva-saṁvit-sat-tarka-pati-śāstra-trika-kramāt)||105||


तस्य शक्तय एवैतास्तिस्रो भान्ति परादिकाः।
सृष्टौ स्थितौ लये तुर्ये तेनैता द्वादशोदिताः॥१०६॥

Tasya śaktaya evaitāstisro bhānti parādikāḥ|
Sṛṣṭau sthitau laye turye tenaitā dvādaśoditāḥ||106||

Supreme, etc. --i.e. Supreme (Parā), Supreme nonSupreme (Parāparā) and nonSupreme (Aparā)-- (parā-ādikāḥ) — These (etāḥ) three (tisraḥ) Powers (śaktayaḥ eva) shine (bhānti) in the manifestation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe (sṛṣṭau sthitau laye), (and also) in the Fourth State of consciousness --viz. in Turya-- (turye). Therefore (tena), these ones (etāḥ) are said to be twelve --i.e. 3 x 4-- (dvādaśa-uditāḥ)||106||


तावान्पूर्णस्वभावोऽसौ परमः शिव उच्यते।
तेनात्रोपासकाः साक्षात्तत्रैव परिनिष्ठिताः॥१०७॥

Tāvānpūrṇasvabhāvo'sau paramaḥ śiva ucyate|
Tenātropāsakāḥ sākṣāttatraiva pariniṣṭhitāḥ||107||

He (asau) is said to be (ucyate) the Supreme Śiva (paramaḥ śivaḥ) (who is) the One being like this --i.e. being One whose measure is this group of twelve Powers-- (tāvān), (in other words,) being One whose essential nature is Full (pūrṇa-svabhāvaḥ). Therefore (tena), here --in the aforesaid group of twelve powers-- (atra), the worshipers (upāsakāḥ) are fully established (pariniṣṭhitāḥ) directly (sākṣāt) in Himself --in the Supreme Śiva-- (tatra eva)||107||


तासामपि च भेदांशन्यूनाधिक्यादियोजनम्।
तत्स्वातन्त्र्यबलादेव शास्त्रेषु परिभाषितम्॥१०८॥

Tāsāmapi ca bhedāṁśanyūnādhikyādiyojanam|
Tatsvātantryabalādeva śāstreṣu paribhāṣitam||108||

And (ca) with reference to those (twelve Powers) (tāsām api), in the scriptures (śāstreṣu) it is explained (paribhāṣitam) (that), in the field of duality, the arrangement (of these Powers) can decrease, increase, etc. in number (bheda-aṁśa-nyūna-ādhikya-ādi-yojanam) by force of His Absolute Freedom (tad-svātantrya-balāt eva)||108||


एकवीरो यामलोऽथ त्रिशक्तिश्चतुरात्मकः।
पञ्चमूर्तिः षडात्मायं सप्तकोऽष्टकभूषितः॥१०९॥
नवात्मा दशदिक्छक्तिरेकादशकलात्मकः।
द्वादशारमहाचक्रनायको भैरवस्त्विति॥११०॥

Ekavīro yāmalo'tha triśaktiścaturātmakaḥ|
Pañcamūrtiḥ ṣaḍātmāyaṁ saptako'ṣṭakabhūṣitaḥ||109||
Navātmā daśadikchaktirekādaśakalātmakaḥ|
Dvādaśāramahācakranāyako bhairavastviti||110||

Now (atha), He (ayam) (is) one --there is only Paramaśiva-- (eka-vīraḥ), a pair --i.e. Śiva and Śakti-- (yāmalaḥ), three Powers --viz. Parā, Parāparā and Aparā-- (tri-śaktiḥ), fourfold --the four states of consciousness-- (catur-ātmakaḥ), endowed with five forms --the five-faced Paramaśiva, i.e. 'Īśāna, Tatpuruṣa, Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva and Aghora'-- (pañca-mūrtiḥ), sixfold --the goddesses 'Viśvā, Viśveśā, Raudrī, Vīrakā, Tryambikā and Gurvī'-- (ṣaṭ-ātmā), consisting of seven --i.e. containing the seven goddesses 'Brāhmī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī and Cāmuṇḍā'-- (saptakaḥ), ornamented by eight --viz. by the previous seven goddesses plus Aghorā-- (aṣṭaka-bhūṣitaḥ), ninefold --i.e. the previous eight goddesses with Him in the middle of them all-- (nava-ātmā), the powers of the ten directions --the goddesses of east, west... zenith and nadir, i.e. Umā, Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Svasti, Svāhā, Śubhaṅkarī, Śrīḥ, Gaurī, Lokadhātrī and Vāgīśī-- (daśa-dik-śaktiḥ), the eleven Kalā-s (ekādaśa-kalā-ātmakaḥ); (and finally He is) Bhairava (bhairavaḥ tu iti), the Leader --i.e. the thirteenth One-- of the great group of twelve spokes --the Leader of the twelve Kālī-s whose names are as follows: Sṛṣṭikālī, Raktākālī, Sthitināśakālī and Yamakālī (for the knowable); Saṁhārakālī, Mṛtyukālī, Bhadrakālī (or Rudrakālī) and Mārtaṇḍakālī (for the knowledge and means of knowledge); Paramārkakālī, Kālāgnirudrakālī, Mahākālakālī and Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī (or Mahābhairavacaṇḍograghorakālī) (for the knower)-- (dvādaśa-ara-mahā-cakra-nāyakaḥ)||109-110||

