BORN
OF THE YOGINI'S HEART:
REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE
M E D I T A T I O N AND R I T U A L IN A B H I N A V A G U P T A 'S P T L V
Paul E. M u l l e r - O r t e g a
D e p a r t m e n t of R e l i g i o u s S t u d i e s
304 L i n t o n Hall
M i c h i g a n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
E a s t L a ns i n g , M i c h i g a n 4 8 8 2 4 - 1 0 4 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
I.
I N T R O D U C T I O N
II.
T H E H E A R T OF SIV A
III. T H E G O D D E S S IN T HE HEART: V I S A R G A
IV.
H R D A Y A N G A M I B H U T A : E X P E R I E N T I A L R E P L I C A T I O N
V.
B O R N OF THE Y O G I N I ' S HEART: M E D I T A T I O N A ND R I T U A L
BORN
OF THE YOGINI'S HEART:
REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF
M E D I T A T I O N A ND R I T U A L IN A B H I N A V A G U P T A 'S P TL V
I . I n t r o d u c t i o n
In
his
m a s s i v e s t u d y e n t i t l e d
A b h i n a v a g u p t a :
An
H i s t o r i c a l a n d P h i l o s o p h i c a l S t u d y ,
K.C.
P a n d e y r e c o u n t s
the t r a d i t i o n a l s t o r y w h i c h h as it that A b h i n a v a g u p t a
w a s
n ev e r
s ee n
to
die,
b u t r a t he r d i s a p p e a r e d
a l o n g
w i t h
t w e l v e
h u n d r e d
d i s c i p l e s into a c av e in
t he
m o u n t a i n s .
T h e p a s s a g e r e a d s as foll ow s:
U n l i k e w h a t has b ee n w r i t t e n so far,
we h a v e no
o t h er
a u t h o r i t y
than that of t r a d i t i o n for w h a t we are g o i n g
to
w r i t e in the f o l l o w i n g few lines.
W e h a v e not
so
far
b e e n a b l e to trace a n y w r i t t e n a u t h o r i t y on
w h i c h
this
m a y h a v e b e e n o r i g i n a l l y
b as ed .
T h e
t r a d i t i o n ,
which, as we p o i n t e d o ut b ef o re , is c u r r e n t not o n l y in
the
old
P a n d i t f a m i l i e s b u t a l s o in s om e of
the
old
M u s l i m
h o u s e s in the l o ca li ty ,
says that on one
d a y
A b h i n a v a g u p t a , after f i n i s h i n g his work, as he thought,
a l o n g
w i t h
t we lv e h u n d r e d d i s c i p l e s w a l k e d
into
the
B h a i r a v a
c a v e and w as ne ve r s ee n agai n.
T he c a v e
is
t he r e e v e n now.
It is a bo u t five m i l e s f r o m Mag am ,
a
p l a c e
m i d w a y b e t w e e n S r i n a g a r and G u l m u r g .
A v i l l a g e
in
its
n e i g h b o u r h o o o d and a b r o o k r u n n i n g d o w n
b e l o w
the hill,
w h e r e i n the c a v e is,
b o t h a re k n o w n by
the
n am e
B h l r u v a ,
and so is the c a v e itself.
T he w r i t e r
v i s i t e d
the
l o c a l i t y and w e n t into the
c a v e
als o. ..
D o w n the hill w as a c c i d e n t a l l y s ee n a r e l i g i o u s
m i n d e d
and
long
b e a r d e d M o h a m m e d a n ,
b e n t d o u b l e
w i t h
age,
s l o w l y w a l k i n g r e c l i n i n g on his s l e n d e r stick.
He w as
a p p r o a c h e d
a nd
q u e s t i o n e d
if he k n e w
or
h ad
h e a r d
a n y t h i n g a b o u t the cave.
T h e o n l y i n f o r m a t i o n , that he
c o u l d _ g iv e
was:
"I h e a r d f ro m m y g r a n d
f a th er
that
A b n a c a r l
w e n t
into
it
a l o n g ^ w i t h
t w e lv e
h u n d r e d
d i s c i p l e s b u t never d id r et u rn . "
T hi s
f r a g m e n t
is i m p o r t a n t to the H i s t o r i a n of
R e l i g i o n
w h e t h e r it is " h i s t o r i c a l l y " a c c u r a t e or not.
I nd eed, we
4
m i g h t
a l m o s t be t e m p t e d to d o u b t its h i s t o r i c a l
a c c u r a c y
p r e c i s e l y
b e c a u s e
it fits so n e a t l y
into
the
s y m b o l i c
m a t r i x
of
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's
t ho ug h t.
T h e
n o t i o n
of
d i s a p p e a r i n g
into the
c a v e links the t h e me s of the
c av e
or
a b y s s
(g u h a ) ,
w i t h the t r a d i t i o n a l s y m b o l i s m of
the
2
c a v e
of
the
H e a r t (h r d a y a ) .
T h e c l a i m s
m a d e
in
the
p a s s a g e
c o n c e r n i n g
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's
s u p e r n a t u r a l
t r a n s c e n d e n c e
of
the
h u m a n
c o n d i t i o n ,
h is
a p p a r e n t
b y p a s s i n g
of
the
u su a l
p a s s a g e
into
d e at h,
d e n o t e
p r e c i s e l y
his
p e r c e i v e d
s t a t u s
as
an
a c c o m p l i s h e d
m a h a s i d d h a ,
a
p e r f e c t e d o ne w h o h as c a p t u r e d the c av e of
the Heart, the a b o d e of B h a i r a v a , the sky of c o n s c i o u s n e s s
itself.
He
is
one
w h o h as
c o n s c i o u s l y
and
d i r e c t l y
r e e n t e r e d the p r i m o r d i a l sou rc e.
T h i s m y t h - f r a g m e n t , w h i c h has s u r v i v e d for a l m o s t a
m i l l e n i u m m a i n t a i n e d by local K a s h m i r i
t r a d i t i o n ,
p o i n t s
d i r e c t l y
to the c e n t r a l s y m b o l i c c o m p l e x a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's t a n t r i c f o r m u l a t i o n s :
to e n t e r the h e a r t -
c a v e
is to u n i t e w i t h
the G o d d e s s ;
to e n t e r the
h e a r t -
c a v e
is
to
a s c e n d
to
the
m o s t
e x a l t e d
le ve l
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
to
r e t u r n
to
the
G o d d e s s
w h o
is
the
c r e a t i v e
p o w e r
and
the
e x i s t e n t i a l
m a t r i x
of
that
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
A d e n s e n e t w o r k of s y m b o l i c e q u i v a l e n c e s
is
to be fo un d here.
To r e t u r n to the c a v e is to a t t a i n
5
i m m o r t a l i t y .
To r e e n t e r the s e c r e t h e a r t of t h i n g s is to
d r i n k
of
the e n l i v e n i n g and
i m m o r t a l i z i n g
s o m a
w hi c h,
s i n c e
the
time
of In dr a and the s l a y i n g
of
V r t r a ,
is
3
c o n t a i n e d
in
a
h u g e
vat,
a
cup,
a
c h a l i c e .
This
c o n t a i n e r in turn b e c o m e s the c r e s c e n t m oo n ,
the w o m b
of
the
G o d d e s s ,
of
the
Y o g i n I ,
e x u d i n g
l i f e - g i v i n g
s e c r e t i o n s ,
all
of
w h i c h are l in ke d w i t h
the
c a v e
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
f r o m w h i c h t r i c k l e s the f lo w of l i f e - g i v i n g
4
w a t e r s.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a c o n s c i o u s l y r e e n t e r s the c a v e w i t h
his d i s c i p l e s ,
the c av e in w h ic h,
s i n c e the time of the
V e d a ,
the
c o w s
w e r e
h i d d e n and then
r e l e a s e d
b y
the
m a s t e r f u l King of
the Gods,
I n d r a . ^ To r e e n t e r the
cav e
is
to a c h i e v e p h y s i c a l i m m o r t a l i t y , to b y p a s s the n or m al
p r o c e s s
of dea th .
To r e e n t e r the c a v e is to j o u r n e y
to
the
m o o n (s o m a ) ,
w h i c h is not m a d e of c h e e s e , b u t of
a
fiery,
n a c r e ou s ,
c o n g e a l e d liquid, the s o m a ,
c o l d
and
s w e e t
to the t a s t e . ^
To r e e n t e r the c av e is to u n d e r t a k e
a
m a g i c a l f l i g h t t h r o u g h the void,
to m o v e in
the
void
(k h e c a r l ) ,
to
r e e n t e r
the
p u l s a t i n g
d a r k n e s s ,
to
r e i n t e g r a t e
c o n s c i o u s l y
w i t h the c r e a t i v e m a t r i x of
the
u n i v e r s e ,
and
thus
e x p e r i e n c e
the
e c s t a s y
of
the
l i b e r a t e d
b e i n g
v i b r a t i n g
in
the
e m i s s i o n a l
p ow er
(v i s a r g a - & a k t i ) . ^
Th e d e n s i t y and c o m p l e x i t y of the s y m b o l i s m of
the
6
H e a r t e s c a p e s our c a p a c i t y to t r a n s c r i b e it into l an gu ag e.
W e
b e g i n
w i t h
an a p p a r e n t l y m i n o r
and
u n s u b s t a n t i a t e d
m y t h - f r a g m e n t ,
the e n t r y into the B h a i r a v a
cave.
Then,
j us t
as w h e n we idly pull at a l oo s e t h r ea d in a p i e c e of
c l o t h i n g
and w a t c h as p a r t of the g a r m e n t u nr a ve l s,
so,
w h e n
we
tug g e n t l y on
this
m y t h - f r a g m e n t ,
the
e n t i r e
1
f r a m e w o r k of S a i v a t a n t r i c s y m b o l i s m t h r e a t e n s to b e c o m e a
p i l e
of
t h r e a d at our feet.
T h e d e n s e l y w o v e n
t a n t r i c
s y m b o l i s m
of A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's t h o u g h t c an be e n t e r e d
into
b y
this
a p p a r e n t l y i n c o n s e q u e n t i a l
tale.
W e
w a n t
to
e x a m i n e
the " g a r m e n t " of the Hear t ,
b u t w e m u s t
r e a l i z e
t h a t
t h e s e
l i n e a r
e x p l i c a t i o n s
of
the
H i s t o r i a n
of
R e l i g i o n ,
f i n a l l y do n ot c a p t u r e the d e n s e w e a v i n g of the
T a n t r a
i t s e l f
in
w h i c h
all
m e a n i n g s
a re
j u x t a p o s e d
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y .
T h e b a s i s of this p a p e r is a r e c e n t t r a n s l a t i o n and
s t u d y
of
the
P a r a t r l S i k a - l a g h u v r t t i
(P T l v )
of
g
A b h i n a v a g u p t a .
In a r e c e n t l y c o m p l e t e d s t u d y of this tex t
I
e n t i t l e d
T h e T r i a d i c H e a r t of Siva,
K a u l a T a n t r i c i s m
in
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 1s K a s h m i r S h a i v i s m ,
I e x p l o r e d the
c o n c e p t
of
the
H e a r t
(h r d a y a ) as f o r m i ng the
c e n t r a l
s y m b o l i c
f ocus
for
the t a n t r i c s a d h a n a p r e s c r i b e d
b y
the
g r e a t
K a s h m i r i
S h a i v i t e
m a s t e r of the t en th
ce nt ur y.
As
the
p r i m a r y
t e x t u a l
focus
of
this
s t u d y
I
p r e s e n t e d
a
7
t r a n s l a t i o n
of
A b h i n a v a g u p t a ' s
P a r a t r I s i k a - l a q h u v r t t i
(P T l v ) ,
the S h o r t G l o s s on the S u p r e m e ,
t h e Q u e e n of the
T h r e e .
T h e
P T l v is a r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t t a n t r i c
m a n u a l
c o m p o s e d
s o m e t i m e
a r o u n d the b e g i n n i n g of
the
e l e v e n t h
c e nt u ry .
It r e p r e s e n t s p e r h a p s the m o s t c o n c i s e s t a t e m e n t
on
the
n a t u r e
of t a n t r i c s l d h a n a
b y
this
o u t s t a n d i n g
S h ai v a
m a s t e r
of
m e d i e v a l
K a s h m i r .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
c o n s i d e r e d
the
p r e - e m i n e n t
e x p o n e n t
of
the
g r o u p
of
t r a d i t i o n s
w h i c h
has c o m e to be l o o s e l y
t e r me d
K a s h m i r
S h a i v i s m ,
p r e s e n t s
in
this text a s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t
p a t h
t o w a r d s
l i b e r a t i o n
b a s e d
on
a
r e p o s e
(v i S r a n t i )
or
_
I
a b s o r p t i o n
(samavefea) into the t r i p l e H e a r t of S i v a ,
the
u l t i m a t e real i t y .
In
m y s t u d y of this text,
I a r g u e d that the
P T l v
g i v e s
us d i r e c t a c c e s s to the t h e o r e t i c a l
and
p r a c t i c a l
b a s e s
of one of the m o s t o b s c u r e y e t i n f l u e n t i a l l i ne a g e s
9
in the h i s t o r y of m e d i e v a l " H i n d u i s m " :
the Kaulas.
