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Tantrāloka (Tantraloka): Chapter 14 - stanzas 1 to 46 - Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir
Dīkṣopakramaṇam
Introduction
This is the only set of stanzas (from the stanza 1 to the stanza 46) of the fourteenth chapter (called Dīkṣopakramaṇam).
This work was written by the great Master Abhinavagupta and is a compendium of Tantra in all its facets. Tantrāloka is the most important and voluminous work of the greatest Trika Master. Abhinavagupta was also the teacher of eminent Kṣemarāja and lived about 975-1025 AD in Kashmir.
This treatise whose name is Tantrāloka is a complete encyclopedia of Tantra. Since it is a very advanced text in Trika Shaivism, there is no surprise if a neophyte finds it difficult to understand. To start to understand it, the level of the reader must be the one of a real disciple in Trika Shaivism. If this requirement is not met, then there will be a lot of confusion and constant disappointment. Because in spite of my great efforts to explain the things so easily as possible, to study this treatise requires some spiritual caliber. In this system, sometimes it is not possible even to write about certain topics due to the extreme limitation of the words. Because in the end, all this knowledge has to do with 'states', and it is extremely difficult to write about 'states' in a precise way. Abhinavagupta has done his best to accomplish this formidable task of writing about what is superior and intangible. Anyway, despite his incredible skills to carry out this, he is not revealing everything. It is not because he is all the time hiding things from the reader, but because he is sometimes hiding and on other occasions he just cannot write about some extremely subtle topics because of the limitation of the words.
Goal of life is Liberation. Man has searched for freedom always in human history, but according to Trika Shaivism that is not real Liberation. Real Liberation does not mean that your body should be free from some prison and things like that. Real Liberation amounts to attaining His Svātantrya or Absolute Freedom. When the Great Lord's Svātantrya is achieved, then you see unity in all the things, i.e. you stop seeing duality as before. All is forever identified with Svātantrya, with Him, and that is the end of the story called 'you in bondage'. From this point on nothing will get in your way, because if something apparently gets in your way, that is Svātantrya again. This constant awareness of unity in all is real Freedom. There is no other attainment greater than this!
Keeping the above in mind, now read Tantrāloka and experience Supreme Delight, dear Śiva.
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me.
Stanzas 1 to 12
अथ श्रीतन्त्रालोके चतुर्दशमाह्निकम्।
Atha śrītantrāloke caturdaśamāhnikam|
Here begins (atha) the fourteenth (caturdaśam) chapter (āhnikam) in venerable Tantrāloka (śrī-tantrāloke)|
तिरोभावस्वरूपं तु कथ्यमानं विविच्यताम्।
स्वभावात्परमेशानो नियत्यनियतिक्रमम्॥१॥
स्पृशन्प्रकाशते येन ततः स्वच्छन्द उच्यते।
नियतिं कर्मफलयोराश्रित्यैष महेश्वरः॥२॥
सृष्टिसंस्थितिसंहारान्विधत्तेऽवान्तरस्थितीन्।
महासर्गे पुनः सृष्टिसंहारानन्त्यशालिनि॥३॥
एकः स देवो विश्वात्मा नियतित्यागतः प्रभुः।
अवान्तरे या च सृष्टिः स्थितिश्चात्राप्ययन्त्रितम्॥४॥
नोज्झत्येष वपुस्त्यक्तनियतिश्च स्थितोऽत्र तत्।
नियत्यैव यदा चैष स्वरूपाच्छादनक्रमात्॥५॥
भुङ्क्ते दुःखविमोहादि तदा कर्मफलक्रमः।
त्यक्त्वा तु नियमं कार्मं दुःखमोहपरीतताम्॥६॥
बिभासयिषुरास्तेऽयं तिरोधानेऽनपेक्षकः।
यथा प्रकाशस्वातन्त्र्यात्प्रतिबुद्धोऽप्यबुद्धवत्॥७॥
आस्ते तद्वदनुत्तीर्णोऽप्युत्तीर्ण इव चेष्टते।
यथा च बुद्धस्तां मूढचेष्टां कुर्वन्नपि द्विषन्॥८॥
