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

viii
naturally. He is able to grasp the truth by sat tarka
( intuition ). He, at that stage, has nothing to do with any
sort of personal duty, for he has totally done away with all
the impurities that are considered to be the causes of the
continuation of worldly existence. He remains ever awake
in the Bhairava state. Then, whatever he does, is performed
only to show grace to the people of the world. All this is
said to have happened to Abhinavagupta.
Whether a person has attained identity with Bhairava,
can be known from some marks of which Śrī Mālinīvijaya
has stated thus :

1. Unswerving devotion to Rudra.
2. Mantrasiddhi.
3. Control over all principles.
4. Ability to accomplish the desired objects.
5. Poetic genius and spontaneous knowledge of all
   Śāstras¹.
   Jayaratha writes in his commentary on Tantrāloka that
   all the above marks were present in Abhinavagupta. He
   also quotes a verse of an unknown writer in support of his
   view regarding the matter².
   १. रुद्रशक्तिसमावेशस्तत्रनित्यं प्रतिष्ठितः ।
   सति तस्मिंश्च चिन्हानि तस्यैतानि विलक्षयेत् ॥
   तत्रैतत्प्रथमं चिह्नं रुद्रे भक्तिः सुनिश्चला ।
   द्वितीयं मन्त्रसिद्धिः स्यात्सद्यप्रत्ययकारिका ॥
   सर्वतत्त्ववशित्वं च तृतीयं लक्षणं स्मृतम् ।
   प्रारब्धकार्यनिष्पत्तिः चिह्नमाहुश्चतुर्थकम् ॥
   कवित्वं पञ्चमं ज्ञेयं सालङ्कारं मनोरमम् ।
   सर्वशास्त्रार्थवेत्तृत्वमकस्माच्चास्य जायते ॥ मा० वि० ८.१३
   २. समस्तं चेदं चिह्नजातमस्मिन्नेव ग्रन्थकारे प्रादुरभूदिति प्रसिद्धिः ।
   तन्त्रालोक विवेक आ० १३

ix
His Tantrāloka is a dissertation on Tantra in which he
throws enough light not only on many unknown and little-
known matters based on the authority of Śaiva Āgamas., but
discusses the philosophy and practices of them and interprets
them traditionally on the basis of his experience. This monu-
mental work is mainly concerned with the teaching of Kula,
Tantra and Krama systems.
His Tantrāloka is not merely a philosophical treatise, but
a guide for seekers of Truth. He boldly states that the wise
person who studies continuously the entire work of Tantrāloka
consisting of thirty seven chapters becomes Bhairava himself¹.
This is not only true for Tantrāloka but it is equally
true for Tantrasāra also, for the subject-matters as contained
in the former are the same in the present text. The volume
of the present work is quite handy. But it does not mean
that the reader will be able to grasp the entire thought
contained herein without plenty of plodding. The succinct-
ness of language adopted by the author, has made the text a
hard nut to crack. The whole idea is expresssed in a few
words and a broad panorama has been left out of its scope,
with the result that the work is very difficult to understand.
It is more so because there is no commentary which can
throw light on less known thoughts. We have stated earlier
that it is a summerised version of Tantrāloka, hence for the
proper understanding of the text one is to depend on the
commentary of Jayaratha and the Tantrāloka proper.
Yet our learned author has assured his readers at the out-
१. इति सप्ताधिकामेनां त्रिंशतं यः सदा बुधः ।
आह्निकानां समभ्यस्येत्स साक्षाद्भैरवो भवेत् ॥
तंत्रालोक १ म आह्निक, २८८

