LalithA SahasranAma [354] pasupAsavimocini [ Part 2 ]

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The KulArnava says, "The pAsas are eight, namely pity, doubt,

fear, shame, disgust, family, custom and caste." The above

enumerations of the afflictions are not contradictory, the larger

are simply elaborators of the smaller enumerations. These larger

divisions are not here explained in detail for fear of prolixity.

 

Thus in the text the word pAsa according to the rule [of

Vararuci's system] though it indicates the number fifty-one, [sA

five and pa, one] is here taken, according to the rule of

approximity, etc of the SaradAtilaka where the word `fifty' occurs,

it is explained as fifty-two by Harsa-Diksita and others. Therefore,

pasu means fifty-two; pasas, afflictions, vimocini, remover. The

Siva-Rahasya says, :"He alone who binds the pasus by the five

afflictions and fifty-two afflictions and fifty-two pAsas, is able,

being worshipped with much devotion, to free them." So much for

PaurAnika interpretation.

 

Or, atoms [anu], difference [bheda], and action [Karman], are the

three [pasus]. Of these ignorance is anu. This is of twokinds : the

one is the absence of the cognition of the nature of the Self which

is intelligence itself; the second is the [erroneous] cognition of

the self in body etc. These two are together called the impurity of

anu [Anava-mala].

 

Anu is so called because it limits the unlimited Self. This is said

in the Saura-sam. :"It is called anu because it causes the

limitation of the Self, as it is impure it is called impurity

[mala]."

 

Bheda means division of the one self into many. Of this, the root-

cause is called MayA, that is the sixth affliction to be added [to

the five]. This is one [group]. The group of the categories, the

products of these [six] from the seventh to thirty-sixth, is another

one. These two together are called the impurity of illusion [mAyA-

mala].

 

Karman [actions] means the product of ordained or prohibited

actions, capable of giving bodies, and invisible [adrsta]. This is

of two kinds, good and bad; together these are called the impurity

of action [karma-mala].

 

Thus in these three, the latter have the qualities of the former.

These are all explained in the PratyabhijNa-sastra: "The loss of

the perception of independence, and not understanding the

independence, thus there are two kinds of impurities belonging to

anu, for this takes away one's own nature. The impurity of illusion

is the idea of duality of the Self which gives birth and enjoyment.

The impurity of action is one leading to the perception of necessary

actions. Thus the three [pAsas] [exist] by the power of mAyA only."

 

This is more clearly explained in the Siva-sutra-vArttika : "If,

of the waking soul [visva] as above described, intelligence is the

body, how is it connected with bondage? To remove this doubt, the

great Isvara replies with the sutras, treating of the contact and

non-contact with the pAsas" [sutra I. 2]: "Ignorance [is] the

bondage." {Varttika} :"The first ignorance is cognition in

the non-self of the Self, which is the source of intelligence; the

second is thinking of body, etc, which are not-self , as Self. These

two belong to anu. Mala, the impurity, the main attributes to

himself, bringing about bondage by his own will. But the anu

impurity is not the sole bond." [sutra I.3]: "Birth [yonih] is the

group[varga].

 

KalA [part] is the body. Yoni means difference [bheda], the cause of

extension, ie mAyA. Varga the group of categories, sprung from that

[mAyA], from time of earth this is the impurity of mAyA, which is

[the cause] of the perception of duality. KalA [lit. with part, ie

embodied souls] separates men after entering into the body, limited,

and in the nature of good and bad. Body is that which is called the

impurity of action. In these [last] two the first impurity is

included."

 

Thus there are three bonds, the second included the first and the

other two. The word pasu indicates, the three kinds of jivas

resulting from the three bonds. Though, by the combination of all

possible ways with the three bonds, there are seven kinds of jivas,

yet in reality, as the second bond included the first and the thired

the other two, there are only three kinds. These pasus in the

NityAhrdaya are termed respectively, pure, mixed, and impure [for

anu-, bheda-, and karma-mala]. But in the Svacchanda Tr and other

works they are called respectively vijNAnakevala [mere

discrimination], pralayAkala [lit. until the dissolution with aprts

temporarily] and sakala [with parts always.] So it is described [in

the above books], "There are three kinds of pasus, among theses

some are sakalas, some are called pralayAkalas, O Mahesvari, the

remaining ones are the vijNAnakevalas. Hear their respective

natures." Those bound by the three pasus are called sakalas. It

is said, "Covered with impurity from the beginning, covered with

illusion and action, though puire [in himself], regarding the body

as Siva [self], ever tainted with separatedness, weak, continually

active, enjoying the fruits of his own actins, ever enamourted with

pleasure, this is the sakala-pasu." In the above question

impurity and illusion mean respectively anu an dbheda. The sakala-

pasus are of two kinds, one who haas burned his impurities, and the

other whose impurities are unburned; of those, who have burned the

three impurities [anu, bheda and karman] are the one hundred and

eighteen sages [siddhas]; they, by power of the full grace of Siva

obtained the dominion over the mantras. Of these the hundred are

called Rudras, eight, Satmandalins, eight KrodhabhattAraka

[DurvAsas] and others, one is Viresvara and the last is Srikantha.

The others also, Siva himself in the form of a teacher, blesses.

 

 

 

....to be continued

 

BhAskararAya's Commentary

Translated into English by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry