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 Abhinavagupta's Paramārthasāra (Paramarthasara): Stanzas 96 to 99 - Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir

Normal translation


 Introduction

Paramārthasāra continues with four more stanzas. This is the twenty-fourth set of stanzas, which is composed of 4 out of the 105 stanzas constituting the entire work.

Of course, I will also insert the original stanzas on which Yogarāja is commenting. I will write a lot of notes to make this book so understandable to the average reader as possible.

Yogarāja's Sanskrit will be in dark green color while the original Abhinavagupta's stanzas will be shown in dark red color. In turn, within the transliteration, the original stanzas will be in brown color, while the Yogarāja's comments will be shown in black. Also, within the translation, the original stanzas by Abhinavagupta, i.e. Paramārthasāra, will be in green and black colors, while the commentary by Yogarāja will contain words in both black and red colors.

Read Paramārthasāra and experience Supreme Ānanda or Divine Bliss, dear Śiva.

Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me.

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 Stanza 96

इदानीमक्रमेण क्रमेण च ज्ञानयोगपरिशीलने विचित्रपरशक्तिपातमेव कारणं प्रतिपादयन्फलभेदमाह


परमार्थमार्गमेनं झटिति यदा गुरुमुखात्समभ्येति।
अतितीव्रशक्तिपातात्तदैव निर्विघ्नमेव शिवः॥९६॥


यस्मिन्नेव काले जनः पश्चिमजन्मा गुरुमुखात्प्रवरदैशिकवक्त्रादेनं शतशः प्रतिपादितं परमार्थमार्गं पूर्णस्वातन्त्र्यलक्षणं स्वात्मसम्बोधमुखाम्नायरहस्यसरणिं यः कश्चिदभ्येति समभियाति स तदैव तस्मिन्नेवावसरे गुरूपदेशसमनन्तरमेवानन्तरायं कृत्वा शिव एव स्यात्। श्रीकुले यथोक्तम्

हेलया क्रीडया वापि आदराद्वाथ तत्त्ववित्।
यस्य सम्पातयेद्दृष्टिं स मुक्तस्तत्क्षणात्प्रिये॥

इति। ननु कथमेवंविधं मुखाम्नायरहस्यमेवोपनयेत् — इत्याह अतितीव्रशक्तिपातादिति। अतिशयेन तीव्रः कर्कशो योऽसावनुग्रहाख्यायाः पारमेश्वर्याः शक्तेः पातः पशुहृत्कमलावतरणं येन पशुरपि गुर्वाम्नायवेदनाच्छिवीभवति जीवन्नेव मुक्तः — इति यावत्। यथा ताम्रद्रव्यं सिद्धरसपातात्सुवर्णीभवति। अयमर्थः — परमेश्वरानुग्रहोपाय एव स्वात्मज्ञानलाभः — इति नात्र नियतिशक्तिसमुत्थं जपध्यानयज्ञादिकमुपायतया क्रमते। अनुग्रहशक्तिविद्धहृदयस्य तु हठादेवाक्रमं देवतामुखाम्नायरहस्यं हृदयमावर्जयति येन झटित्येव परमेश्वरीभावं याति — इत्यपर्यनुयोज्यो विचित्रः पारमेश्वरः शक्तिपातः — इति॥९६॥

Idānīmakrameṇa krameṇa ca jñānayogapariśīlane vicitraparaśaktipātameva kāraṇaṁ pratipādayanphalabhedamāha


Paramārthamārgamenaṁ jhaṭiti yadā gurumukhātsamabhyeti|
Atitīvraśaktipātāttadaiva nirvighnameva śivaḥ||96||


Yasminneva kāle janaḥ paścimajanmā gurumukhātpravaradaiśikavaktrādenaṁ śataśaḥ pratipāditaṁ paramārthamārgaṁ pūrṇasvātantryalakṣaṇaṁ svātmasambodhamukhāmnāyarahasyasaraṇiṁ yaḥ kaścidabhyeti samabhiyāti sa tadaiva tasminnevāvasare gurūpadeśasamanantaramevānantarāyaṁ kṛtvā śiva eva syāt| Śrīkule yathoktam