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set that he has written Tantrāsāra in easy language for those
who are unable to delve deep into the vast Tantrāloka.
Sāra ordinarily means the essence of anything but esoteri-
cally it means hṛdaya, the ultimate resort known to be the
Supreme Truth. The thought abiding inseparably in Śiva as
Parāvāk, is to be known as sāra or hṛdaya. The essence of
Tantra which is lying undifferentially in the parā stage is
brought down by him to Vaikharī level through Paśyantī
where word and the thing implied by it are non-different,
then Madhyamā where the relation between vāk and artha
is quite distinct, though they remain as inner thought (antaḥ-
sañjalpa, ) whereas in the vaikharī the difference between vāk
and artha is distinct. This very vāk serves the need of
people.
Thus we see that sāra is the terminal point from where
everything gets its rise. Abhinavagupta writes in Parātrīṁśikā
that which we experience as blue and pleasure, the body,
the vital air and intellect have their steady ground in pure
consciousness which is nothing but hṛt, the resting place.
Tantrasāra the work of the author, is in essence hṛdaya
of Lord. It descends or expands itself passing through
different levels of consciousness and finally touches the
ordinary level. The sole purpose of this descent is to
enlighten the heart of everybody so that with its aid every-
body may attain his Śiva-nature, for it is He, who as Saṁvid
has extended extraordinarily His very Being as Tantrasāra
(lokottaraprasāratantrasāram).
It had been a time-honoured tradition of Indian scholars
to maintain uncontradictory singleness of thought (ekavākyatā)
throughout the work. In the beginning of Tantrasāra Śrī
Abhinavagupta urges people to collect the lotus of his heart

xi
for worshipping Maheśa. Similarly at the end of the work
he states that his sole purpose of writing it was that everybody
should attain Śiva nature. By this clear statement he hints
at the singleness of thought which is nothing but (saṁvid)
pure consciousness.
In the beginning of the work we find a benedictory
verse by which he pays obeisance to his parents, Narasiṁha-
gupta and Vimalakalā his father and mother respectively.
They represent Śiva and Śakti. Tantrāloka also begins with
this very verse in which Jayaratha, the renowned comment-
ator, has given three interpretations keeping kula, krama
and the common views in mind.
It has been the tradition of ancient scholars to pay
obeisance to the Lord in order to allay obstacles, otherwise
they stand in the way to progress and performance of duty
by creating many sorts of hindrances like inattentiveness, lack
of imagination etc. They are thought to be presided over
by some deities even though the person from whom the delu-
sive influence of Māyā has ceased but its residual trace
is still functioning. Because of its presence he will experience
himself as a subject identical either with the body or the vital
energy etc. He is overpowered by those deities who cause
impediment to the fulfilment of his desire, particularly they
cause interruption to him who has undertaken the task of
showing the path of liberation to the world¹. Hence it is
considered proper for him that he should pay obeisance to
Lord. At the time of bowing (namana) he merges his
individual self to the Supreme who is the very self of the
१. ते च प्रक्षीणमोहस्यापि मायासंस्काराविनिवृत्तशरीरप्राणप्रभृतिगत प्रमातृभावस्य
प्रत्यगात्मनः प्रभवेयुरपि इच्छाविधाताय, विशेषतः समस्तलोकमभ्युद्धर्तुं
परिगृहीतोद्यमस्य । ई. प्र. वि. वि, पृ० १८

xii
world and which is in reality none other then pure conscious-
ness. Hence when all differences have merged themselves
into the One-non-dual samvid, there is no question of
hindrances to arise,
I
Tantrasāra begins with the statement that perfect know-
ledge ( pūrṇaprathā ) is the cause of liberation. It is the
revelation of Siva-nature in ones own self. Siva who by His
power of freedom appearing as limited in knowledge and
action, removes all veils by the same power, as a result
of which He shines in His pristine self-refulgent pure
consciousness. On the dawn of Supreme Wisdom as of the
nature of Prakāśa and marked by reflective self-knowledge
( Vimarśa ) everything shines non-differently in the mirror of
consciousness. While describing the nature of mokṣa Abhi-
navagupta writes in Paramārthasāra that there is no separate
region of it, nor one is to proceed towards it, but it is to be
realised by piercing the knots of ignorance by virtue of full
development of one's own power of freedom¹. Mokṣa should
not be considered as the effect of jñāna and the latter the
cause of it, but it is the manifestation of the real nature of
ātman².
According to Śivādvaya system though ignorance is
accepted as the cause of Samsāra, yet the nature of ajñāna is
differently presented here. Here mūla ajñāna is known as
āṇavamala, a limitation innate in the individual. It originates
from absolute freedom of Lord. The āṇavamala operates
in the individual soul in two ways : (i) the loss to conscious-
१. परमार्थसार verse 60
२. मोक्षो हि नाम नैवान्यः स्वरूपप्रथनं हि सः । स्वरूपं चात्मनः संवित् ।
तंत्रालोक आ १।१२६

