तन्त्रसार (महामाहेश्वर अभिनवगुप्त - तन्त्रालोक का प्रामाणिक सार-संग्रह सटीक)

vii 12. Īśvara Pratya bhijñā vivṛiti vimarśinī. 13. Īśvara Pratyabhijñā vimārśinī. 14. Paryanta Pañcāśśikā. 15. Ghaṭakarpara kulaka vivṛiti. Abhinavagupta was not only an eminent scholar and Saiva teacher, but he possessed profound knowledge in matters related to Kashmir Saivism. Other than his works on Kashmir Saivism, Abhinavabhāratī, a unique commentary on Bharatanāṭyaśūtra and Locana, on Dhanyāloka made him an undisputed authority on rhetoric and aesthetics. He, as is current among scholars of Kashmir valley, was Bhairava in the human form. His frank statement shows that before writing anything he always took resort to the thought abiding in his heart, the resting place ( Viśrānti sthānam ) of all. It is none other than Samvit Herself. In the introductory portion of Tantrāloka he writes that by his repeated resort to the dispeller of bondage he has become bright with knowledge ( bhodhojjvala ), after which he wrote Tantrāloka. This shows that when he realised his identity with Siva, he enjoyed the play of senses as the rays of pure consciousness, or in other words, the senses which are gene- rally externally inclined, had at that time given up externality and become introvert, with the result that they failed to create limited knowledge, but on the otherhand, helped nourishment of self awareness. When emergence of pratibhā, that is, when full I-Consci- ousness occurs in a person by a sudden flash it never wanes, for it is everlasting ( Sakṛtvibhāto'yamātmā ). It is the very nature of Siva, the Bhiarava. With its emergence, it puts a stop to bondage. Such a person is called sāmsiddhikaguru that is, the flow of pure knowledge runs through his being

viii naturally. He is able to grasp the truth by sat tarka ( intuition ). He, at that stage, has nothing to do with any sort of personal duty, for he has totally done away with all the impurities that are considered to be the causes of the continuation of worldly existence. He remains ever awake in the Bhairava state. Then, whatever he does, is performed only to show grace to the people of the world. All this is said to have happened to Abhinavagupta. Whether a person has attained identity with Bhairava, can be known from some marks of which Śrī Mālinīvijaya has stated thus :

1. Unswerving devotion to Rudra.
2. Mantrasiddhi.
3. Control over all principles.
4. Ability to accomplish the desired objects.
5. Poetic genius and spontaneous knowledge of all Śāstras¹. Jayaratha writes in his commentary on Tantrāloka that all the above marks were present in Abhinavagupta. He also quotes a verse of an unknown writer in support of his view regarding the matter². १. रुद्रशक्तिसमावेशस्तत्रनित्यं प्रतिष्ठितः । सति तस्मिंश्च चिन्हानि तस्यैतानि विलक्षयेत् ॥ तत्रैतत्प्रथमं चिह्नं रुद्रे भक्तिः सुनिश्चला । द्वितीयं मन्त्रसिद्धिः स्यात्सद्यप्रत्ययकारिका ॥ सर्वतत्त्ववशित्वं च तृतीयं लक्षणं स्मृतम् । प्रारब्धकार्यनिष्पत्तिः चिह्नमाहुश्चतुर्थकम् ॥ कवित्वं पञ्चमं ज्ञेयं सालङ्कारं मनोरमम् । सर्वशास्त्रार्थवेत्तृत्वमकस्माच्चास्य जायते ॥ मा० वि० ८.१३ २. समस्तं चेदं चिह्नजातमस्मिन्नेव ग्रन्थकारे प्रादुरभूदिति प्रसिद्धिः । तन्त्रालोक विवेक आ० १३

