Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates ‘Sadashiva Cakra’ of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The Upaniṣads are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
18. Sadāśiva Cakra
[...] Sa.Ca. p.122.
The Sadāśiva cakra is composed of five cakras: tatpuruṣa, aghora, vāmadeva, sadyojāta and Īśāna.
Here, the word cakra refers to yantra (maṇḍala), mūrti and mantra and hence a sort of saṅketa traya for the five-fold diversity is seen in all these aspects. The origin of the mantra cakra is from the mantra śuddha praṇava with its five components: a, u, ma, bindu and nāda. These represent tatpuruṣādi mūrtis. From the praṇava arises the five lettered mahāmantra popularly known as suddha pañcākṣari mantra. The five letters of this mantra represent the five mūrtis (tatpuruṣādayaḥ). From each of the letters of this mantra originate five pañcākṣari mantras known as the much(y)a pañcākṣaras.