MANTRAS ET DIAGRAMMES rurom.

s
DANS L'HINOOUISME
Editions du CNRS • Paris, 1986.

MA~J;lALA AND AGAMIC IDENTITY

IN THE TRIKA OF KASHMIR '<
\'·

BY

ALEXIS SANDERSON

INTRODUCTION

Having traced and coloured the Mal}.<;lala of the Trident(s) and

Lotuses1 (figs. 1 and 3) the guru of the Trika installs and worships in it
the deities of the sect. He then blindfolds the initiand and leads
him into its presence. When the blindfold is removed the deities of
the mal}.<;lala ·enter the neophyte in an instantaneous possession. 2 His
subsequent life of ritual and meditation is designed to transform
this initial empowerment manifest in his membership of the sect into a
state of permanent, controlled identification, to draw it forth as the
substance of his conscious mind. Daily recreating the mal}.<;lala m

(1) AG (Kashmir, fl. c. AD 975-1025) draws on the Agamas of the Trika to describe
several variants of this mal)<;iala. In figures 1 and 3 resurrect two of these from the
texts, that of MVUT (TA 3l.62-85b, = MVUT 8.6-31) and that of the Trikasadbhtiva-
tanlra (TA 31.10-41b). A variant of the latter, the Catustrisiiliibjamal)<;iala, is given
from the Trikailrdaya (TA 31.53-54). There an eighth prong (srrigam) and lotus take
the place of the trident's staff. variants of the mal)<;iala of the single trident are given
from the Trisirobhairavatantra (TA 31.100c-123b), the Siddhayogisvarimata (TA 31.155-
163) and DYT (TA 31.85c-100b). The earliest dateable reference to the cult of this
rnal)<;iala in Kashmir is HV 47.99 (c. AD 830) (caryjislolra).
(2) See TA 15.448-456b. Here, in the Tiintrika initiation of the Trika, this possession
seems to have been nominal. There is no indication that the initiand was expected to
show signs of loss of control. This is in marked contrast to the Kaula initiation of the
Trika in which the ritual was to proceed only if the candidate had entered a possession-
trance (avesa{I, samavda{l) (see TAV 11 (29] 131, 5-13) and the intensity of this empower-
ment was to be gauged by the guru from such symptoms as convulsions and loss or
consciousness (TA 29.207-208). Clearly the Kaula Trika was the preserve of virtuosi
(TA 29.187ab; 2llab), while the Tiintrika, with which we are exclusively concerned here,
enabled the sect to establish itself as a broad-based tradition ( > trikajtili{l).

7
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mental worship he summons from within his consciousness the deities
it enthrones, projecting them on to a smooth mirror-like surface
to contemplate them there as the reflection of his internal, Agamic
identity. 3 He aspires to know himself only as this nexus of deities,
constituting for himself an invisible identity concealed within his
worldly perception and activity, 4 a heterodox, visionary Self of Power
behind the public appearance of Purity sustained by conformity
to orthodox society. 5
With Abhinavagupta, the leading expositor of this sect, in the
third and final phase of its evolution (Trika III), 6 we see the
metaphysical translation of this Agamic deity-self. He defines
it as the absolute autonomy of a non-individual consciousness which
alone exists, containing the whole of reality within the bliss of a
dynamic "1"-nature, projecting space, time and the interrelating
fluxes of subjective and objective phenomena as its content and
form, manifesting itself in this spontaneous extroversion through
precognitive impulse (icchii}, cognition (jniinam) and action (kriyii}
as the three radical modes of an infinite power. The maJ.lQ.ala is
enabled to define and transmit this omnipotent "I" through the
identification of these three modes with the goddesses Para, Para para,
and Apara, who are enthroned as the heart of the maJ.lQ.ala on the
three lotuses that rest upon the tips of its central trident. 7 In
worshipping them the initiate is to rehearse the liberating intuition
that his true self is the undifferentiated deity-ground which contains

(3) See TA 26.37c-72 (nityauidhi/.1), esp. 41-42b; TS pp. 179, 16-180, 6. Though
I.
L_
I -1
daily external worship is generally on this surface (sthar;¢ili nityarca) it may also be on
a linga (provided it is private, moveable, not of fashioned stone, nor or any metal but
gold), a rosary (alc~asutram), a skull-cup (mahiiplilram), a skull-stall (lcha!vangal)), an
image of painted clay (citrapustam), deodar wood or gold, a sword-blade, a mirror, a t ---1 .'
copy of an esoteric scripture, an image on cloth (pa!a{t} or an image traced on a human
skull (lflram). See TA 27. At the end of this passage (58c-59b) Abhinavagupta adds,
"Alternatively, everyday having fashioned the maJ.H,Iala of one's choice, making it a _[TTJ I] L_ · ·. . J[ · I
quarter of the size given (for initiation), one should worship therein the entire sequence.
(of deities)." The laboriousness of this procedure cannot have made it a popular option.•
(4) Cf. TA 29.64.
-- __________lj____ ]_ J
(5) See A. Sanderson, 'Purity and Power among the Brahmans of Kashmir', in' . _ _!~e outline of the Mal).(iala of the Trident and Lotuses
The Category of the Person, ed. M. Carrithers, S. Collins, and S. Lukes, Cambridge University (lrtsulabjamar.z¢alam) prescribed by MVUT 9.6-31 (= TA 31. 62 _85 b).
Press, 1985, pp. 190-216.
(6) We may distinguish three main phases in the development of the Trika. The
first is represented by the Siddhayogisuarimata, the MVUT and the TST, the second by
the DYT, the Trilcasadbhaua and the Trilcahrdaya, and the third by the works or AG.
t(h~~ _tria~ of impersonal powers in blissful, omnipotential fusion
These distinctions are explained below. _cz anan ?8 aT{lghaf!alJ.J. Through the internal monolo ue of h"
(7) See BPD 15; TA 3.71c-104b; 15.338-352 (on DYT. Cf. JY 4, fol. 190r'-' (on ritual he Is to ~hmk ~way the "I" of his identity in th~ world ~~
Trisir~ii Kali): sa tri (dhvi)slcandhii prollasanti icchiiciccakramadhyaga I para caiuapara
caiua salta caiua parapara 1 trislcandhii sa tridhiimasthii icchiijfianalcriyatmika JJ).
tmhuetuallydexl cltuhsive .s~bJects and objects, projecting on to the mirror of
The maJ.l. a a e VISIOn of a sup If h f ·
principal mantra, SAUI;I, is coded in the same way: see PAS 41-46 and comm.; TA this "I" but II "I" d h erse .w ose orm contams not only
5.54c-62b. "I" b r a th san t e world of obJects and values by which these
s e reve emselves to be conditioned. His ritual and his
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meditation serve to create a mental domain in which the boundaries
three goddesses of his sect enthroned above the trident. The mal). <;I. ala
which hem in his lower, public self are absen~. .~hrough co!lst~nt
repetition (abhyiisa]J.) they are to transform this VISIOnary ~ro~ectwn and its powers, the throne and the enthroned, become the emblem of
his sect's dominion over the universe of self-reference. The scriptural
(dhytinam, bhtivanti) into a su~jective. ide.n~ity ~nown ~ p:1~n.
Thinking of his lower, social subJectivity from w1thm ?s the Word-essence which entered him through his initiation, lifting him out
contraction of the infinite power of his true, A?a~ic self, he .nt~ally of its coarser modalities into the Trika, speaks with ever increasing
internalizes a metaphysical ontology. . Yet this view of reahty I~ at clarity and consistency as the continuum of his ritual and meditation
the same time the expression of sectanan power. The metaphysic~! until at last it falls silent in unquestioning self-knowledge. 9
translation of the configuration of deities with which it empo.wers ~Is
identity absolutizes his self-representation not only beca~se It demes THE MA~J?ALA IN DAILY WORSHiplO
existence to anything other than this self, but also because It de-absolu-
tizes the metaphysical grounds and deity-selves that empo~er t~e 1. Preliminaries
sect's rivals in revelation (sabdal;t, tigama]J.). Through the ritual m
which he internalizes the Agamic self of the Trika he is ~a~e to see Having performed ritual purification11 the initiate proceeds to his
that these opposing claims to suprem~cy f_orm a ?oncentnc hierarchy sanctum (ytigagrham). Standing outside it he consubstantiates his
of truth-emanation in which the Tnka IS the mnermost core and hands and body12 with Siva and his Power (saklil;t) by installing in
them the mantras of Matrka and Malin! (stimtinyanytisa]J.p 3 • He
material cause. The plurality of competing doctrines is dis~ol":_ed
then installs 6 the same mantras in a wine-filled chalice14 (siimiinyiir-
into the concept of an internally u~ifie~ Word-Absolute (para ?a~)
which is identical with the self-proJectmg autonomy of. the T~Ika s
triadic deity-self. Emanating through its three.powers m a. senes. of (9) All ritual and worship is uikalpasalflskiiral}, the inculcation (through ·repetition)
progressive contractions, from the. absolute hght of all~mclusiVe of the Agamic revelation of the nature of the self. When such a truth-perception develops
consciousness (known only to the Tnka) to the banal plurality of the by the power of thought alone (cetasaiua), without the additional support of action, then
common world (known to all), it assumes between these extre~es the the means of self-realization (upiiyal}, samiiue§al}) is the intermediate, called siiktopiiyal;
or jiiiinopiiyal; (MVUT 2.22; TA 1.214-220; 4.1-278, esp. 2-7 (uikalpasalfls/ciira!;) ). When
form of the various systems of salvation or esoteric power wh~ch the this truth-perception is unable to develop unaided and so goes for support to visualizations
Trika sees around itself. Just as it illustrates itself upon the mirror of (dhyiinam), concentration on the source of the breath (ucciira/;1), the cycling of sounds
consciousness as the hierarchy of ontic levels (laltvtini), from .siv~ to in the breath (uarr;ta/;1), external and internal postures (karar;tam), and the activation of
inert matter, so it expresses itself scripturally in absolubzatwns micro-macrocosmic correspondences in the breath, the body, and the external supports of
ritual (see n. 3) (sthiinakalpanam), then the means is the lower, termed iir;tauopiiya/;1 or
of these levels. 8 kriyopiiya/;1 (MVUT 2.21; TA. 1.221-225; TA 5-12 and 15-33). This self-creation through
Thus it is that the mental construction and worship of the mal)<;lala thought (bhiiuanii), with or without further support, is transcended only in the highest
and its deities in daily worship is encoded to signal the Trika~aiva_'s means, siimbhauopiiya/;1 or icchopiiya/;1, in which one intuits one's Agamic identity within
ascent through and beyond the levels of this emanation of doctrmes m the precognitive impulse (icchii). The word-less revelation (siik§iitkiira/;1) achieved here
consciousness. Passing through the deity-structures of the lower directly is the goal or culmination of the stream of vikalpasalflskiira/;1 in the two lower
means. It is the point at which repetition becomes unbroken continuity (TA 4.6-7),
Saiva revelations in the highest reaches of this ascent, in the zone of in which one has become what one says one is (cf. IPVV vol. 3, 84, 1-11).
the Word's first stirring towards self-differentiation, he reaches (10) The description of the daily ritual (nityavidhil}) which follows, from purification
conviction of omniscience and omnipotence in the core of the to the worship of the deities in the internal ma~;u;lala, is drawn from TA 15.39c-366. In
practice this section of the ritual is performed at least twice, first in the junction-rite
(sandhyiinu§!hiinam) and then as the first part of the daily piija to be performed at
J(:.:' (8) For the structural unity of the Absolute and the Wor.d s~e MV~. There AG whatever time one chooses (TA 26.37c-38) and followed by external worship (see n. 3)

~ j ,·, correlates the various streams of Saiva revelation (iigamasro!iilflS!) w1th. the mnate powers
of the deity-self (1.15-435) and expounds his exegetical-cum-ontologiCal 'supreme non-
with flesh and wine. Ideally the junction-rite should be performed at dawn, midday,
dusk and midnight, but AG allows the last three to be omitted by a 'disciple engaged
in the study of scripture, etc.' (TA 26.33-36b).
dualism' (paramiiduayauiidal}) (see esp. 1.631; 693; 1134; 2.18; 270j 329): The g~neral
theory of the equation of revelation (iigama/;!) and self-representatiOn (V!mar8al}) •s also (11) TA 15.45-79. Its purpose is not physical but internal purity. It 'bestows
fitness to perform the rites of worship .. .' (TA 15. 76ab) and involves vikalpasalflskiira/;1.
•t developed at IPVV vol. 3, 84, 1-107, 3 and at TA 35 (sarviigamapriimiir;tyam). For the
ranking of the doctrines of outsiders within the hierarchies of tattvas and states se~
It may be physical or purely mental ritual.
·.~'. i ~' J SvT 11.68c-74; MBhT-KKh, fol. 213r'-214r• (mu/clisalflgrahasiitriidhikiiral}); TA 4:29-30:
(12) TS p. 134, 1.
(13) Two orders of the alphabet: a to k§a (Matrka, =Siva) and na to pha (Malini, =
TAV 1(1)69; TA 6.9-10; 16; IPVV vol. 1, 251-52; vol. 3, 333; SN 29; PH on sutra 6,
Sakti) (TA 15.133c-134b).
KL passim. {14) Seen. 29.
'I> I

'.·.t
• • ·•.·:·.··.·.!

