Swami Lakshmanjoo elaborates on [Lord Krishna/Shiva’s] real residence, where He is living, where He is established. Quoting Lord Krishna in this excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, chpt 15, verse 6 and 7.
DVD 15 (16:36)
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः ।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥६॥
na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ /
yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama //6//
O Arjuna, I will explain to you which is My real residence, where I am living, where I am established.
Na tadbhāsayate sūryo. Sūrya (the sun) cannot show that residence (na tadbhāsayate sūryo); na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ, the moon cannot show that residence of Mine; na pāvakaḥ, fire cannot show the residence of Mine. In the long run, the meaning of these three inwardly is: the objective world cannot show Me, subjective world cannot show Me, and cognitive world cannot show Me. I am beyond object, subject, and cognition.441
JOHN: Pramiti?
SWAMIJI:Pramiti [i.e., pramātṛ], pramāna,and prameya; sṛṣṭi, sthiti, and saṁhāra. All of these three-fold elements, which are seen in this universe, in this manifestation of Parabhairava, [cannot show you My residence].
JOHN: So pramiti can show it.
SWAMIJI: Huh?
JOHN: Pramiti.
SWAMIJI: Pramiti . . . yes, pramiti.
He is pukka (first class) Shaivite.
Pramiti is, for instance Viresh knows his lessons. Viresh is pramātā then when he takes his books in his hand and goes on reading; [at that time], he is pramātṛ.442 And when he explains it to his friends, school friends, schoolboys, then he is pramāṇa (cognition). When he works on that masters work and he writes it down, that is the work of prameya (objectivity). In the same, way he is residing in [the differentiated field of] pramāṇa, prameya, and pramātṛ bhāva.
But at the time when he has no books, when his master Swami Lakṣmanjoo asks him sometime, “what do you read, in which class do you read?” He does not get books at that time, he does not collect books, he does not collect pencils. He says verbally, “I am reading in the eighth class, I am reading in the ninth class, Sir.” So he knows, he knows everything without . . .
JOHN: Taking support of some other thing.
SWAMIJI: That is pramiti . . . that is pramiti.
DENISE:Is that memory?
SWAMIJI:Huh?
DENISE:Is that memory?
SWAMIJI:No, that is pramiti. Pramiti means above pramātṛ. Pramātṛ is when he explains a book in class to the master. He reads and the master hears it well. He gives him good marks, “you have done good work, sit down.” But when he sits down, still he is knowing without books. Without books he has that capacity of understanding–that is pramiti.
DENISE: Stored knowledge.
JOHN: No, it’s more than that.
SWAMIJI:Stored knowledge in nirvikalpa state, where there are no vikalpas, that is pramiti.
JOHN:It is like creative intelligence, it’s something flowing out from him.
SWAMIJI:Yes.
JONATHAN:It’s understanding then, isn’t it?
SWAMIJI: Na tadbhāsayate . . .
Understanding that is intellect. [Pramiti is] when there is no intellect, it is stored undifferentiatedly (nirvikalpa).443
For instance, I am a teacher, when I am sleeping, “zzzzzzz-zzzzzz,” [and when I wake], somebody asks me, “what is the definition of Parabhairava state?” I don’t collect books at that time. I just explain it to him, bas. That is pramiti.444
JOHN:It flows from within.
SWAMIJI: Yes.
DVD 15 (22:04)
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः ।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥६॥
na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ /
yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama //6//
[repeated]
Yadgatvā na nivartante, when once you enter . . . when you get entry into that, na nivartante, you never come out again from that state. Taddhāma paramaṁ, that is My real residence, O Arjuna! There I live, that is My glamorous residence.
DVD 15 (22:42)
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।
मनः षष्ठनीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥७॥
mamaivāṁśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ /
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati //7//
And at the same time, mamaivāṁśa, My ray, My one ray, has spread in the universe and He has become numberless individuals; He has become numberless individuals. And on the contrary, I, what is the number of Me? Bas! One.
And what is the number of My manifestation?
JONATHAN: Endless.
SWAMIJI: Numberless. Numberless individuals are created and that is [produced by] My aṁśa (one ray). Jīvaloke, in theindividual world, jīva bhūtaḥ, and He has become an individual–pitiable, trodden down, worth to be pitied on.
Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi,and [the limited individual] collects with him his bag, his money bag [laughing]. Yes, he has got money bag. That is manas, buddhiḥ, and ahaṁkāra, and five organs (eight: [three antaḥkaraṇas and] five organs of knowledge).445
It is sūkṣma śarīra (sūkṣma śarīra meanssubtle body). With subtle body he goes on [transmigrating]. This is his money bag [with which] he goes on from one life to another, one life to another, one life to another. And it never ends, this tamasha (commotion) never ends.