हृद्यास्ते मूढ एवं हि प्रबुद्धानां विचेष्टितम्।
श्रीविद्याधिपतिश्चाह मानस्तोत्रे तदीदृशम्॥९॥
ये यौष्माके शासनमार्गे कृतदीक्षाः सङ्गच्छन्तो मोहवशाद्विप्रतिपत्तिम्।
नूनं तेषां नास्ति भवद्भानुनियोगः सङ्कोचः किं सूर्यकरैस्तामरसानाम्॥१०॥
ज्ञातज्ञेया धातृपदस्था अपि सन्तो ये त्वन्मार्गात्कापथगास्तेऽपि न सम्यक्।
प्रायस्तेषां लैङ्गिकबुद्ध्यादिसमुत्थो मिथ्याबोधः सर्पवसादीपजकल्पः॥११॥
यस्माद्विद्धं सूतकमुख्येन नु ताम्रं तद्यद्भूयः स्वां प्रकृतिं नो समुपेयात्।
नो तैः पीतं भूतलसंस्थैरमृतं तद्येषां तृट्क्षुद्दुःखविबाधाः पुनरस्मिन्॥१२॥
Tirobhāvasvarūpaṁ tu kathyamānaṁ vivicyatām|
Svabhāvātparameśāno niyatyaniyatikramam||1||
Spṛśanprakāśate yena tataḥ svacchanda ucyate|
Niyatiṁ karmaphalayorāśrityaiṣa maheśvaraḥ||2||
Sṛṣṭisaṁsthitisaṁhārānvidhatte'vāntarasthitīn|
Mahāsarge punaḥ sṛṣṭisaṁhārānantyaśālini||3||
Ekaḥ sa devo viśvātmā niyatityāgataḥ prabhuḥ|
Avāntare yā ca sṛṣṭiḥ sthitiścātrāpyayantritam||4||
Nojjhatyeṣa vapustyaktaniyatiśca sthito'tra tat|
Niyatyaiva yadā caiṣa svarūpācchādanakramāt||5||
Bhuṅkte duḥkhavimohādi tadā karmaphalakramaḥ|
Tyaktvā tu niyamaṁ kārmaṁ duḥkhamohaparītatām||6||
Bibhāsayiṣurāste'yaṁ tirodhāne'napekṣakaḥ|
Yathā prakāśasvātantryātpratibuddho'pyabuddhavat||7||
Āste tadvadanuttīrṇo'pyuttīrṇa iva ceṣṭate|
Yathā ca buddhastāṁ mūḍhaceṣṭāṁ kurvannapi dviṣan||8||
Hṛdyāste mūḍha evaṁ hi prabuddhānāṁ viceṣṭitam|
Śrīvidyādhipatiścāha mānastotre tadīdṛśam||9||
Ye yauṣmāke śāsanamārge kṛtadīkṣāḥ saṅgacchanto mohavaśādvipratipattim|
Nūnaṁ teṣāṁ nāsti bhavadbhānuniyogaḥ saṅkocaḥ kiṁ sūryakaraistāmarasānām||10||
Jñātajñeyā dhātṛpadasthā api santo ye tvanmārgātkāpathagāste'pi na samyak|
Prāyasteṣāṁ laiṅgikabuddhyādisamuttho mithyābodhaḥ sarpavasādīpajakalpaḥ||11||
Yasmādviddhaṁ sūtakamukhyena nu tāmraṁ tadyadbhūyaḥ svāṁ prakṛtiṁ no samupeyāt|
No taiḥ pītaṁ bhūtalasaṁsthairamṛtaṁ tadyeṣāṁ tṛṭkṣudduḥkhavibādhāḥ punarasmin||12||
Let the nature of concealment which is now being talked about be investigated/discriminated/discerned (tirobhāva-svarūpam tu kathyamānam vivicyatām)!
Through (His own) essential nature (svabhāvāt), the Supreme Lord (parama-īśānaḥ), while coming into contact with/while reaching (spṛśan) the succession of Niyati --category 11-- and Aniyati --i.e. devoid of Niyati-- --if the meaning of "niyati" is not "the category 11" but "restrictions" in general, then the translation would read "the sucession of restrictions and absence of them"-- (niyati-aniyati-kramam), manifests (prakāśate) by means of which --viz. by means of His own essential nature-- (yena). On that account (tatas), (He) is said to be (ucyate) Free (svacchandaḥ).
After having recourse (āśritya) to the restriction (niyatim) of karma and (its) fruit (karma-phalayoḥ), this (eṣaḥ) Great Lord (mahā-īśvaraḥ) performs (vidhatte) the manifestation, maintenance and withdrawal (of the universe) (sṛṣṭi-saṁsthiti-saṁhārān) in (their --i.e. of the manifestation, etc. of the universe--) intermediate state (avāntara-sthitīn).
However (punar), in the Great Emission (mahā-sarge) which is full of infinity of manifestations and withdrawals (sṛṣṭi-saṁhāra-ānantya-śālini), He (saḥ), the Lord (prabhuḥ), the only God (ekaḥ... devaḥ), the Self of the universe (viśva-ātmā), (carries that out --i.e. the Great Emission--) by abandoning Niyati --category 11 or simply "restrictions"-- (niyati-tyāgatas).
Even (api) here (atra), in the manifestation and maintenance which are intermediate (avāntare yā ca sṛṣṭiḥ sthitiḥ ca), He (eṣaḥ) does not abandon (na ujjhati) (His) unrestrained (ayantritam) nature (vapus). Therefore (tad), here (atra) He also remains (ca sthitaḥ) free from Niyati --category 11 or simply "restrictions"-- (tyakta-niyatiḥ).
