This section explores the “glamour of Lord Śiva” in Kashmir Shaivism. Through the following excerpts from Paramārthasāra—The Essence of the Highest Reality—by Abhinavagupta, we begin to understand how this “glamour” relates to the place where the real Self is firmly established.
Here, Swami Lakshmanjoo offers an increasingly clear description of the “glamour of Lord Śiva,” revealing it step by step as the radiant nature of the Self.
Available as video on demand.
PS DVD 1 (00:14:44)
निजशक्तिवैभवभराद्
अण्डचतुष्टयमिदं विभागेन ।
शक्तिर्माया प्रकृतिः
पृथ्वी चेति प्रभावितं प्रभुणा ॥४॥
nijaśaktivaibhavabharād
aṇḍacatuṣṭayamidaṁ vibhāgena /
śaktirmāyā prakṛitiḥ
pṛithvī ceti prabhāvitaṁ prabhuṇā // 4 //
Prabhuṇa, Lord Śiva has, prabhāvitam, created, four aṇḍas, four circles, of this universe: śaktyaṇḍa, māyāṇḍa, prakṛityaṇḍa and pṛithvyaṇḍa. Pṛithvī-aṇḍa is the lowest circle, and outside that there is another circle which is called prakṛiti-aṇḍa. Outside that prakṛiti-aṇḍā there is another circle which is called māyā-aṇḍa. Outside that there is a circle which is called śakti-aṇḍa.
So there are these four circles: nivṛitti kalā, pratiṣṭhā kalā, vidyā kalā, śānta kalā. Nivṛitti kalā is first, and outside that there is pratiṣṭhā kalā; and outside that is vidyā kalā; and outside that is śānta kalā. These kalās are greater than each other. And the fifth is śāntā kalā . . . (nivṛitti kalā, pratiṣṭhā kalā, vidyā kalā, śānta kalā), the fifth is śāntātītā kalā.
In śāntātītā kalā there are no worlds–śāntātītā sa bhuvanaiva–śāntātītā kalā is without any worlds. There is no world, there is only the glamour of Lord Śiva; there is no residence of anybody. Only this is the residence of Lord Śiva.
Source: Abhinavagupta’s Paramarthasara,
The Essence of the Highest Reality, by Swami Lakshmanjoo.
Available as video on demand.
All Content is subject to Copyright © John Hughes