ix His Tantrāloka is a dissertation on Tantra in which he throws enough light not only on many unknown and little- known matters based on the authority of Śaiva Āgamas., but discusses the philosophy and practices of them and interprets them traditionally on the basis of his experience. This monu- mental work is mainly concerned with the teaching of Kula, Tantra and Krama systems. His Tantrāloka is not merely a philosophical treatise, but a guide for seekers of Truth. He boldly states that the wise person who studies continuously the entire work of Tantrāloka consisting of thirty seven chapters becomes Bhairava himself¹. This is not only true for Tantrāloka but it is equally true for Tantrasāra also, for the subject-matters as contained in the former are the same in the present text. The volume of the present work is quite handy. But it does not mean that the reader will be able to grasp the entire thought contained herein without plenty of plodding. The succinct- ness of language adopted by the author, has made the text a hard nut to crack. The whole idea is expresssed in a few words and a broad panorama has been left out of its scope, with the result that the work is very difficult to understand. It is more so because there is no commentary which can throw light on less known thoughts. We have stated earlier that it is a summerised version of Tantrāloka, hence for the proper understanding of the text one is to depend on the commentary of Jayaratha and the Tantrāloka proper. Yet our learned author has assured his readers at the out- १. इति सप्ताधिकामेनां त्रिंशतं यः सदा बुधः । आह्निकानां समभ्यस्येत्स साक्षाद्भैरवो भवेत् ॥ तंत्रालोक १ म आह्निक, २८८

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set that he has written Tantrāsāra in easy language for those who are unable to delve deep into the vast Tantrāloka. Sāra ordinarily means the essence of anything but esoteri- cally it means hṛdaya, the ultimate resort known to be the Supreme Truth. The thought abiding inseparably in Śiva as Parāvāk, is to be known as sāra or hṛdaya. The essence of Tantra which is lying undifferentially in the parā stage is brought down by him to Vaikharī level through Paśyantī where word and the thing implied by it are non-different, then Madhyamā where the relation between vāk and artha is quite distinct, though they remain as inner thought (antaḥ- sañjalpa, ) whereas in the vaikharī the difference between vāk and artha is distinct. This very vāk serves the need of people. Thus we see that sāra is the terminal point from where everything gets its rise. Abhinavagupta writes in Parātrīṁśikā that which we experience as blue and pleasure, the body, the vital air and intellect have their steady ground in pure consciousness which is nothing but hṛt, the resting place. Tantrasāra the work of the author, is in essence hṛdaya of Lord. It descends or expands itself passing through different levels of consciousness and finally touches the ordinary level. The sole purpose of this descent is to enlighten the heart of everybody so that with its aid every- body may attain his Śiva-nature, for it is He, who as Saṁvid has extended extraordinarily His very Being as Tantrasāra (lokottaraprasāratantrasāram). It had been a time-honoured tradition of Indian scholars to maintain uncontradictory singleness of thought (ekavākyatā) throughout the work. In the beginning of Tantrasāra Śrī Abhinavagupta urges people to collect the lotus of his heart

xi for worshipping Maheśa. Similarly at the end of the work he states that his sole purpose of writing it was that everybody should attain Śiva nature. By this clear statement he hints at the singleness of thought which is nothing but (saṁvid) pure consciousness. In the beginning of the work we find a benedictory verse by which he pays obeisance to his parents, Narasiṁha- gupta and Vimalakalā his father and mother respectively. They represent Śiva and Śakti. Tantrāloka also begins with this very verse in which Jayaratha, the renowned comment- ator, has given three interpretations keeping kula, krama and the common views in mind. It has been the tradition of ancient scholars to pay obeisance to the Lord in order to allay obstacles, otherwise they stand in the way to progress and performance of duty by creating many sorts of hindrances like inattentiveness, lack of imagination etc. They are thought to be presided over by some deities even though the person from whom the delu- sive influence of Māyā has ceased but its residual trace is still functioning. Because of its presence he will experience himself as a subject identical either with the body or the vital energy etc. He is overpowered by those deities who cause impediment to the fulfilment of his desire, particularly they cause interruption to him who has undertaken the task of showing the path of liberation to the world¹. Hence it is considered proper for him that he should pay obeisance to Lord. At the time of bowing (namana) he merges his individual self to the Supreme who is the very self of the १. ते च प्रक्षीणमोहस्यापि मायासंस्काराविनिवृत्तशरीरप्राणप्रभृतिगत प्रमातृभावस्य प्रत्यगात्मनः प्रभवेयुरपि इच्छाविधाताय, विशेषतः समस्तलोकमभ्युद्धर्तुं परिगृहीतोद्यमस्य । ई. प्र. वि. वि, पृ० १८