And (ca) when (yadā) He (eṣaḥ), by a gradual covering of (His own) nature (svarūpa-ācchādana-kramāt) performed by Niyati itself --category 11-- (niyatyā eva), enjoys --i.e. experiences-- (bhuṅkte) pain, delusion, etc. (duḥkha-vimoha-ādi), then (tadā) the succession/sequence/process of karma and (its) fruits (karma-phala-kramaḥ) (appears). But (tu) after abandoning (tyaktvā) the karmic (kārmam) restriction (niyamam) He desires to manifest (bibhāsayiṣuḥ) a condition where pain and delusion have departed/expired (duḥkha-moha-parītatām). (Thus,) He (ayam) remains (āste) (now) independent (anapekṣakaḥ) with reference to concealment of His own essential nature (tirodhāne).
Just as (yathā) even (api) someone who has been awakened (pratibuddhaḥ) through the Absolute Freedom of the Light (prakāśa-svātantryāt) remains (āste) as if unawakened (abuddha-vat), so also (tad-vat) even (api) someone who has not crossed over (the ocean of Saṁsāra or Transmigration replete with misery) (an-uttīrṇaḥ) acts (ceṣṭate) as if (iva) he had crossed over (Saṁsāra) (uttīrṇaḥ).
Also (ca), just as (yathā) someone who is awake (buddhaḥ), even if (api) he acts like a fool --i.e. like an unawakened person-- (tām mūḍha-ceṣṭāṁ kurvan), hates (that) --viz. he hates to behave like a fool-- (dviṣan), similarly (evam hi) the fool (mūḍhaḥ) remains (āste) in (his) heart (hṛdi) (with regard to) the behavior (viceṣṭitam) of those who are awake (prabuddhānām) --i.e. the fool also hates the behavior of the awakened ones--.
Venerable Vidyādhipati (śrī-vidyādhipatiḥ ca) said (āha) something similar (tad-īdṛśam) in (his) Mānastotra (mānastotre):
"(In the case of) those who (ye), having taken initiation (kṛta-dīkṣāḥ) into the path of Your doctrine --literally reading "into Your path of doctrine"-- (yauṣmāke śāsana-mārge), disagree (with it --i.e. with the path of Your doctrine--) (saṅgacchantaḥ... vipratipattim) by force of delusion (moha-vaśāt), for them (teṣām) there is no (na asti) use for/certainty about Your Light (bhavat-bhānu-niyogaḥ) indeed (nūnam). Is there closing (saṅkocaḥ kim) of the day-lotuses (tāmarasānām) due to the sunrays (sūrya-karaiḥ)?".
"Although (api) they have known what is to be known (and) remain in the state of the Dhātā --lit. Creator, Bearer, Founder, etc.-- (jñāta-jñeyāḥ dhātṛ-pada-sthāḥ... santaḥ), those (te api) who (ye) go to bad paths (kāpatha-gāḥ) from Your path (tvat-mārgāt) are not (na) rightly (samyak) (enlightened). They mostly have false knowledge (prāyas teṣām... mithyā-bodhaḥ) arisen from the intellects/opinions of those who bear (religious) marks, etc. (laiṅgika-buddhi-ādi-samutthaḥ). (This false knowledge is) as if born from a lamp (fed) by snake fat (sarpa-vasā-dīpa-ja-kalpaḥ)".
"Since (yasmāt) copper (tāmram tad) which (yad) has been mainly penetrated by mercury (viddham sūtaka-mukhyena nu) does not (no) return (bhūyas... samupeyāt) to its original condition (svām prakṛtim), therefore (tad) (when) the Nectar (amṛtam) has been drunk (pītam) by those who reside on the surface of the Earth (taiḥ... bhū-tala-saṁsthaiḥ), there are no more (no... punar) torments for them (relating to) the pain (caused by) thirst and hunger (yeṣām tṛṭ-kṣut-duḥkha-vibādhāḥ) with respect to It --i.e. with respect to Nectar, in other words, they do not experience more thirst and hunger regarding such a divine Nectar as they are all the time satiated-- (asmin)"||1-12||
Stanzas 13 to 21
ततः प्रबुद्धचेष्टासौ मन्त्रचर्यार्चनादिका।
द्वेषेद्धान्तर्दहत्येनं दाहः शङ्कैव सा यतः॥१३॥
Tataḥ prabuddhaceṣṭāsau mantracaryārcanādikā|
Dveṣeddhāntardahatyenaṁ dāhaḥ śaṅkaiva sā yataḥ||13||
