Cidgaganacandrika (study)
by S. Mahalakshmi | 2017 | 83,507 words
This page relates ‘Svatantrya—Self-created free will’ of the English study of the Cidgaganacandrika: an important Tantric work belonging to the Krama system of Kashmir Shaivism. Written by Kalidasa (Shrivatsa) in 312 Sanskrit verses, the Cidgagana-Candrika deals with the knowledge regarding both the Macrocosmic and Microcosmic phenomena. This study includes renditions from the two available commentaries—the Divyacakorika and the Kramaprakashika
This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.
Part 5 - Svātantrya—Self-created free will
The concept of free will viz., Svātantrya is the cause of the creation of the universe -a primordial force[1] that stirs up the absolute and manifests the world inside the supreme consciousness of Śiva. It plays a pivotal role in Kashmir Śaivism.
All conscious subjects co-exist in various degrees of the divine sovereignity in Svātantrya. Humans have a degree of free will limited by their level of consciousness. Kashmir Śaivism as a monistic philosophical system views all subjects to be identical—“all are one”—and that one is Śiva, the supreme consciousness. Thus, all subjects have free will and are divine but can be ignorant of this. Ignorance is a force projected by svātantrya itself upon the creation and can be removed by svātantrya and also by Self-knowledge.
One function of svātantrya is granting divine grace - Śaktipāta. In this philosophical system, spiritual liberation is attained by mere effort, but can be guided by the will/grace of god (i.e.the liberated preceptors). When the disciple finds such a preceptor, he has to surrender himself and await divine grace falls on him to eliminate the limitations imposed on his consciousness.
Causality is considered to be created by Svātantrya along with the universe. There can be no contradiction, limitation or rule to force Śiva to act in one way or the other. Svātantrya always exists beyond the limiting shield of cosmic illusion, Maya.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 61.