. ! I
i
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ghapiilram) and with its contents sprinkles the ingredients of worship, ~he mantras that follow: his ritual has removed the personality whic
thus drawing them within the power of Siva. 16 Next he makes Impedes this 'possession' .23 This invocation of the Agamic self inl
an offering to the retinue of deities that surrounds the site (biihya- ~he place of his now absent individuality ( atzulvam) is accomplishE
pariviira/;t16) and to the deities that guard the entrance to the m two stages. First he installs the mantra of somatizatic
sanctuml7. He then takes a flower, empowers it with the force of the (murtividyii), identifying it with the primal urge .towards tl
weapon-mantra (astramantraf.t), casts it in through the door to expell assumption of form that rises up from within the waveless (ni
all malevolent powers,18 enters, directs about the interior a gaze taratigam) void of his now de-individualized consciousness. Tl
"which blazes with the radiance of Siva" (sivarasm!ddhii drk19 ), mantr~'s. verb.al form is the worshipper's assert~on that this power
prevents entry into the area with the armour-mantra (lwvacaman- now his 1dentity. 24 As he utters it he becomes the deity-self in i
tral;t),20 and sits down facing north. 21 internal, still undifferentiated potentiality as the seed of cosm
expansion 25 • In the next stage he expands this ':foundation-self l:
2. The deification of the body infusing through touch into the parts of his 'body{ the whole seri•
of d~ities which he will later worship in the internal manda:
Now he purifies his body with the weapon-mantra, visualizing its (yiijyadevatiicakranyasal;t, 26 = vise~anyiisal;t), seeing them as· ·u
power as a fire sweeping up through his body and reducing it to cosmic extroversion of this innermost "I". This structure of deiti•
ashes. He then dispels these ashes with the 'wind' of the armour- in the form of maritras 27 is mantrically translated through numeric
mantra. The process of incineration is to be understood by the equivalences into the thirty-six ontic levels that constitute the Sai\
worshipper as the destruction of his public or physical individuality t~t~l~ty, the tattvas from S~v~ (36th) to earth (lst) 28 • His body thl
(dehiihanlii) and the blowing away of the ashes as the eradication of divmized as the all-contammg Absolute ( anutlaram), he worshii
the deep latent traces ( saT{!skiirii/;t) ofthis binding identification. He
is to see that all that remains of his identity is pure, undifferentiated
consciousness as the impersonal ground of his cognition and action. 22 (23) See Jon TA 1.173c-174 and 1PK 3.23 with IPV 2, 231, 13-1.6. The worshippel
So doing he opens the way for his identification with the deity through mantras often extend into (Ist person) indicative sentences (uhamantrCi(l) (see e.
SvTU 1(2)109, 9-10) which verbalize this possession. But it is understood that they ha·
the power to absorb his awareness (CirCidhakacitlam) into the non-discursive states whi•
(15) See TS p. 135, 8-136 on the ritual unification of the factors in the act of worship they embody rather than simply denote. To recite a mantra is to be possessed by
as a propaedeutic to enlightened perception of all action. TA 15.147-151; 157c-161; to a greater or lesser extent depending on the intensity of worship. See SK 2.1·
151: 'Thus if he devotes himself to the constant practice of the unity (of action [kriyCikCira- TA 16.249-296b.
kCibheda(l]) this universe will suddenly shine forth for him as though dancing ecstatically (24) MVUT 8.20.
in the intense animation of its perfect Siva-ness' (lalhaikyCibhyCisani#hasyCikramad visvam (25) TA. 15.237d-239b; 263c-266; TS p. 140, 4-5 (Cidya spandaka/Ci). Ct. JY
idarrz hafhal 1 sarrzpurr.zasivatak~obhanarinartad iva sphurel). f~l: 23v•·• (Trailokya(iCimaranyasa(l): pascac cidrupasarrzglwJie bindunCidCintasarrzpu[e
(16) TA 15.181-182b: the Trident, the Sun, the Bull (Nandin), the Mothers, the mllnavrttau sarrzpurr.ze sarvalok~ir.zasarrzslhilau II alchaQ(iamar.z(ia/CikCire su (saNanlarnnav
Site-guardian (K~etrapiila) and the Yoginis. sarrz (sa)nibhe I visramya sucirarrz kalarrz yavad ucchunata bhavet 11 tavad vidyarrz ;~ar.
(17) In the 'exoteric' Siddhiinta Nandirudra and Ganga are worshipped in the right mantri vilcasakuiicanodi!Cim 1.
doorpost and Mahakiila and Yamuna on the left. The Trika signals its position within (26) TS p. 140, 5-6.
the esoteric Southern Stream (dak~ir;wrrz) of the Bhairava-teachings by inverting this (27) This mantra-installation is hexadic (~o(i/!Cinyasa(t), there being six Siva-mantr
order. See SvTU 1(2)14, 12-15, 11 and TA 15.184-187. Cf. SSP 95. and six Sakti-mantras (mahayamalanyasai}). For the two schools of interpretati 1
(18) These 'impeders' are a very real presence for the Tantrika. Thus Vidyiinanda- of MVUT 8.35 here (following Sambhuniitha an<l Lak~mal).agupta) see TA 15.239-2!
natha of the Kaula cult of Tripurasundari tells the worshipper that after casting in the and comm. Cf. SYM 25.17-34, fol. 54r 1-55r 1 • See also n. 125.
flower he must stand to one side to make way for their exit ( Jn{inadipavimarsini, fol. (28) The six stages of installation (nyasa(l) are equated with waking, dream drear
lOv>·•: ...pra(prati)k~ipya nirgacchatarrz vighnasarrzghatanarrz vamangasarrzkocena (saiJiko- less sleep, bliss in the junctions between them (turiyam), bliss pervading the thr
(turyCililam), and the sixth state pervading all five (anuttara svabhavadasa). With
cana) m{irgarrz pradadyat). each rise successively the six Cause-deities (kCiral)adevatCi(t}: Brahma, Vi~Q.u, Rudr
(19) TA 15.192ab.
(20) cr. JS 11.7-8 where the worshipper sees the kavacam as a blazing barrier which Isvara, Sadii.Siva and Anii.Sritabhattaraka. The 36 stages of ascent which result, fro
Brahma in the waking state to Aniisritabhattaraka in the sixth, are equated with tl
renders him invisible.
(21) One se.eking salvation (mumuk§UQ) faces north, i.e. towards the terrible Aghora- 36 tattvas from earth (prthivi) to Siva. See TA 15.259c-261b; TS p. 141, 1-7. Tb
face of the deity. One seeking powers (bubhuk§UQ} faces east, towards the Sadyojata- set o~ corresp_ondences was presumably accomplished through a series of mantraprayogt
face. See TA 15.193 and 231c-232b; MVUT 8.18a; SvTU 1(2)17, 1-5; cf. PS 1.9 with ~ow mac~~ss1ble, unless a full Trikapujapaddhati(l comes to light, along the followil
lmes: Of!! ;agradavasthayCirrz prthivitatlvarapaya brahmar;~e nama!;, padayo(l, etc. cr. SvT
bha§Ya.
1(1)50, 15-20; KK 4, 216, 2; 226, 10-12.
(22) TA 15.232-237.
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it with flowers, incense and the like. This whole proced~re from For Abhinavagupta, commenting on Utpaladeva's formulation, all
incineration to this worship is then repeated on a second ~me-filled
acts of worship are modes of this possession (samavesapallaval}.).
chalice (vise~arghapatram). 29 As before he con.sub~tantrates ~he To make obeisance (pravama(r), to hymn, to make offerings, and to
ingredients of worship with the worshipped by sprmklmg t~em wrth
contemplate, all induce identity with the deity through the suppression
the contents of the divinized chalice and then repeats wrth th.ese
of the field of individualized consciousness within the body, intellect,
ingredients the worship of himself as the cosmic deity (iilmapiiJii). internal sensation, and the void. 33 In the present case the performer
of the liturgy is to understand that the phase of the ritual up to the
3. The installation of the Trisiilabjamal).Q.ala in Internal Sensation worship of his body has accomplished possession in 'the lowest of these
( priival;) levels, and that the installation of the trisillabjamal).<;iala and the
mental worship of the deities upon it which now follows V(ill perfect
a. The four levels of Possession (samavesal;). this possession by establishing it in the three higher levels (the
Now that he has established Siva's cosmic expansion in his bo.dy intellect or stream of cognition, the internal sensation, ··.and the
he is qualified to proceed to the next phase, the mental constructiOn sensationless void). -This is to be achieved by visualizing the
of the mal).Q.ala (trisiilabjamavrf-alanyasal;), as the first stage ~f mal).gala within the second. The other two levels, the intellect
internal worship ( antaryagal;, manoyiigal;, hr~yiiga.l;). That thrs below it and the void above it, are held to be divinized automatically
internal worship should be preceded by the derficabon of the body in this visualization, being elements internal to the action (kara-
accords with the general Tantric principle that only one who .has kii!J-i), the void as the locus of the agent (kartradhi~fhtinam), acting on
become the deity may worship the deity. 30 Abhinavagupta's T:r~m, internal sensation and therefore above it, and the intellect as his
however, sees this within the categories of the Doctrine of Recogmtron instrument (karavaTfl )- 34
( pratyabhijiiiisastram) developed by his te~c~er's teacher Utpalad~v~.
According to that doctrine the all-contammg self (para~ pr?'matr:J b. The level of internal sensation (praval;)_
appears as the limited self (mayiipramalti) by m~mfe~~mg rts
contraction through four levels, as a sensatronl~ss vord (sunya":), This level gives life to self-consciousness in the intellect and the
internal sensation ( antaral; spar8al;, praval;), the m~ellect (buddhzl;) body but is itself independent of them. Trika soteriology teaches
and the body (dehal;). 31 Possession (samaves~l;) :s the abs~nce of access to it through the centring of awareness in the point of
this subordination of one's essence to these proJections. It .rs, says equilibrium (vi~uvat) within the gross movement of inhalation
Utpaladeva, that state in which t~e pure. agency of conscrous~es3~ (apiinal;) and exhalation (praval;). The stronger the centring the
reasserts itself within them, revealmg therr dependence upon rt. weaker this movement becomes; and as the breath evaporates so does
identification with the body and the intellect, since these modes of self
are held to be entirely dependent on breathing. Internal sensation is
(29) TA 15.289a: iinandarasasarrzpurr.zarrz. J explains the 'liquid of joy' here a~ reached when this oscillation of the breath has become so faint that its
'wine, etc.' For the earlier chalice (siimiinyiirghapiilram) AG speaks o~ 'water~ etc. two movements are fused in a subtle, pulsating point of quintessential
(J takes the 'etc.' to refer to alcohol) and adds that 'heroes' (viriil:z) add to~~ the. mmgled
sexual fluids (kw;ujagolakam), going on to praise wine and other alcoholic drmks. See
TA 15.160-70b.
(33) IPV and IPVV on IPK 3.23 (3.2.12). Here AG understands samiivda1• to
(30) See JS 12.1; MTV II 29, 9-10; SvT 2.55ab. . . . .
mean not the act of being entered but that of entering (into one's true nature) (IPVV
(31) IPK I, 56; 3.8; 3.22-28. This tetradic classificatwn, though given m the
vol. 3, 326, 22-23) and it is in this sense that it is used in Trika III's glosses on Ist person
A.gama-secLion of IPK, is nowhere found to my knowledge in any Saiva Tantra. It
active verbs expressing worship, praise, obeisance etc. (e.g. Jon TA 1.2 (naumi ... iivisami)).
occurs in the Piiiicariitrika Lak~milanlra at 7.19-24c, but that passage i_s based on IPK
However, this conventional etiquette is outweighed by this system's principle that
3.23-38 and the whole work is pervaded by Kashmirian Sai~a doc_tr!nes. The_ only
agency (kartrtii) resides only in the deity-self (see Utpaladeva himself on SD 1.1 [asma-
scriptural source in which 1 find it is Paural)ic, the Saiva Uvaragtla of the Kurm~­
drupaSAM.iiVI$:f Aij... ]) and by the evidence of the primary sense in the ritual context,
puriir.za 2. 3.19-20: MAHATA.if param avyaklam _avyakliil p'!r~sa!:z para!:z I puru~ad
especially the Kaula (cf. n. 2). That the rudrasakliSAMAVES.ii.ij of MVUT 2.17-23
!
bhagaviin p RAJY AS tasya sarvam idam jagat (cf. A ~-~~ I~ pr~r.zal paralararrz V YOM~
( > AG's upiiyiil:z) were originally understood as degrees of possession (being possessed)
vyomiitilo 'gnir JSVARA.if 1 so 'ham sarvalrag~!:z santo ;nanalma p~ram:svara~ II· This
during initiation is apparent from DKAT, fol. 19v5 -20r' and by comparing MVUT 2.17-23
may have been his inspiration for the three higher levels (buddht1t-pra?ai:z-!unyam).
with KM 10.65-97, fol. 46r'-47r'. See also A. Sanderson, op. cit., pp. 198-203. Since
(32) IPK 3.23: mukhyatvarrz kartrtiiyiis tu bodhasya ca cidiitmana!:z I sunyadau tadgur.ze
possession' has the same voice-ambiguity as samiiue8a!:z I have used it throughout.
jfiiinarrz tat SAMAVESAlak~ar.zam 11. (34) See TA 15.296c-278b.
 -179-
-178-
vitality (samana/;), 35 in the "I" as it subsists in dreamless but blissful navel he insta!ls the s~elling at the trident's base (amalasarakam)
a~d ~a~es o_beisance to It42 as ~~e Power which Supports (the universe)
sleep (savedyaT(l sau§upiam, pravasau§uptam). 36 If the practice is
( adharasakhl; ). He then divides it into four levels and worships
sustained at this stage, then awareness penetrates the sensationless
void ( apavedyam sau§uplam, siinyasau§uptam) in its core and passing these in ascent, seeing t~em as_the four gross elements (tattvas 1 to 4),
~arth, ":;;ter, fire and wmd,. with the fifth, _ether ( akasal;), cont:;tined
through this final barrier enters the pulsation of autonomous
m each. Above the swelhng, through thirty finger-spaces, from his
consciousness (saktal; spandal;). The fused breath (samiinal;) is
nave~ !o the ~pert:rre at the back of his palate {liilurandhram,
totally dissolved and the 'fire' of the 'rising breath' ( agnil;, udanal;)
lambzka), he vrsuahzes the staff of the trident rising through the
blazes up from below the navel. Devouring all duality 37 it ascends
through a central, vertical channel ( su§iramiirge1J.a 38 ), penetrating next twenty-five tattvas, from the subtle objects of sense to the
the cranial 'aperture of Brahma' (brahmarandhram, kakham) to factors which limit consciousness in the individual (tattvas 6 to
culminate as Siva-consciousness ( =vyiinal;) at a point twelve finger 30).44 Above the aperture in the palate he visualizes~the knot
(granlhil;) and identifies it with miiyii (tattva 31), the material cause
spaces (c. 20 to 25 em.) directly above it ( dviidasiinlam, urdhvakUI:u!a-
(ufiidiinam)4 5 of the .tattvas that constitute the lower,· impure
linf, niilf,yadhiira/;). 3 9 ·
In the present phase of our ritual the level of inner sensation umver_se. Betwe~n this knot and the cranial aperture he visualizes
underlying the movement of inhalation and exhalation is extended in the phnth (caluskzlcii) 46 and identifies it with Gnosis (suddhavidya)
imagination along the central channel and the trisulabjamal)Q.ala is t~e first level_ (t~ttva 32) of t~e p.ure universe (suddho 'dhvii) which
projected in ascending stages along it. Thus the worshipper evokes n.ses abo_ve maya to culmmate m SIVa. On this plinth and just below
through ritual the actual, yogic rise of the liberating central power hrs. cramal aperture47 he installs the eight-petaled Lotus of Gnosis
(vzdyiipadmam) as the thirty-third tattva, that of Siva in his form as
(ku1J.1alinf). Indeed he is to aspire to experience it in the ritual
itself. For in mentally installing the mal)Q.ala and worshipping its Isvara (isvaratalfvam). 48 The worshipper now installs in its centre
deities he should enter the mudra. This is not a hand-pose (the Sadasiva,49 the Siva-form of the thirty-fourth tattva, visualizing
common sense of the term), but a yogic trance (karaiJ.am) in which
the virtual divinization of the trans-intellectual levels is actualized by (42) I use the term 'to make obeisance to' to refer to the standard mantra-form
ascent through the cranial aperture to the dvadasanta, so that the OTJI+bljam (if any)+name in dative+nama(l (TA 30.18ab). Thus OTJI hriTJI adhfirasaktaye
mal)Q.ala, the deities and the worshipper are fused. 40 nama(! etc.
(43) They receive obeisance as Dharii/Prthivi (TA 30.4a), SurodafSuriirnava (SvTU
1(2)36, 12), Pota and Kanda. See MVUT 8.55cd and cf. TA 8.20c-22 on HUhukabhairava.
c. The mal)Q.ala-throne. 41 (4~) The remaining Sarpkhya tattvas (gandha(l to puru$a!zJ+the five lcaficukani:
causality of karma (niyati(l), attachment (raga(!), time (lcfila!z), finite knowledge (vidyii)
The trisulabjamal)Q.ala is built up along the axis of internal and finite power of action (kalii).
sensation to contain the complete hierarchy of the Saiva cosmos as the (4~) Th~ mantras here are obeisances to the eight 'qualities of the intellect' (buddhi-
throne of the Trika's deities. In the space of four fingers below his dha~rr:_a(l): nghteousnes_s (dharma/;!), gnosis (jniinam), aversion to worldly experience
(Va1ragyam), p~wer (a1svaryam) and their opposites (adharma(l etc.).
(46) The plmth has two covers (chiidane) (TA 15.30d). J says that these are maya
below and Gnosis (vidyii) above (TAV 9(15)151, 3-8); but on TA 30.6, where the installa-
(35) IPK 3.25-26 and 30; IPVV (on 3.30 (3.2.19) vol. 3, 342-349; TA 5.46c-47b tion mantras are given, he tells us that they are maya and kalii. The latter equivalences
(= brahmananda(l-stage) and comm. presumably reflect the fact that in systems outside the Trika this level is in maya not
(36) IPK 3.25-26. Gnosis. See SvTU 1(2)41, 2-3.
(37) IPVV vol. 3, 349, 16. (47) MVUT 8:61cd (reading ka/che with MS lea).
(38) IPVV vol. 3, 349, 15. (_48) :rere the MVUT has altered the general and natural equation of the Lotus of
(39) TA 5.44-52b; SK 1.24-25 with SN. Gnosis With the tattva of Gnosis. Cf. SvTU 1(2)42, 12. Obeisance is made on the
(40) TA 26.3lc; 32.66; 67ab; 15.361-62; 5.54c-62b. Cf. SvTU 1(2)60, 1-10. The petal• and in the calix (8+ I) to two sets of nine Powers (Varna to Manonmani and Vibhvi
Trika's esoteric khecarimudra and its grotesque, deity-imitating ectypes such as the t? Raudri), the first installed from left to right (dak$ir;ziivartena) and the second from
trisiilinimudrii, in which one pulls one's mouth open with the two little fingers, dilates
right to left (viimiivarlena). In the Siddhanta and the Svacchanda-cult only the first
one's nostrils with the middle fingers, folds the ring fingers, moves about one's brows,
set are_ used (SSP pp. 167-171; SvT 2.68-72). Before these one installs Al\1 and AH in
index fingers and tongue while emitting the sound hahfi (TA 32.13c-15b), connects the
the cahx (= Isvara and Sadasiva according to J [TAV 12(30)177, 13-15]) and the co~so­
tradition with the Krama cults: see JY 4, pafala 1-2, where many such wild mudriis
nants from KA(l\1) to BHA(l\1) on the twenty-four stamens (kesariih).
are described in detail as mechanisms of possession. _ (49) He is installed not only as the 34th tattva but as the fifth of the Cause-deities
(41) See fig. 2, drawn by Stephanie Sanderson, who also prepared the final, inked
(karar;zadevalii(l); for after obeisance to the Powers on the petals comes that to the three
versions of figs. 1 and 3. To her this essay is gratefully dedicated.
[i
l'f I

11·.·1
1: .. ' !I
I I'