Helayā krīḍayā vāpi ādarādvātha tattvavit|
Yasya sampātayeddṛṣṭiṁ sa muktastatkṣaṇātpriye||

Iti| Nanu kathamevaṁvidhaṁ mukhāmnāyarahasyamevopanayet — Ityāha atitīvraśaktipātāditi| Atiśayena tīvraḥ karkaśo yo'sāvanugrahākhyāyāḥ pārameśvaryāḥ śakteḥ pātaḥ paśuhṛtkamalāvataraṇaṁ yena paśurapi gurvāmnāyavedanācchivībhavati jīvanneva muktaḥ — Iti yāvat| Yathā tāmradravyaṁ siddharasapātātsuvarṇībhavati| Ayamarthaḥ — Parameśvarānugrahopāya eva svātmajñānalābhaḥ — Iti nātra niyatiśaktisamutthaṁ japadhyānayajñādikamupāyatayā kramate| Anugrahaśaktividdhahṛdayasya tu haṭhādevākramaṁ devatāmukhāmnāyarahasyaṁ hṛdayamāvarjayati yena jhaṭityeva parameśvarībhāvaṁ yāti — Ityaparyanuyojyo vicitraḥ pārameśvaraḥ śaktipātaḥ — Iti||96||

Now (idānīm), (Abhinavagupta,) while he explains (pratipādayan) that the cause (kāraṇam) of the contact with (pariśīlane) the Yoga (yoga) of Knowledge (jñāna) (is) certainly (eva) a wonderful (vicitra) supreme (para) descent (pātam) of Power (śakti) (bestowed on someone) through successive stages --viz. gradually-- (krameṇa) and (ca) the opposite --i.e. all at once without going through any successive stages-- (akrameṇa), mentioned (āha) the different (bhedam) fruits (of such a practice) (phala):


When (yadā) (a certain person who is in his last birth) receives (samabhyeti) this (enam) path (mārgam) of the Highest Reality (parama-artha) from the mouth (mukhāt) of (his) Guru (guru), then (tadā eva), through an excessively strong descent of Power (ati-tīvra-śakti-pātāt), he instantly and unobstructedly (becomes) Śiva (jhaṭiti... nirvighnam eva śivaḥ)||96||


(The expression) "Paramārthamārgamenaṁ... (yadā) gurumukhāt(sam)abhyeti... tadaiva... (nirvighnam) eva śivaḥ" (guru-mukhāt... enam... parama-artha-mārgam... abhyeti... tadā eva... eva śivaḥ) (in the stanza means:) At the time (kāle) in which (yasmin eva) a certain person (janaḥ... kaścid) who (yaḥ) is in his last birth (paścima-janmā) receives --lit. approaches-- (samabhiyāti) from the mouth (vaktrāt) of the best (pravara) of the spiritual teachers (daiśika) (this) secret (rahasya) path (saraṇim)(a path) characterized (lakṣaṇam) by the Perfect (pūrṇa) Absolute Freedom (svātantrya) (and) which has (already) been explained (pratipāditam) a hundred times (śataśaḥ)— that comes from the main tradition (mukha-āmnāya) (and is a means to attain) Self-realization (sva-ātma-sambodha), at that (very) moment (tasmin eva avasare) he (saḥ), proceeding without any obstacle (anantarāyam kṛtvā) after (samanantaram eva) (having received) the teaching (upadeśa) of (his) Guru (guru), becomes (syāt) Śiva (śivaḥ) indeed (eva).

