1. Secret-of-the-Siddhas Swami-Muktananda

T OF THE SIDDHAS SECRET

Swami Muktananda

been made so available to West- ern readers, and never before have its truths seemed so rele- vent to our lives. Regarded as one of the must important spiritual masters in the world, Swami Muktananda was born in 1908 into a wealthy family in Mangalore, India. His spiritual journey began at age 15 and led him to travel through- out India. He met many of the greatest teachers of his time and Swami Muktananda mastered the classical branches

For thousands of years, the of Indian spiritual science as

teachings of the Siddha masters well as many mundane arts and

lave been handed down from skills. Finally, after initiation

Guru to disciple in unbroken lin- into Siddha Yoga and years of

age. Swami Muktananda, who intense meditation under the

passed away in 1982, was the fore- guidance of his Guru, Bhagawan

nost contemporary exponent of Nityananda, Muktananda at-

vis ancient line. In Secret of the tained the ultimate realization of

siddhas he wrote movingly of the Supreme Consciousness. In the

ierce and loving wisdom and following decade, through his

the extraordinary ways of the teachings and through the

siddhas he has known. transmission of his spiritual

He also writes about Kashmir energy, he initiated hundreds of

shaivism, an ancient and yet thousands of people all over the

utterly modern doctrine whose world into meditation and the

vision of cosmic unity has in- experience of their own innate

spired men and women of knowl- perfection. His work is now

dge for generations. Never be- being carried on by his disciples.

ISBN:0-914602-52-7 $6.95

SECRET OFTHE SIDDHAS

Swami Muktananda

TRANSLATED BY SWAMI CHIDVILASANANDA Published by SYDA Foundation, South Fallsburg, N.Y.

Copyright C 1980 Gurudev Siddha Peeth, Ganeshpuri, India All rights reserved First printing 1980; Third printing 1983 Published by SYDA Foundation P.O. Box 600, South Fallsburg, New York 12779 Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 0-914602-52-7 LCCN: 80-53590

Cover photo of Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius reproduced with permission of Palomar Observatory, California Institute of Technology (Palomar Observatory photograph) Copyright by California Institute of Technology and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Cover photo of Shiva Nataraj by Gauri Hubert.

I dedicate this book to the lotus feet of my supreme father, Sadguru Bhagawan Nityananda, to whom I owe my existence.

CONTENTS

Introduction VIII An Appreciation XVII Invocation XIX Note on the Translation XX

BOOK I The Yoga of the Siddhas

1 The Heart of Siddha Yoga 1

2 Kundalini and Shaktipat 9

3 The Inner Experience 18

4 Nityananda 24 5 The Lords of Equality 30

6 The City of Love 38

7 The State of a Siddha 48

8 The Guru is the Means 59

BOOK II The Philosophy of the Siddhas 9 The Origin of Kashmir Shaivism 71 10 Shambhava Upaya 74 11 Shakta Upaya 81

12 Anava Upaya 88 13 A Summary of the Upayas 96

14 Paramashiva - The Supreme Consciousness 98

15 God's Independent and Inseparable Shakti 102

16 Abhasavada - The Theory of Manifestation 105

17 Bimba Pratibimba Nyaya - The Theory of an Object and Its Reflection 108

18 The Kingdom of Vihalpa 113

19 Advaita Bhava - The Attitude of Nonduality 119

20 Shiva Drishti - The Outlook of Shiva 126

21 Pravrittivada - The Theory of Extroversion 131

22 The Cause of Bondage 133

23 Release from Bondage 134

24 Samvit Paramarsha - The Comprehension of the Supreme "I"-Consciousness 136

25 Shiva Samavesha - Union with Shiva 138

26 Jnana Svarupa - The True Nature of Knowledge 141

27 Pratibha - The Light of Consciousness 144

28 Avabhasa and Abhdsadrishti - Seeing the World as a Reflection 148

29 Spanda Nirnaya - The Discussion of Spanda 152

30 Spanda Svarupa - The Nature of Spanda 153

31 Spanda Lakshana - The Definition of Spanda 155

32 Spanda Nirdesha - The Indication of Spanda 157 33 Anusandhana of Spanda Shakti - The Contemplation of Spanda Shakti 160

34 Vedanta 167 35 Pratyabhijnasara - The Essence of the Doctrine of Recognition 176

36 The Vijnana Bhairava 181

37 The Abode of the Self 207

Glossary 209 Index 221

Directory of Major Centers and Ashrams 233

BHAGAWAN NITYANANDA

INTRODUCTION

When, twenty-four years ago, Swami Muktananda became a fully realized master, a Siddha, it was an interior event, requiring no certificates or public titles. He simply knew it, he has said, as certainly and profoundly as one knows physi- cal pain, or overwhelming love. His Guru, Swami Nitya- nanda, built a small house for him in the nearby township of Gavdevi, a cluster of mud and straw huts in a valley north of Bombay. Nityananda would send visitors to him from his Ashram in Ganeshpuri, half a mile away, and Muktananda would answer their questions, translating Nityananda's cryp- tic utterances into plain language. From the first, therefore, Muktananda was a teacher, an expounder of secrets. Speak- ing of those years, Muktananda says that Nityananda simply told him to live there, that was all, and he obeyed his Guru. Even after Nityananda died, Muktananda went on living in the small house. He grew a rose garden and cooked meals for the growing number of visitors who had begun to suspect that he was more than an intelligent and well-spoken yogi, that he was, indeed, the heir to Nityananda's power, his spiritual son, a Siddha. I see Baba Muktananda through the eyes of devotees who knew him in those years, at work in his rose garden or

VIII

Introduction IX

speaking with the visitors who came on weekends. He talks about Kabir, Tukaram, and Jnaneshwar, singing their great poems not simply as literature, but as the expression of an experience he knows deeply and completely, for it is his own. I see an absorbed, vigorous man, firm in the daily delight of living according to his Guru's instruction, even when that instruction meant reversing the pattern of a lifetime. For Muktananda had spent almost twenty-five years wandering the roads of India. Ever since an austere avadhuta named Nityananda had patted him on the head while visiting his school in south India, Muktananda, then a fifteen-year-old boy named Krishna, had been possessed of a deep desire, amounting to a passion, to meet holy men. He wanted to acquire for himself the knowledge they possessed which, for all their personal differences and eccentricities, gave each of them the same radiant power, as if one Self peered through all their acts. In Secret of the Siddhas, Muktananda pays tribute to the avadhutas and Siddhas he met during those years: Zipruanria, Ranga Avadhut, Siddharuda Swami, Kabir Das, and Hari Giri Baba are only some of the great beings to whom Baba expresses his gratitude for having given him glimpses of the Self in all its playfulness, even when he was still seeking it, not yet knowing how patiently the Self sported in the solitude of his own being. Half a lifetime later, Muktananda met his Guru halfway across India and found that he was the same avadhuta who had started him on his search long before, Nityananda, now living beside a hot sulfer spring in a jungle valley. The valley was alive with activity, for Nityananda's fame had stirred the people of the surrounding countryside. They cleared roads, built houses, created villages, an Ashram, a hospital, schools, all as service to the enigmatic holy man they loved. Here begins the story Baba has told in his spiritual auto- biography, Play of Consciousness. It is the story of a disciple and a master, of an inner journey as surprising and

X INTRODUCTION

exciting as an adventure story. Above all, it is the story of a stubborn, loving soul being tested and triumphing because, by an alchemy of self-change which is at the heart of Siddha Yoga, he had wedded his inward being to his Guru so com- pletely that he had become his Guru. This oneness, he has said, is the goal, and the entire teaching, of Siddha Yoga. As the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote, "He who does the work becomes his own Father." Since then, years have passed. The original house in Gav- devi is now part of a large building surrounded by other buildings in what has become a large Ashram called Gurudev Siddha Peeth. Baba's rose garden has become a lovely park. A town is springing up around it. Busloads of pilgrims come from all over India to see Baba and have his darshan, as he himself, years before, had walked all over India to have the darshan of great beings. Yet I still see Baba as I imagine he was in that early time, living with the casualness and simplicity of a happy man, not "doing" anything, simply following his Guru's word: Live here, that's all. I remember the story an American disciple told me about a celebration that took place at Gurudev Siddha Peeth several years ago. Thousands of visitors were arriving; tents were being erected on open ground all over the Ashram, even on rooftops. Everywhere preparations went on in a great clatter of activity. Sitting on his porch, Baba turned to this disciple and said, "You see, I'm just going to sit here, twirling my stick, but everything will get done." And as always, it did. I have never ceased to have that image of Baba: sitting casually, twirling his stick, in Ganeshpuri or New York, alone or surrounded by thousands of busy devotees, speaking in Carnegie Hall or talking to a single person in his garden. Just twirling his stick but, with steadiness and grace, becoming a center around which activ- ity whirls: "a hub of the wheeled universe," as Walt Whit- man wrote.

In Sanskrit, a fully realized master is called a Paramahamsa,

Introduction XI

a supreme swan, and the symbol is expressive. A swan embodies self-control, in-gathered power, muscular ele- gance, whether it wheels overhead or moves, stately and silent, over the water. A swan is intensely fascinating. When it swims, it seems immobile, like a yogi locked in meditation. Such is a Paramahamsa: perfect, not as a work of art, but as a living being whose perfection includes feelings and a living body and is therefore close to us, as an idealized image can never be. At the heart of Siddha Yoga is the relationship with a Siddha, a Paramahamsa, who gives shaktipat. A Siddha teaches that consciousness itself is perfection, containing thoughts and worlds, expanding to include all of time and space or contracting to a single blade of grass. Emotions dart within it, Baba has written, like a bee alighting on the different petals of a flower. In the course of our lives, we become creatures of change. Our minds flutter like butterflies in the stillness of a field. A Siddha's steadiness reminds us of the field of God. His stillness erupts within us, and suddenly we are stunned by the shift in our minds. We are, momentar- ily, free. Shaktipat has propelled us into the mind's stillness where we are enthralled, not by the objects of consciousness, but by consciousness itself, which resembles a sky, overarch- ing and blue. This is a Siddha's gift, the very gift he himself received from his Guru and which he passes on, intact, to us. Siddha Yoga consists of this: the heart's gift of a great being received by his disciple who, by receiving it, discovers that he is equally great, equally conscious. In the Siddha tradition, this gift is called shaktipat, and to call it a gift is only partly accurate. For Baba insists that shaktipat is not his to give or withold: Shaktipat is taken as much as it is given. It is a kind of holy theft. The disciple's stubborn desire, and his readiness, take it, and the Siddha, happy to have been found out, lets it go. Baba calls this "dis- ciple's grace." A Siddha exists to be found out, and he does ev-

XII INTRODUCTION

erything in his power to help his disciple. He reveals his "secret" in every way he can so that the disciple, not merely hearing words and thoughts, hears the deep tone of knowledge, and is changed. In this sense, the "secret" is not any recipe or formula which the Guru imparts. It is not the subject of a previously concealed text. Truly speaking, the "secret" lies with the disciple, not the Guru. It is the place of that interior passage through which merely verbal knowledge eludes the mind's changeable nature and plunges to the heart. The Guru is expert at finding this passage and unlocking it, so that the disciple, hearing what is said, hears with all his heart, perhaps for the first time. Among the stories Baba tells, there is one which expresses the "secret" of this most profound kind of learning with particular beauty and simplicity. Once a man named Hamid went with a friend to see Baba Musa and ask if he would accept them as disciples. Musa agreed and said, "You can start working in those fields over there." Hamid and his friend did what Baba Musa told them to do. For two years, they worked punctually, with great love, from eight o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night. But after two years, Hamid's friend began to think, "What's so unusual about this field? I have a field of my own; I could work there and consider that, too, to be service to the Guru." With these doubts in his mind, he left. Meanwhile, Hamid thought, "I'm serving the Guru al- ready; why don't I wait and see what happens?" So Hamid went on with his work, and as he did he became more and more interested in what he was doing. He began to feel a contentment within himself, and this contentment in turn increased his interest. As his work became more satisfy- ing, he stopped thinking about the hours he was spending, for he had begun to see that seva, or service to the Guru, was the supreme means to peace. He became so absorbed in his task that what had merely been work was not work to him

Introduction XIII

anymore; what had been a field was not just a field. His seva had become a divine apprenticeship. He understood now that seva was not just seva; it was a way to immerse oneself in God through one's work. Thus, seva itself was a technique. When Hamid realized this, he became extremely happy. During all this time, he kept thinking about his Guru, until one day he decided to go to him again. When Baba saw him coming, he said, "Well, Hamid, is your work finished?" "No, I'm still doing it," Hamid answered. "Well, it's completed now. You can go. But remember: Everything is knowledge; everything is instruction. Wher- ever you become immersed in your seva, you will receive inner wisdom." Saying that, he sent his disciple away. Hamid left and went to Turkestan, where he decided to settle. As time passed, his seva took the form of knowledge and resided in his heart. He became a man of knowledge, and thousands of disciples came to study with him. He, in turn, made them perform seva to become aware of the majesty of the Guru. Hamid's fame spread far and wide. One day the friend who had first come with him to see Baba Musa heard stories about a powerful holy man in Turkestan. He decided to visit this holy man and see what he could learn from him. Upon arriving at Hamid's ashram, he recognized his old Guru-brother. He remembered how he had once done seva with Hamid for two years, and now here he was, a great being. "Brother, how did you attain this divinity?" he asked Hamid. "What secret did Baba Musa impart to you after I left?" "Brother, Baba Musa didn't teach me any secret after you left," Hamid answered. "I just went on working in the field, and as I did, knowledge began to arise in me. I didn't have to sit with my eyes closed and meditate. I experienced a state of meditation even while I was working. I began to have glimpses of ecstacy and love and became increasingly immersed in

XIV INTRODUCTION

them. I saw the Supreme Consciousness pervading the entire universe. I saw Baba Musa in myself, in cows, and in trees; I saw him in people. I saw that everything was God, or Baba Musa, or myself and became ecstatic in the experience of the divine." Such is the vision Baba gives us of the Guru's teaching, which is not concerned with personal advice, or complicated rituals, or burning the right kind of incense, but with a mysterious form of self-concentration called seva: service to the stillness in one's mind; service to the Guru, who is the mirror of Consciousness; service to humanity; service as an act both of love and of self-reliance, turning one's very life into a form of meditation. Baba has often said that blind faith is an enemy of the Guru-disciple relationship. Not only should a person ex- amine a master carefully before accepting him in order to know whether his life and his teaching are truly one; he should be self-aware and observant, even as a disciple. For me, the unfailing sign of Baba's authority as a teacher is the bold simplicity of what he writes and says. In everything he does, there is a tone of certainty and direct knowledge. Baba loves clarity. He writes as he speaks: urgently, generously, appealing not to theologians and philosophers, but to the elementary humanness in each of us. He tells us that knowl- edge is a form not only of thinking, but of living. He says, "God dwells within you as you," and means the you which exists at the deepest level of your being, as the Self. Clarity is the language of the Self, and it is Baba's language. Secret of the Siddhas is written in this tone of knowl- edge. It touches on every aspect of Baba's teaching, from practical instructions on diet and the practice of meditation to the nature of the inward experience as he has known it. In Book I, "The Yoga of the Siddhas," he writes about the great beings who meant so much to him and exhorts his disciples to understand their example. He writes about Nityananda,

Introduction XV

from whom all his knowledge flows and to whom all his work is dedicated. Book II, "The Philosophy of the Siddhas," deals with an aspect of Baba's teaching on which he has placed increasing emphasis in recent years: the philosophy of Kashmir Shaiv- ism. This incomparably subtle branch of Indian thought is devoted to presenting a practical psychology of liberation. It offers a manual of the stages of learning, signaling the resist- ances the individual encounters as his mind clings to its limitations, even while the pull of the Self urges him on- ward. The terminology of Kashmir Shaivism is precise and technical. Although its language can at times be difficult for the layman, the underlying wisdom of the Shaivite sages is remarkably pungent and straightforward. The Shiva Sutras and the other principal texts of Kashmir Shaivism, such as the Spanda Karika and the Pratya- bhijnahridayarn, offer in compressed, sometimes enigmatic form a map of the divine, combined with a practical concern with Self-realization. At the heart of the process of self- change called sadhana, the Shaivite system places the clari- fying presence of the Guru, a fully realized master who, as the Shiva Sutras state, is considered to be the means to libera- tion. Over the centuries, successive masters have enriched the canon of Shaivite thought, as is customary in India, by means of commentaries on the original texts. This tradition of commentary has resulted in a body of scriptural writing that is alive and changing because it is grounded ever-anew in the experience and thoughtfulness of Siddhas. In "The Philosophy of the Siddhas," Baba has cut through the tech- nical overlays of Shaivite philosophy to reveal its essential core as clearly as has ever been done. Kashmir Shaivism, as Baba describes it, revels in the play of multiplicity and oneness which is the world. God is everywhere; He is every- thing. The world in its variety is not an illusion to be rejected. This eruptive and beautiful world is God's exuber-

XVI INTRODUCTION

ance; it is God bursting into form. Individuality as we know it is merely a contracted form of God. In our condition as contracted individuals, we have forgotten that the many is also One and the One is also many. To remember this at that inner point of our beings where intellect and experience merge is to become that very One. It is to become God. Baba writes, "The universe is a garden for us to roam in with love. It is not intended as a source of attachment, jealousy, hatred, or anxiety. These only destroy our equanimity. Give up all desires. If something comes, let it come; if something goes, let it go. It is all Shiva's play. This is not a mere universe; it is the image of Him. Knowing it as Shiva, love it. Meditate on the awareness that all conscious beings as well as inert matter are Shiva. Having the knowledge of Shiva, understand that the world is the embodiment of Him." Thus, in the two parts of Secret of the Siddhas, Baba is first a bhakta, a devotee of God, writing with love and enthusiasm about God's inner kingdom in the tradition of the poet-saints whose works he sings; then he is a philoso- pher, clarifying and renewing the ancient tradition of Kash- mir Shaivism. Together, these form the substance of the Siddha tradition, of which Baba's life and thought are a profound example. By presenting these subjects with such clarity and love, he makes it possible for us not only to understand them but to absorb them deeply and completely into our lives.

PAULZWEIG

Paul Zweig is a poet and essayist, author of such books as The Ad- venturers and Three Journeys, and head of the Department of Com- parative Literature at Queens College, New York.

AN APPRECIATION

I am very impressed by Secret of the Siddhas. The subject is deep and profound, but Baba has presented it so simply that even an ordinary person can easily understand it. There is clarity in Baba's thoughts, and therefore there is no obscu- rity in his language and style. One reads the book with great delight. The Shaivism of Kashmir has not yet been widely dis- seminated. Generally it is considered to be beyond the un- derstanding of the public, and therefore people have not given it much attention. Therefore, by writing this book, Baba has done a great service. Those who read it will obtain complete knowledge of this great path, and I am sure that in this way the book will help its readers to reach the final goal of all paths. For this I heartily congratulate Baba and offer him my grateful thanks.

YASHPALJAIN

Yashpal Jain is the author of numerous books of essays and short stories, as well as the editor of a prominent literary magazine in Delhi. He has twice received the prestigious Soviet Land Nehru Prize for his writing.

XVII

SWAMI MUKTANANDA

INVOCATION

Because he exists everywhere at all times, he is called eternal. Because he is without taint or defect, he is called pure. He constantly pulsates with bliss in the hearts of all. This work, Secret of the Siddhas, was born through the inspiration of Nityananda, the Self of all.

0 Lord! Through your grace, even the unintelligent can understand philosophy. Through your touch, a seeker has the vision of the Self. Although you are everywhere, you dwell most specifically in the heart of a human being. I have come to know that you alone exist in conscious beings as well as inert matter.

O Guru! In Secret of the Siddhas, you alone dwell in delight. You alone permeate all letters, words, and the art of poetry. Without you, the world does not exist. Muktananda, know this to be true. XIX

Note on the Translation

Definition of Sanskrit Terms

All Sanskrit words, as well as terms that may be unfamiliar to a Western reader, are defined in the glossary except where an explanation of their meaning is essential to one's understanding of the text. In such cases, they are defined either in the text or in footnotes.

Transliteration of Devanageri Script

A diacritical mark has been used to indicate the long vowel sounds in Sanskrit words, for example, a, o, u. Otherwise, for the sake of simplicity, all other diacritics have been omitted.

Book I

Yoga of the Siddhas

1

The Heart of Siddha Yoga

1. Siddha Yoga and meditation on the Self do not oppose any religion, sect, or code of ethics.

2. This meditation revolution does not violate the laws of any government.

3. It is not against any caste or social class.

4. It does not argue with either the good or bad qualities of any country.

5. This meditation revolution is opposed to hatred among people, lack of consideration, ignorance, indolence, and falsehood.

6. This Siddha Yoga revolution endeavors to establish industriousness, to bring about oneness on the earth, knowl- edge, a search for the inner Consciousness, and the attain- ment of one's own Self.

2 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

7. This Siddha Yoga revolution is founded on high principles. It is an invitation to universal brotherhood. Because light, truth, and peace exist in all, we should love one another with respect for the Self in all.

8. Siddha Yoga takes no interest in differences. It does not argue about bigotry or cults. In Siddha Yoga, there is no room for cultism. Siddha Yoga is the same as it was thousands of years ago at the creation of the universe. Then there were yogis and great sages who had transcended their minds, and Siddha Yoga was born from their arduous sadhaha and ulti- mate perfection. Siddha Yoga is the teaching of those great beings who had fully attained the Truth and who had become one with Paramashiva, the all-pervasive Consciousness and Supreme Guru. This field of knowledge is beyond human ambition, beyond the mind and imagination. It is a venerable path to the realization of Truth. We follow it seeking the supreme love of our own inner Consciousness.

9. The main task of Siddha Yoga is to unfold fully the God- consciousness which lies hidden in all human beings. It culminates in the experience of "I am That" - the experi- ence of our identity with God - and in the attainment of our own inner joy. Siddha Yoga destroys our negativities; it removes the dullness and lack of clarity of our minds; and it eradicates the differences among religions, people, and col- ors. By respecting all, Siddha Yoga dispels the hatred that continually arises in the world.

10. The task of Siddha Yoga is to put an end to the notion of duality - to distinctions of high and low, superior and inferior, rich and poor - to arguments and disputes, to the race-track competition among people, and to the futile rush-

Heart of Siddha Yoga 3

ing toward a dream of progress. Siddha Yoga enables one to make the journey through the world with supreme bliss.

11. Siddha Yoga teaches: "May all people everywhere live happily and peacefully. May everyone become free of hatred, jealousy, and enmity. May no one see pain, even in a dream." Siddha Yoga is the abode of love for all.

12. In Siddha Yoga, we attain the knowledge of our birth- right.

13. Siddha Yoga nurtures one who wants the good fortune of reveling in the delightful game of the inner Self. Through it, one attains inner joy and achieves fulfillment in life.

14. Through the pursuit of Siddha Yoga, the inner conscious energy called Kundalini is awakened; yogic movements, or kriyas, automatically occur; and this great energy is fully unfolded.

15. A seeker experiences this energy within him as having complete knowledge of all spiritual practices. In the kriyas of Siddha Yoga, there is no danger.

16. Siddha Yoga affirms that the individual soul is nothing other than the Absolute. There is not the slightest difference between the individual and God.

17. Because the Self identifies itself with the mind, then the senses and the physical body, it is called the experiencer.

4 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

When it comes in contact with the powers of action,1 it calls itself the doer. When it comes in contact with the senses of perception, it calls itself the perceiver. Through its attach- ment to the body, it undergoes birth and death.

18. Through Siddha Yoga, the Self attains the knowledge of its true nature and immortality. It becomes aware, "I am deathless."

19. When the inner energy is awakened through Siddha Yoga, a seeker may immediately experience a surge of extraordinary bliss and ecstasy.

20. In Siddha Yoga, Kundalini is called Chidananda-lahari, the wave of blissful consciousness; Paramananda-lahari, the wave of supreme bliss; or Satchidananda, absolute existence, consciousness, and bliss.

21. Siddha Yoga regards the philosophical system of Kashmir Shaivism with the highest respect because it makes no dis- tinctions of caste, color, or nationality. It is open to all.

22. The Self manifests in the form of aham, "I," and as material objects in the form of idam, "this." Siddha Yoga calls these the perceiver and the perceived.

23. Siddha Yoga reveres the world and takes delight in its evolution. It creates enjoyment of one's household duties and excites interest in one's lifework.

24. The powers of speaking, grasping, locomotion, excretion, and procreation. Also called organs of action.

Heart of Siddha Yoga 5

24. Siddha Yoga respects marriage and does not condemn disciplined pleasure.

25. Siddha Yoga avoids all intoxicants, including marijuana, opium, cocaine, hashish, and other drugs. They corrupt the mind, destroy the intellect, and trouble one's life.

26. Siddha Yoga brings discipline to one's life and strengthens the body through meditation. It brings joy to the heart and makes the eyes sparkle with rays of love.

27. Siddha Yoga exists because of the Siddhas. It makes one swim in the ecstasy of the inner Self.

28. Siddha Yoga highly respects the sacred vows of all monks, sannyasins,2 and other great souls who have renounced everything. It respects the fact that they perform actions in the world in a detached manner while seeing Shiva everywhere.

29. Siddha Yoga does not engage in arguments or debates about acceptance and rejection. When there is nothing different from Shiva, what can be accepted or rejected? Siddha Yoga upholds equality.

30. Siddha Yoga considers all castes, religions, and sects to be its own and loves everyone with an open heart.

31. Siddha Yoga does not discriminate between men and wo- men, for the One who has become man has also become

32. Indian monks.

6 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

woman. The one Paramashiva has become two for the pur' pose of universal sport.

32. Siddha Yoga reveres the mother and the father. It honors the Guru and respects all people. Siddha Yoga encourages all the members of a family to live together with respect.

33. Arise and go to bed punctually. Eat and drink at a regular time. Speak in a disciplined manner. Always keep watch over your mind. A pure mind is the means of attaining divinity. This is the teaching of Siddha Yoga.

34. One creates one's own pain and pleasure. Therefore, one should be vigilant about one's actions. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

35. It is not a sin to lead a family life or to create children. Nor is it a sin to observe vows and discipline, or to earn money in an honorable way. The only sin is to insult one's own Self.

36. Never hate any religion, for all religions are equal. Never hate any castes, for Shiva exists in them all. Never hate the color of a person's skin, for the same Consciousness dwells in all colors. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

37. Sleep is the same for all people no matter what religion they pursue. Similarly, meditation on the Self is the same for all. Never doubt this. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

38. The heart of Siddha Yoga is meditation on one's own Self. Meditate daily on the inner Self according to your capacity. Do it at the same time every day for an hour or an hour and a half.

Heart of Siddha Yoga 7

39. It is good to find a separate place for meditation. You should have a separate set of clothing and a warm blanket. It is also helpful to use incense and other fragrances. All these things are a part of the technique of Siddha Yoga.

40. Never deceive others by teaching yoga and meditation when you yourself do not know, contemplate, or practice them. To do this is to deceive the Self and to commit a sin.

41. A truly great person completes his sadhaha, or spiritual journey. That is his nature. It is also the way of the Siddha Path.

42. It is foolish for one to abandon spiritual practice if one does not meet with immediate success. Siddha Yoga teaches that failure can be a great instrument in the process of evolution.

43. Siddha Yoga does not accept the idea that something is impossible. It declares that there is nothing in the world which is impossible. Bhagiratha brought down the Ganges from heaven to earth, and it is still flowing today.3

44. When the inward-turned and thought-free mind meditates on the Self, love manifests. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

45. The Supreme Being dwells in the space of the inner heart. Remember this. This is the teaching of Siddha Yoga.

46. If greed lurks in the heart, that is vice enough for anyone. If one criticizes others, that is sin enough for anyone. But if

47. According to legend, the great King Bhagiratha managed to divert the holy river Ganges from heaven to earth. This almost impossible achievement has benefited India to this day.

8 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

the mind is pure, how can God be far away? If one possesses virtue, what other qualities does one need? If one has at- tained Siddha Yoga, of what use are other spiritual practices?

47. It is people who constitute a nation, and spreading the teaching of the equality of all people makes a nation pro- gress. The Siddha Path endeavors to spread this equality- awareness.

48. Siddha Yoga regards the wicked with compassion, for their future is dark. Because of their attitude toward others, they burn within and are reduced to ashes. This fire of negativity is their only enemy, and it pursues them relentlessly. There- fore, take pity on them.

49. Siddha Yoga teaches: "Without love, compassion, and peace of mind, a person can never become happy. Without love, even heaven is hell."

50. People say, "Love your friends and hate your enemies." But Siddha Yoga says, "Take pity on your enemies; bless those who abuse and hate you; pray to the Lord for those who hurt you." Then see what delight will be yours. God will come looking for you.

51. If you want love, love all. Respect everyone. Recognize your loving Self in all. This is why in Siddha Yoga we say every day with love and respect, "Welcome to all."

2

Kundalini and Shaktipat

52. The principal deity of Siddha Yoga is the great Kundalini Shakti, who is also known as Chiti or Supreme Conscious- ness. She has assumed the form of the entire universe.

53. Kundalini has three specific locations: at the base of the spine, in the heart, and at the crown of the head. She is awakened at the base of the spine and is also activated in the heart, where She manifests as bliss.

54. The creation that we see around us is the visible form of the universal Kundalini. That conscious Kundalini energy is known as the world.

55. Kundalini is regarded as the highest deity. This great Shakti is supremely independent and has limitless power. She becomes the world and then sustains it. At the same time, She remains apart from it. Not only does She manifest in the form of the universe, but She also reabsorbs all man- ifested objects into Herself. This is the experience of Siddha Yoga. 9

10 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

56. Because the great Shakti Kundalini is a mighty power, She is free to perform any action. She brings into existence the entire creation, both seen and unseen. Siddha Yoga has complete understanding of this.

57. Through Her mere thought, the mighty pulsating power of Kundalini can bring into existence even objects which have never been seen. Siddha Yoga states that She could create a flower in the sky, make a barren woman give birth to a son, or manifest horns on a hare.

58. She places limitations on space, time, and objects; but She Herself, being all-pervasive and eternal, is not bound by them. She is supremely pure and untouched. For that reason, She is known as Siddha Yogini.

59. Of her own free will, Shakti manifests in this world in the form of the knower, the known, and the process of knowing. She is all things both within and without, yet She exists apart from them all. This is why Siddha Yoga declares that She is of the nature of the Absolute.

60. When we speak of Maha Shakti, Parasatta Chiti, Matrika, Gauri, Lakshmi, Saraswati,4 and so on, we are actually referring to that Supreme Shakti Kundalini who is the pri- mordial seed of the universe. Although in reality this Shakti is only one, when She expands She overflows into innumer- able currents. All the objects of the universe are Her forms. This is the perfect knowledge of the Siddhas.

61. Names of the universal creative energy.

Kundalini and Shaktipat 11

61. This Supreme Shakti is not different from all existing things. Her independent power has become fivefold: Her power to give rise to bliss is ananda shakti; Her power of creative will is iccha shakti; Her power to illumine is chit shakti; Her power to understand is jnana shakti; and Her power to manifest all forms is kriya shakti. It is kriya shakti which, through shaktipat, makes a seeker perform various kinds of yogic movements. This is the authentic experience of Siddha Yoga.

62. It is certain that the entire visible universe is the expansion of the sovereign power of the mighty Kundalini. Although She exists in many forms, the independent Kundalini Shakti vibrates without ceasing, primarily as iccha, jnana, and kriya. She carries out Her work in all beings, whether ignorant or wise. Seeing Her in all, Siddha yogis become overjoyed.

63. A person's desires exist in an unmanifest form in his subconscious mind. The Kundalini Shakti knows them through Her power of knowledge and manifests them through Her power of action. Siddha yogis regard this mysterious and extraordinary Kundalini as their beloved deity.

64. Kundalini is a great spiritual power which cannot be de- tected with mechanical devices. For that reason, until now this has been a secret science. Whoever experiences it must do so with his own conscious body. He then tastes divine bliss and ecstasy. This is the secret of Siddha Yoga.

65. Western scientists have spent billions of dollars inventing machines in an attempt to gain knowledge of nature's subtle workings. They support their discoveries with mathematical calculations. Although their efforts are beneficial to many,

12 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

in order to experience Kundalini Shakti one must use the instrument of the human body. One also needs the grace of the Guru and the compassion of Kundalini. This is the statement of the Siddhas.

66. The conscious human body, which has been created by God, serves as the instrument as well as the laboratory. It is likely that the scientists of this age will investigate the laws of spiritual power just as they have investigated the laws of nature. That day is not far away. Siddha Yoga is the universal and all-pervasive Supreme Principle.

67. It is very important for a human being to awaken his Kundalini. It is a power, a vibration, an extraordinary en- ergy. It is the soul of an individual and his vital force. It is the conscious power behind the senses. It is that which inspires the intellect and makes the mind contemplate. Siddha Yoga teaches that this entire universe is pervaded by the great Shakti.

68. The individual soul dwells in the heart. In the heart, there are one hundred nadis, or subtle channels. From each of these nadis, one hundred other nadis branch out. Seventy-two additional nadis stem from each of these. And again, each of these nadis has one thousand offshoots. In total, there are 720 million nadis through which the particular prana5 known as vyana circulates. Kundalini, along with the prana, per- vades the body. Siddha Yoga accepts this statement from the Prashnopanishad.

69. Life force or vital energy. In the body, it takes five forms to perform five major functions: prana, inhalation; apana, exhalation; vyana, pervasion; udana, ascen- sion; samana, equalization.

Kundalni and Shaktipat 13

69. Among all these nadis, seventy-two thousand are impor- tant. Of these, one hundred are principal. And of these, three are particularly significant. Of these three, the most important is the sushumna, which extends from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. The records of all the kartnas of countless lifetimes are stored in the sushumna nadi.

70. Shakti dwells at the base of the spine in the spiritual center called the muladhara, and Shiva at the crown of the head in the center called the sahasrara. The sushumna extends from one to the other. The awakened Shakti rises from the base of the spine and unites with Shiva.6 This union brings perfection. The state of Siddhahood arises from this.

71. Shaktipat, or the awakening of Kundalini, can occur in many different ways - through chanting, meditation, mantra repetition, Hatha Yoga postures, bandhas, mudras, and other practices. Using these methods, a seeker has to struggle a great deal, and sometimes the results may be dangerous. Siddha yogis have the experience that it is easier to awaken the Shakti through the Guru's grace. This method is completely beneficial.

72. The initiation performed by the Guru takes place easily and simply. The Siddhas state that when the Guru sows the seed of Shakti, the seed develops very naturally into a tree with flowers and fruit.

73. In shaktipat, the Shakti flows from one person to another either with or without the physical touch. The Shakti flows through the nadis inside the body. When shaktipat takes

74. The all-pervasive Supreme Consciousness or Ultimate Reality.

14 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

place, the Shakti permeates the entire body, creating a sensa- tion similar to the heat of fire. This is experienced in Siddha Yoga.

74. Because the Shakti is subtler than the subtlest, some people may not be aware of it during the initial stages of practice. Others experience it immediately. Some perceive it as a flash of lightning. This light can be seen moving inside as well as outside the body. This is the experience of Siddha students.

75. A seeker also experiences the fact that the Shakti can be drawn into the body from different sources, such as the sun, clouds, fire, lightning, air, and ether. All objects are suffused with God's power. After the inner Shakti is awakened, a yogi through his will can draw the Shakti into his body from outside. That Shakti enters him and functions consciously. This is the experience of the Siddhas.

76. Unless the Kundaliniis awakened, a human being cannot evolve. Everyone is entitled to this - a child, an elderly person, a man, and a woman. The great Kundalini Shakti exists equally in all, so Siddha Yoga considers everyone fit for its awakening.

77. The awakening of the Kundalini is called initiation. It happens specifically at three different levels: anavi, shakti, and shambhavi.7 It can occur through look, speech, or touch. In Siddha Yoga, the Guru can give initiation by staring fixedly at another person, by uttering the great mantra into his ear, or by touching him with the hand.

78. Three levels of initiation by the Guru, depending on the evolvement of the seeker. Anavi is initiation into mechanical and ritualistic practices. Shakti is initiation into subtle and psychological practices. Shambhavi is direct transmission of the state of Shiva, or Self-realization.

Kundalini and Shaktipat 15

78. Through the will of the Guru, shaktipat can also be given mentally. Shaktipat can occur through the will of one who desires to give it. The one who wishes to receive Shakti should have love, devotion, steadfast faith in the Self, and the desire to attain it. This is the law of Siddha Yoga.

79. When shaktipat takes place, some people experience it instantly in the form of visions of light, heaviness of the body, intoxication, bodily tremors, sweating, shivers of joy, and so on. These are the first signs of Siddha Yoga.

80. When the Shakti is awakened, various yogic movements take place. A person may utter different sounds. He may experience ecstasy, agitation, negativity, apathy, fear, loss of faith, and other feelings. These can happen in the initial stage of Siddha Yoga.

81. According to a person's temperament, he may receive shaktipat in any one of twenty-seven different strengths. This is the teaching of Kashmir Shaivism. How a person receives it depends on his past actions, the actions that he is performing in this body, and his tendencies. This is the statement of the Siddhas.

82. Following shaktipat, not everyone experiences the same kriyas. But though the kriyas may differ due to people's temperaments, the final experience is the same for everyone. There is only one experience of perfection. This is the conviction of all the Siddhas.

16 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

83. In a human being, there are four bodies, one within the other: physical, subtle, causal, and supracausal.8 As the Shakti works in all four bodies, She gives rise to various amazing experiences. This is the knowledge of the Siddhas.

84. It is a philosophical premise that the microcosm is identi- cal to the macrocosm. The great Shakti, the mother of the world, lives in the body as the microcosm. The entire uni- verse exists in the seed of the heart, the inner Self.

85. In the heart, there is a sublime and miraculous center. When the work of the Kundalini begins there through the grace of a Siddha, a person can perceive distant objects and sounds. He acquires the knowledge of higher planes, of past lives, and of others' minds.

86. Initiation, or Kundalini awakening, gives a person com- plete knowledge. In the final stage of meditation, the aware- ness of So'ham' and "I am perfect" arises spontaneously within. It happens because the awakened Shakti is the em- bodiment of perfect knowledge. This is the indisputable experience of the Siddhas.

87. A simple and powerful means of deepening meditation is to focus the mind on those great beings who are beyond attach- ment. Then meditation progresses very quickly. This is the remarkable effect of remembering the Siddhas.

88. The physical body is experienced in the waking state. The subtle body (which includes mind, senses, and other subtle instruments) is the vehicle for the dream state. The causal body is experienced in deep sleep as blissful nonawareness. The supracausal body is made of pure Consciousness; it is the body of transcendental experience. 9. Literally, "I am He" or "I am That."

Kundalini and Shaktipat 17

88. There is no doubt that the sublime and divine Shakti dwells in every human being. Even if one cannot meditate deeply on one's own, by receiving Shakti from the Guru one will automatically experience all yogic kriyas. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

89. The mighty Kundalini Shakti is the vital force. As fire, She gives heat; as the sun, She gives light; as rain, She brings showers; as wind, She blows everywhere. She is the earth. She exists in the form of all material objects.

90. No words can describe Her. She is a woman; She is a man. She is everything in the world. She is that which exists and that which does not exist.

3

The Inner Experience

91. Keep searching within. Plunge deeper and deeper to the realm of the heart. See the blissful effulgence there, beautiful and shimmering in various unique colors. Within the heart, in the space where the inhalation merges, perceive the thought-free state of love. Watch the play of the matrika shakti, the subtle vibrations that arise as thoughts and feel- ings and then subside back into the space of the heart. Then you will know that Siddha Yoga is within you.

92. Keep observing carefully where the inner fivefold actions10 continue to arise and where they dissolve. Keep watching the petals of the heart lotus; observe how desire, greed, delusion, jealousy, enmity, arrogance, and envy form and dissolve in each petal. Where do they arise and subside? Why does this happen? Siddha Yoga concentrates on this inner understanding.

93. Activity of the individual's thoughts as they are created, sustained, dissolved, concealed in a seed form (stored as memory), or totally annihilated. Kashmir Shaivism teaches that this process parallels the cosmic process of creation, suste- nance, etc.

18

Inner Experience 19

93. Have you discovered where the inhalation goes when it merges in the heart? Who expels it in the form of the exhalation? Where does it merge outside? Who draws it in again? Siddha Yoga guides your attention to that.

94. Notice where the waves of feeling arise in the heart. Where does this infinite inner creation dissolve? Watch the miracle of the ever-new waves of this vast creation. These waves perpetually arise and subside. Siddha Yoga focuses your attention on this.

95. You have seen movies, disco, rock-and-roll, different re- sorts, clubs, fancy hotels, and parties. These things are al- right; they are simply the products of the Shakti of those who are interested in them. But you have not seen where your awareness goes during deep sleep or through whose instigation you awaken. O friend, Siddha Yoga compels you to see that.

96. Observe something else with subtle understanding. Al- though you are asleep, who is awake within? That witness takes no rest and is inseparably one with your life. While remaining different from you, That watches everything which happens in your waking state as though it were a dream. Siddha Yoga inspires you to see That.

97. Plunge a little deeper. After seeing the infinite miracles of the heart, enter the supracausal body. Behold the vast center which is thought-free, blissful, and effulgent. How intriguing and beautiful it is, how perfectly smooth and even. In that space, there is light and nothing but light. Siddha Yoga calls it the bliss of tunya, the transcendental state.

98. Keep observing. As you continue to watch, the seer disap- pears. For a few seconds your existence is erased, just as a

20 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

grain of salt dissolves and becomes water. But have no fear - on reaching that state, you become eternally serene and unmoved. Then there is nothing but boundless ecstasy. Know that the Siddhas live there.

99. That is the ocean of love. Like a wave, you drown in the ocean of bliss and become the ocean. Again and again, you arise and subside like a bubble in the ocean of love. Ah, what ecstasy! Ah, what sublime and exquisite bliss! What perfect peace and love! What independent contentment! That is the abode of the Siddhas.

100. That is the center of the ecstatic beings. Its love is the true life. The individual derives his existence from it. The entire world dissolves in the ocean of love, then arises from it once again. That is the dwelling place of the ecstatic beings. If you seek the Siddhas, know that you will find them there.

101. After entering within, slowly go higher. Slowly - there is no need to hurry. As you rise higher, rest a while in the space between the eyebrows. That is the passport office of the Guru. With love, devotion, and humility, get your visa there. Look: If you have any ego, throw it away like a worn-out shoe. Otherwise, this visa will be very difficult for you to obtain. Only through the grace of the Siddhas can it be acquired.

