4. Bhaktiṣaṭka in the Gītārthasaṅgraha

The grace of the Guru cannot be attained without bhakti (devotion). Arjuna, the devotee, was able to have all knowledge along with perception of the Lord’s universal form from Śrīkṛṣṇa as a friend with the help of unmixed devotion only. As the knowledge of the Upaniṣad becomes impossible to acquire without the assistance of the preceptor, also the non-dualistic Śaivism depends on the command and grace of the Guru. Abhinavagupta said in Tantrāloka^[1] and the same is echoed in the Gītārthasaṅgraha^[2]. Lord Kṛṣṇa himself has said in the Bhaktiyoga of the Śrīmadbhagavadgītā that he rescues the devotees from the sea of mortality. It is by way of offering oneself through selfless devotion, that the god’s grace can be attained. So, all the deeds are said to be dedicated to the God^[3]. Elsewhere Abhinavagupta has firmly established his opinion of self dedication to the God by citing example from his Laghuprakriyā^[4]. Final emancipation or paramakaivalya can be attained by Bhakti (Devotion)^[5]. In course of discussion about Sannyāsoyoga in the ninth chapter, Abhinavagupta has shown that Sannyāsoyoga should be observed by offering all the desires and deeds to the supreme Brahman following the advised path of Lord^[6]. It is the prime factor for combining the Karma and Jñāna.

After the first ṣaṭaka, hexade, we many take up chapters seven to twelve as the second hexade. Madhusūdan Sarasvatī has said, “dvitīye bhagavadbhaktiniṣṭhāvarṇanavartmanā / bhabavān praamānandastatpadārtho’vadhāryate”which means that in the second hexade the nature of god denoted by the word ‘tat’, has been stated by bhaktiyoga. In this hexade it is supposed that there is discussion here on Bhakti which is a bridge between Karma and Jñāna. At the beginning of the seventh chapter belonging to the second hexade, Abhinavagupta said about jñāna-vijñāna-yoga, meaning thereby vijñāna is the different name for action^[7]. Here all the materials to be known are attached to the activities of knowledge.

The Lord has instructed all the yogins in the sixth chapter to bestow their mind on the god–

“yogīnāmapi sarveṣām madgatenāntarātmanā /
śrddhāvān bhajate yo mām sa me yuktatamo mataḥ”^[8].

The subsequent chapters have discussed on the answers of the questions. The question here is–who is that competent person? In response to this question the Lord has said that such a competent person is really unavailable^[9]. All the people perceive the nature. In the Gītārthasaṅgraha, Abhinavagupta has mentioned eight varieties of nature. Everything originating from the nature is the consequence of the same and one existent. So, here in the naturism also non-dualism is manifested^[10]. Through this Īsvara is different from prakṛti, puruṣa and puruṣottama, He pervades all the material objects^[11]. The meaning is, the seed of everything is the god himself^[12]. Due to his will there remains no difference between a jar and cloth^[13]. So, Abhinavagupta has said in the Vijñāna-bhairava -“icchāyāmathavā jñāne jāte cittam samāviśet” which means one should concentrate one’s mind at the very moment when icchāśakti and jñānaśakti are awakened^[14]. As Lord Vāsudeva is the root of everything, the sense of Karma-sāmya grows through the worship and the knowledge of the god. Then by the grace of Parameśvara the yogin can know the nature of Vāsudeva by śāktipāta^[15], descent of the divine śakti. There it has been told about the performance of worship in many births. The sport of māyā, the divine power, played by god, binds the beings and it requires god’s grace to be freed from that bondage^[16]. The devotee, having less intellect does not know the nature of the formless Brahman. He, influenced by desire, prays to a particular god. So he cannot attain the true emancipation^[17]. Abhinavagupta has said that according to the trika śāśtra it is possible to be emancipated by prayer to any god forsaking desires^[18]. For this one should be a devotee. In the fourth chapter,we can find in the explanation of the third śloka (Bhakto’si me)^[19] that Lord Kṛṣṇa is telling Arjuna “primarily you are my devotee and secondarily you are my friend”. Here, according to Abhinavagupta, devotion to the guru has been shown as the foremost and the friendship as the secondary matter^[20]. God grants him the favour in that form which has been taken refuses by him through his conception^[21].

