Aum Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Sri Bhagavan and Kashmir Shaivism

Introduction

Among the various Hindu philosophies, Kashmir Shaivism is one of most famous schools

of thought and one of its major philosophical articulations is Pratyabhijña Sastra. Like Advaita Vedanta it

is monistic, like Vaishnavism it is theistic, like Yoga it is practical, like Nyaya it is logical as also is

appeasing like Buddhism. Therefore, Kashmir Shaivism is considered by scholars as idealistic and realistic

in essence, strongly advocating a pragmatic approach to life.

Kashmir Shaivism arose during the eighth or ninth century in Kashmir and made significant

strides, both philosophical and theological, until the end of the twelfth century. It was householder religion

based on a strong monistic interpretation of the Bhairava Tantras (and its subcategory the Kaula Tantras),

written by the Kapalikas. Somananda, the first theologian of monistic Shaivism, his disciple Utpaladeva,

Abhinavagupta and his disciple, Ksemaraja are celebrated exponents of Kashmir Shaivism.

It is philosophically important to distinguish Kashmir Shaivism from the Advaita

Vedanta of Upanishads. Both are non-dual philosophies which give primacy to Universal Consciousness

(Chit or Brahman). In Kashmir Shaivisim, all things are a manifestation of this Consciousness. Hence, the

phenomenal world is real as it has its being in Consciousness (Chit). In comparison, Advaita Vedanta

holds Consciousness (Chit) real rejecting the phenomenal world as an illusion (maya).

The goal of human birth according to Kashmir Shaivism is to merge in Shiva or Universal Consciousness

and realize one's already existing identity with Lord Shiva. Hence it is categorized by various scholars

as monistic idealism and also as theistic monism as Liberation [Mukti] is through Lord Shiva.

Basic principles that govern Kashmir Shaivism

1. Citi: Universal Consciousness (citi) is the fundamental stuff of the universe. This Consciousness is

one and includes the whole. It could also be called God or Shiva.

2. Mala: Consciousness contracts itself. The one becomes many. Shiva becomes the individual

(jiva). This contraction is called mala(impurity). There are three malas, the mala of individuation

(Anava mala), the mala of the limited mind (Maya mala), and the mala of the body (Karma mala).

3. Upaya: An individual caught in the suffering of embodied existence, afflicted by the three

malas, eventually yearns to return to his or her primordial state of Universal Consciousness.

To attain this, he or she undertakes sadhana or spiritual practice. Kashmir Shaivism describes

four methods (upaya-s): Anavopaya, the method of the body, Saktopaya, the method of the

mind, Sambhavopaya, the method of Consciousness, and Anupaya the ‘methodless’ method.

4. Moksha: The fruit of the individual’s sadhana is the attainment of Self-realization (moksha). In

Kashmir Shaivism, the state of liberation (mukti) is called sahaja samadhi and is characterized by

the attainment of unwavering bliss-consciousness while living one’s ordinary life.

5. Anuttara : is the ultimate principle and is the fundamental reality underneath the whole Universe.

Among the multiple interpretations of anuttara are: "supreme", "above all" and "unsurpassed

reality". As the ultimate principle, anuttara is identified with Siva, Sakti (as Sakti is identical

to Siva), the supreme consciousness (cit), uncreated light (prakasa), supreme subject (aham)

and atemporal vibration (spanda). The practitioner who realizes anuttara through any means,

whether by her own efforts or by direct transmission by the Grace of Shiva/shakti, is liberated

and perceives absolutely no difference between her and the body of the universe. Anuttara is

different from the notion of transcendence in that, even though it is above all, it does not imply a

state of separation from the Universe.

6. Aham is the concept of supreme reality as heart. It is considered to be a non-dual interior space of

Siva, provides support for the entire manifestation & is identical with Sakti.

7 Kaula : Although domesticated into a householder tradition, Kashmir Shaivism recommends

a secret performance of Kaula practices in keeping with its heritage. This was to be done in

seclusion from public eyes, therefore allowing one to maintain the appearance of a typical

householder.