Thi s
l ineage,
w h i c h
is
n e i t h e r
p r o p e r l y a " s c h o ol , "
nor
a
s e p a r a t e " t r a d i t i o n , " c o n t r i b u t e s m o s t d i r e c t l y to t a n t r i c
f o r m u l a t i o n s
f o c u s i n g
on
" t r a n s g r e s s i v e
s a c r a l i t y . "
T he
K a u l a li n e a g e ,
w i t h i n w h i c h this text m a y be p l a c e d ,
t a u g h t a m e t h o d of s p o n t a n e o u s and i n c r e a s i n g l y e f f o r t l e s s
I
_
_
e n t r a n c e into the t r i p l e Hear t , k n o w n as the S a m b h a v o p a y a ,
I
the m e t h o d r e l a t i n g to S a m b h u .
B y
m e a n s of this a d v a n c e d
8
t a n t r i c
d i s c i p l i n e ,
the
s a d h a k a
c o u l d
r e p l i c a t e
the
r e a l i t y
of the H e a r t in his own c o n s c i o u s n e s s and
a t t a i n
f r e e d o m - i n - l i f e
(j i v a n m u k t i ) ,
a
s t a t e
of
e m b o d i e d
p e r f e c t i o n (k a u l i k i - s i d d h i ) ,
o f t e n k n o w n as the c o n d i t i o n
-
.
10
of B h a i r a v a .
In
a d d i t i o n ,
in m y s t u d y I a t t e m p t e d to s h o w th at
the K a u l a e m p h a s i s on the d i r e c t a nd u n m e d i a t e d e x p e r i e n c e
I
of
the
r e a l i t y
of
Siva as
s y m b o l i z e d
b y
t he
Heart,
p r o v i d e s
a k e y e n t r y - p o i n t into an u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of
the
t a n t r i c
w o r l d v i e w ,
g e n e r a l l y ,
and
the
t h e o r e t i c a l
f o r m u l a t i o n s of A b h i n a v a g u p t a , s p e c i f i c a l l y .
M y s t u d y and
t r a n s l a t i o n of the
P T l v
a im e d at r e c o n s t r u c t i n g
a c o h e r e n t
u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of the
K a u l a l i n e a g e b y
e x a m i n i n g
a
k e y
term:
h r d a y a n g a m i b h u t a , l it er a ll y : " b e c o me s o m e t h i n g that
m o v e s in the H e a r t , " that is to say, c o n s c i o u s r e a l i z a t i o n
or,
m o r e
i n t e r p r e t i v e l y ,
" e x p e r i e n t i a l
r e p l i c a t i o n . " ^
T h i s
i m p o r t a n t
c o n c e p t w as e x p l o r e d in r e l a t i o n
to
two
o t h e r
c r u c i a l ideas p r e s e n t e d in the P T l v ,
the
v i s a r g a -
1
¿ a k t i :
the e m i s s i o n a l p o w e r of Siva,
and the
k u l a :
the
12
e m b o d i e d c o s mo s .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
(ca.
9 5 0 - 1 0 1 4 C.E.) w a s a
K a s h m i r i
b r a h m i n
w ho
is still
p r o b a b l y
b e s t
k n o w n for
his
c o n t r i b u t i o n s
to the
d e v e l o p m e n t
of I n d ia n a e s t h e t i c
theory,
p a r t i c u l a r l y
the e x p l o r a t i o n of the c o n c e p t s
of
9
r a s a
and
d h v a n i .
H o w e v e r ,
as a r e s u l t of the
r e c e n t
w o r k of s e v e r a l s c h o l a r s i n c l u d i n g P a n d e y in India,
G no li
in Italy,
and P a d ou x and S i l b u r n in F r an c e , the e x t e n t of
h is
c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the d e v e l o p m e n t of the H i n d u
t an t ra
14
a r e
f i n a l l y e m e r g i n g .
He is u s u a l l y c o u n t e d as
b e i n g
the
m o s t
i l l u s t r i o u s
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e
of
the
t r a d i t i o n
c a l l e d ,
for w a n t of a b e t t e r a p p e l l a t i o n ,
s i m p l y K a s h m i r
S h a i v i s m . ^ -5
T h i s rather i m p r e c i s e t e r m r e f e r s to
s e v e r a l
r e l a t e d
l i n e a g e s of N o r t h e r n S h a i v a m a s t e r s w h i c h i n c lu d e
V a s u g u p t a (ca. 9th c en t. ), t r a n s m i t t e r of the f o u n d a t i o n a l
I
_
t e xt k n o w n as the S i v a - s u t r a -s;
h is d i s c i p l e Ka ll at a,
to
w h o m are u s u a l l y a t t r i b u t e d the i m p o r t a n t S p a n d a - k a r i k a -s;
S o m a n a n d a ,
a l s o n i n t h c e nt u r y ,
a u t h o r of the i n f l u e n t i a l
I
_
t ex t k n o w n as the S i v a - d r s t i , and h is d i s c i p l e U t p a l a c a r y a
a u t h o r
of
w h a t
has
c o m e
to
b e
r e c o g n i z e d
as
the
f o u n d a t i o n a l text for the p h i l o s o p h i c a l e x p l i c a t i o n of the
t r a d i t i o n ,
the
I ¿ v a r a - p r a t y a b h i j n a - k a r i k a - s .
In
a d d i t i o n
to t he s e i m p o r t a n t i n t e l l e c t u a l
f or eb ea rs ,
the
t r a d i t i o n
w h i c h
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
inh er it s,
and
c o m e s
e v e n t u a l l y
to
s y n t h e s i z e ,
i n c l u d e s p o w e r f u l
i n f l u e n c e s
f r o m a n u m b er of c e l e b r a t e d a g a m i c ¿ a s t r a - s . Of these, the
Ma i i n i - vi j a y a - t a n tr a
is
u s u a l l y
c o n s i d e r e d
the
m o s t
17
—
a u t h o r i t a t i v e .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a s t u d i e d t h e s e a g a m i c texts
I
_
w i t h his K au l a m a s t e r ,
S a m b h u n a t h a , and d e d i c a t e s a large
13
10
p o r t i o n
of
his w r i t i n g s to an e x p l i c a t i o n
of
the
the n
d e v e l o p i n g
H i n d u
T a n t r a ,
i n c l u d i n g the l i n e a g e
of
the
«•
i
18
K a u l a s .
T h e
P T l v
m a y be g r o u p e d w i t h four ot he r te xt s
in
w h i c h
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
e x p l o r e s this
t a n t r i c
e n v i r o n m e n t .
T h e s e are h i s e n c y c l o p e d i a of t a n t r a e n t i t l e d
T a n t r a l o k a ;
a s ho r t s u m m a r y of the TA, k n o w n as the T a n t r a s a r a ; a long
text, the P a r a t r i m & i k a - v i v a r a n a w h i c h c o m m e n t s on the s am e
a g a m i c
v e r s e s c o m m e n t e d on in the P T l v ,
and the
M a l i n l -
v i j a y a - v a r t i k a .
It
is
in
the
P T l v ,
h o w e v e r ,
that
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
p r e s e n t s the m o s t c o n c i s e s t a t e m e n t on
the
19
n a t u r e of the t a n t r i c s a d h a n a .
20
In
the
T a n t r a l o k a
,
A b h i n a v a g u p t a r e s e r v e s
the
'
-
21
h i g h e s t p r a i s e for h is t e a c h e r S a m b h u n a t h a ,
a m a s t e r of
the K au l a l i n e a g e w h o l iv e d in J a l a n d h a r a (in the P an ja b) .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
w h o
t r a v e l e d f r o m K a s h m i r to s t u d y
w it h
this te ac he r,
tells us that it w as the i n i t i a t i o n that he
I
_
r e c e i v e d
f r o m
S a m b h u n a t h a
t ha t
f i n a l l y
led
h i m
to
22
e n l l g h t e n m e n t .
It
is no a c c i d e n t ,
then,
t ha t the K au l a
l i n e a g e
h o l d s
p r i d e
of
p l a c e
in
the
t a n t r i c
w r i t i n g s
of
A b h i n a v a g u p t a .
T h i s
t r a d i t i o n ,
w h o s e
n am e
m a y
be
t r a n s l a t e d as the l i n e a g e of the E m b o d i e d C os mo s,
t e a ch e s
that the u l t i m a t e r e a l i t y is the Hear t.
A c c o r d i n g to the
11
t r a d i t i o n ,
the H e a r t is the S u p r e m e (a n u t t a r a ) ; it is the
I
v e r y
s el f of Siva,
of B h a i r a v a ,
and of
the
Devî,
the
'
23
G o d d e s s w h o is i n s e p a r a b l e f r o m Siva.
I nd ee d, the H e a r t
is
the
s i t e of their u n i o n (y a m a l a ) ,
of
their
e m b r a c e
(s a m g h a t t a ) .
T h i s a b o d e is p u r e c o n s c i o u s n e s s (c a i t a n y a ) ,
as w e l l as u n l i m i t e d b l i s s (a n a n d a ) .
As
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
the
H e a r t
is
the
u n b o u n d e d ,
i n f i n i t e l ig h t (p r a k â é a ) , and the f r e e d o m (s v i t a n t r y a ) and
s p o n t a n e i t y
(v i m a r è a )
of
that
l i g h t
to
a p p e a r
in
a
m u l t i t u d e a nd v a r i e t y of forms.
T h e H e a r t
is the s a c r e d
24
f i r e - p i t of B h a i r a v a .
I
__
_
T he i n t e r e s t i n g f e a t u r e of the S a m b h a v o p a y a lies in
its
u t t e r s i m p l i c i t y .
It p r e s e n t s a s h o r t c u t to f r e e d o m
w h i c h s i d e s t e p s the e n o r m o u s c o m p l e x i t y of the
m e d i t a t i o n
and r i t u al p r a c t i c e s that had d e v e l o p e d at this time.
In
o rd e r
to
f o l l o w
this p a t h the s a d h a k a
n e e d e d
o n l y
to
o b t a i n
i n i t i a t i o n
into the H e a r t - m a n t r a .
T hi s
m a n t r a ,
25
w h i c h m a y be t r a n s c r i b e d as S - A U - H ,
w o u l d lead h i m to be
—
—
—
26
" bo r n
of
the
y o g i n i "
(y o g i n i j a t a ) .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
c l a r i f i e s
t ha t " be in g b o r n of the y o g i n i " m e a n s t h a t
the
s a d h a k a o b t a i n s a d e s c e n t of the e n e r g y (¿ a k t i p a t a )
w h i c h
t
a b i d e s in the H e a r t u n i t e d w i t h S i v a ,
and w h i c h w i l l o pe n
h i s v i s i o n to the Self.
T h i s is the p o w e r f u l l y l i b e r a t i n g
f or c e v a r i o u s l y k n o w n as the k a u l i k i feakti, the p o w e r that
12
r u l e s the e m b o d i e d c os mos,
v i s a r g a , the e m i s s i o n a l p ow e r,
t
27
or s i m p l y Devi, G o d d e s s .
In
the
b r i e f c o m p a s s of this e s s a y I
w a n t
to
e x p l o r e
a p u z z l i n g f e a t u r e
of
the t e a c h i n g s p r e s e n t e d
in
the
P T l v .
T h e r e
a p p e a r s
to be
a
d i s c r e p a n c y
b e t w e e n
I
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's
f o r m u l a t i o n s a b o u t the
S a m b h a v o p a y a
a nd
o t h e r
s t a t e m e n t s
he
m a k e s
a b o u t
the
e f f i c a c y
and
i m p o r t a n c e of r it u al .
T h e
s t r e a m l i n e d p a t h to l i b e r a t i o n
p r e s e n t e d b y A b h i n a v a g u p t a in the P T l v c l a i m s to
d i s p e n s e
e n t i r e l y w i t h the n e e d for r it u al .
In o r d e r to u n d e r s t a n d
the
t h e o r e t i c a l
f r a m e w o r k w i t h i n w h i c h the
c l a i m s
tha t
A b h i n a v a g u p t a m a k e s in the P T l v b e c o m e m e a n i n g f u l ,
I w i l l
I
f ir s t
e x a m i n e
the
n o t i o n
of
the H e a r t of Siva
in
m o r e
d e t a i l .
T h e
c e n t r a l
c o n c e p t
of v i s a r g a
w i l l
then
be
c o n s i d e r e d .
F o l l o w i n g
this,
the
c o m p l e x
of
ideas
s u r r o u n d i n g
the n o t i o n s of e x p e r i e n t i a l r e p l i c a t i o n
w i l l
be
a n a l y z e d .
W e w i l l t he n h a v e s u f f i c i e n t l y
d e l i n e a t e d
the
c o n c e p t u a l
f r a m e w o r k
n e c e s s a r y to
u n d e r s t a n d
the
c l a i m s
m a d e
b y A b h i n a v a g u p t a in the the P T l v
a b o u t
the
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n r i t ua l and m e d i t a t i o n .
13
I I . T H E H E A R T OF SIV A
T h e H e a r t is the U l t i m a t e (a n u t t a r a )
w h i c h is b o t h
u t t e r l y
t r a n s c e n d e n t
to (v i S v o t t i r n a ) and
y et
t o t a l l y
i m m a n e n t
in (v i S v a m a y a ) all c r e a t e d things.
It
is
the
u l t i m a t e
e s s e n c e (s l r a ) .
Thus,
the H e a r t e m b o d i e s
the
I
p a r a d o x i c a l
n a t u r e
of Siva and is t h e r e f o r e a
p l a c e
of
a s t o n i s h m e n t
(c a m a t k a r a ) ,
sh ee r
w o n d e r
(v i s m a y a ) ,
and
i n e f f a b l e
m y s t e r y .
T h e
H e a r t
is
the
f u l l n e s s
and
1
_
u n b o u n d e d n e s s of S iv a (p u r n a t v a ) , the p l e n u m of b e i n g that
o v e r f l o w s
c o n t i n u o u s l y into m a n i f e s t a t i o n .