[For Parabhairava], it is on the contrary. [Lord Kṛṣṇa says], “this is the condition of My ray, which is also existing side by side.” Prakṛti sthāni karṣati, and prakṛti is holding . . .
What is that?
JONATHAN: Reins.
SWAMIJI: Nadam lākam, when you ride on a pony.
DENISE: Reins
SWAMIJI: Yes. Prakṛti is holding reins and, “ga-ga-ga-ga . . .”
DENISE: Riding.
SWAMIJI: Yes. This is the pitiable condition of bicchāra (Kashmiri word), that trodden man [i.e., puruṣa], side by side, although that is also Parabhairava.
This way I had not explained to you [previously].
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441 “That personal state [of Mine] cannot be created by the light of the sun means, at the time of breathing out that personal state won’t shine. At the time of breathing in [i.e., the light of the moon], that personal state [of Mine] won’t shine. At the time of junction, putting your awareness on junction of the two, My personal state won’t shine. My personal state will shine when all these three aspects are vanished. That is at the time of entering in the central vein, when prāṇa, apāna, and samāna sink, get absorbed in that central vein. That is the reality of that root. That is the supreme state of Mine. Have you heard my poem?
There is the point between sleep and waking
where thou shalt be alert without any shaking
enter into the new world where forms so hideous pass
they are passing, endure, do not be taken by the dross
then the pulls and the pushes about the throttle
all those shalt thou tolerate
close all ingress and egress
You have to shun this breathing in and out.
yawnings there may be . . .
There may be yawning’s so that you’ll come out again.
shed tears, crave, implore
thou wilt not prostrate
a thrill passes, that goes down to the bottom
it riseth, may it flow
that is bliss, that is bliss, that is bliss
O blessed Being, greetings be to Thee!
And that is the real state of that root. Suryādīnāṁ tatrānavakāśaḥ [comm.], there is no room for these three movements: breathing in, breathing out, and centering–there is not room for these there. They have no room as long as that supreme state is concerened. As long as you are breathing in and out, there is no possibility of achieving that state of God consciousness. That state of God consciousness is achieved only when they come to their end. There is no room for these three movements because teṣāṁ kālādyavecchedāt [comm.], they have finite aspects attached to them because of limitation of time, vedyatvāt, karaṇopakārakatvāt, because of being [in the] residence of the objective world, and because of nourishing the aspects of the five senses. Tasya tu dikkālādyanavacchedāt, there is no time, space, and form existing before that state of God consciousness because vedakatvāt, He is the knower, He is not known. Karaṇapravartakatvāt, He is the producer of organs, [but] He is not residing in the organs. As long as you are breathing, there is no hope of realizing that God consciousness.” Bhagavad Gītā (1978).
442 That is, a subject standing in relation to an object. “The state of pramātṛ is found when a person is lecturing some points, and he is full of those objects that he explains; but when the same pramātṛ is without the agitation of lectures and there is no objective world before him, that is the state of pramiti. You see the state of pramiti is without any object at all. In other words, when he is in his own nature, residing in his own nature that subjective consciousness is called the state of pramiti. And this state of pramiti is found in the kingdom of turya. This state of turya is said to be the penetration of all energies simultaneously, not one by one. Simultaneous penetration of all energies is called turya. All energies are there residing, although not in manifestation. All the energies together without any distinction.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Kashmir Shaivism–The Secret Supreme (1972).
footnote 138 for a further explanation of turya…
138 “Unmīlana samādhi is experienced in turyātita and nimīlana samādhi is experienced in turya. This is the difference between turya and turyātīta. Nimīlana samādhi means absorption of universal consciousness; when universal consciousness is absorbed in your nature, that is turya. When universal consciousness is expanded everywhere, that is turyātīta.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 10.288 (1978).
“Turya is the supreme (parā) energy of Lord Śiva, suṣupti is parāpara energy (medium energy) of Lord Śiva, and jāgrat and svapna (wakefulness and dreaming state) are inferior (apara) energies of Lord Śiva. So this is the way of understanding these three states.” Ibid.,10.271-278.
“In the differentiated state of jāgrat (wakefulness), in the differentiated state of svapna (dreaming), and in the differentiated state of suṣupti (dreamless sleep), the expansive state of turya takes place to him. . . . So for him, jāgrat is as good as turya, svapna is as good as turya, and suṣupti too is as good as turya. So there is no differentiation between this world and samādhi.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Śiva Sūtras Vimarśinī, 1.7,original audio recording (1975).See also Swami Lakshmanjoo, Spanda Kārika 1.3 (1981).