-180- -181-
:1::'II 1

!! him as a blazing corp_se, emaciated in his transcendence. of ; 0he lo~er following under the heading 'The Superiority {of the Trika) to all other
universe, resonant With the ·mad laughter of destructwn, , gazmg Schools' ( anyasiislragar;wlkar~al.z55 ):
upwards to t~e higher light of t_he Tri_k~'s Absolute. Now he
In the (Saiva-) Siddhii.nta the throne culminates in the (nine) Powers of
visualizes the three prongs of the trident r~smg up from the navel of Gnosis. In the Varna and the Dak~i:Q.a schools it is extended to incorpo-
Sadasiva through the cranial aperture to spread out and up to the rate Sadasiva. In the Matayiimala it rises above Sadasiva to end in the
plane of the dvadasanta. As they rise they penetra~e three leve!s: Conscious (samanii). Here in the Trika it goes even further, ending
Power (sakti/:1), the Pervading (vyiipini) and the Conscious (sam~na). O!llY in the Transinental (unmanii). That is why (the Miilinlvijayottara-
These are the higher levels of the resonance ( niidal)) of the rise. of tantra) calls this throne 'the supreme'."
transcendental subjectivity ('sarvam idam aham eva' ) 51 whiCh
was symbolized by the laughter of the blazing Sadasiva-corpse i. From Siddhanta to Bhairava-teachings.
(mahiipretal)). They are the substance ?f t~e highest reach~s of the The first transcendence in this series, that of the~throne of the
Saiva cosmos (bhuvaniidhvii), the osclllatwn of emanation ~nd Siddhanta, asserts the Trikasaivas' position within the ba~ic dichotomy
resorption of worlds in ever vaster dimensions of time in the_ asc_endmg of Agamic Saivism, that which is expressed in the division of the
hierarchy of the cosmic 'breath' coming in the e?d to rest m ~Ime~ess scriptures (iigamiil.z) into the ten Siva-Agamas and eighteen Rudra-
infinity with the Conscious. (samanii.}. 52 Fn~ally .?e .~Isuahzes Agamas on the one hand and the Bhairava-Agamas, commonly
three white lotuses on the bps of the prongs m dvadasanta and listed as sixty-four, on the other. 57 From within the traditions of
equates them with the Transmental level (unmanii) above the the latter, to which the Trika belongs, the Siddhanta is seen as the
Conscious (samanii). exoteric rievel of the Saiva revelation which they transcend from
within. 58 While the Siddhanta teaches the irreducibility of the
d. The supremacy of the Trika. individual agent-self, the externality of the world to consciousness, and
relative conformity to the orthodox social order, the Bhairava-
Now that the three lotuses of the Transmental are in place in the teachings claim to lift consciousness out of these limitations into the
upper limit of the rise of km;u;l.alini53 the maw;lala-throne is c~mple~e esoteric autonomy of a non-dual nature.• 9 It is this internal ascent
and the Trikasaiva can proceed to the enthronement and wors~u~ of h1s within Saivism from the world of Veda-determined values or
deities upon the totality of the tattvas. 54 ~e c~n do this m the 'inhibition' ( saizkii60 ) into the uncontracted domain of an all-inclusive,
certain knowledge that there can be no worship higher than that to value-free Power that is expressed in the first of these superenthrone-
which his initiation into the Trika has entitled him. For the purpose ments. As Abhinavagupta says, the followers of the Siddhanta do
of the installation of the mal}<;lala in the line of inner sensation is not indeed terminate their throne with the nine Powers (saktayal))
simply the daily inculcation of a certain cosmic hierarc?Y· . It encodes of the Lotus of Gnosis. 61 On this throne they install and worship
this hierarchy to reveal the Trika's supremacy by taking him through
and beyond the mal}<;lala-thrones of all other Saiva clai~ants ~o the
worship and assimilation of absolute power: Thus Imm~dmtely (55) T.A 1.304a and TAV 9(15)160, 13.
after his description of the Trika throne Abhmavagupta writes the (56) T.A 15.319-320b: vidyiikaliinla171 siddhiinte viimadalc§iT,lasiistrayo(l I sadiisiviinla171
samaniiparyanla171 matayiimale II unmaniintam ihiikhyiitam ityetat param iisanam. 320b
refers to MVUT 8. 70d.
(57) T.A 37.17.
divisions of the lotus (petals, stamens and calix) as the mal)o;lalas of the sun, moon. ~nd (58) JY 1, pa!ala 24 distinguishes between the Sa,ivasiddhiinta and the Bhairava-
fire. These are presided over by Brahmii, Vi~I)U and Rudra, the first three C~u.se-de~ties. teachings (bhairavam) as vise~asiistram and vise§alarasiistram, and says that the latter
Above Rudra in the calix one installs the fourth, lsvara, and then the Sadas1va-corpse is so-called because only an initiate in the former can aspire to it (fol. 166v•·•). This
above him (KSMA]\![). In fact the .Agamas take us straight from Rudra to the corpse, relation is paralleled with that between (exoteric) Buddhism (bauddham) and the
whom they call ISvara (MVUT 8.48; SvT 2.81). The mantras too are four not five Vajrayana (fol. 166v•·•). The MBhT-KKh likewise considers the Bhairavasastra to be
(MVUT 23.15ab emending 8e§a171siik§ma171 to 8a171§a1718a17lk§maT[1; TA 30.8abc). The a specialization of the Siddhiinta (fol. 213v'). For progress by initiation from the
ritual form preserves an earlier stage in the system of superenthronement. Siddhiinta to the Bhairavasastra see also TA 22.40c-41a.
(50) TA I5.309-312 emending -nlidila(l to -niidata(l in 312d. (59) See KR on Siddhiintins' view of caste at SvTU 2(4)27-29; PM-BY fol. 283v'
(51) See lPK 3.3; T.A 15.312c and comm.; 15.313; PTV 129, 2-3. (dvaitabhiiVaTfl ... siddhiinte); JY 1, fol. 19lr•·• (paiicasrota(lkriyiimiirgaT[l ... sarvadvaila·
(52) T.A 8.394-403b (SvT 10.1237-126lb); 6.161-167 (SvT 11.302-3llb). kriyiispadam); JY 4, Miidhavakula-section, fol. 127v' paraphrased at TA 29.74.
(53) PTV 129, 2-4. (60) See A. Sanderson, op. cit., n. 69.
(54) TA 15.314d. (61) SSP pp. 171-175; ISGDP, ultariirdha, pafala 5, p. 45.

··;. .. '
 -182- -183-

Siva in his form as the mild (saumyab) and consortless Sadasiva. 62

ii. From the Bhairava-teachings to the Trika of.;.;.the Malinfvi-
It is also the case that the Bhairava-teachings express their trans-
jayollaralanlra.
cendence of this outer Tantra by transforming Sadasiva into a
prostrate corpse which serves as the throne of their own more esoteric In Abhinavagupta's hierarchy of thrones the Varna and Dak~ii.J.a
deities. 63 The Varna and Daksii.J.a schools of which Abhinavagupta streams of the Bhairava-teachings are transcended in turn by the
speaks in this verse are the two streams (srolasi) within these Trika. One might have expected the Trika to have expressed this by
Bhairava-teachings. 64 Unfortunately it is impossible to check his doing to Bhairava what the Svacchanda-cult had done to Sadasiva.
statement in the case of the Varna, for though detailed lists of its Bhairava does indeed suffer such a fate in some other ritual traditions
scriptural canon are preserved 65 only one of its texts is known to have which, like the Trika, claimed superiority to the Bhairavagamic
survived, the V!IJ-iisikhalanlra, and this short work nowhere details mainstream. 71 But this is not what we see in the Trika itself. Here
its deity's throne. 66 The Dak~ii.J.a however, though here also much the Sadasiva-corpse gazes up directly through the empty space of the
has been lost, 67 has survived in its principal tradition, the cult of trifurcation to the goddesses installed above it. This being so,
Svacchanda(-lalita-)bhairava 68 and it is clear that in Abhinavagupta's it seems unlikely that the belief that the Trika was a level of revelation
time it was this more than any other cult which stood for the Trika above that of the Bhairava-teachings was formed when the cult
elite between themselves and the Siddhanta. 69 It confirms his claim first defined its power through the visualizations of ritual; and
by enthroning Svacchandabhairava directly above the corpse of the this doubt is strengthened by evidence in the Siddhayogzsvarimata,7 2
Siddhantins' Sadasiva. 70 probably the earliest stratum in our materials for the Trika. 73 With
the Miilinzvijayollaralantra, however, which Abhinavagupta professes
to be his fundamental authority, 74 this belief has clearly emerged.
(62) SSP pp. 179-183; lSGDP, uttariirdha, pa!ala 12, p. 104, vv. 31-33.
(63) SvT 2.81c-82b; BhAS lOcd; KK 4, 233; JiiAT 4.11-29; lSGDP, piirviirdha, For without revising the number of throne-deities it introduced a
17.20-21a; PT 5.10c-ll; JY 1, !ol. 102r,_, (Kalasarp.kar~ini); T:pPVNT fol. 4r' and Sr•·• distinction between the throne (iisanam) and the Supreme Throne
(Tridasa(ltimaratanlra, on Siddhilak 0mi). (param iisanam). The first ends with the Sadasiva-corpse, and so is
(64) JY 1, fol. 169r-v (the Vidyapitha of the Bhairava-stream contains both Dak 0il;ta- the throne of the Bhairavagamic norm. The second extends
and Vama-Tantras). The list of 64 Bhairava-li.gamas in Srikar.zfhiyasal[lhitti (qu. TAV
1(1)42-42) contains Vamatantras in the Sikha-ogdoad.
throne-awareness through the trifurcation to three white lotuses
(65) Full canons are in Srikar.zfhiyasal[lhitii, srotovictira (qu. Nli.SAP fol. 17v'-18v12 ) at its limit. The text calls them the 'three lotuses of power'
and JY 1, fol. 177r'-179v• (cf. fol. 23r'-24r listing Viras and Yoginis of the Mantrapltha (siiklam padmalrayam) and explains that they are white because
and Vidyapitha. of Tumburubhairava). The major Tantras are listed at PM-BY fol. they transcend-and-empower the whole universe ( sarviidhi~lhayaka171
201r'; JY 1, fol. 174r'; cf. SYM fol. 69v'. sukla171). The maw.fala-ritual is now encoded to express to the
(66) For MSS see Discussion p. 213.
(67) Full canons: Srikar.zfhiyasal[lhitii, srotoviciira (qu. Nli.SAP fol. 16r'-17v'); PM-BY, worshipper that the Trika is a higher sect-level above the mainstream
fol. 199v'-200r'; JY I, fol. 170r'-1 77r', 179v'-183r'. of the Siddhanta-transcending Bhairava-teachings.
(68) The SvT heads the lists of Dak 0il}.atantras at PM-BY fol. 200r1 , JY 1, fol. 169r•
( = Sarvaviratantra qu. at SvTU 1(1)10). The cult's importance was not limited to m. The problem of the Malayiimala.
Kashmir. Numerous copies of SvT survive in the Kathmandu Valley, the earliest dated
NS 188 (AD 1068), as well as many modern paddhatis for Svacchanda-worship. However the Trika was not the only Bhairavagamic tradition to
Svacchandabhairava is the Agamic identity of Kathmandu's Pacalibhairav installed by
the Thiikuri king Gul}.akii.madeva (1158-1195/6); and the Thakuris (Thakiijujus) are still
have elevated itself above the mainstream by extending the throne of
his yajamiinas (see K. P. Malia, Piiruaja Lumal[lkii, Yem [Kathmandu]: Thahneya
Thakiiju Khalal;l, 1100 [1980], pp. 5-6). For his continuing role in state ritual and his (71) This is the case with the Kali of the Krama cult of the KS (1.19-20b, go!. 1v),
worship in the masiin cok f ka<;lel cok (Skt. karauirasmasanam?) where the Malia kings with the Kiili in the centre of the twelve Kalis in the Krama of the JY (see JY-MUT,
used to be cr.emated see Gautam Vajra Vajracharya, Haniimiin(lhokii Riijadarbara, fol. 62r' (Saptamur.z(liividhtinam)) and with Saptakotrsvari, a Krama deity worshipped by
Kathmandu: Nepalara Esiyali Adhyayana Sarp.sthana, Tribhuvana Visvavidyalaya, the Kashmirian Sivakarmis (AKP, fol. 59r11·v•: ... saptamur.z(ltisanasthti ... ). This extended
2033 [1976], pp. 112-13 and 136-37. Svacchandabhairava was also known in the Deccan, corpse-throne is also found in the various versions of the Krama-based cult of Guhyakali,
at least to the court of the western Calukyas at Kalyii.l}.i in AD 1131 (seeM 3.731). the u!lariimntiyadevi (see e.g. PT 7.89-93b).
(69) T.li. 22.40c-41. AG draws strongly on SvT throughout his works, and his (72) See quotation at Tli.V 9(15)162, 8-16. The throne also ends in Sadasiva when
pupil KR wrote a commentary on it (SvTU). This cult is still the basis of worship and it is installed for Navatmabhairava in the Khacakravyiihapiijti (SYM 20.15c-36, fol. 36v'-
domestic ritual for the Sivakarmis of Kashmir. See KK 4. See also A. Sanderson, 37v•).
op. cit., n. 125. (73) It predates both the MVUT (MVUT 1.8-13. Cf. TA 37.24c-25b) and the
(70) See n. 63. TST, which calls it the miilatantram and the mahtisiitram (fol. 1v').
(74) TA 1.17-18.

i~ :
,llI
- 184- - 185-
its deity above Sadasiva. This conviction of superiority was also (vyiipinr), the_Conscious (samanii) and the Transmental (unmanii),
ritualized by the followers of the Malayiimala, though their extension, since it is absent both in the Picumala-brahmayiimala and in the
according to Abhinavagupta, reached only to the Conscious (samanii), Miilinfvijayollara, has been introduced into the exegesis of the latter
the third level.above Sadasiva and the penultimate in the throne of the precisely in order to demonstrate that the Trika penetrates further
Trika. Now this term malayiimala does not occur elsewhere, to my than the former into this trans-Bhairavagamic territory. It
knowledge, either in the Kashmirian exegesis or in the surviving certainly is not difficult to see how Abhinavagupta could have read the
Bhairava-Agamas. Yet it is surely improbable, if this text or throne-text of the Picumala-brahmayiimala to this effect. For in his
tradition were so obscure, that it should have made its sole appearance cosmography Power (sakli/.!) contains a world called Saktitattva,
here, where Abhinavagupta is providing the worshipper with a view of and the Pervading (vyiipinf) contains a world called Sivatattva. 78
his position within the essential constituents of the Saiva revealed The Picumala-brahmayiimala's Power (sakii/.1) and Resonance of Siva
literature. I identify it with the Brahmayiimalatanlra, well known to ( sivaniida/.!) could easily be identified with these worlds~of the Trika,
Abhinavagupta and a work whose importance within the traditions of leaving only the three Powers of Gnosis to be equated with the
the Saivas is confirmed by the Tantric collections of the libraries of Conscious (samanii). At first sight this homology might seem more
Nepal. That he should call it Malayiimala here is understandable difficult, since the Conscious (samana) is always single in the
either as a condensation of the work's full title or as a description of its cosmographic context. 79 However this obstacle disappears in the
position in the Saiva canon. The first case applies because the work, context of the mal).<;lala-throne; for Abhinavagupta defines the
called either Picumala or Brahmayiimala, is more precisely the Conscious (samanii) here as the level at which the three powers of
Picumala division of a (probably imaginary) Ur-Brahmayiimala. 75 impulse (icchii), cognition {jiiiinam), and action (lrriya) are free of
M atayiimala then could be explained as a condensation of PicuM AT A- intentionality and therefore vividly distinct from each other. so
brahmaY AM ALA. In the second case the name could be read to
mean "Yamala of the Mata(tantra)s", for the Jayadrathayiimalalanlra w. Varna, Dak~ii).a, Yamala and Trika.
lists a canon of thirty-four Mata(tantra)s (Raktiimata etc.) as its
proliferation. 76 Furthermore the Picumata-Brahmayiimala's throne By mentioning in this throne-hierarchy not the Bhairava-teachings
does indeed extend beyond Sadasiva. Above him the initiate is to in general but their division into the two streams of the Varna and
install first Power (sakli/:!), then the Resonance of Siva (sivaniidaf:t), Dak~il).a schools, and by directing the worshipper's awareness to the
and finally a circuit of goddesses culminating in the three Powers of Yamala-cult above those streams in the immediate vicinity of the
Gnosis (vidyiisaktaya/.!), Dak~i"Q.ii (Krodhesvari), Varna (Vamesvari) Trika, Abhinavagupta empowers the worshipper's perception of the
and Madhyama (Mohesvari), who pervade the thirty-six tattvas in Saiva revelation with the structure of the Trika absolute itself as it is
their three divisions (Sivatattva, Vidyatattva and Atmatattva)/7 projected in the sect's ritual and meditative exercises. For the
The text does not equate this level of the three Powers of Gnosis with simple ascent from the Siddhanta to the Trika, seen on the surface of
the Conscious (samanii). But this is no obstacle; for no more does the the throne's construction, opens up into a pattern of power in the
Miilinfvijayollaralantra equate the highest level of its own throne with convergence of polarities. It proclaims to the worshipper that
the Transmental (unmanii). It distinguishes the common throne his identity in the Trika is not merely above the level of the
(up to Sadasiva) from the Supreme Throne, but it does not measure Bhairavagamic norm but is the culmination of a process in which its
the distance between them in any way. Indeed we may suspect that Varna (left, northern) and Dak~il).a (right, southern) currents have
this measurement on the scale of Power (salrti/.!), the Pervading flowed together into a single, central stream which contains and
transcends them. In this way he relates the Saiva traditions to
reflect the yogic model of the fusion of the two movements of the
(75) JY I, fol. 179v'-18lv'.
(76) JY I, fol. 180r'-180v'. The PM-BY is indeed the only Yii.malatantra outside breath, the ingoing (=Varna) and the outgoing ( = Dak~i"Q.a), into the
the Trika to play any significant part in AG's exegesis (TA 4.54b-58; 60-65; 5.97-lOOb; esoteric, central power which rises up to the absolute Gnosis in
13.145; 15.43c-44; 18.9; 23.43c-44b; 27.29; 28.418c-422b; 29.11-13) and he may be referring dvadasanta. Just as these three flows of the vital power ( apiina(z,
to it in a similar position within the Saiva Agama-hierarchy at TS 32, 5-6 ( ... siddhrinta-
tantra-/cula-ucchu§mtidististrolcto 'pi. The PM-BY calls itself Ucchu§matantra frequently
(e.g. fol. 19r'- 3 ) ). It is also the only Yamalatantra to have survived complete in MSS. (78) TA 8.395d-399 following SvT 10.1240-1255.
For these see discussion p. 212. (79) TA 8.400-401 following SvT 10.1256-59.
(77) PM-BY pafala 12, fol. 57r'-58r'. (80) TA 15.342.
 II
I
II
PARAPAR.~ PARA APARA
-186- on on on
Ratisekharabhairava Dhairavasadbhiiva Naviilmubhairava
priiiJ.alJ, udana]J) are held to reach perfect fusion in the upper limit of
this liberating ascent through the centre, being experienced there as
the unity of the three powers of impulse, cognition and action, 81
so the Trika, which embodies this unity, is revealed as the point in
,, '
which these three 'breaths' of revelation, the Varna, the Dak~il)a,
and the stream which receives them, abandon all trace of mutual
difference, in the infinite expansion of the powers they embody. This
central stream of revelation is identified by Abhinavagupta as the
Kaula, 82 that mystico-erotic tradition which pervades the higher ~~-=:....J:--'-"[1'::::;::: •.• Unmanii
reaches of the Bhairava-teachings 83 and has indeed expressed its Samana
relation to the Varna and Dak~il)a by combining the goddesses of both
Vyiipini
in some of its rituals. 84 The Yamala-teachings (represented here by
the Picumaia-Brahmayiimala) fit perfectly into this hermeneutical Saklitattvam (35)
'rise of kul)<;lalini'. For they are located by Abhinavagupta in this Sakti
duality-devouring stream of the Kaula centre at the point at which the Sadiisivatattvam (34).......... Sadiisiva Mahiipreta
perfect fusion of Varna, Dak~il)a and Kaula, claimed as its own by the isvaratattvam (33) ......•... !'l!l1l~-1\..=::.: .,..5-;s:.:;:~=S ............. Lotus of Gnosis
:<:.