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 Stanzas 111 to 121

एवं यावत्सहस्रारे निःसङ्ख्यारेऽपि वा प्रभुः।
विश्वचक्रे महेशानो विश्वशक्तिर्विजृम्भते॥१११॥

Evaṁ yāvatsahasrāre niḥsaṅkhyāre'pi vā prabhuḥ|
Viśvacakre maheśāno viśvaśaktirvijṛmbhate||111||

Thus (evam), as soon as (yāvat) the Lord (prabhuḥ) (attains sovereignty) in the one-thousand-spoked (wheel) --i.e. in Sahasrāracakra on the crown of the head-- (sahasra-are), or (vā) even (api) in the universal wheel containing innumerable spokes (niḥsaṅkhya-are... viśva-cakre), (becomes) the Great Lord (mahā-īśāna) (and) appears (vijṛmbhate) as the universal powers (viśva-śaktiḥ)||111||


तेषामपि च चक्राणां स्ववर्गानुगमात्मना।
ऐक्येन चक्रगो भेदस्तत्र तत्र निरूपितः॥११२॥

Teṣāmapi ca cakrāṇāṁ svavargānugamātmanā|
Aikyena cakrago bhedastatra tatra nirūpitaḥ||112||

And (ca) in the case of those wheels (teṣām api... cakrāṇām), the differentiation (bhedaḥ) relating to (every) cakra (cakra-gaḥ) is defined (nirūpitaḥ) here and there --in many scriptures-- (tatra tatra) as a homogeneous whole --as a unity-- (aikyena) which is in accordance with the group it belongs to (sva-varga-anugama-ātmanā)||112||


चतुष्षड्द्विर्द्विगणनायोगात्त्रैशिरसे मते।
षट्चक्रेश्वरता नाथस्योक्ता चित्रनिजाकृतेः॥११३॥

Catuṣṣaḍdvirdvigaṇanāyogāttraiśirase mate|
Ṣaṭcakreśvaratā nāthasyoktā citranijākṛteḥ||113||

In Triśirobhairava (traiśirase mate), according to the calculation four-six-twice-two, (which results in four, six, eight, twelve, sixteen and twenty-four powers) --powers that are present in each of the six cakra-s (not the well-known Mūlādhāra, Svādhiṣṭhāna, etc., which are inferior cakra-s)-- (catur-ṣaṭ-dvis-dvi-gaṇanā-yogāt), supremacy in the six cakra-s (ṣaṭ-cakra-īśvaratā) is said to (uktā) belong to the Lord (nāthasya) as His forms are manifold (citra-nija-ākṛteḥ)||113||


नामानि चक्रदेवीनां तत्र कृत्यविभेदतः।
सौम्यरौद्राकृतिध्यानयोगीन्यन्वर्थकल्पनात्॥११४॥

Nāmāni cakradevīnāṁ tatra kṛtyavibhedataḥ|
Saumyaraudrākṛtidhyānayogīnyanvarthakalpanāt||114||

There (tatra), the names (nāmāni) of the goddesses of the cakra-s (cakra-devīnām) —which --the names-- are connected with meditation on auspicious or inauspicious aspects (saumya-raudra-ākṛti-dhyāna-yogīni)(are created) through appropriate and significant mental conceptions (anvartha-kalpanāt) according to the different purposes/needs (of the sādhaka or practitioner) (kṛtya-vibhedataḥ)||114||


एकस्य संविन्नाथस्य ह्यान्तरी प्रतिभा तनुः।
सौम्यं वान्यन्मितं संविदूर्मिचक्रमुपास्यते॥११५॥

Ekasya saṁvinnāthasya hyāntarī pratibhā tanuḥ|
Saumyaṁ vānyanmitaṁ saṁvidūrmicakramupāsyate||115||

The internal Pratibhā --the internal Knowledge that is independent from the knowledge found in scriptures or in the mouth of an external Guru, i.e. His Absolute Freedom-- (āntarī pratibhā) (is) undoubtedly (hi) the Body (tanuḥ) of the only Lord who is Consciousness (ekasya saṁvid-nāthasya). The wheel of waves of pure Consciousness --all these groups of powers-- (saṁvid-ūrmi-cakram) is worshiped (upāsyate) in a limited way (mitam) as auspicious (saumyam) or (vā) the other --i.e. 'raudra' or 'inauspicious'-- (anyat)||115||