8. Svatantrya, self-created free will: The concept of free will plays a central role in Kashmir

Shaivism. Known under the technical name of svatantrya, it is the cause of the creation of

the universe - a primordial force that stirs up the absolute and manifests the world inside the

supreme consciousness of Siva. Svatantrya is the sole property of God, all the rest of conscious

subjects being co-participant in various degrees to the divine sovereignty. Humans have a limited

degree of free will based on their level of consciousness. Ultimately, Kashmir Shaivism views

all subjects to be identical - "all are one" - and that one is Siva, the supreme consciousness.

Thus, all subjects have free will but they can be ignorant of this power. Ignorance too is a force

projected by svatantrya itself upon the creation and can only be removed by svatantrya. A function

of svatantrya is that of granting divine grace - saktipat but dependent only on the will of God.

Thus, the disciple can only surrender himself and wait for the divine grace to come down and

eliminate the limitations that imprison his consciousness.

Kashmir Shaivism texts

1. Agama Sastras are those writings that are considered as being a direct revelation from Siva.

They include essential works such as Malinīvijaya Tantra, Svacchanda Tantra, Vijnanabhairava

Tantra, Netra Tantra, Mṛgendra Tantra, Rudrayamala Tantra, Sivasutra and others. There are also

numerous commentaries to these works, Sivasutra having most of them.

2. Spanda Sastra, the main work of which is Spanda Karika of Vasugupta, with its many

Commentaries. Out of them, two are of major importance: Spanda Sandoha (this commentary

talks only about the first verses of Spanda Karika), and Spanda Nirṇaya (which is a commentary of

the complete text).

3. Pratyabhijna Sastra are those writings which have mainly a metaphysical content. Due to their

extremely high spiritual and intellectual level, they are the least accessible for the uninitiated. The most

important works in this category are: Iśvara Pratyabhijna, the fundamental work of Utpaladeva,

and Pratyabhijna Vimarsinī, a commentary to Isvara Pratyabhijna.

Revival of Kashmir Shaivism in 20th Century

Kashmir Shaivism went underground for a number of centuries. While there may have been yogis

and practitioners quietly following the teachings, there were no major writers or publications after perhaps

the 14th century. In the 20th century Swami Lakshmanjoo, himself a Kashmiri Brahmin, helped revive

both the scholarly and yogic streams of Kashmir Shaivism. His contribution is enormous. He inspired a

generation of scholars who made Kashmir Shaivism a legitimate field of inquiry within the academy.

Nor should the contribution of Swami Muktananda be overlooked. He introduced Kashmir Shaivism to a

wide audience in the West through his lectures & writings on this subject.

Now our concern is with Pratyabhijna Sastra as it stands validated in all its entirety with

Sri Bhagavan’s Direct Experience of the Universal Consciousness [Self or Lord Shiva].

Pratyabhijna Sastna, also known as Pratyabhijna Darshana, deals with Pratyabhijnanam.

Pratyabhijna can be split as prati +abhi + jna. Prati means ‘in comparison with & abhi means

‘in front of or facing’ & jna means ‘to know’. When one meets his friend after some 30years,

in spite of the incidental differences like greying of hair, change in body constitution etc, one is able

to identify his friend by his essential features like his eyes, mannerisms, voice modulations etc. For

this identification, two things have to take place. First, your seeing him in front of you [abhi] which is the

present knowledge [Pratyaksha Jnanam]. Second one is, immediately on seeing your friend, you go down

the memory lane to identify a person in comparison with [Prati] the present person you have seen. This is

knowledge of the past i.e Paraamarsha Jnanam. Both these knowledges of the present & past constitute

the process called Recognition. Just as in the example quoted, Pratiabhijnanam consists of sudden flash of

Knowledge of Self [Universal Consciousness –Lord Shiva] which is Pratyaksha Jnanam [Knowledge of the

present] and the recognition of one’s own identity with Self [Lord Shiva] that existed already [Paraamarsha

Jnanam- Knowledge of the past] by going down the memory lane. Hence, Pratiabhijna Sastra is defined as

Philosophy of Recognition.

