#trika shaivism

[mysticmartinez]

Going to casually rizz up girls into spiritually and yoga just to trika pill 💊 them.

I mean why be a preachy a**hole when I can be playful (Lila) like Bhairav

Kashmir Shaivism ftw 🙌!

[kailash-se-birha]

Islamic invaders raided and burned down a Buddhist University destroying centuries of knowledge accumulation and slaughtering monks.

The Dalit Voice: How do I indict Brahmins for this and twist it into Hindu v/s Buddhist

The twitter user in the attached tweet quoted some primary sources from Tibetan Buddhist texts and historical records:

Her sources: A Note on the Antiquity of Chittagong, Tibetan works Pagsam Jon-Zañ of Sumpa Khan-po and Kahbab Dun-dan of Lama Tara Natha.— By Sarat Chandra Das, C.I.E., Rai Bahadur.

The cultural continuum between Trika Shaivism and Tibetan Buddhism resembles two rivers converging, sharing their currents and wisdom. These traditions echo a parallelism of non-dualism, inner realization, and the path to transcendence, weaving a tapestry of spiritual resonance across time and space.

[tamblr]

Intro to Tantric Shaivism: II - Kashmiri Shaivism

In my previous write-ups I explained what Tantra is and gave a brief introduction to Tantric Shaivism. In this write-up I’ll continue my exploration of Tantric Shaivism by introducing one of the most sophisticated traditions of Tantric Shaivism: Kashmiri Shaivism. I won’t talk about the sages who inspired these schools as I think that will make the essay way too long but instead focus on the main philosophy of each school within Kashmiri Shaivism. The three main active schools of thought within Tantric Shaivism today are Kashmiri Shaivism, Saiva siddhanta and Aghori. 

Kashmiri Shaivism is also known as the Trika system. It is a monistic tradition but cannot be defined as one school of thought but rather a collective of different schools that originated in Kashmir, namely: Pratyabhijna, Kula, Spanda, and Krama schools. 

It is known as the Trika system because they believe that the world contains three energies: 

Para (transcendental) - para 

Parapara (subtle) - sukshma 

Apara (gross) - sthula 

The right hand side of the names: sthula, sukshma and para are the names of these energies in the saiva siddhanta tradition. 

Pratyabhijna 

The word pratyabhijna means “to spontaneously once again recognize and realize your Self.” Here you have only to realize, you do not have to practice. There are no upayas (means) in the Pratyabhijna system. You must simply recognize who you are. This teaching, therefore, is situated chiefly in anupaya, which is that means where there are no means at all. It is the recognition that there was nothing to be done and nowhere to go. Here, there is no practice, no concentration and no meditation.

The purpose of Pratyabhijñā is the recognition of the Śiva nature of the world (and oneself). In order to achieve that, it is necessary to induce a modified state of consciousness through the use of Śakti. Śakti, loosely translated as energy, is the dynamic aspect of Śiva, the link between finite (the human subject) and infinite (Śiva). Thus comes about the fundamental principle: "Without the help of Śakti, pratyabhijñā is impossible”. 

2. Kula 

Abhinavagupta, one of the main Sages of this tradition, tells us that the term Kula is derivable from the root kul, which can mean a grouping together. From this meaning we can derive one of the meanings of Kula, a human grouping, namely a family, or more specifically a spiritual family that extends as far back as Siva himself. This lineage is unified by the sequential transmission of the achieved vision of the ultimate. 

The Kula system teaches you how you can live in caitanya  (universal Consciousness), the real nature of yourself, in the act of ascending and descending. While you rise from the lowest to the highest you realize your nature, and while you descend from the highest to the lowest you also realize your nature.

The difference between the Pratyabhijna system and the Kula system is, that the Pratyabhijna system teaches you how to realize your own nature in one place and exist there, reside there. While the Kula system teaches you how you can rise from the lowest degree to the highest degree, and all the while, experience the nature of your Self on the same level and state. Shiva, which is realized in prithvi tattva (earth element), is the same level, the same reality of Shiva which is realized in Shiva tattva. Here, there is complete realization in every act of the world.

3. Spanda 

The word spanda means “movement.” The Spanda school recognizes that nothing can exist without movement. Where there is movement there is life, and where there is no movement that is lifelessness. Spanda is the vibration or the pulse of consciousness. Every activity in the universe, as well as every perception, notion, sensation or emotion in the microcosm, ebbs and flows as part of the universal rhythm of the one reality, which is Siva ,the one God who is the pure conscious agent and perceiver. 

According to the Doctrine of Vibration, man can realise his true nature to be Siva by experiencing Spanda, the dynamic, recurrent and creative activity of the absolute. It is Spanda, the inscrutable pulse of consciousness, that moves and yet moves not, that changes and yet remains eternally itself, that ensures~that both manifestation and the absolute, its unmanifest source, form part of a single process which passes freely from one to the other in such a way that both poles are the same level and equally real.

The difference between the Pratyabhijna school and Spanda are that the spanda school emphasises on the recognition and experience of the vibration of consciousness while the former emphasises direct experience of Siva as oneself.

4. Krama

Krama system shows the development of Saktha tendencies in Saiva philosophy. Based on the Kālīkula (Kālī worship) branch of Tantric Śaivism, Krama means (‘sequence’) which internalized ritual worship of goddesses as the cyclical phases (krama) of one’s own awareness. The Krama system moves in space and time, but finally leads to Paramaśiva, who is beyond space and time. 

Ritual came to be understood as an inner process of realisation through which the initiate discovered his/her essential identity with Kali, who is the flow (krama) of the power of consciousness through the polarities of subject, object and means of knowledge in consonance with their arising and falling away in each act of perception.