xii world and which is in reality none other then pure conscious- ness. Hence when all differences have merged themselves into the One-non-dual samvid, there is no question of hindrances to arise, I Tantrasāra begins with the statement that perfect know- ledge ( pūrṇaprathā ) is the cause of liberation. It is the revelation of Siva-nature in ones own self. Siva who by His power of freedom appearing as limited in knowledge and action, removes all veils by the same power, as a result of which He shines in His pristine self-refulgent pure consciousness. On the dawn of Supreme Wisdom as of the nature of Prakāśa and marked by reflective self-knowledge ( Vimarśa ) everything shines non-differently in the mirror of consciousness. While describing the nature of mokṣa Abhi- navagupta writes in Paramārthasāra that there is no separate region of it, nor one is to proceed towards it, but it is to be realised by piercing the knots of ignorance by virtue of full development of one's own power of freedom¹. Mokṣa should not be considered as the effect of jñāna and the latter the cause of it, but it is the manifestation of the real nature of ātman². According to Śivādvaya system though ignorance is accepted as the cause of Samsāra, yet the nature of ajñāna is differently presented here. Here mūla ajñāna is known as āṇavamala, a limitation innate in the individual. It originates from absolute freedom of Lord. The āṇavamala operates in the individual soul in two ways : (i) the loss to conscious- १. परमार्थसार verse 60 २. मोक्षो हि नाम नैवान्यः स्वरूपप्रथनं हि सः । स्वरूपं चात्मनः संवित् । तंत्रालोक आ १।१२६

xiii ness of its freedom, (ii) the sense of doership without bodha. This limitation of jñāna and kriyā is known as pauruṣa and bauddha ajñāna, comes under the class āṇavamala. Ignorance known as bauddha ajñāna is of the nature of indetermination and determination of contradictory nature. Because of its presence the individual soul in bondage fails to know definitely the real nature of the self. Moreover, he experiences and feels himself as the experiencing subject of what is really non-self. Pauruṣa ajñāna, characterised by limited knowledge, is considered to be the cause of worldly existence. It is removed by initiation, but a person cannot avail himself of it so long the impurity known as bauddha ajñāna lying in his intellect is not removed, for initiation is only preceded by the firm conviction regarding right knowledge of the things avoided and the right knowledgs of the things to be accepted ( heyopādeyaniścaya ) on behalf of the person who desires initiation. Right knowledge regarding everything can only be obtained from sacred literature told by Parameśvara. He is the highest authority and origin of all sacred literatures. Those revealed texts are the giver of release to the souls in bondage. The number of the revealed texts known as Āgamas is ten, eighteen and sixtyfour¹. The essence of १. Āgamas which were revealed from five faces of Śiva are predominantly dualistic. The number of dualistic Āgamas are ten. Those which are of dual-non-dual nature are eighteen in number and those which teach non-dual truth are sixtyfour in number. Āgamas descended, on the earth in five currents from the five faces of Śiva known as ईशान, तत्पुरुष, सद्योजात, वामदेव and अघोर ।