As (yathā) has been mentioned (uktam) in Śrīkula (śrīkule):

"Oh Beloved One (priye), (someone) upon whom (yasya) a Knower (vit) of the Supreme Principle (tattva) casts (sampātayet) (his) glance (dṛṣṭim) as a pastime (helayā) or (vā api) play (krīḍayā), or even (vā atha) out of love (ādarāt), he becomes liberated (saḥ muktaḥ) immediately (tat-kṣaṇāt... iti)".

A doubt (nanu): "How (katham) does (the Knower of the Supreme Principle) communicate (upanayet) such (evaṁvidham) a secret (rahasyam) coming from the main tradition (mukha-āmnāya... iti)? (Abhinavagupta) said (āha): "atitīvraśaktipātāt" (ati-tīvra-śakti-pātāt iti).

("Atitīvraśaktipāta" means) that (asau) "pāta" (pātaḥ) —i.e. a descent (avataraṇa) into the heart lotus (hṛd-kamala) of the limited being (paśu)— of the Power (śakteḥ) belonging to the Supreme Lord (pārama-īśvaryāḥ) (and) whose name (ākhyāyāḥ) is divine Grace (anugraha), which --viz. the descent of Power-- (yaḥ) is excessively (atiśayena) "tīvra" (tīvraḥ) (or) strong (karkaśaḥ). By that (very strong descent of Power) (yena), the limited being (paśuḥ api) becomes Śiva (śivī-bhavati), i.e. liberated (muktaḥ) while living (jīvat eva), after (having received) the Knowledge (vedanāt) coming from the sacred tradition (āmnāya) of (his) Guru (guru). This is the purport (iti yāvat).

(The process is) just like (yathā) (that of) a thing (dravyam) made of copper (tāmra) which becomes gold (suvarṇī-bhavati) after falling (pātāt) into an alchemic fluid (siddharasa).

This (ayam) (is) the meaning (then) (arthaḥ): The means (upāyaḥ) (called) the divine Grace (anugraha) of the Supreme (parama) Lord (īśvara) (is) only (eva) (his) acquisition (lābhaḥ) of the Knowledge (jñāna) about his own (sva) Self (ātma). So (iti), (the set of practices such as) muttering of a Mantra (japa), meditation (dhyāna), sacrifices (yajña), etc. (ādikam), which originates (samuttham) in the niyatiśakti --the power generating restriction in the sense organs-- (niyati-śakti), is not applicable (na... kramate) with reference to him --to the Knower of the Supreme Principle or Self-- (atra). But (tu) in the case of a person whose heart (hṛdayasya) has been pierced (viddha) by the Power (śakti) of the divine Grace (anugraha), he (himself) by force attracts (haṭhāt eva... āvarjayati) Hṛdaya --the Heart or Core of the Highest Reality-- (hṛdayam), which is devoid of succession (akramam) (and is) the secret (rahasya) of the main (mukha) tradition (āmnāya) of the Deity (devatā) --another possible translation is "the secret of the tradition, (which emanates) from the mouth of the Deity", according to the two meanings of the word "mukha" ("main" or "mouth")--. As a result (yena), he instantly gets (jhaṭityeva... yāti) the State of the Supreme Lord (parama-īśvarī-bhāvam). Thus (iti), "the wonderful (vicitraḥ) descent (pātaḥ) of Power (śakti) relating to the Supreme Lord (pārama-īśvaraḥ) is not be censured or contradicted (aparyanuyojyaḥ... iti)"||96||


Without notes of explanation yet

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 Stanza 97

यस्य पुनर्मध्यमन्दमन्दतरादिभेदेन प्रवृत्तः शक्तिपातस्तस्य गुरूपदेशमामरणक्षणं यावद्योगक्रमेण विमृशतः पिण्डपाताच्छिवत्वं स्यात् — इति प्रतिपादयति


सर्वोत्तीर्णं रूपं सोपानपदक्रमेण संश्रयतः।
परतत्त्वरूढिलाभे पर्यन्ते शिवमयीभावः॥९७॥


