परमार्थसार (महामाहेश्वर अभिनवगुप्त - त्रिक-दर्शन, अद्वैत शैव साधना एवं सान्वय सटीक)

Paramārthasāra of Abhinavagupta 29
aspect in these two tattvas where consciousness shines as the in-
finite and perfect "I" and that alone, without even the faintest
manifestation of this-ness. That is the state of absolute unity
thought over in its two aspects imagined by philosophers for the
sake of perfect and complete understanding. The Lord is suppos-
ed to govern these two tattvas as Śiva and Śakti respectively.
Beings who attain the position of such unity are termed as
Akala beings. They enjoy constantly the blissful existence of
their infinite and pure I-consciousness endowed with infinite
divine potency.
Sadāśiva and Īśvara-tattvas belong to the plane of unity in diver-
sity and are governed by Lord Sadāśiva and Lord Īśvara respecti-
vely. The Absolute God, descended to such plane of unity-cum-
diversity, is known by these two names. Beings residing at the
planes of these two tattvas are respectively called Mantra-mahe-
śvaras and Mantreśvaras. They enjoy the awareness of their blissful
unity with the undiversified objective existence appearing as
simple "this" and feel respectively as "I am this" and "This is
myself." The awareness of the element of I-ness predominates
in the former type of these beings and the element of this-ness
does so in the latter. The viewpoint of unity-cum-diversity, be-
longing to both of these types of beings, serves them as their
instrumental tattva and is termed as Śuddhavidyā or Sadvidyā, the
pure and correct knowledge. Sadvidyā at its lower type is termed
as Mahāmāyā. Beings residing in its plane are known either as
Mantras or as Vidyeśvaras. They see themselves as divinely potent,
pure and infinite consciousness and enjoy its blissfulness but, at the
same time, they take the objective existence as different from them.
Lord Īśvara, descended to that level is known as Lord Anantanātha
who rules over Mantra beings and conducts further creation by
means of the divine powers delegated to him by the Lord. Crea-
tion up to the level of Mahāmāyā is conducted directly by the
Almighty Absolute God Himself, without entrusting it to any of
His Avatāras who conduct creation at lower levels. Such creation
is known as the pure creation. It is termed as Śuddha-adhvan, the
pure path of objective meditation, as taught in the Trika system
of practical Śaivism.
परमं यत् स्वातन्त्र्यं दुर्घटसम्पादनं महेशस्य ।
देवी मायाशक्तिः स्वात्मावरणं शिवस्यैतत् ॥ १५ ॥