अस्य स्यात्पुष्टिरित्येषा संविद्देवी तयोदितात्।
ध्यानात्सञ्जल्पसम्मिश्राद्व्यापाराच्चापि बाह्यतः॥११६॥
स्फुटीभूता सती भाति तस्य तादृक्फलप्रदा।
पुष्टिः शुष्कस्य सरसीभावो जलमतः सितम्॥११७॥
अनुगम्य ततो ध्यानं तत्प्रधानं प्रतन्यते।
ये च स्वभावतो वर्णा रसनिःष्यन्दिनो यथा॥११८॥
दन्त्यौष्ठ्यदन्त्यप्रायास्ते कैश्चिद्वर्णैः कृताः सह।
तं बीजभावमागत्य संविदं स्फुटयन्ति ताम्॥११९॥
पुष्टिं कुरु रसेनैनमाप्याययतरामिति।
सञ्जल्पोऽपि विकल्पात्मा किं तामेव न पूरयेत्॥१२०॥
अमृतेयमिदं क्षीरमिदं सर्पिर्बलावहम्।
तेनास्य बीजं पुष्णीयामित्येनां पूरयेत्क्रियाम्॥१२१॥

Asya syātpuṣṭirityeṣā saṁviddevī tayoditāt|
Dhyānātsañjalpasammiśrādvyāpārāccāpi bāhyataḥ||116||
Sphuṭībhūtā satī bhāti tasya tādṛkphalapradā|
Puṣṭiḥ śuṣkasya sarasībhāvo jalamataḥ sitam||117||
Anugamya tato dhyānaṁ tatpradhānaṁ pratanyate|
Ye ca svabhāvato varṇā rasaniḥṣyandino yathā||118||
Dantyauṣṭhyadantyaprāyāste kaiścidvarṇaiḥ kṛtāḥ saha|
Taṁ bījabhāvamāgatya saṁvidaṁ sphuṭayanti tām||119||
Puṣṭiṁ kuru rasenainamāpyāyayatarāmiti|
Sañjalpo'pi vikalpātmā kiṁ tāmeva na pūrayet||120||
Amṛteyamidaṁ kṣīramidaṁ sarpirbalāvaham|
Tenāsya bījaṁ puṣṇīyāmityenāṁ pūrayetkriyām||121||

Through the meditation furnished with an (internal) discourse --i.e. mantra repetition-- (dhyānāt sañjalpa-sammiśrāt) arisen from (uditāt) this Goddess of Consciousness (eṣā saṁvid-devī tayā) (when She assumes this form:) 'May there be strength in him (asya syāt puṣṭiḥ iti)!' --the Guru thinks so when he realizes that his disciple is emaciated for some reason--, and even (ca api) through the external activities (vyāpārāt... bāhyataḥ), when She --the Goddess of Consciousness appearing in that form-- becomes evident (sphuṭī-bhūtā satī), She shines (bhāti) for him (tasya) as Giver of such a fruit (tādṛk-phala-pradā). Strength --protection-- (puṣṭiḥ) of someone who is emaciated (śuṣkasya) has to do with increasing sap (in his system) (sarasī-bhāvaḥ) —hence (atas) water (jalam) (must be) pure --lit. white-- (sitam).

Having finally understood (this) --i.e. that the water must be white or pure-- (anugamya), therefore (tatas) the meditation (dhyānam) whose main portion --whose core-- is that --i.e. that the water must be white-- (tat-pradhānam) spreads --viz. continues, expands-- (pratanyate). And (ca) the letters (varṇāḥ) which (ye), by their own nature (sva-bhāvataḥ), produce sap (rasa-niḥṣyandinaḥ) —for example (yathā), mostly those which are dental-labial or only dental (dantya-oṣṭhya-dantya-prāyāḥ te) combined with (kṛtāḥ saha) some other letters (kaiścit varṇaiḥ)—, after attaining the state of mantra --the combination of all these letters becomes a full-fledged mantra-- (tam bīja-bhāvam āgatya), manifest --i.e. the letters manifest-- (sphuṭayanti) that consciousness --i.e. that form assumed by the Goddess of Consciousness that there should be strength in him-- (saṁvidam... tām).

Why (kim) even (api) an (internal) discourse --i.e. mantra repetition-- (sañjalpaḥ) (like this one) made of vikalpa-s (vikalpa-ātmā) cannot give fulfillment (na pūrayet) to that consciousness --i.e. May there be strength in him!-- (tāmeva)?: 'Nourish (puṣṭim kuru) him (enam) with sap (rasena), strengthen (āpyāyayatarām) him (enam... iti)!'.

