Part 8 - Śiva tattvas and Śakti tattvas

The Sanskrit vowels from the letter “a”, which is Anuttara, to the letter “:”, which is visarga, are Śiva tattvas. The remainder of the alphabets is Śakti tattva, the universe of thirty five tattvas. This universe is the reflection of His Svātantrya. It is not created, it is a reflection. It is the reflection of Svātantrya that gives rise to each succeeding letter.

The Svātantrya of Śiva is reflected in:

1. Cit Śakti,
2. Ānanda Śakti,
3. Icchā Śakti,
4. Jñāna Śakti, and
5. Kriyā Śakti.

All elements (tattvas) are a reflection of the five energies of Śiva.

First twenty-five tattvas

Everything comes out from these five energies. His Svātantrya acts like a wall on which the projection of First twenty five tattvas takes place. From the five energies first come the five mahābhutas, and then come the five tanmātras, and then come the five karmendriyas, and so on. All of the five energies co-exist in each of these energies. For example in Cit Śakti all the five energies, Cit Śakti, Ānanda Śakti, Icchā Śakti, Jñāna Śakti, and Kriyā Śakti, are present. Although in one energy all the energies are present, yet only one energy is predominant. So five energies multiplied by five energies become twenty five to form the first twenty five tattvas, from Pṛthvī to Puruṣa.

The five mahābhutas, which are the five consonants from “ṅa” to “ka”, are produced by Cit Śakti (anuttara) and Ānanda Śakti, which are one and which are the letters “a” and “ā”, when mixed with His five energies. That reflection where His Cit Śakti is predominant in Ākāsa (ether) and this is the letter “ṅa”. The reflection of His Ānanda Śakti is Vāyu and the letter is “gha”. The reflection of His Icchā Śakti is Agni (fire) and this is the letter “ga”. The reflection of His Jñāna Śakti is Āpa (water) and this is the letter “kha”. And the reflection of His Kriyā Śakti is Pṛthvī (earth) and this is the letter “ka”. Śakti tattva is a reflection of Śiva tattva. The reflective flow is in each case from the last letter to the first letter, e.g., from “ṅa” to “ka”, and the order of the consonants is reversed.

The five tanmātras, which are the consonants from “ña” to “ca”, are produced by Icchā Śakti, the letters “i” and “ī”, when it is mixed with the five energies. This reflection where His Cit Śakti is predominant is Śabda, the residence of sound, and this is the letter “ña”. The reflection of His Ānanda Śakti is Sparśa, the residence of touch, and this is the letter “jha”. The reflection of His Icchā Śakti is Rūpa, the residence of form, and this is the letter “ja”. The reflection of His Jñāna Śakti is Rasa, the residence of taste, and this is the letter “cha”. The reflection of His Kriyā Śakti is Gandha, the residence of smell, and this the letter “ca”.

The five Karmendriyas, which are the five consonants from “ṇa” to “ṭa” are produced by the letters “ṛ” and “ṝ”, which is Anāśrita Śiva, in conjunction with the five energies. The reflection where His Cit Śakti is predominant is Vāk, the organ of speech, and the letter is “ṇa”. The reflection of His Ānanda Śakti is Pāṇi, the organ of action, and the letter is “ḍha”. The reflection of His Icchā Śakti is Pāda, the organ of locomotion, and the letter is “ḍa”. The reflection of His Jñāna Śakti is Pāyu, the organ of excretion, and the letter is “ṭha”. The reflection of His Kriyā Śakti is Upasthā, the active organ of sex, and this is the letter “ṭa”.

Five Jñānendriyas, are the five consonants from “na” to “ta” and are produced by the same tattva through the letters “ḷ” and “ḹ”. The reflection where His Cit Śakti is predominant is Śrotra, the cognitive organ of hearing, and the letter is “na”. The reflection of His Ānanda Śakti is Tvāk, the cognitive organ of touch, and the letter is “dha”. The reflection of His Icchā Śakti is Cakṣu, the cognitive organ of sight, and the letter is “da”. The reflection of His Jñāna Śakti is Rasanā, the cognitive organ of taste and the letter is “tha”. Reflection of His Kriyā Śakti is Ghrāṇa, the cognitive organ of smell, and the letter is “”.

Jñāna Śakti, which is the letters “u” and “ū”, when mixed with the five energies produces the five elements Manas, Buddhi, Ahaṃkāra, Prakṛti, and Puruṣa, which are the five consonants from “ma” to “pa”. That reflection where His Cit Śakti is predominant is Puruṣa, the limited self, and the letter is “ma”. Reflection of His Ānanda Śakti is Prakṛti (nature) and the letter is “bha”. Reflection of His Icchā Śakti is Ahaṃkāra, egoity, and this is the letter “ba”. The reflection of His Jñāna Śakti is Buddhi, intellect^[1] and the letter is “pha”. Reflection of His Kriyā Śakti is Manas, mind, and this is the letter “pa”.

Six internal states of Puruṣa

The [following six internal states of Puruṣa are reduced to four by combining Niyati with Rāga and Kāla with Kalā]:

1. Māya,
2. Niyati,
3. Kāla,
4. Rāga,
5. Vidyā, and
6. Kalā.

The four limitations which result from these combinations correspond to the next four semi-vowels. The limitations Kāla and Kalā, which are the limitations of time and creativity, correspond to the letter “ya”. Vidyā, limited knowledge, corresponds to the letter “ra”, Rāga and Niyati, the limitations of attachment and space, to “la”, and Māya, the element of self ignorance and objectivity, corresponds to “va”.

These limitations are created by the energies of Śiva and they represent the state of Puruṣa internally. These limitations, therefore, are called Antaḥstha because they reside inside Puruṣa, one’s own limited self. They are the internal state of limited Puruṣa.

Last Four tattvas are States of Śiva in His own nature

The [following four tattvas are also not created by the energies of Śiva]:

1. Śuddhavidyā,
2. Īśvara,
3. Sadaśiva, and
4. Śakti.

Instead, they are the swelling of the heat of His own nature. Śuddhavidyā, which is the state of aham-aham / idam-idam, is the letter “śa”. Īśvara, which is the state of idam-aham, is the letter “ṣa”. Sadaśiva, which is the state of aham-idam, is the letter “sa”. Śakti, which is the state of aham, is the letter “ha”. This is the reason that these four letters in grammar are called Ūṣma, which means “the heat of His own nature.” They are the expansion of the state of unlimited. Being and as such are attached to the unlimited state of Puruṣa which is the expansion of that state of unlimited Being.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 52.