एवं किल शक्तिपातमन्दत्वात्पूर्णज्ञानोपदेशानासादनेन सर्वोत्तीर्णं रूपं सर्वतत्त्वपर्यन्तवर्तिस्वभावं संश्रयतः साक्षात्कुर्वतः कथमित्याह सोपानपदक्रमेण इति। कन्दनाभिहृत्कण्ठलम्बिकाबिन्दुनादशक्तिरूपाणि सोपानानि ऊर्ध्वमाक्रमणाय तीर्थान्येव तेषां पदमासादनं तत्र हानादानरूपः क्रमः शनैःशनैः कन्दे ततो नाभौ ततो हृदीत्येवमाक्रमणं तेन — इति। एवं यावत्परमार्थप्ररोहोपलब्धौ पिण्डपातावसरे योगिनस्तस्य क्रमेण शिवतास्वभावा स्थितिर्भवति — इत्येषा क्रमयुक्तिः कथिता॥९७॥

Yasya punarmadhyamandamandatarādibhedena pravṛttaḥ śaktipātastasya gurūpadeśamāmaraṇakṣaṇaṁ yāvadyogakrameṇa vimṛśataḥ piṇḍapātācchivatvaṁ syāt — Iti pratipādayati


Sarvottīrṇaṁ rūpaṁ sopānapadakrameṇa saṁśrayataḥ|
Paratattvarūḍhilābhe paryante śivamayībhāvaḥ||97||


Evaṁ kila śaktipātamandatvātpūrṇajñānopadeśānāsādanena sarvottīrṇaṁ rūpaṁ sarvatattvaparyantavartisvabhāvaṁ saṁśrayataḥ sākṣātkurvataḥ kathamityāha sopānapadakrameṇa iti| Kandanābhihṛtkaṇṭhalambikābindunādaśaktirūpāṇi sopānāni ūrdhvamākramaṇāya tīrthānyeva teṣāṁ padamāsādanaṁ tatra hānādānarūpaḥ kramaḥ śanaiḥśanaiḥ kande tato nābhau tato hṛdītyevamākramaṇaṁ tena — Iti| Evaṁ yāvatparamārthaprarohopalabdhau piṇḍapātāvasare yoginastasya krameṇa śivatāsvabhāvā sthitirbhavati — Ityeṣā kramayuktiḥ kathitā||97||

(Abhinavagupta, by the stanza 97,) explains that (pratipādayati): "However (punar), in the case of one (tasya) whose (yasya) descent (pātaḥ) of Power (śakti) be brought about (pravṛttaḥ) by a middle, soft, softer, etc. piercing (madhya-manda-mandatara-ādi-bhedena), he has to ponder over and become aware of (vimṛśataḥ) the teaching (upadeśam) of (his) Guru (guru) until the time of death (ā-maraṇa-kṣaṇaṁ yāvat) by the (gradual) yogic method (yoga-krameṇa), (and) after the physical body falls (piṇḍa-pātāt), he attains the State of Śiva (śivatvam syāt... iti)".


To him who, (not having attained the teaching about the perfect Knowledge due to a soft descent of Power,) realizes (saṁśrayataḥ) the Nature (rūpam) which transcends (uttīrṇam) all (sarva) by the gradual method (krameṇa) of climbing up (pada) the ladders --viz. the successive stages to go up higher and higher-- (sopāna), after ascending (rūḍhi-lābhe) into the Supreme (para) Principle (tattva) (as far as possible while living, a full) identification (mayī-bhāvaḥ) with Śiva (śiva) (takes place) at the end --i.e. at the moment when his body falls-- (paryante)||97||


(The expression) "Sarvottīrṇaṁ rūpaṁ... saṁśrayataḥ" (sarva-uttīrṇaṁ rūpaṁ... saṁśrayataḥ) (in the stanza means:) Thus (evam) indeed (kila), to him who, not having attained the teaching about the perfect Knowledge due to a soft descent of Power, realizes (śakti-pāta-mandatvāt pūrṇa-jñāna-upadeśa-anāsādanena... sākṣāt-kurvataḥ) the Nature (sva-bhāvam) that exists (vartin) throughout (paryanta) all the (sarva) categories (of the universal manifestation) (tattva) --from Śivatattva, the highest category, down to Pṛṭhivītattva or earth element--. "How (does he realize this Nature) (katham... iti)?", (Abhinavagupta) said (āha) "sopānapadakrameṇa" (sopāna-pada-krameṇa iti).