xiii
ness of its freedom, (ii) the sense of doership without bodha.
This limitation of jñāna and kriyā is known as pauruṣa and
bauddha ajñāna, comes under the class āṇavamala.
Ignorance known as bauddha ajñāna is of the nature of
indetermination and determination of contradictory nature.
Because of its presence the individual soul in bondage fails
to know definitely the real nature of the self. Moreover, he
experiences and feels himself as the experiencing subject of
what is really non-self. Pauruṣa ajñāna, characterised by
limited knowledge, is considered to be the cause of worldly
existence.
It is removed by initiation, but a person cannot avail
himself of it so long the impurity known as bauddha ajñāna
lying in his intellect is not removed, for initiation is only
preceded by the firm conviction regarding right knowledge
of the things avoided and the right knowledgs of the things
to be accepted ( heyopādeyaniścaya ) on behalf of the person
who desires initiation.
Right knowledge regarding everything can only be
obtained from sacred literature told by Parameśvara. He
is the highest authority and origin of all sacred literatures.
Those revealed texts are the giver of release to the souls in
bondage. The number of the revealed texts known as
Āgamas is ten, eighteen and sixtyfour¹. The essence of
१. Āgamas which were revealed from five faces of Śiva are
predominantly dualistic. The number of dualistic Āgamas
are ten. Those which are of dual-non-dual nature are
eighteen in number and those which teach non-dual
truth are sixtyfour in number. Āgamas descended, on
the earth in five currents from the five faces of Śiva
known as ईशान, तत्पुरुष, सद्योजात, वामदेव and अघोर ।

'xiv

them is the Trika system and the most important of them is
Mālinīvijaya.
Abhinavagupta writes that he will give an exposition of
Mālinīvijaya, for he thinks unless the real nature of things
is determened, it fails to bestow liberation. Pure knowledge
only possesses the quality of bestowing release.
The highest principle which is of the nature of Light is
Śiva. He, the most acceptable of all, is svabhāva. It is of
the nature of light ( prakāśarūpa ), for that which is not
light cannot be known, hence it cannot be the svabhāva.
Light ( prakāśa ) is pure consciousness which is the very
life of everything, though shining in all, shines as blue and
jar distinctly separate from each other. This notion of
separateness, the knowledge of duality, is considered as ajñāna
but ( Caitanyam ) pure consciousness is really jñāna. It is
universal ( sarvasāmānya ). It is present everywhere and is
possessed of absolute freedom of wisdom and activity
( jñānakriyāvān ). The non-shining of this universal light to
the person who is limited is the prime ignorance of the self.
The Light of which we have spoken above is independ-
dent. Its independence means that it depends on nothing.
It is all-compassing, eternal, is of the nature of assuming all
forms and at the same time it is without any form ( sarvākāra
nirākāra svabhāva ). Its absolute freedom is ānandaśakti,
the relishment of one's own ānanda is icchāśakti, its nature
of light is cicchakti, its self-reflective light is jñānaśakti,
its enactive relation with all is kriyāśakti.
Śiva, though associated with all His principal śaktis,
always remains free from limitations and rests in His blissful
nature. When by His absolute freedom of will he manifests
Himself as limited, He is then known as aṇu. Then again

