Krama Kalpalata

 

sutadveShiNAM daityarAjaM nakhAgraiHvidArya svabhaktasya saMrakShaNAya |nR^isiMhAya saMsmR^itya duHkhacChide tenamaskurmahe vIranArAyaNAya ||

trailokyavijayAli~NgitAya shrIvIranR^iharaye namaH ||

To answer a certain query related to addition of praNava at the beginning of certain mantras, I went back to refer to krama kalpalatA, guarded with great care in our sampradAya. Though the encyclopedic bimbAbikA bodha forms the primary text book for shrIkula tantra in our lineage, several other works find supplementary use. bR^ihadbaDabAnala is the next chief source, followed by yatidaNDaishvaryavidhAna. Though I had seen apUrNa and ashuddha pratis of daNDavidhAna, the first clean and nearly complete copy was given by shrI vijay from Mumbai. yogendrAnandanAtha, the grand nephew of late H H Sri Shamsher Jung Bahadur Ranaji of Nepal, was initiated into shrIkula tantra by a vipra named shAmbhavAnandanAtha who seems to have belonged to kAshmIra desha. This great mantrashAstrajna from kAshmIra was in turn initiated by our master shrI chinmudrAnandanAtha. He also underwent the sacred ritual of virajAgrahaNAbhiSheka by offering shikhA-yajnopavIta in fire and had performed ghaTashrAddha before entering avadhUtAshrama. He was one of those rare disciples disciple with uttamAdhikAra who qualified for prathama shaktipAta among the nine types (tIvratIvra, tIvramadhya, tIvramanda, madhyatIvra, madhyamadhya, madhyamanda, mandatIvra, mandamadhya and mandamanda). He had used krama kalpalatA as the chief source to instruct ranaji’s nephew and this copy was graciously handed over to me by shrI yogendrAnandanAtha three years before he attained siddhi. This also marked the end of an era, an era that opened to me the doors to infinite wisdom contained within the secret libraries of nepALa desha, and most importantly characterized by a strong affiliation to bimbAmbikA sampradAya. After ignoring this huge, handwritten copy for a long time, I finally picked it up for examination. While the book was in line with bimbAmbikA bodha and bR^ihadbaDabAnala for most of the part, it did discuss various topics of general interest in detail. An overview which discusses the various characteristics of tantra (quoted from vaivasvata tantra) immediately caught my attention. It discusses in sufficient detail, the characteristics of tantra such as sarga, pratisarga, mantra nirNaya, yantra nirNaya, AdhyAtma varNana, tIrtha varNana, naraka varNana, Ashrama dharma, yuga dharma, rAja dharma, dAna dharma, devatA saMsthAna, bhUta saMsthAna, jyotiSha saMsthAna, vipra saMsthAna, vibudhotpatti, vyavahAra, vrataparibhAShA, purANa, AkhyAna, kosha, strIpuMlakShaNa, harachakra, shauchAshaucha, devatArchana, sAdhana, purashcharaNa, ShaTkarma, dhyAnayoga, nityakR^itya, karmasUtra, varNabheda, jAtibheda etc. There is another chapter with deals with the technical differences between the five limbs of kaula tantra namely kaula, vAma, chIna, siddhAnta and shabara, and also tadadhikAra nirNaya.

The yogAdhyAya chapter deals with the concept of mahAyoga which seems to summarize the system of samaShTiyoga taught by mahAmahopAdhyAya gopInAtha kavirAja. This chapter begins with discussion related to commonalities of desha kAla such as AhAra, nidrA, bhaya and maithuna, their effects in vyaShTi and samaShTi, mentalities of itihAsa, paramparA and saMgharSha, limitations such as parimiti, apUrNatva, alpatva, aj~natva, anAptakAmatva etc. and the ways to attain paripUrNatva, sarvatva, sarvaj~natva, sarvashaktatva, AptakAmatva, avinAshitva etc. The formation of devatA samAmnAya through sAmudAyika praj~nA saMskAra seems to be a highly original and valuable contribution of the author of this work, who remains unknown. The informal language, mishraNa of gadya and padya and lack of direct quotations from tantras seems to suggest that the chapter of yogAdhyAya is the independent work of the author of krama kalpalatA.