(But the Guru can accomplish the same thing through a ritual, saying that:) 'This (iyam) (is) amṛtā --a type of herb-- (amṛtā), this (idam) (is) curds (kṣīram), (this) is clarified butter (sarpis) bringing strength (bala-āvaham) --these are substances that the Guru is using in this special rite--. I nourish (puṣṇīyām) his --of the disciple-- (asya) seed (bījam) with that --with those offerings-- (tena... iti)'. (This method) gives fulfillment (pūrayet) to this ritual (enām... kriyām)||116-121||

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 Stanzas 122 to 130

तस्माद्विश्वेश्वरो बोधभैरवः समुपास्यते।
अवच्छेदानवच्छिद्भ्यां भोगमोक्षार्थिभिः क्रमात्॥१२२॥

Tasmādviśveśvaro bodhabhairavaḥ samupāsyate|
Avacchedānavacchidbhyāṁ bhogamokṣārthibhiḥ kramāt||122||

Therefore (tasmāt), the Lord of the universe (viśva-īśvaraḥ) —viz. conscious Bhairava (bodha-bhairavaḥ)— is worshiped (samupāsyate) in a limited or unlimited way (avaccheda-anavacchidbhyām) by the ones who desire worldly enjoyment and Liberation (bhoga-mokṣa-arthibhiḥ), respectively (kramāt)||122||


येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता इत्यतो गुरुरादिशत्।
ये बोधाद्व्यतिरिक्तं हि किञ्चिद्याज्यतया विदुः॥१२३॥
तेऽपि वेद्यं विविञ्चाना बोधाभेदेन मन्वते।
तेनाविच्छिन्नतामर्शरूपाहन्ताप्रथात्मनः॥१२४॥
स्वयम्प्रथस्य न विधिः सृष्ट्यात्मास्य च पूर्वगः।
वेद्या हि देवतासृष्टिः शक्तेर्हेतोः समुत्थिता॥१२५॥
अहंरूपा तु संवित्तिर्नित्या स्वप्रथनात्मिका।
विधिर्नियोगस्त्र्यंशा च भावना चोदनात्मिका॥१२६॥

Ye'pyanyadevatābhaktā ityato gururādiśat|
Ye bodhādvyatiriktaṁ hi kiñcidyājyatayā viduḥ||123||
Te'pi vedyaṁ viviñcānā bodhābhedena manvate|
Tenāvicchinnatāmarśarūpāhantāprathātmanaḥ||124||
Svayamprathasya na vidhiḥ sṛṣṭyātmāsya ca pūrvagaḥ|
Vedyā hi devatāsṛṣṭiḥ śakterhetoḥ samutthitā||125||
Ahaṁrūpā tu saṁvittirnityā svaprathanātmikā|
Vidhirniyogastryaṁśā ca bhāvanā codanātmikā||126||

'Even (api) the devotees of other deities (anya-devatā-bhaktāḥ iti)...' --Bhagavadgītā IX.23--, therefore (atas), (through this stanza) the Guru --Lord Kṛṣṇa-- (guruḥ) pointed out (ādiśat) (that if) the ones (te) who (ye) consider (viduḥ) something (kiñcid) to be worthy of being worshiped in a sacrifice (yājyatayā) (but) separate (vyatiriktam hi) from Consciousness (bodhāt) were to (meticulously) examine (viviñcānāḥ) the object (of their worship) (vedyam), (then) they would perceive (manvate) (that that object of worship) is one with Consciousness (bodha-abhedena).

On that account (tena), there is no rules (na vidhiḥ) —which are a manifestation (sṛṣṭi-ātmā) and (ca) something preceding (asya... pūrvagaḥ)— in the case of the One who spreads by Himself --spontaneously-- (svayam-prathasya) (and) whose nature is an expansion of I-consciousness, which is (nothing but) uninterrupted Self-awareness (avicchinnata-āmarśa-rūpa-ahantā-prathā-ātmanaḥ).

Because (hi) the manifestation of the deity (devatā-sṛṣṭiḥ) is a knowable (vedyā) which has sprung (samutthitā) on account of (hetoḥ) Śakti (śakteḥ), but (tu) the nature of 'I' (ahaṁ-rūpā) (is) eternal Consciousness (saṁvittiḥ nityā) which unfolds/spreads by Itself (sva-prathana-ātmikā). A rule (vidhiḥ) (is) an injunction (niyogaḥ) and (ca) a contemplation or reflection (bhāvanā)(this contemplation or reflection) has three aspects (tri-aṁśā) (and) its nature has to do with impelling (codana-ātmikā)—||123-126||


तदेकसिद्धा इन्द्राद्या विधिपूर्वा हि देवताः।
अहंबोधस्तु न तथा ते तु संवेद्यरूपताम्॥१२७॥
उन्मग्नामेव पश्यन्तस्तं विदन्तोऽपि नो विदुः।
तदुक्तं न विदुर्मां तु तत्त्वेनातश्चलन्ति ते॥१२८॥