A t the
s a m e
time,
it
is
a l s o
an
i n c o n c e i v a b l e
e m p t i n e s s
(¿unyltifeunya) .^
T h e H e a r t is the u n b o u n d e d a nd u n i v e r s a l
S el f (p u r n a h a n t a ) .
1
T h e H e a r t of Siva is n ot a s t a t i c or inert a b s o l u t e
h o w e v e r .
In fact, the K a s h m i r S h a i v a t r a d i t i o n c o n s i d e r s
it
to
be in a s t a t e of p e r p e t u a l m o v e m e n t ,
a s t a t e
of
2
v i b r a t i o n
(s p a n d a )
in
w h i c h
it
is
c o n t i n u o u s l y
c o n t r a c t i n g
a nd e x p a n d i n g (s a m k o c a - v i k a s a ) ,
o p e n i n g
a nd
c l o s i n g ( u n m e s a - n i m e s a ) ,
t r e m b l i n g (ullasita) ,
q u i v e r i n g
(s p h u r i t a ) ,
t h r o b b i n g , w a v i n g, and s p a r k l i n g (u c c h a l a t a ) .
T h e
i n t e n s i t y
and
s p e e d of this m o v e m e n t is
s uc h
that
p a r a d o x i c a l l y
it
is
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y
a
p e r f e c t
d y n a m i c
s t i l l n e s s .^
T h e t r a d i t i o n s t a te s that the H e a r t is the e n o r m o u s
14
o c e a n
(a m b u n i d h i ),
the
o c e a n of
light,
the
o c e a n
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
T he
w a t e r s of c o n s c i o u s n e s s w h i c h in m a n
are b r o k e n by c o u n t l e s s p o l a r i z i n g (v i k a l p a ) and
d i v i s i v e
w a v e s
(urrni) m a y be e a s i l y b r o u g h t to a s t a t e of
d y n a m i c
s t i l l n e s s
b y
the
p r o c e s s of i m m e r s i o n
or
a b s o r p t i o n
4
(samaveèa) in the Heart.
The
p e r p e t u a l
e f f e r v e s c e n c e ,
e b u l l i t i o n ,
and
I
i n c a n d e s c e n c e
at
the
c e n t e r (m a d h y a )
of
S i v a ' s
b e i n g
p r o v i d e s
the m o t o r ,
as it were,
t ha t d r i v e s the
e n t i r e
p r o c e s s of m a n i f e s t a t i o n ; ^ or,
as A b h i n a v a g u p t a t er m s it,
of e m i s s i o n (v i s a r g a ) ,
of the e n t i r e u n i v e r s e .
E q u a l l y
i mp or t an t , t h r o u g h
the m e d i u m of the e m p o w e r e d m a n t r a the
p o w e r
(¿ a k t i )
t ha t r e s i d e s in the
Hea rt ,
p r o v i d e s
the
f
p o s s i b i l i t y
of
a r e t u r n to Siva,
w h i c h is to
say,
the
p o s s i b i l i t y
of e n l i g h t e n m e n t .
Thus,
this p o w e r in
the
Hear t,
w h i c h
is
the G o d d e s s ,
is
at
o n c e
c e n t r i f u g a l
(p r a v r t t i ),
that is, e m i s s i o n a l and e x p a n s i v e , as w el l as
g
c e n t r i p e t a l (n i v r t t i ) ,
t h a t is,
a b s o r p t i v e and u ni t iv e .
T h i s
c e n t r i p e t a l m o t i o n of the G o d d e s s r e s i d e s in m a n
as
the
k u n d a l i n l
e n e r g y t ha t impels one b a c k to the
s o u r c e
and
c e n t e r
of o n e ' s b e i n g in a
c o m p l e t e l y
n a t u r al
and
s p o n t a n e o u s (s a h a j a ) way.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
i d e n t i f i e s the G o d d e s s in the
H e a r t
w i t h
the
S u p r e m e
W o r d
(p a r a - v i k ) ,
the
t r a n s c e n d e n t
15
s o u n d i n g of the m o t o r of b e in g, the p r i m o r d i a l roar (n a d a )
7
of the f i e r y w a t ers.
T h i s S u p r e m e W o r d , w h i l e u l t i m a t e l y
b e y o n d
a n y of the c o m b i n a t i o n s of h u m a n
s pe ec h,
m a y
be
t r a n s c r i b e d on the g r o s s level by one of s e v e r a l m a n t r a - s :
O M ,
A H A M ,
S A U H .
T h e s e and o th e r m a n t r a -s, w h e n p r o p e r l y
e m p o w e r e d
(m a n t r a v l r y a )
by
the
a w a k e n e d
l i f e - f o r c e
—
8
(p r a n a )
and the c o n s c i o u s n e s s of the g u r u ,
and
p r o p e r l y
e m p l o y e d b y the r e c e p t i v e d i s c i p l e , e n g a g e the c e n t r i p e t a l
m o t i o n of the Heart.
T h e f r a g m e n t e d and r e s t l e s s m i n d is
thus
c a l m e d ,
a w a k e n e d ,
and
i n t e n s i f i e d b y
the
m a n t r a
w h ic h ,
t e n d i n g
a u t o m a t i c a l l y to m o v e to its own
s o ur ce ,
9
d i s c o v e r s
the
f u l l n e s s and u n b o u n d e d n e s s of the
Heart.
T h e r e
the
d i s c i p l e
w i l l hear the S u p r e m e
W o r d
as
the
u n s t r u c k
(a n a h a t a )
s o u n d
of the
H e a r t
w h i c h
is
the
10
u n i v e r s a l life force or c o s m i c b r e a t h (p r a n a ) .
T h e
m y s t e r i o u s tr ia d of sun (s u r y a ) ,
m o o n (s o m a ) ,
and fire (a g n i ) are s ai d to a bi d e in the H e a r t in a
s t a te
of
p e r f e c t e q u i l i b r i u m . ^
On one level,
t he s e r e p r e s e n t
the i n t e r i o r c o s m o s of the p r o c e s s of k n o w i n g ,
the o b j e c t
of k n o w l e d g e ,
and the k n o w i n g s ub je ct .
H o we v e r ,
a m o r e
c o m p l e x h o m o l o g y is at w o r k here.
J u s t as the m o o n w a x e s
I
and
w a n e s ,
so the H e a r t of Siva,
the G o d d e s s
as
m o on ,
e x p a n d s
and c o n t r a c t s t h r o u g h the f i f t e en d a y s (t i t h i ) of
12
the
lunar
f o r t n i g h t .
C o n t i n u i n g
the
l i n g u i s t i c
16
a n a n l o g y ,
e a c h
d a y
or s t a t i o n is a s s i g n e d one
of
the
v o w e l s of the S a n s k r i t a l p h a b e t . “
^
T he s i x t e e n t h
v o w e l - -
v i s a r g a —
, e m i s s i o n a l a s p i r a t i o n —
H,
is said to
i nh er e
g e n e r i c a l l y
in
the p r e c e d i n g f i f te e n.
B e c a u s e
of
the
d o u b l e
m e a n i n g
of
the
w o r d s o m a as
m o o n
and
as
the
a m b r o s i a l n e c t a r ,
this s i x t e e n t h vo we l li nk s the e m i s s i o n
I
I
of
the
u n i o n
of
Siva
and
S a kt i
w i t h
the
w a t e r
of
i m m o r t a l i t y w h i c h s l o w l y d r i p s a nd t r i c k l e s f o r m the moon,
14
f r o m the Heart.
T h i s s p r i n g of n e c t a r s t r e a m s in the H e a r t w h i c h is
the
s e c r e t c a v e (g u h a ) ,
the e n d l e s s a by s s or chasm,
the
m y s t e r i o u s
o p e n i n g
(y o n i ) in the b o d y
of
the
G o d d e s s
w h i c h g i v e s b i r t h to the e n t i r e u n i v e r s e . ^
This c r e a t i v e
m a t r i x
or void is also,
by a d o u b l e m e a n i n g of the
w o r d
k h a :
c a v ity, h o l low; space, air; the s ky (c i d a m b a r a ) , the
e t h e r
(a k l & a )
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
Thus,
the
h i g h e s t
s p i r i t u a l a t t a i n m e n t p o s s i b l e to m a n is t er me d
k h e c a r i ,
that is, m o v i n g f r e e l y in the sky of c o n s c i o u s n e s s . ^
W h a t is the m e a n i n g of the a s s e r t i o n that the linga
is the v e r y H e a r t of the y o g i n l ,
the y o g i n l h r d a y a ?
Thi s
r at h e r m y s t e r i o u s s t a t e m e n t l in k s the m o s t c o m m o n
e m b l e m
I
_
of Siva,
the linga or p h a l l i c mark,
w i t h the Heart.
It
r e f e r s to the u n i o n of the 1 i n g a ,
the p h a l l i c p i l l a r
of
light,
w i t h the g u h a ,
the v a g i n a l a by ss of
d a r k n e s s ,
a
17
u n i o n w h i c h o c c u r s in the Heart.
T h e n o t i o n of the l in ga in the H e a r t m a y be r ea d in
at
l e a st t h r e e ways.
On the c o s m i c level,
the l in g a is
I
the
m a s s e d
and p o w e r f u l c o n s c i o u s n e s s of S iv a as
he
is
17
a b o u t
to r e l e a s e the u n i v e r s e into
m a n i f e s t a t i o n .
W e
I
r e c o g n i z e
h e r e
the
e m i s s i o n a l
p ow e r
of
Siva
w h i c h ,
c o n t i n u o u s l y
e x p a n d i n g
a nd
c o n t r a c t i n g ,
r e l e a s e s
into
b e i n g
the s e e d - c o g n i t i o n s it h a r b o r s w i t h i n
itself.
On
a n o t h e r level,
that of the y o g i c p r a c t i c e ,
the 1 inga
in
the H e a r t a l l u d e s to t he p r a c t i c e of m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n
into the c a v e (g u h a ) .
Thus, we m i g h t i n i t i a l l y read thi s
p r o c e s s as g u h a - s a m â v e è a —
a b s o r p t i o n into the cave,
w h e r e
that p h r a s e y i e l d s a d u a l m e a n i n g .
On t he inner level of
t a n t r i c p r a c t i c e , it m a y be i n t e r p r e t e d as a l l u d i n g to the
y o g i c
i m m e r s i o n
in the c a v e of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
On
the
e x t e r n a l
level
of
t a n t r i c r it u al ,
it m a y
be
s e e n
as
d e s c r i b i n g the r i t u a l i s t i c p e n e t r a t i o n of the p h a l l u s into
the
v a g i n a l cave.
T h i s s u p e r i m p o s i t i o n of m e a n i n g s ,
it
n e e d h a r d l y be said,
is not a c c i d e n t a l .
T h u s the y o g i n l ,
«
V
the G o d d e s s ,
is p e n e t r a t e d b y Siva,
h as Siva as her v e r y
I
Hea rt , h as Siva in h er v e r y core.
B h a i r a v a is the s el f of
the G o d d e s s , he is i n s e p a r a b l e f r o m her, he is p e r p e t u a l l y
18
u n i t e d
to her.
J u s t as the H e a r t is s a i d to h a r b o r
in
its d e p t h s the u n s t r u c k sou nd ,
so the l i n g a p r o c l a i m s the
18
w i t h h e l d and u n e m i t t e d s em e n of Siva,
of the
y o g i n ,
the
t r a n s m u t e d
s e m e n
t ha t p e r m i t s the a c t i v a t i o n of the
the
G o d d e s s in the f or m of the k u n d a l i n l ,
a nd the e m i s s i o n of
• •
19
the s o m a w i t h i n the Heart.
T h e m u t u a l s e x ua l k n o w l e d g e of the G o d and
G o d d e s s
in
the
H e a r t
is p r o d u c t i v e ,
on the
h u m a n
level,
of
s p i r i t u a l k n o w l e d g e .
A c o m m o n t h e m e w h i c h i n t r o d u c e s m a n y
t a n t r i c w o r k s
is the p l e a for k n o w l e d g e m a d e by the
Devi
1
to
Siva.
T h e God,
a ft e r c a u t i o n i n g the G o d d e s s n ot
to
r e v e a l
the
s e c r e t t e a c h i n g he is a b o u t to i m pa rt to
a ny
b u t
the m o s t w o r t h y d i s c i p l e s ,
p r o c e e d s to
e x p l a i n
his
t r u e n a t u r e to the G o d de s s.
In a d d i t i o n ,
h e r e v e a l s the
20
m e t h o d
or
m e a n s to be u s e d to a t t a i n Him.
It is
not
s u r p r i s i n g that the Heart,
w h i c h is the a b o d e and
s o u r c e
of
all,
is
l a u d e d as the s o u r c e of this
t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
I
w i s d o m
as well.
Siva as the g r e a t Y o g i n s t a n d s
in
the
H e a r t as the s u p r e m e t ea ch e r.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a o f t e n e xt o ls
M a h e i v a r a in the H e a r t as the t e a c h e r f ro m w h o m he l e a r n e d
the p a r t i c u l a r y o g i c and t a n t r i c m e t h o d s w h i c h he e x p l a i n s
21
in
his texts.
In this s am e vein,
the a u t h o n a t i v e and
r e v e a l e d s c r i p t u r e s ,
the a g a m a -s a re said to be the
m e r e
22
t h r o b b i n g of the Heart.
A n o t h e r
i m p o r t a n t
t he m e a s s o c i a t e s the H e a r t
and
t he lo t u s flower (p a d m a ,
a m b h o j a ) .