102. After obtaining your visa, slowly and carefully proceed further. You will reach the divine world of the sahasrara, which is composed of one thousand centers, each more sublime than the last. It is enchanting and infinitely beautiful. Each center embodies a different kind of understanding and knowledge. Siddha students have a picnic there.

Inner Experience 21

103. In the vast, exquisite space of the sahasrara, you will see the divine effulgence of a thousand blazing suns. Its beauty is utterly enchanting. This cool, divine light creates no heat. In it there are neither moon nor stars. This divine effulgence is the perfect image of supreme bliss. This is the statement of the great Siddhas.

104. In the sahasrara, there is no heat of either fire or the sun. There is no coolness of the moon. Neither pain nor death can reach there. It is eternally suffused with bliss. Reaching there, yogis merge with that bliss. It is their true abode. Siddha Yoga affirms this.

105. It is also called the space of wisdom. It manipulates the entire body and is the center of all the nadis. The yogic scriptures compare it to a thousand-petaled lotus. The center of that lotus is the abode of Lord Shiva. When Siddha yogis reach that space, they obtain undying awareness of Shiva.

106. In the center of the sahasrara is the Blue Pearl, an exqui- site, tiny blue light. Its effulgence is enchanting. Ah, who can describe its beauty? How can one understand its divin- ity? Although it is just a dot, this tiny light contains the entire universe. It is the form of the Supreme within us. The Siddhas call it the seed of the heart.

107. A yogi's meditation stabilizes in it. When he sees it, his entire body grows cold, his mind becomes silent, and for a few moments the movement of his vital force ceases. He loses himself in meditation.

108. When the Supreme Lord within becomes pleased with a yogi, the Guru's compassionate glance descends on him. At

22 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

that time, the Blue Pearl emerges from his eyes and manifests before him. As it stands before him, his good fortune blos- soms. The Blue Pearl expands and permeates the entire cosmos. Having the vision of its pervasion of the universe, a yogi becomes worthy of the title Siddha.

109. Compared to the expansion of the Blue Pearl, the universe appears to be as tiny as a dot. When the Blue Pearl expands in this way, an extraordinary Blue Being manifests from its center. He has a form of the utmost beauty, but it is not composed of the gross elements. Tukaram Maharaj, a Siddha, said, "That form is the embodiment of Consciousness." The Siddhas proclaim that the Blue Lord pervades all three worlds.

110. That being, the embodiment of Consciousness, is made of extraordinary light - blue, red, and all the colors of the morning sun. He is a miraculous, radiant being. In medita- tion, He stands directly before the yogi. There are no words to describe His beauty. Jnanadeva, a supreme Guru among Siddhas, called Him the light of Consciousness.

111. The Blue Being is the radiance of the perfect knowledge of divine realization. A vision of Him is considered to be the realization of the form of God. Although the Blue Being has a form, He is actually formless. This is the experience of the Siddhas.

112. He has created the universe, pervaded it, and assumed its form. He stands quietly for several seconds before a lover of the Guru. He walks around the meditating yogi and utters a few words. These words brim with sweetness and mystery. At this point, the yogi is very near the state of Siddhahood.

Inner Experience 23

113. The mighty One, the Blue Lord, the Sovereign of Con- sciousness, stands before the yogi who has received the Guru's grace and utters these words: "I have eyes in all My limbs. I can see every atom of the universe. All My limbs - My hands, legs, and head - as well as every pore of My body can speak." In this way, He addresses the Siddha yogi for a few moments.

114. That which Kashmir Shaivism refers to as the Supreme Pulsation, Consciousness, or the mighty Shakti is the one who utters these secret words. Just as Consciousness expands, pervades the entire universe, and once again contracts, similarly, the Blue Being, Consciousness, the Great Light once again becomes the Blue Pearl, as tiny as a sesame seed, and re-enters the body through the eyes. It lives eternally in the sahasrara. The great Kundalini yogi now becomes es- tablished in the seat of Siddhahood.

115. At this point, the yogi's understanding changes and he is totally transformed. With his own eyes, he fully perceives the Truth. As he ponders his realization again and again, his hair stands on end, his eyes brim with tears, sweat pours from him, and his body trembles. Becoming ecstatic and intox- icated with love, he is firmly established in Siddhahood.

116. Then he spontaneously obtains complete knowledge of the formless. Just as in the state of ignorance he used to say, "I am the body," now he very naturally knows, "I am perfect." As a matter of course, he experiences perfection everywhere. He is filled with love. He considers the world to be the expan- sion of his own Self. He is aware that he is in the world and the world is in him. He experiences oneness. This is the perfect attainment of the Siddha yogi.

4

Nityananda

117. After the realization of the form of God, the yogi naturally becomes established in formlessness. Wherever he may go, he finds only his Self. He does not have to become angry with the world. He neither scoffs at worldly pleasures, nor takes any interest in them. For him, the world is entertainment, like watching a movie.

118. After realization, some beings remain ecstatic. They live in our world, but no matter where or in what condition they are, the world appears differently to them than it does to us. For them, the world has become heaven because they see it in the divine light of Consciousness. "The world is as you see it"11 - this is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

119. Siddhas are supremely independent. They are totally im- mersed in God at all times. Their state and behavior are strange. Some look outwardly foolish although they are inwardly intelligent. Others are scholarly and give birth to the literature of Truth. Some appear to be crazy. This is the way of the Siddhas.

120. The philosophy of the sage Vasishtha as expressed in Yoga Vasishtha.

24

Nityananda 25

120. Even though some live like kings, they are flawless in renunciation, discrimination, and detachment. They are free of expectations. Although they live like kings, their Siddhahood is perfect. Their position is due to fortune and destiny. It is given by God.

121. O my Bhagawan Nityananda, you were a great renunciant. Although countless objects used to lie around you, you neither touched them with your hands nor even cast your eyes on them. You lived in a solitary place, in a jungle where once there was not even a means of access. Now, it has become a shrine. This is the destiny of Siddhas.

122. O Bhagawan Nityananda, you were a supreme avadhuta.12 You wore only a loincloth, but you were born a Siddha. In your younger days, you served a great ascetic, just as Shri Krishna, who was the Absolute made manifest, spent some time serving Sandipani. The great beings do such things in order to teach people. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

123. O Nityananda, you were the crown jewel of all avadkutas. You knew the past, present, and future. Even if you spoke only one word, it never went to waste. You were the image of renunciation. You were always utterly ecstatic within your- self. To remain ecstatic within is the state of the Siddhas.

124. O Nityananda, you were perpetually bathed in bliss. Your name itself was bliss. When you laughed, joy and ecstasy burst forth from every pore of your body, as if your skin ripped open with the sudden outrush of your joy. You always spoke

125. A realized being who, remains above body-consciousness.

26 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

aphoristically. Although you might utter one brief word, it would contain as much meaning as a lengthy discourse. Sometimes you would remain silent for two or three days at a time. This is the extraordinary way of the Siddhas.

125. O Nityananda, Lord of avadhutas, you had a dark body. Your belly was enlarged by the spontaneous retention of your breath.13 Although your eyes looked outward, your gaze was directed within. Your eyes were half-closed and shone like the morning sun. A smile always played upon your lips. Your hands were large and generous. When you walked, your gait was like that of an intoxicated elephant. You were a Siddha who stole everyone's mind.

126. Sometimes when you closed your eyes, it would take you an hour or two to open them. Enjoying the natural state of a Siddha, at times you would sleep for hours on end, immersed in the ecstasy of your own Self. Although thousands of people came to see you, there was no noise; the atmosphere was hushed. You did not have to give lectures. Merely by seeing you, people would be consoled. You were the Lord of Siddhas.

127. O Nityananda, you used to say, "The Self is the Supreme Truth. There is nothing more sublime than the Self. Hey! The Self is within. Turn within." In this way, you taught with just a few words. For you, within and without were the same. You always dwelled within. What a great Siddha you were!

128. A yogic practice called kumbhaka, performed for achieving a thought-free state of mind. In its spontaneous manifestation as described here, it implies prolonged absorption in the thought-free state and the retention of great power in the yogi.

Nityananda 27

128. O Nityananda, your words were mantras; your speech was scripture. Your behavior embodied the teachings of yoga. The place where you lived was immaculate; it always looked freshly scrubbed no matter how many thousands of people came to see you.

129. O Shri Gurudev, in you one could see that the sublime shaivi hhechan mudra of Shaivism had taken up residence. Lord Shiva described this shaivi mudra, this pure khechari which is the state of Shiva. He said that the eyes remain fixed and unblinking but see nothing. Although they appear to look outward, the gaze is directed within. The mind is quiet, not dwelling on any thought, and the vital force is still but not forcibly retained. O Nityananda, you lived in this sub- lime mudra of the Siddhas.

130. The human body is made of seven components,14 but in a Siddha these elements have been consumed in the fire of Kundalini meditation. A new rasa, or bodily fluid, has been created. It is the embodiment of Consciousness and bliss. Because of it, the body of a Siddha is suffused with the sweetness of love.

131. The sublime sweetness of Kundalini plays throughout the entire body of a great being. In ecstasy, he is one with the perfect bliss of the Absolute. In his company, people natur- ally experience joy. O Nityananda, thousands of people sat in silence before you. Everyone was intoxicated. Wherever a great Siddha dwells, the atmosphere is permeated with se- renity and love.

132. Lymphatic fluid, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, and sexual fluid.

28 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

132. O Gurudev, you are still at work even though you are no longer in your physical body. In your inner, conscious body, you appear to many people. I have received numerous letters from individuals saying, "Nityananda Baba told me this or that." Siddhahood is ancient, eternal, and true.

133. O Bhagawan Nityananda, you are everywhere; I have utter faith in this. O my Gurudev, you are in the light of the sun, in the coolness of the moon, in the gusts of wind. In the heavens, you shine as the twinkling of the stars. O great Siddha Nityananda, with devotion, complete knowledge, and understanding, one can see that you are manifest even though you appear to be concealed.

134. Human beings suffer only because they lack understand- ing. The great being Ekanath spoke from the highest level of understanding when he said, "I will lead my life with great joy. I will fill all three worlds with bliss." O Nityananda, you fill the entire universe. As another Siddha yogi, Vasugup- tacharya, said, "The pulsation of the cosmos is the mighty Shakti of the Guru."

135. With firm understanding and truthfulness, I say, "O Nityananda, you are before me, behind me, on either side of me, and below me. It is you who gives and you who re- ceives. " Vasugupta said that the world is a play of Conscious- ness. The world is a play of the essence of Nityananda.

136. The great saint Jnaneshwar Maharaj said, "O Gurunlth, when you conceal yourself from someone, he sees this world as full of various strange and separate things. But when you reveal yourself, you and you alone remain. The world ceases to exist for him." In the same way, O ShriGuru Nityananda, when a person forgets you, he perceives the play of the world.

Nityananda 29

When he remembers you, the world becomes the embodi- ment of you. This is the statement of the Siddhas.

137. O man, give up the weakness of your delusion and sense of duality. Make your heart pure. Enter completely within and see that it is Nityananda who pervades the world. Vasugupta asked, "What place or object lacks Consciousness?" What time is there without Nityananda?

138. O friend, improve yourself. Purify yourself. In the fire of meditation, wash the dirt from the mirror of your intellect. Sadguru Nityananda dwells in a pure heart and a clean mind. This is the wisdom of the Siddhas.

139. How can you forget the Truth? Why do you value false- hood so highly and then pay the price you yourself have created? Open your eyes. Whatever you may do, do it for your inner Nityananda. Become alert. Change the prescrip- tion of your glasses. Then look and you will see only Nityananda. This is what the Siddha yogis have told you. This is the teaching of Siddha Yoga.

5

The Lords of Equality

140. These days in the spiritual field, there are many writers, lecturers, so-called great beings, and people who call them- selves God. There are people who claim to be Siddhas, yet change their names again and again. It is very likely that some bound souls are hiding among the Siddhas. Their ageless ignorance gives rise to jealousy, and this in turn creates duality and the desire to see others' faults. But a true Siddha avoids such destructive action.

141. Someone once wrote in an article, "Muktananda is not yet perfect." I said, "That's fine. Perhaps I have had wrong understanding of myself and he is very kindly pointing it out to me. But one thing surprises me. Where did he get the meter to determine this?" Bhagawan Nityananda never liked to criticize any religion, sect, or person. If anyone found fault with someone else, he would say, "Hey! You have faulty vision. Ram is in all," This is the sign of a supreme Siddha.

142. In the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, a dialogue takes place between two people, one evil and one good. Lord Krishna asks the virtuous Dharmaraya, "Can you point out a

30

Lords of Equality 31

sinner or a wicked person in this crowd?" Dharmaraya re- plies, "No, no! Here there are only good people." Then Krishna asks the wicked Duryodhana, "Can you point out a good person in this gathering?" Duryodhana says, "They're all sinners. There is not a single good person here." So you see, one's vision creates one's world. To a Siddha's vision, all are equal. A Siddha has risen above criticizing others.

143. In the Yoga Vasishtha, it is said, "The world is as you see it." You create your own experience according to your percep- tion. A Siddha sees the world according to his own vision, and a bound person does the same. Kashmir Shaivism says that all beings are equal. Equal vision is the means of attain- ing Siddhahood.

144. Suppose that the question were asked, "What is the mean- ing of da?" One person might say, "Da means dambha, pretension." A second person might say, "Da means daridrya, poverty of understanding." A third might say, "Da means da da, the way a farmer calls a bull; so da might refer to a bull." These people's interpretations would indicate their capacity and attainment. But God's loving look permeates the eyes of Siddhas, so they see only good even in defects.

145. Many are the ways of Siddhas. I knew a great Siddha, Zipruanna, who was always naked. He would lie on a heap of garbage. He ate whatever passersby gave him. Although he sat surrounded by filth, he was never affected by it. He saw only equality everywhere. He was always happy. Although he was in the body, he knew that he was totally different from it. He was an ecstatic Siddha.

146. Zipruanna was omniscient. He had full knowledge of both past and future. He spoke in the Marathi language, and his

32 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

speech was simple and straightforward. In his village, he always roamed wherever and whenever he liked. If anyone spoke to him, he would reply with only a few words. He was always ecstatic within himself. There were a large number of Hindus and Moslems in his village, and both groups re- spected him greatly. One has to be supremely fortunate to meet such a Siddha.

147. There was another great being called Ranga Avadhut, whom I used to visit now and then. He was a great scholar and came to our Ashram twice. He lived on the banks of the holy Narmada River and would bathe three times each day. He always traveled on foot. He would never sit in a car, but occasionally he would ride in a horse carriage. He was a great Siddha.

148. People used to look upon Ranga Avadhut as a divine incarnation. He wore a loincloth and often carried a long stick. He ate simple, light food. He spoke very little and in plain, straightforward language. He was so completely free of pride and ego that he had become love incarnate. He used to meet people punctually. He listened to others' questions about their pains and pleasures and gave them advice. I loved him very much. He was such a great Siddha that people considered him the incarnation of Guru Dattatreya.15

149. I met another saint called Ranchod Bapuji, who also visited our Ashram once. He did a great deal of work among the needy. Wherever there was famine, he would rush to assist the starving villagers by giving them food, water, and clothing. He was also a great Siddha.

150. An incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, the Hindu trinity of creation, sustenance, and destruction, combined in one form.

Lords of Equality 33

150. Bapuji was omniscient. He, too, ate very simple, light food. He was a great renunciant and very loving and power- ful. He removed the pain and poverty of many. Enormous crowds of thousands of people used to gather around him. Sometimes he would disappear for days on end, and no one would know where he had gone. Suddenly he would reappear in the midst of the people. His behavior was extraordinary. He was incomparably secretive. It is impossible to truly describe him. Such rare Siddhas occasionally manifest in the world.

151. Siddharudha was another great being. He lived in Hubli, a large city in south India. All who came to him were given food. No one remained hungry. Then, as well as now, his entire ashram continually reverberated with the chanting of Om Namah Shivaya. People used to consider him the incar- nation of Shiva. He was one of the great Siddhas.

152. In Siddharudha's ashram, satsang was held both in the morning and in the evening. Scriptural discussions were always going on. Great scholars and philosophers lived there and received Siddharudha's grace. In fact, all the religious people of the area used to gather there. They referred to his abode as Kailasa.16 Even a fortunate person only rarely sees such a great Siddha.

153. There was another saint called Hari Giri Baba. I spent a good deal of time with him, too. He lived like a gentleman. He wore a turban of expensive silk with a gold border, an elegant coat, and costly shoes. He always roamed here and there, even at night. If anyone invited him for a meal, he

154. Heavenly abode of Lord Shiva.

34 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

would eat and then leave. His state was exceedingly strange. He talked to himself, and his speech was odd. He was also a great Siddha yogi.

154. Most of the time, Hari Giri wandered around a dry river bed. He would select tiny pebbles, talk to them, and stuff his pockets with them. Sometimes he would gaze off into the distance and scold. Occasionally he would talk to the wind. His was a curious state. Whenever I went through difficult times during my sadhana, he would visit me. He would help me understand something and then leave immediately. He was a Siddha who knew the past, present, and future.

155. Sai Baba of Shirdi was also great. He satisfied his hunger with the alms he received daily. He was fond of listening to music. At any time, he could give people fistfuls of money from his empty pockets. He wore a long, plain robe and a scarf around his head. He was a great Siddha.

156. Sai Baba was worshipped by everyone - the rich as well as the poor. If someone gave him a gift, he would give it to anyone who happened to be there. He had no desire for possessions. He was supremely compassionate and eased the pain and suffering of the poor. His influence is still felt throughout the world. People had absolute faith in his great- ness. When he shed his body, he told people, "Now the stone of my samadhi shrine17 will respond to you." Since then, Shirdi has become a magnificent and holy place. There is a constant stream of visitors from near and far. Facilities have been provided so that many people can stay there. It has become a great Siddha shrine.

157. Burial place of a great saint embodying his power.

Lords of Equality 35

157. Once again, I am reminded of Bhagawan Nityananda. To remember him is more than enough for my small life. At least I knew him. What greater fortune than that could there be? Kabir, the great poet-saint, said, "One fragrant champa blos- som is better than a stack of dry grass." In the same way, the Siddhahood of Bhagawan Nityananda was sufficient for me.

158. One day in Nityananda's presence, I referred to someone as a crook. Immediately Gurudev said, "Hey, Muktananda! Is there really any crooked person in this world? It is just the crookedness of your cleverness. Everything is the pervasion of the Supreme Truth. God has created the play of the world for His own pleasure. No one in the world is crooked." Ah, how perfect he was. What Siddhahood!

159. He continued, "O Muktananda! You are seeing with petty understanding. With this kind of awareness, you are heading in the wrong direction. Change your outlook. Correct your understanding. Then see that the world is just a play, an entertaining movie. It is neither true nor false. Know this secret. Only then will you attain something." What a great teaching that was, and how absolutely true. What divine wisdom of the Self. This is the teaching of the compassionate Siddha Guru.

160. Nityananda taught: "All religions belong to the One. All sects are formed for Him alone. Nevertheless, through their own inspiration, the people who found sects give many forms to that One. No matter how many ornaments one makes, they all come from the same gold." Gurudev's teachings were sublime and true. The Siddhas are the lords of equality.

36 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

161. Since I loved Shiva, I also loved to worship the Shiva lingam.18 I had faith that if God exists in all, then the lingam must also be a perfect manifestation of Him. One day as I was returning from worshipping the lingam, Nityananda asked me, "What were you doing?" I replied, "Bathing Rudra." Gurudev laughed and said, "The one you are worshipping is also within you. In fact, He gives you the power to do it. Worship Him through meditation. Meditation is worship; meditation is a ritual bath. Attain Him through medita- tion." What true understanding. He opened the gate of heaven for me. This is how the teachings of the Siddhas are.

162. I am reminded of Tulasidas, another great being, who said, "Keep the company of enlightened Gurus with great humil- ity, with unaffected love, and without ego. Just as the sun dispels darkness, the Guru banishes ignorance." This is abso- lutely true. Without the aid of a Siddha, one cannot easily sail across the ocean of the world.

163. If a person with a taintless heart and a vigilant and pure mind keeps the company of a Siddha just for a moment, half a moment, or even half of that, he can instantly go across the ocean of mundane existence. How wonderful Gurudev's teachings were! His words were a lotion which removed blindness. Only by becoming a fish can one know how a fish lives. To understand a great being, one first has to become one with him. That is true knowledge.

164. My Gurudev spoke very seldom - sometimes every few hours, sometimes once a day, or once every several days. Occasionally he would speak only once every three months

165. A representation of the formless aspect of Shiva (Rudra) usually worshipped by ritualistic bathing of the image.

Lords of Equality 37

or every six months. Then again he might not speak for nine months at a time. However, when Nityananda spoke even for ten minutes, it was more than enough for my entire life. I can now pass on his words to the whole world. A handful of the words of a Siddha contain great power and blaze with Shakti.

165. I do not attach much importance to the statements of people who say that they have become Siddhas without the grace of another Siddha, or that they are the highest God of all, or that they hold the loftiest position. These statements show that they have not yet reached that state. The gracious glance of a Siddha is priceless. I am alive because of it.

166. The entire creation as well as all philosophies and all knowledge are contained within Gurudev's glance. In his vision, the world is sustained as the world. I honor that gracious glance. It is sufficient for me. What joy, what ecstasy and love it contains! I embrace that ecstasy and immerse myself blissfully in the love of the Siddhas.

167. Let those with the tendency to differentiate measure what is high and what is low as if they were in a grocery store. I do not want that. My only desire is to experience Nityananda's love in everyone, to experience equality everywhere, to become a true lover in order to taste again and again the love of my Gurudev, who is established in the awareness of the Self of all. May I bow my head before such Siddhas. May I offer my ego at the Siddhas' feet.

6

The City of Love

168. What is the state of an ecstatic being? To be happy within himself, to speak to his friends about this ecstasy, to open his heart to his companions about this knowledge with joy, peace, and love. O friend, selfish knowledge, or even the pursuit of Siddhahood and spirituality, are joyless sadhana when love is missing. I do not want that. Love, happiness, and ecstasy dwell among the Siddhas.

169. Love is the supreme attainment. Without love, everything is useless. The world manifests through the power of God's love, it is sustained by love, and it will ultimately merge into love. That love throbs within us at all times. Siddha Yoga is the attainment of love. It is becoming anchored in love.

170. There is boundless love within. It is supremely true. We inhale and exhale because of its pulsation. The prana circu- lates throughout the body due to the throb of love. It is love which has given the eyes the ability to perceive forms. This independent love is eternal bliss. It is the abode of the Siddhas.

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City of Love 39

171. Through love in the form of fire, all that we eat and drink is digested in the stomach.19 Through love, that digested food is converted to blood and distributed throughout the body. All the bodily functions are motivated by love. Love en- raptures the Siddhas. It is their attainment.

172. A human being cannot live without inner love. The Self is called satchidananda - absolute existence, consciousness, and bliss. It is the Supreme Truth. To attain love, we have to turn within. By doing this, we discover the vastness of love. The Siddhas dwell in this city of love.

173. In the Shrimad Bhdgavatam, there is a saying: "The real path is that which is trodden by the great beings." Love, that supreme and eternal bliss, was the path trodden by the great beings, sages, and souls who saw equality everywhere. It was through this path that they found the object of their search. Love is the seat of the Siddhas.

174. The awareness of equality is the highest attainment. Hu- man beings are troubled by duality and a sense of differences. Disparity exists because of delusion, anger, attachment, and ignorance. When we keep the company of great beings, duality turns into unity and disparity into equality. When we have this understanding, we become worthy of receiving the grace of a Siddha. Then we obtain the ocean of love.

175. Nityananda had attained the supreme state. It was extra- ordinary. He lived in the ecstasy of natural samadhi.20 He

176. According to yogic doctrine, the process of digestion takes place because of a "gastric fire." 20. The superconscious state of God-realization.

40 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

maintained that state at every moment. He was intoxicated with love. Wherever he went, he walked around God. The movements of his body were his worship of God. His sleep was the divine state of samadhi. He was absorbed in his own Self, and that absorption was the worship of all. The Siddhas' state is beyond mind and speech.

176. Whatever Nityananda said was equivalent to a Vedic mantra. For him, both a house and a desert were pleasant resting places. For him, eating and drinking were sublime acts of worship. He did not have to close his eyes, plug his ears, or practice any strenuous techniques. With his open eyes, he saw the true beauty of this world of forms.

177. Because he was absorbed in his inner divinity, base desire could never approach him. Whether he was standing or sitting, his natural samadhi was never disturbed. Such was his state. This state is called unmani, the state beyond the mind. It transcends the body, mind, and speech. How can one write about it? This supreme state transcends body- consciousness. Pain and pleasure cannot touch it. A Siddha, who is anchored in this state, has become one with his own Self. To compare such a Siddha with God is a small matter.

178. Because Nityananda was immersed in the ecstasy of inner love, he spoke little. There was no need for him to speak. If someone owns a jewel case full of diamonds, why should he have to open it again and again? If a swan reaches Manasa Lake on Mount Kailasa, why should it return to ordinary rivers and streams? When a person has become the all-pervasive Consciousness, why should he open his eyes and look outside? If a person watched Nityananda with love

City of Love 41

even for a few moments, he became like him. Very few such Siddhas come into the world.

179. In Pandharpur,21 I met a great being called Bapumayi. He would wake up in the morning and take about a four-mile walk through Pandharpur. He used to wear a loincloth and another small cloth to cover his body. He carried a bundle of three sticks over his shoulder. When he walked down the road, the shopkeepers would give him money. Within two hours, his fists would be full of money. He would take it to the graveyard where he lived. To him this place was a palace. Once I followed him. As he left the city on his way to the graveyard, he suddenly looked back. "Why are you following me?" he asked. I replied, "I want to come to your home." "Hey, you're a nice man," he said. "I belong to a low caste and live in a graveyard. You shouldn't come with me." I insisted, "You are much better than I am. In my eyes, you belong to the highest class. I want to go with you." He walked off and I followed him until we finally reached the graveyard. The holy river Chandrabhaga flows by that place. He stood before the river and addressed it: "O Mother, keep this money with you." He threw the money into the water, saying, "I have no place to keep it. You take care ofit." Then he sat peacefully under a tree in the graveyard. I prostrated fully before him, touched his feet, and sat down. He said, "I belong to a low caste. You are a sannyasin, Narayana Himself.22 It's not good for you to commit the sin of bowing to me."

180. In Maharashtra state; a place of pilgrimage. 22. When a sannyasin renounces the pleasures of the earthly, ancestral, and heavenly worlds, it is commonly considered that the merit earned by his action raises him to the level of Narayana, or God.

42 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

I protested, "Bapumiayiji, I know myself very well, and I know you, too. I have come here greedy for some real nourishment. If you would be less miserly, I would be more fortunate." He said, "Go to the temple and see the statue of Vitthal." "I've done all that," I replied. "Now I'm sitting right before the moving, speaking Vitthal." "I feel that I am the lowest of all," he said. "Don't you feel ashamed being here with me?" Then he added softly, "O swami, everything is the embodiment of God. There is nothing else. The Lord is above, below, to the left and right. You are that God. There is nothing else but Him. Chant His name with great ecstasy. Now go." I said, "Come with me to Yeola." "No, no," he answered. "Why should I leave this heaven and go somewhere else?" By this time it was midnight. "Now leave. Wherever you go, I am with you. Go to your own heaven, Ganeshpuri." Then he said something else. I be- came ecstatic and slept in the graveyard. I had arrived in the town only that evening, and already I had met such a great Siddha.

180. There was another great being called Narasinga Swami who used to wander through the streets of the town of Pandharpur. He was not emaciated like Bapumayi. His body was so strong that even a wrestler seemed puny by compari- son. Narasinga Swami went around naked. He would bathe wherever he found a water faucet. No one could count how many times he bathed during the day and night. He observed silence. If he spoke at all, he would say only one or two very mysterious words. People would give him things with great love. As he walked down the street, he would enter a restaurant. Inside he would say, "Yes, yes," point out a number of items, and eat a large amount. Then he would leave and continue

City of Love 43

walking down the street. When he came across another water faucet, he would bathe again and then go into another restaurant. This play would continue throughout the day. At night, he would lie down on the ground in front of any store, fall sound asleep, and begin to snore. The earth was his bed. The sky in all four directions was his blanket. How radiant, how joyful he was! He did not feel cold, nor did the earth give him discomfort. He was independent of his body. I slept by his side one night. When he woke up at three o'clock in the morning, I also got up. He sang a poem in the Kannada language, the essence of which was: "What should one own, and what should one renounce? When both these notions have disappeared, what does a fully ripened yogi need? What does he reject?" By the time he had bathed, one of the restaurants had opened. He immediately went in and ate. Then he slowly began to walk down the road. I went up to him and bowed. He said, "What I said is all there is." That was my meeting with this strange Siddha.

181. From there, 1 went to visit Adoni Lakshmibai. She was an extraordinary yogini who had attained an exalted state. Four women used to take care of her. If they dressed her, she would toss the clothes aside. Once she noticed a man coming to see her. She yelled, "Ah, that scoundrel is coming here! He's a cheat; he's greedy. He wants to please me by bringing bananas, sweets, and money. Even though he's had three wives, he has no children. He wants a son." Then she covered her head with a blanket and went to sleep. When the man arrived, the women attendants asked him, "Did you bring bananas?" "Yes," he replied. "Have you had three wives?" they asked. He had. "Do you want a child?" He did. Then they said, "Now you can leave!"

44 YOGAOFTHESIDDHAS

The whole time the man was there, Adoni Lakshmibai had remained asleep. The moment he left, she awoke. Nine months later, his wife gave birth to a son. What a unique Siddha yogim! She was truly extraordinary.

182. Many years ago in the town of Alandi in Maharashtra, there lived a sublime Siddha yogi. His name was Jnaneshwar Maharaj. Although he was young, he was very compassion- ate and considered everyone as equal. When any other Siddha came near him, Jnaneshwar always appeared to be just one inch greater. He lived with his brothers and his younger sister Muktabai. At that time, there was in their village a very orthodox priest called Visoba Khechar. Out of jealousy of the children's attainment, he had instructed the village shopkeepers not to sell anything to Jnaneshwar's family. One day Muktabai wanted to make puranpoli, a sweet bread, but when she went to the market, no one would sell her a pan. She returned home and called her brother Jnaneshwar. He said, "Don't worry, my sister. You can cook the bread on my back." He got down on his hands and knees, saying, "Inside, there is a mighty fire. Let it blaze." The moment he spoke these words, his inner fire was kindled through his yogic power and his back became red hot. Muktabai cooked the bread on his back and fed everyone. Jnaneshwar Maharaj was such a great and powerful yogi that the eight great supernatural powers followed at his heels. Even today his writings are read and revered through- out the world.

183. Muktabai was a great yogini even as a child. Like her brother Jnaneshwar, she was a great poet. One day her brother sent the famous yogi Shn Changadev to see her. Arriving unexpectedly, he accidentally entered the room where Muktabai was taking a bath.

City of Love 45

As he was rushing from the room, Muktabai shouted after him: "Fool! After all your years of study, you are still no yogi. You have seen so many naked cows grazing on the meadows. O Changadev, you should see me as you see those cows. Because you have not received the blessings of a perfect master, you are still not free from the duality of ego - men and women, high and low. Lose your ego and there will be no difference between you and me. Then you will realize your pure Self, which is beyond all these outer appearances." Hearing these words, Shri Changadev ran back into the room and fell prostrate before Muktabai, calling her Mother over and over. With the last trace ofhis ego washed away, he became as pure and perfect as the rays of the sun. Muktabai was such a great and powerful Siddha yogini that one word from her could transform a seeker.

184. In Pandharpur lived a saint called Janabai who was a devotee of Namadev Maharaj. Her heart and mind were pure. She was devoted to God and indifferent to the world. She was always absorbed in her work. She spent her life grinding grain, and as she did this, she constantly chanted God's name. Seeing her love and devotion, God would assume a form and, out of love for her, would help her grind the grain This is what the Siddhas say about Janabai, and I have complete faith in it. What is impossible for God?

185. The great Queen Mirabai is a well-known historical figure. She was a great lover of Krishna and became so immersed in devotion to God that she lost interest in her high position. If a person has swum in the ocean of love, why would she take interest in a river or stream? Mirabai used to wear anklets and chant and dance in the temple. Chanting is a great therapy. I do not know how far one can go with modern psychotherapy,

46 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

but I know that the therapy of chanting can wholly rejuve- nate a person. Mirabai was one of the Siddha yoginis. She was once given poison to drink. Chanting God's name, she drank it, considering it a blessing from God. It did not affect her. This shows the power of chanting.

186. There was another yogini named Sakhubai. She was a householder. She loved the saints and the holy town of Pandharpur but had to live with her very strong willed mother-in-law. One day Sakhubai wanted to visit Pandharpur, but her mother-in-law refused to let her go. When Sakhubai pre- pared to leave anyway, her mother-in-law tied her to a post. God's power is so extraordinary that He can do and undo anything. Through His thought alone, the world comes into existence, so what can be impossible for Him? Sakhubai wept, saying, "O Lord, I've heard that you take care of your devotees. Can't this poor woman have the darshan of Pandharpur and your pilgrims there? Won't you have compassion on me?" The Bhagavad Gita says that if we remember God even once, He remembers us a hundred times. At that point, God assumed a form identical to that of Sakhubai, released her, and tied Himself to the post. Sakhubai immediately went to Pandharpur and met all the saints there. The Lord, who is dear to His devotees, had fulfilled her desires, and she returned promptly. God tied her to the post again and disappeared. Meanwhile, the mother-in-law had gone to the river to fetch water. Some pilgrims happened to meet her there and said to her, "We saw your daughter-in-law in Pandharpur. She is on her way back; in fact, she must have arrived by now." The mother-in-law's eyes grew red with anger, and she rushed home. But when she arrived, she saw Sakhubai still tied to the post. She questioned her, and Sakhubai told the truth.

City of Love 47

Everyone felt very sorry and said, "Oh! It was God Himself who took Sakhubai's form. Our own blindness deceived us, and we didn't recognize Him." There is no doubt that a person reaps the fruits of his own actions. The great sage Narada said that a genuine devotee always remains immersed in God. It is so true. God is wholly under the control of His devotees. Sakhubai became a great Siddha yoginleven while leading the life of a householder.

187. Another great and very well-respected woman saint was Rabia Basari. She was a renunciant who had attained perfect knowledge. She had led a just life, and even the eminent saint Hassan revered her. She had many miraculous powers. If she did not go to Mecca to see God, He would come to her. I have read about this. One day a mendicant was praying to God, "O Lord, open the door for me." Rabia, who was also present, said, "O brother, when was God's door closed?" She was a remarkable Siddha yogini who had attained God and who had discovered the secret of knowledge.

188. Akkamahadevi lived in Karnataka. She was a great renunciant and was always absorbed in chanting the five- syllable mantra Om Namah Shivaya. She was the disciple of Shri Basaveshwar, a Siddha who had attained the state of Shiva. Her great love forced God to manifest before her in the form of Mallikarjuna in the renowned holy place of Shnshailam. Her poems were like divine mantras.

189. There have been countless other women saints and yoginis. I could write forever about them. I will mention only a few of their names: Shivabhakta, Lalleshwari of Kashmir, Phooli- bai, Jayadevi, Bahinabai, Mallamma, Anasuya, Gargi (the knower of the Absolute), and Maitreyi. In India, there have been many Siddha yoginis to whom people pray every morn- ing. I welcome them all with love.

7

The State of a Siddha

190. O Shri Gurudev, I bow to you again and again! You are the highest of all deities. You are the morning sun of intellect. O King of all Gums! You are the only source of joy. You are the ultimate resting place of all. You alone grant Self-realization. You are the ocean from which the waves of creation arise, making diverse forms composed of the five elements. Your Siddhahood is supremely independent!

191. It is God who rises in the form of the sun. He dwells in the hearts of all beings and in the thousand-rayed tendencies of the mind. He illumines the three states and the three worlds. He causes lost souls to return to Him. The power of the Siddhas' grace cures one's forgetfulness. Then the awareness of the all-pervasive Consciousness arises automatically.

192. The Lord of Consciousness compels all 8,400,000 species of creatures to dance on the stage of the outer world. Each one dances its own strange dance as if in a movie. He has adorned each of them, from Brahma to an insect, with a body according to its individual needs. Each creature becomes stiff with ego, forgets its own Self, and suffers. Through the 48

State of a Siddha 49

wisdom of the Siddhas, a person regains his knowledge of the Self and becomes the embodiment of supreme bliss. After he becomes established in perfection, no matter what he may perceive through his eyes or his intellect, he no longer distinguishes between himself and what he sees. His vision reveals to him his own true nature. A person who looks in a mirror sees his own face, which existed even before he looked in the mirror. Similarly, wherever a Siddha looks, he sees his own Self, which is without beginning.

193. When that which is seen disappears, nothing remains except the seer. The act of seeing also vanishes. For example, a person dreams that he is embracing his friend, but when he awakens there is neither friend nor embrace, and he natur- ally becomes still. To experience perfection is the glorious result of a Siddha's grace. Then, no matter what a person may see or experience, he perceives the same thing in all. He acquires the vision which penetrates beyond the distinction of seer and the seen. Just as the sky is full of itself and therefore remains motionless, similarly, once a person fully enters the Self, he never moves from that state. This is the sign of Siddhahood.

194. At the end of each world cycle, only water remains. Because it fills all space, there is no current or movement within it. In the same way, when the Self is full of itself, there is only stillness. How can fire devour itself? How can water bathe itself? Likewise, when a Siddha yogi becomes one with the Self of all, his coming and going ceases. The culmination of the journey to perfection is the cessation of all actions.

195. In the ocean, there is only water. The waves which arise from one place and fall somewhere else are water. That

50 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

which creates this movement is also water. No matter how high waves may leap, they cannot go beyond the ocean shores. However high the tide may be, its essence, water, remains unaffected. The basic unity of the ocean is never destroyed. Similarly, when one attains Siddhahood, the bondage of duality ceases to exist.

196. However firmly embedded the awareness of one's individu- ality may be, it ultimately merges into Consciousness. For this reason, one is always a pilgrim journeying toward Con- sciousness. Even if the needs of the body force a person to perform actions, he still ultimately attains the Lord of Con- sciousness. At that point, the ideas of doer and action vanish. Seeing only his own Self as Consciousness every- where, a person becomes God. This is the Siddha's attain- ment of the knowledge of perfection.

197. How can a mirror see itself? Why would one cover gold with gold plate? When a flame is already burning, a second flame cannot illumine it. In the same way, whatever a Siddha may do can never be considered action. To his vision, everything is That, neither good nor bad. This is the nature of perfect Siddhahood.

198. Since a Siddha sees all actions and their results as God, how can he be said to perform actions? This state is known as supreme devotion to God and as the knowledge of the enlight- ened beings. A Siddha may appear to perform actions, but in fact he does not. Whatever he does is his worship of God. Whatever he says is a hymn of praise to Him. Whatever he sees, he sees as God. Wherever he walks, it is his pilgrimage to the supreme, divine unity. O friend, this is.how a Siddha lives.

State of a Siddha 51

199. Because a Siddha's vision embodies the Absolute, what- ever he does is worship of the Lord of Consciousness. What- ever thought of the outer world he may hold in his mind is repetition of God's name. If a Siddha remains still, his stillness is the state of samadhi. O friend, understand that just as a gold bracelet never becomes different from gold, a Siddha, through knowledge, devotion, and yoga, constantly remains united with God. This is the vision of the Siddhas.

200. O friend, as waves are in water, fragrance in camphor, and brilliance in jewels, so a Siddha dwells in supreme unity. As warp and woof are inseparable from cloth, as clay is insepa- rable from pots, so a Siddha is entirely one with God. A Siddha yogi who has attained complete knowledge of That remains inseparably immersed in Consciousness; he is the self of the universe. Perceiving only Consciousness, he knows the seer as it is. Through his awareness of the Self in all objects, he knows the true nature of the seen. You may call this state madness. O friend, correct your vision. Cure your own madness. Through the meditation and knowledge of the Siddhas, you will realize, "I was the one who was deluded."

201. The following story makes an important point: Once there lived a crow king and an owl king. Both had many compan- ions. They lived with their friends in the same forest on their respective trees. One day they met, and the crow asked, "Why do you work at night?" The owl protested, "O brother, it is you who works at night." This began a long, heated argument. As they argued, the day wore on and became night. The owl said, "O king of the crows, now it is day." The crow replied, "No, brother, it is night." Then they began to fight in earnest. At that point, a swan arrived and said, "Don't fight. You

52 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

are both right. What is day for a crow is night for an owl. What is day for an owl is night for a crow." In the same way, an ignorant person's day of sense pleas- ures and possessions is night for a Siddha and is to be renounced. What is day for a Siddha - his awareness of the Self of all, the knowledge of "I am That," and the under- standing of the all-pervasive light of bliss - is night for an ignorant person. Turn your night into day. Muktananda says, "Then Siddha Yoga is filled with ecstasy and joy."

202. The wise person who has attained Siddhahood sees that he himself, the seer, is the entire universe. Having attained this wisdom and the experience of the Self in this very body, he begins to dance with joy. He comes to the conclusion that what he had perceived as a snake is nothing but a rope. When his Kundalini is awakened and he totally merges with Shiva, his inner experience illumines his outer world as well. Then he has the outlook of a Siddha.

203. When gold ornaments are melted, it becomes obvious that even in name they were never different from gold. When a seeker understands that waves consist of nothing but water, he never again considers their forms to be either lasting in themselves or separate from the ocean. Similarly, through the grace of a Siddha, the wisdom of the Siddhas arises from within, and one feels, "Ah, I am all this!"

204. When a person awakens, he is no longer aware of the various ramblings of his dreams. He is conscious only of his waking state. Similarly, a Siddha forgets the dream of bond- age and understands that he, the knower, is everything visible and invisible - all objects, the process of knowing, all that there is. He experiences: "I am the knower. I am

State of a Siddha 53

unborn, deathless, indestructible, and inexhaustible. I am primordial, limitless bliss." This is the true understanding of Siddha Yoga.

205. A Siddha has this continual awareness: "That conscious Being is ancient. He is both unmanifest and manifest. I am controlled by the Supreme Power, and I am the controller as well. That Supreme Power is beginningless, indestructible, and fearless. It is both the support and that which is sup- ported. I am self-born and exist in all forms as the inner Self. I am also beyond everything. I am new as well as old. I am the void as well as the whole. I am both large and small. I am every existing thing." This is the statement of the Siddhas.

206. "I am a Siddha and exist everywhere equally. I am filled with Consciousness." Through God's grace and his one- pointed devotion, a Siddha truly knows this. He is also aware that he is the knowledge of the experience of the Self. Just as an ignorant person naturally identifies himself with the body, a Siddha fully experiences himself as the embodiment of bliss. A Siddha lives in total freedom.