On this account (tatas), that (asau) behavior of the awakened ones (prabuddha-ceṣṭā) (consisting of) Mantra, religious practices --"caryā" also means "mode of behavior" and "regular performance of all rites and customs"--, worship, etc. (mantra-caryā-arcana-ādikā), when kindled by hatred/aversion (dveṣa-iddhā), burns (dahati) him --i.e. burns the fool who is not awake but behaves like an awakened one-- (enam) inside (antar), because (yatas) (this) burning (dāhaḥ) (is) only doubt (śaṅkā eva sā)||13||
न चास्य कर्ममहिमा तादृग्येनेत्थमास्त सः।
किं हि तत्कर्म कस्माद्वा पूर्वेणात्र समो विधिः॥१४॥
Na cāsya karmamahimā tādṛgyenetthamāsta saḥ|
Kiṁ hi tatkarma kasmādvā pūrveṇātra samo vidhiḥ||14||
And (ca) the greatness of his karma (asya karma-mahimā) is not (na) in such a manner (tādṛk) that because of it (yena) he (saḥ) remained (āsta) in that way (ittham). What (kim hi) (is) that (tad) karma (karma) or (vā) where (does it come) from (kasmāt)? Here (atra) the rule (vidhiḥ) is the same (samaḥ) as before (pūrveṇa)||14||
तस्मात्सा परमेशेच्छा ययायं मोहितस्तथा।
अनन्तकालसंवेद्यदुःखपात्रत्वमीहते॥१५॥
तत्रापि चेच्छावैचित्र्यादिहामुत्रोभयात्मकः।
दुःखस्यापि विभेदोऽस्ति चिरशैघ्र्यकृतस्तथा॥१६॥
कालकामान्धकादीनां पौलस्त्यपुरवासिनाम्।
तथान्येषां तिरोभावस्तावद्दुःखो ह्यमुत्र च॥१७॥
अन्योऽपि च तिरोभावः समयोल्लङ्घनात्मकः।
यदुक्तं परमेशेन श्रीमदानन्दगह्वरे॥१८॥
समयोल्लङ्घनाद्देवि क्रव्यादत्वं शतं समाः।
तत्रापि मन्दतीव्रादिभेदाद्बहुविधः क्रमः॥१९॥
स्वातन्त्र्याच्च महेशस्य तिरोभूतोऽप्यसौ स्वयम्।
परद्वारेण वाभ्येति भूयोऽनुग्रहमप्यलम्॥२०॥
भूयोऽनुग्रहतः प्रायश्चित्ताद्याचरणे सति।
अनुसारेण दीक्षादौ कृते स्याच्छिवतामयः॥२१॥
Tasmātsā parameśecchā yayāyaṁ mohitastathā|
Anantakālasaṁvedyaduḥkhapātratvamīhate||15||
Tatrāpi cecchāvaicitryādihāmutrobhayātmakaḥ|
Duḥkhasyāpi vibhedo'sti ciraśaighryakṛtastathā||16||
Kālakāmāndhakādīnāṁ paulastyapuravāsinām|
Tathānyeṣāṁ tirobhāvastāvadduḥkho hyamutra ca||17||
Anyo'pi ca tirobhāvaḥ samayollaṅghanātmakaḥ|
Yaduktaṁ parameśena śrīmadānandagahvare||18||
Samayollaṅghanāddevi kravyādatvaṁ śataṁ samāḥ|
Tatrāpi mandatīvrādibhedādbahuvidhaḥ kramaḥ||19||
Svātantryācca maheśasya tirobhūto'pyasau svayam|
Paradvāreṇa vābhyeti bhūyo'nugrahamapyalam||20||
Bhūyo'nugrahataḥ prāyaścittādyācaraṇe sati|
Anusāreṇa dīkṣādau kṛte syācchivatāmayaḥ||21||
Therefore (tasmāt), (it is) Supreme Lord's Will (sā parama-īśa-icchā) by which (yayā) he (ayam) is deluded (mohitaḥ) in that way (tathā). (And) he endeavors to obtain (īhate) competence with regard to a suffering to be considered as (lasting) for infinite time (ananta-kāla-saṁvedya-duḥkha-pātratvam).
And (ca) even (api) in that case (tatra), because of the diversity of (His) Will (icchā-vaicitryāt) there is (asti) a variety (vibhedaḥ) of suffering (duḥkhasya api) whether it is here --in this world--, in the next world or in both (iha-amutra-ubhaya-ātmakaḥ) and (tathā) whether it is lasting a long time or it happens quickly (cira-śaighrya-kṛtaḥ).
(There is) concealment (of their own essential nature) (tirobhāvaḥ) in the case of those who are blinded by death and desire --especially "carnal desire"--, etc. (kāla-kāma-andhaka-ādīnām), in the case of those who live in the city of Paulastya --i.e. of Rāvaṇa, Rāmacandra's enemy-- (paulastya-pura-vāsinām) and (tathā) in the case of others (anyeṣām) (too). (Their) suffering (duḥkhaḥ) (is) indeed (hi) now (tāvat) and (ca) in the next world (amutra).
And (ca) (there is) even (api) another (kind of) (anyaḥ) concealment (of one's own essential nature) (tirobhāvaḥ) consisting of transgressing samaya-s or rules --Abhinavagupta refers to the samaya-s or rules an initiate accepts to follow after initiation; this topic will be elucidated in chapter 15-- (samaya-ullaṅghana-ātmakaḥ).
