36 TATTVAS

Tattva in Sanskrit means Thatness, which generally means Truth or principles. In this context it means building blocks of the universe. Samkhya philosophy lists 25 Tattvas and Saivism 36 Tattvas.

A you may notice, Tattva, Tat, That and Tattuvam (தத்துவம்) are cognate words. Here is another proof of interconnectedness of Indo-European and Tamil words.

Everything that you see, feel, touch, measure... is made of Tattvas. It may be one Tattva or many Tattvas in combination, cooperation or conflict. All Tattvas take their origin from Sakti (Siva-Sakti). They are the brick and mortar of our existence and of the universe. It is derivation, transformation, augmentation, mutation, transmutation, amalgamation or any other processes that you can think of in this world. They are observable and measurable. These processes may be linear and or branched but never parallel. There is no parallel force that Tattvas compete or cooperate with. Sakti is their only source. This expansion outwards is the stuff of life and living. The contraction is subsidence back into the source, Sakti and Siva-Sakti. Expansion is Pravrrti (பிரவிருத்தி) and contraction is Nivrrti (நிவிர்த்தி). Woodroffe observes, Devi (Sakti) joyful in the mad delight of Her union with the Supreme Akula,¹ becomes Vikāriṇī ² -that is, the Vikāras or Tattvas of Mind and Matter, which constitute the universe, appear.

Ramana Maharishi talks about the Supreme, the Sakti, Pravritti and Nivritti.

K: Is the energy (of the Real, the Supreme) that produces all these worlds changing and transitory or changeless and eternal?

Maharshi: The Supreme that changes by reason of His energy is yet changeless. This profound mystery, sages alone can unravel. Change is activity (vyapara) and activity is termed energy (Sakti). The Supreme created these worlds by His energy (Sakti). Activity being twofold – evolving (pravritti) and withdrawing (nivritti) – the Supreme also withdraws these worlds by His energy (Sakti), as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, IV.5.15 states:

(यत्र त्वस्य (= त्व् अस्य) सर्वं आत्मैवाभूत् तत् केन कं पश्येत् )

yatra tv asya sarvam ātmaivābhūt tat kena kam paśyet

But where everything has become one's own Self, by what and whom one should see....

Where, for one, everything has become Atma alone, what is there to be seen, and by whom? In this passage relating to the activity of the Supreme in withdrawing (nivritti) the universe, first the term “everything” (sarva) is used. That refers to the multiplicity of appearances which prevailed at the time when duality was experienced. The other term “became” (abhut) refers to some activity. The term “Atma alone” (Atmaiva) expresses the fact that all differentiating activity is finally withdrawn into the Supreme Self (Atma) only.

Thus we have the high authority of the Vedas to show that one Atma alone exists forever and is Real and that all else is illusory and evanescent.

Woodroffe: Serpent Power.

1. Supreme Akula,¹ Akula is a Tantrik name for Siva; Sakti is called Kula, which is Mātr, Māna, Meya. In the Yoginl-hrdaya-Tantra it is said (Ch. I):

Mātr = pramātā = Subject = knower; Māna = Pramāna = means of Knowledge or Knowledge; Meya = Prameya = the known = object--Krishnaraj.

Kulam meya-mana-matr-laksanarh. kaulastatsamastih. These three are Knower, Knowing, Known, for that is Consciousness as Sakti;

2. Vikāriṇī ² is Sakti; விகாரம் (Vikaram) means 'change, alteration, transformation.' That is a Substrate becoming a Substance (in chemical terms = Substrate milk sugar Lactose digested by Lactase enzyme to Substances, Galactose and Glucose); The deity that undergoes such a change is Sakti and thus is called Vikarini.

In the infinite and formless Prakrti (= the first cause of matter, Nature) there is a strain or stress appearing as form. On the relaxation of this strain in dissolution, forms disappear in formless Prakrti, which as manifested power (Sakti) re-enters (retrograde involution) the Brahman Consciousness. These Vikrtis are the Tattvas issuing from Prakrti, the Avidya-Sakti---namely, the different categories of Mind, Senses and Matter. It is not just Magna Mater but more and actually the Mother of Magna Mater. Prakrti = Productive. Prakrti is cognate with Procreatrix (Procreator). Vikrti = produced.

Five gods emerge first and later the Maya Sakti emerges as the potential source of the individual soul and its limiting adjuncts followed by inanimate matter. You may notice that the Supreme Being of the nature of Pure Consciousness (1st Perfection) sends out five delegate-deities with subordinate power; later Sakti Tattva takes on the function in the creation of the individual soul with human consciousness, far reduced in Light, Power and Splendor with inherent limitations; Sakti goes on to give the soul a body, organs... and other Tattvas to sustain life on earth. The Power, Splendor and Light of a zillion suns of Siva's Consciousness is reduced to one candlelight of human consciousness. Kashmir Saivism says that Siva's Consciousness contracts and abides in PramAtA, the individual soul. Siva's Universal Body (Visva Sarira) contracts and abides in the body of the individual soul. It is like the banyan tree that comes contracted in a seed. Thus we are all Mini-Sivas in consciousness and body.

Woodroffe. The bodies are threefold: causal (Karana-sarira, or Parasarira, as the Saivas call it), subtle (Suksma-sarira); and gross (Sthula-sarira). These bodies in which the Atma (soul) is enshrined are evolved from Prakrti-Sakti, and are constituted of its various productions. They form the tabernacle of the Spirit (Atma), which as the Lord is "in all beings, and who from within all beings controls them". The body of the Lord (Isvara) is pure Sattva-guna (Suddha-sattva-guna-pradhana). This is the aggregate Prakrti or Maya of Him or Her as the Creator-Creatrix of all things. --Woodroffe. Sattva = virtue and goodness. Guna = quality.

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Siva the undifferentiated Consciousness becomes the universe of beings and matter, which are made of Tattvas (Principles or Building blocks). What is Supreme, noumenal, transcendental and limitless becomes phenomenal, limited and mundane through His Sakti....This descent is Pravrrti or evolution into 36 Principles. When the Tattvas go back to the source, it is Nivrrti or involution. (Think of mined iron ore becoming its end product like the car and the wrecked car sent back to the smelter to become the car again. Siva is Pure Metal; we the people are metal-slurry.) Siva in the process of creating the universe of beings and matter uses Sakti and Maya. The function of Sakti is to veil and limit Consciousness in its Pravrrti aspect. Pravrrti and Nivrrti are two way street, One of Expansion (Evolution) and One of Contraction (Creation and Reabsorption). Siva¹ creates Suddha Tattvas (Pure Principles) meaning the entities have His Pure consciousness ( Sakti², Sadasiva³,Isvara⁴, Sadvidya⁵= the top Brass or Officers of Siva Unlimited.).These Pure Tattvas are put in place for five functions: Creation, Maintenance, Obscuration, Grace and Destruction. Then He creates Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas (Pure-Impure Principles) through Sakti^2.In this stage Siva's Consciousness is severely limited in the human being, a Tattva known as Purusa^{12 .} Here is a mixture of Pure and Impure Principles. The third category of Tattvas are Asuddha Tattvas or Impure Principles which a human needs for his body and sustenance on the earth. In the last category, Siva's consciousness is absent and He exists as matter and His last tattva is an insentient earth^36. This is a self-imposed limitation of Siva in the universe of beings and matter. Siva (Sakti) takes back all His Tattvas into Himself in destruction of the universe of beings and matter (Recycling). We are all Mini-Sivas with everything conceivable in us in a mini state. This is Mini Me talking to Mini You.

Purusha = soul + body (Five constraints or restrictions. We are limited beings.)

Umapathi Sivanar defines Purusha¹²as the soul with five Constraints, Jackets or limitations in his composition Sivapprakasa, Verse 41. SivapprakAsam

Purusa^{12 .}The learned say Puruta Tattvam (Purusha Tattva) is the soul that consumes the fruits proceeding from five Tattvas (KalA, Vidya, RAga, Niyati and KAla. By Saiva Agamas and KalA Suddhi, Purusha Tattva attains purity. Prakriti is the First Cause, and expands into three Gunas (modes or qualities). The First Cause is also called Aviyaktam (Unmanifest with no mass). It is the progenitor of gods, man and matter. It is the Cause and the Caused Product. Scientists of today call Avyaktam, Singularity. Guna Tattvas, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, transform into good and evil fruits causing happiness and misery. Each one of the Gunas take two more Gunas and in all there are nine Gunas. Sattva = Virtue and goodness; Rajas = motion and passion; Tamas = Darkness and sloth.

Gunas, modes, attributes, or qualities do not manifest as long as they are in equilibrium, which is compared to the fragrance in the bud, meaning that the fragrance remains unrevealed.

கலை, வித்தை, ஆராகம், நியதி, காலம் (KalA, Vidya, RAga, Niyati, and KAlam = Learning, Knowledge, Desire, Order, and Time) are the five Kankucas (பஞ்ச கஞ்சுகம்) or the Five Jackets. In association with the five jackets, and becoming eligible to consume the fruits of Karma, the soul acquires the name of Purusha. There are five afflictions (பஞ்சகிலேசம்): (அவிச்சை, ஆங்காரம், அவா, ஆசை, கோபம் = Spiritual ignorance, Ego, Covetousness, Desire, Anger). Some others list the following: Distress, Pain, Anguish, Sorrow, and Grief. We are all Purushas with these afflictions and the five restraining jackets. These five jackets are our limitation to our learning, limitation in acquiring knowledge, our inability to fulfill all of our desires, our subjection to order and lack of freedom, and our limitation in lifespan (Time). Now you know Siva is limitless and we are the limited Sivas.

First there is Void (Singularity) and later Consciousness. Consciousness thinks the Thinkables and speaks the Speakables, when the thinkable becomes an audible sound. The Speakables become alphabets, syllables, words.... Remember all this is sound. What is a thinkable? Thinkable is a visual sound (Example. Generally speaking, God thinks of apple; Apple appears in His mind's eye; that is visual sound of Apple. The mental sound, Apple, explodes out of His voice box and becomes an audible sound of Apple. God thinks and says the word Apple and the Apple appears before Him. Here you appreciate God's Will, Thought, and Word in the creation of an Object. God said, 'Let there be Light; there was Light.') Once the word is spoken it is articulate sound. Sound is the origin of Thinkables, Speakables, alphabets, words, objects, beings, and the whole universe. When the word acquires meaning, it becomes an object that it denotes. Objects originate from Sound, one becomes two and two becomes three and so on. There is addition and duplication; there is multiplication, differentiation, mutation and a whole universe of diverse objects and beings. That diffuse impalpable Consciousness gives rise to mind, without which there is no world. During deep sleep, when the mind is in abeyance, there is no world of beings or objects for you.

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 1 [ Page : 447-448 ] THE GITA I

Swami Vivekananda says the following about thoughts, words and objects. The Vedas are simply words that have the mystical power to produce effects if the sound intonation is right. If one sound is wrong it will not do. Each one must be perfect. [Thus] what in other religions is called prayer disappeared and the Vedas became the gods. So you see the tremendous importance that was attached to the words of the Vedas. These are the eternal words out of which the whole universe has been produced. There cannot be any thought without the word. Thus whatever there is in this world is the manifestation of thought, and thought can only manifest itself through words. This mass of words by which the unmanifested thought becomes manifest, that is what is meant by the Vedas. It follows that the external existence of everything [depends on the Vedas, for thought] does not exist without the word. If the word "horse" did not exist, none could think of a horse. [So] there must be [an intimate relation between] thought, word, and the external object. What are these words [in reality]? The Vedas. They do not call it Sanskrit language at all. It is Vedic language, a divine language. Sanskrit is a degenerate form. So are all other languages. There is no language older than Vedic. You may ask, "Who wrote the Vedas?" They were not written. The words are the Vedas. A word is Veda, if I can pronounce it rightly. Then it will immediately produce the [desired] effect. (The origin of ancient Sanskrit is 5000 B.C.; the Upanishads [are at least] two thousand years before that. Nobody knows [exactly] how old they are.)

Let me give you an example from Bible: Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Genesis: God thinks the thinkable: Light. God speaks the speakable: Let there be Light. The next thing we know is there was Light. Light is an object that came from God's thinkability and speakability.

Tattvas are the building blocks of the universe and beings. They proceed from Siva. It starts with Divine Supreme Consciousness in its first dimension, descends to human consciousness with its Kancukas or limitations in its second dimension, acquires all material needs of the body, mind, and soul in its third dimension. The realization of the First dimension of Universal experience and Transcendental Unity is available only to liberated souls (Vijnanakalars). Second dimension is available to all limited beings (We the people) and souls as individual experience. The third dimension makes provision for existence of the corporeal soul in the phenomenal world by providing ego, mind, intellect, sensory and motor organs and material for life existence and maintenance.

The following passage is adapted from the book, Saivism in Philosophical Perspective by Sivaraman.

In Saiva Siddhanta, MāyA⁶is the First Cause and an expression of God's Will (Iccha). Māyā is dependent on God and not dynamic on its own accord and this character is Asat (அசத்து = non-being). Māyā is the innate power of the Sakti (Parigraha-śakti). Siva is its hypostasis and its cause. Siva’s Will is its immediate cause. Maya is an object that has a function. An object and the knower are different entities. The knower may not know everything about an object. That is not the case with Siva who activates Maya which produces the object. Siva is the knower and knows the object to its fullness, since Siva is the creator of the object through Sakti. The Divine Will, prior to Maya, is the knowing Consciousness and determines the object's existence, structure and function. Siva is the agent; Sakti is the instrument; MāyA⁶is the object.

Ananta is a mature soul belonging to Vijanankalars free from all Malas (impurities) except Adhikara-mala (Anava Mala). Ananta is the representative agent or surrogate-agent of cosmic functions, possessing infinite knowledge and freedom. (We are not really free: We cannot walk without legs, see without eyes... while God walks without legs, sees without eyes, touches our lives without hands....) Siva effects a change in Maya through Ananta, who under the stress of Divine Will disturbs the condition of MāyA⁶and evolves Kāla⁷Tattva (Time) and so on. Agent Ananta embodied, determinate and endowed with knowledge and action, works on preexisting Maya. Siva’s direct agency exceeds the domain of limited agency of Ananta. Bindu, the pure counterpart of impure MāyA⁶undergoes change under the stress of Cit Sakti. Cit = Consciousness of Siva through Sakti) Siva is the agent and Sakti is the instrument in relation to Bindu. The five Suddha Tattvas (Siva¹,Sakti²,Sadasiva³, Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵,) are the functional aspects of Siva and the evolutes of Bindu. God is prius (Munnavan = முன்னவன்) and creates everything out of non-intelligent MāyA⁶, which does not assume priority or parity with Him. End of the passage. Suddha = Pure.

Tattvas are 36 in number in the descending order. The first five are Suddha or Pure Tattvas (1-5). The second 7 Tattvas are Suddha-Asuddha or Pure-Impure Tattvas (6-12). The Third category of 24 Tattvas are Asuddha or Impure Tattvas (13-36). Certain deities preside over some of these Tattvas: the sun over the eye; the quarters over the ear; two Asvins over the nose; Prachetas over the tongue; wind over the skin; Fire over the voice; Indra over the hand; Vishnu over the feet; Mitra over the anus; Prajapati over the genitalia; Moon over the Manas; Brahman over the Mind; Siva over Ahamkara.

Siva¹, Sakti², Sadasiva³, Isvara⁴, Sadvidya⁵, MayA⁶, Kala⁷, Niyati⁸, Kala⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Raga¹¹, Purusa¹² Prakrti Tattva¹³,
Buddhi¹⁴, Ahamkara¹⁵, Manas¹⁶, hearing--Ears¹⁷, touch--Skin¹⁸, vision and color--Eyes¹⁹ , tasting--Tongue or mouth²⁰, smell--Nose²¹, speech-Larynx²², grasp-Hands²³, ambulation--Feet²⁴, evacuation--Anus²⁵, procreation-Genitals²⁶, sound²⁷, palpation²⁸, form²⁹, taste³⁰, odor³¹, ether³², air³³, fire³⁴, water³⁵, earth³⁶.

Saiva Siddhanta believes that there is a chasm between Pure Consciousness of Siva on one hand and Maya, Purusa, Tattvas, and matter on the other hand. This chasm can be traversed by Sakti; there is no physical connection between Siva and matter; all apparent connections are through the intermediation of Sakti. Yes, He is Water, Air, Fire, Ether and Sky. Let me explain this apparent contradiction. Siva has three levels of perfection: Supreme Siva¹, Parasakti² and Parameshvara³. Parameshvara³ has connection with matter through Sakti. Supreme Siva¹ is Atattva (Not THAT, not matter). Atattva is NOT mutable, while Tattvas (matter) are mutable.

Supreme Siva, 1st perfection, The following are other epithets. SivaLinga, Absolute Reality, Paramatman or Supreme Atman, Nirguna Brahman (Brahman without attributes or ParaBrahman, Brahman without Parvati), A-Tattva (Beyond Tattva), Niskalatattva = the Tattva without Kala or Prakriti. Niskala (No Kala [parts] = No manifested Sakti), Niskriya (No action = actionless), Asabda (No sound = beyond sound = unmanifest sound), Amanaska (without Manas or mind), Nir-vikalpa Samadhi (absence of differentiation; union; absorption, nondual state between Yogi and Brahman). Siva is Niskala, meaning he has no parts, he is whole, he is undivided, he is absolute or Nirguna Brahman--Brahman without attributes; undifferentiated Brahman. As you see here, there is no connection between 1st perfection and matter. Realized Yogis commune with Siva at this stage in Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Horizontal relationship among other entities and sects

Nirguna Brahman = Supreme Narayana (Adhi Narayana) = Parasambhu Siva = Brahmamayi (Here you get an instance where attributeless undifferentiated Brahman becomes Clinical Brahman [Saguna Brahman, Brahman with attributes] who can be any of the following depending on the sect of the worshipper: Vishnu of Vaishnavas, Siva of Saivites, or Devi of Saktas (worshippers of Mother Goddess.) Their common hierarchic superior is genderless non-sectarian undifferentiated Para Brahman or Nirguna Brahman.

Parasakti: 2nd perfection = Supreme Sakti, Sakala (many forms; consisting of parts as opposed to Niskala--no parts. kala = part), Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes, Sabda Brahman or Sound Brahman (the One with Thinkability and Speakability), Sakala Siva with attributes and actions, Saguna Brahman with Maya Parvati), Sat-Chit-Ananda (Sachidananda, Being-Consciousness-Bliss), Sa-vikalpa Samadhi (Duality between object and Subject [Idam and Aham, Yogi and Brahman], differentiation.) KalA (¸¨Ä) has many contextual meanings and for our purpose we use only a few: Learning, Parts, Power, Digits of the moon.

Paramesvara: 3rd Perfection, Supreme Isvara or Controller of the phenomenal world. Paramapurusa (Supreme Purusa), manifest Brahman --clinical Brahman, Siva-Sakti. This is where Siva, who maintains the portfolio of destruction, has connection with matter through Sakti.

The Supreme Paramasiva (Parabrahman Siva) lives in Satyaloka. Sambhu lives in Maharloka. Sadasiva, Isa, Rudra, Vishnu, and Brahma, whose abodes are Tapoloka, Janaloka, Svarloka, Bhuvarloka and Bhurloka, preside over the five elements respectively: Earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Paramasiva is the abiding place of all Devatas.

Here is the depiction of Perfections of Siva (1st, 2nd and 3rd) in a flowchart.

SivaLinga: How do you represent an entity that has no form, and is beyond attributes and imagination? Lingam is that aniconic Icon. It is the rounded, elliptical, aniconic image usually set in on a circular base, or Pitha, according to Lexicon in Dancing with Siva by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. Sivalinga is Parasiva (Supreme Siva beyond all forms and qualities. The base (Pitha) represents Parasakti.