xv
He shiness as Śiva marked by absolute freedom and unlimited
light. By virtue of His absolute freedom - He shines without
any means (anupāya) and sometimes with means (upāya).
These upāyas may be icchā, jñāna or kriyā, the way of absor-
ption of the individual consciousness into the Divine. These
icchā, jñāna, and kriya are śaktis of Śiva. When a yogi
is able to grasp any of them, it is easy for him to attain
Śiva. As the ways are three, so (samāveśa) absorption also
are three, hence they are known as śāmbhava, śākta and
āṇava samāveśas.
This, in short, is the summary of the first chapter of
Tantrasāra.
II
The second chapter begins with the brief presentation
of anupāya. It is not counted under any upāya for the
very reason that as an upāya it is so subtle that it does not
come under any upāyas and more because the person on
whom the fall of grace has occurred most intensely does not
have any need of internal and external help in order to
realise his identity with Śiva. The word of the teacher once
listened to by him, places him on the transcendent path
(anuttarapatha), the stable ground of the blissful nature of
Śakti, then he realises at once that the Lord, the self-mani-
fest one, is the very self of his own. As the very nature of
Śiva is eternal, hence thers is no question of realising it by
any means. As it is self-manifest, ways add nothing to it.
If it is said that ways help the removal of veils, then it is
untenable, for there is no existence of any veil. In the same
way the question of merger of the one into the other cannot
stand, for there is total absence of two separate entities. In
this way the chain of reasonable arguments causes in him

xvi
firm conviction, as the result of which he realises that the
Absolute, the mass of bliss, is the single Truth and 'I am
He' in whom everything shines in the mirror of conscious-
ness inseparably. Thus contemplated firmly, he finds himself
one with divine absorption.
In Tantrāloka Jayaratha comments that in Śāmbhava,
Śākta and Āṇava upāyas icchā jñāna and kriyāśaktś function
where the possibility of duality may arise, for icchā becomes
externally inclined because of the presence of something
desirable (eṣaṇīya) in the core of icchā, while in anupāya
ānandaśakti functions and it is said of ānanda that it is
Brahman Itself, hence in anupāya there is no tint of upāya
as separate from it¹.
III
Ātman is of the characteristic of Light and Freedom
and is free from all thought-constructs (vikalpa). He is
Śiva, the Absolute. As he encompasses everything, He is
partless, an integral whole (akhaṇḍa) of Infinite Light—
the single realm of Light where thought fails to reach (nirvi-
kalpaikadhāman). Though an ordinary soul in its fallen
state is non-different from that Light, yet he is unable to
to concieve this and fails to realise his identity with It. But
as soon as the grace of Guru falls on him a little less
intensely, he begins to realise the Truth, and by a sudden
fiash he is able to perceive the Light without any intervention
of any upāya than Svātantryaśakti which is inseparable from
that Light. This perception is direct and immediate.
१. इच्छादीनां हि एषणीयादि विषयावच्छेदेन बाह्योन्मुखत्वात् भेदसंभावनादि
स्यात्, आनन्दशक्तिः पुनः—'आनन्दो ब्रह्मणः रूपम्' इत्याद्युक्त्याचितस्त-
त्स्वरूपमेव इति। —तं० आ० १ पृ० २५६

xvli
In that perception of Light any separate entity to be
reflected upon, is wanting, It is of the nature of self-reflec-
tion and has the characteristic of vibrati ion Here the
Yogin takes resort to icchāśakti as a means for realising his
identity with that Light¹.
Svātantryaśakti of which we have spoken above causes
the pictures of bhāvas manifest in the clear mirror of pure
consciousness. The bhāvas cannot shine by themselves.
They shine in the void of consciousness as reflection. For
this reason the Lord is said to be immanent. As this Śakti
is sentient, not inert, so its āmarśana, that is, self reflection
continues ceaselessly. Its self-reflective nature is known as
Paranāda, which in the Āgama literature, is called Parāvāk,
the Supreme Word.
Vāk is śakti and is non-different from vimarśa. The
śaktis which extend and assume the form of the universe, are
chiefly three, namely, anuttara, icchā and unmeṣa. Basically
they are nothing but of having the nature of parāmarśa
( reflection ) which assume the syllabic form of letters like
a, i, u. ( अ, इ, उ ). It is from them all the śaktis originate.
The fifty syllables in Samskrit come broadly under two
groups. From a (अ) to visarga the sixteen letters ars known as
vowels and the rest from Ka to ha (ह) are consonants. The
vowels are the bījas ( seeds ) and the consonants are ( Yonis )
the receptacles for receiving the seeds.
Primarily Lord who is anuttara becomes ānanda which
is self-reflection of cit. As cit in its slight vibration intents on
externality it is known as ānanda. Similarly icchā becomes
īśana when it rests in icchā. In the same way ūrmi is the
१. ………………स्वपरामर्शनिर्विकल्पैकधामनि ।
यत्स्फुरत्प्रकटं साक्षात्तदिच्छाख्यं प्रकीतितम् ॥ —तं० आ० १.१४६
2

