Aṇu refers to an atom or a cell and in this context, an individual jīva. Such a soul is completely susceptible to the influence of māyā. The strategy adopted by such a soul whose current state of experience is one of bhēda or duality (i.e. an apparent sense of separation from the Supreme Paramaśiva Mahābhaṭṭāraka), is termed as āṇavōpāya. The objective of āṇavōpāya is to employ one’s body and the ten indriyas in activities such as Japa (mainly of the nature śuṣka), prāṇāyāma, haṭha-yōga, dhyāna, etc. to achieve a certain level of purity and refinement. This shall lead way to śākta upāya or jñānōpāya and śāmbhavōpāya or anupāya (treated as same or different by various commentators). āṇava, like śākta, is a kramōpāya where the realization or insight gained is gradual and successive, leading from āṇava to śākta and finally to śāmbhava where the realization of the Self occurs in a spontaneous and direct flash, termed as śāmbhava samāvēśa by Tantras such as Mālinīvijayōttara. Abhinavagupta and others maintain that śāmbhavōpāya is unparalleled as there is no other system that offers a similar path, whereas jñāna-yōga of Advaita corresponds to śāktōpāya. While not in entirety, Sāmkhya and Pātañjala Yoga can be roughly mapped to āṇavōpāya in parts. Again, the difference will be understood if one observes the difference in the objectives of these darshanas. In terms of practical application, śāmbhava and śākta kinds of meditation are subjective in nature whereas āṇava is objective. In the case of āṇavōpāya, the focus shifts from the subject to the object; in śākta, contemplation is performed on the exact nature of the subject through subjective imagination; this is realized directly and spontaneously in śāmbhava upāya.
Sāmkhya-Yoga darśanas posit puruṣa as the highest who is described as sat and chit (existence – consciousness). Thus, after mōkṣa, the state is of saccit but there is no ānanda, i.e. upon mōkṣa, puruṣa is freed of suffering, but there is really no positive bliss therein. Also, at the instant of mōkṣa, the mind or chitta is withdrawn into prakr̥ti, its cause, which results in the luminescence of puruṣa in his original glory because chitta is always alien here.
In the case of Vēdānta (Kēvalādvaita), ātmā is saccit and also ānanda (existence – consciousness – bliss) and identical with Brahman. Self here is simply of the nature of jñāna devoid of any activity. The deal here is of ātma-vypāpti with limited jñāna-kriyā. At mōkṣa, when māyā disappears, also goes the samsāra which is conceived as merely a fiction conjured by māyā.
However, the goal of Tantra is not merely mōkṣa or realization of the Self, but rather accomplishing Shivatva (śivatva yōjanā) or Shivahood. Thus, it is not simply ātmavyāpti as in the case of Vēdānta, which in turn is considered inferior here, but the ideal here is of śiva-vyāpti. Also, the Self here is characterized not only by jñāna but also kriyā. Shivavyāpti is indicative of the state of Paramaśiva who is simultaneously transcendent and immanent in the universe (viśvātmaka and viśvōttīrṇa) due to the complete blooming of unmanī-śakti. Jñāna-kriyā is here universal and all-pervasive. Also, post mōkṣa, the universe is not fiction like in Vēdānta, but rather realized as a glorious expression of the Supreme Parāśakti. Also, on mōkṣa, chitta is transformed into chit or Divine Consciousness. In the order of involution (avarōhaṇa or nimēṣa), chiti deteriorates to chitta; in the order of evolution (adhyārōhaṇa or unmēṣa), chitta is restored to its original state, chiti.
Thus, liberation from samsāra is of lesser importance to Tantra as the chief goal here is of śivatva-yōjanā. The view of the Bhairavāgama is that such a mōkṣa from samsāra or transmigrations is one lower aspect; for it only helps one transcend the province of māyā (which in essence is bauddha-ajñāna i.e. ajñāna masking the buddhi – pauruṣa ajñāna being the other kind) and grants videhamukti. But this is not the same as realizing one’s aiśvarya (Divine Prowess) and śivatva (Shivahood). The mōkṣa of the Vēdāntin involving vivēkajñāna (discrimination between Self and not-Self) is insufficient here and even considered as a deviation from the central goal. Pāśa-kṣaya, śivatva-yōjanā, and śivatvāvāpti are the important stages on the path of the āgama. A chief attribute of śivatva-yōjanā is not only the experience of ghanībhūta cidānanda, but also the magnificent expression of svātantrya-śakti, which is absent in the case of mōkṣa as conceptualized by a Vēdāntin.
Coming back to āṇavōpāya, a popular practice involves concentrating the mind on three sthānas – prāṇa, dēha or an external object. The famous Vijñānabhairava deals with several techniques where prāṇa is used as the object of focus – such as fixing the mind on the incoming and outgoing breath. For example, one establishes one’s mind on the internal and internal dvādaśāntas and as a result, vikaplas are eliminated leading to āṇava samāvēśa.
ūrdhvē prāṇō hyadhō jīvō visargātmā parōccarēt |
utpattidviyasthānē bharaṇādbharitā stithiḥ ||
In the case of various techniques of āṇavōpāya, the merit of the technique is determined based on the closeness of the subject and the object. One can meditate upon objects within oneself or exterior to the self. Those objects that are closest to the subject are considered to lead to a higher type of āṇava yoga than those away from the subject. Buddhi, prāṇa, dēha, and dhvani (of breath or emanating from the chakras) are the internal objects of meditation in the descending order of merit. These respectively point to the following modes of Trika yoga: dhyāna, uccāra, karaṇa, and dhvani. External objects include time and space, which are considered in their three aspects, and these result in ṣaḍadhvan of sthānakalpanā.
In dhyāna-yōga (which is different from the dhyāna of Pātañjala darśana), one imagines the unity of pramātr̥, pramēya, and pramāṇa, identifying this whole with oneself. By utilizing deep activity of the buddhi, one attains āṇava samāvēśa. In the case of uccāra-yōga, the yogin withdraws attention from the body and its indriyas, focusing on the most subtle aspect of prāṇa along with its five functional components. The resultant is the six forms of bliss: nijānanda, nirānanda, parānanda, brahmānanda, mahānanda, and cidānanda, leading finally to āṇava samāvēśa. In karaṇa-yōga, various physical postures such as āsanas, mudrās, and bandhas are employed, along with specific contemplation. Popular forms of Kuṇḍalinī yoga practiced today fall under this category. In the case of dhvani-yoga, the object of one’s attention is the sound of one’s breath or chakra-nāda. Practices such as ajapā-japa involving hamsa-sōham japa fall under this category. Sthānakalpanā involves meditation on objects external to oneself. As described earlier, this involves two objects: time and space, each considered in their three aspects of fineness, subtleness, and grossness. The three paths corresponding to space are varṇa, mantra, and pada whereas those associated with time are kala, tattva, and bhuvana, ranging from the fine to gross. Sthānakalpanā leads to a slightly inferior type of āṇava samāvēśa.
To summarize, in āṇavōpaya, one’s awareness is weak and hence the practitioner has to utilize everything available as an aid in a skillful way to maintain and strengthen the awareness. As one progresses to śāmbhava upāya through śākta methods, by the virtue of the strength of one’s awareness, no support is needed, internal or external.