Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)

by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words

This page relates ‘Cit and Ananda: Consciousness and Bliss as Powers’ of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti—the feminine principle—within the religious and philosophical framework of Kashmir Shaivism. Tantrism represents an ancient Indian spiritual system with Shakti traditionally holding a prominent role. This study examines four major sub-streams: Kula, Krama, Spanda, and Pratyabhijnā.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 2.4 - Cit and Ānanda: Consciousness and Bliss as Powers

Both Cit and Ānanda are the same consciousness in two distinct forms i.e., the former belongs to the unmanifested level, while the latter to the recognized level of consciousness.[1] Cicchakti is the aspect of divine freedom which symbolizes the power of self-revelation of the supreme lord. In this, Śiva has the self-experience as pure ‘I’. The supreme lord in this aspect is satisfied and remains ever at repose and fullness. Sentiency (Caitanya) is the power of consciousness and it is also the primary and chief nature of the Self, which is the reflective awareness itself. 

Utpaladeva describes this particular Śakti as the essential nature of self-consciousness and exists indifferent from the highest inner speech;

चितिः प्रत्यवमर्शात्मा परा वाक् स्वरसोदिता ।
स्वातन्त्र्यमेतन्मुख्यं यदैश्वर्यं परमेष्ठिनः ॥

citiḥ pratyavamarśātmā parā vāk svarasoditā |
svātantryametanmukhyaṃ yadaiśvaryaṃ parameṣṭhinaḥ ||
 

(Self-consciousness is the very self of sentiency. It is Parā speech [Vāc] which ever shines independently. It is the freedom. It is the supreme power of the transcendental self.)[2]

Cicchakti is simply defined as the action of being conscious by being subject of this activity. This agential activity is the freedom for uniting, separating and holding together.

From this point of view, Abhinavagupta states;

It consists in not being self-confined, like the insentient; in having as its essential nature unlimited light; in perfect independence of others. And this freedom constitutes the point of distinction of self from the insentients, which are devoid of power of freedom to conjoin or disjoin.[3]

Therefore the Cicchakti is of the very nature of freedom which is known as the heart of the Supreme lord:

सा स्फुरता महासत्ता देशकालाविशेषिणी ।
सैषा सारतया प्रोक्ता हृदयं परमेष्ठिनः ॥

sā sphuratā mahāsattā deśakālāviśeṣiṇī |
saiṣā sāratayā proktā hṛdayaṃ parameṣṭhinaḥ ||
[4]

Obviously the difference from the insentient indicates the independence of others which is nothing other than the supreme ecstasy or bliss.

Ānanda is the experience in which manifested power rejoins with the supreme self:

तयोर्यद्यामलं रूपं स संघट्ट इति स्मृतः ।
आनन्दशक्तिः सैवोक्ता यतो विश्वं विजृम्भते ॥

tayoryadyāmalaṃ rūpaṃ sa saṃghaṭṭa iti smṛtaḥ |
ānandaśaktiḥ saivoktā yato viśvaṃ vijṛmbhate ||[5]

Two types of empowerments—parasiddhi and aparasiddhi (primary and secondary)-are interpreted in Kashmir Śaivite soteriology. The supreme accomplishment is nothing but the jīvanmukti (embodied liberation); and all the powers to create and control the world are coming under the secondary empowerment. The former is believed to be leading to the emergence of supreme joy and the latter to the attainment of thousand enjoyments.[6] Similar mode of thought appears in the equation of the cosmic creative force with the aesthetic creativity and the potency of cognitive process with the capability of poetic appreciation both as the pedestal of supreme bliss.

The highest sense of bliss of the supreme consciousness is in fact identified with the pleasure arisen in the individuals as the result of bodily or sensual enjoyments like touch and aesthetic relish:

विसर्गशक्तिर्या शम्भोः सेत्थं सर्वत्र वर्तते ॥
तत एव समस्तोऽयमानन्दरसविभ्रमः ।
तथा हि मधुरे गीते स्पर्शे वा चन्दनादिके ॥
माध्यस्थ्यविगमे यासौ हृदये स्पन्दमानता ।
आनन्दशक्तिः सैवोक्ता यतः सहृदयो जनः ॥

visargaśaktiryā śambhoḥ setthaṃ sarvatra vartate ||
tata eva samasto'yamānandarasavibhramaḥ |
tathā hi madhure gīte sparśe vā candanādike ||
mādhyasthyavigame yāsau hṛdaye spandamānatā |
ānandaśaktiḥ saivoktā yataḥ sahṛdayo janaḥ
||[7]

Camatkāra, the aesthetic experience, is also found identified with Vimarśa aspect of Śakti which is ultimately indifferent from the absolute consciousness.

In the case of limited individual, Ānandaśakti is viewed to be equated with the highest plain of sattva, and also treated as the way to perceive Māyā as a positive entity. In its transcendental essential nature, Śiva is eternally pure and absolutely changeless. The very state is pure unity of consciousness and bliss, where Śiva is known as cidānandaghana (‘nothing but the ecstatic consciousness’).[8]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Abhinavagupta recommends the terms ‘Ātmaviśrānti’ and ‘Svātmaviśrānti’ for Cit and Ānanda respectively.

[2]:

IPK, I. 5. 13; Bhās, Vol. 3, p.73. By quoting the verses from I. 5. 10 to I. 5. 15, Navjivan Rastogi asserts that—“kaśmīra śaivadaraśana kā prāṇa ina cāra kārikāeṃ hai”, Second Level Workshop on Trika Philosophy, ICPR, Lukhnow, 2012.

[3]:

Bhās, Vol.3, p.72.

[4]:

IPK, I. 5. 14.

[5]:

Tantrāloka (Tantrāloka), III. 68; Also see, Tantrāloka, III. 143, 201-208, and 234; Bhāskarī (Bhās), Vol.2, p.257:—“tasya viśvapateryā sattā bhavanakartṛtā sphurattārūpā pūrvaṃ vyākhyātāsphurattā mahāsattetyatra saiva prakāśasya vimarśavyatirekāt vimarśātmakacamatkārarūpā satī kriyāśaktirucyate, paraunmukhyatyagena svātmaviśrāntirūpatvāt ca saivānandaḥ tadeva |”

[6]:

Īśvarapratyabhijñāvivṛtivimarśinī, Vol.3, p.403;—“pratyabhijñānamātrādānandalābhaḥ pariśīlanāttu saṃbhogasahasraprāptiriti tulyamubhayatra |”

[7]:

Tantrāloka, III. 208-210.

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