AnAdilinga = Anadi + Linga = without beginning + Linga. Also it is known as swyambhu or self-existent. Anadilinga is supernatural Linga-shaped outcroppings as a natural formation from the earth. These are not fashioned by human hand. Anadi Lingas are present at Vaidyanatha, Tarakesvara and Chandrasekara (Chittacong).

Alinga, Linga, Lingalinga

Alinga - A = not + Linga = mark. the Non-Mark, the entity which cannot serve as mark for inferring the existence of something else; the causa finalis. Epithet of the fundamental material substance, the causa sui.--Indopedia definition.

Linga is Mark and the Mark of male is Phallus; thus Linga means phallus; that is the sign of Siva. The question comes up why Lingam is the way it looks. Let me explain. If there is smoke, there is fire. The rising smoke is the sign that fire is present in an unseen distant hill. When you see Washington Monument, you think of Washington, though the monument does not look anything like President Washington. The monument, everyone decided, should be stupendous and elegant to honor the First President of the young nation. Just like Washington Monument is an abstract form of President Washington, Linga is an abstract form of Siva and a generative principle. Siva, according to Saivites, is the First God; He is the Father of all beings; He is the First One to say, "Aham" meaning I, the First I in the Universe. There was no one else in the universe except His Sakti (Power by His side). Being (SattA) or the Supreme Being is of two kinds: Arupa (Formless) and Rupa (with form). Arupa kind consists of Aham and Idam ( I and This). Aham is Prakasa and Idam is Vimarsa. Siva and the Heart of the Lord are Siva-Sakti. Siva is Cit (Consciousness) and Sakti Cidrupini (Form of Consciousness). Cidrupini = Caitanya Rupa. He is Para and She ParA. The long A (ParA) indicates female gender. The short a is male (Para) He is Sava (dead) and She is Sakti. If Siva does not have Sakti (power), He is dead. He is Akula and She is Sakti. He is Siva and Sakti is Sivā or Sive. Thus, Siva and Sakti is a unitary force from which the First I (through Sakti) became He, She, and It, which cover everything in the Universe; I or One became many. Siva experiences the Universe as Parasakti (Paranada and Paravak). Idam exists as Parasakti. Lingam is an obelisk well grounded in a labial vestibular pedestal and the aniconic form (Niskala) of Siva. The three white stripes, sandalwood, red dots, and the serpent at the base of the lingam have significance. The serpent represents Sakti-Kundalini.

Prakasa = Luminosity, radiance. Vimarsa = Action-power (Krishnaraj) Vimarsa is the Kartitva (doership) Sakti of Siva. Prakasa = Vimarsa is the Sakti, the Svabhava (own nature, characteristic) of Siva. It is so to speak, the mirror in which Siva realizes his own grandeur, power, beauty. Vimarsa form is the power latent in Pure Consciousness of Siva. The reflexive aspect of Śiva - that is - Śiva is perceiving Himself (reflecting on his own nature). Vimarsa is Sakti's inherent pulsation (like the inherent pulsation and contractility of the heart). Vimarsa is self-referential nature of consciousness. Kartitva is the power of action. (It appears that Vimarsa is more complicated than Prakasa.) Prakasa (splendor) is the heart and Vimarsa (Sakti = power) is the pulsation; One without the other does not exist--Krishnaraj. The Para Devi is Prakāśa-vimarśa-sāmarasyarūpinī. This is the Nirvikalpajñāna state in which there is no distinction of "This" and" That", of "I" and" This". In Vikalpajñāna there is subject and object.

Woodroffe: Prakāśa-mātrais unitary existence. Paramaśiva has two aspects--- Prakāśa and vimarśa, or Kāmeśvara and Kameśvari the Paralinga. Prakāśa = asphuṭasphūtīkara, or manifestation of what is not manifest. Vimarśa: This word comes from the root mrish = to touch, to affect, to cogitate. It is that which is pounded or handled by thought, that is, object of reflective thought. Pradhana and Prakrti also involve the meaning "placing in front "; that which is so placed is object. All three terms denote the principle of objectivity.

Alinga is One without Mark.: The Great Supreme Vyaktam (manifestation) is beyond the ancient atma Mahan, which is beyond intelligence, the essence of the mind; the latter is beyond the mind, which is beyond the senses. Beyond avyaktam (Unmanifest entity) is the entity who is all-pervasive and devoid of any mark (alinga). Knowing him brings liberation and immortality. Linga consists of prakrtic elements such as buddhi, ahamkara, manas, indriyas and Tanmatras (intellect, ego, mind, sense organs and subtle elements); the Supreme is not tainted with these factors or limitations; therefore, it is not subject to Samsara (life on earth). Linga status marks manifest Isvara, while Alinga status carries no marks and is unknowable; it is avyaktam, primordial, undifferentiated, unmanifest, noumenal state. Eyes have never seen this form. He can be known by (spiritual) heart, mind and (spiritual) wisdom. Mental focus helps apprehend Reality. When the five senses (vision, hearing, taste and speech, touch and grasp) and the mind come to a standstill and the intellect does not stir, that is the highest state (Paramam). When the prakrti-bound senses and the mind come to an arrest, the spiritual world that lies beyond the grasp of the senses comes into access. This is yoga; it needs control of the senses; distractions make yoga come and go.

Another view:

The three qualities of the insentient and the sentient, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas assume an ontological status in Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra under the aegis of Mahesvara for creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. Mahesvara pervades them all, and in their roles, they are called Alinga, Linga, and Lingalinga. He is Pradhana (primordial unmanifested matter), Bija (the seed), and Yoni (the womb). Prakrti, the unmanifest matter, wakes up to become manifest and fecund upon the glance of the Lord Mahesvara.

The Linga and the icon:

SivaLinga is attributeless Nirguna Brahman. It is a point of coalescence and condensation with no mass, where all Tattvas merge into transcendental Singularity.

Nataraja is the Saguna Brahman, the clinical Entity with attributes and the wielder of all Tattvas and Prakrti.

Threefold Siva:

Some others look at Siva in three forms: Mahesa, Sadasiva, and Nishkala Siva. Mahesa is Sakala form, having body parts, a clinical form; Sadasiva is Misra rupa (mixed form), both with and without attributes; Nishkala (Nirguna) Siva has no form or attributes and is full of Bliss; therefore, it is called Ananda Rupa (Bliss form). In Dance festival (Nritotsava = Nrit +Utsava = Dance Festival), it is the (Ananda Tandava) Bliss Dance by Nishkala Siva.

Many Lingams:

Configuration of various Lingams are based on the Bhutas or elements: Fire, Earth, Wind, Water and Sky or Ether. The idea is that Siva exists in all elements; thus he exists in your body, whether you know it or not. Thus you body is sacrosanct. Don't maltreat it; don't abuse it; take care of it well; don't blow it up in self or others.

Element	Lingam	Place
Fire	Fire Lingam	Tiruvannamalai
Earth	Earth Lingam	Kanchipuram
Wind	Wind Lingam	Kalahasti
Water	Water Lingam	Jambukeshvar (Trichy)
Sky or Ether	Sky Lingam	Chidambaram

When the curtain to Chit Sabah (Hall of Consciousness) in Chidambaram is drawn, what you see is an empty space representing Sky Lingam; this is the Chidambara Rahasyam (the Secret of Chidambaram); the Lord exists in all the apparently empty spaces from the atom to the vast spaces of cosmos; thus, he is the Cosmic Dancer. The Red Mountain of Tiruvannamalai is the Fire Lingam. Empty space is dark matter and thus is Siva.

Linga Worship by gods and others, Linga material, and their respective mantras.

Skanda Purana Chapter 13 tells that anyone who abandons worshipping of Siva, abandons the nectar from his hand and chases a mirage. This universe is Siva and Sakti marked with Linga and Bhaga; they are Rudra and Ambika, the Father and the Mother; anyone abandoning them and making offerings to manes has less merit. Verses 144b-194 indicate the beings, the Lingas they worship, and the mantra japas. This is not a full list--listed 58/100. The Mantras constitute Satarudriya (100 names of Rudra or Siva). Visvakarman, the celestial carpenter, is the designer and manufacturer of Lingas of disparate material for the Devas to worship.

The god who worships Siva--the First horizontal Column.

The material that goes to make Linga--the Second horizontal column.

The name of Siva (one among many) that the god worships--the third horizontal column.

Brahma	Sanaka	Saptarishis	Indra	The Sun	The Moon	Fire god	Sukra
Hataka linga	Krishna (black) Linga	Darbha Linga	Adamantine Linga	Copper Linga	Pearl Linga	Sapphire Linga	Ruby Linga
Jagatpradhana		Visvayonika	Visvatman	Visvasrj	Jagatpati	Visvesvara	Visvakarman

Kubera	Visvedevas	Wind god	Vasus	The Mothers	Raksasas	Guhyas	Jaigisavya
Golden Linga	Silver Linga	Brass Linga	Bell-metal Linga	three metal Linga	iron Linga	Lead Linga	Brahmarandhra Linga
Isvara	Jagatam Pati	Sambhu	Svayambhu	Bhutesa	Bhutabhavyabhavodbhava	Yoga	Yogesvara

Nimi	Dhanvantari	Gandhravas	Raghava	Bana	Varuna	Nagas
Lingas in his two eyes	Gomaya linga	Timber Linga	Lapis Lazuli Linga	Emerald Linga	Crystal Linga	Coral Linga
Sarva	Sarvalokesvaresvara	Sarvasrestha	Jagajjyestha	Vasistha	Paramesvara	Lokatryamkara

Bharati	Sani	Ravana	Sidddhas	Bali	Maricipas
Taralinga	Sangamavrta	Jasmine plant Linga	Manasa Linga	Linga of gleaned grains	Flower Linga
Lokatriyasrita	Jagannatha	Sadurjaya	Kamamrtyujaritiga	Jnanatman	Jnanagamaya

Kapila	Devas	Kama	Saci	Viswakarman	Vibhisana
Valukalinga	Gold Linga	Jagary Linga	Salt Linga	Prasada Linga	Dust Linga
Varada	Sitikantha	Ratida	Babhurukesa	Yamaya	Suhrttama

Lakshmi	Yogins	Humans	Urvasi	Siddha Yoginis	Dakinis
Lepya Linga	all-pervasive Linga	all kinds of Linga	red lead linga	Sandalwood Linga	Mamsa-Linga
Harinetra	Sthanu	Purusamnaman	Priyavasana	Sahasraksa	Midhusa

Manus	Agastya	Valmiki	Daityas	Dasnavas	Clouds
Anna Linga	Rice grain Linga	Valmika (ant hill)	Black mustard Linga	Wind Linga	Nira (H²O) Linga
Girisa	Susanta	Ciravasi	Ugra	Dikpati	parjanyapati

Skanda	Yama	Mandhata	Cows	Birds	Earth
Stone Linga	Black iron Linga	Sugar Linga	Milk Linga	Sky Linga	Merulinga
Senanya	Dhanvin	Bahuyuga	Netrasahasraka	Sarvatmaka	Dvitanu

Pasupati	Brahmanas	Vasuki	Padma	Sages	Goddess Siva
Sacred Ash Linga	Brahmalinga	Visa Linga	Srngi Linga	Knowledge Linga	Mercury Linga
Mahesvara	Jyestha	Sankara	Dhurjati	Cirasthana	Tryambaka

If one wants Purusarthas (virtue, wealth, love, and liberation), Hara-Siva should be worshipped. He brings all three worlds to his devotee.

Siva is Sunya (Void, Singularity), worshipped by Yogis; the yogic path is very difficult to follow to reach Sunya. Those who want to enjoy worldly pleasures should worship the visible and palpable Linga. (Skanda Purana I.ii.33.25-34)

Skanda Purana i.II.33.27... says bathing Linga in pure water, the whole universe from Brahma to a blade of grass is propitiated. Bathing Linga with Pancamrita is tantamount to bathing and propitiating the Pitrs. Offering seasonal flowers in worship of Linga is worshipping the whole universe. If a talented man offers Naivedya to Linga, it is tantamount to feeding the whole universe. Whatever is offered to linga in worship, large or little, brings joy to all. As Agni is the all-devouring mouth of Devas, Linga is the mouth of all worlds. Installation of Linga in a temple gives logarithmic benefits with each successive construction. Constructing a rounded pinnacle on top of the temple gives a place in the world of Rudra till the end of Kalpa for him and 21 generations in his family.

The universe and beings are called Tattvas, principles, or building blocks. Para Brahman (Nirguna Brahman; Supreme Brahman without attributes) is all Consciousness and Sakti is the power of Consciousness. When Para Brahman decides to create the universe and beings, He becomes Clinical Brahman, technically known as Saguna, Sabda, or Sound Brahman. When both Siva and Sakti come together in Mithuna (union); the experience or thrill is NAda; the product is Maha Bindu, which becomes three Bindus, also known as KAmakala. BINDU. Kriya-Sakti (Action) is the origin and repository of Sabda and Artha (sound and meaning- Sabda Brahman or Sound Brahman or Logos). Bindu cascades down into Lords of Tattvas in the process of differentiation (Suddha Tattvas) and Tattvas of Mind and Matter (Suddha-Asuddha, Asuddha Tattvas). Sambhu, the presiding deity of Ajna Chakra, is responsible in the creation of Sakti, Sadasiva, Isa, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra. From Maha Bindu comes Bindu. Nada and Bindu are two saktis (power). Naada (NAda) is sound and Bindu is dot, or point. Nada and Bindu are the progenitors of Tattvas, the building blocks of the universe. (Sadasiva, Isa, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra are collectively called five Sivas.)

Siva is Ham and Sakti is Sa; Hamsa is the union and Mantra too; the product of this union is also Hamsa; thus Hamsa is the universe and beings.

Here is a simplified version of the cascade resulting in Tattvas. For more information go to BINDU, TANTRA. Also see the diagram at the top of the page.

Siva-Sakti→Mithuna or union→experience NAda→Mahabindu→Bindu (Sabda Brahman)→Tattvas.

Nada and Bindu are aspects of Sakti for utilitarian purpose (Upayogā-vastha), wherein she comes to a swollen state (= ready to create = Creation = Ucchūnāvastha).

Here is how consciousness, sounds, objects came out of the Nisabda and Nispanda (soundless and motionless) Parasiva and ParAsakti. To begin with, there was no sound and no motion. The Will to move and make sound came from Iccha Sakti. Jnana Sakti (Knowledge power) wonders and thinks, "Yes, I can. I have MahaNada and Nada in Me. I can do wonders with them." That is how Sristi-Kalpana, Cosmic and Creation ideation dawned on the Supreme, who conceives the outline of the universe of sounds and objects. That is called Mantavya or Thinkable (State of Thought). SamanA² or Sakti Tattva is the One who thinks the thought of the Thinkable. UnmanA¹of Siva Tattva is the one who exhibits Herself as the Universe descending from Sunya (Void) to DharA (Earth³⁶). Samana² and UnmanA¹are the same Sakti depending on the function, the former of the Thinkables and the latter of display of Herself as the Universe. SamanA residing in Sakti Tattva is VyApini when She withdraws into Herself all the Thinkables, which are Her creation. So SamanA not only thinks the Thinkables but also absorbs the Thinkables. She thinks the Thinkable when She is in the creative fervor; She absorbs the Thinkables when the whole universe and beings subside in Her. Sakti has twelve states of evolution (downstream cascade of and or upstream Tattvas) from the Unmanifest to the Gross: Unmana¹, Samana², Vyapini³, Anjani⁴, Mahanada⁵, Nada⁶, Nirodhini⁷, Ardhachandra⁸, Bindu⁹, Ma-kAra¹⁰, U-kAra¹¹, and A-kAra¹². 10, 11, 12 are part AUM (Om). It is worthwhile to remember that all these Saktis display their powers at appropriate times in the evolution or involution. They exist in the literal sense only after the universe has evolved from Prakrti.

Unmani = UnmanA; Samani = SamanA. In the following descriptions, KalA means the Inner Force of the Tattvas.

When Unmani is disunited from Manas and devoid of all attachment to all worldly things, it becomes Unmani¹Having reached Unmani, one does not return. Siva Sutra Verse 3.8 says once he who attains oneness with Unmana, the world appears as a ray of light. Dualism disappears for him.

Nirvana Sakti has two KalAs or Inner Force: NirvAna KalA and AmA KalA, the 17th and 16th kalAs respectively. Nirvana Sakti is both Unmani¹and Samani². Nirvana KalA is Vyapini³or Sakti Svarupa and above the 16th kala. Nirvana Sakti is the AntargatA (Indweller) of AmA KalA which is the AntargatA (inner container) of Nirvana KalA. Ananda is the Bliss or Joy which arises from the union of Para (Bindu-Rupa Siva) and ParA (Sakti or Prakrti); from such union flows the nectar, of which AmA KalA is the receptacle. --Woodroffe. AmA is the one that maintains the bodies. AmA is also the Sakti (Urdhva Sakti-Rupa = Form of Sakti that moves [the soul] upwards) who propels the soul towards (upwards to) Brahman. When man gets liberated he (or she) moves from matter to spirit in upward fashion. As he moves up, the matter drops one by one and the pure spirit goes up to merge with Sakti and Siva.

The embodied soul sheds matter as it goes up and this is beautifully explained in Jainism.

Princely Vardhamana rejuvenated Jainism concept; the name Mahavira came about following his enlightenment in 600 B.C. Mahavira = Great hero. Latin Vir (virtue) and Sanskrit Vira connote virtue and heroism. It was a protest movement against animal sacrifice: Ahimsa (non-injury) is the central tenet of Jainism. (Puranas did not recommend animal sacrifices; instead, seeds older than three years, not capable of sprouting, were recommended for sacrificial use.) He opposed Yajna and Jnāna Margas, and he believed in Karma and Samsāra. Karma is a sticky stuff, as Vāsanā (perfume) that clings to the Jiva, weighs it down, and prevents it from moving up to Isatprāgbhara, which means “slightly tilted” dome or sphere. That is the supreme destination for the liberated Jivas. These Jivas (individual souls) stay down at various levels of existence ranging from matter, to plant, to ameba, to animal, to man according to the weight of Karma of the individual entity. As the Karmic load lightens, the bubble, the individual soul, rises from the lowest possible regions through intermediate zones to Isatprāgbhara, where supreme and splendid isolation (Kaivalya) is the norm. (All this sounds like distillation in a lab.) How is it possible that all these Jivas or monads gather on the crowded undersurface of this tilted dome or the cranial bone (its other name), which is whiter than milk, shinier than the most lustrous gold, and more translucent than a crystal, to enjoy a splendid isolation? It is not isolation in the ordinary sense. As the Jiva rises higher and higher from the lowest to the highest, it sheds the dissolved impurities (Karma); when it reaches the undersurface of the tilted dome, it is clear, translucent, and pure. The many-times-distilled and rising bubble undergoes isolation from all impurities: That is isolation from all dualities and impurities of the world such as pleasure and pain; love and hate; vagaries of life; the sights, sounds, and smells; and the limits of being matter, plant, animal and human. The conditioned, limited, and deficient knowledge of the human being stays behind and the Jiva in splendid isolation (from the impurities) is all awareness, all knowledge, all Truth, and all omniscience.

AmA KalA is Creative Sakti and becomes Nirvana KalA of Pure Consciousness. Remember Nirvana is a higher state than AmA.

AmA KalA = 16th KalA = Vyapika Sakti = Paratpara = Receptacle of the Nectar that flows from the union of Para (Bindurupa Siva) and ParA (Sakti). It is the Creative aspect (Anjani) of Vyapini Tattva. AmA is both Srstyunmukhi (looking towards creation) and Urddhva-Saktirupa (looking upwards or towards liberation; takes the soul to liberation upwards.) Ama is Creative Anjani and Adhomukhi, (and Liberating). Srstyunmukhi is Adhomukhi meaning downward-turned-mouth (petals). Petals turned down before Kundali ascends.