As (yad) it has been said (uktam) by the Supreme Lord (parama-īśena) in venerable Ānandagahvaratantra (śrīmat-ānandagahvare): "Oh Goddess (devi), through the transgression of the samaya-s or rules (Samaya-ullaṅghanāt) (there is the obtainment of) the state of a carnivore animal (kravyādatvam) for one hundred (śatam) years (samāḥ)".
There (tatra) also (api), the process (kramaḥ) is manifold (bahuvidhaḥ) according to the different types (of concealment:) Weak, intense, etc. (manda-tīvra-ādi-bhedāt).
Also (ca), through the Absolute Freedom (svātantryāt) of the Great Lord (mahā-īśasya) even (api) someone whose essential nature is concealed (tirobhūtaḥ... asau) is able to return (abhyeti bhūyas... alam) to a condition of Grace (anugraham) by himself (svayam) or by means of others (para-dvāreṇa).
(When he returns by himself this happens:) Graced/favored (anugrahataḥ) again (bhūyas), once the performance of (the ritual of) expiation, etc. has taken place (prāyaścitta-ādi-ācaraṇe sati) followed by (anusāreṇa) the performance of initiation, etc. (dīkṣā-ādau kṛte), he identifies with Śiva (syāt śivatā-mayaḥ)||15-21||
Stanzas 22 to 30
तिरोभूतः परेतासुरपि बन्धुसुहृद्गुरून्।
आलम्ब्य शक्तिपातेन दीक्षाद्यैरनुगृह्यते॥२२॥
तत्रापि कालशीघ्रत्वचिरत्वादिविभेदताम्।
तथैति शक्तिपातोऽसौ येनायाति शिवात्मताम्॥२३॥
Tirobhūtaḥ paretāsurapi bandhusuhṛdgurūn|
Ālambya śaktipātena dīkṣādyairanugṛhyate||22||
Tatrāpi kālaśīghratvaciratvādivibhedatām|
Tathaiti śaktipāto'sau yenāyāti śivātmatām||23||
(When he returns by means of others this happens:) Someone whose essential nature is concealed (tirobhūtaḥ), even (api) dead (pareta-asuḥ), by resorting (ālambya) to relatives, friends and Guru (bandhu-suhṛd-gurūn), is favored --i.e. he receives Grace-- (anugṛhyate) by Śaktipāta (śaktipātena) (and) through initiation, etc. (dīkṣā-ādyaiḥ).
In that case (tatra) also (api), that (asau) Śaktipāta (śaktipātaḥ) by which (yena) he identifies with Śiva --lit. he goes to the Self of Śiva-- (āyāti śiva-ātmatām) is thus of various types according if it is fast, takes a long time, etc. (kāla-śīghratva-ciratva-ādi-vibhedatām... tathā eti)||22-23||
इत्थं सृष्टिस्थितिध्वंसतिरोभावमनुग्रहः।
इति पञ्चसु कर्तृत्वं शिवत्वं संविदात्मनः॥२४॥
पञ्चकृत्यस्वतन्त्रत्वसम्पूर्णस्वात्ममानिनः।
योगिनोऽर्चाजपध्यानयोगाः संस्युः सदोदिताः॥२५॥
Itthaṁ sṛṣṭisthitidhvaṁsatirobhāvamanugrahaḥ|
Iti pañcasu kartṛtvaṁ śivatvaṁ saṁvidātmanaḥ||24||
Pañcakṛtyasvatantratvasampūrṇasvātmamāninaḥ|
Yogino'rcājapadhyānayogāḥ saṁsyuḥ sadoditāḥ||25||
In this way (ittham), doership (kartṛtvam) of Consciousness (saṁvid-ātmanaḥ) with reference to the five (acts) (pañcasu) (of) manifestation, maintenance and withdrawal (of the universe, together with) concealment and revelation (of one's own essential nature) (sṛṣṭi-sthiti-dhvaṁsa-tirobhāvam anugrahaḥ... iti) (is) the State of Śiva (śivatvam).
