Shiva-shakti of Kashmiri Shaivism

Shiva-shakti of Kashmiri Shaivism

 The previous day had been unlike any other in the lives of those assembled. Lateral thinking, deep research and interdisciplinary knowledge had filled the minds of the scientists and the mystics. They could barely sleep as they waited for the morning to break for one more day of extraordinary discussions. The day would break new grounds in understanding of existence, this time from the perspectives of the mystics. By now, the scientists had seen enough to know that the talks of the Rishis, sages and saints would be dripping with knowledge and profundity. 


Next morning, all woke up fresh and excited, looking forward to imbibing new knowledge from each other. A group of monks, all bald headed and wearing ochre robes started the session by intoning a sutra from the Rig Veda in a rich, textured and melodious tone

“There was neither non-existence nor existence then.
There was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond.
What stirred?
Where?
There was neither death nor immortality then. 
There was no distinguishing sign of night nor of day. 
That One breathed, windless, by its own impulse. 
 Other than that there was nothing beyond.
Desire came upon that One in the beginning, 
that was the first seed of mind. 
Poets seeking in their heart with wisdom 
found the bond of existence and non-existence.
Their cord was extended across. 
Was there below? 
Was there above? 
There were seed-placers, there were powers. 
There was impulse beneath, there was giving forth above.
Who really knows? 
Who will here proclaim it? 
Whence was it produced? 
Whence is this creation? 
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe. 
Who then knows whence it has arisen?
Whence this creation has arisen –
perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not – 
the One who looks down on it, 
in the highest heaven,
only He knows 
or perhaps even He does not know.”
There was a hushed silence for some time as all got affected with the profundity of the verse. All that was spoken the last evening was packed so beautifully in these verses from the Rig Veda.

After some time, Sage Bhaskara spoke for the first time, “Do not mistake the non-existence as nothingness or emptiness. It may be empty from the perspective of nothing actual, but is really “fullness” of all potential that constitute the source and soul of all things, all worlds, all beings and bodies.”

Looking at Dr. Bohm, who was sitting with his chin in his hands, sage Bhaskara said, “Dr Bohm, what you have proposed in your theory of Implicate Order could be found in the commentary on the “Siva-sutras” – collection of principles of Kashmiri Shaivism called the Spanda-karika in the 10th Century. It says that the Divine Consciousness is not simply cold, inert but active, dynamic, throbbing with life, creative pulsations – just like the vibrations or waves of the Implicate Order.”

The SHREE YANTRA-from the Implicate Order to the Explicate and from the Explicate back to the Implicate

“The potential of the Implicate Order theory of Dr.Bohm seems the same as “Shiva” – the consciousness or the pure intelligence, from which flows the energy and awareness to create the millions of  “Shakti” – the power of action. These latent potential of Shiva continue to take the form of countless shaktis.” Sage Bhaskara continued, “Consciousness is revealed (unmesa) and concealed (nimesa) by the power of mere will. Just a simple cessation of an idea in the mind is said to be nimesa, for without stopping the previous idea, the rise of the next one, unmesa, is not possible. One can observe this for oneself in every single moment between birth and death.”

Ved Vyasa smiled and added, “We humans are different manifestations of “Shakti” that have all emerged from “Shiva”. The intelligence in the human minds is no different from the intelligence in nature, and thus the unified field of nature’s intelligence can be directly experienced by any human being, if he so desires. Our meditation and processes is to understand and connect to that stage of pure intelligence. The meeting of Shiva-Shakti is our ultimate goal.”

We need to increase the frequency of our mind so as tune it with the universal consciousness and then, we will automatically “go with the natural flow” without any effort or thought.” Ved Vyasa concluded by quoting the Vedic literature, “Yatinam Brahm bhavati sarathih” (for those whose mind is established in the universal consciousness, the infinite power of natural law becomes his charioteer.)

David Bohm stood up, overcome with emotion, and went and touched the feet of Ved Vyasa, saying, “I was not even aware of the Spanda-karika of Kashmiri Shaivism. I have spent a lot of time with Indian philosophy and have not found any mention of this treasure-trove of knowledge that is so similar to my search. I have never been happier in my life.”

“Just one request, Ved Vyasa,” Bohm pleaded, “Do you know how a human or a being emerges from the implicate order to take a form?”

Article by deepak

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