The Concept of 36 tattva-s and tattvashodhana

“ShaT triMshat tattvAni vishvaM” -- says ParashurAma kalpasUtra. This universe is nothing but the 36 tattva-s. 

So what is meant by tattva ? If the universe is made up of these tattva-s then they are verily the basic elements. By the very definition of the word tattva, understand that they are eternal and imperishable. Just as a building is constructed with brick, mortar, wood, iron etc., the universe with all its sentient and insentient (cetana & acetana) beings is composed of what is called as tattva-s. Just as the basic elements of a building on its demolition is segregated separately into brick, wood iron etc etc, so also at the time of pralaya this universe is deconstructed back into these basic elements and are re-absorbed in the Brahman without perishing and again come forth during the next cycle of creation. 

In effect, there are only two tattva-s known as “shiva” & “shakti” and the remaining tattva-s are the expansion of these two tattva-s. The 36 tattva-s are grouped into 3 main domains namely the shivatattva, vidyAtattva and Atmatattva. All these are absorbed in to the shaktitattva at the time of mahApralaya and re-emerge at the point of creation. The shivatattva originates from shaktitattva, vidyAtattva originates from the shivatattva and Atmatattva originates from vidyAtattva. The shivatattva consists of the 5 tattva-s namely shiva, shakti, sadAshiva, Ishvara & shuddhavidyA. The vidyAtattva in its domain has the 7 tattva-s of mAyA, vidyA, kalA, rAga, kAla, niyati & puruSha and the Atmatattva consists of 24 tattva-s namely prakRti, ahaMkAra, buddhi, manaH, tvak, cakShu, shrotra, jihvA, ghrANa, vAk, pANi, pAda, pAyu, upastha, shabda, sparsha, rUpa, rasa, gandha, AkAsha, vAyu, vahni, salila & pRthivi Though the shiva & shakti tattva-s are two in number, they are always together & inseparable, like the word and its meaning, as in kAlidAsa’s:- 

"vAgarthAviva sampRktau vAgarthapratipattaye jagadaH pitarau vande pArvatIparameshvarau"   

The shiva tattva which is the first and foremost of the 36 tattva-s is the absolute being which is in the state of “kevalanijarUpa” when nothing else exists besides the shakti tattva. The “maheshvaramahAkalpamahAtANDAvasAkShiNI” of lalitAhahasranAmA indicates this concept only. BhaskararAyA interprets this as follows: 

-- At the time of the great final dissolution called mahApralaya, shiva alone remains and is bliss personified having withdrawn the universe which results in his mahAtANDava. At this point, there is none else besides HER and therefore she alone is the witness to this (mahAsAkShiNI). In this context, bhAskararAya further refers to paJcadashIstava – 

kalpopasaMharaNakalpitatANDavasya devasya khaNDaparashoH parabhairavasya | pAshAGkushaikShavasharAsanapuShpabANaiH sA sAkShiNI vijayate tava mUrtirekA|| 

The shaktitattva referred to here is nothing but the jagat sisRkShA of the absolute being i.e. the desire or urge to create the universe. If the sole existence called “prakAsha” aspect of the “kevalacit” is the shivatattva, then the “vimarsha” of that cit called “prapaJcavAsanA” or the urge or desire to create the universe is the shaktitattva. In the understanding of the shiva-shaktitattva-s alone lies the understanding of the remaining tattva-s as they are derived from these two primordial tattva-s. 

In the absolute being which exists as the shivatattva, the icchA, JjAna & kriyA shaktis manifest the urge/desire to create the universe, as in “bahusyAM prajAyeya”. Due to this impulse or “sphuraNa” creation ensues in the form of “shabdasRShTi” and “arthasRShTi”. Now, the consciousness that “I am jagat” i.e. when this absolute being views the universe as self “jagadahaM” then it is called as sadAshivatattva which is the state called “ahantA”. This is an undifferentiated state, where the “vishvaM” is unmanifested but about to manifest and where everything is inside and nothing exists outside to address as “this” (idaM). This stage when the “idaM” amsha is not clearly differentiated and the absolute being is pregnant with benevolence or loving kindness (anugraha) for furthering the object of creation, is called as sadAshivatattva. Here icchAshakti is dominant. Thereafter when the absolute being views the manifested universe as “this is jagat” or “jagadidaM” such a state is known as Ishvaratattva which is “idantA”. Here JjAnashakti is predominant as the manifestation of the universe outside is clear to the self. The consciousness or knowledge that “ahantA” & “idantA” are one i.e. the jagat and paramashiva are one, is “shuddhavidyA”- “jagatparamashivayorabhedadhIH”. It is the recollection that “I only am this universe”. At this stage, the “kriyAshakti” is predominant as the universe clearly manifested. 

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.