NirvAna KalA = 17th KalA = Vyapini Tattva = Sakti Svarupa = VyApini Tattva. It is the Supreme aspect of VyApini Tattva as Vyapika is more excellent than Ama KalA. It is the CinmAtra SvabhAvA or Pure Consciousness aspect of AmA KalA. AmartAkArarUpini. VyApinI = Expansive. Nirvana Sakti is the Antargata (Indweller) of Nirvana KalA.

AmA KalA and NirvAna KalA are two aspects ( creative and supreme ) of VyApini Tattva as VyApikA and Anjani. NirvAna KalA is more excellent or beyond AmA KalA--16th KalA.

NirvAna Sakti or Samani in Sakti Tattva is the abode of PAsajAla (bondage).

NirvAna KalA is CinmAtra SvabhAvA or Pure Consciousness aspect of what in the creative aspect is called AmA KalA.

Unmana¹

Unmana¹is the stage when there is no sound, no motion, no change in Siva Tattva. Unmana¹is closing of the eyes, Nimesha (= shutting the eye, Nivrrti, involution, retrograde movement of the pure soul, Dissolution.). Unmana¹of Siva Tattva is the one who exhibits Herself as the Universe descending from Sunya (Void) to DharA (Foundation, Earth³⁶) and names Herself Samana^{2 .} Unmani is Sivapada, beyond KAla (Time) and KalA (parts; without KalA = undivided). Nirvana Sakti is Unmani. When Samani is disunited from Manas and devoid of all attachment to all worldly things, it becomes Unmani^1.Having reached Unmani, one does not return. Think of this: Unmani is Zero from which all numbers proceed; Unmani is Zero into which all numbers subside.

Samana²

Samana²of Sakti Tattva, thinks the Thinkables and opens her eyes (Unmesha = opening the eyes, looking up. Upward motion of the eyelids = Creation). Samana²belongs to the downstream pathway of Tattvas. The Thinkables become things later on. SamanA is in Sakti Tattva. Samani has seven KalAs (Inner Force, displays of power): Sarvajna, SarvagA, DurgA, SavarnA, SphrhanA, AmrtA, Amrta-SambhavA, Vyapini³. NirvAna Sakti is SamanApada or Samani, the life and origin of all being (SarvesAm YonirUpini).

Vyapini³

Samana² calls Herself Vyapini³when She withdraws the Thinkables into Herself. She abides in Sakti Tattva. Vyapini³belongs to and is involved in the Involution, retrograde or upstream pathway of Tattvas, Kundali, and the pure individual soul. Nirvana KalA (KalA = Inner Force) is Vyapini Tattva or Sakti SvarUpa.

Anjani⁴

Samana²calls HerselfAnjani⁴residing in Sakti Tattva and carries out the function of creation with regard to Thinkables. She belongs to downstream cascade of Tattvas in the creation of the universe of beings and matter. Anjan means generation, begetting, becoming prolific. In a downstream creation of the Tattvas Samana becomes Anjani. In upstream ascent of the soul, Anjani becomes silent and inactive.

As you see Samani² calls Herself Vyapini³when our soul goes upwards to merge with Siva. She calls Herself Anjani⁴, when our soul descends down to be born with a body. Vyapini³is the Dissolution force after we die and takes us to merge with Siva; we dissolve in Siva in a pure state. Anjani⁴is the Creative force that gives our soul a body and puts us on the earth.

Mahanada⁵

Mahanada⁵(Great Sound or Great Melody) residing in Sadasiva Tattva moves strongly from its Siva Form and makes the Very First Sound in the Universe. Mahanada has one KalA: Urdhva Gamini (Upward going, mover, propeller.) Sadasiva Tattva is the giver of Grace to the returning pure souls and thus Urdhva Gamini propels the pure soul upwards to Unmani -complete liberation. This is Nivrrti as opposed to Pravrrti.

NAda⁶

NAda⁶, one Form of Sakti as others, also called Sadasiva Tattva fills the whole universe with Nadanta. Here the Aham and Idam are equal. Nada has four KalAs: Indhika, DipikA, RocikA, and MocikA and possibly RecikA.

Nirodhini⁷

Nirodhini⁷, another Sakti resting in Sadasiva Tattva, ceases to operate in its universal scope of Nada and does so limitedly. Nirodhini⁷is limited Nada. Nirodhini Sakti has five KalAs (power): Rundhini, Rodhini, Raudri, Jnana Bodha, TamopahA. Rundhini and Rodhini are obstructing Saktis that prevent lower experiencers such as Brahma and other Devatas attempting to enter into the higher state of Nada. Simply put, they are Bouncers or Obstructors and Facilitators. They deny Anugraha or Grace to the undeserving. KalA Jnana Bodha confers wisdom to the deserving and KalA Tamopaha dispels darkness in the deserving. These kalAs are known as Sarvadeva-NirodhikA (All gods Obstructors). They prevent the fall of Devas from higher station and the rise of undeserving deities to a higher station.

Ardhachandra⁸

Ardhachandra⁸, residing in Isvara Tattva, is operational in the creation of the Speakables. Ardhachandra has five KalAs: JyotsnA, JyotsnAvati, KAnti, SuprabhA and VimalA. They are Sarvajna-pada-samsthita (Knower of All knowledge). Thinkables, having been thought, become Speakables before they become objects.

Bindu⁹

Bindu⁹ is Para Sakti Herself of the nature of inseparable illumination (Prakasa) in regard to the whole range of the Speakables. She resides in Isvara Tattva.

There are six paths (Adhvans) leading to realization of the Supreme. They are KalA (power or attribute), Tattva (principle or Category), Bhuvana (Region, world), Varna (letters), Pada (words) and Mantra. One source tells that the Bhuvanas are related to Kundalini Chakras and higher entities: Muladhara Chakra the lowest and Unmana¹ the highest. Bhuvanas represent different levels of mind and spiritual development. Others say the Bhuvanas are the ethereal, the serial, the igneous, the watery and the earth region.

Bindu has five KalAs or powers: Nivrtti, PratistA, VidyA, and SAnti and SAntyatita. Another source tells that the Kalas are PItA, SvetA, ArunA and AsitA. These KalAs are present in the body and a guru can locate them for the pupil.

A: Nivrrti KalA is the working principle in Earth³⁶ Tattva. Earth is where Kundali comes to rest after evolution and descent of all Tattvas. The next step is reversal, Nivrrti, involution or ascent of all Tattvas back to Siva Tattva. It is like going down from Z to A, A being the Earth Tattva, which has no consciousness while Z (Siva Tattva) has the Most Consciousness. Nivrrti Kala contains 16 Bhuvanas.

B: PratistA is the Basis, Force or Inner Framework, that supplies and supports Tattvas from Prakrti¹³ to Water³⁵ on which the Outer Physical Universe is built. (Prakrti Tattva¹³, Buddhi¹⁴, Ahamkara¹⁵, Manas¹⁶, hearing¹⁷ tactile sense¹⁸, vision and color¹⁹, tasting²⁰, smell²¹, speech²², grasp²³, ambulation²⁴, evacuation²⁵, procreation²⁶, sound²⁷, palpation²⁸, form²⁹, taste³⁰, odor³¹, ether³², air³³, fire³⁴, water³⁵.) Pratista KalA contains 56 Bhuvanas.

C: VidyA: The third KalA of Bindu is VidyA KalA, which is limited knowledge that a human has in comparison to the Supreme. It is the dominant KalA of Tattvas and has 5 Kancukas ranging from MāyA⁶, Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa^12.These are related to VAma, Jayestha, and Raudri Saktis. MAyA⁶ is the source of 5 Kancukas (7-11) and the limiting principle of the Divine. Kashmir Saivism says MāyA⁶puts a limitation on the infiniteness of the experience of Sivaness by the individual soul so that the individual soul forgets its organic connection with Siva and thinks that it (the soul) and other distal Tattvas or objects are different from Siva. The five Kancukas (7-11) are the straitjacket of Maya, which severely dumbs down the individual soul, though identical with Siva. Siva Tattva-Consciousness is Pure Diamond, while human consciousness is ordinary carbon; Diamond is the Highest Form of Carbon. Maya Tattva is the repository of Anava and Maya (Mayiya) Malas. Vidya KalA contains 28 BhuvanAs.

Kancukas definition: Forms of Sakti, whereby the natural perfections of Consciousness are limited. Thus from all-knowing it becomes little-knowing; from being almighty, it becomes a little-doer, etc. The term Saṁcosa expresses the same idea. --Serpent Power page 39 by Woodroffe.

D: SAnti is peace, which is free of duality, which (duality) is the source of sorrow. Santi KalA allows the glorious blissful experience of the returning soul on its upward march through Sadvidya⁵, Isvara⁴, Sadasiva³, Sakti² Tattvas. Santa KalAs contain 18 Bhuvanas.

E: Santyatita KalA: "SAntyatita kalA annihilates duality and bestows bliss". One source tells that Bindu has two parts: Transcendental and creative. Creative lower part is involved with evolution of Tattvas.

Ma-kAra¹⁰ (alphabet M)

Ma-kAra¹⁰, moving in Maya Tattva, is Rudra Devata and manifests diversity. The KalAs of Rudra are TamomohA, KsudhA, NidrA, Mrityu, MAyA, BhayA, JadA. It is the M in AUM (Om)

U-kAra¹¹

U-kAra¹¹, the Sakti residing in Prakrti Tattva, creates objects as separate existences. Vishnu's KalAs are RAjas, RAksA, Rati, PAlyA, KAmyA, Buddhi,

MAyA, NAdi, BhrAmani, Mohini, Trsna, Mati, KriyA. It is the U in AUM.

A-kAra¹²

A-kAra¹²Sakti is known as MAntrI KalA (the creative art or process considered as Sound or Mantra), When the creation of Tattvas has come to an end

because objectivity is completely revealed. Brahma's KalAs are Siddhi, Rddhi, Dyuti, Laksmi, MedhA, KAnti, Dhrti, SudhA. It is the A in AUM

The Supreme Samana² thinks, "I am alone all by myself." That is the Supreme Aham or I-Consciousness. When His imagination (Thinkables) runs galore, He develops Idam or This-Consciousness. There is going to be "This" besides the lone Myself. Nada⁶ is diffuse sound like the distant thunder and diffuse clouds; there is no shape, no contour, no color. That will end. They will all soon acquire those qualities in Ardhachandra⁸ .Nada Sakti goes to work and spreads Nadanta throughout the universe. The Vacya or Speakables appear in Bindu⁹. The Bija Mantras appear; Sanskrit sounds appear; there are objects everywhere; Mantras in alphabet (Varna), syllables (Pada), phonemes, quasi-morpheme and its series, morphemes, words (Vak), phrases, sentences (Vakya), verses, and passages appear. A-kAra¹² marks the end, when sounds and objects are revealed. You, the carpenter wants to make a chair; that is the Thinkable state. You say I want to make a chair; that is Sound or Speakable. You make the chair; that is the object. This is how Stirless Sound, Thinkable, Speakable, Sound and Object come into being in the appearance of universe and beings.

Here is a depiction of Sound from the Stirless Sound (Nispanda) to Thinkables to Speakables to Articulate Sounds and to objects. It is the Logos becoming objects, in the western tradition.

Nada and Bindu are two saktis (power). Naada (Nada) is sound and Bindu is dot, or point. Nada and Bindu are the progenitors of Tattvas, the building blocks of the universe. Supreme Consciousness divides itself into subject and object in time and space.--Woodroffe. Sakti divides again into Bindu, Nada and Bija. Bindu is Siva and Bija is Sakti. Nada is the relationship between the two. Nada is action and Bindu is static; Nada is white and Bindu is red. Skanda Purana says that Siva-Sadasiva is of the nature of Nada (divine sound) sitting in AkArapIthikA (Pedestal of the letter A) and Five-letter Mantra Namasivaya. Parasiva and ParAsakti, ontologically superior to Nada and Bindu, are Soundless and motionless (NiSabda) and NiSpanda). Sabda = sound. Spanda = contraction and expansion, vibration, motion. Nada transforms into Bindu which is Isvara Tattva, the origin of the worlds. Bindu's abode is Satyaloka, which abides in the pericarp of the thousand-petalled Lotus, Sahasrara Chakra in the highest cerebral Center, according to Woodroffe.

The Tattvas have three major categories: Suddha Tattva, Suddha-Asuddha Tattva, and Asudddha Tattvas (Pure, Pure-Impure, and Impure Tattvas. See the diagram below. Pure Tattvas have Pure Consciousness. Pure-Impure Tattvas have Prakasa and Jada (brightness and inertness). The Impure Tattvas are Jada, matter and insentient.

He acts through Sakti, which can jump back and forth over the chasm, while matter cannot be traced back to Siva Consciousness. The soul has a proximate connection with Siva Sakti in Sakala, Suddha, and Siva in liberated state; he controls and pervades everything through his Sakti. Sakti acts as his agent and surrogate in contact with matter. Sakti is eternal (anādi rūpā) Brahman (Brahma rūpā) both Nirguna and Saguna.

Note: When All souls receive Grace and merge with Siva, it is not a physical union; it is a union in spirit. Siva and the merging souls keep their separate identity in the union. But all the pure liberated individual souls are homogenized (like the milk in the carton, you don't know which and how many cows it came from, but Siva and the individual souls know) when they "merge" with Siva. Homogenize = to make uniform.

The transformation of the Spirit, Pure Consciousness, or Paramatma (Supreme Atma or Soul) through a cascade of Tattvas from Spirit through knowledge to lesser consciousness to matter is depicted here as an evolutionary process and the Tattvas measure the distance between individual soul and matter on the distal end and Pure Consciousness on the proximal end. Consider the chasm that separates Siva from matter.

Supreme Siva's other names: Atattva or Parasiva, Supreme Tattva, (Beyond tattvas-- Beyond all elements, Absolute Reality)1st perfection, Siva Linga, Paramatman, Niskala, Niskriya, Asabda, Amanaska, Parabrahman. Nir-vikalpa Samadhi, Paranada--->Nada. Niskriya is "actionless one" while Sakriya is prone to action.

Niskala = Nis + Kala = devoid of manifested Sakti. Niskala Siva: Nirguna Brahman, not associated with creative sakti. Sakti association present in latency. Niskala = Nis + Kalā = without + Prakriti.

Nirguna Brahman: Brahman without attributes. Asabda: Soundless, Niskriya: actionless, Amanaska: without Manas or mental functions (compare to: Blank Slate, Clean Slate, hard drive with no data.) Attava = A+Tattva = A+That, That = product, category; A-tattva: before Tattva, not that, not a product, beyond that, Brahman, Truth. Para Brahman = Supreme Brahman. Nirvikalpa = no differentiation. Nada = sound. Paramatman = Supreme Atman or Soul.

Suddha Tattvas or Siva Tattvas

In the above depiction, Siva Tattva has the highest Consciousness, which diminishes in a gradient fashion to Suddha Vidya Tattva. This is a two-way street from 1 to 36 and 36 to 1. Siva Tattva uses Sakti Tattva to create this world of gods, beings and matter. From one to 36, there is diminution of Siva Consciousness from the highest #1 to the insentient 36th Tattva, the earth. The First Pentad is the five Suddha Tattvas or Pure Principles (gods). These entities can be compared to Board of Directors. But Siva is number one, Sakti #2, Sadasiva #3, Isvara #4, and Suddha Vidya #5. Their powers and Consciousness diminish from one to five. Each one has an important function: Siva is Supreme although Sakti is equal to him. Sakti is like a Co-Director. Together with Siva, Siva-Sakti gives rise to Sadasiva, Isvara and Suddha Vidya Tattvas in a linear fashion so much so that Sadasiva is the second generation, Isvara, the third generation and Suddha-Vidya the fourth generation. Sadasiva is the interphase between the lower Tattvas and Sakti-Siva. Sadasiva #3 is the agent who confers Grace to a human soul on its ascent to Siva from existence in this phenomenal world so that the soul full of Grace can merge with Siva. Tattvas from 1 to 36 show the projection of Supreme Siva into 1st a world of gods (Tattvas 1-5), 2nd a world of human soul and its qualities and limitations (6-12), and 3rd a world of matter (13-36). Descent from Tattva 1 to Tattva 36 is that of Siva from Supreme Consciousness, to human consciousness to insentient matter. The human soul is called Purusa and its number is 12. By its mere relative position you know that its consciousness is diminished to the 12th position. This is dumbing down of Siva Consciousness to human consciousness. The insentient matter like water, air, fire, earth are necessary for the human soul with body (Jiva) to sustain in this world. Once the human soul roils in this world of hard knocks and gets rid of its impurities (Malam), it is ready to take a centripetal ascendant journey from #36 to number 1. You may say I am not earth, the 36th principle. Yes! you are earth, because your body has the essential minerals from earth that sustain you (think of essential elements like Sodium, Potassium, Calcium). All these Tattvas are burden on the soul which yearns to merge with Siva. Body is a burden on the soul. The body has to shed itself along with other Tattvas; Sakti Tattva helps the individual soul in that it (Kundalini Sakti) absorbs all these Tattvas on your way up. Once you reach the level of number 4 (Isvara Tattva) on your ascent and shed all the impurities and the distal Tattvas, Sadasiva (Tattva #3) confers Grace, without which your soul will not merge with Siva-Sakti and later with Siva. Now let me give you an idea of Isvara Tattva (Tattva #4) and its function. Isvara Tattva carries the opposite function of Sadasiva Tattva, which is the giver of Grace. Isvara Tattva is an important entity when Siva-Sakti evolves downstream giving rise to human consciousness, soul and matter. It veils spiritual knowledge from the human soul on its birth in this world with a body. Now you see Isvara Tattva is operative in the downstream procession of Tattvas in that is veils knowledge. Sadasiva Tattva is operative in the ascent phase of the human soul in that it gives Grace. Obscuration and veiling of Spiritual knowledge from the human soul serves a purpose. The new, nascent, young, immature and impure soul does not have the ability to use Spiritual Knowledge or receive Grace because it is full of ignorance and impurities. Let me give you an example. A professor of Mathematics has a preschooler son, actively hides higher math from his son and lets him struggle with simple additions. When his son is mature, intelligent and grown up, he will reveal Higher Math to him. In similar manner, when the soul is mature and pure, Sadasiva reveals Spiritual knowledge (Grace). When you look at these 36 Tattvas, you see that the soul and matter are recycled. When one dies carrying a karmic bag, he will be born again as human, animal or plant according to the weight and quality of Karmic bag. This death and rebirth will go on until the Karmic bag is empty and shed once for all. That is when he will get grace from Sadasiva^3.

ParA-Samvit or Paramasiva being above Siva Tattva is not a Tattva because Paramasiva is not mutable (as Tattvas are or subject to). Tattvas are mutable and mutability is not the quality of the Supreme Supreme. If something is mutable, it is matter.