In the case of the Yogī who consisiders that his own Self has full Freedom (to perform) the five acts (pañca-kṛtya-svatantratva-sampūrṇa-sva-ātma-māninaḥ... yoginaḥ), (his) worship, muttering of a Mantra, meditation and Yoga (arcā-japa-dhyāna-yogāḥ) are (saṁsyuḥ) always active (sadā-uditāḥ)||24-25||
ऐन्द्रजालिकवृत्तान्ते न रज्येत कदाचन।
सादाशिवोऽपि यो भोगो बन्धः सोऽप्युचितात्मनाम्॥२६॥
ज्ञातृत्वमेव शिवता स्वातन्त्र्यं तदिहोच्यते।
कुलालवत्तु कर्तृत्वं न मुख्यं तदधिष्ठितेः॥२७॥
इति ज्ञात्वा ग्रहीतव्या नैव जात्वपि खण्डना।
शिवोऽहं चेन्मदिच्छानुवर्ति किं न जगत्त्विति॥२८॥
Aindrajālikavṛttānte na rajyeta kadācana|
Sādāśivo'pi yo bhogo bandhaḥ so'pyucitātmanām||26||
Jñātṛtvameva śivatā svātantryaṁ tadihocyate|
Kulālavattu kartṛtvaṁ na mukhyaṁ tadadhiṣṭhiteḥ||27||
Iti jñātvā grahītavyā naiva jātvapi khaṇḍanā|
Śivo'haṁ cenmadicchānuvarti kiṁ na jagattviti||28||
He should never be attracted (na rajyeta kadācana) by magical storie(s) (aindrajālika-vṛttānte). For those who think properly --lit. for those whose Self is suitable-- (ucita-ātmanām) even (api... api) that (saḥ) enjoyment (bhogaḥ) which (yaḥ) (involves) Sadāśiva --category 3-- (sadāśivaḥ) (is) bondage (bandhaḥ).
The State of the Knower --i.e. Knowership-- itself (jñātṛtvam eva) (is) the State of Śiva (śivatā). That (tad) is called (ucyate) here (iha) Absolute Freedom (svātantryam).
Nonetheless (tu), the main (mukhyam) State of the Doer --i.e. Doership-- (kartṛtvam) is not (na) like (that of) a potter (kulāla-vat) since He is presiding over (It --i.e. over that State of the Doer--) (tad-adhiṣṭhiteḥ).
Knowing (jñātvā) so (iti), (this frustrating) attitude (khaṇḍanā) must never be assumed (grahītavyā na eva jātvapi): "If (ced) I (aham) (am) Śiva (śivaḥ), why (kim) does the universe not (na jagat tu) follow My Will (mad-icchā-anuvarti... iti)?"||26-28||
ममेच्छामनुवर्तन्तामित्यत्राहंविदि स्फुरेत्।
शिवो वा परमेशानो देहादिरथ निर्मितः॥२९॥
शिवस्य तावदस्त्येतद्देहस्त्वेष तथा त्वया।
कृतः कान्या देहतास्य तत्किं स्याद्वाच्यतापदम्॥३०॥
Mamecchāmanuvartantāmityatrāhaṁvidi sphuret|
Śivo vā parameśāno dehādiratha nirmitaḥ||29||
Śivasya tāvadastyetaddehastveṣa tathā tvayā|
Kṛtaḥ kānyā dehatāsya tatkiṁ syādvācyatāpadam||30||
"(The universe) would follow (anuvartantām) My (mama) Will (icchām... iti)" (if) Śiva (śivaḥ vā), the Supreme Lord (parama-īśānaḥ), shone (sphuret) here (atra) in I-consciousness (aham-vidi). (But no,) the body, etc. (deha-ādiḥ atha), which are created (nirmitaḥ), (shine here) --very far-fetched Sanskrit really--. This (etad) is (asti) certainly (tāvat) of Śiva (śivasya). This (eṣaḥ) body (dehaḥ) was manufactured (kṛtaḥ) like this (tathā) by You (tvayā). What (kā) else (anyā) (is) His (asya) bodily state (dehatā)? Therefore (tad), what (kim) would be (syāt) the basis for (that) objection (vācyatā-padam)? --Sanskrit might have been clearer--||29-30||
Stanzas 31 to 40
उक्तं च सिद्धसन्तानश्रीमदूर्मिमहाकुले।
पवनभ्रमणप्राणविक्षेपादिकृतश्रमाः॥३१॥
कुहकादिषु ये भ्रान्तास्ते भ्रान्ताः परमे पदे।
सर्वत्र बहुमानेन याप्युत्क्रान्तिर्विमुक्तये॥३२॥
प्रोक्ता सा सारशास्त्रेषु भोगोपायतयोदिता।
यदि सर्वगतो देवो वदोत्क्रम्य क्व यास्यति॥३३॥
अथासर्वगतस्तर्हि घटतुल्यस्तदा भवेत्।
उत्क्रान्तिविधियोगोऽयमेकदेशेन कथ्यते॥३४॥
निरंशे शिवतत्त्वे तु कथमुत्क्रान्तिसङ्गतिः।
यथा धरादौ वाय्वन्ते भृग्वम्ब्वग्न्युपवासकैः॥३५॥
आत्मनो योजनं व्योम्नि तद्वदुत्क्रान्तिवर्तना।
तस्मान्नोत्क्रमयेज्जीवं परतत्त्वसमीहया॥३६॥
श्रीपूर्वशास्त्रे तूक्तं यदुत्क्रान्तेर्लक्षणं न तत्।
मुक्त्युपायतया किन्तु भोगहान्यै तथैषणात्॥३७॥
Uktaṁ ca siddhasantānaśrīmadūrmimahākule|
Pavanabhramaṇaprāṇavikṣepādikṛtaśramāḥ||31||
Kuhakādiṣu ye bhrāntāste bhrāntāḥ parame pade|
Sarvatra bahumānena yāpyutkrāntirvimuktaye||32||
Proktā sā sāraśāstreṣu bhogopāyatayoditā|
Yadi sarvagato devo vadotkramya kva yāsyati||33||
Athāsarvagatastarhi ghaṭatulyastadā bhavet|
