Part 13 - Thirty-six Tattvas (elements) of Śaivism

Ascent from Grossest element(earth) to finest Parama Śiva

There are only twenty-five tattvas in Vedānta. In Śaivism there are thirty six tattvas which are significant points of entry. Aspirant must rise up to Parama Śiva through these tattvas. The ascent starts from grossest element ‘earth’ first; proceeds to subtler and subtler elements until the subtlest element Parama Śiva is attained.

Pañca-mahābhutās

Gross tattvas, which form the lowest degree of the tattvas are the five great elements-the Pañca-mahābhutās viz.,

1. Pṛthvi (earth),
2. Āpa (water),
3. Tejas (fire),
4. Vāyu (air), and
5. Ākāśa (ether).

Ākāśa is not a perceptible element, it is space that gives room for movement wherein exist the other four gross elements. It is a special vacuum which is filled by the other four great elements. Gross tattvas are called mahā bhutās (great elements) forming the basis for the whole universe.

Pañca-tanmātras

At the next level come [the following five tanmātras, ...]:

1. Gandha (smell),
2. Rasa (impression of taste),
3. Rūpa (impression of form),
4. Sparśa (sensation of touch),
5. Sabda (sensation of sound).

[...] arising from the five mahābhūtas (pṛthvi, āpa, tejas, vāyu, ākāśa).

Pañca-karmendriyas

Five tattvas emerging therefrom are the five Karmendriyas, the five organs of action (

1. Vāk (organ of speech),
2. Pāni (organ of action i.e., hand),
3. Pāda (organ of locomotion i.e., foot),
4. Pāyu (organ of excretion) and
5. Upastha (organ of procreation).

Pañca-jñānendriyas

Next come the five organs of cognition or knowledge—[the following five Jñānendriyas viz. ...]:

1. Ghrāna,
2. Rasanā,
3. Cakṣu,
4. Tvak, and
5. Śrotra,

[...] the mental organs for experience of the world.

Ghrāna is nose—the organ of cognition of smell creates odours. Rasanā is tongue as an organ of cognition of Taste creating flavours. Cakṣu is eye, the organ for sight that creates form. Tvak is skin an organ for feeling, that creates touch. Śrotra is ear an organ to hear which creates sound.

The twenty objective elements consisting of Pañca-mahabhutas, Tanmātras, Karmendriyas and Jñānendriyas end here.

Objective cum subjective elements

Next come a set of tattvas forming the objective cum subjective elements. In Śaivism, only the Super Being is subjective while all other elements are really objective elements. The present set of elements are attached with subjectivity more than the former.

In this classification first come a set of three elements known as antaḥkaraṇa (internal organs),

1. Manas (mind),
2. Buddhi (intellect) and
3. Ahaṃkāra (ego).

Manas (mind) is the means to create thought (saṅkalpa sādhana).

Buddhi (intellect) confirms if an action should be done or not. The rightness of the proposed action is determined.

Ahaṃkāra (ego) is connected with objectivity attributing the action to itself, creating the limited ‘I’ consciousness.

Next are the two interdependent tattvas:

1. Prakṛti and
2. Puruṣa.

Prakṛti is nature who is the combination of three guṇas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) but without any distinction from whom they arise and expand . They being created by Prakṛti, do not come under tattvas as they are not creators themselves. Puruṣa responds to and wins that Prakṛti, is on higher level.

The twenty-five elements form the limit of the Vedanta philosophy of the tattvas. In Śaivism, all of these tattvas exist in the field of Māyā, in the field of objectivity, and nothing as yet has happened. Puruṣa is not a realized soul but is bound and limited like Ahaṃkāra tattva. Puruṣa is connected with subjectivity and Ahaṃkāra is connected with objectivity. This is the only difference between Puruṣa and Ahaṃkāra.

Ṣaṭ Kañcukas on Puruṣa

[The following five Kañcukas bind Puruṣa in five ways]—

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

Niyati tattva operates to put the impression in Puruṣa as with respect of particular place of his existence and not in all places (Deśa). It causes limitation on the place of residence(Omni-presence) of Puruṣa^[1]. Kāla means time. The action of Kāla tattva is to keep Puruṣa in a particular period. It poses limitation of particular period of existence on Puruṣa of Eternity.‘Rāga’ means attachment. This is that attachment which results from not being full. By creating in Puruṣa the feel of lacking which he must fill, it limits Puruṣa from feeling of fullness.(Pūrṇatva). Vidyā’ means knowledge. This limits his omniscient nature. It puts an impression in Puruṣa that he has limited knowledge, that he is not knowing all for he knows only some limited things. Kalā tattva creates the impression in Puruṣa that he has some particular creativity, as against his actual unlimited creativity. (Kartṛtva)

Puruṣa’s ignorance of his own nature is known as Māyā tattva who causes these five bondages and makes him her victim. He does not know his own real nature and becomes bound and entangled by these five (Kañcukas) and thus becomes a victim of Prakṛti. He takes on individuality and becomes a limited individual.

These five tattvas plus Māyā are six tattvas which are known as Ṣaṭ Kañcukas (the six fold coverings). These six coverings bind and entangle and thus limit Puruṣa. These coverings must be removed, uncovered and this is done automatically by the grace of the Guru. Through his grace, at the time of real knowledge, Māyā is transformed into His Śakti, His great energy. In His glory Māyā becomes the glory of Parama Śiva. When Puruṣa realizes the reality of his nature, Māyā becomes glory for him.

Tattvas of pure subjectivity

Following tattvas are connected with pure subjectivity. This is the subjective course to be entered into by Puruṣa for rising from pure subjectivity to purer subjectivity to purest subjectivity. Śuddhavidyā tattva exists, when Puruṣa actually realizes his own nature but that realization is moving, flickering and is not stable. This realization at the level of Śuddhavidyā tattva is in movement. The experience (Parāmarṣa) of Śuddhavidyā tattva is, “I am Śiva, this universe is in duality.This universe is unreal, I am Śiva.” Sometimes you realize it, sometimes you forget it. This is the impression which comes in Śuddhavidyā tattva and it is pure subjectivity.

Tattvas of purer subjectivity

Subsequent two tattvas, Īśvara tattva and Sadaśiva tattva lead to purer subjectivity levels. Realization at the level of Īśvara tattva is “This universe is my own expansion. This universe is not an illusion, it is my own expansion.”^[2] In Sadaśiva tattva the same realization with more refinement occurs thus “I am this whole universe.” In the first it is an impression whereas in the next it is refinement of the same.

Tattvas of purest subjectivity

Final two tattvas to purest form of subjectivity are Śakti tattva and Śiva tattva, the interdependent tattvas. The impression which comes in these two tattvas is only I, the pure I, the universal I. It is not the impression ‘this universe is my own expansion’ or ‘I am this whole universe,’ no, it is just I, pure I, universal I.

The Absolute Parama Śiva

Last is Absolute which does not come in the cycle of tattvas, is called Parama Śiva. Parama Śiva is not only found in Śiva tattva or in Śakti tattva. It is not only here, It is not only there, everywhere It is present -from the lowest tattva to the highest tattva. It is in and through all levels and is everywhere^[3].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 15.

[2]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 34.

[3]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 8.