nirvANa sundarI

The Supreme Shakti, the instrument of transcendent shiva in all his activities (samanA), is the totality of all the tattvas. This position, in which kAla is called sAmya, form a kalA of samanA and is eternal (being unaffected by mahA-praLaya), is that of the so-called parabrahman. It is not the state of shiva. The atoms abide here in mahA-praLaya, for they are not yet transformed into the essence of shiva. The movement of pashu as such commences from here. [tantrAloka VI 138-167]. It is within this that the entire universe lies hidden. From this down to vyApinI or the great void within the brahma-randhra, there is a regular series of shakti representing more and more diminished consciousness and power (e.g. anAshritA, anAthA, anantA and vyomarUpA), all being hyper-subtle and described by yogins in terms of negation. In fact not a single shakti beyond the brahma-randhra lends itself to a positive description. The suShumnA canal along which the nAda flows up, ends up in brahma-randhra.

The Supreme Shakti is sometimes described as amA-kalA. It is then intended to convey the idea that it is eternal, ever-emergent and of the nature of unalloyed bliss, the other kalAs which go into the make-up of the world being replenished and supplemented by it. When it is free from visarga, it is not outwardly inclined and rests in itself. In this condition it is called shakti-kuNDalinI or parA-samvit and is likened to a sleeping serpent resting on itself. But when it is ruffled, it becomes visarga which is of two kinds according as it represents the pre-creative flutter called Ananda and symbolized as “a” the last creative effort bringing out life or prANa symbolized as “h”. prANa or “h” is sometimes described as hamsa or shUnya. The two visargas are therefore known as higher and lower (para and apara), graphically represented in nAgarI script as the two points of visarjanIya [:]. The amA-kalA reveals the two points and flows out in order to manifest forms. Every form in the universe, whether a subject or an object or an instrument of knowledge, is identical with amA-kalA, though it may be made to appear as different from it. The determinate prakAsha in each form implies this difference. Hence shakti-kuNDalinI expressed in visarga is still resting on itself as samvit and is free from movement.

prANa-kuNDalinI represents the other end where samvit has already developed in prANa. Samvit is full and self-contained. Its supreme creative act is to be distinguished from the later creative processes, as it means the projection of the Self out of itself into itself. As the source of creation is not anything extraneous to the Self, the latter is the efficient (nimitta) as well as the intrinsic cause (upAdAna) of the effect. Creation takes place within the Self and not within time and space different from it. What is projected or created is also not anything other than the Self. Thus every object in this universe, inner or outer, is a form of the Self. The projection is of the nature of multiple AbhAsas manifested as both inner and outer realities. Samvit thus appears gradually as the different letter-sounds in its process of materialization. These are the multiple forms assumed by visarga, the outermost being called “h”. The visarga which is only “h” without manifestation is described in some treatises (kula-gahvara) as the principle of kAma or unrestricted will. As there is no real difference between the visarga and the objective world, it is not possible to assume a causal relation between them. Visarga itself appears as vAchya as well as vAchaka. Infinite manifestation is the essence of visarga, though it does not produce any real multiplicity. The Supreme Shakti as being responsible for this manifold appearance, such as delight (Ananda), will (icChA), knowledge (jnAna) and action (kriyA) is the hidden spring of visarga.

The subtle visarga expresses itself ceaselessly, and as nAda (or para-bIja) existing in every creature it indicates prANa and its existence is felt within by all, though its special manifestation is confined to specific occasions. Visarga is this the attribute of the Supreme Divine which is eternally free and has the power of five-fold divine activity – creation, preservation, destruction or withdrawal, grace and alienation.

contd ...