तन्त्रसार (महामाहेश्वर अभिनवगुप्त - तन्त्रालोक का प्रामाणिक सार-संग्रह सटीक)

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and as a result becomes one of the vijñānākala souls. He
even arises to the level of mantra when the lord wills it so.¹
After Śaktipāta the author explains the nature of tirobhāva.
It is one of of the five functions ( pañcakṛtya ) of the Lord.
Tirobhāva is of two types : the one is niyatikrama when the
Lord is seen as the ordainer of law and the bestower of fruit in
accordance to the merit and demerit of the soul. Here He ta-
kes recourse to niyati and therefore the functions of creation,
maintenance and dissolution follow from Him. But above
Māyāṇḍa, that is, at the level of Śakti which is beyond the
sphere of karma, there continues creation of immense nature,
It is done by Aghora. This creation is known as mahāsṛṣṭi.
Similarly pralaya of greater nature, that is, the highest diss-
olution is also performed at this stage. Creation and dissolu-
tion of this nature are performed by the Lord without taking
recourse to niyati, but those which are performed from Māyā
downward are done by him by taking recourse to niyati.
Therefore at that stage He though in essence is ever prabu-
ddha, the enlightened one behaves in the worldly level as an
unlightened one.
XII
In the present chapter the author gives the preliminaries
of initiation. The question as to the necessity of dīkṣā or initi-
ation being asked the author states that dīkṣā only is the
means to lead the soul to enjoy bhoga and finally helps to
attain liberation. Primarily dīkṣā sanctifies the soul and pro-
duces in it competency for receiving jñāna, yoga and others,
for without dīkṣā the highest prerogative of following the
course along Śāṅkara yoga cannot be possible. Therefore
dīkṣā is considered to be the preliminary step to the series
1 T, A 13/275