The chapter related to various limbs of a mantra is also more elaborate than in any other work of a similar genre. Topics discussed include mAtR^ikA chakra, sarvatobhadra maNDala, kUrmachakra, digbandhana, rakShAchakra, mantra-mAsa-nakShatra chakras, li~NgoddhAra, mantra janana sthAna, mahAchakroddhAra, varNa yantroddhAra, ghaTachakra, panchAmnAya nirNaya, ShaDAmnAya nirNaya, dvAdashAmnAya nirNaya, ShoDashAmnAya nirNaya, guruparamparA nirNaya, sampradAya rahasya, R^ishi-Chando-devatA-bIja-shakti-kIlaka nirNaya, nyAsa, akShara saMkhyA, devatA, pratyadhidevatA nirNaya, rUpa, AkR^iti, dhyAna, svabhAva, maitri, samaya, garbha, prasava, vighna, tannivAraNa, R^itu, janma, sthiti, avasthA, mantrasvara, mantra prakR^iti, vikR^iti, priyatva, mAtrA nirNaya, pallava, saMpuTa, prayoga, upasaMhAra, mantra saMskAra, panchapAda, mUlikA nirNaya, bali and AtmAnusandhAna.

It is clear that the author is well aware of bimbAmbikA bodha as he avoids those topics which are discussed elaborately by bimbAmbikA. One such example is the topic of mantra doSha and saMskAra. Bhagvati bimbAmbikA describes fifty doShas and vidhis to overcome them: bhinna, ruddha, shaktihIna, parA~Ngmukha, badhira, netrahIna, kIlita, stambhita, dagdha, trasta, bhIta, malina, tiraskR^ita, bhedita, suShupta, madonmatta, mUrChita, hatavIrya, hIna, pradhvasta, bAlaka, kumara, yuvA, prauDha, vR^iddha, nistrimshaka, nirbIja, siddhihIna, manda, kUTa, niramsha, sattvahIna, kekara, bIjahIna, dhUmita, Ali~Ngita, mohita, kShudhAtura, atidR^ipta, a~NgahIna, atikruddha, samIrita, atikrUra, savrIDa, shAntamAnasa, sthAnabhraShTa, vikala, ativR^iddha, nisneha and pIDita. Topics such as AyAsa-klesha parihAra, stotra, kavacha, nyAsa, mudrA, setu, chauragaNesha japa, kullukA, mudgara, utkIlana, samutkIlana etc. are skipped as well, probably for the same reason.

Another topic that gets discussed at length is related to nyAsa. Special attention is given to lesser known concepts widely used in shrIkrama tantra such as mantrAkShara krama-vyutkrama, dakSha-vAma-madhya, yuktadakSha-yuktavAma-yuktamadhya, yuktavarNa, yuktapada, yuktasvara, yuktavAchya, yuktayoga, yuktAvayava, yuktAntarvyutkrama, digyoga, kAlayoga, a~Ngayoga, lakShyayoga, samaShTiyoga, piNDANDa bhAvanA, brahmANDa bhAvanA etc. With the addition of six pallavas, various combinations of nyAsas result and grant different fruits.