The "sopāna-s" (sopānāni) whose forms are (rūpāṇi) kanda --the egg-like entity which is the source of all the channels in the subtle body-- (kanda), navel (nābhi), heart (hṛd), throat (kaṇṭha), soft palate (lambikā), bindu (bindu), nāda (nāda) (and) śakti (śakti) (are) the ladders (tīrthāni eva) to go up (higher and higher) (ūrdhvam ākramaṇāya), (while) "pada" (padam) (is) the act of reaching --i.e. of climbing up-- (āsādanam) them --the ladders-- (teṣām). With reference to that (act of climbing up such ladders) (tatra), "krama" (is) the method (kramaḥ) based on (rūpaḥ) taking (ādāna) (and) abandoning (hāna) in a very gradual manner (śanais śanais). (In short,) he advances (ākramaṇam tena) in this way (evam): "(First he moves to) kanda (kande), then (tatas) toward the navel (nābhau), next (tatas) toward the heart and so on (hṛdi iti... iti)".

Thus (evam), after realizing (upalabdhau) a sprout (praroha) of the Highest Reality (parama-artha) as far as possible (yāvat) (while living), the condition (sthitiḥ) whose essence (sva-bhāvā) is the State of Śiva (śivatā) takes place (bhavati) by the method based on succession (krameṇa) in the case of (this) yogī (yoginaḥ tasya) at the moment (avasare) when (his) body falls (piṇḍa-pāta). This (eṣā) (is) said to be (kathitā) the means (yuktiḥ) (based on) krama or successive stages (krama)||97||


Without notes of explanation yet

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 Stanzas 98—99

एवमपि क्रमयोगमभ्यस्यतो योगिनः समाश्वस्तस्यापि सतस्तथारूढिर्न स्यादभीष्टप्राप्तावन्तरायो जायते यदि परमनासादिततत्त्वस्य मरणं स्यात्तदा किं भवेत् — इत्याशङ्कां परिहरति


तस्य तु परमार्थमयीं धारामगतस्य मध्यविश्रान्तेः।
तत्पदलाभोत्सुकचेतसोऽपि मरणं कदाचित्स्यात्॥९८॥

योगभ्रष्टः शास्त्रे कथितोऽसौ चित्रभोगभुवनपतिः।
विश्रान्तिस्थानवशाद्भूत्वा जन्मान्तरे शिवीभवति॥९९॥