The experience of this process coupled with the arousing of man's spiritual potential (kundalini) and the expansion of consciousness that brings it about is the most esoteric practice of the Krama system of Kashmiri Saivism. 

Kashmir Shaivism shares many parallel points of agreement with the lesser known monistic school of Shaiva Siddhanta as expressed in the Tirumantiram of Tirumular. This is a very brief introduction to the different schools of thought within Kashmiri Shaivism. It is important to recognise that these philosophies draw on each other as inspiration for their practices and contain less hard drawn lines. In the next piece I’ll talk about Saiva siddhanta. 

P.S. As usual if you want the links to the resources I referenced, more than happy to send them your way.

[33-108]

Trika Shastra

Kashmir Shaivism is a religio-philosophical creed that deals with the three fundamentals of human existence: Man, Universe and the Ultimate Principle governing the world. Outlining the key concepts of Trika system In his book Pamarthsara, Abhinavagupta describes Consciousness of man as the Atman, the core eternal witness of all that is undergoing ceaseless change in body and mind.

Since Shaivism treats Absolute Truth under the three broad principles of God, Soul and Matter, the system is known as Trika Shastra or simply Trika. It is based on the three energies of Lord Shiva, 1) Para, the subjective energy; 2) Parapara, the cognitive energy and 3) Apara, the objective energy of the Lord. It is a universal spiritual philosophy in which all aspects of life are integrated and taken in totality. The soul is said to be of the same nature as Consciousness and there is no difference either between individual soul, technically called the Pasu and the universal self called Pati, or between the world of consciousness and that of senses.

Trika philosophy aims at intelligent synthesis of all that is abiding and enduring in the six systems of Indian thought. It adopted monism from the non-dual philosophy of Vedanta, theism from the Vaishnavites, logic from the Nyaya system, discipline from the Yoga aphorisms of Patanjali and popular appeal from the Buddhists.

Yet, Trika system represents a positive and a theistic outlook in contrast to the absolute monism of Vedanta. Shiva is the Ultimate Reality endowed with sovereignty of will, omniscience and omnipotence. He is beyond everything. He is both immanent and transcendent. Time, form and space do not limit him, for He is above all mutation and change.

- Gopinath Raina

[hathyogi]

|| Tantra: An Unexplored Science, Basic Meaning Explained. How Is It Connected To Bhagawan Shiva? ||

In Hinduism, there are three ways to worship any Deity-

1. The satavik way- In which we show our devotion to a deity using satvik ways like ringing the bell, offering jal, prasad etc.

2. The rajasik way- In which we show our devotion by dressing up in a specific way, using fragrance, using ratnas, some yantra etc.

3. The tamasik way- In which we show our devotion by using some specific rituals, dead bodies, animal sacrifices, sex etc.

It is common for people to misunderstand tantra, but it shouldn't come as a surprise because everyone possesses different qualities within them, namely Sato (purity), Rajo (activity), and Tamo (darkness).

Tantra provides a pathway to worship the divine through the Tamo aspect of our nature. In essence, Tantra is a science of the mind, a form of psychological exploration that aims to expand one's perception. The term 'Tantra' originates from Sanskrit and has multiple interpretations. One explanation is that it is a play on the word 'sutra,' which means 'thread' or 'formula.' If sutras represent individual threads of thought, Tantra can be likened to a loom that weaves these threads together into a comprehensive system of thoughts.

Another understanding is that Tantra combines the words 'tattva,' meaning the science of cosmic principles, and 'mantra,' referring to the science of mystical sound and vibration. In this sense, Tantra delves into the knowledge of universal principles and the use of sacred sounds for spiritual purposes.

According to Hindu beliefs, at the beginning of Satyuga, Bhagawan Shiva appeared as Swacchandanatha, possessing five mouths representing his five energies: Consciousness Bliss Will Knowledge, and Action. Through these energies, Shiva revealed the Tantras, some spoken through each of his mouths and others simultaneously recited through multiple mouths. These Tantras fall into two main categories: Dualistic and Mono-Dualistic, known respectively as "Shiva Tantra" and "Rudra Tantra."

When these five energies of Bhagawan Shiva unite in a way that each holds the others simultaneously, they give rise to 64 Bhairav Tantras, which are purely Monistic (Advaitic) in nature. The philosophical teachings expounded in these Tantras are referred to as the "Trika" philosophy or Kashmir Shaivism.

The origins of the sacred Tantras are believed to involve teachings initially given by Bhagawan Shiva to his wife, which were then passed on to human sages like Matsendranath. It is crucial to understand that Tantra does not advocate promiscuity but rather emphasizes extreme discipline. It is viewed as a technology or method to harness the energies within the body and from the surroundings.

According to Tantra, every human being with limited mental vision is spiritually ill. The true state of health is attained by transcending the constraints of time, space, and causation. The ultimate goal of Tantra is to replace the limited personality with an unlimited and permanent one, facilitating spiritual liberation and profound transformation. Indeed, the practice of Tantra is deeply rooted in the tradition of receiving Guru Diksha or initiation from a qualified spiritual teacher.

As Bhagawan Shiva emphasized in the Kularnava Tantram, all the practices advocated by Tantras, such as Yoga, Dhyana (meditation), Puja (worship), Japa (chanting), and others, are considered futile without proper initiation (adikshata). Just as seeds sown on stones fail to grow into plants, similarly, the efforts of an uninitiated person in these practices may not bear fruit. It's crucial to understand that Tantra is a profound and intricate spiritual path that goes beyond the understanding of today's science. It is not synonymous with black magic or superficial spells (tona totka). Instead, it involves a deep exploration of the mind, energy, and spiritual consciousness.

[alivingstillness]

It is explained in Kashmir Shaivism that between two actions, supreme consciousness shines through. There is a methodical approach, by which the flashing forth of undifferentiated awareness appears to be an outcome. There is entering.