Trika, is yet to be fully realized. In the Yamalatantras (yamalam) Suddhavidyiitattvam (32) . . • . . • . . • . . ..•...... , •...• Plinth (ca!u~kikii}
I
II one or other of these elements is seen to predominate over the others.
I Seen in the order of emanation the perfect fusion of the three in the
Trika-Gnosis begins to break up in the Yamala-texts, adumbrating .................... Knot ( granlhii})
in this subtle oscillation the diversity of the lower streams of the . of banner

Saiva revelation. 85
But it is not only with the structure of breath-yoga that the
learning of the Trika informs the construction of the mal)<;lala. The
mirroring is maintained at the level of consciousness itself. The
branching out of the Trika through the Yamala into the Varna and
Dak~il)a within the timeless order of the Word is equated by
6-30
Abhinavagupta in his Malin!vijayavarlika with the two flows of
extroversion ( sr?li]J) and introversion ( saf!!hiira]J) through which
consciousness vibrates in the constant projection and resorption of
content. 86 The structure of the Saiva streams is understood

(81) TA. 5.54c-56b.

(82) MVV 1.394c-399; TA 37.25c-27 (qu. Kularatnamiiltilanlra).
(83) JY I, fol. 19lv 8: hiifakakhyaT{l (i.e. lmlasrotaiJ) sadii jiieyaT{l misraT{l viime 'pi
dak§il)e f lwacid anye§vapi(vi)jiieyaT{l kulasiisanata!paraii} 1/.
(84) See JY 4, fol. 91v'-92r'; JY 2, fol. 12r'. For this purpose the goddesses are
Su~kii, Siddha, Utpalii and Raktii/Cal,l<;lika for the Dak~i1,1a, and Jaya, Vijaya, Jayanti
and Aparajitii for the Varna. The Kashmirian YV gives the same eight (with Alambu~a
for Su~ka) as the principal Mothers (nirviil)aprakara~;wm, piirviirdha, 18.20cd) and they
appear again ibid., uttariirdha, 84.9-lla among ·embodiments of Cidakasabhairava's
spandasaktii}. J reports that the Kaulas in the Trika worshipped either set in their
ma1,1<;1ala (TAV 11(29)36, 15-16). The Dak~i1,1a set form the devicakram of the Kaula
deity Anandesvarabhairava of the Kashmirian Sivakarmis: TC, fol. 58v-60v ( A.nandes-
varapiijii) ).
(85) MVV I.l67-17lb, emending gur;taliiju~i to gul)itaju§i at 168b.
(86) MVV 1.260-369b.

The mal,lc;Iala throne and the three goddesses enthroned upon it, as visualised along the
axis of internal sensation during internal worship. See TA 15.295c-328b.
 -188- - 189-
to express this essential dynamism of the Agamic self. Their three goddesses, projecting them with awareness of their inner nature
convergence m the ascent through the thrones signalled by as infinite consciousness: 93 Para (the Supreme) in the centre,
Abhinavagupta therefore evokes the flavour of the most subtle of the benevolent and beautiful, white as moonlight, pouring forth the
Trika's soteriological exercises, the intuition of this dynamism. 87 The nectar (amrlam) which nourishes the universe; 94 Parapara (the
Varna is seen as the cult of the 'feminine', extrovertive flow of Intermediate) to her right, red and wrathful; Apara (the Lower) to
cognition, which fills awareness with the sensual beauty of content, 5 8 her left, dark red and utterly terrifying, in the extremity of rage.9s
and the Dak~i:Q.a as that of the 'masculine', retrovertive flow of action, 89 According to the Siddhayog!svarfmala both Parapara and Apara
which devours this sensuality of cognition, dissolving it into the are identical but for their colours. Each is:
terrible 'void' of internal consciousness. For while cognition
projects plurality-within-unity (bhedabhedal;), action obliterates the Like blazing fire, garlanded with skulls, with three glowing eyes, carrying
the Kapiilika's trident-topped skull-staff (khatvari.ga]J.}, seated on a
plurality, incinerating it in the immediacy and spontaneity of fact. 90 corpse, with a tongue that flashes like lightening, huge,J:iodied adorned
with serpents, gaping-mouthed, revealing great fangs, staring f~rociously
4. Mental Worship: The ascent to Kali as the Trikasaiva's with puckered eyebrows, decked with garlands of corpses, ears adorned
innermost identity (Trika Ila) with severed human hands, thundering like the clouds of the final cata-
clysm, seeming to swallow the sky."
Having completed the projection of the ma:Q.Q.ala-throne the
Trikasaiva proceeds to the installation and worship of his deities with On to the petals of Para's lotus-throne he now projects and·
the conviction that he enacts the ultimate self-revelation. He installs worships her retinue of dependent powers, thinking of them as,
on the lotuses first the mantras of three Bhairavas and then above emanating like sparks from the central core of the consciousness-
them those of the three goddesses: 91 Bhairavasadbhava and Para deity.97 While in external worship (bahyo yagal;) ofTerings would be'
in the centre, Ratisekharabhairava and Parapara on the right, and made in this way to each of the three, here the cult of Para in the
Navatmabhairava and Apara on the left. 92 He now visualizes the centre is held to entail that of the lateral goddesses by implication. 9 B
This accords with the fact that internal worship tends to assimilate all
processes as closely as possible to that centring in the convergence of
(87) TA 3.280-287; 5.36; 33.30-32b. polarities which characterizes the exercises of meditation. This
(88) MVV 1.271. emphasis is particularly marked in Abhinavagupta's Trika: here the
(89) MVV 1.292ab. act of worship that follows the installation of the unified and centred
(90) MVV 1.29lc-294, emending yada to yatha at 292c. Though the male god circuits of mantra-deities aspires to the purest of abstract contem-
Bhairava is the presiding deity in both streams, appearing as Tumburubhairava in the
Vlima (NeT 11; JY 1, fol. 22r•-27v'; fol. 177v•·• [re. Sammohanatanlra]; MVV !.347c- plations. While in the internal worship of the Svacchandabhairava-
353ab [underlying structures, not names)) and as Aghorabhairava (/Bahuriipa I Svac- cult of the Dak~i:Q.asaivas one is to create with one's imagination the
chanda) in the Dak~il).a (JY 1, fol. 188v'; MVV 1.347c, 353ab), the Varna is nonetheless various ingredients of worship (flowers, incense and the rest), the many
said to be 'feminine'. For according to AG Tumburubhairava is as though suppressed
(nyagbhiila iva) by his four powers because they embody the outgoing power of cognition.
The pole of the power-holder (saktimiin) therefore appears to be subordinate to the (93) TA 15.328. For this projection from within cf. JY 3, fol. 27v' (dhyiinam o!
goddesses in the Varna (MVV 1.285c-288). Through this theory AG seems to be seeking Trai!okya<_l.amara): laf(l svabhtivaf(l svariipaf(l ca akha(z(ftinandanirbharam llalriirii(fhal)
to explain his and the Agamic representation of the Varna-cult as principally a quest for sadhakendro viryabhiisiikalodaye 1 cintayet slhiilariiperJa ...
sensual (non-destructive) siddhis (MVV 1.275-283b, 290; TA 37.27d) and for visionary (94) TA 15.324cd supplemented by MVUT 8.74, SYM fol. llr 1 ·', and TAV 2(3)236, 6-7
fusion with the goddesses (devimeliipal). JY 1, fol. 189v'). In the case of the Dak$il).a (qu. Trikasiira). Cf. JY 4, fol. 115r 1 (Mahiiparadhyanam).
AG correlates retroversion with that stream's preoccupation with grim, destructive rites (95) TA 15.324d'-325. Parapara is midway between the calm of Para and the
(MVV !.362-365b; TA 37.27c). The Trika is therefore seen as the essential Saivism terrifying anger of Apara, as befits her equation with sthitil).
which transcends not only the dualistic ritualism of the Siddhanta but also the sensual (96) SYM fol. 10v•·•. This describes Parapara. Apara is said to be the same
and destructive urges of the Varna and Dak$il).a (TA 37.25c-28). except that she is dark red (kr§TJapinga/6.. fol. 10v'). TST's visualization of Parapara
(91) TS 140, 6-141, 1: pradhanyena ceha saktayo yajyas tadiisanatviid bhagavan- is a variant of this with some added details. She is laughing, intoxicated with wine,
nava.tmadiniif(l sakler eva ca piijyatviil. For the second reason cr. VBhT 20. The first eight-armed, utterly terrifying (subhl§aQtim) seeming to spue forth fire (pa!ala 4, fol. 44v').
reason indicates influence from the Kali-cult (seen. 71). Apara too is laughing and wine-intoxicated, her eyes rolling with drunkenness (fol. 44r').
(92) These directions (TA 15.324) are from the point of view of Para. Seen from (97) MVUT 8.75-78c; TA 15.353c-356; TA 15.330c-33Ib.
in front of the mal).<,l.ala they are the reverse (SYM 6.24cd: viimaf(l dak§irJam eviilra dak§iTJaf(l (98) TA 15.330ab, emending devyabhidhii piijyii to devyabhidii piijyam following
coltaraf(l smrtam; TA 16.12c-13b and comm. [emending madhyiipek§ayti (TAV 10[16]5, 17) indications in the comm. (TAV 9[15]165, 13: devyabhinnatvaf(l; ibid. 18: devyabhinna-
to siidhyiipek§ayii]). tayai§iif(l piijyatvtit).
 - 190- - 191-
food-offerings (naivedyani) and the final 'guest-offering' (arghyam) of plurality ( miiy!yaT[! malam, = bhinnavedyaprathii); 106 action becomes
fragrant wine, 99 here the gratification of the deities is the thought that the impregnating of consciousness with the impressions of its actions as
one has ·freed them from their contractedness as individualized good or bad and therefore as karmically charged (karma'!l malam,=
impulse, cognition and action.1oo The offering is the contemplation subhiis u bhaviisanii) .106
that the universe, which was other than the self, has been absorbed When this extrusion of objectivity subsists only as inactive, latent
within the powers of the self through their expansion to absolute traces beneath the surface of a seemingly contentless consciousness,
inclusiveness at the summit of the mal).Q.ala-throne. 101 Worship is then these same three powers are manifest as the self in the next level,
the assertion of the Agamic self's totality, absence of worship that that of the Pralayakalas, 'those Inert in Dissolution'. This level is
inhibition (sarika) which manifests the subjection of its powers to an itself divided into two. The first is analogous to dreamless but
external world projected within this totality. blissful sleep ( savedyapralayiikalatii) and the other to dreamless sleep
Thus in the external phase of daily worship the making of offerings completely void of sensation ( apavedyapralayiikalatii.J. In Utpala-
(pilja) is followed by the worshipper's 'showing the mudra(s)' deva's fourfold division of the limited self (mayaprariuita) these are
( mudradarsanam), in order that he may mirror in his person the nature respectively the self as premental, internal sensation (prii.IJ.apramiitii)
of the deities he has projected outside himself.l 02 Here however the and the self as the void (silnyapramiitii). In the first the impurity of
mudra-phase is internal to the act of worship itself. T~e differentiated perception (miiy!yaT[! malam) persists, in the second it is
worshipper's contemplation of his identity with the central goddess IS transcended. The impurity of charged action (karma'!l malam)
to be empowered by a meditation on the gradual expansion of the remains at both levels; for, though there is no action here at all,-the
three powers through the ascent of the mai.J._Q.ala. Through this self is suspended in a state of inertia-, the impressions of past actions
meditation he conducts his awareness through higher and higher levels remain, waiting to regenerate world-experience when the period of
of agency-in-cognition (pramatrtabhilmayal;) to reach the intuition dissolution (pralayal;) comes to an end. 107
(sak~atkaral;) of identity with the deity above the three lotuses in the Above the Pralayakala-level the three powers co~stitute them-
dvadaMi.nta. selves as the consciousness of the Vijfi.anakalas, 'those Inert in Gnosis'.
They no longer contaminate self-representation with the projection of
VyaptikaralJ.am 103 the impure tattvas from miiya to earth (prthivi). The self here is
He is to see that at the lowest level the three powers of therefore free of the impurity of differentiated perception (mayiyaT[!
precognitive impulse, cognition and action project objectivity as malam) and of the impurity of charged actions (kiirmaT[! malam), 108
though it were outside them. In this projection they establish fully but its awareness though pure is completely passive. Still subject,
unenlightened consciousness, appearing in their contraction as the like the lower levels, to the impurity of the intuition of limitedness
three 'impurities' (malani) that contaminate the self. Precognitive ( iiT)aVaTfl mal am, =sviitantryasyiibodhal; )1° 9 it hangs suspended between
impulse becomes intuition of essential limitedness ( iit;tavaT[! malam,= miiyii at the summit of the impure universe and Gnosis (suddhavidyii)
api1rnal]1manyatii);1°4 cognition becomes the projection of divided at the beginning of the pure. It has yet to enter into the upward
expansion of active power (sviitantryam) which defines consciousness
within the pure levels of the cosmos. 110
(99) SvTU 1(2)51, 18; 73, 9; 75, 1-4.
(100) T A 15.339-352b. As these three powers expand above the Vijnanakala-level into the
(101) TA 15.357: thus resting in identity with the Goddess at the summit of the tattvas of Gnosis, Isvara and Sadasiva (32nd to 34th), they manifest
trident one should gratify all the deities by oiTering Her the universe. Also TA 4.114c- themselves successively as the Mantras, Lords of Mantras (man-
122b. Cf. 26.63-66 (external worship). trdvaral;) and Great Lords of Mantras (mantramahesvariil;). . At
(102) TA 32.1-2 (DYT: pralibimbodayo mudrti). For the sequence piijti>mudrti-
darsanam>japal;t>homal;t (>visarjanam) in daily ritual see TA 26.41-70.
these levels the impurity which remained in the preceding stage
(103) This cognitive ascent is an instance of that karar.zam which the TriSirobhaira-
valantra calls vytiplil;t (pervasion) (TAV 3[5]440, 6-441, 13; 442, 13-15). That karar,zam =
mudrti in the latter's internal, esoteric forms (internal posture) is abundantly clear !rom (105) lPK 3.16ab 1 •
JY 4, fol. 190v-196r (Bhairavtinantividhau bhlimiktividhil;t) devoted to various karar,ztini (106) SSV on 1.4; PH 21, 8-22, 3.
in the cult of Trisir~ii Kiili ( = Trisirobhairavi), a form of Kali as the ground of Para, (107) IPK 3.19; 25-26.
Parapara and Apara. There too the karar,zam causes the internal rise or the trisiilabja- (108) TA 10.107c-109.
mandala and its deities . (109) IPK 3.15.
. (104) TA 9.62b, 65a. (110) PTV 117, 12-14; TA 9.90c-92b and comm.
 - 192- - 193-

