Tatwas!

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The philosophy of Sakthism is a kind of non dualism, 'advaitha' and

the highest reality is termed as Siva-Shakthi. Shiva is static

consciousness; Shakthi is dynamic consciousness-Chidroopini. Shiva is

pure awareness, which is the basis of all existance. Through his

shakthi, he effects the manifestation of the universe.

 

 

He is the sole cause of the universe. The ultimate reality is non-

dual and is of the nature of pure consciousness.The universe of

forms and names are all real in sense, that they are aspects ofthe

ultimat reality. it is the movement of God, the spanda(of shiva-

shakthi) that brings about the distinction of shabda(word),artha

(object) and pratyaya(cognition). These are the three asects of god's

primal energy.

 

 

It is the causal impetus of the divine that makes them emerge out of

itself. The world of sounds, things and thoughts is the self

manifestation of the non dual spirit.

 

 

Reality Parashiva is trancendent.It is beyond the levels of

matters,life and mind. It is nishkala (without parts), Nishkriya

(without activity) and beyond the reach of word and mind. The same

reality as the cause of world-process is called Parameshwara, the

supreme lord.

 

>From him arise the five categories of pure creation; and then are the

course of finitasation consisting in the emergence of the thirty one

categories composing impure creation.

 

 

 

The five categories(Tatwas) of pure (suddha) creation are:

 

Shiva tatwa

Sakthi tatwa

Sadashiva or sadakhya tatwa.

Ishwara tatwa

suddha vidya tatwa.

 

 

Shiva tatwa which is the first process in the order of world

evolution, and is Chit, with it's important aspect of power as

consciousness.

 

 

 

Shakthi tatwa, a co-ordinate of the first tatwa manifests as the

aspect of ananda.

 

 

 

Sadashiva tatwa is sat,the stage where the experience of 'being'

begins, It is the power of Ichha(will) that is predominant.

 

 

 

In ishwara tatwa, the power of knowledge plays an important role

(Jnana).

 

 

 

In suddha vidya tatwa, the power of kriya or action dominates.

 

 

 

 

 

These five stages of experience represent the gradual differentiation

in the pure experience , which serves as the basis of evolution of

the pluralistic universe.

 

 

 

At first there is only the distinctionless experience. Into this is

introduced the condition of distinction by shakthi. In the

sadashiva tatwa, the experince of form, "i am this" arises with the

emphasis on "I". In ishwara tatwa the emphasis is on "This - This am

I". In order that the universe of minds and objects may emerge, there

should be a balance between "I" and "This". This is what is obtaines

at the stage of suddha vidya tatwa. Here in the experience "Iam

this", the two get equalized. It is in such an experience that there

is activity and movement of thought.these five tatwas called suddhA

TATWAS DEAL WITH PURE CREATION. tHE REST OF THE THIRTY ONE

CATEGORIES WHICH COMMENCE WIT MAYA BEGIN THE ACTUAL CREATION.

 

 

 

Maya is the first of the thirty one categories of impure creation

and is the power of obscuration or "tirodhana". It obscures the

infinite spirit and makes possible the rise of plurality of souls and

things.

 

 

 

Again,the limitless experience begins to be limited as regards the

experiencer and the experienced. the "I" and the "this".

 

 

 

The next five categories called kanchukas - constrictors constitutes

the ways in which the limitation is brought about. Kala is temporal

limitation. Niyati is restriction in regard to space. Raga is

attachment to particular things. Vidya is limited knowledge. kalaa is

limited agency. The soul enveloped in these kanchukas arises as

purusha which is the seventh category. The eigth is prakriti which

is the corresponding limitation on the objective side. The other

categories follow the pattern of evolution as in the sankhya schme.

Buddhi-intellect,ahamkara-egoity or indviduation , manas- mind. come

into manifestation in sequence. From ahamkara are evolved(besides

manas), the five organs of sense-Jnanendriyas, the five organs of

action-karmendriyas,and the five essences of elements-tanmatras.

 

 

 

Out of the last five emerge the five gross elements which are

ether,air,fire,water and earth. This is the evolution of the world of

things-artha prapancha. There is a similar evolution of the world of

sounda-sabda prapancha. Here too the line of evolution is from the

subtle to the gross. Corresponding to the five categories of pure

creation, there are five stages of emnation of sound. first is Paraa

which is supreme and subtle. The second is Pashyanti which is less

subtle but still undifferentiated.

 

 

 

The third is Madhyamaa which is gosser and differentiated, but not

yet articulate. Articulate sound is called vaikhari which is of two

forms, subtle and gross. It is from vaikhari that all letters varna-

syllables...pada-words....and vakyas-sentences are manifested. Paraa

which resides in shiva tatwa represents the first movement of

sabda.This is also called nada tatwa.Pashyanti stands for shakthi

tatwa which is known as bindu tatwa. Nada are the complements of the

ultimate potency of creation. From these arise what are known as the

tribindu which is the root of all mantras.

 

 

 

Lalitha sahasranama speaks of lalitambika as not shakthi (all the

rest of the mahavidyas are identifiable with shakthi tatwa) but as

shivashaktyaikya roopini...Shiva-shakthi-one and as

tureeyaatita..tatwaateeta.......this oneness is very much evident in

the srividya mantra which consists of shiva,shakthi and shiva-shakthi-

combination letters. Also this oneness is evident in Srichakra. Hence

the tantras glorify only this mantra as the brahma vidya and as both

mantra as well as vidya.

 

 

 

adi_shakthi16

 

 

 

Dear harsha, thanks so much for a great description of the tattwas,'

my sri vidyu guru-' bows to thee! may i add the relevant passage

from 'tripura rahasya' to reinforce your views?

 

 

 

The 'great goddess' says :

 

 

 

"I am the abstract intelligence wherefrom the cosmos originates,

whereon it flourishes, and wherein it resolves, like the images in a

mirror. The ignorant know me as the gross universe, whereas the wise

feel me as their own pure being eternally glowing as 'I-I' within.

 

 

 

This realisation is possible only in the deep stillness of thought-

free consciousness similar to that of the deep sea free from waves.

The most earnest of devotees worship me spontaneously and with the

greatest sincerity which is due to their love of me. Although they

know that I am their own non-dual Self, yet the habit of loving

devotion which is deep-rooted in them makes them conceive their own

 

 

 

Self as ME and worship ME as the life-current pervading their bodies,

senses and mind without which nothing could exist and which forms the

sole purport of the holy scriptures. Such is my Transcendental State.

 

 

 

My concrete form is the eternal couple - the Supreme Lord and Energy -

always in undivided union and abiding as the eternal consciousness

pervading the three phenomenal states of waking, dream and sleep, and

reclining on the cot whose four legs are Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu

(the Protector), Siva (the Destroyer) and Isvara (Disappearance) and

whose surface is Sadasiva (Grace) which is contained in the mansion

known as 'fulfilment of purpose' enclosed by the garden of 'Kadamba'

trees in the jewel island situated in the wide ocean of nectar

surrounding the cosmos and extending beyond.

 

 

 

'Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Isvara, Sadasiva, Ganesa, Skanda, the gods of

the eight quarters, their energies of her gods, celestials, serpents

and other superhuman beings all manifestations of myself. However,

people do not know ME because their intellect is shrouded in

ignorance.

 

 

 

I grant boons to those who worship ME. There is no one besides ME

worthy of worship or capable of fulfilling all desires."

 

Contributed by harshanand_16