The reason I mentioned this work is because of a chapter that talks about adding praNava before mantras. There are three kinds of mantras:

1. Those where praNava is explicitly included in the mantroddhAra2. Those where praNava is not explicitly included in the mantroddhAra3. Those where the addition of praNava is explicitly prohibited

mahAShoDashI, prAsAda aShTAkSharI, vAsudeva dvAdashI, aShTAkSharI, ashvArUDhA etc. belong to the first category. A whole gamut of mantras belongs to the second category. Mantras such as chaNDikA navAkSharI, dhUmAvatI, ucChishTa bhairavI, vajravArtALI etc. belong to the third category. There is yet another category where praNava may be added for a specific purpose. guhyakAlI tantra for example, prescribes the addition of praNava before the dvAvimshatyakSharI mahAvidyA of mahAshyAmA, resulting in the formation of siddhikAlikA mantra, whose viniyoga is mainly for mokSha. Similarly, for the sake of mantra vIrya janana, addition of praNava is recommended in the case of shaiva panchAkSharI by several Agamas. However, in the case of navArNa mantra, there seems to be sufficient pramANa that negates the need for the addition of praNava. Most often when the addition of praNava is challenged, the pratipakSha enters a state of verbal diarrhea and name throwing and that alone is their justification for this practice. While most of the named personalities who are described to have used praNava in navAkSharI are hardly known beyond a certain ethnic group, the account of their siddhi of the mantra is more or less hagiographical as well. This being the case, there is no valid reason to accept their AcharaNa as valid pramANa, especially when there is no shAstra pramANa supporting their cause as also when there are existing pramANas that prohibit the use of praNava. Moreover, even if all these pramANas were to be ignored and we needed to go by satAM vAkya, we should rather trust the words of the great bhAskararAya and H H shrI chandrashekhara bhAratI than the central character of a folk tale.

akShara saMkhyA is an extremely important aspect of any mantra and as we have pointed out several times before, addition of praNava to navArNa makes it dashAkSharI. I have heard a rather lame argument regarding mahAShoDashI that this mantra is not strictly ShoDashI either and hence dashAkSharI (praNavayuktA navAkSharI) can be passed off as navAkSharI. One should refer to the names trikUTA, tryakSharI etc. which clarify the three kUtas of panchadashI as tri-bIjas. This concept is further clarified in trikUTA rahasya, an appendix to rudrayAmaLa. sundarI tantra discusses the rashmi samkalana krama of mahAShoDashI and it treats the vidyA as composed of sixteen avayavas and not twenty-eight. The samayAchara sUtra states thus: atha vidyA aShTAvimshativargavishiShTA and the commentator on the sUtra goes on to explain how the ShoDashAtmakatva of the mantra remains intact in spite of having twenty-eight letters. The following verse from vAmakeshvara tantra quoted by puNyAnandanAtha also adds puShTi:

ityuktA shrImahAvidyA shaTkUTA parameshvarI |sarvAbhichArashamanI sarvasampatpradAyinI ||

mahAvyadhiprashamanI svargamokShavidhAyinI |ShoDashArNA mahAvidyA prokteyaM sarvakAmadhuk ||

Thus, it seems to us that there is no concrete reason to add praNava before navArNa mantra.

bhUtajvaragrahasamudbhavabhItinAsham |sa tvaM nR^isiMha mayi dehi karAvalambam ||

Srividya Diksha Vivechini

 

Srividya is a Shastra in itself and like every other Shastra, has the associated anubandha chatuShTaya – adhikAra, abhidheya, sambandha and prayojana. adhikAra describes the qualifications required to obtain initiation into shrIvidyA. Abhidheya is the subject matter of Srividya. Sambandha describes its relation with other Shastras. Prayojana describes the fruits obtained by studying Srividya. A guru should understand these four concepts well. As Srividya Shastra in essence advocates Nivrtti, it is also termed parA vidyA. Srividya is moksha Shastra or the science of liberation, which can be approached in five different levels, the upAsyas for which are lalitA, mahAtripurasundarI, rAjarAjeshwarI, parA bhattArikA and ahaMtA or sadakhyA. All these are generally termed as `shrI'. That Shastra which describes `shrI' is called shrIvidyA. Or, shrIyate sarvairiti shrIH – she who is worshipped by all is shrI.