Utkrāntividhiyogo'yamekadeśena kathyate||34||
Niraṁśe śivatattve tu kathamutkrāntisaṅgatiḥ|
Yathā dharādau vāyvante bhṛgvambvagnyupavāsakaiḥ||35||
Ātmano yojanaṁ vyomni tadvadutkrāntivartanā|
Tasmānnotkramayejjīvaṁ paratattvasamīhayā||36||
Śrīpūrvaśāstre tūktaṁ yadutkrānterlakṣaṇaṁ na tat|
Muktyupāyatayā kintu bhogahānyai tathaiṣaṇāt||37||
Also (ca), it is said (uktam) in venerable Ūrmimahākula belonging to the Siddha lineage (siddha-santāna-śrīmat-ūrmimahākule): "Those (te) (are) confused (bhrāntāḥ) regarding the Supreme State (parame pade) who (ye) have made great exertions with reference to the circulation of the vital air, the emission of the vital energy, etc. (pavana-bhramaṇa-prāṇa-vikṣepa-ādi-kṛtaśramāḥ) (and who are) perplexed (bhrāntāḥ) regarding deception/trickery, etc. (kuhaka-ādiṣu)".
That (sā) act of leaving the body at will --lit. passing away-- (utkrāntiḥ) which (yā) is also said (api... proktā), everywhere (sarvatra) (and) with great respect (bahumānena), to be meant for Liberation (vimuktaye), is mentioned (uditā) in the Sāra scriptures (sāra-śāstreṣu) as a means to attaining worldly enjoyment (bhoga-upāyatayā).
(Now a quote from Ūrmikaulārṇavatantra:) "If (yadi) God (devaḥ) is all-pervading/omnipresent (sarvagataḥ), tell (vada) where (kva) will He go (yāsyati) after leaving the body --lit. after passing away-- (utkramya)? And if (atha) He is not all-pervading/omnipresent (a-sarvagataḥ), then (tarhi... tadā) He would be (bhavet) like a pot (ghaṭa-tulyaḥ). This (ayam) Yoga consisting of the procedure of leaving the body at will (utkrānti-vidhi-yogaḥ) is said to (kathyate) (happen) part by part (eka-deśena). But (tu) how (katham) (could there be) connection between leaving the body at will (utkrānti-saṅgatiḥ) and the Śiva principle/category which is devoid of parts (niraṁśe śiva-tattve)?".
Just as (yathā) (there is) union (yojanam) of the Self (ātmanaḥ) with reference to the (gross elements) starting with earth and ending in air (dharā-ādau vāyu-ante) by (throwing one's body) off a precipice, (or) into water, (or) into fire or by fasting (bhṛgu-ambu-agni-upavāsakaiḥ), similarly (tad-vat) (there is union of the Self) with reference to ether/space (vyomni) (by) the path of leaving the body at will (utkrānti-vartanā).
Therefore (tasmāt), he should not cause the individual soul to leave (the body at will) (na utkramayet jīvam) due to (his) desire for the Supreme Principle (para-tattva-samīhayā).
However (tu), the description/definition (lakṣaṇam... tad) of leaving the body at will (utkrānteḥ) which (yad) is mentioned (uktam) in venerable Mālinīvijayottaratantra (śrī-pūrvaśāstre) is not (na) a means to Liberation (mukti-upāyatayā) but rather (kintu) (it comes) through the desire (eṣaṇāt) of diminishing the worldly enjoyment --i.e. of decreasing painful worldly experiences in Saṁsāra-- (bhoga-hānyai)||31-37||
जपध्यानादिसंसिद्धः स्वातन्त्र्याच्छक्तिपाततः।
भोगं प्रति विरक्तश्चेदित्थं देहं त्यजेदिति॥३८॥
स्वच्छन्दमृत्योरपि यद् भीष्मादेः श्रूयते किल।
भोगवैरस्यसम्प्राप्तौ जीवितान्तोपसर्पणम्॥३९॥
योगमन्त्रामृतद्रव्यवराद्यैः सिद्धिभाक्तनुः।
हातुं न ह्यन्यथा शक्या विनोक्तक्रमयोगतः॥४०॥
Japadhyānādisaṁsiddhaḥ svātantryācchaktipātataḥ|
Bhogaṁ prati viraktaśceditthaṁ dehaṁ tyajediti||38||
Svacchandamṛtyorapi yad bhīṣmādeḥ śrūyate kila|
Bhogavairasyasamprāptau jīvitāntopasarpaṇam||39||
Yogamantrāmṛtadravyavarādyaiḥ siddhibhāktanuḥ|
Hātuṁ na hyanyathā śakyā vinoktakramayogataḥ||40||
(In that scripture it is said that:) He who has perfected muttering of a Mantra, meditation, etc. (japa-dhyāna-ādi-saṁsiddhaḥ), if (ced) he is not attached (viraktaḥ) to worldly enjoyment (bhogam prati), (then) he should abandon (tyajet) (his) body (deham) in this way (ittham) (either) freely (svātantryāt) (or) by means of Śaktipāta (śaktipātatas... iti).