B h a i r a v a is said
to
19
r e s i d e
in the lo t us of the H e a r t in the f o r m of b l i s s a n d
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
w h i l e the s e n s e - g o d d e s s e s (i n d r i y a - d e v i -s)
p e r p e t u a l l y w o r s h i p
h i m b y o f f e r i n g up the e n j o y m e n t s
of
the
s e n s e o b j e c t s .
T h e H e a r t - l o t u s
is s ai d to h a v e e i g h t
p e t a l s
e a c h
f a c i n g
o ne of the c a r d i n a l
p o i n t s
of
the
c o m p a s s .
I m p o r t a n t e v i d e n c e that the H e a r t
as it is h e r e
c o n c e i v e d d o e s not refer to the f o u r t h or a n a h a t a c a k r a of
the e s o t e r i c y o g i c p h y s i o l o g y is t he fact t ha t this l a t t e r
c a k r a
is
u s u a l l y
d e s c r i b e d
as
h a v i n g
t w e l v e
p e t a l s .
I n t e r e s t i n g l y ,
the
n a m e s of the s e n s e - g o d d e s s e s
b e a r
a
c u r i o u s
r e s e m b l a n c e
to
t r a d i t i o n a l lists of
the
S e v e n
M o t h e r s (s a p t a -m a t r k a - s ) .
H o w e v e r , A b h i n a v a g u p t a h a s h e r e
e x p a n d e d
the
list
f r o m s e v e n
to
eig ht : B r a h m a n i ,
E;
*
—
—
—
______
_
S a m b h a v i , SE; K u m ari, S; V a i s n a v l , SW; V ar a hi , W; I n d r a n i ,
• •
•
NW;
C a m u n d a ,
N; M a h a l a k s m I , NE.
W e k n o w that the n u m b e r
I
e i g h t is d o u b l y s a c r e d to Siva as it e n u m a e r a t e s the e i g h t
I
fa c es
of Siva (asta m u r t i ) ,
and is also the sume of f iv e
and three, b o t h of w h i c h n u m b e r s h a v e m a n y a s s o c i a t i o n s to
'
23
Siva and S ha iv is m.
T h e n u m be r t hr e e b r i n g s us to the last and
p e r h a p s
m o s t i m p o r t a n t t he m e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h the Heart,
the H e a r t
24
.
.
as
t r i a n g l e
(t r i k o n a ) .
T h i s
i n i t i a l l y
p u z z l i n g
a s s o c i a t i o n
links
o ne
of the n a m e s for
the
t r a d i t i o n ,
T r i k a
or
triple,
w i t h its m o s t
i m p o r t a n t
s ym bo l,
the
20
Heart.
In fact,
one of the i m p o r t a n t t ex t s
q u o t e d
b y
-
25
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
in
his TA is e n t i t l e d the
T r i k a - h r d a y a .
T h e r e is a d e e p e r m e a n i n g l u r k i n g he re ,
h o w e v e r .
We h a v e
a l l u d e d
to the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of the H e a r t w i t h the
c av e
or a b y s s (g u h a ) .
W e h a v e a l s o s e e n the link m a d e
b e t w e e n
the
cave,
the Heart,
and the f e m a l e s e x u a l
orga n.
It
1 _ _
_
h a p p e n s that in the S a r a d a script,
in w h i c h a l m o s t all of
the
m a n u s c r i p t s
of K a s h m i r w e r e w r i t t e n ,
the v ow e l
"E"
l o o k s
v e r y m u c h like an i s o c e l e s t r i a n g l e w i t h
its
a p ex
2 6
p o i n t i n g
d o w n w a r d s .
T h i s e m b l e m a t i c a s s o c i a t i o n
w i t h
the
f e m a l e
s e x u a l o r g a n c a u s e s the v ow e l "E" to
b e c o m e
k n o w n
as the t r i k o n a - b i j a t r i a n g l e - v o w e l ,
or
y o n i - b i j a
v a g i n a - v o w e l .
T h e Hea rt , the t r i a n g l e , t he y o n i , and the
vo w el
" E " , are
all l i nk ed w i t h the
G o d d e s s ,
w i t h
the
¿ a k t i ,
w i t h the f e m a l e p ow e r of s e x u a l i t y , f e r ti l it y , and
27
r e p r o d u c t i o n .
21
III.
T H E G O D D E S S IN THE HEART: V I S A R G A
In
this s e c t i o n I w o u l d l ik e to e x a m i n e a
s in gl e ,
t h o u g h c r u c i a l ,
a s p e c t of this K a u l a m e t h o d :
the c o n c e p t
of
v i s a r g a ,^
w h i c h
is
m o s t
c o m m o n l y
e n c o u n t e r e d
in
S a n s k r i t
p h o n o l o g y
as
n a m i n g
the
pu re ,
v o i c e l e s s
2
a s p i r a t i o n .
T h e
n o t i o n
of
the
v i s a r g a
is
d e e p l y
c o n n e c t e d w i t h the t h e o r e t i c a l b a s e s of the S h a i v a T a n t r a .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
d e v o t e s a la rg e p o r t i o n of the P T l v
to
an
e x t e n d e d
d i s c o u r s e
on
the
n a t u r e
of
v i s a r g a .
T h e
f o l l o w i n g
are
two
c r u c i a l
p a s s a g e s
f r o m
that
text
d e t a i l i n g the n a t u r e of the v i s a r g a .
T h e
p o w e r
(¿ a k t i )
w h i c h
r e s i d e s
in
the
H e a r t
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
is f r e e d o m itself.
T h e p u r p o s e of
its
c r e a t i v e
a c t i v i t y is the e m b o d i e d c o s m o s
(k u l a ) ,
the
e n t i r e r a n g e of p e r c e i v i n g s u b je c t,
p e r c e i v e d
obj ec t,
and p r o c e s s of p e r c e p t i o n .
T hu s She is c a l l e d K a u l i n i .
S he
is the N o b l e Lady,
the M i s t r e s s (N a y i k a ) of
that
E m b o d i e d
C o s m o s ,
She r ul es o ve r it.
B y k n o w i n g it,
S he c a u s e s its m a n i f e s t a t i o n , as w e l l as r e a b s o r b i n g it
3
in H er s e l f .
Now,
it is w e l l k n o w n that p e r c e p t i o n h e r e is just the
i l l u m i n a t i o n of the o b j e c t i v e w o r l d ,
w h i ch , by n ature,
is
d i v i d e d
up into two
g ro up s,
n a m e l y
the
k n o w i n g
s u b j e c t s and the k n o w a b l e o bj ec t s.
T h e k n o w i n g s u b j e c t
22
has
as
its e s s e n c e the s u p r e m e l y s u b t l e v i b r a t i o n
of
the Self.
It is c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y k n o w l e d g e and a c t io n ,
and
its
n a t u r e is o ne of c o n t r a c t i o n
a nd
e x p a n s i o n ,
t ha t is,
o p e n i n g a nd c l o s i n g .
It is not like a
pot,
and so on, w h i c h is inert, l i m i t e d a nd s t at i o n a r y .
T h e
m o r e
this
c o m b i n a t i o n
of e x p a n s i o n
and
c o n t r a c t i o n
b e c o m e s e v i d e n t in the v i b r a t i o n of the Heart,
of
the
t r i a n g l e
etc.,
the m o r e d o e s the s u b j e c t i v i t y
b e c o m e
e l e v a t e d ,
u nt i l
it
r e a c h e s
the
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
of
B h a i r a v a .
C o n v e r s e l y ,
the
m o r e
the
e x p a n s i o n
a nd
c o n t r a c t i o n
d i m i n i s h ,
the m o r e d o e s the
s u b j e c t i v i t y
fall
u n t i l it b e c o m e s inert l ik e a
s t o n e
etc.
T hi s
e x p a n s i o n
a nd c o n t r a c t i o n is the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the
v i s a r g a ,
w h o s e e s s e n c e is f re ed o m,
that is,
the v e r y
P ow e r
of
the
Lord,
of
the
U l t i m a t e
(a n u t t a r a ) .
T h e r e f o r e ,
the p h o n e m e " H " , the v i s ar g a, is t e rm ed the
R u d r a - y a m a l a ,
the
R u d r a - D y a d ,
b e c a u s e it c o n s i s t s of
I
b o t h
the
S u p r e m e
S iv a and ¿ a k t i ,
of
the
rest
and
a c t i v i t y
w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e the u n i o n of
B h a i r a v a
w i t h
4
his B e l o v ed .
In
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's
t e a c h i n g s
a b o u t
the
K a u la
m e t h o d , the t e r m v i s a r g a h as a
w i d e s i g n i f i c a t i o n .
Here,
it
c o m e s to n am e that p ow e r (¿ a k t i ) (known
a l t e r n a t i v e l y
as
the
k a u l i k i ^ a k t i ,
the
Devi,
the nada)
w h i c h
is
23
r e s p o n s i b l e for e m i t t i n g the u n i v e r s e in all its
g l o r i o u s
v a ri e ty .
E q u a l l y
i mp or t an t ,
it n a m e s the
p o w e r
w h i c h
m u s t be h a r n e s s e d b y the t a nt r i c y o g i n to c o n t i n u e the a rc
of
m a n i f e s t a t i o n
as
it d o u b l e s b a c k on the
j o u r n e y
of
I
r e t u r n
to
Siva.
This p o w e r m a y be t h o u g h t
of
as
an
i m p e l l i n g
f o r c e (i c c h a - è a k t i ),
t h a t at o ne a n d the
sam e
t i m e
c o n t i n u o u s l y
p u s h e s e v e r y t h i n g o u t into b e i n g ,
and
I
c o n t i n u o u s l y a b s o r b s it all b a c k into
Siva.
Thus,
this
p o w e r
in the Hea rt ,
w h i c h
is the G o d d e s s ,
and w h i c h
is
n a m e d the v i s a r g a , is at o n c e c e n t r i f u g a l (p r a v r t t i ) , that
is,
e m i s s i o n a l
and
e x p a n s i v e ,
as w e l l
as
c e n t r i p e t a l
( n i v r t t i ) , that is, a b s o r p t i v e and u n i t i v e . ^
T h i s
e x p a n s i o n
a nd
c o n t r a c t i o n
(s a m k o c a - v i k a s a )
f o r m s
a k i n d of " a l t e r n a t i n g c u r r e n t " of s p i r i t u a l
p o w e r
w h i c h
m a y be t a p p e d by the
y o g i n in v a r i o u s ways.
T he
" e x p a n s i v e "
m o d e
m a y
be
e m p l o y e d
for the
f u rt he r
m a n i f e s t a t i o n of d e s i r e s in
the e x t e r n a l or s u b t l e
w o r l d s
(b h o g a ,
p h a l a ) ,
or,
d u r i n g
the f a r t h e r r e a c h e s of
the
s a d h a n a ,
for
the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of the e x p e r i e n c e of n o n
d u a l i t y e ve n in o u t w a r d p e r c e p t i o n s .
T h e
" c o n t r a c t i v e "
m o d e
c o n n e c t s the y o g i n to the i n w a r d l y a s c e n d i n g
f o rc e
t ha t
e f f o r t l e s s l y p r o p e l s the y o g i n to r es t in a b s o r p t i o n
(s a m a v e è a - v i è r a n t i )
in
his
own
u n b o u n d e d ,
o r i g i n a l
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
Here,
the
i n f i n i t e l y
fast
v i b r a t i o n
24
(s p a n d a )
of c o n s c i o u s n e s s a l l o w s the r e - e m e r g e n c e of
the
s t a t e
of B h a i r a v a ,
the s t a t e of l i b e r a t i o n in this
v e r y
life.
In the d i a l e c t i c of r e v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the
v i s a r q a
the " e x p a n s i v e "
m o d e m e n t i o n e d
a b o v e
may,
f r o m
a n o t h e r
p e r s p e c t i v e ,
be
t e r m e d
" c o n t r a c t i v e " and v i c e -
v e r s a .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a c a l l s the v i s a r g a the R u d r a - d y a d .
On
o n e
level,
the
d o u b l e n a t u r e of
the
v i s a r g a
c l e a r l y
I
_
_
r e f l e c t s
its g r a p h i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n in the S a r a d a s c r i p t :
two d o t s p l a c e d v e r t i c a l l y one a b o v e the o th er ,
s o m e t i m e s
a c c o m p a n i e d
b y a s t r a i g h t v e r t i c a l line just to the
l e f t
of
the two dots.
T h e s i n g l e dot,
b i n d u ,
w h i c h is
the
p h o n e m e t ha t j us t p r e c e d e s the v i s a r g a in the
e n u m e r a t i o n
of the v o w els,
is s ai d to r e p r e s e n t the finite,
k n o w i n g
s u b j e c t
(v e d a k a ) .^
T he v i s a r g a ,
w h i c h is m a d e up
of two
b i n d u - s ,
r e p r e s e n t s
the
i n h e r e n t l y
s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l
c a p a c i t y
of c o n s c i o u s n e s s . ^ It is in this s e n s e that
the
v i s a r g a
r e p r e s e n t s
the
f r e e d o m
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
the
v i m a r £ a ,
w h i c h
is the m o s t i m p o r t a n t
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
C o n s c i o u s n e s s
is not l ik e a rock c r y s t a l
w h i c h
p a s s i v e l y
r e f l e c t s
all that
a p p e a r s
b e f o r e
it.
R a t h e r ,
the
f r e e d o m
and
s p o n t a n e i t y
p r e s e n t
in
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
a l l o w
for a c o n t i n u o u s p r o c e s s
of
s e l f -
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
(s v a s a m v e d a n a )
as
w el l .