207. A person who has a nightmare becomes terrified. He awakens with a start and asks those around him, "Where did the three-horned tiger go?" He creates his own dream images and then fears them, but both the dream and the fear vanish when he awakens. Likewise, a Siddha yogi becomes serene, carefree, and pure when he perceives the universe within himself. Then he spontaneously retains the experience of perfection.

208. Not only does the rising sun reveal the world, it also reveals itself. This illustrates how the revealer and what is revealed are one and the same. Similarly, when both knowl-

54 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

edge and ignorance vanish, only the Knower remains. When a person fully understands this, he himself becomes the Knower. Siddha Yoga has unlimited power to grant one the vision of one's own Self.

209. Only one who has the supreme knowledge of unity and equality can know the state of an enlightened being. A Siddha understands that he himself is the force behind that power of knowledge. He also understands that he is the principle of the Self, beyond both unity and duality, beyond the beyond. There is no doubt about this. When a person awakens from sleep, for a moment he is aware only of him- self. The state of a being who experiences direct knowledge is permanently like this. He becomes calm and attains the Siddhas' awareness of equality.

210. Someone once asked Saint Tukaram, "What is the state of a saint, a great soul, an enlightened being, a Siddha? What is his experience?" Tukaram Maharaj replied,"If you want to know how a fish sleeps in water, you will have to become a fish." Just as a fish lives immersed in water so, when a person becomes established in the state of a Siddha, his whole being is immersed in his own true nature. One cannot understand his state of being. Only a Siddha can know it.

211. When Maharishi Narada was asked this question about the state of a saint, he replied, "A devotee is wholly immersed in Consciousness and has lost himself in it." When they are heated, gold ornaments melt but remain gold. When salt dissolves in water, it seems to disappear, but the salty taste remains. Similarly, even though a Siddha has the awareness, "I am the Supreme Absolute," and merges into the nectar of ecstasy, he still experiences his own bliss and becomes serene. This is the state of the Siddhas.

State of a Siddha 55

212. As long as Lord Krishna was with Arjuna, Arjuna was victorious in many battles. He was considered an illustrious man. He was so worthy that the Lord revealed to him the secret knowledge behind the mystery of the Vedas and showed him His universal form. Many years later, Krishna left this earth. For so long, because of Krishna's physical presence, Arjuna had felt se- cure in Krishna's grace. But now he thought the Lord was dead and he became filled with sorrow. At this time, Arjuna was in charge of escorting some of the Lord's people to another town. Suddenly some tribal boys attacked them and began to rob the women. To his horror, Arjuna discovered that he was powerless to stop them. That same Arjuna with his powerful bow and arrows was incapable of preventing the robbery. O my friend, Arjuna's victories had never been due to his bravery but to Krishna's grace. Because of his wrong under- standing of the Lord's true nature, Arjuna lost all his strength and became weak. Even a single thought of Krishna would have been enough to give him strength, but now ordinary tribal boys defeated him. He did not remember Krishna, so he no longer had Krishna's grace. Remember that as long as Shri Guru's grace and compas- sion are with Muktananda, he is fine. Otherwise, he is worth only a penny. Protect your right understanding. Discard the ego which you have hidden behind your knowledge. You may think that it is well concealed, but your ego is betraying you. The Siddhas' behavior toward others is pure and totally free of deception. Always contemplate their nonattachment, their awareness of equality, and their true love for all. Then the Siddhas' grace will awaken in you.

213. The Supreme Being is inherent in all that one does. He sees all one's actions and immediately determines their fruits. If one plants strawberries, one will not harvest apples. A cat

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eats with its eyes closed and thinks that no one can see it. O cat, you may have closed your eyes, but the eyes of the Witness remain open. One's actions are the Absolute itself. They create one's heaven and hell. Be vigilant. Be pure within and without. Know that only then will you come closer to discovering the secret of the Siddhas. Remember this.

214. As I mentioned before, the divine sage Narada said, "A devotee is wholly immersed in Consciousness." When a yogi enters the supreme light of the Absolute, he relinquishes all notions of himself and others. His former idea of "I" and "that" is annihilated. He merges into his own true nature and becomes perfect. Such a great being does not become an inflated ego-balloon. He does not flaunt himself, saying, "I saw myself above the seventh heaven." He does not stretch out his begging bowl and say, "Call me God." A being who is fearful and depends on bodyguards to protect him cannot be God, nor can one who has to be locked up in a mental hospital to cool down his deranged mind. Shaivism says, Siddhaha svatantrabhavaha - "A Siddha lives in total freedom."23

215. For a great being, there is no attachment, no enmity, no delusion, and no fear. He merges all his different "therapies" into the space of Consciousness. He does not perceive any stench in others. He becomes one with the awareness of equality. He does not drink the foul poison of criticizing others, nor does he quietly burn inwardly in the fire of enmity and jealousy when he sees or hears of others' greatness. It is astonishing: If one crow gets a morsel of food, all the other crows pursue him. For the same reason, a vulture chases another vulture, or a mongrel trails another mongrel. In the jungle, one animal is always waiting to prey upon another. If

216. Shiva Sutras, III-13.

State of a Siddha 57

a being is in the same state as these animals, he is neither God, nor a Siddha, a sadhu,4 a swami, or a noble person. O my friends, think about this. What is Siddhahood?

216. When camphor begins to burn, one can see a flame. When both the camphor and the flame vanish, only space remains. When one subtracts one from one, nothing is left. In the same way, when one discards one's ideas about what exists and what does not exist, of what is present and what is not present, all that remains is Truth and infinite bliss. This state is not a piano of ego on which one plays do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. In this state, even such words as the Absolute, the Self, and God obstruct one's bliss; there is not even any room to say, "Nothing exists here." This is the state the Siddhas have attained.

217. The state of a Siddha is beyond both knowing and not knowing. In that state, bliss is embraced with bliss. Joy is experienced through joy. Success is gained through success. Light dwells within light. Shaivism says that the stages of yoga are filled with amazing phenomena.25 In that state, astonishment drowns in astonishment. All dos and don'ts are silenced. Rest attains total rest. Experience delights in experience. The state of a Siddha is the attainment of total perfection. Siddhas are like this. O friend, read this very carefully.

218. One who constantly practices the disciplines of Siddha Yoga and performs noble actions attains the pure fruit of the nature of the Self. It can be understood in this way. Imagine

219. Holy man. 25. Shiva Sutras, 1-12.

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that Siddha Yoga is a temple and that liberation, the final attainment of Siddha Yoga, is the crown of the dome of that temple. Know that when the yogi reaches that crown, he becomes as all-pervading as the sky above the dome. It can also be understood in another way. Siddha Yoga is a broad stream through the forest of the world. This stream leads to the realm of oneness, where the individual soul and the Absolute merge. Through knowledge, devotion, and yoga, a person is swiftly carried along by the current and merges into the ocean of bliss, the name of God. Then a Siddha yogi becomes an exalted being. This is why I have written at length about him.

8

The Guru is the Means

219. Now, after discussing the Supreme Principle in detail, we will turn to sadhaha, or the means of attaining that Principle. The Supreme Principle is not something one attains by doing sadhana in the right place at the right time. Consciousness is complete within itself and exists in all eternally. Shaivism teaches that this entire world is the play of Consciousness. For this reason, one does not have to undergo any kind of difficulty to attain God. Through Siddha Yoga, one automat- ically attains the principle of the Self. Siddha Yoga is effort- less and simple.

220. It is universally true that in all fields, if there is a student, then there must also be a teacher. In this world, there is a teacher for every subject. This is nothing new. If there is a music student, there is also a music teacher. If there is a patient, there is also an acupuncturist, a healer, or a psychic who perceives the unseen. Similarly, if there is a spiritual seeker, there must also be a guide to point out the right path. In Siddha Yoga, the Siddha Guru guides the seeker unerringly. On the Siddha Path, one needs a Guru who has been chosen by another Siddha of the true lineage of Siddhas. He must have complete knowledge and be proficient at trans-

59

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mitting energy and removing all obstacles. He should always be pure, simple, and straightforward, capable of bestowing wisdom and making love flow. He must know that true Principle just as it is. He must have become one with That. He should be content with whatever comes to him and free of addictions. He must also be a master of diplomacy. One needs a Guru who can point out the path to attain the Self, but in addition one has to put forth self-effort.

221. Treasures lie in the womb of the earth, fire is latent in wood, and milk is in the udder of a cow. However, one has to take certain actions to acquire them. In the same way, even though the Supreme Principle is within us, a person who wishes to attain it must use the right means. This is necessary because we have been going in the wrong direction for such a long time. Even a person of discrimination and exalted vision must make some effort in order for that Prin- ciple to manifest for him completely.

222. One's hands can remove moss from water, but they cannot create water. Forgetfulness of one's true nature is the moss of ignorance which muddies the experience of the Self. The Guru is the means of removing it. Just as the wind disperses the clouds but does not create another blazing sun, so the grace of a Siddha simply removes the veil of ignorance so that one realizes that one is already perfect. Consciousness, or the awareness "I am perfect," always remains pure and radiant. For this reason, all scriptures and sadhanas are simply means of washing away the filth of ignorance. They have no ability of their own to reveal the wisdom of the Self because that Principle is self-existent, perfect, and always manifest. How the Siddhas attain that state of Truth is the mystery of yoga. When the sun rises in the east, all other directions are illumined with brilliant light. In the same way, when the

Guru is the Means 61

Siddhas follow this exalted path, the Supreme Principle manifests of its own accord. I repeat this again and again in great detail for the benefit of the seeker who is engaged in sadhana. It will enable him to know the Truth and thus become happy and carefree. He will realize how easy it is to reach that state without getting lost or going in the wrong direction. The Siddha Path is so simple that he will instantly reach his true state.

223. Constant and independent contentment is the sign of a being who has attained That. When a seeker becomes worthy of attaining the Absolute, his mind becomes unshakable and contented. The path of the Siddhas leads to the wisdom of the Supreme Principle. During the rainy season there are floods, but in autumn the river becomes quiet and its turbu- lence calms down. At the end of a song, the accompanying drum beat dies out. In the same way, one's striving and tension vanish the moment one attains Self-realization. The serenity and joy of this state are the glory of Self-realization. At this point, one is flooded with the awareness of inner contentment. A fountain of joy wells up in one's heart when one's awareness becomes stable. Then one has attained Siddhahood. One is awarded the highest certificate from the Siddha University. O friend, make sure that you get the right certificate.

224. When the sun rises, all the stars fade away in its brilliance. Similarly, when the sun of knowledge rises in the heart and a person experiences the essence of the Self, the universe of diversity with its countless beings and objects is dissolved for him. Duality perishes. The radiant sun of the Self blazes in his eyes. Its flame radiates through every pore of his body. As it flashes, his entire body is filled with the nectar of love. Drops of nectar from the stream of love flow from his eyes.

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His words shower love. His speech is never an arrow which pierces others' hearts with bitter, cruel, or filthy words. The wisdom of the Siddhas is sweet.

225. When one is initiated into sannyasa, one dons clothing of radiant orange. Similarly, as love shimmers within a swami, his speech, language, and understanding become clothed with sweetness. He looks upon everyone with love. Harsh words are a sign of inner dryness. Self-praise is evidence of nonattainment. Cruelty is proof of hatred. The idea of differ- ences indicates the cancer of ignorance. Living in the midst of people, a swami loves all but remains independent of everyone. He gives up all expectations. True sannyasa spon- taneously makes a swami a natural renunciant. In Mukta- nanda's words, it is not enough merely to play the role of a sannyasin. A real sannyasin belongs to the Nandapadma Order.

226. O friend! A person may claim to be a great being, a Siddha, or a leader. He may be a performer of miracles. He may claim to hold the degree of God. But if he does not behave prop- erly, he will lead people astray. The behavior of a great being is the greatest example for others, and they follow it. Become true, sublime, perfect, and pure. Never lead people in the wrong direction. Muktahanda welcomes you all from his own Self. For me, true Guruhood is God.

227. Every person has some addiction. He loves that addiction and makes it his intimate friend. In India, there is a particu- lar group of proverbs about addictions, which are true as well as witty. One of them is: "The sun loves salutations." In Hatha Yoga, the salutation to the sun is a very important exercise. When I was in Miami Beach, I saw that every man, woman, and child had so much respect for the sun that they

Guru is the Means 63

lay outside for hours on end. Perhaps this was their way of showing love and devotion to the sun! There is another saying: "Lord Vishnu likes ornaments." In India, people adorn the temples of Vishnu with great splendor. In America, there are also countless varieties of ornamentation: Out of self-respect, people beautify them- selves with plastic surgery, numerous types of makeup, and fashionable clothes. I have gained a great deal of understand- ing from all of this. The whole world is imitating Vishnu's love of ornaments. Go ahead and adorn yourself. But re- member, do not throw the wisdom of Vishnu into the garbage can. His Self is within you. I tell everyone, "It is not enough just to imitate Vishnu outwardly. Adorn the inner Vishnu as well. The cosmetic shop is within." Siddha Yoga tells every- one to go to that shop. A third saying is: "Shiva loves a ritual bath." The Indians worship Shiva in the form of a lingam by giving it a ritual bath. As they recite mantras, they pour over it yogurt, milk, honey, coconut water, and other delicious liquids. If the worshipper does this with the feeling that God is every- where, He will receive these offerings. God is pleased if the worshipper is contented. We imitate this Shiva worship. We give ourselves ritual "baths" with Coca-Cola, lemonade, orange juice, brandy, or vodka. Some are intoxicating and others are not. Remember that Shiva is also within the inner heart. Give Him a ritual bath there as well. Bathe Him with ever-increasing love, which is sweet and nectarean. The intoxication of inner love will arise, and you yourself will become Shiva.

228. O friend, everyone in the world has one addiction or another. I also have an addiction which I cherish, and that is Shri Gurudev. I am very fond of saying, Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jai! I dearly love to gaze at his face. I am also addicted to repeating Guru Om, Guru Om.

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Tukaram Maharaj was addicted to chanting. Namadev was addicted to singing the divine name. Mirabai was addicted to putting on anklets and dancing and chanting with the intox- ication of love. Suradas was addicted to devotion. Ekanath Maharaj was addicted to devotion to the Guru. Jnaneshwar Maharaj was addicted to knowledge of God and the Guru. Even after attaining perfection, these saints still had their addictions. In the same way, I am addicted to my Guru. Wherever I go to eat, bathe, sleep, or give darshan, I like to have a beautiful picture of him before me. But the guru market is down, not only in America but throughout the world. The moment a person hears the word "guru," he becomes upset. If anyone mentions the word "guru" to his family or displays a guru's photographs, he is considered crazy. Young boys and girls may go anywhere - to a theater, movie, or nightclub to drink beer or brandy. They may go with their friends wherever they want, and their families will give them money and credit cards for their expenses. But they place one condition on this: They must not go to a guru or chant God's name. If the boys and girls do not listen, their families take away their credit cards. They get people to convince them not to go to a guru. Why is the guru market so low these days? It is because gurus do not behave properly. Of course, some gurus are true. In all fields, there are both the genuine and the false, so it is not at all remarkable that there are also false gurus. Never- theless, when people are deceived and suffer loss, it is only because of their wrong understanding. One finds a guru who is like oneself. One accepts a guru according to one's own nature. So says Muktananda.

229. There are different religions, such as Sufism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism. There are rabbis, Moslem priests, ayatullahs, and popes. There are also different lineages which originated from Gurus who were true and intelligent.

Guru is the Means 65

The Guru's position is lofty, noble, and worthy of respect. Lord Krishna's Guru was Sindipani. Shri Ram's Guru was Vasishtha. Kabir's Guru was Ramananda. There were Shan- karacharya, Guru Nanakdev, and Jesus; their power is still actively functioning in the world. There were swamis of the Nandapadma Order whose teachings were sublime. They were boats in which people crossed over the ocean of worldli- ness. The passage on those boats was guaranteed. Those who sailed on them had no fear because those great Gurus always took a person to the final goal. Guruhood is not an evil thing, but if a person makes himself a guru without having attained Guruhood, then his boat sinks, and the guru market goes down.

230. I do not put pressure on anyone. Siddha Yoga is not a guru cult. But in every field, one needs a guide. On the spiritual path, too, a Guru is necessary. At certain times in one's life, healers, psychologists, psychics, and professors may all be necessary. In the same way, in spiritual life, one needs a guide who is wise and compassionate, who observes good conduct, who has studied the scriptures and spiritual philos- ophies, and who has understood the Truth. He should have been the disciple of a spiritual leader who incorporated scriptural injunctions into his own life. Whatever anyone may say or think about me, I take great interest in my Guru. My love for him has become an addic- tion. That Siddha gave me one word26 which completely transformed me, but I had to spend such a long time with him to receive it. That word which I received after so many years spread through my body from head to toe like wildfire carried by the wind. It produced in me both inner heat and the coolness of joy.

231. The mantra.

66 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

Before meeting my Guru, I had practiced many different kinds of yoga, but it was I who had practiced them. However, that word activated a spontaneous yoga within me. I was filled with amazement. What postures, mudras, and breathing processes! Everything happened on its own. After attaining divine realization, I understood my compassionate Guru.

231. After the awakening of the Shakti, this process of yogic movements began to take place within my entire body. What power that word had! I almost hesitate to write all of this. It revealed whatever was within me - in my heart and in my head. I saw my own double many times. In the sahasrara at the crown of the head, I perceived the brilliance of a thousand suns. I also saw the Blue Being. Sometimes I would lose myself within; then I would regain consciousness. It was like a play, similar to that of the waking and dream states. Even now, I do not know where I lose my small self and from where it returns. It is so amusing - I lose myself, then find myself. I have seen the center of true joy; there I lose myself and from there I return. I am ecstatic! I have found the best place of all, right within myself.

232. I have rediscovered that which I never lost. Still, my addiction has not left me. Jai Gurudev! Such a great addic- tion to the Guru! Guru Om! The repetition of this great mantra occurs even in my dreams. I do not know who repeats it there. My Guru's picture seems to come alive for me. When I look at his eyes, I see radiance. When I gaze at his body, it seems to be moving. When I look at his face, a smile seems to play on his lips. People may think this is madness. So be it. How beautiful! How exquisite! How ecstatic! Sometimes in the privacy of my room, I dance while singing Guru Om, Guru Om. Sometimes I feel that my beloved's head is swaying in the photograph. Such madness of love

Guru is the Means 67

arises within me! The pulsation of his ecstasy pervades my entire body like the movement of the wind. I have become what I wanted to become. Still, my addiction has never left me. The blessings of the Guru are wondrous and extraordinary.

233. How did I become so hopelessly addicted? After pondering this question for a long time, I finally realized that he himself had entered me through my ear in the form of that word. The power of the Self had entered me. The kriyas were his, the yoga was his, and meditation took place because of him. It was he, the embodiment of Consciousness, who emerged from the Blue Pearl. The final message which I received was from him. I have come to understand that he is the bliss of infinity, the bliss of love, the bliss of perfection, the bliss of the Supreme, and the bliss of the Self. What an extraordi- nary discovery!

234. Now I completely understand my addiction. It is his radiance in the light of my eyes. It is his utterance in the speech of my tongue. Through my breathing, it is he who comes in and goes out. It is he who eats, drinks, hears, and makes me hear. The power of his word permeates each of my blood cells. The fluids of my entire body are his. That is why I am joyful. I now understand that what I considered to be myself was totally unreal. I had made an error in calculation and was trapped in it. The truth is that Gurudev himself had entered me through that word.

235. Ah, what power that word had! Gurudev entered me and replaced all my bodily fluids with his. How powerful he is! He evicted me and took up residence himself. He annihilated my ego. Now I understand that this was why I became addicted to him. Once Sheik Nasrudin wore someone else's coat and claimed that it belonged to him. This is not like

68 YOGA OF THE SIDDHAS

that. My Guru entered me, and who knows where he dis- posed of me? By making my individuality his, he became me. This is the Guru's compassion.

236. My attainment is Gurudev. My sadhana is Gurudev. My realization is Gurudev. My mantra is Gurudev. What is the formless or the attributeless? What is realization of the form? It is all delusion created by words. When two sticks are rubbed together, an exquisite flame arises. By the churning of milk, butter is produced. Similarly, joy arises from the love of Guru Om and from the churning of the love between the Guru and the disciple. Only the Guru can know that delight and taste the elixir which arises in every pore of the body. This love cannot be attained through practicing yoga, through indulging in sense pleasures, or through prattling about knowledge. Only when a river merges into the ocean can it fully know the splendor of the ocean. Only when I lost myself in the ecstasy of Nityananda did I realize who he was. He is the nectar of love which arises when everything, sentient and insentient, becomes one. He is the beauty of the world. He pervades all forms, conscious and inert. He is the luminous sun, the moon, and the stars in the heavens. He frolics and sways with love in the blowing of the wind. His conscious- ness glimmers in men and women. There is only Nityananda, nothing but Nityananda. He is the bliss of the Absolute, the bliss of the Self, the bliss of freedom, and the bliss of love. There is only love, love, nothing but love.

Book II

Philosophy of the Siddhas

9

The Origin of Kashmir Shaivism

237. Now I shall write briefly about the essence of Kashmir Shaivism. Supreme Shiva Himself gave birth to the Shaiva philosophy, and Vasuguptacharya, a great Siddha being and the head of a distinguished lineage, elaborated it. Shaivism teaches that Shiva and Shakti are the cause of the universe. They are not two but one. Shaivism tells us that Shiva is static, attributeless, and formless and that Shakti is His dynamic aspect. Shiva is the seeker's ultimate goal.

238. This Shiva, who is also called Srikantha, is the Primordial Being of Shaivism. From Shiva came Vasugupta, Somanan- da, Utpalacharya, Lakshmanagupta, Ramakantha, Abhina- vagupta, Kshemaraja, Yogaraja, Kallata, Pradyumna Bhatta, Prajnarjuna, Mahadeva Bhatta, Shrikantha Bhatta, Bhas- kara, and other Siddhas. This lineage originating from Shiva has existed since time immemorial. There were also many yogis who came from Shiva, one of whom was Durvasa. He created three sons, Tryambaka, Amardaka, and Shrinatha, through the power of his mind. The history of all these beings is vast, profound, and highly secret. It would take great effort to write such a lengthy

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72 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

history. Seekers do not need to know it. We should neither waste our time nor lose faith and trust by discussing the origin of rivers and great beings. These investigations only add to our doubts.

239. Why should we know the origin of rivers? Our duty is to bathe in them, to wash away our impurities, and to cool the heat of our bodies. In the same way, it is our duty to under- stand the sages, to contemplate their teachings, and to practice the sadhana which they have shown us. It is our duty to attain our own divinity, to become happy in the bliss of reunion with the Self, and to lead our lives with great freedom and joy. Above all, our task is to complete our journey to the Self. Harboring unnecessary doubts makes a person fall from the path.

240. The principal scripture of Shaivism is the Shiva Sutras. These teachings were revealed by Shiva and kept highly secret until the great Siddha Vasugupta disseminated them throughout the world. Many Siddhas in Vasugupta's lineage wrote works based on the Shiva Sutras.

241. The Shiva Sutras describe three upayas, or means of sadhana - shambhava upaya, shakta upaya, and anava upaya. These three upayas were established in the Shiva Sutras to suit the temperaments, qualities, and natures of different people and enable them to attain the same Self.

242. The sages described the characteristics of a surra as follows: Alpaksharamasandigdham27 This means that a surra should contain very few words but should leave no room for doubt.

243. Padma Purana.

Origin of Kashmir Shaivism 73

A sutra should capture the essence of the principle it discus- ses. It should provide satisfactory solutions to problems ac- cording to the time and place. Sutras should neither be contradictory nor give misinformation. Some surras are so pithy that they are unclear even to great scholars. At such times, one needs the help of an experienced Guru.

243. The Shiva Sutras consist of seventy-seven surras written in simple language and divided into three sections. The first section contains the sutras belonging to the shambhava up- aya, the second to the shakta upaya, and the third to the anava upaya. Originally, Gurus taught these sutras to their disciples orally and in secret. Later, the great being Vasu- gupta wrote them down and disseminated them throughout the world. Now they are easily accessible. They are Vasu- gupta's great gift to us. We offer our salutations at his feet.

244. Seekers should assimilate completely the essence of the Shiva Sutras. They should make an effort to acquire the ability to digest them entirely. The subject should not give them dysentery.

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Shambhava Upaya

245. In mundane matters, one's feelings and thoughts are im- portant. In spiritual matters, however, one must transcend thoughts and feelings in order to discover and recognize the Supreme Principle which is their source. If one contemplates the purpose of life, the question inevitably arises, "What is its origin?"

246. Some people think that life is merely entertainment, that it is meant for indulging in sense pleasures and obtaining wealth, fame, power, and limitless enjoyments. Driven by the restlessness of the monkey-mind, they eat, drink, dance, jump around, and ultimately destroy their priceless life. Then, crying out and weeping, they continually repent. They blame time, destiny, their parents, relatives, and na- tional policies. Finally, they become death's victims. This is a complete map of the journey through the world.

247. When a person is seeking knowledge of the origin of life and begins to understand its reality, he occasionally loses interest in mundane matters. Sometimes he thinks that

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Shambava Upaya 75

worldly knowledge may be an impediment to the realization of Truth. This kind of thinking occurs because of his partial or limited knowledge of the Truth. If one does not have complete knowledge of the Truth and performs actions without proper understanding, attachment and aversion can arise. This happens because of ignorance of one's own Self and of the true nature of the world, as well as because of the wild, destructive dance of one's inner fan- tasies. The Shiva Sutras describe this condition in the aphorism Jnanam bandhaha28 - "[Limited] knowledge is bondage."

248. Paramashiva or Parasamvit, who contains various powers and whose nature is Consciousness, is the Supreme Princi- ple. It is described in the first of the Shiva Sutras: Chaitanyam atma - "The Self is Consciousness." In truth, there is no- thing other than that conscious light, which is the Ultimate Reality. This world is the play of that Principle, the Univer- sal Consciousness.

249. Paramashiva Himself, by contracting according to His own will, has brought about the effects of the three impurities - anava mala, mayiya mala, and karma mala.29 This is His game, drama, entertainment, journey, picnic, and sport. It is neither real nor unreal.

250. Enveloped in the three impurities, the individual soul falls under the influence of the letters, or sound-syllables, which are the basis of words. From these letters comes language, from language come ideas, and from ideas comes the under- standing "I am imperfect." This notion brings about the

251. Shiva Sutras, 1-2. 29. See Glossary.

76 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

limitation of one's power. Therefore, this kind of under- standing is bondage. Shaivism describes this state by saying, Jnanam bandhaha and Jnanadhishthanam matrika30 - "Lim- ited knowledge arises from the matrika shakti."31

251. Many factors contribute to the functioning of a human being, including the body, the senses, the mind, and the various gross and subtle principles. The understanding de- rived from all these instruments and principles takes a form and, so that others can understand it, manifests outwardly as groups of letters in the form of language. These letters arise from a source known as the matrika chakra.32

252. A seeker who pursues the Truth knows that everything, from the gross body to the matrika chakra, is nothing but a group of powers, or shaktis. His main duty is to recognize the Supreme Principle, which is the source of this group of powers. It is not possible to recognize the Supreme Principle through the senses. The Supreme Light can be recognized only through the purified willpower. When one contem- plates the Supreme Principle, one perceives that all the activities of the entire world occur because of the pulsation and play of Parashakti. By inwardly contemplating his identity with the Supreme Principle, a Siddha neither rejects nor hates the activities of the outer world. Instead, he participates in them fully.

253. Shiva Sutras, 1-4. 31. Matrika shakti is the power of letters, the subtle vibration of Shakti which arises as the letters of the alphabet. It is the source of the entire inner experience of an individual. All the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet from a to ksha are referred to as matrikas. However, the basic principle of matrika applies equally to all languages. 32. The supreme power of Consciousness in its primal sound form from which all matrikas arise.

Shambava Upaya 77

253. One should always remember that a human being has four bodies. In the physical body, one experiences the waking state and performs mundane activities. Some of these ac- tivities are re-experienced in the subtle body in the dream state, but since this state lacks any independent content, the experiences in this state cannot be called real. The goals and conflicts of the waking state are not per- ceived at all in the state of deep sleep because in that state there are neither feelings nor mental activity. This state lies beyond the dream state and corresponds to the third, or causal, body.

254. The state which pertains to the fourth body is called turiya. It is invaluable. In this state, one recognizes one's Self, one's own true nature; this can be recognized only through inner experience, not through the senses. Trying to describe this state is like a mute person trying to describe the sweets he is eating. Jnaneshwar Maharaj said, "You can attain that state only by stealing it from all the senses."

255. The Self, one's own true nature, is essentially Conscious- ness, or God; for that reason, iccha, jnana, and kriya shaktis exist in it. Through iccha shakti - the power of will - the bliss of the turiya state can be recognized. It cannot be perceived through any other kind of understanding. The bliss of turiya exists within us at all times; it is that which makes us take interest in different things. To know the tunya state is to realize the Truth. It is a sublime and blissful state.

256. A realized yogi assimilates this intense bliss by remaining in the tunya state all the time. He himself becomes that bliss. He does not have to subdue his senses; where can the poor senses go to escape that all-pervasive ocean of bliss? By

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freeing himself from attachment and aversion and by detach- ing himself from praise and blame, that yogi experiences his own Self. Such a yogi is called Viresha, the lord of the senses. He experiences wonder at the adventure of the universe. His iccha shakti has transcended all limitations.

257. Through the understanding that he has gained from being centered in the Self, his former idea of duality, of "I" and "this," merges into the bliss of the Self. Through his iccha shakti, spontaneous knowledge of equality arises within. Such a yogi experiences the all-pervasive unity in himself and in everything that he perceives. He attains the power to create an inner world through his will. Various miraculous and supernatural powers come to him. By constantly pursu- ing the Supreme Principle, he experiences the divine "I"- consciousness which empowers the mantra. That power removes all bondage and establishes one in the turriya state. It is also called Shakti or mudra virya, that which dissolves bondage.

258. When, through the power of iccha shakti, one has the experience "I am not different from the Supreme Principle," this is called shambhava upaya.

Akinchit chintakasyaiva guruna pratibodhataha, Yam samaveshamapnoti shambhavo'savudahritaha.33 Absorption in Shiva-consciousness comes to one whose mind has become free of thought as a result of an awakening by the Guru or through an intense spontaneous awakening.

In the shambhava upaya, sadhana and the goal of sadhana are one; therefore, this is also called the abheda upaya, or the

33. Kshemaraja, Shiva Sutra Vimarshini.

Shambava Upaya 79

nondual means. Because in this upaya the Supreme can be attained through iccha shakti, it is sometimes referred to as the iccha upaya, or the means of pure will. Primarily, the sutras of the shambhava upaya discuss such subjects as the nature of bondage, the four states (waking, dream, deep sleep, and turiya), the stages of yoga, the evolution of Con- sciousness, the bliss of samadhi, the acquisition of willpower, the upliftment of the world, and the attainment of the potency of the mantra.

259. Through the wisdom of the Shakti, activated by Shri Guru or through an intense spontaneous awakening, all thoughts cease. Such an experience is called the shambhava samavesha or the shambhava upaya.

260. By pursuing unity through the shambhava upaya, one sees the world as the play of the Self. Then wherever one looks, one sees only the play of Consciousness. One becomes like the gopis, who said, "Wherever I look, I see Shyam alone." In this state, wherever one looks, one sees nothing which is different from Shiva. One understands that it is Shiva who has assumed different forms within and without. He has become a man, a woman, and every other thing. Shiva is omniscient, omnipotent, and all-pervasive. He is the Su- preme Principle. The experience that the world is the em- bodiment of Shiva is known as the shambhava upaya.

261. The universe is a garden for us to roam in with love. It is not intended as a source of attachment, jealousy, hatred, or anxiety. These only destroy our equanimity. Give up all desires. If something comes, let it come; if something goes, let it go. It is all Shiva's play. This is not a mere universe; it is the image of Him. Knowing it as Shiva, love it. Meditate on

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the awareness that all conscious beings as well as inert matter are Shiva. Having the knowledge of Shiva, understand that the world is the embodiment of Him. Take this kind of sannyasa. Shiva alone exists everywhere. Muktananda, know that this is the shambhava upaya.

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Shakta Upaya

262. There is only one Self in all human beings. However, the upayas, or means of reaching that Self, are different. This is due to the three gunas,34 or qualities - sattva (purity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia) - as well as to the fact that people have different temperaments, mental impurities, karmic impressions from countless lifetimes, and various kinds of understanding. In reality, all the upayas are one. Their techniques vary to suit the needs of different individ- uals, but they do not depart from their original purpose. In shakta upaya, one's awareness and feeling are paramount because the shakta upaya manifests through them. Bhave hi vidyate devo - "God exists in the form of feeling." The Bhagavad Gita says, Madbhava manasa jata - "The world exists in My feeling." The world is the embodiment of one's feeling. All one's activities take place according to one's understanding. One's feeling and opinions are mental ten- dencies. According to the tendencies of one's mind, a par- ticular person is one's husband, wife, father, mother, son,

263. According to the Indian system, every creature, object, and state in the material universe is composed of these three basic qualities of nature, in permuta- tion and combination. For details, see the Bhagavad Gita and other texts.

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daughter, girlfriend, boyfriend, Guru, disciple, Baba, or companion. But once one's feeling for that person wanes, the mind withdraws from the relationship. When one's love diminishes, one no longer recognizes that person. As far as one is concerned, the person whom one loved the most is dead while still alive. There are countless mental tendencies. Although they seem to be positive or negative when they arise, once they merge into Consciousness they become one with it. The place where the mental tendencies arise and become dual is the same place where they merge and become nondual.

263. The main purpose of the shakta upaya is to obtain the experience of all-pervasive unity through the power of feel- ing. As one practices this upaya, one's thoughts gradually calm down, and one rejects the dualistic tendencies which exist in the ordinary state.

264. In this upaya, the mind is the instrument through which the Supreme Principle is pursued. The mind has the ability to erase an old way of looking at the world and to create a new relationship with a new world. Mantra is nondual con- templation directed within. Therefore, Shiva said, Chittam manrroha35 - "The mind is mantra," and Chetyote vimrishyate anena param tattvam iti chittam36 - "The mind is that which illumines and understands the highest Principle." It merges into the Supreme Principle and leads to recognition of That. A seeker worships a deity through mantras. There is no difference between the seeker, the mantra, and the deity of the mantra. The main goal of the shakta upaya is to establish

265. Shiva Sutras, II-1 - 36. Kshemaraja, Shiva Sutra Vimarshirni, commentary on II-1.

Shakta Upaya 83

one in the awareness of the unity of these three. In the shakta upaya, one attempts to merge into the Supreme Light. Prayatnaha sadhakaha3 - "Achievement comes through effort."

265. Vidya is the highest knowledge of unity. Through this knowledge, one enters the state of unity from that of duality. Vidya does not belong to the realm of the B.A., M.A., or Ph. D., or to science or psychology. When a seeker develops the feeling that the groups of letters are not different from him but are in fact his own body, he experiences the entire universe pulsating in unity with the awareness of Purno'ham - "I am perfect." The pulsation of "I am the entire uni- verse" is the awareness of Purno'ham. The Upanishads and other scriptures also call it the potency and secret of the mantra.

266. One who attains the potency of the mantra naturally gains some limited supernatural powers. If he becomes infatuated with them, he fails to pursue the pure knowledge of the Truth, the all-pervasive unity. He remains in the state of ignorance and forgets Purno'ham. Then the sense of duality and various strange thoughts arise along with his new world of supernatural powers and miracles. It becomes very difficult to escape from this world of miraculous powers. They are a great obstacle to one who wants to attain the all-pervasive unity.

267. Although a seeker may attain limited supernatural powers, he will make further progress only if he rejects these powers as worthless. Such understanding arises through the grace of

268. Shiva Sutras, II-2.

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God and the Guru. In this way, he will experience the bliss of his own Self in the space of Consciousness. Shaivism calls this awakening of supreme bliss mantra virya, the power of mantra, or mudra virya, the power behind Self-realization.

268. The grace of Shri Guru is the means of attaining the potency of the mantra. Here, "Guru" refers to the fifth of the five actions of God, that of grace bestowal. The Shakti comes from a Siddha Guru. Grace may be bestowed by a living Siddha or by one who is no longer in the physical body.

269. The Guru's grace is called shaktipat. Through the power of the unfolding Shakti, a seeker loses the sense of duality which arises from the groups of letters. He experiences the potency of the mantra, which is all-pervasive unity. To one who understands the principle of matrika, Parashakti gives worldly enjoyment as well as liberation. But when one fails to understand this principle, the matrika shakti, appearing as subjects and objects, gives rise to joy, sorrow, fear, jealousy, enmity, agitation, and envy. It makes one undergo worldly experiences. One who knows the secret of the matrika shakti merges the gross and subtle universes into Consciousness. Such a seeker is without pride. His ego and pride have been burned in the fire of knowledge, and only the awareness of Shiva'ham - "I am Shiva" - remains.

270. The knowledge of his own true nature is the source of a yogi's contentment. One of the Shiva Sutras is Jnanam annam8 - "Knowledge is food." Just as contentment is derived from food, it also comes from knowledge. However, knowledge other than that of the Self is mediocre. Another

271. Ibid., II-9.

ShaktaUpaya 85

sutra is Vismayo yogabhumikaha3 - "The stages of yoga are filled with amazing phenomena." Although there are count- less stages of yoga, the scriptural authors emphasized 112. The knowledge of them fills one with amazement.

271. Because a seeker may obtain supernatural powers when he attains the knowledge of his own true nature, he should constantly be vigilant. Ifhe forgets his own Self through ego, he ultimately brings about his downfall. I have seen this happen with many people. These days many ashrams and gurus are falling. The reason for this is partial knowledge and licentiousness. Through the use of intoxicants, things hap- pen which should not happen. Therefore, one should be very careful about choosing a guru or guide. A seeker should not have blind faith. The purity of a guru should always uplift his disciples. Some people become gurus, teach 108 different therapies, and lead a completely wanton life, without self-control or discipline. A seeker should evaluate such teachers. How can the spiritual path become a haven for therapies? An incomplete teacher who is pure and ethical and who puts his knowledge into practice is far better than an undisciplined person who poses as a perfect guru.

272. Through dualistic knowledge, one becomes infatuated with supernatural powers. Therefore, one should always be care- ful; one should always contemplate the all-pervasive unity.

273. The shakta upaya is a means of transcending worldly exis- tence. It is a technique for pursuing a particular mental awareness arising from the groups of syllables. Groups of

274. Ibid., 1-12.

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syllables contain letters, words, and sentences and are forever ready to conceal a seeker's true nature. Opinions and thoughts arise from groups of letters; attachment and aversion spring from groups of thoughts. But thoughts can also lead to the thought-free state.

274. Limitless powers are created by groups of letters. Bondage is the failure to realize the influence of the shakti chakra, the powers of the groups of letters. To understand the powers of the letters is to attain everything. When one contemplates and understands isolated thoughts and makes an effort to pursue unity, this updya is known as the jnana upaya. When one knows the mighty power which is nondual and the basis of all thought, whether good or bad, this upaya is known as the shakta upaya. Through the means of dualistic knowledge, knowledge of unity is attained. For that reason, this means is also called bhedabheda upaya, the dual/nondual means.

275. Parashakti cannot be revealed by articulated speech, but She can be seen as a result of one-pointed contemplation and experienced through the oneness brought about by the shakta upaya. This union or absorption comes as a result of pursuing Her.

Ucchararahitam vastu chetasaiva vichintayan, Yam samaveshamapnoti shaktah so'trabhidiyate. When a seeker becomes totally absorbed in the true Principle, which is beyond both subtle and articulated speech, that oneness is called shakta samavesha or shakta upaya.

The shakta upaya is the process by which the mind and intellect completely merge into the inner Self.

40. Malini Vijaya Tantra.

Shakta Upaya 87

276. This section discusses the contemplation of the Supreme Principle; the pursuit of inner unity; the oneness of the mantra, the deity of the mantra, and the seeker; the effort made to unfold one's essential nature; the potency and secret of the mantra; the limited supernatural powers which arise spontaneously along with the obstacles which they create; the bliss of samadhi which arises by the rejection of those powers; the nature of this upaya; the knowledge of the matrika chakra; the pursuit of knowledge of the nature of the universe; the contemplation and knowledge of one's own true nature; and the crisis a person goes through if he is not vigilant after attaining supernatural powers. The shakta upaya enables a person to become one with the Truth.

277. The discussion of Shaivism always brings joy. By granting the knowledge of the Self, Shaivism destroys ignorance. It takes one across the ocean of the world in the boat of equality.

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Anava Upaya

278. The third section of the Shiva Sutras, on the anava upaya, is longer than the sections on both the shambhava upaya and the shakta upaya combined. In addition, the anava upaya has a specific quality: Everyone can follow this path. Some portions of it resemble the shakta upaya. By following the anava upaya, a seeker progresses gradually. The section deal- ing with dnava upaya consists of forty-five sutras. It is lengthy so that ordinary people will be able to understand this upaya.

Ucchara karana dhyana varna sthana prakalpanaihi, Yo bhavettu samaveshaha samyaganava ucchyate.41 In anava upaya, the perfect absorption into the es- sential divine Self is achieved through methods known as ucchara, karana, dhyana, varna, and sthanakalpana.

Ucchara is the stilling of the prana through the practice of So'ham mantra. By stilling the prana through various means, one experiences different kinds of bliss: nijananda, the bliss of one's own Self; nirananda, transcendental bliss; parananda,

41. Ibid.

Anava Upaya 89

supreme bliss; brahmananda, the bliss of the Absolute; mahananda, great bliss; chidananda, the bliss of Conscious- ness; jagadananda, the bliss of the world. All these are in- cluded within ucchara. Among all the types of pramyama, the natural one is So'ham. It is the greatest centering technique; through it comes the complete attainment of pumananda, perfect bliss. Karana is the practice of contemplating the subtle and gross bodies as a replica of the cosmos. This is possible only through shaktipat. Varna refers to nadanusandhana, the hearing of divine sounds when the prana is retained in the sahasrara, or crown of the head. Yogis experience ten different divine sounds. This is possible only through dhyana (meditation). Sthanakalpana refers to centering the mind on the breath, the body, or objects outside the body. The highest centering technique is the awareness that whatever exists in this world is a play of the Universal Consciousness.

279. A being who has become all-pervasive is not limited by birth and death, pain and pleasure, the endless rounds of incarnation in different planes, or the agitation caused by changes. However, one who has given up his all-pervasive nature and become limited undergoes pain and affliction. As long as he remains limited, this will continue to happen. Pain and affliction are experienced through the body and senses, which are subject to the three gunas, sattva, rajas, and tamas. This kind of experience is bondage and is the source of sorrow and dryness. A bound individual does not fully under- stand the body, prana, or senses, through which he undergoes pain and pleasure. In other words, he lacks the knowledge of his own Self. He sees no difference between his true nature and pain and pleasure. This is ignorance, bondage, and lack of discrimination.