Tadekasiddhā indrādyā vidhipūrvā hi devatāḥ|
Ahaṁbodhastu na tathā te tu saṁvedyarūpatām||127||
Unmagnāmeva paśyantastaṁ vidanto'pi no viduḥ|
Taduktaṁ na vidurmāṁ tu tattvenātaścalanti te||128||

The deities (devatāḥ) Indra, etc. (indra-ādyāḥ), being proved by that (vidhi or rule) alone (tad-eka-siddhāḥ), are undoubtedly preceded by (such a) vidhi (vidhi-pūrvāḥ). However (tu), I-consciousness (aham-bodhaḥ) is not (na) like this (tathā). Those (worshipers of other deities) (te) perceive (paśyantaḥ) that the form of the knowable (saṁvedya-rūpatām) has emerged (unmagnāmeva) --i.e. they realize only the objective aspect of the Highest Reality--, (and) although (api) they know (vidantaḥ) That --Consciousness-- (tam) --because Consciousness assumes that form of the knowable--, they do not understand (no viduḥ). That (that) has been said (uktam) (in Bhagavadgītā IX.24:) 'They (te) do not (na) know (viduḥ) Me (mām) in reality --as I really am-- (tu tattvena) (and) therefore (atas) they move (away) (calanti)'||127-128||


चलनं तु व्यवच्छिन्नरूपतापत्तिरेव या।
देवान्देवयजो यान्तीत्यादि तेन न्यरूप्यत॥१२९॥

Calanaṁ tu vyavacchinnarūpatāpattireva yā|
Devāndevayajo yāntītyādi tena nyarūpyata||129||

Moving (away) (calanam tu) (means) only to assume a limited nature or form (vyavacchinna-rūpatā-āpattiḥ eva yā). Therefore (tena), (Lord Kṛṣṇa) stated (nyarūpyata) (in Bhagavadgītā VII.23:) 'They go (yānti) to the gods (devān) who worship the gods with sacrifices (deva-yajaḥ)', etc. (iti-ādi)||129||


निमज्ज्य वेद्यतां ये तु तत्र संविन्मयीं स्थितिम्।
विदुस्ते ह्यनवच्छिन्नं तद्भक्ता अपि यान्ति माम्॥१३०॥

Nimajjya vedyatāṁ ye tu tatra saṁvinmayīṁ sthitim|
Viduste hyanavacchinnaṁ tadbhaktā api yānti mām||130||

Nonetheless (tu), the ones who (ye), by immersing (nimajjya) objectivity (vedyatām), know (viduḥ) there --in that objective form they are worshiping-- (tatra) the State (sthitim) which is (only) pure Consciousness (saṁvin-mayīm), they (te) undoubtedly (hi) go (yānti) to Me (mām) even if (api) they are devotees of those gods (tad-bhaktāḥ)||130||

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 Stanzas 131 to 140

सर्वत्रात्र ह्यहंशब्दो बोधमात्रैकवाचकः।
स भोक्तृप्रभुशब्दाभ्यां याज्ययष्ट्टतयोदितः॥१३१॥

Sarvatrātra hyahaṁśabdo bodhamātraikavācakaḥ|
Sa bhoktṛprabhuśabdābhyāṁ yājyayaṣṭṭatayoditaḥ||131||

Here (atra hi), everywhere (sarvatra) (in all these stanzas of Bhagavadgītā), the word 'ahaṁ' --lit. I-- (ahaṁ-śabdaḥ) (is) a term denoting only Consciousness (bodha-mātra-eka-vācakaḥ). He --the Lord-- (saḥ), by means of the words 'enjoyer' and 'Lord' (bhoktṛ-prabhu-śabdābhyām), is said to be (uditaḥ) worshiper and worshiped --lit. worshiped and worshiper-- (yājya-yaṣṭṭatayā)||131||


याजमानी संविदेव याज्या नान्येति चोदितम्।
नान्याकृतिः कुतोऽप्यन्या देवता न हि सोचिता॥१३२॥

Yājamānī saṁvideva yājyā nānyeti coditam|
Nānyākṛtiḥ kuto'pyanyā devatā na hi socitā||132||

It has been said (previously) (ca uditam) that (iti) 'Worshiping (yājamānī) Consciousness (saṁvid eva) is none other than (na anyā) worshiped (Consciousness) (yājyā)'. (If this is so,) there is no other (na anyā) form (ākṛtiḥ). (Then,) from where (kutas api) (arose the notion of) another (anyā) deity (devatā)? This (additional form) (sā) is not (na hi) acceptable (ucitā)||132||


विधिश्च नोक्तः कोऽप्यत्र मन्त्रादि वृत्तिधाम वा।
सोऽयमात्मानमावृत्य स्थितो जडपदं गतः॥१३३॥
आवृतानावृतात्मा तु देवादिस्थावरान्तगः।
जडाजडस्याप्येतस्य द्वैरूप्यस्यास्ति चित्रता॥१३४॥

Vidhiśca noktaḥ ko'pyatra mantrādi vṛttidhāma vā|
So'yamātmānamāvṛtya sthito jaḍapadaṁ gataḥ||133||
Āvṛtānāvṛtātmā tu devādisthāvarāntagaḥ|
Jaḍājaḍasyāpyetasya dvairūpyasyāsti citratā||134||

And (ca) (He --Śiva, who is Consciousness--) is not (na) here (atra) said to be (uktaḥ) some (kaḥ api) rule --injuction-- (vidhiḥ) or (vā) the abode of the activity consisting in the application of those rules (vṛtti-dhāma) such as mantravākya, etc. (mantra-ādi).