T he
vi s a r g a
25
r e p r e s e n t s the b a s i c c o m p o n e n t of the s a d h a n a in w h i c h the
f i n i t e c o n s c i o u s n e s s is d o u b l e d b a c k on itself.
At first,
as this p r o c e s s p r o c e e d s ,
c o n s c i o u s n e s s s i m p l y e n c o u n t e r s
m o r e and m o r e of its own c o n t e n t s .
F i n a l l y , th er e o c c u r s
the
p o w e r f u l m o m e n t of r e c o g n i t i o n
(p r a t y a b h i j n a ) ,
w h e n
the
b e a m of c o n s c i o u s n e s s b e c o m e s c o n s c i o u s of itself and
n o t h i n g
else.
T h i s
is
t e r m e d the
e n t r a n c e
into
the
" F o u rt h ",
t u r l y a ,
and
h e r e
the
c o n d i t i o n
of
s i m p l e
n i r v i k a l p a e ns u e s .
T h e v i s a r g a , w h i c h is t e n t a t i v e l y t r a n s l a t e d as the
" e m i s s i o n a l
p o w e r , "
b r i n g s
t o g e t h e r
all
the
v a r i o u s
l e v e l s of the t a n t r i c c o s m o s:
the d i v i n e level of o u t w a r d
c o s m i c m a n i f e s t a t i o n ,
the h u m a n level of i nw ar d s p i r i t u a l
a b s o r p t i o n ,
and
the r i t u a l
le ve l on
w h i c h
the
h u m a n
b e c o m e s
d iv i n e .
In t e r m s
of
l a n g u ag e ,
the
v i s a r g a
f u n c t i o n s
b o t h
as a p h o n e m e ,
the
o u t w a r d l y
e x p l o s i v e
a s p i r a t i o n
of
b r e a t h ,
a nd
as a c o m p o n e n t
of
n u m e r o u s
m a n t r a -s, w h e r e its f u n c t i o n is r a t he r to c a u s e the i nw a rd
c e s s a t i o n
of the v it a l b r e a t h.
On the level of
r i tu al ,
it r e s o n a t e s w i t h the k u l a -y a g a ,
the s e c r e t ritu al t a u g h t
in v e i l e d te rm s b y A b h i n a v a g u p t a , w h e r e it m a y s i g n i f y the
o r g a s m i c e x p u l s i o n of the life force;
or, on the level of
inner,
t a n t r i c y o g a w h i c h is p a r t of the s am e ritual,
it
c o i n c i d e s w i t h the b l i s s f u l inw ar d force,
the
k u n d a l i n i .
26
In e a c h of t h e s e e n v i r o n m e n t s ,
the p o l ar ,
d y a d i c n a t u r e
of the v i s a r g a is c l e a r l y at work.
T he
s o p h i s t i c a t i o n
of
the
t a n t r i c
t r ea ti se s,
e s p e c i a l l y
the
t a n t r i c w o r k s of A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
is
suc h
that they e x h i b i t a g r e a t d ea l of s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s a b o u t
the
n a t u r e
of
l a n g u a g e and the u se
of
l a n g u a g e
as
a
r e l i g i o u s tool.
On the t e c h n i c a l level,
the m o s t p o t e n t
t a n t r i c
i n s t r u m e n t
for
l i b e r a t i o n is a
small
u n i t
of
l a n g u a g e , a m a n t r a ♦
As w e h a v e seen, the
s p e c i f i c m a n t r a
t a u g h t
b y
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
in the P T l v
is
S A U H ,
and
it
c o n t a i n s
the v i s a r g a as its final a nd p e r h a p s m o s t p o t e n t
g
e l e m e n t .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a e x p l a i n s the m e c h a n i s m
by
w h i c h
the
m a n t r a a c c o m p l i s h e s the task of e n l i g h t e n m e n t in
the
f o l l o w i n g
way.
T he
i n d i v i d u a l soul
(a n u ) ,
is
c a u g h t
m i d w a y
b e t w e e n
the
total
i n e r t i a of
a
rock
and
the
o m n i s c i e n c e of B h a i r a v a .
A c c o r d i n g to the P T l v , the four
s h e a t h s
or k a n c u k a -s are the f o r c e s that s u s p e nd the
anu
9
in the m i d d l e ,
like the m y t h o l o g i c a l c h a r a c t e r T ri ia n ku .
T h e P T l v st at es :
T h e
H e a r t
is
the
s ee d of
the
U n i v e r s e d e v o i d
of
b e g i n n i n g
a nd
end,
d e v o i d of c o m i n g into b e i n g
and
d e s t r u c t i o n ;
and b e c a u s e it is a seed, it e x p a n d s into
the
f or m of All,
it m o v e s i n c e s s a n t l y
to e x p a n s i o n .
T h i s
H e a r t
w h i c h
m o v e s
in the m i d s t
of the
L u na r
27
S t a t i o n s
m a d e
up of t i m e —
of the A l l —
is
p r e s e n t
in
e v e r y t h i n g
in
the f o r m of an
u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d
s e l f -
r e f e r e n t i a l
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
He
s h o u l d
c o n t i n u a l l y
m e d i t a t e on this seed of the H e a r t as h a v i n g p e n e t r a t e d
into h i s o wn Heart, into h is c o n s c i o u s n e s s , w h i c h is in
the
f o r m
of
a
l o t us
f l o we r
b e c a u s e
it
p l a y s
at
e x p a n d i n g
and c o n t r a c t i n g ;
he s h o u l d m e d i t a t e on thi s
s e e d w h i c h h a v i n g e n t e r e d into h is c o n s c i o u s n e s s c a u s e s
it
to e x p a n d b y b r i n g i n g a b u t the r e m o v a l of the
f o r m
of
c o n t r a c t i o n .
In
this
w a y
t he r e
o c c u r s
the
10
a t t a i n m e n t of B h a i r a v a in all its f ul ln es s.
T h i s
c o n t i n u o u s
m o v e m e n t of e x p a n s i o n p r e s e n t
in
the v e r y c o r e of r e a l i t y is the v i s a r g a .
N a t u r a l l y ,
the
e x p a n s i o n is a c c o m p a n i e d b y a c o u n t e r b a l a n c i n g m o v e m e n t of
c o n t r a c t i o n .
T h e
v i s a r g a is a l w a y s c o n c e i v e d in
p ol a r,
r h y t h m i c terms.
T h i s d u a l n a t u r e a c c o u n t s for its
b e i n g
t e r m e d
the
R u d r a - d y a d ,
(the
R u d r a - y a m a l a ) .
T h e
P T l v
c o n t i n u e s :
T h e
i n i t i a t e d one k n o w s this s u p r e m e
k n o w l e d g e
w h o s e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c is the Heart,
and w h i c h is g i v e n by the
d i v i n i t i e s of B h a i r a v a ,
w h o a re w i t h i n the Heart,
and
w h o b r i n g an e s c a p e f r o m the v i b r a t i o n of m a n i f e s t a t i o n
w h i c h
le a d s
to
the o b s c u r i n g of the
Self,
and
a re
r a t h e r
d i r e c t e d
t o w a r d s the s u p r e m e
v i b r a t i o n
w h i c h
28
c o n s i s t s
of
an o p e n i n g up of the
Self.
T h e s e
s am e
d i v i n i t i e s d e s t r o y the c h i e f b o n d w h i c h is the s t a t e of
c o n t r a c t i o n .^
T he v i b r a t i o n
that leads to m a n i f e s t a t i o n ,
is,
in
t e r m s
of c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
the c o n t r a c t i v e a s p e c t
of
the
v i s a r g a , and the s u p r e m e v i b r a t i o n t ha t d i s c l o s e s the se lf
is
the e x p a n s i v e a s p e c t of the
v i s a r g a .
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
te l ls
us that
the
p u r p o s e of the m a n t r a
is
to
c a u s e
12
c o n s c i o u s n e s s to v i b r a t e m o r e q u i c k l y .
Thus,
in
t e r ms
of
the m a n t r a ,
the p r o c e s s i n v o l v e s h a r n e s s i n g the
v e r y
p o w e r
that
r e s i d e s in c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
a nd
a l l o w i n g
the
f i n i t e
m i n d to v i b r a t e m o r e q u i c k l y ,
to e x p a n d ,
and
to
r e a c h the i n f i n i t e l y fast v i b r a t i o n t ha t c h a r a c t e r i z e s the
s t a t e
of B h a i r a v a .
T h e a t t a i n m e n t
of
this
s t a t e
is
s y n o n y m o u s
w i t h
the c o n d i t i o n of j i v a n m u k t a .
It is
in
this
w a y
that
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
e x p l a i n s
the
t h e o r e t i c a l
I
_
_ _
u n d e r p i n n i n g s
of the
S a m b h a v o p a y a .
T h e
m e t h o d
that
I
I
I
_
r e l a t e s to Siva or to S a m b h u (S a m b h a v a ) ,
e m p l o y s
n o t h i n g
e l s e
b u t the v i s a r g a ,
w h i c h c an h e r e be u n d e r s t o o d as an
i m p u l s e or p o w e r w i t h i n the Heart.
T hi s p o w e r b e g i n s
to
o p e r a t e
to
lead
the s a d h a k a t o w a r d s the
U l t i m a t e
o nc e
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
h as
b e e n s u c c e s s f u l l y
d o u b l e d
b a c k u po n
itself.
O n c e the
s a d h a k a has r e a c h e d
this stage,
he has
b e c o m e a v i r a , a s p i r i t u a l hero, w h o is a b l e to u n i t e w i t h
29
the
G o d d e s s .
He
is
o ne
w h o
is
a b l e
to
s u r r e n d e r
g r a c e f u l l y ,
c o m p l e t e l y ,
and
e f f o r t l e s s l y
to
t h at
c e n t r i p e t a l m o t i o n of the Heart, the g r a v i t a t i o n a l p u l l of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
on itself,
w h i c h p l u n g e s h i m b a c k into the
d e p t h s of the o c e a n of c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
T h e v i r a
may,
at
this point, if he so d e s i r e s , c o n s o l i d a t e this u n i f i c a t i o n
w i t h the inner G o d d e s s in the c o n t e x t of the s e c r e t r i t u a l
_
<3
k n o w n as the k u l a - y a g a .
30
IV.
H R D A Y A N G A M I B H U T A :
E X P E R I E N T I A L R E P L I C A T I O N
W e
n o w turn to a s i n g l e p a s s a g e of the P T l v
w h i c h
a d d r e s s e s
the c o n c e p t of " e x p e r i e n t i a l r e p l i c a t i o n . " This
p a s s a g e
o c c u r s in the c o m m e n t to the f i r s t two v e r s e s
of
the
a g a m i c
" b a s e - t e x t . "
In t h e s e f ir s t two
v e r s e s
the
G o d d e s s
i m p l o r e s
B h a i r a v a
to r e v e a l to
h er
the
g r e a t
s e c r e t
of
the p o w e r that a b i d e s in the
Hea rt .
In
his
c o m m e n t a r y
A b h i n a v a g u p t a f i r s t p r e s e n t s the v i e w
of
the
p u r v a p a k s i n
w h o
q u e s t i o n s the n e c e s s i t y for any k i n d
of
r e v e l a t i o n .
T h e o b j e c t o r b a s e s h i s a r g u m e n t on the g r o u n d
t h a t
if it is a g r e e d that the Self is a l r e a d y s h i n i n g
in
t he
H e a r t
of
all b ei n gs ,
then t h e r e
is
no
n ee d
for
B h a i r a v a
to
r e v e a l it.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a r e s p o n d s to
this
o b j e c t i o n b y sa y i n g :
True, b u t e v e n t h o u g h it s h i n e s there, it h as not t r u l y
b e c o m e
a
c o n s c i o u s
a p p r e h e n s i o n .
W i t h o u t
c o n s c i o u s
a p p r e h e n s i o n ,
e v e n if a th in g e xi s ts ,
it is as if
it
d i d n ot e x i s t , just like the l e a ve s and g r a s s and o t he r
t h i n g s w h e n r i d i n g in a c h ar i o t .
T he q u e s t i o n is thus
a p p r o p r i a t e b e c a u s e c o n t e n t m e n t is n ot p o s s i b l e w i t h o u t
a
c o n s c i o u s r e a l i z a t i o n .
C o n t e n t m e n t (t r p t i ) is
of
two
kind s .
T he
f i r s t
is
e f f e c t e d
b y
m e a n s
of
a b s o r p t i o n
(s a m a v e i a ) and c o n s i s t s of m a g i c a l
po we rs .
T h e
s e c o n d
is
a t t a i n e d by r e a c h i n g
a
c o n d i t i o n
of
31
c o n s c i o u s h e a r t - f e l t r e a l i z a t i o n ,
a nd it is the
s t a t e
of b e i n g l i b e r a t e d w h i l e still alive.'*'
T h e
o p e r a t i v e
p h r a s e
in
this
p a s s a g e
is
" c o n s c i o u s
a p p r e h e n s i o n " or " c o n s c i o u s r e a l i z a t i o n " w h i c h
t r a n s l a t e s
the
S a n s k r i t h r d a y a n g a m i b h u t a .
T h i s c o m p o u n d
l i t e r a l l y
m e a n s
"has b e c o m e s o m e t h i n g that m o v e s in the H e a r t . "
It
h as a l s o b e e n r e n d e r e d as "a c o n d i t i o n of c o n s c i o u s h e a r t
f el t
r e a l i z a t i o n . "
T h e a r g u m e n t t ha t A b h i n a v a g u p t a
pu ts
f o r w a r d
s e e m s to b e that e v e n if w e a g r e e t ha t
in
their
i n n e r m o s t
r e c e s s e s all b e i n g s a re e s s e n t i a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d
I
by,
and
i d e n t i c a l with,
Siva,
t h e r e r e m a i n s a
c r u c i a l
d i f f e r e n c e
b e t w e e n
u n c o n s c i o u s l y
b e i n g
s o m e t h i n g
and
c o n s c i o u s l y
t a k i n g p o s s e s s i o n of o n e ' s t ru e
s ta tus.
