Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste
From my studies, svāmī Lakṣman-jū's guru was svāmī mahatābakak and his was svāmī ram… the lineage is traced back to durvāsā ṛiṣi.
It is said durvāsā ṛiṣi received knowledge of bhairava tantra from śrikaṇṭhanathā (śiva) Himself. Accordingly durvāsā ṛiṣi was instructed by śrikaṇṭhanathā to expand the thought of bhairava tantra in all the universe with no restriction to varna or jāti, male or female.
The first to receive his dīkṣā was Tryambakanātha, his son. What is of special note this sisya (śiṣya) was a mind-born son. He also created two more mind born sons and a mind born daughter for the upliftment of the family of man. Her name was ardhatryambakā.
Why did durvāsā ṛiṣi pursue this venue? He was a brahhmacārī and therefore ūrdhvaretah or one preserving ones sexual energy and no displacement of sukra.
From father to mind born son and daughter, some of the children also created mind born śiṣya-s. It's said that 15 siddhas were created in this manner. It was this 15th siddha that was unsuccessful in creating mind born śiṣyas.
For this he searched for a female with all sattvic qualities to produce his children and śiṣyas. Up to this point it was always father-to-son initiation.
Yet starting with somānandanātha muni the dīkṣā began from Master to disciple. It is from this lineage that Abhinavagupta came to be initiated into this great knowledge of kaśmir śaivism.
It's interesting to note there are a few views on how durvāsā ṛiṣi divided up the teaching of Śaivāgama (Śiva-āgama-s).
One view is the triad of advaita ( non-dual), dvaita (dual) and dbaitādvaita ( non-dual +dual). From this view ( offered by svāmī Lakṣman-jū).
I mention this because Abhinavagupta suggests there are 2 teachers qualified to teach Śaivism, that of Lajuliśa and Śrīkaṇṭha ( another name for Śiva). It is my understanding that Lajuliśa was the founder of the Paśupata-s; Śrīkaṇṭha, as mentioned in the quote above, gave the knowledge to durvāsā ṛiṣi , who then passed it on to the mind born śiṣyas mentioned.
- Tryambakanātha received advaita ( non-dual) from durvāsā ṛiṣi
Amardaka received dvaita (dual) from durvāsā ṛiṣi
Srinatha received dbaitādvaita ( non-dual +dual) ) from durvāsā ṛiṣi- The other view is the same recipients shown above , yet Tryambakanātha's daughter founded a 4th school , some call this the third-and-one-half way and is identified with the Kaula tradition, called kula-pratkriyā.
Now there is other information that leads us into kali yuga, but these details only gets us deeper into the weeds of things. I will continue to study this lineage to better understand it and will leave more of the details for another time.
The above is the lineage of kaśmir śaivism, considered a pure trika system. Perhaps others can add to this and review the sub-systems in general i.e. Pratyabhijñā ( SELF recognition), Kula ( grouping and used for 'totality' , Universal Consciousness), Krama ( progress made step-by-step), and Spanda ( the throb, movement, SELF-referral of the Divine). These are the 4 areas I have been studying and sharing with you as I find items of interest. This is the wonderful knowledge that is found in the agama-s¹.
I thought , since I have talked much about Abhinavagupta, I would offer the meaning of his name and some of the observations I have made. In one of his works Abhinavagupta himself calls out Abhinava + gupta as always new + hidden.
Yet we can take his name as Abhi+ nava + gupta.
From this one can suggest this name means one that is always headed towards or seated in that which is young, fresh and anew. What is that? Consciousness or Awareness. Always present without decay ( vimala - stainless , spotless , clean , bright , pure); Yet at the same time hidden or concealed as one does not 'see' this Consciousness or the state of Consciousness in the open, it is sahaja or innate, hereditary , original , natural in us.
- abhi अभि - is a prefix to verbs and nouns that expresses to , towards , into , over , or upon. The hi root is to convey , bring , procure , yet is also to send forth set in motion , impel , or urge-on
- nava नव - new , fresh , recent , young , modern
- gupta नव - protected , guarded , preserved;hidden, concealed , kept secret - from gup too hide , conceal
So the interesting part ( for me) is the definition begs the observation of Abhinavagupta's status of saṃghaṭṭa¹ - the union of the fresh and new with the hidden and concealed. That is , his status of being established in khecarī samatā¹ - movement within sameness. His name then suggests ( to me) his mukta status (liberated , delivered , emancipated ), secure in the SELF.
It also suggests Abhinavagupta's status as a guru, He that moves sends forth set in motion, others to nava, a fresh start of Consciousness that is hidden or concealed; he as guru un-conceals the concealed in the śiṣya-s.
pranams
Words and Reference books:
- Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa -or- That (Śrī Devī) who transcends and is Identical with trika. It also means That which speaks out (kāyati) the three (tri) śakti-s (śa) of the Supreme (parā). Vivaraṇa means the act of uncovering, opening, or explanation - by Abhinavagupta
- The Triadic Heart Of Śiva - by Paul Eduardi Muller-Ortega. This is a study of Abhinavagupta's many works in Tantra and Non-dual Śaivism
- āgama आगम - a traditional doctrine or precept , collection of such doctrines , sacred work ; ā = towards or towards us + gam =to go to or towards , approach; So the question is to go towards or approach what? To approach us , to us the aspirant, or to Śaivism or Śiva? It is that knowledge that brings us toward , and to approach Him.
- saṃghaṭṭa संघट्ट - union
- khecarī samatā - please see the following HDF Post: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23619&postcount=16
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