What is glamour in Kashmir Shaivism

“When Swamiji uses the word glamour he is referring to the beauty, shining, effulgence, brilliance, dazzle, illumination, luster, radiance and splendor of our Divine Nature or Self, the Bliss of Svātantrya Shakti.” ~Denise Hughes

This is the first part in a series of excerpts on the subject of glamour. The excerpt below is from Chapter 2, verse 61 of the Bhagavad Gita, in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism. The audio samples below the video are from unpublished audios and transcripts of Tantraloka, 13, 15, 10th āhnika.

Excerpt from Chapter 2, verse 61 of the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism…

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In the same way, one who is established in God consciousness, one who is established in Parabhairava state, for him, he will never come to this limitation. If he is already placed in the limited world, still in spite of being placed in the limited world, he does not move from his unlimited Being, he is always there.

So this rasa (taste) does not vanish up to that point when Bhairava state is achieved, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā, when he realizes that Supreme. What is Supreme? Bhairava state. When he realizes the supreme, bas! he has no choice afterwards in this world. In this world also he sees that, the glamour of his own nature.

Source: Bhagavad Gita, in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, Chapter 2, verse 61.
Copyright @ John Hughes

Excerpt from Tantraloka 13th āhnika, introduction…

SWAMIJI:  Śaktipāta means showering of grace of Lord Śiva. He showers grace. If he showers grace in its full glamour, then you become capable of treading on śāmbhopaya path; your intellect, your understanding becomes refined by his grace. It is by his grace that capability is attained.

Source: Tantraloka 13, introduction, Lakshmanjoo Academy Archives
Copyright @ John Hughes

Excerpt from Tantraloka 15th āhnika, commentary of intro to ślokas 5,6,7, …

SWAMIJI:  And the end, for all these disciples the end is entry of God Consciousness, because he has come in the kingdom of Śaivism. Anybody who wants bhoga in the kingdom of Śaivism, it will end in final liberation. If you want just 10 rupee notes from real master, that 10 rupee notes you will get from the master and in the end you’ll get liberation, God Consciousness. This is the handling of, this is the power and greatness, glamour of this handling of a real master. If he gives you only 10 rupee notes, by these 10 rupee notes you will rise to God consciousness in the end.

Source: Tantraloka 15a, comm. intro to ślokas 5,6,7,
Lakshmanjoo Academy Archives
Copyright @ John Hughes

Excerpt from Tantraloka 10th āhnika, verse 55…

SWAMIJI:  And now he says, Abhinavagupta . . .

tasmātprakāśa evāyaṁ

pūrvoktaḥ paramaḥ śivaḥ // 55 //

yathā yathā prakāśeta

tattadbhāvavapuḥ sphuṭam /

So this best and the first class theory is . . . what is that?

Tasmāt prakāśaevāyaṁ pūrvoktaḥ paramaḥ śivaḥ. The supreme Śiva – who is already discussed in the first āhnika of Tantrāloka – that Paramaśiva, yathā yathā prakāśeta tattat bhāva vapuḥ sphuṭam, appears in perceivers, appears in knowers, appears in knowledge, appears in known; every being is filled with the glamour of that Paramaśiva. So Paramaśiva is all-pervadingly existing in animates and in-animates.

Source: Tantraloka 10, verse 55, Lakshmanjoo Academy Archives
Copyright @ John Hughes