It is indeed heard (śrūyate kila) that (yad) for Bhīṣma, etc. (bhīṣma-ādeḥ), who were also free to die at will (svacchanda-mṛtyoḥ api), (there was) the act of advancing toward the end of life (jīvita-anta-upasarpaṇam) when they felt disgust of worldly enjoyment (bhoga-vairasya-samprāptau).
A body that has siddhi or accomplishment/perfection (siddhi-bhāk-tanuḥ) due to Yoga, Mantra, Nectar, the best of the substances, etc. (yoga-mantra-amṛta-dravya-vara-ādyaiḥ) is not possible to be abandoned (hātum na hi... śakyā) otherwise (anyathā) than by means of the stated process (vinokta-krama-yogataḥ)||38-40||
Stanzas 41 to 46
उक्तं च मालिनीतन्त्रे परमेशेन तादृशम्।
सर्वमप्यथवा भोगं मन्यमानो विरूपकम्॥४१॥
इत्यादि वदता सर्वैरलक्ष्यान्तः सतत्त्वकम्।
एवं सृष्ट्यादिकर्तव्यस्वस्वातन्त्र्योपदेशनम्॥४२॥
यत्सैव मुख्यदीक्षा स्याच्छिष्यस्य शिवदायिनी।
उक्तं श्रीनिशिचारे च भैरवीयेण तेजसा॥४३॥
व्याप्तं विश्वं प्रपश्यन्ति विकल्पोज्झितचेतसः।
विकल्पयुक्तचित्तस्तु पिण्डपाताच्छिवं व्रजेत्॥४४॥
बाह्यदीक्षादियोगेन चर्यासमयकल्पनैः।
अविकल्पस्तथाद्यैव जीवन्मुक्तो न संशयः॥४५॥
संसारजीर्णतरुमूलकलापकल्पसङ्कल्पसान्तरतया परमार्थवह्नेः।
स्युर्विस्फुलिङ्गकणिका अपि चेत्तदन्ते देदीप्यते विमलबोधहुताशराशिः॥४६॥
Uktaṁ ca mālinītantre parameśena tādṛśam|
Sarvamapyathavā bhogaṁ manyamāno virūpakam||41||
Ityādi vadatā sarvairalakṣyāntaḥ satattvakam|
Evaṁ sṛṣṭyādikartavyasvasvātantryopadeśanam||42||
Yatsaiva mukhyadīkṣā syācchiṣyasya śivadāyinī|
Uktaṁ śrīniśicāre ca bhairavīyeṇa tejasā||43||
Vyāptaṁ viśvaṁ prapaśyanti vikalpojjhitacetasaḥ|
Vikalpayuktacittastu piṇḍapātācchivaṁ vrajet||44||
Bāhyadīkṣādiyogena caryāsamayakalpanaiḥ|
Avikalpastathādyaiva jīvanmukto na saṁśayaḥ||45||
Saṁsārajīrṇatarumūlakalāpakalpasaṅkalpasāntaratayā paramārthavahneḥ|
Syurvisphuliṅgakaṇikā api cettadante dedīpyate vimalabodhahutāśarāśiḥ||46||
Such a thing (tādṛśam) has been expressed (uktam) by the Supreme Lord (parama-īśena) in Mālinīvijayottaratantra (mālinītantre) when He said (as follows) (vadatā): "Or else (athavā), by considering (manyamānaḥ) even (api) all (sarvam) worldly enjoyment (bhogam) ugly (virūpakam), etc. (iti-ādi)". The inner real sense (antar satattvakam) is not being perceived/understood (alakṣya) by everybody (sarvaiḥ) --lit. not perceiving/understanding the inner real sense by everybody--.
Thus (evam), (this is) the teaching about one's own Absolute Freedom whose task is manifestation, etc. (sṛṣṭi-ādi-kartavya-sva-svātantrya-upadeśanam), that is to say (yad), this (sā eva) is (syāt) the main initiation (mukhya-dīkṣā) which gives Śiva (śiva-dāyinī) to the disciple (śiṣyasya).
TRANSLATION IN PROGRESS - I ADD NEW STUFF PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY - THERE ARE NO MISSING STANZAS THEN
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