progressively evaporates. At the first level the three powers form a non-dual ground. It is in this ultimate thrust of resorption that
mode of consciousness in which vast but internally differentiated they manifest themselves as the deities enthroned on the lotuses
segments of the universe flash into view.U1 At the second and revealing in this configuration of convergence the worshipper'~
third levels the nature of the subject-object relation is itself radically innermost identity as the Fourth Power hidden in their centre.
transformed. While in the Mantra-stage the "I" perceives the object Worship is the emergence of this Fourth Power in consciousJ;J.ess as the
("it") as independently grounded (vyadhikaraiJam), here "!"- convergence of the Triad. This point of rest116 in the pure autonomy
perception and "It" -perception ( ahaT[!dhll;, idaT[!dh!h) are collocated of ~he self, this innermost identity within Para, Parapara and Apara,
and equated, with the difference between the two levels that for the which finally resorbs the distinction between Power and "I" as the
Lords of Mantras it is the "It"-pole that is emphasized-the self Holder of Power (saktiman), between the worshipped and the
worshipper, is the Goddess Kall, the Destroyer of Time (KiilasaT(Ikar-
equates itself with the universe-, while for the Great Lords of
Mantras it is the "!"-pole-consciousness equates the universe with ~in!}.117 >
itself112 in the experience of a transcendental (all-inclusive) plurality- Now this deity is completely absent in the texts\'of the earliest
within-unity (bhedabhedaf:t).na stratum of the Trika, 118 among which must be placed the Malin!-
These six levels from ordinary consciousness in the waking and vijayollaraiantra. Of that work Abhinavagupta says in the preface
dream states (sakalapramatrta) to that of the Great Lords of Mantras to his Tantraloka:
are to be seen as pervaded by the three powers of the mal).<;lala in the There is nothing in my text which has not been taught by the God of Gods
portion of the trident which extends up to and includes the in the Malinivijayottara, either explicitly or by implication. 119
c;
Sadasiva-corpse.U4 In the Sadasiva level, that of the Great Lords
of Mantras, objectivity ("it"-ness, idanla) has not disappeared; it is 'Finding' Kall in the core of the liturgy of this Tantra Abhi-
merely drawn within the resonance of transcendental subjectivity. navagupta infuses into it the power of the northwestern Kali-cults
Above it, as the powers rise into the trifurcation of the trident, this whose claim to be the most radical of Saiva soteriologies was gaining
element of plurality within Sadasiva is imagined undergoing recognition in esoteric circles.l 20 To achieve this blatant overcoding
progressive annihilation. Precognitive impulse, cognition and action he was not obliged to expose himself or his gurus to the charge of
flash forth from within Sadasiva to dissolve all traces of this limiting originality (svopajfwta). For if the Malin!vijayotiaraiantra was
projection of the "it", so that the self remains as nothing but these
three powers, distinct from each other but from nothing else. 115 The
meditator sees the rise of the three through Power (saktil;t), the (116) TA. 15.342-343b; TAV 9(15)174, 2-3; TA 33.30d: turyii visriinli!J.
(117) TA l5.343c-346; 346: anyonyiilmakabhediivacchedaniikalanasaT[!grasi~r;utayii 1
Pervading (vyapinl}, and the Conscious (samana), in the space of the sviitanlryamiilrii saT{!vil sii kiilasya kar~ir;i kalhilii fl. TA 5.243: e~ii vaslula ekaiva parii
trifurcation itself, as the process of this dissolution; and he sees its kiilasya !car~ir;i I saklimadbhedayogena yiimalatvaT{! prapadyate fl. Cf. TA.V 3(4)138, 11-
culmination in the three white lotuses of the Transmental (unmana) 139, 8 expounding the Kali-based doctrine of the YogasaT{!ciiralanlra: Virgin Consciousness
as the completion of this dissolution. (kumiirikiicakram, pramiticakram: Matrsadbhava+three goddesses)>eightfold cycle
of Agent of Cognition (Kulesvari+Kulesvara;+the three goddesses+ three Bhairavas).
The meditator then sees these same powers rising up in the (118) See n. 73.
urge to enter the undifferentiated heart of (his) consciousness, to ( 119) TA 1.17: ...sabdeniilha liT'lgalaiz 1.
abandon their mutual difference in their final expansion as the (120) SvTU 4(8)26, 13-16: ii vedebhya!J (emending printed devebhyal}) lcramiinlal[!
[I nikhilam idam ... siislram (where Krama = the doctrine of these culLs). MBhT-KKh
puts the Kalikii.kramaiKalikakula ( = Krama) above the Trika as the highest of all
i revelations except that of its own cult of Kubjika (fol. 213r 6 • 7 : sarf.ardhaT[! (sac;Hiraip)
(111) TA 15.340cd: prauibhinnakalipayiilmakavedyavidal}. But cf. PH 7, 9-10
according to which the Mantras sec the whole universe. MiiyiyaT{! malam is here without pralhamaT{! bhedam bhairaviikhyarrz dviliyakam 1 viriivali trliyaT{! tu ( = three levels of
lciirmaT{! malam (see IPK 3.20 on the Vidyesvaras). Trika-iniliation. Cf. TA 22.40c-41) calurlhaT[! K.ii.LIKAKULAM fl; fol. 214r': kramer;iipi
(l12) IPK 3.3 with IPV. syiin miilinivijayaT[! kulam 1 iirdlwe klinniinvayaT{! yogall' tasyiililaT[! paraT{!
~arf.ardhaT[!

(l13) TA. 15.34lb'-c1 • padam Iviriivalikultimniiyam aparaT{! KALIKAKRAMAM {). The CMSS, which
(l14) TA 15.34lc'd. It follows from the Trika's definitions of these levels in relation belongs to the same Kaula tradition as the MBhT-KKh (pascimtinvaya!J}, shows that this
to the tattvas (MVUT 2.4-7b; TA 10.3-5; 105-l14b) that the Sakala's subjectivity extends tradition too had incorporated the Krama absent in its root-text KM. Thus it requires
to the top of the staff (lwliilattvam), the Pralayakala's to the knot (miiyiilallvam), the the guru to be kiilikuliimniiyi kramaSiislraviciirakaiJ (fol. 5v') and considers the 'rise of the
Vijnanakala's to a point between the knot and the plinth, the Mantra's to the plinth sequence of the twelve Kalis' to be the highest Kaula experience (fol. 6r•-v•; 13r'-v').
(suddhavidytitattuam) and the Mantresvara's to the Lotus of Gnosis (isvaratattvam). The Tripurasundari-cult also shows its influence. See SaTT<ketapaddhali qu. ARA 65, 11-
(115) TA. 15.344c-346b. 12; 201, 11-12; 220, 7-11.
 -194- - 195-
unaffected by the esotericism of the Kali-cult, there were other Agamas
of the Trika which had already sanctified this radical reorientation.
Thus the meditation on the upward expansion of the three powers to
their fusion in the self as KalijKalasamkar9il).i, with which Abhinava-
gupta inspires the internal installation of the Malinfvijayotlaralanlra's
maiJ.c;l.ala-throne, is recorded by him as his teacher Sambhunatha's
interpretation of the Devyayamalalanlra, 121 an Agama of the Trika
which proclaims its allegiance to the Kali-cult by enthroning
Kalasamkar9il).i above Para Devi as the Fourth Power containing-and-
transcending the three. 122 Abhinavagupta overcodes the liturgy
of the Malinfvijayotlaralantra by identifying the Devyayamalatantra's
Kalasamkar~iiJ.i with the former's Mat:rsadbhava, the form in which
Para is to be worshipped on the central lotus of the internal maiJ.c;l.ala.
This Matrsadbhava, 'Essence of the Mother Goddesses' but interpreted
by Abhinavagupta's tradition as 'Essence of (All) Agents of Cognition'
([pra- ]malf{lli1]1 sadbhaval;l123 ) is for the Mtilinfvijayotlaralantra itself
no more than another mantra-form (HSKHPHRE~) of the goddess
Para (/SAU:E:]:). 124 For Abhinavagupta it has become the transcen-
dental, all-englobing Fourth Power in which the Trikasaiva's identity
is raised from the outer (and earlier) level of the cult to Kali in
its core. 125

THE TRITRISULABJAMANDALA AND THE INCORPORATION OF THE KRAMA

. • (TRIKA lib)
li
The empowerment of the Trika by the cult of Kali does not end
with the superimposition of Kalasarpkar9il).i on to the Malinzvi-
jayottaralantra's internal mal).c;l.ala. This simple Kali-based triad
of the Devyayamalalantra can be seen as a bridge (both in the history
of the sect and in Abhinavagupta's exegesis) between the earlier
Kali-less stratum (Trika I) and one in which the Trika has

li incorporated the more elaborate Kali-system known as the Krama

(Trika Ilb). This Krama, known also as the Great Truth (Mahartha)

(121) TA 15.335c-352b. The outline of the MaJ:l<;lala of the Three Tridents and (Seven) Lotuses (tritriSuliibja-
I (122) This arrangement is also seen in JY. It teaches among its many forms of mar;u)alam) prescribed by the Trikasadbhiivatanlra. See TA 31.10-41b.
I Kii.li-worship three varieties of Kiilasarp.kar~ii:~i to be worshipped in the trisiUabjamaJ:l<;Jala
above Para, Parapara and Apara: Sulesvari (JY1, fol. 147r'-148v 8 ), Tricakresvari I Parantii
(JY 4, fol. 135v'-136v'), and Trisir~ii (JY 4, fo1. 187v'-196v'). or the Great Doctrine (Mahanaya) teaches liturgies126 in which Kali as
(123) TA 15.347d-348.
(124) MVUT 8.42cd: yasmiid e~ii parii saklir bhedeniinyena kirlilii (as quoted at
the all-devouring power of consciousness is realized through her
TA 30.50cd). worship in a series of cycles of deities embodying the transformations
(125) The same reorientation is found in the vise~anyiisalJ before the visualization of her powers in the cyclical sequence of cognition, from its projection
of the maJ:l<;lala-throne in internal sensation. cr. MVUT 8.43cd with TA 15.251cd
where AG adds to Para ( > Kalasarp.kar~ii:~i) a retinue of twelve powers ( = the twelve (126) The principal Krama systems in the Agamas are those of the KS, DPS, DDS,
Kalis). YGT and JY.
 -196- -197-

of the object to its resorption into internal quiescence. We find this The initiating guru now installs Matrsadbhii.va in the central lotus
more sophisticated stratum of the Kali-:cult already drawn into the within the triangle marked out by the three Paras. While the
Trika in at least two of its later Agamas, the Trikasadbhiiva and the influence of the Krama is perceptible even in the installation of the
Trikahrdaya. The former is Abhinavagupta's source for the mal}.c;l.ala three goddesses-since it is a characteristic of the Krama to express
of the three tridents and the (seven) lotuses, the tritrisillabjamal}.c;l.ala, the dynamic unity of powers in such multiplications, 130 with the move
the latter for that of the four tridents and the (eight) lotuses, the to the centre of the mal}.Q.ala (kulesvarfslhiinam) the Trika's Absolute
catustrisillabjamal}.c;l.ala.127 While he prescribes the simple mal}.c;l.ala expands to reveal the Krama within it undisguised. For while
?f the single trident and the three lotuses, the trisillabjamal}.c;l.ala, for it holds to the old tradition through the name of its presiding power
mternal worship and for the ritual of preliminary initiation (Matrsadbhava), the latter's mantras unfold it into the Krama's
(samayadfk~a}, 128 for that of the second, definitive initiation tetradic cycle of cognition: projection (sr~til,t}, immersion (slhilil,t,
(nirvavadfk~a) he requires that the neophyte (samayadlk~ilal,t) avataral,t}, resorption (saT{!hiiral,t) and the Nameless Foib-th ( anakh-
be exposed to the Trikasadbhiiva's tritrisillabjamal}.c;l.ala. In so doing yam, lurryam, saT{!hiirasaT{!hiiral,t}, which reveals itself as<'the cycle's
he completely abandons his root-text, the Malinzvijayoltaralanlra, ground and reality in the limit of resorption. 131 The guru further
which knows only the single trident in this as in all contexts. installs these phases (kramal,t) in their fully elaborated form as the
'Implication' must be stretched to enable the Trikasaiva to receive four separate sequences of deities, those of projection, immersion
into himself in his final initiation a system of powers whose esoteric and resorption on the tridents of Para, Parapara and Apara
superstructure had grown too elaborate to be loaded into the simpler respectively, and those of the Nameless in the centre, or else the
prototype. fourth alone, containing the other three by implication. 132
The deities installed in this more richly empowering mal}.c;l.ala form
two sequences in which the second is superimposed on the first. The The twelve Kalls
two strata which result express ascent from the common Trika to its
esoteric level in the Krama doctrine of the Kali-cult. In the first the While the first three sequences of Krama-worship are simply
guru installs the three goddesses with their Bhairavas in this order: superimposed on to the three tridents of the goddesses of the Trika
base, the fourth, the quintessential sequence, can be accomodated in
the actual design of the mal}.c.lala. For the Trikasadbhii.va, as quoted
1 in the Tanlriiloka, allows 'twelve voids' (viyaddvadasakam) to be
PARA
drawn in the centre of the centrallotus.133 The precise meaning of
Bhairavasadbhava this expression and the fact that these 'voids' are designed to
3, 8 Parapara 2, 6 Apara contain the twelve Kalis of the Krama's Cycle of the Nameless
Ratisekharabhairava :N avatmabhairava anakhyacakram) is apparent from the Devzpaficasataka and the
Jayadralhaytimala (Tantrartijabhafttiraka), two Agamas of the inde-
7 APARA 4 PARAPARA
pendent Krama tradition. The former instructs the worshipper of
Navatmabhairava Ra tisekharabhaira v a this climactic cycle to draw a circle (vyomabimbam) surrounded by
9 Para 5 Para twelve others. Each of the resulting thirteen should be coloured
Bhairavasadbhava Bhairavasadbhava with indigo powder and surrounded by a vermilion border. He is to
worship Supreme Kali (Mahiikali) in the central circle and the
All three are present therefore in each trident, in such a way that
Para is dominant in the central, Para para in the right, and A para in the
left; while Para as the only goddess who occupies three thrones is seen (130) See KaS 8-9 (qu. TAV 3(4)197, 12-20); MMP 100, 26-101, 3 (following AG's
lost Kramakeli); TAV 3(4)188, 9-15.
as the omnipresent ground of this cydical triplication. 129 (131) TAV 10(16)64, 6-8. Thus it is identified in the mantras as the Nameless
within projection, immersion, resorption and, the Nameless itself (sr~!yaniikhyam to
(127) See n. 1. The four kramii!J (sr~li- to aniikhyakrama!J) are worshipped on anakhyiiniikhyam). In the pentadic system of MMP (105, 14-16) the last = bhiisii, the
its four overlapping tridents. See TA 31.63. fifth kramal).
(128) TA 15.387c-388b. AG speaks here not of a maJ.lQala prepared with powders (132) TA 16.157; 31.52, emending kramiil to kramiin in accordance with commentary
but one (quickly) traced out with scented paste on the slhar:uf.ilam, a gandhamarpf.ala (ka)m. (tri,vapi krame§U). Neither TA nor TAV give the names of the Krama-deities here.
(129) TA 16.12c-15b; TAV 10(16)6, 9-14; TA 16.15cd. (133) TA 31.27: madhye kulesvaristhiinam ... viyaddviidasakaQ ca vii. See fig. 2.
 -198- -199-