1.Siva Tattva, 2. Sakti Tattva, 3. Sadasiva Tattva, 4. Isvara or Isa Tattva, 5. Suddha Vidya Tattvas. (Siva Tattva = Sakala Siva = Sat-Cit-Ananda) In Siva Tattva, Jnana or Knowledge exists without Iccha and Kriya (Will and Action); In Sakti Tattva, action (Kriya) occupies the centerpiece; In Sadasiva Tattva (Nada), knowledge and action (Jnana and Kriya) are in balance; in Isvara Tattva (Bindu) action is dominant while Knowledge is in the background; in Suddha Vidya Tatttva, knowledge is dominant while action is in the background. These are Pure Tattvas with higher consciousness, though Siva Tattva is the purest Consciousness and others from 2 to 5 are progressively less pure (by small amounts) and have linear degradation in their consciousness, representing five generations of consciousness. Limited human consciousness is less pure than the five Suddha Tattvas, meaning we are further down the line, liable to make mistakes and commit errors. Animals don't even come close. They have instinct and subconsciousness. Consider this for didactic purposes. Amoeba's consciousness is 0.0000000001; Human consciousness is 1 and 1st Perfection Siva is zillion times more than human consciousness. Human consciousness is 1 Watt bulb, while Siva's Consciousness is a zillion watt bulb; It is a mere number for illustration of infinite Splendor (Prakasa). Saiva Siddhanta asserts the power of Sakti (Tattva) exists in all beings and matter. Consciousness sleeps in the stone, feels in the flora, senses in the fauna and thinks in man. Sentience runs parallel with consciousness. The body of Jiva containing limited human consciousness is the individual Prakrti or Avidya (ignorance) with impure Sattva (Malina Sattva Guna Pradhana).

Here is what Sri Swami Sivananda says about Prakasa and Vimarsa.

In this system of Sakti Yoga philosophy, Siva is omnipresent, impersonal and inactive. He is pure consciousness. Sakti is dynamic. Sakti is the mirror; when Siva sees his image in Sakti, He says I (Aham); the Universal Ego of Siva emerges. Sakti transforms from Being to Becoming. Siva and Sakti are related as Prakasa and Vimarsa. Prakasa = shining; radiance; manifestation. Vimarsa = reflection; deliberation. Sakti or Vimarsa is the power that is latent in the pure consciousness. Vimarsa gives rise to the world of distinctions. Siva is Chit, Sakti is Chidrupini. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva (of 2nd perfection) do their functions of creation, preservation and destruction in obedience to Sakti. Sakti is endowed with Ichha (will), Jnana (knowledge) and Kriya (action). Siva and Sakti are one. Sakti-Tattva and Siva-Tattva are inseparable. Siva is always with Sakti.

Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are the Lords of Tattvas from Prithvi (Earth³⁶) to Vidya⁶, according to Woodroffe.

Siva-Tattva and Sakti-Tattva

The creative aspect of the Supreme Siva is called Siva-Tattva. Sakti-Tattva is the will of Siva. It is the seed and womb of the entire world.

Siva has two aspects. In one aspect, He is the supreme, changeless One who is Satchidananda. This is Para Samvit. Nishkala Siva is Nirguna Siva. He is not connected with the creative Sakti. In the other aspect, He changes as the world. The cause of the change is Siva-Tattva. Sakti-Tattva is the first dynamic aspect of Brahman. This Siva-Tattva and Sakti-Tattva are inseparable.

Sakti, The Ruler of Maya

Maya or Prakriti (matter) is within the womb of Sakti. Maya is the matrix of the world. Maya is potential in the state of dissolution. She is dynamic in creation. Maya evolves into several material elements and other physical parts of all sentient creatures, under the direction of Sakti.

There are thirty-six Tattvas or principles in the Sakti philosophy. End of Swami Sivananda's commentary.

Prakasa and Vimarsa exist in Siva, Sakti and individual soul. Woodroffe states the following,

That is to say, the individual self is also of the nature of consciousness and has self-consciousness also. Analogically speaking, we can say prakasa, in the case of the individual, is the shining intelligence and also the ideas, desires, memories, etc. which are its manifestations; and vimarsa is the individual's awareness that 'those are mine'. Vimarsa comes from the root mrish = to touch, to affect, to cogitate. It is that which is pounded or handled by thought, that is , object of reflective thought. Prakasa and Vimarsa are also known as KAmesvara and KAmesvari, (Linga and) Paralinga.

Here is another elaboration of Prakasa and Vimarsa.

TPS is Vimarsa Sakti in whom all 36 Tattvas exist. Tattvas = building blocks of the universe. Vimarsa Sakti is the Object of experience. Siva is Aham (I). TPS is Vimarsa (This or Idam). She is the Pulsating Universe. When a King (Siva) looks at his own reflection in a mirror and says, "I am he who is thus reflected." Siva is looking at His own power (in the mirror or Sakti). He being the heart sees His pulsation in Vimarsa. He is the Perfect "I". AHAM is the union of A = Siva + Ha = Sakti. M is the terminator of the word.. Siva is Knowledge (Jnana Sakti) and Action (Kriya Sakti). He is the heart of Knowledge and Sakti is the Action-Pulsation. He is Illumination (Prakasa). Siva is Sita or white Bindu or Moon; Sakti is Sona or red Bindu or Fire. They are the divine couple: KAmesvara and KAmesvari. The union of the couple is the Mixed or Misra Bindu or the Sun. All three Bindus are termed KAmakalA. Sun, Moon and Fire are Illumination and Bliss. They contain within them an endless mass of letters and Mantras. Thus they are the origin of letters and words of all languages. Misra Bindu has the creative aspect and is the origin of the manifested word (Vak) and its meaning (Artha). NAda Sakti comes forth in seed form from Misra or Mixed Bindu, which is the union of A and Ha. Maha-TPS (Great TPS) is diagrammatically represented by the three Bindus, three lines and triangular Yoni. Her face is the First Bindu (Blue Dot) at the top of the diagram and the Sun. The lower two Bindus are her Breasts (Moon and Fire). The three lines are the folds below the breast, a mark of Divine Beauty. The Triangle is half of Ha (Sakti) and Yoni (Womb). That which issues out of her Yoni is NAda, the origin of all sounds. The word is Brahman and the Universe is Brahman. The lower two Bindus (Moon and Fire) are inseparable Prakasa and Vimarsa. He is Vak (word) and She is Artha (meaning). He is Mantra and She is Realization. When Sadhaka attains realization by Sadhana, Devata appears as Artha (meaning) of the Mantra (Vak or word). Thus Yogi meditates on Mother Maha-TPS who is MahAkalA and the aggregate of three Bindus. Vijnana-BhattArka says. "A Yogi by passing through various Mandalas in Sri Chakra containing the gross letters rises up to Ardhendu, Bindu, NAdAnta and to SUnya in BindurUpachakra and becomes Siva. The West says that this is the worship of Pudendum Muliebre. The down Triangle is the Womb of Divine Mother of the Universe, Maha TPS. This is the Locus of Secret play of Siva and Sakti as Moon and Fire; the product of this Combine is the Sun (Divine Energy), the origin of Name (NAma) and Forms (RUpa = Form = Meaning). Here Moon, Fire and Sun do not refer to the entities that we ordinarily associate with but to Siva, Sakti, and the word (the origin of the universe).

Suddha Tattvas: Siva¹,Sakti²,Sadasiva³,Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵

The Suddha Tattvas act asynchronously in such ways that the embodied souls are subject to diversified experiences (polymorphism) commensurate with their karmic load.

0-1-2: Parasamvit, Siva Tattva, and Sakti Tattva are non-dual states. Parasamvit = Supreme Consciousness of Siva. Prakasa = Aham (I) and Siva; Vimarsa = Sakti. Parasamvit is the unitary experience at the point of coalescence of Aham and Idam (I and This). Aham is not different or opposed to Idam; they are two sides of a coin. When the head is up, Aham is emphasized; when the tail is up Sakti is emphasized. When the coin is standing on the side, there is equality of Aham and Idam and the coin is ready to roll, meaning the preliminary step is being taken for the dichotomy in consciousness. Siva is inseparable from Sakti UnmanA. Siva Tattva is the abode of Saiva Agamas in the form of Suksma Vac. Sakti Tattva is the abode of Pasyanti (Visual Sound).

Siva is Numero Uno in the true sense of the words. Since All Tattvas involute in Sakti and Sakti Tattva in turn involutes in Siva Tattva in Lysis, Laya, or Dissolution, He is known as Laya Tattva. This happens when the whole universe and beings are reabsorbed into Him. Sanskrit Laya and English Lysis are cognate. As said elsewhere, Siva is Saktiman, Nada, Laya Siva, Nishkala Siva.

Bindu, Siva and Sakti are the Three Jewels, which are the material cause, efficient cause and instrumental cause respectively of the universe and beings. Bindu comes into play at the end of dissolution and becomes prolific under the Will of Siva. Siva is the Nimitta Karana (Efficient Cause) in the Suddha Tattvas and indirectly in the lower Tattvas. Sakti is Sahakari Karana (Instrumental Cause = Secondary Cause) functioning in all three categories of Tattvas; Bindu is Upadana Karana (Material Cause) and functions both in Pure and Impure categories.

efficient cause: (nimitta karana) That which directly produces the effect; that which conceives, makes, shapes, etc., such as the potter who fashions a clay pot, or God who creates the world. www.experiencefestival.com

material cause: (upadana karana) The matter from which the effect is formed, as the clay which is shaped into a pot, or God as primal substance becoming the world.

instrumental cause: (sahakari karana) That which serves as a means, mechanism or tool in producing the effect, such as the potter's wheel, necessary for making a pot, or God's generative Sakti.

Parama Siva exercises Jnana Sakti, which induces stress on the tranquil Bindu and jolts it out of equilibrium. Thus woken up from post-deluge slumber, Bindu quickens and becomes Siva Tattva (the first modification). Siva Tattva is JnanamAtra, exercises Will on MAyA⁶ Tattva and induces evolution of other distal Tattvas. Purusha¹² Tattva undergoes activation by Sadasiva Tattva.

Bindu is Suddha Maya (Pure Maya) without Mala or Karma. Bindu being Pure cannot mutate or transform but undergoes evolution or extension (Vrtti = behavior, conduct, increase, growth --Tamil Lexicon, Madras University). Read Vrtti as High Conservation. This Vrtti is as follows. Bindu is Unmanifest Sakti (Avyaktam, inactive); when it undergoes Vyaktam, it becomes manifest and active. Vyaktam = Distinctness, clearness; வெளிப்படை; That which is perceptible to the senses. It is not transformation but transition of Bindu to an active state. Bindu is described as a Highly Conserved Entity by the Pundits. What does it mean? If change occurs in a conserved entity, life is not possible. Let me explain it as Conservation occurs with regards to coagulation of blood. The coagulation proteins are highly conserved, preserved, or prevented from injury so that a mammal or human does not die of bleeding. If you take factor VIII (coagulation factor) in blood, it undergoes transition from inactive to active state (VIII to VIIIa) to effect coagulation. The same principle applies to Bindu, the Highly Conserved Entity. Bindu cannot mutate because It is Highly Conserved.

In its second modification, Bindu becomes Sakti Tattva. The third modification of Bindu under the influence of Jnana and Kriya Saktis, is Sadasiva Tattva, which is the nexus and interphase between downstream Pravrrti and upstream Nivrrti. Sadasiva has form of Sakti and not the form of MAyA. When Kriya exercises dominance over Jnana, Bindu accordingly becomes transformed into Mahesvara Tattva. Everything is set to roll--Unfolding of Cosmic activity. When Jnana asserts itself over Kriya, Suddha Vidya Tattva comes into being. Remember that effect of Saktis on Bindu produce the Tattvas. Tattvas individually select their own Saktis to perform a function. The same Saktis that went into the production of Tattvas from Bindu are also available to the Product-Tattvas for their function.

Siva's Kriya Sakti (Action) induces expansion and augmentation and results in Siva Tattva, and later in Sakti Tattva. Sakti Tattva is less subtle and so is called Sthula or Gross Laya Tattva. Bindu is also a name for Sakti Tattva, which is all Action or Kriya Sakti. Kriya Sakti undergoes modification into Nivrrti, Paratishta, Vidya, SAnti and SAntiatita.

பஞ்சகலை pañca-kalai. These are known as Pancha-Kalai or five Spheres of Action of Siva.

Nivrrti-Kalai= ¿¢Å¢÷ò¾¢¸¨Ä. It is the sphere of action of the Energy of Siva which emancipates the soul from bondage.

Piratitta-Kalai = À¢Ã¾¢ð¼¡¸¨Ä. Siva Sakti takes the Jivama (the individual soul) to Mukti or liberation.

VittiyA-Kalai = Å¢ò¾¢Â¡¸¨Ä. It is the Energy of Siva which gives the liberated souls, knowledge through actual realization of seven kinds: Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹Purusa¹²and Mayai..

SAnti-Kalai = º¡ó¾¢¸¨Ä. It is the Sphere of action of Siva which calms down all the turbulent elements in fully ripe souls.

SantiyatIta-Kalai º¡ó¾¢Â¾£¾¸¨Ä. It is the Sphere of action of Siva whereby Siva removes all afflictions in the realized and tranquil soul who has experiential Spiritual Knowledge and who relinquished desire and aversion.

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These spheres of action of Siva correspond to Vaks (Sound or word): Vaikari, Madhyama, Pasyanti, Sukshma, and Ati-Suksma.

3. Sadasiva Tattva (Sadakhya also known as NAda) = Grace, Aham is dominant; Idam (this) consciousness is faint and developing into a full-blown picture in the downstream mode. In the upstream mode, when the Yogi makes the centripetal journey from the Earth plane to merge with Siva, the Idam (the universe and matter) progressively attenuates; the only remaining entity the pure soul (divested of matter) receives Grace before merger with Sakti-Siva. Sadasiva is the giver of Grace to the soul before merger. Iccha Sakti is in the dominant mode. Iccha Sakti = Will. Here Sadasiva plays the roll of a Painter who shows the Will to paint the world on a canvas. He draws on the canvas an outline of the universe and beings. This is what is meant by Dominance of Aham (I) and faintness of Idam (This). Sadasiva Tattva is the abode of Madhyama Vac and Pranava. Purusha¹² Tattva undergoes activation by Sadasiva Tattva. Siva induces His Jnana Sakti to induct a portion of Sakti Tattva to become Sadasiva Tattva.

Anāśrita Śiva in Kashmir Saivism: Sakti blocks or isolates Siva temporarily from seeing the objects she creates in Her Capacity as Vimarsa. Siva is AHAM ('I'), before He creates the objects of the universe (Idam). Between Aham and Idam, there is a temporary gap or latent period, the point in time, Siva is called Anāśrita Śiva. Anāśrita = mfn. not supported, detached; disengaged, independent; non-inherent. Anāśraya = isolated. Anāśrita Śiva is isolated from the universe of objects between the Sakti Tattva and Sadasiva Tattva. At the level of Sadasiva Tattva, there is nascent appearance of the world of objects, called Idam (That).

4. Isvara or IsaTattva = Mahesvara = Para-Bindu or Supreme Bindu; Kriya Sakti, concealment, Obscuration when the impure soul makes the downstream journey to the phenomenal world of embodied soul. Aham is present; Idam (This--universe) is fully developed and therefore emphasized. The Universe is a subject for Isvara, meaning that he does not look at the universe as outside or different from Himself but an object which is whole and which whole is Himself.--Woodroffe. Isvara is Sabdabrahman who reins over the individual souls and matter.

5. Suddha Vidya Tattvam = Aham and Idam = "I and This" are of equal emphasis in the downstream march of the individual soul. Creation, Preservation and dissolution functions of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva reside in this Tattva. Suddha Vidya = Pure Knowledge (to act). Panchadasi defines Idam as follows: All that are perceived by the sensory organs, motor organs, the mind, Buddhi, and scriptures come under IDAM (Panchadasi 2.18) MAyA Sakti is the predominant in Suddha Vidya.

Purport: The Cascade: First there is Aham and Idam (I and This) in latency in the undifferentiated state in Parasamvit. Later Aham comes into its own; Idam comes into being as faint picture; Idam defines itself well; Aham and Idam become equal; Maya comes along and severs the Aham and Idam into two entities. Sakti-Maya-Prakrti becomes the universe and beings. In the phenomenal world, there are many individual Ahams (I) and many Idams (This), which together make the souls and bodies of a beings and the universe. There is One Siva and many entities of the universe. To an individual only two entities exist: Aham and Idam (I and This).

Tattvas: Parasamvit is TattvAtita, above Tattva and Nirguna Brahman. Aham and Idam exist as one subtle unit in Parasamvit. Parasamvit is immutable Niskala Siva. Below that is the Siva-Sakti. When Siva is dynamic, He is Sakti. One aspect of Sakti is Cidrupini (Consciousness form); the other Visvarupini (Universe form). Maya exerts stress and change on Consciousness of Siva resulting in Aham (I) and Idam (This). Sakti Tattva is the negative aspect of Siva Tattva. (Think of Sodium ion as the positively charged and the Chloride ion as negatively charged.) Sakti and Siva Tattvas are unproduced (Uncreated) and Saguna Brahman. The first produced Tattva is Sadasiva Tattva, the notion, "I am this" which separates as Aham and Idam later. Sakti Tattva is negative, meaning negation of Consciousness. The universe is a product of negation. Sakti splits the unity into Aham and Idam, which become separate in Sadasiva, Isvara and Vidya Tattvas, though they experience Idam as part of Aham within one circle. In Jiva (individual soul) consciousness, the object Idam is outside of subject Aham, seen as two circles. This diagram is based on Woodroffe.

Remember that Tattvas are a two-way street. In Sadasiva Tattva, Aham begins to receive a faint picture of Idam, whose image progressively becomes clearer in creative cascade. The left arrow indicates dominance of Aham and faintness of Idam. This is the NIMESA or closing of the eyes of Sakti in the centripetal march of the soul to the First Cause, when all the Tattvas are absorbed before Pralaya or dissolution. Sadasiva Tattva is the interphase between involution and evolution of Tattvas. As all the distal elements subside in Sadasiva Tattva in involution of Tattvas into the First Cause, naturally "the shop" is closing the business and the shutters--eyes--are shut; that is Cosmic Sleep; that is NIMESA. This is the last stage in dissolution in the upstream flow of Tattvas and the first stage (product) in creation in the downstream flow of Tattvas. In creation, the developing nascent Idam is a faint picture in Sadasiva Tattva. Idam becomes clearer in Isvara Tattva and becomes the object of the subject Aham; thus the emphasis is on IDAM (the new comer) in ISVARA Tattva (Right arrow). In the creation cascade downstream, Isvara Tattva is the UNMESA or opening of the eyes of Sakti or Cosmic Evolution or Creation. The next step in the cascade downstream is Sudha Vidya Tattva, the evolved consciousness AHAM and IDAM are both emphasized (two side arrows). Maya Sakti comes along and splits them apart into separate Aham and Idam, so that the subject of Aham looks at the object of Idam as an entity distinct from Aham in the manifested world. Maya Sakti gives Kancukas (sheaths) to restrict and render the Universal Self into an individual soul with the limited ability. It is projection and dumbing down of the Universal Self in each person. For easy understanding here it is: the Universal Self "dumbs down" and sends His dumb-down clones as Mini-Me-s (we the people) with limited capacity as compared to the Universal Self. Woodroffe calls the Mini-Me-s "little-doer; thus the all-knowing becomes little-knowing (Parviscient); the almighty becomes a little-doer."

These are Kaala, Niyati, Vidya.... Now the Aham of the individual looks at his body, others and objects as Idam.

Prakrti is the aggregate of all involuted and contracted Saktis in an undifferentiated form. The Gunas are in equilibrium. When the Gunas are agitated, Vikrtis of mind and matter manifest with Purusa experiencing the 24 impure distal Tattvas.

Here is another way of looking at Aham and Idam.

Evolution downstream: The Pure Consciousness (Parasamvit) undergoes transformation (via Sakti) and the result is the first product Sadakhya or Sadasiva Tattva (Sadasiva). In a linear cascading fashion, this transforms into the second product, Isvara Tattva (Isvara); further transformation takes place resulting in the third product, Suddha Vidya Tattva. Remember the transformation does not diminish the original "Wattage" of Siva Consciousness; it remains "withdrawn and wholly and fully potent" Distal to SuddhaVidya Tattva, Maya Sakti sunders the Aham from Idam. Where does this cutting Maya come from; yes, it is from Sakti. Sadasiva Tattva emphasizes Aham and faintness of Idam, "This." Isvara Tattva emphasizes the Idam, "This." Suddha Vidya Tattva emphasizes both equally. Distally come the separated Aham and Idam.