एवमुल्लङ्घनक्रमेण योगमभ्यस्यतः केनाप्यन्तरायेण मध्यविश्रान्तेः कुत्रचिच्चक्राधारेऽप्यनुभवोपलब्धेस्तत्रैव परितोषं गतस्यात एव परमार्थमयीं धारामगतस्य परतत्त्वरूपां प्रतिज्ञातां दशां सर्वाध्वोत्तीर्णामप्राप्तवतो यदि वा तत्पदलाभोत्सुकचेतसोऽपि प्रतिज्ञातपरमार्थसत्तासादनसाभिलाषस्यापि कदाचिन्मध्ये विपत्तिः सम्भाव्यते तदैतस्यालब्धलाभस्यापि पिण्डपातात्का गतिः — इत्याह योगभ्रष्ट इत्यादि। स योगात्समाधेरुभयथा भ्रष्टश्चलितः शास्त्र आगमग्रन्थे कथित उक्तः। कीदृग्भवेत् — इत्याह चित्र इत्यादि। पिण्डपातादेव चित्रभोगानि नानाश्चर्यस्त्र्यन्नपानमाल्यवस्त्रानुलेपनगीतवाद्यादिप्रधानानि यानि भुवनानि स्वविश्रान्त्यनुगुणानि तत्त्वेश्वरस्थानानि तेषु पतिरीश्वरो भवति मरणसमनन्तरमेव दिव्यैर्भोगैर्युज्यते — इति यावत्। तद्भोगाधिकारपरिक्षये पुनरपि स योगभ्रष्टः कथं स्यात् — इत्याह विश्रान्ति इत्यादि। विश्रान्तिस्थानस्य कन्दादेः प्रदेशस्य वशात्तदभ्याससंस्कारप्रबोधसामर्थ्यात्स जन्मान्तरे द्वितीये जन्मनि भूत्वा संसारेऽधिकारिशरीरं योगाभ्यासयोग्यं प्राप्य पूर्वाभ्यस्तं योगं प्रयासेन स्वीकृत्य हेलया परमार्थमयीं प्राग्जन्मप्रतिज्ञातां दशामधिरुह्य पिण्डपाताच्छिव एव भवति॥९९॥

Evamapi kramayogamabhyasyato yoginaḥ samāśvastasyāpi satastathārūḍhirna syādabhīṣṭaprāptāvantarāyo jāyate yadi paramanāsāditatattvasya maraṇaṁ syāttadā kiṁ bhavet — Ityāśaṅkāṁ pariharati


Tasya tu paramārthamayīṁ dhārāmagatasya madhyaviśrānteḥ|
Tatpadalābhotsukacetaso'pi maraṇaṁ kadācitsyāt||98||

Yogabhraṣṭaḥ śāstre kathito'sau citrabhogabhuvanapatiḥ|
Viśrāntisthānavaśādbhūtvā janmāntare śivībhavati||99||


Evamullaṅghanakrameṇa yogamabhyasyataḥ kenāpyantarāyeṇa madhyaviśrānteḥ kutraciccakrādhāre'pyanubhavopalabdhestatraiva paritoṣaṁ gatasyāta eva paramārthamayīṁ dhārāmagatasya paratattvarūpāṁ pratijñātāṁ daśāṁ sarvādhvottīrṇāmaprāptavato yadi vā tatpadalābhotsukacetaso'pi pratijñātaparamārthasattāsādanasābhilāṣasyāpi kadācinmadhye vipattiḥ sambhāvyate tadaitasyālabdhalābhasyāpi piṇḍapātātkā gatiḥ — Ityāha yogabhraṣṭa ityādi| Sa yogātsamādherubhayathā bhraṣṭaścalitaḥ śāstra āgamagranthe kathita uktaḥ| Kīdṛgbhavet — Ityāha citra ityādi| Piṇḍapātādeva citrabhogāni nānāścaryastryannapānamālyavastrānulepanagītavādyādipradhānāni yāni bhuvanāni svaviśrāntyanuguṇāni tattveśvarasthānāni teṣu patirīśvaro bhavati maraṇasamanantarameva divyairbhogairyujyate — Iti yāvat| Tadbhogādhikāraparikṣaye punarapi sa yogabhraṣṭaḥ kathaṁ syāt — Ityāha viśrānti ityādi| Viśrāntisthānasya kandādeḥ pradeśasya vaśāttadabhyāsasaṁskāraprabodhasāmarthyātsa janmāntare dvitīye janmani bhūtvā saṁsāre'dhikāriśarīraṁ yogābhyāsayogyaṁ prāpya pūrvābhyastaṁ yogaṁ prayāsena svīkṛtya helayā paramārthamayīṁ prāgjanmapratijñātāṁ daśāmadhiruhya piṇḍapātācchiva eva bhavati||99||