The knowledge which the sādhaka achieves by keeping trust to the god, is the best knowledge. To achieve that knowledge, the sādhaka should serve the feet of his preceptor and being devoted to the advices of the tradition of the preceptors and absorbed in their advised worship, he can achieve the excellence of devotion^[22]. It has established the greatness of devotion that only taking the name of god is the way to liberation and it is mentioned in the recapitulating śloka of the sixth chapter^[23]. Abhinavagupta has mentioned in the explanation of the Gītā that it is possible to be liberated by performing worship to any god with devotion and devoid any desire^[24]. Bhakti, devotion has been mentioned as a wish-yielding creeper in the recapitulating śloka of the seventh chapter^[25]. By dint of devotion the sādhaka can fulfil all desires agreeable to him. Abhinavagupta has stated in many places the doctrine of that Bhagavat-tattva is obtainable by dint of devotion^[26], and the cycle of rebirth can be stopped by it^[27]. Want of envy for entering into the domain of knowledge, has been considered as the prime thing in the ninth chapter^[28]. This envy disappears when equality is perceived and the devotee gets absorbed in devotion. In the Viśvarūpadarśana-yoga of the eleventh chapter we find Arjuna bowing down to Kṛṣṇa again and again. Abhinavagupta has expressed this thing in his commentary as the indication of excessive devotion^[29]. In this chapter while describing the nature of Vāsudeva of the form of this universe, Abhinavagupta says that forsaking of infatuation for wife, son and others, generates the feeling of minglenessand the devotee enables himself for emancipation^[30].

In the twelfth chapter when the question of difference between Brahman with the form and worship of ātman arises, the Lord solves that question. Abhinavagupta has mentioned it as the state belonging to Maheśvara^[31]. That means devotion to Maheśvara is the best way. The devotee, prudent by the knowledge related to Maheśvara and devoted to the Lord is the best of all. Ātman is accompanied by eight guṇas^[32]. By worshiping that ātman the devotee attains that Parameśvara. Of course, it is a very difficult task. By the practice of attachment of mind to the god, excellence of devotion happens. As a result descent of the divine Śakti of god showered on the favourite devotee. This descent of the divine Śakti as god’s grace happens as a consequence of appropriate devotion and practice, and it is mentioned elsewhere in the Kashmir Śaivism also^[33]. In course of description of the nature of Bhakti in the Gītārthasaṅgraha, Abhinavagupta has cited example from his composition Laghvīprakriyā also and mentioned about submission of self^[34]. Ultimate peace by abandoning fruit of work and supremacy of knowledge has been described by Abhinavagupta. Attachment towards god is the real knowledge^[35]. His devotion to the Lord does not get importance who worships god being desirous of fruit. In that case devotion is important for getting fruit of work. There Maheśvara’s favour for descent of divine Śakti is not showered on the devotee^[36]. By the word ‘ca’ in the twenty sixth śloka of the fourteenth chapter, Abhinavagupta has directed submission to the Parameśvara with certainty (ca sabdo). Abhinavagupta has said in the recapitulating śloka of this chapter that the devotee’s ego disappears at the devotedness of bhakti-rasa and he transcends the guṇas^[37]. He becomes familiar as a true yogin. Abhinavagupta has said about the nature of bhakti, devotion according to the Kashmir Śaivism that when the devotee explains the Supreme knowledge to others, that is primarily devotion^[38]. Bhakti becomes firm through penance, respect and the advice of the preceptor^[39]. In all circumstances and behaviour attainment of transitional devotedness to Maheśvara is the ultimate well being^[40] –this has been stated in the Gītārthasaṅgraha.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tantrāloka, 19/10.

[2]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, Concluding verse, 4.

[3]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/8.

[4]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/11.

[5]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/20.

[6]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 9/29.

[7]:

jñānavijñāne jñānakriye eva | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/2.

[8]:

Bhagavadgītā, 6/49.

[9]:

asya ca vastunaḥ sarvo na yogyaḥ | ityanena durlabhatvāt yatnasevyatā māha | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/6.

[10]:

sā caikaiva satī prakārāṣṭena bhidyate iti ekaprakṛtyarabdhatvādekameva viśvamiti prakṛtivāde'pyadvaitaṃ pradarśitam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/5.

[11]:

aham ityanena prakṛtipuruṣapuruṣottamebhyo'vyatirikto'pīśvara sarvathā sarvānugatatvena sthita iti sāṃkhyayogayornāsti bhedavādaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/6.