(In downstream evolution , Isvara Tattva conceals, veils or obscures Spiritual Knowledge from the aspirant, while in involution, Sadasiva Tattva reveals Knowledge and confers Grace. Why is it so? The soul with the body is afflicted with impurities. Imagine the soul is going on its centripetal march to merge with Siva. The human soul cannot merge with Siva unless it is free of impurities. In that impure state, Isvara does not reveal the Spiritual Knowledge. Once the impurities (malas) are removed He [Sadasiva] reveals the knowledge. Let me give you an example. A professor of mathematics has a pre-school son. He lets his son struggle with simple additions, while he actively conceals higher mathematics from his son. It is obvious why he does so. Once the son is mature, he teaches (reveals to) him higher math. That is veiling and revealing.)

Do you want to delve more into Prakasa and Vimarsa? Slightly different from what Swami Sivananda says.

Sakti Devi has three forms: the gross, the subtle, and para forms. The gross (sthula) form consists of anthropomorphic features with hands and feet. The Suksma or subtle form is her Mantra; her Para or Supreme form is her Real Form (Svarupa). This Para form is Supreme Consciousness beyond the grasp of human mind. Sakti Devi like Siva Tattva has two forms: Prakasa and Vimarsa. Prakasa form is Pure Consciousness. Vimarsa form is the power latent in Pure Consciousness. Referring to Siva-Sakti, Siva is Prakasa and Sakti is Vimarsa. In particular reference to Devi, Prakasa is her Pure Consciousness and Vimarsa is her Sakti or her ability to appear as many in a world of multiplicity. Vimarsa is the stuff of Tattvas which make this variegated universe of matter and beings. She who is of red color is the manifested one. Brahman and his multiplicity have application in Prakasa and Vimarsa. Prakasa is the canvas and Vimarsa is the multiplicity of painted objects; Prakasa is the hypostasis and Vimarsa is the manifest multiplicity. Nishkala (no parts) is Devi and Prakasa; Sakala (many parts) is Vimarsa and manifest multiplicity. KAla, Bindu, and Nada have rolls to play in Vimarsa aspect of Devi. Vimarsa makes demands of Devi's Iccha, Jnana and Kriya for projecting the manifest multiplicity.

From Siva Tattva AbhAsa radiates. Abhasa = shining forth, emanation, radiation. The Simile here is that Siva Tattva has the same Abhasa as sun has, meaning that it shines on its own accord without change or diminution of its light. If you count Purusa and Prakrti, there are, instead of five, seven Tattvas.

In northern Saiva and Sakta schools, Sadasiva and Isvara are the Nimesa-closing and Unmesa-opening aspects of the experience intermediate between Siva Tattva and Suddha Vidya Tattva, the former being Sunyatisunya.

Nimesha = shutting the eye. When the universe involutes and dissolves, all the Tattvas move in retrograde fashion from Earth element and subside in to the First Cause. When all absorbed elements or Tattvas come at the stage of Sadasiva Tattva, it is time to "close shop" and the universe comes to an end by reposing in Siva-Sakti. This dissolution of the universe is compared to the closing of the eyes, which takes place at the level of Sadasiva Tattva.

Unmesha = opening the eyes, looking up. Upward motion of the eyelids. Becoming visible. Blossoming of flower, creation of the universe. When Siva and Sakti proceed to create the universe, there emerges Sadasiva Tattva, which in a cascade fashion generates Isvara, SuddhaVidya Tattvas.... This opening of the eyes or opening the shop taking place in Isvara Tattva is Unmesha.

Unmesa-opening and Nimesa-closing are two aspects of one Sakti. Srsti or creation and unfolding of Tattvas are opening of eyes, while Pralaya or dissolution is Nimesa or closing of eyes. It is like the opening and closing of the bud.

Unmesa and its horizontal relationship with other terms: opening, Tirodhana, obscuration, disappearance, self-limitation, limitation, contraction of Siva Consciousness, limitation of infinitude of Siva and transcendence of Siva, Anutva (atomicity), Sankoca (Contraction), Dichotomy of Siva into Bodha (consciousness) and Svatantrya (power), dissociation between Siva's Consciousness and Power meaning sterile static consciousness and blind unaware power (Inert Soul and Somnambulistic force). Atomicity is the condition of powerless awareness and senseless power. This passage is adapted from Woodroffe. Primary limitation of Siva (Anutva-atomicity): Siva Consciousness contracts, as the world opens up, expands and manifests matter, universe and beings. Isvara Tattva is the entity at which the Tirodhana Sakti "dumbs down" the universe and beings. Isvara is immanent. It appears that Siva has to severely limit Himself to create this universe of matter and beings. The universe is a domain of limited beings and limited objects, which cannot come into manifestation unless Siva assumes limitation. To use today's parlance, Siva has to dumb down to create this universe and Purusa. Secondary limitation of Siva: Maya puts further crimp on Siva by downgrading His status from Supreme Consciousness to human consciousness of Purusa. Supreme Consciousness is beyond the beyond; Purusa (we the people) has limitation in time and space and (limited) knowledge. The polarized Aham and Idam are ready for separation by the cutting Maya at the level of Vidya Tattva and then separating the Idam from Aham; this is known as Vedyapratha (Vedya = cutting; pratha= widening = cutting and widening). The same takes place in an individual who has Aham and Idam.

More on Unmesa and Nimesa : Open Sesame and Close, a different view

Unmesa-openness is the creative aspect of Siva when all Tattvas make a centrifugal march and the universe and beings blossom out. Nimesa-closeness aspect is centripetal march when the universe and beings subside in Siva-Sakti. This blinking or opening and closing of the eyes likened to those of the buds is a cyclical event. Let me give you an example. Let us take the toy shop. The merchant (Siva) opens the shop, brings out all his toys and stuff to the front of the shop; he winds up some toys, in some he turns the power-pack on and let them do their thing all day long. The toys light up, blink, wink, talk, whirl around, dance, clap, walk, eat, drink, wet.... When it is time to close the shop, he turns off all toys, puts them back in the shop and goes home for the night. That is Unmesa-opening and Nimesa-closing of toy shop of Siva.

Spandex Theory --Expansion and Contraction: Spanda Power of Siva,

Spandex is a long-chain elastic Polymer that can expand and contract. Spanda in Sanskrit is quickening, quivering, vibration, throbbing, expansion and contraction.... Spanda Sakti consisting of Unmesa and Nimesa is Sakti of Siva. Though they appear as sequential elements, they are concurrent in Siva. This is a divine energy; it appears to be spent by Siva and or Sakti and yet it does not diminish. Spanda is pulsation, quivering, motion, quickening in the womb…. The universe emerges from Spanda power of Siva. Siva on one hand and souls and universe on the other hand are but one. Take a chocolate candy, hard outside and gooey inside. The exterior shell and the gooey inside are the same though they may appear different in consistency`. Sivasakti and the universe are same. Siva is Kutastha (Immovable, Immutable, occupying the Highest Place) Consciousness; we are Cidabhasa (intelligent reflections or apparition). Siva looks at himself in the mirror called Sakti and what He sees is Cidabhasa. If not for Him, we don’t exist; if not for Sakti, there is no reflection. The universe in inherent in Spanda as the tree is inherent in the seed. Thus the creation is Unmesa (opening of eyes) part of Spanda power, and Pralaya (Cosmic Sleep, destruction) is the Nimesa (closing) part of Spanda Sakti. The Spanda Principle of Siva is the mover and shaker of souls and matter. The Malas (Primer in Saiva Siddhanta) prevent the individual soul from realizing the Spanda Principle; that means we don't understand, appreciate and realize Siva. The Yogi realizes the Spanda principle by knowing Siva is the Soul, we are his reflection, the universe of beings and matter are one with Siva, Sakti is our Progenitor, we are one with Siva-Sakti and we all should realize Him.

Spanda power has its hypostasis in Siva and manifests the 36 Tattvas, which are the building blocks of the universe and beings. The world is the stage for the Spanda Energy of vibration according to Kashmir Saivism; the same is called in South India as the Dance of Siva on the Cosmic Stage; the Lord dances in all elements; all his acts are dance, vibration or orbital motion down to subatomic particle; when the dance stops, the world ends with Nimesa; with Unmesa, the dance starts again. There appears to be some variance with Sankara's Vedic philosophy (the world is illusion) in that Spanda theory espouses that this world is NOT an illusion but a reality.

Below is depicted Saiva Siddhanta view of 36 Tattvas as described in Sivapprakasam by Umapathi Sivanar.

Spanda has two parts: Samanya and Visesa (general and particular or specific). Spanda Samanya refers to Consciousness and Visesa is the particularized manifestation such as the Tattvas, which in some cases have no resemblance to Consciousness as in Asuddha Tattvas. All these are vibrations, whether they belong to Consciousness or other Tattvas (insentient unconscious matter). Since they all originated from Siva-Sakti, they are all forms of Spanda. This is the view of perfected Yogi. The Yogis who realized the Spanda Principle are able to drive the Prana up the Susumna Nadi and ultimately merge with the Ether of Consciousness. Kundalini Power.

Now we are coming back to Suddha Tattvas, we left earlier. Suddha Tattvas: Siva, Sakti, Sadasiva, Isvara, and Vidya.

Suddha Tattvas, which have Nada and Bindu in them, form the basis for varied levels of Consciousness, language, speech, comprehension, expression, writing, signs, symbols, meaning, intelligence, cognitive and mental functions. (Wernicke's area of the brain between temporal and parietal lobes, and basal ganglia deep in the forebrain are involved in language and thought. Damage to the Wernicke's area renders a previously competent person unable to read a written word.) Nada is in Siva Tattva and Bindu is resident in Sakti Tattva (and also in Isvara Tattva). click and go to >>>Bindu>>>

The Suddha Tattvas encompass the entire gamut of Siva's presence in Arupa, Rupa-Arupa and Rupa forms. Sivam and Sakti holding Nada and Bindu respectively come under Arupa form; Sadasiva, RupaArupa; and Mahesvara, with his surrogates (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra), Rupa.

Arupa (formless)	Rupa-Arupa (form-Formless)	Rupa (form)
Sivam, Sakti, Nada and Bindu	Sadasiva	Mahesvara including Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra

The Vijnanakalars reside in no-man's land between Vidya⁵ and Maya Tattvas⁶ according to one account. (see below the account that says that they belong to higher planes.) The Vijnanakalars have Anava Mala, by losing which they become Bindu and Nada and one with Siva Tattva. The tattvas of Suddha Mayai go to make body and psyche of Vijnanakalar type of Anmas (souls) who are spiritually at a higher level than the Pralayakalar and Sakalar type of Anmas. We have to ascend this five-step ladder to arrive at Siva Tattva by Kundalini Yoga, which entails conscripting goddess Kundalini to take us up the six Chakras to Siva Tattva.

Vijnanakalar = Vijnana + Kal + ar = knowledge (spiritual) + to learn + person, a spiritually learned person. (For example, Painter = PAINT + ER. Same rule.) Vijnanakalars do not require a Guru, for they themselves are their own inner Gurus in their spiritual heart giving instructions to their Anma by the medium of mauna (silence), known as Sunya Sambhasanai (nonverbal dialogue). Pralayakalars and Sakalars need a Guru to instruct them; Guru is one whose body, mind, and soul are under the influence of Being (Sat, the Lord); that means he is SatChitAnanda (Being-Consciousness-Bliss.) Anyone with lesser qualities is not a Guru.

There are stages of perfection among the Vijnanakalars class of souls. ~~Siva¹,Sakti²,~~Sadasiva³,Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵

The following agents Vidyas, Vidyesvaras and Anusadasivas are collectively known as Ananta in charge of impure Tattvas.

5) Vidyas in position with Sadvidya^5.They are also known as Mantras, the lowest in the hierarchy of spiritual perfection. They are assistants, serving Vidyesvaras. Vidyas as agents confer the divine wisdom and Grace to all the deserving souls.

4) Vidyesvaras in position with Isvara⁴Tattva. They are also known as Mantresvaras.

3) Anusadasivas in position with Sadasiva³Tattva. They are also known as Mantra-Mahesvaras. Anu-Sadasiva is nearer in getting Anugraha from Sadasiva. (Vidyas and Vidyesvaras still have a material shroud of Tanu, Karana, Bhuvana and Bhoga [Body, Instruments, World and enjoyments], the physical counterparts of spiritual perfection.) Anusadasivas = Mini Sadasivas.

Siva¹,Sakti^{2 :}2 and 1 are Sakti-Siva, the Supreme state, not in the realm of and beyond human perfection.

These above entities have Adhikara Mala (Anava Mala) They are Vijnanakalars or Ananta (Agent Instruments). Pure-Impure and Impure Tattvas are serviced by the Pure Tattvas, namely the Vidyas, Vidyesvaras and AnuSadasivas, Maya is waiting to be stimulated to evolve the impure Tattvas from Kāla⁷ to earth^36.

Kundalini goddess sits in Muladhara Chakra waiting for the Sadhaka to initiate the call. Go to file Kundalini Power.

Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas or Vidya Tattvas, also known as Māyēyam: Mayeyam

Suddha Tattvas attempt to define Siva in terms his Pure Consciousness undergoing stress with Sakti, and manifestation of Sadasiva, Isvara and Sad or SuddhaVidya Tattvas.

stress: force exerted on one thing; strain. Tattva = building block; principle

(Siva¹,Sakti²,Sadasiva³, Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵, MāyA⁶, Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa¹²Prakrti Tattva¹³, Buddhi¹⁴, Ahamkara¹⁵, Manas¹⁶, hearing¹⁷ tactile sense¹⁸, vision and color¹⁹, tasting²⁰, smell²¹, speech²², grasp²³, ambulation²⁴, evacuation²⁵, procreation²⁶, sound²⁷, palpation²⁸, form²⁹, taste³⁰, odor³¹, ether³², air³³, fire³⁴, water^35,earth³⁶.)

MāyA⁶, Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa¹

KalA⁷ VidyA¹⁰ and RAga¹¹ respectively are engaged in the partial removal of obscuration by Malas, removal of the daze that comes after removal of obscuration and the removal of obscuration caused by desire. It is said that after removal of Malas one suffers daze in the same sense that one suffers daze of light when the eyeshades are removed. KalA⁷by removing the obscuration removes the blockage of the function of Kriya Sakti. Karma and Malas cause obscuration; KalA⁷brings about only partial removal; that removal is compared to local clearance of surface moss in the pond by a rock thrown on the pond at the point of contact. The revealed object (by KalA after partial removal of obscuration) becomes substrate for the action of Buddhi¹⁴. KalA's partial removal of obscuration is its sole function without active participation of distal Buddhi¹⁴Tattva, and proximal Siva¹ and Sakti² Tattvas, though Siva¹, Sakti² and Buddhi¹⁴are essential for the function of KalA. Buddhi¹⁴, being Jada (inert), needs the intelligent self or the individual soul for its activation. Activated Buddhi is ready for Bhoga (experience). It is now obvious that Buddhi needs KalA⁷ and intelligent self for its function. By its nature KalA⁷is inert. It is activated by Sakti² under the aegis of Siva¹ Tattva. As you may notice here, these Tattvas follow the paradigm of cascade, wherein the prior (proximal) Tattva activates the distal Tattva. This concept in reality is seen in blood coagulation cascade, wherein activated factors become the activators. All Asuddha Tattvas are inert and need activation directly or indirectly from intelligent Siva Tattvas, which cannot take the place of KalA tattva for the partial removal of obscuration, so that knowledge is revealed to the self. As the Kriya Sakti comes alive, Jnana and Iccha Saktis are aroused. The self practices Action Sakti (Kriya Sakti); the agent (the self, the embodied self, human being) exercises Jnana (knowledge) and Iccha (Will or desire). The activator of Jnana Sakti is Vidya¹⁰. The senses and mind are incapable of self-function and self-direction without the light from the intelligent individual self. VidyA¹⁰ Tattva and the self are yoked to the senses and mind in order for the agent (we the people) to have Apperception (Conscious Perception). Self is the repository of Jnana Sakti; Vidya helps the self to manifest its Jnana Sakti. VidyA¹⁰ Tattva brings about apperception of feelings of happiness, sadness....The Cit Sakti of the self is not the perceiver of mundane feelings, but enjoyer of limitless Bliss of Siva, which is transcendental and not the phenomenal or empirical feeling of happiness or sadness.... VidyA¹⁰ Tattva evolves RAga¹¹ Tattva, which manifests Iccha Sakti of self, and engenders desire and attachment. Can an object induce and invite attachment from the Iccha Sakti of the self? Who determines the attachment, the self, the man, the object or RAga¹¹ Tattva. Objects do not invite attachment uniformly. Man determines the attachment to objects. RAga¹¹has two forms: Jnana Rupa and Vasana Rupa. Jnana Rupa is perception in the domain of Buddhi, rising and falling in its attachment to objects. Vasana Rupa is made of impressions, a connate entity (from birth) and persists over many births.

6. MāyA⁶: material cause of Asuddham (impurity). This is the progenitor of all physical Tattvas and the rest and provides the embodied soul all the devices necessary to function in the world; it leaves him at the mercy of karma; it furnishes him both knowledge and obscuration; it is up to him to make the choice. The embodied soul watched constantly by Kâla and Niyati (Time and Order) moves among the Tattvas, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹ (cognition, wisdom and desire). Maya Mala (MāyA⁶) is the repository of Anava and Maya Malas, according to Kashmir Saivism. Entities above Maya Mala do not have Maya Mala but only Anava Mala (as in Vidyas, Vidyesvaras and Anusadasivas). Maya Mala does not come under the purview of Siva because He is Pure, but an agent below Siva under the command of Siva. MāyA⁶ is under the aegis of Bindu which has the power to provide corporeality to the Tattvas. Bindu gets stirred and becomes Nada. Nada provides the diverse experiences to different embodied beings (We, the humans) in conjunction with Karma. This is polymorphism in behavior and experience. The unique nature of Nada is that it is phenotypic and specific for each individual and varies from person to person providing varied experiences. Let me explain this. You and your twin are born of the same parents. Both of you share the same genes and yet you are different and your lives and body habitus are different as much as it can be. That is the observable life of one twin that is different from the other. Each one has his own empirical knowledge and experience, which are manifestations of one's own Phenotypic Nada. There are as many phenotypes of Nada as there are people. (What amazes me is that the Siddhantists thought about phenotypes of Nada.) You may use words like phenotype, idiotype, polymorphism for a proper understanding of Nada.

Ramakrishna Parmahamsa desired to have vision of Maya, which Siva-Sakti uses as a potter would use clay to make all kinds of pots. He had a vision of Maya growing from a tiny drop to a girl; the girl became a woman and gave birth to a child, whom soon after birth the woman devoured. Many children took birth from her and eventually she devoured all of them. Then he knew that she was Maya. Adapted from Sayings of Ramakrishna, saying 52, page 33. (The saying, "Soon after birth, she devours" gives us an idea of Time in terms of Goddess and man, two different scales of measurement. In this instance time is compressed so much infant, baby girl, woman, birth, death take place one soon after another. Time is in Her and We are in Time: She is eternal and we are ephemeral. Sakti's one nanosecond may be man's lifetime of 100 years--just to give you an idea of concept time as it applies to Sakti and man.