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them is the Trika system and the most important of them is Mālinīvijaya. Abhinavagupta writes that he will give an exposition of Mālinīvijaya, for he thinks unless the real nature of things is determened, it fails to bestow liberation. Pure knowledge only possesses the quality of bestowing release. The highest principle which is of the nature of Light is Śiva. He, the most acceptable of all, is svabhāva. It is of the nature of light ( prakāśarūpa ), for that which is not light cannot be known, hence it cannot be the svabhāva. Light ( prakāśa ) is pure consciousness which is the very life of everything, though shining in all, shines as blue and jar distinctly separate from each other. This notion of separateness, the knowledge of duality, is considered as ajñāna but ( Caitanyam ) pure consciousness is really jñāna. It is universal ( sarvasāmānya ). It is present everywhere and is possessed of absolute freedom of wisdom and activity ( jñānakriyāvān ). The non-shining of this universal light to the person who is limited is the prime ignorance of the self. The Light of which we have spoken above is independ- dent. Its independence means that it depends on nothing. It is all-compassing, eternal, is of the nature of assuming all forms and at the same time it is without any form ( sarvākāra nirākāra svabhāva ). Its absolute freedom is ānandaśakti, the relishment of one's own ānanda is icchāśakti, its nature of light is cicchakti, its self-reflective light is jñānaśakti, its enactive relation with all is kriyāśakti. Śiva, though associated with all His principal śaktis, always remains free from limitations and rests in His blissful nature. When by His absolute freedom of will he manifests Himself as limited, He is then known as aṇu. Then again

xv He shiness as Śiva marked by absolute freedom and unlimited light. By virtue of His absolute freedom - He shines without any means (anupāya) and sometimes with means (upāya). These upāyas may be icchā, jñāna or kriyā, the way of absor- ption of the individual consciousness into the Divine. These icchā, jñāna, and kriya are śaktis of Śiva. When a yogi is able to grasp any of them, it is easy for him to attain Śiva. As the ways are three, so (samāveśa) absorption also are three, hence they are known as śāmbhava, śākta and āṇava samāveśas. This, in short, is the summary of the first chapter of Tantrasāra. II The second chapter begins with the brief presentation of anupāya. It is not counted under any upāya for the very reason that as an upāya it is so subtle that it does not come under any upāyas and more because the person on whom the fall of grace has occurred most intensely does not have any need of internal and external help in order to realise his identity with Śiva. The word of the teacher once listened to by him, places him on the transcendent path (anuttarapatha), the stable ground of the blissful nature of Śakti, then he realises at once that the Lord, the self-mani- fest one, is the very self of his own. As the very nature of Śiva is eternal, hence thers is no question of realising it by any means. As it is self-manifest, ways add nothing to it. If it is said that ways help the removal of veils, then it is untenable, for there is no existence of any veil. In the same way the question of merger of the one into the other cannot stand, for there is total absence of two separate entities. In this way the chain of reasonable arguments causes in him

xvi firm conviction, as the result of which he realises that the Absolute, the mass of bliss, is the single Truth and 'I am He' in whom everything shines in the mirror of conscious- ness inseparably. Thus contemplated firmly, he finds himself one with divine absorption. In Tantrāloka Jayaratha comments that in Śāmbhava, Śākta and Āṇava upāyas icchā jñāna and kriyāśaktś function where the possibility of duality may arise, for icchā becomes externally inclined because of the presence of something desirable (eṣaṇīya) in the core of icchā, while in anupāya ānandaśakti functions and it is said of ānanda that it is Brahman Itself, hence in anupāya there is no tint of upāya as separate from it¹. III Ātman is of the characteristic of Light and Freedom and is free from all thought-constructs (vikalpa). He is Śiva, the Absolute. As he encompasses everything, He is partless, an integral whole (akhaṇḍa) of Infinite Light— the single realm of Light where thought fails to reach (nirvi- kalpaikadhāman). Though an ordinary soul in its fallen state is non-different from that Light, yet he is unable to to concieve this and fails to realise his identity with It. But as soon as the grace of Guru falls on him a little less intensely, he begins to realise the Truth, and by a sudden fiash he is able to perceive the Light without any intervention of any upāya than Svātantryaśakti which is inseparable from that Light. This perception is direct and immediate. १. इच्छादीनां हि एषणीयादि विषयावच्छेदेन बाह्योन्मुखत्वात् भेदसंभावनादि स्यात्, आनन्दशक्तिः पुनः—'आनन्दो ब्रह्मणः रूपम्' इत्याद्युक्त्याचितस्त- त्स्वरूपमेव इति। —तं० आ० १ पृ० २५६