“This state of turya is all-active because this state of turya operates jāgrat, operates svapna, operates suṣupti. These three states are operated by turya. . . . And it is anāmayā, without any sickness; there is no trouble. If there is trouble in jāgrat and svapna, then it is connected with jāgrat [and svapna], it is not connected with turya. Turya is without trouble, there is no trouble. If you are once situated, established, in turya state, [then] in jāgrat avastha you will find always bliss, in svapna you will find bliss, and in suṣupti also you will be blissful.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 10.271-278 (1978).
“This state of turya is rūpakatvāt udāsīnāt cyuteyaṁ, it is beyond rūpa, beyond the individual surface of consciousness. And it has gone beyond the level of ignoring the universal energies [as in suṣupti]. . . . Universal energies are existing there but in another coating; the coating is divine in turya. Pūrṇatūnmukhyī daśā, it is towards the fullness of God consciousness; [turya] is situated towards the fullness of God consciousness. It is not the fullness of God consciousness. It is situated towards the fullness of God consciousness.” Ibid., 10.271-278.
“This turya you will find in pramiti bhāva.” Ibid., 10.265. See footnote 44 for an explanation of pramiti bhāva.
“The difference between turya and turyātīta is, in turya you find in samādhi that this whole universe is existing there in the seed form, germ. The strength, the energy, of universal existence is existing there . . . but here he has [yet] to come out [into activity]. In turyātīta, he comes out in action and feels universal consciousness. This is the difference between turya and turyātīta. So, turyātīta is just like jagadānanda and turya is cidānanda.” Ibid.,10.288.
443 “The state of God consciousness . . . kāla adi paricchedā abhāva, there is no limitation of time, there is no limitation of space, there is no limitation of form. It is formless. There is no difference [found] in the state of God consciousness, e.g., there is no difference between specks and hankie. Specks and hankie are the same . . . in nirvikalpa state . . . there is only throbbing of this[-ness].” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Parātriśikā Vivaraṇa (1982-85).
“[For example, in] some peacock painting, citra vijñāna, there are differentiated things, there are so many various colors in that painting. But we don’t perceive those various colors one by one. What do we then perceive? We perceive, “this is a peacock.” That is Lord Śiva! The totality, that is nirvikalpa. These variations of those colors is savikalpa.” Ibid.
“When you say idam (e.g., “this is such and such a thing, this is a book, this is a pot”) . . . this is just directing you to limitation only, not unlimited thing. . . . When you perceive some particular object, it means the other objects are not included there, so it is limited. . . . Where there is limitation, that is vikalpa, it is not nirvikalpa. Nirvikalpa is that state where there is unlimited surface of understanding.” Ibid.
“In reality . . . everything, whatever exists, it is in nirvikalpa state [where] you can’t define anything . . . you can define only in the vikalpa state, in the cycle of vikalpa, e.g., when you say “this is specks cover.” But it is not specks cover in real sense, i.e., in the state of God consciousness. It is just nirvikalpa, you can’t say what it is . . . but it is! Saṁketādismaraṇam, when you understand, “this is mine, O, this was in my house, and this is mine,” this memory takes place in the vikalpa state, not nirvikalpa state; and that vikalpa state cannot [exist] without anubhavam, i.e., nirvikalpa state.” Ibid.
“Nirvikalpa is the cause of all vikalpas; undifferentiated state is the cause of all vikalpas . . . it is not something foreign [to vikalpas], it is their life.” Ibid.
“When that [absolute] consciousness descends in the cycle of differentiatedness (bhedasāratālabdhatayā), then artha bhāvaṁ kuryat, then “this is right, this is wrong, this is pot, this is that and this is that,” this kind of [discriminating] activity takes place. Otherwise, in the state of absolute consciousness, there is no [discriminating] activity at all; it is one with God consciousness. But these vikalpas, these differentiated aspects of life cannot exist without coming out from that nirvikalpa bhāva.” Ibid.
“The first flow of [perception], it is nirvikalpa (without impression). . . . That is prathama anusaṁdhāna, the first movement of realization. That is nirvikalpa, that is the reality of God. . . . it is just aham (I-ness), it is not idam (this-ness). First there is some sensation, after that sensation you come to this [realization] that, “this is a pot, this is a jug, this is tape recorder.” This is the next step from that point of God consciousness, state of God consciousness. Otherwise, there is only sensation, vibration, some vibration of coming out. You don’t come out first. It is only the vibrating force that makes you to go outside.” Ibid.