As there is no difference between Brahma Jnana and Brahmi Bhava [brahmavidApnoti param], there is no difference between the upAsya [shrI] and it's vidyA. Thus, Srividya refers to that vidyA or mantra which is of the form of shrI and refers to shrI. Also, as described in Siddha Yamala, Parashakti has two chief forms: Rakta Kali and Shyama Kali. Rakta Kali is called Vidya Rajni and Shyama is associated with Dakshina Kali and Sundari. Thus, Srividya refers to Sri + Vidya – Srividya, which encompasses the worship of both these forms and hence of Purna Parabrahma Shakti. Also, that vidya which has the ramA bIja as its core is referred to as Srividya. That which grants shrI i.e. purushartha chatushtaya is called Srividya. The term Srividya has been explained in 108 ways by Brahmasri Sri Tadepalli Veeraraghava Shastrigal.

Srividya Diksha differs with the Sampradaya. In Ananda Bhairava Sampradaya, which involves Kaula Marga (note: as described in Badabanala Tantra, there is no Vamachara path prescribed for Srividya. Only Kaula is prescribed by the Tantras and it is this path that is described as adakShiNa, savyApasavya etc in Rahasya Sahasranama). To understand the qualification for obtaining Srividya diksha, one needs to examine Dasha Bhedas:

1. Guru Parampara – this forms the core of Srividya Upasana and the other nine Bhedas are primarily offshoots of this first bheda.

2. Sampradaya – Dakshinamurti, Hayagriva and Ananda Bhairava. Once again, there is NO Dattareya Sampradaya that is being claimed ignorantly. Dattatreya is one of the 32 Upasakas of Srividya and hence is included under Guru Parampara and not Sampradaya. Guru of any authentic Srividya lineage should necessarily belong to one of these three Sampradayas.

3. Diksha – depending on the disciple's eligibility and the Guru's capability, varna, sparsha, vedha and other forms of diksha are imparted.

4. Peetha – there are two peethas described in the Tantras. First is related to the Peethadhikara of the Guru and involves shrIpeetha, mahApItha, sAmrAjyapItha etc. This discussion is beyond the scope of the present context. As described in Uddamareshwara Tantra, Srividya is also related to one of the four shAnkara pIthas or AmnAya mathas, which bear close relation with the four AmnAyas (pUrva, dakShiNa, pashchima, uttara) called the praveshAmnAyas (the gate of entry into Sripura), respectively signifying Vaidika, Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta Amnayas.

5. yAga Bheda – antaryAga, bahiryAga, mahAyAga and rahoyAga. Guru initiates the disciple into one or more of these paths depending on the qualification.

6. Varnashrama Bheda – as discussed in Sruti, Smrti and Agamas

7. Devata Bheda – Depending on the Samskara and Vasana of the Shishya, he is initiated into worship of Kali or Sundari (one of her five forms, progressively leading to Sadakhya).

8. Achara Bheda – again depending on Shishya's Samskara and Adhikara – Samaya, Dakshina and Kaulacharas.

9. Mantra Bheda – bAla, panchadashi, shodashi, parA shodashi and Guhya shodashi.

10. Yantra Bheda – depending on Sampradaya, Mantra and Achara, shishya is told to worship, Bhu – Kurma or Meru Prshta Yantras, with other specifications as prastara (kailasa etc).

Based on these dasha bhedas, a Guru who understands Sanketa Traya (Puja – Mantra – Chakra Sanketas) initiates the disciples. These days, any one who recites Sri Lalita Sahasranama or has upadesha of panchadashi or shodashi mantras (or have read the mantra from somewhere) refers to himself as upAsaka. This is an incorrect usage of the word `upAsanA'. Though the zeal of Gurus and Shishyas who are trying to spread Srividya through public platforms needs to be appreciated to some extent, this cannot lead either the Guru or the Shishya anywhere. Guru who is expected to be `shishya-hrit-tApa-hAraka', is unfortunately more often `shishya-vitta-apaharaka' in the current times. But this is again according to the Yuga Dharma, as clearly stated by Lord Mahadeva in Meru Tantra.