"Nevertheless (evam api), (when) such an ascent (into the Supreme Principle) (tathā-rūḍhiḥ) does not (na) take place (syāt) in the case of a yogī (yoginaḥ) who practices (abhyasyataḥ), even (api) full of confidence (samāśvastasya), the Yoga (yogam) (based on) krama o successive stages (krama), (since) an obstacle (antarāyaḥ) arises (jāyate) with reference to the wished achievement (abhīṣṭa-prāptau), if (yadi) afterwards (param) death (maraṇa) comes (syāt) to (this yogī) who has not attained the (Supreme) Principle (anāsādita-tattvasya), then (tadā) what (kim) happens (bhavet... iti)?". (Abhinavagupta) dissipates (pariharati) (this) doubt (āśaṅkām) (by the stanzas 98 and 99):


But (tu) in the case of one who stops (viśrānteḥ) half-way (madhya) (due to some obstacle and) does not attain (agatasya) the Stream (dhārām) full of (mayīm) the Highest Reality (parama-artha); (or if,) though (api) his mind (cetasaḥ) is eager to (utsuka) acquire (lābha) that (tad) State (pada), death (maraṇam) occurs (syāt) at some moment (kadācid) (in the middle of his practice. Then,) he (asau), (in both situations,) is said to be (kathitaḥ) one who has fallen (bhraṣṭaḥ) from Yoga (yoga) in the (revealed) scripture(s) (śāstre). (When his physical body dies,) he becomes a lord (patiḥ) of the worlds (bhuvana) (replete with) wonderful (citra) enjoyments (bhoga). (On the cessation of his right to those enjoyments, and) on account of (vaśāt) (the awakening of the accumulated impressions belonging to that practice of focusing his attention on successive) resting places (viśrānti-sthāna), (such a person,) after taking (bhūtvā) another (antare) birth (janma), (easily ascends into the State which had been perceived in his previous birth or life, and finally, once such a physical body falls,) he becomes Śiva (śivī-bhavati)||98-99||


(The entire stanza 98, viz.) "(Tasya tu) paramārthamayīṁ dhārāmagatasya madhyaviśrānteḥ| Tatpadalābhotsukacetaso'pi (maraṇaṁ) kadācit(syāt)" (madhya-viśrānteḥ... parama-artha-mayīṁ dhārām agatasya... tad-pada-lābha-utsuka-cetasaḥ api... kadācid) (means): "Thus (evam), in the case of one who practices (abhyasyataḥ) the Yoga (yogam) by krama o successive stages (krameṇa), where he advances by leaping (from one state to the next) (ullaṅghana), (but) who stops (viśrānteḥ) half-way (madhya) due to some obstacle (kenāpi antarāyeṇa), (and) having had (some type of) experience (anubhava-upalabdheḥ) somewhere (kutracid), viz. in one of the cakra-s acting as support (in his ascent) (cakra-ādhāre api), he feels satisfied (paritoṣam gatasya) with that (tatra eva). (And) because of this (atas eva), he does not attain (prāptavataḥ) the State (daśām) which transcends (uttīrṇām) all (sarva) the courses (adhva) (and) is perceived (pratijñātām) to be (rūpām) the Supreme (para) Principle (tattva). Or (vā) if (yadi), though (api) he has the desire (abhilāṣasya) to reach (āsādana) the (luminous) Existence or Being (of the Perfect I-consciousness) (sattā) which is known as (pratijñāta) the Highest Reality (parama-artha), death (vipattiḥ) occurs (sambhāvyate) in the middle (of his practice) (madhye)". Then --in those two situations-- (tadā), "what (kā) (is) the course (of the soul) (gatiḥ) of this (person) who has not attained (Self-)realization (etasya alabdha-lābhasya api) after (his) physical body falls (piṇḍa-pātāt... iti)?". (Abhinavagupta) said (āha) "yogabhraṣṭaḥ" (yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ), etc. (iti-ādi).

