8. Śivādvayavāda in the Gītārthasaṅgraha

In the saṅgraha-ślokas contained in the last chapter, the context of the liberation of spiritual monad has been discussed where Abhinavagupta’s uniqueness is revealed in the concept of attainment of the ultimate feet of Viṣṇu by the spiritual monad in one hand and the entire universe pervaded by Śaṅkara on the other. At this the oneness of Vāsudeva, Parameśvara and Maheśvara becomes more and more evident^[1]. As Abhinavagupta was the renowned scholar of the Pratyabhijñā darśana, a synonym with the Advaita Śaiva school of Kashmir, his brief discussion about the theoretical aspects of this philosophy and his views in this light is reflected in the Gītārthasaṅgraha commentary, where the sameness or non-difference of the nature of Maheśvara is revealed. The Kashimir Śaivism is also known by the names Trikaśāstra, Trikaśāsana and only Trika. Somewhere it is also mentioned as Rahasyasamprodāya. Primarily it is a Śaivāgama śāstra. According to the traditional history of the Kashmir Śaivism, before manifestation of all śāstras as words or sentences in this world, existed as the thought of the Supreme Lord. Likewise this universe is only an expression of this divine glory. He has also expressed about the grace of Parameśvara as Vāsudeva to be sought^[2]. Thus it is noticeable that God Paramātman, Vasudeva are all the same entity. Vāsudeva’s true nature cannot be conditioned by time^[3]. Sometime the divine grace is synonymous with descent of the divine Śakti. In the Gītārthasaṅgraha Parameśvara is the performer and the māyā is His divine sport^[4]. The Advaita Śaiva writers of Kashmir have mentioned Lord Śiva as an expert in divine sport in their different texts^[5] also.

According to Kashmir Śaivism, all the thirty six tattvas belong to the nature of Śakti, divine power. They all radiate from śakti during creation, remain unmoved during the time of preservation and the time of dissolution they get absorbed in Śakti 240. The root of every tattva is a particular small part of Śakti. In fact, everything is produced from one Parameśvara. The Kashmir Śaiva philosophers believe in this non-dual Śaivism. In the Gītārthasaṅgraha of Abhinavagupta we find in his explanation the discussion of non-dualism. Moreover, we find in this book the mention of the doctrine of divine freedom and mysterious śāstras. The definition of sthira-prajña, steadfast, as available in the Bhagavadgītā^[6], has been stated by Abhinavagupta that the person in whom both objects and sense organs reside as smeared with ātman, and the person who perceives everything as non-separated from ātman, he is sthiraprajña. In the Gītā ātman has been considered equal with god and a special meaning has been suggested^[7]. In this śloka a common substratum between Parameśvara and ātman has been settled. Truly the undivided entity of Parameśvara is revealed there^[8].

The doctrine of Kashmir Śaivism has been expressed by Abhinavagupta beautifully by citing example of porter and his action. As the stick of the porter and his activity of moving the wheel are not different from the porter, likewise there is neither any action beyond the own self of Parameśvara nor any consequence related to action^[9]. The entity of Brahman is not destroyed in the three stages of waking, dreaming and sleeping. Brahman is always settled in equality^[10]. Differences are seen in this mundane existence. But the yogin by knowing the truth, can perceive the undivided entity of Brahman stationed in equality^[11]. So the yogin is always careful to see that one Parameśvara in souls of all creatures. In the stotras like Bhedavāda-vidāraṇa etc. Abhinavagupta has refuted the ism of difference and exposed non-dualism^[12]. Eight varieties of Prakṛti tattva and Puruṣa tattva are not different from that of Parameśvara^[13]. In this way non-dual Prakṛti also gives recognition to the non-dualism. The Prakṛti, and the fourteen types of creation produced from it, Puruṣa, all these things are eternal and have no beginning^[14]. Being pervaded by Brahma-tattva, Parabrahman is not different from tattva. Prakṛti and Puruṣa appear as divided to the ignorant only^[15]. The prudent only realises the transparent ātma-tattva. The fruit of deeds is not favourite to the prudent. To him god is only to be prayed. His mind becomes pure and firm by the knowledge that Vāsudeva does all works, I am only the instrumental^[16].