reflected unmeṣa. As syllables these three are ā, ī, ū.
From ū onward kriyāśakti begins to function. The former
three parāmarśas are of the characteristic of prakāśa. Hence
they are of the nature of the sun and the latter parāmarśas,
that is, the longer vowels are of the nature of soma with
the characteristic of rest.
When icchā and īśana become inclined towards activity,
or in other words, when activity enters them, it sets in
disturbance and causes a break in tranquility. Then icchā
and īśana are known as īśyṣamāna īśyamāna. In the one
light is predominant and in the other it is of the nature of
rest. They are known as ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, ḹ. As they are only śruti
(semitone) and sound like consonant sounds of ra and la,
they do not come under consonants proper. As they retain
the vowel and consonant sounds both, they are considered
as neuter.
The creative movement which proceeds to flow from
anuttara give rise to different varṇas. The impelling force
of kriyāśakti terminates after giving rise to the varṇas like
e (ए), ai (ऐ), o (ओ) and au (औ) After that the inward move
begins to operate, as a result all the resultants are then put
to rest in anuttara. It is to be noted here that this anuttara
is different from anuttara akāra, the Supreme Bhairava. It
manifests as aṃ (अं) which is in essence pure consciousness.
From that anuttara visarga ( : ) occurs.
Visarga better known as visargaśakti, is the creative
force which not only operates but manifests herself as the
universe. She remains inseparably united with the Absolute
before the rise of kṣobha in it. The universe as we see it,
is the manifestation of light as indicated objects (vācya)
and the reflection of that light in its turn, stands for each of

the indicative sound as represented by a, ā, i etc. Manifest-
ation that occurs in this twofold way (Vācya and Vācaka)
is in reality, the manifestation of Vāk, the Supreme Word.
The Supreme known as akula, is possessed of power (Śakti)
which gives rise to the universe. This power is called
Kaulikī Śakti. It retains the universe within Herself in a
very subtle form but on account of creative impulse she
expands Herself in three stages. These stages of creation
though lying within, yet are projected externally by the Lord
by means of Visarga Śakti.
Creation as known to us is predominantly of the nature
of differnce (bheda). This is the gross form of creation.
In the language of Āgama it is known as āṇava visarga,
while the creation in which difference and non-difference
(bhedābheda) shine, is called Śākta Visarga. This is the
subtle from of creation and the creation of non-dual nature is
known as Śāmbhava visarga. It is the subtlest of all crea-
tions.
Āṇava visarga is the grossest of all, because externality
shines here in a gross form. The entire creation consisting
of pramāṇa, and prameyas (the instrument of knowledge
the object of knowledge), and knowledge with its limited
nature shine as mutually different and different from the
self. But in Śākta visarga the universe shines in dual-non-
dual relation. In āṇava visarga difference is predominant.
It is the characteristic of ha¹ while in Śākta visarga all
that is experienced as seen, heard, touched etc by the
self, is obliterated. The universe becomes perfectly intent
on pure consciousness. It is awakening of citta toward cit.
Citta, though cit by nature, yet in its empirical consciousness
१. नरसम्बन्धी हकारात्मा स्थूलोविसर्गः –तं० आ० वि, आ३