Yet that supreme awareness is without support, without entering. Through Trika means, we seed the ground, fertilize and strengthen courage to be without support, to fully meet what is. Fire has no substance by itself, but clings to a burning object and light appears.

[premakalidasi]

Vijnanabhairava Tantra

The VijnanaBhairava Tantra is a brief, but luminous collection of various diverse meditation techniques in order to reach nonduality and bliss in immanence, in Presence. It’s extremely world-positive and practical, grounded in everyday experience. The techniques include meditating upon, for example, how happy you felt when listening to a beautiful piece of music, experiencing orgasm, or focusing one’s thoughts on the space between two thoughts, or the void, or everything burning up blissfully; all kinds of different methods to choose from depending on the practitioner’s nature and level of understanding. 

Here are some links to various English translations available online:

https://ia800603.us.archive.org/27/items/Vijnana-Bhairava-Tantra/Vijnana-Bhairava-Tantra-Sanskrit-Text-English-Translation.pdf

http://www.danielodier.com/english/envijnana.php

Commentary by Mike Magee:

http://www.shivashakti.com/vijnan.htm

This somewhat different and at times odd (”antsy”?) translation:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iijbafy23szbbf6/VijnaBhairavaTantraHandout.pdf?dl=0

It’s best to compare the various different translations and to look at the original Sanskrit text (where available) to get a better idea of the concepts. Many of these things can be translated in various different ways (this is mystical laguage we are talking about), so there’s no one true translation out there, and the insights each commentator and practitioner gains are always subjective and personal.

[tripura-nataka]

roadmap already exists

Picture from The Doctrine of Vibration - Mark S.G. Dyczkowski

[secretsdecoded]

Para, Apara and Parapara

Kashmir Shaivism has the beautiful concept of three Shaktis: Parā, Aparā and Parāpara.

In this symbolical image you can see three Goddesses who are enthroned on the lotuses on the prongs of Shiva's Trident.

Parā (the middle prong of the trishula) is depicted in a benevolent form, while Parāpara (the left prong) and Aparā (the right prong) are shown as wild and terrifying, wearing a garland of skulls, and brandishing the khatvanga, the skull-topped staff. The Three Goddesses are white, red and yellow-black. And we see Sadashiva at the base of the prongs of the trishula.

Parā, beautiful and brilliant white, considered Supreme Shakti. It means the highest form - transcendent, beyond and outside the ordinary range of human experience or understanding. In a broad sense all Great Goddesses, such as Durga, Kali, Tripura can be considered to be Paraa. In order to manifest She loses her supremacy and becomes the mediocre level of supremacy. Parāparā, a medium shakti, is red as blazing fire, wearing a garland of skulls glowing with three eyes. She sits with trident and skull-staff in her hands on Sadashiva, the Great Transcended. She further loses her strength at the exact time of manifestation loses its supremacy and is manifested as Aparā, a lower shakti, the destroyer of the pains of the humble. She looks the same as Parāparā except that She is black. Her mouth yawns wide and has huge fangs. Ferocious, with her brows knitted in rage, wearing a sacred thread in the form of a huge snake, adorned with a string of human corpses round her neck, with the severed lotus hands of a human corpse as beautiful ear-rings, her voice like the thunder of the clouds at the world's end, she seems to swallow space itself. It leads us to a conclusion that the trika of Goddesses are Kali in her immanent form.

Certainly, all of this is full of deep symbolism, used for the convenience of philosophical thinking but we can depict just some general ideas.

All three forms are composed of the 3 Energies of Shiva-Bhairava in the Transcendant, Imminent and Transcendant-Imminent meaning.

They can represent, as their colours suggest, the three qualities-Gunas (Satvic, Rajas, and Tamas) of Nature (prakrti) which the one Goddess embodies.

Traditionally, it can be treated in Trika as three tattvas - Shiva (Absolute Unity), Shakti (link between unity and duality), and Nara (jiva or duality).

Vijnana Bhairava describe this differences as three stages. In the state of Shiva (para) both knowledge and action are blended in equal proportion. In the stage of Shakti only knowledge is predominant and in the stage a-para (human level) only action is predominant. This is known as trika-bhedam.

Also, the three vidyas refer to Parā which rests in the Absolute only as Will to manifest as only Iccha-Shakti; to Parāparā as Jnana-shakti and Kriya-shakti as Aparā.

And in internal personal level, we can see here three vidyas introverted towards inner self: Buddhi, Ahamkara and Manas.

Despite this Trika's triadic-tetradic schema of the three Goddesses, nobody can hide from us their fundamental, indestructible and transcendental unity.

[magnae-deum-matris]

Bhairava (Mahakala Bhairava) (Sanskrit: भैरव, lit. frightful) is a Hindu Tantrik deity worshiped by Hindus. In Shaivism, he is a fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation.[1][2][3][4] In Trika system Bhairava represents Supreme Reality, synonymous to Para Brahman.[5][6] In Hinduism Bhairava is also called Dandapani (as he holds a rod or Danda to punish sinners) and Swaswa meaning "whose horse is a dog".[7] In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is considered a fierce emanation of Mañjuśrī and also called Heruka, Vajrabhairava and Yamantaka. Mantra Om Shri Kaal Bhairavaya Namaha Weapon Trishula, Khaṭvāṅga Number 33 This article contains Indic text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text. The historical origins of Bhairava are obscure; according to Ronald M. Davidson, he was probably a "local ferocious divinity" associated by tribal peoples with cremation grounds (smasana), ghouls and ghosts (vetala, pisaca).[10] He is worshiped throughout India, Sri Lanka and Nepal as well as in Tibetan Buddhism.

