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.<br>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.<br>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.<br>It is the causal impetus of the divine that makes

them emerge out of itself. Th world of sounds, things

and thoughts is the self manifestation of the non

dual spirit. <br>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.<br> The five categories(Tatwas) of pure

(suddha) creation are: 1. Shiva tatwa 2. Sakthi tatwa 3.

Sadashiva or sadakhya tatwa. 4. Ishwara tatwa 4. suddha

vidya tatwa.<br>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.

<br>Shakthi tatwa, a co-ordinate of the first tatwa manifests

as the aspect of ananda.<br>Sadashiva tatwa is

sat,the stage where the experience of 'being' begins, It

is the power of Ichha(will) that is

predominant.<br>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. <br>,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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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.<br> 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".<br>The next five categories called kanchukas -

constrictors constitutes the ways in which the limitation is

brought about. Kala is temporal limitation. Niyati is

restrictio 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.<br>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. <br>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.<br>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.<br><br>contd....................<br><br>Harshanandnatha!<br>Bangalore...