In
the
o ne case,
the f i n i t e self,
i g n o r a n t of its i d en t i t y
I
w i t h Siva,
s u f f e r s b o n d a g e and l i m i t a t i o n .
In the o t he r
case,
c o n s c i o u s
r e a l i z a t i o n of the t ru e s t a t u s
of the
p e r c e i v e r
(g r i h a k a )
g e n e r a t e s
a
t r a n s f o r m a t i v e
and
e m p o w e r i n g e f f ec t .
B y
u s i n g
t he t e r m h r d a y a n g a m i b h u t a
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
u n d e r s c o r e s c e r t a i n i m p o r t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the K au la
n o t i o n s
a b o u t l i b e r a t i o n .
T he K a u l a m o k s a o p e r a t e s
a
f u n d a m e n t a l
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n
of
the
e x p e r i e n c e
of the
s â d h a k a ,
that
is
to
s ay
t he r e is a
p r i m a c y
of the
e x p e r i e n t i a l d i m e n s i o n .
H o w ev e r, the a t t a i n m e n t of m o k sa
32
as an e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l r a t he r than o n t o l o g i c a l
event,
and
o n c e
it is a t t a i n e d it r e p r e s e n t s an a c t i v e rath er than a
p a s s i v e
c o n d i t i o n .
In
t er m s of the
f i n i t e
self,
the
l i b e r a t i o n a i m e d at by the K a u l a s r e p r e s e n t s a p r o c e s s
of
e x p a n s i o n r a t h e r than a p r o c e s s of c o n t r a c t i o n .
F in a ll y ,
in t e r m s of the f i n i t e w o r ld ,
the K au l a m o k s a o p e r a t e s an
i n t e g r a t i v e
and
t r a n s f o r m a t i v e
e f f e c t
r a th er
than
a
s e p a r a t i v e and d e s t r u c t i v e one.
W e w i l l c o n s i d e r t he s e s t a t e m e n t s o ne b y
one.
It
is i m p o r t a n t to e m p h a s i z e t ha t the " c o n s c i o u s r e a l i z a t i o n "
r e f e r r e d
to
is
n ot
s i m p l y
a
p r o c e s s
of
a s s e n t i n g
i n t e l l e c t u a l l y
to
or
a f f i r m i n g b e l i e f
in
a
r e l i g i o u s
d o c t r i n e .
No
doubt,
c o m p r e h e n s i o n
and
fa i th
m a y
c o n s t i t u t e i m p o r t a n t fi rs t s te p s in the p r o c e s s of g a i n i n g
l i b e r a t i o n .
N e v e r t h e l e s s ,
it
s h o u l d
be c le a r that
to
" b e c o m e
s o m e t h i n g
that
m o v e s in the
H e a rt "
c a n n o t
be
r e d u c e d to " h a v i n g an idea in the m i n d . "
T he
p r o c e s s of r e c o g n i t i o n of o n e ' s i d e n t i t y
w i t h
I
_
S i va
(pratyabhijfia) is s i m p l y the e x p e r i e n t i a l
a w a k e n i n g
to
a
p r e - e x i s t i n g
c o n d i t i o n .
C o n s e q u e n t l y ,
from
an
o n t o l o g i c a l
p e r s p e c t i v e ,
w h e n f r e e d o m is g a i n e d
n o t h i n g
has r e a l l y c h a n g e d .
W h a t has a l w a y s b e e n c o n t i n u e s to be.
Yet,
e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l l y ,
the
a w a k e n i n g to
a
c o n s c i o u s
r e a l i z a t i o n
of
the
true
s i t u a t i o n
is
p o w e r f u l l y
33
l i b e r a t i n g .
E v e r y t h i n g
c h an g es .
I nd e ed ,
it is
as
a
r e s u l t
of
this h e a r t - f e l t r e a l i z a t i o n t ha t the s t a t e
of
j i v a n m u k t i
is
s ai d to ari se .
It s h o u l d be
n o t e d
t ha t
p e r h a p s
t he s e
p h i l o s o p h i c a l
c a t e g o r i e s
i m p o r t e d
f r o m
I
W e s t e r n t h o u g h t a r e s u b t l y d i s t o r t i v e he re .
S i v a ' s b e i n g
(p r a k a S a )
is
e s s e n t i a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d of a
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
t ha t
is c o n t i n u o u s l y s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l
(v i m a r S a ) .
T hus,
w h i l e
it r e m a i n s t ru e t ha t a w a k e n i n g to e n l i g h t e n m e n t
is
e s s e n t i a l l y an e x p e r i e n t i a l ,
e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l eve nt , w h i c h
I
I
d o e s
not in a ny w a y a lt e r S i v a ' s b e i n g q u a
Siva,
it
is
e q u a l l y
t ru e that this e v e n t is p o w e r f u l l y t r a n s f o r m a t i v e
of the " be i n g " of the s a d h a k a .
T h e s i d d h a "is" no l o n g e r
the same, a nd this n e w s t a t u s w i l l r e f l e c t itse lf not o n l y
in
t e r m s of a t r a n s f o r m e d v i s i o n of the s e l f and
of
the
p h e n o m e n a l
u n i v e r s e ,
b u t
a l s o in
the a t t a i n m e n t
of
a
d i v i n i z e d
c o n d i t i o n
of p h y s i c a l e m b o d i m e n t .
T h e p o w e r w h i c h m o v e s in the H e a r t is the
v i s a r g a -
¿ a k t i —
the e m i s s i o n a l p o w er ,
the s p a n d a —
v i b r a t i o n .
T h e
p r o c e s s of c o n s c i o u s r e a l i z a t i o n i n v o l v e s the a w a k e n i n g to
and g r a s p i n g of this i nn at e p o w e r of the U l t i m a t e .
It is
this
p o w e r w h i c h i n c r e a s i n g l y o v e r w h e l m s the f i n i t e
s e l f
I
1
w i t h the i n f i n i t y of Siva.
T he p r o c e s s of a t t a i n i n g S iv a
m a y
r i g h t l y be d e s c r i b e d as p a s s i v e in the s e n s e that
it
i nv o l v e s ,
a c c o r d i n g
to
the
K a u l a
m e t h o d
of
the
34
S a m b h a v o p a y a /
a p r o g r e s s i v e l y and i n c r e a s i n g l y e f f o r t l e s s
i m m e r s i o n (n i m a j j a n a ) , or r e p o s i n g (v i S r a n t i ) in the a b ys s
of
the
Hea r t ,
a t e r m f u n c t i o n a l l y e q u i v a l e n t
w i t h
the
'
2
i m m a n e n t
S i v a - w h o - i s - c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
W h e n the
e x p e r i e n c e
of
r e a l i z a t i o n
m a t u r e s
s u f f i c i e n t l y
the
s a d h a k a
m ay
I
r i g h t l y
u t t e r
the
s t a r t l i n g
a s s e r t i o n ,
"I
am
S iva"
1
(S i v o 1
h a m ) .
H o w e v e r ,
this
a s s e r t i o n
c l a i m s
for
the
a w a k e n e d
s i d d h a
n o t
j us t
an
i n t r i n s i c
and
p a s s i v e
1
" o n e n e s s "
w i t h
the
e s s e n c e
of
Siva,
b u t
an
a c t i v e
a t t a i n m e n t
of the five f u n c t i o n s or p o w e r s
(p a n c a k r t y a )
1
3
of
S iv a
as
we ll .
T h i s a c t i v e
a p p r o p r i a t i o n
of
the
I
c o n d i t i o n
of
S iv a
is a l l u d e d to
in
the
a b o v e
q u o t e d
p a s s a g e
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
m e r e l y
a l l u d e s
to
it
w h e n
he
d e s c r i b e s
the
c o n d i t i o n
o b t a i n e d
as a
r e s u l t
of
the
t r a n s m i s s i o n
of
k n o w l e d g e
as
a
s t a t e
of
c o n t e n t m e n t
(t r p t i )
w h i c h
is s ai d to be of
two
kinds.
T he
first
o c c u r s as a r e s u l t of a b s o r p t i o n (s a m a v e i a ) and r e su l t s in
the
a t t a i n m e n t of m a g i c a l p o w e r s (v i b h u t i ).
The
s e co n d
k i n d of c o n t e n t m e n t is b r o u g h t a b o u t b y the a c h i e v e m e n t of
the
c o n d i t i o n
of
c o n s c i o u s h e a r t - f e l t
r e a l i z a t i o n
and
r e s u l t s in the a t t a i n m e n t of l i f e - i n - f r e e d o m .
T he a t t a i n m e n t of the H e a r t c o r r e s p o n d s to
the
I
a t t a i n m e n t
of the l i b e r a t i n g p o w e r of Siva
w h i c h
g r an t s
f r e e d o m
and
u n v e i l s t he u l t i m a t e
r ea li t y.
T h e
f irst
35
m o m e n t of this r e a l i z a t i o n o c c u r s in an i m p l o s i v e e n s t a t i c
I
r e c o g n i t i o n of an inner i d e n t i t y w i t h Siva.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
d e s c r i b e s
the
a s t o u n d i n g
u n i t y - i n - d i f f e r e n c e
that
4
c h a r a c t e r i z e s
l i f e - i n - f r e e d o m .
T he f i n i t e s el f
a t t a i n s
l i b e r a t i o n
a n d e x p e r i e n c e s its el f as i n d i s s o l u b l y
u n i t e d
w i t h
the
t ot a li t y.
T h e
i n d i v i d u a l
s el f
e x p a n d s
to
e x p e r i e n c e
i t s e l f
as
the
p e r f e c t l y
f u l f i l l e d
e g o i t y
(p u r n a h a n t a ) ,
a nd
in so d o i n g c o m e s to the e x p e r i e n c e of
a s t o n i s h m e n t
(c a m a t k a r a )
i n h e r e n t
in
this
a m a z i n g
" t r a n s f o r m a t i o n "
into the u n i v e r s a l
self.
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
o f t e n
p l a y s
w i t h the o p p o s i t i o n
b e t w e e n
e x p a n s i o n
and
c o n t r a c t i o n (s a m k o c a - v i k a s a ) .
T h e " e x p a n s i o n " t ha t leads
to
the
m a n i f e s t a t i o n of the w o r l d o c c u r s as a r e s u l t
of
1
the " c o n t r a c t i o n " of Siva into f i n i t e n e s s , into the f in it e
s e l v e s
(a n u ) .
T h e m e d i t a t i v e l y a c h i e v e d " e x p a n s i o n "
of
the f i n i t e s el f r e s u l t s in the " c o n t r a c t i o n " of the f in it e
w o r l d ' s " e x p a n s i o n " ,
and the d e - c o n t r a c t i o n of the f in it e
' .
5
s elf b a c k into Siva.
Thus, "to m o v e in the H e a rt " r ef ers, to b e g i n with,
to an inner g r a s p i n g of the ¿akti w h i c h o p e n s the
s a d h a k a
I
to i d e n t i t y
w i t h Siva.
B y u n i t i n g w i t h the
G o d d e s s ,
the
s a d h a k a
is s a i d to be "born of the Y o g i n l ' s
H ea r t" ,
that
1
6
is,
to
be r e b o r n as Siva.
For the K a u l a l i n e a g e
this
r e f e r s
to the
a t t a i n m e n t
of
c e r t a i n
m a c r a n t h r o p i c
36
e x p e r i e n c e s .
T h e
s a d h a k a
t r u l y
c o m e s
to
e m b o d y
the
c o sm o s .
T h e c a p a c i t y to e x p e r i e n c e f i n it e o b j e c t s is not
lost;
in s t e a d , o b j e c t s are n ow s e e n as " l u m i n o u s w i t h the
p l a y
that
b e s t o w s
the f r a g r a n c e
of
the
S e l f . " ^
T h e
a s t o n i s h m e n t
of
the
e x p e r i e n c e i n v o l v e s
n o t
j us t
the
1
d i s c o v e r y that Siva, the u n i v e r s a l Self, is the t ru e inner
i d e n t i t y ,
b u t
a ls o the b e w i l d e r i n g p e r c e p t i o n t ha t
this
n o n - d i f f e r e n t i a t e d
Self is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y l i g h t l y at p l a y
as a l u m i n o s i t y i n h e r e n t in all e x t e r n a l o b j e c t s .
In this
way,
the
j l v a n m u k t a " mo ve s in the H e a r t ",
in t he
s e n s e
t h a t he n o w e x p e r i e n c e s the fact t h a t he h as h i s life
and
b e i n g
w i t h i n
the o m n i p r e s e n t r e a l i t y of
t he
Hea rt ,
of
I
I
Siva.
He
c o m e s to r e a l i z e that h e is s u r r o u n d e d b y Siv a
on
all sides,
and that w h a t he f o r m e r l y
" p e r c e i v e d "
as
s e p a r a t e ,
f i n i t e
o b j e c t s
h a v e n o w r e v e a l e d
t he i r
true
f
s t a t u s
as
s i m p l y
Siva h i m s e l f .