This very (Śiva) (saḥ ayam), by the continuance of His act of veiling Himself (āvṛtya sthitaḥ), becomes (gataḥ) the insentient state --i.e. He pervades all the inert things in the universe-- (jaḍa-padam). But (tu) assuming a veiled and unveiled nature (āvṛta-anāvṛta-ātmā), He becomes (all the living beings) from gods down to vegetables (deva-ādi-sthāvara-anta-gaḥ). (And) with respect to this double form of insentient-sentient (jaḍa-ajaḍasya api etasya dvairūpyasya), there is (asti) a variation (citratā)||133-134||


तस्य स्वतन्त्रभावो हि किं किं यन्न विचित्रयेत्।
तदुक्तं त्रिशिरःशास्त्रे सम्बुद्ध इति वेत्ति यः।
ज्ञेयभावो हि चिद्धर्मस्तच्छायाच्छादयेन्न ताम्॥१३५॥

Tasya svatantrabhāvo hi kiṁ kiṁ yanna vicitrayet|
Taduktaṁ triśiraḥśāstre sambuddha iti vetti yaḥ|
Jñeyabhāvo hi ciddharmastacchāyācchādayenna tām||135||

What (kim kim) (is) that which (yad) His (tasya) State of Absolute Freedom (svatantra-bhāvaḥ hi) cannot (na) diversify (vicitrayet)!? That (tad) is mentioned (uktam) in Triśirobhairavatantra (triśiraḥ-śāstre): '(He is) totally awakened (sambuddhaḥ) who (yaḥ) knows and perceives (vetti) like this (iti)'. The objective state --the state of being an object-- (jñeya-bhāvaḥ) is doubtless (also) of the nature of Consciousness (hi cid-dharmaḥ). Its shadow --i.e. this objective state is a shadow of Consciousness-- (tad-chāyā) does not (na) conceal (ācchādayet) It (tām) --the objects do not conceal Consciousness--||135||


तेनाजडस्य भागस्य पुद्गलाण्वादिसञ्ज्ञिनः।
अनावरणभागांशे वैचित्र्यं बहुधा स्थितम्॥१३६॥

Tenājaḍasya bhāgasya pudgalāṇvādisañjñinaḥ|
Anāvaraṇabhāgāṁśe vaicitryaṁ bahudhā sthitam||136||

For that reason (tena), there is (sthitam) diversity (vaicitryam) in many ways (bahudhā) in the unveiling portion (anāvaraṇa-bhāga-aṁśe) of the sentient portion (ajaḍasya bhāgasya) called pudgala, aṇu, etc. (pudgala-aṇu-ādi-sañjñinaḥ)||136||


संविद्रूपे न भेदोऽस्ति वास्तवो यद्यपि ध्रुवे।
तथाप्यावृतिनिर्ह्रासतारतम्यात्स लक्ष्यते॥१३७॥

Saṁvidrūpe na bhedo'sti vāstavo yadyapi dhruve|
Tathāpyāvṛtinirhrāsatāratamyātsa lakṣyate||137||

Although (yadi api) there is really no (na... asti vāstavas) duality (bhedaḥ) in the perpetual form of Consciousness (saṁvid-rūpe... dhruve), even so (tathā api) He (saḥ) is perceived (lakṣyate) through a gradation (consisting in) a decrease of the veil or covering --viz. mala or impurity-- (āvṛti-nirhrāsa-tāratamyāt)||137||


तद्विस्तरेण वक्ष्यामः शक्तिपातविनिर्णये।
समाप्य परतां स्थौल्यप्रसङ्गे चर्चयिष्यते॥१३८॥

Tadvistareṇa vakṣyāmaḥ śaktipātavinirṇaye|
Samāpya paratāṁ sthaulyaprasaṅge carcayiṣyate||138||

That --the gradation mentioned in the previous stanza-- (tad) will be spoken about (vakṣyāmaḥ) in detail (vistareṇa) —in the discussion about the descent of Power --i.e. in the thirteenth chapter-- (śakti-pāta-vinirṇaye)—. (Such gradation) will be discussed (carcayiṣyate) (here —in this first chapter—) as a brief statement --lit. attaining the state of para or uddeśa, i.e. brief statement-- (samāpya paratām) lest this book becomes too bulky --lit. in the contingency of bulkiness-- (sthaulya-prasaṅge)||138||