In Hinduism

Bhairava with his consort, Bhairavi

Aakash Bhairab in Kathmandu. Bhairava originates from the word bhīru, which means "fearful". Bhairava means "terribly fearful form". It is also known as one who destroys fear or one who is beyond fear. The right interpretation is that he protects his devotees from dreadful enemies, greed, lust and anger. Bhairava protects his devotees from these enemies. These enemies are dangerous as they never allow humans to seek God within. There is also another interpretation: Bha means creation, ra means sustenance and va means destruction. Therefore, Bhairava is the one who creates, sustains and dissolves the three stages of life. Therefore, he becomes the ultimate or the supreme.

The origin of Bhairava can be traced to a conversation between Brahma and Vishnu which is recounted in the Shiva Mahapuranam. In it, Vishnu inquired of Brahma, "Who is the supreme creator of the Universe?" Arrogantly, Brahma told Vishnu to worship him as Supreme Creator. One day, Brahma thought "I have five heads. Shiva also has five heads. I can do everything that Shiva does and therefore I am Shiva." Brahma became a little egotistical as a result of this. Additionally, he began to forge the work of Shiva and also started interfering in what Shiva was supposed to be doing. Consequently, Mahadeva (Shiva) threw a small nail from his finger which assumed the form of Kala Bhairava and casually went to cut off one of Brahma's heads. The skull (Kapala) of Brahma is held in the hands of Kala Bhairava, Brahma’s ego was destroyed and he became enlightened. From then on, he became useful to himself and to the world, and deeply grateful to Shiva. In the form of the Kala Bhairava, Shiva is said to be guarding each of these Shaktipeeth (Shakti temples). Each Shaktipeeth is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava.

There is another school of thought which says that Shiva himself created Bhairava. There was one demon by name Dahurāsuraṇ who got a boon that he could be killed only by a woman. Kali was invoked by Parvati to kill him. The wrath of Kali killed the demon. After killing the demon, her wrath metamorphosed as a child. Kali fed the child with her milk. Shiva made both Kali and the child to merge with him. From this merged form of Shiva, Bhairava appeared in his eight forms (Aṣṭāṅga Bhairavas). Since Bhairava was thus created by Shiva, he is said to be one of the sons of Shiva.

Puranas too give different versions of Bhairava. In this version there was a war between gods and demons. To eradicate the demons, Shiva created Kala Bhairava from whom Aṣṭāṅga Bhairavas were created. These Ashta Bhairavas got married to Ashta Matrikas. These Ashta Bhairavas and Ashta Matrikas have dreadful forms. From these Ashta Bhairavas and Ashta Matrikas, 64 Bhairavas and 64 Yoginis were created.

Normally in Shiva temples, idols of Bhairava are situated in the north facing, southern facing direction. He is also called Kṣhetrapāla. He appears in a standing position with four hands. His weapons are drum, pāśa (noose), trident and skull. In some forms of Bhairava, there are more than four hands. He appears without dress and with a dog. His weapons, the dog, protruding teeth, terrifying looks, a garland with red flowers all give him a frightening appearance.

In all Shiva temples, regular puja rituals begin with Surya and end with Bhairava. Bhairava likes ghee bath (abhiṣeka), red flowers, ghee lamp, unbroken coconut, honey, boiled food, fibrous fruits etc. If a Bhairava idol is facing west, it is good; facing south is moderate; facing east is not good. The right time to pray to Bhairavi is midnight. During midnight it is said that Bhairava and his consort Bhairavi will give darśana (appearance) to their devotees. The most appropriate time is a Friday midnight. There are eight types of flowers and leaves used in archana (अर्चन) to Bhairava.

Bhairava is the ultimate form of manifestation or pure "I" consciousness. This form is called Svarṇākarṣṇa Bhairava. He has red or blue complexion and is clothed in golden dress. He has the moon over his head. He has four hands, one of which he holds a golden vessel. He gives wealth and prosperity. Performing pūja on Tuesdays gives quick results. In some of the ancient texts he is said to have thirty two hands, the shape of a bird, golden complexion, terrible teeth, and a human form above the hip. Worshiping him destroys enemies.

Some forms of Bhairava are guardians of the eight cardinal points. There are 64 Bhairavas. These 64 Bhairavas are grouped under 8 categories and each category is headed by one major Bhairava. The major eight Bhairavas are called Aṣṭāṅga Bhairavas. The Ashta Bhairavas control the 8 directions of this universe. Each Bhairava has seven sub Bhairavas under him, totaling 64 Bhairavas. All of the Bhairavas are ruled and controlled by Maha Swarna Kala Bhairava otherwise known as Kala Bhairava, who is the supreme ruler of time of this universe as per some Śaiva tantric scriptures (āgamas). Bhairavi is the consort of Kala Bhairava.[24] The eight Bhairavas are said to represent five elements viz. ākāś, air, fire, water and earth and the other three being sun, moon and ātman. Each of the eight Bhairavas are different in appearance, have different weapons, different vāhanas (vehicles) and they bless their devotees with eight types of wealth representing Ashta Lakshmis. Continuous worship of Bhairava leads the worshiper to a true Guru. There are separate mantras to all the eight Bhairavas.

Bhairava is also called upon as protector, as he guards the eight directions of the universe. In Shiva temples, when the temple is closed, the keys are placed before Bhairava. Bhairava is also described as the protector of women. He is described as the protector of the timid and in general women who are timid in nature.

It is generally believed that worshiping Bhairava gives prosperity, success and good progeny, prevents premature death and solution to debts and liabilities. Different forms of Bhairava evolve only from Śiva, who is called the Mahā Bhairava.