T hi s is
o n e
of
the
m e a n i n g s of the t a n t r i c f o r m u l a t i o n ,
p r e s e n t in the P T l v ,
w h i c h
i n t e g r a t e s
the u s u a l l y
o p p o s e d
c o n c e p t s
of
" e n j o y m e n t "
and l i b e r a t i o n (b h u k t i - m u k t i ) .
T h e
h i g h e s t
m e a n i n g
of
" e n j o y m e n t " is
in f ac t the
l i v i n g
of
the
b l i s s f u l s t a t e of l i b e r a t i o n itself.
T h u s we m a y c o n t r a s t
the K a u l a m o k s a to the s e p a r a t i v e k a i v a l y a of the
S a m k h y a
a nd
Y o g a
s y s t e m s ,
or w h a t m a y be c h a r a c t e r i z e d as
the
" d e s t r u c t i v e "
e nd
of
m a y a
in
the
m o k s a
of
A d v a i t i c
37
f o r m u l a t i o n s .
In
d i s t i n c t
c o n t r a s t
to
m o k s a - s
w h i c h
o p e r a t e an i s o l a t i v e ,
a b s o r p t i v e ,
s u b l a t i v e , or p e r h a p s
e v e n
d e s t r u c t i v e
e f f e c t on
s a m s a r a ,
the
K a u l a
m o k s a
•
•
t r a n s f o r m s
the
f i n i t e w o r l d just as it i n t e g r a t e s it
to
i
the r e a l i t y of Siva.
T h e r e
is a final s e n s e to the n o t i o n of m o v i n g
in
the Heart.
It is in o rd e r to u n d e r s c o r e this
p a r t i c u l a r
c o n n o t a t i o n t ha t the r e n d e r i n g
" e x p e r i e n t i a l r e p l i c a t i o n "
w a s
c h o s e n .
T h e
n o t i o n of " r e p l i c a t i o n " r e f e r s
to
a
c r u c i a l
a s p e c t of the r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n the K a u l a g u r u
and the s a d h a k a .
E s s e n t i a l l y ,
t h e r e o c c u r s a " m o v e m e n t "
w i t h i n
t he
U l t i m a t e as t he e x p e r i e n c e
of
e n l i g h t e n m e n t
d i s p l a c e s
the c o n d i t i o n of i g n o r a n c e .
A c c o r d i n g to
the
K a u l a
t r a d i t i o n
the
a w a k e n i n g
f r o m
i g n o r a n c e
to
e n l i g h t e n m e n t m a y be s ee n b o t h as a
m o v e m e n t in the H e a r t
o c c u r i n g
w i t h i n an i n d i v i d u a l ,
b u t a l s o as a m o v e m e n t of
Q
r e a l i t y
f r o m
the
K a u l a
g u r u
to
the
d i s c i p l e .
The
I
I
a b s o l u t e r e a l i t y of S iv a s p r e a d s out,
as it w er e.
Siva,
I
w h o
has
c o m e
to a p p r e h e n d h i m s e l f as
Siva
w i t h i n
the
e x p e r i e n t i a l f r a m e w o r k of the life of the g u r u , r e p l i c a t e s
H i m s e l f in the e x p e r i e n c e of the d i s c i p l e .
For the K a ul a
t r ad i t i o n ,
this c o n t i n u o u s flux of e n l i g h t e n m e n t f r o m the
c e n t e r
to
the p e r i p h e r y is k no w n as the d e s c e n t
of
the
.
_
9
¿ ak ti (s a k t i p a t a ) .
It is this ¿ a k t i , the G o d d e s s , w h o is
38
s a i d
to
b e c o n t i n u o u s l y e s t a b l i s h e d a nd
m o v i n g
in
the
H e a r t .
Thus, b y the u n c e a s i n g m o v e m e n t of r e a l i t y w i t h i n
itself,
f i n i te
b e i n g s
f ir s t
i g n o r a n t l y
a p p r e h e n d
t h e m s e l v e s as f i n ite,
a nd then c o m e to k n o w t h e m s e l v e s as
i n f i n i t e .
In
this
f a s h i o n
the
e x p e r i e n c e
of
I
e n l i g h t e n m e n t , of Siva, r e p l i c a t e s itself u n c e a s i n g l y as a
f u n c t i o n of the a c t i v i t y of the G o d d e s s .
39
V.
B O R N OF T H E Y O G I N I ' S HEART; M E D I T A T I O N A N D R I TU A L
T h e
m e t h o d
o u t l i n e d by A b h i n a v a g u p t a in the
P T l v
e m p h a s i z e s
the
p r i m a c y of the d i r e c t e x p e r i e n c e
of
the
H e a r t t h r o u g h the m a n t r a .
M e d i t a t i o n on the m a n t r a
w i l l
b r i n g
the p r a c t i t i o n e r to a s t a t e of d i r e c t k n o w l e d g e
of
the
u l t i m a t e
reality'*',
as
w e l l
as
b r i n g i n g
h i m
the
c a p a c i t y
to h a v e d e t a i l e d k n o w l e d g e of all f i n i t e th in gs ,
2
p a s t
a n d f ut u r e .
T h e d i r e c t,
m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n
in
3
the
H e a r t is s ai d to f u l f i ll t he p u r p o s e of a n y
r i t u a l .
I nd e ed ,
the
e n t r a n c e
into
the
H e a r t
c o n s t i t u t e s
i n i t i a t i o n ,
e v e n
if the a c t u a l r i t u a l of i n i t i a t i o n
h a s
4
n ot b e e n p e r f o r m e d .
M o r e o v e r , as a r e s u l t of the d i r e c t
k n o w l e d g e
of
the
u l t i m a t e r e a l i t y
of
the
Heart,
the
p r a c t i t i o n e r g a i n s e s s e n t i a l k n o w l e d g e a b o u t all
r it u al s ,
e v e n
if
he
d o e s
n ot k n o w the s p e c i f i c
r u l e s
for
the
5
v a r i o u s r i t u a l s .
M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y , all of the r i t u a l s
s u r r o u n d i n g the e n t r u s t i n g and t r a n s m i s s i o n of the
m a n t r a
g
a re
s ai d to be "of no use w h a t s o e v e r " .
T he p r a c t i t i o n e r
w h o h a s b e e n "born of the y o g i n l " a u t o m a t i c a l l y b e c o m e s an
e x p e r t
in
the r i t u a l s of all
s ch oo l s,
n ot
n e c e s s a r i l y
b e c a u s e he h a s c o m e to k n o w the r i t ua l r e g u l a t i o n s of e a c h
of the s c h o o l s in d e ta i l ,
b u t r a t h e r b e c a u s e he c o m e s
to
k n o w
the
s o - c a l l e d " M et h o d of the
U l t i m a t e "
(a n u t t a r a -
7
v i d h i ) .
Says
A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
"w it h
r e s p e c t
to
the
40
U l t i m a t e ,
w h i c h is o n l y c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
all o t h e r
t h i n g s
g
a re e x t r a n e o u s . "
It
is
in
the
li gh t
of
t he se
r a t h e r
s t r o n g
s t a t e m e n t s
in favor of the p r i m a c y of
d i r e c t
m e d i t a t i v e
k n o w l e d g e of the H e a r t that it b e c o m e s u r g e n t to a t t e m p t a
c o n c e p t u a l
r e c o n c i l i a t i o n
of
the
r e l a t i o n s h i p
b e t w e e n
m e d i t a t i o n
and
r i t ua l
as
c o n c e i v e d
b y
A b h i n a v a g u p t a .
I
_
D e s p i t e the t e a c h i n g of the S a m b h a v o p a y a ,
a g r e a t v a r i e t y
of r i t u a l s c o n t i n u e to be p r a c t i c e d .
W e m a y p r o p e r l y a sk
o u r s e l v e s
w h y
it is that m a n y of
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 1s
o t h e r
texts, e s p e c i a l l y the T a n t r a l o k a , are full of d e s c r i p t i o n s
9
of
e l a b o r a t e t a n t n c r it uals.
E ve n m o r e p u z z l i n g is
the
f ac t
that
in
the P T l v itself an e n t i r e s e c t i o n
of
the
c o m m e n t a r y
is d e v o t e d to a d e s c r i p t i o n of v a r i o u s
r i t u a l
p r o c e d u r e s (v i d h i ) ,
i n c l u d i n g s a c r i f i c e
(y a g a ,
y a j a n a ) ,
-
.
10
a d o r a t i o n
(p u j a ) ,
and o b l a t i o n (h o m a ) .
H o w are we
to
u n d e r s t a n d
the i n c l u s i o n of this d e s c r i p t i o n of r i tu al in
a text d e v o t e d a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y to m e d i t a t i o n p r a c t i c e s ,
e s p e c i a l l y
w h e n the c l a i m is m a d e that
t h e s e
m e d i t a t i o n
p r a c t i c e s
s u r p a s s
and o b v i a t e all r i t u a l ?
To p u t
the
m a t t e r
in m o r e g e n e r a l terms,
w h a t l ig ht c an
this
text
shed
on the r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n the " in ne r" p r a c t i c e s of
the t a nt r a and the " ou ter" p r a c t i c e s ?
T h e
m e t h o d I w il l f o l l o w in this last s e c t i o n w i l l
41
be to p r e s e n t th re e a p p r o a c h e s to the i n t e r a c t i o n
b e t w e e n
r i t u a l p r o c e d u r e s and m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n .
It is
h o p e d
t h a t by m e a n s of th e se a p p r o a c h e s the a p p a r e n t d i s c r e p a n c y
o u t l i n e d
a b o v e
w i l l c o m e
to be u n d e r s t o o d in
t e r m s
of
A b h i n a v a g u p t a 's
i n t r i c a t e
i n t e r w e a v i n g
of
t h e s e
two
d i m e n s i o n s of r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e .
In a sens e, as we w i l l
s ee
m e d i t a t i o n
and
r i t u a l
a r e
f i n a l l y
n ot
to
be
d i s t i n g u i s h e d .
T h e y
r e p r e s e n t
two
d i f f e r e n t i a b l e
b u t
f i n a l l y
i n d i v i s i b l e a s p e c t s of t he s am e t a n t r i c
s a d h a n a .
I
n o w
p r o c e e d
to
p r e s e n t
t h e s e
t hr e e
a p p r o a c h e s
as
p o s s i b l e a v e n u e s for f u r t h e r e x p l o r a t i o n .
1) R i t u a l as p r e p a r a t i o n for m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n ;
In a l o n g e r c o m m e n t a r y on the s am e a g a m i c v e r s e s e x p l a i n e d
in
the
P T l v ,
A b h i n a v a g u p t a s t a t e s that
the
r i t ua l
of
a d o r a t i o n
(p u j a ,
p u j a - v i d h i ) p r e p a r e s t h o s e w h o h a v e n o t
y e t
r e c e i v e d
the
full
and
to t a l
d e s c e n t
of
e n e r g y
(¿ a k t i p l t a )
to use the m a n t r a s u c c e s s f u l l y . ^ D ue to
t he
" p e c u l i a r
e f f i c a c y " (m a h a t m y a ) of this p a r t i c u l a r r i t ua l ,
s a y s A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
the s a d h a k a is a b l e to p r a c t i c e f u l l y
the t e c h n i q u e of " r e m e m b e r i n g " the m a n t r a , and in this w a y
a t t a i n s the c o n d i t i o n of the Heart,
the u l t i m a t e r ea li ty .
Thus,
in
this c o n t e x t ,
r i tu al f u n c t i o n s
to
f a c i l i t a t e
m e d i t a t i v e
a b s o r p t i o n
(samaveSa,
viferanti,
n i m l l a n a
s a m a d h i ) .
It is this
42
a b s o r p t i o n w h i c h then d i s c l o s e s the inner d i m e n s i o n of the
H e a r t in its f u l l n es s .
In a d d i t i o n , a b s o r p t i o n b r i n g s the
p r a c t i t i o n e r
into
c o n t a c t w i t h the e m i s s i o n a l
p o w e r
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s
(v i s a r g a ) ,
the p r i m a r y fo rc e w h i c h
g u i d e s
the u n f o l d i n g t a n t r i c s â d h a n a .
2) M e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n as p r e p a r a t i o n for r i t u a l :
T h e
a g a m i c " b a s e - t e x t " c o m m e n t e d u p o n by A b h i n a v a g u p t a in
the
P T l v
d e s c r i b e s
a r i t u a l
of
" i m p o s i t i o n "
(n y a s a ) ,
g i v i n g a few d e t a i l s as f ol lo w s:
O ne m a k e s " i m p o s i t i o n "
on v a r i o u s p a r t s of the body: head, face, hea rt , g e n i t a l s ,
and w h a t e v e r im a g e is to be a do r ed .
O ne then m u t t e r s the
m a n t r a t w e n t y - s e v e n times,
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y b i n d i n g u p
the
t op - k n o t .
T h e
ten
r e g i o n s of s p a c e are then b o u n d
up,
b e g i n n i n g
b y
m a k i n g
t h r e e
loud
h a n d - c l a p s
to
r e mo v e
o b s t a c l e s .
S a n c t i f i e d
w a t e r is then s p r i n k l e d o ve r
the
t o p - k n o t ,
the
f l o w e r s a nd o th e r r it ua l
i m pl e m e n t s ,
the
l i n g a ,
a nd
the
e n t i r e
s a c r i f i c i a l
s u rf a c e .
In
his
c o m m e n t on this, p a s s a g e A b h i n a v a g u p t a c o n c e n t r a t e s
a l m o s t
12
e x c l u s i v e l y
on the n o t i o n of a p p r o p r i a t i o n ( s v l k a r a n a ) .