Maya sakti as it evolves produces in a cascade fashion all the building blocks of the universe including the soul, attributes, Time, order, knowledge, desire and passion, prakrti, buddhi, ahamkara, manas, hearing, tactile sense, vision and color, tasting, smell, speech, grasp, ambulation, evacuation, procreation, sound, palpation, form, taste, odor, ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Without the above a human cannot be a complete man. This is known as Pravrtti, evolution (centrifugal movement). All these products are subject to change or mutation as opposed to immutability of Siva-Sakti. This is the centrifugal force of Siva-Sakti where in all products travel away from the center that is Siva-Sakti. When all these products seek their source (centripetal force), they involute into Sakti; that is Nivrtti--reabsorption. This is the vision Ramakrishna had of Maya who produced and then swallowed what she produced. In terms of Kundali, all the Tattvas express themselves as she descends from Sahasrara Chakra to Muladhara Chakra (Pravrrti), while she absorbs and internalizes all these expressed Tattvas when the Prana rises from Muladhara to Sahasrara Chakra.

Maya Tattva is the creator of these five limitations and originates from Sakti. When Purusa is free from impurities and realizes Sivaness, the cloud of Maya and its cohorts lift and vanish, and the individual soul receives Grace. The material cause of enjoyment or experience (Bhoga) is Karma; instrumental cause Maya, the efficient cause Mala. (Sivaraman)

7. Kâla = Kaalam = Time: determines the duration of soul's experiences. Kâla is an evolute of Maya, the 6th principle, and is the ticking time element in the past, present and future of an individual. Every act has a time element incorporated in it, which one cannot ignore or avoid. Kaala ensures that the soul is given the body to enjoy or suffer the fruits of Karma on a schedule. KAla Tattva is the first outer sheath wherein Ananda (Bliss) of Siva has undergone extreme contraction so that the individual thinks in terms of impermanence of the body and not of eternal soul. Kaalam has been measured and quantified and there are ten measurements of time: Kanam, Ilavam, Kattai, Nimitam, Tuti, Laku, Kuru, Pulutam, kākapatam and Tāla-p-pirānam, the latter has another ten measurements: 1. Kālam, 2. Mārkkam, 3. Kiriyai, 4. Ankam, 5. Kirkam, 6. Cāti, 7. Kalai, 8. Ilayai, 9. Yati, 10. Piraitāram.

What is not mentioned above is Mātra, which is equal to 0.4 seconds. Mātra: unit of time: Māt-tirai (Mātra): measure of time = 2/5^th of a second = the time it takes to snap one’s fingers, wink one’s eyes, or say OM.

Time measurements:

Kanam = snap of fingers.

Ilavam: = eight kanams = 8 snappings of fingers.

Nimitam = minute

Tuti: 4096 Kanams.

Mātra = 2/5ths of a second = 0.4 second

Kuru: two mātras

Pulutam: 49152 Kanams.

Kākapatam: 65536 kanams.

Tālam: Time measure. A small cymbal for keeping time in music. Time is also measured in music by slapping the palm on the thigh with the palm, mind-hand metronome--mental timing.)

More on KAla or Time.

KAla is Time which has two domains: Suddha KAla and Asuddha KAla. The Pure Time is Sacred and Asuddha Time is Impure and de-sacralized. In the Pure Sphere (SuddhAdhvan) Time is non-metricized; things happen instantly; events are durationless; it is Great Time untainted by Karma and Māyā of profane kinds. We live in the Empirical Time, whose origin is Transcendental Time (Suddha KAla). All divine events happen in Transcendental Time which is outside the empirical time. Saiva Siddhanta denies the eternity of time by denying its unity. KAlam is the 1st straitjacket of the soul.

As you see (Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga^11, Purusa¹²^), KAla (time) precedes all the Pure and Impure Tattvas as listed here. Suddha KAla is eternal but its essence is not eternity. As you may know, MahaKAla (Kali) means She devours Time; Time is in Her and She outlasts Time. Ananta's agency is limited in time, when Tattvas roll out and become established. Though temporal KAla is impure, it is real. Causal Karma has a timepiece attached to it. Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga^11, Purusa¹²do not exist withoutKāla^7.

8. Niyati: destiny which makes soul's experience correspond to the fruits of its own karma; Order. It is an evolute of Mayai after the Time element. It is a task master with a memory ranging over many births. Niyati makes sure that the individual gets (what he deserves) the heredity, ancestry, and environment to correspond to his karma. It is payback time, good, bad or indifferent; as you see, Time precedes Niyati, which is law unto itself for even gods cannot alter it. Niyati Law reaches an embodied soul with its long arm over many births; its effects are benign, malignant, indifferent, orderly, linear and parallel, unselfish, precise, inescapable and Time-tested; it serves to establish order in the individual and world, where order is part of cosmic law, Rta.

Siva is all-pervasive and omnipresent in Time and Space. Niyati Tattva is the Chit Sakti of Siva that has contracted in such a way that the individual does not think of the all-pervasiveness of the Soul. Now you see that the Pure Consciousness of Siva has contracted in man who thinks in terms of limitation of body in space and time and not in terms of Siva Consciousness, all pervasiveness and omnipresence in Time and Space.

Niyati. Niyati⁸ is the Cosmic Justice which doles out rewards and or punishments for one's acts. Man's tendency is to avoid unpleasant fruits and invite and enjoy pleasant fruits as a consequence of his acts. Niyati forces the person to accept what is coming to him, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. The fruits of good deeds are his to enjoy and no less the fruits of bad deeds are his too. This is Cosmic Law of Deed and Consequence. Karma has the appropriate fruits on hand. The fruit has to be delivered to the person owning the deed. Karma needs a deliverer or dispenser to the addressee. Thus Karma is dependent on Niyati for its dispensation and thus is Niyati-sāpekṣa. This fruit is addressee-specific and non-transferable; Niyati delivers the fruit to the addressee. Niyati is tailor-made for every individual commensurate with his karma. Niyati is the 2nd straitjacket of the soul.

9. Kalâ = Kalaa = Kalai = ¸¨Ä: variable aptitude of the soul to spiritual knowledge. Cognition. Kalai is an evolute of Maya, the 6th principle. The word is derived from Kal - to learn (¸ø) . It refers to the acquisition of knowledge of surroundings and all other categories of Tattvas, arts and sciences and spiritual knowledge. We have limited knowledge. It is one of the limiting jackets that we wear, meaning that our knowledge is only a contracted and diminished form of Siva's knowledge. KalA imposes finitude and limited experience of spirituality; by removing limitations of KalA, one attains Moksa. Remember it is one of the restraining sheaths. Karma and body go hand in hand with the doer, and being non-luminous cannot lift the dark veil of Mala. But KalA offers help and works against obscuration caused by Mala, facilitating the reactivation of stalled Kriya Sakti. KalA's unique feature is that it identifies itself with the individual self, acts like a co-ordinate agent of the self rather than an instrument and thus becomes the agent of action. Pundits say that KalA fuses the agency and the instrumentality so much so the self would be devoid of manifest consciousness, if it is not for KalA.

KalA and Sakti: KalA has more than one meaning. Sakti has parts; that is KalA. Sakti displays Her Power or Vibhuti; that is KalA. KalA is also one of the Kancukas or enveloping Saktis that make the Purusa¹² consciousness. Kankukas cut down the natural perfections of the Supreme Self and thus constitute the enveloped or limited self or Purusa¹². What it means is that limitations are imposed on the human being and his consciousness. Our consciousness is no where near Siva's Consciousness.

Kalai helps in the eradication of localized anava (I-ness) so that Kriya sakti (action power) comes into play in acquiring worldly and spiritual knowledge. If one considers oneself as the center and master of the universe, where is the need to acquire knowledge? That is anavam, which should be curbed to receive spiritual knowledge. Kalaa gives that opportunity to the soul to directly perceive the Truth by suppressing Anava Mala; it rends open the cloud of Anava Mala to let in some light (spiritual knowledge). Another source tells that KalA Tattva is the 3rd sheath or Kancuka--straitjacket, garment.(See below for details) It is actually Kriya Sakti of Siva that has undergone contraction and degradation, which means that its omnipotence has contracted to limited potency, which creates a rich milieu for karma to thrive in a compromised individual. The radiant power of Siva is basically blocked by this KalA Tattva screen so that the individual sole does not get enough light of wisdom. (Think of sunscreen lotion--here KalA lotion or KalA Jacket prevents exposure to spiritual wisdom.)

The individual soul is not as pure as the Pure Intelligence, that is Siva, because Siva is pure knowledge and does not seek knowledge from an external source; he exercises Iccha, Jnana, and Kriya (desire, knowledge, and action) without any help from other entities. On the other hand individual soul seeks knowledge from the senses derived from the products of Maya (material cause of universe and beings). Apart from it, the individual soul is enveloped in a shroud of Mala or impurities. The individual soul is Asat and Acit (unconscious matter, insentient matter) because it needs Acit (sensory organs) to acquire knowledge. Once it acquires a little spiritual knowledge, it becomes Sat-Asat. Read more about the soul in The soul according to Saiva Siddhanta. God is Pure knowledge; He does not need hands-on experience, direct perception, demonstration, or instruction to acquire knowledge. The soul and its capacity to acquire spiritual knowledge are compared to an eye or crystal; God or Siva is the sun. All objects, including the crystal, disappear in the thick of darkness and the eye cannot perceive any object (in darkness); the eye and the crystal need sunlight to see and shine respectively. Siva Sakti provides sunlight of knowledge to the soul to cognize an object. This is when the Asat soul morphs to Sat-Asat in Sakala State; in Suddha state, it is Sat.

The soul is compared to an owl which is naturally equipped with the nictitating membrane in addition to the eyelids. The owl covers its eyes with its nictitating membrane and prevents light from entering its eyes. In like manner, the soul is covered by Anava Mala preventing the light of knowledge reaching the soul. The soul, unlike God, is subject to vicissitudes in knowing, needs organs (Indriyas), objects, and sunshine of knowledge, and carries a shroud of Anava Mala which prevents diffusion of knowledge.

10. Vidya: Soul's ability to discriminate. Vidya is a cognate of wit, vita, Vid, Cid, Veda, and Vittai. It takes its origin from Kalai, 9th principle, gives wisdom to the soul, and helps the aspirant overcome the asuddha maya tattva consisting of prejudice, misconception, wrong belief, illusion, delusion, distortion, and obscuration. Vidyaa Tattva is the 4th straitjacket or outer Kancuka where Jnana Sakti of Siva has contracted; the individual soul has scanty Divine Wisdom.

11. Râga = Arâgam («Ã¡¸õ--Tamil spelling): Soul's desire to experience the world. Ragam is desire, passion and love. It is the evolute of the 10th principle, Vidya. It is the Iccha Sakti (desire) of an individual to acquire, posses, and exploit objects, interact with people and enjoy the world. It is modulated by Buddhi and Vidya. Raaga is the 5th straitjacket or outer sheath wherein the Iccha Sakti of Siva has undergone contraction and transformation and manifests as passions, desires and wants of earthly nature.

Iccha, Jnana, and Kriya (desire, knowledge, and action) are the three faculties of the above Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas which link the soul with organs, objects and environment; thus, Purusa, the 12th Tattva, the embodied soul, exercises its will, knowledge and Kriya. Remember our will, desire and action are the contracted forms of Siva's Will, Knowledge and Desire. We are all Mini-Sivas with finite potency.

12.Purusa: Sakalar class soul having all three malas. Purusa is the individual self wrapped in Tattvas as above (#6 to #11), endowed with consciousness, Ichha, Jnana and Kriya (desire, knowledge, and action). He is the common man (Purusa) who is mired in three malas (mum-malam--ÓõÁÄõ). Purusa¹² is defined as the empiric man mired in three Malas, constricted by five Kancukas and burdened with five Klesas.

Five Kancukas: Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹

Five Klesas: avidya¹ (ignorance), asmita² (egoism), raga³ (desire), abhinivesa⁴ (tenacity of mundane existence) and dvesha⁵ (aversion). These entities arise in a cascade fashion starting from Ignorance giving rise to Egoism and so on. Avidya is not knowing that we take the non-eternal as the Eternal, Impure as pure, pain as pleasure, desire sprouting from egoism and aversion as real, and not identifying oneself with the Soul.

24 Asuddha Tattvas or Atma Tattvas

Saiva Siddhantists say that Mulaprakriti is part of Asuddhatattvas, governed by gunas, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. In Mulaprakriti, the gunas do not express. In Prakrti Tattva or Citta¹³, the gunas are in equilibrium. Mulaprakrti is compared to a bud where its guna or fragrance remains potential, undiffused or unexpressed. Guna expresses in a person once the principle Buddhi¹⁴ is in place.

BG Chapter 2 Samkhya Theory: please refer to comment under Verse 2.12 for details on the Tattvas mentioned here.

13. Prakrti Tattva, 14. Buddhi, 15. Ahamkara 16. Manas, 17. hearing 18. tactile sense, 19. vision and color, 20.tasting, 21. smell, 22. speech, 23. grasp, 24. ambulation, 25. evacuation, 26. procreation, 27. sound, 28. palpation, 29. form, 30. taste, 31. odor, 32. ether, 33. air, 34. fire, 35. water, 36. earth.

Prakrti¹³ Tattva is an evolute of KalA⁹ Tattva. The Guna Tattva composed of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are regarded not as an evolute of Prakrti but an extension. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas correspond to Pati, Pasu and Pasa and become more relevant when they manifest three kinds of Bhoga: Sattva Sukha of Pati, Rajasa Moha of Pasu and Tamasa Dukha of PAsa. The nature of the three Gunas abide in Jnana and Kriya Saktis of Purusa.

Buddhi^14:Buddhi is the 14th Tattva, the human equivalent of Cosmic Mahat. Buddhi¹⁴with Ahamkara¹⁵ and Manas¹⁶ form Antahkarana, the internal organ, the seat of thought and feeling, the thinking faculty. Ahamkara¹⁵ is threefold according to its Guna: Sattvika Ahamkara, Rajasa Ahamkara, and Tamasa Ahamkara. Sattvika, Rajasa and Tamasa correspond to VaikArika, Taijasa and BhUtAdi Ahamkaras. It is Vaikarika because it comes from Paramesvara and when His SAmarasya (union) with Sakti is disturbed. The Devas are called (eleven) VaikArika Deiteis of 10 senses and Manas .

Ahamkara¹⁵ is subject to transformation by Sattvika Guna; the products are the Manas and the Vaikarika Devatas: Dik-Direction, Vata-Air, Arka-Sun, Praceta-Varuna, Aswins-deities of medicine, Vahini-Fire, Indra-god, Upendra-Vishnu, Mitra-Sun, and Ka (Chandra or moon; creation by Brahma). These Devatas preside over the products. From Taijasa Rajasa Ahamkara came ten Indriyas (Dasendriyas-10 organs) Ears for hearing¹⁷, Skin for touch¹⁸, Eyes for vision¹⁹, tongue for taste²⁰ and Nose for smell^21, Mouth (and Larynx) for speech²², hands for grasp²³, feet for ambulation²⁴, Anus for evacuation²⁵, and genitals procreation²⁶. From Tamasa or BhUtAdi Ahamkara came the Tanmatras and the derived BhUtas: Sound-Ether³², Touch-Air³³, Form-Fire³⁴, Taste-Water³⁵, and Smell-Earth³⁶.

Sattva Guna: Virtue, Illumination, Revelation of Knowledge manifesting in Jnana of the self. Unobstructed Will, Sense of fulfillment. light and Lightness. Happiness. Higher the man ascends, more Sattva Guna prevails. Sattva Guna reveals Siva Consciousness.

Rajas: Motion, Passion, Drive, Alacrity, Acute Comprehnesion manifested in Jnana Sakti. Sense of owning, Feeling of I and Mine, Dynamism manifested in Kriya Sakti. Affection and Appropriation. Suffering. Rajas Guna is the inductor or stimulator. If Rajas is active on Tamas, Tamas becomes dominant and Sattva undergoes attenuation. If Rajas is active on Sattva, Sattva becomes dominant and Tamas undergoes attenuation.

Tamas: Inertia, Pride, Distortion of Knowledge as manifested in Jnana. Inertia and Indetermination. Delusive insensibility.

Punyam = Merit = Dharma.
Papam = Demerit = Adharma.
Sattva Buddhi = Dharma, Jnana, Vairagya, and Aisvarya. (Virtuous deed, Spiritual Wisdom, Freedom from desires.) Auspiciousness is the general state of Sattva Buddhi.
Rajasa Buddhi = Avairagya. (Rampant desires)
Tamasa Buddhi = Adharma, Ajnana, Anaisvarya. ( lack of Virtue, Lack of Spiritual knowledge, Lack of Auspiciousness.)

Buddhi is the seat of Punyam and papam (Merit and Demerit), Bhavas (dispositions) and Pratyayas (determinations).

Take a look at the Tattvas above and below. The light of consciousness is Purusa^12.Prakrti Tattva¹³is the origin of all distal Tattvas. All the organs 17 to 31 report to Manas¹⁶, which reports to AhamkAra¹⁵, which reports to Buddhi¹⁴, which is illumined by Purusa¹². All Tattvas serve for the pleasure of Purusa¹². The Subtle body is made of 17 Tattvas from Buddhi^{14 to}odor^31.AhamkAra¹⁵is part ofBuddhi^14.Samkhya philosophy makes no mention of Prana (the pentad); the MAyAvAdins remove the Tanmatras (sound¹⁷, touch¹⁸, color¹⁹, taste²⁰, and smell²¹) and put in the five Pranas (Prana, Samana, Apana, Udana, and Vyana..

Kashmir Saivism

Buddhi¹⁴, AhamkAra¹⁵, and Manas¹⁶ (Intellect, Ego, and Mind) constitute Antahkarana (inner organ). Mind is the generator of thought (samkalpasadhana) and Buddhi and Ahamkara are the filters, a thought goes through before a thought becomes an act. Buddhi (discerning intellect) applies ethical and moral filter; Ego applies the I-filter meaning whether a particular action is in the self-interest and welfare. Buddhi is Impersonal consciousness, looking at things in a detached manner. When Impersonal Buddhi is pervaded by and invested with personal consciousness, it becomes Ahamkara which experiences and looks at the world from personal point of view. Purusa¹² and Prakrti Tattva¹³ are the individual soul and nature. Prakrti¹³has three gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas in equilibrium. Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas = virtue, passion, darkness. When they are agitated, a panoply of behavior patterns emerge.

Subjective Purusa¹²is corralled, confined and bound by a pentagon consisting of five Kancukas: Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹; Niyati⁸tells Purusa¹²(individual soul) that he is not omnipresent like Siva but parvipresent (parvus = small), confined to one place at a time; he cannot be in all places all the time. Kāla⁷ Tattva tells the individual that he is not eternal like Siva and has a timepiece attached to him (non-eternal) that counts down to the last moment of his life on earth. Rāga¹¹Tattva tells the individual that he is not Whole and Complete like Siva, but has needs, wants and desires all the time. Vidya¹⁰Tattva tells the individual that he is not Omniscient like Siva but Parviscient with very limited knowledge. Kalā⁹tattva tells the individual that he is not Whole in various creative arts but has a lot of holes in his creative knowledge. Parvipresent is coined by me as antonym of Omnipresent. In like manner I coined the word Parvipotent as an antonym of Omnipotent. Parviscient is the antonym of Omniscient, found in the Oxford Dictionary.

Siva¹,Sakti²,Sadasiva³,Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵, MāyA⁶, Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa¹²Prakrti Tattva¹³, Buddhi¹⁴, Ahamkara¹⁵, Manas¹⁶, hearing¹⁷ tactile sense¹⁸, vision and color¹⁹, tasting²⁰, smell²¹, speech²², grasp²³, ambulation²⁴, evacuation²⁵, procreation²⁶, sound²⁷, palpation²⁸, form²⁹, taste³⁰, odor³¹, ether³², air³³, fire³⁴, water^35,Earth³⁶.

Parviscient, Parvipotent, Parvipresent. Parviscient: knowing little (Oxford English Dictionary). Parvus: Latin for small

Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹ = The Kancukas, the strait jackets.( A friend calls them, the Cosmic Drag.)