There are six Dikshas described in the Tantras, depending upon the eligibility of the disciple – samayA, putrikA, sAdhikA, vedhikA, pUrNAchArya and Nirvana. Based on the ingredients used in kriyA diksha, there are several types like kunda, kalasha, mantapa etc. Based on Anugraha and Parigraha (transmission and reception), there are seven Dikshas: Samskara, Varna, Kala, Sparsha, Vak, Drk and Manas. Vak, Drk, Sparsha and Manas Dikshas are classified under Shambhavi Diksha. Again Varnamayi Diksha has three classifications and Kala Diksha is again classified into five types: Nivrtti, Pratishtha, Vidya, Shanti and Shantyatita. Kala Diksha is again granted in Srshti – Sthiti – Samhara kramas as also in Anuloma and Viloma schemes. Mano Diksha is again

classified into two types: tivrA and tivratarA. A Siddha Guru grants Maha Vedha diksha to a highly advanced disciple, propelling him instantly into a state of Samadhi. Sparsha Dikshas like Gandusha etc. are peculiar to Kaula Marga and are considered inferior.

Karma Diksha is the highest Diksha and Upasana marga in Srividya. Here, the Sampradaya followed is that of Sri Maha Dakshinamurti. The Upasana karma involves the worship of:

1. Twelve Amnayas (Six Amanayas taught to a normal Purnabhishikta, four Upamnayas, Adharamnaya and Sarvotteernamnaya)

2. Sixteen Avaranas in the Srichakra – corresponding with the Chakras in the body from AdhaH Sahasrara to Shodashanta Mahabindu

3. ChatuH Samaya

4. Pancha Samaya

5. Shodha Samaya

6. Pancha Simhasani

7. Pancha Panchika

8. Dasha Maha Vidya

9. Dasha Maha Bhairava

10. Navaratna Sundari

11. Navaratna Kubjika

12. Shodasha Chakreshwari

This scheme of Diksha, starting from Tarini to Anuttaravedini, sixty-four in number, is called Krama Diksha. The disciple progressively undergoes shAktAbhisheka, pUrNAbhisheka and kramAbhisheka. After these three Dikshas, sadhaka can wear Yagnopavita in the Niviti fashion. If the shishya is an uttamadhikari, he is further initiated into medhA, sAmrAjya medhA and mahA sAmrAjya medhA dikshas. One who has undergone these six Dikshas is called mahA pUrNAbhishikta and such a Sadhaka resides forever in Soham state, attains Guru Bhava and is a Paramahamsa. He resides in the Turiyatitashrama, untouched by the rules of Varna and Ashrama. Without Mahapurnabhisheka, those who discard Varna and Ashrama are Karma Bhrashthas who attain hells such as Raurava.

Namastripurasundaryai

By Sri Kamakoti Mandali on Sep 5, 2011 | In Bhakti

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JIVAN MUKTI

shrI Devavrata Sen Sharma

According to the trika system, all sAdhakas who have attained the knowledge of their Essence and have had the self-experience of aham, do not necessarily become disembodied immediately with the achievement of such knowledge. There are sAdhakas who, after the achievement of the supreme knowledge and their establishment in their pure svarUpa, may continue to exist in embodied form for some time to come, provided they have previously ripened karma (i.e. prArabdha karma) sustaining their present embodied condition, and possess keen desire for enjoyment (bhogavAsanA). Such sAdhakas, when enlightened, are said to become the jIvanmuktas. The jIvanmuktas do not live in a different world or walk about and behave differently from ordinary mortals. They exist, on the other hand, with ordinary mortals; they perform karma and participate in all activities of the world like ordinary mortals, yet their actions do not affect them. They remain as they are, emancipated beings. They perform karma only to keep themselves in embodied form and to satiate their desire for bhoga in this world, but in this process do not acquire any fresh karma. As soon as the fruits of their ripened or prArabdha karma which were sustaining them in their embodied form, are enjoyed and exhausted, they lose their body-apparatuses once for all and become one with the Supreme. They do not have further birth after the present one.