For
him,
the
s i g n i f i c a n c e
of the
r i tu al
is
t h a t
it
i n v o l v e s
a p r o c e s s of r e d u c i n g the e x t e r n a l
c o n s t i t u e n t s
of
the
r i t u a l to a s t a t e of i d e n t i t y w i t h
the
u l t i m a t e
r e a l i t y
of t he Heart.
T h e s u c c e s s f u l p e r f o r m a n c e of the
r i t u a l
of
i m p o s i t i o n is the p r e r e q u i s i t e
for
the
true
43
p r a c t i c e of the r i t u a l of a d o r a t i o n .
In o r d e r to p e r f o r m
the
p r o c e s s
of
a p p r o p r i a t i o n
c e n t r a l to
the
r i t e
of
i m p o s i t i o n
(as
o p p o s e d
to
m e r e l y
s i m u l a t i n g
it,
or
i m a g i n i n g i t ) , the t a n t r i c "he ro " (v l r a ) m u s t h a v e a l r e a d y
r e c e i v e d
the
¿ a k t i p a t a
that
" d e c o n t r a c t s "
his
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
O n l y
w h e n the c o n t r a c t i o n of the
f i ni t e
s el f
(a n u )
h a s
c e a s e d is the v l r a
f u l l y
q u a l i f i e d
to
p e r f o r m ,
in
its t r u e s t sen se ,
the r i t ua l of
i m p o s i t i o n
w h i c h p r e p a r e s the n e c e s s a r y p r e c o n d i t i o n s t h a t p e r m i t the
t ru e p r a c t i c e of a d o r a t i o n .
Thus, the r i t u a l s of i m p o s i t i o n and a d o r a t i o n s e rv e
the
v l r a as a s t a g e u p o n w h i c h to e x t e n d h is inner v i s i o n
I
of
the
u n i t y
of
all
t h i n g s
w i t h i n
S i v a - w h o - i s -
c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
It
is
p r e c i s e l y b y
" a p p r o p r i a t i n g "
all
t h i n g s
to
the
H e a r t that the v i s i o n of inner
u n i t y
is
e x t e n d e d
o u t w a r d s .
In t h e s e r i t u a l s the v lr a fi nd s
an
a r e n a
for s o l i d i f y i n g the u n i t i v e v i s i o n a c q u i r e d
d u r i n g
m e d i t a t i v e
a b s o r p t i o n .
T he r i t u a l s s e r v e to e x t e n d
and
e x p a n d
this
inner
v i s i o n of u n i t y to
i n c l u d e
a ll
the
e x t e r n a l
c o n s t i t u e n t s
of the r it ua l.
T h e y s e r v e
as
a
c o n t e x t
w i t h i n w h i c h the v ir a w i l l e v e n t u a l l y a t t a i n
the
a d v a n c e d
f or m
of m e d i t a t i v e r e a l i z a t i o n
k n o w n
as
the
13
e x t r o v e r t i v e s a m a d h i (u n m i l a n a s a m a d h i ) .
3 ) T h e C o n v e r g e n c e of r i t u a l a n d m e d i t a t i o n :
44
In
the
f i r s t c a s e c o n s i d e r e d a b ov e,
r i t u a l
" op en s
the
d o o r "
of m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n .
In the s e c o n d
case,
a
r a t h e r
a d v a n c e d
d e g r e e
of
m e d i t a t i v e
r e a l i z a t i o n
is
n e c e s s a r y for the true p e r f o r m a n c e of the r it ual.
In this
s e c o n d
c a s e
r i t u a l s h a v e b e e n
t r a n s f o r m e d
f r o m
m e r e l y
" e x t e r n a l "
p e r f o r m a n c e s into e x t e n s i o n s and c o n t i n u a t i o n s
of
the
s t a t e of m e d i t a t i v e
r e a l i z a t i o n
itself.
As
a
r e s ult, in the t a n t r i c s a d h a n a d e s c r i b e d by A b h i n a v a g u p t a ,
the
r e l a t i o n s h i p of m e d i t a t i o n a nd r i t u a l s e e m s to be one
of
a l m o s t c o m p l e t e i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e .
It m i g h t a l m o s t
be
d e s c r i b e d
as
b e i n g
s y m b i o t i c
in
n at ur e.
The
true
p e r f o r m a n c e
of one r e q u i r e s a h i g h d e g r e e of
p r o f i c i e n c y
in the oth e r .
T h e s u c c e s s f u l p r a c t i c e of o ne d e e p e n s and
e n h a n c e s
the p e r f o r m a n c e of the
o th er .
S y n e r g i s t i c a l l y
" f e e d i n g " one u p o n the o t he r,
the two " wi n gs " of e x t e r n a l
a nd
i n t e r n a l t a n t r i c p r a c t i c e a d v a n c e the v ir a a lo n g
the
p a t h of s a d h a n a .
In so d o i ng , r i t ua l and m e d i t a t i o n ha ve
a t e n d e n c y to c o n v e r g e , to m e r g e one w i t h the other, u ntil
the
b o u n d a r y or d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t he s e two
c a t e g o r i e s
b l u r s
and fades.
To p r e s e n t this p r o c e s s of c o n v e r g e n c e
in d e t a i l w o u l d r e q u i r e m o r e s p a c e than we h a v e a v a i l ab l e.
W e m a y m e n t i o n as an e x am p l e ,
h o w e v e r , a ritu al d e s c r i b e d
b y A b h i n a v a g u p t a in the T a n t r a l o k a for the e m p o w e r m e n t
of
14
a n ew te a c h e r .
If our i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of this p a s s a g e is
45
c o r r e c t ,
it
s e e m s
t ha t in this v e r y
i m p o r t a n t
rit ua l,
t h e r e
do n o t o c c u r a ny " e x t e r n a l " a c t i o n s on the p a r t
of
the
t e a c h e r or d i s c i p l e w h a t s o e v e r .
R at h er ,
r i t ua l has
h e r e
b e c o m e
a c o n t e x t for " s a c r e d a c t i o n " in
w h i c h
the
r e a l i t y
that
h as
b e e n i n t u i t i v e l y
a p p r e h e n d e d
in
the
s i l e n c e
of
m e d i t a t i v e a b s o r p t i o n
is
n o w
s i l e n t l y
m a n i p u l a t e d
in o rd e r to be t r a n s m i t t e d to
the
d i s c i p l e .
O n c e again, the d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n " ou t er "
p r a c t i c e s and
"i n ne r " a t t a i n m e n t s has b e c o m e b l u r r e d .
N e v e r t h e l e s s , the
c o n v e r g e n c e
of
r i t u a l a n d
m e d i t a t i o n
is
q u i t e
in
a c c o r d a n c e
w i t h
the a v o w e d a i m of
the
t a n t r i c
s a d h a n a
w h i c h
is d e s c r i b e d as a c o n d i t i o n in w h i c h all t h i n g s are
"of one t a s t e " (e k a r a s a ) .^
In
the
T a n t r a l o k a ) ,
A b h i n a v a g u p t a
d e s c r i b e s
a
m e d i t a t i o n u s i n g t e r m s a nd i m ag es d r a w n f r o m a fire-ritual;
the
two
f i r e - s t i c k s
a r e r u b b e d
t o g e t h e r
in
or de r
to
16
i n f l a m e the s a c r e d f i r e - p i t of B h a i r a v a .
T hi s m e d i t a t i o n
e s s e n t i a l l y
c o n s i s t s
in v i s u a l i z i n g the e n t i r e
u n i v e r s e
r e d u c e d
to
the w h e e l of p u r e
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
a nd
then,
r e h e a r s i n g
the p r o c e s s b y w h i c h the e n t i r e u n i v e r s e
o nc e
a g a i n
e m e r g e s .
T h e
s i d d h a
is
s ai d
to
h a v e
b e c o m e
i d e n t i f i e d
w i t h
B h a i r a v a
w h e n
he
a c t u a l l y
c o m e s
to
e x p e r i e n c e
the
c o n t i n u o u s e m a n a t i o n and r e a b s o r p t i o n
of
the u n i v e r s e f r o m h is c o n s c i o u s n e s s .
In o r d e r to a c h i e v e
46
this c o n d i t i o n of B h a i r a v a the
s i d d h a e m p l o y s
r i t u a l i z e d
m e d i t a t i o n s
and
m e d i t a t i v e r i t u a l s w h i c h s e r v e as a r e n a s
for m a n i f e s t i n g his i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h
B h a i r a v a .
T h e s e
p r a c t i c e s
b e c o m e
the
c o n t e x t w i t h i n
w h i c h
the
s i d d h a
e x e r c i s e s
and
t e s ts
his
a t t a i n m e n t of
the
p o w e r s
of
m a n i f e s t a t i o n ,
m a i n t e n a n c e ,
and
r e a b s o r p t i o n
of
the
u n i v e r s e .
As
the
m u t u a l l y
e n h a n c i n g
p r a c t i c e s
of
m e d i t a t i o n and r i t u a l d e e p e n ,
t he y p r o v i d e a c o n t e x t
for
" s a c r e d a c t i o n " w h i c h t es ts the a u t h e n t i c i t y and i n t e n s i t y
of
r e l i g i o u s
a t t a i n m e n t
and
w h i c h
is
b o t h
d e e p l y
m e d i t a t i v e and h i g h l y r i t u a l i z e d in nature.
T h e
p r e c i s e b a l a n c e b e t w e e n m e d i t a t i o n and
r i t u a l
in
A b h i n a v a g u p t a d e s c r i p t i o n s of s a d h a n a s e e m s to
d e p e n d
on at l e a s t t hr e e facto rs :
1)
T h e
p a r t i c u l a r
m e t h o d (u p a y a ) that
the
s a d h a k a
is
e m p l o y i n g :
T he
m e t h o d ,
in
turn,
w il l d e p e n d
on
the
t e a c h e r ' s
a s c e r t a i n m e n t of the d e g r e e of
¿ a k t i p a t a
t ha t
the
s a d h a k a
has r e ce i ve d .
Thus,
o n l y the m o s t
h i g h l y
q u a l i f i e d
d i s c i p l e s w o u l d be a b l e to e m p l o y
s u c c e s s f u l l y
I
_
_
the
S a m b h a v o p a y a d e s c r i b e d in the P T l v .
For
them,
and
t h e m alo n e , the g r e a t m a j o r i t y of r i tu al p r a c t i c e s s e e m to
h a v e b e c o m e u s e l e s s .
N e v e r t h e l e s s , it is for t he s e h i g h l y
a d v a n c e d
d i s c i p l e s
t ha t
the
t r a d i t i o n
t e a c h es
the
e r o t i c i z e d
s e c r e t
r i t u al k n o w n as
the
k u l a - y a g a .
For
47
ot h er , less f a v o r e d , p r a c t i t i o n e r s , the r i t u a l s w i l l s er ve
to e n h a n c e a nd d e v e l o p w h a t e v e r m e d i t a t i v e s ki ll s they m ay
»
17
h a v e .
2) T h e goal of the s a d h a k a :
S a d h a n a m a y be u n d e r t a k e n for
the a t t a i n m e n t of m o k s a ,
for the a t t a i n m e n t of p a r t i c u l a r
d e s i r e s
(b h o g a ) ,
or for a c o m b i n a t i o n of the
two.
For
t h o s e
p r a c t i t i o n e r s
u n d e r t a k i n g
s a d h a n a o n l y
for
the
a t t a i n m e n t
of
m o k s a ,
the p r e c i s i o n of
the
r e g u l a t i o n s
e s t a b l i s h e d
for
the
p e r f o r m a n c e of
r i tu al
lose
their
i m p o r t a n c e .
T h e
o n l y i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t in this c a s e
is
that e v e r y a s p e c t of r i t u al be s uc h that it c a u s e s joy
in
the
Heart.
T h o s e
w h o a i m at the f r u i t i o n
of
s p e c i f i c
d e s i r e s ,
on
the o th e r h a n d ,
m u s t a t t e n d c l o s e l y to
the
p r e c i s e
d e t a i l s
for
the p e r f o r m a n c e
of
e ac h
s p e c i f i c
i 18
r i t u a l .
3)
Is
the
s a d h a k a
p u r s u i n g
the
a t t a i n m e n t
of
the
i n t r o v e r t i v e
(n i m i l a n a )
or the
e x t r o v e r t i v e
(u n m l l a n a )
s a m a d h i ? :
T he
i n t r o v e r t i v e
s a m a d h i is a t t a i n e d
b y
an
e m p h a s i s
on
m e d i t a t i v e
a b s o r p t i o n .
The
e x t r o v e r t i v e
s am a dh i
is
a c h i e v e d by
m e d i t a t i v e l y
p e r f o r m e d
ritual.
T h e s e
s a m a d h i -s
a re p u r s u e d p r e c i s e l y in or de r that
the
p o l a r i t y
b e t w e e n
inner
a n d
o u t e r
be
o ve r co m e.
The
a l t e r n a t i o n
b e t w e e n
a
c o n t r a c t i o n
of
the
m a n i f e s t e d
u n i v e r s e into the s i l e n t w i t n e s s i n g c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and the
48
e x p a n s i o n
of
t ha t u n i v e r s e a g a i n o ut
of
c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,
c o n s t i t u t e s
the
e s s e n t i a l
s t r u c t u r e
of
the
t a n t r i c
s a d h a n a .
Thus,
it
is
in the d i a l e c t i c a l
r e l a t i o n s h i p
b e t w e e n m e d i t a t i o n a nd r i t u a l , in the r e p e a t e d a l t e r n a t i o n
b e t w e e n
the inner and o u t e r p r a c t i c e s ,
t ha t the
s a d h a n a
a d v a n c e s t o w a r d s its u n i f y i n g goal.
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