Trika System

Trika and Kashmiri Shaivism names the Absolute Reality(Para Brahman) as Bhairava. The Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra is a key Tantra text of the Trika System. Cast as a discourse between the god Bhairava and his consort Bhairavi it briefly presents 112 Tantric meditation methods or centering techniques (Dharana). The text is a chapter from the Rudrayamala Tantra,a Bhairava Agama. Bhairavi, the goddess, asks Bhairava to reveal the essence of the way to realization of the highest reality. In his answer Bhairava describes 112 ways to enter into the universal and transcendental state of consciousness. References to it appear throughout the literature of Trika, Kashmir Shaivism, indicating that it was considered to be an important text in the schools of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy and Trika.

In Buddhism

Thangka Depicting Vajrabhairava, ca. 1740s. Buddhism also adopted Bhairava (Tibetan: 'Jigs byed; Chinese: Buwei) as a deity and a dharmapala or dharma protector. The various buddhist forms of Bhairava (variously called Herukas, Vajrabhairava, Mahākāla and Yamantaka) are considered fierce deities and yidams (tantric meditational deity) in Tibetan Buddhism. They also have their own set of buddhist tantras, the Vajrabhairava tantras.[34] According to Tibetan tradition, these tantras were revealed to Lalitavajra in Oddiyana in the 10th century. These texts play a particularly important role in the Sarma (new translation) traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, especially among the Gelug school where Vajrabhairava is one of the three central highest yoga tantra practices of the lineage. Because of this, it is also popular in Mongolia as a protector deity and was also popular among the Manchus. The deity is also central to Newar Buddhism. The tantric practices associated with Bhairava focus on the transformation of anger and hatred into understanding.

Worship

See also: Bhairava Ashtami

Kala Bhairava attended by devotees at Kathmandu Durbar Square Temples or shrines to Bhairava are present within or near most Jyotirlinga temples. There are also the sacred twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva which can be found all across India including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi and the Kal Bhairav temple, Ujjain. The Patal Bhairav and Vikrant Bhairav shrines are located in Ujjain as well.

One of the ancient temples of Kaal Bhairava is situated in Dhuri city (District Sangrur), Punjab. The idol of Kaal Bhairava in the temple was found hundreds of years ago. The temple has been managed by "Baba Shri Pritam Muni Ji" for many years. It is believed that Kaal Bhairava Ji resides here.

Gorat Kashmiris are known to worship Bhairava during Shivratri. The renowned Hindu reformer, Adi Sankara composed a hymn on Kala Bhairava called "Sri Kalabhairava Ashtakam" in the city of Kashi.

Observances

Bhairava Ashtami commemorating the day Kala Bhairava appeared on earth, is celebrated on Krishna paksha Ashtami of the Margashirsha month of the Hindu calendar. It is a day filled with special prayers and rituals.

Iconography

Rakta Bhairava Bhairava is depicted as being ornamented with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets, and sacred thread (yajnopavita). He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron composed of human bones.[44] Bhairava has a dog (Shvan) as his divine vahana (vehicle). Bhairavi is a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Devi who is virtually indistinguishable from Kali, with the exception of her particular identification as the consort of Bhairava.

Bhairava himself has eight manifestations i.e. Ashta Bhairava:

Asithaanga Bhairava Ruru Bhairava Chanda Bhairava Krodha Bhairava Unmattha Bhairava Kapaala Bhairava Bheeshana Bhairava Samhaara Bhairava Kala Bhairava is conceptualized as the Guru of the planetary deity, Shani (Saturn). Bhairava is known as Bhairavar or Vairavar in Tamil, where he is often presented as a Grama devata or village guardian who safeguards the devotee in eight directions (ettu tikku). Known in Sinhalese as Bahirawa, he is said to protect treasures. Lord Bhairava is the main deity worshiped by the Aghora sect.

List of Bhairava temples

Reflection of blue sky on mask of Shwet Bhairav at Basantapur, Kathmandu, Nepal Bhairava is an important deity of the Newars. All the traditional settlements of Newars have at least one temple of Bhairava. Most of the temples of Bhairava in Nepal are maintained by Newar priests. There are several Bhairava temples in the Kathmandu valley. In south Karnataka, Lord Sri Kalabhairaveshwara is present as Kshetra Palaka in Sri Adichunchanagiri Hills.

Haatha: Shwet Bhairav Kala Bhairava temples can also be found around Shaktipeeths. It is said that Shiva allocated the job of guarding each of the 52 Shaktipeeths to one Bhairava. There are said to be 52 forms of Bhairava, which are considered a manifestation of Shiva himself. Traditionally, Kala Bhairava is the Grama devata in the rural villages of Maharashtra, where he is referred to as "Bhairava/Bhairavnath" and "Bairavar". In Karnataka, Lord Bhairava is the supreme God for the community commonly referred to as Vokkaligas (Gowdas). Especially in the Jogi Vokkaliga, he is considered the caretaker and punisher.[49] Shri Kala Bhairava Nath Swami Temple of Madhya Pradesh is also popular.

[mysticmartinez]

God is not anything, God is beyond words, God isn’t a mere concept, nor just an idea, God is are more than all of this. God is not a person rather God is unique. Only God is real.

[zerogate]

Trika emphasises that even at the most dense stages, all the previous, higher tattvas are still present, though not explicit. The divine realm of grace is never remote. Shaivism has no dualistic notion of 'fallen matter’ as found in so many Christian writings. At every point and in every condition man has access to higher Consciousness, higher tattvas, by an inner movement of his attention. This is an important point - the creation of the universe is conceived of as an opening out - not a linear movement, but a movement from the centre to all points on the periphery. Shaivite meditation is thus a glance towards the centre, a 'getting in touch with’ the purest vibrations of Consciousness.