But all sAdhakas cannot achieve this state, the state of jIvanmukti. Of the four distinct kinds of sAdhakas into which the trika system has broadly classified all the sAdhakas from the point of view of their varying capacities and their being recipients of the shaktipAta in different degrees of intensity, the adhikArins of anupAya, for

instance, are incapable of attaining this state of jIvanmukti. They are the recipients of a very intense form of shaktipAta, for which reason they are said to have their integral Self-realization in an instant as it were, when their body-apparatuses fall off and they are firmly established in nirvikalpa svarUpa. Hence, the possibility of their attaining the state of jIvanmukti is not there at all.

In the case of the aspirants following shAmbhava upAya, the chances of their becoming jIvanmukta appear bright, though nothing definite can be said about them. The reason for such a view is not far to seek. After the descent of divine grace or shaktipAta in intense form, they stay in their physical body for a short time, but not as short as the aspirants following anupAya, viz., until the traces of mayIya and kArma malas are automatically destroyed and the revelation of the glory of their divine Self takes place. When the traces of the persisting veil of malas disappear, they are said to establish themselves in their pure nirvikalpa svarUpa, when their body-apparatuses automatically fall off. The destruction of the body-apparatus is said to be essential for the perfect realization of shivatva. Hence, in their case, the possibility of attaining the state of jIvanmukti is there, though it might be for a short duration only.

In the case of the aspirants following the shAkta upAya, however, the prospects of their attaining the state of jIvanmukti are very bright, because in their case the process of the dropping off of physical body is not immediate; it is a long-drawn affair. Being sAdhakas of lesser capacity, and therefore possessing relatively less perfect body-apparatus when they receive the shaktipAta in relatively less intense form, they have the kArma and mAyIya malas persisting in their body apparatuses even after the descent of divine grace. Hence, to realize their divine svarUpa, they have to exert and perform sAdhanA as laid down under either of the two upAyas as the case may be. And when they succeed in their efforts, they have the shAkta and ANava samAveshas respectively, but

they do not at once become disembodied. They continue to exist for some time in embodied form, and it is during this period that they have the chances of attaining the state of jIvanmukti, provided they fulfill necessary conditions for its attainment and possess requisite qualifications.

There are three essential conditions which must be fulfilled by all sAdhakas attaining the state of jIvanmukti. Firstly, the sAdhakas should have perfect realization of their true svarUpa in which they should also secure their perfect establishment. This, no doubt, implies the destruction of the false identification of Self with no-Self, the complete eradication of ashuddha vikalpa, with which the false ego-sense also disappears; in other words, the sAdhakas should have the self-experience of aham in their pure svarUpa, the shuddha aham.

Second, the sAdhakas must also possess pure bhogavAsanA, which, is of two kinds - the bhogavAsanA of shivadharmI bubhukShu sAdhakas, who aspire for enjoyment from elevated positions such as of the AdhikArika devatAs, and the bhogavAsanA of lokadharmI bubhukShu sAdhakas, who do not desire any elevation but perfer to remain in this world as jnAnins. It is the latter kind of sAdhakas who are eligible for the attainment of jIvanmukti.

Lastly, the sAdhakas should have the appropriate form of dIkShA performed by the guru. The guru should perform the appropriate form of putraka dIkShA so that the accumulated fruits of their past and present karmas become automatically destroyed. In doing so, the guru should not, it is enjoined, destroy the karmabIja altogether, he should allow the ripened fruits of past karma, i.e., the prArabdha karma, to remain in their body apparatuses so that they might continue in their embodied form performing the meritorious deeds and enjoying the fruits thereof.