xx
becomes the experiencing Subject and all the objects shine
in its view as different from it. This occurs on account of
subject-object relationship. Because of this relation the
universe shines with its variety of objects. Cit, the experie-
ncing Subject of the world picture, at this stage, descends
down to the level of citta by imposing upon itself the limi-
tations of objects¹.
In Śākta visarga citta does not function as the subject
and its objects with their mutual difference, but shines as
one with consciousness. In the former case it is resting and
terminating of citta to its objects having limitations, while
here it is submerging of all sorts of limitations into all in-
clusive pure consciousness. For this reason it is known as
citta sambodha, the awakening of citta, that is, in this stage
citta becomes intent on offering itself in the niṣkala nature
of Śiva who is of the characteristic of integral Light
(akhaṇḍa prakāśarūpa).
But in Śāmbhava visarga there shines neither difference
nor non-difference. Even the universe is absent there. A
slight trace of citta cannot be perceptible there. It shines
as cit free from all limitations and ever remains refulgent
in its fullness of perfection. This is the highest visarga
characterised by ānanda.
The person who has realised his identity with that Light
experiences that everything from the earth to Śiva shines in
the mirror of consciousness. Everything that shines has the
source in consciousness, and not only that it is non-different
from it. The very nature of Śāmbhava upāya is this kind
of comprehension. Abhinavagupta has given the idea of it
in Tantrāloka thus :
१. चितिरेव चेतनपदावरूढा चेत्यसंकोचिनीचित्तम्-प्र० हृ० सू-५

xxi
Bhairava, the clear void of consciousness creates the
picture of the universe in Himself. He manifests them and
experiencers that, ‘I am the universe.’ Thus He assumes the
immanent nature. This is His function of creation. Then He
maintains the sixfold adhvās and experiences them as being
reflected in him. Thus He is the manifestor of maintenance.
Then lastly, into the flame of all-consuming Fire the entire
universe is withdrawn and dissolved.
Thus, the person who is able to realise the partless one
as the single unit of conciousness ( akhaṇḍaikarūpatayā ) in
which the above three functious of creation, maintenance
and dissolution have their rise and rest, is absorbed in the
Supreme by means of Śāmthava upāya.
IV
The highest end of human being is to arrive at the very
nature of Paraśiva who is ever free from determinacy
( vikalpa ). One is able to get rid of thought-constructs by
means of pure reasoning, listening to holy texts known as
Āgamas and following the teachings of the spiritual teacher.
The practice of contemplating or viewing everything as Siva,
the essential Reality, is the means by which one is able rise
above impure vikalpas. In Tantrasāra it is stated that one
considers oneself bound on account of vikalpas. The wrong
conception of one’s true nature is the cause of samsāra.
Therefore, when a vikalpa of quite opposite nature is born,
it dispels the wrong one and places one on the right track
and soon it becomes the cause of the highest good.
Though vikalpa is of no avail to reveal the nature of
Paraśiva, the highest Reality, for It is everywhere and in
every way self-luminous, Yet it is the considered opinion of
the author that pure vikalpas remove the sense of duality

xxii
from the self. The sense of duality is not something positive,
but is only ignorance (akhyāti) of one's essential nature.
Therefore the sense of duality is removed by śuddhavikalpa.
Śuddhavidyā leads to sattarka or pure reasoning. It
should be borne in mind that it is distinct from gross form
of reasoning as is dealt in the Nyāya system, for it is said of
sattarka that it arises by itself in a person on whom Śakti has
keenly touched. This tarka leads to the continuity of ideas
similar to śuddhavikalpa as stated in Tantrasāra thus :
That which is unlimited consciousness transcending all
limited expressions of Reality from earth right up to Śiva,
that alone is the highest Reality; that am I.
When finally by continuous practice of tarka regarding
the nature of Reality, it brings about purity of vikalpas.
The highest excellence of tarka terminates into bhāvanā by
which one is able to make manifest even the most indistinct
into distinct.
In some tarka may arise by itself without having his
recourse to any spiritual guide or reading of holy texts.
When it dawns upon the person, he is considered to have
been initiated by the luminous Samviddevīs themselves.
But the person on whom the grace of Lord has fallen in
a less keen degree, should have to be initiated by the spiritu-
al teacher, after which he is able to secure the right of liste-
ning to Āgamas which by their proper understanding, help
him become free from doubts. Afterward the truth that
contains in the Āgama, gives rise to Sattarka in him.
Sattarka is the light of Śuddhavidyā. It is considered
to be the most excellent and direct limb of yoga. It has
been stated in the Tantrasāra that yoga is also a kind of
Vikalpa, but it is characterised by intensive awareness (anu-