Swami Shankarananda, The Yoga of Kashmir Shaivism

[jagadeeshkrishnan]

[21/01, 2:33 PM] Jagadeesh KrishnanChandra: The Shakta Agamas

are commonly known as Tantras, and they are imbued with reverence for the feminine, representing goddess as the focus and treating the female as equal and essential part of the cosmic existence.

The feminine Shakti (literally, energy and power) concept is found in the Vedic literature, but it flowers into extensive textual details only in the Shakta Agamas. These texts emphasize the feminine as the creative aspect of a male divinity, cosmogonic power and all-pervasive divine essence.

The theosophy, states Rita Sherma, presents the masculine and feminine principle in a "state of primordial, transcendent, blissful unity". The feminine is the will, the knowing and the activity, she is not only the matrix of creation, she is creation. Unified with the male principle, in these Hindu sect's Tantra texts, the female is the Absolute.

The Shakta Agamas are related to the Shaiva Agamas, with their respective focus on Shakti with Shiva in Shakta Tantra and on Shiva in Shaiva texts. Dasgupta states that the Shiva and Shakti are "two aspects of the same truth – static and dynamic, transcendent and immanent, male and female", and neither is real without the other, Shiva's dynamic power is Shakti and she has no existence without him, she is the highest truth and he the manifested essence.

The Shakta Agamas or Shakta tantras are 64 in number. Some of the older Tantra texts in this genre are called Yamalas, which literally denotes, states Teun Goudriaan, the "primeval blissful state of non-duality of Shiva and Shakti, the ultimate goal for the Tantric Sadhaka".

Shaiva Agamas

The Shaiva Agamas are found in four main schools: Kapala, Kalamukha, Pashupata and Shaiva, and are 28 agamas.

The Shaiva Agamas led to the Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy in Tamil-speaking regions of South-India and gave rise to Kashmir Saivism in the North-Indian region of Kashmir.

Shaiva Siddhanta is a subtradition of Shaivism that propounds a dualistic philosophy where the ultimate and ideal goal of a being is to become an enlightened soul through Lord Shiva's grace.The normative rites, cosmology and theology of Shaiva Siddhanta draw upon a combination of Agamas and Vedic scriptures.

Shaiva Siddhanta is commonly considered a "southern" tradition. The Tamil compendium of devotional songs known as Tirumurai, the Shaiva Agamas and "Meykanda" or "Siddhanta" Shastras, form the scriptural canon of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta.

Today, Shaiva Siddhanta has adherents predominantly in Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka.

Kashmir Shaivism, or Trika Shaivism, is as nondualist tradition of Shaiva-Shakta Tantra which originated sometime after 850 CE.

Though this tradition was very influential in Kashmir and is thus often called Kashmir Shaivism, it was actually a pan-Indian movement termed "Trika" by its great exegete, Abhinavagupta, which also flourished in Orissa and Maharashtra. Defining features of the Trika tradition are its idealistic and monistic Pratyabhijna ("Recognition") philosophical system, propounded by Utpaladeva (c. 925–975 CE) and Abhinavagupta (c. 975–1025 CE), and the centrality of the three goddesses Parā, Parāparā, and Aparā.

While Trika draws from numerous Shaiva texts, such as the Shaiva Agamas and the Shaiva and Shakta Tantras, its major scriptural authorities are the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, the Siddhayogeśvarīmata and the Anāmaka-tantra.

Its main exegetical works are those of Abhinavagupta, such as the Tantraloka, Mālinīślokavārttika, and Tantrasāra which are formally an exegesis of the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, although they also drew heavily on the Kali-based Krama subcategory of the Kulamārga. Another important text of this tradition is the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra, which focuses on outlining numerous yogic practices.

The Agamas of Kashmiri Shaivism is also called the Trika Shastra.

It centers mainly on the Trika system of mAlinI, siddha and nAmaka Agamas and venerates the triad Shiva, Shakti, Nara (the bound soul) and the union of Shiva with Shakti. The trika philosophy derives its name from the three shaktis, namely, parA, aparA and parApara; and provides three modes of knowledge of reality, that is, non-dual (abheda), non-dual-cum-dual (bhedabheda) and dual (bheda). The literature of Kashmiri Shaivism is divided under three categories:

Agama shastra, Spanda shastra, and Pratyabhijna shastra.

Although the Trika Shastra in the form of Agama Shastra is said to have existed eternally, the founder of the system is considered Vasugupta (850 AD) to whom the Shiva Sutras were revealed.

Kallata in Spanda-vritti and Kshemaraja in his commentary Vimarshini state Shiva revealed the secret doctrines to Vasugupta while Bhaskara in his Varttika says a Siddha revealed the doctrines to Vasugupta in a dream.

By

Jagadeesh Krishnan

[21/01, 2:35 PM] Jagadeesh KrishnanChandra: ஷக்த அகமங்கள்

பொதுவாக தந்திரங்கள் என்று அழைக்கப்படுகின்றன, மேலும் அவை பெண்மையை மதிக்கின்றன, தெய்வத்தை மையமாகக் குறிக்கின்றன மற்றும் பெண்ணை அண்ட இருப்பின் சமமான மற்றும் இன்றியமையாத பகுதியாகக் கருதுகின்றன.

பெண்ணிய சக்தி (அதாவது ஆற்றல் மற்றும் சக்தி) கருத்து வேத இலக்கியங்களில் காணப்படுகிறது, ஆனால் இது ஷக்த அகமங்களில் மட்டுமே விரிவான உரை விவரங்களாக மலர்கிறது. இந்த நூல்கள் ஒரு ஆண் தெய்வீகம், அண்ட சக்தி மற்றும் அனைத்து பரவலான தெய்வீக சாரத்தின் படைப்பு அம்சமாக பெண்ணியத்தை வலியுறுத்துகின்றன.