[12]:

bījaṃ mā sarvabhūtānāṃ viddhi pārtha sanātanam |
buddhirbuddhimatāmasti tejastejasvināmaham || Gītā, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/10.
bījaṃ sūkṣmamādikāraṇam, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/10.

[13]:

icchā saṃvinmātrarūpā yasyā ghaṭapaṭādibhidharmarūpairnāsti virodhaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/11.

[14]:

Ibid.

[15]:

vāsudeva sarvamiti jñānena yo bahujanmopabhogajanitakarmasamatāsamanantarasamutpannaparaśaktipātānugṛhītānta karaṇo'sau pratipadyate..., Gītārthasaṅgraha,7/13

[16]:

Gītā, 7/14

[17]:

viparyāttu viparyayaḥ, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/24

[18]:

Ibid.

[19]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 4/3.

[20]:

evaṃ bhaktiratra guruṃ prati pradhānaṃ, na sakhitvamapīti tātparyārthaḥ, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 4/3.

[21]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 4/11.

[22]:

sarvayogimadhye ya eva māmantaḥkaraṇe niveśya bhaktiśraddhātatparo gurucaraṇasevālabdhasaṃpradāyakrameṇa māmeva....śivam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 6/49.

[23]:

bhagavannāmasaṃprāptimātrātsarvamavāpyate |
phalitāḥ śālayaḥ samyagvṛṣṭimātre'valokite || Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-6.

[24]:

kintu siddhānto'yamatra yaḥ kāmanāparihāreṇa yatkiṃciddevatārūpamālambate tasya śuddhamuktabhāvena paryavasati | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/24.

[25]:

sarvatattvagatatvena vijñāte parameśvare |
antarbahirna sāvastha na yasyāṃ bhāsate vibhuḥ || Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-8.

[26]:

vyaktam sarvānugatam, tattve'pi avyaktaṃ duṣprāpatvāt | tacca bhaktilabhyamityaveditaṃ prāk | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 8/22.

[27]:

sarvato lokebhyaḥ punarāvṛttirnatu māṃ prāpya, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 8/19.

[28]:

anasūyatvaṃ jñānasaṃkrāntau kāraṇaṃ mukhyam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 9/1.

[29]:

namo namaḥ ityanena paunaḥpunyaṃ bhakttyatiśayāviṣkārakaṃ yadeva bhagavatātikrāntādhyāyairabhyadhāyi.... stotradvāreṇa prakaṭayati, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 11/41.

[30]:

avidyamānānyajñeyaramaṇīyā yeṣāṃ bhaktiḥ parisphurati, teṣāṃ māṃ prapadyate, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 11/60.

[31]:

māheśvaryaviṣayo yeṣāṃ samāveśaḥ akṛtrimastanmayībhāvaḥ, te yuktatamā mama matāḥ ityanena pratijñā kriyate | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/2.

[32]:

ātmani kilāpahatapāpmatvādiguṇāṣṭakāropaṃ vidhāya paścāttamevopāsate iti, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/5.

[33]:

tīvratarabhagavacchaktipātaṃ cirataraprasāditagurucaraṇānugrahaṃ ca vinā durlabha āveśaḥ ityabhāsaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/9.

[34]:

ūnādikamavijñātaṃ paurvāparyavivarjitam |
yaccāvadhānarahitaṃ buddherviskhalitaṃ ca yat ||
tatsarve mama sarveśa bhaktasyārtasya durmateḥ |
kṣantavyaṃ kṛpayā śambho yatastvaṃ karuṇāparaḥ || Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/11.

[35]:

jñānam āveśātma, Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/12.

[36]:

sa evāvyabhicāriṇyā bhagavato maheśvarasyāgrahaśaktyā bhaktyā pavitrīkṛto nānya iti jñeyam || Gītārthasaṅgraha, 14/26.

[37]:

lasadbhaktirasāveśahīnāhaṃkāravibhramaḥ |
sthite'pi guṇasaṃmarde guṇātītaḥ samo yati || Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-14.

[38]:

bhaktimiti etadeva mayi bhaktikaraṇaṃ yadbhakteṣvetannirūpaṇam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 18/68.

[39]:

iti pūrvaṃ tapaḥ, tapasaḥ śraddhā jāyate | saivātra bhaktiḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 18/67.

[40]:

sarvamāheśvarasvarūpāveśa eva hi paramaṃ śivamiti śivam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 15/20.