Kashmiri Shaivism
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Feb 13 2015
Vijay Hashia
The Uniqueness Of Kashmir Shaivism
Mahashivaratri is the most popular festival among Kashmiri Pandits. The `Rajatarangini' mentions `Vateshwar', an ancient Shivalingam worshipped by King Ravana in 1000 BCE, that was believed to predict future occurrences and events through the light emanating from the Sri-Cara engraved on it. The lingam of Somyaar temple at Habbakadal also emanated light from the Sri-Cara with waxing of the moon but this could only be observed by the devout.
Philosophically, lingam in Sanskrit means mark or sign, a representation of Shiva. It is the symbol of energy and potential of Shiva himself, alongside Shakti, creative energy. Shiva, it is said, represents the whole cosmos and it is Shakti, or prana, the life-energy, that makes possible movement in the cosmos.
There are various schools of thoughts in relation to the lingam and Shiva philosophy. Kashmir Shaivism is a school of thought that speaks about Trika philosophy. Various scholars categorised it as monistic idealism an absolute, theistic transcendental idealism from physical realm to eternity. The goal of Kashmir Shaivism is to merge with Shiva, the deity who represents universal consciousness. Rabindranath Tagore said, “Kashmir Shaivism has penetrated to that depth of living thought where diverse currents of human wisdom diverse currents of human wisdo unite in a luminous synthesis.“
Kashmir Shaivism is not the same as Advaita thought, though both are non-dualistic, giving primacy to Brahmn or Chit, universal Consciousness. What is special about this philosophy is that it says all things are manifestations of this Consciousness but the phenomenal world (Shakti) is real, having its being in Consciousness (Chit), while Advaita holds that the Supreme Br Advaita holds that the Supreme Brahmn is niskriya or inactive and that the phenomenal world is maya, an illusion.
Another special aspect of Kashmir Shaivism is that it is a householder religion based on monistic interpretation of the Bhairava Tantras. In contrast, Advaita is based on the upanishads and brahmasutras. Kashmir Shaivism claimed to supersede Shaiva Siddanta, a dualistic tradition, which scholars consider normative tantric Shaivism. The Shaiva Siddanta goal of becoming an ontologically distinct Shiva through Shiva's grace was replaced by rec ognising oneself as Shiva, who in Kashmir Shaivism's monism is the entirety of the universe.
Kashmir Shaivism is sum marised in the concepts of Citi, mala, upaya and moksha. Citi is universal consciousness, the fundamental stuff of the universe that represents the whole.Mala consciousness contracts itself, the one becomes many. Shiva becomes the jiva, individual.action is called mal (impurity). The contraction is called mal (impurity).The three malas are individual mala, the limited mind mala (maya) and the karma mala or body mala. Upaya means the indi vidual is caught in the suffering of cosmos and eventually yearns to return to his state of universal consciousness. To attain this, he undertakes seemingly difficult sadhana or spiritual practice.While other paths observe offering incense and external objects to the deity, this path takes on to offering breaths. The individual controls his heart and pulse by reducing it significantly. The final stage is renouncing food and water. As a result he connects to the supreme state in the form of Shiva which results in purification of the body and generation of ojas.
Kashmir Shaivism describes four methods to attain the Supreme. Anavopaya, the method of body; Saktopaya, the method of mind; Sambhavopaya, the method of consciousness and Anupaya, the methodless method. The Moksha fruit of sadhana is the attainment of Self realisation, the state of liberation is mukti and is characterised by the attainment of unwavering bliss while living an ordinary life.
Guru
Diana Santoke, July 26, 2016: The Times of India
A Sanskrit word that entered the English lexicon a long time ago is 'guru'. In fact, we hear it being used so loosely today that one wonders: what is the traditional understanding of the word 'guru'? This question becomes even more relevant when it is considered that guru-bhakti or 'devotional love for the guru' is an integral aspect of Hindu tradition. Kashmir Shaivism, in particular, a monistic philosophy, explores and articulates the role of the guru and the practice of guru-bhakti in great detail.
To understand the role of the guru, we need to first understand our own condition. Kashmir Shaivism says the individual is 'anu', an atom, essentially describing the individual as one who feels powerless (unaware of the powerful potential within). Like Arjuna in the middle of the battlefield- helpless, wanting to change the situation but realising that he has no power to do so. But isn't this the predicament of each individual at some point in life?
Everyone wants his life to take a certain course but life flows in its own way, despite our preferences. This creates much frustration. What is the solution? A hint is provided in a sutra from the middle section of the 'Shiva Sutra', the foundational text of Kashmir Shaivism: Upaya means solution or means, so the standard translation is 'the guru is the means'. In other words, the guru is the means by which the anu can feel like Shiva, infinite, magnanimous and powerful.
This sutra is even more interesting given the times we live in when most want solutions to their problems but might want to sidestep the role of a guru. The straightforwardness of this sutra leaves no room for doubt that not only is the guru essential to find solutions but that the guru is the solution.
The word 'upaya' is interesting in that it doesn't simply mean a 'solution' but it implies a 'clever solution'. How does the guru make a powerless and finite individual feel powerful and infinite? The guru enables the individual to realise that any problem lies only in the mind, is merely a thought and thus objective, not real. The source of the problem is not outside, not someone else, but the individual's own notions of 'me' and ‘mine'.
Krishna, God-incarnate, did not (and could not) change the situation that Arjuna wanted to run away from; however, being a guru, he was able to give Arjuna divine insight that changed Arjuna's outlook of the situation and made him feel at peace with it. Hence, the word 'upaya' or 'clever solution'- because the guru does not change the situation, he changes the vision. The guru does not solve any problem; he dissolves all problems. The guru does not answer any question, but in his presence, where no thought is tolerated, all questions disappear and silence alone remains.
The practice of guru-bhakti is thus essentially being absorbed in this state of the guru, seeing the world from the 'guru's eye'- a vision which accepts any outcome as it is, convinced that all judgments and preferences stem from a vision limited to 'me' and ‘mine’.
