The Concept of 36 tattva-s and tattvashodhana - Part IV

IV. The Concept of 36 tattva-s and tattvashodhana The first five tattva-s of shiva, shakti, sadAshiva, Ishvara & shuddhavidyA which are commonly grouped as shivatattva, were dealt with in the previous posts. Now, we will see the next group called vidyAtattva under which mAyA, vidyA, kalA, rAga, kAla, niyati & puruShatattva-s are grouped. We saw that the consciousness or knowledge related to the state of sadAshiva that “I only am this universe” is shuddhavidyA. Similarly, mAyA is the consciousness related to the state of Ishvara where it views the jagat or universe as distinct from self. ahantA is due to shuddhavidyAtattva and idantA is due to mAyAtattva . Before we proceed to know further about these tattva-s its important to know that there is no difference between the absolute being and the created being called jIva. While the absolute being exists with the following five limitless vRtti-s, the jIva exists with the same vRtti-s but in a limited manner. The vRtti-s of paramashiva in this regard are:- 1. sarvaJjatA or the state of being omniscient 2. sarvakartRtA or state of being the absolute creator of anything and everything 3. nityatRptatA or the state of absolute/eternal contentment 4. nityatA or perpetuity 5. sarvasvatantratA or absolute freedom / independence The above five dharma-s of the absolute being are manifested in a limited manner in the jIva where sarvaJjatA is limited as vidyAtattva, sarvakartRtA as kalAtattva, nityatRptatA is limited as rAgatattva or desire, nityatA is limited as kAlatattva & sarvasvatantratA is limited as niyatitattva. It is to be understood that the absolute being from its state of limitless vRtti-s as above playfully (lIlayA) adopts the vidyA, kalA, rAga, kAla & niyatitattva-s collectively known as sharIrakaJcuka or cover which envelopes it to become jIva. The puruShatattva is nothing but the jIva endowed with the vidyA, kalA, rAga, kAla & niyatitattva-s. to be contd...