xxiii

sandhenātmā ) as regards to the essential Reality. For the
purpose of keeping the essential Reality ever luminous in his
view, the yogin takes resort to this form of Vikalpa for the
maturity of his awareness.
Parameśvara is by nature pure consciousness and is ever
full. His fullness is His Śakti, the Divine I-consciousness.
By the grace of Śuddhavidyā one has to take resort to Cit
Śakti which finally leads the aspirant to Śambhu, the Lord.
V
When vikalpa cannot by itself becomes pure and there-
fore one has to depend on other means for its purification,
in that case the aspirant is decidedly staying in the lower
stage of spiritual development, or in other words, Śaktipāta
has occurred in him in a lesser degree. Therefore, for the
purification of vikalpas, he, being limited himself, takes
resort to such means as are limited. Hence the individual
takes up buddhi, prāṇa or body itself for this purpose.
Among the aspirants who is more advanced, proceeds
on the path of dhyāna. The Tantrasāra has given briefly
how this contemplative meditation is to be performed. Though
it is called dhyāna yet it is quite distinct from dhyānas
as are found mentioned in various holy texts. In short, it
is unlike those in which the aspirant imagines his desired
deity as having a face and limbs.
The Tantrasāra describes dhyāna in the following manner.
The self-luminous essential Reality who abides in all, is to
be meditated upon by the aspirant in the core of the cons-
cious heart. The meditation is to be performed in such a
way that the three, namely, the Subject, the instrument of
knowledge and the object representing the fire, the sun and
the moon respectively, have coalesced together and have
become the unity of a single mass. The meditation is to be

xxiv
continued so long as they do not lose their separate entities
and blaze up as the Fire of the Great Lord. This Fire is
to be meditated upon as surrounded by twelve kālīs. These
kālīs are none but the flames of the wheel of Fire. This
Fire should be thought of as emitting out rays through the
outlets of eyes and others, which take their rest as the object
of external senses. The object is to be thought of as being
nourished by the creative energy of the moon, then it is
maintained and made manifest by the sun and finally it is
dissolved by the energy of fire so that it may be drawn in-
side and be made transcendent ( anuttara ).
When this dhyāna is continuously performed, the aspirant
soon realises that every object and the idea is nothing but pure
consciousness in essence. He further realises that creation
and other functions are essentially the play of the Lord.
✕ ✕ ✕
After dhyāna the text gives the view of uccāra. The
upgoing movement of prāṇa is commonly known as uccāra,
but really speaking, uccāra is of the characteristics of spanda
( vibration ), which is the very soul of it.
Prāṇa is of two kinds : the one is general ( sāmānya ),
and the other is specific ( viśeṣa ). In the former difference
of any sort is totally absent, while in the latter, on account
of distinctive activities the same prāṇa shows itself in five
forms known as as prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna and vyāna.
It is quite evident that these five have their base in the
general prāṇa.
On account of the vibrative move of prāṇa inarticulate
sound known as anāhatanāda becomes manifest. It goes on
sounding without any break in the heart of every living being.
This nāda is associated with two bījas, namely, sṛṣṭibīja ( sa )
and samhārabīja ( ha ).