Kashmir Saivism

With the ascent of Sakti and the retrograde centripetal movement of the soul back to it source, all the Tattvas are absorbed by Sakti so much so the soul is not contaminated with Tattvas ranging from six to thirty-six. Purusa¹²ascends through Tattvas 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (Sadvidya⁵, Isvara⁴, Sadasiva³, Sakti², and Siva¹Tattvas). Purusa having gotten rid of all the distal objective Tattvas, it is feeling for the first time a sense of subjectivity, a feeling of I without the burden of This. Before there were I and This (Aham and Idam); This constitutes all the distal Tattvas that have been absorbed by Sakti. When the individual soul comes into Suddha Sadvidya⁵ Tattva, recollection of subjective experience (Parāmarþa) of Suddha Sadvidya⁵Tattva happens, which is, Aham--I am Siva; This is the world." In Isvara⁴Tattva, the subjective feeling of Aham intensifies and recognition of This (universe) as my own expansion occurs. In Sadasiva³Tattva, integration of This (Idam) with Aham takes place with the resultant feeling, I am This (I am this Universe). In Sakti²and Siva¹Tattvas, the Idam is fully integrated with Aham so much so that they become an undifferentiated unitary mass. The result is just Pure Aham or Universal I. This entity further ascends into First Perfection Parasamvit or Nishkala Siva.

Asuddha Tattvas (Impure building blocks) form the basis for the physical nature of our bodies and objects and its status is lower than the other two categories. They contribute to the development of desires, ignorance, attachment, illusions and other worldly traits which keep us from acquiring Brahma Tattva. We share many (but not all) of these Asuddha Tattvas with animals. Buddhi^14,Manas^16, and Speech²² are our special qualities that distinguish us from the animals.

As you see, we are made of Tattvas: Siva sits at the top of the pyramid and is endowed with Pure Consciousness. Our consciousness is no match to His because our soul is burdened with all the above-mentioned Kancukas and Tattvas. As you climb up the ladder from the 36th Tattva (from a material level to the spiritual level), we get close to Siva and merge with Him. You cannot do it without the help of Kundalini goddess, who is Siva Sakti (power) in your body seated in Muladhara plane. She is asleep all the time until you wake her up and ask her to take you to Siva. She knows the way because she had been there many times. Once she is on the way up, she absorbs all 35 tattvas; she takes you from the world of matter to a world of spirit; your consciousness gets purer when you reach upper chakras; she drops you off at Ajna Chakra, one level below Siva and merges (mithuna) with him; the last step and effort is yours to make before you can merge with Siva. Merging with Siva is not a physical union, but a proximate status in which the liberated soul is close to Siva and maintains its identity.

This section presents Tirumular's view of Bindu and Tattvas. Verses 1923-

At the dawn of creation, Kundalini rose from Bindu (Parabindu). Kudilai (Kundalini) gave rise to Vaindavam, the nine gods, Brahma and the rest, their Saktis, the Karanas, the Kalais and Vaikari. (Parabindu is Siva Sakti)

The nine gods are Kundalini, kudilai, tatparai, vagesi, Sadasiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, and Mahesvara. Karanas are Buddhi, Manas, Citta and Ahamkara. The Kala Tattvas are Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa¹². Vaikari is actually an articulated speech sound; here it stands for unmanifested sound. Vaindavam, according to Tamil Lexicon is MāyA⁶, the material cause of the universe and its Suddha Tattvas. Sabda or Sound. Here Suddha Tattvas are the highest Tattvas, which include all the divinities mentioned.

Kalā⁹ or Kalai is one of the seven Suddha-Asuddha (Pure-impure) Tattvas, the second tier of Tattvas below the Suddha (pure) Tattvas; the third tier is called Asuddha (impure) Tattvas.

Kalai. a specific power of any of the superior deities as manifested in an avataram or in a theophany for a specific purpose; manifestation of a deity; forms of the female energy of a deity as they appear, one of seven kinds of vittiya-tattuvam, (Vidya Tattvas or Suddha- Asuddha Tattvas). Vidya Tattva(Vidya¹⁰⁾enables the soul to discriminate (knowledge from ignorance). Tamil Lexicon. theophany = a manifestation or appearance of God or a god to a person

1 Siva 2. Sakti 3 Sadasiva 4 Isvara 5 Sadvidya 6. Māya, 7. Kāla, 8. Niyati, 9. Kalā, 10. Vidya, 11. Rāga, 12. Purusa 13. Prakrti Tattva, 14. Buddhi, 15. Ahamkara 16. Manas, 17. hearing 18. tactile sense, 19. vision and color, 20.tasting, 21. smell, 22. speech, 23. grasp, 24. ambulation, 25. evacuation, 26. procreation, 27. sound, 28. palpation, 29. form, 30. taste, 31. odor, 32. ether, 33. air, 34. fire, 35. water, 36. earth.

Earth³⁶is the last Tattva, the First being Siva Tattva (Siva¹⁾. Nivrrti KalA is the 'working force and essential element in Prithvi Tattva or Solidity'. Nivrrti is incorporated in the Earth Element because it is the last to evolve and the First to begin the process of Nivrrti (or involution, reversal, centripetal march) back to Siva Tattva. Earth is where Kundali takes rest after evolution of all Tattvas.

Kalai (Kalā⁹⁾is the energy of Siva (read Sakti) that removes the bondage, takes the soul along the path to liberation, confers spiritual knowledge, removes all agitation and doubts and confers peace. This linear process, Siva applies, to the fully ripened souls, meaning that the souls have undergone Iruvinaioppu, Malaprapakam and Saktinipatam. The eventual step is Oddukam, involution into Siva. Primer in Saiva Siddhanta

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Abhinavagupta of Kashmir Saivism says Siva created four spheres or Andas (lit. egg): The spheroid of Sakti, the spheroid of Maya, the spheroid of Prakriti, and the spheroid of Prithvi. These Andas or spheroids contain phenomenal elements, the shell of which hides and covers the divine nature of the Absolute.

The Spheroid of Sakti²: Siva uses Sakti to transform Nishkala (unitary nature or partless nature of) Siva into Sakala (or manifest form of or many parts) Siva. It is an external projection and creation expressing diversity within unity and manifesting the four Pure Tattvas. Tattva = THATness = principles = building blocks.

The Spheroid of Maya⁶: The external projection of Siva cannot contain the splendor of Siva in its fullness in the phenomenal world. So Maya Spheroid contains five sheaths (Kancukas) serving the purpose of limiting or dumbing down of the Absolute and presenting Him as a finite being called Purusa¹². The Kancukas are KAla^7,Niyati⁸,KalA⁹, Vidya¹⁰, RAga¹¹.

KAla⁷incorporates the time element in all things created. (Noneternal--the count-down ticking meter)

Niyati⁸subjects us to the cause and effect and spans across all births. (we don't have freedom like Siva.)

KalA⁹subjects us to limited iccha, Jnana and Kriya (will, knowledge and action-- limitations).

Vidya¹⁰subjects us that we are capable of acquiring limited knowledge. (Parviscient as opposed Omniscient.)

RAga¹¹subjects us to the feeling of want, emptiness and imperfection. (We make futile efforts to make ourselves whole by acquiring things.)

The Spheroid of Prakriti¹³provides us with all essential accouterments (body, sensory and motor organs, Tanmatras, Gunas) to live in this world.

The Spheroid of Prithvi is the gross insentient world around us.

In this spheroidal configuration, Siva Tattva forms the core. In another analogy Siva is the positive pole and Sakti is the negative pole. Sunyati-Sunya in the conjoint Siva-Sakti Tattvas. The outer envelopes are Sakti, Maya and Prakrti

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The following is another view of the Kalas. Here Kalas refers to the Sakala Siva with parts.

1. Nivirrti Kala: Sphere of action for the Energy of Siva which emancipates the soul from bondage. When the soul reaches the sphere of Bindu, Nivirrti Kala erases all doubts of the soul. Nivrrti's main goal is liberation. Nivrrti Kala is the force that bounces off the solid base of Prithvi (earth), the last element in the manifestation of Siva-Sakti. There is no more linear motion beyond the last element Earth. The manifesting energy turns upwards. The Kundali Sakti that remains curled up at rest in its evolutionary last stop at the Muladhara Chakra has to trace its steps in its involutionary upward march to union with Siva.

2. Pratista Kala: Sphere of action of the Energy of Siva, which leads the soul to the liberated state when Kundali is on the ascent. In evolution of Tattvas, it provides 'the basis and the inner framework on which the outer physical universe' is built. It is a jump-off point between involution and evolution, either up for liberation or down for life on earth.

3. Vidya Kala: the Energy of Siva which gives the liberated souls knowledge through actual realization of seven kinds, viz., Kālam⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalai⁹, vittai¹⁰, arākam¹¹, purutan¹², māyai¹³, one of panca-kalai. The knowledge derived by Sadvidya Kala is limited. The five Kancukas KAla^7,Niyati⁸,KalA⁹, Vidya¹⁰, RAga¹¹ are associated with Saktis VAmA, JyesthA, and Raudri (and their counterparts Brahma, Vishnu and Siva).

(Kālam, Time; Niyati, destiny which makes soul's experience correspond to the fruits of its own karma; Order; Kalai, spiritual knowledge of the soul, needed for liberation; Vittai or Vidya, Soul's ability to discriminate; Arākam or Rāga, Soul's desire to experience the world (Ragam is desire, passion and love); Purusa or Purutam, Sakalar class soul; Māyai: the progenitor of Tattvas.)

4. Sānti Kala: Sphere of action for the Energy of Siva which calms down all the turbulent elements in fully ripened souls, one of panca-kalai. Beyond and above Maya⁶ there is Consciousness and peace because it is free of duality. Woodroffe says in The Garland of Letters, P209, Santa is dominant in the glorious experience of of Tattvas from Sadvidya⁵ to Sakti Tattva².

5. Sāntiyatita Kala: Sphere of action for the Energy of Siva which destroys all the turbulent elements in fully ripened souls, one of panca-kalai. (Tamil Lexicon). Also known as AvakAsada.

Additional notes on Tattvas.

Saiva Siddhanta says that Maya, the material cause of the universe, is reality and existent; it is formless, eternal, unchangeable, all-pervasive, and without intelligence; It is the Bindu (seed) of the world providing the souls Tanu (body) and Karana (organs), objects of Bhoga (enjoyment) and Bhuvana (world). Maya Mala is at the disposal of Siva who is Mala-free. As Siva-Sakti (the efficient cause) cascades down the Suddha, Suddha-Asuddha and Asuddha Maya to the last Tattva earth, it looses its pristine consciousness and gathers sediment and turbidity as Ganges River looses its pristine clarity on its path towards the ocean. What Sakti contributes in this linear morphing, mutation and permutation (see Parinama) is very little mass; the results are huge. Maya, which originates from Sakti, is a tool for Siva and depends on him for its existence and activity. There is an important difference between Suddha Tattvas on one hand and all other lower Tattvas; that is, the former is (Vrutti) unfolding or expansion of Suddha Maya into five Tattvas, as you would roll out a mat. The lower Tattvas come into being by Parinama (transformation). Since they change, they are not eternal and therefore, Asat. Siva is Sat and Changeless.

Saiva Siddhanta says that all things subside in Siva and rise from Siva, including Brahma and Vishnu. He operates through Sakti which is the intermediary between Siva and others. The souls when liberated can come close to him. If world subsides in Vishnu (Mulaprakriti), the Lord of preservation, there will not be total destruction. Mulaprakriti is not the repository of the entire universe and beings, but only of lower Tattvas; thus, the worlds above Mulaprakrti still stand after Vishnu takes in the world. All the products (souls) of Maya including Brahma and Vishnu subside in Siva, the God of destruction; Brahma and Vishnu owe their existence to Siva in whom they subside. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra and their functions originate from Siva-Sakti. Mulaprakrti is, as a part of Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas, an evolute of kalā tattva ( kalā = Prakriti or matter)

Mulaprakriti according to Sankhya philosophy is matter (the material cause), in which the three gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) are in balance. According Saiva Siddhanta, Mulaprakriti, is an evolute of kalā Tattva , which is eighth down the line from Siva Tattva. Thus Mulaprakriti cannot be the repository of the universe and beings. Mayeya is the aggregate of Suddha-asuddha Mayas and naturally the tattvas are intrinsic to them

The essence of all that subsided in Siva including Mala rises again in the unfolding of the universe and beings. (Here one should remember that Siva here means Siva Sakti; Mala cannot be traced back directly to Siva, because he is Mala-free and pure.) Maya plays the key role, under the control of Siva-Sakti, in choosing heredity, environment and ancestry for a soul before its birth in a body. Maya is like the seed from which a tree grows when planted in a fertile soil; Maya embedded in Sakti sprouts into a world of beings and matter as the seed sprouts into a shoot. The Karmic deeds of the souls determine the nature of the body the soul acquires. Thus the world and beings subside in and arise from Maya of Sakti. Sankara’s view that the world is unreal is in contrast to Saiva Siddhanta view. Siddhantists say that Maya is the clay (material cause), Sakti is the potter’s wheel (instrumental cause), and God (the efficient cause) is the maker of world and beings.

Suddhamaya and its Tattvas are not for the ordinary use of the individual souls but available for the use of Siva to help the individual souls. In a way, Suddhamaya and its Tattvas belong to the executive branch where creation, sustenance, destruction, Veiling and Grace are the higher functions of Siva, while Individual souls are the recipients and beneficiaries of Suddhamaya. Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas center around man in the sense, they provide man (purusha) with a soul, karmic body, Time, worldly knowledge, aptitude for Supreme Knowledge, attachment and desire. Asuddha Tattvas give man his gunas, antakarana (Manas, Buddhi, Ahankara and Citta), sensory and motor organs, Tanmatras, and Mahabhutas for his use. It descends from God to man to lower nature to insentient objects.

Saivasiddhantist says that destruction and death are part of birth and maintenance. When something dies or destroyed, it subsides in Siva, the Lord of destruction; When it rises back again from the Lord, it may or may not assume the same form and Mala (impurity) is the facilitator of birth again. Here the Mala is the Anava Malam which is an impurity of the soul that is not liberated but destined to sport a body. It is like saying that salt (Mala, impurity) in water facilitates better conduction of electricity than pure water alone. Saiva siddhantist does not believe that the destroyed world and beings subside in Mahavishnu because if they subside in Mahavishnu, the Lord of Maintenance, they are in fact not destroyed. It is antithetical to his portfolio of maintenance. The same argument goes for Brahma, the Lord of creation.

The elements by themselves may come together but have no capability to make a being; they require a prime mover and that is God, Siva, because the elements are not intelligent. Maya is the seed; the world is the tree; Siva's Sakti is the moist fertile soil. Maya is Sakti-dependent for its fecund and florid state; without Sakti, Maya is barren. The elements are organic matter; Sivasakti infuses life into them. Siva is endowed with Ichcha, Jnana, and Kriya; Ichchasakti wants to create a world of matter and beings from disparate elements; Jnanasakti has the know-how to create, sustain and destroy the world; Kriyasakti has the wherewithal to effectuate his desire and put them in motion. Ichcha = desire; Jnana = knowledge; Kriya = action.

We are all made of Tattvas; all objects are made of Tattvas in disparate combinations; all gods are made of Tattvas; each product has a dominant quality. God (Siva) is the efficient cause; Maya is the material cause with myriad variations; Karma carries a memory of past lives and dictates the form a soul takes and the fruit it enjoys according to its deeds; God adheres to Karmic laws. Karma can be called the instrument of the instrumental cause, which is Sakti. After death and before birth, subtle body (soul) carries memory of karma and a chronicle of past lives with a front load of unresolved (unexpiated) accumulated karmic deeds: Sanchita karma, which can be meritorious or demeritorious and have to be enjoyed and suffered. Siva makes it sure that the soul is provided a body and a world of his own to pay his debts and reap his rewards. There are no mutual cancellations; everything is accounted for and experienced. God creates an intricately complex kaleidoscopic world of multitudinous experiences in one's lifetime for each embodied soul; the script spoken and the scenes enacted by the embodied soul were written in advance before birth by the Lord. Man's job is to make the right choices; this will result in zero karmic load leading to liberation.

Siddhantist says that soul and Mala coexist; Mala in its turn associates with Maya and Karma, the latter two are compared to inner and outer sheaths (husk) enveloping the grain of rice. Intermittently, the soul is subject to Maya and Karma during life, while Anava Mala binds the soul constantly; Grace of Siva removes the fetter of Anava Mala and facilitates merger of the soul with Him. Though the soul is subject to Maya intermittently, the soul has Maya as its baggage (or monkey on the back, a burden) throughout its sojourn in the body, heaven, hell, birth and rebirth until the soul is released. Let me give you a simple example with explanation. Maya gives man its products to build a body, organs and functions around the soul in the phenomenal world. Soul exists in Sukshma (subtle) state without the body in heaven, hell and other Mandalas. In this Sukshma state, the soul moves around free of body but not free of Maya, which the soul needs at short notice for building its body for life on this planet. Maya is like tent and stuff nomadic people carry on their back; whenever there is an urge to stay in one place for a short time, the poles, frames, ropes and pegs are laid out and the canvas is spread over the frames and poles. Release of the soul means that the soul is divested of its body, Maya, and Malas (impurities).

As said earlier, dissolution of the world does not mean that the soul is free to merge with Siva. You may call this as a sleep state for the soul; when creation takes place again, the soul with its burdensome erstwhile sleepy companions Karma, Anava Mala and Maya come together to give the soul a body. Remember that the soul carries a chronology of its karma.

Maya and its products are Asat and Acit and Siva is Sat and Cit. Sat = Being; eternal; changeless. Asat = not Being; susceptible to change. Acit = insentient. Maya is unconscious and insentient, while Siva is Supreme Consciousness and existent. Siva is Sat and Cit because he is eternal and does not acquire knowledge by observation or from somebody else. The material world appears, stays for a while and disappears, all beyond its control, and that is Asat and Acit; matter is impermanent, analyzable, knowable by its gunas or qualities and changeable; that is Asat and Acit. The world is visible in its gross form (Sthula); it is invisible in its subtle form (when it involutes, Sukshma); therefore, it is Asat. Sat = Being; eternal; changeless. Asat = not Being; susceptible to change. Acit = insentient.

God is eternal, unknowable, immutable, unanalyzable, and superconscious and therefore, Sat and Cit. Sat is Being and Asat is non-being. Sat is real, while Asat is mirage. Sat exists on its own, while Asat exists because of Sat (Sat dependence). The world, Anavamala, karma, and Maya are changeable and so, Asat.

Maya is not part of Cit or Superconsciousness of Siva; Maya is apart from him and is subject to his Will. Siva Sakti activates Maya but has no control over its compass. Once Maya evolves into building blocks of the universe and beings, Siva does not alter its expansion, contraction, limitation, extent, variability, complexity, or direction --those of matter. The matter has its own guna (quality); its evolution, variability and variety are intrinsic to it; its compass is under the direction of Karma, which is also external to Siva. Siva is Sat and Cit and therefore, Maya, which is Asat and Acit (Changeable and unconscious matter) cannot be traced back to him. They all stop with Mayeya and Sakti which straddles the chasm between matter and Siva. Living entities which evolve from Maya are subject to Karma and Anava Malas (impurities); that being the case, Siva cannot contain in his constitution (mass of Bliss) Maya, which can be traced back to him. That is the argument of the Siddhantist.

There are three kinds of knowledge accessible to a Pasu, the individual soul: Pasujnānam, Pāsajnānam, and Patijnānam. As He is not known by either Pasu- and Pāsa-jnānam, He is called Siva (Sivasat); as He is apprehended by Patijnānam only, He is called Sat (CitSat).

