Kashmir Shaivism
Kashmir-Shaivism was until the 19th
century kown as Trika . Since
Abhinavagupta it is a Synthesis of
several tantric scools und influences
of hinduism. Therefore the Krama
scool teaches the last 5 steps of the
Ashtanga-Yoga and premises the first
3 steps.
“When you establish the internal
reality of God Consciousness in Your
soul, that is dharana. This dharana is
not only to be established in internal
God Consciousness but in all
activities of the worldly life. This is
true dharana." (Netra Tantra.)
Kashmir-Shaivism knows the
seven main-planes of creation with
36 Tattwas, while Hinduism knows
only 24 Tattvas.
At the top of creation stands here
PARAMSHIVA (Parambrahma of
hinduism is at most Sadashiva).
Beyond are 5 purely divine
"Tattwas" : Shiva- Tattwa, Shakti-
Tattwa, Sahashiva-Tattwa, Ishvara-
Tattwa, Shuddha Vidya or Sadvidya-
Tattwa. These are worlds
of Mahamaya.
Beyond this are
the Shuddhashuddha-Tattwas :
Impure Maya and the 6 Kanchukas :
Kalaa, Vidya, Raga, Kaala, Niyati,
Purusha. They are the subtle
preliminaries of the five grosser
elements. In the jewish Kabbalahare
similar Qliphoth or shells around the
cores (Sephirot), and also Shankara
spoke about the shells which
surround the purusha.
Beyond the Anthakarana are 24
wordly Tattwas with the
3 Gunas : Prakriti with the 3 Gunas,
Buddhi, Ahamkara and Manas etc..
The four physical
Elements(Mahābhutā) are : Ākāśa-
Tattva, Vāyu-Tattva, Tejas-Tattva and
Jala-Tattva. The "Prithivi anda" is the
endpoint of creation - the fix matter,
which contains only one Tattwa.
Paramashiva has two aspects :
Prakasha (transcendental self
relevation, rest) and Vimarsha (pure
non relational "I" consciousness,
active). The prakasha-phase of the
universe is called pralaya or
resorption.
Of the many powers only 5 are
fundamental : chit-shakti, ananda -
shakti, iccha-shakti, jnana-shakti,
kriya-shakti - the main shaktis of
Sadashiva.
Paramshiva : Prakasha (Pralaya) and alternating
Vimarsha (pure non self centered cosmic "I"-
Consciousness)
---------------------------------
Shiva : divine Ego (The revealed being)
Para-Shakti : divine pure 'I'-consciousness
----------------------------------
Sadashiva : divine 'I' in all (divine All-Unity)
---------------------------------
Ishvara : 'This in my Ego' : divine creator
---------------------------
Sadvidya : 'I' in this - this in this
Even the time is measured in cycles
(further : Srimad Bhagavatam Book
III, Chapter XI) :
2 AYANAS = 1 Samvatsara (1 Year of
human beeings)
2 Ayanas = 1 Day and Night of
celestial beeings in swarloka
100 Samvatsaras = 1 Paramayu (1
Life of a human being)
360 Samvatsaras = 1 divine year
3000 Samvatsaras = Life span of the
Manes
36000 Samvatsaras = Life span in
swarloka
4 320 000 000 Samvatsaras = 1
Mahayuga (Satya, Trata, Dvapara,
Kali)
1000 Maha-Yugas = 1 Kalpa or day (12
hours of brahma)
2 Kalpas = 1 Pralaya ( Day and night
of Brahma )
1/2 of Brahmas life = 1 Parardha =
36000 Kalpas
Total life-span of brahma : 72000
Kalpas = 311 040 Billion human
years ......
From Maharloka up to Satyaloka,
1000 revolutions of the 4 yugas
constitute a day. The night is of equal
length and is the time when BRAHMA
goes to sleep, withdrawing the
bhuloka, the bhuvarloka and swarloka
into his belly (our 3 lower worlds).
The cosmic spiritual BRAHMA so has
a life-span of 311 040 Milliarden
years.
For further details : Sri Yuktesvar Giri,
The holy science. It describes the
solar time-cycles and the planes of
creation. The solar cycle of 24000
years is divided into four subcycles of
6000 years which always begin with a
big change. Since "Atlantis" are now
12000 years, since the sinflood
(which all old cultures describe) are
6000 years now ....
The Shivaism praises the Shiva-
Mantram "Om Namaha Shivaya" and
Kashmir-Shaivism uses the 'Aham'-
Heart-Meditation.
Literature :
Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret
Supreme von John Hughes und
Lakshman, TB 2007
Singh, Jaideva, 1979- 'Siva Sutras:
The Yoga of Supreme Identity.
Motilal Banarsidass,
Delhi. (Google-book)
Shivasutra (S. Kak. / PDF)
Susan G. Shumsky : Exploring
Chakras: Awaken Your Untapped
Energy, TB
Spanda : The Yoga of vibration
Weblinks :
A Wiki about the Kashmir-
Shivaism
A Wiki about the Srimad
Bhagavatam
A Website about the vedic
timecycles A website devoted
to Kashmir-Shaivism A Website
about Kashmir Shaivam Website
of KashmirShaivism.org
Website of the Universal Shaiva
Fellowship
Spanda Karika
saivaagama – Das Brahma,
tattvas
suggested readings
Wiki about the 36 Tattvas
Wiki about Om Namah
Shivaya (en)
saivaagama – Das Brahma,
tattvas
Paramatma Darshanam
Vijnana-Bhairava
Shiva Sahasranama
Mantra (Youtube)