தியோசோபி, ரீட்டா ஷெர்மா கூறுகிறது, ஆண்பால் மற்றும் பெண்பால் கொள்கையை "ஆதிகால, மீறிய, ஆனந்தமான ஒற்றுமையின் நிலையில்" முன்வைக்கிறது. பெண்பால் என்பது விருப்பம், அறிதல் மற்றும் செயல்பாடு, அவள் படைப்பின் அணி மட்டுமல்ல, அவள் படைப்பு. ஆண் கொள்கையுடன் ஒன்றிணைந்து, இந்த இந்து பிரிவின் தந்திர நூல்களில், பெண் முழுமையானது.

ஷக்த அகமங்கள் ஷைவ அகமங்களுடன் தொடர்புடையவை, அவை சக்தி தந்திரத்தில் சிவனுடன் சக்தி மற்றும் ஷைவ நூல்களில் சிவன் மீது கவனம் செலுத்துகின்றன. சிவன் மற்றும் சக்தி "ஒரே உண்மையின் இரண்டு அம்சங்கள் - நிலையான மற்றும் ஆற்றல்மிக்க, ஆழ்ந்த மற்றும் அசாதாரணமான, ஆண் மற்றும் பெண்" என்று தாஸ்குப்தா கூறுகிறார், மற்றொன்று இல்லாமல் உண்மையானது அல்ல, சிவனின் ஆற்றல் சக்தி சக்தி மற்றும் அவளுக்கு அவர் இல்லாமல் இருப்பு இல்லை, அவள் மிக உயர்ந்த உண்மை, அவன் வெளிப்படுத்திய சாரம்.

ஷக்த அகமங்கள் அல்லது சக்தி தந்திரங்கள் 64 ஆகும். இந்த வகையின் சில பழைய தந்திர நூல்கள் யமலாஸ் என்று அழைக்கப்படுகின்றன, இது உண்மையில் குறிக்கிறது, "தாந்த்ரீக சாதகாவின் இறுதி இலக்கான சிவன் மற்றும் சக்தியின் இருமையற்ற தன்மையின் முதன்மையான ஆனந்த நிலை" என்று டீன் க oud ட்ரியன் கூறுகிறார்.

ஷைவ அகமங்கள்

ஷைவ அகமங்கள் கபாலா, கலாமுகா, பசுபதா மற்றும் ஷைவா ஆகிய நான்கு முக்கிய பள்ளிகளில் காணப்படுகின்றன, மேலும் அவை 28 ஆகமாக்கள்.

ஷைவா அகமாக்கள் தென்னிந்தியாவின் தமிழ் பேசும் பகுதிகளில் ஷைவ சித்தாந்த தத்துவத்திற்கு வழிவகுத்ததுடன், காஷ்மீர் வட இந்திய பிராந்தியத்தில் காஷ்மீர் சைவ மதத்திற்கு வழிவகுத்தது.

ஷைவ சித்தாந்தம் என்பது ஷைவ மதத்தின் ஒரு துணைப்பிரிவாகும், இது ஒரு தத்துவ தத்துவத்தை முன்வைக்கிறது, அங்கு ஒரு மனிதனின் இறுதி மற்றும் சிறந்த குறிக்கோள் சிவபெருமானின் அருளால் அறிவொளி பெற்ற ஆத்மாவாக மாற வேண்டும். ஷைவ சித்தாந்தத்தின் நெறிமுறை சடங்குகள், அண்டவியல் மற்றும் இறையியல் ஆகியவை அகமாஸ் மற்றும் வேதங்களின் கலவையை ஈர்க்கின்றன வேதங்கள்.

ஷைவ சித்தாந்தம் பொதுவாக "தெற்கு" பாரம்பரியமாக கருதப்படுகிறது. திருமுரை, ஷைவ அகமங்கள் மற்றும் "மெய்கந்தா" அல்லது "சித்தாந்த" சாஸ்திரங்கள் என அழைக்கப்படும் பக்திப் பாட���்களின் தமிழ் தொகுப்பு, தமிழ் சைவ சித்தாந்தத்தின் வேத நியதியை உருவாக்குகிறது.

இன்று, ஷைவ சித்தாந்தத்தில் தமிழகம் மற்றும் இலங்கையில் முக்கியமாக பின்பற்றுபவர்கள் உள்ளனர்.

காஷ்மீர் ஷைவம், அல்லது திரிகா ஷைவம், ஷைவா-சக்தி தந்திரத்தின் நொண்டுவலிச மரபு ஆகும், இது பொ.ச. 850 க்குப் பிறகு தோன்றியது.

இந்த பாரம்பரியம் காஷ்மீரில் மிகவும் செல்வாக்கு செலுத்தியிருந்தாலும், இது பெரும்பாலும் காஷ்மீர் ஷைவ மதம் என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டாலும், இது உண்மையில் "திரிகா" என்று அழைக்கப்படும் ஒரு பான்-இந்திய இயக்கமாக இருந்தது, அதன் பெரிய எக்ஸிகேட், அபினவகுப்தா, இது ஒரிசா மற்றும் மகாராஷ்டிராவிலும் செழித்தது. திரிகா மரபின் அம்சங்களை வரையறுப்பது அதன் இலட்சியவாத மற்றும் தனித்துவமான பிரத்தியபிஜ்னா ("அங்கீகாரம்") தத்துவ அமைப்பு ஆகும், இது உபபலதேவா (கி.பி. 925-975) மற்றும் அபிநவகுப்தா (கி.பி. 975-1025), மற்றும் மூன்று தெய்வங்களின் மையம் , பராபரா, மற்றும் அபரே.