xvli In that perception of Light any separate entity to be reflected upon, is wanting, It is of the nature of self-reflec- tion and has the characteristic of vibrati ion Here the Yogin takes resort to icchāśakti as a means for realising his identity with that Light¹. Svātantryaśakti of which we have spoken above causes the pictures of bhāvas manifest in the clear mirror of pure consciousness. The bhāvas cannot shine by themselves. They shine in the void of consciousness as reflection. For this reason the Lord is said to be immanent. As this Śakti is sentient, not inert, so its āmarśana, that is, self reflection continues ceaselessly. Its self-reflective nature is known as Paranāda, which in the Āgama literature, is called Parāvāk, the Supreme Word. Vāk is śakti and is non-different from vimarśa. The śaktis which extend and assume the form of the universe, are chiefly three, namely, anuttara, icchā and unmeṣa. Basically they are nothing but of having the nature of parāmarśa ( reflection ) which assume the syllabic form of letters like a, i, u. ( अ, इ, उ ). It is from them all the śaktis originate. The fifty syllables in Samskrit come broadly under two groups. From a (अ) to visarga the sixteen letters ars known as vowels and the rest from Ka to ha (ह) are consonants. The vowels are the bījas ( seeds ) and the consonants are ( Yonis ) the receptacles for receiving the seeds. Primarily Lord who is anuttara becomes ānanda which is self-reflection of cit. As cit in its slight vibration intents on externality it is known as ānanda. Similarly icchā becomes īśana when it rests in icchā. In the same way ūrmi is the १. ………………स्वपरामर्शनिर्विकल्पैकधामनि । यत्स्फुरत्प्रकटं साक्षात्तदिच्छाख्यं प्रकीतितम् ॥ —तं० आ० १.१४६ 2

reflected unmeṣa. As syllables these three are ā, ī, ū. From ū onward kriyāśakti begins to function. The former three parāmarśas are of the characteristic of prakāśa. Hence they are of the nature of the sun and the latter parāmarśas, that is, the longer vowels are of the nature of soma with the characteristic of rest. When icchā and īśana become inclined towards activity, or in other words, when activity enters them, it sets in disturbance and causes a break in tranquility. Then icchā and īśana are known as īśyṣamāna īśyamāna. In the one light is predominant and in the other it is of the nature of rest. They are known as ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, ḹ. As they are only śruti (semitone) and sound like consonant sounds of ra and la, they do not come under consonants proper. As they retain the vowel and consonant sounds both, they are considered as neuter. The creative movement which proceeds to flow from anuttara give rise to different varṇas. The impelling force of kriyāśakti terminates after giving rise to the varṇas like e (ए), ai (ऐ), o (ओ) and au (औ) After that the inward move begins to operate, as a result all the resultants are then put to rest in anuttara. It is to be noted here that this anuttara is different from anuttara akāra, the Supreme Bhairava. It manifests as aṃ (अं) which is in essence pure consciousness. From that anuttara visarga ( : ) occurs. Visarga better known as visargaśakti, is the creative force which not only operates but manifests herself as the universe. She remains inseparably united with the Absolute before the rise of kṣobha in it. The universe as we see it, is the manifestation of light as indicated objects (vācya) and the reflection of that light in its turn, stands for each of