Pasujnānam:

1. Knowledge of the real nature of the soul, distinct from Patijnānam, and Pāsajnānam

2. Limited knowledge of the soul as acquired by the senses

3. The condition of the soul, in which its intelligence is obscured by its connection with matter

Patijnānam:

Knowledge of the Supreme Being

Pāsajnānam:

Knowledge obtained through the senses and the mind

Spiritual ignorance

Definitions from Tamil Lexicon.

Man’s rise from dissolution.

During the phase of dissolution, the soul sleeps bound to Anava Mala in the bed of Maya of the Lord.

Man’s rise from dissolution.

Stage one: When the creative fervor rises, the five suddha Tattvas wake up, and Lord’s Ichcha, Jnana, and Kriya Saktis come to life from their slumber. (God sets in motion the creation of man with soul and body.)
Stage two: Suddha-Asuddha Tattvas in tandem channel these saktis to infuse the individual soul with Maya, Time, Karma, aptitude, knowledge, and desire. (Preparatory stage before the soul is given body and organs.)
Stage three: The Asuddha Tattvas provide all physical sheaths (body, organs, and functions) needed to interact with the outer elements. (This depicts man’s life on earth in Sakala state.)

Knowledge of Brahman cannot destroy Prārabda Karma. It is both congenital (inherited from past lives) and acquired; there is no prevention or cure for this; it is waiting for resolution. However, we do have control over Āgami Karma, because our thoughts, words, and deeds make it; and if the actions are Tamasic (black or krishna), “black seeds” accumulate for sprouting later either in this life or in the next life. If the actions are sattvic (white or shukla), “white seeds” accumulate for sprouting now or later. If the actions are of mixed nature (white and black), the seeds are of both colors (shukla-krishna). If the seeds (actions) are neither white nor black, they result in sterile seeds (ashukla-akrishna). Rishis, by sterile karma-free actions, kaivalya, and realization of the Self make the sterile seeds. Some of the newly harvested Āgami karmic seeds sprout (bear fruits) in this life, as it is the case with prārabda karma; some seeds that do not sprout and bear fruits now, go into storage in Sanchita karmic silos. The stored seeds of Sanchita karma are dormant (anarabhda) and the sprouting seeds of Prarabdha karma are arabdha (sprouting). SEE Chapter 3 Verse 28 Comments on inflows into the silos.

Author expresses his views here on karma: Karma is thought, word, and deed. A perfect karma is null karma: a zero-sum entity. In this world, karma is the only equalizer of all living beings; therefore, you wish you were holding an empty bag of karma. The fried karmic seeds are healthier and tastier than germinating seeds or nuts. The fact you are reading this means that your karma is in the barrel for discharge, resolution, roasting, sprouting or accumulation. Karma is something you do not wish on your friend or your enemy, because it can boomerang on you (adrishta) when you least expect it in this birth or future births: You never know. Unit for unit thought is one karmic unit, speech is ten karmic units, and deed is ten to the power of ten karmic units. This karmic unit can be meritorious or demeritorious (positive or negative, punyam or papam), or neutral or “sterile.” One's aim is zero karmic units, because getting moksa at the finish line is zero-sum game; only in karma, zero karmic units is better than positive or negative units, because anything other than zero karmic units guarantees birth, accumulation of Sanchita Karma and sprouting of Prārabda karma. Isoelectric status or line is better than amplitudes either way. One cannot erase the undesirable effects of bad karma with good karma; both karmas have to be suffered and enjoyed. There is no reciprocal cancellation.

Sankaracharya states that God provides the necessary ingredients for any possible path man chooses. He provides the rain, the earth, the nutrients, the opportunities and seeds (karma) and Himself as the constant companion of man; the karma (and dharma) of men are like seeds, which will germinate, sprout and grow into their respective plants under identical soil conditions. God-pleasing thought, speech and deed would kill, roast or destroy the karmic seeds. Rishis roast the karmic seeds by the heat produced by Tapas and Kaivalya.

Actions in this phenomenal world are the fodder for karma. When life events go wrong, one should not fall apart, but stay steady in the knowledge that karma is resolving; your previous karma has put you in circumstances over which you have no control (adrishta). According to karmic principles, you are self-natal (self-born), self-controlling, self-sustaining, and self-releasing. You cannot blame your parents for your birth; they are the womb, the egg, and the seed (sperm) in physical terms; in karmic terms, your prarabdha karma chooses the womb, the egg, the seed, environment, heredity and ancestry for your body. Everybody else and everything else have a secondary role in your life; resolution and God-pleasing acts help one gain a karma-free state: liberation or Moksa. You cannot sue God or your parents for wrongful birth because your karma determines your parents and your environment.

There are four kinds of Atmas: Atma, Jnanatma, Antaratma and Paramatma.

Atma: This covers all air-breathing creatures. Svasa and prasvasa (respiration) are the criteria. This Atma is like the space in the pot; when the pot breaks, the space in the pot becomes part of the larger space.

Janantama: This atma is a witness by which the unity of all beings is known. It is endowed with buddhi (intellect).

Antaratma: It is the Atma that pervades all things; it is Paramatma [as distinguished from jivatma (individual soul) that] dwells in all beings. It is compared to a bird: its beak is Pranava or Om; its wings are Nigama and Agama; Siva and Sakti are its two feet; the Tribindus (Karana bindu1, Karya Bindu2, Nada and Bija3 = Siva, Siva-sakti, and Sakti = Para, Suksma and Sthula = Supreme, Subtle and Gross) are its three eyes.

Paramatma: Supreme Atma or Greater Soul as opposed to Jiva, individual or lesser soul. (We are all Jivas.) Paramatma resides in the Spiritual heart besides the Jivatma. It is a silent witness; Jivatma merges with Paramatma during deep sleep and enjoys bliss, that sustains life. During deep sleep we are all sattvic (pure and virtuous); only when we are sattvic our soul can merge with Paramatma. When we wake up, we are back to our old selves: it ranges from a Yogi to a Pasu (individual soul no better than an animal). Spiritual heart is on the right front chest cavity, which you cannot anatomically dissect and show.

Tattvas are the building blocks of the universe.

Mahamaya = Great Maya.

Suddha = Pure, Asuddha = Impure,

Samadhi = perfection in Yoga

Maya = material cause of the universe,

Bindu = Light of lights

Kriya = action, Jnana = knowledge, Iccha = will or desire.

Grace: two kinds: Veiling and revealing.

Veiling Grace is Siva's energy of obscuration or concealing of Spiritual Truths from an embodied soul, until it matures and sheds its malas or impurities while the soul undergoes worldly experiences. Revealing Grace comes, when the last impurity, recalcitrant Anava mala or ego is shed. "I-"ness and "Mine-"ness are part of Anava mala. When all souls receive Grace from Siva and merge with Him, the souls lose their individual identity and achieve homogeneity.

Jung says that Tattva is suksma (subtle) and not concrete. Yes, it is Suksma and concrete also. Take the last two of the Asuddha Tattvas, water and earth; they are concrete. True, Higher Tattvas are subtle (suksma).-- page 9 "The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga"

Tattvas come from Bindu, which takes its origin in Nada. Mulaprakrti under the influence of gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) undergoes change (Vikrti); Substrate becomes substance (Prakrti-->Vikrti). Mahat is the product, incorporating the gunas and antakarana. Go to >>>BG 002 Samkhya Theory, comment under verse 2.12, for details on Prakrti.

Siva does not create this universe out of nothing. He is the efficient cause (Nimitta Karana); his sakti is the instrumental cause (Sahakari Karana); Maya is the material cause (Upadana Karana). The body and the organs with their functions are evolutes of Maya and its Tattvas. Maya, born of Bindu, is identified as Asuddha Bindu; hence, there is no confusion, when one passage says that Bindu is the cause of Tattvas and another passage says that Maya is the cause of Tattvas.

If you take a look at the Tattvas, you may notice that there is logic, reason, arrangement and meaning in them. First we have the spirit (the first five Tattvas), next comes the higher knowledge (Vidya Tattvas) and the last is anma tattvas belonging to the body; it is Spirit, knowledge and body. They all descended from Siva Sakti in a linear fashion and they are absorbed also in a retrograde linear fashion, one tattva involuting into the one above. Man wallowing in anma tattvas (#13 to #36) has no knowledge or awakening of spirit; here knowledge means both spiritual and material knowledge. He moves from Kevala, to Sakala to Suddha state.

In the conversational style book Who am I, Ramana Maharishi talks of the Tattvas as follows.

21. Is it necessary for one who longs for release to inquire into the nature of categories (tattvas)?

Just as one who wants to throw away garbage has no need to analyse it and see what it is, so one who wants to know the Self has no need to count the number of categories or inquire into their characteristics; what he has to do is to reject altogether the categories that hide the Self. The world should be considered like a dream.

Note: Categories make the body. The embodied soul minus categories is self which in its pure state merges with the Greater Self. Kundalini Devi serves the purpose of absorbing all categories so that the self merges with Siva-Sakti in its pure state. This is the gist of Kundalini yoga.

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Tattvas 36 in number in the descending order. The first five are Suddha or Pure Tattvas (1-5). The second 7 Tattvas are Suddha-Asuddha or Pure-Impure Tattvas (6-12). The Third category of Tattvas are Asuddha or Impure Tattvas (13-36).

Siva¹,Sakti²,Sadasiva³, Isvara⁴,Sadvidya⁵, MāyA⁶, Kāla⁷, Niyati⁸, Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰, Rāga¹¹, Purusa¹²Prakrti Tattva¹³, Buddhi¹⁴, Ahamkara¹⁵, Manas¹⁶, hearing¹⁷ tactile sense¹⁸, vision and color¹⁹, tasting²⁰, smell²¹, speech²², grasp²³, ambulation²⁴, evacuation²⁵, procreation²⁶, sound²⁷, palpation²⁸, form²⁹, taste³⁰, odor³¹, ether³², air³³, fire³⁴, water³⁵Earth³⁶.

Oct 30, 2008 Notes and more from Unmai Vilakkam

Sense organs project their image on Manas, the mind. This is called இந்திரியக்காட்சி (Indriya-kAtchi = Seeing or perception through sense organs). The first perception is not a complete and determinate one or நிருவிகற்பக்காட்சி (Indeterminate perception). ArAragam (அராகம் = Rāga¹¹is desire) and Buddhi¹⁴ Tattva make it possible for Nivikalpa Perception or knowledge to become SavikalpakKatchi (சவிகற்பக்காட்சி = Determinate Perception or Knowledge). It means that the knowledge is complete and determinate. This leads to தன்வேதனைக்காட்சி (Tanvetanaik-Katchi = Experiential knowledge). Experience of External Objects constitutes இந்திரியக்காட்சி (Indriyak-Katchi = Sense perception or sense knowledge, while Experiential knowledge (தன்வேதனைக்காட்சி) is internal experience of love, hate, pain, pleasure... brought about by Rāga¹¹or Desire and experienced by soul's intellect.

Direct Perception = Pratyaksha Pramana¹ (= காண்டல் அளவை = KAnadal Alavai) is the knowledge gained by direct perception of an object by the senses. The first impression is the general appearance or occurrence and is called Nirvikalpa Pratyyaksha (நிருவிகற்பக் காட்சி), Indeterminate perception. Vikalpam = difference. Nirvikalpam = undifferentiated or indeterminate. The next perception in sequence is Savikalpa Pratyyaksha (ºÅ¢¸üÀì¸¡ðº¢). Savikalpam is knowledge that comes with perception associated with appreciation of difference. One comes to know how an object is different from the rest. It is a definite identification of the object and its true nature. Savikalpa Partyyaksha is knowledge that is not tainted with doubt, confusion, and erroneous apprehension (¾¢¡¢Ò). Savikalpa Patyaksha is knowledge devoid of stain.

Kalai and Vidya (Kalā⁹, Vidya¹⁰⁾ in a collaborative way induces Kriya Sakti. RAga (Rāga¹¹⁾ induces Iccha Sakti, Vidya (Vidya¹⁰ ) Jnana Sakti and Kalai's (Kalā⁹ )Kriya Sakti. Iccha Sakti modulates Buddhi (Buddhi¹⁴ ).

Siva is Supreme Consciousness and Grace. His body is not made o MAyA. Our body is made of MAyA. Everything about Him is Grace. The accouterments, weapons and all else are made of His Grace.

அங்கம் Angam = Siva's Body

பிரத்தியங்கம் = Pratiangam = Minor or secondary member, as of the body (of Siva)..

உபாங்கம் = UpAngam = Minor limb or member: His clothes, His ornaments, His Garland, His seat.

சாங்கம் = SAngam = All the limbs. Siva's Trident, Snake, Abhaya Mudra (Fear-Not pose), Fire.

He is all forms in the universe, known, unknown and yet to be known. All forms are His forms. He is of the form of Mantra, NaMaSiVaYa. OM NAMASIVAYA <<<<<Click.

Avidya and Maya according to Panchadasi, the Advaitic (Monistic) treatise.

We have Consciousness in us, which is the same in awake, dream sleep and deep sleep states. In the latter two states, we do know its existence because when we are awake, we know we were dreaming, and lacked knowledge in deep sleep. This consciousness under normal conditions does not rise or fall and is self-revealing. This Consciousness of the nature of Supreme Bliss is our Self, which we love and wish it exists for ever. Thus the individual Self is of the nature of existence, consciousness and bliss. Supreme Brahman is similar to the Self. If we do not know that there is such a thing as Self, we would not love it. If it is known, there cannot be love for the existing worldly objects. (In the sensual world, love is a fickle thing. Love is a magnetic entity in the sense it always looks for displacement and transfer to a higher and stronger magnet. You love your bicycle; your love for a bicycle is displaced and transferred to a motorbike, when you see one.) Since the worldly objects are in the forefront of our vision and obscuring the Self, the Self is not revealed. The Self is obscured as the voice of your son is obscured in a chorus of other voices. In like manner the love for worldly objects has obscured the love for the Self. This obscuring or obstructing principle is called Avidya or ignorance (Non-knowledge). Obstruction hides the nature of a thing or makes it appear as something else. What we see or perceive is an experience; what we don't see is counter-experience. Bliss or Brahman is what we should seek but it is obscured by a world of objects. Bliss in known and yet unknown because of counter experience.

Brahman is Pure Consciousness. Jiva or the individual soul is a reflection of Brahman in Avidya. Prakriti reflects Brahman. Prakriti is made of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which exist in equilibrium. Prakriti is the source of creation. It is neither a product of Brahman, nor a real entity apart from Brahman. It is the desire of Brahman to create. It is Being in the process of becoming. It is in the process of materialization. (It is like the unseen vapor in the air materializing as water due to condensation. Pure water condensate is Sattva. Acid rain is water, sulfur, and nitrogen emissions (Avidya, made of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.)

Sattva is intelligence; Rajas is motion; and Tamas is matter. Sattva is Maya.

When Sattva is the pure element in Prakriti, it is called MAyA or MAya-Prakriti. When Sattva is contaminated with Rajas and Tamas, it is called Avidya. When Brahman is reflected in Maya, He becomes Isvara. That is Isvara with Sattva guna. It is Maya-Brahman, who controls Maya. Isvara or Maya-Brahman is Being (Sat), consciousness (Cit) in the process of creation and becoming, owns and controls Maya. Maya's becoming is a conscious process that runs unobstructed.

MAyA-Sarira = Maya-Sarira.

Avidya is a perishable Sarira. Sarira means body, not the kind with hands and feet. Body of knowledge does not have hands and feet. Avidya is a body of ignorance, negated by body of knowledge. Likewise, Maya-Brahman or Isvara with Maya-Sarira has Maya under His control. His Will is MAyA-Sarira, by which He creates this world and thus is omniscient and omnipotent.

PrAjna Sarira = Body of ignorance or Avidya. The individual soul and not Brahman is the repository of Avidya

PrAjna Sarira is Avidya; PrAjna is ignorance, which is experience of non-knowledge (I don't know anything). Ignorance or Avidya is the Causal Body, which obstructs the knowledge of ultimate truth, which is our own nature.

Avidya is a mixture of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Sattva is intelligence and Taijasa or shining. Thus this Avidya has some knowledge within it. This is known as Prajna within PrAjna (Supreme knowledge within ignorance).

When the individual soul gets rid of Rajas and Tamas, and Sattva becomes his body, he sees past the world of objects, perceives Brahman and understands his identity with Him.

Kashmir Saivism as they relate to Tattvas.

Citta: Individual consciousness (Citta) is contraction of Citi or Universal Consciousness. Cetana, Citi and Citta are linear elements and are usually addressed in female gender, though they are various levels of consciousness. Cettana is the undiminished, uncontracted, wholesome Consciousness of the Lord. Citi is universal Consciousness of Isvara, Sadasiva... and also of the accomplished Yogis. Citta is the individual consciousness, limited and contracted. The individual soul is limited and thus its nature is full of Vikalpas (various activities). The powers of Siva like Jnana, Kriya and Maya contract to Sattva, Rajas and Tamas in the individual soul.

Citta the individual soul is of the nature of Siva in its pure state but in impure state is MAyA-PramAtA becoming Pralayakalars and Sakalars having Malams or impurities.

By removing Malams and knowing the true nature of the soul, one attains liberation or Moksa from Samsara (birth, death and rebirth).

Atman: The Great Soul = CidAtmA = Cit = Citi.

1) It is indivisible by Time and Space.

2) It has the capacity to be the Light or Manifester and the manifested.

3) It becomes threefold by contamination with three Malas: Anu or Anava, Karma and MAyA Malas.

4) It can take on the nature of a) Sunya with no experience, b) PrAna c) Subtle body with five Tanmatras, Manas, Buddhi and Ahamkara, d) Gross body.

5) Seven Pentads: The descending Pentads from Siva to Purusha, the individual soul afflicted with the Kancukas.

5.1) Siva PramAtA (Siva), 5.2) Mantra Mahesvara (Sadasiva), 5.3) Mantrevara (Isvara), 5.4) Mantra (Ananta), 5.5) Vijnanakalars (MahamAyA), 5.6) Pralayakalars (MAyA), and 5.7) Sakalar class souls (Other). See the chart above.

Siva is One and becomes all the above entities. Siva in His pure state is of a Pentad nature: Cit, Ananda (Bliss), Iccha (Will), Jnana (Knowledge), Kriya (Action). The ignorance or AkhyAti, renders it with a shroud (or jackets) of KalA, VidyA, RAga, KAla, and Niyati. These are known as Kancukas or limiting jackets.

If Siva is such a Great God, how come we have the Anu (the individual soul) mired in impurities and limited by Kancukas of MAyA? The limited Atman mired in malas and limited by Kancukas becomes a Samsarin, corporeal being subject to birth, death and rebirth. The Will power of Siva (Iccha SAkti) full of freedom with no restraint undergoes limitation into Anava Mala. Omniscience becomes limited knowledge; soul's immersion in MAya Mala produces Antahkarana or Inner Organ and external organs. Kriya Sakti (Action Power of Siva with omnipotence) undergoes dilution in the world of differentiation and multiplicity and becomes the limited and immersed in KArma Mala.

Plenitude of Sivatva becomes a stunted and contracted power in the individual soul (Citta).

Intrinsic Powers of Siva or Atman (Plenitude of Siva)	Contracted powers of the limited individual soul (Kancukas)
Eternity = Beyond constrains of Time	KAla⁷ (Limitation of life in terms of Time)
Omnipresence = All-pervasiveness	Niyati⁸ (Limitation and subjection to Karma and destiny)
Omnipotence = unlimited Action Power.	KalA⁹ (Limitation of power or learning)
Omniscience = unlimited Knowledge.	VidyA¹⁰ (Limitation of knowledge)
Fullness, perfection, Wholesomeness	RAga¹¹ (Limitation of desire)

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36 TATTVAS

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36 TATTVAS