According to the Trika doctrine, the yogin attains Parameśvara by taking refuge to any god having no greed in mind. That mean, non-dualism prevails in all gods^[17]. When tamas quality of the yogin is destroyed, he illuminates by the power of god and the attains the knowledge of Brahman^[18]. In the recapitulating śloka of the eigth chapter, Abhinavagupta has said that, after knowing Parameśvara completely, the distinctive characteristics of a yogin disappear^[19]. By way of the nature of self, the sādhaka’s self-accomplishment happens. The root of all the yajñas is the one Brahman. So Abhinavagupta has placed the context from Spandakārikā with a view to strengthen his argument^[20]. Lord Kṛṣṇa has discussed about the sun and its heat to cause to understand the context of non-dualism, Abhinavagupta has also said that Parāśakti is settled on non-dual Brahman^[21]. All the Pramātṛs are one god. The highest devotee attains that non-dual entity by obtaining Maheśvara^[22]. Śiva resides in all the variegated things of the world. Lord Kṛṣṇa has unfolded in the Bhagavadgītā a non-dual truth to Arjuna refuting all the differences of the world^[23]. This Parabrahman is beginning-less; he resides in everyone’s heart. In all the views it is expressed that the undivided nature of god and Brahman appears by jñāna and vijñāna^[24]. In the thirteenth chapter there is discussion on Kṣetra-kṣetrajña. How one Paramātman pervades all the kṣetras there? In reply to this question it is stated through a simile that as a single sun pervades the entire world, likewise one Paramātman pervades everything^[25]. By obtaining Vāsudeva sādhaka attains the non-dual Supreme Śiva^[26]. In this world Parameśvara has created beings by his power of self awareness in consciousness out of grace^[27]. So everything is the result of his ātmamāyā, self universal manifestation^[28]. Lord Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavadgītā that the creatures are the parts of god. Abhinavagupta has said in his commentary that this Gītā śāstra is a mysterious śāstra^[29], it is primarily a śāstra to represent non-dualism. In the recapitulating śloka of the fifteenth chapter description of the destruction of great dual infatuation and attainment of non-dual Brahman are available^[30]. In the recapitulating śloka of the last chapter, Viṣṇu and Śaṅkara have appeared being united as it were and thus the non-dual tattva has been reflected. In this way non-dualism everywhere in the Gītārthasaṅgraha has been expressed.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid.

[2]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 12/9.

[3]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 8/21.

[4]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/24.

[5]:

Tantrāloka, 4/10.

[6]:

ātmanaiva kurma ivāṅgāni kroḍīkaroti viṣayebhyo viṣayānnivārya tadā tadā sthiraprajñaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 2/60.

[7]:

yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi || Gītārthasaṅgraha, 4/35.

[8]:

ātmana mayi matsvarūpatāṃ prāpte ātmani iti sāmānādhikaraṇyam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 4/35.

[9]:

tasmāccetanaḥ svatantraḥ parameśvaraḥ eva tathā bhāti, iti na tadvyatiriktaṃ kriyātatphalādikamiti siddhāntaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 5/14.

[10]:

teṣāṃ sarvataḥ sarvāsvavasthasu brahmasattā pāramārthikī na nirodhakālamapekṣate | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 5/16.

[11]:

sāmye hi te pratiṣṭhitā | sāmyaṃ ca brahma | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 6/10.

[12]:

ataśca samadarśanatvaṃ jāyate yogaśceti saṃkṣepārthaḥ | viṣayastu bhedavādavidāraṇādiprakaraṇe devīstotravivaraṇe ca mayaiva nirṇītaḥ, iti tata evāvadhāryaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 6/30.

[13]:

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

[14]:

prakṛtiḥ, tadvikāraścaturddaśavidhaḥ sargaḥ tathā puruṣaḥ etatsarvamanādi nityaṃ ca brahmatattvācchuritatve sati tadananyatvāt | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 13/23.

[15]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-13.

[16]:

ataeva vāsudeva eva sarvam ityevaṃ dṛḍhapratipattipavitrīkṛtahṛdayaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/16-19.

[17]:

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

[18]:

ya tu.... sarvameva bhagavadraśmikhacitaṃ jarāmaraṇamayatamisrasrutaṃ brahma vidanti | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 7/29.

[19]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-4.

[20]:

upakrame yaiva buddhirbhāvābhāvānuyāyinī |
upasaṃhṛtikāle sā bhāvābhāvānuyāyinī || iti tatra tatra vitatya vicāritacarametat itīhoparamyate | tapāmyahamityadi advaitakathāprasaṅgenoktam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 9/20.

[21]:

Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-10

[22]:

sarva eva hi pramātāra eka īśvara iti vitatavyāptyā sukhenaiva sarvaśaktikasarvagatasvātmarūpatādhigamena māheśvaryameṣāmiti bhāvaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 10/9.

[23]:

upasaṃhāre bhedābhedavādaṃ ‘yadyadvibhūtimatsattvam’ ityanenābhidhāya paścādabhedamevopasaṃharati | sarva eva hi pramātāra eka īśvara iti | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 10/42.

[24]:

anādimatparaṃ brahma ityadibhirviśeṣaṇairbrahmasvarūpākṣepānugrāhakaṃ sarvapravādābhihitavijñānāpṛthagbhāvaṃ kathayati | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 13/18

[25]:

nanu ekaḥ paramātmā kathamanekāni kṣetrāṇi vyāpnoti? ityaśaṅkā prasiddhena raviṇā dṛṣṭāntenāpākṛtā | kṛtsnaṃ kṣetraṃ carācarāṇi kṣetrāṇītyarthaḥ | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 13/34.

[26]:

tat ye jñānalakṣaṇena sarvatrāpratihatenālaukikena cakṣuṣā paśyanti te vāsudevatāṃ prāpya labhanta eva paramaṃ śivamiti śivam | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 13/35.

[27]:

mama tāvadavyapadeśyaparamānandarūpasya... anugrahārthaṃ saṃsārayāmi | Gītārthasaṅgraha,14/3.

[28]:

brahmaṇa evāyamaṃśa iti | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 15/7.

[29]:

guhyatamaṃ satvādvayapratipādakatvāt | Gītārthasaṅgraha, 15/20.

[30]:

hatvā dvaitamahāmohaṃ kṛtvā brahmamayīṃ citim |
laukike vyavahāre'pi munirnityaṃ samāviśet || Gītārthasaṅgraha, Saṅgrahaśloka-15.