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280. The physical body, which is made of the five elements, should be fully understood; so should the puryashtaka, or subtle body, which is composed of the five tanmatras, or rudimentary elements, along with the mind, ego, and intel- lect. One should also understand the gross and subtle prin- ciples from Shiva to the earth. Everyone experiences one object as different from another. However, by understanding the Guru's instructions and by contemplation, one comes to perceive unity in duality. As one's knowledge evolves and one's sodhana matures, one experiences the state of unity. In the same way, one should meditate and merge the mundane and supramundane paths, called bhuvana adhva, tattva adhva, kala adhva, and so on, with pure Consciousness.42 This is the way to become free from bondage. These techniques bring about supernatural powers, such as nadi'samhara (dissolution of the prana flowing through the nasal passages), bhuta-jaya (control of the elements), bbuta- kaivalya (withdrawal of the mind from the elements), and bhuta-prithaktva (separation from the elements). In nadi-samhara, the nadis referred to are the passages through which the inbreath and the outbreath pass. Through the natural yoga of So'ham, pranayama spontane- ously takes place, the nadis are purified within, and the sushumna unfolds. Through pranayama, the prana becomes still in the inner dvadashanta (the space located at a distance of twelve fingers from the tip of the nose, where the breath merges in the heart) and the outer dvadashanta (the point located at a distance of twelve fingers from the tip of the nose, where the breath merges outside). In this way, one becomes centered. By the centering technique of bhuta-jaya, one attains mas- tery over the elements. Bhuta-kaivalya comes about when, as

281. See Glossary for bhuvana adhva, etc.

AnavaUpaya 91

a result of shaktipat, the prana becomes still in the heart during meditation. The prana is controlled by the mind. When the mind turns away from sensory stimuli and stabi- lizes in the navel, it becomes quiet. This is called the power of withdrawal of the mind from objects. In bhuta-prithaktva, one should become separate from all the elements, and the tendencies of the mind should become still. As a yogi experiences both of these, he transcends all tendencies and attains the freedom of his own true nature. In this way, by eliminating ignorance, he attains sahajavidya, the natural awareness which roots out all the impressions left by the supernatural powers. Sahajavidya and shuddhavidya, pure awareness, are one and the same. According to Shaivism, the universe is the form of Shakti, the Supreme Principle. Shiva and Shakti are one; they are not separate. A yogi who has attained sahajavidya considers the universe to be the light of his own Self, like the light produced by a flame. The knowledge of one's own true nature (aham, "I") and the knowledge of the universe (idam, "this") merge into all-pervasive unity. This is the understanding that one should have. The knowledge of "I" is like a flame, and the knowledge of "this" is like its light, which spreads everywhere equally. A seeker in whom the knowledge of the Self is strong performs all his various actions in the realm of duality like an actor or an actress who displays different feelings and emo- tions in a play. Just as these limited feelings and expressions are reserved for the stage, so this individual's state of bondage is simply a limitation of his true nature. The senses are the audience, but the knowledge of the Truth is his understand- ing of the play. Through the vibration of his senses, he performs in the drama of the world, which is filled with mundane activities. When he feels that he is an individual, he is limited like an actor in a play. When he attains the all-pervasive unity

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through the evolution of his knowledge into sahajavidya, he becomes independent. But even when he becomes free, he should continually meditate on Parashakti, which ceaseless- ly vibrates and which is the source of the universe. Through the power of the touch of a shakta (one who possesses Shakti), he is infused with bliss. From this, he directly experiences the state of Shiva, the awareness of Shiva, and the manifest Self.

281. If the knowledge of sahajavidya has not been tainted, there can be no rebirth. Sahajavidya is an understanding. Just as there is the understanding "I am the body," so sahajavidya is the spontaneous and effortless awareness "I am Paramashiva." Even after a seeker experiences the state of sahajavidya if he fails to maintain that awareness, he becomes bound once again. If a seeker acquires a bit of verbal knowledge and then gives up his sadhana to become a guru, this brings misfortune. The Goddess Parashakti first takes the forms of iccha shakti, jnana shakti, and kriya shakti, the powers of will, knowledge, and action. Then She undergoes a transformation and be- comes vowels, consonants, and classified and unclassified letters. The Shakti, becoming matrika, takes the form of the letters from a to ksha, giving rise to positive and negative feelings. Through its power, this newborn shakti conceals the unity of Self-awareness. Then it gives rise to its friends - attachment, aversion, desire, and craving for sense pleasures - and alters a seeker's direction. While deluding the seeker into feeling that he is being led along a true path to the perfect bliss of the Self, it takes him to the limited bliss of sense pleasures. It guides seekers, gurus, bhagawans, and many others in the wrong direction. That is why, even after a seeker attains Siddhahood, he should be vigilant and always remain in sahajavidya.

Anava Upaya 93

A person should make his contemplation of the turiya state permeate his waking, dream, and deep sleep states like oil spreading over water. He should transcend the breathing process of inhalation and exhalation and all other external manifestations and become absorbed in the knowledge of the Supreme Principle. He should maintain equal vision in the face of all duality, whether internal or external. To see equality everywhere is the outlook of Shiva.

282. When a seeker is trying to attain the turiya state, the tendency to perceive duality arises from time to time because of his old impressions and desires. He should assimilate all these impressions through practice of the awareness of the unity to be attained in the turiya state. When he does that, Shiva-tulyo jayate43 - "He becomes like Shiva." Then he is Shiva while in the body and after leaving the body. As long as a person is in the body, he should pursue his own true nature as resolutely as if he were observing a vow. A firm vow is never broken under any circumstances. The moment he fulfills his staunch vow of sahajavidya, he becomes like Shiva. Then everything he says is mantra repetition. What- ever he gives is knowledge of the Self. Such a person can awaken knowledge in others with his own power. He sees the world as the play of his own Shakti. For him, creation, sustenance, and dissolution are like the blinking of an eye. Although he pursues the supreme "I"-consciousness of the turiya state, he rejects neither the worldly nor the spiritual life. For him, Sarvam shivamayam jagat - "The world is the embodiment of Shiva."

283. A seeker who pursues the knowledge of the perfect "I"- consciousness through the anava upaya becomes one with

284. Shiva Sutras, III-25.

94 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

the Supreme Consciousness and considers pain and pleasure to be separate from him. He feels that the pain he undergoes does not belong to him. If he has this kind of detachment, he becomes established in his real Self. If he fails to achieve this, he becomes the embodiment of delusion, involved in good and bad deeds. Through the power of sadhana, a seeker experiences pure knowledge. He attains the power to form a new creation. What is night for an owl is day for a crow. That which is a mere world for a materialistic person is Kailasa, the abode of God, for a Shiva yogi. For him, everything becomes the embodiment of Shiva. Through the power of his knowledge of the Truth, he gives a new direction to the world.

284. A yogi who follows the anava upaya takes delight in the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. He can manipulate his body, mind, and senses as he pleases. His limited identification as an individual dissolves. Although he has a physical body, he is equal to Shiva. With his own free power of will, he remains in contact with his prana shakti, the vital force, and other powers. He needs no other sadhana. His primary nature is the knowledge of Consciousness.

285. The third section of the Shiva Sutras describes the limited condition of the bound soul, bondage, maya, delusion, the sheaths or coverings of the individual soul, and sahajavidya, the spontaneous awareness. It also discusses the detachment of the individual soul, his relationship with the senses, his awareness of freedom, the state of samddhi, and the cessation of rebirth. In addition, it deals with the bondage which arises from the letters of the alphabet as well as with the turiya state, which is its opposite. It explains the intermediate stage which exists as long as a seeker's bondage has not yet been

Anava Upaya 95

completely eradicated and discusses how Siddhahood makes him equal to Shiva. As long as a Siddha lives, his presence offers infinite benefit to the world. In this world, such a great being is a haven of peace for tormented souls. He is the physician who cures the disease of worldliness. He is the witness of the bliss of knowledge.

286. The excellence of his awareness is extraordinary. Because he is using the elements merely as a covering, he remains equal to the Lord of all beings. Naisargikaha pranasam- bandhaha44 - "He has a natural link with the prana shakti." The third section of the Shiva Sutras also explains at length how the prana is separated from the physical body at death.

287. Ibid., III- 43.

13

A Summary of the Upayas

287. The shambhava upaya, which is also known as iccha upaya or abheda upaya, involves experiencing one's own true nature through iccha shakti, or the power of will. This shakti is one of the powers of Consciousness, like jnana shakti and kriya shakti. In shambhava upaya, there is no need for mental or intellectual activity. The shakta upaya, bhedabheda upaya, or jnana upaya in- volves attaining oneness with Shiva by contemplating the thoughts of the mind. One regards the groups of letters which cause these thoughts as nothing other than forms of Shakti, the essence of the universe.

288. The anava upaya is ordinarily called the bheda upaya, the dualistic path, but in actuality it is also abheda upaya, a nondual path, because it leads to unity. It involves the use of the body, mind, intellect, senses, and prana shakti. By pursu- ing the knowledge of the Truth through japa and meditation, a person becomes one with Shiva and attains peace of mind.

289. So we have come to know something of the three upayas. These means of sadhana help us to realize Shiva.

96

Summary of the Upayas 97

290. Shiva, the Self of all, has already been attained. These upayas exist not to make us attain the Self, but to remove our forgetfulness, our errors, and our ignorance of that Self. Everyone has already attained the Self but is unaware of it. The way to Self-realization is the recognition of one's own Self as Shiva, and this occurs through the upayas. You are perfect, you have come from perfection, you live in perfec- tion, and this perfection is the Supreme Truth.

291. There is a fourth upaya, which is called the anupaya. It is sublime, subtle, and profound. This upaya is for superior candidates, intense seekers who are fully ripe. In this upaya, a seeker's worthiness is paramount, and no actions, rituals, or meditation are needed. Either by simply hearing the Guru's instructions or through scriptural proofs, one im- mediately and with unshakable faith recognizes the Shiva Principle, and becomes completely firm in it. If one recog- nizes gold once, one does not have to study it over and over again. It is not difficult to identify it. We do not need to know the scriptures to recognize our parents. Once our mother shows us who our father is, we do not have to meditate on him incessantly or repeat the mantra of his name. We always know him. In the same way, at the precise moment when one recognizes the inner Consciousness as prakasha and vimarsha,45 one becomes perfect. This is the anupaya or the Guru kripa upaya, the path of Guru's grace. This upaya depends on a seeker's worthiness.

292. Prakasha and vimarsha are the two aspects of Paramashiva. Prakasha is Shiva, the static aspect, which is of the nature of light. Vimarsha is the dynamic aspect, or Shakti, through which Paramashiva is able to survey Himself. See Glossary for more details.

14

Paramashiva: The Supreme Consciousness

292. Shaivism reveals its essence in the statement Chaitanyam atmd46 - "The Self is Consciousness." Consciousness is the perfect Principle, which is all-pervasive. Since it is all- pervasive, nothing can be added to it. It lacks nothing, nor does it have an excess of anything. Shiva, who is complete and exists everywhere, is Chaitanyam atma. Paramashiva is the waveless ocean of Consciousness. Through His play, that serene ocean has become the universe of grahaka, the per- ceiver, and grahya, the perceived. By becoming the thirty-six tattoos,4 or principles, that Consciousness gives rise to the universe and its activities. This universe of ordinary experience contains infinite permutations of Consciousness, suchasnila, sukha, deha, and prana. Nila, the color blue, is among the countless colors and forms that make up the objects perceived through the outer senses. Sukha, pleasure, is one of the many experiences of the

293. Shiva Sutras, I-1. 47. Shaivism describes thirty-six categories, called taitvas, to explain the stages of manifestation of the universe. Tattva, which is loosely translated as "principle," means that which is the essence of each stage of manifestation. See Glossary for more details.

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Paramashiva 99

inner senses. Deha, the body, is the basis of both inner and outer experiences. Prana, the vital force, is one of the many conscious powers that make the body perform actions. In this way, the universe is full of numerous unique forms. For practical purposes, the universe is divided into four categories: the knower, the means of knowing, the objects known, and knowledge. In scriptural language, these are called pramatri, pramana, prameya, and pramiti. Pramatri is the limited, individual soul. He understands the nature and activities of the universe through pramana, the different ways of knowing. Whatever he cannot understand through direct perception, he experiences through the other pramanas, such as inference and scriptural authority. The universe is prameya, and his right understanding of the universe is pramiti. The experience of the waveless Consciousness does not have these categories. It is Paramashiva, Chatanyam atma. Since the universe is not different from Him, there are no means separate from Him by which to know Him. Upaya jalam na shivam prakashayet48 - "No means can illumine Shiva." Shiva is both the means and the end. Just as a flashlight illumines everything in a darkened room, it also illumines itself. No other light is needed to reveal light; it reveals itself and other objects as well. Similarly, Conscious- ness reveals its own nature and also gives the knowledge of other objects.

293. Consciousness is both self-luminous and independent. It encompasses all powers and is the cause of everything. It is called Parasamvit, Paramashiva, and Chaitanya. Paramashiva is as serene as a still ocean. In this state, Shiva is tran- scendental. He is always filled with bliss. In His immanent aspect, through the independent power of His supreme "I"-

294. Abhinavagupta, Tantrasara.

100 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

consciousness, Paramashiva becomes the thirty-six tattvas, or principles, and reveals the seven experiencers49 from within Himself.

294. Paramashiva, the Self of all, exists as the universe in its infinite forms. It is His play. The five powers - chit, ananda, iccha, jnana, and kriya - continually dwell in Him, whether He is in His transcendental or His immanent aspect. Through His power of illumination, chit shakti, Paramashiva is self- luminous and wholly independent. Through ananda shakti, He has the ability to experience bliss within Himself without any external cause; He is the embodiment of supreme bliss. Because of iccha shakti, His willpower, He can do anything in a miraculous way without opposition and with firm resolu- tion. Through His power of knowledge, jn an a shakti, He can assimilate into Himself both the perceiver and the perceived. With His power of action, kriya shakti, He can create objects of various forms. With these five powers, He continually performs five ac- tions: creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and bestowal of grace. Creation refers to the creation of the universe. Sustenance means the maintenance of this crea- tion. Dissolution is the absorption of the creation into Him- self. Concealment is the state in which the creation remains within Him in a potential form before being remembered or re-created. Bestowal of grace refers to the complete merging of the creation into the Universal Consciousness, or Chiti, eradicating all impressions and all opportunities for subse- quent remembrance.

295. The names given to the experiencer at different levels of consciousness. The seven experiencers begin with Shiva at the highest level and descend to the sakala (bound individual soul) at the lowest level.

Paramashiva 101

In this way, Paramashiva is complete and independent and possesses five powers and five actions. He is both transcen- dent and immanent, the totality of the bliss of Conscious' ness, the constant Knower. Paramashiva is self-luminous and is the root cause of the universe. Out of His own being, He manifests this universe full of multiplicity and countless forms, yet remains the embodiment of Consciousness. He is the foundation of the world. Although the manifold universe issues forth from Shiva, His true nature undergoes no change. It neither decreases nor increases. He is supremely pure.

15

God's Independent and Inseparable Shakti

295. Just as gentle waves arise on the surface of the ocean, a throb or movement arises in the ocean of Consciousness, and this throb is called Shakti or Chitshakti. This same Shakti expands in three forms: iccha, jnana, and kriya That first movement in Consciousness is called spanda, sphuratia, or unmesha. From this initial throb comes the creation of the cosmos, in which Shakti becomes the thirty-six tattvas, the principles from Shiva to the earth. There is no difference between the two tattvas of Shiva and Shakti, nor is there any difference between the perceiver and the perceived. In the context of the thirty-six principles, Shiva is considered the first principle, lccha, jnana, and kriya manifest from the Shakti, or second principle. The perceiver and the perceived originate in the third principle, Sadashiva. The various classes of the perceived come into existence from the other principles of creation. The three shaktis, iccha, jnana, and kriya, become the universe and encompass all duality. The miracle of Chitshakti is Her extraordinary activity of revealing the universe of the perceiver and the perceived and then reabsorbing it into Herself. Chitshakti is uniquely inde- pendent. She reabsorbs the outer universe and can manifest

102

God's Inseparable Shakti 103

it in countless ways whenever She desires. Chitshakti is astonishing. She can accomplish anything and become any- thing. She is also known as Kundalini. She is the Siddha Yogini who performs actions spontaneously. She is the grace- bestowing power of God, which resides in the Guru. She makes inner kriyas take place. She pervades everyone in the world equally but remains pure and different from all. She is called Shive. Her blessing is the perpetual and sublime bliss of the yogis. In the form of this supreme bliss, She dwells in the hearts of all as the Self. Chitshakti has no limitations of space, time, or object. However, the universe that arises from Her has those limita- tions, which make it possible for all activities to go on within it. Although this is so, the universe is still not different from Shiva. The world is the embodiment of Shiva.

296. In order to complete the task of the all-encompassing expansion of the universe of sound and matter, the currents of the same Parameshwari Shakti keep expanding in forms such as matrikas; the presiding deities of the eight classes of letters, namely, Yogishwari, Brahmi, Maheshwari, Vaish- navi, Varahi, Aindri, Kaumari, and Chamunda; and the shaktis which preside over the inner psychic instruments and the outer sense organs, namely, Bhuchari, Dikchari, and Gochari. Then She flows out as the prdna, the intellect, the four psychic instruments, the five senses of perception," the five powers of action, and all the elements.52 The point of stating this is to emphasize that all the countless objects of the universe from Brahma to a blade of

297. Mind, subconscious mind, intellect, and ego. 51. Seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. 52. Ether, air, fire, water, and earth.

104 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

grass, which are manifest and subject to experience, are nothing but Shiva. The world is the embodiment of Shiva. All these forms are streams of the infinite Shakti of the Supreme. The scriptural name for these limitless currents of Shakti is the shakti chakra. The shakti chakra is full of glory. This glory of the Lord is the sign of His independent power to create or not create anything or to change anything.

16

Abhasavada:

The Theory of Manifestation

297. The self-luminous Paramashiva is the cause of the uni- verse. He is the embodiment of Consciousness, the sub- stratum of all. Out of His own being, He has manifested this universe filled with multiplicity. But although the universe issues forth from Shiva, His true nature does not undergo any change. It neither decreases nor increases. In Shaivism, this process of manifestation is discussed according to abhasavada, or the theory of manifestation. The root of the word abhasa is bha, which means diptau, to shine forth. Whether one has an actual object or simply the knowledge of an object, both come into existence in the perfection of their own individuality through the process of manifestation called abhasa. Under abhasavada, two points are discussed: first, how the experience of our inner world is transformed into the experi- ence of the outer world, and second, the objects which we experience in the external world. For example, when we want an object, we obtain it by saying its name. In this way, our inner experience changes into the actual outer experi- ence of the object. Similarly, the universe consists of many abhasas, or manifestations, of Shiva, both within and with-

105

106 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

out. The nature of Shiva neither gains nor loses anything from these abhasas. Moreover, they remain separate from each other although they are one in Him.

298. Even without concerning ourselves with outer objects, we can understand the subject of abhasas by examining our own inner experience. Our understandings arise from one an- other. So many of our understandings of different things lie hidden, to be revealed when they are triggered by events or thoughts. We say, "I saw, I heard, I knew," and thus the "I"'principle always remains one with our experience. It never becomes separate from it. All our understandings branch out with this "I"-principle as their basis. These dif- ferent understandings, which come and go, are our abhasas, our manifestations. But no matter how many thoughts arise, the "I"-principle does not change. It neither increases nor decreases.

299. In the abhasavada, the theory of manifestation, we dis- cover another extraordinary fact. In our understanding of even one object, there are many abhasas. Sometimes we perceive an object as one unit but simultaneously see it as having many different aspects. We are perceiving the "con- cealed" aspects of that object. For example, suppose that someone is looking at a book. If he does not think much about it, he simply considers it to be a book. This is the vishishtha abhasa, its generalized or unified manifestation. Then he perceives the different aspects of the book - its subject matter, print, language, the reason why he is reading it, and so on. These are all different abhasas. From a nondual viewpoint, he sees the book as a book, but from an analytical viewpoint, he sees it as being composed of different parts. In all our activities, we perceive an object from one point of view as a unit and from another point of view as being

Abhasavada 107

composed of differences. In this way, every object appears as both unity and diversity. No matter how many contradic- tions or dissimilarities an object may contain, they do not interfere with our overall understanding of that object. Simi- larly, an outer object, the understanding of that object, the understanding which comes from language, the knowledge of the empirical world, and the knowledge which lies beyond the realm of the senses are all abhasas. These abhasas exist in the outer world and in the experience of the inner world, without intermingling. They always remain individual and separate from each other. No matter how complex or dif- ferent these abhasas may be, the "I"-principle is not altered. It neither gains nor loses anything. In this way, although Shiva manifests the universe in multiplicity, His true nature is unchanging. He always re- mains complete. The universe is Shiva's abhasa, just as all the things that we understand are our abhasas. The abhasavada is an important concept in Shaivism.

300. We describe an object by saying, "This is of a certain type." "This" indicates its nature; "a certain type" indicates its qualities. For example, imagine that there is an object lying on a table. First we see it as idam, "this." Then we see its qualities and nature, and we say, "This is a pencil." Al- though the qualities and names may vary, "this-ness" is common to all things. Shiva pervades all the activities of the universe as idam. The universe is His abhasa. All the new things that appear are revealed by His chit shakti. The great being Utpalacharya said in the lshwara Pratjabhijna that whatever exists in this world is Shiva's abhasa.

17

Bimba Pratibimba Nyaya: The Theory of an Object and Its Reflection

301. Nirmale mukure yadvad bhanti bhumijaladayaha, Amishras tadvad ekasmin chinmatre vishva vrittayaha53 Just as earth, water, and so on, are reflected in a clear mirror without intermingling, in the same way the entire world is reflected in one God, the embodi- ment of Consciousness.

Everything in the universe is reflected in pure Chiti, yet all these objects always remain separate from each other.

302. A reflection appears in a mirror or on a clear surface. The mirror and the object reflected in it are different from each other, although they do not appear to be so. Even if a large object is reflected in a small mirror, the mirror does not undergo any change; its size remains the same. Moreover, even if many objects are reflected in a mirror, they do not intermingle with one another. For example, even though fire and cotton may be reflected simultaneously in the same mirror, the cotton in the mirror does not burn. When a cow

303. Abhinavagupta, Tantraloka.

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Bimba Pratibimba Nyaya 109

and a tiger are reflected in a mirror, the cow is not afraid of the tiger and the tiger does not attack the cow. Since only the forms of objects are seen in the mirror, they do not intermingle with one another. Moreover, in order for there to be a reflection, the reflecting surface must be clear. The clearer the surface is, the clearer the reflection will be.

303. There is another requirement. If something is to be re- flected, there must be an object, and that object must have a form. Formless space cannot be reflected.

304. As was mentioned earlier, wherever there is clarity, an object can be reflected. We see our face in a mirror, but we cannot see the mirror in our face. Therefore, we can say that the face lacks the clarity to reflect. This is an analogy of the relationship between the external world and God: God re- veals the world, but the world cannot reveal God. Of course, the clearer a surface is, the brighter the reflection will be. In the same way, the clearer our heart becomes, the brighter will be the reflection of Shiva.

305. The world which we experience is a conglomeration of five elements. The human body is a microcosm composed of these five elements, and all the objects of the world have sprung from them. The five elements have five qualities: sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. Every material object has these five qualities. A person has five senses to perceive and reflect the corresponding qualities. Sound is reflected in the ears, touch in the skin, form in the eyes, taste in the tongue, and smell in the nose. However, the senses do not have the power to perceive them independently. For this, the senses need the help of the four psychic instruments as well as of Chiti Shakti. As the strength of the senses is

110 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

increased, objects are reflected and perceived more clearly and in finer detail. People who have expanded their sensory capacity and the depth of their feeling through sadhaha have sharper and clearer sense perception than most people. Such beings are called yogis.

306. The entire universe is concealed in the supreme space of God. Similarly, all tendencies born of the senses are hidden in the space of an individual's consciousness. The principle of bimba pratibimba - an object and its reflection - holds true for God as well as for a human being and his sense perceptions. There is another point of interest: When we use the analogy of an object and its reflection, we speak of a mirror as the basis for the reflection. That which is being reflected is separate from the mirror, but when it is seen, it is called a reflection. So three things are involved: an object, its reflec- tion, and a mirror. However, the principle of an object and its reflection is different when applied to God and the uni- verse. In this case, there are not three separate entities. Shiva, or Consciousness, is all three - the object, the re- flecting instrument, and the reflection. Shiva is the object, and the world is His reflection.

307. Because a crystal is completely clear, it can reflect any- thing anywhere. Similarly, since Consciousness is eternally pure, it has the ability to reflect forms, tastes, and so on. It can also reflect the specific qualities of objects, such as heaviness or lightness. This reflection happens both inter- nally and externally. When external objects are reflected through the senses, we become either happy or unhappy. When we remember something from within, we also experi- ence either happiness or unhappiness. When something is reflected through the outer senses, the sensory perception

Bimba Praabimba Nyaya 111

produces a subtle vibration. In the same way, the happiness or unhappiness arising within produces a vibration. This inner vibration is prakasha and vimarsha. If there is no vibra- tion in our physical body or in our feelings, there can be no inner experience.

308. The pain and pleasure which arise in our lives are ex- perienced in two ways. They may arise either through inner remembrance or through the perception of outer objects. The latter occurs when the senses come in contact with their objects. If we think about the pain and pleasure which arise in these two ways, we realize that they occur because of the vibration produced by our sensory perception. Pain and pleasure are reflections of some of the five quali- ties of the elements. These reflections cause a vibration in our sensory perception, which in turn produces involve- ments such as anger and desire. This is our experience. Once the tendencies which arise in this way merge back into Chiti, there is no longer any experience of pain or pleasure. To experience them anew, we have to remember them or once again be in contact with external objects. An enlightened being does not become attached to momentary pain or plea- sure. He realizes that they are merely reflections. The Bhagavad Gita says:

Matra sparskastu haunteya shitoshna sukha duhkhadaha, Agamapayino'nityas tamstitikshasva bharata.54 O son of Kunti, the contacts of the senses with their objects, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end. They are imper- manent. Endure them bravely, O Arjuna.

54. Bhagavad Gta, II-14.

112 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

As long as the senses are not in contact with external objects, we do not experience pleasure or pain. Even if they come in contact with their objects, we experience neither pleasure nor pain if the perception and the experience merge into Chiti. However, in the intermediate stage before the perception merges into Chiti, we still experience pleasure or pain.

309. By understanding the principle of bimba pratibimba, the object and its reflection, we understand the true nature of pain and pleasure and attain peace.

310. Everything that we know is simply a reflection. Whether it is an inner experience or the perception of outer objects, it cannot be anything other than a reflection. By contemplat- ing these reflections, which are the source of duality, we understand the difference between them and the experience of our own true nature, which leads to all-pervasive unity. The understanding of the principle of bimba pratibimba is very helpful in attaining this experience. Through it, we learn to reject reflections, which are the cause of pain. When we have firm faith that the universe is reflected in Chiti, our attachment and aversion disappear into Consciousness. Then we attain the bliss of Consciousness.

311. Bimba pratibimba is one of the most beautiful principles of Shaivism. The universe is a reflection in Paramashiva, who is Satchidananda. Bimba is pratibimba; the object and its re- flection are identical. Shiva is in the world and the world is in Shiva. Shiva and the world are not two but one. The principle of bimba pratibimba is true knowledge. We have already attained Shivahood and Shiva Himself. The Shaiva philosophy is concerned with how to make this experience manifest.

18

The Kingdom of Vikalpa

312. Vividha kalpaha vikalpaha; vikalpas are various kinds of thoughts and fantasies. We have various kinds of under- standing. Moreover, each kind of understanding is a com- plete unit within itself. In technical language, the different kinds of understanding are called vikalpas. These mental constructs have innumerable progeny, which take birth and then die instantly. All the various understandings of the principles from Shiva to the earth are vihalpas. Without duality, there is no vikalpa. Duality is the birthplace of vihalpa. Dvitiyad vai bhayam bhavati - "Fear arises because of dual- ity. " The Upanishads say that to harbor the idea of "others" is to experience fear. All ideas such as "I and mine," "his and theirs," and "I am different from others" exist because of the power of vikalpa. If there is no thought in one's mental world, that state is called nirvikalpa, or thought-free. Svanubhuti rasaveshad drishya shabdavupekshya tu, Nirvikalpah samadhih syan nivatasthaladipavat.55

313. Shankaracharya, Vakyasudha, 26.

113

114 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

When a seeker experiences the bliss of his own true nature, he ignores what is seen and heard and stills his mind like a flame where there is no wind. This is called nirvikalpa samadhi.

Learned men say that any state which is still confined within space, time, and object is classified as vikalpa. A state that is free of these things is nirvikalpa. Because of the current of vikalpa, Shakti contracts and bondage comes into existence. In this state, the power of vikalpa is the cause of pain and pleasure, attachment and aversion. Because vikalpa is incred- ibly powerful, it is the cause of limitless complications. One can count external objects, but one cannot count vikalpas. From one vikalpa arises another of the same kind. Many vikalpas frequently arise from one, and one vikalpa arises from many. The offspring of vikalpas are extraordinary. Just as their growth is amazing, so is their destruction. A vikalpa is destroyed either by an opposite vikalpa or by fading away. In other words, one vikalpa can arise from another and undergo many modifications, or else that vikalpa can become nirvikalpa.

313. To understand vikalpas, we can categorize them into four groups: those in an unmanifest state, those which are begin- ning to manifest, those which are at the point of fully manifesting, and those which are fully manifest. Vikalpas in the last three stages give rise to pleasure and pain.

314. When even ordinary people spend time in the company of the great, they too become great. If they keep bad company, they are corrupted. Just as vikalpas can be affected by one's interactions in the outer world, similarly, in a subtle way and with even greater intensity, vikalpas can undergo change within.

Kingdom of Vikalpa 115

315. The current of vikalpas is astonishing and flows incessantly. But sometimes in the midst of it, like a flash of lightning, there occurs an instant which is free of vikalpas. In that instant, there is contact with Consciousness. This is the state of one's true nature.

316. While one is reading or running, or experiencing fear, happiness, or surprise, or pronouncing particular vowel sounds called visargas, there may be a moment when every- thing is suspended, when one can neither understand nor say anything. At this moment, one experiences a state without thought-waves. The upayas were created to stabilize this thought-free state. It has already been stated that the different kinds of under- standing of the principles from Shiva to the earth are vikal- pas. For convenience and practicality, we can describe these vikalpas in three ways. The first group of vikalpas enables us to carry on our mundane life in the world. The second group helps us to attain our true nature by enabling us to under- stand the principles of para (abheda, the supreme nonduality), parapara (bhedabheda, unity in diversity), and apara (bheda, duality). The third group is used to remove one by one the progeny of the other vikalpas and to attain the thought-free state. Although there is no vikalpa which is different from Shiva, the vikalpas arise through ignorance. We should root out all the vikalpas which lead us to believe that worldly objects are different from one another. We pursue the nirvikalpa state to attain our true nature, which is self-luminous and untainted by ignorance. The vikalpas that we use to eradicate the vikalpas of duality destroy these vikalpas and disappear. Then only the samvit state, the state of pure Consciousness, re- mains. This is the state of the blissful Self. We can neither remove anything from Consciousness nor add anything to it. Our goal is to experience Consciousness.

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Of course, all the efforts which are made to escape the tumult of the vikalpas are also vikalpas. But they are vikalpas of shuddhavidya, or pure knowledge. The vikalpas which cause suffering pertain to ashuddhavidya, or impure knowledge. A person who is infatuated with impure vikalpas - ignorance of his own true nature, a negative attitude toward the Self, lack of faith in God, striving to acquire material objects, indifference toward turning within - repents his whole life long. To acquire pure vikalpas and make them constantly arise within us, we should receive the Sadguru's instructions, practice sadhaha, keep good company, and engage in uplift- ing conversation. Even through such conversation, a seeker can decide, according to his understanding, how to expand to his true nature. If a person follows some practice, such as continually contemplating a flame, he can have a direct realization of the Truth. Through the power of that realiza- tion, there arises in him the awareness "I am transcendent as well as immanent. Purno'ham - I am perfect."

One who merely reads a book about the Pumo'ham aware- ness can only gossip about it. He cannot become Pumo'ham. How can dry knowledge make one juicy? In the world, there are many book-jnanis.56

There is a saying: "A scholar is like a torch." A torch has an oily rag tied to one end. This rag is set on fire, and a person carries it at night to illumine his path. Although the torch gives light to all, the area beneath the flame remains in darkness. In the same way, a scholar gives one lecture after another but fails to understand their essence himself. For that reason, the Guru's guidance, good company, the practice of sadhana, and discussion of the Truth are absolutely neces- sary. By these means, a seeker easily attains his own true nature, the all-pervasive and perfect "I"-consciousness, and merges with the Truth. Perfection merges with perfection.

56. Jnani: a knower of the Truth.

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317. In the state of bondage, the mind is the basis of all vikalpas. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says, Yogash chitta-vritti- nirodhaha" - "Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind." It is everyone's experience that the journey of life is made through the vikalpas arising in the mind. Through withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation, and other spiritual practices, the vikalpas should be roasted. If vikalpas arise even after one is pursuing one's own true na- ture, their strength should be reduced. Two main points are discussed in the shakta upaya: how to use the vikalpas in a positive way in order to become free of them and how to become established in the nirvikalpa state. The practices which we use to make the vikalpas positive belong to the realm of duality, but the practices which we use to become established in the nirvikalpa state lead to the vision of unity. These practices are also known as jnana upaya. A great being who has attained realization through this upaya experiences the bliss of God and the nectar of the totality of Consciousness. He experiences them at all times, while awake, asleep, at work, at home, in the market, and in the factory.

Yatra yatra manas tushtir manas tatraiva dharayet, Tatra tatra parananda svarupam sampravartate.58 Wherever a person's mind finds satisfaction, let it concentrate on that. In every such case, the true nature of the highest bliss will manifest.

The satisfaction of the mind lies in joy, not in agitation. If a yogi does not control his mind, it becomes agitated by the various vikalpas and makes him fall from his yogic state. Only by quieting the agitation of desire, anger, and so on, can the

57. Patanjali Yoga Sutras, I - 2. 58. Vijnana Bhairava, 74.

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yogi still his mind. Therefore, he should practice making the mind still in whichever object of beauty delights it or wher- ever it revels through the five senses of perception and five powers of action. A yogi should become aware, "I alone exist. I am of the form of Shiva, who is Consciousness and bliss. Everything is my own glory." In this way, he absorbs desire and other sources of agitation into himself. By making the intellect one-pointed and still, a yogi should feel, "My own nature pulsates everywhere." Even when the mind of an ordinary person focuses on any object, whether good or bad, he forgets everything else. A yogi should in- crease his mental one-pointedness and become centered in that state where he, too, forgets everything else. At that point, he becomes established in his own true, blissful na- ture. Then his various fantasies become nirvikalpa, and everything is filled with Shiva. Although you are already Shiva, become Shiva. Then your heart will be filled with ecstasy.

19

Advaita Bhava: The Attitude of Nonduality

318. A particular group of sages supporting the concept of duality asserts that although an individual performs actions, the fruits are granted according to the judgment of God. To support this view, they quote the following statement from the Upanishads: Karmadhyaksha sarva bhutadhivasah sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunashaha59 - "God, who presides over all actions, is the attributeless Witness." The philosophies of Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Yoga, and so on, belong to this cate- gory.0 These philosophies, which strengthen the notion of duality, have made God solely and totally transcendental. However, there is only one Supreme Principle, and it per- vades the entire universe. Ekam sat vipra bahndha vadanti - "Reality is one, but the wise men of different philosophies describe it in many different ways." Some call it Ram; others call it Krishna, Allah, Parameshwara, or the Void. They call the same One by different names, but the Truth is the same for all. Once a saint told his disciples the following story: One day four people, a Persian, an Arab, a Turk, and a Greek, went

319. Shvetashvatara Upanishad, 6-11. 60. Three of the six main philosophies in the Indian system.

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120 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

on a journey together. They had been given two rupees to spend. The Persian said, "I'll buy angur with this money, and we can all eat them." The Arab said, "No, I want to buy inab." The Turk said, "No, I like iizum. I want to buy that." The Greek said, "I don't want to buy anything but stafyllia." Each of them kept repeating what he wanted, without under- standing the other three. Finally, they began to quarrel. Vade vade vairavahni vardhate - "The fire of enmity grows through arguments and counterarguments." They began to exchange blows. At that point, a wise man approached them and asked why they were fighting. After listening to them, he said, "Don't fight. I'll satisfy all of you. I'll bring what each of you wants." He took the money, went to a shop, and bought grapes. Then he distributed them equally among the four. The Persian said, "These are my angurl" The Arab said, "Here are my inab!" The Turk said, "These are my uzuml" And the Greek said, "Here are my stafyllia!" The saint who related this story told his disciples that we all need such a wise man. Even today, people who lack the eye of knowledge fight because they have blind faith in one particular doc- trine. However, there is only one Supreme Principle for all, one goal, one purpose, one love.

319. Another group of sages states that Paramashiva, through His independent power, has become the material universe, which is full of various forms, modifications, and change. They state that He has also become the innumerable indi- vidual souls, who are nothing but Consciousness. The tradi- tion of Advaita, or nonduality, accepts this theory.

320. Advaita means one without a second. There are many different schools of philosophy. The Madhyamikas are Shunyavadins. The Yogicharas are Vijnanavadins. The Vivartavadins are Nirvisheshadvaitins. The Shakti-

Advaita Bhava 121

Vishishtadvaitins and Vishishtadvaitins are Savisheshad- vaitins. The Yadava Prakashacharyas are Brahmadvaitins. The exponents of Kashmir Shaivism are Bhedabheda Advaitins. The word advaita is common to all these philosophies. All the Advaitavadins consider the world, virtue and sin, bondage and liberation to be real in one way or another. They all share one main belief - the operation of the law of karma. They believe that the current of karma has been flowing in this world of reality since the beginning of time but that it finally ends in liberation. Among these schools of Advaita, the tradition of Kashmir Shaivism belongs to the group which says that the world is not different from the Absolute. Actually it teaches that the world is both different and not different from Him, because the world is the effect of the Shakti of that Supreme Principle. In this philosopy, the nature of karma is described in a unique way. Paramashiva, together with His own insepa- rable Shakti, who contains the five powers, has become both transcendental and immanent. In His transcendental state, He is completely serene, without modification, movement, or vibration. In His immanent state, He is the grahakas, individual souls; grahya, the world; and grahana, the body and the senses. For many reasons, these three appear to be different and to have different natures. In the form of indi- vidual souls, Shiva performs good or bad actions and then experiences them as pain or pleasure. In Shaivism, this is called the karma mala.

321. The play of creation in which unity is paramount is called shuddha adhva, or the pure creation. The creation in which duality is paramount and which is characterized by multiplic- ity is called ashuddha adhva, or the impure creation. As the jnana, iccha, and kriya shaktis become contracted one by one,

122 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

they become the anava, mayiya, and karmamalas. In the pure creation there are five tattvos, and in the impure creation there are thirty-one tattvas. This makes a total of thirty-six tattvas. All thirty-one tattvas of the impure creation came into existence because of the malas. Without the anava mala, the mayiya mala does not appear. The individual, whose body and senses are composed of the thirty-one principles of the mayiya mala, has limited knowledge and power and, due to the karma mala, performs good or bad actions. Although jnana, iccha, and kriya shaktis are closely con- nected to one another, kriya shakti predominates in action. Actually these three things exist in all actions: to know, to desire, and to strive. If we do not know something, we have no desire for it. If we have no desire for it, we do not perform the action of striving to obtain it. This shows that there is a close connection among these shaktis. From the highest viewpoint, these shaktis are not different from one another because they belong to the one Consciousness.

322. Many actions are performed by the physical body, the subtle senses, and the subtle body, which interconnects them. These actions can either bring about one's downfall or, when they cause the expansion of knowledge, improve one's welfare. However, actions are not the true cause of the expansion of knowledge. They can only make one worthy of it. The subject of how long one has to perform actions and when they cease is very profound. People give their own meaning to the word karma. According to Kashmir Shaiv- ism, the true experience of the play of Consciousness consists of performing actions with the understanding that it is the kriya shakti acting, not the individual. If a person performs actions with this understanding, they do not bind him. Knowledge, meditation, mantra repetition, and worship all help him to attain the Self. But if a person fails to understand

Advaita Bhava 123

the concept of nondoership and performs actions with ego and attachment, they bind him. This is the conviction of Shaivism.

323. One should perform actions considering them to be service to God. At the same time, one should renounce their fruits knowing that to perform actions with a sense of detachment is the natural state of prakriti, or nature. Through the anava mala, Consciousness becomes contracted. Through the mayiyamala, one becomes aware of differences. Through the karma mala, one performs good and bad actions. One who understands the mystery behind these things realizes that Shiva, through His play, is performing all the activities of the universe. With this understanding, a person pursues the miracle of seeing duality in unity and unity in duality. He finally attains the all-pervasive unity-awareness. He realizes Purno'ham, the perfect "I"-consciousness. As long as a per- son lacks the understanding of the universe and his own true nature, as long as he fails to experience the multiplicity of the universe as the play of the shakti chakra, the group of powers, he is bound by karma. However, after the awakening of the knowledge of the Truth, a person's harmos help to expand his knowledge.

Everyone knows the actions performed by the body and experiences the feelings and thoughts of the mind. Enlight- ened beings fully experience the serene state, which is de- void of both bodily and mental activities, as their true nature. This serene Consciousness is the basis of all bodily and mental activities. One should experience this through contemplation. This is called the knowledge of one's own Self. A great being is one who has turned within and who knows his own Self. What is true knowledge? It is the knowledge of the Self.