the indicative sound as represented by a, ā, i etc. Manifest- ation that occurs in this twofold way (Vācya and Vācaka) is in reality, the manifestation of Vāk, the Supreme Word. The Supreme known as akula, is possessed of power (Śakti) which gives rise to the universe. This power is called Kaulikī Śakti. It retains the universe within Herself in a very subtle form but on account of creative impulse she expands Herself in three stages. These stages of creation though lying within, yet are projected externally by the Lord by means of Visarga Śakti. Creation as known to us is predominantly of the nature of differnce (bheda). This is the gross form of creation. In the language of Āgama it is known as āṇava visarga, while the creation in which difference and non-difference (bhedābheda) shine, is called Śākta Visarga. This is the subtle from of creation and the creation of non-dual nature is known as Śāmbhava visarga. It is the subtlest of all crea- tions. Āṇava visarga is the grossest of all, because externality shines here in a gross form. The entire creation consisting of pramāṇa, and prameyas (the instrument of knowledge the object of knowledge), and knowledge with its limited nature shine as mutually different and different from the self. But in Śākta visarga the universe shines in dual-non- dual relation. In āṇava visarga difference is predominant. It is the characteristic of ha¹ while in Śākta visarga all that is experienced as seen, heard, touched etc by the self, is obliterated. The universe becomes perfectly intent on pure consciousness. It is awakening of citta toward cit. Citta, though cit by nature, yet in its empirical consciousness १. नरसम्बन्धी हकारात्मा स्थूलोविसर्गः –तं० आ० वि, आ३

xx becomes the experiencing Subject and all the objects shine in its view as different from it. This occurs on account of subject-object relationship. Because of this relation the universe shines with its variety of objects. Cit, the experie- ncing Subject of the world picture, at this stage, descends down to the level of citta by imposing upon itself the limi- tations of objects¹. In Śākta visarga citta does not function as the subject and its objects with their mutual difference, but shines as one with consciousness. In the former case it is resting and terminating of citta to its objects having limitations, while here it is submerging of all sorts of limitations into all in- clusive pure consciousness. For this reason it is known as citta sambodha, the awakening of citta, that is, in this stage citta becomes intent on offering itself in the niṣkala nature of Śiva who is of the characteristic of integral Light (akhaṇḍa prakāśarūpa). But in Śāmbhava visarga there shines neither difference nor non-difference. Even the universe is absent there. A slight trace of citta cannot be perceptible there. It shines as cit free from all limitations and ever remains refulgent in its fullness of perfection. This is the highest visarga characterised by ānanda. The person who has realised his identity with that Light experiences that everything from the earth to Śiva shines in the mirror of consciousness. Everything that shines has the source in consciousness, and not only that it is non-different from it. The very nature of Śāmbhava upāya is this kind of comprehension. Abhinavagupta has given the idea of it in Tantrāloka thus : १. चितिरेव चेतनपदावरूढा चेत्यसंकोचिनीचित्तम्-प्र० हृ० सू-५

xxi Bhairava, the clear void of consciousness creates the picture of the universe in Himself. He manifests them and experiencers that, ‘I am the universe.’ Thus He assumes the immanent nature. This is His function of creation. Then He maintains the sixfold adhvās and experiences them as being reflected in him. Thus He is the manifestor of maintenance. Then lastly, into the flame of all-consuming Fire the entire universe is withdrawn and dissolved. Thus, the person who is able to realise the partless one as the single unit of conciousness ( akhaṇḍaikarūpatayā ) in which the above three functious of creation, maintenance and dissolution have their rise and rest, is absorbed in the Supreme by means of Śāmthava upāya. IV The highest end of human being is to arrive at the very nature of Paraśiva who is ever free from determinacy ( vikalpa ). One is able to get rid of thought-constructs by means of pure reasoning, listening to holy texts known as Āgamas and following the teachings of the spiritual teacher. The practice of contemplating or viewing everything as Siva, the essential Reality, is the means by which one is able rise above impure vikalpas. In Tantrasāra it is stated that one considers oneself bound on account of vikalpas. The wrong conception of one’s true nature is the cause of samsāra. Therefore, when a vikalpa of quite opposite nature is born, it dispels the wrong one and places one on the right track and soon it becomes the cause of the highest good. Though vikalpa is of no avail to reveal the nature of Paraśiva, the highest Reality, for It is everywhere and in every way self-luminous, Yet it is the considered opinion of the author that pure vikalpas remove the sense of duality