अतः कञ्चित्प्रमातारं प्रति प्रथयते विभुः।
पूर्णमेव निजं रूपं कञ्चिदंशांशिकाक्रमात्॥१३९॥

Ataḥ kañcitpramātāraṁ prati prathayate vibhuḥ|
Pūrṇameva nijaṁ rūpaṁ kañcidaṁśāṁśikākramāt||139||

On this account (atas), the All-pervading One (vibhuḥ) (immediately) shows (prathayate) the perfect (pūrṇam eva) innate nature (nijam rūpam) to (prati) some knower --viz. some experient-- (kañcid-pramātāram), (while He shows the same perfect innate nature) to someone (else) (kañcid), (but) in a gradual manner --lit. in a part by part manner-- (aṁśa-aṁśikā-kramāt)||139||


विश्वभावैकभावात्मस्वरूपप्रथनं हि यत्।
अणूनां तत्परं ज्ञानं तदन्यदपरं बहु॥१४०॥

Viśvabhāvaikabhāvātmasvarūpaprathanaṁ hi yat|
Aṇūnāṁ tatparaṁ jñānaṁ tadanyadaparaṁ bahu||140||

For the aṇu-s or limited beings (aṇūnām), that (tad) Knowledge (jñānam) (is) Supreme (param) which (yad) is an (immediate) unfoldment of one's own nature whose essence is one universal Being (viśva-bhāva-eka-bhāva-ātma-sva-rūpa-prathanam). The other (knowledge) than that one (tad-anyat) (is) inferior (aparam) (and) multiple (bahu)||140||

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 Stanzas 141 to 150

तच्च साक्षादुपायेन तदुपायादिनापि वा।
प्रथमानं विचित्राभिर्भङ्गीभिरिह भिद्यते॥१४१॥

Tacca sākṣādupāyena tadupāyādināpi vā|
Prathamānaṁ vicitrābhirbhaṅgībhiriha bhidyate||141||

And (ca) that (inferior and multiple knowledge) (tad), (whether) through a direct means (sākṣāt-upāyena) or even (api vā) through means, etc. leading to that (direct means) (tad-upāya-ādinā api), unfolding itself (prathamānam) in manifold ways (vicitrābhiḥ bhaṅgībhiḥ), is here split (iha bhidyate)||141||


तत्रापि स्वपरद्वारद्वारित्वात्सर्वशोंऽशशः।
व्यवधानाव्यवधिना भूयान्भेदः प्रवर्तते॥१४२॥

Tatrāpi svaparadvāradvāritvātsarvaśo'ṁśaśaḥ|
Vyavadhānāvyavadhinā bhūyānbhedaḥ pravartate||142||

In that --in the inferior and multiple knowledge which is split-- (tatra api), differentiation (bhedaḥ) is abundant (bhūyān... pravartate), as it can be entered through one's own entrance or through another entrance (sva-para-dvāra-dvāritvāt). (Besides, the entry can be) total or partial (sarvaśa-aṁśaśaḥ), interrupted or uninterrupted (vyavadhāna-avyavadhinā)||142||


ज्ञानस्य चाभ्युपायो यो न तदज्ञानमुच्यते।
ज्ञानमेव तु तत्सूक्ष्मं परं त्विच्छात्मकं मतम्॥१४३॥

Jñānasya cābhyupāyo yo na tadajñānamucyate|
Jñānameva tu tatsūkṣmaṁ paraṁ tvicchātmakaṁ matam||143||

And (ca) the means (abhyupāyaḥ yaḥ) to (Superior) Knowledge (jñānasya) is not said to be (na... ucyate) ignorance about That --the Highest Reality-- (tad-ajñānam). (Superior) Knowledge (jñānam eva) is certainly considered (tu... matam) to be a subtle aspect of that --i.e. of knowledge-- (tad-sūkṣmam) but (tu) full of Supreme Will (param... icchā-ātmakam)||143||


उपायोपेयभावस्तु ज्ञानस्य स्थौल्यविश्रमः।
एषैव च क्रियाशक्तिर्बन्धमोक्षैककारणम्॥१४४॥

Upāyopeyabhāvastu jñānasya sthaulyaviśramaḥ|
Eṣaiva ca kriyāśaktirbandhamokṣaikakāraṇam||144||

The state of means and meant --i.e. the means to reach a goal and the goal itself-- (upāya-upeya-bhāvaḥ tu) (is) the expansion of the grossness (sthaulya-viśramaḥ) of (Superior) Knowledge --viz. Supreme Will-- (jñānasya). And (ca) this (eṣā eva) Kriyāśakti --lit. Power of Action, i.e. the expansion of the grossness of Superior Knowledge-- (kriyā-śaktiḥ) (is) the sole cause of bondange and Liberation (bandha-mokṣa-eka-kāraṇam)||144||