(At the beginning of the stanza 99, the phrase) "(Yoga)bhraṣṭaḥ śāstre kathito('sau)" (bhraṣṭaḥ... śāstre... kathitaḥ) (means): He (saḥ), in both situations (ubhayathā), is said to be (uktaḥ) (a yogabhraṣṭa) in the revealed scripture(s) --lit. "in a book which has come" (from the Divine)-- (āgama-granthe), i.e. one who has deviated (calitaḥ) from Yoga (yogāt) (or) Samādhi --divine Trance-- (samādheḥ).

(When he is such a "yogabhraṣṭa",) what does he become (kīdṛk bhavet... iti) (after his body falls)? (Abhinavagupta) said (āha) "citra" (citra), etc. (iti-ādi).

("Citrabhoga-s" are) the wonderful enjoyments (citra-bhogāni) which (yāni) consist mainly of (pradhānāni) various (realities such as) (nānā) astonishing (āścarya) women (strī), food (anna), drink (pāna), garlands (mālya), garments (vastra), ointments to anoint the body (anulepana), songs (gīta), (the sound of) musical instruments (vādya), etc. (ādi). (And) the "bhuvana-s" --lit. worlds-- (bhuvanāni) (are) the regions (sthānāni) of the lords (īśvara) of the categories (tattva) in accordance with (anuguṇāni) (the different types of) repose (viśrānti) on one's own Self (sva). (The term) "pati" (patiḥ) (means) "a lord" (īśvaraḥ) of those (worlds replete with wonderful enjoyments) (teṣu). (Therefore, the final meaning of the compound "citrabhogabhuvanapatiḥ" in the stanza 99 is that such a person) becomes (bhavati) (a lord of those worlds replete with wonderful enjoyments) once (his) physical body falls (piṇḍa-pātāt eva). (In other words,) he becomes endowed with (yujyate) divine delights (divyaiḥ bhogaiḥ) immediately after (samanantaram eva) (his) death (maraṇa). This is the purport (iti yāvat).

"On the cessation (parikṣaye) of (his) right (adhikāra) to those (tad) enjoyments (bhoga), how (katham) does he become (saḥ... syāt) once again (punar api) a "yogabhraṣṭa" --viz. one who has fallen from Yoga-- (yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ... iti)?". (Abhinavagupta) said (āha) "viśrānti" (viśrānti), etc. (iti-ādi).

(The remaining portion of the stanza 99, which reads) "(Viśrāntisthāna)vaśād(bhūtvā) janmāntare (śivībhavati)" (vaśāt... janma-antare) (fully answers the previous question:) On account of (sāmarthyāt) the awakening (prabodha) of the accumulated impressions (saṁskāra) belonging to that (tad) practice (abhyāsa) of (focusing his attention on successive) resting places (viśrānti-sthānasya), i.e. (of concentrating on successive) zones (pradeśasya) (such as) kanda, etc. (kanda-ādeḥ), he (saḥ), after taking (bhūtvā) a second birth (dvitīye janmani) —i.e. after obtaining (prāpya) in Saṁsāra --Transmigration replete with misery-- (saṁsāre) a fit (adhikāri) physical body (śarīram) which is qualified for (yogyam) the practice (abhyāsa) of Yoga (yoga)—, appropriates (svīkṛtya) with effort (prayāsena) the previously (pūrva) practiced (abhyastam) Yoga (yogam). (After that, he) easily (helayā) ascends (adhiruhya) into the State (daśām) which had been perceived (pratijñātā) in (his) previous (prāk) birth or life (janma), which --i.e. the State-- is full of (mayīm) the Highest Reality (parama-artha). (Finally,) once (such a) physical body falls (piṇḍa-pātāt), he becomes (bhavati) Śiva (śivaḥ) indeed (eva)!||99||


Without notes of explanation yet

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Gabriel Pradīpaka

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