Swami Lakshmanjoo was the foremost modern realized saint and teacher of the Trika school of Kashmir Shaivism .
In his occult book, "Kashmir Shaivism - The Secret Supreme", he has explained in great details the science, structure and mechanics of creation of Universe. This article will attempt to share and explain in brief some of the fundamental concepts described in this priceless book.
The Universe is made of 36 tattvas or elements. Out of these, in the order of ascension from the gross to the subtlest (lowest to the highest), 31 of these occult elements are ;
Panca mahabhutas - 5 great elements
jala - water
tejas - fire
vayu - air
akasa - ether
Panca tanmatras - 5 subtle elements
gandha - smell
rasa - taste
rupa - form
sparsa - touch
sabda - sound
Pancakarmendriyas - 5 organs of action
upastha - creative
payu - excretion
pada - foot
pani - hand
vak - speech
Panca jnanendriyas - 5 organs of cognition
ghrana - nose
rasana - tongue
caksu - eye
tvak - skin
srotra - ear
Antahkaranas - 5 internal organs
manas - mind
buddhih - intellect
ahamkara - ego connected with objectivity
prakriti - nature
purusa - ego connected with subjectivity
Sat Kanchukas - 6 coverings
niyati - limitation of place
kaala- limitation of time
raga - limitation of attachment
vidya - limitation of knowledge
kalaa - limitation of action or creativity
maya - illusion of individuality
These 31 elements bind us in the subjective-objective experience of the Universe. The remaining 5 tattvas belong to the highest level of pure subjective yogic experience. Maya or illusion is the tattva that forms the boundary between these 2 levels of experiences.
Swamiji also explains that there are 118 worlds or Universes that are created out of these 36 tattvas and they are arranged in 5 zones of Kaala or time. These Universes are not in a separate zone or space outside the Creator or Para Brahman but is a self created reflection within it like a Hologram.
In Kashmir Shaivism, the Parabrahman is Lord Shiva. He creates and dissolves the universe with his energies. These are 5 primary energies which are represented in the 16 vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet. This is also the Shiva tattva, the 1st tattva. The remaining 35 tattvas are represented in the consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet. It is collectively known as the Shakti tattva. Sanskrit alphabets therefore represent divine energies.
It must be however remembered that Vedic Sanskrit around 1800 BC was an oral language with no writing script. It was Panini around 400 BC who created the rules of Classical Sanskrit grammar and thence writing tradition's developed using Brahmi, Sharda and later modern Devanagari script. There is an element of subjective interpretation in the reconstruction of Sanskrit language which implies that no one can claim with 100% certainty how a Sanskrit verse, say in a written redacted (copy) Rig Veda text, is to be accurately pronounced compared to the original spoken verse in around 1800 BC.
Mantras are a specific combination of the Sanskrit alphabet that are very powerful and effective if chanted in the right pitch, metre, place and time.They derive their power and energy from the sound vibration of the alphabets that are designed to resonate with the frequencies of the divine energies and induce localization of these powerful energies on Earth to achieve their desired end objective. This is still an amazing level of efficacy considering that Sanskrit is an interpreted and reconstructed language. That is why it has been called a Divine Language.
Swamiji also explains that there are 118 worlds or Universes that are created out of these 36 tattvas and they are arranged in 5 zones of Kaala or time. These Universes are not in a separate zone or space outside the Creator or Para Brahman but is a self created reflection within it like a Hologram.
In Kashmir Shaivism, the Parabrahman is Lord Shiva. He creates and dissolves the universe with his energies. These are 5 primary energies which are represented in the 16 vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet. This is also the Shiva tattva, the 1st tattva. The remaining 35 tattvas are represented in the consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet. It is collectively known as the Shakti tattva. Sanskrit alphabets therefore represent divine energies.
It must be however remembered that Vedic Sanskrit around 1800 BC was an oral language with no writing script. It was Panini around 400 BC who created the rules of Classical Sanskrit grammar and thence writing tradition's developed using Brahmi, Sharda and later modern Devanagari script. There is an element of subjective interpretation in the reconstruction of Sanskrit language which implies that no one can claim with 100% certainty how a Sanskrit verse, say in a written redacted (copy) Rig Veda text, is to be accurately pronounced compared to the original spoken verse in around 1800 BC.
Mantras are a specific combination of the Sanskrit alphabet that are very powerful and effective if chanted in the right pitch, metre, place and time.They derive their power and energy from the sound vibration of the alphabets that are designed to resonate with the frequencies of the divine energies and induce localization of these powerful energies on Earth to achieve their desired end objective. This is still an amazing level of efficacy considering that Sanskrit is an interpreted and reconstructed language. That is why it has been called a Divine Language.