XXV
The activity of Prāṇa goes on functioning without any
conscious effort of the living being. Usually prāṇa moves
along the channels of iḍā and pingalā. The middle path
remains blocked for the ordinary human being. By the
grace of guru when the middle path opens up, the aspirant's
journey towards the Supreme begins from that time.
The movement of prāṇa is then realised by the aspirant
as associated with Śakti. It is She who in the form of
hamsa is moving upward and she is the real mover of prāṇa.
Not only that he realises that she gets the two bījas nourished
in two places of their origin, namely, the heart and dvāda-
śānta, the top of the head. At the realisation of this truth
the Yogin feels thar the prāṇa before its rise takes rest in
the void of the heart. Then by its externalisation as apāna
the external objects not only shine forth but also get nourished
by apāna, the moon. The Yogin then experiences the all-
pervasive nature of prāṇa. On account of specific activitics
of prāṇa in various spots of the body, the Yogin experiences
various kinds of delights in accordance to his aptitude in
getting the prāṇa take rest in these spots. These delights are
named nirānanda and others. They are six in number.
By his experience of delights in different spots he finally
realises that the highest place of rest is somewhere else other
than the body and prāṇa, He realises the highest form of
delight known as jagadānanda in which there is no limitation,
for it shines in all directions and where consciousness alone
remains ever shining. It expresses itself as the knower, the
means of knowledge and the objects known. It expands
by the nectar of divine joy of absolute sovereignity, in which
there is no need for contemplation¹.
1, Tantrāloka 5,51

xxvi
It seems proper to note here that prāṇa and apāṇa are the
two factors which performs the functions of dissolution and
creation, while samāna makes a balance of two pulls of
energy in the inner viṣuvat, that is the void. Then udāna,
the upper current begins to flow along the middle path.
Finally the vital energy becomes vyāna, the all-pervading one
in which all limitations have their end.
The yogin by means of close observation of two bījas
mentioned above, should make vikalpas free from impurities.
Viśrānti in different spots, in accordance with his proficiency
in entering them, he in the beginning experiences delights,
then follows udbhava, kampa, nidrā and ghūrṇi. The spots
where they are experienced are as follows : mūlādhāra,
kanda, hṛdaya, tālu and dvādaśānta, Udbhava and kampa
and others are the characteristic marks of the Yogins, which
appear as a consequence of his practice of uccārayoga,
The final goal of the yogin that he desires to arrive at
by means of uccārayoga, is dvādaśānta which is known by
another name of ūrdhvakundalī where the difference of
Śakti and Śiva ends. It is of the charactrastic of Samvit-
spanda,
× × ×
The inarticulate sound (anāhatanāda) is ever present
but it becomes manifest by the rhythmic movement of prāṇa.
It is called varṇa or syllable. It should be borne in mind
that this nāda should not properly be called varṇa but it
is the cause of syllables. Bījas known as sṛṣṭi and saṁhāra-
bījas (sa and ha) are the two chief syllables in association
with which anāhatanāda becomes manifest. Therefore the
yogin tries to fix his mind in them so that he may get the
touch of nāda. He practises to hear the nāda by uttering
different syllables either ending in a vowel or not ending in.

xxvii
any vowel, for he knows that nāda abides in all the varṇas
latent in an undivided form. Even by calling to memory
the ever sounding nāda he experiences identity with pure
consciousness.
VI
In Chapter sixth the method of realisation of the essential
Reality by external means has been described. Mālinīvijaya
has described Āṇavopāya that it is an absorption into the
divine self through the means of uccāra, karaṇa, dhyāna,
varṇa, sthānaprakalpana etc. In the preceding sections a
little hints have been given as regards uccāra, dhyāna and
varṇa. In the present section it is discussed how a yogin
adopts prāṇavāyu as a means for the desired purpose.
From this chapter onward upto chapter twelve whatever
is deseribed comes under the device of location (sthānapra-
kalpana). The locations are three, namely, the vital energy,
the body and other external objects.
The six adhvās are immense. They have their base in
the general prāṇa, while the adhvā known as kāla (Time)
has its base in the specific prāṇa.
The objects shine in two ways, either with sequence or
without any sequence. The act of confining anything within
limits (kalana) is the function of kāla. Though pure
consciousness is free from all limiting adjuncts, yet the
universe in the form of the knower and the known, is made
manifest by its freedom of will. As a result they shine
forth with their distinctive and limited character. The
agency of the delimiting power of consciousness is known as
kālaśakti. But before the apparent externalisation of ob-
jects sequence and non-sequence remain latent in its pure
nature. Not only that the entire universe remains insepara-