twelve Kalis in the ring of circles that surrounds it. 134 The same
pattern is found in the Kalikramavidhil). of the second text, where it PoWER WITHOUT IMPURITY (TmKA III)
stands within a four-gated square as the Krama's initiation-
mal).Q.ala.135 In its centre is Mahakali: equated with the world- Now just as this twelve-fold sequence of the Nameless (ana-
manifesting vibration (spandal).) within the heart of consciousness and khyakrama(t, kalikramal).) opens up from within the convergence of the
bliss, realized when the meditator dissolves into the ego-less ground three Trika goddesses in the initiation-mal}.Q.ala, so it is deployed
through the contemplation that the agent, act and object of cognition in the practices of meditaUon that seek to realize this Agamic identity
are cognition in essence;136 visualized as the awesome black goddess through controlled possession after initiation. Yet just as the
haloed in the fire of her own radiance, decked with the skulls and presence of the awesome twelve Kalis in the mal}.Q.ala is nowhere
corpses of the deities, devouring the Lords of the Tattvas, dancing explicity stated in the Tantriiloka, being perceptible only th,rough the
wildly in the moment of universal destruction;137 worshipped by collation of scattered remarks in the light of the commenta~y and the
wine-intoxicated devotees with offerings of wine in skull-cups, with Agamic literature known to the author, 141 so here the pervasion of
animal-sacrifices and the drinking of the victims' blood.l 38 Around soteriological practice by this cycle is conveyed by widely separated
her are the twelve Kalis, their forms identical with hers. 139 passages and in deliberately oblique terms. Abhinavagupta states
The innermost power of the mal}.Q.ala of final initiation into the the principal behind his treatment of this level of the Trika at the
Trika is then this quintessential deity-group of the Krama, conclusion of the chapter in which he summarizes the circuits of
Kalasamkarsini mirrored in the twelve Kalis of the Nameless as deities (avaravani) worshipped in the mal).Q.ala:
all-perv~ding, ·all-devouring non-duality in the dynamic cycle of the While Para~ Para para and A para are projection, immersion and resorption,
o)Jject, act and agent of cognition. 140 the Fourth Power (turyii), Matrsadbhava, is defined as the ground in
which they rest in unity (visriinli]J.). This (fourth) is secret. · It can
be learnt only through oral instruction. Nonetheless I have allude.d
to it here and there throughout the work.'"
(134) DPS 5.50-51b: riijavartena rajasii vyomabimbaf!l tu kiirayet I bimbadviidasakal[l Even in the fourth chapter ( saktopayahnikam) in which he defines
bahye tadrilpam avatiirayet II lohiliil[l vyomarekhiil[l tu dadyat sindilrakena ca I; 5.53c-54b:
madhye piljyii mahfikfili bahye 'nyii dvfidasa kramiit II pilrviid iirabhya sarviis Iii{! piljayed
the experiential nature of each of the twelve Kalis, and in the
yoginandanal. Kramastotra which he devotes exclusively to this topic, he carefully
(135) JY 4, fol. 59v•·•: sal[llikhya mar;u;lalal[l devi bhrama (for mahii, with NAK 1.1514) avoids mentioning their names. We are told at the end of the
dviidasasal[lmitam 1 madhye trayodasal[l kfiryal[l riisivarr.zasamanvitam I raktena rajasii passage that the Power manifest as these twelve is indeed that called
devi caturlekhyal[l prapilrayet I caturdviirasamiiyuklal[l tatra piljyal[l kramottamam I
mahfikiili madhyamii syiid dhyiiyed ghoriil[l maholbar.ziim I ... 60v•: tala{! pravesayec chi§yam ..•
Kali and Kalasa:rpkar~il}.i, 143 but the names of her reflected aspects are
(136) JY 4, !ol. 58ro-o: jfiiinal[l jfieyal[l tathii jiiiitii jfiaptigarbhiin [ = -garbhii iti] conveyed by him analytically through the derivation of the -kali
nibhiilayan 1 layal[l yiiti pare dhiimni nirahal[lkiiradharmir.zi I cidiinandaparispanda- which forms the second part of their names out of the rootfkal
garbhasthaspandarupayii vyiiplalfl (til.) paramayii bhiiti §arjadhviivarar.zalfl vibhau (?.tigau) 'to project' (lcf?epe), 'to go'f'to know' (galau), 'to enumerate'
(137) JY 4, fol. 59v'-60r' (dhyiinam): sphural/ciiliignilak§iir.zi romalcupai{! patanti
(sal!lkhyane) or 'to sound' (sabde)'. Thus for example, S:r~tikall:,
hi 1 yasyii bharga(garbha)sikhiikoti x x ko!ir(ti) vijrmbhate I ... vaktriivata(vaktril.va)-
vini§!hyutasphuratlcalpiintapiivalciim 1 •.. sarvadhvapatikankiilamekhaliidiimamar.zrjitiim I
the first of the twelve, is covered as follows:
.. .lciikiililculakr§r.ziibhranibhiim ... nipitatattvagirviir.zakrtiirabha!ibhairaviim I ... lc§ayak§ar.ze And therefore this <radiant> <goddess> (devi) (cognition [saqwit])
sphutoddiimanrttacittavinodinim 1. unsullied in her source (yet at the same time) assuming the urge to manifest
(138) JY 4, fol. 60r•-v•: mahiipasupahiiriidyai{! ... devadevilfl prapujayet I mahii- (objectivity as though other than herself [4.147]) ideates (lwlayate [ >-kii.li])
sankhiirghapatriidau krtviirgham alinii mahat I ... a lwr.z!hatai,L pibed raklalfl madyalfl ciipi projection (sr§li1]1 ( >Sr~ti-). Hence her name in the .i\gama."'
mahesvari.
(139) JY 4, fol. 60r•-•: tadvad devyai,L prapujyaiVaTfl dhyeyiill sarvii yathiirthavat I
pratibhedhagatii sailcii devadevi lcaran!cir.zi 1. Ct. Visvavarta, Tantrariijiivatiirastotra (141) For his having studied the DPS see TAV 3(4)194, 8-10. He writes of the ten
quoted at JYMUT fol. 3v,_. (v. 27cd): dhalte yan mulcuriivalivyatilwravyaktaikavalctro- Yonis that constitute sr§!ikramall in this Agama in an unknown work quoted at TAV
pamiil[l Siiklal/1 cakram apakramaf!! paramayii devyii tad iddhalfl numal1 II (final verse). 11(29)33, 9-17 (cf. DPS 3.19-21b). The Miidhavakula-section of JY 4 provides AG's
For the experiential nature of the cycle of the Nameless see JY 4, fol. 59r•-•: vrttidhiima- alternative Kaula worship (TA 29.53-80. See JY 4, fol. 140-147).
vilciisiilmii ravir eva vijrmbhate 1 dviidasatmii dviidasastha{! [in twelve faculties] ... le§iim (142) TA 33.30-31b, dividing 30a parii pariiparii ciinyii (ed. pariiparii parii ... ). 31a
antalz parii diptii,L Tcalayanti viriijate I tatlcramaf!! salflpravalc§yiimi mulchapiiral[lpariigatam I is printed lac ca pra/ciisal[l vaklraslham. This is suspect because of its awkward banality.
pronmi§adrasmikhacitau jrmbhatyeva dasatrikam I sr§!ikiili... I suggest lac ciipralciisyam.
(140) TA 4.171-172. (143) TA 4.176.
(144) TA 4.148. For etymologies of Kiili see TA 4.173-175 and TS 30, 13-17.
"
 -200- -201-
Elsewhere he disguises the Kalis of the secret Fourth Power yet Aghoresvari. Nonetheless at this level Bhairava is still dominant. 15~
further by translating them into the product of the multiplication of In the Trika, however, this relation is reversed. The three goddesses
the three nameable, less awesome goddesses of the Trika base by the are enthroned above their Bhairavas as the principal recipients of
four abstract Krama-categories behind the names and visualized forms worship. Finally, in the Krama, the Goddess alone remains. She is
of the hidden cult. Thus in the first verse after his introduction no longer Siva's consort but pure Power behind and manifesting the
(upodghalaly.) to the Tanlralo/w he announces that the principal cycle dichotomy between power (Saktily.), and the controller of power
of powers in the Trika is twelve-fold: the four phases, projection, (saklimtin), between goddess-consort and god.152 This unleashing of
immersion, resorption and the (Nameless) Fourth in Para, Parapara the feminine from the control of the male is also the unleashing of
and Apara. 145 That Jayaratha in his comment on this verse is right impurity. To move from the Siddhanta into the Bhairava-teachings
in saying that Abhinavagupta is really talking about the twelve Kalis is, from the point of view of the former, to abandon the purity of
here 146 is evident if this statement is collated with others. Thus in the orthodox, Veda-congruent discipline. 163 From the point pf view of
fourth chapter Abhinavagupta equates these Kalis with projection, the latter it is to transcend the petty extrinsicism of a puf!ty-bound
immersion, resorption and the Fourth in the object (prameyam), powerlessness into an ecstatic self-expansion in which all that the
medium (pramar;tam) and agent (pramalti) of cognition, 147 while in the unenlightened (pasava~z) consider impure is realized and exploited
second verse of the work he equates these three aspects of cognition as the means with which to break through this powerlessness into
with Para, Parapara and Apara. 148 In his Tanlrastira we find a omnipotence and omniscience. 154 With the Krama sect of Kali this
slightly different scheme. The twelve Kalis become projection, cult of impurity reaches its greatest intensity. Its Agamic literature
immersion and resorption in the three goddesses and their ground, shows the unleashed feminine presiding over a subculture contamina-
Matrsadbhava. But this 3 x4 is equivalent to the preceding 4 x3, ted by violence and death, in which skull-carrying devotees (ktiptilikti/:1,
since Matrsadbhava and the Fourth phase are identical. 149 Clearly mahtivratina/:1)155 invoke her terrible power into themselves through
then Abhinavagupta has set up equivalences by means of which the sanguinary and orgiastic worship in the cremation-grounds.156
power of the Kali-cycle can be mediated through his exegesis of the Abhinavagupta most certainly gives the fullest recognition to this
Trika, so that the esoteric, Agamic identity is preserved from power ofthe impure. For it is a cardinal tenet of his soteriology that
profanation through direct exposure, while at the same time he nothing is in itself charged with purity or impurity. To be unaware
demonstrates the unity of the two levels, the two strata of the of this is the foundation of the heart's consent to the requirements of
Trikasadbhtiva's mandala. orthodox life and access to the self's innate power requires that one
However Abhina~~gupta's concern to veil the twelve IGlis must
also seen in the context of the bond between esoteric power and
public impurity. To rise through the grades of revelation from the
(i5l) SvT 2.114-116.
Siddhanta to the Kali-cult was to gain access to power at the cost of (152) Seen. 117.
ever increasing impurity in the terms of the orthodox consensus. The (153) See A. Sanderson, op. cit., n. 127.
intensification of power is expressed in the language of ritual as the (154) TA 12.18c-2lb; 37.11-12b.
gradual emergence and eventual autonomy of Siva's consort (Devi/ (155) See Discussion p. 211.
(156) The Saiva householder of Kashmir cannot normally have had much contact
Sakti). In the Siddhanta this feminine essence is suppressed to the with this esoteric and extreme form of his religion, but even he was drawn into contact·
extent that in daily ritual only the male polarity is worshipped, with its goddess in the one cremation-ground ritual in which he would inevitably partici-
the mild and consortless Sadasiva. In the Bhairava-teachings, pate, his own incineration. His last rites (sivanirviiQavidhil)) begin with an initiation-
represented by the cult of Svacchanda, Siva transcends this mild ritual, performed on his corpse, through which his soul resummoned (miiyiijiiliikr~la!J)
form 150 and is joined in worship by his consort in the form of is l,lnited (yojila!J) with Paramasiva worshipped as Svacchandabhairava, and end, at
the last moment before the lighting of his pyre, with the recitation into his right ear of
the 300-syllabled Kiilasarpkar~ii;ti-invoking Vyomesvarividya which leads his soul up
(145) TA. 1.107. through the cosmos in his body to escape rebirth in dvadasanta (KK 4, 205-2n; Vyomesva-
(146) TA.V 1(1)150, 16-151, 8; TAV 3(4)134, 2-17. rividya: 286-287). He 'also comes into contact with Kali in her Cal).(likapiHin iform:
(147) TA 4.125 and comm. during the ten days of his prela-rites, during the annapiiripiijii in the Sivasriiddham, and
(148) TA. 1.2. Cf. TA. 5.23c-27b. during the Sivadipasriiddham. Cal).gikapalini is worshipped in these rites surrounded
(149) TS 28, 7-29, I. MVV 1.934c-935b: ...dviidasadhti sarrwit Sf§/yiidau lulya- by the four saktis and their attendants (diitis) associated with Kapalisabhairava; the
gocare II ekaikasas lryiitmakalvat lraye vii ciituriilmyala!J /. deity of the PM-BY: Rakta, Karali, Cal).gak~i, Mahocchvasa ( = Mahocchu~ma); Karlil!i·,
(150) SvT 2.88b-94b. Bhimavaktra, Dantura and MahabaUi (KK 4, 309; 334-335; 417. Cf. PM-BY fol. 18r-19v);

8
 -202- -203-
abandon it.l67 Liberation is through letting go of this extrinsicist layaviidaQ.) of the Paftcariitrika Vai~I}.avas, the illusionism ( miiyii-
inhibition and Abhinavagupta recognizes that the ritual consumption viidaQ., ~jarj.abrahmaviidaQ.) of the Vediintins and the. cognition-only
of substances forbidden to the orthodox is the most effective means to doctrine of the Yogiiciira Buddhists.101 The doctrine did succeed in
this end.l68 However the domain of impurity in this context has influencing the Paftcariitra and the Vedanta in Kashmir.l 6~ But
two aspects, the erotic and the mortuary. Abhinavagupta empha- while these conquests testify to a new level of respectability they
sizes the former and suppresses the latter. In so doing he deflects his can have been of less immediate concern to the Trika than confronting
Agamic identity away from the grimmer side of the culture associated the Siddhiinta; for the latter's iiciiryas exerted considerable influence
with Kiili. Addressing himself primarily to an audience of Saiva over the cult of Svacchandabhairava, which then as now was the
'householders' (grhaslhaQ.), he speaks of power in the private domain dominant Saivism of Kashmir. ·
of the erotic rather than in that of public impurity courted by the It is in the light of this confrontation that we can better understand
exotic ascetics of the cremation-grounds. Whatever .may have been why Abhinavagupta insists that the edifice of his Tanlrai.Q~a is entirely
the position of the Krama-based Trikasadbhava and Trikahrdaya contained within the Malinrvijayollaralanlra, though that'.Agama lacks
themselves within this spectrum of impurity, Abhinavagupta primes completely the link with Kali and the Krama so essential to his
the Kiili-essence in their mal}.<;lalas to fit the perspective of men in Agamic identity. For more important· than this lack was the fact
the world. It is this accomodation that is the outstanding that it forms a bridge between the Trika and the Siddhiinta. Its
characteristic of his system (Trika III). authority was certainly recognized by the latter's iiciiryas in
His exegesis of the radical Agamic inheritance aspires to a new Kashmir.163 Indeed they could have found in it no explicit
catholicity within the Saiva tradition. Transcendence of 'lower' · formulation of the idealist non-dualism which they considered so
sect-levels could achieve this in theory, through the principal that subversive of the true Saiva identity. Moreover it stands out from
the transcender contains the transcended, so that the highest (param) the esoteric mainstream by giving pride of place to the hierarchy
i'' is the all-containing (pur7Jam); 169 and we have seen this theory built of agents-of-cognition (pramiilrbhedaQ.). Though its particular
into Trika ritual. It could not, however, bring this conviction of presentation of this hierarchy is its own,l 64 the presence of such· a
power ·down from its heterodox heights to penetrate the awareness of hierarchy is a feature of the Siddhiinta and was recognized as such by
the Saiva majority, whose life in the world necessitated a greater the Trika itself. 165 Through exegesis of this syncretistic Agama
degree of conformity to orthodox norms of conduct and self-reference. Trika III fortified its claim to authority over the entire field of Saiva
To root itself in this more public level, while preserving its private revelation. For Abhinavagupta the Malin'ivijayollara is not merely
hierarchy of ascent to heterodox power in its inner, Agamic identity, the essence of the highest Agama ( Siddhayogzsvarfmala) of the highest
I the Trika enriched its hermeneutical base with the Recognition division (vidyiiprlhaQ.) of the Bhairava-teachings;166 it is the essence of
I
. I Doctrine (pralyabhijfu'isiislram). Though this emerged with Somii- the Siddhiinta as well. 167 Thus Trika III frequently cites the Agamas
nanda and Utpaladeva from within the Krama-based Trika tradition of the Siddhiinta in support of its own metaphysical non-dualism.168
of the Terambii 'seminary' (mathikii) in Kashmir,160 it formulate.d a Even the ethical non-dualism ( advaitiiciiral;) of the esoteric traditions
metaphysics of the self within the conventions of high Brahmamcal is identified in these Agamas, as proof against the dualists that all
learning. Thus it succeeded in elevating itself above its widely Saiva scripture is pervaded to a greater of lesser extent by the flavour
suspect background, so that it could be deployed in an rela~i':'ely of the Trika as its highest level.109
sect-neutral exegesis over a much greater range of the Saiva tradition.
In fact Utpaladeva's catholic aspirations extended even further. (161) lPVV 3, 404, 22- 405, 10.
He claimed to be making explicit the common truth latent in the (162) For Paiicariitra see SpPr and SP; also n. 31. For example of influence on
dualism of the Siddhiinta, the monistic emanationism ( pariTJiimaviidaQ./ the Vedantic YV seen. 84.
(163) See MTV-VP 117; 123; MTV-YP 10; 35; MTV II 48; 176; MP.A.V I 106; 109.
(164) TS 98, 12.
(165) TAV 7(10)7, 17-8, 2.
(157) T.A. 4.212c-247. (166) TA 37.17-25b.
(158) Seen. 154 and TAV 11(29)8. (167) TA 1.18; MVV 1.398-399.
(159) E.g. TAV 1(1)16, 10: 'pariim' (<pf) piirQiim. (168) E.g. TA 1.203-204.
(160) TAV 3(4)194, 9-11. Utpaladeva alludes to the esoteric Trika at lPK 1.54
(169) See MVV 1.196-197b. The 'Kaula' interpretation of this verse is indignantly
(cf. TAV 2[3]82, 10-12). For Somiinanda's authorship of a comm. on the Trika's
rejected by RiimakaJJ.tha on ST-KA 8, 7. See also TA 15.8-11 and comm. concerning
Pariilriq!Sikii see PTV 16, etc.
MPA 11 1, kriyiipiida 1.2. Cf. RamakaJJ.tha on this verse.
 -204- -205-
Now this catholic self-presentation of the Trika in the third phase
of its development doubtless accounts for the veiled manner in which
Abhinavagupta handles its most conspicuously heterodox constituent,
the cycle of the twelve Kalis. But this is not the limit of its effect. ABBREVIATIONS