ஷைவா அகமங்கள் மற்றும் ஷைவா மற்றும் சக்தி தந்திரங்கள் போன்ற பல ஷைவ நூல்களிலிருந்து திரிகா வரையப்பட்டாலும், அதன் முக்கிய வேத அதிகாரிகளான மெலினிவிஜயோதாரா தந்திரம், சித்தயோகேவரமாதா மற்றும் அனமக-தந்திரம்.

தந்திரலோகா, மெலினோகோகவர்த்திகா, மற்றும் தந்திரசாரா போன்ற அபிநவகுப்தாவின் படைப்புகள் அதன் முக்கிய exegetical படைப்புகள் ஆகும், அவை முறையாக மெலினிவிஜயோதாரா தந்திரத்தின் ஒரு முன்மாதிரியாக இருக்கின்றன, இருப்பினும் அவை குலமேகாவின் காளி சார்ந்த கிராம துணைப்பிரிவின் மீது பெரிதும் ஈர்த்தன. இந்த பாரம்பரியத்தின் மற்றொரு முக்கியமான உரை விஜனா-பைரவா-தந்திரம், இது ஏராளமான யோக நடைமுறைகளை கோடிட்டுக் காட்டுவதில் கவனம் செலுத்துகிறது.

காஷ்மீரி ஷைவ மதத்தின் அகமாக்கள் திரிகா சாஸ்திரம் என்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகின்றன.

இது முக்கியமாக mAlinI, சித்த மற்றும் nAmaka Agamas ஆகியவற்றின் திரிகா அமைப்பை மையமாகக் கொண்டுள்ளது மற்றும் சிவன், சக்தி, நாரா (கட்டுப்பட்ட ஆன்மா) மற்றும் சக்தியுடன் சிவன் ஒன்றிணைவதை வணங்குகிறது. திரிகா தத்துவம் அதன் பெயரை மூன்று சக்திகளிலிருந்து பெறுகிறது, அதாவது parA, aparA மற்றும் parApara; மற்றும் யதார்த்தத்தைப் பற்றிய மூன்று அறிவு முறைகளை வழங்குகிறது, அதாவது, இரட்டை அல்லாத (அபேடா), இரட்டை-அல்லாத-இரட்டை (பெடபெடா) மற்றும் இரட்டை (பேடா). காஷ்மீரி ஷைவ மதத்தின் இலக்கியம் மூன்று பிரிவுகளாக பிரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது:

அகம சாஸ்திரம், ஸ்பந்தா சாஸ்திரம், மற்றும் பிரத்யபிஜ்னா சாஸ்திரம்.

அகம சாஸ்திர வடிவத்தில் உள்ள திரிகா சாஸ்திரம் நித்தியமாக இருந்ததாகக் கூறப்பட்டாலும், இந்த அமைப்பின் நிறுவனர் வசுகுப்தர் (கி.பி 850) என்று கருதப்படுகிறார், யாருக்கு சிவன் சூத்திரங்கள் வெளிப்படுத்தப்பட்டன.

ஸ்பந்தா-விருத்தியில் கல்லாட்டா மற்றும் க்ஷேமராஜா தனது வர்ணனையான விமர்ஷினி மாநிலத்தில் சிவன் வசுகுப்தருக்கு ரகசிய கோட்பாடுகளை வெளிப்படுத்தினார், பாஸ்கரா தனது வர்திகாவில் ஒரு சித்தர் ஒரு கனவில் வாசுகுப்தருக்கு கோட்பாடுகளை வெளிப்படுத்தினார் என்று கூறுகிறார்.

வழங்கியவர்

ஜெகதீஷ் கிருஷ்ணன்

[33-108]

Kashmir Shaivism is known as the Pure Trika System. The word trika means “the threefold science of man and his world.”

"Trika system is meant for any human being, without the restriction of caste, creed or color." ~Swami Lakshmanjoo

In this excerpt from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Chapter 19, Swamiji explains the four sub-systems of this philosophy.

https://www.lakshmanjooacademy.org/blog/the-schools-and-systems-of-kashmir-shaivism

[carminavulcana]

Are you Muslim or Hindu? Why are you so pissy about Kashmir?

Why am I "pissy" about Kashmir? Oh, I don't know... but maybe because I am human and I don't think decisions about people's homes can be made without their consent. And no one in J&K was consulted. Secondly, I am from J&K. My family is spread out in Bhadarwa, Poonch, and Jammu. We are not from the Kashmir valley but the fate of the rest of the state is tied to it. And the two articles (370 and 35-A) applied to the entire state and all its residents irrespective of religion or ethnicity.

That brings me to the second part of my answer. I am not Muslim. I am from a mixed Hindu-Sikh family with strong traditions of Trika Shaivism and Goddess worship. But that is neither here nor there! I don't have to be Muslim to care about Kashmir and its people. I don't have to be Muslim to be an authentic critic of the government's actions in J&K.

And you, dear anon, need to study more before you can ask such reductive questions.

[alivingstillness]

I play waves of empty water,

And think my self to be, 

Another I, another me,

One sprouting makes another,

From none, to two, to thousands, upon you,

Gazing through these windows of myself,

I’m neither known as wave nor watcher,

I am dance, I am the dancing,

To silent drums my water bleed,

But I stay whole, I never need,

I have no dharma, I dream no dream, 

These eyes of mine, cannot be seen,

For I am none, who is as one,

Yes I am none, and one indeed.

.

I am the limitless being who through my own power, veil myself with mind, which is nothing, but my own work of art. 

I create outwardly, but rejoice inwardly.

I descend through my very own Self and hold on to what I see. With my eyes I reach for objects and forget that they are of me. I divide and I multiply, “I” appears as other, and seem like something else. 

My limitation Is my freedom, and my freedom is without limit. Through love, I hide, through love, I seem bound, and through love, I am found.

Artwork: unknown