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324. The specialty of Shaivism is the complete attainment of the experience "I am Shiva." In the initial stages, a person with this cosmic awareness sees Paramashiva in everything. In the stage of mature awareness, he recognizes that he is one with Shiva. The scriptures describe the relationship between the world and the seeker in many ways. They also describe many spiritual practices which enable one to experience unity with Shiva. These are nothing more than different ways of relating to the world according to one's capacity. Although there is only one nondual Principle to be under- stood in Shaivism, that Principle has become dual within unity. How did this happen? One's doubts can be removed by such books as the Shiva Drishti, lshwara Pratyabhijna, and Spanda Karika. The Shiva Sutras are the foundation of Kashmir Shaivism. They were discovered by the great Siddha Vasugupta. To disseminate the Shiva Sutras, he wrote the Spanda Karika and other books in which he explained the hidden meanings of the surras.6 Somiananda wrote the Shiva Drishti and proved through logical deduction (yukti) and reasoning (pramana) that the world and Shiva are one. After him, Utpalacharya explained the meaning of this in a number of verses, which together became known as the lshwara Pratyabhijna. His followers, Abhinavagupta and Kshemaraja, also substan- tiated the doctrine of Shaivism. Through the Shiva Drishti, lshwara Pratyabhijna, Spanda- vivarana, and other texts, we can obtain complete under- standing and perceive, as directly as we perceive our own face in a mirror, that everything is Shiva, that our own true nature is the all-pervasive Shiva, and that the Self is Con- sciousness. Whether or not one reads these philosophies,

325. There is some controversy regarding the authorship of Spanda Karika. Al- though Vasugupta is generally considered the author, some claim that it was written by his great disciple Kallata.

Advaita Bhava 125

Muktananda says that their essence is very simple. A pot which is made of clay is still fundamentally clay. Ornaments made of gold remain gold inside and out. Cotton cloth which consists of warp and woof is still cotton. Tweezers, scissors, and knives made of steel remain steel. A son has his father's form. A daughter has her mother's form. A mango comes from a mango, a coconut from a coconut. In the same way, Shiva is the original, material, and instrumental cause of the entire universe. The world is in Shiva, and Shiva is in the world. A coconut tree, with its extraordinary shape, springs from one coconut. Similarly, the universe, which is wondrous and full of infinite forms, springs from Shiva and exists in Shiva. The universe is Shiva, the Supreme Consciousness. Shiva per- vades all forms. He exists as conscious beings and as matter. Although He is many, He is one. He is a man and a woman. He is food. He is the experiencer as well as that which is ex- perienced. He is nityananda, eternal bliss, and atmananda, the bliss of the Self. He is you and I. This is the Advaita doctrine of Shaivism.

Iti va yasya samvittih kridatvenakhilam jagat.62 The entire world is the play of Universal Conscious- ness. It has become the universe.

62. Vasugupta, Spanda Karika, 11-5.

20

Shiva Drishti: The Outlook of Shiva

325. Everyone knows that there are two types of objects in the universe - sentient and insentient. The universe appears to be full of differences because it includes both matter and conscious beings. There are definite and important reasons for considering the universe to be Shiva, and it is essential to know what they are. As time passes, objections to this way of thinking will naturally arise; wherever there is a lack of understanding, objections always arise. Shri Somananda, refuting the objections which prevailed in his time, ex- plained in one of his most sublime works, the Shiva Drishti, how the universe is one with Shiva. He revealed that Shiva is everywhere. We should wear the glasses of that same drishti, or outlook, and see things in that way.

326. No matter what we think, our experience is always limited by time, space, and circumstances. Before we can under- stand that the universe is the embodiment of Shiva, we must first understand these three limitations; the Shiva Drishti explains in detail why and how the supremely independent Shiva, who is never bound by these three things, accepted such limitations. This subject will be dealt with in Chapters 22 and 23.

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Shiva Drishti 127

327. Paramashiva is the embodiment of Consciousness. He pulsates in all objects as Consciousness. Without being bound by anything, He expands through the iccha and kriya shaktis.

Atmaiva sarva bhaveshu sphuran nirvrita chidvibhuhu, Aniruddheccha prasaraha prasarad drikkriyaha shivaha.63 Shiva Himself expands unobstructedly in all feelings through the iccha and kriya shaktis. To regard all objects as the embodiment of Shiva is the Shiva drishti, the outlook of Shiva.

328. Shiva is perfect, complete, and omnipotent. He pervades equally all forms as well as formlessness. The universe is not different from Shiva. One who has this understanding sees Shiva's form everywhere. Therefore, Shankaracharya said, Aham brahmasmi - "I am the Absolute."

Na shivaha shakti rahito na shaktir vyatirekini, Shivaha shaktastatha bhavan icchaya karturmhate.64 Shiva and Shakti are not different from each other. Because Shiva possesses Shakti, He controls the activities of this multifaceted universe.

Sa chitvam samsthitam nityam hathaniyam tathagrataha, Evam sarvapadarthanam samaiva shivata sthita.65 Jnana, iccha, and kriya exist in objects which have a form and also in formless feelings. Thus, Shivahood exists in all objects.

Tasmat samagrakareshu sarvasu pratipattishu, Vijneyam shiva rupatvam sva shaktya vesha natmakam.66

63. Somananda, Shiva Drishti, 1-2. 64. Ibid.,III-3. 65. Ibid., I-47, 48. 66. Ibid., III-17.

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Although Shiva, when moved by Shakti, exists in all perceptions, all forms, and all objects, He is still perfect. He never loses His perfection. Evam bhedatmakam nityam shivatattvamanantakam, Tatha tasya vyavasthahan nanarupe'pi satyata.67 Although the universe is manifold because of the constant arrangement of infinite varieties of forms, in reality only the state of Shiva exists. Sthitam shivawam sarvatra visheshacchaiva vadinam, Ekatvena tato jneya shivata sarva gochara.68 It has been proved that the state of Shiva is every- where, in duality as well as in unity, because Shiva possesses infinite powers. A devotional person sees Shiva's form everywhere.

329. A seeker who is truly ripe does not need any upayas to recognize that he is Shiva. Just as he can naturally recognize his parents, in the same way, he can recognize that he is Shiva through inference, scriptural truths, or a word from the Guru. He does not need to perform any spiritual prac- tices. For him, the means of attainment (upaya) and the goal which is attained (upeya), the attainment (prapya) and the one who attains (prapaka), the enjoyer (bhokta) and that which is enjoyed (bhogya) are all forms of Shiva.

Ekavaram prawianena shastradva guruvakyataha, Jnate shivatve sarvasthe pratipatya dridhatmana.69 One who has firm conviction easily attains the ex- perience of perfection in his own state by knowing Shiva. This comes through scriptural inference or just one word from the Guru.

67. Ibid., I-29. 68. Ibid., IV-126, 127. 69. Ibid., VII-5,6.

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Shivo'smi sadhana vishtaha shivo'ham yajako'pyaham. Shivam yami shivo yami shivena shiva sadhanaha.70 Practice sadhana with the following awareness: "I am a form of Shiva. I will attain Shiva. By becoming Him, I will attain Him. Because I am Shiva, I will attain Shivahood very easily." This is the sadhana to attain Shiva.

Bhinno'pyabhinna evasmi shiva ittham vicheshtanam, Shivo bhokta shivo bhojyam shiveshu shiva sadhanaha.71 Although I appear to be different, I am one with Shiva. The entire universe is the activity of Shiva. Shiva experiences everything. It is essential to know Shiva. Being Shiva, I will attain Him. Shiva is the experiencer as well as what is experienced. While remaining Shiva, I will attain Him. Shivaha karta shivaha karma shivo'smi karanatmakaha.72 Shiva is the doer of everything. He is also the action. Although I am involved with all my senses, I am still Shiva.

In this way, by becoming established in the awareness of Shiva, by knowing Shiva, a mature seeker becomes one with Him. This is the essence of the Shiva drishti. In the Yoga Vasishtha, it is said, Ya drishtihi sa srishtihi - "The world is as you see it."

330. The blissful Paramashiva both transcends the universe and is the universe. He is the highest bliss and nothing but a mass of light. He makes the entire universe from Shiva to the earth come into existence, yet always remain one with

331. Ibid., VII-96, 98, 71. Ibid., VII-99. 72. Ibid., VII-100.

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Himself. Actually, in that state, there is no other subject or object. The supreme, blissful Shiva alone manifests Himself in the innumerable forms of multiplicity.

331. The creation experienced by one ignorant person differs from that of another. A person's creation depends on his understanding. However, for one who knows the Truth, the entire world is the embodiment of Shiva.

Aham shivaha shivaschiayam tvam chapi shiva eva hi, Sarvam shivamayam brahma shivat param na kinchana. I am Shiva and Shiva is me. You are also Shiva. Everything is Shiva. Everything is Brahman. Every- thing is Consciousness. There is nothing different from Shiva.

Neha nanasti kinchana - "There is no multiplicity here whatsoever." There is nothing which is different from Shiva. This is Shiva drishti, the outlook of Shiva. This is the outlook of the Self. This is the outlook of spirituality. Any outlook other than this is blindness.

21

Pravrittivada: The Theory of Extroversion

332. The contraction of Shakti is the fundamental cause of the state of individuality. In this contracted state, a person always focuses outside himself. He is always extroverted, and so limitless desires torture him in every possible way. If he is alone, he wants to become two; he wants a mate. If he is married, he wants a house. Then he wants to have children or to expand his business. Desire can never know content- ment. Just as darkness cannot comprehend the sun, a desire can never experience satisfaction or fulfillment. In the king- dom of desires, satisfaction and contentment have never taken birth. Desires are always increasing. The more we encourage them, the more they flourish. They can never be satisfied. Even if our desires obtained all three worlds, they would still keep growing. No matter how many means we use to placate them, they continue to swell. If we satisfy the body, our mental desires multiply. There is no way to fulfill desires through limited objects. Anxiety, fear, doubts, and the innumerable offspring of jealousy continue to proliferate in the wake of desire. The progeny of extroversion overrun the world. Only when extroversion merges into the infinite

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Supreme Principle are all its desires fulfilled. Only then do they cease to exist. The attainment of this state of universal- ity is called moksha, or liberation. Even after dwelling on limited things for a long time, one does not attain peace. This is why the belief has arisen that it is better to reject them. Believing this with great intensity, some scholars renounce mundane activities and the outer world. They explain that the world should be renounced because it is imaginary, illusory, and full of momentary pain and pleasure. The truth is that no matter what lectures a person may give, no matter what books or dramas he may write from birth to death, he cannot become free of these imaginary but naturally created limitations and the pain and pleasure which arise from them.

333. A person can lead a joyful life in the world and experience universal brotherhood ifhe has the inner knowledge that the external world is the embodiment of God. He should also have the firm conviction that the people of the world are all God, and perform virtuous actions with peace, with good feelings, and without deception or expectations. If he leads his life in the world without expectations, he will attain happiness and contentment.

22

The Cause of Bondage

334 As long as the individual soul is affected by maya shakti73 and considers the universe to be different from himself, he will remain bound. In reality, this world, which is the play of Shakti, is his own body. Considering the world to be other than himself is the cause of his bondage. Attachment and aversion, enmity and jealousy, and other kinds of misery arise from the idea that the knower and the known are separate. The individual soul performs good or bad actions through the influence of these sources of misery. Impressions of old desires and the fruits of actions ultimately ripen and give birth to infinite impurities. If a person recognizes his own true nature through the power of pure knowledge, he becomes free. Through pure knowledge, bondage dissolves.

Eshah pramata mayandhaha samsari karma bandhanaha, Vidya bhijnapi taishvaryaha chidghano mukta uchyate.74 The individual soul, through the power of maya, falls into the bondage of karma and is subject to the law of transmigration. Through true knowledge, he is made to recognize his power and then, because he is pure Consciousness, he is called liberated.

73. The power which creates differentiation. 74- Utpalacharya, Ishwara Pratyabhijna, III-2-2.

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23

Release from Bondage

335. Three impurities, or malas - anava mala, mayiya mala, and karma mala - exist in everyone, from gods to human beings. Apurnoham manyatarupam anava malam - "Anava mala is the notion 'I am imperfect.' " Although the individual soul is perfect, he considers himself imperfect. This is the anava mala, which comes into being because of the contraction of iccha shakti, the power of will. The anava mala causes the omnipresent Paramashiva to lose His all-pervasiveness and become a limited individual. Ahatmanyatmabhimanam - "To identify oneself with the non-Self, the body, and so on, is the anava mala." The mayiya mala also comes into existence because of a contraction of iccha shakti. Bhinnavedya pratha - "It brings about a sense of difference." Even though Chiti is nondual and all-pervasive, through the mayiya mala it experiences duality. The body is enveloped by the pancha kanchuhas, or five limitations of Shakti, and is under the control of the senses. This is the effect of the mayiya mala. The harma mala is the cause of shubha ashubha anushta- nam - good and bad actions - performed through the senses of perception, the powers of action, and the mind.

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Release from Bondage 135

Birth is caused by actions. From good actions, one reaps good fruit. From bad actions, one reaps bad fruit. The karma mala follows an individual through countless births in the form of impressions and tendencies. A limited individual's experience consists of the three states of waking, dream, and deep sleep. His world is made of these states and the malas. While the individual is in bondage, he identifies with the void of the deep sleep state, the prana, the subtle body, and the physical body. Through the Guru, the knowledge of the scriptures, his own efforts, and the understanding that he is independent, all-pervasive, eternal, and perfect, he transcends all his ordinary experi- ences and feelings. The different upayas, chanting hymns to God, offering salutations, repeating the mantra Om Namah Shivaya, worship, meditation, the practices leading to soma- dhi, and other spiritual activities are all taught in order to facilitate this transformation. With the help of these things, a person's knowledge expands, and he experiences the bliss of Consciousness. As long as his body is alive, he lives happily. Once his body dies, he becomes one with Paramashiva.

24

Samvit Paramarsha: The Comprehension of the Supreme "I"-Consciousness

336. On one hand, our experience leads us to believe that matter and consciousness are inseparable. On the other hand, we experience matter as inert objects, different from consciousness. We know that ultimately the experience of matter as separate - as idam, "this" - evolves into samvit paramarsha, the experience of the supreme 'T'-consciousness. For this reason, we think that only conscious entities have the power of consciousness and that inert objects lack it. Both of these experiences are the play of God, who assumes the form of the universe.

Svatmaiva sarvajantunam elca eva maheshwaraha, Vishva rupo'ha midamit yakhanda marsha branhitaha. Only the Self, God, who has taken the form of the universe, exists in all beings. By ceaselessly contem- plating "I am He," a person blissfully experiences the entire universe as his own Self.

Through its independent power, the infinite "I"- consciousness plays in the form of both "I" and "this." In the experience of perfect "I"-consciousness, there is no dis- tinction of place or time. If this differentiation arises, Con-

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Samvit Paramarsha 137

sciousness takes the form of the world of objects. This is where the difference arises between the two experiences mentioned above. By contracting His power, God creates the world, or idam. He assumes many forms: the intellect, prima, the physical body, and so on. Limited by duality, the partial "I"-consciousness experiences, "I am different." In this way, because we lack the knowledge of our own true nature, we have become rooted in duality, in the idea that we are many. Therefore, such concepts as "I am the experi- encer," "This is joyful," and "That is painful" have multiplied.

Sva svarupa parijnana mayo'nekaha puman mataha, Tatra srishtau kriya nando bhogo dukha sukhat makaha. A person creates pain and pleasure and becomes troubled by forgetting his own Self and getting caught up in the knowledge of duality, by limiting his own perfection and accepting imperfection, and by creating duality with the understanding "I am different from others."

337. When a person acquires the knowledge of his own true nature, the pure "I"-awareness, his old world changes into a new one filled with joy, bliss, love, and God. The entire world is the play of the Universal Consciousness.

25

Shiva Samavesha: Union with Shiva

338. In God, the jnana, iccha, and kriya shaktis remain pure. In a bound soul, they are impure because of maya. In this state, in which one considers the separate objects of the world to be devoid of awareness, there arise the three gunas - sattva (purity), rajas (activity), and tamos (inertia). Sattva is char- acterized by pleasure (prakasha), and its function is knowl- edge. Rajas is characterized by pain (aprakasha), and its function is action (kriya). Tamas is characterized by the deluded state in which one experiences neither pleasure nor pain (avaprakosha), and its function is restriction (niya- mana). The soul, therefore, experiences joy through purity, pain through activity, and illusion or wrong understanding through inertia. Through the influence of the gunas, differ- ent kinds of understanding arise within. They are all reflec- tions of the power of the Supreme Consciousness. The mental creation of the bound soul is of two types: one is imagination of what is actual, such as visualizing the warp and woof of cloth, and the other is deluded imagination, such as believing a rope to be a snake. Both are creations of the mind. When these thoughts disappear through the awareness of Shivo'- ham - "I am Shiva" - a person acquires the certainty that

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Shiva Samavesha 139

the entire universe is one with God. As this knowledge becomes firmly rooted in him, he becomes a jivanmukta (a being who is liberated while still in the body), even though isolated thoughts continue to arise within him.

Sarvo mamayam vibhava ityevam parijanateaa, Vishvatmano vikalpanam prasare'pi maheshata.75 He who has realized his identity with the universe, and who knows that all that is manifest is simply his glory, possesses the status of the highest Lord, even when thoughts and images are still arising in him.

Such a liberated soul becomes established in the awareness of Shiva and considers all the thoughts which arise and subside in the space of Consciousness to be like clouds coming and going in the sky.

339. This is the difference between a bound soul and an enlight- ened being. A yogi who has attained true knowledge consid- ers all the principles from Shiva through Sadashiva down to insects as one. To him everything is aham, or "I." Samata sarvabhutanam samata sarvavallinam - "He sees equality in all beings, trees, and creepers." For him, the entire world is prameya, that which is known, and he remains one with it. He also considers himself one with the knowers, or pramatris. However, the understanding of a bound soul is different from this. A bound soul considers the knower to be different from that which is known. Joy and pain, enmity and friendship, bondage and libera- tion, and supreme bliss all arise within and are simply a matter of understanding. Maintaining the right understand- ing is one's sadhaha as well as its fruit. An individual who

340. Abhinavagupta, Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vimarshini, IV-1-12.

140 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

considers himself to be God, and who considers his powers of knowledge and action to be manifestations of God's inde- pendent freedom, experiences God's cosmic form. Such a seeker merges into God and becomes Him when his body dies. The Bhagavad Gita says, Bahirantoscha bhutanam acharam charameva cha76 - "He dwells equally in all sentient beings and insentient objects." Although fire appears in different forms, its heat is the same in all of them. In the same way, God pervades all objects and beings subtly and eternally. He is one, within and without, near and far, everywhere. His nature never changes. He is Shiva.

76. Bhagavad Gita, XIII-15.

26

Jnana Svarupa: The True Nature of Knowledge

340. It is natural for the question to arise, "When we see an object, where do we get our understanding of that object?" Knowledge does not come only from external objects. In fact, some people know nothing about a particular object even though they come in contact with it. Others may be indifferent to that object. There are also people on whom an object makes no impression even though they make an effort to perceive it. Therefore, we cannot say that external objects necessarily give rise to knowledge. Of course, external ob- jects are necessary to create either joy or agitation through our outer senses. But the knowledge which we derive from such words as heaven, hell, Kailasa, and Vaikuntha does not depend on the physical existence of these places. Such knowledge springs from a definite center in the realm of our feelings. It does not need the same kind of basis as the knowledge which arises from contact with external objects. For example, our lives are primarily focused on the belief in virtue and sin. This tendency, which makes us think that bad actions are wrong and good actions are right, does not need any outer support. The tendency can be understood by its own reality, which is also its motivating force. For a

141

142 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

person who has faith and who understands the state of Shiva, that understanding is not different from its impulse, which is kriya shakti. In other words, all these kinds of understanding are not different from the Supreme Principle.

341. Yogis do not view their understanding as different from the Supreme Principle, their true inner nature. The inner Prin- ciple with its own vibration arises as one's limited understand- ing. This understanding gives an object definite characteris- tics - for example, "This is a mango; it is red, round, and weighs two kilos." Even though the experience of these characteristics is limited, still it is the result of the vibration of Consciousness as jnana shakti, the power of knowledge. Since jnana shakti is a vibration of Consciousness, the result of its play is also not different from Consciousness. In other words, when the vibration becomes limited, objects are perceived with limited vision. This understanding is called grahya grahaka bhava - awareness of the subject- object relationship. When a person says, "I see this object," that "I" is the grahaka bhava - the awareness of the per- ceiver. "This object" is the grahya bhava - the awareness of the perceived. The awareness of both the perceiver and the perceived vibrates in the pramatri, or knower. These differ- ences, however, are all vibrations of the Truth. "This is a mountain," "This is a piece of fruit," "This is a man" - all of these constant vibrations of the perceived actually are not different from the perceiver. In reality, everything is the vibration of the Supreme Principle. The perceiver and the perceived are both forms of the same Principle. If a person gives up his ego through right understanding, he naturally uplifts himself and becomes the true Absolute. Otherwise, like a silkworm enclosed in a cocoon, he becomes trapped in the beauty of his own body and forgets himself. Then he becomes his own enemy.

Jnana Svarupa 143

342. Therefore, a person should seek his own Self and under- stand the world. He should know God who permeates the forms of the world. When he understands and knows his own Self, all his old impressions subside. He never again feels, "I am different from God and God is far away from me." When filth and squalor are removed, only purity is left. Similarly, when the war of thoughts and doubts comes to an end, the individual becomes God. When a person's identification with the body is totally destroyed, he need do nothing else to become God because he has been completely saturated with God all along. His experience is "I am in God and God is in me." Moreover, he experiences the entire universe as being filled with God. This kind of understanding is jnana svarupa, the true nature of knowledge.

27

Pratibha:

The Light of Consciousness

343. The power through which we understand what a particular object is or through which we obtain any kind of knowledge is called pratibha. For example, we know that a certain object is a pen. The power through which we realize that it is a pen is called pratibha. The power of pratibha is one with pramatri, the knower. We usually obtain knowledge of differ- ent objects singly and sequentially, one after another. When we are discussing one subject, other subjects do not come up. When we are reflecting on one object, we do not think of other objects. But when we look at a picture with a forest, an ocean, a tree, and a creeper painted in different colors, we do not get a clear-cut impression of each separate object. In- stead, we receive collective knowledge of the whole mass. Later, as we notice each separate object, we forget our previous collective knowledge of it. In this way, the con- sciousness of the whole exists before the understanding which comes in sequence. That nondual and nonsequential consciousness, pratibha, is the Knower: God.

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Pratibha 145

Ya chaisha pratibha tat tat padartha krama rushita, Akrama nanta chidrupaha pramata sa maheshwaraha.77 That consciousness which is colored by or identified with the succession of different objects is nothing other than the great Lord, the highest Knower, and nothing but the unchanging light of Consciousness.

344. Pratibha is the force behind inner inspiration. It is a won- drous light and an extraordinary experience. It is God's power, the light of the Self. It exists in God eternally. The moment this Shakti unfolds, the entire world expands.

345. One can attain pratibha by destroying thoughts and past impressions and through shaktipat, or the grace of Shiva. A being who has attained pratibha eliminates all thoughts and experiences and so can remove the obstacles which prevent him from seeing his own true nature. He can directly know the past, present, and future. He can have a vision of the incredible Parameshwan, the Supreme Shakti. He can fash- ion a new creation within himself because pratibha gives rise to ever-new creative abilities. The One who controls the activities of the mundane world with its different varieties of knowledge is called the Knower. This Knower determines cause and effect by combining the past and that which we have already seen with the present and that which we see now, and so on. Thus, we acquire our knowledge of that which exists and that which does not exist, of obstructions and that which is being obstructed. New thoughts and feelings continually arise along with the power to discriminate between an object and its dharma, or inherent nature. In this way, in the principle of pratibha, both pure and

346. Utpalacharya, Ishwara Pratyabhijna, 1-7-7.

146 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

impure activities occur. This principle is composed of various kinds of understanding which are mutually opposed.

346. The understandings which arise in us are momentary. They are all relative and merely abhasas, or reflections. Although we have different thoughts, which consist of varia- tions of the past, present, and future, only one Being is the substratum of them all. We can divide our experiences into four categories: joyful, painful, those which cause joy, and those which cause pain. We think that wealth brings joy and that violence, poverty, and so on, bring pain. When we come in contact with objects, pain and pleasure arise. We experience joy when we obtain the objects that we desire; as long as we do not have them, we are not happy. In addition, we have the mistaken idea that all the efforts which we put forth to attain happiness are also joyful. Once we have enjoyed the desired object, all that remains is the reflection of thoughts, the memory; through delusion, we also consider that to be joy. Actually happiness is the reflection of the vibration of jnana shakti, the power of knowledge. It is not tied to objects. Although a renunciant and a greedy person have the same right to wealth, the renunciant, because he understands these abhasas, values renunciation whereas the greedy person gives more importance to indulging in pleasure. The more we think about pain or pleasure, the more we conclude that they are merely abhasas.

Sukhadishu cha saukhyadi hetushvapi cha vastushu, Avabhasosya sadbhave'p yatitatvat tatha sthitihi.78 Although abhasas such as pleasure, or those which are the means thereof, remain always the same, they manifest differently because they are unified with another abhasa, namely, "past." 78. Utpalacharya, Ishwara Pratyabhijna, I-8-3.

Praabha 147

347. There are differences among external objects. Moreover, these objects arise, come, and go. At one moment they exist and then they do not. Therefore, they do not have absolute existence. Because the inner Principle is of the nature of absolute existence, there are differences only in its vibra- tions, not in that Principle itself. The reflections of Con- sciousness manifest outwardly as thoughts. The willpower, or iccha shakti, of the inner Knower brings about the experi- ences of pain and pleasure which arise from external objects. In this way, as the Shakti of the Knower flows outward, inner and outer activities go on through the powers of knowledge and action. All understanding, both inner and outer, is considered to be due to the power of praabha awareness. Good company, discussion of the Truth, the gift of shaktipat, and God's grace are paramount in bringing about the direct knowledge of pratibha.

28

Avabhasa and Abhasadrishti: Seeing the World as a Reflection

348. The knowledge of the objects which can be perceived at any moment is first found within the knower. These objects are then seen outside, for this reason, they are called abhasas (or avabhasas), reflections. The main characteristic of these reflections is asankarya, which denotes the fact that they do not merge together and refers to inner understandings and outer objects which are mutually opposed or different from one another. These are like fire and camphor which are reflected in the same mirror but do not interact. (The oppo- site of this is sankarya, a blend. Two things have to mix in order to become sankarya.) In this way, the objects that we experience appear to be different from one another. However, the reflection and the reflected object are one and the same. Even though the manifested objects may remain separate from one another, they are not different from the reflecting subject. So, essentially, all the objects of experience are one. The knowledge of objects which arises in us is neither a product of our imagination nor an experience of past impressions.

349. The experiencing subject in the form of pure Conscious- ness unceasingly manifests the universe of infinite forms

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Avabhasa and Abhasadrishti 149

which exists within it, even though there is no tangible material for such a manifestation. This is the play of its iccha shakti, or willpower. There are testimonies and stories of how yogis and Siddhas who had achieved oneness with Con- sciousness created entire universes merely through their will- power. In the same way, only objects which exist within can be reflected outside.

Vartamana vabhasanam bhavana mavabhasanam, Antasthitavatameva ghatate bahiratmana." 79

The inner Self continually manifests outwardly the objects which exist in its inner consciousness through its thought.

350. Vimarsha is the subject's act of examination of its own inner thoughts or feelings.

Vimarsho hi sarvam saha paramapi atmikaroti, Atmanam cha pankaroti ubhayam elukaroti, Ekikrutam dvayamapi nyagbhavyati ityevam svabhavaha. Vimarsha is everything. It makes itself others and makes others itself. It can make one into two, make two into one, or make everything disappear. That is its nature.

Vimarsha is the action of Chiti. It marks the difference between insentient objects and conscious beings. An inert rock does not examine itself and say, "I am." This means that it lacks knowledge of Consciousness; it is insentient because it cannot attain the awareness "I am unlimited Conscious- ness. " Experiencing subjects, as opposed to insentient objects, are aware of their existence as "I" and have the potential of knowing themselves as Consciousness. Ordinarily they ex-

79. Abhinavagupta, Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vimarshini, 1-5-13.

150 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

perience insentient objects as idam, "this." The play of this vimarsha shakti is infinite. Vimarsha shakti, by manifesting differences between subject and object, creates desire. In this state of inner examination, whatever we have accumulated within has not yet manifested as letters and words but remains in undifferentiated seed form. These seeds are the cause of the various activities created by letters. These letters are symbolic expressions of maya. Freedom is the essential nature of the source from which these letters arise. It does not depend on anything. This is discussed at length in the Shaivite literature.

351. When I say, "I see this object," it is a manifestation of jnana shakti, or the power of knowledge. This manifestation is called spanda. Spanda is the throb or movement of God. When there is even the slightest movement of Conscious- ness, the knowledge of manifold objects arises.

352. Vimarsha shakti manifests externally in the form of maya shakti, the power of illusion. At that time, it makes us aware of duality, and we experience differences through such words as knowledge, determination, and perseverance. When we analyze our understanding in a subtle way, two things be- come clear: first, the understanding which is connected with name and form, and second, the understanding of pure being, which transcends the limitations of name and form. This pure being is called sat. The word sat cannot be ascribed a definite meaning. Generally, when we say sat, we mean "that which exists forever." It exists as an eternal principle, even in all objects. However, it is very difficult to prove this because something which has no name or form cannot be grasped through empirical knowledge. The truth is that the principle of sat exists even in empiri- cal knowledge. It can also be perceived in objects. The

Avabhasa and Abhasadrishti 151

ancient seers said that objects have the following five as- pects: asti, existence; bhati, the act of shining; priya, joy; noma, name; and rupa, form. Priya, noma, and rupa belong to the category of that which is experienced. Asti and bhati are associated with the Supreme Principle. Although the Reality which is known as pure existence cannot be limited by time and space, it is still one with them. That Principle of pure existence in itself does not appear with name and form as idam, "this." In its immanent aspect, it appears as idam through the powers of knowledge, memory, and reasoning, but still, in its transcendental aspect, it is different from them.

Ghato'yamit yadhyavasanam rupati rekini, Paresh shakti ratmeva bhasate na tvidantaya.80 The Shakti of Shiva shines as the Self by transcend- ing such perceptions of name and form as "This is a pot."

From this, we conclude that all the innumerable abhasas are merely the play of that Chitshakti, or Consciousness.

80. Utpalacharya, lshwara Pracyabhijna.

29

Spanda Nirnaya: The Discussion of Spanda

353. The Shiva Sutras are the basic treatise of Kashmir Shaivism. The Siddha Vasugupta wrote commentaries on these surras and brought about a revival of interest in Kashmir Shaivism. His book, Spanda Karika, contains fifty-one verses explaining the main principles concealed in the Shiva Sutras. In this way, he disseminated them. The principles explained in these verses of the Spanda Karika are based on the experience of Siddhas and on the Agama Shastras, divinely revealed texts. The Spanda Karika is divided into three chapters: Svarupa Spanda, SahajaVidyodayaSpanda, and VibhutiSpanda. The Svarupa Spanda explains the nature of the Supreme Principle and describes how limitations have concealed our true nature. The Sahaja Vidyodaya Spanda explains how to discriminate between that which is external and that which is not, how to remain awake to the Self at all times, and also how to attain the knowledge of one's own Self. The Vibhuti Spanda describes the glory of Shiva and the true awareness of Him.

152

30

Spanda Svarupa: The Nature of Spanda

354. Spandate mama chakshuhu - "My eyelids are fluttering." Ghaiat tailam spandate - "Oil is glistening in a pot." The word spanda is commonly used in these ways. The following words are synonyms for spanda, or movement: sphota, explo- sion; sphurana, throb; chalana, motion; hampana, trembling; udaya, arising; unmesha, expansion; abhasana, reflection; nishyanda, flux; and unmilana, unfolding. Spanda shakti is the true nature of Paramashiva. This pure Supreme Principle reflects the totality of the thirty-six tattvas. This Principle is the deity which is the basis of all knowledge. It is the vital force of all mantras. It is the glory of Consciousness which has manifested in the form of Chitshakti and which has enveloped the entire universe.

355. The ordinary meaning of spanda is throb or vibration. In the terminology of Shaivism, the word spanda has a specific meaning. It refers to movement in something which was formerly motionless. Spanda is Shakti, the power which transcends the senses. It is the Shakti which manifests from Shiva. The word spanda means subtle movement or the manifestation of the subtle and pure "I"-consciousness. We should not consider the spanda of the pure "I"-consciousness to be like the elements violently lashing the trees during a

153

154 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

storm. We should understand the nature of spanda as the mere readiness of the Supreme Lord, who is the totality of Consciousness, to manifest as the outer universe by His own will using His independent Shakti. The nature of His spanda is nothing but pure "I"-consciousness. The perfect Shiva manifests this universe through His spanda shakti. In its very essence, spanda shakti is constant vibration. Svatman yucchalanatmakaha - "Spanda is the leaping up of the Lord's own Shakti." With the same spanda, He also dissolves the universe. Svashakti-prachayo'sya vishvam - "The universe is the un- folding of Shiva's power." Spanda is the first throb which takes place when Shakti expands. Spanda shakti exists in Shiva in an irregular or spontaneous form and reveals out- wardly all the manifestations of the universe. The great beings define it as the five actions of Shiva: creation, suste- nance, dissolution, concealment, and bestowal of grace.

356. Ordinary spanda is nothing but the predominant active aspect of vimarsha shakti, the dynamic creative power which coexists with prakasha, the static aspect of Paramashiva. A period of rest occurs in spanda when the inner "I"- consciousness is in an undifferentiated form. It also occurs when the universe has manifested outwardly and when the universe is contemplated inwardly as idam. Only the univer- sal spanda shakti has this freedom and infinite power.

Yasyonmesha nimeshabhyam jagatah pralayodayau, Tarn shakti chakra vibhava prabhavam shankaram stumaha.8, We offer our salutations to that Shiva who is the fountainhead of all glory manifest in the shakti chakra and at whose waking and sleeping the world is created and dissolved.

81. Vasugupta, Spanda Karika, I-10.

31

Spanda Lakshana: The Definition of Spanda

357. A person cannot do his work merely because he wants to do it. The instruments of the senses cannot function simply by his willing them to do so. To do his work in the way that he wants, he needs the help of the senses, but there is another force which motivates the senses and gives them the power to work. This conscious force in its introverted aspect is called the spanda principle. It is also called atma-baa-sparsha - the inspiration coming from contact with the strength of the Self. Through this contact with the Supreme Principle, the senses obtain the ability to carry out their work. It is this contact with the Supreme Power which is termed spanda shakti in our mundane experience. Spanda shakti is also the grace-bestowing power in Gurus who give shaktipat. Because the touch predominates in this shakti, we can understand the glory of Shakti through the touch and will of such Gurus.

358. The essential nature of the spanda shakti is the perfect, pure "I"-consciousness in the form of an initial flash or throb. Through this throb, the same Shakti manifests in infinite forms.

155

156 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

Shivasyaika mahashaktihi shivashchaiko hyanadiman, Sa shaktir bhidyate devi bhedai ranantya shambhavi.82 In Shiva, She manifests in infinite shapes and ap- pears as the innumerable and unique forms of the universe.

As She vibrates eternally, She is called spanda shakti. That Shakti is not different from Shiva.

Na shivaha shakti rahito na shaktihi shiva varjita, Ubhayo rasti tadatmyam vahni dahakayoriva. That spanda shakti is not different from Shiva, be- cause Shiva is not different from Shakti. Both Shiva and Shakti refer to the same Reality, just as fire and heat are not two different things.

In other words, spanda shakti is the Sublime Reality.

Sasphuratta mahasatta. This vibrating Shakti is the Supreme Reality.

Satta cha bhavana kartritva sarva kriyasu svatantryam. Because it is the Supreme Reality, it has the freedom to perform any action.

It gives birth to every visible object that exists in the world. In addition, through the imagination, it even brings into being objects which do not exist at all from the stand- point of direct perception: sa cha kha pushpadikamapi vyapnoti - "for example, a flower in the sky." A flower in the sky, the son of a barren woman, and horns on a hare are all figments of the imagination. In addition to these, spanda shakti also gives birth to limitations of time, space, and form. But because it is all-pervasive, it itself is not limited. Desha kala visheshini - "Space, time, and form are separate." All the objects of the universe are forms of spanda shakti.

82. Svacchanda Tantra, 11-27.

32

Spanda Nirdesha: The Indication of Spanda

359. We can recognize the principle of spanda through all the fluctuations that occur in us. We can recognize it in the waveless state which we experience within for a fraction of a moment when we are involved in such activities as reading, running, or being afraid, furious, or astonished and also while we are pronouncing the syllables known as visargas. It can be neither clearly defined nor understood by others.

Sa cha drishya hriduddeshe karya smarana kalataha, Praharsha veda samaye darasandarshana kshane. Analochanato drishte visarga prasaraspade, Visargokti prasange cha vachane dhavane tatha. Eteshveva prasangeshu sarva shakti vilolata.83

This means that we experience stillness for a fraction of a moment while reading, running, being afraid, furious, as- tonished, and pronouncing visargas. We experience that stillness in the first moment of meeting someone we love and in our astonishment as we watch a magic show. We can recognize the spanda principle in this state which lasts a fraction of a moment.

83. Somananda, Shiva Drishti, I-9, 10, 11.

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158 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

Vichitra rachana nanakarya srishti pravartane, Bhavat yunmukhitachitta secchayahaprathama tutihi.84 When the readiness arises to create diversity out- side, that is the first movement of the icchia shakti of Consciousness.

That readiness is spanda.

360. The expansion of spanda shakti takes two forms - general and specific - and therefore Shaivites have given it two names: samanya spanda, or general spanda, and visesha spanda, or specific spanda. In its general form, it is unity in diversity. In its specific form, it is diversity in unity. The general form of that spanda shakti is the immanent, subtle Consciousness or prana, which pervades all the innumerable objects of the universe. In its specific form, duality predominates, and the spanda shakti becomes the many unique names, forms, and objects of experience. The power of spanda is free and eternal, flowing inward and outward simultaneously. Spanda is the power which throbs unceasingly. When the world began, there was an initial explosion or pulsation. Scientists also recognize that this vibratory power created the world and is constantly throb- bing in the universe. It has existed since the beginning of time and will continue to pulsate eternally.

361. God's own initial spanda, or throb, has become sound and vibrates incessantly. The world exists within us in a seed form. It is spanda which manifests it outwardly on such a colossal scale.

362. Ibid., I-8.

Spanda Nirdesha 159

Ya sa shaktir jagaddhatuhu kathita samavayini, lcchattvam tasya sa devi sisruksho pratipadyate.85 When God's independent Shakti, who is insepar- able from Him, is ready to flow out into the forms of the universe, She first takes the form of iccha.

The Rig Veda states that before the moment of creation, the Lord said, Eko'ham bahusyamoha86 - "1 am alone; let Me become many." As that iccha shakti unfolds,.it manifests as jnana shakti and kriya shakti.

Evam saisha dvirupapi punarbhedairanekatam, Arthopadhivashadyati chintamaniriveshwari. Because the Shakti in Her supremacy possesses both the power of knowledge and the power of action, She is the wish-fulfilling gem.87

She continually unfolds in order to create objects (prameya) and branches out in infinite currents. As a result, She ex- pands to form the multiplicity of the universe, from Shiva to the earth. Shakti, through the power of knowledge, flows through the three paths of vama, pada, and mantra.88 Through the power of action, She flows through the other three paths of kola, tattva, and bhuvana.89 In this way, She assumes the forms of the outer universe. The expansion of the entire universe of sound takes place in the form of the first three paths, and the universe of matter in the form of the latter three paths. Both of these come into existence through spanda.

85. MaliniVijayaTantra, 3-5. 86. Rig Veda, 1-104-46. 87. A jewel mentioned in the scriptures as having the power to fulfill all desires. 88. See Glossary. 89. See Glossary.

33

Anusandhana of Spanda Shakti Contemplation of Spanda Shakti

362. Ekachinta prasaktosya yatoh syadaparodayaha, Unmeshaha sa tu vijneyoha svayam tarn upalakshayet.90 The experience which arises within us when we move from one thought or feeling to another is called unmesha. One should know it by looking within.

This must be understood primarily through experience. From one vibration, another arises. Bindu (light), nada (sound), rupa (form), rasa (taste), and so on, arise from spanda.

363. Through the power of spanda, an ignorant person is driven to perform actions. Even if he has spiritual longing, because of the influence of spanda he does not notice it. When the experience of aham, "I am," arises everywhere, one can see the spanda principle governing omniscience and the other qualities associated with it.

364. Through effort, a person can come to know the true nature of the universe. But even after he knows it, he must be

365. Kshemaraja, Spanda Nirnaya, IV-2.

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Contemplation of Spanda Shakti 161

vigilant. Only if he seeks the Supreme Principle one- pointedly will he avoid being tortured by other things.

Prabhuddhah sarvada tishthetjnanena lochyagocharam, Ekatraropayet sarvam tato'nyena na pidyate.91 A yogi should be very alert after achieving the true vision of the world. He should maintain awareness of the unity of the whole, and then there will be no "other" to trouble him.

In other words, if, through knowledge, a person one- pointedly contemplates the spanda of the universe, then the world of duality causes him no trouble or pain.

365. Infinite powers arise from groups of letters. One who falls victim to them is ignorant. An ignorant person is not inde- pendent because he lacks the feeling of supreme bliss. Groups of letters are always ready to conceal his true nature. Bondage consists of not knowing the glory of the shakti chakra (the group of powers which control the inner and outer worlds), whereas liberation and all other attainments are the result of knowing it. A person who is bound and under the control of the mind, intellect, ego, and subtle body experiences pain and pleasure. This is called samsara, or worldly existence.

Seyam kriyatmika shaktihi shivasya pashuvartini, Bandhayitri svarmrgastha jnata siddhyupapadika.92 Realizing that the same kriya shakti of Shiva is a binding force in a bound soul and the path to Reality in a soul with right understanding is the way to reveal the Supreme Power.

A seeker masters the shakti chakra when he becomes aware, through stillness and oneness, that the undifferentiated spanda principle is everywhere.

91. Ibid., IV-14. 92. Ibid., IV-18.

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366. In reality, the essence of knowledge takes three forms: In pain and pleasure, it is dual; in experiences and memories, it is both dual and nondual; and in the awareness of one's own Self, it is nondual. It becomes manifold according to a person's individual spanda, or vibration. The variations in the universe are infinite. Because of the glory of spanda shakti, everything appears to be different according to its qualities, actions, shape, activities, and changes. On the level of duality, differences among objects are measured by their rate of vibration rather than their essence. While contemplating the spanda principle, a person experiences the ebb and flow of the world as idam, objective, and aham, subjective. In the play of Shiva's immanent aspect, the experi- ence of the limited "I" (ahamta) predominates. In His tran- scendent aspect, the perfect "I" (pumahanta) predominates.

367. Just as one's senses carry out their work through the power of the conscious Shakti, the experiencers who have become serene and pure obtain undifferentiated awareness through the power of the spanda principle. They become manifest and then merge once again. Therefore, they have the characteristics of Shiva and are Shiva.