The new catholicism affects the ritual of the mai}.Q.ala itself by

overcoding the internal installation of the mai}.Q.ala-throne in the one AKP = Agnikiiryapaddhati. Bod!. MS Chandra Shum Shere f. 110.
element free from the inertia of ritual forms, the inner yogic 'posture' AG = Abhinavagupta.
(karar;t.am) through which this structure of mantras and visualizations ARA = ( Arlharalniivali). Nilyii!}ogaSikiirr;wva with two comms., ~juvimar­
is taken into the worshipper's identity. This sequence of meditation, sinl by Sivananda and Arlharalniivall by Vidyiinanda. Ed.
described above, is designed precisely to fuse together'the two extremes V. V. Dviveda (YTGM vol. 1), Varanasi, 1968.
of Trika III's exegetical range, the Siddhanta and the Krama. Thus ASB =Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta. ·"'~·
in one direction the three goddesses of the Trika are raised to the IPK = !Svarapralyabhijniikiirikii by Utpaladeva with vrlli by.'-same. Ed.
worshipper's hidden identity with Kali, while in the other these Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS No. XXXIV (Siddhitrayl+IPK).), Srinagar,
Kali-based powers are seen to express themselves as the Miili- 1921.
nfvijayollaralanlra's seven levels of the agent-of-cognition and hence to IPV = lSvarapralyabhijniivimarsinl by AG. Ed. Pt. Mukund Ram (vol. 1)
and Pt. M. Kaul (vol. 2) (KSTS Nos. XXII, XXXIII), Bombay,
reach out into the Siddhanta's range of reference. 1918, 1921.
At the same time, by incorporating these seven levels, the IPVV = Isvarapralyabhijnavivrtivimarsini by AG. Ed. Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS
meditation inculcates belief that the Trika subsumes the entire Nos. LX, LXII, LXV), Bombay, 1938, 1941, 1943.
universe of self-reference, from the lowest level, which houses the ISGDP = Isiinasivagurudevapaddhali. Ed. T. Gai.J.apati Siistri (TSS
unreflective subjectivity of the worldly, through the intermediate Nos. LXIX, LXXII, LXXVII, LXXXIII), Trivandrum, 1920,
levels, which house the ideal selves of other systems. 170 While 1921, 1922, 1925.
these selves exclude and condemn the Agamic identity of the UKAT = Drmilcauliirr;.avalantra. NAK MS No. 5/5207.
Trikasaiva, the Trikasaiva himself develops the liberating insight KiiS = Kiilikiislolra by Jfiananetranatha. Ed. (anon.) in Ramesvaracarya
that these levels exist only as modalities of the dynamic non-duality (Jha), Srigurusluli, Srinagar: Isvara Asrama, 2033 [1968].
{paramiidvayam) of the Word to which he accedes through initiation. KK 4 = Karmakar:uf.am, caturthapustakam; par;.cj.itakdavabhattajyotirvidii
Being modalities of this Agamic self they cannot impede the range of saf!!skiirasodhaniibhyilf!! sampiiditam. Bombay: Nirnaya Sagara
Press, 1936.
his self-presentation. He can cultivate conviction of absolute Power
KP = Kurmapuriir;.a. Ed. Ananda Swarup Gupta, Varanasi: All India
in the private domain of his ritual and reflection, while he shows to the Kashiraj Trust, 1971.
world a perfect conformity to the requirements of Purity.l71 KM = Kubjilciimala. ASB MS No. G4733.
KR = K~emaraja.
(170) See n. 8.
KrSt = Kramaslolra by AG. Ed. K. C. Pandey,. Abhinavagupla, Varanasi:
(171) See TAV 3(4)278,5: anta~ kaulo bald~ saivo loMciire tu vaidika~ f.. Chowkamba, 1963 (2nd ed.), pp. 948-951.
KL = Kalpalatii by Sitikai.J.~ha Rajanaka (?). Bod!. MS Chandra Shum
Shere e.161.
KS = Kramasadbhiiva. NAK MS No. 1/76 ('Kiilikiikulakramasadbhiiva').
KSTS = Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies.
CMSS = Cincir;.imatasiirasamuccaya. NAK MS No. 1/767.
J = Jayaratha.
JfiDV = Jniinadipavimar§ini by Vidyiinanda. NAK MS No. 4/753 ('Tripu-
rasundarivyiikhyii').
JY 1 = Jayadralhayiimala, !}atka 1. NAK MS No. 5/4650.
JY 2 = ld., !}atka 2. NAK MS No. 5/4650.
JY 3. = ld., !}atka 3. NAK MS No. 5/1975.
JY4 = Id., §atka 4. NAK MS No. 1/1468.
JYMUT = Jayadralhayamalamantroddhiira/ippUIJ.i, anon. NAK MS No. 1/1514.
 i
j
-206- -207- i
i:?'l
TA, TAV = Tantraloka by AG with comm. (-viveka) by J. Ed. Pt. Mukund MPAV I Matangapuramesvaragama (Vidyupuda) . avec· . le commentaire ;: ' ':·;·······.·••!
=
Ram (KSTS Nos. XXIII, XXVIII, XXX, XXXVI, XXXV, [-vrtti] de Bhatta Rumakarztha. Ed. N. R. Bhatt; •PondicMry: ·
XXIX, XLI, XLVII, LIX, LII, LVII, LVIII), Bombay, 1918, Institut Fran!)ais d'Indologie, 1977. I
1921, 1921, 1922, 1922, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1938, 1933, 1936, 1938. MBhT-KKh = Manthiinabhairavatantra, kumtirikharzlja. NAK MS No. 5/
TC = Tantric Collectanea. Bod!. MS Chandra Shum Shere e.264. 4630.
TI?PVNT = Tridasaljiimarapratyangiravi§ayakananatantra. NAK MS No.3/ MMP = Maharthamafljari by Mahesvarananda with his comm. (-parimala):
30. Ed. V. V. Dviveda (YTGM vol. 5), Varanasi, 1972;,, . . . ·
MVUT = Malinlvijayottaratantra. Ed. Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS No. 'xxxVII),
TS = Tantrasara by AG. Ed. Pt. Mukund Ram (KSTS No. XVII), Bombay, Bombay, 1922.
1918.
MVV = Mulinzvijayavtirttika by AG. Ed. Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS No. XXXI),
TST = Tantrasadbhiivatantra. NAK MS No. 5/445. Srinagar, 1921.
TSS = Trivandrum ·sanskrit Series. YTGM = Yogatantragranthamala. "-·
DDS = Devidvyardhasatikti. NAK MS No. 1/242. YGT = Yonigahvaratantra. ASB MS No. GIOOOO.
DPS = Devipafl.casataka. NAK MS No. 1/252 ('Kulikakulakramiircana' YV = Yogavusi§lha. Ed. W. L. S. Pai)Srkar, Bombay, 1918. .
(for Kulikakulapafl.casataka) ).
LT = Lak$mltantra. Ed. Pt. V. Krishnamacharya (Adyar Library Series,
DYT = Devyayamalatantra. vol. 87), Madras, 1959.
NAK = National Archives, Kathmandu. VBhT = Vijflanabhairavatantra with comm. by KR (-uddyota) surviving on
NASAP = NityadisaT{!grahtibhidhtinapaddhati by Tak~akavarta. Bodl. MS 1-23, completed by Sivopadhyaya. Ed. Pt. Mukund Ram
Stein Or. d. 43. (KSTS No. VIII), Bombay, 1918.
NeT = Netratantra with comm. by KR (-uddyota). Ed. Pt. M. Kaul SD = Sivadf$fi by Somananda with comm. (-vrtti) by Utpaladeva. Ed.
(KSTS Nos. XLVI, LXI), Bombay, 1926, 1939. Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS No. LIV), Poona, 1934.
PAS = Paramurthastira by AG. Ed. J. C. Chatterji (KSTS No. VII), SS, SSV = Sivasiitra with comm. (-vimarsini} by KR. Ed. J. C. Chatterji
Srinagar, 1916. (KSTS No. I), Srinagar, 1911.
PT = Paratantra. Ed. Lt.-Col. Sri Dhan Shum Shere Jung Bahadur Riil)ii, SK, SN = Spandakarikti by Kalla~a with comm. (Spandanirrzaya) by KR.
Prayag: 'Cal)<;li' -karyalaya, Smp.vat 2016. Ed. Pt. M. Kaul (KSTS No. XLII), Srinagar, 1925.
PTV = ParatriT[!sikti with comm. (-vivararza) by AG. Ed. Pt. Mukund ST-KA = Sardhatrisatikalottartigama avec le commentaire de Bhatia Rama-
Ram (KSTS No. XVIII), Bombay, 1918. karztha. Ed. N. R. Bhatt, PondicMry: Institut Fran!)ais
d'Indologie, 1979.
PM-BY = (Picumataf) Brahmayamala. NAK MS No. 3/370.
SP = SaT[!vitprakasa, Atmasaptati, etc. by Vamanadatta, son of Devadatta.
PS = Pasupatasiitra with comm. (Pafi.curthabhii§ya) by Kaui)Q.inya. Ed. Banaras Hindu University MS No. 14/7893:
R. Ananthakrishna Sastri (TSS No. CXLIII, Citrodayamafijari
No. XXXII), Trivandrum: Univ. Travancore, 1940. SpPr = Spandapradipika by Utpalacarya (Bhii.gavatotpala). Ed. G. Kaviraj
(YTGM vol. 3), Varanasi, 1970.
PH = Pratyabhijfluhrdaya by KR. Ed. J. C. Chatterji (KSTS No. III), SYM = Siddhayogesvarimala. ASB MS No. G5465.
Srinagar, 1911.
SvT, SvTU = Svacchandatantra with comm. (-uddyota) by KR. Ed. Pt.
Bodl. = Bodleian Library, Oxford. M. Kaul (KSTS Nos. XXXI, XXXVIII, XLIV, XLVIII, LI,
BPD = Bodhapaflcadasika by AG with comm. (-vivarm;w) by Pt. Harabhatta. LIII, LVI), Bombay, 1921, 1923, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1933, 1935.
Ed. Pt. Jagaddhara Zadoo (KSTS No. LXXVI), Srinagar, 1900. SSP = Somasambhupaddhati, pt. I. Trans. and ed. H. Brunner-Lachaux,
BhAS = Bhairavanukara!J.astotra by KR. Ed. R. Gnoli, 'Miscellanea Indica', PondicMry: Institut Fran!)ais d'Indologie, 1963.
East and West, New Ser., vol. 9, No. 3, Sept. 1958, 223-226. HV = HaravijayamaMkavya by Ratnakara Rajanaka. Ed. Pt. Durgaprasad
M = Munasollusa by Somesvara. Ed. G. K. Shrigondekar (GOS Nos. 28, and K. P. Parab (Kavyamala 22), Bombay, 1890.
84, 138), Baroda, 1925, 1929, 1961.
MTV II = (Mrgendratantravrtti). Mrgendrtigama (Kriyapada et Caryuptida}
avec le commentaire de Bhalta-Nartiya!J.aka!J.tha. Ed. N. R. Bhatt, NB In quotations from MSS emendations are underlined and followed
PondicMry: Institut Fran!)ais d'Indologie, 1962. by the suspect reading in roman type within parentheses.
MTV-VP, -YP = Mrgendratantra (Vidyapada, Yogapada} with comm.
(-vrtti) by Narayal)akal)~ha. Ed. Pt. M.. Kaul (KSTS No. L),
Bombay, 1930.
MPA II = Matangaparamesvaragama (Kriyapada, Yogapada et Caryupiida)
avec le commentaire de Bhatta Ramakantha. Ed. N. R. Bhatt,
PondicMry: Institut Fran!)ais d'Indologie, 1982.
 -208- -209-
I tend to the view that the Svacchandatantra as part of a constantly
developing stream of 'unauthored' scripture must be expected to contain
elements that bear the imprint of different theological tendencies, especially
since there is no unbridgeable gap in text-development between 'dualistic'
DISCUSSION and 'non-dualistic' traditions of Agama. If this is so, then only detailed
textual archaeology on the wider corpus of Siva-, Rudra- and Bhairava-
H. BRUNNER;
Agamas could enable us to order those text-elements so that vre could. s~y
The Svacchandatantra was interpreted in dualistic terms, and K~emaraja whether those in the Svacchandatantra which state or imply non~dualism
wrote his commentary to fight against this interpretation: what is your are characteristic of a later development in the Bhairavagamas to which it
opinion? When one reads the SvT. is one immediately convinced that it belopgs, or original, in accordance with the view of the Trikacaryas (e.g.
is non-dualist? Malinivijayavarttika 1.391.392b), the Jayadrathayamala-Sirascheda (§atka 1,
patala 45; NAK 5/4650, folio 191•) and probably also the non-dualist Brahma-
yamala-Picumata (patala 39, vv. 9 and 14) which make adva,itam·. the defining
A. SANDERSON :
characteristic of this class of scripture. ·
Certainly K§emaraja wrote his commentary to draw the Svacchandatantra
and the widespread cult of Svacchandabhairava which it sanctified away H. BRUNNER;
from the authority of the dualist Saiddhantikas into that of the Pratyabhijfla- Je n'ai pas lu tout le SvT. et son comm., mais cependant il apparait
based non-dualism of the Trikacaryas. It is no surprise that in this process clairement dans certains passages que K§emaraja fait dire au Tantra ce qu'il
he has done violence to the Agama itself which knows nothing of his sophistica- ne dit pas, notamment a propos d'unmanii et du temps, etc. Et on a souvent
ted saqwidadvayaviidal;z. The Svacchandatantra is definitely not non-dualist !'impression que, pris sans son commentaire, ce qu'ecrit le SvT. est peu
in terms acceptable to K§emaraja. Of course the choice is not between the different de ce qu'on trouve dans les agamas saiddhantika.
samvidadvayaviidal;z of the Svacchandatantroddyota and the Saiddhantika A cet eg:'ird, j'aimerais insister sur le fait que certains vers du SvT. se
dualism of Sadyojyotiwhich he opposed: the text fits neither of these exegetical retrouvent tels quels dans certains de nos agamas. De plus, parmi les upagamas
strait jackets. In fact, to arbitrate in this eleventh century dispute is far du soi-disant " 1o agama" le Kamika, il y a le Bhairavatantra qui est tres
from easy. The text's principal concern is with the rituals of initiation. probablement une version, ou une variante du SvT. II me semble qu'il a du
This requires it to describe the phases of cosmic causality, since a knowledge y avoir, a u~ moment, u.n corpus commun non encore divjse en textes dualistes
of the tantra's hierarchy of tattvas, bhuvanas, etc., is necessary to the perfor- et non-dualu;tes. Et le r1tuel est exactement le mClme. On peut tres bien, ainsi,
mance of initiation. Concern with the metaphysics of cosmic causality and expliquer un rite qu'on trouve dans un agama par reference au SvT. - et
the related issues of karma-theory and epistemology, on which the two schools vice-versa.
in Kashmir disagreed fundamentally, is, however, almost absent. If one
draws together the text's slender evidence to make it choose, as it were, A. SANDERSON
between the doctrines of those who sought to colonize it, then one finds only
ambiguity. At 11.2-4 Siva is efficient cause (nimittakiirar:wm) and the Yes, indeed. Though the Svacchandatantra expresses its superiority
world's material cause (upiidiinakiirar;wm) is the (samanii-) void (vyoma) to the Saivasiddhanta by enthroning Svacchandabhairava above Sadasiva,
which he excites into production 'samaviiyatal;z'. K~emaraja, of course, the basic ritual is the same in both traditions. As for the common corpus
interprets this to mean a non-dualist inherence of the material in the efficient to which you refer, we may assume, I think, that if it had anything approaching
cause. His dualist opponents were doubtless able to interpret the crucial a consistent theological background, its position in this respect was distant
term in the sense of a weaker conjunction and to take the material cause enough from both schools to have required commentatorial colonization.
here as that of the 'pure path' (suddhiidhvii) only, leaving that of the impure Exegetical assimilation will not have been the vice of the non-dualist commen-
creation in safe isolation from .the creator. Similarly 11.54a fuels the view tators alone.
of the non-dualists by making suddhavidyii the material cause of miiyiilattvam.
H. BRUNNER:
At least this seems to be the obvious implication of the ablative (tato miiyii).
At 11.59ab, however, miiyiilattvam is said to be eternal: fuel for the dualist . En effet, cela vaut aussi pour les commentaires dualistes des agamas
view. And so on. What are lacking are clear statements in terms which voir par exemple Sadyojyoti.
neither party could misunderstand on the issues crucial to them. Elsewhere,
especially in the meditations of the acarya in the act of uniting the disciple T. GOUDRIAAN ;
with Siva, a strong monism, is, however, discernible. At 4.313d 'everything You said that siddhiintins go up only to suddhavidyii-no?
is Siva' (sarval[! sivamayam) and at 314d 'there is nothing anywhere which
is not Siva' (niisival[! vidyate kvacit). The acarya is Siva (4.399cd) not A. SANDERSON ;
merely equal to Siva (sivasamiinal;). He is the supreme tattvam which
is one and everywhere (4.424abc). Yet even here a determined dualist Rather that the throne of their deity reaches no higher in the tattva-
could make the text serve his purpose. For these identifications are abhimii- hierarchy. As Abhinavagupta reports, Sadasiva, the object of Saiddhantika
niil;z and, while this term is probably quite neutral here, a Saiddhantika might worship, is enthroned on the Lotus of Knowledge (vidytipadmam) which
well interpret it in its negative sense to mean 'a false or imaginary identifica- both Saiddhantikas and Trikacaryas identify with suddhavidytilattvam.
tion', i.e. one which serves a purpose but is not to be taken literally. Mrs. Brunner has pointed out, however (SSP 1, p. 174, n. 1) that this limitation
 ~210- -211-
of the throne as prescribed by Somasambhu and others was not accepted by Aghoresvarr, Amrtesvara + Amrtalak~mi) in the ritual texts of the Kashmi-
Nirmalama!).i who sought scriptural evidence to justify the pervasion of the rian Sivakarmis. The Pascimii.mnaya's Manonmanl occurs in the same
throne up to the highest tattva. position as th? 'inserted' ni$lcaltivaslhii but I see no evidence beyond this
that the expenence of the two was the same. What strikes me about the
T. GouDRIAAN: addition of_ t?is stage (ni$1~alam) between the usually contiguous samana
and unmana IS firstly that It does not occur in all cases (e.g. 5.70c-71 and
Do you think this is secondary to the Trika's p.ttacks on the Saivasid- 7.233cd) and secondly that where it does occur we are left in no ·doubt
dhii.nta position?
that. its presence is the assertion of a sectarian superiority. For this state
A.
commg between samanli, the limit of the manifest universe time etc and
SANDERSON :
s~~a:consciousness (sivavyliptil}.), is identified as one of isolat~d self~awa~eness
This might indeed be a response to systems which expressed their superio- (Jwakevalatli, litmavyliptil}.}, the mok~a of those lesser Saivas 'who worship
rity to the Siddhanta by extending their thrones to include its enthroned (o~ly) _the. Self' _(iiimoplisaklil}.}. As K~emaraja explains, these are the
deity. However I have no evidence that this was so. ~aJddhanbkas,_ Pa~upatas and Lakulas (Prama!).a-Pasupatas) for whom the
liberated Self IS Siva-like, not one with Siva (on SvT 4.392a). ·
T. GOUDRIAAN . Whether there is a distinct experience in between those called samana
You mentioned the three stages of energy: sa/eli, vyapini, samana, and the ~nd u~ma~a and whether this experience, if it exists, contains the description
highest one: do you consider them inseparably connected with the ucciira It receives m the system of Agamic discourse, are two quite different questions.
of mantra? I. myself a~ more ready to accept the existence of extraordinary of sensations
d_Iscovered m mantrocclira than to concede objectivity to their gnostic elabora-
A. SANDERSON :
tions or to doubt that the latter may determine their number and order.
To ans":er your final question: the ni$lcala-1evel has no place, to my
Yes. They are, of course, supposed to be a hierachy of subtle levels in knowledge, 1:g the Trika's mantroccliral}..
the final resonance of the mantrocciiral}., realized in yogic practice. But
I have stressed here their mantric nature in ritual, the manner in which they T. GOUDRIAAN :
are realized through discursive mantraprayogal}. +sthiiniinuSUT[!dhiinam, etc.
In this sense the attainment of a certain level of mantra-resonance (niidalcalii) . You said, when introducing the Kii.likrama, that the people who introduced
or tattva is a verbal act, not some hypothetical experience of a level definitively this system were Kapalikas: is that right?
beyond the reach of discrimination {bhinnavedyaprathii). I see ritual as
obviating the problem of experiencing that whose experience could not be A. SANDERSON :
confirmed in the mind since by definition such experience would be outside
the parameters (the Jcaricukiini, etc.) of referential cognition. Ritual makes Yes, I believe so. The lcdpdlavratafmalzdvrata and the culture of the
the impossible possible. It stages in the mind a transcendental, Agamic cremation grounds in general as ascribed to the Kapalikas in Sanskrit literature
identity and is empowered to this end by the belief that it is this transcendental occupy the centre of the stage in the Jayadrathayamala (Kashmir before
structure which manifests itself as the worshipper and his worship, at a lower 1000 A.D.) whose twenty-four thousand verses are devoted to the K~li-cults
level of its own existence. of the Kashmir region with their Krama-system core. Krama-sii.dhakas
in this. Tantra certainly ref~r to themselves as Kapii.likas. Thus, for ex., in
T. GouDRIAAN :
the third ~atka the wandermg vrati is made to publicize himself as follows:
'I a~ a skull-bearing Kii.palika eager to taste the fusion of the rays (of
You mentioned a fivefold and a sixfold ucciira of OM as found in the COfo!SCIOUSness)' (kdpdlilco 'ham lcarikdli rasmimeldpalolupal}. (NAK 5/1975,
Svacchandatantra. The former, that of the pancaprar;wva, has a peculiarity: foh_o 232r7) ). Moreover, i? the Kashmirian lineage of Kramii.cii.ryas to
between samana and unmana there is a stage calle•j ni$lcala. I believe that wh1c~ Abhi?avagupta was lmked, several gurus were (nai~thika) Kii.pii.likas
some texts (Netratantra, for instance, according to Mrs. Brunner's analysis) {kap~l~?ralmal}., malz~vratadhar?~z, malzdpdsupatal}.): Cakrabhii.nu (guru of
locate there the iitmalattva. In the Kubjika school, we have here a stage B~l!~~raJa,. au. of Srlpithad-:adasika), Prabodha (au. of Krama?tika), Isanika
represented by the deity called Manonmani. This stage seems to refer to RaJ~I,_ Ja1yaka, C~krapa!).I (~u. of Bhavopaharastotra), etc. According
some well-known experience. Does such an experience really exist? And to Sitika!).tha (Mahanayaprakasa 9.5), the first of these was the initiator of
is this found in the Trika? the si~yaugha-phase of the tradition. I date him c. 925-975.
~?wever,. the. Kalikr~ma was not the only strongly Kapalika Agamic
A. SANDERSON : tradztwn active m Ab':mavagupta's time. The malzdvralam is equally
This is indeed an interesting case. As K~emaraja notes, this classification central to the Brahmayamala-Picumata with its cult of Kapalisvara (see
particularly patala 80).
of the subtle levels of sound (the five prar;wvas) sets the Svacchandatantra
off from the views of the other Tantric systems (Svacchandatantroddyota
vol. 3, p. 127). The Netratantra alludes to it, but is part of the snme lantra- T. GouDRIAAN :