It is time now to see how Sri Bhagavan shines as a live & monumental example of this

Philosophy of Recognition. In Madurai [Tamil Nadu, South India], in 1896, a small boy aged 16, by name

Venkataraman, all alone in the corner of a small room in the upstairs, unnoticed by the other inmates of

the house and without premonition, was struck all of a sudden with this flash of Universal Consciousness

about which Pratiabhijna Sastra so loudly talks about. Unable to bear this impact, the little boy thought

that death had come and immediately laid down on the floor thinking that he would be dead in a few

moments. To his surprise, in spite of rigor mortis having set in, he found that He was the Universal Spirit

and not the body or the little ‘I’ whom he earlier thought he was. He could go down the memory lane and

ascertain that He is the Eternal Universal Consciousness that pervades the entire Universe. In fact, the little

boy, Venkataraman disappeared for ever but Lord Shiva or the Universal Consciousness rose up again as Sri

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi to live a life of Purity & Oneness with Lord Shiva for a further period of 54

years. It was Resurrection once again. Having got convinced about his identity with Lord Shiva & unable to

bear even the physical separation from Him, Sri Bhagavan Ramana, nay, the Universal Spirit moved

away from Madurai to Arunachala, the abode of his Father within a few weeks after this Death Experience,

thus proving Pratiabhijna Sastra is, indeed, a Blessed, Divine Doctrine.

The sudden onslaught of Universal Consciousness propelled Sri Bhagavan to dive within himself i.e.

to traverse in reverse direction or in opposite direction which are the other meanings of Prati. This

process of traveling in reverse direction is explicitly brought out by Sri Bhagavan as follows:

When one dives within travelling in reverse direction enquiring ‘Who am I?' and reaches the Heart [seat of

Universal Consciousness], Reality manifests itself spontaneously as 'I-I'. Even as it reveals itself, one

realizes his true nature to be what is being revealed & simultaneously the little ‘I’ stands abashed & acutely

embarrassed to such an extent that it disappears forever. So what is revealed stands revealed for ever

without disappearing even for a second since it is the Self itself that is beyond appearance & disappearance.

---- Reality in Forty Verses,30.

Again in Upadesa Saram, Sri Bhagavan speaks out this experience succinctly:

“When one turns within and searches as to Whence this `I' thought arises, The shamed `I' vanishes

and this is Self-Enquiry [Verse, 19] and Where this `I' notion fades, now there arises as ‘I-I’ The One, the

very Self, The Infinite ” - Verse, 20.

Further, out of Pratiabhijnanam, stressing this once again, Sri Bhagavan, exhorts us to travel in

reverse direction to find out the real Source of our being as follows:

It is Universal Consciousness [Lord Siva] that illumes the mind and shines as the mind [individual

soul]. Hence, it is absolutely necessary that one should travel within oneself and confront the Universal

Consciousness & merge the mind in it & recognize our oneness with Lord Siva. This is the right approach.

Otherwise, please tell me how it is possible to measure the Unlimited Universal Consciousness with the

limited barrowed light of the mind - Reality in Forty Verses, 22.

[In the Original Composition in Tamil, Sri Bhagavan uses the word Pathi which means leader,

Captain or Chief i.e. Lord Siva, His Master].

However, in his case, the reverse traveling took place [Prati] since he was confronted [abhi] with the

Universal Consciousness, the Source itself. In fact His teachings carry weight since they were backed up by

His Self-Experience which is in tune with Pratiabhijnanam. That is why He says emphatically that

‘Realization is already there. There is no such action as Realization as there is no need to rea-lize the

Absolute that is already Real. A time will come when you will have to laugh at your efforts to realize’.

The secret of Pratiabhijnanam is best encapsulated in Sri Bhagavan’s following simple words:

“What exists in truth is Self alone. The world, the individual soul, and God are appearances in it like

silver in mother-of-pearl. These three appear together and disappear together. The Self is that where there is

absolutely no “I” thought. That is “Silence”. The Self itself is the world; the Self itself is the individual “I”;

the Self itself is God; all are Siva, the Self” – Who am I [Nan Yar].

Please mark the words – All are Siva, the Self – Immortal words of Wisdom on which Kashmir

Shaivism is based upon.

A Kashmiri Shaivite cannot but feel reassured and elated! He has every reason to relate himself to

Sri Bhagavan, the Loka Maha Guru and look for His guidance in his sadhana.

May Sri Bhagavan, the Supreme Master, flood our hearts with His Grace & illume our minds with

Pratabhijnanam so that we recognize our identity with Lord Siva in such full measure that our ego feels

ashamed & disappears forever!

Aum Sri Ramanarpanamastu