368. Tasmat sarvamayo jivaha sarva bhava samudbhavat. An individual is everywhere. He contains all feel- ings. The entire universe is his form.

For this reason, he has the awareness of unity. There are no sounds or meanings which are not Shiva.

Tat samvedana rupena tadatmya pratipattitoha. In this state of oneness, one experiences the unity of sounds and their meanings without any sense of differences.

Contemplation of Spanda Shakti 163

Bhaktaiva bhogyabhavena soda sarvatra samsthitaha.93 The experiencer himself exists always and every- where in the form of objective experience.

Shiva, the experiencer, is everywhere at all times as the object of experience. That which is experienced is also the experiencer.

Iti va yasya samvittihi kridatvena akhilam jagat, Sa pashyan satatam yukto jivanmukto na samshayaha.94 He who regards the entire universe as the play of the Universal Consciousness is Paramashiva and is liberated while in the body.

If that awareness arises in the mind of a meditator, he becomes identical to Shiva, merges in Him, and attains supreme bliss. This is called Shiva nirvana diksha and gives rise to the feeling that one is Supreme Shiva. This unwavering awareness constitutes the knowledge of the Self. It makes one enter the city of supreme bliss. This is called the arising of pure knowledge (vidyodaya nishyanda).

369. Enlightened beings attach little importance to the dis- parities and differences of the external world or to the favor- able or unfavorable conditions in their lives. The outlook of an enlightened being ignores disparity and focuses on the inner spanda principle. An awakened being constantly ex- periences this spanda principle, but an ordinary person perceives it only at the beginning and end of his life.

370. Unity is simply the state of not perceiving duality. This is the knowledge of Shiva. This unity-awareness is also called

371. Ibid., III-2. 94. Ibid.,III-3.

164 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

bindu. The abode of God's power, which is also called the mighty Shakti Kundalini, is the Self. When Shiva joins with Shakti, He obtains the power to create. Therefore, Shakti is the mother of the universe. The entire universe is filled with this Supreme Shakti. Shakti is in the universe and the universe is in Shakti. Shakti is not different from the uni- verse, just as the sun is not different from its light. This is the spanda nirnaya of Shaivism. It is the inner knowledge of the great beings as well as the sublime knowledge which redeems the world. A person who lacks knowledge is blind. Knowledge is vision, nectar, love, and bliss. It is the ecstasy of Shaivism.

371. Yatra sthitam idam sarvam karyam yasmaccha nirgatam, Tasyanavrita rupatvan na nirodhosti kutrachit.95 For Him, in whom the whole objective world is revealed and from whom it arises, no obstruction is possible, because of His unshrouded nature.

The effect, or the world of experienced objects (prameya), exists in an undifferentiated form within Shiva, who is the cause. Thus, Shiva is the substratum of awareness, which is of the nature of spanda. Through Him, the world manifests outwardly. Nothing can veil the true essence of the Supreme Reality.

372. Even in the state of worldliness, nothing veils the essential nature of the Supreme Reality, which is Aham vimarsha, or pure "I"-awareness. It is the state of unity. Because it is omnipotent, nothing anywhere can prevent it from flowing freely. It has inconceivable power to do or undo anything. It is also called Shiva.

373. Ibid., 1-2.

Contemplation of Spanda Shakti 165

Tava cha mahima vang manasayor0 96 - "Your glory is be- yond mind and speech." He is limitless and beyond imagina- tion. He is the One in the many, filled with sweetness. He is sweeter than the sweetest and supremely auspicious. Al- though He has created the universe in His own being, He Himself is pure and taintless.

Pavitranam pavitram yo mangalanam cha mangalam, Daivatam devataviam cha bhutanam yo'vyayaha pita.97 He is purer than the pure. He is supremely auspi- cious. He is the Lord of all celestial beings and mortals. He is the indestructible father of all beings.

373. To manifest the universe, He flows through the currents of His infinite powers, yet remains perfect. Shakti Herself is the perfect state of Her Lord. His form is divine. He throbs with the awareness of Purno'ham - "I am perfect." Therefore, His nature is bliss.

Dik kola kalanonmukta deshoddesha visheshini, Vyapadeshtum ashakya savakathya pararnarthataha.98 He is beyond limitations of direction, time, and objects. He is beyond limitations of distance, both near and far. Because He cannot be the subject of either subtle or articulated speech, He is indescrib- able and can be experienced only from within.

Napi tarka pratishthanat - "He cannot be confined to logic or reasoning." Vitarka atmajnanam3 - "Unwavering aware-

96. Shiva Mahimna Stotram, 1. 97. Vishnusahasranam, 10. 98. Vijiana Bhairava, 14. 99. Shiva Sutras, 1-17.

166 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

ness [that 'I am Shiva'] constitutes the knowledge of the the Self." This is called the state of Bhairavi, which is free from the meshes of thought and the afflictions of doubt. This state is the essential nature of Bhairava, or Shankara. It is also called Shiva avastha, the state of Shiva. In this state, both the immanent and the transcendent coexist in unity. The immanent aspect consists of the entire universe of matter and conscious beings. The transcendent aspect is supremely pure and changeless. Both aspects are His. He alone, in the form of spanda, exists in His immanent aspect from Sadashiva to an ant or a blade of grass. This universe exists in an undifferentiated form as an object of knowledge within spanda shakti. One of the five actions of Parameshwara is to manifest through spanda shakti the universe, which is concealed within Him in a seed form. This becomes the outer universe. The Self of the universe exists in the form of the universe. This is Paramashiva's independent play. If one has understanding, one sees the world as the Lord. Without understanding, one sees it merely as the world. Truly, the world is the divine play of God's supreme bliss. There is only bliss, independence, and perfection. The One is in one, and the same One is in many. Namah Shivaya!

34

Vedanta

374. Vedanta is a true and sublime philosophy, the knowledge of which was produced when the sages churned the ocean of Truth. There is a saying: Vedanta vakyeshu sadaramanta khalu bhagyavanta - "One who constantly revels in the words of Vedanta is extremely fortunate." Vedanta literally means "the end of the Vedas." Like the Vedas themselves, the words of Vedanta are great mantras and contain a lofty teaching. The question may arise, "What is the purpose of Vedanta?" Vedanta explains what true happiness is and awakens humanity. It puts cowardice to flight. It reveals the inner Truth. In essence, the purpose and doctrine of Vedanta are the cessation of all pain and the attainment of bliss. What is the root of all pain? That is what we will consider now. Ajnana prabhavam sarvam100 - "Ignorance is the root cause of all suffering." Svasvarupa vismarana - "It is also the forgetfulness of one's own Self." Not to know one's own Self is ignorance. A human being's predicament is that he has

375. Shankaracharya, Aparokshanubhuti, 17.

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168 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

forgotten himself. He thinks about others and dwells on their faults, wasting the priceless years of his life by uselessly envying and criticizing others. What greater ignorance can there be? Ignorance is the city of utter darkness. Unless a person transcends it, he cannot find perfect contentment.

Notpadyate vina jnanam vicharenanya sadhanaihi, Yatka padaathabhanam hi prakashena vina kvachit.101 Just as objects cannot be seen without light, one cannot attain knowledge except through contem- plation of the Self.

One should contemplate only the Self. Instead of looking at external objects, one should turn within and contemplate the Self by means of the mind. Self-inquiry should be as follows:

Ko'ham kathamidam jatam ko vai hartosya vidyate, Upadanam kimasttha vkharaha so'yamidrishaha.102 Who am I? How did this world come into existence? Who is its creator? What is the material cause of the world?

In reality, the world exists only in our imagination. Sup- pose that a rope is lying on the ground and we see it as a snake and become afraid. There was never a snake in the rope. The snake appeared because of an optical illusion, a delusion on the part of the observer. In this way, we fear our own imaginary snake and become the cause of our own pain or pleasure. Ajnana prabhavam sarvam jnanena praviliyate103 - "Every- thing is produced by ignorance and dissolves in the wake of

101. Ibid., 11. 102. Ibid., 12. 103. Ibid., 17.

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knowledge." All pain, disappointment, weakness, mental disturbance, jealousy, enmity, envy, and so on, are the progeny of ignorance. These things which make a person unhappy are destroyed through knowledge. Ignorance arises from various mental constructs, and only knowledge can counteract it. The world of thoughts is the source of one's pain. This is what Vedanta states. What is the purpose of Vedanta? This is the primary question. Its purpose is to put an end to all pain forever and to enable us to attain supreme bliss. Once this bliss is attained, it can never be destroyed. A person may ask, "Even if all pain goes away, can it not return? Even if supreme bliss is at- tained, can it not be destroyed?" However, the real teaching of Vedanta is that the ignorance which is destroyed never really existed. To destroy ignorance and attain bliss is to destroy what never was and to attain what we have always had. Therefore, ignorance is not valid because it is merely a figment of our imagination; we should discard it through proper understanding. The Self of all, which is extremely subtle, is forever attained. Because of ignorance, we do not see it; therefore, we think we have not attained it. Since it is already ours, we attain what was already attained. Atmatu satatam praptau - "The Self is already attained."

Vayunaniyate meghaha punas tenaiva niyate, Manasa kalpyate bandho mokshas tenaiva kalpyate. Clouds come into being because of the wind and vanish because of the wind. Similarly, the mind is responsible for bondage as well as liberation.

375. Actually bondage is not real. Shaivism declares it to be the glory of matrika shakti. Once the creations of the mind dissolve, the idea of liberation also vanishes. Then the true Principle is just as it always was, perfect and unchanging. Enlightened beings have divided the world of names, forms,

170 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

and objects into three kinds of reality: pratibhasika satta, the apparent reality of the dream state; vyavaharika satta, the reality of the waking state; and paramarthika satta, Absolute Reality. As long as delusion exists, dreams appear. This is prati- bhasika satta. Once the delusion is destroyed, that reality also vanishes. That which appears empirically at one time and not another - just as the Guru Gita is chanted only in the morning and not at night - is vyavaharika satta, the reality of the waking state. The One who is experienced through knowledge as the Self of all in the continual play of Con- sciousness is paramarthika satta. That is also called the true Self, Brahman, one's own true nature, and the Absolute Reality. That One is experienced in the state of equanimity, or samadhi. It is the awareness of the Self of all.

Sadidam paramadvaitam svas mad anyasya vastuna' bhavan, Na hyanyad asti kinchit samyak paramartha tattva bodhe hi.104 In reality, only total unity, which is the embodiment of supreme bliss, is the true Principle. There is noth- ing other than the Self. Once a person has the knowledge of the Principle of the Self, there is no longer any other.

Sad brahmakarya sakalam sadaiva - "The entire world, which is the effect of the true Brahman, is made of His own nature." Because the effect is not separate from the cause, the world is the play of Brahman. Anyone who says that the world is different from God is still ignorant. His speech is nonsense, like that of a person who is dreaming. Vedanta says, Sarvam khalvidam brahma - "Everything is Brahman."

104. Shankaracharya, Viveka Chudamani, 226.

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Everything is real; nothing is different from Consciousness. Just as emptiness is full of space and cloth is permeated by thread, Brahman pervades the entire world. Just as liquidity is in water as water, light is in a flame as the flame, fragrance is in camphor as camphor, activity is inherent in the body, and gold is in both nuggets and ornaments, similarly, the Knower, God, or Brahman is the primordial cause of the entire world, and His image appears in all. When a stream twists and winds, the water also appears to be crooked, although in reality it is not. When iron is heated it looks red, but the redness belongs to the fire, not to the iron. In the same way, the principle of Consciousness appears as the world because of the deception created by ignorance, but that Consciousness never becomes ignorant.

Brahman, or Consciousness, appears as the mind, senses, gunas, and other principles. However, just as sweetness does not depend on the shape of the sweets, Brahman does not depend on the gunas, sattva, rajas, and tamas. Just as ghee is in milk but is not milk, the entire world is in Brahman yet is not Brahman. In this way, we should clearly understand that Brahman is different from the senses and their gunas. All words, names, forms, relationships, and activities are related to the world of forms, not to Brahman. Brahman cannot be the gunas; the gunas are reflected in Him. An ignorant person thinks that the gunas are one with Brahman. This kind of understanding is as deluded as saying that the sky is one with the clouds, a mirror is one with its reflections, or water is one with the sun that it reflects. Likewise, it is useless to say that Brahman contains gunas. There is actually no relationship between Brahman and gunas. When a beggar dreams that he is a king and enjoys sense pleasures, it is unreal, a mere dream. Similarly, to think that the formless Brahman experi- ences gunas is nothing but delusion. The gunas experience themselves. The gunas in the form of the senses move among the gunas in the form of sense objects. The gunas are under

172 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

the control of the Supreme Reality and carry out their respective functions. All actions take place under the direc- tion of the Supreme Principle.

376. Although sparks of fire are of different sizes, their heat is the same. Similarly, the same Brahman pervades in His fullness all sentient beings and insentient objects. In this way, the indestructible One permeates everything in a subtle form. We should come to know Him. He is inside as well as outside the body. He is both near and far. He is the One without a second. In the ocean of milk,105 the sweetness is no greater in the middle than near the shore. In the same way, the One who is all-pervasive and perfect completely pervades all the various beings and creatures, those born of egg, sweat, seed, and womb. O seekers! The moon may be reflected in thousands of pots, yet it is only one. Although there are countless grains of salt, they all share the same quality of saltiness. The same sweetness exists in different pieces of sugarcane. The One has become both matter and consciousness, both movable and immovable things, yet remains different from all. Bahirantashcha bhutanam acharamcharameva cha106. "The One pervades all beings, inside and outside, movable and immovable." Avibhaktam cha bhuteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam170 - "In creatures, He is undivided although He appears to be divided." In this way, the One who pervades all equally and who is the primordial cause of the creation of the universe has created all beings and is the substratum of them all. Just as the body is the basis of childhood, maturity, and old age, that One is the basis of the three processes of

377. A legendary ocean, described in the Puranas, which the gods and demons churned in order to extract various divine gifts. 106. BhagavadGita, XIII-15. 107. Ibid.

Vedanta 173

creation, preservation, and dissolution. Just as the sky re- mains unaffected by the passing of morning, noon, and night, Consciousness remains unaffected by these processes. The One is called Brahma during creation, Vishnu during preservation, Rudra during dissolution, and Consciousness when these three processes have ceased. Consciousness swallows the great void of the ether and remains as the witness of the void. It is the Knower of all. Jyotishamapi tajjyotihi - "That Supreme Principle is the light of all lights." It is the nectar of the moon and the brilliance of the sun. Receiving light from Consciousness, the stars twinkle. The Supreme Principle is the Supreme brilliance of the sun. The Supreme Principle is the Supreme Light. It is the fundamental cause of everything in the universe. It is the intellect of the intellect, the prana of the prana, the mind of the mind, the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, the speech of speech, the movement of movement.

377. The creation of forms, their expansion, preservation, and destruction all proceed from That. That supports the earth through its own power. It is the essence of water. Light exists because of that Principle. It is the power behind the move- ment of the wind, and because of it, the ether is everywhere. We should come to know that Supreme Principle. It has not the slightest trace of duality. By perceiving it, the seer, the process of seeing, and the seen merge together. When sa- dhana and its goal become one, the knowledge of Brahman dawns. Brahman is that which is known. When counting ceases, numbers are of equal value; they are all composed of ones. Similarly, once Brahman is attained, the concepts of both the means and the end vanish. Hridi sarvasya vishtitam.108 The same Parabrahman exists eternally in the hearts of all. One who sees no differences

378. Ibid., XIII-17.

174 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

among all existing creatures attains the bliss of Parabrahman in this very body. Although thousands of lamps may be blazing, the light in all of them is the same. Samam pashyanhi sarvatra109 - "He sees God equally everywhere." If a person leads his life seeing God and all beings as identical, he becomes liberated in this lifetime. He does not get caught on the wheel of birth and death. With this wisdom of equality and oneness, he sleeps comfortably in a bed of bliss and fearlessness. Such a person is fortunate. He is a great seeker. He becomes a supreme yogi as well as a Siddha. Shanrasthopi haunteya na karoti na lipyate110 - "O Arjuna! Although He lives in the body, He neither does anything nor is touched by anything." Although the sun is reflected in water, it remains detached from it. Similarly, although God dwells in the body, He remains supremely pure. Most igno- rant people commit a grave error by considering themselves to be sinners. When the pure Self constantly dwells within them, how can they be sinners? The body is the divine temple of God, who resides in the heart. If you wish to find Him, seek Him in your heart. Hridi sannivishtam - "He lives in the heart."

378. Ignorant people consider the reflection of the sun in water to be the sun. But the sun is unchanging. It exists before the water appears and after it vanishes. Similarly, although it is correct to say that the Self is in the body, still, it existed before the body came into being and will continue to exist after the body dies. Just as our own faces can be seen in a mirror, so the Self exists in the body. The Self is neither the doer nor the nondoer. It is neither thin nor fat. It is neither visible nor invisible. It is neither lustrous nor dull. The true

379. Ibid., XIII-28. 110. Ibid., XIII-31.

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nature of the Self is supreme bliss, not sorrow. The Self always remains as it is. Just as day and night come and go in the heavens, similarly, countless bodies come and go in the Self. However, the Self always remains detached from those bodies. The Self is everywhere in all bodies, but it is never attached to bodily actions.

379. The Supreme Principle is the Self which transcends the pervasiveness of ether. It is on the opposite shore from the material world, where there is no distinction between unity and disparity. In that place, all forms disappear, individual existence is extinguished, and there are neither nightmares nor phantoms. That is the resting place of the Self. Yogis and enlightened beings rest in that perfect bliss. Only those who have received the grace of the Guru and are adept at discriminating between the Self and the non- Self can grasp the Supreme Principle. One who has merged into the Guru, the embodiment of wisdom, who has become him, who has merged into the all-pervasive Consciousness, who has become both immanent and transcendent, who has lost his sense of duality, and who has become ecstatic in supreme bliss and complete in his perfection dwells in all and all dwell in him. He is God incarnate. He is the Conscious- ness of Consciousness. Such an enlightened being is blessed. He is God walking and speaking in the form of a human being.

35

Pratyabhijnasara: The Essence of the Doctrine of Recognition

380. A great Siddha, Kshemaraja, summarized the Pratyabhijna philosophy. His book, the Pratyabhijnahridayam, contains only twenty aphorisms, but it is not just a small book; it is a sublime philosophy. It is easy even for ordinary people to understand, but easiest for those who have received the grace of shaktipat from God or from the Guru. Shaktipatonmishita parameshwara samavesha bhilashinaha1 - "For those who aspire to it, samavesha, or mergence with Shiva, blossoms with the descent of Shakti." Shaktipat is the compassionate will of Paramashiva; it is also called grace. Shaktipat received from the Guru or from God inspires us to walk on the path of Self-knowledge. The compassion of Paramashiva, the Guru, takes the form of shaktipat. The Shiva Sutra Vimarshinisays, Gururva parameshwari anugrahika shaktihi - "The Guru is the grace-bestowing power of God." Shaktipat is given so that one can experience one's own Self. Shaktipat is described in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Tantras, and other scriptures. The Pratyabhijnahridayam begins by describing Chiti, God's power which is inseparable from Him, and ends with a description of the state of Chiti. The first aphorism is Chitihi

381. Kshemaraja, Pratyabhijnahridayam, commentary on 1.

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Pratyabhijnasara 177

svatantra vishva siddhi hethuhu - "Supremely independent Chiti is the cause of the [manifestation, maintenance, and reabsorption of the] universe." Chiti is the glorious Parashakti who is the cause of all the principles from Sadashiva to the earth. She is the origin of the universe. She also causes one to repose in Paramashiva and to merge into Him.

381. The expansion of the world of sentient beings and in- sentient objects is the doing of Chiti. Although Chiti Her- self creates the world, sustains it, and finally merges it into Herself, nothing can limit Her true nature. It is an estab- lished truth that Chiti is all-pervasive, ever-blissful, and perfect. She is the primordial mother of the universe.

Grahya grahaka samvittihi samanya sarvadehinam.112 Both grahya, the seen, and grahaka, the seer, are the Universal Consciousness.

Abhinavagupta states:

Evam desha kala sparshat vibhutvam cha sakala, Desha kalasparsho'pi tannirmana yogat-iti tato'pi vyapakatva nityattve. She is beyond the limits of space and time, and She is all-pervasive and eternal. The limitations of space and time are the effects of Her creation.

She transcends both of them. Therefore, She is also called the Sublime Reality, the Great Goddess, and the Mother of the Universe. This same Chiti is the Maha Kundalini. She is of the nature of Parabrahman. Through Her grace alone, the spontaneous Kriya Yoga, also known as Maha Yoga or Siddha Yoga, takes place. Kundalini Chiti Shakti carries one who loves the Guru and has done sadhana to the sahasrara and

112. Vijnana Bhairava, 107.

178 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

merges that person in Shiva. Chiti Herself takes on a human form to become the Guru and carry out the function of shaktipat. Through the power of Chiti alone, the universe is created and destroyed.

382. Svecchaya svabhittau vishvam unmilayati.'113 Of Her own free will, Chiti unfolds the universe on Her own screen.

Chiti, through Her own will, manifests the universe. Without depending on anything else for support, She man- ifests the universe of duality on Her own being. Like a city reflected in a mirror, that universe is inseparable from Her.

383. Tan nana anurupa grahya grahaka bhedat.114 That universe is manifold because of the differen- tiation of reciprocally adapted objects and subjects.

As Consciousness contracts, it takes the form of the uni- verse. Although it is contracted, Consciousness still exists in its fullness. As it descends from its natural state of limitless- ness, it contracts and becomes the objects perceived. Then it is called chitta, the mind. In reality, the mind is nothing but the Goddess Chiti Herself. As She contracts, She conceals Her true nature. Chiti also becomes maya pramata,_ the individual soul governed by maya. The Shiva Sutras say, Atma chittam15 - "The individual Self is mind." It becomes the mind when jnana shakti, the power of knowledge, is limited.

384. Although Chiti is one, She becomes twofold, threefold, fourfold, and of the nature of seven pentads (groups of five)

385. Kshemaraja, Pratyabhijahridayam, 2. 114. Ibid., 3. 115. Shiva Sutras, I1I-2.

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with their thirty-five principles.116 Then She is called a limited, transmigratory individual.

385. All philosophers speak of the same One according to their own languages and opinions.

386. When the Shakti of the Self contracts, She is known as a limited individual, subject to innumerable births and deaths. She remains a transmigratory soul as long as She is con- tracted, but once She expands, She becomes Paramashiva.

387. In Her contracted form, She is called the mind, but when the mind turns within and ascends to the status of Universal Consciousness, She is once again called Chiti. When one experiences this expanded state, one has the knowledge of universality. When Chiti becomes objects, She is the mind, and when She becomes the Self, She is Chiti.

388. This is why it is essential for everyone to meditate. When the mind turns within in meditation, it becomes the light of Consciousness. Meditation is sublime alchemy. It is a mighty power which annihilates all pain. It is the seed mantra of humanity's glory. Meditation has the power to make a hu- man being become the Lord, an individual become Shiva, and the soul become God. Na hi dhyanat para sadhana - "There is no sodhana higher than meditation." There is no mantra higher than meditation. There is no power higher than meditation. When we attain the power of the Self, we become one with the universe. In reality, the universe is not

389. Twofold: the experiencer and the object of experience; threefold: the three malas, or impurities (anava mala, mayiya mala, karma mala); fourfold: the void (shunya), the vital force (prana), the subtle body (puryashtaka), and the gross body (sharira). For seven pentads, see Glossary.

180 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

different from us, nor are we different from the universe. If anyone were to ask me what the universe is, I would say, "The universe is me."

389. Once a person attains the bliss of Consciousness, although bodily awareness remains, he firmly perceives the Self as Consciousness. This is liberation while in the body and the supreme means of attaining bliss.

390. When the central nadi unfolds, one attains the bliss of Consciousness. The Kundalini lies at the base of the sushumna, or central nadi. Through the Guru's grace, she is awakened, and one spontaneously attains the bliss of Con- sciousness. Kundalini, the supreme deity, is the embodiment of absolute bliss. Once She is awakened, how can one not be blissful? The entire world is full of bliss. When this mighty Shakti is awakened, She permeates the whole body and remolds a person in the image of supreme bliss.

391. By the unfoldment of the central nadi" one attains the bliss of Consciousness, which is the samadhi of yogis. Supreme bliss is the highest samadhi. The essence of the perfect "I"-consciousness is light and bliss. It is nothing but the power of the great mantra. By entering that perfect "I"- consciousness, a person attains mastery over his group of deities of Consciousness. These deities bring about the crea- tion, sustenance, and reabsorption of the universe. This means that a person becomes God by merging into Him. He is God and becomes God. Even if he is not aware of it, he is still God. Muktananda says, "What exists without God? What is not God? If you have found Him, you have found Him. But even if you think you have not found Him, you have found Him. Nothing exists without Shiva."

36

The Vijnana Bhairava

392. The Vijnana Bhairava is an Agama. It is a text revealed by God and written in the form of questions and answers be- tween Goddess Bhairavi and Lord Bhairava. Its fundamental teaching is the identity of Shiva and Shakti. This divine work is incomparably great. Philosophical texts quote from the Vijnana Bhairava. It is also used as an authoritative reference in other writings. The Vijnana Bhairava is not only a great and universal work of literature, but the wisdom of Bhairava Himself. It is the wisdom of His own Self. It partakes of the true nature of the Supreme Principle, Vijnana Bhairava.117

393. Replying to the questions of the Goddess, Lord Shiva says, "Just as articles produced by a magician, things created by maya, and objects seen in a dream have no real existence, the Lord's manifestation in sakala form does not really exist." Sakala means that which is perceived by the senses, mind, and intellect. Everything from Brahma to an insect is re- ferred to as sakala; Lord Shiva transcends all these things. In

394. Paramashiva.

181

182 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

the scriptures, sakala is explained in detail for the sake of ignorant people who take interest in the deceptive objects of illusion. It is also said that the nature of sakala is described in the scriptures to prevent the ignorant from heading in the wrong direction. These descriptions encourage them to en- gage in mantra repetition, worship, prayer, and other spir- itual practices in order to become virtuous. After they have consistently performed these good actions and obtained the grace of the Supreme Guru, they may experience nishkaaa, transcendental Consciousness. It is impossible to describe the transcendental nature of Lord Bhairava. His true and essential nature is nirvikalpa bodha svarupa - transcendental wisdom, or changeless awareness. It can be experienced only within. The entire universe is His play. In such a state, where there is nothing other than the Supreme Reality, who worships whom? Who bestows grace on whom? The supreme nature of Lord Bhairava is also the nature of Paradevi. Like fire and its heat, they are inseparable.

Na vahner dahika shaktihi vyatirikia vibhavyate, Kevalam jnana satayam prarambho'yam praveshane.118 The burning power of fire is not different from fire. One finds this to be true even after pondering it deeply. It is described as separate only for the sake of the listener as a preliminary step toward knowing it.

Parashakti can never be different from Her Lord, Bhairava. Shakti makes one recognize His true existence. She is the primary means of experiencing His nature.

394. Just as fire and its heat are not different, the wisdom of Bhairava and Parashakti are not separate. Just as fire is felt through heat, Shiva can be understood through the assis-

395. Vijnana Bhairava, 19.

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tance of Parashakti. Parashakti is the door by which one reaches Shiva. Just as we can recognize a person by his face, similarly, we recognize the essential nature of Shiva by coming to know Parashakti. Just as through the light of the sun or of a flame we can see in all directions, in the same way, the knowledge of Shiva is acquired through Shakti.

395. After Lord Bhairava has explained this, the Goddess asks Him how to attain this Supreme Principle. In answer, Lord Shiva describes 112 dharanas, or centering techniques. In this work, Parashakti, Chiti Shakti, Kundalini, and Maha Shakti are all synonymous. The Lord's essential nature in the state of unity is called Kali or Shakti, and in the state of duality it is called prana shakti. Praksamvitti prane parinata - "The Universal Consciousness itself becomes prana." It has become the five pranas (prana, apana, and so on) and permeates the body in order to make it function. In fact, as sadhana unfolds, three things come together in the vibration of the prana shakti: the power of God, the power of the individual, and the individual's own effort. By merging the mind into the vibrating prana shakti in the heart region, one attains the supreme state. Actually it is impossible to merge into one's own Self because there is no reality other than the essential nature of the Self to merge with. Nor are the upayas different from That. Therefore, the entire world is the essence of Consciousness.

Etasamajjayate prano manaha sarvendriyani cha, Kham vayur jyotir apaha prithivi vishvasya dharini.119 From Consciousness emanates everything: the prana, the mind, all the senses, ether, air, light (fire), water, and earth, the supporter of all.

119. Mundaka Upanishad, II-1-3.

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Time cannot grasp it; space cannot divide it; limitations cannot bind it. It has no form. It cannot be comprehended through words. Napi pramana gocharat - "It cannot be un- derstood through any pramanas" (means of knowledge such as direct perception, inference, or scriptural authority). This essential and true nature of the Self, which is independent and blissful, of its own accord gives forms to all the above- mentioned principles ranging from time to various pramanas. The entire universe is reflected in the pure "I"-consciousness of the Self and in the awareness "I am not different from the true Self." When this inner understanding is awakened in a seeker, he merges into the essential nature of the eternal God. There is no need for mantra repetition, worship, medi- tation, arati, and so on. These practices purify the psyche and the mind and make a person worthy by increasing the subtlety of his intellect. However, the Supreme Principle, which is the wisdom of Bhairava, is self-luminous and eter- nal. It is inside and outside everyone.

Antar bahischcha tat sarvam vyapya narayanah sthitaha. 120

Lord Narayana [Bhairava] exists pervading and penetrating, within and without, everything which is perceived in the universe.

Whether one goes to the middle of the ocean or stays close to the shore, there is water. In the same way, the wisdom of Bhairava exists wherever one goes, wherever one looks, however one. eats, drinks, plays, laughs, or cries, and what- ever one does. He sees all, knows all, experiences all, and sheds light on all. How could the poor eyes see without Bhairava? How could the poor ears hear without Him? With- out the Self, could the cleverness of the fleshly tongue do

120. Narayana Upanishad, X-90.

Vijnana Bhairava 185

anything with its net of words? How could the nose take interest in fragrance without His help? Vijnana Bodha Bhairava is also called Paramashiva. What words can I write to describe Him? Without Him, would the prana and apana, the inhalation and exhalation, flow in and out ceaselessly day and night? Bhairava utters the syllable ham with the apana and so with the prana and exists in the junction point between them. He digests all food. He makes the blood circulate throughout the body. Everything is in Him and belongs to Him. He is everything. Bhairava knows everything, everywhere, at all times. No one can know Him, for He is the Knower of all. Sve mahimni sthitaha - "He exists in His own glory." He has eyes which see the entire world, but our eyes cannot see Him. A seeker is very fortu- nate if he can attain the vision of Him through the Guru's grace.

Upaya jalam na shivam prakashayed ghatena kim bhati sahasra didhitihi; Vivechayan nittha mudara darshanaha svayam prakasham shiva mavishet kshanat1 No mundane means can reveal Shiva. Can an inert clay pot illumine the shining sun? A being whose vision has expanded and who contemplates in this way merges into the essential nature of the self- luminous Shiva within.

The Samvit Prakasha says:

Aparokshe bhavat tattve sarvataha prakate sthite, Yairupayaha pratanyante nunam warn na vidanti te. Your nature and essence are manifest before the eyes of all. Even though this is so, if a person employs different means to see You, then it is certain that he does not know You.

121. Abhinavagupta, Tantrasara.

186 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

Everyone already perceives the essential nature of Vijnana Bhairava, the Self. The world would not exist without Him. Realizing this, a seeker becomes established in his own true nature and becomes the Self of the universe, for he was that Self all along.

396. The basis of prana and apana is the space of the inner dvadashanta, or inner heart, and the space of the outer dvadashanta, or outer heart. In these spaces, the activity of prana and apana ceases for a moment. For a fraction of a second, they "turn within" as ham, the sound of the inhala- tion, merges inside and so, the sound of the exhalation, merges outside. At that moment, one feels as though prana and apana have vanished somewhere. This space where they merge is called madhyadasha. When it expands, one's vision of duality and one's feeling that others are different from oneself are gradually reduced. Eventually both one's outer and inner senses turn within completely.

397. Madhya vikasat chidananda labhaha122 - "By the unfold- ment of the center, there is acquisition of the bliss of Con- sciousness." The central nadi is Bhairavi. She is the face of Shiva. She is the primordial Shakti of all human beings and of the entire world. Everything is Her doing. Bondage and liberation, pain and pleasure, high and low, honor and dishonor, poverty and wealth, knowledge and ignorance, supreme bliss and utter dryness are all the play of Shakti. When the Shakti is awakened in the space of the madhyadasha and turns within, the movement of the prana gradually merges into the sushumna, the central nadi. Then the real nature of Lord Bhairava is revealed by Parashakti Bhairavi. He is inseparable from Her.

398. Kshemaraja, Pratyabhijnahridayam, 17.

Vijnana Bhairava 187

Prana moves in the heart, the throat, the palate, the forehead, the brahmarandhra at the crown of the head, and the dvadashanta. If even for a moment the prana dissolves in one of these locations and the apana does not arise, then outer kumbhaka, or retention of breath, occurs effortlessly. Similarly, if the apana dissolves for a moment in one of these locations and the prana does not arise, then inner kumbhaka occurs. The space of madhyadasha is called the supreme state. Only a yogi or an enlightened being knows the madhyadasha between the prana and apana. If a yogi turns inward even for a moment, the madhyadasha expands within him and the prana and apana cease. The Vijnana Bhairava says that he then becomes liberated.

398. To eliminate all doubts, Bhairava answers the questions of the Goddess and explains that supreme and true Principle which is fully experienced by all the great sages, ascetics, enlightened beings, and yogis.

O Bhairavi, Maha Shakti, primordial seed of the world! You are blessed. You are worthy of honor and worship. Listen. Now Bhairava is going to give the supremely secret answer to Your question. O Parabhairavi! The Supreme Principle, Consciousness, Satchidananda is worthy of rever- ence. He is the ultimate Lord of all and is worshipped in all religions as the supreme deity. He bestows grace according to a devotee's desire. The supreme state of this ancient Bhairava cannot be confined to different directions such as east and west or limited to the present moment or any other time. It is referred to as being both near and far. Although it is de- scribed in these terms, no adjective applies to it. We cannot limit it by describing it or referring to it in terms of space or time. It is difficult to understand its nature because it neither vibrates in madhyama, the subtle level of speech, nor can it be expressed in vaikhari, articulated speech. Because the

188 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

essential nature of the supreme state cannot be divided by space, time, name, form, and so on, it is very difficult to come to know it through language. When the perfect "I"-consciousness unfolds within, it is experienced as spontaneously surging bliss. This perfect "I"- consciousness unfolds when grace is received in the form of shaktipat. Because its nature is totally free of all momentary fantasies, names, forms, and other limitations, it is nirvikalpa, free of thoughts and modifications. This is the Truth. This state is the essential nature of the wisdom of Bhairava. It pervades the entire universe as aham. It is also reflected on the pure screen of one's own Self. It is not concealed by the impurities of the world. It illumines the entire universe. The Lord's nishkala, or transcendental nature, is revealed in this supreme state. It has no form other than the experience of bliss.

399. After discussing the nature of the Supreme, Bhairava once again emphasizes the futility of rituals and the objects as- sociated with them. In the transcendental state, the state of Parabhairava or "I"-consciousness, who is there to perform worship? Who will be propitiated by that worship? For a seeker, there is nothing else to worship or offer except the essential nature of his own Self. The worship, the worship- per, the object of worship, and so on, are merely different aspects of the Supreme Principle. Its divine nature is Con- sciousness and bliss. When this is the case, all actions are futile compared to knowledge of the Self.

Shakti shaktimator yadvad abhedaha sarvada sthitaha, Atas tod dharma dharmitvat parashaktihi paratmanaha.

123. Vijnana Bhairava, 18.

Vijnana Bhairava 189

It is certain that Shakti, the essential nature of Bhairava, is inseparable from Bhairava, the supreme state. Shakti is power. This power is the true nature of Bhairava, who has created the entire world. Shakti and Her Lord are inseparable. The Shakti is called Bhairavi since She is associated with Bhairava and also with such qualities as omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. She is not different from the Self, which is a mass of Consciousness and bliss.

Shaktya vina shive sukshme nam dhama na vidyate. Because Shiva is very subtle, He cannot be known without Shakti.

The essential point of the Vijnana Bhairava is that one can perceive the identical nature of Shakti and Shiva only with the help of Parashakti. Therefore, the Siddhas emphasize the need for shaktipat, the awakening of the Shakti, and its unfoldment. Shaktipat itself is Shakti. The entire world arises from Shiva just as a seed sprouts. A seed sprouts spontane- ously when it is combined with such factors as soil and water. In the same way, when the Shakti is awakened through shaktipat and the Guru's grace, the Shakti increases on Her own and makes a person one with Shiva. This Shakti is described as follows: Sa sphuratta maha satta - "She is the great vibrating Reality." She transforms Shiva into the world, and in the same way She transforms the individual soul into Shiva. She is also called the spanda principle.

400. What does the Vijnana Bhairava teach us? Nijadehe sarvadikkam yugapad bhavayed viyat, Nirvikalpa manas tasya viyat sarvam pravartate.124

401. Ibid., 63.

190 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

If a person contemplates empty space both in his body and in all directions simultaneously, without any thoughts, he experiences empty space all around him and identifies with the vast expanse of Consciousness.

A seeker should become one-pointed and free of thoughts. He should feel the all-pervasive Consciousness everywhere. He should feel it simultaneously (not sequentially) in the east, west, north, and south as well as in his body. By practicing this awareness, he attains knowledge of the true state. As the feeling that the visible world is the Void, or Consciousness, becomes firmer, his own essential nature, the true Principle, is revealed. Shave hi vidyate devo - "God exists in the power of feeling." In Maharashtra lived the great yogini Bahinabai, who said, Bahini mhane bhava iccha phaladayini - "One's feeling yields the fruit of one's own desire." Therefore, one should meditate with firm feeling.

401. O beautiful one! A yogi merges his inner and outer senses, such as the mind and the eyes, into the sublime space which arises in the heart. This is the center of prana and apana. Through his own feeling, he enters the center of the two bowls of the heart lotus and becomes established there in his own true nature. The upper bowl of the heart lotus represents knowledge; the lower bowl represents objects. The center of the heart lotus represents Consciousness, or the Knower. Therefore, a yogi who fixes his mind on Consciousness and engages it in'nothing else attains the state of infinite bliss when the ecstasy of the grandeur of the Lord of the universe unfolds.

402. Sarvatah sva sharirasya dvodashante mano layat, Dridha buddher dridhibhutam tattva lakshyam pravartate.125

403. Ibid., 50.

Vijnana Bhairava 191

A yogi experiences Reality when all parts of his body are penetrated by Consciousness and when his mind, which has become firm through one-pointedness, dissolves in the inner dvadashahta.

The central nadi, or sushumna, is also known as the dvadashanta. A yogi merges into the sublime, thought-free state when the Deity of Consciousness enters every pore of his body as the light of the Kundalini which has been awak- ened in the central nadi. By merging into the dvadashanta, the space where the breath dissolves, all the impressions of the yogi's mind are weakened, his mind becomes more one- pointed, and he continues to progress steadily. Finally, he reaches the state of repose in the Self.

403. This pure knowledge of Consciousness arises naturally. A seeker or a yogi should focus this knowledge on any one of the previously mentioned locations. At every moment, again and again, he should try to make the mind one-pointed there. When he does this, the tendencies of his mind be- come calm, and he soon attains the unique inner knowledge of Bhairava. This is a centering technique. Perfection is only a dream without meditation and a centering technique. The Vijnana Bhairava says that meditation and the practice of centering techniques are impossible without the inner awakening.

404. Idrishena kramenaiva yatra kutrapi chintana, Shunye kudye pare patre svayam lina varaprada.126 In this way, whenever one concentrates in succes- sive steps on empty space, a wall, or a noble person,

405. Ibid., 33.

192 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

that concentration is absorbed by itself into the supreme and grants the highest spiritual experience.

One should practice focusing on the muladhara at the base of the spine, the womb (janma), the sacral plexus (kanda), the navel, the heart, the throat, the palate, the space between the eyebrows, the forehead, the brahmarandhra in the crown of the head, and Shakti, either in successive stages or singly. Besides the body, one can also focus on empty space, a noble person, or a being who has a pure mind. Vitaraga vishayam va chittam127 127 - "Focus the mind on a being who has risen above passion and attachment." When a seeker practices these techniques steadfastly day and night, when he remem- bers and contemplates a being whose attachment and aver- sion have been destroyed, his mind merges spontaneously into the Self, and he has the highest spiritual experience. These techniques bring the sublime experience of the Su- preme Light blazing forth.

Sarvottirna rupam sopana padakramena samshrayataha, Paratattva rudhi labhe paryante shivamayi bhavaha.128 By climbing step by step, the yogi reaches the high- est stage of oneness with Shiva.

The sacral plexus, the navel, the heart, the throat, the subtle principles of bindu and nada, and Shakti all function as steps to the Supreme Principle. When a person climbs steps, he leaves each one behind as he proceeds to the next until he reaches his destination. In the same way, a yogi leaves one stage behind when he proceeds to another until he finally reaches the highest and most exalted state of all. Then he himself becomes Shiva.

127. Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 1-37. 128. Paratnarthasara.

Vijnana Bhairava 193

Identification with unity arises by reflecting on the supreme state and by merging into one's own Self with the awareness "I am That." Having this recognition of the Self is the basis for right identification. This matter is explained in the Spanda Karika:

Yasmat sarvamayo jivaha sarva bhava samudbhavat, Tat samvedana rupena tadatmya pratipattitaha.129 The individual soul is identical with the whole uni- verse because the origin of all things is attributed to him and because he attains universality through his knowledge of the whole.

The individual is everything. He is identical with the universe because he is the knower of all objects and all objects take birth from him. He, as the knower, is one with both knowledge and the means of knowing. In the state of oneness, the universe of sound (i.e., Consciousness vibrat- ing as sound) and the universe of matter are not different. There is no state which is not illumined by Consciousness, the nature of Shiva. From this, it becomes very clear that the nature of Shiva, or Consciousness, which is light, is also revealed as the known. Therefore, from our own experience, we can say unhesitatingly that the individual is everything. When a seeker has this knowledge, the perfect knowledge, "I am everything," arises automatically in him. He considers the entire world a playground where he can walk joyfully. Such a person, seeing equality, becomes liberated even while in the body. There is no doubt about this.