xxii from the self. The sense of duality is not something positive, but is only ignorance (akhyāti) of one's essential nature. Therefore the sense of duality is removed by śuddhavikalpa. Śuddhavidyā leads to sattarka or pure reasoning. It should be borne in mind that it is distinct from gross form of reasoning as is dealt in the Nyāya system, for it is said of sattarka that it arises by itself in a person on whom Śakti has keenly touched. This tarka leads to the continuity of ideas similar to śuddhavikalpa as stated in Tantrasāra thus : That which is unlimited consciousness transcending all limited expressions of Reality from earth right up to Śiva, that alone is the highest Reality; that am I. When finally by continuous practice of tarka regarding the nature of Reality, it brings about purity of vikalpas. The highest excellence of tarka terminates into bhāvanā by which one is able to make manifest even the most indistinct into distinct. In some tarka may arise by itself without having his recourse to any spiritual guide or reading of holy texts. When it dawns upon the person, he is considered to have been initiated by the luminous Samviddevīs themselves. But the person on whom the grace of Lord has fallen in a less keen degree, should have to be initiated by the spiritu- al teacher, after which he is able to secure the right of liste- ning to Āgamas which by their proper understanding, help him become free from doubts. Afterward the truth that contains in the Āgama, gives rise to Sattarka in him. Sattarka is the light of Śuddhavidyā. It is considered to be the most excellent and direct limb of yoga. It has been stated in the Tantrasāra that yoga is also a kind of Vikalpa, but it is characterised by intensive awareness (anu-

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sandhenātmā ) as regards to the essential Reality. For the purpose of keeping the essential Reality ever luminous in his view, the yogin takes resort to this form of Vikalpa for the maturity of his awareness. Parameśvara is by nature pure consciousness and is ever full. His fullness is His Śakti, the Divine I-consciousness. By the grace of Śuddhavidyā one has to take resort to Cit Śakti which finally leads the aspirant to Śambhu, the Lord. V When vikalpa cannot by itself becomes pure and there- fore one has to depend on other means for its purification, in that case the aspirant is decidedly staying in the lower stage of spiritual development, or in other words, Śaktipāta has occurred in him in a lesser degree. Therefore, for the purification of vikalpas, he, being limited himself, takes resort to such means as are limited. Hence the individual takes up buddhi, prāṇa or body itself for this purpose. Among the aspirants who is more advanced, proceeds on the path of dhyāna. The Tantrasāra has given briefly how this contemplative meditation is to be performed. Though it is called dhyāna yet it is quite distinct from dhyānas as are found mentioned in various holy texts. In short, it is unlike those in which the aspirant imagines his desired deity as having a face and limbs. The Tantrasāra describes dhyāna in the following manner. The self-luminous essential Reality who abides in all, is to be meditated upon by the aspirant in the core of the cons- cious heart. The meditation is to be performed in such a way that the three, namely, the Subject, the instrument of knowledge and the object representing the fire, the sun and the moon respectively, have coalesced together and have become the unity of a single mass. The meditation is to be