“Vikalpas will be attributed afterwards, after [they are] established in nirvikalpa state. So nirvikalpa state is the life of the object. For instance, I want to see Denise. Before that, I see only a phantom figure of Denise, and before that I see only seeing force, and before that I see only myself, and that is nirvikalpa.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 1.179 (1972).
“This happens in each and every activity of your daily life . . . in each and every perception, you have to start from that first throb [of nirvikalpa].” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Parātriśikā Vivaraṇa (1982-85).
“When I begin to deliver lectures with the help of a book, it is savikalpa knowledge. When I deliver lectures . . . without the help of [books], without keeping [books] in front of me . . . that is nirvikalpa, that knowledge is nirvikalpa. . . . It is only residing in the oneness of God consciousness because there is no need of getting help from books, from other sources.” Ibid.
“It is dharmi (the holder of all aspects). The holder of all aspects is Lord Śiva; all aspects of present, past, future.” Ibid.
“Memory exists through nirvikalpa, otherwise memory would not exist at all.” Ibid.
“How that past knowledge is united in this present knowledge? That is antarāla, that is the gap, the gap [between] these two (present and that past) . . . these two knowledges of present and past were absolutely separate from each other, so how could they be united [in memory]? There is only one way to unite them, i.e., by this nirvikalpa state, which is always there in the gap; and that antarāla, the state in-between the two objects, it is saṁvit ātmakameva, it is just consciousness, that is God consciousness.” Ibid.
“You can’t practice on nirvikalpa. You have to practice just after that . . . when it is [just about] to become savikalpa. That is prathama ābhasa, prathamā prasara, the first flow outside. At that first flow, you have to watch. You can’t watch [nirvikalpa], because it is not watched, it is the watcher. . . . You can’t watch the watcher, you can’t see the seer.” Ibid.
“In the same way, you have to contemplate on each and every element of the universe. . . . When your saṁvitti [consciousness] observes this earth element (pṛthvī), in the beginning it is nirvikalpa, in the end it is savikalpa; and after it has ended in savikalpa state, take it back to nirvikalpa saṁvitti. This is to be done in śāmbhava state. So it will rest in the nirvikalpa state in the end. It has come out from nirvikalpa saṁvitti, it resides in nirvikalpa saṁvitti, it is to be carried to nirvikalpa saṁvitti.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 3.279 (1973).
“You have to rise to nirvikalpa state through vikalpa in āṇavopāya and śāktopāya. But in śāmbhavopāya, you have not to rise [with vikalpa]. You have to get establishment in an instant with awareness, with awareness of śāmbhava state. And that is the real samāveśa (absorption).” Tantrāloka 1.179 (1972).
See footnote 126 for an explanation of the upāyas…
126 “[Lord Śiva’s] energies are the means; [His] energies have become the upāyas. For instance, energy of His will . . . is explained as śāmbhavopāya. Energy of knowledge is śāktopāya. And energy of action is āṇavopāya. Energy of action is breathing exercises, reciting mantras, reciting ślokas (hymns), and pūjā (worship). All these are in action, in the world of action. So, all these things are included in āṇavopāya. And they will carry you to the state of Lord Śiva. And [the energy of] knowledge, this is śāktopāya. Perceiving, middleing, centering, all these are in the world of śāktopāya. They will also carry you to the state of Lord Śiva. And [the energy of] will is the first start of each and every action. That is śāmbhavopāya. That will carry you to Śiva’s state.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 1.70 (1972).
“Thoughtlessness is called śāmbhavopāya, one-pointedness is called śāktopāya, concentration on mantra and breathing and all these things are called āṇavopāya. Anupāya is above these. Anupāya is no upāya. In anupāya, sādhaka has only to observe that nothing is to be done, be as you are. If you are talking, go on talking; if you are sitting, go on sitting, don’t do anything. This is called anupāya.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme 5.40.
“[Anupāya] is no upāya because upāyas end there. In krama mudrā, all upāyas end. There is nothing to be done, it [just] happens, it is automatic from above. This is the processless process.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 5.59 (1974). See footnote 139 for an explanation of krama mudrā.
“But the aspirant must know, you must note that, that all of these upāyas lead you to one transcendental consciousness state. Of course, āṇavopyāya will carry you in a long way, śāktopāya [is a] shorter way, and shortest way is śāmbhavopāya.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Kashmir Shaivism–The Secret Supreme, original audio recording (1972).
444 See footnote 44 for a further explanation of pramiti bhāva…
44 “Dhanañjaya, O Arjuna, do your actions already established in yoga, i.e., actions and remembering God at the same time. Do your actions and remember God at the same time.
JOHN: Remembering God means here?