When the sAdhakas attain liberation from their embodied forms, they do not achieve anything new or other than the establishment in their pure divine svarUpa. Hence, outwardly no change is noticeable in them though inwardly of course, they undergo revolutionary changes which are mainly confined to their self-experience. They first experience themselves as pure Aham. They then experience the universe as their self-manifestation out of their free will, divine sport. As a result of this, they come “unembodied” (asharIri) as it were, though their body does not fall off immediately. They continue to be associated with a body in the form of a thin veil (AvaraNa) only, to fulfill their pure bhogavAsanA and exhaust the prArabdha karma.

They perform karma like any ordinary unliberated individual, but they are said to be unaffected by the fruits. The reason for this is twofold: first, they are always conscious of their pure svarIpa which is not subject to ajnAna, and perform actions from their existence in their pure svarUpa. And second, as such, they have no false ego-sense, which is said to be the repository of the fruits of actions performed by them from the state of ignorance.

After exhausting the seeds of ripened karma and satiating their bhogavAsanA through the performance of karma in this world, when in the end the jIvanmuktas are dissociated from their physical body-apparatus, they establish themselves firmly and perfectly in their integral divine svarUpa, and become the Supreme itself. This is the culminating stage of their existence, technically called the videha mukti.

The trika system is purely a monistic system of philosophy, but it believes in both the theories of the unity and the plurality of souls (i.e. ekajIvavAda and bahujIvavAda) from different points of view. Looking from the point of view of the manifested universe, it admits the plurality of jIvas, and looking from the point of view of the Supreme Reality, it believes in the unity of all souls. In

admitting both the unity and the plurality of souls at the same time, the trika system does not think that there is any contradiction or incongruity involved in it, because in the trika view, the multiplicity is only a self-projection and self-manifestation of the unity, which is the Supreme Lord, out of his free and independent will. The multiplicity of souls is, thus, in the trika view, as real as the unity of the Supreme Lord; there is no inconsistency involved in the two.

This view holds good even in the field of Self-realization or liberation of individual souls, where the admission of both the theories of ekajIvavAda and bahujIvavAda raises the important question of salvation of individual soul and that of all souls simultaneously. The trika system, for instance, does not believe that there is really any contradiction between the emancipation of one soul and that of all souls. The ultimate fate of each of the souls is bound up with that of the rest, so that, strictly speaking, there can be no absolute liberation of one soul to the exclusion of the others. Consequently, the liberation of one is simultaneous with, if not identical with that of the rest. Hence what is generally looked upon as liberation achieved by one individual soul is not, strictly speaking, a full and complete liberation, the attainment of absolute perfection, it is only a partial liberation, a state of relative perfection. The achievement of absolute perfection or liberation is possible only when all souls achieve liberation or perfection simultaneously and are merged in the unity of the Supreme. Just as all the inner points of the radii of the circle are united in a common center, in the same way the plurality of souls, when they achieve absolute liberation, are said to meet on the same ground and be united in the fundamental unity of the Supreme. This is the most supreme goal, the supreme destiny, the supreme end of all manifested beings.

This view is not an exclusive view of the trika system; it is one which is shared and supported by many monistic systems of

philosophy. The vedAntin philosopher Appayya Dikshita, for instance, says that the perfect realization, which is a realization not of one soul but of all souls simultaneously, has not yet taken place. The highest limit of advance that the individual souls could make by securing their personal salvation is confined to the state of Ishvara sAyujya. Unless all individuals simultaneously achieve their personal liberation or perfection, it will not be possible for them to achieve Absolute Perfection. Even in the mahAyAna school of Buddhism, it is believed that the Buddha is still working for the liberation of entire humanity, and that he will not enter into nirvANa until and unless the entire world accompanies him. The emancipation of the entire creation is the Goal, the Supreme destiny of mankind.