xxiv continued so long as they do not lose their separate entities and blaze up as the Fire of the Great Lord. This Fire is to be meditated upon as surrounded by twelve kālīs. These kālīs are none but the flames of the wheel of Fire. This Fire should be thought of as emitting out rays through the outlets of eyes and others, which take their rest as the object of external senses. The object is to be thought of as being nourished by the creative energy of the moon, then it is maintained and made manifest by the sun and finally it is dissolved by the energy of fire so that it may be drawn in- side and be made transcendent ( anuttara ). When this dhyāna is continuously performed, the aspirant soon realises that every object and the idea is nothing but pure consciousness in essence. He further realises that creation and other functions are essentially the play of the Lord. ✕ ✕ ✕ After dhyāna the text gives the view of uccāra. The upgoing movement of prāṇa is commonly known as uccāra, but really speaking, uccāra is of the characteristics of spanda ( vibration ), which is the very soul of it. Prāṇa is of two kinds : the one is general ( sāmānya ), and the other is specific ( viśeṣa ). In the former difference of any sort is totally absent, while in the latter, on account of distinctive activities the same prāṇa shows itself in five forms known as as prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna and vyāna. It is quite evident that these five have their base in the general prāṇa. On account of the vibrative move of prāṇa inarticulate sound known as anāhatanāda becomes manifest. It goes on sounding without any break in the heart of every living being. This nāda is associated with two bījas, namely, sṛṣṭibīja ( sa ) and samhārabīja ( ha ).

XXV The activity of Prāṇa goes on functioning without any conscious effort of the living being. Usually prāṇa moves along the channels of iḍā and pingalā. The middle path remains blocked for the ordinary human being. By the grace of guru when the middle path opens up, the aspirant's journey towards the Supreme begins from that time. The movement of prāṇa is then realised by the aspirant as associated with Śakti. It is She who in the form of hamsa is moving upward and she is the real mover of prāṇa. Not only that he realises that she gets the two bījas nourished in two places of their origin, namely, the heart and dvāda- śānta, the top of the head. At the realisation of this truth the Yogin feels thar the prāṇa before its rise takes rest in the void of the heart. Then by its externalisation as apāna the external objects not only shine forth but also get nourished by apāna, the moon. The Yogin then experiences the all- pervasive nature of prāṇa. On account of specific activitics of prāṇa in various spots of the body, the Yogin experiences various kinds of delights in accordance to his aptitude in getting the prāṇa take rest in these spots. These delights are named nirānanda and others. They are six in number. By his experience of delights in different spots he finally realises that the highest place of rest is somewhere else other than the body and prāṇa, He realises the highest form of delight known as jagadānanda in which there is no limitation, for it shines in all directions and where consciousness alone remains ever shining. It expresses itself as the knower, the means of knowledge and the objects known. It expands by the nectar of divine joy of absolute sovereignity, in which there is no need for contemplation¹. 1, Tantrāloka 5,51

xxvi It seems proper to note here that prāṇa and apāṇa are the two factors which performs the functions of dissolution and creation, while samāna makes a balance of two pulls of energy in the inner viṣuvat, that is the void. Then udāna, the upper current begins to flow along the middle path. Finally the vital energy becomes vyāna, the all-pervading one in which all limitations have their end. The yogin by means of close observation of two bījas mentioned above, should make vikalpas free from impurities. Viśrānti in different spots, in accordance with his proficiency in entering them, he in the beginning experiences delights, then follows udbhava, kampa, nidrā and ghūrṇi. The spots where they are experienced are as follows : mūlādhāra, kanda, hṛdaya, tālu and dvādaśānta, Udbhava and kampa and others are the characteristic marks of the Yogins, which appear as a consequence of his practice of uccārayoga, The final goal of the yogin that he desires to arrive at by means of uccārayoga, is dvādaśānta which is known by another name of ūrdhvakundalī where the difference of Śakti and Śiva ends. It is of the charactrastic of Samvit- spanda, × × × The inarticulate sound (anāhatanāda) is ever present but it becomes manifest by the rhythmic movement of prāṇa. It is called varṇa or syllable. It should be borne in mind that this nāda should not properly be called varṇa but it is the cause of syllables. Bījas known as sṛṣṭi and saṁhāra- bījas (sa and ha) are the two chief syllables in association with which anāhatanāda becomes manifest. Therefore the yogin tries to fix his mind in them so that he may get the touch of nāda. He practises to hear the nāda by uttering different syllables either ending in a vowel or not ending in.