405. Artahate patrahame 'bhagnashabde sariddrute, Shabdabrahmani nishnatah param brahmadhigacchati. 130

406. Vasugupta, Spanda Karika, II-3. 130. Vijnana Bhairava, 38.

194 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

One who is steeped in nada - which is the Abso- lute in the form of sound, which is the unstruck sound (anahata) vibrating within, which can be heard only by the ear that becomes sensitive through yoga, which resounds uninterruptedly, and which rushes headlong like a river - attains the Absolute.

Just as the water of a stream flows continuously, in the same way, inside the body ten different kinds of subtle, unstruck sounds - great, mysterious, and unique music - go on spontaneously and unceasingly day in and day out. When this nada ceases to vibrate in the body, one's last day has come; one's earthly passport expires, and one is taken to the cemetery. Throughout the universe, that divine sound has been vibrating from time immemorial. Even modern scien- tists believe that a mighty vibration is constantly reverberat- ing. This is true. Once this vibration ceases, there will be a great deluge, and the world will become desolate. All men, women, mountains, and cities will merge into the void. It is generally considered that sound cannot be created unless two objects are struck together. But the nada bhat- taraka, the Lord in the form of sound, is not produced in the body by the striking of one thing against another. Instead, it emanates spontaneously from the entire body. It constantly vibrates in every blood cell and in all of the seven elements. For this reason, it is called unstruck sound. Kabir Sahib wrote:

Gagan mandal me varsha hoyi ami fee kunda ulat gaye n. Sataguru mile sare dukha bisare, Antara fee pat khul gaye ri. In the inner space of the sohasrara, the divine music is resounding. Because of that divine sound, nectar is released. I have become ecstatic from drinking it

Vijnana Bhairava 195

continuously. I have found the Sadguru. My inner divinity has been revealed to me, and all my pain has vanished.

To hear this sound, we have to make our ears sensitive. When two things are struck together on the outside, the ears perceive the sound, but the divine sound continually ema- nates within without anything being struck. Until the ears become sensitive through the practice of yoga, they cannot hear that divine sound. That sound is the Absolute in the form of sound.

When Kundalini is awakened through the Guru's grace, she awards a prize to the yogi by ascending to the sahasrara in the crown of the head and giving rise to ten different kinds of sounds. As a result of the Guru's gracious glance, the God- dess Kundalini, the Divine Mother, manifests in the form of these sounds. The matrika shakti, which consists of all the letters of the alphabet, is said to be of the form of nada. This is the divine sound, the music of the celestial beings. By releasing the nectar of inner love, it keeps a yogi in supreme bliss. This music is sublime. Compared to it, outer music is merely child's play.

As a Kundalini yogi listens to the ten different sounds, he automatically recognizes the Absolute in the form of sound through the spontaneous practices of centering, meditation, and samadhi. A yogi who pursues the divine sound under- stands fully the nature of the Absolute in the form of sound and the place where the sound arises. He also understands the power of words and all the supernatural powers which arise from the groups of letters. Nada issues from every pore of a yogi's body. If one wants to know why the great Siddhas chant, then one should understand these divine sounds through the practice of nadanusandhana, the contemplation of the inner sound. Then one will know that nada is God in manifest form. It is elixir. Nada and chanting are nectarean.

196 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

A yogi also understands that from the Absolute in the form of sound, all four levels of speech - para, pashyanti; madh- yama, and vaikhari - unfold. The principle of divine sounds unfolds from para and pashyanti successively and proceeds to madhyama. When the hearing turns inward through yoga and meditation, the divine sound is perceived. As a yogi turns within more and more, he hears the increasingly subtle levels of ndda. He fully understands the nature of the Abso- lute in the form of sound. When a seeker recognizes His nature, he effortlessly attains Parabrahman. When a yogi one-pointedly focuses his mind on the unstruck sound which resonates continuously, the true nature of the supreme space, which is Consciousness and luminosity, is revealed to him.

406. Yatha tatha yatra tatra dvadashante manaha kshipet, Prati kshanam kshiha vritter vaikikshanyam dinair bhavet.131 If a person fixes his mind on any one of the three dvadashantas again and again, the fluctuation of his mind will diminish, and in a few days he will attain the state of Bhairava.

A yogi should take his consciousness, which arises spontane- ously, through any one of the previously mentioned loca- tions (the navel, the forehead, and so on) to the dvadashianta and try to focus his mind there. When he does this, the fluctuations of the mind diminish, its fickleness subsides, and at the right moment he experiences within himself the manifestation of the unique and extraordinary nature of Supreme Bhairava. Focusing the mind on the dvadashanta is a great and sublime practice, which I have explained in the

131. Ibid., 51.

Vijnana Bhairava 197

book I Am That. It is often the case that when a person becomes upset, he lowers his head toward his heart and quietly breathes in and out. He finds a kind of stillness there. If he systematically practices focusing on the dvadashanta, then the attainment of supreme bliss is not far away. In fact, he will experience bliss immediately. This is one of the greatest and highest practices. It is the practice of the Siddhas.

God is prakasha and vimarsha. Shaivism says that these are the form of Shiva. When a seeker meditates oh this form of Shiva, he has the exalted experience of the Self. Prakasha, illumination, arises in this experience.

407. Dhyatru dhyane parityajya kramad dhyeyaika gocharam, Nivata dipavacchittam samadhi rabhidhiyate.132 When a person's practice becomes ripe, he gives up the idea of meditator as well as meditation. Then the mind makes the goal of meditation its subject and becomes still, like a flame where there is no wind.

This state of mind is called samadhi. The goal of meditation (dhyeya) is of the form of prakasha and vimarsha and is the inner Witness. The thought-free state is called samadhi. The attainment of equality alone is the highest samadhi. Lokananda samadhi sukham133 - "The delight that the yogi feels in abiding in his nature as the knower with respect to both the subject and the object in the world is his delight of samadhi." The Shiva Sutras say that if one has the aware- ness of the Self in all people, the idea of duality disappears and the state of unity which follows is the bliss of samadhi. Equanimity, stillness, one-pointedness, and the absence of thoughts and cares are all signs of the state of samadhi.

132. Panchadashi, I-55. 133. Shiva Sutras, I-18.

198 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

From the standpoint of the Truth, the entire world is the embodiment of Shiva.

408. Sarvam deham chinmayam hi jagad va pari bhavayet, Yugapan nirvikalpena manasa paramodayaha.134 When, with a one-pointed and thought-free mind, a seeker contemplates his whole body or the entire universe all at once as being of the nature of Con- sciousness, he experiences the supreme awakening.

One should contemplate simultaneously every limb of the body from head to toe or the entire universe as the embodi- ment of Consciousness. In this kind of contemplation, when the mind becomes free of thoughts, the miracle of the mind's true nature is revealed within and without. Only light and nothing but light remains. Saint Tukaram Maharaj said that when the lotion of Con- sciousness was applied to his eyes, his vision became divine. He added that, in fact, the world has never existed as the world. Only Parabrahman exists. Tukaram realized Brahman in the form of Om or So'ham. The illumined object, the body, and the world are not different from prakasha, or light, which is the nature of the Supreme Principle. According to this theory, when the mind is free of thoughts and when all objects are transformed into light, the state of paramodaya, or supreme awakening, is revealed to a yogi. Manasaha paramagatihi - "The yogi's mind moves toward the Supreme." The Shiva Sutras say, Shuddha tattva sandhanad va apashu shaktihi"35 - "By constant awareness of the pure

134. Vijnana Bhairava, 63. 135. Shiva Sutras, I-16.

Vijnana Bhairava 199

Principle, he becomes like one in whom the binding power which exists in the limited self is absent." The pure and perfect Principle is Paramashiva. He embodies the universe. By the practice of this awareness, the power of bondage is destroyed in a seeker. This is explained in the commentary on the Spanda Karika as follows:

Iti va yasya samvittihi kridatvenakhilam jagat, Sa pashyan satatam yukto jivanmukto na samshayaha.13 The entire world is the play of the Universal Con- sciousness. One who sees it in this way becomes liberated while in the body.

He becomes Shiva. The world and human beings are com- posed of feeling. Through one's feeling, one can become anything.

409. Sarvam jagat svadeham va svananda bharitam smaret, Yugapat svamritenaiva parananda mayo bhavet.137 The yogi should contemplate the entire universe or his own body all at once in its totality as being filled with his essential bliss. Then, through his own ambrosia-like bliss, he will become identified with the supreme bliss.

A person should feel himself to be full of the spontaneous inner bliss, which is different from the bliss experienced through objects outside the body in the world. This is a great centering technique; it is meditation as well as knowledge. One should never forget what Bahinabai said: "God and the world both exist according to one's feeling." The feeling of pure vimarsha, pure self-awareness, is the inner God. As a

136. Vasugupta, Spanda Karika, II-5. 137. Vijnana Bhairava, 65.

200 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

yogi practices this awareness, he enters spontaneously into the natural state of bliss, which is like nectar and is described in the Taittiriya Upanishad:

Anandadhyeva khalvimani bhutani jayante, Anandena jatani jivanti.138 All individuals and beings, all things, whether sen- tient or insentient, matter or consciousness, arise from the blissful Supreme Principle.

Everything is born from the bliss of Consciousness, lives its life, and finally merges into the same Consciousness during the deluge. When a yogi attains the state of bliss, he becomes fulfilled and supremely blessed. Muktananda says, "In real- ity, the entire world is the play of bliss. The appearance of the world depends on a person's vision. A person creates every- thing according to his feelings; he creates his own reality. What is day for a crow is night for an owl. What is day for an owl is night for a crow. Our own muddy vision creates our world. For God, only His world of bliss exists. If you practice God's viewpoint and attain your blissful inner sight, then no matter where you go there will be nothing but bliss and joy. The entire universe of men, women, creepers, trees, flowers, gardens, and the strumming of music surges with waves of bliss. Change your vision. You need do nothing else - the world of pain or pleasure is simply your own vision. Just turn within. Go deeper and deeper to where the state of perfect bliss and extraordinary ecstasy awaits you. When you reach that state, you will become it. You will know 'I am That."

410. Vayudvayasya sanghattad antarva bahir antataha, Yogi samatva vijnana samudgamana bhajanam.139

411. Vijnana Bhairava, 64. 138. Taittiriya Upanishad, III-6-1.

Vijnana Bhairava 201

By the fusion of the prana and apana [the prima rising inwardly in the inner dvodashanta, or heart, the apana rising externally in the outer dvodashanta], there finally arises a condition in which both prana and apana cease completely, whether in the inner or outer heart. By meditating on that condition of emptiness in which there is no awareness of either prana or apana, the yogi becomes so worthy that the intuitive experience of equality arises in him.

There is no sadhana that can be compared to that of the dvodashanta. All Siddhas have attained God in the dvoda- shanta through So'ham. When a yogi has this equal vision, he understands the state of equality in which the dual state of prana and apana merges into the mysterious space, within or without. Along with that, in the same way, he dissolves all worldly objects into the mysterious Supreme Principle. Now he sees everything as inseparable from himself. By having this expanded vision of equality, he attains the supreme state.

411. Samata sarva devanam ovalli mantra varnayoho, Agamanam gaanam cha sarvam shivamayam yataha.140 The yogi who has attained the state of equality sees God alone in all deities, creepers, mantras, letters, revealed scriptural texts, actions, and phases.

Samata sarva bhavanam vritivnam chaiva sarvashaha, Samata sarva drishtinam dravyanam chaiva sarvashaha. Bhumikanam cha sarvasam ovallinam tathaiva cha, Samata sarva devanam vamanam chaiva sarvashaha. To see as equal all feelings, mental modifications, points of view, wealth, places, creepers, goddesses, and letters is called the vision of equality.

140. Mahartha Manjari.

202 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

Abhinavagupta's Tantraloka has made it clear that every- thing is Shiva. For this reason, it is very natural for the vision of equality to arise through the practice of this awareness. When everything is in fact Shiva, is it so difficult to see everything as Shiva? We should change our customary out- look. Then we will become happy.

412. Aham mamedam ityadi pratipatti prasangataha, Niradhare mono yati tad dhyana preranacchami.141 Even when a person says, "I am," "This is mine," and so on, his thought goes to that absolute "I" which does not depend on any support. When he contemplates That, he attains lasting peace.

"This is me; this is mine" - the knowledge of this limited "I"-consciousness is actually not different from the knowledge of the perfect "I"-consciousness experienced by a wise person. Ultimately, the mind goes to that independent Principle because all knowledge of "I"-consciousness is woven together equally there. The essential nature of the Self is supreme bliss. It can never be divided. The knowledge of the perfect "I"-consciousness is this supreme bliss of God's essential nature. That perfect "I"-consciousness exists everywhere. Whether one is enlightened or ignorant, the Self of all is the same. Everyone loves his own Self. The love a person feels for his own Self can be considered to be worship of God. Muktananda says, "In the scriptures, love is considered to be God. Love is within all. Whoever loves himself loves God. That is worship, yoga and meditation. Moreover, love of the Self is also love of the world. It is the worship of the world as well as worship of all religions." Jagadguru Shanka- racharya said, Atma tvam .. . puijate vishayopa bhoga rachana -

141. Vijnana Bhairava, 131.

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"O Lord, You are the Self of all. All the pleasures of my senses are objects for Your worship." What beautiful understanding! What a Shaivite teaching! Through knowledge, one can transform oneself. Becoming blissful, one can live on this earth in great ecstasy. The knowledge of one's own Self cannot be considered to be either obscured or revealed since it does not depend on any concepts such as limitation or perfection. Whether a person is ignorant or enlightened, his true nature is bliss. The Self dwells as the embodiment of bliss and love in the hearts of both the ignorant and the enlightened. Therefore, Maheshwarananda said that whether an individual has fallen into ignorance or is liberated, because of his essentially blissful nature he can never be separated from the supreme love of his own Self. As it is explained in a verse of the Mahartha Manjari:

Nanvatmanaha priyartham sarvasya priyatvam bhanati shrutihi, Tasmad ananda svabhava atma muktop yamukto va.

Whether one is liberated or bound, one's essential nature, the Self, is always blissful.

Bliss exists in the form of the Self. The shrutis say, Atmanastu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati - "Man loves all in order to fulfill his own desires." Everyone wants to remain in a state of happiness. Everyone wants to continue to exist. In this, a person's love for his own Self can be seen. There is no love greater than love for the Self. Because the nature of the Self is nothing but supreme bliss, one always thinks about bliss. Bhatta Utpaladeva says in the Stotravali:

Tvamevatmesha! Sarvasya sarvashchatmani ragavan, Iti svabhava siddham tvad baktim janan jayej janaha.

204 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

O independent Lord! You are the Self of all people. Everyone loves his own Self. A devotee who has an outlook of unity understands this devotion to You which arises naturally, and he conquers the world.

All useful actions which are performed for the sake of the Self are devotion to one's own Self. If one regards everything from the right point of view, no one is ignorant, learned, or enlightened. Only the independent God appears in all forms; God alone exists in such concepts as ignorance, learning, and enlightenment. One should become free of all thoughts and serenely contemplate the essential nature of one's own Self. There are not really different objects in this world. By freeing the mind of thoughts, one should meditate on one's own Self. In meditation, the mind becomes still. When this happens, a seeker acquires a certain strength, and all his conflicts vanish. He attains Shiva, the supreme nirvana. Shivatulyo jayate - "He becomes like Shiva."

413. Na me bandho na moksho me bhitasyaiia vibhishikaha, Pratibimbam idam buddher jaleshviva vivasvataha.142 There is neither bondage nor liberation for me. Bondage and liberation frighten only those who are ignorant of their essential nature. The universe ap- pears as a reflection in the intellect like the image of the sun in water.

Such a yogi knows, "My nature is the embodiment of Con- sciousness. Since it is not divided by space, time, and so on, I have not fallen into any bondage. I am the Self, which is pure Consciousness. I do not have to free my Self from any bondage." Bondage and liberation exist only when there is

142. Ibid., 135.

Vijnana Bhairava 205

division. The ideas of bondage, liberation, and so on, apply only to a person who, because of maya, does not understand his true nature and is afraid. He who wastes his life eating, drinking, playing, and watching movies and plays knows fear. He who is full of fear, misery, jealousy, enmity, and false pride experiences fear until death. He finds fearlessness and peace only when he is enclosed in a coffin and buried under cement and earth. The scriptures say, Dvitiyadvai bhayam bhavati - "When there is the notion of duality, there is fear." One who sees differences between the all-pervasive God, the world, and the Self spends his whole life in fear. A person who lacks knowledge eats fear throughout his life. For a person who is terrified by duality, the ideas of bondage and liberation are like a scarecrow, a straw man which he takes to be real. For a yogi who understands that the totality of Consciousness and unity is the supreme goal, there is neither bondage nor liberation. He never thinks like this: "By perceiving people as other than himself, a person falls into bondage. He should avoid this and do what will liberate him instead. For this reason, he should certainly practice religious austerities." This type of discussion is mere imagina- tion from the standpoint of the Truth. It is said, Nistraigunye pathi vicharatam ko vidhihi ko nishedhaha - "For a yogi who moves along the path which is beyond the three qualities, what dos and don'ts are necessary?" This means that such knowers of the Truth rise above precepts and prohibitions. The fear of bondage and liberation cannot frighten an enlightened being. He realizes that just as the sun is seen reflected in water, the limited intellect is transformed into the notions "I am bound; I am liberated." From the intellect spring such notions as "What will happen to me? What will go wrong?" The conscious Self is beyond these. Therefore, a seeker should discard the limited intellect, which is full of such fearful ideas. Only then can he become established in his own natural state, the state of the Self. In reality, for an

206 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

enlightened being, the seer, the seen, all activities, and all actions are knowledge. For him, there is neither virtue nor sin. A devotee says, "The One who pervades the universe makes me speak and act." The Lord says:

Prakashamanam na prithak prakashat sa cha prakasha na prithag vimarshat, Nanyo vimarsho'hamiti svarupad ahamvimarsho'smi chidekarupaha. The illumined object is not different from prakasha, illumination, and prakasha is never different from vimarsha, the awareness of that which is illumined. This vimarsha is also not different from "I am," the essential nature of the Self. Therefore, I am that Principle, which is the conscious Self in the form of vimarsha.

This means that the knowledge of prakasha is not different from the Self. That which is known is revealed through words and is not different from the means of knowing. Through the understanding of the oneness of that which is known and the means of knowing, a seeker becomes es- tablished in his own Self.

37

The Abode of the Self

414. In reality, out of its own happiness and out of love for its own blissful play, the one Truth has taken the form of the world. It creates the world, it is the world, yet it is different from the world. Even though it becomes everything and does everything, it still remains separate from everything. It em- bodies supreme wisdom. Why seek it? It is everything. Why look for it from house to house? It is everywhere. It flows as water. It sings as it blows in the wind. Becoming the earth, it supports everything. Becoming fire, it gives heat to everyone. It digests the food which we eat. It is the ether which fills the whole creation with space. Becoming the sun, it gives life to all plants. It is the stars. It is also men, women, boys, and girls, and it is Bhairava, ShriGurudev. By becoming all these things, it adorns the entire creation. At one place it takes birth, and at another place it dies. Vijniha Bodha Bhairava says, "I am everything. What- ever exists is Me. Whatever does not exist is also Me." If you want to understand this, learn it from these few words. There is no ignorance in you; there is no bondage, no sin, no anguish in you. Look within. There is Shiva, only Shiva. That alone is vimarsha, and That alone is prakasha. O friends!

207

208 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SIDDHAS

That is Ram, Rahim, Shiva, God. There is nothing different from That. The seer is reflected in the seen. Remember this. Experi- ence within the wisdom of Bhairava, ShriGurudev. It is only prakasha, the wisdom of Bhairava, which illumines every- thing from within, whether it is the mind, the intellect, the subconscious mind, or the ego. It is Shiva in the form of vimarsha who surveys from within everything which is il- lumined by prakasha and knows all thoughts. Shiva is the entire cosmos in the form of prakasha and vimarsha. Give up all involvements and entanglements. Stay where you are. All places belong to Shiva. In your own place, know your own Self as your Self. The independent "I" which exists within you is Shiva, the perfect "I." By strengthening this awareness, lose yourself in That. Lose yourself. To lose your- self is to find yourself. To seek yourself is to lose yourself. Understand this once and for all. There is no Shiva without you. Without Shiva, there is no you. This is the teaching of the experienced Siddhas. This is the abode of the Self. Here you can rest. This is where the saints dwell. Ishwara Iyer was a great yogi who had practiced austerities. He was an enlightened Siddha Guru who had received the highest blessings through the compassion of the Sun God, the illuminer of all three worlds. The one who loved him above all was Nityananda. Bhagawan Nityananda was a born Siddha and a supreme avadhuta, perfect within himself. He was always engaged in his own duty of selfless service to humanity. Swami Muktananda, who has received the gift of a small measure of his final grace, is the author of this work, which is Shaivism, the knowledge of the Self, and the essence of all scriptures. What is perfect now ends with perfection.

Swami Muktananda Paramahamsa Monday, July 7, 1980

GLOSSARY

Abhasa (lit. the shining forth): Appearance; emanation; manifes- tation; creation. Abhasavada: Theory of manifestation. The basic theory of Kashmir Shaivism. It explains the absolute freedom and autonomy of the Lord to manifest externally the world of names and forms, which always exists within Him. Accordingly, the world is the effect and Shiva is the cause. It is real, not an illusion as taught in Vedanta. Abheda upaya: See Shambhava upaya. Abhinavagupta (993-1015): Commentator and exponent of Kash- mir Shaivism. Of the lineage of Vasugupta and Somananda, and author of Tantraloka and Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vimarshini. Adhiva (lit. a course or path): According to Kashmir Shaivism, the whole universe in both its subjective and objective aspects is a proliferation of Shakti or paravak (subtle sound) in six forms known as the shad adhvas - the six routes or courses. They are, on the subjective side, vama, mantra, and pada and, on the objective side, kala, tattva, and bhuvana. For more details, see Sir John Woodroffe, The Garland of Letters (Madras: Ganesh &Co., 1974). Agama Shastra: Divinely revealed scripture which has been handed down from teacher to pupil through the ages. Aham (lit. "I"): "I"-Awareness; "I"-consciousness; the pure inner Self; the experiencing subject. Aham vimarsha: Pure "I"-consciousness. Andhata nada: The inner divine melody; the "unstruck" sound heard in meditation. See also Nada.

209

210 GLOSSARY

Ananda shakti: The power of absolute bliss. Anava mala: One of the impurities or limitations which brings about bondage of the universal Self and reduces it to a limited, individual being; the individual's innate ignorance of his true nature. Anava upaya: In Kashmir Shaivism, a means to Self-realization whereby the seeker uses his body, senses, prana (breath), sound, etc .; also known as bheda upaya or kriya upaya. Anupaya: In Kashmir Shaivism, the path of "no means" to Self- realization; the subtlest means of Self-recognition, in which very little effort is made; also called pravyabhijna upaya, since it consists of instant recognition of the true nature of the Self through Guru's grace. Anusandhana: Contemplation. Ashram: A spiritual institution or community where spiritual disci- pline is practiced; the abode of a saint or holy man. Asti (lit. exists): Existence; synonym for sat. Atma-bala-sparsha: Inspiration coming from contact with the strength of the Self. Avadhuta: A saint who lives in a state beyond body-consciousness and whose behavior is not bound by ordinary social conventions. Bandha (lit. lock): Position practiced in Hatha Yoga. The three main locks are jalandhara bandha, in which the head is bent forward and the chin is pressed against the chest; uddiyana bandha, in which the stomach muscles are pulled inward toward the spine; and mula bandha, in which the anus is pulled inward. Bhagawan: Lord; one who is glorious, illustrious, divine, venerable. Bhairava: A name of Shiva meaning the Lord who is responsible for the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. Bhairavi: The Shakti of Bhairava. See also Bhairava. Bhava: Feeling; attitude. Bhedabheda: Unity in multiplicity. Bhedabheda Advaitins: Followers of one of the subschools of Vedanta. Bhedd upaya: See Anava upaya. Bhogya or bhojya: The enjoyed object; object of experience. Bhokta: Enjoyer; subject; experiencer. Bhuta-jaya: Control over the elements. Bhuta-kaivalya: Withdrawal of the mind from the elements. Bhuta-prithaktva: Separation from the elements.

Glossary 211

Bhuvana adhva: See Adhva. Bimba pratibimba: Original object and its reflection. Bindu (lit. a dot, a point): The compact mass of Shakti gathered into an undifferentiated point, ready to manifest as the uni- verse; a form made of light (Blue Pearl); the material cause and substance of creation. Brahma: The creator; one of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra. Brahmadvaitins: Followers of the Vedas who consider nonbeing (abhava) to be the fundamental principle. Their belief is based on the Upanishadic dictum that "all this was-originally non- being. " They accept the Void as the Ultimate Reality. Brahman: Vedantic term for the Absolute Reality. Brahmarandra: Subtle aperture in the crown of the head; the gateway of Brahman in the sahasrara. Buddhi: The ascertaining intelligence and the impersonal or super- personal state of consciousness of a limited individual. Chaitanya: The fundamental Consciousness which has absolute freedom of knowing (jnana shakti) and doing (kriya shakti). Chakra (lit. wheel): In the human body, there are seven major energy centers or nerve plexes called chakras. Chiti: See Chiti Shakti. Chiti Shakti or Chitshakti: The dynamic power of the Absolute which manifests the world process. Chit shakti: The power of self-revelation by which the Supreme shines by itself. Chitta: In Kashmir Shaivism, the limitation of the Universal Consciousness manifested in the individual mind; the mind of the empirical individual. In Raja Yoga, chitta means mind, and in Vedanta, it refers to the subconscious. Darshan: (1) Spiritual philosophy. (2) Seeing God, an image of God, or a holy being. Dhyana: Meditation. Dvadashanta: A point located at a distance of twelve fingers from various specific spots, such as the tip of the nose or the heart. Eight supernatural powers (siddhis): Powers attained through man- tra repetition, meditation, and other yogic practices. They are anima, the ability to reduce one's body to the size of an atom (used to travel in subtle realms); mahima, the ability to expand the body to any size; laghima, the ability to make the body light (levitation); garima, the ability to make the body heavy; prapti, the ability to attain everything; prakamya, the ability to

212 GLOSSARY

have one's wishes fulfilled; ishatva, the ability to gain lordship over everything; and vashitva, the power to attract and control all things. Ekanath Maharaj (1528-1609): Householder poet-saint of Maha- rashtra. The illustrious disciple of Janardan Swami, he was renowned in his later life for his scriptural commentaries and spiritual poetry. Grahaka: Perceiver; experiencer. Grahya: Objects of experience. Guru: A spiritual master who has attained oneness with God and who initiates his disciples and devotees into the spiritual path and guides them to liberation. Iccha shakti: The power of will of Paramashiva. Iccha upaya: See Shambhava upaya. Idam (lit. this): A technical word used in philosophy to denote the totality of the universe as well as any object of perception, gross or subtle. Ishwara Pratyabhijna Karika: One of the important works of Kash- mir Shaivism; written by Utpalacharya, pupil of Somananda, who combined the teachings of his master with philosophical reasoning. Japa: Repetition of the mantra. Jnana shakti: The power of knowledge; the power of maintaining all objects in conscious relationship with oneself and with one another. Jnana upaya: See Shahta upaya. Jnaneshwar Maharaj (1275-1296): Foremost among the saints of Maharashtra and a child yogi of extraordinary powers. He was born in a family of saints, and his older brother Nivrittinath was his Guru. His verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, the Jnaneshwari, written in the Marathi language, is acknowl- edged as one of the world's most important spiritual works. He took live samadhi at the age of 21 in Alandi, where his samadhi shrine continues to attract thousands of seekers.

Kabir (1440-1518): A great poet-saint who lived his life as a weaver in Benares. His followers were both Hindus and Mos- lems, and his influence was a strong force in overcoming religious factionalism. Kola adhva: See Adhva. Kanda: Egg-shaped, bulbous nerve plexus near the base of the spine. Karana (lit. instrument): (1) The means of knowledge and action;

Glossary 213

the inner and outer instruments (sense organs). (2) One of the practices in the anava upaya, in which the aspirant contem- plates the body and the nervous system as a replica of the cosmos. Karma: Action; accumulation of past actions. Karma mala: One of the three impurities; limitation of the univer- sal power of action to a finite power; impurity caused by the impressions left on the mind by one's karma, or motivated action. Khechari: Subspecies of vameshvan shakti; one that moves in the kha, or space of Consciousness; also, the name of a Hatha Yoga technique. Kriya: Gross (physical) or subtle (mental, emotional) purificatory movement initiated by the awakened KundalinT. Kriya shakti: The power of action; the power of Paramashiva to assume any and every form. Kundalini (lit. coiled one): The primordial Shakti, or cosmic energy, that lies coiled in the muladhara chakra of every indi- vidual. When awakened, Kundalini begins to move upward within the sushumna, the subtle central channel, piercing the chakras and initiating various yogic processes which bring about total purification and rejuvenation of the entire being. When Kundalini enters the sahasrara, the spiritual center in the crown of the head, the individual self merges in the universal Self and attains the state of Self-realization. Levels of speech: See Speech, levels of. Madhya (lit. central): The central, pure "I"-consciousness; the sushumna nadi; also called madhyadhama, the central abode. Madhyama: Sound in its subtle form as it exists in the mind/psyche before its gross manifestation. Madhyamikas: Followers of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhism, which teaches that Reality lies in the middle (madhyarna) and not in any of the extremes. According to them, the world is unreal or void (shunya), and all mental and nonmental phenomena are illusory. They are also called nihilists or Shunyavadins.

Maharashtra: A state in western India. Mala: Impurity; taint; limitation that hampers the freedom of Consciousness. Manasa Lake: A sacred lake on Mt. Kailasa (Mt. Everest) where swans are said to migrate during the monsoon. Mantra: Cosmic word or divine sound; a name of God.

214 GLOSSARY

Mantra adhva: See Adhiva. Mantra virya: The perfect "I"-consciousness, which is the foun- tainhead of all the powers or potencies behind the mantra; Shiva-consciousness; the experience of paravak (sound in its seed form). Matrika: Letter or sound-syllable which is the basis of all words and hence of all knowledge; Shakti in sound form that manifests the universe. Because it is the source of words, matrika is said to be the source of ignorance (which comes about mainly through the ideas produced by words). Matrika chakra: The Supreme Consciousness at the subtlest level of sound (paravak), consisting of the mantra of pure "I"- consciousness (aham). This mantra contains all the powers of sound (matrikas) which bring into manifestation the world of diversity. See also Matrika. Matrika shakti: The power of sound; a form of the Universal Consciousness. Maya: The force which shows the unreal as real and presents that which is temporary and short-lived as eternal and everlasting. In the Advaita Vedanta of Shankaracharya, it is described as the beginningless cause which brings about the illusion of the world; an indescribable power of Brahman, which is neither real nor totally unreal. See also Maya shakti and Maya tattva. Maya pramata: The individual bound soul governed by maya. Maya shakti: The Shakti of Shiva who creates differentiation in the mind of the bound soul and gives rise to maya tattva; the limiting power of the Infinite; also called maha maya. See also Maya tattva. Maya tattva: The principle that throws a veil over pure Conscious- ness; material cause of physical manifestation; source of the five kanchukas, or limitations. See also Maya shakti. Maylya mala: The limitation caused by maya which gives rise to the individual soul, its gross and subtle bodies, and brings about a sense of differentiation. Mudra: (1) Mud (joy), ra (to give); called mudra because it gives the bliss of the Self. (2) Seal, because it seals up (mudranat) the universe into the being of transcendental Conscious- ness. (3) Hatha Yoga posture and manipulation of dif- ferent organs of the body as an aid in concentration. (4) Symbolic signs made with the fingers in ritualistic worship and classical dance. Mudra virya: The power by which one experiences the emergence of the supreme "I"-consciousness; also called mantra virya or khecharistate.

Glossary 215

Muladhara: Spiritual center at the base of the spine where the Kundalini lies dormant. Nada: (1) Metaphysically, the first movement of Shiva-Shakti toward manifestation. (2) In yoga, the unstruck sound ex- perienced in meditation. Nadanusandhana: A practice in which one listens to the inner divine melodies. Nadi: Channel in the subtle body through which the vital force flows. Nadi samhara: Dissolution of prima and apana into the sushumna. Namadev (1270-1350): A poet-saint of Pandharpur in Maharash- tra who composed thousands of devotional songs, many of which glorify the repetition of the divine name. Narada: A divine rishi, or seer; a great devotee and servant of Vishnu. He appears in many of the Puranas and is the author of the Narada Bhakti Sutras, the authoritative text on Bhakti Yoga. Nirnaya (lit. establishing): Confirmation. Nirvikalpa samadhi: Superconscious thought-free state. Nirvisheshadvaitins: Followers of one of the subschools of nondualism. Nishkala: The transcendental Principle which is beyond all man- ifestation and limitation. Nishyanda: Vibration; throb. Niyamana (lit. checking): Punishing; restraining; subduing; binding. Nyaya: One of the six main philosophies of Hinduism; based on logic. Om Namah Shivaya: A mantra meaning "Salutations to Shiva." Shiva denotes the inner Self. It is known as the great redeem- ing mantra because it has the power to grant worldly fulfill- ment as well as spiritual realization. Pancha kanchukas (lit. five cloaks): The limitations or coverings of the individual soul; by-products of maya. They are kala, which brings about limitation of the power to do; vidya, which brings about limitation of the power of knowledge; raga, which reduces the completeness of the Universal Consciousness and brings about the desire for particular things; kala, which re- duces the eternality of Universal Consciousness and brings about limitation of time; niyati, which brings about limitation of cause, space, and form. Paramarthika: The Ultimate; the Supreme; spiritual.

216 GLOSSARY

Paramashiva: The Ultimate Reality; the core of all. Parasamvit: Supreme Consciousness, in which there is complete fusion of prakasha and vimarsha; the supreme "I"-consciousness. See also Prakasha and Vimarsha. Prakasha (lit. light): The principle of Self-revelation; the principle by which everything is known. Prakriti: Primordial nature; the basic stuff of the material world. In Kashmir Shaivism, prakriti is identified with Shakti. Pramana: Knowledge; means of knowledge; proof. Pramatri or pramata: Knower; subject; experiencer. Prameya: Known; object of knowledge; object. Pramiti or miti: Right cognition (free of error). Prana: Vital force; specifically, the vital air in the breathing process. Prima shakti: Life force; the supreme energy in the form of prana. Pratibha: (1) Ever-creative activity of Consciousness. (2) The spontaneous supreme "I"-consciousness. (3) Parashakti. Pratibhasika: Apparent; illusory. Pravrittivada: Theory of extroverted life; seeing God while living in the world. Pumohanta: The supreme "I"-consciousness; the nonrelational perfect "I"-consciousness. Puryashtaka (lit. the city of the group of eight): The five tanmatras (sound, touch, color, taste, and smell), buddhi (intellect), ahamkara (ego), and manas (mind); another name for the subtle body. Rasa: Taste; juice; elixir. Sadhu: Holy being. Sahaja: Innate essential nature; natural. Sahajavidya: Knowledge of the innate essential nature; state of pure, divine Consciousness in which mental awareness ceases; pervasion into Shiva-consciousness (Shiva-vyapti). Sahasrara: Thousand-petaled spiritual center at the crown of the head where one experiences the highest states of consciousness. Sakala: All limited individual souls or experiencing subjects. Samanya (lit. ordinary): General; common. Samavesha: Absorption or merging of the individual consciousness into the Universal Consciousness. Samvit: Universal Consciousness. Sankarya: Mixture. Savisheshadvaitins: Followers of one of the subschools of Vedanta.

Glossary 217

Senses of perception: The five senses of perception, or jnanendriyas, are the power of hearing (shrotra), the power of feeling by touch (tvak), the power of seeing (chakshu), the power of tasting (jihva), and the power of smelling (ghrana). Seven experiencers: Due to the different positions occupied by Consciousness in the process of its manifestation of the uni- verse, its outlook changes at seven different levels. Its techni- cal names at these seven stages are Shiva pramaia, mantra maheshwara, manteshwara, mantra, vijnanakala, pratayakala, and sakala. The universe can be experienced at any of these seven levels. Seven pentads: This can be interpreted as 7 x 5 = 35 or as 7 + 5. If seven pentads are taken to be thirty-five, they represent the thirty-five tattvas from Shiva to the earth. If taken to be 7 + 5, seven represents the seven experiencers and five represents the five shaktis: chit, ananda, iccha, jnana, and kriya. Five also refers to the five kanchukas. See also Seven experiencers and Pancha kanchukas. Shakta upaya: In Kashmir Shaivism, a means to Self-realization, primarily through the use of the mind. Since mental activity plays a vital role in it, it is also called jnana upaya, or the path of knowledge; also called bhedabheda (unity in multiplicity) upaya. Shakti (Chiti, Kundalini, KundaliniShakti): The divine cosmic power which projects, maintains, and dissolves the universe. Shakti: Power; force; energy. Shakti chakra: The group of powers which control the inner and outer worlds. Shaktipat: Transmission of spiritual power (Shakti) from the Guru to the disciple; spiritual awakening by grace. Shambhava upaya: In Kashmir Shaivism, a means to Self-realization meant for advanced aspirants; sudden emergence of Shiva- consciousness by a mere hint from the Guru. Since in this upaya the Self is realized through the will, it is also called iccha upaya. Shiva: (1) A name for the all-pervasive Supreme Reality. (2) One of the Hindu trinity; represents God as the destroyer; the personal God of the Shaivites. In his personal form, he is portrayed as a yogi wearing a tiger skin and holding a trident, with snakes coiled around his neck and arms. Shiva drishti (lit. vision or outlook of Shiva): (1) A name for the Shaivite philosophy. (2) Name of the treatise on Kashmir Shaivism by Somananda, the first exponent after Vasugupta.

218 GLOSSARY

Shrimad Bhagavatam: The most popular devotional scripture in India, containing many legends, stories, and the life and teachings of Krishna; composed by Vyasa. Shrutis: Sacred works. Shuddha adhva: See Adhva. Shuddhavidya: (1) Pure knowledge. (2) The tattva immediately above the level of material manifestation. Shunyavadins: Followers of one of the subschools of Vedanta. Siddha: A perfected yogi; one who has attained the highest state and become one with God. Siddha Yoga: The yoga which takes place spontaneously within a seeker whose Kundalini has been awakened by a Siddha Guru and which leads to the state of spiritual perfection. Spanda: Creative pulsation; apparent motion in the motionless Shiva which brings about the manifestation, maintenance, and withdrawal of the universe; the independent (svatantrya) Shakti. Speech, levels of: Sound originates in the deepest level of un- manifest Consciousness, the para level. From here, it arises successively through the pashyanti level to the madhyama (subtle) level of speech until it manifests on the gross level as vaikhari, or articulated speech. The four levels of speech correspond to the four bodies - the vaikhari to the gross body, madhyama to the subtle body, pashyanti to the causal body, and para to the supracausal body. Sthanakalpana: One of the practices in the anava upaya, whereby one concentrates on external objects. Svarupa: One's own or essential nature. Swami: Title of a sannyasin, Tanmatras: The subtle essences of sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell from which the five gross elements are formed. Tattva (lit. that-ness): That which is the essence of each stage of manifestation (see footnote 47). The process of creation, according to Kashmir Shaivism, contains thirty-six tattoos: Shiva, Shakti, Sadashiva, Ishwara, shuddhavidya, maya tattva, the five cloaks (pancha kanckukas), purusha (individual soul), prakriti (primordial nature, the basic stuff of the material universe), buddhi (intellect), ahamkara (ego), manas (mind), the five powers of sense perception, the five powers of action, the five tanmatras, or rudimentary elements, and the five gross elements. These comprise creation from Shiva to the earth. For more information, see Introduction to Kashmir Shaivism (Oakland, California: SYDA Foundation, 1978).

Glossary 219

Three worlds: Heaven, hell, and the world of mortals; the states of waking, dream, and deep sleep. Tukaram Maharaj (1608-1650): Great poet-saint of Maharashtra; author of thousands of abhangas (devotional songs). Tulasidas (1532-1623): North Indian poet-saint and author of Ramacharitamanas, the life story of Lord Rama written in Hindi, which is still one of the most popular scriptures in India. Turiya or turya (lit. fourth): The fourth state of consciousness beyond the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep and pervading all the states; identified with the Self. Ucchara: In the anava upaya, a technique of concentration on the prana shakti, or vital force. Various aspects of ananda (bliss) are experienced during this concentration. Unmana or unmani(lit. that which transcends manas, or mind): The transcendental Shakti of Paramashiva in its primal movement toward manaifestation. This Shakti is amatra, or measureless and beyond time. Unmesha (lit. opening of the eye): (1) The externalizing of the iccha shakti; the beginnning of the world process. (2) Unfold- ing of the spiritual awareness. Upaya: Means; technique. Vaisheshika: One of the six major philosophies of Hinduism, which expounds the theory that everything is made of atoms. Varna: Letter of the alphabet; in the anava upaya, an object of concentration known as noda. Vedas: The highest authoritative scriptures of India; very ancient revealed scriptures. Vibhuti: Splendor; power; greatness. Vijnanavadins: Followers of one of the schools of Buddhism, which holds that external objects are unreal. That which appears to be external is actually an idea in the mind. How- ever, the mind is real. This view is called subjective idealism (vijnanavada). Vijnanavadins are also called Yogacharas. Vimarsha: The Self-consciousness or Self-awareness of Paramashiva, full of jnana and kriya, which brings about the world process. On an individual level, the aspect of consciousness through which one understands the specific characteristics of that which is known. Viresha: The lord of the senses, who has experienced the delight of the transcendental state of consciousness. Vishishtadvaitins: Followers of Ramanuja's "qualified monism," the main theory of which is that God is the only reality.

220 GLOSSARY

Within Him there exist as parts the different unconscious (achit) material objects as well as the many conscious (chit) souls. Vivartavadins: Followers of the Vedanta of Shankaracharya. This school holds that because of maya, the Ultimate Reality appears as something other than itself, like a rope appearing as a snake. Void: (1) The state of nothingness experienced in deep sleep. (2) The state of the formless Absolute. According to the Bud- dhists, this is a state of nonexistence. In Kashmir Shaivism, however, Void is emptiness in the sense that it is without manifest creation. It is not a state of nonexistence, because it has the nature of being, consciousness, and bliss. Vyavaharika satta: Empirical reality, which is limited in space and time. Yoga (lit. union): The state of oneness with the Self, God; the practices leading to that state. Yogacharas: See Vijnanavadins. Yogi: One who practices yoga; one who has attained the goal of yoga. Yogini: A female practitioner of yoga.