SWAMIJI: Watch your breath [while] doing all actions. Saṇgaṁ tyaktvā,and attachment won’t come there. You will be detached from all actions. Yogīs have realized this and experienced this: when they do all actions and watch each and every breath . . . the impressions of those actions do not remain. When he goes into dreaming state, those [impressions of] things which he has done in the daytime, he won’t dream those. He will dream God consciousness at that time. He will dream that he will be doing his yoga abhyāsa (practice of yoga). So this is the only way how to get rid of the entanglement of actions. Do your actions [and] think of God. While doing actions, you should remember God. Remembering God is just . . . watch your breath!” Ibid.
“And at the same time, when you watch your breath, if you watch your breath without resting your awareness in pramiti bhāva*, it is useless.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 11.72 (1979).
* “[Pramiti bhāva is] objectless-subjective state. It is residing in only pure subjective consciousness. It has nothing to do with object. When there is objective state also attached to subjective state, that is not pramiti bhāva, that is pramātṛ bhāva. And when that objective state is connected with cognitive state, that is pramāṇa bhāva. When that objective state is completely pure objective state, that is prameya bhāva. And pramiti bhava is complete subjective consciousness without the slightest touch and traces of this object. In the long run, everything resides in pramiti bhāva; pramiti bhāva is the life of all the three. This is pure consciousness. . . . And that pramiti bhāva is absolutely one with svātantrya śakti . . . it is one with Lord Śiva.” Ibid., 11.72-73a.
“In fact, this pramiti bhāva is the real source of understanding anything. Whatever you see, it must touch the state of pramiti bhāva otherwise you won’t understand it. For instance, you see [an object]; you’ll only know [that object] when this sensation of [that object already] resides in pramiti bhāva, i.e., in that super state of subjective consciousness. And super state of subjective consciousness is not differentiated. From that undifferentiated point of pramiti bhāva, the differentiated flow of pramātṛ bhāva and pramāṇa bhāva flow out.” Ibid., 11.62.
“For instance, when you are [giving a lecture while] reading your book, your consciousness is with object. When you are giving lecture without a book, without any support, your consciousness is without object, it flows out . . . this is the state of pramiti bhāva.” Ibid., 6.180.
“It is nirvikalpa, it is thoughtless state. And in that thoughtless state, it must reside otherwise it is not known; it will be unknown for . . . eternity.” Ibid., 11.68-69. See footnote 61 for an explanation of nirvikalpa.
445 In this translation, Swamiji has listed the eight elements of the sūkṣma śarīra, or subtle body, also known as the puryaṣṭaka (lit. the city of eight). Among the fourfold bodies (i.e., deha, prāṇa, puryaṣṭaka, and śūnya*) that are possessed by the limited individual, the puryaṣṭaka (i.e., three antaḥkaraṇas: manas, buddhiḥ, and ahaṁkāra, and the five tanmātras) make up the eight elements of the subtle body that carries the soul’s impressions from one life to another. [Editor’s note]
“Puryaṣṭaka carries the impressions again and again, extracts impressions. Otherwise, if puryaṣṭaka is not existing, at the time of death, you’ll be united with God automatically, without doing anything. Puryaṣṭaka is the troublemaker.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Parātriśikā Vivaraṇa (1982-85). “You know puryaṣṭaka? Puryaṣṭaka is that body which is found in dreaming state–that is puryaṣṭaka, that body. And he enters in that puryaṣṭaka body and he takes the journey in each and every womb in this universe. Thus he is called antarātmā, he is really antarātmā, the interior self.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Śiva Sūtra Vimarśinī, 3.10 (1975).
In his previous translation, Swamiji explained: “manaḥ ṣaṣṭānīndriyāṇi prakṛti sthāni karṣati. Prakṛti (nature), and in nature are situated six more aspects. . . . Five organs of senses and mind are situated in the boundary, in the circle of prakṛti in each and every individual. And in that, this ray is functioning . . . and tossing you, kicking you here and there according to your choices.” Bhagavad Gītā (1978).
* “Deha is this gross body [existing in the waking state], puryaṣṭaka is the body existing in dreaming state, prāṇa is body existing in dreamless state, śunya is body existing in pralayakalā (deep sleep). These four-fold bodies are called kulā. From these four classes you have to achieve something. What is that achievement (siddhi)? All this discrimination, ascertainment. When you ascertain this is tape recorder, this is book, etc. You ascertain it in the world of jagrat (wakefulness), in the world of svapna (dreaming), in the world of suṣupti (dreamless sleep) and in the world of voidness (pralayakalā). And that is also attributed to God consciousness.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Parātriśikā Vivaraṇa (1982-85).
(source: Chapter 15, verse 6 of the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, by Swami Lakshmanjoo)
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