तत्राद्ये स्वपरामर्शे निर्विकल्पैकधामनि।
यत्स्फुरेत्प्रकटं साक्षात्तदिच्छाख्यं प्रकीर्तितम्॥१४५॥

Tatrādye svaparāmarśe nirvikalpaikadhāmani|
Yatsphuretprakaṭaṁ sākṣāttadicchākhyaṁ prakīrtitam||145||

There (tatra), in the first perception of the Self which is the sole abode of the state without vikalpa-s (ādye sva-parāmarśe nis-vikalpa-eka-dhāmani), that (tad) which (yad) clearly (prakaṭam) becomes manifest (sphuret) immediately (sākṣāt) is called 'Will' (icchā-ākhyam prakīrtitam)||145||


यथा विस्फुरितदृशामनुसन्धिं विनाप्यलम्।
भाति भावः स्फुटस्तद्वत्केषामपि शिवात्मता॥१४६॥

Yathā visphuritadṛśāmanusandhiṁ vināpyalam|
Bhāti bhāvaḥ sphuṭastadvatkeṣāmapi śivātmatā||146||

Just as (yathā), in the case of those whose vision is clear (visphurita-dṛśām), the object (bhāvaḥ) appears (bhāti) clearly (sphuṭaḥ) even (api) without (vinā) having to explore (anusandhim) at all (alam), so also (tadvat) the Essence of Śiva (śiva-ātmatā) (appears clearly without any additional exploration) in the case of some (yogī-s) (keṣām api)||146||


भूयो भूयो विकल्पांशनिश्चयक्रमचर्चनात्।
यत्परामर्शमभ्येति ज्ञानोपायं तु तद्विदुः॥१४७॥

Bhūyo bhūyo vikalpāṁśaniścayakramacarcanāt|
Yatparāmarśamabhyeti jñānopāyaṁ tu tadviduḥ||147||

(However, the sages) know (viduḥ) as the Means of knowledge --i.e. Śāktopāya-- (jñāna-upāyam) that (tad) which (yat), through an repetitive (intellectual) deliberation consisting of a succession of investigations based on vikalpa (bhūyas bhūyas vikalpa-aṁśa-niścaya-krama-carcanāt), arrives at (abhyeti) (the state of) parāmarśa --an intense awareness of Consciousness, if you will excuse the repetition, in the middle of two realities-- (parāmarśam)||147||


यत्तु तत्कल्पनाकॢप्तबहिर्भूतार्थसाधनम्।
क्रियोपायं तदाम्नातं भेदो नात्रापवर्गगः॥१४८॥

Yattu tatkalpanākḷptabahirbhūtārthasādhanam|
Kriyopāyaṁ tadāmnātaṁ bhedo nātrāpavargagaḥ||148||

But (tu) that (tad) is said to be (āmnātam) the Means of action --Āṇavopāya-- (kriyā-upāyam) which (yad) uses external means devised by His Will --lit. by His imagination-- to attain the objective (tad-kalpanā-kḷpta-bahis-bhūta-arthasādhanam). The difference(s) (between the types of upāya-s or means) (bhedaḥ) do not affect/touch Liberation --i.e. Liberation is always one despite the diversity of means-- (na atra apavargagaḥ)||148||


यतो नान्या क्रिया नाम ज्ञानमेव हि तत्तथा।
रूढेर्योगान्ततां प्राप्तमिति श्रीगमशासने॥१४९॥

Yato nānyā kriyā nāma jñānameva hi tattathā|
Rūḍheryogāntatāṁ prāptamiti śrīgamaśāsane||149||

In venerable Gamatantra (śrī-gama-śāsane) (it is stated that:) 'Because (yatas) what is called (nāma) Kriyā --Action-- (kriyā) is none other than (na anyā) Jñāna --Knowledge-- (jñānam) indeed (eva hi), (and) that --Knowledge-- (tad), when it develops (rūḍheḥ) in that way (tathā), culminates in Yoga (yoga-antatām prāptam iti)'||149||


योगो नान्यः क्रिया नान्या तत्त्वारूढा हि या मतिः।
स्वचित्तवासनाशान्तौ सा क्रियेत्यभिधीयते॥१५०॥

Yogo nānyaḥ kriyā nānyā tattvārūḍhā hi yā matiḥ|
Svacittavāsanāśāntau sā kriyetyabhidhīyate||150||

--Gamatantra continues here-- 'Yoga (yogaḥ) is none other than (na anyaḥ) Kriyā --Action-- (kriyā), (and Kriyā) is none other than (na anyā) (Yoga. And) that (sā) mati --cognition-- (matiḥ) —which (yā) resides in the (Supreme) Principle (tattva-ārūḍhā hi)— for appeasing the tendencies in one's own mind (sva-citta-vāsanā-śāntau) is called (abhidhīyate) Kriyā (kriyā iti)'||150||

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Gabriel Pradīpaka

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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