INDEX

Abhasas, 105-107, 146, 148, 151. See also Adhiva, 90. See also Shuddha adhva Manifestation Adoni Lakshmibai, 43-44 Abhasavada, 105-107 Adornment, 63 Abheda upaya. See Shambhava upaya Advaita, 120-121 Abhinavagupta, 107, 124, 202. See also Advaita philosophy, 119 - 125 Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vimarshini; Advaitavadins, 121 Tantraloka; Tantrasara Agama Shastras, 152, 181. See also Absolute: bliss of, 27, 68; and the Scriptures experience of a Siddha, 27, 51, 54, 61; Agitation, 15, 84, 117, 128 in the form of sound, 194-196; "I am Aham, 4, 91, 139, 188; Aham brahmasmi, the Absolute," 54, 127; as individual 127; Aham vimarsha, 164, 206; and soul, 3, 56, 58; in Kashmir Shaivism the spanda principle, 160, 162. See also and the world, 121; and Kundalini "I"-consciousness Shakti, 10; in Vedantic teachings, 127, Ahamta, 162 170. See also Supreme Reality Akkamahadevi, 47 Actions, 172; fivefold, 18 n. 10, 19, 84, Alandi, 44 100-101, 118, 154, 177; and four Allah, 119 bodies, 77; fruits of, 6, 15, 55, 57, 75, Anahata. See Nada 123, 132-133, 135; and limited Ananda, 11, 77, 100. See also Bliss knowledge, 75, 123, 133; right Ananaa shakti, 11, 100 understanding of, 122 - 123, 132, Anava (bheda/kriya) upaya, 72, 73, 88-95, 139-140, 204; and the Self, 3-4, 75, 96. See also Upayas 123, 206; toward Self-realization, 60, Anava mala, 75, 122, 123, 134 190, 192, 196-201, 205; and Shakti Anupaya (Guru kripa upaya), 96-97 Kundalini, 10; and shaktipat, 15; as Aparokshanubhuti, 167, 168-169. See also Shiva, 129, 166;of Siddhas, 24-25, 36-37, 50; and spank, 156, 159, 160, Shankaracharya; Vedanta

166. See also Gunas; Karma; Kriya Arjuna, 55, 174

shakti Asankarya, 148 Ashram, 32, 33, 85 Addictions, 62-63; of Baba, 65-67 Atma. See Self

221

222 INDEX

Atmananda, 125 135, 161; supracausal, 16, 19, 77 Attachment, 39, 56, 78, 79, 86, 92, 133 Bondage, 75-76, 78, 94-95, 169, 199; Attainment, 68, 96, 97, 169; means of, and ignorance, 90, 92-93; and letters, 84, 128, 129, 197 86, 161; right understanding of, 169, Austerities, 205, 208 204-205; due to vikalpas, 114-115, 117 Avabhasas. See AbKasas Books, 116 Avadhutas, 25 n. 12, 26, 208 Brahma, 48, 103, 173, 181 Awakening, 78, 79; supreme, 198. See Brahman, 130, 170-174, 177, 192. See also Kundalini also Absolute, in Vedantic teachings Awareness: of Self, 51, 92, 162, 170; of Brahmmandhra, 187, 192 Siddhas, 53; of unity, 83, 123. See also Breath, 19, 90, 93, 197. See also Prana Vidya Brotherhood, universal, 2, 132 Baba. See Muktananda Swami Caste (class), 1, 4, 6, 41 Bahinabai, 190, 199 Centering techniques, 89, 90-91, 183, Bapumayi, 41 - 43 191, 195-197, 199 Basaveshwar, 47 Chaitanya, 99. See also Consciousness; Bhagavad Gita, 46, 81, 111, 140, 172, Paramashiva 173, 174 Chakra. See Spiritual centers Bhagiratha. See Legends Chandrabhaga, 41 Bhaivara. See Vijnana Bhairava Changadev, 44-45 Bhairavi, 166, 186, 189. See also Vijnana Chanting, 13, 33, 42, 45 - 47, 64, 135; Bhairava importance of, 194-195; as therapy, 46 Bhatta Utpaladeva. See Stotravali Chiti, 9, 149, 176-179 Bhedabheda Advaitins, 121 Chitshakti, 102-103, 151, 153 Bhedabheda upaya. See Shakta upaya Chitshakti, 11, 77, 100. See also Bheda upaya. See Anava upaya Illumination Bhogya/bhokta, 128. See also Chitta, 178. See also Mind Subject/object Christianity, 64 Bhuta. See Centering techniques Class. See Caste Bhuvana, 90, 159 Bimba pratibimba, 108-112 Company, 114, 116, 147

Bindu, 160, 164, 192 Compassion, 8, 208; of Guru, 22, 176; of Kundalini, 12 Bliss, 117, 167, 188, 190, 199-200; Concealment, 28, 100, 106, 110, 154 different types of, 19, 88-89, 199; and Consciousness, 84, 100, 115, 173, 182; KundaliniShakti, 4, 9, 11, 180; of the all-pervasive, 98, 130, 190; Blue Pearl mantra, 84, 195; and Nityananda, and, 22-23; contraction of, 123, 67-68; and Paramashiva, 99-101, 163, 166; and Siddhas, 20, 21, 49, 53-54, 178 - 179; and inner knowledge of

57, 197; and Siddha Yoga, 4; supreme, Bhairava, 191; light of, 22-24, 145, 173; Paramashiva, 98-101, 127, 130; powers 139, 170, 199, 203; is the true nature of, 96-97; right identification with, of all, 118, 203; in Vedantic teachings, 189-190; Siddha Yoga and, 1; as source 169. See also Satchidananda; Supreme of all actions, 123, 142-143; bliss Universal, 179 - 180; and vision of the Blue Being (Blue Lord), 22, 23, 66 Siddhas, 50-51, 53-54, 56, 94, Blue Pearl, 21-22, 23, 67 148-149; world is the play of, 28, 59, Bodies, the four, 12, 16 n. 8, 38, 77, 90; 79, 122, 170-171. See also causal, 16, 77; gross, physical, 5, 12, Chitshakti; "I"-consciousness; 15-16, 27 n. 14, 67-68, 76-77, 84, Transcendental; Vijnana Bhairava; 93-94, 96, 122, 135, 142-143, Vimarsha; Witness 174-175, 199; subtle, 16, 77, 90, 122, Contemplation, 55, 85, 86, 90, 93, 98,

Index 223

198, 199; of spanda shakti, 160-166 Ecstasy, 118; of the Siddhas, 20, 24-25, Contentment, 20, 60, 61, 63, 84, 132 37, 39-40, 54; and Siddha Yoga, 4, Contraction. See Consciousness, 5,52 contraction of; Shakos, contraction of Ecstatic being. See Great beings Conversation, 116, 147 Effort, 60, 83, 135, 160-161; and Creation, 9-10, 93-94, 178, 207; powers vikalpas, 116. See also Actions, toward of, 11; Shiva-Shakti and, 164. See also Self-realization Actions, fivefold; Spanda shakti; Effulgence, 18, 19, 21. See also Light Vimarsha shakti Ego, 20, 32, 36, 37, 45, 48, 55, 57, 84, Criticism, 7, 30, 56, 168 Cults, 2, 65 85, 90,208 Ekanath Maharaj, 28, 64 Darshan, 46 Elements, the five, 103 n. 52, 109; of Dattatreya, 32 n. 15 Death, 4, 74, 95, 135, 140, 174 gross and subtle bodies, 90;

Deception. See Falsehood supernatural powers and, 90

Deep sleep state, 19, 77, 79, 93, 135 Energy, 3, 12. See also Kundalini; Shakti

Deha, 99. See Bodies, gross, physical Enlightenment, 202 - 204. See also Great

Deluge, 194. See also World, cycles beings

Delusion, 18, 39, 47, 51, 92, 138, 168, Enmity, 3, 8, 18, 56, 84 Envy, 18, 84, 168-169 170, 171 Equality, 14, 87, 197, 201; and the Desire, 11, 15, 18,40, 111, 117, awareness of the Siddhas, 31-35, 37, 131, 147 39, 44-45, 55; in the teachings of the Destiny, 25, 74- See also Karma BhagavadGita, 172, 174 Detachment, 5, 24, 55, 94, 174 Eternal, 145, 158. See also Sat Devotion, 28, 50, 58, 128, 204 Existence, 39, 150-151, 161. See also Dharanas. See Centering techniques Satchiaananda Dharma, 145 Experience, 136, 182; Baba's, 65-68; Dhyana, 88. See also Meditation categories of, 146, 151; within inner Discipline, 5, 6, 57, 85 realms, 18-23; and inner Self, 3, 145; Discrimination, 24, 89, 152, 175 of Siddhas, 54, 57, 152; as subject and Dissolution, 93, 94, 100, 154, 173, 178 object, 162-163, 193. See also Bliss; Divine sounds. See Nada Spanda Doer/nondoer, 50, 174- See also Actions, Extroversion, 131-132 as Shiva Eyebrows, the space between, 20 Dreams, 19, 52, 53, 66, 170, 171, 181 Faith, 15, 45, 97, 142; blind, 85, 120 Dream state, 66, 77, 79, 93, 135, 170 Falsehood, 1, 7, 55, 64. See also Guru, Duality, 29, 39, 82-84, 119 n. 60; and false fear, 205; and nonduality, 79, 82, 86, 124, 162; and play of creation, Family, 6, 64

121-122; right understanding of, 54, Fantasies, 75, 188. See also Vikalpa(s) Fear, 15,53,56,84, 113, 131,205 61-62, 78, 161, 197; Shiva in, 93, Fearlessness, 53, 65, 174 128; and Siddha Yoga, 2; as source of misery, 39, 112, 133, 137; the story of Feelings, 74, 91, 132, 149, 190, 199-200; God exists in, 81, 127, 148; from Mukrabai, 44-45; and vikalpas, 113 - 116. See also Anava upaya; Bimba matrika, 92. See also Shakta upaya; Vikalpas pratibimba; Maya; Shakti Duryodhana, 31 Fire, 8, 39 n. 19, 156

Duty, 72 Forgetfulness of Self, 48-49, 60, 97, 167-168 Dvadashanta, 90, 186-187, 191, Formlessness, 23-24, 127, 184 196-197, 201 Form(s), 38, 40, 68, 140, 150-151,

224 INDEX

155-156, 160, 173, 175; as Shiva, 79, Heart, 16, 36, 61, 91, 118, 173, 192; and 91, 103-104, 127, 184, 187-188. See breath, 18-19, 183, 187; inner and also Reality, three kinds of outer, 186, 201; God lives in, 174; Freedom, 150, 156. See also Bondage; lotus of, 18, 190; subtle channels of, Liberation 12. See also Dvadashanta Fulfillment, 3, 131 Heaven, 8, 24, 56 Ganeshpuri, 42 Hell, 8, 56 Goal, 71, 128, 173, 205 Hinduism, 64 God: attainment of, 50, 59, 140, 175, Householder, 4, 47 180; under control of devotees, 46-47; "I," 56, 78, 91, 139, 149-150; and as creator, 12; as the embodiment of all, 14, 42, 48, 132, 204; grace of, 84, vimarsha, 164, 206-208. See also Aham;

147; as the Knower, 144; and love, "I"-consciousness; "I"-principle

202; name(s) of, 45-46, 56, 58, 199; I Am That, 197

Siddhas immersed in, 24, 25, 40; and Iccha shakti, 11, 92, 100, 102, 121-122,

the universe, 109-110, 136, 139. See 127, 134-138, 147, 149, 158; as first

also Actions, fivefold; Supreme Being; form of Shakti, 159; and turriya state,

Supreme Principle; Supreme Reality; 77-79. See also Shakti; Shambhava

Vijnana Bhairava upaya; Will

God-consciousness, 2, 143 Iccha upaya. See Shambhava upaya "I"-consciousness, 78, 93, 99-100, 123, Grace, 83-84, 147, 187, 195; as fifth 136-137, 149, 153-154, 155, 180, action of Paramashiva, 100; of Guru, 12, 13, 16, 37, 39, 55, 103, 175-176, 184, 188, 202

185; and spanda shakti, 155. See also Idam, 5, 91, 136-137, 150-151, 154; and

Actions, fivefold; Guru; Shaktipat spanda principle, 162; Shiva as, 107

Grahakalgrahya, 98, 121. See also Ideas, 33, 57, 75, 205

Subject/object Ignorance, 1, 23, 39, 54, 60, 87, 97, 160-161, 167-171, 174, 182, Great beings, 20, 38, 54, 56, 58, 111, 117, 139, 163, 175, 187, 205; focusing 202 - 203. See also Bondage; Knowledge

the mind on, 192. See also Saints; Illumination, 82, 100, 197; See also Chit

Siddhas shakti; Light; Prakasha Imagination, 138, 156, 165, Greed, 8, 18, 146 168-169, 205 Gunas, 81 n. 34, 89, 138, 171-172 Immanence, 110, 121, 162, 166, 175 Guru, 28, 36, 135; devotion to, 66-68; Immortality. See Self, natute of false, 30, 62, 64-65, 85, 92; lineage and, 64, 65; qualifications of, 59, 60, Imperfection. See Anava mala

65, 85; and shaktipat, 13, 15, 17, 178; Impressions (karmic), 81, 100 Incarnation, 89. See also Transmigration and Siddha Yoga, 6, 22. See also Grace; Paramashiva; Shakti; Shaktipat; Shiva Independence, 48, 92, 100, 126, 166 India, 62 Gurudev, 35, 48, 63, 67, 207. See also Individual, 48, 50, 94 n. 49, 131, 179, Nityananda Bhagawan Guru Gita, 107 193. See also Bondage; Limitation; Soul

Guru kripa upaya. See Anupaya; Grace Inhalation/exhalation. See Breath; Prana GuruOm, 63, 66, 68 Hamsa. See So'ham Initiation, levels of, 14 n. 7, 15. See also Shaktipat Happiness, 8, 132, 146. See also Jnana Intellect, 12, 49, 96, 103 n. 50, 118, shakti Hari Giri Baba, 33-34 161, 184, 205, 208; and Supreme Principle, 173 Hatha Yoga, 13, 62 Hatred, 1, 2, 3, 62, 79 Intoxication, 63, 64; by artificial means, 5,85

Index 225

"I"-principle, 106. See also Aham; its four categories, 99; of the world, "I"-consciousness; Idam 74-76. See also Jnana shakti; Mind; Ishwara Iyer, 208 Vidya Ishwara Pratyabhijna , 133, 145, 146, Krishna, 25, 30, 31, 55, 65, 119 151. See also Utpalacharya Kriyos, 3, 15, 17, 67, 103; and Ishwara Pratyabhijna Vimarshini, 139, 149. rajoguna, 138 See also Abhinavagupta Kriya shakti, 11, 77, 92, 100, 102, Janabai, 45 121-122, 127,142, 159 Japa, 96. See also Mantra Kriya upaya. See Anava upaya Jealousy, 3, 44, 56, 84, 131, 133, 205 Kriya Yoga, 177 Jesus, 65 Kshemaraja, 124. See also Jivanmukta, 139. See also Liberation, Pratyabhijnahridayam; Spanda Nirnaya; while in the body Shiva Sutra Vimarshini Jnanadeva. See Jnaneshwar Maharaj Kumbhaka, 26 n. 13, 187 Jnana shakti, 11, 77, 92, 100, 102, 121, Kundalini, 3, 9-17, 27, 52, 180, 191, 195. 127, 138, 142, 146, 150, 159 See also Chitshakti, Shakti Jnana svarupa, 143 Language, 75 - 76, 188; and words, 141, jnana upaya. See Shakta upaya 206. See also Letters; Matrika Jnaneshwar Maharaj, 22, 28, 44, 64, 77 Legends: Bhagiratha, 7 n. 3; ocean of Joy, 3, 5, 68, 84, 87, 146, 150; and the milk, 172 n. 105 mind, 117; and the state of a Siddha, 52, 57. See Understanding, right Letters, 75, 76 n. 31, 83, 84, 85-86, 161; deities of, 103; and mantra, 83-84; and Judaism, 64 maya, 150; Shakti takes form of, 92. Kabir, 35, 65, 194-195 See also Matrika; Shakta upaya Kailasa, 33 n. 16, 94 Liberation, 58, 132, 140, 169, 180, 186, Kola, 90, 159 204-205; while in the body, 139, 163, Korana, 88 - 89. See also Bodies, the four 174, 193, 199 Karma, 13, 75, 81, 121-123, 133 Life, 117, 200; love necessary for, 39; Karma mala, 121-123, 134-135. See also spiritual, 93-94 Impressions Light, 2, 15, 19, 57, 75, 83, 91, 99, Kashmir Shaivism, 87, 208; on 173-174; Supreme, 76, 83. See also abhasavada, 106-107; as Bhedabheda Advaita, 121, 125; bimba prattbimba in, Blue Pearl; Parasamvit; Parashakti;

112; on karma, 121-123; on the nature Prakasha

of spanda, 153-154, 163-164; origin of, Limitation, 76, 126. See also Bondage;

71-72; Siddha Yoga and, 4; on our Mala(s)

Shivahood, 124-125; teachings of, 15, Lineage, 72, 73; of Siddhas, 65, 71

23, 27, 31, 59,91, 203; on yoga, 57. Love, 62-63; between Guru and disciple,

See also Shiva Sutras 68; necessary for life, 38-39;

Khechari mudra. See Mudras Nityananda immersed in, 40 - 41; as Siddhas' abode/state, 7, 20, 32, 37-40, Knower, 52, 54, 145, 171, 173, 190. See 61-62, 63, 64; and Siddha Yoga, 5, 8 also Consciousness; Subject/object; Modhryadasrui, 186 Witness Knowledge, 10, 16, 36,-84-85, 159, 164; Madhyama, 187, 196 Madness, 51 and action, 122-123; and bondage, 74, 85, 133; book-jnanis, 115, 116n. 56; Mahabharata, 30 Maharashtra, 41 n. 21, 190 empirical, 150; Jnanam annam, 84; Mahartha Manjari, 201, 203 jnanam bandhaha, 75, 76; of the Self, 123, 163; three forms of, 162; true Maheshwarananda, 203 Malas), 75, 122-123, 179 n. 116. See also nature of, 141-143; and the universe in Anava mala; Karma mala; Muyiya mala

226 INDEX

Malini Vijaya Tantra, 86, 88, 159 Nadanusandhana, 89, 195 Manifestation, 53, 158-159, 165 Nadi(s), 12-13, 21, 47, 90. See also Mantra, 82, 87, 159; Baba's experiences Sushumna nadi of, 65 n. 26, 66-68; and Kundalini Nadi samhara, 90 awakening, 13, 14; power of, 78, Nama, 151 83-84, 153, 180; virya, 84; as words of Namadev, 64 a great being, 27, 93. See also Adhva; Name(s), 150-151. See also Reality, three Guru Om; Japa; Om Namah Shivaya kinds of Marriage, 5, 6 Nanakdev, 65 Matrikta, 76, 103; matrika chakra, 76 n. Nandapadma Order, 62, 65 32, 87; matrika shakti, 18, 76 n. 31, Narada, Maharishi, 54, 56 169; in the form of nada, 195 Narasinga Swami, 42 - 43 Matter, 126, 136, 159, 172; as Shiva, 80 Narayana, Lord, 41 n. 22, 184 Maya, 74, 138, 150, 181, 205;and Chiti Nasrudin, Sheik, 67 as maya pramata, 178 Nationality, 4 Maya shakti, 133 n. 73, 150 Nations, 8 Mayiya mala, 75, 134 Nature, 123; one's own true, 4, 114 - 118, Means, 173; Guru is the, 59-68. See also 137, 142, 161, 170, 203. See also Aham Upayas Nectar, 61, 63, 194 Meditation, 36, 90-92, 163, 179; and Negativities, 2, 8, 15 Blue Pearl, 22; and shaktipat, 13, 17; Nila,_98 and Siddha Yoga, 1, 5,6, 7, 29;and Nirvana, 204 vikalpas, 117. See also Anava upaya; Nirvikalpa, 113-115, 117-118, 188; Experience, within inner realms; Vijnana Bhairava samadhi, 114 Nishkala, 182, 188. See also Microcosm, 16 Transcendental Mind, 3, 29, 36, 103 n. 50, 161, 181, 208; Chiti becomes the, 178-179; and Nityanamla, 125 Nityinanda Bhagawan, 24-29, 30, ignorance, 169; and meditation, 21, 35-37, 39-40, 68, 208; teachings of, 179; "The mind is mantra," 82; and 26, 30, 35, 36. See also Muktananda prana, 91, 183; purification of, 184; Swami; Gurudev and Siddha Yoga, 6, 8; subconscious, 11; and the upayas, 76, 81-82, 85-86, Nondual, 86, 96, 106, 115, 144, 162. See

90, 96. See also Nirvikalpa; also Shambhava upaya

Thought-free state; Thoughts; Numbers, 173

Vikalpa(s); Vedanta; Vijnana Bhairava Objects, 17, 90-91, 147, 164, 168, 204; five aspects of, 151; and heart lotus, Mirabai, 45 - 46, 64 190; and light, 168, 198-199; and Miracles, 62; and miraculous powers, 78 outlook of Shiva, 126-127, 181. See Moksha. See Liberation also Matter; Reality, three kinds of; Money, 6 Sthanakalparia; Subject/object Mudra(s), 66; shaivi-khechari, 27; virya, Om, 198 78,84 Om Namah Shivaya, 33, 47, 135, 166 Muktabai, 44 - 45 Omniscience, 33, 160 Muktananda Swami, 30, 52, 55, 202, Oneness, 23, 149, 161, 166, 193. See also 208, 209; addictions of, 63-67; Unity experiences with Nityahanda, 35-37, 65-68; sadhana of, 34, 68; on universe One-pointedness, 118, 161, 190-191, 196 and God, 180 Pada, 159 Muladhara, 13, 192 Pain, 6, 89, 112, 114, 137, 138-139, Nada, 192, 194-196 169; and objects, 111, 146; we create,

Index 227

89, 94, 161, 200 Pramana, 99, 184. See also Knowledge Panchadashi, 197 Pramatri, 99, 139, 142, 144. See also Pancha kanchukas. See Sheaths Knower Pandharpur, 41 n. 21, 45-46 Prameya, 99, 139, 159, 164. See also Para, 196 Objects Parabrahman. See Brahman Pramiti, 99. See also Understanding, right Paramarthasara, 192 Prana, 12 n. 5, 38, 88-89, 90-91, 95, 99, Paramashiva, 75, 97 n. 45, 98-101, 135, 103, 135, 173, 201;and apana, 185-187; 163; in Advaita philosophy, 120; and pranayama, 89, 90; and spanda contraction of, 75; immanent and shakti, 158 transcendental aspects of, 100-101, Prana shakti, 94, 183 121, 129; and sahajavidya, 92; and Prapya, 128. See also Attainment shaktipat, 176; and Siddha Yoga, 2; as Prashnopanishad, 12 spatula shakti, 153 - 154; as substratum of Pratibha, 144-147. See also all, 105. See also Consciousness; Consciousness, light of; Knower; Shiva; Vijriana Bhairava Parashakti; Pramatri Parameshwari Shakti, 103, 145 Pratyabhijna, 176-180 Paramodeya, 198 Pratyabhijnahridayam, 176, 178, 186. See Parasamvit, 75, 99. See also Paramashiva also Kshemaraja Parishakti, 76, 84, 86, 92, 182, 183; Pravrittivada, 131-132 forms of, 92; importance of, 189. See Prayer, 8, 182 also Shakti Preservation, 173. See also Sustenance Pashyanti, 196 Pride, 19, 90 Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 117, 192 Principle, 75, 153, 169, 190; of the Self, Paths, 90, 161; the six of Shakti, 159. See 60, 202, 206; as Shiva, 97, 124, 199; also Adhva vibrations and the inner, 142, 147. See Peace, 2, 8, 95, 132 also "I"-principle; Supreme Principle Perceiver. See Aham; Idam; Principles, 76, 171, 179 n. 116. See also Subject/object Tattvas Perception, 112. See also Senses, of Priyas, 151 perception; Subject/object Processes, three. See Creation; Perfection, 2, 23, 49, 50, 56, 57, 64, 97, Dissolution; Preservation; Sustenance 166, 208. See also Purno'ham Psychic instruments, the four, 103 n. Pilgrimage, 50 50, 109 Pleasure, 98, 112, 114, 137, 161, 200; Pulsation, 23, 76, 158. See also Spanda and objects, 111, 146 Pure, 8, 55, 62, 138 Poet-saints. See Akkamahadevi; Purity, 138, 143; of the Guru, 85 Basaveshwar; Ekanath Maharaj; Purnahanta, 162 Janabai; Jnaneshwar Maharaj; Kabir; Purno'ham ("I am perfect"), 16, 23, 83, Mirabai; Muktabai; Namadev; 116, 123,165 Nanakdev; Rabia Basari; Sakhubai; Puryashtaka. See Bodies, the four, subtle Suradas; Tukaram Maharaj; Tulasidas Qualities, 162, 205; See also Gunas Power, 99, 104, 120; Supreme, 53 Rabia Basari, 47 Powers: of action, 92, 100, 103, 159; of Race, 4, 6 knowledge, 92, 103, 159; of will, 92. Rajoguna, 138. See also Gunas See also Shakos; Supernatural powers R5m, 30, 65, 119, 208 Praise, 62, 78 Ranchod Bapuji, 32, 33 Prakasha, 97 n. 45, 11, 154, 197, 206, Ranga Avadhut, 32 207-208. See also Light Rosa, 27 Prakriti, 123. See also Nature Reality, 119, 151, 161; three kinds of,

228 INDEX

169-171. See also Principle; Supreme Satchidananda, 4, 112, 187 Reality; Truth Satchidananda, 39 Realization, 23, 24, 61, 97; of Truth, 116 Satsang, 33; See also Company Rebirth. See Transmigration Sattvoguna, 138. See also Gunas Recognition, 176-180 Scientists, 11, 12, 158, 194 Reflections, 148-151, 171, 188, 204. See Scriptural authors. See Abhinavagupta; also Bimba pratibimba Kshemaraja; Narada, Maharishi; Religions, 64, 187; Siddha Yoga view of, Patanjali; Shankaracharya; Somananda; 1, 2, 6, 35, 202 Utpalacharya; Vasistha; Vasugupta. See Renunciation, 5, 24, 43, 146. See also also Siddhas Sannyasa Scriptures, 60, 83, 97, 128, 135, Respect, 6, 8, 65, 187 181-182, 202, 208 Revealer, 28, 53, 109, 188, 203. See also Seeker, 82, 87, 93, 94, 124, 174; Prakasha; Subject/object Rig Veda. See Vedas attainments of, 83-85, 91-92, 163; and choosing a guru, 85; duty of, 72, Rituals, 97, 188 73, 76; experiences of, 3, 4, 11, 13, Rudra, 36, 173 14, 83, 84, 85; fully ripened, 97, Rupa, 151, 160 Sadishiva, 102, 139, 166, 177 128-129; and knowledge, 74, 75, 193,

Sadguru, 116. See also Guru 206; and matrika, 92; practices of,

Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jaya!, 63 190 - 192, 199; and recognition of own

Sadhan, 2, 72, 110, 116, 173; Baba's, true nature, 114, 196

34, 68; completion of, 7, 92; of Seer. See Subject/object

dvadashanta, 201; and love, 38; as Self, 1, 8, 60, 61; attainment of, 1, 72, 143, 169, 203; Choitanyam atma, 75, means of attainment, 60-61, 94, 96, 177, 183; right understanding of, 139; 98-99; as experiencer, 3 - 4, 174; ignorance of, 75, 89, 97; and love, and Shivahood, 129 202 - 203; meditation on, 6, 7; nature Sadhu, 57 n. 24 of, 4, 39, 49, 77, 84, 202-203; as Sages. See Poet-saints; Scriptural authors; Siddhas, contemporary; Women saints satchidananda, 39; seekers' experience of, 91-92, 136; as Shiva, 79, 80, 97, Sahajavidya. See Vidya 151; Siddhas' awareness of, 37, 40, 53, Sahasrara, 13, 20-22, 66, 89, 177, 54; and spanda, 155, 162, 166; as 194, 195 world, 16, 79, 80. See also Absolute; Sai Baba of Shirdi, 34 - Brahman; Consciousness; God; Shiva; Saints, 54, 208. See also Poet-saints; Supreme Being; Supreme Lord; Scriptural authors; Siddhas, Supreme Principle; Supreme Reality; contemporary; Women saints Vijnana Bhairava Sakala, 181-182 Sakhubai, 46, 47 Self-effort. See Effort

Samadhi, 79, 87, 135, 170, 195, 197-198; Sense pleasures, 52, 68, 74, 92, 171

nirvikalpa, 114; of Nityananda, 39 n. Senses, 76, 77, 91, 94, 134, 181; and

20, 40; shrine of Sai Baba, 34 n. 17 gunas, 89, 171; lord of, 78; of

Samsara, 161. See also Worldly life perception, 103 n. 51; and spanda, 153, 155, 162 Samvit paramarsha, 136-137. See also Seven experiencers, 100 n. 49 "I"-consciousness Sandipani, 25, 65 Shaivism. See Kashmir Shaivism

Sankarya, 148 Shakta, 92

Sannyasa, 5 n. 2, 41 n. 22, 62, 80. See Shakta (bhedabheda/jnana) upaya, 73,

also Renunciation 81-87, 88; and vikalpa, nirvikalpa, 117-118. See also Feelings; Upayas Sat, 150-151 Shakti, 14, 17, 102-104; contracted,

Index 229

179; dwells in muladhara, 13; five Shivahood, 112, 127 powers of, 11; and matrika, 18, 84, 92; Shiva lingam, 36 n. 18, 63 and maya, 81, 82; and shakti chakra, 103-104, 154, 161; and Shiva, 71, 91, Shiva Mahimna Stotram, 165 Shiva nirvana diksha, 163 127, 156, 159, 165, 186, 189; and Shiva samavesha, 138-140 spanda, 153-156, 159, 162; three forms of, 11, 102, 159; as universal mother, Shiva Sutras, 56, 57, 75, 76, 82, 83, 84, 85, 93, 95, 98, 165, 178, 197, 198; 16, 164, 177; and the upayas, 96; as and Kashmir Shaivism, 72-73, 124, the world, 9-10. See also Chiti; 152. See also Vasugupta Kundalini; Parashakti; Shaktipat Shiva Sutra Vimarshini, 78, 82, 176. See Shaktipat, 13, 15, 39-60, 84, 89, 92, 145, also Kshemaraja 155, 176, 188, 189; and initiation, Shivo'ham ("I am Shiva"), 84, 92, 118, 13-15; and Kundalini, 9-14, 16, 17; as 124, 138, 166 spanda shakti, 155. See also Grace; Guru Shrikantha, 71. See also Shiva Shakos, 11, 92, 100; contraction of, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 39 34-35, 38, 121-122, 150; and matrika Shrutis, 203 chakra, 76 n. 32; origin of, 102; and Shuddha adhva, 121 shakti chakra, 103-104, 161. See also Shuddhavidya. See Vidya Ananda shakti; Chit shakti; Iccha shakti; Siddhahood, 23, 25, 52, 57, 61, 92, 95; Jnana shakti; Kriya shakti; Matrika; state of, 13 Maya shakti; Prana shakti; Pratibha; Siddharudha, 33 Vimarsha shakti Siddhas, 30-37, 48-58; addictions of, Shambhava (abheda/iccha) upaya, 73, 74, 63-65; benefit of, 17, 39, 49, 55, 80, 88, 96. See also Upayas 60-61, 95; lineage of, 124; meditation Shankaracharya, 65, 127, 202-203. on, 16; Nityananda, 25, 26, 208; and See also Vedanta Siddha Yoga, 5; state of, 20, 21, 24, Sheaths, 94 27, 31, 40, 56, 76, 174, 196-197; Shining. See Objects, five aspects of willpower of, 149; wisdom of, 6, 16, Shiva, 126-130, 138-140, 207; abode of 25, 52, 56, 62. See also Poet-saints; (sahasrara), 13 n. 6, 21; five powers of, Scriptural authors; Siddhas, 100-101; as individual soul, 99, 121, contemporary; Women saints 189, 193; and Kashmir Shaivism, 71, 107,112, 124; asknower, 99, 193; and Siddhas, contemporary. See Bapumayi, Hari Giri Baba; Ishwara Iyer; Narasinga prakasha and vimarsha, 164, 197, 207, 208; principle of, 97; realization of, 93, Swami; Nityananda Bhagawan; Ranchod Bapuji; Ranga Avadhut; Sai 96-97, 118, 182-183; and seeker, 91-92, 94, 124, 129-130, 162; and Baba of Shirdi; Siddharudha; Zipruanria Shakti, 71,91, 102, 127, 156, 189; and shaktipat, 145, 176; and spanda Siddha Yoga, 1-8, 14, 52, 59; disciplines

shakti, 153-154, 156, 161-166; state of, 6-7, 57 - 58; inner experiences in,

of, 27, 71, 79, 92, 124, 127-128, 18-19; and Kundalini, 9, 12, 177; as

165-166; and the world, 79-80, Maha Yoga, 177; origin of, 2; teachings

103-104, 125, 130, 189, 198; worship of, 4, 38-39

of, 63. See also Brahman; Paramashiva; Sin, 6-7, 31, 174, 207

Purno'ham; Shivo'ham; Shiva Sutras; So'ham ("I am That"), 2, 16 n. 9, 193;

Vijnana Bhairava and Muktananda, 200; and Siddhas' awareness of, 52, 198, 209; and breath, Shiva avastha, 166. See also Shiva, state of 88, 90, 185, 186 Shiva Drishti, 126, 127, 128, 129, 157, Somananda, 124, 126 158. See also Soananda Soul, 12, 48, 161; as the Absolute, 3; Shiva drishti, 130 bound, 133, 138

230 INDEX

Sound, 158, 162, 194 183, 184, 187; and extroversion, 132; Space, 156, 177, 187-188, 190 nature of, 173, 181, 198; and Spanda, 102, 150; forms of, 155-156, nonduality, 119-121, 173, 188; and 158; and Shakti, 154 objects, 151; as the Self, 175; as Shiva, Spanda Karika, 124 n. 61, 125, 154, 193, 79, 192; and Siddha Yoga, 12, 59-61, 199. See also Vasugupta 201; as source of shaktis, 76; and Spanda Nimaya, 160, 161, 163, 164. See spanda, 152, 153, 155; upayas and, 76, also Kshemaraja 78, 79, 82, 87, 93. See oho Spanda nimaya, 164 Paramashiva; Self; Vijnana Bhairava Spanda shakti, 154, 158; forms of, Supreme Reality, 7, 75, 169, 170, 172, 155-156; and shaktipat, 155. See also 191; as Shakti, 177, 189; as Shiva, Spanda 164; and spanda, 156, 164, 189. See Speech, four levels of, 187, 196 also Supreme Principle Sphuratta, 102, 156, 189. See also Spanda Suradas, 64 Spiritual centers, 13, 192, 196-197. See Sushumna nadi, 13, 90, 180, 186, 191 also Sahasrara Sustenance, 9, 19 n. 10, 93, 100 Spiritual practices, 3, 7, 13, 117, 124, Sutra(s), 72-73. See also Patanjali Yoga 128, 135, 182. See also Sadhana Sutras; Shiva Sutras States of consciousness, 48, 77, 93, 135. Svacchanda Tantra, 156 See also Deep sleep state; Dream state; Swami, 57. See also Renunciation; Turiya; Waking state Sannyasa Sthanakalpana, 88, 89 Stillness, 49, 51, 157, 161, 198 Tamoguna, 138. See also Gunas Tanmatras, 90. See also Elements Stotravali, 203, 204 Tantraloka, 108. See also Abhinavagupta Subject/object, 4, 84, 144, 162, 188, Tantras, 176 197; and abhasas, 148-151; categories Tantrasara, 99, 185. See also of, 99; enjoyer/enjoyed, 128; Abhinavagupta grahaka/grahya, 121, 142, 177; Tattva, 90, 159 knower/known, 139, 193, 206; in Tattoos, 98 n. 47, 100, 102, 122, 153. See limited awareness, 133; also Principles perceiver/perceived, 4, 102, 142; and Teacher, 59, 85. See also Guru principles of creation, 102, 179 n. 116; That, 19, 50, 173, 183, 208. See also seer/seen, 173, 177, 208; Shakti as, 10; So'ham Siddhas' awareness of, 49. See also Therapy, 45-6, 56, 85 Bimba pratibimba This, 78. See also Idam Suffering, 28, 48, 84, 116, 131. See also Thought-free state, 7, 18, 19, 86, 198. Pain See also Nirvikalpa; Turlya Sufism, 64 Thoughts, 74, 86, 106, 113, 166, 169; Sun, 17, 48, 53, 62, 164, 208 cessation of, 79, 82, 138, 145; as Supernatural powers, 16, 78, 90, 91, 94, reflections of Consciousness, 147. See 195; as obstacles to unity, 83, 85, 87; also Vikalpa(s) and Jnaheshwar, 44 Time, 156, 177, 187 Supreme, 21, 79; Absolute, 54; Transcendental, 19, 119, 151, 166; Consciousness, 9, 94; Light, 76, 83, nature of Lord Bhairava, 182, 188. See 192. See also Supreme Principle; also Consciousness; Paramashiva; Supreme Reality Supreme Being, 7, 55. See also Blue Being; Vijnana Bhairava

Brahman; God; Vijnana Bhairava Transmigration, 179

Supreme Lord, 21, 154 Truth, 39, 94, 97, 119, 147, 207; inner,

Supreme Principle, 91, 142, 161, 172, 167; limited knowledge of, 75-76, 205; realization of, 116; and Shiva, 96, 198;

Index 231

and Siddha Yoga, 2, 29; and state of a Knowledge; Unity Siddha, 23, 24, 57, 60 Vigilance, 6, 56, 161 Tukaram Maharaj, 22, 54, 64, 198 Vijnana Bhairava, 117, 181, 188, 189, Tulasidas, 36 190, 191, 193, 196, 199, 200, Turiya, 19, 77-79, 93, 94 20_2, 204 Ucchara, 88 Vijnana Bhairava, 181 n. 117; and Understanding, 150, 166, 184; prakasha and vimarsha, 198, 199, Nityananda on, 28, 35, 36; of objects, 206-208; and prana, 183, 185, 106-107, 141, 144; right, 39, 55, 99, 135, 139-140, 142, 161; wrong, 30, 186-187; as the Self, 183-184, 202-206, 208; and Shakti, 182-183, 55, 76, 139. See also Knowledge, Maya, Pratibha; Vikalpa(s) 189; as Supreme Principle, 183, 188, 198; transcendental nature of, 182, Unity, 83, 84, 91, 193, 204; and duality, 188. See also Dvadashanta; Shiva; 85, 90, 96, 121, 123, 124, 163; and Supreme Principle nirvikalpa, 117. See also Oneness Vikalpa(s), 113-118. See also Mind Universe: Bhairava as the, 184 - 185; bliss Vimarsha, 97 n. 45, 111, 149, 206; and in, 94; and Chiti, 108, 176-178; as meditation, 197, 199; as Shiva, Consciousness, 98; embodiment of 207, 208 Shiva, 80, 103, 107; four categories of Vimarsha shakti, 150, 154 the, 99; manifestation of, 105-106; Vishishtadvaitins. See Advaita and matrika shakti, 84, 103; right Viresha, 78 identification with, 193; Shiva-Shakti and, 9-12, 102, 154, 159, 163-164, Visargas, 115, 157 Vishnu, Lord, 63 166, 199; and a yogi's experience, Vishnusahasranam, 165 21-22, 79, 91, 124, 149, 162. See also World Vision, 30, 50-51, 164, 185, 200-202 Vitthal, 42 Unmani, 40. See also Samadhi Viveka Chudamani, 170. See also Unmesha, 102, 160. See also Spanda Shankaracharya; Vedanta Upanishads, 12, 83, 113, 119, 176, 183, Void, 53, 119, 194 184, 200 Vow, 5, 6, 93 Upayas, 183; purpose of, 72, 81, 83, Waking state, 19, 66, 77, 79, 93, 96-97, 115, 128, 135. See also Anava 135, 170 upaya; Shakta upaya; Shambhava upaya Wheel of birth and death, 174. See also Utpalacharya, 107, 124. See also Ishwara Transmigration Pratyabhijna Will, 75, 76, 79, 149, 178. See also Iccha Vaikari, 187, 196 shakti Vakyasudha, 113-114. See also Wisdom, 21, 182, 188; of Siddhas, 6, 7, Shankaracharya; Vedanta 16, 25, 52, 55-56, 62 Varna, 88, 159 Wish-fulfilling gem, 159 n. 87 Vasishtha, 65. See also Yoga Vasishtha Witness, 19, 56, 95, 119, 173, 197. See Vasugupta, 28, 29, 73, 124, 152. See also also Knower Spanda Karika Women saints, 47. See also Adoni Vedanta, 167-175. See also Lakshmibai; Akkamahadevi; Shankaracharya Bahinabai; Janabai; Mirabai; Muktabai; Vedas, 55, 100, 167, 176; Rig Veda, 159 Rabia Basari; Sakhubai Vibhuti Spanda, 152 World: as bliss, 200; as Consciousness, Vibration, 92, 111, 158, 161, 183, 194. 28, 79, 125, 137, 183, 198-199; See also Spanda Vidya, 83; ashuddhavidya, 116; sahajavidya, cycles, 49, 158, 194, 200; drama of

91-93, 94; shuddhavidya, 116. See also the, 91; as the embodiment of one's feeling, 74 - 75, 81; as the embodiment

232

of Shiva, 80, 93, 104-105, 124, 198; Siddhas, 40, 50 five elements of, 109; and God, 48, 81, Worthiness, 97, 122 109; "is as you see it," 24, 31, 129; and Yoga, 58; and divine sound, 194-196; karma, 121; as Kundalini, 9; Lokananda and love, 68; and the mind, 117; stages samadhi sukham, 197; as the one Truth, of, 19, 57, 79, 85. See also Hatha Yoga; 207; as a playground, 193; and right Kriyas; Patanjali Yoga Sutras; Siddha understanding, 166, 168-170; Siddhas' Yoga; Shiva Sutras benefits to, 36, 95; Siddhas' view of, Yoga Sutras. See Patanjali Yoga Sutras 23, 24, 35, 38 YogaVasishtha, 24 n. 11, 31, 129 Worldly life, 19, 161; and Siddha Yoga, Yogi, 110, 117-118, 142; experiences of, 2-3, 4-5, 8; and spiritual practice, 6-7, 85, 93-94; and Supreme Reality, 23; powers of, 94, 110, 187; practices of, 195-197, 199, 201, 204-206; state 164; and theory of extroversion, of, 77-91, 180, 198-199. See also 131-132 Siddha, state of Worlds, 105-106; the three, 48 Worship, 35, 182, 188, 202, 203; of Yogirii, 47. See also Women saints Zipruanna, 31 - 32

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