prakriya (in the broad sense) as can be seem from its textual d ·pendence Is it true there is only one manuscript of the Brahmayamala- or have
(e.g. SvT 4.392ab in this context = Netratantra 8.30cd) and the intimate you seen more?
liturgical cooperation between the devatas of the two Tantras (Svacchanda+
 -212- -213-
A. SANDERSON ; A. SANDERSON ;

I am aware of five MSS in the National Archives, Kathmandu (3/370; The Vinasikhatantra in absent from the lists of Vamatantras in the
1/286; 5/1929; 1/1557; 1/143). Brahmayamala-Picumata, the Siddhayogesvarimata and the Jayadrathayli-
If I may r_eturn to the variety of the classifications of the levels of mantroc- mala-Sirascheda. Nor is it found in the list of a large number of Agamaviras
caraf:z in the Agamic traditions: while saktif:z is generally located in the space and Agamayoginis (personified titles of works) populating the mantraplthaf:z
of one finger above the cranial aperture (e.g. Svacchandatantra 4.347bcd), and vidyapithaf:z of Tumburubhairava who, with his four sisters (Jaya, etc.),
in the Trika it pervades that of four fingers, i.e. one third of the distance presides over ISvaratattva in the cosmographic section of the last of these
between the cranial aperture and the dvadasantam (Tantralokaviveka vol. 9 Tantras. (see §atka 1, patala 6). Perhaps related to it is the Vil).iimal).i which
[Ahnika 15]; p. 182, 8-9 (read ca iris- for catus-). This new experience at occurs there under the vidyapithaf:z and is the name of one of the Vamatantric
least is clearly dictated by the need to fit in with the structure of the mar;uf.ala. sikhd$1akam of the Srikal).thasaJYihita's list of sixty four Tantras (TAVvol. 1 (1),
Thus the space is divided equally into three to reflect the relation between p. 43). The VST may be intended in the list of twenty four tantras of the
the three prongs. vamasrotaf:z in the srotovicarapatala of the Srikal).thasaJYihita (in Nityadisarp.-
grahabhidhanapaddhati, Bodleian Library, MS Stein Or. d.'· 43 (sarada),
T. GOUDRIAAN : folios 5rH-21r 1 ): 'vir;tdtantral[! sikhottaram'. Thus none of the Agama-lists
The Kubjika people also divided the space into six times two. of which I am aware definitely includes the VST among the Vamatantras.
The Jayadrathayamala-Sirascheda does list a Vil).asikhiisaJYihita but under
H. BRUNNER: the mantrapi/ha~I of the dak§ir;tasrota~I (ibid., folio 173r1 ). The same list
contains other titles which agree with the names of certain of Tumburu's
You said that Abhinavagupta does not allow kamya ritual. I find the Agama-personifications mentioned above or with Varna-titles known from
same in the Agamas, but commentators always explain that kamya, there, other sources. The appearance of a Tantra which declares itself to belong
does not mean ritual done for some purpose, but only for abhicara or that sort to the vamasrotaf:z in the canon of the right certainly is confusing.
of thing: they restrict the field of kamya rites. Do you have that in your c
texts? T. GOUDRIAAN :

A. SANDERSON : All the more confusing since Vil).asikhatantra is mentioned also as an

No, I think not. Abhinavagupta sees the preoccupation of the Tantras upagama to some siddhantagamas.
of the dalc§ir;tasrotai:z with abhicara-rites (raudral[! karma) as a limitation
which the Trika transcends (Tantraloka 37.27c) but his reasons for this are H. BRUNNER:
quite amoral. For him the Trika's focus is the source of that power of En fait, si on regarde attentivement, on trouve dans les upagamas bon
consciousness which is seen as assuming in its autonomy the various configura- nombre de textes qui sont censes etre des "tantras du nord" ...
ions, benevolent and malevolent, worshipped by the seekers of powers.
Kamya rites of all kinds are not forbidden by Abhinavagupta. They are K. BHATTACHARYA:
simply pushed into the background as the business of the power-seeking
sadhakas. Abhinavagupta addresses himself principally to the householder How many manuscripts are available? and what relationship can such
mumulc§u. texts have with kingship? -because in Cambodian inscriptions they are
mentioned specifically with the devaraja cult.
(Une discussion sur la place des renonqants et des grhastha dans le sivaisme A. SANDERSON :
au Cachemire, puis sur les liens entre JUipulilcas et les groupes qui s'occupent
des morts en lnde et au Nepal, n'est pas reproduite). As far as I know, the VST survives in two MSS (NAK 1/1706 and 5/1983)
of which the second is a twentieth century apograph of the first. I do not
K. BHATTACHARYA: recall this Tantra's having any applicability to the devaraja-cult of the
You mentioned these texts: Nayottara, Sammohana, Sirascheda-have Cambodian inscription; it is a short text concerned with siddhisadhanam.
you found the form "Sammoha"?
T. GounmAAN :
A. SANDERSON : It consists of four hundred slokas. There is no direct applicability.
Yes. It occurs in the Brahmayamala-Picumata (patala 39; NAK 3/370, The text refers explicitly to other texts of this school: Sammohana and
folio 20lr'), Jayadrathayamala-Sirascheda (§atka 1, patala 40; NAK 5/4650, Nayottara. But the problem is that in the Cambodian inscriptions the
folio 177v 1 ) and the Srika:gthasaJYihita (qu. Tantralokaviveka vol. 1 (Ahnilca 1) reference is to the Vil).ii.Sikha ritual which was performed for Jayavarman XI
p. 43). -a ritual we do not know. There is a mar;tljala, a simple one, to Tumburu
and his four saktis, in which the king could have been initiated. But the
K. BHATTACHARYA term devaraja is not at all prominent: there is a missing link here. The
text itself specializes in love-siddhis.
And the VI:gasikha?
 -214-
A. SANDERSON :

That this was a characteristic of the Vamatantras in general is strongly

suggested in Abhinavagupta's abstract, metaphysical exposition of the mode
of consciousness embodied in the viimasrota/;1 (Malinivijayavarttika 1.260-290).

A, LE BONHEUR :

Pensez-vous que le Sirascheda qui existe aujourd'hui en mss a quelque

chose a voir avec celui qu'on trouve mentionne dans les inscriptions khmeres ? RESUMES - SUMMARIES
A. SANDERSON :
The Sirascheda to which I have referred is the work also called Jayadra-
thayamala and Tantraraja ( = Jayaratharajanaka's 'TantrarajabhaHaraka'). HELENE BRUNNER.
According to the text, Sirascheda or (aiSa) Siraccheda is its pujiiniima (~atka 4;
NAK 1/1468, folio 210r•-•). However, I am disinclined to identify this with Maf.!rf.alas and yantras in agamic Saivism
the Sirascheda of the inscription. The first §atka insists that it is itself a Definition, description, ritual use
Vamatantra or Vamagama at several points (ibid., folio 125v•; 185r'; 213v•·•)
but in its account of the Saiva canon (patala 36-44) it lists itself in th.e vidyii- The paper is divided into two parts. The first one is an attempt to
p'i/ha/;1 of the Bhairavatantras between the tantras of the dak$if.1asrola/;l and define and distinguisl} from each other the ritual objects called ma'.lrf.alas
those of the viimasrota/;1 as havfng the nature of both or a division in each and yantras; and also an invitation to respect, when translating, the distinc-
(folio 177': viimadak$if.1abhedastham). The text before us sees itself as the tions made by the texts themselves. The second one deals with the ma'.lrf.alas
indirect outcome of this miscegenation through a process of multiple branching used for the· cult of Siva: structure, symbolism, ritual use.
from the 'proto-Sirascheda' and, though Tumburubhairava with his four Sources: the Tantras and paddhatis of early Saivism (before XIIIth cent.),
sisters, the hallmark of the viimasrota/;1, is present, this is only as the Lord which all agree on these points.
of Isvaratattva in a bhuvaniidhvii which reaches above him through· many
Sadasiva-worlds to culminate in Kalasarp.kar~il).i, the Tantra's principal deity.
This cannot, I think, for all its connections with the tradition of the viimasrota/;1, I. Maf.!rf.alas and yanlras as ritual objects. Cakras.
be the work described in the Sdok Kak Thorn inscription as one of the four A. Maf.!rf.alas: these are limited surfaces, not necessarily round.
faces of Tumburu.
1. First type: the surface is devoid of any structure, e.g. the m. made of
cow-dung or sandal paste to serve as a seat for a divinity or a revered object.
Suggested English rendering: "seat-maf.!rf.ala"

2. Second type: the surface, most often square, shows a geometrical

pattern, generally covered with colored powders (3, 4 or 5). These m. serve
as concrete supports for the cult of Siva or other divinities, and have no other
purpose. They may be very big, the officiating priest entering them through
"doors" and circulating inside along "streets".
Suggested English denomination: "iconic maf.lrf.alas" or "image-m."
Such m. are highly praised, and even deemed compulsory, for the so-called
"occasional" cults (dik§ii, prati$1hii, etc.), where they occupy the central
altar (vedi) of the sacrificial pavilion (yiigamaf.!rf.apa).

3. The third type presents itself as a square, divided into a certain number
of smaller areas called padas, where some divinities are invited in order to
receive a tribute of food (bali). Best known among them is the viistumaf.!rf.ala.
Belong also to this category the divided squares which are used for the prepa-
ration of certain mixtures, the ingredients of which have first to be honored
separately, each in a definite direction.
Suggested translation: "distributive diagrams"
N.B. This classification is ours, the texts using merely "maf.!rf.ala" for
the first two types (actually not so distinct as it would appear from our
presentation), while they avoid generally this term for the third.
 CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE

Equipe de recherche no 249

« L'Hindouisme · textes, doctrines, pratiques ~

Table Ronde
"
MANTRAS ET DIA~RAMMES RITUELS
DANS L'HINDOUISME
Paris
21-22 juin 1984

**

EDITIONS DU CENTRE NATIONAL

DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
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1986